Shifter Night Box Set: Complete Set (Book 1 - 3)

by Charlene Hartnady

  “Yeah.” She smiled back.

  “Are you thirsty?” His brow creased.

  “I’m always thirsty.” Another one of the joys. At least she wasn’t nauseated anymore.

  Ash began to stand. “I’ll get you a—”

  Alice shook her head. “I’m fine. If I drink too much it can make me feel ill. Just like not eating for long periods makes me feel a bit ill as well. Besides, I already have to pee,” she smiled.

  His brows went up. “Are you hungry?”

  “No, I’m fine. Really.” It was sweet how caring and protective he had become. A bit overbearing at times, but it came from a good place. And also, from not such a good place. Ash was nervous.

  He sat back down and the lady holding the magazine sighed, openly ogling him.

  The receptionist called her name, her eyes were on Ash though. “The doctor will see you now.” She blushed when Ash looked at her.

  “Thank you.” Alice gave a small shake of the head and held back an eye-roll.

  “Good mor—” Her doctor did a double-take. It was comical to watch. “Hi!” She smiled, jumping up from her seat. “I’m Dr. Evans, Dr. Pamela Evans.” She emphasized her first name.

  “Good to see you again, Doc,” Alice said, noticing how the other woman didn’t so much as take her eyes off Ash for a second. “This is Ash, he’s the father of the babies.”

  “Oh, of course.” Dr. Evans held out her hand and Ash shook it. It took a good couple of seconds before she finally released him. “Are you two together?” She finally glanced at Alice before looking back at Ash.

  Alice was just about to say that they weren’t when Ash nodded. “Yes, Alice has finally agreed to move in with me.” He looked her in the eyes, throwing her a half-smile. “I only had to beg for weeks and practically got onto my knees to make it happen.”

  “Congratulations,” she sighed, her shoulders slumping before she turned to Alice. “I’m sure you’ll be very happy.” There was a wistful look on her face.

  “Thank you.”

  “You can go and lie down on the bed.” Dr. Evans pointed to the far side of the room.

  “I don’t have to change this time?”

  The doctor shook her head. “No, we’re not doing a transvaginal scan this time. Just a regular one.”

  Alice went and lay down. The back of the bed was slightly inclined.

  “Pull up your top, please.”

  Alice did as the doctor requested, noticing how Ash didn’t look at her midriff. She wondered, and not for the first time, if he was put off by her pregnancy. He hadn’t touched her or looked at her ‒ in that way ‒ since she had become pregnant.

  “How have you been feeling?”

  “Good. Not as tired, not nearly as nauseated. I still need to pee every five minutes though.”

  The doctor nodded. “Back pain?”

  “Nothing out of the ordinary.”

  “You get back pain?” Ash asked, his voice deep. He was standing at the foot of the bed.

  “Yes, my ligaments are stretching. That, and the added weight.” Alice widened her eyes and touched her rounded belly.

  Ash kept his eyes on her.

  “You are much bigger than last month. Quite a bit bigger. We’ll weigh you after the scan. You also look like you went up at least two cup sizes as well.”

  “I know.” Alice felt mortified. She’d started off this pregnancy carrying a few extra pounds. Thing was, she was hungry all the time. Her cheeks heated. “I need to watch my diet a bit more, it’s just that—”

  “No, you don’t.” Ash was frowning. “You look like a pregnant female. You look perfect. Your diet is just fine.”

  Alice couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Sincerity shone in his eyes, which dipped down to her breasts before looking her back in the eyes.

  “I’m sure your … Ash is right, we’ll weigh you later just to be sure.” Dr. Evans pulled on some gloves. “Let’s have a look at those babies, shall we?”

  Alice pulled her top up a little higher over her belly. Dr. Evans squirted some gel onto the middle of the curve and pushed the scanning device against her, using a light pressure. It took a few seconds of maneuvering before a decent picture of the boys appeared onscreen.

  Ash chuckled. He moved in closer. He glanced at her and they locked eyes for a few seconds. Alice could feel that she had a goofy smile on her own face. His eyes were filled with … emotion. Love flooded her, as she stared into his chocolate eyes. She quickly looked back at the screen, not wanting to miss anything.

