Apprehended Ch. 23

But then, Ethan froze; his body going as rigid as a beam.

And he licked his lips quickly before saying, "Doc, can you turn it up?"

Baldridge shook his head. "I'm afraid this is the maximum volume."

Ethan made an odd noise. "Listen," he said.

I glanced between the two. "What is it?"

"Hold on a moment, my petal."

It was silent...save for the drumming heartbeat. I didn't know what was happening. Or what else Ethan heard. But it was obvious that he caught something Baldridge and I didn't. Which only rendered me more nervous.

I opened my mouth to question him further when Baldridge interjected. "I can isolate it."

Ethan nodded. "Do it."

The Doc fumbled with the keys, pressed a few buttons and...

"I would've seen it," mumbled Baldridge.

"Not if that one is taking up the space," said Ethan. "It can be easy to miss."

I frowned in confusion. "Why does the heartbeat sound different now?"

Baldridge began moving the wand around, all but shoving his mug into the screen.

Then he smiled.

"There." He pointed to a different area than the first.

Where another kidney bean appeared.

I blinked.

"Umm...I'm confused," I said, squinting to see the bean better. "Did it move?"

Ethan laughed.

Hard.

A booming sound that echoed along with the steady sound of the heartbeat.

I stared at him as he brushed away moisture from his own eyes, saying the one thing I honestly didn't expect. "Twins," he said, his voice thick and deep. "We're having twins, my Luna."

I gaped, my mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

And I nearly blacked out from the realization.

"That can't be," I said, glancing down at my stomach.

Baldridge fiddled with the mouse, causing the image to zoom out and reveal...two little kidney beans.

Two.

As in: two babies.

My eyes widened in shock.

Ethan squeezed my hand tighter, lifting it to his lips where he pressed kisses to my knuckles. "Are they okay?" he asked.

At this point, I was too dismayed to cry, let alone formulate a cohesive question.

"They're healthy. Strong heartbeats for both young," said Baldridge.

"How far long is she?"

"I was going to discuss that with you. Bloodwork came in earlier this morning. She is seven weeks."

Ethan's smile was so wide, he seemed to light up the room despite the consuming darkness. He began running his fingers through my hair, looking at the screen intently.

All too soon, Baldridge shut things down and turned on the lights. He placed the machine back into its previous spot and handed Ethan towels. "For her stomach, Alpha."

Ethan cleaned off the gel gently...softly. As if I were made out of fine china. His eyes were on me the entire time. Just as tender and loving as his touch. "You okay?" he said, lowly.

I nodded. "Just...surprised," I admitted quietly.

He pressed a reassuring kiss to my lips. "Everything is going to be fine," he murmured. "I vow it." When he finished, he tossed the towels in the garbage and closed the robe, knotting it and helping me sit upright.

"This is an extremely delicate case," said Baldridge, taking his seat. "Having twins for such an extended term increases the risk exponentially."

Ethan stood beside me, holding my hand as he spoke. "Have you ever treated a human female carrying shifter twins?"

"Unfortunately, no."

"What steps do we take from here?" asked Ethan.

"Appointments every other week to assess progression and the health of the young and mother. Weekly as the pregnancy shifts to fourth trimester. Which is the most perilous time for the female and the young. Twins mean double the risk." He smiled warmly, no doubt trying to ease our worry. "But please, do not fret. She is young, healthy and has already advanced through the first four weeks, which is quite crucial. The early stages are just as dangerous as the last."

A thought occurred to me, and I licked my lips nervously before asking. "Ummm, Doc. I sort of had a few drinks...as in...alcohol during umm...well...before Christmas. Does that-"

Baldridge smiled. "No worries, dear Luna. Early pregnancy can sometimes go without notice. The young are healthy. Thriving. No need to worry over something we cannot change. The rule applies to drinking throughout pregnancy. A few drinks when you were unaware are hardly a cause for concern."

I exhaled in relief.

Thankfully, the rest of the appointment was pretty standard. Now that we knew the details, it was easier to gauge what needed to be done. When we were finished, Ethan helped me get dressed and we left a little after noon. Unfortunately, I had another appointment in two weeks. A trip that was going to be my new normal.

"Are you hungry?"

I glanced at Ethan, huddling into my coat. "Ummm...yeah. Actually, I am."

He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his warmth. "What do you feel like eating, cherie?"

