Waiting in the corridor for my name to be called felt surreal. Seeing mothers with swollen bellies, some with partners, others alone like me, grounded me in reality. My hormonal outbursts had subsided, now that I understood the cause, though I hadn't explained or apologized. I felt justified in my emotions; I deserved to express my thoughts, rather than constantly behaving like a robot.
I still had Colin's letter in my bag. His little invention had calmed my tantrums, and he somehow understood me. I missed him more than I'd admitted. Once these 13 years were over, I'd spend time with him, just him, even if he felt a little overwhelmed. The love that bloomed within me, as I reread his letter, was real, and I felt happy, sad, and hormonal all at once. This life had been a rollercoaster, and things wouldn't get easier, not for me, anyway. I also wondered if Mariella would ever calm down or remain as emotional as possible.
Finally, the doctor called me in. I walked calmly into a typical doctor's office: white walls, a patient bed, a large table with a laptop and display, stacks of papers, and plain, industrial-grade polymer curtains hanging in the windows. The middle-aged, brown-haired doctor gestured for me to sit.
We began by discussing my previous pregnancies. I knew that some, but not all, of my many litters were recorded, specifically those with complications. My history of preeclampsia and high blood pressure meant I'd be classified at least as grade three, within the supernatural gynecology's four-tiered risk assessment. When I mentioned I had five little ones, she apologized and explained that this would put me in grade four.
This would affect my insurance and the frequency of my visits. Given my past birthing difficulties, a Cesarean section might be necessary, and they'd be extra vigilant. Now, however, it was time for her "peek under the hood," to assess my five "raspberries" and estimate the length of the pregnancy.
"I know it must be hard being a working mother, essentially a single mom," the doctor said, "but you're not alone. Now, we need to check your little ones to get an idea of how far along you are. Afterward, we'll discuss what comes next and the symptoms you've been experiencing. I take my patients very seriously, and some of them call me 'Mother Hen' because I like to get to the bottom of things. Unlike other doctors, I don't just do the minimum to see as many patients as possible."
I nodded and replied, "It's fine, I don't mind. In fact, I've had some symptoms, but I have solutions for a few of them."
She smiled and helped me onto the patient bed, placing the ultrasound machine on, dimming the lights, and preparing for the examination. The gel was cold, and I couldn't suppress a slight shiver as she squeezed some onto my belly and began the examination.
I always thought hearing those heartbeats was just a human thing, but hearing them myself and seeing that tiny little thing inside me was something I had never experienced before. It was such a strong feeling of awe.
I sent the images and sounds to Wulfe, letting him feel it too, and I could feel him in my mind being there, seeing the image even though he wasn't with me physically. He was my truest soulmate, the one I trusted and the one I wanted to share this with.
His soft voice spoke in my mind, "My unicorn, next time I will be there, no matter what. I will sit right by you, see them, hear them. Oh my god, how in hell am I supposed to focus on my job the rest of the day? This feeling is amazing."
I simply sent him my love.
Of course, one might wonder why I wasn't taking Damon to be a part of this. Well, he had made his choice. It was Mariella who had the Salvatores on her side, making me look like the bad guy for ruining Thanksgiving and everything. They hadn't spared their disdain toward me whenever they had the chance, but I hadn't retaliated, not since Colin's little gift made all the difference to my mood.
Sure, I still had my morning sickness, and as my babies were strong, if the Salvatores were in the kitchen when I tried to eat something, I just couldn't eat anything, especially if they had made the food. But it was just my life, and I was the one living it.
And now, I got to see my five little nubbins inside me for the first time, hear their frantic heartbeats, and the doctor was taking measurements and such, not always talking to me. It was just an amazing experience.
After examining my five embryos and confirming their healthy placement within my womb—specifically, that none were too close to the cervix or other problematic areas—it became clear: I was carrying identical twins, fraternal twins, and a singleton. This gave me a lot to plan for. While it was too early to determine their genders, I was certain Wulfe could have told me without an ultrasound.
However, I suspected he wanted me to experience this discovery firsthand, unlike with Mariella, a situation I was happy about. The doctor saved the images and exam details to a USB drive for me, which I planned to include in my pregnancy diary; it was truly amazing.
Of course, a part of me felt sad that Damon wasn't sharing this with me, even though he could have. His flimsy excuse of being busy while also taking half a day off to be with Mariella, along with several of the Salvatores, didn't sit well. However, Mariella had a different obstetrician due to her cheaper insurance, which limited her options.
Since I had chosen my own insurance, I had more choices, even though the premium was substantial and not fully covered; it was worth every penny.
The doctor finally wiped the gel from my belly and helped me sit up.
Smiling, she said, "I'd estimate you're nine weeks and three days along. Let's talk a bit more; I like to get to the bottom of things and explain things to my patients, especially since I now have six."
