Rosy’s story:

I wake to the feel of a hard warm male body behind mine, an arm rests around my lower ribs and a hand cups my breast. I tense for a moment, not sure where I am before I identify the smell of the clan toms around me, I move slightly and the arm around my waist tightens.

"Shhh, it’s okay." Micah murmurs to me. "You’re safe Rosy."

"Micah," I murmur softly as I roll to face him and bury my face against his chest. His hand rubs my back soothingly and it would be very easy to go back to sleep but my body has different ideas as I become increasingly aware of his hard male body against mine. I slide my hands up his chest as I press close inhaling his scent and lift my top leg to hook my thigh over his, he groans softly and reaches down to ease my leg off his.

"Micah," I murmur and trail kisses across his bare chest. I flick one of his nipples with my tongue and slide my hand down over the well-defined muscles in his upper arm.

"You awake Sweetheart?" Micah asks quietly. I tilt my head back until I can feel his breath against my face and I nibble at his chin.

"Yeah," I breathe faintly.

Micah brushes several light kisses over my lips and when I don’t object his kisses become longer and firmer. I press against his body trying to encourage him to continue and I am rewarded when his hand begins to reach lower with each downwards caress until he cups my butt and presses me against him. There is no mistaking the hard ridge in the front of his boxers and I lift my upper leg to hook my heel behind his calf as I press my hips against his.

His hardness presses into the cradle of my femininity and I moan softly as I wriggle against him. His hand slips up under the edge of my t-shirt to find the waistband at the back of my knickers and he hooks his fingers in it to begin working my knickers off as he continues kissing me. The feel of his hand on the bare skin of my thighs as he pushes my knickers down my legs makes me shudder and he pauses to kiss me deeply.

"You okay with this?" Micah asks his voice raspy with arousal.

"We go to your room?" I whisper against his ear before nipping his earlobe then soothing it with several quick licks.

"My blankets and pillows are out here," Micah groans. I reach between us to run my hand up and down the hard length in his boxers.

"It’s nice and private in your room … I’ll let you take all my clothes off …" I say trying to tempt him as I close my hand around his shaft and squeeze gently.

I make the offer knowing Micah prefers to have me naked beneath his body as we have sex. He seems to delight in exploring my bare skin with his hands and lips as if he can’t get enough of the feel and taste of me. I know I’ll never get enough of the feel of his body under my fingertips, the way his muscles slide under his smooth skin with each movement.

Micah groans once again as I rub my thumb over the head of his cock through the silky material of his boxers. His mouth is hard and forceful as he kisses me and I whimper as he leans over me, his weight pressing me down into the mattress. His hand finds its way beneath the hem of my t-shirt and to my naked body beneath it. I open my legs wide as he trails his fingers up the inside of my thigh before his fingers dance and tease around my opening.

His lips trail down the side of my neck as his hand strokes up and down my inner thigh, I groan and run both my hands over the taunt muscles in his arms and shoulders as I arch up into his body. His hand slips beneath the small of my back to pull me up against his body and I moan in pleasure against his shoulder. I feel him let go of me with a reluctant groan and ease away from my body. I gasp in several deep breaths before getting to my hands and knees to crawl off the mattress and reach for the end of the lounge to use it to help myself to get to my feet.

I hear Micah growl softly behind me and I know he is watching me as I make my way down the mattress. Someone beside me moves their legs out of my way and I feel my face heat in embarrassment but I crawl off the mattress and reach for the arm of the lounge. Micah growls low in his throat as he catches me from behind and I giggle softly as he nuzzles against the back of my neck as he slips his hands beneath the front of my t-shirt to reach up and cup my breasts. I duck my head down giggling softly as the brush of his lips through my hair tickles the back of my neck. I push back against him to prevent him pinning me against the front of the lounge as he teases my already aroused body.

"Impatient tonight are you?" Micah groans as he tightens his grip gently to stop me wriggling against him. "Are we only going to make it into the hallway like last night?" He breathes against the back of my neck softly as I press back against the hard ridge in the front of his boxers.

It is the third night since Lotty and her parents were here, the second night since Mitchell had went to the main house in answer to Jazzy’s invitation. Each night we have all went to sleep in the lounge room. Part way through the night either I wake Micah and lead him into his room, or he would wake me and follow me there. Last night we had only reached the door from the hallway to the long sunroom when I had stopped on my hands and knees allowing Micah to do a quick scent marking that had ended in a hot session of sex.

His hand slides down over my stomach to slip beneath the hem of my t-shirt, I open my legs wider as Micah strokes the inside of my thighs and I gasp softly as I rub against the hard ridge pressing against me from behind.

"You like fingers and tongue don’t you?" Micah says softly and suddenly I find myself turned and lifted onto the lounge. He spreads my thighs as he pushes my shirt up and then he is licking and kissing the inside of my thighs where they are damp from the moisture coming down from between my folds. I open my legs willingly and lean back against the lounge as his lips close over my clit and his fingers find my passage. I whimper and thrust my hips towards his mouth and a low chuckle vibrates against my clit, I whimper and grab at the cushions beneath me.

"Micah …" I gasp breathlessly, "… too fast … Micah!" I end on a squeal as I climax beneath his mouth and fingers. I don’t protest as he turns me over onto my chest even as I try to catch my breath, I tilt my hips obligingly as he moves behind me and then he is sliding into my slick passage with ease. I groan with pleasure and lift one leg to pull my knee up onto the lounge. He grasps my hips firmly in his hands and then I am gasping and moaning with pleasure as he begins to move within me.

"You okay with this?’ Micah asks huskily and I groan as I press my hips back against his.

"Yes …"

"You don’t mind?" Micah asks with a soft grunt.

"Shut up and do it," I demand then whimper. Pleasure builds quickly and I make no effort to muffle the noises I am making. I am no longer aware of the toms around us as the pleasure and the need to have Micah inside me over rides all else. It even overrides the fact that I can smell Wade where he is occupying a mattress in the lounge room rather than be in the main house where his daughter is in heat. The pleasure intensifies as Micah continues to pump into me enthusiastically then I loose all awareness of anything else except for the growing swell of pleasure building low in my stomach.

"Oh God, Oh fuck … Micah, Oh, shit … Ohmmm … please Micah, Micah!" I finish on a scream as he thrusts hard against me with a shudder. I feel the liquid warmth that flows into me in a series of rhythmic surges as I press my hips back against Micah. His large body trembles for several moments before he begins to relax against me, his warmth soothing against my back.

Slowly I become aware of our surroundings once again, and the awkward position I am in against the front of the lounge. I ease my leg down and Micah groans softly as he eases from my body. He climbs to his feet and before I can move he picks me up in his arms and carries me back to his mattress where he lays me down gently and covers me with the blanket before easing down to join me beneath the blanket.

The room is quiet, too quiet and I am suddenly aware that the other toms have been woken by our activities and heard what just transpired. I feel my face begin to burn hotly and I groan as I pull the pillow over my head in embarrassment. I don’t want to know what they thought as Micah pinned me against the lounge while I acted little better than some animal in heat.

Micah’s story:

"Rosy, you all right?" I ask softly as Rosy groans and turns away from me.

"Leave me alone," Rosy mutters.

"Hey," I say gently and attempt to ease the pillow from over her head. "What’s the matter Sweetheart?"

"Leave me alone," Rosy protests as I try to cradle her against my body. I feel Rosy push against my chest and turn her face away from me as I move the pillow aside. I can feel her body respond to my nearness, her nipples pebbling into hard nubs as her breasts rub against my chest.

"Rosy. What’s wrong Sweetie?" I query softly as I lean over her.

"Stop it. Leave me alone. I don’t want to do it in here. I didn’t want to before," Rosy says miserably as she pushes away from me and scrambles from the mattress. Rosy climbs to her feet and hurries from the room, my face burns with humiliation. Already she regrets my touch and my heart feels heavy at her rejection. Increasingly it is like this, I make love to her and she spurns my touch afterwards. More and more it seems like she is only after physical gratification and not the simple pleasure I find in her nearness. I’m scared our bond will fail to grow beyond this, only the physical release of sex and not the depth and richness of a true relationship.

I get to my feet and follow her slowly. Hopefully she will calm down enough to come back into the lounge room to sleep. I walk along the large sunroom and go into the room we share with Steven. I am saddened when I fail to find her there and head to the doorway of the room she had claimed as her own.

"Rosy?" I call softly. There is no answer, only total silence. My heart feels heavy as I turn and head for her brothers room.

"Rosy? You in here?" I ask softly and I hold my breath so I don’t make a noise. There is nothing, only total silence fills the room.

I know she has to be in one of the three rooms and turn the light on expecting to see her. The room is empty and I switch the light off before heading for the small bedroom she had claimed. I turn the overhead light on and see her sitting in the far corner at the head of the bed wrapped in the quilt off the bed, she turns her face away in the bright glare.

"I called you before why didn’t you answer?" I ask with an irritation. I don’t need the answer, not really. The way she avoids me after we are intimate tells me all I need to know.

"Leave me alone," Rosy says barely above a whisper.

"We need to talk about what is going on between us," I say as I move around the end of the bed. I am desperate to reach her, to fix this in some way.

Rosy gets to her feet, she hugs the blanket close but avoids looking me in the face.

"I don’t want to talk about it. Just leave me alone," Rosy protests.

"We’re going to talk," I say forcefully and catch hold of one of her wrists. Even as I touch her I know this isn’t a wise choice.

"Leave me alone," Rosy protests and pulls against my hold. "Let me go Micah. I don’t want to talk to you. Let me go,"

I am aware of her voice rising in distress but I can’t make myself release her as she struggles against my grip on her wrist. I can almost feel the chasm between us opening wider and wider.

"Micah let her go! You are scaring my sister and probaly hurting her as well. Let her go now," Sam growls aggressively as he stalks into the room.

"Shut up and keep out of this, this does not concern you Sam." I warn on a low note. I need to clear the air between Rosy and myself. I need to know she wants me as much as I want her.

"Anything to do with my sister concerns me," Sam snarls aggressively as he rolls his shoulders and steps towards us.

"Let me go Micah. I don’t want to talk with you," Rosy protests as she struggles to free her wrist.

"Let her go Micah," Sam orders, his voice taking on a dangerous edge.

"Keep out of it Sam." I warn on a low snarl and I can feel the aggression rising in me for this tom that would keep me away from Rosy. She pulls at her wrist and whimpers before trying to twist it free of my grip.

"Let me go. Micah, let me go," Rosy’s voice is rising with panic but I am sure she would calm down if only Sam would leave us talk this out between us. If there was just the two of us I could let go and back up a step or two so Rosy calmed down but with Sam here I am worried he will whisk her out of the room.

"That’s it," Dwayne says angrily as he stalks into the room. "You may be chief among the warriors Micah, but I am still your elder brother and in charge in this building and I order you to let go of Rosy!"

I growl but release Rosy’s wrist. With both Sam and my one of my own brothers against me I have the choice, let Rosy go or get into a fight. I watch impotently as Dwayne, Sam and Malcolm pass her across the room to Chris who is in the doorway. He slips a gentle arm around her shoulders and guides her from my sight.

"Stop crowding my sister Micah," Sam snarls. "I don’t care if you’re an Alpha, you’re not coercing Rosy into anything she doesn’t want."

"Micah," Dwayne says calmly. "You know what she’s been through, just give her time and space."

