“Go ahead. Just let Kaylee know who you’re taking and if you need any equipment.”
With a wave of her hand, Amelia dismisses Royce, and after another smile at me, he leaves the office.
An awkward silence settles between us, and for a moment, I wonder what else Amelia has to say. She quietly watched me, her gaze making me feel nervous, as if I’d done something wrong.
“How far along are you?” she asks, making me jump when she breaks the silence.
“W-what?” I respond, confused by the question.
“The mate bond called to Lucas because it thought you were in danger. It only does that for one of two reasons. Considering you were training, it isn’t option one because you weren’t in immediate danger. So that leaves option two—you’re pregnant, and the bond was protecting the pup.”
I sigh at her explanation, although I’d already figured that out. Placing a hand on my stomach, I look down at my lap.
“I would say two weeks, maybe three,” I answer.
“So it happened during your heat.”
I nod at her words, and Amelia sighs.
“You’re an adult, so I won’t lecture you. But I will tell you that whatever you decide, I support you. You’re family, Kaylee.”
Looking up at Amelia, I see a soft smile on her lips as she stands and makes her way towards me. Her arms wrap around my shoulders, her rose-scented perfume washing over me. I rest my head against her, feeling her motherly love for me through our bond.
“Lucas said he would support me if I decided not to have it,” I whisper, Amelia pulling away to look at me in shock. “He said it’s my choice, and for some reason, I feel comforted by that.”
Amelia watches me, her fingers moving to play with my hair as she stands beside my chair.
“He really has changed,” she says quietly, and I nod in agreement.
Lucas has changed a lot since he rejected me. If I decide to keep our pup, I think he would be okay with co-parenting.
“So, has the mate bond re-formed?”
Her question catches me off guard again, and I hesitantly nod before explaining that it started repairing itself after the forcedheat. For the last few weeks, I’ve been fighting it, but when Lucas told me I was pregnant, the bond snapped back into place, completely repairing itself.
My explanation left Amelia silent for a while, and then she sighed and hugged me again.
“The only way it would reform is if the rejected party began trusting their ex to keep them safe,” she states, surprising me. “Lucas has been showing you that he regrets rejecting you and plans to keep you and his pup safe. It’s evident from how he helped you through your heat without marking you, which is very difficult for an alpha-blooded wolf. Not only that, but he came without hesitation when the bond reached out to him earlier today.”
I mull over her words as she walks behind her desk, sits down, and watches me with a small smile.
“So what do I do with this bond then? I can’t go through another rejection, and as hurt as I was, I can’t put Lucas through the pain either.” My voice sounds small as I voice my concern. I can see Amelia thinking for a moment before she leans back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest and sighing.
“As angry as I am with him for hurting you and listening to his stupid father, I can admit that he’s working on becoming a better person for you. I’m not saying to give him a chance, but I am saying to keep his current actions in mind when making your decision.”
I can only nod at her words, unsure what to do next. Whether I like it or not, keeping the pup and making up with Lucas is my decision. I’ll have to make it at some point—and soon.
“I think I’ll head to my office and see if work can clear my mind,” I mutter as I stand from my chair and turn to leave.
“I can send you a few files to look at if you’d like. We have a few requests from rogues wanting to join our pack that the Council sent us, and I trust your judgment.”
“Sounds like a good distraction,” I agree, turning to catch Amelia moving closer to her computer.
Without waiting for confirmation from her, I make my way out of her office and down the hall to mine. I feel that I should wait until after my ultrasound to decide whether to keep the pup.
As I reach for my office door, I open the link between Lucas and me.
[I have an ultrasound appointment to see how far along I am. It’s three days from now,] I say while entering my office and flicking on the light.
