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•• Chapter 38 ••

I groaned I was so full. I never thought I could stuff so much inside of me. Maybe I was too enthusiastic... I shouldn't have eaten all those delicious dishes Rose made for us.

Even if I wanted to lay down and sleep the food away, I was sitting next to my mate waiting for the time of his speech. I wondered what it was about? He never needed a public announcement before. So, I was pretty excited to see my mate talking to everyone in the Kingdom. But my stomach needed to remind me that he had too much food.

"Are you feeling better?" asked my mom as she gently rubbed my back.

"A little," I weakly smiled before covering my mouth with my hand as I felt a burp coming.

"Sorry, we are late!" announced Sebastian as he landed with my sister.

"It didn't start yet..." I weakly answered.

"What's wrong?" asked my friend worriedly.

"He's pregnant," announced my mate as he approached us making me look at him wide eyed.

"Really?!" they all exclaimed making me gawk at them. Did they really believe that I was pregnant?!

"Of course not!" I answered back rapidly forgetting my stomach ache. "I just ate too much and that gave me a stomach ache."

"Oh," answered my mom in deception. "I really want grand babies and since Angela and Sebastian aren't mated yet, you're the only one. I want to hold my baby's baby in my arms. Plus, Ryan wants one too."

"It's too soon. Maybe in a year or so," I answered as I looked down feeling kind of depressed now.

Before anything more could be said, Helena came to announce that it would start in five minutes. I noticed her mate not far from her. Maybe it was only me, but it seemed like Andrew was always with her. Usually, when Helena came to work, Andrew was nowhere to be seen, now, he acted like her shadow.

"You want to come with me on stage or you'll stay here?" asked Ryan making me look away from the couple.

"I'll come with you," I said after looking in my mate's beautiful gray eyes.

He smiled and he extended his hand waiting for mine. I smiled back and put mine in his as we walked toward the stage.

"About our child..." I started hesitantly.

"Not until you're ready. I won't force you into it even though I wish we could have a little baby of our own."

"I'm... scared," I admitted.

"Tell me why," he caressed my cheek softly.

"W-what if..."

Before I could finish my sentence, we could hear Helena calming the crowd before telling us to go on the stage. It seemed like an important announcement, so I pulled my mate arm to tell him that I would explain later. His Kingdom needed him now.

He gave me a kiss on my lips before leading us on the stage. As they started to see us, their cheering grew louder. There were so many people! I couldn't see the end of it. Did some of them travel to get here? I didn't remember to see this many people and all of them had wings. Which wasn't the case in the Aquilam Kingdom? There, the most of them were humans... Because when we lose our wings and have descendants during that time, the children born from the union also didn't have wings.

"I have to thank all of you, to lend me some of your precious time!" started Ryan making me snap out of my thoughts. "This is why I won't continue with the small talk. Some of you may already know the strange incidents near our borders, especially the ones shared between the two Kingdoms. I feared this day to come, and I hoped to never say that, but... A war against the Aquilam Kingdom will come sooner or later," my mate paused a moment to let the information sink into our minds, but before fear could set in, he continued. "But, do not be afraid! Since our childhood, we trained hard every day for a day like this! YOU are ready! YOU are strong! And because of that, WE will win!" A deafening sound resounded from the crowd. They all cheered and shouted their King's name. "We won against the enemy before and we will do it again. However! We can't fall into the same trap as our enemy before! Yes, we outnumber them! Yes, we are stronger! But, if we underestimate the enemy, that will be our downfall. That is why we will start training again and be ready when our enemy strike! I know that it's impossible to have zero casualty that is why I won't obligate everyone to come fight on the front lines. Those who are unable or don't want to fight, please come see my right hand, Helena and give your name. She will give you a task that we also need to be fulfilled. Remember, that we can't survive with warriors only. We need our comrade to feed us, to heal us and even to talk to. But for today, rest well and try to not think too much about it," my mate smiled before saying thank you and leaving the stage with me following close behind.

A war! We were going into a war! It was my fault. I was certain of it. The Prince was coming. If we loose... No, we couldn't! It was impossible. Right?

"Don't cry," said Ryan firmly as he took me into his arms. "Do not dare go there. I'll protect you no matter what. Even if it cost me something as important as my wings or my legs, if this is the cost to have you by my side..." he looked at me in the eyes. "I'll do it."

This time I cried my heart out. I screamed in his chest and I hugged him close to me.

Ryan was so perfect to my eyes and I wanted him to stay this way.

I was already broken once... It wouldn't matter if it happened again...