Filed to story: Wolf Crying Mate of the Alpha by Jazz Ford
‘Okay, okay, I mumble, locking the cubicle door behind me. Ryker tosses some clothes over the cubicle door.
‘Try these.’ He says.
I put the dress on that Ryker chose: it’s stretchy and strapless and sits mid-thigh, exposing a lot of leg.
‘This fits much better, I say, showing him. He eyes me up and down with approval and pins me against the shop wall to kiss me.
Our display of affection exceeds what’s acceptable in a shop setting.
‘Should I leave?’ Medley asks, her face a rosy, embarrassed, pink hue. We giggle and blush.
I’ll just be in the office out back if you need me,’ Medley yells out, leaving us quickly and tottering off to her office.
We choose more clothes, and I try them on. I place the new clothes I want on the counter, ready to pay, and ding the bell on the desk. Medley totters back out and scans the items and puts them into a shopping bag. I’m happy to have clothes that will fit me.
‘Let’s go for a run!” I say as we leave the store.
‘Sounds good,’ Ryker smiles.
We reach the woods and leave the shopping bags and my new clothes by a large tree. We undress, and I stuff our clothes in the bag with the new items. Ryker shifts into his wolf and runs off. He pauses when he realises, I’m not following him. ‘Astrid? You haven’t shifted. Are you okay?’ He links.
‘I don’t know. I can’t shift. Nothing is happening. Why can’t I shift?’ I link back, with apparent panic in my voice. Ryker shifts back and dresses.
‘It’s okay. You’re probably just too tired, Ryker says, kissing my forehead. I shake my head.
‘I don’t feel tired,’ I reply. Ryker takes my hand.
‘Come on, let’s go home,’ he says, and I nod and follow for a while before stopping.
‘Astrid?’ He asks. I run to the closest bush and throw up.
‘Let’s go home. I’ll call the doctor, Ryker says, concern in his voice. My surroundings spin, and I feel faint before collapsing and blacking out
I hear the sounds of hospital machines beeping and whirring. I open my eyes and put my arm up to cover them from the bright lights.
“Am I in the hospital?’ I ask.
‘Astrid. You’re awake!’ Ryker says, taking my hand and smiling.
“You blacked out. I brought you straight to the hospital. The doctor will be here shortly to speak with us. They took some blood to run some tests. I’m sure you’re fine, though. It’s just a precaution. A nurse enters the room with a monitor on a trolley
‘Alpha, Luna: the doctor is on his way. He asked me to get some things set up for him.’ she smiles, plugging a machine into the powerpoint on the wall, switching it on and leaving the room.
‘Alpha, it’s been quite some time since you’ve been here,’ the doctor smiles.
‘Doctor Herman. Is she going to be, okay?’ Ryker asks.
‘Yes. Astrid will be fine. Her results came back positive. We’ll do an ultrasound to see how far along she is.’ Ryker and I look at each other, confused.
‘Positive for what?’ I ask. Doctor Herman chuckles.
‘Pregnancy,’ he says. My mouth drops open in shock.
I’m pregnant?’ I ask.
‘Yes. Congratulations to you both, doctor Herman says, shaking Ryker’s hand.
I’m going to be a Dad?’ He asks the doctor. The doctor nods and smiles, then squirts some gel across my lower abdomen and glides a sort of scanner device over the gel.
“And there it is,’ he gestures to the screen.
Frozen in awe, staring at the medical screen, we see two little arms, two little legs, a body and a head. We can even hear a heartbeat.
‘That’s our baby?’ I ask, looking up at Ryker. His eyes well with emotion as he kisses the back of my hand.
‘Yes. That’s our perfect baby, he whispers. Tears of joy and happiness overwhelm me.
“Ryker – we’re having a baby!’ I cry. Ryker squeezes my hand and kisses my forehead.
‘You’re going to be the best mother. I just know it, he says, beaming.
‘How far along is she, Doctor Herman? Ryker asks.
‘She is twelve weeks, so there’ll be no more shifting until the pup’s birth, he explains. He grabs some paper towels and wipes all the gel off my stomach.
‘That’s why you couldn’t shift today, Ryker ponders. Before can pull my shirt back down, and after Doctor Herman has finished wiping the gel off my stomach, Ryker kisses my belly.
‘You have exhausted yourself, Astrid. I suggest bed rest for a few days. Avoid wearing yourself out. We don’t want you collapsing again, Doctor Herman says. He prints the ultrasound pictures, and Ryker tucks them safely in his pocket before scooping me up in his arms.
‘Time to take my family home to rest in bed, he says, leaning down to kiss my forehead before kissing me softly on the lips. We leave the hospital room beaming.
We arrive back home at the packhouse beaming with our baby news.
Ryker mind-links everyone in the packhouse to come downstairs for an urgent meeting. Mia and Amelia are the first to take a seat in the dining room. Then, Leon and Seth come running down the stairs frantically. You would think the packhouse was on fire.
‘Luna, Alpha. Is everything okay?’ Seth pants.
‘Take a seat, Seth.’ Ryker gestures to the empty chair.
‘Now everyone needs to listen carefully. Things are going to be changing drastically around here.’
Mia and Amelia give each other a look of worry.
‘What’s the cause for the drastic changes around here?’ Mia asks.
‘Let’s just say the drastic changes are for the better, not the worse.’ I say.
Ryker takes my hand endearingly. Astrid and I would like to announce we are having a baby. Astrid is pregnant.’
Amelia and Mia jump up off their seats and begin screaming with joy as they race over to me and hug me tight.
‘A baby? You’re having a baby?’ Amelia asks.
‘Yes, I’m already three months pregnant.
Amelia and Mia scream again while the guys block an ear with one hand and pat Ryker on the back with their other hand, congratulating him.