Chapter Text
It was not news to him at his point. It really couldn't be. One does not spend an entire morning in the bathroom with their head in the toilet for very many other reasons. He just was not ready to accept the cause at that moment.
When he stood in the same bathroom that afternoon, five different tests from five different companies, all positive, it was just a tad bit more real. The earlier symptoms he had previously been attributing to finally going through the change that would render suppressants useless as it would suppress his most basic nature. He would have been able to continue passing as an alpha, as he always had before. Of course, with that not being the case, quite the opposite was going to happen.
He untucked his shirt, lifting it up enough to expose his stomach. He turned sideways, looking himself over in the mirror, trying to imagine what he was going to look like as the creature, the one that was essentially a parasite, grew inside of him. The image made him shudder.
His adverse feelings were not a result of him being unable to accept his omegan nature, but rather all of the other factors that were stacked against him. First of all, he wasn't mated and that was literally only the tip of the iceberg. He was in his late forties, running his own practice, and had been told he was infertile to begin with. The hidden reality of his true nature was only a minor setback, it was the last obstacle he had to overcome.
Sure enough, all five of those test still told him that despite all of the odds, he was going to have the one thing he never thought he could have, never thought he wanted. There was a new life growing inside of him.
He tucked his shirt back in, fighting the smile that wanted property on his face. At the very least, it was going to be interesting.
***
Everyone else in the waiting room was with their partner or mate at the OBGYN office. He was completely alone. He was also heavily aware of the fact that he was the oldest person there.
It was utter nonsense.
He knew what he looked like, an alpha. He fought hard against social norms and against society standards to establish such an image. Based on appearance alone, he was certain the other patients were at the very least a little confused. If the way he smelled was any indication, his body flooding with pregnancy hormones, they probably would never be able to fully wrap their heads around it.
"Hannibal, the doctor will see you now," A nurse called.
He stood up, taking the strange, almost shameful walk across the room. He could feel at least ten sets of eyes on him, curious and perhaps a bit disgusted.
Doctor Michelle Auxter, lovely dark haired omega, walked into the examination room with her tablet in hand. She looked up above her glasses, curiosity only half of what those in the waiting room had. "I almost couldn't believe you had made an appointment, was certain you either switched doctors, or found yourself with little need for one."
He swallowed hard. "I would have thought the need before anything else. I am certainly not about to switch to another doctor, I have trusted you for years."
"Still, four years is a long time, the last time I saw you in my office you were considering a relationship with a beta woman." Dr. Auxter continued on, a bit of the shock still running through her quite rampantly.
"I know, I know, all I am looking for is blood tests," Hannibal replied, some bit of curtness in his tone.
"Blood tests? Hannibal, it has been FOUR YEARS, you are going to need a full examination, especially considering your age,"
Hannibal sighed. "I just want to know that I am still healthy,"
Dr. Auxter threw a medical gown at Hannibal. "Clothes off, my dear. This is not optional." The good doctor was married to a senator, she had learned just how to exert the power she had, despite her small stature.
"Fine," Hannibal huffed, pulling the privacy curtain in front of him while he removed his clothes.
"In the stirrups, Lecter, you know the drill," Auxter added, voice still stern.
Once Hannibal was up on the bed the doctor moved the curtain. She was already ready to get to work.
"If you don't mind my asking, are you planning to get pregnant in such a small timeframe after your years of claiming that you did not want children of your own? If so, I can recommend great fertility clinics." She spoke in a much lighter tone now that her fingers were feeling around inside of her patient.
"I do not mind. I was not planning on getting pregnant. I am well aware of the risks at my age, I do not have a mate, and it has been more than hinted at in years past that the abuse to my abdomen does not exactly make me a likely candidate for being fertile at all."
"Then why the need for blood tests?"
Hannibal ran his tongue along his teeth. He felt at a rare loss for words, avoiding eye contact with the doctor finishing up between his legs.
Dr. Auxter's big brown eyes widened as she looked up at Hannibal over her glasses. "Hannibal, are you pregnant?"
"If the five at home tests and the constant running to the bathroom have anything to say about it, then yes,"
Her face softened into a smile. "I can't believe it! Congratulations!"
"I would say thank you if it had been planned or if I was not slightly worried about the situation."
"We will run those tests, but I don't see why there should be any problems. You have always been one of the strongest and healthiest omega males I know." Dr. Auxter told him, assuring her patient.
Hannibal's hands instinctively went to his stomach. "I appreciate it. As you know, this is going to be a difficult adjustment, especially considering the fact that I have chosen to present as an alpha to the entire outside world. People might be beginning to catch my scent, but even you had a hard time detecting it."
"True. It is an adjustment you are going to need to learn to accept quickly, it will be quite grueling attempting to hide a baby bump at seven or eight months, possibly even sooner."
"I have been trying to consider my options,"
"And what of the father? You said you were unmated, but someone got you pregnant."
"A patient of mine, actually, more a friend, really. I have not told him, yet. I use so many suppressants and hormones, he does not even know that I am an omega."
"Well, isn't that a feat? How on earth did you manage that?"
Hannibal flashed a wicked smile. "It is definitely amusing to know just how blind people are when they only have the goal of 'getting off'."