  “Those are their heads,” Dr. Evans said, “and … yup, it looks like they’re probably still boys. You shouldn’t hold me to that just yet, although I’m quite sure.”

  Next, they listened to the boys’ heartbeats. One at a time. She and Ash looked at each other with those same goofy smiles.

  Dr. Evans measured the little ones. “Everything looks great,” she finally said. “We need to talk a little bit about the pregnancy. I can see that the twins have the same placenta and amniotic sac.”

  Ash moved forwards. He was frowning heavily. “What does that mean exactly?”

  A look of confusion crossed the doctor’s face. “The placenta? You know what that is don’t you?” She answered before Ash could say anything. “A placenta is an organ that grows in the female’s uterus during the pregnancy. It makes sure that the growing fetus, or fetuses in this case, receive oxygen and nutrients.”

  Ash nodded and folded his arms.

  “Well, in twin pregnancies there can either be one or two placentas. Two is ideal. You have one.”

  Ash shuffled from one foot to the other, clearly agitated. Shit. His neck muscles roped. His jaw had that tight, clenched look. Suffice it to say, he wasn’t happy at all. “What does that mean?” he asked again, all gruff. His eyes had hardened.

  “It means we have to keep an eye on things. Twins sharing a placenta can develop a condition called Twin to Twin Transfusion, where one twin essentially takes most of the nutrients and grows too rapidly while the other twin doesn’t grow enough.”

  “Is that happening?” Ash all but snarled.

  The doctor took a step back, she bumped her hip against the edge of the scanning machine.

  “Honey,” Alice spoke carefully and softly. “Ash, my darling, why don’t you come and sit by me.” She patted the bed next to her. “Everything is fine.” She looked him in the eyes. Then she looked at the doctor. “You’ll have to excuse Ash, he’s … nervous about this whole thing. The babies are fine, aren’t they, Doctor?”

  Dr. Evans cleared her throat. Within a few moments, her composure returned. “Yes.” She nodded. “Everything looks great. That condition I referred to is rare. It’s my job to mention it and to monitor for such abnormalities.”

  “And besides,” Alice said, “I’m very healthy. You mentioned that my age is very much on my side.”

  “Absolutely, and for now, you’re all healthy. It’s important that you are aware of possible complications.” She pursed her lips together for a few moments. “However, I want you to stay positive. You shouldn’t worry unduly about what could happen.” The doctor looked at Alice as she spoke.

  Alice nodded. “Stress is not good for the babies.” She shook her head.

  Ash shoved his hands into his pockets. “I don’t like this. You’re using terms like ‘for now’ and ‘could happen’.” He shook his head. “Is there something you’re not telling us?” He narrowed his eyes on the poor doctor, who shrank back just a little.

  “That’s why we’ll monitor your … Alice carefully, particularly in the final trimester.”

  “Final trimester?” Ash frowned. His forehead so creased it made him look scary as hell. “Speak English, doctor.”

  “Um …” Dr. Evans’ eyes were wide. She’d gone a bit pale.

  “I’m sorry,” Alice apologized, she bit down on her lower lip. Then she turned to him. “Ash, you’re scaring the doctor, honey. I know you’re worried, but you need to be nice to
her. She’s only trying to help.”

  “Yeah, right. Okay. Of course.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Sorry.” Then he pushed a breath out through his nose.

  Dr. Evans visibly relaxed. “It’s fine.” She nodded a few times. Still looking a tad nervous. “I understand.”

  “I know he looks intimidating, but deep down,” Alice smiled, “he’s just a big teddy bear.”

  “A teddy bear, huh?” Ash chuckled. He moved closer to the bed and sat down.

  The mattress dipped under his weight.

  “So, the final trimester is essentially the last third of the pregnancy. A pregnancy will last 40 weeks, or nine months ‒ although it’s actually a bit longer than that in months.” She spoke more to herself when making that statement, so Alice ignored the remark. “The last trimester starts in week twenty-eight. The biggest risk in multiple pregnancies is the babies being born pre-term. The average is thirty-five weeks with a twin pregnancy, instead of the normal forty.” Dr. Evans paused, looking at each of them in turn. Thankfully, Ash didn’t react. “Now, with all that in mind, I will need to start seeing you bi-weekly from week twenty-four and every week from week thirty-two.”

