She could still remember how it felt—the way Lucas had pulled her close, the hunger in his eyes, the way they couldn't keep their hands off each other.
Neither of them had thought to use protection, and in that moment, birth control had been the furthest thing from her mind.
Aurora's eyes widened as the realization fully dawned on her.
That night...
Five weeks ago. It all lined up.
Her body had responded the way a werewolf might in the presence of their mate, her physiology shifting despite their estrangement.
And now, here she was—pregnant.
Dr. Evans, unaware of the storm raging in Aurora's mind, continued speaking in a calm, professional tone. "I know this may come as a shock, but everything looks healthy so far. We'll schedule follow-up appointments to monitor your progress. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to me."
Aurora nodded, her mind still whirling.
"Thank you, Doctor," she managed, her voice tight with shock. "I—I just need some time to process this."
Dr. Evans gave her a sympathetic look, clearly sensing her distress. "Of course. I'll give you a moment."
Aurora barely registered his words as he left the room, closing the door behind him.
She sat there, her hands trembling in her lap, her entire world tilted on its axis.
Pregnant. With Lucas's pup.
The thought echoed in her mind, both terrifying and overwhelming.
What would she do now?
Aurora's phone buzzed, snapping her out of her spiral of thoughts. She glanced down and saw a message from Ava.
"I think I figured out why the paparazzi acted like that yesterday. It's because pictures of you and Lucas were leaked. Check this out," Ava wrote, followed by a screenshot of the social media post.
Aurora's brows furrowed as she opened the image.
The first picture showed her sitting in Lucas's library, completely engrossed in the books.
But what caught her attention was Lucas sitting across her, his gaze fixed on her.
The expression on his face was... tender, affectionate even, as if he were completely absorbed in her.
She almost laughed aloud.
"Is this photoshopped?" she muttered under her breath.
She remembered that day vividly. She'd been holed up in his library, reading books that covered entertainment industry insights, and Lucas hadn't even glanced in her direction.
Why would he?
He'd always been too wrapped up in his precious Julia to even notice her.
She swiped to the next picture, her heart stuttering in her chest.
It showed her asleep on the couch, with Lucas leaning over her, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.
Aurora blinked in disbelief.
When did this happen?
She racked her brain, trying to recall that moment, but nothing came to mind.
She let out a shaky laugh, trying to brush it off. "This has to be fake. Lucas never loved me. He couldn't have."
But as much as she tried to dismiss it, the seed of doubt began to grow. Or had he?
Aurora's phone buzzed again, but this time, it was a call. Ava's name flashed on the screen.
She answered the call, bringing the phone to her ear.
"Aurora? Are you alright?" Ava's voice was laced with concern. "You only sent me a short message saying you were going to the hospital, and I haven't heard anything since."
Aurora softened at her assistant's worry. "Yes, I sent the message. Don't worry, I'm fine," she replied, her voice calm.
"You sure?" Ava pressed, still not fully convinced.
Aurora smiled, though Ava couldn't see it. "Yes, I promise," she reassured, placing a hand gently on her belly as an unexpected warmth spread through her. The smallest smile crept onto her lips.
There was a pause before Ava finally exhaled. "Alright. Do you want me to come pick you up? I can be there in no time."
Aurora shook her head, even though Ava couldn't see her. "No need. I'm heading to Sophia's place. I want to check on her and see how she's doing."
"Okay," Ava replied, her voice relaxing slightly. "I just remembered—I sent you those messages about the leaked photos earlier. But don't worry, the post and images have already been taken down."
Aurora blinked in surprise. "Really? Thank you."
"I didn't do it, though," Ava quickly clarified. "I have no idea who took them down, but it's a good thing either way."
Aurora's hand froze on her belly.
Her mind drifted back to Lucas, the images of him staring at her and kissing her forehead flashing in her thoughts.
"Did Lucas take them down?" she wondered, her heart skipping a beat.
Was it because of what happened yesterday?
Had he really cared about her, in ways she had never noticed?
"Mrs Aurora?" Ava's voice broke through her daze.
Aurora blinked, snapping back to the present. "Yeah, I'm here," she said, trying to focus.
"Okay... just making sure." Ava hesitated for a moment. "Look, I don't want to stress you out about the photos, especially with everything going on. But I really don't know who took them down. It just happened all of a sudden."
Aurora chewed on her bottom lip, her mind drifting back to Lucas.
Could it have been him?
Was it possible that he still felt some kind of... protectiveness toward her, despite everything?
"Don't worry about it," she finally said, trying to push the thoughts aside. "It's better that they're gone, whoever did it."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Ava agreed. There was a brief pause before she added, "Are you sure you're okay? You sound... a little off."
Aurora's smile returned, softer this time. "I'm okay, Ava. Really. It's just been a long day."
"Alright, if you say so," Ava responded, though there was still a note of concern in her voice. "But if you need anything, just call me. I mean it."
"I will," Aurora promised, her hand instinctively moving to her belly again, as if seeking comfort. "Thanks, Ava. I'll talk to you later."