"That’s alright for you to say," I hiss angrily. "It’s me who she refuses to let touch her unless she decides to throw me a bone and … I need to talk to her and work this out between us."

"She lets you get a hell of a lot more friendly than she ever did with Chris," Malcolm cuts in almost dismissively.

"I want a hell of a lot more than your brother ever did," I snap tightly. "I …"

I take a deep breath as I clamp my jaws shut and turn my back on them. I wish Steven were here so we could change to cat form so I could run off most of my humiliation and frustration.

"Go make sure your sister is alright," I say tightly with a glance Sam’s way. I hear him move slightly as if hesitating before he turns and leaves the room followed by Dwayne and Malcolm. I take several steadying breaths before following them and pausing in the doorway between the hallway and the lounge room. I can easily identify individuals on their mattresses as the large window provides plenty of light from the full moon. Plenty of light for the toms to have seen Rosy turn away from me, spurning my affection and wanting nothing more than sexual gratification.

"Rosy okay there?" Sam asks quietly as he walks into the room and pauses for a moment just above the mattress where Rosy is curled up between Donny and Justin.

"Yeah, she just wants to be left alone." Donovan says quietly.

"Yeah well … you know where I am if you need me Rosy," Sam says sounding unconvinced but he moves away. Dwayne and Malcolm make their way to their mattresses as I watch from the doorway.

"Rosy I’m going for a run, want to come and we can hunt?" I ask softly. I hope we can talk so I can understand where her head is at. Maybe this is some kind of misunderstanding we can sort out. It’s a slight hope; no hope at all in reality but it is all I have to cling to. The alternative is something I’m not willing to accept, not yet.

There is only silence from her. No acknowledgement or rejection of my offer. I am aware of several toms shifting uneasily. Anger wars with hurt at Rosy’s snub. It’s becoming painfully clear she wants nothing more to do with me tonight.

"Right then. You don’t have to worry! I get the picture. I get it real clear," I snap tightly and storm from the building in humiliation. I slip from my boxers as I go. They are all I bothered to pull on when I followed Rosy from the lounge room.

Outside I ignore the cool nip of the night air as I drop onto my hands and knees and begin my change to cat form. The hurt of knowing Rosy only wants me physically burns deep and I can’t help but remember all the times I have told her I love her over the last few days. Not once can I remember her saying those words back to me. Rosy doesn’t love me.

Once I am in cat form I give a low rumbling snarl before loping away from the buildings, I need to run far and long to cool this pain burning inside me. I head along a track that will take me on a hard run, I head where the hills are steep and covered in shrubs and rocks. I speed up and feel the burn in my chest and legs as I head up the first slope. I want the physical pain. I want to be able to forget the hallow ache in my chest, forget my arms are empty when they ache to hold Rosy.

Rosy’s story:

"Rosy okay there?" I hear Sam ask quietly.

I am curled up beside Donovan trying to work out how I feel. Embarrassed, no, mortified that everyone saw what happened between Micah and I. Then for them to have witnessed, heard what was said between us. I close my eyes tightly in shame and pray that sleep will take me quickly. Both Sam and Mitchell have told me it is normal for couples to have sex with others in the same room, even Micah has told me this, but it still feels wrong to me. I am aware of Sam and Donovan talking but I block the words out, I don’t want to know what they are saying as I pretend to be asleep. If only I were asleep.

"Rosy I’m going for a run, want to come and we can hunt?" Micah asks in a soft strained whisper. I can hear the pain in his voice and it hits me with a jolt that I am hurting him, that I have hurt him.

I’m sorry. I don’t mean to act like this, but I don’t know how I want to act. The words run through my mind but I can’t bring myself to say them.

"Right then. You don’t have to worry! I get the picture. I get it real clear," The words from Micah startle me into opening my eyes and I stare at Donovan’s dark form as I listen to Micah leave the room.

I realise in two breaths Micah is walking away from me, or is it from us? The knowledge sends a bolt of pain through the centre of my chest and I feel the tears start as the screen door slams behind him. I choke back a sob but more rise in my throat. And behind that more, and more, pouring from me in a torrent. It takes me several minutes to get my tears under control. I can’t help thinking of Micah outside thinking that maybe I don’t care about him, unable to stand it any longer I scramble from beneath the blanket and head for the door.

"Micah would be a fair way away now," Dwayne says from just inside the doorway. I glance back over my shoulder at him startled then glance around looking for some clue to which way he headed.

"Hey Rosy …" Dwayne calls after me.

"Leave me alone. Can’t everyone just leave me alone," I shout back at him tearfully. My inner cat surges forward with a rush and I give a cry of pain as I shape-shift then I am racing for the trees at full speed.

I slow my pace as I drop my head and trail my nose just above the ground hoping for some sign of which way Micah went. A bush holds his scent and I slow to take several sniffs before loping off along a faint trail. His scent clings to the occasional bush beside the trail and I continue further and further from the buildings into the night. I run but I can’t outrun the thoughts that flit through my mind - so I run

– not sure if I am running away from, or towards, that which I don’t want to face. I long to keep to myself, alone, always alone. The knowledge he can’t hurt me when I am like this makes me miss a step and I stumble. I catch myself and shake my head as I regain my stride before picking up speed. I weave through the trees in the moonlight - a dappled shape in the broken shadows.

I have travelled a long way when I finally stop on the crest of a hill. I stand in the shadows of a large tree as I take the time to catch my breath. I haven’t caught a smell of any trace left behind by Micah for some time and finally admit to myself I have lost his faint trail. My pregnancy weighs heavily on me and I give in to the need to lie down and rest for a while. I curl my tail around to rest my chin on it as my ears swivel back and forth listening for any sound in the surrounding bush. I am heavily pregnant and alone in the bush at night; some deep need demands I get to my feet and head back the way I came.

I give a harsh snort and lift my head to listen as something small dashes from the undergrowth a few feet away. I am hungry but I am too tired to hunt as I lower my head, hesitate a few moments then give a long low coughing call to my clan members. I listen eagerly but no one answers, no one is around to catch the food I need but am too tired to catch for myself. I rest my chin on the ground and close my eyes, just a few minutes rest. I need a few minutes rest before I head back to where my brothers are sure to be waiting anxiously. Just a few minutes I tell myself.

It is close to midday the following day before I wake. I am stiff and irritable when I get to my feet. The need to hunt and feed myself urges me into action, I get to my feet reluctant to hunt in the heat of the day but my body demands the food. I find a herd of feral goats at the edge of the trees and a fat nanny falls prey to me. I drag the carcase out of sight into the trees and after a few moments hesitation I climb a tree dragging my kill up with me. I feel vulnerable by myself in my present stage of pregnancy; I gorge myself before leaving the tree and trotting a short distance to a stream for a drink. I stand at the edge of the stream water dripping from my chin as I scent the air blowing into my face. I hesitate for a moment as I make certain of my direction before heading for home.

I find myself back on Williamson home grounds and I stop to sniff where someone has scent marked against a tree, I can smell both Dwayne and Justin and I prick my ears as I look around eagerly. I give a long low coughing call then wait motionlessly as I listen for a reply, hearing none I begin a steady trot towards the home compound stopping every so often to call. I am just past the entrance to the stock paddock when I hear the first distant call and I reply eagerly. I chirp excitedly at several replies and break into a lope only to I stop at the edge of a small clearing and call again. This time the replies are much closer and I am able to identify individual calls, I can hear Micah, Sam, Justin and a couple of others further away.

I wait impatiently and I am rewarded by the faint sounds as cats rush through the bush, I raise my head and call again as I tremble with eagerness to see them again. Micah is the first to burst into the clearing and I cower against the ground and chirp frantically as he races towards me. He slows quickly and approaches at a fast walk. I stand up nervously and sniff towards him with soft little murrs. He extends his nose and I chirp as I move closer to him, he barely sniffs my nose before moving down my side sniffing noisily. I flick him with my tail but submit to his inspection even when he sniffs beneath my tail thoroughly. Then Sam is in front of me claiming my attention and I greet him eagerly, Justin pushes his nose forward and I chirp as I rub my head against his cheek.

I blink as I see Mikkarl just behind Justin and I press back against Micah where he is still sniffing my shoulders. I chirp shrilly and cower against Micah and he rubs his head against me somewhat roughly before licking around my ears. Mikkarl crawls forward on his belly making soft little whimpers at me when I extend my nose nervously. He sniffs it briefly before backing away and purring loudly.

Micah moves off slightly then turns and calls to me, I follow him several steps before stopping and he moves a bit further away before calling to me again. I eye him a moment before trotting to his side and rubbing my head against his shoulder, this time when he moves off I trot at his side and move along with him. Micah continues to huff and grumble as we travel and I am happy to see we are heading back to the compound. When I slow to a walk Micah slows as well but even in cat form, I can tell he is anxious to get me home.

I pause at a stream to hunt some fat frogs and the toms stand back watching as I snap up the tasty little morsels without difficulty. Further on Micah catches a hare for me and I pause to eat it before cleaning his face for him. As I trot along beside him, my shoulder brushes his and when we finally reach the clearing, he turns his head to look at me for several moments. I purr and press closer to his side as I let him lead me across the cleared ground.

I can see toms in human form standing around outside the quarters and press closer to Micah’s side as we slow to a walk, he looks back at me and I am sure I glimpse pleasure in his eyes before he leads the way inside. I baulk at the doorway and swing aside to avoid going inside, I hear Sam grunt as he comes up beside me but I shy away from him then stop and call to Micah. It’s not long before Micah comes outside in human form adjusting his jeans on his hips prior to zipping them up. He stops and looks at me with a shake of his head.

"Come on, inside with you. I’m sure you’d like to change back to human so you can have a warm shower. We can talk, that is if you want to," Micah is quick to tack the last bit on. There is a distant tone to his voice and I tilt my head to one side as I study him for a moment.

Sam growls behind me and I glance over my shoulder at him but he is looking at Micah and not me. I hesitate a moment before walking through the open door and trotting along the hallway to our room. I jump up onto the bed and lay down before relaxing so I can change forms. Micah is in the doorway watching me when I finish changing and I glance his way before reaching for an open fronted shirt of his on the end of the bed.

"I’m glad you’re back," Micah tells me quietly as I shrug into the shirt.

"I didn’t mean to run away," I say softly as I avoid his gaze.

"You might not have meant to but it doesn’t change the end result," Micah tells me stiffly before walking from the room leaving me to stare after him a few moments before heading for the bathroom.

The shower is refreshing as I run over in my mind how I will apologise to Micah for the misunderstanding last night. I don’t stay in the shower long once I am clean and I dry myself quickly before getting dressed in a roomy shirt and loose boxer shorts and head for the lounge room.

"Rosy, you’re back," Donovan exclaims happily and gets off his mattress to come and sit beside me on the lounge. I glance towards the kitchen where Micah is busy cooking some meat and I know that he will bring food to me shortly expecting me to eat.

"Of course I’m back Donovan, you should know by now I come back." I tell him softly.

"Well you shouldn’t run away," Donovan says hotly as he moves back to his spot on the floor clearly annoyed with me.

"You remember what it felt like when those strays herded us the way they wanted us to go Donovan. Do you, well tha…" I begin angrily. I know I can make him understand how hounded I had felt by their constant questioning.

"That is enough Rosy," Dwayne says tightly as he comes to stand over me. "Do you think Donny doesn’t have nightmares? You think he’s forgotten what happened?"

"Back off and leave Rosy alone," Sam snarls as he comes over to face Dwayne.

