Beast of Mine (Completed)

Chapter XXXIX

Ana mumbled to herself in the carriage. Fidgeting, she let out a breath.

"Stop. I will not have my sister-in-law looking this way before Ray," Idelle claimed.

"Idelle!" Ana Matthews exclaimed, completely shocked.

The ethereal, blonde woman had forced her hand in the carriage. Idelle truly was a force of nature, both beautiful and insane. Idelle had hauled Ana from her bed, to the closet, and lastly, into the carriage.

"You will face my brother. Trust me, Ana; he will receive you. There is no possible way he will not."

"You cannot be sure of that, Idelle. He only sent me away so I would not get in the way."

"Exactly. A clear indication that he desires you," Idelle mentioned. There was a silence in the carriage and a bit of unpleasant feelings. Ana shifted in her seat, wondering if it would be true. So many things were going through her mind, and they were mostly bad things.

"Ana," Idelle called her. "May I ask you something personal? You do not have to answer it if you do not want to."

"If it is the question I think you wish to know the answer to, I would prefer it if you do not ask," Ana whispered. She was still convinced he did not wish for her and she would be a fool to admit her feelings first if he did not feel the same way. Was it safe to say them out loud? No, of course it was not. Ray Lorenzo does not feel the same way.

In a moment of silence, Ana rubbed her swollen belly. She was getting tired of sitting and it was beginning to get uncomfortable.

"How far along?" Idelle asked.

It occurred to Ana that she never told her how close she was to conceiving. "Six months."

"Did my brother send you here before he knew about this?"

"Yes. Before I knew as well," Ana said.

"How does it feel?"

Ana chuckled at Idelle's expression. "It was not painful in the beginning. This far along comes with aches and pains. I could not sleep comfortably nor eat what I normally eat."

"Why not?" Idelle asked.

"Because the child within me wishes for something else. I wanted an apple pie for breakfast and so many other things. The process is quite exciting, to be honest. Though, it comes with a lot of pains as well. Lately I have been having these awful aches and when I have them, I am frightened for my child. What if I loose it?"

"You will not," Idelle took Ana's hand.

"Thank you," Ana smiled and squeezed her hand. "How long until we get back?"

"A few weeks. I wish there were easier ways of traveling. Don't you?"

"Yes, I wish there was more room available for situations such as this," Ana rubbed her tummy.

"Do you want to stop the carriage? We can stop so that you can stretch," Idelle offered.

"Thank you, I'll wait a bit longer until it is unbearable."

Melanie watched as the Lord finally stopped. She had trailed behind and he already knew she was following him. It was bothersome trying to keep up with his antics. Something was clearly bothering him and she was afraid to ask. Melanie has seen him annoyed, she had seen him flustered, but this she had not seen. He was angry, too angry. You cold see it in his stone eyes and no matter how much he refuses to believe it; he was also sad. She could see all of this from one glimpse of his eyes. Those of a sad, lonely, and angry wild animal.