Page 76 of Fearless Bond

“Can I have a look?”

I logged into the pharmacy app and clicked on the link. The screen showed the meds I’d gotten and their dosage. I handed the device to Hunter.

He glowered at the screen. “Who prescribed this to you?”

“I’ve never met the man. It might have been one of my father’s friends from the tennis club.”

“This is way too strong, Calvin.”

“I know that now. I only took the pills when it got bad and stopped entirely a month ago. They weren’t helping anyway.”

“Don’t take them. Especially not now when you’re pregnant.” Shaking his head disbelievingly, he gave me my phone back.

“Hunter, um, am I being naive here? Like, how realistic is it that I’ll ever be completely fine?”

He folded his hands on the table, his soft gaze full of kindness. “It might go up and down, but it doesn’t mean you can’t live a fulfilling life. When did you start feeling better? The moment you met Barclay? You broke up with your ex before that, didn’t you?”

“Um. Yes. Damian treated me like shit, and I finally had enough. I was furious with him. That helped. I wasn’t anxious when I was mad at him. And I wasn’t panicking when I was trying not to freeze to death.”

“I know too little about you to be sure, but it sounds to me like your anxiety could be largely connected to your former life situation and the pressure your father put on you. If you feel like you need medication, I suggest a low dose of antidepressants that you take long-term. I could prescribe you something that will be safe during your pregnancy. But with the main stressors in your life being removed, you might not need medication at all. First and foremost, you should consider therapy. Find out what triggers your fears.”

“Aside from one attack, I’ve been doing great since I’ve been with Barclay. So, yeah, I think I’m okay without meds for now. But could you recommend a therapist for me? I can’t travel far, but maybe I could do it online. I shouldn’t need to be glued to Barclay twenty-four-seven to keep it together.”

Hunter smiled. “He doesn’t mind.”

I grinned back. “No. But still.”

“I know someone who could be a good fit for you. He’s an omega, a shifter’s mate too, and has his practice in Green Peaks. You could alternate between visits in person and video calls.”

“That would be awesome.”

“I’ll email you his contact details. And if you need anything else, you know where to find me.”

“Thank you.”

“Look, I’m no expert. But I think you should try doing the things you want to do and see what happens. Have a backup plan in case you get unwell.” He reached over the desk and patted my hand. “But I’ve seen with my own eyes how fearless you can be, Calvin. I’m not worried about your future.”

I left Hunter’s office in a great mood. And hungry. I was always hungry these days. At Jordy’s, Barclay sat hunched over the bar, nursing a beer, but his face brightened when he saw me.

I stretched on my tiptoes to hug and kiss him.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“Great. Hunter recommended me a therapist. No meds for now.”

“Okay.” He studied my face.

“Stop worrying. I’m just hungry.”

At that, he smiled. “Good. Let’s have dinner. Jordy, what’s this week’s special?”

Jordy pointed to the sign behind him. “Spareribs.”

“I’m in. Calvin?”

“Cheeseburger with caramelized onion and sweet potato fries. And the non-alcoholic ginger beer I had last time?”

Barclay patted my ass and hummed with satisfaction. “That’s my boy.” He liked it when I ate a lot. It must have been instinct telling him he needed to feed his omega. I didn’t protest—it was cute. Besides, I was pregnant with a shifter and having wild monkey sex with him on a daily basis. I did need to increase my calorie intake.