  Ash’s gaze flew to Alice. Shit! Oh boy! That wasn’t going to be possible.

  “What’s wrong? That’s not going to be a problem is it?” the doctor asked, hesitancy in her voice.

  “Actually,” Ash turned back to face the doctor. “It is. I live in a rural area, a good couple of hours out of town.”

  Dr. Evans’ eyes widened and she shook her head. “That’s not a good idea. It would be better to do this the other way around then. You said that Alice is moving in with you, but maybe you should see if you can move in with her instead?”

  “No, that’s not possible and I don’t feel comfortable leaving Alice here alone,” Ash said, voice calm. Thankfully.

  “I’m afraid it’s something you’ll both have to consider though.” Her doctor turned to her. “You will need immediate care if you go into pre-term labor. We’ll need to strictly monitor things like your blood sugar levels and blood pressure to ensure you’re not developing gestational diabetes or preeclampsia. Regular checks will become more and more imperative as time goes on. I strongly urge you—”

  “I’m a shifter,” Ash blurted, his voice a deep rasp.

  “Oh,” Dr. Evans squeaked the word rather than saying it. She cleared her throat. “Oh,” a tad breathy this time. “I see.” She looked him up and down, obviously doing it with new eyes. More like ogling him with new eyes, that is. Alice felt a touch of irritation with the doctor.

  They had discussed disclosing the fact that Ash was a non-human and had decided to do it only if deemed really necessary. She felt he had made the right decision.

  Dr. Evans smiled, blushing wildly. “Now that you mention it,” her smile widened, “I don’t know how I missed it.”

  “These children are mine. They’re shifters. I can’t leave Alice here, to fend for herself.” He went on to mention the hate groups, telling the doctor how they were against human and non-species interactions. “We don’t get as much shit as the vampires do, but we’re not impervious. It’s my responsibility to protect the three of them. To protect Alice.” His voice had that deep rasp and his muscles bulged. “I can’t do that here in Sweetwater.”

  “This certainly is a dilemma.”

  “My boys are strong.” His voice got all choked up. Ash cleared his throat. “They will not be born early. That is rare for a shifter. However, I know that things can sometimes go wrong.” His eyes were filled with concern. His voice thick with emotion. “Would you be able to come to our village to check on Alice? I would pay you, of course.”

  “Yes, yes of course. Once a month would be fine but as Alice gets closer to the birth, she will require round the clock supervision.”

  “You could come and stay with the shifters,” Ash suggested.

  “What about the equipment I would need and—”

  “I’ll fly in whatever you need.” There was a hint of desperation in Ash’s voice.

  “I’m not sure. It would be a big step for me to take. It’s something I would need to think about.”

  “You would be well reimbursed. We may live in the mountains, but there is a certain level of comfort. We have running water and electricity.”

  “Good to know. I would still need to see if I can get away for that long. We’re looking at eight to ten weeks. That’s a long time to just up and leave. What about my other patients? My practice?”

  “If not you, then someone else. Maybe you can recommend someone.” Ash raised his brows. “Please, healer … Doctor,” his chest rose and fell in quick succession, “nothing can go wrong.”

  “I will be able to help with a referral. That’s if I can’t go myself. It is a major opportunity.” Her eyes shone with excitement. “Not many doctors can say that they birthed shifter infants. It would be an experience for sure.”

  “I also need to mention that Alice will only be pregnant for six months.”

  “What?” Dr. Evans looked shocked. “Come again?”

  “Females pregnant by bear shifters mostly have twins. The gestation period is six months.”

  “You’re a bear shifter.” She sounded all breathy and gushy and Alice was tempted to slap her. Then Dr. Evans seemed to realize what she was doing. She straightened her jacket. “I didn’t know there were different types of shifters. How interesting, and wow, six months.” Her brow creased.

