In a Different State

At the hospital, Ivaylo was sitting, leaning over his knees, fumbling with his wolf mask. He felt immense guilt for not noticing her collapse. Kay sat right next to him, squeezed into that tight human-sized chair, patting him on his back. "It's not your fault. Her health has been frail for quite some time. Don't beat up yourself for that. It's not your making."

Each sentence infuriated Ivaylo even more. It was HIS making! He forced Paetyn to show off her face in public, together with him, bringing all the misfortune upon her. Ivaylo stood up abruptly from his seat and smashed the mask into the wall in front of him.

It didn't break, just cracked across the forehead and left eye area. His frustration was coming through. Ivaylo startled all the humans in the narrow hall. They scattered away. The human security guard cautiously walked over, trembling in fear. Kay gave him a toothy doggy smile, that spooked him even more and the guard pulled up a taser.

Ivaylo looked back and forth, hair swaying. "Well, great!" exclaimed in a sarcastic voice. The shaking security man urged him to calm down or he had to use brute force. Kay glanced up at Ivaylo. A silent exchange was made between them. They knew, the guard wouldn't stand a chance against any of them.

The doctor came out of the examination room. Even Kay stood up now impatiently. The female human doctor looked them up and down. "Please, come inside." Ivaylo picked up the damaged mask and put it on his face before entering. He didn't care, what people or the doctor will think. Ivaylo did it all just for Paetyn's comfort.

Paetyn, again sat on the bed, covering her lower half, looking out of the window. She didn't register those two Beastmen entering the room. She was currently in a state of shock. "Please sit down." The woman pointed to the spare seats next to the door.

"Because of her symptoms and situation, I did an ultrasound..." She looked at them both pressing her lips together before revealing... "She is pregnant!" Both Beastmen flinched out of shock. "WHAT?!" Ivaylo's throat got squeezed like somebody would grab him by it. Kay slouched over with his muzzle wide open in shock.

This was the last thing, they expected, from this examination. For months they did pregnancy tests, which always came back negative. How is this possible? The doctor gave them a sympathetic look. "I did a test today and still it didn't show any positive result, but the ultrasound showed the fetus in full view."

A prickly, stabbing feeling ran through Ivaylo's chest. He raised his eyes at Paetyn. She was still turned to them with her back, but more like sideways, enough to see, how a stream of tears was flowing down her cheek.

The female doctor continued with the final blow. "With the current human population laws the pregnancy is too far progressed to have the option to end it." Paetyn's head fell to stare at the ground and she was squeezing her blanket in both hands.

An icy chill ran through the spines of both Beastmen. How much and how long has Paetyn had to endure all this torture? This was like and divine punishment for being born human. She never did anything bad and was always kind and good-hearted. Why does she deserve so much evil in this cruel world?

The feeling of desperation was filling up the room. Ivaylo wanted to be strong for Paetyn and help her to cope with this tragic news. He swallowed his misery and called for her. "I am here for you! I will stand next to you and always hold your hand. Trust me! Please, allow me to share your burden."

Kay joined in. "Don't forget about me too and Marsh as well! We all will always be by your side, supporting whatever will come!" Paetyn teared up even more and turned to them. She reached out with her arm and Kay instantly was next to her, sitting at the edge of the bed cradling her in his arms.

Ivaylo stood there, silently watching the Doberman comforting her in his embrace. There was no place for his jealousy right now. He had to endure it for her mental sake, even when it was slowly eating him from the inside.

Ivaylo's gaze gradually lowered down to the tiled floor. But Paetyn surprised him and reached her arm even for him! His eyes lid up with sparkles. In a second he was standing next to her bed and tenderly touching her tiny hand.

The human woman doctor silently walked out of the examination room to not disturb them and leave the trio some privacy. It was the least she could do for that poor girl in her predicament of a situation.

Ivaylo wanted to take it easy, but Paetyn grabbed him by his index finger and pulled closer. "Can I get a hug from you?" escaped from her lips in a whispery voice. Ivaylo suddenly didn't know what to do. He had to control himself to not crush her in his arms out of all the love and happiness he felt right now.

With great caution, his arms slowly wrapped around her tiny fragile body. This was a new... sad feeling. He felt, how low her body temperature was by the touch. Her health was in a horrible state right now. He needed to change it, or something might happen to her during this damn pregnancy.



Ivaylo sitting on the bed alone at his condo, half-naked doing again, what he always does in stressful situations. A thick stream of blood flowing down his chest. His claws burrowed deep into his flesh.

Just the odor of alcohol itself could make the bedroom go up in flames. This was his way of coping with the new information about Paetyn's pregnancy. He couldn't stay at the Outskirts home. He needed to vent his inner pain before returning to Paetyn and starting with his support for her.

Ivaylo collapsed backwards on his bed wallowing in his misery. A beep of the door echoed through the whole condo. It opened up and a familiar scent fought for dominance over the space. A beam of light spread until it reached Ivaylo's bare feet.

Two figures standing inside of the bright ray... Ivaylo was too weak and drunk to lift his head and acknowledge the surprising visitors. He was just able enough to move his eyes in that direction. Two shadowy figures began to run hastily towards him.