Just This Once... Stay

~ELOWEN'S POV~

After picking up the pregnancy test results from the hospital, the "positive" outcome almost sent me into a spiral of panic. 

All through the night, I didn't sleep. I lay in bed with the results beside me on the nightstand. My hand stayed over my stomach, protecting the tiny life forming inside me.

Crying felt useless, so I didn't since It never fixed anything before, and it wouldn't now. All I could think was… how do I tell Alaric? What would be his reaction?

But Alaric didn't even give me the chance because he never came home that night.

The morning passed so slow, and by the time the front door finally pushed open in the afternoon, my heart was pounding so hard it hurt. 

I didn't move from the couch, just listened to his footsteps.

He walked past me like I wasn't there, face stone-cold, jaw set as he went straight into the bedroom. A few seconds later, I heard the wardrobe door open and drawers slide.

My stomach sank as I heard him dragging a bag on the bed. I stood and followed, my throat dry. 

"Are you… going on a business trip?" I asked, but he didn't even look up at me. 

"Tazira's not feeling well, I'll be with her for a few days."

"What?" I blinked.

"You heard me," his response was cold. "She's dizzy and her breathing is off when we talked this morning."

"S-so?" I took a shaky step toward him.

"Don't be unreasonable, Elowen. She needs someone right now." 

He zipped his bag and turned to me, irritation flashing in his eyes. My lips parted, but I couldn't find the right words. 

"Why is it that every time I try to talk to you, every time I try to reach you, she calls and you leave?"

"Because not everything is about you!" He scoffed and turned back to the closet. 

"She's not your mate, Alaric... I am! Why do you keep choosing her over me? And treating me like trash?!"

Before he could reply, his phone buzzed. He pulled it out, checked it, and his expression shifted, impatience tightening his features.

"She's calling again," he muttered and then grabbed his bag.

Of course she was. Or who else would it be?

As he turned to leave, I reached for him, heart in my throat. "No, Alaric, wait. I have something important to tell you. Please, just this once… stay."

"I'm not in the mood for another argument Wen," he snapped as he kept on walking.

I quickly moved in front of him, desperation cracking my whole body as I held his right arm. 

"It's not an argument. I just need you to—"

"Don't touch me!" He yanked his arm free. "Tazira needs me and I'm not doing this right now with you!"

He walked away again and I stumbled after him. My foot mistakenly caught the side of the rug and I crashed to the ground, landing hard on my side. 

A sharp pain flared in my lower abdomen and my hands flew to my belly.

"Alaric!" I cried, the fear in my voice slipping out. "Just this once... don't go. What if I'm pregnant?"

I had no idea when the last words flew out of my mouth, making him halt in his tracks.

For one heartbeat, I thought he might come back to the person I fell in love with, but when he turned around, his face was twisted in disgust.

"What tricks are you trying now?"

"I'm not lying," I said, voice low, body shaking.

"Of course you are because you'll say anything to keep me here." His voice was ice. 

"No... Ric, I swear, this isn't a trick. I wouldn't lie about something like this."

"Really?" He let out a bitter laugh. "You think lying you're pregnant will magically fix everything? Well, nothing will stop me from going to tend to Tazira."

"Believe me, It's not a lie Alaric," I whispered again, hot tears pouring down my cheeks but he'd already turned. 

His footsteps retreated toward the door, and then he was gone and he didn't even close the door.

I stayed on the floor, the world tilted around me as minutes passed, or maybe longer.

Pain curled deep in my stomach, low and sharp. I tried to sit up, but the cramps only worsened. My vision blurred more and my breathing turned into gasps.

I curled into myself, biting down a scream as my body felt like it was tearing inward. 

With jerking hands, I reached for my phone and my hands were clammy. It slipped once before I caught it and opened a new message.

"I'm really pregnant and feeling seriously uncomfortable, please, help me!"

As soon as I hit send to Alaric, the phone slipped from my fingers, and everything went black…