Austin and the guys had built a small building behind the mansion to house my clinic. It was compact and very basic, but I figured we could always expand in the future if we needed more space.
When hospitals all around the world closed down during the Reveal and the aftermath, Austin located a medical supplier desperate to rid himself of supplies – for the right price. My clinic was well-stocked to offer prenatal care, but also outfitted with everything I needed to treat traumatic injuries. War was coming our way, and I wanted to be prepared for anything.
“Good morning!” I greeted Lori cheerfully as I let Jessica to the exam room.
“Hey, Anna,” Lori said with a hesitant smile and a glance at Jessica.
Lori was one of our new packmates who had come from Hollow Crest. She and her mates had escaped the custody of a mad scientist and asked for refuge here with us. Lori had been through a lot, even though she was still a teenager. The Reveal interrupted her last year of high school, but she was a quick learner. She had been invaluable in setting up the clinic. She didn’t fully trust anyone outside of her mates, but I understood the feeling. It would take time for her to open up to us and integrate into our family.
Jessica kicked at the little stool to get it in place to maneuver herself onto the exam table. She gave a grunt of frustration before settling down and looking at me with a sullen face.
“How have you been feeling?” I asked with a smile as I grabbed my stethoscope.
“How do you think?” she grumbled back at me.
Lori sat with her pen poised over her notebook, ready to document the visit as I worked with Jessica.
“Any cramping or abdominal pain?” I asked as I gently placed the stethoscope on her belly.
“No,” she admitted with a breath of relief. “I’m just fat and awkward. I feel more like a whale than a wolf.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but she kept going.
“And I hate not being able to shift. I feel trapped in this form,” Jessica’s voice rasped on her last words. “I’m worried I’ll be stuck like this.”
“I won’t let that happen,” I assured her. “Austin is strong enough to pull you into wolf form if he needs to. But I have a feeling it won’t come to that.”
“Austin’s not my pack master,” Jessica complained.
I hummed in response, not willing to be drawn into that argument. “The babies’ heartbeats are strong and steady,” I told her confidently.
“There’s still three?” she asked, a little bit of vulnerability peeking through her attitude.
“Yup,” I told her with a small smile. “I’m going to put my hands on you so I can use my magic to check on them now.”
I closed my eyes to focus. I used my magic to examine the inner workings of her body, but I spoke aloud so that Lori could take notes.
“The uterine wall is still strong,” I said before sending my awareness deeper. “For baby one, the placenta is well attached, and I don’t sense any issues.” I paused as I checked on the next baby. “The second is also in good health.”
With my exploratory magic, I reached for the third baby, hoping for the same. However, something wasn’t right. This baby was smaller than the others, and the magical signature weaker.
“Well?” Jessica demanded impatiently.
I hushed her and explored the length of the umbilical cord, looking for any issues. I found the problem when I saw that a sharp kink was slowing the blood flow and causing a potential obstruction. Very gently, I nudged the cord to straighten out. The child suddenly kicked when the full blood flow through the cord was reestablished, and I grinned.
“Baby three is a feisty one,” I told her with a smile. “Can you feel her kicking?”
Jessica frowned. “Maybe. I’m not sure.” Her eyes darted to the side and I got the impression she was trying not to sense her pups.
I ran my eyes over Jessica’s face. Her brow was slightly wrinkled with worry and she rubbed the sides of her belly nervously. Was she intentionally blocking them out of fear? Her pups would do better if they had a strong connection with their mother. Jessica was probably afraid to get attached to them in case they didn’t survive, but they needed her now.
“Close your eyes,” I told her. “I’m going to help you focus.”