Chapter 8

Elias's POV…

The door closed behind Kael, leaving the medical room feeling too quiet and too bright under the sterile lights. My hand stayed on my stomach even after he left. Pregnant. The word kept repeating in my head like it didn’t belong there. I was carrying Kael Voss’s heir. Our child. The ultrasound image of that tiny heartbeat was still burned into my mind.

I sat on the exam table, legs dangling, trying to breathe through the mix of emotions crashing over me. Fear. Shock. And something softer that scared me even more — a tiny spark of hope. The bond hummed steadily between us. I could feel Kael moving through the estate, his anger sharp and focused as he headed toward the border. He was already thinking about Draven. About protecting us.

A soft knock sounded. Seraphina walked in without waiting for an answer. Kael’s sister. Tall, athletic, with the same silver-gray eyes but sharper edges. She looked at me like I was a problem that needed solving.

“So it’s true,” she said, crossing her arms. “You’re pregnant.”

I nodded, not sure what to say. The fresh mark on my neck still tingled. “The doctor confirmed it. The pup is developing fast.”

Seraphina stepped closer, her gaze dropping to my stomach for a second before coming back up. “My brother doesn’t do anything halfway. But you… you come with a lot of baggage, Elias. Draven’s name is already being whispered at the borders. This pregnancy makes you a target.”

Her words stung, but I didn’t look away. “I didn’t ask for any of this. My family sold pieces of me years ago. I was just trying to survive.”

She watched me for a long moment, like she was deciding whether I was worth the trouble. “Survival isn’t enough anymore. You’re carrying the next Voss heir. That means you’re pack now. Whether you like it or not.”

The bond tugged again. Kael’s focus was shifting — he had reached the border area. I felt a flash of his readiness for violence. It made my chest tight.

“I don’t want to be a weakness,” I said quietly. “I want to be useful. Safe. For the baby.”

Seraphina’s expression softened just a fraction. “Then stop hiding things. My brother protects what’s his, but secrets get people killed.” She paused. “Riven will stay with you until Kael gets back. Don’t leave this wing.”

She turned to leave but stopped at the door. “And Elias? Welcome to the family. Try not to die.”

The door clicked shut behind her. I let out a shaky breath and slid off the table. My body still ached from the heat and the mating, but the pregnancy was already changing things. I felt warmer than usual, more aware of every scent in the room.

Riven showed up a few minutes later, carrying a tray of food and a stack of soft blankets. “Special delivery from the Alpha. He said you need to eat and rest.”

I took the blankets without thinking and started folding them on the small couch in the corner. My hands moved on their own, arranging them into a nest shape. Nesting instincts. They were kicking in already.

Riven raised an eyebrow. “You’re nesting with medical blankets? Bold choice.”

“It’s not on purpose,” I muttered, but I kept adjusting them. The faint trace of Kael’s scent on one of the blankets made the bond settle a little. “I just… need it to feel right.”

He sat down nearby, casual but alert. “Alpha’s out dealing with some scouts near the border. Draven’s testing us early. Are you okay with all this?”

I sat in the middle of the half-formed nest and pulled a blanket over my lap. “I don’t know. One minute I’m trying not to get sold off, the next I’m bonded and pregnant. And Kael…” I touched the mark on my neck. “He’s furious about Draven. I can feel it through the bond.”

Riven leaned back. “Yeah, he doesn’t do anything halfway. Especially not now. You two are stuck together for good. That reciprocal marking? Rare as hell. Most Omegas don’t bite back.”

The bond flared suddenly. Kael was fighting. I felt a burst of his adrenaline and controlled rage. A scout had gotten too close. My stomach twisted with worry.

“He’s okay,” I whispered, more to myself. “But Draven… he’s not going to stop.”

Riven’s face grew serious. “No, he won’t. That hybrid bastard plays long games. But Kael built this pack on blood and loyalty. We’ve got your back now too.”

I ate a little of the food he brought, but mostly I kept arranging the blankets. The nesting helped calm the anxiety. Through the bond I felt Kael finishing the skirmish. He was heading back, his thoughts turning toward me and the pup. Possessive. Protective. And underneath it, that same reluctant pull I’d felt during the heat.

When the door opened again, Kael filled the frame. His shirt had a tear on the sleeve and there was blood on his knuckles, but he looked unharmed. His eyes locked on me immediately, scanning me from head to toe.

“You’re nesting,” he said, voice low. Something in his expression shifted — satisfaction mixed with that heavy possessiveness.

I nodded, suddenly self-conscious. “It just happened. The doctor said the pregnancy is strong.”

Kael crossed the room in a few strides and crouched in front of me. His hand covered mine on my stomach. The touch sent warmth through the bond. “Good. The scouts were Draven’s. Testing our borders. They won’t try that again soon.”

Riven stood up quietly. “I’ll leave you two. Call if you need anything.”

Once we were alone, Kael stayed crouched there, looking at me. “You felt it, didn’t you? The fight.”

“Yeah. I felt everything.” I hesitated, then added, “I don’t want to be the reason your pack gets hurt.”

His thumb stroked over my stomach. “You’re not. You’re the reason we fight harder.” He stood and pulled me gently to my feet, then wrapped his arms around me. The hug was careful but firm. “Come on. We’re moving you to my wing. Closer to me. Safer.”

I leaned into his chest, breathing in his scent. The bond sang with relief and that growing attachment. But as we walked out together, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Draven’s shadow was getting longer. The pregnancy made everything real. And more dangerous.

Kael kept his hand on my lower back the whole way. Protective. Possessive. But when we reached his private wing, a messenger was waiting with a sealed letter. The scent on it was wrong — cold and metallic.

Kael opened it. His face darkened as he read.

“What is it?” I asked.

He looked at me, jaw tight. “Draven’s first real message. He congratulates us on the pregnancy… and says he’s coming to collect what’s his.”

The bond flared with Kael’s fury again. My hand tightened on his arm as fear settled deep in my bones.

We were in this together now. No way out.