"What just happened?" Vincencio thought carefully, wondering worriedly.
'Follow her, idiot.'
"That's what I'm doing," he responded coldly and dashed after his wife.
Without hesitation, he tailed his wife and knocked on the bathroom door before entering, only to see Skylar throwing up all she had eaten. His eyes grew wider, and he ran to her side. Although worried, he crunched down quietly, soothing his wife's back while holding her hair up, supporting her. When she was done, both of them rested on the floor, quietly as if they were trying to think what to say or how to react to what had happened.
"Ahm...Wifey, are you okay?" He tried to ask her again after throwing up, and when Skylar looked at him and smiled, although it was not reflected on her pale face.
"I'm okay...it's just gone to the wrong pipe..." She reasoned, not the truth, and Vincencio something was off.
'She's becoming good at hiding things.'
"She's awakening, I had to expect that." Vincencio agreed to Vin when they noticed Skylar's sudden lie. They knew that no such thing as vomiting when something was stuck in your throat.
"Hm, if you say so." He said softly, not pressing to know what secret Skylar was hiding from him. Instead, he stood up, helping Skylar do the same before saying, "Don't drink the coffee, I'll prepare you tea instead."
Vincencio assisted Skylar back to the office and let her rest while he prepared her lemon green tea with honey. He could feel Skylar watching his back carefully, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't say anything. He sighed, kept his genuine smile, before handing the tea to his wife, and sat beside her.
"Thanks." Skylar smiled, taking a sip while Vincencio watched her carefully. "What?"
"Are you sure you're okay? I could get you home." Vincencio asked carefully, filled with care, making Skylar smile softly. She even pecks his lips, giggling slightly.
"I'm fine. I must have just gotten overwhelmed with the workloads today and almost missed my lunch." She admitted, and it was true, skipping her pregnancy a secret. Then she stood up, stretched a little, before heading back to her desk. "I'd better wrap things up before going home. Thanks for the meal."
"I'll tell Medina to reheat them in case you get hungry." He said gently, not pushing his wife. He even thought it might be a sensitive issue for Skylar not to share it openly. He decided to be patient and went to the side and kissed her. "I'll wait till she's ready."
Skylar loved the affection coming from her husband, and when they pulled away and were about to wish each other safety, Vincencio sensed it. He felt nausea, which technically wasn't from him, and quickly held Skylar as her sight went dark. She collapsed in his arms.
"WIFEY!" Vincencio tried to wake her up by gently tapping her cheek, but it was not useful. He called Medina quickly, shouting, "MEDINA, PREPARE THE CAR! WE'RE GOING TO THE HOSPITAL!"
Medina entered with a shocked expression but remained composed and focused on the emergency.
"On it." Medina responded coldly, texting Joey for the car and informing Vincencio about her boss's last meeting, "I'll cancel her last meeting with SaiRus Corps."
"Okay, but do inform them about this. They're family." Vincencio said as he carried Skylar out of the office and got into the lift, before asking, "Med, tell me the truth, has she told you something that has been bothering her? Or notice something odd around her action lately?"
"She was still the same on the way here, or even the way she handles the company matters. She was still the same, but something strange happened when she came out of the seminar room. I smell burned blood when she passed me and entered her office after getting painkillers from me." She answered seriously as the lift dinged and they went out in a hurry. "Is it because she had awakened?"
"That smell might have something to do with it, but her throwing up, nausea, and now this, I think it's different," Vincencio answered seriously as they tucked Skylar carefully inside the car. "Call Irina and handle the company with her, Medina. We trust you two to do that."
"Noted." She responded with a respectful bow before calling her lover, Irina, to help her manage the company for a while.
***
At the hospital, Avalon Medical Institute, Dr Aletia Eztli Monsour, the doctor who assisted them as soon as they arrived in the emergency area. Vincencio and Joey waited patiently on the side while the doctor checked on his wife. It didn't take long before they admitted Skylar into her private wing at the hospital.
"What's her status?" Vincencio asked calmly but filled with worry while holding Skylar's hand tightly as if she would vanish if he didn't do that.
"She's safe. She just needs enough rest and to eat properly." Dr Aletia Eztli answered gently, smiling with assurance before adding a sigh, "And as her aunt, she's like her mother whenever she wants to do things on her own. Stress."
"She's a workaholic." He chuckled, agreeing with his sister-in-law before kissing Skylar's knuckle.
"True, but Vincencio, you're her husband. You have the right to remind her about it." She reminded him softly, making him nod, but still not looking at her.
"That's why I made sure she ate, but earlier she threw up her favorite food that I cooked, and when I asked her if she was alright, she said she's fine, although I knew she was not." He answered, sharing with the doctor what had just happened at the office.
"Then you knew that she was lying." She said, narrowing her eyes, understanding the situation.
"I do, and I know she won't be lying without a good reason, so I patiently waited for it." He admitted, sighing heavily.
"Then she's truly good at hiding it because your wolf didn't even sense it." She said calmly, but there was an amused smile.
"When I sensed something but couldn't name it, what it is exactly." He shared, making the doctor chuckle.
"That's what I'm trying to say, she's good at masking it." She insisted, patting his back, making him frown.
