Chapter 98

**ARIA**

I found him in his office.

He was talking to Austin, the two of them hunched over the table, murmuring about patrol rotations and border sweeps. Their voices dropped off as soon as I pushed the door open, and Adam straightened when he saw my face.

"Aria—"

"Don’t," I said, my voice trembling. "Don’t you dare act like everything’s normal."

Austin looked between us, confused. "What’s going on?"

I turned to him. "Did you know that apparently, everyone in the community thinks I’m turning into a hybrid? Because that’s the cover story they came up with."

Austin’s brows rose. "Wait—what?"

"Adam told them I’m turning. That it’s the reason for my fatigue. So Caedmon doesn’t find out I’m pregnant."

Austin looked at Adam in disbelief. "You didn’t tell me any of that."

Adam ran a hand over his face. "Because I didn’t want to put more people at risk. It’s safer this way."

"No," I said sharply. "It’s not safer. It’s dishonest. It’s a lie. One I didn’t agree to. One I wasn’t even told about. You told them about the pregnancy before I had the chance to."

He looked like I’d slapped him.

"Aria, I was trying to protect you."

"And in doing that, you took something from me. I wanted to tell my brother. My best friend. With you. Together. But you did what you wanted. You didn’t even give me the choice."

He stepped forward. "You hate secrets. I know that. But—"

"Then why keep one from me?" I demanded. "Why make decisions about my body, my pregnancy, without me? That’s not you, Adam. You don’t act like this."

His jaw clenched. His shoulders trembled.

"Because I’m fucking scared!" he exploded. "I’m scared to death that something will happen to you. That we’ll lose them because we didn’t do everything. I can’t go through that again, Aria. I can’t watch you suffer. I can’t lose another child. Fuck... I can't."

I froze, heart in my throat.

Austin stepped in then, calm and steady. "We all carry guilt, Adam. I’ve felt it too. But we can’t forget who’s responsible for what happened. It wasn’t us. It was
them. The ones who poisoned her. The ones who manipulated everything."

Adam nodded slowly, breathing heavily, his hands trembling. He looked at me with tear-bright eyes. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to take that from you. I just wanted you safe. I’ll do better. I promise."

I stepped into his arms, and Austin moved behind me, wrapping me in his strength. Sandwiched between them, I felt the weight begin to lift.

We would figure it out.

Together.

***Later, I walked barefoot across the grass, my fingers brushing the soft fabric of my hoodie. The earth was cool beneath my feet, grounding me, the wind whispering gently through the tall trees. I didn’t know where I was going—just away.***

***Austin joined me silently, sliding his hand into mine.***

***We walked like that for a while, saying nothing, breathing in the stillness.***

***When we reached a wide oak tree, I stopped and leaned against the trunk. He turned to face me, his eyes full of calm understanding.***

***"You have to forgive him," he said gently. "He knows he was wrong. But he only did it because he loves you. Because he’s scared."***

***I nodded slowly. "I know. And I do forgive him. But I needed him to hear it from me—that it hurt. That it wasn’t okay."***

***Austin squeezed my hand. "You’re both allowed to be scared. But you can’t let it pull you apart."***

***"I won’t," I said quietly. "But I’m so tired, Austin. I feel like I’ve barely started this pregnancy, and already I’m exhausted."***

***His thumb brushed gently over the back of my hand. "We’ll take care of you. Both of us. One step at a time."***

***I leaned my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes, the rustling leaves whispering overhead.***

***For now, I just needed rest.***

***AUSTIN***

***Aria barely made it halfway across the grass before her legs gave out beneath her. I caught her just in time, scooping her into my arms before she could crumple. She let her head fall against my chest, her body trembling with fatigue.***

***“I’ve got you,” I whispered, more to myself than to her.***

***She didn’t respond, eyes closed, breath slow. I could feel how drained she was, like even standing upright had cost her more than she had to give. She weighed next to nothing in my arms, and still, I carried the weight of her exhaustion like it was my own.***

***Back in the apartment, I laid her down carefully, tucking her beneath the blankets while Adam brought over a glass of water. She was asleep before I even turned off the light.***

A few days later, we finally did what should’ve happened from the beginning.

Together, the three of us sat down with Leila and Rosalie in the sunroom. The light spilled across the floor, and the moment had a softness to it, like the world was holding its breath.

Aria was curled up beside me on the couch, Adam on her other side. She looked nervous but radiant.

“We have something to tell you,” Adam began.

Aria smiled, laying a hand on her belly. “I’m pregnant. With twins.”

The reaction was immediate. Leila gasped, clutching her hands to her mouth. Rosalie let out a squeal and practically jumped onto the couch, hugging Aria
before either of us could stop her.

“Oh my goddess, are you serious?” Rosalie cried, already tearing up. “Two of them? You’re going to be a mom of twins? This is—this is epic!”

Leila’s eyes were shining. “That’s incredible, Aria. I’m so happy for you. For all of you.”

But even as we celebrated, the elephant in the room lingered.

Aria was still so tired. She slept more than she was awake, and when she did wake, it was usually for short periods. She tried to be cheerful, but I could see
the strain behind her eyes.

Later that day, as I was heading to Adam’s office to go over the patrol restructuring, I ran into Rosalie in the hallway. She was holding a box of herbal vials and humming to herself.

"Rosalie," I called.

She turned, beaming. "Hey, Alpha. How’s the papa bear doing?"

I smirked. "Papa bear’s a little overwhelmed. Can I ask you something?"

She tilted her head. "Of course."

"About Aria. Her fatigue... it’s worse than I expected. I know pregnancy is exhausting, but this seems... different."

Rosalie’s face shifted slightly, a flicker of hesitation. "It might be."

"What do you mean?"

She glanced down the hall before stepping closer. "It’s just a theory. But... what if one or both of the twins are hybrids?"

My breath caught. I hadn’t even considered it. "You think that’s possible?"

She nodded slowly. "Her body could be working overtime to sustain them. Hybrids are rare, complex. They pull more energy, especially in the early stages."

"Is there a way to know for sure?"

Rosalie looked uncertain. "Not really. Not yet. It’s too soon to tell. But I’ve been working on a few things. Potions, runes, a couple of older spells. Nothing invasive. Just... sensitive tools."

"So we keep an eye on her."

"Always," she said with a soft smile. "She’s strong, Austin. But she’s carrying a miracle—or two. And miracles demand a price."

I nodded, heart heavier now. "Let me know if anything changes."

Rosalie squeezed my arm. "I will."

As she walked away, I stood in the hall for a long moment, thinking about the life growing inside the woman I loved.

Two miracles.

And I’d do anything to protect them.