Chapter 0147

I swung my legs off the bed and pushed myself up. The effort was greater than I anticipated. Once upright, I moved into the hallway. The thought of food had taken root, and I realized I was absolutely starving.

I headed for the stairs. My legs suddenly buckled beneath me. I plummeted down each step. My head struck something hard. Everything went completely dark.

"Ow!" I muttered, stretching out my limbs. My hand instinctively went between my thighs. No blood. Thank the gods. These pups were proving to be incredibly strong.

A sharp knock echoed from the front door.

"Come in," I called out from my spot on the floor.

"Shit. Are you alright?"

Unfamiliar dark eyes appeared above me. A hand slid into mine, pulling me up to my feet.

"You must be Zachary?" I asked, rubbing the back of my head while noticing the intricate tattoos on his neck. Any wound would have likely healed already.

"I am. Though this isn't exactly how I planned our introduction. You should get checked out."

"I'm fine."

"You're pregnant. I can scent it."

"I will be fine," I stated firmly, spitting out the last word.

He gave a slow nod as I sat on the bottom step. "You may believe that, but you should still be examined. You are the female Alpha."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Is that why you're here? Looking for someone to lead you?"

"I'm seeking the only one capable of leading us." His dark gaze was intensely focused. If I didn't know better, I'd say he learned it from Alexander. But something told me this was his natural way of observing the world, even before his transformation. "And I wish to offer you my protection."

Nyx snorted internally. I almost did aloud. His expression remained deadly serious. "Protection from what?"

"Whatever is coming."

"What is coming?" I pressed.

He just stared. Dark. Mysterious. Exactly how Alexander was when we first met.

"And what about Isabella?"

"What about her?"

"She's your mate," I muttered.

"I am aware of that."

"Are you going to reject her?"

"I don't know her well enough to make that decision."

She hadn't gone to him like I suggested. Perhaps I could force them together. "Actually, can you take me to the hospital? Maybe I should get checked out after all."

He walked beside me, halting just outside the hospital doors. "Is something wrong with Isabella?" He frowned.

"No. She's the pack physician."

His face was an unreadable mask, but he followed me inside.

"Ath…" Isabella's voice faded into a squeak as her eyes locked on the man who was her destined mate.

"I fell down the stairs," I explained quickly, detailing the sudden pain. She beckoned me into a room for a scan. Zachary followed, positioning himself in the doorway to watch. His dark eyes kept drifting to Isabella. She tried desperately not to look his way, beads of sweat forming on her brow.

The strong heartbeats of the twins filled the room. Alexander charged in at that moment. He pushed past Zachary with a frown and pressed his lips to mine. "Sorry, we were dealing with Ethan. Are you okay?"

I nodded.

"Tell Nyx to stop blocking the bond."

"She needs rest," Isabella snapped at him, her professional tone returning. "Both boys' heartbeats are strong. But you must rest. It remains a high-risk pregnancy." She turned her warning to me. "And I don't want to confine you to bed rest just yet."

"Out of curiosity, can you tell what they are?" It was Zachary's first direct question to her. His voice was low. "Wolves or Lycans?"

"No." Her answer was far more abrupt than her usual tone. Was she irritated with him?