Page 26 of Mated to the Pride

“Thank you, Doc,” said Hale. “We appreciate you coming down here.”

“Hell of a drive,” she admitted, adjusting her uniform collar. Even military doctors were used to being perfectly turned-out. “But you’re doing good work here. I don’t have details, but I’ve been told to inform you that your progress is better than anticipated. Least we can do is give you the support you need.” She turned to Jess, giving her a soft smile. “Even if we don’t have all the answers.”

Ever the gentleman, Hale swept out an arm to lead her to the door. I stayed behind with Jess, fighting a growing feeling of unease. She looked so uncomfortable right now. The smile on her face was so forced and unhappy, and she wasn’t looking up to meet my eyes.

“You okay?” I asked, voice low.

“Sure,” she said. “I’m fine. Just… under the weather, I guess.”

If anybody deserved not to be under the weather, it was Jess. Most of the time, she shined out like our own private sun; she lifted each of us up just by looking at us. It hurt to see her like this, even more so because I couldn’t reach out and comfort the woman I knew was our One Mate. After all,shedidn’t know it yet.

“You’d tell us, right? If there was anything we could do for you?”

She nodded. “Of course. It’s okay, Preston, honestly. I’m sure I’ll be fine once these supplements arrive, like Dr. Gray said.”

I wish I could believe it. Maybe the concern read too obviously on my face; her eyes dipped again as soon as she saw me, and she motioned towards the doorway with a weak smile. “Actually, if you don’t mind, I think I’m gonna go lay down for a while. Laundry is already running and I don’t need to start preparing dinner yet, so…”

“Hey, you don’t need to justify yourself to me,” I promised. “Please. Go lay down. Feel better.”

I watched her go, taking a piece of my happiness with her. It seemed like nothing much was cheering her up right now. When Hale returned, I nodded in the direction of the bedroom.

“She okay?” he said, forming the words with unusual quietness and restraint.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “She says so, but she seems real worn out.”

“I doubt both Stone and Dr. Gray are missing something big,” Hale reasoned. “They’re both very competent.” He paused. “Don’t tell him I said that, obviously.”

I gave him a weak smile. Usually Stone and Hale’s banter was pretty entertaining to watch from the sidelines, but little could distract me from focusing on Jess right now. If Hale was being light-hearted as an attempt to take his own mind off of it, it clearly wasn’t working. When he sank down into a dining chair again, his sigh was so heavy and world-weary that I barely recognized the sound of it.

“We’re gonna have to schedule this meeting.”

“With her?”

“Uh-huh.”

I nodded slowly, considering. “Blake’s call, of course.”

“Sure,” he agreed, as respectful of his alpha as any pride member could be. He always was when it really came down to it and mattered, however hard they played during the good times. That was one of the things I admired most about Hale. He always knew when to draw the line; he was just really good at pretending he didn’t. “I’ll talk to him when he gets back. Don’t worry.”

It was reassuring to have a plan — but having seen the downtrodden look on Jess’ face just now, telling me not to worry was like telling a fire not to burn.

Jessica

Is there any chance you could be pregnant?

An hour after Doctor Gray left the cabin, her question was still ringing in my ears. I wasn’t some naive kid. Of course, I knew that unprotected sex could lead to pregnancy — and, with a flush of guilt, I knew it had been unprotected with all four North men. In the spur of the moment, that had felt like the right and natural thing to do. Now, if this was true?

The thought had me freefalling.

For one thing, I wouldn’t know who the father was. For another, there’d be no chance of keeping my intimate moments with all four men a secret any longer. If they didn’t already think I was cheap and easy, they probably would now. Even worse was the thought of sowing discord amongst this tight group of men I’d come to love so much. They worked so well together as a unit. Was I about to screw it up because I couldn’t keep it in my pants?

I had made my excuses with Preston and Hale as soon as Doctor Gray left, heading back to my room for ‘rest’. The pregnancy test she’d left behind for me sat on the countertop in the bathroom, intimidating in its sleek and clinical packaging. I’d never even taken one before. It scared me to think that this tiny cardboard box contained a stick that could change the rest of my life.

Well — no. That wasn’t true. The test would just tell me the consequences of my own actions. Everything I had done was on me.

If any of my friends had come to me with this problem, I’d have fiercely insisted that they were only halfway to blame — if that. It took two to tango, after all.

Well, in this case, it had taken five, and I had no sympathy to spare for myself.

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