Chapter 8
Zoren
Something was wrong with my mate. I'd known it for weeks, felt it in the subtle changes of his scent, the way his magic flickered uncertainly when he thought I wasn't watching. Part of me wanted to demand answers, but I knew Lyrian well enough now to understand that pushing him would only make him retreat, and I couldn't afford that. I wanted him to keep trusting me.
Still, when he came home that evening smelling of anxiety and Mae's herbs, my wolf nearly clawed through my skin with the need to comfort him, to fix whatever was causing him distress. And this time, he was going to tell me the truth.
I found him on our balcony, staring at the moon. His platinum hair gleamed in the silvery light, and his magic seemed to pulse in time with the celestial body above. Beautiful. Terrified. All mine.
"Lyrian," I whispered, approaching him slowly despite my instincts screaming to rush forward. "Talk to me, little moon. I know something has been happening to you lately, something that has you concerned, and I want to help."
He turned to me, and the look in his eyes made my heart stutter. Fear, yes, but also something else—something that made his magic sing with an entirely new frequency. I was beginning to understand what was going on with him.
"I went to see Mae today," he began. I could almost not make out what he was saying. "I needed to... I had to know for sure before I told you."
My wolf's attention snapped to full alert. Mae. The wise woman who helped omegas. Who specialized in...
Before I could complete that thought, Lyrian continued, "I'm pregnant, Zoren. With twins."
The world stopped. I would have eventually come to that conclusion on my own, but hearing it straight from his mouth was something else.
Everything—my breathing, my heartbeat, time itself—seemed to freeze for one eternal moment. Then it all crashed back with the force of an asteroid.
Twins. My mate was carrying my children. Two of them.
I knew this moment would eventually arrive, but still wasn't prepared for it.
"How..." I started, then moved closer, drawn by an instinct deeper than thought. My hands reached for him of their own accord, wanting to touch, to verify, to protect. "Are you sure?"
He nodded, tears glimmering in his eyes. And as for me, I still couldn't believe this was happening.
"Mae confirmed it. Six weeks along. And Zoren, they're... they're special. One with lunar magic, one with terra magic. A perfect balance. Mae says she's never seen anything like it."
The implications hit me like a physical blow. Moon-blessed twins, perfectly balanced in power. The potential of such children... and the danger they would face.
A lot of people would be hunting for them if they knew they were going to come. I had to keep it secret.
My arms wrapped around him, pulling him against my chest. His scent had changed—subtly, but now that I knew what to look for, it was obvious. Richer, more complex. Everything was changing.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I asked, nuzzling his hair. "You've been worried about this alone. You know you can trust me."
He pressed his face into my neck, his hands fisting in my shirt. "I was scared. Everything's happening so fast, and these babies... they're going to change everything. I didn't know how you'd react. I'm sorry. I keep making bad choices."
A growl rumbled through my chest—not of anger, but of fierce protectiveness. "Look at me," I commanded, tilting his face up. "You are my mate. These are our children. Nothing in this world could make me happier or more determined to protect what's mine. You should have known this was going to be my reaction."
His eyes searched mine, and whatever he found there made his magic surge with relief and something deeper. The mate bond between us hummed with new intensity.
"They're going to need protection," he whispered. "Once word gets out—"
"No one will touch you or our children," I cut in, locking his eyes with mine. The very thought of anyone threatening my growing family made my wolf snarl. I wasn't going to allow it. "I swear it on my life."
My phone buzzed—someone from the cartel needing my attention. For the first time in my life, I ignored it. Nothing was more important than this moment, than my mate and the miracle he carried.
Whatever my cartel needed, it wasn't more important than this.
I sank to my knees before him, pressing my ear to his still-flat stomach. My enhanced hearing couldn't pick up heartbeats yet, but my magic could sense them—two tiny sparks of life, already burning bright with potential.
"My children," I breathed, awe and possession coloring my voice. "Our children."
