Chapter 7

Kael Voss  Pov

I stormed out of Elias’s suite with my blood still boiling. The new bond thrummed in my chest like a live wire, feeding me pieces of his guilt and fear. I wanted to punch something. Draven already had his claws on my mate before I even met him. Genetic material. A claim. The thought made my fists clench so hard my knuckles cracked.

Riven caught up to me in the hallway. “Boss, you look like you’re about to kill someone. What happened?”

“Draven,” I growled. “He has Elias’s genetic samples from the Vale family. That bastard thinks he owns a piece of my mate.”

Riven’s smirk faded fast. “Shit. That changes things.”

“It changes nothing,” I said, voice hard. “Elias is mine. Bonded. Marked. We’re running tests today. I want confirmation on the pregnancy and every detail on his condition.”

I headed straight for the underground medical wing. The sterile lights and chemical smell always grounded me. This was my territory. My rules.

Two hours later Elias was brought in by guards. He looked exhausted, silver hair messy, moving carefully like his body still remembered the heat. The fresh mark on his neck stood out against his pale skin — my mark. Seeing it settled something dark and possessive in me.

He met my eyes across the room. “Kael…”

“Sit,” I said. Not harsh, but no room for argument. “We’re doing bloodwork and a scan. I need to know if the heir is viable.”

Elias sat on the exam table without fighting. His shoulders were tense. “You’re still angry.”

“Damn right I’m angry. You kept a secret that could get us all killed.” I crossed my arms and watched the doctor draw blood. “No more hiding things. Not from me.”

He looked down at his hands. “I was scared you’d throw me out. Everyone else did when they found out what my family did.”

The bond pulsed with his shame. I hated how much it affected me. I stepped closer and tilted his chin up with two fingers. “You’re not everyone else anymore. You’re mine. That means I protect you. But I can’t do that if you’re keeping secrets.”

Elias swallowed. His gray eyes searched mine. “I’m sorry. No more secrets.”

The doctor cleared his throat. “Alpha, the results are in. He’s pregnant. Early stages, but strong. The genetic markers are… exceptional.”

I felt a rush of satisfaction. The heir. My bloodline secured. But it was mixed with something sharper when I looked at Elias. He had gone pale, one hand resting on his stomach like he couldn’t quite believe it.

“Exceptional how?” I asked.

The doctor hesitated. “The pup already shows signs of rare traits. Possibly the silver hair lineage combined with your strength. It’s going to be powerful.”

Elias’s breath caught. I could feel his mix of fear and wonder through the bond. He wanted this child to be safe. He wanted to be more than just a vessel. I understood that better than I wanted to.

I placed my hand over his stomach. The touch was possessive but careful. “This changes everything. You’re carrying my heir now. No more risks. You stay close to me at all times.”

Elias didn’t pull away. Instead he leaned into the touch a little. “I don’t want Draven anywhere near this child.”

“He won’t get close,” I promised, voice low. “I’ll burn his entire operation down first.”

The doctor set up the ultrasound machine. “Let’s take a look.”

The screen flickered to life. The image was small, but clear. A tiny heartbeat. Strong. And something else — faint glowing markers that made the doctor frown.

“Alpha… the pup is developing faster than normal. And those markers… they match the rare genetic profile from Elias’s samples. Draven would kill to get his hands on this.”

My jaw tightened. The bond flared with Elias’s panic. I squeezed his hand. “He won’t. This is ours.”

But as I stared at the screen, a new worry settled in my gut. The pup was special. Too special. If word got out, every rival pack would come sniffing. Draven especially.

I helped Elias sit up after the scan. He looked overwhelmed, one hand still on his stomach. The chemistry between us felt heavier now — protective on my side, vulnerable and searching on his.

“We need to tell the inner circle,” I said. “Seraphina especially. She’ll want to increase security.”

Elias nodded slowly. Then he looked up at me with those storm-gray eyes. “Are you… happy about this? Or is it just about the bloodline?”

The question hit harder than I expected. I brushed my thumb across his cheek. “It’s more than the bloodline now.”

Before I could say more, Riven burst into the room. “Boss. We’ve got movement at the border. Draven’s scouts. They’re testing the wards.”

My vision sharpened with rage. I stood up, already thinking about the fight ahead. “Stay here,” I told Elias. “Rest. I’ll handle this.”

As I headed for the door, the bond pulled tight. Elias’s worry followed me. But underneath it was something new — trust starting to form.

This pregnancy made the stakes real. Draven wasn’t just a threat anymore. He was coming for my mate and my child.

And I would destroy him before he got the chance.