Chapter 166 Heartbeat pt 1
Seren
I sank into the warm water, my thoughts swirling just like the bubbles around me. Braxton’s comments about his Luna being with pup were at the forefront.
I knew I needed to tell Duncan about my pregnancy, but I had been hoping to wait until after we were through the battle that was coming. After earlier, though, I realized I couldn’t put it off. He needed to know before. He needed to know that we had something else to fight for.
I laid my hands on my belly, imagining what it would feel like in just a few months when the little bean was kicking and stretching. I closed my eyes and felt for the flutter that was the pup’s heartbeat. It still filled me with wonder and awe every time I felt it.
Gathering my courage, I pulled the plug and stepped out of the tub. I wrapped the fluffy terry bathrobe Duncan had set out for me around me, tying the sash as I stepped out to search for my mate. I found him poring over the plans and documents for tomorrow. It took him a moment to realize I was there, and I found myself twisting my hands together, anxiety building at the thought of his reaction.
When he finally noticed me, he turned, pulling me to him with his hands on my hips. “What is it, little wolf?”
I took a deep breath. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
He raised an eyebrow, but kept his gaze on my face. “Are you finally ready?”
I jerked my head back. “What do you mean?”
His hands moved from my hips to my face, gently cupping my cheeks. “You’ve had something on your mind for days now, little wolf.”
“Oh,” I said. Here goes nothing. “I’m pregnant,” I blurted. The words hung between us. For one heartbeat, he didn’t react at all.
Then, Duncan’s eyes widened even as his jaw dropped. His mouth opened and closed a few times before he finally managed to get out, “You’re with pup?”
I nodded. He stood, picking me up and swinging me around even as he shouted excitedly. “I’m going to be a father!”
Finally, he let me down gently, letting me go once my feet were firmly on the floor. He sank to his knees in front of me, burying his face in my stomach. He closed his eyes, ear pressed against my abdomen, and grinned so big I could feel it. “I can hear his heartbeat,” he breathed.
“What makes you think it’s a him?” I sassed.
He shrugged. “Or her. I don’t care either way.” He pressed a reverent kiss to my belly. “Hello, little one. Daddy can’t wait to meet you.” He wrapped his arms around me, still kneeling, and looked up at me.
“You’re my miracle, Seren. And this, this is a blessing.” He slowly stood, his hands cupping my face again. He brought his lips to mine, oh so gently, then just stayed there, our foreheads pressing together. “You’re the light in the dark, the sun that shoves the clouds away. You’re everything warm and good and safe in this life, and you made me whole. And now you’ve given me everything I never thought to ask for. I love you, Seren. I love you in this life, and I’ll love you in all the lives that follow.”
I stood, basking in his joy and his love, wrapped in his arms and feeling safer than I ever thought I could. We stayed there for a moment longer, then I finally pulled back.
“But,” I started, “what about tomorrow? I can’t sit out of this fight, Duncan. I can’t be like Braxton’s Luna, sent away to be safe. We already know that won’t end well.”
His jaw tightened, and he closed his eyes as if it pained him. “I know, little wolf. Everything in me wants to lock you in this room,” he admitted quietly. “But I won’t ask you to do that. That’s not who you are. And it’s not who we are.” He took a breath. “We will win tomorrow, and we will win together. This,” he pressed his hand to my belly, “only means that we fight harder, that we don’t back down an inch. This means that we don’t have the option to fall. So we won’t. We’ll fight together, as we were always meant to, and we will bring the light.”
Tears slid down my cheeks at his words. This man, this alpha who always wanted to protect me, loved me enough and had enough faith in me to let me stand by his side. The stakes were higher than they’d ever been, and instead of shielding me, he was setting aside his own nature so that I could stand tall. There were no words for how much I loved him in this moment.
The air between us shifted. The room felt too small, too quiet. It was as if the world had stepped back and left only us standing in its place.
“You’re going to be a father,” I whispered, the words fragile and enormous all at once.
The wild joy that had been on his face shifted into something deeper. Awe and devotion swirled in his eyes as he looked at me. His hand went to my belly again. “I’m going to love our pup with everything I have. I’m going to protect you both.”
The certainty in his voice made my breath hitch. I stepped into him, my palms flattening against his chest. I could feel his heartbeat beneath my hands—steady, powerful, alive. Mine answered it, quickening. I curled my fingers into his shirt and tugged him down to me. This time, I kissed him first.
It wasn’t hesitant or shy, not like in our early days. This was certain. This was me claiming my mate, claiming our future together.
His response was immediate. One hand slid into my hair, the other anchored at my waist as his mouth claimed mine in a slow, deliberate sweep that unraveled me from the inside out. There was no rush in him, no frantic edge. Just heat building between us, layer by careful layer.
His lips moved from mine to my jaw, down the sensitive line of my throat, each touch reverent and consuming all at once. I arched into him instinctively, my hands slipping beneath the fabric of his shirt, tracing the familiar warmth of his skin. He inhaled sharply at the contact, a low sound vibrating against me, sending heat through to my core.
When his palm brushed my stomach, he stilled. The shift in him was subtle but undeniable. His fingers spread there, gentle and sure, like he was memorizing this new reality with his hands. I covered his hand with mine, pressing it closer.