Chapter Three_ Pregnant.

Nerissa’s POV

The days following prom were some of my worst ever.

Vivian always had questions about the mark on my neck. Initially, I attempted to lie. I told her that I had a scratch on myself. She didn’t believe me. Next she charged me with going around with any male from the academy. I denied it again. This only complicated the situation further.

After dinner one night she dragged me into the kitchen and slapped me across the face so hard that I lost my senses in an instant.

“You shameless girl!” Vivian screamed. “Who touched you?”

“Nothing that I did was wrong,” I cried.

Vivian grabbed my hair in such a way that it was raised like a hairpin. “That mark was there alone?”

There was a dining table nearby where Cedric was sitting and reading papers. He didn’t stop her. Not once.

“Answer me!” Vivian shrieked before shoving me up against the counter with force.

At once, there was a pain in my side. I gasped loudly.

I cried as the pain hit in waves. “Please…”

Vivian's eyes seemed to be filled with dismay.

“You are already a disgrace due to your looks,” she shrieked. “But now you're acting like a whore as well?”

“NO! I’m not,” I whispered weakly. The second time around the second strike came immediately. So it was worse from that night on.

Vivian was always looking through my room, asking me all sorts of questions, and insulting me whenever she could. In arguments, she threw things at me sometimes. Other times she simply shoved me around whenever she became angry.

The following week she got her fist in my ribs and left some broken.

Afterwards, breathing was painful.

Nevertheless, I was going to school every day.

I had no choice.

Discovered ways to cover bruises with long sleeves and collars. I was walking slower due to the pain in my ribs, but no one at the academy paid much attention to me.

I was a ghost in my students' presence the majority of the time.

Including Kaelen.

Especially Kaelen.

I couldn't help but feel a sick feeling inside my stomach every time I would see his face across the halls of the academy.

Since that night, I felt like maybe there should be a difference between us.

I was idiotic to imagine that. I didn't even exist for Kaelen. There were times that we bumped into each other in the hallways but he always ignored me. Then, I stopped seeing him. It was less painful this way. At least… I tried telling myself that it did.

During one morning of the combat strategy class, something just didn't feel right.

It began with some dizziness. Soon I was overcome by nausea. My tummy felt like it would burst open.

I placed my hand over my mouth right away.

One other student in the group frowned beside me. “Are you okay?”

I quickly stood up from my seat. I weakly said I needed to use the restroom, and hurried off. When I got to the bathroom, i tried to throw up but nothing came out.

I could feel my whole body vibrating. I held the sink in my hands with a firm grip and I was breathing hard.

“What is the matter with me?” I whispered shakily.

Perhaps it was bad food I ate. I washed my face, and then I slowly came out of the restroom. However, the dizziness wouldn't go away. The corridor of the academy was hazy around me and the students were walking through it and having a good time talking and laughing.

I attempted to take another stride.

One day, just as I was about to close my eyes one last time, I saw nothing but darkness.

The only thing I recall was my knees giving way under me.

I opened my eyes again, and all the things smelt of medicine. The pain in my head was intolerable.

Light was diffused by the soft light that streamed through some nearby windows, and strange white curtains were draped around the bed.

The academy clinic.

Immediately, I was confused. Then I saw those people standing next to my bed. Vivian. Cedric.

And Doctor Hale. Nobody looked calm. A sense of fear gradually devoured my heart.

I struggled to get up a little bit off the pillows. “What happened?”

Nobody answered immediately. Vivian looked furious. Cedric seemed to be very pale.

With careful speech and his glasses adjusted, Doctor Hale said.

“You fell down just this morning,” he said in a soothing tone.

I nodded slowly.

“I know.”

After a moment the doctor looked at my parents. Then he sighed softly. “While treating you, we performed some tests.”

My tummy knotted in a knot when I heard his voice.

Doctor Hale proceeded, “Nerissa… you're pregnant.”

All around me froze.

I thought at first that I heard wrong.

“What?”

The doctor's face was still. “ you are carrying a child Nerissa.”

Pregnant?

No. No way. My hand slowly went to my stomach.

I was struck with numbness all over my body. There was a silence that hung in the room. Then Vivian exploded.

“You dirty girl!,” she suddenly shouted out. “You low life bitch!”

I flinched violently.

“I knew it!” Vivian shouted furiously. “You were different, I knew that something wasn't right with you!”

This caused my eyes to fill with tears as soon as they opened.

“I—”

“How can you be so bold?” Vivian continued. “Sleezing around while in our home?”

“I didn’t—”

“Enough!” Cedric roared suddenly.

All was hushed at once. My father appeared angry. Not at Vivian. At me.

His eyes gazed  right into mine, and they were dangerous.

“Who's the  father?” he demanded coldly.

A feeling of fear came over me in no time. I lowered my gaze. Cedric stepped closer to the bed.

“ I will ask you one last time, who is the father of your baby!”

My throat went dry..

I couldn’t say it. I couldn't say his name, Kaelen's. Not after he threatened to kill me. 

“Nerissa,” darkly warned Cedric, “ you are wasting my time!” 

Vivian crossed her arms and was angry. “She will probably not even be able to tell the father's name. I bet she fucks a lot daily.”

"Uh, no," I said quietly. “Ive only slept with one man!”

Cedric's eyes immediately narrowed. “So you do know.”

I stayed silent. My heart pounded painfully hard against my chest. Should Kaelen discover… There was fear in my stomach. Cedric didn't have a lot of patience.

“Answer me now!” His voice came across a bit sharply, and I jumped.

I couldn't see very well with my eyes watering.

“After prom,” I whispered shakily.

Vivian scoffed loudly. Cedric kept his silence, waiting, listening as I narrated all that led to this moment.  “He had been drugged…”

Vivian rolled her eyes. “That's a pathetic reason,” was the answer.

I cried softly, 'I'm telling the truth.l

Cedric’s face darkened. “Who?”

My lips trembled. All at once the room seemed too small. Too suffocating.

“I need a name.” Cedric demanded again.

I squeezed my eyes shut briefly.

At last, a voice said in a hushed tone, with the sound of the word that would alter history.

“Kaelen.”

A hush fell over the room. Even Vivian froze. Cedric looked at me very seriously.

“Kaelan… the Lycan King?” he whispered.

I nodded weakly.

Vivian recovered first.

“This little snake,” She hissed furiously. “She was like, ‘Oh boy, she's in love with him!I knew she was in love with him!”

Enough was enough for Cedric, who suddenly snapped, "That's enough.”

Vivian looked shocked.

Cedric seldom interrupted her. But now his face had grown menacing and serious. His eyes were angry, but something else had come into them as well.

This was no longer just another dirty little scandal. This included the future Lycan King. Cedric began to turn towards Doctor Hale slowly. Then he uttered the words that put a layer of fear in my chest.

“Call the Draven family, we need to discuss it.”