บท 2: Chapter 2: In Need of Answers
What the…!! What was going on?!
The naked man next to me was lying on his stomach with his muscular arms out in front of him and his handsome face cutely smushed into his fluffy white pillow.
He had a powerful jawline, rosy lips, and long, dark, auburn hair that extended down to the base of his neck but was undercut at the sides.
He had one hell of a face and a body…but who was him?!
My head still hurt. My whole body was tense. I rubbed my fingers along the side of my neck to release some tension and something didn’t feel right.
My eyes widened as I realized what was on my neck…two healed-over fang spots! I was marked!
I buried my face into my knees. It was a crazy night, and I couldn’t believe what I had done. Kissing Damien was wrong enough already and now a naked stranger?
Why, Adele? Why would you let yourself do something so reckless?
Before anything else could go south, I got off the bed and rushed out of the room.
***
Regardless of how hard I tried, I couldn’t recall any more details of that night.
I noticed that I had been staring at my computer screen for at least five minutes. A window pop-up, asking me to click into a forum.
It might not be a bad idea to read what others did when they suspected pregnancy because I had no idea what to do myself.
Until this point in my life, I hadn’t even thought pregnancy was possible.
The doctors told me about the complications with the lining of my uterus, making pregnancy for me impossible. That was why I had been so free that night at the party; I thought I couldn’t get pregnant, so why use any protection?
After going my whole life thinking I’d never be a mother, I could bring life into the world after all.
I rubbed a hand to my flat belly. However, if I was pregnant, who would be my pup’s father?
Damien or the mysterious stranger?
I flashed to dreams I had long ago abandoned. I saw my little one and me walking hand in hand towards the playground, and could nearly feel them letting go of my fingers to race off towards their friends on the swing set.
My heart swelled at the idea of tucking my pup into bed at night, and sitting bedside them to read a story until they shut their eyes and drifted off to sleep.
If a child grew inside me, then that meant they were a miracle. A smile grew on my face, and I got really excited.
But I might have gotten ahead of myself and jumped to conclusions.
A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts.
“Hey sis, do you have time to help me with my homework?” It was my fifteen-year-old stepbrother, Brennan.
“Brennan, leave Adele alone!” I heard Dakota’s voice through the door, “You need to do your homework, not her!”
I closed all the windows on my computer and made sure that I cleared the browsing history. The weight of the potential secret I kept from my family was heavy. I didn’t want to tell them because they would worry.
If I was pregnant, it would be an enormous surprise to everybody. Especially my dad, who would kill me if I told him I don’t even know who the father of my child could be.
But first thing first, I needed to be sure whether I was actually with child.
Yes, that’s exactly what I needed to do. I needed to get a pregnancy test, otherwise, I’d torture myself with fantasies and nightmares.
I tossed off my flannel, threw a baggy navy sweatshirt on to be mindful of my swollen breasts, slipped into a pair of tight jeans, and laced up my white sneakers.
As I opened my door, I realized that Brennan hadn’t left the hallway yet.
“Sis,” he said, giving me those concerning eyes. “You okay? You looked… worried.”
He looked up to me, and in moments like this, I had no idea how to act around him to be a model of good behavior, but I had to try. So I rubbed his forehead and smiled, “I’m an adult, and adults are always worried!”
He crossed his arms, not quite convinced. I added, “Everything is great. I’m just craving a snack. I’ll run to the store and be back to help you with your homework, okay?”
“I knew you’re the best!” he pulled up a big smile on his face.
I grabbed my tiny white purse and dashed off. I raced out of our cul-de-sac and towards the bustling side of the town. The streets shined after some light rain, and the people who were out all had folded up umbrellas.
Past the sidewalks were rich deposits of gated-off crops. Plants of all shapes and sizes were growing on the fertile soil of the Blue Sky pack. I admired the fields of healthy green vegetation and smiled, knowing I had taken part in making all of it happen.
Gardening was my first love. When I watered plants or buried seeds, I found peace.
I made my way down the street and past large brick buildings, restaurants that smelled of pizza and pasta, and huge apartment complexes.
An alley between two buildings made a direct path to the pharmacy. Little light passed through the passageway, and smoke plumed from some of the restaurant vents near dumpsters filled with stuffed black trash bags.
While not exactly the scenic route to the pharmacy, I settled for the fastest. About halfway through the alley, I stepped in a warm puddle.
I stopped to shake the water off my laces.
That’s when a sketchy man with his hood up stood before me.
I frowned and tried to walk around him, but he blocked my way.
I lowered my head to avoid eye contact and stepped away a few more steps. There weren’t others on the street and I didn’t want to get myself into any trouble.
However, as I moved away, the man followed.
My heart started to sink. He wasn’t just a passenger, and it was obvious that I was his target. As I was coming up with a way to get myself out of this situation, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a knife.
In a gruff voice, he said, “Give me all your f*cking money.”
If it was some other time, I’d at least prepare myself for a fight. However, today…
My one hand gently came up to cover my stomach. I needed to protect the child that might be growing in me.
My other hand got the purse off me. “Here you go…” I said as I obediently handed it over.
I’d try to avoid any physical conflicts if at all possible. Meanwhile, I glanced around and got myself ready to escape.
The moment he snatched my purse from my hand, I spun around to run and screamed for help. But the sketchy man yanked me backward by my hair.
“Shut your f*cking mouth!” he exclaimed, holding the knife to my throat.
He pulled my purse off my shoulder, and the cold metal of the knife against the spot on my neck where I’d been marked chilled me. The man set a hand on the bottom of my sweatshirt, and my heart thumped in my chest.
“I’m going to need more than just your purse,” he whispered coldly.
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