The Alphas Regret Her Secret Heirs

~CELINE~

"I'm pregnant."

The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. I stared at the fourth test strip in my trembling hand. This couldn't be happening.

Panic crawled up my spine. My parents would lose it.

I had enough on my plate already. Missing a period wasn't a big deal for me, so I didn't think much of it at first. But when I started eating more and my jeans felt tighter, Caroline had insisted I take a test.

And now here I was, sitting on the toilet, whispering to myself, "What am I going to do?"

My art school entrance exam was next week. This was the kind of curveball I couldn't afford.

A knock on the door jolted me out of my spiraling thoughts. I scrambled to my feet, pulling up my shorts. Stuffing the test strips into a black plastic bag, I quickly tossed it into the trash and double-checked the bathroom for evidence.

"Celine, get out! It's my turn!" Jesse's voice cut through the door.

I let out a shaky breath. At least it wasn't Mom. Gripping the doorknob, I took a moment to compose myself before unlocking it.

Jesse shoved past me as soon as I opened the door. "Were you giving birth in there or what?"

I didn't answer. Her voice was as grating as ever.

Jesse was the golden child, studying medicine at NYU, the one my parents showered with attention and pride. Meanwhile, I was the disappointment who had to work two jobs just to get by.

I folded my arms as I watched her. "You didn't need to yell."

She flashed me a middle finger before slamming the door in my face.

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep me from snapping back. My hands balled into fists at my sides. 'She's not worth it.'

"Bitch," I mumbled under my breath, turning toward the kitchen.

My mom's sharp voice echoed through the house as I walked in. She was on the phone, scolding Monroe again-something about a gas cylinder at her food canteen.

At the dining table, breakfast was laid out like a feast.

Every dish was Jesse's favorite. Either she had big news to share, or Mom was doing her usual over-the-top routine to please her perfect daughter.

I grabbed a grape and popped it into my mouth. Mom's head snapped up, her eyes narrowing in silent disapproval.

I rolled my eyes and kept chewing.

"What's this?" Jesse's voice came from behind me, and my stomach dropped.

I turned slowly, my heart pounding. She was holding a test strip.

My blood ran cold. *Why the hell was she digging in the trash?*

"What is that, Jesse?" Mom asked, stepping into the room, her phone still pressed to her ear.

Her face froze when she saw the strip. The person on the other end of the call faintly called her name, but she ended it without another word.

"Where... where did you get that?" Mom's voice trembled, her expression shifting from confusion to suspicion.

"From the trash can in the bathroom," Jesse said casually, as if she wasn't about to blow up my entire life.