Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

IVY

I awoke to the sight of Kael pacing back and forth, clearly distressed by the date. We'd agreed to one week. Over the last 7 days, he'd lost his shit. From demanding that I use pregnancy tests on an almost hourly basis despite explaining that's not how they worked to trying to go back on his word to let me be bait for Lucien. Kael couldn't seem to reconcile or cope with the terms of our agreement.

I watched as he meticulously reviewed the plan one last time with his closest allies, including Brayden and Maeve, over the video wall. Even they looked agitated by his obsessive need to perfect the plan. Through this entire process, I sensed his growing unease.

"Everything will be alright," I murmured softly, trying to soothe him. But Kael didn't seem to hear me. His focus remained on the screen, his jaw clenched like a vice.

As the morning progressed, I noticed Kael's behavior grew stranger. He was unusually silent and tense, his eyes constantly darting toward me with a mix of worry and determination. I tried to engage him in conversation, but he always acted like he was too caught up in something else to notice me. The palpable tension made me uneasy, sensing that something significant was troubling him. Frankly, the cold treatment was starting to piss me off.

"Kael, talk to me," I pleaded, reaching out to touch his arm. He flinched, pulling away before our skin could connect. His gaze fixed on some distant point, avoiding my eyes.

"Everything is under control," he reassured me, his voice cold and emotionless. "You need not concern yourself with the details."

But I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to his behavior than just nerves. And as much as I wanted to trust him, his refusal to confide in me only served to deepen the chasm growing between us today.

"Please, Kael," I whispered, my voice cracking with emotion. "I can't help you if you don't let me in."

He hesitated for a moment, his eyes finally meeting mine. And in that brief instant, I saw the pain etched across his features, the fierce desire to protect me warring with the need to maintain control.

"Trust me," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "I will keep you safe."

I nodded, swallowing back the lump in my throat. "I do trust you."

Time crept past until it was the moment of truth. I stood with him, stepping toward the door.

"Wait," he said, grasping my arm just before I reached for the doorknob. His grip was gentle but unforgiving. "Ivy, you can't participate in the trap. It's too dangerous."

My heart clenched at his words, confusion and anger bubbling inside me. "What are you talking about? I need to be part of this plan to ensure its success. We've been over this a thousand times."

"Things have changed," he replied, his voice low and strained. "I can't risk your life."

"Since when?" I demanded, my fury rising with each syllable. "You're underestimating me, Kael. Treating me like I'm some fragile object that will break at the slightest touch."

His eyes flashed with frustration, and I saw the elegant mask of control he wore begin to crack. "It's not that simple, Ivy."

"Then explain it to me!" My hands balled into fists, nails digging into my palms. "Because I refuse to sit back and do nothing while everyone else risks their lives for this plan."

"Enough!" Kael's voice thundered through the room. "If you won't listen to reason, then I'll lock you in this panic room without me. Hell, I'll throw you in the dungeon if I have to!"

I stared at him, dumbfounded, my chest heaving with each breath. This uncharacteristic outburst left me reeling. My thoughts raced to understand the man before me. Was this the same Kael who had promised to protect me, who had claimed me as his mate?

"Kael," I whispered, my voice hoarse with emotion. "I don't understand why you're doing this."

"Because I care about you more than anything else in this world," he replied, his voice raw and vulnerable. "And I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe, even if it means imprisoning you."

His words struck a chord deep within me, and I realized that beneath his anger and frustration lay a fierce love that would stop at nothing to protect me. This wasn't just obsession or a chance to give him what no other woman could. He was actually in love with me. Which made it even harder to reason with him. It actually made him quite unreasonable.

"I refuse to risk you or our child."

My heart pounded in my chest, threatening to burst as I stared at Kael, waiting for him to retract his words. But he didn't. Instead, he looked at me with a pained expression.

"Kael, are you serious?"

"Deadly serious, Ivy," he replied solemnly, his eyes meeting mine with unwavering intensity. "I sensed it earlier when I tasted your blood. You're carrying our child."

