Two Months Late

Thalia

The heavy scent of dark-roasted beans turned my stomach as I dragged a damp rag across the stainless steel espresso machine. I forced myself to take slow, steady breaths, praying the wave of nausea would pass. Throwing up in the middle of a shift was the very last thing I needed right now. Especially since it wouldn't be the first time.

"Thalia, could you clear table nine for me?" my manager, Polly, called out from behind the counter.

I picked up a bus tub and a clean rag, walking quickly over to gather the used coffee cups and saucers. The two patrons still seated near the window kept casting odd glances in my direction. I was sure the dark bruises beneath my eyes were showing through again. Rest had been nearly impossible to find over the last two months, not with the raw, hollow ache Kaelen's rejection had left inside my chest.

At last, the clock hit the end of my shift. I pulled the apron strings loose with heavy hands, already dreading the long trek back to the makeshift shelter I had found in the trees. Renting even the cramped little studio upstairs above the coffee shop was completely out of reach on my small wages.

"Here's your pay for the week, sweetheart. I tucked a little extra inside for you." Polly pushed a white envelope into my palm. "You've been looking terribly pale and worn down lately. Go use that to get yourself checked out by a doctor, alright?"

I managed a small, appreciative smile. "Thank you, Polly. I really will." Having that bit of extra cash meant I could finally figure out why this constant exhaustion and sickness wouldn't let up. It was likely nothing more than sheer stress, though getting a real answer would be a relief.

The local clinic was completely quiet when I pushed through the front doors. That was one clear advantage of hiding out in an isolated mountain town—there was never a line for the doctor. After signing in at the reception window, a nurse walked me back to an examination room to check my blood pressure and temperature.

"The doctor will be in to see you in just a moment," she told me, offering a warm smile before stepping out.

Left alone, I sat upright on the edge of the padded table in a thin paper gown, my fingers restlessly pleating the paper sheet beneath me. Nervousness tightened in my belly. Growing up, seeing a physician had been a luxury I never once experienced. Regardless of what was wrong with me, I was glad I could finally have someone look into it.

Two quick raps sounded on the door just before a tall, good-looking man in a crisp white coat stepped inside. He didn't look much older than I was, with warm amber eyes framed by a pair of modern glasses.

"Thalia?" he inquired, looking up from the file in his hand. Once I gave a small nod, he reached out to shake my hand. "I'm Dr. Beckett. It's good to meet you."

The easy warmth of his grin and his steady grip helped settle my jittery nerves. I tried to keep my eyes from lingering on him while he went through my medical history and wrote things down on his chart. Folks around the cafe had been talking about how young and handsome the town's new physician was, though I hadn't quite pictured him looking like this. Still, I reminded myself that I was sitting here as a patient, not looking for company.

Setting his clipboard down on the counter, Dr. Beckett snapped on a pair of latex gloves. "Tell me what brings you in today. Have you been having any specific symptoms?"

"I've been dealing with a lot of nausea and heavy fatigue lately," I told him. "Along with dizzy spells every now and then. At first I chalked it up to stress, only it's dragged on for more than two weeks now."

He gave a slow nod, a slight crease forming between his eyebrows. "And when did you have your last period?"

I froze, blinking at him. The grief of losing my mate had swallowed me so completely that I hadn't paid a bit of attention to my own body's calendar. Counting back, I had missed two cycles already.

"Oh. I'm actually not sure," I said quietly. "It's been quite a while."

Dr. Beckett studied me for a brief second. "Alright, running a pregnancy test sounds like the best first step. I'll draw a quick blood sample to check."

After filling a small tube with my blood, he stepped out of the room, leaving me sitting on the paper-covered table to absorb the possibility. Pregnant? The thought hadn't crossed my mind once, considering Kaelen and I had only shared a bed that single night. Yet when I did the math, the dates lined up. Just barely.

Fear rose sharp and cold in my chest. How could I possibly be pregnant? I had nothing to my name—neither the money nor the stability to raise a baby. Even so, ending it was never something I would consider. If a part of Kaelen was growing beneath my heart, I would hold onto it fiercely, regardless of how badly everything had shattered between us.

A tap at the door pulled me straight out of my spiraling thoughts. Dr. Beckett walked back inside, carrying a gentle, careful look on his face. By the Goddess, the test had come back positive.

"Well, Thalia, it looks like I should be offering my congratulations," he spoke softly. "You're expecting a baby."

Even though I had braced myself for it over the last ten minutes, hearing the words aloud struck me hard. I remained frozen on the table while Dr. Beckett went over prenatal vitamins and scheduling my next checkup. A child. Kaelen's child. Fierce happiness and sheer terror collided inside me, leaving me completely breathless.

Walking out of the clinic in a fog, my fingers stayed wrapped tightly around the small business card where Dr. Beckett had jotted down my estimated due date. September 18. What had been an impossible thought less than an hour ago was now an undeniable reality anchoring me to the earth.

My pace dragged to a halt as I walked by a brick apartment complex with a 'For Rent' sign out front. A baby needed a real roof overhead. Yet even the smallest one-room flats in this town cost far more than I earned pouring coffee. Seeing the sign only drove home just how ill-equipped I was for the massive task ahead of me.

