Alpha's to Mate: 3 Book Shifter Romance Bundle

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

In the weeks after Tarsha left Cole Barron’s apartment, she tried to get back to some semblance of a normal life. Though the sadness of the knowledge that she could never have a child of her own was still there, her life returned to some semblance of normalcy. She spent even more time than usual with Gwen, who was her strength through everything. She used her painting and her writing to channel her sadness and she was starting to come to terms with what the future held for her.

The only thing that caused her was concern was a constant nausea that made it nearly impossible for her to leave her apartment before noon. During one particularly intense discussion in her American literature class, it was so overwhelming that she had to run from the classroom. It was then that she knew that she needed to talk to her doctor about it. She put it off as long as possible out of fear.

In her heart, she was sure that the doctor would tell her that it was a sign of a more serious medical condition than he had thought before. When he told her she could never have children, he had made it clear that she needed to be vigilant about her health. Though she was fine at the moment, she could develop more serious problems. She just had not imagined that such problems would reveal themselves so soon after his warming.

With great anxiety, she called and he told her to come in that very afternoon. The speed at which he wanted to see her was even more alarming. She thought of asking Gwen to take the day off and go with her, she knew that she needed to find the strength to face whatever the doctor had to tell her on her own.

“Doctor, I’ve been throwing up for two weeks,” she said as soon as the doctor entered her exam room, the nervous energy apparent in her voice.

“I am sure things are alright. It might just be anxiety after our last appointment together. We will must take some samples and run a few tests to be safe,” he said, patting her on the knee to comfort her. His kind and wise eyes put her a bit at ease, but her heart was still racing.

“Thank you. I am sorry to be a bother,” she said, her knee bouncing nervously. Soon a nurse arrived and took the samples the doctor had ordered. She sat there for what felt like an eternity, waiting for her results. She waited and waited, but not even the nurse returned. When she could finally take it no longer, she stood to go and see what was happening. It was then that the doctor finally knocked on the door. When he walked in, she knew right away that something was really wrong with her. His usually calm expression was filled with worry. Tarsha sat back down, bracing herself for whatever he had to tell her and wishing that she had brought Gwen with her.

“I have no idea how to tell you this,” the doctor began, pulling up his wheeled stool to sit in front of her. He took her hands in his, trying to comfort her before he gave her his news.

“Want is it? What is wrong?” she asked as her hands began to shake.

“Nothing is wrong. I do not know how in the world this is possible, but you are pregnant,” he said plainly, shaking his head as though he could not believe that the words that he was speaking were actually true.

“No,” she gasped, her hand going immediately to her stomach.

“Yes, my dear,” he said, nodding in confirmation. “I made them run the test three times.”

“But you said that I could not get pregnant,” she cried, remembering the pain that had ripped through her when he had given her the news just weeks before. It seemed impossible that so much could have changed so quickly, but his expression told her that he had no doubt that she was truly carrying a child within her.

“You should not be physically able to, but you clearly are. My lab tech did the first pregnancy test just to be diligent. It is protocol when a woman comes in complaining of nausea. I made him run it a second time to make sure that no errors occurred and then a third because I could not believe it was true. I watched him do it. There is no doubt about it. You are pregnant,” he said, smiling encouragingly.

“Oh my God,” she cried, thinking back over the last few months of her life. The only possible father of her child was Cole Barron, her one-night stand.

Their love making had been amazing and she had thought about it often over the past weeks, but she had never once worried about a child growing within her. She had pushed the thought of ever having a child so far from her mind that she had not even considered the chance that her nausea was caused by pregnancy.

“I am so sorry. I am so sorry to have put you through all of this. I am the one who told you that you could not even get pregnant,” the doctor said, looking stricken. “The tests were clear. You are infertile. I was very sure of that before I ever told you. I have no idea how this came to be.”

“Do not apologize. This is a miracle,” she whispered, feeling her heart swelling with joy. Even the chance that she could be having a baby brought with it such strange and wonderful emotions that she was not sure what else to say. She kept her hands on her stomach, as though to protect the growing child from the outside world.

The fact that she was in no way financially or personally able to have a baby did not matter at all. She knew in her heart that the universe was giving her one chance to be a mother and she had no plans on wasting a moment of it being afraid or nervous. She planned to savor every moment of her pregnancy, especially after living with the sadness in her heart that a baby would never grow inside her.

“Yes, I believe that it is,” the doctor said with a warm and knowing smile.

“What do I do now?” she asked, still in disbelief as she floated on a cloud of euphoria.

“Well, you will need to tell the father,” he said as he patted her on the knee again.

“Oh yes, I suppose I should,” she said, wondering just how a person went about telling their one-night stand, who happened to be a billionaire, that you were pregnant with his child without seeming like a gold digging w***e. An answer did not immediately present itself and she wondered if she needed to tell him at all. He had made it clear that he liked his lifestyle. A child would clearly not fit with his playboy ways and she did not expect him to change for her and a baby he had never wanted.

“And you will need to schedule your follow-up appointment. See Lavern in the lobby on your way out to schedule,” the doctor said, appearing none the wiser to the dialogue going on in her mind.

