Cecilia’s pov
I felt Sebastian’s steady hand guiding back to the house, his grip firm but gentle.
My legs moved on autopilot. My brain, not so much.
My head was still spinning from the dinner disaster, but at least I’d escaped before completely humiliating myself in front of his family.
He took upstairs to his bedroom. He didn’t stay here often, but everything was spotless. The closet was full of his clothes, as if he could move in at any second.
It looked like a hotel suite soone important might visit once a month.
Everything in place, untouched... except now, .
Sebastian helped into a plush armchair before crossing the room to open a window.
Cool evening air rushed in, making the sheer curtains float like ghosts against the darkening sky.
"Still feeling sick?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral.
"A little better now," I replied.
The conversation felt calm, almost too calm. Like both of us were pretending we weren’t standing on the edge of sothing huge.
Sebastian sat beside , his presence both comforting and intimidating.
The breeze moved the curtains in steady waves, but he didn’t speak.
Then, without warning, his fingers brushed against my abdon. Just the lightest touch.
"You’re pregnant," he said softly.
Not a question. A fact. Unshakable. Non-negotiable.
A small jolt passed through .
His eyes t mine. They were dark and steady, with a tenderness that caught off guard.
"I’ve suspected since your scent started to change," he said.
"You kept pretending nothing was different, but Cece..." His voice dropped an octave.
"Did you really think I wouldn’t know?"
I sat frozen. My mind scrambled to catch up with my body.
After what felt like forever, I gave a small nod.
"Yes," I whispered."It’s true."
His expression changed in a second.
I had never seen him like that. His whole face lit up, like the sun rising over the mountains.
This man, who always held himself so tightly, couldn’t hide the joy spilling through his eyes.
His hand stayed on my stomach, gentler now.
I looked up and forced myself to speak before he got carried away.
"The baby’s inside . That ans I get to decide what happens, right?"
Sebastian t my gaze.
Sothing flickered in his eyes. It was sharp and hard to read, but it vanished before I could na it.
"Of course," he said easily.
Then, in the sa calm voice, he asked, "So what has Cece decided?"
His words were soft, but I felt the weight behind them.
He’d answered my question. Now he wanted his.
I took a breath and tried to sort through the chaos in my head.
"I’m not ready to marry soone just because I’m pregnant," I began. "We barely know each other."
"It’s not that you’re wrong for . It’s that I’m not ready for this kind of commitnt."
"I like you, Sebastian. I really do. You make feel things I’d almost forgotten how to feel."
"But that’s not enough. Not for sothing this permanent."
I looked down at my hands, then back at him. I needed him to understand.
"I’m okay being your girlfriend. But I’m not ready for rings, or vows, or a future I can’t walk away from if I need to."
"Marriage doesn’t feel like a fairytale to anymore," I said, my tone calm and clear.
"It looks like a trap I barely escaped once."
"Your mom says she accepts now, and maybe that’s true," I went on, tone even.
"But what about a year from now? Or five years? When the shine wears off and she starts wondering if I’m really enough for her Alpha son."
I let out a small breath, more amused than hurt.
"And your grandmother? Please."
"She’s disliked from the start. If she ever runs out of reasons, she’ll invent new ones."
I looked at him then, not searching his face for reassurance, just making sure he was listening.
"So no, I’m not going to be your Luna."
I hesitated, the next part like swallowing glass.
"And the truth is..." I exhaled sharply.
"Ending the pregnancy might still be the best choice for ."
I didn’t look at him when I said it. I couldn’t. But it was the truth.
I watched him carefully, bracing for anger or so kind of emotional blackmail.
"Cece," he said at last, his voice low and steady, tinged with sadness,"A child is a life. If you truly don’t want this one, I won’t stop you. I’d be heartbroken, but I’ll respect your choice."
His hand stayed on my stomach, warm and gentle.
"But since I’m the father, can I put sothing on the table?"
He’d caught what I ant when I said ’best option’. He knew I hadn’t ruled out everything else.
I didn’t answer.
"You can set the terms," Sebastian continued.
"If you give the baby a chance, I’ll go with whatever you decide."
"Whatever I want?" I asked, skeptical.
"Yeah. Anything," he said, like it was no big deal.
I nearly snorted. You don’t throw an open offer at a woman who’s still deciding if you’re full of it.
But since we were laying everything on the table, I figured I might as well test it.
"Alright. Then here’s what I want. No shared custody. The baby lives with . Carries my last na. And publicly, no one knows you’re the father."
I held my breath. That was the line. I expected him to snap.
Sebastian stared at for a mont.
Then, he leaned in instead of backing away.
"Whether the baby lives with you or doesn’t matter," he said calmly.
"I’m not here to win a custody battle. I’m here because I care."
He gave a small, crooked smile.
"It’s like Muffin. She lives with , but she still knows you’re her favorite. You’re not her ’owner,’ but she doesn’t need a label to love you."
I blinked. .
"As for the rest, I’ve already thought about it," he added.
"We don’t need to get married. That’s just paperwork. I’m happy being your boyfriend, for however long you’ll let stick around."
He paused, eyes soft but serious.
"Just have the baby. I won’t try to take them from you."
I stared at him, stunned. He agreed. Just like that?
It felt too easy. Too clean. Sothing about it didn’t sit right.
My thoughts tangled fast. Nothing added up. There’s always a catch.
I narrowed my eyes. My guard shot back up.
"You’re not just saying all this to talk into keeping the baby, right?" My voice was sharp now, edged with suspicion.
He paused, then tilted his head.
"You really think I’m only here for the kid?"
I stayed quiet. The silence stretched.
He stepped closer, his voice lower, steadier.
"You matter more than the baby."
That stopped .
"None of this was part of the plan. But now that it’s real, I’m not going to make it worse by turning against you."
"What good would it do to take a child away from their mother? To make you hate ? To raise a baby on resentnt? That’s not love. That’s ego."
I must’ve looked surprised, because his tone softened even more.
"I just want to give the baby a shot at life. I love kids. And I love you more."
He smiled faintly.
"I’ll be there. I’ll help. Just... don’t make them call ’Uncle Sebastian,’ okay?"
Could he really be this reasonable? No way. Not a chance.
My brain lit up with alarms. This was textbook manipulation—say all the right things, make it sound so good you forget to check what’s in the fine print.
I raised a hand, needing him to stop.
"Stop. I can’t keep doing this right now. My head’s a ss. Just... give so space, okay?"
Sebastian didn’t push. Instead, he pulled gently into his arms.
I leaned into his chest, too tired to resist.
His hand moved through my hair in calm, rhythmic strokes.
"Take all the ti you need," he said softly.
"And if anything scares you, talk to . Just don’t do sothing alone that we can’t co back from."
I didn’t reply. But I heard what he was really saying.
Think it through, Cece. Just don’t make a move I can’t co back from.
He never said the words, but the ssage was there. Quiet, solid, and impossible to ignore.
And I stayed quiet, curled against him, already carrying more than I knew how to hold.
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