Chapter 25 A dangerous stalemate

Chapter 25 A dangerous stalemate
Aurora's POV
"My babies."
The words were barely above a whisper.
Yet they echoed louder than anything else in the room.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Christian's hand was still resting against my stomach, and I could feel the slight tremble in his fingers. It wasn't much. Most people would never notice it.
I did.
Because this was Christian.
The Alpha King.
The man who could stare down an entire army without flinching.
The man who never showed weakness.
Yet right now he looked completely overwhelmed.
His golden eyes remained fixed on my stomach as though he still couldn't believe what was happening.
As though he was afraid that if he blinked, everything would disappear.
A strange warmth spread through my chest.
For months I had imagined this moment.
Feared this moment.
Cried over this moment.
And none of my imaginings had prepared me for this.
I had expected anger.
Accusations.
Rejection.
Instead, Christian was looking at our babies like they were the most precious thing in the world.
The realization hurt almost as much as it healed.
A loud throat-clearing shattered the moment.
Uncle Nicholas.
Of course.
The Dragon King folded his arms across his broad chest and fixed us both with a look that immediately reminded me that there were other people in the room.
Several other people.
Unfortunately.
"As touching as this entire scene is," he said dryly, "we have significantly larger problems."
Drake immediately nodded.
"Finally. Somebody said it."
Fiona smacked his shoulder.
"What? We do have bigger problems."
"You are one of them."
Drake looked offended.
I almost laughed.
Almost.
But my emotions were far too tangled for that.
Christian slowly withdrew his hand from my stomach.
The loss of contact felt strangely disappointing.
My traitorous heart immediately noticed.
His eyes lingered on me for another second before he straightened against the bed.
The movement made him wince.
Instantly my attention shifted.
"You should be resting."
The words left my mouth before I could stop them.
Christian's gaze snapped toward me.
Something softened in his expression.
Something that made my pulse stumble.
"I'm fine."
"You were bleeding half an hour ago."
"I'm still fine."
"You nearly died."
His lips twitched.
Actually twitched.
"You're one to talk."
I opened my mouth.
Then closed it.
Because annoyingly enough, he had a point.
Drake snorted.
Fiona looked amused.
Uncle Nicholas looked like he wanted to lock both of us in separate towers.
"Aurora."
I immediately straightened.
"Yes, Uncle?"
"We are not discussing who nearly died more."
"I wasn't—"
"You were."
"I wasn't."
"You absolutely were."
Drake raised his hand.
"Technically she was."
"Nobody asked you," Nicholas replied.
Drake lowered his hand.
"Fair."
The room fell quiet again.
This time it wasn't awkward.
It was thoughtful.
Heavy.
The kind of silence that settled before important conversations.
Uncle Nicholas sighed.
For the first time since I had met him, he looked older.
Not physically.
Just... tired.
Deeply tired.
He rubbed his forehead before looking directly at Christian.
"You need to understand something."
Christian's posture immediately stiffened.
"So do you."
The two men stared at each other.
Moon Goddess.
Here we go.
I suddenly understood why Drake looked permanently exhausted.
Living with Uncle Nicholas every day must be an adventure.
The dangerous kind.
Fiona moved beside her mate and placed a calming hand on his arm.
It didn't help.
Not even a little.
"Aurora has been under our protection since she arrived here," Nicholas said firmly.
Christian's jaw tightened.
"I know."
"No. You don't."
The room grew tense.
I hated this.
I hated being the reason everyone looked ready to argue.
"Aurora has spent the last month training," Nicholas continued. "Relentlessly."
Christian looked toward me.
His eyes narrowed.
"Training?"
I suddenly found the carpet fascinating.
"Aurora."
I refused to look up.
"Aurora."
Still refused.
"Aurora."
I sighed dramatically.
"Maybe."
Drake burst out laughing.
"You should have seen her face after sword training."
I glared at him.
"You cried."
"I did not cry."
"You absolutely cried."
"There was dust."
"There was rain."
"There was no rain."
"There could have been."
Christian stared between us looking completely confused.
For the first time since entering my room, some of the tension eased.
Just slightly.
Enough for everyone to breathe again.
Fiona smiled softly.
"She worked very hard."
I looked down.
Embarrassed.
Because despite all the complaints, I had.
Every day.
Every lesson.
Every bruise.
Every ache.
Everything.
I had endured it because somewhere deep inside me, I knew I would need that strength one day.
