~Chapter 16~
Cedric doesn’t answer right away.
He just looks at me.
Too direct.
Too sure.
My breath hitches for a second, and my fingers automatically tighten over my abdomen.
It’s not pain.
But it’s… intense.
Like something in me is pulling him closer.
I take a step back.
Small.
Almost invisible.
Samuel notices.
He moves instantly, placing himself more clearly between me and Cedric.
“You’re not taking a step,” he says, his voice low but firm.
Cedric shifts his attention to him.
He doesn’t seem bothered.
Just...calculated.
“I didn’t come to fight,” he repeats.
“Then leave,” my father replies immediately.
No hesitation.
No room for negotiation.
Silence.
Maria moves slightly next to me.
I feel it.
She doesn’t look at Cedric.
She looks…
at me.
Then, she bites her lip.
“I…” she begins slowly.
I turn to her. She hesitates. For the first time since I’ve known her.
“I can’t stay anymore,” she finally says, her voice lower than usual.
I frown.
“What?” I ask automatically.
But she’s already picking up her bag.
Her movements are fast. Too fast.
She avoids looking at Cedric.
Avoids… something.
“You talk… me, I’ll explain later,” she adds, but she doesn’t sound convinced either.
Samuel follows her with his eyes.
Suspicious.
But he doesn’t stop her.
Maria walks past me.
For a second… she stops.
Very little.
And she whispers, just to me:
"Be careful.
.."
Then she leaves.
The door closes behind her.
The silence that remains... is even harder.
My father doesn’t take his eyes off Cedric.
“Last time I ask,” he says, his voice low, dangerous.
“Why are you here?”
Cedric inhales slowly.
He shifts his gaze back to me.
And for a second…
I feel like it all boils down to this. To me.
To… what’s inside me.
“Because you don’t understand what’s going on,” he says finally.
Calm.
Too calm.
My father’s jaw clenches.
“It’s none of your business whether we understand or not.
”
Cedric takes a step.
Samuel moves instantly.
“I said…”
I move. I take a step back and start walking toward the sliding door again.
“Idris!"
Cedric’s voice hits me in the back just as I reach the sliding door.
I don’t stop.
I don’t turn around.
I just push the door open and step inside, the air in the house hitting me differently. Colder. But not enough.
Behind me, movement. Fast.
Cedric takes a determined step forward.
But he doesn't get far.
Samuel immediately grabs his chest, pushing him back with controlled force.
"I said don't take another step, you idiot.
" His voice is no longer calm. It's low.
Tense. Dangerous.
Cedric doesn't fight back.
But he doesn't retreat completely either.
He tenses his jaw, his eyes fixed on the door I just entered.
“I need to talk to him,” he says through gritted teeth.
Samuel holds him in place. Firmly.
“Not like that.”
My father takes a step closer.
His aura presses everywhere.
“You’re not going to talk to him at all if you don’t start explaining.
”
Cedric shifts his gaze to him for a split second.
Then… back to the door. To me.
Even though he can’t see me anymore.
?It's my mate, you fools! It's obvious! " He says loudly and pushes Samuel.
His words hit the air.
Mate.
They crackle around the yard like an echo too loud to ignore.
For a second, no one moves.
Samuel remains tense, but his grip loosens just enough for him to feel the shock.
My father freezes.
His gaze suddenly turns to the door of the house.
To me.
But I... I'm not there anymore.
The door closes behind me harder than I intended.
My breathing is rapid. Uneven.
"No.
.." I mutter, but I don't know exactly what to say.
My steps climb the stairs quickly.
Too quickly.
I almost trip.
Mate.
The word echoes in my head.
I clench my jaw.
"No..." I repeat more forcefully.
I reach my room and slam the door behind me.
I stop in the middle of the room.
I breathe heavily.
I put my hand to my stomach.
"It's not.
.. it shouldn't have been..." My voice is low.
But uncertain.
His gaze falls on me.
On my body.
On..reality.
I run a hand through my hair, frustrated.
Then I go straight to the closet.
I open it more abruptly than necessary.
I take out the first T-shirt I grab and pull it over my head.
The movements are quick.
Almost nervous.
As if I'm trying to cover something.
To hide.
To control.
The material falls over me.
I pull on it, Moving it lower over my abdomen.
I breathe.
Still heavy.
Still… unstable.
I look in the mirror.
For a second, I don't fully recognize myself.
"You're not..." I start, but I stop.
Because the feeling..
It changes.
It's no longer just chaotic.
It's no longer just intense.
It's… directed.
As if it knows.
As if...it wants it.
I clench my jaw.
"Shut up..." I whisper, not realizing who I'm talking to.
Deep breath.
“Don’t decide for me.”
But at that moment, a slight wave.
A reaction.
Not pain.
But clear.
Like a protest.
I close my eyes for a second.
“…seriously?” I mutter.
A short laugh.
Tired.
Confused.
I lean against the edge of the desk.
