"She's a bit warm. Maybe she's got a fever," he says lowly to Comrade.
I suddenly feel my stomach churn again in pain and grip it. It doesn't die down for a while and Callum and Comrade just sit there watching me the whole time. They also buckle over in pain and guilt fills me as I know I'm the cause of it.
The pain soon ceases and I collapse onto the couch with a sweaty forehead and breathless.
"She needs a doctor," Callum speaks up after he's also recovered from the sudden pain. Comrade instantly rushes to the phone, regaining his breath back on the way.
"A-Axel... G-get Axel, please," I beg as exhaustion consumes me and I welcome the darkness.
"Luna? Luna, I'm gonna need you to wake up," a distant voice says. I strain my ears to hear it and I do. It's soft and full of concern. "Luna?" it asks again, but I can't seem to peel my eyes open.
"Move," an angry voice says. I feel sparks shoot up my arm from my hand and instantly know that it's Axel.
"Celina, sweetheart. Wake up. Come on, sweetheart, just open your eyes," Axel begs in my ear quietly.
I try my hardest to do what he says and my eyes crack open the slightest bit. Axel's handsome face comes into view and I smile softly up at him through half shut eyelids.
"Axel?" I say to him and place a weak hand on his cheek. Ugh, I hate feeling like this, all weak and helpless. It reminds me of... No. I stop my thoughts right there, not daring to let my mind wander any further.
Axel grips my hand and his face is flooded with relief as audible sighs are heard around the room.
"Thank the Goddess," Axel mutters. "It's me, Celina. It's ok, I'm here."
I take this time to look around the room. I can't see any of the people because they all seem to be standing behind me. All I can see is Axel. I'm also definitely not in the lounge room where I was in before. It actually looks like I'm in a hospital room.
"Where am I?" I ask. A brown haired lady comes into view at my question.
"You're in the pack recovery room," the same lady says and my eyebrows furrow.
"The recovery room? What am I recovering from?" I ask again and right after I've said it, a sharp pain travels through my stomach. I grimace and grip the fabric of my shirt in pain. I hear two sharp intakes of breath and instantly know that the people standing behind me are Comrade and Callum. The pain slowly passes and I let my tense muscles relax, guilt filling me again about causing my two guardians pain.
Axel growls.
"What the hell was that?" he booms. I wince from the loudness of his voice. The lady, who I still don't know the name of, seems to pick up on it.
"Alpha, please keep your voice down. The noise isn't good for the Luna," she says softly and bows her head to show respect to her alpha. He growls again, but it's low and not as loud.
"Answer the question, Doctor Aileen. What. Was. That?" Axel says, accentuating each word. I shrink back slightly from the intensity of his words.
The doctor glances at me before looking at Callum and Comrade.
"For the time being, this only concerns the Alpha and Luna, so I'm asking you all to leave," she says calmly, but her voice still sounds stern.
They both make their way out the door and when they're gone my attention goes back to Doctor Aileen, as I now know her.
"Well?" Axel urges and the doctor sighs.
"You might want to take a seat, Alpha," she suggests, so Axel drags a chair next to my bed and takes a seat. He grips my hand in his and waits for the doctor to say something, anything, about what the hell is going on with me.
"I've noticed that you two have mated and let me say congratulations," the doctor starts as Axel growls in annoyance. I squeeze his hand to calm him down.
"Luna, have you been tired lately, eating large amounts of food, and maybe throwing up once or twice?" she inquires. I nod my head at each. Why does it all matter?
Doctor Aileen looks at me like it will all click in my brain. I think about it. I've been really tired lately, which isn't normal. I've been wolfing down all my meals, sometimes going for seconds. I've also been eating snacks in between all my meals. I threw up today, but my stomach's been feeling off since this morning. What does that all mean?
Sleeping more, eating more, throwing-up, the pains...
I gasp as I come to the realization. I stare at the doctor in disbelief as she nods her head at me. I shake my head furiously as I grip Axel's hand tighter.
