The Biker Alpha Who Became My Second Chance Mate Chapter 136

Athena

The healer's house was tucked away in a quiet part of the pack territory, surrounded by trees and a garden full of herbs I didn't recognize.

It looked peaceful and calm, which was the opposite of how I felt inside.

Tristan parked the car and turned to look at me. "Ready?" he asked.

I nodded even though I wasn't sure I was. "Let's just get this over with."

We walked up to the door together and Tristan knocked. A few moments later, an elderly woman opened it.

She had gray hair pulled back in a bun and sharp eyes that seemed to see right through me.

"Tristan," she said, her voice warm. "It's been a while."

"Hello, Mara," he said respectfully. "I'm sorry to show up without warning but we need your help."

Her eyes moved to me and I felt like she was reading every thought in my head. "Come in," she said, stepping aside.

We followed her into a small living room that smelled like dried flowers and something earthy I couldn't identify.

She gestured for us to sit on a worn couch while she took a chair across from us.

"Now," she said, folding her hands in her lap. "Tell me what's going on."

Tristan looked at me and I realized he was waiting for me to speak. I took a breath and tried to find the right words.

"I went into heat," I said. "About seven days ago."

Mara's eyebrows rose slightly. "Seven days?"

"Yes," I confirmed. "And it hasn't stopped. It's supposed to only last a few days, right?"

"Three to five usually," she said. "Sometimes six in rare cases. But seven is unusual." She leaned forward. "Tell me what happened before the heat started. Were you stressed? Did anything significant occur?"

I glanced at Tristan and he nodded encouragingly.

"A lot happened," I admitted. "We had to deal with some people who betrayed us. There was a fight. I killed two people." My voice got quieter. "One of them was my ex mate. And then we burned their bodies."

Mara was silent for a moment, studying me. "And the heat started after this?"

"The day of the burning," Tristan said. "She seemed fine during the ceremony but on the way home, it hit her."

"I see," Mara said slowly. She stood up. "I need to examine you. Come with me."

She led me to a small room at the back of the house. It was set up like a doctor's office with an examination table and shelves full of jars and bottles.

"Sit," she instructed, pointing to the table.

I sat down and she came over to me, placing her hands on either side of my face. Her palms were warm and I felt a strange tingling sensation where she touched me.

She was quiet for a long moment, her eyes closed in concentration. Then she moved her hands down to my shoulders, my arms, finally resting them on my stomach.

The tingling got stronger there and I felt heat flood through me. Not the desperate need I'd been feeling for days but something different, something that felt almost like recognition.

Mara's eyes snapped open and she stepped back, a look of surprise on her face.

"What?" I asked, suddenly nervous. "What is it?"

She didn't answer right away. Instead, she went to one of her shelves and pulled down a small jar.

She opened it and took out what looked like dried leaves, crushing them between her fingers.

"Smell this," she said, holding it under my nose.

I inhaled and immediately felt nauseous. The smell was overwhelming and awful and I had to turn my head away.

"Interesting," she murmured.

"What's interesting?" I asked, my anxiety growing. "Please just tell me what's wrong."

She set the jar aside and looked at me with an expression I couldn't read. "There's nothing wrong," she said carefully. "But you're not in heat."

I stared at her. "What? But I have all the symptoms. The constant need, the sensitivity, the heat in my skin."

"Those can be symptoms of something else," she said. "Something that can sometimes be confused with heat, especially if you've never experienced it before."

"Experienced what?" I asked, my heart starting to pound.

Mara sat down on a stool and folded her hands. "You're pregnant, Athena."

The world seemed to stop.

"What?" I whispered.

"You're pregnant," she repeated, gentler this time. "About two weeks along, I'd estimate. What you're experiencing isn't heat. It's your body's response to the pregnancy combined with the mate bond.

Some she-wolves experience heightened arousal during early pregnancy, especially with their true mate. It's your body's way of strengthening the bond and ensuring the pregnancy takes."

I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. Pregnant. I was pregnant.

And then the memories hit me like a blow.

Daxon's fist connecting with my stomach. The cramping that followed. The blood. The loss of a baby I'd just found out I was carrying.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "No, this can't be happening."

"Athena," Mara said, concern filling her voice. "What's wrong?"

"I lost a baby before," I said, my voice breaking. "My ex mate, he hit me. He made me lose it. What if that happens again? What if I can't carry this one either?"

Wait! If I was two weeks along, it means Daxon almost made me lose this baby again.

What if it had affected it?

What if Daxon will be the reason I lose it again?

No.

I shook my head frantically.

