Bloodlines: M/M Wolf Shifter Mpreg Paranormal Romance (Legacy of the Wolf Book 2)

by Apollo Surge

  Chapter Seven

  Charlie felt a little better after the morning with Will, although he would have preferred to talk about their issues then and there rather than delaying them for later, which felt like a stalling tactic. However, he wasn’t going to push Will into doing something the wolf was uncomfortable with, especially not when he had just been through the loss of a family member. Both Will and Lisa had told him to only worry about one thing at a time, but that wasn’t how he was built. Everything rushed into his mind at once, overwhelming him, and it took a great deal of effort to block them out.

  “What’s this doctor like then?” Charlie asked, after he had told Will about the night out that was planned with Lisa and the others.

  “His name is Dr. Furz, and he’s a wolf himself, well, used to be. Do you remember how I told you that people could lose balance? He’s one of them.”

  “Wait, there’s a doctor who used to be a werewolf and he called himself Dr. Furz?”

  “I think he likes to think of himself as having a good sense of humor. If you chuckle at the joke I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”

  “I don’t think I’ll take the chance. But I thought you said that when people lost their balance they withdrew from life and cut all ties with the wolves? What’s so different about him?”

  “Most people do, after all they lose balance because they spend too much time in this world. But Dr. Furz is different. He likes to keep in touch with the old kind, I think all he wants to do is help people. He knows that there are few we can turn to in the human world.”

  “He doesn’t sound like other wolves.”

  “Some people, especially after living among humans, start to develop the same sensibilities and lose the taste for hunting and wildness. They start to doubt the truth of their existence and seek peace, a peace that can only be attained if they give up their wolfish nature. It is not the decision I would make, but it has been quite common over the years. He will treat us with discretion, and we can be completely honest with him.”

  Charlie settled into the seat as the city whizzed by, drumming his fingers on this thigh. He certainly hoped that this doctor would be able to help them, else he didn’t know what he would do.

  “That’s good. I don’t want to go to a hospital if I can help it. I hate the idea of being poked and prodded and lauded as a medical marvel. All I want is to be left alone and have my baby in peace. But that reminds me, I think I’m going to need to go shopping for some bigger clothes, and I’m going to have to figure out what I’m going to do about work as well. I don’t want to quit, but I’m not sure I see any alternative.”

  “Do you need money?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “For your clothes. If you need anything just let me know.”

  Charlie turned and looked at him. “What do you do for money anyway? You have an amazing apartment, but when you came to the city you hadn’t been here for years. How did you get to be so rich? Don’t get me wrong, I know your family home was nice and cozy and everything, but it’s hardly the type of place I’d associate with entrepreneurs.”

  Will chuckled to himself.

  “When wolves decided to isolate themselves from the humans they realized that they would still have to take measures to ensure their survival. Being wolves, we need a certain amount of freedom, so we made investments in certain areas and thanks to that I have a vast fund to draw from. I don’t really think about it that much, there are more important things in life than money.”

  “Only people with money say that,” Charlie said. “So you’re rich then?”

  “If it makes a difference, yes, I’m quite well off, but it’s not something I like to brag about. Anything you need, just let me know.”

  “I don’t want to accept charity. I want to pay my way,” Charlie said.

  “It would not be charity. You are carrying my child. I will do anything to ensure your safety and well-being. Anything you need, I shall provide.”

  Charlie pursed his lips and a giddy feeling rose through his mind. Will was saying all the right things, and although visiting the doctor was a scary proposition, Charlie knew that he was safe with Will.

  They drove through the city, away from the main hub in the center. The car passed through the suburbs and found the doctor’s surgery tucked away under a small copse of trees. It was a very secluded place, one that wouldn’t draw any attention. It was the kind of place that you would only go to if you knew it was there, and Charlie wondered if Dr. Furz dealt exclusively with werewolves and their relations.

  They walked in, and it was at this moment when Charlie was worried that they should have made an appointment. He went to whisper to Will, but Will was already striding away to the reception desk where a pretty girl greeted him with a smile. Will leaned over and whispered something into her. She nodded, and then jotted something down.

  “The doctor will see you right away,” she said, and then disappeared behind the door.

  “This is the strangest place I’ve ever been to,” Charlie said. He looked around at the empty waiting room. “Usually when I go and see the doctor there’s a long wait.”

  “Dr. Furz is efficient,” Will said, as though that was enough to explain everything.

  The waiting room was small, with comfortable chairs, and a coffee table with some magazines spread over it, which seemed to be a staple for doctor’s surgeries everywhere. Charlie looked up at the clock hanging on the wall and became transfixed by its ticking. The rhythm of time became louder in his mind, and suddenly it was all he could focus on. The seconds passed, each one of them bringing him nearer to…something.

  His mind grew hazy again and his stomach churned. He instinctively gripped Will’s arm, digging his fingers into his flesh.

  “Are you alright?” Will asked.

  Charlie could only shake his head; he dared not open his mouth in case the contents of his stomach spilled out. The room seemed to swirl around him and there was a stabbing pain in his abdomen, right where he didn’t want any pain to be. He leaned forward, the pain causing him to double over, his arm folding across the crease in his stomach. Will was calling to him, but the words were far away, lost in the distance.

