Chapter 43: Bundle Of Surprise

Elias

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“Avabella! Are you okay?” With my super speed, I was in the bathroom, standing behind her. I was worried when I heard she suddenly vomited.

“Elias…” Her voice changed from panicky to anxiousness. She slowly turned to face me. “W-what’s this?” she whispered fearfully, gesturing her hand to her belly.

My eyes moved from her gorgeous breasts to her stomach. My jaw dropped when I noticed her round belly. I clasped my mouth, didn’t know what to say or do. Or, if I’d jump happily. But I didn’t know what this is! I started to panic, too. Did Mairi somehow manage to curse my Avabella before she died? Was there some kind of a setback after the spaewife was killed by Sangye yesterday? Or was it another night?

My mind was fogged. My brain couldn’t find the answers.

I slowly walked toward my beloved Avabella as she put a hand on her mouth, heaving. I guessed she was panicking what was happening to her vampire body. I caught her by cupping my hands on either of her face and looked deep into her eyes.

“L-let’s not p-panic, o-okay?” I said, shaking.

Her lips and chin trembled as she looked at me and tears slowly spilled from her beautiful eyes. She took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. Okay. But how… how could my stomach bulge like this overnight?” she shrieked. “Even Maria Adriana was not like this when she got pregnant! She was… like… normal!” Her beautiful but panic-stricken face was distorted while her hands were clutching at my forearms as if for support. “Am I… am I pregnant?”

“I know. I know, mon amour. She was normal. But you… It’s like you’re halfway to your expected date!” I said, touching her tight belly lightly. Excitement though ran throughout my system. If this wasn’t some kind of curse, then maybe it was a mystical baby that we made. But how? And when exactly? Last night? No, it must be in the magical cave. My gut was telling me that. And if it is really our baby, then I’m one hell of a lucky werewolf!

“I… Did Mairi…?” she trailed off, looking at me with terror. “What if… what if…?”

I shook my head firmly, trying to convince her and myself. “No, I hope not.” I pulled her into my gentle embrace and kissed the crown of her head. “Don’t be too worried. We have the strongest and most powerful sorceress on our side. And you, too, are stronger than anything. You have already proved it many times, mon amour. You’ve been through difficult times and you’re still standing here, with me, right?” I softly cooed and stroke her hair and bare back. “But I have a good feeling about this. I think we’re having a baby, Avabella!” My heart swelled with gladness at the thought. It prevailed despite our anxiety.

***

Everyone was staring at Avabella in the banquet hall with wide eyes when we entered—I gathered her family here before I fetched her in her room. Even the former Vampire King Ozymandias and Szonja in their magical prison at the lobby were perplexed when they saw us pass by and noticed Avabella’s current condition. They certainly didn’t miss the bulge of her belly, which she tried to hide in her loose and long blue dress, with layered ruffle off-shoulder design. She paired it with dainty flat sandals that showed off her sexy ankles.

Maria Adriana and Iago were currently being informed of the situation, so they might come any moment now. Meanwhile, Sangye stepped closer to Avabella with amazement in her small eyes when she saw her huge belly.

“Can I touch it?” my pack’s shamaness asked for permission.

Avabella nodded at Sangye and conjured a glass of blood. She was doing it maybe more than a dozen times since a couple hours ago, after we discovered her round belly earlier this morning. She was thirsty more than usual.

“This is quite unbelievable,” Maria Adriana’s acolyte Hestia mumbled. It was seconded by the other two acolytes, Chiara and Zehra. The latter was holding Alejandro in her arms while Valko was not far away.

“I-I can’t feel anything.” Sangye frowned, turning to me with concerned eyes.

“We can’t even hear anything like beating of the heart,” Zehra appended.

That made the matters worse, which made us more anxious and afraid that this might be Mairi’s doing.

The two human kids Mariana and Lorenzo, Avabella’s little cousins, came up to her and pressed their ear against either side of her stomach. They giggled and looked up at her.

