A continuation of the story “Burden of Penalty” following Chapter 4, “Blood Test”. The first ultrasound has a profound effect on all those involved and forever changes how Aaron and Rebecca perceive their curse. A Christmas vacation reveals a fault in the technology that everyone blindly trusts, the consequences for Aaron and Rebecca are enormous.

A continuation of the story “Burden of Penalty” following Chapter 2, “Unbearable Need”. Having made it through Rebecca’s estrous, a misunderstanding results in Aaron and Rebecca’s situation being made worse while bringing them emotionally closer than they’ve ever been before.

Preface: Aaron and Rebecca grew up together as lifelong friends. They are now college teenagers whose primary preoccupations are transitioning to adulthood and establishing career paths. Everything suddenly changes after Rebecca returns from a hunting trip. Aaron learns that she's been forced into a desperate situation and that the mistake she made will have drastic consequences for them both that may last the rest of their lives.