Chapter 4: Aftermath
2180 Words
Lycia
Luckily, no one was up when I got home. I parked on the street so no one would hear my car, and I walked up to the house. I needed a place of my own and had thought about moving out more than once. But a wolf living alone wasn't ideal. Lone wolves were shunned and didn't have the protection of the Pack. It was bad enough that we had moved into our house away from the Compound.
Or maybe I could get a roommate. I made a silent vow to ask Taria when I got to work. She was also a wolf and had been bugging me to get an apartment with her for a while now. And if last night hadn't taught me anything else, it was that I needed my own place. I hated to have to do the walk of shame in my parents' home as I came in early the next morning.
After taking off my heels, I slowly opened the front door and started toward my room, when I overheard my parents talking in their bedroom.
“Adora, I have everything under control! I have it all worked out," my father said. “So, things are a bit tight right now! So what? We'll get through this, but you have to trust me."
“I do trust you, Gage," my mother replied. “I just worry about you."
“Well, don't." Dad was silent for a moment, then the bed adjusted, sounding like he had gotten out of bed. “I have everything under control."
I darted down the hallway, not wanting them to find out that I was just coming in.
In my room, I locked the door, quickly pulled back the blanket on my bed, and turned the shower on and waited for it to warm up. I was a bit sore, but I felt different somehow. I looked in the mirror and hardly recognized the woman staring back at me with wild eyes and flushed cheeks. I was happy, and whether I met my mystery man again or not, I knew I'd never forget him. What we shared was wonderful.
When the water was warm, I quickly showered and dressed in a cute short dress and low heels. Then I transferred everything over to my regular purse and headed down the hallway and into the kitchen.
“Good morning!" Mom chirped when I walked in. “Coffee's ready if you want some."
I shook my head. “No, thanks. I don't want to be late for work." I started to leave, but then I thought of something. “Mom, Dad, I don't have a lot, but I have some money saved, if you need it."
Seven looked between our parents and me as a crease formed between his eyes.
Dad looked up at me and smiled. “No, honey. It's okay. I have everything under control. I'm sorry you heard that."
I nodded, kissing the top of his head. “Well, if you change your mind, let me know."
Before Mom could start asking me questions, I darted out and headed to work with thoughts of my mystery man running through my mind.
***
Logan
I rolled over and stretched my arm out for my woman, but my hand fell onto the bed. I quickly opened my eyes, but her side of the bed was empty. She was gone. I let out a deep breath as I fell back onto the pillow. I was hoping we could have another round before we had to leave, but it was just as well.
Any other time, I would have been happy not to have to deal with the “morning after" with a woman, but not this time. I wanted to see her again. Now, I regretted letting her play the game to remain anonymous. But I could track down just about anyone, so I could definitely find her if I wanted to. If not anything else, I could go back to Supernova and wait for her to return. I chuckled as I flung back the blankets, knowing I had truly lost it. I'd never wanted to track down any of my conquests before now. But then again, she didn't feel like a conquest. She felt like home.
When I rose from the bed, something on the sheets caught my eye. There was a little blood on the sheets, and I knew.
“Huh." I shook my head, amazed. “So, she was a virgin, after all."
As I headed toward the shower, I was glad she hadn't told me, or else I never would have brought her back here.
As the cold water hit my face, I suddenly regretted taking her so hard the first time. If I had known she was a virgin, I would have taken it easier on her the first time. But I was so worked up that I took her hard the first time. After that, I relaxed and made love to her, taking it a bit easier. But she was one fantastic lover, the best I ever had. It surprised me that she had never had s*x before, but I was glad.
I quickly pushed the thought from my mind, knowing I'd probably never see her again anyway. But my wolf whimpered his disapproval, already missing her.
“Yeah, buddy, I know. I already miss her, too." I couldn't believe I was saying it, but it was true. Maybe she was the one I had been waiting for.
Throughout the rest of the day, I couldn't get my woman out of my mind.
Lycia
“So, did you have fun last night?" Taria asked when I walked into work, already blow-drying someone's hair. They both glanced over at me and smiled. We worked at The Clip Joint, a local beauty salon.
I stashed my purse in my station, grabbed my water bottle, and headed toward the back to fill it up. “Who said I went out last night?"
“Well, your car wasn't there when I drove by your house." Taria pulled a round brush through a woman's long brown hair, blow-drying it straight as she talked. “You should have called me. I would have gone out with you."
“Thanks, but it was a last-minute thing." I hung the water bottle on my rolling cart, setting up for my first customer. “Taria, can I ask you a question?"
She chuckled. “You already did."
I arched an eyebrow expectantly.
She let out an exaggerated sigh as her customer smiled. “Yes, of course."
“Were you serious about getting a place together?"