"Well you tell your sister to leave Donny alone and stop torturing him," Dwayne snarls back as he gives Sam a rough push backwards. I cower against the back of the lounge drawing my legs up closer to my body as the two large and mature toms square off against each other.

Micah’s story:

The atmosphere in the quarters is tense as I head into the kitchen to cook some food for Rosy. I know she will be hungry after changing back to human form. The growing kitt needs nourishment even if she did hunt while she was away. After arriving back from my run last night to find Rosy gone I immediately told Sam off for letting her go off by herself. Dwayne came to his defence and the heated argument nearly ended in blows before I ordered everyone to their own rooms and out of the lounge room. Even as I done it I knew I was being irrational.

The unsettled and hostile atmosphere lingers and everyone seems affected but I am surprised when Rosy starts on Donny. The result is almost instant as Dwayne rushes to Donny’s defence sparking more aggression from Sam. I glance into the lounge room to gauge the volatility of the situation and see Wade getting to his feet.

"Problem solved," I announce as I stalk over, grab Rosy by the upper arm and urge her to her feet. I have no patience at the moment and Rosy has no choice but to follow me as I march along the sunroom to the small bedroom she claimed as hers. I don’t allow myself to consider the consequences as I push her through the doorway before pulling a door made of metal bars along the tracks top and bottom of the doorframe.

"Micah," Rosy’s face looses all colour and her voice is thick with alarm as she calls out to me.

I don’t shut the door completely, it is just short of being locked into place and a simple pull will open it. I turn away and head back towards the kitchen shocked by my own actions.

"What the fuck are you thinking?" Sam demands in a hiss as he glances past me with a worried frown.

"Work it out for yourself," I growl back at him. Gradually I become aware that the entire building is unnaturally quiet. Sam pushes past shoving roughly, not bothering to step around me as he heads up to the door of the bedroom where I left Rosy. I see him reach through the bars and guess he must be comforting her.

"Micah locked me up Sam, Micah," Rosy says. Her voice is choked with tears and I can hear her soft little sobs.

"You mustn’t pick at Donny about what the strays done Rosy, he feels real bad that he wasn’t able to protect you. He thinks a lot of what happened to you is his fault," Sam says gently.

I turn away and head for the kitchen, Dwayne is just inside the lounge room and he glances back the way I came.

"Did you just lock Rosy in that cage?" Dwayne demands tightly.

"It is not a cage, it is her bedroom and she is not locked in." I snap angrily.

"Does she know that?" Dwayne growls.

"That door isn’t locked Rosy," I yell back along the building. I should have known she would assume the worst.

"But you are to stay in there until I say you can come out, understand?" I add after a few moments thought. I head into the kitchen, glancing around those in the lounge room as I go. Nearly everyone avoids eye contact, only Wade meets my gaze and I walk into the kitchen with a frown.

Mikkarl has saved the stir-fried vegies from burning and I give a nod of acknowledgement as I take the tongs from him. I finish by adding some more sauce to the vegies and stirring it in before placing a frypan on the stove and readying a medium sized piece of steak.

As I wait for the frypan to heat so I can sear the steak on both sides I think on how it isn’t easy to make the right decisions as Alpha. Had I done the right thing in regards to Rosy? I couldn’t leave her there and have a fight erupt, but now in hindsight my actions seem harsh. Rosy believed I locked her in the cage, I’d seen the horror in her eyes as I slid the door all but closed. I know I need to make it right between us, make her understand. I close my eyes for a few seconds as I put the steak in the hot pan and listen to it sizzle furiously.

"Talk to her," Mikkarl says quietly startling me. I look at him and he gives a slight nod, I am surprised to see the same quiet intelligence in his eyes as Steven hides with his female chasing remarks.

"Just sit down with her and explain it to her. It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t seem to be listening; Rosy takes everything that is said in. It just seems she needs longer to sort through it all," Mikkarl says. "Say it to her plain and simple."

"What makes you think you know how she works?" I ask dryly. Mikkarl is only nineteen, a few weeks older than Jazzy, to my twenty-eight and yet here he is with more commonsense than me at the moment.

"I got three older brother who think they’re pretty smart and don’t mind spreading their so-called wisdom," Mikkarl says with an easy-going grin. "And besides, I tend to watch the way everyone acts and reacts more so than having my say."

I am silent for a few moments as I turn the steak over and take my time to consider what he said.

"Yeah, your brothers tend to think a lot of themselves," I agree with a slight smile. I’ll have to mention to Mitchell when he returns from visiting with Jazzy what an astute individual we have in Mikkarl. I turn my attention back to the piece of steak and use the tongs to lift one end to check the colour underneath.

"Yeah, that’s how Rosy seems to like it," Mikkarl says quietly and I glance his way to see him holding out a plate. I take it and put the steak on it before adding the stir-fried veggies.

Rosy’s story:

I sit on my side of the metal bars leaning into the cuddle Sam is offering through the bars. My nose is stuffy and my throat hurts from crying, I can’t get past the fact Micah has put me in a cage. We are silent for a while and it is not until I hear the faint sounds as someone moves along the sunroom towards us that I lift my head and listen intently for a moment. The slight trace of Micah’s scent has me getting to my feet and retreating to the corner once again.

"How is she?" Micah asks as he halts near Sam. I don’t look his way but I can smell the plate of food he holds, my mouth waters and my stomach grumbles.

"You shouldn’t have put her in there," Sam says in a hard voice and I hear Micah growl. There are the faint sounds of someone moving but I refuse to look towards the door.

"I’ll be back later Rosy," Sam says softly and I squeeze my eyes tightly shut against the fresh rush of tears as I hear him walk away leaving me behind and locked in the room. I know the door isn’t locked, that it isn’t even shut properly but in my heart it feels like it is.

"I got a meal for you here. Some of those stir fried vegies Mikkarl makes that you like so much and a nice thick steak barely seared on each side. Now don’t tell me you’re not hungry, I heard your stomach from over here." Micah says quietly.

There is the metallic noise of metal sliding over metal and I look his way hurriedly, sure it is some kind of a trick. The bared door is now wide open and Micah is just outside the doorway holding the plate of food. I get to my feet nervously and watch as he comes into the room.

"Where do you want your food?" He asks softly.

"Out in the kitchen or lounge room," I say desperately.

"Sit down in here, I want to talk to you and then we can go out to the others." Micah says firmly.

"I don’t trust you. You’ll lock me in here again," I protest as I shake my head and back into the corner.

"Dwayne and Sam were just about to get into a fight, if I hadn’t bought you in here you probaly would have accidentally have gotten hurt. Neither of them was about to back down and at least with you here Sam walked away from Dwayne to come up here to you. They would have fought until Sam knocked Dwayne down that many times he couldn’t get up again," Micah tells me quietly. "And the door was not locked."

I fold my arms above the swell of my stomach and turn my face away from him but quickly look back at him as I hear him move closer. I can see the muscle below his right eye twitching and know he is under nearly as much stress as I am but I was the one left in here, in this cage.

"I get that you don’t appreciate being put in this room," Micah tells me gently.

"Bad things happen when I get locked up in a cage," I protest and turn my face away.

"What like meeting your brothers? Even though you didn’t know they were your brothers. Or being kept safe from all toms when you were on heat - even though some of us wouldn’t have done anything you didn’t want us to. And you had been in a locked room when you and Donny were rescued weren’t you? Wasn’t any of that good stuff?" Micah asks softly. "Finding family, being safe, being rescued?"

I give an annoyed snort as I realise what he is saying is true, there has been good mingled in with the bad. However, for me the bad still over shadowed the good.

"So ok, let’s see what bad things will happen today from being locked up …" Micah says softly and I look towards him in sudden unease. "Firstly, you’re not upsetting Donny without meaning to. Secondly you’re not right beside two large toms fighting and thirdly you get to leave this room … this cage when you tell me why you were so upset with me and everyone else that you ran away last night." Micah tells me.

"You all kept asking me what was wrong. I had just let you mount me like a bitch in heat where everyone in the room could watch. The way I was raised sex between couples in a relationship is supposed to be something private and beautiful between the two of them. It’s not supposed to be like something out of a porn movie." I burst out then turn away appalled.

"There’s more to it than that isn’t there?" Micah says, "Cats don’t have much privacy. Most of them turned their heads away last night so they were not watching, that is how we give privacy. Justin got off the lounge when he realised what was about to happen, so he wouldn’t accidentally interfere, he sat with Donovan who was watching because he was scared I would hurt you."

"Apparently, he’s seen all the bad stuff, none of the good. Oh, he was here for Jazzy’s first time but she’s such a little thing and Mitchell is nearly fully mature now so Donny heard Jazzy squealing and crying even though she wanted Mitchell to mount her. It took her three days before she was game to let him do it a second time. Yesterday Donny kept looking at me funny until he finally admitted to me he had watched, he was embarrassed he’d trespassed in our private activity. Sam told me that apparently Wade put his pillow over his head even," Micah says soberly.

"No-one was watching?" I ask doubtfully.

"Well I didn’t hear Sam or Dwayne get up to hit anyone. I’ve slapped Malcolm a few times for watching Mitchell and Jazzy." Micah explains. "You ready to go out to the lounge room now so you can eat this food?"

"You’re not going to make me stay in here?" I ask uneasily.

"No, unless there’s something you’d rather do …" Micah tells me with a grin as he glances at the bed, the grin fades quickly and is replaced with a sober expression.

"We need to sit down and have a serious talk about what is happening between us," Micah says quietly, almost hesitantly. "About you and me and …"

"I want to go to the lounge room," I say hurriedly. I’m not ready to discuss our relationship, I feel unbalanced and vulnerable for some reason. I head for the door keeping a wary eye on Micah as I go, he smiles but something seems to be missing from his eyes. It’s almost as if he is forcing himself to be nice to me.

"Maybe later we can go to our room," He says on a soft intimate note. I look over my shoulder at him as I pause in the doorway and the glint in his eye makes heat course through my body, I frown at him in annoyance before hurrying out to the lounge room. Sam grins as he spots me and I hurry to sit on the lounge next to where he leans against the front of it.

"Want a glass of something cool to drink?" Sam asks getting to his feet.

"Yes please," I say looking up at him. I bite my lower lip as he walks towards the kitchen before I glance towards Micah. I find he is watching me with a closed expression on his face and he forces a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

"Here, eat up." Micah tells me as he places the plate on my lap and hands me a knife and fork.

I am cutting the steak into small pieces as I eat and the shrill tone of a cell phone playing a familiar tune makes me look towards the sound, Sam lifts a small phone from one of the kitchen benches and holds it up so I can see it.

"I take it this is your phone," Sam says as he shows me before pressing the button to answer the call.

"Hallo. Tawny’s phone, Sam speaking." Sam says evenly.

"Give it here," I protest as I put my food aside and get to my feet.

"Oh so it’s you again hey stud?" I instantly recognise the sarcastic feminine voice on the other end and cringe internally as I hurry over to Sam.

"Hallo again Elisabeth, looking for my sister are you?" Sam asks sounding slightly amused.

"It’s a shame I know for a fact that Tawnz doesn’t have any brothers or sisters hey Sam-boy?" The feminine voice asks sweetly.

"How about I just hand the phone to Tawny and let her set you straight," Sam asks with a wide grin.

"Give me my phone," I snap as I snatch at the phone but Sam keeps hold on it and I tighten my grip even though his fingers are beneath my hand. "Don’t know what you were doing touching it in the first place."

