“Is this kind of thing normal?” I asked. “I mean, a sick Shifter.”
Edward rolled the vial between his fingers and then looked at the glass plate. One of the streaks turned orange. “I’ve seen all kinds of afflictions in my time, and there are a number of defects that can pass down genetically. Is there anything I should know about your parents?”
I laughed and snorted hard enough that it broke his concentration. He gave me a bemused look.
“Sorry, it’s not you. I don’t know who my parents are. My mother was killed, and my father was a drifter.”
“How very tragic for you.”
“Not as tragic as your cable-knit sweater.”
Edward didn’t bat an eyelash as he cleared off the table and wiped down his glass plate. “I don’t mean that offensively, only that Shifters and Relics are similar in that we cherish family. Not all Breeds have the luxury of having children.”
“Family isn’t who you share blood with but who will bleed for you. It’s the people who love you through your tragedies and stick around.”
“We must move forward,” he agreed. “If you ever want to speak with someone privately, my services are reasonable. Sometimes we can’t say everything to those we’re close to, and it helps to have an unbiased person to listen.”
“I’ll think about it,” I said, wondering if I’d just agreed to see a shrink.
“How’s your mate been feeling?”
My stomach dropped, hoping this wasn’t something contagious. “Fine, as far as I know.”
Edward smiled, snapping his bag shut. “No strange behavior? Trying to feed you, sexually satisfy you without intercourse, standing closer to you than normal in the company of strangers?”
Well, that seemed a little personal.
“Now that you mention it, we were at the bar the other night and he kept putting his arm around my waist. Austin sometimes gets jealous, but he’s not an insecure man. So it seemed a little weird when he escorted me into the bathroom. Call me old-fashioned, but this girl likes to pee alone.”
“Perfectly normal,” he said. “I’d like to extend my congratulations.”
“For what?”
He tipped his head to the side. “Well, it appears this is nothing more than the usual symptoms associated with pregnancy.”
I pulled my legs up, and his brows knitted.
“Is something wrong?”
“Um, are you sure I’m pregnant?”
He laughed brightly and studied a photograph on the wall. “Even if I didn’t have my test kit, I’d suspect it based on both of your symptoms. His wolf’s probably sensed it by now, but Austin hasn’t. I suspect in another week he would have figured it out on his own.”
“Why did you have to draw all that blood?” I complained, removing the cotton ball from my arm and tossing it into the wastebasket. “I could have bought one of those tests at the store and saved everyone some time.”
“I’m afraid those aren’t terribly accurate where Shifters are concerned. I hope you haven’t relied on them in the past. Sometimes it gives false positives because your chemistry is different. Is this not good news?”
“I’ve had… miscarriages in the past. The other Relic said she thought it might have something to do with me going through my first change so late.”
“How many have you had?” he asked, lowering his voice to a whisper.
“Five.”
A grim look crossed his expression. “How regretful. Which trimester?”
“The first. I was usually sick; everything feels totally different now.”
He patted my knee. “That’s a good sign. Also, your changed behavior indicates the pregnancy has taken hold. Those urges increase as the weeks and months go by. Eat a lot of protein. I’m guessing your mate has been trying to feed you a lot of meat lately, but that’s what you need. I’ll write you an easy recipe for a morning drink—just natural herbs. We’ll keep in close touch, and I’ll pop in once a week for the first two months if that eases your mind.”
I released a breath. “That would be great. Do you think… do you think this one might keep?”
“Don’t overwork yourself,” he said, wagging his finger. “Don’t stand for long periods of time without either sitting down or walking. You should remain as active as you normally were, but keep the blood moving. The fainting spells aren’t uncommon.” He cleared his throat, and I noticed what an agreeable voice he had. Sharp and clear—very polite. “How do you wish to break the news to your mate?”
Damn, this was the part I was dreading. I wanted to throw up just thinking about it. I couldn’t keep this a secret—not with the Relic stopping by every week. Austin had said he wanted kids when we were at the cabin, but men say stupid things when women are in heat. He wouldn’t want to worry about a baby with all this pack-war stuff going on. The timing couldn’t have been worse.