CHAPTER 65: "ASH, YOU’RE PREGNANT"

Ash stared at Naomi in disbelief. "He did an abortion...do you mean he was pregnant?"

Naomi nodded silently. Clara’s sobs grew louder, her hands trembling.

Ash quickly leaned over Martin, pressing two fingers gently against his neck. "He’s still breathing," he said, his voice shaky with relief.

Lucien stepped forward. "Hold him up a bit," he said quietly. "We need to keep him steady before we reach the hospital."

Ash and Naomi lifted Martin from the bed, supporting his shoulders. Lucien sat behind him, pressing one hand against Martin’s back. He closed his eyes, releasing a faint warmth through his pheromones into Martin’s cooling body.

Moments later, Lucien coughed violently, blood spilling from his mouth.

Ash’s eyes widened. "Lucien!" he exclaimed.

Lucien wiped his lips quickly, forcing a faint smile. "My pheromones will buy us some time," he said hoarsely. "If we reach the hospital soon, we can purge the herbs from his body, and save the pregnancy."

Ash and Naomi exchanged a determined glance, then nodded.

Without hesitation, Naomi; strong and composed despite the tremor in her eyes-lifted Martin into her arms. Clara stepped back, still crying. "Senior Naomi...will brother wake up?"

Naomi gave a small, firm nod. "He will," she said, before hurrying out the door with Ash and Lucien close behind.

They reached the hospital within minutes. Nurses rushed Martin into emergency room, disappearing behind the swinging doors.

Ash and Naomi remained standing outside, tense and silent. Lucien sat on the bench nearby his elbows resting on his knees, eyes distant.

Ash’s thoughts drifted back to the moment in the house-Lucien coughing blood. The memory made his chest tighten. He turned toward him slowly.

"By the way...about earlier," Ash said quietly. "I think you should see a doctor."

Lucien didn’t look up. "No. I’m fine."

Ash frowned. "No, you’re not fine. You..."

Before he could finish, Lucien’s voice rose, sharp and cold. "Stop forcing me! My body belongs to me, not you."

Ash froze taken aback by the sudden outburst. Naomi turned slightly, her expression tense, but said nothing. The silence hung heavy until the emergency room doors swung open.

A doctor stepped out, removing his gloves. Ash turned immediately, Lucien standing up beside him.

Naomi rushed forward, her voice tight. "Doctor, how is he?"

The doctor smiled faintly. "He’s fine. Luckily, you brought him in on time. We managed to remove the herbs completely. Both the pregnancy and the patient are stable now."

Naomi exhaled deeply, her shoulders relaxing. Ash let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

Lucien closed his eyes briefly, relief washing over his face.

Naomi turned to the doctor, voice low but steady.

"Can we see him now?"

The doctor nodded with a reassuring smile.

...

Martin’s eyelids fluttered open. The white ceiling, the drip in his arm, the quiet hum of machines-everything felt distant until he saw Naomi, Ash and Lucien standing beside the bed. Panic flickered in his eyes.

"What...what happened?" he whispered.

Naomi sat on the edge of the bed, her tone tight.

"We saved you in time. You tried to..."

"I didn’t," Martin interrupted, voice trembling.

Naomi frowned. "Then why were the moonroot herbs there?"

Tears spilled down Martin’s cheeks. His voice broke as he murmured, "He told me to abort it...he said he doesn’t want the baby."

Ash’s eyes darkened. "Who is he?" he asked sharply. "Tell me, and I’ll end him."

Martin said nothing. Shame clouded his face. He’d ignored Ash’s warning, blinded by feelings he mistook for love. He thought giving himself would make the other person care-but it hadn’t.

Naomi, Ash, and Lucien watched him silently. Martin pressed a trembling hand to his stomach, the truth sinking deeper.

He had been wrong, and the price was almost his life.

...

Later, Naomi and Ash stepped out of the ward, leaving Martin’s under Lucien’s watch. The air outside felt lighter, though the weight of what had happened still lingered between them.

