Rakk #2
We file out of the dwelling and make our way through the canyon settlement toward the river path.
Kaelen keeps one hand on Lola's lower back, steadying her over the uneven ground.
Gorrak and Mora follow behind, arguing good-naturedly about past pregnancy adventures.
Serah walks beside me, her shoulder occasionally bumping mine in that casual contact that still makes warmth flood through my chest.
I lean down and murmur against her ear. "Have you told them yet?"
She shakes her head slightly, lips twitching. "No. I was waiting for you."
Anticipation buzzes under my skin. "Perfect."
The river comes into view—crystal clear water flowing over smooth stones, surrounded by hardy canyon plants that provide shade and privacy.
This has become our spot over the past months.
The place where Serah and I first started truly connecting.
Where we fell in love despite every obstacle trying to prevent it.
We settle on the flat rocks near the water's edge.
Lola sits with visible relief, stretching her legs out and tilting her face toward the sun.
Kaelen remains hovering nearby like he expects her to collapse at any moment.
Mora and Gorrak find their own perch slightly upstream, giving us space while still maintaining protective proximity.
I wait until everyone seems settled before clearing my throat.
Kaelen glances over. "What?"
"Just thinking." I let a grin spread across my face—wide and deliberately smug. "About how I won our bet."
The effect is immediate and gratifying.
Kaelen goes still. "What bet?"
"You know exactly what bet." I'm fully committed now, letting my natural personality shine through without restraint. Loud. Boisterous. The version of myself I kept carefully controlled for too long. "The one we made six months ago. The one you were so confident about."
Understanding dawns across his face, followed rapidly by horror. "You didn't—"
"I did." I stand up and announce it to the entire group, volume rising with uncontained pride. "Zurkar confirmed it three days ago. Serah is pregnant. Which means I won."
Silence.
Then—
"You absolute bastard," Kaelen groans, dropping his head into his hands. "I nearly made it."
"Zurkar says she's about two months along." I'm practically crowing now. "Which means conception happened well before your baby is due. Clear victory for me."
Lola's face lights up with pure joy. "Serah! You're pregnant?"
Serah is grinning despite trying to look annoyed with me. "Apparently. Though I would have preferred announcing it instead of learning there was some bet involved."
"Good point." Lola looks between me and Kaelen with dawning suspicion. "What are you two talking about?"
Mora's expression shifts from confused to calculating. "Yes, what bet?"
Kaelen grimaces like he's facing execution. "It was stupid. Just—we were joking around after Zurkar confirmed you were pregnant, and Rakk said something about getting Serah pregnant too, and I said there was no way he'd manage it before you gave birth—"
"You were betting," Lola interrupts slowly, "on whether Rakk could get Serah pregnant before I gave birth?"
"It was friendly competition," I offer cheerfully. "And technically Kaelen started it by saying I'd be too distracted by clan duties to—"
Serah smacks my arm. Not hard—she knows the soul-binding would transfer actual force back to me—but enough to convey exasperation. "You bet on breeding me?"
"You love that I want to breed you," I counter, catching her hand and pulling her against my side. We’ve come far enough from my stupid announcement all those months ago to be able to joke about it. Now she knows that it’s not about her body but about the family we want together. "Admit it."
She tries to maintain her annoyed expression but can't quite hide the smile tugging at her lips. "You're ridiculous."
"You love me anyway."
"Unfortunately." But her amber-hazel eyes are warm with affection. "And yes, fine. I know you want this. I want this too. The bet is just..." She waves her free hand vaguely. "Very you."
Lola is laughing now—full-bodied and bright despite her rounded belly. "I can't believe you two. Grown warriors placing bets like adolescents."
"Adds excitement to the process," I say with complete sincerity. "And I won, which means Kaelen owes me—what was it? A month of patrol coverage?"
Kaelen groans again. "Two months."
"Right. Two months of patrol coverage." I beam at him. "Looks like I'll have plenty of free time to spend with my pregnant mate."
"I hate you," Kaelen mutters, but there's no real heat behind it. Just resigned acceptance.
Gorrak barks out a laugh from his position upstream. "This is what happens when you raise competitive warriors, Mora. They turn everything into a contest."
