Chapter 5: Gone

Candy's POV

Months had passed since I ran away from the pack. I had successfully managed to withdraw the money from my account. Using it, I opened a new one in the bank in the human city (New York City). My first move was to settle down and prepare myself for the birth of my firstborn. 

As soon as I managed to rent a suitable one-room apartment, I looked for a job, even though I had enough money saved in the bank. However, I knew working would help me kill time, earn money, and hopefully make new friends. I needed to keep myself as busy as I could. I didn't want to be alone, even for a moment, as loneliness brought back the memories of those traitors. It only brought pain and tears to me. 

Nina had been supportive through my darkest hours, yet I needed friends. I needed more people to speak with. Perhaps someone who I could hopefully trust as a friend. I managed to find a job at a five-star hotel to work as a receptionist.

I didn't care about the type of work I had to do; I just needed to keep myself busy until my little bundle of joy breathed his first breath into this world. As the days passed, my pup grew in size. When I fled from the pack, I was already halfway through the pregnancy. My human colleagues were extremely nice. Maybe because I was heavily pregnant. I told them that I had moved into this city recently after my partner cheated on me with my best friend, which was true. 

They were very supportive and empathetic. Some of them even cheered for me when they learned that I had left as soon as I found out about their infidelity. However, they were friends at work, and most of them had busy personal lives. Some of them were mothers of young children. Others had sick parents to take care of; hence, we weren't able to hang around much outside of work. 

I stopped by the grocery store to buy some meat and vegetables on my way back home. I was grateful that the apartment building wasn't crowded when I arrived. As usual, I used the elevator and pressed number 19.

Smiling, I cradled my seven-month-old bump. I felt the movements of my pup. Werewolf pregnancies tend to be shorter than normal human ones. I had already prepared everything I would need to welcome my little prince or princess. From footie pajamas to the baby cradle. Everything I could think of. 

"Mommy can't wait to meet you," I whispered, smiling at the thought of meeting the love of my life as the elevator took me to my desired floor. The elevator dinged, alerting me that I had reached my destination. Clutching onto my shopping bag and my purse in either hand, I waddled towards my apartment.

During the first few months of my pregnancy, I was extremely weak and nauseous. But now, I feel several times better. Now, I have reason to believe that my frailty was partly because of my mate's affair. I couldn't be more thankful that my rejection had worked. At least, I think it did. I no longer suffer from the excruciating headaches or the nonstop morning sickness. Most of all, I was delighted that my wolf survived through that brutal heartbreak, and so did my pup. 

Upon my colleague's request, I went to the hospital so that the gynecologist could check on me. Throughout the visit, I kept wondering what a human doctor would do with a werewolf pregnancy; however, they did a sonogram. Tears welled in my eyes when I noticed little limbs moving on the screen. When I returned home that day, I was beyond delighted.

All my sorrow didn't matter anymore. Nina, too, was ecstatic. Ever since that day, I have never missed an appointment. The funny thing was, they had given me an estimated due date, which was two months away. However, I knew my birth date was near. I expected labor pains would start within a couple of days.

I took my keys and was about to open my apartment door when a furry body brushed against my legs, startling me.

Yelping, I looked down and noticed the neighbor's cat purring at my feet.

"Hey, Goggles. Where is your dad?" I chuckled.

I had always thought that cats disliked our kind. But not this girl. She seemed to like me. Although humans couldn't recognize us, animals like cats and dogs could.

"Goggles!"

The stern voice of Mr. Kelvin made me cringe. I turned around and smiled the best I could. However, what I received in return was a cold stare. Mr. Kelvin was elusive. Even his cat, Goggles, was more social than him. He lived next door; however, we never really conversed over the past couple of months. 

He walked towards me. His face was stone cold. Hadn't I been fed up with men, I would have ogled him to my heart's content. With a sharp jawline and dark, wavy hair, he was extremely attractive. His toned torso was always hidden under a leather jacket, yet I didn't have any doubt that he would be ripped underneath. He was young and handsome—way too handsome for a human. However, at the same time, unapproachable.

"Why are you bothering Ms. Rainy?" He scolded Goggles, who answered him with a "meow!"

Shaking my head, "She wasn't bothering me," I told him. His cold eyes rested on my tired face. 

