Chapter 11

Esther’s POV

I pushed my sunglasses up the bridge of my nose and kept my head down. I wanted no one to notice my face as I headed to the Packlands Hospital. With each step, my heart pounded against my ribcage, every beat faster and more erratic than the last.

Inside the cold and sterilized hospital, the fluorescent lights flickered. I felt like I was under a spotlight. Even under my oversized hoodie, I felt bare. The fear I carried felt so raw and vulnerable that it might as well be exposed for all to see.

My hands balled into shaky fists as I walked up to the front desk.

“I’m here for a check-up,” I murmured, barely louder than a whisper.

The nurse gave me a soft nod. Even she could sense my anxiety. After a few quiet rounds of questions, she passed me a clipboard full of forms, then motioned toward the waiting area. I took the seat furthest from the others and clutched the clipboard tight to my chest.

Somewhere down the hall, a child cried. Machines beeped in distant rooms, and voices murmured.

None of it really reached me. The white walls felt like they were closing in on me, suffocating me with the sharp scent of disinfectant and bitter herbs.

I tried to focus on the forms in front of me, but my vision swam. My thoughts kept going back to that night, the one that brought me here.

I hadn’t meant to end up in Nicholas’ bed. No part of me wanted to surrender to the Alpha King.

It had been the aphrodisiac they slipped me. It was a cruel, humiliating trap that hijacked my body and left me no say in what happened next. I was consumed by lust.

I hadn’t imagined the consequences until I started throwing up a month later.

I rest my hand on my stomach as if I might somehow feel the answer beneath my skin.

If I was pregnant, it would be a scandal. Nicholas would hate me more than he already did.

The nurse finally called my name. I followed a young woman in pale scrubs into a small, sterile exam room, every step feeling heavier than the last.

The doctor came in and introduced herself. She was older with a kind face. Soft lines were etched into her cheeks, and there was a warm tone in her voice that tried to comfort my obvious nerves. That only made it harder.

The tests were quick. They were nothing more of a quick blood draw and an ultrasound of my abdomen. The doctor asked a flurry of questions I barely remembered answering.

When the doctor left, all I had to do was wait.

I sat on the edge of the hospital bed, my stomach twisting and my heart pounding.

What if I am pregnant? What will I do then? What will Nicholas do? Would he demand I get rid of it? Would he sever our bond?

Could the babies survive that?

After ten minutes of anxiety and fear, the door opened. The doctor stepped inside, a thin file in her hands. The expression on her face was enough to tell me what she was about to say.

“You’re pregnant,” she said quietly. “You’re only a few days along, but it’s confirmed.”

My heart dropped into my stomach. Somewhere inside me, I already knew. That was why I had come, after all.

“There’s more,” she added. “You’re carrying twins.”

“Twins?” I managed to croak.

“That’s why your symptoms are already strong. You should be wary of morning sickness, fatigue, and emotional surges. They are more common and more intense with multiples. Especially given your current condition.”

“My… current condition?”

“You’re physically depleted. You’ve been undernourished and emotionally stressed. The mate bond you share with the father is not stable. That kind of emotional turbulence is dangerous for a pregnancy, especially one like this.”

“Dangerous how?”

“If the bond is severed or your body experiences too much trauma, it could trigger a miscarriage. Your health is already poor, and a pregnancy is only going to be more difficult. There’s a strong chance that if you lose this pregnancy, you won’t be able to conceive again.”

My lips trembled, and I gripped the edge of the bed to steel myself. I hadn’t planned for children. I didn’t even know if I wanted them, but now, I have them. I had two tiny flickers of life inside me, growing where I never expected light.

I already knew, I couldn’t lose them. I’d protect them for as long as I could, and I would give them the life I never had.

“No one can know,” I whispered. “Please. If anyone finds out…”

The doctor nodded without hesitation. “Your information is confidential. I won’t speak of it to anyone.”

She handed me the test results. My fingers shook as I folded the paper carefully as if it were as fragile as I felt.

“Take care of yourself,” the doctor said. “Rest and avoid stress. It’s important you nurture yourself and the mate bond.”

I nodded, but I had nothing else left to say.

When I left the room, each step was heavy. I walked down the hall, my head hung low and my heart thudding with every footfall. I barely made sense of my thoughts, and I almost didn’t notice the two people coming straight toward me.

Nicholas and Amanda walked down the hall, arm in arm.

My heart nearly stopped in panic. Of all the people I could run into, they were the worst. Every instinct I had told me to run. As I turned, I hit my hand on the wall, and the test form slipped from my fingers. It fluttered to the floor and landed face-up.

No one should see what it says. I snatched up the form and crumpled it in my fist. I turned, eyes on the floor and ready to make my escape.

“Esther?” Amanda’s voice cracked like a whip. “Is that you? What are you doing here? Are you feeling a little sick after your exciting detention in the dungeons?”

I forced a steady breath. “I don’t feel well. I thought it would be best to get checked out just in case.”

Amanda crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. “You didn’t look so sick when you climbed into Nicholas’ bed. Three days into punishment duty, you’re suddenly too delicate to work.”

“I’m not pretending,” I snapped. “I’ve really been unwell.”

“Oh please.” Her sneer deepened. “You’re faking it to get out of work. Poor, pitiful little Esther. Isn’t she pathetic, Nicholas?”

Nicholas watched me, his dark eyes still and focused. The unreadable expression on his face made me feel like he saw right through me. It was like he saw everything inside me.

“She lies so easily,” Amanda said with a musical laugh. “Reject her, Nicholas. Cut the bond. You don’t owe her anything.”

I felt the mate bond tug and tremble. It reminded me of what a dangerous time it was for the life inside me. Any pressure on the mate bond put the babies at risk. The fear choked me like smoke.

Still, Nicholas said nothing.

Amanda leaned closer to him, touching his arm like she belonged there. “She’s nothing more than a burden on you. Worse, she’s dragging you down. It’d be better to reject her so that you don’t have to suffer with her.”

“That’s enough. I don’t need you to speak for me, Amanda,” Nicholas said, his voice sharp enough to make Amanda flinch. “I’ll decide whether Esther is faking illness or not.”

Amanda reeled back, stunned. With Nicholas’ warning, she stayed silent.

Maybe he wasn’t going to reject me. Maybe I was safe. Maybe the babies were safe.

When Nicholas’ gaze focused on me again, my moment of relief shattered.

“I’ll see what’s going on for myself,” he said calmly. “Hand me that medical record.”