Chapter 42


    Aria’s POV


    “Isn’t this great? We are gonna have a baby,” said Reid, kissing the side of my face. I was in shock.


    This was not the sort of news I was going to be excited about. Zoe wiped tears from her eyes as she


    excitedly congratted us. I just zoned out and put my walls up, blocking Reid from invading my mind


    and my tumultuous thoughts. I didn’t want kids; I have been raising a kid since I was a kid myself. This


    was far from anything I wanted. I didn’t want a baby, to bring a baby into this chaotic world, let alone


    right now when we were about to go to war. A war I also didn’t want a part of. This was far from any


    future n; I hade up with in my head. The worst part is the excitement on Reid’s face, how do I


    break it to him, that there won’t be any baby?


    I watched as my newly found father and my mate spoke excitedly about kids and potential baby names.


    Zoe, noticing my silence, ced a hand on my shoulder and looked down at me, her eyes knowing.


    Zoe knew I didn’t want kids, and after seeing everyone’s excitement, how do I tell them I don’t want to


    be a mother. Zoe nodded her head in the direction of the kitchen, getting up I followed after her.


    “That’s some big news,” she stated. While making up orders, I leant on the bench next to her. Keeping


    my voice low so Reid and my father didn’t overhear.


    “I don’t want this, Zoe. You know this already.” She nodded in my direction, so I knew she heard what I


    said.


    “I know the timing isn’t great with everything going on, but you wille around eventually dear,


    Babies are a miracle.”


    I shook my head. This was no miracle; this was a disaster. How do I tell Reid? I looked up at the


    ceiling, things were going to get worse before they got better and chucking a baby in the mix is just


    ridiculous.


    “I am not keeping it. I don’t want this, Zoe. He can’t make me.” Zoe put the egg flip down and nced


    around paranoid someone overheard my words.


    “You know Reid, even Ryder won’t allow that, Aria. You do anything to jeopardise this pregnancy and


    Reid is going to lose it. Even I know werewolf pregnancies are sacred, you will be shunned and forced


    to leave the Pack Aria, think of Lily.”


    “I am thinking of Lily. I have enough on my te without adding more to it. I need to focus on her, focus


    on keeping her safe, I can’t do that pregnant. Besides, it isn’t a real werewolf child. It will be a Hybrid so


    they can think what they want, it’s my body, my choice,” my voiceing out louder than I would have


    liked. Zoe stuck her head out, looking back into the diner, I did the same. My father and Reid were both


    happily bonding over baby news. I felt guilty for not wanting to keep this baby, but at the end of the day,


    it is my choice. Reid isn’t the one that has to birth it. I am.


    Zoe pulled me back into the kitchen. “You know, you won’t get a say in this. You’re going against the


    Moon Goddess Aria, you do anything Reid will see it as a betrayal, shit he might even kill you himself.


    You don’t get a say in this, you know this.” I rolled my eyes; this was stupid.


    “Here I was thinking since it’s my body I would get some say, what about all pro-choice, women have


    rights these days.”


    “Yes, you’re right but not werewolf women or Hybrids like you. You don''t get that choice the Moon


    Goddess chooses for you.”


    “Well in my case she chose wrong, I want no part of this.” I could hear Reid, walking over to see what I


    am doing. I quickly shut my mouth so he wouldn’t hear what we were speaking about. Zoe seemed to


    get the message and remained quiet.


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    “You ready to leave?” I nodded my head. My father walking in behind him, stepped past Reid and


    embraced me in a hug. I wrapped my arms around him too, it felt good finally knowing the truth and


    having everything out in the open, but at the same time, I wasn’t forgiving so easily that they lied to me.


    “Congrattions sweetie this is awesome news, I can’t believe my daughter is giving me a grandbaby,”


    he said gripping my shoulders. It would look funny to outsiders seeing as my father looked not much


    older than me, I would have to remember to ask him at what age he stopped aging, and also more


    about my family history. My father turned to Reid, “Make sure she has plenty of blood on hand, even


    though her mother was a werewolf, she craved blood like crazy, sometimes even became crazed.”


    He nodded, taking in the information. “This is such great news,” my father stated.


    “If you think so,” I muttered, not feeling excited in the slightest. Zoe nudged me with her elbow


    warningly, and Reid raised an eyebrow at myment but didn’t say anything. Instead, he grabbed my


    hand and led me back to the car. Can this day get any worse? I thought, as I sat in the passenger seat.


    Reid started the car and started driving back to the Pack house. I could see Reid’s reflection and seen


    him nce at me a few times, while I just stared vacantly out the window.