“Maybe you just have a rock in there, Avabella,” Lorenzo teased. The twelve-year-old was grinning and showing his white teeth. That earned a hiss from Avabella, showing her fangs and making him step back and sit in the high-backed chair.

“It’s different from grandaunt’s belly when Alejandro was still inside,” ten-year-old Mariana added. She sat down next to her cousin Lorenzo.

Avabella moved to slam the glass on the empty long banquet table. “I’m always thirsty!” Her eyes glowed red, staring at her human cousins. They cowered and quickly moved away from her. She was about to grab them when Nianzu suddenly appeared, followed by Diego. They both barred Avabella’s way; Diego extended his hand, holding his cousin between the neck and the chest. He glanced down to see her protruding tummy with bewilderment.

“We have a problem with Avabella?” Maria Adriana unexpectedly appeared with Iago right behind me, as I was pulling Avabella away from Diego. It looked like she was ready to attack her cousin. Her vampire face was alarming but she calmed down when her eyes settled on my face. Slowly, her neutral face emerged.

“Maria Adriana!” she sobbed, throwing her arms around the Vampire Queen. The latter was also surprised to see Avabella in her condition, but she wrapped her arms around my crying mate.

“I had no idea this is the problem,” she said to Avabella. “Everything and everyone is settled at your home, Alpha Elias,” she filled me in.

I glanced at Iago who crossed his arms on his chest, watching the two women. His wife murmured assuring words to her grandniece. “Your family is very receptive to Adriana’s and Blanka’s powers, Elias,” he said, gazing at me. “They’re now good as their previous selves. But it’s sad to say your mother, who was sucked by Mairi to use her life force to become stronger before she got her powers back in the spirit realm, she couldn’t be resurrected any longer. When your father learned you were abandoned, he told us your mother disowned you to protect you from the curse and the prediction of the spaewife. I think she did her best for you, Elias.” He patted my shoulder with regret in his voice and eyes.

I nodded in sorrow but with understanding and thanked the Vampire Queen and Iago for everything they did for me and my pack. Iago was right. If I wasn’t kicked out of the pack, I might’ve suffered because of Mairi. Or, I wouldn’t be here at all.

“Sit down, Avabella.” Maria Adriana grabbed a high-backed chair by her telekinesis and my mate sat down obediently. “Let’s talk about this properly. Chiara, Zehra, bring Mariana and Lorenzo upstairs to their rooms. Valko, Hestia, please let Alejandro play in his bedchamber. You all stay with the kids, will you?” she instructed.

Chiara and Zehra nodded, held the two human kids each and were gone in a few seconds. They were followed by Valko and Hestia, who were faster.

Once it was all adults in the room, Maria Adriana examined Avabella who still had tears running down her face. I held her hand to let her know I was right beside her and to calm her down.

“I… I am hungry! I can’t believe I was a threat to Mariana and Lorenzo when I can just conjure anything!” she said and sniveled. I could feel her shame and anguish. “And I don’t even know if it’s a baby inside me, Maria Adriana!” She was getting hysterical. “What if it’s Mairi’s doing? How to get it undone?”

Maria Adriana smiled and shook her head. “Why would you want it undone? It’s your baby!” she exclaimed, rubbing her two hands lightly on Avabella’s round belly. “There’s no curse on you or on Elias. I would’ve known that firsthand.”

“Really?” Avabella and I burst out.

Maria Adriana smiled widely with a nod of her head. “Yes! This is a happy moment. You are gifted with a child!”

Avabella’ss jaw dropped, and my mouth also gaped open. Then a big grin tore my face. I couldn’t stop myself from pulling Avabella into my arms and gave her a short but deep and hot kiss. Then we both laughed as our hearts beat happily.

“You now carry my offspring in your womb, mon amour!” I whispered with joy in my eyes as I looked into her eyes. “What did I tell you?” I teased her and she just smiled coyly.

