by Ryan Gray
“I take it you two don’t get along,” I murmured.
“To say the least,” Rex agreed. “There’s a truce between us, but things have been shaky. It’s safe to say the truce is over though. Now that he’s actually given me a reason to rip his throat out.”
“Thank you,” I spoke softly, unsure of every word but committed to spilling my soul. This was the second time Rex had saved me, and he deserved to know the truth of my feelings.
“For taking care of me I mean. I know I made too much out of what we had, and I shouldn’t have gone chasing after you. But I-- I wanted to be with you. I didn’t want it to just be a one night stand and then nothing. I don’t think there’s anyone else out there for me but you.”
“I’m sorry,” Rex apologized and immediately my heart sank. I had misinterpreted him, leapt to conclusions and assumed he felt the same instant connected I had.
“I’m sorry I let so much time pass. I wanted to call you every day, but I had to figure out how to make this work,” He finished.
“So you weren’t just ignoring me and hoping I would go away?” I asked, sure my face was betraying my insecurity.
“No, I’m sorry I even made you think that,” Rex apologized again cupping my cheek in his palm. “You’re burning up.”
“It’s not a big deal, there’s some sort of flu going around campus.” I said, though my weak scratchy voice did me no favors in convincing him.
“You should see a doctor. I can take you to see Zeke.” He was still running his hand slowly through my hair and over my face. I would have said almost anything to keep him beside me.
“Ok, if you think it’s best.” I relented easily.
“I do.” He didn’t waver for a moment, and I had to believe that I would be safe in his hands. “Do you want to eat something?”
“I probably shouldn’t. The last time I tried to eat I ended up throwing up in the bushes.” I said with a sheepish grin.
“You really must be ill then,” he said, his deep voice heavy with concern. Shifters ate more than your average person, so it was odd to go so long without eating. My stomach was still revolting at just at the thought of trying to eat though.
“I’ll call up Zeke and see if he can squeeze you in soon,” Rex said as he walked into the kitchen to make his call.
The absence of his skin against mine was profound. When I was near him everything in the world was a blaze of passion and warmth, but it made the world that much darker when we separated. I could feel the nausea bubbling up once again, and I tried to push the depressing thoughts from my mind. It didn’t make any sense to worry. We were together, at least for now.
“I’m taking you over right now,” Rex declared as he reentered the room. He had a determined aura about him, and I knew that there wasn’t any getting out of this. I didn’t mind. He seemed to be really worried about me, and if a little doctor visit would put him at ease that was a simple price to pay. I was probably overdue for a checkup anyway.
I pulled myself out of the bed slowly, and shrugged one of Rex’s jackets over my shoulders. I frowned at how snugly it buttoned in the front. Shouldn’t being sick to help you lose weight? Or at least not gain it. Once the doctor got this flu sorted I needed to hit the gym. Stress eating had not been kind to my abs these last couple weeks.
Rex drove at a speed that was only moderately terrifying, and we were soon sitting in the sterile waiting room of a small clinic. It didn’t seem to be anything special from the outside, but the uniqueness came from the people. Almost every person there was a shifter. It was a place that we could be ourselves, which was all the more valuable when you weren’t feeling at your best. It was a nice idea, and I felt a hint of pride that Rex’s pack were the ones to bring such a place to fruition.
Somehow I hadn’t realized until that moment that this would be the first time I met a member of Rex’s pack. My already nauseous stomach did another summersault. This was not exactly the first impression I wanted to make.
“Lucas, the doctor will see you now.” The energetic receptionist called to me from the front desk. She was no gentle healer, but her bright energy was invigorating in its own way.
“Do you want me to stay here?” Rex asked to my surprise. After setting up the appointment and chauffeuring me across town I had just taken it as a given that he would expect to see the doctor with me as well.
“You got me into this, you think I’m going to let you loaf about the lobby reading magazines while I get poked and prodded?” I asked, smiling despite the mixture of pain and illness that was keeping me on edge.
