My heart skipped a beat. Goodbye?
I stared at him, gripping my fork so tightly that my knuckles turned white. “What do you mean ‘goodbye’?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Rhys was one of the only people in the pack who actually liked me. He and Mer had been my only friends here, the only ones who made me feel somewhat normal. And now... he was leaving? Tears stung my eyes before I could stop them, and I cursed myself under my breath. Stupid pregnancy hormones. My emotions were all over the place, and the thought of losing one of the few people who actually cared about me made my chest ache. Rhys’ eyes widened when he saw my tears, his face immediately softening. “Whoa, whoa, don’t cry!” He quickly set the tray down and moved closer, sitting on the edge of the bed. “It’s not like that, okay? I’m not leaving the pack. I’m just going on a short trip for a few days.” I sniffled, feeling incredibly stupHe turned his attention to me and nodded. “Of course. What’s up?”I put my fork down, suddenly nervous. “It’s just… something’s been bothering me for a while.” I took a deep breath. “How did I even end up pregnant with Kai’s child? I mean, I was in a hospital in New York, and somehow, I got implanted with his sperm. How is that even possible?”Rhys’s expression turned serious. He leaned back against the headboard, crossing his arms. “I figured you’d ask about that eventually.”I raised an eyebrow. “And you didn’t think to tell me before?”He smirked. “Would you have believed me?”I opened my mouth to argue but then shut it. He had a point.Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. “Alright, listen up. It’s one of our pack traditions. The Alpha’s sperm is always stored in a faraway and highly secured hospital.”My jaw dropped. “Wait—what?”He held up a hand. “Let me finish before you freak out.”I crossed
I stared at her, completely shocked. "What?!" I squealed, immediately jumping up to hug her. "Oh my God, you kissed him?!"Her face turned an even deeper shade of red, and she nodded shyly. "It just... happened. We were in the garden, and he told me he was going on a trip, and we were just talking. And then, when we said goodnight, I kissed him. It felt... magical."I pulled back to look at her, my excitement bubbling over. "What did he say? What happened next?"Mer bit her lip nervously, not meeting my eyes. "I... I ran away. I just kissed him and ran."I couldn't contain my laughter. "You kissed him and ran away? Oh my God, Mer! You're so cute!" I was grinning ear to ear, totally excited for her. "Why would you run away? You could've stayed and enjoyed it!""I—I was just so embarrassed," she admitted, her hands twisting in her lap. "I didn't know what to do after. I panicked."I laughed again, trying to calm down. "Mer, you’re killing me! That sounds like something out of a romance
We walked into the dining room together, still holding hands. The room was already bustling with pack members chatting and eating, the clinking of plates and silverware filling the air. The smell of fresh bread, eggs, and something sweet—maybe honey-glazed ham—made my stomach rumble.At the head table, Kai was seated in his usual spot, looking every bit the Alpha he was. Zara sat to his right, her expression unreadable as always. But it was Kai’s reaction that caught my attention—his eyes widened slightly when he saw me. I guess he hadn’t expected me to actually show up. I couldn’t blame him. This was my first time eating breakfast with everyone. Normally, I took my meals in my room, avoiding all the awkward stares and whispers.Rhys, sitting on Kai’s left, noticed us approaching and grinned. “Well, well, look who finally decided to join the living,” he teased.I rolled my eyes, but I was grinning too. “Shut up,” I said playfully.Mer, still flust
The tone was low, calm… but there was an edge to it.Rhys finally seemed to notice the tension in the air because his smile faded slightly. “Yeah?”Kai’s gaze flickered down to where Rhys’ hand was still resting on my shoulder.I swallowed.Oh.Rhys seemed to realize it too because he immediately pulled his hand back. I kept my eyes on my plate, shoving a piece of bacon into my mouth like it was the most interesting thing in the world. But no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, I could still feel Kai’s gaze on me. It was intense, like he was silently trying to send a message I couldn’t understand.Well… this just got interesting.Curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to sneak a quick peek at Zara.Big mistake.She was glaring at Kai like she wanted to set him on fire with her eyes. Her jaw was tight, her fingers gripping her fork so hard I thought it might snap in half.Yikes. Awkw
And there it was.I kept my expression calm, refusing to let her words sink in. I had played this game before. People like Zara wanted a reaction, and the best way to win was not to give them one.I tilted my head slightly, smiling just as sweetly. “That’s thoughtful of him,” I said, making sure my voice was light and easy, like she hadn’t just tried to insult me. “What time is the meeting?”Zara blinked, like she hadn’t expected me to brush her off so easily. But she recovered quickly. “Two o’clock. At Poppy’s.”Ah, Poppy’s. I remembered it from my tour with Mer. It was a cute little diner with the best pastries I’d ever tasted. At least the location was a win.I nodded. “Great. I’ll be there.”Then, before she could say anything else, I stood up, grabbed Mer’s hand, and walked out of the dining room without looking back.As soon as we were in the hallway, Mer let out a long breath and shook her head. “I swear, she’s un
