Page 78 of Brutal Alpha Beast
“Yep.”
He smiles, like he’s impressed. “I know we weren’t exactly on best terms when you must have figured this out. But next time, tell me. It’ll be useful for us both.”
“Yeah,” I say casually. “Okay.”
I try to bite back a grin because I like it when he’s impressed with me. I can’t explain why. Maybe it’s stupid, but his approval means a lot.
“You cool to keep going?”
“Yes, of course,” I reply. “These vines aren’t going to find themselves.”
We continue walking, and I still feel that strange energy again.
We walk a few more paces, and then there’s this strange constriction across my chest. I shake it off, but before I can move, it feels like my heart is tightening. Like there are strings being wound across it. Like a hand is pressing it between the sides of its palm.
“So,” Ellis says absentmindedly, “maybe left?”
My vision turns black, my hand falls, and there’s no more light from the orb. There’s that energy, louder, impossible to ignore.
Then I see myself, it’s a vision, I’m standing there, and there’s a light that’s tracing around until it finds its way to my stomach. Then a heartbeat.
Thumbs, fingernails, a small face. I’m zooming inside my stomach and see the first forms of life. It’s tiny, only a spec. Then I’m back, gasping for breath as I’m kneeling on the forest floor.
Ellis is beside me, rubbing my shoulders. He doesn’t speak; he waits.
“I’m not feeling well,” I say.
“What did you see?”
I’m pregnant.
Can I tell him? Not when the future is so unstable. Not when I have no idea how he’ll react. I can’t face this today.
“Nothing,” I mutter. “I think we should go back to the cabin. You’re right, my body isn’t ready.”
“Of course,” he says, supporting me as we head back in silence.
I let him guide me, as I sink deeper into my thoughts.
I can’t believe it. I’mpregnant. As if things weren’t already complicated enough.
Once we get back, I excuse myself to use the bathroom—one of the hidden ones upstairs.
I call Monroe.
After several rings, she picks up.
“Danielle,” she says, her voice a little croaky. “Now’s not a great time.”
“It’s urgent,” I whisper. “Really urgent.”
“Okay,” she sighs. “What?”
“I’ve just had a crazy vision. It’s real, I know it is, I can feel it. I... well... I’m pregnant. I don’t know what to do. Should I tellEllis, should I wait? How can I even think about raising a child with everything going on?”
“Oh,” she says, then there’s a beat of mismatched silence. “Are you sure?”
“Yes!” I nearly exclaim. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so sure of anything my whole life.”
