36. Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Six
Violet
I looked down at the four positive pregnancy tests lying side by side on the sink, dumbfounded.
“Oh shit! You’re pregnant, too,” Bells whispered over my shoulder.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “No. The tests must be defective.”
“All four from four different brands, Vi?”
“Yes,” I hissed stubbornly. “It has to be. I took the shot. It doesn’t fail.”
“Are you sure? The tests say differently.”
“Statistics don’t lie!” I insisted.
“Breathe, Vi,” Bells told me, amused that she wasn’t the one freaking out anymore.
“I’m taking another test.”
“Vi—”
“I have the cup. You have tests. I’m taking another test,” I snapped.
“Okay, okay.” She gave in, throwing her hands up in surrender.
I think she was trying to calm me down. I unwrapped four more boxes and brought out my little cup of pee, dipping all eight, one by one. I set the timer and began pacing while she waited on the side with her arms crossed across her chest.
“So, you’re pregnant?” I asked, trying to distract myself from the timer. It was moving so slowly.
“Yep,” she answered.
Wasn’t she freaking out just a few minutes ago?
“You’re very calm about it,” I mentioned.
Bells shrugged and a small smile came over her face.
“I’m having a pup, Vi. I’m... happy.”
“Are you going to tell Cade?” I asked, and hated the way her smile slipped off for a second.
“I don’t know. I don’t think so. He never called me back. If he wants the clean break, I’m not going to ruin that for him.”
“So, you’re going to raise the pup alone?”
Why couldn’t she call him again? And why hadn’t he? Cade loved my sister with all of his heart. I was as certain of it as I was certain of how much Bells loved him.
“I’m not alone. I have all of you.”
I walked over to her and hugged her.
“I’ll be the best auntie,” I promised.
“You already are,” she answered, returning my hug with a chuckle.
The phone suddenly started blaring in my hand, and I looked at the tests on the sink when I turned it off. I took a deep breath and walked forward. My feet felt like lead. My hand started shaking as I reached out for the first one, and then Bells came to stand next to me.
“I’ll help you,” she told me, and I scooted over so she was standing in front of half of them.
“Okay.”
I flipped the first test over, and my heart started racing.
Positive.
I flipped the second test.
Positive.
I flipped the other two.
Positive.
Positive.
“How is this possible?” I choked out when I looked over at the four she flipped over.
All four said positive on them.
“Well, when a man and a woman have s—”
“That’s not at all what I mean and you know it!” I snapped at her, letting out a nervous giggle at the end of it. This couldn’t be happening.
“Well, you’ve been here a long time. When did you take the shot?”
“August. I should be covered through to the end of the month. Chris and I even talked about how we would buy condoms to cover us until we were home,” I answered.
“Vi,” she said slowly as if she was stepping on land mines and didn’t want to set one off. “Sweetie, that’s four months. Not three.”
“No. No. September, October, November.” I counted off in my fingers.
“You took the shot at the end of August?”
“I always take it on the first.”
“So, then it’s August, September, October, November. It’s four months, Vi.”
My knees gave in as I realized my mistake. Thankfully, Bells was close enough to catch me before I hit the ground.
“How could I be so stupid?” I whispered.
There wasn’t much I could fuck up that had consequences like this. I should have counted the damn weeks while looking at a calendar.
“Hey, you’re not stupid, you just suck at math,” she giggled. When I glared at her, she stopped. “Sorry. But, come on, you’ve never had to worry about actually being covered for the whole duration. This was a first for you.”
“And, I royally fucked it up,” I whispered, tears stinging my eyes. “What am I going to do?”
I looked at my sister, a tear falling from my eyes. She tsked, and cleaned the tear away.
“Violet, you have a mate right outside that door. Yes, the timing is not ideal, since you didn’t plan it and you haven’t marked each other, but he’s there. He loves you. It’ll be okay,” she assured me.
“What if he doesn’t want it? What if he freaks out?”
“As much as you’re doing right now?” she tried to tease. When I glared at her again, she sighed. “If he freaks out, it’ll be because it’s unexpected, and as soon as the shock wears off, he’ll be over the moon. You’ve seen how he is with Adam. He’s great with pups.”
“You’re right. I know you’re right.” I said, trying to let her words settle my emotions.
‘Is everything okay? You guys have been gone a while,’ Chris mind-linked me.
