MATED TO SERIES COLLECTION

34. LARA: GOOD NEWS IN BAD TIMES

"Lara, are you okay?"

Yes, I just like puking my guts out first thing in the morning, I wanted to call out. Instead I went with a less sarcastic answer. The stench of vomit made me wrinkle my nose. I was just about to get up from the floor when I felt the bile rising in my throat once again. I gripped the toilet as I empty the little contents I had in my stomach.

Once I was sure that I was done, I struggled to my feet and stumbled over to the basin to brush my teeth. My eyes locked on my reflection before I could turn away. I could hardly recognize myself. Somehow through it all I've managed to lose the slight tan I had picked up. I had lost a lot of weight even though I've been eating three meals a day. If it wasn't Valeria, it was either David or Devon who made sure that I ate.

Ethan has kept his word by staying away from me. It was hard to stay completely away from him since I lived in his house, but he hadn't tried anything again.

My eyes dropped to the crook of my neck. I reached up and tugged the shirt out of the way. The bite was almost completely healed. I hated the fact that it was going to scar. It would always be a reminder of what I had lost. It would always be a reminder of the man I craved but couldn't have. A part of me actually longed to have him near; to have him touch me and hold me and look at me with love. It was wrong of me to long for another when Silas's ring was on my finger.

There was a soft knock on the door a second before it opened. I pushed the shirt back in place to cover the bite. My eyes darted up to the person who entered the bathroom. Valeria gave me a small smile as she hovered near the doorway.

"Hey."

I managed to give her a small smile.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I snapped and then softly added; "Thank you for asking."

"I have a favour to ask you," she said softly.

I watched as she held up a small white and pink box. She moved closer and hesitated at my side.

"Have you peed yet?"

Colour flooded my cheeks at her personal question. In the few weeks of staying here, I've come to the conclusion that these people were very straight forward and wasn't very shy. David had told me that it was because of their shifter blood.

"No."

"Good." She opened the box and pulled out a blue test-thing. "This is a pregnancy test."

"But I had a miscarriage," I whispered.

She turned toward me with a small smile. Valeria reached out and gently gripped my shoulders. "I know. Although we might think we know everything there is to know, there's always something new to learn. I've seen it a few times with some of the older women. It's rare but there might be a possibility that you're still pregnant."

Hope flared but I instantly pushed it down.

"I'm not a doctor and I have little to no medical knowledge, but I know for a fact that you're suffering from morning sickness. I asked David to make an ultrasound appointment for you. Please take the test."

I blinked back the sudden tears that filled my eyes. It couldn't be possible. The doctor had explained things to me. I had lost the baby. Was she right? I pressed a shaky hand to my lower stomach as I stared at the test she held out to me. Could I dare hope?

***

"This is going to be a little cold, but it'll warm up," Doctor Ali warned before she spread the gel over my lower stomach.