"That you Tawnz? Tawnz?" I hear Elisabeth call out.

"It’s rude to snatch," Sam tells me as he relinquishes his hold on the phone. I glare at him before turning away as I lift the phone to my ear and heading outside but Sam beats me to the door into the hallway and I glare at him as I come to a halt.

"Hey Ellie, how are you? Sorry I missed your call but I was out." I say brightly before turning away to make my way to the kitchen only to find the back door there guarded by Micah.

"Hey chickie-babe. You found yourself a guy have you? I been trying to call you several times a month and usually your phone is out of range or switched off." I hear the trace of censure in her voice and move to sit at the kitchen table.

"Actually Ellie, Sam is my brother. Apparently, my Mum had two kids before she … before she ended up with my stepfather. We type of came across each other and found out we are related later, strange hey?" I ask wryly.

"Oh," Elisabeth managed sounding shocked, and then comes the question so typical of her. "You weren’t banging him were you? Nah. Silly question hey. So what you got planned? When are finishing your degree?"

"It’s not good timing Ellie …" I close my eyes extremely aware of my audience who are able to hear every word of the conversation. I open my eyes reluctantly and glance first at Micah and then at Sam before taking a deep breath.

"Things are … complicated, I type of … okay, mind blowing factor here – I’m type of a little bit pregnant," I say and wait for a reaction on the other end of the phone.

"Type of?" There is disbelief in her voice. "I always thought it was either you are or you’re not. I always thought it was Lilly who was the maternal one." Ellie says surprised.

"I happen to be engaged to the baby’s Daddy," I say and glance at Micah. I catch his intense gaze and look away hurriedly.

"Well the university needs to know if and when you intend to finish your degree. The results of your assessments on the units you completed the last semester that you attended are all Honours. Your final results in exotic feline studies were so outstanding that you have been offered a scholarship in zoological studies," Ellie babbles.

"I don’t believe I’ll be completing the degree," I say reluctantly and glance at Micah.

"Tell her you’ll ring her back," Micah says softly. He is shaking his head and holding one hand to his ear as if he holds a phone. "Ring her back."

"That would be a real shame, are you sure about that? You always seemed so passionate about your degree," Ellie urges me.

"How about I think about it for a day or two, talk to my partner and ring back … say Monday?" I ask as I watch Micah. He nods with a smile and I bite my top lip as I listen to Ellie scribbling on paper.

"Okay, I can give you to Wednesday but we must have an answer by then. If you don’t want to continue with your degree now or later we do have other students who would be glad of the chance to fill your space in classes." Ellie tells me firmly.

"I don’t mean to be rude Ellie but I really should go and finishing eating the meal I was having before you rang," I tell her.

"Oh! I am sorry, I guess you eat when you’re hungry or when you feel up to it being pregnant and all. How far along are you by the way?" Ellie asks excitedly.

"Past the morning sickness stages now thank goodness. I really must go Ellie, bye." I say and quickly hang up before she can ask more questions.

"Would you care to tell us more about your studies?" Micah asks and I glance his way uneasily.

"I already told you I was doing veterinary studies, mostly by distance correspondence and study weekends at different campuses." I say with a shrug.

"Exotic feline studies. All results Honours," Wade says with raised eyebrows.

"My Dad taught me if you’re going to do something you do it to the best of your abilities, a job done half heartedly is a job only half done." I say defensively.

"I think it would be a very good idea for Rosy to finish her studies," Micah says watching me closely. I glance his way as I lay a hand protectively on the top of the swell of my stomach as I give a nervous shake of my head.

"I need to concentrate on this baby; I still have a long way to go before I deliver it." I say uneasily. Micah smiles and gives a faint nod of his head.

"Yes, and we’ll all do what we can to look after you to give you the best chance to get healthier before then and afterwards we can help you look after him when you start studying again. I’m sure no one will say no to baby sitting duties," Micah tells me with a grin.

"No one’s going to take him away from me," I say in alarm.

"No, no, no, no," Micah tells me in a low soothing voice, "We’ll just help you. Pick him up and give him to you when he’s hungry, rock him to sleep if he’s unsettled … that type of thing."

I give a jerky nod knowing that I will have no choice in the matter of around the clock supervision for the first few days, weeks, maybe even months. I take a deep breath as I try to calm myself and look around uncertainly.

"I guess I should eat," I say after a few moments silence.

"Want it heated back up?" Sam asks as he moves to pick up my plate from the lounge where I left it.

"Just the meat," I tell him with a forced smile. "Why isn’t everyone else eating?"

"We hunted earlier when we were out looking for you," Donovan tells me, "I brought down a big feral goat all by myself, took three of us to eat it all." He flashes a wide grin and I can’t help smiling back at him.

"Cool, wish I had been there to see it," I tell him.

"Rosy," Sam says to catch my attention and I turn my head to look his way. "If we do have to take the baby away from you for his safety we will be trying to get you both together again as soon as possible. Kitts do best with their mothers, even just for short visits. It is best if we can keep you both together, for both of you."

I look at Sam uneasily for a few moments before giving an uncertain nod, I’m not sure if I should believe him or not. He motions at my plate and I glance down at it slightly surprised that I hadn’t spilled it having forgotten I held it.

"I cooked the vegies special for you," Mikkarl says and I look his way in surprise.

"When did you get back Mikkarl?" I ask curiously. I spear a piece of carrot with my fork and pop it into my mouth as I move to the lounge to sit down.

"I got back late yesterday afternoon. Steven ordered me back again saying he can handle things at our parental clan. Our brother and sister will be fine with time. Andy will take some time to heal and Celeste definitely will have some scarring but they’re going to be fine. Timny and Callum should be back tomorrow or the next day, Kirby will be a bit longer. Both Kell and Conner will recover, it’ll just take Kell a lot longer because of how bad he was burnt." Mikkarl tells me.

"Steven figured we needed Mikkarl here to help keep you eating properly and taking it easy," Sam tells me levelly.

"And I got back to find out you had run away," Mikkarl says and I glance up from the plate of food on my lap to frown at him. I bite back an angry retort and turn back to the plate of food reaching eagerly for the piece of steak Sam has reheated slightly.

"Well I didn’t run away," I mutter and take a large bite out of the steak as I hold it in my fingers. Micah takes a deep breath and I hear him move away several steps as an uneasy silence seems to fill the rooms.

"Is there any more meat?" I ask Sam before pulling a piece of meat free from the bone.

"No more steak, but there is sausage or bacon that we have out for breakfast," Sam tells me as he gets to his feet from where he had been sitting on the floor.

"Bacon is good, bacon is always good." I tell him with a grin.

"Bacon it is then," Sam tells me as he heads for the kitchen and soon the smell of cooking bacon fills the air. I am nearly finished all the food on my plate when he returns with the bacon he has cooked for me, I turn so I have my legs up on the lounge and can lean back against the pillows on the other end. I balance the plate of cooked bacon on the swell of my stomach and nibble slowly on a piece of bacon enjoying the taste and texture. Micah settles himself on the floor by my shoulder and I glance at him before offering him the piece of bacon I have been nibbling.

"You eat it," Micah tells me and I look away with a frown. By the time I have finished the bacon all the toms are seated close by and I catch several of them glancing my way eagerly. I put my plate aside and smile at Micah who is watching me with a closed look on his face, I pull my shirt up exposing my stomach and reach for his hand. Micah grins as he settles his hand against my stomach in what is quickly becoming a ritual and I begin to pur softly as I turn my cheek to the pillow and half close my eyes.

I’ll straighten out the misunderstanding that I ran away last night once everyone has their turn touching my stomach, I tell myself silently.

Micah’s story:

I watch as Sam moves to place his hand on Rosy’s stomach. She is stretched out on the lounge with the skin of her stomach exposed as we all take turns to feel the baby move beneath our touch. Her eyes are closed and there is a soft dreamy smile on her face, she lies there motionless except for the slight rise and fall of her chest as she breathes.

"You sure this is okay?" Mikkarl asks as he lines up to take Sam’s place.

"It’s fine. I like you guys touching my baby-belly," Rosy say murmurs quietly. When his hand settles lightly against her skin she gives a contented sigh and gives herself over to the almost trance-like state. Slowly hand replaces hand and she becomes even more relaxed at the light touches and soft murmurs from those in the room.

"Your mother often got like that when anyone touched her belly when she was pregnant with all of you." I hear Wade murmur softly.

"So it’s normal?" Justin whispers back.

"Certainly was for your mother." Wade confirms quietly.

I can’t help myself, I have to touch her and I brush my fingertips against her cheek before dropping a light kiss there. Rosy opens her eyes looking almost as if she has been drugged.

"You doing ok?" I ask softly and she closes her eyes with a smile and gives a faint nod.

I skim my hand across her stomach and I give a low growl of pleasure as her body arches into my touch. I rearrange her shirt to cover her stomach and then I slowly work lower until I am checking her ankles and feet for any signs of injury from her run as a cat.

"You’ll wake Rosy up if you keep touching her," Sam warns.

The shrill demand of Rosy’s phone jolts her awake and she reaches for it where she had placed it on the floor in front of the lounge. She is too slow and I already have hold of it, she is glaring at me as I open the phone and lift it to my ear.

"Hallo Tawny’s phone …" I start to answer with a smile.

"Give the phone to her! I know she doesn’t let it out of her sight," A tense voice snaps in my ear and I raise my eyebrows as I blow Rosy a kiss.

"Tawny can’t come to the phone at the present …" I begin.

"Tell her its Lilly," The voice orders arrogantly and Rosy jumps to her feet to grab the phone from me and move away quickly.

Lilly, the name sounds familiar and then it hits me! The ex-girlfriend! Or maybe not so ex the way Rosy is almost cuddling the phone to her ear! Anger and something else I don’t care to name, race through me and I feel my jaw begin to ache as I clench my teeth.

"Lilly," Rosy acknowledges softly.

"Tawny, I just got a long call from that gossip Ellie Rhymer from Admin. She was gabbing on about you being with some guy and being pregnant. I told her she must have her facts wrong because I know you would never let some guy touch you not after what that bastard Jasper done to you. Him and all like him should be shot," The voice on the other end of the phone gushes hatefully.

Rosy glances my way at the slight hiss of my sharply indrawn breath and I see something flare to life in her eyes as she turns away from me slightly as if to hide the phone from view.

"Calm down Lilly," Rosy says soothingly.

I take a step towards Rosy with one hand outstretched for the phone. She turns her head to look at me and frowns at me before heading towards the kitchen. She retreats into the furtherest corner with the phone close to the wall and holds it against the side of her head when Sam blocks the way to the little back door.

"Is it true my beautiful Tawny one? Are you with someone else?" THAT voice asks sending more rage burning through my veins.

Rosy glances my way, I guess my hiss of rage caught her attention. She looks right through me as if I am not there and I hear movement behind me. I turn my head to see Sam making frantic hand signals at her. He keeps motioning with one hand across his throat warning her to kill the phone call. Rosy shakes her head before sending a ‘don’t mess with me’ glare my way.

"I’m sorry … I should have told you before this but … shit just type of got in the way," Rosy says into the phone ignoring my out stretched hand.

SHIT? I’m shit?

"Oh shit Babe. Fucking shit," There are soft sobs from the phone and something clouds Rosy’s eyes even as she watches me as she listens to HER. "So you’re … this is so fucked up!" There is a harsh sob from the other end of the phone then sudden silence.

