As Hope and Promise Fade

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Jax wasn’t angry enough to kick Ariana out and never see her. It didn’t matter what was going on, he needed her like he needed air to breathe even now as he felt trapped under water weighed down by all the lies and facts. Yet having her asleep next to him right now was still heaven on earth. He turned on his side and watched her.

He lowered the sheet down her chest and focused on her stomach. As he got closer and focused he could hear the little heart beat inside. His baby….

This wasn’t ideal. They wanted children but not this soon into their relationship. Ideally it would’ve been nice to have a child after Ariana was out of college. He knew they were going to have to address the topic of children later and he had feared what would happen since she didn’t want to risk turning.

Now they wouldn’t have to address it or figure out a way to work without having a family. The baby was on its way.

He was happy for it, he didn’t care if they were old enough to raise a child or not. He always wanted this.

The overjoyed feeling in his heart clouded with the darkness of fear and worry. Both he and Marc had seen the yellow glint in her eyes. Yellow only meant one thing; werewolf. Except her eyes there were no other traits, her scent was the same it had always been which was human.

He carefully got out of the bed not to wake her. He pulled on his jeans and nothing else to go meet with Marc. The rest of the pack were out of the house and there was no risk of running into anyone while he was indecent.

Marc was where he left him in his office seated behind his desk. “We need to talk.” Jax announced as he shut the door behind him. “There is something supernaturally off about Ariana.”

“What made you so sure?”

“She’s downstairs asleep in my bed.” It was petty but he took satisfaction in telling him that. Ariana might be Marc’s true mate but as he was coming to realize he was her chosen and that counted for a hell of a lot more.

Marc nodded and smiled faintly. “I wish you could know how badly I want you to be happy together.”

Jax refused to let his words affect him. “We need to talk to Mary and get the truth finally. We were able to put Ariana’s father off for years but there’s nothing else we can do without the truth.”

“I agree but do we really have the right to tell her everything about us?”

“How would we learn the truth about Ariana if Mary doesn’t have all the facts?”

Marc smiled brightly now with a sight manic feel to it. “Her father.”

Jax followed his thought path and started to like that idea more. “We can grab him and make him tell us everything we want to know but how do we find him? We haven’t been able to in all this time.”

“Let me worry about that. Andrew is working on something right now that should help us. Have you ever noticed anything off about Ariana before?”

“No. I know every part of her by memory and never have her eyes flashed before. Could it be because of the baby?” the baby inside of Ariana was half his; a pureblooded werewolf.

“It could be but there’s still the question of how she was able to conceive.”

“Let me know when you have a line on her father. When you talk to him I want to be there.”

“Will do and until then you should ask her about him for anything helpful she might know. And one more thing….”

Jax turned around from the door. “Yeah?”

“I’m happy for you and Ariana, I love you like the son I’ll never have but she can’t stay here. I don’t want to hurt you again.”

Jax understood the warning Marc was laying behind those words. “When she’s around I’ll make sure she’s in my sight and she’ll start spending the night at home.”

A deep gratitude flashed through Marc’s usual masked eyes. “Don’t blame her for my lack of control. When you get mad about this come take it out on me.” Marc couldn’t turn off his need to protect Ariana even if it was from harsh words.

“Remember you said that.” Jax turned around and left.

Ariana was still asleep on his bed and that started to worry Jax. She usually got up when she felt him move no matter how careful he was. Now as he sat across the bed he wasn’t careful and still she was out. “Ariana?” he touched his fingers to her cheek and felt how hot her skin was running. “Baby wake up.” he shook her shoulders now.

“Hmmm?”

“Tell me what’s wrong.” He sat her up against him.

“I don’t feel so good. It’s ok, it’s happened before.” She touched at her stomach. “Morning sickness comes all day.”

“Are you sure?” Jax was terrified something bigger was happening; he was scared for her and their baby and that trumped everything else he was feeling.

 “Yes, don’t worry.” She rested her head down on his shoulder. “I just get tired and nauseous but it passes.”

“You’re hot.”

“So are you.”

Jax tired not to laugh at that. “You know what I meant.” He touched his fingers to her cheek again. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”  That was one of the most truthful words he had ever said. They had faced so much and still had a long way to go, someone with some sense might walk away but Jax didn’t know how to do that. No matter what happened he needed Ariana.

“As long as you love me I don’t need anything else.” She wrapped her arms tight around his waist.

“I don’t know how to stop loving you even when I’ve tired. We’ll figure this out somehow.”