《Pregnant And Rejected》 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 1 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 1 Chapter 1 My Wolf Leaves Selene¡¯s POV You never get used to being poisoned, no matter how frequently it happens. The pain never lessens; the fear never fades. Understanding what¡¯s happening might save you some confusion, but nothing can ease the anguish of betrayal. I¡¯ve been poisoned every day for eight years, held prisoner by the person meant to love and protect me most. I wish I could tell you why, I wish I knew why myself, but I can only guess. The reality is my childhood ended the day my mother died; the day my father, Garrick, finally showed his terrible true nature. Sometimes I think the grief stole his sanity. It seems impossible that the kind, caring man who raised me couldmit such brutality. I was only ten, and I have not always been a good prisoner, but I always thought I was a good daughter. I cannot figure out what I did wrong. After all, what crime can a ten-year-oldmit to deserve such punishment? Perhaps I¡¯ve forgotten, blocked out the memory to protect myself from the knowledge of my own guilt. I wish I could do the same with thest 8 years. I would give anything to forget, to be whole again. My world used to be wide and wondrous, full of fresh air and moonlit adventures in the forest. My ancestors, the very first members of the Nova Pack, built our city into the mountains themselves. The buildings were carved into the hard granite in intricate and elegant tiers, woven around trees and waterfalls in a beautiful contradiction of wilderness and modernity. Outside the walls of my prison a sprawling city waits, glittering with light and opportunity. We call it Elysium; paradise. In my memories it lives up to the name, but it has been out of reach for so long I cannot be sure anymore. Now I live only in darkness, a small windowless room in the ce I once called home. I sleep more often than anything else, not that I need it. There simply isn¡¯t anything else to do. Though even if there was something to upy my time, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d have the energy. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Garrick took no chances with my captivity. Locking me away wasn¡¯t enough. I was too strong for him, bearing more power than he could fathom. As a child my mother¡¯s bloodline hadn¡¯t mattered so much, wolves onlye into their full power when they reach physical maturity. Our wolves are with us from the day we¡¯re born, but the magicester. For most people the first shift happens around age 13, before that our power only really presents itself in our pack roles. Garrick started giving me the Wolfsbane long before I actually needed it, before there was any chance of me shifting anding into my birthright. So I reached physical maturity, but I¡¯ve never felt the extraordinary power my mother¡¯s bloodline guarantees. There¡¯s no doubt I inherited the gene; the evidence is written in my skin. One blue eye, one violet ¨C that is the mark of a Vna wolf. Special. That¡¯s what everyone says. The Vna wolves are special; blessed by the goddess with unrivaled senses, iparable speed and strength, and a profound connection with nature. Well I feel special alright; so special that even years of poisoning cannot put an end to my suffering. I used to beg Garrick why. Why are you doing this to me? Why can¡¯t I go outside? Why do I have to take the Wolfsbane? What did I do? When begging failed I turned to apologies, I¡¯m so sorry, whatever I did, please forgive me. I swear I¡¯ll never do it again. Begging earned me silence. Apologies earned me derision. Anger on the other hand, anger taught me there is no use fighting. The pack is going to notice I¡¯m gone! You can¡¯t keep this up much longer, sooner orter someone is going toe looking for me! I still remember the way he cornered me, kneeling down and leaning so close I could smell the whisky on his breath. No one ising for you, Selene. Not ever. You are not worth it. You are nothing, and nobody cares that you¡¯re gone. He was right. No one ever came. The only thing that keeps me sane is my wolf, Luna. She lives in my weak and broken body, keeping mepany through the worst of my suffering. Lately I feel her less and less. She¡¯s like a fading, flickering light, more and more distant with every day that passes. I¡¯ve begun to wonder if a wolf can die while a person lives on. The Wolfsbane can¡¯t kill me, but what about Luna? She promises me it isn¡¯t possible, we are one in the same. After all, what is a person without their wolf, without their soul? I¡¯m not sure I believe her. I try not to think about it, but I can¡¯t help feeling like I¡¯m losing her; my one ray of light in this darkness. He¡¯ll being soon. Luna¡¯s voice sounded in my head, warning me. She can feel theing night, and Garrick alwayses after dark. It¡¯s as if he knows the pull of the moon ¨C no matter how distant ¨C gives us somefort. ¡°I know.¡± murmur weakly. Just breathe. She reminds me, It will be over fast. ¡°It will never be over.¡± I answer, despondent. Everything in life ends eventually, one way or another. Luna says patiently, sounding farther away than a moment before. ¡°We both know how this story ends.¡¯I sigh, ¡°And it¡¯s not with a ¡®happily ever after.¡± You shouldn¡¯t her weak voice trails off, leaving only silence. A pang of panic vibrates through me when she does not continue. ¡°Luna?¡± My voice breaks, ¡°Luna? Can you hear me?¡± A shaft of blinding amber light shatters the ck as the words fall from my tongue. He¡¯s there: a hulking form framed in the too bright doorway, leering down at me though I cannot see his face. He holds the wolfsbane in one hand, a thick green solution that tastes like bile and burns like acid. He extends the ss to me, and I take it with trembling fingers. You may think me crazy to drink it on my own ¨C but I¡¯m not. Resisting Garrick means one thing and one thing only: pain. I refused in the beginning, but fighting only earned me bruises, and the poison was still poured down my throat in the end. As I got older the physical retribution changed. As a child there was only violence, as a young woman it became clear Garrick would stop at nothing to exert his power over me. He enjoys my pain, the torture in my eyes when he gropes and caresses me, touching me in ways a father never should. So I obey, no matter how much I hate it. I begin to drink, as I always do, trying not to taste the vile liquid. It starts as a slow burn, a searing pain that never fails to be all-consuming agony. It works its way down my throat, into my stomach as I finish the ss. The familiar wave of torment swells in my chest, but this time it rises too high, surpassing anything I¡¯ve experienced before. Something is terribly, terribly wrong. It sounds strange to say my torture should feel different, but I don¡¯t know how else to describe it. I know exactly what Wolfsbane feels like, I know what to expect. I know that my memory neverpares to the reality but.. Then I realize: Luna isn¡¯t howling. Not once in 2860 days has Luna ever been able to bear the poison without howling, no matter how far away she¡¯s felt in the moments before I reach out for her, grasping desperately for the tether linking us, but finding nothing. A fuzzy whisper floats toward me through the abyss, a shadow of Luna¡¯s voice. Goodbye, Selene. My chest cracks open, releasing a torrent of despair so overwhelming my lungs stop pumping in my chest. I feel myself hit the floor, and then a strange keening fills the air as the door to my prison ms shut. Btedly I realize that the sound ising from me, creating a heartrending symphony with Garrick¡¯s savageughter. She¡¯s gone. For the first time in my life I am truly, truly alone. I curl my arms around my knees, rocking myself on the granite floor as sobs wrench from my chest. I shouldn¡¯t be able to survive this. I don¡¯t want to survive this. As Iy there, gasping for breath, I decide¡­ I¡¯m not going to survive this. It doesn¡¯t take much to make Garricksh out with violence, and I know exactly which buttons to push. He might want to keer alive, but I¡¯m not going to let him. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 2 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Almost Raped by My Father Selene¡¯s POV I thought I knew darkness. I thought I knew grief. I thought I¡¯d experienced every possible feeling on the spectrum of emotion. I thought wrong. The corner of my heart where Luna used to live is now no more than a hollow void. A yawning, ck hole that makes it impossible for the fragmented organ to beat as it once did. The rhythm isn¡¯t any different, the impact isn¡¯t any weaker; I can hear its steady tempo thumping away in my chest But I cannot feel it. Thunder booms overhead, shaking the mountains themselves. It rolls through the sky in a violent tempest, its near-constant crashes vibrating through my bones. I can hear rain pounding the street on the other side of the thick rock wall at my back. The storm began early this morning, raging on as the hours dragged by. I have not slept since Luna left, choosing instead to lie on the hard ground and count down the final minutes of my life. Time is moving even more slowly without her, but I know it can¡¯t be long now. Thear himing, his heavy footsteps thudding down the stairs at an odd, staggering pace. The door ms open and Garrick stumbles in, reeking of alcohol. Fearnces through my body, it is always worse when he is drunk. Sober Garrick is twisted and cruel, but always predictable. When he drinks my father bes someone I do not recognize; I never know what he¡¯s going to do, or how he¡¯s going to react. The liquor bottle is still in his hand, waving wildly as hees toward me with a twisted leer. He can see how broken I am, how low he¡¯s finally brought me. There is no remorse, only glee as he pushes the Wolfsbane into my palm. I ept the tumbler, but I do not drink. Without taking my eyes from his, I throw it against the wall, sending ss and poison flying. Garrick jerks his arm up with a hiss, shielding his face from the sttering liquid. ¡°Have you lost your goddamn mind?¡± He growls, his eyes glowing amber as his wolf rises to the surface. I stare at him nkly, refusing to answer. He wants fear. He wants tears and screams and begging. The more I deny him, the angrier he¡¯ll be. ¡°I asked you a question!¡± His words are slurred and his eyes struggle to focus. I blink hollowly, btedly realizing ss from the shattered tumbler had embedded itself in my arm. Hot, thick blood rolls down my bare skin, and Garrick¡¯s nostrils re as he breathes in the metallic scent. He stalks forward, zig-zagging slightly, until he towers over my prone form. ¡°Think very carefully, Selene.¡± He snarls. ¡°Is this really the way you want to y it?¡± I stare straight into his eyes, an outright challenge of dominance. The Whisky bottle hits the ground in front of me, thest remaining ounces of dark brown liquid dribbling from its mouth. My attention on the ckbel, I do not see Garrick raise his fist. But I certainly feel it. My body reels back, hitting the granite floor as stars dance across my vision. Garrick is kneeling over me, pure malice painting his rough features. This is it. My too short life is finallying to its untimely end. I¡¯ve never seen anything of the world, never got the chance to make anything of myself. It isn¡¯t fair, I wish suddenly and desperately for my mother. I want to crawl into her arms and hear her soothing lubies, I need her to tell me it¡¯s going to be okay, even though we both know it isn¡¯t. It breaks what¡¯s left of my heart to know that Garrick is thest thing I will ever see. I didn¡¯t want to cry, I didn¡¯t want to show him weakness. The huping sobs wrench from my chest without permission, and Garrick¡¯s shadowy face distorts into an expression of pure evil. His pupils turn to slits, ws extending from his fingertips. I cower against the wall, mping my eyes shut so I cannot see him lunge for me. Now that the moment is here, my resolve cracks, primal terror enveloping me so suddenly and violently that I¡¯m gasping for air. I don¡¯t want to live without Luna, but I don¡¯t want to die either. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I cry, ¡°Please, I¡¯ll drink it.¡± A powerful hand circles my throat with bruising force, forcing me onto my back. I w at his fist with my cracked and broken nails. I gasp helplessly, trying to find my voice ¨C but Garrick has stolen it from my lungs. I cannot see his other hand, but I hear the clinking of his belt buckle. It takes me a moment to recognize the sound, and then I wish I had not. He whips the leather implement from his trousers and throws it away, snapping the end against my bare belly in the process. A hoarse yelp escapes my lips as my mind races to catch up with Garrick¡¯s actions. His ws dig into the papery flesh of my neck, and a strident zip fills the air as he unfastens his pants. Wait. A bolt of panic breaks through my consciousness as he began trying to wrench my legs apart. This isn¡¯t right. This isn¡¯t what I wanted. Garrick never gave me any clothes after I outgrew the dress I¡¯d worn when he first imprisoned me, but I¡¯d never believed his motivations were scious. I figured he¡¯d simply take any excuse to humiliate and degrade me. Even when he began threatening me sexually, it always seemed like a means to an end; a punishment, an incentive to behave. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Grief had blinded me to logic, had made me believe there was nothing left for him to take. I was wrong ¨C there is one thing, just onest thing. Tears stream from my bulging eyes as I kick and thrash against him. I¡¯ve never seen a man naked, and the hard rod of flesh between his legs looks nothing like I imagined. It seems impossiblyrge and suddenly it is not the vition of rape that petrifies me, but the pain he will inflict tearing into my small body. I don¡¯t understand how this can be happening. I reach desperately for his face, trying to scratch his glowing eyes. With a vicious jerk Garrick smashes my head into the floor, dazing me enough for him to temporarily release me so he can paw at my underdeveloped breasts with both hands. His ws rip into my skin, dragging over my chest and down my stomach. I try to scream, but no sound comes out. Garrick emits a deranged cackle, jamming his fingers between my legs and forcing them inside me. ¡°No!¡± I just barely summon my voice, my shrieking out as a whisper. ¡°You can¡¯t do this, I¡¯m your daughter!¡± Garrick freezes, a look of surprise breaking through the drunken haze of his thoughts. He blinks: once, twice. Shaking his head, he scoffs, ¡°You stupid girl, I¡¯m not your father.¡± It¡¯s my turn to look confused. ¡°What?¡± He didn¡¯t release me, but he was distracted enough to dy his assault. ¡°Your father was some mongrel from another pack.¡± Garrick snaps, ¡°Your mother got herself knocked up by a married man and had to flee in disgrace.¡± i freeze, even though I know should fight. ¡°I was in neutral territory when I found your mother groveling, penniless in a gutter. I saved her worthless life and brought her here. I married her, adopted her bastard and gave her a home. She owed me everything! And what did I get in return?¡± He demands, spittle flying from his fangs. ¡°Nothing. She never let me so much as put a finger on her! I did everything I could to prove my love but she could never look past the fact that I¡¯m an Omega.¡± He sneers at me, ¡°You¡¯re just like her. A vna ¨C but unlike her, you are mine.¡± He looks so crazed | fear he might transformpletely. ¡°And you don¡¯t get to say no!¡± He lunges toward me, covering my body with his own. Adrenaline spikes in my blood and my fingers close around the neck of the whisky bottle by my side. I smash the heavy gon over his head, clenching my eyes shut to protect them from the raining shards of bloody ss. Garrick slumps over me in a heap, his weight crushing the air out of my lungs. It takes all my strength to roll his big body off me, but I manage. I find my feet, stumbling towards the door. My arms stretch for the familiar rectangle of light, but I hesitate at its edge. Thest time I left this room I was a child. Now I am a woman grown; eighteen years old and no more worldly than a grade schooler. I know life in this basement, but I have no idea what awaits me out there. Is there a life for me out there? Or just more pain? There is only one way to find out. With a deep breath and pounding heart, I run into the light. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 3 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Mate Selene¡¯s POV N?velDrama.Org ? content. I take off into the night, my mind grappling for any location that might be safe. Somewhere without walls or locked doors, somewhere away from people. The world blurs around me and strange voices meet my ears, but I block them out. People are bad, people are cruel and cannot be trusted. The forest, I decide. I¡¯ll be safe in the forest. No one in Elysium lives more than five minutes walking distance from a nature park, so it doesn¡¯t take long for me to find my refuge. The darkness isplete here, andforting after the overwhelming assault of lights and sounds in the city. I climb into the branches of arge fir tree, scraping just about every inch of my body in the process. I curl up against the rough trunk. I know I need to be making ns and sorting out next steps, but my exhaustion looms tall. I try to keep my eyes open, but i¡¯ m fighting a losing battle. A momentter I sumb, and the world goes ck. Bastien¡¯s POV I catch her scent the moment I step into the forest. Soft and sweet, like honeysuckle and freshly fallen snow. My wolf, Axel, immediately sits up at attention. His excitement courses through my body, filling me with raw hunger. What is that? He demands. I want it Down boy. I think back. It¡¯s a she-wolf, not a rabbit. The reports of a young woman wandering the streets of Elysium naked hadn¡¯t taken long to reach the Pack House. My father, the Alpha of pack Nova, had ordered the search parties almost immediately; jolting into action when he heard one witness describe a she-wolf with two different colored eyes. Now I stand with my most trusted men at the edge of the wood, my instincts warring with my duty. ¡°We should shift.¡± Aiden, my best friend and right-hand, suggests. I slowly shake my head, ¡°You guys stay here.¡± I can¡¯t exin it, but I don¡¯t want anyone else going near the owner of that scent. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Aiden asks, exasperated. ¡°Stay here.¡± I repeat. I track her within minutes, but it takes me a moment to realize she is in the trees. Unease flickers in the back of my mind. How afraid does a wolf have to be to resort to tree-climbing? I see her then, huddled among the dense branches of a towering silver fir. A pair of two-toned eyes glitter at me through the darkness, apanied by shes of pale skin and dark hair. One look. That¡¯s all it took. Mine. The instinct to shift came hard and fast, pulling at my muscles as Axel¡¯s deration sounds in my head. It takes every ounce of my will to stay in human form. Easy now. No, Axel growls insistently, so close to the surface I feel my ws extend. Mine. I scent the air again, barely able to catch the wisps of honeysuckle beneath the acrid aroma of blood and fear. The former sends my heart pounding in my chest, thetter provokes a rage unlike any I¡¯d felt before. I could not keep the word to myself as I looked up at her. ¡°Mate.¡± Selene¡¯s POV I know the man standing at the base of my tree, even if I don¡¯t understand the word he used: Bastien Durand, the Alpha¡¯s son and heir. He looks much older than I remember, but there¡¯s no mistaking his rugged features. Tall, broad, with dark blond hair and a chiseled jaw, it¡¯s easy to see why I imagined myself in love with him as a child. I¡¯ve always been an outsider. Maybe deep down my peers sensed I did not belong in the Nova Pack, but being a Vna wolf had been excuse enough to torment me. My mother and I were the only ones in Elysium, and children didn¡¯t care about rarefied bloodlines, all they knew was that I was different. When I was five the school bully chased me into the winding mountain tunnels beneath Elysium. I thought I would be able to find my way back out: I didn¡¯t understand howplex the ancient pathways were until I was well and truly lost. I wandered the subterranean maze for two days before Bastien found me. At the time he was a young teenager, but he never seemed awkward or uncertain like the other kids his age. There is no guarantee that an Alpha¡¯s child will be their heir. Another wolf can always be bigger, stronger, more ferocious. At the end of the day these primal traits will always decide who is in charge, but there had never been any doubt with Bastien. From day one it was clear that no wolf in the pack would be able to challenge his dominance or intelligence once he was grown. He carried me to safety all those years ago, and here he stands again, gazing up at me in my darkest hour with the promise of salvation. Only this time, I do not believe him. He was kind to me once, but so was Garrick. He showered me with love for ten years before showing his true colors. I will not make the mistake of trusting so easily again. ¡°Will youe down to me, little wolf? Bastien¡¯s deep voice sends a shiver down my spine. I shake my head, clinging to my branch. ¡°Go away.¡± I beg meekly. My voice is barely a whisper, but I know his wolf ears can hear me. His lips, full and soft against a backdrop of sharp lines and angles, form a hard line. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡¯ He replies, ¡°You¡¯re injured.¡± I scramble for an exnation that will send him away. ¡°I scraped myself climbing up here, that¡¯s all.¡± From the look in his steely silver eyes, he knows I¡¯m lying, ¡°And why are you up there?¡± It¡¯s so surreal to be speaking to another person, someone other than Luna or Garrick. I scrabble for a logical answer, ¡°The storm frightened me.¡± As if on cue, a p of thunder sounds overhead. I flinch, the memory of Garrick lurching toward me shing through my mind. *youe down I can take you indoors where it will be safe and warm.¡± Bastien coaxes. The image of my basement cell reces thoughts of Garrick¡¯s assault. No, I do not like the indoors. ¡°I¡¯m fine right here.¡± I insist. I can feel his eyes on me, dark and assessing. I squirm under their weight, hiding my face in the tree trunk. If I can¡¯t see you, you can¡¯t see me. if it¡¯s so nice up there, maybe I¡¯ll join you.¡¯ Bastien suggests. ¡°No! I all but shriek, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. I need to get away from him, I have to find a better hiding spot. I nce over at the tree on my left, considering its heavy branches and wondering if I might be able to move through the treetops. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± The authority in his voice freezes me to the spot. No one can defy an order from the pack Alpha, it¡¯s in our very DNA. I whimper, hugging the tree more tightly as fresh tears fall. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be afraid.¡± The harsh rumble belies his words. ¡°Tell me your name.¡± I realize then he has no memory of saving me from the tunnels. I don¡¯t know why that hurts so much, but it does. His rescue had meant everything to me. Before Garrick imprisoned me, those days in the tunnels had been the most traumatic of my life yet they were nothing to him. His failure to recall the momentous event bolsters my distrust. ¡°I¡¯m no one.¡± ¡°I¡¯m beginning to lose my patience.¡± His deep voice carries up to me. ¡°Either you cane down, or I cane up.¡± I shake my head again, eyes burning. It isn¡¯t fair, I only just got free. He makes the clirnb i struggled with so terribly in seconds. Silver eyes sweep over me as I huddle against the tree trunk, my body curled into a tight ball. A growl rumbles in Bastien¡¯s chest and my pulse spikes. Every muscle tensing for the imminent attack, I clench my eyes shut. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 4 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Marry Bastien Selene¡¯s POV I jerk awake, jolting to a sitting position in an unfamiliar bed. It takes a moment for my nerves to catch up with my head, sending shouts of protest and pain once they do; every inch of my body aches. One of my eyes is swollen shut, but the other blinks rapidly against the light. The room ¨C arge bedroom suite decorated in muted colors is far too bright. The silken fabric of my nightgown scratches my overly-sensitized skin despite its softness. How long has it been since I¡¯ve worn clothing? Someone has washed and braided my hair, and bandages have been wrapped around my feet and arms. Muffled voices reach my ears, and my attention swings to a closed door on my left. The fine hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and I slip from the bed as gracefully as I can. I cross the small space, settling with my back against the door and pressing my ear to the cool wood. ¡°Selene Moreau.¡± I don¡¯t recognize the voice speaking my name. ¡°She¡¯s supposed to be dead.¡± ¡°Well clearly she isn¡¯t.¡± A second voice answers. ¡°Has anyone found Garrick yet?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. A growl drowns out the final word, followed by a familiar bass. Aiden is leading the hunt, he has instructions to check in the moment they catch his trail.¡± A heavy pause punctuates Bastien¡¯s words. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how we didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Garrick put on a good show.¡± The first speaker remarks, ¡°No one ever suspected he could do anything like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a failure on all our parts.¡± The second man states gravely. ¡°We should have asked more questions. Vna wolves are not easy to kill ¨C two going at once should have been a red g.¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t have known.¡± The first man cates. ¡°No we should have known.¡± This has to be the Alpha. As heir Bastien is second inmand in the pack; no one else would be speaking with him this way. ¡°Instead an innocent pup was left to suffer for almost a decade.¡± I was so busy trying to sort out all the implications of their words that I didn¡¯t notice the approaching footsteps. I heard the knob turn half a second before I felt the door pressing into my spine, sliding my body towards the wall. Suddenly Bastien is peering down at me, an amused look on his handsome face. ¡°Eavesdropping, little wolf?¡± I mber to my feet, leaning on the wall and ignoring the pain shooting up my legs. He holds out one arm to block hispanions from entering, and I take the opportunity to dart past him into the main part of the suite. Bastien follows me with predatory eyes, but makes no move to block my path. Toote I realize running is a sure fire way to spark a wolf¡¯s prey drive. I watch him warily as the other men enter, so focused on the potential threat I almost forget we aren¡¯t alone. Gabriel Durand, the very image of Bastien were he a few decades older, steps forward. ¡°Hello Selene.¡± Without thinking I slink behind Bastien, using hisrge body to hide myself from view. I cannot exin it. I do not want any of them to be in this room with me, and Bastien is the one who brought me here against my will in the first ce he¡¯s thest person I should seek for protection. He reaches back, circling his arm around my body and catching me up before I can contemte fleeing. ¡°Come here, you.¡± Bastien deposits me back into the plush bedding, taking a seat by my side so that hisrge form remains as a barrier between me and the strangers. ¡°We need to talk.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV I watch Selene closely as my father exins everything that has happened since she escaped Garrick. She¡¯s huddled among the pillows, leaning as far away from us as possible. My wolf is wing at the surface, demanding to move closer. There is a disturbing vacancy in her expression, and my hatred for the man who imprisoned her spikes, I¡¯ve promised Father that my men will return Garrick to the pack house to stand trial once he¡¯s found, but in truth I have no intention of letting the bastard back into the city. Outside of Nova jurisdiction I can do with him as I please, and sitting by Selene¡¯s bedside these past few days has given me ample time to n his punishment. ¡°Your mother was very dear to me,¡± Father was saying, prompting Selene to meet his gaze for the first time. She hasn¡¯t been able to look at any of us directly, not even my father¡¯s Beta, Donovan. ¡°Yes I knew her.¡± Father continues, smiling sadly, ¡°She helped me at a time when I could not help myself. I feel I owe it to Corrine to do the same for you now. You have my word that Garrick will be caught; he will ount for his crimes.¡± ¡°And in the meantime?¡± Her voice is stronger than it had been in the forest. ¡°What do you intend to do with me?¡± im you. Axel suggests, triggering my instinct to scent mark the sweet creature in front of me. I leash in the desire, gritting my teeth against the pain denying it creates. Not helpful, Axel. I think with frustration. Not trying to be helpful. He quips in return. ¡°Well, first and foremost we need to get you better.¡± Father says reasonably. ¡°The doctor is quite concerned that your injuries have not healed yet.¡± He nces at me reluctantly. ¡°There was an inordinate amount of Wolfsbane in your system when Bastien brought you in.¡± Selene just blinks. ¡°He¡¯s been dosing me with it every day for 8 years.¡± Her statement is met with horrified silence, and she turns her eyes to me. I fall into bottomless pools of sapphire and violet, sensing a profound hopelessness I do not understand until she speaks again. ¡°My wolf didn¡¯t survive it.¡± Fury consumes me in a congration so sudden and violent that I know I need to get out of the room before Axel forces his way out of my body. I stand as he roars in my head, trembling with the effort of restraining him. There¡¯s nothing to be done for it, I can make apologies for my rudenesster, but right now I¡¯ve got to get to a safe distance. I storm from the room without another word, making for the forest. Selene¡¯s POV Bastien¡¯s sudden exit startles me, and for some inexplicable reason I feel tears well in my eyes. I don¡¯t know why I told him about Luna. I certainly hadn¡¯t nned on doing so, but when I looked at him some force deep inside pushed the words to the surface. Perhaps I expected to find somefort in sharing the secret; instead I found rejection. ¡°Donovan, could you leave us for a moment.¡± Gabriel¡¯s gravelly voice pulls my attention to the present. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve failed your mother even more hideously than I knew.¡± He says once we¡¯re alone. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± I murmur softly. ¡°I promised your mother I would care for you if anything ever happened to her. She saved my life and I¡¯ve repaid her by letting her only daughter suffer unspeakable abuse.¡± Disgustces every word. Before I can ask the questions waiting on my tongue, the Alpha pins me with a fierce stare. ¡°I know the Vna secret. I know why Corinne brought you here.¡± He admits, ¡°If I¡¯d known you survived the car crash I would have made arrangements long before now, but I can¡¯t undo the past.¡± ¡°Arrangements?¡± I repeat dumbly. ¡°To keep you safe.¡± Gabriel rifies. I still don¡¯t understand. ¡°But Garrick-¡± ¡°Garrick isn¡¯t the one you need protection from, Selene.¡± The Alpha informs me gently. ¡°He is an insect, the Calypso Alpha is a dragon, and he¡¯s been out for your blood from the day you were born.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I sputter, staring wide-eyed at Gabriel and trying desperately to make sense of his words. ¡°What does the Calypso pack have to do with me?¡± The Alpha sighs. ¡°What do you know about your mother, Selene?¡± ¡°Garrick told me she belonged to another pack and she became pregnant after an affair with a married man. She fled in disgrace and he took her in.¡± The story is still fresh in my mind; Garrick¡¯s leering face shes across my vision but I force it away, focusing on Gabriel. The Alpha shook his head sadly, ¡°Your parents were both members of the Calypso pack, until their Alpha ¨C ise ¨C learned the secret of your bloodline.¡± He exins, ¡°I have no idea how he discovered that Vna blood can grant eternal life, but he did, and he¡¯s been hunting it ever since.¡± ¡°Your father sacrificed himself so you and your mother could escape.¡± Gabriel jaw twitches with anger, ¡°Corinne was so heartbroken over her mate¡¯s death that she¡¯d all but given up when Garrick found her.¡± ¡°Their marriage was always a sham.¡± His brow furrows deeply, ¡°Garrick was hopelessly in love with her, so much so he agreed to adopt you. For a woman in her position¡­ well it was the best of a lot of bad options.¡± ¡°How do you know all this?¡± ¡°She told me.¡± Gabriel answers, ¡°You¡¯re probably too young to remember the uprising. My brother wanted to be Pack Alpha our entire lives, and though he was an alpha by nature, he wasn¡¯t strong enough to challenge me.¡± ¡°Instead he mounted an uprising, hiring mercenaries without pack allegiances to help stage a coup. He nned to kill me, Bastien and my mate. Your mother was out for a run when she came across the mercenaries gathering at the border. She overheard their ns and ran straight to the pack house.¡± ¡°Her warning saved us all.¡± The Alpha¡¯s countenance became painfully haunted, ¡°I killed my brother, and when it was all over, Corinne told me the truth. She knew if anything ever happened to her, Garrick would not be able to protect you.¡± A dull pain sets in behind my temples as my brain tries to process the information overload, ¡°So now that you know I¡¯m alive, you n on protecting me?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The Alpha vows. I frown, trying to piece the puzzle together. ¡°How?¡± The Alpha considers me for a long moment. ¡°Bastien.¡± ¡°Bastien?¡± I repeat in utter bafflement. Gabriel¡¯s eyes, the same silver as his son¡¯s, slice through me. ¡°He¡¯s going to be your husband.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 5 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Three-year Marriage Contract Selene¡¯s POV ¡°What are you talking about,¡± I¡¯m out of the bed, edging toward the door. ¡°You want me to marry Bastien ?¡± Gabriel, not the least bit fooled by my furtive movements, blocks my path. ¡°You need protection, Selene Not only from ise but from any wolf who might seek to take advantage. Without your own wolf you are vulnerable and defenseless.¡± His soothing tone has a core of steel. ¡°I will not fail your mother again. Bastien is the only man I trust to keep you safe, who I know without doubt will honor my wishes long after I¡¯m gone.¡± ¡°But¡± ¡°And it¡¯s not only safety.¡± He presses on. You¡¯ve been in captivity through the most important formative years in your life. You¡¯ ve had no education, no socialization. Your knowledge of the world is that of a child.¡± He gestures toward my skittish movements, ¡°And forgive me, but you are clearly not prepared to rejoin the pack as you are if I let you walk out that door right now, what would you do, where would you go?¡± My throat begins to itch as I consider the Alpha¡¯s question What would I do? Go back to Garrick¡¯s house? Try to find a job despite the fact that I have no skills whatsoever? Would I be able to survive in the city when the very sight of strangers sends me into a full on panic? Gabriel¡¯s authoritative bearing softens when he sees my lower lip begin to tremble. ¡°You need help, Selene. You may not need it forever, but you cannot do this alone. You went to Bastien for protection from Donavon and me today. Despite everything that¡¯s happened you trust him. I believe he is the one to help you find your way¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. I think about Bastien, who rescued me so many years ago and stole my young heart. ¡°Does he know?¡± I exhale shakily, ¡®That you¡¯ re nning this?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± The Alpha responds simply. ¡°He knows.¡± If someone had told me as a child that Bastien Durand would one day be my husband, I would have burst with happiness. Now I don¡¯t know what to think. The future terrifies me, but of all the possibilities, Bastien frightens me least. I lower my eyes from Gabriel¡¯s in submission, ¡°Okay.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV ¡°You killed Garrick?!¡± My father is shooting me death res, pacing his office like a tiger in a cage. ¡°On neutral territory.¡± I counter, ¡°it was well within my rights, and we¡¯ll both sleep better knowing he¡¯s out of the picture for good.¡± ¡°That is beside the point.¡± He hisses. ¡°The rule ofw exists for a reason. Trials serve as examples for the pack, evidence that we take vitions seriously, that we care about justice.¡± ¡°His body will serve as a better example of what happens to abusers than any trial.¡± I bite back. ¡°When you¡¯re Alpha you can change myws,¡± Father snarls, bearing his teeth. But until that time I expect my heir to embody the values I espouse and uphold the status quo, not flout it with loopholes.¡± I cross my arms over my chest, ¡°He deserved everything he got.¡± ¡°You think I don¡¯t agree with you?¡± He snaps, ¡°You think I wouldn¡¯t have liked to join you out there?¡± ¡°So why didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Because being a leader doesn¡¯t mean you get to do whatever you want with impunity.¡± Father barks, ¡°It means standing by your principles even when it feels impossible, doing what is best for the pack no matter how much you might personally hate it.¡± ¡°And if it had been mom?¡± I know it¡¯s a low blow, but I won¡¯t apologize for protecting my mate. ¡°If someone had done to her what Garrick did to Selene?¡± ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± He waves away the question, ¡°Your mother and I are fated mates.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± I say, staring him down. Understanding flickers in his eyes, and he slowly detes, then tension seeping out of his muscles little by little. ¡°But she¡± ¡°She lost her wolf, remember?¡± At first I hadn¡¯t understood why Selene could not feel the mating bond. It only became clear when I learned about her wolf. Of course she can¡¯t feel it, she¡¯s lost the very essence of her being. ¡°Oh son,¡± He squeezes my shoulder, genuine pain in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I nod in acknowledgement, but cannot bring myself to meet his gaze. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to offer her an out.¡± I sigh, ¡°We¡¯ll get her through the transition, and when she¡¯s ready to stand on her own two feet, she can decide if she wants to stay.¡± I drag a hand through my hair, ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken with her yet, but I¡¯m thinking three years should be about right.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Father inquires softly. I nod firmly. I might not like it, but there¡¯s no doubt in my mind it¡¯s what¡¯s right. ¡°She¡¯s been a captive long enough, I don¡¯t want to trap her in a marriage she does not want. And if there¡¯s a chance she can have love I want her to have it, even if it¡¯s with someone else.¡± His face pulls into a grimace. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I would keep a very tight leash on your wolf. Don¡¯t im herpletely until you know whether or not there¡¯s going to be a rejection ceremony.¡± He advises. ¡°If he marks her, you won¡¯t ever be able to let her go.¡± Axel growls in my head, clearly displeased with this suggestion. She¡¯s mine. It¡¯s my right to im her. I clear my throat, ¡°That¡¯s not going to be easy.¡± ¡°No,¡± Father argues. But it will be less painful than spending your life chasing someone who can never love you.¡± Selene¡¯s POV A stranger stares at me in the mirror. She has my eyes, my full lips and long, silky hair; but I cannot find myself in her. A month has passed since my escape, and though I¡¯m still much too thin, the hollows in my bones have begun to fill slightly. My skin is no longer a garish shade of gray and mottled with bruises though it¡¯s still very pale -, and though I am still heartsick for Luna, freedom has returned some light to my eyes. Bastien stands behind me, dwarfing my small body as he too studies my reflection. I still haven¡¯t been able to let anyone else near me, so he is the one who helped me into my wedding dress for the final fitting. The long gown is perfect, but I feel more like a child ying dress up than a bride. I don¡¯t think Bastien is happy to be marrying me. He¡¯s never said so and, though he¡¯s been there for me through every breakdown and panic attack without question orint, he¡¯s undeniably distant when we¡¯re alone together. Unfortunately I¡¯vee to rely on him sopletely that his reserve is bing truly distressing. The inconvenient truth is that the torch I carried for the future Alpha when I was a girl has been relit. When I was five he was my knight in shining armor, now he is my lifeline. I don¡¯t like feeling this way. Getting attached to him to anyone is dangerous. I went from being completely helpless to beingpletely dependent on Bastien, and while I realize it can¡¯t be helped given my situation, I also know it¡¯s a recipe for disaster. I¡¯m slowly learning about the pack and everything I missed over thest eight years through a combination of formal lessons and eavesdropping. I spend a lot of time with my ear pressed up to walls and doors, though my stealth skills arecking. Bastien has caught me at it a number of times but thankfully he seems to find it more amusing than annoying. It was through one of these eavesdropping sessions that I learned about Arabe. Apparently before I came along, Bastien had been nning on taking a she wolf named Arabe Winters as his mate. It seems Gabriel¡¯s edict forced them to end their engagement, and I can¡¯t deny it makes sense. Being in love with someone else would certainly exin Bastien¡¯s distance. Warm hands circle my waist, dragging me back to the present. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± I meet his silver gaze in the mirror, leaning back against¡¯his chest. ¡°Nothing important.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± His rumbling hum vibrates against my spine, ¡°Then why not tell me?¡± If there is one thing I find annoying about this man, it is his ability to put me at ease when I want to raise my guard. I¡¯m always les anxious when he is near, alwaysforted by his voice. His dominance is so absolute that my natural instinct is to submit, regardless of whatever else is going on in my head. ¡°I was thinking about marriage.¡± I admit. ¡°Our marriage.¡± Bastien frowns, dropping his head in thought, I suppose. When he raises it again, he nods tersely, ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to talk to you about this for a while now.¡± My stomach plummets. ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Our marriage contract.¡± He exins, pulling away from me. ¡°Do you know what a rejection ceremony is?¡± I shake my head uncertainly. ¡°It is a ritual undergone by mates who wish to end their marriage.¡± Bastien pulls a sheaf of paper from the breast pocket of his discarded jacket. ¡°Given our unique circumstances, I thought a rejection provision might be appropriate.¡± He hands me the document; our marriage contract. I scan the contents, stumbling over the unfamiliar words. ¡°So,¡± I summarize slowly, ¡°we¡¯ll marry for three years, then decide whether or not to reject one another?¡± ¡°In essence.¡± Bastien confirms. ¡°Three years should give you enough time to adjust to freedom, and your status as an Alpha¡¯s spouse will guarantee you lifelong protection even if we don¡¯t stay together. You would be free to choose another mate.¡± And so would you. In that moment a flip switches inside me, and the riot of emotions threatening to surge forward shuts off, leaving me feeling blissfully numb. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡± I hear myself say. ¡°I think it¡¯s for the best.¡± Bastien sounds very far away, and I turn back to the mirror, staring at the stranger again. The light is gone from her eyes now, and I wonder how it ever appeared in the first ce. My future is clear now. The ray of hope I¡¯ve slowly cultivated over thest few weeks is beginning to flicker; if I can¡¯t win over Bastien before our contract ends, I will lose my new lifeline. Three years, that¡¯s all I have: One way or another, I will make my husband fall in love with me. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 6 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Pregnancy and Rejection Selene¡¯s POV Three Years Later. The steady woosh woosh of an ultrasound machine fills the small exam room. I¡¯ve been in this cramped, cold space dozens of times, but I¡¯ve never felt anything but difort within its walls. Now, as Iy on my back, vulnerable and exposed, I find myself overwhelmed with joy. A faint thumping noise joins the alien sounds of the equipment, and the doctor seated between my legs grins up at me, * And there¡¯s the heartbeat.¡± ¡°That is, without a doubt, the most beautiful sound I¡¯ve ever heard.¡± I whisper. This is not how I expected my day to go. I thought I wasing in for an annual women¡¯s health check up, and afterwards I¡¯d nned on sitting down and writing out everything I want to say to Bastien before our Anniversary tomorrow. As they say, even the bestid ns can go awry, and sure enough, my world has been turned on its head in one fell swoop. I wasn¡¯t even sure I could get pregnant after everything Garrick put my body through, and we certainly haven¡¯t been trying. Though in truth we also haven¡¯t been terribly careful. Bastien might not love me, but there is no doubt he¡¯s attracted to me. He¡¯d taken things very slowly at first, letting me growfortable with the idea of a physical rtionship before diving in, then teaching me about intimacy with what seemed like unending patience. By the time I was ready to be Bastien¡¯s wife in every sense of the word, I was starting to think he must not want me. Everything I knew of men indicated that they would take what they felt they were owed regardless of anyone else¡¯s feelings, so if Bastien wasn¡¯t pushing me, he must not be interested. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. When I finally confronted him, with all the ferocity of a frightened rabbit, Bastien stalked me into a corner and proceeded to pounce on me like the predator he is. It quickly became clear that what i¡¯d taken as disinterest, was simply unrelenting control. He proved to be every bit as passionate and affectionate as he¡¯d been patient and gentle. Bastien was fierce and possessive in bed and out ¨C and I loved every minute of it. Our mutual ardor has resulted in a somewhat inordinate number of spontaneous liaisons, making my current situation much less of a mystery than an inevitability. ¡°I¡¯m going to be a mother.¡± I breathe in blissful disbelief. I can¡¯t wait to tell Bastien. It hadn¡¯t taken me long to fall head over heels for Bastien. As much as his dominance sometimes frightens me, I¡¯ve found that I crave it like nothing else. Life has not been easy without Luna. Garrick taught me to expect danger around every corner, and I have no wolf to help guide or protect me. The shbacks and nightmares are fewer as time goes by, but I doubt I will ever regain the ability to rx around other people. I¡¯m on edge every second of every day: always on the lookout for an attack, always prepared to fight or run from a threat. The only time I don¡¯t have to be afraid is when Bastien is with me. He makes me let go even and especially when I don¡¯t want to, giving me what I need at all costs. But that isn¡¯t why I love him. I love Bastien because he is kind and gentle when he does not have to be; because he would sacrifice anything for the members of his pack. I love him because he is every bit as smart and funny as he is protective and brave, because he makes me feel like no one else ever has or ever will. A few times over the years I¡¯ve let myself imagine he feels as I do. Sometimes when he looks at me I swear there are stars in his eyes, but others I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve imagined it. I have to remind myself that Bastien had already found love when we met, with a woman who did not need constantfort and coddling, a woman who was his equal. It¡¯s no wonder that he¡¯s always held me at arms length, never opening up, never letting me. They haven¡¯t seeded in making him love me, at least, not in the way I love him. Yet we¡¯ve been so happytely, happy enough that I decided to propose extending the contract on our anniversary. Now with a baby on the way I finally have something to offer him that Arabe cannot. I don¡¯t want to be selfish, I don¡¯t want Bastien to settle for me if I¡¯m not truly what he wants ¨C but if there¡¯s a chance he could want me, I have to take it. I can already picture his face when I tell him the news: a heady mix of joy, excitement, and pure male pride. I¡¯ve seen it a few times before, but never for a reason as special as this. My heart feels so swollen in my chest I think I might burst ¨C I can¡¯t wait to share this feeling with him. On my way home I stop to buy groceries, nning a special dinner for my announcement. I go all out, purchasing good wine even though I can¡¯t drink it, as well as the best cuts of meat and the most decadent dessert I can find. | eye the clock as I drive home, hoping I can beat Bastien there and sneak the goods upstairs. Though the Alpha¡¯s family and their Betas all live in the pack house with a number of enforcers, official pack business urs in the government building next door. Some smaller packs might be able to do everything from their central house, but the Novas outgrew the space centuries ago. Bastien and I live in a private apartment on the top floor, giving us the option to gather and spend our days with the rest of the house or hole up on our own. Tonight is definitely a hole up kind of night. I¡¯ve been grinning like a fool ever since leaving the doctor¡¯s office, I can¡¯t recall ever feeling this light. I practiced sharing the news while I drove, cycling through a number of strategies before deciding to simply tell Bastien without games or pretense. Butterflies flutter rapidly in my belly as I climb the stairs, my body thrumming with anticipation. I have to juggle the bags in my arms to reach the door handle, but eventually manage. The ecstatic smile slips from my face the moment I walk in. Bastien is already there, waiting for me. He¡¯s sitting alone in the darkened living room, a tumbler of amber liquid sped in hisrge fist and a severe frown dominating his handsome face. I pull up short, eyeing him warily. His eyes glow silver, an unmistakable sign that his wolf is vying for control. I set down my bags and hesitantly approach my husband. ¡°Bastien?¡± I broach carefully. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± ¡°Have a seat Selene.¡± The rich base of his voice is rough and emotionless. I do as he says, perching on the edge of the couch, my spine ramrod straight. I know all at once what¡¯s coming. I can see my hopes and dreams crashing around me as if they were real, rather than figments of my imagination. Love letters and wedding rings, ultrasound photos and baby carriages, children¡¯s toys and tiny shoes-all litter the ground at my feet. I¡¯m afraid to speak. I know there¡¯s no changing Bastien¡¯s mind once it¡¯s been made, but some delusional part of my brain still imagines the inevitable oue might change if I do or say the right thing. His fathomless eyes hold me captive, staring through me as the silence drags on. It stretches for so long I have to fight the urge to squirm in my seat. Normally Bastien enjoys making me squirm, but this is different. This isn¡¯t a wolf ying with his food, this is an apex predator going in for the kill. Finally he speaks. ¡°I know our anniversary isn¡¯t until tomorrow,¡± He begins gravely, ¡°but I can¡¯t put this off any longer.¡± If Garrick taught me one useful skill it was how to hide my feelings for the sake of my own self- preservation. Bastien would never weaponize my emotions the way Garrick had, but I don¡¯t want him to know how badly this will hurt me, not when I already feel so foolish. I can¡¯t believe how stupid I¡¯ve been, how naive. ¡°We both deserve to be happy, Selene, I truly believe that.¡± Just breathe. In and out. You¡¯re alright. ¡°But I¡¯vee to realize it isn¡¯t possible for both of us to be happy if we stay in this marriage.¡± The words hit me like a runaway train, brutal and unstoppable. ¡°I probably should have done this sooner,¡± He almost sounds apologetic, but his expression is harsh and closed off in a way I¡¯ve rarely seen. ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯m going to have my father put things in motion for our rejection ceremony.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 7 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Bastien is Drunk 10 Days Until the Rejection Ceremony Selene¡¯s POV The spinning des of the ceiling fan whirl over my head, their swift revolutions mesmerize my senses, distracting me from all the unwee thoughts in my head. Today is my three year anniversary, but instead of champagne and gifts, Iy alone in my bed while my husband is out doing Goddess knows what. I¡¯ve been staring at the ceiling for the better part of an hour, and I don¡¯t n on going anywhere anytime soon. When I lost Luna, I thought I¡¯d lost the ability to love. I imagined that nothing could evere close to the pain of her death, that my heart was incapable of feeling any deep emotions without her. I wasn¡¯t entirely wrong; I do feel things less intensely than I did before. But if I¡¯d known there was an emotion so powerful that it could destroy me even when I can¡¯t feel itpletely, I would never have married Bastien. My husband is going to reject me in ten days, and I can¡¯t even be angry with him. Bastien sacrificed three years of his life for me; he put off his own dreams, his own happiness, to care for me. He doesn¡¯t owe me anything, and to ask him to stay married to me when he doesn¡¯t want to would be incredibly selfish. It¡¯s Bastien¡¯s turn to start a new chapter, and as painful as it is to contemte, I have to let him. I owe him that and so much more; it¡¯s not his fault he doesn¡¯t love me. I¡¯m still lying there when my phone rings. Bastien¡¯s name shes across the screen, and I pause a moment before answering. There¡¯s no reason to broadcast my desperation. ¡°Hello?¡± I do not hear my husband¡¯s voice on the other end of the line. Instead a woman¡¯s high, tinklingugh filters through the receiver. ¡°Oh Bastien you¡¯re too much!¡± I don¡¯t recognize the voice, ¡°Hello?¡± I try again, the call sounds very muffled. A pocket-dial perhaps? ¡°Be, would you behave for once?¡± I know that voice only too well. ¡°Only if you make me.¡± I can practically hear her eyshes batting through the phone. Some of the static fades, her voice suddenly sounding very clear. ¡°Mmm,¡± She moans, ¡°You remember just how I like it.¡± I stab my finger into the ¡®end call¡¯ button, cutting off the exchange before the nausea rising in my throat can overwhelm me. Arabe Winters has returned to Elysium, and Bastien is spending our anniversary with her instead of me. The she wolf disappeared after my mating ceremony, traveling around to other packs in search of adventure or a new beginning. But whatever Arabe had been looking for, she clearly hadn¡¯t found. Perhaps because she already knew where it was, but it was simply out of reach. Well, it won¡¯t be out of reach for much longer. As disgusted as I am by the phone call, I know I don¡¯t really have a right to be angry with Bastien. Our marriage has always been one of convenience, and I don¡¯t want to get in the way of his happiness. I wish he would wait until we are officially separated, but he¡¯s given me everything. The least I can do is return the favor. I don¡¯t want to be an anchor chaining Bastien to the past when he deserves to forge his own future, but that¡¯s exactly what I will be if I tell him about the baby. He can¡¯t know, not ever. After the rejection ceremony I¡¯ll take some time to get my affairs in order, and then I¡¯ll leave. I¡¯ll take a page out of Arabe¡¯s book and search for a new beginning with a new pack. In some ways it¡¯s freeing. Thest time I started over I didn¡¯t get to choose my path. I love Bastien, but even the most sessful arranged marriage will always be tainted by its forced beginning. Besides, I have a lot to look forward to as well. After all, I will be taking a piece of Bastien with me. I will have my baby; someone who I can love unconditionally and who will love me in return. I slide my palm to my belly, resting it over the most precious secret I¡¯ve ever held. I imagine this is how my mother must have felt when my father died the simrities between our journeys do not escape me, but I¡¯m determined not to continue on her path. My mother was running for her life when she left the Calypso pack, she didn¡¯t have any resources or ns, she was in such dire straits she could not turn down an offer for help, no matter from whom it came. That will not be my story. When I leave Elysium I will be taking everything I possess with me, everything I need to start fresh. I will not need to indebt myself to a man in order to survive, and I will not marry no matter how much judgment I incur for being a single mother. About an hourter my phone rings again. This time it¡¯s Aiden and I answer immediately; Bastien¡¯s Beta only ever calls me if something is wrong. ¡°Aiden?¡± Raucous voices and distorted music fill my ears, soon followed by the Beta¡¯s baritone. ¡°Selene, I¡¯m sorry to call you like this, but we have a bit of a situation: Bastien is stered and apparently determined to give himself alcohol poisoning. We can¡¯t get him to stop, and I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll listen to anyone but you. At least, I hope he¡¯ll listen to you.¡± ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°Loup Garou,¡± Aiden shouts over the deafening background noise. ¡°I¡¯m on my way.¡± I know the bar, though I¡¯ve never been inside. I¡¯ve gotten used to being around people in controlled settings, but big crowds still frighten me. I do some breathing exercises as I drive, focusing on keeping myself calm rather than pondering the undoubtedly unpleasant scene awaiting me. Some anniversary this is. It¡¯s sote there¡¯s not any traffic, so the trip only takes a few minutes. I step out of the car, eyeing the neon bar sign and imposing doorway with great trepidation. Taking one final soothing breath, enter the fray. Three things jump immediately to my attention. First, Bastien is not the only one on a bender. The bar is in borderline chaos, so packed with wolves I think it must be a fire hazard. Second, Aiden is not Bastien¡¯s only drinking buddy. Arabe stands close by his side, her bodynguage making the nature of their rtionship very clear. And finally, my husband is dangerously out of control. I can feel his agitation from across the room, can read the barely concealed fury simmering closer and closer to its boiling point. There¡¯s something else tangled up in his aura, something that seems strangely akin to despair. I¡¯ve seen Bastien like this before; if he drinks heavily enough his demons emerge to torment him. I¡¯ve never known what happened in his past to inflict such agony, but it¡¯s always unbearable to watch. I don¡¯t really want to move deeper into the my. I would prefer to stay near an exit, I do not like the idea of not having a viable escape route. I give myself a little shake and stride through the crowd, appreciating how naturally it parts for me. Though no one bothers pretending they are not watching the unfolding scene with avid interest, the bar patrons do me the courtesy of staying in ce even after I pass, leaving a wide path to the door. Themotion pulls Bastien¡¯s attention from Arabe. It takes him a second to process my appearance, but the vivid sh of emotion in his eyes broadcasts his surprise once he does. My presence seems to sober him slightly, some of the manic energy he¡¯d been exuding ebbing away. He pulls up to his full, imposing height and prowls forward, sweeping his gaze across the crowd as he closes the distance between us. If I didn¡¯t know any better I¡¯d think he¡¯s scanning the room for threats, but that doesn¡¯t make any sense. We¡¯re on home turf among trusted pack members. No, he must be trying to figure out who snitched. Bastien creates a sort of cage with his arms when he reaches me, wrapping hisrge body around me protectively. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I don¡¯t know what to make of his apparent paranoia, but I have to admit I feel infinitely calmer than I did a second ago. I¡¯m also deeply relieved to find he is not angry or put out by my arrival. ¡°I came to take you home.¡± Hard eyes bore into me for a long moment, ¡°You could have called, I would have met you in the parking lot.¡± Ah. So perhaps he is irritated after all. Bastien isn¡¯t one for public scenes, and it urs to me that he¡¯s probably especially opposed to creating one in front of Arabe. ¡°You¡¯lle, then?¡± I ask nervously. Bastien responds instantly, ¡°Of course.¡± By the time we get home Bastien is all but passed out. I circle around to the passenger seat and undo his seatbelt, shaking him gently. ¡°Bastien. Wake up, we¡¯re home.¡± He rouses at the sound of my voice, blinking at me dazedly. ¡°Come on, big bad wolf.¡± I tease, ¡°Let¡¯s get you to bed.¡± mes ignite in his eyes. ¡°Is that an invitation?¡± A stab of pain pierces my heart. The man has no idea what I would give for onest night with him. Unfortunately I don¡¯t think he¡¯s in any state to make good on the offer. ¡°I meant your bed.¡± I finally answer, ¡°But I¡¯ll tell you what: If you can get yourself up and into the house, I¡¯ll invite you to do whatever you want with me, wherever you want.¡± Before I realize what¡¯s happening i¡¯m upside down, with Bastien¡¯s shoulder digging into my stomach. He carts me into the house like a sack of potatoes, navigating to his bedroom and tossing me onto the bed. I yelp with surprise, then shiver with anticipation as a veryrge, very aroused wolf bears down on me. Selene¡¯s POV I stare up at Bastien with wide eyes, my heart racing in my chest, so loud I¡¯m sure he can hear it. mes dance up my cheeks, and I know I must be bright red. Lust, excitement and fear war for control of my body, swirling around each other in an intoxicating tempest Bastien lowers himself to the bed, leaning over my prone form and pinning my hands against the mattress on either side of my head. He swallows my startled gasp, his mouth iming mine before another word can be spoken. As tense as I was moments before, I immediately let go when Bastien takes control going soft and supple as he extracts kiss after kiss from my lips. I open myself to him, giving my body up for his conquest and letting him sweep me away from reality. I lose all sense of my surroundings, the ecstasy of Bastien¡¯s kiss barring all sound, all thought, all sensation not of him. Bastien has kissed me thousands of times and made love to me in every way possible, but I¡¯ve never felt such desperation to make us one. I am painfully aware that this kiss will be ourst, that we are running on stolen time. I want to drag this out as long as possible. I know the moment we stop, it will all be over for good. I want to brand his lips into my skin, I want to scorch the image of him, powerful and fierce above me, into my memory, I want to make it so I can never forget how perfect this moment feels His teeth and tongue assail me, melding pain and pleasure until I¡¯m gasping and moaning in his arms. I arch my back, straining toward his body in a feverish attempt to find relief for my sensitive flesh. I know he¡¯ll give me the relief i need eventually, but it won¡¯t be soon enough. Bastien knows my body better than his own, and he revels in taking me to the very limits of pleasure. He works me over until my body is no longer my own, until my very existence has been reduced to a throbbing, searing ache that only he can ease. When he doesn¡¯t relent, I slump back down with a frustrated whine, and Bastien all but purrs with satisfaction. ¡°Greedy little wolf.¡± He chuckles, dragging my lips from mine. Heys a trail of kisses over my jaw and down the slender column of my throat. eventually moving up to the soft spot behind my ear where he continues his torment. The next thing I know he¡¯sving the tender flesh where my neck meets my shoulder, tasting me. I can¡¯t take it anymore. Please, Bastien, I want to touch you.¡± i squirm, trying to break his hold on my wrists. He takes my mouth again, delving his tongue between my lips to tangle deliriously with my own. Bastien finally settles between my legs, fusing every inch of his body to mine. I writhe beneath him with delicious friction and he loosens hismanding grip. freeing my wrists. I bury my hands in his hair, nipping at his lower lip with my teeth. He growls throatily, pulling back only far enough to meet my eyes. mes engulf Bastien¡¯s intense gaze, and I¡¯m at a loss to determine whether he is sad or angry. ¡°We were fated.¡± He deres, ¡°We were mates but we never got to be together, not really.¡± I freeze. it suddenly feels as if all the air has been let out of the room. I push at Bastien¡¯s shoulders until he rolls off me. There it is, the truth I¡¯ve always known but he¡¯s never spoken. Arabe is Bastien¡¯s mate, and I took him from her. He sacrificed his destiny to do what he considered right, to help me when I was too lost and damaged to help myself. Guilt corrodes my insides like acid. I hate that I¡¯ve cost him so much, that I¡¯m responsible for that tortured expression on his face I sit up slowly and ncing at Bastien over my shoulder. He¡¯sying on his back, looking at me with such pain and regret I feel sure he didn¡¯t mean to reveal that secret. Or perhaps he regrets caving to drunken lust when he¡¯s finally free to be with his mate. *I¡¯m sorry.¡± My voice is thick with emotion, and I get to my feet before he can notice and catch me. By the time I get to the door Bastien is half asleep. I can¡¯t recall ever seeing him so drunk. I did that, I drove him to that low. Self-loathing carries me to bed, I sink into its arms as I give myself over to sleep, dreading the dreams bound to await me. 9 Days Until the Rejection Ceremony I wake in the morning with a pounding head and sour stomach, despite the fact that Bastien is supposed to be the one with the hangover. I barely make it to the toilet when I remember the baby, Wee to morning sickness. I think grimly. I curl up against the wall, waiting for the intermittent bouts of nausea to pass. My mind wanders, but not very far. I keep reying Bastien¡¯s words fromst night in my head. I hadn¡¯t realized how guilty he felt about ending our marriage until he looked at me so forlornly and admitted that Arabe is his true mate. I knew I¡¯d been keeping them apart, but Bastien is so stoic I never realized how much pain it truly caused him. Hearing the words felt like a punch in the gut, but they also helped strengthen my resolve. I look down at my belly and give it a little pat, ¡°We¡¯re doing the right thing,¡± My phone chirps from the other room, and I manage to drag myself back into the bedroom to check it. Thinking about Arabe appears to have summoned her. A bright blue text message lights up the screen. Selene, this is Arabe. Do you think it might be possible for us to meet? I have absolutely no desire to meet my husband¡¯s mate, but I feel lowe her this much. Sure, when and where? Full Moon Cafe noon? I¡¯ll see you then. Arabe Winters is everything I am not: Tall, blonde and voluptuous, with an innate confidence that allows her to flourish in pack society I sit across from her at a small table, a pair of cappinos sitting untouched between us. Big brown doe-eyes look me up and down, her face never revealing her thoughts. When she finally speaks, her voice is high and reedy. ¡°Listen, I know things are really complicated with you and Bastien right now, and I just felt¡­¡± She pauses to search for the right words, ¡°I saw how upset you lookedst night and I just want to assure you that nothing happened between Bastien and me.¡± She gives every impression of genuine kindness, but an odd prickling sensation on the back of my neck warns me to withhold judgment, ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°You have my word.¡± Arabe vows, ¡°Nothing happened and nothing will until your separation is official.¡± I can¡¯t keep the surprise from my face. Arabe winces, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I thought the information was public.¡± I bring my coffee to my lips, intending to buy time with a few sips. I barely taste it before I remember that pregnant women aren¡¯t supposed to have caffeine. I set the mug back down. ¡°It isn¡¯t, not yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She says again. ¡°I didn¡¯t means I¡¯m just so excited. We¡¯ve been waiting to be together for so long I can hardly believe it¡¯s finally going to happen.¡± Guilt twists in my belly, ¡°Arabe, I am sorry I came between you.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Her perfectly plucked brows furrow. ¡°Don¡¯t take that on, Selene. None of this was your fault. I can¡¯t say I care for the way Gabriel handled things, but that¡¯s on him, not you.¡± The strange prickling spreads, starting to wind down my spine. ¡°What do you mean, the way Gabriel handled it?¡± ¡°Well the threats of course.¡± Arabe says offhandedly. ¡°What threats?