THE WOLF WITHIN:CLAIMED BY THE ALPHA

“There is no heartbeat, you have lost the baby”

The ultrasound monitor was completely black and gray. The screen flickered slightly under the bright fluorescent lights of the hospital room. I held my breath and stared at the monitor with desperate hope. I squeezed my hands tightly together on top of the thin hospital blanket.

Dr. Lewis moved the cold wand across my stomach again. He pressed down a little harder. The room was incredibly quiet. The silence was heavy and thick. It felt like a physical weight pressing down on my chest. There was no rhythmic whooshing sound. There was no fast heartbeat echoing through the small speaker.

"Sienna," Dr. Lewis said softly. He pulled the wand away and grabbed a white towel to wipe the gel from my stomach. He could not look me directly in the eyes. "I am so sorry. There is no heartbeat. You have lost the baby."

The words hit me with the force of a speeding train. The entire hospital room tilted sideways. I grabbed the metal railing of the bed to keep myself from falling out. My vision blurred instantly as hot tears flooded my eyes.

"That is impossible," I whispered. My voice sounded cracked and broken. "I am twelve weeks along. We heard the heartbeat last month. It was strong and fast. You told me the baby was perfectly healthy."

"Sometimes these things just happen in the first trimester," Dr. Lewis explained gently. He pulled up a chair and sat down next to my bed. "Your body is very stressed. You are a wolfless omega and carrying an Alpha pup takes a massive toll on your physical system. Your body simply could not sustain the pregnancy."

I wrapped my arms tightly around my stomach. I bent forward and let out a loud sob. It felt like someone had reached inside my chest and violently ripped my heart out. We had been trying to have a baby for three long years. I took dozens of painful fertility injections. I completely changed my diet. I gave up my career in interior design to stay home and rest just like Julian ordered me to do.

Julian.

I needed my husband. I needed the Alpha of the Vanguard Pack to hold me and tell me we would somehow survive this terrible nightmare.

I reached for my cell phone resting on the side table. My hands shook so violently I dropped the phone on the blanket twice. I finally unlocked the screen and dialed Julian's private number. The phone rang three times before it went straight to voicemail.

I called him again. The automated voice told me to leave a message.

"Please pick up the phone Julian," I cried into the receiver. "I am at the city hospital. Something terrible happened. We lost the baby. Please come here right now. I need you so much."

I ended the call and dialed his office number. His secretary answered immediately with a very crisp and professional tone.

"Vanguard Corporation. How may I direct your call?"

"This is Sienna," I said quickly and wiped the tears from my cheeks. "I need to speak to Julian immediately. It is a severe medical emergency."

The secretary sighed loudly into the phone. "I am sorry Mrs. Vanguard. The Alpha left the office three hours ago. He gave me strict instructions not to disturb him under any circumstances this evening. He said he was preparing for a very important private event at the penthouse."

"A private event?" I repeated the words in total confusion.

"Yes ma'am," the secretary replied. "I cannot reach him. I suggest you call a taxi if you need a ride home."

She hung up the phone before I could say another word.

I sat alone in the hospital bed for two hours while the nurses finished my paperwork. Every single time a nurse walked into the room I looked up with hopeful eyes. I expected to see Julian rushing through the door with a worried expression. But the door only brought more strangers. My husband never came. He never called me back.

The hospital staff gave me a small bag of pain medication and told me to rest for a few days. I put my coat over my shoulders and walked slowly out of the building. The physical pain in my stomach was a dull ache but the emotional agony was completely unbearable.

It was raining heavily outside. The modern city streets were dark and covered in deep puddles. I stood on the wet sidewalk and waved down a yellow taxi. I climbed into the back seat and gave the driver the address to the Vanguard penthouse.

The taxi drove through the busy downtown traffic. I leaned my head against the cold glass window and watched the raindrops slide down the pane like heavy tears. I thought about my marriage. I thought about the early days when Julian and I lived in a tiny apartment. He was not an Alpha back then. He was just a struggling businessman trying to build a software company. I worked two jobs as a waitress and a graphic designer to pay our rent. I bought his very first tailored suit for his investor meetings. I gave him every single piece of my heart and all of my money.

When his company finally succeeded, the Vanguard Pack officially recognized him as their Alpha. We moved into a massive luxury penthouse. Julian bought expensive cars and wore designer watches. But he became very cold. He started spending late nights at the office. He told me he was just busy providing for our future family. I believed his excuses because I loved him deeply.

The taxi stopped in front of a towering glass skyscraper. I paid the driver and stepped out into the freezing rain.

I walked into the grand lobby of the building. The security guards bowed their heads respectfully when they saw me. I stepped into the private elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. The metal box shot upward smoothly.

When the elevator doors finally opened, I stopped dead in my tracks.

Loud jazz music drifted down the long marble hallway. The entire penthouse was brightly lit. I could hear the sound of dozens of people talking and laughing. The smell of expensive catered food and sweet vanilla cake filled the air.

I walked slowly down the hallway. My wet shoes squeaked quietly against the shiny marble floor.

I reached the entrance of the main living room. The massive space was decorated with hundreds of blue and gold balloons. Large tables were covered with tall crystal glasses and expensive champagne. Dozens of high ranking pack members stood around in beautiful evening gowns and sharp suits.

Hanging directly above the grand stone fireplace was a massive silk banner with elegant gold letters.

The banner read: Welcome Baby Vanguard.

I stared at the words in complete confusion. My brain could not process the image in front of me. Why would Julian throw a surprise baby shower today? I was only twelve weeks pregnant. We did not even know the gender of the baby yet. Why were the balloons blue?

The crowd of pack members suddenly parted like the red sea.

Julian stood in the very center of the room. He wore a stunning tailored black suit. His dark hair was styled perfectly and his handsome face was glowing with genuine happiness. He held a glass of champagne in his right hand.

His left hand was resting intimately on the waist of a beautiful woman.

It was Scarlett. She was a famous pack socialite and a popular fashion model. She wore a tight blue dress that hugged her curves perfectly. Her blonde hair fell over her shoulders in perfect waves. She was glowing with health and beauty. And her stomach was very clearly swollen with a pregnancy that was much further along than mine ever was.

Julian leaned down and kissed Scarlett deeply on the cheek. He rubbed her pregnant belly lovingly.

"I want to thank all of you for coming tonight," Julian announced loudly to the smiling crowd. "Scarlett and I are thrilled to welcome a strong Alpha son into the world very soon. The future of the Vanguard Pack is completely secure."

The pack members clapped loudly and raised their glasses in a toast.

A heavy glass vase slipped from my numb fingers and crashed onto the marble floor.

The loud shattering sound cut through the music and the applause instantly. Every single person in the room turned their heads to look at me. I stood in the doorway completely soaked with rain. My face was pale and my eyes were red from crying at the hospital. I looked like a ghost haunting a beautiful party.

Julian turned around and saw me standing there. The bright smile on his face vanished immediately. He did not look surprised to see me. He did not look worried about my health. He looked deeply annoyed that I had interrupted his perfect celebration.

"Julian," I whispered. My voice trembled so much I could barely speak the single word.

He handed his champagne glass to a waiter. He whispered something into Scarlett's ear before he walked slowly across the room toward me. He stopped two feet away and glared at my wet clothes.

"What are you doing here Sienna?" Julian asked in a low and furious voice. "You are ruining the celebration. Go upstairs and pack your bags right now. My real family is moving into this house tonight."