Chapter 4. Secrets & Mystery

Stella POV

After several days, the memory continued to haunt me. The thought of seeing my deceased husband in the grocery store kept me awake at night. I hadn't mentioned the incident to either of my parents, choosing to wrestle with the shock privately. My health began to deteriorate, pushing me to see my doctor again. As I got into the car, I reassured my father that I could go independently, and he relented, having chauffeured me for so long.

“Good morning, doctor,” I greeted him.

“Morning,” he replied, his gaze focused on some reports. His brow furrowed with concern. “Ms. Stella, it's fortunate you're here. I have some news for you.” I straightened up, awaiting his revelation. “You are three weeks pregnant.”

I blinked, trying to process this unexpected news. “What? Why wasn't I informed about my pregnancy when I had the accident? Is my baby alright?” I quizzed him.

“Your baby is fine. Your father instructed me not to disclose the pregnancy to you,” Dr. Marshal began, his tone heavy. “He offered me money to keep silent and provided an abortion pill.”

My heart raced as disbelief flooded my senses. “That can't be true. Why would my father do something so drastic?” I asked, a mix of confusion and fear clouding my thoughts.

“I shared the truth because a man approached me, offering money to reveal everything. If I refused, he threatened to kill me,” Doctor Marshal explained, his eyes wide with fear.

“Who was this man you're talking about?” I asked, my gaze narrowing with suspicion.

“I'm not at liberty to reveal his identity,” Doctor Marshal replied hesitantly.

“If you don't tell me, I'll report you for accepting a bribe and endangering my and my child's lives,” I warned him. Seeing the steely determination in my eyes, Doctor Marshal realized the gravity of his confession.

“He stood about 5'11” tall, had fair skin, green eyes, and black hair,” the doctor divulged. The description instantly reminded me of Kellan. Quickly, I pulled out my phone and showed him a photo of Kellan. Doctor Marshal's eyes widened in recognition. “Yes, that's him,” he admitted.

Shock coursed through me. It was indeed Kellan I had seen at the grocery store; he was alive.

“Are you certain?” I pressed, a tremor in my voice. “I need to see proof.”

“I am. He was the one who brought you here,” Doctor Marshal affirmed, proceeding to show me the CCTV footage. I watched, breathless, as my supposedly deceased husband carried me into the hospital. It was undeniably Kellan, the man I'd witnessed running behind my car in a lycan form. Swallowing hard, I tried to process everything while Doctor Marshal assisted me into a seat, my legs no longer able to support me.

“Did he leave any message or address for me? Can you tell me anything about his whereabouts?” I queried, desperate to comprehend the situation.

“No, he left nothing. But he insisted I administer the proper medicine and ensure the baby survives. He made it clear that if I failed, it would be the end of me. He was armed, and I believe he may be involved with the mafia or some similar organization,” Doctor Marshal shared, his voice barely above a whisper. “Now, let me check on you and your child's health, Ms. Stella,” he continued, attempting to shift the focus to my well-being, yet my mind remained firmly tethered to the revelations about Kellan.

“No, stay away from me! I can't trust you or this hospital any longer,” I exclaimed, distancing myself from Doctor Marshal. As I hastily exited his office, I clutched the pregnancy test report he'd initially concealed. Re-reading it, my emotions surged. Tears blurred my vision as I tried to connect the dots. Was Kellan's 'accident' a cover-up? Was it to shield the fact he was a lycan and not human? Was I truly carrying the child of a Lycan? And what compelled my father to conspire against my unborn child?

Overwhelmed, I sank into my car, running my fingers through my hair while tears streamed down my face. I felt trapped in an unfathomable whirlwind of confusion and betrayal. Taking several deep breaths, I resolved to confront the root of my turmoil. “I need answers, and I'll start with my parents. How could they betray me like this?” I thought, igniting the car's engine and heading home.

Upon arrival, I stormed inside. “Dad! Mom!” I shouted, my voice thick with emotion. Emerging from their room, they stared at me, clearly taken aback by my demeanor.

“You knew! You knew I was pregnant with Kellan's child and conspired to end the pregnancy without my knowledge!” I accused, anger evident in my tone. “I want the truth and won't tolerate any more lies.”

“No, Stella, I would never do that,” Dad protested. But they couldn't deny the evidence when I played the video clip showing him bribing Doctor Marshal, followed by the incriminating audio. Despite the revelations, neither of my parents appeared remorseful; they sighed in resignation.