¡± Her eyes go almostically wide and she waves me off. ¡°I think I¡¯ve put my foot in my mouth again. Truly it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°No.¡± I counter firmly. ¡°I want to know.¡± ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t.¡± She demurs, ¡°Please, Arabe.¡± She frowns, ¡°Well, you know we were nning to get engaged before you escaped?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 8 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Lust Selene¡¯s POV I stare up at Bastien with wide eyes, my heart racing in my chest, so loud I¡¯m sure he can hear it. mes dance up my cheeks, and I know I must be bright red. Lust, excitement and fear war for control of my body, swirling around each other in an intoxicating tempest. Bastien lowers himself to the bed, leaning over my prone form and pinning my hands against the mattress on either side of my head. He swallows my startled gasp, his mouth iming mine before another word can be spoken. As tense as I was moments before, I immediately let go when Bastien takes control, going soft and supple as he extracts kiss after kiss from my lips. I open myself to him, giving my body up for his conquest and letting him sweep me away from reality. I lose all sense of my surroundings, the ecstasy of Bastien¡¯s kiss barring all sound, all thought, all sensation not of him. Bastien has kissed me thousands of times and made love to me in every way possible, but I¡¯ve never felt such desperation to make us one. I am painfully aware that this kiss will be ourst, that we are running on stolen time. ¡± I want to drag this out as long as possible. I know the moment we stop, it will all be over for good. I want to brand his lips into my skin; I want to scorch the image of him, powerful and fierce above me, into my memory; I want to make it so I can never forget how perfect this moment feels. His teeth and tongue assail me, melding pain and pleasure until I¡¯m gasping and moaning in his arms. I arch my back, straining toward his body in a feverish attempt to find relief for my sensitive flesh. I know he¡¯ll give me the relief I need eventually, but it won¡¯t be soon enough. Bastien knows my body better than his own, and he revels in taking me to the very limits of pleasure. He works me over until my body is no longer my own, until my very existence has been reduced to a throbbing, searing ache that only he can ease. When he doesn¡¯t relent, I slump back down with a frustrated whine, and Bastien all but purrs with satisfaction. ¡°Greedy little wolf.¡± He chuckles, dragging my lips from mine. Heys a trail of kisses over my jaw and down the slender column of my throat, eventually moving up to the soft spot behind my ear where he continues his torment. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The next thing I know he¡¯sving the tender flesh where my neck meets my shoulder, tasting me. I can¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Please, Bastien, I want to touch you.¡± I squirm, trying to break his hold on my wrists. He takes my mouth again, delving his tongue between my lips to tangle deliriously with my own. Bastien finally settles between my legs, fusing every inch of his body to mine. I writhe beneath him with delicious friction and he loosens hismanding grip, freeing ¡®my wrists. I bury my hands in his hair, nipping at his lower lip with my teeth. He growls throatily, pulling back only far enough to meet my eyes mes engulf Bastien¡¯s intense gaze, and I¡¯m at a loss to determine whether he is sad or angry. ¡°We were fated.¡± He deres, ¡°We were mates but we never got to be together, not really,¡± I freeze. It suddenly feels as if all the air has been let out of the room. I push at Bastien¡¯s shoulders until he rolls off me. There it is, the truth I¡¯ve always known but he¡¯s never spoken. Arabe is Bastien¡¯s mate, and I took him from her. He sacrificed his destiny to do what he considered right, to help me when I was too lost and damaged to help myself. Guilt corrodes my insides like acid. I hate that I¡¯ve cost him so much, that I¡¯m responsible for that tortured expression on his face. I sit up slowly and ncing at Bastien over my shoulder. He¡¯sying on his back, looking at me with such pain and regret I feel sure he didn¡¯t mean to reveal that secret. Or perhaps he regrets caving to drunken lust when he¡¯s finally free to be with his mate. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± My voice is thick with emotion, and I get to my feet before he can notice and catch me. By the time I get to the door Bastien is half-asleep. I can¡¯t recall ever seeing him so drunk. I did that, I drove him to that low. Self-loathing carries me to bed, I sink into its arms as I give myself over to sleep, dreading the dreams bound to await me. Uma the Rejection Ceremony in ne morning with a pounding head and sour stomach, despite the fact that Bastien is supposed to be the one with the w bawy miaka it to the toilet when I remember the baby. Wee to morning sickness. I think grimly. I curl up against the wall, waiting for the intermittent bouts of nausea to pass. My mind wanders, but not very far. I keep reying Bastien¡¯s words fromst night in my head. I hadn¡¯t realized how guilty he felt about ending our marriage until he looked at me so forlornly and admitted that Arabe is his true mate. I knew I¡¯d been keeping them apart, but Bastien is so stoic I never realized how much pain it truly caused him. Hearing the words felt like a punch in the gut, but they also helped strengthen my resolve. I look down at my belly and give it a little pat, ¡°We¡¯re doing the right thing.¡± My phone chirps from the other room, and I manage to drag myself back into the bedroom to check it. Thinking about Arabe appears to have summoned her, A bright blue text message lights up the screen. Selene, this is Arabe. Do you think it might be possible for us to meet? I have absolutely no desire to meet my husband¡¯s mate, but I feel I owe her this much. Sure, when and where? Full Moon Cafe noon? I¡¯ll see you then. Arabe Winters is everything I am not: Tall, blonde and voluptuous, with an innate confidence that allows her to flourish in pack society I sit across from her at a small table, a pair of cappinos sitting untouched between us. Big brown doe-eyes look me up and down, her face never revealing her thoughts. When she finally speaks, her voice is high and reedy. ¡°Listen, I know things are reallyplicated with you and Bastien right now, and I just felt¡­¡± She pauses to search for the right words, ¡°I saw how upset you lookedst night and I just want to assure you that nothing happened between Bastien and me.¡± She gives every impression of genuine kindness, but an odd prickling sensation on the back of my neck warns me to withhold judgment. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°You have my word.¡± Arabe vows, ¡°Nothing happened and nothing will until your separation is official.¡± I can¡¯t keep the surprise from my face. Arabe winces, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I thought the information was public.¡± I bring my coffee to my lips, intending to buy time with a few sips l barely taste it before I remember that pregnant women aren¡¯t supposed to have caffeine. I set the mug back down. ¡°It isn¡¯t, not yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± She says again. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean¡­ I¡¯m just so excited. We¡¯ve been waiting to be together for so long I can hardly believe it¡¯s finally going to happen.¡± Guilt twists in my belly, ¡°Arabe, I am sorry I came between you.¡± Her perfectly plucked brows furrow. ¡°Don¡¯t take that on, Selene. None of this was your fault. I can¡¯t say I care for the way Gabriel handled things, but that¡¯s on him, not you.¡± The strange prickling spreads, starting to wind down my spine. ¡°What do you mean, the way Gabriel handled it?¡± ¡°Well the threats of course.¡± Arabe says offhandedly. ¡°What threats?¡± Her eyes go almostically wide and she waves me off. ¡°I think I¡¯ve put my foot in my mouth again. Truly it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°No¡± I counter firmly. ¡°I want to know.¡± ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t.¡± She demurs, ¡°Please, Arabe¡± She frowns, ¡°Well, you know we were nning to get engaged before you escaped?¡± Did you never wonder why Bastien went along with it? I mean Alphas generally don¡¯t give up on the things they want. ¡°So why did he?¡± I proud. ¡°I don¡¯t know why Gabriel was so determined for Bastien to marry you, only that he was. And he didn¡¯t think Bastien would go through with the wedding if I was still here. So he told me in no uncertain terms that if I didn¡¯t leave, he would be forced to ¡°persuade¡± me.¡± She shivers slightly, her voice cracking with emotion. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice. I never would have left if it weren¡¯t for him. I wish I could tell you I was stronger, that I fought for Bastien, but I was afraid: for my family, for my life.¡± Arabe¡¯s eyes well with tears. ¡°I had to leave. If I didn¡¯t, Gabriel was going to kill me.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 9 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 9 Chapter 91 Faint Selene¡¯s POV The ground trembles beneath my feet. I don¡¯t think I can take another surprise this week. If what Arabe is saying is true, everything I thought I knew about my father-inw, about this pack, is wrong. ¡°But,¡± The protest sounds feeble even to my own ears. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Gabriel would do that.¡± ¡°Selene, you¡¯ve known him three years,¡± Arabe says gently. ¡°I¡¯ve known him since I was a child, please trust me when I say he is not what he seems. I promise you the Gabriel you see and the man he truly is, are two very different people.¡± She takes a sip of her coffee, sping the mug with both hands to keep it from shaking. Slightly fortified by the rich drink, she levies me with her undivided attention. ¡°He killed his own brother, do you really think he would bat an eye over killing a lesser pack member?¡± ¡°His brother tried to usurp him.¡± I hedge, recalling the details of the story. ¡°There was an uprising, the entire pack was at risk.¡± ¡°So Gabriel says,¡± Arabe remarks deliberately, and I realize she has a point. I am too young to remember any details of the event, and everything I know about it now hase directly from the Alpha. ¡°How many of us really know what happened that day? The entire city was evacuated into the mountain shelters ¨C no one was allowed out. Only pack leaders and enforcers were actually there to see what went down.¡± ¡°What exactly are you saying?¡± I ask, trying to cut through theplicated histories and vague usations to reach the crux of her point. ¡°I¡¯m saying that Gabriel wants something from you, badly enough that he would kill to get it.¡± Arabe reaches out andys her hand over mine, ¡°Stop and ask yourself, is there anything you can think of that might ount for this?¡± My stomach lurches. Is it possible I misjudged Gabriel? After all, I¡¯ve learned the hard way never to trust anyone. Was I really so naive and foolish that I bought into more lies the moment I tasted freedom? In those early days I wasn¡¯t exactly thinking clearly. The Alpha and his family were the first people to treat me with kindness in almost a decade ¨C was I so starved for affection that I could repeat my mistake with Garrick? ¡°There¡¯s something, isn¡¯t there?¡± Though she still seems very solemn, a faint light appears in her dark irises. ¡°You know why he wanted you as his daughter-inw.¡± ¡°What about Bastien?¡± I ask, trying to distract her from this line of thought. ¡°Bastien was still a boy during the uprising. Please don¡¯t judge him for his father¡¯s misdeeds.¡± The blonde¡¯s gaze is open and imploring, ¡°We just want to be together.¡± She confides hopefully. ¡°We¡¯ve done everything Gabriel wanted, we¡¯ve lost so many years and thest thing either of us want is to cause you pain. But as long as you¡¯re here, I¡¯m afraid Gabriel is never going to let that happen.¡± My brow furrows, ¡°The rejection ceremony is already being nned, it¡¯s between Bastien and I. Gabriel can¡¯t stop it.¡± ¡°Honey, he¡¯s the Alpha.¡± She reminds me, ¡°Of course he can.¡± Her teeth dent her lower lip, ¡°And even if he lets it go forward, there are other ways to get to you.¡± I try to imagine my father-inw raising a hand against me, betraying me as Garrick had. I can¡¯t see it, but then I never saw Garricking either. I feel dizzy with the strain of processing this new information. ¡°You truly believe Gabriel is a threat to me?¡± | murmur uncertainly. ¡°Yes.¡± Arabe answers sadly, ¡°I do.¡± 7 Days Until the Rejection Ceremony After spending most of my day Friday on the floor of my bathroom, and now half of Saturday too, I¡¯ve come to the conclusion that the doctor who came up with the term ¡°morning sickness¡± was definitely a man. No one who has actually experienced the affliction would call it something so patently false. I haven¡¯t been able to keep any food or water down in three days. At first I tried to rece the nutrients I was losing, but I learned quickly there was no use. That¡¯s about the time I stopped trying to do anything productive. After constantly running back and forth to the bathroom every ten minutes I finally gave up, deciding to just stay put. Honestly it almost makes me miss being poisoned. Wolfsbane is excruciating but the pain onlysts a few minutes, this is neve ending and I end up every bit as drained and exhausted when the day is done. I haven¡¯t seen Bastien since the disastrous night of our anniversary, or heard any more from Arabe. Admittedly, living in a bathroom does limit one¡¯s social calendar, but no one seems to have noticed my absence from the pack house either. Our conversation at the cafe has given me a great deal to think about, and in truth I¡¯m no closer to understanding the truth than! was before. I don¡¯t want to believe Gabriel is capable of the things Arabe suggested, but that¡¯s exactly why I have to take the allegations so seriously. It¡¯s easy to be suspicious and find fault in the people you don¡¯t like. It¡¯s the ones you do like who are the greatest threat, they are the ones you never seeing. Gabriel wouldn¡¯t be the first father figure to disappoint or betray me. At the same time, he knows the secret of my blood If there was ever a reason to wish me harm it would be the Vna lineage, yet he¡¯s never acted on it. My sickness began before Arabe gave me any reason to worry, but the stress and uncertainty has twisted my stomach into knots even as it churns with queasiness. I try to clear my head, to let the cool tiles beneath my cheek soothe my swirling thoughts Thest week has been a particrly twisted roller coaster of emotions, and I¡¯m starting to feel like I have whish from bouncing back and forth between joy and heartbreak. I tell myself to focus on the joy, and I can¡¯t help smiling as I try to picture my baby Who will you be? What will you look like? ¡°Why in the Goddess¡¯s name are you lying on the floor? My head swings to where Bastien stands in the doorway so quickly that I fear I might now have actual whish, in addition to the emotional variety. I didn¡¯t even hear hime in, and from the look on his face, he is not as sold on my new digs as I am. I try to sit up, well aware of how terrible i must look. My skin is pallid and mmy, and the wall moves away from me when I reach toward it for support. It¡¯s not the only thing moving when it should not. Bastien is swimming in and out of my vision, and ! suddenly can¡¯t be sure if there is one of him or two. ¡°Stop spinning.¡± i beg him irritably. I feel myself tilting backward just before a pair of massive hands pluck me from the floor. Bastien is looking down at me with a disapproving expression, ¡°How long have you been sick?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± i insist. I¡¯m bobbing through the air, the door drawing closer and closer. Abruptly I realize Bastien intends to remove me from the bathroom, ¡°No, stay here!¡± i exim. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He stops, peering down at me curiously. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°My bed is too far away.¡± I pull at his hold, trying to squirm free. The floor is fine.¡± I usually like being in Bastien¡¯s arms more than anything, but right now it¡¯s like being pressed up against a furnace. I miss the cool linoleum, ¡°I like the floor.¡± Bastien¡¯s palm presses to my forehead and cheeks, *You have a fever.¡± He says it as if it¡¯s my fault. ¡°And if you¡¯re so ill that you cannot leave the bathroom, then you need to go to the emergency room.¡± Panic blooms in my chest. I can¡¯t go to the hospital. I can¡¯t see a doctor. They¡¯ll find out I¡¯m pregnant. They¡¯ll tell him. ¡°No¡±, object loudly. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t,¡± he corrects me in a warning tone.¡± And you know how I feel about lies, little wolf.¡± For once I don¡¯t give a damn about his scolding. ¡°I won¡¯t go, you can¡¯t make me!¡± I cry, desperately trying to wriggle out of his arms. It¡¯s no use, Bastien is too strong for me. I can fight all day long but we both know I won¡¯t get anywhere. ¡°Let me go!¡± I order angrily. A warning rumble vibrates in Bastien¡¯s chest. He abruptly settles me on the bathroom counter, sping me by the arms and bending his head so I have to stare him in the eye. ¡°Why won¡¯t you go to the hospital?¡± I can¡¯t think of a single exnation that he will ept. Long seconds tick by as I blindly grasp for any logical answer. In the end i can only say, ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to.¡± My voice sounds small and pitiful, tear hover on my long eyshes. Bastien presses his lips into a hard line. ¡°Not good enough.¡± A moment before he moves, I realize what¡¯s about to happen. I jerk away from his body, smacking his arms away as he tried to get a grip on me. I can hear him growling, I can feel the waves of Alpha authority he¡¯s sending my way, but for once I do not quell. / have something worth protecting now, something more important than myself. We¡¯re a vicious tangle of limbs, but I can feel him winning. I fight like a wild thing,shing out any way I can, including chomping down on his arm when he tries to wrap it around my back. The force of his answering snarl startles me into a full on panic. Thest thing I remember is throwing myself as far away from him as possible. I hear a loud crack, followed by a sharp pain in the back of my head, then all is dark. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 10 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Arabe Falls Down the Stairs Selene¡¯s POV The steady beeping of a heart monitor greets me when I wake, along with the ufortable sensation of needles embedded in my arms. My eyes flutter open, and slowly the sterile white walls of a hospital room take shape around me. Bastien is already by my side. ¡°What happened?¡± I mutter drowsily. ¡°You had a very high fever.¡± He tells me, brushing a lock of hair away from my face. ¡°I told you we needed to go to the ER but you were very determined to stay on the floor.¡± if I imagined a hint of a smile on his lips, it was long gone by his next words. ¡°You fought me like a hellcat and managed to smash your head into the bathroom mirror.¡± The beeping next to me speeds up as my anxiety surges. I might not remember it, but I know exactly why I fought him so hard Bastien nces at the machine, mistaking the cause of my worry, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± He promises gently. ¡°There wasn¡¯t any serious injury, just a concussion and a few scrapes.¡± ¡°What else did the doctor say?¡± Please tell me he doesn¡¯t know. Please, please, please. ¡°Whatever stomach bug you had dehydrated you so much that fever set in. They¡¯re going to pump you full of liquids and send you home.¡± Bastien exins. My pulse was just starting to slow when he caught me with a look I know only too well. ¡°And when we get there you and I are going to have a little talk about trying to treat your own illnesses,¡± His voice lowers a full octave,¡± and biting,¡± ¡°Biting?¡± I squeak. He nods ominously, ¡°you were very naughty.¡± I shrink instinctively beneath his scrutiny. Whatever else has happened between us, at the end of the day he is still my Alpha, and I disobeyed him ¨C attacked him. ¡°How much trouble am I in?¡± To my surprise Bastien smiles and raises my hand to his lips, pressing soft kisses to my knuckles. ¡°You aren¡¯t. You scared the shit out of me.¡± He admits, ¡°I¡¯m too relieved you¡¯re all right to be angry.¡± I open my mouth to protest his teasing, but relief dissolves the words from my tongue. I feel a rush of affection for this man, the father of my child. If I was as sick as he makes it sound, he may have saved our lives. ¡°Thank you for taking care of me, Bastien.¡± He looks as if he¡¯s about to wave the words away, but I latch onto the hand still holding mine. ¡°Not just for today. For every day over thest three years, I never would have survived without you and I,¡± I have to pause so I don¡¯t get choked up, I will be eternally grateful that you were in my life.¡± ¡°You never have to thank me for taking care of you, Selene.¡± He answers, his earlier warmth receding as he releases me. ¡°It¡¯s my job.¡± His words send ice through my veins, erasing the warmth of a moment before. Of course, that¡¯s always what this was to him. I¡¯ve never been anything but an obligation, a duty. An Alpha couldn¡¯t throw a helpless young wolf to the elements, not after a pack member took them captive. His guilt and responsibility forced him into this marriage, and if I¡¯m not careful the same qualities could force him to stay for the baby. I have to find out what the doctors found, what they told him. A spike of terror seizes me, have I lost it? Is that why he doesn¡¯t know? The heart monitor speeds up again and I do the only thing I can: pray to the Goddess I¡¯m wrong. Bastien has gone to find us some food when I see a doctor approach the nurse¡¯s station outside my room. I rise from bed as quickly as I can, hurrying out of my room and pulling my IV behind me. ¡°Excuse me, are you my physician?¡± The man turns to face me, looking mildly surprised. ¡°Mrs. Durand, you really shouldn¡¯t be out of bed.¡± ¡°Please, I feel fine, and I need to speak with you alone.¡± I beseech him. Bright blue eyes survey me thoughtfully. ¡°As you wish,¡± he gestures toward the corridor, moving us away from the main desk. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± He asks. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I admit nervously. ¡°My husband said I hit my head and was dehydrated, but I know you must have run tests and things.¡± I trip over my words, ¡°That is to say ¨C I mean, I wanted to ask you¡­¡± Sensing the direction of my thoughts, he raises a pacifying hand. ¡°Do not worry, your baby is in perfect health.¡± A weight I didn¡¯t realize existed lifts from my shoulders. ¡°Thank you,¡± I breathe, ¡°But that¡¯s only half of it. From what my husband said¡­ well, it didn¡¯t sound like you told him.¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± He answers with an easy smile. I blink, confused. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Mr. Durand brought you in talking about a stomach virus.¡± The young physician¡¯s dark brow furrows. ¡°It was very clear he did not know about the pregnancy.¡± He exins, ¡°I did not tell him for two reasons. First, because you are my patient, not him. You may be married and he may be the future Alpha, but we still have doctor patient confidentiality. The only exception is a medical emergency in which you are not able to speak for yourself. That was not the case here. It wasn¡¯t medically necessary, so I did not feel it was my ce. You should be the one to tell him when you¡¯re ready.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Relief courses through me and my cheeks split with a wide grin. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°That said,¡± The doctor raises a cautioning finger, ¡°You have to be very careful not to let yourself get dehydrated like this again. What you¡¯re experiencing is not simple morning sickness, but a serious condition causing extreme, persistent illness throughout pregnancy. It can result in dehydration, weight loss, nutrition deficiencies you¡¯ll need to keep a very close eye on it.¡± My heart sinks. ¡°You mean this isn¡¯t going to go away until I have the baby?¡± ¡°Unfortunately not. You will need to take extreme care to maintain your strength. You may very well need to be hospitalized again before you reach full term.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± I nod shakily,. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°There is one other thing.¡± The doctor says, slightly circumspect. ¡°Yes?¡± *I don¡¯t mean to presume.¡± He hedges, ¡°But I just thought you might want to know. It will only be your decision to share the news of your pregnancy with your husband until you reach your second trimester.¡± I pause, ¡°I don¡¯t understand, I thought you said it wasn¡¯t your ce.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t what I meant,¡± He smiles gently, ¡°It won¡¯t be up to anyone at that point. Pregnancy changes your body¡¯s pheromones. It alters your scent. Once you hit 12 weeks your husband and every other male in scenting distance will know you¡¯re with pup.¡± Of all the shorings in my education resulting from Garrick¡¯s imprisonment, I have often found these basic facts of life to be the most frustrating. I had no idea. Unable to find the right words, I simply nod my thanks and begin to turn back towards my room. I only make it part way, as I pivot toward the desk a sh of blonde hair appears in my periphery. I freeze and turn back. She is frozen in ce halfway down the hall, and the look on her face makes it clear: She heard every word of my conversation. Trembling slightly, I approach the other woman,ing to stand before her at the top of the main staircase. She is staring at me with those wide doe-eyes, her pretty features drawn and cold. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant?¡± The shock is in in her voice. ¡°Yes.¡± I answer soberly, ¡°But Bastien doesn¡¯t know, and I¡¯m not going to tell him.¡± I promise. ¡°You have my word that I will be leaving Elysium after the rejection ceremony. As long as you keep my secret, we will be out of your life for good.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Arabe shakes her head. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you telling him? He would never leave you if he knew.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m not.¡± I can¡¯t keep all the bite from my voice. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be with someone who doesn¡¯t want me.¡± ¡°That hasn¡¯t stopped you before.¡± I¡¯m so surprised by her direct words that I take a step back, ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve taken him for three years even though he didn¡¯t want you, why do you suddenly care now? Why should I believe a word you say?¡± I shift ufortably. ¡°The marriage wasn¡¯t my idea either.¡± I remind her. ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly have a choice.¡± Arabe purses her thin lips. ¡°There is always a choice. She says, narrowing her eyes. And this is one too. You do realize if you have this child, it will always be Bastien¡¯s heit ¨C no matter where you go. Any children I might have will lose their im to the Nova Pack by default ¡°That¡¯s not a certainty ¡± I reason. ¡°You have Vna blood * Arabe hisses, ¡°No normal child will stand a chance.¡± ¡°So what?¡± I counter fiercely. ¡°You want me to get rid of it?¡± ¡°If you really care about Bastien you would. She proims. I scoff in outrage. ¡°Forgive me, but it sounds like you¡¯re more concerned with yourself than Bastien.¡± Her pupils turn to slits. ¡°Is that your answer?¡± tym not harming my child.¡± I snap. Her bony fingers dig into my arm like ws. ¡°Then you leave me no choice.¡± Arabe jerks me toward the stairs, propelling me to the edge of the top step. Just in time, I realize she is trying to push me down the winding flight. 1 throw all my weight in the opposite direction, suddenly and forcefully enough that Arabe stumbles, losing her grip on my arm. Ind hardon my backside, the IV bag toppling with me, and watch her teeter on the precipice of the staircase. It happens in slow motion: Arabe¡¯s arms propel wildly as she tries to gain her bnce, a riot of emotions flitting across her face. Finally she tumbles over the edge, her body crashing loudly down the steep steps. scramble to my feet, frantically looking for help, only to hear Arabe¡¯s weedling voice rising from the bottom of the stairs. She pushed mer. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 11 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Thunderstorm Selene¡¯s POV Arabe is curled in a heap at the bottom of the stairs, her pitiful cries grating against my ears like nails on a chalkboard. I can¡¯t see any blood, but the sickening, unnatural angles of her legs leave me with no doubt her pain is genuine. A healthy, young wolf, she¡¯ll heal quickly, but that won¡¯t stop the injuries from hurting like a bitch in the interim. I might feel some sympathy for her, if it wasn¡¯t for her melodramatic wails and repeated howls of, ¡°Why Selene? Why did you do it?¡± Doctors and nurses crowd around her, shouting orders, but no one seems to pay me any mind. I¡¯m still in shock. Everything happened so fast and my brain is scrambling to catch up. I haven¡¯t moved from the top of the stairs, looking down at the grisly scene with wide eyes. How had everything gone so wrong so quickly? One moment my secret was safe, and the next my husband¡¯s mate was trying to push me down the stairs because I hadn¡¯t been smart enough to have a sensitive conversation in private. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Only Arabe and I know what truly happened. It will be her word against mine, and I can¡¯t exin the truth without revealing the reason why the she-wolf tried to push me. I can defend myself honestly and reveal I¡¯m pregnant, or lie and say she simply tripped. Would anyone even believe me? From the outside it certainly looks like I had motive. My husband is about to reject me for this woman, and in the eyes of the pack I probably seem damaged enough to suffer some sort of mental break as a result. I¡¯d like to think Bastien knows me well enough to realize I would never do such a thing, but Arabe is his mate, and logic tends to go out the window when ites to mates. All he¡¯ll hear is that someone threatened her life, and nothing else will matter. When ites down to it, Bastien will always choose Arabe over me ¨C and that means I¡¯m in a lot of trouble. An Alpha wolf in a blind rage is the most dangerous animal on the, and if Arabe manages to send Bastien into one, it will not matter that I¡¯m his wife. If you asked me this morning if I thought my husband would ever raise a hand against me, I would have said no ¨C but that was before. I¡¯m not sure what he¡¯ll do now, and I have no intention of sticking around to find out. I rush back to my room, frantically trying to free myself from the tubes and needles in my arm. ¡°Let me help you with that.¡± It¡¯s the doctor from before, slowly approaching from the doorway and nodding towards my arm. ¡°What? Why would you-¡± He¡¯s already mping the fluid lines and pressing gauze to the insertion site. *I don¡¯t believe you pushed anyone.¡± He says simply, wrapping a bandage around my freed arm. ¡°And I figure if you¡¯re afraid of your husband, you have good reason.¡± I almost feel like crying, ¡°Thank you.¡± I suddenly realize how rude I¡¯ve been, ¡°I never asked your name.¡± ¡°Dr. Kane.¡± He says with a kind smile. ¡°But you can call me Thomas.¡± ¡°Thank you, Thomas.¡± I breathe. ¡°You¡¯re a good man.¡° ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± He strides to the armchair in the corner where Bastien¡¯s coat is thrown over the armchair and delves into one of the pockets. He extracts a key fob and tosses it to me. ¡°Now get out of here.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV The moment I return to the emergency ward I know Selene is gone. Her scent lingers, but not nearly strong enough. My hackles raise and Axel goes on high alert. Something is wrong. I start towards her room but stop when I recognize the scent of another she-wolf. Axel continues tugging me towards Selene¡¯s room, growling in frustration. I ignore him, following Arabe¡¯s scent. As soon as I stop focusing all my senses on Selene, I hear the howls of pain. I take off at a run, finding Arabe in an open bay surrounded by people and machines. Her legs are clearly broken, and bruises are beginning to form down the length of her body. I rush to the front of the gurney, leaning over her so she can see my face. ¡°Arabe, what happened?!¡± Her head is held stationary by a heavy neck brace and her cheeks are soaked with tears. ¡°Selene pushed me down the stairs.¡± I¡¯m certain I¡¯ve heard her wrong. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Selene.¡± She repeats with a heavy sob, ¡°I heard she was in the hospital so I came to visit, but when she saw me ¨C I don¡¯t know what happened. She just lost it and pushed me down the stairs.¡± I frown down at Arabe, unable to process her strange words and wishing I couldfort her in some way. I hate feeling so helpless. I know there¡¯s nothing I can do, but it still feels like I¡¯m failing Arabe. I wasn¡¯t there to protect her when she needed me and I can¡¯t fix her pain now. I say the only thing I can. ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me.¡± She begs. ¡°Never.¡± I promise. Selene¡¯s POV I¡¯m too on edge to return home, though I know I¡¯ll need to go there eventually to collect my things. Instead I drive along the winding road on the north face of the mountain, heading for the cabin retreat the Alpha¡¯s family uses when the pack house gets too crowded. My insides twist themselves into knots as I wonder what¡¯s happening at the hospital. Bastien would certainly be back by now, his head swarming with Arabe¡¯s lies. I¡¯m furious with myself for not seeing thising. Arabe may love Bastien, but what happened between us at the top of those stairs came down to power and power alone. She did not want there to be any challenge to her position in the pack, or her children¡¯s, and she was willing to do anything to protect their status, including killing her mate¡¯s firstborn. As the full implications of her actions be clear in my mind, maternal wrath swells in my chest. Though I might have been killed in the fall, her attack was not against me. It didn¡¯t matter to Arabe whether I miscarried or died ¨C as long as my baby was gone. They will both be after me now, and that leaves me no choice. I need to get out of Elysium as soon as possible. My time as Garrick¡¯s captive left me with a lot of scars ¨C both physical and mental ¨C but few cut deeper than my fear of thunderstorms. As empty as I sometimes feel, I¡¯ve learned to manage without Luna; I¡¯ve learned to cope with darkness and locked doors, meeting strangers and standing in crowds. I handle some things better than others and though it¡¯s always hard, most things do get easier as time passes. However there are some struggles that never get easier; wounds that have been indelibly carved into what¡¯s left of my soul. No matter how many months or years go by, raised voices, arguments, and loud noises turn me inside out; and thunderstorms reduce me to a quivering puddle. We get lots of storms in the mountains, but I can¡¯t recall ever facing one alone since I escaped Garrick. Bastien was there for me from the very beginning, without even knowing why I needed him; all that mattered was that I was afraid. As i stand on the cabin¡¯s front porch, watching fat ck clouds roll in and feeling a vicious gail whipping around my body, I realize my days of Alpha coddling are over. I have to face this storm alone, just as I will have to face all the storms ahead. i retreat into the cozy chalet, igniting everymp, every overhead light, every piece of wood in every firece. I draw all the curtains, and curl up on the sofa surrounded by nkets, turning on the TV in hopes the noise might drown out the thunder. ! make myself asfortable as possible, lighting scented candles and boiling water for tea. I can do this, I think, over and over again. I can do this. All my creatureforts and self-care provisions went out the window the moment the storm hit. I could still smell the rain and feel the walls shaking around me. I could still see the shes of lightning through the curtains and feel the shocks of static energy zinging through the air ¨C and that was before the power went out. With one particrly violent crack of thunder, the electricity shut off all at once, stealing the light and noise buffering me from the outside world. I thank the Goddess I had the foresight to light the fires and candles, because I¡¯vepletely lost the ability to move. Trembling uncontrobly, I try to think of anything ¨C anything that is not the raging tempest above, anything that is not Garrick. I hear myself whimpering, and feel a stab of shame. I¡¯m a grown woman, soon to be a mother, and I¡¯m cowering in the dark like a pup. I stare into the mes in the hearth, forcing my eyes to stay open even when I flinch from the impact of another rumbling sh. Light is your friend, I say in my mind, not the dark. Yet as I stare into the mes I find myself transported to another dark room, a dark room lit only by the orange glow beyond an impassable doorway. The square grate stretches before my eyes, lengthening and distorting until the fire has climbed up and adopted the shape of the basement door. Garrick appears then, stumbling toward me out of the mes, ranting and raving and stripping off his clothes. I want to run, I want to fight, but I¡¯m frozen in ce. The scent of whisky and aftershave fills the air around me, tormenting my senses. I can feel his hands on me, rough and cruel and greedy. I can feel his fingers digging into my thighs and I reach for the whisky bottle, but it isn¡¯t there. There is no way out this time. Just then Garrick¡¯s head jerks up, his fiendish eyes locking onto the doorway. Not the fiery doorway at his back, but the cabin entrance. The door swings wide, revealing an enormous ck wolf at its center; A wolf with molten silver eyes, and fangs bared for an attack. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 12 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Reject My Mate Selene¡®s POV Garrick disappears in a wisp of smoke and i duck down behind the sofa¡¯s backrest, choking on my sobs. The door ms shut, and I hear the thud of heavy paws against wood floors. The wolf rounds the sectional, shaking off excess water as he prowls toward me. I cower away from Bastien as he approaches, mping my eyes shut when he¡¯s near enough for me to feel the heat of his breath on my face. I expect growls and pain, instead feel the pillows dip beneath me, and then a huge furry body nudging me away from the backrest and taking its ce. I peek one eye open, to make sure I¡¯m actually feeling what I think I am. Bastien¡®s wolf has wound himself around my body like a furry nket, so muchrger than me in this form that I¡¯mpletely encircled. He¡¯s still herding me into position, prodding and nuzzling until I rx against him, leaning into his warmth and using his shoulder as a pillow. His fur is damp but I don¡¯t care, the quilt around my body shields me from the cold, and my face is already soaked with tears. When I finally submit fully, Bastien settles his head in myp and begins to emit a soft rumbling noise. If he were a cat shifter I¡¯d call it a pure, but whatever its name, nothing soothes me more. My panic over the storm begins to recede, and my fears about Arabe and my future trail in their wake. in the end all I¡¯m left with is my sorrow over losing Bastien. When it too begins to fade I struggle slightly, fighting to hold onto the sender feelings. I don¡¯t want him to lull this away. I want to feel every second of the ache, the evidence of the love I never thought i would feel again, the love that gave me my baby. But he doesn¡¯t let me hold onto it. He washes it away with everything else, until I¡¯m hovering on that hazy ne between waking and sleep, the storm entirely forgotten. Bastien¡¯s POV Ten Years Earlier The rebels came at dawn, storming the rocky teau beneath Nova Hall to gain entrance to the city. They poured into the streets of Elysium, breaking off into roving bands of marauders as they hunted fo those they had been paid to call enemy. The mercenaries had been promised a fierce battle and plentiful spoils to loot, instead they found a deserted metropolis. The Novans were nowhere to be found the mountain refuge was as silent and still as a grave. We watched them scurry like ants through the city¡®s serpentine pathways, looking down from our perch high above the valley Pack enforcers and sentinels gathered at the mouth of the alpine tunnels, blocking all paths to the emergency shelters where the pack took refuse. I stood at the helm by my father, feeling every bit of his anger, betrayal, and anguish. I was 16, old enough to fight but too experienced to truly understand the horrors awaiting me in battle. The pack Beta and Gamma were positioned at our shoulders, my father¡¯s night and left hands: Donavon and Griffin, and my own Beta and Gamma in training. I was never close to my uncle growing up, but his betrayal cut me to the bone. My father was harsh when he needed to be, but always loyal always loving The idea that his own brother should move against him was unthinkable. I was rabid with the need to protect my pack, no matter our opponents. I was raring for a fight, eager to test my strengths in battle ¨C and my best friend paid the price. Flynn was like a brother to me he was the son of a pack enforcer and the perfect counterbnce to my dominance and aggressen Whele Alden was yful and fair Flynn was quiet and logical i needed them both, but Flynn was always first by my side. His parents died when he was 14, so my father took in Flynn and his younger sister, Arabe. From the time she could walk, Aste went wherever yn did. I used to call her his title shadow she was always there, nipping at his heels to our canks today though her forck of wing she¡¯d wanted to join us in the fight, she even attempted to sneak. Sometimes I think she sensed what was going to happen. My uncle appeared to have finally figured out where we were, rerouting the attack up the mountain. As their gray bodies disappeared from the streets and into the trees, father howled a rallying cry, and the charge began. The sh of apex predators is never pretty, and that first battle has been scalded into nightmares: Fangs and ws tearing through fur, muscle and flesh; bones cracking, blood sshing and limbs hanging by a thread. As father fought my uncle, I tackled the alpha leading the mercenaries. He was my first kill ¨C but he would not be myst. I hurtled through the trees, trailing carnage with my men. We warred until the sun was high overhead, until the forest where I¡¯d spent my youth was little more than a graveyard. Flynn, Aiden and I were circling fallen bodies on a jagged cliff, checking for survivors when it happened. One of the mercenaries we believed to be dead was ying possum, and when my back was turned he lunged. Aiden and I never saw himing, but Flynn did. My best friend threw himself into the wolf¡¯s path, the force of his assault so great that they were both propelled over the side of the cliff. Aiden and I watched Flynn tumble to his death, all the while knowing it should have been me. Whatever was left of our youth died that day, we would never be the same again. As I watch Selene sleep, so fragile and innocent in my arms, I think of Arabeying in her hospital bed. Whatever happened between them, my little wolf does not possess the strength to overpower the other woman, especially not in her weakened condition. I believe Arabe thinks she was pushed, but perception and fact are two very different things. Nheless her pain was real, and seeing her in such a state brought back every horrible memory of Flynn¡¯s death. That day I vowed to care for Arabe as I knew my friend would, to provide for her and keep her safe. It¡¯s my fault she was left alone in the world, and therefore my responsibility to help her find her way in life. Before Selene, I thought about marrying her, despite the fact that she was more like a sister to me than anything else. I already nned on supporting her financially, and some part of me imagined that it would make Flynn happy to see us together. I missed him so terribly that I think I hoped I might feel closer to him through her. Then one rainy night I found a little wolf in a tree, and all my ns for the future went out the window. I knew she was my mate the moment I saw her, and though I still support Arabe, any thoughts of marrying her went by the wayside then and there. I¡®ve confided in Arabe over the years, so much so that she returned to Elysium to lend me a shoulder when I found out about Selene¡®s true love. When we first married, I knew there was an uphill battle ahead. I knew she lost her wolf, I knew she could not feel our bond, but I hoped she would love me in time. Three years. That was our agreement. It had all seemed so logical at the time, now I¡¯d like nothing more than to go back in time and kick myself in the pants. I was crazy to think I would ever be able to give her up. Though I¡®ve done as my father advised and refrained from iming my matepletely, keeping my distance hasn¡¯t prevented me from bing addicted to her. Healthy and free, Selene blossomed, surpassing her own beauty with every new day. She has be a veritable siren, one whose song i would dly drown myself to hear. She is a tapestry of contradictions: pure yet haunted, vulnerable yet resilient, aloof yet sweetly submissive. She is impossible to ever knowpletely, and her mystery is as hypnotizing as her eyes. I know now that I would have fallen in love with her even if she were not my fated mate. But now I have to let her go. The day before our anniversary i¡¯d been nning on proposing a vow renewal to Selene. Our marriage had been a contract, but I wanted it to be real ¨C permanent. I thought she was happy, I was foolish enough to believe she loved me. I was on my way to pop the question when I heard her on the phone with her friend Lily. I stood outside her study, at first pausing to simply enjoy her melodic voice, then freezing when I realized what she was saying ¡°Yeah, I have a doctor¡¯s appointment this afternoon but I should be free by four,¡± She began, pausing to listen to her friend¡¯s response. ¡°I think i have to try. I mean, I¡¯ve been in love with the man since I was five years old.. Selene trailed off. ¡°I don¡¯t want to make things difficult, but he¡¯s everything to me.¡± My heart, so full moments before, stopped beating. Nausea rose in my stomach, and my insides slowly hardened to stone. I didn¡¯t understand, if she was already in love with someone when we met three years ago, why didn¡¯t she tell me? ¡°I know. You¡¯re right.¡± Selene stated gloomily, ¡°I¡¯m just going to have to learn to live with it. After all, I¡¯ve survived worse, right?¡± If hearing Selene talk about loving another man turned me to stone, listening to her speak about our marriage as if it is something to be survived reduced me to dust. I couldn¡¯t let her stay just to appease me. Often, being an Alpha means sensing what your pack members need and doing what is best for them, whether they like it or not. With Selene ¨C who battles so muchplex trauma with the emotional tools of a ten¨Cyear-old ¨C I¡¯ve found myself frequently walking this line. This was no different. Selene couldn¡¯t bring herself to reject me, so I did it for her.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 13 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Bastien Goes To See Her Again 6 Days Until the Rejection Ceremony Selene¡¯s POV Early morning sunlight filters through the windows and bathes the room in dappled light. I feel Bastien tracing the patterns its rays form on my skin, trailing his fingers down my spine, circling the shadows and delicate illuminations across my ribcage. At some pointst night he must have shifted and carried me to bed. Now he lies beneath me, the steady rise and fall of his chest rocking my body like a boat bobbing on the waves. I stretch drowsily, turning my face up to his. His eyes are already on me, his rugged features radiating warmth. ¡°Good morning, little wolf.¡± I snuggle closer, reacting rather than thinking. ¡°Good morning.¡± There are dark circles beneath Bastien¡¯s eyes, ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°No.¡± He confirms, ¡°I was a bit distracted.¡± I can feel the blood drain from my face. ¡°Is Arabe¡­?¡± ¡°She¡¯s going to be fine.¡± Bastien assures me. ¡°You on the other hand¡­¡± he trails off ominously. | stiffen in his arms, ¡°Bastien, I didn¡¯t do it.¡± Frowning, he catches my cheek in his palm. ¡°I know that sweetheart.¡± He continues petting me, treating me as he might a skittish horse. ¡°Arabe was distressed and confused, she was in a lot of pain ¨C that¡¯s all.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. No it wasn¡¯t, I want to say, but I hold my tongue. ¡°If you know I didn¡¯t push her, why wouldn¡¯t I be okay?¡± Bastien raises a stern brow, ¡°Because you, my sweet wife, are in a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± He rises with predatory grace, sitting up in the bed and pulling me into hisp. My legs straddle his thighs and I peek up at him from beneath myshes. ¡°Have you forgotten already?¡± Bastien¡¯s rough voice sends a shiver down my spine as his hand closes around my nape. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell anyone you were sick. You grantly disobeyed me ¨C though I admit, that was more the fever¡¯s fault than your own.¡± He concedes, ¡°But you were perfectly lucid when you left the hospital without being discharged or leaving so much as a note, and then isted yourself when your physical and mental health were at stake.¡± I stare at myp. ¡°How did you know I was here anyway?¡± ¡°I tracked the car and sent Aiden to keep watch. It¡¯s a good thing too, or I wouldn¡¯t have known about the storm ¨C it didn¡¯t hit the leeward side of the mountain.¡± Bastien¡¯s fingers sink into my long hair, tangling in the thick tresses. He tugs it gently, pulling my attention to his foreboding expression. ¡°You owe me some exnations.¡± Maybe it¡¯s my pregnancy hormones, but suddenly I feel like crying. I don¡¯t want to exin. I was trying to do what was best for all of us, it isn¡¯t fair that Bastien is angry with me. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you toe, you know.¡± His brow furrows in confusion. ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you didn¡¯t want to leave Arabe you didn¡¯t have to.¡± I dere sulkily, ¡°It was just a storm, I¡¯m going to have to get over this phobia eventually anyway.¡± His molten eyes search my face, as if trying to unearth some mystery from my skin. ¡°I¡¯m an Alpha,¡± He finally reminds me. ¡°I don¡¯t do anything I don¡¯t want to do, Selene.¡± I can¡¯t hold back my derision, ¡°Please Bastien, that¡¯s all you ever do. Your entire existence is caught up in these notions of duty and obligation, and you fulfill them regardless of what it costs you.¡± In my head, my voice sounds firm and strong. Out loud, I sound like a riled mouse. Bastien is still looking at me with dark intensity, ¡°And what does it cost me?¡± ¡°Everything,¡± I murmur. ¡°You¡¯d give your life, if it came to it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what leading a pack is, Selene.¡± He states gently, ¡°But you¡¯re wrong if you think it isn¡¯t a choice. I didn¡¯t have to lead, 1 chose this life. And I choose if and how I fulfill my duties.¡± He doesn¡¯t see it, I realize. He doesn¡¯t see how much I¡¯ve taken from him. Frustration pricks my every nerve ending, overwhelming me with emotions I cannot untangle let alone relieve. I don¡¯t know what to do. Everything ising down on me at once. Every time I think I¡¯ve pinpointed a feeling, a new one pushes it out of the way. Sensing my agitation, Bastien pulls me into his arms, tucking my body against his chest. Skin on skin, I feel his heart beating in perfect synchrony with my own. The pressure of his embrace forces some of the anxious energy out of me, and his warm hands begin to stroke my spine in a persistent caress. His lips graze my ear. ¡°What¡¯s going on, little wolf?¡± I want to speak, I want to tell him every thought running through my head, yet when I open my mouth nothinges out. It often happens like this ¨C a maelstrom of feelings I don¡¯t know how to process let alone express. After so many years spent in solitude, it feels like I¡¯ve lost the ability tomunicate. Even when I want to speak, I can¡¯t find the words ¨C I can¡¯t find my voice. So I lie. ¡°Nothing,¡± I finally say, nuzzling my face into the crook of his neck. ¡°Nothing at all.¡± 5 Days Until the Rejection Ceremony ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine.¡± Bastien promises me. We¡¯re standing side by side in our bathroom, staring at our reflections in the mirror. I¡¯m wearing a long, flowing dress the exact shade of Bastien¡¯s eyes, while he sports a sleek ck tux. Given my aversion to crowds, we haven¡¯t been to many formal events over thest few years, but missing this evening is not an option. Tonight is Gabriel¡¯s 60th birthday, a momentous event bringing wolves from far and wide to our secluded city. The Alphas of the Eros and Vega packs would be in attendance with their families, as well as artists and thought leaders from across the continent. I will have to y hostess with Bastien¡¯s mother, Odette. I love the elder woman dearly, but I will never befortable greeting. My lip quirks as I sweep my gaze down his body. ¡°Your tie is crooked.¡± I tell him, eyeing the lopsided bow at his cor. Bastien grumbles, pulling the satiny fabric until ites undone. ¡°I hate these things.¡± I turn my back on the mirror, stepping in front of him to fix the garment. I fiddle with the sleek ck bowtie, painfully aware of Bastien¡¯s intent gaze. He¡¯s been looking at me like I¡¯m a particrly tasty snack ever since I donned this dress, and his attention is confusing me to say the least. I rise onto my toes, trying to bring my eyes level with his cor and failing. The next thing I know I¡¯m sitting on the counter with Bastien between my legs. I emit a startled chuckle, reaching for the garment once more. I¡¯ve barely started when Bastien drops his face to my neck, breathing me in. ¡°Goddess you smell good.¡± He rumbles, nuzzling my throat to add his own scent on top of my perfume. Heat begins pooling in my belly. No matter how many times Bastien scent marks me, the possessive gesture always turns my insides to mush. It was confusing at first, I didn¡¯t understand why he would be so territorial over someone he didn¡¯t love, but over time I realized love doesn¡¯t have much to do with it. Regardless of feelings, I¡¯m his wife ¨C his wolf considers me his, and he does not share. My mouth goes dry as his scruffy cheeks abrade my sensitive skin. ¡°I can¡¯t do this when you¡¯re doing-¡± I gasp. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He croons, sounding anything but. ¡°I¡¯ll behave.¡± I narrow my eyes, not believing him for a moment, but trying to focus on the task at hand. I carefully wind the fabric into the correct knot, pulling it taught and smiling at my handy work. ¡°There,¡± I grin, ¡°Now you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°And what about you?¡± He¡¯s kissing me again, hisrge hands skimming down my bare legs beneath my skirt. ¡°I just need my shoes.¡± I tell him, starting to jump down. Instead, his strong hands lock me in ce. ¡°Let me,¡± Bastien says the words as if they are a suggestion, but we both know they¡¯re an order. A momentter he appears with my heels in hand, kneeling down to slip them onto my feet. He kisses my ankle as he fastens the strap, sending bolts of lighting through my body. He rises to his feet with a smirk. ¡°Have you forgotten what kissing is, little wolf?¡± He teases, ¡°Do you need a refresher course?¡± My spine turns to liquid, but before I can answer a strident ringing fills the air. Both our eyes dart to the cell phone in his pocket. Bastien pulls it free, reading the caller ID and wrenching away from me all at once. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He says by way of greeting. There is only one person who could possibly make him react this way. I have no doubt Arabe is on the other end of the line. ¡°When?¡± Bastien is saying. slide gingerly from the counter, a dull ache blooming in my chest. I have a very bad feeling about this phone call. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Silver eyes bore into me, ¡°The g is in half an hour.¡± A familiar queasy sensation curdles in my stomach, and I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s dread or morning sickness. ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± Bastien sighs.. ¡°I¡¯ll be there as fast as I can.¡± When he finally ends the call, I can see the painful truth in his expression. ¡°You aren¡¯ting?¡± I ask hoarsely. Bastien grimaces, crossing to me and taking my face in his hands. ¡°I¡¯lle the minute I¡¯m free, I promise.¡± He vows, ¡°But this can¡¯t wait.¡± ¡°Bastien it¡¯s your father¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°I know, sweetheart.¡± He sighs again and I think I hear genuine regret in his voice, ¡°But this is urgent. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I watch Bastien¡¯s retreating back as he stalks out the door without another word. Shock and anxiety war for dominance in my mind, and I¡¯m irrationally angry with myself for feeling them. Bastien isn¡¯t mine anymore, I don¡¯t have the right to be put out over this. Right or wrong, the hairline fracture that severed my heart when Bastien announced he was rejecting me begins to split wider and wider apart as I watch him leave, knowing he¡¯s headed for the arms of another woman. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 14 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 14 Chapter 14 I Am Pushed Into The Pool Selene¡¯s POV I¡¯ve never seen so many people in one ce. Nova hall is packed to the gills with glittering bodies. Wolves from across the pack have gathered to celebrate Gabriel, all decked out in their finest. I know most of the people here, having met them at some point or another over thest three years, but at least a quarter of the guests are outsiders. Members of a dozen other packs havee to pay their respects, for tonight not only marks Gabriel¡¯s birthday, but also his 30th anniversary as Alpha. There is no question my father-inw has been a highly influential leader, brokering unprecedented alliances with powerful packs across the continent. I stand close to my mother-inw¡¯s side, wishing I could go back to the pack house. I hate these events, which always leave me feeling scrutinized and judged by the prying eyes of pack socialites. Most pack members view me as either an oddity or a charity case, but there is one group in particr who took great offense when Bastien took me for a mate. Everyone knows my story. My escape and Garrick¡¯s subsequent disappearance was headline news in Elysium, and if it weren¡¯t for Gabriel and Bastien, I probably would have be something of a pack side show. With all our other concerns, I¡¯m not sure any of us considered that I might need protection from negative attention within the pack, but time proved it was very necessary. Bastien had been the Nova¡¯s most eligible bachelor since he was a boy, and the pack¡¯s unmated women took our marriage especially hard. It was one thing when people thought he would marry Arabe ¨C she fit the role of an Alpha¡¯s wife, the de-facto leader of Novan females. I did not. I am not a leader, and standing next to Bastien I look more like his kidnapping victim than a partner. I am short, scrawny and timid; a halfling with strange eyes and nothing but wasted potential. The fact that I am a Vna ceased to matter when I lost Luna. I am an iplete person by definition, and that might be alright if I held no power, but the idea of having a woman without a wolf helping to lead the pack did not sit well with a great many people. I have no doubt the pack will be relieved when our rejection ceremony is announced, but everyone agreed it should wait until after the g. No one wanted to pull attention from Gabriel on his special night. I can feel a hundred eyes crawling over my form. I wish Bastien was here. I adore Odette and find her a lovely, calming presence, but no one puts me at ease like my husband. He is the only person with whom I don¡¯t have to constantly worry about my safety, because I know he is looking out for me better than I ever could. I wonder what¡¯s going on with Arabe. Has she taken a turn for the worse? Is that why he ran out the way he did? It¡¯s hard to fathom what could go wrong now that she¡¯s mostly healed, but it also wouldn¡¯t surprise me given the way she¡¯s been milking her injuries. It would be perfectly in character for Arabe to conjure some new crises when I need Bastien most. I¡¯m still struggling to sort through everything that happened between us. Her allegations against Gabriel still ring in my ears, posing far too many ufortable questions. There¡¯s no doubt she cannot be trusted when ites to my well being, but that doesn¡¯t automatically negate her usations. The fact that she¡¯s a terrible person does not mean she¡¯s never been wronged, in fact one could argue that being terrible makes some past trauma more likely. I have a hard time believing it of my father-in- law, but I also remember the look in Bastien¡¯s eyes when he told me he doesn¡¯t do anything he doesn¡¯t want to ¨C the same words Arabe used to ask me why he¡¯d gone through with our marriage. I still don¡¯t have a clear answer. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Nor do I know what to do about her attempted assault. I¡¯m extremely concerned about what is going to happen when she gets released from the hospital. I know I don¡¯t have to worry about her sharing my news with anyone, but I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t give up after just one try. How did this be such a mess? After a while Odette leaves me to check on Gabriel and I find myself very literally thrown to the wolves. ¡°Poor thing,¡± Someone titters behind me, sounding more disdainful rather than truly sympathetic, ¡°If Bastien hadn¡¯t married her she¡¯d be in a gutter somewhere. He¡¯s so noble. I can¡¯t imagine how hard it is for him to be with her.¡± The woman¡¯s words are no surprise ¨C it¡¯s no secret that Bastien married me out of pity and obligation ¨C but they still hurt. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder he¡¯s never imed her.¡± Another woman adds, ¡°Can you imagine your husband never marking you? It¡¯s so tragic.¡± Like herpanion, this she-wolf¡¯s voice suggested she felt the opposite of her words. ¡°Well it¡¯s not like you can me him.¡± The first woman scoffs, ¡°You don¡¯t breed a thoroughbred with a mule.¡± The women cackle cruelly, and I can¡¯t take anymore. I walk away, slipping out the garden door to stroll alongside the saltwater pool bisecting the blossoming greenspace. I hold my head up high as I move through the people, but it seems as if there is no escape from gossiping shrews. ¡°I heard he¡¯s rejecting her so she pushed Arabe down a flight of stairs.¡± I don¡¯t recognize the speaker, but her words make my blood run cold. Conflict is not in my nature. Indeed, Garrick spent years training my body to associate confrontations of any size with pain, and the after effects remain to this day. But this is too much. Even if the ensuing argument triggers a PTSD episode, I cannot let this rumor go uncontested. I turn towards the woman who spoke such cruel words, and find her watching me. It¡¯s clear she¡¯d wanted me to hear her; her features are alight with malicious glee as I approach. ¡°I didn¡¯t push anyone down any stairs.¡± I announce coolly. Her painted lips twist into a cruel smirk. ¡°But he is rejecting you, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°What of it?¡± I counter. ¡°People have rejection ceremonies all the time.¡± This is not entirely true. Rejection ceremonies are actually rtively rare, but they are stillmon enough in pack society to be considered normal. The she-wolf flips a curtain of long red hair over her shoulder. ¡°People may, Alphas don¡¯t.¡± I don¡¯t know where the fire in my belly came from, but rather than shutting down, I fight back. ¡°Actually it seems they do- since Bastien is an Alpha and he¡¯s having one.¡± ¡°And rightly so, it¡¯s far past time he got rid of you.¡± She bites back, sharing a cruel smile with her friends. I scowl, ¡®If you think you¡¯ll have a chance with him once he¡¯s single, you¡¯re sorely mistaken.¡± I tell them, ¡°He¡¯s already found his mate.¡± The redhead shrugs, ¡°Mates aren¡¯t forever, maybe I¡¯ll take a page out of your book and pay Arabe a little visit.¡± ¡°I already told you,¡± I snap. ¡°I didn¡¯t push her.¡± She sidles forward with a sympathetic pout. ¡°Oh honey, you don¡¯t have to pretend. I don¡¯t me you.¡± If she was in her wolf form I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be baring her fangs at me. ¡°Besides it¡¯s not like anyone would be surprised, you¡¯re not even a whole person after all, you can¡¯t be expected to function in a civilized society.¡± Jabs like this still hurt me, no matter how much time passes. There is too much truth in them for me to brush off, but she doesn¡¯t need to know that, ¡°If I¡¯m such a weak little halfling, how do you think I managed to take down a fully grown she-wolf.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she sniggers. ¡°Maybe you snuck up on her from behind.¡± I muster a re. ¡°Why are you like this, what have I ever done to you?¡± The she-wolf closes in on me, and I reflexively retreat, backing towards the edge of the pool. ¡°Growing up we all knew Bastien would be Alpha one day, we all fought for him.¡± She exins haughtily. ¡°We would have epted whichever one of us he chose ¨C after all, we all put in the time. Then you appeared.¡± She spits the words at my feet. ¡°You who never so much asid eyes on him before you escaped your little hovel. All the beautiful, brilliant she-wolves out there, and he picked a dirty little gutter rat.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes sh with true hatred. ¡°You didn¡¯t earn him, you didn¡¯t earn your position in the pack, and you certainly don¡¯t lead us now.¡± ¡°Bastien deserves better.¡± She hisses, ¡± And for once Arabe isn¡¯t here to distract him, so why don¡¯t you do us all a favor, and get out of the way.¡± Using all her strength, the she-wolf shoves me backward, her palms connecting with my shoulders andunching my small body straight into the pool. The water closes over my head as I sink, limbs thrashing. I never learned how to swim, and while my wolf might have been able to flounder frantically, trying and failing to propel me to the surface. I hadn¡¯t been prepared for the water, not realizing how close we had moved throughout the course of our argument. I didn¡¯t have the chance to take a deep breath; I sshed into the water with my mouth open, and now it swiftly fills my lungs. Darkness consumes the edges of my vision. I don¡¯t have the time to be angry or afraid, there is only time for my panic-stricken brain to realize I¡¯m about to die. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 15 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Want To Make Bastien Jealous Selene¡®s POV My lungs burn as I choke on the salty pool water, trying desperately to keep my eyes open. A razor sharp pain explodes in my chest, tearing me from the inside out. As my airway seals shut and all the oxygen leaves my body, I feel a strange sense of peace. As if I know in my heart it¡®s over now, and I can finally rest. As my eyes shutter for thest time, I catch a final glimpse of the mortal world: An eerie cauldron of blue and green, dotted with the reflections of the garden¡®s fairy lights. The yellow orbs are broken only by the soft air pockets floating skyward, and then an explosion of bubbles and foam. An iron bar circles my middle, and suddenly I¡®m ascending, catapulting towards the surface. Saltwater spews from my mouth as I burst into the fresh air. I cough violently, unable to focus on anything but gulping in as much oxygen as I possibly can. I¡®m floating towards the pool¡®s edge, vaguely aware of a warm body holding me aloft. Half a dozen hands pull me from my watery coffin, rolling me onto my stomach so that I can expel everyst drop of fluid from my lungs. A heavy nket settles over my shoulders, and I realize I¡¯m shivering like a wet chihuahua. Familiar voices break through the haze, fussing and calling my name. I crack my eyes open to find Odette and Gabriel sitting on my left, both bone dry. I turn my head in the opposite directing, zeroing in on the man dripping water from every thread of his ruined tux. His hair is so dark it¡®s almost ck, and he watches me with piercing green eyes. He is not nearly so large as Bastien, but he is undeniable air of an Alpha wolf, but I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve never seen him before. He must be from another pack, I realize. ¡°Thank you,¡± I gasp, reaching for his hand. The man sps my palm, squeezing gently. ¡°Don¡®t mention it.¡± ¡°Selene sweetheart, what happened?¡± Odette is hovering over me like a frenzied mother hen, distress drawn in every line of her beautiful face. ¡°Give her some space to breathe, my love.