Page 11 of Bonded Ever After

“For everything awful I’ve said to you. For the awful way I’ve been treating you. I thought you and Ferone… I thought you were together, and I couldn’t handle it.”

She doesn’t look at me. “You were cruel, Callum. I don’t know if I’m ever going to be able to forgive you for that.”

I move closer to her, looking down at her, feeling broken.What had I said to her? Something about her mom and her dad.Biting words. Awful words. I don’t deserve her forgiveness after that, but I need it.

“You’re right. I deserve that. I used the things that were most important to you to hurt you, but I’m never going to do that again. I’m going to be a better man for you. I know that you can’t believe that right now, but you’ll see. With time.”

She finally looks up at me with uncertainty. “I have a lot going on. I need someone I can trust, and I think Ferone is that person.”

I shake my head, a knife twisting in my heart. “I’m that person. I know things are complicated, but I swear, I’m that person.”

“You don’t get it,” she says brokenly. “I have to go. I have to sleep with Ferone.”

“Why?” And I’m begging her with that word.

“I just do.”

“Tell me.”

“It’s complicated.”

“I don’t care.”

“I’m pregnant!” she shouts, then covers her mouth with both hands, looking horrified.

Pregnant? Did she just say she was pregnant?She hasn’t been with anyone else… That means… That means she’s carrying my child. Elora is going to have my baby.

Happiness explodes inside of me, and I pull her into a hug, grasping her tightly.My Elora. The woman I love. Pregnant.

“I can’t believe it,” I say, a lump forming in my throat. “I’m so happy.”

“Happy?” she asks, sounding shocked. “You know this isn’t a good thing.”

“How can it not be a good thing? This is the best thing I’ve ever heard. You’re growing my baby inside of you.” We’re going to have a family. A real family.

She struggles out of my hug and looks up at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Callum, what do you think they’ll do when they find out I’m pregnant? What’s the first question they’ll ask?”

I stare, not comprehending. “They’ll be happy a Gold Keeper got pregnant so easily. They’ll be amazed.”

“Not when they find out you’re the father.” Her words drop like stones between us.

It’s weird. I hadn’t thought about that at all. Just the idea that my Elora was pregnant with our baby was all I cared about. Now, the reality of our situation settles over me. There are two families. Two separate families. Never in a million years would anyone think about the two families becoming one. What’s more, it seems likely that all future Gold Keepers will only have one child.Would this be our one child?They’d never be able to accept only one Gold Keeper going to get Goldarium.So, what would they do about it?

“It’s not like they can undo this. It’s done,” I say, picturing telling the Council, telling them to suck it, and that Elora and I would be raising this baby together, with or without their approval.

“Callum.” She says my name softly. “They could try to get rid of the baby. I’d have to be careful all the time. Watch my back. Watch the foods I eat. Even watch the shampoo I use. You know how many ways they have of getting rid of a baby.”

Fuck.My hands curl into fists. “Let them try. Let them try to hurt my woman or my child. I will burn this fucking place to the ground and leave nothing but ashes.”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “That’s a nice idea, Callum, but that’s not the world we live in.” Her sharp intake of breath is audible. “The only way for this baby to be safe is for them to think it’s someone else’s. There has to be a possibility, no matter how slim, that this is Ferone’s baby. He might have doubts, but he won’t share them. I know it. The baby will be safe. It’ll be raised safely with Ferone and I, and–”

“No.” I’m shaking my head. “No, that can’t happen.”

“Callum–”

“Look at me. There’s no way that I can sit by and watch you raise our baby with another man.”

Her beautiful mismatched eyes stare into mine. “I don’t think we have a choice.”

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