With\u00a0that,\u00a0she\u00a0turned\u00a0and\u00a0left.\u00a0My\u00a0blood\u00a0ran\u00a0cold.<\/p>\n
Judy\u00a0had\u00a0seen\u00a0the\u00a0story\u2026\u00a0during\u00a0the\u00a0graduation\u00a0ceremony.<\/p>\n
That\u00a0explained\u00a0why\u00a0Irene\u00a0called\u00a0me\u00a0frantic,\u00a0because\u00a0she,\u00a0too,\u00a0had\u00a0seen\u00a0the\u00a0news\u00a0story.\u00a0I\u00a0just\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0realize\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0public\u00a0scene\u00a0during\u00a0the graduation.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0felt\u00a0sick\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0stomach.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0sure\u00a0how\u00a0long\u00a0I\u00a0stayed\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0hospital\u00a0room,\u00a0watching\u00a0Rachel\u00a0sleep,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0numb.\u00a0How\u00a0the\u00a0fuck\u00a0was\u00a0I\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0explain\u00a0myself\u00a0to\u00a0Judy?\u00a0She\u00a0must\u00a0be\u00a0thinking\u00a0the\u00a0absolute\u00a0worst\u00a0about me\u00a0right\u00a0now.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0phone\u00a0rang,\u00a0bringing\u00a0me\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0thoughts.\u00a0I\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0screen to\u00a0see\u00a0Derek\u2019s\u00a0cousin\u00a0Monty\u2019s\u00a0number.\u00a0I\u00a0stood\u00a0quickly\u00a0and\u00a0rushed\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0room,\u00a0holding\u00a0the\u00a0phone\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0ear.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0better\u00a0have\u00a0an\u00a0update.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a02\u00a0days,\u00a0Monty,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said\u00a0through\u00a0my\u00a0teeth.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0should\u00a0be\u00a0prepared,\u201d\u00a0Monty\u00a0murmured.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0have\u00a0information\u00a0for\u00a0you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0return,\u00a0Eliza\u00a0returned\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0ultrasound\u00a0machine\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0fetal\u00a0paternity\u00a0test.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0wake\u00a0her\u00a0up\u00a0now,\u201d\u00a0Eliza\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201cIt\u00a0might\u00a0take\u00a0a\u00a0bit\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0paternity\u00a0test\u00a0results.\u00a0But\u00a0hopefully\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0have\u00a0something\u00a0for\u00a0you\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0end\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0day.\u00a0She\u2019s\u00a0a\u00a0little\u00a0over\u00a0a\u00a0month\u00a0pregnant,\u00a0so\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0still\u00a0a\u00a0bit\u00a0too\u00a0early.\u00a0But\u00a0werewolf\u00a0babies\u00a0grow\u00a0faster\u00a0than\u00a0humans,\u00a0so\u00a0I\u00a0might\u00a0be\u00a0able\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0actual\u00a0results\u00a0for\u00a0you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0nodded,\u00a0my\u00a0grip\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0phone\u00a0tightening.<\/p>\n
Eliza\u00a0disappeared\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0hospital\u00a0room\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0machine,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0turned\u00a0my\u00a0back\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0door\u00a0to\u00a0address\u00a0Monty,\u00a0who\u00a0remained\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0other\u00a0end\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cSend\u00a0me\u00a0over\u00a0everything\u00a0you\u00a0can,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0him.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0staying\u00a0here\u00a0and\u00a0waiting\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0paternity\u00a0results.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u00a0Alpha.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With\u00a0that,\u00a0the\u00a0line\u00a0went\u00a0dead.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0walked\u00a0back\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0room\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0Eliza\u00a0setting\u00a0up\u00a0the\u00a0machine\u00a0and\u00a0Rachel\u00a0sitting\u00a0up\u00a0in\u00a0bed\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0polite\u00a0smile\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0face.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood\u00a0morning,\u201d\u00a0Rachel\u00a0said,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0finding mine.\u00a0\u201cAre\u00a0you\u00a0ready\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0our\u00a0baby?\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0forced\u00a0a\u00a0smile\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0reached\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0be\u00a0more\u00a0excited,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0lied,\u00a0though\u00a0she\u00a0seemed\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0bought\u00a0it.<\/p>\n
