Understudy [ABO] [MxF] [18+]

S E V E N T E E N

It took a week for Ally to decide what she was going to do about the pregnancy. A long week talking to her friends at length, ignoring Gabe's angry venting, eating a lot of ice cream, and staring at the roof of her room letting her thoughts swirl until she fell asleep.

At least half of the week was spent trying to fully accept that she was pregnant at all, let alone consider what she wanted to do. She didn't feel any different, other than the nausea which had gotten a little better. Yet the proof was there on paper from the hospital confirming she was five weeks pregnant, going onto six now. Over a month. Had it really been a month since that night with Elias when she was in heat? She still remembered it vividly enough that it could've happened yesterday. Both the passion and the heartache.

Gabe knocked at her door and she sat up, pushing through the stacks of blankets and pillows so that she could actually see him. "Yes?"

"You're stomach stable enough for dinner? I made soup."

"You made soup?"

"Alright, I got given some from the old lady down the hall on my way home from uni, but still, it's homemade and smells amazing."

Ally chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, sure."

She watched him walk off and stared at the door for a moment before getting up to follow him, bringing her blanket with her wrapped around her shoulders like a cloak. She shuffled into the kitchen and watched silently as he got their food ready and helped carry it over to the dining table. Once they sat down, Gabe began eating right away, but Ally just stared at the soup.

"What's wrong? Smell make you nauseous?"

She shook her head, "No, it's not that. I... I think I want to keep the baby."

Gabe froze mid-spoonful and stared at her, "Really?"

"Yeah."

He cleared his throat and finished his spoonful thoughtfully, then placed his spoon down on the table and folded his hands. He was silent for another moment before nodding, "Well, it is your decision in the end, but I'm curious... what's your plan?"

"I want to move away," Ally said, voice firm. "I don't know where yet. Somewhere. Maybe to that little country town where our grandma set up her farm. Somewhere far from our parents and Elias and anyone else. I just... the more I think about the fact that I'm pregnant, that there is a future child inside me, I can't get rid of it." Truthfully, she wasn't sure whether it was her true feelings on it, or if it was just her Omega hormones becoming attached to the child already, but she didn't care. She had never really considered wanting kids before, but anything otherwise now just felt wrong.

"Shit, our parents," Gabe groaned and pinched his nose. "They're gonna find out eventually."

"I want to go and tell them, about my pregnancy and about my plans to leave," Ally said, finally picking up her spoon to stir the soup. It didn't hide the fact that her hand was shaking. "Will you come with me? For moral support?"

Gabe nodded, "Of course."

"We won't tell them who the father is," Ally levelled her gaze at him. "I don't care if they call me a slut or whatever, I'll just pretend I've been sleeping around and don't know who."

"What? Why does it matter?"

"I don't know. I'll just feel better if they don't know."

Gabe nodded and picked up his spoon again, "So... what do you want me to tell him?"

Ally froze for a moment. "Tell him... um... tell him that I am keeping the baby, and that I'm moving away for now. I guess once the baby is born we can talk about his role more. I just... I don't think I can see him right now." She wasn't sure if she would be able to stop herself from running right into his arms if she saw him. All of her instincts were crying out for her mate to protect her and the child, to comfort her and be beside her, but she had decided that she didn't need him.