I blinked in confusion. What?"But... I was on time," I said, glancing at the clock on the wall just to be sure. It was exactly 2 PM, the time Zara had told me.The red-haired woman scoffed, shaking her head. "The meeting started an hour ago," she snapped.My stomach dropped.What?It took me a few seconds to put the pieces together. My gaze flickered to Zara, who was sipping her tea as if she hadn't just set me up.Of course.Of course she had done this.Zara had given me the wrong time on purpose. She had made sure I arrived late so I would look irresponsible.I clenched my fists under the table, forcing myself to stay calm."Zara told me the meeting was at 2," I said, my voice steady but firm.The room fell into silence.Zara let out a soft gasp, placing a hand on her chest like I had just accused her of something horrible. "Me?" she asked, eyes wide with fake innocence.I nodded. "Yes. You told me—""I'm so sorry if there was a misunderstanding," Zara interrupted, her voice sweet
"You handled yourself well," a soft voice said.I looked up to find the kind woman who had spoken up earlier. She offered me a small, encouraging smile, her warm brown eyes filled with understanding."Zara likes to test people," she continued. "But don’t let her get to you."I returned her smile, though mine was a bit tired. "It’s hard not to," I admitted. "She clearly enjoys making things difficult for me."Selina let out a knowing chuckle. "Oh, she does," she agreed. "But people like her? They thrive on reactions. The best thing you can do is not give her one."I sighed. "Easier said than done.""You’ll get the hang of it," she assured me.She extended her hand. "I’m Selina, by the way. My mate is one of the pack elders."That explained the way she carried herself—with confidence, grace, and authority. Unlike Zara, though, she didn’t seem to wield her influence as a weapon."I’m—" I started, but she cut me off with a small laugh."I know who you are," she said with a smile. "Everyon
I looked up to see a woman standing next to me. She had a welcoming smile, and there was something comforting about the way she carried herself. She was middle-aged, with kind brown eyes and short, wavy hair. Her apron, embroidered with the store’s name, told me she was the owner.“I’m Andrea,” she introduced herself, her voice full of warmth. “I own this store. And you are...?”I smiled back, feeling at ease right away. “I’m Lily. I’m... well, I’m pregnant, and I was just admiring the things here. I don’t have any money on me right now.”Andrea’s smile grew, and she waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. You’re carrying the Alpha’s child, right? That’s reason enough for you to have something from here.”I blinked in surprise. “You know who I am?”She chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Oh, yes. Word gets around in a close-knit community like this. Plus, with the Alpha’s mate expecting, how could we not know?”I felt my face flush, unsure of how to react
The next morning, I woke up to the soft feel of lips brushing against my forehead. At first, I thought I was dreaming. The kiss was so gentle, almost like a whisper. My eyes fluttered open slowly, adjusting to the golden morning light slipping through the thick curtains. For a moment, everything was quiet and calm, and then I saw him.Kai.He was leaning over me, his messy black hair falling a little into his eyes. His smile was soft and sleepy, but warm—like he had been watching me for a while. His shirt was gone, and I could see the way the light made his skin glow slightly. He looked like something out of a dream.“Good morning, sleepyhead,” he whispered, his voice still husky from sleep.“Morning,” I replied, my voice scratchy. I rubbed at my eyes, still feeling a little tired but also comforted by his presence.That’s when I saw the tray in his hands. My eyes widened in surprise.“You brought me breakfast?” I asked, try
After dinner, we slowly made our way out of the dining room. Kai never let go of me, not even for a second. His arm stayed wrapped around my waist like he was afraid I’d disappear if he let go. I was full and sleepy, and my body felt heavier than usual. My legs ached a little, and my lower back was starting to hurt too. That happened a lot lately—being almost six months pregnant came with a lot of surprises. Kai kept glancing down at me, his eyes filled with worry, but I gave him a small smile to let him know I was okay.We climbed the stairs carefully. He didn’t rush me at all. With every step, he kept his hand steady on my side, whispering, “Almost there, baby,” like I was running a marathon. When we finally reached our bedroom, he opened the door and helped me inside. The room was warm and smelled like his cologne and something minty from the candles Mer had left earlier.Kai turned to me and gave me a gentle smile. “Let’s get you comfortable,” he said softly.I nodded, and he help
Lily’s POV Soon, it was time for dinner. I took a deep breath as I stood before the full-length mirror in our room, running my hands over the fabric of my dress. It was a soft, flowing lavender gown that hugged my growing belly just enough to feel comfortable. I hadn’t paid much attention to my appearance in the past few days, but tonight felt different. Tonight, I was trying to take things back to some kind of normal. Or at least, as normal as life could feel after everything that had happened. Kai was standing nearby, his eyes watching me with a mix of concern and affection. His attention was always on me now, always looking out for me, especially since the news of the babies. I could feel the weight of his eyes on me, and it wasn’t the kind of weight that made me uncomfortable. It was the kind of weight that felt like safety, like reassurance. But even so, I knew he was nervous. He was always nervous when it came to me these days. “Yo
