Gemini of the Shifter Realm

Chapter 24 Faux Maternity

Zoe Lawson P.O.V

The clock struck midnight. My birthday. I answered my phone to hear my family and my brother on the other end, their voices filled with warmth as they wished me well. I thanked them, trying to sound cheerful, but the moment I ended the call, tears streamed down my cheeks. I stared at my phone, watching as an hour passed, then another. Not a single call or text from Theodore.

All I ever asked of him when we were together was to wish me a happy birthday at the stroke of midnight—no gifts, no grand gestures, just that simple message. But even that, he didn't do. I kept waking up every hour, my heart racing with a hope I knew was foolish. I checked my phone again and again, but the screen remained dark. His name never appeared.

By morning, the temptation to text him was unbearable. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, torn between anger and sadness. Why was I so emotional? I had been through breakups before. I should have been used to this kind of pain by now. So why wasn't I?

I sighed and finally texted him, "You forgot." But as soon as I hit send, regret washed over me. I deleted the message a few seconds later, scolding myself for my lack of self-control.

"What did you delete?" he texted back immediately.

"It's nothing," I replied, hoping to brush it off.

"What did you delete?" he repeated, refusing to let it go. He was always like this, always pushing, even when I wasn't ready to share my darkest secrets. He never understood why I held back, why I believed no man ever truly would.

My thoughts spiraled back to my first boyfriend, who manipulated me into giving him more than I was ready for, leaving me in tears and breaking up with me right after. He'd only wanted to prove something to his friends, to show them he could conquer me and then toss me aside. And then there was my second boyfriend, the one I thought I loved, the one I gave everything to, thinking it would make him stay. He didn't. He gaslighted me for months, eroding my sense of self-worth. I didn't even see it until a therapist put the pieces together for me. When I confronted his parents, desperate for someone to see the truth, they dismissed me. It was his choice, they said. I was left feeling helpless but somehow managed to move on.

When I shared these stories with Theodore, he barely flinched. "Don't call my brothers if things go south," he had laughed, as if my pain was a joke. He never understood how deeply those experiences had scarred me.

"You forgot," I typed, pressing send, my breath held tight in my chest.

"I didn't," he replied. "I kept looking at my calendar where I saved your birthday date."

For a moment, a flicker of hope sparked within me. But it was gone as quickly as it came.

"But we can't keep going on like this," he continued.

"What do you mean?" I typed, my fingers trembling.

"I spoke to John. He said it's best if I don't contact you anymore," he replied.

My heart sank, and a familiar panic seized my chest. I hated this feeling—this vulnerability, this loss of control. Why did it always feel like the men in my life held all the power?

"Are you going to block me?" I asked, my voice a whisper even though he couldn't hear it.

"Yes. Do you have any last words for me?" he sent back.

I sat down on my bed, staring at the message. I felt the tears welling up again as I noticed he had already blocked me on Instagram. I remembered the night he asked if I was sure I wasn't pregnant. I had reassured him I wasn't. But now, in the throes of fear and anger, I typed the words that would haunt me forever.

"Remember that night when I told you I wasn't pregnant? I lied." I pressed send and then blocked him on WhatsApp, my hands shaking with a mixture of dread and satisfaction.

Valentine Winters P.O.V

It had been over a month since we moved, and an unfamiliar sense of vulnerability hung in the air, heavy and inescapable. The new environment, the fresh start—it all felt strange, almost fragile. I heard the front door open, and then the sound of Lucifer's footsteps as he entered. He was exhausted from another long day, but when his gaze fell upon me, I felt the intensity of his desire, his eyes lingering on my body clad in black lace.

A wave of embarrassment flushed my cheeks. My instinct was to hide. I moved quickly, retreating to the washroom, the swell of my stomach a constant reminder of the changes I hadn't fully come to terms with. "Let me go shower," I muttered, more to myself than to him, trying to mask the insecurities that had become all too familiar.

I turned on the shower, waiting for the water to warm. I was about to strip off the last of my clothes when I heard the door open again. I glanced over my shoulder, surprised to see Lucifer stepping inside, his expression unreadable but his presence overpowering. I instinctively crossed my arms over my chest, trying to shield myself from his gaze.

"I know I'm not how I used to be," I confessed, my voice barely a whisper, my insecurities laid bare. The vulnerability was like a raw nerve exposed, and I wasn't sure if I wanted him to touch it or leave it alone.

Lucifer ignored my words. Instead, he took my hand and guided me toward the washroom mirror, positioning me in front of him, my back pressed against his chest. His touch was gentle but firm, leaving no room for retreat. I watched as he slowly undressed, the fabric falling away, revealing his sculpted form. There was a deliberateness to his movements, a kind of reverence that caught me off guard.

I felt a mix of emotions—a flurry of surprise, curiosity, and an undeniable flicker of desire. I could feel the warmth of his skin against mine, the steady rhythm of his breathing. His lips brushed the side of my neck, sending shivers down my spine. I closed my eyes, lost in the sensation, but he whispered, "Look," and I opened them again, meeting our reflection in the mirror.

"I want you to watch," he murmured, his voice a low, velvety caress that seemed to seep into my very bones. "I want you to see how much I find you attractive right now." His words, so raw and honest, made my breath hitch.

The atmosphere thickened with anticipation as he slowly peeled my black panties down, unveiling the primal desire that simmered between us. The revelation of his hardness against my entrance sent a jolt of electricity through my senses, my secret regions pulsating with a rhythmic thump.

I knew my juices were already wetting his shaft and I moaned as he inserted his long member inside me feeling it hit my womb in the process and he threw his head back relishing the feeling of being inside of me.

I watched how his hips were rolling behind me making my frame move to the front in a rhythm and the same time, he had of his arms softly wrapped around my bump to make sure I don't hurt myself and the baby.

"I love seeing you bear my child." He moans into my ear.

"So sexy." He continues.

"Especially beautiful." He then looks at me through the mirror, seeing my lust filled and pleasured expression making him satisfied of my reaction to his actions.