The Jaguar’s Arranged Mate

Chapter 15

Miera woke feeling restful, despite having dreamed about something terrible that she couldn’t quite recall. She stretched, reaching for Beric, only he wasn’t there. She hadn’t dreamed about falling asleep on him, had she? She didn’t think so. His arm had been around her, and she had rested her head on his chest, and it had felt so right. She had fallen asleep pretending there hadn’t been a war, that they were in their house, in their bed, that they actually lived together as were-jaguar and wife…

Somehow, despite his pushing her away, she had fallen for him. He had been such a pillar of strength for her during her labor and delivery. Walking around the room, leaning on him because she wouldn’t have been able to stand without his help, she realized just how much she needed him. She couldn’t blame him for throwing himself so hard into his role of alpha. She probably would’ve done the same thing. Yes, she wished he had turned to her, but he had been there for her when she needed him the most.

He was strong and capable, even if he didn’t see that in himself. Just the thought of him being alpha made her absurdly proud. Despite his struggles, he didn’t strike her as the kind to give up. And she wasn’t going to give up either, not on their people or on them and their marriage.

The thought caused her body to burn almost too hot, and when the sweat went away, she felt stronger than she had since before she’d realized she was pregnant. She threw off the covers and walked over to the window. The curtains had been hastily pushed aside, and she stared out to see blood and carnage.

Another battle had taken place, and from the were-jaguars loitering around, the battle was coming to an end or had just ended.

Miera ran out of the room. Her speed surprised her. She felt good. Far better than she had, far better than she would have thought possible. She wasn’t going to complain about it—it felt good to be back—but what had caused the change?

No time to question it.

She didn’t make it far before Carla, the nurse, stopped her. “You look better. How are you—”

“My baby. My son. Where is he?”

“He’s with the doctors. They’re trying to—”

“Where?” She didn’t have time for nonsense.

Carla gaped at her harsh tone then nodded. “Follow me.” She led her down the hallway to the last door on the left. Helen’s house was huge, and it worked well as a makeshift hospital.

Miera entered the room. It felt more like a hospital than the room she’d had been. Maybe from the smell of antiseptic. There was a bed and a crib and doctors bustling about.

“Is he stable?” she asked.

No one even looked her way.

“Is he stable?” she shouted.

The doctors stared at her. The one who had delivered the baby grimaced. “Not exactly.”

She pushed her way forward to stand by the crib. Her son looked so small and helpless. She just wanted to cry.

With careful deliberation, she unhooked him from the lines and monitors. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the doctors looking at each other, heard their murmurings but not the words they were saying, and she just didn’t care.

Miera picked up her son and cradled him to her chest. He had cried slightly while she’d freed him, but as soon as she placed him on her chest, he stopped. Tears did fall now, and she had to wait until her vision cleared for her to be able to walk out of the room.

Slowly, carefully, she left the house, no longer willing to run. Her baby was breathing a little heavy, or so she thought, and she did not want to risk moving too fast and hurting him. He seemed so frail and small, like he could break easily. Maybe bringing him outside would doom him, but something had to be done to rally her people, to inspire their people, and she couldn’t think of a better way than showing them what—no, who—they were fighting for.

The crowd of were-jaguars left standing from the aftermath of the battle fell into a hushed silence as she walked through them to stand beside Beric on the porch of a house. There was something in his gaze that tugged at her heart. He seemed happy to see her, and his eyes lit up when he saw the baby in her arms, but he seemed… angry. Yes, fury was rolling off of him, and the baby stirred in her arms, wailing.

“What is it?” she whispered to him, swaying her body and trying to soothe the baby as best she could.

“They were fighting each other.”

“Fighting?” She choked out the word.

He stared down at her before facing the crowd. “Killing.”

She felt cold and gasped. “No.”

Beric cleared his throat. “Teal Warriors, please listen to me. There is no reason for any of you to dare rise up against the Blood Roses. They are our guests here—”

“No.” Miera hated to contradict him, but he was wrong. “We are not guests here. We Blood Roses are one with the Teal Warriors. We are not two packs.”

Beric nodded and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Some of her coldness melted away, her body warming at his touch. “We are one pack. We are united both for our fight against the real enemy, the Brutal Claws—”

“And afterward,” Miera said loudly. The baby was still crying, although a little quieter now. “If we want to have a future…” She held up the baby, who immediately started to wail so she brought him back to her chest, where he settled albeit uneasily. “We all want a future, and the only way to have one is to fight together.”

“Fighting each other will only destroy all of us,” Beric added.

Grumblings came from the crowd, and Miera’s heart sank when she realized there was a clear division in the group. To the left, reflecting where Beric stood, were the Teal Warriors. Likewise, the Blood Roses were to the right, in front of her.