Chapter 148
Juno’s POV
I sat in stunned silence, unable to find words as the weight of Amelia’s revelation sank in. A half–brother. An Alpha. Older than Augustin. The implicatio were staggering.
Why are you telling me this? I finally asked, “Why trust me with something so important?”
Amelia’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. Because I loved my husband the same way you love Augustin. A tear escaped, trailing down her cheek And! know you’ll do anything to protect my son.”
“You think this Chris is behind everything that’s happening?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despite the shock still rippling through me,
“It makes sense, doesn’t it?‘ Amelia wiped away her tear. “He’s an Alpha and Nathanael’s first Alpha son. Chris might believe he was cheated out of his birthright.”
I watched her carefully, sensing there was more. And you were the reason Nathanael couldn’t officially marry Chris’s mother.”
Amelia nodded, pain flashing across her face. “The council wouldn’t allow it. My family wouldn’t allow it. And then Nathanael…” She trailed off, lost in memories I couldn’t see.
“How certain are you about this?” I pressed. “If I tell Augustin, he won’t hesitate to act. He’ll hunt Chris down immediately.”
She looked at me sharply.
“My first concern is Augustin. Always.” I said without hesitation. My hand moved protectively over my belly, where our child grew. “His safety is everything
to me.”
Amelia’s expression softened. “It’s just a feeling, a mother’s intuition. I think we should find Chris first before deciding what to do next.”
I studied her face, realizing she wasn’t certain of her suspicions. She wanted me to tell Augustin, but she also wanted him to be cautious–to not provoke Chris if he truly was plotting against him.
Something felt off. The tension between Amelia and me had always been there, simmering beneath the surface. Was she telling me everything? Did she know more about Chris than she was letting on?
My thoughts were interrupted by Augustin’s voice in my head.
Where are you, Berry? His linked me.
Just finishing up. Coming back to you, love, I replied.
Silence followed, but I could feel him waiting. He’d probably woken to find me gone and worried. I couldn’t blame him after everything that had happened.
I stood up, looking down at my bare feet. “I should get back to Augustin.”
Amelia rose as well, her eyes following mine to my feet. “Juno,” she said, her voice surprisingly gentle. “I truly wish you and my son happiness. Please don’t break his heart.”
Is that what you think I’ll do?” I asked, surprised by her directness.
“Cassandra hurt him deeply,” she explained. “That’s why I’ve been… cautious with you.”
Her gaze dropped to my stomach. “But now you’re carrying his child, creating a family with him. I couldn’t be happier.”
“I would never hurt him, I promised, “I love Augustim more than I thought possible. He is everything to me now.”
Everything. I thought of Kieran, my fated mate whom I’d rejected for Augustin. Only Augustin and I knew that truth, and it would stay that
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Chapter 148
I just hope he won’t hurt me either, I added softly.
Amelia stepped forward and embraced me. It was unexpected, but I returned the hug.
“Everything will be alright, I whispered, unsure if I was reassuring her or myself.
The hallway was quiet as 1 made my way back to our bedroom. My thoughts raced with everything Amelia had shared.
‘Luna,” a voice startled me from my thoughts.
Eliza stood before me, bowing her head respectfully. I noticed she was in a part of the manor where she didn’t really belong again.
‘You’re barefoot,” she observed, her eyes dropping to my feet. ‘Is it because of the pregnancy?‘
I laughed lightly, deciding to play along. ‘It’s so I can sneak around the castle undetected.”
Her face showed a flash of alarm before she realized I was joking. But there was something else there–envy, perhaps? Her tone had changed when she mentioned my pregnancy.
I moved past her, feeling her eyes on my back. On impulse, I turned and winked at her, leaving her both relaxed and unsettled. If she was up to something. I hoped my casual attitude would make her slip up sooner.
When I finally slipped back into our bedroom, Augustin was waiting. His arms were around me before I could even close the door, his lips finding the sensitive spot on my neck that never failed to make my knees weak. He pulled me flush against his hard body.
“The bed was cold,” he murmured against my skin, his voice a mix of longing and gentle reproach. His teeth grazed my earlobe, sending a jolt of electricity straight to my core.
“Since when does a cold bed bother you?” I teased, unable to keep the smile from my voice. I tilted my head, giving him better access to my neck, my body already responding to his touch.
“Since you started sleeping in it,” he replied, his voice dropping to that low, husky register that sent pleasant shivers down my spine. He knew exactly how to ignite my desire. His hands slid under my nightgown, calloused palms hot against my bare skin.
His fingers traced lazy patterns across my stomach and ribs. My breath hitched as his hands moved higher, cupping my breasts. His breath tickled the sensitive spot behind my ear as his lips barely grazed the skin there, his tongue darting out to taste me. I leaned back into him, feeling his arousal pressing insistently against me.
“Where were you?” he asked. His thumbs circled my nipples until they hardened into tight peaks, drawing a soft moan from my lips.
He turned me to face him, his eyes dark with desire. My nightgown disappeared somewhere in the process, leaving me bare before his hungry gaze. The heat in his eyes made me feel more beautiful and wanted than any words could express.
He shifted, moving to hover above me on the bed. The desire I saw reflected there matched the growing heat in my core.
“Mine,” he whispered against my lips, the word both a statement and a question.
“Yours,” I confirmed breathlessly, arching into him.
Our lips finally met, the kiss was deep. I wrapped my legs around his waist, drawing him closer as our breaths mingled. His hand slid between us, finding the wet heat at my pussy, his fingers stroking my core that had me gasping his name.
This night is longer than we anticipated, so I decided not to ruin his current good mood and save what I wanted to say for tomorrow.
