Semua Bab THE ALPHA CHILDREN LIVES: Bab 11 - Bab 20

Elena woke to sunlight streaming through her windows and the smell of breakfast. She sat up slowly, her hand moving to her stomach. The morning sickness had been brutal lately, but today she felt... okay.There was a knock at her door."Come in," she called.One of the house staff entered, carrying a breakfast tray. "Good morning, Miss Sterling. Your grandmother thought you might like to eat in bed today.""Thank you, Marie." Elena accepted the tray gratefully. Scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, whole grain toast. Exactly what Dr. Reeves had recommended for the pregnancy.Marie hesitated at the door. "Miss Sterling? There's something else. A delivery arrived for you this morning.""A delivery?""Several deliveries, actually. The front hall is... well, you should see for yourself."Confused, Elena ate quickly, then made her way downstairs. She stopped at the top of the grand staircase and felt her breath catch.The entire front hall was filled with flowers.Not just a few arrangements. Hundr

Against Victoria's advice, Elena agreed to meet Gabriel the following evening. Neutral ground again. This time, a small cafe in the heart of the city where Alphas often met for pack business.She arrived early, claiming a booth in the back. Her hand moved unconsciously to her stomach. At thirteen weeks, she wasn't showing yet, but she could feel the changes in her body. The slight fullness. The constant awareness of the lives growing inside her.Gabriel arrived exactly on time. He looked better than he had at the Gathering Grounds—he'd clearly slept, showered, shaved. But there was a new tension in his shoulders. A wariness in his eyes."Elena." He slid into the booth across from her. "Thank you for meeting me.""I'm not here to reconcile," Elena said immediately. "I just... I have questions.""Ask me anything."Elena studied his face. God, he was still so handsome. Those emerald eyes that had first captured her heart. The strong jaw. The way his dark hair fell across his forehead.Wh

The heart monitor beeps. Sixty-seven times before either of them speaks again."I can't let him go," Gabriel says finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "Not yet. Not when there are so many things I never said."Celeste's expression softens. She moves around the bed, closing the distance between them. Her hand finds his arm grips it firmly."Then say them now. He might not respond, but he'll hear you. I believe that."Gabriel swallows hard. "It's too late.""It's never too late to tell someone you love them."The door opens before Gabriel can respond. A nurse enters, young and efficient, already moving to check the monitors."I'm sorry to interrupt," she says, "but I need to run some tests. It'll take about twenty minutes. You're welcome to wait in the family lounge."Celeste nods. "Come on, Gabriel. Let's get you some air."Gabriel wants to refuse, wants to plant himself in that chair and not move until his father wakes up or the world ends, whichever comes first. But his mother's

The pregnancy was becoming harder to hide.At eight weeks, Elena's body was beginning to change in subtle but noticeable ways. Her breasts were fuller, more sensitive. Her waist was starting to thicken slightly, though she could still hide it with loose clothing.But it was the constant exhaustion and morning sickness that were the real problem."You need to take better care of yourself," Nathaniel scolded one morning after finding Elena hunched over the toilet for the third time. "This stress isn't good for you or the babies.""I'm fine," Elena lied, wiping her mouth with a shaky hand."You're not fine. You barely eat, you don't sleep, and you've lost weight instead of gaining it.""The morning sickness—""Is made worse by stress," Nathaniel finished. "Elena, I know you're trying to be strong, but you're going to make yourself sick."Elena knew he was right. But every time she tried to relax, her mind went straight to Gabriel.To the dreams that plagued her nights.To the growing cer

Elena needed to get out of the house.After three days of hiding in her room, alternating between tears and anger, Nathaniel had finally convinced her that fresh air and a change of scenery would do her good."You can't hibernate forever," he'd said that morning. "The babies need you to take care of yourself. And that includes occasionally leaving the estate."So Elena found herself at Meridian Plaza, one of the city's most upscale shopping centers. She wasn't really looking for anything in particular, just needed to be somewhere that wasn't her bedroom, somewhere she couldn't obsess over Gabriel's last words to her.I love you. Whether you believe it or not... it's true."Stop it," Elena muttered to herself, pausing in front of a boutique window. "You don't care what he said. You don't care about him at all."She was getting better at the lie. Almost believed it sometimes.Elena pushed into the boutique, thinking maybe some new clothes would help. Most of her wardrobe was from her ma