"No! No, I'm 16! I can't... No! I won't believe it!" I cry in vain as tears slip from my eyes.
"I'm sorry, Luna, but there's nothing I can do. What's done is done," Doctor Aileen tells me.
"What's wrong? What's going on?" Axel asks in haste out of worry.
This can't be happening, not now! In the future sure, but not now that a war's about to start. How could I be so careless? How could I let this happen? I can't be... I just can't. I start to hyperventilate as everything comes parading into my mind. This can't be happening. This can't be happening...
'It is happening and you have to choose to accept it,' my wolf tells me in my haste to figure out what's really happening. 'It is meant to be.'
I snap once she says that. 'You knew,' I whisper. 'You knew that this would happen, didn't you!' I yell at her as she whimpers. 'You knew from the very beginning and you didn't even bother to tell me!' I continue to scream in my head.
"Celina!" Axel yells, snatching my attention from my encounter with my wolf. "What's going on?"
I stare at his loving, greyish silver eyes and watch the emotions swim around their depths. I have to tell him. I don't know how he'll react, but I have to tell him.
"I-I..." I stutter, my voice shaking. I clear my throat as I try to get the words out.
"I'm pregnant," I let it out in a hoarse whisper.
Just like that, my world comes crumbling apart.
25
AXEL
I'm so confused right now! I come home to a call from Callum, telling me Celina is throwing up and in major pain. Then I'm hauling her into the medic station at the pack house. And now Celina and Doctor Aileen seem to be having a conversation with their eyes and they're ignoring my questions! What the hell!
Celina suddenly gasps and my head snaps at her, giving her my full attention.
"Celina!" I yell, catching her attention. "What's going on?"
I stare into her beautiful golden eyes that seem to be swimming with uncertainty, pain, and most of all, remorse. Why?
"I-I..." she stutters, her voice shaking. She clears her throat as she tries to get the words out.
"I'm pregnant," she lets out in a hoarse whisper. I freeze. That's all I can do.
Tears brim Celina's eyes and all I can do is stare at her. She's pregnant? My Celina, my beautiful and wonderful mate, is pregnant with my pup?
My gaze snaps to Doctor Aileen. I swear if this is some cruel joke, I'll have her turned rogue for it.
"Are you sure?" I ask her and she nods her head, certainty in her eyes.
"If it helps to ease the shock, I can set up to do an ultrasound," she suggests and I nod my head furiously. She immediately starts rushing around, setting everything up as I turn back to a still crying Celina.
"Celina, sweetheart, look at me," I tell her gently as I put a finger under her chin, forcing her to look at me. I look at her face and the emotions passing through her eyes, and my breath catches in my throat. She looks so torn and broken, not the usual her that I've grown to love.
"Oh, Celina," I whisper as I take her in my arms.
She just breaks apart as she cries onto my chest. She grips my shirt in her tiny hands and buries her head on my chest, soaking my shirt with her tears. I rub her back soothingly as I whisper sweet nothings in her ear to try to calm her down.
Knowing that Celina is carrying my pup is as much a shock as it is exciting. Right now, in Celina's womb, my pup is growing. A boy or girl, I don't care. It's my pup and I'm gonna do everything in my power to keep him or her safe, as well as Celina.
Cel
ina looks so torn about it. After all, she's only 16. Her birthday's coming up in less than a month though, so when she actually gives birth, she'll be 17. I don't think that makes the situation any easier on her.
It's not rare for our kind to have pups at a young age. Some mates even have pups by the time they're 18. The youngest recorded is 16. She went on to be a wonderful mother with a caring mate. Again, I don't think this shines light on the situation for Celina.
"Ok, the ultrasound is all set up, Alpha," Doctor Aileen announces and Celina pulls away from me at the sound of her voice. I wipe the tears still falling down her cheeks and kiss her softly on the lips. She takes in a shaky breath as she tries to compose herself.
"It's ok, sweetheart. I'm right here. Always will be," I tell her with all the honesty in my heart. She takes a deep breath and nods her head, believing that I'm not leaving her.
