Evaline:
River kept his promise. By the ti Monday arrived, he had already taken care of everything.
He had made sure my leave from both the Academy and HQ was arranged without having to lift a finger.
Of course, I knew he hadn’t bent rules for . River wasn’t that type - he never mixed personal feelings with responsibility, even if I was his mate. He simply used his influence to put the right papers in front of the right people, leaving the decision up to them.
At HQ, he wrapped everything neatly. Instead of prolonging the matter, he decided my internship would conclude at the end of this month. Just one more weekend left.
February was almost over, and it ant I had officially worked there for five months straight. It hadn’t been easy, but the Council rewarded in a way I hadn’t dared hope for - the option to return anyti within a year as a permanent employee.
That alone almost made cry. It wasn’t charity. It was recognition. And I knew it. I had worked hard, proven myself again and again, and though River was my mate, I was proud that my results weren’t simply handed to .
As for Silver Moon Academy... he handled it with the sa precision. dical leave for three months, approved. The professors were strict, and the academy council didn’t just nod because the founders were the Rogue brothers.
If I hadn’t topped the entrance exam, if I hadn’t proven myself as a class president, if I hadn’t pushed through presentations, quizzes, tests, topped the first term exams and still held my ground while doing my internship - no way would they have agreed.
It felt surreal. Almost as though my past self, the girl who had no wolf, no family, no future, had been erased. And yet, sotis when I looked into the mirror, I still saw her shadow staring back.
But when my hands rested on my growing bump, I rembered why I was doing this. Why I needed the ti, the space, the energy to prepare.
The days began to pass faster after that.
Most of my ti was spent with Oscar and Draven. Shopping for our baby beca our routine. Winter air bit our cheeks every ti we stepped out, and Oscar always insisted on wrapping a scarf around my neck while Draven grumbled that I wasn’t wearing thick enough socks. They both carried bags, argued over colors and patterns, and sohow ended up buying twice the amount we had agreed on.
River joined us on rare occasions, his presence quieter but just as steady. He would point out what was practical, what would last longer, what brands had better quality. He rarely fussed, but when he did, it carried weight.
By Friday, the renovation team Oscar had called finished with the nursery. The mont the workers left, Draven practically barricaded the door.
"You are not allowed in," he had told firmly.
Oscar only folded his arms in agreent. "We want it to be a surprise."
River said nothing, but his hand lingered on my shoulder, steady and warm, as if sealing the decision.
I tried to peek anyway, but three grown n blocking my way was impossible to get past. They didn’t even argue about it... they simply refused in that unshakable, united way that left smiling despite myself.
And so, I let them have their secret.
The weekend ca quickly, and with it, my last days at HQ.
I hadn’t expected to feel so emotional about it. The building had beco familiar - the polished marble floors, the endless stone staircases, the halls that echoed with the sound of boots and heels clicking. Working under River hadn’t been easy, but it had been rewarding. I had learned more in these five months than I thought possible.
When it finally ended, River kept his expression unreadable, though I caught the faintest flicker of pride in his eyes.
"Good work, Miss Evaline," he said simply.
That was enough.
The other interns, those who were also concluding their terms, decided to go out for dinner together. We laughed, shared stories about days spent typing reports or running around on errands, and ate delicious food.
It felt lighthearted, a proper farewell. But sowhere deep inside, a part of wasn’t fully present.
Because every ti my laughter faded, a single na echoed in the back of my mind.
Kieran.
I hadn’t seen him. I hadn’t heard from him. He never contacted . And I never gathered the courage to contact him.
More tis than I could count, I had opened our chat, staring at the empty box where my words should be, and then closed it again with trembling fingers. My heart scread that sothing wasn’t right. But my head... my head told to stop. To focus on my mates, my child, my future.
And yet...
Why was he still lodged in my thoughts? Why did guilt mix with longing every ti I whispered his na in my mind?
I didn’t have an answer. And I wasn’t brave enough to search for one.
By then, my bump had grown even more. Loose sweaters and thick coats weren’t enough to hide it completely. And even if I sohow hid it under the layers of clothes, people started noticing that I was getting slightly plump and how I seed to have a natural, rosy glow on my face.
They didn’t an to pry. Their words were kind, harmless. But every ti, my heart raced. I felt as though the secret was burning at the edges of my clothes, desperate to break free.
Ending my internship felt like lifting a heavy weight from my shoulders. At least I wouldn’t need to hide anymore. At least not at the mansion.
As another monday arrived, so did the last day of February and the end of the ongoing holidays. While my friends were already back at Academy, I was still at the mansion.
More specifically, facing my mates.
Oscar and Draven were already grinning when they found in my bedroom that evening, their eyes glinting with mischief. River followed them, his expression calr but no less purposeful.
"What are you three up to?" I asked suspiciously, narrowing my eyes.
"Nothing," Draven said far too quickly.
Oscar smirked. "Co with us."
Before I could protest, a soft cloth slid over my eyes. I squeaked. "Hey!"
"Trust us," River’s voice whispered near my ear.
And so, blindfolded, I let them guide . Their hands were steady, their steps sure, and though I tried to guess where we were, I couldn’t. My heart raced with anticipation.
Finally, we stopped, and seconds later, the blindfold slipped away.
And I froze.
Before was the nursery. Our baby’s nursery.
The room was glowing with soft golden light, the walls were painted in gentle tones that reminded of dawn skies. A cradle was standing in the center, carved with delicate patterns, a mobile of stars and moons swaying above it.
Plush animals were lining the shelves, cubboards standing against the wall, blankets folded neatly, and a rocking chair was waiting in the corner. The air was slling faintly of lavender and wood polish.
Tears blurred my vision as my hands flew to my mouth.
It wasn’t just beautiful. It was love, carved and painted into every detail.
And in that mont, surrounded by my mates and with their eyes fixed on , I realized...
This wasn’t just a nursery.
It was ho.
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