My heart raced in a frantic and strange manner.
The room was silent for a moment. Elijah’s thumb stroked gentle circles on the back of my hand. Then he asked the question that made my heart skip a beat.
“Have you ever considered that it wasn’tyouwho was infertile?”
I froze. “That can’t be.”
“Why not?”
I opened my mouth and found that no words would come out.
“Why not, Felix?” Elijah asked again.
“I don’t know. Because Larry’s an alpha, and . . .”
Elijah sat closer to me so that our thighs and sides were flush together. He curled his arm around me like a protective shield.
“Something just occurred to me,” Elijah said slowly. “Those drugs Larry took, the night that I was fired. What if they causedhimto be infertile?”
My jaw fell open. “That can’t be right.”
“What if Larry gaslighted you into believingyouwere the one who couldn’t conceive?” Elijah asked.
“Gaslighted?”
“It’s a form of manipulation that makes you doubt yourself. Makes you question your own perception.” Elijah frowned. “Does that sound familiar?”
My stomach twisted so wildly that it felt like I might have been sick again. I clutched onto Elijah’s arm, holding it desperately. It was my only lifeline right now.
In a soft voice, he murmured, “Felix. I know you’re scared. But this could be a good thing. Right, love?”
“This is a lot to process right now,” I admitted.
My body shook like a leaf. Elijah’s arms around me were the only thing keeping me grounded.
“I know.” He kissed my temple.
“Does this mean I could be pregnant?” I asked in a small, hesitant voice. “This whole time, we’ve been having sex without birth control.”
“You might be,” Elijah said, sounding like he was trying to keep a scared animal from fleeing. “That’s what your illness at the restaurant reminded me of, and the timing makes sense. Aversions tend to happen during the first half of pregnancy.”
I gripped Elijah’s arm, letting out a sound between a gasp and a cry. The sudden burst of emotions was almost too much for me to handle.
“Wait,” I said. “I can’t begin to be hopeful yet. There’s something else.”
He frowned deeply, his expression full of concern. “What is it?”
I let out a shaky exhale. “I think I saw Larry.”
“Where?”
“At the restaurant.”
Tears pushed at my eyes, but I was too stunned to cry right now. There was too much going on, and thankfully my body’s first reaction wasn’t to immediately burst into sobs.
“Oh, Felix . . .”
My boyfriend held me close to his chest, firm and warm. Safe.
