<h4>Chapter 331: Nightly Routine</h4>


    <strong>Evaline:</strong>


    The fire crackled softly in front of me, the golden glow chasing away the chill that lingered even through the heavy drapes.


    I was curled up on the long couch with myptop bnced across my thighs. My fingers were flying across the keyboard as I typed out the notes I had beenpiling all evening.


    The tablety beside me, open to the PDF Kyros had sent earlier in the afternoon. It had summaries of everything covered in ss from Tuesday through today. It wasn’t much, just the basics of the new term, but that didn’t matter.


    I didn’t want to let things pile up until I felt buried. Thest thing I needed was to return to the Academy and drown in half-finished assignments.


    So here I was, a Friday night, not at the Academy or bundled in bed, but hunched over my screen, tapping away like the model student everyone still expected me to be.


    An entire hour had slipped past without me noticing. I only realized how long I had been sitting here when a gentle knock sounded on my door. I didn’t need to look up to know who it was.


    A secondter, the door pushed open, and Oscar stepped inside.


    I nced at the clock on myptop - it was a little past nine. We had all gone our separate ways after dinner, each retreating into our own rooms. After changing into pajamas, I had gotten straight to work and hadn’t moved since.


    "You have been at it long enough, haven’t you?" His voice was smooth, with that quiet authority he carried everywhere, but softer now that it was just for me.


    I offered him a sheepish smile. "I wanted to get through these notes before the weekend."


    He sat down beside me on the couch, his shoulder brushing mine. His eyes flicked to theptop screen before settling back on my face. "How much longer?"


    I blinked at him, thenughed softly. "None." With a decisive snap, I shut theptop closed and reached for the tablet. Both devices went onto the coffee table, their glowing screens reced by the warmth of firelight.


    I turned and burrowed against Oscar’s side, letting out a sigh I hadn’t realized I was holding.


    His arm wrapped around me instantly, pulling me tight against his chest. The scent of him - fresh, crisp, faintly woodsy - seeped into my lungs and eased something inside me.


    For a long time, neither of us spoke. We simply sat together, the steady rise and fall of his breathing syncing with mine. The baby gave a sudden kick, and I couldn’t help but giggle.


    His lips curved in the faintest smile. "Someone’s restless tonight."


    "Or maybe just excited," I teased, pressing his hand to the spot where the movement had been strongest.


    Another kick followed, and both of us chuckled at the tiny life squirming inside me. This had be part of our routine... pausing each evening to feel our pup moving, to marvel at the miracle we were eagerly waiting to wee.


    During the holidays, both Oscar and Draven had made it their mission to experience almost every flutter, every roll of the pup. It had grown into a ritual that none of us wanted to miss.


    Oscar shifted suddenly, his arm sliding under my knees as he lifted me with ease. I let out a startled squeak and wrapped my arms around his neck.


    "You need to rest," he said simply, carrying me the short distance to the bed.


    The mattress dipped as heid me down, then joined me, propping himself against the headboard with me tucked against his chest.


    Since it was the weekend, he hade straight home from the Academy as soon as hisst ss ended that afternoon.


    On the other side, Draven hadn’t been as lucky. His Lunar Energy and Moon Cycles ss dragged onte into the night, and he wouldn’t return until morning. I missed him, but I knew better than to distrcat him from his studies.


    For now, it was just Oscar and me.


    At least, until another knock sounded at the door.


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    This one was softer, more measured. I didn’t even need a bond to know who it was.


    Sure enough, River entered after a pause. His damp hair was brushing his temples, ck pajama shirt hanging loose against his lean, yet muscr frame. His gaze flicked briefly to Oscar, then settled on me with quiet intent.


    Oscar didn’t even look surprised, he just simply announced, "Time for your nightly massage."


    I smiled faintly. This too had be routine. Every night, River came to my room after dinner to ease the tension in my feet and legs with his skilled hands.


    At first, I had protested, insisting he didn’t need to, but now... I couldn’t imagine going without it. My body had grown addicted to the relief he brought, the way he seemed to know every knot, every ache before I could evenin about it.


    Without a word, River crossed the room, picked up the small bottle of oil from the bedside table drawer, and sat at the edge of the bed. He lifted my feet into hisp, the warmth of his palms seeping into my skin as he began to work.


    My head tilted back against Oscar’s chest, a soft sigh slipping past my lips as River’s fingers pressed expertly into the arches of my feet. He moved slowly, deliberately, each stroke designed to melt away the heaviness of the day.


    Oscar reached for the book resting on the nightstand, the one he had been reading aloud to me each night while River massaged me. His voice flowed smoothly through the room, weaving the story’s words into the rhythm of River’s touch.


    Thebination was almost too much. My eyes fluttered closed, my body sinking deeper intofort, drifting on the edge of sleep.


    Until I felt the hem of my nightshirt being lifted.


    My eyes snapped open, and I found myself staring into River’s deep green gaze. He held up a small bottle of stretch-mark oil in silent exnation before pushing the fabric higher, baring my bump to the soft glow of the firelight.


    His hands moved with even more care now, spreading the oil across my skin in long, gentle motions. The touch was reverent, almost worshipful, as though he feared pressing too hard, feared causing even the smallest harm.


    I watched him quietly, my breath catching in my throat at the tenderness in his eyes and the way he was touching me.


    Oscar was watching me instead, a knowing smirk ying at the corner of his mouth. I didn’t need the bond to tell me he felt the shift in my heartbeat, the way it skipped under River’s touch.


    I spared him a quick nce and the smile on his lips only grew bigger. He was probably even more aware of my feelings for River than I myself was.


    When River finished, he tugged my shirt back down with the same precision, as though these past five or so minutes weren’t enough to make me forgot how to breathe. He set the bottle aside and rose smoothly to his feet.


    "Goodnight," he said softly, as he always did.


    He turned to leave.


    But my hand shot out before he could take a step, my fingers curling around his arm.


    He stilled, and surprise flickered in his eyes as he turned back to me.


    Slowly, I shifted my gaze toward Oscar. My other mate was watching me closely, silently. I gave him a small signal, a tilt of my head, the barest nod.


    I didn’t need to speak the words out loud for him to understand what I wanted from him. But just because he understood didn’t mean he was happy about it. His smile immediately turned into a small pout for a second before he let out a sigh.


    "Alright," he murmured and then leaned down to press a brief kiss to my cheek. The warmth lingered even as he pulled away, standing to his feet.


    He let out another sigh that almost made me chuckle. The sound was heavy with reluctance, with unspoken emotions he didn’t quite manage to hide. But he didn’t argue. He walked to the door, opened it, and left, closing it behind him with a quiet click.


    The room fell into silence, broken only by the soft crackle of the fire.


    River remained standing by the bed, his deep green eyes fixed on me, sharp with questions he didn’t voice.


    And I sat there, with my heart thundering in my chest and my hand still tingling from the feel of his arm.


    * * *


    <strong>Author’s Note:</strong>


    Thank you everyone for your pick between a baby girl or a baby boy. I have made up my mind, and yourments even gave me ideas for future.


    Also, sorry for just one Chapter today. I’m busy running some errands. But I’ll make it up to you guys soon!!