Todos os capítulos de Alpha's Claim, Omega's Surrender: Capítulo 81 - Capítulo 90

His single text message instantly dissolved every ounce of exhaustion I’d gathered throughout the day. I suppose that is the true influence of a bond; no wonder our kind craves that connection so fiercely."I’ll be careful," I typed back, my thumbs moving quickly. "Don’t rush too fast through the mountain passes."After setting my comms unit down, I headed for the washroom. The steam helped clear my head, but as I reached for a towel, I caught sight of the calendar again. I couldn't help but calculate exactly how far behind my cycle was. Before I moved into the Walker Ridge Estate, my body was often irregular due to the sheer stress of being a lone scout, so I tried not to panic. I told myself it was just the weight of the frame-up and my mother’s health issues causing a hormonal stall.In the past, though, five days was the limit. My gut told me I’d be visiting a healer sooner rather than later.The chime of the estate’s security gate startled me. I hurried to the door, finding Grant

"I need an update on the recovery wing," I muttered into the receiver, pacing the small restroom of the clinic.I’d sent my mother three messages earlier, but the silence on her end was starting to feel like a physical weight. I checked the signal bar. Nothing. I tried to tell myself she was just in a deep restorative sleep—the kind the healers mandated on weekends—but the unease was clawing at my chest."Mars Reed, please proceed to examination room 3."The intercom broke my train of thought. I shoved my comms unit into my pocket and walked back down the hall. The healer was already hovering over the data on his tablet, a deep line etched between his brows as he compared the hormone levels in my blood."It’s a good thing you didn't skip this physical," he said, not looking up. "The results are back. You’re expecting."I stood there, frozen. The air in the room felt like it had been sucked out."Pregnant?" The word felt foreign, like a sound I didn't know how to make. "You’re certain?

Jonathan caught the unspoken warning in my gaze and quickly shifted his tone. "Grant, as long as you don't push this to the edge of the cliff, there is always room for a compromise between father and son. But if you persistently disregard your lineage and the pack’s reputation for that scout, who is ever going to have a good word to say about him?""I rushed over here the second the emergency alarm went off," I snapped, my voice vibrating with suppressed power. "I didn't even get a chance to tell Mars where I was going. I just need to let him know I’m here in case he needs me for something.""What could he possibly need?" My father’s laugh was cold, devoid of any empathy. "The one lying in that hospital bed is the Matriarch of this pack—your mother. If he doesn't understand your position at this moment, does he really have any right to stand by your side?"I didn't want to waste my breath arguing with him. I just stared at the phone in my hand, waiting for a response that didn't come.

"Suit yourself."The words felt like lead as they left my lips. I was vibrating with a type of bone-deep exhaustion that made even breathing feel like a chore. I couldn't bear the thought of another round of circular logic with him.I was in no mood for a debate. My mother’s burial was set for three days from now. I hadn't reached out to any of the distant Reed relatives or the lowland scout contacts; I wanted to keep it small, private, and far away from the eyes of the High Alpha.The silence in the bedroom grew heavy, thick with the scent of unspoken grief and stagnant air. I steeled my heart and looked directly at Grant. This time, I didn't let my gaze flicker. I kept my eyes empty, devoid of the love that usually softened them."Can you leave now?""Talk about what tomorrow?" I asked, my voice rising. "Wasn't I clear enough? Grant, I used to think that being with you would be a step up, a way to secure my future, but your family is just too much. I can't stand the way they look at

I shifted my weight, staring out at the gray horizon of the West Coast as Grant’s new comms unit hummed in my hand. I was headed straight for the Walker Enterprises Tower when Jonathan’s face flickered onto the dashboard screen. The call was sharp, the link vibrating with a command only a High Alpha could project."Grant, where are you exactly?""I'm ten minutes from the Tower," I replied, my voice gravelly from the lack of sleep and the taste of ash in my mouth."Turn the car around and head to the medical wing. Your mother is in the recovery suite, and things have taken a turn."I hit the brakes hard, the scent of burning rubber filling the cabin. "Haven't you people pushed this far enough? My mother was stable an hour ago. I know your games, Dad. I saw your face when the healers were actually worried. You weren't this panicked then."Jonathan sighed, his image on the screen looking older, the lines around his eyes deepening. "This isn't a ploy to get you away from the office, son.