Chapter Thirty-Five #2
“At this time, your main concern should be rest and hydration. And you need to start taking the supplements I’ve brought.
Things will progress as nature intends. Your body is already responding remarkably well, and since the genes added for you to become an omega, there should be no problems in development. We will monitor to be certain.”
I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I’d held, trying to mute the glow of my markings and calm myself so I could think clearer. My body was already urging me to give it what he’d said I needed, so for the time I had to be patient and listen to it. That was something I could manage.
“There is no precedent for a Human–Morrak gestation, so we will have to let your body guide us. Since this is the first, I need you to keep a log of symptoms, weight, expansion—”
“Expansion?”
I cut him off, a laugh escaping before I could stop it. I was overwhelmed, but that word brought things back into focus.
Why would I think anything about my life could be simple?
I laughed again, shaking my head, and Rhydek finally seemed to thaw. His tail tightened around me before loosening again as if he were afraid it would hurt me.
“We will do what you need, but her safety is priority.”
Warmth spread within my chest. No matter what, he would always be my protector, even if what he needed to protect me from was myself.
Or inside me.
But I didn’t want to think about anything that might put him in that position. I didn’t want to linger on the anger and fear.
I wanted to focus on the positive. The hope.
Serenya let out a soft sound across the table, something between a sob and a squeal.
“This is… huge,” she whispered. “Do you realize what this means?”
I paused, taking a moment to consider the ripples this news would cause.
Even if I didn’t want to.
My gaze flicked to Kael, then back to Rhydek.
“This changes everything, doesn’t it?”
No one answered right away. They didn’t need to.
“Yes.”
The single word Kael spoke landed with the weight of an entire world.
“The alliance is already fragile,” he continued. “This…”
His gaze shifted briefly to my stomach before returning to my face.
“This is proof that it can work. That our species can merge. It will hearten some, but it will also drive those who were undecided to choose sides.”
“And make those who oppose the alliance even more determined to stop it,” I finished quietly.
Kael’s jaw tightened and Rhydek’s kethra flared again.
“Yes.”
Silence settled over the table, charged with everything that hadn’t been said. I’d wanted to believe the danger was over, that it had just been those three Morraki who Zharrek had killed, but it wasn’t. It was bigger than that, and the secret growing in my belly would increase the danger.
My chest tightened even as I tried to drag in deeper breaths to fight the rising panic. My child, Rhydek’s child, was a bridge between the Humans and Morrak, and that would make them a target.
The thought sent a chill down my spine, but it also brought clarity.
We knew the danger, were aware it was coming, which meant we could prepare for it. Take precautions. And find those responsible to prevent more attacks.
I lifted my chin, looking at Saed as my nerves settled.
“I’ll track everything I can and do whatever tests are needed for the pregnancy to continue safely.”
His head dipped, cheek feathers fluffing.
“I will do everything within my ability to ensure that outcome.”
That was good enough. It had to be.
I nodded, then leaned into Rhydek’s side, suddenly aware of how tired just sitting upright made me. My body had endured a lot, and this was going to ask it to endure more, but Qy’shaeuhl healing was extraordinary. If he thought I’d be fine, I trusted him.
Across from me, Serenya was watching with wide eyes, her expression softening into something warm and fierce all at once.
“You’re strong. You’re going to be okay. We’ll make sure of it.”
A few days ago, I would have brushed off the comment. Endurance wasn’t strength, and I certainly didn’t feel strong. Strength wasn’t surviving because you had no other choice.
It was choosing to keep going when there were easier options.
My gaze shifted up to Rhydek. He hadn’t moved, hadn’t said anything, but the bond was a storm. Fear churned beneath everything, his and mine, but it wasn’t the only thing there.
There was awe, disbelief, and a tentative, fragile strand of hope.
I rose to my feet, the movement pulling at the tight skin on my belly and shoulder, but I ignored it and turned to my mate. He didn’t stop me or try to pull away, he just watched, as if unsure what I was going to do.
As if he wasn’t sure what he was allowed to do.
Familiar frustration flickered through me, but it didn’t burn the way it used to. I understood what held him back now, and it wasn’t something that would go away simply because we wanted it to.
I studied his golden eyes, wondering if our baby would be lucky enough to inherit the beautiful color.
“You’re blaming yourself again.”
He didn’t bother denying it.
“I chose you, and it caused you pain. You left your home and family, your body changed, and you were attacked because of it. And now—”
His hands moved to my sides, fingers tightening until I felt the prick of his claws. His tail hadn’t left me, revealing more than words ever could about how he wanted to keep me close.
“Now there is more to lose.”
It was the truth. The pregnancy meant I was in more danger, and there was more to lose.
I leaned into him, the heat of his body penetrating to ease the lingering ache in my muscles.
“You didn’t do this to me, Rhydek. I claimed you first. We did this together.”
The bond pulsed, something inside him reacting to the words even if he didn’t know how to accept them yet.
“I chose to accept the injection, knowing it was irreversible. I chose to stay, and I chose you.”
His fingers tightened for a moment before easing, his kethra finally fading from eye-watering yellow.
“You keep acting like caring about me is a weakness. Like it’s something that’s going to get me killed.”
His expression darkened, but I didn’t let him interrupt.
“And maybe it will.”
The whole room seemed to still and I felt everyone’s attention on me, but I pushed on.
“That doesn’t make it wrong. I almost died, not because you cared, but because someone else decided they didn’t want me here.”
I felt his chest vibrating even though I couldn’t hear the growl. There was fury bleeding through the bond, and I welcomed it. I was angry too, and the ones responsible needed to feel it.
“You can’t spend the rest of your life avoiding anything that matters just in case it gets taken away.”
I knew where that led. To emptiness, and isolation. To a life that looked safe on the surface but felt hollow underneath.
And I knew he didn’t want that.
“I’m still here. I still choose you. So are you going to be here for us?”
His lip curled back, his growl finally loud enough to fill the space around us. He held me so tight I was sure I’d have bruises, but I smiled up at him.
The tension in his shoulders lessened, and I felt his answer through the bond before his lips covered mine. A clear enemy gave him focus and purpose, and if that was what he needed to push past the fear, then anyone who didn’t want Humans on Morrakan were in trouble.
Because they had become his target.
Behind us, I was aware of the others, but this moment was for us. The bond between us thrummed, no longer heavy or overwhelming, but steady. We were in this together. No more resistance. No more hiding.