“Well, she gave up the right to that protection when she fled the city,” Ethan argued.

“It is your youth speaking,” Tristan said, cutting him off. “If you had any idea what you are proposing… Rape is punishable by being sent to a prison camp. You do not want that. Ask Javier what it’s like.”

“If she didn’t want to get fucked she should have stayed in the city where assholes like you can ‘protect’ her. Besides, it’s only rape if you get caught,” Ethan retorted. “We could keep her here. Let her service all the men. I know I’d work double shifts for a screw. Who knows, maybe if we fuck her enough we’ll find the cure for the infertility.” Ethan paused and looked her straight in the eyes, and smirked. “Our own dedicated camp whore.”

Lottie swallowed hard, her throat constricting as the tears started to flow down her cheeks.

“Dodger, this isn’t going to be pretty. You need to go.” Jaesen turned her from the image of Tristan stalking toward Ethan, and he gave her a push. “Now!” Lottie stumbled and moved a few feet away, before stopping at the sound of flesh smacking into flesh. She turned in time to see Ethan shaking his head and getting back to his feet. His lip was split and blood dribbled from it.

Ethan wiped his chin with his thumb, and after flicking the blood to the ground. He made a fist and settled his weight. Tristan matched Ethan’s stance and waited for the younger man to strike.

Lottie and the other soldiers watched as Ethan took a swing at Tristan, who blocked it, and followed through with a jab to Ethan’s chest. Ethan jumped out of the way, and when Tristan advanced on him, Teo, Adan, and Wu hopped over the log to surround him.

Within seconds all Lottie could discern were body parts moving and flesh striking flesh. The yelling, cursing, and commotion made her knees shake, and she took a step backward. Then another. As Jaesen and Paul joined Tristan in the fight, Lottie turned and fled toward the river, unwilling to stay and watch the outcome.

The sounds of men yelling dulled as Lottie stumbled her way down the rocky path to the river. She didn’t have the energy to go all the way to the bathing pool and would make do with the shallower water closer to Casey’s command shed.

She had her hands wrapped around her stomach as she splashed her way into the water, and sank to her knees. Her clothes sticking to her as she submerged herself to her chest.

It wasn’t until she settled on her knees on the bottom of the pool that she realized she was crying, huge racking sobs that shook her body and made her feel worse. Her stomach hurt, her head hurt, and her heart hurt. She longed to be held by one of the communal home caretakers. Someone—anyone—to say everything would be all right.

Lottie covered her eyes and rocked back and forth. She was so caught up in her pain and fear that she didn’t hear the splash of water until arms wrapped around her and tugged her into a lap, and she screamed.

“Shh, Chica! It will be all right.”

Recognizing the voice, she wrapped her arms around Jules' neck and cried harder. “What the hell happened? Where is your guard?” he asked her.

She couldn’t answer. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and let the tears fall.

“Ty, find out what happened in camp and then get Lincoln here.”

Jules ran his hand through her hair and rocked her. The water splashed against her chest and she shuddered.

“Chica?”

Lottie shook her head. There was no way she could explain the fight or Ethan’s threat to Jules and be coherent while doing it.

Jules continued to make shushing noises and slowly Lottie calmed. But as she relaxed she realized the pain in her stomach was rhythmic and getting stronger. It was uncomfortable and scary.

“Chica,” Jules asked. “I can feel your stomach tightening under my hand. You’re not going to throw up on me are you?” He tried to pull her face from his neck. She held on tighter and shook her head.

“I feel it again. What is it? Is that normal? Is that the baby moving? Did that always happen?” His voice had an edge to it, and each question he asked became a little more insistent.

Again she shook her head no.

“Does hurt?” he queried.

Yes.

She whimpered, unable to admit that it hurt. Her answer of no was muffled into his neck.

“When did this start happening?”

She moved her mouth away from his neck to answer. “The past few days, but it’s stronger today.” After she answered she pulled closer to him again.

“There’s another one.”

Lottie knew that, and she sucked in her breath to hide the pain.

Jules cursed. “Those are contractions. You’re in labor, aren’t you?” he asked.

She assumed so and nodded.

“How many contractions have you had? How far apart are they?”

She didn't know but having the news verbalized didn’t help her feel better. Don’t let them take my baby to the woods to die… Lottie felt new tears spill down her cheeks and they wet Jules shirt.

“Shh, it’s going to be okay. We’ll get Case here and everything will work out.”

“Jules?” Ty called.

“Yeah,” he replied.

“The whole camp is in an uproar,” Ty replied. “Lincoln said you should deal with her because he has his hands’ full sorting out the fight before Case gets back.”

“Fight?” Jules asked, and then discarded his question immediately. “Doesn’t matter. I need Case here. Now.”

“Ain’t going to happen. He’s on patrol.”

“I know that!” Jules snapped at him, and wrapped his arms around her tighter, trying to keep her calm. “Chica’s in labor and he wanted to be here. Tell Lincoln to deal with the fight later, and to get Case here. Immediately.”

“Labor?” Ty asked.

“Yes,” Jules barked. “You have any idea about how to birth a baby?”

“No.”

“Well neither do I, and I would prefer to have Case do it. So get Lincoln on that!”

Lottie sniffed and felt the tears growing again. “Hush, Chica,” he crooned. Trying to calm her. “What did that field manual say?” he asked himself. “Time them… and something about breathing.”

Lottie felt relieved someone was with her and hugged herself tighter to Jules.