Page 56 of Marked By the Alphas

A cold dread seeped into my veins. The news should have made me happy and deep down it did, but the manner in which Anyah revealed it was enough to quell any sort of excitement from forming. It was almost like she knew something we didn't; something dangerous. My eyes sought Kai's and Rowan's. Their expressions mirrored my turmoil.

“Since Elara’s arrival, I have been reading old tomes, trying to gather as much information as I can surrounding the prophecy of the mark that she bears and I was hoping to find some clarity or answers before I brought my findings to you three. But it seems that might not be necessary anymore,” Anyah continued, her voice growing more grave.

“This child that she carries is unlike any other. It is destined for greatness, yes, but burdened by powers that we cannot fathom. The prophecy speaks of these powers as extraordinary and the role that they will play in the world is beyond our imagination. I still don’t know what that means, and I believe that we still have years and years to figure it out. What we must know now is that this pregnancy will be fraught with challenges.” Anyah paused, looking at Elara for a second before turning her attention back to us again.

“I’m a healer and my patient’s well-being is my first priority. I do not know or understand these powers that this prophecy speaks about, but what I know is that a being that is described as being so powerful might break its host. We must be vigilantand prepared. You’ll have to bring her to the clinic as soon as possible. I need to do an ultrasound so I can check on the child and make sure that everything is developing normally. I need to ensure that I keep a close eye on things. Congratulations Alphas, this is great news,” Anyah finally finished and although Kai and Rowan responded, I couldn’t find the words to do so.

“Should we be worried about her fainting?” Rowan asked, and Anyah shook her head.

“Everything seems fine. She’s probably exhausted. She’s only sleeping now and should be awake pretty soon.”

Her words replayed over and over in my mind and the weight of the news threatened to crush me. Yet, intertwined with the fear was a surge of protectiveness, a primal instinct to shield her, to ensure her safety and the safety of the child growing within her.

I was going to be a father.

The thought of it was so surreal that it almost felt like the rest of the world had faded away, and it was just me, Kai, Rowan, and Elara left. Of all the joys I thought I would have in life, this was one that I never considered myself worthy of. I couldn’t believe that the Goddess would bless me with such a gift that the amount of gratitude in my heart could not be described.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I turned to see Kai standing behind me. His eyes held the same vulnerability that I felt, and I accepted the hug that he offered me, a tear dropping from my eyes at the weight of the situation settled between us. When we broke from the hug, we moved to settle around the bed, a silent understanding passing between us.

A fierce possessiveness ignited within me. Elara was mine and our child was mine. The thought of losing either of them was unbearable, and it ignited a new purpose within me, a determination to protect them at all costs.

“We’ve always been a unit, bound by a common goal. But I think now more than ever, we share something that brings us even closer together. I think we can all agree that this is the greatest gift that the Goddess could give us,” Kai began, breaking me out of the reverie that I was stuck in.

“I know that I can’t be the only one that Anyah’s words have shaken, but I think that it should fuel us into action and the mating ceremony sounds like a great first step. It would unite us, strengthen our bond, and solidify Elara's position as Luna. The announcement of her pregnancy would follow afterward, solidifying our union. We needed to show strength, unity, and purpose now more than ever. Not just for ourselves, but for our mate and unborn child to feel our strength and the safety that we offer.”

Time was of the essence, and I knew that we had to make these decisions with the utmost urgency. The weight of responsibility was immense, but I was confident that we would bear it without an unwavering resolve, and I couldn’t have wished for better companions.

After a while, Elara finally stirred. Her eyes were filled with confusion as she blinked them into focus, and we immediately surrounded her.

“What happened?” she asked, her voice slightly hoarse. It caused me to move off the bed to grab a bottle of water from the fridge inthe corner. I twisted the lid off before offering it to her, watching as she took big gulps until half the bottle was almost empty.

She looked at us with various emotions dancing within her eyes and I moved closer to her, clearing my throat and taking her dainty hands within mine.

“How are you feeling love?” I asked first and she sighed.

“Nauseous and tired. I don’t remember how I got up here,” she responded, looking between Kai, Rowan, and myself with a questioning look in her eyes.

“That's because we brought you here. You fainted during your training, and we had to call Anyah,” I said, and I saw panic paint her features.

“Hey, hey it’s okay. You’re all right,” Kai immediately tried to assure her.

“I fainted. That’s not okay. Did Anyah say something was wrong with me?”

“Calm down, love,” Rowan said, and Elara’s panicked eyes landed on my face.

“You’re pregnant, baby,” I revealed and Elara immediately looked like she was about to pass out again.

Chapter 29

Elara

As I lay on the examination table, my heart felt as if it was in my throat, and I fought the urge to wince as Anyah spread cold gel across my stomach with a wand. The room was filled with a tension that hung heavy in the air. Even Anyah remained quiet as she focused on the screen in front of her with a concentration that I had never seen on the healer’s face.

Kai, Rhys, and Rowan, sat with an anxious intensity, their usual aura of dominance subdued as their eyes were also fixed on the screen that I couldn’t quite see from my position.

I glanced between them, seeing that their faces held a mixture of hope and fear. I was a bundle of nerves myself, and my hands trembled slightly. I gripped onto the edge of the examination bed, attempting to quell the mix of anticipation and dread that bubbled in my stomach.

“You are indeed blessed, Elara. Two healthy heartbeats,” Anyah finally announced, her voice echoing in the quiet room and a collective gasp went up in the air. That was quickly followed by an eruption of joy from Kai, Rowan, and Rhys.

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