I stopped walking, the air brisk and cold in my lungs. Snow lined the ground, sheeting the asphalt in ice and random mounds. The storm from the previous night had already passed, but the frigid temperature remained. It didn't stop people from shopping and dining, however. I glanced at a nearby café, catching sight of a woman exiting with coffee and a doughnut. "Can we get hot chocolate?"

Ethan smiled. "Of course, mea vita. Food?"

"Can I have a doughnut?"

He laughed. "You can have whatever you want."

We walked towards the café, with Ethan opening the door and blanketing me in the scent of warm coffee and fresh baked goods.

It smelled like heaven.

It was a quaint spot too; filled with natural light from high windows and two reading nooks. A couple of oak tables were circled throughout the space, with random couches and odd chairs in various colors in between. I took a gander at the menu above the counter, noticing the display of fattening goods encased below.

I leaned in. "What is that?" I asked Ethan.

He followed my gaze.

And barked out another laugh.

"Cheesecake, baby. That's cheesecake. Is that what you want?"

I nodded. "Yes, please."

"What else?"

"Ummm..." It took me another minute to decide. "A hot chocolate?"

He held his smile, the light from the windows igniting his skin in a glorious glow. "Alright. Anything else?"

"I don't want to overdo it."

"You can do whatever you want. You can eat whatever you want."

I shook my head. "I think that's good for now."

He pressed a kiss to my forehead before walking to the counter and making the order. I waited on the peripheral, looking for two empty seats. Luckily, there was an empty table by a reading nook and I made my way over.

The sun felt warm against my skin as I peeled off my coat and settled into a rather comfortable chair. There were a couple books lining shelves by the nook and I skimmed over a few titles as I waited. They had some pretty good options: Little Women, Moby Dick, Pride and Prejudice, and Chaucer.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

I turned, catching sight of an unfamiliar face. A man I didn't recognize. He was tall. Not as tall as my Ethan, but tall nonetheless. He was also a little thin with dirty blonde hair and a thick beard. His eyes were captivating. A light teal blue. "I'm sorry," I said, trying to be polite. "You are?"

He laughed quietly. "Forgive me, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Ryan." He offered me a hand.

I shook it. "Nice to meet you. I'm Annie."

"Annie," he repeated. He inclined his head. "I'm sorry to be so straight forward but, your eyes. They are absolutely stunning."

I touched my face absently. "Oh..." No one had ever complimented my eyes before. I imagined it was due to my bond with Ethan. They were-after all-an exact replica. "Thank you."

He took a step closer, momentarily blocking out my view of Ethan. "I haven't seen you around here before. I believe I would've remembered encountering someone as beautiful as you. Where did you say you were from?"

"Ummm...I didn't actually. In fact, I don't come into town much."

"That's a shame," he said, slowly taking another step towards me. "I guess that means I won't be seeing you often?"

I shook my head slightly, suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable. "No, not really."

He shifted from foot to foot, glancing away to look out the window before asking, "Would it be rude of me to ask you for your number?"

"Yes. It would." Ethan arrived, his voice dark and filled with warning. He moved around the man, dwarfing him as he moved to plant his body in front of mine protectively.

Ryan looked up, his eyes going a little, whoa-nelly as he measured Ethan. "Oh, ahhhh...I'm sorry. Are you her brother?"

"No."

He pointed to his own eyes. "You share the same eyes."

"That's because I gave them to her," Ethan all but snarled.

Poor guy looked baffled...and a little freaked. "Uhhh...right. Boyfriend then?"

"Fiancé. Not that that's any of your business."

Ryan's eyes went back and forth between Ethan and I before he took the hint. "Alright then. Nice to meet you, Annie."

I smiled even though the entire situation was uncomfortable. "Nice to meet you too, Ryan."

He moved along, walking to the door so fast, he nearly collided into a customer entering the café. When he was gone, Ethan took the seat across from me, resting his elbows on the small wooden table. "Ryan." He spat out the name in obvious disgust. "On a first name basis, I see."

I shrugged. "He came over to talk to me and introduced himself. I wasn't going to be rude."

"More like courting you," he corrected.

My brows shot up. "What?"

"Courting," he repeated. "The male was courting you."

I frowned. "Courting? Who even uses that terminology anymore?"

"I do. The male was hitting on you. Though-if I may add-he was doing a piss-poor job of it."

I held in the urge to laugh and waved him away. "I wasn't entertaining it. Besides, I think you terrified the poor guy."

