Page 2 of Awakening

“Oh, I know,” I say, smiling up at Ethan. “Are you ready for this?”

“I’m mentally preparing as we speak,” he says, to which we all laugh.

After Ethan and I grab a bite to eat and circulate through the room as we receive congratulations and well wishes from our guests, we finally sneak off to a corner to find a quiet moment for just the two of us.

“A little girl,” he says, pulling me in by my waist as his grin spreads wide.

I wrap my arms around his neck and smile as I look into his eyes. “I have a feeling Grandpa won’t be the only one she has wrapped around her little finger.”

“Oh, there’s no doubt,” he agrees, pulling me into a tight embrace. “I’m so happy, Olivia,” he whispers in my ear as he holds me.

I pull back and look up at him. “Me too. I love you.”

“I love you too, baby. So fucking much.” He takes my cheeks in his hands, pulling me into another warm, slow kiss.

“Hey, guys,” Chloe calls from the other side of the room, “come over here. You have a few presents to open.”

“I guess we better get back to it,” Ethan says with a sigh, taking my hand in his.

“First, Mommy needs to use the ladies’ room. Pregnancy does not agree with my bladder. You go entertain our guests. I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”

“Okay.” He gives me another quick kiss and looks off to the side of the room to get my security guard’s attention. “Ben? Could you watch the hallway while Olivia uses the ladies’ room?” Ben gives us a nod in response as he walks toward us. While I may feel it’s unnecessary to have a guard follow me to the bathroom, Ian is still missing, and after the anonymous text I received a couple of weeks ago, I know better than to argue with Ethan on this point. “I’ll see you in a minute, baby.” He smiles and gives me a light pat on the rear before walking back toward the group.

As Ben joins me in the hallway, I notice his face is flushed and he’s sweating. He still greets me with a courteous nod, despite his labored breathing and fatigued eyes. “Luna.”

I stop and turn to touch his arm. “Ben, what’s wrong? You really don’t look well.”

He blows out a long breath. “I don’t know, Luna. I feel really terrible, if I’m being perfectly honest.” Perspiration has begun to bead off of his forehead and is rolling down his cheeks.

“What’s going on?”

“I’m lightheaded, and my stomach,” he says, releasing another long breath. “Oh, no. Luna, I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Go, go. I’ll be fine.”

“I can’t leave you alone. Alpha will be furious with me.” He lurches forward, throwing his hand over his mouth.

“Ben, go. Now. Seriously,” I say, turning him toward the men’s room as he nods and runs inside. Werewolves rarely even get as much as the common cold. Ethan will need to know Ben is ill immediately, but I have no choice but to go to the ladies’ room first because I simply can’t wait. Pregnancy bladder is a serious pain in the ass sometimes, but so worth it. I can’t wait to hold this little girl in my arms.

As I walk into the empty ladies’ room and find a stall, I cringe when I hear poor Ben heaving in the bathroom next door. Feeling much better after relieving my full bladder, I release a deep breath and open the stall door, only to be stopped when I run into a wall of muscle. My hand goes to my chest, and I gasp when I look up into a hard set of deep brown eyes.

Ethan

Ben bursts into the room, whipping his head from side to side, until his eyes meet mine. He wipes sweat from his brow as the blood drains from his face. He should be with Olivia, but he’s alone as he makes a beeline straight to me.

“Alpha, is Luna out here with you?” he asks. His breathing is labored and sweat runs down his face.

“I feel like that’s a question you should know the answer to, Ben. You’re supposed to be with her,” I say.

“I’m so sorry, Alpha. I got sick. I couldn’t help it. I’ve been puking my guts out in the men’s room. She insisted I go, and when I came back out, she was gone.”

Fuck. I immediately know in my gut something is wrong, but I still ask, “Did you check the ladies’ room?”

“Of course. All the stalls were empty. I checked the back hallway too, and nothing. I even checked outside, but she’s not there. I hoped to find her in here with you.”

Anger builds in my chest as my heart pounds. I lean toward him and say through gritted teeth, “Are you saying we don’t fucking know where Olivia is?” Ben leans over, placing his hands on his knees as he tries to catch his breath before collapsing on the ground. “Shit.” Crouching, I roll him to his back. “Ben?” I say, shaking him. “Hey! Dr. Harper! I need help over here!”

A crowd gathers around us as Chloe’s dad, Dr. Max Harper, meets me next to Ben. “What happened?” he asks.

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