The Struggle(98)

There definitely weren’t any “Expecting Demigod Mothers” pamphlets in the room.

The blood results would be back tomorrow, but I already knew deep down what they’d confirm. I was pregnant.

A look of doubt had crept into Alex’s expression. “Do you want me to stay with you until Seth gets back?”

“Thank you, but no. I need . . .” I trailed off as my stomach took a dive to the floor. What did I not need at this point? I was pregnant. I was actually impregnated by Seth. There was a fetus inside me that could be mortal, could be a demigod, or could be an actual god.

Hell, the baby could be a minotaur for all I knew.

So I needed a lot of things, but only one thing at the moment. “I just need to be alone for a little while. I need to process this.”

“I understand.” Alex popped forward and gave me a quick, tight hug. “It’ll be okay. Especially once you talk to Seth.” She stepped back, but stopped. Her gaze met mine. “Congratulations.”

I sucked in a soft breath. A knot plugged my throat as a flutter took root in my chest. From the moment the first thought of being pregnant popped into my head and right up to Alex saying congratulations, I hadn’t thought of being pregnant as a good thing. Mainly because I couldn’t even let myself truly think about it.

“Thank you,” I whispered, and I meant it.

Alex smiled and then gave me a little wave.

Closing the door, I turned and walked past the sitting area, shuffling into the bedroom. The bed had been made and the room was neat and orderly. Thankfully there were no creepy portraits of my father or any other god in this room.

I’m pregnant.

“Oh gods,” I whispered.

Stopping at the foot of the bed, I tugged up my shirt and exposed my belly. It wasn’t flat, but it had never been flat in my entire life. My stomach looked the same as it did before.

But there was a baby in there.

Dropping my shirt, I started to press my hand to my stomach but stopped. I turned and plopped down on the bed. Running my hands over my face, I shook my head for the hundredth time.

How was this going to work?

I had no idea what this meant for a demigod and a god—none whatsoever. Like, would I carry this baby for nine months? Would it come out like Seth, with a baby six-pack and the ability to control things with its mind?

And we had Titans gunning for us—gunning for me. My heart turned over heavily as I lowered my hands to my lap. If Hyperion found out I was pregnant? God, he would . . .

I couldn’t even let myself think about what he would do—what the other Titans would do.

None of us were safe, and bringing a baby into this was crazy.

Because once I got these bands off my wrists, I would have to fight the Titans. Seth wanted to kill them all, but that could have horrific consequences. We needed to entomb them, and that meant I needed to fight alongside the other demigods.

How could I do that while being pregnant?

How could I not fight?

But even if I was just a mortal and didn’t have the whole Titan thing going down, I was nowhere near mentally or emotionally ready to pop out a child. I was so not mother material.

I was only twenty.

Seth was only twenty-two.

We loved each other, but we hadn’t been together long and there was so much we were still trying to work out. I didn’t even know if he wanted kids.

I didn’t even know if I wanted kids.

Kind of late to be thinking of that now.

A strangled-sounding laugh escaped me as I lowered my gaze to my stomach. My breath caught, and I did it. I placed my hand on my stomach. It felt normal, but . . .

But I was pregnant.

And this baby . . . gods, this baby wanted to be born, because I don’t think if I was mortal, or if this child was mortal, it would’ve survived everything that had happened. My fingers splayed across my lower belly. Somehow I knew that this kid was going to be strong.

“You’re a little fighter, aren’t you?” I said to my stomach, and then I flushed beet red, because I was seriously talking to my stomach.

My lips twitched as I lifted my gaze to the beige wall. I needed to start Googling this whole pregnancy/baby thing.

The space in front of me suddenly warped and then, without any warning, Seth was standing there.

Yelping, I jerked my hand away from my stomach as I nearly slid off the bed. “Holy crap!” Jumping up, I smacked him—smacked him hard on the chest. “A warning would be—”

He caught my hand, and all I saw was a flash of golden eyes a second before he hauled me against his chest. His other arm circled my waist and then his mouth was on mine.

Seth kissed me like he was taking his first breath of fresh air. It was deep and scorching. Sensation rushed over me, pouring into my system and pushing everything aside. Kissing Seth was like finally waking up from a deep, endless sleep, and when he lifted his mouth from mine, I made this sound I barely recognized and which caused Seth to chuckle.