Chapter 004

This... is a joke, right? There's no way I'm pregnant. And from the shocked look on Ikaros' face, I knew he was thinking the same thing as me.

As soon as the doctor left, he grabbed both of my arms and glared at me angrily.

"With whom have you been sleeping for the past two months, Azalea?" he asked, enraged. "Who is the father of this child!?"

His grip on my arms was painful. "Back off," I growled. Hurt. How dare he ask me such a thing!? Did he think I was some cheap slut? "That's none of your business at all."

Damn it. I'm pregnant, and last night I drank alcohol? I've hurt a creature that hasn't even taken shape yet.

"Who is the father of that child, Azalea?"

God knows the child in my womb is Ikaros' child. But I won't admit it. Let that man with his snobbish fiancée! Let me take care of myself!

I tried to get off the stretcher, but he held onto my arm. "You won't be going anywhere until you answer my question," he growled. "Who else have you been sleeping with besides me!?"

And that's when I slapped him. "'Sleep'!? If you remember, Ikaros Alexandrovich, you pinned me down in the kitchen, in a standing position, facing the cabinet, and you did all those disgusting things with me! That's not exactly 'sleeping'! But it was my first and only experience, dammit!"

I wait for him to respond. I'm ready to argue with him. But contrary to my rage, Ikaros seems calmer now. He sighs slowly and gently strokes my arm. "You're angry because you're pregnant. You know, pregnancy hormones make you more sensitive," he finally says. "We should go back to Jay's apartment so you can calm down there."

Great! I start to slide off the bed, but he grabs my arm again.

"And," apparently Ikaros still has something to say, and I impatiently wait for him, "after you calm down, we can tell Jay about our relationship, and then you move into my house. We'll get married the following week."

I blink in shock. "If I were given the choice between marrying you or jumping into the sea, Ikaros, I would choose the latter," I retort fiercely.

He raises an eyebrow. "I have a house by the sea, in Florida, if you'd prefer," he grins. "You'd better just listen to me, and I'll make sure you won't regret it. Because I'll give you everything you want, anything, as long as you carry my son."

I snort.

"Or daughter," he adds later. "Considering your fertility level, I'm sure we'll have more than one child."

I ignore his annoying remarks. "And if I refuse?"

"I'll still claim my child, and you won't get anything from me," Ikaros replies. "Let's be realistic, Azalea. You're just a university student, I'm a businessman. I have a house, while you're crashing at Jay's apartment. I have plenty of servants at my house, and you struggle even to take care of yourself. I'm more than capable of taking care of you and the child, Azalea. Imagine the child suffering because of your selfishness in refusing my generous offer. And by the way, you should stop drinking alcohol."

I gritted my jaw, annoyed. I'd only had alcohol once, but he made me sound like an alcoholic. "That Luna of yours-"

"I will make you my Luna," Ikaros said quickly.

"-What does that mean? To be a Luna?"

"It means you are the wife of an alpha," he said. "You will be required to be wise and graceful."

"Like Lorelei," I said, pained. Okay, from the start, we all knew Lorelei was the girl he loved. "I know you're forced to marry me because I'm pregnant, but I don't want a man to marry me out of obligation."

Okay, at least I've said that, and it's not about my selfishness. It's more about my compassion.

Ikaros sighed. "I'm not forced. I've been deceiving my feelings from the beginning." And he said that sentence so sincerely that I couldn't stay angry anymore.

I bit my lip. "Give me time to consider your offer."

*****

Ikaros's POV

At this point, I knew I had been foolish to deny the mate destined for me. And I knew I'd be a complete idiot if I rejected the child carried by my mate. Alpha blood flowed in the baby growing inside Azalea, and it would be foolish of me not to acknowledge it.

Lorelei would be furious, but she wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

I cradled Azalea, then carried her out of the room. Several pairs of eyes immediately greeted us.

"What happened?" asked Rutherford, while Lorelei only glared at Azalea. I knew she could already guess. And I wouldn't hide this from her.

"Azalea's pregnant," I answered.

Lorelei's eyes immediately flashed with anger, while Rutherford patiently waited for me to say the important part.

"She's carrying my child," I said. As I said it, Azalea shifted uncomfortably in my arms, but didn't contradict me. Her cheeks flushed crimson, and she refused to look at anyone.