“You know which room Rex,” The receptionist said with a smile before returning to her papers.
“Thanks Alexa,” Rex replied as he lead me through the door to the back rooms and down the hallway. The room we were in was small, but welcoming. The sky blue walls were a nice change from the usual sterile white, and a large painting of the forest hung against the far wall. It wasn’t exactly a marvel of interior decorating, but I appreciated the effect these small touches had. There was nothing more off-putting than a stark white room. It was just unnatural for things to be that clean.
The door clicked open, and in walked the doctor. He was young, tall, and tan with golden eyes, but it was his confidence that really set me at ease. It was easy to tell just by the way he held himself that this was his domain and I was in good hands.
“You must be Lucas.” The doctor shook my hand warmly. “I see Rex came along for support. You should have heard him on the phone, I thought you were nearly dead the way he was worrying.”
Rex’s eyes narrowed, but he just turned his head away, earning a low chuckle from the doctor.
“You shouldn’t pout Rex, It doesn’t suit that pretty face of yours. Now Lucas, tell me why you’re here to see me today.”
“Well Dr.—“Shit what was his name again?
“It’s Harper, but Zeke is fine.” He said, never dropping his smile. I could see why he was such a good doctor. It must be easy to get patients to open up with that mixture of a hot body and a genuine smile.
“Last night I was attacked by a pack of shifters, and every time I move there’s this sharp pain around here,” I said motioning over my side. “Plus, I’ve been having this weird nausea for a few days. My luck has been less than stellar lately.”
“And you seem to be running a fever?” Zeke asked, looking up from his notes.
“You can tell that just by looking at me?” I asked startled. He could make a fortune if he could diagnose that quickly.
“No, Rex told me that over the phone as well.” Zeke replied with a mischievous grin.
“If you wouldn’t mind taking off your shirt I want to do a quick physical examination. I’ll make sure that there was no lasting harm done when you were attacked first, and then we can move on to the nausea and fever. Sound good?” his switched back to warm professionalism almost immediately. I was thankful his playfulness seemed to be reserved for Rex.
Slowly I drug the sweater, and then my shirt over my head revealing the stomach I had been trying to hide. Zeke’s expression remained unchanged, but in my mind I knew he had to be wondering why his Alpha was risking his pack for this.
“I’m going to apply some light pressure, there may be some discomfort but if you feel any pain let me know,” Zeke said calmly. He ran his hands gently along my torso, pressing into my flesh as he went. I winced when he reached my ribs, but the pain passed quickly. Once he was satisfied with his manual examination he placed his stethoscope against my chest, and I shivered from the cool sensation.
“Breathe in deeply for me,” He ordered.
I took deep breaths, pain radiating through me with every inhale. He moved the stethoscope several times as I breathed in painfully.
“I don’t see any indication of a break, but it’s likely your ribs have been bruised. That would explain the pain you’re experiencing when you try to breathe deeply. I’ll need an X ray to confirm,” he rattled off his findings.
> “First though, I’d like to run a blood test to rule out any serious complication. We have a lab on site so the results shouldn’t take more than a few minutes,” Zeke advised.
“Sure,” I agreed hesitantly. I absolutely hated needles, but the sooner he got this figured out the sooner I could start feeling better.
He tied a strip of cloth around my bicep, and wiped the crook of my arm with a swab. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as he brought out the needle. Without a word Rex took my free hand in his and squeezed gently. Zeke finished drawing the blood from my arm, but Rex’s hand remained firmly clasped around mine.
“I’ll run this over to the lab, and I should be back in a few minutes,” Zeke said before leaving us alone.
“Not a fan of needles I take it?” Rex asked with a sly grin.
I shook my head, “I’ve always hated them. Needles and blood.” I shuddered dramatically and Rex laughed.
“I’ll remember not to invite you to my next tattoo session then,” Rex said with a small shake of his head.
