Chapter 1: Unexpected News

Ava felt her stomach lurch as she looked down at the pregnancy test in her hand. It was positive. She was pregnant. She had been so careful, but somehow, it had still happened. She sat down on the edge of the bathtub, feeling overwhelmed.

She had always known that having a baby would be difficult for her kind. Werewolves had a complicated relationship with pregnancy. It was risky for both the mother and the child. But now that it had happened, she couldn't deny the rush of excitement that filled her. She was going to be a mother.

Ava took a deep breath and stood up, tucking the pregnancy test into her pocket. She needed to tell Ryan, her mate. The thought of Ryan's reaction made her nervous. They had been together for a few years, but she was still unsure of how he would react to the news.

As she walked down the hallway towards their bedroom, she could hear Ryan snoring softly. She smiled to herself, feeling a surge of affection for him. She loved the way he looked when he was sleeping, so peaceful and relaxed.

Ava sat down on the edge of the bed and watched Ryan for a few moments, feeling sentimental. They had been through so much together. They had met when they were still teenagers, and they had fallen in love instantly. They had been inseparable ever since.

But things had changed since they had become adults. They had both been through some tough times, and it had taken a toll on their relationship. They were still together, but there was a distance between them that hadn't been there before.

Ava shook herself out of her reverie and gently shook Ryan's shoulder. He groaned and rolled over, opening his eyes slowly.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked, still groggy.

"I need to talk to you," Ava said, trying to keep her voice steady.

Ryan sat up, looking concerned. "What's wrong?"

"I'm pregnant," Ava blurted out.

Ryan's face froze in shock, and Ava felt a wave of panic wash over her. She had expected him to be surprised, but she hadn't anticipated this level of shock.

"You're what?" he said, his voice rising.

"I'm pregnant," Ava repeated, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

Ryan stared at her for a few moments, his expression unreadable. Finally, he spoke.

"How could you let this happen?" he said, his voice cold.

Ava felt a surge of anger at his words. "It's not like I planned this, Ryan," she said, her voice rising. "I was careful, but sometimes things happen."

Ryan shook his head, looking away from her. "Do you have any idea what this means?" he said, his voice low. "We're werewolves, Ava. Pregnancy is dangerous for you and the baby."

"I know that," Ava said, her voice shaking. "But I'm not going to just give up on this baby. I want to keep it."

Ryan looked at her, his eyes softening slightly. "Of course we'll keep it," he said. "But we need to be careful. We need to make sure that you and the baby are safe."

Ava nodded, feeling relieved. She had been afraid that Ryan would be angry or that he would want her to get rid of the baby. But he seemed to be on board with keeping the baby, and that was all that mattered.

They talked for a little while longer, discussing their options and making plans for the future. Ava felt a sense of relief wash over her. She knew that having a baby would be difficult, but she was ready to face whatever challenges came her way.

As they lay in bed together, Ava felt Ryan's hand on her stomach, and she smiled to herself. She knew that they had a lot to work through, but they would do it together. And in the end, they would have a beautiful baby to show for it.

Little did Ava know, her world was about to be turned upside down.

Ava woke up the next morning feeling hopeful. She and Ryan had talked things through, and she was excited about the future. She got dressed and headed out to the forest to shift and run. It was her favorite way to start the day.

As she ran through the forest, she felt the cool morning air on her fur. She loved the freedom of being a wolf, the way it made her feel alive. She ran for miles, feeling her muscles stretch and flex as she moved.

But her peaceful morning was about to be shattered.

As she made her way back to her cabin, she saw Lily, another werewolf from her pack, walking towards her. Lily was a beautiful blonde with a reputation for being flirtatious and manipulative. Ava had never been a fan of hers, but she had never had any reason to hate her either.

"Hey, Ava," Lily said, stopping in front of her.

"Hey," Ava said, trying to be polite.

"I heard that you're pregnant," Lily said, her eyes shining with excitement.

Ava felt a surge of discomfort at the thought of Lily knowing her personal business, but she tried to brush it off. "Yeah, I am," she said, trying to keep her tone neutral.

"That's so exciting," Lily gushed. "I've always wanted a baby, but I haven't found the right guy yet."

Ava felt a pang of sympathy for Lily. She knew that Lily had been through some tough times, and she could relate to the longing for a family. But she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

"Listen, Lily, I'm really not in the mood for small talk right now," Ava said, starting to walk away.

But Lily grabbed her arm, her grip tight. "Wait, Ava, there's something else I need to tell you," she said, her voice low.

Ava turned to face her, feeling a sense of foreboding. "What is it?" she asked.

"I've been seeing Ryan," Lily said, her eyes locking onto Ava's.

Ava felt like she had been punched in the gut. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Ryan, her mate, the father of her child, was cheating on her with Lily. She felt a surge of anger and betrayal, and she pulled her arm away from Lily's grasp.

"What are you talking about?" she said, her voice shaking.

"It's true," Lily said, her voice smug. "We've been seeing each other for months now. He's been telling me that he's going to leave you and be with me."

Ava felt like the world was spinning out of control. She had never felt so betrayed in her life. She had trusted Ryan completely, and he had been lying to her.

"I can't believe this," Ava said, her voice barely above a whisper. "How could he do this to me?"

"I'm sorry, Ava," Lily said, her voice dripping with fake sympathy. "I really am. But I thought you deserved to know the truth."

Ava pushed past her, feeling tears running down her face. She ran back to her cabin, feeling like she was underwater. She couldn't think straight. She couldn't believe that Ryan had done this to her.

When she got back to her cabin, she found Ryan waiting for her. He looked guilty and ashamed, and Ava felt a surge of anger.

"How could you do this to me?" she said, her voice shaking.

"I'm sorry, Ava," Ryan said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean for it to happen. It just did."

"How long has this been going on?" Ava asked, feeling like she was going to be sick.

"A few months," Ryan admitted, looking away from her.

"A few months?" Ava repeated, feeling like the world was closing in on her. "How could you keep this from me for so long?"

"I didn't want to hurt you," Ryan said, his voice full of regret. "I was going to tell you, I swear. I just didn't know how."

Ava felt like screaming. She had trusted Ryan completely, and he had betrayed her in the worst possible way. She couldn't even look at him.

"I need some time to think," she said, her voice shaking. "I can't even look at you right now."

"I understand," Ryan said, his voice full of remorse. "I'll give you all the time you need. But please know that I love you, and I never meant to hurt you."

Ava didn't respond. She couldn't even bring herself to look at him. She went into her cabin and closed the door, feeling like her world had been shattered into a million pieces.