ASTRID'S POV.
A call rang through on my phone before I even had the chance to check the caller ID. Instinctively, I knew it was Alpha Dane.
I answered the call, and, as anticipated, his familiar voice greeted me.
A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I put on a smile and said, “Hello, Dane.”
“You could have told me about the situation. Where are you right now? I’ll come pick you up. Just give me an address, and I’ll be there as soon as possible,” he said urgently, his voice strained and breathless.
I could hear the sound of him panting heavily, punctuated by the clinking of keys, hinting at his rushed and frantic state.
Despite his eagerness to help, I knew I needed to handle things on my own. I wasn’t keen on putting him in a difficult position or complicating things further.
“Relax, Dane,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm.
“I’ve already arrived at the hospital. You were caught up with something important, and I didn’t want to add to your burdens. Besides, the pack hospital isn’t that far.”
There was a brief silence on the line, followed by the sound of Dane mumbling to himself.
His concern was palpable. “It’s not that far, but didn’t you think you should have let me know? How serious is this? Are you really okay?”
“It’s just a cold, a minor issue,” I assured him.
“You don’t need to worry about it. I’ll have it sorted out quickly. I’ll see the doctor, get a prescription after some tests, and then I’ll be home.”
“Fine,” he said, his voice still laced with worry.
“But if anything happens again, I’m coming to get you myself, understood?”
His concern touched me deeply. I could hear the genuine anxiety in his voice, and it made my heart ache.
“You are never a burden to me, Astrid. You’re a gift. Always remember that,” he added, his words filled with warmth and sincerity.
“Thank you, Alpha Dane.” I sniffed softly before ending the call.
“I have to handle this myself; it’s my turn to face the consequences,” I mumbled to myself firmly.
With a deep breath, I stepped out of the car and shut the door behind me.
The weight of my lies felt like a tight band around my chest, making it difficult to breathe. I couldn’t help but regret the mistakes I’d made in the past.
It was frustrating to think about how different things might have been if I had made different choices. But there was no going back now, and I had to deal with the reality I had created.
I had a one-night stand that I never expected would lead to such complications with Dane.
If we had stayed as enemies, maybe the emotional burden would have been lighter. I had prepared mentally for the possibility of needing to escape, but that plan felt distant and irrelevant now, given how much things had changed.
Dane and I were in love, which meant that secrets should be a thing of the past. Yet, I was holding on to one of the biggest secrets of all.
Soon, my pregnancy would become evident with a visible baby bump, and there was no denying the truth much longer.
I needed to make a final decision soon, but I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.
My thoughts swirled with anxiety and uncertainty as I gently placed a hand on my belly, rubbing it soothingly.
The reality of the situation was settling in, and I knew that whatever decision I made would shape the future in ways I couldn’t yet predict.
“We will be fine,” I murmured softly, both to myself and to the unborn child growing inside me.
With a deep breath of determination, I walked into the hospital, trying to calm my racing thoughts.
After a few minutes of waiting in the sterile lobby, a nurse finally approached me.
“It’s your turn, ma’am. You can go in now. The doctor is currently in surgery, so we apologise for the inconvenience. Could you please see Dr. Asher instead?” the nurse said, her tone both professional and apologetic. I nodded and offered a reassuring smile.
“It’s fine,” I replied. Although I would have preferred to see Dr. Miles, his unavailability meant I would be seeing Dr. Asher. Given the circumstances, I was resigned to making the best of a difficult situation.
I stood up and headed towards the office, but my progress halted abruptly when I spotted someone who looked like Camilla in the hallway.
“Camilla? What is she doing here?” I asked aloud, though no one seemed to pay me any mind. My curiosity piqued, I quickened my pace, eager to see what she was up to.
Camilla appeared engrossed in her own world, her attention focused on the phone she had, completely unaware of my approach.
As I drew closer, I saw her clutching a file, which she glanced at intermittently.
I reached her and we bumped into each other, the file in her grip Falling to the ground.
I caught a glimpse of the file she held and opened it, my eyes widened in shock as I scanned the contents. A gasp escaped my lips as the reality of the information hit me.
The file contained sensitive details that I hadn’t anticipated seeing, intensifying my anxiety about the situation and raising more questions than answers.
“You were never pregnant? You were lying to Halfdan the entire time! You were lying to everyone!” I blurted out, my voice laced with a mix of shock and betrayal.