I freaked out and shut off the mind-link without answering.
“Oh, Goddess! He asked if we’re okay and I shut down the mind-link. What do I do?” I grabbed her by the shoulders.
“You’re going to grab a couple of those tests, then you’re going to put on your big girl pants and tell the man you love that you’re going to have a pup together,” she told me.
“Okay,” I answered, breathing deeply.
It’s going to be okay, Violet. Chris loves us, Nenetl assured me.
I know. It’s going to be okay.
“Okay?” Bells asked, eyeing me as if she didn’t believe me.
“Okay,” I repeated.
I stood up, went to the sink and gathered all of the tests. I put them in the bag Bells had been carrying and turned to look back at my sister.
“We’re going to have a pup, and everything is going to be fine,” I said with as much conviction as I could infuse into my voice.
“We’re going to what?” Chris’ voice from the other side of the bathroom startled us both.
Bells walked to the door and swung it open. He was standing in front of the doorway, frozen in shock with his hand up, poised to knock. Adam was standing next to him, holding Chris’ hand and looking confused.
“Um... Adam, let’s go get a snack. Auntie Vi and Uncle Chris need to talk.”
“Okay,” Adam answered, letting go of Chris’ hand and taking Bells’. She turned and mouthed “Good luck,” before she lowered Chris’ still raised hand and gave him a tiny push inside the bathroom.
“What’s going on, Violet?” Chris asked, stepping toward me.
“Umm... so, Bells thought she was pregnant,” I started.
His face visibly relaxed, and I felt bad giving him false hope that everything was fine.
“So, Bells is going to have a pup?” he clarified.
“Yes,” I said, then pulled a test out of the bag in my hand. “But, umm... she asked me to take a test with her, in solidarity.” I swallowed. “And...” I extended my hand out and gave him the test.
“This is hers?” he asked, looking down at the test in his hand still displaying the word “Pregnant” on it.
“No. That one is mine,” I answered.
“You should take another. I’ve heard sometimes they give false positives,” he suggested, making me let out a nervous giggle, and bringing the other eleven tests out of the bag. “Oh.”
“Yeah,” I replied.
Chris walked over to one of the stalls and sat down on the closed toilet lid, looking down at the test in his hand and looking very pale. My heart sank and I started rambling.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Chris. I had the math wrong. The shot stopped working at the end of October, not November, like I thought.”
“You took it at the start of August instead of the end?” he asked, still looking down at the test, his voice unusually monotone.
“You knew?” I asked, suddenly taken aback, but he shook his head, a strand of his dark hair falling out of the rubber band.
“No, but when you told me, I thought that might be why you thought you were covered through November. I should have asked,” he said, finally looking up at me.
The cautious look on his face was making my heart threaten to break.
“I’m so sorry,” was all I could say.
“You’re sorry you’re pregnant?” he asked, cocking his head to the side.
“I’m sorry I fucked up the math. I’m sorry I keep fucking up with us. I’m sorry this isn’t what we planned,” I rambled again.
“Are you sorry you’re pregnant?” he asked again.
“I—No,” I answered, a sudden calmness settling inside me as I thought about his question. “I want this pup. I want this pup with you,” I clarified, wrapping my arms around my stomach as my new reality finally registered.
I was pregnant. I was going to have a pup, and it was Chris.’
“Good,” Chris stated. He stood up and pulled me into his arms. “I want this pup with you, too,” he whispered before he dipped his head and kissed me.
I fluttered my eyes closed, but he pulled away too soon.
“Why’d you stop?” I pouted. “I’m having your pup. I need a proper kiss.”
“My mistake,” he whispered and picked me up before he smashed his lips to mine. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck, and kissed him back. He pushed me against the wall, groaning as he plunged his tongue into my mouth. He pulled away, the love in his eyes filling me with awe. “I need you, Violet. I need you, baby.”
“I’m yours. Take me upstairs,” I ordered, kissing down his neck.
He ran us up the stairs, and into the bedroom, where he deposited me ever so gently, as if I were made of glass. I shimmied out of my clothes quickly and watched him do the same. He pulled on my feet slowly, giving me the chance to pull away. Instead, I slid myself down to the edge of the bed, where I knew he wanted me, and watched him drop to his knees. His big hands slid up and down my legs, pushing them open to him as he did. My core began to weep with anticipation. His mouth on my pussy was the best feeling in the world.