“I’d appreciate it,” I smiled back at him.
A small knock broke our pleasant back and forth, and Zeke entered, lacking the jovial nature he had exuded earlier. Something had to be wrong. Every terrible possibility flashed through my mind. The mood of the room shifted and my stomach was tumbling over itself once more.
“I have the results, would you prefer to hear them in private?” Zeke asked, his face still carefully neutral.
“No, I want Rex here,” I said without pause. Whatever bad news I was going to receive I wanted him there to support me.
“Your results indicate that you are pregnant,” he paused letting the situation sink in.
I didn’t even know how to feel at that moment. Everything was crashing down from a few simple words. I was way too young to be having a pup, I hadn’t even graduated college yet. How was I going to balance school and a baby? Not to mention Rex and I didn’t exactly have a solid relationship. We slept together once and then he disappeared for two weeks. Sure he was being great now, but would he even want to raise a kid with me?
I looked over and his face was as pale as mine must have been. It was impossible to hide the shock from a revelation like that.
“I’d like to do an ultrasound. With your recent trauma and fever there could be a real risk to the pregnancy,” Zeke was all business now, and my stomach turned for a completely different reason. As conflicted as I was I couldn’t imagine finding out I was pregnant and losing it in one day. Could fate really be so cruel?
“Of course,” I agreed.
Zeke left the room to retrieve the machine, and Rex rubbed my hand as we waited in silence, each of us alone in our heads. The minutes were dragging, and the ticking of the clock grew louder as the silence drew out.
“Thank you,” I whispered. It was insufficient, but it was the only words I had.
7. Rex
My world was tumbling out of control, but I had to put on a strong face for Lucas. He didn’t need to know how fucking scared this whole thing made me. He had enough on his plate.
Zeke came back quickly, pushing the ultrasound machine into the room on a cart. Lucas laid back on the examination table, and I grasped his hand. He glanced up at me with worry painted across his face. We had only just reconnected and now we were facing what could be an insurmountable obstacle.
The screen flickered to life, and Zeke went to work. I vowed that if Cole’s pack made Lucas miscarry I would find and kill every last one of them.
My eyes flicked back and forth from Lucas to Zeke to the screen. My heart was threatening to beat out of my chest. I never knew that mere minutes could be so agonizing.
“Here it is,” Zeke announced with a wide smile that eased the tension in the room. It was a tiny little thing on the monitor and I could barely make out its form, but it was really there. Our baby. A rhythmic swooshing sound was beating, strong and healthy. Joy welled up in my chest, but I couldn’t enjoy it yet. I had to know what Lucas was thinking.
“Is that his heartbeat?” Lucas asked, his eyes wide as he stared at the screen.
“It is, although it’s too early to know if it’s a he yet,” Zeke said with his warm smile.
“Can we get a copy?” I asked, my eyes still glued to the screen. That little peanut was mine, no ours.
“Of course. I can go get that for you and we can talk when I get back,” Zeke left and I was grateful to have a few moments alone with Lucas.
“Are you alright?” I asked, brushing his hair out of his face. He still looked so shell shocked, but I couldn’t blame him. To go from a cold to a beating to a pregnancy was a confusing couple days.
“Yeah, just, surprised I guess,” Lucas said, his voice wavering.
“I want to try and do this. Together I mean.” I blurted out, unable to wait any longer. “I can protect you Lucas, both of you.” I placed a hand protectively over his stomach and looked into his eyes, searching for an answer.
“Rex, we’re both still students. I don’t even have a job, and we’ve known each other two weeks. How are we going to do this?” Lucas said with a pained expression I was sure had nothing to do with his bruised ribs.
“I graduate in a couple months. I can work while you finish school. That’s what a pack is for, we’ll have support Lucas,” I said, and he placed his hand on top of mine.
“I want this too,” Lucas said with a small smile and the weight on my heart lifted. Wherever this took us, we would get through it together.