¡± Gabriel says, scooping me up. ¡°Let¡¯s get her inside.¡° As the crowd of guests part to let the Alpha pass, I hear my mother-inw fussing over my savior. ¡°You must be freezing, pleasee inside and we¡®ll find you some dry clothes, Mr. Cavanaugh.¡± I recognize the name; the Cavanaughs lead the Eros Pack. This man is too young to be the Alpha, but i¡¯d bet good money he¡¯s next in line. Gabriel carries me up to one of the hall¡¯s social parlors, his mate close on his tailmanding the various sentinels to bring nkets and dry clothes. Every inch of my body feels bruised and drained. I never knew drowning was so painful and exhausting. I¡®m barely conscious as Gabriel deposits me on a plush settee and Odette gets to work stripping my sopping dress from my trembling body. She bundles nkets around me, only letting the men enter the room once I¡®mpletely covered. My mother¨Cinw strokes my drenched hair, ¡°I¡®ll call Bastien.¡± She promises, retrieving her phone. The Eros Pack heir strides into the room behind Gabriel, dressed in one of the older man¡®s suits. His hair is still wet, but no one at the party will hold that against him. ¡°Selene,¡± Gabriel broaches gently, ¡°This is Drake Cavanaugh. Drake, meet my daughter¨Cinw, Selene.¡± ¡°Thank you again for saving me.¡± My voice is a shadow of itself, weak and hoarse. ¡°I should be thanking you,¡± Drake grins, ¡°It¡¯s not often I get to y the hero. I might even get a few dates out of this.¡± Myugh is interrupted by a cough, but the warmth remains. This man is all light and charm ¨C nothing like Bastien. ¡°I¡¯m d I could be of help.¡± I reply throatily. ¡°Do you remember what happened?¡± Gabriel asks me, his salt and pepper brows furrowed. Like I could forget. ¡°No.¡± I lie. I don¡¯t think I can bear the embarrassment of exining the truth. ¡°One minute I was walking by the pool and the next was in it. ¡°Sweet girl,¡± Gabriel murmurs sympathetically, ¡°Bastien should have taught you to swim a long time ago.¡± Our conversation is abruptly silenced by the sound of Odette¡®s raised voice. ¡°What do you mean you can¡®t?¡± The door to the hallway is closed, but her words are as clear as day. ¡°Did you hear what I said? Your wife almost died. You cannot tell me there is anything more urgent than this.¡± We all pause, and I feel a familiar lump in my throat. No exnation was needed. Bastien was choosing Arabe over me ¨C again. The same kindling mes I felt before confronting that horrible gossip ignited once more. Suddenly I did not want to simply curl up and wait for Bastien toe sweep me home. No, I want to make him see what he¡¯s missing, and I know exactly how I¡¯m going to do it. *So, just so we¡¯re on the same page, you want to use me to make your husband jealous?¡± I¡¯m standing before a mirror again, in my second dress of the night. My hair has been blown dry and though I still feel like death warmed over, I¡®m determined to rally. Unlike the molten silver dress the pool destroyed, the emerald gown I now wear reveals far more than it leaves to the imagination. Its silk bodice appears almost painted on and the flowing skirt is slit straight to my hip. ¡°I didn¡®t say that,¡± I hedge, smothering a smile. ¡°But if that¡®s how you want to interpret it, go right ahead.¡± ¡°Oh I have no objections,¡± Drake teases, ¡°I just want to make sure I know the n.¡± I¡¯m quicklying to like Drake. He is warm and easy-going, always ready with augh. ¡°Well in that case, yes. That¡¯s about the size of it.¡± Normally I wouldn¡®t dream of doing something like this, ying games or seeking petty revenge for Bastien¡®s neglect. I know he cares for me as best he can, but part of me is still aching from the rejection announcement. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± I request, slowly working up my nerves. ¡°Of course.¡± The young wolf replies. ¡°This will probably sound very odd, but I don¡®t know a lot about our kind.¡± I admit. Drake nods, appearing suddenly serious. ¡°I¡®m aware of your history.¡± An apologetic look crosses his countenance, ¡°Gabriel notified my father when your step¨Cfather ran. He thought he might seek refuge in our territory.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I say simply. ¡°Then it won¡®te as a surprise to you that my knowledge of pack behavior and traditions is a bitcking.¡± He offers me a conceding nod. ¡°I heard something tonight I didn¡®t understand, and I wondered if maybe you could exin it to me.¡± Drake raises one dark brow. ¡°I don¡®t suppose this has anything to do with the woman who pushed you into the pool.¡± Igape at him, ¡°You saw?¡± ¡°I have to say you¡®re being a lot more forgiving about it than I would be in your shoes.¡± He remarks blithely. All I can do is blink in surprise. ¡°But you didn¡®t say.¡± Drake shoots me a look. ¡°Heroes don¡®t tattle. You clearly didn¡®t want Gabriel to know.¡± purse my lips, ¡°I think this hero stuff is starting to go to your head.¡± ¡°What was your question, Selene?¡± Drakeughs. ¡°What¡¯s the difference between marriage and iming a mate?¡± I can feel the vermillion flush heating my cheeks. The future Alpha does not look surprised. ¡°You mean marking?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Yes.¡± That is exactly the word those horrible women used. ¡°Well,¡± Drake clears his throat, ¡°marriage is only half of mating ¨C a legal union. But to truly im one¡®s mate, you have to mark them.¡± ¡°Like scent marking?¡± | rify. ¡°Yes.¡± He answers, ¡°Only this is permanent. It¡®s a bite which infuses your mate¡®s scent into your body so that it may never be washed off or covered up. Marking your mate is the ultimatemitment ¨C it solidifies the soul bond, connecting your wolvespletely and making it impossible to be parted.¡± I can feel a lump rising in my throat. ¡°So if someone lost their wolf?¡± Drake sighs deeply, ¡°I don¡®t have an answer for that one. You¡®re the only person I¡®ve ever heard of experiencing that, and I have no idea if it¡®d be possible to bond with someone who has been disconnected from their soul.¡± I blink away a rogue tear. ¡°It¡¯s not like it matters. I may not even have a fated mate. I was just curious.¡± ¡°Plenty of people marry without marking each other, Selene. Not every union is divined by fate.¡± He reminds me. ¡°I know.¡± offer up a watery smile. Drake tsks and takes my face in his hands, brushing my tears away with his thumbs. At that moment the parlor door swings open, and an animalistic snarl fills the air. ¡°Take your hands off my wife.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 16 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 16 Chapter 16 The Wine Is Drugged Selene¡¯s POV Woops. When I asked Drake to keep mepany at the party, I nned to flirt and dance, to give Bastien a little taste of his own medicine. Annoyance, that was the n. An annoyed Bastien is manageable, an enraged Bastien is dangerous. I stare at my husband with wide eyes. He¡¯s standing in the doorway, on the verge of shifting, fury rolling off him in waves. His metallic gaze is locked on my face, on my tears and Drake¡¯sforting hands. Drake doesn¡¯t seem the least bit troubled by the rabid creature looming over us. He slides his fingers from my skin, turning to Bastien with a friendly smile. ¡°Bastien, it¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Too long.¡± Bastien agrees, ¡°So long you seem to have forgotten who you¡¯re dealing with.¡± Drake rolls his eyes, and I have a sudden and newfound respect for the young Alpha. He may wear the face of a yful rogue, but underneath he is every bit the hard andmanding leader the role demands. ¡°Honestly Bastien, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be so ungrateful.¡± He quips, ¡°In case you haven¡¯t heard, I saved your wife¡¯s life tonight. I wouldn¡¯t have had to if you¡¯d been here.¡± Bastien¡¯s ws extend and retractpulsively, betraying the conflict raging within him. Drake¡¯s words were an outright provocation, but there was no denying the truth in them. After a moment Bastien settles into a low simmer, striding past the other man to reach me. He drags me into a tight embrace, cuddling me to his chest. ¡°What happened?¡± Feeling suddenly warm and hazy, it takes me a moment to realize he asked a question. Drake ¨C apparently ¨C suffers no such impediment. ¡°You have some vipers in your nest.¡± He drawls, ¡°It was only a matter of time before one striked.¡± I nt my palms against Bastien¡¯s chest, trying to push away from him so I can pin Drake with the full force of my indignant re. ¡°What happened to ¡®heroes don¡¯t tattle?¡± Drake¡¯s face scrunches up in a wince, and I btedly realize my mistake. I look up at my husband, whose handsome features are awash with foreboding. ¡°Am I to take it you intended to keep this information secret?¡± He asks, his voice dangerously low. I lower my gaze, careful not to challenge his dominance, ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡± I argue, ¡°It¡¯s not as if she knew I couldn¡¯t swim.¡± I see Bastien¡¯s head turn in my periphery, and realize he¡¯s now looking to Drake, ¡°Who?¡± His answer is immediate. ¡°Redhead, blue dress, gaggle of minions trailing after her wherever she goes.¡± Ten minutester the door swings open, and Aiden pokes his head in. ¡°Bastien would like to see you in the great hall.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Drake and I move silently through the opulent building, finally arriving in the hall just in time to see the rest of the party guests gather within. We move forward, slipping through the crowd until the object of everyone¡¯s attention is revealed. Bastien stands in the center of the hall, the redhead from the gardens at his feet. Bastien gestures us forward, still vibrating with anger. We stop a few feet away and the she-wolf looks up at Bastien sulkily, as if asking whether she really has to do this. Bastien makes short work of her hesitance, mping onerge hand around the back of her neck and steering her forward until she¡¯s kneeling before me. ¡°Speak,¡± He hisses in her ear. ¡°Selene ¡± A sharp growl makes her wince. ¡°Mrs. Durand, I¡¯m deeply sorry for the things I said and the way I treated you. I was horribly disrespectful and I should never have spoken to my Alpha¡¯s wife in such a way.¡± Another warning growl thunders in my husband¡¯s chest, and the woman quickly amends her statement. ¡°I should never have treated you that way, no matter who you are.¡± I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯d expected, but this isn¡¯t it. Part of me is indignant: I¡¯ll never learn to stand on my own two feet if other people are always fixing my problems for me. The rest of me is gushing pure tion. For the first time in my memory, Bastien is putting me ahead of the pack. He¡¯s protecting me, making a public example of my detractors, and staking his im for all to see. I stare down at the she-wolf with growing contempt. She¡¯d been so fierce and fearless when she was bullying me, emboldened by my vulnerability and weakness. Now she looks anything but strong; she looks like a spoiled child who got their hand caught in the cookie jaw. ¡°No, you shouldn¡¯t have.¡± I agree, ¡°I suggest you never do so again: you won¡¯t like the oue.¡± I warn. Bastien gives me a small smile, before turning his attention to the gathered audience. ¡°That goes for all of you.¡± He announces, ¡°if I hear anyone speaking about my wife in such a way, or anyoneys a hand on her again, I will not be held ountable for my actions.¡± The joy of Bastien¡¯s public disy fades almost immediately. Everything was fine when we sat down to dinner, but by the end of the second course, my husband was back to acting as if I don¡¯t exist. He¡¯s behaving very strangely, almost as if he¡¯s drunk but he¡¯s only had one ss of wine. He¡¯s vaciting back and forth between giddiness, aggression, and detachment. One moment he¡¯s so happy he¡¯s grinning like a fool, the next he¡¯s snarling and growling at anything that moves, and five minutes after that he can¡¯t even focus enough to eat his dinner. We make it through the meal in starts and stops, and Bastien¡¯s odd does not go unnoticed. I see his parents exchange nces a few times, but no one says anything. As the wait staff clears our ces following dessert and the party begins to shift toward the ballroom, I catch him. ¡°Bastien?¡± | say firmly, grasping his arm to get his attention. He swings his attention to me in a daze. His pupils are dted and his eyes ssy. ¡°Are you alright?¡± I question pointedly, checking his forehead for a temperature but finding nothing amiss. Before he can answer me, a young socialite approaches his side and asks him to dance. I recognize her as one of the women who¡¯d been gossiping with my would-be murderer. I shoot her a disgruntled frown, but she smiles defiantly back at me. Bastien rises without a word, following her into the ballroom without a backward nce. Unease prickles at the back of my neck, It was extremely odd for a pack member to approach and proposition an Alpha this way ¨C even if he weren¡¯t married. The general rule is that unless you need their assistance with something, they¡¯lle to you. I have many doubts about my husband about my marriage but I know something is wrong. This is not Bastien. His behavior ispletely out of character, regardless of how he may feel about me or Arabe or anyone else. He is not in control, and he is always in control. I find my feet, and notice Aiden studying Bastien¡¯s wine ss out of the corner of my eye. I shift in his direction and our eyes meet. We¡¯re both thinking the same thing. Aiden slips the goblet into his jacket, no doubt nning to take it for testing. Aiden¡¯s confirmation is all the confirmation I need to go after Bastien. Whatever happens in the future, Bastien has watched my back for years withoutint; the least I can do is return the favor. Doubt lingers in my mind as I search the crowd. What if he will note away, what if he publicly rejects me after making such a disy a few hours ago? It¡¯s a risk I have to take. It only takes a moment to find them. They stand at the center of the dancefloor, Bastien swaying drunkenly next to the blonde, who is wrapped around him like cling film. I glide through the swaying mass of dancers, never taking my eyes from the pair. In the end I needn¡¯t have worried about being rejected. When Bastien sees me over his partner¡¯s shoulder he steps away from her without a word, closing the distance between us as if in a trance. I rise up on my tiptoes when he is in front of me, looping my arms around his neck so I can speak in his ear. ¡°I think it¡¯s time to go home.¡± Bastien¡¯s arms close around my middle and he pulls me flush to his body, continuing to sway to the music. I drop back down onto my heels as he begins to turn us haphazardly around the dancefloor, his intimate grip and undting movements arousing my erogenous zones and muddling my own thoughts. I¡¯m caught between my desire to extract us both from my situation and my instincts to submit to my husband. Bastien might be out of his right mind, but he is the same dominant Alpha he¡¯s always been, and my body responds thus whether my brain is in agreement or not. Eventually he solves the problem for me. His strangely shifting moods take a turn for the risqu¨¦. One moment we¡¯re dancing and the next Bastien has dragged me out a side door and pressed me up against the wall, kissing and nibbling my neck. ¡°Bastien.¡± | gasp, trying to get his attention. ¡°Take me home.¡± i free my hands from their trapped position between our bodies and catch his face between them. ¡°I need you to take me home.¡± I implore, hoping my words will trigger the caretaker in him. He frowns down at me for a long moment, as if trying to remember something he¡¯s long forgot. Bastien¡¯s confused expression gives way to something feverish and fierce before he takes me by the hand and pulls me out the door. Bastien¡¯s POV My wolf is going out of his mind with the need to im Selene, She¡¯s driving, her attention fully focused on the road, but every few minutes she sends a worried nce my way. She¡¯s so beautiful, and her sweet scent is making my mouth water. I¡¯m not sure I can wait to get home, I want to take her now, finally make her mine in every way possible. I¡¯ve been worried about my little wolftely: first the strange illness and her refusal to seek help, then the incident with Arabe and her flight from the hospital, Worse was her determination to hide from me during the storm, and her devastation throughout; her secretive behavior afterwards. Perhaps it is simply that so much has happened in such a short period of time, or that I¡¯m projecting my own distress about the rejection onto her, but something tells me there is more to her actions than meets the eye. Tonight didn¡¯t help, staying on task after learning that Selene had nearly drowned had been nearly impossible. Only Aiden¡¯s level headed counsel kept me from tearing through the city to reach her. When I was finally free to leave I¡¯d been ready to cart her out of the party, pack obligations be damned, Then I found her with Drake Cavanaugh. It infuriated me to know that he¡¯d been there for her when I was not, that he¡¯d done my job and I couldn¡¯t even hold it against him. He¡¯d been right, if it weren¡¯t for him, she would have died, and there would have been no one to me but myself, Still, seeing himfort her, seeing Selene no longer wearing my colors but sporting his, made Axel roar in outrage. My wishes to abandon the party were eroded by my need to formally stake my im, but even that went out the window when Drake told me what Selene apparently intended to hide what she¡¯d lied to my parents about. Yes, something is definitely wrong. This is not terribly unusual for my wife. Communicating her emotions is very difficult for her ¨C with good reason. Her brain had been wired to associate showing her emotions as a vulnerability others would exploit to inflict harm upon her, but I thought we¡¯d made good progress over the years. It seems getting to the truth of the matter will require some creative solutions. In the back of my mind i¡¯m already devising countless debauched strategies for making her talk, but right now my ns for Selene have nothing to do with extracting secrets, and everything to do with filling the gaping hole in my chest where our mating bond is supposed to imnt. I know I¡¯m dangerously on edge, that Axel¡¯s desperation to join with her is dangerous for my delicate mate ¨C yet I can¡¯t dampen the mes engulfing me. I need Selene in the most raw and primal way. I¡¯ve been ravenous to im her for years, and the strange fog now dulling my ability to reason is like a sweeping invitation to give in to my base instincts. I¡¯ve been lost to this bizarre haze since dinner first started, the world going fuzzy all around me. At first it seemed like everything was under water-dulled, distant and distorted. Now everything has reduced to a single focal point: Selene. My drowsy euphoria has slowly morphed into excruciating lust and the gradual disintegration of my inhibitions. I feel the way she wolves must in heat, as if my entire world has reduced to a single searing need so powerful and all consuming I think I might go mad without it. Axel¡¯s urging to im Selene right there on the dance floor had jarred my senses enough to slip away from the pack, but only my wife¡¯s gentle plea had overpowered my desire enough to get me out of the building. Now I count the minutes until we reach home, knowing with a resigned sort of certainty that I¡¯ve finally lost the battle against my instincts. Tonight I will mark Selene, once and for all. Selene¡¯s POV By the time we get home Bastien is so far gone into the drug that I barely recognize him. Though his pupils are still blown wide, the glowing state of his eyes betray how close he is to shifting. His ws and fangs are halfway extended, and the low purr in his chest is sending tortuous vibrations through my most sensitive parts. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 17 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Indulge in Passion I¡¯m barely able to drag him inside and up to our room. He¡¯s stumbling and swaying like a drunk, but he¡¯s also determined to get his hands on me, attempting to remove my clothes multiple times as we ascend the stairs to the top floor. I swat him away every time, ignoring his admonishing growls. When we finally enter our apartment I don¡¯t even make it two steps inside before I¡¯m trapped between Bastien and the door. Bastien¡¯s mouth ms down on mine with crushing force. The violent fervor of his lips devastate my senses as his arms wind around my body, pulling me close and lifting my feet off the floor. I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, clinging to him like the lifeline he is. He devours me, body and soul. His lips ze a scorching path over my skin as he strips me bare, his powerful hands stroking and kneading my flesh so forcefully it seems he¡¯s trying to fuse our bodies together. I throw myself into his embrace just as passionately, nting my mouth beneath his to deepen the kiss. His tongue delves into my mouth, coaxing mine out of hiding to tangle with his. Bastien groans with pleasure as my hips rock intuitively against his, and the world around me fades. I melt into his arms, giving myself over to the heady rush of desire. His lips im every bare inch of skin they can reach, his teeth nipping my delicate skin, only to be followed by the soothing caress of his tongue. My heart feels full to bursting and my lungs feel empty of air. I breathe Bastien in, knowing he is the only cure for the ache. The bittersweet pang of love and imminent loss consumes me; anotherst kiss. Anotherst chance to be with the man who gave meaning to my life when it seemed all was lost. The tears fall without my permission. They slide down my heated cheeks before I can stop them, and I know the moment Bastien scents them. His pulls away from me abruptly, concern and regret written inly across his face. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± I promise, but he isn¡¯t convinced. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Bastien professes gutturally, looking absolutely beside himself as he sets my feet on the ground and shifts away. I try to follow him but he holds out his hand, stopping me froming near. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± He orders, ¡°Please don¡¯t make this any harder.¡± A frigid draft of air sweeps over me, freezing my blood. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be near you.¡± He growls, eyes shing. ¡°You¡¯re making it worse.¡± ¡°Bastien¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°No, Selene.¡± He cuts me off, ¡°I can¡¯t do this. It will ruin everything.¡± His words are slurred, his eyes unfocused. I gulp in a few steadying breaths and understanding ms into me. Whatever Bastien is on, is sending him into rut, and I was merely the closest female ¨C but not the one he wants. Not the one he needs. ¡°Do you want me to call Arabe?¡± I offer, hating the words but unable to stand the tortured expression on his face. He grimaces, ¡°She¡¯s still in the hospital.¡± Color floods my cheeks, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Stop apologizing.¡± Bastien growls. ¡°Do you want me to go?¡± I ask in a small voice. ¡°No.¡± I almost feel relieved until he adds, ¡°You stay. I¡¯ll go.¡± The door ms shut as Bastien storms down the stairs, and I slide to the floor of my foyer. My tears fall unhindered now, grief and rejection egged on by my seething hormones. Confusion and anger surge through me as I try to figure out where I went wrong, how I got here. A few days ago I was happier than I¡¯ve ever been in my entire life, now I feel as if the world is crumbling beneath my feet. My marriage is over, my husband ¨C the love of my life wants nothing to do with me. My pack hates me for the crimes someone elsemitted against me, and I¡¯m pregnant with a child that has already survived one attempt on its fragile life. I¡¯ve always known I would have to leave Elysium after the rejection ceremony, but it¡¯s beginning to feel like I need to move up my ns. I¡¯m afraid of what might happen if I stay here, and I know that the best case scenario still ends with heartbreak. I¡¯m barely able to drag him inside and up to our room. He¡¯s stumbling and swaying like a drunk, but he¡¯s also determined to get his hands on me, attempting to remove my clothes multiple times as we ascend the stairs to the top floor. I swat him away every time, ignoring his admonishing growls. When we finally enter our apartment I don¡¯t even make it two steps inside before I¡¯m trapped between Bastien and the door. Bastien¡¯s mouth ms down on mine with crushing force. The violent fervor of his lips devastate my senses as his arms wind around my body, pulling me close and lifting my feet off the floor. I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, clinging to him like the lifeline he is. He devours me, body and soul. His lips ze a scorching path over my skin as he strips me bare, his powerful hands stroking and kneading my flesh so forcefully it seems he¡¯s trying to fuse our bodies together. I throw myself into his embrace just as passionately, nting my mouth beneath his to deepen the kiss. His tongue delves into my mouth, coaxing mine out of hiding to tangle with his. Bastien groans with pleasure as my hips rock intuitively against his, and the world around me fades. I melt into his arms, giving myself over to the heady rush of desire. His lips im every bare inch of skin they can reach, his teeth nipping my delicate skin, only to be followed by the soothing caress of his tongue. My heart feels full to bursting and my lungs feel empty of air. I breathe Bastien in, knowing he is the only cure for the ache. The bittersweet pang of love and imminent loss consumes me; anotherst kiss. Anotherst chance to be with the man who gave meaning to my life when it seemed all was lost. The tears fall without my permission. They slide down my heated cheeks before I can stop them, and I know the moment Bastien scents them. His pulls away from me abruptly, concern and regret written inly across his face. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± I promise, but he isn¡¯t convinced. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Bastien professes gutturally, looking absolutely beside himself as he sets my feet on the ground and shifts away. I try to follow him but he holds out his hand, stopping me froming near. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± He orders, ¡°Please don¡¯t make this any harder.¡± A frigid draft of air sweeps over me, freezing my blood. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be near you.¡± He growls, eyes shing. ¡°You¡¯re making it worse.¡± ¡°Bastien¡± ¡°No, Selene.¡± He cuts me off, ¡°I can¡¯t do this. It will ruin everything.¡± His words are slurred, his eyes unfocused. I gulp in a few steadying breaths and understanding ms into me. Whatever Bastien is on, is sending him into rut, and I was merely the closest female ¨C but not the one he wants. Not the one he needs. ¡°Do you want me to call Arabe?¡± I offer, hating the words but unable to stand the tortured expression on his face. He grimaces, ¡°She¡¯s still in the hospital.¡± Color floods my cheeks, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Stop apologizing.¡± Bastien growls. ¡°Do you want me to go?¡± I ask in a small voice. ¡°No.¡± I almost feel relieved until he adds, ¡°You stay. I¡¯ll go.¡± The door ms shut as Bastien storms down the stairs, and I slide to the floor of my foyer. My tears fall unhindered now, grief and rejection egged on by my seething hormones. Confusion and anger surge through me as I try to figure out where I went wrong, how I got here. A few days ago I was happier than I¡¯ve ever been in my entire life, now I feel as if the world is crumbling beneath my feet. My marriage is over, my husband the love of my life wants nothing to do with me. My pack hates me for the crimes someone elsemitted against me, and I¡¯m pregnant with a child that has already survived one attempt on its fragile life. I¡¯ve always known I would have to leave Elysium after the rejection ceremony, but it¡¯s beginning to feel like I need to move up my ns. I¡¯m afraid of what might happen if I stay here, and I know that the best case scenario still ends with heartbreak. I don¡¯t know where I¡¯m going to go, but I know the best thing I can possibly do for my baby is get out of this ce while I still can ! My days with the Nova pack are numbered. I have to get out before it¡¯s toote. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 18 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 18 Chapter 18 I Want To Reject Bastien¡¯s POV Five Hours Earlier I stare at the flier in my hands, my hackles raised. It¡¯s a reward poster, not the kind people pin up to find lost pets or missing children, but the kindw enforcement agencies use to locate wanted criminals. It has precisely the same format, asking for tips or any information regarding the whereabouts of Vna wolves, listing details on how to identify them and promising marypensation for any solid leads. A crude illustration was stered beneath the words, disying a woman with ck hair and two- toned eyes. She looks nothing like Selene, but the descriptions provided offer enough details for even the most clueless wolf to identify members of her lineage. ¡°Where the hell did you find this?¡± I ask Aiden in horror. When he¡¯d called me right before my father¡¯s celebration insisting it was an emergency, I¡¯d known something had to be terribly wrong. Aiden knew how important this event was, he would not call me away for no reason. Even so, this was worse than I¡¯d imagined. ¡°One of our spies in the East came across it just outside of Calypso territory. Thankfully it doesn¡¯t seem to have spread any farther than that.¡± His warm brown eyes survey me curiously, ¡°Do you have any idea why they¡¯re looking for Vnas?¡± Everyone in Elysium knows what Selene is, but I¡¯ve gone to considerable effort to gloss over and downy her lineage, and no one knows the secret of her blood. I study my right-hand, hating myself for questioning whether he can be trusted. Other than my family, I trust Aiden more than anyone, but Selene¡¯s safety is too precious to risk. ¡°I know that ise Denizen is a cruel and twisted man.¡± I say, referring to the Calypso Alpha, ¡°If he wants Vnas, I guarantee it isn¡¯t for anything good.¡± Aiden eyes me for a second, and I know he caught my evasion. Instead of looking offended he simply asks, ¡°You have reason to believe he¡¯s a danger to Selene?¡± ¡°I know he is.¡± I admit. ¡°Is that why we sent spies East in the first ce?¡± Aiden questions, ¡°You thought something like this might happen?* Now I do hear an edge in his voice, and I can¡¯t me him for being annoyed. He can¡¯t do his job if he¡¯s working with iplete information. ¡°Yes.¡± I concede softly. ¡°What the hell, Bastien?¡± He snaps, ¡°Do you really trust me so little?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t like that.¡± I promise tiredly. ¡°I promised her I wouldn¡¯t share this secret with anyone, even you.¡± ¡°When ites to the safety of my Alpha¡¯s mate my best friend¡¯s mate I need to know what¡¯s going on.¡± He deres harshly. ¡°I don¡¯t have to know the details, you don¡¯t have to betray confidences, but I can¡¯t protect this pack if you¡¯re withholding intelligence.¡± ¡°I know brother, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I reply honestly, ¡°The fact is simply that ise will kill Selene if he finds her, he¡¯ll kill any Vna he finds.¡± Aiden scrubs a hand over his face. ¡°We need to be proactive.¡± He waves the flier in the air, ¡°This reward is only going to get higher and spread farther. We either need to neutralize Denizen, or make sure the truth can never get back to him.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like nothing more than to get rid of the man.¡± I grumble, ¡°But I¡¯m not Alpha yet, and even if I was ¨C he¡¯s the most powerful pack leader on the continent. We¡®d need an army to take him down.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Aiden agrees, ¡°We couldn¡¯t win a war against the Calypsos. But who said it has to be a war?¡± I snort, ¡°So what, you want to assassinate him?¡± Aiden grins, ¡°You have to admit the idea has its merits.¡± I can¡¯t help butugh. ¡°That¡¯s true enough.¡± I mean it, I¡¯m already fantasizing about disemboweling the cruel leader. But for the time being let¡¯s focus on increasing surveince and spreading counter- propaganda. Publicize some of ise¡¯s less savory pursuits, the more unpopr we make him, the less people will want to help him.¡± ¡°Poprity isn¡¯t your problem.¡± Aiden reminds me, ¡°Money is. Few people actually like the man, but plenty would help the devil himself if he offered enough money.¡± I¡¯m staring at the poster again, a new thought crossing my mind. ¡°Who do we have that¡¯s good with graphics?¡± Aiden shrugs. ¡°Eddie¡¯s pretty good in a pinch.¡± Inod in agreement, ¡°See if he can duplicate this. Set up a new phone line devoted to tips and rece it with Denizens.¡± I say, the ning together as I speak it. ¡°Put them up everywhere, across the continent, all the way to the east, rece as many of his posters as possible. My beta¡¯s brow furrows, ¡°Why would you bring more attention to this?¡± ¡°First because I want to know who is calling and what they¡¯re reporting. Second, because if we can get to Vnas first, we can help them.¡± I exin. And third, because if people think they¡¯ve already reported a tip, it won¡¯t matter if Denizens real posters actually spread this far, anyone with information will think they¡¯ve already contributed it.¡± Aiden nods in agreement, ¡°I¡¯ll get Eddie on it right away.¡± I thank him, ¡°in the meantime we need to figure out security for Selene after the rejection ceremony.¡± Aiden grimaces, ¡°Are you sure you want to go through with this?¡± He boraches carefully, eyeing the flier, ¡°Especially now?¡± ¡°My job is to do what¡¯s best for my mate.¡± I speak the words I¡¯ve chanted in my head over and over again these past few weeks. ¡°She¡¯s never had any choices in her life and deserves them now. She¡¯s in love with someone else, I want her to be happy.¡± ¡°And what about your happiness?¡± Aiden demands, ¡°Don¡¯t you deserve to be happy too?¡± No, I think. Not really. I killed my best friend, I abandoned his sister after promising to care for her, and I forced my traumatized mate to marry me even if it was for her protection. ¡°If Selene is happy, I will be too.¡± I answer. I tell myself I¡¯m being honest, and part of me believes it, but deep down I know that watching someone else make my mate happy will destroy me. Even so, it¡¯s a fitting punishment. ¡°Man this really isn¡¯t your day.¡± Aiden says, standing over me with his arms crossed over his chest. I groan, too exhausted to do anything other than swat at him from my position sprawled out over his couch. I feel as if I¡¯ve been I came straight to my Beta, who weed me in with open arms and only light teasing. ¡°You do realize they drugged you?¡± He says pointedly. ¡°Who is they?¡± I ask savagely. ¡°If I had to guess I¡¯d say it was Selene¡¯s new friend.¡± He answers, referring to Amanda, who almost killed my mate with her little pool assault. ¡°But honestly it could have been any one of the harpies.¡± ¡°The harpies?¡± I repeat in confusion. ¡°All the silly she-wolves who used to chase after you just because you were the Alpha¡¯s son.¡± He expounds, ¡°You know the ones, they almost revolted when you married Selene and I guarantee they think they have a chance now that you¡®re splitting.¡± ¡°How the hell does anyone even know about the rejection?¡± I snarl, ¡°We haven¡¯t announced anything.¡± ¡°You know how gossip is around here,¡± Aiden admonishes me, ¡°The walls have ears.¡± I swear fiercely, frustrated beyond words. ¡°We need to find out who is responsible and what the hell they gave me.¡± ¡°Already on it.¡± Aiden assures me. ¡°I nabbed your ss from the dinner table. We¡¯ll get it tested.¡± I sigh with relief. ¡°When did you figure it out?¡± ¡°Halfway through dinner?¡± He reflects uncertainly, ¡°About the time you started growling at the waiter for refilling Selene¡¯s water ss.¡± I wince, not remembering that particr detail. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it too much ¨C you were behaving oddly but you didn¡¯t say or do anything too wild. I was getting ready to cart you out of there but Selene beat me to it.¡± ¡°You should have acted faster,¡± I grouse unfairly. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have been alone with her.¡± Aiden brushes off my foul mood like the easy going person he is. ¡°I acted the best I could based on the information I had. And Selene was the best person for you to be with under the circumstances ¡°I almost marked her!¡± i snarl furiously. ¡°But you didn¡¯t.¡± Aiden reasons coolly, ¡°If you¡¯d gone away with anyone else it would have been a disaster. You would have caved to one of the harpies and created a scandal orshed out at one of the men for trying to keep you from your mate. Instead you took the edge off and got through it.¡± ¡°Barely mutter mutinously¡±. ¡°Stop whining.¡± Alden scolds, ¡°We have more important things to worry about. Someone in this pack thinks they can drug their future Alpha and get away with it. Do you want to prove them right, or do you want to make them pay?¡± I don¡¯t answer, distracted by a persistent buzzing in my pocket. I pull out my phone, finding Selene¡¯s photo stered across the screen, announcing an iing call. Guilt swirls in my stomach, I can¡¯t handle talking to her right now. With a heavy sigh I hit the decline button. Selene¡¯s POV After my third call goes to voicemail, I close my eyes bitterly. Today has been too much. Sometimes being with Bastien feels like being a human yoyo: First he¡¯s sweet and flirtatious, then he abandons me. Hees to my defense, only to ignore me afterwards. Then he¡¯s all over me, only to walk out when things start to get truly heated. It¡¯s frustrating. When I hear the outgoing message of his voicemail on my fourth call, I make a decision. ¡°Bastien, call me.¡± I say, ¡°I want to talk about our rejection ceremony as soon as you can. I can¡¯t wait five days: We need to move it up, 3 Days Until the Rejection Ceremony Selene¡¯s POVThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org. I haven¡¯t seen or spoken to Bastien since the night of Gabriel¡¯s birthday party, despite my efforts to get in touch with him. I barely slept that night, though I never sleep well without Bastien. I tossed and turned, wondering where he¡¯d gone, what had happened. It¡¯s clear to me that he was drugged, but I cannot even begin to understand everything that happened between us in those few short hours. All I know is I¡¯m done. Thest few weeks have been a blur, more confusing and eventful than any since we married. I can barely think straight with everything that is going on, but I think I¡¯ve finally understood that Elysium and the life I¡¯ve lived here is in the past. I was never meant to stay here forever. I do not belong, and this chapter of my story is ending fast. Our rejection ceremony is in three days, after that I will start fresh somewhere new. My selfish heart wants nothing more than to spend everyst second of my remaining time with my husband, even if he doesn¡¯t want me there. Regardless of my wishes, it is not an option. I don¡¯t know where Bastien is or how he¡¯s feeling, though I imagine it must be a considerable relief for him to finally be free to do as he wishes in life. I¡¯m on my way to the library, intent on researching other packs to help me decide where to go once the rejection isplete. I know embarrassingly little about the world beyond this city, and though I know well enough not to go anywhere near my mother¡¯s pack, I don¡¯t have the faintest idea where I should turn for refuge. I¡¯m seated on the city line bus, watching Elysium fly by outside the tall, wide windows. I¡¯ve only ridden the bus a few times over thest few years, mostly in moments like this one when I don¡¯t want Bastien to know what I¡¯m doing. I know my husband well enough to realize that though he might not want to be married to me, he would never approve of me leaving. He and Gabriel think of me as their responsibility, their ward neither will want me out of their sights. I scan the paper in my hand, a quickly jotted list of nearby territories to get me started. I catch the man beside me eyeing the paper too, and quickly fold it closed. There had only been one avable seat when I boarded, and though my neighbor¡¯s leering gaze has made me nothing but ufortable, I¡¯ve comforted myself with the knowledge that this is only a short trip. When the bus finally pulls to a stop outside the library I rise to my feet so quickly my head spins. I stride quickly from the oversized vehicle, my stomach dropping below my navel when I realize the man who¡¯d sat next to me departing as well. I make for the library entrance with a racing heart, unsure whether my instincts are trying to warn me of real danger or if my past trauma is ying tricks with my mind. I slip inside the historic building, pulling an armful of volumes from the shelves and finding a table near the cirction desk. Once I¡¯m sure I¡¯m alone I dial Bastien¡¯s cell, still anxious about the man from the bus. I hide my phone beneath the curtain of my hair, worried the librarian might take offense if he realizes I¡¯m making a call. However there was no need to be concerned, because Bastien doesn¡¯t answer. My call goes straight to voicemail, as do the next five calls I make. I shouldn¡¯t be surprised, I¡¯ve tried calling him a dozen times over the past few days to no avail. I understood his silence before, after all I clearly told him in my texts and voicemails that I wanted to discuss the rejection ceremony. I can sympathize with the desire to avoid an unpleasant conversation. But this is different. I need him ¨C and he isn¡¯t here for me. I spend more than an hour pouring through the texts, feeling marginally more confident when I finally leave, but still undecided about where I should go. I like the idea of the Eros pack, who control a vast territory in the west, but I worry about their ties to the Nova¡¯s. The Eros pack leaders had been at Gabriel¡¯s birthday, their heir rescued me from drowning. They knew me. If I went there would they betray my location, the existence of my child, to Bastien? The same problem was true of the Vega pack. I need to avoid our allies. I think firmly. As I¡¯m leaving the library I notice a familiar scent, one that makes me stop in my tracks. It is not merely the fact that I recognize. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 19 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Bastien Doesn¡¯t Answer My Calls the scent which startles me, but the realization that I¡¯m smelling it at all. Ever since I lost Luna my wolf senses have been nonexistent ¨C I should not be able to smell anyone this way. What should and should not be quickly ceases to matter as the man from the bus appears in front of me. He is easily a foot taller than me, with thick ck hair and icy blue eyes. At least twenty years my senior, he closes in, ¡°Hello beautiful.¡± My heart stops, and I back away carefully, once again inevitably frustrated by Bastien not picking up his phone when I needed him. ¡°Hello.¡± A wide smile splits his cheeks, ¡°Ohe on, don¡¯t look like that sweetheart. I want us to be friends¡± I shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± ¡°How can you say that when you don¡¯t even know me?¡± He counters, his ogling stare belying the reasonable tone of his voice. ¡°I know because I¡¯m married.¡± I say, sounding much braver than I feel. ¡°Not for long from the way I hear it.¡± He replies gruffly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, the Alpha doesn¡¯t want you anymore angel?¡± ¡°Whatever may be happening in the future, at this moment I am still your Alpha¡¯s wife.¡± I remind him. ¡°Whether he loves me or hates me, if you put your hands on me, you will be challenging him directly.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The man sneers. ¡°Yes.¡± I insist. Heughs cruelly, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. If he cared about you he wouldn¡¯t be leaving you.¡± I turn to run, but he catches my wrist, jerking me into an alleyway. I try to cry out but his hand mps down over my mouth. I thrash against him, biting down on his palm. He jerks away with a pained yelp, then delivers a harsh backhanded p across my face. I lurch to the pavement, feeling nausea curdle in my belly as stars swirl in my vision. I flip over, crawling away from him as he looms over my vulnerable body. His hand reaches toward me, coming within inches of my throat before he is propelled backwards, flying through the air andnding on his back at the mouth of the alley. Igaze up at my savior, my breathing in gasps. Drake Cavanaugh stands over the man, his booted foot crushing the stranger¡¯ srynx. ¡°What in hell do you think you were doing?¡± ¡°She was asking for it, just look at her.¡± My would be assaulter babbles in panic. Drake looks over his shoulder, surveying me carefully before turning his attention back to his prey. ¡°And you asked for this.¡± He growls, mming his foot down on the man¡¯s head. I stare at the unconscious man as Drake helps me to my feet, waiting for him to jerk awake and attack once more. But he does not move, he lies there on the pavement, blood trickling from his lips. I try to scrub the image from my memory, letting Drake lead me out of the alley and into the light. ¡°I hate to say it Mrs. Durand,¡± He says with a kind smile, ¡°But you seem like a ma for trouble.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. I almostugh, but my nerves are too frayed. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡± I agree gloomily, ¡°I don¡¯t know what I ever did to deserve it.¡± Drake pulls up short, taking me by the shoulders. ¡°That isn¡¯t what I meant. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong whatsoever.¡± He frowns, ¡°I think we should call your husband.¡± I shake my head. ¡°He won¡¯t pick up.¡± I¡¯ve called Bastien half a dozen times over the past couple of days, each time getting no response. ¡°Then tell me what I can do for you.¡± Drake implores me, there must be something.¡± ¡°Actually there is,¡± I hedge, taking a steadying breath. ¡°You can tell me about the Eros pack.¡± ¡°Why do you want to know all this?¡± Drake is sitting across from me in a small tea shop, sipping a mug of chamomile and willingly answering the bevy of questions that have poured from my mouth uninhibited over thest hour. I watch him closely, weighing whether or not he can be trusted. He has a kind face, and he¡¯s saved me twice in under a week. Of course this is not a guarantee that he is a good person or anyone suitable to confide in, but something deeply buried instinct urges me forward. ¡°Because I¡¯m not staying in Elysium after the rejection.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Drake says, his brow furrowing. ¡°So you¡¯re looking for a new pack?¡± I shrug evasively. ¡°I¡¯m looking for somece I will be safe, somewhere people won¡¯te looking for me.¡± ¡°What people,¡± He asks sharply, ¡°Bastien?¡± A bitter smile stretches across my face, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have any reason to seek me out, but I wouldn¡¯t want him to find me if he did.¡± Drake doesn¡¯t look convinced. Are you in some sort of trouble Selene?¡± ¡°My husband doesn¡¯t want me.¡± I remind him, ¡°Isn¡¯t that trouble enough?¡± The young Alpha¡¯s mouth is set in a hard line as he sets down his tea, pinning me with a stern re, ¡°I want to help you, Selene. And I give you my word that I will, but only if you are honest with me.¡± Ignaw on my lower lip, considering the man in front of me, ¡°And if I tell you something you don¡¯t think should be kept secret.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your life,¡± He assures me gently. ¡°Not mine. I¡¯ll respect your confidence.¡± Call me a fool but I believe him. ¡®I take a deep breath, furtively scanning the room to make sure we will not be overheard, before giving him the full weight of my attention. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 20 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Bastien And Arabe Buy Rings Selene¡¯s POV Drake sits across from me, appearing surprised but sympathetic as he processes my revtion. ¡°Bastien doesn¡¯t know?¡± He asks. ¡°No.¡± I confirm simply, ¡°And he¡¯s not going to find out.¡± I rub the back of my neck, ¡°Our situation has always beenplicated, but Bastien is a good man. If he found out the truth he would never go through with the rejection, and I won¡¯t have him stay with me out of pity or obligation.¡± ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± Drake offers kindly, ¡°I think he¡¯s a fool for wanting to reject you at all.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re one of the few.¡± I reply honestly. He frowns, ¡°Is the baby the reason you¡¯re leaving?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the reason I realized I had to go,¡± I confess, ¡°But in all honesty I don¡¯t think I could have stayed either way. I don¡¯t want to watch Bastien marry someone else.¡± Hot tears burn my eyes, ¡°And I¡¯m sick of being the pack side show. I need a fresh start, somece where nobody knows me. Where my baby and I can be safe.¡± Drake squeezes my hand. ¡°I understand.¡± I swipe at an escaped tear and he offers me his napkin. I take it with appreciation, dabbing my eyes. ¡°If you want toe to Asphodel, I will help you in any way I can. We¡¯ll find you a ce to live, a job, we¡¯ll introduce you to the pack as a distant cousin and never mention the Novas at all.¡± I blink in surprise, a kernel of hope blooming in my chest. ¡°What about your father?¡± ¡°My father is getting older, most pack business has been under my control for a few years now.¡± Drake exins. ¡°If I tell him it is important we help you, on your terms, he will respect my decision.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you would do this for me.¡± I state warily. ¡°Has the world truly been so cruel to you that kindness is cause for such suspicion?¡± From anyone else the words might have sounded self-righteous or judgemental, but from Drake they merely sounded aggrieved. ¡°Yes.¡± I confirm icily, ¡°It has.¡± He frowns deeply, taking my hand again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Selene.¡± He professes, ¡°It won¡¯t have to be that way for much longer.¡± ¡°Truly?¡± I ask in disbelief. ¡°Truly.¡± He vows, ¡°Have you thought about how you want to do it?¡± ¡°How I¡¯m going to leave, you mean?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Not really, I¡¯ve mostly been thinking about the after¡± part of the equation.¡± I wince at my own shortsightedness. ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡± Drake insists. ¡°It has to be soon.¡± | announce abruptly, ¡°before he can figure out that I¡¯m with pup.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± He advises, ¡°We¡¯lle up with a n together. By this time next week, it will be like you were never here.¡± 1 Day Until the Rejection Ceremony The day before our rejection ceremony | slip away to Elysium¡¯s shopping center, intent on purchasing new clothes and supplies for my imminent departure. Drake and I talked for many hours on Sunday, laying out ns for my flight from Elysium. He helped me realize that slipping away in the night would not be enough to truly escape. As I already suspected, Gabriel and Bastien¡¯s sense of responsibility for my wellbeing would result in a search, one that would extend into Eros territory and may not be thwarted by the Alpha¡¯s protection alone. If I truly want to be free of my past, I must sever myself from itpletely, leaving no room for doubt or second guesses among those I leave behind. It had not been easy for Drake to convince me to fake my death. After all, I do not want to hurt the people! love with such a cruel lie, but in the end I saw that there is no other way. The only chance I have to start fresh is if I end my old life once and for all. My past cannot catch up to me if no one everes looking for me, and the only way to keep my baby safe from the likes of Arabe, is to make her believe it does not exist. I know a day maye when I regret these decisions, but for now the desire to turn over a new leaf is so overwhelming that I feel nothing but relief. As I stroll through the mall, more and more bags umting on my arms, I let myself imagine my new life. I dream of my baby, of the home I will build and life I will lead. I dream of being normal, rather than some pathetic victim; an iplete wolf so broken that I cease to have a ce in the pack. I start to feel warm and light, as if I am walking on air. Every purchase I make is another step forward, another puzzle piece bringing me closer to my goal. I do not think about the pain I will cause, only the joy to be found ahead. Then I see them. Through the shining ss window of a high end jewelry store, I can clearly make out Bastien and Arabe bent over a jewelry counter, wide smiles on their faces. Irrational hurtnces through me. After all, here I am daydreaming about faking my death and putting people I love through great pain, yet I have the temerity to feel affronted by my contract husband nning his own future with the woman he loves. Then again, love is never rational and Goddess help me, I do love Bastien. I do not know when Arabe was released from the hospital, but she looks perfectly well now. She is beaming, so full of love and beauty that my stomach revolts ¨C not that this is anything new. These days I¡¯m nauseous more often than not. Perhaps it is the fact that our rejection is still before us. Bastien and I are still married for the time being, and it seems wildly insensitive and disrespectful for them to be publicly advertising their rtionship this way. I stride across the atrium in a daze,ing to stand at the entrance of the jewelry store with zing eyes and flushed cheeks. *Please tell me I am not seeing what I think I am. Bastien and Arabe turn toward me in surprise, and I find myself shrinking back, unsure of where I found that sudden wave of confidence. ¡°Selene ¡± ¡°Let me, Bastien.¡± Arabe cuts him off, cing a graceful hand on his arm. ¡°After all, jewelry is women¡¯s business.¡± My husband¡¯s face twists up in concern and confusion, but Arabe is already striding toward me. She links her arm with mine as if we are old friends, pulling me out of the doorway and away from the windows so we won¡¯t be overheard. ¡°We are still married you know,¡± I remind her hotly. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re married.¡± Arabe drawls, ¡°For one more day. After that he¡¯s mine. If I were you, I¡¯d let it go before you make things even more ufortable than they already are.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of nerve.¡± I tell her. ¡°First with the stairs, and now this. Are you really so desperate that you cannot wait until the papers are signed?¡± ¡°Sweetheart the moment the papers are signed Bastien and I are going to be married. We have to have a ring in advance otherwise we¡¯d have to wait even longer.¡± Arabe croons, ¡°And we¡¯re done waiting. You¡®ve kept us apart long enough.¡± ¡°That was never my decision or choice.¡± I argue. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°What, like it was mine?¡± She hisses, baring her teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯t have any more say in this than you did, and it¡¯s worse for me.¡± Arabe insists. ¡°You might be his mate, but that bond is not a choice. He loves me so much that your bond seems like nothing inparison. He loves me so much that he is forsaking what nature ordained.¡± I stumble backward, not understanding her strange words. She pursues me, a wolf stalking a rabbit, ¡°You¡®ve stood in the way of that love, love so powerful even the Goddess cannot break it.¡± She growls. ¡°Does that make you proud? Are you happy to know how badly you¡¯ve ruined our lives?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± I insist. ¡°Oh yes you do.¡± She snaps, ¡°You know exactly what you¡¯ve done and if you think that brat you¡¯re carrying can change anything now, you¡®re sorely mistaken.¡± ¡°That brat.¡± I repeat harshly, ¡°You mean the baby you tried to kill? Your husband¡¯s child?¡± My anger raises empty threats to my lips, ¡°how do you think Bastien would feel if he knew what you tried to do to his heir?¡± Some of Arabe¡¯sposure slips, and her blue eyes sh, ¡°But he¡¯s not going to know, is he Selene?¡± She retorts, ¡°Don¡¯t forget you showed your hand.¡± Her wlife fingers catch my chin, tugging it up so I have to look her in the eye. ¡°You don¡¯t want him to know. You want to leave but you¡¯ll never be able to get away if he finds out the truth.¡± ¡°Maybe not, but I might be able to show him what a snake you are.¡± Ibat, ¡°And that¡¯s got to be worth something.¡± Pure rage bleeds into Arabe¡¯s sharine expression, ¡°If you say so much as one word to him, I will finish what I started in the hospital.¡± She threatens. ¡°If you want your baby to live, you¡¯ll keep your mouth shut.¡± She growls, ¡°And when you leave, you will nevere back.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 21 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Day of the Ceremony Belene¡¯s POV My fingers anxiously trace the flowers embroidered into the bodice of my wedding gown it¡¯s a delicate white contera weightless and ethereal I look more like a wood nymph than a bride. I remember the day we chose it, Bastien and ill was the first dress we found that did notpletely overpower my w frame three years ago. We tried countless others first, but the moment i stepped into the gossamer fabric i wen tace said it all. This is the way of rejection ceremonies Marriages end as they begin. We will wear the same clothes, meet at the same moonlit altar with friends and family looking on, we¡¯ll even y the samnem Vet instead of vows to love and keep each other we will vow to part. Instead of exchanging rings we¡¯rar more then, and instead of shifting to run together beneath the stars, we¡¯ll divide, forging new paths in directions of our own choosing Of course, Bastien and I never ran together in the first ce. We walked through the forest hand in hand, a sweet concession for the loss of my wolf. Tonight I expect he will shift, and I have a fairly good idea where he¡¯ll run rather to whom he¡¯ll run. I¡¯ve reyed my conversation with Arabe over and over in my head. At first I thought I must have misheard her, after all Bacon himself told me Arabe was his mate. Yet the more I ponder our conversation the clearer it bes Bastien is my mate, or the would have been if I still had Luna, It exins why I always felt connected to him, why he always made me feel safe. Those horrible women at Gabriel¡¯s birthday were right, I am too broken to be anything but a burden. My one chance to be whole might have been finding the man the goddess chose for me, but fate had other ns. My mate doesn¡¯t want me without my wolf. Who could? Teardrops pool on myshes and I suck in a shaky breath, trying to tell myself that one day I might find a wolf who is able to look past my shorings. One day I might be enough for someone, somewhere. The tears fall anyway, rolling down my cheeks in gray rivulets of mascara, It doesn¡¯t matter if I¡¯m enough for someone else The only person I want is Bastien, and no matter what I do, or how long I live he will never want me. Bastien¡¯s POV I used to have nightmares about losing Selene, now those horrible dreams are bing a reality. In less than an hour, we are going to formally end our marriage and part forever. Axel has been giving me the silent treatment for days, protesting my decision to go through with the ceremony. I¡¯m not any happier about it than he is, but I have to do this for Selene. This is what being an Alpha is all about, I rernind my stubborn wolf, taking care of others, putting their needs above your own. Being an Alpha is also about being in control. He replies grumpily. Do you feel in control right now? No. We both know I don¡¯t. I haven¡¯t been able to eat or sleep for days. I haven¡¯t been able to think about anything other than the fact that I will never get to hold my mate in my arms again. Not only that, I¡¯m going to have to watch her build a life with another wolf ¨C an idea that not only makes me feel completely unhinged, but positively murderous. So rather than focusing on things that are truly important like ise¡¯s hunt for Vna wolves or my Alpha training. I¡¯ve been wallowing in grief and fantasizing about winning Selene back. The ne Arabe helped me pick out is sitting on my dresser, wrapped up in a velvet box and decorative paper. When 1 bought it I told myself it was merely a parting gift for Selene, a token of appreciation for our years together and good will for the future. But deep down I imagined it might convince her to give me another chance. Ridiculous. Axel chides, apparently feeling very vocal now that he¡¯s finally speaking to me again. You think a pretty trinket is going to tell her something three years of marriage couldn¡¯t? A growl rumbles in my chest. He¡¯s right of course, there¡¯s nothing I can do or say that will change things now. It¡¯s toote. It was probably toote when we met. Selene¡¯s heart belonged to another years and years before I came along. It¡¯s time I ept it. I have to let us both move on. With a heavy sigh, I toss the gift box into the trash. Gabriel¡¯s POV I¡¯ve always hated wearing suits. If I had it my way, I¡¯d remain in my wolf form day and night, but drafting laws and signing treaties is difficult without thumbs. My fingers tug at the windsor knot choking off my air supply, fumbling with the annoying garment as read over the rejection agreement in my hand. Disappointment and regret churn deep in my belly. This is not the path I hoped my son would walk. His marriage to Selene started on difficult footing, but the struggle was never between them. For all the horror of her past, I truly thought Selene had found peace with Bastien. The sweet little wolf was afraid of her own shadow, but she was never afraid of her mate, and caring for Selene had softened Bastien in so many ways. Watching her heal and witnessing them grow together made Odette and I endlessly happy; we were both shocked speechless when they announced the rejection ceremony. He won¡¯t admit it, but I know Bastien is heartbroken. Under any other circumstances I might be angry at the person responsible for his pain, but I know it isn¡¯t Selene¡¯s fault. In the end I suppose Garrick¡¯s torture was too much to ovee. If anyone is to me it¡¯s him, or the Goddess herself. How could she allow one of her creations to suffer such cruelty? The terrace curtains rustle, diverting my wolf¡¯s attention. I drag my eyes from the document on my desk, eyeing the fluttering fabric curiously. The doors were closed when I entered my office, and no one has entered since. I haven¡¯t heard a sound, but an unmistakable draft of cool air wafts through the room. My hackles raise as I scent a strange wolf, my mind racing to understand how anyone could have gotten past my heightened senses. My gaze jumps to the goblet of wine by myputer, but before I can examine it, the curtains part. A shadowy figure emerges in my periphery, illuminated by the dim terracenterns. He¡¯s tall and thin, dressed in all ck and exuding undisguised hostility. Green eyes glow in the darkness, but I can¡¯t see anything more of his face. ¡°Whatever yourint,¡± I begin, for it¡¯s clear that¡¯s what he has, ¡°only cowards hide in the shadows. Be a man and show yourself.¡± ¡°Show myself?¡± His voice sounds familiar, yet I can¡¯t ce it. ¡°You mean you don¡¯t recognize me, Uncle?¡± My heart skips a beat. ¡°Frederic?¡± ¡°You look surprised, Gabriel.¡± Heughs humorlessly. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s no wonder. You probably forgot I existed after you killed my father.¡± I see it all too clearly now. His resemnce to my brother is unmistakable, even without good light. ¡°Did it never matter to you that he had a family?¡± ¡°I was his family.¡± I remind him sharply. ¡°He betrayed me, and he betrayed you and your mother.¡± I can barely hold onto my train of thought. I¡¯m now certain he drugged me, another coward¡¯s move. ¡°If he truly cared for you he never would have done anything that might take him away from you. He had only himself to me.¡± The young man¡¯s fists clench at his sides. ¡°You really are a heartless bastard.¡± He hisses. ¡°I figured anyone who could kill their own flesh and blood would be ¨C but I hadn¡¯t imagined you would show so little remorse.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± I snarl, ¡°You have no idea how much it hurt me to fight your father. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, or ever will do.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± Frederic spits. ¡°And what do you mean to do about it?¡± I demand, practically swaying on my feet. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to finish my father¡¯s work.¡± The words barely have time tond before heunches into an attack. My foggy brain jerks me out of his path just in time, but I¡¯m too slow to deflect his rebound assault. ws rip into my back as I stumble forward, triggering the shift. I only transform part way, spinning around to face him before he can sink his teeth into my throat. I launch my body into his, knocking him to the floor and rolling in a vicious tangle of iling limbs as we both attempt tond blows. He¡¯s young and strong, and I am about as agile as a drunk, but he is still no match for me. I¡¯ve been Alpha for longer than he¡¯s been alive, I was fighting wars while he was still in diapers. I throw the insolent pup over my head, lunging for him as he bounces across the floor. As one we shift fully, and my wolf takes over. I close my jaws around his hind leg, dragging him yelping and whining over the carpet. Pain dtes his pupils, the ck pools slowly eroding his irises to a neon corona. In the light Frederic¡¯s gray fur is so simr to his father¡¯s it takes my breath away. For a moment my addled mind believes it is my brother beneath me, returned from beyond the grave. A single moment of hesitation is all it takes. I freeze for a fraction of a second, and Frederic¡¯s ws tear through my carotid artery. Blood gushes from my body, draining my life in a relentless flood. As thick, coppery liquid fills my mouth, Frederic shifts back to human form, standing over me with a callous grin. ¡°You¡¯ve lost, old man.¡± He announces snidely. ¡°And Bastien is next.¡± My growles out as a strangled gurgle, and my nephewughs. ¡°His little mate too, and their pup.¡± Confusion furrows my brow, and hisugh bes an outright cackl¨¦. ¡°Oh that¡¯s right. Frederic taunts. ¡°You don¡¯t know: Selene¡¯s pregnant.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 22 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 22 Chapter 22 The Alpha is Dead Selene¡¯s POV ¡°Selene, are you ready?¡± Odette is knocking on the dressing room door, her kind voice unusually somber. ¡°Yes.¡± I call, smoothing my skirts. ¡°You cane in.¡± The door pushes open, and my mother-inw¡¯s lovely face peeks inside. She sidles through the narrow opening, approaching me with a wistful expression. ¡°Oh my darling.¡± Odette murmurs bleakly, her eyes shining as she studies my reflection. ¡°I really thought you two would make it.¡± ¡°I thought we might too¡± I admit, keeping my gaze high to ward off tears. ¡°For a while.¡± Her hand closes around mine, squeezing gently. ¡°What happened, Selene?¡± She asks gently. All at once it hits me that I¡¯m not merely losing my husband, but the only parental figures I¡¯ve known since my mother died. I swipe at an escaped tear, ¡°It¡¯s what Bastien wants.¡± Odette frowns, the edges of her warm brown eyes crinkling beneath the weight of her drawn brows. She opens her mouth to speak but before any words can escape, all the blood drains from her face in a frenzied rush, leaving her white as a sheet. Her eyes go wide and her body crumples, bowing and bending against her will. Her mouth gapes open in a breathless gasp, emitting a strangled cry. ¡°Odette!¡± | exim, catching her by the arms so she does not fall. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Her mouth is opening and closing soundlessly, her body trembling beneath my hands. ¡°It¡¯s Gabriel.