Filed To Story: Destined Bond with My Forbidden Alpha Novel (Alpha Alexander & Selene)
When again there was no answer, he opened the door and entered the room, but it too was empty.
The sound of running water drew his attention to the bathroom door. Sniffing the air, he found the most potent concentration of her scent came from that door. And he knew without a doubt that she was in there.
He thought about leaving. It was clear she was preparing a bath and would want her privacy. But before he could turn away, he remembered the stairs. Bell had been clear that Alice should not be going up and down stairs alone.
Leaving now would put her in danger, so he had to stay. It was for her safety. She would understand that, right? Still, he didn’t want to frighten her by simply being there when she expected an empty room.
Axel approached the door slowly. He swallowed and raised his hand hesitantly, feeling very nervous.
He gave a soft knock.
“Alice?” he said. “I just wanted to let you know I’m out here.”
No response.
“I came to talk. I know it’s not the best time, so I won’t push,” he said, pausing before continuing. “But you know Bell said you shouldn’t take the stairs alone. So, I will stay just long enough to help you get back down. Then I’ll go… if you want me to.”
Axel held his breath as he bit down on his bottom lip, waiting for her reply. But it never came.
After a minute, he lowered his head and let out his breath. His chest ached, and his body felt heavy as he understood she was still upset.
“I know you’re there, Alice,” he whispered, touching the door gingerly. “And I don’t blame you for not wanting to see or talk to me….”
He took a deep breath.
“I promise I won’t try to come in, and I won’t force you to talk to me,” he said. “I just want to make sure that you and our babies are safe.”
He swallowed.
“No matter what happens, that matters most to me, Alice,” he said. “You and our family.”
He waited for a reply, but still, he was only met with silence and the running water on the other side of the door.
He sighed and pulled away from the door. He turned, planning to leave the room and wait in the hall. But then, something occurred to him.
Axel looked back at the door. The water had been running for a very long time, and even if she was angry, Alice would have at least acknowledged him.
His heart began to thump wildly.
“Alice?” he called out.
He closed his eyes and focused on his hearing, on the sound of the running water, and just past it to the heartbeat inside the bathroom. It was her, but it was beating hard and fast.
At the edge of his senses, he found the prickling of fear, but it didn’t belong to him.
His heart leaped into his throat.
“Alice, I need you to answer me so I know you are okay! Please,” he called out as he quickly returned to the door.
He knocked again, harder this time.
“Alice! If you don’t answer, I’ll have to come in!” he shouted.
Silence.
Axel growled and took a step back.
“Last chance!” he shouted. “I’m going to kick in the door!”
Silence.
He raised his leg, and with a powerful kick, the door flew open. Axel rushed into the foggy bathroom.
“Alice!” he shouted.
As he entered the room, he turned to see her standing in a robe with her hands on the counter and her head down toward the sink. He furrowed his brows, having expected to find her passed out or injured.
“Alice…” he whispered, taking a step toward her.
As he got closer, he noticed a few things. First, her jaw was clenched, and there was sweat on her brow. Second, her hands held to the counter’s edge so tight that her knuckles were white.
But the thing that concerned him the most, which made his stomach tighten into knots, was how her entire body shook.
He reached his hand to her.
“Alice…” he whispered as his fingers touched her shoulder.
Her head shot up with a gasp. She turned to him, her eyes wide.
“Axel…?” she whispered with surprise.
The strength she had been clinging to failed.
“Alice!” he shouted as her entire body went limp, falling into his arms as she lost consciousness.
When Alice woke, she was in the hospital. Axel was sitting beside her, and as soon as he saw that her eyes were open, he jumped up and ran to get the doctor.
After a comprehensive exam and an ultrasound, it was confirmed that everything was fine with the pregnancy. The twins were healthy and growing, and Alice returned with a clean bill of health.
Alice had a hard time accepting that everything was fine.
She had gone to the upstairs bathroom because there was only a shower in the downstairs bathroom. After turning on the water, she gathered her supplies on the counter and changed into her robe.
When she stood up and pulled her hair up into a short ponytail, there was a very sudden sharp pain low in her abdomen. One that had forced a quick breath and clenched jaw.
Her heart started racing, and then there was another sharp pain. Several more. She took a few steps forward, and her body suddenly became weak. A thick and heavy ache in her thigh stretched to her lower back.
She grabbed hold of the counter to steady herself, but the strength in her legs was all but gone. A lightning bolt pain coursed through her leg, and the sharp abdominal pain continued. She held hard to the counter and focused on moving past the pain. She knew that if she let go, she would fall.
Alice had no idea what was happening to her body, but she knew that any fall during pregnancy put the babies at risk. So, she refused to fall. No matter how long she had to hold herself steady, she would.
Drawing on the awful lessons of her past, Alice pulled away from the pain, detaching herself so thoroughly that she couldn’t even hear when Axel had knocked or had spoken. It wasn’t until he touched her that she was yanked back to herself.
Her strength was gone, and she was exhausted, but she would have held to that counter until her dying breath if she had to. But when she looked into his eyes and recognized him, she could let go, knowing he would never allow her to fall.
The doctor explained that Alice had felt sudden weakness and leg pain due to pressure on the nerves as the babies grew and took up more space. It was a common problem in pregnancy. So as long as they kept an eye on her and she was more careful about paying attention to her symptoms, there was no reason to think it would cause any problems for the twins.
“But what about the pain she felt at the start,” Axel asked. He was sitting at the edge of his chair. His voice filled with concern.
The doctor smiled and looked at Alice.
“I’m afraid,” she said, “there is no treatment for that.”
Axel’s face fell, and he looked back at Alice with concern.
Alice sat in bed, her hand naturally moving low on her abdomen.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“As you get further along in your pregnancy,” the doctor said, “you will feel it more often. And it is bound to get much worse, I’m sorry.”
“Worse?!” Axel shouted as he stood from his chair. “How can you say that with a smile on your face? Do you not realize how much pain she was in?”
“I’m sorry, my Alpha,” the doctor said, lowering her head and placing her fist to her heart. “I didn’t mean to be disrespectful. I was only trying to lighten the mood.”
The doctor turned back to Alice.
“I know it is painful, but there is no cause for concern,” she said. “The pain you are feeling is completely normal. But because you carry two of them, it will be harder for you than most.”
“What is it?” Alice asked.
The doctor smiled.
“Your babies are moving.”
***
Axel insisted on taking Alice back home, staying by her side the entire way. She told him it wasn’t necessary, but she also didn’t mind his company. Even if they had things to talk about and work through, it didn’t change how she felt about him.
“We should get you in bed,” he said as he helped her into the house.
“She said to rest. She didn’t say bed rest,” Alice sighed. “The couch is fine for now.”
Axel huffed, but he led her to the couch and helped her to sit down.
He hurried to the kitchen and returned with a glass of water.
“She said you were also a little dehydrated,” he said, offering her the glass.
“I’m not thirsty,” she said.
Axel raised a brow and pushed the water toward her again.
Alice sighed and took it from him, taking a sip and setting it on the side table.
“Happy?” she asked.
“Ecstatic,” he smiled.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?