Chapter 48: Their Cursed

Remi

Cullen took us into a building. Inside, it resembled a very cozy looking doctor’s office waiting room. This must be the clinic that Doctor Charles works from. He sounded resolute about not wanting to talk about having kids together, so I dropped it for now even though I really wanted to know how he felt. We walked up to a desk where a sweet looking older woman was working. She looked up and smiled at Cullen.

“Alpha Cullen, how nice to see you. What can I help you with?” she asked.

“We are here to see Doctor Charles. He called requesting I bring my mate to check in,” he told her. The older woman looked at me and gave me a warm smile.

“How wonderful, Alpha! Congratulations,” she said. “What is your name, sweetie?”

“Remi,” I told her.

“Remi, I am so happy for you! Why don’t you guys sit down for a moment and I will let Charles know. He is with a patient so it will just be a moment,” she said.

“If you don’t mind, we will wait in his office,” Cullen said. His voice was always so flat. He carried such an unfaltering authority about him that it was hard for me to imagine people ever denied him.

“Oh, that is a good idea! Follow me this way,” she said standing up. We followed her through a hallway to what I guessed to be the back of the building. She opened a door for us, and we stepped inside. It was exactly what I would expect a doctor’s office in a semi remote area to look like. The two walls on either side of us held large built-in bookshelves covered in volumes. They were probably all medical journals and textbooks. There was a large wooden desk sitting in front of a set of windows directly in front of us with some cozy looking chairs across from it. There was a door in the back corner behind the desk as well as some pictures and certificates hung around the windows behind the desk. There was a large stack of folders on the desk as well as some other papers scattered around. I also noted a half-eaten sandwich on a napkin off to the side.

We walked inside and the receptionist left us alone, closing the door. We moved towards the chairs, but Cullen didn’t allow me to sit on my own, instead pulling me into his lap like breakfast this morning. “Cullen…” I said a little embarrassed. We had been left alone this morning, but we wouldn’t be alone here for long.

“No, I missed you,” he said simply. I gave him a half smile and kissed him. He responded by pulling my face closer to his. He pushed his tongue into my mouth, tasting me. I hummed at his invasion, tasting him right back. When he finally let me go, I was a little breathless. Like usual, the pleasurable sparks from our contact set my heart racing.

“I missed you too,” I told him. He gave me the smallest smile. I loved that his smiles were only for me. His large hands stroked my hair as he just looked at me. “What are you thinking about?” I asked him.

“Nothing important,” he said. He just continued to observe me while his hands mindlessly moved through my hair. We sat like that for another minute before the door opened behind us. I hopped up from Cullen’s lap before he could grab me back and sat in the other chair. There was a laugh from Doctor Charles as he came into the office.

“I’m glad to see you two so happy together,” he said walking around the desk. “Remi, it’s great to see you. You look well,” he observed. I nodded my head.

“I feel wonderful,” I told him.

“That is great to hear,” he said. He sat down and noticed the sandwich on the desk. He grabbed it taking a quick bite. “Apologies,” he said after chewing for a moment. “Never got to eat my lunch. Now, down to business. You have been beyond the boundary for a little over a week now. How have you connected with your wolf?”

“Good,” I said. “We talk sometimes.”

“Excellent. And you get along well?”

“Yea. I think so,” I said.

“And I can see both Cullen and Calder have marked you. Did you feel anything adverse after that?” I blushed a little. “Please don’t be bashful dear. I have been a doctor for werewolves a long time and know exactly how the mating process happens.”

“It was fine. I only felt closer to them after,” I told him.

“Calder and I have noticed a marked increase in strength and ability,” Cullen said next to me. Doctor Charles nodded to him.

“Good. I suspect you may not have completely noticed the changes as you have not marked them and you are surely still growing into these changes,” he said.

“I mark them?” I asked.

“Oh yes. But that will come after your first shift. I suspect your wolf may be most ready on the next full moon. After your shift, you will have more control over your transformations and should be able to mark your mates when you are ready,” he explained.

“Okay,” I said.

“How are you settling into the pack?” he asked.

