Austin's POV
Lying here with my mate pressed against my chest, basking in the afterglow of our first time together, reality suddenly crashes over me like a cold wave.
"Holy Mother Moon Goddess! My mom's going to kill me!" I bolt upright, nearly dumping Lara off the bed as the realization hits me.
"What? Why?" Her voice carries confusion and a hint of hurt.
"I just came inside you without any protection. I planned everything except the most important thing!"
A soft smile spreads across her face as she reaches up to cup my cheek. "You really think I'd agree to be with you without being prepared? I'm not throwing away my chance at the Academy this year, Austin. I can't risk getting pregnant while I'm trapped in that alliance contract. The moment my father told me he'd signed that damn thing, I got a birth control implant. No daily pills to remember."
