Kallias cut through another pine wood and smoothed it before erecting it to form one of the cottage’s pillars, his muscles protruding from his sleeves. “You enjoy your meal, sweetheart. Your Alpha King here is having way more fun than he expected.”

“Indeed, my back hurts already.” True enough, even when just being weeks pregnant, I am already feeling the first rough brunt of it. Not that I despise pregnancy; it’s an honor to be blessed. But sometimes, it’s tiring to be a woman. So tiring that you just want to sit down on the snow and stuff yourself with buttery steaks and chocolate cakes—like what I’m doing now.

I...