Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 156
Chapter 156 Bastien Makes a Proposal
Bastien’s POV
It’s not much of a proposal, and certainly not how I ever nned on asking a woman to marry me, but
given our dire straits, it will have to do. “We’ll get married.” I say again, sharing my idea as it forms in
my mind. “I’ll reject Selene, we can have the papers sent from here via courier.”
“She’ll never sign.” Arabe argues, even though her doe eyes wide and hopeful.
“She won’t have to.” I announce, “with all the crimes she’s guilty of, we can get the marriage annulled.
It’s not a true union if one party is tricked into it, and regardless I’m the Alpha.” I remind Arabe. My
elite status gives me privileges even my spouse doesn’t enjoy. She doesn’t have to agree to being
rejected, as long as I want it.”
“You’d really do that?” Arabe asks in awe.
“Trust me, Be, I was already nning on it.” I remark ruefully.
“No, not the rejection.” She rifies, “You’d really marry me?”
Turning to face Arabe head on, I can’t help but imagine Flynn standing beside her with his muscr
arms crossed over his chest, ring at me for ever letting a witch break my vow to take care of his
sister in the first ce. “I gave Flynn my word that I would always take care of you, no matter what.” I
exin to Arabe, “I’m sorry I let Selene get the better of me, but now that I know what she is, I won’t
be fooled again. You have my word. I will fulfill my duty, I will make you my wife.”
A beaming smile splits Arabe’s cheeks, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. For the first time since
losing my memory, I remember part of why I waited so long to go through with this vow in the first
ce. Arabe is still so young, and I know we aren’t mates… she deserves the chance to find love as
much as anyone else. “Unless of course you’d rather marry another, or take some time to try and find
your true mate. I’ll provide for you either way, and I don’t want to tie you to a union that won’t make you
happy, I just want you to be safe.”
“No!” She exims without hesitation. “I want to marry you, Bastien.” She professes, “I always have, I
just feel well, I know you don’t love me that way.”
Dropping my head so she can’t see my frown, I recall all the stories I’ve heard from generations past,
when marriage was a legal and financial arrangement and fated mates were considered frivolous
fantasies. “Lots of great marriages have started out being arranged between friends, or people who
barely know each other.” I state simply, striding forward and taking Arabe’s hands in mine,”We have
a great friendship and that’s a better foundation than many true mates start out with, I’m sure love will
grow in time.” I proim confidently, though deep down, the thought of kissing my surrogate sister – let
alone consummating a marriage with her, makes me slightly nauseous.
“Are you sure it will be enough?” Arabe simpers, sidling close, “You have no idea how horrible
Selene truly is.” She murmurs, making my heart ache in sympathy. She did everything she could to
destroy me and everyone believed her and now she tries to make you a fool and she’s seeding.”
“I’m so sorry that happened, Be.” Hugging her and hating everyst detail of what she’s shared with
me, I continue, “But it sounds like Selene seeded by twisting my emotions for years and years. So
losing my memory is actually a gift.” I dere with utter conviction. “I’m awake now. She doesn’t have
any emotional leverage over me anymore. I’m certain the Goddess took my memory in that attack so
that I could go back and make things right.”
I’ve always imagined myself to be a man of principle, but if everything Arabe is telling me is true, I’ve
failedpletely. I’ve let a horrible woman deceive me and manipte me into actingpletely out of
character, and for what? This has to be a second chance for both Arabe and I, otherwise everything
we’ve lost over the years has been a waste.
“I think I’m dreaming.” Arabe admits, suddenly uncharacteristically shy. “You have no idea how many
times I’ve imagined youing after me,” she bites her lower lip, turning positively crimson. “how many
times I’ve fantasized about marrying you.”
Guilt and shame wash over me,peting for dominance. Flynn’s little sister has only ever been good
to me. She’s suffered beyond belief, from the loss of her parents, to the death of her brother. I can’t
im any fault in the former tragedy, but thetter was undoubtedly my fault. I have carried Flynn’s
death with me from the moment it happened. But apparently it wasn’t enough, even before my head
was turned by Selene, Arabe suffered and pined for me while I overlooked her at best and spurned
her at worst.
