Vladimira's P.O.V
He had left. He hasn't called me. He didn't leave any traces of himself either. He just left.
Like I wanted.
But, then again, that was a week ago and I'm still wondering if I made the right decision.
It's for the best though. Being eighteen weeks pregnant with seven weeks until I give birth, I have to start thinking of how factors in my life will affect the little strawberry growing inside me.
'That means we have to start preparing things for the baby. Whether we like it or not, we have to go back,' Greer reminds me.
On the bright side, I've been speaking to Titus over the phone, just filling him in on everything with the baby.
He has opened up to me and, in that, I've opened up to him. Feelings have started to sprout up in my heart, and the feeling that I'm betraying my unknown mate has started to bud.
Continuously, I blame the feelings on our baby, not wanting to believe that I'm desperately falling for my father's enemy.
I contemplate the thought of Titus being my husband, my mate, and fathering the child growing inside me or even getting me pregnant with his second child.
He's not my mate though. If he were, I would have felt the sparks exploding through my body the first time he touched me, the butterflies erupting in my stomach when he first looked in my eyes, the feeling of utter completeness when ever we had sex, the feeling of everlasting joy whenever I found out I was pregnant with his child.
But none of that happened.
Our sex is great, but not enough to make me feel complete. I love our baby to the moon and back, but I wanted to abort him when I first found out I was pregnant. The feeling that consumed me when he first touched me was one of utter disgust because I viewed him as a mere peasant, same goes for when I looked him in the eyes.
What about now, though, Vladimira? I can't help but ask myself.
I already know the answer. Sleep won't come easy if I answer it.
My phone rings which interrupts me from pulling my hair in a ponytail. A smile spreads across my face when I see Collin's name.
"Good morning, Vladimira. What's on your to-do list?" He asks.
I check my watch. "I have my ultrasound today to check on the little bugger. After that, I'm going to the mall to try and check some things off my long list of baby needs. You should come," I suggest.
Collin pounders it. "Alright. What time? Noon?"
"Mhm," I confirm.
••
Strawberry looks like an actual werewolf. He has a face, hands, feet and a heartbeat.
Tears pour down my face as I listen to the soft thumping of his heart, the slight movement of his fist on the screen.
Can my father handle the fact that this baby is now my everything? That I'm adapting to motherhood so well?
What started out as a cell that I hated has now turned into an almost-baby that has all my love.
"He's a quick one. His head is already in the down right position," Gracie applauds before glancing back at me. "How many BH contractions have you felt lately?"
Too many...
"I feel them at night mostly, that's when the baby's the most active, about every 10 minutes for an hour," I shrug.
She nods, her head looking down at her notes. "Your weight gain is on the right track, and your due date is seven weeks away. Everything looks great."
••
My shopping list for the baby consisted of very humanly things—thermometers for example.
Strawberry is going to be born a human but at about two months old, his werewolf genes will kick in which will show by him catching a fever.
It's a very stressful two months according to what my father told me a while ago. He said the baby doesn't have the immunities and the healing properties like normal werewolves so their parents have to be twice as careful with them.
But, for the moment, I settle on picking out the outfit I'd take Strawberry home in and a few other must-haves.
Collin gave very little advice during the whole trip but when he did it was for a good purpose.
"He could choke," He'd say suddenly when I picked up on pacifier. "Safety hazard," He had blurted once when I picked up a teething toy.
All I did was roll my eyes, but I still listened to him. Somehow, though, we stumbled upon the topic of my father between all of his advice.
"I love him but he just angers me so much. I deserve better than that, Strawberry deserves better than that!" I whisper yell so no one hears me.
Collin examines me with his blue eyes before shrugging. "Do you wish you had another father?"
Do I want another father?
"I don't know," I cave pathetically, "but... he's all I've ever had. My mother died in childbirth and my father was, and still is, too heartbroken to find another women to settle down with. I don't even think he has a libido anymore," I babble meaninglessly.
Collin releases a perfect laugh, deep and rich. "Is he abusive?"
My eyes widen at his sudden blunt question. "Uh, not until recently. He has never hurt me unless we're sparing together, which that doesn't count because I can hit back,
"I got pregnant by his enemy and he just had such a hard time accepting that. He tried to adjust to my situation, but he snapped after he found out I had sex with Titus after the Annual Ball. He hurt me. Physically. On purpose."
When Collin pulls me into a hug, I notice the tears that are flowing down my face freely, wetting his shirt.
He shushes me softly, almost like I'm his child.
You're a queen—or at least you used to be one—so act like it.
I pull away, dry my tears, and flash him a weak smile. "He came back a week ago trying to get me to come home, spewing some fake sh*t about me being kidnapped to hopefully persuade me." I continue walking until I arrive in front of a selection of diapers.
Silence floats around Collin and me, and I know immediately that he's waiting for me to continue.
"He tells me nothing of his past. Gosh! I don't even know my mother's birthday!" I fume.
Collin places a hesitant hand on my stomach and almost instantly gets a kick from Strawberry. "Deep breaths. Is your father worth hurting your child?" He questions.
I shake my head and take in a few deep breaths.
Will you even like Dmitri Volchinov, Strawberry? Your innocent mind won't be able to register all the wrongs he did, you'll love him until you're old enough to understand.
There's a list of things that he has done to me, to Titus and even Strawberry that I need to get off my chest.
Collin can't know about any of this, especially since he's here illegally. So, my best bet is either writing my emotions down or complaining to Lilli.
"No, but I don't hate him, not anymore at least. I mean, he's centuries old, don't you think he should know how to be a proper father?" I rub my stomach while my other hand picks up a large package of expensive diapers.
Collin takes over pushing the basket for me. "You're leaving soon, though. You'll have to face him again, you know that right?" He jabs.
I nod. "Of course, and I can't hold a grudge forever because forever is forever whenever you're an immortal creature. We'll have to reconcile in someway."
It's easier said than done, but nothing has really been that easy with my father.