“It's been wonderful. Cullen showed me some of the pack yesterday and Luna Nicole has been introducing me to lots of people during meals. We even spent an afternoon at the daycare,” I told him.

“That is good to hear! I am glad you are settling in nicely. How have you felt since you came across the border? Any lingering side effects?”

“Um, I don’t think so.”

He turned his attention to Cullen. “How is the bond coming along?”

“Well,” he said. “We can feel her even stronger since mating and I can feel it growing as we come closer to the full moon.”

“Excellent. This all sounds positive. I have to say, this has been the best possible outcome we could have hoped for,” he said.

“We have made her an official pack member as well since that was not done at her birth. She can now link effectively,” Cullen told him. Doctor Charles nodded. He pulled out a folder from his stack and started taking down some notes. “What can we do to ease her shift?”

“That is something I am not sure of,” he said. “In all my time and research, I have come across very differing opinions on this. There are those that swear by a myriad of different potions or concoctions while others are very against them. I am afraid that I do not have a straightforward answer for you. The only thing I can suggest would be you and Calder be with her for the process. The mate bond may help ease the stress of the transition in general.”

I looked at Cullen who nodded. I could feel frustration coming from him. I reached over and gripped his hand that was resting on the arm of the chair. He turned to me and then turned back to Doctor Charles.

“Remi, do you have any questions for me?” Doctor Charles asked me.

“Um…” I spoke. I did have one, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to ask it in front of Cullen.

“Ask what you please, love,” Cullen linked me. I locked eyes with him for a moment before turning back to Doctor Charles.

I let out a sigh before continuing, “Before finding out about all this, I was on birth control. Specifically, the shot. I got it about 5 weeks ago, I think. How will all this affect that?” My voice got quieter as I went.

He was quiet for a moment while he thought. “I am not sure. I would hazard to say that it should still be effective for you, but your situation is a different one,” he said. He shot a glance to Cullen who was tense. “Why don’t we see how things go for now? Perhaps you should talk with your mates about this as well. Many mated pairs let it happen as it happens. We can always discuss this again when you return from the Summit.”

I nodded my head. I was hoping for something a little more definitive. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the possibility of getting pregnant with how fast everything had happened and the curse looming over our heads. I hadn’t even told Cullen or Calder the truth. When we unpacked my things, Calder had found my box and I had quickly put it inside one of the drawers in my dresser. They had exchanged looks and I am sure Cullen was telling him to leave it alone.

“Do you have any other questions?” Doctor Charles asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

I shook my head. “No, I am okay.”

“The full moon is 8 days away. You should be prepared to shift that night. I have a feeling your wolf will want to emerge completely and shift. Make sure you are well rested beforehand as it will be a long night,” he said. I nodded my head.

“Is that all?” Cullen asked standing up.

“Yes. Go enjoy the rest of your day. Say hello to Calder and my grandson,” he said standing. Cullen held his hand out and I grabbed it standing up. We turned and he led us out of the room and the clinic. We were halfway back to the packhouse and Cullen was still silent. I couldn’t quite figure out what he was feeling either.

“Are you mad?” I linked.

“No,” he linked back. I wasn’t sure what else to say. We were quiet for the rest of the way back. When we got to the pack house, people were making their way into the dining room. Cullen led us that direction. No one else was seated at our usual table so Cullen and I sat down. I hoped Calder would be joining us since he skipped breakfast. I was used to them skipping lunch although I wished they wouldn’t. Nicole told me they usually will eat in their offices so they can concentrate. She was immensely proud of how hardworking they both were.

Cullen didn’t pull me on top of him this time. We simply sat together quietly. His facial expressions told me he was deep in thought. Before I could muster up the courage to ask him what he was thinking about, Cassius and Nicole joined us. Cassius was in his normal cheery mood and Nicole was happily by his side. She asked how everything had gone with Doctor Charles and we chatted for a few minutes. Calder came in next, surprisingly dragging Carson with him. He gave his mother a stern look while pushing Carson at the table. She greeted both her children sweetly and Carson sat down in a huff. Calder averted my attention by coming right over to me and bending down to capture my lips in a hungry kiss.