"Ms. Rainy, you should be resting. You are exhausted. Your baby might decide to come out at any moment." He addressed me by the name I had introduced myself to everyone. What stood out to me was how concerned he sounded. And why is he saying that my baby might come out at any moment? Humans shouldn't be aware of our short pregnancies; hence, his comment surprised me. 

"Uh..." To say I was dumbfounded would be a literal understatement. Before I could think of a quick response, a sharp pain jolted down my hips. I winced.

Forcing a smile, I tried to open my apartment door with trembling hands, yet it was useless. Another jolt of pain that lasted longer than the first one made me groan in pain.

"Ms. Rainy?"

I heard Mr. Kelvin call me in concern.

However, instead of replying, I turned around, grabbing my aching back. The pain didn't cease. It seemed to be getting worse. 

"I... Mr. Kelvin...help." My voice sounded like a little squeal towards the end. Knitting my eyebrows together, I looked at him, begging him for assistance.

"Shit!" He cursed as he took my keys and unlocked the door.

I would have protested when he scooped me up in his arms if I weren't in so much pain. He laid me on the couch and picked up his phone to call someone.

"Mara! I need you near my place! Now! And bring the healers with you!" He barked into his phone. My eyebrows furrowed.

Healers? Well, that was bizarre. I wanted to know. Gasping for breath, I opened my mouth to say something, but contractions got worse, and all I could do was groan in agony. I knew it was time for my pup to come out of my womb. I tried my best not to scream out loud.

Droplets of sweat trickled down my face as I grunted and groaned in pain. The pain jolted down from my hips towards my back. I squeezed my eyes shut. I didn't want to cry in front of Mr. Kelvin. A sweet scent hit my nose, and my eyes fluttered open.

"Help her," Mr. Kelvin told a young woman who beamed at me when our eyes met. Her hazel eyes sparkled as she walked towards me, followed by two other girls.

What confused me was that they didn't smell like humans. Why would Mr. Kelvin have contact with them? I thought humans were unaware of the existence of the mystical world. 

"Easy there, honey," she cooed as she started to massage my abdomen.

I watched as she examined my swollen stomach. She frowned after some time. 

"Your Ma... I mean, sir. I think we should take her to the hospital."

The creases on her forehead deepened as she faced Mr. Kelvin.

The discomfort in my body mattered less now. Fear gripped my heart. Is something wrong with my pup?

"What? Is something wrong?" I gasped. The woman smiled in response as Mr. Kelvin, wordlessly, scooped me up. My heart thudded in my chest. 

"Nina, please tell me that our pup is fine," I urgently linked my wolf.

"His movements have decreased," Nina's reply made my heart plummet.

No.

Tears gathered in my eyes as they climbed into Mr. Kelvin's SUV and sped off towards the hospital. I was taken to the labor ward. As time passed, the nurses realized that the umbilical cord had looped around my pup's neck twice.

According to them, I was fully prepared to push him out when I reached the hospital, so it was risky to wheel me into surgery. The labor pains had intensified, and the nurses started to urge me to push, and I pushed. The contractions seemed to be at their peak. Using the last ounce of energy left in me, I pushed him out. Gasping for breath, I tried to listen to the soft cries of my little one, yet pin-drop silence was what I heard.

"Nina?" I panicked as I hoisted myself up a bit, hoping to catch a glimpse of my pup. The wilted faces of the nurses told me that it wasn't good. The doctor was working desperately on something or rather, someone—my pup.

No

I watched him work. I didn't take notice of the nurses who tried to get me cleaned. I was too focused on his frequent attempts to wake my sleeping child. Yet his attempts seemed to be futile. My little child wasn't waking up.

Nina had gone silent. I also didn't say anything. I was praying for a miracle that would make my pup breathe. But nothing. My heart shattered when the doctor laid his motionless body on the bed and hung his head low. Tears stung my eyes. Sighing in defeat, he started to carry the little body towards me.

With no signs of life in him, I felt as though my entire chest was empty. My hands trembled as I reached out for him. Nina howled and whimpered in agony.

All those efforts to build my life for the sake of my pup were wasted. Pursing his lips, the doctor placed the cold, lifeless body of my pup on my chest as I cried bitter tears. My pup was gone.