Head down.
I breathe.
I try to gather myself.
But downstairs, the voices are still audible.
More muffled.
But enough.
My father.
Samuel.
And..him.
Cedric.
His presence…doesn't disappear.
Even from here.
Especially from here.
I swallow hard.
I raise my head slightly.
My gaze falls towards the door.
For a moment, just a moment, I think about leaving.
But I don't move.
Not yet.
---
I raise my head from my knees when the door opens.
Someone has opened it
"My love...
" It's soft and Cedric approaches me.
"How did he let you come to me?
" I ask simply, looking at him for a moment.
Cedric stands there.
He's not as tense as he was outside.
He's not aggressive anymore.
He's… stuck.
His gaze is not on my face. Not completely.
He falls. Slowly. Onto my stomach.
His breathing visibly stops.
He doesn’t say anything for a few seconds.
Too many seconds.
I automatically clasp my hand over my shirt, over that area, but I don’t move.
I don’t run. Not this time.
“How can you look at me and pretend you don’t know me?
…” his voice is low. Almost broken.
He takes a step into the room.
Another.
His eyes don’t look up. They stay there.
Fixed.
“It’s not…” he murmurs softly, more to himself than to me.
He runs a hand through his hair, but the movement is…
absent.
“It’s not possible…”
I swallow hard.
My jaw tightens.
“It is.” I say simply.
Silence.
Cedric finally looks up at me. And for a second, it seems he no longer sees me the way he used to.
Not as a partner. Not as… “his.”
But like…
something he doesn’t understand.
“How?” he asks.
Directly. Brutally.
I keep my gaze on his.
I don’t run away.
?I am a fucking beta, Loxley!
” I say too loudly and immediately regret it because the door is open.
"A seeded beta shit..." I whisper, looking towards the bathroom with small tears in my eyes
The words fall hard between us.
Cedric blinks. Once. Twice.
As if trying to process. To tie things together.
Then… he laughs briefly. Humorless.
"You're…" he starts, but stops. He sets his jaw. He takes a deeper breath.
His gaze falls again. On me.
On… reality.
He takes a few steps and sits on the corner of the bed. Slowly. Rigid.
Elbows on his knees. His gaze… lost.
He's not looking at me directly now. He's staring at a blank spot on the floor.
The silence becomes oppressive.
I don't say anything.
I don't move.
I just look at him. And then.
..
"Just tell me it's not someone else's child besides me.
..idris.."His voice is different.
Low.
Unsure. Almost… vulnerable.
The question isn't about pride.
It's not about territory.
It's… real.
It hits me harder than it should.
My breath hitches for a second.
I automatically run my hand over my stomach.
Firmer this time.
I feel. The reaction.
Small. But there.
I swallow.
"It's your child.
" I answer honestly. It's just… truth.
Cedric closes his eyes for a second.
His head drops a little lower.
He breathes.
Deeply. Hardly.
Then he runs his hands over his face.
"…damn…" he murmurs softly.
Silence.
The room seems smaller now. More crowded.
I take a small step toward him. Without realizing it.
I don't move all the way closer. But I'm not standing far away either.
"You weren't supposed to find out like this…
" I say softly.
Cedric raises his head suddenly.
His gaze locks onto mine.
This time…
it's not just shock anymore.
It's something else.
More intense. Deeper.
His gaze drops again, but not as much as before.
More attentive. More… aware.
“How long…?” he asks.
?Since when did you decide that you don't have to use a condom when you're with people you don't know!.” I mention, and I put my hands to my temples, I feel myself getting angry.
He takes a deep breath.
“A month…” he repeats slowly.
He makes the connection. I feel that moment.
When he realizes. When he calculates.
His gaze lifts to me again.
Sharper now.
But not aggressive.
“And you didn’t tell me.
”
It’s not a question.
I clench my jaw.
“I don’t even know you well, Cedric.
I don’t know where you’re from or any of that shit. ”
Silence.
Cedric stares at me for a long time. Too long.
Then… he leans back slightly, leaning on his hands.
His eyes don’t leave me.
“…and now?” he asks slowly.
The question lingers in the air.
Heavy.
I take a deep breath. I look down for a second…
then back at him.
“I’m going to take him out.
I’m just a kid with a kid,” I mutter and he suddenly glares at me.
"Baby.." he whispers and stands up, coming towards me, approaching me.
He stops a few millimeters away from me and raises his hand, bringing it to my cheek.
I shy away at first and close my eyes tightly but he grabs me by the waist, and takes me in his arms.
A few seconds pass, and he lifts my chin so I can look at him.
"Don't you dare...he's just a kid" he says calmly, and runs his hand over my face.
"Me too!" I scream and push his hand away, sit down on the office chair and lean back.
My tear glands have now reacted, and I start to cry. Without logic. Without wanting to.
Cedric remains still for a second.
His hand is still stretched out in the air, where my cheek had been.
His breathing changes.
