Kieran was angry.

So, so angry.

Teru knew he was mad at what could've happened. Lucas wasn't in his right mind after the brutal death of his owner, not thinking straight of how close he was to escaping with another alpha's marked partner. Regardless, that was what Lucas was about to do, and it didn't sit well with the revengeful prince. Thank heavens Blaise helped them!

As they walked to the medical floor with Dr. Charles for whatever reason, he saw Kieran glancing at him. Teru's face reddened when he remembered what he looked like-the raunchy lingerie, face painted with glittery make-up, his post-sex ruffled hair styled by Blaise, the lavender pheromones, and Zhang's dried blood on his arms and chest after hugging Lucas.

Kieran growled and made him stop. He took off his blazer jacket and knelt in front of Teru, wrapping it around his mate's shoulders. It was multiple sizes too big, so it enveloped his entire upper half completely.

Seeing Kieran taking care of him caused guilt to pinch his insides. Tonight did not go as planned. All Teru wanted was to visit his best friend, say goodbye, and then return to the penthouse. It was almost midnight. With them on the way to the capitol building's clinic, who knew what would happen to their plans now? He bit his bottom lip. There was a lot of regret, wishing he would've been honest from the start about his intentions. Because of what Teru did, he saw many disturbing things at the event. He'd have nightmares about the humiliated alphas and rentable omegas.

"I'm sorry." Teru's voice broke. He swallowed to suppress the urge to cry.

Kieran's expression stayed the same. It didn't show forgiveness or outrage; it revealed nothing. He blocked the connection between them so Teru wouldn't feel his emotions.

"We'll talk about it later."

This response only made him more anxious.

Dr. Charles called to them, "We need to move along. Hurry."

They were curious to know what made the physician act this way. He couldn't have known about their secret leaving. It must be serious for him to be adamant about checking Teru's health, especially so late‌. After taking the elevator and weaving through the halls, Teru recognized the layout, colored walls, and some nurses who worked this shift.

Kieran was also aware of where they were. "This is the maternity ward."

"Mhm, very observant of you," Dr. Charles responded with sarcasm. He pulled out a ring with several keys and unlocked the door labeled, 'ULTRASOUND.'

What's an ultrasound?

Inside was a plain room with a narrow bed. A small TV on a rolling cart was beside it. Someone waited for them, holding a stack of papers. He didn't have a scent. The beta vampire wore navy blue scrubs. Teru visited often enough to know employees had different uniforms depending on their work status. In a way, it was like a pack order. Long coats were reserved for the highest-ranking job in this department, the doctors.

"Sir, I did everything you texted me to do, including preparing these."

He shyly held out various items to Teru while avoiding looking at him at all costs. It was a folded pink robe, clean underwear, and a moist towel. The man's ears were beet red, likely from seeing the erotic, interweaving straps hugging the omega's thighs.

As soon as he saw the more comfortable attire, Teru didn't hesitate to slip off the jacket and untie the corset. The collar was easy to remove because it wasn't permanently locked. It took everyone by surprise at how quickly he became naked. Normally, Teru would've been self-conscious, but Kieran had seen it all. And weren't the other two used to examining human bodies? This was their profession, after all! With everything that had happened earlier, Teru didn't care anymore.

"Christ," Kieran scolded and held up the maternity robe, blocking the others' view to give him privacy. After Teru used the towel to wipe away Zhang's blood, he accepted the thin, cotton robe and purred with contentment as Kieran buttoned the backside.

"Aw, he's happy," the nurse cooed. If the atmosphere wasn't heavy, Teru would've found it comical; workers on this floor had a soft spot for omegas.

Kieran guided him to the bed. "You wanted us to come here, and now we're here. You have ten minutes of our time."

Dr. Charles held out his hand. "Quinn."

The beta, Quinn, passed him a single paper. He walked to Kieran with the most seriousness Teru had ever seen him; more than when Pride went on a rampage and the moment he discovered Teru was alive after waking up from hibernation.

"Teru isn't a normal omega. He's not only your destined mate, but your virtue."

Kieran was mute, waiting for Charles to get to the point.

"Listen, brother, I need to know if there's anything else about him that could explain his current condition."

