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I blinked, and a nervous laugh escaped my lips, before I instinctively took a step back, putting distance betw us. “Huh? What do you mean?” I asked, reaching for the sink, gripping its cold edge to ground myself. My reflecti in the mirror betrayed me–wide eyes, flushed cheeks, and a tremble in my lips I couldn’t suppress. I busied mys with adjusting my hair, pretending to fix stray strands that didn’t exist, anything to avoid the his gaze
“You are pregnant, aren’t you?”
“You’re imagining things, Joshua,” I added hastily, my fingers fidgeting with the hem of my shirt. “I’m just… ti
that’s all.”
Joshua sighed and stepped closer. Gently, he took my wrist, his thumb brushing over my pulse as he closed t eyes. When his eyes snapped open, they were serious, searching mine
a
“You are conceiving twins? Female twins?”
My heart plummeted, and a wave of dizziness swept over me. I tried to push down the rising panic, but the tear came before I could stop them. I clutched his hand tightly. “Please, Joshua. Don’t say it to the elders. Please don’t anyone know about the twins. They are going to take one of them away from me, worse… kill them!”
Before I could dissolve into full–blown hysteria, Joshua stood and pulled me into his arms. The warmth of his embrace enveloped me, and his scent–woodsy and familiar–calming my senses. I felt my wolf stir within me, not with anxiety but with deep comfort. She whimpered softly, nuzzling into the presence of someone she trusted
completely
“Shh, Mau–mau,” Joshua murmured against my hair, his hands rubbing soothing circles on my back. “I won’t let anything happen to them. You’re safe with me.”
I clung to him, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest. For the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn’t done in my fear. My breathing slowed, and quiet relief washed over me.
After a long moment, Joshua pulled back just enough to cup my face in his hands, his jadeite eyes locking
onto mine. “Look at me, Mau–mau. You don’t have to be scared about your condition. If you believe you’ve made a mistake, then reaching out to me is the wisest choice you’ve ever made. I will protect you and those pups with all my
life. Remember that?”
I gazed into his eyes, seeing nothing but unwavering determination and a tenderness that made my chest ache. Slowly, I nodded, his words settling deep into my soul, offering a comfort I hadn’t known I needed.
A part of me felt safe–truly safe for the first time since discovering my pregnancy. I felt like I belonged, like no harm could reach me within the haven of his arms.
But there were still questions weighing heavily on me. I swallowed hard and pulled back slightly, looking down at my hands. “What will you do? Are you going to send one of my pups away like my father did?”
Joshua’s expression darkened, and he shook his head firmly. “Mauve, I would never do that”
I couldn’t hold back the painful memories any longer. “If you think that removing one of the twins from us will solve the problem, it will only make things worse. Just like me and Magnolia… I lived my whole life not knowing I have a twin sister. And she happens to be the man I had fallen in love with! If I had known, I would have stayed away from Elias. I would have never let him near me…” My voice faltered, my cheeks burning with embarrassment as the confession slipped from my lips.
Joshua’s gaze softened, and he leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to my forehead. “I won’t do that. Instead, I will have the pack accept the pups.
A lump formed in my throat, and I reached for his hand, gripping it tightly. “You mean it?”
He smiled gently, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I mean it, Mauve. You’re not alone anymore. Whatever it takes, I’ll make sure they grow up safe, loved, and with both of their parents in their lives.”
His words sent a fresh wave of emotion through me, and before I could stop myself, I leaned into him again, burying my face in his chest. “Thank you so much.”
Joshua rested his chin on my head, his arms holding me securely, his embrace grounding me in a way that made my heart ache with something I couldn’t quite name. His fingers traced slow, comforting circles on my back. “But first, we have to do something we need to do,” he murmured against my hair.
I tilted my head up, my eyes meeting his. “What is it?” I asked, afraid of the answer yet desperate to hear it. He looked down at me, his jadeite eyes brimming with a profound depth that left me speechless. Gently, he tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear
“Marry me. Now.”