As they walked toward the hospital’s fruit store, Ash broke the silence. "I still can’t believe Martin said he doesn’t know who the father is."

Naomi sighed. "That’s normal for...a one-night thing."

Ash frowned. "But he shouldn’t have let himself be used raw. Why do companies even make condoms if people won’t use them?" He shook his head, voice tightening. "If he weren’t my childhood friend, someone I know well, I’d think of him so cheap."

Naomi gave him a sharp glance. "Don’t say that. Some things just happen unexpectedly. It could happen to anyone...even you."

Ash immediately shook his head, almost too fast. "No, no, no, never."

As they reached the entrance, they met Dr. Eric coming in, slightly out of breath as he adjusted his white coat. A warm smile spread across his face when he saw them.

"I’m sorry about yesterday," he said, turning to Ash. "I was stuck at one of our overseas branches and couldn’t make it for our appointment. Did you come to see me?"

Ash shook his head. "No, I brought my friend. He’s been admitted."

"Oh?" Dr. Eric asked. "Is he being taken care of?"

"Yes," Ash replied. "He’s recovering well now."

Dr. Eric checked his watch, then looked up. "We can have our appointment now if you’re free."

Ash smiled faintly. "Maybe after a few minutes. Let me buy some fruits for my friend first, then I’ll come to your office."

"Alright," Dr. Eric said with a nod before hurrying off.

Naomi watched him go, then glanced back at Ash.

"Appointment? Are you unwell?"

Ash gave a small, casual laugh. "I’m fine. It’s just a routine checkup."

Naomi nodded slowly, though her eyes lingered on him a moment longer, quietly sensing there was more behind that simple answer.

...

At Mega Company, Adrian strode into his office, loosening his tie after a long meeting, but the moment he stepped inside, a sharp, heavy smell hit him.

He froze mid-step.

His brows knit together. "What the hell is that smell?"

Bravin, standing near the desk, blinked. "Sir? Your favorite, steak with fried onions. I had it brought up just now."

Adrian’s expression darkened. "That’s not food," he muttered under his breath. "That’s poison."

He turned away abruptly as a wave of nausea twisted through his stomach, sharp and sudden. His senses of smell, normally steady, felt painfully heightened-every trace of onions cutting through the air like acid.

"Take it away," he ordered, his tone cold but edged with strain. "Now."

Bravin hesitated for a second, startled by the shift in his voice, then quickly gathered the tray and left. The door shut softly, but the faint scent still lingered in the room.

Adrian exhaled slowly, pressing his fingers to his temple. The smell clung to his thoughts like smoke, refusing to fade. Everything lately felt sharper; smells, sounds, even emotions.

He moved toward the window, staring down at the city, his reflection faint in the glass. His thoughts drifted; Ash, Lucien. That strange unexplainable pull toward them stirred again, deep and restless in his chest.

...

When Naomi and Ash returned from the fruit store, each carrying a small bag, they found Lucien sitting beside Martin’s bed, speaking softly. Martin gave a faint laugh, the first sign of life they’d seen in him after many days.

Naomi and Ash exchanged a quick, surprised glance.

"Well," Naomi said with a small smile, stepping closer. "When we left, you didn’t look this bright. What changed?"

She sat at the edge of the bed as Ash unwrapped a sealed container, neatly arranging the sliced fruits on the bedside table.

Martin smiled shyly, one hand resting over his stomach. His voice came out quiet but steady.

"I’ve decided to...keep the baby."

Naomi froze, her eyes flicking to Ash. Both of them turned almost at once toward Lucien, who sat calmly in the chair, his attention seemingly fixed on his iPad.

They didn’t need to ask. The gentle air around Martin, the new calm in his expression-it was clear Lucien had spoken to him while they were gone.

Earlier, before heading out, they had asked Martin about his decision, but he’d only lowered his gaze, too lost in his thoughts to answer.

Now that heaviness seemed to have eased, replaced by something quiet, fragile...yet full of hope.