"I'm a dominant omega."

Teru declared this for all to hear. If they were going to discuss his health, it should be with him, the patient in question. Kieran was his alpha, yes, but he didn't have total rights over Teru's body. If Teru wanted to reveal his true gender, then shit, he was going to admit it whether or not Kieran liked it.

Quinn gasped. Charles was taken aback, not expecting such a discovery that an extinct gender was here in the flesh. Kieran studied his sibling's every move for any sign of a threat. Being a doctor didn't matter; you have another dominant alpha in the presence of an ultra-rare, dominant omega.

The gears in the physician's mind worked overtime. "I suppose that could be it, but I'd like to conduct more tests to know for sure." He talked to himself after this, lost in predicting thoughts. "But what if it also had something to do with Pride being dominant? Or them being a destined pair? A virtue? There are so many possibilities resulting in the pregnancy-"

Kieran struck and balled Charles's lab coat collar into his fist. "What did you say?"

Clearly, Charles didn't mean for the last part to be said aloud. He sighed and gave him a paper. Kieran let go and read the chart. Teru sensed his sheer confusion. The shock of whatever his mate was reading was enough to forget to maintain their blocked mental connection.

"And...whose results are these?" Kieran asked.

Dr. Charles gently took the sheet away. He grabbed Kieran's nape and placed his forehead on his brother's, needing to make sure Kieran understood every word he'd say next. It was a very intimate display of affection between family. Teru would do it with pack members he was close with, such as Mom and Hina. Nolan tried on him, but he'd immediately reject that asshole. It could be used as a greeting, a goodbye, or simply to demonstrate their loving bond. Kieran tensed. Since he was a vampire, a species known for being loners without a pack, this was new for him.

"It's his," referring to Teru. "My assistant had suspicions based on the other bloodwork. I just found out myself. Are you understanding me?"

"It's his," Kieran repeated, totally expressionless. Thunderstruck. Mystified. Teru sweated from nervousness, not following.

Charles confirmed, "It's his results. I don't know what you did to convince the heavens to give you this miracle. I'll make it my mission to find the answers. You two have done the impossible. Your human mate is pregnant. That's why he's been ill. It's morning sickness. His scent changed. And that time he was bleeding old blood? It was implantation. When a fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterus, it can cause bleeding. It is common for the blood to stay inside the body for a week or so, which would explain the dark brown color. "

Pregnant. Egg. Morning sickness. Pregnant.

The words tumbled in Teru's head like clothes in a dryer. He looked down at his stomach. Was a pup really in there? He didn't see roundness to indicate it.

"Let's see with our own eyes, yes?" Dr. Charles released Kieran's neck and turned on the machine. "Lay down with your head on the pillow, Teru. Lift the robe to your chest. Quinn will bring a blanket to cover your legs."

The clock chimed twelve times. Midnight. Suddenly, a deafening jingle played from the larger television hanging in the corner from the ceiling. As the screen lit up by itself, Teru wondered why every public room in the skyscraper had a TV? They were never on. Abaddon's disgusting face appeared. He stood behind a podium. His stepchildren sat beside him except Pride and Wrath. A livid and bloodied Lucas sat on the floor, tied to Lust's chair with a new red collar and leash. Queen Lilith's throne was empty.

"Greetings to all of Avania," the king said royally. "Once again, it is the season for the spring equinox festivities to commence, although earlier than usual. Before I declare the reason for the altered date, I will start with my country's successes. Avania's finest soldiers won many battles abroad the past year, expanding our territory in-"

The TV clicked off. Charles set down the remote. "Insignificant maggot," he muttered before returning to what he was doing. "It's always the same reports every blasted year before the live orgy finale at the end."

The fated pair was still in disbelief. Pregnant? Pregnant?! Quinn placed a blanket over Teru's hips and bare legs. The only part of him exposed was his belly. Kieran stayed a few lengths away, not knowing what to do.

"Quinn, go outside and keep watch."

"Yes, doctor." The beta left. A television in the hallway played Abaddon's news, too, but it was soundless when the door closed. Charles squeezed warm goo on his abdomen.

"What's that?" Teru asked.

"For the probe to see through your skin more easily."

