Chapter 4

I stumbled out of Dr. Vance's office, my mind still reeling from his words.

“You’re pregnant.”

The word echoed in my head, a constant reminder of the reality I couldn’t seem to process. It was impossible. There had to be some sick mistake in his evaluation.

My hands gripped the cool stone walls of the hallway as I walked, each step slower than the last. I tried to remember anything that could explain how I had ended up in this situation, but nothing came to mind. I had never been with a man, never even gotten close to crossing that line with Theo. The thought of it alone seemed...impossible. He was distant, cold, always so focused on the future, on our mating ceremony, that I had never once felt the pull of any sort of intimacy between us.

“It doesn’t make any sense,” I whispered to myself.

The words from the doctor replayed in my head once again. There was no possible way I could be carrying a child for anybody. There had to be an explanation for everything. Perhaps Dr. Vance had not done what he ought to.

I reached the door to my room, my fingers trembling as I placed them on the doorknob. Before I could open it, I hesitated. What was I supposed to do?

The moment I stepped inside, I collapsed onto the edge of the bed, my hands covering my face. The room felt suffocating, the air too thick to breathe. I had to figure this out. I had to understand how this happened. How could I explain this to Theo? To anyone? Who would believe me?

I had no answers. No clear path forward.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.

“Anaya?” Clara’s voice was soft but firm. “Are you alright? I’ve brought your lunch.”

I didn’t move. How could I? The weight of my discovery felt like a heavy stone pressing down on me, threatening to crush everything.

“Anaya?” Clara asked again, her voice tinged with concern now.

With a sigh, I wiped my face and pushed myself off the bed, stumbling toward the door. When I opened it, Clara stood there with a tray in her hands, her eyes scanning me with the look of someone who knew when things weren’t quite right.

“Thank you,” I muttered, taking the tray from her and stepping aside to let her in. But instead of walking past me, Clara’s eyes flickered to my face, narrowing slightly. She set the tray down on the desk, then looked back at me.

“What's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost.”

I hesitated. Clara had been with me since I arrived at Mooncrest, given to me by Theo as my assistant. She was always pleasant and helpful whenever she was around, but something in her demeanor told me she wasn’t as naïve as I’d like to believe. She saw through the walls I’d built around myself.

“I… I’m not sure what’s going on,” I said, my voice shaky. “Clara, something happened today. Something I can’t explain.”

Her eyes softened. She stepped closer, her voice lowering. “What happened?”

I told her everything—the doctor’s visit, the shock of finding out that I was pregnant, and my inability to comprehend how this could have happened. I watched her face as I spoke, studying her reaction, looking for any hint of judgment or disbelief. But Clara didn’t look shocked or repulsed. She looked rather concerned.

“I don’t understand, Clara,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I’ve never... I’ve never been with anyone. Not even Theo.”

Clara didn’t respond immediately. She paused, as though thinking carefully about her words before speaking. “I understand. But whatever the reason, this is something you’ll need to face head-on. Theo will find out sooner or later, Anaya.”

I shook my head vigorously. “I don’t want him to find out. I need time to figure this out before I talk to him.”

“Anaya, hiding it will only make things worse. You’re not just carrying a child. You’re carrying the future of your pack. It’s not something you can keep hidden forever.”

“But I don’t have an explanation!” I nearly shouted, my frustration bubbling over. “Theo will never believe me. He’s going to think I’m lying. He’ll think I’ve betrayed him. I don’t know how to face him with this.”

Clara’s gaze softened even more, and she placed a hand on my shoulder, steadying me. “You’re not lying. This is not your fault. Whatever happens, you need to tell him. Keeping secrets only makes the truth more complicated. If you try to hide it, it’ll destroy you, and it will destroy everything you’ve been building.”

Her words cut through me like a sharp blade, leaving me raw and exposed. She was right. Hiding it wasn’t an option. But the fear gnawing at me—the fear of rejection, of not being believed—was overwhelming.

“I don’t know how,” I whispered, my eyes brimming with unshed tears.

Clara squeezed my shoulder gently before turning to leave. “Take some time. Think about it. But don’t wait too long, Anaya. You’ll figure this out.”

I stood there, rooted to the spot, as the door closed behind her.

What was I going to do?

The weight of the situation felt heavier with every passing second. I couldn’t remember anything from the past weeks that would explain how I ended up pregnant, but Dr. Vance had seemed so sure. And then I had gone to that small clinic on the outskirts of town. That doctor, too, had confirmed it. And both doctors had been careful to note that my hymen was still intact. They both looked confused, but they also agreed: I was pregnant.

I was carrying a child, but there was no father. No explanation. Just... me.

I spent the rest of the day in a daze, trying to sort through my thoughts. The idea of telling Theo seemed impossible. He had never treated me like a mate. He had been distant, cold. He had barely spoken to me since I arrived at Mooncrest. If I told him now, would he even believe me? Or would he see this as some sort of trick?

As the evening drew closer, I found myself pacing the room, my heart racing with every step.

The sound of a door slamming open caught my attention. My head snapped toward the door as Theo stormed in, his face twisted in fury.

“You,” he snarled, his voice low and dangerous. “I want to know the truth. Now.”

I froze, my blood running cold. His anger was palpable, filling the room and pressing down on me like a weight. He was furious. What else had I done now?

“You—” He stopped, shaking his head in disbelief, his gaze searing through me. “I know you’re pregnant. I want to know how. What’s going on, Anaya?”

The words hit me like a slap. The truth hung in the air, thick and suffocating, and I knew, in that moment, there was no escaping it.

But what could I say? How could I possibly explain a pregnancy that made no sense?

Theo took another step toward me, his eyes wild with anger. “Answer me, damn it. How are you pregnant?”

I stood there, paralyzed, my throat dry and my mind blank. I had no answers for him, and that made everything even worse.

And before I could speak, he took another step forward, his rage building.

“I’ll give you one more chance to explain yourself before I kill you, Anaya. Tell me the truth.”