Christian's expression changed.
The amusement vanished.
Something else replaced it.
Pride.
The sight made my heart do strange things.
Dangerous things.
"Why?" he asked quietly.
The question wasn't directed at me.
It was directed at Nicholas.
The Dragon King became serious immediately.
The atmosphere shifted again.
I felt it.
Everyone did.
"Because Aurora's future will not be easy."
Christian frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one you're getting."
The two men stared at each other again.
Drake groaned.
Actually groaned.
Loudly.
"Oh, for the love of dragons."
Nobody acknowledged him.
Typical.
Christian's eyes narrowed.
"Aurora is pregnant."
The words seemed to shake something loose inside the room.
Because suddenly the reality of everything came crashing back.
Pregnant.
Twins.
The Witch Queen.
The attack.
Everything.
Christian's gaze found me again.
And this time I couldn't look away.
"There are things happening that neither of you understand yet," Nicholas said carefully.
My stomach twisted.
I hated whenever he said things like that.
Because it always felt like everyone knew something except me.
"Aurora deserves answers."
"I know."
"Then give them to her."
"I can't."
"Why?"
Nicholas hesitated.
Only for a moment.
But I noticed.
So did Christian.
So did Fiona.
So did Drake.
The room became very still.
"Because she isn't ready."
The words landed heavily.
I felt my frustration immediately rise.
Not ready.
Again.
Always the same answer.
Not ready.
Too soon.
Later.
Someday.
Eventually.
I was tired of it.
So very tired.
"I'm sitting right here," I muttered.
Nobody responded.
I glared.
Rude.
Christian, however, noticed.
A small smile touched his lips.
The first genuine smile I had seen from him in months.
My stomach flipped.
Traitorous organ.
Completely traitorous.
The conversation continued around me, but I found myself struggling to focus.
Because Christian was here.
Actually here.
Not a memory.
Not a dream.
Not something I imagined late at night when loneliness became unbearable.
Real.
Warm.
Alive.
My mate.
The realization still felt overwhelming.
A sudden wave of exhaustion hit me.
Without warning.
One moment I was standing.
The next I felt oddly dizzy.
Fiona noticed immediately.
"Aurora?"
I blinked.
"I'm okay."
"You look pale."
"I'm fine."
"You said that exactly like Christian."
"I'll pretend that's a compliment."
Christian looked suspiciously pleased.
Uncle Nicholas immediately noticed.
Then looked annoyed.
Then looked more annoyed.
The man really needed a hobby.
Preferably one that wasn't worrying about me.
"Aurora needs rest," Fiona declared.
"Agreed," Nicholas said.
"No arguments," Fiona added.
I immediately opened my mouth.
Then closed it.
Because arguing with Fiona was impossible.
She had mastered the terrifying art of smiling while being completely immovable.
Christian shifted slightly.
"I'll stay."
The room froze.
Every single person turned toward him.
Including me.
Drake looked delighted.
Uncle Nicholas looked murderous.
Fiona looked exhausted.
I looked ready to combust.
"You'll what?" Nicholas asked slowly.
"I'll stay."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
I buried my face in my hands.
Moon Goddess.
Not again.
Christian didn't even blink.
"Aurora is my mate."
Nicholas crossed his arms.
"Aurora is my niece."
"She is also carrying my children."
A vein appeared on Nicholas' forehead.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Drake quietly moved farther away.
Smart man.
"I am not leaving."
"You absolutely are."
"I am not."
"You are."
"I am not."
The two men continued glaring at each other.
Neither willing to back down.
Neither willing to blink.
Neither willing to surrender.
They were impossible.
Completely impossible.
Fiona sighed heavily.
The sigh of a woman who had dealt with stubborn men for far too many years.
Finally Christian spoke again.
His voice was calm.
Dangerously calm.
"You already took my mate away from me once."
The room went silent.
Every trace of amusement vanished.
Christian's eyes remained locked on Nicholas.
"I searched for her for months."
His voice grew rougher.
Darker.
"I am not losing her again."
Something flickered across Nicholas' face.
Understanding.
Pain.
Guilt.
Maybe all three.
But neither man looked away.
And standing between them, I suddenly realized one terrifying fact.
Neither of them was going to back down.
Not tonight.
Possibly not ever.
Moon Goddess help me.
Because I had a feeling my life was about to become significantly more complicated.
Again.