Baby after One Night with the Prince

Tanya's POV.

I'm completely frozen solid in place, unable to grasp the situation. My brain is trying to come up with all sorts of reasons that didn't imply the obvious. There is no one else in the room with me other than Claire, and she is now softly asleep. My eyes snap to my child just to be sure, but as I assume, she's snoring away.

My eyes glance to my surroundings, trying to find another person, not knowing if I really want there to be another person... But all I see and hear is my phone crying out for my attention. To the which the voice once again speaks out. 'Are you not gonna answer it?'

I don't have time to respond to the mysterious voice, instead I pick up the phone, hearing that it is Oliver on the other line. "Hey Tanya, I'm very sorry to bother you but..." he sighs, and for a second I worry something bad has happened. "Could you come take Marco home? He's really drunk."

A sigh of relief escapes me, for I'd rather Marco be drunk, than hurt. Before I can respond, my ears pick up a female voice from over the line, sounding very similar to someone I knew, and particularly disliked. "Is Lily there too?" the words tumble out of my mouth before I can filter them properly.

"Um. Yeah, a lot of people came tonight," Oliver seems slightly confused by my line of questioning, but I don't give him time to ponder it.

"Alright, I'll be there soon, send me the address."

I hang up the phone, rushing to put on decent clothes. I kiss Claire goodnight before heading out to the specified bar. And as I walk briskly, I'm once again reminded of the strange voice that has greeted me earlier, affirming that I'm not going insane.

'It's so nice to finally meet you Tanya!' she sounds immensely bubbly and carefree, although I can't exactly see the induvial physically, I imagine she's very expressive in her mannerisms. 'I'm Freya, your wolf.'

The bombshell of information weakens my knees, making me stumble about, and I must quickly stop myself from falling. But Freya barely notices, continuing to talk energetically. 'I'm sorry it's taken me so long, there was a strong barrier preventing me from speaking to you. But I was able to break through! I'm free now! We can be together now!'

I have gone my entire life accepting the fact that would forever be wolfless. That I'm an abomination to the species. So, I can't help the fact that I'm speechless. But Freya doesn't seem to mind, instead almost childlike, she's much more interested in other things. 'I've never gotten the chance to say, I think Marco smells really nice! I don't know what it is, but I felt so much stronger whenever he was around.'

I can't help the slight upturn to my lips upon hearing this, and what she says next makes me feel even better. 'And just so you know, you do have the scent of a werewolf Tanya. But because I was awakened not so long ago, the scent is very weak. But it will strengthen with time. And soon you'll be able to shift into your wolf form!'

Freya goes on to chatter about how she excited is now that she's finally able to talk to me, telling me about all the times she has been there but couldn't speak to me, and how now she is overjoyed to get to experience the world together. And somehow, this diminishes my initial sadness when I heard that Lily was at the bar too.

My conversation with Freya ends as I finally arrive at the bar. I recognize all the familiar faces that I haven't seen in years. Philip, Thomas, Oliver, Cathy and Lily, including other royals from the palace. But the crowd appears to react coldly to my presence. They're not abruptly rude, but I can tell they're displeased by me being there, probably due to what Lily has told them, and how I chose to leave Marco for the money.

Of course Lily doesn't hide any of her resentment. She gives me a dangerous glare as she glides over to Marco's side who I now lay eyes on. His sits pretty much unmoving, like a marble statue crafted with divine expertise. But no matter his godly figure, something is ultimately off about him, and Lily clearly doesn't care. What obviously matters more to her is inflicting my heartbreak.

She giggles at Marco flirtatiously. But the moment her gaze snaps back to me, it is imbedded with the pure evil I know she's capable of. "No one wants you here," like a ballerina, she struts towards me with intimidating grace, forcing me to step back in cowardice. "Stop being such a bother Tanya. Just do everyone a favour and go home."

Despite the pain in my heart, my eyes still waft past Lily and onto Marco, as she turns her back to me hoping to be taken into Marco's arms. I use the opportunity to approach him, at least let him know I'm here. But I don't have to. Marco's head lifts immediately, as if he senses me. He ignores Lily and his hand reaches out to take mine and he tugs me closer with desperate fierceness that makes me freeze.

A strong hand wraps around my waist, forcing me to lean in, and before I know it, his head has dropped into the crook of my neck, nuzzling against my bare skin that causes my senses to tingle with an exponential buzz. My astonishment matches that of everyone else's, including Lily, who storms out with definable anger and immense disappointment.

Although the expressions of the people around me change as they realize that it seems I'm still very important to Marco, I dislike the amount of attention on me. I quietly turn to him. "Let's go home Marco," I say in a soft whisper, to which I feel him nod and comply.

And although he's sluggish, Marco is conscious enough to walk, and I only have to place his arm over my shoulder to allow him to lean on me for balance. We reach home in a decent amount of time. Marco had made sure we weren't staying at the palace, and before our arrival from the Kingdom of Fauna, he had the palace maids clean up our old house.

Upon entering the house, I can feel Marco's body beginning to slip. He needs to sleep, so I whisper words of encouragement, wanting him to at least make it to the bed so he can crash there without waking Claire who is in the other room. My aim goes almost to plan but as we approach the bed Marco immediately drops in my arms, making me stumble and collapse into the mattress with him. Without warning, Marco's arms encircle my waist and back, and pull me in close against his chest. Although I'm initially surprised by his actions, I soon relax in his embrace.

My head lowers against his chest, and I can suddenly feel and hear the racing pace of his heart. "Why's it beating so fast?" I blurt out quietly, somewhat confused. Beneath me Marco stiffens, before stating with a drunk slur in his words. "Water... I need water."

I blink myself back to reality and pull myself off him. "Course, wait here," I hurry back into the kitchen. Although as I fill a glass my mind can't help but wonder. I decide to ask the newly found voice in my head. "Is it normal to have a fast heart rate when you're drunk?"

As if on cue, my wolf makes herself known with a response. 'It's possible.'

I'm not totally satisfied. "But how come I feel as if nervousness can also cause a racing heartbeat?"

'Well, that also makes sense!' she says with a perky disposition.

I'm slightly amused by her childlike answers, leading me no closer to a proper conclusion. "Why are you just agreeing with everything I say?" I ask with a chuckle.

In response, Freya playfully defends herself. 'Hey! I was woken not so long ago. I'm still little in terms of my knowledge of the world! I just feel both your statements make sense.'

I softly smile., she is right in a way, I couldn't blame her for not knowing. But it still doesn't help clear my confusion. Either way, I head back to Marco and hand him the glass, and after that, he falls asleep right away. I watch him quietly and can't help reaching out to gently stroke his face, feeling his skin beneath my touch.

Something stirs with me as I think about how Freya has been very interested in Marco, and how enticing his scent is to her. It makes me wonder.... Could we be mates?

But everyone already believed that he and Lily were fated mates? But could they have been mistaken all along?

I shake my head, there is no proof beyond speculation, and without proof, I can't assume anything. I'd just have to wait and see. Other than that, what I can prove is that the barrier that had been restricting Freya all this time must've been from my ruby necklace. There is no other explanation for that.

I brush a hand across my neck to where it had once been in thought of it. But it was the only thing my mother left me, something I cherished so dearly. It confuses me to no end, and makes me somewhat sad and frustrated, why would my mother's necklace suppress my inner wolf?

***

Third POV.

With no true answers to the questions that boggle her mind, Tanya sighs, brushing her hand across Marco's face one last time before making her way out of the room and heading to sleep. As she does so, the eyes of the Lycan Prince flicker open, bright and clear as always, and with no hint of drunkenness displayed in their oceanic shade of blue.