“I love you so fucking much. You have no idea how happy you make me, Violet,” Chris said with so much emotion in his voice that I thought I would cry.
“I do,” I managed to answer. “Because you make me just as happy.”
He began kissing up and down my legs. He looked up at me as he got close to my core, searching for any kind of hesitation. When he found none, the love of my life parted my folds and kissed my clit, long and hard. I dropped my head back and moaned, moving my hips up and down, trying to ride his face. I felt a finger drawing circles around my entrance. He was so good at never startling me. He knew my body better than I did at this point. He growled into my pussy as he breached my entrance, making me moan loudly. After a bit, he added another finger and started curling them, hitting my g-spot.
“There,” I whimpered, riding his face and fingers, desperate to cum. When I did, I cried out his name and felt him cleaning up my release with his mouth. He crawled up until his face was above me.
“Are you ready for me, mate?” Chris asked, the tip of his cock resting on my entrance, not pushing forward. I leaned up and kissed him. Thankful for the mate I’d found in this man. It didn’t matter that we hadn’t marked each other yet, or that the Moon Goddess hadn’t blessed our relationship. He was mine. All mine, and we were going to have a pup.
“I’m ready to be yours. Take me, please,” I begged him when I fell back, pushing my hips up to take a bit more of him.
He slid inside me, standing still as he waited for me to let him know I was ready. I wrapped my legs around his waist, pushing him in a little bit more.
Chris groaned and withdrew to the tip before he slid back inside. I moaned as I felt his girth leaving my channel and filling it back up. He felt so good. So right. He felt mine. Slowly, he picked up speed, cursing as he buried his head in my chest, taking a nipple into his mouth.
“Oh, Goddess. I’m so close. Chris, more! Give me more,” I begged, meeting his thrusts, his hips hitting my clit and making me see stars popping all over the place.
“You can have all of me,” he promised, picking up speed as he pumped into me.
I felt his teeth close around the nipple and a hundred stars burst from my body. I came undone with a sob, and I felt his entire body shudder on top of me. His cum filled my channel as he pushed further in with the force of his orgasm. I wrapped my arms around him when he finally slumped forward, spent, and combed my hands through his sweaty hair. Suddenly, he inhaled sharply and rolled us over.
“Shit, sorry. I shouldn’t crush you.”
I didn’t contradict him or tell him that the pup would be fine. Chris was a protector. He was my protector, and he would be the same with our pup. If I were to be honest, I liked the way he took care of me. I didn’t find it overbearing. I found it adorable and endearing. So, instead, I snuggled closer to him, hoping to nap for a bit as I lay there in the afterglow.
“Don’t fall asleep, Little Warrior. You haven’t eaten lunch and you can’t miss any meals,” he reminded me.
“Just for a little bit.” I pouted.
I smiled into his chest when he placed a hand on my stomach.
“Is my pup really in there?” he asked, wonder in his voice.
“According to the twelve tests I took, yes,” I answered with a chuckle.
“Then, you can definitely nap later. After food,” he answered, pulling us up to a standing position.
“Meanie.” I groaned.
He laughed, lifted me in his arms and carried me to the bathroom. As we showered together in the small bathroom, he wouldn’t take his eyes off me; so much love and adoration showed on his face as he cleaned my body.
“What do you call an angry carrot?” he asked out of nowhere.
“What?” I grinned up at him.
“A steamed veggie.”
I shook my head and giggled.
“You’ve got enough Dad jokes ready to be our pup’s favorite parent for years,” I said and watched his face transform with so much happiness at the thought.
He put aside the loofah and pulled me into his arms.
“You’re always going to be the favorite, Vi. Our pups are going to love you and protect you and worship the ground you walk on, just like I do.”
After our shower, I tried to trick Chris into letting me nap by arguing I needed to conserve my energy for growing our pup, but failed. So, I followed him down to find Bells and Adam making a mess in the kitchen.
“We got hungry,” Bells said sheepishly, trying to empty the overcooked pasta that had clumped together inside the pot, into the trash.
“I’ve got it,” Chris chuckled. Taking a new pot out and pulling out ingredients from the fridge. “You guys sit and snack,” he said, passing us a container of strawberries.