    “I will get Mavis toe over so she can determine how far along you are,” he told me. I didn’t reply.


    The only thing I wanted to know is how to get rid of it. I didn’t say that out loud, though. Reid noticing


    my silence, tried to push through the link to me. I shoved him out.


    “What has gotten into you, Aria?” I ignored him. “Is this about the baby? Don’t worry Hun, I won’t let


    anything happen to either of you. The Pack will keep you safe, I promise.” Great, thest thing I wanted


    to hear. I have no intention of keeping it, and I can see this is going to cause a huge argument. I just


    hoped he would hear me out. Surely though he wouldn’t force this on me. I wonder if Mavis would


    speak to me alone. I know I am meant to get patient privacy, but I also know she fears Reid and I don’t


    know if she would go against him even for her Luna.


    When we got to the Pack house, everyone was waiting out the front.


    “Can we not tell anyone yet? Please,” I pleaded. Reid looked at me funny, I could tell he was a little


    taken aback by my request.


    “Fine we can wait until after Mavis has checked you over.” I nodded letting out a breath. It would be


    harder if he told the entire Pack I was expecting.


    “I am going toy down for a bit,” I told him, wanting to be left alone. I climbed out of the car. Lily came


    over to me, and I scooped her up. “Sorry I scared you this morning” I whispered, kissing her chubby


    cheeks and rubbing my nose on hers. She wrapped her arms around my neck. “Want to watch a movie


    in my room?” Lily nodded excitedly.


    “Can we watch the one with the snowman?” she asked.


    “Yes, go grab it and meet me upstairs,” I ced her on the ground, and she took off inside. I made my


    way upstairs and turned the TV on that hung on the wall across from the bed. Lily and Amber came


    running in and jumped on the bed, making themselvesfortable. I ced the DVD in and pressed


    y beforeying down with them. I got lost in the movie being the first time I had actually watched it.


    When the movie was nearly over, Reid stuck his head in the door waving at me. Amber had fallen


    asleep, and Lily looked like she wasn’t far off. I climbed off the bed and made my way over to him.


    “Mavis is here,” he said, pulling me from the room. I followed him down to the infirmary. Mavis was


    waiting there in her white hospital scrubs fiddling with a machine next to the bed.


    “Luna.” she said excitedlying over and kissing me on the cheek. “I will get you toy down and lift


    up your shirt.” Great, Reid had already told her. I walked over to the bed andid down. She squirted a


    cold jelly-like substance on my stomach, and using the device in her hand moved it around, she


    pointed to the screen. I didn’t look. But I could hear Reid trying to get me to look at the screen.


    “Do you want to hear the heartbeat?” Mavis asked.


    “No,” I said harsher than I meant for it toe out. Reid ignored me. I could feel his eyes boring into


    me.


    “Yes, I want to hear the heartbeat,” he told Mavis. Mavis turned a dial on the ultrasound machine. I


    could hear the steady hum of a heartbeat. I tried to block it out, but it was now forever burned in my


    memory.


    “You are four weeks and 3 days along. Baby should be due around another twenty weeks seeing as


    Hybrid pregnancies don’tst as long as human ones or werewolf ones,” she stated. I sat up wiping the


    jelly off with some paper towel. I can’t believe I have been here only one month; it feels so long ago


    that Reid found us, and it also means I got pregnant the first time we had sex.


    “Any questions?” she asked.


    “Can I speak with you alone?” I asked, looking at Mavis. She looked to Alpha Reid to see if it was


    alright.


    “You can ask any question you like, Aria. Don’t be embarrassed because I am present,” he stated,


    denying my right to privacy. Mavis turned back to me. I suddenly felt like throwing up, nerves taking


    over. I knew Reid was going to flip his lid when I asked my question.


    “So, what did you want to know?” I started sweating, both their eyes staring at me, I felt a bead of


    sweat run down my neck, and my throat went dry.


    “How do I?” I tried to force the words out and nced at Reid, who was watching expectantly, waiting


    to hear what I wanted to know. “How do I get rid of it?” My words came out so rushed, I didn’t think she


    heard me. My heart rate spiked. I could hear it pounding in my ears. Mavis looked nervously back at


    Reid who looked like he was about to explode in rage.


    Mavis stood up when his ws extended, Reid trying to remain in control.


    “Mavis, leave,” Reidmanded, his eyes zing. I didn’t want her to go, she looked unsure as well.


    “Mavis, get out now.” His voice booming echoing off the walls so loud the ss windows shook.