We don’t waste another heartbeat–Mother and I both know every moment counts now. Hand in hand, we leave Fury’s father’s house before the sun even begins to rise, with Jack at our side, protective as ever. Fury and Nora decide to stay behind.

    “I want to take care of him for a while,” Fury says, hisnd resting firmly on his father’s wheelchair. “He

    needs me.”

    T

    Jack sps his shoulder. “Do what feels right. But Fury… remember, the Alpha position in Blood Fang is still open. Alphas from other packs are alreadypeting for it. But you” he pauses, weighing his words carefully, “you’re no ordinary wolf anymore. You’ve got Alpha King blood running through your veins. That makes you stronger than any of them. Strong enough to win. And the Blood Fang deserves a leader who’s loyal, not greedy for power. Someone who truly loves the pack. You were their warrior, their shield. That means something.”

    Fury’s eyes glisten for a second before he looks away. “I’ll think about it,“he mutters, though the way Nora squeezes his hand tells me she already knows what choice he’s leaning toward.

    We leave them there, and the journey back to the pce is quiet–too quiet. Jack and Mother whisper about Malik, about strategies, weaving ns to bait him out of hiding. But my thoughts drift far from war and

    revenge.

    They circle instead around something smaller, softer… and infinitely scarier.

    The tiny spark of life inside me.

    I press a palm against my belly, still t, still impossible to imagine. How can something so little hold so much weight? My baby. My miracle. My heart hammers at the thought–part fear, part awe. Am I ready for this? Will I even know what to do?

    The carriage halts and before anyone can say a word, I bolt out. Jack calls my name, but I don’t stop. My feet carry me down the familiar halls, past bowing servants, straight to the healer’s wing.

    The doctor blinks up at me, startled, as I m the door shut behind me. “Princess Kali? What-”

    “I need to know. Right now.” My voice is trembling, and I don’t care. “How long have I been pregnant?”

    He frowns, clearly baffled, but begins his examinationb. /bMomentster, his brows shoot up. “Extraordinary

    You’re only a day pregnant.”

    My heart skips. “A day?”

    “Yes,” he says slowly, as though he hardly believes it himself. “And the fact that you could sense it so soon … Princess, it’s nearly impossible to detect naturally at this stage. Even with our wolves, even with our equipment, life usually isn’t confirmed until a week or two in.”

    I breathe out, shaky and relieved. “It wasn’t me,” I whisper. “It was… someone else. Someone who grew up in a pack clinic, helping mothers through childbirth. She told me.”

    The doctor leans back, eyes wide. “Then she is gifted indeed. To know something so delicate, so soon- that’s beyond ordinary skill.”

    His words untangle the knot of guilt that has been choking me. I’m not failing already. I’m not a bad mother for not knowing. My hand presses against my belly again, and this time, it doesn’t scare me. It feels

    right. Augh slips from my lips, light and free.

    And then the door bursts open. Jack storms in, eyes zing, chest heaving like he’s been running through fire. “Kali!” He scans the room until his gazends on me. “Why the hell did you disappear like that?”

    Before the poor doctor can even breathe, Jack’s hand is around his throat, mming him against the wall. ” What happened? Is my mate and our baby safe?” His voice is a growl that shakes the walls.

    “Jack!” I leap to my feet, giggling despite the chaos, because only he could turn something like this into a battlefield. I grab his arm. “Let him go! I’m fine. We’re fine. Our baby is fine.”

    His eyes snap to me, wide and wild. I tug his hand off the terrified doctor’s neck. “You were too busy plotting wars with my mother, so I slipped away to get answers. That’s all.”

    Jack’s shoulders drop, and the fire drains from his eyes, reced by sorrow. “We should’vee together,” he murmurs, his voice breaking.

    I step closer, brushing my fingers along his jaw. “Yeah, I’m sorry about that. Just wanted to be sure of something.”

    He swallows hard, and then he’s pulling me against him his forehead pressed to mine. The doctor, wisely, takes that moment to slip out, leaving us alone.

    Jack’s palm slides to my stomach, tentative, as though he’s afraid of breaking me. “So small,” he whispers, awe dripping from every word. “Just a seed.”

    “Yes.” My throat tightens, but this time with joy. “But ours.”

    His lips capture mine, gentle at first, then deepening, carrying every ounce of his fear, his hope, his promise. When we break apart, his eyes are ssyb. /b“I swear, Kali… I’ll protect both of you. Always.”

    “I know you will.”