Natalia and Her Wolf Ch. 07

"Come on stinky, let's get you in the shower. You'll look and smell so much better after," she laughed.

I walked into the bathroom and stripped naked avoiding the mirror. After toying with the water faucets for a couple of minutes I found the perfect temperature. Within 5 seconds of stepping in, I remembered the reason I fell in love with this shower. The streams did one's body right! I let the water drench my hair and looked down. Was I really ready to be somebody's mom? I mean, did I even like kids? Why wasn't I freaking out about this? Honestly, I didn't think it had hit me yet. Even after feeling the baby kick and move, I still didn't believe that I would actually be a mom. I didn't feel like a mom. I certainly didn't act like one. I was still young. Barely 19. I didn't even have a job. What if the baby came out a tiger or something? How was I going to raise a tiger? What would the pack say? I wasn't even mated! They're going to think I'm a whore. What about pills? I haven't been taking any prenatal vitamins. What if I affected the baby in a bad way? What if I am a horrible mother? Oh God. I don't even know why I'm so big. How come I won't be pregnant for 9 months? Do baby animals grow faster? This baby is definitely more developed then other babies at this stage. What if I die? What if he dies?

"I'm scared," I whispered to myself and the baby.

A knock on the door jostled my thoughts and I felt Eric's presence outside the shower curtain.

"Natalia, you're worrying is killing me babe. I feel your anxiety from all the way downstairs. You're stressing out is doing nothing but stressing the baby. And me. You're going to end up having me follow you around with positive sayings for the rest of this pregnancy my love. It will be ok," Eric said.

"Yes Eric. I'm just worried," I said washing up and rising off.

"I'm worried about you too and the baby. I can't imagine losing you again. I need you. And him," he said genuinely. "But if it comes down to it, I need you more my dear. Losing you was the worst pain I ever encountered Natalia. I don't think you can fully grasp the raw emotion I felt waking up with thoughts of not knowing where you were. Not knowing if you were dead or alive."

I stepped out the shower and into Eric's waiting arms. He didn't care about me getting him wet and he didn't care that I was an emotional wreck.

"I know what it is you feel. I know what it feels like to love somebody with every bit of energy and soul. I know what it means to be willing to sacrifice and surrender everything for their happiness. I feel that way for you and our baby. Honestly, it scares me that I have little control but I accept it. I love this child more than anything or anyone I have ever known, excluding you," I whispered in his ear.

"I won't let anything or anybody ever hurt you again. I will kill anything that attempts to hurt you. For now, I'll be downstairs overseeing the food and making sure our guest is comfortable in her own room. Though I'm sure Greg is making sure she is just fine. And you're not an emotional wreck. You're pregnant," he confessed.

"I know. I just feel so damn helpless Eric. But what does that mean? He's making sure she's just fine?" I asked.

"Oh nothing slow one, I know you're starving. You'd better hurry up and finishing showering so you can get dressed and come eat," he taunted.

My stomach growled in agreement and I watched Eric leave before I headed back in the shower and continued washing up. After washing my hair I turned off the water and stepping out the shower feeling squeaky clean. I examined the clothes I had put down for myself and frowned. The old Natalia would've been able to slip into these no issue. I had to sigh out loud after looking in the mirror. I was seriously considering having every mirror in this house removed. I looked a mess. My nose, my face, hell my everything looked swollen. I looked like a swollen version of my previous self.

'That happens when you get pregnant dear, you're still beautiful,' Eric said in my head.

Shut up Eric. I put on the clothes and flinched. The shirt barely covered my stomach and I was pretty much cutting it close to busting out of it. At least the pants were baggy jogging pants. I walked out the bathroom and frowned. I got a weird worrying feeling and started to feel anxious. I would've been able to fit this shirt a couple of weeks ago!

"Babe you ok in there?" Marie asked through the door.

"Come in," I told her.

"Hey gorgeous girl, I feel the waves of sadness rolling off you in high depth. What's the issue?" she asked.

"I feel this weird feeling. I just feel anxious like something bad is going to happen. I can't explain it," I tried to explain but fell short. "I just feel like I forgot about something. You know the feeling you get when you can't remember if you locked the door?"

"You're just still traumatized from earlier. Don't focus on the bad darling, let us eat. I promise everything will be ok. I mean seriously, what else could happen?" she said steering me towards the door.

"You're right. Do you realize we have nothing? I mean not even a shirt for our backs?" I asked incredulously.

"I know. I was just thinking about it. Look at these clothes. We need to go shopping ASAP," she said full of excitement.

I saw stars in her eyes after she mentioned going shopping. All I could think about was how I wouldn't be able to fit anything worth wearing anymore.

"Let us EAT!" She said pulling me out the door.

We walked the narrow path towards the elevator and I couldn't shake the feeling of anxiousness as we got on and the doors shut. I looked at Marie and saw her staring at me with concerned eyes. I gave her a weak smile and focused on calming the hell down!

"You ok?" She asked.

I nodded and after what felt like forever the elevators opened. I was greeted by a very surprised pack. Lots of women and men alike gave me a shocked look. They would look at my face and my stomach then to Eric and back at me. Nobody said anything though. After an awkward silence a young girl I remember from before said her congratulations. Everybody followed suit and there were congratulations from everybody around the room. Plans were being made, other mothers were giving me advice and the pack was beaming. Eventually everybody got over it and we moved on to our tables. After all of the introductions, stories and the announcement of a pack run to celebrate the making of a child, the food was served. I looked at everyone laughing and smiling. I was content. I didn't know the worst was yet to come.