Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 153


    Chapter 153 Frederic Issues a Challenge


    When Drake and I return from meeting Helene, L seems like the only one who’s happy to see us.


    She runs over and leaps into my arms, kissing me on the cheek and immediately rattling off stories


    from her day. Unfortunately everyone else is gathered on the couch in front of the television, looking


    very somber indeed.


    “What’s wrong?” Drake asks, striding over to his mate and lifting her off the couch, before sitting in her


    spot and settling her in hisp. Sophie simply nods towards the television in answer.


    Oh no, I think, this must be about the kidnapping.


    The attempt on L, Sophie and I has been headline news ever since it happened, particrly because


    Bastien has still not reappeared. It turns out it didn’t really matter whether Frederic’stest attempt and


    we’re all certain he is the one who was behind the plot seeded or not. The almost disaster was


    plenty damning in the eyes of the pack, at least when ites to condemning my mate. After all, what


    kind of Alpha lets his pack fall to chaos for his own ends? And what kind of mate fails to care when his


    wife and child’s lives are in danger?


    Carrying L further into the room until I can see the screen myself, I’m both relieved not to see


    Bastien’s name scrolling across the bottom of a news desk, and very dismayed to see Dr. Kane


    instead. Thomas or Frederic, or whatever other name he might go by, is standing in front of the same


    podium I spoke behindst week, looking very grim indeed.


    *This pack has been without a leader for too long.” He announces, his features hard and unforgiving. “I


    have immense respect for the Durand family’s legacy in Elysium, and I consider Selene a close friend, I


    would never wish to impune her honor.”


    “Here we go.” Aiden mutters grumpily, reflecting my own feelings.


    Close friends my ass. I think, friends do not make each other sick or spy on them under the guise of


    providing help.


    They also don’t try to destroy their rtionship or kill their mates. Luna adds.


    Fair point.


    “However, over thest few weeks I have been deeply disturbed by Basiten’s absence, and the crimes


    which have transpired as a result of the pack being seen as weak andwless. I have seen the


    suffering of good Novans firsthand, from those who lost their homes in the fires, to the families who lost


    fathers and mothers to the rogues. I have watched while Selene fights for her life and her child’s while


    her husband is away doing Goddess knows what, and all while maintaining the strength and dignity of


    a true leader.”


    Every time hepliments me, I know the hammer is about to fall against Bastien. It’s a truly clever


    ruse, alternately riling up people’s discontent and giving them someone to me for their misfortunes,


    and avoiding being seen as a detractor through praising me. He’s trying to turn Basiten into a viin


    and himself a hero, all the while dangling me between them like the damsel I used to be. Even with


    Helene’s healing herbs, I feel sick to my stomach.


    “We have to stop this!” I protect, my voice thick with emotion. “He can’t do this, he can’t be allowed to


    just stand up there and lie to the pack.”


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    “If we cut him off, we’ll look like the monsters he’s using us of being. It will y right into his hands.”


    Donovan advises.


    “This most recent news disturbed me more than everything which came before. I was certain that no


    matter what neglect he may have inflicted against the pack in the past few years, a wolf as honorable


    as Bastien would never neglect his mate the same way, especially not with everything he risked to get


    her back. Yet here we are dayster, and there is still no sight of him. I know from caring for Selene in


    the hospital that she herself has not heard from Bastien in weeks, despite her hospitalization being so


    widely publicized he must certainly know.”


    “I havee to the terrible and unfortunate conclusion that our Alpha is not the man we believed him


    to be. He is without integrity and without honor, and he does not care about us the way our leader


    should. He does not care for his family the way a man must, and he does not deserve our reverence or


    our respect.”


    “That bastard!” Odette curses, offering me an apologetic nce when she remembers that L is in the


    room.


