One Year Later, a week after Eileen's new schedule was implemented
Marta could see Cal from the other side of the door. He was laughing, eating, enjoying his life. He was happy.
He wouldn't be after she talked to him.
"Come back with the baby's father or not at all!"
Her father's rough words from that morning rocked through her mind again, and Marta felt tears threatening.
She quickly blinked them away.
No. No. She had to do this. If not for herself then for her baby.
Her hand fluttered over her still-flat stomach. Soon, though, there'd be no hiding what had happened. She needed a husband before then or...
With a deep shuddering breath she opened the door and walked into the cafeteria, her eyes locked on her destination. Every step towards him, however, seemed like a step towards a hangman's noose.
Her feet faltered.
No. She had to do this. Cal wasn't such a bad male. He was a little more physical than she'd expected, but she had proved she could handle him. He was loud, he was crude, but he did have a good heart. He wouldn't leave his child without a father.
Movement from the other side of the cafeteria caught her attention.
Of their own volition her eyes followed Robbie as he walked towards the double doors leading outside, hand-in-hand with a Giftling girl.
The sight hurt her heart, and Marta found herself wondering how much different would her life be if she'd told him to stay that day. Would she still be desperate and terrified?
Somehow, she imagined even if she'd ended up in the same situation she wouldn't feel the same hopeless dread she felt right now. Robbie wasn't like Cal. Robbie was--
Robbie's not my baby's father, she reminded herself, feeling her soul scream in anguish. I messed up. I'm damaged goods. He wouldn't want me now anyway. My life was over the moment I snuck out this summer. The only thing I can do now is live for this child.
Mind made up, she finally made her way to Cal's table.
Conversation stopped. One of the guys nudged him.
Cal frowned, "What do you want? I thought you broke up with me."
"I--can we talk?"
Cal glanced at his friends then nodded, standing to follow her out the cafeteria doors.
When they were as alone as they could be she turned to face him.
He immediately pushed her against the stone wall, lips demanding, tongue probing until she gagged.
He pulled back, panting, "Sorry. I--I--"
"I'm pregnant," she said simply, wiping the saliva from her chin.
His eyes grew wide, his hands fell from her shoulders, and he stumbled away from her, shaking his head. "No."
"I took three tests. They were all positive."
"No," he said again. "We used a... " He glanced around quickly and whispered, "condom."
"They don't always work," she told him.
He shook his head, "No. No, I used a condom. Y-you must have been cheating on me."
She gaped at him, "WHAT?!"
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The Reluctant Cougar (Rise of the Alpha King's Heir)
Romance*Complete but still subject to edits* Ben Cougar and Eileen Grau have been best friends since they were kids. For the young cougar-shifter, it was love at first sight. For the ostracized Vampire girl, it was good to have a friend--even if he was s...
