Ella
Sinclair is instantly alert. He sits up in bed and pulls the covers back, staring at the red stain on my nightgown with an unreadable expression. He presses his palm to my belly, undoubtedly trying to communicate with the pup through their mental link. I’m trembling while I wait for him to give his verdict, terrified that the new life inside me might already be coming to a heartbreaking end.
“I think he’s okay.” Sinclair murmurs after a moment, looking up at me with a furrowed brow. “But we should get you to the hospital right away.”
I slide out of bed on autopilot, my mind spinning with all the terrible possibilities. What if my ovaries were too damaged by Mike’s sabotage to support a healthy baby? What if my uterus isn’t strong enough to carry the child to term? Was the doctor right at our last appointment, was something wrong from the start? Is that why it was so small?
I can only wrap my arms around myself to try and cease shaking as the blood rushes in my ears. Please don’t take this baby from me. I silently beg the universe, it’s all I have, I won’t survive losing it.
Sinclair dresses quickly, but I’m only vaguely aware of him moving around in my periphery. I’m standing there frozen, too afraid to move in case I somehow make the bleeding worse. Without asking, Sinclair comes over and sweeps me up into his arms. He only pauses to wrap me in a coat before heading out into the snow, then bundles me into the car and takes off into the night.
We arrive at the emergency room in minutes and Sinclair doesn’t even bother parking. Instead he skids to a stop in front of the main entrance, once again scooping me up and charging inside. I’ve been to the hospital before, and it’s always been a long, drawn out process of triages and waiting to be seen for hours on end.
Not this time.
The moment the staff sees Sinclair they leap into motion, eager to do his bidding. I’ve never been more grateful for his wealth and influence than I am in this moment. Nurses and orderlies gather around us, leading us straight into the treatment area. The nurses bring forward a wheelchair, but Sinclair holds onto me tightly. “She’s three weeks pregnant and bleeding.”
Seeming to realize he’s not going to release me, the nurses take the wheelchair away and direct us into a consultation room,
“Okay honey, just hold on.” They advise, “we’ll get someone over to take a look at you right away.”
No sooner has Sinclair set me down onto a reclining gurney that an orderly comes in with a scratchy hospital gown and an ultrasound machine, shortly followed by a doctor in a white coat. The man nods to Sinclair, “Alpha.” Suddenly I realize the special treatment we’re receiving isn’t only because of Sinclair’s wealth. This must be a shifter hospital, which makes a lot of sense in hindsight. He wouldn’t take a werewolf child to a human facility.
Sinclair greets the man stiffly, still hovering protectively over me. I haven’t had time to change into the gown or even get comfortable on the gurney, and I find myself leaning towards Sinclairs solid strength, finding relief in his presence amidst all the hubbub and uncertainty.
“Is it alright if I examine her?” The doctor asks, nodding towards me.
This strikes me as a very odd question – first because it was directed at Sinclair and not me, and second because an exam is the entire reason we’re here. Of course it’s alright! However a low rumble sounds in Sinclair’s chest, and when I look up at him I realize how menacing his outward energy has become. He’s glaring at anyone who comes near me, and strategically placing his body between me and everyone else. He wouldn’t appreciate the comparison, but his behavior sort of reminds me of a dog guarding a bone.
I hiccup a hysterical laugh as the image forms in my mind – the big bad Alpha getting possessive about his new human pet- but when the doctor and Sinclair look down at me with concern I quickly sober. “Sorry, my nerves are fraying a bit.” I explain, prompting Sinclair to wrap one of his muscular arms around me.
Turning towards the doctor, I add. “I don’t know how long I’ve been bleeding, I just woke up and felt it.”
The doctor looks back to Sinclair, waiting until he gives his permission before approaching me. “Have you had any other symptoms?”
I shake my head, “nothing out of the ordinary. A bit of morning sickness, mood swings, cravings – everything you’d expect.”
“That’s good.” The doctor confirmed, offering me a smile before looking to Sinclair. “And the mental link?”
