TEMPORARY MATES PERMANENT CRAVINGS novel Chapter 81

Eighty-One

Lisa

I sat on the edge of my bed.

My body felt heavy, like it had been used and fed at the same time. My muscles were loose, my skin warm. It annoyed me that I felt good. There was something humiliating about coming with someone else’s mate.

I lay on my back and stared at the ceiling.

It was physical, I told myself. We had needs, we had a contract, and we were adults. There was nothing romantic about it.

Except it did not feel empty.

I turned onto my side and pressed my face into the pillow. I had stopped pretending weeks ago, and I knew it. The contract was the excuse, and desire was the real reason.

I must have drifted back to sleep because the next thing I knew, I was running.

In the dream, I was barefoot. The ground was uneven and sharp. I could hear voices behind me.

Home-wrecker.

Shameless.

Gold-digger.

The words kept coming, louder each time I tried to run faster.

Evangeline stood ahead of me in a white dress. She was calm and silent. She did not shout or cry. She looked at me and did not blink.

“Give it back,” she said.

I looked down at my stomach. It was swollen and stretched tight. I tried to hold it with both hands, but my grip would not stay.

“You don’t belong here,” someone said behind me.

I turned and saw faces I knew from the pack. They whispered to each other and stared at me

Then I woke up.

My heart was beating too fast. My throat felt dry.

I pushed myself up and sat there, breathing. It was a dream and nothing more. My mind was sorting through guilt and fear.

Of course I would dream like that. I had slept with an Alpha who had a mate, and I was carrying his child. There was nothing complicated about what I was afraid of.

I pressed my palm to my stomach.

This was contractual, and that was the truth. I was not stealing anything. I had agreed to carry a baby, give birth, and leave.

There was no future in this house for me beyond that.

1/4

Fighty One

+15 Bonus

I got out of bed and went to the bathroom. The mirror showed tired eyes and flat hair stuck to my cheek.

“You’re fine,” I muttered to myself.

I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and tried not to focus on the dull heaviness in my lower stomach. It could have been nerves, or it could have been real. I did not know yet.

When I came downstairs, Cameron was already gone.

I thought about going to Evangeline and telling her. I tried to picture her face when she found out, and I could not decide if she would cry or smile.

But what if I was wrong and the tests came back negative? I would look foolish.

We would wait for medical confirmation.

I sat on the edge of the couch and pressed my hand against my lower stomach again.

How big would it be right now? A cluster of cells? Something I would not even see without a screen and a technician explaining it to me?

There was a life forming inside me, and my body looked exactly the same.

I decided I would go to the hospital in the evening for proper tests. Until then, I would stay home and keep busy so I did not overthink it.

Around midday, Franklin arrived.

“Cameron asked me to take you to the hospital,” he said. “He wants a full check.”

I nodded. “I was planning to go anyway.”

I went upstairs and pulled on a loose sweater and soft leggings. I did not linger in front of the mirror.

The drive was quiet. Franklin did not ask questions, and I was grateful.

At the hospital, they drew blood and ran basic tests. Some of the scans had to wait because I had already eaten.

“You should come back tomorrow morning for the rest,” the nurse said.

After that, I went to see my mom.

She was sitting up in bed when I walked in. The bandage over her eye covered half her face, and she looked tired but she was smiling.

“You look tired,” she said.

“So do you.”

“I had a fourteen-hour surgery. I’m allowed.”

I laughed and pulled a chair closer.

“They said if everything goes well, I might regain a lot of my sight,” she said. “Imagine that. I might not need you to read every tiny label for me.”

“That would be nice,” I said.

“It’s a blessing,” she added quietly.

2/4

I swallowed. “Mom… there’s something else.”

She turned her face toward me. “What is it?”

“I’m pregnant.”

For a moment, she did not speak.

Then she let out a small breath. “Are you sure?”.

“Not officially.”

She reached for my hand and squeezed it. “Congratulations.”

Her voice was steady, but her grip on my hand tightened.

“I wish I could support you properly,” she said after a moment. “I can’t even see your face clearly.”

“Mom, stop.” I leaned closer. “You don’t have to blame yourself for anything.”

She held my hand tighter. “Are you ready for this? To carry a child and then hand it over?”

The question settled between us.

“It’s a contract, Mom. I can’t breach it.”

“I know that.” Her voice trembled. “It doesn’t mean it won’t hurt.”

I did not answer.

“I hope he protects you,” she said. “Whatever happens, I hope he does not let anyone harm you.”

“He will,” I said, and hoped I sounded certain.

“Does Evangeline know?”

“Not yet. We’re waiting for confirmation.”

She nodded. “Be careful.”

After I left her room, I sat in the hallway and stared at my phone.

I texted Sasha first.

I’m pregnant.

She called immediately.

“Is that good news or bad news?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” I admitted.

“You’ll be okay,” she said. “Even if it hurts, you’ll survive it.”

That was not comforting, but it was honest.

By the time I left the hospital, the lights in the parking lot were already on.

I rested my hand on my stomach again as Franklin drove me back.

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3/4

Tighty One

+15 8chus

There was a child growing inside me, and whether I wanted to admit it or not, it was no longer only part of a contract. It was part of me.

P

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