A Shock at School

It took weeks after the incident at the birthday party of Selena. Flora attempted to concentrate on her life, but her thoughts were usually going back to that night. She had gone today with Lily to the pack grounds to see the young pups being trained. The sun was pleasant, the grass warm under their feet, and the laughter and the barks were all about them. Flora almost felt normal, almost at peace.

That is one, Lily said. "He's determined but clumsy. Like dad was when he was their age.

Flora chuckled softly. "Yeah, he really is. They are quite lively, it is pleasant to see them doing so.

They leaned against the fence, and watched the pups tumbling and running, and at one time growling at each other in play. It was a cool morning, and, as it were, Flora almost forgot all the rest. Almost.

Then a voice broke the silence.

"Flora! Wait!"

She turned sharply. Ryan Carter was running at them with a blushed, desperate face. Her stomach sank.

"Ryan?" Lily replied, moving a little forward towards Flora. "What are you doing here?"

Ryan paused a couple of feet, gasping. "I... I must speak with you, he said, and glanced between the two of you. His eyes landed on Flora. "Flora, please... I'm sorry. I was wrong. I didn't mean what I did. Do, pray, allow me another opportunity.

Flora's jaw tightened. Her hands balled into fists. Her pulse would be racing--but it was not the anger. Something which she was not quite clear about.

"Another chance?" Lily said sharply. "After everything you did? And after being so unfaithful to her?

I know I broke the trust that she had in me, said Ryan, looking at Lily now. "I wanted to apologize. I didn't mean to ruin it. I..." His voice faltered.

"You have some balls don't you?" Lily snapped. "You ruined her trust. You cheated on her. You used her to get a job. You lied to both of us." Her voice was steady, cold. Do you even know what that means? Do you see what you use when you take somebody to get something that you never deserved! You were playing in her face how long! Years? Months! All because you needed money to support you and your cheating whore!

Ryan opened his mouth looking irritated. Lily, you are intruding into my and Flora personal life! And I will not have you tell Selena that she is a whore.

"Interfering?" Her voice was low and threatening, Lily repeated. "I am the alpha's daughter, Ryan. You will respect me and I will call Selena a where and there is no thing you can do. You were using Flora to obtain a job that you did not deserve and you dared to cheat on her? And how pathetic that is, do you know?

The head of Flora was in a swivel. She was going to say something, and then she felt her knees gave way due to the stress, anger, and fear. The world tilted. Her vision blurred.

"Flora?" Lily's voice sounded far away. "Flora!"

She attempted to concentrate, to talk, to say something, anything, then the world became black.

Flora woke up to sterile white of a hospital room, the beeping of the monitors surrounding her, and the coldness of the hand of a nurse touching the forehead. She flicked her eyes, and made an attempt to rise.

Easy, easy, the nurse replied as she helped her to lean back on the bed. "You fainted. Don't try to get up too fast."

Lily was there by her at once, holding her hand. "Flora, are you okay? What happened?"

"I... I do not know, I do not know, she said in a weak voice, trembling. "I just... my head... everything..."

The nurse nodded and touched a panel button. Here comes Doctor Steele in half a moment. He will examine you to the letter.

Flora's pulse raced. She was in a disordered state of mind--Marcus, the night at his house, Ryan, the pressure of keeping everything a secret. Her body was betraying her.

Lily kept squeezing her hand. "It's okay, Flora. You're safe here. Just breathe."

The doctor came in a few minutes later. Dr. Harris was a very tall man with kind eyes and he looked between the two. "Hello, Flora. I know you fainted on the spot. Any recent nausea, dizziness, other symptoms?

Flora swallowed hard. "Yes... I have been... a bit light headed, fatigued... nauseated. She blushed, and could not say how feeble she was.

Dr. Harris nodded. Ok, I would like to conduct some basic tests. Blood work, urine, the usual."

The nurse took Flora to a little examination room. She tightened her eyes and made time to breath. Lily kept in touch, murmuring encouragingly.

With a moment, the doctor came back with the results, and he did not show any expression. Flora's heart skipped a beat.

I have taken the tests, Flora, he said very carefully, and... you are pregnant.

Flora stood still with her eyes open. I could not take the words at first.

"Pregnant?" almost in disbelief she whispered.

Dr. Harris nodded. "Yes. You are still only in the infancy, but it is confirmed. How are you feeling?"

Flora experienced an assortment of feelings--shock, fear, guilt and a peculiar feeling of inevitability. She was not able to see Lily; she was not even able to speak.

Lily still had the look of having seen a ghost.

"Pregnant." She continued mumbling as though she was uttering the word to bring her out of the dreadful nightmare.

Flora nodded slowly, but her head was whirling. Oh God. What have I done? she thought.

The physician went on, telling her how to take care of early pregnancy, and Flora listened hardly at all. The only thing that kept coming to her mind was the secret she was keeping, the man she was not telling and the effects that were about to get out of her life.

And there was the scene completed, and the words suspended in the air:

"You are pregnant."