"I take it this is not a good time for you to talk to me. Is he there, does he know about us. Our history?" SHE asks tightly.

"Yes, and yes, Lilly," Rosy answers as she steps back against the wall as I take several steps towards her.

"Tell him to fuck off and let you have some privacy for our call Tawny, you owe me that." SHE says quietly.

"I’m going outside for a bit," Rosy says lifting her chin defiantly.

I draw my lips back from my teeth in a silent snarl as I take a step closer. Rosy will hand the phone over to me!

"Hang up," I order tightly.

"Shit Tawny! What have you gotten yourself into? I just heard that! He sounds like a nasty piece of work." SHE exclaims on the other end of the phone and I take my chance to move closer while Rosy is distracted.

"Where are you Tawny? I want to come and meet this guy and see for myself he is treating you properly…." HER voice interjects.

"Hang up the phone Tawny," I order tightly once again. I growl in a low tone knowing Lilly won’t hear me.

"I am going outside for a while Micah," Rosy says firmly but I am too fast for her and get between the door and her.

"Don’t be stupid," I growl back at Rosy. I have had enough of Rosy talking to a human who obviously knows about Jasper and ‘those like him’. "Give me the phone! We need to have a talk about a few things."

"After I finish my phone call," Rosy says tightly and retreats to the corner once again.

"I hope your not staying with him just because he got you pregnant," SHE says on the other end of the phone making my blood boil and freeze at the same time.

Rosy gives a tight laugh as she glances my way once again. I have had enough. Rosy is going to hand over the phone. I will not put up with her defiance much longer!

"How about I call you tomorrow and we can have a long chat?" Rosy asks turning her shoulder towards me as I get within touching distance.

"Give me the phone," I order angrily.

"If I don’t hear from you by 9pm tomorrow I’m going to the cops, you tell him that." SHE threatens on the other end.

"I’ll talk to you tomorrow," Rosy promises hunching her shoulder.

"Give me the phone now," I growl savagely as Rosy leans away from me.

"Tawny, are you okay?" SHE demands frantically.

"I’m fine Lilly. Micah wouldn’t hurt me … I promise I’ll call tomorrow…" Rosy says hurriedly into the phone. She hisses angrily as I snatch the phone from her grip and snap it shut forcibly.

"What the hell do you think you are doing talking to her? I will not have you having anything to do with her! And why does she talk as if she knows you’re a werecat? Jasper and all like him? What does she know about werecats?" I demand angrily.

Rosy tries to move away from me and out of the corner but I crowd close frantic for an answer as I keep her contained in the corner.

"I will speak to whomever I want, you will never dictate to me who I can or can’t speak to," Rosy shoots back defiantly.

A low growl rumbles in my chest silencing Rosy for a few moments as I battle for control of my temper. I want to hurt someone, preferably the person on the other end of the conversation I just overheard.

"Exactly what did you tell her about werecats?" I demand in a low dangerous tone.

Rosy has her shoulder to me, her upper body leaning away as she hugs both arms around the swell of our child. Does she imagine I would hurt her? Her? She doesn’t answer my question or move other than to lower her head slightly and assume a more submissive stance.

Damn!

"I have never told her a thing about werecats or being one! As for her remark about Jasper she saw us together in human form one time and when she saw me nearly a week later I was battered and bruised after encountering a stray I didn’t manage to avoid … I let her believe it had been Jasper. That was easier than explaining the truth," Rosy says quietly but I can hear a thread of defiance in her tone.

"Why should I believe you?" I demand angrily.

"Why shouldn’t you believe me?" Rosy asks curling her top lip as she turns her head to look me in the face.

This can’t be happening, this cannot be happening. Don’t defy me Rosy and don’t openly challenge me in front of the others!

"Because, she sounded as if she was talking about werecats. Who knows what passes as pillow talk between two female lovers?" I growl angrily at her. Sheer fury blazes in my veins.

Why isn’t she saying she has no intention of calling HER tomorrow?

"Why would I want someone who was that important to me at that stage to know I was some kind of freak?" Rosy demands hotly.

I feel my cat take control as I step closer crowding her further into the corner.

"Werecats aren’t freaks!" I snarl angrily down at her.

"That is what I believed! Why would I want the one person who made me feel relatively normal to know that I turned into some kind of thing that I felt belonged in a freak-show?" Rosy hisses defensively as I crowd even closer. I want to hear her retract those words! I’m not a freak! I don’t care how many times Edwin told me I was a freak because of my size and strength I have never believed it! Never!

I feel the snarl rumble up through my chest, and then rasp in my throat before emerging. Fury has me shifting restlessly from foot to foot as struggle to contain the pure fury that is boiling inside me. I want to hit out and crush something, anything. I feel Rosy flinch from me as her shoulder comes into contact with my chest. Instinct screams at the cat part of me to pounce on this prey cowering before me while my human half watches in detached fury.

"Micah. Back off, Rosy is female and she is pregnant. You don’t want to do anything you’ll regret," Wade warns from close by.

"He had better not hurt Rosy," Sam growls angrily in the background and I hear Dwayne hissing something at him but my attention is turned back to Rosy as she continues to send furious glances my way, her top lip curled as if in scorn.

"What did you tell her about werecats?" I demand as I place both hands on the wall either side of her, capturing Rosy in a cage made by my body.

"Nothing! I swear I told her nothing," Rosy spits defensively as she presses against the wall in an unproductive attempt to get some space between us.

"I don’t believe you," I growl near her left ear and she flinches away from the sound of my voice only to be pinned against the wall as I move closer.

"Micah. Step back," Wade orders sharply.

"Rosy defied me and has told more than one human about the existence of our kind," I snap tightly.

"I never told anyone," Rosy denies hotly with a scared glance towards my chest as she avoids my gaze.

"Your old lover, your uncle the vet …" I snarl in a low undertone naming those I am sure she has told.

"My uncle already knew what my mother was! And I was too ashamed of what I often became to ever tell Lilly." Rosy spits with a mixture of fear and defensiveness.

"I told you to hang up! I told you to give me the phone! But no … you had to defy me! Had to talk to your old lover," I hiss enraged. Some part of me warns I have just about reached my limit.

"You don’t know anything about the situation. Don’t know what Lilly is like," Rosy snaps but tucks her chin against her chest as a low growl rumbles from me. I lower my head so my mouth is right beside her ear.

"It doesn’t matter what she is like, she’s history! You are never going to have anything to do with her again." I order in a tight fury laced voice. "You will not call her tomorrow or at any other time. You hear me!"

"Lilly will call the police or rather one of her relatives who are with the Federal Police if she believes I am in danger or you are preventing me from having contact with my family or friends." Rosy says quietly.

"Family, what family? Both your brothers are here and that vet who you think of as family is too smart to tell her anything, he knows too much and he’s aware of it." I tell her tightly.

"Micah," Sam growls in warning. "You had better not be threatening Rosy!"

"No threats Sam. Just making sure Rosy is aware of the facts of life," I snarl at him.

"Well then if you are as smart as you think you are you had better let me make that call tomorrow. Otherwise Lilly will be stirring up all kinds of shit and if she talks to my Uncle he will tell her the truth in that he hasn’t see me for over six months, hasn’t heard from me even." Rosy spits out defiantly.

I fight to contain the mixture of fear and anger that has started to grow in me. Rosy is choosing HER, a human, humans, over me!

"An accident when working with farm animals isn’t impossible you know. An older person … someone who has lost some of their reflex speed and co-ordination … a lone traveller on a deserted road … I will do what I must to protect the entire werecats species." I tell Rosy harshly. I will do whatever needs to be done to ensure no one outside this room learns she has betrayed the existence of our species.

"The more you say the more I find I don’t truly know you," Rosy says between clenched teeth. I can smell fear coming from her now. There is a mixture of emotional scents coming off her but fear is the strongest.

"Know that I will do everything possible to protect you and our unborn child. I will do what is necessary to keep our kind safe from humans. Surely you know what they do to things that are different or that they fear," I hiss at her and she flinches back into the wall.

"Enough with the threats," Sam snaps drawing a growl that makes its way up from low in my throat.

"Micah step back. I believe Rosy hasn’t intentionally revealed our existence to a human," Wade commands a touch of fear in his tone.

I am aware I am out of control but I can’t seem to reign myself in. I know I am going way beyond a boundary I should never cross with Rosy but something drives me on.

"She defied me, questioned my authority, and not for the first time either." I snarl as Sam pushes me aside and pulls Rosy out of the corner. He keeps his body between her and me.

"What the hell did you think you were doing refusing to hang up the phone or hand it over to Micah? Why were you even talking to that woman?" Sam demands as they head towards the hallway door.

"Sam, are you planning to lock me up in that cage?" Rosy demands as she stops abruptly.

"You know, that might just be a good idea to guarantee you do as you’re told," I tell her tightly as I turn to face her. "There is no way you will be allowed to call her or take a call from her!"

"You can’t tell me what to do! You don’t own me! You can’t control me like some … some …" Rosy yells, her tirade ending on catlike spits of fear as I take several steps towards them.

Sam grips Rosy by her upper arm tightly and steers her out through the hall to outside.

"Micah enough!" Dwayne yells at me as he grabs me by an upper arm when I go to brush past him.

"Micah! Stop it! For God’s sake think rationally," Wade says firmly as he catches my other arm just in time to prevent me punching Dwayne.

"You don’t want to scare Rosy, I know you don’t." Malcolm says stepping up so he is nearly eye-to-eye with me. "Just give both of you time to cool down …"

"We have to talk this out between us! Rosy and I," I say angrily. "I am sick of her not talking to me, " I try to jerk free but find myself slammed back against the wall with Dwayne and Wade holding me there while Malcolm and Mikkarl stand directly in front of me.

"Letting her go out there is a bad move," I say tightly. "Rosy will just run off somewhere by herself like always and stay away until she thinks things have blown over and you lot are letting her go!"

Rosy’s story:

I walk swiftly in the cool night air. I am well away from the quarters before I stop and turn to face Sam.

"If he thinks he owns me now, and can control who I talk to, who I see, then after getting married he will be a lot worse. I have no intentions of letting that happen to me," I say with a shake of my head as I take a step back from my brother.

What have I gotten myself into, what have I agreed to?

"Tell me you don’t mean that Rosy," Sam says shocked.

"That was a side of Micah I’ve never seen Sam, it was not the … that is not the Micah I know and trust. Which one is the real him? Dr Jeckle or Mr Hyde?" I ask with a quick glance towards the quarters.

"Cut him some slack Rosy. He thinks you’ve endangered our kind. He is only trying to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Ones like Marissa and Jazzy," Sam hisses and runs a hand through his hair. I watch as the long strands fall onto his shoulders as the band holding it back breaks.

"Getting married to Micah doesn’t seem like a good idea any more Sam. It all comes down to trust. He doesn’t trust me to tell him the truth and it is as clear as day he doesn’t trust me as far as Lilly is concerned! A relationship without trust … I’ve seen plenty of those Sam, it’s not pretty and I have more than just me to think about now. I will not raise a child in that type of environment! I’ve seen the results of that in the human world and it aint pretty," I say and turn my face away as I bite my bottom lip to stop the tears that start to burn the back of my eyes. "I won’t do that to my baby Sam. I won’t do that to me. I can’t marry Micah,"

I need you Micah. But I have to look out for me - for my baby and me.

