22

                                    

                                          
Hope's POV:
"Alright, thanks, mate, speak soon," As Jack ended his phone call, I strained to eavesdrop on his conversation while feigning interest in the TV show playing in the background. The air in the room became tense, my mind preoccupied with the impending meeting with the Judge to discuss the DNA test requirement. Despite harbouring hopes of the request being dismissed, an unsettling feeling gnawed at me, urging me to brace for the worst.
The sofa served as a makeshift sanctuary, but my restless nerves betrayed any attempt at relaxation. Today, I held the potential for a harrowing revelation that could force Elena into the Wolf High Court for a dreaded test. My reluctance to acknowledge the truth about Elena's paternity, a secret I had kept buried, fueled my apprehension.
Jack returned to the front room, his phone in hand, and his expression was enough to send my heart sinking. It wasn't the look of relief I had hoped for; instead, it conveyed a grim reality—I could sense that the request was forging ahead, thrusting us into a challenging and uncertain future. The weight of the impending truth hung heavily in the air, casting a shadow over our fragile peace.
"Just let me have it," I sighed.
"The request for the DNA test still stands," Jack started. My face fell in despair at the thought that I would have to have this painful conversation with Elena about the truth about her paternity. How do you tell a child that they are the product of rape? Their father is an asshole, and they deserve to rot in hell. "However, she doesn't have to go to the High Court. The local doctor here can take the test, and we can tell her that it is a routine test she must take to be one of the doctors here." That was something; it meant I wouldn't have to hurt Elena. 
"When does she have to do the test?" 
"As soon as the Doctor has received the test in the mail," 
"Okay, we can say it is a routine doctor's appointment that I will take her to,"
"There was another stipulation on the test being conducted at our local doctor's office,"
"Which is?"
"You and I are not allowed in the examination room when the test is being conducted to ensure that the test is not tampered with," I could feel my face redden in anger. I had to breathe in deeply to calm myself down. "You have to see why they would put this stipulation into the change; if you or I were in that exam, we would have the chance to tamper with the test and alter it to show that Elena is not his," 
"I see why they requested it, but it doesn't mean I have to like it," I huffed. 
Four days later 

The Doctor's call confirmed the test's delivery, prompting a sad trip to the office today after Elena finished school. Craftily, I informed Elena about a routine doctor's appointment for pack participation. Though she questioned the necessity when she wasn't unwell, Elena obediently nodded, trusting my explanation.
Now, we found ourselves in a small, sterile waiting room, surrounded by the soft hum of muzak and outdated magazines strewn across white side tables. Elena had been called into the examination room by Dr. Filomena Danilov, our pack doctor. Concerned about going in alone, Elena was comforted with the explanation that my magical presence could potentially contaminate the tests, forcing me to remain outside. Despite initial dismay, the promise of ice cream and cake post-exam brought a radiant smile to Elena's face.
While absentmindedly flipping through an outdated magazine, my thoughts were a chaotic whirlwind of unease. The DNA test insulted Trisha's honesty and served as additional ammunition for Rick's crusade against our family.