"See through my skin?" Technology was really amazing. "The inside?"

"Correct," Charles laughed at Teru's questioning. "You'll feel pressure as I'm scanning you."

The camera-stick thing pressed into his stomach. It was kind of uncomfortable, but doable. The gel squished. In the meantime, Kieran moved to be closer to Teru, staring intensely at the way his brother operated the probe back and forth. Dr. Charles stopped and turned the screen towards them.

"Here," he gestured at a black bean surrounded by fuzzy grey. A white blob was in the middle. "This is the amniotic sac. Congratulations, I can confirm that you are pregnant! His egg was fertilized during those two months when your heat and rut were aligning."

Teru's eyes stuck to the image. That was a pup? That blueberry-sized spot? It was so small, though! Smaller than his pinky finger! He covered his mouth to conceal his big smile. As shocking as this was, it was truly happening. A strong notion to protect his body overcame him. If anyone were to approach him, he'd likely growl aggressively. Teru didn't want anyone touching him except Kieran, the alpha who would shield him as the fetus grew. His nest! He needed to build a better nest, one more suitable.

His mate didn't utter a word, watching the moving white pearls on the screen. Worried, Teru slipped his fingers through Kieran's. Would he abandon him? Sometimes it occurred when the alpha rejected the unborn baby as their own, unhappy with the genetics. It was a relief when Kieran lifted their entwined grasp so he could kiss the back of his omega's hand. The dominant alpha was just as defensive as the soon-to-be mother was over his child. They were going to be parents!

Charles moved the camera a little to the right and pondered, "Hmm, the size doesn't match."

"The size?" Kieran could finally speak.

"The blood sample was from two weeks ago when Karen visited you. His hCG levels suggest he was seven weeks along. Currently, he should be at nine or ten weeks. Yet, this fetus is still measuring at seven weeks."

Kieran placed his other hand on Teru's head, stroking through the styled hair. The omega's heart raced with dread when he felt his alpha's sorrow. Why was he sad? What was wrong?

"Before I can determine if the fetus stopped developing at seven weeks, let's try one more thing to make sure."

Wait! They just found out about the pup! Why was he saying it had stopped growing? Teru panicked, not ready to accept this horrible fate. Kieran kissed his forehead to calm him, but it wasn't working.

He sat up. "What do you mean? It's not getting bigger? Did it-?"

Did it die?

"Hold on, Teru. I'm going to check again before I make the official call. Lay back."

He did so, shaking like a scared leaf. He couldn't focus on anything but the screen as the probe found the black bean again. His mind blanked.

Kieran rubbed soothing circles on his palm and whispered, "It's okay."

Charles flipped a switch on the keyboard. A thumping sound played from the speaker. It was an accelerated heartbeat, erratic and not rhythmic. But it was a good sign, right? Wrath's eyebrows furrowed. He glanced at Kieran, also perplexed.

"No...," Charles said bewildered when he realized what it could be, gliding to the opposite side of Teru's belly and pressed harder. The crazy heartbeat was louder. The black bean became bigger.

"Well, I'll be," the physician stated. Kieran let go of Teru's hand and collapsed to his knees, startling him. Charles moved the screen closer for the new mother to see. "Do you see the circle? That's a fetus."

"I see it, but is it fine? It's not dead?"

"Don't worry, it's healthy. Do you notice that one over there? To the left?"

Now that he brought it up, Teru spotted the second blob.

Dr. Charles pointed to the top. "And the other?"

Hold on. Just hold the fuck up. Teru counted in his head.

1...

2...

3...

The vamp froze the screen, printed an image, and gave it to Kieran. He took the picture with uncertainty. Teru couldn't figure out who was more stunned-he or his destined mate. Their emotions were muddled together and no longer distinguishable as to who they belonged.

"Your pups' proportions are where they should be at seven weeks. The top fetus is slightly smaller than the others, so let's keep a close eye on it. What we were hearing wasn't merely one heartbeat. It was multiple. His hCG levels are on the higher end because of the additional hormones being produced."

"T-Three?" Kieran mumbled, rubbing his temple.

Three? Three?! One, two, three pups!

"I'll congratulate you again. You're expecting identical triplets."