That evening in the chambers the brothers were close. Darius sat by the fire with Lila on his knee, letting her tug at his hair. Kane leaned against the wall, sharpening a blade with slow, deliberate strokes. Rylan paced near the window, but he stopped every few minutes to press his hand to my belly, feeling the twins move.
"They're strong," Rylan said softly. "Two more little wolves running around this keep soon."
I smiled despite the tiredness. "They're going to be trouble. I can already tell."
The days turned into weeks. The pack trained harder in the yard. Women and older pups drilled with blades until their hands blistered. I sat in council every morning, Lila in the sling, ruling on disputes and pushing the next law through. The keep felt like home now, the stone walls no longer a prison but a fortress we had earned.
