Mated to Her Alpha Instructor (Eileen and Regis) novel Chapter 55

I picked up the fork with trembling fingers and cut into the meat. It was perfect–tender enough to fall apart at the slightest pressure, the honey glaze providing just the right balance of sweet and savory. The root vegetables were seasoned with herbs I recognized from my studies–thyme for its calming properties, rosemary for circulation, a hint of sage that was supposed to help with nausea.

He’d thought of everything.

“This is incredible,” I whispered after the first bite, and then I couldn’t stop eating. The food seemed to fill some hollow place inside me I hadn’t even

realized was empty, and I was vaguely aware of Regis watching me with an expression of quiet satisfaction.

“I’m glad you like it.” His voice was warm, pleased. “You needed to eat properly. I could feel through the bond how depleted you were.”

I paused mid–bite, suddenly self–conscious about how quickly I was eating, but he just smiled and gestured for me to continue. When I finally set down my fork, the plate nearly empty, I felt more satisfied than I had in days. The dizziness from earlier had completely faded, replaced by a pleasant warmth in my

stomach.

“Thank you,” I said, meaning it with every fiber of my being.

“You don’t need to thank me for taking care of you.” He stood to take the tray, but paused, his expression growing more serious. “There’s something I need to tell you about tomorrow. I have to oversee the border patrol shift arrangements in the afternoon–it’s a routine inspection, but it means I’ll be back later

than usual. Probably not until evening.”

My heart sank a little, though I tried not to let it show. “That’s fine. I understand. Your duties are important.”

“I’ve arranged for meals to be delivered here,” he continued, watching my face carefully. “They’ll arrive at your usual times. And the carriage driver will be waiting at the Academy gates after your last class to bring you straight home.” He hesitated, then added, “If you’d prefer company, you could invite Mira to come back with you for the afternoon. I know you’ve been missing spending time with her.”

The thoughtfulness of the offer made my throat tight. He’d noticed that, too–how much I missed the easy companionship of my friend, the casual conversations we used to have in our shared room.

“You really don’t need to worry so much,” I said softly. “I’ll just come straight home and rest. I’ll be perfectly fine for a few hours on my own.”

“I know you will be. His hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing gently across my cheekbone. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t worry. Especially after today. His eyes searched mine. “Promise me you won’t push yourself. If you’re tired, you rest. If you’re hungry, you eat. And if anything feels wrong- anything at all–you contact me immediately. I don’t care if I’m in the middle of inspecting the entire border. Understood?”

The intensity in his gaze, the genuine concern I could feel thrumming through the bond, made it impossible to do anything but nod. I promise.

“Good.” He leaned down and pressed another kiss to my forehead, this one lingering just a moment longer than the first. ‘Get some sleep. I’ll be just down the hall if you need anything.”

After he left, I lay back against the pillows, one hand drifting to my stomach where a small, firm swell was just beginning to show. The baby was still so small, but already changing everything about my life. Already teaching me that maybe, just maybe, I deserved to be cared for.

Through the bond, I could feel Regis downstairs, the steady rhythm of his movements as he cleaned the kitchen. The sensation was comforting, grounding Tomorrow he would be gone for the afternoon, busy with his duties, and I would be here alone. The thought should have made me anxious, but instead t felt… safe. Because even when he wasn’t physically present, I could still feel him through the band, still know that he was thinking of me, worrying about me, caring about me in a way no one ever had before.

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Chapter 55

“We’re going to be okay.” I whispered to the life growing inside me, my voice barely audible in the quiet room. “He’s… he’s really trying. And so am 1.”

The thought made me smile as I finally let myself drift toward sleep, wrapped in the warmth of his scent and the knowledge that, for now at least, I was exactly where I needed to be.

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