"Good...though I can't really blame the bastard," he grumbled.

"What?"

He smiled, hiding his fangs. "You're beautiful, sweet Luna. A male would have to be blind not to see it. You've also got that whole, pregnancy glow. It's a magnificent look on you. Especially knowing that you're carrying my young." He tossed in a wink for good measure.

I laughed.

A woman behind the counter called Ethan's name and he rose, grabbing our food and drinks. She smiled coyly, eyeing him in a long sweep that suggested she was anything but. "Let me know if you need anything, alright, sugar?"

Sugar?

I snorted.

Who the hell used that term of endearment anymore? It was like being sucked into the past. I briefly wondered what I would hear next: thou male was courting thy female amongst her escorted parentage?

I nearly giggled at my thoughts as Ethan inclined his head and moved on, coming back with a large array of food. He placed everything in the center of the table, offering me an empty plate along with a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Little puffs of marshmallows drifted to the surface, bobbing along the chocolatey goodness.

"She likes you," I said, sliding my mug over to blow over it lightly.

Ethan sat down. "What?"

I jerked my head towards the woman, who continuously stole glances at him as she worked. "The girl behind the counter."

He shook his head. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Come on, Ethan. It's obvious. She almost drooled. Like you said earlier, she was totally, 'courting,' you."

He cocked a brow. "Males do that. Not females."

I gave him a look. "What century are you living in?"

Ethan pulled a black rubber band from his wrist and lifted his hair into a giant bun on the top of his head. It was sloppy, with massive tendrils sticking out all over the place. It seemed that he didn't need to try hard in order to look handsome. For him, it was innate. A few women who were either sitting down or waiting on line were staring at his male beauty. I couldn't really blame them.

Shit, he was so beautiful, it was difficult to keep my own eyes averted...and I was actually in a relationship with him.

"Things were simpler back then. Everything is so complicated now. Too exploited and abused. Besides," he said, leaning in and lowering his voice, "I only notice you, my female. No other female matters."

It felt nice to hear him say that. I didn't doubt it either. "Yeah, well...you are gorgeous." I mumbled.

His lips lifted into a little smile. "Am I?"

I laughed lowly. "You know you are."

He chuckled. "As long as you believe it, I'm satisfied." He swiped his hands in the air over the food. "You pick first. Anything you want. Whatever you don't want, I'll eat."

I looked at the food. "Why did you buy so many things?"

"You're hungry. I'm hungry. You know I love food."

I laughed again. "Yes, you do." I pointed to the cheesecake. "I want that, for sure."

He grabbed the plate and a spoon, gently sliding the slice of cheesecake into my empty plate. "Anything else?"

I glanced at the rest, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Maybe that doughnut? What flavor is it?"

He served it for me, depositing it beside my cheesecake. "Cinnamon. What else, baby?"

I shook my head. "I think that's it. I don't want to get sick."

"As long as you're hungry now, try to eat. Don't think about the nausea."

"Can I eat this first? If I'm still hungry when I'm done, I'll just pick something else. Would that be okay?"

"Of course, my petal." He grabbed three doughnuts, another slice of cheesecake, a croissant, a buttered blueberry muffin, two slices of raisin bread and a pink, sprinkled cupcake.

I giggled lowly. "You always have a great appetite."

He went for the raisin bread first, taking a huge bite. "Yeah, well, I'm a large male."

I nodded, taking a spoonful of my own cheesecake. "Yes, you are." We chewed quietly for a few minutes until I added, "this is nice."

"What is?" he asked, taking a sip of coffee.

"This," I replied, indicating the café. "Eating here. With you. Doing something normal."

He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing in his thick throat. "I'm sorry that we didn't do this sooner. Just you and I. I've been a little busy. But I promise that we'll do this whenever you want."

I lowered my voice significantly. "I know you're busy with the clan and all. I don't want to impose on that."

He looked at me. "Sweetheart, you're everything to me. Taking time out for you isn't a chore. Nor is it an errand. I want you to have as much normalcy as possible. Especially when there isn't much of it to go around at home. I also don't like you being so isolated while I'm away. I want you to live. Go out. Do the things that you want to do. The only issue I have is th-"

"I'm pregnant," I finished for him.

He leaned in again. "Why would that be an issue?"

"I only thought that that's what you were planning to say."

"It wasn't," he said. "The fact that you assumed it was means that we have a lot to discuss."

