The Monster Within - Book 1

Chapter 38

The next day, I wake in one of the best moods I'd been in for a while. I watch Apollo as he sleeps. remembering his touch from last night. The thought sends a tingle through my body. But then yesterday catches up with me, reminding me of what we saw when we came home. Archer leaning over the kitchen sink with an Arrow stuck through his body. 

I finally feel like I've found somewhere I belong, somewhere I can call home. But now there's a threat out there. There's a hunter, hiding, waiting, watching.

I know what I've found is probably as dysfunctional as families come, but it's mine. I've craved the idea of a family for so long, but now I have one, there is a possibility it can all be taken away from me. It scares me. It makes me fearful for the future.

But my worrying is cut short when my stomach starts to growl, crying for food.

I guess the baby wants food.

Digging around in the pantry for jam, I feel a hand land on my arse, spanking me.

'Good morning.' I chuckle.

'Forgiven me already?' I jump at the sound of his voice, spinning around as I come face to face with the wrong brother.

'What the fuck Archer?' 

If I hadn't of seen an arrow sticking out of him like he was a kebab just last night then I wouldn't have believed something like that had happened to him. But he seems absolutely fine in himself. Thank god werewolves heal quickly. A theory I haven't put to test yet, but something I'm still thankful for none the less. I mean, Archer definitely deserved it, but I don't want Apollos brother dying.

'Relax. It was a joke.' He says, holding his hands up in surrender.

'I don't find it very funny.'

'Look...' Archer begins. '... I just wanted to say sorry, okay?'

'Seriously?' I furrow my brow at him.

'Yeah.' He mumbles, looking down to the floor.

'Is this because Apollo told you to?'

'Yes and no.'

'Right...'

'I know I've been a real arsehole, okay? I just didn't want to see Apollo happy, so I tried to get in the way of you two. But I'm over it now. We talked and... And I was just hoping we could start over?' He says, looking like a sad little boy.

I stand there for a second, studying the sincere expression on his face. When he's like this I can almost see a bit of Apollo in him. It makes me want to agree to a fresh start. I can forgive him, but I wont forget.

'I'd like that.' I say to him with a small smile on my face.

'Good.'

'As long as you keep your hands to yourself.' I warn him.

'Anything for my new sister.'

'Well, You two seem to be getting along.' Apollo mentions, as he enters the room.

'Yeah, We're like best friends now.' Archer jokes, slinging his arm over my shoulder.

I tense a little.

'Good to hear.' Apollo replies. 'But keep your hands off my mate.' He warns his brother as he pulls me out from under his arm and into his own embrace.

I smile at him as I wrap my arms around his neck, thankful he pulled me away from his brother. 

'Yeah, yeah.' Archer says, walking into the other room.

Apollo softly kisses the top of my head as he holds me against his chest. He pulls back slightly to look in my eyes.

'I think we should go to the doctors. Get them to check you over. Just to make sure the baby is ok?'

'Yeah, we probably should have already done that by now.' I start by saying before I remember the conversation we had last night. 'But what about the hunter?'

'He wouldn't attack us in broad daylight, If he knows who we are. He'd be stupid to. He'd give away his only advantage.'

'What's that?'

'We don't know who he is... Yet.'

'Well if you think it's safe...' I concede.

'I'll set up an appointment for later today if they're free?' He says with a smile.

'Sounds good to me.'

After breakfast, I head upstairs for a shower. I was expecting some soreness from last nights escapes, but I feel fine. More than fine. I don't think I will ever get used to this accelerated healing. I chuckle to myself imagining that healing more soreness from sex probably isn't the whole reason for it, but I'm grateful none the less.

Being in a small town has its advantages as we're able to get an appointment with a doctor for today. Within a couple of hours I'm sitting in the waiting room, with Apollo, eager to see my baby on one of those little monitors.

'Miss Jones?' A women calls from a doorway and I'm thankful that it isn't Petra. I didn't want to have to explain to her how I managed to get pregnant between seeing her last and now.

Apollo follows me over to the room, coming in with me.

We take a seat as the women closes the door behind us, smiling to us as she turns to face us.

'I'm nurse Kelly.' She says, introducing herself.

'I'm Cassandra and this is Apollo.'

'So, we're having a baby?' She asks as she turns to her computer and starts tapping on the keyboard.

'Yes.' Apollo answers for me.

'Do you know how far you are?' She asks.

'Maybe about 2 months? But we're not too sure.'

'That's okay, I can do a scan today and take some measurements and we should be able to give you a time frame.'

'Great' I reply.

She asks several questions, typing my answers into her computer before she asks me to move over to a plastic topped bed.

'Would you like to be alone for this?'

'No.' Apollo booms.

'Cassandra?' The nurse directs to me.

'No, thank you. I want him here.' I smile.

'Okay, If you can lift your top up for me.'

I do as she says as she squeezes a cold thick liquid onto my stomach, making me flinch.

'I'm just going to press this against your stomach, It may feel uncomfortable while I try to find the baby.'

I lay on the bed, holding my breath as I wait for her to find any sign of life. I feel the tension build and a horrible feeling set in as I imagine this little family I pictured drift away. I watch the nurse chew on the inside of her cheek as she takes too long to find something... anything.

'Oh, there we are.' She says, allowing me to finally breath and my heart to calm.

The nurse moves her screen towards me so I can see the small little infant inside me wriggle around. Apollo steps over to the bed, taking my hand in his as he looks at the screen with a wide grin on his face. The  nurse points to different parts of the screen, showing us what we're looking at. A head, an arm or a foot.

'Oh.' She suddenly voices, making me tense.

'What? What is it?'

She moves the wand over my stomach for a moment, poking and prodding me as she tries to get a clear picture.

'This here...' She says pointing to the screen

'Yeah?' I ask, wanting her to just get the words out.

'This is baby number two.'

'What?' I say as my heart sinks in my chest.

'Congratulations, Miss Jones. You're having twins.'