“He’s with Vix,” I whispered.
“What?”
“I heard them. In his office. She said... and he said...” I couldn’t repeat it, couldn’t say the words out loud. “She was kneeling next to him. Her hand was on his...”
“That can’t be real, I refuse. But I’m going to kill him anyway.”
“I thought it was real. I thought the bond was real.”
“It IS real. Mate bonds can’t be faked.” Thessa sounded angry now. Not at me, but at the situation. At her brother. “There has to be an explanation. Caelan would never... he’s obsessed with you, Riley. He’s been obsessed with you since the moment he met you. He refused to consider anyone else for years because his wolf wouldn’t accept them.”
“I know what I heard.”
Before Thessa could respond, the healer returned.
She was smiling.
It was the kind of smile that made my stomach drop, because smiles that big usually preceded news that changed everything. News that flipped your entire world on its axis and left you scrambling to find your footing.
“Well,” the healer said, clasping her hands together. “I have your results.”
“And?”
“Congratulations!” The healer beamed, her whole face lighting up with joy. “You’re about ten weeks pregnant.”
I stared at the healer. Then at Thessa, who had gone completely white. Then at the ceiling, the walls, the fire crackling in the hearth, because my brain had apparently decided to short-circuit and I couldn’t process a single coherent thought.
Pregnant. Ten weeks.
Well. That explained a lot.
That was from before I came here, from the human world, from the claiming, from before Caelan left for the war.
“What?” I croaked.
“Pregnant, dear. With child. You’re going to be a mother.”
My hand moved to my stomach instinctively. There was no bump, no sign, but suddenly everything made sense. The nausea, the fatigue, the dizziness, the way my body had been betraying me for weeks. It wasn’t stress or the realm change or leftover effects from the heat.
I was carrying Caelan’s baby. And I had just run away from him believing he was cheating on me with Vix.
“Oh god,” I whispered.
“I’ll give you a moment,” the healer said, still beaming, clearly oblivious to the chaos she’d just created. “This is wonderful news! A royal heir! The king and queen will be thrilled!”
She bustled away again, radiating joy that felt deeply inappropriate given the circumstances.
Thessa and I stared at each other.
“Holy shit,” Thessa breathed.
“Holy shit,” I agreed.
And then I started crying again. For entirely different reasons this time.
28
— • —
