The Substitute Bride Is Reborn and Loves Her Husband No more - Chapter 69

Chapter 69: A mother’s warmth

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Rose’s body arched beneath Rolan, her fingers tangled in his hair. His lips skimmed her jaw, his breath warm against her skin. Every part of her was drowning in him, in this, in the reckless pull that had taken over—

“Mummy?”

Everything. Stopped.

Rose’s wolf ears twitched. Her entire body went rigid.

A small voice. Sleepy. Unaware. But real.

Her heart plunged into her stomach.

Tobi.

Her son was awake.

And he was coming.

Her eyes flew open, panic crashing over her in a violent wave. She shoved hard at Rolan’s chest.

“Get up,” she whisper-yelled. “Get. Up!”

Rolan, still caught in the haze, blinked at her. “What—?”

Rose shoved him again. “Tobi is coming, you idiot!”

That did it.

Rolan jerked upright, realization slamming into him like a truck.

They scrambled.

Rose snatched the blanket up, throwing it over herself as Rolan practically leaped off the bed, grabbing at his clothes. He moved fast—too fast—because the next thing she knew, he was tripping over his pants, nearly face-planting onto the floor.

Rose gaped at him. “Are you serious?”

” sorry bunny, I’m working on it!” he hissed back, struggling to yank his shirt over his head.

The door handle jiggled.

Rose’s stomach dropped.

Shit. Shit.

Tobi was seconds away.

“Hide!” Rose whisper-screamed.

“Where?!”

Rose’s eyes darted across the room. There was nowhere. Nowhere!

The door creaked open.

Rose snapped back around, throwing herself onto the bed and yanking the sheets up just as Tobi stepped in.

Her son stood there, half-wrapped in his favorite blanket, his curly hair a mess of sleep.

He rubbed his eyes. “Mummy?”

Rose forced her voice into something calm. “Hey, baby. What’s wrong?”

Tobi yawned. “I had a bad dream.”

Rose nodded too quickly. “Oh. Yeah. Dreams are… bad.”

Tobi just stared at her.

Then—his nose scrunched.

He sniffed the air.

Rose’s soul left her body.

Oh, no.

He was a pup.

He could smell things.

The sweat. The heat. The scent of Rolan still thick in the room.

Rolan.

Who was still here.

Rose’s eyes flicked downward.

Rolan was on the floor, half-crouched beside the bed, frantically trying to squeeze under it.

Her chest nearly caved in.

Tobi frowned. “It smells weird in here.”

Rose panicked. “D-Does it?” She forced a laugh. Too fake. Too loud. “That’s just—I was, um—CLEANING! Yes! Cleaning! Just before you came in!”

Tobi’s expression did not change.

Rose could feel the tension tighten.

Then—

A soft thud.

Rose stiffened.

Tobi’s ears twitched.

His gaze snapped downward.

Toward the floor.

Toward the tiny sliver of movement beneath the bed.

Rose prayed to the gods.

After a long, agonizing pause, Tobi slowly took a step forward.

Rose’s heart lunged up her throat.

Her son reached for the bedframe.

He was going to look.

“SWEETHEART!”

Tobi froze.

Rose lunged forward, grabbing him into the tightest hug of his life.

Tobi flailed. “Mummy?”

“Wow, look at you! You’re getting so big!” She laughed. Hysterically. “Why don’t we go get some warm milk, huh? You love warm milk!”

Tobi stared at her. Then tried to turn his head.

Rose grabbed his face immediately.

“Eye contact, honey! We love eye contact, don’t we?”

Tobi squinted. “Mummy, why are you acting weird?”

Rose forced another too-wide smile. “What? I’m not acting weird. You’re acting weird.”

Tobi blinked. “No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

Tobi narrowed his eyes.

Then—his nose twitched.

He sniffed the air.

Rose’s soul disintegrated.

His expression flattened.

