3. You are a liar

Ivy’s POV

I let the news I’ve given him sink in while I run my hand over my belly and wonder: are our babies still safe in there?

“You’re pregnant?” Theodore asks.

“Yes! With quadruplets. That’s if Tiffany didn’t kill them.”

Theodore is stunned. “How do you know you’re pregnant?”

“Nicole ran a pregnancy test when I came to town to see you. I saw the four little beating hearts of our babies on the ultrasound machine.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Theodore is still clearly trying to put all of this new information together. “I needed to know about something so important.”

“Of course you do. That’s why I was on the way to your house, to tell you, before the car crash changed everything.”

Theodore sits on the chair next to me. I can see the effect my words are having on him. “But how can I believe you? You’ve told so many lies.”

“Nicole has the file. She did a pregnancy test and a scan. She’ll have the evidence that we’re having four little pups. That is unless Tiffany killed them.” I remember and suddenly become scared. What if my babies are gone?

Theodore jumps to his feet. “I must speak to Nicole.”

Theodore calls one of his security guards outside the hospital room in the hallway. “Go and find Dr. Nicole. I need her here immediately.”

“You’ll see the truth just now. And maybe finally you’ll understand that Tiffany is at the root of all of our problems. She’s an evil liar who wants only one thing: my place as Luna and she’s willing to do anything to get it.”

“Stop! Ivy, I don’t want to hear any more of your wild accusations! Let’s wait for Nicole.”

Though his words are harsh, I can hear that he’s softening. Our babies will finally bring him to my side for good. Now at least I have Nicole to corroborate my words.

Nicole comes in, rushes to me and takes my hand. “Ivy, I knew you’d wake up from the coma. What a terrible time you’ve gone through! How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling surprisingly good, thanks for caring about me, Nicole. You’re a good friend.”

“Nicole, I want to see the photo from the scan of our babies,” Theodore says. He is wasting no time with niceties.

Nicole stands and goes to him. “I’m sorry, I can’t provide you with that. On that day our machine was broken. I even told Ivy that when she asked for a photo.”

“Well that’s convenient,” Theodore says.

“It’s not a matter of convenience, it’s a fact,” Nicole says.

“What about the pregnancy test? I want to see the file. Can I send someone to get it from your surgery?” Theodore asks.

Nicole looks at me and it’s clear something is wrong. “I...I...don’t know how to say this. Ivy, when you were in the coma we had a break-in at the surgery. The door was broken and things were knocked around, but nothing was stolen...except your file.”

Theodore looks at me with a smug, know-it-all look. “I knew as much! No evidence that you’re pregnant. Just a lie you concocted with your friend Nicole! I’m finished here!”

“All due respect, Alpha, but I’m a professional medical practitioner. I would not lie about a pregnancy because a patient asked me to. I take offence at the suggestion,” Nicole says, clearly annoyed.

“I don’t care what offends you, Nicole! I’m tired of being lied to and manipulated by Ivy and now by you. I would not put it past her to pull you into her nonsense. Also, I don’t need to remind you that I’m the Alpha. You should tread carefully with your words, Doctor.”

“I can only think of one person who would have stolen that medical file,” I say. How far is Tiffany willing to go?

“So first Tiffany is a murderer and now she’s a thief?” Theodore says. “What next? An international terrorist?” He smiles sarcastically.

“I wouldn’t put anything past her. I think you’d even try to find a way to find her innocent if she was a terrorist! She really has you on her leash like a tame little dog!” I say, angry.

Theodore glares at me. I can see the anger pushing his wolf forward. I must watch myself.

“Fine, if she’s pregnant you can always do another pregnancy test and scan,” Theodore says. “Let’s set things up for that.”

Nicole looks at me and I can see something is wrong. She looks at Theodore and hesitates to speak.

“What?” he says getting annoyed. “Nicole, I told you to go and get the machine. I want to see my pups. Why are you just standing there? Why do you disobey me?”

She comes and sits next to me on the bed, ignoring Theodore. She takes my hand and holds it to her heart. I know what she’s about to say before she says it.

“When you were in a coma I worried about the babies. I did an ultrasound. Nicole, the crash caused you to miscarry. The babies are gone, Nicole. I’m so sorry to give you that news.”

Nicole hugs me. I can’t believe my four little babies are gone! They were so alive, their hearts pumping, and now they are gone. I cry into Nicole’s shoulder. How much more must I take?

“How convenient! The file stolen, the machine broken so no photo, and now a miscarriage! How far will you go with your lies, Ivy? How far?” Theodore is furious.

I push Nicole away so that I can see Theodore clearly. “What could I gain from lying about a pregnancy? It would be only a handful of months and it would be evident that there was no pregnancy.”

“Yes! But in the meanwhile you would be back in my house, back to being Luna of Silver Claw. The pack would be overjoyed and welcoming of you again, only thinking of the pups, the future heirs of the Silver Claw Pack. They would forget all of your many misdeeds and forgive you completely. What would you gain? Everything!”

“Why can’t you see the truth?! Tiffany caused the accident that nearly killed me and succeeded in killing our four babies. Does that mean nothing to you?”

“Yes Ivy, it means everything to me! Your crazy, wild talk means a lot. It means that you are out to get Tiffany in any way possible. Even lying about being pregnant. It confirms yet again that you are a liar and that someone like you can never be Luna!” He turns and leaves.

Nicole takes me in her arms again. Over her shoulder I see Tiffany. She turns to look directly at me and smiles victoriously and then follows Theodore down the hallway.

I ignore my anger, it’s too much. There are too many emotions. How can the babies be gone? I weep and Nicole holds me. I cry until I am empty.

Nicole offers me a tissue and I wipe my face.

“I know it doesn’t seem like it, but one day Theodore will understand the truth,” Nicole tries. “I’m so sorry about you losing the babies.”

“Thank you, Nicole. Things seemed so much better. I even accepted that I might have been raising those babies alone, and that was alright too. But it’s all gone. I need to accept that.”

We sit silently for a bit. I look out the window at the gloomy sky that reflects my life perfectly. I wish I had a wolf in me. Maybe if I had a wolf in me I might have been able to save my babies.

“I need to go finish rounds,” Nicole says. “But you know I’ve been thinking how this is all very strange.”

“Strange in what way?”

“That crash was horrendous. Your car hit that tree at 85 mph, a head on crash. No one survives a crash like that. But you did. And the injuries that you received should have taken months to heal, some even years. Instead you’re nearly completely healed in only a week.”

“I’m not sure why that happened. I guess I’m lucky. I’m happy I survived and glad I’ve healed. I wish my babies would have survived too.”

“Yes, I know. And I’m so very sorry about that.” Nicole stood. “I need to go. I’ll check on you before I leave.”

She goes and I think further about what she’s said. It nearly sounds as if I have a wolf in me the way in which I healed, though I know I don’t. I wish I did though. I wish I had a strong, powerful wolf that could emerge and help me get my revenge. Instead I’m a weak human.

I lay back and wonder what my life will be now. Will I return to Grandma Susan’s and wait and hope that the Alpha will call me back one day? That seems unlikely. Should I just wander off into the woods and try to find somewhere where a wolfless Luna with no family can live the rest of my days?

I hear a voice, a strong, powerful voice.

Stop it! You are not made to be pitied!

You are not a weak person. You are a powerful queen.

I sit up in bed. I’m not certain where that voice came from though I feel it is a wolf talking.