“Thank you doctor,” she said as he rose to leave the room.

“We are going to take great care of you and the baby. You are both going to come out of this happy and healthy,” he said encouragingly.

“I know. I can feel it,” she said, as much to the baby within her, as to the doctor.

As soon as he left, she dressed quickly and headed to the lobby to schedule her next appointment. Once that was done, she jumped in the subway, knowing exactly where she needed to go. As the train chugged on towards Manhattan, she was lost in her own world. As she arrived at her train stop, she tried to think of the words she would use to explain her pregnancy. It was not Cole she planned to tell though. It was Gwen.

She arrived at Gwen’s apartment, again with tears in her eyes. This time, though, they were tears of joy. As Gwen ushered her in, worried that she was falling in to her sadness again about her inability to have a child. Instead, she told her of the amazing news that she had just learned, this time smiling instead of sobbing as she told her of her time with the doctor.

“What do you mean you are pregnant?” Gwen asked, sitting down in her shock before her knees gave out.

“It means a baby is growing inside of me,” Tarsha teased as she pulled her knees to her chest and smiled genuinely for the first time in two weeks. Her heart was so light that she thought she might fly.

“I know what pregnant means,” Gwen said, clearly not amused with her jest. She was also clearly worried about her friend’s sanity. It was not like her to be so worried so quickly, but Tarsha could see that Gwen was really struggling to understand what was going on.

“Then why are you confused?” Tarsha said, laughing with joy.

“Because you told me that you could not get pregnant,” Gwen said, looking truly worried. It was then that Tarsha really understood why her friend was so concerned. Tarsha was worried that she was getting her hopes up about something that could not really happen. She did not want her to get her heart broken on the possibility of a dream that would not really come true.

“That is what the doctors told me. They do not really understand how it happened but it happened. They did the test three times,” she answered, doing her best to assure Gwen that she did not mistakenly believe she was pregnant based on some over the counter test of a feeling. It was medically proven.

Gwen wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug, with tears welling in her own eyes. It warmed Tarsha’s heart to know that Gwen loved her so much and put so much stock on her happiness.

“So you decided to go out and prove them wrong,” Gwen said with a laugh as she wiped a tear from her eye.

“I guess I am just a rebel,” Tarsha said with a cheeky shrug and a hearty chuckle. Her hands caressed her stomach as she thought of the little life growing inside of her. She tried to will the baby within to know just how much she loved it already and how much she truly and desperately wanted to be its mother.

“Who is the father?” Gwen asked suddenly, the sparkle in her eyes enough to make Tarsha laugh again.

“The guy that I went home with that night we went out a few weeks ago,” she said as she blushed.

“You are pregnant with the child of your one-night stand? Did he have magical sperm or something?” Gwen asked, unsure exactly how her infertile friend had gotten pregnant by a man she had spent one night and a morning with. Tarsha had given her only vague details about what had happened between them, but it was enough for Gwen to know that it had been intense.

“I guess so. It does not matter. I went from the fear of never having a child to knowing that one is growing inside of me. I will not feel bad about this,” Tarsha said, her arms wrapping around herself instinctually to protect herself from the judgment that she felt coming.

“I am not telling you to feel bad, but you have to admit that it is an odd situation,” Gwen said, standing up and going to the fridge. She returned with a bottle of water for Tarsha and a bottle of beer for herself. It was all quite a lot to take in.

“I do not know what you mean,” Tarsha said with a shrug.

“I mean that you have to track him down and tell him about the child,” Gwen said in a stern tone that surprised Tarsha a bit. Her friend was usually the one who told her to do what made her happy, despite the consequences.

“No I don’t. He will never know,” she said, shaking her head. She could not think of any good outcome from telling him. If she raised the child alone, it might only have one parent but she would be a loving parent who wanted the child and loved it. She never wanted the child growing within her to know what it felt like to be unwanted by a father who did not care about it.

“That is not right,” Gwen cautioned, her expression telling Tarsha just how serious she was.

“I do not need anyone’s help. Isn’t that what I have you for?” she asked, genuinely knowing that Gwen was the one person that she could count on to help her with the child.

“I am not the child’s father. Children deserve the chance to know both of their parents,” Gwen said, drawing from her own painful past with a father who was not in her life. “At least give him the chance to be in its life.”

“Maybe you are right,” Tarsha admitted, though she hated to think of the awkward conversation that lay in her future if she chose to tell him.

“Do you know where to find him?” Gwen asked, the mischievous look in her eyes telling Tarsha that Gwen was thoroughly enjoying occupying the moral high ground.

“Yes, I suppose I could leave a note with his doorman,” Tarsha admitted, though it still sounded like she would seem to be a woman trying to extort money from him.

“Just the way that every girl dreams of telling the father of her child that she is pregnant,” Gwen teased, as she wrapped her arms around her clearly emotional friend.

“You are not funny,” Tarsha countered, though she could not keep from smiling at her dearest friend.

“That is your opinion. I happen to think I am hilarious,” Gwen said smugly.

“Well, queen of comedy, do you happen to have some stationery that I could borrow?” she asked reluctantly, not sure how to even begin the tale that she needed to tell Cole Barron.

