Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 37: Heartbeats

Chapter 37: Heartbeats

TERESA’S P.O.V.

A dull ache throbbed in my temples as I blinked, adjusting to the unfamiliar surroundings. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air, mingling with the subtle hum of machinery nearby. I realized I was lying on a hospital bed, with soft, crinkled sheets beneath me. The dimmed overhead lights threw a warm glow across the room, giving everything a soft, surreal haze.

As my gaze drifted, I noticed a familiar figure slumped beside the bed. It was Luke, his arm resting across the mattress, fingers just inches from mine. His head lay against the back of the chair, his face turned slightly toward me. Even in sleep, his brow was furrowed, worry etched deeply into his features. The sight of him made my heart twist with both gratitude and guilt. I didn’t deserve someone like Luke—someone who cared so selflessly and so deeply for me.

"Luke?" I murmured, reaching out to tap his shoulder gently. My voice came out barely above a whisper, fragile, as though it might shatter with too much force.

He stirred, his eyelids fluttering open as he took in his surroundings. For a moment, confusion clouded his eyes before realization dawned, and he straightened, his face softening with relief.

"Teresa," he breathed, his voice heavy with emotion. "Thank god you’re awake."

"What... happened?" The words felt foreign in my mouth, each syllable heavy and brittle, as if my voice had forgotten its own strength.

"You fainted at work," he said, his tone wavering between frustration and worry. "Your boss called an ambulance, and then... they called me since you had me listed as your emergency contact." He ran a hand over his face, clearly exhausted. "The doctor ran some tests, but they haven’t told me anything yet."

I let his words sink in, though my mind felt muddled, as if wrapped in fog. Memories of my last encounter with Vanessa flickered through my thoughts, her accusations sharp and biting. The room seemed to spin momentarily as I remembered, a pang of anxiety twisting in my stomach. But as I looked at Luke’s anxious face, I decided to let it go, just for now, focusing instead on the here and now.

A soft knock broke the silence, and a doctor entered, clipboard in hand. He wore a calm, practiced smile, but there was a hint of concern in his eyes as he took in my weary appearance.

"Ms. Teresa, it appears you’ve been neglecting your meals," he said, raising an eyebrow as if he’d caught me red-handed. "You’re quite malnourished, which can be dangerous, especially..." He paused, glancing down at his notes before looking back up, "...for your baby."

The word hit me like a lightning bolt. Baby?

I felt Luke stiffen beside me, his eyes widening as he leaned forward, his shock a mirror to my own. "Excuse me, doctor, did you say... baby?"

The doctor’s face softened in understanding, his eyes flicking between us as realization dawned. "Oh, I see... You didn’t know." He cleared his throat, giving me a gentle nod. "Yes, Ms. Teresa, you’re nearly two months along. Congratulations."

His words felt like they were echoing from a distant place, and for a moment, the room seemed to blur. He must have assumed Luke was the father, because he gave him a warm smile, a congratulatory nod, but Luke just sat there, speechless, his hand frozen mid-air.

I felt my own body begin to tremble, a wave of emotions swelling within me—fear, disbelief, and something I couldn’t quite place. Two months? The timeline flickered through my mind, every heartbeat sounding louder, drowning out rational thought.

"Thank you, Doctor," I managed to say, forcing the words out even as they threatened to lodge in my throat.

The doctor gave a reassuring nod. "Take this time to rest," he advised, his tone gentle yet firm. "It’s essential to start nourishing yourself well. We’ve scheduled an ultrasound to check on the baby’s health. Someone will be in shortly to take you down."

As he exited, the room descended into thick silence. Luke sat by my side, still reeling, his eyes trained on me with a stare of confusion and concern. I wanted to say something to ease his worry, to offer reassurance, but the weight of the news sat heavily on my chest, pressing against my ribs.

The reality of it all crashed over me like a wave, cold and unrelenting, leaving me breathless. I placed a shaky hand on my stomach, trying to connect with the life within me, but all I felt was an overwhelming sense of vulnerability. My throat tightened, tears welling up as I struggled to process the enormity of what lay ahead.

In that moment, I knew my life had irrevocably changed.

"Teresa..." Luke said softly, his warm hand covering mine. I couldn’t hold it back anymore. Tears spilled down my cheeks as my shoulders shook, the weight of everything finally pressing down on me.

"I’m... I’m doomed, Luke," I sobbed, feeling myself start to crumble. "How can this be happening? What am I supposed to do?"

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a tight embrace. His warmth was a balm against the cold panic spreading inside me. "Hey, hey... it’s okay. It’s not the end of the world, Teresa. You’re not alone."

"But... Lucian," I whispered, my voice breaking. "How am I supposed to tell him?" I pulled back slightly, looking up at him, the terror and uncertainty evident in my eyes. "Luke, Lucian told me never to come near him again. Not once in these past two months has he called, not even by accident. I... I thought he cared, at least a little. But everyone from his world... they’ve all forgotten me. No one’s even checked in on me."

Luke’s face softened, and he held me tighter, listening without interruption as I poured out every fear, every ounce of hurt that had accumulated inside me. "I’m terrified, Luke. If I tell him... if he accepts it, he might take the baby away from me. I know he could."

Luke’s hands tightened around my shoulders, his gaze steady and fierce. "Teresa, I won’t let him take your child. And you need to tell him—if for no other reason, then because he deserves to know as the father of your child."

I sniffled, wiping my eyes as I leaned into him. Luke’s confidence helped ease the edge of my fear, just enough to make me consider his words. But the fear lingered, deep and gnawing.

A nurse appeared then, offering me a kind smile as she began to wheel my bed down the hall for the ultrasound. Luke stayed beside me, his hand resting on mine, a steadying presence.

When we reached the ultrasound room, the doctor prepped the machine and began the scan, adjusting the screen so we could see. A strange but comforting sound filled the room—a heartbeat, small and steady. My own heart clenched, and I felt tears prickling in my eyes again, but these were different, filled with something new, something I couldn’t name.

"That’s... my baby?" I murmured, my voice barely a whisper.

Luke’s eyes softened, and he squeezed my hand as we listened to that small, precious heartbeat. The doctor adjusted the image, and my breath caught when he pointed out a second tiny heartbeat on the screen.

"There are two," he said, smiling. "Congratulations—you’re having twins."

The world tilted beneath me, and I gripped Luke’s hand tightly, feeling my emotions swirl between shock, wonder, and a fear I could barely hold back. Twins. The thought filled me with a strange, fierce joy I hadn’t expected, and yet, I felt more terrified than ever. How could I possibly not tell Lucian now? This news was too big, too heavy to carry on my own.

The doctor completed the scan and went over a few things I needed to do to nourish myself properly, all of which I listened to with a newfound sense of resolve. I wasn’t just taking care of myself anymore.

When we left the hospital, the evening air felt crisp and cool, grounding me as I took a deep breath. I looked at Luke, finally feeling the smallest bit of clarity.

"Tomorrow morning," I said, my voice firm. "I’ll go to Lucian’s office and tell him."

Luke’s eyes held both pride and concern as he watched me. "Do you want me to come with you?"

I shook my head, offering him a small, grateful smile. "Thank you, Luke, but... I need to do this alone."

He nodded, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "You’ll be okay, Teresa. You’re stronger than you think." I smiled at him even if I didn’t feel a bit of the strength he just described.

As we walked towards Luke’s car, the enormity of what lay ahead settled in my chest, a weight both frightening and necessary. Tomorrow, I would face Lucian and tell him the truth—for me and for the two tiny heartbeats that already held my heart.

I prayed quietly, hoping that my choice to tell him wouldn’t come back to haunt me.