LOGINCaelan's POV
The preparations for Aeliana's first training session with Theron were well underway. Jolene is gathering the supplies, the specific herbs, crystals, and other materials Theron had requested. David is clearing and securing one of the meditation rooms in the east wing. Theron himself is in the library, maybe reviewing texts and preparing his approach.
Which l
Aeliana's POV My mother's hand found mine. I can see her mixture of relief and disappointment, relief that the traitors were dead, disappointment that they'd never face justice for their crimes. "So they're both gone," I said quietly. "The people who destroyed Silverwood, and caused us twenty years of torture...they're dead." "At the Council's hands, not ours," my father said bitterly. "They don't even have to answer for what they did." "They answered," Caelan said. "Just not to us. The Council executed them because they became liabilities. That's a kind of justice, even if it's not what we would have chosen." "It's not enough," my father argued. "It has to be enough," I said firmly, one hand on my growing belly. "Because the alternative is declaring war on the Council to avenge people who are already dead. And I'm not risking my child, this pack, or our future for vengeance against corpses." The room fell silent. My father looked like he wanted to argue, but slowly his express
Aeliana's POV "The Advisory Council was made of twelve people," Brennan added. "We've eliminated eight through various means, we either verified they died in the attack, or confirmed they were targeted by the Council rather than working with them. That leaves four potential traitors." "Do you have names?" Caelan asked. "Two are dead—killed in unrelated incidents over the past twenty years. But two are still alive." Kira pulled out a worn piece of paper covered in notes. "Councilor Meredith Ashwood and Councilor Gareth Thornvale. Both survived the attack, and both disappeared afterward, and have been impossible to track despite our efforts." "You think one of them betrayed us and is now hiding from retribution?" I asked. "We think one of them betrayed us and is now working directly for the Council," Brennan corrected. "The patterns suggest ongoing collaboration, not just a one-time betrayal. Whoever sold out Silverwood twenty years ago is probably still feeding intelligence
Aeliana's POVAt twelve weeks pregnant, my body finally started showing visible changes beyond the constant hunger and exhaustion.My stomach, which had remained stubbornly flat despite the baby's growth, developed a small but definite curve. Not obvious to strangers, but unmistakable to anyone who knew me well."You're showing," Jolene observed during my weekly check-up. "Finally. I was starting to worry the baby was somehow growing without physical manifestation.""Is that normal?" I asked, running my hand over the small bump. "To not show until twelve weeks?""For most werewolf pregnancies, showing starts around eight to ten weeks. But your case is unusual; the baby has been consuming so much energy that your body wasn't storing anything for visible growth. Now that the pregnancy is more established, your body is finally allowing physical changes." Jolene's magical scan hummed over my abdomen. "The baby is developing beautifully. Strong heartbeat, excellent growth rate, and the mag
Caelan's POVThe king and queen were being greeted by pack members who'd heard the stories of their rescue and who wanted to meet the legendary monarchs. It was chaos, wonderful chaos, the kind that came from families reuniting and communities merging."Alpha," Marcus approached, his expression serious. "We need to discuss the integration plan for the Silverwood loyalists. Two hundred wolves is a significant addition, and we need a clear hierarchy, territory assignments, and resource allocation.""Tomorrow," I said firmly. "Tonight, we rest. We celebrate being home. We grieve the wolves we lost. Tomorrow we handle logistics."Marcus looked like he wanted to argue but nodded. "Understood. I'll have reports ready for you in the morning."As the evening progressed, pack members organized a welcome feast. Despite the losses we'd suffered, despite the uncertainty ahead, there was joy in this gathering. We'd survived. We'd won. We'd brought home wolves who'd been lost and built alliances t
Caelan's POVThe convoy returning home was unlike anything I'd ever coordinated. Two hundred Silverwood loyalists, my pack members who'd fought in the battle, the King and Queen of Silverwood, various allied wolves who'd stayed to help, and one very pregnant, very hungry Luna who kept demanding stops for food."We've been traveling for two hours," I said as Aeliana requested the third rest stop. "We're not even halfway home yet.""The baby is hungry," she said, not even apologetic. "And when the baby is hungry, everyone suffers. Trust me, you want me fed and content, not starving and irritable."She had a point. I'd witnessed firsthand what happened when Aeliana's pregnancy hunger wasn't satisfied—she became snappish, unfocused, and genuinely distressed. It was easier to stop every hour and let her eat than to deal with the consequences."Fine. Everyone, we're taking another break. Fifteen minutes."The convoy pulled over, wolves stretching their legs and taking the opportunity to shi
Aeliana's POV Afterward, lying tangled together as dawn light filtered through the windows, Caelan stroked my hair with gentle affection."Jolene said this would level off after the first trimester," he observed. "That's still six more weeks.""Can you handle six more weeks of this?" I asked, genuinely concerned. "I know I'm being demanding...""I love you," he interrupted. "And I love that you want me this much. Yes, it's intense. Yes, it can be exhausting. But I'm not complaining, Lia. This is us growing our family. Every symptom, every craving, every overwhelming need...it's all part of creating our child."I can feel his absolute sincerity. He wasn't just tolerating my pregnancy symptoms; he was embracing them as part of our journey together."I love you too," I said softly. "Even when I'm eating raw meat at four in the morning and demanding sex for the third time in twelve hours.""Especially then," he corrected with a smile.A knock on the door interrupted our moment. My mother







