Chapter 5

After quickly leaving the Kael residence, I used the crescent-shaped reverse scale under my throat to verify again.

Seeing the pale golden flowing pattern, I finally felt relieved.

This was the most reliable way to confirm the dragon offspring's existence.

In three months, once the dragon fetus stabilized, I could return to my family to nurture the first true dragon leader and become the most noble dragon mother of the four seas and eight wildernesses.

Before then, the only thing I needed to do was conceal it.

After only two peaceful days, a messenger pigeon suddenly arrived at the warehouse window at dawn.

The note bore Yuna's handwriting:

"Zara, there are some pregnancy-preserving medicines in the kitchen. Could they be yours?"

My breathing tightened, fear welling up from my heart.

When I wrote back, my hand trembled:

"The medicine has lost its potency. You may discard it all."

After sending off the pigeon, I urgently activated a simple dragon bone transmission array to send a message to my parents

Then I cautiously went to the Herb Hall to verify the fetal age.

Strangely, there wasn't a single person in the main hall.

"Zara, what are you doing here?"

When I turned to look at Yuna, she was closing the hall door tightly.

My tone remained calm.

"I caught a slight chill last night. I came to get some medicine."

"You're really not pregnant?"

I stared at her.

"Since there's no physician here right now, I'll come back tomorrow."

Yuna suddenly grabbed my forearm, smiling without warmth.

"Don't rush off. Since you're here, let's verify your condition before you leave."

Before I knew it, a pregnancy-detecting mirror appeared in front of me.

In an instant, a round shadow appeared in my abdomen in the mirror's reflection.

Fortunately, it was less than a month old and the beast form couldn't be seen.

"You really are pregnant!"

I broke free from Yuna's surging anger.

"This has nothing to do with you. You've already overstepped by forcibly testing me."

Yuna closed the distance between us.

"How is it not related? You're carrying my husband's offspring. I have the right to know whether you'll use it to coerce my husband!"

"I won't endanger your husband or the Kael family."

"Your guarantee means nothing. As long as the child in your belly exists, you hold leverage over my husband."

Detecting the resolution in her tone, I asked.

"What do you mean by that?"

Her lips curved slightly upward.

"Zara, in my opinion, you should abort the fetus. After that, you go your way, we'll go ours, with no further entanglement."

"And if I refuse?"

"If you refuse, I'll tell my husband everything truthfully. Based on your understanding of him, you surely know he won't accept the child in your belly."

The certainty in her tone stung me. I asked incredulously.

"Did he say that himself?"

She pulled out a wedding invitation, as if she'd prepared it long ago.

Every word on it was written by Kael using his life-bound wolf hair brush.

The life-bound wolf hair brush was specially made from heart's blood mixed with neck fur burned to ash. It could only be offered once in a lifetime, only to one's true love.

"Look up."

Yuna called back my scattered consciousness, making me focus on the pregnancy mirror.

There it clearly showed that in her belly was an offspring larger than the one in mine, with even the outline visible.

"I'm pregnant too, about two months along."

"Kael already knows. He's so happy he wants to tell the whole world. Every day he personally cooks meals for me, never letting anyone else touch them.

"He stays by my side constantly, even accompanying me during training."

"So don't dream about using the child to win his favor. The offspring in your belly means nothing to him but an optional bloodline. It absolutely cannot make him change his mind!"

Two months ago, Kael was suppressing dissidents in the wilderness.

At that time, his letters to her were full of longing.

The timing didn't match.

Looking more carefully, the outline in her belly didn't look like a wolf, but more like a dog that closely resembled a wolf.

Yuna left one sentence and resolutely departed.

"While I'm still being reasonable, you might want to reconsider."