  Then there were others around him, more shadowy figures. Everything was blurred and hazy. Charlie tried to speak, but he wasn’t sure if any sounds were actually coming out. He reached out, trying to find Will, afraid that he was left alone.

  Charlie wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he regained control of his faculties. He was sitting in another room now, and he and Will weren’t alone. Dr. Furz stood by him, a tall, lean man with a thick head of black hair, olive skin, and the slight shading of stubble around his jaws. He had kind eyes, a very important characteristic for a doctor, and wore a pale blue shirt with brown trousers. Somehow Charlie had expected him to be older.

  “It’s good to have you with us, Charlie,” Dr. Furz said, introducing himself. “You could have just told me your symptoms rather than displaying them for me, though,” he said. Charlie smiled. He still felt weak, but Dr. Furz’s easy demeanor put him at ease.

  “I’ll try to remember that next time,” Charlie said.

  “Will’s filled me in on what’s going on with you, but I’d like to hear it in your own words as well. Can you tell me exactly what you’re going through, what you’re feeling?” he asked.

  Charlie spoke about it as best he could, trying not to leave anything out.

  “I think the worst thing for me is the pain in my abdomen. I’m worried that something is going to happen to the baby.”

  “It’s a perfectly legitimate thing to worry about,” Dr. Furz said. “Now, I have to be honest with you and say that I’ve never come across a case like yours before, so really this could all just be due to the fact that the male body isn’t quite as capable as the female body at carrying a child.”

  “But surely his must be, if he could have gotten pregnant in the first place?” Will said.

  “You’d th
ink that, but evolution has a funny way of changing things around. Without more evidence I can’t really say for sure what’s going on here. You’re a very special case, Charlie, and we’re going to learn a lot from you,” Dr. Furz said.

  “I only want you to make sure that my baby is safe,” Charlie said.

  “It’ll all be okay. I’m going to do a few tests, and I’ll listen in on the baby to make sure that he or she is doing just fine.”

  The doctor drew some blood and then got Charlie to lift up his shirt. Charlie winced as the cold stethoscope pressed against his flesh. Dr. Furz moved it around, and for those few moments Charlie was tense with worry, but then Dr. Furz smiled.

  “Yeah, your baby is just fine. The heartbeat is strong, whatever’s going on with you isn’t affecting the child, at the moment anyway. Let me just go and check your blood work and we’ll see if it shows anything up,” he said, leaving the room for a few moments.

  “You scared me there,” Will said.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I just wish this was all over. I just want to be normal.”

  “Hey, with us nothing is ever going to be normal.”

  “You know what I mean,” Charlie said. Will draped an arm over his shoulder and kissed him on the head.

  Dr. Furz returned, with the results.

  “So right now I’m not seeing anything too serious, apart from a vitamin deficiency. What I think is happening is that your body is having trouble producing the necessary vitamins and nutrients for the baby. When a woman is pregnant, her body ramps up this production so there’s enough for her and the baby, but it seems that in your case that’s not happening, which is why you’re feeling light-headed, you’re basically not getting everything you need to function. It’s nothing to worry about, and thankfully it’s about the easiest thing we could have to fix, so that’s good. I’m going to advise that you get some vitamin supplements for now. Obviously because of your genetic history your body may well adapt in time and produce everything you need, but it seems as though the years have diluted your ability to carry a child.”

  “Is he in any danger?” Will asked.

  “Not as long as he takes his supplements. You just need to make sure that you take care of yourself as well as the baby. Eat well, eat regularly, have a varied diet, and if you do start feeling light-headed again come and see me and we’ll figure out which areas you’re lacking in, but the supplements I’m going to prescribe for you should help across the board. The other thing you could do is take some estrogen supplements, which may kick-start some latent genes. They’d be the same ones used for gender-reassignment surgery, so obviously there would be side effects like mood swings, and things like that, which is just something you need to be prepared for if you do decide to go down that route. I think for the time being though you should stick to the supplements and see how they work. The child is safe at the moment, but I want you to monitor yourself, and at the first sign of any trouble you need to come and see me.”

  Charlie nodded, grateful that the only thing wrong with him was something simple. A wave of relief filled him and he leaned against Will, glad that the baby was safe, and that he was in no immediate danger.

  “I’ll do whatever needs to be done,” Charlie said.

  “That’s a good attitude to have. Now you just stay there while I fill out the relevant forms, and I’ll get your details as well, so I can keep an eye on you.”

  “Thank you so much, you’ve really taken a weight off my mind.”

  “You’re welcome, but while I have you here I should ask you about a few other things as well. Have you thought about the birth yet?”

  “Not really, in truth it’s been a pretty hectic time. We haven’t had much of a chance to think about this stuff,” Charlie said.

  “Well, I think you should. These nine months are going to come around pretty fast, and if you don’t get started with planning you’re going to find that there’s too much to do and not enough time,” Dr. Furz said.

  “I think we’re feeling that already,” Charlie admitted.

