Selene
Frowning at my reflection, I try to focus my attention inward, reaching deep to try and access the well of my powers. I’ve been working at it every day, wanting to learn how to do more than send out a few random energy bursts. I want to figure out how to do all the things I read about in Odette’s books, and Bastien has been encouraging me to practice as much as possible – so long as I stay far away from the pool.
I’ve turned the lights down low, staring determinedly at the shadows and begging them to bend to my will. Of course they don’t budge one bit, they remain stubbornly fixed in the nooks and corners of our walk in closet.
Grumbling with frustration, I try to take a few deep breaths and reset, but Bastien rounds the corner before I can, no doubt summoned by my disgruntled noises. “What’s wrong, little wolf?” He asks, not stopping until I’m completely wrapped in his arms.
“I’m trying to bend the stupid shadows and it’s not working. It seems like everything I try today is just bound to fail.“ I complain.
I’m expecting a speech offering support and encouragement, instead I find my husband’s brow furrowed in worry. “Sweetheart, I think you should hold off practicing your powers for a while.”
“What?” I question in surprise. “What happened to, ‘the more you’re able to defend yourself, the better’?”
“We don’t know how any of this might affect the baby.” Bastien answers simply. “I don’t think we should risk it.”
I hadn’t thought of that. I admit to Luna, suddenly awash with anxiety.
I’m sure it’s fine. My wolf answers. The powers are a part of us. So is the pup. Surely they can’t harm it.
I’d like to think that too. I agree, but I know so little about all this… Bastien’s probably right.
“We can ask the doctor.” I decide, rubbing a hand over my cloth-covered belly. My appointment is later this afternoon, and Bastien cleared his schedule so he could come along. I had been looking forward to getting my first ultrasound, now I’m overflowing with eagerness to find out if I can continue training.
“No.” Bastien replies sharply, bursting my bubble. “I don’t want anyone outside of the family to know about your powers, Selene.”
“Then how else am I going to find out whether it’s safe?” I argue.
“We’ll keep researching and just feel things out as we go along.” He states, as if we’ve had a long discussion on the matter and landed at this decision together.
“Oh really?” I reply, “That’s what we’re going to do?”
“That’s what I think we should do.” My mate amends gently. “We can’t risk the information getting out, and we can’t risk you or the baby.”
“Bastien I knocked out a she-wolf in full public view last week.” I remind him sardonically, “I think people are going to find out about my powers one way or another.”
“They don’t know what they saw at the festival.” Bastien claims, “and I don’t mind them knowing once you have full control over them, but until then you’re vulnerable… until Blaise is dealt with, we have to keep them quiet.”
“Why do you keep saying that?” I ask, a knot forming in my stomach, “What are you planning to do about Blaise, how are you going to deal with him?”
“We can talk about that later.” My husband promises, not comforting me one bit. “For now let’s just enjoy this moment. In a few hours we’re going to have our first picture of the baby.” He reminds me excitedly.
“Alright.” I concede, “just promise me we will talk about it?”
Bastien’s face falls, and my apprehension grows. “I promise. Before the week is out.”
_________________
Bastien
At the hospital, a thoughtful nurse sweeps us into a private room before anyone can see us in the OBGYN’s waiting room. Soon enough the media will get their hands on the story anyway, Selene’s scent announces the news wherever she goes, but I want to keep it quiet for as long as possible.
While Selene changes and patiently submits to the nurse’s vital tests, I stroll around the strange office, studying all the diagrams and anatomical models depicting the various stages of pregnancy. It’s not until a familiar scent reaches my nose that I draw my attention away.
When Dr Kane enters the room, Selene offers him a wide smile. “Dr Kane, it’s so good to see you!”
“You too.” He exclaims, “Especially since we all thought you were dead.”
“Right.” Selene flushes, “well, luckily I’m not.”
“Very luckily.” The doctor grins, “And I see congratulations are in order! You’re going to be parents – again.”
