My Baby Daddy Isn’t Human

Raelynn stood outside Elion's bedroom door, her fingers curled tightly around the handle of the small medical kit she had brought with her. Her heart thumped steadily in her chest, but she wasn't sure if it was nerves or something else entirely. She had been pacing in the hallway for nearly five minutes, unable to bring herself to knock. The large door loomed in front of her, imposing yet strangely inviting.

Her thoughts were all over the place, fighting against each other.

She knew he had been injured the night before. She had seen the blood, had wrapped his hand herself, but even then, she hadn't been able to shake off the feeling that it wasn't enough. He had acted indifferent to the wound, as if it was nothing, but Raelynn couldn't ignore the gnawing concern inside her. She had barely slept, replaying the moment over and over, wondering if she should have insisted on checking him again.

Yet, here she was. Stuck.

She bit her lip and lifted her hand, hesitating just inches away from the door before letting it drop back down. She repeated the action, raising her knuckles as if to knock, only to second-guess herself at the last second. Her fingers twitched against the surface, her breaths coming slightly quicker as frustration crept in.

Why was this so difficult?

She wasn't sure if it was because of rule—no one was allowed to enter Elion's room without permission—or if it was something else entirely.

Before she could overthink it any further, the door suddenly swung open.

Raelynn gasped, stumbling a step backward as Elion appeared in the doorway, his presence consuming the space. He wasn't dressed in his usual sharp attire, but rather a loose black shirt, the fabric slightly rumpled, as if he had just woken up. His silver hair was slightly tousled, falling over his forehead in a way that made him look both effortlessly handsome and devastatingly tired.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, Elion tilted his head slightly, his gaze flicking down to the medical kit in her hands before returning to her face. A smirk, barely there but unmistakable, tugged at the corner of his lips.

"You're going to wear a hole into the floor if you keep pacing like that," he said, his voice deep and laced with amusement.

Raelynn's cheeks flushed, and she gripped the handle of the kit tighter. "I—" She hesitated, then straightened her posture. "I wanted to check on your wound."

Elion arched an eyebrow. "Didn't we already establish that I don't need to be fussed over?"

Raelynn's lips pressed into a thin line. "You lost a lot of blood."

"It wasn't that much."

"You were bleeding through the bandage."

His smirk widened slightly, as if he found her concern amusing. "And yet, here I stand. Perfectly fine."

With an irritated breath, she shook her head. "Just let me check it."

Elion regarded her for a long moment, then stepped aside, pushing the door open a little wider. "If it will put your mind at ease, be my guest."

She hesitated only briefly before stepping inside. The atmosphere shifted the moment she entered—his room felt nothing like the rest of the mansion.

The space was vast, but unlike the luxurious, opulent halls she had grown accustomed to, Elion's room was distinctly personal. The walls were a deep shade of charcoal, complemented by dark curtains that hung heavily over tall windows, allowing only slivers of soft daylight to seep through. The bed, large and covered in dark sheets, sat neatly against one side of the room, the pillows slightly disturbed as if he had been lying there just moments before she arrived.

Elion walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. He stretched out his injured hand toward her, palm up, without a word.

Raelynn hesitated before moving closer, carefully kneeling beside him on the bed. The mattress dipped slightly beneath her weight, the closeness between them suddenly feeling almost too much. Swallowing, she set the medical kit beside her and reached for his hand. Her fingers barely grazed his skin as she started to unwrap the bandage, and yet, she felt the warmth of his palm against hers, sending a subtle but undeniable sensation through her.

Her focus stayed on the task, carefully lifting the blood-soaked bandage away from his skin. The wound was still visible, the gash deep enough that it should have taken much longer to heal, but already, it looked significantly better than it had the night before.

Raelynn inhaled sharply. "It's healing fast."

Elion hummed, watching her intently. "Really?"

She wondered if she was making a big deal out of nothing, or if Elion was just unbothered.

She glanced up at him then, their eyes meeting for just a second before she quickly looked away. She picked up a fresh cloth, soaked it in antiseptic, and pressed it lightly to his wound. She could feel his eyes on her, watching her with that same neutral expression. Raelynn focused on the task at hand, refusing to let herself be distracted.

As she wrapped the new bandage around his palm, tying it securely, Elion suddenly lifted his other hand. Before she could react, his fingers brushed against her cheek, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Raelynn stilled.

Her breath caught in her throat, her hands frozen where they rested on his. The warmth of his touch lingered against her skin, sending an unfamiliar shiver down her spine. Her heart pounded hard, loud enough that she was certain he could hear it.

Elion's voice was low when he spoke next. "You're staring."

Raelynn snapped her gaze away, heat rushing to her face. "No, I'm not."

Elion chuckled softly, the sound deep and rich. He didn't argue, but his smirk told her he knew better. He let his hand drop back to his side, as if nothing had happened, as if the brief moment between them had been insignificant.

But Raelynn felt it.

The shift.

She felt it.