Chapter 15
I wince as she inserts the probe into me. It’s not painful so much as it is uncomfortable. What hurts is the ache in my belly, and chills rake over my body.
I can’t lose this child.
I can’t lose Rogan’s baby.
The ultrasound technician presses the probe farther in, and I suck in a breath.
“Sorry,” she murmurs. “I want to get a good look.”
“Just do what you have to do,” I grit out.
Then the rapid echoing sound of the heartbeat. Thank God!
“Everything looks good.” She frowns. “But how far along did you say you are?”
“I don’t know exactly. I have a longer cycle than most. Thirty-five days, and I’ve been very…active lately.”
“You mean sexually active?”
“Yeah.” Really? Did she have to ask?
She turns the monitor toward me, and the flick of the heartbeat on the screen warms me. “Wow.”
“Your baby appears just fine,” she says, “but it’s measuring at around nine weeks.”
I drop my mouth open. Nine weeks? I haven’t even known Rogan that long. “I can’t be more than five or six weeks. It’s not possible.”
“If you’ve been active—”
“I mean during the last couple weeks. Before that I wasn’t with anyone.”
“Hmm.” She wrinkles her brow. “We should probably do some tests. Gestational diabetes can make a fetus grow faster than normal, but that doesn’t usually show up until much later.” She looks me over. “You’re tall, but you’re far from obese.”
“Thanks,” I say dryly.
“By that I meant the size of the parents can affect fetal size, but again, it’s not usually apparent at this young fetal age. Is the father large?”
In human or wolf form? In both cases, the answer is yes, but he’s not abnormally large.
“He’s tall and broad, over six feet.”
She moves the probe around, pushing it against my cervix. Damn, that’s uncomfortable.
“Everything else looks great. The heartbeat is strong.”
“Then the baby’s healthy, right?” I ask.
“Yes. Just large. Are you sure—”
“Of course I’m sure. I know when I’ve had sex, for God’s sake.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you, but I need to cover all my bases.”
“Yeah, I know.” But I’m still pissed off.
“Baby is doing well. Other than the advanced size, I see no issues.”
I huff. “Then why was I having pain?”
“Your uterus is stretching, Ms. Bates. Some discomfort is normal.” She removes the probe. “We’re going to have to keep an eye on you to monitor the baby’s growth.”
“Fine.”
She taps on her computer and then hands me a printout, smiling. “Something to put on your refrigerator.”
Tears well in the bottom of my eyes.
Get a grip, Hannah.
But no grip comes. This is my child. I can actually see the little peanut, and emotion rolls through me, nearly overwhelming me.
It’s hormones. Nothing but hormones.
The technician removes her gloves and tosses them in the wastebasket. “You can go ahead and get dressed, but I want to see you back in a week. In the meantime, I’ll check with your doctor to see what tests we should run.”
I nod. Once she’s gone, I wipe the goo from between my legs and quickly get dressed.
Rogan, where are you?
My father’s pheromone shot isn’t working nearly as well this time. Or…there is a war going.
Rogan could be…
No! I can’t go there. I can’t even think about going there. He may not be my mate, but he’s still the father of my child.
And I still love him, even though I wish I didn’t.
Whatever my father did to us became real for me.
I’ll never forgive him for manipulating Rogan and me.
He will pay.
When I leave the examination room, he’s gone.
Smart move.