Chapter 83: Chapter 83
Kyra’s POV
I woke up feeling warm and comfortable on the big couch. Someone had covered me with a soft blanket, and my wolf Sylvia was happy, purring inside my head. Something delicious was cooking in the kitchen, making my stomach rumble. I sat up slowly, careful with my big belly, when I caught Nathan’s scent: that fresh mint smell that always made my wolf excited.
Before I could get up, Nathan was there, tall and blocking the light. He didn’t say anything, just held my arm and helped me up with that gentle strength.
I looked up at him while he moved the blanket and held my waist, keeping me steady. His wolf, Alaric, was really strong today, watching over us. He helped me into my bathroom, his body warm against mine.
He opened the toilet lid before leaving, and right then, my baby gave a big kick. I bit my lip to stay quiet.
"You know that’s your daddy, don’t you?" I whispered, rubbing my belly. "You can smell him already, right?"
My baby was coming soon, and my belly was so heavy with our pup. It was hard to move around now, but talking to my baby made me happier than anything.
Two knocks on the door. "You done?" Nathan’s deep voice called out.
I flushed the toilet and looked at the door. "Yeah."
Nathan came right in, got my toothbrush ready with toothpaste, and handed it to me. I’d told him before to stop hovering, said I wasn’t helpless. But he wouldn’t budge. "I need to keep you safe," he’d said, "my wolf needs to. Pregnant or not, you’re..." He never finished that sentence, but I knew what he meant.
That’s when it hit me. He must have been watching me the whole time. Even when I was with Kieran, Nathan had stayed close by. His wolf couldn’t stay away, no matter what. When everything fell apart, he was there to help me. He even showed up at the airport when I broke down crying, even though he was supposed to be in another country.
"Made your favorite pasta for breakfast," Nathan said as he helped me down the stairs, his hand steady on my lower back.
My wolf Sylvia loved how he took care of me, though I tried not to show it.
Nathan helped me sit down and put a hot plate of pasta in front of me. It smelled so good I had to smile.
"Thanks!" I said with a smile and started eating.
He smiled back, watching my face before he started to eat too. Then my baby kicked hard, making me groan and rub my belly.
"What’s wrong?" Nathan asked quickly, worried.
I laughed and shook my head. "The baby must like your cooking. She’s doing flips in there."
His smile grew wider, showing his white teeth. He moved away from the table and knelt beside me, putting his warm, big hand on my belly.
"You like pasta, baby girl? Really?" he said softly, his voice deep and rough in that way that always made my heart beat faster.
"Ow!" I shifted in my seat and took a deep breath as she kicked again, right where his hand was.
I laughed and looked at Nathan. "She did it again. She knows your voice."
He loved that so much. He kept talking to my belly and rubbing it, completely forgetting his food. The happiness on his face almost hurt to watch. As I looked at him talking to our baby, my heart beat faster, betraying me.
This was bad. Falling for him again would only hurt me more. I tried to keep my distance and remember the truth. He still had Sophia, his true mate. But it was happening anyway. The pull between mates is too strong to fight, even if we chose each other instead of fate choosing for us.
I tried to stay away but still fell. No matter how much I denied it, I was falling in love with him again.
"What are you going to name her?" Nathan asked, looking up at me, his eyes bright with something that looked too much like love.
"Haven’t thought about it yet," I shrugged.
That wasn’t a lie. I’d thought of lots of names, but none felt right. She needed something special, something that showed she was both wolf and born from such a complicated love.
Nathan nodded and smiled, going back to talking to my belly. I watched as he continued talking to our baby. She loved having her daddy close, kicking every time Nathan touched my stomach. She could feel the connection between us, the bond that wouldn’t go away, no matter what happened.
I’m sorry, baby, I thought sadly. Your daddy has his true mate now, and your mommy is scared of getting her heart broken again.
After breakfast, Nathan did the dishes and asked me to help set up our Christmas tree for tomorrow. I put up the lights while he did everything I told him to do. It felt nice, like a real family, but that just made it hurt more.
I once wanted him gone forever. I knew if he came back, I’d fall for him again. But fate brought him back anyway, and now I was falling hard while being scared to death. Getting hurt before had left me with deep scars.
On Christmas morning, Nathan came to me smiling with a wrapped gift. "Merry Christmas," he said warmly.
Thanks to my part-time job with him, I’d bought him something too. I gave him my gift and a card.
"You got me something?" he asked, surprised, his wolf eyes flashing.
I smiled. "What? Don’t want it?"
"Of course I want it." He took the card and box quickly, his fingers touching mine, sending sparks through me.
We sat on the couch with our gifts.
"Oh wait! Got something for the baby too." He handed me another box like mine.
"I’ll open it after she’s born," I said with a small smile.
He grinned. "Yeah."
I opened my gift and found a pretty bracelet with a moon charm that had my name on it. When I saw where it was from, I laughed and looked at him, catching him watching me. We’d bought our gifts from the same store.
I’d gotten him a gold watch with his name on it. He smiled as he took off his old watch and put on mine, looking proud like Alphas do, before looking back at me.
"Want me to help you put it on?" he asked, looking at the bracelet in my hand.
"Yeah..." I handed it to him.
I moved closer and held out my left arm. He put the bracelet on gently. When he finished, our eyes met, and my smile faded as I realized how close we were.
My lips parted on their own, my heart racing as he stared at me. My wolf Sylvia whined, begging to get closer to her mate.
I swallowed hard when I saw Nathan looking at my lips. Something pulled us together like magnets, and I closed my eyes as he leaned in and kissed me.
A spark shot through my whole body as he wrapped his arm around my waist, his lips moving against mine. His tongue slipped into my mouth, exploring, tasting, playing with mine.
His soft kisses grew deeper as he turned his head to kiss me better. I shivered when he grabbed my hand, his fingers lacing with mine, making the heat between us even stronger. I could feel his wolf trying to get closer to his mate and pup.
This intimate gesture added fuel to the burning desire between us, pushing us both to the edge of our control.
