The Lion’s Forbidden Mate

“You don’t think I know that?” Lucy hissed at her.

“Come with me,” Becca said standing up and extending her hands.

Lucy didn’t bother asking her where they were going. It wasn’t like she was in any kind of a position to protest or argue with her. Right now, she had to trust that wherever Becca was leading her, it was going to be to some place that was going to help her out in some way. They made their way up the stairs to the third floor of the hotel and marched down the corridor until they came to a room where a woman was already halfway out of it with a large piece of luggage.

“Hey, Jane,” Becca said, stopping her right where she was.

“Oh, hi, Becca,” Jane said after a moment, brushing her springy locks out of her eyes and blinking a few times.

Lucy had only seen Jane a few times. She was the onsite medical professional that they brought in case of accidents or emergencies that popped up over anything. Lucy was grateful that she hadn’t been needed in her life up until this moment.

“What’s wrong, girls? You look pale,” Jane said after a moment of silence.

“We need a pregnancy test,” Becca said after a moment.

It was a long, unbearable amount of time before Lucy found out once and for all from the mouth of Jane that she was pregnant. It wasn’t like she needed to hear it and as Jane studied her face as they sat in the hotel room, she knew that Jane was well aware of the fact that Lucy had already known the answer. The whole exercise was simply to make sure that Becca was on board with the truth of the situation.

“You already knew,” Jane said as she tossed the pregnancy test into the garbage.

Lucy nodded to her and Jane didn’t seem like there was anything wrong with any of this. In fact, she seemed like this was pretty standard and routine.

“All right, I’m not here to judge and I’m not here to ask questions,” Jane said with a smile on her face. “I’m here to make sure that everyone gets the proper attention and medical help. If you let Lynn know that you’re pregnant, she’s definitely going to start asking questions and you’re going to have to start answering them for her. So, if you want my advice, I’d suggest you ride it out the best you can for the tour, make sure you take the vitamins I’m going to suggest to you, and that you cope the best you can. When you start showing or it gets too uncomfortable, make a reason up for leaving.”

“Thanks,” Lucy said tentatively.

“We have to tell him,” Becca said sternly, not wanting to give away too much to Jane, but not wanting to wait to have the conversation.

“No,” Lucy said, shaking her head.

“I don’t want to know who it is,” Jane said, clearly having been through her share of tour drama before. “But I do think that you better tell him. Shifters don’t get abortions and you’re going to carry this child and love it no matter what. The father deserves to know the truth and you deserve his support. But, that’s just my two cents. Now, you better get out of here and let me get down to the bus before we take off. I’ll give you a list of things you’re going to need and some information that will help you out. Don’t give up,” Jane said with a comforting hand on Lucy’s shoulder. “This isn’t the end of the world.”

No, but she was going to suffer for it, that much was for sure. As they walked out of the room, Lucy wiped the tears from her eyes and was horrified that they practically walked straight into Justin who was coming down the hallway, looking for the two of them. Becca tensed up and froze while Justin grinned and headed straight for them.

“There you two are,” he cried. “I’ve been looking all over for you. I feel like you’re giving me the cold shoulder.” He froze, looking at them and immediately knowing that there was something up and that he wasn’t in the loop. If there was something that Justin hated, it was not being in the loop. “What’s going on ladies? Did someone die?”

“I’ll see you two later,” Jane said, excusing herself from the incredibly awkward situation.

Justin looked at them and Lucy let out a sigh, figuring that if she’d told Becca already, that she might as well tell Justin. It wasn’t like she had a whole lot of options. Becca was bound to tell Justin anyway and that would just mean she would be waiting to get ambushed on the way to Nashville, which she wouldn’t be excitedly waiting for.

They took Justin into his room and told him everything and he was just as baffled and horrified as Becca had been as she found out. When he asked the same questions, they both gave him stern, resolute answers that didn’t give him room for questions. Lucy was grateful that Becca was there with her. It was easier this way. It was easier not being such a fool when she was with someone who knew just as much as she did about the situation.

“How could James do this?” Justin furrowed is brow. “I mean, no offense Lucy, but he’s got Violet White waiting for him. He could have that any night he wanted for the rest of his life. Why would he jeopardize that and the whole political bet that is hinging on the union that those two have together? That’s absolute, complete, unreasonable insanity.”

“Yeah, Violet’s great, but he clearly likes Lucy better,” Becca said sharply. “He has been acting strange though. He’s clearly not happy with the arrangement of the marriage and he’s been dragging his feet all along the way with the planning. Do you think that he’s trying to get out of it?”