Nikolai’s POV
Watching Evelyn yell in pain before collapsing ripped through me. My mind went blank as I carried her to the infirmary. The healers took her from my arms, and it was only then I realized I’d left Isla standing at the altar.
But I didn’t care. Isla might have been my mate, but Evelyn… Evelyn was my life.
“Nikolai,” Marcus’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
I turned to see him storming down the hall toward me. His jaw was tight, his eyes burning with fury. He grabbed my arm and dragged me into a quiet corner, away from prying eyes.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” he hissed.
“Marcus, not now,” I muttered, running a hand over my face.
“Yes, now,” he shot back, stepping closer. “You left your bride at the altar! Do you have any idea what kind of mess you’ve caused? Everyone’s talking about it. The elders are pissed, the pack is buzzing, and Isla—”
I flinched at her name but said nothing.
“Isla looked like she’d been gutted in front of the whole pack!” Marcus growled. “You embarrassed her, Nikolai. Hell, you embarrassed all of us. You think your father-in-law’s going to let this slide? He’s the most feared alpha in the South, and you just humiliated his daughter in front of everyone!”
“I didn’t plan for this to happen!” I snapped, my voice rising. “Evelyn collapsed! What was I supposed to do? Just stand there and let her suffer?”
Marcus glared at me. “No, but you could’ve handled it better. You could’ve said something instead of running off like a damn idiot. Do you even realize what you’ve done?”
Before I could respond, the door to the infirmary opened, and one of the healers stepped out. His eyes landed on me, his face calm and professional.
“Alpha Nikolai,” he said, inclining his head. “You can come in now. Evelyn is stable, but I need to speak with a family member first.”
Marcus gave me a sharp look, but I ignored him and followed the healer into the room. Marcus trailed behind silently.
Evelyn was lying on the bed, her face pale but peaceful. Relief washed over me.
The healer turned to me with a small smile. “Congratulations,” he said warmly. “She’s pregnant.”
I froze.
Pregnant?
Marcus stiffened beside me, but the healer didn’t seem to notice. He continued, “It’s always a joy to bring new life into the world. I’ll leave you three to talk.”
With that, he gave us a polite nod and walked out of the room. The moment the door clicked shut, Marcus exploded.
“Pregnant?” he hissed, turning to me. His voice was low but filled with anger. “Are you out of your damn mind?”
“Marcus, calm down,” I said, though my own head was spinning.
“Calm down?” he spat, his voice rising. “You just left your mate at the altar, and now I find out Evelyn’s pregnant? Do you even understand what you’ve done? What this means?”
I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. My mind was racing too fast.
“Do you even have a plan for this?” Marcus pressed, his anger cutting through the room. “You’re walking a tightrope, Nikolai. Isla’s father will kill you if he finds out about this. And the pack? If they even suspect Evelyn’s carrying your kid, everything falls apart. Your alliance, your title—everything!”
“I didn’t plan for this, alright?” I shot back, my voice harsher than I intended. “Do you think I wanted this to happen? I didn’t ask for this!”
Marcus scoffed. “Then what the hell are you going to do now? You’ve already dug yourself into a hole. How are you planning to climb out of it?”
He was right though, what could I do? I was expecting a kid and I had to sort out this mess I had just created.
Remembering how long it took when the officiant had asked if Isla would marry me made my blood run cold.
Although she had finally agreed even though the wedding was interrupted, if she learned about this new development, would she still want to stand by my side?
Deciding to tell them that I had nothing in mind at this moment, Evelyn beat me to it.
“There’s nothing to do,” she said, her eyes locking onto Marcus. “We stick to the plan.”
Marcus turned to her, disbelief written all over his face. “Stick to the plan?” he repeated, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Are you serious? This plan is already falling apart, Evelyn. It’s only a matter of time before someone puts the pieces together.”
Evelyn sat up straighter, her pale face hardening. “No one will find out. If anyone asks, my mate died, and I’ve come to stay with my cousin, Alpha Nikolai, for a while. It’s simple. No one questions it.”
Marcus barked out a laugh, but there was no humor in it. “Simple? You think this is simple? Evelyn, there’s a pregnant woman in the house, and it’s not Nikolai’s mate. How long do you think you can keep people from asking questions?”
Evelyn tilted her head, her expression unmoved. “They can ask all they want, but they won’t get answers. Nikolai has a reputation. Who would dare cross him with rumors?”
Marcus turned to me, frustration radiating off him in waves. “And you’re just going to let this happen? You’re okay with her staying here, lying to everyone, and dragging this out?”
I clenched my jaw, looking between them. “Do I have a choice, Marcus? Do you see another way out of this?”
“Yeah,” he snapped. “You could start by not screwing everything up in the first place!”
Evelyn sighed, rubbing her temples like she was tired of his outburst. “Marcus, yelling isn’t going to change anything. The mate bond between Nikolai and Isla has already been made by the goddess. Whether we think it’s a mistake or not, changes nothing and breaking it is out of the question. Not unless we want to start a war with her father. I’m not here to ruin Nikolai. I would never do that.”
Marcus turned to her, his eyes narrowing. “And the baby? What’s your plan for that, Evelyn? You can’t hide it forever.”
She paused for a moment, her calm mask cracking just slightly. “We’ll deal with that when the time comes.”
“That’s not a plan, Evelyn,” Marcus hissed. “That’s a gamble. You’re putting everyone—yourself, the baby, Nikolai—at risk. Do you even care what happens if this blows up?”
