Fated

Chapter Five: Birthday News

My period is late. 

It's never late. I mean, okay, maybe by a day or two, maybe even three, sure... But it's been - it's been two weeks!

How did I not realise it was late?!

Pausing to take a deep breath, I try to clear my mind and think rationally about this.

Obviously, pregnancy is a real possibility, but it's not certain. I have genuinely been very stressed recently. Too much stress can cause you to miss a period. 

I nod my head in agreement with myself. There's no reason to stress right now, let's just go buy a test and find out for sure.

I let out a shaky breath I didn't realise I had been holding.

Adrenaline still coursing through my body, I grab my purse and an opaque bag from my room. Almost running down the stairs, I jump in surprise when a knock emanates from the front door.

Crap! I bite my lip, remembering my plans with Sophia.

Having no other option, I open the door for her with a tight smile.

"Sophia, hello!" I pull her in for a hug, my body shaking a little. I can feel my stomach twist in moderate pain as we hug.

"Oh!" Sophia exclaims in surprise, freezing before hugging back after a brief period.

"Were you about to head out?" Sophia asks, pulling back from the hug, eyeing my bag and purse.

"Ah, yeah I um, I need to get something... ASAP..." I trail off, getting lost in my own anxiety.

"Well, we can go together quickly and then come back to get ready," Sophia says decidedly, "After all, it'll be quicker if I drive us there," She takes my arm in hers and pulls me towards her car, without giving me time to protest.

I bite my lip as I enter the passenger seat and Sophia starts up the car.

"Um, Sophia, do you think we could go the the shop just outside of the pack grounds?"

Sophia turns her head to look at me, a puzzled expression on her face, "Why?"

"There's just... something I need there, that they don't have in our shop... That's all..." My fingers fidgeting as I trail off. The last thing I want, is for anyone in the pack to know about this.

Sophia notices this, deciding not to press any further in my obvious discomfort, "Sure, but you owe me a snack."

I give a small chuckle, my tension relieving a little.

After the short drive there, I enter the shop alone, having asked Sophia to stay in the car. She seemed suspicious, but not enough to insist I tell her what I'm buying. Instead, she asked me to bring her two snacks, to compensate for her unresolved, burning curiosity.

I walk around the small store for a few minutes, having grabbed Sophia's snacks already; but I can't find the pregnancy tests. 

Deciding I just have to bite the bullet, I approach the woman behind the till.

"Umm, sorry - do you... do you know where the pregnancy tests are?" I ask, barely able to maintain eye contact with her.

The older lady gives me a small, understanding smile before taking a step to the right, revealing the tests shelved behind her. 

"Of course hun, take your pick," Her voice is warm and a little hoarse, her tone kind and non-judgemental. It makes me feel so much better about this whole ordeal.

"Oh um, anything is fine, just a random one please..." I try to look at her and give her a tight smile in return.

"No problem," She lifts one of the better quality looking ones and hands it to me, "Here you go, hun."

"Thank you so much!" I move to take my purse from my pocket. 

Not in that pocket... Or that one... 

I must have left it in the car, I realise. Just as I am about to turn and explain to the older woman, I hear a faint whimper from behind me.

Sophia

Sophia's eyes have welled up, a twisted expression on her face as she eyes the counter where my test lies.

Quickly noticing I am looking at her, she immediately shakes the emotions off and moves towards me with a small, forced smile, "You left your purse in the car," She hands me the purse and leaves immediately, not giving me a chance to say anything.

I worry as I watch her walk back to her car, she seemed so unhappy, so... I don't know... I can't place that emotion...

The woman behind the till coughs a little, breaking me from my concern.

"Sorry!" I turn quickly, paying for my items while thanking the older woman again, before throwing everything into my opaque bag.

Practically running to the car, all I can feel is my worry over that expression of Sophia's. I don't know what reaction I expected from her, but it definitely wasn't that...

I hesitantly open the car door and sit inside, closing it softly behind me.

Fiddling my fingers, I wait for Sophia to speak, scared to speak myself as I am totally unsure of how she is feeling or what may be wrong.

A few minutes pass.

Silence.

Nothing.

Sophia sits there, unreadable.

I decide I need to break the silence. "Is everything okay, Sophia?" 

"Are you pregnant?" She replies instantly.

"I don't know. My period is late. I've been sick recently... It could just be stress." Her expression lightens a little as she considers this. "I don't know, but I need to find out..."

She takes a deep breath, her shaking hands relaxing their grip on the wheel.

"Well, you're right, it's probably just stress," Her words annoy me a little, but I push it back, just happy that she has relaxed a little, "Let's go back to your house and find out for sure though."

I agree and we begin the drive back, chatting here and there. Chatting with her how we used to almost makes me forget about this all.

After driving back and entering my house, I quickly go to the bathroom and take the test, placing the cap back on the test and bringing it to my bedroom, where Sophia is.

Sophia shoots up from her seat on my bed as she sees me enter.

"Well? What does it say??" Her voice filled with anticipation and hope, even a little dread.

"Nothing yet, it'll take a few minutes..."

