JUNIPER’S POV:
Hana doesn’t hesitate as we make our way into the hospital. She walks straight to the desk and speaks with the nurses.
“I need to get a room for my sister-in-law at once,” she says, and the nurses glance at me briefly.
Their faces look displeased, and I can tell they probably recognize I am human, but I do not really care what they think or don’t think-I only want to get through whatever procedure it is that I must do. My body temperature keeps rising, and I realize now that it is only because I have been engaging in conversations with Hana that I didn’t feel it as much at first.
“Right this way,” one nurse says, and we follow them closely until we reach a room.
I walk to the bed and lie down at once as I feel my legs begin to wobble. Hana and Hera sit on the couches in the room.
“The doctor will be with you shortly,” the nurse says, and then she disappears.
Shortly, a doctor dressed in a white coat walks into the room. He pays respect to the princesses by giving them a brief bow, then he walks up to me, bowing as well.
This is all new, so I mutter a thank you.
“How may I help you, ma’am?” he inquires, and I sit up a bit to talk.
“I have been feeling sick this morning. I threw up about an hour ago, and my temperature keeps rising.”
He takes off his stethoscope, plugs it into his ears, and places it on various parts of my body. He runs a few other checks.
“Everything seems normal, so I will need you to answer a few questions,” he says, and then I glance at the Alpha princesses in the room.
“We can leave if you-”
“It’s okay,” I cut Hana off before she can finish.
“Did you eat any food you are allergic to last night?” he asks, and I shake my head.
“It was just rice and meat. I eat that frequently, so it couldn’t have caused my ailment.” He nods at my words.
“When was the last time you saw your period?” The question throws me off balance, and fear crosses my heart.
I had seen my period for the month, so I don’t know why I’m scared.
“I’ve seen my period for the month,” I say to him, and he nods, then he gets to his feet.
“I will be right back.” With this, he leaves, and I try to steady my breath.
There is no way I am pregnant, I say to myself, but as the door opens and I see him holding a pregnancy kit, my blood runs cold. I swallow hard.
“I know this might sound absurd, but I will need you to please take a pregnancy test,” he says, and I glance at the girls who look at me in confusion.
“But she just said she saw her period, so why does she need to do a test?” Hana interjects.
“Besides, her stomach is so flat. Where is the baby hiding?” Hera asks, and the three of us chuckle, but the doctor keeps a straight face.
“There are cases like this, especially when the people involved are from two different identities.” Fear creeps back into my heart as he says this. “But you can choose not to do it,” he adds, and I contemplate for a few seconds before getting to my feet.
I grab the cup in his hands, then walk into the bathroom in the room. I take a deep breath as I pull down my pants.
“You are not pregnant, June. There is no way a baby is in this belly,” I say to myself, then I pee in the cup.
I wash my hands and walk out of the bathroom, then hand the cup to him. He tosses the strips into the cup, and a nurse walks into the room with a glass of water and a tablet of painkiller on a tray.
“Take this for your temperature and body aches,” he says, and I take the pill from the tray, tossing it into my mouth before washing it down with the water.
I remain on the bed for a couple of minutes with my gaze shifting to the doctor and the princesses. Soon, he looks at his wristwatch, then he pulls out the test strip from the cup.
“Positive.” When the words leave his mouth, I feel my body freeze in place.
I pinch my skin so I can be sure I am in a dream, but the pain burns raw in my body, showing that it is very much real.
“Fuck!” I groan, and the princesses walk up to me.
“I am going to leave you to process it, and when you are done, we can move you to the ultrasound room to check how far the baby has gone,” he says, and then he leaves.
Hana and Hera stand in front of me without a word. A lot of thoughts crash down on me, and I imagine how Hiram will feel when he hears this. He will freak out.
“Are you okay?” Hana asks, and I nod, trying to convince them.
“But you cannot say a word to Hiram, please,” I say to both of them, and they nod.
**
The doctor carries out the ultrasound, letting me know I am two and a half months pregnant. It isn’t bad, except for the fact werewolf children are born in the fourth or fifth month, so I practically have only a month or two to give birth. This means my baby will come at the end of January or February. This is the last thing I expect at the moment, but I do not want to think about it. Even if Hiram doesn’t want this baby, I’ll keep it, I say to myself.
“I am really sorry,” Hana says as she pulls up in the parking lot at the house.
“It’s fine,” I say to her, then I open the door and walk out.
My mind is clouded, so I walk away almost immediately, and the first thing I hear is the sound of Hope groaning badly. This further sends fear into my heart. She has been in labor for a while, and I am pregnant.
As I walk into the house, I meet Hiram in the living room.
“Where have you been?” he asks at once, and his sisters walk in.
“Out with us,” Hana answers, and the worry on his face subsides. Then he pulls me into a hug while I remain cold against his body.
I take a deep breath, wondering if I should tell him, but then he takes me to his room at once, shutting the door. He kisses my lips as soon as we are behind the door.
I try to speak again, but he beats me to it. “There is something I have been meaning to tell you.” My heart skips a beat as he begins. Then he gets on one knee at once, pulling out a box.
He opens it up, and I swallow hard, seeing the most beautiful ring I have ever set my eyes on. Mere looking at it, I can tell it is really expensive.
“Juniper Moonmiles, will you marry me?” he asks, and I feel a lump in my throat.
I am about to answer when Hope lets out the most ear-draining scream ever.