"They're drawing my circle."
I stand at the back doors in the kitchen. It's pitch black outside. We've either launched ourselves into the night sky or have stumbled into a place we are not supposed to be.
"It's time," David says as he comes up behind me. His hands reach under my arms and caress my bump.
Something moves inside of me, and my eyes shoot down to my round, ripened stomach. I gasp and swiftly turn to my love. David kneels before me and looks at my very pregnant belly. Fear strikes my core. "I-I don't remember—"
"It's coming," he tells me. "It's time."
I jolt and wake in my seat, submerged in the strange atmosphere of the airplane. Bonny is in the seat beside me, and in front of us, Lyde and Jeremy are stationed. I can't see them from over the partition, but Bonny is asleep, comfortable in a roomy, padded, reclined seat that I have the privilege of experiencing myself. Yet it's hard to enjoy when everything has felt so off.
The last thirty-six hours have been nothing more than a bizarre haze.
I never went back to sleep after I woke up with blood in my underwear, but I pretended to do so when David did. As requested, he canceled my doctor's appointment and stayed with me all morning until Bonny and Jeremy arrived. Shockingly, I didn't break. I spoke when I needed to, ate when I was given food and said "I'm fine" just about a hundred times. For once, it was easy to say it. I was tired and my head hurt and my last drop of energy had to go to our planning. I didn't have it in me to weather a breakdown.
The next night, I slept like the dead. David woke me and suddenly I was moving. I had to get ready and drive all the way to the airport and get on a plane for over eight hours. Saying goodbye was difficult, and my anxiety was only made worse when I discovered I didn't bleed at all through the night. But it was too late. I had to go and hope my body sorts itself out.
He kissed me and held me and stroked my hair. I cried a little too much which only unnerved him more. For a few minutes there I thought he might force me to stay, and in that state, I wouldn't have had a single issue obeying, but he let me go.
I can still recall the look in his eyes—his hesitation, his fear.
I bring my little toiletry pouch with me to the bathroom. It's a cramped space, but I make it work. I avoid the mirror and get right to business. It takes all of ten seconds for me to worsen my confusion; there's no blood again. "Oh no," I chirp and begin to panic.
When Bonny saw me yesterday, she didn't have to ask how my nonexistent appointment went. It was clear by my somber, mournful aura that my previous hopes were stomped to dust. Thankfully, Jeremy knows that I like to cocoon myself in numbness when I'm depressed, and he let me be. It's was Helena that I struggled to face, but she reacted as I assumed she would—like a mother with a soft, healing touch. She told me to keep wearing the necklace.
I exit the cubby of a bathroom and return to my seat. Unsure of whether or not I should say something, I refrain from waking Bonny to bombard her with questions. It's clear that whatever was in my underwear the other night was not what I thought it was. Whatever is going on with me will have to wait until I get back home because I cannot juggle this sort of dilemma while I'm traveling across the world. I have a proposition to schmooze down peoples' throats and a speech to give. This—this is not happening. Not now. It can happen when I'm home with David and Helena, not tens of thousands of feet in the air.
I push against the back of my seat, worried I may have a panic attack—no. No, I have to keep it together. Maybe it's time for another test, one that really exercises my Luna abilities. All I have to do is change the fundamental structure of my kind while finding out if I could actually be pregnant. A little laugh slips out.
Goddess above pray for me.
We land four hours later, and I'm still not bleeding. We collect our luggage and locate our car which includes a driver to take us to the meeting location southwest of Munich in the Bavarian Alps. The scenery of both the city and the following natural landscape is breathtaking, and despite my misunderstanding with my body, I watch it with a childish wonder as does Lyde.
Lyde and I sit on the very back seats while Jeremy and Bonny have two seats ahead that interestingly sit backward, facing us. Bonny—who has probably been all over Europe, smiles at our amazement. However, Jeremy's blank face brings me to ask, "Is everything alright?"
His eyes blink to me from his lap, his head unmoving. "Of course."
"It's been a long trip," I say. "Have you been here before?"
"I have. My posting before the Amin Pack was for the pack hosting this meeting."
My brows pinch together. "Really? You never said anything. So you know these people?"
He nods. Maybe his job with them didn't go so well; he doesn't seem pleased by this reunion.
"Did you help their Luna?"
"No," he says, "I was a temporary advisor for the Alpha—Alpha Dreier. His father had died and he needed assistance taking over the position."
"Oh. Wow. For how long?"
Jeremy sighs. "A year."
"That's a long time," Lyde comments, prompting me to glance at her. "Have you stayed in contact?"
"We haven't spoken since I left."
I ask, "Did something happen?"
Jeremy holds my gaze for a beat too long. "We had a disagreement. To be honest with all of you, the hosting pack is not in favor of our proposition. They will be respectful, I'm sure, but I would refrain from discussing it with them. There are plenty of others who are more than willing to hear us out."
