Adrien.

My mind went completely blank the moment the words left Vanessa’s mouth.

Pregnant!

The word echoed loudly, almost violently, in my head, refusing to settle, refusing to make sense.

I hadn’t touched her, not once and definitely not in that way, to warrant such a statement.

But I couldn’t confidently say the same for my brothers. And that thought alone made something uneasy stir within me.

Slowly, I turned my gaze toward them, one after the other, studying their faces carefully, searching for something, anything at all, that could give clarity to the chaos that had just erupted.

But in the end...My eyes lingered on Aidan.

Vanessa’s scent had been strong on him earlier, too strong to ignore and too obvious to dismiss.

A tight feeling settled in my chest.

Could he really have...?

"How could you say you are pregnant?" Davian’s voice cut through my thoughts sharply, laced with irritation as he stared at Vanessa.

The reaction caught me off guard.

Of all of us, Davian had always been the one who showed her the most affection, the one who seemed the most attached and couldn’t want to do anything else, other than to please her.

And yet now...his tone was cold, harsh and almost dismissive.

The sudden shift was unsettling.

"Don’t ask me, Davian!" Vanessa snapped back, her expression shifting into that familiar look—the one that used to soften hearts, the one that used to make everything seem fragile and pitiful.

Most especially on me, but strangely it didn’t have the same effect anymore. And it wasn’t just on me also but from my brothers, as I could tell from the look on their faces.

"If he doesn’t ask you, then who would he?" Damien cut in immediately, his voice firm, almost accusing. "We clearly haven’t touched you. We all agreed...everything would wait until after the wedding."

His words hung in the air, heavy with implication.

I couldn’t help but notice Maria then, as her face kept changing. One moment she looked stunned, the next...angry. Then something else flickered through her expression... something almost like satisfaction.

And then...Something I couldn’t quite name.

"Exactly," I heard myself say, the words leaving my mouth before I could fully process them.

All eyes turned to me.

"We might have kissed," I continued, my voice steady but deliberate, "but I clearly haven’t touched you in a way that would lead to this..."

I paused slowly, then my gaze shifted toward Maria. "...I have only done that to one person, at least to the point of making her wet."

The moment the words left my lips, I knew I had said too much.

Maria’s eyes snapped to mine instantly, sharp and deadly.

The kind of look that warned of consequences.

I stiffened, immediately looking away, choosing silence over whatever reaction might follow if I dared continue.

Vanessa let out a scoff, the sound breaking the tension just enough. Then she turned slowly, her gaze locking onto Aidan.

"Why don’t you ask him?" she said, her voice calm but pointed, as she raised her hand and directed it straight at him.

And just like that, Aidan became the center of attraction, as all eyes turned to him. And trust me, I knew Noah was enjoying all these.

Aidan stood there...completely still.

Frozen.

It was as though the words had been stolen right out of his mouth, leaving him stranded in silence. His gaze didn’t move, didn’t shift... it remained fixed on Maria, locked and desperate.

Almost like he was searching for something in her expression...an answer, an escape, a way out of the situation that had suddenly spiraled beyond control.

"I don’t remember touching you, Vanessa," Aidan finally said, his voice coming out sharper than expected, laced with urgency as he tried to defend himself.

The reaction was immediate.

Tears gathered at the corners of Vanessa’s eyes, glistening under the light, threatening to spill at any second.

For a brief moment...I swear, I nearly gave in. The urge to step forward, to wipe those tears away, to comfort her like I had done countless times before—it hit me hard.

But just as quickly, I stopped myself.

I shook my head slightly.

I knew what that would imply.

I couldn’t afford that.

"Aidan... how could you say that?" Vanessa asked softly, her voice trembling as she sniffed, holding back the tears that refused to fall.

Her vulnerability filled the room.

But Aidan didn’t back down.

"What do you mean by that, Vanessa?" he shot back, his brows furrowing slightly. "Let’s say I touched you... could I really be such a sharp shooter?" He paused briefly, as if the logic alone should settle everything. "And it’s barely been two days...and you’re pregnant."

Vanessa’s head snapped up instantly.

"Do you think I’m lying?" she asked, her voice rising just enough to cut through the tension.

The room grew heavy again, thick and uncomfortable.

And honestly...I wasn’t in the mood for any of it—their drama, their confusion, their mess.

They could take it somewhere else.

Anywhere else.

Because if this situation meant one thing...It was that one of them was already out of the picture.

And I wouldn’t have to share Maria.

The thought flickered through my mind, sharp and selfish but before I could dwell on it any longer...

Maria spoke.

"Alpha Aidan," she began, her tone firm and devoid of emotion, "I think you need to carry your family matter elsewhere." She paused briefly, her gaze steady. "I need to pack."

Her words were simple, clear and final.

And I realized she was still hellbent on leaving. My chest tightened instantly and I turned to Aidan immediately, irritation creeping into my voice.

"Come on, leave," I said impatiently, gesturing slightly, already tired of the entire scene.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught my brothers staring at me with amusement, on their faces but I didn’t care, not even for the slightest bit.

"Including you, Alpha Adrien. Leave!" Maria added sharply.

And just like that...

My face paled.