I heard the whispers before I saw her leave.
Rosalinda stumbled out of John's wing of the palace, her face blotchy and red. The guards pretended not to notice, but I caught the way their eyes tracked her movements. She clutched something against her chest as she rushed past me in the corridor.
"Rosalinda," I called out softly.
She stopped but did not turn around. Her shoulders shook with silent sobs.
"He does not want it," she whispered. "He does not want me or the baby."
My stomach dropped. Baby. John had gotten her pregnant and was rejecting both of them. I moved closer and placed a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off.
"I was so stupid," she said. "I thought he loved me. I gave him everything. My body, my heart, my loyalty. And he just threw it all back in my face."
"I am sorry," I said, meaning it.
She finally turned to face me. Her golden wolf eyes were dulled with pain. "He told me he feels nothing but disgust for me now. How does someone say that to another person? How does someone change so completely?"
I had no answer for her. John was the Alpha King's younger brother, wild and reckless. Everyone knew about his reputation with women, but I had hoped Rosalinda would be different. I had hoped he might finally settle down.
"What will you do?" I asked.
"I do not know." She wiped her eyes roughly. "He will probably tell me to get rid of it. But this is my pup. Mine. I will not let him take that from me too."
She walked away before I could respond, leaving me standing in the empty corridor. The scent of her tears lingered in the air.
I made my way to the garden where Cody waited with his nanny. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the training grounds. I tried to push thoughts of Rosalinda from my mind, but they kept circling back. How could John be so cruel? And what would happen to her now?
"Mommy!" Cody's voice pulled me from my thoughts.
He ran toward me, his small legs pumping hard. I caught him and lifted him into my arms, breathing in his familiar scent of grass and sunshine.
"Did you have fun today?" I asked.
"Yes! Nanny let me chase the butterflies, and I almost caught one, but it flew too high." He made a whooshing sound with his mouth.
I laughed and set him down on the bench beside me. "Butterflies are tricky like that."
"Is Daddy coming home soon?" he asked.
"Soon, my love. He had important business at the palace today."
Cody nodded seriously, his little face scrunching up the way Jack's did when he was thinking hard about something. The resemblance between father and son grew stronger every day.
A message came through on my phone. I glanced at it. On my way home. Eduardo found something important. Will tell you everything.
I replied quickly. See you soon.
"Daddy's coming!" I told Cody.
He jumped up and down, nearly toppling off the bench. "Can we play in the garden with him?"
"Of course."
We did not have to wait long. I heard Jack's footsteps on the stone path before I saw him. My wolf stirred at his approach, always aware of him, always drawn to him.
"My son is the cutest pup in the entire kingdom!" Jack announced, sweeping Cody up into his arms and spinning him around.
Cody squealed with delight. "Daddy! I missed you!"
"I missed you more, son. I love you." Jack kissed Cody's cheeks repeatedly until the boy was giggling uncontrollably.
I watched them together, my heart full. This was what mattered. This moment, this family, this love.
Jack set Cody down and came to me, pressing a kiss to my temple. "Hello, my love."
"Welcome home," I said.
He sat beside me and wrapped an arm around my waist. "Cody, go find your nanny. Your mother and I need to talk."
Cody nodded obediently. He kissed my chin and hugged his father before running back toward the palace.
Once he was gone, Jack buried his face against my neck. I felt his breath warm against my skin.
"Stop that," I said, laughing as tingles ran down my spine.
"I have been thinking," he said, his voice muffled. "You only call me Jack. I want something more romantic. Something that is just between us."
"What did you call Ethan?" he asked suddenly, pulling back to look at me.
The question caught me off guard. "Love. I called him love."
"Will you call me that?"
"No," I said quickly. "You are different. You are more than he ever was. You deserve better than a recycled pet name."
Jack smiled, that slow smile that always made my stomach flip. "Good. I want to be special to you."
"You are," I promised.
"Have you eaten?" he asked.
"Cody and I had dinner already, but I will sit with you."
"Next time, wait for me. We are a family now. We eat together unless I am away on kingdom business."
I nodded, warmth spreading through my chest.
"Eduardo found out who has been feeding information to Tayo Dante," Jack said, his expression darkening. "George. I saw the photographs myself. They met at George's home, shaking hands like old friends."
I stiffened. George had been part of Jack's inner circle for years. "Are you certain?"
"The evidence is clear. I will deal with him tomorrow."
I leaned into him, offering comfort. Betrayal always hurt, especially from those we trusted.
"Let's go inside," Jack said softly. "I want to be with my family."
As we walked toward the palace together, I thought about Rosalinda again. Tomorrow, everything would change for her. John would demand she abort the pup. George would face consequences for his treason. The kingdom was shifting, secrets spilling out into the light.
I held Jack's hand tighter, grateful for what we had built together. Whatever storms came, we would face them as one.
But I could not shake the feeling that the worst was yet to come.