Page 30 of Embraced By the Alpha Pack

“So far, so good. She fell asleep a little while ago.” I thread my fingers through her hair, staring at the strands as they fall through my fingers. Her natural blonde roots are growing out and it’s almost platinum. Her wolf’s color makes more sense now besides the being moon touched.

“As long as she’s comfortable, that’s all that matters.” Griffin glances up into the rear-view mirror and smiles.

“Whose pup do you think she’s carrying?” I look down at her belly and it’s just starting to change shape. Gently, I reach down and give it a rub, hoping for a healthy baby.

“Does it really matter?” Griffin asks, and it makes me wonder.

“Honestly no. I’m curious, though.” Shrugging my shoulders, I smile and stare down at our mate. I feel the car turn and look up to see the clinic that’s located on the far side of the pack lands. Gently, I shake her and her eyes flutter open.

“Are we at the doctors?” Grace yawns and stretches.

“Just arrived.” Griffin parks the car and gets out. He comes over to the passenger’s side door and opens it, reaching in for Grace’s hand. He helps her out and I exit from my side.

Grace is tucked into Griffin’s side as we enter the clinic from the back. I follow behind them as we weave through the building to the room with Grace’s name on it. Griffin passes Grace to me and then opens the door and flips on the light and checks the room. “Clear…” Grace and I enter and she hops up onto the table and lays down.

“What? I’ve been through this before.” She says, catching the puzzled looks from Griffin and I.

“So what should we be expecting during this visit?” I figured I would ask since Griffin is setting up the video call with his brothers and Nic since everyone can’t cram in here.

Grace sits back and turns to face us. “Blood work, an internal ultrasound, and images of our baby. Other than that, she may ask for a urine sample to check for proteins and sugar levels. Then she’ll advise on diet changes and probably check my weight to track the baby’s growth.” Grace’s eyes dart back and forth from mine, Griffin’s and then the phone he’s holding up.

“That’s pretty cut and dry. Nothing insane.” I shrug my shoulders and Grace seems to be pleased by my response.

“What does she mean, internal ultrasound?” Ethan’s voice comes through loud and clear.

Grace motions for Griffin to bring her the phone. He hands her the phone, and she flips the camera into selfie mode. “Ethan … There’s an ultrasound wand that goes inside me to get the best images of the baby.” I lean over Grace’s shoulder and watch the color fade from Ethan’s face.

“Oh…” He looks over at, I’m guessing, Conrad. “Did you know about this?”

Conrad tries to hide his laughter. “Yes, I read the website that Grace gave us.”

Just as the guys were debating the need for the ultrasound, the doctor steps into the room and Grace hands the phone to Griffin. “Mrs Murphy, I’m Doctor Belinda Carlson. Some patients prefer to call me Dr B.” She’s an older woman and, by the smell of it, she’s a bear shifter.

“Great to meet you, Dr B.” Grace is genuinely excited to see the doctor.

Seeing how uncomfortable Griffin is with the entire situation, I move to sit next to him while the Doctor and Grace get ready for the exam. Grace returns from the changing room wearing a gown, then climbs up onto the table again and gets into position. I listen carefully to the doctor, explaining everything to Grace as she slides the probe in. On the screen we see the first of the images pop up. The baby looks like a large peanut in a balloon. “How far along do you believe you are, Grace?” The Doctor asks as she takes measurements.

“I believe a little over a month? Is that right, Griffin?” Griffin almost drops the phone when Grace asks him the question.

“Month and a half, give or take a few days.” Conrad’s voice can be heard from the phone.

“Okay, that changes things.” The Dr says and goes back to measuring.

“I don’t understand what you mean, Doc. Can you please explain?” I scoot closer to Grace and hold her hand, watching the baby on the screen.

“Oh, forgive me.” A smile crosses her lips as she freezes an image on the screen. “Your baby is measuring at almost four months by human standards. Which means he’s right on course to be delivered in about two months, give or take a week. You know how impatient pups are to get out.” She smiles broadly and removes the wand from Grace and helps her up and off the table. Grace walks off to get cleaned up and I stay staring at the screen.

The Doctor hands me almost a dozen images of the baby. Griffin is trying to get off the phone with the others while I stare at the pictures. The one picture has a single blue dot on and I point to it and show the Dr. She raises a finger to her lips and does the shh motion to me and gives me a wink.

Grace returns with a smile on her face as she ghosts her hand over her lower stomach. “Two months?” She glances up at the doctor and she smiles and nods. “Wow, that’s better that the nine months I carried my daughter.” A nervous giggle escaped my lips as I looked back at Griffin.

“It’s perfectly normal, baby girl. Wolves carry for about three months.” I see the doctor cant her head to the side looking puzzled between Griffin and I.

“I was human.” Grace answers and pulls the shirt off her shoulder, showing the doctor the bite from Ethan’s wolf.

“You were turned by a shifter in their wolf form?” Her hand flew up over her mouth as she backed up slightly.

Her reaction caught me off guard. Griffin looks between Grace and the doctor, then answers. “She was almost murdered. It was the most efficient way to ensure she would turn and live.” His voice held a tinge of a bark to it and she backs down immediately.

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