“Oooh, do we get a full meal cooked only by Chris?” Bells teased.
“Luna Celeste taught me well. Just watch,” Chris chuckled.
And, watch I did, as he made Chicken Alfredo for us from scratch. Bells was thoroughly impressed, while I was even more in love with him by the time he pushed the bowl of noodles in front of me.
"You need lots of carbs," Chris explained, when I noticed the insane amount of noodles in the bowls. “You’re both eating for two.”
“Or three,” Bells mentioned casually, making both of our heads whip around on her.
“I beg your pardon?” I asked, my voice unusually high.
“What? You might have twins. They run in the family,” she answered with a shrug.
“Not cool,” I growled at her, while Chris looked as though he liked the idea a little too much. “What if you have twins?” I countered.
“I won’t. Cory already had twins. Both twins won’t have twins. He already took one for the team. You on the other hand...”
I shuddered just thinking about having to give birth to two pups and, instead of answering, I stuffed some alfredo in my mouth.
“Oh, this is good,” I praised Chris through the mouthful. Bells eyed her food and took a bite, before taking a bigger one.
“Oh shit, this is really good. Can I live with you guys?” she asked, taking a bigger bite.
“Where are we going to live?” I asked through another mouthful. I hadn’t thought that far ahead.
“We’ll have to live with one of our parents until Cade’s pack leaves. I already asked Mom to look around, but every place is taken, and the pack house is full to the gills. Even my place in the warrior’s building was emptied and given out. Everything’s in Mom and Dad’s garage right now,” Chris explained.
“Shit. Where are Adam and I going to live?” Bells wondered out loud.
“Why don’t you stay with Mom and Dad until the pack clears? I’ll stay with Chris at his parents... if they’ll take us.” I turned to Chris for confirmation, and he nodded to me. “Cade’s pack might even be gone by the time we leave, considering we’re staying here an extra month?” I suggested, a little nervous at living with Chris’ strict parents, but knowing this would make things easier on Bells.
“Thanks, Vi,” Bells answered with some relief, going back to her food.
To my surprise, I finished the whole bowl, much to Chris’ approval.
“So, what now?” I asked, sitting back in my chair with a full tummy. “Who’s going to tell the family first?”
“I think we should tell them together,” Chris said.
“Umm, I vote for showing up and telling them in person.” Bells raised her hand.
“Our scents will have changed by then, I think.” A pregnant she-wolf’s scent usually changed around the four to six-week mark.
“Exactly. Let our bodies do the talking and then just yell, ‘Surprise!’” Bells said, giving us jazz hands, and making Chris chuckle.
“We should try to book a doctor’s appointment while we’re here. At least so we know how far along you both are,” Chris suggested suddenly.
“And, if Violet’s having twins.” Bells wagged her eyebrows at me when I glared at her. “It’s at least three weeks for me, so my scent will change soon. Tell you what, I’ll make the appointments, if Chris makes us dinner tomorrow, too.”
“Deal,” Chris answered.
Bells started searching on her phone, and then she put it to her ear. She made an appointment for two days from now, and then we sat around arguing the pros and cons of waiting until we got to Crescent Moon to tell everyone. Chris didn’t want to blindside everyone, while Bells didn’t want to answer questions on the paternity over the phone, and she wanted time to decide what to tell them.
I wanted so desperately to tell her Cade would be over the moon to be a dad, but it wasn’t my place. She’d asked me to let it go, and not mention her to Cade if I talked to him. I promised her, and all I could do now was hope they both found their way back to each other.
It still seemed weird to me that Cade hadn’t called her back. He loved her so desperately that his actions didn’t make sense. He’d told me many times, during the days Bells was avoiding him before he left. But, Bells bound my hands, and as she’d kept her word during the time Chris and I were having our troubles, I didn’t want to break that trust. I didn’t know the extent of their last fight, so I couldn’t say if it was true that she burned the bridge as badly as she thought she did.
In the end, we decided to leave the vote until after the appointment, when we knew more. If Bells was too far along, which I wasn’t sure she was because her scent was the same, she would need to say it now rather than later, so she could be more prepared for the birth of her pup. Considering I only started having sex at the end of October, I knew I was less than a month along. Still, we would need to be careful with the dates we gave the human doctors. With werewolf pregnancies being half the time of human pregnancies, we couldn’t raise suspicions.