“You’re not dreaming, and I’m not teasing you.” I promise, “I want to marry you.”
“Are you sure?” She presses, “I don’t want you to offer unless you really mean it.’
“I’ve never meant anything more.” I insist. “Please Arabe, be my wife. You won’t regret it. I promise,“
“You’re only saying this because you feel guilty about Flynn and Selene.” Arabe argues,
“You’re wrong.” Imand. “I’m saying this because I want what’s best for you.” Scanning her
features, I all but beg her to agree, so what do you say?”
“Of course!” Arabe smiles, throwing her arms around my neck, “Of course I’ll marry you!”
Laughing and spinning her around. I make a silent vow to myself. I won’t fail this woman again. I don’t
care what happens with ise or Selene, I will never turn away from her again.
A few hourster, when we’ve broken out a bottle of Champagne and Arabe has enthusiastically
began nning the event despite the fact that we’re in mortal danger a fact I’ve decided to ignore for
one night, simply because I can’t bear to ruin her good mood. I collect the evening paper. We may be
celebrating, but there’s a lot of serious matters to deal with, as well as logistics to sort out, I can’t risk
losing touch with the situation in Elysium.
As soon as I open the front page of the paper, I’m both immensely d I chose to read it, and horrified
by the headline.
Dr. Thomas Kane Issues and Ultimatum for the Alpha’s Return and Challenges Him for the Pack.
In an explosive press conference held at Elysium Memorial Hospital today, the chief of medicine called
out the Alpha for his absence at a time of such peril in our pack. Combined with the wildfire, rogue
attacks and the attempted kidnapping of Selene and L Durandst week, he insisted that Bastien
return to Elysium immediately to face judgment for his neglect, calling particr attention to the plight
of his mate and pup. “I was certain that no matter what neglect he may have inflicted on the pack in the
past few years, a wolf as honorable as Bastien would never neglect his wife in the same way. I have
come to the terrible and unfortunate conclusion that our Alpha is not the man we believed him to be.”
Arabees to read the publication over my shoulder when she hears me cursing. “Oh my god!”
“Who the hell is Dr. Kane?” I demand, eyeing the ck and white photo closely to try and determine if
he could be my cousin. Because our fathers were always at each other’s throats, I never spent much
time with him when we were pups, and all association was cut off after the coup attempt. All I really
remember is that he has green eyes.
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“That’s not Dr. Kane,” Arabe confirms my suspicions a momentter, that’s Frederic. He became a
doctor at Odile’s bidding. She knew the family doctor would have unlimited ess to the Alpha, it’s
how he killed Gabriel. He used one of the emergency passageways and then arrived with the
investigators to pronounce him dead. That way his scent was mixed with everyone else’s, so they
never got any leads on the assassin. It gave him the power to help Selene fake her death, forge the
DNA results so she could convince you their pup was hers.”
“Odile?” I repeat, this is the first I’ve heard about Frederic’s mother being involved.
Arabe goes still, “Did I not mention?” She asks, licking her lips. “Selene and Frederic met after his
n was already under way. Odile had been grooming him to take revenge on your family every since
the coup attempt. He and Selene simply hadpatible ambitions, it wasn’t until after they allied that
they fell in love.”
“And what’s this about a kidnapping attempt?” I growl, “He’s talking about it like it’s widely known, but it
hasn’t been in any of the papers.”
“I don’t know.” Arabe sighs, sounding as frustrated as I am, “but if I had to guess I’d say it’s another
scheme of Frederic and Selene’s, to win her sympathy and turn people against you. You notice it was
only an attempt. He probably charged to the rescue and is now using it to say you’re a horrible mate.”
Crumpling the paper and throwing it against the wall, I snarl, “I’ll kill him. I’ll kill them both.”