Brax
I dared not to hope, but the way she was reacting and the news that her doctor was positive and the test was done twice had me wanting to yell my joy for the whole town to hear. The how of it we’d figure out. All I cared about was if it was true that Cerys was carrying my baby.
My pup , Nightstalker, said with satisfaction.
How is this possible? I asked.
She’s special. Different but the same, was all he said. I could feel his immense contentment.
“Brax, I swear on my life that if I’m truly pregnant, this baby is yours. I haven’t been with anyone else. I’d never do that.” Cerys’ voice was filled with fear. She had gone even paler than usual. Her eyes were huge.
“ Astéri mou, I never doubted for a second that if there’s a baby, it’s mine,” I assured her.
Smell her. She’s different. It’s a pup. I’ve been waiting for you to sense it, my wolf chimed in.
I inhaled deeply. I concentrated. He was right. She always had a unique scent, but it was more floral and intense.
See . He huffed. I swear his disdain for my detection abilities was evident.
Listen, furball, I’ve never experienced this. How was I supposed to know? If you knew, you should’ve spoken up.
I realized due to my internal argument with Nightstalker, I hadn’t said more to Cerys. I couldn’t resist placing my palm on her flat stomach. She shifted it down to where her mound was. “It’s here. It’s too tiny even to find. Oh, Brax, what if they’re wrong?” She was biting her bottom lip.
“Nightstalker swears you are. He’s known. Your scent is different. He says that’s why.”
“Really? Why didn’t he tell you?” she cried in dismay.
“He thought I’d notice and know. I’m sorry. I think before we get too far, we should make sure you are. How soon can you get in to see a doctor who can do a sonogram or whatever it is called? The sooner, the better. There’s so many things to consider,” I told her.
“What do you mean, consider? I thought you wanted kids.”
“I do! Jesus, I do more than you know. I just don’t want to get our hopes up and be wrong. I don’t know how it can be possible.”
“I don’t either, but then we don’t know how I can hear and sense emotions the way I can. Do you think we should hold off telling Twyla?” I asked.
“Too late. I heard. Now, what is this about you not being able to have kids and hearing and sensing things?” Twyla’s voice came from the door. She had it cracked open. When we looked over, she came out.
“Twyla, shame on you. But since you snuck around, I might as well tell you. That was Dr. Hogue, and she said the reason I’m so tired is that I’m pregnant. However, that isn’t possible according to everything Brax and other supers say since I’m not his kind. Then there’s the fact that since he and I got together, especially after his claiming bite, I can hear things at ridiculous distances and feel other people’s emotions. He’s asked about those two, and none of the shifters have heard of them happening in a human mate.”
Twyla slowly came further out and retook her seat. She didn’t speak and lapsed into deep thought. Cerys and I exchanged glances. What did this mean? Was she unhappy about the baby? I would think she’d be overjoyed. It lasted a good five minutes or more.
“I don’t know if there’s a way to verify this. I’m not a medical scientist, but according to old stories passed along in our family, there were humans who, over the centuries, ended up with supernaturals. That’s how I wasn’t shocked about you, Brax. Many didn’t have children, no matter how much they tried. However, there were a select few who seemed capable. No one knew why. There were iachawyr , healers, who claimed it was due to them having something special left behind when their ancestors were stricken with the Black Death. It didn’t visibly change them like it did you and the others, yet it did internally. It allowed them to be true mates. If that’s true, then it would explain how you’re having a baby. It probably would explain the hearing and senses, too.”
Cerys stared at me with her mouth open. All this talk about shifters, me, and Cerys, and we hadn’t once mentioned that we wouldn’t be able to have kids to Twyla. I swore we had. Could it be that simple? It would have to be in your genes to pass from person to person.
“We need someone who can test me on a genetic level. That’s the only way it can be possible. How would we ever find someone? Even if they are geneticists, we couldn’t tell them about supernaturals,” Cerys said in disgust.
“I might be able to help there. The Council has many connections, and those working for them do things other than bringing justice. They had scientists at one point trying to fix the procreation issues when we kept losing so many to accidents and natural deaths. I bet you they can do it.”
“You mean go to Greece, to Delphi, to have my genes tested?” Cerys asked.
“If necessary, but before we run off and do that, let me make a few calls and see if there is a resource closer. God, we need to find out without a doubt that you are pregnant, Cerys. Do you know what this might mean for all our species if you are?” I asked.
“It would be incredible. Christ, I need to find a doctor stat. Let’s see what I can do. It’s late, and the offices are closed, but I can get a list together and start calling them first thing in the morning,” Cerys said excitedly.
And just like that, we went from skeptical to cautiously joyous. I didn’t know how I’d be able to stand it until we found out. While she and Twyla worked on the OB doctor list, I called the guys to find out if they knew anyone who would test her genes. They were just as blown away as we were about the possibility of pregnancy.