Once\u00a0Eliza\u00a0had\u00a0everything\u00a0set\u00a0up,\u00a0she\u00a0performed\u00a0the\u00a0ultrasound.\u00a0The\u00a0whooshing\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u2019s\u00a0heartbeat\u00a0brought\u00a0tears\u00a0to\u00a0Rachel\u2019s\u00a0eyes.\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0nothing;\u00a0there\u00a0were\u00a0no\u00a0emotional\u00a0ties\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0because\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0heart,\u00a0it\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0mine.\u00a0But\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0to\u00a0fake\u00a0it\u00a0in\u00a0order\u00a0for\u00a0Rachel\u00a0to\u00a0believe\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s\u00a0our\u00a0baby,\u201d\u00a0Rachel\u00a0breathed,\u00a0tears\u00a0streaming\u00a0down\u00a0her\u00a0flushed\u00a0cheeks.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0forced\u00a0another\u00a0smile,\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0glued\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0screen.<\/p>\n
\u201cVery\u00a0healthy\u00a0indeed.\u00a0That\u2019s\u00a0a\u00a0strong\u00a0heartbeat,\u201d\u00a0Eliza\u00a0told\u00a0her.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0too\u00a0early\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0the\u00a0gender.\u00a0But\u00a0at\u00a0this\u00a0rate,\u00a0I\u00a0should\u00a0be\u00a0able\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0you\u00a0by\u00a0next\u00a0month\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cReally?\u00a0That\u00a0soon?\u201d\u00a0Rachel\u00a0gasped.<\/p>\n
Eliza\u00a0nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0is\u00a0growing\u00a0at\u00a0a\u00a0quick\u00a0rate.\u00a0Must\u00a0be\u00a0that\u00a0Lycan\u00a0blood,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0glancing\u00a0my\u00a0way.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0wolf\u00a0let\u00a0out\u00a0a\u00a0low\u00a0growl,\u00a0though\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0able\u00a0to\u00a0stifle\u00a0it\u00a0before\u00a0it\u00a0escaped\u00a0my\u00a0lips.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow,\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0do\u00a0a\u00a0little\u00a0blood\u00a0work\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0baby,\u201d\u00a0Eliza\u00a0said,\u00a0pulling\u00a0out\u00a0the\u00a0syringe.\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0the\u00a0blood\u00a0was\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0paternity\u00a0test,\u00a0but\u00a0Rachel\u2019s\u00a0eyes\u00a0grew\u00a0wide.\u00a0\u201cBloodwork?\u201d\u00a0She\u00a0asked.\u00a0\u201cWhy??\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0just\u00a0protocol,\u201d\u00a0Fliza\u00a0assured\u00a0her.\u00a0\u201cThere\u2019s\u00a0no\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0alarmed.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0how\u00a0find\u00a0out\u00a0if\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0has\u00a0any\u00a0onderlying\u00a0deceased.\u00a0I\u00a0also\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0know\u00a0its\u00a0blood\u00a0type.\u00a0There\u2019s\u00a0nothing\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0concerned\u00a0about.\u201d\u00a0!<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd\u00a0this\u00a0is\u00a0normal\u00a0at\u00a0only\u00a0a\u00a0month\u00a0pregnant?\u201d\u00a0Rachel\u00a0asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cTypically,\u00a0I\u2019d\u00a0wait\u00a0until\u00a0you\u00a0are\u00a0about\u00a0two\u00a0to\u00a0three\u00a0months\u00a0along,\u00a0but\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0is\u00a0growing\u00a0at\u00a0a\u00a0quick\u00a0rate,\u00a0and\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0better\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0these\u00a0things\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0<\/p>\n
*}\u00a0}\u00a0sate?\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0asked,\u00a0her\u00a0voice\u00a0becoming\u00a0a\u00a0whisper.<\/p>\n
*\u00a0wredd\u00a0never\u00a0put\u00a0either\u00a0of\u00a0you\u00a0in\u00a0danger\u00a0like\u00a0that,\u201d\u00a0Eliza\u00a0assured\u00a0her.\u00a0\u201cYou\u00a0have\u00a0nothing\u00a0to\u00a0worry\u00a0about.\u00a0The\u00a0baby\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0be\u00a0lain.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rachel\u00a0swallowed\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0nodded\u00a0slowly.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0bestbed\u00a0\u201cDo\u00a0what\u00a0you\u00a0must.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0T<\/p>\n
