Chapter 229

Fiona

Why is everyone staring at me?

I glance back at Laxus and Michael, wondering it the stares bother them as much as they’re freaking me out. Is it because we told everyone I’m pregnant?

That was an entire week ago, and I haven’t noticed this many stares until today, so what’s the deal?

Subtly, I pick up the collar of my shirt and sniff. I don’t smell funny, my clothes are simple and normal, and I know my hair doesn’t look funny since it’s in a simple ponytail. I look down at my ballet flats and my legs, thinking I’ll see something there, but no. Nothing.

“Is there something wrong with me?”

Laxus looks at me, his brows furrowing in confusion as we stop in front of the hospital for my ten-week checkup. Ethan said he’d meet us here.

“No,” he states, “You look like you always do…” He pauses briefly then shakes his head. “There is strange, no, a different smell. It’s like when we first scented the baby, but stronger.”

“Is that why all these men are staring at me? Am I releasing some kind of baby pheromone?” Just the thought of it makes me feel gross. I should ask the healers when we get inside.

“I’m not sure. I guess I’m used to it since we are around you all the time,” he answers, looking to the men staring. “Do you want me to chase them off?”

Shaking my head, I sigh. I don’t want him to worry about it if it’s not a problem. It’s just a bit weird, but since they’re not bothering me, I’ll let it go for now.

Ethan arrives soon, also noticing the stares from the men around us, and honestly, I don’t wait for him to ask about it. I grab his hand and pull him inside, leaving Laxus and the Gammas that were following us to stand guard.

We easily and quickly find my healer mentors, and they beam when while leading us to the exam room.

“You look radiant,” Healer Sarina says.

“You’re glowing,” Healer Farah compliments.

“Your as beautiful as always,” Healer Asha says.

They usher me into the room, pulling the new ultrasound machine with them as I climb up on the bed. They told me to come this week instead of in week thirteen since the new machine came in. I guess they wanted to double check everything since last time I came, the machine was glitching.

“How are you feeling, Luna?” Healer Asha asks while spreading the cold gel on my belly.

“The morning sickness comes and goes, and I do not like that it doesn’t just happen in the morning,” I grumble on a sigh. “It’s very annoying when I’m working on paperwork for Ethan in the middle of the day, and I get sick.”

The three women laugh softly, each of them shaking their heads like it was common knowledge.

“Other than that, I’m a bit achy in some places, but I’m not sure if it’s from shifting or from the pregnancy… well, that’s not right. My boobs hurt sometimes, so I’m sure that’s from the pregnancy,” I tell them, rambling.

“It would be, though it is a bit early for…” Healer Farah gasps, blinking at the screen that shows the baby. “Oh, my Goddess.”

“What? Is something wrong?” Ethan asks, jerking forward to look at the screen. I lift my head, worry fluttering in my chest as the other two healers hover over the screen.

“What is it?”

“The baby… I mean, there’s two babies,” Healer Farah says, squinting at the screen.

“Two?” I squeak, wanting to sit up, but Healer Sarina and Healer Asha hold my shoulders to keep me from moving. “I want to see!”

Healer Farah turns the screen, pointing to not one, but two baby blobs on the screen. Little beans that have tiny arms and tiny legs.

Something inside me quakes, sending a shot of lightning down to my core as tears fill my eyes. Two babies to have, to love, to cherish. I never thought something like this would happen. I was just happy enough to have one baby, but now?

Now I’ll have two babies.

“Are they healthy?” Ethan asks, moving back to my side and taking my hand in his. “How did we not see them before? It’s not like another baby just randomly showed up.”

“Yes, that is unlikely. The better explanation would be that the last machine was glitching more than we thought, or that the second baby was hidden behind the first during the other examinations,” Healer Farah says, pointing at the screen again. “There is no doubt, Alpha. There are two babies.”

I can only stare at the screen, unable to look away.

“Congratulations, Alpha. Luna. You’re having twins.”

“And to answer your question about their health, there is no problem. Their growth is on track and their heartbeats sound normal. I’ll take some blood samples of Luna Fiona to check her health as well,” Healer Sarina says, moving over to the table at the other side of the room. “We’ll do everything we can to make sure Mama and babies are perfectly healthy.”

My face hurts.

I don’t think I’ve ever smile so much and long enough that my face hurt before, but I can’t stop smiling.

“I guess I’ll need to go get another crib,” Ethan says, wrapping his arms around me from behind. I lean into him, unable to stop looking at the nursery Ethan put together.

“We do,” I murmur, letting my head fall back onto his chest. His scent surrounds me, and an image of Ethan holding two little babies pops into my head. Several scenes flash through my mind of us holding babies, playing with them, and cuddling with them.

These images make my eyes sting with tears.

“There’s one more thing I wanted to ask you, Fiona,” Ethan whispers, the warm breath fanning past my ear.

“Hmm?” I’m so comfortable and so content that my entire body feels at ease. Even as Ethan turns me around to face him and looks down at me with a tender smile, I have no thoughts in my head other than that I want to spend the rest of my life with him and our babies.

“I want to marry you.”

“Will you marry me?”

We speak at the same time, our words full of love and warmth as we stare at one another. Happiness flutters like a butterfly in my chest, making me want to take flight, but instead, I throw my arms around my mate.

“Yes, I want to marry you. I love you!”