“There is some in my office. It is on the desk, near the window. Go on and use the room so you have a bit of privacy while you write,” she encouraged.

Tarsha listened to her friend’s advice and shut herself in Gwen’s lovely office. At first, she tried to tell the whole story in her note. She thought that telling him why the child was such a miracle would lessen the shock, but in the end it was clear to her that it would make no difference.

Finally, she wrote:

Cole,

I am pregnant. You are most definitely the father. I want nothing from you, but I wanted you to know that the child is coming. It seemed the only fair thing to do. If you wish to be involved, call me. If not, we will not bother you.

Sincerely,

Tarsha 555-1959

As soon as she finished, she departed for his building. She knew that she needed to leave the note with his doorman before she lost her nerve. Of course, she was a bit worried that he would not agree to deliver her note. After all, Cole Barron obviously paid good money for his privacy and it was entirely possible that he had policies against the doormen even giving him messages, but it was the only real option she had besides lurking around the New York club scene until their paths crossed again, but she hoped that would be only a last resort.

It was for that reason that she was so relieved to be greeted by one of the friendliest faces she had ever encountered when she arrived in the lobby of Cole’s building. The kind man assured her that he would personally make sure that Mr. Barron received her note before offering to call a taxi for her, which she politely declined.

Her financial situation, before she realized that she was pregnant, had not been the best. Now, every dollar counted because she was very sure that she would never hear from Cole again, unless it was a call from his lawyer threatening her to stay away. The subway or the bus would do just fine for her. She did not need anything from him.

A few hours later, Cole Barron arrived home. As usual, he stopped in the lobby to say hello to the doorman, a good man named Ralph who had worked there for decades. He was originally from a small town very near Cole’s family in upstate New York and the two had formed a bit of a friendship. When he walked in the lobby, the old man was grinning from ear to ear and he knew instantly that something about that day was different.

“Ms. Barron, a pretty young woman left this note for you,” he said without even making a proper greeting. The glint in his eye told Cole that there was something special about this girl. Otherwise, the letter would have ended up in the trash bin as they usually did.

“Thank you, Ralph,” he said, unsure exactly what the old man was up to. His senses were a buzz though. There was something in the air around him that had him on edge but he could not place it.

“She did not look like your usual fare, Mr. Barron,” Ralph said with a wink as he began to hum to himself as he bent down to fuss with his chair.

“And what is my usual fare,” Cole asked, though he already knew the old man’s opinion of the kind of company he kept. Ralph was endlessly lecturing him on the need for him to find the right girl and fall in love. Ralph himself had been married to the same lovely lady for over 40 years and he swore it was the only real key to happiness.

“Oh, you know, sir. They are usually covered in glitter and falling over drunk,” he replied, his expression showing just how disdainful he found the women who usually entered the building on Cole’s arm.

“And what did this one look like,” Cole asked with a chuckle. He could not imagine any girl who came asking for him was cut from any different cloth than the ones Ralph had just described. As he waited for his answer, he sniffed the air, trying to find what it was that had his senses in such a tizzy.

“Pretty and fresh. She was the loveliest one I have ever seen come in and ask for you,” the old man said, not hiding the tone of accusation in his voice.

“Now you have me intrigued,” Cole said as he took the note in his hands. It was then that he caught a stronger whiff of the scent that had his senses reeling. It was her, the mystery woman he had brought home two weeks before. It was most definitely Tarsha, though it surprised him. He had been very sure that she meant it when she said he would never see her again.

“Well then, you ought to read her note,” Ralph said, seeming to understand that there was something special about the woman who had left it that Cole was just then realizing.

“I think I will do just that,” he said as he tore in to the envelope slowly. As he read the contents, he could not believe it. Werebears could not get human women pregnant. There was no way that she carried his child, yet some little voice inside of him roared with joy at the thought of a part of himself growing inside of her. He pushed that voice down, choosing instead to focus on his anger. She had been so casual, so free with her desires. She would have been the last one that he thought would have tried to entrap him.

“Where did she go when she left?” Cole growled as he looked up from the note in his hands.

“I offered to get her a taxi, sir. She would not hear of it. She said public transportation was good enough for her and then she skipped off. She did not tell me where she was going,” Ralph said, too respectful to pry in to what had upset Cole so much. He could tell though, that the younger man was instantly agitated.

Instead of going to his apartment, Cole turned and stormed towards the garage. He called his private investigator, usually reserved for sniffing out corporate espionage, and gave him the telephone number that she had given him. He ordered him to find her address and all the information that he could on her and he gave him only an hour to do it. Then, he jumped behind the wheel of his car and went speeding off, needing the speed and exhilaration of driving to distract him from the odd hurt that he felt.

Cole was not a man who expected much from anyone. He knew that most people in life cared only for themselves and he knew that the women who fell in to his bed did so because they wanted his money or his love. Tarsha had been different, though. At least, he had thought that she was. He could not deny that his mind had drifted to her each day since she had walked out of his apartment with the promise never to return. Knowing that she was just like the others made him all the more outraged at her claims to be carrying his child.

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