Third Person's POV Kade's eyes widened, his wolf flaring with raw instinct as he fixed his gaze on Freya. "Freya… are you pregnant?" he demanded, his voice edged with disbelief and fear. Freya froze. "I'm not-" But before she could finish, Kade was already on his feet, seizing Silas by the collar with a ferocity that rattled the table. "How dare you?" Kade roared, his fists trembling with rage. "What vile trick did you use on her, Silas? Did you force her? Did you trap her into this?" His voice carried the weight of a protective wolf brother, but also something deeper, more desperate, simmering beneath the surface. The thought had already clawed its way into his mind: if Freya truly carried a pup, then Silas must have marked and taken her before Kade ever had a chance to protect her. The idea was unbearable. Silas blinked once, then the sharpness returned to his storm-grey eyes. He shook off Kade's grip, his Alpha aura flaring. "If Freya carries my child, it will be because she chose it," he said coldly. "Do not mistake her strength. She is not some trembling she-wolf to be cornered. She chose me." His lip curled, disdain sharp as a blade. "And you, Kade, should remember your place. You're nothing more than her younger brother." The words hit like a strike. Kade's wolf snarled inside him, and fury consumed his restraint. His fist flew, colliding against Silas's jaw with a sickening crack. Silas staggered a half-step, but his own wolf answered instantly, and the Alpha of the Ironclad Coalition launched forward, the two wolves colliding in a violent clash that rattled the restaurant walls. "Stop it!" Freya's voice cut through the chaos, sharp as a whip. She shoved her chair back, storming toward them as fists and growls filled the air. The scent of dominance clashed in the enclosed space, Two wolves nearly tearing through their human guise. And yet, amidst the storm, Lana leaned back in her chair, an amused gleam in her eyes. "Pregnant? Freya, is it true?" she asked with teasing delight. "When were you planning to tell me? You know I already called dibs on being the godmother." Her words poured fuel on the flames. Kade struck harder, his wolf howling for blood, while Silas's knuckles cracked against his jaw. Freya's temples throbbed. She shoved herself between the two men, palms pressing against their chests with Alpha-born strength. "Enough!" Her command was more than human-it carried the bite of her bloodline, a warning neither dared ignore. The two men froze mid-strike, their fists still trembling but halted, afraid their blows might graze her.Her chest rose and fell as she glared between them. "I am not pregnant." Her words fell like steel. "This is the same stomach trouble I've had since I was young. A couple of pills will fix it. You two nearly tore each other apart over nothing." She narrowed her eyes, her voice slicing like cold moonlight. "And even if I were pregnant, do you think I could be forced into it? I am not weak. No one-no Alpha, no pack-forces me to carry what I do not choose." Both Silas and Kade flinched as if her words were claws raking down their pride. "If I ever carry a pup," Freya continued, her tone unwavering, "it will be because I want it." Her declaration silenced the room. The two wolves shifted back, shame and stubbornness flickering across their expressions, each unwilling to meet her gaze. Lana gave an awkward little laugh and clapped her hands. "Well then. Since no one's pregnant, maybe we can actually eat before the food goes cold?" The tension loosened, if only slightly, and the four sat down again. Yet the air remained thick, every glance between Silas and Kade like a spark threatening to ignite the tinder again. Dinner ended in uneasy silence, broken only when Silas turned to Freya. His gaze lingered on her face, softer now, almost protective. "We're going to the healer after this," he said firmly. Freya blinked. "You're not feeling well?" Her mind flashed to the lingering effect of the cursed perfume Jocelyn Thorne had used against him days earlier. "Not me," Silas replied. "You. Your stomach. I want a healer to look at you properly." She shook her head. "I don't need a healer for something this small. I know my own body. A couple of herbs and rest will do-" "You're going," Silas interrupted, his tone brooking no argument. His Alpha authority brushed against her senses, demanding compliance, but Freya's wolf bristled at the command. Before she could bite back, Lana leaned in with a smile. "Freya, just go. It'll give everyone peace of mind. Better than choking down random herbs from the apothecary, right?" Freya hesitated, then sighed. "Fine. I'll go." "I'll come too-" Kade began, only to be interrupted when Lana's hand clamped firmly on his arm. "Actually, I need to talk with you about some legal issues at SkyVex Armaments," she said smoothly. "Company trouble. Needs your sharp mind." Kade narrowed his eyes. "You don't have legal trouble, Lana."She smiled sweetly. "Of course not. But you're clever enough to know when you're being asked not to play third wheel. Why torture yourself?" Kade's jaw tightened. His wolf growled low, but he forced himself back into his seat. When Silas and Freya left the restaurant, the younger wolf turned to Lana with eyes like storm clouds. "How long have you known?" "Known what?" she asked lightly. "That they're together." His voice was sharp, demanding. Lana tilted her head, considering. "A while now. A month, maybe. Freya talks to me. I noticed things." Kade's face darkened. "And you didn't tell me?" Her lips quirked in a sad smile. "It wasn't my place to announce your sister's heart. She chose him, Kade." He stiffened, then gave a hollow laugh. "So I was too late again." For a moment, the infamous troublemaker of the Capital-the wolf feared and admired by so many-looked nothing more than a young man, broken by something he could never claim. Lana's heart softened. "Love isn't about timing or control," she said gently. "Sometimes it's just… fate." Kade lowered his eyes to his empty hands. "Fate, huh? Then why does it always feel like it mocks me?" Meanwhile, Freya and Silas walked side by side beneath the night sky, the city lights of the Capital burning like distant stars. At the healer's hall, she received a simple pouch of herbs for her stomach and stern warnings to rest. Silas stood silently through it all, his hand brushing hers once, a fleeting gesture of possession-and perhaps of fear that she might slip from him again.