Chapter 257 Meet My Mother
SOPHIA’S POV
The hospital room was peaceful that afternoon.
For the first time in days, I was sitting upright without feeling like I would immediately collapse.
My body still hurt. Every bruise ached.
My wolf remained quiet inside me. She was healing physically, but emotionally she was still grieving. Sometimes I could feel her sadness wash through me so strongly that it became difficult to breathe.
I was staring blankly out the window when my phone suddenly rang. The sound startled me.
I glanced at the screen and saw Lance’s name. A small smile appeared on my face.
I answered immediately "Hello?"
His familiar voice came through the speaker.
"Sophia." There was genuine concern in his tone. "How are you feeling?"
I leaned back against the pillow "Still alive."
Lance sighed "I heard you’ve been through a lot recently."
I looked away from the window. The understatement almost made me laugh.
"A little."
"A little?" he repeated. His voice carried disbelief. "You disappeared from work. Professor Reese has been asking about you for days."
That surprised me.
"Really?"
"Of course. Everyone is worried."
For some reason, those simple words made my chest tighten.
Worried.
People were worried about me.
"Thank you," I whispered.
Lance cleared his throat "Actually, there’s another reason I called. Professor Reese is hosting a dinner in a few days. Several medical researchers will be there and some professors too. He specifically asked whether you’d attend."
I blinked in surprise.
Me? Professor Reese wanted me there?
My confidence had taken such a severe beating lately that the idea seemed unbelievable.
"I’m not exactly in great condition." I muttered.
"You don’t have to stay long. Honestly, I think it would do you some good."
I looked down at my bruised hands. Part of me wanted to refuse but another part of me felt suffocated by these walls.
Maybe Lance was right. Maybe I needed to start living again, even if only a little.
I nodded "Okay."
Lance sounded relieved "Good. I’ll pick you up personally."
I laughed softly "You don’t have to."
"I know, but I will."
After ending the call, I sat quietly for several minutes.
My wolf stirred slightly. She liked the idea. The thought of returning to work made her happy.
The bathroom door suddenly opened.
I looked up. Zade walked back into the room carrying a cup of coffee.
"Who was that?" he asked.
I blinked "That sounded jealous."
He scoffed "I’m not jealous."
The answer came far too quickly.
I raised an eyebrow. His expression immediately darkened.
"Who was it?" he asked again.
I laughed "Lance."
His entire body stiffened. The coffee cup nearly cracked in his hand.
"What did he want?"
My wolf perked up immediately. She found this entertaining, very entertaining.
"He invited me to dinner."
His face became even darker "What dinner?"
I explained everything. I told him about the invitation by Professor Reese. The more I spoke, the worse his expression became.
When I finally finished, he looked completely unimpressed.
"No." he said.
I stared at him "No?"
"You’re not going."
I folded my arms "And why not?"
He pointed directly at me "Because you’re pregnant."
The room fell silent. Every trace of amusement inside me disappeared.
My wolf lowered her head. The grief returned instantly.
A painful knot formed in my chest.
Zade immediately noticed the change. His expression shifted.
"What?"
I looked away. For several seconds, I couldn’t speak.
The words still hurt. No matter how many times I thought about them.
Finally, I whispered the truth.
"I’m not pregnant." I said.
Zade looked at me with confusion.
“What?”
I swallowed hard "I already lost the baby"
His coffee cup slipped from his fingers. Fortunately, it landed on the table instead of the floor.
The pain returned inside me.
The room became completely silent. Even the air felt frozen.
Zade stared at me in shock.
My wolf whimpered quietly inside me as the memory came flooding back. I still remembered the blood. Goddess, there was so much blood.
I thought of mychild who never got the chance to live.
"I miscarried." I whispered.
When I finally looked up, Zade’s face had completely changed. The shock was gone. It was replaced by heartbreak and anger.
"You never told me." His voice sounded rough.
I looked away "There wasn’t much to tell."
His jaw tightened "There wasn’t much to tell? Sophia, you lost a child."
My eyes burned.
I hated talking about it. I hated remembering it.
Zade wasn’t finished "You went through that alone?"
His expression looked genuinely pained. The sight surprised me. Because he looked more upset than Damien ever had.
"You were lying in this hospital." His voice cracked slightly. "And you never told me."
I stayed silent.
What could I say? The truth was ugly.
I’d become so used to suffering alone that I no longer knew how to ask for help.
Zade ran a hand through his hair. His wolf was clearly agitated. I could practically feel his Alpha aura fighting to stay under control.
Finally, he let out a deep breath, then his eyes softened.
"Sophia."
He moved closer and his expression became serious.
"I want you to meet my mother." He said.
There it was again, that topic.
Zade looked at me "I’m not joking. You’re the only woman I’ve ever chosen."
My breath caught.
Something about the way he said it made my chest tighten painfully.
Deep down, I knew he meant it.
I looked away first. I couldn’t handle that intensity. Not now.
My wolf stirred inside me. She liked him. She trusted him. Still, she was still afraid.
So was I.
Zade waited patiently for an answer but none came.
I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t ready.
And deep down, I think he understood that.