Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Selene
I step through the doorway and freeze.
This isn’t a room. It’s a suite.
My quarters in the healers’ wing were practical—one small bedroom, a kitchenette barely large enough to heat tea in, a bathroom where I could touch both walls if I stretched.
But this? The living area alone could fit my entire old space twice over.
Plush furniture arranged around a stone fireplace, shelves lined with books and military memorabilia, tall windows overlooking the palace grounds, with heavy curtains pulled back to let in the afternoon light.
Through an archway, I glimpse a kitchen—an actual kitchen, with proper counters and even a table. Beyond that, a bedroom door stands ajar, revealing what has to be the largest bed I’ve ever seen.
“Do you like it?”
Seth’s voice pulls my attention back to him. He’s moving through the space with quick, jerky movements—grabbing a shirt draped over a chair, snatching up what looks like training gear from the floor near a window, shoving everything into a basket with barely concealed panic.
Amusement tugs at my lips as I watch him scramble. “You’re not very tidy.”
His shoulders tense. “I barely spend any time here. I’m always working.”
Another shirt disappears into the basket. A pair of boots get kicked under a side table. The frantic energy radiating off him is so at odds with the controlled commander I know that warmth blooms in my chest.
“Why do you live in a place like this?” I move farther into the room, running my fingers along the back of the sofa. The fabric is soft and clearly expensive.
“Commander’s quarters.” He shoves the basket behind a chair, like that’ll hide his mess. “Given according to rank and status.”
I turn to face him, and the sun catches his dark hair, highlighting the tension in his jaw. He’s watching me with an intensity that makes my pulse skip.
“Once this mission with Zane is over,” he continues, his movements slowing as he watches for my reaction, “if you want to move to the Rowan family estate, it’s much larger than this.”
The words slip out before I can stop them. “Your sisters mentioned something similar. But I’m not ready to live there yet.”
The change in Seth is immediate and terrifying. He crosses the distance between us in two strides, his hands coming to grip my shoulders. His eyes are wide, almost horrified. “My sisters?” The words come out strangled. “Have my sisters been tormenting you?”
“What? No—”
“Did they come looking for me?” His grip tightens insistently. “Selene, what did they say to you?”
Before I can answer, a sharp knock sounds at the door.
“Commander Rowan?” A male voice calls through the wood. “His Majesty is looking for you. It’s urgent.”
Seth’s jaw clenches so hard, I hear his teeth grind. His eyes bore into mine for another heartbeat before he releases me, stepping back with obvious reluctance.
“I’ll be back,” he says, his voice rough. “And we’re finishing this conversation.” He moves toward the door, then stops, turning back to pin me with a look that’s equal parts command and plea. “Stay away from my sisters. They’re crazy.”
Then, he’s gone, the door closing with a decisive click.
I stand in the middle of his living room, alone, staring at the lush space. “They didn’t seem crazy,” I murmur to the empty air.
The silence presses in around me. I sink onto the sofa, the cushions giving beneath me, and let myself really look at Seth’s quarters. Our quarters now, I suppose.
My hands press to my cheeks, feeling the heat there. The memory of Seth’s mouth on mine, his hands claiming every inch of me, the way he bent me over that desk and—
Heat floods my core all over again. My wolf rumbles with satisfaction, still drunk on his scent, on the way he worshipped and dominated me in equal measure.
I hope he doesn’t get in trouble for bringing me here. If Zane finds out, I won’t be able to continue the ruse. It’s just that—
My heart flutters in my chest.
Seth wants to protect me. My mate brought me here because he wants me to be safe.
I was never good at holding grudges, especially in the face of such sincerity.
And Seth and I are bound for life. What’s the point of fighting this anymore?
His attitude has changed completely. Even before he gave me the mating mark, he was always watching me with Zane and finding reasons to come to the healers’ compound. I always ignored him.
I notice one of his discarded shirts among the sofa cushions and pick it up, smiling to myself. I know which battles to fight and which I’ve lost. And I’ve clearly lost the battle against Seth Rowan. But I’m going to make sure he earns me back, bit by bit. I don’t plan on making this easy for him.
The mate bond hums contentedly under my skin, warm and satisfied in a way that feels right. Natural. Like coming home after being lost for a long, long time.
My fingers drift to my neck, tracing the mark he left there. His claim. His brand.
Mine.
The word echoes in my mind, and this time there’s no fear attached to it. Just a quiet certainty that settles deep in my bones.
This is where I’m meant to be.
