The chamber was cloaked in golden light, the healer’s scent still lingering in the air, even though he had left minutes ago.
But time had stopped moving.
Neither River nor Heiko spoke.
The healer’s words—“You are with pup”—still echoed through the air, vibrating in the silence like a bell struck too hard.
River stood motionless, her hand unconsciously resting on her abdomen, her breath caught somewhere between wonder and fear.
She looked at Heiko.
Her mate.
Her anchor.
But what she saw froze her heart.
His posture was tense. Shoulders drawn tight, back stiff. His face… void of joy. Not a smile. Not even soft astonishment. No spark of elation or wonder. His jaw was clenched, eyes dark as thunderclouds, and worst of all—his expression was so grave, so devastatingly serious… like he