I fiddled with my cheesecake, smashing it with my spoon. "Well...what is the issue then?"

He took a bite out of his cupcake next, chewing a bit before he replied, "I was going to say that I'm a bit overprotective, but..."

"Oh?" I said, now fiddling with my napkin. "Just a bit?"

He laughed quietly. "A little more than a bit."

"Just a little more?" I teased.

His eyes sparkled with mirth. "Alright...fine...I'm extremelyyyyyyyy overprotective." He reached out to lightly tap the tip of my nose. "Is that better, my flower?"

I smiled. "Oh, yes, much better."

"You can't really blame me," he said, taking a sip from his coffee again.

This time, I leaned in. "It's your wolf's fault then?"

He chuckled. "Yes...wait...no...uhhh...maybe...a little bit from both?"

"The great Alpha Dune at a loss for words," I pointed out. "I believe that's a first."

"Only with you," he said with a smile.

"Blaming me now, are you?"

He winked. "No. Never."

It felt pretty wonderful spending time with Ethan in a normal setting. Doing something all couples did naturally. It also felt good to just tease him. To goof around. To act silly and laugh at the mundane.

I didn't get the chance to do that type of thing with Jerry.

Which is why I didn't really want it to end. I opened my mouth to ask him another question when the barista interjected, her eyes solely on Ethan.

"Hello there, handsome. I just wanted to know if you needed anything else?"

I peered at her nametag. Karen. She looked like a Karen. Not that I had anything against the name. She just had a palpable persona.

"No," said Ethan. He didn't even bother to look at her. "We're fine."

She smiled wider, her lips glistening in fresh...lip gloss? "Just remember, if you need anything, I'm Karen. The manager. You can come to me anytime. In fact, I'd love to give you my personal number if you don't mind."

Dear lord. The woman had some serious audacity.

I smiled, clearing my throat and unable to contain my annoyance at her interruption. "That's lovely of you to offer, Karen" I said. "If my husband and I need anything, we'll be sure to call you right away. In fact, we'd love to leave a review."

She finally turned to look at me, her eyes bugging out of her head as what I said registered. "Uhhh...I'm sorry. Husband?"

Was she serious? Talk about being rude. And excessively unprofessional. It also wasn't lost on me that she only heard the word, "husband," and little else. It led me to believe that she was in fact, not here for a simple professionally courtesy but for personal gain.

"Yes," said Ethan, giving her the attention she so desperately craved and focusing on her. He smiled, his dimples making an appearance. "My beautiful, precious wife. Who is currently carrying my young. Though I don't see why any of this should matter. Do you?"

She stuttered, her eyes looking between us as her face flushed with heat. "E-e-excuse me," she said, all but zooming away at a near dead-run, where she disappeared into one of the back rooms.

If the woman wasn't so rude, I would have found the entire situation comical. However, it seemed that that Ryan fellow-right alongside Karen-found it completely normal to just toss in an opportunity even though the situation was not ideal. "I told you," I said.

Ethan looked annoyed. "Humans are so predictable. Especially human females."

I took a bite of cheesecake. "I'm human, Ethan."

"The only one that matters to me, mon amore."

"But I'm still a human."

"One who can give me the same attentions as any other human female and actually captivate me," he pointed out. "All you'd have to do is stand beside me and I'd do anything you asked."

I chewed and laughed. "Does that mean I can have a cat?" I teased.

He looked at me pointedly. "You want a cat?"

I rolled my eyes. "It was a joke, Ethan."

He took a bite out of his muffin. "I'd get you a cat if you wanted a cat."

"You really would?" I never had a pet before. Never thought about it either.

"Anything for you," he said. "Though I don't particularly like them," he muttered.

My eyes went wide. "You don't like cats?" I squeaked.

This time, it was his turn to give me a look. "You realize what I am."

I frowned. "Yes, but what does that have to do with not liking cats?"

He lowered his voice again. "I'm a wolf, Luna. Which-technically speaking-are part of the Canidae species."

I swear I couldn't contain my laughter. "As in canine?" I said in between the hysterics.

Ethan was not amused. "I don't understand how you find that humorous."

I shook my head back and forth, gently wiping the corners of my moist eyes. "You make it sound so black and white. Cats don't like dogs. In turn, dogs don't like cats. I've seen plenty of dogs and cats live amongst each other peacefully."

His brows furrowed. "Where? Nat Geo?"