I felt what his silence had cost him.
As I knelt on the floor, gathering the scattered sheets of paper, I had to wonder which of us was the monster.
I couldn’t change the past, but I could ensure she had the best medical care and comfort. People who would sign NDAs. She carried part of our DNA—our legacy.
I stood, glancing around my office.
Nothing would ever be the same again.
I was becoming a father—whether I liked it or not.
Lielit Tolera was unequivocally part of my life now.
Someone I couldn’t lose.
“Is there any way to use the bond?” I asked as I uncovered the safe hidden in the wall.
No.
Fuck. There had to be a way to manipulate it.
She isn’t bonded to us.
Right. The bite. Or rather—the lack of one.
What if I pissed her off enough to bite me?
Silence.
Hmm. That might work.
He just didn’t want to upset her.
“Do you think flowers will work?”
He didn't say anything, but I felt his contempt.
Chapter 32
Lielit
No matter how many times Bouda tried to assure me, I didn’t trust them. They’d left us to rot on this island. It wasn’t until then—the absence of my period paired with the morning sickness—that I realised just how pregnant I was. I’d been too caught up in my own head to notice what my body was doing.
The wolf—Bouda began to say.
Please, Bouda. Not today, I said, exhaustion seeping into my bones.
I glanced at the clock. It was nap time.
The truth was, I was scared—for the baby, for the birth. I made sure my food was nutrient-dense and followed my cravings, hoping I was giving my body—and my child—everything they needed. We walked and ran around the island, keeping me strong. I stayed hydrated.
No internet.
No phones.
No books to prepare myself.
Just endless silence, broken only by the sea.
