PRANG
That sound marked the start of my bad luck today.
Like they said, it happened so fast, and I just stood there, biting the inside of my cheek while staring at the little mountain of broken dishes I'd created.
I swear the noise could have shaken the whole Wintermore kitchen. "Brillian, Rie," I muttered under my breath. "Very smooth."
I crouched down almost immediately and reached for a large piece of ceramic, because what else do you do when you've made a disaster like this? I was hoping I could collect the shards before anyone walked in and assumed I was having a clumsy meltdown, but the moment I touched one, it sliced my finger.
"Ouch, gah…" I winced as the bright red bloomed like it was proud of itself.
Before I could suck the blood off like a normal person, footsteps rushed in behind me.
"Ariella! What happened?"
Luna Gia, of all people.
She bolted in so fast she might as well have teleported. Her eyes scanned me up and down, genuine panic covered her face. She then crouched down beside me before gently grabbing my wrist to check the cut.
"I'm fine," I blurted, hiding my hand behind me even though she'd already seen it. "I just dropped a few plates."
"A few?" She looked at the mess. "Sweetheart, this looks like a war crime."
Despite everything, I almost laughed.
"I'm so sorry," I said again. My voice felt small. Of course it was, I just made a mistake. "I'll pay for them, or replace them. I'll go to the market right away!"
"No." She said it so quickly with a stern voice it startled me.
Gia brushed some hair off my forehead, like a real mother might. "They're dishes, Rie. I can buy an entire new set. Don't worry about it. Things like this happen."
I smiled at her. She was always this kind and caring. It was hard not to love her.
Gia studied me for a moment with those soft grey eyes of hers.
"You look pale, Ariella. Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm just tired."
"Then go lie down in your room. Please. You look like you're about to tip over. And don't worry about this mess, I'll clean it up."
Normally, I would've protested. I couldn't let our Luna clean up my mess. But now?
Now the floor had tilted again, for the second time today, and my stomach felt like it was being gripped by a fist I couldn't see.
So I didn't argue.
"Okay, Luna. Maybe I should lie down."
Gia gave me another pat. "Good girl." She let out a smile that made me feel undeserving. "And if you're still feeling off, I'll call the pack doctor. Don't try to be stubborn."
"I'm not…"
Her eyebrow lifted.
"Okay, fine. A little," I admitted.
She chuckled and pushed my shoulder gently out of the kitchen. "Rest well, sweetheart."
I said thank you, but before I slipped out of the back door, I glanced around the corner, hoping maybe I'd see her son.
But nothing. Not even a whiff of his familiar scent, not to mention his shadow.
Right. He said he'd be busy. Like super busy. That was why I was so happy when I got called to the main house to help in the kitchen, in the hope of seeing him even for a little bit. He wasn't in the training ground like he used to be every morning. No, it wasn't stalking, I just happened to walk past there. But not only did I never see him, I also made a mess.
The yard smelled like pine and frost when I stepped outside. I love that smell, usually. But today, it just reminded me that I hadn't caught even a glimpse of Henrixon in almost a month.
"It's fine," I told myself. "He's doing important Alpha-things. Don't need to be dramatic."
When I arrived, the Omega Quarters were empty. It was early afternoon, everyone was either helping in the greenhouses or running errands. Thank the Moon Goddess because she didn't want to talk to anyone or explain things.
I went to the room and just threw myself on the bed, not even bothering to take off my shoes.
Being tired wasn't a new thing to me. Omega duties were not a cupcake at all. But this? My… I never felt this tired my entire life.
I told myself it was stress, or maybe the side effect of missing him too much.
Being all alone like this got my mind wandering the same way it always did when I didn't stop it. The Wintermore Pack took me in when I had nobody else. Sometimes I wonder if I had parents or family somewhere, but the memories refuse to come.
Luna Gia raised me and the others like one of her own. And that made me hide my relationship to Henrixon a little… traitorous? I was sneaking around behind the woman who fed me, dressed me, and taught me when I was just a little kid.
The room spun a little, so I pressed my palm against my forehead. Geez. I was thinking too much. "Okay, enough of that."
I turned onto my side when my stomach growled loudly.
"Nice. Now I'm hungry."
I gave in and dragged my feet to the small communal kitchen. There wasn't much left aside from the frozen chicken. I decided to roast it since it usually helped when I felt weak. Something homey and easy.
One minute I was seasoning the meat. The next I felt this nausea came so hard I barely managed to turn off the stove.
I sprinted to the small bathroom and fell to my knees just in time to vomit into the toilet.
"Oh, for the love of…" I wheeled, gripping the edge. "What's wrong with me today?"
When it passed, I washed my mouth in the sink. I stared at my reflection and couldn't help but frown. I looked… fine. A little pale, looked tired. But nothing screamed that you're dying.
I opened the cabinet to find some medicine. "Get it together, Rie."
Maybe I was just really that tired. Or maybe the stress was doing weird things to me. Or maybe…
No. I shook my head so hard. I didn't even want to consider that possibility. It was too big.
Days went by after that and nothing changed.
Things got worse, actually.
I woke up nauseous every morning and my appetite was all over the place. My sense of smell had suddenly become much stronger. Meat smelled wrong. Bread smelled like it was already gone bad.
I tried ignoring it, pretending it was nothing, but it was so hard.
I finally gave up when I nearly fainted while lifting a basket of clothes. Which was how I ended up walking toward the small clinic beyond the main territory. I told everyone I was going to the market for some restocking. Technically, I would go there first before the clinic, so yeah… I didn't need to mention the clinic part to them because I hate making people worry.
The doctor checked my vitals, and asked a few questions. Then, very casually, as if announcing the weather, he said, "Congratulations, Miss Wunters. You're pregnant."
My brain went blank for a second. "I'm… what?"
"Pregnant," he repeated, smiling as if he'd just handed me a lottery prize. "About four, maybe five weeks. Everything looks healthy so far. Make sure you rest well and eat properly."
So, he basically said I was pregnant with Henrixon's baby.
"That can't… I mean, are you sure? Like sure sure? Not… ninety-seven percent? Or mostly sure?"
"One hundred percent sure. Once again, congratulations."
I walked back to the pack territory in a daze and was surprised I didn't run into a tree.
When I got home, I just dropped the grocery bags on the kitchen counter and walked away. Someone asked if everything was okay. I just nodded or shook my head. Honestly, I couldn't even remember.
The moment I reached my room, though… everything inside me burst open.
I fell onto my bed, grabbed my pillow, buried my face in it, and screamed like a lunatic. Not in fear or sadness, but pure happiness.
"Oh, Moon Goddess," I whispered. "I'm pregnant."
A giggle slipped out. "Oh… Hi, baby…" I pressed a palm to my stomach, still flat and small.
"I hope you're a boy." I was imagining a tiny fist and messy hair with a big smile way too big for a small baby face. "You'll look so handsome. But a girl's fine, too."
The idea made my chest squeeze.
But then another thought sneaked in.
Would he even be happy? Or panic? Would the pack accept this?
My smile wavered just a little.
No, no. Everything was going to be just fine.
We were going to be okay.