Chapter 401

[ 979 words ]

Talia’s POV

Red wine ran down my chin. The room got quiet. I wiped my mouth, my face flushed from embarrassment. I tried to smile. “I’m okay, really. Sorry.”

The taste stayed, sharp and sour.

“Arya, you better not have poisoned us. Goddess help me, I’ll take you with me,” Della growled.

“I didn’t do anything,” Arya said. “I ate some too.”

“Della, calm down. I am just a little nauseous,” I said.

Clara rushed over and put a hand on my forehead. “Are you sure? You look pale.”

“I’m fine, I promise.” I laughed, even though I didn’t feel like it. “I guess I just can’t handle wine tonight.”

I looked at Nolan. He tried to look calm, but I could see he was worried. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked.

I nodded and said, “I think so. I don’t think I’ll be having wine for a while.”

Through the mate bond, he said, ‘You don’t have to pretend in front of me. If you’re not feeling okay, you can tell me. We can go to the hospital now.’

‘I am serious, Nolan. I am feeling okay,’ I responded.

Walden looked apologetic and confused. “I’m sorry,” he said, “I checked the wine earlier to make sure it was safe.”

“Check it again,” Nolan ordered.

Walden picked up the bottle and checked it again, inspecting the liquid and sniffing it carefully. Then, he checked my wine glass. After a moment, he nodded. “Nothing is wrong with the wine. It wasn’t tainted, and neither was Luna’s glass.”

“This is no one’s fault,” I said firmly. “The wine’s just not agreeing with me tonight. Everyone just relax and let’s finish enjoying dinner.”

Della raised an eyebrow. “But it is strange. Wine never bothered you before.”

Marco shrugged. “She’s right. You were fine a few days ago at the party.”

Della leaned in, suddenly serious. “You should see a doctor after dinner. Sudden changes aren’t normal.”

Nolan, still frowning, spoke up. “Why wait? We should go now.”

I could feel his worry through the mate bond. “Nolan, really, I’m fine. Let’s finish dinner,” I said.

“No, I think Alpha is right, Luna,” Arya said. “You started to feel sick during the drinking contest, too.”

My heart raced. What if something was wrong with me? I felt both scared and hopeful.

‘You’re healthy I can feel it. Don’t let them worry you,’ my wolf said, sounding sure. ‘I’d know if something was wrong.’

Marco and Walden looked at each other. “If you say you’re fine, we believe you,” Marco said.

Nolan squeezed my hand. “I’m not trying to control you, Talia. I’m just worried.”

I smiled at him. “I know. But I feel fine now. Really.”

Suddenly, Della snapped her fingers, commanding everyone’s attention. “Wait. When my mother was pregnant, she couldn’t stand the sight or smell of alcohol. She also ate double her usual portions.”

Everyone turned to look at me. Arya’s eyes went wide. Clara’s mouth dropped open. Annie gasped.

“Do you think Luna is pregnant?” Annie asked.

Nolan turned to me, hope flickering in his gaze. “Have you been keeping track?”

My cheeks burned. “I… I don’t know. It’s not impossible.” I hadn’t kept track of my cycle. I couldn’t even remember the last time. I remembered being in heat, when I was most fertile and restless, wanting Nolan close. It was hard to ignore. ‘Are we pregnant?’ I asked.

‘I…I don’t even know,’ my wolf said, sounding completely floored.

The table erupted with whispers and questions. Della bounced in her seat. “Forget the food! You have to get checked! Now!”

Marco grinned. “We’ll have to start baby-proofing the pack house.”

I met Nolan’s eyes, searching for worry, but found only hope. Still, a knot formed in my stomach. What if I wasn’t pregnant? What if it was just some strange illness?

My wolf’s excitement bubbled up. ‘No. We’re not sick. There is no illness. We were never bitten by a mad rogue. We could have a pup! I hope it’s true!’

Dinner ended in a blur of congratulations and laughter. As soon as we finished, Nolan was already leading me out. “Hospital. Now,” he said, his eyes bright. “I’m coming with you both,” Della said.

I shook my head and squeezed her hand. “No, Della, stay here with the others. I’ll let you know as soon as we know anything.”

She paused, looking concerned, then agreed. “You better. If you don’t, I’ll never let you hear the end of it.”

Nolan and I quickly went to the hospital. We were ushered into an examination room. “This is not what I expected our evening would end,” I said.

Nolan brushed his thumb over my knuckles. “Hopefully we’ll have good news. No matter if you’re pregnant or if you’re actually sick, I love you, and we’ll get this through together,” he said before kissing me.

My wolf prowled the edges of my mind, restless and impatient. ‘We are not sick,’ she said firmly. ‘So that means we have pups!’

‘You don’t know that,’ I argued.

‘Then, you tell me what else it could be,’ my wolf responded.

The doctor walked in before I could respond. “Good evening, Luna. What brings you here tonight?” she asked as she listened to my heartbeat and took my temperature. “Liquor’s been making me nauseous lately. I wanted to make sure I’m okay,” I said. The doctor nodded. “We’ll run some tests and let you know soon.” She drew my blood and took a urine sample, then sent us to wait for the results.

“No matter what happens, you’re what matters,” Nolan said. “If we’re not pregnant this time, we’ll try again. There’s no rush.”

“Thank you,” I said. The worry crept back in. “I want this, but I’m scared to hope.”

He brushed a thumb across my cheek. “I know. We can hope together.”

Time dragged. Footsteps echoed in the hall. Each one made my breath catch. My heart hammered as the door opened and the doctor walked in, holding a folder with my name. Her footsteps sounded like a countdown.

“Luna Talia,” she said, stopping in front of me. “Your results are here.”

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