¡± Before I can stop her, Odette rips herself from my hold, flying out of the room and down the hall. I race after her, blood rushing in my ears. I¡¯ve never seen someone look so anguished, so afraid. We pick up a few sentries as we run, everyone jolting into action the moment they see the look on Odette¡¯s face. She bursts into Gabriel¡¯s office, freezing in the doorway. I know the moment I hear her choked whimper. I do not need to see her stumble back against the door frame, sinking to the ground with shaking limbs. I do not need to hear the screams that follow, or the weeping. I do not need to see her crawling across the floor on her hands and knees, seeking something just out of sight of the hallway. By the time I reach Odette she is lying in Gabriel¡¯s blood, her body thrown atop his, wracked with violent, heaving sobs. The Alpha stares sightlessly up at the ceiling, his skin a garish shade of gray. I sp my hand tightly over my mouth, trying to hold back my own grief. I can¡¯t fall apart, not when others are hurting so badly. Odette needs me to keep it together, Bastien will need¡­ Bastien. I know the guards have already gone for him, but in a fit of irrational panic I try toe up with any possible n to stop them. He shouldn¡¯t have to see this, he shouldn¡¯t have to lose his father so young. I wrap myself around Odette, holding her while she cries and praying that it¡¯s all a bad dream. Hot, thick blood seeps into my wedding dress, smearing over my skin and pooling beneath our huddled bodies. The stench of death is thick in the air, and I can almost imagine I smell the salt of Odette¡¯s tears. The sound of heavy running footsteps meet my ears, and I know my prayers have not been answered. Bastien towers in the doorway, looking suddenly very young despite his intimidating appearance. His silver gaze travels over his father¡¯s body, to his mother and me. My lip trembles, I could cry from the look on Bastien¡¯s face alone. He looks so lost, a child adrift in a sea of uncertainty. I can see the little boy he once was, the one who looked to his father to hang the moon. He moves forward in a trance, his eyes never leaving his father¡¯s body. Sinking to his knees by my side, Bastien roars with fury and despair. I watch helplessly as he sinks forward, lowering his head to Gabriel¡¯s too-still form, his hands clenched in white knuckled fists. I¡¯ve never seen Bastien cry. He¡¯se close once or twice, but he¡¯s never wept as he does now. The sight of my indomitable husband broken and helpless tips me over the edge. Tears stream from my eyes, and then Bastien is reaching toward me blindly. His arm catches my waist and he hauls me into hisp, squeezing me like a security nket while he pulls his mother into his other side. We lie in a tangled heap like this, sobbing and bloodstained, until the pack enforcers arrive. Everything happens in a blur. Aiden is there, grasping Bastien¡¯s shoulder and gently telling him we need to move so the investigators can sweep the scene. Choking back his grief, Bastien nods, setting me on my feet. I stand protectively at his side while he attempts to rouse Odette, trying to pull her from Garbiel¡¯s body as tenderly as possible. She won¡¯t budge. She bares her fangs and snarls at her son, clutching her mate¡¯s body so tightly her hands shake almost as violently as her quaking shoulders. Ip my hand over my mouth when Bastien growls at Odette with pure Alpha authority, causing her body to jolt with shock. I¡¯ve seen Bastien assert his dominance over countless pack members over the years in precisely this way ¨C I¡¯ve experienced it myself on a handful of asions ¨C but to see it happening to Odette breaks my heart. People are swarming around us on all sides: council members, enforcers, even Dr. Kane is here. Bastien and I help Odette to her feet, and Aiden asks Dr. Kane to administer a sedative. While the doctor speaks with her, I pull Bastien aside. His silver eyes move up and down my body, taking in the sight of my ruined wedding dress with a dreadful grimace. I take his face in my hands, pulling his attention to my face. ¡°I¡¯m going to get her cleaned up and into bed.¡± I exin softly, ¡°Will you be okay?¡± Bastien¡¯s powerful hands mp down on my hips, his grip so strong I fear I might bruise. His head shakes slightly from right to left, and I think he¡¯s going to refuse. Instead he pulls me into the circle of his arms, ¡°Take care of her for me.¡± He pleads in my ear. Inod, pressing my lips to his cheek. ¡°I promise.¡± After washing Gabriel¡¯s blood from Odette and tucking her in with the help of the doctor¡¯s sleeping pills, I return to the Alpha¡¯s office. Gabriel¡¯s body has been removed and though the once-cozy space is now full of crime scene tape and evidence markers, it is all but deserted. Only Bastien remains, crumpled at his father¡¯s desk, his head cradled in his hands. The man I knew a few hours ago is gone, reced by a leader with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He looks up when I enter, a questioning expression on his handsome features. ¡°She¡¯s asleep.¡± I confirm quietly. He nods grimly, dragging his hand through his unruly hair. ¡°Did the investigators find anything?¡± I ask hesitantly. ¡°Not yet.¡± Bastien¡¯s voice is like gravel. ¡°They couldn¡¯t even decipher a scent for the killer said too many people had been in and out of the room to pinpoint anything.¡± I¡¯m already kicking myself for asking the question. Finding the people responsible for the crime is a matter for the future, lingering on it now is merely a pretense to inject some sense of normalcy into circumstances which are anything but. I close the distance between us, and Bastien turns his chair to face me when I¡¯m finally standing in front of him. He pulls me between his legs, gazing up at me with wide, hopeless eyes. ¡°Tell me this isn¡¯t real?¡± He begs, fisting his hands at my waist. My throat itches painfully, swelling and throbbing with emotion. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I profess tearfully. ¡°I¡¯m so, so sorry.¡± Bastien closes in on himself, slumping forward until his forehead is flush against my ribs. He wraps his muscr arms around my middle, burying his face in the silk of my bodice and breaking down completely. I soothe him as best I can, making soft shushing sounds and caressing his hair, shoulders and back. After a while I sink to my knees, framing his tear-stained face in my hands and gazing up at him with all the love l possess, ¡°You need to get cleaned up too.¡± I murmur, ¡°Come on, let me take care of you for once.¡± With an obedient nod, Bastien lets me lead him up to our apartment. I pull him into the bathroom, stripping off both our clothes and disappearing into the steam of a hot shower. I scrub the blood from our skin, wishing the searing water could ease Bastien¡¯s sorrow as seamlessly as it washes away dirt and grime. When we finally emergel guide my husband to bed, pulling back the covers and tucking him in. As I pull away Bastien¡¯s handtches onto my wrist, holding me captive, ¡°Will you stay with me tonight?¡± He pleads, appearing more vulnerable than I have ever seen him. ¡°Please?¡± I thought my heart was broken before, but now it cracks straight down the middle. ¡°Of course.¡± I vow, sliding into the bed beside him. Bastien clings to me so tightly I can hardly breathe, and for a moment I even consider begging him to loosen his hold. However | abandon the thought as soon as it enters my mind. As horrible as this night is, as badly as I wish I could turn back the clock and prevent all this pain, a small part of me relishes the fact that this incredible, powerful man findsfort in me. I curl my body around his, enveloping him in my love and affection for what will probably be thest time. Tomorrow he will. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 23 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Postponing the Ceremony Bastien¡¯s POV The day after my father¡¯s murder the sun rises just like it has every morning for eons. Its rays filter through the gauzy curtains adorning our bedroom windows, announcing dawn¡¯s arrival as if this day is no different than the millions which came before. This cannot be. Surely the sun cannot shine on a world where my father does not exist. Surely the earth cannot keep spinning when his life has winked out forever. Yet they do. The world forges on as though nothing has changed ¨C oblivious to the loss of one of its most remarkable creations. I wish I could snuff out the dawn as brutally as someone did my father¡¯s soul. All I have left of him now are memories. Every n we made, every expectation or imagined future is gone. We will never speak again, never go on another hunt or share anotherugh. Our rtionship is an artifact of the past, an unfinished book whose final chapters will never be written, I cannot bear it. What¡¯s worse is I know this is only the beginning. Few wolves outlive their mates by very long, even when they die young. The grief eats them alive, wasting away their physical forms until there is nothing left. How much longer will I have my mother? How long can she survive without half her soul? The horrible likelihood is that I will soon be without any parents at all, and I¡¯m already losing my own mate. Though the parting may not be as tragic, it will be just as final. My father¡¯s death bought me one more night with Selene. She¡¯s stretched out on top of me, her breath a warm breeze on my chest, rustling the coarse hair scattered across my pecs. Her serious brow is furrowed even in sleep and I gather her close, afraid to wake her but needing to feel her skin on mine. Hershes flutter, parting to reveal her stunning irises. It takes a moment for the memory ofst night to rise to the surface, but I know the moment it does. Her face crumples, leaving sleeppletely and recing the sweet innocence of slumber with heart rending grief. My pain is reflected so clearly in Selene¡¯s eyes my heart forgets to beat. ¡°I was hoping it was all a bad dream.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± I admit, running my fingers through the silky nket of chestnut hair streaming down her bare back. ¡°I just want to go back to sleep and stay there until this all goes away.¡°. Selene does not tell me it¡¯s never going to go away, or that I cannot hide from reality. She simply rests her cheek over my heart and forlornly whispers, ¡°I know.¡± My wolf, who has been swinging like a pendulum between sorrow and fury ever since walking into the Alpha¡¯s officest night, quiets ever so slightly. Selene is, and has always been, the only thing that can truly soothe Axel. ¡°Listen,¡± I blurt out before I can lose my nerve, ¡°I know the ceremony was supposed to be yesterday but¡­¡± My voice is pure gravel. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ It¡¯s too much.¡± Her small body, which had gone tense when I started speaking, liquefies. ¡°It¡¯s alright Bastien, the ceremony can wait until you¡¯re ready.¡± Axel and I rx in unison, but my relief is only temporary. There is one veryrge problem with her concession. I¡¯m never going to be ready. Selene¡¯s POV In a matter of days Odette has gone from a beautiful, vivacious she-wolf, to an empty shell; a shadow of her former self. Bastien is scarcely better. After emerging from our apartment the day after the attack, the elder council formally recognized him as Alpha, pushing him deeper into shock and confusion. Though we all knew Bastien was next in line for the role, pack leadership had been the farthest thing from our minds in the wake of the murder. It seemed distasteful and disrespectful to revoke the title from Gabriel so quickly, but the council was determined there should not be anypses in governance. Now, instead of taking time to grieve with his family, Bastien is trying to bnce running the pack with overseeing the murder investigation, nning his father¡¯s funeral and caring for his mother. I help him as much as I can, especially with Odette and the memorial, but there are simply not enough hours in the day to get everything done. Bastien barely leaves his office, and I¡¯ve heard him snarling at Aiden and Donavon more than once when they¡¯ve attempted to coax him into taking a break. The two Betas have be so desperate they decided to call in reinforcements, worried that if he doesn¡¯t stop soon he¡¯ll copse. Unfortunately for me, I am the reinforcements. We¡®re in the kitchen and the huge men are hovering over me whispering instructions while I bnce a silver serving tray in my arms. ¡°Don¡¯t take no for an answer.¡± Aiden is saying. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be forceful, just persistent.¡± ¡°Cry, if you have to.¡± Donavon adds. ¡°And maintain physical contact.¡± Aiden interjects, ¡°it will keep him calm.¡± Honestly, they¡¯re speaking about Bastien as if he¡¯s a wild bear. Only with great effort do I keep my eyes from rolling into the back of my head. ¡°You do know we¡¯ve been married three years, right?¡± The Betas exchange a nce, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I know how to handle my husband.¡± I state simply, making a shoeing motion so they¡¯ll clear the way to the hall. They do as instructed, and within minutes I¡¯m outside the office door. Bastien doesn¡¯t look up when I enter, his attention is glued to a stack of papers syed out on the mahogany desk. I set the dinner tray on the coffee table and move to his side. Bastien reaches out blindly, snagging my hand and bringing it to his lips while he reads. ¡°Thank you, sweetheart.¡± ¡°Will you eat with me?¡± I request softly. ¡°I wish I could, baby.¡± He replies immediately. ¡°Maybe tomorrow.¡± Pulling my hand from his, I adopt my most intimidating pose, locking my hands on my hips. ¡°Bastien, you need to eat something.¡± ¡°When I reach a stopping point, I will.¡± He lies, still not looking at me. ¡°You haven¡¯t reached a stopping point in three days.¡± I remind him. ¡°You¡®ve got to take a break.¡± Bastien sighs heavily, ¡°Not right now, Selene.¡± ¡°When?¡± ¡°When I can.¡± He evades. For the first time in my memory, I summon a growl. It¡¯s weak and not the least bit intimidating, rumbling pitifully in my chest like distant thunder very distant. Bastien freezes, pulling his gaze from his work for the first time since I entered. His silver eyes pierce straight through me. ¡°Did you just growl at me, little wolf? I try to keep my gaze level with his, but instead find it skittering back and forth as I put my foot down. ¡°You need to eat.¡± Bastien drags his eyes down my body to the offending foot, then back up to my flushed face. Though his countenance is wholly disapproving, I¡¯m certain I see the corner of his mouth twitch ¨C the first glimmer of light he¡¯s shown in days. ¡°Is that any way to speak to your Alpha?¡± He purrs ominously. I notch my chin up, ¡°You¡¯re not my Alpha right now, you¡¯re my husband.¡± Bastien unfolds from his chair, rising up and up until he¡¯s looming over me in all his glory. He looks angry, but his voice is warm. m always your Alpha.¡± He deres firmly, ¡°But since you seem to need reminding bring the tray.¡± I can¡¯t pull my eyes away from his, ¡°What?¡± ¡°You wanted me to eat.¡± Bastien replies simply. Bring the tray.¡± Logic trickles into my brain and I slowly retrieve the dinner tray, bringing it over to his desk and setting it down on a freshly cleared spot. I lift the lid and turn to leave, but Bastien loops an arm around my middle and pulls me into hisp. Despite my initial shock, I can¡¯t help but sink into his arms, even as he hands me a fork. I sp the silver implement between my fingers, shooting him a bewildered look. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who needs to eat.¡± ¡°No.¡± Bastien agrees, ¡°You¡¯re not.¡± After a moment it urs to me that he wants me to feed him. He confirms it with an arched brow and smothered grin. ¡°Be a good little wolf and show your Alpha you haven¡¯t forgotten your ce.¡± Blushing scarlet, I spear a morsel of steak from the overloaded te in front of us and raise it to his lips. His sharp teeth close around the tines, pulling the bloody red meat free and slowly chewing. His heated gaze never leaves mine, and I find it increasingly difficult to weather the weight of his stare. Feeding him this way is oddly intimate, as well as making me feelpletely at his mercy. Even so, pride swells in my chest that l¡¯ ve seeded in getting some food in his stomach where the others failed. Not for the first time, I wonder where Arabe is in all this not that I mind her absence. I suppose it would be inappropriate for her to be here when Bastien and I are still technically married. It wouldn¡¯t look good in front of the pack. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. About halfway through the meal, Bastien relents, stealing the silverware from my fingers. I think he¡¯s going to continue eating on his own, but instead he offers me the next bite of food. After a moment of hesitation I snag the offering between my teeth, savoring the juicy meat and wondering how the tables turned so quickly. There¡¯s no doubt Bastien still holds the power, but being served this way makes me feel warm all the way down to my toes. When the te is finally empty, I settle back against Bastien, sated and drowsy. The baby is making me sleep constantly, but I¡¯ve been resisting as much as possible over thest few days. Of course, the added bonus of dozing on my husband is that it might force him to rest too. Take that Big Bad Wolf. Just as I¡¯m drifting off, I catch sight of a brightly colored flier peeking out from beneath the pile of papers on Bastien¡¯s desk. It¡¯s easily within reach, and I pull it from the stack, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Bastien goes rigid, and a momentter I understand why. The paper in my hand is an advertisement for a bounty being offered by the Alpha of the Calypso pack: ise Denizen. Wanted: Vna wolves of all ages Cash Reward: $1 Million for reliable intelligence. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 24 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 24 Chapter 24 The Funeral Selene¡¯s POV ¡°What is this?¡± I choke, my heart racing as I stare down at the reward flier. ¡°Nothing.¡± Bastien reaches for the paper, but I lean back over the armrest until I¡¯m on the verge of falling. I may not be able to extend my arms past his reach, but I trust he¡¯ll choose catching me over reiming the page. Luckily he does exactly that, mping his hands on my hips to keep me anchored while I twist my body away from him. ¡°It¡¯s clearly something.¡± ¡°Selene, stop that.¡± He admonishes, pulling me back into the chair, ¡°You¡¯re going to hurt yourself.¡± With a huff I obey, waving the flier in front of his nose. ¡°How long have you known about this? Where did you find it, how long has this been going on?¡± Bastien sighs, ¡°Sweetheart this is why I didn¡¯t tell you. I didn¡¯t want you to worry for nothing. I¡¯m handling it.¡± ¡°If it were nothing you wouldn¡¯t need to handle it.¡± I reason sharply, squirming to escape hisp and failing. ¡°And what exactly does that mean? How in the Goddess¡¯s name are you nning to contain this? It already made it this far, how do you know someone hasn¡¯t already reported me?¡± Bastien is wrapped around me like a nket, using the pressure of his limbs to soothe me despite the fact that I very much do not want to be soothed, ¡°We didn¡¯t find this here. It was in the far East outside of Calypso territory.¡± He exins, not letting up. ¡°I promise no one has reported you and we¡¯re setting up a shadow system so that we can intercept any reports from this part of the continent.¡± ¡°How did you find it if it was so far away?¡± I question sulkily. Bastien clears his throat evasively, ¡°We have spies.¡± ¡°Spies?¡± I repeat, ¡°We have spies on the Calypso pack?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bastien confesses. ¡°I sent them before we got married.¡± My heart feels like it¡¯s imploding. All of a sudden Bastien¡¯s request to postpone the rejection ceremony and Arabe¡¯s distance makes a lot more sense. Moving forward with the ceremony wouldn¡¯t have been appropriate amidst the murder, and I do believe Bastien was too overwhelmed to focus on it, but would we be dying it indefinitely if it were not for this threat? No matter what he says, I know Bastien considers this a serious danger ¨C the fact that he hid it speaks volumes and it provides an extremely strong motive to keep me close. Bastien considers everyone in the pack his responsibility, but especially me. Me ¨C the mate the pack failed to protect as a child and ended up permanently disabled as a result. ¡°How long have you known about this?¡± I croak. ¡°A few days.¡± Bastien confesses grimly. Gabriel died a few days ago too. Would we have made it to the altar if he hadn¡¯t been murdered? I want to ask him this very question, but I¡¯m too afraid to hear the answer. What difference would it make? None of this changes the fact that he doesn¡¯t want me, that this entire marriage has been a sham. ¡°What about the others?¡± I inquire instead, ¡°The other Vnas?¡± Bastien frowns, ¡°There are precious few Vnas left.¡± ¡°But every one of those precious few are in danger.¡± I insist. ¡°ise only needs one.¡± He assents with a single, firm nod. ¡°Perhaps, but you are the one I¡¯m concerned with protecting.¡± ¡°So what, if they aren¡¯t your responsibility they don¡¯t matter?¡± I exim, looking up into my husband¡¯s molten eyes. His jaw twitches, a hard edge in his expression I¡¯ve rarely seen directed at me. His cozy embrace feels suddenly cold, and I¡¯m at a loss to understand what¡¯s going on inside his head. ¡°If that¡¯s the way you want to look at it.¡± Bastien growls, ¡°Yes.¡± I lurch out of hisp, and he doesn¡¯t try to stop me. I stalk from the room without retrieving the dinner tray, tossing a curt acknowledgement to the Betas hovering outside the office like mother hens. ¡°He¡¯s fed.¡± ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Aiden calls after me. I don¡¯t bother answering, I continue up to the apartment awhirl with hurt and confusion. I lock myself in for the rest of the night, hoping Bastien wille to bed but unsurprised when I wake up as I went to sleep alone. Bastien¡¯s POV The morning of my father¡¯s memorial service begins with a storm. Apparently answering myints about sunshine, the Goddess sends a gale through Elysium, dropping the temperature by ten degrees and dumping buckets of rain over the city. Thankfully there is no thunder or lightning to frighten Selene, only fat gray clouds and cascading water. My little wolf stands on my right, beautiful and somber in a simple mourning gown. My mother frames my other side, a dark veil over her face. We all wear the deep bottle green of the Nova pack, the same color donned by nearly every member of the pack. They are all spread out around us, decked out head to toe in grim formal wear and clutching umbres. Tonight we will shed it all and take to the forest, but for the time being we pay our respects with all the pomp and ceremony the Alpha deserves. Beyond the pack members, visitors from near and far gather. The Eros and Vega Pack leaders, as well as dignitaries and representatives from other shiftermunities across the continent. The funeral pyre is shielded by a vaulted tent which will only be lifted when the fire is lit and the mes strong enough to withstand the rain. My father¡¯s bodyys peacefully at its apex, lovingly shrouded in gs bearing the crests of the Nova Pack, Elysium, and the Durand family. Selene¡¯s tiny hand squeezes mine just as I fear I might begin to cry again, and I pull strength from my sweet wife. We haven¡¯t yet settled our argument about the reward flier, but her support hasn¡¯t waned. I couldn¡¯t tell Selene the horrible thoughts that ran through my head when she mentioned the possibility of other Vna wolves being turned in to ise. They were too horrible. I didn¡¯t truly mean them, I know in my heart I would never sacrifice one innocent life for another. But logic is cruel, and I¡¯m ashamed to admit that I did consider the advantage another wolf being caught would give Selene. Denizen wouldn¡¯t need to keep looking after he found what he wanted. I shove the unforgivable thoughts away, focusing on the present. As the pyre ignites color shes in the corner of my eye, and not the ombre yellow, orange and red of fire. Instead the bright blue hues of the Gemini Pack fills my periphery, sending ice through my veins. The Gemini Pack have been our enemies since before I was born. Under different circumstances, their presence might be understandable, but we haven¡¯t had any contact with them in years. Thest time we met, they were aiding and abetting my uncle s coup attempt. I swear under my breath, squeezing my mother¡¯s shoulders as she weeps. The Gemini leaders circle the perimeter of the crowd, the unmistakable scent of strange wolves permeating through the masses. One by one heads turn towards the interlopers, and disgruntled mutters begin sweeping through the assembly. My hackles raise, but I refuse to give them the response they¡¯re so clearly seeking. mes consume my father¡¯s body, transforming him for thest time not between man and wolf, but being and spirit the final transition between this world and the next. As I watch his physical form splinter and dissolve, thest vestiges of my family around me, I¡¯m struck once again of all the unwee changes in my life. The first threads of discord unfurl while I¡¯m still caught up in my thoughts, rolling through the sea of wolves like savage ripples. Muted growls gradually evolve into vicious snaps and barks, before silk and wool rend and tear as formal clothing is reced with fur and ws. Within moments half the attendees have shifted, the remainder scattering away from the quickly boiling conflict. I look helplessly between Mom and Selene, before shoving them both into Aiden¡¯s waiting arms, ¡°get them back to the pack house.¡± I order, gesturing to my father¡¯s number two, ¡°Donavon, with me.¡± smell the first blood before it hits the ground, charging into the unfolding fight without pausing to shift. I refuse to lend any credibility to this chaos. Instead I storm through the battling factions on two legs, ripping wolves off of one another by the scruffs of their necks and throwing them across the rain soakedwn. Together with Donovan and the Nova enforcers, I pull the sweat and blood stained fighters apart, clearing a wide path through the crowd until I¡¯ve reached the heart of the brawl. In the center of it all, a trio of navy-d men wait, chests heaving with barely disguised rage. The Gemini Alpha, Rafe Everhart, is twice my age, gray haired and grisled as an old boot. He looks as if he¡¯s been to hell and back, and I have to respect his imposing stature. When we near, damp smoke clogging the air at our backs, he roars, ¡°What is the meaning of this, Durand?¡± ¡°Funny, I came to ask you that exact question.¡± I snarl. ¡°I should think that would be obvious.¡± The Alpha hisses. ¡°After all, you invited us. Bastien¡¯s POV ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± i hiss, ¡°Hey, I was surprised myself,¡± Rafe answers snidely. ¡°I thought you were finally ready to bury the hatchet, but from the looks of it you Novas are every bit as inbred and backward as I always thought. Can¡¯t even throw a funeral without things devolving to bem.¡± I brush off his insults, ¡°No one invited you, Everhart.¡± I announce, mentally tracking my enforcers as they covertly move in, surrounding our assants on all sides. ¡°I beg to differ.¡± Rafe quips, pulling an embossed parchment from his jacket and extending toward me. Keeping one eye on the goading Alpha, I ept the paper, unrolling it swiftly and scanning the contents within. Sure enough, it contains an exact copy of the official invitations sent around to various packs and allies over thest few days,plete with my signature. I pass the parchment to Donavon. ¡°Unfortunately I must tell you that this invitation is not genuine.¡± I force the words out between clenched teeth. It¡¯s true I did not sign any invitations to the Gemini pack, but someone has clearly been at work sowing the seeds of chaos. ¡°It has your signature Durand.¡± Rafe reminds me coolly. ¡°A forgery.¡± I rify, I needn¡¯t remind you that my father was murdered. It can¡¯te as any surprise that there are yers atrge seeking to harm the Nova Pack. Unfortunately it seems you are a pawn in their schemes.¡± Or an aplice. Axel interjects, thoroughly put out not to be in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Tsk, tsk. Rafe chides, ¡°It sounds to me like you don¡¯t have control of your pack.¡± He adopts a theatrical pout, ¡°I suppose that¡¯s what happens when you leave a pup in charge.¡± Enough with the diplomacy, Axel grumbles, let me take a bite out of this bastard, I do that and I give him exactly what he wants. I argue back, ¡°You have my word we¡¯ll get to the bottom of this.¡± I vow ominously, ¡°All those responsible will pay. You and your men are free to leave ¨C for the time being.¡± Rafe narrows his eyes at my patronizing tone, btedly scanning the group around us and discovering the counter moves deployed while we spoke. Understanding sours his expression. He could order an attack now, if he had a death wish. We have them surrounded, a man within throat ripping distance of his everyst envoy. The Gemini Alpha offers me a deferential nod, though his eyes are full of malice. ¡°Until we meet again, Durand.¡± I do not offer him the same courtesy, simply acknowledging his name as he turns away. ¡°Everhart.¡± When I¡¯m certain the Gemini wolves are out of hearing distance, I turn to Donavon. ¡°Send sentries to follow them out of the territory. Make sure they¡¯re out, and keep tails on them. I want to know if they¡¯re meeting with anyone from the pack.¡± I growl. * And find out where on the Goddess¡¯s green earth that invitation came from.¡± Donavon takes his marching orders proudly, showing me the same esteem he always afforded my father. ¡°Yes Alpha.¡± Selene¡¯s POV ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± I object, ¡°They can¡¯t me you for what happened. The council knows Gabriel¡¯s death was foul y, they must know this was malicious too not ipetence.¡± Bastien is pacing around his office, slowly wearing a hole in the carpet. ¡°The fact is I didn¡¯t see the Gemini¡¯sing.¡± He grouses, dragging a hand through his hair. ¡°They¡¯re right to question me. I fucked up.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Indignance floods me on behalf of my husband. It isn¡¯t fair for the elder council to judge him so harshly. ¡°You were grieving.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 25 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 25 Chapter 25 The Elder Council Bastien huffs out a wearyugh, pausing in front of me to stroke my cheek. ¡°Alphas don¡¯t have the luxury of personal feelings, little wolf. The pack has toe first one hundred percent of the time.¡± His handsome features seemed to have aged years over thest week. ¡°There¡¯s no excuse for letting enemies through our defenses.¡± ¡°That is an unreasonable standard.¡± I insist, ¡°One to which they would never hold themselves.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡° Bastien agrees. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t, but they aren¡¯t Alpha.¡± Itch onto his hand when he tries to pull away, convincing him to sink onto the sofa beside me. ¡°These are the consequences of so much power. There¡¯s no end to the responsibility, and no room for error.¡± ¡°How is anyone supposed to live up to that?¡± I demand, ¡°How are you supposed to have a life if you can never take your eye off the pack?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about living up to it, or fulfilling my own wants.¡± Bastien reminds me, ¡°I have the strength to lead, so I will ¨C because I love this pack. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡± Now that Bastien has rxed next to me, my own energy overflows in anxious flutterings. ¡°That¡¯s the other thing I don¡¯t understand.¡± I gripe, ¡°Does the council honestly think there is anyone in the pack more capable than you? Stronger than you?¡± i wriggle half-heartedly as Bastien tugs my body on top of his, propping my elbows on his chest and resting my chin in the cradle of my hands. ¡°What¡¯s the point of trying you when no one else is fit to be Alpha.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly why we have them.¡± Bastien sighs, petting me absentmindedly. ¡°To give challengers the opportunity to step forward and make a im for leadership. If no one does, it goes on the record as a public censure.¡± ¡°So that future challengers can drag it back up yearster to smear your good name.¡± Iin, my musings taking a decidedly vindictive turn. ¡°I¡¯d like to dig up every mistake the council members ever made when they were young and rub them in their wrinkled faces.¡± To my surprise, Bastienughs, the vibrations shaking my body fiercely. ¡°Goodness, I had no idea you were such a vengeful little thing.¡± He teases. ¡°Where have you been hiding all this ferocity, baby?¡± I shrug. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a reason to channel it before.¡± ¡°Well I¡¯m honored you tapped into it for my sake.¡± Bastien grins, pulling me up for a kiss. In moments like this I can almost forget everything that¡¯s happened between us. All the pain and rejection, the pain and loss. I can almost forget he doesn¡¯t want me. I can almost pretend we have a future. pretending with every fiber of my being that this moment, and all this affection, will never end. Bastien¡¯s POV My mother¡¯s haunted face stares at me through the crowd, her eyes red-rimmed and once-golden skin pallid. Of anyone, the hearing has been hardest on her. Yet, as twisted as it probably sounds, I think my struggles have been good for her. The inquisition has helped keep her in the present and supporting me has given her some purpose in all this uncertainty. I don¡¯t know if I should be guilty for wanting to keep her here without her mate or not, but I know I¡¯m not ready to lose her too. Perhaps it¡¯s selfish, expecting her to find a reason to carry on without her mate. After all, I¡¯m not sure I would want to live in a world where Selene no longer existed. The grief assails me at the strangest of times. Sometimes it feels as if nothing which has happened over thest week is real, others the truth of my circumstances feel so overwhelming I can¡¯t even draw breath. Now, as I stare down the elder council, weathering hours of questions about my fitness to rule the pack, I want nothing more than to turn back the clock and beg my father for advice. ¡°Forgive us Bastien, but you¡¯ve been Alpha for less than a week and we¡¯ve already borne an attack on Nova territory.¡± The same pack elder has been droning on for the better part of an hour, litigating every last moment of the Gemini intrusion during my father¡¯s funeral. ¡°It¡¯s true you neutralized the threat, but the fact remains the threat should never have gotten through our defenses in the first ce. Why should the people of Elysium maintain faith in you as a leader, when this is what your brief tenure has granted us?¡± ¡°Esteemed council members,¡± i begin, making no attempt to withhold the innate Alpha authority of my tone. ¡°I cannot deny that the appearance of the Gemini contingent at the Alpha¡¯s memorial was unexpected and extremely unfortunate.¡± I circle on the spot, directly my words now at the assembled pack. ¡°They should never have made it past our borders and I take full responsibility for thatpse. However,¡± I continue, ¡°despite my best efforts, I am just a man. I cannot see the future, and I am not immune to grief.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°And like all men, I make mistakes.¡± I concede, returning my attention to the council. ¡°I take the security oversight extremely seriously and n on doing everything in my power to prevent such failures in the future. But there can be no denying we are under threat. The Alpha was murdered in his own office, in his own home.¡± My mother flinches with every word, and I¡¯m eternally grateful Selene is there to wrap her in a hug. ¡°This is not just a threat to my family, it is a threat to the entire pack.¡± I growl. ¡°Whoever did this came onto our territory and saw fit to inflict violence at the highest levels.¡± Heads nod in my periphery, giving me hope that my words arending with the people if not the council. ¡°I want what is best for the Novas; I always have and always will. So if there is anyone out there who believes they can do a better job defending us, then I wee your challenge.¡± I extend my arms, circling on the spot as I survey the assembled audience. ¡°If any among you think you have what it takes to lead, speak now. Make me earn my ce, or prove yourself more worthy.¡± Behind me, the council murmurs amongst themselves, too quietly for me to decipher their words. Finally, the head councilor raises his voice above the din. ¡°Well, are there any challengers?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 26 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 26 Chapter 26 The Weak Link Selene¡¯s POV I nce around the council chambers anxiously, wondering if anyone will step forward to challenge Bastien for control of the pack. The council can¡¯t force him to step down as Alpha, but if he loses a fight to a stronger wolf he won¡¯t have a choice. I doubt there is anyone in Elysium strong enough to take on my husband, but this isn¡¯t only about winning. Perception is everything. Whether or not someone can actually seed, pack members challenging Bastien means they¡¯ve lost confidence in his leadership, that they believe he is weak enough to unseat. Seconds drag on like hours, mutters swarming like angry bees as Bastien turns on the spot, staring down theiners until the chamber finally falls silent. I breathe a sigh of relief. Whatever they might say behind closed doors, when pushes to shove no one is brave enough to actually take on the Alpha. Once he¡¯s certain no one is going to speak up, Bastien turns back to the council. ¡°There you have it gentlemen. You may not agree with my decisions, and questioning them is your right as advisors to this government, but until another Novan is strong enough to take my ce ¨C I am your Alpha.¡± His deep voice echoes around the room, ¡°You can work with me, or you can continue working against me, but I guarantee you will not like the results if you do.¡± A collective shiver works its way around the room, and I feel my own spine tremble. I¡¯ve never seen Bastien release so much unchecked power, except perhaps when he faced down the Geminis. However it hadn¡¯t been directed at the pack then, and it certainly is now. ¡°Is that a threat?¡± One of the councilors interjects, tacking on a nervous ¡°Sir?¡± at the end. ¡°Take it however you like.¡± The Alpha replies cryptically, ¡°I¡¯m merely presenting the reality of your situation.¡± The head elder straightens up determinedly, his gray hair practically standing on end despite his facade of confidence. ¡°And what about your reality, Alpha?¡± He inquires, ¡°Do you intend to lead the women of this pack as well as the men?¡± Color flushes my cheeks as heads turn in my direction. The man was smart enough not to say it outright, but everyone knows he¡¯s talking about my defect. Though Alphas have equal authority over all pack members, their mates are traditionally de facto leaders of the she-wolves. I am not, and I never will be. You cannot lead wolves if you don¡¯t have a wolf of your own. Bastien growls, and the elder shrinks in his seat. ¡°I suggest you retract that question, Counselor.¡± Unfortunately another counselor speaks up in his colleague¡¯s stead, ¡°Forgive me, Alpha, but Grigore¡¯s question concerns us all. The fact is that we need strength in all our leaders ¨C a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.¡± Bastien¡¯s eyes glow silver, and I see his hands twitching as if he¡¯s fighting to keep his ws retracted. His brawny arm jerks up, one livid finger pointing in my direction. ¡°My wife has survived things no one else in this room ever could myself included.¡± He snarls, tearing off his shirt. His breath ising in heavy pants, his body pushed to the brink by the effort of holding his wolf back. He throws out both arms now, drawing attention to his bare abdomen: a swath of rippling muscles covered in battlescars. ¡°Why is it you look at my scars and see strength, but find only weakness in hers?¡± At first I don¡¯t think anyone will have the courage to respond, but after a few tense beats, the oldest counselor rises to his feet. ¡°The difference is that your scars healed, and forgive me, but Selene¡¯s never will.¡± His words drive into my chest like the sharpest knife. ¡°It¡¯s not her fault no one is saying that but the bottom line is that a shifter without their animal cannot protect themselves, let alone a pack. She is not a suitable mate for an Alpha.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would stay after what they did to you.¡± Drake¡¯s increasingly familiar voice filters through my cell phone. We haven¡¯t spoken since Gabriel¡¯s funeral, and at the time we hadn¡¯t the opportunity to discuss anything personal. Catching him up has been difficult in a house full of shifters with wolf hearing. I¡¯ve finally secluded myself on the terrace, leaning against the railing and constantly scanning my surroundings for eavesdroppers. ¡°Bastien needs me.¡± I sigh. ¡°The council was.. well they were awful.¡± I admit, my stomach roiling at the memory alone. ¡°But he stood up for me ¨C despite everything that¡¯s happened between us. He stood up for me even though he doesn¡¯t want me. I owe him the same loyalty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your heart talking, Selene.¡± Drake cautions. ¡°Not your head.¡± When I don¡¯t answer he presses on, ¡°This man wanted nothing to do with youst week, but when something goes wrong for him he expects you to drop everything to help. That isn¡¯t loyalty, it¡¯s self-serving maniption.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Drake, I know you¡¯re concerned but please trust that I know my husband slightly better than you do.¡± I say, ¡°Bastien is the least selfish person I¡¯ve ever met.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± He concedes. ¡°But how long is it going tost this time? How long before he throws you over again? He¡¯s going to stop needing you eventually, especially with the pack pressuring him to do something he already wanted.¡± The truth of his words hit me like a ton of bricks, and I slide down onto the ground as he continues. ¡°You told me Bastien finding out about the baby is thest thing you want to happen, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I confirm. ¡°Well by my estimate you¡¯ve only got one more week before he scents it on you.¡± Drake asserts, ¡°So you need to decide what¡¯s more important: supporting a man who doesn¡¯t love you, or iming freedom for yourself and your child?¡± Tears burn in my eyes, ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a way to mask the scent.¡± I¡¯m grasping at straws and I know it. ¡°I¡¯ll go see the doctor tomorrow, maybe he can help.¡± I can practically hear Drake shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s a bandaid at best. What happens when you start showing?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be for another month or so.¡± I reply, ¡°Because my morning sickness is so bad the doctor actually said I was more likely to lose weight than gain it.¡± Frustration is evident in his voice now. ¡°It¡¯s your decision, Selene. And I will help you whatever you choose, but please think about what I¡¯ve said. This is too important to risk.¡± ¡°Thank you, Drake.¡± I exhale, feeling considerably sadder than when I made the call, but slightly less stressed. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Good.¡± He answers warmly. ¡°I only want what¡¯s best for you.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV A knock on the door pulls my attention from the crime reports in my hands, and I call out for Aiden to enter. I don¡¯t need to look up to know it¡¯s him. I smelled him when he arrived twenty minutes ago and have been listening to his distinct footsteps of him pacing outside my door ever since. ¡°You going to tell me why you¡¯ve been hovering outside my office for almost half an hour?¡± I wonder aloud. Aiden clears his throat. ¡°We have a problem.¡± Now I do look up. ¡°What kind of problem?¡± His lips tighten to a straight line. ¡°There are rumors going around the city about the Alpha¡¯s death. It seems word got out about the secret tunnel.¡± ¡°How?¡± I demand. ¡°The only people who knew about that were us and the enforcement investigators.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Aiden reasons, ¡°The killer knows too.¡± ¡°So,¡± I speak the words slowly forming in my thoughts. ¡°You think they might¡¯ve put the information out there so that the enforcers would be able to use it as an indication of guilt in interrogations?¡± ¡°Or to undermine you.¡± Aiden theorizes with obvious agitation, ¡°The rumors¡­ it¡­ people are saying it had to be an inside job ¨C because only the Alpha¡¯s family knew about the escape passage.¡± ¡°An inside job.¡± I repeat. ¡°Meaning me because I stand to gain the most from his death.¡± My Beta tips his head in confirmation. ¡°Why would I need to use an escape tunnel to break into my own house?¡± I ask through clenched fangs. ¡°Maybe it wasn¡¯t about getting in, maybe it was about not being seen.¡± He suggests. There are security cameras all over the ce.¡± ¡°Which I could disable if I wanted tomit murder.¡± I growi, ¡°It makes no sense.¡± ¡°Yes, well we both know truth and logic don¡¯t mean a damn when ites to gossip.¡± He remarks solemnly. ¡°First I¡¯m unfit because a forged memorial invitation was sent to the Geminis.¡± I recount, bracing my hands on my desk and fantasizing about sweeping everything on its surface to the ground. ¡°Then I¡¯m unfit because my mate doesn¡¯t have a wolf. And now I¡¯m a murderer?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re in the middle of a game no one told us we were ying.¡± Aiden says, agreeing with my unspoken suspicions. ¡°Clearly, your father wasn¡¯t the killer¡¯s only target. ¡°Alright.¡± I try to shake the bloodthirsty thoughts from my mind and summon some rationality. ¡°So who are we ying against, and what the hell is their next move going to be?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 27 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 27 Chapter 27 My Husband Has Me Followed Selene¡¯s POV ¡°I need to promise me you¡¯ll be careful.¡± Bastien¡¯s oversized hands are framing my cheeks, his metallic eyes boring into my own. grasp his wrists, my small hands only stretching halfway around them. ¡°I¡¯m just going to the store, Bastien.¡± His brow furrows even deeper than it already was. ¡°Maybe Donavon should go with you, or better yet: we can send one of the maids instead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m perfectly capable of buying groceries without a babysitter.¡± I assure him in my sweetest voice. As I untangle myself from his grasp, I add, ¡°Are you really this concerned about the reward flier?¡± ¡°I just want you to be safe,¡± He deflects. ¡°Things have been crazy around heretely.¡± It does not escape my notice that he didn¡¯t actually answer my question. I narrow my eyes, ¡°Did something happen? Did somebody report me to your false tip line?¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No.¡± Bastien promises firmly. ¡°I¡¯m just uneasy about everything that¡¯s happened with the pack.¡± Whateverfort I gained from his direct ¡°no,¡± disappears with the second part of his answer. There¡¯s nothing suspicious about it per se, something simply feels off deep in my bones. ¡°What aren¡¯t you telling me?¡± If I needed confirmation he¡¯s hiding something, his immediate ¡°nothing!¡± provides it. ¡°Okay, then exin to me why you were okay with me going to the park alone three days ago, but now I can¡¯t set foot out of the house?¡± I inquire. ¡°Of course you can set foot out of the house.¡± He sighs, ¡°It¡¯s simply that the store is crowded this time of day and I don¡¯t want you to be harassed about the hearing.¡± In truth I would be worried about it to ¨C if I was actually going to the store. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay.¡± I insist. ¡°Sticks and stones, remember?¡± Bastien is still grumbling under his breath when I leave and once more, the strangest sensation ovees me as I round the corner. It feels like a strange tingling in my belly, like my body is trying to tell me something my brain can¡¯t sense. Is this what shifters mean when they talk about instincts and gut feelings? On the off chance it is, I tip toe over to the vent further along the corridor. I learned early on that this air duct connects to Bastien¡¯ s office. If you stand in precisely the right ce, you can hear people speaking inside as if they are standing next to you. My tack pays off when Bastien¡¯s low voice carries to me a momentter. ¡°Don, Selene¡¯s about to leave for the store. I want you to follow her.¡± He must be on the phone. There¡¯s a pause, then he continues, ¡°Yes, I want guards on her 24/7 if she¡¯s not in this house.¡± Getting to the hospital undetected is not easy. Donavon, as it turns out, is quite a skilled stalker. I have to circle two parking garages and run a red light to ditch him. Luckily I also remembered to turn off my phone, as well as the tracking built into the car. I¡¯m going to be in trouble when I get home, but not as much trouble as Bastien. After I ditched Donavon and the sheer inconvenience of his order waned, the outrage rose up to take its ce. Though I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on, it¡¯s clear Bastien lied to my face about whatever threat I face, and further saw fit to invade my privacy by having me followed without my consent. More concerning still, Bastien having a constant guard on me is extremely inconvenient when I am trying to hide such arge secret. What happens if Drake is correct and I decide leaving was the right n after all? How in the Goddess¡¯s name will get away? By the time I arrive at Dr. Kane¡¯s office, I¡¯m so worked up that my blood pressure is through the roof and the nurse makes me sit and do breathing exercises for ten minutes before retaking it. When doctor Kane enters the exam room with a wide smile and begins putting on surgical gloves, I stop him. ¡°I¡¯m not here for an exam.¡± He pauses his movements, looking at me curiously. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°You were really helpful when I was here before.¡± I begin earnestly, praying he¡¯ll take pity on me, ¡°So I was hoping you might be willing to help me again now.¡± Though he seems curious, he doesn¡¯t seem cold or annoyed, ¡°What is it you need, Mrs. Durand?¡± ¡°I want to know if there is anything you can prescribe me to¡­¡± I trail off, unable to find the words. ¡°To what?¡± He prompts. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everything we say in here is confidential and I promise there¡¯s nothing you can ask that i haven¡¯t heard before.¡± to know. So they can¡¯t ¡°Is there a drug that can mask the scent of my pregnancy hormones.¡± i blurt, ¡°If I don¡¯t want people smell it on me?¡± Dr. Kane purses his lips, taking a seat next to the exam bed. ¡°Mrs. Durand, I¡¯m going to ask you something and I need you to be honest with me.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I agree nervously, ¡°I¡¯m obligated byw to report cases of abuse if I suspect it, and after your visitst time and now this.. it¡¯s clear something is not right in your marriage. Now, I understand your husband is the Alpha,¡± He pauses, looking guilty for a moment, ¡°I should have said earlier, I¡¯m very sorry for your recent loss.¡± I barely get in a ¡°thank you¡± before he goes on. ¡°So I realize reporting it isn¡¯t really an option. But if you aren¡¯t safe, we can find another way to get you help.¡± He concludes ¡°Now. Selene, are you unsafe -physically or mentally ¨C in your home?¡± ¡°No!¡± I exim. ¡°Bastien wouldn¡¯t ever hurt me, not in a million years.¡± I vow. ¡°I have my own reasons for wanting to hide the pregnancy ¨C one¡¯s I¡¯d prefer to keep private if that¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Dr Kane says, rxing. ¡°I apologize, but I had to ask.¡± ¡°Not at all, it¡¯s good you ask. It shows you care for your patients.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He smiles widely, ¡°Now to answer your question, yes there is something I can give you to mask the scent of the hormones. But it¡¯s not exactly avable on the open market, if you know what I mean.¡± I frown. ¡°Is it legal?¡± ¡°Perfectly, it¡¯s just not something for which there¡¯s amercial market ¨C so it doesn¡¯t get produced as a pill or shot.¡± He exins, ¡°It¡¯s a tea, a fairly unpleasant one. And you¡¯ll have to drink it every day.¡± ¡°That should go well with my morning sickness.¡± I mutter sardonically. ¡°Now that I can prescribe something for.¡± Dr Kane offers with a twinkle in his eye. For the first time all day I feel like smiling. ¡°Dr. Kane, you¡¯re a lifesaver!¡± When I get home I sneak up the back stairs to the apartment, a few grocery bags in my hands to maintain my cover story. I slip inside as silently as I can, sweeping my eyes through the cozy rooms to confirm I¡¯m alone. Sighing with relief, I deposit the groceries on the kitchen counter and begin unpacking. I have less than 30 seconds of peace before a guttural voice sounds behind me. ¡°First lesson in sneaking around, Little Wolf.¡± | spin around to find Bastien emerging from behind the front door. ¡°Always clear your corners.¡± My jaw drops, and my mind struggles to decide whether to focus on his presence or the oddity of his hiding spot. ¡°Were you waiting there the whole time I was gone?¡± ¡°Sweetheart,¡± He says in a tone that implies anything but sweetness, ¡°I heard you the moment you drove up.¡± I cross my arms over my chest, ¡°Then I presume you came up here to apologize.¡± His ws shoot out so quickly I almost miss it in a blink. Whoops. ¡°Me apologize?¡± He snaps. I shift from foot to foot, my heart beginning to pound ufortably hard. ¡°You lied to me and then you had your men stalk me.¡± ¡°I had my men guard you,¡± Bastien rumbles thunderously, ¡°and you ran away from them and deliberately put yourself in danger!¡± ¡°What danger, Bastien?¡± I challenge, ¡°I know you¡¯re not having me followed ¡°24/7¡å because of petty women¡¯s harassment.¡± He prowls forward with a lethal re. ¡°Take your pick Selene: Two weeks ago my father was murdered in this house and we have no idea who did it or why.¡± He lists off his fingers, ¡°The pack is against you and Goddess knows what lengths those ¡°petty women¡± might do to get you out of the way. Oh, and there¡¯s a psychopath looking for you so he can drain and drink your blood like you¡¯re a human juice box!¡± Images of Garrick shouting and raging at me burst across my vision, and I cower away from Bastien, stumbling over my own two feet. He catches me before I fall, but I flinch at his touch, whimpering in fear. Swearing under his breath, Bastien sweeps my body into his arms, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He breathes, snuggling me close. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Little Wolf, I didn¡¯t mean to yell.¡± Bastien coos, shushing me gently. ¡°You just scared me.¡± Irx into his arms, my fear receding as quickly as it came. Yet a kernel of doubt remains in my heart. Bastien has never raised his voice at me like this before, he knows shouting and loud noises trigger me and no matter what has happened in the past, he¡¯s always kept his temper in check. Always. What¡¯s more, he doesn¡¯t seem to think he did anything wrong, and I don¡¯t think I can make him understand that his behavior wasn¡¯ t okay. As far as he¡¯s concerned, my safety gives him permission to use any means and go to any lengths to protect me, no matter how I feel or what I want. Even as I ept his pets and kisses, embracing the affection andfort, I can¡¯t help but feel something was broken between us today. And I don¡¯t think it can be fixed. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 28 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 28 Chapter 28 The Equinox Disaster Bastien¡¯s POV The Autumn Equinox has always been my favorite holiday. Above All Souls Night, the Summer Solstice and Yuletide, the Equinox is the best day of the year. Every September Elysium is overtaken by a sprawling festival celebrating the event,bining centuries-old rites and traditions with modern revelry and entertainment. The changing of the seasons has always been sacred to shifters. Our power is always strongest on the nights the Goddess turns the wheel of the world, summoning so much magic it overflows into all of creation. More than any year of my life so far, this Autumn¡¯s celebration must go well. It¡¯s my first year as Alpha and even though my father oversaw most of the nning, the actual event is happening on my watch. With everything that has happened in thest few weeks I desperately need some good PR with the pack, and a superb Equinox would go a long way to achieving that. On the other hand, if something goes wrong, it will be a literal disaster. The pack won¡¯t consider a botched festival a bad party, they will consider it an affront to our most cherished heritage and hallowed customs. That cannot happen. There are already murderers and saboteurs running around my city wreaking havoc, thest thing I need is to offend the Goddess on top of it. However things are already off to a less than ideal start. Major partners my father contracted to sponsor the festival have pulled out at thest minute, and it seems like everywhere I look, some new crisis pops up. I know event nning is chaotic at times, but things are falling apart too suddenly, frequently and majorly. Everyst step is a challenge, and I¡¯m certain the same person who has been making my life so difficulttely is responsible. Despite everything, we¡®ve managed to make it to festival night without any catastrophes, and I n to enjoy it with my family small as it may be. ¡°This was always your father¡¯s favorite night too.¡± My mother sniffled, straightening my already straight tie. We¡®re waiting for Selene in the foyer, ready to depart for the event kick-off. Convincing Mom to come wasn¡¯t easy, but I encouraged her to look at it as a chance to honor Dad by celebrating something he loved. Honestly it was a reminder I needed myself. I¡¯ve been so focused on my own difficulties and need for personal sess that I feel extremely guilty for not thinking of him sooner. ¡°I know.¡± I squeeze her shoulders and drop a kiss to her hair. ¡°Tonight¡¯s for him.¡± I sense movement at the top of the stairs and look up, expecting to see Selene. Instead one of the sentries emerges, striding swiftly down the stairs anding to a stop in front of us. ¡°Selene says to go on without her, she¡¯s not feeling well.¡± I force myself to take a few deep breaths. It seems ever since I yelled at her, Selene has been unwell more often than not. I wish I could take back my words that day more than anything ¨C I¡¯ve never felt more shame than the moment I realized my mate was afraid of me. At the same time, I have to wonder whether she¡¯s punishing me for having her followed or perhaps for keeping her married to me. I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s intentional, Selene doesn¡¯t have a cruel or passive aggressive bone in her body, but the subconscious is another matter. Concern paints my mother¡¯s features. ¡°You should go check on her.¡± I shake my head, sighing again. ¡°This is the third time this week she¡¯s been too unwell to keep our ns. Trust me, me checking on her is the veryst thing she wants.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh darling,¡± She answers, squeezing my hand. ¡°Was your fight really that bad?¡± I haven¡¯t told Mom about the threats we face. In fact, because she doesn¡¯t know the secret of Selene¡¯s blood, my wife actually knows more of the truth than my mother. Neither woman leaves the Pack House often enough to have heard the rumors spreading like wildfire, and I won¡¯t worry them with the increasing evidence of ongoing foul y. I¡¯m not sure my mother¡¯s broken heart could take the stress, and I refuse to make my mate live in any more fear than she already must. Thus, all mom really knows about our argument is that we disagreed about Selene¡¯s safety, and I was an asshole. ¡°Yes.¡± I finally reply, ¡°it was.¡± Selene¡¯s POV I¡¯ve discovered that lying on the bathroom floor for hours isn¡¯t nearly as pleasant when you¡¯re not delusional with fever. Impossible as it seems given how miserable I was at the time, beingpletely lucid and dressed to the nines while endlessly vomiting is far more unpleasant. As Dr. Kane predicted, my nausea doesn¡¯t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Even with his medicine, I still haven¡¯t put on any weight, and I¡¯m bing increasingly worried for my baby. How can it possibly grow when I can¡¯t give it any nutrients? I¡¯m also terrified Bastien is going to figure it out. If I could fake good health I would, but there¡¯s no chance for any normalcy when ! can¡¯t move from the bathroom. How many more times can I cancel our ns before he suspects why I¡¯m sick so often? The horrible thing is that I want nothing more than to be near him, especially now nothing soothes me more than my mate. Even if he can¡¯t make the sickness go away, his presence alone helps get me through. Instead I¡¯m stuck in a cage of my own making. The closeness we rebuilt after his father¡¯s death has been slowly fading, especially after our fight. Nothing has been quite the same since that day, and the more distant Bastien is, the more I think he may ask to reschedule the rejection soon. No matter how much I need Bastien¡¯s support, I won¡¯t risk telling him about the baby if there¡¯s a chance he¡¯s going to toss me to the curb in another month. I know he would be happier without me, and there¡¯s no doubt the pack would be happier with Arabe in my ce the most of ourst days together, and instead I¡¯m stuck here on the floor. It all seems terribly unfair, but at least Bastien will be having a good time at the festival ¨C after all, one of us should have some fun. Bastien¡¯s POV It took months to n, and minutes to destroy. Everything was fine at first. People sang and danced and ate; bonfires were lit, fireworks set off, and floatingnterns released into the sky, children and adults yed games and embarked on runs through the forest; entertainers rotated across the main stage delighting audiences with everything from circus acts to traditional cultural dances. Everything was fine until it wasn¡¯t. Mom and I were stationed at one of the bonfires drinking hot spiked cider with Aiden and Donavon when screams sounded in the distance. Aiden and I took off at a full sprint, leaving Donavon to get my mother home and guard the house. Though stalls and attractions are spread out through the city, the main stage is built in the middle of one of Elysium¡¯srgest parks ¨C though now it might be more urate to say it¡¯s built in the middle of what used to be a park. Now it is only a deep reservoir of sludge, abination of water, mud, trash, bodily fluids and who knows what else. At first when the waterline running beneath the meadow burst, it wasn¡¯t clear what happened. Water began slowly seeping up through the ground, until eventually the people seated on thewn noticed the ground going muddy beneath their feet. By the time the people in the bleachers caught up to things, the field was under two feet of water and any hopes of an orderly evacuation went out the window. The bleachers and stage sank into the quickly forming bog, while pack members and tourists scrambled to escape the quicksand like mire. The fallout spread through the city as the people trampled each other trying to escape and the muck Overflowed into the streets like msses. By the time Aiden and I got there, it was far toote. We shut off the water to the entire city, but an ocean had alreadyid siege to Elysium. The only blessing is that there were no deaths. The injuries were too many to count, but shifters are difficult to kill and heal fast. The long term damages will be to the city itself, to people¡¯s mental health, and undoubtedly to me. So far it doesn¡¯t seem like anyone is ming me for the burst pipe, after all how could they? The reality is actually far worse. The handful of council members I spoke with shared that the pack was viewing this as a bad omen from the Goddess, a condemnation of my leadership and in the worst cases ¨C possibly a punishment for my supposed crimes. I was afraid of a disaster, instead I got armageddon. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 29 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Arabe¡¯s Offer Selene¡¯s POV Ever since I got pregnant I¡¯ve been sleeping through the night (and in fact, much of the day) without any problem; but tonight! wake closer to dawn than dusk, feeling nothing out of order beyond a heavy weight pressing down the mattress near my hip. I blink and rub my eyes, surprised to discover I can actually see Bastien through the pitch ck night. He¡¯s sitting by my side, his elbows braced on his knees and his head in his hands. He¡¯s stripped off everything but his boxers, every hard ridge and valley of his powerful form exposed to my view. I sit up slowly, unease fluttering in my belly. ¡°Bastien?¡± I reach for his shoulder, settling my hand firmly on his warm skin and beginning the tender caresses I already know he needs. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± His head turns my way, an oddly hollow look in his usually soulful eyes. ¡°I¡¯m d you weren¡¯t there tonight.¡± Bastien tells me roughly, ¡°If this is what it¡¯s going to be like, the more time we spend apart the better.¡± I retract my hand abruptly, feeling as if he punched me in the gut rather than speaking. I pull my knees up to my chest, unsure whether I should stay or leave. Bastien doesn¡¯t seem to notice I¡¯m no longer touching him, though I¡¯m not sure he realized I was touching him to begin with. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much more of this I can take.¡± He announces. ¡°This isn¡¯t it wasn¡¯t supposed to be this way.¡± As ever, my eyes betray me, flooding with tearsrge enough that my husband can smell the salt. He reaches for my hand, his mouth twitches in a grimace, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I put you through this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry too.¡± I sniffle, feeling as if my lungs have copsed in my chest. ¡°More than you know.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV ¡°What are you thinking so hard about?¡± Arabe is standing in my doorway, her bleached blonde hair piled on top of her head in aplicated twist. At first I¡¯m confused to see her in the Pack House so late, then my mind jumps to the worst. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I jolt to my feet, ¡°who¡¯s hurt? What¡¯s on fire?¡± Arabe greets my cynical panic with a tinklingugh, ¡°Honestly Bastien, you should write greeting cards.¡± She teases. ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong. I came to check on you.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± I breathe, slowly lowering back into my chair and ncing at the clock. ¡°At midnight?¡± She shes her gleaming white teeth. ¡°I was on my way home from the bar and saw your light on.¡± As quickly as she smiled, she switches to a pout. ¡°You¡¯ve had a really rough few weeks.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I agree. ¡°It¡¯s been rough without Dad. I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t checked in with you more. How are you doing?¡± Arabe has been putting on a strong front since the murder, like she always does, but my father raised her from the time she was a child. I know how much pain she must be in. She shrugs, ¡°I¡¯m keeping my head up.¡± ¡°Be, you know I¡¯m here if you ever want to talk. Right?¡± We¡®ve only connected a few times since the funeral. For the most part she¡¯s kept her distance, but she¡¯s always preferred to grieve alone. It was the same with Flynn. Even so, I have to wonder whether she has anyone to truly confide in. ¡°I know, Bastien.¡± She murmurs, ¡°And you know that goes both ways right?¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have enough time for that.¡± I joke. ¡°Try me,¡± Arabe offers. ¡°Well you know most of it.¡± I grumble. ¡°The pack hates me. Mom¡¯s barely hanging on. The investigation is going nowhere. I was too selfish after Dad died to let Selene go and now I¡¯ve subjected her to the pack¡¯s derision and put her in danger from whoever is so determined to bring down the family.¡± The words pour out of my mouth in a rapid stream. ¡°And I¡¯ve probably undone all my father¡¯s hard work in less than a month of being Alpha.¡± ¡°What is happening with the investigation?¡± Arabe prods. ¡°Not much.¡± My voice sounds strange to my own ears, too devoid of the emotion eating me alive on the inside. ¡°The enforcers know how the murderer got in, they know a male wolf was responsible, but beyond that?¡± I shrug, ¡°another couple of weeks and they¡¯llbel it a cold case.¡± Arabe sits up indignantly, ¡°So fast?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the time that¡¯s passed since the crime, it¡¯s the time that¡¯s passed since they had a lead, and they¡¯ve never gotten anything beyond the initial crime scene.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unbelievable.¡± Arabeins with an odd note in her voice. ¡°He was the Alpha, he deserves better.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± I state, absentmindedly shuffling the papers on my desk. ¡°But hanging onto cold cases too long prevents them from investigating more recent crimes with stronger leads, and that cannot be allowed.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so good,¡± Arabe praises me warmly. I snort, ¡°You¡¯re just about the only person that thinks so.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± She insists, sidling around to me and perching on the armrest of my chair. ¡°You have more support than you think.¡± Her graceful handsnd on my shoulders, massaging my tight muscles. ¡°In fact, if you need help with anything at all | want you to call me. I¡¯m serious, I want you to put me to use, it¡¯s the least I can do.¡± I can¡¯t exin it, but something feels off about her stroking hands, as if the movements are just a bit too slow, a bit toonguid to be innocent. Before I met Selene, I always nned on making an offer or marriage to Arabe and she knew it. However after finding my mate I vowed to provide for Arabe financially rather than wedding her. Now I¡¯m beginning to wonder if she might believe things will go back to the way they once were after Selene leaves. I shrug off her hands. I don¡¯t want anyone other than my mate. I would rather be alone my whole life, than choose another. ¡°I appreciate that, Be.