“The footage is accurate,” Dad admitted. “I did try to end the pregnancy because it posed a risk to your health.” His words left me reeling. Did he know about Kellan's true nature? That I might be carrying a child with mystical origins?

“What on earth are you talking about?” I asked, trying to piece together the fragmented information.

“She deserves to know everything,” Mom said to Dad, her tone decisive. “We can't keep this from her any longer.”

Taking a deep breath, Dad began, “Stella, you're not our biological daughter. We adopted you from a human shelter.” The ground beneath me seemed to shift as this new revelation piled on top of an already overwhelming day.

***

Stella POV

“Take a seat, my dear,” Mom said, guiding me to a chair. My eyes were fixed on Dad.

“We took you in when your parents passed away, Stella. We couldn't have children, so we ensured you grew up surrounded by love. We love you as if you were our own,” Dad said.

“Why didn't you tell me the truth about my parents? I need to know,” I said, wiping tears.

“I was scared that if we told you the truth, you might never come to see us again,” Mom replied. “Your parents were our neighbors and close friends; your mother was Lily. She was a sweet woman, a housewife. Your dad, Finn, worked as a police officer. They went to visit your grandma and left you with us. On their way back, they were in a car accident and didn't make it.” I felt my heart clench with sorrow at her words. The truth weighed heavily in the air, and more tears streamed down my face. Taking a deep breath, I met the gaze of my adoptive parents.

“Why did you decide to kill my unborn?” I asked. “You both had no right.”

“We believed it would be too difficult for you to bring a child into the world and be a single mother,” Dad said.

“Still, you had no right to bribe the doctor and try to hurt my child. I'm not staying here. I'm going back to New York,” I said, then walked to my room.

“I'm sorry, Stella. I shouldn't have done that,” Dad said. But I didn't care. I quickly packed my clothes into a backpack, placed the bag in the car's trunk, and started the engine. Dad tried to stop me, and Mom pleaded for forgiveness, but I felt unsafe with them.

“Please, let me go,” I begged. “I'm grateful for how you took me in and cared for me, but what you did—trying to harm my child—has made me feel like I can't trust you or be safe around you anymore. I'm sorry.” I got into the car and drove off onto the snowy road. My mind raced. What if I found Kellan? I needed to ask him why he abandoned me. Perhaps I could stay in Alaska and search for answers. Julie, my only trustworthy and dear friend, had been abducted, leaving me even more isolated.

I decided to find a motel for shelter. I'd search for Kellan and confront him about why he left me in such pain and darkness. I drove to a nearby motel. As I walked to my room, an attendant brought my luggage. Once inside, I took several deep breaths, washed my face, and settled onto the couch.

I contemplated returning to that forest to find Kellan and get his answers. Then I wondered how he knew I was pregnant. Could he be watching me? If he's monitoring me, maybe I should put myself in a situation that makes it look like I'm in danger of drawing him out.

I planned to stroll at night in a secluded area. But it would be reckless to put both myself and my unborn child at risk. Lying on the bed, I let out a frustrated sigh. Another idea came to mind: returning to the forest to see if the mysterious part still exists. If I didn't find Kellan, maybe I'd resort to a riskier tactic. It was decided.

I freshened up, dressed, and drove to the forest since it was still afternoon, not yet dark. As I approached, officers were on the scene and advised me to turn around, declaring the dense forest off-limits due to two recent disappearances.

Disappointed, I redirected my car toward the motel. Midway, I detoured to the supermarket for snacks, having not eaten all day. Maybe I'd find Kellan there, possibly buy some groceries for him. I stumbled as I shopped and simultaneously searched my phone for a discreet local hospital. A strong hand caught me.

“Are you alright, Ms.?” I looked up into his unique amber eyes of a handsome man and nodded. The man before me was strikingly handsome, with brown hair and a chiseled jawline. It was difficult to look away, and I noticed others in the store stealing glances his way, too.

“I'm okay, thank you,” I said.

“Call me Kayden,” he responded with a warm smile.

“I'm Stella.”

“Nice to meet you. Are you from Alaska?” Kayden inquired.

“Born and raised. It seems you're not a local?”

“I'm not. I'm from New York and am here on a solo trip,” he replied as we moved to the checkout. “May I ask a favor? Would you mind showing me around? I know we're strangers, and I don't want to impose, but—”

“I'd be happy to show you around. I recently moved back to Alaska from New York myself.” It was odd; I felt an inexplicable comfort around Kayden, even though we'd just met. After shopping, I returned to the motel and was startled to find a silhouette sitting on the couch.