LAD
7:04 PM
EPISODE 120
My heart pounded so loudly I thought it would tear right through my chest. I stared at Mona, mouth slightly open, trying to process what she had just said.
“I… I’m what?” My voice cracked, barely more than a whisper.
Even Valor looked like someone had slapped him. He stepped closer to Mona, blinking like he hadn’t heard her right.”
“That can’t be possible,” he muttered. “She’s not bonded to anyone. There’s no mark. I checked her more than twice. She can’t be pregnant.”
Mona’s gaze didn’t waver. She looked at Valor with quiet intensity, her head tilted just slightly to the side. Her eyes were simply asking if Valor was an idiot or what.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Valor asked, confused and defensive.
“You don’t need a bond to conceive a child,” Mona said calmly. “The bond only ensures a stable link between the pair in the emotional, physical, and spiritual aspect. It doesn’t decide whether life takes root.“>
Valor looked like he wanted to argue, but Mona held up her hand before he could get a word in.§
“Yes, a child born outside a bond is at much greater risk. Most of them don’t survive the first weeks in the womb. Miscarriage is almost guaranteed. But not this time.“}
She turned her eyes on me, and I saw something close to admiration in her expression.}
“Bella, your will is stronger than most wolves I’ve met. You’ve carried this baby through the full first term without the child fading. That
one says more about your strength than any test ever could.“}
couldn’t speak. I could barely breathe. The words hung in the air like smoke, thick and unreal.}
Pregnant.
I was pregnant.9
I must have swayed because th
next thing I knew, Valor’s arm was around me, steadying me before I fell. My hands went to my stomach instinctively, though it still looked the same. Flat and looking normal. One glance and you wouldn’t know that there was life thriving inside.}
But something stirred deep inside me, something that had been silent for too long. A quiet happiness, soft and trembling like a candle in the dark, rose up from the place where my wolf slept.
I am not barren.
1
The thought struck me hard. I remembered Flora’s cruel words. How she had called me barren like it was a curse, a flaw so deep it made me unworthy of Ronan. I remembered the way she had whispered in Ronan’s ear that he should choose Mara instead. That Mara could give him what I could not.
Was that why he looked so conflicted? Was that why he pulled away from me?}
I pushed that remorseful feeling before it could deepen. I couldn’t afford to spiral now.
“Mona, I managed to say, turning toward her, “is the baby healthy?”
Her face softened instantly, and she gave a light chuckle. “Very healthy. I can feel the energy this little one is giving off. It’s strong. Unusually strong.”}
Tears pricked my eyes, but I blinked them back, forcing myself to smile.
“And… the treatment for my memory?” I asked hesitantly. “Is it still safe to do that now?”
Mona hesitated. “I can’t promise anything, Bella. This is the first time I’ve treated one with amnesia and a pregnancy. It’s unknown
territory.”
1
The uncertainty in her voice scared me, but something inside me had already made a decision. I nodded slowly. “Then I’ll wait. I’ll get the treatment after I give birth.”
“That would be best, Mona agreed. “Much safer for you. For both of you.“}
I looked at Valor then. He hadn’t said a word since Mona’s explanation, but I could see the storm still raging behind his eyes. He stood quiet, unreadable, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the floor.”
“Is it alright if I stay here a little longer?” I asked him. “Just until I figure out what to do.”
Valor finally met my gaze.
‘Of course,” he said quickly. “It’s no problem. But-” He glanced at Mona. “It might not be the safest place. She works with herbs all the time, and some of them can be toxic to pregnancy.“>
Mona nodded in agreement. “It’s true. I can do my best to be careful, but it’s still a risk.“N
Valor rubbed the back of his neck, clearly unsure.
“There’s a spare bed in my house,” he said, eyes flicking to me. “I mean, it’s not much, and I don’t know if you’d be comfortable staying there, but… it’s better than nothing.”
I gave him a small smile. “I’m fine with that. Honestly, I’m grateful for any help right now.”
His lips quirked into a half–shrug, “Alright, then. You’re welcome to stay. I’ll let my siblings know to fix up the roam for you.”
“Thank you,” I said softly. Then I turned back to Mona. “What should I be doing now? Is there anything I need to change?“R
“You’re past the dangerous stage,” Mona said. “But you still need to be careful. Eat well, Rest. I’ll give Valor a list of things you should eat,
the foods that’ll help strengthen the baby‘
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the foods that’ll help strengthen the baby.“”
I nodded, committing it all to memory.
B
With that, our conversation came to a close. Mona handed Valor the list and gave me a lingering look before we stepped outside. The afternoon air was cool, and the forest around us felt quieter than usual, as if it, too, had paused to absorb the news.>
We walked in silence for a while, the tension thick between us. I was still trying to calm the whirlwind inside me when Valor suddenly spoke.
“Is there a chance that… the father is Ronan?”
I stopped walking.
The question hit harder than I expected, probably because I had been asking myself the same thing. Ronan had been crazy telling me that we have been bonded by many years but clearly there was no mark binding us. I also felt something when I’m around him, probably remnants of the memory I lost.”
I turned to Valor slowly. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “I don’t remember… when it happened.“}
He nodded, thoughtful, but didn’t press further. He just walked beside me, hands shoved in his pockets. There was a long pause between
- us.
“Do you want him to be the father?” Valor asked.
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