LOGINOn the day of Alpha Thorne’s birthday party, the house felt warm and thick with anticipation.“You look stunning,” Raven said, wrapping his arms around Selina from behind and brushing a kiss against her ear.Selina smiled. “You’re such a charmer, handsome,” she replied, giving him a playful wink.Whether it was the pregnancy or her overflowing love for Raven, Selina felt more flirtatious than ever. And Raven clearly enjoyed it.Raven turned her around in his arms. Those blue eyes slowly traced her from head to toe, darkening as they lingered.“You’re so beautiful. I want to devour you,” he murmured, sending Selina back to memories that made her cheeks warm.She shook her head and slipped out of his embrace. “We’re almost late,” she said, fixing her hair one last time before grabbing her bag.When she turned, she caught Raven staring at her back with far too much focus.“Raven,” Selina cleared her throat. His dark blue eyes widened slightly.“What? You’re mine. I have every right to en
The baby clothing brand was clearly visible inside the shopping bag. There was no way Alaric missed it. His face remained blank, but the look in his eyes betrayed shock and a deep, buried pain.A sudden wave of fear seized Selina’s chest. She instinctively wanted to step back, but Raven quickly placed his hand on her lower back, holding her in place.Selina swallowed and lowered her gaze. Her mind dragged her back to that horrific night, the night Alaric killed her child. He had not stopped, no matter how desperately she begged. She had told him she was pregnant, that she could lose the baby, but Alaric had not cared at all.Raven gave a short nod when Alaric approached them.“Congratulations,” Alaric said. He stopped at a cautious distance, his eyes fixed on Selina. That stare sent anxiety creeping all the way into her bones.Fear and unease wrapped tightly around Selina. She did not know why, but a strong instinct told her this man could harm her baby. The past had left a scar far d
Selina kissed Raven’s cheek while he helped her fasten her seat belt. The car eased out of the parking lot, leaving a warm, comfortable silence between them.“You look happy,” Raven said with an easy smile, his voice relaxed.Selina nodded, her face bright. She caught the smile on Raven’s lips, and it made her wonder about his meeting with her father.“I am. What about you? Are you okay?” she asked softly. Her hand slid over his on the gear shift.Raven squeezed her fingers, brushed a quick kiss over the back of her hand, then rested it on her thigh.“I’m fine,” he said, his voice rough.“Was he angry?” Selina asked quietly. Her chest ached at the thought that the grandfather of their baby might already be upset before the child was even born. In her mind, a familiar fear surfaced, that Raven’s relationship with their child might one day mirror what she had seen between Alaric and his own family.“He has no right to be angry,” Raven said firmly. “Don’t worry about him, sweetheart. For
A few days passed, and Raven kept taking care of Selina as if she were a child who might trip at any second.Selina did not blame him. Raven was just too worried about her. He did not want Selina or their baby to get hurt. Everything felt sweet and warm, but when they were on campus, Raven could not get close to her in front of everyone. So he watched from a distance, checking on her through their mental bond whenever he could.Strong hands suddenly grabbed Selina’s waist, and a pair of arms wrapped around her. Raven rested his face in the curve of her neck, breathing in the scent of her skin.“What are you doing?” he asked.“Making chicken pasta,” Selina replied. A soft moan slipped from her lips when Raven licked her neck.“I’m hungry,” Raven murmured, kissing her skin.“Two more minutes. It’s almost done. Can you set the table? Ahh, Raven, I’m not food,” Selina scolded, glancing sideways when he suddenly bit her.Raven just smiled like an idiot. “You are my food. After dinner, I’ll
Susan let out a small shriek of surprise. “Oh my God,” she blurted out, loud enough to make several heads in the room turn toward her and Selina. Curious stares immediately followed.The nurse on duty quickly reminded her to keep her voice down since they were in a hospital.“You’re seriously acting like a child,” Rowan said with an amused smirk, clearly trying to provoke her.“Don’t call me that,” Susan snapped, shooting him a sharp glare. The deadly look only made Rowan chuckle.Beside Selina, Raven stood frozen. His eyes were locked on the medical report in her hands, and the light in them was impossible to hide. It was pure happiness.There was no longer any doubt.Selina was pregnant.A life was growing inside her womb.Without realizing it, her hand drifted down to her stomach, a reflexive gesture filled with emotion.“Congratulations, you two,” Susan said with a wide smile.Rowan echoed the sentiment with a soft laugh.Selina smiled faintly, while Raven thanked the doctor, his
Selina froze, her mind completely snagged on that one sentence. What did Susan just say? Am I pregnant? A buzzing filled her ears as her gaze stayed locked on Susan. In a split second, her thoughts spiraled out of control, a million possibilities crashing into each other without pause.“What?” Selina’s voice came out shaky, barely believable even to herself.“You… I mean, you might be pregnant,” Susan stammered, clearly referring to Raven and their heated relationship.Selina felt the hand on her back stiffen instantly. She turned to Raven, only to find him staring at Susan with the same stunned expression she probably had on her own face.When she thought about it, they really had done it plenty of times without protection.Selina swallowed. Strangely enough, she felt fairly calm.“We should go to the hospital,” Rowan suggested.“Yes, we need to take her there,” Susan agreed, for once on the same page as Rowan as they exchanged a tense look.Selina startled when Raven suddenly lifted