Avabella turned to her great-great-grandaunt. “B-but I can’t feel my baby, Maria Adriana,” she complained.

“My worry exactly,” I adjoined, gazing at Maria Adriana.

The Vampire Queen extended a hand and Iago took it. Both smiled at us. “Well, magic is something incomprehensible. It was conceived in a mysterious way that maybe none of us can ever understand.”

That made me recall, again, my lovemaking with Avabella in the magical cave. That must be it! We must have made it there successfully!

I couldn’t keep the happy smile off my face.

“It could be that your baby is like Alejandro in one way or another,” the Vampire Queen continued to speak. “The baby may have the magical instinct to not let its presence known in the early development to protect itself. And it’s growing faster than normal. For me and Iago, it was also magical like that. Our enemies didn’t know about him, unless the more powerful one was in front of me. You must be happy and thankful you got this bundle of surprise and it’ll be sooner than anyone of you expected it!”

“Soon? H-how soon?” Avabella became frantic. Her eyes grew larger like saucers. She glanced at me, but I squeezed her hand to reassure her that everything will be fine.

“If this happened overnight, then maybe in just a few days or weeks. I don’t know. You just have to prepare yourself,” Maria Adriana calmly answered. She looked at Avabella with gentleness and love… and pride. She was obviously happy for her grandniece who was supposed to be infertile, just like normal vampires.

“Well, well, well. This absolutely calls for a party!” Nianzu grinned at us while Diego gathered my beloved into his arms and kissed her temple. I could only feel the pride and love swell in my chest at this very moment.

“Great job, cousin,” Diego said in a serious tone but with a teasing smile.

Avabella blushed and punched Diego in the chest. “I’ll tease you too if you happen to get a girl pregnant!” she lashed out with a hiss, making us all laugh. She pushed him back and held my hand while the other conjured another glass of blood.

“Me? Get someone pregnant? No way!” Diego said, shaking his head.

“Where’s Kazimieras and the others?” I asked. “I should thank them for their help.”

“He went back to his mansion in Lux,” Nianzu informed me. “You can give him a visit while he’s tied down there.”

Avabella and I were confused. “Kazimieras always travels, just like me,” she said.

“Well, maybe he’ll still do that. But maybe in the future. But for now, I think he won’t go anywhere else,” Nianzu said with a grin. He clearly knew something that we don’t.

Diego chuckled softly and just shook his head. “I can’t believe he told us about this girl.”

Avabella and I got it now. “No need to tell us the details then,” Avabella remarked.

“She’s interesting,” Sangye informed us and giggled. Her eyes were fixated in one direction, and we saw the mist before it was totally gone.

“Sangye, stop making those ghosts your errand runners!” Avabella scolded the shamaness.

Her eyes went round before she looked at me, like asking for help. I just shrugged and she pouted.

“Okay,” she said begrudgingly to Avabella.

“Alright, let’s bring the party to Jura Mountains!” Iago announced gladly, grinning from ear to ear.

They all paraded outside the banquet hall, leaving me and Avabella alone.

“I can’t believe this is really our baby, Elias!” she said breathlessly, touching her belly. There was no more panic in her eyes after her grandaunt assured us that there was no curse on her but a gift and a surprise instead.

I caressed her face gently and lovingly. I couldn’t stop admiring her gorgeousness and I had to tell myself that she was mine the moment I set eyes on her.

“I just knew it instinctively, minus the curse doubts of course, that your sexy uterus will cradle my baby,” I said and she scrunched up her nose and rolled her eyes.

Oh, mon Dieu! What a beauty!

I couldn’t resist but plant a seductive kiss on her lips, tracing the line with my lips, making her moan softly. My hand lightly rested on her adorable baby bump.

“You just make everything possible for me, my sweet Edelweiss,” I whispered with deep emotion, kissing the tip of her nose.

“And you and our baby are now my everything, Elias,” she said, closing her eyes with a blissful sigh.

** The end **