جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 30

Nadia's POVThe morning light crawled across the blanket, cold and intrusive.I reached out, my hand brushing against the expanse of grey silk beside me. It was cold. Smooth. Undisturbed.Lucian didn't come back to the room last night.A hollow ache settled in my chest, a dull throb that felt heavier than the usual sting of the mate bond. Even during our most volatile days, even when his temper flared like a wildfire, he had always returned. The bed had always been our neutral ground, a place where the Alpha's territorial instincts usually demanded he keep his mate within arm's reach.But not last night.I stared at the empty pillow, feeling a pathetic surge of disappointment. I told myself I didn't care. I told myself that every inch of distance he created was a blessing, a head start on the life I'd have to live without him.Yet, seeing that perfectly made-up side of the bed felt like a door slamming shut in my face.I forced myself upright, the nausea of early pregnancy hitting me

Lucian's POVI knew leaving Nadia tonight was cold. I'd seen the exhaustion etched into her pale face, the way she looked at me with a mix of gratitude and heartbreak. It twisted something inside me, but I needed the truth more than I needed to play the role of the doting mate.I reached Abbie's private wing and slowed my pace. As I approached her door, which was slightly ajar, a voice drifted out. It wasn't the sweet, melodic tone she used with me. It was frantic, hushed, and biting.“How can you fail it? No, stop explaining to me, you...”I froze. Who was she talking to? And what had failed? The authority in her voice was jarring, completely at odds with the fragile girl recovering from a coma.In my haste to lean closer, my phone slipped from my grip. It hit the floor with a sharp clack.Damn it.I cursed under my breath, snatched the phone up, and pushed the door open without knocking.Abbie flinched, her hand dropping the phone onto her lap as if it had turned into a hot coal. He

Nadia's POV“Why are you so late?” Carlie asked, her voice sharp with maternal reproach. She didn't even look up from the bedside as she smoothed Reid's blankets. “Why didn't you come with Nadia? Don't tell me you were visiting that girl again.”Lucian didn't answer. He stood there, jaw locked, the silence acting as a loud confession. He looked exhausted, caught between two worlds that were rapidly drifting apart.I watched him, feeling a strange sense of detachment. A week ago, his silence would have gutted me. Now? I just wanted to sit down. My body felt stronger after our shared night, but the emotional drain was starting to take its toll again. Fine, I thought. Go to her. Stay with her. Just let me have enough peace to raise this child in silence.Reid, however, wasn't feeling quite so passive.“How many times do I have to say it?” Reid's voice came out in a ragged, wet wheeze. He tried to bolt upright, his face flushing a dangerous shade of purple. “I will not have it, Lucian! I

The Third Person's POVNow, only Reid and Nadia remained in the room."Nadia," Reid's voice was a low rasp, but the strength in it was unmistakable. "You've been standing there for ten minutes without saying a word. Are you OK?"Nadia turned, forcing a small smile. "I'm just tired. It's been a long week."Before she could finish the sentence, a violent wave of nausea rolled through her. She didn't even have time to apologize before she rushed to the sink. Reid's hand landed on her shoulder, his eyes searching for hers; his wolf was already sensing the shift in the air."How far along are you?" he asked. It wasn't a guess; it was a statement.Nadia wiped her mouth with a trembling hand, glancing at the door to ensure Lucian hadn't walked back in."5 weeks," she whispered. "Please. You can't tell him. Not yet. Maybe not ever."Reid's jaw tightened, a low, dangerous growl vibrating in his chest."That boy is a fool. He's out there chasing a shadow while his legacy is sitting right here i

Nadia's POV"Don't," I said, without turning around.I felt the pup. A reminder that I wasn't alone. I had a pack that loved me, even if the man at the head did not.…We hadn't spoken since the hospital lobby. The image of Reid's golden eyes flashing in fury was still burned into my mind.When we walked into the grand foyer of the manor, the air was already heavy.Devin and Carlie were standing by the hearth, their faces grim. Reid was settled in his favorite wingback chair, a thick wool blanket over his legs, looking every bit the dying monarch—except for the sharp, predatory focus in his eyes."Sit," Reid commanded.Lucian remained standing, his jaw locked."Grandpa, I'm sorry. But Abbie had a reaction to her meds. I couldn't just...""I don't want to hear that name again," Reid said, a ragged cough punctuating his words. He looked at me, his expression softening into something painful."Nadia, look at me."I met his gaze, my own eyes dry and hollow."Do you want this?" Reid asked.