Alaric’s POV
I stormed back into the mansion like a man possessed. Every step echoed with the weight of what I had just learned. The guards along the corridors didn’t dare meet my eyes. Servants scattered at the thunder in my boots. And they should. The Alpha was in no mood for pleasantries—or interruptions.
Thaila.
Pregnant.
Pregnant with my child.
My wolf was stirring beneath my skin, pacing with agitation and a hint of something else I couldn’t name—something disturbingly close to pride. I growled low in my throat to shut it up. There was no room for pride in this mess. There was no room for anything but cold, calculated decisions.
I should’ve ignored her from the moment I sensed the bond. I should’ve thrown her to the farthest ends of the pack and stripped her of the fire that da