¡± I try to smile, but only half seed. ¡°Actually the most help you could be, might be to my mother. She¡¯s really having a hard time. Bizarrely, things going so badly for me seem to have given her a little motivation to carry on-like me needing her has provided some of the purpose she lost. If you could help make her feel needed I would be eternally grateful.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Arabe promises, ¡°Like I said, whatever I can do. And I love Odette.¡± ¡°Thank you, sister.¡± I say pointedly, hammering home my intentions. ¡°Anytime.¡± She purrs throatily, ¡°Alpha.¡± Selene¡¯s POV For the second time in as many days, I wake in the middle of the night. However this time, Bastien hasn¡¯t entered our room and I have no idea what roused me from sleep. I scan the room and then check in with my body, staring at my belly curiously to see if nausea or the increasingly frequent need to pee is going to set in. Neither happens, but I¡¯m so awake now I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to go back to sleep. Instead I slide out from the silky sheets and grab my robe from the hook on the door, exiting into the main apartment. Nothing. Not a sight or sound. I nce at the clock. It¡¯s almost 1:00 AM. Bastien must still be in his office working ¨C that or he¡¯s passed out over the keyboard. With a sleepy groan I shove my feet into a pair of slippers and head down the stairs to the main house, hoping Bastien won¡¯t be angry with me for interrupting or waking him. After everything he said after the festival, I feel like I¡¯m walking on eggshells around him which isn¡¯t a great way to feel in one¡¯s own house. Granted I probably won¡¯t be here much longer based on his words. As I near the second floornding one of the sentries pokes his head around the corner, ¡°Is everything okay?¡± He asks, ¡°Yes,¡± I whisper, conscious of Odette¡¯s bedroom door standing only a few feet away. ¡°Is Bastien still working?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± The sentry answers, ¡°Ms. Winters arrived a little while ago and has been in with him since.¡± I freeze momentarily, gradually finding the will to respond, ¡°Thank you.¡± I don¡¯t know why I continue down the stairs. I know I¡¯m not going to find anything I want to see. If anything, I¡¯m going to find only heartbreak. It¡¯s not a surprise exactly, not after the jewelry store, but I never imagined they were carrying on the affair inside my own house. My heart sinks as I approach Bastien¡¯s study, the unmistakable sounds of voices audible within. Just before I enter the office corridor I hear the door click open. I halt immediately, peering around the corner just in time to see Arabe nting a kiss on Bastien¡¯s cheek as she departs. If I thought I couldn¡¯t hurt worse than I already did, I was wrong. Seeing them so happy together, sneaking around even while the world seems to be crumbling around this family.. it¡¯s too much to bear. Bastien¡¯s POV I barely recognize my mother. Her once glowing skin is pallid and gray, her usually bright eyes are dull and ssy, and even her hair seems to be losing its color. She¡¯s barely left her room since my father died, staying in bed all day and hugging his pillow as she cries. As distant as Selene has beentely, she seems equally concerned about my mother¡¯s health, now hovering beside me outside the master bedroom and peeking worriedly through the gap in the door. ¡°You have to talk to her. She urges. ¡°And say what? I counter helplessly. Selene¡¯s two toned eyes cut to me. ¡°She needs a reason to go on without Gabriel.¡± She proims. ¡°To be reminded of how much she still has to live for.¡± My head shakes back and forth. ¡°She¡¯s lost everything.¡± ¡°Not everything. My wife says pointedly. ¡°If there¡¯s one force on this earth stronger than love for a mate, it¡¯s love for a child.¡± She nudges me toward the door, ¡°If her purpose as a mother can¡¯t pull her through, nothing will. Utterly dejected, I drag my hand over my face. ¡°But she doesn¡¯t want to pull through.¡± Selene cocks her head to the side, waves of long, dark hair streaming over her shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s always saying being an Alpha is about giving people what they need, even and especially when they don¡¯t want it.¡± She emphasizes. ¡°Odette isn¡¯ t in any state of mind to know what she wants right now.¡± Everything she says makes sense, but none of her logic or encouraging words can budge the tangle of guilt lodged in my chest. It shackles me aspletely as any irons. ¡°It feels selfish to keep her here when she wants to be with him.¡± I admit, the irony of our situation taunting me mercilessly. It used to be that there was only one woman I was forcing to stay with me. Now she herself is campaigning for me to do the same to another. ¡°And what would your father have to say about it?¡± Selene inquires, a hard edge in her sweet voice. ¡°Do you think he would want you to stand by and let her waste away? Do you think letting her suffer and die is somehow more humane than helping her live, or that he would forgive you for letting her go when you still need her so badly?¡± The truth of her words shines through clear as day: my father would never forgive me if I let mom throw her life away for him. He would probably haunt me to the edge of madness, then greet me with more punishments when I join him in the otherworld. Without another word, I carefully push the door open and quietly approach the bed. ¡°How are you feeling today, Mom?¡± She doesn¡¯t answer, instead burying her face deeper in the pillow to breathe in my father¡¯s lingering scent. She frowns when! open the drawn curtains and sunlight pours into the dark room, but she does not speak. My mother has always been a force of nature strong andposed, intimidating and poised in equal measure. Seeing her brought so low is painful, and I wish I¡¯d inherited more of her traits than my father¡¯s. She always knows exactly what to say, even in the worst of times. ¡°I was hoping i might persuade you toe have dinner with Selene and me.¡± I propose gently. When she only gives me a nk look in response, I press. ¡°There are some things I¡¯d like to talk about, I need your help, Mom.¡± A flicker of concern filters through the hollow well of pain in her eyes, though still she does not speak. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do about the Pack.¡± I breathe, feeling a slight weight lift from my shoulders by virtue of simply speaking the words aloud, ¡°I always thought Dad would be here to guide me when I took over. He prepared me for war, for crises and natural disasters, but he never prepared me to face it all alone.¡± My throat tightens. ¡°Everything feels like it¡¯s falling apart.¡± i contess ¡°Every time I think I¡¯ve got a handle on a problem, something elsees along and sweeps the rug out from under me. And the pain is only going to keeping, Axel growis. Do you really think you can survive losing Selene on top of everything else? Not now I bite back, in no mood for my wolf¡¯s continued pressure to im my mate before she can reject me. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 30 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Kidnapping Mom is sitting up now, leaning against my side withforting warmth though I¡¯m not sure if this was her intention, or if she¡¯s simply too weak to hold herself upright. ¡°You helped dad lead the pack for 30 years,¡± My hand dwarfs hers as I squeeze her bony fingers. ¡°You have experience and insight I don¡¯t. Please say you¡¯ll help me.¡± The limp hand beneath mine twitches, then slowly turns over to return my squeeze. ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing.¡± She scolds without conviction. Smiling tremulously, she adds, ¡°What kind of mother would I be if I refused you?¡± ¡°A very, very bad one.¡± I tease. A noise somewhere between a hup and a sob escapes her lips, ¡°Of course I¡¯ll help you.¡± It seems no matter how small the victory, none can stand in this horrible new world order. No sooner had leased my immediate concerns for my mother¡¯s state of mind, than a new disaster unfolded. I was on my way back to my office from mom¡¯s bedroom, when Aiden¡¯s voice burst to life in my head. We have a problem. Stopping in my tracks, I braced myself for the inevitable. Tell me. A patrolling enforcer found Arabe¡¯s car abandoned down by theke. He ryed. The scene appears to indicate foul y. All her belongings were still there, the doors open and signs of a struggle blood on the seat. What?! I thunder internally, my heart struggling to beat. You need to get down here ¨C now. Aiden answers. By the marina. We¡¯re not going to be able to keep this quiet for long. I¡¯m on my way. From there I stormed back to the top-floor apartment, gathering up a very confused Selene and sequestering her and mom in a secure room with four of my most trusted guards. The emergency n has been in ce since the morning after my father died. I was prepared for another attack on the family, especially one targeting my wife and mother, but I never even considered Arabe. I can¡¯t believe how stupid I was. Of anyone, Arabe is the easiest target to reach: she doesn¡¯t live at the pack house and doesn¡¯t have a standing guard, and everyone knows how important she is to me. If she dies I¡¯ll only have myself to me. As if it wasn¡¯t bad enough that I killed my best friend, now I¡¯m going to have his baby sister¡¯s murder on my conscience too. Goddess, I hope I¡¯m not toote. If I go the rest of my life without walking into another crime scene, it won¡¯t be soon enough. The sight of yellow caution tape and evidence markers is bing so familiar to me they¡¯re beginning to lose their shock value. Unlike her car, which looked like the site of a bar room brawl, Arabe¡¯s apartment seemspletely untouched. Her furniture is upright and her belongings tidy, all surfaces clear and clean. If it weren¡¯t for the dishes in the sink, it would almost look unlived in. ¡°Anything look out of ce?¡± One of the investigators is asking. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. I rub my jaw, ¡°I haven¡¯t been here in a long time, I don¡¯t think I would be able to tell if it was.¡± The enforcer¡¯s eyebrows raise, but he doesn¡¯t share his thoughts. Not having any patience for withholding, I infuse pure dominance into my tone, ¡°You doubt my honesty?¡± ¡°No Alpha!¡± He insists instantly, shrinking in on himself. ¡°Then what?¡± I demand. If he were in wolf form his tail would be between his legs. ¡°It¡¯s just that the word around the pack is that Ms. Winters is your mistress.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± I snarl, my fangs elongating. ¡°We all thought that¡¯s why you¡¯re rejecting Mrs. Durand.¡± The man¡¯s partner speaks up, redirecting some of my ire onto himself. It¡¯s no surprise that the pack gossips, and knowing our history, the theory even makes sense. However the idea that such vicious lies have been circting around my mate makes my blood run cold. I¡¯d like to find the person who came up with the story and rip them apart very slowly. ¡°I assure you, you¡¯ve been misinformed.¡± I growl. The lead investigator clears his throat, ¡°Then this may be difficult to exin.¡± He says, holding out a piece of stationary. I snatch the paper from his hand, my eyes flying over the page with increasing disbelief. There, clearly scrawled in Selene¡¯s handwriting, is the message: This is your final warning. If you want to live, stay the hell away from my husband. I will know if you see him, and you will pay. Selene Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 31 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Interrogation Selene¡¯s POV Being in lock down with morning sickness is even less fun than being in lock down with nothing to do ¨C especially when one is confined with a host of people who can¡¯t know you¡¯re pregnant. I¡¯ve been popping my anti-nausea medication like it¡¯s breath mints for the better part of three hours, intermittently wondering if it¡¯ s possible to overdose on the drug. My stomach is finally starting to settle, but the boredom isn¡¯t getting any better. Bastien didn¡¯t exin anything when he tossed me in here with Odette and the guards, simply announcing that there¡¯s an emergency and we needed to ¡°stay put¡± until he returned. It might be easier to ept the situation if we understood what¡¯s going on, and my mother-inw isn¡¯t faring much better than I am. ¡°Try not to worry, Odette. ¡°I soothe for the dozenth time. ¡°I¡¯m sure Bastien¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid none of us are safe ¡®She replies grimly. ¡°Bastien won¡¯t say so, but I know more is going on here than he¡¯s letting on Too much has gone wrongtely.¡± ¡°I know, I agree soberly, ¡°But feeling anxious about things we can¡¯t control or predict will only make it worse.¡± Odette looks like she¡¯s about to respond, but before she can get any words out, her expression changes and she jolts to her feet. ¡°He¡¯s back I scent the air, realizing she¡¯s right before I can question why or how I¡¯m doing this. ¡°He¡¯s not alone. She announces. Aiden? I suggest. ¡°No enforcers.¡± I can hear their footsteps now, so many they muddle together into an odd, clomping cacophony. They pound down the hallway until the bolts locking the door gradually turn over, and the wooden panel swings open so sharply it rebounds against the wall. Bastien towers in the center of the frame, nked on either side by rugged and gnarled enforcers. I sit frozen while Odette runs to him. Sweetheart, what¡¯s happened?¡± ¡°Arabe has been kidnapped.¡± He deres gruffly. My mother-inw¡¯s eyes go wide and her hands mp over her mouth, ¡°Oh Goddess.¡± I¡¯m not sure what to think. At first all I can process is the rage in Bastien¡¯s expression. He must be out of his mind with worry, not to mention infuriated someone would do such a thing. Then I wonder who would possibly be dumb enough to kidnap the Alpha¡¯s future wife, thinking of the Gemini wolves and their provocation at the memorial, as well as Gabriel¡¯s still unknown murderer. Yet underneath it all, doubt niggles at my mind. I know what Arabe is capable of, and I know how upset she must be to have her wedding postponed this way, Is it possible her cruelty doesn¡¯t only extend to me? Would she put the man she loves through such pain in order to get what she wants? Just as quickly as the thought enters my mind, shame swells in my chest. What a horrible, cynical thing to think. A woman¡¯s life is in danger and I¡¯m questioning whether she¡¯s faking the threat. Only a complete sociopath would engineer such a plot. ¡°We need to speak with Selene.¡± Bastien¡¯smand clears the room before I can catch up to his hushed conversation with his mother When we¡¯re alone with the enforcers, I approach my husband, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I express honestly. ¡°This is terrible.¡± But it isn¡¯t Bastien who answers me. Please have a seat Mrs. Durand.¡± I swing my gaze to the investigator who spoke, noting the way the other men seem to defer to him. He must be in charge. Though I want to ask about a hundred questions, I obey, returning to the chaise I had been sharing with Odette, Bastien crosses the room with an unreadable countenance, Selene, when did youst see Arabe?¡± The image of Arabe kissing Bastien as she left his office after midnight appears in my mind¡¯s eye, every bit as damning as it was in reality. ¡°The other night.¡± I¡¯m speaking to the ground, unable to bring myself to look at them. ¡°It waste and I was worried you were still working. So I came to get you, but then I saw Arabe leaving your office.¡± ¡°And you haven¡¯t seen or spoken to her since?¡± Bastien prompts. ¡°No.¡± I murmur. When I finally raise my eyes, I see the enforcers exchanging knowing nces. ¡°Mrs. Durand,¡± The lead investigator interjects, ¡°How would you describe your rtionship with Ms. Winters?¡± My brain flips through our past dealings; from our coffee house meeting, to her attack on the stairs, and our confrontation outside the jewelry store. ¡°We¡¯re not friends, if that¡¯s what you mean.¡± Understatement of the year, ¡°I see.¡± The man nods, ¡°have you ever fought?¡± For the first time, it urs to me that I might be a suspect. Why else would they be questioning me this way? ¡°We¡®ve argued.¡± I hedge. Thest thing I need is to tell them how many times Arabe threatened me. My husband leaving me for her already gives me plenty of motive to want her out of the way. ¡°Like the argument you had when you pushed her down the stairs?¡± One of the enforcers chimes in. ¡°I never did that!¡± I exim, looking to Bastien for help. He shakes his head, ¡°I¡¯ve already told them what happened.¡± Confusion pulses at my temples. How can this be happening. He said he believed me! I scan their faces, searching for anyone who looks sympathetic and finding none. ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t have anything to do with this. You have to believe me!¡± ¡°No one suggested you did, Mrs. Durand.¡± The lead investigator replies smugly. ¡°Wha- but¡­¡± | grapple for calm but only feel myself grow more flustered, ¡°You obviously think I did. Otherwise you wouldn¡¯t be here questioning me this way.¡± ¡°Please calm down, ma¡¯am.¡± The man condescends, ¡°We¡¯re merely here to ascertain facts about Ms. Winter¡¯s life and rtionships.¡± ¡°Selene.¡± Bastien interrupts firmly, his silver eyes piercing through me. ¡°Have you ever threatened Arabe, in any way?¡± ¡°No.¡± I answer instantly. ¡°Of course not. I don¡¯t threaten people, no matter what they¡¯ve done to me.¡± I can see they think I answered too quickly. The same enforcer who brought up the stairs tilts his head curiously. ¡°What do you mean, no matter what they¡®ve done to you? Are you saying Ms. Winters wronged you?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t what I meant.¡± The words are scarcely more than a squeak. ¡°What did you mean?¡± Bastien asks. ¡°Simply that making threats isn¡¯t in my nature.¡± I state slowly, trying desperately to regain my bearings. The lead investigator pulls out his phone, scrolling over the screen before offering it to me, ¡°Then how do you exin this?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. A photo fills the small rectangr screen, clearly disying a cream colored parchment bearing a few lines of flowing script. I read the message quickly, bafflement and incredulity rising to the forefront of my ¡®swirling emotions. The handwriting looks like mine, but the signature is slightly off. Arabe must have found something I wrote and studied it in order to copy the script. ¡°I didn¡¯t write this.¡± I maintain, ¡°That isn¡¯t my signature.¡± ¡°Forgive me, Mrs. Durand.¡± The enforcer gestures to Bastien, who produces another paper from his jacket pocket. I recognize the note paper immediately ¨C it¡¯s a narrow sheaf from the kitchen notepad where I write out to-do items and shopping lists. ¡°but the handwriting is almost identical.¡± Side by side, the simrities are damning, but they must see how ridiculous this is. ¡°I make half a dozen lists like that every week anyone could pull one from the trash to copy my writing:¡± ¡°So your defense is that you¡¯re being framed?¡± An enforcer inquires, ¡°why would anyone want to frame you?¡± ¡°Why would anyone sign their name to such a threatening note.¡± I defend, pointing to the phone in exasperation. ¡°Especially if they nned on kidnapping the recipient.¡± ¡°Maybe it wasn¡¯t nned.¡± The lead investigator jumps back in. ¡°Maybe you lost your temper and didn¡¯t have time to go back and clean up the evidence.¡± I attempt a steadying breath. ¡°Even if I wanted to kidnap her, how could I? I¡¯m not strong enough to overpower anyone!¡± ¡°The element of surprise goes a long way.¡± One of the enforcers deres, a few others nodding in agreement. ¡°Especially in the confines of a vehicle.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t honestly believe this.¡± i beseech Bastien. Bastien¡¯s hard jaw twitches ominously. ¡°It isn¡¯t just the note Selene. The blood in the car came from two different people. One sample was hers, and one was yours. Bastien¡¯s POV This is torture. Selene looks like she¡¯s been hit by a truck, and I can¡¯t me her. The enforcers have taken this too far. I told them over and over again that my mate has nothing to do with this, that the kidnapping is more sabotage, but they believe the evidence is too strong. The lead inspector, Danvers, didn¡¯t seem to be capable of grasping why someone would both kidnap Arabe and frame Selene. What was the point when they could kidnap them both? Why resort to kidnapping at all? If someone has a vendetta against the family, why bother with sabotage? Why not kill us? He doesn¡¯t seem to understand that killing me isn¡¯t enough for our tormentor. It would adopt the narrative of a tragic leader taken too soon, further perpetuating our reputation and legacy. It wouldn¡¯t break my will or tarnish my good name, and that¡¯s what they want: to make sure I have nothing left when they finally go in for the kill. I can hear Selene¡¯s heart hammering from across the room, which means the others can as well. ¡°I¡¯ve never been anywhere near Arabe¡¯s car ¨C and I don¡¯t heal like you do.¡± She pleads. ¡°You¡¯d know if I was injured.¡± ¡°Forgive me, Mrs. Durand but you are injured.¡± Danvers points to a handful of long red marks on Selene¡¯s forearm. ¡°They¡¯re just scratches!¡± She cries. ¡°I¡¯ve been taking care of Odette¡¯s roses until she feels up to it again.¡± ¡°That might exin one cut, maybe two. Those,¡± He nods toward the parallel gashes, four stretching side by side, only an inch or two apart. ¡°Look like w marks.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 32 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 32 Chapter 32 House Arrest Bastien¡¯s POV ¡°Enough¡± i cut through the rising voices: Selene swearing her innocence, the enforcersbatively contending that the evidence is against her, Aiden calling for calm. ¡°This isn¡¯t getting us anywhere. Our priority is finding Arabe.¡± No one quells more than Selene under the force of my tone, and I wish I couldfort her. My anger is for the enforcers, not her. ¡°Our best trackers are on the trail, Alpha.¡± A resigned Danvers promises, ¡°I¡¯ve already received word that the men you sent rendezvoused with the team.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve followed Be¡¯s scent to New Town.¡± Aiden confirms. Then, using our mental link he adds, If it were me, and I wanted to frame Selene, I would take Arabe to Garrick¡¯s house. He¡¯s right. It¡¯s the only property Selene owns independently, and thest ce either of us would ever go. Let¡¯s go. Aiden marches out on my order, no doubt pulling the car around while I wrangle the enforcers back out of the room. ¡°We have a lead.¡± I announce. ¡°I want everyone ready to move out in five minutes.¡± Danvers brow furrows, ¡°What lead?¡± T¡¯ll exin on the way.¡± I deflect, calling mother and the sentries back into the secure room. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Selene¡¯s small voice surprises me. ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I answer simply. ¡°What if it¡¯s a trap?¡± Selene halts me for the second time. ¡°You should let the enforcers go and make sure it¡¯s safe first.¡± I don¡¯t even consider the suggestion. I¡¯ve never run from a fight before, I don¡¯t intend to start now, I need to be there for Arabe.¡± *Please don¡¯t go, Bastien.¡± Selene whispers, her cerulean and violet eyes shining. ¡°I have to.¡± Once the guards are positioned at the door once more, Imand, ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone in until I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Tiny feet charge after me, near silent on the persian rug. ¡°You¡¯re locking us in here again?¡± I turn back, facing the distress written clearly across my wife¡¯s face. ¡°I promise you¡¯ll be safe.¡± Selene blinks, her confusion and fear gradually eclipsed by outrage. ¡°From what?¡± She hisses, sounding entirely unlike my mate.¡± thought I was the kidnapper. Why do I have to stay in lock down if I¡¯m the one causing all this?¡± Her anger ispletely justified, but I don¡¯t have time to put out this fire, not when another zes out of control. I need to ensure my mate is safe, and the enforcers want to keep her under lock and key until she¡¯s eliminated as a suspect. Heaving a weary sigh, I close the distance to my wife and drop my lips to her ear. ¡°Don¡¯t make this harder than it has to be. Selene.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not making this anything!¡± She croaks. ¡°It¡¯s this or enforcer custody, sweetheart.¡± The endearment rings false in my clipped tone, ¡°which would you prefer?¡± It¡¯s a lie, but we still have an audience. I have no intention of allowing the enforcers anywhere near Selene, no matter what other false evidence they find, but I can¡¯t reveal this ¨C not yet. It will be seen as corruption, and I need the investigators on my side until Arabe is safe and the immediate threat neutralized. I cannot risk alienating them by going against thew. *Oh.¡± The threat hits home with devastating impact, and I wish I could take back the words. ¡°So it isn¡¯t lock down.¡± She summarizes. ¡°It¡¯s house arrest.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind what you call it,¡± I said. ¡°As long as you stay put.¡± Selene¡¯s POV ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± | vent. ¡°Where the hell do they think I¡¯m hiding her? My hands gesticte wildly as I pace in front of Odette ¡°Do they imagine I¡¯m such a viin that I have a secretir somewhere under the mountain?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think logic has anything to do with it, Darling.¡± Odette soothes, more alert than I¡¯ve seen her in a long time. Providingfort seems to have sidelined her sorrow, if only for a while. ¡°Enforcers aren¡¯t trained to question evidence, only collect it.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I grumble, ¡°But I can¡¯t believe Bastien is going along with it. Doesn¡¯t he know me better than that?¡± ¡°I think he¡¯s just afraid for Be.¡± She asserts. ¡°He¡¯s always had a blind spot when ites to her.¡± ¡°Truly though,¡± I harp on, unable to let the issue go. ¡°Let¡¯s assume I wanted to kidnap Arabe and actually found a way to aplish it. Where could I possibly put her? What am I supposed to be doing with her? There¡¯s no ransom and no body and I¡¯ve been here basically 24/7 since before she was taken, so it¡¯s not like I can be off torturing her!¡± The words pour out of me in a frenzy.¡± And they¡¯d know if I hired someone to do it for me, because all of my money is Bastien¡¯s!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± She agrees, sitting up with a look of dawning light on her face. ¡°The only things you have are Bastien¡¯s.¡± ¡°Well thanks for putting it so gently.¡± I mutter. Odette ignores my sarcasm, pulling me into the bathroom and out of the guard¡¯s hearing. ¡°The cabin.¡± She murmurs, ¡°The pack house isn¡¯t technically your property because it transfers to any Alpha, but the cabin is in Bastien¡¯s and your name. It¡¯s the only ce they could tie directly to you, and no one has been up in ages.¡± I fight the urge to jump up and down in excitement. ¡°Odette, you¡¯re a genius!¡± ¡°I have my moments.¡± A sly smile stretches across her face. ¡°What do you say, we make a break for it?¡± I¡®ve wanted nothing more than to get out of this room since the first moment Bastien threw me into it. ¡°How?* I agree immediately. Odette beginsbing her hands along the wall, her slender fingers searching for some unseen pressure point in the ster. ¡°One benefit of being Alphas,¡± she shares smugly, we get to know the escape routes even the guards don¡¯t.¡± As her lips close around the final word, the wall clicks loudly, and a hidden doorway slides open before us. Sweet relief fills me, apanied by only a fraction of frustration. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you show me this five hours ago?¡± Odette shrugs. ¡°That was before. Now we know you aren¡¯t in any danger ¨C they can¡¯t me you for the kidnapping and attack you at the same time.¡± I catch her arm as she lifts her foot over the threshold. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me sweetling.¡± She pats my cheek and shes her fangs, ¡°Gabriel wasn¡¯t the only one who ruled this pack with an iron fist.¡± ¡°The lights are off.¡± I frown, peeking over a mossy boulder beyond the treeline of the cabin¡¯s clearing. ¡°And I don¡¯t hear anything inside ¨C or smell Arabe.¡± Odette is hunkered down beside me, her wolf glowing through her eyes. All wolves seem to rise to the surface in the forest, and being near them when it happens makes me ache for Luna, no matter how long I¡¯ve been without her. I can almost imagine I feel a stirring in my own blood, a spark of fire in my empty heart. I don¡¯t even feel nauseous here. For the first time since I found out about the baby, not even a sliver of difort assails my belly. It¡¯s odd to feel so suddenly light when we¡¯ve found naught but disappointment. ¡°Damn.¡± | huff, ¡°I was really hoping she¡¯d be here. It seemed like the only exnation.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Odette frowns. ¡°But at least it got us out of that room.¡± Right. Our escape. I¡¯d hoped finding Arabe would give us immunity for that little stunt, but that¡¯s seeming less and less likely. ¡°How mad do you think Bastien will be?¡± Odette¡¯s lip quirks. ¡°He has to find us first.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Did you disable the tracking in the car?¡± I ask worriedly: My mother inw rolls her eyes. ¡°This isn¡¯t my first rodeo, Darling.¡± giggle, leaning back on the soft ground. ¡°Should we go inside?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s!¡± She chirps, bounding to her feet. Inside we find nketed furniture, stripped beds and an empty pantry ¨C but no kidnapped she-wolves. Together we prepared the rooms, opening all the windows to air out the space and cleaning swiftly if not thoroughly. By the time the sun sets my stomach is growling like a wild beast, and Odette raises an eyebrow, ¡°I don¡¯t think ordering in is a good idea. So why don¡¯t I run out to get some groceries?¡± I nod, watching her retreating back in the mirror above the side table I¡¯m dusting. ¡°Odette.¡± I say, just as she reaches the door. She turns back. ¡°Yes, my love?¡± ¡°Arabe,¡± I begin, picking at my cuticles anxiously. ¡°When I said we don¡¯t really get along¡­She really hates me. Enough to¡­¡± Odette freezes with her hand on the door knob. ¡°Are you saying she might be behind all this? That she might not have truly been kidnapped?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m saying.¡± i concede, ¡°I just know nothing about this feels right.¡± I take a deep breath, ¡°And she¡¯s attempted worse.¡± She¡¯s in front of me now, taking my face between her soft hands and drawing my eyes up. ¡°First, let¡¯s get you fed. Then we¡¯ll sit down, and you can tell me everything.¡± I hup and nod, epting a hug before watching her retreat to the door again, disappearing beyond and driving away with a sh of headlights. I¡¯m only just realizing she¡¯s left her phone on the kitchen counter, when I hear a knock at the door. I don¡¯t need to see the sh of blonde hair, or smell the cloying perfume to know who stands on the other side. Arabe. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 33 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Selene¡¯s POV Call it intuition or instinct, call it prophecy or irvoyance, but the moment I see Arabe on the other side of the door, I know this night will be myst. I¡¯ve felt this way once before, the day I tried to provoke Garrick into killing me. However then I had nothing to live for, and nothing to lose. Now things are very different. I may not have much, and my life might not be worth fighting for, but my baby¡¯s certainly is. I pull the door open, surveying the she-wolf waiting on the other side. Arabe looks as perfect as always: her voluptuous curves swathed in expensive fabrics tailored to highlight her considerable assets. Her makeup is wless, but her lovely features are twisted into a sneer. ¡°Can¡¯t you ever do what you¡¯re supposed to?¡± She says by way of greeting. ¡°Excuse me?¡± I retort, blocking the entrance. Arabe pushes past me into the cabin. ¡°I had everything nned out so perfectly!¡± She exims, ¡°The crime scene, the threat, your blood.¡± She throws her hands up in exasperation, ¡°But you¡¯re like a cat with nine lives. No matter how many times I knock you down, you keep getting back up.¡± rm bells re in my mind. She wouldn¡¯t admit all this if she nned on letting me walk away. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m as resilient as you believe.¡± I grumble. ¡°They want to arrest me.¡± ¡°And yet here you are.¡± She snipes, ¡°Safe in the family cabin. My family, not yours.¡± ¡°I have every right to be here.¡± I whisper, ¡°Until the rejection at least.¡± ¡°The rejection.¡± Arabe mocks, And when will that be?¡± *It might have already happened if you hadn¡¯t been so impatient.¡± I skirt around her, painfully aware of how vulnerable I am. If she shifts, it¡¯s all over for me. ¡°He Doesn¡¯t. Want. Me.¡± I remind her thickly. ¡°So why do you feel so threatened?¡± ¡°He married you, despite not wanting you. He put his true love aside, in the name of obligation. That¡¯s who he is.¡± Arabe hisses, ¡°Surely I don¡¯t need to tell you why I feel threatened now, when the mother of all obligations grows in your belly.¡± Scrambling for distractions and praying I can stall long enough for Odette to return, I ask, ¡°how did you get my blood anyway?¡± ¡°You can thank the hospital for that.¡± Arabe-snorts, ¡°The hematologyb¡¯s security isn¡¯t exactly state of the art.¡± The hospital? ¡°Just how long have you been nning this?¡± I blurt incredulously. Arabe shoots me a pitying look. ¡°Oh you poor, simple girl.¡± She scoffs. ¡°I¡¯ve been nning this since the day you stole him.¡± She bares her pearly white teeth, which means I have three years more preparation than you do. So why don¡¯t you do us both a favor, and give up now.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV Another dead end. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Bricks shatter as I throw my fist, full force, into the wall; sending stone and dust flying. ¡°Take it easy, brother.¡± Aiden encourages, warily patting my shoulder. ¡°The more possibilities we cross off, the closer we get.¡± *Narrowing options only works when there¡¯s a finite number.¡± I snarl, flexing my bruised and bleeding knuckles. ¡°We¡¯re looking at an endless list of permutations, and we don¡¯t have time to work through them! Arabe is missing, Selene is being set up to take the fall, my mother is barely hanging on by a thread, the pack is on the verge of overthrowing me, and my father¡¯s killer is out there, freely roaming my city.¡± Axel is writhing and snarling in my chest, fighting to be free of my human form, Aiden appraises me for one long moment, no doubt reading my every thought. After a moment he makes a single, decisive nod. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a run.¡± I don¡¯t need to be asked twice. Within seconds our clothes are in a pile on the ground, and our bodies are no more than streaks of fur darting through the dense woods. My heart pounds, racing faster and faster as my legs stretch out beneath me, pumping adrenaline through my veins with intoxicating fervor. I run until my legs feel disconnected from my body, until all my limbs feel like jelly and my lungs are gasping for air. I run until every horrible stressor weighing on my shoulder is forgotten, and the only things that remain are Axel and the night sky. Aiden fell behind after the first few miles, but when I finally copse at the edge of a cliff overlooking the lake, he eventually catches up. Slumping down next to me, wey in breathless silence until the moon is high overhead. I know it¡¯s a lot. Aiden finally acknowledges, ignoring my derisive grunt. But anything would seem overwhelming taken all together. You have to tackle your problems one at a time. Start by finding Arabe, then focus on Selene, and so on. If you try to do it all, you will fail. It¡¯s about baby steps. Alphas and baby steps don¡¯t go together. I bite, I don¡¯t have time to tackle our problems in stages. The world is falling apart around us, and it¡¯s happening now. If we wait, it will be toote. Then stop trying to do it all alone. Aiden snaps, You have friends for a reason, stop being so damn prideful and use us. Flynn¡¯s face appears in my mind. Thest time I leaned on a friend it didn¡¯t turn out so well. Don¡®t even start about Flynn. Aiden objects immediately. That was his choice, and acting like it wasn¡®t only dishonors his memory Goddess, when did you get so bossy? I joke. About the same time you decided to lose your mind over a woman. He jibes back. I did, I admit. But you can¡¯t deny she was worth it. Selene¡¯s POV ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Arabe is stalking me into a corner, a lethal glint behind her wolfish expression. ¡°You know why, Selene.¡± She attests icily.¡± warned you what would happen if you didn¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°I was going to leave!¡± | insist. ¡°It¡¯s not like I nned this Gabriel was murdered.¡± As if she could forget. ¡°Bastien needed support. It was his choice to cancel the ceremony, not mine.¡± Arabe rolls her eyes, the rich brown irises hard as stone. ¡°Men don¡¯t know what they want. You have to tell them.¡± She deres, ¡°And you took advantage of his vulnerability.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± I growl, taken aback by my own strength. ¡°I love him, I only want what¡¯s best for him.¡± ¡°Goddess above,¡± the blonde jeers, ¡°What do you know about love? You¡¯re not even a whole person.¡± Her ws extend, and she studies them ominously. Honestly you should thank me for putting you out of your misery now. It would be a tragedy if you actually had that baby.¡± She smirks, ¡°After all, what could a halfling possibly offer a child? It¡¯s better off dead than it would be having you for a mother.¡± ¡°You¡®re wrong.¡± I retaliate. ¡°I may not have a wolf, but at least I still have a heart which is more than you can say. ¡°I don¡¯t need a heart, Selene.¡± Arabe taunts, ¡°I have beauty and brains, assets that are going to be in your husband¡¯s bed every night as soon as you and your brat are in the ground.¡± overpower her. ¡°You should hear the way Bastien talks about the future, how excited he is to be rid of you.¡± Arabe presses on, ¡°granted he may not know how he¡¯s going to be rid of you, but the end result is the same.¡± ¡°If he finds out you killed me, he¡¯ll never forgive you.¡± I argue, ¡°he considers protecting me his responsibility.¡± ¡°That was before you kidnapped and tried to murder the love of his life.¡± Arabe cackles cruelly. ¡°You see, I could just slit your worthless throat. But I have to make this look like an ident. As justified as I would be to kill my kidnapper, I don¡¯t want Bastien to think me capable of the same sort of heartless violence you inflicted on me.¡± She feigns an exaggerated pout. ¡°I suppose you learned it all from your stepfather. It just goes to show that no one ever really survives that sort of thing with their sanity intact.¡± Her nasal voice goes hoarse as she slides Odette¡¯s phone off the counter, slipping it into her pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll try not to judge you. After all, it wasn¡¯t really your fault you were a victim too. But I¡¯m afraid the wounds just run too deep.¡± I keep my back steadfastly against the wall, realizing Arabe must think Odette¡¯s cell is mine; she cannot see my own phone tucked snuggly in my back pocket. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± I question shakily. A savage leer transforms her beautiful features into something truly horrible as she stalks me into the linen closet. My shoulder des collide with shelves of sheets and towels, and Arabe draws a box of matches from her purse. ¡°I¡¯m going to give the Durands a chance to renovate this disgusting cabin.¡± Before I can say another word, the door ms in my face, followed by a loud click as the lock turns. I smell sulfur as Arabe lights the first match. As orange and red light begins to dance through the crack in the door, and smoke fills the air, Arabe¡¯s parting words float back to me. ¡°Say hello to Gabriel for me.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 34 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 34 Chapter 34 I reject you, Bastien! Selene¡¯s POV My body crashes into the door with a dull thump, and I bounce away from the wood for the dozenth time. If I ever get out of this tinderbox, I¡¯m sure I will have bruises all down my sides- but getting out is seeming less and less likely. I did not waste a single moment after Arabe locked me in the closet, immediately beginning to scream and yank at the immovable door knob. When that didn¡¯t work I tried climbing the shelves to reach the vent in the ceiling, but they copsed beneath my weight and built a veritable pyre of linen on the closet floor. At least when the fire reaches me I¡¯ll go fast. A sob wrenches from my throat, true terror enveloping me as the reality of my circumstances set in. When Arabe first struck the match, I thought only of what I must do to escape. I did not let myself dwell on what would happen if I failed. I did not contemte the agony awaiting me. I throw myself into the door again and again, the prospect of burning to death riddling my body with panic and adrenaline. As smoke slips beneath the crack in the door and clogs the air around me, I remember my phone, yanking it from my pocket with shaking fingers. I fumble for the touch keys, my lungs already burning with acrid smog. Bastien¡¯s number flies from my fingers on auto-pilot, and I strain to hear the tinny ringing over the rising whirr of mes. The temperature is rising every second, and zing orange light now shines through every crack in the door. ¡°Pick up, pick up, pick up!¡± I beg as prayers race through my mind. Please, I implore the Goddess internally, Do whatever you want with me, but please don¡¯t do this to my baby. Please don¡¯t take it too. The line rings and rings, chiming in my ear like a relentless death knell. Please Bastien!¡± I shout into the roaring inferno. ¡°I need you!¡± Bastien¡¯s POV The moon and stars have disappeared behind ck clouds, as if the Goddess can hear my grim thoughts and is reordering creation to match them. Aiden still sits beside me, a hulking gray wolf gazing longingly into the trees, hoping for signs of prey. Ambient light from the city radiates a golden halo over the ridge at our backs, but the wild mountains before us lie in full shadow. I howl into the darkness, channeling every ounce of my rage and frustration into the call. My dread only increases as the minutes tick by. I agreed to rest before setting back to Elysium, caving to Aiden¡¯s nagging if only to make the lecture stop. However being away from the pack when so much chaos reigns makes my skin crawl. A knot has been lodged in the pit of my stomach since I first heard Arabe was missing, but since we¡¯ve been out here, the knot has expanded to a wrecking ball. I try to tell myself it¡¯s only my anxiety spinning out of control. If anything new had developed, my men would have notified me our mental link can travel any distance. Mom and Selene are safe with my sentries and Donovan is overseeing the enforcers searching for Arabe; everyone is ounted for. I would know if something was wrong. So why do I feel such a horrible sense of foreboding? I roll my neck, stretching my restless muscles and shaking out my fur. Perhaps my instincts are trying to alert me to something already happening, but a crisis yet toe. I want to go back. I ry to Aiden. We should try to find some food first. He answers. You¡¯ve got to keep up your strength. A fresh wave of rm ms into me as his thoughts travel to mine, and my ws digpulsively into the soft earth. No. I can¡¯t stand to be away any longer. Fine.Aiden relents, but if you copse before we get back to the city, you¡¯ll have only yourself to me. I¡¯m already running, my powerful haunchesunching me through the trees like a speeding bullet. Aiden struggles to keep up. yelling after me to slow down more than once. But I can¡¯t. With every inch I draw closer to home, the more certain I am that something is very, very wrong. Selene¡¯s POV My tears streak through the soot on my cheeks, leaving pale tracks in thick gray powder. Ash fills my lungs, melding with my bodily fluids to form a foul tasting slime the strained organs continuously expel in their efforts to keep me breathing. The coughing is as painful as it is disgusting, but nothing hurts worse than knowing no one ising to save us. I barely spoke two words to Bastien¡¯s voicemail before my phone died. Being locked in the safe room all day without entertainment or a charger had drained its battery, and my lovesick instincts to call my husband for help rather than the pack emergency line stole myst chance of salvation. We¡¯re going to die. I wrap my arms around my belly, futilely shielding the precious life within. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I weep, clutching the spot where my baby rests. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. You deserved so much more than this, so much better.¡± I should have killed Arabe. I never should have allowed her into the cabin. I knew she was up to no good, but some idiotic part of me thought I could talk her down. After all, what else was supposed to do? I didn¡¯t have any way to escape. The only safety I¡¯ve ever known hase from Bastien. Without his protection I¡¯m helpless, and I stopped being able to count on him the moment Arabe returned. Odette had known Gabriel was in trouble simply by instinct. If Arabe was right and Bastien and I really were supposed to be mates, wouldn¡¯t he sense something was wrong? Enough to at least answer the phone? I know he has the device glued to his side because of the ¡°kidnapping,¡± and every time I¡¯ve called him recently it¡¯s been because something was wrong. Shouldn¡¯t he know by now that I don¡¯t pick up the phone without good reason? The truth is he doesn¡¯t care. Not when Arabe is missing and in danger and especially not when he believes I¡¯m responsible. He¡¯s already put me under house arrest, for all I know he¡¯s currently making arrangements for my trial and exile, if not my execution. Whatever affection Bastien once held for me is gone. If I¡¯m being honest, it wasn¡¯t ever true affection: it was pity and obligation cemented by lust. Over time thebination grew to fondness, but the sort of fondness one has for their pets: patronizing if benevolent. It was a mistake to let myself be so dependent on him. At first I didn¡¯t have a choice. When we met I was frail and traumatized, without a friend in the world or a penny to my name ¨C and bearing no skills to earn any. I needed him to survive. But I should have put a stop to it after I found my feet, I was just too in love with him to think of my own best interest. This is the result. I never learned how to stand on my own, and fondness is not love. It doesn¡¯tst. It doesn¡¯t conquer all. Sweat pours off my body in heavy torrents, and I¡¯m actually beginning to hope dehydration might take me out before the mes can breach the door. The room grows hotter and hotter every second, and my stomach leaps into my throat. I vomit ck bile onto the pile of towels and sheets under my feet, still gagging and retching once my stomach is empty. My shoulders collide with the wall as my knees give out, and I howl the way Luna used to before Garrick stole her from me. ¡°Goddess damn you, Bastien!¡± I cry, ¡°All I ever did was love you!¡± He never wanted me. He made me believe in a future he never intended on giving to me, ying with my heart and throwing it away the moment his duty was fulfilled. Three years of marriage, and he turned his back on me despite all logic andmon sense. Now my baby is going to die because he¡¯d rather be with a psychopathic barbie doll than a halfling. My head whips manically back and forth, ¡°No.¡± Igasp deliriously. ¡°You don¡¯t get to reject me.¡± I slur, ¡°I reject you, Bastien! Do you hear me?¡± I shout the words into the congration, ¡°. Reject. You!¡± 1 slide down the wall until my bottom connects with the floor, hugging my legs to my chest. ck spots smatter my vision, the air around me feelingpletely solid. This is it. Woozy heat dulls my thoughts, whirling them through my scattered mind in a lightheaded maelstrom. I¡¯m dying. It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve thought this, but I know this time it¡¯s real. My sorrow is for my child. My fear is for the pain. However I also feel relief; relief that all this torment will finally be over. No one knows exactly what the afterlife is like, but everyone has seen glimpses. When the Goddess ushers in the dark half of the year on All Souls Night, the veil between worlds bes so thin that you can almost see across. On those nights you can feel your loved ones watching over you so keenly that there isfort even in the unknown. Wherever I¡¯m going, I¡¯ll be with my mother again. With Luna. I¡¯ll finally be safe. As my eyes close for thest time, I whisper my final thought. ¡°I won¡¯t have to hurt anymore.¡± 5 Shets Dead When Alden and I get back to our clothes, my phone is ringing in my jacket pocket. I untangle the device from the garment, noticing a missed call from Selene and 16 from my mother in addition to the iing line from an unknown number. The dread I¡¯d begun to feel on the cliffside had transformed suddenly and horrifically into a riot of agony as an impassable rift rent my heart in two. Something deep in my bones told me that Selene was rejecting me, and now, I hadn¡¯t known how profoundly it would affect me, at least, not in terms of the rebuff itself. I knew losing my mate would test the very limits of my being, just didn¡¯t understand how immediate the impact would be, even from such a distance. And I don¡¯t know what happened to cause it. I certainly left things on bad terms, but why now? Could she be rejecting me simply for my misleading comments about house arrest? Was that thest straw after one too many wrongs? I¡¯m gasping for air as i fumble to ept the call, my anxiety snowballing into a blinding, deafening avnche of worry as I whip my phone up to my ear, ¡°Hello?¡± *Alpha It¡¯s Danvers, his familiar voice low and subdued. Did you find her?¡± I ask immediately. ¡°No, sir. It¡¯s not Ms. Winters.¡± He hedges, clearly unfinished but struggling to find the right words. *Then what is it?¡± I prompt harshly. yanking on my trousers. T¡¯m afraid it¡¯s Mrs. Durand.¡± Danvers replies resignedly. I freeze, renewed panic zinging through my body. Though Axel was just in control mere moments ago, he¡¯s already wing to get out again. ¡°Which Mrs. Durand?¡± Aiden stops halfway through buttoning his shirt, watching me with apprehension. Danvers clears his throat. ¡°Actually it¡¯s both of them.¡± He says. ¡°They snuck out of the pack house and went to your family cabin.¡± *They what?!¡± thunder, ¡°That¡¯s not all, sir.¡± He continues grimly. ¡°There¡¯s been a fire.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. shing red and blue lights blot out the cinders of the cabin, framed by billows of ck smoke spiraling up from the ashes as firefighters douse the embers with industrial water hoses. There are too many emergency vehicles to count: firetrucks, ambnces and patrol cruisers lined up through the clearing like a wall. The scent permeates through the sheet metal and fiberss of Aiden¡¯s car, but rather than the cozy aroma of a bonfire, it¡¯s a foul blend of burnt stic, metal and ¨C most sickeningly-flesh. Bright orange sparks float in the air, carried on the wind and zing bright until winking out in the damp autumn air. Through the haze of smog and ring lights I see my mother standing next to Danvers wrapped in a heavy woolen shawl. I can hear her weeping even from this distance, then meet her bloodshot eyes when her head turns in my direction. I charge toward them through the raining ash, taken aback when my mother begins retreating rather than moving to meet me. *1 was only gone for half an hour,¡± She sobs, ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. Everything was fine when I left.¡± *Where¡¯s Selene?¡± i demand, aching tofort her but unable to focus on anything until I know where my mate is. *Bastien,¡± Mom chokes, shaking her head as fresh tears spill from hershes My stomach lurches, ¡°Where is she?¡± I repeat gutturally. She wrings her hands, gazing at me with such sympathy my heart begins to splinter. I know, before she opens her mouth, what she¡¯s about to tell me. ¡°No.¡± I jerk away from her, backing out of reach when she extends her hands toward me. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 35 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 35 Chapter 35 She Is Dead ¡°Bastien,¡± Mom follows me, dogged even amidst her grief. She catches my shoulders, wrapping her arms around me before I can stop her. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She keens. ¡°She was inside.¡± ¡°No!¡± I say again, my voice a dull roar in my own ears, ¡°You¡¯re wrong. She can¡¯t ¨C she can¡¯t be. I would know if she was dead, would feel it!¡± I insist. My mother buries her face in my neck, her tears hot and wet against my skin. ¡°I know.¡± Shements, ¡°I know sweetheart.¡± Her small hands rub circles over the rigid muscles of my back. ¡°But she¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± I struggle to push her off me without hurting her, ¡°Is there a body? Show me her body?¡± Mom¡¯s arms mp down around me more tightly, squeezing me with her supernatural strength. ¡°They already took it.¡± She whimpers. ¡°It¡¯s at the morgue,¡± The phone line opens with a fuzzy click, dissolving into a strange, droning roar punctuated by splintering wood and hollow crackling. ¡°Bas-en.¡± Selene¡¯s terrified voice cuts out as she attempts to cry my name, ¡°I eed. Th-re¡¯s¡­ el¡­ Pl-elp!¡± I listen to the voicemail over and over again on the way to the coroner¡¯s office, trying to decipher any clear words or message from the jumbled sounds. Unfortunately no matter how many times I y the recording, I can¡¯t make anything out. I don¡¯t want to believe it. I can hear the fire in the background, and I¡¯ve seen what¡¯s left of the cabin, but I cannot fathom that Selene might be dead. She was clearly in trouble, but that doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s gone. After all, her phone cut out ¨C if it ran out of battery she could be trying to find help this very moment and simply unable to call me again. She isn¡¯t dead. Axel says for the thousandth time. I would know. How did this even happen? How did the fire start? And if Selene really was in the cabin when it began, why couldn¡¯t she get out? The obvious answer is too horrible to contemte. My hands curl into fists, clenching and unclenching compulsively as the city flies by out the window. She isn¡¯t dead. I think again. She can¡¯t be. Then whose body did they find? A small, cruel voice in the back of my mind wonders. And why did she reject me, if not for failing her when she needed me most. My mother¡¯s hand closes over mine, squeezing gently. I return her affection, but I refuse to look at her. I can¡¯t bear to see her guilt and pain. I can¡¯t bear to hear her apologize again, or say my mate is gone. ¡°Why did you leave the house?¡± I ask abruptly. Mom hups, ¡°We thought the kidnappers might be holding Arabe at the cabin.¡± She exins hoarsely, ¡°It seemed like the only ce they could pin to Selene. Garrick¡¯s house never urred to us ¨C I didn¡¯t even realize she owned it.¡± ¡°Owns.¡± I hiss, shaking off her hand. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go back when you realized you were wrong?¡± ¡°Because the cabin was a right side nicer than being locked up with a bunch of enforcers.¡± Despite her words, there is no venom in her tone. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I never imagined¡­¡± She trails off. ¡°The enforcers were there to keep you safe.¡± I groan, ¡°To prevent something like this from happening!¡± ¡°You told us they were there to keep her in custody!¡± Mom exims. ¡°That was a cover!¡± I explode, ¡°Somebody is trying to destroy this family any way they can. I lied to the enforcers to appease them, and to avoid frightening you!¡± ¡°How were we supposed to know that?¡± She cries. ¡°You used Selene of kidnapping Arabe!¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t true!¡± I refute hotly, ¡°I let them question her, that¡¯s all! I know she didn¡¯t have anything to do with it. She can¡¯t possibly believe I thought otherwise.¡± ¡°Well she did.¡± Mom informs me thickly. She believed you were against her, that¡¯s why we followed the lead ourselves instead of going to you.¡± So this is my fault?¡± I demand, ¡°It¡¯s my fault she¡¯s missing?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± She objects immediately. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that, Bastien. If anything it¡¯s my fault¡­ I¡¯m the one who broke her out.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She is and ¡°Stop it Alden barks from the front seat. ¡°None of this is either of your faults. The only person responsible is whoever lit the fire in the first ce Selene knew you loved her, both of you.¡± ¡°Stop talking about her in the past tensel¡± I order harshly. Tense silence fills the car for a long moment, until my mother returns herforting touch to my arm. ¡°Bastien.¡± She broaches genth, the salty scent of her tears filling the small space. ¡°I don¡¯t want it to be true either, but the longer you deny it, the more painful it will be to deal with ¡°She cautions. ¡°You need to ept it. Selene is dead.¡± ¡°No she isn¡¯t I argue ¡°Until the doctor says otherwise, we have to assume this is another trick.¡± The car rounds the corner and the hospitales into view, its ring lights stinging my eyes. ¡°She¡¯s not dead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Alpha. ¡°De kane proims softly, ¡°The DNA was a match.¡± ¡°No,¡± I stand firmly. It can¡¯t be¡± The man offers me an infuriatingly sympathetic look. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the tests don¡¯t lie, sir,¡° Reason wars with my denial, and I conjure ast resort to maintain my stubborn refusal. ¡± want to see the body.¡± Imand. Mom¡¯s eyes widen, ¡°Sweetheart¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Aiden interjects. ¡°You should heed their advice, sir, Dr. Kane sighs, ¡°Mrs. Durand¡¯s remains are unrecognizable. Seeing them would only cause you further distress.¡± ¡± Want To see. The body.¡± I repeat authoritatively. ¡°As you wish, Alpha.¡± Dr. Kane pushes open the morgue¡¯s heavy double doors, leading me into the stark, chilly room with solemn finality. Aiden follows at my side, his bearing rigid with agitation. Don¡¯t do this, Bastien. He pleads in my head. Don¡¯t torture yourself this way. I have to do this. I think back, watching the doctor pull one of the locker doors open and slide a gurney from the refrigeratedpartment A crisp white sheet covers the b, draped over a small round lump rather than the typical shape of a prone body. He gingerly pulls back the covering, and my heart falls out of my chest, ttering to the ground at my feet. A tiny, burnt husk is all that remains of my mate, her ckened limbs curled into a fetal position. Her scent is gone, reced by the noxious perfume of soot and smoldering decay. My legs give out, and I crumple to the floor, smashing my disembodied heart to bits as I finally acknowledge what can no longer be denied. She¡¯s gone. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 36 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Leave Bastien¡¯s POV Axel hasn¡¯t made a sound in days. Though he was all but feral from the moment I answered Danver¡¯s phone call to the second Dr Kane uncovered Selene¡¯s body in the morgue, he hasn¡¯t moved a muscle since. I¡¯ve found myself reaching out to him on the hour. extending my internal feelers toward his shape just to make sure he¡¯s still there. More than anything else, his absence tells me that this nightmare l¡¯ve been living is unfortunately very real. Selene my sweet, perfect little wolf is dead. She ran from my home believing I thought her guilty of a terrible crime. She fled my protection because I made her think it was persecution, and died alone and afraid. My father¡¯s death nearly destroyed me, but my mate¡¯s has annihted mepletely. Everything that used to matter to me, has ceased to be important. Suddenly I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m the Alpha; I don¡¯t care if the pack falls to ruin; I don¡¯t care if Arabe is found; 1 don¡¯t even care if I live. I do not recognize myself, and I don¡¯t feel the need to find the man I once was, nor create a path forward for the wretch I¡¯ve be. At first I took to the forest, but when I discovered that I could not shift, I returned to the pack house, and locked myself in my rooms. My mother, Aiden and Donovan have all tried to persuade me to return to thend of the living, but I have no interest in being there without Selene. Even now, when Aiden is outside my door with news that might have sent me runningst week, I want nothing more than to disappear. ¡°The enforcers think they¡¯ve found Arabe.¡± He calls through the heavy wood panel. ¡°Fine.¡± I respond nkly, refusing to pull my attention from the picture frame clutched in my hand. ¡°Go get her.¡± ¡°Not without you.¡± Aiden huffs out a frustrated breath. ¡°We need you to lead us.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t.¡± I counter, tracing Selene¡¯s shape in our wedding photo. ¡°Just bring her home.¡± Donavon¡¯s voice sounds alongside my friend¡¯s, deep and familiar; evoking memories of my father. ¡°Alpha, this is your duty. You made a vow to Flynn and your father to care for Arabe, to safeguard the pack. Do not disappoint them this way. Do not break your word.¡± ¡°I also made a vow to protect my mate.¡± Ish out, flinging all my anguish and fury in their direction. ¡°I broke the most sacred vow I ever took. How can you possibly think I care about lesser promises now?¡± ¡°A promise is a promise.¡± Aiden chastises. ¡°You¡®d never forgive yourself if something went wrong with the rescue and you weren¡¯ t there to help us.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s a risk i¡¯ll have to take.¡± I snap, wishing I could pull my mate out of the photo and into my arms. A brace of muffled grumbling meets my ears, too low to decipher without strain and I don¡¯t care enough to try. If you won¡¯t do it for honor, do it for intel.¡± Donavon finally proffers. ¡°If we can recover Arabe there¡¯s a good chance she can lead us to the kidnapper. This is your chance to find your father¡¯s killer, and Selene¡¯s.¡± His words rouse a prickle of interest in the far reaches of my mind, even as I brush them aside. ¡°If she could identify them, they would never let her live.¡± ¡°None of their other targets have survived.¡± He reminds, ¡°I doubt they nned on letting her live. We just beat them to the punch this time.¡± Drained and disheartened, I drag one hand through my hair. ¡°What makes you so sure we can even get her back?¡± ¡°Because,¡± Donavon announces assuredly. ¡°We¡¯ve already got eyes on her.¡± Enforcers huddle around Arabe, wrapping her in emergency nkets and patting her back while she cries. Her nose and cheeks are swollen and splotchy, her flushed skin wet with tears and her willowy frame shaking with fear and relief. ¡°It was so awful!¡± She wails, clinging to Danvers¡¯ burly shoulders. ¡°He said he said he was going to kill me. He promised to make it hurt.¡± Danvers makes a soft shushing sound, helping her sit on a nearby park bench. ¡°Can you tell us anything about the man responsible? What he looked like? Anything he told you about himself or shared about his motives?¡± I watch from a few feet away as Arabe swoons into another fit of sobs. I should feel guilty for not being more concerned, indeed, under any other circumstances I would be absolutely horrified by my apparent apathy when someone I care about is so clearly suffering. Yet I can¡¯t bring myself to conjure any feelings other than relief that Arabe is safe. I don¡¯t have room in my heart for anything but mourning Selene, and as fond as I am of Arabe, I¡¯ve known for a long time that those feelingse down to my love for Flynn, rather than any true affinity for his sister. More horrible still, part of me mes Arabe for my mate¡¯s death. It isn¡¯t fair in any way shape or form. She didn¡¯t ask to be kidnapped, but if I hadn¡¯t been off looking for her, I would have been there when Selene needed me. She and Mom never would have gone to the cabin, she would never have been implicated in a crime or doubted my belief in her. She would still be alive. All the time I spent worrying about ise Denizen, trying to protect her from bounty hunters and power mad dictators ¨C and it was all for nothing. The real danger was right under my nose the whole time. I never saw iting, and my mate paid the price. ¡°I never saw his face.¡± Arabe¡¯s voice drags me back to the present. ¡°He wore a mask. But he said Bastien has only himself to me.¡± Her big brown eyes lock onto me, her lower lip caught in a trembling pout. ¡°He said you don¡¯t deserve to be Alpha. He said you have blood on your hands and he¡¯s going toe at you until you know how it feels to lose everything he said this is only the beginning.¡± Selene¡¯s POV Myshes flutter, dappled light dancing through my eyelids as the afternoon sun bathes my skin in golden warmth. My senses gradually return, filling in the world around me with crisp air, damp earth, and the familiar smells of moss and evergreens. Verdant mountains appear when I finally open my eyes, the cold ground beneath my cheek littered with fallen leaves and sprawling tangles of knobby roots. A fluttering breeze carries birdsong to my ears, along with the babbling of a distant brook, enveloping me in the sounds of the wild woond. I know this ce. I think withnguid bliss, carefully pushing myself up to examine this new ne of existence. It looks so like the forests around Elysium; the forests I grew up exploring with Luna; the forest where Bastien found me in my darkest hour. It¡¯s right, I decide, that the otherworld should take the shape of those beloved stomping grounds; that my afterlife should be spent in the peace of the virgin forest. The only things missing are the people. Where is my mother? Where is Gabriel and Luna? I roll my neck and stretch my aching limbs i? confusion, a new thought guing my bewildered psyche. If this is the otherworld, why do I still feel pain? My first attempt to take a breath of fresh air ends in a fit of coughing, my weary body evacuating cinders and sediment from my chest in a vile deluge. Surely the fire could not have followed me into the afterlife. The Goddess would not allow such a thing. The obvious answer dawns on me slowly, ebbing in like an unyielding tide of reason. I¡¯m alive. I realize in wonder. But how? Thest thing I remember, I was tilting over the edge of extinction, falling from the precipice with no hope of escape. I was curled in the closet, out of time and oxygen. How could anyone reach me through the mes? How could I have gotten out without a scratch? I tten my hand to my belly, trying to sense the tiny pulse of my child and whimpering with frustration when I can¡¯t. If only I was far enough along to feel it moving, then I could know it was alright without the help of a doctor. However I don¡¯t see any blood or stains on my clothes to indicate a miscarriage, only soot and ash. Surely if the baby had been harmed, there would be some signs. I shake the cobwebs from my head. I need to figure out where I am, I need to get to safety, then I can worry about doctors and everything else. I find my feet, following the sound of the stream, my parched and burning throat begging for cool clear water. I stumble through the undergrowth, making it only a handful of steps before I hear voices in the distance. I freeze, cocking my ears toward the sound. ¡°Did you hear?¡± A woman¡¯s voice questions with excitement. ¡°The Nova Alpha just lost his mate. She died in a fire.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡± A second woman answers, ¡°That¡¯s horrible.¡± ¡°I know. I swear, everything I hear out of their territorytely sounds like chaos.¡± She sighs, ¡°Murders, brawls, kidnappings, now this? If you ask me, the Novas are on their way out.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. I must not be in Nova territory anymore. In some ways that¡¯s good in others it¡¯s a disaster. Neutral territory is just about the most dangerous ce for a lone female wolf, and I¡¯m not even that. Before I can second guess myself, I bolt towards the womens¡¯ voices. I need help, I need to find allies, and I don¡¯t want to wait around for the next passersby, who are more likely to be rogues than innocent travelers. I topple out of the trees and onto the path in front of the gossiping wanderers, taking in their surprised expressions and expensive hiking gear. One of them, a pretty redhead, approaches me with clear concern, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I need to get to Eros territory.¡± I blurt out, whipping my gaze between them frantically. ¡°Can you help me?