Leila's POV:
When Drake said he had a child with Lily, my heart shattered into a thousand jagged pieces. So many insecurities came crashing down on me all at once. I had tried so hard to make him mine, to prove that I was strong enough to stand by his side as we sought revenge. But now, he was going to have a child with his childhood sweetheart. Where did that leave me?
My mind spiraled with doubt. How could I ever compare to Lily, the girl who had once held his heart? She would now be bound to him through their child, a connection that ran deep. As much as I wanted to push the feelings away, I couldn't ignore the fear creeping in, whispering that I might never truly be enough for him—that my place in his life was in danger.
But then I looked at Drake's face, his eyes filled with pleading and vulnerability. I could see the pain etched in his features, the lingering hurt from how Lily had abandoned him before. And I knew, in that moment, I couldn't leave him. I had already promised him that I wouldn't run away, no matter how hard things got. If I left now, I would be doing to him exactly what Lily had done. The thought of breaking him in that way, of adding to his pain, was unbearable.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay grounded. He had promised to help me with my revenge, and I couldn't abandon him now, not when he needed me the most. Drake might have a child with Lily, but I was still his mate. I still had a place in his life, didn't I? I wouldn't let this break us. I would stand by him, no matter what.
I could fight for him. I could be the partner he needed, even if it meant facing the presence of his past. Lily might be the mother of his child, but that didn't mean I had to fade into the background. I wouldn't disappear. I would help him, just as he had vowed to help me. We had both faced the harshest realities of life—abandonment, betrayal, and loss—and somehow, we had found each other. We were stronger together than apart.
As much as it hurt, I couldn't deny a child the love of a father. I knew too well what it was like to grow up without it. My father had been a cruel, heartless bastard, and I had vowed long ago that no child should ever endure that kind of loveless upbringing. Drake had lost his parents, and I knew he would give his child all the love he never had. He would be a far better father than my own ever was, and that was something I couldn't take away from him.
In the depths of my own pain, I found a strange sense of resolve. This child didn't mean the end of us; it simply meant that our future had shifted. I wasn't going anywhere. I would fight for my place in his life, for the bond we shared. No matter what came next, I would stand beside Drake, just as I always had.
Looking into his eyes, I felt the tears begin to blur my vision. My chest tightened with emotion, but I needed to speak, to let him know where I stood. With a shaky breath, I whispered, "I'll stand by you, Drake. I'll stay with you through this, but you have to promise me something." My voice cracked, the weight of the situation making it hard to hold steady. "You can never go back to Lily. I won't forgive you if you cheat on me with her. You're mine, Drake. I need to know that."
I blinked away the tears that were now slipping down my cheeks, and I continued, more firmly this time. "I'll give you all the space and time you need with your child, but not with her. I won't allow her to come between us. You and I—we're meant to be, and I refuse to let her take you away from me." The fear and vulnerability lingered, but beneath it was my fierce determination to protect what we had.
Drake's POV:
Her tears broke me. The moment they filled her eyes, my heart twisted painfully in my chest. I had known this would be hard for her, but seeing her on the verge of breaking because of something from my past—I felt like the worst kind of person.
She took a shaky breath, her voice trembling as she spoke. "I'll stand by you, Drake. I'll stay with you through this, but you have to promise me something." Her words were like a lifeline and a dagger all at once. I knew I didn't deserve her trust after the bombshell I'd just dropped, yet here she was, still holding on to me.
"You can never go back to Lily," she continued, her voice firmer now despite the tears streaming down her face. "I won't forgive you if you cheat on me with her. You're mine, Drake. I need to know that."
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. She had every right to be angry, to walk away, but instead, she was fighting for us. For me. Her tears and pain were for us, not just her own fears. It made me want to hold her tighter, protect her from all the hurt I had unintentionally caused.
"I'll give you all the space and time you need with your child, but not with her," she added, her tone resolute now. "I won't allow her to come between us. You and I—we're meant to be, and I refuse to let her take you away from me."
I reached out and cupped her face gently, my thumb wiping away her tears. "Leila," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "You are the one I love, the one I need. I swear to you, nothing will happen with Lily. I would never betray you like that." The thought of losing her terrified me more than anything Lily had ever done.
I kissed her forehead softly, a desperate need to reassure her flooding through me. "We'll get through this," I promised. "You and me. Together. Always."
We stood there for what felt like forever, wrapped in each other's presence as the weight of everything slowly settled around us. The silence between us wasn't uncomfortable—it was calming, like the storm had passed but left a lingering sense of quiet understanding. I could feel her breathing slow, her grip on me loosening slightly, and I knew she was starting to find her strength again.
When we were both calm, I pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. "Leila," I began carefully, "I think it's time you met Lily. We need to talk about how we're going to handle everything moving forward… about the arrangement."
I could see the flicker of hesitation in her eyes, but she nodded, her determination still strong. It wouldn't be easy, but it was necessary. I needed her to be a part of this—not just for me, but for her own peace of mind too. We would face this together, and no matter what happened, she would know that my heart belonged to her.