Lorelei took off the ring on her hand and threw it to the hospital corridor floor, then stormed off angrily. For her, this was valid proof that I had cheated on her and lied to her all along.

Rutherford sighed. "I'll arrange plans for your wedding," he said to me.

Azalea squirmed in protest but didn't say anything.

"Thank you," I sincerely said to Rutherford. Rutherford was not only my friend but also a very reliable beta.

I was about to take Azalea to the parking lot, but the girl snorted. "Retrieve the ring Lorelei threw away and give it to me."

"Don't you want a new ring?" I asked, surprised.

"I don't like waste," Azalea replied. "And by the way, I can still walk on my own."

The ring was almost worthless to me, and she was still too weak to walk on her own, but it was up to her.

*****

Azalea's POV

Finally, I agreed to this marriage plan. Because perhaps this is what's best for the baby. Even though it's clearly not the best for me.

And by telling Jay that Ikaros and I are getting married, I was ready for the possibility that he would complain to my sister and berate me. I was prepared to be seen as the clueless younger sister, the one who made my sister and parents work hard to fund her expensive performing arts education—but Jay just remained silent.

"Are you going to tell my sister about our marriage plans?" I asked. At that moment, we—Jay, Ikaros, and I—were gathered in his kitchen. "Come on, say something!"

Jay glanced at Ikaros and sighed. "I didn't know you two were dating all this time," he said. "And now that I know, I'm okay with it."

I furrowed my brow. Was that the sentence he'd been holding back all this time? "And will you tell my sister about this?"

Jay snorted. "You're not going to tell Rose and your parents, Azalea?" he retorted. "How serious do you think marriage is?"

Ouch.

I had been impulsive. And as I turned to look at Ikaros, I knew he was thinking the same thing.

"We'll tell them after Azalea moves into my house," Ikaros answered, taking charge immediately.

Jay looked at Ikaros again, and from his gaze, I could tell he was conflicted. "I hope I can trust you as much as I trust the outcome of our project collaboration. Now I'll call Rose to summon her here, and until she arrives, no one is allowed to move into anyone's house."

And after that, Ikaros reluctantly bid farewell and went home.

*****

At night, I couldn't sleep. There was so much on my mind. But what I wanted to think about the most right now was Ikaros, his feelings towards me, and my feelings towards him, both shrouded in a mist of pride and ego. Is he sincere? Or is this change in his behavior solely because I'm carrying his child?

If all of this is truly just because of the child I'm carrying—

Suddenly, my bedroom window opened, and I was startled to see Ikaros as the one opening it. He stepped into my room shirtless, and my cheeks flushed.

"What are you doing here?" I protested. His jeans were slightly damp and hung low on his hips, and my cheeks burned when I accidentally caught sight of it.

He gazed at me tenderly and replied, "Remember when you mentioned how I never 'slept' with you? Well, now I'm going to do that with you." Then he carefully lay down beside me and pulled me close to his chest.

I pushed him away, but he didn't budge. Making me reluctantly feel my forehead against his broad chest. His scent was so masculine and pleasant, with a hint of rain.

"Okay, Ikaros Alexandrovich," I said. I wanted to sound confident, but the truth was my heart was racing like crazy now. He touched my cheek with his long fingers and smirked.

"I know you want something to happen tonight, but it can wait until after we're married."

"You wish!" I grumbled, my cheeks feeling as hot as if I had a fever.

"Until that day comes and we live together, we have to keep our child's existence a secret," Ikaros said, brushing against me while stroking my stomach. Sending both unsettling and pleasant vibrations to my heart. "Because I have many archenemies who would be willing to kill you and our child just to destroy my life."

*****

Orion's POV

You don't know me. But you might know Lorelei. By the way, Lorelei told me some interesting news. And now I know how to destroy Ikaros Alexandrovich's life.

I know Alexandrovich well enough to know that he would go berserk like a grizzly bear if I gave him a photo of Azalea and me together in a bar—which would be a photoshopped fabrication—and said that I'm the real father of that girl's baby. 'She lied to you because she loves you, and I'm just her outlet, but I'm the real father of that baby,' I would say later. Mixing a pinch of truth into a scenario of lies is always the best lie.

And truly, I can't wait to see the moment when Ikaros will dump Azalea for the second time and lose her trust forever. Losing the trust of your mate, what would that feel like, I wonder?