Chapter Sixty-Eight
Ihunch over the toilet, emptying the milkshake I had earlier. Ugh, this sucks. I haven't really gotten morning sickness. I've only thrown up a few times when I have food that doesn't agree with me. Axe comes up behind me and holds my hair out of my face.
“Are you okay?” he asks, rubbing up and down my back.
“Yeah,” I breathe out.
“Will you be able to go for your trip tomorrow?”
“Yeah, it's just what I ate.” I stand up and wash my mouth out in the sink.
“Elora, I know you don't want to fight but I'm not comfortable with you going on this trip,” Axe says softly.
“Axe, I'm fine. I'll be with Ryleigh and Amelia,” I assure him.
“So, they're both human. No one will be able to protect you if something happens.”
“We will be in the city. No werewolves will be there. What could happen?”
“Elora, can Dash at least go with you if you really need this weekend away from me?” Axe sighs.
“It's a girls' trip. And I'm not going to get away from you. It's to get away from everything. Maybe just being in a fancy hotel and spending time with some humans will set me in a relaxing mood for my pregnancy.”
“... Fine,” he eventually says but I can tell he's annoyed by this.
“What are you going to do for the weekend?”
I leave the bathroom with Axe following me out. We go to our room and I sit on the bed.
“I guess work out for seventy-two hours straight to stop me from worrying about you.”
“Axe, stop trying to make me feel bad about this. I don't tell you what you can do so stop doing the same to me.”
“Is there anything I do that bothers you?” Axe frowns.
“No, you're usually perfect but when you get angry, you're unpredictable and that bothers me,” I tell him.
“I'm sorry if I scare you but I would never hurt you...”
“I know,” I cut in.
“Elora, you're perseverant and independent. It worries me that you don't need me. My mate relied on me but you don't. You don't answer to anyone, including me. That's what I'm worried about.”
“Axe, I'm not going to leave you. Do you not feel needed?” I frown.
“I guess I'm not used to such a strong woman. You're endurance astounds me. I know you can take care of yourself and I'm hoping you don't figure that out.”
“Axe.” I chuckle light heartedly. “I do need you.”
“Really?” His lips pull up.
“You're my partner. You're the father of my child. You're the man who saved me. Do you want to know why I'm strong? It's because of you. You make me strong. I feel I don't have to fear anything because I have you by my side.” I grab his hand in mine.
“I've been an ass to you, haven't I? I'm a grown man yet I'm picking fights with a young pregnant woman. I'll do better to not let my worries become yours.”
“Why don't we umm... have a nice night before I go tomorrow?” I suggest.
“That would make me happy.” Axe smiles and presses his lips to mine deeply, laying us down and pleasing me several times for the rest of the day.
***
“This is going to be great.” Ryleigh turns up the radio, letting the loud music flow through the car.
I never realised how calming a girls' trip is.
The music, although loud, is fun especially with Ryleigh being goofy and singing to it, the breeze coming from the open windows feels nice against my skin and the open road is just freeing.
We took Ryleigh's car and she's driving.
A few hours later, skyscrapers appear around us as we drive further into the city.
We stop at the university campus since Amelia said to meet her there.
We step out of the car and wait. Amelia sees us in the distance and runs up with a big smile and crushes me in a hug.
I wrap my arms around her. It feels good to hug her.
She was my only friend for a long time, after all.
“I've missed you,” Amelia says. Her hair is untamed, her skin glowing, the aura around her giving off confidence. I'm glad university helped her.
I introduce Amelia and Ryleigh even though they briefly met once at the cafe and they hug.
Amelia shoves her luggage in the boot of the car and we get in, her directing us to the hotel.
When we pull into the hotel parking lot, we can visibly see the beach from here, which makes Ryleigh squeal.
We have a standard triple room. Once we drop our bags on the beds, Ryleigh turns to us.
“What should we do first?” Ryleigh asks.
“How about we get some food?” Amelia suggests.
We go down to the hotel restaurant and order some food.
Ryleigh immediately orders alcohol, saying she's going to do whatever she wants this weekend.
Amelia joins her with drinking after we finish our food.
Amelia and I catch up, talking about what she's studying, her sugar daddy, how life's been and such.
I only tell her I moved in with my boyfriend and I'm still working at the department store since I can't tell her all the crazy werewolf shit that has happened.
Ryleigh is happy sitting there in silence while Amelia and I talk.
She greedily sucks through the straw making the purple liquid disappear in seconds.
“So anyway, there's a party on campus tonight. I thought we would go and then tomorrow, beach, spa, shopping and clubbing at night. Sunday can be sightseeing. What do you think?” Amelia says.
“Well actually,” I start. “There's a reason I'm not drinking.”
“What?” Amelia asks, not catching my hint.
“I'm pregnant,” I tell her.
“Ahhhhg,” she squeals, drawing the attention of the people in the restaurant. “This is huge. We need to celebrate. Champagne.” She claps then pauses. “Right, no champagne.”
“We can still have some,” Ryleigh says with glossy eyes, convincing Amelia without a second thought. We laugh at Ryleigh's eagerness.
Amelia orders some champagne for them and orders the most expensive dessert on the menu for me.
“My treat.” Amelia smiles.
