Even so, thinking of everything we'd shared, I couldn't stop myself from offering him one last chance.
"Caelan, can you just not mate with her?"
He turned the teacup in his hands, over and over, his brow furrowed tight.
"Not mate with her? Mate with you instead?"
"Do you really have to force me to say it plainly?"
"She is the Grand Advisor's legitimate daughter. And you? A borderland wolf who knows nothing but foraging herbs and keeping a den. How could you possibly be fit to stand beside me as the recognized mate of a Pack Alpha Heir?"
The color drained from my face. I refused to let it go. "Do three years of what we had really mean nothing unless I have the right bloodline?"
A searing pain tore through my lower abdomen. I pressed both hands against my stomach, but I kept my eyes on him, waiting for his answer.
"In noble packs, bloodline and rank matter above all else. The line between a recognized mate and a kept wolf is absolute."
He paused, guilt flickering across his face.
"Sable might be carrying a pup."
The room tilted. I stared at him, unable to process what I'd just heard.
"Seraphina, her pup has to be recognized as the firstborn heir. That's the only way you'll be safe."