Naomi smiled warmly. "I’m glad you made that decision," she said, her tone firm yet gentle. "Because even if you’d chosen otherwise, I wouldn’t have allowed it."

She turned to Ash, who was setting up a small table stand in front of Martin. "Or would you, Ash?"

Ash smiled faintly as he arranged the sliced fruits. "No," he said simply.

Martin pouted for a second before breaking into a small laugh, the mood in the room lightening.

Ash then reached into the bag and pulled out a bottle of mango juice, holding it out to Lucien.

"This is...to say sorry about earlier."

Lucien looked up from his iPad, surprise flickering briefly in his eyes before he accepted it. "Thank you," he said softly.

Across the bed, Naomi and Martin exchanged quiet smiles, glancing between Ash and Lucien with amused expressions.

Then Ash’s face shifted slightly, as though he’d just remembered something important. "Ah...I need to step out for a moment," he said quickly. "Just need to make a call."

Lucien looked up, frowning a little. "Is it really necessary to go outside for that?"

Ash hesitated, then replied, "Yeah. It’s not appropriate to make it here in the ward, it might disturb the patient."

Martin tilted his head. "You can make it here. I don’t mind."

Ash shook his head with a small, forced smile.

"No, it’s fine. I won’t take long."

With that, he slipped out of the ward, his steps steady and deliberate; heading straight toward Doctor Eric’s office.

Ash reached Doctor Eric’s office and knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in," Dr. Eric voice called from inside.

Ash stepped in, and the doctor greeted him with a polite smile. "Ash, welcome. Please have a seat."

Ash sat down, resting his hands on his knees, his expression unreadable.

Dr. Eric leaned forward slightly. "It’s rare for you to request an appointment before your scheduled date. What’s the matter?"

For a moment, Ash was silent. Then slowly, he looked up. "Recently...I’ve been feeling strange," he began carefully. "My emotions keep changing. For example, I get irritated easily, especially when my classmates make noise. The omegas’ chatter just...gets on my nerves."

Dr. Eric blinked, a little surprised. "Go on."

Ash exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "And I’ve noticed...my nipples itch alot lately. I just...always feel like touching them."

Dr. Eric raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback but listening closely.

Ash continued, his tone hesitant. "And lately, I can’t eat or drink anything that doesn’t have vanilla in it. I don’t know why, but without that scent, I lose interest completely."

At that, Dr. Eric’s eyes widened slightly. He spoke carefully. "Your mate, Alpha Lucien...does he use vanilla scent by any chance?"

Ash shook his head quickly. "No...it’s Alpha Adrian who uses it."

Dr. Eric’s face froze. "You mean, your brother?" he asked quietly.

Ash’s mind blanked for a moment, he hadn’t meant to say the name. Seeing the question in Dr. Eric’s eyes, he hurried to clear it up. "Oh-well, you know, he’s always around me. Maybe I’ve just adapted to his scent. That’s all."

Dr. Eric studied him for a moment, then gave a small nod, though his expression held traces of doubt. "Alright...but according to what you’ve described, I suspect something unusual." He reached for a file. "I’ll need to take a blood sample to confirm it. The results should tell us more."

Ash nodded slightly, his throat dry. "Okay."

After a few minutes, Dr. Eric returned holding a file in his hand. He sat quietly, his face serious.

Ash’s heart began to race. "What did the results say? he asked, his voice low but tense.

Dr. Eric looked at him for a moment before speaking carefully. "Ash...your pregnant."

Ash froze, staring blankly at him. His breathing grew uneven, the words echoing in his mind. For a moment, everything around him seemed to blur.

Dr. Eric continued in a calm tone, "It’s a very strong combination-an S-ranked Alpha and you as an SSS-ranked Omega. In this early stage of your pregnancy, you’ll need a lot of your Alpha’s dominance to stabilize your condition.

Otherwise..."

He paused watching Ash’s pale face,"...it might affect both your health and the baby’s growth."