Alpha Nocturne's Contracted Mate

Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate by A E Randell

Chapter 245 Congratulations

Ann stiffened and froze as Maeve’s words sank in. “What do you mean ‘confirm our pups’?”

She breathed, practically holding her breath as the realization of what Maeve had said began to sink in.

‘You heard me.’ Maeve grumbled, ‘Now hurry up and finish getting dressed, I don’t want to miss this

just because you’re too dense to see what everyone has been telling you for the past few days and the

mere possibility of baking these little buns after all the pounding you’ve received is somehow shocking

to you.’ she finished snarkily as she paced restlessly inside Ann’s head, stretching the phantom aches

out of her muscles that remained from sitting for too long.

Ann dressed in a numb silence before mumbling her thanks and swiftly leaving the room with hasty

excuses.

By the look that Bartholomew had on his face, he knew something was troubling her, but he didn’t

press for information, and for that, Ann was grateful.

She knew that she should have prepared for this possibility, but it simply hadn’t occurred to her that she

would fall pregnant this quickly. A female’s heat wasn’t always successful in conceiving the coveted

pups, and she had assumed that she would have to go through at least a few more heat cycles before

they were successful.

The kingdom was nowhere near what she wanted it to be for bringing her own children, her own heirs,

into this mess and the threat of Narcissa and the Excidium Coven still hung over their heads like a

hangman’s noose.

Was it really a good time to be bringing pups into the world?

‘It’s a bit late for regrets now,’ Maeve snorted, ‘You were happy enough to open your l*egs and do the

deed, you should expect that at some point pups are going to follow. You’re an adult Ann … use your

common sense.” she finished derisively as she rolled her eyes.

‘I know how babies are made thank you very much. I just assumed that the normal standard for

conception and pregnancy would apply to us as well.’ Ann retorted defensively as she hurried through

the corridors to the medical wing.

‘Yes, because everything about our lives has been standard and normal up until now hasn’t it?’ Maeve

snapped sarcastically.

Ann frowned as she pushed through the doors and into the waiting area, hovering uncertainly for a

moment as the faces of several patients seated there looked up and their relaxed expressions instantly

transformed into a mixture of shocked awe and panic as they realized that their Queen was standing

before them.

Ann smiled politely and motioned for them to sit as several stood and either bowed or bared their necks

in her presence.

She had really wanted to avoid this awkwardness. Now it would be the talk of the Enclave that she was

present in the medical wing and rumours always seemed to blow little things out of proportion.

‘Expecting pups is not a little thing!’

Maeve objected loudly. Ann ignored her and headed straight for the suddenly stricken-looking

receptionist.

“Your Highness! Hi! How can I help you?” she stammered nervously.

“I have an appointment…” Ann said as quietly as she could, leaning over the desk and noticing the

receptionist swallowing nervously the closer she got.

“Of course! I mean, why else would you be here?!” the receptionist replied in an increasingly high-

pitched voice and giggled nervously.

When Ann didn’t reply other than a strained smile, the receptionist cleared her throat nervously.

“Sorry about that, I just wasn’t expecting… actually, never mind. Who are you here to see?” she asked

as she blushed furiously and looked anywhere but at Ann’s face.

“I’d rather not say actually. Can you just pull it up on your computer please?” Ann answered in a tone

that brokered no argument.

“Oh of course! Sorry.” She apologized profusely as Maeve rolled her eyes in exasperation and she

focused intently on the screen as she tapped away on the keyboard, “Ah, I see! If you’d like to head

down to room eighteen, your physician will be waiting in there.” The receptionist replied after what

seemed like an eternity.

Ann nodded her thanks and turned to check the signposts, before heading off in the right direction.

‘I thought you said it was an obstetrician?’ Maeve smirked.

‘It is. She was trying to be vague because of the amount of people in the room.’ Ann answered curtly as

she arrived at the door of the room she had been directed to.

She took a deep breath before knocking and waited for an answer before she walked in.

“Ah! Welcome, welcome!” a cheerfully enthusiastic petite brunette greeted from behind a desk.

Ann smiled warmly and extended her hand, which the little brunette took happily, her grip firm as she

shook hands with her.

“I’m Emily Nightingale. It’s a pleasure to meet you, your highness. I’ll be taking care of you personally

whilst you’re in the Enclave and whenever you need me outside of the Enclave.”

She grinned brightly.

“Please, just call me Ann. If we’re going to work together regularly then it seems only fitting. I mean…

you’re going to see pretty much all of me over the years.” Ann observed dryly.

“Quite so! If you’re absolutely certain then your Highness, I’ll refer to you as Ann.” Emily gushed as she

gestured towards the rather uncomfortable-looking bed that was positioned next to the wall, “If you

would like to hop onto there, then we’ll take a little looksie and see what’s going on in there.”

Ann nodded quietly, suddenly nervous as she slowly made her way to the table and sat gingerly on the

edge as she watched Emily bustle around her office.

“There’s nothing to be scared of!” Emily reassured her as she pulled a rather complicated-looking

machine to the side of the table that Ann was perched on and smiled gently at her.

“Well, other than the gel perhaps being a little cold to start with of course, but that’s over in seconds.”

Emily continued happily as she pulled on a pair of disposable gloves, “Can you lay down for me and lift

your top a little so I can get to your lower stomach?”

Ann nodded silently as she lay back, her heart racing wildly in anticipation as her mouth suddenly

became dry.

“Wonderful! Now, this might be a little cold…”

Ann flinched despite herself as the cold gel landed on her stomach and she watched as Emily smeared

some across the thing she was holding in her hand.

“What’s that?” Ann asked as she stared uncertainly at Emily’s hands.

“This? Oh! It’s a little ultrasound scanner. When I run it across your skin above your womb, we’ll be

able to see on here whether or not we have any little paws growing in there.” She grinned brightly as

she pointed at the screen.

Ann could feel Maeve’s delirious excitement starting to rise as the wand moved across her stomach.

It wasn’t painful, just slightly uncomfortable with the pressure there, as she moved it slowly across her

skin, pausing every now and then and increasing the pressure before tapping on the buttons on the

keyboard in front of the machine.

Emily reached up and swung the screen around, and pointed to the black and white blobs on the

machine.

“There, do you see Ann?” She asked softly as she watched her face expectantly.

Ann squinted at the screen and briefly wondered what exactly it was that she should be looking for.

Thankfully, Emily didn’t leave her clueless for too long and smiled kindly at her.

“Do you need a little help finding them?”

“I don’t understand, what am I supposed to be seeing there? It’s like a mess of black swirly… stuff. I

can’t make anything out.” Ann replied hesitantly as Emily chuckled.

She reached towards the screen with her free hand and pointed at the three little dots on the screen

that seemed to be ringed in a white circle of sorts.

“Do you see those, Ann?” she asked gently as Ann seemed to hold her breath.

“Ye-es?” She replied uncertainly as Maeve seemed to still completely, holding her breath at the same

time as Ann.

“Those little blobs on the screen are your babies, Ann.” Emily beamed, her grin almost stretching from

ear to ear as Ann stared at the screen with disbelief, “Congratulations your Highness, you’re pregnant!”