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 37 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 37 Chapter 37 The Eros Pack Selene¡¯s POV The mountains seem to go on forever. I never realized how much distance is between the pack territories until now. Of course, most people don¡¯t travel on foot anymore. In a car the journey would probably take a day or two, on foot it drags on for two weeks. I might enjoy the adventure more if my situation was different. Thendscapes around me are beyond compare, but I cannot enjoy their beauty ¨C not when I¡¯m constantly looking over my shoulder. I know everyone in Elysium thinks I¡¯m dead, but part of me is still afraid Arabe might being after me. Was she fooled like all the others? Was she watching when my mysterious rescuer carried me from the mes? Though I¡¯m no closer to understanding who saved me, I know this is the only exnation for my survival. I was unconscious and on the verge of death; somebody had to have braved the fire to rescue me. My first thought was Odette, but I don¡¯t think she would have taken me from Elysium and left me in the forest. Yet she and Arabe are the only ones who knew I was at the cabin. In one brief moment of insanity I even considered the possibility that Arabe returned for me out of sudden remorse, or perhaps more likely, to instigate some sort of cruel mind game. Of course, evil mistresses aren¡¯t my only concern on the road to Eros. There¡¯s also rogues and bandits to fear. Without a pack to govern thend, crime and violence rule all neutral territories. No one is safe where anarchy reigns, but especially women traveling without protection. The hikers who came to my aid when I first woke in the forest, a pair of Vega wolves named Chloe and Annie, have been nothing but lovely to me. They lent me clothes and shared their supplies, even changing their nned route in order to help me reach my destination. Though I haven¡¯t shared my story with them, or even revealed my true name, they have not pried. It seems this is one of those unspoken bonds of womanhood; we do not need to know why one of our fellows is on the run to help them. We all understand the reasons women might need to flee far too well. When atst we cross the final ridge of the mountains and the Eros territory spreads out on the horizon, we all share a sigh of relief. ¡°We¡®re almost there.¡± Chloe wraps an arm around my shoulders. By this time tomorrow we¡¯ll be over the border.¡± Just hang on one more day,¡± Annie says, appearing on my other side. ¡°Then you can sleep for a week.¡± I haven¡¯t told either woman that I¡¯m pregnant, but the baby made its survival known in the same way it¡¯s marked is presence from the day I conceived. I¡¯ve been so ill on the journey that I¡¯ve avoided having to exin to Chloe and Annie that I don¡¯t have a wolf. I haven¡¯t been in any state to contribute to the hunting or campbor, and I¡¯m certain they know the truth. In the end, I don¡¯t have to wait another day to reach safety. Just before dusk, as we¡¯re forging a low water crossing, the sounds of approaching wolves send us into high alert. We bolt together to stand in a tight ring in the middle of the water,municating possible escape routes with our eyes. Just as we¡®re about to dive into the river, I smell a familiar blend of sea mist and sandalwood, and throw out my arms to stop my friends from fleeing. ¡°Wait.¡± The huge shifters who burst through the trees are all in their animal forms, and though I¡¯ve never seen Drake¡¯s wolf, I¡¯d recognize his bright green eyes anywhere. They widen to saucers when he sees me, and he transforms immediately, hurtling toward me through the water and throwing his arms around me. ¡°Oh my god, I thought you were dead.¡± He breathes against my neck. ¡°Drake,¡± I gasp, my feet swinging around his calves, ¡°I can¡¯t breathe.¡± ¡°Oops!¡± He returns me to the ground, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just Selene, I went to your funeral. That¡¯s where we wereing from.¡± He exins, gesturing to the men around him. ¡°We just stopped for a run because we¡¯ve been stuck in the car all day.¡± ¡°Selene?¡± Chloe and Annie say in unison. This is not the name I gave them. Shooting them an apologetic look, I turn back to Drake. ¡°As far as anyone is concerned, I am dead.¡± I answer firmly. ¡°And I need to stay that way.¡± The Eros pack territory is about as different from Novands as a ce could be. Settled among the tidal forests and salt marshes of the Western coast, their capital Asphodel is a true marvel of engineering. A floating city, dissected by hundreds of saltwater canals and intertwined with living bridges woven from mangrove roots, it feels wild and wondrous in a way the caves of Elysium never did. Under the mountains life felt dark and cramped, no matter how beautiful the exteriors or near the forest. Nothing ever changed or shifted; how could it when the city was literally set in stone? Here the ground beneath my feet is different one moment from the next, and the osciting tide breathes life into every corner of the marsh. ¡°How do you run?¡± I wonder aloud, gaping at the floating docks forming an endless maze through the city. The Eros wolves are known for their speed, but I cannotprehend how they could develop such skills without solidnd. Drake grins widely, ¡°There¡¯s a reason we¡¯re the fastest pack on the continent.¡± He boasts good- naturedly, ¡°When you spend your life running on water, running onnd is child¡¯s y.¡± Laughing feels so foreign to me, ¡°But don¡¯t you get frustrated having to always stay on paths, and what about hunting?¡± ¡°Well we do go ind sometimes.¡± He allows, nodding toward the water on our left. ¡°But there¡¯s plenty to hunt here.¡± At that moment arge velvety snout breaks the surface of the blue-greengoon, followed by gentle eyes and a very round body. My eyes dart back and forth between the animal and Drake. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°We call them sea-cows.¡± Drake exins, chuckling at the expression on my face. ¡°You eat them?!¡± I exim, horrified that they would harm such a peaceful looking creature. ¡°I¡¯m only teasing.¡± He admits, then shifts his predatory eyes to the mangroves on the other side of the canal. ¡°The crocodiles on the other hand.¡± I gaze at the huge reptile, suddenly understanding how the Eros pack earned its reputation for being so tough. They aren¡¯t the best fighters onnd, but I¡¯d be willing to bet they own that title in the water. ¡°I had no idea¡­¡± I admit, positively reveling in the sights around me, ¡°I¡¯ve never been anywhere but Elysium.¡± ¡°The world is full of amazing ces.¡± Drake agrees, ¡°you can go anywhere now.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m in the same position I was three years ago. I¡¯m free but I have nothing.¡± I sigh, ¡°This wasn¡¯t how I nned on leaving.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be the same.¡± He replies as we stroll through the wends, ¡°I¡¯ll help you get started, anywhere you wish. I¡¯d like you to stay here,¡± He confesses with a wink, ¡°but if you want to go somewhere else, I¡¯ll take you. We¡¯ll get you settled, find you a job you can build your own future, rather than depending on a man to provide it.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you would do that for me.¡± I reveal doubtfully. Thest time I asked, he didn¡¯t really give me an answer. He simply redirected with a question about my inability to trust. ¡°Because I can¡¯t think of anyone alive more deserving of help.¡± Drake responds simply. And because I believe you could be anything you put your mind to, if you simply had the opportunity. The Eros pack can always use more good people.¡± I study him for a long moment, from his raven hair and emerald eyes, to his disarming smile and chiseled body. After a minute or so, I find the courage to ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°What?¡± He blinks. ¡°This all sounds too good to be true.¡± I sigh. ¡°No one is this nice.¡± Drake frowns, ¡°I guess I¡¯m just going to have to prove you wrong.¡± Chloe and Annie are waiting for us in front of the Eros Pack House, an enormous pzzo towering over the city center. Unlike Elysium there are no skyscrapers or buildings at different elevations in Asphodel. The entire city floats at the same level, making the pack house visible from anywhere in the marsh. ¡°We¡¯ll have to choose a new name for you.¡± Drake ponders as we stroll across a living bridge, ¡°I take it you were already using one with your Vega friends.¡± ¡°Yes, although I think you let that cat out of the bag.¡± I tease, ¡°I told them my name is Celeste.¡± ¡°I like it.¡± Drakepliments, ¡°And it¡¯s close enough to Selene that it shouldn¡¯t be hard for either of us to remember.¡± ¡°Your men will know.¡± I remind him. ¡°They won¡¯t tell.¡± He promises, ¡°I¡¯ve already given orders to take your real identity to their graves.¡± My shoulders untense at this news, even as his next words tangle my nerves once more. ¡°I take it Bastien never found out about the baby?¡± ¡°No.¡± I confirm. A question which has been gnawing at my mind since reuniting with Drake finally works its way out of my mouth ¡°Did he¡­ how did he seem, at the funeral?¡± When Drake won¡¯t meet my gaze, I know I¡¯m not going to like the answer. ¡°Actually, he wasn¡¯t there.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. His words hit me like a punch to the gut. ¡°He didn¡¯t even go to my funeral?¡± ¡°And that¡¯s not all.¡± He exhales heavily, ¡°The news is all over Elysium: Bastien¡¯s about to marry Arabe, and apparently they aren¡¯t even waiting for the mourning period to end. Rumor has it they¡¯re moving so quickly because¡­ well,¡± He trails off, rubbing the back of his neck. Understanding dawns on me from the awkward expression on his face, ¡°She¡¯s pregnant too.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 38 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Marriage Proposal Odette¡¯s POV ¡°I swear to the Goddess.¡± Donavon crumples the magazine in his hand, lobbing it at the wall, ¡°Where do they get this shit?¡± The shiny pages cken as it falls, brightly colored tabloid headlines peeking out of the wrinkled ball of paper, ¡°Alpha¡¯s secret love child.¡± Unfortunately I have an idea where these rumors areing from. I¡¯ve seen the way Arabe looks at my son, and I can¡¯t stop hearing Selene¡¯sst words to me: She really hates me. She¡¯s attempted worse. Half an hourter my daughter-inw was dead, then Arabe was miraculously found unharmed a few dayster ¨C with an iron-d alibi for her whereabouts at the time of the fire. Even so, those are not the kinds of usations one makes without evidence, and a few words from Selene in the height of a very stressful moment isn¡¯t reliable intelligence. I could havepletely misinterpreted her meaning. ¡°Does Bastien know?¡± i query. gesturing to the tabloid. ¡°He hasn¡¯t left his rooms since the fire.¡± Donavon reminds me, shaking his head. And he¡¯s not speaking to anyone.¡± I understand better than anyone. The only reason I can get myself out of bed in the morning is because Bastien needs me so badly. I¡¯ve been letting him mourn while I run the pack, not that anyone knows what¡¯s happening behind the scenes. However the situation in Elysium is deteriorating without his leadership, and the rumor mill is out of control. What¡¯s more, I¡¯m deeply afraid that Bastien cannot go on like this much longer. Young as he is, losing a mate can kill a wolf of any age, and as much as I want to give him time to heal, I can¡¯t risk letting him grieve himself to death. ¡°That¡¯s not all, ma¡¯am.¡± Donavon says, pulling my attention from the magazine. ¡°We also received a letter from the Elder Council. They want Bastien to increase the frequency of his security reports.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve been weekly since Gabriel¡¯s murder.¡± I scoff, ¡°What do they want, a daily update?¡± The Beta purses his lips and raises his eyebrows, confirming my guess. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± I snap, ¡°They¡¯ve never had that kind of oversight before.¡± *Clearly they want to use Selene¡¯s death to bolster their own power.¡± Donavonins, ¡°frankly I¡¯d like to tell them where they can shove their reports.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Bastien.¡± I resolve, ¡°he¡¯s got toe back to work, we cannot cave to this sort of pressure.¡± Therge man grimaces, ¡°be careful, Odette.¡± I straighten my spine, giving my old friend an imperious re, ¡°I¡¯m his mother, he can huff and puff all he wants, but he won¡¯t follow through.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not your son right now,¡± Donavon rtes gently. ¡°He¡¯s an Alpha who lost his mate. Pushing him is dangerous.¡± I notch my chin up. ¡°He¡¯s not the only alpha who¡¯s lost his mate, Donavon. And I¡¯ve had more time to heal.¡± The apartment is such a mess my first instinct is to douse the entire space in bleach, starting with my son. The air is perfumed with an unsavory blend of hard liquor, dirtyundry, spoiled food and even from the other side of the doorway, I can smell the many days Bastien has gone without showering. It takes all my strength not to immediately gather a garbage bag and begin filling it on my way through the space, but I maintain my focus and head straight for the giant unwashed wolf in the center of the living room. He¡¯s unconscious on the couch, his golden skin grimy and his jaw covered with weeks¡¯ worth of stubble. An empty bottle of whiskey dangles from his limp hand, and the table in front of him is scattered with beer cans. He wears only a pair of sweatpants, and the weight he¡¯s lost in thest few weeks is noticeable. I reach for his shoulder, but his massive hand closes around my wrist before I can touch him. His powerful fingers dig into my skin, and my attention leaps to his face. His eyes are wild, staring at me without recognition. ¡°Sweetheart, you¡¯re hurting me.¡± I tell him softly. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. My voice jogs a bit of recognition into his hard features, and he ckens his hold. ¡°Mom?¡± ¡°The one and only.¡± I confirm. Bastien sits up and rubs his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you startled me.¡± ¡°I can see that.¡± I remark tartly. ¡°You, my son, need to take a shower. And then we need to talk.¡± His expression is suddenly so simr to the one he made when he was little and wanted to escape a bath, I have to bite my lip to keep myself from smiling. ¡°Do I have to?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I put my foot down. ¡°You do.¡± While Bastien is getting cleaned up I take up the helm cleaning the apartment, trying not to judge the mess. I know all too well how crushing grief can steal your will to care about anything and everything. When he finally emerges, clean-shaven, wet-haired and smelling of soap, the space almost looks inhabitable again. He sits down at his kitchen ind, watching me work with a far odd look in his silver eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that, Mom.¡± ¡°Someone has to.¡± I murmur, holding out the sponge in his direction. ¡°Of course, it would be better if you did.¡± He takes the implement from me withoutint, recing my spot over the sink and beginning to scrub dishes while I find a drying cloth. ¡°I know it feels pointless, and silly and tedious, but you just have to force yourself to go through the motions for a little while. Eventually, you¡¯ll be able to find sense in taking care of yourself again, in living.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t pretend you know what I¡¯m going through, Mom.¡± Bastien rumbles. ¡°You lost a mate who adored you for more than 30 years. I lost a mate who I never even got to im. We never had any happy years, we didn¡¯t get to build a life together.¡± He drops the spunge and closes his fists around the edge of the counter, ¡° failed her, I wasn¡¯t there when she needed me, I caused her nothing but pain.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t true, Bastien.¡± I argue instantly. ¡°She rejected me!¡± The bark is so vicious I take a step back, putting some distance between us. ¡°That is thest thing she did before she died. I used her of kidnapping, put her under house arrest and forced her to run into a situation that killed her.¡± Bastien thunders, ¡°Still she called me for help! But I didn¡¯t pick up, I failed her one too many times. And she rejected me.¡± My heart sinks, and only with much restraint do I stop myself from reaching for him. ¡°Darling, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°Because she was right.¡± He growls, ¡°She was right to reject me. I never deserved her, and we both knew it.¡± The gears of my brain turn rapidly as I search for the right thing to say ¨C a hopeless quest. Empty comfort and denials won¡¯t help. If Selene truly rejected him, no one will ever be able to convince him she was wrong. titudes and cliches won¡¯t work either. There is no soothing this kind of sorrow. Finally I decide on tough love. ¡°Then you have a choice.¡± I tell him. ¡°You can lie around in your own filth and drink yourself to death, and prove her right. Or you can try to be the man she did deserve, and pray to the Goddess that when you reach the otherworld and see her again, you¡¯ve done enough.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV 6 monthster, The elder council sits on a raised dais in Nova Hall, their chairs forming a tight semi-circle from which they can look down upon the empty chambers. I stand before them alone and on edge. This is thest ce I want to be. I¡®ve worked hard over thest few months to fulfill my responsibilities to the pack, but despite my mother¡¯s promise that going through the motions would lead me back to myself one day, I still can¡¯t bring myself to care about anything in this life. Her advice to make myself worthy for my mate in the next, got me out of bed and back into the office, but I feel no pride in my work. Rumors continue to swirl around the pack about my fitness to lead, especially now that Selene is gone. For the most part, all anyone can talk about is the fact that a heartbroken Alpha is about as reliable as a broken clock. They mightnd on the right time every now and then, but try to guide your day by them and disaster ensues. Along with the continued gossip about my rtionship with Arabe, my reputation has taken a significant hit. I¡¯m not sure what the elder council requested this meeting to discuss, but I know it can¡¯t be good. Alpha, One of the gray, grisled men begins. ¡°We have the utmost respect for the losses you¡¯ve endured this year.¡± Fat chance. Axel grumbles in my head, getting a little more vocal every day. *However we are concerned for your own wellbeing, as well as the bnce of the pack¡¯s leadership.¡± The counselor continues. ¡°Unmated wolves are not as stable as those with wives and families, and as you know an Alpha¡¯s mate has a vital role in ruling the pack¡¯s she-wolves. Inbination with your grief. well to be frank your situation puts the pack at risk.¡± ¡°Seeing as my mate is dead,¡± I snarl, making the speaker nche. ¡°I don¡¯t see what we can do about that.¡± The elders nce at each other hesitantly, Alpha, we respectfully propose it¡¯s time you take a new mate.¡± As the leader speaks, a counselor on the far left gestures to a guard at the side door. One of which the council approves this time.¡± The door opens, and to my shock and disbelief, Arabe steps in. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 39 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 39 Chapter 39 New Life Bastien¡¯s POV One by one, wolves from across Elysium filter into the council chambers, answering the mental summons I roared out across the territory ordering the pack to gather at once. Emitting such a call takes incredible strength; it¡¯s a feat very few Alpha¡¯s could aplish, and one which has left me exhausted, though no less angry. When the wolves have finally filled the circr space, I call the council back to order, keeping Arabe primely situated before the dais. She¡¯s smiling confidently, and even the counselors look somewhat pleased. I imagine they think I¡¯ve decided to give into their demands The fools must not realize that suggesting I remarry was the veryst thing they should have attempted if they wished my cooperation ¡°It seems ¡°I announce to the room atrge, ¡°That many of you are displeased with my leadership, and ufortable with my marital status.¡± Already I see Arabe¡¯s smile waver. Until she returned to Elysium I never realized how much Arabe truly wanted to marry me. I thought it had been a childhood crush, one I never worried about encouraging because I nned on giving her what she wanted. Now I think I must have underestimated her interest significantly. I¡¯ve told her privately at least half a dozen times that nothing is going to happen between us, so the idea that she would be colluding with the council this way is rather outrageous. ¡°However it is my duty to inform you, that I don¡¯t give a damn about your displeasure or difort. If you haveints you are wee to raise them with me privately or in forums such as these. I can promise they will be heard and fairly considered, but that is the extent of my obligation.¡± My deep voice echoes harshly through the vaulted ceiling. ¡°I am not here to give you what you want or coddle you, I am not here to make your lives easier.¡± ¡°You are entitled to my protection and governance, and unless you are able to step forward with specific and concrete criticisms regarding those duties or advocacies for new policies, I¡¯m sorry to tell you that I have no interest in your opinions. Particrly when ites to my personal life.¡± I can see my audience slowly turtling, subtly curling in around themselves in defense against my wrath. ¡°My mate was Selene Durand.¡± I boom. ¡°She is the only mate I will ever have, and the only wife I will ever take. Anyone who says otherwise is deluded or lying. I cannot stop you from gossiping; that is your right, just as it is your right to disagree with me. But I warn you, do not make the mistake of turning gossip into nder about my mate, or disagreement into challenges of my authority because they will be taken seriously.¡± As I look around the room, taking in the flushed faces and sweating brows, I listen to their pounding hearts and increased pulses with relish. ¡°I once made the mistake of asking if any Novan believed themselves more capable to lead this great pack, and if so to step forward. I know now that is a question I never need to ask, because if there was anyone strong enough to stand against me, they would already be doing it.¡± ¡°I want you to remind yourselves of that fact the next time you want to question me. If all you have the courage to do is talk behind my back, you don¡¯t have a leg to stand on.¡± fuel all my dominance into my final words. ¡°Now Get. Out.¡± As the room clears, I finally turn my attention to Arabe. She¡¯s breathing heavily, her face crimson and hands curled in fists at her side. She always did have a penchant for tantrums. I stop by her side as I move toward the exit, ¡°I don¡¯t know what your involvement in these rumors has been, and I don¡¯t care. But let¡¯s get one thing straight ¨C it ends now. If anyone asks you about us, if you overhear any hushed whispers, I expect you to deny them, clearly and firmly. Are we understood?¡± Her eyes sh dangerously, but her voice is sickly sweet. ¡°Of course, Alpha.¡± Selene¡¯s POV The cafe is dark, chairs stacked on tables and freshly mopped floors shining in the reflections of empty ss bakery cases. It¡¯s tranquil without all the customers and bustling servers, but this is always my favorite part of the day. I pull the doors shut, turning the locks and untying the apron from my swollen belly. Six months after leaving Elysium, my life is more different than I could have ever imagined. I have my own apartment, my own business, a best friend who¡¯s held my hand every step of the way, and I¡¯m just days away from giving birth. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Of course, it hasn¡¯t all been easy. My arrival in Asphodel hasn¡¯t been received well by everyone. After Chloe and Annie left, I was literally thrown to the Eros wolves and the women in particr seem very unhappy about my friendship with Drake and very judgemental of my status as a single mother but gossiping busybodies are nothing new, and I¡¯m more capable of dealing with them now than I ever was in the Nova pack. I¡¯ve gotten stronger every single day, even as my body expands and takes on all sorts of strange and surreal new qualities. The baby kicks on queue, meeting my hand as it strokes the curve of my tightly stretched abdomen ¨C sorge I can no longer see my feet. If I didn¡¯t know any better i¡¯d even say my senses have heightened, almost to the levels they performed before I lost Luna. I feel more in tune with the world around me, more connected to my instincts and intuition, but I suppose that¡¯s the magic of motherhood As anxious as I am about the imminent trauma ofbor, my life is full enough now that I¡¯m distracted by such mundane things as who will cover for me at work, and how much time I can afford to take off. When I first decided to apply for a job at a cafe, Drake¡¯s response had been typically indulgent and easygoing. ¡°Why not just open your own cafe?¡± Despite myughter and protestations of insanity, in the end he forced the seed money into my hands. To my amazement though not his, as he¡¯d reiterated countless times I was able to pay him back within the first three months. Now all my profits are my own, and for the first time in my life, I¡¯m self-sufficient. My apartment is only a block from the cafe another string pulled by the future Alpha, like the zoning permits, liquor licenses, and public incorporation for my business. It¡¯s a modest one bedroom I¡¯ve gradually made my own, and now I¡¯ve truly started to think of it as home. Drake is there waiting when I get home, unpacking bags of takeout on the kitchen table as I waddle through the door. Heughs when he sees me, ¡°I swear you get bigger every day.¡± I toss my purse at his head, which he easily dodges. ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone ever tell you not to insult a pregnant woman?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not insulting you!¡± He feigns horror, sping a hand over his heart,¡±I¡¯mplimenting the spacious home you¡¯ve created for your pup.¡± Despite his joking tone, my increasing size is a relief for us both. It took me so long to start putting on weight that I was truly worried for my baby¡¯s health, and true to Dr. Kane¡¯s predictions, my hospitalization in Elysium wasn¡¯t thest of my pregnancy. ¡°Oh put a sock in it.¡± I retort, sniffing the air, ¡°Is that food?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He answers, waving a fork at me, ¡°Hungry?¡± ¡°Starving!¡± I exim, swiping the utensils and falling into a chair. ¡°How was your day.¡± ¡°Boring pack business.¡± He sighs, ¡°Yours?¡±. ¡°Not bad.¡± I concede. The truth is even my bad days are rewarding now. I¡¯m too grateful for all I¡¯ve aplished toin. ¡°The Alpha came in for lunch, though I suppose you don¡¯t know anything about that.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Drake holds up his palms in defense. ¡°He made the first reservation because I thought it might help business, but he keepsing back because of the food. That¡¯s all you, baby.¡± ¡°Suurrre.¡± I snort, studying my friend in the soft kitchen like, ¡°You know you really don¡¯t look much like your dad at all ¨C or your mom for that matter.¡± His eyebrows disappear beneath his hairline, ¡°You mean the pack gossip machine hasn¡¯t reached you yet?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask, cocking my head to the side. ¡°The Alpha isn¡¯t my real father.¡± Drake reveals coolly. ¡°My biological dad died when I was a teenager and my mother brought us to Eros territory and married the Alpha a couple of yearster. He never had children and I have the genes, so he took me under his wing. A few years ago, when it became clear I could take the mantle, he named me his heir.¡± ¡°I had no idea.¡± I admit, searching for emotion in his bright green eyes and finding none. ¡°How did your dad die?¡± ¡°He was betrayed.¡± Drake shares, taking a sip of his beer. ¡°He stood up for what he believed in, and got stabbed in the back by the person he trusted most in the world.¡± I reach over and squeeze his hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Drake smiles sadly, returning my affection, ¡°One day I¡¯ll make it right, until then I¡¯m just d to have such an amazing step father.¡± I start to return his smile, but at that moment warm wet heat floods myp, and I look down at my drenchedp in horror Drake jumps to his feet, ¡°What¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°I think¡±. I think my water just broke.¡± I stutter, looking up at him helplessly. ¡°The baby¡¯sing.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 40 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Rebirth Selene¡¯s POV I¡¯ve known more than my fair share of pain over the years, but nothingpares tobor. I feel like I¡¯m being torn apart from the waist down. Even Wolfsbane didn¡¯te close to this torture. It happens in waves, swelling and cresting over and over again until I¡¯m so exhausted and drained that I barely have the strength to keep my eyes open. I want to rest, but every time my muscles rx enough to attempt it, a fresh assault wracks my form with agony and drags me back into consciousness. ¡°Can¡¯t you just knock me out?¡± I ask the nurses petting and soothing me. ¡°No honey.¡± The nearest one coos. ¡°I know it¡¯s terrible, but you¡¯re doing so well.¡± She praises. ¡°Do you want some more ice?¡± ¡°No.¡± I cry, tears slipping from the corners of my eyes, ¡°I want Bastien.¡± Drake strokes my hair back from my face, lowering his lips to my ear, ¡°Easy now, Celeste.¡± He enunciates my false name pointedly, remember who you are.¡± I whip my head from right to left, my chest shaking with sobs as I grip the hand rails at my sides with white knuckled fists. ¡°I need him.¡± I sob piteously. ¡°I can¡¯t do this without him.¡± It¡¯s been so long since I let myself think of Bastien, I¡¯d almost even convinced myself I don¡¯t miss him. I¡¯ve filled my imagination with my shiny new life, my burgeoning aplishments and independence ¨C telling myself I finally have everything I¡¯ve ever wanted. But none of it feels right without my mate.N?velDrama.Org content rights. It¡¯s true I have so many things I¡¯ve never been able to contemte in the past, and it¡¯s true I¡¯m happy with my freedom, but these past 6 months have felt just a little too much like a dream. Everything that¡¯s happening feels true in the moment, but something always seems off, a small part of my mind knows it isn¡¯t real. Eventually I have to wake up, and whenever I do, it¡¯s never easy. Sometimes it happens in the middle of the night, in those stolen hours when deep thoughts always seem to appear unbidden, and unspoken anxieties and emotions rear their ugly heads. Sometimes it happens listening to a familiar song, or watching a movie scene that hits just a little too close to home. And sometimes it happens when something so jarring and unfathomable strikes that it bes impossible to pretend any longer like now. This pain has stolen all pretense from my mind, as well as all concern for my own self-preservation. ¡°Shh Celeste.¡± Drake croons, ¡°You can do this. You¡¯vee so far.¡± ¡°Stop it!¡± I push his hands away, my roiling hormones making me suddenly furious that my friend is not my mate. ¡°I can¡¯t ¨C I don¡¯t want¡­ I need.¡± ¡°Just breathe, honey.¡± The nurse says, shooting an apologetic nce to Drake. ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally, you should hear some of the thingsboring moms say to their mates in the heat of the moment.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not my mate!¡± My despondent wailes out a whisper, my chest heaving but still unable to draw in enough air. ¡°My mate didn¡¯t want me. He rejected me.¡± The nurse pats my hand, holding my gaze with stern but understanding eyes. ¡°If that¡¯s true, then he¡¯s not worth your tears, and he¡¯ s thest person you need.¡± She nods to Drake. ¡°The people who care are the ones who show up. They¡¯re the ones who deserve your love, don¡¯t let anyone tell you otherwise.¡± My head falls back on the pillow as a contraction eases, and I sniffle pitifully. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I hup, reaching for my friend. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± ¡°I know, silly wolf.¡± Drake grins, taking my hand again. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re doing so well.¡± Another contraction seizes my uterus, and I jolt forward off the bed with a howl, ¡°Liar!¡± Just then the door opens, and my doctor sweeps in. She¡¯s pulling on gloves with a wide smile that makes me want to hit her, ¡°How are we doing, Celeste?¡± She beams. ¡°Get this thing out of me!¡± I demand weakly. ¡°Let¡¯s just see how far along we are.¡± She suggests calmly. I moan and writhe as she examines me, feeling no relief at all when she announces, ¡°Ten centimeters.¡± Her head peaks up from beneath the nket covering my syed legs, ¡°Are you ready to be a mom?¡± ¡°I was ready fourteen hours ago!¡± I snap. Infuriatingly, she just pats my leg and smiles, ¡°Then let¡¯s get this show on the road.¡± The nurses follow the doctor¡¯s instructions, positioning themselves on my sides and hooking their arms beneath my legs to help support me while she hunkers down at the end of the bed. I feel so guilty for resenting their touch, but no matter what encouragement orfort anyone offers me, the fact remains that the only person I want is Bastien. I channel all my frustration, sorrow and fear into pushing, screaming and groaning at the top of my hoarse lungs. It happens in bursts, bearing down for ten seconds at a time, bawling and retching in between pushes before starting all over again. After what feels like hours, the sensation of tearing from the inside out eases, and the doctor¡¯s obnoxiously perky voice announces, ¡°it¡¯s a girl!¡± Before I can feel relief or joy or anything else for that matter something like an explosion bursts deep in my chest, washing over me in a flood of electricity. The sudden rush of power carries me floating on a tide of memory into the darkness, as the hospital room, and everyone in it, disappears. Drake¡¯s POV tion fades to terror as I watch Selene faint, my attention swinging from her newborn daughter to her slumped body and lolling head. ¡°Wait, what¡¯s happening?¡± I demand, jerking my head back and forth between the silent baby and my unconscious friend.¡± ¡°Sir, please step back.¡± The doctor advises, ¡°her vitals are still strong, she may simply be overwhelmed.¡± Despite her words, they¡¯re all gathering around Selene in a very concerned manner, and three different nurses are gathered around the baby, which has yet to cry. The heart monitor beeps steadily on, but the doctor is clearly running through a mental checklist, studying different machines and searching for warning signs on my friend¡¯s body. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± I repeat authoritatively, utilizing my rank for the first time. ¡°She¡¯s lost consciousness.¡± The doctor informs me unhelpfully. ¡°Her heart rate and temperature have increased, but they¡¯re still within the normal range. This does happen sometimes.¡± Even as she says the words, she looks uncertain. ¡°And the baby?¡± I demand, ¡°Why isn¡¯t it crying?¡± ¡°These things don¡¯t always happen immediately.¡± The doctor counters, more confidently this time. As if she heard us speaking, a tiny cry fills the air, the delicate screech of new life greeting the world. The nurses clean the tiny being and swaddle her in nkets while the doctor continues to work on Selene, eventually approaching me with the squalling bundle. ¡°Would you like to hold her?¡± The nurse asks, offering me the baby. I ept her wordlessly, uncertain what to do other than cradle the tiny life like she¡¯s made of ss. After standing frozen for a moment I begin to sway gently on my feet, grinning when the baby¡¯s cries soften. A pair of ssy eyes blink open and for a moment i¡¯mpletely distracted from my worries. It¡¯s Selene¡¯s eyes looking up at me: one violet, one blue, wide and innocent as can be. Perhaps she will grow to resemble her father, but in this moment she is her mother¡¯s perfect miniature. A swath of dark hair covering her brow, the same pert nose and delicate frame. I¡¯d be surprised if she even weighs five pounds. I¡¯m so enthralled by the baby I don¡¯t even notice when Selene begins to stir, though my inattention is quickly remedied by the flurry of activities among the doctor and nurses. They gather around her in a veritable frenzy, rechecking vital signs and running their tests. Selene moans deep in her throat, tossing her head against the pillow and hazily surfacing consciousness. Her striking eyes blink open in much the same way her daughter¡¯s did, but instead of looking up at me in wonder like the tiny creature in my arms, her gaze is wide and unseeing. Yet even as I¡¯m certain she has not returned to us fully, there is something undeniably different about her, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s waking as a mother. It feels as if all the days I¡¯ve known her so far, I¡¯ve only been seeing half of her. And now for the first time, she¡¯ s appearing to me fully. This is not the same Selene I met in Elysium, or the one I¡¯vee to know in Asphodel. She¡¯s not even the same woman she was five minutes ago. The haunted waif is gone, reced by a radiant nymph no different in appearance, but unrecognizable in spirit. Her full lips part as the doctor leans over her, and when she speaks her voice is fuller and stronger than I¡¯ve ever heard it. She does not cry in pain or ask questions, she merely utters a single, reverent word: ¡°Luna.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 41 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Three Years Later Bastien¡®s POV It still feels strange to sit at my father¡¯s desk When I first took over as Alpha I continued using my personal study for pack business, but after a few months Donavon suggested transition to the official executive office. I reluctantly agreed, and though I¡¯m now used to sitting in Dad¡¯s chair, I know I will never truly fill his shoes. Taking care of the pack is the only thing keeping me going now. It took a long time for me to find my way as a leader: sabotaged by forces beyond my control and mourning the loss of my mate, only the danger posed to my pack kept my head above water. Over time doing whatever was required to protect the pack evolved into true governance, and one day I woke up and realized I was no longer merely going through the motions. In some ways this was my enemy¡¯s biggest mistake. If they hadn¡¯t continued trying to destroy my family¡¯s legacy and weaken the Novas, I probably would have given up. Instead they gave me a reason to fight. Not a day goes by that I do not miss my mate, that I do not wish I could turn back the clocks or trade the Goddess my life for hers. but I¡¯vee to believe helping others is a far better tribute to Selene¡¯s memory than wasting away in grief, failing countless others the way I failed her. As if he can hear my thoughts, Aiden appears in the doorway with a cursory knock. ¡°We¡¯ve had a report from Erosnds. A sighting of a mother and child both Vnas.¡± My brows raise skeptically. In the three years since Selene died, the tip line has never received a valid report of a Vna sighting A few false tips havee in every so often, but none which have ever panned out. Before today I was starting to think my mate might have been thest of her kind. Still, I could never bring myself to shut the system down. If there is even a small chance another wolf like Selene is out there and in trouble, I have to protect them. I¡¯ll never forget the way she stormed out when I suggested other Vna¡¯s didn¡¯t matter because they were not my responsibility. Of all my regrets, the number of lies or implied falsehoods I let Selene believe for the sake of politics and subterfuge remain high on the list. Normally I wouldn¡¯t go to investigate myself, but it¡¯s extremely rare to hear of two Vnas, and I¡¯m long overdue for a diplomatic visit with our allies. I haven¡¯t seen Drake Cavanaugh since my father¡¯s funeral, and though we have been in regr contact since his step¨Cfather retired from being Alpha, we¡¯ve yet to have a formal meeting as Alphas. ¡°Assemble a delegation for travel to Asphodel.¡± I instruct my second inmand. ¡°Our cover is a diplomatic mission Donavon and I will handle the Cavanaughs while you investigate the tip. Bring along whoever you need for the search.¡± Aiden raises one dark brow, ¡°You want to go in person? Inod slowly, ¡°Something feels different about this one.¡± I confess, ¡°I can¡¯t exin it, I just feel like I have to see it through personally He epts my instincts without question. ¡°How soon do you want to leave?¡± ¡°Immediately.¡± Drake¡¯s POV ¡°What do you mean the Novans areing to Asphodel?¡± igrit out slowly, barely able to believe my ears. My Beta, Hugo, passes me a printed missive, detailing an imminent visit from Bastien Durand and a full diplomatic envoy. ¡°They¡¯re going to be here within the hour.¡± He states contritely, bowing his head in apology. ¡°The message came inst night after wed already left for the day.¡± My wolf sits up at attention, hackles raised. ¡°Do we know why?¡± An unnned and urgent visit like this is never a good sign. It means something is wrong, and they didn¡¯t want to give us any time to prepare a defense or cover up. Do they know? My wolf wonders sharply. How could they? I think back, trying to smooth down the hairs standing on the back of my neck. ¡°The dispatch simply says there are critical security matters to discuss,¡± Hugo shrugs, All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Fuck My wolf aripes. Not Good. ¡°You know what to do.¡± I direet Hugo. ¡°Yes, Alpha ¡°Before he reaches the door, the other wolt pulls up short, swearing under his breath. I cock my ears outward, immediately zeroing in on a rising cacophony from the water garden in front of the Pack House, Themotion is already rippling through the residence, sentries serambling to take up defensive positions and destroy evidence. We¡®re toote. They¡¯re already here.¡± I dere, resignation blooming in my bloodstream. ¡°Brace yourself. This is going to be ugly.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV it¡¯s impossible. I smell her the moment I step out of the car, faint at first whispers and traces on the air and through the vaulted ceilings of the opulent Pack House. Axel is already going berserk, despite the fact that it can¡¯t be true. We must be imagining it. Do you smell that? I ask Aiden and Donovan as the Eros officials lead us inside I wasn¡¯t sure I was right. Aiden confirms, I thought I must be misremembering but. It¡¯s Selene. I growl, I don¡¯t know how, but it¡¯s her scent. Bastien, she¡¯s dead. Donovan reminds me unhelpfully. I know my mate¡¯s scent! Axel responds for me, speaking directly to my Betas¡¯ wolves in a true rarity. Just take it easy, this could be some sort of trick Aiden advises. I knew it. Axel is shing for control, running himself ragged trying to break free. I knew she wasn¡¯t gone. He rages. There were always a lot of things off about her death. I remind them. Things that didn¡¯t make sense I never felt our connection break, I never felt her go the way my mother did when Dad died. So what you think the Eros¡¯s took her and staged the fire? Donavon inquires, To what end? I don¡¯t know At that moment Drake Cavanaugh appears at the top of the staircase overlooking the foyer, and all thought leaves my head. While I could smell hints and whiffs of my mate lingering in the public garden andmunal spaces of the house, the Eros Alpha reeks of her. They¡¯ve been together very recently, and from the strength of the aroma, they¡¯re together often. The only reason he isn¡¯t already dead is because their scents aren¡¯t intertwined in the way of mates. He hasn¡¯t marked her, not she him. Aiden and Donavon¡¯s strong hands and the barrier of Cavanaugh¡¯s own guards prevent me from launching my body at the other man. ¡°Where is she, what have you done with her?!¡± I thunder, fangs salivating. ¡°Good to see you too, Durand,¡± Drake drawls, descending the stairs with easy swagger ¡°take it you¡¯re looking for someone?¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve hurt her I swear to the Goddess you will not live to see the moon rise.¡± I vow, thrashing against the wolves restraining me. ¡°Am I supposed to know who we¡¯re talking about?¡± Drake replies, nonchnt. My wolf breaks out of my body with a roar, shredding my clothes and bursting forth in a tomado of ck fur that throws off all constraints. Betas and guards scramble to contain the threat and shield the Eros Alpha, but Drake simply stands there assessing my furious, glowing eyes and hostile bearing with cool disinterest. ¡°I don¡¯t understand you, Durand¡± He announces, ¡°if you were too much of a fool to appreciate what you had until it was gone, that¡¯s no fault of mine,¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Aiden demands, his own wolf pushing at the surface. ¡°Your Alpha seems to think I¡¯ve taken something from him.¡± Drake replies, rolling his eyes. ¡°But I assure you I¡¯ve done nothing of the sort.¡± He continues down the stairs with a lethal expression. ¡°What¡¯s more, I don¡¯t give out personal information about my pack members ¨C no matter who¡¯s asking.¡± Another grumble of rage escapes me and Drake continues, ¡°In my experience if a she wolf feels the need to hide from a man, she has good reason.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the problem, Cavanaugh.¡± Donavon interrupts, We¡¯re talking about the Alpha¡¯s mate, who was a target for kidnapping and eventually murdered or so we believed, How are we to know she¡¯s here of her own free will, unless we can hear it from her directly?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Drake answers unapologetically, ¡°Then we¡¯re going to have a problem.¡± Alden hisses menacingly. Drake surveys our aggressive demeanor and belligerent poses, exasperation clear on his face. After a moment he sighs, pulling out a cell phone and bringing it to his ear. ¡°We have a situation.¡± He says when the line clicks open. ¡°I need you to meet me at the pack house, right now.¡± His green eyes sh in my direction, ¡°Come alone.¡± I change into a fresh set of clothes while we wait, my questions, threats and demands falling on deaf ears. After ten minutes the scent of honeysuckle and freshly fallen snow begins to grow stronger, no longer residue left behind in past wanderings, but the pure, undiluted source moving nearer. I¡¯m out the door in a heartbeat, racing out of the pack house and into the water garden like a man possessed. At first it¡¯s only her scent, the intoxicating perfume I was sure I would never smell again. I breathe it in greedily, scanning the public park for the aroma¡¯s origin. My heart stops when I see her, and it doesn¡¯t start again. This is a dream, it has to be. A cruel twist of memory conjured into my sleeping mind. Any minute now i¡¯ll wake up in the car, hours away from Asphodel and heartbroken all over again. Selene stands directly across from me on one of the floating pathways, bathed in golden sunlight and more beautiful than any of the flowers surrounding us. She wears a short sundress, her luscious hair flowing freely down her back and eyes of blue and violet glowing out from behind thick ckshes. She¡¯s watching me sharply, frozen in her tracks with a tumult of emotion flickering behind her carefully guarded expression. When our eyes meet the earth crumbles beneath my feet, and I know she feels it too. The world around us disappears, our surroundings fading to a dull gray blur and leaving only Selene in full, breathtaking color. Axel howls with joy, calling to his mate in a fit of pure instinct even though we both know it can never be answered. Only this time, it is. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 42 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Reunion N?velDrama.Org content rights. Selene¡®s POV Luna¡¯s melodic bay rises to meet the call of Bastien¡¯s wolf, sounds only we two can hear. I try with all my might to reign her back in. Luna, Igroan internally, cut it out! I can¡¯t help it! She exims. He¡®s calling me. Get it together. I snap. He¡®s no good, and he can¡¯t find out about L. This is a disaster. I can¡¯t believe Drake didn¡¯t warn me when he called. I am not prepared to face Bastien, especially not when my wolf has lost her head at the mere sight of him. Though she was still with me after I escaped Garrick, Luna had buried herself so deeply in my heart that our connection becamepletely blocked. Neither of us could feel the other, and my wolf never met our mate. Things might have been different if Bastien had ever marked me, but he hadn¡®t wanted me without Luna, so she stayed hidden until our daughter was born. L is the most precious gift I¡®ve ever received, and bringing her into the world unlocked Luna¡®s trapped spirit. Looking back, think she started to return the moment I conceived. My wolf senses began to resurface long before L actually arrived, but freeing Lunapletely made it possible for me to love and appreciate my child as a mother should. My wolf healed my fractured soul, if not my broken heart. Luna whines as I cross the garden,ing to stand in front of my ex¨Chusband. Goddess I¡®d forgotten how handsome he is; how tall. It doesn¡¯t feel right to be so near him without our bodies touching, it takes all my strength not to reach out to him. ¡°Hello Bastien.¡± Whatever he was expecting, it clearly wasn¡®t this. His silver eyes stop their hungry head¨Cto¨Ctoe scan of my body, settling on my face and blinking in surprise. I can see the gears turning in his head, piecing together the puzzle of my presence here and recing shock with confusion and anger. ¡°Is that really all you have to say to me?¡± I cock my head to the side. ¡°What would you have me say?¡± ¡°I thought you were dead!¡± He barks, making Luna tuck her tail between her legs. Unlike my wolf, I have more than enough bad memories and regrets to withstand his ire. ¡°Oh I¡¯m sorry, did my funeral get in the way of your wedding ns?¡± Bastien looks like he might explode. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± ¡°Oh I forgot,¡± I press my palm to my cheek. ¡°Silly me, it can¡®t have gotten in the way because you didn¡¯t bother going.¡± Just then, Aiden appears at our side. ¡°Listen, I think we all appreciate that this is a very difficult and emotional situation, but I really don¡¯t think you want to have this conversation in public.¡± Bastien and I both look around, realizing we¡¯ve gathered quite an audience. Reluctantly we pause our reunion to move into the pack house, heading for Drake¡®s sound proofed office. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, are you really angry that I didn¡¯t go to your fake funeral?¡± Bastien grumbles behind me as we ascend the stairs. ¡°I didn¡®t set that fire Bastien, I didn¡¯t do anything other than disappear. You assumed I was dead and you threw the funeral.¡± The bitterness I still carry prompts me to add, ¡°Granted, I doubt you asked many questions. Having me out of the way had to have made your life easier.¡± A huge hand catches my arm just above the elbow, pulling me to a halt while electricity zings through my nerve¨Cendings. ¡°I saw your body!¡± He growls, ¡°The DNA matched yours.¡± ¡°What?¡± My face twists up in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°I assure you it is.¡± He corrects me harshly. ¡°Your barbecued mate is not a sight you forget.¡± Bastien¡®s warm, tingling skin leaves mine as we continue walking. This doesn¡®t make any sense. ¡°Why would someone rescue me and then go back to nt a fake body?¡± I question aloud. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®someone rescued you¡®? You said you just disappeared.¡± He counters. ¡°Yes, after I woke up in the forest outside Elysium half-dead from smoke-inhtion.¡± Bitterness coats my tongue. ¡°Clearly someone cared about me more than you did, because they pulled me out of the fire just in time.¡± ¡°Selene, I didn¡®t have my phone with me when you tried to call.¡± Bastien implores me to understand, ¡°If I¡¯d known you were in trouble I would have dropped everything.¡± Like hell. There¡¯s no way he let his phone out of his sight in the middle of a kidnapping situation. He ignored that call, just like he ignored my calls every other time I needed him. ¡°It doesn¡®t matter.¡± I wave off his excuses. ¡°That¡®s ancient history now.¡± ¡°It isn¡®t.¡± Bastien insists, ¡°I¡¯ve lived in nothing but regret for three years. There¡®s so much I have to exin, so much¡­¡± He trails off as the office doors close behind us. ¡°Goddess I can¡®t believe you¡®re really alive.¡± When Bastien moves forward like he¡¯s about to hug me, I jump out of the way. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in excuses and lies. I don¡¯t want to hear your exnations.¡± Crossing my arms over my chest, I shift to stand next to Drake, forming a united front against my ex. ¡°Asphodel is my home now. Bastien glowers at the Eros Alpha, ¡°Was this your doing then? The rescue, the body?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know Selene was alive until after the funeral.¡± Drake reveals, gesturing to me pointedly. ¡°She walked for two weeks through rogue territories to get here. She came to the Eros Pack of her own free will, and she¡¯s been under my protection since.¡± A deep rumble vibrates in Bastien¡¯s chest, and Luna quivers with desire. Seriously? I mutter in internal exasperation. It¡¯s not my fault. Luna counters defensively. He smells so good. Bastien¡¯s ws extend. She¡¯s still my wife.¡± ¡°No,¡± I object immediately. ¡°I rejected you.¡± His molten gaze skewers me. ¡°I never epted.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± I sputter in confusion, the rejection was your idea in the first ce! You remarried the second you were free!¡± Bastien looks so bewildered I almost believe him when he turns on Drake. ¡°What in the Goddess¡¯s name have you been telling her?¡± ¡°Nothing that wasn¡¯tmon knowledge in Elysium.¡± Drake argues without remorse. ¡°Everyone said you were going to marry Arabe before the month was out.¡± My attention ping pongs back and forth between them. ¡°You mean, you didn¡¯t?¡± The muscle in Bastian¡®s angr jaw twitches. ¡°Those rumors are three years old. I suppose you conveniently forgot to tell Selene when they didn¡®t pan out?¡± He suggests gruffly. After all, it¡¯s not like we haven¡®t been in contact.¡± For a moment I let myself be distracted, looking at Drake in hurt and uncertainty before regaining my senses. What¡®s one omissionpared to everything Bastian put me through. I give myself a little shake, ¡°Stop it. It doesn¡®t matter whether you remarried, or that you didn¡®t agree to the rejection.¡± I remark firmly. ¡°My life is here now, so if you came here to bring me home then I¡®m sorry ¨C I¡®m not going anywhere.¡± ¡°That¡®s not why I came.¡± His deep voice scrapes over my skin, sending a shiver down my spine, ¡°I didn¡®t know you were alive until I got here and smelled you.¡± ¡°Then why did youe?¡± Something appears to click in his head, and his expression darkens even further. ¡°Because I still have a shadow tip line for the Calypso pack¡®s bounty on Vna wolves. You¡®re not as safe here as you think. Someone reported you.¡± ¡°But you just said you didn¡®t know I was here.¡± I remind him. He cuts his eyes to Drake. ¡°Are there any other Vnas in the pack?¡± Pances through me there is one other Vna wolf living in Asphodel, one I would do absolutely anything to protect. Along with Bastien¡®s absence, realizing my baby inherited the Vna gene was the only cloud over the happiest day of my life. L is still too little to understand what it means to be a Vna, or for any of her ymates to know she¡®s different, but when Iy awake at night worrying as every mother does, this is the exact scenario which terrifies me most. The idea that ise might find out about L, that anyone might hurt her for the blood I passed down to her, is my worst nightmare. Being reported myself used to petrify me, but now I find myself praying that I was the one who was reported. Anything so long as it wasn¡¯t L. ¡°No.¡± Drake lies smoothly, not even ncing my way. ¡°There are no other Vnas in Asphodel.¡± Bastien¡¯s focus returns to me, a look of grim determination set on his face. ¡°Then you were the she-wolf they reported, and you are also the only true Vna that has ever been reported to the line in more than three years.¡± He shares. ¡°We have to assume you¡¯re on the Calypsos¡¯ radar, and we have to find out who called in the tip.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 43 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Vna Child Third POV A decade of nning, three and a half years of hard work, and it might all be undone by a fucking tip line. I¡¯ve gottenx,zy and discouraged by my ns¡¯ low yields. Somehow I missed the developments in the Calypso pack, the search for Vna wolves that could return Selene to Bastien¡¯s orbit. In some ways it was inevitable. Bastien was bound to visit Erosnds one day, but I always imagined i¡¯d have time to prepare, time to obscure Selene¡¯s presence in Asphodel and erase her scent. I would have been able to hide her, if I¡¯d only had the time. Granted, it¡¯s not as if things were going off without a hitch before. In fact, Bastien has proved to be imminently more resilient than I predicted. Rather than crumpling under grief and the crushing pressure of leadership, he¡¯s persevered, growing even stronger and sharper than before. Maybe I should have killed Selene after all. If Bastien¡¯s mate had truly died he would never have been able to recover, let alone make aeback. Even so, I could not bring myself to destroy such an innocent life, no matter her rtionship with my cousin. She understands what it¡¯s like to have everything stolen. She understands having to rebuild a life from scratch, and not having any power or control in your own fate. Not like Bastien and his father, not like the Betas and leaders of the Nova Pack who have never wanted for anything, who have known only power and privilege. They owe their entire lives to idents of fate, lucking out by being born first or being born wealthy. It¡¯s not as if I was born without any advantages myself, or like I haven¡¯t enjoyed any turns of good luck. The difference is that I have also lost. I paid costs no one should bear, despite deserving so much better. I may be at the top of my game, but I could have achieved so much more by now if I was leading the Novas; they are the most powerful pack on the continent, second only to the Calypsos. At their helm I could turn one pack into an empire. One day soon I will see the fruits of mybor, when I finally destroy my cousin and take my rightful ce as Elysium¡¯s Alpha. But first I have to find a way to get Selene away from Bastien, and make sure he never learns about L. I need him weak and vulnerable, to take away his reasons to live- not give him more to hang onto. I don¡¯t understand the Calypsos¡¯ hunt for Vna wolves, but I don¡¯t particrly care about that ¨C so long as Selene is far away from Bastien. She¡¯s going to have to leave Eros territory, at least for a little while. I hate to see her start over yet again, but she¡¯s done it twice already ¨C what¡®s one more time? Bastien¡®s POV ¡°How do we know you aren¡®t saying all this to scare me intoing back to Elysium? Selene questions, her slender arms wrapped protectively around herself. Axel is pulling at my limbs, it¡¯s our job to soothe her, she shouldn¡¯t have tofort herself. If we go near her now she¡¯ll spook. I argue. He refuses to listen. She has her wolf again. He purrs, sending out waves of affection to the animal lurking beneath the tiny brte¡®s skin. She can feel the bond. Selene stiffens slightly, narrowing her eyes in my direction and shifting restlessly. Feeling it doesn¡®t seem to be softening her up. Cavanaugh has been lying to her, whispering all sorts of vile conspiracies in her ear. Axel asserts fiercely, we just have to exin. It¡¯s not just Cavanaugh. I admit ruefully, alive or dead, we still parted on very bad terms. We have to fight. Of course we¡®re going to fight for her. I growl, cutting Axel off. We simply can¡¯t do it the way we used to. She¡¯s grown up: she¡¯s stronger now, more sure of herself. I¡¯m afraid the days of cuddling her into submission are gone. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lie about this.¡± I admonish the usation with stern rebuke, ¡°you know better than to think I¡¯d ever frighten you for my own gain.¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± Drake steps forward with raised palms, ¡°Slow down and back up. Why are the Calypsos after Vna wolves? I return my attention to Selene, closely studying her countenance. ¡°Does he know?¡± My mate averts her gaze, shaking her head and biting her lip. ¡°Do you want to tell him? I prompt, stepping nearer. Luminous two-toned eyes travel between us, and I can feel her uncertainty as if it¡¯s my own. After a long moment with no resolution, I decide, ¡°If you¡¯re this unsure, the answer is no. This isn¡¯t something you take chances on.¡± ¡°Would one of you please exin what¡®s going on here?¡± Drake grouses. *All you need to know is that ise Denizen has bounty out for information on Vna wolves. He¡¯s been looking for one for years and if he finds Selene, he will kill her.¡± Drake¡¯s eyes leap to Selene. ¡°There¡¯s been a bounty on you all this time and you never told me? Ha. Axel says smugly, Not so close now, are you swamp boy? ¡°I forgot.¡± If she tried telling me such a tant lie, i¡¯d threaten to put her over my knee, but somehow I don¡¯t mind her disrespecting the Eros Alpha this way. ¡°Why would he kill her?¡± Drake demands of me. ¡°Because he¡®s a rabid dog without a leash.¡± I summarize coldly. ¡°When I discovered the bounty I set up a shadow system so that we could intercept anyone trying to turn in a Vna before Denizen¡®s own search could spread to this part of the continent.¡± ¡°You kept it going all this time? Selene interrupts abruptly, finally registering my earlier words with an odd catch in her voice. *As I said, none of the reports we¡®ve received have ever identified a true Vna.¡± I exin. ¡°But yes, I kept it going just in case.¡± And thank the Goddess you did. Axel exalts. Drake opens his mouth to speak, but Selene is still looking at me with wide, wary eyes. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exin that and much more if you¡®d only give me the chance, little wolf.¡± I offer earnestly. Instantly throwing up the walls which had surrounded her since we first reunited in the garden, Selene straightens up and glowers at me, ignoring my words. ¡°So you¡®re telling me that a member of my pack tried to report Selene to a homicidal maniac in exchange for money? Drake demands. ¡°In their defense, they probably don¡®t know Denizen is homicidal.¡± I concede. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I find it hard to believe anyone calls that kind of line thinking good things are going to result.¡± Drake snarks, ¡°Did you trace the number?¡± ¡°That¡®s why we¡®re here.¡± I begin, changing my mind halfway through the thought, *Or it was. Now that I know my wife is alive there are a few other things I¡®d like to work out first.¡± ¡°Ex¨Cwife.¡± Selene and Drake correct in unison. Though I have plenty of anger for my mate at this moment, she isn¡®t the one I turn on. ¡°Stay out of this. I bark at Cavanaugh, ¡°I¡¯ll stay part of this until Selene asks me to do otherwise.¡® He answers, moving around his desk to stand in front of me. Which, if you hadn¡¯t noticed, she isn¡¯t doing.¡± Almost a full head taller than the Eros wolf, I take great pleasure in towering over him, exuding undiluted menace, ¡°Selene isn¡¯t the one you should be worried about right now.¡± I instruct ominously, in fact, she isn¡®t yours to worry about ever.¡± ¡°She chose me.¡± Drake proims with bared fangs, ¡°That means she is.¡± ¡°I would be very careful if I were you, Cavanaugh.¡± I snarl, you¡®reing dangerously close to challenging me for my mate and ! guarantee that isn¡®t a fight you can win.¡± Before any more threats can be spoken, Aiden and Donavon enter with Drake¡®s Beta, Hugo. ¡°Enough of this. Donavon growls, fulfilling his inherent role as pack mediator. ¡°Swinging your dicks around isn¡®t helping anything, and it¡¯s especially not helping Selene.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to help Selene when he won¡¯t tell me why Denizen wants them?¡± Drake hisses. ¡°We don¡¯t know that either-¡± Aiden starts, trailing off and surveying the Eros Alpha curiously. ¡°Why did you say ¡®them? ¡°What?¡± Drake¡¯s eyes widen almost imperceptibly, betraying the falsehood in his answer, ¡°I meant Vnas as a whole.¡± Donavon swears under his breath, and Aiden turns to face me with the bearing of an exhausted soldier. ¡°Alpha,¡± He sighs, ¡°We all forgot ¨C in the excitement about Selene. the report wasn¡¯t just about a woman.¡± I finish the thought for him, a sense of foreboding spreading through my limbs. ¡°It was a mother and child.¡± As one, we turn to look at Selene, finding only an empty office and a very smug looking Cavanaugh. She¡®s gone. Selene¡®s POV At first I hadn¡®t realized what Drake was doing when he joined my rebuttal about the status of my marriage, but as soon as Bastien turned away from me, I understood. If there¡¯s one sure fire way to distract an Alpha, it¡¯s to provoke their possessive instincts regarding their mate, and my friend¡¯s willingness to enrage a bigger, stronger wolf gave me time to slip away. By the time I get to the apartment I¡¯ve changed routes andid so many false trails i¡¯m actually a bit afraid the Nova wolves might have beaten me home, but I¡¯m counting on Drake to safeguard my location and force Bastien and his men to track me the old fashioned way. I push into the apartment with a sigh of relief, dropping my keys on the table by the door and kneeling to intercept the tiny bundle of love already rushing my legs. I scoop up my giggling daughter, my heart swelling with happiness despite the urgency of our situation I¡®ll never get used to the rush of joy I feel every time I return home after being parted from her, as if it¡¯s been years and not hours since Ist cuddled her. Hello my sweet pup. I croon, breathing in her perfect scent as I drop a few kisses to her hair. ¡°I missed you. Did you have fun with Mrs. Brooks?¡± The babysitter stands on cue, tidying up the kitchen table and smiling over at me. She was a doll. The elder woman reports, gathering her bag. ¡°Same time tomorrow?¡± ¡°No actually. I correct ¡°I¡¯ve decided to take the weekend off, but I¡¯ll call you about next week. I promise. As soon as the door closes behind her, I look into the miniature mirror¨Cimage in my arms. L really is my carbon copy, in all ways but one. She has my hair and eyes, my skin and bone structure, my voice but her expressions and mannerisms are all Bastien¡¯s. I¡¯m not sure how it happened, after all, aren¡®t those traits learned rather than inherited? Apparently not because though my own features are gazing up at me, they¡®re wearing Bastien¡®s smile. It strikes me today more than ever. I still can¡®t believe he¡®s here, and I can¡®t believe how viciously Luna has been fighting me to be near him. Even now, holding the most important thing in my world, she comins. I want to go back, she whines, I miss him. You don¡¯t know him well enough to miss him. I snipe internally, I do and I promise, you don¡®t Liar I stride into the nursery, setting L down and beginning to throw clothes and toys into a bag while she tells me about her day in half¨Cformed sentences and misshapen words. As much as I usually adore this part of the day, right now I don¡¯t have an inch of brain space to focus on tales of coloring, puzzles and petting 2005. I have to figure out my next steps. I know we have to get out of the house, but I don¡¯t have the first idea where to go. My immediate concern is Bastien, but there¡¯s also the Calypsos to worry about. What are we going to do? What are we going to do The words y over and over in my head. Go back to Bastien Luna offers unhelpfully. Our mate will protect us. Our mate¡± didn¡¯t want me at my worst, he doesn¡¯t get to have me at my best. I argue. My phone pings, and I scramble to open the screen certain Drake is texting me with a warning about the Novans in instead I find instructions of a different kind. Get out of Asphodel. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. A car and driver will be waiting at the furstnd crossing out of the Lethe Lagoon. Take the car leave the driver. The GPS has been pre programmed with an address known only by me, follow the directions and drive to the intended locatam Secure safe house has been prepared for your arrival. The residence is equipped with one month¡¯s worth of supplies. Do not leave until the all clear has been given. Further instructions will arrive as events develop. Be safe. Mommy. A little voice sounds to my right Are Isten? I¡®m sorry angel, Mommy was distracted. I confess with a gentle smile Till tell you what if you can y by yourself for a few minutes, then we can go for a car ride and you can tell me absolutely everything about your day. ¡°Car ride?