Evaline:
Surrounded by his warmth, his arm draped securely around , I felt like I was lying in the safest place in the world. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat under my ear and the heat of his skin against mine made it all feel like a dream I didn’t want to wake up from.
I snuggled closer without thinking, letting my fingers rest against the firm plane of his chest. The fact that he was completely naked under the covers didn’t bother in the slightest. If anything, it made the mont feel more intimate, more real.
But then his voice rumbled low above , a warning wrapped in that deep, husky tone that sent shivers down my spine.
"Eva," he murmured, "stop moving... unless you want another round."
I froze instantly, though a huge smile fought to break across my lips. I didn’t dare look at him because I knew my expression would give away.
He let out a faint chuckle, the sound warm and rich in the quiet room. Then he shifted slightly, reaching over to the bedside table on his side. I hadn’t even noticed there was anything there before, but when he returned his hand to , he was holding a small box wrapped neatly in black paper, tied with a delicate blue ribbon.
He held it out to without a word.
My smile softened as I slowly pushed myself into a sitting position, my back against the headboard. My fingers trembled faintly as I reached for the box, the thought hitting hard - this was a gift for my unborn child.
I untied the ribbon with care and peeled away the wrapping, almost hesitant to rush. The lid ca off, and the breath caught in my throat.
Inside, nestled in soft tissue, was the smallest pair of knitted socks I had ever seen. They were a beautiful shade of soft blue, the kind that reminded of spring skies, with tiny pearls tied into the knots of the delicate strings.
A huge smile blood across my lips as I picked them up, running my fingers over the smoothness of the yarn. They were so small, so perfect, I could almost imagine tiny feet filling them.
Before I could say anything, Draven’s voice ca softly, almost shyly, from beside .
"I made them," he said.
My head snapped toward him. "You... what?"
His eyes dropped for a mont, as if he wasn’t sure how I would react. "I knitted them myself," he admitted. "I... I wanted my first gift to the baby to be sothing personal. Sothing I made with my own hands. I didn’t want it to be just another thing I bought. So, I... searched the internet for hours before I found the idea."
"You... knit?" I repeated, still stunned at the confession.
The corner of his mouth lifted faintly. "I used to. Back in middle school. It was... a hobby I didn’t tell many people about."
I stared at him, the socks clutched in my hands, and felt my chest swell with so many emotions I couldn’t put into words.
Before he could say anything else, I leaned in and kissed him. Not a quick, fleeting touch, but a deep, lingering kiss filled with everything I couldn’t say aloud - love, gratitude, the overwhelming ache in my heart at this quiet, vulnerable side of him.
Through the bond, I let him feel it all. And he returned it instantly, his arms coming around again, holding like he never wanted to let go.
When we finally broke apart, I let my forehead rest against his. My lips still tingling from the kiss.
"I love this," I whispered, my fingers brushing over the socks again. "And the baby will love it too. So much."
A single tear slipped free before I could stop it. He caught it with his thumb, brushing it gently from my cheek.
"I’m sorry," he murmured, his voice thick. "That it took so long to accept the baby. I... I wasn’t strong like Oscar, I couldn’t just cope instantly."
I shook my head firmly. "No, Draven. Don’t apologize. You are not at fault, and you are not late. I can’t even put into words how happy I am that you and Oscar have accepted..." I swallowed, my voice softening, "my baby."
The mont the words left my lips, his eyes sharpened.
"Our baby," he corrected, his tone leaving no room for argunt. "Not only yours, Eva. Ours."
My breath caught, my heart stuttering in my chest.
And in that mont, I knew - no matter whose blood ran in my child’s veins - Draven and Oscar had claid them as their own.
My throat tightened, and I had to blink fast to keep the tears from spilling over. But the bond between us carried my emotions to him anyway - every flicker of relief, every thread of gratitude, every quiet, aching joy.
His hand slid over mine, curling my fingers around the tiny socks again, as if to anchor both of us in this mont. "I’m going to protect you both," he said softly, his gaze steady on mine. "No matter what happens, I’ll always be there for both of you... as your mate and as our child’s father."
The promise sank deep into , steadying sothing I hadn’t even realized was still trembling. I leaned forward, resting my forehead against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
"I know you will," I whispered.
We stayed like that for a while - holding the socks against my heart, him holding like I was the only thing keeping him grounded. His warmth seeped into my skin, into my bones, until it was hard to tell where his presence ended and mine began.
And for the first ti since I had learned I was pregnant, I truly felt... my child was going to have a proper, loving family.
This wasn’t just my fight anymore. It was ours.
And our baby... our child... would never be alone
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