"You're positive that they're safe to be around? A-After what happened with Nicodra, I—"
"I am positive."
Bonny questions, "Did Alpha Dreier know Alpha Nicodra?"
"Knew of him, yes. But Alpha Dreier has only attended the biannual Union meeting in North America once. I doubt they ever formed a sort of relationship."
Trusting Jeremy's opinion, I say, "Then we'll avoid discussing it with him. And thank you for coming with me Jeremy. It must be difficult to face him after your falling out."
He nods again—a 'you're welcome.'
The meeting location is a building nestled in the mountains that looks like a luxurious ski lodge. Since it is currently summer, there is no snow at the base of the mountains, but it must look quite picturesque when everything is coated in white.
Our driver pulls under the front, roofed entrance, and we unload our things. If I didn't know what was going on behind the scenes, I might think I was here for some stereotypical European vacation. Workers—hotel workers—assist us, and we check-in at the front desk. Bubbling over with curiosity, I ask Jeremy discretely, "What's going on?"
The woman at the front desk, dressed in a uniform and adorned with a name tag, gives him room keys. "The Dreier pack runs this place," he explains and leads our group through the modern, wood and stone lobby. "This hotel is on their land, and they cater it to humans during the winter. During the off-season, the Union uses it as a main European location. All of the workers belong to the pack, but the pack itself is a short drive west."
"So the guests are all attending the meeting tomorrow?"
"Yes," he says, "they are all leaderships."
The lobby isn't too busy; it's rather tranquil. Three or four well-dressed people move about or sit in the lounge area, and they don't pay us much attention. Our rooms are on the fourth floor, and we take an elevator up to it.
I pull my small suitcase behind me as we walk down a long, carpeted hall. The hotel ambiance is very different from the primary Union location, yet it doesn't feel bad in any way; in fact, it's cozy. Compared to the ancient stone of my previous accommodation, this place—while lacking the medieval grandness—is somewhat comforting, which seems about right for a hotel. The only factor contrasting with this is the guests. There is nothing comforting about unfamiliar Alphas and Lunas.
We each have our own room, and we divide to acclimate and rest before dinner. My room is next to Jeremy's, and we share a door between us, but when I test it, it proves to be locked. The rest of the space reflects the same modern yet woodsy aroma of the lobby. The bedding is plush and white, the flooring is dark wood, and the walls are painted a sophisticated grey. The featured artwork is better suited for someone who understands such things, so I don't spend too much time staring at the minimalistic paintings before peeking into the bathroom.
A shower and separate full tub catch my interest. There's also a spacious counter fitted with a sink and a large mirror. Needing to check myself, I take a moment to use the restroom, and I come to accept the fact that I am not on my period.
Knowing what I have to do next, I return to my bags in the bedroom and take out my phone. The time here is six hours ahead of the time back home, so David should be sleeping, not getting up for another hour or two, but he asked me to call.
I tap his contact and bring the device to my ear. It rings only once.
"David?" I say into my phone.
"Hey, did you make it to the Alps okay?"
The smooth sound of his voice pulls me onto the neatly-made bed. I sit and shut my eyes just to imagine he's here with me. He doesn't sound sleepy. I hope he's been sleeping. "I'm in my room now. We don't have to do anything until the meeting tomorrow, but we're going to grab lunch soon."
"Good. And you're feeling alright?"
"Yeah," I manage, "I'm doing fine."
I can't tell him what's going on with me, it will only worry him more. I don't want him dropping everything to get on a plane just to comfort me for the little time I have here.
"Brigette, talk to me. You don't sound fine."
"I have to do this for them, so I'll do it. I've worked too hard on the proposition, and I have to see it through. B-But I..." My voice cuts off. He has to know that I'm okay.
"Brigette?"
"But I'll be back soon. I'll be home before you know it. Did you sleep at all?"
"I'm worried about you—after what happened. I thought maybe you shouldn't have gone, but if you're doing okay..."
"I am. Please, don't worry. Try to sleep, and make sure you eat, and be nice to Tarlo because it isn't his fault that I'm across the world so you can't take it out on him. And tell Helena that I'm doing okay; she wants to know. Tell her I brought the necklace, and that I'm wearing it."
He pauses. "I will—just, come home to me, Brigette."
"I always will," I tell him. "I promise, okay?"
"I love you."
Goddess, what I would do to have him here. I'm taunted by the mere fact that I can't have his embrace whenever I please. I bite my lip then say, "I love you, too."
************************************************
Sorry for the wait!
I didn't expect to struggle for a month on this, but I think my mind is being made up regarding the ending part of this story. I also went on vacation and have started college classes, so I've been a bit distracted.
Hopefully, the next part will be up soon, and I can wrap this up perfectly for you guys.
Thanks for sticking around!