Chapter 451

Nina

I woke up that morning with the same sense of calmness that I had felt over the past couple of days still enveloping me. The first rays of the morning sun were beginning to shine through the large window of our bedroom, casting a warm amber glow across the room.

I always liked waking up in this room, with the sun coming up over the horizon; it was like a natural alarm clock. Even though the bedroom in my father’s mansion was luxurious and beautiful, I loved our home much more.

With a soft smile on my face, I turned over expecting to see Enzo still sleeping there, only to find Enzo’s side of the bed empty, the sheets cool to the touch. As my foggy brain began to clear, I realized that he must be downstairs, finally making that call to Tim about Mila. He had promised he would do it last night, after all. And it was a long time coming.

I had realized that Enzo had been stalling, but I didn’t push him. I knew that he would do it in his own time, and now, it was finally time. It was a big deal, to report a coworker for sexual misconduct; even more so for a man, in a world where it was considered taboo for a man to be the victim of such things. But he had me—and I would be there for him every step of the way.

Pushing the covers aside, I got out of bed, stretching my arms above my head. There was a lightness in my step, a feeling that hadn’t left me since the Moon Goddess Festival. I headed to the bathroom, turning on the shower and letting the warm water cascade over me.

It was during moments like these that I often found myself talking to my wolf.

“Why do I still feel so light, like the shadow entity isn’t following me anymore?” I asked, closing my eyes as the water ran through my hair. I had thought the feeling would fade once the afterglow of the offering I had left at the party had faded, but it never did.

Something told me that it wasn’t just in my head; something had, in fact, changed. I didn’t know why, or how, but it had.

My wolf considered my question for a moment before replying, her voice a comforting presence in my mind. “Hmm… I’m still not sure, Nina,” she said softly. “But I can feel it too; there’s definitely something different. Perhaps your offering to the Moon Goddess made a difference? Maybe she blessed you after all.”

I didn’t think I ever would have admitted it, even to myself, but my wolf’s words made me smile. I had never been one to believe all that much in religion or spirituality, but something had changed ever since the festival.

Maybe there was even more to the realms than I knew about. After all, just a year ago, I had been utterly convinced that everything supernatural was just a myth; and now here I was, talking to a spectral wolf in the back of my head.

After the shower, I wrapped myself in a towel and checked the clock. My first real doctor’s appointment—not a visit from a witch, but rather an actual visit to an office with tiled floors and white coats—for the pregnancy was today.

I was eager for Enzo to come with me, but I wondered if he was still on his call. I dressed quietly and padded down the stairs, not wanting to interrupt or make him feel uncomfortable just in case he was still discussing the issue with Tim.

But as I descended the stairs, I spotted him. Enzo was sitting at the kitchen counter by himself, quietly contemplating. I made my way over to him and planted a kiss on his cheek, but as I did, he seemed so lost in thought that he didn’t even react right away.

“Morning,” I said, pulling back a bit to look at him.

He blinked, clearly having been pulled out of a deep train of thought, and offered me a tense smile. “Morning. Sleep well?”

“Mhm. Did you make your call yet?” I asked as I walked around the counter to turn on the electric kettle.

His eyes followed me as I moved. “I, uh… I did make the call,” he said, his voice carrying a hint of something that I couldn’t quite place.

I leaned against the counter, my heart racing slightly. “Well, how did it go?” I asked tentatively. “What did Tim say when you told him about what Mila had done? I hope he was supportive.”

Enzo shifted uncomfortably, avoiding my gaze. “I... I couldn’t do it,” he admitted sheepishly. “Right when I was about to tell him, Mila and the whole team came in.”

My brow furrowed in confusion and frustration. “Why didn’t you ask Tim to speak privately, then?” I asked, feeling a mixture of disappointment and concern.

He sighed, running a hand through his tousled, curly brown hair. “I just… I think it might be best to talk to Tim in person about this,” he said, looking at me with a vulnerability I rarely saw in him. “I know it sounds silly, but—”

I found his response odd, but I nodded nonetheless. “No need to explain,” I said, reaching for his hand across the counter. “If that’s what you want, then I’ll support you.”

Enzo let out a breath that I don’t think either of us knew he was holding, and squeezed my hand. “Thanks, Nina,” he said. “Excited for your appointment today?”

Despite my reservations about the situation with Enzo and Mila, I nodded, a smile spreading across my face. “I’m over the moon. I hope we’ll get to hear our baby’s heartbeat today.”

Enzo grinned. “Me too.”

Together, the two of us prepared to leave for the doctor’s appointment. The ride there was quiet, both of us lost in our own thoughts. I kept thinking back on what Enzo had said, and wondered if there was more to his reservations regarding telling Tim about Mila than he was letting on.

As I glanced over at him, driving with one hand on the steering wheel, I felt my heart twist in my chest. His jaw was clenching and unclenching, just as it often did when something was on his mind.

But I wasn’t going to pry, and besides: we had our baby’s heartbeat to look forward to today.

The doctor’s office was bustling with activity. Pregnant women sat in the waiting room, some with partners, others alone. I checked in, filling out the paperwork, my hand unconsciously resting on my belly.

After finishing the paperwork, Enzo took the clipboard from me and returned it to the receptionist. I glanced around as he walked away, observing the other expectant mothers.

One particular couple caught my eye; the woman was beaming, her husband tenderly rubbing her round belly as they whispered in each other’s ears. The doctor called them in, and they walked past us, their happiness infectious.

I looked up at Enzo as he returned. He sat back down beside me, wrapping his strong arm around me and pulling me close.

“I hope that’s us soon,” I said, using our Mindlink to speak as I glanced toward the happy couple.

A soft smile twitched at the corners of Enzo’s lips, and he pulled me a little closer, planting a soft kiss on the top of his head. “It will be, my love.”

His words and his affection made me smile, and I leaned my head on his shoulder, my hand still resting on my belly. I hoped that he was right—and something told me that, after my offering to the Moon Goddess, he was.

But then, suddenly, a voice carried across my room and made my heart begin to race.

“Nina and Enzo?”