Rebecca’s POV
I forced the shock from my face almost immediately.
The woman had no idea I had seen her with Kane at the coffee shop, and I intended to keep it that way. "Who are you?" I asked, my voice guarded as I took a small step back toward the open doorway. "I think you have the wrong person."
The woman offered a faint, elegant smile that did not reach her eyes. "Please, take a seat. We have a lot to talk about."
My brows furrowed. Who the hell did she think she was, coming here uninvited and ordering me around? Still, every instinct screaming at me to walk away was anchored by something in her cold confidence. I slowly closed the door and sat on the edge of the leather armchair near the entrance. She smoothed down her tailored skirt and sat opposite me, her sharp gaze sweeping over the room to ensure we were completely alone before focusing entirely on me.
"I want whatever game you and Alpha Kane are playing to stop," she said without beating around the bush. "Yesterday, Kane told me the truth. I mean everything."
I swallowed hard, keeping my expression completely blank. Well, shit. I couldn’t exactly blame Kane, though. Wolves found it almost impossible to keep secrets from their true mates, especially when the pull between them was so strong.
I lifted my chin, forcing myself to look unbothered. "Okay? So what do you want from me? If Alpha Kane told you everything, then you already know this arrangement wasn’t my idea alone. Why don’t you go settle your scores with Alpha Kane?"
"Because I want to be with him publicly, and your little arrangement is ruining that," she snapped, her polite facade slipping for a split second. "I can’t walk around openly as his mate while you’re living here pretending to be his pregnant lover."
I stayed silent, letting her words hang in the air between us.
"I want you to disappear out of his life," she continued, leaning forward. "Pack your things and leave."
An intense wave of annoyance flared in my chest. Something inside me snapped. I pushed myself up from the chair, staring down at her with cold eyes. "Then you have come to the wrong fucking person. You know the truth. You know why Kane and I are doing this. You know I’m not actually his woman, and you know this isn’t his child. And despite knowing all of that, you came here to tell me to disappear because my situation is inconvenient for your relationship?"
"That’s not what I—"
"Then what exactly are you saying?"
She stood as well. "I’m saying I want my mate."
"And I’m not stopping you from having him!"
Silence fell between us.
"All of this will be over soon enough," I said, shaking my head. "I don’t want Kane. I have never wanted Kane. Until then, stay the fuck away from me."
Without waiting for her reply, I turned around, pulled the door open, and walked out.
By the time I reached the grand staircase, my blood was boiling. Seriously? As if Kaden sensing the baby wasn’t enough. Now Kane’s mate was dragging herself into this mess, too.
I entered my bedroom, stepped inside, and sat heavily on the edge of the mattress. Things were spiraling out of control way faster than I could handle. Kaden was getting dangerously close to the truth. Kane was disappearing constantly. His mate wanted me gone immediately. And the fucking choker around my neck wasn’t hiding the baby nearly as well as I’d hoped.
I rubbed my temples. "I need to get out of here."
A soft knock landed on the door.
"Come in," I called out.
The door swung open, and a male servant entered carrying two massive, beautifully wrapped black gift bags.
"These were sent up from the Alpha King, Miss Ruby," the servant said respectfully.
My eyes widened in surprise. "Kaden?"
"Yes, Miss."
The servant set the heavy bags carefully on the long table near the foot of the bed, bowed his head, and quickly exited the room. Right behind him, Stephanie walked in, her curious gaze immediately dropping to the bags.
Stephanie looked at me, a soft smile playing on her lips. "What did you do to that man?"
"Stephanie."
"I’m serious. From Alpha Kaden."
I nodded slowly, my heart doing a strange, unfamiliar flip. "Open them."
Stephanie stepped forward, pulled the wide silk ribbons, and opened the first bag. Her mouth dropped open. "Oh, Goddess."
"What?"
She reached inside and pulled out boxes of expensive imported dark chocolates, milk chocolates, and chocolate-covered strawberries. Then she pulled out a fresh fruit basket, crackers, ginger biscuits, dried fruit, nuts, and packets of herbal tea.
"These aren’t random," Stephanie murmured, reading one of the labels. "Most of these are pregnancy-friendly snacks."
She opened the second bag and began taking out the rest of the items one by one, placing them neatly across the bed. There was an exquisitely carved wooden body massager designed specifically for pregnant women, a handheld shoulder and foot massager, bottles of natural stretch-mark oils infused with soothing lavender, unscented moisturizer, bath salts, soft cashmere blankets, comfortable slippers, and several pairs of ridiculously soft socks.
Stephanie slowly looked at me. "He bought you pregnancy socks."
"Don’t."
"He bought you fucking pregnancy socks, Rebecca."
I covered my face as she laughed before continuing. She pulled out a soft pregnancy pillow, a silk robe, two soft nightgowns, and a velvet jewelry box.
Inside was a simple, breathtaking silver bracelet with delicate gemstones and a matching pair of earrings.
"Put it back," I whispered.
"You’re scared," Stephanie said softly, returning the jewelry to its box.
"I am not."
"You absolutely are."
Then Stephanie stopped. "There is a letter."
She reached into the bottom of the bag and pulled out a sleek cream envelope with a broken wax seal.
"Read it," I said, my voice barely audible.
Stephanie opened the folded card and read aloud:
"To the woman who made a dead heart beat again.
I don’t know what you like yet, so I probably bought too much. Eat the chocolates if you want them. Throw away anything you hate. Use whatever makes this pregnancy easier on you.
Last night meant more to me than I know how to explain. I know you’re afraid, and I know everything between us is complicated. I won’t force you to decide anything before you’re ready.
But I meant what I said. Rest well today. You don’t have to face anything alone while I am right down the hall if you need anything.
Kaden."
A heavy lump formed in my throat, a sudden wave of emotion washing over me that I wasn’t prepared for. He had spent so much thought picking out things just to make me comfortable. I swallowed hard, pressing my hand against my chest as I squeezed my eyes shut.
Why did he have to make this so fucking difficult? I wanted him cruel. I wanted the man who had imprisoned me, accused me, humiliated me, and put this choker around my neck. That Kaden was easier to leave. This Kaden? The man sending me ginger biscuits in case I woke up nauseous? He was dangerous in an entirely different way.
Stephanie sighed softly, looking at me with deep concern. "This is getting out of hand, Rebecca. Kaden isn’t just falling for you anymore. He has completely fallen for you."
I let out a shaky breath, completely torn. I did not know how to feel about any of it. He was falling for a lie, loving a woman who did not officially exist under her real name, while secretly being the true father of the child in my belly.
"Kane’s mate came to see me downstairs," I whispered, changing the subject before the weight of Kaden’s gesture could crush me entirely. "She demanded that I disappear from his life."
Stephanie gasped softly. "What? His mate? Once Alpha Kane is back, you need to tell him. Immediately. If she’s going to start interfering with the plan, he needs to control the situation."
"I will," I said, standing up firmly from the bed.
"Where are you going?" Stephanie asked, watching me closely as I smoothed out my clothes.
I looked toward the gifts one last time, then my fingers touched the cold choker around my neck. The fear from Kaden’s study came rushing back. His wolf. The baby. Ours. There was no more time.
"I am going to see Alpha Kaden," I replied, my voice steadying with a sudden, sharp determination. "And I am going to make sure we end up in his private room. I am taking that key today."
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