Chapter 178

Olivia

The sun was beginning to set that day, casting a gentle amber hue over the horizon, and I sat alone on the balcony, lost in thought.

The rhythmic sounds of the waves crashing on the shore served as a soothing backdrop. An old book lay on my lap, its pages unread and untouched. Nathan’s touch still lingered on my skin, his kiss still lingered on my lips, and his words kept echoing in my ears.

“I want some say in the prenatal things, and want to know if it’s twins or not.”

I took a deep breath, looking out over the sea.

For some reason, I felt terrified to find out about the life growing inside of me. My due date was so close, and yet I still knew nothing about what to expect.

All along, I had been content with not knowing, but now that Nathan had expressed wanting to know as a stipulation of our arrangement, I wasn’t so sure if I had ever been content with it to begin with.

Was I avoiding the truth because of fear?

Nathan had been nothing but understanding, supportive, and caring. Maybe, just maybe, he was right. Perhaps it was time to face my anxieties head-on.

…

The next morning, I approached Nathan as he prepared breakfast. His back was turned, but I could see the tension in his shoulders. If it weren’t for the calm morning light painting soft hues across his form, I would have thought he was angry. Or maybe too tense for his own good.

Taking a deep breath, I took tentative steps towards the kitchen island. “Nathan?”

He stilled, and I saw the tension in the line of his shoulders. “Yeah?” His voice was gentle, an invitation for me to speak my mind.

Drawing in a long breath, I faced him, trying to find the words that would adequately express my whirlwind of emotions. “About the prenatal check-up... and finding out if it’s twins or not.”

He turned fully, his face a mix of hope and worry. “Yes? Have you thought about it?”

“I’ve been thinking...” I began, pausing to gather my thoughts. “It's not just about me, is it? It’s about us. And maybe I’ve been avoiding the truth. I’ve been scared, Nathan. Scared of the unknown, of the responsibility. But maybe, just maybe, it’s time I faced this. I’m not alone anymore.”

His blue-green eyes deepened, the weight of our shared concerns reflected in them.

“I don’t want to push you, Olivia,” he said. “I just... I want to be part of this journey, every step of the way.”

The genuine earnestness in his voice caught me off guard. Tears pricked my eyes, but I fought them back.

“I know you do,” I whispered. “And I’ve realized that I want that too. For both of us to be completely involved. We deserve to know, and the life inside of me,” I said, placing a hand on my stomach, “deserves it too.”

“Or lives,” Nathan said, a hint of a playful smirk on his lips.

For a moment, we stood in silence, the weight of the decision pressing upon us. Nathan’s eyes, filled with a blend of relief and gratitude, met mine after a few seconds.

“Thank you, Olivia,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

…

The following week, we found ourselves sitting in the cozy waiting room of the prenatal clinic. Nathan kept stealing glances my way, his face etched with both anticipation and concern. He reached out, squeezing my hand reassuringly.

“You okay?” he whispered.

“Just nervous,” I admitted. The weight of our impending discovery was palpable.

“We're in this together,” he reminded me, and that was all I needed to hear.

After what felt like hours, a nurse finally called us in. The room was softly lit, creating a calming ambiance. The ultrasound machine sat in a corner, waiting to reveal our future.

My doctor, a petite woman with gray hair and glasses perched on her slender nose, greeted us warmly. “You ready, Olivia?” she asked, smirking slightly. “After all this time?”

I nodded, taking a deep breath. “I am,” I said quietly. “I know it’s a little silly for me to be here; I could have just called you and asked. But I want to see for myself.

The doctor simply smiled. “It’s not silly,” she reassured me. “I would want to see for myself, too, if I were you.”

Feeling a bit relieved but also nervous, I climbed up onto the examination table and lifted my shirt to expose my swollen belly. Nathan stood by my side, never letting go of my hand.

Over the past week, our budding relationship had been slow, just as we wanted it to be; but I was happy with our brief touches, our warm glances. It felt as though we could finally explore our feelings for each other without the hindrances of our apprehensions, and each time we exchanged soft, tender moments, I thought back to Clint’s words about his wife.

As the cold gel was applied to my belly, I caught my breath. The sensation was both alien and intimate, a strange combination of anticipation and vulnerability.

The doctor began her examination, moving the tprobe slowly across my abdomen. The screen flickered to life, presenting an abstract world of shapes and shadows.

“There we go,” Dr. Sanders murmured, pointing to the screen. “And... Oh! Look at that!”

Nathan and I leaned in, our eyes fixed on the image before us. Two distinct shapes were visible, each pulsing with life.

“It’s twins,” she confirmed with a smile. “A boy and a girl.”

Nathan’s grip on my hand tightened, and I turned to look at him. His eyes shimmered with unshed tears, his face a canvas of raw emotion. The gravity of the moment settled in, leaving us speechless.

“Congratulations,” the doctor added, printing out the ultrasound image. “As you well know, they’re both healthy and are growing beautifully. I hope you’ve prepared for an extra crib in the nursery.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Nathan managed to say, his voice choked with emotion.

As we left the clinic, the weight of our discovery settled in. Two lives, growing inside me, each a testament to the strength and depth of our bond. Nathan seemed lost in thought, his hand never leaving mine.

“I can’t believe it,” he finally whispered, pulling me close. “A boy and a girl, Olivia. It’s more than I could’ve ever hoped for.”

“I know,” I replied, tears forming in my eyes as I clutched the image in my hand. “I was so scared, Nathan. But now, knowing I’m having twins... it feels right. It feels like... destiny.”

He pulled me closer, his lips finding mine in a tender kiss. “We’re in this together, remember? You’re not alone anymore.”

I nodded, my heart swelling with love and gratitude. “Thank you.”

As we walked back to the car, the world around us seemed brighter, more vibrant. The future, once uncertain, now lay before us, filled with infinite possibilities. And with Nathan by my side, I knew that I could face anything.

But one problem still lay before me; something that I hadn’t told Nathan about yet.

My wolf.

What if my wolf never returned fully? What if my twins wound up being born completely without wolves thanks to my condition?

As Nathan and I pulled back up to the villa and headed inside, the excitement of a budding future lay before us—and so did the apprehension of a future with two children who very well might never have the chance to experience their own wolves.