“Hello, beautiful,” he said after letting me go.

“Hi,” I said. He sat down on the other side of me, giving Cullen a strange look. “What is that about?” he asked me quietly.

I looked back at Cullen then at Calder. I shook my head. It had to have something to do with my question about birth control, but I wasn’t exactly sure why. Before he could probe any further, Gentry and Samantha joined us. They were joined by another couple, the man looking like the spitting image of Gentry.

“Abigail, John, are you joining us this evening?” Cassius said.

“Yes Alpha. Gentry invited us to eat with you this evening,” the man, John, said.

“Wonderful. And I assume you have gotten to meet his mate then?” Cassius said.

The woman, Abigail, smiled. “Of course. We are over the moon at the news,” she said. She was a small woman with strawberry blonde hair and an hourglass figure. I recognized her from the daycare. John looked almost exactly like Gentry with broad shoulders and bright blonde hair. He seemed a bit bulkier than his son though.

“John, Abigail, you should meet Remi. She is Cullen and Calder’s mate,” Nicole said gesturing to me. They turned to me and Abigail smiled brightly.

“All our boys found their mates? How exciting!” she gushed.

“Mom, this is the girl Pip was so excited about,” Gentry told her.

“Oh Goddess, how didn’t I know. My daughter was so excited to make a new friend!” she said. I felt awkward with all the attention on me. I think Calder realized.

“John, Abigail, please sit,” Calder said.

“Yes, yes! Join us!” Cassius said.

“Gentry, will you and Samantha be joining us at the Summit?” Calder asked, changing the topic. The conversation moved to pack affairs after that. Dinner was served as we all talked. Cassius and John discussed some safety issues heavily. Carson shot Calder glares from his spot across the table from us continually. Cullen rested his hand on my leg before we began eating but didn’t speak much during the meal. It turned out that Samantha was going to join Gentry and us at the Summit. Nicole told us about the dreadfully boring activities for the mates during the day. She offered to help us pack tomorrow afternoon which we both gladly accepted.

When we were finished, Calder and I wished everyone a good night before we all headed to our room. Calder whispered something to his father before leaving. Cullen walked in front of us while Calder intertwined our fingers. He looked at Cullen’s back questioningly but didn’t say anything to me. When we reached the bedroom, Cullen went straight into the shower without a word to either of us. Calder sighed.

“He is upset with me, isn’t he?” I linked, turning to him. I could feel my eyes watering.

“No, baby, he is upset with himself,” he linked back.

“I don’t understand,” I whispered this time. He walked over to the bed and sat down. I walked towards him, standing in front of him.

Calder brushed my hair back and tucked it behind my ear. “He didn’t consider you might be on birth control and not want a pup,” he said softly. “He is a little shaken from your question to Doctor Charles. He is worried that your birth control could not work now, and you might be upset if you were to get pregnant.” A lump formed in my throat. Calder stroked my face. “Baby, I should apologize as well. I never thought about it either. For werewolves, having pups quickly is more common than not. There are many times that a she-wolf never even considers it. Some think that she will stop getting pregnant when the Moon Goddess wills it.”

“I just…” I started but he stopped me by placing his finger against my lips.

“No, you owe us no explanation. We should have been more sensitive to these things. Cullen and I never mingled with people in the Ordinary Realm in that way, so it was not a concern we were used to having. If you want to be more careful, we will be,” he said. “Obviously, you are a little different but if your shot is no longer working, we would know quickly if you were pregnant. Werewolf pregnancies are detectable within about 5 days I believe and the entire thing last about 5 months or so.”

I nodded my head. I hadn’t exactly sorted out my feelings about all this, but I didn’t like Cullen being pushing me away. Calder reached forward and kissed my forehead. “Remi, I will have as many pups with you as you are willing to give us. And I would love them if you got pregnant tomorrow or 10 years from now. All I care about is making you happy, baby,” he whispered. “I think you should go in and talk to Cullen though.” I nodded my head, and he gave me one more kiss. I walked to the bathroom and carefully opened the door. The shower was running. Cullen was standing inside with his arms braced against the wall and his head hung.