Page 50 of Taken By the Alpha Priest

“Just let the dock do its thing,” Peaches says, shooting me a wink. “It’s like magic.”

“Is all this really necessary?” I ask, gesturing vaguely at the rig that has me strapped in like I’m about to launch into orbit. The blood pressure cuff squeezes my arm rhythmically, and the faint hum of the medical dock fills the air. “I thought I’d just grab some pills and be on my way.”

Suyin pauses mid-check of the diagnostic screen, tilting her head slightly as she crosses her arms. “Can I be honest with you?”

I nod cautiously, already regretting asking.

She exhales, her tone steady and matter-of-fact. “We don’t have a huge supply of birth control or emergency contraceptives, so I need to make sure you’re fertile before handing anything out.”

“Great,” I mutter, the words dripping with sarcasm. “Thanks for the heads-up, I guess.”

“It’s not personal,” she adds, clearly unfazed by my tone. Her calm demeanor only makes the whole situation feel weirder. “Combat injuries can mess things up, even with enhanced healing factors. And considering that gunshot wound you had, it’s worth checking for internal damage. Better safe than sorry.”

I shift in the chair, the leather squeaking under me. The mention of the gunshot wound makes my stomach twist. I don’t love revisiting that part of my life, but it’s not like I can deny the logic behind her caution. “You could’ve led with that,” I say, trying to keep my voice even. “Would’ve made this whole thing feel less…clinical.”

Suyin arches an eyebrow but doesn’t reply, her fingers tapping a sequence on the dock’s keypad. A soft beep answers her, the machine’s screen flickering with data I can’t begin to interpret.

“Still can’t believe everyone just knew about the bite and didn’t tell me,” I mutter, half to myself.

Peaches, lounging nearby on a low stool, perks up at my words. “It wasn’t exactly a secret,” she says with a sheepish smile, tucking her legs beneath her. “But we didn’t reallyknowwhat it meant for you. Plus…you didn’t seem like you’d take the news too well.”

“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence,” I say, shooting her a look.

Suyin glances over at us, her brow furrowing slightly. “To be fair, it wasn’t just about you. We didn’t know how your body would react to the bite, physically or emotionally. Every case is different, especially with bite-transferred lycanthropy.”

I don’t get a chance to ask what exactly that means before Suyin’s focus shifts back to the screen as the dock emits another beep. She narrows her eyes, scrolling through the data with a practiced efficiency that makes me feel simultaneously reassured and like a lab rat.

“Huh,” she says, tilting her head.

“Huh?” I echo, not loving her tone. “That doesn’t sound promising.”

“It’s…not bad,” she says, flicking through screens. “Just weird. You’re the first human I’ve examined with lycanthropy from a bite. It’s like…a slow, organic version of what the Angels did to us.”

“Is it still happening?”

She nods, looking intrigued. “Seems like it. Your body’s adapting, but it’s…different.”

The dock chimes again, the sound sharp and final, and I notice the flicker of something different on Suyin’s face—her calm professionalism slipping just a little. Her lips press into a thin line, and she hesitates, her eyes flicking between me and the screen.

“What is it?” I ask, my stomach sinking. My voice is steadier than I feel, but there’s already a pit forming in my chest.

Suyin takes a slow breath before meeting my gaze. “You don’t need to worry about birth control,” she says carefully, like she’s choosing every word with precision. “Based on these scans…pregnancy isn’t in the cards for you.”

Her words land like a physical blow, a sucker punch that knocks the air out of me. I came here for birth control. I wasn’t even thinking about kids. Not really. Not consciously. But hearing this? Hearing it’s not an option at all?

I blink, my thoughts scattering like glass shattering on the floor. I wasn’t planning to have kids. Not in this world, not after everything I’ve seen, everything I’ve done. Raising my sister was hard enough, and I’d told myself a long time ago it wasn’t in the cards—not by choice.

But now that the choice is gone?

“Oh,” I manage, my voice thin and hollow. It feels like it’s coming from somewhere far away. “Well…good to know.”

Suyin’s expression softens, the edges of her usual clinical demeanor melting into something more human, more understanding. She points to the dock’s screen, the glow of the detailed scan casting strange shadows on her face. “Here,” she says gently, gesturing to an image I can’t fully make sense of. “This is a scan of your abdomen. It looks like when you were shot, the bullet…well, it tore through your uterus. The scar tissue is extensive.”

My throat tightens, my pulse thudding in my ears. The image on the screen blurs slightly as I blink, her words looping in my head. Torn through your uterus. Scar tissue. Extensive.

Suyin keeps talking, her voice low and even, like she’s trying not to overwhelm me. “Frankly,” she says, “I’m amazed you healed as well as you did. Reyes’ bite likely helped mitigate some of the damage. Does it still hurt?”

I shake my head, swallowing hard. “No. I figured it was one of those ‘wolf things.’” My attempt at a joke falls flat, even to my own ears.

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