Forbidden Innocence (Book #3)

Chapter 21

Lilac's P.O.V

Every time I tried to tell Landon about the baby, I chickened out, froze up and said another lie.

Now that I'm seven weeks pregnant—I took the time to figure out how far along I am—things are looking brighter.

For the most part, I'm ready to tell Landon about the baby tonight while we're on the date I strategically planned out step-by-step.

Sometimes, though, I feel like I might crumble from the pressure of my pregnancy; my nausea is getting better but it's still there, and I'm exhausted most of the time. On top of that, I have heartburn.

Landon notices it, but he still blames it all on my "food poisoning" because he's too caught up in Erik and Thanatos to notice that his mate is pregnant.

Of course the thought of me being pregnant would never occur, though. As far as he's concerned, I'm on the pill.

Yet, even if I'm not ready for anybody to know, my body is ready. My stomach is already poking out, and if it weren't for my baggy shirts, everybody in the castle would know that I'm expecting my mate's baby.

When Landon wasn't looking in the morning, I would raise my shirt and glower at my bump.

"Lilac," Landon's voice breaks through my thoughts.

I look up from my position on the bed to see him kneeling at the side of the bed. "Yes?"

He examines my skimpy nightgown, staring at the skinny straps on my shoulders that hold it up and the thin pieces of fabric that cover my growing breasts.

The sun hasn't risen yet, making the room dark and eerie. Why is Landon up so early? I have a good reason because I can't even fall asleep.

"You look so sexy in that," He whispers distractedly, his hand coming up to play with my hair that's in pigtail braids.

My hand catches his, stopping him from going any farther. His eyes snap up to meet mine as they transition to their usual amber color, a growl leaving his lips. "Are you okay?" I mutter.

He shakes his head as he backs away from me. "I n-need to go on a run... right now. Come with me, please," He pleads.

Sorrow attacks every fiber in my body when I see the desperation in his eyes, the pure grief from not releasing his wolf in such a long time.

How can I possibly tell him I can't shift without telling him about our baby?

Suddenly, my heart is racing from nervousness. "Landon..." I drawl. My hands come up to fiddle with the pendant around my neck.

Landon's eyes begin to wander again. He examines my neck, face, breasts, and anything he can get his eyes on. "You seem... different," He whispers.

An ache spreads throughout my body, and I'm forced to prop my pillow up and lean against it. "I'm not feeling the best, that's probably why. I don't think I should shift, maybe I could just walk beside you or something," I ramble. My hand finds my stomach and squeezes when he leans into me.

"It feels like you're lying to me," He says in a husky voice.

My breath catches.