𝓜𝔂 𝓥𝓮𝓻𝓫𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓷

36. Waking Realization

I feel a dull ache in my skull when I open my eyes. I feel the softness of a bed beneath me but the room seems unfamiliar. "You are finally awake." A relieved voice said from off to my right. "I was starting to worry you never would wake again. You gave me quite the scare there." I look over and see the king sitting in a chair, elbows on his knees, hands clasped between them.

"I just remember being by the creek and then—" Everything comes back to me instantly. I reach down and grab ahold of my abdomen. "Tell me that was all just a dream. Tell me that I am remembering wrong."

His face is etched with sadness as he says, "sadly, no, you are most likely remembering correctly." I sit up quickly, looking around the room as if expecting to see Timber here. "He is back in his realm although he did help me bring you back to the castle." I feel my face contort into a mask of confusion because I know I could have not heard that right. "Give us a little bit more credit than that."

"The two of you actually got along?" I cock an incredulous brow. "That is hardly believable."

"We no longer have a choice in the matter. Due to your condition we have made certain arrangements." He stands up from his seat and begins pacing about the room. "Not that I am very happy about them but I cannot deny Timber seeing his children, our children. If that is in fact what they are."

"So you have permitted him to come into the realm again?"

"Conditionally." His back turn towards me as he continues. "Once he becomes crowned king of his realm then, and only then, will he be allowed back into the Sky Realm. But he must wed Princess Alaska first and secure his throne before that can happen."

"Why?" The word slips from my mouth before I can help it.

He turns to face me with a sad frown. "Why? You ask it as if you are disappointed he will be getting married." I do not say anything to that. "You are still disappointed then." He looks hurt.

"It is not that exactly."

"That is exactly what it is, Peregrine. You are still in love with him, are you not?"

"Feelings are not that simple. What is happening between the three of us is not that simple. I have known Prince Timber since I was a child. He was my very first friend. He was—"

"Your very first love and lover. I am more than aware." He stalks angrily over to the hearth, an aggravated look taking hold of his features. "I do not want to be second place in you heart forever, Peregrine. I fear this pregnancy will secure that fact though. You will always have a part of him now. We have made that happen."

"We have secured the realms. We have done our duty." I get up from the bed and go over to him. I grab ahold of his forearm and give it a squeeze. "We have all created something together that should not have been possible. Please, do not say that you are unhappy with me over this. Unhappy with—" I place my hand on my abdomen feeling tears prick my eyes.

"No, no I could never be unhappy about that."

"But it is not what you wanted. You cannot tell me you did not just want heirs of your own. Now, as you have said, they will be a constant reminder of my failure as a mate." I step away from him feeling a horrid wave of emotion roll through me. Just like my mother had always said, I am a disappointment. Now I am to my realm and king.

"Do not look like that." He grabs ahold of me and wraps his arms around me. "How could you ever think that I would not love our children? No matter if they are not just yours and mine, even if they do have a bit of that irritating land creature in them, they are still ours. I will provide, protect, and love them with everything in me. Just like I will for you."

Those words make me cry. Not out of sadness but out of relief. King Raven was a rare sort of man. A rare sort of creature and how in all of the realms I had been blessed with such a mate I do not know.

"Why do you cry?" He backs off a bit then tilts my chin to look up at him. "What have I done to upset you now, my queen?"

"Nothing." I wipe my eyes of their foolish tears. "I was just wondering why the realms gifted me with such a mate. I am so lucky to have you as my own, my king." He grabs ahold of my hands and brings them up to his mouth before placing a kiss on them.

"I am glad to hear you say that. I was thinking it would take much longer to hear such words fall from your lips." He lets go of my hands and then says, "now come, let us go get something to eat and drink. You need to keep your strength for our young."

✩✩✩

After eating a hearty fill of food and drinking my weight in water I am now back in King Raven's room. He had had all of my things moved into his chamber, not wanting me to leave his side. He had mentioned that I would not be allowed to leave the realm while I was carrying, nor would he if it was something that did not require his immediate attention.

He did not have to say it but I know he worried about my scent. If Timber had been able to pick up on his fragrance on my skin, who else would be able to? It was too much of a risk to have any other creatures around me now that were not of the sky. They would be the only ones not able to tell our children would be different.

Hybrid children.

The thought rolls around in my mind for about the millionth time as King Raven's arm pulls me closer into his body. His arm has been secured over my abdomen all night long, not that I have been able to get much if any sleep this evening. I spent my entire afternoon and early evening passed out.

"You are so restless this evening, my queen." King Raven's groggy voice said as he kisses the top of my head. "Is there anything I could do to help ease your mind and help you sleep?" A thought enters my mind and a coy grin takes over my features as I roll my backside into a very specific area. He lets out a husky groan as his grip tightens on me. "Oh, is that what you want from me, now?" He gives me a thrust into my backside, his length already responding to me.

"And if I said that it was?"

"I would say that I told you, you would be begging for my cock." His grip loosens on my abdomen as he reaches down and lifts my night dress. Once he lifts it high enough his hand reaches between my legs. "Needy little thing." He said just as his fingers dipped into my wetness.

"I am and I want you inside of me." He continues to rub me, making me squirm. "Please, I want to feel you." I know I sound needy, like he had said, but I do not care.

"Mmm, I do not think that is wise." That makes all thoughts of mating leave my mind.

"Why do you say that?"

He pauses his ministrations on me. "I say that because there has never been another pregnancy like this. You are the first one who has had a womb with hybrid creatures. I do not want to do anything to put the pregnancy at risk."

"You think mating with me could put me at risk?" I roll over in his arms and look up at him. "Or the pregnancy is a risk?" When he does not say anything but schools his features I shake my head at him. When he does that I know what it means. "You think there is a chance I could lose them?"

"Do not worry about such things." He pulls me into him. "You need your rest. It has been a long day."

I let him hold me without an argument because he was right. I had gotten married, found out I was with child, and not just with child. I am pregnant with hybrid twins; Prince Timber and King Raven's children.

A/N:
Happy Monday!
Hope you're all enjoying the book!