138

Sophia’s POV

As I sat on the couch in Ian’s condo, my hand instinctively moved to my stomach. The warmth of my palm against my abdomen was comforting, but it didn’t soothe the storm of thoughts raging in my mind. The news of the castle’s attack still echoed, and all I could think about was the little life growing inside me. A baby—our—baby. And in this dangerous world, what kind of life would they have?

Would they ever be safe? Would we?

I let out a shaky breath and glanced over at Ian, who was standing by the window, his back tense as he stared out into the city. He looked like he was ready to wage a war, his jaw clenched, his hands balled into fists. I knew him well enough by now to understand he was keeping it together for me. But I could see the cracks. The fear he didn’t want to show me was there, lingering beneath the surface.

“Ian?” I called softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

He turned immediately, his dark eyes locking onto mine. “What is it?”

I hesitated for a moment, feeling the weight of my question before I spoke. “Do you think… do you think our baby will ever be safe? As long as they’re related to us?”

He didn’t answer right away, which only made my chest tighten. I could see the conflict in his eyes, the war he was waging in himself. He wanted to tell me everything would be fine. I knew he did. But we both knew better. Nothing was ever simple in our world. Especially not now.

Ian walked over to me, sitting down beside me on the couch, his hand immediately covering mine on my stomach. “Sophia,” he began slowly, his voice low and controlled, “I’m going to do everything in my power to protect both of you. You and our baby will always come first. Always.”

I nodded, appreciating him, but they didn’t erase the fear gnawing at me. “But what if that’s not enough?” My voice cracked despite my efforts to hold it together. “Ian, we’re targets. The council, the hunters, the werewolves… There’s always someone trying to kill us. And now, with the baby, it feels like we’re painting an even bigger target on our backs.”

He frowned, his grip tightening around my hand. “We’ve fought before, Sophia. We’ve survived things most people couldn’t. We’ll do it again.”

“But it’s different now,” I whispered, my eyes stinging with the tears. “This isn’t just about us anymore. There’s a whole other life involved. A baby who’s already in danger because of who we are. How do we raise a child in a world where they’re always at risk? Where someone is always going to want to use them or hurt them because of our connection?”

I could feel the tears slipping down my cheeks, and I hated it. I hated feeling so powerless, so unsure.

Ian reached up, wiping the tears away with his thumb, his expression softening. “I don’t have all the answers, Sophia. I wish I did. But I can promise you this: I’m going to fight like hell to make sure our child never has to face the same dangers we have.”

I let his words settle in, but the fear was still there, gnawing at the back of my mind. I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe that we could build a life where our child could grow up safe and free. But it seemed impossible when I looked at the reality of what we were up against.

The council was compromised. The castle had been attacked. Werewolves were rallying against us. Every time I thought we’d gotten through one hurdle, another threat appeared.

And our baby… What kind of life would they have? What kind of world would we be bringing them into?

“Ian,” I began again, trying to keep my voice steady, “do you think it was a mistake? Us bringing a child into this world?”

The question hung in the air, and I saw the flash of pain in his eyes before he masked it. He shook his head firmly. “No, it wasn’t a mistake. This baby is the best thing to ever happen to us. You have to believe that.”

“But they’re going to be hunted,” I argued, my voice trembling. “Just because they’re ours.”

“Which is why we’ll be ready,” he replied, his tone hardening. “We’ll protect them, Sophia. We’ll build a life for them, no matter what it takes.”

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to hold on to that hope. But the doubt remained in me, and I knew that as long as the threats existed, I’d never truly feel at peace.

“What if they inherit our enemies?” I asked quietly. “What if they grow up with people constantly trying to kill them, just like us?”

Ian didn’t answer for a moment, his jaw tightening. “We’ll deal with that when the time comes. For now, we focus on keeping you and the baby safe. One battle at a time.”

I leaned into him, letting my head rest against his shoulder. His arms wrapped around me, holding me close, and for a brief moment, I felt safe. I let my eyes close, trying to push away the endless cycle of worries.

“We’ll be okay,” he whispered, his voice a low rumble in my ear. “We’ll make sure our child is okay.”

I nodded, though the anxiety still churned in my chest. It wasn’t just about fighting. It wasn’t just about surviving anymore. It was about creating a world where our child could grow up without fear, without the constant shadow of danger looming over them.

“I just want them to have a normal life,” I whispered.

Ian kissed the top of my head, holding me tighter. “We’ll give them the best life we can.”

I knew he meant it, and for now, that had to be enough. But as I sat there, cradled in his arms, I couldn’t help but wonder if we were fighting a losing battle. Would our child ever be safe, as long as they were connected to us?