Mara came closer and took my hands. "That won't happen," she said firmly. "You're with your true mate now. The bond between you and Tristan will help protect this pregnancy. And I'll be monitoring you closely."

"But what if it's not enough?" I asked, tears streaming down my face. "What if I lose this one too?"

"You won't," she said. "I promise you, we'll do everything we can to make sure this baby stays safe."

I wanted to believe her but the fear was overwhelming. I'd lost one baby already and the pain of that loss was still fresh even though it had been months.

"Does Tristan know?" Mara asked gently. "About the baby you lost?"

I nodded. "He knows."

"Then he'll understand your fear," she said. "And he'll help you through it."

I took a shaky breath and tried to calm down. She was right. Tristan would understand. He'd lost a baby too, with Jess.

"Are you sure?" I asked, needing to hear it again. "Are you sure I'm pregnant?"

"I'm certain," she said. "I've been doing this for fifty years. I know a pregnancy when I sense one." She paused.

"The symptoms will likely continue for a while longer. Heightened arousal in early pregnancy can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. But it will ease eventually."

I tried to process this information but my brain felt like it was moving through mud. Pregnant. I was going to have a baby. Tristan's baby.

If I could carry it to term.

"Does Tristan know?" Mara asked. "About this pregnancy?"

I shook my head. "He's in the other room. You just told me."

"Would you like me to tell him with you?" she offered.

I thought about it for a moment. Part of me wanted to tell him alone, in private. But another part of me wasn't sure I could get the words out without breaking down.

"Yes," I said finally. "Please."

She nodded and stood up. "Come on then."

We walked back to the living room where Tristan was pacing. He stopped the moment he saw us, his eyes searching my face. I knew he could see I'd been crying.

"What is it?" he asked, coming towards me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Mara said before I could speak. "Sit down, both of you."

We sat back down on the couch and Tristan took my hand. His palm was sweaty and I realized he was just as nervous as I was.

Mara settled back into her chair and looked at us both. "Athena isn't in heat," she said simply. "She's pregnant."

Tristan went completely still. His hand tightened around mine and I heard him suck in a breath.

"Pregnant?" he repeated, like he wasn't sure he'd heard correctly.

"Yes," Mara confirmed. "About two weeks along. What she's been experiencing is a heightened arousal response that sometimes occurs in early pregnancy with one's true mate. It should ease within the next week or so."

Tristan turned to look at me and I saw about a dozen emotions flash across his face. Shock, confusion, fear, and then something that looked like wonder.

But when he saw my tear-stained face, the wonder disappeared and concern took its place.

"You're pregnant," he said quietly, then more urgently, "Why are you crying? Are you okay? Is something wrong with the baby?"

"I'm scared," I admitted, my voice shaking. "What if I lose this one too? What if I can't carry it? What if what happened had already affected it?"

His face crumpled with understanding. He pulled me into his arms and held me tight. "You won't," he said fiercely. "This is different. Daxon isn't here to hurt you anymore. And I won't let anything happen to you or this baby."

"But what if it's not enough?" I whispered against his shoulder. "What if my body can't do this?"

He pulled back to look at me, cupping my face in his hands. "Your body can do this," he said. "You're strong, Athena. Stronger than anyone I know. And I'll be with you every step of the way."

"I'm terrified," I confessed.

"So am I," he admitted. "After Jess and the baby, I thought I'd never get this chance again. And now that I have it, I'm scared out of my mind that something will go wrong."

We looked at each other and I saw my own fear reflected in his eyes. We'd both lost children. We both knew how much it hurt.

But we also both knew what it was like to hope.

"So we're both terrified," I said.

"Completely terrified," he agreed.

"But also maybe a little bit happy?" I asked hesitantly.

A smile slowly spread across his face. "Maybe more than a little bit," he said. "Athena, despite everything, despite all the fear, I'm so happy right now I could burst."

I felt my own smile forming. "Me too," I admitted. "I'm scared but I'm also excited. Is that okay?"

"It's more than okay," he said, and then he kissed me, soft and sweet.

When he pulled back, he placed his hand gently on my stomach. "There's a baby in there," he said with wonder. "Our baby."

"Our baby," I repeated, and saying it out loud made it feel more real.

The fear was still there, sitting heavy in my chest, but so was something else. Hope. Joy. Love.

Mara cleared her throat and we both turned to look at her. I'd almost forgotten she was there.

"I'll need to see you regularly," she said to me. "At least once a week for the first few months. Werewolf pregnancies can be complicated, especially first ones. And given your history, I want to monitor you very closely."

"Whatever you need," Tristan said firmly. "We'll do whatever you need to keep them both safe."