Page 37 of Rescued By Four Alphas
"Men," Emily says with feeling. "Even super-hot Alpha shifter men can be frustratingly dense sometimes."
That makes me laugh, which feels good after hours of worry and frustration. "You're not wrong."
"So, what are you going to do? Just wait it out?"
I glance toward the door. "For now. But if they don't give me some information soon, I'm going to start making demands. I might be pregnant, but I'm not helpless."
"That's my girl," Emily says approvingly. "Show those Alphas who's really in charge."
"How are things with you?" I ask, eager to think about something other than my current situation. "How's work?"
"Same old, same old. Have you even had the time to do some research and lab work?"
"Not for a while," I sigh. "Even before all this, the pregnancy was making lab work difficult. I get tired so easily now, and some of the chemicals make me nauseous."
"Growing four babies will do that to you," Emily says. "Speaking of which, how are my future godchildren doing?"
I smile, rubbing my belly. "Active. Dr. Marianna says they're developing faster than human babies would. Shifter pregnancies are shorter but more intense."
"Do you know the genders yet?"
"No, we decided to wait. We want everyone to be there when we find out."
"That's sweet," Emily says. "Though it makes buying baby clothes challenging."
"You don't need to buy anything," I protest. "Evan's already ordered enough baby stuff to fill a warehouse."
"I'm still getting them presents," Emily insists. "I'm going to be the cool aunt who spoils them rotten."
We chat for a few more minutes, and for a little while, I can almost forget that I'm locked in a panic room because someone threatened my family.
Almost.
"I should probably go," Emily says eventually. "My lunch break is almost over. But call me if you need anything, okay? Even if it's to vent."
"I will," I promise. "Thanks for checking on me, Em."
"That's what friends are for. Love you, mama."
"Love you too."
I hang up and stare at my phone for a moment. Talking to Emily helped, but now that she's gone, the frustration and fear come creeping back.
I'm still staring at my phone when it buzzes again. This time, it's Dr. Marianna requesting a video call. I quickly smooth my hair and adjust my position to look less like I've been sulking in bed all day.
"Dr. Marianna," I greet her when her face appears on the screen. "This is a surprise."
"Dahlia," she smiles, though it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"Trust me, you're not. I've been stuck in this safe room for eighteen hours with nothing but my thoughts for company." I shift against the pillows. "Is everything okay? We don't have an appointment scheduled until next week."
She adjusts her glasses, a gesture I've come to recognize as her way of preparing to deliver complicated news. "I've been reviewing your latest blood work, and I wanted to discuss some findings with you."
My hand automatically moves to my belly. "Is something wrong with the babies?"
"Not wrong, exactly," she says carefully. "But there are some anomalies I think you should be aware of."
I sit up straighter, my scientist brain immediately engaged. "What kind of anomalies?"
