Chapter 21 – The Bomb

Alaric

Both Lycans and werewolves share the same remarkable capacity to consume alcohol without ever feeling the effects of intoxication. It does help to relax our nerves for a short while and cool down some of the intensity of the mating haze. I often make it a joke among my siblings that drinking a bottle of Jack and Johnnie is the same thing as hosting a tea party in the middle of a bar in Texas.

When Dr. Cortez passed around our individual glasses of scotch, I noticed how the other two guys in the room rapidly emptied their own glasses. The present scenario is starting to take an intriguing turn. They could believe that I am not paying attention, but that is not the case at all. The two men dressed in lab coats appeared to be quite anxious, but despite the fact that we are currently in Dr. Cortez's office laboratory, I do not know the reason why they are here.

"I'm going to guess that everyone has their glasses, and if any of you need more, feel free to get your refill. There's some ice in the minifridge if you'd like some, if that's what you're asking." She muttered before gulping down the entire contents of her own glass at once. "I have always preferred them in their natural un-iced state."

Max rose up and headed directly towards the little refrigerator that Dr. Cortez had been pointing at. "Don't mind if I do," he muttered as he opened the minifridge. Indeed, there is a bucket of sphere ice in one of the mini fridge compartments. Max looked quite happy, knowing that he actually prefers ice balls to ice cubes. According to him, standard ice cubes have a high surface area-to-volume ratio, which causes them to melt quickly. On the other hand, the ice that has been molded into balls and is commonly referred to as ice balls has a low surface area-to-volume ratio, which means it melts more slowly and causes less dilution in his drinks.

I followed suit and drained my entire glass in a single gulp. In contrast to Max, I didn't waste any time and asked the question that everyone was thinking: "So, Dr. Cortez, why are we here?" I inquired as I positioned my glass around the outer rim of the coffee table that was situated in the center of the room.

"As usual, you get right to the point, Prince Alaric," she said while standing across the room from me behind the couch and looking me dead in the eyes the entire time. "However, before I begin, I would like to make your acquaintance with my colleagues, Dr. Nate Mathers and Dr. Barry Hamilton. They are working at this institution, just like me. Dr. Mathers is an obstetrician and gynecologist, also known as one of the country's best-known and best-of-the best OB-GYNs, and Dr. Hamilton is the resident andrologist in our line of work. Also one of the best, if I may add. If you absolutely must know what an andrologist does, simply put, he helps us store the specimens of the clients we serve.

Both of the gentlemen acknowledged my nod with the equivalent of a male curtsy.

"This is the Alpha of all Alphas on the eastern seaboard, Prince Alaric Moonblood, and his beta, Maximus Thunderclaw; meet Dr. Mathers and Dr. Hamilton," Dr. Cortez said as she introduced the two sets of men to each other. After she introduced the two of us, both of them turned to me and bent their heads, after which they turned their attention to Max and respectfully lowered their heads as well.

Although I am aware that werewolves do not become impaired with alcohol consumption, the fact that Dr. Cortez has consumed yet another glass of scotch at this time is cause for concern because of the amount of alcohol that is already present in her body. Alcohol does have another function for the likes of us. It does, when consumed in excess, cause lycanthropy, but more so for werewolves, so they fall under a deep spell of sleep that could last for days or even weeks. Does she normally drink this much? To top it off, she did it in front of her coworkers as well as a client.

"Doctor, exactly what is going on?" This time around, it was Max who posed the inquiry to the group.

"Doctor, can you please explain why we are here?"

Dana

I can't help but wonder whether or not these guys, with their supernatural talents and acute hearing abilities, are able to hear the fact that my heart is thumping so hard and fast in my chest right now that I feel like it's going to explode any second now.

Consuming two glasses of scotch that were each just over half full was helpful, but only to a very, very small extent. It doesn't change the fact that there's a high probability close to 100% that after this conversation, I will be found dead on my office floor, the walls and the carpet all splattered and covered with my cold, red blood, and my lifeless and limp body parts dismembered and strewn all over the place, claw marks all over and tearing up the walls, and the glass windows will all be broken and spread across the bloodied floor. I'm quite sure the cleaners will have a nightmare when they see what they are supposed to clean after I tell them the real reason why the prince is here.

"Right." I sat down directly across from the prince and, mustering up all of the bravery I could, looked him straight in the eye and told him, "You're going to be a father very soon."

At first, I was able to make out the complete bewilderment in his eyes. It was as if he was trying to figure out if he had heard me correctly or if he was waiting for me to burst into laughter and declare that the statement was a prank. Then his eyes narrowed, and in a voice that was almost completely hushed, he questioned, "What did you say?"

"When I said it the first time, you heard me. But I will say it again for you, your Majesty, and for the sake of your Beta: in a few months, you will become the father of a pup. "

"You're not making any sense!" Max yelled at me as I heard the sound of glass cracking, which was most likely caused by my ball glass being flung off one of the walls. "How is it that this is even possible? W-were you intending to experiment with his seed?"

When the prince heard Max's statement, his eyes glowed bright yellow and gold, which, to my limited experience with the Lycans, is a clear indication that his Lycan wolf is attempting to perceive what the prince is seeing.

Max is starting to lose his composure, and if allowed a few more seconds, he will go utterly berserk in his Lycan form.

"Calm down, Maximus!" Prince Alaric raised his voice a few notches to emphasize a point he was trying to make, and Max not only listened to him, but he also appeared to have settled down.

"Let me explain! Please!" I said this calmly as I paced around the room. "Everything that happened was a complete accident! No one had any intention of using your sperm as one of our donors, and we fully acknowledge and accept responsibility for this oversight. We are telling you this because we need your help. For the sake of the mother who is carrying your child right now, please.

"All of it was my fault, your Majesty; I take full responsibility for it!" Barry stepped into the discussion and continued, "I was the one who was to blame. Because I was reckless, I failed to check the vials that were going to be used for the artificial insemination, and by the time I noticed my mistake, it was too late. Please accept my sincerest apologies, Alpha." Barry's cheeks flushed a bright shade of scarlet, and his hands started trembling so badly that he sought to hide them behind his back.

"Your Majesty, I must also take responsibility for my actions in this matter." Nate was the one who talked this time around. "I was the one who initiated the artificial insemination, and I made the hasty decision of doing it on the same day of the consultation because the other team was not prepared enough to carry through the whole process and, as a result, accidentally placed the wrong vials for the procedure," he said. "I sincerely apologize, Your Majesty. I should be the only one punished for this, as it is entirely my fault."

"Nate!"

"Not at all, Doctor Mathers! I alone am to blame for this! I am to blame for getting us into this mess because of my incompetence!" Barry is sobbing openly right now, completely oblivious to the presence of everyone else in the room.

"But.."

"Enough!" The prince admonished us in a loud voice and looked at us with an impatient expression on his face. "At this point in time, there is nothing that can be done. The past cannot be changed, and this will not be of any help!"

"The girl, where is she?" Max inquired while maintaining a tone that was highly unsettling.

"Who the hell is she?" The Alpha inquired about it.

I'm about to drop another bomb, but this time I know for sure that I won't see another ray of sunlight.

"S-she is a human." I said

It was so quiet that moment that I thought for sure I could hear a pin drop, but then I caught a glimpse of someone entering the room out of the corner of my eye, and the person asked in a voice that was equally bright and happy...

"Who exactly is human?"