Chapter 178

Shawna POV

Michael holds my hand as he leads me to the pack doctor. We walk down the dirt road from his parents' house, past the main pack house, and then take a walkway that leads to a small white stucco building. It stands out amongst the homes with dark wood or metal siding. "It's so white," I state.

"It's so everyone can find the hospital, should they need it," Michael states. "It's also cement with stucco on top, making it very sturdy and safe."

"It stands out like a polar bear in a green valley," I giggle.

"That it does, babe, but we don't have concerns. We are hidden well, and I don't think my pack has had any conflicts in decades. There is only one other pack in Georgia, and it's pretty far from us," Michael states. "My father is well respected, as was his before him. Our visitors are usually by invitation only."

"That's nice," I reply as we enter the main entrance of the hospital. An older woman sits at the reception desk. She looks up from her book and smiles.

"Michael is that you?" she says warmly. "Welcome home."

"Thank you Mable, we are just here to see the doctor. The Luna should have phoned," he tells her as we walk to the desk.

Mable looks me over quickly and gives me a slight nod. "Shawna?" she asks looking at her desk calendar.

"Yes ma'am," I reply. The woman stands, and when she does, I'm taken aback. She is nearly six feet tall, I'm sure of it and thin as a rail.

"Right this way," she sweeps down the hallway, stops at a door and knocks, waits a moment and then opens it. "Shawna is her for her appointment doctor," she says. She turns smiles to us and motions for us to follow her down the hall to another door. She opens it and ushers us in. "The doctor will be right with you, have a seat."

We enter a large exam room, complete with two chairs, an exam table, a sonogram maching tucked against the wall. A bookshelf lines the wall, plastic organ replicas spaced out on it, amongst the medical books and various other things. Michael places his hand on my back and leads me to a chair as I look around in awe at the huge room. "I've never seen an exam room like this," I say.

"Our doctor has a lot of training and she likes to explain things to anyone who will listen. She's quite passionate about it," Michael laughs.

I don't have a chance to say anything, as the door swings open. A younger version of Mable stands in front of us, with a long white coat on. Her dark brown hair is pulled up into a bun on her head, her make up flawless on her olive skin. She smiles. "Hello Michael. You must be Shawna," she turns to me. "How exciting for you both," she says. She holds out her hand to me to shake, "I am Doctor Constance," she tells me as we shake hands.

"You look just like Mable,"I blurt. Then I put my hand over my mouth, "sorry."

"I hope I do, she's my mother," Doctor Constance replies. "She's been working here since before I was a doctor. The previous doctor hired her when she was just eighteen and she loves it, so here we are," she says her arms outstretched. "Now," she sits on a rolling stool that was tucked under a counter and slides over in front of me. "When do you think you conceived?"

I looked over at Michael, unsure how to answer. "I'm not sure precisely," I reply. "I had a heat cycle, but it's possible it was before that or even after."

"That's fine, when was your heat?" she asks. I know I'm terrible at this, having not ever been pregnant before, I feel foolish.

"Can I look at a calendar?" I ask her.

"Certainly," she turns and opens a drawer, removing a calendar and hands it to me. In the meantime, Michael brings out his phone and opens the calendar app there. I should have thought of that, but didn't. I flip through the calendar, knowing the date the Alpha was executed and finding that. I count back to when we first left Idaho and arrived in Montana.

"It's likely around this date," I say, pointing to it and handing the calendar back. Michael is staring at his phone and then looks over to the calendar.

"Maybe a couple of days before that," he says blushing. "Sorry babe," he looks over at me. "I had it marked because I wasn't working in order to be with you."

"Oh right," I say, knowing I'm probaby bright red.

"No need to be shy about it," Constance says. "Heat cycles are normal, just as is having sex with your mate or partner." She looks at the dates, then refers to some fancy wheel calendar she has. "I have an estimated date at any rate. Let's do an ultrasound and let me do an examination if that's okay?" she says.

"Okay," I say. "Maybe you should know some things before we begin though." I look over at Michael and he gives me a nod, then takes my hand in his and twines our fingers together.

Constance gives us a curious, yet serious look. "Okay, what would you like me to know?" she asks, clasping her hands in her lap.

"I was, ummmm," I swallow hard. "I was assaulted, many times. I don't," I pause and Michael squeezes my hand. "I'm uncomfortable with the whole examination thing. This is why we waited until we were here, I wanted a female doctor. My friend, she's a veterinarian at the Lone Wolf Ranch in Montana. She examined me, she said she thinks I'm fine but that I should really see a pack doctor."

"I see," Constance replies. "And this friend of yours, what kind of veterinarian is she? I assume large animals?"

"Mostly, yes. But with the guidance of their pack doctor, she treated her mother through the death of her mate. She treated me, with his guidance because I wouldn't let him touch me," I answer. "Michael is the only man I've been alone with since the incident." I add.

"When you say you were assaulted, can you elaborate a bit on that?" she asks. "I only ask because it will help me to know what kind of damage I'd be looking for. I assume your sexual relationship is fine?" She asks this, and looks from me to Michael and back.

"It's good," Michael replies for me. "She has virtually overcome her trauma in that aspect, though it took a good year before she was really able to be intimate with me beyond kissing and touching." He clears his throat and then looks away.

"So that is good then, you're able to be intimate with your mate. And do you enjoy it?" she asks me.

I turn a darker shade of red, "I do." I say quietly.

"And there is no pain?" she asks.

"No ma'am," I say.

"Alright," she claps her hands on her knees. "Were you violated with anything other than a mans sex organ?" she asks. She's all business. I like her for that, but I can tell she's compassionate too.

"I don't actually know," I reply.

"You don't know?" her brow furrows.

"No ma'am. I was injected with wolfsbane, silver, beaten until I was unconscious. I have no idea what they did to me when I was unconscious. But while I was awake, I don't think they used anything other than their hands and dicks," I say, feeling sick to my stomach.

Constance now looks mortified. "Oh my," she breaths out. "You are a strong lady," she tells me and then looks over at Michael. "Strong enough to be mated to an Alpha, thank the Goddess for that grace."

"Yes," I say. "I thank her everyday."