Page 29

It was light, but there was still some heaviness around the edges that I was avoiding.

Maybe that made me a coward, but I just wasn't ready to give up whatever it was that we had.

Being with Scott felt like the most natural thing in the world until something reminded me that our bond wasn't natural.

At night, he would pull me into his bed, and I'd fall asleep curled up against him, the warmth of his body grounding me like nothing else did. We watched some of my favorite movies, and I taught him how to play the games that I loved.

We were behaving, for all intents and purposes, as a couple. But for some reason, we never, ever talked about what we were. Neither of us spoke about what was happening between us, and I was reluctant to be the one to bring it up and shatter our peace.

I knew Scott cared for me at least in some ways. I felt it in the way he'd lean in to kiss me, and the way his hands would linger on me longer than necessary. But still...we never talked about the true status of our relationship, not once, and it was driving me out of my mind.

It wasn't just affection, either. As the days passed, Scott's possessiveness grew. He did his best not to lose control of himself like he had at the party, but he still hated it when I was out of sight for too long. Sometimes, I'd feel his eyes watching me across the cafe, but he never said a word.

Scott and I would touch each other to our hearts content, but I found myself craving reassurance more than anything.

But he never offered it. Every time I caught him watching me, I thought maybe this time he'll say it.

Maybe this time he'll pull me close and tell me that he wanted me just as much as I wanted him, that our connection wasn't just because of the spell, but something real.

That was just a fantasy, though.

I accepted living in limbo for a few weeks, but I started to feel off each morning when I woke up.

It was hard to keep down even my favorite breakfasts, and I never felt fully rested.

I didn't say anything to Scott, because I didn't want him to worry and go all Alpha on me, but it was enough of a change that I took notice of it.

It wasn't until I was at work one morning that the cramps hit, not all that painful, but deep and aching. At first, I was sure it was just my heat rearing its unwelcome head again, but the tingles and arousal that came with heat never followed.

I blamed it on the bond, and then something I'd eaten, but after a while, I was running out of excuses to give myself.

My symptoms started getting worse. By the end of the day, I was dizzy and exhausted.

My emotions were all over the place, swinging between joy and sorrow in a flash.

Finally, Gwen cornered me on one of the rare days she worked at my shop instead of the original one and forced a paper bag into my hands.

"I bought five, so you can be sure. But you're driving me nuts with all the mood swings."

"What are these?" I asked, pulling one of the plastic-wrapped sticks out of the bag.

She flushed bright red. "Umm...a pregnancy test."

"What?”

She shrugged. "Well, you're showing some pretty classic signs. I figured it was worth checking out."

I felt cold all over, and I broke out in a sweat. All the symptoms fit too well, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. Gwen's expression turned concerned, and she gripped my hand in her own.

"I'll be right here to read the result with you."

I nodded, feeling numb. This was impossible, and I was being ridiculous. There was no way. I was just paranoid, and this was a false alarm. The only thing that kept me from freaking out was Gwen's steady presence beside me.

I went through the motions, trying not to think about anything at all. It would be better if I was calm. That way, I'd have time to process it if it was positive. If it was negative, then at least I wouldn't have been disappointed.

The test was supposed to take three minutes, but it seemed to drag on forever. The longer the clock ticked, the more restless I became. Finally, the timer on my phone went off, and Gwen and I went to retrieve the stick, my hands shaking.

But the moment I saw the result, everything faded away. I was in shock, my hands shooting to rest on my stomach. A baby. Scott's baby. No way.

Gwen let out a squeal and crushed me in a tight hug.

"I'm so happy for you!" she said, her voice full of emotion. "Congratulations, Nayeli!"

I was limp in her embrace. "Please don't tell anyone. I want to be the one to do it."

She nodded, her eyes wet with tears. "Of course. But when are you going to tell him?"

"Soon. I think."

That was a lie. I had to tell him, of course, but I needed clarification on what he thought about our relationship first. And if not that, I at least needed to feel out how he felt about the idea of a baby.

I had no idea what I would do if he didn't want a family, but I'd have to cross that bridge when I came to it.

The following night, I told Scott to come home early, and I poured my heart into making dinner for us. We had to talk, or I was going to fall apart. Plus, I wanted to do something special for him. He'd been handling all of my craziness for weeks and never once complained.

By the time he walked in, the house smelled like roasted garlic and thyme.

I'd pan-seared salmon and paired it with wild rice and grilled veggies.

