35
Alara
Sitting in Dr. Cooper’s office, the sterile smell of antiseptic filled my senses, heightening my already anxious mood. The clock on the wall ticked steadily, and I couldn’t stop fidgeting with the hem of my blouse. I had run the tests and now I was waiting for the results–answers that could finally help me take control of the situation. My fingers drummed lightly on the armrest as I tried to keep
calm.
After what felt like an eternity, Dr. Cooper finally entered the room with a small, discreet envelope
in hand. I sat up straighter in my seat as he handed it to me. His expression was neutral, but I could
tell he was already thinking about how to deliver the news. I ripped the envelope open, scanning
the contents quickly before he even began speaking. The medical jargon didn’t mean much to me,
but I knew the words I wahted to hear.
“You’re fertile and in good health, Alara,” Dr. Cooper began in his usual calm, professional tone.” There’s no reason why you wouldn’t be able to conceive a child with Kaelen. However, he continued, as I still pored over the documents, “you will need to wait for your next heat cycle for the best chances of pregnancy.”
That wasn’t what I wanted to hear. I set the papers down on his desk and sighed. “I don’t have time to wait for my heat,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. “Isn’t there something you can do? Some medication or treatment that can induce it sooner? I need to be pregnant in the next few
days, not weeks.”
Dr. Cooper’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he folded his hands on the desk. “I’m afraid that’s not how it works, Alara. There’s no safe or natural way to rush your heat. It’s a biological process tied to your body’s natural rhythm, and attempting to interfere with that could cause more harm than
good.”
I felt my stomach drop. This wasn’t the answer I was looking for, and I struggled to hide my frustration. “But there must be something,” I insisted, leaning forward. “I’m running out of time.”
Dr. Cooper paused, his eyes narrowing with concern. “Alara, is everything alright? You seem… urgent about this. Are you feeling pressured to conceive?”
I forced a smile, shaking my head. “No, not at all. I just… I want to give Kaelen a child. It’s something we’ve talked about for a while, and I don’t want to wait any longer.”
Dr. Cooper didn’t look entirely convinced, but he nodded. “I understand your desire, but it’s important to remember that these things take time. Rushing it could lead to complications down
the road.”
1/3
735
I bit the inside of my cheek, feeling the disappointment sink in. I needed this to happen now Every day that passed felt like time slipping through my fingers. I didn’t want to wait for my best, and couldn’t risk anything going wrong with Kaelen he was already slipping through my greep Mi could tie him down with a baby, everything would be different. He wouldn’t leave me then.
Out of nowhere, a thought crossed my mind, one that had been nagging at me since last night. had tried to push it aside, but it wouldn’t leave me alone.
“Dr. Cooper,” I began hesitantly, “what about Kaida? I mean, was her… condition treated
successfully?”
The doctor’s expression shifted slightly, his surprise evident. “Kaida?” he asked, clearly taken aback by the sudden change of topic. “Her condition is still unresolved, as far as I’m aware. Sh hasn’t fully regained the ability to conceive, but I wouldn’t worry too much about that. She’s not pregnant, if that’s what you’re concerned about.”
A wave of relief swept over me, and I tried to mask it with a neutral expression. So, Kaida wasn’t a threat. Not in that way, at least. The jealousy I harbored towards her, even though Kaelen assured me their chapter was closed, still simmered beneath the surface. Knowing she wasn’t pregnant helped calm some of the irrational thoughts gnawing at my mind.
But this did little to solve my own problem. Since there was nothing Dr. Cooper could do for me, I
for your stood up to leave, shaking his hand briefly before heading out of the office. “Thank you time, Doctor,” I said politely, though my voice lacked the warmth I usually put on for appearances. Walking through the hospital halls, I couldn’t shake the frustration building inside me. The plan had been so clear in my mind–get pregnant, secure my future with Kaelen, and make sure Kaida stayed out of our lives forever. But now, I was stuck waiting for my body to cooperate. I had less than two months before our marriage could be officiated, yet I had this strong feeling that something out of nowhere would pop up and destroy everything. It was a scary feeling, and I wasn’t going to let the slightest bit of an opportunity slip away without a fight.
When I arrived back home, Kaelen was already there, waiting for me in the living room. He looked up as I walked in, a faint smile on his face, but I could tell something was bothering him. There was always an unspoken tension between us these days, even when we tried to act like everything was
normal.
“How was the appointment?” he asked, standing up to greet me.
I forced a smile and shrugged. “Dr. Cooper said I’m healthy and fertile, but I’ll have to wait until my next heat cycle to get pregnant.”
Kaelen nodded, his eyes searching mine for something deeper, but I didn’t offer more. There was
2/3
< 38
+25 Points
no point in telling him how desperate I felt to speed things up. He probably already knew, but he wasn’t going to do anything to help me. Not now,
“I’m glad you’re healthy,” he said softly, though his voice lacked the enthusiasm I would have expected. He still felt guilty, I knew that much. The truth about our marriage, the unresolved issues with Kaida–it all weighed on him, even if he tried to hide it.
I sat down on the couch, staring at the floor. Part of me wanted to scream at him, to tell him that I needed him to commit to me, that I couldn’t keep living in this uncertainty. But I bit my tongue. I couldn’t risk pushing him further away. Not yet.
Instead, I played the game I had been playing for weeks now–the patient, understanding wife who didn’t press too hard. “We’ll figure it out,” I said, my voice calm and measured. “I’m just… looking forward to us being officially married. Once we have our baby, everything will fall into place.”
Kaelen didn’t respond right away, and I could feel his hesitation. But he smiled weakly, his hand reaching for mine. “Yeah,” he said quietly. “We’ll get there.”
I knew he felt bad about everything. He had to. But I wasn’t going to bring it up again. Not until I had a plan in place. My best shot was to tie him down, to make sure that when those two months were up, he wouldn’t be able to walk away. And the only way to do that was to get pregnant.
I glanced at him, his face soft with what I hoped was guilt. He had no idea what I was planning, and I intended to keep it that way until it was too late for him to back out. All I needed was for my heat to come, and I wouldn’t miss my shot when it did.
I would get what I wanted–Kaelen, a family, and a future where I didn’t have to live in Kaida’s
shadow.
3
Comments
LUCK DRAW >
H
Vote
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