She sits back down in dismay, biting her nails, an almost pained expression on her face. I sit beside her on the bed, test on my lap, not saying anything.

We sit in mostly silence for a few minutes, both of us scrolling on our phones.

Suddenly, the Brring! of the alarm interrupts.

We both jolt in shock and look towards the test.

Positive

Positive

Positive.

It's positive. I'm pregnant.

Both Sophia and I have come to this realisation, but neither of us have dared to break the silence.

I don't know what to say, what to think.

Part of me is overjoyed; I'm pregnant with Isaac's cub! I've always wanted to be a mother!

But another part of me feels a stark combination of fear and... unease?

I glance at Sophia out of the corner of my eye. Her face is impossible for me to understand right now. Tense, tight, dazed off, worried, angry, sad, scared... These and more all trying to express themselves. But nothing comes from her mouth.

Another few minutes go by in tense silence.

Brring! Brring!

My alarm interrupts.

"Sophia?" I attempt to interrupt her thoughts, "Sophia, we should get ready for Isaac's party. We only have 15minutes to get ready and get there..."

At the mention of 'Isaac's party', Sophia snaps entirely out of her trance.

"You're right, we should get ready." She says with an unnatural smile. 

Something about that smile is off, but I'm just happy she seems a bit better now. I try to advance on this newfound seeming positivity and talk to her how we normally would as friends, forgetting entirely about this ordeal.

After hurrying to get ready, we get to the party barely on time. As per Sophia's idea, we decide it would be best for us to split up to try to find Isaac quicker in the mass of people populating the large home.

Whether by dumb luck or something else, I find Isaac within a few short minutes, chatting with some leaders of other packs - bond building, I presume. I should message Sophia to let her know I have found him, but first, I need to talk to him privately.

I approach his group slowly, tapping his shoulder from behind.

"Isaac! Happy birthday!!" I grin at him.

Something flashes across his face, disappointment? Realisation?

As quickly as it appeared, it leaves, replaced with his usual, warm smile.

"Thanks Claire!" He says, his tone a little forced. The atmosphere feels a little tense, but that's probably because of my anxiety from how many people are around.

"Isaac, could I steal you away for a minute or two?" I glance at his group with a polite smile.

"Yes, of course," He says in almost relief, turning back to his group briefly "I'll be back shortly, please help yourselves to any food and drinks available." He gives the group a kind smile and turns to me.

I grab his hand and lead him to an isolated area in his garden. I stop walking and turn to him, quickly glancing around to make sure no-one else is in earshot.

"Isaac, I have to tell you something."

"Yeah, Claire, I... I need to tell you something too..."

"Oh, okay, do you wanna go first?"

"No, you go first."

"Okay," I inhale deeply, biting my lip, "Isaac... I..." I glance around once more, "I'm pregnant..." I can't bring myself to look at him right now, my instincts forcing me to look down.

A moment of silence passes.

"Umm... Isaac?" I dare to look up at him. One hand in his dark, curly hair, the other on his hip, he appears deep in thought. Almost as if he's freaking out.

"Isaac? It's a lot, I know... But - it will be fine, I promise." I take a few breaths, "To be honest... I'm really excited. I'm looking forward to being a mother and meeting our cub, so, so much..."

Isaac exhales, "Yeah... I am too." He gives me a large, tight smile, before bringing me into a tight hug.

I breathe him in, feeling like I can finally relax a little.

We stay like this for a few minutes, before I remember, "Isaac, wasn't there something you wanted to tell me?"

His whole body tenses in response, in only a split second.

"Oh.. Yeah..." He pauses, "I just wanted to tell you... That umm... you are my mate! I can feel the bond between us." He manages to get out.

I inhale a sharp breath, this couldn't be more perfect! My eyes well up as I squeeze him, before getting onto my tip-toes to kiss him. It becomes a deep, passionate kiss as we entangle ourselves, letting all of our emotions pour into the kiss.

Things begin to get heated, our arms roaming each-other's bodies, when a cough interrupts us. Isaac jolts out of my arms immediately and turns instantaneously to the source of the cough.

"Sophia?? It's you," Isaac notes, his voice hazy.

"Hey Sophia!" I call with a grin, my overjoyed emotions getting the best of me, "Don't worry, we figured it all out. We're both really happy, so you don't have anything to worry about. It's all okay!" I move to squeeze Isaac's hand, breaking him out of whatever trance he was in.

"O-Oh..." Sophia responds, her expression twisting, "I-I'm happy for you both." She turns her back to us. "I'll go get you a non-alcoholic drink, to... to celebrate" She stutters.

"Thank you Sophia!" I grin, staring at my mate as Sophia walks away.

Isaac's whole body tense, he stares at the spot where Sophia stood.

"Isaac?" I chime, my voice high-pitched with worry, "Isaac, is everything okay?"

"Mm... Yeah. Everything's fine." He says in a daze.

I give him a moment.

"Sorry, Claire. Let's get back to the party."

"Yes, we should," I agree, standing on my tip toes to give him a kiss on the cheek before heading inside.