+25\u00a0Bonus<\/p>\n
Eliza\u00a0smiled,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0flickering\u00a0to\u00a0me\u00a0briefly,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0see\u00a0the\u00a0small\u00a0sense\u00a0of\u00a0victory\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0before\u00a0she\u00a0got\u00a0to\u00a0work.\u00a0She\u00a0numbed\u00a0a\u00a0spot\u00a0on\u00a0Rachel\u2019s\u00a0belly\u00a0before\u00a0injecting her\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0needle.\u00a0Rachel\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0needle,\u00a0but\u00a0she\u00a0did\u00a0watch\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0ultrasound\u00a0machine\u00a0as\u00a0the\u00a0needle\u00a0found\u00a0the\u00a0baby.\u00a0After\u00a0a\u00a0moment,\u00a0Eliza\u00a0pulled\u00a0the\u00a0syringe\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0and\u00a0held\u00a0up\u00a0a\u00a0small\u00a0vial\u00a0of\u00a0blood<\/p>\n
\u201cPerfect,\u201d\u00a0Eliza\u00a0breathed\u00a0before\u00a0bandaging\u00a0the\u00a0puncture\u00a0wound.\u00a0\u201cWould\u00a0you\u00a0like\u00a0me\u00a0to\u00a0print\u00a0photos\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0ultrasound?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u00a0please,\u201d\u00a0Rachel\u00a0said.<\/p>\n
Eliza\u00a0nodded\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0pressed\u00a0print\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0machine\u00a0monitor,\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0she\u00a0packed\u00a0up\u00a0the\u00a0equipment.\u00a0As\u00a0she\u00a0passed\u00a0me,\u00a0she\u00a0murmured.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll\u00a0have\u00a0results\u00a0as\u00a0soon\u00a0as\u00a0possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0nodded,\u00a0pretending she\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0just\u00a0murmur\u00a0something\u00a0to\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0phone\u00a0dinged\u00a0a\u00a0moment\u00a0later,\u00a0and\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0looked\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0screen,\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0that\u00a0Monty\u00a0had\u00a0sent\u00a0over\u00a0a\u00a0ton\u00a0of\u00a0files.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0excused\u00a0myself\u00a0and\u00a0stepped\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0hallway\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0what\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0sent\u00a0me.\u00a0There\u00a0are\u00a0a\u00a0ton\u00a0of\u00a0videos,\u00a0each\u00a0marked for\u00a0different\u00a0times\u00a0and\u00a0locations.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0time\u00a0to\u00a0watch\u00a0all\u00a0the\u00a0videos\u00a0then,\u00a0but\u00a0one\u00a0caught\u00a0my\u00a0eye.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0the\u00a0one\u00a0Monty\u00a0had\u00a0labeled:\u00a0DRUGGED??<\/p>\n
COIN\u00a0BUNDLE:\u00a0get more\u00a0free\u00a0bonus<\/p>\n
\u65e5<\/p>\n
Sara is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
We Built a Kingdom From Ashes That Still Remembered Love by Aila Frost 567 With\u00a0that,\u00a0she\u00a0turned\u00a0and\u00a0left.\u00a0My\u00a0blood\u00a0ran\u00a0cold. Judy\u00a0had\u00a0seen\u00a0the\u00a0story\u2026\u00a0during\u00a0the\u00a0graduation\u00a0ceremony. That\u00a0explained\u00a0why\u00a0Irene\u00a0called\u00a0me\u00a0frantic,\u00a0because\u00a0she,\u00a0too,\u00a0had\u00a0seen\u00a0the\u00a0news\u00a0story.\u00a0I\u00a0just\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0realize\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0public\u00a0scene\u00a0during\u00a0the graduation. I\u00a0felt\u00a0sick\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0stomach. I\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0sure\u00a0how\u00a0long\u00a0I\u00a0stayed\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0hospital\u00a0room,\u00a0watching\u00a0Rachel\u00a0sleep,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0numb.\u00a0How\u00a0the\u00a0fuck\u00a0was\u00a0I\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0explain\u00a0myself\u00a0to\u00a0Judy?\u00a0She\u00a0must\u00a0be\u00a0thinking\u00a0the\u00a0absolute\u00a0worst\u00a0about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21635","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shadow-slave-by-author-novelnozi-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21635","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21635"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21635\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21635"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21635"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21635"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}