All Chapters of The Alpha King's Pregnant Omega: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Weeks folded into the rhythm of survival at the ridge caves, and Cassian found himself surprised by how quickly the extraordinary could settle into something resembling routine. The mornings began with Lirian's hungry cries, ordinary as any infant's, and Cassian's days filled with the small, exhausting tasks of caring for a newborn in a shelter carved from stone rather than any castle nursery he might once have imagined for his child.Elias had proven, in the weeks since the northern ridge, to be a steadying presence beyond even his skill as a healer. He rose before dawn most mornings to check the traps he'd set along the ridge's lower slopes, returning with rabbit or grouse to supplement the small store of grain Dorran had carried from the castle, and in the evenings, he took to teaching Cassian the small, practical skills of forest survival that a noble upbringing had never required of him, how to build a proper fire, how to identify which roots and berries offered nourishment rathe

Prince Rowan received the news of his riders' failure to return with an outward calm that cost him more effort than he cared to admit even to himself. He stood alone in his private study three days after their departure, staring at the empty chair where his lead man should have sat delivering confirmation of the exile's death, and felt, for the first time since orchestrating Cassian's downfall, the cold, unfamiliar edge of doubt."They should have returned by now," he said quietly to the room's only other occupant, a wiry, unassuming man named Grask who had served as Rowan's most trusted intelligence gatherer for the better part of a decade."Three days is not unusual for a forest crossing, my prince," Grask offered, though his tone lacked conviction. "The terrain east of the hills is treacherous even without accounting for the forest's stranger reputation.""Three men, skilled and armed, sent with clear instruction and a simple task." Rowan's fingers drummed against the study's heavy

Cassian was on his feet before he'd fully processed the words, snatching Lirian from his basket and pressing him tight against his chest as Elias moved past him toward the cave's entrance, already reaching for the blade he kept within arm's reach even in sleep."A dozen torches," Dorran repeated, breathless from his watch post, "moving in formation, not scattered like hunters or travelers. Whoever they are, they know exactly where they're going.""Rowan's men," Cassian said, fear cold in his chest despite the months of relative peace that had passed since the last attack."Perhaps." Elias's voice carried none of the earlier calm that had steadied Cassian through so many uncertain nights. "Or perhaps something else entirely. Twelve is too many for a simple assassination attempt, and too organized for common bandits."Dorran shook his head grimly. "I counted the torches from the eastern outcrop. They move like soldiers, Elias. Whoever leads them understands formation and discipline. Tha

Cassian did not sleep that night, though he kept his eyes closed for Lirian's sake, letting his son rest undisturbed against his chest while his mind turned over Kael's letter again and again, searching each line for whatever certainty he needed before morning forced a decision.Elias kept first watch at the hollow's narrow entrance, his silhouette outlined faintly against the snow's pale light, and Cassian watched him for a long while, grateful for the steady, unspoken patience the man had shown through every hour of this uncertain night. Dorran slept in fitful stretches nearby, sword never far from his hand even in rest, a habit the winter months had done nothing to soften.When dawn finally began filtering grey through the trees, Cassian rose carefully, settling Lirian into his basket before crossing to where Elias still kept his vigil."You should rest," Cassian said quietly. "You've hardly slept since the torches first appeared.""I'll rest once I know what tomorrow asks of us."

They made camp together that night, an uneasy merging of Cassian's small found family and Kael's royal guard, the fires burning close enough together that Cassian could see Kael watching him from across the divide, careful not to press closer than the boundaries Cassian had set.Elias kept near through the evening meal, his presence a quiet, steadying constant that Cassian found himself grateful for more than once as the reality of Kael's return settled over him in waves, hope and hurt arriving together, inseparable no matter how he tried to sort them."You're allowed to feel more than one thing at once," Elias said quietly, catching Cassian's expression as he watched Kael across the fires, deep in murmured conversation with Captain Aldric. "Relief doesn't erase the anger. Trust doesn't erase the caution. You don't owe anyone a simple, tidy answer to what you're carrying tonight.""I know." Cassian shifted Lirian slightly against his shoulder, the boy finally drowsing after his first,