Maybe this can work. Maybe we can work.
The thought should terrify me, but instead, it fills me with something that feels dangerously close to hope.
I sink deeper into the sofa, my body still humming from everything Seth did to me last night. The mate bond purrs contentedly under my skin, warm and satisfied in a way that makes me want to curl up and sleep for hours.
But reality intrudes when my eyes catch the clock on the mantle. I jump to my feet, panic flooding through me. “Oh no. No, no, no.”
My shift! I’m supposed to be at the infirmary in twenty minutes. I grab my bag from where I dropped it near the door and rush into Seth’s bedroom, searching for a private place to change.
The bathroom is enormous—all marble and polished fixtures that gleam in the afternoon light. I lock the door behind me, yank open my bag, and pull out my healer’s robes.
I change quickly, the familiar weight of my uniform calming me somewhat. But even freshly dressed, I can’t erase the feeling of Seth’s hands on my skin, his mouth on mine, the way he claimed me over and over.
Focus, Selene.
I’m fastening the last button when Zane’s request about the Queen replays in my mind.
“The next time you have one of those lunches scheduled, you should tell me. We could meet up afterward.”
My fingers pause. I should tell Astra. Not because it’s urgent—Zane can’t do anything without me facilitating it—but because she deserves to know. She should be aware, prepared.
I glance at the clock again. If I hurry, I can stop by her chambers on the way to my shift. Just a quick warning, and then I’ll go to work.
Decision made, I grab my bag and slip out of Seth’s quarters.
The palace corridors are busy with afternoon activity—servants carrying linens, guards changing shifts, nobles drifting toward the dining halls. I weave through them, my healer’s robes granting me passage without inquiry.
When I reach Astra’s chambers, the guards straighten at my approach.
“I need to see the Queen,” I say. “Just for a moment.”
The taller guard shakes his head. “Her Majesty isn’t receiving visitors. She’s unwell.”
Concern flickers through me. “That’s exactly why I should see her. I’m a healer.”
“And her friend,” the shorter guard adds, glancing at his companion. “Let her in. The Queen will want to see her.”
The first guard opens the door, and I step inside.
The room is dim, curtains drawn against the late afternoon sun. Astra sits on the edge of her bed, one hand pressed to her stomach, her face pale. Luna is curled up beside her, the black cat’s golden eyes tracking my movement.
“Astra.” I cross to her quickly. “The guards said you’re not feeling well?”
“Just a stomach thing.” She waves a dismissive hand, but the gesture lacks energy. “It’ll pass.”
I kneel in front of her, studying her face. “How long have you been sick?”
“A few days. Maybe a week.” She grimaces. “I can’t keep anything down. Even the smell of food makes me—” Her hand flies to her mouth.
I grab the basin from her nightstand just in time. She retches into it, her whole body shaking with the force of it.
When she’s done, I help her lie back against the pillows. “Let me check you. Just to be safe.”
She nods weakly, closing her eyes.
I place my hands on her abdomen, letting my healing magic flow outward. The familiar warmth spreads through my palms, searching for infection, inflammation, anything that might explain her symptoms.
Then, I feel it.
A second heartbeat. Tiny. Fluttering.
My breath catches, and my hands go still.
“What?” Astra’s eyes fly open, curiosity in her gaze. “What is it?”
“Astra.” I pull my hands back slowly, a smile spreading across my face. “You’re pregnant.”
She gapes at me for a full five seconds, her eyes widening. “What?”
“There’s another life inside you.” I press my hands back to her stomach, joy bubbling up in my chest. “You’re carrying Lucian’s child.”
Her mouth opens again, and a stunned laugh escapes her. “Are you serious?”
“I felt the heartbeat. It’s small—maybe six weeks along.” I squeeze her hand. “The nausea, the exhaustion, the food sensitivity. It all fits.”
“A baby?” Wonder floods her voice. Her hand moves to her stomach, pressing gently. “We’re having a baby?”
“You should have a senior healer confirm it,” I say, still smiling, “but I’m pretty certain.”
A brilliant smile breaks across her face, chasing away the pallor. “Oh my god. Lucian is going to lose his mind.”
“In the best way,” I agree, watching the happiness transform her features.
“I can’t believe it.” She laughs again, the sound bright and full of awe. “After everything…After thinking I’d never even have a wolf, much less a mate…Now I get a baby?”
“You deserve all of it,” I tell her firmly.
Astra grabs my hand, her smile so bright, it could light the entire palace. “Come with me. I need to tell Lucian right now.”