I scoffed and wrotenonebefore Reed even had a chance to answer. Violet wasn’t a mom, she’d never—
“Ten,” Reed said softly. “Maybe more. She, uh… she was in a situation where medical care wasn’t exactly regular.”
My brow furrowed just as the pen snapped in my hand, spraying ink across the desk.
What–had this girl escaped from a fucking breeding farm?
On the monitor, the doctor froze mid-typing. A breath hitched in her throat.
“…Ten?” she repeated.
Reed nodded once, rubbing soothing circles into his sister's shoulder as she pretended she didn’t exist.
“Any live births?” the doctor asked gently.
Violet answered with the world’s smallest shake of her head, and my brain slowly spiderwebbed.
The doctor shot her a sympathetic look before turning back to her computer.
“…All right,” she said. “Thank you for telling me. That helps us know what risks to look out for.”
I dug my nails into the desk so hard the wood groaned.
“All right, since this is a complex case, we’re going to go ahead and try to look for a heartbeat,” the doctor explained.
She stood, walked to the cabinets, and began rummaging around like she was looking for a stapler, while Violet tightened her grip on Reed’s sleeve.
Her face was completely blank, but her fingers trembled.
After a moment, the doctor pulled out a Doppler and a bottle of gel and headed toward Violet.
Reed shifted, bringing his face down to his sister's ear before whispering something.
I didn’t catch what he said—and I still didn’t like that Violet brought another alpha—but he calmed her down, so that made him tolerable.
Barely.
The doctor snapped on gloves, and Violet rucked up her dress, exposing her swollen belly.
“Okay, Violet. Cold gel,” she warned softly, shaking the bottle.
Blue gel spattered onto Violet’s stomach and she flinched.
“Deep breaths, sweetheart,” I murmured, even though she couldn’t hear me.
The doctor pressed the wand into Violet’s skin, and I waited for the steady thrum of a little heartbeat. I’d been to a few of Skye’s appointments, so I knew what the Doppler was supposed to pick up.
But all it picked up was static.
Goosebumps prickled down my arms, and I felt a little dizzy as the doctor continued moving the wand.
Up–static.
Down–static.
Left–static.
Right–more. fucking. static.
