Lycan's Prey by Jessica Hall

Chapter 2

8 months later

Loved ones came and visited the other mothers on the ward, excitedly gushing over their new bundles of joy. Eagerly discussing their new additions to the family. My heart twisted painfully, knowing no one was excited to meet my son. No one was coming to check on me or offer support. No one cared for the boy suckling at my breast. No one was coming, it was just him and me against the world, but that was ok. I would make it work. How could anything so tiny and sweet be called a mistake? How could you throw away your flesh and blood,, your own daughter, over her falling pregnant?

The labor had been excruciating. It was 34 hours and 45 five minutes of pure agony and no comfort, not even from the midwives. They were nothing but rude and mean, telling me to quit my crying as I begged them to make the pain stop. I had never felt so vulnerable or alone as when I was in labor. The woman across from me was being doted on by her mate. The support he was showing her, and the comfort made my heart clench.

It was hard enough to be a werewolf and grow up with expectations of being the Alpha’s daughter, but then I got pregnant, shunned, and stripped of my title. All for one night. That one night turned my life upside down.

Hearing the nurse come in, I look up. She grabs my chart from

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the end of the bed, looking it over before eyeing me. Her glasses teeter on the end of her nose, which is turned up in disgust. No one tried to hide their disgust; everyone looked down on me because I had a child with someone who wasn’t my mate; that much was evident, because where was he? Not here beside me like the rest of those new mothers on the ward, my mate wasn’t here gushing over this newborn baby in my arms.

“You really have no idea who the father is?” she asks, clicking her tongue. I knew exactly who the father was, but the last thing I needed was for him to hunt me down. I already had that run–in. A run–in I would much rather forget when I told him I was carrying his child. He didn’t even remember me. Didn’t help he was a rival pack Alpha. It was easier pretending I didn’t know. The shame I have brought my family for being pregnant was bad enough; my father would have killed me for the disrespect of foolishly getting into bed with the Blood Alpha.

I watch the nurse flick her red curly hair over her shoulder. “He is cute; shame his mother is a whore,” she sneers, and I see the points of her canines pressing beneath her gums as they protrude past her lips.

“Can I get some panadol?” I ask, ignoring her comment. I had received multiple along the same lines since being here, and now I was feeling a headache coming on. I didn’t feel the need to defend myself; there was no point. Nothing I say would make them look at me any different.

“Sorry, can’t. It is not on your charts,” she says.

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“It’s panadol, not like I am asking for morphine,” I tell her.

“Doesn’t matter. It isn’t on your charts, so you will have to go without,” she says, dropping the chart on the table beside me. Most women heal directly after giving birth, but I haven’t shifted yet, so I have no such healing ability..

“Can I get something to eat at least?” I ask her. I was starving, and breastfeeding was making me ravenous.

and breakfast is at 7 AM,” she tells me. I look at the clock and see it is only just after 8 PM. I nod, knowing this nurse was not going to help in any way possible. Crap, every nurse here was horrible because of my situation. I sometimes wished I could leave this city,

son.

someone who isn’t your mate? Did you think of the poor woman who finds him and one day learns he

I was pregnant, but it was his choice too. I fight back the tears from

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saw the head nurse walk past. She stopped when I waved to her before coming over to me. Her long pencil, straight hair hung to her shoulders; she would have been in her mid–twenties because she was closer to my age. Well, not really, I was barely eighteen, but still, she looked nicer than the previous nurses. She picks

a cup of tea?” I ask her, and she glares at me. My stomach

me. My son starts to stir, and I reach over

The head nurse asks, making me look at

her.

baby. Why else? I thought to myself.

looks over at me, her hands tremble slightly, this head nurse obviously instilled fear among her colleagues.

the unmated section.

ward,” the woman says before turning her nose up at me and walking out. I stare,

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allowed one person with us constantly while in here. The girl next to me, her mate, hasn’t left her side since I got

and tending to their every need while

stop from falling back. She wheels me through the maternity ward before going down a corridor, and I appear to be leaving the maternity unit altogether. The nurse finally stops at a curtained–off area and places the bed against the wall. The woman then turns on her heel and

can I get

she was already gone and didn’t

curtain away. I found two more girls. One looked to be nearly thirty with long blonde hair and sparkling green eyes. The other was around sixteen

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Macey,” the

Everly,” I tell

mothers club,” Macey chuckles before looking down at her baby. She sighs

best off getting out as soon as

supposed to,” I tell her, feeling

buzz and forget about them feeding you. I haven’t received anything since being here,” Macey explains before reaching to her feet and pulling a bag toward her. She rummaged through it before pulling out a muesli bar.

you must be starving, I was, and

baby before?” I ask, unable to