Chapter Fourteen
Calla stirred awake to the sound of hushed voices. The faint glow of dawn seeped through the canopy above, casting a dim light over Kael’s tense figure as he paced nearby.
“She’s still weak,” Kael said, his voice low but firm. “We need to let her rest.”
Rowan’s sharp reply cut through the air. “You think you know what she needs? You’ve been with her for what–weeks? I’ve known her for years.”
The memory of last night rushed back, and Calla’s stomach turned. The argument, her collapse, and now the unbearable weight of a secret she wasn’t ready to share.
“Stop fighting,” she croaked, her voice hoarse. Both men froze, turning to face her.
Kael was at her side in an instant, his brow furrowed with concern. “How do you feel?“>
“Like I was hit by a rogue freight train,” she muttered, attempting a weak smile.
Rowan stepped closer, his silver eyes scanning her face. “You shouldn’t be out here like this. You need proper care-”
“I don’t need anything from you,” Calla interrupted, her tone sharper than intended. “I just need… space.”
The tension between the three of them was palpable, and Calla couldn’t shake the feeling that the walls were closing in.>>
Kael handed her a flask of water. “Drink. Slowly.“@
She obeyed, grateful for the cool relief on her dry throat. But the moment she looked at Rowan, the weight of the truth she carried pressed down harder. The baby. His baby.
Later, as Kael scouted the perimeter, Rowan took the opportunity to sit beside her.
“You’re still mad at me,” he said, breaking the silence.
Calla laughed bitterly. “Mad doesn’t even cover it, Rowan. You betrayed me in ways I didn’t think were possible.“}]
“I was trying to protect you,” he argued, his voice raw. “Even if it meant making the wrong choices. But I’m here now. I’ll make it right.“}
“You can’t just erase the past,” she said, her hand unconsciously brushing against her stomach.@
His gaze followed the movement, and for a terrifying moment, she thought he had figured it out. But then his eyes met hers, filled with something close to desperation.
“You still care about me,” Rowan said softly. “I can feel it through the bond.”
“The bond means nothing,” she snapped, her heart hammering in her chest. “You broke it when you lied to me.”
Rowan’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing, and Calla turned away, hoping to end the conversation.
Kael returned as the sun climbed higher, his expression grim. “We need to move. Rogues are circling too close.“}]
“Then let’s go,” Rowan said, his tone clipped.
Kael shot him a warning look. “You’re not in charge here.“@
Calla groaned, pushing herself to her feet. “Enough. Both of you. Let’s just go before the rogues decide to attack.”
The walk was grueling, and Callafound herself leaning on Kael more than she wanted to admit. Rowan trailed behind, his tension palpable.
“Let me help,” Rowan said at one point, stepping closer.”
“I’m fine,” she replied sharply, refusing his hand.
Kael smirked, clearly enjoying Rowan’s frustration, but he said nothing.
By the time they reached a secluded cabin nestled deep in the woods, Calla was nearly ready to collapse again. Kael helped her inside, settling her on a worn couch.
“You need rest,” he said, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
“I’m not a child,” she muttered, though her exhaustion betrayed her.
Kael chuckled softly. “No, but you’re stubborn enough to act like one.”
She glared at him, but the warmth in his gaze disarmed her. His care felt genuine, untainted by the lies and manipulation that had colored her relationship with Rowan.!]
Rowan, meanwhile, stood in the doorway, watching the exchange with a storm brewing in his eyes.}]
“Are you two done playing house?” he asked coldly.
Kael’s expression darkened. “You’re welcome to leave anytime.”
“I’m not going anywhere without her,” Rowan replied, his voice dangerously low.
“Enough!” Calla snapped, sitting up despite the dizziness that followed. “I can’t take the two of you at each other’s throats every
second.”
Her sudden outburst silenced them both, but the tension remained thick in the air.
That night, as Kael patrolled the area and Rowan brooded outside, Calla finally allowed herself a moment to think.
The truth about her pregnancy hung over her like a shadow. She hadn’t even fully processed it herself, let alone figured out how–or if -she would tell either of them.
A knock at the door startled her, and Rowan entered before she could respond.”
Moose Me Once And Maybe Am Gone Forever
9
P
C
“We need to talk,” he said, his expression unreadable.
“About what?” she asked warily.N
“Us. Everything.”
“I’m tired, Rowan,” she said, turning away.}
“You can’t keep shutting me out, Seraphine,” he said, his voice tinged with frustration. “I know I’ve made mistakes, but I still love you. And I’ll do whatever it takes to prove it.“}]
His words cut deep, but she refused to let him see it. “Maybe you should’ve thought of that before you decided to betray me.”
Rowan looked like he wanted to argue, but before he could, a sharp knock interrupted them.
Kael stepped inside, his face grim. “We have a problem.”
“What now?” Rowan asked, his irritation clear.
Kael hesitated, his eyes flickering to Seraphine. “One of the rogues we captured earlier was working for someone–someone who knows about you.“@
Her blood ran cold. “Knows what?“!
Kael’s jaw tightened. “Its funny but they say you are pregnant.”
The room fell into a suffocating silence.
Rowan’s eyes snapped to her, his voice deadly quiet. “Is it his?”
Calla’s breath hitched, her heart racing as she realized the storm she had tried to avoid was about to explode.}
