My human mate Book 4 Of The Werebear series

Chapter 1 {{Trigger Warning: Please don't read the rest of this chapter if you feel you cannot handle the content.}} Hawk POV I was sitting in my chair when Bernadette came through the door. She was happy for once. For months, she had carried a frown on her face, and every time I looked at her, her eyes were sad. She tried her best to cover up her emotions, but I could see right through her. She felt like I was going to leave her if she didn't have a pup. To be honest, I liked it with just her and me. Maybe in a few years, we would try to have a child, but right now, I liked things the way they were. We could do whatever we wanted. We could go out, travel the country, go to the movies, eat at restaurants, or, better yet, stay home and enjoy each other. I wasn't ready to be a dad just yet. But I knew what was bothering her. Everyone around us was either expecting a pup, taking care of their own pups, or talking about having another one. I knew it was hard for her to watch everyone else starting families while she was still waiting. I had told Bernadette time and time again that I wasn't going to leave her. I had sworn to her that I wouldn't. I just didn't understand why she couldn't believe me. She hurried inside without saying a word and went straight to the bathroom. What the f**k was going on with her? She had been pouncing on me every chance she got lately, always bringing up having a pup. Don't tell me she got another false pregnancy test. s**t. She must be in there crying right now. Women, I swear. Why did they always cry? I placed my beer down on the coffee table. I guess the football game would have to wait. I walked toward the bathroom and knocked on the door. "Bernadette, I know it's tough always wanting to be a mother, but maybe right now just isn't the time, honey. Maybe in a few years we can try. Let's just enjoy having us right now." I waited a moment before knocking again. "Come on, open the door, baby." I guess that worked because the bathroom door slowly opened. Bernadette was standing there, and in her hand was a pregnancy test. She didn't say anything. She simply placed it in my hand. I looked down at it. One blue line. s**t. I guess I wasn't going to be a father. "You're not pregnant?" I asked, even though the answer was obvious. She shook her head and I pulled her into my arms. "I'm sorry.” I could feel her body tense against mine, but I didn't think much of it. I was going to be a dad. Somehow, I was going to have to figure out how to help her with this. Bernadette POV I knew Hawk kept telling me that he wasn't going to leave me, but there was always that little voice in the back of my head telling me he would.,He would leave. He would wake up one morning and realize he wanted someone who could give him a pup, and then he would walk away without looking back. I couldn't let that happen. Sighing, I had bought a fake pregnancy test from a prank store and then rushed home. I knew Hawk was home from work. His football game was about to start, and I could picture him sitting in his chair with a beer in his hand, watching the game. When I got home, I rushed into the house without saying a word and went straight to the bathroom. I knew exactly what Hawk would do. He would say the same thing over and over again, just like he had been doing for months. And right on time, there was a knock on the bathroom door. Then came the same words I had heard so many times before. "Bernadette, I know it's tough always wanting to be a mother, but maybe right now just isn't the time, honey. Maybe in a few years we can try. Let's just have us right now. Come on, open the door, baby." I honestly didn't want to open the door. In my hand was a negative pregnancy test. I stared down at it, feeling my heart sink. I had been so sure this time. I had read that if we did it in certain ways, I would be sure to get pregnant. But it just wasn't possible. Something was wrong. I would have to figure out another plan. My first plan was to fake a pregnancy and then take a child from someone. But Hawk would eventually know the baby wasn't his. I could still do it. I would just have to put his scent all over myself until the child was born, and he would believe the baby was his. I just had to figure out how to get enough of his scent on the child. But that could backfire too. Everything I thought of seemed to have a way of going wrong. I tossed the negative test into the trash and opened the bathroom door. I didn't bother looking at Hawk or saying anything. I simply shoved past him and headed toward the bedroom. Before I shut the door, I said, "Just go watch your game and drink your beer. I'm going to try and rest." I shut the door and locked it. I knew Hawk could easily kick the door down if he wanted to, but I also knew he wouldn't. He wanted to watch his game, and he would give me the space I was asking for. I laid down on the bed and sighed. "I'm sorry, Bernadette, but it's just not going to happen right now. Just calm down. It will happen before you know it," my bear, Sammy, said inside my head. I knew she meant well. She was just trying to comfort me. I loved my bear. She was very sweet, and I knew she was hurting too, but she always put her emotions last and mine first. She didn't need to do that. Sometimes, you have to let your emotions out too. I stared at the ceiling, feeling the tears building in my eyes. Every adult woman around me was either expecting, already had a child, or was trying to have another one. And then there was me. I didn't even have one. Tears started falling down my face. I knew I had a plan. But what would happen if that plan didn't work? "Don't tell me you're still thinking about that plan, Berny," Sammy said. "You could get killed. Come on, let's wait a few more months, and you can try again. If you die, that means I die too. Then what?" I hated when my bear was right. But what would happen if the plan did work? Then what? We would be a happy family. No one would ever know. "Yeah, and if the child starts looking more like the mother or father, then what? We'd be up s**t creek." "Will you shut up? I'm just thinking, for crying out loud. Give me a break. It's not like I'm actually going to rip out someone's heart and take a baby. I would never do that. We will just have to wait and see what happens. That's all." Sammy was quiet for a moment. "Let's just get some rest. I have to go on patrol in a few hours, and I don't feel like being down in the dumps and making everyone else feel horrible." I closed my eyes. Maybe she was right. Maybe I needed to stop thinking about it. Maybe I needed to let things happen naturally. But deep down, I knew I couldn't. I needed a pup. I needed Hawk to stay. And I was terrified that if I couldn't give him what everyone else seemed to have, I would eventually lose him. Before my nap, I heard Hawk in the living room screaming. His team had won. I couldn't help but smile faintly. At least he was happy. It was still early, so he would probably stay up and watch TV or find another game to watch. I closed my eyes again, trying to push all my thoughts away. But one thought remained. I had to find another way.