11
Hector
Istoodin front of the new hospital with a shaky sigh. It gleamed beautifully underneath the blue sky, with sunlight reflecting off the spotless glassexterior.
Virgil’s comforting hand grasped myshoulder.
“Nervous?” heasked.
“Alittle.”
He kissed the top of my head. “I’ll be with you theentiretime.”
“You better damn well be,” Imuttered.
The waiting room was polished and clean, just like the outside. People I’d come to know as my friends and neighbors were milling about and attending to their business. I recognized a few faces, who smiled at me. An alpha and omega couple sat together with their arms around each other, waiting for their turn with the doctor. Ever since Virgil had taken over as the leader - not thetop alpha,like Gunner, but simply a respected man - he abolished the concept of the alpha army and the omega breeding clinics. Now, everyone was allowed to choose their own mate as theypleased.
He was the one who suggested building this new hospital, too. In the months leading up to my delivery, everyone in Scarlet Ridge worked hard to build it. The result was a beautiful, modern hospital that shone brightly like a beacon of hope in our pack. The dull, grey streets were cleaned up and rejuvenated as well. No more did the pack look like a cold, uninviting placetolive.
“You know,” Virgil began, “I don’t know if this is the right time to bring this up, but I just remembered I never told you what I learned aboutColin.”
I perked up at the sound of his name. He sold us out to Gunner, then saved me from Gunner at the cost of his life, but I never found out why. He did a lot of confusing things, but I was still sad to watchhimdie.
“I can tell you later, if you’d like,” Virgiloffered.
“No, it’s okay. I wanttoknow.”
Virgil nodded. “One of the guards who was there that night explained it to me while I was making sure Gunner was locked up for good. The night we had that altercation, Colin ran off. He must have stewed in his own feelings for a while before finally going to Gunner. He told him about us; about ourrebellion.”
“Just like you thought,”Isaid.
“Yes. But he immediately regretted it. Gunner saw him as a traitor - to both him and us. He threw him in shackles and holed himself away in preparation for our attack. I think Colin knew what he did was wrong, and he wanted to make it up to you. For everything he did. That’s why he saved you from Gunner with his finalbreath.”
I hung my head. I didn’t know how to feel about the whole situation, but in the end I was glad hesavedme.
Virgil pulled me close. “In any case, you’re safe now, and you always will be. Both you andourbaby.”
As he spoke he trailed his hand down my belly, which was considerably swollen. I’d opted for a c-section instead of a natural birth because after all I’d been through, I didn’t want to experience any more pain. Today was our appointment and even though I’d be knocked out for the procedure, I was stillnervous.
I sighed. “I’m glad you’re here, even though you have so manyresponsibilitiesnow.”
Virgil smiled. “My first and foremost responsibility is to you and our child. Do notforgetthat.”
“I’ll try not to.” I paused. “I have a questionforyou.”
“Yes?” Virgil said, lookingatme.
“So when our baby’s born, is it gonna come out with feathers andabeak?”
Virgil laughed, then wiped the tears from his eyes. “I sure hope not. Even I didn’t come out looking like that. But to answer your real question, the baby might be born able to shift into a corvid as well as awolf,yes.”
“Cool,” I said. Secretly, I was ecstatic. Obviously I wasn’t able to, but I wanted my baby to feel the wind under their wings and soar through the skies. What parent didn’t want for their child what theycouldn’thave?
Finally, a smiling beta nurse appeared from the main door. Every couple in the room perked up. The nurse glanced briefly down at her clipboard, then called, “HectorCorvae?”
My heart fluttered with excitement. I’d taken Virgil’s last name months ago, but it still made me giddy to hear other people refer to me by it. It was novel and exciting, and a true testament toourbond.
“That’s me,” I said, shakily getting to my feet. Virgil helped me up and accompanied me to thedoctor’sroom.