“Strong heartbeat and consistent emotional blips,” My stomach is quickly becoming Sinclair’s favorite spot to rest his hand, and it returns there now. “It’s sleeping – I think.”
The doctor nods, “Alright, then what I’d like to do is run some tests and make sure everything is alright with mother and pup.
Spotting isn’t unusual in the early stages, though there’s a bit more blood than I’d like. Ella, why don’t you get changed and then a nurse will be in to run your vitals – then we’ll take some blood and do an ultrasound.”
He steps out, and before I can even think about changing, I find Sinclair pulling my nightgown off over my head. “Oh! Dominic, I can do that myself.”
“Just let me take care of you, Ella.” He responds sternly, leaving no room for argument as he fits the loose gown around my body. In the end, I think fussing over me is his way of finding some control in a helpless situation, so I comply without further complaint, telling myself it’s all for his benefit rather than my own. I don’t let myself think about how nice it feels to have someone helping me – not to have to go it all alone for once.
“Lie back now,” Sinclair encourages once the ties are secure, helping me recline on the gurney. He leans his elbow on the mattress near my head, looking down at me intently. “How are you doing?”
His scrutiny feels too intense, and I can’t bring myself to look him in the eye. I shrug, “I’ll decide how I feel when we know what’s going on.”
Before he can respond the nurse returns and begins taking all my vital signs. Everything seems perfectly normal until she takes my blood pressure. She purses her lips at the numbers on the screen, and I feel my pulse race even faster when I follow her gaze. One forty over one hundred! I think frantically. My blood pressure has never been so high in my entire life.
“Is that reading normal for you?” The nurse asks with false nonchalance.
“No, my blood pressure is usually below average.” I squeak, causing Sinclair to shift closer still.
He returns his hand to my belly, circling his fingers in soothing caresses over my skin. “You’ve had a scare.” He reasons, looking to the nurse for reassurance, “I’m sure that’s all this is.”
She doesn’t respond to his statement, instead eyeing me with concern. “You need to try to calm down, Ella. Take some deep breaths and let your mate worry about the pup.”
“Let my mate worry about the pup?” I repeat indignantly, sitting up. “I’m its mother, I can’t just turn off my love for it.”
“She wasn’t suggesting that, sweetheart.” Sinclair croons, gathering me to his chest and purring in that infuriating way that never ceases to make me unravel. Against my will I find myself leaning into his protective hold, falling victim to that strange power once again.
“That’s it.” The nurse encourages with a smile, “everything else looks good, we’ll check your pressure again in a bit, and I’ll inform the doctor of the situation.”
I’m sulkily snuggling closer to Sinclair as she retreats and glaring daggers at her back. “How do you do that?” I inquire sullenly, breathing in the Alpha’s familiar scent.
“Do what?” He asks, stroking my hair.
“That purring thing!” I clarify, resenting him for making me feel better when my baby might be in danger, then feeling guilty for resenting him. My moods are so variable these days I can barely keep up with them. I’ve always heard how wild one’s emotions can become when pregnant, but I didn’t realize it would happen this fast.
Sinclair chuckles warmly, and an unwelcome shiver runs down my spine. “It’s something all male wolves can do – it’s how we soothe our mates when they’re upset.”
“Oh.” I blink. “How did you know it would work on a human?”
“I didn’t.” He shares, “I didn’t even mean to do it the first time – it was simply instinct, but you responded so beautifully.”
“Hmph.” I murmur, not sure if I like the idea of him having that kind of power over me. “Do female wolves have some way of soothing their mates?”
Sinclair laughs again, a deep sultry sound.. “Lots of ways.”
“Like what?” I press.
“That’s a conversation for another day.” Sinclair remarks slyly, piquing my curiosity.
I want to object, to ask more, but the doctor reappears before I can respond. He does my ultrasound with quick professionalism, and I’m relieved to hear the baby’s steady heartbeat through the machine. Still, I won’t be able to truly relax until I know everything is okay. When he finally concludes the exam, I’m practically breathless for news.
“Well?” I ask anxiously. “Is the baby okay?”