“I’m sorry, Dr Kane.” I interrupt, confused as to why the man is here. “You’re not an obstetrician.”
“No, but I am the family doctor.” He reminds me genially, “And I was Selene’s doctor during her first pregnancy – at least the portion of it which took place in Elysium.” The doctor looks back to my mate, “How are you feeling Selene, is the nausea any better this time?”
“Wait a minute,” I interject again, directing my attention to Selene. “He was your doctor before you left?”
“Yes.” She replies, shooting me a baffled look.
“Dr Kane is the one who helped you cover your scent?” I growl, growing more suspicious, not to mention more angry by the minute.
“Yes.” Selene repeats, more gently this time, as if she can sense the direction of my thoughts.
“And you knew she was pregnant when she supposedly died?” I demand of Dr Kane, “And you said nothing?”
“I didn’t think the information would do anything but cause you more grief.” Dr Kane sighs, looking regretful.
My wife crinkles her nose, “Am I missing something?”
“Dr Kane is the one who confirmed the DNA on the body from the fire.” I share gruffly.
“You mean the fake me was pregnant too?!” She inquires in horror.
For a moment I don’t understand what on earth she’s talking about, and it takes a good bit of footwork to catch up to her train of thought. An anonymous medical examiner couldn’t have known Selene was pregnant and would have easily missed the discrepancy between bodies. But Kane knew about the baby, so either the unfortunate soul who was used to impersonate my mate was also pregnant, or he knew it wasn’t Selene and lied.
My existing suspicions about the man begin to spread like wildfire, but then the doctor calmly explains. “We never checked for that detail. The corpse was so burnt we couldn’t even tell if it was male or female, and once the DNA came back a match… honestly it never occurred to me to check for a fetus.”
“Oh of course.” Selene grimaces, “I wasn’t thinking.”
“Nonsense.” He waves off her self-depreciation, “Now tell me honestly, how are you feeling.”
I spend the rest of the appointment, not reveling in the joy of our new pup’s arrival, but stewing in anger. Now that my ire has been sparked, I can’t seem to quell it. That fetus he’s talking about is Lila. My daughter very nearly died before ever being born. If Selene hadn’t been pulled from the fire she would have been gone before I even knew she existed, and this man who has vowed to serve my family helped keep that secret from me.
I’m not sure whether I believe Dr. Kane’s words or not. He seems to have a reasonable explanation for every clue that points his way, but the clues continue to pile up. I can’t imagine how he could have become mixed up in my family’s drama, but he’s growing more suspicious by the minute.
When the appointment is over and Selene is changing back into her regular clothes, I call Aiden. “How’d it go?” He greets me.
“Listen,” I jump in without delay. “Is the hospital within the range of the cell tower that transmitted the safe house footage?”
There’s a pause as my beta checks the map, followed by a slow but firm, “No.”
“And what about Dr Kane’s house?” I press, “Is it within range?”
Another long pause builds as my friend looks up the address. Only this time, he sighs, “Yes.”
Drawing in a deep, steadying breath I snarl, “I want a full background on that man, right now.” I order. “I want to know everywhere he’s been over the last decade. Everything he’s done, everyone he’s ever spoken to.”
“You think he might be behind all this?” Aiden asks.
“I think he’s involved somehow or another.” I theorize, “he may just be corrupt and taking payments for helping whoever really is responsible, or he may be involved more substantially. But too many coincidences have happened now, too many clues point in his direction.” Quickly sharing the revelations I discovered during the appointment, I wait for my friend to tell me I’m overreacting again.
“Bastien,” He broaches instead, “Kane was also the one who examined your father’s body. He was at the crime scene… and we were never able to identify the scent of his attacker. We thought they just covered it up… but what if it was somebody we already knew, someone who was there right after?”
When Selene walks out a few minutes later, I take her face in my hands, “We’re finding you another doctor.”
