“It can’t, usually. But from what we’ve pieced together, it seems like Robbie stumbled across one of their patrols while he was camping in the woods near the eastern border. They must have seen an opportunity. A human mind consumed by jealousy and obsession makes the perfect vessel for their darkness. All they had to do was plant the seed and let his own emotions do the rest.”
The thought makes my stomach turn. Robbie was already dangerous before the corruption got its hooks into him. The magic just amplified what was already there, turning a possessive ex-boyfriend into something far worse.
“I don’t care what happens to him,” I admit. “I know I probably should. But right now, all I care about is Fern.”
“That’s understandable. She’s your mate.”
The word sends a jolt through my entire body. Mate. Fern is my mate. The lottery chose her for me, and despite every obstacle, despite every argument and misunderstanding and moment of doubt, we found our way to each other. She’s mine, and I’m hers, and nothing is ever going to change that.
I stop pacing.
“I need to see her.”
“The doctor hasn’t come out yet.”
“I don’t care. I can’t stand out here anymore. I need to know she’s okay. I need to see it for myself.”
Luna studies me for a moment, her gaze assessing. Then she steps aside and gestures toward the door. “Go. I’ll handle anyone who tries to stop you.”
I don’t wait for her to change her mind. Three long strides carry me to examination room three, and I shove the door open without bothering to knock.
Fern sits on the edge of the examination table, still wearing the clothes she had on this morning. A white bandage covers the cut on her throat, and the bruise on her cheek has deepened to an ugly purple, but otherwise she looks intact. Whole. Alive.
Skylar stands beside her with a tablet in her hands, and both women turn to look at me as I burst through the door.
“Is she okay?” I demand. “What’s wrong with her? Why did she pass out?”
Skylar and Fern exchange a glance. Then, to my complete confusion, they both smile.
“She’s perfectly fine,” Skylar assures me. “Better than fine, actually. It seems congratulations are in order.”
I stare at her. The word doesn’t compute. “What? Congratulations for what?”
“You’re going to be a father, Connor.”
The words don’t make sense at first. They rattle around in my skull like loose stones, refusing to settle into any kind of meaning. Father. Congratulations. Father. I hear the individualsyllables, but my brain can’t seem to string them together into anything coherent.
My gaze drops to Fern, searching for answers, and I watch as she lifts one hand and presses it gently against her stomach. Her fingers splay across the fabric of her shirt, protective and tender, cradling something I can’t see but suddenly understand.
“Fern?” My voice comes out rough, barely above a whisper. “Is that… Does that mean…”
“Can we have a moment alone?” Fern asks Skylar. “I think Connor and I need to talk.”
“Of course.” Skylar gathers her tablet and heads for the door, pausing just long enough to squeeze my shoulder as she passes. “Congratulations to both of you. I’ll be back in a little while to discuss next steps.”
Then she’s gone, and Fern and I are alone.
I cross the room slowly, my legs moving on autopilot while my brain struggles to catch up with what I’ve just been told. Fern watches me approach with her hand still resting on her stomach and her eyes bright with unshed tears.
“Is it true?” I ask when I’m standing in front of her.
She nods, and a tear slips down her cheek. “I’m pregnant, Connor. I suspected a few days ago, but I didn’t know for sure until Skylar confirmed it just now. I didn’t know how to tell you. I wasn’t even sure if I believed it myself.”
Pregnant. Fern is pregnant. With my child. Our child.
The reality of it crashes over me all at once, and I have to grab the edge of the examination table to steady myself. I think about the last few hours. The phone call from Nic. The desperate race across town in wolf form. Breaking through that door andseeing Robbie with a knife pressed to her throat. The thin line of blood on her skin. The way she crumpled in my arms when it was over. How close I came to losing her.
How close I came to losing both of them.