Doctor Aileen squeezes the gel onto Celina's stomach. She winces from the coldness. She adjusts the screen so that both of us can see it. Celina squeezes my hand for comfort and I squeeze right back.
"Are you ready?" Doctor Aileen asks, eyeing us both warily. Celina nods as I stay still and watch the screen.
Doctor Aileen places the machine wand thing on Celina's stomach and we get a glimpse of what Celina is actually carrying.
I hold my breath, hearing Celina also take a sharp intake of breath and then she squeezes my hand harder.
The tiniest body pops up on the screen and my eyes widen as I realize that it's my pup. That's my child, the future Alpha that my mate is carrying. I glance over at Celina to see her watching the screen in wonder and awe.
The pup's so tiny. If it isn't for Doctor Aileen pointing the body out, we can’t see it. It's just our tiny bundle of joy.
"Well, there we go. It's too early to see what sex it is, but-" Doctor Aileen abruptly stops her sentence as she spots something else on the screen. She moves the wand a little more to the right to catch a glimpse.
Another small body pops up and Celina becomes frozen beside me.
"Is... Is that another baby?" she whispers and Doctor Aileen nods as she stares at the screen in shock.
She moves the wand around again and another small body pops up. I gulp audibly as she continues to move the wand around and count how many pups my mate's carrying.
I squeeze Celina's hand in support as I notice she starts to tremble. She takes deep breaths to calm herself down as she closes her eyes. She opens them again when Doctor Aileen begins to speak.
"Well, um... this is very unexpected," she whispers as she checks over and over again to make sure what she's seeing is true. She stops her movement when we can clearly see three little bodies on the small screen. They're tiny, but they're there.
I gasp as I realize that my mate has three pups growing inside her. Three, we're going to have triplets.
"It... It seems like you're having triplets. Congratulations, Alpha, Luna," Doctor Aileen says with pride and bows her head to the both of us.
No thought travel through my mind. No reaction comes out of me. My wolf stays silent as he tries to absorb all this information. My mate has three pups growing inside her and we didn't even know it.
"How far is she along?" I ask. Doctor Aileen lifts her head to stare at Celina, inspecting her almost.
"I'd say at least a month or two," she tells us, then bows her head again.
"Oh my gosh!" Celina whispers as she covers her mouth with her hand.
Doctor Aileen quickly snaps a picture of the screen and leaves it there for us to look at as she hastily leaves the room, giving us the privacy we need.
We both stay silent as we just stare at the screen in absolute shock. We’re having three pups, triplets.
I look at Celina to see tears streaming down her face again as she stares at the screen in shock and awe at the same time. I quietly get a cloth, wipe away the gel from her stomach, pull her top down and pull her onto my lap.
"Celina, it's going to be ok. You're going to get through this. We're going to get through this," I whisper in her ear as she chokes on a sob.
"I-I don't know, Axel. I'm c-carrying three babies and I'm only 16. H-how in the world will I be able to c-cope with t-this?" she asks between her sobs.
I hold her tighter to me as I mumble in her ear, "You'll cope because you have me."
She chokes on a sob again and pulls away from my chest to look me in the eyes.
"What if I don't survive?" My eyes widen at her whispered question. I growl loudly and she shrinks away from me, trying to get off my lap. I hold her to me as another growl erupts from my chest.
"Never, and I mean never, think that way, Celina!" I growl at her. "You will survive because if you don't, I certainly won't."
She starts to cry again and a loud sob escapes from her perfect lips. We just sit there, with me cuddling her and her holding onto me for dear life as she breaks down in my arms.
Her cries soon die down after a long while. When I look down at her, she's fast asleep, probably from exhaustion and shock of this whole situation.
I gently lift her up in my arms and walk out of the medic station. Callum and Comrade are still waiting outside. When they see Celina, they run to her in haste. Callum brushes back the hair from her tear- stained face as Comrade wipes away any abandoned tear.
"What happened?" Comrade whispers. I shake my head. They both back away as I start to walk up the stairs.
