Bella's POV
The doctor's venomous words still echoed in my mind as I stood shivering on the sidewalk outside the medical center. Her threat rang clear as a bell - bring the father or she'd expose everything to my parents and the Alpha. The way she'd spat the word "filth" at me made my skin crawl.
An hour had passed since I'd fled her office, yet my feet remained rooted to the concrete. My body trembled, not just from the evening chill, but from the humiliation that burned through my veins. This was supposed to be a momentous discovery - my first pregnancy. Instead, it felt like a death sentence.
Everyone in the pack knew me as the gentle, quiet girl who never caused trouble. The one who smiled softly and never raised her voice. That reputation had become my curse. The very traits people claimed would be my strength had made me an easy target.
Hot tears streamed down my cheeks despite my efforts to stop them. I pulled the hood of Derek's oversized sweatshirt further over my head, trying to disappear into its gray fabric. The irony wasn't lost on me - even now, wrapped in his clothing, I couldn't escape the ache of missing them. Missing the men who had destroyed me.
Contacting them seemed impossible. Summer break had scattered everyone, and they'd made sure to cut off every avenue of communication. The training academy where I'd seen them daily sat empty at the pack's border. Their silence felt deliberate, calculated.
But the doctor's ultimatum left no room for delay. I had to find them.
My salvation came through social media - a post showing the three alphas attending Alpha Jack's birthday celebration. Of course they'd be there, mingling with pack elite while I stood alone on empty streets.
The party invitation had never extended to omegas like me. We only entered such gatherings to serve drinks or clean up messes, invisible in our servitude.
Convincing the guard took every ounce of courage I possessed. I showed him photos on my phone, proof of my connection to the celebrated alphas inside. He looked skeptical but eventually waved me through.
The mansion's grandeur made my simple white dress and borrowed hoodie look even more pathetic. Guests openly stared, their judgment written across their faces. I kept my chin up, focusing on my mission rather than their whispered commentary.
Alpha Jack greeted me with surprise, his memory of my friendship with his honored guests working in my favor. When I requested to see Derek, he pointed toward the backyard, clearly not wanting someone so poorly dressed mingling with his important guests inside.
Derek emerged moments later, and my heart clenched at the sight of him. His leather jacket hugged his broad shoulders perfectly, and those striking eyes I'd once adored now held nothing but cold fury.
"What the hell are you doing here?" His voice cracked like a whip. "Did you tell Alpha Jack you came to see me? Why would you do that when I made it clear I wanted nothing to do with you?"
The venom in his tone hit me like a physical blow. This was the same man who'd once whispered sweet words against my ear, who'd made me feel precious and protected. Now I was just another annoyance to be dealt with.
"I think I'm pregnant." The words tumbled out before fear could stop them.
His rage seemed to freeze mid-expression. For a heartbeat, I saw something flicker across his features - shock, maybe even panic. Then his walls slammed back into place.
"Why are you telling me this? Go find whoever got you pregnant." Each word dripped with disdain, as if the possibility of his involvement had never crossed his mind.
"That's exactly why I'm here." My voice wavered but held steady. "I need to speak with all three of you. One of you has to be the father."
The explosion came instantly. "Me? Are you insane? Ask Hugo, ask Parker - anyone but me. I was careful that night."
The lie burned. None of them had shown an ounce of caution that night. Protection had been the furthest thing from their minds.
He stepped backward, pulling out his phone with shaking fingers. "Hugo! Get out here now. Bring Parker. You two need to handle this disaster - it's not my problem."
I'd never seen Derek lose control like this. Veins bulged along his neck, his muscles straining against the leather. Terror rooted me to the spot as my knees threatened to give out.
Hugo appeared within minutes. "What's your problem, man? You dragged me away from -" His complaint died when he spotted me cowering against the wall.
"What is she doing here?" The disgust in his voice matched Derek's perfectly.
"Tell him," Derek demanded, and I flinched at his tone.
"I'm pregnant," I whispered, my entire body shaking.
Hugo's face went white, mirroring the fear and shock painted across Derek's features.
"Not my kid. I didn't touch her. Parker was the one going crazy that night - ask him instead!" He jabbed an accusatory finger toward Parker, who had clearly caught enough of our conversation.
"Why are you pointing at me?" Parker stormed into the backyard, his finger now aimed at me. "How do we know how many other guys she's been with since then?"
Now all three towered over me, their combined height and bulk making me feel like a mouse trapped by lions. These were the men I'd foolishly believed cared about me.
Their words slapped me back to reality. How pathetic I'd been, nursing feelings for alphas who saw me as disposable.
"How dare you question my integrity? You three know exactly what happened. You know you were my first, and you know there's been no one else!" The anger finally broke through my fear.
Derek's fist crashed into the wall beside my head. The sound made me freeze completely, pressed flat against the brick.
"Don't you dare raise your voice to me," he snarled, leaning close enough that I could feel his breath. The threat hung heavy between us.
"What kind of mess has she dragged us into?" Parker asked, pulling Derek back slightly while all three continued to stare at me like I was some diseased animal.
"Fine. If you don't believe me, we can get a DNA test." My voice found its strength, confidence ringing clear. For the first time since this nightmare began, they seemed to realize I wasn't bluffing.
They huddled together, whispering urgently before sending Hugo forward as their spokesman. His hands shoved deep in his pockets, he delivered the words that would haunt me forever.
"Have you considered an abortion?"