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Chapter 89 - Chapter 86: Telling

The morning was calm—or at least it seemed calm.

Aiden sat in the den, small hands brushing through his hair as he tried not to think too hard. Kael, Ryn, and Lior were still asleep, their tiny bodies tucked under blankets Theron had carefully arranged. Aiden's wolf stirred quietly beneath the surface, nudging him, pushing him to act.

He was sure.

No doubt this time.

She was pregnant.

It was subtle at first—the flutter in his stomach only he could feel, the faint tug in his chest where his wolf whispered in warning. But now, after the sleepless nights and the constant tug of instinct, there was no ignoring it.

He turned to the one person who could help him figure out how to… how to tell Theron.

Erik.

Eirik sat cross-legged on the floor, sharpening a blade with meticulous care, eyes calm, almost too calm. Aiden swallowed.

"…Eirik," he began softly, voice thick, "…I… I think… I'm pregnant again."

Eirik frozen mid-motion. His amber eyes—usually so steady—flickered ever so slightly, and for a moment, Aiden thought he'd made a mistake.

"…again?" Eirik asked carefully, masking everything. His voice was even, casual, but beneath it… a flicker of something darker. Sadness? Pain?

"Yes," Aiden said, hands twisting in his lap. "And… I… I don't know how to tell him. I don't want to scare him, or—"

Eirik looked up sharply, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Don't worry," he said smoothly. "I can… help you tell him."

Aiden blinked. "…You'd do that?"

Eirik's smile tightened. "Of course. That's what friends do, right?"

Aiden hesitated, then nodded slowly. "…Okay. I trust you."

And in that trust… Eirik felt the weight of what he was hiding.

He should have been overjoyed for them. He should have smiled freely and been genuinely happy. But every part of him found in secret. Every pang of jealousy—the thought of Aiden carrying Theron's child, of their family growing without him—twisted something cold and dangerous inside him.

He shoved the feeling down, masked it behind a practiced ease. "We'll tell him together," he said again. "I'll be happy for you, Aiden. Truly."

Aiden smiled at him, relief softening his features. "…Thanks."

But in the shadows of the forest, someone else was already listening.

Nyx.

He'd been waiting. Watching. Patient. And now… opportunity had arrived.

Eirik's jealousy, his longing, his unspoken desire—it was so easy to see. So easy to twist.

Nyx's grin spread thin and sharp, his eyes glinting like ice.

Ah… he thought. This will be even easier than I imagined. Feed the weakness, stoke the longing, and the pawn will move as I want.

He didn't interfere yet, not directly. Just enough. A whisper of a thought, a subtle nudge in Eirik's mind. A hint that the world is unfair, that Theron doesn't deserve this, that Aiden should belong to him instead.

Eirik sat quietly beside Aiden, smiling. Helping. Pretending.

But inside… Nyx had already planted the seed.

Aiden felt nothing of it—just the comfort of Eirik's presence. Just the hope that telling Theron would go smoothly.

He had no idea how much darkness was threading its way into the pack already.

Not yet.

For now, he only knew one thing: he was pregnant.

And soon… Theron would know.

But would Eirik's hidden pain be enough to tear them apart before the truth even settled in the den?

Nyx's laugh was quiet, barely a whisper on the wind, but it slithered through the trees like poison.

The moon hung low over the forest, casting silver shadows that flickered with the swaying of the trees. Eirik moved silently, each step careful and measured, until he reached the clearing where Nyx waited. The air was cold, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and something darker—something dangerous.

Nyx's human form was lithe and lean, his smile sharp and teasing, but his eyes burned with intensity. "You came," he said, voice smooth like velvet, edged with menace.

Eirik swallowed. His hands tightened at his sides. "…I need to ask. Will the pups… will they get hurt in this?" His voice trembled, betraying the fear he tried so hard to hide.

Nyx tilted his head, considering him. "…No. Not if you follow instructions. No one you care about will get hurt. Not the children, not your precious omega."

"…And Aiden?" Eirik's voice was barely a whisper, heavy with guilt and longing. "Will… will he get hurt?"

Nyx's smile twisted slightly, darker this time, a shadow dancing in his amber eyes. "Not if you obey. And," he leaned closer, voice dropping so low it barely carried, "…he can forgive you. I can make sure of that. But… I need your help."

Eirik's throat went dry. His heart thundered painfully against his chest. "…I… I can't let him know. Not yet. I… I want… I want him safe. I want him to forgive me."

Nyx's fingers brushed through the air, almost touching Eirik, and the shadows around them seemed to respond. "…Then help me. Help me make it happen, and I promise… everything you fear will be taken care of. Aiden will forgive you. You will have your child safe, and your secrets… buried where no one will find them."

Eirik looked down, wrestling with the weight of his loyalty, his love, and his jealousy. Every instinct screamed to protect, every thread of reason whispered he was about to cross a line he could never return from. But the thought of Aiden in danger, of the pups hurt because of their presence… it twisted him inside.

"…I'll do it," he finally said, voice low, almost trembling. "…I'll help you. But… I… I need to know… they'll be safe. Will Aiden forgive me?"

Nyx's grin widened, sharp as broken glass. "…They'll be safe. And yes… I'll make him forgive you. Just follow me, Eirik. Let the plan begin."

Eirik nodded, although part of him screamed at the betrayal he was about to commit. Nyx's shadow stretched across him like a hand, slipping inside the corners of his mind, planting ideas, feeding fears, stoking desires.

And just like that, the first move of Nyx's plan was set in motion.

The forest seemed to hold its breath:

The game had begun.

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