Chapter 46

JACE

Hell, I never thought I'd be standing here. Outside the Pack clinic, freaking out like some teenage wolf about to become a father for the first time. Except I'm not. First-timer, I mean. Been there, done that, got the scars to prove it.

Damn elders and their bombshell. "Alpha, your human mate might be carrying your child." Yeah, thanks for that. Just what I needed to hear without any warning. A human carrying my baby. Our baby.

But the way Aria took the news? That's what gets me. She just... accepted everything. Aurora. Me. This crazy situation. What I feel for her makes what I felt for Vanessa seem worthless in comparison.

Inside me, Phantom prowled anxiously, his restlessness mirroring my own. He'd been on edge since the possibility of a Moonchild entered our lives.

"Jace? You okay?" Aria asked, squeezing my hand.

I looked at her and nodded. Her face showed nothing but determination after her moment of vulnerability at the clinic door. That was my Aria—brave beyond reason.

"Just thinking," I said.

"About Vanessa?" she asked quietly.

I tensed. Sometimes I wondered if Aria had some hidden ability to read my thoughts. "Partly," I admitted.

"I'm not her," Aria said firmly. "I'm not leaving. Not you, not Aurora, not this baby if there is one."

Her words soothed the fear I'd been carrying since the elders delivered their news. I pulled her close and pressed my lips to her forehead. "I know. Let's go find out for sure."

I pushed open the clinic door, and we walked inside together.

The reception area was clean and organized, smelling of medicinal herbs. Dr. Maya Blackwood looked up from her desk, her professional demeanor breaking into a warm smile when she saw us.

"Alpha, welcome. Please come in," she said respectfully, standing.

Aria smiled back. "Maya, please call me Aria. Now that Lucas and Eliana are mates, we're all family."

Maya nodded with a smile. "Of course. Follow me to the examination room. I've prepared everything."

She led us down a short hallway to a room equipped with an examination bed and ultrasound machine. The technology looked strangely out of place among the traditional herbal remedies displayed on wooden shelves.

"Please take a seat," Maya said, gesturing to the examination bed. "I'll explain the process."

Aria sat on the edge of the bed while I remained standing beside her, my hand on her shoulder.

"Based on what the elders observed and your symptoms, we need to confirm if you're pregnant," Maya explained. "Since it would be early in the pregnancy, we'll need to do an internal ultrasound for a clear image. A regular ultrasound might not show enough detail yet."

Aria nodded, though I noticed her grip tighten on the edge of the bed.

"You'll need to undress from the waist down," Maya continued. "I'll step out for a moment to give you privacy. Call me when you're ready."

After Maya left, I helped Aria remove her lower clothing and assisted her onto the bed.

"Nervous?" I asked.

"A little," she admitted. "Not about being pregnant, just about the procedure."

I kissed her hand. "I'll be right here."

When Maya returned, Aria was lying on the bed with a sheet covering her lower half. The doctor pulled on medical gloves and approached the bed.

"First, I'll do a manual examination to confirm," she said professionally.

She gently pressed her hands against Aria's abdomen, her fingers moving with practiced precision. After a moment, she nodded.

"I can confirm you're pregnant. Now I'll use the probe to check if there's one or more pups and make sure everything looks normal." Maya looked at Aria, who nodded and shifted her position.

A low growl escaped my throat before I could stop it. The thought of the probe entering Aria made my wolf surge forward. Maya raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Aria reached for my hand. "It's okay," she whispered. "Hold my hand and look at the screen with me. We're about to see our baby for the first time."

Her words calmed me. I positioned myself where I could see both Aria and the monitor as Maya prepared the equipment.

The room fell silent as Maya worked. I focused on Aria's face, watching her reaction as she stared intently at the screen.

"There," Maya said finally, pointing to a small shape on the monitor. "That's your baby."

"Oh, Jace!" Aria breathed, reaching out to touch the screen. "That's our baby."

I couldn't speak. On the screen was the proof of our union during the Blood Moon night—a small bean-shaped form with a flickering center. So tiny, yet already changing everything.

"Yes, there's your little Moonchild," Maya confirmed, moving the probe slightly. "Just one. Everything looks perfect for this stage. I'll print some photos for you. How many would you like?"

Aria and I exchanged a glance, both smiling.

"Four, please," Aria said. "One for Gabriel, one for Lucas, one for Aurora, and one for us."

My chest tightened at her words. Even in this moment, she thought of Aurora. Always including my daughter, making sure she was part of our family. Vanessa had never done that.

Maya nodded and tapped something on the machine before continuing her examination. After a few more minutes, she removed the probe and stood.

"Alright, Aria. You can clean up in the bathroom and get dressed," she said, disposing of her gloves. "I recommend no intimate activities today because of the probe, but otherwise, you can resume normal activities."

Aria's cheeks flushed pink, and I couldn't help the small smile that formed on my lips.

"Thanks, cousin," I said to Maya.

"Additionally, you may experience morning sickness soon," Maya continued as Aria went to clean up. "I'll prepare some herbs to help with that. As a human carrying a werewolf hybrid, you'll need to pay special attention to nutrition. The pregnancy will last six months rather than nine, and your body will need extra support."

When Aria returned fully dressed, Maya handed her a small pouch of herbs and four small printouts of the ultrasound image.

"Thank you so much, Maya," Aria said, carefully tucking the precious photos into her pocket.

I wrapped my arm around Aria's waist, feeling a new sense of purpose settle over me. My family was growing. My human mate was carrying my child—a Moonchild, rare and precious.

"We appreciate your help," I said to Maya.

With that, we left the clinic, eager to share our news with Aurora and the pack. I couldn't help but worry about Aurora's reaction, though those fears would soon prove unfounded.