Chapter 9 BESTIES TIME
POV - Hazel
“You might as well be already pregnant; you know that during their heat women are more fertile, I have the feeling that this time I have successfully scored one or more in.”
“Scored one or more in? What’s this, soccer?”
“Something like that, only more pleasurable,” he answers, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Well, as much as I hate to spoil your sport, I don’t think I am pregnant, so you can stop going all protective hen on me.”
“We’ll see about that. And you are still leaving tomorrow, so you better get ready.”
“What makes you think I’ll listen to you? I seldom do that.”
“I am well aware, and you usually regret it later, so let’s spare yourself more regret, and listen to your Alpha.”
I pout at his words, because I have no come back for this, he is usually unnervingly right. My handsome, smart, wise and loving Alpha.
“Ok, I’ll go, but only for a few days, so you better hurry up with your spy game, because I’ll be back really soon with or without your consent.”
“And I’ll count every minute to your return.”
“Weren’t you too busy?”
“You are always on my thoughts, even when I am very busy.”
“Awww, my cheesy Alpha!” I say, before I hold him tight and kiss him deeply.
I’ll never get enough of this man; he’s the only person I would never be able to live without, the missing half of my soul. There is this chemistry between us, and the way he always understands me, sometimes even better than I understand myself, it’s something incredible. I know that it’s the magic of the mate bond, I have seen many fated mated couples behave like they could read each other’s thoughts, but what we have feels even deeper, more powerful, I don’t know how to explain it.
Or probably it’s just me wanting to see more in something that is just as it should be.
One thing is sure though, I’ll miss him when I’ll be away, miss him like crazy.
The following day, Meera and I take a private flight to Moonlight Walkers pack. She has decided to come with me for protection, she is in fact much better than me in combat, I have to give her credit for that, she is an excellent fighter, even if she looks small and fragile. Maybe it’s her deceiving looks that give her the right advantage.
Anyway, I am sorry that she felt obliged to go with me, I know she wanted to stay with Damon, but maybe it’s a better thing for her too, she can try to relax for a couple of days, while Derek will keep a watchful eye on Damon and the pack.
When we land, Cindy, Lukas and Amanda, Luca’s mom, are already at the small airport waiting for us. My eyes bulge out of my sockets when I see Cindy’s figure from the small window of the plane, her belly is huge, she must be at least seven months pregnant.
I bet that’s what she wanted to tell me! Why didn’t she tell me sooner?
I unbuckle my seatbelt and jump down from the plane as soon as the small stair is connected, then I run in her direction, and stop right in front of her, my hands on my hips.
“Cindy Amelia Snow, you are pregnant and in huge trouble!” I say in an admonishing tone, “How could you not tell me something so important? I am going to be an aunty!”
Actually, Cindy’s real name is Macy Snow, she changed it to Cindy when she fled from her pack and that’s the name she was using when I met her. When she married Lukas, she decided to formally change her name to Cindy Snow, because the name Macy was connected to too many painful memories, she added also a middle name, Amelia, which is her mom’s name.
“No, you are going to be a God-mummy, and hi to you too, Hazel, I missed you so much!” Cindy says, while enveloping me in a wrestling tight hug.
“Be careful, you are going to push the baby out now if you squeeze like this!” I hiss, seriously terrified that she’s going to have her baby right here, right now in this airport, possibly on her own suede boots.
She releases me with a laugh, “I am not, silly, and he has to come out soon anyway, so, it won’t make much of a difference.”
“A nephew!” I say, clapping my hands in delight, and staring at her belly, like I could somehow see the small cutie hiding in there. Then, the rest of her words hit home.
“How soon? How far are you?”
She smiles guiltily, “I’m 38 weeks.”
I quickly do the math, 40 weeks total, minus 38, “Only two weeks left!”
She nods, smiling, while I keep staring at her belly with my mouth open, as if the baby would come out right now to say hi.
Then the wheels start running again in my brain, and I think back to my discussion with Derek in his office, and all this talk about keeping me safe and whatever. Could it be that he already knew about this, and didn’t want me to miss it? It would be very Derekish!
“Did Derek know?” I ask the group, trying not to sound accusing or anything.
Cindy looks very guilty for a moment, and Lukas immediately intervenes, saying, “It’s my fault, I let it slip when I was talking to him on the phone, Cindy actually wanted to keep it quiet until you met in person and she could tell you.”
“God, I wish you had told me sooner! I would have come here immediately; nothing is more important than my best friend having a baby!”
Cindy bites her lip, undecided on how to approach this subject, and this time Amanda comes to her rescue, “Aren’t you all tired of standing here under the sun? Let’s go home, we can continue the conversation with some tea and biscuits, comfortably seated on the sofa.”
She didn’t tell me because she was worried I’ll be upset, because I can’t have kids. Always putting my feelings before hers.
While everyone starts gathering the bags, I hug Cindy again, telling her through the mind-link, “I know why you didn’t tell me, and you are wrong, I will never be sad because you can have children and I can’t, it doesn’t work like this. I am so happy for you, more than you can imagine, and I want to be there for you and the baby, I want to be a part of it, if you let me.”
“Of course I want you to be a part of it, I just didn’t want to upset you,” Cindy says out loud, between her tears, “I wasn’t kidding when I said you’ll be his Godmother, and Derek will be the Godfather.”
Then we start screeching and giggling like small girls, still hugging each other, as if afraid someone would break us apart.
“Girls, we are going home. Are you coming?” Lukas shouts at us from afar in an amused tone.
“Coming!” we both shout back and start walking hand in hand, our shoulder touching, toward the now fully loaded car.
We spend the rest of the day chatting about Cindy’s pregnancy, me and Meera asking thousands of questions, curious to know if what we have heard from others is true or just exaggerated.
As it turns out, not all women experience morning sickness during their first months, for example Cindy hadn’t known she was with baby until the 4th month, and she felt perfectly fine all down the road.
Only the last two months have been a little proving, with the weight of her belly making her legs swell up and giving her an overall wobbly feeling.
Who knows if I’ll ever get to feel like that too? Better not jinx it by thinking about it too much.
The next day we decide to go to the shopping mall to buy some outfits and necessities for my nephew; although Cindy has already bought many things and the nursery is already completely set up, I still want to buy him some presents from his God-mommy and daddy.
As soon as we are at the shops, I can’t believe how many cute clothes and stuffed toys exist, they are just adorable, and even if I know that babies grow fast, I still can’t refrain myself from buying bags after bags of the cuddliest products I can find around.
We are at the last shop, as Cindy is begging for some rest and food, I am practically torturing a soon-to-be-mommy with my unstoppable shopping spree, when I notice Meera admiring a few pink baby suits.
“Oh, they are so cuuuute!” I gush at the small suits, “Are you and Damon already planning?”
Meera immediately looks embarrassed, and lowers her eyes to her feet, not meeting my gaze. Why is she going all shy on me?
Wait a minute…