Maria.

I had locked myself in my room for hours.

And honestly, trying to avoid the Quadruplets felt like work—real, exhausting work. Every sound in the hallway made me tense, every footstep outside my door had me holding my breath, wondering if one of them had come looking for me again.

It was suffocating but at least... I had managed to keep my distance.

For now.

A low, embarrassing sound suddenly broke the silence, and I blinked, placing a hand lightly over my stomach.

Hungry.

I let out a slow breath, tilting my head back slightly as I stared at the ceiling.

"I can’t stay here forever..." I muttered under my breath.

Reluctantly, I pushed myself up from the bed and straightened my clothes, gathering whatever little composure I had left before heading for the door.

I missed Noah.

The thought came uninvited, but at the same time, I didn’t know how to face him, especially not after what Adrien had done.

The memory alone made my chest tighten slightly, and I quickly pushed it aside.

I stepped out of my room, keeping my head low as I walked through the corridor, my steps quick and deliberate.

The kitchen was my only destination, nothing else.

The moment I stepped inside, the omegas working there noticed me immediately.

They all bowed their heads in respect.

"Greetings, Lady Moon."

Their voices came almost in unison.

I gave a small wave of my hand in response, not trusting myself to speak just yet, and moved straight to the counter.

I preferred doing things myself.

It had become a habit.

Something that grounded me...something that reminded me I still had control over at least one part of my life.

I picked out what I needed, dishing my food quietly, avoiding unnecessary attention.

Once I was done, I turned and made my way out of the kitchen, my focus solely on getting back to my room as quickly as possible.

But fate, it seemed, had other plans.

The moment I stepped into the corridor...I stopped. Davian stood right in front of me, blocking my path.

My grip on the tray tightened slightly.

"Maria, let me help you out," he said, his voice unusually calm as he gestured toward the food in my hands, clearly offering to carry it.

I blinked once, then straightened my posture.

"Thank you, Alpha Davian," I replied politely, though my tone remained distant. "But it’s not heavy."

Without hesitation, I pulled my hands back slightly, making it clear I wasn’t going to hand it over. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

For a brief moment, silence lingered between us.

Then he cleared his throat and began walking beside me as I resumed my steps. I could feel his presence and it made me uncomfortable.

"Maria..." he started, his voice thoughtful, almost casual. "Ever considered what our pup would look like?"

My steps halted instantly.

My breath caught slightly.

For a second, I thought I had misheard him.

But no.

I hadn’t.

Slowly, I turned my head just enough to glance at him, irritation already rising within me.

"Refrain from using plural, Alpha Davian," I said, my voice sharp, cutting through the air between us. "The question should be my pup."

Davian’s face paled the moment my words left my lips. It was subtle, but I saw it.

The flicker of something breaking beneath his calm, the way his expression faltered for just a second before he quickly masked it, forcing his features back into something more composed, more controlled.

But it was too late.

I had seen it.

I simply turned my gaze forward again and resumed walking, my steps firm, my grip on the tray steady, leaving no room for further conversation but Davian wasn’t taking the sign.

"You know..." he began again, his voice quieter now, almost hesitant, yet still carrying that strange firmness that never seemed to leave him, "when Vanessa said she was pregnant...I wished it was you."

My steps faltered slightly, not enough to stop but enough for the words to sink in and they irritated me.

No... more than that.

They ruined whatever little calm I had managed to gather.

What exactly was he trying to do?

My grip on the tray tightened, my jaw clenching as I pushed forward, increasing my pace.

"It will only and always remain your wishful thinking, Alpha Davian," I replied coldly, not sparing him a glance as I walked faster, eager to put distance between us.

But he wasn’t done.

Of course, he wasn’t.

His longer strides caught up with mine almost instantly, his presence once again looming beside me.

"Maria, can you come to your senses already?" he said, and this time, there was no mistaking the frustration in his voice.

It was clear, raw and unfiltered.

"All I have said is only supposed to happen with us," he continued, his tone tightening as though he was trying to make me understand something I had long refused to accept. "You are only supposed to carry our pup."

I let out a small, disbelieving chuckle, as It slipped out before I could stop it because truly... I was shocked.

This was the same man—the same Davian—who had once looked at me like I was nothing more than a threat... a burden... someone to be watched, doubted, controlled.

And now?

Now he stood here, speaking as if I had always belonged to him.

To them.

"Unfortunately..." I said slowly, my voice calm but laced with something sharp, something unyielding, as I finally turned my head to look at him, "in exactly three days, I will be tying the knot with someone else entirely."

I held his gaze, letting every word land.

"And I will only carry his pup."

That did it.

His shoulders dropped slightly, the tension leaving him in a way that looked almost like defeat.

For the first time since this conversation started... he looked unsure and vulnerable.

"Maria..." he said softly, lowering his head, his voice losing its edge completely. "I’m sorry."

The words lingered between us.

"Forgive us already...and don’t make the mistake of marrying Noah."

Something inside me snapped.

"Noah is not a mistake!" I shot back instantly, my voice rising before I could stop it.

The force of it startled even me.

"Don’t you dare call my marriage a mistake," I added, my eyes burning as I glared at him.

The silence that followed was heavy and I didn’t wait for him to respond, nor did I want to hear another word.

Instead, I turned sharply and walked away, my steps quick, decisive, my heart pounding against my chest as I made my way back to my room.

"And don’t you dare think of following me!" I declared over my shoulder, my voice echoing down the hallway.

But I soon froze in my tracks as a figure grabbed my waist.