"Okay, okay! Just give me a few days okay. This is not going to be easy to work so you can get out of it but …Engagements aren’t called off. I’ll call Kurt and Ray, they’ll sort it out," Sam tells me with a worried frown.

"This puts you and Mitchell right in the middle of a bad situation doesn’t it?" I ask softly.

"It’s not going to be good but we’ll survive it. The hard part will be where you end up going, or if you stay here … that kitt carries Williamson blood and you can be sure the Williamson family members will want to keep in contact with it." Sam says quietly. "Are you okay? You seemed to be really attached to Micah. I had thought that you were developing feelings for him."

"That person, that tom would have to exist for that to happen. He only showed me what he wanted me to see, the real Micah came out tonight and he’s not someone I’d like or care to be around." I say in a tone barely above a whisper and turn away. I watch as a shadowy figure comes out of the quarters, pauses and looks around before heading towards us. I lift my chin slightly as I search for any scent on the breeze and I hear a slight noise of irritation from Sam not far behind me.

"Donny," Sam tells me quietly. I remain silent as I hug myself, rocking back and forth slightly on my feet as the enormity of what I am about to do hits me fully.

"Just don’t say anything until Mitchell is back in the quarters and I get Kurt and Ray here," Sam warns me.

"Hey Sam, Micah wants you both back inside." Donovan calls, as he gets closer. I watch as he glances between us worriedly and I have to look away unable to take his distress.

"Tell Micah we’ll be in shortly," Sam tells him firmly. I hear Donovan’s breathing stop for a moment then he takes a deep breath and clears his throat.

"Micah wants you both inside now," Donovan says more forcibly and I glance his way uneasily, he avoids meeting my eyes and looks away. I inhale deeply to check what his scent can tell me, it smells of distress. I turn my head and listen intently as something niggles at the back of my mind, no alien sound reaches me but unease tingles up my spine.

"Come on Rosy, we’d better go back." Sam tells me evenly.

"Hmmm," I murmur in annoyance but don’t resist as he puts his arm around my shoulders and guides me back towards the quarters. Donovan grabs my hand beside him and lifts it to rub his cheek against my knuckles as he walks.

"I told Micah you weren’t going to try to run away, but he wouldn’t believe me," Donovan says innocently and I stop in my tracks with a low growl.

"Now there’s a thought," I exclaim bitterly but it comes out sounding nearly hysterical.

"Calm down Rosy, calm down." Sam soothes as he turns to face me. I feel Donovan release my hand but I am busy trying to avoid Sam’s hold as he tries to take hold of my upper arms.

"He’s pushing me Sam. I feel like he’s crowding me into that corner again with nowhere to go," I hiss with anger and fear. I can feel myself hovering on the edge of panic.

Micah had wanted to hurt me …

"Donny, tell Micah we’ll be in in a few minutes," Sam says tersely as I back away from him and cross my arms over my ribs and hug myself in misery.

The more I think about it, the harder it is to take in the fact Micah hadn’t trusted me. He had refused to take my word when I answered his questions, he couldn’t seem to understand I wouldn’t lie to him.

"Rosy calm down, think of your baby. Surely he feels it every time you get excited or upset, just calm down." Sam says using a low and soothing tone but I shake my head and turn away from him pacing back and forth distractedly.

"Sam?" Donovan queries softly.

"We will be in in a few minutes," Sam hisses at him and I glance towards them uneasily. Donovan glances between us worriedly then heads back towards the quarters at a fast walk.

"Rosy unless you want to deal with Micah or maybe one of the others in your face I suggest we go inside," Sam urges quietly. "We’ll just walk in and I’ll take my mattress to my room and you can curl up and try to go to sleep."

"Micah’s not going to allow that. He’ll want me where he can keep watch on me and his preferred way to watch me at night is to hold me. I am not going to let him touch me Sam, just the thought of it makes me feel sick." I warn. I hear Sam take several deep breaths before he gives a low growl.

"Ready to go in?" Sam asks gruffly.

"No but I’m not waiting for them to make my decision for me," I say quietly and head for the screen door without letting go of my own ribs. Sam falls into step beside me and I can almost feel the aggression coming off him. When we walk into the lounge room only Dwayne, Donovan and Wade are in human form. All the others are large black cats that are positioned around the room, I catch sight of Micah close to the small back door of the kitchen and I glance at it noting it is slightly ajar.

"If I was going to run I would have been gone before any of you even realised it," I snap tightly before turning away from the room and heading towards Sam and Mitchell’s bedroom.

"I’ll be in bed Sam," I call back over my shoulder. I hear a low growl from Micah but in cat form he can’t voice his objections and I am left to retreat to the illusion of safety of Sam and Mitchell’s room.

"Where the hell do you think you’re going Micah?" Sam’s angry tones reach me and I glance nervously back towards the lounge room knowing that Micah has not had time to return to human form yet.

"Micah! That is enough," Dwayne yells. I turn and face the bedroom door tensely and when Sam walks in unharmed I breathe a sigh of relief.

"No trying to run off while I’m asleep hey," Sam says quietly with a crooked smile as he shuts the door behind him. I force a smile through the tears that well in my eyes as I look down and cradle my swollen stomach in my arms before opening them wide and looking at Sam. I can feel my lips trembling and the tears that spill onto my lashes.

"The master plan has finally started to work …" I bite my lip as I look away from Sam.

If you only knew Sam, if you only knew how I long to be able to run from here before it’s too late for me.

"Oh Rosy," Sam whispers softly and I feel the warmth of his body a fraction of a second before he wraps his arms around me in a hug.

Micah’s story:

Rosy lies stretched out on the lounge using Sam’s lap as a pillow while watching an old western movie on TV, it is mid-morning and breakfast still sits like a hard stone in my stomach. I sit in the chair nearest the hallway door and I glance her way every ten minutes or so. I have hardly spoken to Rosy today, she has been distant and silent, avoiding talking to me as much as she can.

The sharp ring of the phone in my pocket has me jerking upright abruptly. I turn my head to watch Rosy glare at me as I pull the phone from my shirt pocket, check the display screen then slip it back into my pocket even though it still rings. She looks away from me without saying a word and I feel my irritation start to rise yet again.

"What, not going to ask who it was?" I finally break my silence.

"I have a different ring tone set for different people," Rosy snaps tightly. "That was my Uncle’s office."

"You still watching the movie?" Sam asks quietly.

"Yeah, I love this movie." Rosy tells him in a friendly tone. Sam smiles slightly in reply and brushes her hair back off her forehead before turning his attention back to the screen.

"Someone needs to do a food run, seems like you haven’t done one in a while Sam." I tell him lazily. I figure if I can get him away from her I can talk some sense into her, make her see how I felt last night.

"Let someone else do it I can do the next one," Sam says tersely.

"That’s not the way we work around here and you know it," I say evenly even though my temper threatens to rise. I start as the screen door slams noisily but look towards the door as I recognise the footsteps along the hall.

"Hey! What’s everyone doing?" Mitchell asks as he struts into the room.

"Go and have a shower," I order. He reeks of sex.

"Hey Rosy, Sam, Micah. Where is everyone?" Mitchell asks with a frown.

"Out and about. Go have that shower and you can come give me a hand in town, I got to do a food run." Sam says with a glance over the back of the lounge.

"I’ll go too," Rosy says sitting up.

"Two toms aren’t enough for you to go to town, you can go another time." I tell her firmly.

"You wouldn’t want to go, Mitchell will he staring out the window sighing most of the trip and besides you look like you need a good sleep." Sam tells Rosy firmly as he looks down at her.

"A shower won’t take me long," Mitchell announces and heads towards the other end of the house.

"I’d better go make a list," Sam says and eases out from behind Rosy’s shoulders.

"Need my help?" Rosy asks.

"I’ll be right. You curl up and go to sleep," Sam orders quietly and heads into the kitchen.

I watch Rosy get a pillow off the floor and slip it under her head before making herself comfortable. Her phone starts emitting its shrill demand and I check the display screen.

Lilly.

Rage shoots through me at the mere sight of the name and I pull my lips back from my teeth in a snarl. The phone falls silent but a few minutes later the same tune starts again. Rosy growls as she rolls over to face the back of the lounge and pulls the pillow over her head.

"If you insist on having that phone in here either turn it off or give it to Rosy," Sam’s angry voice comes from just behind me. I am up and out of the chair before I realise my own intentions. I give Sam a hard push backwards and am surprised when he instantly comes back fighting. Suddenly I want to fight, I want to smash my fists into his face and hurt my long time friend. He is keeping me away from Rosy and it makes my blood boil as it crosses my mind.

The fight fills my mind, I am driven to punish and subdue him, every instinct in me screams in my head and I go after him with a fury I am surprised to find he matches. I feel my fists find their targets in hard muscle and sinew, his fists strike me and I feel furniture beneath us as we tumble to the floor straining for a hold on each other.

I am faintly aware of background noise but the fight fills my concentration as I land blow after blow. Surprisingly Sam keeps coming back for more and I snarl with rage as he refuses to back down. Suddenly hands are pulling us apart and I struggle as I am dragged away from Sam and towards the kitchen.

"Stop it! You will not fight in my building!" Dwayne is in my face yelling at me and I take several deep breaths. I look past him to see Wade and several others restraining Sam.

"What are you two idiots doing upsetting Rosy?" Jazzy demands as she marches into the lounge room. "Both of you have more sense than to be brawling like a pair of teenagers! Whatever has you both so mad can be sorted out outside or over in the gym shed!"

"Yes, what the hell is this all about?" Dwayne demands.

"Sam won’t give Rosy and I any privacy," I say angrily. " We need a chance to work things out between us. He’s trying to keep me away from Rosy, trying to bust us up."

"What’s going on out here?" Mitchell asks as he walks in glancing between Sam and me with a frown. "It sounded like the building was getting knocked down."

"Wade, you have your phone?" Marissa asks as she hurries into the room. "Call Doc, Rosy got bumped or something,"

The worry in her voice and the words that come from Marissa sends the rage from my body. All I want is to go to Rosy and make sure she is okay.

"What happened?" Mitchell demands glancing around the room. His gaze stops on me and his eyes narrow, he takes in my appearance then Sam’s. "What have you done to my sister?"

"Malcolm can you go bring Rosy inside?" Sam asks quietly as Wade moves Marissa and Jazzy into the kitchen.

"Everyone stop this stupidity now!" Marissa snaps.

My attention doesn’t leave either of the MacIntosh brothers as Mitchell moves to Sam’s side.

"What happened?" Mitchell asks tightly.

I hear the screen door shut then there is the sound of one set of footsteps down the hallway. I frown as Malcolm walks into the lounge room carrying Rosy in his arms.

"Someone fix the lounge up," Malcolm says and the soft buzz of voices ceases instantly.

"What happened?" Marissa and Wade demand in unison.

"She went to stand up and doubled up in pain," Malcolm says.

"I don’t want to be out here, I want to be in Sam and Mitchell’s room," Rosy says quietly. Her face is pale and her head rests against Malcolm’s shoulder while she fixes her gaze on her two brothers.

"It’ll be nice and quite and calm in there," Marissa agrees and I can only watch as Malcolm walks back through the doorway.

Sam and Mitchell follow him from the room, Sam pausing in the doorway to glare at me for a moment before walking away.

"Don’t put her in Mitchell’s bed, she doesn’t get to sleep in his bed." I hear Jazzy protest.

"Jazzy you get back to the house now, Micah you go with her as well," Wade orders.

