LOGINKieran had been awake since four.Not because of the twins — though they'd been busy all night, pressing against his ribs like they were trying to rearrange furniture — but because the Sun City security plan had three gaps he didn't like and his brain refused to let him sleep until he'd patched all of them. He'd been lying in the dark at Maya's apartment running the Belmont Hotel floor plan in his head, reassigning the two-man perimeter team, moving the secondary exit coverage fifteen feet south to close the blind corner near the service entrance.By five he'd given up on sleep entirely. By six he had a revised plan printed and annotated. By seven he was dressed, had kept actual food down for the first time in four days — half a piece of toast, which Maya was treating like a personal victory — and was out the door with his gear bag and a thermos of weak tea that was the only thing his stomach would currently agree to.Nine weeks. He'd looked it up again last night at two in the morning
Tuesday morning arrived with nausea that sent Kieran to the bathroom before he'd even fully woken up.He knelt on the cold tile, retching into the toilet, grateful Elliot had already left for an early meeting. The penthouse was silent except for the sound of his own misery.When it finally stopped, he sat back against the wall, breathing hard.Nine weeks. Dr. Chen had said the morning sickness might ease after the first trimester. That was still three weeks away.Three weeks of hiding this. Of pretending everything was normal while his body rebelled.He forced himself up, showered, dressed in his usual black tactical gear. Checked himself in the mirror. Still looked pale, but not obviously sick. The weight loss was noticeable if someone looked closely, but most people wouldn't.His phone buzzed. Text from Dr. Chen.*How are you feeling? Any bleeding or cramping?**Fine. Just nausea.**Take the medication I prescribed. And Kieran - please be careful today. High stress situations aren't
Kieran signed the discharge papers against Dr. Chen's even after strict objections."You're not physically stable," she said, blocking the doorway with her arms crossed. "Your hormone levels are still critically imbalanced. Returning to work this soon could cause serious complications.""I'll manage.""You won't. Your body is under extreme stress. The pregnancy alone—""I'll be careful." Kieran folded the hospital gown, set it on the bed. He'd already changed into the clothes Maya brought black pants, black shirt, security badge clipped to his belt. Back to normal. Back to work. "I can't stay here anymore."Dr. Chen's expression was frustration mixed with concern. "At least take another week. Let your body stabilize.""I don't have another week. I have responsibilities.""Your responsibility right now is to your health."And to the thing growing inside him that he refused to think about. The cluster of cells that was going to complicate everything even more than it already had."I'm l
Chen woke up at 5 AM after three hours of restless sleep.Her apartment was cold and dark. The case files were still spread across her kitchen table where she'd left them at 2 AM, highlighting passages that confirmed what she already knew:Kieran Hunt was going to die unless something changed.She made coffee. Strong and black. Stood at her window watching the city wake up while her mind churned through the conversation she needed to have today.Tell Kieran about the twins.Explain the S-Tier complications.Recommend he beg for acceptance from the man who'd destroyed him.Her stomach turned at the thought.Twenty years in medicine and she'd never felt this helpless.She showered, dressed in her usual work attire charcoal slacks, white button-down, white coat. Tied her hair back. Put on the professional mask she wore every day.Dr. Sophia Chen. Omega specialist. Alpha who'd dedicated her life to helping omegas survive the bonds that broke them.Usually, she knew what to do.Not today.-
Dr. Chen closed Kieran Hunt’s hospital room door and leaned back against the wall, exhaling slowly.Twenty years in medicine. Fifteen specializing in omega health. She had seen hundreds of rejected bonds, dozens of complicated pregnancies, more trauma than most people could imagine.But this case was different.This case terrified her.She pushed off the wall and headed toward her office, her mind already spinning through treatment options, risk assessments, probability calculations. Numbers and protocols were safe. Comfortable. They didn’t involve looking into Maya Hunt’s desperate eyes and feeling things she had no right to feel.Her office was on the same floor, tucked at the end of the hall. Small. Cluttered with medical journals and case files. The desk lamp cast a warm glow over her computer screen as she dropped into her chair.She should go home. It was past eleven. She’d been awake for eighteen hours.But she needed to review Kieran’s full ultrasound results first. Something
Kieran's hospital room was too white. Too quiet except for the monitors beeping steadily beside his bed.He'd been staring at the ceiling for twenty minutes when Dr. Chen finally arrived.She looked tired. Worn. Like she'd run across the city to get here."Kieran." She pulled a chair close to his bed, sat down with his chart in her lap. "I reviewed your blood pressure report and the ultrasound reports.""When can we schedule it?" he asked. "The abortion. I want it done as soon as possible."Dr. Chen didn't answer immediately. Just opened his chart, scanned through pages of results.Maya stood by the window, arms crossed, watching."We need to discuss your options carefully," Dr. Chen said finally."There's nothing to discuss. I'm nine weeks pregnant with a baby I don't want from a bond that's killing me. I want it terminated. Today if possible.""It's not that simple.""Yes it is. It's my body. My choice. You said so yourself last time."Dr. Chen set the chart aside. Met his eyes. "Ki







