A Warrior's Second Chance (Faye and Alexander) novel Chapter 190

Chapter 190

FAYE

I sat in Alexander’s chair in his office, staring at the test result in my hand for what felt like the hundredth time. My fingers traced the edges of the paper nervously, as though the motion would somehow steady my heart. It didn’t.

The tiny print on the sheet seemed to pulse in my vision… positive. I’d whispered the word so many times it had lost meaning, and yet every time I said it again, a new wave of disbelief washed over me.

I was pregnant. And I was both excited and nervous at the same time.

I leaned back, exhaling shakily. “Okay, Faye,” I muttered under my breath. “You can do this. It’s just Alexander.”

That earned me a quiet laugh. Somehow, that didn’t make it any easier. The Alexander part was the problem in the first place.

I looked around his office… his perfectly arranged desk. It felt wrong that I had to be waiting to tell him in here instead of in the room. But I’d come here because waiting in there had been unbearable. Every step I heard, every faint sound from outside had made my stomach twist. Here, at least, I could face it head-on.

Except now that I was actually here, the courage I thought I’d built up was quickly evaporating.

“How am I even supposed to say this?” I whispered, pressing my palms against my face. “Hi, Alexander, I’m pregnant. Surprise?” I groaned. “No, that sounds ridiculous. Too casual.”

I straightened up, trying another approach. “Alexander, there’s something important I need to tell you. You might want to sit down.” I made a face. “No, that sounds too serious. He’ll think something’s wrong.”

I sighed, sinking back into his chair again. “Why does this feel like a test I didn’t study for? It shouldn’t be this difficult.”

I’d thought about waiting until he came back to the room instead of ambushing him here, but honestly, it didn’t matter. My nerves were shot either way. I just needed to tell him and get it over with…whatever his reaction would be. A part of me already expected the worst. He wasn’t exactly the type to light up at the thought of babies.

My hand instinctively went to my stomach. I still couldn’t feel anything, but the thought that

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hapter

TAO HOITHS

life-our life-was growing inside me made my stomach tighten in a way I couldn’t explain.

I was still lost in thought when the door opened.

“Am I interrupting something?”

I looked up, startled. Alexander stood in the doorway, one brow raised and a faint smirk tugging at his lips. He looked amused, and gods, he was unfairly attractive looking like that. That made everything worse.

“I-uh-” I scrambled to stand, clutching the test result tightly. “You’re back early.”

“I could say the same about you,” he teased, stepping into the room. His gaze flicked to the desk, then back to me. “What’s this? Planning a takeover?”

I tried to smile, but it came out nervous and awkward. “Not exactly.”

He walked closer and dropped into the chair across from me, stretching out a little like he was settling in for entertainment. “Alright then,” he said with a grin. “I suppose I’m the one visiting your office now. Should I make an appointment first?”

I let out a small laugh despite my nerves, shaking my head. “No… I just-I needed to talk to you about something.”

The humor faded from his eyes then, replaced by mild curiosity. “Alright,” he said simply, leaning forward. “I’m all ears. What’s wrong?”

“So much for perfect timing,” I whispered, exhaling softly as the paper trembled slightly in my hand.

ALEXANDER

I arrived at the training grounds with Kyle at my side, and the sight that met me immediately set my wolf on edge. Two of the younger wolves lay sprawled across the dirt… bleeding, bruises blossoming across their bodies. Broken training equipment-snapped poles, splintered dummies-was scattered around them, a clear sign of how far their fight had escalated.

My jaw tightened. Something more than a simple scuffle had sparked this. My wolf’s instincts prickled-I could feel the tension lingering in the air still, thick and sharp.

“Explain,” I demanded, keeping my voice low. One of the two struggled to his feet, swaying slightly, but meeting my gaze. Good. At least he had the sense to face me.

“Alpha…” he began, his voice shaky but clear. “It… it started because of a rumor. I wasn’t even the one who started it. People were saying a new alpha is coming soon… that he’s the true alpha of the pack.” He swallowed, glancing at the other wolf. “He… he called me a fool for even mentioning it. I… I called him a fool back. I… I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt this badly.”

I looked at the other wolf, barely able to stand, bruised and battered. My chest tightened. Pride and stubbornness-two young wolves letting a whisper of a rumor drive them into near

ruin. And the real problem? The seed of division had already taken root. I hadn’t realized how far it had gone. That was probably why Kyle needed me to see it directly for myself.

I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to stay composed. “Do you understand the magnitude of this? A rumor-just a single rumor-and you’ve destroyed yourselves and damaged our training grounds. You’ve shown weakness, not strength.”

He nodded quickly, guilt evident despite the blood streaked across his face. “Yes, Alpha. It won’t happen again.”

I turned my gaze inward for a moment, letting the anger simmer beneath my skin. My wolf growled softly, restless. This wasn’t just about two foolish young wolves. The talk of a new alpha-Marcus-was already causing cracks in the pack. Division. Distrust. Even whispers among the younger wolves could ignite chaos if left unchecked. I could feel it already, the tension spreading like a silent contagion.

“Kyle,” I said, “ensure the healers tend to both immediately. The injuries are serious, and wolf healing will take time. Make sure their parents are brought to me. They need to answer for this.”

I surveyed the field. The idea of another alpha had infiltrated the minds of my wolves, creating doubts, stirring prideful fights, and weakening the cohesion I’d that too years to build.