Gillian POV.
I felt her before she could weaken.
The sudden shift in her heartbeat… the surge of her bloodlust, a fire clawing to escape.
And with it… the child.
A strong pulse from Freyah’s womb… not ordinary. Not like before. It resonated with my own heartbeat, a presence, a cry not of sound but of being.
Alpha blood.
Vampiric essence.
And a third element I could not yet name.
I drew Freyah close, pressing my forehead to hers. One hand locked on the small of her back, the other resting firmly over her belly.
"To me," I commanded, low but absolute.
Not a plea… a bond command.
I felt the wave of power ripple from her… and the child seemed to answer. Its heartbeat raced and slowed, as if listening.
But then… a flare.
A burst of energy erupted from her womb, subtle but enough to