  Alice had also been shocked when Ash had told her. It was something else she’d had to come to terms with. She was going to be a mother quite a bit sooner than expected.

  Dr. Evan’s frown deepened and her eyes lifted in thought. “That makes no sense. My measurements show that the babies are fifteen weeks and five days old. Of course, it’s not an exact science.”

  “I’m around twelve weeks based on when I actually conceived,” Alice said.

  “Exactly.” The doctor lifted her eyes in thought. “That puts you at the halfway mark, but the babies aren’t big enough for you to be at the halfway mark though.”

  “Shifter young are smaller than humans when they are born.”

  “This baby is half human,” Dr. Evans pointed out.

  Ash shook his head. “They will be one hundred percent shifter. Don’t ask me to explain, just take my word for it.”

  “Okay.” Dr. Evans looked a bit shell-shocked. “Is there anything else I should know?”

  Ash shook his head. “Nothing I can think of.”

  “I agree. I’ll travel to the village in two weeks’ time and then two weeks later I’ll come through again, only, I will remain until you give birth. That’s most likely a two-month stay.”

  Ash grinned. “Thank you. I appreciate it. We have a need for a human healer. We have quite a few human females staying with us and the number of young is growing.” He shrugged. “Our healing capabilities are quite extraordinary.” He seemed to realize that he was babbling on and stopped talking. “I’ll have our lawyer draw up the contracts. They will include non-disclosure agreements. Are you okay with signing this type of agreement?”

  “Yes, no problem. You are protected under doctor-patient privilege anyway. I am oath-bound to keep my mouth shut.”

  Ash nodded once. “This meeting is privileged, but the information you garner while a guest at the village isn’t. We have nothing to hide, per se, it is simply a precaution. I hope you understand.”

  She shrugged. “Of course. I don’t mind signing.” She made a face. “I have a month to find a replacement for myself here. I will need to inform all of my patients and make sure that everyone is fully covered.” Then she seemed to realize something. “I’d like to send my fee structure to your lawyer to include within the contract. Can I have his or her details?"

  “I’ll forward them to your PA.”

  “Great.”

  “Let’s weigh you and take some blood and we’ll be done.” The doctor looked at Alice, who nodded. Sh
e did feel better knowing an obstetrician would be on hand in the village. Alice couldn’t help feeling a bit anxious about the birth. It was normal to feel this way though.

  “Also, I’m happy to answer any questions you might have. I know parents of multiples tend to worry more about things. Because of the risk factor.” The doctor picked up a file. “For example, sex. I’m sure you want to know if it’s okay or not.” She looked from Ash to Alice and back again.

  The tension in the air was palpable. “Yes,” Alice finally blurted, but only because it was so awkward. She willed the earth to crack open and to swallow her.

  Dr. Evans had clearly been waiting for an answer. She smiled, looking relieved that someone had finally answered. “For now, it’s more than okay. I will let you know if that changes at any time, but as long as you continue to have a normal pregnancy, you’re free to go at it.”

  Alice nodded, she felt like dying. Death would be better than laying here, right next to Ash. It seemed like she wanted sex. Ash would think so based on her reaction.

  Her face felt hot. She had to be glowing red. Ash didn’t so much as look her way. What the hell was going through his mind? Maybe it was best that she didn’t know.

  17

  Five weeks later …

  “Am I making the right decision?” Alice sat down. It wasn’t as easy as before. Her belly was curved to the degree that she actually looked pregnant and not fat. It was undeniable. She was expecting. Both nervousness and excitement filled her.

  Then again, even though she was just over three months, that put her at over halfway through her pregnancy already. It was nuts. Totally nuts. So was she though, as well as this whole situation.

  “Yes, you are making the right decision.” Meredith nodded. “You have to give it a try or you’ll never know. You’ll always regret it. Don’t worry about the salon, I’ll take care of everything.” Alice had made Meredith manager and had found a replacement for herself.

  Alice sighed. “Ash is treating me like … I don’t know … I want to say a friend, but that wouldn’t be right. Aside from treating me like I’m breakable, he’s acting like I’m an acquaintance or something.”