CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND SIXZOEYHannah was fussing over the herbs by the window, humming a low tune, while Ronald sat across the room sharpening a dagger. The contrast was hilarious. One of them was the picture of calm, and the other was a murder weapon with legs.I stood at the doorway, fingers twisting together nervously.“You okay?” Hannah asked without even turning around. She always knew.“Can I talk to you guys?” My voice came out weird—tight, wobbly. Ronald looked up immediately.Hannah turned, her expression softening the second she saw my face. “Of course. Come in.”I stepped inside and closed the door behind me, suddenly wondering if I should’ve waited or maybe told them one at a time. Or maybe just never said anything and quietly raised a child in secret in the forest like a fairy tale witch.But it was too late to back out now.Ronald tilted his head. “You look like someone who’s about to confess to a crime.”“Maybe I am,” I muttered.Hannah gestured toward the seat besid
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY EIGHTZOEY“Graham,” I said as I sat on the windowsill, arms folded across my belly, “what would you name the baby if it’s a girl?”He looked up from where he was buttoning his shirt, one brow lifting in mild surprise. “You’re already thinking of names?”I shrugged, smiling slightly. “It’s not a crime.”He chuckled and walked toward me, stopping right in front of me and resting his hands on my knees. “Okay, fine. A girl… hmm. What about something strong? Like Aria. Or Raven.”I wrinkled my nose. “Raven sounds like she’ll be a villain.”Graham grinned. “Villains are cool.”“Not when they’re my child.”“Alright then,” he said, thinking. “What about Maya?”“That’s cute,” I said. “What about if it’s a boy?”“Graham Jr.,” he said immediately, deadpan.I burst into laughter and shoved his shoulder playfully. “Be serious!”“I am!” He grinned. “Okay, okay… maybe something simple. Elias? Noah?”I tilted my head. “I like Elias.”A soft silence settled between us f
CHAPTER TWO HUNDREDZOEYThe ride back was quiet, not the uncomfortable kind, just the kind that came after a long, full day. Graham’s arms stayed firm around me as I leaned into him, the steady rhythm of the horse’s hooves matching the steady beat of his heart. It was funny how things had changed. Months ago, I would’ve flinched at his touch. Now, I needed it to breathe.When we got back to the pack house, the sky was already beginning to blush with sunset. The guards at the gate bowed slightly. Everything felt calmer, not just outside, but within.We didn’t talk much as we climbed the stairs and entered our room. Graham kicked off his boots, sat on the edge of the bed, and rubbed his face with both hands. He looked tired, deep-tired, but his eyes were still sharp when he glanced at me.“You should eat,” he said.I smiled faintly. “You sound like Hannah.”“I’m serious.”I nodded. “I’ll eat. Just… let me sit with you first.”He opened his arms, and I walked into them without hesitatio
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY NINEGRAHAMThe morning after Zoey told me, I barely slept. I spent most of the night staring at the ceiling, her soft breathing beside me grounding me and shaking me all at once. She was pregnant with my child. That truth echoed in my head over and over again.By the time the first hint of light filtered through the windows, I’d already planned six different strategies to strengthen security around the pack. Two patrol shifts. A backup unit stationed near the infirmary and no missions for Zoey. None, not anymore.She stirred beside me and turned to face me, her eyes still heavy with sleep. “You didn’t sleep at all,” she murmured, frowning.“I’m fine,” I said, brushing her hair back gently. “You, though. You need to rest more.”She yawned, stretching. “I’m pregnant, not dying.”“Still.”“Still nothing,” she countered, smiling as she pulled herself up to sit. “Please don’t start treating me like glass.”I looked at her, really looked, and I couldn’t help
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY EIGHTZOEYLily sat cross-legged on my bed, her head resting against the headboard, one arm tucked beneath a pillow as she looked at me with a calm, curious smile. I sat by the window, legs pulled to my chest, the early evening sun casting soft golden lines across the room.“You’re awfully quiet,” she said, breaking the silence.I looked at her. “So are you.”She chuckled. “Touché.”The silence returned, but this time, it wasn’t heavy. Just… there. Present and comforting in a way.Eventually, she tilted her head and asked, “How are you, Zoey? Really?”I blinked, caught off guard by the question. “I’m… okay.”She raised a brow. “Try again.”I sighed, resting my chin on my knees. “I don’t know. Everything’s moving so fast. One minute I’m trying to survive rogue attacks, the next I’m finding out I’m going to be a mom.” I gave a small, nervous laugh. “A mom, Lily. Me.”Her eyes softened, and she shifted closer on the bed. “That’s not a bad thing.”“I know,”
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY EIGHTGRAHAMThe fire crackled gently in the hearth, but I barely heard it. My eyes were on Zoey, curled beside me on the couch with her legs tucked under her and a blanket draped over her shoulders. She’d fallen asleep just a few minutes ago, her head resting against my arm like she’d finally exhaled after holding her breath for too long.Pregnant.The word still echoed through my skull like a bell struck too hard.Zoey was pregnant.My mate… was carrying my child.I’d kissed her, held her, told her I was grateful, happy but that was only half the truth. The rest of it was sitting in the pit of my stomach, heavy and cold like a stone. I was terrified and that fear was eating me alive.I sat there long after she drifted off, staring at the fire, listening to the steady rhythm of her breathing. I rested a hand on her stomach. It was still flat, still unchanged, but everything was different now.A child.A tiny life growing inside her, dependent on both of