Lyrian's fingers threaded through my hair, his fingers gentle but trembling. "I can feel them," he murmured. "Through my magic. They're so small, but already so strong."
Rising to my feet, I kissed him—tenderly at first, then with growing passion as the full impact of this news settled into my bones. He was carrying my children. My mate, my moon-blessed omega, was giving me the greatest gift imaginable. I couldn't be happier.
My phone buzzed again, with more persistence this time. Reality intruded, reminding me of the world beyond this moment. I didn't want to be reminded it existed.
The cartel leader in me snapped to attention, mind already racing with necessary changes and preparations. Security would need to be tripled. Our territory borders would need to be fortified. Every pack member would need to be vetted again, their loyalties confirmed beyond doubt.
A lot was going to change, but for the better, not to mention that all the changes were going to be necessary.
"What are you thinking?" Lyrian asked, noticing the shift in my demeanor. He could always notice the smallest things about me.
I cupped his face in my hands. "I'm thinking that everything changes now. The cartel, our security, our future—it all needs to be restructured around protecting you and our children."
"Zoren—"
"No arguments," I affirmed while staring into his trembling eyes. "You and these babies are my priority now. Everything else is secondary."
As if to emphasize my point, my phone buzzed a third time. This time I answered it, knowing that I was going to let out my frustration.
"Get me Viktor and the security council. Now. Full meeting in twenty minutes." I paused, then added, "And call Mae. I want her on permanent retainer as our personal physician."
Lyrian's eyes widened at the command in my voice. I'd never let him see this side of me before—the absolute authority that made me Alpha of the Nightshade Wolves. But now he needed to understand that every resource I commanded would be dedicated to his protection.
"You don't have to change everything," he protested weakly, but I could feel through our bond that he was relieved by my response. There were some things he couldn't hide from me.
"Yes, I do," I said, pulling him close again. "These children aren't just our future—they're the future of our entire kind. The first twins born to a moon-blessed omega in generations, perfectly balanced in power... Do you understand what that means?"
He nodded against my chest. "Mae said they could either heal the rifts in our world or become targets. We need to protect them."
"Which is why no one outside our most trusted circle can know about this pregnancy until we have everything in place." My mind was already racing with plans, contingencies, and security measures. The thing I was most frustrated about was that their lives would never be normal. "I won't let anyone threaten what's mine."
The possessive growl in my voice made him shiver, but not with fear. His magic reached for mine, twining together in that familiar dance that now held new meaning.
"I trust you," he whispered, and those three words meant everything.
I kissed him again, pouring all my love and determination into it. When we parted, I pressed my forehead to his, letting our magic pulse together. His skin was warm and familiar.
"Rest now," I murmured. "You need to take care of yourself and our little ones. I have some arrangements to make."
He caught my hand as I turned to leave. "Don't be too hard on them," he said, knowing exactly what kind of meeting I was about to conduct.
They needed to know they couldn't interrupt me when I was doing something important.
I brought his hand to my lips, kissing his knuckles. "I'll be exactly as hard as I need to be to ensure our family's safety."
Twenty minutes later, as I strode into the conference room where my top lieutenants waited, I was a changed alpha. My priorities had shifted for the rest of my life. The cartel would no longer exist purely for power and territory—it would become a fortress, a shield protecting the most precious treasures in my world.
Looking at my assembled commanders, I let my alpha power fill the room. "Gentlemen," I said, drawing everyone's attention to me, "everything changes tonight. We have a new mission, and failure is not an option."
They straightened in their seats, recognizing the deadly seriousness in my tone. Good. They would need that alertness, that dedication, in the months to come.
Because anyone who even thought about threatening my mate or our children would learn exactly why I was feared throughout the supernatural world. I wasn't going to hold back against my enemies.
The Nightshade Wolves were about to become the most formidable protective force this city had ever seen. And I would personally ensure that my family remained safe, no matter the cost.