Lily’s POV We went back to the mansion the next day. I had been in the hospital for days after the incident, but I couldn’t take it anymore. The walls felt too white, too cold. I missed the comfort of my own bed, the warm scent of Kai’s cologne on the sheets, and the way our room always smelled faintly of cedar and something earthy. I wanted to be home. I needed to be home. It took a lot of convincing. Kai was stubborn, like always. He didn’t want to risk anything—not with me, and definitely not with the babies. But after I practically begged him and Doctor Harris stepped in to reassure him that I was healing well, he finally gave in. “You’ll rest. No stress,” Kai said, holding my hand tightly as we got into the car. “The moment you feel tired, you tell me.” “I will,” I promised, resting my other hand gently on my bump. The ride home was quiet. I looked out the window at the trees passing by, my hand never leaving my belly. Kai kept glancing at me every few seconds, like he was
Lily's POVI blinked up at the ceiling, the bright white lights above me making my eyes sting. Everything smelled like antiseptic and plastic. The hospital. I hated hospitals. The last time I was here, I had no one beside me. But this time, I kept hoping he’d come.I shifted a little, wincing at first—but then realizing something strange. There was no pain. My leg didn’t hurt. My ribs didn’t ache. My face wasn’t bruised anymore. I looked down at my arms and blinked in confusion. Just yesterday they were covered in purple-blue marks. Now? Smooth skin. Like nothing ever happened.Was I dreaming?The door opened.My head snapped toward the sound, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw him. Kai.He looked like he hadn’t slept. His hair was messy, and his eyes were red, like he’d been crying. He stood there in the doorway, just staring at me like I was some kind of miracle. I swallowed hard, not sure what to say. Not sure what I even felt. A part of me wanted to cry. Another part wanted to
Kai’s POV He nodded. “Yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying. And she’s not marked, is she?”“No,” I said slowly. “I haven’t marked her yet.”Doctor Harris looked back at the room again. “Then this shouldn’t be happening. A human can’t heal this fast. It’s… well, it’s impossible. Unless there’s something in her blood. Maybe she’s not fully human. Or maybe something’s changed.”My mind started racing. “You mean like—she could be turning?”He shook his head. “It’s too early to say anything for sure. I need to run more tests. I’ve already taken a blood sample, and I’ll have results in a few hours. But Alpha, something strange is going on with her biology.”I stared at the door, my heart thudding against my ribs.Lily. My Lily. What was happening to her?I swallowed hard and looked back at Doctor Harris. “Do whatever you need to do. Run every test. I just want her safe.”“I will,” he said. “I promise.”I nodded slowly, trying to process everything he just told me. I didn’t know what this me
Kai’s POV That was the law. And it was final.The crowd erupted. Growls, howls, and shouts of agreement filled the air. The pack stood behind me. I could feel it in my bones. They trusted me. They believed in what I was doing. And in that moment, I knew I was doing the right thing. Even if it hurt.Two of my strongest warriors stepped forward. I nodded at them, and they approached Zara.She didn’t fight. She didn’t scream or lash out. She just cried harder, shaking her head and begging between sobs.“Please… Kai… don’t do this… I’m sorry… please…”But no one answered her. No one moved to stop the warriors as they gently pulled her to her feet and began walking her away. She kept looking back at me like I would change my mind. But I didn’t.I couldn’t.I turned my back to her. I couldn’t look anymore.Rhys was suddenly beside me. I didn’t even hear him come up. He placed a firm hand on my shoulder.“You did the right thing,” he said quietly.I nodded slowly, but my chest still felt ti
Kai’s POV Rhys and I walked together across the dirt path that led to the training grounds. The wind was cold, and the sky had started to turn gray, as if the universe itself knew what was about to happen. Behind us, I could hear Zara’s slow, dragging footsteps. She was walking like someone headed for their funeral. And maybe in a way, she was. I didn’t turn around to look at her, but I could feel her fear and hesitation. She was stalling on purpose, hoping for a miracle, or maybe for me to change my mind. But she didn’t know me anymore—not after what she’d done. I stopped suddenly, anger burning in my chest, and turned around. Zara had fallen behind. Way behind. Her arms were crossed, and her head was down. She looked small, weak—nothing like the confident woman she used to be. But I didn’t feel pity. I didn’t feel anything except disgust. I walked back to her, reached out, and grabbed her arm. Not tight, not rough—just enough to get her moving. Even though I hated her for every
Kai’s POVRhys and I left the hospital quietly, neither of us saying much as we walked toward the car. My chest felt tight the entire time, like something was sitting on it. Even though Doctor Harris had told me Lily was stable, I couldn’t get her pale face out of my mind. I kept seeing her lying in that hospital bed—bruised, broken, with wires and machines surrounding her. It didn’t feel real. Or maybe it felt too real.I climbed into the passenger seat while Rhys started the engine. The silence between us wasn’t awkward. It was heavy. Like we were both holding back everything we really wanted to scream. Rhys kept glancing at me, probably worried I would explode at any moment. He wasn’t wrong.The drive back to the mansion felt like it took forever, but at the same time, I couldn’t remember a single thing we passed. My thoughts were too loud. My emotions were everywhere. Anger. Guilt. Fear. Mostly anger.As soon as Rhys pulled into the driveway, I turned to him. “Call the pack. Gather