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“Would there be any way for me to walk away from Pack Winters?” I asked in a shaky voice.
Callie stayed silent for a moment, and I could sense an abrupt shift in her mood, even over the phone. “What’s happened, Summer?”
“N-nothing. I’m just asking.”
“There’s no just asking that question.” She sighed. “But if you’re in a bad situation, we can get you out. Are they treating you badly? I can have someone there in the next hour or two if you’re not safe.”
“No! They’re wonderful. There’s just… a lot of things to consider right now, some that I didn’t think about like I should’ve.”
“Have you bonded with any of the others?”
I shook my head, even though she couldn’t see me. “No.”
“In that case, there are ways. They aren’t easy, by any means, but they’re doable. Do you want me to send you some information?”
“Could you?”
Even though I hated the idea of leaving Willow Grove, the last thing I wanted was to cause any sort of problem for the guys. They had all worked so hard to get where they were in life, and just being around me could potentially destroy it all because I’d chosen to adopt Milo…chosen to love him.
Giving up my son wasn’t an option. I refused to dwell on that idea for even a second. Milo was mine, and I'd do everything in my power to protect him. I just didn’t know how I was going to do that.
At all.
“All right, but I need you to tell me if anything serious happens. I care about your safety.” She paused, like she was waiting for me to say something, but I couldn’t. I knew she’d talk me out of this. “Okay, I’ll send an email, but please don’t make any life-changing decisions lightly.”
“Thank you.”
I hung up, letting my phone fall to the bed. Time dragged on as I stared at nothing, not moving, as a little tear slid down my cheek. I couldn’t really think. Thoughts just came and went. Terror for Milo, regret over coming here, already missing the guys, and so much I didn’t even have words for.
I hated all of this—so fucking much.
Another wave of nausea hit me, and I closed my eyes, pressing my hand into my stomach. I had been feeling lousy for days. What the hell was wrong with me? Though the symptoms I’d been struggling with did make me think of something. But it was out of the question.
If I wasn’t on birth control, I would have thought I was pregnant. But I was. I was on it, so I couldn’t be.
Only… the medication had failed to prevent my heat, hadn’t it? My previous suppressant had also acted as birth control, but… Technically, I’d been on a different one after the move, and it failed to suppress the heat. I went through that heat the sweaty way.
My stomach flip-flopped. Shit.
Did that also mean it would’ve failed to prevent a pregnancy?
I paused, trying to gather my thoughts.
Nausea. Exhaustion. I’d been a little achy; there’d been that soreness in my boobs.
Jilly said she’d felt similar in the early days of her pregnancy with Milo. Hadn’t she mentioned that the itchy thing was weird and new? And heartburn, she’d talked about heartburn.
My heart rate spiked, and I glanced across the room at the cot where I’d put Milo. “Shit.”
I padded downstairs, Milo on my hip. Edie was in the small, homey dining space, wiping down a table. For a second, I didn’t say anything, but I had to be sure.
“Hey, Edie?”
She spun around, pausing with the rag in the middle of the table. “Summer! What can I do for you?” she asked brightly.
Part of me felt terrible for asking, but I knew if I didn’t, Edie would probably take offense.
“I’m just going to pop out and do a bit of shopping. Do you think…” I trailed off. “I normally wouldn’t ask, but he’s going to fall asleep any minute now, and I would rather not be moving him around.”