I couldn’t hold back and pressed my lips hard against Lucas’. He laughed lightly at my enthusiasm, and then pulled back wincing in pain.
“Don’t laugh stupid,” I chided him before enveloping his lips once more with mine. His fingers grasped at the neck of my shirt and pulled me closer. All the stress and panic melted away as I tasted my mate on my tongue. Only he could calm me like this, and I would never let him get away again. I was a fool to push him away to begin with, and I was so lucky to be forgiven.
“You can come back in now Zeke,” I called out as I broke away from Lucas. I had felt his presence there for minutes, as he waited for us to work things out.
Within seconds Zeke walked back in, and I smiled at the flash of surprise on Lucas’ face. I knew my pack well, and in time I would know Lucas even better than the rest.
“You can’t tell anyone else about this yet Zeke. I know some of the pack won’t approve,” I warned him.
“I won’t. I couldn’t anyway Rex. Doctor patient confidentiality and all,” Zeke replied.
“It’s important that I go over some information about how the pregnancy will proceed. If you want to take a seat Rex?”
“I’m fine here.” I said, wrapping my arm possessively around Lucas’ shoulders. Zeke just nodded. He was always good at rolling with the punches. If only the rest of my pack could be as reasonable.
“As you may be aware, shifter babies develop much more rapidly than a typical human. That’s why we were able to detect the heartbeat so early, and why you’re already experiencing such intense morning sickness. The nausea should hopefully pass within a week or two. If it doesn’t I’ll need to see you again and we can go over some options. I also have a prescription that should knock out your fever. Pregnancy is enough of a strain on your body, we want you in the best health possible,” Zeke explained carefully.
“Gestation for a shifter is about three months, and I’d like to meet with you every few weeks to check on your progress. Do you have any other questions for me?” He asked.
“How am I supposed to hide this?” Lucas asked plainly. It was normal to us, but most humans weren’t accustom to pregnant men.
“Baggy clothing should work for the next month or so, once you get beyond that we can do some paperwork to get you put on medical leave,” Zeke said.
“The quarter ends in two months though, there’s no way I can miss finals and still get credit,” Lucas explained. It was just about the worst time of year to take time off, b
ut it would be better to lose some credits than to have the pregnancy discovered.
“Worst case you may have to retake your classes, but we will try to avoid that,” Zeke agreed with Lucas.
“Now about your ribs. I see no signs that it is anything more serious than a bruise, but due to your pregnancy I won’t be able to prescribe any pain medication. Try not to do anything strenuous and get plenty of rest. I’ll check on them when you’re back in in a few weeks,” Zeke said, addressing our last concern.
“Anything else?” My overwhelmed mate asked the doctor.
“Don’t worry. Stress is bad for the baby, and you can call me any time about anything. After all, you’re part of our pack now, right?” Zeke said with his usual smile.
“Thanks,” Lucas said, letting his shoulders relax in my arms. Now I just had to make sure the rest of them would be equally welcoming.
I thanked Zeke for seeing us, and we scheduled a follow-up with Alexa at the front desk. We blamed the second appointment on the bruised ribs to keep her in the dark a little longer, but next time there would be no hiding it.
8. Lucas
When we got back to Rex’s place everything was exactly the way we left it, and yet it all felt so very different. I was exhausted, and I sprawled out on the couch to close my eyes for just a minute.
Hours later I woke, and the sky had turned a brilliant shade of red as the sun set.
“You’re awake,” Rex noticed, placing the back of his hand against my forehead. “And your fevers gone, that’s good.”
I nodded. Other than the pain still throbbing in my side and limbs, I was feeling much better. The nausea had passed and now I felt like I hadn’t eaten in weeks. Ravenous was an understatement.
“I think we should talk about this,” Rex sat beside me.
“Can we do it over dinner?” I asked sheepishly. I wanted to discuss our future and our baby, but I couldn’t focus with hunger ravaging my body now could I.