I nodded and began putting my clothes in order. I was a little further along than I'd expected, but at least I had a clearer picture of my progress. I sat back in the chair as the doctor briefly typed something into her computer, then pressed the intercom button.
"Gillian, could you bring me our pack for supernaturals, shifters, vampires, and multiple pregnancies?"
A female voice replied, "Right away, Doctor."
The doctor nodded and said, "I hope you don't think I'm being too pushy, as you've been around the block for quite some time and likely know a lot of this already, but I'll give it to you anyway."
I nodded and replied, "You can never have too much knowledge, at least that's how I see it," smiling slightly.
Soon, there was a knock at the door, and a nurse entered, pushing a cart with a large cardboard box. I raised my eyebrows in curiosity. The nurse brought the box near the doctor, who took a knife and sliced the packing open as the nurse walked out.
She took a book, explaining to me, "Now, you have a special diet, but first, here is our cookbook for pregnant supernaturals. This one focuses on vampire shifters; there are quite a lot of them, so I understand you have special requirements. This might give you a few ideas, and you can modify them as you like," she said, opening the book.
It was brand new.
She showed me, "See, chapter 8 is for those with supermetabolism and carnivores. Here, we have a list of very nutritious, calorie-dense foods that you can eat safely, and as much as you like. In this section, in the back here," she showed me the next part, "is actually a chapter on baby foods and toddler feeding. Many of my clients have found this especially useful."
I nodded and said, "It is. We don't have much experience feeding toddlers; we usually gave our babies to our previous children in other realms, so this is new for me too, thank you."
She nodded and took the next book, which was also quite thick. It was titled "Supernatural Pregnancy: What to Expect When You're Expecting - Tips and Tricks for the Time of Your Life."
She said, "Many of my clients have told me this is their bible, more or less, as it explains so many changes in your body. It also tells you week by week what to expect, what is normal, and when to go to the doctor. Here is my cell number, my pager number, and my email in case of need. And we have a little add-on with this."
She dug around in the box and pulled out a wooden box. It was quite large and must have taken up most of the space. She opened it, and inside were small dolls representing fetuses or embryos, week by week. There was also a small card describing what the baby would be doing that week. She lifted one; it was the size of a strawberry, with a large head, but it already had arms, legs, and eyes.
She said, "This is the nine-week model, so now you have a concrete example of what is growing inside you. This set is special; I give them only to my clients, and I'm not sure if any other doctor will provide this, but it helps so many."
I cradled the small doll in my palm, marveling at it. Though made of plastic, it was amazing.
I smiled, exclaiming, "Oh my god, thank you! This is wonderful. I'll keep this forever; it's perfect! I can't wait to show it to my men."
She nodded and said, "Your hormones are peaking. You might soon notice your waist thickening, pants getting tighter, and morning sickness persisting."
I was silent, then carefully returned the doll to its case, knowing I would keep it forever. I couldn't wait to show it to Mimosa, Shadow, Katherine, and Elena. My phone beeped, and a nasty thought flashed through my mind: "Mariella won't get this, I win." I checked my phone. Yep.
I said, "I've noticed, or rather, one of my doctor friends sent me a glucose meter. I have a subdermal probe that records my levels. When they drop below 40, I become a nasty cow."
She smiled and advised, "You should aim for glucose levels above 75. With your hypermetabolism, try not to let them drop; it stresses your system and makes you burn more calories."
It was amazing to realize I wasn't some unique snowflake, or that my problems weren't so unique. There was someone else besides the pack members helping me, which made me feel less like a freak. It was a good thing, too, as my hormones still caused my mood to fluctuate, leaving me unsure of myself.
Of course, I didn't show it or tell anyone, not even Wulfe. It was innate for me to hide any perceived vulnerabilities. In my mind, I was very much feline.
There were a few more books there, including a guide on baby care, benefits to claim, where to seek help, and other available resources. We talked for about an hour. The doctor asked me many questions, unsurprised by my answers, simply typing them up while offering solutions, such as trying strong, special black tea for my morning sickness, chilled and consumed right after waking. I'd brew it in the evening and leave it in the fridge. I told her I would check with my husbands, who could tell me what was good for me.
Even so, I hated it. It wasn't because it was humiliating; my glucose levels were still quite low, and I didn't want Mariella to succeed. It was crazy, but my hormones were to blame. When I confessed this to the doctor, she simply smiled and assured me it was normal. It was my feline side, wanting to be the top dog and seeing Mariella as the perfect victim.
I rolled my eyes, hoping Colin's invention would have spared me from any more drama, but you can't always get what you want. Sometimes, you just have to adjust to this new state and be catty, be nasty, be the fucking alpha. Oh, when Wulfe hears about this, he will have a field day.
And then there's how Damon will take my little sensor, Colin's invention. But then again, he and the other Salvatores were back to worshipping Mariella, so it might be fine. Oh, my life, it was one goddamn big mess, and there was so little I could do about it.