Chapter || 9

Allie's POV

Jess half-supported me out of the hospital, she had her arm hooked tightly around mine.

The second we got into her car, I blurted out the first word that came to my head. "Pharmacy. Now."

When we pulled up outside the little twenty-four-hour pharmacy, she gave me a worried look, but I ignored it and pushed the door open before she could say anything.

I grabbed a basket when I got inside and went straight for the aisle I needed. I grabbed pregnancy tests, different brands, different sizes. If one was wrong, the others couldn't all be, right?

"Allie, are you okay?"

I glanced sideways to see Jess hovering beside me.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?" She tried again.

"I said I'm fine." I snapped at her.

"I know you're not. Don't lie to me."

I frowned. "What do you want me to say, huh? Yay, pregnancy. Yay, werewolf. Yay, mate. Jess, please... just leave me alone."

Her expression twisted from concern to annoyance. She didn't say a word after. She just followed me to the counter where I slapped the tests down and paid, ignoring the cashier's raised brow.

She was a middle-aged woman who probably had kids my age. So she should be aware of what pregnancy means. People had to learn how to mind their damn business.

Back in the car, Jess started again. "Allie... if you're pregnant..."

"I'm not pregnant." I cut her off before she could finish.

She squinted at me, narrowing her eyes. "Did you use protection?" When I didn't answer, she continued. "I thought as much. What if..."

"Wait." I turned in my seat, staring at her. "Whose side are you on? Aren't you supposed to be hoping with me?"

She pressed her lips into a thin line and did not answer me. The porch light was on when she pulled up outside my house.

"Can we... can we not? Can we go to your house instead?"

She nodded. "Okay. My house."

I muttered, "Thanks," and hugged myself.

At her place, she didn't even waste a second. She shoved me into the bathroom with the bag of tests and waited outside while I unwrapped box after box, lined them up on the sink.

"You check," I whispered when it came time to look.

"You're pregnant." She turned to me with a pale face after picking them up one by one.

I shook my head. "That's a lie. Let me see."

She grabbed the sticks before I could snatch them away. "Allie, stop. You can't do this to yourself. What's done is done. You're pregnant. That's it."

I stared at Jess like she'd just said something I didn't already know. What was worse? Turning into a werewolf or being pregnant with a werewolf's child?

I had been so desperate that night. Lucas had been so driven by lust that we both had sex without protection. But... since it was my first time, I wasn't supposed to conceive a baby... right?

My skin felt cold, and slowly, my hands went to my stomach, and I couldn't stop the empty laugh that slipped out of my mouth. "I'm pregnant."

"Yes, Allie cat," Jess said.

I looked down again, at my flat stomach. I had a baby in me? I didn't even know when I smiled. "Jess... I'm pregnant. I'm really pregnant."

Her brows pulled together, obviously confused by the shift in my reaction. "Allie... are you okay?"

I nodded quickly. "Yeah, I am. I've just been dazed. I don't know what to think."

She bit her lip, then asked gently, "Are you going to keep the baby?"

"Of course. Why would you even ask me that?"

Jess shrugged. "Because it's not a normal pregnancy."

"So?" I snapped. "It's my baby. And yeah, I admit I was in shock earlier, with the whole healer thing and Drew being a werewolf. But now..." I laughed breathlessly. "It's my baby. A mini me, Jess."

She half-smiled. "Yeah, you're getting excited."

"Why not? It's here," I said, shrugging. I rubbed my stomach a little.

Jess shook her head. "Don't mind me. I'm just nervous. But you're right."

We smiled, and then Jess shrieked, "Oh my God, I'm gonna be a godmother."

I laughed at her silliness. "Um... about that,"

"Don't even dare, Allie."

We laughed again and when her phone rang, she glanced at the screen and then left her room to answer it. Sitting on her bed, I didn't mean to. But my hearing picked up every word. Jess was meeting up with Drew. When she came back in, she smiled again.

I mirrored her smile with mine. "Anything you'd like me to know?"

"No. Just get some rest, okay? I'll be right back."

Jess left and the silence that settled over was thick. I stood up and went into her kitchen. There was one thing on my mind. Two things, rather. Or preferably both.

Cake. Ice cream.

Just because I'd been diagnosed with diabetes, it had been a while since I had sugary stuff like that. Must be the baby making a first appearance.

Or not really a first since my appetite had increased since last week and I'd just been too careless to notice it. I opened Jess's freezer.

A whole cookie dough ice cream sat there and beneath that was a half-eaten chocolate cake wrapped in foil. I grinned and grabbed them. Jess was an absolute angel and I was sure she wouldn't mind me raiding her stash.

I set both on the counter, grabbed a spoon and dug in. Cold sweetness hit my tongue and I moaned. "Oh my God, yes. This is heaven. Screw salads."

After a few mouthfuls, I entered G****e and typed into the search bar with my sticky fingers. Teenage pregnancy what to do.