Before Camilla could respond, she quickly snatched the file from my hands, spun on her heel, and stormed away, leaving me standing there in stunned silence.
I watched her retreating figure, feeling a pang of pain as the reality of her deception sank in. My initial instinct was to call Halfdan immediately to confront him with this new scene.
But as I pulled out my phone, I hesitated. He was the one entangled in this mess; it was his responsibility to untangle it. I shouldn’t be the one sorting out his problems.
Eventually, I accepted that Alpha Halfdan would discover the truth sooner or later.
It was only a matter of time before the facade of a fake pregnancy would crumble, much like my own deception.
I had my own pressing issues to deal with, and the visible signs of my pregnancy would soon become unavoidable.
Determined to address my situation, I resolved to find a solution on my own.
When I entered the office, I was met by Dr. Miles instead and not Asher who greeted me with a mixture of professionalism and concern.
He began by asking several questions about my health, the baby’s development, and how I had been feeling lately.
The process was efficient; within minutes, I was set up for a series of tests. I sat through them with mounting anxiety, my mind racing with thoughts of what might be revealed.
After what felt like an eternity, Dr. Miles returned to explain the results. “Everything looks fine,” he said, offering a reassuring smile.
“The baby is developing well. However, you need to make sure to get plenty of rest to maintain your health and the baby’s.” His words brought a momentary relief, but I knew the path ahead would still be fraught with challenges.
“You are a good person, Luna Astrid, but you shouldn’t keep the truth from your mate any longer like your cousin.” Dr. Miles said, his tone both empathetic and firm. His words carried an undercurrent of caution that I couldn’t quite grasp.
“What do you mean, ‘like your cousin’?” I asked, my curiosity piqued by his cryptic remark.
“That’s not the point right now,” Dr. Miles replied, his voice taking on a more urgent tone.
“What matters is that you need to tell Alpha Dane about your pregnancy. It’s important for both you and the baby.”
“But I can’t do that,” I protested, my voice trembling with the weight of my predicament.
“I don’t even know whose baby I’m carrying. How can I reveal this to Dane? I don’t want to hurt him, and I certainly don’t want to continue pretending.”
The struggle within me was tearing me apart. I had grown to love Dane deeply, and the thought of causing him pain was unbearable.
Dr. Miles’s expression softened, and he leaned in slightly. “Once you tell him, come back to see me. I actually know who the father is. I can sense the connection. I’m the pack’s doctor, after all.”
His revelation took me by surprise, leaving me momentarily speechless. “You know who the father is?” I asked, a mix of hope and anxiety in my voice.
“Is there something you’re not telling me?”
Dr. Miles gave me a reassuring smile, though his eyes held a glimmer of mystery. “I can’t share more details right now until I am sure. It’s crucial that you tell Alpha Dane first. After you’ve done that, come back to me. I promise you that everything will be resolved and will turn out fine.”
I pressed Dr. Miles for more information, my frustration growing with each unanswered question.
But he remained resolute in his request, offering no further insights. Finally, I realised that continuing the argument would get me nowhere.
With a heavy sigh, I accepted the situation and made my way back to the car.
Each step felt heavier, weighed down by the anxiety of what lay ahead. I climbed into the driver’s seat, feeling a mixture of dread and determination.
As I started the engine, I whispered a quiet prayer to the moon goddess, hoping for guidance. “Oh, moon goddess, help me do this,” I murmured, my voice trembling with uncertainty.
I pulled out my phone, my hands shaking slightly as I dialled Alpha Dane’s number. The call went straight to voicemail.
I tried again, but there was no answer. My anxiety spiked as I realised he might be occupied with other responsibilities, leaving me in a difficult position.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts. Knowing that Alpha Dane was likely busy with pack duties, I decided to send him a text instead.
I composed a message, my fingers hesitating over the screen as I struggled to find the right words.
“Please come back home early. I have something important to tell you,” I typed, my heart pounding as I hit send.
The message was brief, but it carried the weight of everything I needed to say to him.
I put the phone down and started driving, each mile feeling like a step towards an uncertain future.
I hoped that Alpha Dane would receive my message and return soon.
I knew that the conversation I needed to have with him would be challenging, but it was a conversation that couldn’t be postponed any longer.