Chapter 55
My stomach dropped as I turned over the test. The result was unmistakable—the line grew sharper in the light, each second seeming to confirm my fate. I looked back at the door, knowing they were waiting on the other side, just as tense as I was.
The positive line stared back at me, unchanging and undeniable.
I wanted to faint, to pray that somehow, this would disappear.
But I was pregnant. There was no more hoping that my period would just show up; I'd missed two already.
Between overthinking, being with them, and struggling to survive, I'd barely stopped to remember that this could even happen.
I could lock myself in here forever, I thought, so I wouldn't have to face them with this news. A baby. How could I explain how terrifying that felt? I wasn't about to go down the path of an abortion, but this changed everything. I could see it now—no more clubs, no more freedom.
I could hear them murmuring outside, their low voices filled with worry.
"Should I kick the door down?" Wade's voice came out like a growl.
"She's probably scared," Jager replied. "I can feel it."
"Why would she be afraid?" Wade asked, sounding frustrated.
"She just hasn't had time to really warm up to us yet."
Their voices faded, but their words lingered, sinking into my heart. I wanted to feel close to them, to trust them completely, but it just wasn't that simple. My walls were high, my fears hard to shake. I stared at the test, clutching it tightly, feeling the weight of this news pressing down on me.
"Snow bunny?" Jager called again, softly this time. I wanted to respond, but my voice was trapped in my throat. The positive result was still there, fixed in place. Permanent.
"We're here, no matter what," she said.
"One minute," I finally managed, though my voice came out weak and strained.
Tears started to fall silently as I sat on the edge of the bathtub, taking deep, shaky breaths.
My mind went to strange places, wondering if they would ever see me as truly theirs or if this was just another layer of complication.
Finally, I stood up, wiped away any trace of tears, and opened the door. Wade and Jager were there, their eyes filled with concern but giving me the space I needed.
"Well..." I began, holding out the test like it might explain itself.
I swallowed hard. "I... I can leave if you want me to," I said, the words tasting strange even as I said them.
I handed over the test, and Jager took it while Wade looked over her shoulder, their expressions shifting as they understood what it meant.
"You're pregnant," Wade said, her voice gentle.
I felt like I might cry again, my emotions swirling too quickly to control.
"Apparently, I am," I replied softly. The urge to run back into the bathroom and lock the door returned.
But I was also scared to leave. I had found something here—comfort, freedom, maybe even love.
And yet, I knew a baby would change everything.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
"Sorry?" Jager echoed, confused. Wade reached for me, and I flinched back.
"We would never hurt our pregnant wife," she said gently, as if reassuring me of something I should have known.
"A baby... that's a lot," I said, my voice wavering. "A lot of responsibility."
"We're three, and we have family," Jager said, a warmth in her tone that soothed me.
My mind flashed to the idea of explaining our relationship to their family—the looks, the whispers. "We haven't told them anything about... us," I murmured.
Jager looked at me with a steady gaze. "We're a family, from here on out. That's it."
"You really want me here?"
"We've always needed you here," Wade said firmly. They each extended an arm toward me, and I hesitated for just a moment, then took both of their hands. "You're our wife," Wade added. "We'll protect you. We'll prove it every day."
The warmth of their embrace washed over me, grounding me in the moment. I looked up at Wade, who gave me a rare, soft smile, her eyes clear and bright. "I love you," she whispered, touching my stomach with a reverence that brought new tears to my eyes. Jager's hand joined hers.
"We love you, both of you," Jager said.
The tears spilled over, but this time they were of relief. The road ahead might be long and uncertain, but in this moment, I finally felt like I belonged. "I love you too," I whispered back, and they both held me close.