#Chapter 12 You’re pregnant, Rachel
Rachel POV
Panic caused to sit up as soon as I ca back to consciousness. Everything was white and bright and confusing. I tossed the blankets off my body and swung my legs over the side of the bed.
"What? Where am I? Hello?"
White curtains parted before as a woman in a nurse’s uniform ca rushing to my side.
"Hey, there," she soothed, "No need to worry! You’re here at Saint Mary’s Hospital. A good Samaritan saw you on the ground in the park. He called 9-1-1. How do you feel?"
She rubbed my back as she comforted . Her voice was friendly, calm, and so truly kind I never wanted her to go away. Kindness wasn’t sothing I received often.
"I feel dizzy. What’s wrong with ?"
I had been a lot of things in my life, but physically I had always been in good health. I was a strong wolf even if I was mostly long limbs and lean muscle. I was rarely sick even as a child.
"Well, Rachel, can I call you Rachel? We got your na off the ID you had with you in your bag. I’m Nurse Betty. Do you feel okay to talk?"
Nodding, I raised a hand to my face where I felt the fading bruise from my father’s hand. I winced as I realized she probably thought I was an abused woman. What else should she think?
"Rachel is fine, Nurse Betty. Can you fill in on---whatever I’ve missed?"
Nurse Betty sat beside on the bed and patted my thigh before turning to face . I started to feel nervous at how serious she looked. Was I really sick? Had sothing been building up inside without my knowledge?
Cancer affected werewolves very rarely, but it did happen. What kind of irony would it be if I escaped my horrible mating only to die soon after?
"Don’t look so grim! We initially treated you as a Jane Doe until your purse went through the nursing aides for cataloguing. You’ve been here since yesterday afternoon. Do you rember yesterday?"
"I had an altercation. With my father. I went to the park. I rember being in the park, but I don’t rember an ambulance or being brought here."
Betty smiled apologetically, "You were very out of it when you ca in. Your blood pressure and blood sugar levels were all over the place. I took over your care at 7 AM this morning. This is the first ti you’ve been awake since your arrival."
That was sohow comforting. I didn’t have gaps in my mory because I rembered everything until I’d lost consciousness, but why had I fainted?
"Why did I faint? Did my father hit that hard?"
"No," the nurse shook her head, "We did a head CT to clear you of any brain damage. It was purely your blood levels. You’re going to need to be much more careful in the future or you and your baby are not going to make it through this pregnancy. Do you understand?"
"Baby? What baby?"
"I was afraid of that. You’re pregnant, Rachel. Probably not more than a few weeks. Honey, are you being abused? We can offer you help."
A cold chill washed over from my scalp all the way down to my toes. I flexed my feet as I realized I was barefoot. I hoped they’d kept my shoes because I only had the one pair suitable for work.
"Rachel?"
Shock.
I was in shock.
"What?" I asked, my lips numb and tingling.
Tyler and I had last had sex a few weeks ago. We used protection every ti. I had wanted children as soon as I realized I was with my fated mate. I’d wanted a big family.
"Is soone hurting you? The father of this baby maybe? You have options. You may not think you do, but there’s help available if you need it."
Tyler had never wanted children because he believed children in Alpha households were only used as bartering chips. Starting a family was one of the only things he’d ever discussed with in depth.
"No, I’m separated from the father. Wait! Wait! What ti is it? I’ve been here overnight?"
Panic shocked back into motion. I was supposed to et Tyler at the Moon Goddess shrine in the garden of Our Blessed Goddess.
The tile was cold under my feet. I flung the curtains back from around the hospital bed and stared at the bright sun coming through the window with horror. There was no way I wasn’t late.
"It’s a little after noon. Rachel, you need to sit back down."
"No, I do not! I need to leave. I need to use a phone first and then I need to leave. Where is my phone? My shoes? Please bring my things."
Nurse Betty wasn’t to bla for my predicant. I didn’t want to snap at her. I only wanted to get out of this hospital as fast as possible so I could et up with Tyler to sever our mate bond before he learned of my pregnancy.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about the idea of carrying his baby. All I knew was I didn’t want to give him any further reason to delay our separation.
I was not spending any more ti being mated to him! I was going to be free!
"I’ll get your things. First let do a quick checkup, okay? I’ll help you get out of here if you need to leave. I just want to make sure you’re leaving because you want to leave and not because you’re afraid."
"I am not afraid of anything except rescheduling the eting I missed this morning," I admitted, "Other than being pregnant, I’m fine, right?"
"Yes," Nurse Betty agreed, looking concerned as she made her way out to the hall, "You’re fit as a fiddle."
"Then get my belongings. I need to leave. Now."
Leaving the hospital took almost an hour in total. I’d been worn down into agreeing to et with a high-risk OB/GYN for a full physical later in the day because of my blood levels.
By the ti I was wheeled to the entrance to et my rideshare, I was a complete emotional wreck.
I waited only until the car door was closed to pull out my phone to call Tyler.
"Oh, Rachel. So good of you to call," Jenny said as she answered Tyler’s phone.
I stared straight ahead with a million thoughts going through my mind at once. I had to be careful. I couldn’t let her get to . Tyler had to think nothing was wrong so he would et to complete the rejection ceremony.
"Jenny, lovely to hear your voice! Is Tyler available?"
"He was available this morning!" Jenny cooed, laughter coloring her tone, "He’s not available now."
I hung up before she could say anything else.
Jenny could make angry. I knew she could. I wasn’t afraid of her. I wasn’t even angry Tyler had sought out her company after I missed our rejection ceremony. Tyler could have his other won. He just needed to reject !
"Hello, driver, could you please take to this address instead?"
I gave the rideshare driver Bella’s apartnt address rather than the garden. I knew I would wind up waiting alone at the shrine until I could get Tyler to agree to et again.
All the hospital staff had been adamant I understand I needed to take care of myself while pregnant. I hadn’t eaten anything. I would go back to Bella, eat sothing, drink so water, and hopefully have my best friend help figure out what to do next.
I gave the driver so cash from my wallet. I didn’t count it. I hoped it was a decent tip, but at least the rideshare app paid them automatically.
"Rachel?" Bella called as I opened the door with my key.
"Bella! Oh Goddess, I’m so glad to see you!"
"What happened to you? Tyler called and I didn’t know what to tell him. I said you would call him back."
"I passed out at the park yesterday. They brought to the hospital via ambulance and I just woke up today a little after noon. It took forever to get them to let go. You’d never believe all the---"
"Rachel! What happened? Why were you in the hospital?"
Bella rushed to and placed her hand on my forehead before gently touching my cheek. I knew the bruise there was almost gone -werewolves heal faster than humans- but it was an ugly color without any makeup to cover it.
"I’m not sick. The bruise is from Patrick. He wanted money from Tyler. I told him he couldn’t have any. I told Tyler’s beta to let the police have him. Then he hit . Patrick. Not Adam."
Bella scrunched up her face in confusion as she took my hands to lead to the couch.
"You passed out after you got hit? Why did you pass out?"
I sat beside Bella on the couch and faced her. She looked so worried I couldn’t help smiling.
"Oh, it’s not a big deal. I’m just pregnant!"
Reviews
All reviews (0)