“What the fuck did you just say?” A familiar voice booms from the bottom of the stairs, startling me. I spin around, my heart leaping into my throat, to find Caleb standing there, his eyes wide with shock. Oh, heavens above! How could I have forgotten about Caleb? He must have been worried sick about me. I wonder how he found me here, of all places.
“King Nickolas!” Caleb adds, his brows furrowing in confusion as he takes in Nickolas standing by my side. Panic grips me, and I quickly move to stand before Nickolas, shielding him with my body. I can only imagine what Caleb must be thinking – that Nickolas survived somehow, and now he needs to finish the job.
“He’s real?” Caleb asks incredulously, pointing at Nickolas after noticing my protective stance.
“Yes, and before you try to do anything, please hear me out,” I plead, my voice trembling slightly.
Caleb closes his eyes, shaking his head in disbelief before crossing his arms over his chest. “You have one minute,” he grits out, his jaw clenched.
We move back downstairs, and I waste no time explaining everything to Caleb, the words tumbling out of me in a desperate rush. He stares at us both, his expression morphing from anger to shock as I finish. I can’t blame him – I was just as stunned when I learned the truth.
“So let me get this straight,” Caleb says slowly as if trying to process it all. “You gave up your quest for revenge and wished to meet our parents to discuss it, but a fake was sent in your place who ended up killing them?”
“Yeah, that’s pretty much it,” I confirm, nodding solemnly.
“Wow. I don’t know if I should fucking believe you, but that mark on my sister’s neck is telling me I should,” Caleb mutters, his eyes zeroing in on the fresh bite on my neck. My hand unconsciously moves to rub the healing skin.
“I know it’s hard to believe, but I truly don’t wish to take revenge anymore,” Nickolas says earnestly, his eyes shining with sincerity. “The death of your parents would only bring Amelia sadness and hatred toward me. I couldn’t live with myself if she hated me. She’s my world. Her happiness means everything to me. I have chosen to live with the guilt of not avenging my father’s death if it means Amelia will be mine forever.”
Tears fill my eyes as I listen to Nickolas bare his soul, and I sniffle, trying to hold them back. Sometimes, I forget the enormous sacrifice he made in choosing to be with me. Words can’t express how grateful I am for what he did.
“Why are you crying?” Nickolas asks softly; concern etched on his handsome face.
“Your words,” I whisper, my voice choked with emotion. “I didn’t realize… I didn’t know I meant that much to you.”
“You do, Amelia,” he says fiercely, his eyes burning into mine with an intensity that steals the air from my lungs. “You mean everything to me.” He lays a tender kiss on my forehead. The tears spill over, rolling down my cheeks, and he gently wipes them away, his touch infinitely loving.
“I’m speechless,” Caleb mutters, shaking his head in wonder as he watches our exchange.
He turns to me then, his gaze searching, his expression serious. “Do you feel the same way about him, Lia? Does he mean as much to you as you clearly do to him?”
“He does,” I breathe, tearing my gaze away from Caleb to meet Nickolas’ eyes, my heart in my throat. “I thought I could live in a world without you, but I was so wrong. You are everything to me, Nickolas. I wish I could take away the burden of your guilt and share the weight of it with you. But since I can’t, I promise to spend every day showing you how grateful I am for the choice you made and for the love you’ve given me. I love you with every beat of my heart.”
“I love you too, Amelia,” he breathes, resting his forehead against mine. I close my eyes, inhaling his comforting scent that always soothes my soul. We stay like that, lost in each other until Caleb clears his throat pointedly.
“Enough, guys. I get it. You love each other,” he huffs, but I can hear the smile in his voice.
“Sorry,” I say sheepishly, pulling away from Nickolas.
“I know it’s a lot to take in,” Nickolas says, his arm sliding around my waist, pulling me into the solid warmth of his side. “And I want to apologize for almost killing you before. But I couldn’t imagine my life without your sister, and I know your approval would mean the world to her.”
Caleb is silent for a long moment, his gaze assessing as it flicks between us, weighing the sincerity of Nickolas’ words. Finally, he sighs, his shoulders slumping with resignation.
“As much as it pains me to admit it, I believe you, Nickolas. I can see how much you love my sister. But I’m not the one you need to convince.”
“Dad!” Caleb and I exclaim in unison.
“Yes, he’s not going to be so easy to convince that you love Amelia and wish the best for her,” Caleb warns.
“I know,” Nickolas says, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me closer. “But I’m ready to do whatever it takes.”
“Good,” Caleb says, a hint of approval in his voice. “Because we leave for the werewolf kingdom in an hour. But first, tell me you were joking about Amelia being pregnant.”
I hold my breath, trying to gauge my brother’s reaction, unsure if he’ll be happy about the news or not.
“I was not. She’s pregnant,” Nickolas states, his voice ringing with pride and joy.
“But I can’t smell a pup on her,” Caleb argues, confusion marring his brow.
“That’s because of who Amelia is,” Nickolas explains cryptically.
“Who I am? I don’t understand,” I say, my own brow furrowing.
“When I marked you, the shock caused you to unmask and mask your scent in a split second, but it was enough for me to smell her,” Nickolas elaborates, turning to face me.
“Her?” I repeat, the corners of my mouth twitching up into a huge smile.
“Yes, her,” he confirms, placing his hand over my still-flat belly and rubbing it gently.
“You already think it’s a girl?” I ask, my heart swelling with love.
“Yeah, I do,” Nickolas says, grinning broadly. He looks so incredibly happy about my pregnancy that it takes my breath away. I know he says he loves me, and I believe him, but you can love someone and not be ready for a child. Seeing how much he wants to start a family with me makes my heart feel like it might burst.
“Okay,” I say, beaming at him. “But I still don’t understand how I couldn’t tell. It’s my own body; I should have been able to sense it.”
“The baby is a lycan, so as long as your scent is masked, we won’t be able to smell her scent either,” Nickolas clarifies.
“That makes sense, but how can you be sure she’s a lycan?” I counter, my curiosity piqued.
“I’m not certain, but it’s the best explanation I’ve got,” he admits with a shrug.
“It tracks for me, too,” Caleb chimes in, his gaze thoughtful as he studies me. “But the real question is, do you want this baby, Amelia? Are you ready to be a mother?”
“It might have caught me off guard, but I’m excited either way,” I assure him, smiling softly.
“Then I’m happy for you, baby sis,” Caleb says, pulling me into a tight hug.
“Thank you,” I whisper, hugging him back just as fiercely, grateful for his support and understanding.
As we prepare to leave for the werewolf kingdom, I feel a sense of peace wash over me. Yes, we still have challenges ahead, but with Nickolas by my side and my family’s love, I know we can face anything. Our little miracle is just the beginning of our happily ever after.