"What do you mean?" He wondered.
"Well, you have to ask her because I think that's the reason why she's hiding it to surprise you." She said as she completely understood what type of situation the couple was in before adding her last remarks, "I'm not going to tell you more, but all I can assure you, she's stable, in good condition, but needs enough rest, eats on time, and no stress is allowed, and more importantly, congratulations."
Vincencio was stunned. Speechless as he watched his sister-in-law, Dr. Aletia Eztli Monsour, left the room. He didn't understand what she was trying to say or what she was congratulating him for. However, somewhere deep inside him, he somehow, faintly knew what it meant.
"Vin, is my gut telling me the truth about something?" Vincencio asked his wolf, trying to navigate the indirect answer to his wife's real status.
'Hm, maybe, and if it does, shouldn't you be happy?'
"I'll be ecstatic, thrilled, but if hiding it from me would only put them in danger, I'd rather hear it as soon as possible." He answered, admitting the fear and worry he would feel if Skylar were in danger.
'True, but let's be patient. We don't want to ruin her plan.'
"Funny, if you put it that way, but you're right, being patient is one of the foundations of a healthy relationship, trust." He agreed, sighing hopefully while squeezing his wife's hand, praying softly, "I hope she'll wake up now. I'm still worried, though."
'Rest. I'll take it from here.'
"You sure?" He asked, seeking assurance before yawning. He was obviously getting exhausted from worrying about his wife.
'You need energy than I do. She'll need you when she wakes up.'
"Okay, tell me when she does." He said, yawning, and let himself rest beside Skylar.
But as soon as his wolf took over his consciousness, Vincencio's body moved through Vin's control. He stretches for a couple of rounds before looking sternly at his unconscious wife, grinning even.
"He's asleep. Exhausted from worrying about you." Vin said teasingly, making Skylar open her eyes, smiling softly.
"You knew?" Skylar asked, trying to sit up properly, which Vin quickly helped with.
"That we're having a baby? Of course, stupid." He guessed teasingly before kissing her head.
"Don't call me stupid." She said pouting adorably.
"But you are not taking care of yourself." He teased and pecked her lips.
"It slipped." She giggled slightly.
"Workaholic." He corrected, kissing her lips again.
"That's me." She chuckled before stretching a little. "Are you mad?"
"No, but he's worried, and I have to swallow my snickering from not using his wolf's connection with you." He chuckled, amused by his human slow mind when troubled.
"That's him when he panicked." She chuckled, but quickly softened, looking at her hands before wondering carefully, "So, when did you know?"
"I felt Rose's restlessness like she's ready to kill anyone who threatens you." He answered, ensuring Skylar's pillow was securing her back.
"I see." She smiled, grabbing his hand before asking carefully, "Ahm about Rose...did you know her truth?"
"About her as my soulmate? Or her as Death's consort?" He guessed, grinning.
"Either." She responded, making Vin nod.
"Well, the pull between us is the proof of our old vows and love. But whenever the two of you went to your hunt, I sensed that she was not fully with me. There was a side of her that didn't belong with me, like it has been claimed before, I could." He admitted calmly, surprising Skylar a little, but still listened as Vin continued, saying, "And surprisingly, I'm not upset with it, maybe because we loved each other once already. We're just given time to be together longer than before."
"And if she leaves, what would you do?" she wondered curiously.
Vin looked at her carefully, trying to read the woman she had mated with, before smiling. He squeezed her hand, giving her assurance.
"If you're worried about being alone without her, don't. You're a general like her. You led and commanded a platoon. You're even a boss of your own business and a family head of a pack. None of it has been Rose's work. It's all you." Vin said gently, giving Skylar a little confidence in herself before answering her question, "She just helps you to get stronger than before. And about me, I can't answer that because nobody knows what lies in the future. When we come to that day, you'll understand."
"Vin." She said softly, trying to come up with something, but there was nothing.
"Sky, you have nothing to worry about. Rose and I's relationship is already past what everyone was feeling toward their mates. We're deeper than that. It's hard to explain, but maybe in time you'll understand what it meant." He assured her, before she could say anything else, he added quickly, saying, "Right, now, rest. You need it because I could tell our baby had strong blood."
"Meaning?" She asked, feeling drowsy again.
"Our baby is a hybrid, but perhaps, had the ancient power that could consume anything it touches if wronged." He said proudly, grinning with assurance, making Skylar smile, and reached out for his face. He leaned on it.
"That's something." She muttered, feeling the sleep creeping up again.
"Well, that's still subjective. It could still be changed, depending on how the baby grows. But there's a guarantee that our baby is stronger than us when it reaches maturity." He clarified and was still proud, making Skylar genuine happy.
"Also, they were healthy." She yawned one more time before patting the side of her bed, requesting, "Sleep beside me, Vin. I needed your warmth."
"Of course, my Luna." He replied, settling himself beside Skylar, who immediately snuggled into his arms, making him chuckle, teasing, "You know, I also love this clinging softness of yours."
"Savour it then." She giggled as Vin pulled her closer protectively.
"Ohho, I will." He responded, kissing her head, and let his wife drift back to sleep.