Lila learned quickly that hiding a pregnancy from wolves was an act of defiance.
Her body betrayed her in small, relentless ways. The subtle heaviness in her step. The way her balance shifted just enough that she had to be careful on uneven ground. The faint, grounding warmth that never left her lower abdomen, steady and insistent, as if reminding her that this time she was not alone.
She wore loose dresses now. Layers. Shawls.
She stayed close to the cottage.
And she refused every visit.
Caleb came the first night.
She didn’t answer the door.
He stood outside long enough that the bond ached, a dull, bruised pull that pressed against her ribs and made it hard to breathe. When he finally left, she sat on the floor with her back against the door and whispered apologies to a life growi