With my chest tightening, I dropped down onto an empty bench at a bus stop and let the sobs break through. Heavy tears spilled down my cheeks, leaving dark spots across the faded denim of my jeans. A few people walking down the sidewalk glanced over at me with pity in their eyes, though nobody paused to ask what was wrong. I was entirely on my own. Just like before—except now, another life depended on me.

As the late afternoon light gave way to dusk, a sharp April wind began to bite through my jacket. I knew I needed to get out of sight, shift, and make my way back to my shelter in the trees. Yet my limbs felt too heavy to even stand up.

What sort of future could I possibly offer a newborn? We would be drifters living on the outskirts of society, without a pack or a place to call our own. Cast aside and forgotten. Bringing a helpless child into that kind of struggle felt terribly unfair.

The distinct tap of dress shoes against the sidewalk made me look up through my blurry vision. Dr. Beckett had stopped right in front of the bench, his forehead creased with worry.

"Thalia? Are you okay?" he asked gently. "I was walking over to my car when I spotted you sitting here."

I quickly scrubbed the wetness from my cheeks with the back of my hand, my face burning with embarrassment. Having the one kind person in this entire town catch me falling apart on a street corner was mortifying.

"I'm alright, really," I muttered, looking away. "It's just been a very long day. I was just about to head out."

Pushing myself up from the bench too fast, the street tilted sharply beneath my boots as a wave of lightheadedness hit me. Dr. Beckett reached out at once, catching my forearm to keep me upright. His hands felt solid and reassuring through my sleeve.

"Let me give you a ride home," he insisted firmly. "You shouldn't be walking anywhere on your own like this."

Home. A bitter laugh nearly escaped my throat. The damp, dirt-floored hollow tucked inside the treeline where I slept hardly counted as a home. There was no way I could let this well-meaning doctor see where I actually lived.

"I'm fine to walk, truly," I told him, trying to school my features into something convincing. "You don't need to trouble yourself over me."

Dr. Beckett folded his arms across his chest, clearly not buying the excuse. "Thalia, you're carrying a child and you need proper care right now. Especially when you're getting dizzy spells." His amber gaze grew warm with genuine sympathy. "Please, just let me give you a hand."

Any further arguments faded away under the honesty in his eyes. Giving in was far too tempting—it let me pretend, even for a ten-minute drive, that somebody actually cared whether I made it back safely. Even if I had to keep hiding the truth from him.

"Alright... as long as it really isn't taking you out of your way," I finally agreed.

"Not in the slightest."

I walked beside him over to a sensible compact car parked along the curb. Slipping into the passenger seat, the spotless dashboard and tidy interior made my own chaotic existence feel even messier by comparison. We rode quietly down the main road for several blocks before he broke the silence.

"I realize we only met this afternoon, so you can tell me to drop it if I'm overstepping," he started carefully. "Do you have anyone around here to help you through this? The baby's father, or any relatives?"

My gaze dropped to my lap as a fresh wave of humiliation washed over me. To him, I probably looked like a reckless girl who had been abandoned by some careless man. He had no idea how much worse the reality actually was.

"I don't have anyone," I answered in a small voice.

The quiet that followed was thick with his unspoken sympathy. My throat tightened all over again. A little bit of basic decency from a near-stranger shouldn't have been enough to make me want to cry. Turning my head toward the passenger window, I stared out at the passing streetlights to hide my face.

"Blood isn't the only thing that makes a family, you know," he offered softly after a long pause. "Whenever you need support, you have people here who will stand by you."

Not trusting my voice to stay steady, I only gave a slight nod. By now, the car had reached the outer boundary of the village, where the small houses and storefronts gave way to open road and heavy timber.

"Right up here is fine to drop me off," I spoke up quickly as the dark line of the forest came into view.

Frowning slightly, Dr. Beckett eased the car over to the shoulder and put it in park. "Are you certain you'll be okay from here?"

"Yes, I'm feeling much steadier now. Thank you for the ride." I managed to put a polite smile on my face.

He still looked hesitant to leave me by the side of the road, though he didn't argue. "Look after yourself, Thalia. And give me a call if you need anything at all." Reaching into his coat, he pressed another one of his cards into my hand.

"I promise I will," I told him softly. "It means a lot that you'd go out of your way for someone you barely know." Looking into his eyes, I hoped he could see how truly thankful I was.

He reached across the console to give my shoulder a brief, reassuring squeeze. "Get some rest tonight."

Stepping out onto the gravel shoulder, I stood waiting until the red glow of his taillights vanished around the bend before stripping off my clothes, shifting into my wolf, and melting into the shadows of the trees. Ahead of me lay my cold, solitary den and a future full of unknowns.

Yet as I curled up on the bare earth tonight, the lingering warmth of the doctor's kindness would keep the worst of the chill away while I drifted into restless sleep, guarding the tiny spark of life inside me. A final remnant of Kaelen, who was gone from my life forever.

Would I really be strong enough to bring this baby into the world all by myself?