    “Mommy, why’s the mean doctor saying dose tings ’bout Daddy?” My pup asks, understanding far more


    of the unfolding events than I’d like. In hindsight I realize I should have paid more attention to my


    daughter’s dislike for the man. When ites to sensing untrustworthy people, children and pets really


    do have the market cornered. L hadn’t liked Thomas from the beginning, and I should have listened


    to her instincts rather than my own bias.


    “Because he’s not just mean, angel.” I exin with a sigh, “He’s a very bad man.”


    You can say that again.” Donovan gripes.


    “Selene, do you want me to take L to y?” Sophie suggests, pointedly ncing at the TV.


    Drake growls and holds her a bit tighter, though I realize it’s merely his protective instincts, rather than


    disregard for my pup. The almost kidnapping was very triggering for the Alpha, and watching the likely


    perpetrator denigrate us all is clearly making him lose his cool.


    “That’s okay, Soph.” I decline gently. “But thank you.”


    “It is not in my nature to create trouble or question authority,” Dr Kane is saying now, sending a


    communal scoff throughout the room. “I do not believe in challenging the natural order of things or


    forgetting one’s ce in the grand scheme of the pack. But I also believe we all have a responsibility to


    speak out against injustice, no matter the consequences, and we are undoubtedly living through a


    great injustice at Bastien Durand’s hands. I cannot stand by and remain silent while the pack I love and


    the people I care about suffer this way, and I encourage all Elysian’s to reject any status quo that keeps


    unfit rulers in power.”


    “Goddess, he’s going to incite a rebellion.” Odette moans.


    “He’s certainly trying.” Aiden agrees, looking at me with deep concern, “You’re going to have to give a


    statement about all this before the morning news cycle.”


    “A statement saying what?” i fret, “I’ve already exined about Bastien, and I can’t deny he isn’t here


    or exin why he can’t return yet. I can’t even refute that we haven’t spoken.”


    “Frederic is using you to prop himself up.” Donovan reminds me, “If you renounce him, at a minimum


    people will think twice about epting what he says about you blindly.”


    “If I renounce him, he’ll argue that Bastien has me brainwashed and reduce me to being a pawn in their


    games.” I argue, “I know we can’t just let him say all this without making any kind of effort to refute him,


    but I think we need to think about it very carefully before deciding how to respond.” I insist.


    “She’s right.” Drake agrees, “If we dig in our heals and just say he’s full of it, it will look petty. We have


    to find a way to beat him at his own game.”


    “That might be difficult.” Sophie murmurs, gesturing towards the screen.


    Clearly ramping up for some dramatic ultimatum, Dr Kane is now staring straight into the camera,


    speaking directly to the audience at home rather than the reporters assembled in the room. “People of


    Elysium, whether you are a Nova shifter, or have joined us from afar, I encourage you to ask yourself


    what you want in a leader. I encourage you to stand up with me and reject this mistreatment.


    To everyone in the Pack House, I hope you know how much we all value how hard you’ve been


    working to keep things running in the Alpha’s absence. I hope you know that this criticism is not


    intended to hold you at fault for Bastien’s failings. To the Durand family, I want to thank you for


    everything you’ve done for this pack over the centuries, and pray you understand I am doing this out of


    love for the pack, not hatred for you.”


    His green eyes sh through the camera lens, and my heart stops in my chest. “And to Bastien


    Durand, know you have been found guilty by popr opinion of neglecting your duty, your pack, and


    your family. Know you cannot walk all over us because you are stronger and more powerful, know your


    actions have consequences.” His deep voice is getting louder with every word, and a dull muttering has


    risen up among his audience.


    “To you I issue the following challenge: if you truly care about your people, return and answer for your


    crimes. Return and face challengers for your position. If you do not return by the end of this month, we


    will take it as proof you do not wish to defend your title – but you will have to defend it even if you do


    come home. I will be formally challenging you to be Alpha if and when you return, just as I will


    fight any wolf who wishes to take your ce.” Dr Kane proims forcefully, baring his fangs, “You have


    two weeks.”