جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 20

They set out for the borderlands at the break of dawn. The path to the borderlands stretched long and winding, cutting through the outer forests like a scar that never quite healed. Selene walked at a steady pace beside Orion, the rhythm of her steps controlled, measured. The deeper they went, the quieter the world seemed to become. Not empty… just restrained. Like something unseen was watching and choosing not to move. It made her skin itch. Orion hadn’t said much since they left the inner grounds. His silence wasn’t unusual, but today it carried weight. His shoulders were set tighter, his gaze sharper as it swept the trees, the ridges, the spaces between shadows. Sable moved a few paces ahead, her posture loose but alert, every step deliberate. Evangeline stayed to the right, her eyes constantly scanning, calculating distances, exits, patterns. No one here was relaxed. Selene pressed her palm lightly against her stomach as she walked, feeling the steady presence beneath her skin. It

They didn’t speak as they left the borderlands. The silence wasn’t relief. It followed them. The forest didn’t ease as they crossed back into pack territory. If anything, it clung tighter… like whatever had been watching them wasn’t bound to the border at all. Dawn had fully broken now, pale light stretching through the trees in thin, uneven strands, but it brought no comfort. The shadows still lingered, long and watchful. Orion kept Selene close as they moved, his presence a steady, unyielding force at her side. He didn’t touch her, not constantly, but she felt him there… every step, every breath. Guarding. Listening. Ready. Sable ranged ahead, quieter than usual, her movements sharp with focus. Evangeline stayed behind them, her gaze drifting too often toward the trees they had already passed, as if expecting something to follow. They should have been safe by now. They weren’t. Selene felt it first. Not danger in the way of claws or teeth… but something deeper. A shift. A

Morning did not linger in the palace. It shifted. By the time Selene stepped beyond her chamber doors, the softness of early light had already sharpened into something brighter, more revealing. Sunlight spilled through the high-arched windows that lined the corridors, cutting across the stone floors in long, golden stretches. Servants moved with practiced precision, their steps quieter now, their glances quicker. But they still looked. Selene felt it without needing to turn her head. The weight of attention had changed since the council. It was no longer curious. It was deliberate. Measured. She kept her posture steady, one hand resting lightly against the curve of her belly as she walked. The movement was instinctive now, less about protection and more about awareness. The baby shifted beneath her palm, a slow, rolling presence that grounded her with every step. “You’re thinking too loudly.” Selene glanced up, a faint smile tugging at her lips as Sable fell into step beside her. “I

That night, the rain drizzled, cooling the atmosphere around the palace, making the torches' light flicker over the wet stones. Inside, Selene’s body began to change again, the moon was hidden. No silver light. No howls. Just a quiet, pressing darkness that felt like the world leaning in to listen. She woke with a sharp inhale, one hand flying instinctively to her belly. The baby wasn’t restless, no frantic kicks, no warning pain. Instead, there was warmth. Deep, spreading warmth beneath her skin, like something ancient had stirred and decided to stay awake. “Orion,” she whispered. He was already moving. Alpha instincts didn’t sleep; they lingered just beneath the surface, waiting. He was at her side in a breath, one hand steadying her back as she pushed herself upright, the other settling over her belly with reverent care. “What is it?” he asked quietly. “I don’t know,” Selene admitted. Her pulse was steady, but her senses felt… wider. Sharper. She could hear the guards’ footste

The palace was quieter now, though not silent. The usual clatter of life; the servants’ hurried footsteps, the murmurs in the corridors, had softened around the new rhythm of the household. Every sound was measured, respectful, as if the palace itself knew something sacred had happened. Selene rested in the nursery, the little bundle of life cradled against her chest. Her fingers traced the delicate curl of chestnut hair, the tiny hands that had gripped her finger without force, the gentle rise and fall of her daughter’s chest. She laughed softly, a sound full of wonder and exhaustion. “My love. She’s perfect,” she whispered, the words shaking but certain. Orion sat beside her, one arm wrapped protectively around Selene, the other holding her daughter in a careful, reverent embrace. His golden eyes, always alert and sharp, softened as they traced every little movement of the baby. “She’s strong, like her mother,” he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to Selene’s temple. “And brave… I