I read the first article out loud. "Step one: Take a pregnancy test. Done. Step two: See a doctor to confirm the pregnancy. Yeah, no thanks. I already have a healer," I sighed softly and shoved more cake into my mouth.

I scrolled. "Step three, prenatal vitamins. Step four, avoid stress." I snorted. After just finding out that I'm carrying a werewolf hybrid baby... Was it possible to avoid stress?

I took another spoonful. "It says I should tell the father." Check that one. The father already knew. I licked the spoon and stared at my phone.

The next article was what I dreaded. But I tapped on it anyway. Risks of teenage pregnancy. Increased chance of complications. Preterm labour. High blood pressure.

My smile faded a little. None of these sounded fun at all. I shifted in the chair. All of these signs that say that I had to be puking by now or craving weird stuff made me think twice about the ice cream.

The next article said to talk to someone you trust. That someone would be my mum. But first...: teen pregnancy with diabetes and asthma.

The results are loaded. Okay, here we go. 'Pregnant teens with type 1 diabetes are at increased risk of complications.' I dropped my spoon, suddenly not hungry.

I read the next one out, because it felt less scary that way. "Risks include... pre-eclampsia, larger babies, stillbirth..." My voice cracked. "Stillbirth?"

I was done reading. And honestly, I didn't care if I had diabetes anymore. I suddenly wanted to do what I had to do. I'd gone through a lot the past few weeks.

I almost thought I'd turn into a monster. But here I was, not turning but pregnant. I knew I had to tell my mother. Heck, I had to let my family know.

I was still debating how to break the news when Jess came back home. "Allie," she said softly.

"You're back."

"Allie, I just met with Drew. He's concerned about your well-being, and so is Lucas. They want to meet up."

I stared at her. I was just on the verge of calling my mum and now this? I was one person. I had to deal with this in bits.

"What did Drew say to you?" I asked her.

"Well, nothing that isn't true. Allie, you know that this isn't a normal pregnancy right? You're carrying a werewolf's baby."

"Don't say it like that," I muttered. When she said it that way, it felt like I was pregnant with a monster.

"It's the truth," she pressed. "You know that your baby will have a wolf, he'll shift, he'll be just like his father. And Lucas is strong and protective. That makes him the safest person to have near you right now."

I shook my head. "No. No, Jess. I have you. I... I want to tell my mother. I'll have the support I need. I can even stay here with you."

"It's not that easy. I cannot let you stay with me. I don't know what you could do. What if the baby makes you want to hurt me?"

I opened my mouth. "I would never hurt you, Jess."

"That's it. You wouldn't but you don't know. What if the baby wants you to hurt me?"

I smiled hurtfully. "You think that I'm pregnant with a monster. Just say it. You're scared of me."

Jess folded her arms across her chest. "Allie cat, this isn't about what I think. Stop pretending like you can handle this by yourself. You've got diabetes, you've got asthma. That's why, I need to take you back to Lucas and Isabel. You could've stayed with me but I don't understand supernatural pregnancies."

I shut my eyes and reopened them. "I know what could go wrong. I've been reading about everything that could happen. But I need time. It was different when I thought I was changing into a monster. Now, I know that I am just pregnant. I need to take it all in first."

"Allison, your baby doesn't need time. Look, I'm gonna be here for you. I'll give you emotional support and stuff. But after speaking to Drew, you're not safe with me."

"Drew. You've been talking to Drew?" I frowned. "Did he try to convince you that I needed to be with Lucas? What did he say to you that's making you want me to leave?"

"He told me what might happen to you or the baby if you stayed. And I do not want that to happen to you, Allie. You need..."

"Stop! Stop telling me that I need. I know what I need." I dragged in a ragged breath. "I just think I should breathe first without you all deciding my life for me."

I left Jess after my outburst. I didn't even know how I got back to my house, but I knew that one moment, I was staggering and the next moment, I was inside the comfort of my home.

Caden, who was in the middle of a video game, paused it and glanced at me and he stood up. "Do I want to know why you look this disoriented?" He raised a brow.

"Is... Is mum home?" I asked him.

"No. She left with Dad an hour ago." He replied.

"Okay. I'm..." I paused, thinking about how Caden would react to this news. "I'm pregnant, Caden."

His first gaze went to my stomach and then to my face. While my hands fidgeted in my lap, my brother still hadn't said a word.

"Who's the father?" He asked after a while.

"Uh... Some guy." I replied because I hadn't expected that to be the first question he'd ask. And I was kinda expecting him to freak out or something.

Then softly, he asked. "Are you okay? When did you find out? Oh, damn. I can't imagine how you'd be feeling, Allie."

"I am... I am dazed. And confused," I admitted.

Caden hugged me tightly and I fought the urge to cry on his shoulder. Even if I knew he'd let me.

"You'll be okay, Allie."

"Yeah, I wish I could."