Elin's POV

I stare at the pregnancy test in my hand. Two pink lines. Clear, undeniable, permanent.

Pregnant.

The word sits in my chest like a stone. Heavy. Real. Mine.

'We're having a pup,' Istha whispers, wonder bleeding through her voice.

I touch my stomach through my shirt. Flat. Empty-looking. But life grows there. Aaron's child. My child.

Not like before. This time, I'll protect him.

I set the test down and grip the bathroom counter. The villa's guest bathroom feels too sterile, too quiet. ...