Chapter 231: The Doctor Gave Us The Green Light

The quiet hum of the ocean waves echoed through the open glass doors of the beach house, carrying a cool, salt-laced breeze that rustled the white linen curtains.

Outside, the moonlit Pacific stretched endless into the dark, but inside the secluded villa, the world had narrowed down to just the two of us.

​I was lying back against the mountain of plush pillows on the massive king bed, completely exhausted from the flight, the lingering wedding adrenaline, and the sheer chaos of the past twenty-four hours.

Reid was sitting beside me, shirtless in a pair of loose drawstring pants, his broad back blocking out the soft light of the bedside lamp as he leaned over me.

​His warm, calloused hand slowly traced its way down my ribs, trailing lazy, reverent circles across my skin before coming to a rest against my lower stomach.

​There was a tiny, barely perceptible curve there now—just the slightest bit of extra softness that hadn’t been there a few weeks ago. To anyone else, it looked like nothing at all, but to the Alpha who knew every inch of my body, it was impossible to miss. ℴ

​Reid leaned down, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to my abdomen, right over the small swell. His dark grey eyes softened, filled with a quiet, awe-struck warmth as he cradled my waist with his uninjured hand, his thumb smoothing over the skin with infinite care.

​"It seems our baby just can’t wait to get out," Reid murmured against my skin, his deep voice vibrating softly against my belly.

​A soft, breathless laugh spilled out of my throat as I reached down, my fingers tangling gently into his thick hair.

​"They’re taking after their father, then," I whispered, looking down at him with a tender smile. "Always impatient, always rushing straight into the play."

​Reid let out a low, rumbling chuckle, lifting his head to press another sweet, possessive kiss right to the corner of my mouth. "Guilty as charged, Cap. But can you blame me? Look at what I get to wake up to for the rest of my life."

I looked up into his grey eyes, feeling the intense heat of his gaze and the heavy, protective aura wrapping around me like a velvet blanket.

My cheeks warmed, a soft flush rising up my neck, but I didn’t pull away. Instead, my fingers tightened gently in his dark hair, drawing him up until his lips were resting just a breath away from mine.

​"You know..." I whispered, my voice dipping into a low, deliberate register that made his pupils instantly dilate, "the doctor said it’s completely fine. As long as we don’t go too hard."

​Reid froze for a fraction of a second, his breath catching sharply in his throat. A slow, dangerous smirk began to spread across his lips, his grey eyes flashing with a mix of fierce hunger and absolute, protective reverence.

​"Is that right, Cap?" Reid rasped, his deep voice dropping an octave, vibrating right against my chest. "The doctor gave us the green light?"

​"They did," I murmured, a teasing smile touching my lips as I slid my hands down to his broad shoulders, feeling the tension coiled in his muscles. "So you’re going to have to learn some restraint for once in your life, Reid. No wild overtime moves, got it?"

​Reid let out a low, breathless laugh, leaning down to capture my lips in a deep, agonizingly slow kiss that made my toes curl. His hand stayed anchored flat over my lower stomach, steady and warm, reminding me with every touch that he was holding two lives in his hands now.

​"Restraint, huh?" Reid murmured against my jawline, his lips trailing down the sensitive column of my neck while his uninjured arm wrapped securely around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest. "I can be gentle, Kain. I’ll take as long as you need."

"And no knotting," I added hastily, my hands resting against his chest as I gave him a stern, pointed look.

​Reid let out a low, vibrant chuckle right against my throat, his hot breath sending shivers rushing down my spine. "I know that, Kain. You’re far too fragile right now to take my knot."

​His hand roamed freely over my body, his calloused palm gliding up my flank, pulling me in until there wasn’t a single inch of space left between us.

​God, it felt like it had been ages since we last had sex. Ever since the news broke about the pregnancy and the doctor warned us about my body being fragile, we had been ridiculously, excruciatingly careful.

Weeks of holding back, weeks of gentle kisses and cautious touches had left me so pent up that even the simple glide of his palm over my skin made my entire body hum with a sharp, desperate ache.

​"You’re trembling, Kain," Reid rasped, his eyes darkening as he felt the subtle quiver running through my frame.

He shifted his weight, using his arm to cage me in, his knee sliding carefully between my thighs with a slow, deliberate pressure that made a quiet gasp slip from my lips.

​"Whose fault do you think that is?" I breathed, arching into his touch, my fingers digging tightly into his back. "Just... don’t make me wait any longer."

​Reid didn’t need to be told twice. He captured my lips in a deep, agonizingly hot kiss, his touch changing from cautious to worshipping, taking his time to make up for every single week of holding back.

"I love you, Kain," he whispered against my lips, his voice deep, thick with an overwhelming devotion that vibrated straight through my chest. "Don’t ever forget that."

​My heart swelled, a sweet, breathtaking ache spreading through my chest as I looked up into his grey eyes. There was no arrogance there, no cocky rookie front—just the Alpha who had chosen me, protected me, and fought for every single step of the future we were building together.

​"I won’t," I breathed against his mouth, my fingers lacing tightly through his as I pulled him back down into a lingering, molten kiss. "I love you too, Reid. Forever."