  “It’s okay, you still have plenty of time, for the time being at least. You stay here and I’ll be right back,” Dr. Furz said. Charlie was about to turn to Will, when Will suddenly said that he needed to talk with the doctor about something, so Charlie was left in the room alone.

  “It’s going to be okay little one,” he said to his unborn child, “everything’s going to be okay. I’m going to give you everything you need.”

  Chapter Eight

  Will hurried out of the room and quickly caught up with Dr. Furz. It was just the two of them in the hallway. Posters promoting awareness of different ailments were haphazardly placed all across the wall, and a water cooler stood in the middle of the hallway. The door to the room he had just left was closed, leaving Charlie alone for a few moments. They were about ten feet away from the reception area as well, and Will made sure to speak in a low tone to avoid the receptionist’s attention.

  “I need to speak with you about something, something personal,” Will began.

  “Something you can’t talk about in front of Charlie?” Dr. Furz asked, his brow creasing with concern.

  Will rubbed his jaw. “I just don’t want to worry him, that’s all. It’s about the balance.”

  “I see,” Dr. Furz said, his tone becoming more concerned.

  “I don’t want anything to jeopardize my happiness. I want this life with Charlie, but I’m worried that I’m being torn in different directions. My father died, you see, killed by a childhood friend of mine who is unable to let go of a grudge. Whenever I think of him I just want to return and tear him apart, but I know that to defeat him I’m going to have to summon more power than I ever have before.”

  “And you’re worried that you’ll lose the balance and the ability to shift.”

  Will nodded, and then looked back to the room in which Charlie was sitting.

  “It’s not just that though. I’m also worried about the alternative. This life with Charlie…it’s wonderful, more than I ever could have hoped, but then I’m worried about losing the other part of myself, the part that needs to be free and roam the night. What was it like when you felt yourself losing balance? Was it something you could sense was happening, or did it take you by surprise?”

  Dr. Furz remained quiet for a few moments while he considered the question, stroking his chin.

  “I think it’s different for everyone, which I know isn’t very helpful. For me it was a gradual thing, but then I never was a typical wolf. I didn’t indulge that side of me as much as most other wolves. I knew that if I ever lost balance it was only ever going to be in one direction. But really, I just had to answer one simple question to myself: who did I want to be? I decided that I wanted to be a healer, and the best way I could do that was to be human. It wasn’t easy. I still miss many aspects of shifting, but this was the choice I had to make to be happy. In my experience the ones who lose their balance and turn human permanently do so by choice, the ones who become wolves don’t. But if you want my advice then, well, you’ve got a family in there. Is it worth missing out on that to avenge your father’s death? I can’t answer that question. Only you can.”

  Dr. Furz left Will still struggling for answers. All his life he had been the decisive sort, but now he was floundering. The thought that he could actually be at peace living as a human was frightening, for being a wolf was such a huge part of him, but as long as he remained a werewolf he was always going to heed the call of the wild. Was that something that had to be sacrificed in order to be happy with Charlie and the baby?

  The mere fact of knowing that Brandon was out there gnawed at him. Every moment that slipped by without Brandon paying for his crimes was a moment wasted.

  He returned to Charlie, and then they walked back to reception where they picked up the prescription and the list of recommended supplements. Charlie almost baulked when he saw the long list, and the cost, but once again Will told him not to worry about
it. They went into town to grab everything, and then returned home. Charlie set out all the bottles and shook his head.

  “I did not sign on for this, but here we go,” he said as he took his first batch. For the rest of the day they were both glad to see that Charlie didn’t faint again, and it seemed as though the problem had been fixed.

  “I just hope that there isn’t anything else that’s going to come up. Are you going to be alright with the get together tonight?”

  “I know that it’s important for you, and it’ll be good to meet your friends.”

  “I think we can both use a night out,” Charlie said.

  Time passed and they got ready to go out. They got dressed up in shirts and jeans; Charlie borrowed something of Will’s to save him from returning home. When he was leafing through the closet, a thought occurred to Will.

  “Isn’t it going to be easier if you just moved in here for the time being?”

  “That would be lovely, and I love it here, but it’s another thing we need to talk about. I don’t think this apartment is going to be big enough for the three of us, and to be honest I never imagined raising a kid in an apartment anyway. I’d prefer to have a yard so they can run around, and a big house so that we have room to grow. How far do you think your wealth is going to spread?”

  “Far enough,” Will said, taking Charlie’s hands. Charlie’s eyes sparkled, his boyish good looks spoke to his innocence and youth. It was easy for Will to become lost in Charlie’s eyes, to surrender to the world he offered and become a part of something new. The Will that was with Charlie was a different Will to the one that had spent so long alone, and again different to the wolf that prowled through the night, a dark streak leaping through the shadows.

  In these moments it was easy for him to let go of the past, to embrace the future and leave the call of his blood behind. But then a voice nagged at him, reminding him that he had a duty. It was the voice of his father.

  Will wanted to turn around and tell Thomas that he had no right to interfere in the course of his life, that he couldn’t keep hammering Will with this need to continue the legacy. Will wanted to tell Thomas that he was his own man, and that if he wanted to leave that part of himself behind then he could do so.