Heavier.
More controlled.
His gaze locks on me as I sit down in the chair and lean back.
"Idris..." he says softly.
He doesn't come closer immediately.
He doesn't force himself. But he doesn't leave either.
I quickly wipe my eyes with my sleeve, angry at myself for crying.
"No..." he mutters through his teeth.
"Not now..."
But the tears don't listen to me.
Cedric takes a deep breath.
He takes a step.
Another.
Slowly.
This time he's not impulsive.
He's careful.
Cedric stays close to me.
Too close.
He doesn’t touch me yet.
But I can feel him.
Like a constant pressure in the air.
His breathing is heavier now.
His gaze never leaves mine.
Like he’s…trying to keep me here just by his eyes.
“Don’t take me out of this,” he says softly.
His voice isn’t harsh.
But it’s sure.
Too sure.
I clench my jaw.
“It’s not just about you.
.”
“It’s about us, Angel,” he interrupts me immediately.
Without raising his voice. But firm enough to stop me.
He takes another step.
He’s right in front of me now.
He’s not touching me yet.
But the space between us is almost nonexistent.
He tilts his head slightly.
“Because he’s my child,” he continues, lower, more controlled.
“And you are mine too. And I am yours. Your lover. Your mate. Your husband.” He moves his gaze from my stomach back to my eyes.
“That changes everything.”
My heart beats faster.
“You have no right…” I begin, but Cedric raises his hand slightly.
He doesn’t touch me.
But the gesture is enough to stop me.a
“I have a right to be here,” he says calmly.
Then, slowly… he places his hand on the back of my chair.
It frames me.
It doesn’t grab me.
But it… surrounds me.
His presence grows more intense.
“And I’m not leaving. Not without someone who’s been hidden from me for a month raising a child I didn’t know about, Idris,” he adds.
His voice is low. Almost a warning.
But not for me.
For the rest of the world.
I swallow hard.
I look at him.
“And if I want you to leave?” I ask, more slowly.
For the first time, Cedric hesitates.
Just a split second.
But he’s there.
Then his gaze softens a little.
“Then you’re going to have to kick me out,” he says.
His hand slowly slides down the back of the seat.
And instead of pressing down, he touches my hand lightly.
Not forcefully. But enough so that I can feel the difference.
“Because I’m not backing down,” he repeats.
Slower. More personal. His eyes drop to my stomach for a moment.
Then back to me. “And I’m not leaving you alone with this. ”
Silence.
I don’t move anymore.
I don’t run anymore.
But I don’t give in completely either.
I just… stay there.
Between him and everything that comes next.
I sigh helplessly, and lift my head to see Samuel standing at the door, leaning against it. Looking and listening to everything I said.
I didn't even realize he was there.
He realizes I saw him and just glares at Cedric, and then leaves.
Cedric looks at me, and when he sees I'm not looking at him he turns.
"What?" He whispers and squeezes my hand slowly.
"Nothing.." he murmurs and his eyes are from the door where Samuel was.
Cedric looks at me for a long second.
Then…
he slowly gets up from the edge of the desk.
No rush.
Without breaking eye contact.
I take a deep breath.
My heart is still beating chaotically, but…
I don't retreat anymore.
This time I stay.
Cedric takes a step towards me.
Then another.
He gets close enough that I can feel his warmth.
His hand rises slightly.
Slowly.
As if asking for my permission, even if he doesn't say it.
He touches my waist lightly.
He doesn't squeeze me.
Just… hold me.
“You don’t have to do this alone,” he repeats softly.
His voice is different now.
Calmer. More… close.
I bite my lip.
For a second I don’t know what to do.
But I don’t push myself any further.
Cedric notices.
And that's enough.
He leans in slightly towards me.
"Idris..." he murmurs.
His breath touches my skin.
I instinctively look up at him.
And then.
.. he brings his face closer to mine.
Slowly.
Unhurriedly. Without forcing me.
And he kisses me.
He's not rushed. He's not aggressive.
He's... attentive.
As if he's trying to tell me something without words.
At first I freeze.
Then... something inside me gives way a little.
I answer him.
Slowly.
For a second, all the chaos disappears.
Just him.
And me.
When he pulls back, he stays very close.
His breath is warm.
His eyes search for my reaction.
And I…slowly snort.
"It's like.
.." he murmurs, placing a hand on his stomach instinctively, ".
..I have millions of ants here..."
Cedric raises his eyebrow slightly.
Then, he smiles...long. with that charming smile of his.
"This is just the beginning," he says softly.
He rests his forehead on mine for a second.
Intimate.
Protective.
Too close. .. and just right.
Maybe...this kid made everything easier for us but we don't know how to appreciate it.
"Thank you" I whisper softly and rest my head on his chest.
"Who was that for?" He asks and rests his head on me, rocking us both.
"You're damn impossible" I mutter and roll my eyes and he laughs softly.
That small but charming sound.
and perfect.