CHAPTER 15
Careful, this chapter runs a little hotter than usual.
Hit follow to stay ready for what's coming next.
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Rain swept across the fortress in endless sheets, a rhythm that filled every corridor with restless sound.
Mia stood near the balcony doors, one hand resting over the round curve of her stomach.
The twins kicked in quiet rebellion, their movements sharper tonight, as if the storm had woken them too.
A door opened behind her.
Daniel stepped inside, boots damp, cloak heavy with rain.
The scent of pine and wet stone followed him, sharp and grounding. For a heartbeat Mia froze, memories of old arguments flickering like distant lightning. But when she looked closer, she saw no anger in his eyes. Only weariness. And something softer.
"You should be resting," he said, voice low.
The words held concern, not command.
"They won't let me," she admitted, rubbing the side of her belly where a small foot pressed outward.
"They've been moving all evening."
Daniel crossed the room without hesitation and crouched in front of her.
"May I?"
The simple question yet so unlike the Alpha who once barked orders and stole her breath.
Mia nodded.
Warm palms slid over the swell of her stomach. Almost instantly, the twins answered with a kick. A faint smile touched his mouth, and for a moment he looked almost boyish.
"They know me," he murmured.
His thumb traced an absent circle against her skin. The light touch sent a shiver through her, but not from fear. Not tonight.
"They...... reach for you without even knowing how," Mia said softly.
It surprised her to hear the words. It surprised her more that they were true. Pregnancy has heightened Mia's senses, her scent is richer, her skin more sensitive.
Mia moved first.
Slow, deliberate steps carried her across the room. Her fingertips brushed the fine fabric of his shirt, tracing the hard line of his chest beneath. Heat radiated through her palm, a warmth that made her breath catch.
"Mia..." he whispered against her belly, then lifted his gaze to hers.
Golden eyes burned, not with command, but with a hunger that made her whole-body ache.
"Tell me to stop."
She met his gaze without flinching.
"Don't."
He cupped her face in his hands, thumbs grazing her cheeks as if memorizing the feel of her. The first kiss was a soft question; barely a touch of lips, hesitant and reverent. She answered by leaning in, deepening the contact until the kiss became slow and searching, a language all their own.
Their breaths tangled.
Daniel's hands slid to the small of her back, tracing slow circles that sent a shiver through her. Mia pressed closer, her own fingers threading into his hair, guiding him gently as the kisses grew longer and hungrier.
Each movement was unhurried. The slide of warm palms over fabric, the delicious scrape of stubble against soft skin, the quiet gasp when their foreheads met and they simply breathed each other in.
The room narrowed to touch and scent and heartbeat. Moonlight spilled over them as Daniel lowered his head again, his lips trailing a path along her jaw, her throat, each kiss leaving a trail of heat.
Mia's hands found the line of his shoulders, exploring, learning, drawing him nearer until there was no space left between them. The bond thrummed beneath her skin, but tonight it was more than magic; it was choice.
Without words, Daniel gathered her into his arms. She felt the strength in his embrace, not a command, but a promise, as he guided her toward the bed bathed in silver light.
They sank into the soft sheets, still wrapped in kisses and whispered names, the world outside fading into silence.
The moonlight dimmed, their breathing slowed, and the night closed around them like a secret.