bChapter /bb216 /b

    K 97%

    ra’s POV

    “One week,” I muttered to myself, staring at the empty space where my period should’ve been by nowi. /iA weekte. Just one. But the panic, the tightness in my chest–it was undeniable.

    I sucked in a breath, trying to steady my shaking hands. Calm down, I told myself. Girls get their periodste all the time. A week’s dy doesn’t mean

    anything.

    But the thought that kept gnawing at me wouldn’t go away. Thest time I’d slept with Thorne had been in the vineyard. No protection. No barrier

    the raw, reckless heat between us.

    “I should call the doctor,” Dario said, his voice sharp with concern as he turned toward the door.

    My heart skipped a beat. The thought of a doctor, of anyone finding out… It felt like a storm inside me, the whirlwind of fear turning my stomach

    “No,” I snapped, grabbing his wrist to stop him. My grip was too tight, and he flinched, looking back at me with confusion.

    “Why not?” He blinked at me, his concern growing. “You’re obviously not well. It’s my duty to call the hospital, tell the King-”

    “No hospital, no report,” I cut him off quickly, my voice frantic now. I stood up, pressing the flush button with a little more force than necessary.

    bI /bcouldn’t see a doctor. Not yet. Not until I knew for sure. And if it was true–if I was pregnant? I couldn’t let anyone in this castle know. My enemies were already lurking in the shadows, waiting for a weakness. If they found out I was carrying the Werewolf King’s child… they’d stop at nothing to take me

    down.

    Dario still stared at me, his brows furrowing as he tried to make sense of my outburst.

    “I don’t want to worry Dorian,” I said, forcing my voice to calm. “I get nauseous sometimes, it’s just an old habit of mine. No big deal.”

    He looked unconvinced, but I saw the skepticism in his eyes.

    “Are you sure?” He asked quietly, still not fully trusting my answer.

    “Yes. Positive. Now, let’s go have lunch.”

    I could feel his eyes on me as I moved toward the table. The smell of meat hit me like a p to the face. It made my stomach churn, but I forced myself to pick up a fork and take a bite, pretending everything was normal

    I couldn’t afford ifor /iDario to suspect anything.

    The most urgent thing was getting a pregnancy test, and I couldn’t risk asking anyone for help. No maids, no Dario–none of them could know.

    The next morning, as iwe /isat at breakfast, I casually dropped the subject. “bIs /bthere a pharmacy around here?”

    Dario looked up from his coffee, his expression instantly alert. “There’s one just outside the castle. Why? Are you feeling unwell?”

    I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. “Just need a refill for my vitamins,” I said, trying to keep it casual.

    “The maid can do that for you,” he suggested.

    I mmed my silverware down onto the te with a bit more force than I intended, the ttering sound echoing between us.

    “Am I grounded, Dario?” I snapped, my voice/rising. “I can’t leave my room, can’t go for a walk- bis /bbthat /bwhat you’re bsaying/bb?/bb” /b

    He frozeb, /bnarrowing his eyes at me. After a moment, he simply said, “No.”

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    “Then I’m going to the pharmacy after breakfast.”

    He didn’t argue

    I was already on edge, so the small town outside the castle didn’t feel asforting as it should. But I couldn’t let Dario know was rushing th streets, avoiding the obvious.

    We arrived at the pharmacy, and I turned to Dario. “Stay outside,” I ordered, trying to sound nonchnt as I stepped out of the carriage.

    His eyes flicked to me, searching for any sign of the urgency I was hiding, but he didn’t argue. He simply nodded and leaned against the

    I entered the store alone, grabbing a basket. I moved swiftly, picking up a few bottles of vitamins. Then, when I passed the aisle for b heart skipped in ba /bpanic, but I snatched a pregnancy test and tucked it into my pocket, hoping nobody saw.

    I made my way to the counter, paying for my items like everything was normal.

    “That will be $24.99,” the cashier said.

    I handed him a $30 bill, “Keep the change,” I said, barely ncing at him before grabbing the bag and heading back outside.

    Dario still stood by the door, his watchful gaze following me as I walked up to him.

    “We can go now,” I said tly, trying to mask the panic still gnawing at me.

    “One second,” Dario replied. “I just remembered something.”

    I watched him go back into the store, my pulse rising. He stepped up to the counter and tapped the cashier’s attention.

    “General Dario!” the cashier greeted himb, /ba mix of awe and recognition in his voice.

    Dario didn’t smile. “What did thatdy buy just now?”

    The cashier’s expression shifted nervously. “Just some vitamins, sir. She didn’t ask for a receipt:“”

    Dario grabbed the receipt, looking it over with a steady hand. After a moment, he handed it back to the cashier. “Thanks,” he muttered and walked back outside, bnot /ba word more.

    b“/bYou done?” I asked, forcing a frown, trying to hide the wave of tension in my chest.

    “Yes,” he said simply. “You want to head back to the castle now, or take a walk?”

    I desperately wanted to rush back to my room, take the test. But I couldn’t let him see my urgency,

    So, I dragged my feet, wandering around the town with him for hours–visiting a bookstore, stopping at some boutiques, even indulging in a bowl of chocte chip ice cream. Dario insisted on paying for everything, a habit I found both amusing and strange.

    “Why do you do that?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as he handed me the ice cream. “You know I can pay for my own dessert, right?”

    He shrugged, a small, almost shy smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “It’s how I was raised.”

    I couldn’t help but tease him “Your brother taught you that?”

    His smile fadedb, /bhis eyes darkening. “Nora taught me everything,” he said softly. “More than my father ever did.”

    I studied him for a moment. Dario, the man who’d seen everything his family had to offer–who had experienced such a loss. Was he the bkind /bbof /bman who could follow orders to hurt me if someone higher up told him to?

    I couldn’t be sureb. /b

    “But did he teach you that you only have to pay for your girlfriend’s stuff?” I asked, a yful edge in my voice

    He blinked at me,pletely thrown off by the question. The nk look on his face was enough to make meugh.

    “Stop it,” he groaned, a faint blush creeping across his cheeks.

    I giggled and took a spoonful of ice cream. “Don’t worry. I’ll pay iyou /iback.”

    It was only when the night fell, and we finally returned to the castleb, /bthat I felt the weight of my anxiety settle over me. The maids were table for dinner when I slipped away, heading straight for the bathroom.

    I shut the door behind me, my hands trembling as I took out the test from my pocket. My pulse was pounding in my ears as I follow holding my breath as I waited for the result.

    Please don’t be positive, I begged silently. Please don’t be.

    But the result was clear in under a minute.

    POSITIVE.

    My heart sank.

    色