Chapter 76

Kelly “Good morning Queen Kelly.” The receptionist greeted me. “The nurse will be right out to take you back.”

“Good morning, thank you.” I said. I didn’t even bother to sit, knowing any second the nurse would be calling me.

“Queen Kelly?” Julie called a moment later, as expected. “You can follow me.” She smiled.

“Thanks.” I said, following her through the halls into one of the exam rooms.

“How are you this morning?” She asked as she took my b***d pressure.

“I’m alright.” I shrugged.

“Just alright?”

“Pre-ceremony jitters is all.There is just so much to do still, my stomach has been doing flip flops all week.” I laughed off.

“Understandable.” She laughed. “When was your last heat?”

“A few weeks ago,” I shrugged.

“And any complaints?”

“Nope, I feel great.”

“Alright, well, if there is nothing else, the doctor will be in shortly to swap your IUD. Nothing from the waist down please.”

“Who am I seeing today?” I asked. I had made it a point not to see Emmett if I could help it, out of respect for Thorin giving our past.

“Dr. Call.”

“Thanks.” I said as she left the room.

I followed her instructions and waited patiently for the doctor to see me. I hoped she would be quick. I imagined she would be, considering I was the queen. While I didn’t expect special treatment, everyone gave it. I had so much to do today, I didn’t feel like I had nearly enough time to do it. Many of the things on my list couldn’t be passed off either, they needed my approval or signature or final look through.

Thorin was just as busy, trying to get the newest recruits ready before we left for our honeymoon. I demanded that we take a vacation together after our ceremony, and he didn’t argue. We needed some stress-free time alone on a private beach, so that is exactly what I had planned.

“Good morning Alpha Kelly.” Dr. Call greeted me. She had short curly hair and an infectious smile.

“Good monring. Let’s get this over with.” I laughed nervously.

“Just try to relax.” She said as she threw on a pair of gloves.

“Is she trying to dig her way to China?” Keres snorted after a minute or two of the doctor searching for my IUD.

“Is there a problem?” I asked as she pulled away, a frown on her face.

“I’m having a bit of trouble finding your IUD is all. Let me get my sonogram machine so I can find it better. I don’t want to torture you anymore than I have to.” She said, quickly leaving the room.

“A few weeks ego,” I shrugged.

“Of course this would happen when I’m already so busy,” I grumbled.

“I’m sure we’ll be done soon.” Keres sighed.

Since I drank the Elixir several months ago, things between Keres and I have only been good -no- great. I had the wolf I always dreamed of. She was just like me on many fronts, but also challenged me to be better, and think differently. She really helped me better myself as Queen. She was still spunky, which wasn’t a bad thing. In fact, I think Thorin secretly loved it when he got time with Keres too. Especially in the bedroom. He got very aggressive, which was a huge turn on for me.

“Alright, here we go.” She said, wheeling in her special machine into the room.

– – – – – – – –

Emmett “Doctor, I have a patient who would like a second opinion. Would you mind?” Dr. Call asked, catching me on my way to see another patient.

“Sure, can it wait until after I’m done with my next patient?” I asked.

“It’s the queen who is asking for you.” She said quietly.

“Which room?” I asked, shutting my current file and nodding.

“Room four.” She said quietly. “She came in for an IUD swap, only she didn’t have an IUD in her. I checked her records, there was nothing saying she had the last one removed.”

“Did you do a sonogram to look for it?” I asked.

“Yes, and the IUD wasn’t there, but something else was…” She whispered with a pointed look.

“Oh,” I said. “I’ll handle it, thank you.” I said, just before doing a quick double knock on exam room four’s door and letting myself in.

“Tell me she is wrong.” Kelly said, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

“Well, let’s have a look,” I said, quickly squeezing some jelly onto her lower stomach and pressing the wand to her skin.

I took my time, but just like Dr. Call had said, there was no IUD. In its place was a pup. Kelly was a few weeks along, if I had to guess. Obviously, this was not a planned pregnancy.

“Well?” Kelly asked, as I tried to find the right words.

“Dr. Call is right, you are pregnant Kelly.”

“But what about the IUD?! What the hell happened to that?!” She growled. “They don’t just fall out!”

“No, they dont.” I said, racking my brain as to what could have happened.

She only ever came to our clinic to have it swapped out. I had records of every encounter to prove it. This made zero sense. Unless…no I can’t imagine. But it was the only reasonable explanation.

“I wonder if when you drank the Elixir of Vitality, it took away your IUD.”

“What?” Kelly hissed, her eyes narrowing.

“Think about it, its job is to fix what is sick or broken. The IUD was technically preventing you from producing pups, which seems like a problem for an Elixir that’s mission is to make sure everything is working properly.”

“That can’t be possible!” She scoffed.

“Well, unless you went to see another doctor or Thorin took it out himself, both of which I’m sure you would have remembered, I don’t see how else this would have happened. I’m sorry.” I said, giving her a moment to absorb. “I can have Dr. Call review options with you-“

“No. No need.” She shook her head. “I’m having this pup.”

– – – – – – – – – – –

Kelly “No. No need.” I shook my head. “I’m having this pup.”

“Alright. Then we would like to see you back in a few weeks for a follow-up. So far everything looks good. I’ll order bloodwork but there’s no rush to get it done.”

“Fine.” I said, my eyes fixated on the sink as I thought through everything. “Thanks.”

“Take as much time as you need, and congratulations,” Emmett said, before leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Pregnant?! Seriously?! I had the IUD placed so this wouldn’t happen! It was nearly fool’s proof! It wasn’t the pregnancy that I was upset about. I mean, it was a shock, no doubt. But what was really bothering me was having to tell Thorin. I knew how strongly he felt about not wanting any because of the fear of losing it. It was the only thing he wouldn’t budge on. Everything else we were able to work though and find a common middle ground. This was the only exception. We hadn’t even discussed it in months, minus me reminding him that the council would be on my neck about producing an heir, which he countered with clarifying that I only needed to choose an heir.

“Thorin loves us, he might be upset at first, but he is an honorable wolf,” Keres said.

“Yeah, but I don’t want him to feel like he has to be honorable. I don’t want him to feel trapped.”

“Have some faith in your mate,” Keres pushed. “Maybe once he knows it’s real, his mind will change.”

“Maybe.”