Sophie looked at Lnd with batted eyes. She thought she was dreaming.


    "Last night, the healer checked your condition. He said that you are currently pregnant, and you fainted because you were tired," Lnd exined. He looked at Sophie''s face very closely.


    Lnd wanted to see every expression Sophie showed. He wanted to know if Sophie was happy to hear about her pregnancy or… just sad that the pregnancy would keep her from going back to Nichs.


    Tears immediately welled up in Sophie''s eyes after she convinced herself that it was real. After being married for almost six years, she would finally be able to give Lnd a child. She felt touched and immediately hugged Lnd with happy feelings.


    "Oh, Lnd, I''m so happy," Sophie said. She kissed the top of Lnd''s head and then tightened the hug. "This is such great news!"


    Sophie didn''t know that Lnd, who was in her arms right now, was also crying silently. The Alpha felt very, very happy and relieved. His Sophia was so happy with her pregnancy.


    Suddenly, nothing mattered anymore. As long as Sophie was happy with him, it was enough.


    "I am d you think it''s great news," Lnd whispered. He moved back a little and watched Sophie''s beautiful face with so much warmth in his heart.


    "It is..." Sophie wiped her tears and cupped Lnd''s face. Shended a sweet kiss on his lips. "I am very happy."


    Lnd was dazed by the affection poured into him by Sophie and the fact that she seemed over the moon by her pregnancy. All his worries were suddenly gone with the wind.


    "I love you so much," he whispered. "I promise to always make you happy."


    Sophie nodded with tears in her eyes. "I love you too."


    ***


    After both of them shed their tears of happiness, Lnd carried Sophie in his arms, in a bridal style, to their bedroom. Sophie had asked Lnd to put her down because Lnd was currently injured, but Lnd didn''t listen.


    "Okay, now lie down and get some rest," Lnd said as soon as he ced Sophie on the bed. However, instead of lying down, she sat up and folded her hands together.


    "But Lnd, I''m fine. I''d be so bored if I justy around all day," Sophie said somewhat sullenly. "Healers already confirmed that I am healthy. I am just pregnant, not sick."


    When he saw his wife''s pouting face, Lnd couldn''t help but smile, Sophie''s face looked really adorable. He gently touched Sophie''s head and said, "Sophia, I know you will be bored but do this for the sake of our child. You are not fully recovered, after all, so you should get plenty of rest and I beg you not to think too hard, do you understand?"


    When she heard Lnd''s words, Sophie could only nod and was speechless. She didn''t want anything bad to happen to her baby.


    Now Lnd helped Sophie lie down on the bed and he sat by Sophie''s side, leaning his back on the headboard As he stroked Sophie''s head, Lnd told himself that from now on, he was going to be selfish.


    No matter what happened, he would never let Sophie and their two children go. He wasn''t going to let Nichs Hanenbergh or anyone else take them away from him. He would keep them to himself.


    No. Over my dead body.


    Even though Nichs was Sophie''s first husband, the truth was that he was only married to Sophie for a month before he disappeared without a word. Lnd''s rtionship with Sophie had been much longer and he had been by her side through thick and thin. There was no way he would let Sophie go.


    Whatever reason Nichs left Sophie was not important. Now Sophie was Lnd''s. Nichs was Sophie''s past, while Lnd was Sophie''s present and future.


    Sophie had mourned Nich''s death for a very long time. Lnd would just tell himself that Nichs really was dead. King Nichs Hanenbergh was just an outsider who happened to look simr to Nichs Ferdinand.


    After all, Lnd had been Sophie''s husband longer, far longer than Nichs.


    So what if Nichs was Luciel and Jan''s biological father? Nichs didn''t even know he had children.


    <o>,m Lnd was the father that Jan and Luciel had known since they were born. So, no matter what and for whatever reason, Lnd would never hand them back to Nichs. Lnd would defend them with all his might. Nichs could only have them after he killed Lnd.</o>


    ***


    Meanwhile, at the royal vi, Nichs, who sat down by the window was hit by a big dilemma about himself being a lycan as well as the king of the Riga Kingdom, he was the monarch of a kingdom who hated lycans.


    What am I supposed to do? What if everyone found out? Howe I''ve be a lycan?


    These questions ran through his head all night, and because of that, he didn''t sleep at all. Dark circles were underneath his eyes.


    So many questions remain unanswered.


    "Ish..." He hissed in frustration while he held the nape of his neck, which felt so heavy


    His mind was in such a mess that he paid no heed to the servants. They were astonished at the sight of the wounds on his arms, neck and several scratches on his face.


    The servants who delivered breakfast to his room nced at each other, as they actually wanted to ask the king if he was okay, but they hesitated.


    "Yo-Your Majesty are you alright?" One of them finally was brave enough to speak.


    "Um." Nichs just nodded slowly, then said, "You guys can go."


    Before they left the king''s room, the servants nced at each other again.


    "Hah...." Nichs exhaled tiredly when all his servants had left. After that, he took and sipped the tea that had been prepared on the table along with some breakfast menus.


    After he took a few sips, Nichs put his cup back on the table and turned his head towards Duke Romanov''s manor building.


    Now his thoughts turned to the matter of Duke Romanov.


    "Is that guy really rted to a lycan? Then what are they doing in Livstad?" Nichs quietly wondered to himself then frowned. "Were they rted to the attack that happened at my coronation? Or is that all coincidence?"


    Nichs tried to remember and piece together all the clues he had.