Leah's hands were shaking as they hovered over her belly as she stood in front of the tall mirror in her room. Her exhaustion, the sudden dislike of some foods, the sudden lightheadedness—the symptoms had been there. However, reality didn't start to set in until Henrietta put a knowing hand on her wrist earlier that morning and grinned in silent comprehension.
With warm eyes, Henrietta had whispered, "You're with child." Leah had a chill after hearing the words. She was feeling a range of emotions as she looked at herself in the mirror.
Happiness, Fear, and Uncertainty.
As the realization hit her like a tidal wave, her hand finally landed on her stomach. Jacob's child was inside her.
A knock on the door jolted her from her thoughts. Samuel entered, his sharp eyes sweeping over her face as she turned. His ability to read her like a book had always existed.
"What's wrong?" he inquired, his face etched with worry.
With a voice hardly audible above a whisper, Leah swallowed. "I am expecting a child."
Samuel's mouth opened a little and then closed again as he froze. Then, in an instant, he was at her side, his hands grasping her shoulders gently. "Are you sure?"
She nodded. "Henrietta attested to it."
Samuel remained silent for a moment before a proud smile curled his lips. "Leah, you are going to become a mother."
With trembling breath, Leah's eyes pricked at the corners. "I'm not sure how Jacob will respond."
Samuel's face grew a little serious. "He must swallow his pride and accept you for who you are. This kid is evidence of your bond.
With a sigh, Leah turned back to the mirror, her fingers following the missing designs on her dress. What happens if he doesn't?
Samuel's eyes became stony. "So he doesn't deserve this child or you."
His words carried a heavy, relentless weight that persisted in the atmosphere.
Jacob's frustration drove him to throw punches at a wooden dummy in the training grounds. He had been fighting a storm inside himself ever since Leah had distanced herself from him. Marcus's presence had only intensified it. His wolf was enraged at the thought of another man pursuing what was rightfully his, but he was aware that he had been the one to push Leah away.
That night, he had nearly lost himself in her. It had been too much, the passion, the feelings. However, he still hadn't spoken to her in a way that she deserved.
Samuel, who had been watching him from afar, finally said something. "This must be fixed before it's too late."
Jacob wiped perspiration from his brow and huffed. "You believe I'm unaware of that?"
Samuel's arms were folded. "So, what are you holding out for?"
Jacob was about to respond when a young omega from the palace came up and bowed slightly before continuing. "Luna Leah has asked to see you in her chambers, my Lord."
Jacob's heartbeat accelerated, but his face remained unreadable. "Did she explain why?"
The omega gave a shook his head. "No, Alpha."
After letting out a long breath and throwing the training cloth aside, Jacob nodded. "I'll be there."
Something shifted in his chest as he moved through the Barduff Castle hallways. There was a part of him that knew this was no ordinary conversation. Whatever Leah had to tell him would change everything.
—
When Leah heard the knock, she was sitting close to the window, watching the rain start to fall on the castle grounds. After taking a deep breath, she yelled, "Come in."
Jacob walked in and instantly took over the room. He looked into her eyes, probing, inquiring. "You were hoping to see me?"
Leah's hands automatically pressed against her stomach as she turned to face him fully. "Yes."
Seeing her hesitation, he took a step closer. "What's the matter?"
With her fingers gripping the material of her dress, she inhaled deeply. "I'm pregnant, Jacob."
A stunned silence descended upon the room.
As though attempting to take in what she had said, Jacob's eyes widened and his body tensed. "You're carrying my child, are you not?"
Heart thumping, Leah nodded. "Yes."
Jacob stared at her, the weight of the revelation pressing down on him. He took a step forward, his gaze dropping to her stomach before slowly rising back to her eyes. Uncertainty briefly appeared on his normally assured face for the first time in a long time.
Knowing that his next move could either strengthen or weaken their relationship, Leah prepared herself for his reaction.