Chapter 235: A Reason To Stay At My In-laws

The quiet morning light filtered through the open linen curtains, bathing the room in a warm, golden glow.

Reid stirred against my chest, letting out a deep, contented sigh as his dark grey eyes slowly blinked open. For a second, he just lay there, blinking up at me with that sleepy, unshielded warmth that nobody else in the world ever got to see.

His hand, still resting flat over my belly, gave a soft, possessive squeeze.

"Morning, honey," he murmured, his voice rough and low from sleep as he leaned up to press a warm kiss to the underside of my jaw.

I smiled, my fingers smoothing down the back of his neck, trailing over his broad shoulders. "Morning, handsome."

Reid rested his chin on my chest, looking up at me with a lazy, satisfied smirk. "You were thinking heavy thoughts last night, weren’t you? I could feel your brain running drills while I was out."

I let out a soft chuckle, shaking my head as I combed my fingers through his hair. "I was just thinking about what comes next after Hawaii. About us. About you going into the McCoy empire."

Reid’s eyes softened, his expression turning focused and serious as he listened.

"I don’t want to just sit at home while you take on your family’s legacy, Reid," I continued quietly, my gaze holding his. "I thought about coaching for a while, but... being that close to the rink without playing would break me. So I’m going back to school. I want to study business, get my degree, and learn the corporate world."

Reid blinked, clearly taken aback, before a brilliant, awe-struck smile slowly spread across his face. "Kain..."

"I mean it," I said, my voice firm with quiet resolve. "We were partners on the ice. We’re partners in this marriage and as parents. I want to be able to stand right beside you in those boardrooms, too."

Reid sat up, pulling me into his arms with a fierce, tender embrace, burying his face in the crook of my neck. His hand rested steady and warm over our baby, his voice thick with emotion against my skin.

"There’s no one else I’d rather have by my side, honey," Reid whispered, kissing my neck before pulling back to look at me, his grey eyes shining with pure devotion. "Whatever you want to do, whatever path you choose... I’m right behind you. But..."

His gaze trailed down, settling on the slight, soft swell of my belly where his hand rested flat and warm.

"The heat is too much out in the world right now," Reid said, his brow furrowing with sudden, fierce concern. "Your face is still way too fresh in everyone’s mind. You’ll never be able to concentrate on campus with paparazzi following you around, and honestly? I fear there might be some Alphas with grudges from our time playing who would want to get at you while you’re out there unprotected... and pregnant."

I looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "What are you saying then?"

"If you want to study, instead of going in person, why don’t you register for online classes?" Reid suggested softly, looking back up into my eyes. "That way, you won’t stress your body, you can learn from the safety of our house, and you still get the exact same degree and results."

I thought about it for a second. It was actually a really good idea—smart, practical, and completely stress-free.

"By the way," I asked, shifting slightly against the pillows, "when you say ’our house’, do you mean the penthouse, or are we living with your parents in the meantime?"

The McCoy estate was massive, with enough rooms and private wings to house an entire hockey team without anyone stepping on each other’s toes. Moving in there wasn’t out of the question at all. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind. It would give me a genuine chance to get used to Fidora, and having an omega like Brad around could help guide me through everything I had zero clue about regarding a male omega pregnancy.

I waited for him to respond, watching as his hand slowly reached up to rub the back of his neck, a distinctly nervous look washing over his sharp features.

"My mother suggested we stay at the family house until you give birth," Reid said hesitantly, his grey eyes searching my face like he was bracing for an explosion. "But I know you won’t be comfortable, so I’m still trying to convince her to—"

"No, it’s actually fine," I interrupted smoothly, cutting him off before he could ramble. "I wouldn’t mind living with your parents."

Reid froze, his hand dropping from his neck as he stared at me in complete shock. "Really?"

I lifted a brow, twisting my lips into a slight, amused smirk. What did he take me for? I wasn’t petty, and I certainly didn’t mind living with my in-laws. Or... was my reaction not the normal one?

I mean, sure, Fidora was far from nice to me in the beginning, but it wasn’t unpardonable. I knew she only wanted what she thought was best for her son, so why would I hold a petty grudge now?

Besides, the fact that she allowed us to get married without causing a scene, actually attended the wedding, and was now suggesting we stay at their estate suggested she didn’t truly look down on me anymore.

"Is that supposed to be a trick question?" I asked, a faint, amused smile tugging at the corner of my lips as I crossed my arms over my chest. "What do you take me for, Reid?"

He blinked at me, his hand still frozen at the back of his neck, his grey eyes wide with genuine shock. "Kain... come on. After everything my mother pulled? The non-disclosure agreements, the subtle jabs, trying to call you a contaminated human? Most people would run a mile in the opposite direction before agreeing to move into her estate."

"I’m not ’most people,’" I murmured, leaning back against the headboard and looking at him steadily. "And I’m certainly not petty. Fidora was tough on me, yes, but I’m not blind. I know why she acted the way she did. She was protecting her son, her family’s legacy, and the McCoy name in the only way she knew how. Was it frustrating? Hell yes. But it wasn’t born out of pure malice. In the first place, it was true that I had contaminated my body, put the baby at risk and I had her son wrapped aorund her finger. The thought of your life being ruined just because you chose me must’ve terrified her. It would’ve terrified any mother."

I reached out, my fingers lacing into his, taking the tension right out of his posture.

"But she stepped back, let us have our wedding without making a scene, and actually suggested we stay at the main house. You know what that means? She’s extending an olive branch," I continued softly. "Plus, think about it rationally. Your family’s estate has high-level security that puts any luxury high-rise to shame. With the media still sniffing around after our live-stream reveal, staying there keeps us safe."