Sule: Is she still with you? I’m coming to the room.
Malakai’s warning had clearly already dragged him from the council chamber.
Rhen’s thumb moved rapidly across the screen.
Rhen: Move. She’s about to drop your heir on my fucking shitkickers.
The reply indicator had barely vanished when footsteps thundered down the corridor.
The door slammed open.
Sule entered with murder and terror written across his face. His gaze found Rhen first, then dropped immediately to Leena folded against him.
For one heartbeat, the two males looked at each other.
The old, unspoken truth passed between them—Rhen loved her, Sule knew it, and neither had ever doubted where Leena’s heart or Rhen’s loyalty belonged.
There was no rivalry here.
Only fear.
Sule dropped beside them and reached for her hand.
“I’m here, my love.”
Leena’s fingers closed around his without her opening her eyes.
Rhen kept one arm braced around her only until Sule had secured her other side. He would not release her abruptly while her legs were still failing.
“What took you so fucking—”
Rhen stopped himself.
Now was not the time.
“We need the birth medic.”
Sule nodded.
“Call her.”
Rhen hit star four—the compound’s royal medical emergency line—and ordered the birth medic to the eastern suite.
Leena’s hands searched blindly between the two males.
Rhen caught one.
Sule held the other.
Her body trembled violently, hair sticking to her cheeks while she fought for breath.
“You’ve got this,” Rhen said close to her ear. “Hold on.”
Sule stroked his thumb repeatedly over her knuckles.
“I’m right here.”
The door opened again.
