Chapter 94

**ARIA**

I woke slowly, the soft rhythm of Adam’s breathing a steady pulse against my back. His arm was wrapped tightly around my waist, anchoring me in place, his warmth curling around me like a second blanket. It should have made me feel at peace. It usually did.

But this morning, something was off.

My stomach churned lightly, not with pain exactly, but with a strange dull discomfort. Like my body was trying to tell me something I couldn’t quite hear. My skin felt clammy, and there was a haze behind my eyes that hadn’t lifted even after a few deep breaths.

Adam shifted behind me, pressing a soft kiss to my shoulder. "Morning."

I hummed, but my voice came out rougher than I expected. "Morning."

He moved to rest his chin on my shoulder, peering down at me. "You okay?"

I hesitated, then nodded. "Just... weird. Like I didn’t sleep right. Or like I’m about to come down with something."

His eyes darkened with concern immediately. "Do you want to see the doctor?"

I shook my head and turned in his arms so I could bury my face against his chest. "I’m probably just hungry. Or maybe I had a weird dream I can’t remember. I’ll be fine."

He didn’t look convinced. "Aria..."

"Really," I said softly. "Besides, I’m spending the day with Leila and Rosalie. We’re doing a girls’ day. Shopping for the baby. Pedicures. Tea room. The works. I want to spoil my niece or nephew, and I need a little normal."

He sighed but nodded. "Alright. But promise me you’ll call me if you feel worse."

"I promise."

After getting dressed, I met Leila and Rosalie at the gates just after breakfast. Leila looked positively radiant despite her growing bump, and Rosalie was her usual vibrant, eccentric self, already talking about enchanted baby booties and protective charms. The sun was warm, the streets bustling, and for a little while, I let the motion of the day distract me.

We started with the baby store, and honestly, it was kind of perfect. The three of us fell into an easy rhythm, passing around soft blankets, laughing at novelty pacifiers, and cooing over tiny onesies that said things like "Alpha in Training."

"If it’s a girl," Leila said, holding up a little lavender dress with wolf ears on the hood, "Cassius is going to lose his mind."

Rosalie smirked. "He’ll try to act tough about it. Until she wraps him around her tiny little finger."

I smiled, but the nausea had returned, settling deeper in my belly. I leaned on the cart for a moment, breathing through it.

"Aria?" Leila frowned. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Just a little off today."

We moved on to another boutique that had more human-styled things—soft cashmere blankets and carved wooden mobiles that played lullabies. I picked up a little stuffed fox and pressed it to my chest.

"I want them to have everything good," I said. "Everything soft. Everything safe."

"They will," Leila said, squeezing my arm. "Thanks to people like you."

Next came the spa. A little pedicure place Rosalie swore by, tucked between a florist and a bookshop that smelled like vanilla and ink.

We sat in massage chairs, feet soaking, laughing about Caedmon’s habit of quoting Shakespeare at the most inappropriate moments.

"Did you hear him say 'parting is such sweet sorrow' to one of the kitchen staff yesterday?" Rosalie asked with a wicked grin.

"I swear he lives in a different century," I muttered, sipping cucumber water.

Leila leaned toward me. "You look pale."

"Do I?" I touched my cheek. It did feel cool.

"Maybe we skip the tea room," Rosalie offered.

"No," I said, forcing a smile. "I want the tea room."

So we went.

The tea room was warm and quaint, with mismatched porcelain and the scent of cinnamon in the air. A soft violin melody played in the background. We got a window seat and ordered a full tray of finger sandwiches, scones, and herbal tea.

I nibbled at a corner of a sandwich but couldn’t bring myself to finish it. The discomfort in my body had turned into something heavier. My arms felt sluggish, my legs dull and aching. A fog was slowly descending behind my eyes, as if I were walking through the day in slow motion.

"You sure you're okay?" Rosalie asked, watching me.

"I’m fine," I insisted. "Really."

It was a lie, and I think they both knew it.

We returned just after dusk, our arms filled with shopping bags. Rosalie had insisted on getting matching mother-and-baby robes for Leila, along with a mountain of enchanted creams and oils. I had gone overboard on toys, books, and clothes, but I didn’t care. It felt good to imagine joy, even if I wasn’t feeling any myself.

As we walked back toward the main building, the courtyard glowed under the soft amber lights, our laughter quieter now, like the close of a good day.

And then the world tilted.

One moment, I was walking.

The next, the bags were tumbling from my arms, my knees buckled, and I was falling.

There was shouting, urgent footsteps. Voices calling my name.

And then I saw them—Adam rushing forward, panic etched on his face. And Austin, standing beside him, eyes wide with disbelief.

He was here.

And then everything went black.