Chapter 16 #2
“Yes, and you will now carry for two and a half months. I have a new due date for you, or an actual due date. Given your heat and how long it lasted, I am estimating that you will be due around March fourth.”
“March fourth?” Again, I quickly tried to do the math, but it just wasn’t mathing in my head right now, and I shook my head. “Nope. I can’t do that. Is that what? Five weeks? It’s more than four, I know that.”
“It’s five weeks and two days from today, yes.”
I smiled up at Dante. He seemed happy, but I could feel something else through our bond. I wasn’t quite sure what, but I was going to ask him in just a bit.
“We have plenty of time to decide on a nursery theme and get things decorated,” Dante said.
My smile widened. “I’m trying. It’s hard to concentrate on that stuff when you’re so worried about when you’re going to give birth.” I sighed. “It’s stressful not knowing even the basic things. Especially when you’re about to become responsible for a completely helpless baby.”
“Well, hopefully that is good news and offers some relief from the stress. Too much stress isn’t good for you or the baby, even with you being a shifter.” Dr. King looked at me pointedly, and I nodded.
“I’m trying. I don’t do much of anything, really.
Dante has gone back to work, and I’m still sleeping when he gets up in the mornings and leaves.
He kisses me goodbye, and some mornings, I wake up just enough to kiss him back, but I spend a whole lot of time sleeping.
” I shook my head. “I’m not even going back to work until the baby is at least six months old. We’ve already decided that.”
“I didn’t mean to make you feel as if you were doing anything wrong, simply stating that stress, even for a shifter omega, can still have a negative impact on health during pregnancy.
” Dr. King looked at both of us. “I do understand that being told you will have only six weeks to prepare for a new baby is stressful for certain. Now we know that things have changed.” Dr. King’s brow furrowed.
“Although the only two hellhound mates are both bear omegas, so both of you will have two-and-a-half-month gestations,” Dr. King said quietly, almost as if he was saying that last part to himself.
“Anyway, how about that ultrasound? I’d like to get some measurements to be sure that everything is developing as it should. ”
I nodded, the feeling of dread suddenly overwhelming. What if things weren’t going as they should? I looked up at Dante, and even though I hadn’t projected that to him, I could tell he just knew what I’d been thinking.
Dante wrapped his arm around my shoulders and escorted me to the exam room. They were quite cozy and nothing like the images of human hospitals or doctors’ offices that I’d seen.
“Overall, how have you been feeling?” Dr. King asked.
I sighed. “Sleepy. I sleep late, take an afternoon nap, and I’m in bed by nine or ten. Is that normal? I shouldn’t be sleeping so much, should I?”
Dr. King shrugged. “It happens from time to time. What tea are you drinking?” he asked as I got on the table. “Or have you stopped drinking it?”
“I was drinking the tea from the blue tin. I’m not exactly nauseous anymore, so I usually only have a cup before bedtime. It’s nice and seems to really help me relax and sleep.” I looked over at Dante. “You’re not giving me the orange tin tea, are you?”
Dante gave me a look. “No. You are drinking the blue tea at bedtime. Your body is just tired from making our little one.”
I sighed. I knew he was right. I looked at Dr. King. “I sleep a lot. I feel fine, and it seems as if a bit of my energy has returned, but I’m not overly motivated to get out and go exploring like I used to before I got pregnant.”
Dr. King nodded slowly. “Understood. It is possible that you will simply have lower energy during pregnancy. Let’s check your blood pressure before we get started. It’s possible that it is low, and that can certainly cause you to be tired all of the time.”
I wondered if that could be it or if I was truly just tired because I was making a baby.
“All right,” Dr. King said, drawing our attention to him. “Your blood pressure seems to be in the normal range. It’s right where it should be, so no concerns there. I can do an exam as well. I just need you to lie back. It will only take a few moments.”
With Dante’s help, I moved up on the table and lay back.
Dr. King’s hand started glowing bright green, and as he slowly moved it down my body, he shook his head.
The green light disappeared, and he offered us a grin.
“You’re healthy. Just tired. It happens, and unfortunately, there isn’t a whole lot I can suggest to help you feel more energized except to take naps and don’t overdo. ”
I snorted. “Yeah, that’s okay. I’m glad there’s nothing wrong. I’ll just keep on napping.”
Dante leaned down and kissed me on the forehead. “You can nap all day if you need.”
I hadn’t tried to be quite that veg-like yet, but give it time, and it was possible that I would wake in the morning long enough to eat and then go back to sleep.
“Here is your baby,” Dr. King said suddenly after the lights dimmed in the room. I looked up in front of us, and my breath hitched. There was a tiny little baby there.
“He’s…” I tilted my head to the side, trying to look from a slightly different angle.
“Is he always going to look a little alien-like?”
Dr. King laughed. It took some time for him to finally stop and shake his head at us. “How about now? Is this a bit better?” he asked. The image in front of us changed from sort of gray-looking to a more realistic-looking image.
“Oh, wow,” I said. “Yeah, that’s…definitely better.” I looked up at Dante and found him staring at the image. I could feel his emotions through our bond and gave his hand that was holding mine a squeeze. That drew his attention, and I smiled at my mate. “I love you,” I told him through our bond.
“I love you too.”
“Growth is where it needs to be,” Dr. King said.
“I’ll take measurements while the two of you stare at your little one.
” There was a sound that suddenly filled the room, and I knew what it was without the doctor having to say.
That was our baby’s heartbeat. I gave Dante’s hand another squeeze and closed my eyes, enjoying the moment and the feelings that I could experience through our bond.
This was truly love, and a year ago, I never thought I’d be here.
Now I was, and I couldn’t imagine life without Dante in it anymore.