"Don't go," he mumbled, tightening his grip.

I sighed, resting my hand over his. "Scara, I have a meeting in an hour. Be good, alright?"

"No," he huffed, pressing his forehead against my back like a stubborn kitten. "I feel weird. I— I don’t know what’s wrong, but I just don’t want you to leave."

I turned around, cupping his flushed cheeks. His violet eyes shimmered with something I couldn’t quite place—unease, vulnerability, and… something deeper. He looked like he was on the verge of tears.

"Did something happen?" I asked, concern creeping into my voice.

He hesitated, his lips pressing into a thin line. Then, he suddenly groaned and clutched his stomach. "I feel... off. My body feels different. It's annoying."

A sharp pang of instinct twisted in my chest. My Alpha senses prickled, urging me to check on him. His scent—it was sweeter than usual. Warmer. Thicker. Almost like...

A realization struck me like lightning.

"...Scara." I placed both hands on his waist, eyes scanning his body. "When was your last heat?"

He blinked. "Huh?"

"When was the last time?" I repeated, my grip tightening slightly.

He frowned, looking away in thought. "Uh… I don’t know? Maybe… a month ago? I don’t really— wait." He froze.

The moment dragged, his expression shifting from confusion to horror. He slowly looked down at his stomach, then back up at me.

"Wait. WAIT. Are you saying—"

I nodded.

"THAT I’M PREGNANT?!"

The sheer panic in his voice made me wince. He grabbed my shoulders and started shaking me. "WHAT?! HOW?! WHEN?! WHY DIDN’T WE KNOW?!"

"I—"

"OH MY GOD. I’M GONNA BE FAT. I’M GONNA HAVE CRAVINGS. I’M GONNA—"

"Scara—"

"YOU CAN’T GO TO WORK. YOU HAVE TO STAY. I REFUSE TO BE LEFT ALONE LIKE THIS!"

"...You were gonna make me stay anyway, weren’t you?"

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"

I exhaled, rubbing my temples. Well. Looks like I wasn't going to work today.