Chapter 244: Marina is expecting a boy

The warmth of the afternoon was still settling over the back lawn when a loud, crisp clearing of a throat cut through the laughter.

Marina stood near the edge of the patio, freshly back from her honeymoon with Jennifer. She was looking as sharp as ever in a tailored suit, but the moment her eyes landed on the lingering pink smoke drifting over the lake, her jaw tightened into a dangerous, thin line.

"Kain Evans," Marina said smoothly, taking a slow, deliberate step toward us while Jennifer walked right beside her, holding a camera and trying—and failing—to hide a soft smirk. "I leave the country for three weeks, and you decide to throw a gender reveal without me?"

I winced, though a small smile tugged at my lips as Reid held me tight against his side. "Marina, look—it was spur of the moment, I panicked, Brad brought the sports cars, and—"

"Save it," Marina cut me off with a dramatic sigh, crossing her arms over her chest. She glared at me for two long seconds before a subtle, smug glint flashed in her eyes. "I’ll get you back for it. I’m not inviting you to ours in a month."

The entire patio went dead quiet.

I blinked, freezing in Reid’s hold. "Wait... what?"

"Yours?" Chloe shrieked from the side.

"Jennifer is three months along," Marina casually dropped the bomb, resting a cool hand against Jennifer’s lower back. Jennifer’s cheeks flushed a light, glowing pink as she gave a small, beaming nod of confirmation. "We found out the day before we flew back."

The lawn exploded into a fresh wave of gasps and high-pitched squeals. My sisters practically threw themselves at the couple, while Brad immediately gestured for the staff to bring out more non-alcoholic champagne.

I stared at Jennifer, genuinely stunned. Three months along and she was glowing, completely relaxed, without a single trace of exhaustion. She didn’t even have bad cravings or morning sickness, I thought with a small, envious sigh, remembering the midnight ice cream demands and hours of weeping over balloon pops. Some people really have it easy.

"Congratulations, you two," I smiled genuinely, the warmth in my chest expanding even further.

While Marina was being bombarded with questions from my mother and sisters, Reid leaned slightly over her shoulder, lowering his voice into a quiet, conspiratorial murmur.

"Psst," Reid whispered close to Marina’s ear, a mischievous glint in his grey eyes. "If you don’t invite Kain, I promise you he’ll cry. He’s very emotional this period."

Marina shot Reid a sharp look, but the slight twitch of her lips betrayed her amusement.

The date for Marina and Jennifer’s gender reveal came faster than either of us could remember. I guess time runs faster when you’re busy.

The weather held up perfectly for their gathering, the estate lawn transformed under string lights and soft white banners. This time, the atmosphere was completely relaxed. Halfway through the afternoon, I caught sight of Miller quietly taking Russo by the hand, leading him away from the main food tables toward the quiet stretch of the wooden dock for a private moment, Russo letting himself be led away without a single loud protest for once in his life.

Their relationship must be progressing nicely. I thought.

When the moment finally came, Marina and Jennifer popped a giant black balloon together right by the edge of the lake. A shower of bright blue confetti erupted into the air, swirling over the grass.

It was a boy.

The entire lawn broke out into cheers. Marina looked at the blue paper fluttering around her polished shoes, letting out a rare, breathless laugh before pulling Jennifer into a deep hug. I smiled, resting my hand over my own bump, watching everyone toast to the news with so much lively energy bouncing around the yard.

The rest of the afternoon dissolved into pure, golden bliss. The Serpents set up a casual game of touch football near the water, their loud roars echoing over the property, while the rest of our family toasted to the upcoming wave of new arrivals.

Reid stayed glued to my side the entire time, his large hand a warm, constant presence on my lower back, guiding me toward one of the comfortable outdoor sofas as the sun began to dip below the horizon.

I sat down, taking a slow breath as I rested my hands over the heavy swell of my stomach. Everything felt perfect. We were surrounded by love, grounded by safety, and looking forward to the future.

Then, a sudden, sharp cramp seized my lower abdomen.

I froze, the smile fading instantly from my face. It wasn’t a baby kick. It was a deep, dull, twisted ache that radiated straight through my lower back, making my breath catch violently in my throat.

"Kain?" Reid’s voice instantly dropped into high alert. He was on his knees in front of me in a split second, his grey eyes searching my pale face. "What is it? What’s wrong?"

"I..." My voice rasped out, small and terrified. The ache twisted sharper, a sudden spike of cold heat washing down my thighs.

I looked down, my trembling hand reaching beneath the edge of my shirt, pulling away to press against the fabric of my light-colored trousers.

My fingers came back wet. Dark, unmistakable crimson stained my skin.

"Reid..." I choked out, blood rushing violently to my ears as absolute, breathless terror seized my chest. "Reid, I’m bleeding."

Reid’s grey eyes widened, the color draining from his face in a fraction of a second.

"Dr. Desmond!" Reid roared, his voice cutting through the laughter on the lawn like a thunderclap. The sudden, raw desperation in his tone froze the entire estate in an instant. The football dropped from Russo’s hands, the laughter died, and the entire crowd turned in shock. "Where’s Dr. Desmond?!"

Before anyone could ask what was happening, Reid had already scooped me into his arms, lifting me off the sofa as gently as he could while my entire body trembled violently.

"I’ve got you, Kain. I’ve got you," Reid rasped, his voice shaking against my forehead as he sprinted toward the estate’s main doors. His Alpha scent flared—thick, wild, and heavy with pure panic, attempting to shield me from the pain ripping through my core.

"Reid..." I sobbed, clutching the lapels of his shirt with shaking, bloody fingers, my breath coming in short, ragged gasps. "The baby... Reid, please, the baby..."

"She’s fine, you’re fine, stay with me, Cap!" Reid ordered, though tears were streaming unheeded down his own cheeks as he burst through the double doors into the grand foyer.