The room spun around me, as if the very ground beneath my feet had shifted. A torrent of conflicting emotions surged within me… joy, fear, and anger. This changed everything. Not only did it prove my theory true, that vampires could impregnate humans with a rare blood type, but it also meant that I was undeniably the key to the trap we had so carefully planned.

"Kael," I began, struggling to find the right words, "if this is true, then why would you go back on your deal? The entire trap depends on Lucien believing he would get access to me. This is exactly what we needed. Without me, there's no bait!"

His jaw clenched, and for a moment, I feared the anger from our previous argument would resurface. But his features softened as he exhaled slowly, his chest heaving with the effort.

"I'm trying to protect you and our unborn child, Ivy," he confessed, his voice thick with emotion. "I can't bear the thought of putting either of you in danger."

I couldn't help but feel torn. On one hand, I understood Kael's concern. He was a centuries old vampire who had seen more horrors than I could ever imagine, and he knew how wrong this could go. But on the other hand, the plan we'd meticulously crafted hinged on my involvement. Without me, all of our work would be for nothing.

"Kael," I said, my voice wavering as I looked into his eyes, searching for understanding, "I know you're scared, but we both knew the risks when we made this plan. We have to see it through."

His gaze never wavered, but I saw the battle raging within him. "Promise me something, Ivy," he finally said, his voice low and urgent. "Promise me that no matter what happens, no matter what violence you see, you'll stay by my side."

Swallowing hard, I nodded. "I promise, Kael."

He didn't move. It was moments like this, when he remained completely motionless that his monstrous nature stood out to me. Humans didn't ever stay this still. It was a bit eerie.

"Listen," I began, my voice soothing and yet firm. "I promise to be your willing mate, never attempting to escape you for as long as you want me."

Kael's eyes flashed dangerously as he snarled, "You will always belong to me, Ivy."

I swallowed hard, well aware of the possessiveness that laced his words. "But remember, I can make things difficult for you if I choose. I could try to flee whenever I get a chance." The truth was, I didn't want to run from him. Kael had been the only person who truly cared about my wellbeing since we first met, and I knew deep down that he wanted me just as much as I wanted him. "But I won't. Because I want you."

He hesitated before reluctantly nodding, no doubt considering my stubborn nature.

"Very well," he said, his voice a low growl. "Now let me tell you what it means to be a vampire's mate."

"I thought you said I was whether I wanted to be or not." The smirk on my lips disappeared as Kael glowered at me. Definitely not in the mood for a joke. Right.

He stepped closer, his eyes locked on mine as he spoke. "Not only does it bind us together in the eyes of the supernatural world, but eventually, you will be turned by me." A shiver ran down my spine at the thought, but I forced myself to remain composed. "Until then," he continued, "you will have to regularly consume my blood. It will give you superhuman strength, speed, and healing abilities. So you won't be as vulnerable as a human."

"I have to drink your blood?" I wasn't sure why that simultaneously excited and freaked me out. Anyone who watched a fraction of the vampire movies out there would expect the demand of being turned, eventually. It was something he hadn't mentioned yet, but I'd resolved myself to accept it over the last week. Even if I hadn't, I knew there was only one choice I could make… Not just for myself, but for the child growing inside me.

"Alright, I'll do it, Kael. I'll be your mate and share your blood." I whispered, my determination steeling itself within me. "I'll agree to this, but only if you promise to never change your mind about me."

A growl rumbled deep within Kael's chest as he charged forward, closing the distance between us in an instant. I stumbled back, tripping over my own feet as I tried to evade him, but it was futile. His arms snaked around me, pulling me flush against his hard body.

"Never," he snarled, his eyes blazing with determination. "I will never feel less for you than I do now."

Kael's hands moved deftly, stripping away the clothes that I had only worn for a few hours after my shower during his last-minute planning. I couldn't help but protest. "Kael, I just got done cleaning up! What are you?—"

"Mine!" he barked, cutting me off. "I don't fucking care. If we're going to use you as bait for Lucien, then I'm going to make damn sure my scent and marks are all over you. Let him know exactly who you belong to."

His words sent shivers down my spine, but I couldn't deny the thrill that coursed through me at the thought of being so thoroughly claimed by him. I was his, and he was mine. For eternity.