I baked us a peach cobbler for dessert, and there was a carton of vanilla ice cream chilling in the freezer.

It felt weirdly domestic...which I guess, it was. We were a married couple, after all.

That fact was still so absurd to me that a giggle bubbled up to my lips. He'd rejected me as a mate and then married me. The entire world felt upside down.

"What's so funny?" Scott asked, giving me a strange look as he joined me at the table.

I shook my head, trying to stop giggling. "Nothing. Just thinking."

He raised a brow, looking amused. "Thinking about what?"

I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. "Well, it's just...we're married now, but I don't even know if you like me or not."

His expression turned serious. "You're my mate, Nayeli. Of course, I like you."

My face warmed, "No, I mean..." I struggled to find the right words, but I felt too nervous. Unconsciously, my hand drifted to my belly, but Scott didn't notice. "Things don't always have to stay the same, right? Packs can grow, and people can change..."

Scott looked up at me while cutting his salmon. "Mhm."

I was babbling, but it was too late to stop. "I just mean...not everything that's always been has to keep being, you know? That sounds like nonsense, sorry. I guess I'm trying to say unexpected things happen all the time, but strong relationships can adjust and thrive."

Scott set his fork down slowly. "I like things the way they are," he said, calm but not unkind. "It's simple right now. Easy."

My heart thudded in my chest as I felt my stomach fall to the floor. Things couldn't stay the same. The bond needed to be broken, and he needed to know I was carrying his child. But I didn't want things to change...

I nodded once and forced a smile. "Of course. That makes sense."

The rest of dinner went normally, but inside, I was unraveling. My throat felt tight and my eyes were stinging, and I had no appetite. After fifteen minutes of pushing the fish around my plate I excused myself to go to the bathroom before I broke down into a million pieces in front of him.

But I didn't go to the bathroom. I went back to my guest room and silently shut the door behind me, locking it. I hadn't slept in the guest room in days, having spent my nights in Scott's arms, but all of my spell stuff was still here.

I sank to the ground, my hands covering my mouth as tears rolled down my face. I'd done this to myself. I knew this was only supposed to be temporary. Scott and I were simply supposed to coexist and enjoy each other while I learned to use my magic properly.

But just like the first time I realized he was my mate, I'd been a fool. He'd rejected me once, and it was just a matter of time before he did it again. Scott was kind and amazing in bed, but never once did he indicate he wanted a mate, a family, or a future with me.

The pregnancy hormones weren't helping me get myself under control, either. Each time I caught my breath, I only ended up sobbing more. I felt raw as I pulled my knees to my chest, resting my forehead on them. "Get it together, Nayeli. You know better."

No amount of logic could convince me to calm down. Of course, he liked things the way they were. Easy. Simple.

Well, if that's how he wanted it to remain, I'd make sure it stayed that way.

Working off of panic and the feeling of spiraling, I dug out my spell supplies and sat up for the bond-breaking spell for the third time.

I was rushed, messy, not measuring things, or making sure to draw my runes perfectly.

It didn't matter. I'd learned to pull on Scott's Alpha strength to increase my magical capabilities, and I was about to put that power to the test once more.

This time to separate us, so things could keep being simple, just the way that Scott liked them.

I poured every ounce of my hurt and fury into the spell, chanting until my palms glowed and my hair started to whip in an impossible wind.

It hurt, which was new, but that was because I was pushing hard and fast to get it done.

Scott would feel me messing with the bond, and I only had minutes to accomplish my goal before he stopped me.

In a frenzy, I forced my magic to wrap around the bond just like before. Darkness came alongside the light, and I made no effort to stop it, not with how short my window to do the spell was. I needed all the power possible, light or dark.

My bones ached, my skin burned, but I kept chanting. Power screamed through me like a cyclone as I pulled hard. I had to make it stop—the pain, the unrequited feelings, the dream of a family.

I hadn't even paused to think how dangerous the spell could be while I was pregnant, but it was too late. I was in the final stretch.

I'd never felt this much power before, but I wouldn't stop. I couldn't.

I didn't hear Scott's footsteps, but I felt him through the bond, maybe for the last time. He knew what I was doing, but he was powerless to stop me. I heard his fist pounding on the door, "Nayeli!"

No. No, no, no. I pulled at our pack bonds and drank in Scott's own strength, using every ounce of energy I had left.

The last thing I remembered was the sound of splintering wood before the explosion. Then, my magic reached its crescendo, and the bond snapped.