"I am not leaving the quarters," I say on a low growl.

"Wade?" Marissa questions softly and I glance her way to see her exchanging a worried look with Wade.

"Dwayne," Wade says turning towards my brother with a grim look on his face.

"I’m going to check Rosy is okay," I say tightly. An uneasy feeling is starting to grow in me. Why isn’t Rosy asking for me? Why isn’t she calling out to me to be with her?

"You need to stay here Micah," Marissa says with a worried glance towards the door.

"Is it the baby? Did Rosy get hurt? Rosy will be okay won’t she?" I demand, the questions rushing from me. These are things I can think about. Things I can voice. Not like the monstrous idea forming in my mind, the dark thought threatening to rip my entire world apart. Marissa avoids my gaze and heads out the hallway door to follow the others. I go to follow them but Wade steps in my way blocking me and I growl as I glare at him.

"Get. Out. Of. My. Way." I annunciate each word carefully as I force them between gritted teeth. Wade hesitates a moment but steps aside and I walk quickly towards the bedrooms. Jazzy is outside of Sam and Mitchell’s room, she looks towards me for a second and I see the worry on her face before she turns back to the door.

"Mitchell. Mitchell lets go for a hunt," Jazzy calls but Mitchell shuts the door without replying and I hear Jazzy’s soft cry of disbelief.

"Mitchell she’d better not be in your bed," Jazzy yells and rattles the door. A radio is turned on to a music station with the volume up inside the room. I step up beside Jazzy and try the door handle for myself only to find it locked.

"Micah, you need to go over to the main house," Dwayne says quietly beside me.

I glare at my brother for a minute or more, he holds my gaze with a look like pity and that dark fear I refuse to name grows. I compromise by moving back to the start of the hallway before turning around and facing him. I plant my feet shoulder width apart and cross my arms over my chest as I watch him angrily.

"Sam. Sam can I speak to you for a few moments?" Dwayne calls. The door opens after several moments and Sam stands in the doorway effectively blocking it with his body. He seems to eye Dwayne for a few moments before glancing back along the sunroom.

"Excuse me Sam," Malcolm says and Sam steps aside to let Malcolm leave the room. I take a step forward intending to go and demand entrance to the room but Malcolm shakes his head at me as he walks towards me.

"Is Doc on his way here?" Sam asks.

"Yes," Wade answers as he steps around me. Before he can say more or reach the doorway Sam closes the door without slamming it and relocks it.

"Do we have a problem here Sam?" Wade calls through the door. "Is Rosy injured?"

The radio inside the room is turned down but the door stays closed.

"Yeah Wade, we have a problem." Sam says in a clear carrying voice. "Looks like a broken wrist … and broken engagement,"

I stand there stunned, I hear the words but they make no sense. The words and situations are mixed up, Sam’s got things wrong - that has to be it. Sam was never engaged to Lotty, not officially. I’m engaged to Rosy. It’s only been a few days since I asked her and the ring I picked out for her hasn’t arrived at the jewellers yet. But we’re …

"Nooooo!" It’s more a guttural cry of anguish than a word as realisation hits me. I turn around and head for the lounge room - I need to get away from that closed door. I see the lounge where it lays sprawled awkwardly on its back in the walkway towards the kitchen. The blanket that had covered Rosy’s legs draped across one arm of the lounge. One end snagged between the loose arm and the base, the rest of the blanket stretched out towards the hallway door.

An animal like roar of pain escapes me as I realise that Rosy must have been tangled in that blanket. I grab the loose arm of the lounge and twist it savagely as I try to rip it free. Pain clutches in my chest as I heave the lounge at a wall and watch it demolish the plasterboard between two struts.

Rosy, Rosy, Rosy.

Her name can be heard in every pulse of my blood as it roars in my ears. I can still see her cowered from me in the corner … the way she had spit in fear exactly like a housecat when I stepped towards her as Sam took her away from me …

I’d done it to myself I realise. Driven the best thing that ever happened to me away. My Rosy, I’d lost my Rosy.

Rosy’s story:

"Sam," Wade’s voice comes from just outside the locked door. Sam turns the radio down before moving over closer to the door. I roll to face the doorway and gasp as I pull my knees up towards my stomach as pain wraps around my lower stomach and the muscles in my lower back spasm.

"What is it Rosy?" Marissa asks gently in a worried voice. "Is it the same pain as before?"

"Sam, you have my wife in there," Wade says tightly from just outside the door.

"I’m alright Wade," Marissa calls back to him. "I’m just sitting with Rosy."

"Sam I want this door open so we can see Marissa is okay," Dwayne cuts in with authority.

"Is Micah still there?" Sam asks and I can’t help the little sob that escapes me. Marissa brushes my hair back off my forehead, peering down into my face and I close my eyes as I turn my head away. She pats my shoulder gently and makes soft soothing sounds as she rubs her hand up and down my upper arm.

"Rosy wants to wait here for Doc. She wants to be sure there is no danger to the kitt before she decides where she’ll go," Sam says and I glance towards him to see the door open with Wade standing outside looking in.

"Rosy’s more than welcome to wait here for Doc, she’s more than welcome to stay here." Dwayne says loudly just behind Wade. There’s silence for a few moments before he speaks once again. "Is this clan about to loose one of its top warriors Sam?"

"That depends on the way things turn out, Rosy is my sister and we are all she has now." Sam tells him before walking away from the door and turning the radio back up.

"Has there been a reply to those messages you sent to Kurt and Ray yet?" Sam asks Mitchell.

"Not yet," Mitchell says quietly.

"How you going there Rosy, has the pain stopped or eased any?" Sam asks quietly.

"It mainly only hurts when I move. My back is aching but it’s not as bad anymore and he’s wriggling away like normal that has to be good." I say with a scared smile. We wait in silence except for the radio for quite a while before there is movement at the doorway and I look that way in alarm expecting to see Micah.

"Sam, we would like to know how Rosy is doing." Dwayne says and I can hear the strain in his voice. Sam glances at me and I nod to him.

" She’s getting some kind of pain in her back and lower stomach, lying down is helping her a little bit. Is there any chance of getting some cool bottles of water? Rosy is thirsty," Sam tells him.

"I’ll get right onto that," Dwayne answers.

Two or three minutes later there is a soft knock on the wall beside the door and Sam glances my way before facing the door once again.

"You got the water Dwayne?" Sam asks.

"Yes, I have the water here Sam." Dwayne answers. Sam walks to the door and returns with several bottles of cool water. He opens one and I take it thankfully but it is hard to drink it while lying down and I don’t move for fear of the pain that strikes every time I do.

"We’d need to leave the door open and Wade would sure to be in the doorway. They’ll probaly want to be sure …" Sam is explaining when Mitchell's phone beeps it has received a message. Mitchell checks it and gives a nod to Sam.

"Kurt will be here in about three hours, maybe a bit less depending on traffic." Mitchell says quietly.

"Good." Sam says with a nod then looks back at me, "As I was saying Wade won’t take the chance Marissa’s safety could be used as a bargaining chip, not that either Mitchell or I would ever consider hurting her. So you okay with the door being open and Wade being close?"

"I don’t want Micah near me," I say closing my eyes. There is a soft sob from Marissa but I refuse to think about how my decision will affect anyone other than myself, Sam and Mitchell.

"Rosy, are you in much pain?" Marissa asks in concern.

I open my eyes to see her leaning over me. She is looking over me as if searching for signs of injury, her eyes are bloodshot and glassy and I can tell she has been crying.

"It hurts when I try to move and my back keeps aching but he is still moving. Every so often he moves and gives his strong kicks like usual." I tell her.

"Well Doc should only be a half hour or so as long as he doesn’t get any speeding tickets," Marissa tells me. I nod and close my eyes as I try to relax. I begin to drift in and out of sleep, my mind troubled by memories and I come awake trembling with fear as memories of Kendal Darnel surface. I snarl as I open my eyes and inhale deeply trying to work out where I am, who is with me.

"Rosy, it’s okay Rosy you’re safe now, you’re safe." Sam’s voice reaches me. I roll towards the sound of his voice but stop with a gasp as pain catches low in my stomach and I draw my knees up in an attempt to ward off the pain.

"I see I got here just in time," Doc announces and I turn my head towards him as the pain starts to recede, he looks around the room with interest but makes no comment.

"What have you done to yourself this time Rosy?" Doc asks then glances between my brothers. "Sam, Mitchell you pair can go but send Micah in he’ll …"

"No, I don’t want him near me," I protest wrapping both arms around my stomach as I force myself into a sitting position. The resulting outbreak of voices is lost beneath the buzz in my ears and the sound of my breath hissing between my clenched teeth.

Oh God, Oh God, It hurts, It hurts, I want Micah!

I don’t fight as someone eases me onto my side and I am able to pull my knees up against my stomach, a gentle hair brushes my hair back off my face and then strokes my cheek.

"Don’t argue with me. Get out if you want me to see to your sister," I hear Doc yell and force my eyes open. There is no one else left in the room except for Doc and I watch as he closes the door and locks it before turning back to me.

"Worst of the pain stopped now?" He asks gently.

"Yeah, it’s going away." I say with a sigh of relief.

"Ok, update me on all that’s happened." Doc tells me softly as he reaches for my wrist. As he takes my pulse and blood pressure I give him a short version of the events surrounding the break-up and my injury, he remains silent only nodding now and then as I talk.

"You’re not going to like this but I need to do an internal examination so I can tell if these Braxton-hicks are the start of early labour after you hurting yourself. You seem to have strained some muscles in your lower stomach pretty badly. They help support the weight of your uterus which is why it hurts when you move." Doc explains.

"Do it, I figure someone will be looking down there soon enough when I have this little fellow," I say tightly. I grit my teeth and turn my face away during the short time it takes and surprisingly, though it is slightly uncomfortable, it is not the torture I had expected.

"No signs of labour starting. I want to give you an injection for pain relief and one to sedate you lightly when I set your arm. You should know better than to break your fall with a rigid arm," Doc chastises me lightly as turns towards his medical bag.

"I was about to fall flat on my stomach, I couldn’t get my legs up to take the fall on my knees, so I put my hands out." I state flatly.

"That was when you jumped over the back of the lounge to get away from Sam and Micah?" Doc asks as he opens a plastic encased syringe.

"Let my brothers and Marissa back in and I’ll let you give me the needles," I tell him.

"You’re willing to let Marissa back near you, you told me you broke up with Micah." Doc tells me in surprise.

"She’s still this baby’s family. It’s still her grandchild." I tell him evenly.

"Lotty made a remark just before I slapped the shit out of her, or went to make a remark but Malcolm shut her up. Afterwards when I asked about it, Dwayne cut me off, brushed it aside. But he was hiding something, I could tell," I say lifting an eyebrow.

"Bartering secrets now are you?" Doc asks with a small smile of amusement.

"I figure I need to know as much as possible so I can make an educated choice. I am not having this decision made for me by anyone else," I say firmly. Doc gives a hard sigh as he looks down at his hands for a few moments before looking up and meeting my eyes.

"I had better get your brothers back in here," Doc says quietly.

"You really don’t need to tell me. I can make a blind guess," I tell him as he turns and heads for the door. "This baby, this kitt, its Wade's attempt to keep me here and ensure that the Williamson clan has heirs,"

Doc pauses as he reaches the door, he looks back at me silently for a few second before opening the door and disappearing from my sight. A minute or so later Sam and Mitchell come in and Mitchell immediately moves to sit on the bed beside me, he doesn’t say anything but I can tell he is upset so I guess there are now problems between him and Jazzy.

