The silence in the room stretched long and sharp, like the edge of a blade.
Jasmine's breath caught in her throat. Her heart thudded so loud it echoed in her ears. Every muscle in her body clenched at his words.
He knew.
He knew she was pregnant.
How did he even know?
Her stomach was still well concealed in her cloak and even if you took off her cloak you still wouldn't easily see it from her dress.
The Alpha's hand still held her chin, gently, almost reverently, but the look in his eyes was anything but soft.
It was sharp. Calculating. Like he had just unearthed something far more valuable than he had expected.
"Yes a child," he repeated in a quiet voice, though everyone could hear. "Not many would've noticed. But I've been around enough wolves and carried enough secrets to recognize one when I see it.
Jasmine swallowed the rising lump in her throat. She was exposed.
Vulnerable. Cornered in a stranger's den, surrounded by guards, with no one to protect her.
