Chapter 408

Nina

As I watched Enzo walk away, his figure retreating down the hospital corridor, a pang of guilt gnawed at my insides.

I knew that I had caused this rift between us with my impulsive decision to perform the Claiming ceremony on Jessica without consulting him. It wasn’t like me to keep secrets from Enzo, and it hurt to see him so perturbed.

But at the same time, it also wasn’t like him to react like this. My mind kept flickering back to the bruises on his wrist earlier, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was being entirely truthful with me. Was he projecting something onto me, maybe?

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of the situation like a hundred pounds on my shoulders.

But right now, my concern wasn’t whether or not he was keeping something from me; it was the fact that, if he was right about the risks of the Claiming ceremony, my baby could be in even more trouble.

Enzo had every right to be concerned, especially since my actions could potentially impact our unborn child. The consequences of performing the ceremony during pregnancy were a heavy burden to bear, and he was right; I should have told him about my intentions.

My gaze shifted to the window where Lori and Jessica were still wrapped in an emotional reunion.

Jessica’s recovery was nothing short of miraculous, and I couldn’t help but feel a mix of relief and guilt. I had saved my friend’s life, but at what cost?

Since Lori and Jessica were occupied, I decided to slip away for a moment and headed to the nearby bathroom.

The cool water splashing on my face was a welcome sensation, but it did little to ease the thoughts whirling around my head.

As I leaned against the sink, I found myself having a silent conversation with my wolf.

“Something is wrong with Enzo,” she said, sounding perturbed. “I can sense it.”

“I know,” I replied. “But whatever it is, work-related or not, he’ll tell me in his own time. Right now isn’t the best time to be prying for information.”

“You’re right,” she answered. “But let’s stay vigilant.”

“I will. Trust me.”

With a final glance at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, I straightened up and exited the restroom.

As I walked back toward Lori and Jessica, my thoughts lingered on Enzo. I knew that I needed to talk to him, to address whatever was bothering him, but it would have to wait until we were in the safety of the werewolf realm later.

Passing by the maternity ward, I couldn’t resist stealing a peek through the window at all the tiny, swaddled bundles of joy. Seeing those precious infants brought a soft smile to my face, a reminder of the life growing inside of me.

I was about to continue on my way when I noticed a man standing near the window, gazing at the newborns with a fond expression.

“Which one is yours?” he asked without tearing his gaze away from one of the bassinets.

I blinked in surprise, a bit taken aback by the question. “Oh, none of them,” I replied with a small chuckle. “I’m just passing by. I am pregnant, though.”

The man’s eyes lit up with warmth, and he pointed to one of the babies. “That one’s ours,” he said proudly. “My husband and I had a surrogate, and it was quite the journey, you know? Lots of emotional stress, but we’re thrilled we did it. We’re going to make sure the surrogate still gets to be involved in our baby’s life.”

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration for the man and his partner. Their journey had been filled with challenges, but their commitment to creating a loving family was evident in their words and actions.

“That’s wonderful,” I said, genuinely happy for them. “Congratulations.”

He beamed at me and extended his hand. “Thank you,” he said. “And I wish you the best of luck with your pregnancy.”

I shook his hand, a warm feeling spreading through me. “Thank you,” I replied, touched by his kind words. “I could use all the luck I can get.”

With a final nod and a friendly smile, we parted ways, and I continued on my path back to Jessica’s room. The encounter with the man had left me feeling a bit lighter, a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty.

When I returned to the room, the door was open. I strode in, and my breath caught in my throat. There she was, sitting up, a smile plastered across her face. There was a tray of food sitting across her lap, and she was eating hungrily while Lori watched in awe.

In that moment, I knew for certain: she was a werewolf. I could sense it, I could smell it on her, I could see it in the way she ate so ravenously to heal her body.

And in that moment, I felt more connected to my best friend than ever.

“Jessica,” I murmured, rushing forward. She held her arms out for me, and I practically threw myself into her, tears streaming down my cheeks. “We were so worried.”

“I know,” she said, burying her face in my hair.

When we pulled away, I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Your hair…”

“Don’t even mention it,” she said, running her hand along her shaved head. “I might need a wig.”

“I think you can rock the bald style,” Lori chimed in with a laugh. “It suits you.”

Jessica stuck her tongue out, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s good to see you awake. Really.”

She nodded. “You know, I was just telling Lori, I remember seeing a dog jump out into the road… I swerved into the oncoming lane, and didn’t see the truck barreling toward me. But I don’t remember anything after that.”

As Jessica spoke, I felt my stomach do a flip. A dog… It brought me back to last night, when I saw that strange yellow-eyed werewolf in the road.

It wasn’t possible that it was the same werewolf, right?

“What did the dog look like?” I blurted out without even thinking. “Was it big, or…?”

Jessica furrowed her brow, shooting me a confused look. “I don’t remember,” she admitted. “Why does it matter? It was a dog. Little shit almost got me killed.”

I shook my head, my false smile masking my concern. “Oh, no reason,” I lied. “I was just curious, that’s all.”

Jessica and Lori both shot me a somewhat confused look, but said nothing. Leaning her head back on her pillow, Jessica took a deep breath and shut her eyes for the moment. “Doctor says I’ll need to stay for a few more days just to be ‘safe’,” she said with a slight laugh. “But it’s funny, I actually feel great. Like… better than ever, actually.”

At that moment, Lori and I exchanged looks, and I knew that Lori hadn’t mentioned anything yet; probably waiting for me. She gave me a brief nod, and I knew it was time.

Finally, the moment had come to share the truth with Jessica, and I took a deep breath. “Jess,” I began, my voice steady, “I think there’s something you deserve to know. Something that I… Something that I did while you were asleep.”

She opened her eyes and looked at me with curiosity, her gaze wide and expectant. “What is it, Nina?”

I met her gaze, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Jessica,” I said, “you’re a werewolf now.”