Chapter 50
“Congratulations, ma’am! You’re four and a half weeks pregnant,” Dr. Shaw, the physician attending to me, said, her face lit up with a wide, genuine smile.
I sat frozen in place, my hands gripping the armrests of the chair tightly. “What?” I screeched so loudly that Dr. Shaw winced.
Her smile faltered slightly. “You’re pregnant,” she repeated, though the cheerfulness in her voice was now tinged with hesitation, as if she expected me to bolt out of the room.
My mind went numb, racing in a hundred directions all at once. Pregnant? How could that be? “But how? This can’t be true. I can’t be pregnant… you don’t understand!”
Fatima, standing next to me, let out a long sigh. “Prisca, did you by any chance have... random sex with someone? Maybe an ex-boyfriend or something?”
I barely heard her as my mind began to piece things together, trying to make sense of this impossible news. Pregnant? I hadn’t had sex since moving to London. My stomach dropped as realization hit me like a punch to the gut. There was only one possible explanation—Jake. It had to be Jake’s baby.
But it wasn’t supposed to be possible. Everyone said mixed breeds—werewolves like me—couldn’t reproduce. They told me over and over that a child between Jake and me was impossible. Wasn’t it? If I was pregnant now, it meant everything I’d been told was a lie. They were wrong. Part of me was tempted to go back, to return and show everyone how mistaken they were, to reclaim the position they had snatched from me. I could prove them all wrong. But deep down, I knew I didn’t want that life anymore. I’d found peace here, and I wanted to give this child—*my* child—the life my mother had always dreamed of for me.
A life without bloodshed. A life far from the chaos of werewolves and packs, away from the violence and danger. I could raise this baby in a world where they wouldn’t have to look over their shoulder, wouldn’t have to fear the wild, ruthless life of predators.
“This baby... it’s his,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “My husband—ex-husband’s baby.”
Dr. Shaw’s expression softened as she gave me a sympathetic smile. “I’m sure you’ll be a wonderful mother. There are so many single mothers out there who raise strong, happy children. There are even support groups if you need them,” she added, reaching over to squeeze my hand. “If you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here for you. I’m a single mother too, and I understand how overwhelming it can feel at first. Raising a child alone isn’t easy, but trust me, it gets better. My daughter is five now, and she’s my little wildfire. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me, and I know your baby will bring you just as much joy.”
Her words washed over me like a soothing balm, and for the first time since the news dropped, I felt a flicker of hope. I squeezed her hand back, drawing strength from her. “You’re right. My mother raised me alone, and she did an amazing job. I never once felt like I was missing anything. I’ll raise my baby just as well, and nothing’s going to stop me from being the best mother I can be.”
Fatima, ever the supportive friend, clapped her hands together dramatically. “And Aunt Fatima will be right there by your side!” she declared, a wide grin plastered on her face.
I smiled at her, grateful beyond words. I had everything I needed. Support. Love. Strength. I didn’t need Jake or the world he came from. This was my life now, and I was proud of how far I’d come.
---
### One Month Later
"Are you sure you're okay? This… this isn’t normal at all," Fatima said, her eyes filled with concern as she watched me devour the last bite of my sixth burger.
I wiped my mouth and sat back, satisfied but still not entirely full. I’d already polished off an entire medium-sized pizza box and had been eyeing another burger, but I could feel Fatima’s gaze burning a hole through me. She’d never understand. How could I explain that a pregnant half-werewolf’s appetite was nothing like a human’s? There was no way I could tell her the truth, so I lied.
“It’s fine, Fatima. I’m just really hungry. I mean, I’m eating for two now, remember?” I smiled, trying to reassure her, though I could see from the way her brow furrowed that she wasn’t buying it.
"I’ve never seen a pregnant woman eat like this,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief. “Where is all that food even going? Look at you! With the way you’ve been eating, you should be huge by now—a freaking pumpkin!” Her wide eyes tracked my barely noticeable bump as though expecting it to suddenly swell.
She wasn’t wrong about the eating part. I had been consuming massive amounts of food lately, and while my pregnancy was showing, it wasn’t as much as it should have, given my diet. My belly had a slight curve, but nothing extreme. The real changes were happening elsewhere—my breasts had gone from a size B to a full, plump C, and my hips were rounding out in a way they never had before. My butt? Let’s just say my jeans had stopped fitting weeks ago.
“Girl, you know I love food. Always have, always will. Now that I’m carrying another person inside me, I’m just living my best life!” I laughed, although I was holding back from ordering more. Fatima was already too suspicious, and if I ate another burger, she might drag me back to Dr. Shaw for a checkup.
Fatima rolled her eyes. “This is a disaster waiting to happen, you know.”
Before I could respond, a high-pitched squeal interrupted us.
“Fatima!” A young woman with a cascade of brunette curls ran up to our table, throwing her arms around Fatima and squeezing her in a bone-crushing hug.
“Dolly!” Fatima exclaimed, returning the embrace. “When did you get back to England, and why didn’t I know about this?” she teased, crossing her arms and pretending to frown.
I studied the woman closely, noting her beauty. Her doe-like brown eyes sparkled with warmth, her dark eyebrows were perfectly arched, and her naturally cherry-red lips were rare enough to make her stand out. She had an effortless charm, much like Fatima.
“I wanted it to be a surprise!” Dolly explained, smiling wide. “It was a last-minute business trip, so everything happened super fast.”
Fatima rolled her eyes, then turned to me with a mischievous grin. “Oh, where are my manners? Dolly, this is my best friend in the entire universe, Prisca. Prisca, meet Dolly Fontana, my sister from another father.”
I extended my hand, smiling. “Nice to meet you, Dolly. You’re really beautiful.”
Dolly grinned as we shook hands. “Thank you! You’re really—” She paused, her expression shifting slightly as she sniffed the air, though it was so subtle I almost missed it. Her smile faltered for a brief second.
“Uh… are you okay?” I asked, noticing the way she suddenly seemed distant.
She blinked, shaking her head slightly. “Yeah, of course. Sorry about that. I zoned out for a second. Happens sometimes. What I was going to say is—you’re really beautiful too, Prisca.”
I blushed, feeling a bit flustered. “Thanks.”
Fatima groaned dramatically, throwing her hands up. “Ugh, stop it, both of you! I am *so* not standing here while my two favorite people compliment each other.”
Dolly nudged her playfully. “Don’t be jealous, Miss F!”
We all laughed, the lightheartedness cutting through the momentary tension I had felt.
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