Chapter 225
Elle’s POV
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The morning three days later, Brad insisted on taking me to the Rayne Medical Center for my routine prenatal checkup.
“This is incredible,” I murmured as the technician positioned the probe on my rounded belly. The screen came alive with detailed images of our baby, moving and stretching in real–time,
“Mrs. Rayne,” the doctor said with a warm smile, “we have something special for you today. Our four–dimensional animation system can create a predictive model of your child’s development from birth through adulthood.”
I felt Brad’s hand tighten around mine as we watched the technician work.
“There we go,” the technician announced. The computer screen filled with a remarkably detailed animation of our baby’s face, slowly morphing and changing to show predicted growth patterns.
Brad leaned forward, his amber eyes wide with wonder. “This little guy… this is my son?”
The doctor nodded, clearly pleased with Brad’s reaction. “Indeed, Mr. Rayne. And if I may say so, he’s going to be quite handsome – takes after his father.” She gestured to the screen, which now showed a series of images depicting our child from birth through age eighteen. “The animation shows strong resemblance to your facial structure, with some of the more delicate features from his mother.”
I craned my neck to get a better look, fascinated by this glimpse into our future.
As the animation progressed through the years, I watched our son grow from a chubby toddler into a lean teenager. The resemblance to Brad became more pronounced with each passing year, but there were echoes of my own features woven throughout.
Then the eighteen–year–old version appeared on screen, and I gasped.
“Oh my God,” I breathed, staring at the impossibly beautiful young man on the monitor. The digital rendering showed someone who had inherited the best of both our genetics – Brad’s sculpted features and commanding presence, combined with a softer, more approachable quality that must have come from me. “Brad, he’s going to be absolutely stunning.”
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I felt Brad stiffen beside me, and when I glanced at him, his expression had darkened slightly.
“He looks just like you,” I continued, studying the screen. “But somehow… I don’t know, maybe it’s the way they’ve rendered it, but he looks even more…” I paused, searching for the right word. “More refined? Like a more polished version of you.”
The moment the words left my mouth, I realized my mistake. Brad’s grip on my hand loosened, and I could practically feel the waves of Alpha displeasure radiating from him.
“Brad, our son is going to be more handsome than you are!” I said without thinking.
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The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Brad’s amber eyes flashed with an emotion I rarely saw – wounded prida mixed with something that looked suspiciously like jealousy,
More handsome?‘ he repeated, his voice carefully controlled.
The medical staff exchanged knowing glances. I could see them struggling not to smile at the sight of the powerful Alpha CEO being upstaged by his own unborn child.
“Perhaps we should conclude the examination,” Brad said tersely, rising from his chair. “Doctor, please send all the imaging files to my grandmother immediately. We need to leave.”
1 blinked in confusion. But Brad, we haven’t finished-
“We’re done here,” he said firmly, his hand already at the small of my back, guiding me toward the door.
The medical team nodded with understanding. They’d clearly witnessed this scenario before – Alpha males didn’t appreciate being told
they’d been outdone, even by their own offspring.
As we left the medical center, I noticed Brad’s jaw was set in a hard line. The ride home was unusually quiet, with Brad staring out the
window while our driver navigated the traffic.
The moment we stepped through the front door of our house, I watched Brad make a beeline for the nearest mirror. He stood there for a long moment, studying his reflection with an intensity that would have been amusing if it weren’t so endearing.
*Brad?” I approached him cautiously. “What are you doing?”
He turned to face me, his amber eyes troubled. “Elle… honey… am I getting old?”
I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. Here was this powerful Alpha werewolf, feared and respected throughout Moonshade Bay.
worried about losing a beauty contest to his own son.
“Old?” I repeated, moving closer to frame his face with my hands. “What brought this on?”
“You said he was more handsome than me,” Brad said, his voice carrying a note of genuine insecurity I’d never heard before. “More
refined. More polished.”
I looked into his eyes – those beautiful amber depths that had captured my heart from the very beginning. Then I let my gare travel over his perfectly sculpted features, taking in every detail that made him uniquely, devastatingly attractive.
“Hmm,” I said thoughtfully, pretending to consider the matter seriously. “You know what? You’re right.”
Brad’s face fell.
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“He is definitely going to be prettier than you, I continued with mock seriousness. “Definitely has that youthful glow you’re lacking.”
The wounded expression on Brad’s face was almost comical. I waited just long enough for the panic to really set in before adding, “But
he’s also going to be less mature than you. Less… experienced.”
Brad’s eyebrows rose slightly.
The relief in his eyes was unmistakable, and I made a mental note to be more careful with my phrasing in the future.
Brad was nuzzling my neck, clearly intent on celebrating his restored confidence, when I gently pushed him away.
“We can’t,” I said regretfully. “Remember? We promised your grandmother we’d be at the estate for dinner tonight.*
Brad groaned against my shoulder. “I hate that Lucas coming back means we have to follow all these formal family meal traditions again.
When it was just us, we could do whatever we wanted.”
“The rules aren’t for us,” I pointed out. “They’re for Lucas. Elizabeth is trying to give him structure, remember?*
“How has he been doing at the company, anyway?” I asked as we made our way upstairs to change for dinner.
Brad’s expression darkened. “About as well as expected. He took over that advertising subsidiary three days ago and he’s already sleeping
with his secretary. There are rumors flying around the entire building.”
I raised an eyebrow. “That was fast. What about Mira?”
“She doesn’t seem to care,” Brad said with a shrug. “She’s not here because she wants Lucas. She’s here because she wants back into the
Rayne family power structure. Lucas is just her ticket in.”
“And Lucas doesn’t realize this?”
“Lucas doesn’t realize much of anything, Brad said dismissively. “He’s always been easily manipulated. Mira’s just the latest in a long line
of people who’ve figured that out.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