"Apparently," Mora says dryly. But I catch the subtle pride in her expression. "Though I suppose congratulations are in order. Both to Serah for her pregnancy and to Rakk for..." She pauses delicately. "Winning his bet."
"Thank you." Serah leans into my side with comfortable ease that still makes my heart stutter. "Though I reserve the right to be annoyed about being wagered over."
"Noted." I press a kiss to the top of her head, breathing in the familiar scent of her—herbs and sunlight and something uniquely Serah. "I love you."
"I know." Her hand finds mine, fingers interlacing. "I love you too. Even when you're being an idiot."
Lola shifts on her rock, one hand moving to her belly with a wince. "Well, this is good motivation for me. Clearly I need to produce this baby quickly so we can start the next competition."
"Next competition?" Serah asks warily.
"Obviously." I grin at Kaelen. "Who can produce a second child first?"
"Absolutely not," both women say in unison.
But Kaelen is already smirking. "You're on. Standard terms?"
"Standard terms," I agree immediately. "Winner gets—"
"No." Serah cuts me off firmly. "No more breeding bets. We're having one baby. Let's survive that before planning competitions about second children."
"Wise woman," Mora murmurs.
"Spoilsport," I counter, but I'm grinning because I don't actually care about the bet. I care about the reality of it—Serah pregnant with my child, happy and healthy and choosing this life with me. Choosing me, over and over, despite everything we've survived to get here.
Lola leans back against Kaelen with a contented sigh. "I'm just glad you finally won something, Rakk. Kaelen's been unbearable about his victories lately."
"I have not—"
"You absolutely have," Lola interrupts, patting his arm. "You gloated for three days when you beat him at that hunting competition."
"That was different. That was skill-based."
"And this wasn't?" I gesture broadly at Serah. "Pretty sure getting someone pregnant requires significant skill."
Serah smacks my arm again, harder this time. "If you describe sex with me as a skill-based competition one more time—"
"It's a skill-based activity of mutual pleasure and connection?" I offer innocently.
She tries to glare but ends up laughing instead. "You're impossible."
"You wouldn't have me any other way."
"True." She tilts her face up, and I kiss her properly—deep and unhurried, not caring that we have an audience. When we break apart, her eyes are soft with emotion. "I'm glad we get to do this together. Have a family. Build something real."
"Me too." The words feel inadequate for the depth of what I'm feeling, but she understands. She always understands now. "You're everything, Serah. You and this baby. This life. All of it."
"Sentimental," Kaelen mutters, but his expression is fond. "Domesticity has made you soft."
"Says the orc who just spent ten minutes fussing over whether his mate needed a cushion," I shoot back.
"She's a month from giving birth!"
"And I'm going to be doing the exact same thing in seven months," I admit cheerfully. "Probably worse. I'm already planning how to rearrange our dwelling to accommodate—"
"Please stop," Serah interrupts. "One pregnancy crisis at a time."
We settle into comfortable conversation—teasing and warmth and the easy camaraderie of family who've chosen each other rather than being bound by blood alone.
Mora eventually herds us back toward the settlement before Lola gets too tired, Gorrak trailing behind with amused commentary about how much simpler life was before human women complicated everything.
But there's no real complaint in his words. Just acceptance. Maybe even affection.
As we walk, Serah's hand finds mine again. Holds tight. And I think about how far we've come from that terrified woman in the healing chambers and the orc too afraid to admit his feelings.
We're going to be parents. We're going to raise a child in a clan that's learning—slowly but surely—that humans deserve the same respect and care as any other member. We're going to build the future Serah deserves. The one I've wanted to give her since the moment I touched her and knew.
"Thank you," I murmur against her ear as we climb the canyon steps.
"For what?"
"For choosing me. For loving me. For letting me love you." I squeeze her hand gently. "For being mine."
She squeezes back. "Always. You're stuck with me now."
"Exactly where I want to be."
And it's true. Despite the bet, despite my loud announcement, despite everything—this is exactly where I want to be. With Serah. Building something real and lasting and worth every sacrifice it took to get here.