Broken Bonds

Chapter 12: Connection

I'm three months today. Hux has been helping me a lot. I've gained some weight back. I don't look like a skeleton anymore.

It's getting hard to hide my bulging stomach. My little butterfly is getting big. I don't think I can hide this anymore. The pack is starting to notice.  I can see their dirty looks. When their beliefs are confirmed, everyone will know how this baby came to be.

I haven't seen Alpha Nox in a while, but today he's with Wrenley. I'm giving ther babies a checkup, weighing them and such. They are adorable he way they wiggle and smile.

I watch as Nox coos and rocks Phoenix as I'm measuring Talon. I can't stop staring at their little family. I can't stop myself from hoping.

My lab coat covers most of my bulge, but I can see the glances Wrenley and Nox are giving me. I can see the worry. Nox hasn't approached me about the incident, but I fear he might soon.

I rush them out and try to give myself some time to relax before I call Senna back. She has her little boy with her, Graham. I try not to cry. I try to keep myself hunched to hide my belly.

Will I feel like this once my baby is born? Will I feel like I need to hide her? Should I give her away?

My head is filled with questions. Hux visits me when I'm done for the day. I have to wonder what he does with his time. He doesn't seem to be drinking anymore. I don't smell alcohol on his breath.

He wraps me in his arms when he sees me leading Senna and Graham out. My bump is pressed against his side, but he doesn't stiffen up like before. He doesn't seem to notice and I wonder if he's trying to forget sometimes, if he's trying to pretend I'm not having a baby.

"I have a surprise for you." He seems happy and I can't help myself as a wide grin pulls across my face.

"What kind of surprise?"

His lips are in my forehead, whispering into my skin. "You'll see."

He's leading me out. I don't even bother to lock up as I hop into the passenger seat of his truck. I have to maneuver myself awkwardly to buckle in with my ever extending bump. I don't try to hide it when it's just the two of us.

He's driving us into town. We psd the diner and convenience stores and before long I don't know where we are anymore.

He parks to the side of an old dirt road and before I can get out he's around and lifting me by my thickened waist to the ground. My heart stutters as I look into those silver eyes of his. He's so beautiful. I can't believe he was really ever gone. I just want to pretend he was always here.

I kiss his scruffy chin and shoot him my megawatt smile. He grins back like a schoolboy with a secret. He takes my hand and leads me into the woods, through the pines until we reach a small cliff. You can see the mountains, the sunset. "It's beautiful."

I don't even notice the setup he has until he pulls me to sit beside him on he piles and piles of blankets. He had a basket too, one I didn't see him grab.

"You always loved the outdoors. I wanted to give us a new spot." He doesn't know how much this means to me. I wonder if he searched for this place. I wonder if he has been here before, if this is really only our place.

He's opening he basket now, pulling me to sit between his legs. The cold air nips at my ankles.

I'm leaning against him. He's like a furnace, giving me warmth. He's feeding me too. He's always been a carer. I feel my doubts fly away as he continues to feed me, murmuring sweet words to me like he used to.