Chapter 47

Zora

"I know who he is Zora," Keegan coughed.

"You don't sound so good," I replied.

"I got my ass handed to me. I got too close. They nearly killed me."

"Where are you? Maybe I can help you."

"Forget about me. I have to lay low for a while. The man who killed your parents is called the Serpent. He ordered the search for the Pandora too. He isn't the first Serpent. His Father was the first and now he's finishing his Dad's work."

"How old is he?" I asked.

"Oh, that I didn't ask," he broke into a fit of coughs. "I wanted a description."

"Did you get one?"

He puffed out his cheeks. "Ugh, nothing concrete. All I got is his eyes are like shadows and you never see him coming. It's a load of bull."

"Zora!" Kaleb called.

Oh right, Cassidy, I recalled.

"I have to go Keegan. Please be careful, I don't want to hear anything happened to you, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Be careful out there. I have a gut feeling the Fishers knew a lot about that Pandora. It might even be in your house."

"I hope not." That means they'll keep coming back.

***

The three of us sat in the waiting area as the doctor attended to Cassidy. Kaleb couldn't sit down or stop grinding his teeth. The way he clenched his fists told me he was prepared to punch something or someone.

"I can't take this," Kaleb mumbled.

"It's been twenty minutes, Kaleb," I said.

"I know, but I can't stop thinking. Cassidy's never been sick not like this!"

I nibbled on my nails nervously. Werewolves didn't get regular sicknesses. I couldn't count how many times I got the flu and Cassidy was there to nurse me and she didn't as much as sneeze. Werewolves weren't as fragile as humans. My best friend was strong she would get through this, I hoped.

Gunner rested his head on the wall and breathed softly. He'd known Cassidy his whole life too but he didn't seem as concerned as us. I frowned at him and continued waiting nervously.

After a few more minutes of anxious waiting a doctor in his late forties appeared.

"How is she?" Kaleb pressed.

He smiled warmly. "Cassidy is healthy. She's perfectly fine. She's tired though and needs plenty of rest. We're preparing for an ultrasound right now. Who's going in with her."

My heart nearly stopped. Did he say ultrasound? As in to see the baby?

"A what?" Kaleb asked in confusion and disbelief.

"Doctor as you saying Cassidy's pregnant?" I asked, standing slowly.

The doctor appeared dumbfounded. "I'm sorry I thought you were aware. She didn't tell me not to mention it either."

I can't believe my best friend didn't tell me! Maybe she didn't know she was pregnant.

"Doctor this can't be possible. Cassidy can't be pregnant. She's not even dating anyone. Zora!"

I raised my hands immediately. "I don't know anything."

"You're her best friend who's she seeing? I'll break his head for this."

"Uh… excuse me. I have to prepare for the ultrasound. Follow the nurse when one of you decides to be with her," the doctor said before escaping this awkward situation.

"You'll have to break my head then. The baby's mine," Gunner said.

He gingerly stood from the metal chair and shoved his hands in his pants.

"What?" Kaleb and I exclaimed in unison.

"You heard me," he shrugged.

"I'm going to kill you!" Kaleb charged but I grabbed his arm.

"No, he's the Alpha!" I argued.

"Fuck him! You've been screwing my sister. Now look at this!" Kaleb barked. "Fuck you, Gunner. Damn you!"

Kaleb shrugged out of my hold.

"Cass needs us right now," I whispered.

"No, I'm her brother. She needs me. I don't want to see him."

Kaleb brushed passed me. I went through a mixture of emotions, fear, surprise and joy. Gunner ran a hand through his hair. That's why he was so calm earlier. He knew Cassidy was pregnant. Why didn't she tell me about her and Gunner? We told each other everything.

"H-how long?" I asked.

He eyed me and exhaled. "I've been sleeping with Cassidy for a long time, Zora."

"In high school?"

He nodded.

That felt like a hammer blow to the heart considering the shit this man put me through. Cass knew about it all.

"So you guys just picked up again when you got back?"

"Pretty much. We didn't mean to go this far."

I laughed cynically. "You had no intentions of stopping either! What about your horrible girlfriend?"

"She can leave me if she wants. The baby's coming and I have every intention of being a Father!"

I blinked a few times. "I'm glad you'll support my friend."

Silence settled between us. He's such a jerk and a man-whore.

"Zora, I-"

I stepped out of his reach. "Just don't. I'll see Cass when Kaleb comes out. I need to find a spot to call Dash."

Gunner's lips twitched. "Fine. Tell him his Alpha would like to hear from him too."

I scowled and walked past him.

I needed my boyfriend a lot at that moment. The loneliness I felt was similar to when I returned to my house after the dreaded fire.