Chapter 332

Olivia

The day was a whirlwind of activity. The twins were particularly fussy, almost as if they had sensed an upcoming shift in the family dynamic. Finally, after a lot of trials and tribulations, it was dinner time. The sun was setting, and the energy in the house felt as if it was calming down, and yet I felt anything but calm.

I was sitting on the bed, thinking about everything. Nathan was downstairs, giving the twins their dinner, and I could hear the sounds of his voice emanating through the walls. Hearing the way that he spoke so lovingly to them should have filled me with comfort, but right now, that was impossible.

The knowledge of this new pregnancy was exciting, but I couldn’t get the witch off of my mind. A ‘gift’, she had said. Was this it? Was this her version of a ‘gift’? Was this yet another way for her to control me, to control us? And if I kept this so-called ‘gift’, would it put Aurora in danger?

Suddenly, Nathan appeared in the doorway. “Hey, I was feeding Elliot, and I wanted to ask—” he paused when he saw the expression on my face. “Are you alright?”

I glanced up, realizing that I had been chewing my lip nervously.

“It’s just… I stop thinking about it,” I admitted, my voice shaky.

“What?” he asked, stepping into the room. “The baby?”

I nodded and shrugged at the same time. “Yes. And the witch. And the twins. What if this isn’t the miracle we think it is, you know? What if this is her ‘gift’ and she’s gonna use it against us?”

Nathan sighed and sat next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “I get where you’re coming from. But what else are we supposed to do? What’s done is done. All we can do now is worry about the future, just like you said.”

“I am worrying about the future.” I looked at him, his eyes searching mine, always so full of love but now clouded with worry. “There’s another option we haven’t discussed. We could… we could not go through with it. I could get an abortion.”

The word hung heavy in the air between us, like a thick fog we were both afraid to navigate through. Nathan’s face went pale, and he looked down, as if grappling with something deep inside of him.

“Have you thought about it? Honestly?” I pressed. My wolf was stirring inside me, uneasy and restless.

“Yeah,” he finally said, his voice softer than a whisper. “I’d be lying if I said the thought hasn’t crossed my mind. But Liv, could you really do it? Could we?”

My heart sank as he spoke. “I don’t know, Nathan. I really don’t know.”

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Let’s think about this. We’ve faced challenges, right? Bad ones. But we’ve also made it through, haven’t we?”

“We have,” I said, my voice tinged with uncertainty. “And we still have challenges to overcome. And besides, this isn’t just about us or the witch. It’s about another life—a baby. And what about Elliot and Aurora? They’re not even a year old yet. Can we handle all this?”

He met my gaze, and for a moment, the world felt like it was standing still. “If it’s too much, if you truly think we can’t handle it, then I’ll stand by whatever choice you make,” he finally said. “But Liv, we’ve created a life. And I can’t shake the feeling that this baby is a gift, not a burden.”

I closed my eyes, wrestling with the emotions that were threatening to spill over. When I opened them, I saw Nathan’s eyes, steady and warm, fixed on me. My heart swelled, and despite the storm of doubts, a wave of clarity washed over me.

“You’re right. I can’t do it, Nathan,” I finally said, my voice breaking. “I can’t go through with an abortion. This child—our child—deserves a chance despite everything. I just worry about the impact on Elliot and Aurora. Are we being fair to them by bringing another sibling into the mix with everything is already so confusing?”

Nathan’s face softened, his eyes glowing with a mixture of relief and understanding. “They’re going to be amazing big siblings, Liv. And we’ll figure it out. We always do.”

I leaned into his arms, my fears and doubts still there but smaller now, overshadowed by the love that filled the space between us.

“I hope you’re right,” I murmured, allowing myself to be enveloped in the comfort of his embrace.

He paused for a moment, then spoke. “Actually, I’ve been thinking about our conversation from last weekend,” he started, his voice low. “You’re right. It could have an impact on Elliot and Aurora. Which is why…”

I waited, bracing myself for whatever came next. My wolf was uneasy, pacing back and forth within me.

“I think you were onto something last weekend, Liv. Maybe we should go to couples therapy.”

Nathan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I did, at first. But we’ve got a complex family structure, Liv. You, me, the twins, and now another baby on the way. Plus, I’ve been thinking about it ever since I found out about Layla’s baby being mine, too.”

I felt like the floor had shifted beneath me ever so slightly. “Why didn’t you tell me you were feeling this way sooner?”

“Because I was processing it. I didn’t know how to bring it up without it sounding like, well, like I thought we were broken or something,” Nathan said, his eyes searching mine.

“We’re not broken, Nathan,” I assured him. “But maybe we are a bit bent, which is natural after everything that’s happened.”

“You’re right,” he agreed. “We’ve been through a lot. The twins, the pack, another baby on the way, and me still grappling with the fact that I have another child out there with my ex. It’s a lot. Maybe talking to someone could help us navigate through it. Help us do better for Elliot and Aurora, and for the one we have on the way.”

“And for us,” I added, taking his hand in mine. “Don’t forget about us.”

Nathan paused for a moment, his finger tracing the engagement ring around my finger. When he lifted his gaze to meet mine, his eyes were warm and soft. “I could never forget about us.”

“So, therapy?” I asked, the word still feeling foreign but somehow fitting.

“Yeah. Therapy,” he affirmed. “Do you know any good therapists?”

"Angela mentioned someone she said was really helpful,” I said, suddenly eager to take this new step. “I can give her a call in the morning, set something up.”

“That sounds good,” Nathan said, squeezing my hand gently. “I think this is going to be good for us, Liv. For the family.”

“I think so, too,” I agreed, feeling a sense of peace settle over me.

As we sat there, hand in hand, I felt more secure than I had in a long time. We had challenges ahead, no doubt. But we were taking them on together, armed with love and now, a willingness to seek help.

“Life is going to get even more complicated, isn’t it?” Nathan mused, almost as if he was talking to himself.

“It sure is,” I replied, my heart swelling with a newfound hope. “But we don’t have to go it alone.”