Chapter 198: Chapter 198 - A Hybrid Future
Atlas held Morganna close in his arms for a moment. Neither of them spoke, and in that silence, words weren’t needed.
The Vampire Queen had always been cold by nature. Rarely did she ever share her thoughts in a way that could be called gentle. And yet, despite her sharp tongue and the constant stream of sarcasm that laced her words, she always carried out her duties flawlessly.
She cared, more than she let on. More than she allowed anyone to see.
And she had proven it countless times.
Throughout the Dominion Skirmish, Morganna had faced opponents far stronger than herself. And yet, she did. She fought relentlessly, pushing beyond her limits, standing beside him without ever taking a single step back.
Atlas’s grip tightened ever so slightly.
"Tell me," he said. "Are you pregnant?"
Morganna gave no answer.
Atlas let out a sharp breath, pulling back just enough to see her face. His hands shifted to her shoulders, his eyes searching desperately for any sign.
For the first time, she wasn’t avoiding his gaze. But she wasn’t meeting it either.
"Morganna..." His tone softened, his grip gentler now. "Please. Just tell me."
Seconds dragged on in silence. And then, finally, she nodded.
The smallest nod. Barely there. But enough.
Atlas’s breath caught, his chest tightening. His hands tensed on her shoulders as his mind scrambled to process what that single gesture meant.
She was pregnant. With his child.
His lips parted, but no words followed. Shock, disbelief, joy, fear, excitement. All of it crashed into him at once, twisting into something too heavy to name.
For a long moment, he could only stare at her, waiting for her to take it back, to tell him he had misunderstood.
But she didn’t.
Atlas let out a shaky breath. Then, he laughed. A genuine, breathless chuckle escaped his lips.
"Hah... You’re serious, aren’t you?"
Morganna’s expression hardened again, as if preparing to go back into her usual mask of indifference.
"Did I ever strike you as someone who jokes?"
Atlas shook his head, a grin slowly spreading across his face. "No. No, you didn’t."
His grip on her shoulders tightened slightly, but this time, it wasn’t from tension. It was from pure exhilaration.
"I’m going to be a father."
The words tumbled out of his mouth almost in disbelief, as if saying them out loud would make it feel more real.
Morganna let out a small sigh.
Atlas laughed again, this time fuller, warmer. He couldn’t contain it.
"You have no idea how happy I am right now."
For the first time, Morganna looked slightly flustered. It wasn’t much, just a small shift in her gaze, a barely noticeable twitch of her fingers.
"You are too easily pleased," she murmured.
Atlas smirked. "And you act too cold when I know you feel the same way."
She glared at him, but it wasn’t as sharp as before.
Atlas didn’t care. He was too damn happy. Never had he thought this far ahead.
At first, what happened between them had been something he hadn’t even fully realized. Something he hadn’t been aware of until it was too late to stop it.
But along the way, they had changed. Their bond had grown deeper, more emotional.
Even though their communication was never perfect, they understood each other without needing to say much.
They knew their roles without long discussions. And despite her cold nature, he knew that Morganna respected him. Just as much as he respected her.
And now, they were about to face something new together.
Atlas couldn’t hold back his excitement and immediately asked again. "How long?"
Morganna exhaled, looking slightly irritated before answering, "In three months."
Three months!
Atlas’ chest tightened, but this time, it was pure joy. He grinned, barely able to contain himself before pulling Morganna into another hug.
Morganna clicked her tongue.
"You’re being excessive. You’re crossing the line." She glared, her tone filled with warning. "Let go before I make you regret it."
Atlas chuckled but obeyed, reluctantly pulling away, though his grin never faded.
Then, Morganna narrowed her eyes at him. "Don’t tell anyone." Her voice was cold. "I hate it."
Atlas blinked, his excitement momentarily cooling as he processed her words.
She wanted to keep it a secret.
He wasn’t entirely surprised. Morganna had always been private, reserved, and never one to invite unnecessary attention.
But still... this wasn’t just about her anymore.
His thoughts began to spiral.
This woman, this Vampire Queen, had existed for thousands of years before he had even been born.
And yet...
His first child, his very first child, was going to be born from a being who had lived thousands of lifetimes before him.
Atlas wasn’t sure how to wrap his head around that.
But something else lingered in his mind.
Would his seed even be strong enough to form a perfect hybrid?
Would the child be a Vampire? Or would it be human?
He had no idea.
Maybe he would ask Edrik later. If anyone knew about something this bizarre, it would be him. Morganna definitely wouldn’t give him any detailed answers.
Atlas was still tangled in his thoughts when Morganna let out a sharp sigh.
"Can you stop this and just leave already," she said flatly.
The words pulled him back, snapping him from his haze. He blinked at her in surprise, then chuckled. "I can’t help it."
"What do you need?" he pressed gently. "What can I prepare for you?"
"Blood. I need more blood."
Atlas raised an eyebrow. "Is mine enough?"
She shot him a glare. "Yes, but I’d have to suck you dry."
He smiled faintly, recognizing the cold exaggeration in her tone, typical Morganna.
"I’ll just ask Lyrassa to heal me instead. That’s fine."
Turning away, she waved him off as if he were nothing but a nuisance. "Just go. I need to rest."
But just as she turned away, Atlas reached out and caught her wrist. Gently, not restraining, but enough to stop her.
She froze. Their eyes locked, and in that silence, an entire storm of unspoken emotions passed between them.
His grip softened, sliding down until only his fingertips lingered against hers. Then, slowly, he raised his right hand, cupping her pale cheek.
Morganna didn’t flinch. She didn’t pull away. Her skin was cold, as it had always been. But to him, it no longer felt distant.
Atlas stepped closer, his breath warm in the fragile space between them.
Her gaze lowered, a flicker of something uncharacteristic in her expression.
And then, Atlas leaned in. His lips brushed hers, soft and deliberate, slow enough to give her every chance to turn away.
They had fought side by side, survived countless battles together, danced on the edge of life and death. Even if, for Morganna, it had only been a fleeting span of time. Just a few months. Less than a year.
Atlas slowly pulled back, his eyes never leaving hers.
Morganna didn’t retreat. She didn’t speak. She didn’t strike him down.
For the first time... she let him in.
Atlas still remembered the hatred that had once burned in her eyes the moment he had first summoned her. But now? That hatred was gone.
"You don’t need to fight too much for now," he murmured. "That’s for the baby."
Morganna’s glare came instantly. "I’m not weak."
Atlas chuckled, lifting his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright."
He knew he’d pushed far enough for one day. With a small sigh, he stepped back, his gaze lingering on her a moment longer before finally turning toward the door.
The cool air greeted him as he stepped outside, but the warmth of their exchange lingered stubbornly in his chest. And even as he walked away, he felt it. The faint trace of a smile pulling at his lips.
But before he could take another step, a presence stirred nearby. It was Edrik.
The man stopped directly in front of him, his expression as unreadable as stone.
"My Lord, what happened with Morganna?" Edrik asked in his usual flat tone.
Atlas smirked. "Stop talking like you don’t already know, Edrik."
"I know nothing. Please, say it clearly, My Lord."
Atlas stepped closer, patting Edrik’s shoulder. "She said she doesn’t want me telling anyone else."
"Then I don’t know anything," Edrik replied simply, his face not shifting an inch.
Without another word, he raised a hand and pointed upward.
Atlas frowned. "What is it?"
Edrik met his gaze directly, "We have a guest."