Page 33 of Fated Despite the Moon

What do you want from me, Derek?

I want to come get you. I'll provide for you and the baby. I'll marry you, if that'll make you happy.

Her wolf snarled deep inside.Make me happy? That's what you have to say to me? That's how you propose to me? You'll marry me, if it will make me happy?

She waited a second before continuing because her fingers shook so hard she could barely type words.You know what? I'm happy in Wolf River. And MY baby will be as well. So just leave us alone.

She slammed the phone down again. It beeped but she didn't pick it up.

"All right. Everything looks good, Makayla. So, now we're just going to do an ultrasound to make sure the baby is okay."

The doctor rolled away from the bed, and the nurse helped her out of the stirrups. He pulled out a chart and started writing on it. The nurse left the room and then wheeled in a machine from the hallway.

"Would you like your mom to be in here for this?" asked the doctor.

"She's not my mom. She's my–" Her what? Mary wasn't her mother-in-law, technically. "No. Thank you."

They pulled up her gown and covered her with a sheet. The nurse spread some warm gel on her stomach, and the doctor came over and pressed a large round tool to her stomach. The black and white screen next to her hissed to life. It looked like an old TV on the wrong channel. He moved the tool around and finally she saw a space and a gigantic head. She stared in disbelief. There was a face and fingers and an arm and a body. A baby. A real baby.

A whooshing sound emanated from the machine. A rhythmical sound like the crashing of small waves against rocks.

The doctor smiled at her. "Your baby's heartbeat is good and strong."

Tears flooded Makayla’s eyes.Her baby.Her wolf stood and howled.Theirbaby.Theiryoung. Every maternal instinct her wolf possessed slammed into place, like the locking of a protective shield, around the baby. How had she been so stupid to wait so long to see her baby? To make sure that they were okay?

Never again.

From that moment on she would do every single thing she was told to make sure her baby was born healthy, happy, and loved.

The doctor took measurements and typed them into the computer. He looked and searched and scanned and did everything he needed to, and when he spoke, she heard nothing. All Makayla could focus on was the small little thumb stuck in her baby's mouth. Tears leaked from her eyes, and she wiped them away.

"Would you like to know if you're having a boy or girl?" asked the doctor.

She opened her mouth to say yes, but stopped. No. She didn't want to find out. Not without Caleb.

Mary and Makaylaran several errands and most of them were a blur since all she could think about was the fact she was really having a baby. Around late afternoon they passed a large strip mall.

"Can we stop in there?" Makayla asked.

"Sure."

Makayla pointed to the Old Navy store, and Mary stopped beside it.

"I'll park and then join you."

Makayla nodded. "I shouldn't be too long." She got out and walked into the store. To be honest she'd never been to an Old Navy before, but she'd seen their ads. They just had to have some more appropriate things for her to wear.

She grabbed a cart and browsed the women's clothing. She turned a corner and found a maternity section. Luckily there was a lot of black. She pulled out some leggings and large shirts. A pair of maternity jeans with a giant kangaroo looking pouch in the front. A couple of sweaters for when it got colder and a pair of sneakers. She stared at the sneakers trying to cover her distaste. She only ever wore them for exercise, but now they didn't look so bad. As she was heading out of the section, she spotted something she swore she would never be caught dead in—a pair of overalls. They actually looked comfortable. She grabbed a pair and threw them in her cart before she could change her mind. What the hell? When in Idaho…

She strolled toward the children's section and spotted several adorable little outfits. A strange sense of happiness came over her as she ran her fingers across a soft cream romper with little bears on it. A rush of longing made her smile. She could just see putting two tiny feet into the footies. And zipping up the front over a chubby little belly. Smelling the scent of baby lotion and shampoo. And hearing the sweet little voice of someone calling her mama.

"That's adorable." Mary came up beside her.

Makayla smiled at her. "It is."

"Would you like me to get it?"

"Oh, no. Thank you. I don't even know whether I'm having a boy or a girl."

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