“Thank you.” I smile.
“So this is crazy... what happens next? Are you getting married? Am I your maid of honour?” Amelia questions enthusiastically.
“No, Axe hasn't proposed yet. We're just having a quiet life for now.”
“Who would have thought we would end up here? Me; a party girl with great grades and the most perfect sugar daddy and you; pregnant and in love.”
***
I don't want to leave this beach chair. I'm so relaxed, I don't even think I could move.
We spent all morning at the spa getting massages and beauty treatments.
Now we're at the beach. Amelia is tanning on one side of me and Ryleigh is enjoying being waited on with drinks on the other side of me.
I've never been to a beach before, always having stayed in the forest area.
It's beautiful. The bright sun warming my skin, the waves crashing against the soft sand; this is definitely where I want to be every time I feel stressed.
I stare down at my belly since I'm wearing a bikini and try to see if it's started growing.
It's still flat. I'm not sure if there's a noticeable change.
“I could do this every day.” Ryleigh hums out an approving sound when she sips her drink.
“So could I. It's nice having girlfriends to hang with.” Amelia sighs.
“Don't you have friends here?” I ask.
“Yeah, but it's different having you here.”
“Aw.” I smile. “What are we doing for dinner?”
“I don't know about you but I'm staying right here,” Ryleigh says.
“In the dark?” Amelia taunts.
“I think she's had too many drinks to realise it will get cold tonight.” I laugh and so does Amelia.
“You two bitches aren't going to kill my buzz.” Ryleigh closes her eyes and hums to herself.
“We could just hang out in the hotel room, watch movies and order a pizza,” Amelia suggests.
“That sounds perfect.”
Amelia's phone rings and she answers it, talking sweet and flirty to her sugar daddy. The waiter brings me over another fruity non-alcoholic drink while Ryleigh orders another drink.
When the sun starts to set we go to the hotel room and order a pizza.
Once Ryleigh lies on the bed, she blacks out, making Amelia and I laugh.
We put on the tv and sit down on one of the beds.
I send a text to Axe saying I'm back at the hotel and turning in for the night.
He's sent me a few texts today. I know he's worried so I've been checking in with him so he knows I'm safe.
“Dash, quit poking me,” Ryleigh mumbles in her sleep, making us chuckle.
“Dash is her boyfriend,” I say for Amelia.
The pizza gets here and Amelia and I eat all of it since Ryleigh groans when we try to wake her up. A comfortable silence takes over us as we watch a movie.
***
When I wake up, I rush to the bathroom and empty my stomach. Amelia appears behind me and pulls back my hair.
“Are you okay?” she asks, concerned.
“Yeah, maybe it was all the food,” I let out breathily. When I'm done I get up and rinse my mouth out. “Thanks.”
“Don't worry, I tend to hold back all my friend’s hair since they can't handle their alcohol.” Amelia chuckles.
We walk back to the beds and sit down. I really hope I'm not getting morning sickness frequently. First the milkshake, now the pizza and fruit juices. I doubt it's the food so it's probably safe to say morning sickness is kicking in.
“I hate to see when she wakes up.” Amelia chuckles and gestures to Ryleigh who's still sleeping.
We spend a while in the hotel. Ryleigh groans and spends time in the shower after waking up. The rest of the day we go and see some landmarks in the city, take a bunch of photos and then go to a restaurant to have a nice night since this is our last day here.
***
On Monday morning Amelia pulls me into a big hug and tells me she'll call more.
Ryleigh just nods her head at Amelia from the passenger seat since she drank again last night.
I drive us home, Ryleigh wearing sunglasses the whole time because she complains it's too bright.
The radio is off, unlike it being blared on the way here.
I left home feeling stressed and I'm coming back feeling relaxed.
Ryleigh left excited and is coming back hungover.
We really went for different reasons. I smile, amused by her sleeping form.
I pull up into Dash's driveway since this is Ryleigh's car. I go up to the front door and knock, and it opens quite quickly.
“She's in the car, hungover.” I laugh. “I'll grab my luggage later, I'm going home.”
“So I have to deal with her moodiness.” Dash groans, walking past me to the car.
I chuckle and walk home. Once I open the front door, Axe appears in the room immediately. He stalks over and wraps me in a big hug, inhaling my scent and then pressing his hand over my stomach.
“I missed you. How are you? How's the baby?” Axe questions, bringing me over to the couch.
“I'm good. It's good.” I smile.
“Did you have fun?” he asks, playing with my fingers with one hand while keeping his other hand on my stomach.
“Yeah, it was great seeing Amelia. Ryleigh definitely had fun, just not in the mornings.” I chuckle. “I didn't have fun in the mornings either.”
“Why not?” He frowns.
“I think morning sickness has kicked in.”
“In that case, I don't want you going anywhere else for the rest of the pregnancy.”
“I probably won't leave town until Amelia wants to see me again.”
“Can we go see Cindy? I want you to get another scan.”
“You just want me to get checked since I've been away. Axe, nothing happened to the baby.”
“I know, but I just want to know everything's safe.”
“We can do a scan at my next appointment. How about you welcome me home like you should?” I say in a suggestive tone.
Axe grins and presses his lips to mine as we lie down on the couch.