Page 37 of Under the Dragon's Spell
"Let me first assure you that I could find no problem with your reproductive organs."
But there was a problem. He wouldn't be talking like that if there wasn't. So what was it?
"Just tell me what's wrong, please."
"I did find a certain hormone imbalance. Or rather, a lack of certain hormones that make you fertile and insure the safe progression of the pregnancy. It's the key item that differentiates regular men from omega men. Aside from the necessary organs of course."
His words hit me like several little stabs right into my rib cage. I lacked hormones? How had my last doctor missed that? And what did it mean? That I could never get pregnant? That, even if I did, the whole thing would be more risky than usual?
"So..." I began speaking, but wasn't sure how to get all the words floating around in my head into one single sentence that made sense. Eventually, I managed to ask: "I can't have a child?"
The doctor licked his lips. "It's not entirely impossible," I said. "Actually, I've read research on your condition before. Some argue that it can be a temporary state that the omega man enters when he feels circumstances aren't right for a pregnancy."
I didn't know whether to be relieved at that or not. I wasn't sure what to make of his words. Or that explanation. Was he saying that it was my fault I'd never been able to get pregnant? If so, Rory was right.
The thought stuck in my head, louder than everything around me.
Rory was right.
I had failed him and our relationship. If what the doctor was saying was true--it was all entirely on me.
"Mr. Lark, are you listening?"
I looked up at the doctor as my chest drew tight. Itriedto listen, but it was difficult.
"You can have a child," the doctor said with emphasis. "But your chances of conceiving are significantly lower than average at this time."
I nodded, because that was all I seemed to be able to do anymore.
"I'm sorry I don't have better news," the doctor went on to say.
"Are there drugs that can fix it? Hormone treatments?" I'd read about those on the Internet when I first suspected my equipment wasn't in full working order.
"Certain treatment options do exist. But they can be expensive."
"I don't care." I didn't even have to think about my response.
"With regards to the job and your suitability, you'll have to discuss it with the Dragonfang family, I'm afraid."
I sucked in a breath. I hadn't even thought about how Tyrel would take this news yet. This revelation would probably place me at the very end of the list.
Fuck.
At the very least, I thought bitterly, I would find out if Tyrel could still be interested in me when I couldn't help him get his inheritance.
14
TYREL
The morning the applicants went to the clinic, I had the absolute pleasure of taking my mother out to brunch. It had become something of a family tradition after my father had left. Every first Sunday of the month, we went out to eat together. It was something she had done with my father in the early days, and after he was gone, I often sensed a certain kind of sadness in her on these days. So one month, I had taken it upon myself to invite her out, so she would stop looking so miserable.
Over time it had become a thing that neither of us could easily stop, even when we weren't on best terms with each other.
It had been during a Sunday lunch that mother had first proposed her plans of finding a mate for me as well.
Today's brunch started out nicely enough. For the first half hour or so, while we ate, we pretended that we didn't have four practically strange men living in our vacation home with the goal to determine whom of them I should bed to produce an heir.
The blessed silence couldn't last forever, of course.