¡± She squeaks excitedly her blue and violet eyes wide and excited Cars are such a rarity in Asphodel that even a short trip out of the marsh can be truly thrilling. That¡®s right. I grin. in fact, we might be in the car for a very long time. Bastien¡¯s POV By the time I track down Selene¡®s apartment they¡®re already long gone. After my mate snuck out of the Pack House and left me squabbling with her new Well, whatever Drake is to her, my Betas reminder about the full extent of the tip we received threw me through a loop. I¡¯d been so stunned to learn Selene was alive that everything that¡®s happened in recent months flew out of my head. Even after I remembered the reason we came to Asphodel, my thoughts were too scattered to recall everything. Axel had immediately started vying to chase after Selene, but all I had time to do was send out a mentalmand to one of my sentries with orders to track her. I tumed on Cavanaugh then I thought you said Selene was the only Vna in the territory?¡± ¡°I did. He confirmed curtly. *Then there isn¡®t a Vna child in Asphodel?¡± Aiden rified. *Listen, I don¡®t know what all your tipprised, but you said yourself that there have been a great many false sightings or mistaken reports.¡± He shrugged, ¡°For all we know the tipster saw Selene standing next to a kid in a shop and assumed it was hers. It does not escape me that he has not truly answered the question. ¡°Why did Selene run out of here the way she did? ¡°You¡®ll have to ask her that.¡± He smirks, ¡°If you can find her.¡± In the end it took my sentries three hours to find Selene¡®s home. In the three years since we parted my little wolf has learned a thing or two about evasive maneuvers and I can¡®t deny part of me is proud of how difficult it was to track her. We found the cafe first, where I lingered to stare at the photo of the venue¡®s grand opening. Selene stood beaming next to the Alpha and his family, appearing almost exactly as she had when I saw her last, Other photos surrounded the first of notable visitors, special events and staff birthdays. The changes in my mate became more visible with every new snapshot as she transformed from haunted halfling to confident she wolf. My men scoured the space while I gazed dumbly at my beautiful, lost little wolf, wondering why she never talked about opening a cafe, or even working in Elysium. After it became clear she had not been to work in tours, we continued down the road to a modest apartment building covered in her scent. We were on the stairs the first time I caught a whiff of a new aroma: like Selene, but decidedly not. The same delicate blend of snow and flowers, muddled with balsam and ash. Axel perked up at the first trace. What is that? I think you mean, who is that. We have to find it. He urges. It feels important. By the time we entered the apartment, the second scent had risen to equal the strength of my mates as deeply ingrained in the home as she is. Clearing the rooms one by one, we confirmed what was already obvious, Selene is not here. I moved through her cozy home even more slowly than I explored her cafe, taking in every sight, every detail. Her life here is so different than our life was in Elysium. I¡¯m beginning to think I was an even worse husband than I knew. Was this what she always wanted and I just never saw? Never listened? Axel has been whining from the moment we stepped inside, from the moment I realized to whom the second scent must belong It¡®s obvious a child lives here. Even if it were not for the toys and sippy cups scattered through the home, the photos reveal ail. Selene, glistening with sweat and exuding pure bliss as she cradles a newborn in the hospital a baby with two different colored. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 44 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Escape Selene¡¯s POV At first I hadn¡¯t realized what Drake was doing when he joined my rebuttal about the status of my marriage, but as soon as Bastien turned away from me, I understood. If there¡¯s one sure-fire way to distract an Alpha, it¡¯s to provoke their possessive instincts regarding their mate, and my friend¡¯s willingness to enrage a bigger, stronger wolf gave me time to slip away. By the time I get to the apartment I¡¯ve changed routes andid so many false trails I¡¯m actually a bit afraid the Nova wolves might have beaten me home, but I¡¯m counting on Drake to safeguard my location and force Bastien and his men to track me the old fashioned way. I push into the apartment with a sigh of relief, dropping my keys on the table by the door and kneeling to intercept the tiny bundle of love already rushing my legs. I scoop up my giggling daughter, my heart swelling with happiness despite the urgency of our situation. I¡¯ll never get used to the rush of joy I feel every time I return home after being parted from her, as if it¡¯s been years and not hours sincest cuddled her. ¡°Hello my sweet pup.¡± I croon, breathing in her perfect scent as I drop a few kisses to her hair.,1 missed you. Did you have fun with Mrs. Brooks?¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. The babysitter stands on cue, tidying up the kitchen table and smiling over at me. ¡°She was a doll.¡± The elder woman reports, gathering her bag. ¡°Same time tomorrow?¡± ¡°No actually.¡± I correct, ¡°I¡¯ve decided to take the weekend off, but I¡¯ll call you about next week.¡± I promise. As soon as the door closes behind her, I look into the miniature mirror-image in my arms. L really is my carbon copy, in all ways but one: She has my hair and eyes, my skin and bone structure, my voice but her expressions and mannerisms are all Bastien¡¯s. I m not sure how it happened, after all, aren¡¯t those traits learned rather than inherited? Apparently not, because though my own features are gazing up at me, they¡¯re wearing Bastien¡¯s smile. It strikes me today more than ever. I still can¡¯t believe he¡¯s here, and I can¡¯t believe how viciously Luna has been fighting me to be near him. Even now, holding the most important thing in my world, she comins. I want to go back, she whines, I miss him. You don¡¯t know him well enough to miss him. I snipe internally, I do and I promise, you don¡¯t Liar stride into the nursery, setting L down and beginning to throw clothes and toys into a bag while she tells me about her day in half-formed entences and misshapen words. As much as I usually adore this part of the day, right now I don¡¯t have an inch of brain space to focus on tales of coloring, puzzles and petting zoos. I have to figure out my next steps. I know we have to get out of the house, but I don¡¯t have the first idea where to go. My immediate concern is Bastien, but there¡¯s also the Calypsos to worry about. What are we going to do? What are we going to do? The words y over and over in my head. Go back to Bastien. Luna offers unhelpfully. Our mate will protect us. Our ¡°mate¡± didn¡¯t want me at my worst, he doesn¡¯t get to have me at my best. I argue. My phone pings, and I scramble to open the screen, certain Drake is texting me with a warning about the Novans imminent arrival. Instead I find instructions of a different kind. Get out of Asphodel. A car and driver will be waiting at the firstnd crossing out of the Lethe Lagoon. Take the car, leave the driver. The GPS has been pre-programmed with an address known only by me, follow the directions and drive to the intended location. A secure safe house has been prepared for your arrival The residence is equipped with one month¡¯s worth of supplies. Do not leave until the ¡°all clear¡± has been given. Further instructions will arrive as events develop be sale. Mommy,¡± A little voice sounds to my right, ¡°Are listen?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry angel, Mommy was distracted.¡± | confess with a gentle smile, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what. If you can y by yourself for a few minutes, then we can go for a car ride, and you can tell me absolutely everything about your day¡± ¡°Car ride?!¡± She squeaks excitedly, her blue and violet eyes wide and excited Cars are such a rarity in Asphodel that even a short trip out of the marsh can be truly thrilling. ¡°That¡¯s right¡± | grin, ¡°in fact, we might be in the car for a very long time.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV By the time I track down Selene¡¯s apartment, they¡¯re already long gone. After my mate snuck out of the Pack House and left me squabbling with her new well, whatever Drake is to her, my Betas¡¯ reminder about the full extent of the tip we received threw me through a loop. I¡¯d been so stunned to learn Selene was alive that everything that¡¯s happened in recent months flew out of my head. Even after I remembered the reason we came to Asphodel, my thoughts were too scattered to recall everything. Axel had immediately started vying to chase after Selene, but all I had time to do was send out a mentalmand to one of my sentries with orders to track her. I turned on Cavanaugh then, ¡°I thought you said Selene was the only Vna in the territory?¡± ¡°I did.¡± He confirmed curtly. ¡°Then there isn¡¯t a Vna child in Asphodel?¡± Aiden rified. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t know what all your tipprised, but you said yourself that there have been a great many false sightings or mistaken reports.¡± He shrugged, ¡°For all we know the tipster saw Selene standing next to a kid in a shop and assumed it was hers.¡± It does not escape me that he has not truly answered the question, ¡°Why did Selene run out of here the way she did?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to ask her that.¡± He smirks, ¡°If you can find her.¡± In the end it took my sentries three hours to find Selene¡¯s home. In the three years since we parted, my little wolf has learned a thing or two about evasive maneuvers, and I can¡¯t deny part of me is proud of how difficult it was to track her We found the cafe first, where I lingered to stare at the photo of the venue¡¯s grand opening Selene stood beaming next to the Alpha and his family, appearing almost exactly as she had when I saw her last. Other photos surrounded the first of notable visitors. special events and staff birthdays. The changes in my mole became more visible with every new snapshot, as she transformed from haunted halfling to confident she wolf. My men soured the space while I gazed dumbly at my beautiful, lost little wolf, wondering why she never talked about openinga cafe, or even working in Elysium. After it became clear she had not been to work in hours, we continued down the road to a modest apartment building covered in her scent. We were on the stairs the first time I caught a whiff of a new aroma like Selene, but decidedly not. The same delicate blend of snow ard flowers, muddled with balsam and ash. Axel perked up at the first trace, What is that? I think you mean, who is that. We have to find it He urges. It feels important By the time we entered the apartment, the second scent had risen to equal the strength of my mates, as deeply ingrained in the home as she is clearing the rooms one by one, we confirmed what was already obvious, Selene is not here. I moved through her cozy home even more slowly than I explored her cafe, taking in every sight, every detail. Her life here is so different than our life was in Elysium I¡¯m beginning to think I was an even worse husband than I knew. Was this what she always wanted, and I just never saw? Never listened? Brel has been whining from the moment we stepped inside, from the moment I realized to whom the second scent must belong it ? WXpus a child lives here Even if it were not for the toys and sippy cups scattered through the home, the photos reveal all Selene, with sweat and exuding pure bliss as she cradles a newborn in the hospital, a baby with two different colored eyes, Chen with thay care and a blown out candle in the shape of a one, my beloved mate cuddled up with a toddler at yuletide, a r there could be no doubting they were mother and daughter me from down a long hallway, and I follow the sound until I¡¯standing beside him in the doorway of a nursery,plete with a mural of the full moon over Elysium. I turn to Drake Cavanaugh, consumed by a riot of emotions too numerous to settle on just one. ¡°No Vna children in Asphodel, huh?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 45 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 45 Chapter 45 On the Run Selene¡®s POV By now they¡¯ll have found the apartment. By now Bastien will know about L. Will he know she¡¯s his? Will he recognize his own scent, like a bonfire in the nighttime forest, blended with my own through the apartment? Will Drake be safe at my mate¡®s mercy now the truth is out? I nce at my daughter in the rearview mirror, counting down the minutes until we finally reach the safehouse. She¡¯s cozy in her carseat, ying with the cloth dolll gifted her at the equinox, babbling away happily in her own specialnguage. We¡®ve been driving for more than two hours, and I¡¯m beginning to worry that I haven¡¯t heard from Drake yet. Surely he should have been in contact by now? Surely he should have checked in to make sure we made it to the meetup with his driver and were on the road. ¡°Mommy,¡° L asks, catching me watching her. ¡°Where we going? ¡°We¡®re going on an adventure.¡± I answer, pushing away my worries and adopting a light hearted tone. Her tiny nose crinkles. ¡°What¡®s an venture?¡± ¡°It¡¯s when you go somewhere new, and have exciting and unexpected experiences.¡± I exin, and do things you¡®ve never done before, and..?* Run away from ex¨Chusbands and psychopathic dictators, my unhelpful thoughts suggest. ¡°Lots of things.¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights. L hums thoughtfully, staring out the window as thendscape whizzes by. ¡°Where¡¯s Rake?¡± She wonders, using her baby name for the Eros Alpha. ¡°Uncle Drake is with¡­¡± What do you call the father of a three-year-old who doesn¡¯t know he exists? ¡°A friend of ours.¡± She perks up automatically. ¡°ying?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Itch onto the description. ¡°They¡¯re ying¡­ keep away.¡± ¡°With a toy?¡± L suggests eagerly. With great effort, I manage to keep the bitter sarcasm out of my voice, ¡°With something our friend treated like a toy.¡± I can¡¯t keep the smile from my face as I watch her intent expression. ¡°And with something else, much more precious.¡± ¡°I wanna y!¡± L exims, buying my flimsy falsehoods as only a child could.. ¡°We¡¯ll y all you want when we get to¡­¡± Our fully furnished padded cell, intended to keep out serial killers and mad ax men, ¡°the castle.¡± ¡°We¡®re going to a castle?!¡± She squeals. Whoops. ¡°Well not a real one.¡± I hedge, not wanting to get her hopes up. ¡°Not like the ones from your books, but it¡¯s very high up and very safe, just like a castle. They were built so that no one who wasn¡¯t invited in, could ever enter. We¡¯re going somece just like that.¡± At least, I hope we are. I can¡¯t be certain how secure the home is until we arrive, and I have a bad feeling that if Bastien tracks us here, no security measures in existence will keep him out. Which is why we should be with him, instead of alone in the middle of nowhere. Would you please give it a rest, Luna? I beg. I know you¡¯re mad at me, I know you want Bastien, but you weren¡¯t there when we were together. You don¡¯t know what it was like, and L is more important. L is the most important thing in the world. Luna agrees. I¡¯m already waiting for the other shoe to drop. Luna has been impossible from the moment she caught sight of our mate, and I¡¯m certain her agreement is a misdirect. She doesn¡¯t disappoint. And her father is the only other person who could understand that the way we do. At best her father would use her to trap us, at worst he would im her for himself and take her away from us. Is that what you Waansowe energy. wwdamental part of ou bene i never shifted when I reached physical maturity, blocked by the poison I never came into my power out of her that part of my magle Now I¡¯m grown and inally have an intact soul, but some wounds are too deep to heal. I never hinter te wolf hin, Ani probably never will most of the Ilmei¡¯m so happy to be whole again that I don¡¯t feel any more for the lone but Huht about how I¡¯d give my left arm to transfom no matter how painful the procese. As the sun is the car¡¯s headlights are automatically, and only ntieen minutester, the ope pinge. Mounding the final bend in the road, a fortress like housees into view, shielded on all sides by thick stone walle I pull into the we and put the car park jumping out of the vehicle as soon as I can, and gathering L to explore our new residence. I¡¯m running out of patience, Cavanaugh ¡°I growi, ¡°I know you know where she io¡± We¡¯re back in the Alpha¡¯s offee, pacing around each other like etteling vultures, each overflowing with rage, worry and resentment. I haven¡¯t had time to process all the revtions we discovered in Selene¡¯s apartment, least of which is the fact that she has a chiha i don¡¯t know much about children, but if I had to guess, her little girl is close to three years old, That would mean that Selene was either pregnant when she left Elyalum, orale became pregnant shortly thereafter. Is it possible i¡¯m a father? Woulinti have smelled the change in her, even if the pregnancy was in its early stages? More importantly, if I¡¯m not the father, who is 7 Selene was impossibly sheltered before escaping Carriok, and has always been terribly skittish around men. Drake Cavanaugh would be the likeliest candidate, but if he fathered a child with my mate, why aren¡¯t they living together? Why isn¡¯t he in the photos/Why hasn¡¯t he marked her? In the end it doesn¡¯t matter who fathered her child It¡¯s still an innocent in need of protection, and one created by the love of my lite, a miracle of her creation Just looking at the angelle little face in the photos makes me want to rip Cavanaugh limb from limb for endangering her fore keeping them from me is doing just that toki you when you arrived that protect the privacy of my pack members,¡± Drake bites back. ¡°I produced Selene so you could see she was not being held under duress, but that is the extent of my responsibility¡± ¡°Like hell¡±i thunder ¡°She¡¯s being hunted by¡±. ¡°Hy a husband she does not wanti¡± Drake bellows, ¡°You need to ept it, Bastien. You had your chance, and you threw it away You mistreated and neglected her, you chose a cruel, vapid socialite over the woman created for you by the Goddess herself You have only yourself to me.¡± ¡°You speak or what you do not know!¡± I hieg, ¡°I never looked at another woman, from the first moment I saw Golene I loved her with every Aber of my being¡± i profess, my throat burning, ¡°But she lost her wolf and couldn¡¯t feel our bond soll, i loved her so much I was willing to let her go. I didn¡¯t do it in time, but I was going to.¡± ¡°Oh and I suppose that now she has her wolf back, you think she¡¯s just going to fall into your armo,¡± Drake scoffs in disgust. ¡°This isn¡¯t about us!¡± i thunder ¡°This is about the fact that someone in your pack tried to report a woman you¡¯re supposed to be protecting and her daughter to a man who would kill her.¡± Alden and Donavon have ceased trying to hold me back instead standing by to watch and mop up the blood when it inevitably spille. ¡°You¡¯ve falled them both. You are not oquipped to protect them, and it¡¯s time you sacrifice your pride and let someone who is capable take over!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough. ¡°Drake nods to his guards, ¡°You might be the Alpha in Elysium, but I am Alpha here, and no one speaks to me this way, no matter their excuse ¡°I can see the sentries approaching in my periphery, bracing myself for an imminent attack, ¡°Take Me Durand into oustody, let¡¯s see if some time in a cell doesn¡¯t cool his temper¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to regret thig, ¡°I caution Cavanaugh as his men move in. ¡°I¡¯m going to find Selene, one way or another I¡¯m telling. ¡°Famousst words.¡± Drake drawls, giving the signal to attack. Wolves fly at me from all directions, determined to restrain me and take me into custody. Unfortunately for them. I¡¯m not just an Alpha who¡¯s lost his temper. I¡¯m an Alpha who¡¯s been separated from his mate, and they now stand between us. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 46 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Selene¡®s POV We should have heard something by now. Luna huffs as I scrub dishes in the kitchen sink. After a simple dinner and a quick bath, L curled up on the sofa to watch her favorite show while I clean up. It¡®s amazing how unfazed she is by the sudden change in scenery and my undoubtedly tense energy. No news is good news. I tell my wolf, focusing on the ss in my hand. Especially when ites to Bastien. He¡®s going to be furious, you know. She cautions, not sounding the least bit concerned. That only matters if he finds us. I remind her coolly. Oh he will. Luna remarks smugly, he always will. You know you¡®re supposed to be on my side, Iin. I am.I want what¡®s best for you. She adds. Bastien is what¡®s best I throw my hands up in exasperation, sending water and suds flying. You¡®re impossible. And you¡®re in denial. A giggle sounds from behind me. ¡°You made a mess, Mommy¡± Turning to find my young daughter standing behind me watching my temper tantrum, rather than safely ensconced in the couch cushions, I paste on a smile. ¡°You¡®re right.¡± I agree. ¡°Mommy did make a mess.¡± ¡°Have to clean up your messes.¡± She advises sagely. ¡°That¡®s the rule.¡± I adopt a pitiful pout. ¡°You don¡®t want to clean it for me?¡± The little tyrant puts her foot down. ¡°Uh¨Cuh, your sponsibilty.¡± Throwing my head back with a dramatic groan, I surrender. ¡°Fiiiinnnee.¡± L¡®s giggling again. The sweet sound is music to my ears, the perfect balm for the stress of reuniting with Bastien. I¡®m still reeling, and beginning to think I¡®ll never stand on solid ground again. What am I supposed to do now? My entire life is in Asphodel: my business, my friends, L¡®s ymates and babysitters. I can¡®t pretend life in the Eros pack has been perfect far from it. The wolves here were distrustful of me from the beginning. They saw only a halfling; a single mother who seemingly had the future Alpha wrapped around her finger. The she wolves hated me, and the men wouldn¡®t go near me for fear of angering Drake. Things got a little better after I opened the cafe. Good food and regr interactions convinced people I was not an incurable outcast, and once I made it clear I had no designs on bing the Alpha¡®s consort, I was practically epted as one of the pack. But fitting in and belonging are two very different things. There are times I find Asphodel truly enchanting; during the equinox festivals when bonfires are set afloat through the canals, or when the marsh freezes in winter, and the entire wends be a giant skating rink. If nothing else, this ce will always be special to me because it is where L was born and spent her first years, not to mention where I found my independence. Yet deep down I know it isn¡®t the ce I¡®m meant to be. I am a mountain wolf, made for evergreen forests and fresh alpine air. Asphodel¡®s sprawling mangroves are not my element, no matter how enchanting the glitteringgoons, soothing tides, and bountiful wildlife may be. In secret i pine for Elysium. Despite every terrible memory the city holds for me, there is no denying one¡®s true nature, and mine yearns for home. I think you¡®re forgetting something, princess. Luna interjects. You¡®re not really a Nova wolf. You¡®re a Calypso, remember? Rolling my eyes, I brush off her quip. Same difference, I was born and raised there. That¡®s one exnation. She purrs. Would you like to hear another? I don¡®t even have to think about it. No. Unsurprisingly, she ignores me. You don¡¯t miss Elysium, you miss your mate. Oh put a sock in it already. The attack is as brutal as it is ill¨Cnned. Cavanaugh¡®s wolves descend on me like a pack of rabid dogs, but they¡®re no match for Aiden, Donavon and me. It¡®s disgraceful really, that the Alpha should set his men on us without joining the fight himself. Not 10 mention thepleteck of sportsmanship in setting 12 wolves upon 3. Cavanaugh leaves before the fight is over, either heading for Selene or just seeking to escape the brawl. In truth, I¡®m astonished by his behavior. I always liked Drake, at least, I thought I did. I¡®ve never seen this side of him before, and never imagined he would be a threat to my rtionship with Selene. He¡®s certainly handsome enough, but he¡®s Alpha of a far weaker pack and no great protector. Drake¡®s greatest asset is his brain ¨C not that there¡®s anything wrong with that, it simply isn¡®t enough when it When did Selene and Drake even have asion to form such a friendship? Wasn¡®t my father¡®s birthday the first time they met? Is it possible he could have been the man she described being in love with since she was a child? I suppose it¡®s possible, but if that was the case, why aren¡®t they together now? I continue running through the possibilities as the Eros wolves mount a fresh assault with reinforcements from a lower floor. Frankly, the fact that I¡®m able to perform my mental gymnastics amidst a bloody fight only goes to show how mismatched we are to our opponents. Once the floor is littered with unconscious wolves, my Betas and I depart the Pack House with great haste. Selene fled hours ago, she could be hundreds of miles away by now. ¡°How the hell are we going to find her?¡± | breathe. With a truly devious grin, Aiden pulls a sleek ck cell phone from his pocket. ¡°How much do you want to bet Selene¡®s phone is set to share her location with Cavanaugh?¡± ¡°How did you get that?¡± Donavon asks in astonishment. ¡°The asshole was so distracted insulting you, he forgot he left his phone on his desk.¡± My friendughs, ¡°Even if they don¡®t have location sharing activated, the number is enough to track it as long as it¡®s turned on.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°How soon can we get into it?¡± I question, my voice gruff from excitement rather than anger. ¡°It¡®s already done.¡± His fangs gleam in the fading sunlight, ¡°For a smart guy, he¡®s not very good at shielding his screen when he enters his passcode.¡± A wave of pure pride and sweet relief washes over me. I grab Aiden by the shoulders, shaking him excitedly. ¡°I could kiss you!¡± He shrugs me off with a chuckle, ¡°save that for your mate.¡± Four hours, and still no word from Drake. Part of me worries that something¡®s happened to him, after all the text I received promised further instructions would be provided once we were here. Surely Bastien wouldn¡®t have killed him. I worry in my head, killing another Alpha would mean taking over their pack. It¡®s not something one takes lightly, even at the height of passion. I would feel safer if I could disconnect my phone, but that would make it impossible for Drake to reach me. And anyway, it¡®s not like Bastien has my phone number. Unless of course he killed Drake and took his phone. Luna suggests, ¡°Oh god.¡± I whisper, ncing down at L to make sure the quiet words didn¡®t wake her. We¡®re lying on the couch and she¡®s sound asleep, stretched out on top of me like a ragdoll. The television ys on low in the baokground, doubtless the only sound for miles fucked away in the silent hills between Eros and Vega territory, the safehouse is so well hidden I had a hard time finding it even with directione While I appreciate that being so remote makes it more difficult to find, I¡®m painfully aware that the seclusion also F ans there¡®s nowhere to run and no one to hear your screams if it is discovered. Well aren¡®t you just a little ray of sunshine? Luna remarks sardonically, Well forgive me if bounties on our heads and vendetta¨Cmad Alphas haven¡®t put me in a particrly cheerful mood. I bite back. Oh rx, Luna grouses, he¡®s almost here anyway. ¡°What?!¡± This time my voice does wake L, since I all but screamed in her little ear. She looks up at me in bleary¨Ceyed confusion and I want nothing more than to soothe her and send her back to sleep, but Luna¡®s words have to take precedence. What in the Goddess¡®s name are you talking about? I hiss. Can¡®t you feel him? She inquires nonchntly. I sensed his wolf more than two minutes ago. How close does he have to be for you to sense hi Before I can get the thought out, a car door ms outside, followed by three sets of heavy footsteps. I jolt to my feet, carrying L with me and looking frantically around the safehouse. It¡®s an open floorn and clearly not intended for more than one person to inhabit, given the only room with walls and a door is the bathroom Deciding I¡®d rather keep L close to me than trying to hide her, I dart into the far corner, pushing her small body behind me and whispering, ¡°We¡®re going to y a game now, sweetheart. You have to be very quiet and very still. Pretend you¡®re a statue, can you do that for me?¡± She opens her mouth to answer but I hold up a finger to my lips, and she purses her lips tight, nodding in agreement. ¡°Good girl.¡± The front door was locked and deadbolted, but it only takes Bastien and his Betas a moment to break past those defenses. My heart thunders in my chest, galloping and stalling in turn, unsure whether to be excited or terrified. It¡®s not so difficult with Luna and I, it¡®s definitely clear which one of us is happy to see him and which is petrified. As Bastien towers in the doorway, his silver eyes glowing with barely contained fury, I realize it¡®s all over. Everything I¡®ve worked for these past three years is already lost; every tear I¡®ve shed and sacrifice I¡®ve made has all been for nothing. I¡®ve done everything I can to avoid ever finding myself in this precise situation, but in the end, I still landed right here: trapped in a corner, with nowhere to run. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 47 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Bastien¡®s POV The first thing I see is the fear on Selene¡®s face. Fear I hate myself for causing. She¡®s backed into a corner, appearing so much more like the lost little wolf I pulled from a tree, than the confident woman I met today. It takes all my strength to pull my eyes from Selene¡®s haunted expression and survey the rest of the scene, at which point I realize why she¡®s in the corner. The tiny body is visible even now, with pint¨C sized hands clutching her skirt and a gleaming pair of two¨Ctoned eyes peeking out from behind her leg. Mate, Axel croons with satisfaction. And mate¡®s pup. Mine, both mine. We don¡®t know who that pup belongs to yet. I caution him, though I cannot help but feel drawn to the tiny creature in a way I can¡®t exin I don¡®t care who she belonged to. He growls. I saw her. I like her. She¡®s mine now. That¡®s not how it works. I admonish him. Unable to assuage her curiosity, the little girl pokes her head out of hiding, and Selene stiffens reflexively. Waving off my men, 1 stride forward and close the door, carefully approaching the she¨C wolves. ¡°Hello little one.¡± I murmur to the child, kneeling down so that we¡®re at eye level, even if I¡®m still halfway across the room. ¡°Goddess she looks exactly like you.¡± I revel, looking back and forth between the beautiful faces. I¡®ve seen many pups and kissed many babies in my life, but I cannot remember ever seeing such a perfect child. It¡®s not just that she is my mate¡®s creation that she is the heart and soul of the woman I adore ¨C it¡®s that she is pure light, pure love. Despite my misgivings, I have to agree with Axel. Mine. A tiny voice tugs at my heart strings. ¡°Mommy who¡®s that?¡± The gooey warmth in my belly hardens like a rock, and the reality of our situation sshes over me like a bucket of ice water. If this child is mine, Selene hid her existence from me for years. She left Elysium knowing she was pregnant, and took my baby somece where I could not protect her. ¡°That¡®s an excellent question.¡± I state harshly, catching my mate in my crosshairs. ¡°Selene?¡± Slowly unfolding until I¡®m standing again, I move forward. ¡°Who am I to her?¡± ¡°A stranger,¡± Selene designates coldly, ¡°and what do we say to strangers, L?¡± On cue the tiny pup lifts her chubby fingers to her lips and pulls ar imaginary zipper across her mouth, pressing her lips tightly together and shaking her head once she¡®s finished. ¡°That¡®s very smart.¡± | praise in a much softer voice than I directed at her mother. ¡°You should never talk to strangers, but that¡®s not what I am.¡± Little by little, the tot is emerging from behind her mother. Interesting ¨C most children are afraid of me at first. ¡°I¡®m your mommy¡®s mate. Do you know what that word means?¡± L shakes her head, still clutching Selene¡®s skirt. ¡°It means we¡®re meant to be together.¡± I say this to Selene alone. ¡°And whatever she cares about, I care about too.¡± Outrage shes across Selene¡®s features. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± ¡°Do you want me to lie to her?¡± I demand. ¡°You have no right to put those kinds of ideas in her head!¡± She hisses, mes dancing in her incredible eyes, I can¡®t recall ever feeling such rage, not towards my little wolf. With every second that passes, the more certain I am that this is my child, which means I have every right. I arch a brow at Selene. ¡°How old are you L?¡± My mate¡®s hand whips out and closes over the child¡®s before she can lift her fingers to answer my question with a patented ¡°this mary¡± instead Selene scowls, her plump lip curling ¡°She¡®s not yours.¡± ¡°Then whose is she?¡± I interrogate. ¡°Mine¡± Selene sna, her wolf glowing in her eyes. Goddess she¡®s stunning when she¡®s angry ¡°Oh, you made her all by yourself?¡± I goad. Look at her, Selene invites, ¡°do you see yourself in her? Do you see even the tiniest resemnce?¡± That was all the invitation I needed. I bend down and scoop up the sweet little girl before Selene can stop me. ¡°Come here, pup.¡± || rumble gently. ¡°let¡®s have a look at you.¡± L looks a bit shell¨Cshocked for a moment, as if she wasn¡®t prepared to leave the ground and can¡®t quite wrap her head around her new predicament. Nheless, her surprise disappears quickly, reced by unapologetic curiosity. She looks up at me with wide eyes, studying my face intently and then reaching out to feel the scruff on my cheek. I know instantly that I¡®m a goner, if this little creature asked me for the moon I would try to steal it for her, no matter how impossible. Shaking my head, settling L morefortably in my arms and internally swooning when she instantly rests her cheek on my shoulder. ¡°I can¡®t see anyone else in her either.¡± I finally answer Selene¡®s question, unable to disguise the reverence in my deep voice, ¡°She¡®s all you.¡± Selene looks lost herself now, her attention swinging back and forth between my face and L¡®s, clearly unsure of what to do. L makes the decision for her, lifting her head and staring at the floor far below before looking back to me, as if for confirmation. ¡°T¡®s high.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± I hum sympathetically. If she¡®s used to being carried around by my mate, this probably seems very high indeed. ¡°Too high?¡± Her serious expression transforms to one of pure excitement. ¡°No, want to go higher!¡± ¡°You want to go higher?¡± I consider her words for a moment before agreeing, ¡°Well I think that can be arranged.¡± As long as I live, I will never hear a more beautiful sound than this child squealing and giggling with joy as I toss her over my head, catching her and repeating the move until she¡®s so exhausted from laughing that we have to find a new game. Where did it all go wrong? Iment, thoroughly indulging in a fit of self¨Cpity as I watch my daughter riding around on the back of a huge ck wolf like he¡®s a pony. Bastien gallops around the room indulging L¡®s every whim. It started with ¡°the flying game¡°, as it¡®s now known, and somehow evolved and unraveled into yful chaos: wolf-back rides, y wrestling, even a game of fetch. That¡®s right, the big bad Alpha of Pack Nova ran after a ball like amon dog and proudly returned it to my three year old, licking her face until she squealed and copsed beneath the onught. Of all the oues I considered when I pictured this moment, this is the veryst thing I ever imagined. I was ready for the anger, for yelling and drawn out fights, but no amount of preparation could ever make me ready for this: for watching L y with her father for the first time in her life. When the tears begin to fall I sneak away to the bathroom, thankfully unnoticed amidst the raucous y. When I first got pregnant this was exactly the kind of scene I dreamed about. Before the rejection, before Arabe and everything else, this was my fantasy. I could curse the Goddess for doing this to me, for giving me these dreams and then snatching them away; showing me these glimpses of bliss that will haunt me for the rest of my life. I want so badly to believe our lives could actually be like this, but I know the truth all too well. I have to stay strong, I have to keep fighting. When I emerge, L has finally exhausted herself and is lying on top of wolf Bastien as if he¡®s a giant pillow. Honestly it¡®s an impulse I understand how many times did he shift tofort me through thunderstorms, when he knew the feel of a male body would only make the shbacks worse? When he sees me return to the living room Bastien shifts back, passing L to me so he can get dressed. ¡°She¡®s really not mine?¡± He asks, buttoning his shirt. ¡°No.¡± I confirm icily. ¡°She¡®s not yours.¡± Liar. Luna hisees in my ear. ¡°Did you think I would harm her?¡± Bastien wonders aloud, ¡°ls that why you came here? You thought I¡®d harm my male¡®s pup because it was sired by another wolf Confusion and hurt burst out of my mouth like anger. ¡°Why do you keep saying that?¡± ¡°Saying what?¡± He questions, seeming truly bewildered. ¡°That we¡®re mates.¡± I exim. ¡°Not once in our entire marriage did you call me that.¡± Let me out. Luna pleads nonsensically, I can¡®t take this any longer, I need him. The Alpha looks at me incredulously. ¡°It was the first word out of my mouth when I saw you, Selene.¡± His voice is like gravel. ¡°I¡®ve known from day one, you¡®re the one who couldn¡®t feel it.¡± ¡°Stop it! You don¡®t get to rewrite history this way.¡± L stirs in my arms, and I carefully transport her to the bed, setting her among the plush nkets and returning to Bastien with a furious whisper. ¡°I was there, remember? I was hopelessly, desperately in love with you for years and you merely put up with me. Do you have any idea what that felt like, to be nothing but an obligation, a weight around your neck holding you back from everything you really wanted?¡± You have to let me out! Luna begs again. Bastien¡®s sharp eyes bore into me, even as my own burn with tears. ¡°Selene, what the hell are you talking about?¡± ¡°Don¡®t pretend like you don¡®t know! I¨C¡± A sharp stabbing pain in my middle bends me double, forcing a hoarse cry from my lips. Luna! I can¡®t help it. She moans apologetically, he¡®s calling me, I don¡®t have a choice. Strong hands are on me instantly. ¡°Selene?¡± ¡°Something¡®s wrong.¡± | gasp. ¡°I feel¡­ my wolf is¡­. it¡®s like she¡®s trying to force her way out of me?¡± Emotions race across his countenance, before understanding clicks, ¡°Have you never shifted before?¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°No I didn¡®t think I could.¡± | groan. ¡°Well get ready little wolf,¡° Bastien¡®s low bass breaks through my panicked thoughts, ¡°because you¡®re about to.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 48 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Bastien¡®s POV ¡°You¡®re doing this,¡± Selene uses wretchedly, ¡°Your wolf is doing this.¡± What is she talking about? I demand of Axel. She¡®s near her mate. Her instinct is to change. It has to happen eventually her wolf has never been free. I swear under my breath. I know he¡®s right, but the timing is terrible. I remember my first shift vividly all wolves do. It¡®s a horrible process, requiring almost every bone in the body to break and reform, slow and agonizing. Thankfully shifting gets easier and easier until it¡®s effortless, but there¡®s no way to make the first few any easier. You just have to suffer through. ¡°It isn¡®t like that sweetheart. It¡®s just your time.¡± I exin apologetically. I gather up Selene and deposit her on the sofa, moaning and writhing, before moving toward the bed to retrieve L. Aiden! I call through our mental link. He appears almost instantly, and I carry L to him, ¡°Selene is about to shift, I need you to take the pup until it¡®s over.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡° Selene snarls, trying to rise from the couch and crumpling, ¡°you¡®re not taking her anywhere!¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Handing off L, I return to my mate, pulling her up and speaking softly and urgently in her ear, ¡°Easy Selene, he¡®ll take care of her.¡± ¡°No!¡± She insists, a mother wolf in full defense mode, ¡°you can¡®t have her, she¡®s mine!¡± ¡°Do you really want her to see this?¡± I demand sternly, ¡°She¡®ll be terrified.¡± Selene¡®s brow furrows, and I can see the gears in her head spinning with confusion, emotion warring with instinct. ¡°Don¡®t take her from me.¡± She finally begs, tears spilling from her eyshes. ¡°No one is taking her from you, baby.¡± I vow, ¡°You have my word, they¡®re just going to get her somece safe while you shift. I¡®ll take you straight to her in the morning.¡± ¡°Let me hug her goodbye,¡± Selene requests pitifully. Inod to Aiden, and he returns L to her mother¡®s arms for a tearful cuddle before removing her again and leaving Selene and I alone in the safehouse. My mate curls up into a little ball, rocking herself back and forth and mping her eyes shut. ¡°How long is it going to take?¡± I reach for her, sighing when she flinches away. ¡°Everyone is different. If you¡®re lucky it will be an hour or so. If you¡®re unlucky¡­ it could be all night.¡± Selene whines, undoubtedly dreading the idea of such a long transformation. I don¡®t have the heart to tell her what she¡®s feeling now is only the beginning. My stomach drops, I can¡®t remember ever feeling so helpless as I do now. Sitting by and doing nothing goes against the very core of my being, as does seeing someone in trouble and not being able to help. You know how tofort her. Axel growls. She doesn¡®t want me to touch her. I growl back. She doesn¡®t know what she wants right now, she hurts, make her feel better. He orders, a note of strain in his normally steady voice. Grumbling under my breath, I reach for Selene again, this time refusing to let her evade my grasp. She tries to fight me, but every time sheshes out, a new spasm of pain cripples her, and her attacks wane. Tucking her small body against mine, I hush her protests and massage her sore muscles. ¡°Just breathe little wolf, it¡®s okay.¡± I promise, ¡°I¡®m here. I¡®m not going to leave you.¡± ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± She asks deliriously. What do you mean?¡± I inquire, inhaling her sweet scent and trying not to feeling any happiness to have her back in my arms. Yes, under any other circumstances I would be thrilled, but having her writhe in agony next to me kind of takes some of the romance out of the moment ¡°Why are you here?¡± Selene rifies, a bit more firmly ¡°Because you¡®re my mate, and you need me¡± I answer casily Before she can answer, a sickening cracking noise fills the air, and Selene¡®s back bows as she howls with pain ¡°Shhh, I know sweetheart, I know it hurts.¡± ¡°I me you for this.¡± She informs me when she can breathe again. If you¡®d stayed in Elysium where you belong, this wouldn¡®t be happening.¡± *That¡®s not very fair to your wolf, Selene ¡± I chastise, without venom. ¡°Do you really think it would be fair to keep her trapped inside you forever?¡± ¡°No.¡± Selene keens despondently. ¡°Besides,¡± I continue, petting her hair. ¡°If you don¡®t know what shifting is like, how will you be able to help L through it when the timees?¡± ¡°Stop being logical when I¡®m trying to feel sorry for myself.¡± She growls. ¡°I¡®m sorry.¡± I repent, ¡°You¡®re right, this is a terrible, horrible thing to go through and I wish I could protect you from it somehow. I¡®d go through it for you if I could.¡± Selene¡®s tossing her head back and forth now, her eyes clenched shut and face glistening with sweat, ¡°Stop being nice to me. She orders ¡°Why?¡± I question. ¡°You didn¡®t want me without my wolf. She cries, seemingly out of nowhere. ¡°I know you only want me now because she¡®s back.¡± I release her for a moment, sitting up to study her face, unsure whether or not she¡®s serious Is this delirium talking? Are you out of your mind? Selene I always wanted you.¡± She shakes her head, ¡°Stop lying.¡± For the first time ignoring her pain, I grab Selene by the shoulders, giving her a gentle shake Selene, look at me Her blue and violet eyes are zed with pain, her pupils pinpricks despite the low light She looks at me hopelessly, and I wish there was a way to steal these thoughts from her brain. ¡°Selene, I have loved you from the first second i smelled you I have never wanted anyone else. I never will.¡± ¡°But Arabe¡±. ¡°Arabe is nothing!¡± | growl. ¡°She¡®s the one I core for out of obligation, not you¡±. ¡°But¡± Selene tries again. ¡°No buts.¡± I scold fiercely. ¡°I¡®m speaking as your husband, your mate, and your Alpha now I love you, and only you is that clear. She nods mutely, but it¡®s not good enough. ¡°Say the words, Selene.¡± Imand. ¡°You love me and only me.¡± She whispers, her normally silky voice reduced to a croak. ¡°Good¡± | grumble, stroking her spine os another surge of Torment takes her ¡°You¡®re mine, Selene And don¡®t you forget it¡± Selene¡®s POV The agony breaks like a wave on the sand, swelling higher and higher until it crests in a rush of blinding white light, then ebbs away as if it was never there in the first ce. I don¡®t know how long I rode that wave, but it¡®s light out by the time the transformation is finallyplete. Everything fromst night is a horrible blur. I remember getting to the safehouse with L, and I certainly remember Bastien¡®s arrival Trecall the transformation¡®s first terrifying pangs, but things start to get fuzzy around the time Aiden look L away I¡®ll never forget the abject anguish of the shift, the feeling of being ripped apart from the inside out, but the details in between are about as solid as air. For instance, I don¡®t know how every pillow and duvet in the house got shredded into ribbons, leaving anowy white feathers to nket every visible surface in our spacious surroundings. Neither do I remember how the curtains were ripped from the windows or why the coffee table is upside down, with all its contents smashed beneath it. I open my eyes to find Bastien curled around me in his own wolf form. The huge ck beast watches me with gleaming silver eyes, and I realize that what I had first taken to be more feathers cushioning my body, is actually fur. My fur. A perfect white coat of downy fur covers my body from head to toe, only it¡®s not my body ¨C it¡®s Luna¡®s. I sit up suddenly, btedly remembering that there was a point to all the torture. For the first time in my life, I¡¯ve adopted the form I take in my heart; the incarnation of my soul the Goddess always intended me to inhabit. Luna? I reach out hesitantly. Selene. I can hear the utter joy in her voice, even though I¡®m struggling to bnce myself on these new legs. Bastien is watching me with amusement, but he doesn¡®t interfere to advise or coddle. How do you feel? I ask my wolf tentatively. Like I¡®ve never truly been alive until this moment. She breathes serenely. Then with pure mischief she adds, Are you ready to see what it¡®s like being in the passenger seat? Oh Goddess. I tease, please behave yourself. No promises. She quips A huge shape approaches on my right, and I look up at the wolf who has haunted my dreams for so many years. He towers over me even in wolf form, at least a foot taller and immensely broader. There¡®s a knowing glint in his eyes, and exhration begins building in my chest before he even speaks. All right, little wolf. His voice sounds in my head. Are you ready for your first run? Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 49 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Selene¡¯s POV After eight years in a veritable dungeon, I thought freedom was escaping to Elysium. After spending three years married to a man who didn¡®t love me and obligated to help lead a pack of shifters who hated me, thought freedom was finding my independence in Asphodel. After nearly four years of living without my wolf, I thought freedom was getting her back when I became a mother.. I was wrong every time. This is freedom. Transforming, releasing my soul and setting her loose ¨C that is the freedom I¡®ve been missing my entire life. Running on all fours through the rolling Vega hills with no map and no limitations, no hurdles to jump or weights slowing me down. it¡¯s adrenaline like I¡®ve never experienced. I don¡®t care that I¡®m not in the forest, or that it¡®s broad daylight. I don¡®t care that I¡®m still getting used to four legs and a tail, which makes my loping strides significantly less graceful than Bastien¡®s. The truth is that I don¡®t have a care in the world. Even my concern for L has been dampened amidst this incredible high, partly because I now recognize the wisdom of removing her from the scene of my shift, and partly because I simply cannot bring myself to feel anything but happiness in this moment. Bastien runs alongside me, hanging back to keep pace with me rather than running miles ahead as he could. Luna couldn¡®t be more thrilled, as far as she¡®s concerned, the only thing better than being free, is being free with Bastien. Her response to the Alpha has been very illuminating for me. I¡®m beginning to understand how the mating bond can drive shifters mad, or destroy rtionships between chosen mates. If Luna had her way I would be back in Bastien¡®s bed already, but fortunately for us, I have not forgotten our past. He can try to rewrite our story as many ways as he wishes, but the fact remains he had his chance with me, and he wasted it. Bastien¡®s POV Selene¡®s pearly white coat stands out against the deep green hills like the moon in darkened skies Watching her streak over the dales in a blur of snowy limbs, I don¡®t even mind glowing my pace to run next 10 her She¡®s more ecstatic than I¡®ve ever seen her,pletely lost to the thrill of freedom and finally experiencing the joy she so richly deserves. It always gued me to know she could not shift. Every full moon run for which she was left behind, every equinox she spent at home rather than in the forest ¨C she neverined, but I know how it hurt. After all, the instincts were still there, she just didn¡®t have the abilities to satisfy them. So for all the pain ofst night, this is so worth it. Her transformation was harrowing to say the least When we get back I have every intention of calling my mother to thank her for seeing me through the process when I was a young teenager If my little mate could do that amount of damage to the safehouse, I can only imagine how much of the house I destroyed. The destruction wasn¡¯t even the difficult part, it was watching someone you love go through such unbelievable agony. I¡®m d I was there for her, particrly because I wasn¡®t when she gave birth. No matter how hard I try to put the thoughts from my mind, I can¡®t help but wonder who was there. If L is mine ¨C though Selene insists she isn¡®t ¨C it should have been me. Even if L isn¡®t mine, hope she didn¡®t face it alone. When we finally reach a stopping point, namely when Selene has run so far she can no longer make her legs work, she copses in a puddle of worn out wolf, a goofy grin on her face. I settle next to her, stretching out on the cool ground and waiting for her energy to be replenished enough to head back. It happens slowly Little by little the tion that has dominated her aura since waking up as a wolf slips away, and I have a sense of terrible foreboding that our brief detente ising to a close. How much ofst night do you remember I ask, wondering if she was lucid enough to recall our argument about Arabe and matehood I still don¡®t understand where her misconceptions came from, or why she was so distraught. After all, she was in love with someone else throughout our entire marriage, so why did it bother her so much to think I didn¡®t love her? There are so many more questions left to answer, but I know one thing for certain ¨C regardless of any misunderstandings, my mate felt unloved, and that is my fault and my fault alone. It can¡¯t be exined away or justified, I failed to make my feelings for her clear Not much. She replies stiffly. Our conversation? I prompt. I remember you telling me to let L go with Aiden. She offers, Thank you, by the way, after seeing the house this morning¡­ well I¡®m d she wasn¡®t there. Of course. I¡®ve checked with Aiden a couple of times through the night using our mental links. He always reported the same news, she¡¯s out like a light. So you don¡®t remember anything else? I press. The white wolf eyes me warily, Should I? Disappointment consumes me, I really thought we¡®d made a breakthrough. A few years ago I wouldn¡®t have worried about her forgetting. I would have simply sat her down and rehashed the conversation from the start. Even if Selene was still as pliable as she¡® d been back then, I¡®ming to realize I might not have known half as much about my marriage as I thought I had. How many of our discussions back then were colored by rumors and misunderstandings, how did we get to such a low ce that my wife would turn to Drake instead of me? How little did she have to trust me that she would run from a burning building and walk two weeks through rogue territory rather than come home. Well, I know the answer to at least part of that. I never thought you kidnapped Arabe you know. What? She blinks, taken aback. I was just trying to appease the enforcers for long enough to find Be. I exin. I knew she¡®d clear you once we did. The fact is wanted you under guard because I was afraid you would be the next target. I told you I don¡®t want exnations. Selene retorts. Then, looking curious, where did you find her anyway? An abandoned home in old town. I share, struggling to recall those horrible months after Selene supposedly died. Did you ever catch the person responsible? There¡®s an odd note of sarcasm in her voice. The same person who was sabotaging everything else, I expect. Breathing a heavy sigh I continue. They¡®re still out there somewhere, still trying to pull the strings and wreak havoc, but I¡®ve gotten much better at anticipating their moves. How can you be sure they were rted? She asks in that same odd tone.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. There was never a ransom, what other exnation is there but to cause terror? I reason. She¡®s silent for a moment, before her head cocks to the side; a worried, rather than curious expression on her furry face. Did you announce your trip here? I shrug. The pack knows I¡¯m in Asphodel, but they don¡®t know why. Selene¡®s body twists up like a tightly wound string, Is there any way word might have gotten back that I¡®m alive? Shaking my head emphatically, I borate, The only people that know are my sworn allegiants, they wouldn¡®t do so without my go ahead. But if this person is still trying to sabotage you, couldn¡®t they have followed you here? Selene proposes. You¡®d be an easier target outside of Elysium. Sweetheart, I do know how to spot a tail. I remind her, we weren¡®t followed. But Selene is on her feet. I want to go back. You should take a little more time to catch your breath. I frown. No, I want to get back to L. She argues. How do we get back to the safehouse from here? L is fine. I assure her, Aiden says she slept through the night no problem. Bastien, I said I want to go back. Selene urges, I don¡®t like being this far from her, especially knowing there are still criminals running around out there trying to destroy your life. What would L have to do with any of that? Itch onto the implication instantly. If she isn¡®t mine then she shouldn¡®t be in any danger Oh please! Selene scoffs. You won¡®t even believe me, why should they? Besides, as long as you refuse to ept reality, you¡®ll react as if she is yours, which means she¡®s good as bait regardless of her paternity. Then the fastest way to eliminate her as bait would be for you to tell me who her father is. I suggest. Then I¡®ll drop it and she¡®ll be safe. Are you really using my child¡®s safety as a bargaining chip? She hisses. It¡®s none of your goddess¨C damned business who her father is, because she is none of your business, nor am I. A predatory thrill racing through me, I close in on my target. This is how it¡®s going to be, little wolf. I announce, I¡®ll tell you how to get back to the safehouse, as soon as you tell me who L¡®s father is. You can tell me, or we can stay out here all day, and all night. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 50 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Selene¡®s POV That isn¡®t fair. I object immediately. And it isn¡®t ethical, how can you abide bringing an innocent child into your troubles. You mean the way you oh so ethically chose to hide your Vna daughter in a pack you know is incapable of safeguarding her, all the while knowing the Calypsos are after you? Bastien growls, genuine anger in his voice. From the sounds of it we wouldn¡®t be any safer in Elysium. I rebut, conveniently omitting the fact that I know we¡®re safer here because his saboteur is far from our only antagonist. At least in Elysium there¡®s an Alpha capable of protecting you. He rumbles. Nowe on, out with it, who is her father? Why do you even care, Bastien? I exim. She¡®s not yours so why does it matter whose she is? He prowls forward, circling me ominously. Because until you give me another viable candidate I¡®m not going to believe she isn¡®t mine. His molten eyes sh. And because if she is mine, then you¡®re in trouble for a lot more than faking your death. For thest time, I grind out, I did not fake my death! Then who did? He thunders. Probably your damned saboteur! I throw back, narrowing my eyes to slits. Or maybe it¡®s the person who set the fire after locking me in the closet. I can¡®t imagine they were very amused when they realized I escaped. Bastien freezes. What are you talking about? What, you didn¡®t think it was an ident did you? I goad him, feeling particrly feisty in my wolf¡®s skin. And I just magically got. locked inside in the small window of time your mother was gone. No, of course we assumed it was murder at the time. Bastienbats. I just. What? I prompt. Thought a fake body eliminated the element of foul y? Then you saw who did it? Bastien questions urgently. Saw them, spoke with them, the whole nine yards. I bare my fangs, and by the way Mr. Alpha Protector, that wasn¡®t even the first time they tried to kill me. Toote, I realize I might have bitten off more than I can chew. Bastien has gone from circling me to stalking me into the hillside. You need to start talking right now, Selene. You have to choose. I double down. I can tell you who fathered L, or I can tell you who tried to kill me. Which will it be? I want you to think very carefully, Selene. Bastien threatens, If this is really the way you want to y this? Am I to take it that your answer is neither? I drawl. I jump out of the way just in time to dodge Bastien¡®s pounce, trying to put some distance between us as therger wolf turns to follow me. And this is how you treat your mate¡®? I say with faux disbelief. I¡®d hate to see how you treat your enemies. Keep digging little wolf. Bastien purrs, making my hackles raise. He stalks me for another long moment, Is this little game of yours really more important to you than getting back to L? I falter at my daughter¡®s name, pausing just long enough for Bastien to make his move. He lunges forward and catches my scruff between his teeth, holding me in ce but not applying any pressure. I wriggle and squirm but he simply pulls his head up and lifts my feet off the ground, leaving my paws bicycling in the air. Yield. Hemands. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. I make the most pathetic sounding whimper I can, and the big brute actually snorts. Nice try baby, you forget my wolf can sense yours¡® emotions. Now submit to your Alpha. Not a chance, Drake is my Alpha. Bastien¡®s answering snarl is so vicious I actually do whimper now, tucking my tail between my legs and trying to curl my legs up to protect my belly. Bastien sets my paws on the ground but doesn¡®t release my scruff. Is Drake L¡®s father? Bastien asks. pause to think, it¡®s the most believable answer, but it¡®s also the one most likely to enrage him. What if he is? Bastien¡®s next words take mepletely by surprise. Is he the one you were in love with while we were together? The one you loved for 15 years. What? I croak dumbly. You heard me. Bastien replies. What in the goddess¡®s name is he talking about? The only person I¡®ve loved for that length of time is Bastien. How would he even know about that? I don¡®t think he remembers meeting me and even if he did, it would be quite a leap to assume I held onto any feelings for him. I didn¡®t even meet Drake until your Father¡®s birthday. I assure him, You know, the time he saved my life because you left me alone with a pack of she devils? He ignores the usation. Is he L¡®s father? When I don¡®t reply, Bastien gives me a little shake, and the word tumbles from my lips before I can stop it, Yes! I exim, Alright? Yes, Drake is L¡®s father. His hold on my nape softens slightly, and I can feel his disappointment through our bond. Then, another feeling filters through, a slight tinge of betrayal, Did you¡­ Was she conceived while we were together? Of course not. I answer immediately. You would have known. You would have smelled him on me. No, unlike you, I was faithful. Confusion unclenches the massive wolf¡®s jaw, and I nce back over my shoulder to look up at Bastien as he thinks, What are you saying? I was always faithful to you. You don¡®t need to bother lying. Bitterness coats my tongue. I¡®m over it. Selene, I¡®m not lying. Bastien ims fervently. Oh please. I roll my eyes, You and Arabe weren¡®t exactly subtle, the nights out, midnight rendezvous, jewelry shopping trips. The entire pack knew you were sleeping together. That¡®s ridiculous, I told you yesterday that there¡®s nothing between Arabe and I. Bastien offers the lie so earnestly I almost think he believes it. A long time ago, I thought about marrying her, but that was before I met you. Goddess, you must really believe I¡®m stupid. I shake my head, trying to stand and failing when one of Bastien¡®srge pawsnds on my shoulder, keeping me pinned beneath him. I might not have had an education, Bastien, but I¡®m not aplete moron. Where is thising from, Selene? He fairly explodes, You were victim of enough rumors that I should think you wouldn¡®t be susceptible to believing them about others. They weren¡®t rumors Bastien! I cry. Arabe confirmed it to my face multiple times! For the first time since our argument began, Bastien backs away from me, giving me space to stand. You had to have misunderstood. promise you I didn¡®t. I hiss. She was very protective of your rtionship. I didn¡®t question Drake when he told me you two were going to be married, because I ran into you the day you were picking out her engagement ring. Appearing truly baffled, he furrows his brow, that day in the mall? She was helping me pick out a ne for you. If that¡®s true, then why didn¡®t you ever give it to me? I question. Oddly enough, my father¡®s murder was something of a distraction. He snipes. Bastien, she told me point nk that you were leaving me for her. I enunciate each word, speaking slowly to ensure my point is driven home. She¡®s the one who told me you and I were mates, but that you chose her instead. Selene, Bastien beseeches me, I had no idea any of that was happening. I knew she hadn¡®t let go of the idea of marrying me, but I had no idea her jealousy was that extreme or that she would go to such lengths to separate us. | snort, if only he knew. What? He asks immediately. I think you underestimated her even more than you underestimated me. I state icily, And that¡®s saying something By which you mean¡­? He prods. For the love of the Goddess, she faked a kidnapping, Bastien! I exim, wishing I were in my human form so I could gesticte. Wait, slow down, she faked the kidnapping? He parrots unhelpfully. And that¡®s far from the worst. I blurt out the words before I can stop myself, She tried to push me down the stairs when she found out¡­ What? Bastien asks sharply. When she found out what? Pulling myself together with a deep breath, I pull a quick diversion. You think rumors and lies are the worst she¡®s capable of? || insinuate, watching his wolfish expression closely. If what you¡®re telling me is true and you really don¡®t have a rtionship with Arabe, then you¡®ve got bigger problems than saboteurs. I announce. Because Arabe is the one who set the fire that was supposed to have killed me. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 51 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 51 Bastien¡¯s POV Arabe is the one who set the fire that was supposed to have killed me. A few years ago I would have thought Selene was out of her mind for suggesting such a thing. Before the fire, Arabe seemed like the same vapid teenager I¡¯d always known: Vain, self-centered and far too used to getting her own way. Dad and I spoiled her after Flynn died, letting her get away with murder out of misced guilt and convincing ourselves her antics were harmless. In some ways it served us right to be manipted by her ¨C if we were foolish enough to buy the act when she batted hershes and yed the delicate flower, well, that¡¯s on us, not her. And though I was always aware the innocent act was just that an act I never imagined Arabe was concealing anything truly malicious. | underestimated her desire for power, as well as her ego and cunning. She¡¯d always been intelligent, but I hoped she would put her talents to a more noble use than social climbing. For a time I was even hopeful she would live up to my high expectations. When Selene was alive Arabe was always there for me when I needed a shoulder to lean on or ear to bend, she always understood my perspective and empathized with my struggles. I didn¡¯t want anyone¡¯s pity or sympathy after Selene died, and Arabe¡¯s repeated attempts to provide it anyway slowly twisted and mutated into something much darker. Rather than affording me the me I so clearly deserved for my mate¡¯s demise, she ced the responsibility on Selene ¨C nevering out and saying so directly, but always implying, always insinuating. Eventually Arabe began criticizing Selene outright, ignoring my outraged rebukes every time. When she finally colluded with the Elder Council to engineer a marriage between us, her machinations came fully into the light, breaking thest straw on the camel¡¯s back. Over the years our rtionship disintegrated further and further, until it became nothing more than a shadow of the friendship I once believed we shared. No matter how many times I tried to make headway or repair the damage, Arabe jumped at every opportunity she saw to try and insinuate herself into the role of my mate ¨C unraveling whatever progress or hope I¡¯d managed to scrape together. It has be only too clear that Arabe wants to lead the pack regardless of who she must cross or charm, and though I still don¡¯ t want to believe the little girl I grew up with could be capable of such evil, I¡¯ve seen too much of the world to think my mate¡¯s usations¡¯ impossible. Arabe set the fire? I repeat gruffly. Whatever Selene expected, it clearly wasn¡¯t belief. She takes an uncertain step back and for a moment I think she¡¯s actually going to answer, but then she pauses, seeming to remember her leverage. I¡¯m not answering any more questions until you take me back to L. As much as I want to hold onto my own advantage, I can¡¯t put off such important answers. Let¡¯s go. I order, setting off at a trot. Selene follows closely on my tail, huffing indignantly every time I slow my pace for her sake, and comining every time I stop for a seemingly unnecessary break. I¡¯m as impatient as she is to get back, but while she might be willing to push herself past her limits to reach her pup, even her answers are not sufficient enticement for me to risk my mate¡¯s health. Aiden and Donavon are waiting at the safehouse when we return. The secluded space has been cleaned since we left, and L is happily ying in the front garden when we reach the edge of the wood. It takes a few minutes to help Selene shift back into her human form, but once her whimpers have quieted and her lovely skin has been wrapped up in warm clothes once more, there is nothing left to stop her reuniting with her pup. L seems mildly oblivious to her mother¡¯s heightened emotion as Selene smothers her with hugs and kisses, but I feel my mate¡¯s relief and outpouring of love as if it is my own. I want nothing more than to join them and offer my own affection, but the moment I take a step forward Selene bares her fangs in my direction, shielding L from me with her small body. The corner of my mouth twitches, I¡¯ve always loved seeing Selene¡¯s fleeting shes of ferocity. They were utter rarities during our marriage, but never failed to remind me of a grumpy kitten. Even now, when I know her aggression is real, I can¡¯t help but find it adorable. L babbles away, filling in Selene about her night with my Betas, and we move into the house while Aiden and Donavon set up a perimeter outside. As impatient as I am for answers, I discover that I don¡¯t mind waiting to finish my conversation with Selene, not when watching her interact with her daughter is so fascinating. She gives L her full attention, intently listening to every word out of the pups mouth and asking eager questions, all the while keeping me locked in her periphery. When L¡¯s focus shifts to me, her lips stretching in a wide, toothy grin and her bright eyes lighting up with excitement, Selene res at me over the child¡¯s head. She reluctantly lets L tottle to me, and I scoop up the precious being with gentle hands, ¡°Hello pup. Did you have fun with Uncle Aiden and Uncle Donavon?