Captured By The Dragon
Episode 36

Patara

“Pregnant?!” My mother shouted loud enough to alert the neighbors. I braced myself for the lecture that I knew was coming.

The doctor had to tell her the truth since I was underage, but I almost fell to my knees and begged her not to. My mother looked seconds from having a heart attack and it would be all my fault if she actually did.

She clenched her chest and stumbled back into my father who held her up right. My sister watched worriedly from the side as if she didn’t know who to comfort. I wanted to melt into the walls and disappear forever before this scene had a chance to play out.

“What does this mean?! She can’t have a shifter’s baby! She’s a human!” My mother cried. The doctor looked at her helplessly.

“It can be very dangerous for a girl of her size to have a shifter’s baby. I’ve never dealt with someone who has, but I’ve heard stories of the process and what they have to deal with—“

“No, no. We don’t want to hear any of that! I want that baby out of her! When is the soonest she can get that thing out?”

I cringed at my mothers tone and worst of all—her words.

“Mother, we should talk about this!” I quickly said before the doctor could respond. “This is a private matter, let us discuss this in private. We don’t need anyone else to be here.” I said calmly.

My mother’s cheeks turned bright red as if she realized that she was being foolish in front of the doctor. It went against everything she trained herself to be and only this had made her slip from character.

“Yes. You’re right.” My mother cleared her throat and forced a slim smile on her face. “Patara will be in tomorrow for another check up. Thank you for coming, Dr. Lily.”

Dr. Lily looked at me and my mother before nodding. A line of worry creased into her forehead “Yes. She is welcome in at any time. Let me know what you decide so we can go forward with the choices.”

“Thank you.” My father opened the door and closed it after she was gone. If only I could go with her and hide in her doctor’s bag. I knew the next conversation would not be fun.

All eyes went to me the moment she was gone. A horrible silence filled the air and I silently wished they would let me go in my room to hide from all of this.

“You are not having that baby, Patara!” My mother said first. “That baby was forced upon you!”

“Mom—“

“I will call Dr. Lily in the morning and schedule the abortion. I don’t want to hear another word.”

“Mom!” I gasped. She turned her furious gaze on me and it made me stumble back. “I don’t want to have an abortion! This… this is crazy! You can’t decide what I do with my body!”

“Patara!” My mother screeched. My father and sister were silent. Neither of them wanted to put their opinions in when my mother looked this angry. “How could you even think of keeping that baby? Do you know what something like that would do to your reputation? To our family’s?”

I parted my lips. “How.. can you think of that right now? I don’t care what others think of me—“

“Don’t you dare say that!” My mother snapped. “You have not lived a life where your reputation was trashed! I have made you all have wonderful lives and be accepted into society as wonderful people that others can trust. We have done everything we can to keep your kidnapping from reaching papers—if you have this baby, it will ruin everything!”

I didn’t know what to say to that. I always thought everyone in town knew of what happened to me, but it seemed my mother was too ashamed to let that happen.

I could see it in my mother’s face that she desperately wanted me to get rid of this—mistake. She didn’t care if I was scared or confused. She didn’t ry to comfort me and tell me it was all going to be okay. She only wanted it to go her way. She wanted me to be perfect, but she knew I was far from it now.

I never thought I would be pregnant so young, but I could never see myself getting an abortion. I was terrified. This was all terrifying and I wished that it never happened. But it did happen—I was scarred by this experience and now I had to face the horrible reality.

“Patara.” My mother said more calmly. I could hear her try to sound more like a mother almost as if she was forcing it. “Dear… You are only 18 years old. This baby was forced upon you in a horrible situation… why would you even consider keeping such a thing? Please, think about this and what it will do to your future.”

“I…” I hesitated. I didn’t want to admit that I had asked for Dylan to relieve my desires… even if I want in the right mind when I did ask him. “I don’t know. I just… I don’t want to have an abortion… the thought of having one scares me and I just don’t want to do it!”

“So you would rather have that monster’s baby? You would rather bring another horrible shifter into the world and ruin your reputation beyond repair? Patara! This is madness, shifters are evil and you would only be bringing another one into the world!”

I wiped my tears and said nothing. I knew my mother thought it could all go away so simply if I did this—but I couldn’t. I never minded the idea of abortion or the fact that other girls got them. But when I was faced with the choice to get one myself, I knew inside that I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to have one and my mother couldn’t force this decision…not this time.

My mother’s face closed off completely as if she was locking a door on me. It was an expression I had rarely seen on her face—at least towards me. I always did everything she said and never once questioned her—until now.

“We will see what husband would ever want you after this.” She said in a straight tone, no hint of emotion. Perhaps that hunter will still replace you worth something, if you’re lucky.”

“Hunter—Malcom?” I furrowed my brows. “I’m not ready to marry anyone, mother! Especially not him!”

“He’s in his early twenties, he only looks old because of his job.” My mother hissed. Her anger came back like a snake that was ready to strike. “You would be lucky if he wanted to court you still!”

I tried not to cringe at the thought. He was a nice man, but I didn’t see him as my mother wished.

She lifted her chin and walked past me. I felt her coldness fill the house in every corner until it left me frozen inside.