Mated to Her Alpha Instructor (Eileen and Regis) novel Chapter 224

Chapter 224

I pressed my face against his chest, breathing in his cedar and mint scent, letting it steady me. “I’m scared, I admitted in a whisper. “Not

just for me. For the baby. For Nina and Mira and everyone here.”

“I know.” His hand stroked down my hair. “I’m scared too. But we’ll get through this. Together.”

I pulled back enough to look up at him. “Promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“Don’t keep things from me. Don’t try to protect me by hiding information.” I held his gaze firmly. “I need to know what we’re facing. All of it.”

He studied my face for a long moment, then nodded slowly. “Alright. No secrets. You’re my mate, my partner. You deserve the truth.”

“Thank you.”

We stood there for another moment, holding each other in the lamplight of his office. Outside, I could hear the compound settling into evening routines–healers finishing their shifts, warriors changing guard posts, the normal sounds of a functioning outpost.

But beneath that normalcy, I could feel the tension thrumming. The waiting. The sense that something was coming, dark and dangerous, and all we could do was prepare as best we could.

I touched my belly again, feeling the slight roundness there that was just beginning to show. I’ll keep you safe, I promised silently. And I’ll protect everyone here. Whatever it takes.

When Regis and I finally left the office and made our way back to our quarters, the compound was fully lit with torches and lanterns. Patrol wolves moved along the perimeter like shadows against shadows. Everyone was on edge, even if they didn’t know exactly why.

Nina was standing outside her door when we passed, wrapped in a shawl and staring up at the stars. She looked over at us as we approached, and I noticed her gaze was too sharp, too alert for someone simply taking in the night air.

“She’s right to be worried,” I murmured as we continued to our own quarters.

“So am I, Regis admitted. “But worrying won’t change what’s coming. All we can do is be ready.”

That night, I lay awake long after Regis had fallen into an uneasy sleep beside me. Through our bond, I could feel his restlessness even in slumber–his wolf prowling and alert beneath the surface.

My hand rested on my belly, and I sent a pulse of calm through the bond to our child. Sleep, little one. I’m watching over you.

But even as I tried to project confidence, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were standing on the edge of something terrible. A storm was gathering in the darkness, and when it broke, nothing would be the same.

All I could do was hope that when the time came, I’d be strong enough to face it.