“Mummy.”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

Tobi crossed his arms. “Why does it smell like Uncle Rolan in here?”

Rose. Stopped. Breathing.

From under the bed, Rolan made the faintest choking sound.

She was going to die. Right here. Right now.

Rose snapped into DEFCON 1 mode.

“Oh, sweetheart, that’s crazy, you must be really tired, let’s get you back to bed before you start smelling other things like—like ghosts! Haha!”

Tobi wasn’t buying it.

He started to turn his head again.

Rose grabbed him faster. “Alright! Time for sleep! Let’s go! Out we go!”

“But—”

“Nope! No buts! Straight to bed!”

She all but shoved him out of the room.

Tobi grumbled as she led him down the hall, his little feet dragging against the floor. “Mummy, you’re acting really weird.”

“No, I’m not.”

Tobi frowned.

Then, his ears twitched again.

From behind them—

A loud, THUNDEROUS sneeze exploded from her room.

Rose went stiff.

Tobi froze.

His eyes widened.

“Wait a sec—”

“GOOD NIGHT, SWEETHEART!”

Rose quickly ushered Tobi into his room, guiding him inside with a firm but gentle push before shutting the door behind him.

A beat of silence.

Then—

From the other side—

“Mummy?”

Rose pressed her forehead to the door, whispering every curse known to wolfkind.

Tobi’s voice was muffled. “I think there’s a man in your room.”

Rose exhaled.

“Go to sleep, Tobi.”

Silence.

Then—

“…Okay.”

Rose waited until she was sure he wasn’t coming back.

Then, very, very slowly, she turned back toward her room.

Rolan was leaning against the doorframe, smirking.

She glared daggers.

“Not. A. Word.”

Rolan’s smirk widened.

And just like that—

Rose slammed the door in his face.

…

Rose took a deep breath before stepping into Tobi’s room, the lingering embarrassment from earlier still warming her cheeks. But that didn’t matter now. Tobi mattered.

He was curled up on his bed, small hands hugging his blanket. His big, golden eyes peeked at her through the dim light. Still awake.

She felt the weight of guilt settle in her chest.

He needed her. And instead of being there, she had been caught up in something reckless.

Rose slowly sat beside him, her fingers smoothing over his messy curls. He leaned into her touch, his little wolf instincts craving comfort.

“Hey, baby,” she murmured, soft, warm. “I’m sorry.”

Tobi blinked sleepily. “For what?”

Rose’s lips parted—then closed. How could she explain it? That she wasn’t as present as she should have been? That she had let herself get carried away, lost in something that—

Something that might not even last.

She sighed, brushing his hair back. “For not coming sooner.”

Tobi yawned. “It’s okay.” He snuggled closer. “I miss you and I was scared because of the bad dream.”

Rose’s heart clenched. This was her pup. Her world.

She kissed the top of his head. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

Before she didn’t have his time,but now she does.

He shook his head. Then, after a pause—”Can you read me a story?”

A small smile tugged at her lips. This, she could do.

She reached for one of his favorite books—a worn-out tale about a brave little wolf finding his home. Tobi curled up against her side as she began reading, her voice soft, steady.

As the words flowed, her mind drifted.

Would this always happen? Would she always be overwhelmed by this… this heat? This need?

Would she always need Rolan to ease it?

Her throat tightened.

She wasn’t naïve. She knew how mates worked. How bonds tangled and pulled until they became impossible to ignore. But was this real? Or was it just… instinct?

She glanced down at Tobi, his breathing slow, peaceful.

This was real.

She kissed his forehead, whispering, “I love you, baby.”

A sleepy murmur. “Love you too, Mummy.”

And as she held him close, Rose promised herself—no matter what happened with Rolan, no matter what she felt—Tobi would always come first.

….

Big appreciation to the readers who supported me with power stones this week! (Sorry, I’m jealous of the numbers or people that supported me. Thanks, y’all! The names are many, so I can’t mention everyone.)