Rise of the Dark Alpha

~ SASHA ~

Sasha's head spun as she and Nick rode in the car back to the building that housed her apartment. She felt like she'd heard things that should make her ecstatic—Nathan saying she could return to Thana if she wasn't pregnant? But for some reason, she couldn't allow herself to believe it. Even though she was certain she wasn't pregnant, that Nick's bluster, while probably true about the people they'd placed in her life and their access to her, she didn't see how they could have messed with her hormones without her noticing the changes in her body.

She prayed, literally prayed, the entire way back, that she was right, and that she wasn't pregnant.

Nick was on a small device that looked a lot like a cellphone, or small tablet, but thicker and didn't seem to be receiving calls as much as messages.

"That went better than I expected," he said casually, still tapping on the device as they rolled and bounced together in the back of the SUV that was navigating potholes and tree-roots on its way back to the main building.

"How?" Sasha asked, swallowing against the nausea that still wanted to return, despite her light dinner.

"Nathan was pissed off, but he was listening. That means he thinks you have a brain in your head. Trust me, it could have gone a lot worse. And he said you could go back to Thana. That was a surprise. I thought he'd leave you hanging on that one, to keep you motivated."

"I promise you, nothing motivates me more than getting back to Zev."

"I'm guessing he figured that out, which is why he dangled the carrot. But don't get too certain about it yet. We still have the test to take in the morning. Two of them."

"Why two?"

"Because Chimeran pregnancies are different. We aren't sure how a half-Chimeran baby will affect your body, so we're going to test for both markers, just in case."

"Test, how?"

"Blood tests, and… just some scrapes and swabs. Don't worry about it."

"Scrapes and swabs of what?"

"Nothing that's going to harm you or the baby, don't worry."

Sasha looked at him, but they were just pulling up to the main building. The headlights of the SUV panning over the face of it. The downstairs office was dark, but there was light showing in the windows upstairs. Apparently Sasha wasn't the only one using an apartment up there. Nick thanked the driver and got out, opening the door for her so she could let herself down to the gravel, then they entered together.

As they walked up the stairs and into the hallway at the top, Sasha was rocked with a wave of tiredness. It had been the most overwhelming day, and right on the back of a night of virtually no sleep. Now that she felt like they were done with responsibilities, suddenly, other than to be in Zev's arms, she wanted nothing more than to sleep.

Nick ushered her upstairs and into the apartment, then walked through, checking that everything she needed was there. Sasha stood dumbly in the center of the floor, asking herself how she'd gotten there, and what she was going to do.

Suddenly, the night loomed ahead of her, dark and lonely.

She wanted Zev. So badly. Just to curl into his arms. To feel the warmth of his skin.

What if he was sicker? What if her leaving had triggered some kind of attack or… or he'd hurt himself trying to come after her?

What if he was over there dying and she didn't even know it.

She dropped her face into her hands, breathing deeply. She couldn't give in to this while Nick was still there.

But he'd already seen her distress.

"It's going to be fine, Sasha. I promise. You're doing well. They liked you. I know it probably didn't seem that way, but I promise you, Nathan doesn't suffer fools. Most people wouldn't have held his attention for five minutes. Let alone over an hour."

"I just… I just want to get out of here," she sighed, swallowing back tears.

"Well, I guess we'll find out tomorrow if that's going to happen quickly. But I'd say your chances are good. Keep doing what you're doing—don't pretend everything's fine, but do show that you're willing to work with them. It's going to work in your favor."

Sasha nodded, but she felt completely deflated.

Then Nick came to stand in front of her and put one hand to her upper arm, rubbing up and down just like her father used to do. "Hey, don't cry. You did so well! I was impressed, Sasha. Really. I expected that to be a lot worse."

"Thank you," she mumbled, creeped out, but needing him on her side. "I'm just tired. I need to have a drink then go to bed."

Nick helped her find the glasses and showed her where a set of pajamas and another set of fresh clothes had been left out for her.

Sasha thanked him, but her skin was beginning to crawl at his attentiveness, so she told him he could go, that she was just going to sleep.

Taking the hint, Nick agreed. As he opened the door, he turned, and that compassion she'd seen earlier was back in his eyes.

"I told you that I could see why Zev chose you," he said quietly. "And I meant it. You're perfect for him, Sash. And… everything else aside, I'm really, really grateful that you love him, and you're fighting so hard to be back with him. It… it makes me happy."

Sasha blinked and forced herself to focus. "You're, uh, welcome, I guess?"

Nick gave a dry smile. "I know, I know. I'm hardly the natural father figure, but it's true, Sash. I really do care about him. And I'm glad he's got you to lean on."

And leaving that strange turn of tone hanging in the air, he stepped out into the hallway and pulled the door closed behind him, leaving Sasha staring at it, trying to figure out what just happened.

She was still uncertain a few minutes later when she finally snapped out of her haze and stumbled to the bed, changed, and fell into the blankets with a brokenhearted sigh.

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