Chương 22: Mine for Keeps

Drake's POV:

As I walked out of the guest room and left Leila and Lily to get acquainted, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. Everything seemed to go smoother than I had anticipated. I had been worried about introducing the two of them, considering the delicate situation with Lily returning and the complexities of having a child on the way. But to my surprise, Leila had handled it with such grace and strength. She didn't back down, and from what I saw, there wasn't any immediate tension that couldn't be worked through.

I kept telling myself that things would be fine—that they were fine. Leila was strong, far stronger than I sometimes gave her credit for. And Lily, despite her past with me, had been surprisingly agreeable. I let out a long breath as I headed to the office to take care of some pack business, feeling more optimistic than I had in days. I had been dreading this moment, but now that it was over, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Maybe, just maybe, things would settle into a new kind of normal. Leila and Lily would be civil, and we could all focus on what was truly important—the child.

Evening came faster than I expected, and after finishing up in the office, I made my way back to my room. I opened the door, and to my surprise, I found Leila there waiting for me. My heart lifted instantly. I hadn't expected her to be back so soon. Usually, after something like this, I would've expected her to take some time alone to process. But there she was, standing in our room, looking as beautiful as ever. Her smile was warm, and her eyes sparkled with a sweetness that made my chest tighten.

I couldn't help but smile back at her, my heart swelling with happiness. "Leila," I breathed, crossing the room quickly to pull her into my arms. "You're here."

She smiled up at me, wrapping her arms around my neck. "I've been thinking," she said softly, her tone almost too sweet, "I want to move in with you, Drake. No more separate rooms, no more space between us. I want us to be closer. I don't want to be apart."

I blinked, momentarily stunned by her words. For a split second, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. She was ready to move in with me? Completely? I had been praying for this moment for so long—hoping that she would want to take that step, that she would want to be with me fully, without hesitation.

A rush of gratitude surged through me, and I silently thanked whatever force had changed her mind. This was everything I had wanted. I pulled her closer, pressing my forehead against hers. "Leila… you have no idea how happy this makes me. Thank you. Thank you for this." My voice was rough with emotion, and I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. Everything was falling into place.

But as the evening went on, something started to feel… off. Leila was being 'too' sweet, 'too' affectionate. Not that I was complaining—I loved her attention, the way she kissed me softly, the way her hands lingered on my chest, her touch warm and comforting. But there was something in her eyes, something I couldn't quite place. It was almost as if she was trying too hard, like she was compensating for something. I started to wonder if she was feeling threatened by Lily's presence, despite her earlier composure.

Could that be it? Was she worried about Lily coming back into my life? I wanted to tell her she had nothing to fear, that Lily was part of my past, and nothing more. But Leila didn't know that—not fully. She couldn't possibly know how deeply I loved her, how much she meant to me. Compared to her, Lily was nothing. My heart belonged to Leila completely, and no one else could ever take her place.

As I watched her, her soft laughter filling the room, I couldn't help but smile. She was so beautiful, especially like this—when she let her guard down and allowed herself to be vulnerable with me. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close until her head rested on my chest. "You're beautiful, you know that?" I whispered into her hair, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm the luckiest man in the world to have you."

She smiled softly, snuggling closer into my embrace. But even as I held her, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was still lingering beneath the surface. Maybe she was alarmed by Lily's return, worried that old feelings might resurface. But if that was the case, she had nothing to fear. I would make sure she knew that. I'd show her every day, in every way, that my heart was hers and hers alone.

As we settled into bed that night, I pulled her into my arms once more, holding her tightly as if to reassure her that I was here, that I wasn't going anywhere. She was my mate, my future, and I would never let anyone come between us—not Lily, not anyone.

As I drifted off to sleep, Leila tucked securely in my arms, I smiled to myself. Whatever challenges came our way, we would face them together. She was my strength, and I was hers. Nothing would change that.

As the night grew darker and still, I was jolted awake by a knock on the door. Groggy and disoriented, I slipped out of bed and made my way to answer it. Marcus stood there, looking somewhat uneasy.

"Lily's hysterical," he said in a low voice, "She's calling out for you. I think it might be the hormones kicking in."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Of course, it had to be Lily. Part of me wanted to ignore it, to crawl back into bed and forget she even existed for a few hours. But I knew I couldn't just leave her in that state.

"I'll go check on her," I muttered, turning to close the door behind me. But before I did, I hesitated. Leila. I couldn't risk her thinking that I was sneaking out in the middle of the night to see Lily without telling her. The last thing I wanted was for her to believe that something was going on between us. She'd been so understanding, but I knew this situation was fragile.

I walked back to the bed and gently shook Leila awake. Her sleepy eyes blinked up at me in confusion.

"Hey," I whispered, "Marcus says Lily's having a hard time. She's hysterical and calling for me, probably the pregnancy hormones acting up. I just wanted to tell you before I go so you don't think anything... you know... is happening."

Leila sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. She listened to what I said, then surprised me by shaking her head. "No," she said softly, her voice calm but firm, "You've been working all day. You need rest. I'll go check on her."

I blinked, taken aback by her offer. "Are you sure? You don't have to—"

She cut me off with a small smile. "Don't worry about it. I'll take care of her. You get some sleep."

She slid out of bed, quickly slipping on a robe to cover her sleeping gown. My heart swelled with gratitude and relief as I watched her move with purpose and grace, her loyalty to me and her willingness to step into a difficult situation shining through.

I wanted to thank her a thousand times over, but she was already on her way out the door before I could form the words. "Thank you," I whispered to the empty space she left behind, more grateful than she could ever know.

Crawling back into bed, I buried myself in the warmth of the blankets, inhaling her scent that lingered on the sheets. It wasn't the same as having her in my arms, but it was enough to comfort me for the moment. My mind began to drift, filled with thoughts of Leila and the strength she possessed, a strength that made me fall for her all over again.

Sleep took hold of me again, and even though she was out of the room, I found peace knowing that she was by my side, willing to stand with me no matter the challenges we faced.