"Not now," is all I whisper. It leaves them knowing that I will eventually tell them, but now's just not the time.
I carry Celina all the way to our room and gently place her down on the bed. Her face is the picture of peacefulness, apart from the tear stains, and her body is perfectly relaxed. I sigh as I take her hand in mine and gently kiss it.
The situation would have been different if Celina is just older, if we don't have a war coming up, and if we are certain that she will survive this birth.
'Callum, Comrade,' I call through the mind link. They immediately tune in to what I'm about to inform them, 'Head up here. I'm going to go talk to Doctor Aileen and I need you guys to watch over Celina for me.'
In less than thirty seconds after I sent the message through the link, there is a soft knock at the door.
"Come in," I mutter. Callum and Comrade walk in with worried expressions. They can probably feel Celina's sadness since they are affected by her strongest emotions.
I kiss Celina on the forehead then make my way to the door.
"Just... stay with her. She needs comfort right now and I think you two will be able to do the job," I tell them then make my way out the door and back downstairs to find Doctor Aileen.
Having all these suddenly put on both Celina’s and my shoulders... is something to really think about. Celina is very mature for her age and I know she'll be a perfect mother, but I'm not sure she's ready. Yes, she's strong, mature and amazingly special, but three pups? I have no doubt in the future that we will have pups, but she's only 16. I'll do anything right now to see what's running through her head. She's finally figured out how to block me.
On top of that, we have a bloody war! Her old pack members are a couple of idiotic morons if they think they're going to win this war. Problem is, now that Celina's pregnant, she'll be a major target. She’ll be hunted down whether she's part of the war or not. I can't let that happen.
I smell Doctor Aileen's scent when I pass by the medic station, so I open the door without knocking and walk straight in like I own the place.
Doctor Aileen looks up, instantly bowing her head in respect when she notices it's me.
"Alpha," she murmurs under her breath.
I simply nod at her and motion for her to take a seat. She does so and I take one opposite her. I take a deep breath through my nose and let it out through my mouth. How do I approach this? Maybe bluntly is the way to do it.
"Will she die?" I ask, going for bluntness.
Doctor Aileen looks taken back for a second, then it registers in her mind and she casts
her eyes downward, not answering.
"Will. She. Die?" I repeat a bit more fiercely this time, emphasizing each word.
Doctor Aileen whimpers slightly. My annoyance and irritation grow as she continues to look down and not answer the question.
"Answer me!" I order in my Alpha voice and I feel her wolf instantly submit.
"There's a possibility," she whispers and an almighty growl escapes my throat. She continues on though, like she didn't hear me at all.
"Alpha, the Luna is only 16 and her body might not be able to handle the pain. Giving birth is painful enough with just one baby add another two and you honestly have pure torture. The Luna is strong and she will fight, but there's still that possibility that she won't make it after she gives birth. Having you there will help because you're her mate, but it will only help slightly," she says, tying it all up in an annoying bloody package.
I stay silent, my breath coming out in short pants as I fight to control my wolf.
"What are the chances?" I growl out as I try to rein in my wolf. He wants out.
"There's a 75% chance she won't make it," Doctor Aileen whispers and I don't waste another second as I barge out of the pack house and shift into my midnight black wolf.
I take off into a sprint as a pain-filled howl escapes my lips. My wolf continues to run and I pretty much give him full control. I just need a chance to think and this is one way of doing it.
My mate has a 75% chance of dying after giving birth. How can any mate cope with that? How can any mate stay sane knowing that in a few months time, their mate may not be alive anymore? How can anyone cope with that?
Another pain-filled howl escapes into the night sky as my wolf continues to run. We run until the early hours of the morning, seeing as we left in the late afternoon.
At about five in the morning as the sun starts to come up, I decide to head back, the pain of leaving Celina becoming too strong to ignore. I run all the way back to the pack house and shift on the door step.
I can tell everyone's still asleep by the sound of light snoring and even breathing I can hear, so I try not to make a sound as I quietly shut the door behind me.
Unique, Different, Found Page 20
