Chapter 4 FOUR

Absolutely! I can continue the story seamlessly in a proper chapter format without using “erm” or dashes. Before I start, I want to clarify the direction:

From your last excerpt:

Sophie has just confirmed she is pregnant.

Dominic has been avoiding her since the night in the garden, calling what they shared a mistake.

Camille is an obstacle, and Sophie is determined to tell Dominic about the baby.

Sophie gripped the pregnancy test in her hand as she made her way back through the gala. The glittering hall, filled with laughter and clinking glasses, felt suffocating. Every glance from the crowd reminded her that she did not belong here. Not tonight, not with Dominic so close yet so untouchable.

She spotted him across the room. His back was straight, shoulders squared, a mask of composure carefully in place. Camille’s hand rested lightly on his arm, a silent claim that made Sophie's chest tighten. She could see the way Dominic’s jaw tensed whenever Camille smiled, and it fueled a fire in her that she could no longer contain.

She forced herself forward, weaving through the guests. Her heart thudded violently in her chest, echoing the chaos in her mind. She would not be stopped tonight. Dominic needed to know. He had the right to know.

When she reached him, Dominic was already looking down at a document in his hand, his blue eyes scanning the page with intense focus. She cleared her throat.

Dominic looked up immediately. His expression hardened. "Sophie," he said, his tone clipped.

"I need to talk to you," she said firmly, holding up the test strip. His eyes flicked to it, and for the first time, the carefully constructed mask of control faltered.

"Not now," he said, his voice low. He stepped slightly back, putting space between them, but Sophie did not move. She could feel the weight of his gaze pressing against her, and it made her knees weak.

"This is not something that can wait," she insisted. "You need to know."

Dominic’s jaw tightened, and his eyes darkened. "Sophie, I told you before. Whatever happened that night—" He cut himself off, swallowing hard. "It was a mistake."

Sophie’s hands shook. "It wasn’t a mistake. I’m pregnant." She lifted the test strip higher, forcing him to see the undeniable proof.

For a moment, Dominic did not move. The entire room seemed to fade around them. Then his hand went to his mouth, and he exhaled slowly, like he had been holding his breath for months.

"You’re… pregnant," he repeated. His voice was rough, almost breaking. He looked at her, eyes wide, as if trying to reconcile the woman before him with the consequences of the life she now carried.

"Yes," Sophie said softly. "Our child, Dominic."

He ran a hand over his face, the weight of the revelation settling heavily across his broad shoulders. "Why didn’t you tell me sooner?" he asked, almost in a whisper.

"I was scared," she admitted. "Scared you would hate me. Scared you would leave me. Scared that everything we ever shared would be lost."

Dominic’s wolf growled softly in his mind, and he clenched his fists. The raw pull of the bond between them surged, stronger than ever. "Sophie," he said finally, his voice tight, "I… I don’t know what to say."

"You don’t have to say anything yet," she replied. "But you need to know that this is real. That you are part of this, whether you accept it or not."

Dominic closed his eyes for a long moment. When he opened them, his gaze had softened, vulnerability shining through the storm of emotions. "I am not walking away from this," he said slowly. "From you. From our child. I swear."

Sophie felt tears prick her eyes. Relief, fear, desire, and hope tangled together in a knot in her chest. She had waited so long for him to see the truth, and finally, he was here. Present. Fully aware of what they had created together.

Camille’s voice drifted toward them, sharp and cutting. "Dominic, are you coming? We have more guests to greet."

Dominic turned slightly, but his hand moved to cover Sophie’s, a silent claim. "Not yet," he said. Then he looked back at her. "We have a lot to talk about, Sophie. A lot."

Sophie nodded, clutching the test strip. The world outside this moment did not matter. She had him now, and he would not walk away.

For the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself to breathe. Their future, messy and uncertain, had begun.