Her head snapped up. “Are you serious?" Her voice rose several octaves.
“Shush!" I looked around, but no one was here yet but us. “I haven't decided yet, but let's just say that I'm willing to talk it over."
She let out a little squeal, and then my first customer walked in.
But throughout the day, I couldn't help but think of my mystery man, wondering what he was doing and if I'd ever see him again.
One Month Later...
My alarm rang, exploding in my head. I reached over and slammed my hand down on it hard, nearly breaking it. But at the moment, I didn't care. Even the time I had several shots and a Margarita at Supernova, I hadn't felt this bad.
Lately, I was always tired and found it hard to get out of bed every morning, even though I usually jumped right up and was fine. Over the past month, I hadn't been able to get my mystery man out of my mind, even though I knew he was probably long gone by now. A part of me regretted not giving him my name or my phone number. But then again, he hadn't asked me for it. But to his benefit, I left before he woke.
It was just as well. The reason why I wanted to stay anonymous in the first place was so I could reject him first before he had a chance to reject me. Even though it made perfect sense then, it sounded stupid right now. But everyone in my Pack had rejected me, treating me with contempt. Why would he be any different? If he knew who I truly was, he wouldn't have slept with me. But for one night, I wanted to be treated like a queen.
When the water was hot, I climbed into the shower, letting the heat loosen my sore muscles. But try as I might, I couldn't get Mystery Man out of my mind. Thoughts of him invaded my mind throughout the day, especially when I least expected it. So much so that I hadn't even been back to Supernova since that night. As far as I was concerned, that was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Looking back at it now, I was glad he wasn't some weirdo, a murderer, or something worse. No, once was enough for me. As a wolf, there were other ways to live dangerously.
As I showered, my breasts were tender, and when I took a closer look at them, they seemed a bit bigger and swollen. Then it hit me. “No way!" I said as my hands went down to my stomach. Could I really be pregnant? “You've got to be kidding me!"
When I thought back to that night, neither of us had considered using protection. Well, I hadn't, anyway. He probably thought I was on the pill, but never asked.
After finishing my shower, I started brushing my teeth when I suddenly felt nauseous and threw up in the toilet, barely making it there. I'd been feeling sick lately, but I thought I was probably coming down with something. How could I be pregnant after spending just one night with a man? But then again, we had made love multiple times throughout the course of the night. But it was still just one night. But that's all it took.
When I was ready for work, I hurried down the hallway, hoping to get past Mom before she stopped me. She was in the kitchen cooking breakfast when I walked through.
“Good morning, honey!" Mom chirped when she saw me.
“Sorry, Mom! Got to go!" Smelling the sausage she was cooking made me nauseous, so I hurried outside and threw up behind the bushes in front of our house, hoping Mom, Dad, or Seven hadn't heard. The slightest things seemed to make me nauseous.
On my way to work, I vowed to get a pregnancy test on my way home that night. If I was having symptoms, then I was far enough along that would definitely show up on a pregnancy test.
Lately, I had been vomiting in the morning and at the oddest times throughout the day. I thought I had a stomach bug, at first. But now, it all made sense.
“Good morning, Lycia!" Kelly, the owner of the shop, chirped as I walked in. She was a human, but as nice as they come. She was also young to own a beauty salon, only twenty-five.
“Good morning, Kelly." I hurried to put my things away, hoping the nausea would subside soon. This seemed to be the worst day so far.
Kelly crossed the room and sat in the hydraulic chair next to my station. “If you didn't feel well, you shouldn't have come in."
“I'm fine," I lied. I was a single and possibly pregnant wolf. There was nothing fine about it. “I probably just have a stomach bug." Suddenly, another wave of nausea rushed over me, and I darted to the bathroom with my hand over my mouth and vomited the contents of my stomach into the toilet again. It seemed that I shouldn't have anything left to vomit, but my body was telling me differently.
Taria was leaning against the wall outside the bathroom when I came out. “How far along are you?"
“What?" I laughed without humor. “What are you talking about?"
“Lycia, don't play dumb with me." She waved a hand toward me. “Any fool could see that you're pregnant."
“Shush!" I looked around to see if anyone had heard, but no one was in the back. “I don't know for sure yet. But—"
“But you think you are," Taria finished. “I'll tell you what. Let's get a pregnancy test on our lunch break, and you can take it from there."
“What about Kelly?"
Taria shrugged. “She won't care."
I sank next to the wall. “Taria, what am I going to do?"
She pulled me up and gave me a hug. “Don't worry. Everything's going to be alright."
I dabbed my eyes. “How do you know?"
“Because you still have me." She laughed at her own joke and then wrapped her arm around my shoulder. “Come on. Let's get back to work."
- Writer
