Chapter 4

CHRISTOPHER

In the midst of a meeting, Hensen burst in, his eyes wide with urgency. He sidled up to me and whispered in my ear.

“Alpha, Scarlett woke up a while ago, had lunch, and headed straight to the hospital.”

“Excellent, thank you,” I replied, giving him a curt nod. “Send her a fruit basket mid-afternoon. I don’t want her fainting again.”

“Of course, Alpha,” Hensen said, rushing out of the room.

I spent the entire day holed up in the meeting room and my office, unable to resolve anything effectively. Despite my preoccupation with her, I found solace in knowing she had rested today.

But damn, why was I so concerned about her? Couldn’t she take care of herself? The constant worry was beginning to wear me down.

I decided to work late, planning to visit her room once she was asleep. I immersed myself in reports, seeking solace but finding none. When Hensen informed me that she had arrived, I couldn’t stay put any longer, knowing Scarlett was upstairs, in our room.

I wrapped up what I could and headed upstairs. She was in the shower when I arrived, and I was momentarily captivated by her silhouette through the steamy bathroom stall. I stripped off my clothes and joined her, my actions driven by an irresistible urge.

Scarlett gasped when she saw me enter the stall. We didn’t exchange words, but the tension was palpable. I wanted to hold her, to let our bodies communicate.

I showered with my back to her, trying to hide my arousal. But I could smell her, her scent strong and intoxicating. I couldn’t help but smile, knowing she was just as affected as I was.

She wasn’t the only one missing this.

Scarlett exited the shower first. I took my time, emerging later to find her wearing one of my T-shirts.

~Damn, Scarlett.~

She looked incredibly sexy in my oversized T-shirt, which barely covered her round ass. I exhaled in frustration. Was this her way of teasing me?

She turned around and caught me staring at her. I quickly looked away.

“Did you get the fruit basket this afternoon?” I asked, attempting to make conversation.

“Yes, thank you. I ate almost everything.” She shrugged nonchalantly.

“Are you eating properly?” I asked, concerned. She squirmed at my question, nodding yes before heading to bed.

We watched a documentary together, and I fell asleep soon after, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease.

***

The next morning, my alarm clock blared. I was about to turn it off to avoid waking her, but I found Scarlett nestled against my chest. It felt so natural, so right, that I hadn’t even noticed it while sleeping. The soft touch of her skin against mine was comforting.

I didn’t want to get up, but I had to turn off the alarm. She stirred, and I headed to the bathroom, but this time, Scarlett followed me.

“Did my alarm wake you?” I asked as she entered the bathroom, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

“Yes, but I needed to get up. I have the ultrasound today,” she replied, reaching for her toothbrush.

“I know it’s at ten a.m.,” I said. I had noted down all her prenatal appointments and was eagerly counting down the days. Today was the day we would find out the baby’s sex. But it saddened me that it wouldn’t be a joyous occasion for both of us.

Her eyes widened in surprise. As she reached for her toothbrush, her T-shirt lifted, revealing the curve of her ass. I was instantly aroused.

She had to be doing this on purpose.

I rubbed my eyes and sighed, trying to regain my composure.

“Are you going to the hospital before then? Or should I drop you off at ten?” I asked. She looked surprised again.

“I’ll go first. I want to check on a patient from yesterday,” she mumbled, her mouth full of toothpaste.

“I’ll meet you there at ten a.m. I have a couple of meetings before that.” She nodded, and I left to get dressed.

I wanted to apologize, to accompany her for the ultrasound, but it went against my principles to apologize when I hadn’t done anything wrong. If I had wronged her, I wouldn’t hesitate to swallow my pride and seek her forgiveness. I wouldn’t do this for anyone else, but her.

But I couldn’t apologize for being cautious, for protecting her, and for caring for our baby. I understood her passion for her profession, but this was crossing a line.

She was being immature and selfish.

We had breakfast in silence. She asked for a car to take her to the hospital. It irked me that she still had to ask, but given our circumstances, it made sense.

She left for the hospital, and I headed to my meetings. Time seemed to crawl, and I found myself constantly glancing at the clock. At nine a.m., I couldn’t wait any longer.

I arrived at the hospital, and Martha greeted me.

“Alpha, it will be in room three. Please follow me.” I nodded, and she led me through the corridors. There was no sign of Scarlett yet.

But when Martha opened the door to room three, there she was, dressed in scrubs, sitting on the stretcher, her legs swinging in the air. She looked like a child waiting for something. Despite everything, she smiled when she saw me.

My heart melted.

I wanted to hold her and never let her go.

“Let’s get started, Scarlett. Lie down.” Martha interrupted my thoughts, and Scarlett complied.

She lifted her blouse, and Martha applied the gel. As she searched for the baby’s heartbeat, I reached for Scarlett’s hand. She hesitated, but when the strong heartbeat filled the room, she squeezed my hand and looked at me. A single tear rolled down her cheek. I smiled, wiping away her tear with my thumb as she smiled back.

“Everything’s looking great with the baby. His heartbeat is strong, and he’s the right size for his gestational age. He’s developing perfectly,” Martha announced, her fingers dancing over the keyboard as she input the measurements.

Suddenly, she paused and chuckled. “Well, the part you’ve been eagerly waiting for is pretty clear this time.” Her smile was infectious, but I noticed Scarlett’s brow furrow in anticipation.

“Spill it, Mom,” Scarlett urged, her eyes darting between me and the ultrasound screen.

“You were right, and so was the Goddess. It’s a boy,” Martha revealed.

I was at a loss for words. I mean, I knew. Scarlett was certain. But to have it confirmed scientifically that our little one was indeed a boy, our Anthony, was a different feeling altogether.

“I knew it,” Scarlett whispered, her eyes welling up with tears once more. I tightened my grip on her hand in response.

As Martha wrapped up the exam, Scarlett began to clean the ultrasound gel off her belly.

I took a moment to really look at Scarlett. I wanted to pull her into my arms, to end this unbearable tension. I knew I had to do something.

Closing my eyes, I could almost feel her skin against mine, her scent mingling with my own, the taste of her lips. I sighed and opened my eyes. I couldn’t keep this up.

As Martha made her exit, I waited for the door to click shut before I spoke.

“Scarlett, we can’t keep going like this and—”

She spun around, her lips parting in surprise. Her honey-colored eyes locked onto mine, but she didn’t let me finish.

“No, Christopher, you…,” Scarlett started, closing the gap between us until she was standing right beneath me. She tilted her head back to look up at me. “I need to talk to you.”

I watched as she exhaled deeply, then rested her forehead against my chest. Feeling her so close quickened my heartbeat, but not as much as when she continued.

“I was a fool.”