Growing Power

"Look at you," one of the new servants whispered to another as they helped me into a looser silk robe. "Barely two months and already showing like that. The whole court’s talking."

I yanked the robe closed over my noticeably rounded belly, glaring at them. "Then let them talk. Get out."

They bowed quickly and left, but their words stuck. Two months. My stomach curved out enough now that it was impossible to hide. The glow beneath my skin had settled into a constant soft radiance, especially over the swell where the child grew stronger every day.

I stood in front of the mirror, running my hands over the bump. The baby kicked hard, right under my palm, like it was saying hello. A rush of protectiveness hit me so strong my knees almost buckled.

"Easy," I murmured. "We’re in this together."

The soul bond tugged suddenly. I closed my eyes and reached along it. Vesperian was in the council chamber. Frustration. Pride. A sharp edge of worry underneath. I could feel his exact emotions now, clear as my own. And more than that, I could nudge the draining magic if I focused.

The door opened. Vesperian stepped in, golden eyes immediately dropping to my belly. His expression shifted, possessive hunger mixed with something softer that made my chest ache.

"Come here," he said, voice rough.

I walked to him without thinking. His hands settled on my bump immediately, thumbs stroking over the silk. The child kicked again, strong and deliberate.

"He knows you," I said quietly.

Vesperian’s lips curved. "Good." But I felt the worry spike through the bond. "The court is getting louder. They fear the prophecy. Some are calling you a curse made flesh."

I tensed. "Let them. You’re the one who put me here."

He pulled me closer, one hand sliding to the small of my back. "I’ll handle them. But you stay in the royal wing. No more risks."

~~~~

The whispers followed me everywhere that day. During the healer’s visit, Asterin kept glancing nervously at the door.

"The council is divided," he said under his breath while checking my belly. "Some want the pregnancy terminated before the child becomes too powerful. Others see it as salvation. It’s getting dangerous."

I gripped the table. "Vesperian won’t let them touch us."

Asterin didn’t look convinced.

By evening, the tension had me on edge. When Vesperian came to me, I was already slick with need, the pregnancy making everything more intense.

He didn’t speak much. He simply stripped me and laid me on the bed, kissing down my body until his mouth reached the swell of my belly. He lingered there, lips reverent against the glowing skin.

"Beautiful," he murmured.

Then he was inside me, deep and slow, hips rolling in a steady rhythm that made me moan despite myself. I wrapped my legs around him, hands in his hair.

"Alpha... harder," I gasped.

He gave it to me, thrusting deeper, knot starting to swell. The draining magic stirred automatically, reaching for his strength. But this time, I focused.

I nudged it. Redirected it. Pulled some of the flow back into myself and the child instead of draining him so hard. The power felt different, smoother, more controlled. Vesperian groaned above me, hips stuttering like he felt the change but couldn’t name it.

"Yes," I whispered, clenching around him. I kept the flow balanced, taking just enough to feed us without weakening him as much. For the first time, I had real control.

Vesperian’s knot locked us together with a wet pop. Pleasure crashed over me as he came, filling me deep. I shook apart beneath him, the bond singing between us.

Afterward, he stayed locked inside me, rolling us carefully so I lay on his chest. His hand stroked my belly in slow circles.

But then I felt it through the bond, his suspicion sharpening. He pulled back slightly, golden eyes pinning me with an intensity that made my breath catch.

Vesperian’s hand tightened on my hip. "Something’s different tonight," he said, voice low and dangerous. "You feel... changed. Stronger. More in control." His gaze bored into mine. "What are you hiding, little Omega?"

I froze, heart pounding against his chest. The child kicked between us, almost like a warning. The glow under my skin brightened for a second before I forced it down.

His suspicion wrapped around the bond like smoke. He wasn’t angry yet, but the possessiveness had sharpened into something darker. Calculating.

I swallowed hard, mind racing for an answer that wouldn’t shatter everything between us. But the way he looked at me, like he could see straight through my soul, made it clear he wasn’t going to let this go.

And for the first time, I wasn’t sure I could keep hiding the truth from him.