"Rosy has some pulled muscles in her back and pelvis, as well as the break just above her wrist. I’ll give her something for the pain, set the break and with some complete rest she should be fine within four or five days. The break will take longer to heal of course but there is nothing serious," Doc explains as he approaches the bed.

The ‘nothing serious’ is more than I can take and I dissolve in tears. Micah nearly attacking me last night is nothing serious? Nearly being fallen on by Sam and Micah, as they fought is nothing serious? My own bad judgement thinking Micah would never hurt me and would protect me is nothing serious?

I cry great heaving sobs that shake my body and make my back and stomach hurt anew but I welcome the pain even as I wrap both arms around my stomach and curl up into as tight a ball as I can.

"Rosy, Rosy, what is it?" I am dimly aware of Mitchell’s frantic voice.

"I’m just … just glad it’s … nothing serious …" I manage between sobs.

I am surprised when someone crawls onto the bed behind me and strong arms gather me against a chest. I hear Sam crooning to me softly as he cuddles me close, his hand engulfing mine when my uninjured arm is eased away from my body. I feel the pinch of a needle in the back of my hand and quickly I become drowsy and strangely detached. Soon the pain in my wrist, back and hips becomes a distant ache and I glance over my shoulder at Sam.

"Ready to have your wrist set?" Doc asks and it is all I can do to blink tiredly before closing my eyes.

"Just close your eyes and go to sleep Rosy," Sam says quietly behind my head.

Even as I drift off on a soft floating sensation I am aware setting my arm will hurt, not only is it broken but the wrist dislocated as well. I feel my arm moved and then the tugging sensation as Doc works but nothing makes me cry out. The sharp pain is nothing. Micah could have hurt me worse, would have if he let go.

He’d said he promised to try his best to make me want to run to him instead of ever running away from him … now all I want to do is run as far and as fast as I can so he can’t hurt me anymore.

"Hey Rosy, wake up. Come on wake up," Sam’s voice reaches me and I open my eyes slowly. It takes me several minutes to wake up properly as he talks to me and I lie still, blinking occasionally as I try to piece together the pieces I remember.

"How are you feeling, hungry?" Sam encourages me when I look his way.

"Hmmm, like my heads stuffed with cotton wool." I murmur.

"Here have a drink of cool water. Doc said it should help if you have trouble waking up," Sam tells me and offers me a cool bottle with a sippy lid on it. I take it and drink thankfully, the cool water does help and I glance around more alertly.

"How long have I been out to it?" I ask as I look around.

"About two hours," Kurt Black says startling me as he approaches the bed. "Just long enough for me to fly here in my helicopter,"

"Where’s Mitchell?" I ask.

"He’s talking to Wade and Micah, they need to work together for Jazzy’s sake. Uncle Kurt is happy for you to move to his and his wife’s clan compound if you have any concerns about staying here with Mitchell and I. Wade is arguing that you need time to recover from your injuries before deciding anything. Micah is simply refusing to let you leave," Sam tells me.

"Hmmm," I murmur I know I should react in someway but the effects of the sedative are making me feel calm and detached.

"Where’s this food?" I finally manage to ask.

"Marissa said she would cook something that should tempt your appetite and to have you awake about now," Sam tells me and then leans closer from where he sits in a chair by the bed. "She’s happy you’re not hurrying to move away immediately."

"Hmmm," I murmur the response as I close my eyes. I am curiously relaxed and cannot find the energy to worry over anything.

"I’ll be back in a few moments, I’m just going to the door so don’t worry." Sam tells me gently. I try to nod my acknowledgement but I am too comfortable to bother to move.

"Hey Justin, can you go tell Doc Rosy is type of awake? He wanted to see her when I woke her up," Sam says firmly.

"Go fuck yourself you bastard! All you’re trying to do is cause trouble," Justin yells and I frown as I turn my head towards the door. Some instinct deep inside urges me to open my eyes and check for the source of the hostility but my body and mind are too relaxed to respond to the faint urge.

"I’ll go Sam," Malcolm calls.

"Thanks Malcolm," Sam replies.

"Only doing it because it’s The Stray," Malcolm says gruffly. I know the exchange should worry me but I am too relaxed to give it a second thought and when a hand brushes the hair back off my face I can barely open my eyes.

"You still awake Rosy?" Sam asks.

"Hmmm," I murmur and turn my face into the pressure of his hand, his fingers brush my cheek and I smile slightly.

"I think Marissa is bringing your meal over, you are hungry aren’t you?" Sam urges me.

"Need to eat for the baby," I manage before yawning.

"That’s right, you need to eat." Sam tells me. I am finally starting to surface from the floating sea of indifference but it still clings tenaciously.

"I need to eat," I repeat and open my eyes. Sam is standing beside the bed clearing off the bedside unit while Kurt sits in a chair on the far side of the room not far from the door. I become aware of footsteps in the sunroom and look towards the door relieved when Marissa walks in carrying a tray.

"Good, you’re awake. I cooked some fresh fish and made a warm beetroot and avocado salad, I know it sounds strange but the flavours go together really well," Marissa reassures me as she places the tray of food on the unit Sam had just cleared.

"Thanks, I’m sure I’ll enjoy the fish." I tell her as I lift my head slightly to survey the bed.

"I’ll help you sit up and then put pillows behind you," Sam tells me.

"If you lift your sister up I’ll put pillows behind her until she’s comfortable." Kurt suggests.

"Yeah, that would be much easier," Sam agrees readily. When he eases me into a sitting position Kurt slips several pillows behind me, finally I am sitting up comfortably propped up by pillows.

"I’ll sit here and wait for the tray," Marissa says lightly.

"One of the others can take the tray back but you are welcome to visit with Rosy if you like," Sam tells her respectfully. He picks up my fork, begins to break the fish into flakes, and urges me to eat, keeping me awake when I would doze off again. I eat all I can and Marissa leaves with the tray apparently happy with the amount I have eaten. I rest back against the pillows swimming in the hazy state halfway between sleep and wakefulness.

"Rosy. You awake still?" Sam asks quietly.

"Yeah, my head is starting to clear more," I admit as I open my eyes lazily.

"Good," Sam says before shutting the bedroom door, locking it and returning to sit in the chair by the bed. He fiddles with the radio turning it on and finding an all music station.

"You need to start thinking on what you are going to do. Dwayne has already offered to let you stay on here, he promised he’d make Micah conform and leave you alone. Ray wants to get you out of here. He has already made a loose arrangement with an Alpha who had planned to step aside after his Queen died in an accident in Sydney. He still runs his own territory but with four sons and no she-kitt … he can’t keep his territory indefinitely. He’s a good tom and he’d treat you right. It would be a good alliance - he has strong clan ties with his sister’s clan. He is the type to treat the kitt you carry like one of his own or let it be sent to Wade and Marissa to be raised …"

"No. I will not have my baby taken from me! I won’t," I say frantically as I struggle to sit up more. Sam is pushing me back against the pillows and Kurt moves to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Calm down, calm down, Mitchell and I will be there to support you in whatever choice you make," Sam promises and I look up at him with worry.

"I will support any choice you make as well," Kurt tells me.

"You won’t let them take my baby?" I ask fearfully. I have lost Micah, someone I believed I could be safe with. Please don’t say I’ll loose my baby too!

"No we won’t, they’d have to kill us to do it." Kurt cuts in telling me seriously. "But there is a question I want you to answer, or if you don’t have an answer I want you think seriously about it … is there any way the relationship with Micah can be repaired. Now think more than a moment before you answer," Kurt cuts me off as I open my mouth to protest.

"I been thinking about what happened, and it didn’t make sense until Mitchell pointed it out … no let me explain," Sam orders as I go to interrupt. "If Micah had believed you had revealed our existence to a human he wouldn’t have just threatened you. He would have dished out whatever punishment there and then, on the spot. I think it was the … you talking to your ex-lover that done it. Micah could thrash another tom within an inch of his life, intimidate a human man but what can he do against a woman?"

"Our kind doesn’t harm females. Micah is threatened and intimidated by your communicating with her. That is something he hasn’t felt in a good while if ever … I doubt he even realises what has him so mad. He did not give you the phone back and order you to break contact with her - he kept it so you had no choice, you couldn’t choose her over him." Sam says and pauses a moment.

"I know when I was with Lotty it nearly drove me insane every time I suspected she had been around some tom. I broke Malcolm's jaw over him taking a steak I wanted at lunch the day after I walked in on him and Lotty. Well I thought it was the steak at the time, but several months later I realised it was the fact he took something that I felt belonged to me," Sam tells me with a rueful smile. "Werecats don’t easily share their mate, some Alphas will let their Queen have a consort but he is generally of the Alpha’s choosing. And Micah has let it slip he was thrilled you weren’t promiscuous when you are about to come into heat like most she-kitts. " Sam explains.

I am silent as I try to make sense of what Sam has just told me but finally I just close my eyes and turn my head away too fuzzy minded to concentrate on my thoughts. I find myself dozing on and off, my thoughts running in fragments as I sleep and wake. Finally, I wake more fully as the door opens and footsteps approach the bed, I turn my head to see Doc and Mitchell come in and manage a slight smile.

"Still awake I see," Doc comments as he sits in the chair Sam had been in.

"Rosy has been drifting in and out of sleep. She had a normal sized meal, hasn’t complained of any pain. Well hasn’t mentioned any," Sam tells him.

"Any pain?" Doc asks.

"Only if I try to move and then it’s just mainly sore and it’s the movement that hurts," I answer with a lot of effort to think.

"No Braxton-hicks?" Doc asks. "Cramp like pains?"

"None that I’ve noticed and I usually notice it when my belly gets tight, it’s annoying." I say with a frown as my mind wants to return to the lovely comfort of limbo.

"That’s good isn’t it Doc?" Mitchell asks anxiously.

"Very good. Hopefully it means nothing more than strained muscles," Doc pauses as he glances at his watch.

A loud knock at the door interrupts and Sam moves over to the door. "Who is it?" He demands.

"It’s Dwayne. I was hoping I could find out how Rosy and the kitt are doing," Dwayne answers through the shut door.

"Rosy do you mind if I open the door so Dwayne can look in?" Sam asks.

"I suppose not," I answer and a moment later Sam opens the door and leaves it open before returning to my side.

"There doesn’t appear to be any sign of complications with the pregnancy after her fall," Doc says with a slight motion towards the small mound that is the swell of my stomach.

"And Rosy will be fine as well?" Dwayne asks with a glance my way.

"The medication I gave her for pain is making her drowsy, but other than that she’s fine." Doc tells Dwayne.

"So she is resting? No reason to believe there is anything wrong?" Dwayne states.

"Yes and I think it is time most of us left so Rosy can do exactly that," Doc says firmly. "Rosy? Is it alright with you if I come back later to give you more pain medication?"

"It won’t affect the baby?" I ask as I look down at my heavily strapped wrist, then back up at his face.

"Might make him sleepy and not move as much but that’s all. No lasting effects," Doc tells me and I give a faint nod before closing my eyes and relaxing.

"Doc should Rosy eat before you give her the next needle?" Sam asks.

"It would be a good idea because she’ll most likely sleep straight through the night," Doc says.

"I’ll tell Marissa, I know she will want to cook the food for Rosy," Dwayne says.