My Baby Daddy Isn’t Human

Reinhart stared at Raelynn as if he had just heard the most ridiculous thing in the world. His mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. He looked between her and Sloane, his brain clearly struggling to process the information he had just received.

"Wait... wait, wait, wait—what do you mean she's pregnant with Elion's child?!" he finally shouted, pointing dramatically at Raelynn's stomach as if that would somehow make the situation clearer.

Raelynn, already used to this reaction, simply sighed. She leaned back slightly against the couch, resting a hand on her stomach. She had gone through this same disbelief with Sloane, then Kade, then Zake. She was starting to wonder if anyone would ever just accept the fact without throwing a fit.

Sloane, however, didn't have the patience for Reinhart's theatrics. She scoffed, crossing her arms. "Do you need me to explain how pregnancy works, or can you Google it yourself?"

Reinhart shot her a glare. "That's not what I meant, Sloane!" His voice was laced with exasperation as he turned back to Raelynn. "This is impossible! You're messing with me, right?"

Raelynn tilted her head, her expression unreadable. "I thought so too."

Reinhart let out a strangled groan, running a hand down his face. His eyes darted around the room as if searching for some sort of hidden camera that would confirm this was all a prank. Finally, he took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. "Elion can't have children."

Sloane shrugged nonchalantly. "Guess you were wrong. Count it as a miracle."

Reinhart looked like he was about to pass out. He pointed at Raelynn's stomach again, then back at Sloane, then at Hera, his expression pure disbelief. He moved his lips, as if trying to form words, but nothing came out for a solid five seconds. Finally, he gasped dramatically.

"So you're telling me... my niece or nephew is in there?"

Raelynn instinctively placed a hand over her stomach at his words. Reinhart, on the other hand, staggered backward like a man who had just been told the sky was falling. He reached out toward Hera, his expression dazed.

"Please," he muttered, "come pat me, Hera. I feel weak."

Without hesitation, Sloane lifted her hand and slapped the back of his head.

"Get yourself together, idiot."

Reinhart groaned, rubbing the sore spot, but before he could complain further, another voice sliced through the room.

"Enough."

Raelynn turned to see Kade rushing inside, his expression sharp. In an instant, he placed himself directly in front of her, his stance rigid and protective. His entire body radiated tension, like a knight ready to draw his sword.

His eyes locked onto Reinhart with open suspicion. "I don't know what you're planning, Reinhart, but that's enough. If you try anything with Raelynn, Elion will punish you."

Reinhart blinked at him, then sighed. "Try what? I haven't even done anything yet."

"So, you do want to do something, then."

Reinhart turned his head lazily, his smirk twitching. "I did not say that."

Kade scoffed. "You just admitted it."

Reinhart rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. "No, I didn't. You're twisting my words."

"I don't need to twist anything," Kade shot back. "You're the one acting suspicious. First, you corner Raelynn, now you're playing games with words. Why are you even here?"

"I'm here to visit my dear brother, of course," Reinhart said smoothly, placing a hand over his chest in mock sincerity. "But since he's nowhere to be found, I figured I'd entertain myself with the company available."

"More like bother everyone in sight," Kade muttered under his breath.

Reinhart smirked. "If you're so worried, why don't you go running to Elion like the loyal dog you are? Maybe he'll pat your head for being so obedient."

Raelynn, watching the interaction unfold, tilted her head slightly. "People seem really wary of you."

Hera, standing beside her, nodded firmly. "That can't be helped. Reinhart is a troublemaker."

At that, Reinhart let out a loud, exaggerated gasp, placing a hand over his chest like he had been mortally wounded. "Hera, you wound me! I thought we were special!"

"No one ever said that," Hera deadpanned.

Kade, still standing between Raelynn and Reinhart, narrowed his eyes. "So nothing happened here?"

Kade's gaze swept the room, sharp and calculating. His eyes flickered over Raelynn, then to Hera, before finally landing back on Reinhart, who still looked far too amused for someone being accused of wrongdoing.

Raelynn could almost see the gears turning in Kade's head, as if he was mentally piecing together every possible scenario that could have unfolded before his arrival. His usual composed demeanor had cracked—just a little—but it was enough for her to notice.

This was the first time she'd seen Kade act even remotely frantic. Normally, he was as unreadable as Elion, always calm, always steady. But now?

Sloane smirked. "Don't worry, we were just telling him the big news." She casually leaned against the armrest of the couch, glancing at Kade. "That he's going to be an uncle."

Reinhart, finally recovering from his dramatic display, exhaled loudly. "Fine, fine. I'll hear the full story from Elion later. No need for everyone to keep treating me like some kind of criminal." He rolled his shoulders before plopping down into one of the armchairs like he owned the place.

Just as the atmosphere finally began to settle, Reinhart casually asked, "So, when is Elion coming back from his trip?"

Silence.

Raelynn, who had just reached for her cup of tea, froze. Her fingers trembled slightly, the liquid inside rippling as her grip unconsciously tightened. Slowly, she looked up.

"Elion... is on a trip?"

The way she said it sent a wave of tension through the room.

Hera visibly stiffened, her eyes darting to the floor. Kade looked anywhere but at Raelynn, suddenly very interested in a crack on the marble tile. Sloane let out a sharp breath, pressing her fingers against her temple as if suppressing an oncoming headache.

And Reinhart... well, Reinhart looked confused as hell.

He glanced around at everyone, frowning. "...Did I just say something I shouldn't have?"