Bella's POV
The sterile white walls of the clinic seemed to close in around me as Doctor Paige delivered the words that would change everything.
"You're pregnant, Bella." She didn't look up from the test results spread across her desk. Her clinical tone cut through the silence like a blade.
My world tilted sideways. The suspicion had been gnawing at me for weeks, but hearing it confirmed felt like a punch to the chest. I pulled my oversized sweatshirt tighter around my trembling frame, my hands disappearing into the sleeves.
"Do you have any idea who fathered this child? Is it your destined mate?" Doctor Paige's pen clicked impatiently against the papers.
The judgment in her voice was unmistakable. My throat felt dry as sandpaper.
She knew the answer before I could even speak. An unmated eighteen-year-old omega's daughter, pregnant and wolfless. The pack council would have a field day with this scandal.
"You do realize what your parents sacrificed for you, don't you?" Her eyes narrowed with disgust. "They emptied their savings account to give you an education. And this is how you honor that sacrifice?"
She would never dare speak to an alpha's daughter this way. But I was just omega blood, worthless in her eyes.
My fingers twisted together in my lap, seeking comfort that wouldn't come.
"Answer me, Bella. Do you even know which man got you pregnant?" The question hung in the air like poison.
The truth burned in my chest. I had no answer to give her.
Two months earlier, everything had been different.
"Make a wish, birthday girl!" Parker's voice had been warm honey as he placed the small cake in front of me. Derek and Hugo flanked him, their smiles genuine and bright.
Having my three closest friends celebrate my eighteenth birthday meant everything to me. They were the only constants in my life.
"Come on, spill it. What did you wish for?" Derek's emerald eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. His dark hair fell messily across his forehead in that careless way that made my pulse quicken.
I'd harbored feelings for him since we were children, though I doubted he saw me as anything more than the quiet girl who tagged along.
"Wishes don't work if you say them out loud," I replied, heat creeping up my neck. Standing next to these three towering alphas always made me feel impossibly small.
"Fair enough. Keep your secrets," Hugo said, his steel-gray gaze intense. "But tell us this much. Did you sense your mate today?"
The question sent my heart racing. How could I explain the confusing attraction I felt toward all three of them? It wasn't normal to have feelings for multiple people, was it?
"No mate yet. My wolf hasn't emerged either," I admitted, trying to hide my disappointment.
"Who needs a mate when you have us?" Parker's blue eyes sparkled with mischief as he glanced at the others. "We're not going anywhere. Let's focus on celebrating you tonight."
"Hold up," Derek interrupted, leaning back until his shirt rode up slightly. The glimpse of his defined stomach made my mouth go dry. "She'll need a mate eventually. Friends have limitations."
He adjusted his position, and I caught sight of the waistband of his boxers peeking above his jeans. I forced myself to look away, cheeks burning.
"What kind of limitations?" The question slipped out before I could stop it.
They exchanged loaded glances that made the air in the room feel thicker.
"Certain needs," Hugo said slowly, moving closer to where I sat. "Physical needs that only a mate can satisfy."
The way he said it, his voice dropping an octave, made something flutter low in my stomach.
We were alone in my family's house. My parents wouldn't return until the following evening.
"Look at those red cheeks," Derek teased, reaching out to brush his thumb across my heated skin. The simple touch sent electricity through my entire body.
"Maybe a mate isn't necessary," Parker said thoughtfully, settling beside me on the couch. His proximity made it hard to think clearly. "Friends can be gentler. More understanding."
His hand found my thigh, and I forgot how to breathe.
"We could take care of you better than some stranger the moon goddess picks," Hugo agreed, his eyes never leaving mine. "We know you. We care about you."
My heart hammered against my ribs. This couldn't be happening. These were my best friends.
"I don't understand what you're suggesting," I whispered.
"Let us show you," Parker murmured against my ear, his breath warm on my skin. "Let us be your first. We'll be so careful with you."
The promise in his words unraveled my resistance. Years of secret longing, of wondering what it would feel like to be wanted by them, crashed over me like a wave.
Maybe it was desperation for their attention. Maybe it was the crush I'd nursed for so long finally demanding satisfaction. Whatever it was, I nodded.
They were patient and tender, taking turns worshiping my body with reverent touches and whispered promises. They swore they would never abandon me, that I would always have them.
I believed every word.
When morning came, I woke up naked and alone. The blanket wrapped around me felt like mockery. They had vanished without a trace, leaving only the lingering scent of their cologne and the ache between my legs.
The cruelest discovery came when I reached for my phone. All three numbers were blocked.
"Bella!" Doctor Paige's sharp voice dragged me back to the present. Her palm slapped against the desk, making me jump. "I asked you a question. Who is the father?"
I lifted my head slowly, meeting her disgusted glare. The weight of my situation crashed down like an avalanche.
Pregnant. Abandoned. Completely alone.
I had no idea which of the three men who had sworn to protect me was responsible for the life growing inside me.
And none of them were here to face the consequences.