¡± Selene snarls at the sound of the nicknames, but L doesn¡¯t notice. The child nods happily, ¡°We went in da car!¡± ¡°She loves the car.¡± Selene shares, watching us closely. ¡°There¡¯s not much space for them in Asphodel.¡± ¡°Well if youe to Elysium you can ride in the car every day.¡± I divulge conspiratorially Color floods Selene¡¯s cheeks even as L squeaks with excitement, but I can¡¯t bring myself to feel guilty. I don¡¯t care how dirty! have to y I¡¯m going to get my mate back. ¡°How dare you!¡± Selene plucks L from my grasp, furiously muttering, ¡°We aren¡¯t going anywhere near Elysium.¡± ¡°I beg to differ.¡± I drawl. ¡°You clearly aren¡¯t safe here, and I¡¯ve yet to hear your usations about Arabe. So at the moment Elysium seems like the best option.¡± Selene looks angry enough to scream, though she keeps her cool. ¡°First of all, it isn¡¯t your decision regardless of where the danger is greatest.¡± Then, ignoring my foreboding rumble, she adds, ¡°And Arabe is guilty of everything I told you and more.¡± ¡°So tell me, Selene.¡± I encourage firmly, nodding to the child in her arms, ¡°I kept my end of the bargain.¡± Muttering mutinously, Selene sets L on the floor in front of one of her toys, before returning to the kitchen and ring at me head on. ¡°The night of the fire, Arabe turned up as soon as Odette left the cabin. She¡¯d clearly been watching and she told me her actions were my own fault for not leaving when she originally told me to. Then she locked me in the closet and lit the match.¡± prowl forward, sending out enough sinister energy to keep my deceitful little mate on her toes, to keep her honest. ¡°When did she originally tell you to leave?¡± ¡°I was always nning on leaving after the rejection ceremony.¡° Selene replies guilelessly, ¡°But I started to second guess myself after she tried to push me down the stairs at the hospital ¨C the only reason she went down was because she lost her footing.¡± The words slice into me like a knife. Could I really have been so oblivious to what was happening under my own nose? The memory of Arabe wailing on the hospital gurney appears in my mind¡¯s eye, closely followed by the image of Selene cowering in the cabin, eyeing me as if I was her executioner. She knew Arabe had med her for the fall, and she assumed I would take the other woman¡¯s side over her own. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°So when we spoke at the jewelry store she made it abundantly clear that she would kill me if I didn¡¯t go through with my ns.¡± Selene continues sulkily. ¡°But Gabriel¡¯s death made that impossible¡­ I couldn¡¯t go through with it. So she made me. She proved she was good for her word.¡± ¡°If this is all true,¡± I begin rigidly, ¡°why in the Goddess¡¯s name didn¡¯t you tell me?!¡± My temper is a roiling tempest in my chest, how could she have kept such things from me. ¡°Because you picked her!¡± Selene cries, ¡°You chose her over me, time and again.¡± ¡°Never.¡± I insist. ¡°I never once chose her over you!¡± She opens her mouth to object but I hold up my hand, forestalling her words. ¡°I can¡¯t take back what happened in the past, Selene. I¡¯m sorry I made you feel like you weren¡¯t my choice because you always, always were.¡± I vow. ¡°I didn¡¯t have any idea what Arabe was up to. I had no idea she was capable of such things or had any intentions for me until long after I thought you were dead.¡± I admit with chagrin. ¡°I never wanted to hurt you, and I never imagined she was telling you all those lies.¡± I catch my mate¡¯s hands in my own. ¡°Please believe me, little wolf.¡± I beg, ¡°Because I believe you ¨C and I will make Arabe pay for her crimes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± Selene shakes her head, lowering her voice so that L won¡¯t overhear her harsh tone. ¡°You had a thousand chances to make the right decision in the past, and you wasted all of them.¡± She hisses. ¡°You don¡¯t get anymore.¡± Her two-toned eyes are hard as stone, her silky voice rough and callous. ¡°My daughter is staying with her father, and I¡¯m staying with her. Go back to Elysium, and forget about us.¡± Selene orders, ¡°With any luck ¨C We¡¯ll never see each other again.¡° Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 52 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 52 Selene¡¯s POV I know the words are a mistake the moment they leave my lips. It was one thing to tell Bastien L isn¡¯t his pup. It was another to instruct him to forget about us, but suggesting we¡¯ll never see each other again was akin to waving a red g in front of an angry bull ¨C and all three together? Well, that was just stupid. Bastien lunges toward me, tangling onerge hand in my hair and tugging my head back so that I¡¯m forced to look him in the eye. His molten silver gaze bores into me, and his mouth hovers mere inches above my own. My breasts graze the muscled contours of his abdomen, and Luna whine needily in my head. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Bastien snarls, hitching me up against him. ¡°I¡± I stammer uselessly, not following his train of thought. ¡°Say it, Selene.¡± He repeats roughly. ¡°Tell me that we¡¯ll never see each other again.¡± I gnaw on my lower lip, trying to figure out what to say to defuse his temper, to get him to leave without forcing me and L to go with him. ¡°We won¡¯t, as long as Arabe is out there pulling her strings.¡± I redirect, feeling a twinge of reassurance when the zed look in his eye eases. ¡°She wont fail next time, even if I do have my wolf now.¡± His grip on me tightens, but I press on, hammering in the final nail to the coffin. ¡°And she¡¯ll kill L too just to spite me.¡± ¡°What do you mean, you told Bastien L is mine?¡± Drake repeats, mouth agog. After telling my mate that Arabe would kill our child if given the chance, he disappeared so quickly I practically fell to the ground. No matter what he believes regarding L¡¯s paternity, his protective instincts toward me extend to my pup, which may be the only part of his sudden appearance I can actually appreciate. Though I truly don¡¯t know what to believe about Bastien¡¯s rtionship with Arabe, I¡¯m confident my usations will at least provide enough distraction for Drake and I to form a contingency n now that my location has been discovered by my husband. Admittedly, Bastien left Aiden behind in Asphodel to keep an eye on us, but I¡¯m not worried. Not yet, at least. For the time being, my sole focus is on getting Drake up to speed and figuring out our next steps. ¡°I told him she¡¯s yours.¡± I repeat apologetically. ¡°It wasn¡¯t exactly nned but it¡¯s the easiest exnation and another Alpha is just about the only person that could actually stand in his way.¡± ¡°My objection isn¡¯t to the concept, Selene.¡± Drake groans, rubbing his eyes. ¡°As much as I love her, L doesn¡¯t look or smell like me.¡± He eyes L fondly, ¡°She doesn¡¯t call me daddy, you and I don¡¯t live together, I¡¯m not in any of your photos, she doesn¡¯t have status in the pack¡­¡± He¡¯s listing off the problems, ticking them off his fingers one by one. Btedly I realize the only reason why Bastien hasn¡¯t already run through these same conclusions is because his surprise and conflicted emotions blinded him to reason but that won¡¯tst for long. ¡°We could say I wanted a baby so you donated as a friend.¡± I suggest. ¡°Alpha¡¯s don¡¯t just give out their sperm left and right, Selene.¡± Drake counters with exasperation, ¡°with good reason.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not like most Alphas!¡± i exim. ¡°you¡¯re modern and progressive!¡± ¡°Not that progressive.¡± He chuckles, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help, honestly. But we have to find an exnation that will stand up to scrutiny for more than five minutes.¡± Wracking my brain for ideas, I throw out, ¡°We could say you¡¯re gay and this was your only chance for kids.¡± He cuts his eyes to me, ¡®No. Selene.¡± Throwing my hands up, I finally say, ¡°look, it¡¯s no one¡¯s business how it happened in the first ce.¡± Drake is already rolling his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s private, between you and I. All anyone needs to know is that she¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°And how do you expect to tell the pack I have a child three years after the fact?¡± Drake ponders, pulling L into hisp and bouncing her on his knee. ¡°How do you expect to exin it to this little sausage?¡± He teases, tickling her belly and holding on tight while she writhes gleefuily in his arms. He¡¯s right, I don¡¯t want to confuse L. At the same time, I¡¯d rather confuse her for a few weeks she won¡¯t even remember when she¡¯ s older, than permanently introduce the chaos of the Nova pack to her life. ¡°This isn¡¯t about either of them.¡± I utter coolly, ¡°This is about Bastien. As far as I¡¯m concerned, no one else needs to be the wiser to our ns.¡± ¡°You¡¯re smarter than this, Selene.¡± Drake shakes his head. ¡°This isn¡¯t a lie we can keep under wraps. You have to decide what¡¯s more important: tricking Bastien; or building a good life here.¡± ¡°Are you¡­¡± I trail off, ¡°Are you saying you won¡¯t lie for me?¡± ¡°I will tell whatever story you need me to.¡± Drake assures me, ¡°but you have to be sure that story is one you actually want told ¨C for all our sakes.¡± ¡°Thank you, Drake.¡± I smile, watching him y with L the same way he has a thousand times before. I¡¯ve always loved watching them y. Once upon a time I even imagined this might be what it must be like to see her with her father. I know better now. Now that I¡¯ve seen L and Bastien together, nothing will everpare to that joy. It wasn¡¯t just the invisible¡¯ bond tying them together, or the simrities in their expressions. It was the pure rightness of them being together, exactly as the Goddess intended. I¡¯m so caught up in the memory, it takes me a moment to realize Drake isn¡¯t smiling anymore. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried, that¡¯s all.¡± Drake admits, ¡°Even with the lie, I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s safe for you two here. Is Bastien going to care that she¡¯s not his?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll have to.¡± I murmur, ¡°he¡¯s not Alpha in Asphodel, he can¡¯t challenge your decision without challenging you for control.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put that past Bastien.¡± He cautions. ¡°No wolf can see clearly when ites to their mate, and yours is even more headstrong than most.¡± ¡°It has to end sometime.¡± I decide. ¡°We can¡¯t run forever. At one point or another I have to put my foot down and say enough is enough.¡± I reach over myp to stroke L¡¯s cheek. ¡°My mother was chased out of the Calypso territory. I was chased out of the Novands. There aren¡¯t many ces left on the continent for us to seek refuge in, and I refuse to let my daughter be chased from her home the way my mother and I were. Bastien can huff and puff all he wants. This ends here.¡± Odette¡¯s POV When I answer the phone on Friday afternoon, the veryst thing I expect is to hear my son¡¯s voice promptly turning my world upside down. I¡¯d been hoping the call was from him, but I was expecting updates about his investigation into the Vna tipline, not life changing revtions unraveling three years worth of hard earned healing. ¡°Selene¡¯s alive?¡± I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m hearing. I never wanted to believe that my daughter-inw was gone, but the evidence had seemed irrefutable at the time. ¡°How is that possible?¡± ¡°She¡¯s here in Asphodel.¡± Bastien exins over the phone. ¡°Drake Cavanaugh has been protecting her all this time.¡± ¡°Oh sweetheart!¡± I¡¯m not sure what to feel: joy, shock and relief all swarm for control, but confusion seems strongest still. ¡°How is this possible? Why?¡± I don¡¯t understand how any of this came to pass. ¡°It was Arabe.¡± Bastien growls. ¡°She faked the kidnapping everything and set the cabin on fire with Selene inside.¡± The room spins around me. I don¡¯t want to believe the girl I helped raise is capable of such a thing, but I¡¯ve never been as blind to her faults as my husband and son. Even so, murder and conspiracy are extreme even by shifter standards. There are ws, and then there are ws. ¡°I have so many questions.¡± ¡°So do l.¡± Bastien breathes. ¡°There¡¯s something else, Mom.¡° What else could there possibly be? I¡¯m not sure I can handle anything more. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Selene had a baby.¡± There¡¯s an odd note in Bastien¡¯s voice, one I scarcely recognized. ¡°A little girl called L. She¡¯s three.¡± ¡°Three?¡± I repeat, sitting up suddenly. ¡°Is she..?¡± ¡°Selene says she¡¯s Drake¡¯s.¡± Bastien exins, reading my mind. ¡°But I¡¯m not convinced. You remember how sick Selene was the month before the fire?¡± Of course, I remember everything about that terrible time. The weeks between Bastien announcing the end of his marriage, my husband¡¯s death and Selene¡¯s supposed murder loomrge in my memory. Those terrible days were among the worst of my entire life. ¡°I remember.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a n.¡± Bastien breathes, ¡°I want to bring them home, but we¡¯ve got to deal with Arabe first.¡± I¡¯m nodding, though he can¡¯t see me. ¡°What do you need from me?¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 53 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 53 Arabe¡¯s POV ¡°We have a problem.¡± A deep voice thunders over the phone line. My senses sharpen, locking onto the familiar sound, ¡°I thought everything was set for the next phase?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± My longtime ally answers. ¡°Bastien found Selene.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± It takes a moment for the air to return to my lungs, ¡°Selene is dead. How can he have found her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible she¡¯s not as dead as I led you to believe.¡± He hedges. ¡°What the fuck does that mean?¡± I hiss, ¡°Either someone¡¯s dead or they aren¡¯t. Besides, you didn¡¯t lead me to believe anything ¨C 1 did it, not you!¡± ¡°Yes well I got cold feet!¡± He blurts out, ¡°I pulled her out, alright? She¡¯s been in Asphodel until now without anyone being the wiser.¡± This is unbelievable. I always knew it was a bad idea to join forces, but I never imagined the idiot could screw things up this badly. I swear, only men make such stupid, block-headed mistakes. The bastard probably got it into his head he was in love with the little halfling and got cold feet. ¡°And her brat?¡± I demand. ¡°She was breeding, you remember?¡± ¡°Luckily she had the sense to tell Durand the kid isn¡¯t his.¡± My partner promises, ¡°But they¡¯ve met. She told him about your involvement, and from the looks of it, he believed her.¡± I clench my eyes shut, rubbing my temples and praying for patience. ¡°What does that mean?¡±. ¡°It means the enforcers are on their way to arrest you.¡± He announces solemnly, ¡°You don¡¯t have much time.¡± My eyes snap open, darting to the window in search of shing lights. Finding none, I begin yanking clothes and provisions from my drawers, ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°For now.¡± My friend reports, ¡°Do you have a n?¡± Iugh without humor, unzipping my luggage with excessive force ¡°I always have a n.¡± ¡°So what is it, where will you go?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t concern you.¡± I mutter icily, ¡°All you need to know is that I¡¯m out there, and I¡¯m watching you. If I were you, I¡¯d get your act together ¨C before it¡¯s toote.¡± Drake¡¯s POV I¡¯m still hanging up the phone when Bastien Durand enters, smoke billowing from his ears. I ster a smirk on my face, determined not to show the other Alpha any weakness. I was feeling much more confident about things before Selene told him that L is my child. ¡°Hello Bastien.¡± | greet him coolly. ¡°Drake.¡± He nods stiffly, ¡°We need to get a few things straight.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I snort, doing my best to pique his temper. ¡°Don¡¯t bother posturing.¡± He grumbles, ¡°It won¡¯t do you any good.¡± Without waiting for an invitation, he drops into one of the lounge chairs in front of my desk, slouching in a show of outright disrespect. If I could afford to challenge the other wolf I might object, but we both know he¡¯s stronger than I am. ¡°What is it you wish to discuss, Bastien?¡± I sigh. ¡°Selene is mine.¡± He deres, not bothering to look at me. ¡°And whether or not L share¡¯s my blood, she belongs to my mate, and that makes her mine too.¡± ¡°Funny. I snipe, Have you shared these sentiments with Selene? Somehow I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll agree with you.¡± ¡°My rtionship with my mate is our business, not yours.¡± The other wolf directs reproachfully. ¡°We¡®ll sort our issues out when the timees, but I expect you to be far out of the way by then.¡± ¡°If you expect me to agree to simply step aside so you can be free to mistreat her all over again, you¡¯re sorely mistaken.¡± i inform him ¡°I have no interest in mistreating her, nor have I ever.¡± Bastien bites back, ¡°Selene is the most important thing in the world to me, I would never harm her.¡± *Then why did you?¡± I challenge. ¡°In case you¡¯ve forgotten, I was there when she left you, I know things about your marriage which are probably still mysteries to you!¡± I circle my desk, leaning against the hard wood with renewed confidence, ¡°She was afraid of you, Durand. Afraid enough to fake her death ande to me when your girlfriend tried to knock her off.¡± Cold silver eyes catch me in their crosshairs, ¡°She said she wasn¡¯t responsible for faking her death.¡± ¡°You egotistical ass,¡± I scoff, ¡°Do you really think she would tell you if she did? She was so terrified of you she fled through rogue territories to get away from you. Why in the Goddess¡¯s name do you think she would be up front with someone who frightened her so much? ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± He snarls. ¡°Am I?¡± I ask, ¡°Because I¡¯m the one who¡¯s been here for Selene all this time.¡± I let every ounce of provocation I can muster bleed into my voice. ¡°I¡¯m the one who has been living with your mate, taking care of her, protecting her, holding her hand through childbirth and raising her pup, for thest three and a half years!¡± I all but shout. ¡°Do you really think you know her better, based on two days of being reunited, during most of which she was actively running from you?¡± Bastien¡¯s wolf ws at the surface of his skin, his eyes glowing, fangs and ws extended. His barrel- like chest heaves with shallow, furious breaths. Just as I think he¡¯s about to explode, the fires in his eyes bank, and cold resolve settles over his powerful haunches. ¡°I¡¯m not as easy to manipte as that, Cavanaugh.¡± He thunders, prowling around me in circles. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that you¡®ve been in love with her since the moment youid eyes on her?¡± I try to brush off his words, but we both know there¡¯s truth in them. ¡°The longer it takes her to find herself, to see her true worth, the better it is for you.¡± He growls, ¡°Selene has found a lot of strength over thest few years, but she still has not freed herself enough to live up to her full potential. The moment she does, she¡¯ll see you are not even worthy of breathing the same air she is.¡± ¡°Your days with my mate are numbered.¡± Bastien rolls his neck, insa calcting, reptilian motion. ¡°Support her for a while longer, hold her hand, offer her what meager protection you can, give her what she wants and never challenge her but know it will never be enough.¡± His words m into me one after the other, stabbing straight to the core of my being. ¡°At the end of the day, Selene and L belong with me, and no amount of pretending or wishful thinking can change that. I will take them back to Elysium where they belong, and there¡¯s not a thing you can do to stop me.¡± Selene¡¯s POV Drakees to my roomste that night, long after I¡¯ve put L to bed and changed into my sleep clothes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask the moment I see the strained expression on his face. ¡°Bastien is going to try to force you back to Elysium.¡± He cautions, ¡°Don¡¯t trust him, whatever he says.¡± He closes the door behind him with a firm click, ¡°He just told me his entire n. He doesn¡¯t care whether L is his or not, he doesn¡¯t care what you want. He¡¯s the same Bastien he¡¯s always been.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no surprise,¡± I frown. Even as the words leave my lips, Luna stirs in my chest, We should go with him. Forget this other wolf. You like Drake. I remind her with annoyance. That was before I met Bastien. He¡¯s stronger, smarter, better. She argues, He knows what¡¯s best. I know what¡¯s best for my daughter. I snap. He doesn¡¯t even know he has a daughter. And whose fault is that? Luna snarks. Do you have any idea how different things would be now if you¡¯d been honest with him. I¡®ve been honest with him before, Luna. It¡¯s only ended in tears. I counter. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Drake, Bastien is thest person I n on trusting.¡± I assure my friend. ¡°No Selene.¡± He warns, ¡°I¡¯m serious. You need to be careful. Whatever he says to you, don¡¯t believe him. He shows you a different man than he shows the rest of the world.¡± His earnest expression is so full of concern there¡¯s no doubt he believes what he says, ¡°It s a trick ¨C a trap. You mustn¡¯t fall for it.¡± I offer Drake a soft smile. ¡°I know I don¡¯t look like much, Drake.¡± I broach, ¡°But I was married to Bastien for three years before I met you, and I¡¯ve run from him another three years since. Trust me when I say I know what I¡¯m dealing with.¡± ¡°I just want you to be safe.¡± Drake grimaces. ¡°I will be.¡± I promise. ¡°And I¡¯m going to guarantee my safety by staying far away from Bastien. You can take that to the bank.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 54 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 54 Bastien¡¯s POV I¡¯ve never spent much time in Asphodel. When I was a boy my father dragged me all over the continent, visiting different territories and packs, learning they of thend and meeting other Alphas, but I never liked anyce as well as Elysium. Now, watching Selene and Lmune with the strange animals who live in the watery mangroves of the Eros Pack¡¯s capital, I can almost appreciate the strange, floating city. A soft, furry snout emerges from the water, kissing L¡¯s tiny toddler hand and making the pup squeal with delight. Selene keeps one slender arm locked around her daughter¡¯s middle so the child doesn¡¯t leap from the dock, but her own beaming grin is so wide 1 feel tempted to step forward and impose the same protection on my mate. As if she can feel my gaze on her, Selene nces over her shoulder, her bright, intelligent eyes narrowing on me as her full mouth forms a luscious pout. I offer her a wolfish grin, Axel purring in my chest when a visible quiver vibrates up Selene¡¯s spine despite her grumpy expression. I¡¯m only vaguely aware of my Beta approaching on my left, desperately trying to ignore his grim energy in favor of the vision before me on the pier. Arabe fled Elysium. Well that certainly dampened the mood. She what? Someone tipped her off, clearly. Donovan responds evenly, She was gone before the warrant was even issued. Then it¡¯s true. Aiden joins our silent conversation, appearing on my other side. N?velDrama.Org content rights. You doubted it? Donavon questions skeptically. Where Arabe¡¯s romantic interest in me had exposed the less savory aspects of her nature long ago, and Donavon¡¯s experience standing in as one of her guardians had offered him the same rity, Aiden¡¯s idealistic view of our surrogate little sister has never quite been challenged until now that is. No. He rebuts, I just hoped¡­ I suppose it was just denial. Aiden finally confesses. We grew up with her after all. Can you me me for not wanting to believe it? No. I answer easily. I don¡¯t want to believe it either but I refuse to allow my own wishes to blind me to the truth. Guilt floods me as we stand there watching the identical she-wolves ying in the water, both so small in their own ways. The fact is I let myself ignore Arabe¡¯s faults for way too long. If I hadn¡¯t, none of this might have ever happened. I can feel my Betas¡¯ eyes on me, and I know what Donovan is going to ask before the thought leaves his head. Do you want us to go after Arabe, or let her go? A few years ago my allegiance to Flynn would have rendered the question unnecessary, even this time last yeah, I¡¯m not sure how I would have answered. Now I don¡¯t give it a second thought: Hunt her down. No matter how long it takes. L fell asleep around mid-afternoon, begging to be carried and then slumping in her mother¡¯s arms long before we neared the center-city neighborhood my mate and her pup called home. Though Selene had agreed to apany our party on a diplomatic tour around the city only after significant cajoling, her daughter¡¯s exhaustion seemed to provide the excuse for which she¡¯d been waiting to duck out early. She was, therefore, less than amused when I offered to carry L the rest of the way, bearing the brunt of the physical toll. Halting her imminent excuses to slip away, Selene reluctantly passed the pup to me while grumbling mutinously under her breath. Taking the featherlight load into my arms and resisting the urge to steal a kiss from my mate in the process, I snuggled the pint sized wolf throughout the rest of the tour, determinedly parsing her delicate scent for any traces of Drake Cavanaugh and finding none, When Selene stepped out to use the restroom, I took the opportunity for which I¡¯d been waiting, feeling only a small sliver of guilt a: I plucked a few hairs from the sleeping pups¡¯ head and passed them to Aiden. ¡°Here, get these back to Elysium straight away. I want you to oversee the tests personally, and don¡¯t leave until they have the results.¡± I¡¯ve already provided my Beta with samples of my own DNA topare against L¡¯s. Though I have no doubt the hospitals in Asphodel are world-ss, I don¡¯t trust Eros wolves with such delicate matters. I want the Drs in Elysium to run these tests, and I do I want a single middleman involved to muddy the waters of the results. ¡°Are you kidding?¡± I scoff ¡°She¡¯d have my head for even suggesting it¡± i joke. In truth, Sne¡¯s defensiveness only raises my suspicions that L is mine. After all, what cause would she have to be so defensive if L truly belonged to Drake? ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, Bastien. I don¡¯t think you have anything to worry about.¡± Donovan confides, ¡°That girl has your smile ¨C not Cavanaughs. His words bothfort and concern me. ¡°All due respect Donovan, I think I have even more to worry about if she is mine.¡± ¡°At least if she isn¡¯t I know Selene is being honest.¡± ¡°Well if I were you, I¡¯d start worrying.¡± Aiden frowns, carefully wrapping up L¡¯s sample. ¡°Because Donovan¡¯s right. If this pup isn¡¯t yours, I¡¯ll eat my hat.¡± Selene¡¯s POV I firmly turn over the deadbolt locking my apartment, looking over my shoulder at the Alpha cradling my daughter as I push the door open. Stepping just inside, I reach out for L, sighing in frustration when Bastien pushes past me into the foyer rather than handing over my pup. y sofa. Sirpanien.¡± I instruct, He strides past me as if he owns the space, pulling off his jacket and then L¡¯s before settling on my sofa. Stripping off my own outerwear, I promptly swipe my baby away from the big predator and cuddle her to my chest, ¡°You can go now, Bastien.¡± I instruct, nodding towards the door where Donovan still hovers. Rather than doing as I suggested, Bastien scoots closer, throwing one burly arm over my shoulder and circling the other around L. ¡°I put out an order for Arabe¡¯s arrest.¡± He announces nonchntly. My chin jerks toward him in surprise, and I sit up, holding my body away from his intoxicating touch as best I can. ¡°Did you get her?¡± ¡°She ran.¡± He sighs, dragging onerge paw over his face. It takes a moment for his words to sink in, their full implications washing over me like a drowning tide. ¡°Then she knows I¡¯m here.¡± He¡¯s growling before the words can leave his mouth. ¡°Not necessarily.¡± ¡°Of course she does!¡± | argue. ¡°You tried to arrest her for attempting to kill me. The only way you could have found that out is if you found me, which means she knows I¡¯m alive.¡± And that also means she knows L is alive. Luna whines in my chest, you have to tell him. If Arabe knows about L, she¡¯s in danger. I force down my wolf¡¯s protests, even as Bastien remarks, ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯ll just have toe back to Elysium with me then.¡° ¡°What?¡± I hiss coldly. ¡°You¡¯re safest with me.¡± Bastien announces smugly, ¡°We know Arabe isn¡¯t in Elysium, So that¡¯s where you should go.¡± ¡°In case you¡¯ve forgotten, being near you got me almost murdered multiple times and you didn¡¯t do a damn thing to protect me.¡± I bite back, squeezing L just a bit too tightly. The sweet pup murmurs and tosses in her sleep, and Bastien plucks her from my arms. ¡°There, there, little one.¡± He croons. ¡°Was Mommy getting too worked up?¡± My mouth gapes open in outrage, ¡°how dare you!¡± Bastien gently rubs L¡¯s back in small, concentric circles. ¡°Easy little wolf.¡± Though he¡¯s petting my pup, I know he¡¯s speaking to me and me alone. ¡°I didn¡¯t know before. I do now. I won¡¯t let any harm come to you.¡± Fuming and certain smoke is billowing from my nostrils, I extend my arms, ¡°Hand her over, and get out of my house.¡± Bastien arches a thick brow, not moving an inch, ¡°No.¡± ¡°What do you mean, no?¡± I demand, ¡°This is my house, I told you to leave. Now leave.¡± I¡¯m not sure how he manages it, after all, L isn¡¯t known for being the deepest sleeper in the world. Nheless, one moment I¡¯m hovering over Bastien flinging threats and and res, and the next he¡¯s got my pup sleeping contentedly in one hand, and my nape in the other, ¡°This might be your house, but you belong to me, Selene.¡± Bastien growls ¡°That means I make the rules here.¡± My breast heaves as I scrabble for the words to respond, but he stops me again. ¡°You need some rest, as does this angel, so you¡¯r going to get it.¡± He orders coldly. ¡°Be a good girl and go to sleep. We¡¯ll finish this in the morning.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 55 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 55 Selene¡¯s POV I firmly turn over the deadbolt locking my apartment, looking over my shoulder at the Alpha cradling my daughter as I push the door open. Stepping just inside, I reach out for L, sighing in frustration when Bastien pushes past me into the foyer rather than handing over my pup. y sofa. Sirpanien.¡± I instruct. He strides past me as if he owns the space, pulling off his jacket and then L¡¯s before settling on my sofa. Stripping off my own outerwear, I promptly swipe my baby away from the big predator and cuddle her to my chest, ¡°You can go now, Bastien.¡± I instruct, nodding towards the door where Donovan still hovers. Rather than doing as I suggested, Bastien scoots closer, throwing one burly arm over my shoulder and circling the other around L. ¡°I put out an order for Arabe¡¯s arrest.¡± He announces nonchntly. My chin jerks toward him in surprise, and I sit up, holding my body away from his intoxicating touch as best I can. ¡°Did you get her?¡± ¡°She ran.¡± He sighs, dragging onerge paw over his face. It takes a moment for his words to sink in, their full implications washing over me like a drowning tide. ¡°Then she knows I¡¯m here.¡± He¡¯s growling before the words can leave his mouth. ¡°Not necessarily.¡± ¡°Of course she does!¡± | argue. ¡°You tried to arrest her for attempting to kill me. The only way you could have found that out is if you found me, which means she knows I¡¯m alive.¡± And that also means she knows L is alive. Luna whines in my chest, you have to tell him. If Arabe knows about L, she¡¯s in danger. I force down my wolf¡¯s protests, even as Bastien remarks, ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯ll just have toe back to Elysium with me then.¡° ¡°What?¡± I hiss coldly. ¡°You¡¯re safest with me.¡± Bastien announces smugly, ¡°We know Arabe isn¡¯t in Elysium, So that¡¯s where you should go.¡± ¡°In case you¡¯ve forgotten, being near you got me almost murdered multiple times and you didn¡¯t do a damn thing to protect me.¡± I bite back, squeezing L just a bit too tightly. The sweet pup murmurs and tosses in her sleep, and Bastien plucks her from my arms. ¡°There, there, little one.¡± He croons. ¡°Was Mommy getting too worked up?¡± My mouth gapes open in outrage, ¡°how dare you!¡± Bastien gently rubs L¡¯s back in small, concentric circles. ¡°Easy little wolf.¡± Though he¡¯s petting my pup, I know he¡¯s speaking to me and me alone. ¡°I didn¡¯t know before. I do now. I won¡¯t let any harm come to you.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Fuming and certain smoke is billowing from my nostrils, I extend my arms, ¡°Hand her over, and get out of my house.¡± Bastien arches a thick brow, not moving an inch, ¡°No.¡± ¡°What do you mean, no?¡± I demand, ¡°This is my house, I told you to leave. Now leave.¡± I¡¯m not sure how he manages it, after all, L isn¡¯t known for being the deepest sleeper in the world. Nheless, one moment I¡¯m hovering over Bastien flinging threats and and res, and the next he¡¯s got my pup sleeping contentedly in one hand, and my nape in the other, ¡°This might be your house, but you belong to me, Selene.¡± Bastien growls ¡°That means I make the rules here.¡± My breast heaves as I scrabble for the words to respond, but he stops me again. ¡°You need some rest, as does this angel, so you¡¯re going to get it.¡± He orders coldly. ¡°Be a good girl and go to sleep. We¡¯ll finish this in the morning.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 56 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 56 Bastien¡®s POV ¡°You were about to mark me!¡± I stumble backward, dazed as Selene¡¯s words pierce through the fog of lust. She was right, I was about to mark her. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. My instincts hadpletely taken over, Axel was urging me to mark her as he had a thousand times before, but my old self restraint is long gone. I thought my mate was dead for three years, kissing her again was too much too resist. If I mark her, make that searing, iming bite that will forever tie her to me and announce to the world that she belongs to me, she¡¯d never be able to run again. Even now, knowing how wrong it would be to mark her without her consent, I have to admit the idea is tempting. I watch my mate obsessively, taking in every facet of her expression and demeanor. She¡¯s so beautiful with her wolf alight in her eyes, a wolf that still seeks mine despite Selene¡¯s objections. I cannot hear the call myself, but Axel certainly can, She¡¯s calling me, He insists, she needs the mark just as much as we do. She¡¯s in pain without it. I study Selene carefully, reading anger and longing in her stunning features much more strongly than any fear or rejection. I know Axel is right just as certainly as I know the human part of Selene has no intention of giving me permission to mark her. So who should get to decide, the woman, or her wolf? Icock my head to the side, the scent of Selene¡¯s arousal still heavy in the air. ¡°Tell me not to.¡± I order huskily. ¡°What?¡± Selene falters, taking a step back despite the fact that I haven¡¯t moved an inch. ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to mark you,¡± I instruct slowly, ¡°Tell me not to tell your wolf to stop begging mine for the mark.¡± ¡°l- She isn¡¯t!¡± Selene insists weakly. ¡°No more lies, little wolf.¡± I scold, some of my pain and rage over her betrayal bleeding into the words without my permission. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± She shakes her head unconvincingly, then breaks, ¡°You¡¯re doing this! Selene uses, looking like she might be on the verge of tears. ¡°Tell your wolf to stop calling her!¡± She can¡¯t tell you no, because she wants it just as badly as you do. Axel rumbles. This is one of those times that having a wolf is downright inconvenient. He¡¯s ruled by instinct, and instinct overpowers logic ten to one. Still, I can¡¯t help but feel uncertain when her sweet voice insists otherwise. Look at her. Axelmands forcefully, jolting my hypersensitive eyes to the she-wolf again. She looks just like she did in our early days together, so skittish and overwhelmed with feelings she¡¯s beside herself. Every wave of agitated energy rolling off her calls to me forforting, and that I cannot deny. Help her. My wolf orders. ncing over my shoulder to the slumbering pup on the couch, I make my decision. Scooping up L and carrying her to the first bedroom I can find, I tuck her into the thick covers and drop a string of kisses on her sweet-smelling head, feeling a rush of warmth when she smiles and coos in her sleep. Mine. Axel says. Yes, I heard you the first hundred times. I remind him tetchily. When I return to the main room, Selene is pacing, appearing as if she¡¯d had to exert all her effort not to follow me. She¡¯s wringing her hands, but when I move towards her, her eyes don¡¯t nce back to the room where I left her pup, they¡¯re glued on me. ¡°Tell me not to mark you.¡± I say again, ¡°Make me believe it, Selene, and this won¡¯t go any further.¡± For a moment I think she might actually find the will to refuse me, but it would seem rejecting me now is a lot more difficult than it had been when she believed I¡¯d forsaken her. ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡± She exims instead, ¡°why couldn¡¯t you let me go? ¡°You know the answer to that.¡± I prowl forward, stalking her like I did the very first time we ever came together, the day she¡¯d used me of not being attracted her because I¡¯d overestimated the amount of time she needed to feelfortable with physical intimacy. I should have known that her wolf was not entirely gone then; she¡®d always reacted to me differently that she did others. ¡°You¡®re mine, Selene. You always have been.¡± When she still does not protest, I take her hand and lead her into the bathroom, closing the door behind us. I turn on the shower tap, twisting with more strength than was necessary but unable to hold back. The steady pound of cascading water fills the room, and I listen for a moment, deciding that the distance and the noise should provide sufficient buffers to the sleeping toddler in the other room. Tuming on my mate, I pull her body into mine, ¡°Last chance, baby.¡± I tell her, pulling her top over her head, ¡°Tell me now before it¡¯s toote.¡± Shimmering orbs of blue and violet stare up at me helplessly, full of thoughts and memories too complicated to rise to the surface. Emotion clouds her lust-dted pupils, and with a moan of defeat, Selene leans her head back against the wall and shuts her eyes, surrenderingpletely. Selene¡¯s POV The ceiling tiles blur as Bastien¡¯s mouth and hands assail me, melding pain and pleasure until I¡¯m writhing in his arms. My back is to the wall and my hands are restrained above my head, wrists trapped in one of Bastien¡¯s massive hands. A rumble of pure male satisfaction reverberates through the shower stall as he sinks his fingers between my thighs and meets the evidence of my desire. ¡®Tell me again how you don¡¯t want me.¡¯ He purrs in my ear. ¡°Shut up.¡± I snarl, tossing my head left and right as the pleasure begins to build. Oh Goddess, it¡¯s been so long. I think. I expected a reprisal, just not the one I receive. Bastien¡¯s powerful hand swats my swollen sex, causing me to whimper and jolt beneath him. He emits a dark chuckle, pressing lingering kisses along my throat as he gentles his touch and continues his delicious torment. Already I can feel my control slipping. Bastien always had this effect on me, the unerring ability to wipe all thought from my brain with a single touch; the infuriating talent to take me to heights I can, and will, never reach on my own. I moan and bring my leg up around Bastien¡¯s back, straining to meet the tortuous thrust of his fingers. Even as I hide behind loweredshes, I can feel the all-consuming weight of Bastien¡¯s gaze on my face, harsh and unforgiving in it¡¯s reverence. This is my only escape now; my only defiance. I¡¯ve never been able to resist my mate and no matter the cartwheels Luna is performing in my heart, the new me can¡¯t help but some small show of resistance. I discovered a strength I never knew! possessed when I left Elysium and as desperately as I need this, I¡¯m terrified to give up that part of myself. I don¡¯t want to go back to the way things were. I squirm as my inner muscles clench and spasm, and Bastien¡¯s deep voice breaks through my conflicted rapture. ¡®Look at me, Selene.¡¯l ignore him, gasping and moaning as my muscles clench again, only to feel his pumping fingers slow to a standstill. The shock snaps my eyes open, but the sight of Bastien¡¯s glowing silver irises mere inches away, boring into me with an intensity I cannot allow, forces my gaze down to the point where our bodies connect. I watch my hips rock unsessfully against his hand, frustration at being pulled back from the edge fraying at my senses. ¡®Bastien, please.¡± ¡°Goddess,¡¯ He growls triumphantly. I¡¯ve missed hearing my name on your lips.¡± His nose nuzzles mine, coaxing. ¡®Eyes, baby.¡¯ The message is clear, I¡¯m not going to get what I need, until I give him what he wants. Every thought in my mind shouts defiance, but every nerve in my body screams louder, begging for release. With a grumbling moan, I raised my eyes to Bastien, hating how exposed I feel. He gazes down at me with raw adoration, the muscles in his jaw straining with the effort of holding himself back. The moment Iply his hand begins moving again, wrenching the pleasure out of me with a merciless determination that would have brought me to my knees if the wall wasn¡¯t holding me up. As I near the edge again, myshes start to shutter reflexively, but a sharp yank on my restrained wrists jerked them back up. There¡¯s no escaping this. I¡¯m past all point of thought or reason, and so I let him witness every vulnerable second of my undoing. A cry bursts from my lips and I finally crest the tidal wave of pleasure Bastien created, shuddering and shaking in his arms. Still he does not let up, continuing to taunt and tease me until I¡¯m at the precipice of another peak. This time instead of drinking in the sight, he lowers his mouth to my neck, to those sacred veins reserved for a mate¡¯s mark an Alpha¡¯s mark. Luna¡¯s chants be my own, ¡°Please, please, please. Bastien growis in triumph, or maybe it¡¯s his wolf. Just as I tumble over the edge, I feel his fangs pressing into my skin, preparing to bite. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 57 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 57 Selene¡¯s POV From the first moment I learned about the mating mark, I¡¯ve always felt defective. Nevermind that the information came from a flock of bitter she wolves, their words always rang true in my heart. If Bastien truly wanted me, he would have marked me from the beginning. When i found out that we were truly mates, the wound deepened, like a knife driving in to the hilt with the realization that the loss of Luna had also cost me my fate. If I wasn¡¯t so broken, Bastien would have marked me whether he loved me or not; there is no other way with Alpha¡¯s, they mark what they see as theirs on principle. There are no words to describe how worthless something would have to be for such possessive creatures to give up their stake. So that¡¯s what I was exactly what Garrick always said: worthless. It never mattered to me that Luna was gone. I still wanted his mark. I still needed it. I just didn¡¯t understand it. I couldn¡¯t understand until Luna returned, and I realized there was still an empty pocket in my heart, one neither my daughter nor my wolf could fill. I thought I simply missed my husband, then Bastien came to Asphodel and I knew what I¡¯d been missing all this time. Now I¡¯m finally on the verge of filling that void, of fulfilling the destiny the Goddess penned in my name, and it can¡¯te fast enough. Part of me hates Bastien for failing to see my value when we were married. I want to kick, and scream that I¡¯m the same person I¡¯ve always been. But the other, stronger, part of me needs this like oxygen. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. No matter how much fury I still harbor for this man, I cannot undo the threads of fate. My entire existence has been building to this point, and feeling Bastien¡¯s fangs on my flesh is enough to push me over the edge, sending me into rapture before he can pierce my skin. One second more and it would have been done, but then a ring rm shatters the heated moment, a deafening screech that pulls Bastien back from my neck even as I quiver and shake in the throws of ecstacy. His head goes on a swivel; eyes, ears, and nose all on high alert for a threat. When I finallye down from my high, the fear takes me, slowly eroding my bliss and recing it with gut wrenching memories of smoke-filled closets. ¡°Fire.¡± I gasp, shock rocketing through my body with paralyzing effect. L! I think desperately, but then Bastien is shushing me gently, ¡°It¡¯s not a fire, little wolf.¡± ¡°L.¡± I croak, finding my voice. ¡°I know,¡± He assures me, turning off the water and pulling me from the stall. ¡°Get dressed, I¡¯ll get her.¡± I immediately begin tugging on my hastily discarded clothes, not bothering to dry myself first. I follow him down the hall, dressing as I go, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a perimeter rm.¡± Bastien replies, pushing into the bedroom where my pup now sits up in bed, rubbing her eyes and looking close to tears. He gathers her up and eases her into my arms, ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± I follow again as he pulls on his own clothes, bouncing L gently on my hip. ¡°Mommy, t¡¯s too loud.¡± She cries, burying her face in my neck ¡°I know angel,¡± I croon, kissing her hair, ¡°We¡¯re going to make it better, just hold on.¡± Bastien¡¯s men are already running up the drive when we exit the house, frustration clear on their faces. ¡°We don¡¯t know what set it off, it might just be a malfunction.¡± ¡°No.¡± He growls, standing protectively over me while I buckle L into her car seat. ¡°I don¡¯t trust any of this.¡± ¡°Do you want one of us to stay behind to investigate?¡± Aiden asks. ¡°No.¡± Bastien answers without hesitation, ¡°I want every guard we have on Selene and the pup. Whatever this is, it¡¯s about them, not us.¡± nyes sir.¡± Aiden confirms, his formal words and tone hammering home the gravity of our situation. We¡¯re on the road in minutes, my head turned all the way around to monitor the back seat as we drive, and Bastien¡¯s hand sped firmly around mine on the center console. ¡°You¡¯re going to make yourself sick, sweetheart.¡± He murmurs, brushing his thumb over my knuckles and eyeing L in the rearview mirror. ¡°It¡¯s all okay now,¡± He promises the toddler, and I realize my agitation is probably upsetting her. Pups are so sensitive to the emotions of adults, my panic can only make things worse. I turn back to face the front, gulping in heavy drafts of air. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I lie shakily, ¡°there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± I can feel Bastiens eyes on me, and his warm hand leaves mine. Just as I¡¯m about toin, the massive paw closes around my nape. ¡°We¡®re safe, Selene.¡± He says in a low whisper, applying gentle pressure. ¡°You¡¯re safe, L is safe.¡± My body rxes slightly, surrendering to the dominant hold out of muscle memory. Bastien trained the response into me from our very first days together, using it to steady me when I spiral and defer to his strength when I feel like I have none left. I don¡¯t need to exin what¡¯s happening to him, the way I might to Drake or another wolf. He knows what I need without asking, and I couldn¡¯t be more relieved to be with him now. In some ways the shbacks of the fire are worse than those of Garrick: I always associate them with losing L. She wasn¡¯t born yet, but she was there. She was there and she was dying with me. I mp my eyes shut, trying to steady my pounding heart and keep the welling tears from leaving myshes. My breaths sound more like hups the more I think about the fire. Only after the pressure on the back of my neck grows borderline painful, does the suffocating heat which engulfs me fade back into the past where it belongs. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± The tension seeps out of me bit by bit, my mate¡¯s touch anchoring me to the present. Silver eyes glow at me from the passenger seat, swirling with rage, though I know it isn¡¯t directed at me. ¡°Are you back with me?¡± He asks gently. Inod, sniffling slightly and turning to the back seat again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry L bean, Mommy¡¯s just being silly.¡± ¡°S¡¯okay mommy.¡± She advises sagely, ¡°maybe you need a nap.¡± I break into a watery smile, and Bastien¡¯s chuckle fills the confined space with warmth. ¡°Well said, pup.¡± The same fingers which had been driving me to the edge of sanity ten minutes ago, massage small circles at the base of my skull, ¡°Sleep baby, and when you wake up, we need to talk about whoever called in that tip.¡± Third POV The bastard almost marked her. Lucky for me, they never saw the cameras nted around the cabin. I was able to trigger the rm just in time, and I guarantee mating will be thest thing on their minds for a while. Some would call it pathological to install cameras in every room, including the bathrooms, but I¡¯m of the opinion that you can never be too safe in a safehouse. That over precaution paid off today, and my wolf is currently full of smug pride at our foresight. Still, that was all much too close forfort. If Bastien¡¯s Betas hadn¡¯t set out on a new patrol when things started to get hot and heavy in the house setting off my real perimeter rms again I would have been toote. When Ist checked, Bastien was ying with the pup and Selene was stewing in the background. I don¡¯t know how things escted so rapidly. but clearly their connection is stronger than I thought. I¡¯ve got to get Selene away from him, for good. At the moment the only thing standing between my sess and theplete implosion of my ns is a quickie. As frustrated as I was when Bastien first learned Selene was alive, I¡¯vee to see the wisdom of letting her smash his heart to pieces rather than simply making him mourn her. I learned the hard way that grief can motivate change just as powerfully as it can inflirt nain demoralizes Bastien sopletely that he loses the will to go on? Well that¡¯s another thing entirely. I¡¯d call on Arabe for help, but thest I heard she fled the Nova territory for parts unknown. Besides, I¡¯ve never truly trusted her since the fire. She wants to destroy Bastien as badly as I do, but I don¡¯t believe she¡¯s asmitted to our alliance as I once thought. The more time that passes, the more I think her hunger is as much for power as it is for revenge, which makes her loyalty to the highest bidder, not the most righteous. With a heavy exhale, I turn away from the video monitors. I need to act fast, and at this point I think there is only one thing that can drive arge enough wedge between the Alpha and his mate to force them apart permanently: L. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 58 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 58 Selene¡¯s POV We¡¯re back in Asphodel by the time I wake. Myshes part to the sight of fierce silver eyes, affection sparkling in their depths while familiar hands stroke my hair. I mumble sleepily, stretching as Bastien coaxes me from sleep. ¡°There she is.¡± He purrs, turning to look down at something by my hip. ¡°See, I told you.¡± I follow his line of sight, the happiness burgeoning in my chest expanding to joy when I see L grinning up at me, ¡°You slept for a long time, mommy.¡± She informs me, crawling into myp for a cuddle. ¡°Bashun said he put a spell on you.¡± ¡°I did!¡± He says, ¡®with feigned offense, ¡°You saw, I just lifted it.¡± I squeeze the beloved bundle in my arms, rocking slightly back and forth. ¡°And why would he do that?¡± I ask, resting my cheek on the top of her head. ¡°Cuz you didn¡¯t want to take a nap.¡± She exins simply, snuggling closer. ¡°And you needed one.¡± Bastien adds seriously, watching us with a tender expression. ¡°Well the next time Bastien wants to put a spell on me, you bite him.¡± I instruct L, ¡°spells are bad.¡± She shakes her head, rejecting the notion without pause. ¡°Not all spells.¡± ¡°Oh, which spells are good?¡± I question, trying very hard to look at her and not the big wolf kneeling at the edge of the passenger seat. ¡°Ones that heal.¡± L ims, looking up at me with my own eyes. ¡°or give you nice dreams¡± she ponders another moment, ¡°love ones.¡± ¡°Your mommy knows all about love spells¡± Bastien deres, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. My eyes narrow to slits, and I slip out of the car, carrying L with me. ¡°Don¡¯t you listen to him, L.¡± I instruct tritely, heading for the canal and its waiting ferry boats, nked by my mate and his guards. ¡°That big bad wolf is full of nonsense.¡± I know Bastien is making faces behind my back, because L giggles the entire way to the pier. She¡¯s like a tiny spring in my arms, bobbing up and down; first peeking her head up over my shoulder then ducking down again to hide. Thead straight for the prow when we board the boat, reflexively taking up L¡¯s favorite spot for spying fish and giant otters. on the journey. Bastien moves close behind me, his chest grazing my shoulder des as his arms cage me on either side. His hands settle on the railing, and I don¡¯t need to look in order to guess his expression. L¡¯s face says it all: her precious features are uncertain at first, but quickly transform into a beaming grin. It¡¯s the look of any wolf thates under the intimidating Alpha¡¯s scrutiny, only most never get past the cowed deference. Not my pup, she stares into the face of danger with pure joy, thoroughly undermining my lies about her paternity. I catch Donavon appraising her smile, no doubt noting its resemnce to Bastien¡¯s. It¡¯s surprisingly quiet as the boat takes off, and I look around for the other passengers, only to realize they aren¡¯t there. We¡®re the only ones aboard the ferry, and all the other travelers who had been waiting on the docks remain there still. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that.¡± I admonish Bastien, nodding towards the disgruntled clump of people. A jolt of electricity runs through me as his lips graze the back of my neck, ¡°I disagree.¡± ¡°Mommy look!¡± L chirps happily as a fish flies out of the water before us, disappearing just as quickly, its shimmering scales still visible beneath the crystalline surface. ¡°I see!¡± I exim, pretending I¡¯m notpletely on edge with the huge shifter looming over me. ¡°Why does it jump like that?¡± She asks curiously. ¡°Maybe it was trying toe and say hello to you.¡± I suggest. *And now it¡¯s going to go home and tell its whole fish family about the strange creatures it saw on the lagoon today.¡± Bastien adds, his rumbling voice making my insides turn to jelly. I turn to re up at him, mouthing, ¡°stop it!¡± He arches his brow, as if to say ¡°stop what?¡± Thankfully L is oblivious to our silent battle. ¡°Where do fishes live when they aren¡¯t swimming?¡± ¡°Fish,¡± I correct gently, ¡°can live in all sorts of ces: reefs, caves, even under the sand.¡± As with any child her age, one question quickly bes one hundred, and I can see her gearing up for the onught. However, before she can find the words to express her curious thoughts, Bastien heads her off. ¡°Oh!¡± He says with animation, ¡°You know who loves fish?¡± ¡°Who?¡± L peeps immediately. ¡°Aiden!¡± From the look on Aiden¡¯s face, this is the first he¡¯s heard of this supposed interest, but he comes forward to take L anyway. She¡¯s already rattling off questions as they stride away, and I turn on my mate. ¡°Would you stop giving my pup away to random wolves?¡± I snap. ¡°Aiden is hardly random.¡± He remarks dryly, ¡°and we need to talk.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to stop this.¡± I object, pushing at his chest. ¡°Whether or not we know him, it¡¯s my decision who watches my child, not yours!¡± He leans forward, invading my space even more than he already was, and my back hits the railing. ¡°You¡¯re really going to keep pretending she isn¡¯t mine?¡± My lip curls up, and I force the words out through clenched teeth. ¡°She isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Bastien replies ominously. Every muscle in my body goes taught. ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It means we¡¯ll see.¡± He repeats not giving an inch, ¡°In the meantime we need to figure out what¡¯s going on here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your concern either.¡± I insist, ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned that rm at the safehouse was a blessing.¡± One that hadn¡¯ te a moment too soon. ¡°You used my wolf against me, I lost control. That¡¯s not going to happen again.¡± A darkugh rolls through Bastien¡¯s chest, ¡°My sweet little wolf.¡± He buries his face in my hair, inhaling my scent like an addict satisfying their fix. ¡°You might be feistier now, but you¡¯re every bit as adorable.¡± Despite his words, his expression is so menacing when he pulls his head up I¡¯m afraid he might mark me right here and now. Let him, Luna purrs. Don¡¯t you start. I bite back. ¡°Just you wait.¡± He goads huskily, ¡°when that first heat hits, you¡¯re going to be begging for my mark.¡± ¡°Not if you¡¯re back in Elysium where you belong.¡± I hiss. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving Asphodel without you.¡± Bastien deres fiercely, ¡°and that won¡¯t happen until we know who turned you in.¡± I choose to ignore his firstment, ¡°You¡¯re overreacting, it was probably just some petty she-wolf who¡¯s jealous of my rtionship with Drake. I¡¯m not exactly popr with the women here.¡± ¡°And what if you¡¯re wrong?¡± Bastien presses. ¡°Do you really want to take that chance? With your life, with L¡¯s?¡± Indecision paralyzes me, what if you are wrong? Luna asks. Who else could it be? I think back. It could easily have been for the money. She answers. I brush off her qualms, knowing my stubbornness is more to do with Bastien than true logic. Then they aren¡¯t truly a threat to me, are they? But it¡¯s L,es Luna¡¯s vehement reply. I know and she¡¯s safer out of the spotlight. I reason. We¡¯ll leave if we have to just not with him. I offer Bastien my best glower. ¡°Drake will take care of me.¡± His wolf is close to the surface now, drawn out by the repeated mention of the other man. ¡°He will never take care of you the way I will and you know it.¡± Our bodies are practically stered together now, and I¡¯m pushing down the instinct to rub myself all over him; marking him with my scent and satisfying my own needs for affection from my mate. Goddess, how I wish I could turn these feelings off ¨C despite my tough words, I know I can¡¯t keep this up much longer. It hurts too much to be so near him while keeping our wolves apart. Even so, I have to stay strong ¨C I know the way this story goes. ¡°He¡¯ll also never hurt me the way you did.¡± I challenge fervently. Something acutely akin to pain shes in his silver eyes, ¡°That isn¡¯t fair.¡± He replies gravely, his jaw granite. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what was going on with Arabe.¡± ¡°That¡¯s some endorsement.¡± I scoff, ¡°How can you tell me we¡¯d be safer with you, when you couldn¡¯t see what was happening underneath your own nose?¡± ¡°How could you expect me to help with your troubles when you hid them from me?¡± Bastien contradicts, ¡°I¡¯m not omniscient, Selene. I had an entire pack to run, I was mourning my father and losing my wife, I did the best I could.¡± ¡°Well your best wasn¡¯t enough.¡± I¡¯m baiting him now, but nothing else is working. ¡°Drake¡¯s was.¡± I tilt my chin up, looking him dead in the eye as I proim, ¡°This is my home now, tip line or no, I¡¯m staying here.¡± Bastien huffs humorlessly, ¡°Well I¡¯ve got news for you, sweetheart.¡± He growls, closing his arms a bit tighter around me. ¡°Whatever happens between us, I¡¯m not leaving before I know who was responsible for this, so you¡¯d better get used to living with me again, because I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 59 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 59 Arabe¡¯s POV I used to hear stories about the Calypso Pack when I was young, about their beautiful territories in the far east and the unrivaled power with which they dominate the continent. From the time I was a little girl, strength has always been synonymous with their pack, and even as Gabriel grew the Nova pack to new heights, the Durands¡¯ have nevere close to challenging ise Denizen¡¯s empire. Everyone thought I loved Bastien much, but actually I never loved him. How would I love the man that caused my brother¡¯s death? | just always pretended to love him, in order to achieve my revenge. After Bastien married the halfling, I traveled for a long time, always nning on getting to the Calypso territory and its capital, Tartarus, eventually. At the time I thought seeding on like I could somehow make Bastien pay for Flynn¡¯s death by living my best life. What utter nonsense. A few years of wasted efforts courting other Alphas proved that much, and just when I was getting ready to travel to the Calypso territory to stage ast ditch effort, the news of the rejection spread. In hindsight, I probably should have ignored the rejection ande to Tartatus anyway. After all, at this point all my bestid ns have fallen to pieces. It seems no matter what I do, something is always going to go wrong. But I¡¯m no weakling, I¡¯m not just going to throw in the towel and give up. I chose the wrong ally against Bastien; one who was unwilling to go to any lengths necessary in order to achieve our goal. Somehow I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be a problem here. ise Denizen won¡¯t have any problem getting one feeble halfling out of the way, and he certainly won¡¯ t hesitate to challenge Bastien for the Nova territories when the timees. The only challenge now is getting on his good side, convincing him to join or at least champion my cause. It shouldn¡¯t be too hard. With the exception of Bastien, I¡¯ve never met a man I could not fool into doing my bidding. This will be no different. As far as I¡¯m concerned, Selene¡¯s days are numbered. Selene¡¯s POV Drake¡¯s gaze is locked on me as we enter his office, scanning me head to toe for signs of harm then doing the same to L. He sends me a signaling nod, asking if I¡¯m alright in the unspokennguage we¡¯ve developed over the years. I return his nod, trying not to blush, and he visibly rxes. L, who is quickly getting spoiled by getting carried everywhere, wriggles out of my arms to toddle across the room, her plump arms outstretched as she cries, ¡°Rake!¡± He kneels down, mimicking her movement so she can run straight into his hug. ¡°Hello munchkin!¡± I nce at Bastien out of the corner of my eye, instantly noticing his white knuckled fists glued at his sides. His hands are shaking with the effort of restraining himself, his wolf clearly close to the surface as he watches Drake reunite so warmly with our pup. I can only imagine the thoughts going through his head, and I know the safest thing would be to sepa rate b and Drake. However I have the sneaking suspicion that if I cross over to join them, it will only make ¡°Drake,¡± I speak the words as calmly as I can, ¡°Bastien wants to talk to you about the bounty.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The Eros Alpha agrees, ¡°Let¡¯s have it.¡± ¡°Not in front of her.¡± Bastien snarls, staring at L. ¡°Very well,¡± Drake says, crossing over to me so he can transfer L to my arms. ¡°Selene and L can go back to their apartment while we sort this out.¡± ¡°No,¡± Bastien snarls, ¡°They know to look for them there, not to mention my lovely mate doesn¡¯t need any more opportunities to make a run for it.¡± I¡¯m rolling my eyes, however I appear to be the only one. I¡¯d hoped Drake would automatically take my side no matter what, but his concerned expression and solemn words indicate otherwise. ¡°Who knows to look for them there?¡± ¡°Whoever is responsible for these,¡± Bastien grumbles impatiently, taking a small stack of papers from Donovan and dropping them down on Drake¡¯s desk. With a curt nod, Drake signals for his Beta, Hugo, toe take L, and I feel a stab of guilt. It seems like all I¡¯m ever doing these days is sweeping her out of rooms so she can¡¯t overhear things which might frighten her. I know it¡¯s confusing for her, and it terrifies me how often it¡¯s starting to happen. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Drake admits once the pup is out of range. ¡°Aren¡¯t you responsible for these?¡± ¡°No.¡± Bastien answers, sending shockwaves through my body. What does he mean no? I ask Luna. Before she can answer, Donavon produces a separate stack. ¡°We¡¯re responsible for these.¡± Bastien rifies, tossing the other papers beside the first. ¡°My men have been scouring the city since dawn. They found dozens of these throughout Asphodel¡¯s underground markets and along illicit trade routes out of the city.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± | demand, stepping forward. ¡°Some of these are real? Denizen¡¯s fliers were here too?¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Yes.¡± Bastien¡¯s voicees down like a hammer, ¡°Somehow news of the Calypso bounty made it here before Elysium.¡± ¡°And you can bet that if someone called one line, they called the other.¡± ¡°But how can they collect the reward if you don¡¯t know who they are?¡± Drake presses, frustration clear in his tone. ¡°It has to be anonymous in the beginning so people will feel safe calling in, so they¡¯ll feel empowered to share things they wouldn¡¯t otherwise.¡± Aiden exins. ¡°There¡¯s a trace on the line, yes, but that only helps if the call is ced from a standard cell phone. Ours wasn¡¯t, they used a public phone and we set up a secure line for future contact, but they haven¡¯t rung in yet. We can trace it once they do, but until then we¡¯re searching blind.¡± ¡°So let me see if I have this straight.¡± Drake begins, circling his desk with determined patience. ¡°You have no idea who reported Selene and L, but you¡¯re confident they were also reported to the Calypso pack?¡± My heartbeat is pounding violently in my chest. That can¡¯t be right. It would exin why Bastien has been so overcautious these past few hours, but I refuse to believe it.¡± ¡°Not entirely,¡± Bastien answers. I start to breathe a sigh of relief, but stop when my mate shifts closer to me as if afraid I might bolt. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s fair to assume the Calypso line was also called, but we¡¯re not pletely in the dark about the tipster: We know it was a man.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me any of this?¡± Selene demands, not bothering to pull me aside before unleashing her temper. ¡°You¡¯ve been letting me think this was probably some jealous she-wolf, that the only danger was if they decided to try and capture us!¡± ¡°Until this morning I didn¡¯t know about the Calypso fliers.¡± I rify, ¡°And you were the one talking about jealous she-wolves, not me.¡±. ¡°But you didn¡¯t correct me, you just let me go on thinking it was nothing.¡± She exims. ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing but try to make you see how serious this situation is.¡± | bite back, frustration swelling in my chest. I don¡¯t like having this conversation in front of the others; this is between us. ¡°If I didn¡¯ t share the details it¡¯s because I didn¡¯t want to frighten you more than you already were, but don¡¯t you dare try to pretend I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± She quells slightly, and I reach for her instinctively, needing to soothe the distress visible on her face. However before I can make contact, the sound of the door clicking open fills the air; followed by a scent | would know anywhere. Selene only has time to gape before my mother barrels into her, wrapping my mate in herforting arms and whispering a hundred hurried blessings in her ear. I¡¯m surprised she made it here so fast, and as inconvenient as her timing is, I¡¯m thrilled to see the corner of a heavy mani envelope sticking out of the corner of her purse. My patience only allows for a few minutes of tearful whispers, apologies, and exnations before ! step forward, pressing a kiss to my mother¡¯s cheek. ¡°Did you bring it?¡± I murmur, my gravelly voice low but not indistinguishable. Mom looks back and forth between me and Selene, obviously hesitant as she draws the envelope from her bag. The word: Confidential, has been stamped across the top of the thick beige paper, and I watch the blood drain from Selene¡¯s face. ¡°Do you know what this is, little wolf?¡± | ask, sounding more harsh than I intended. Her wide eyes leap to my face, undiluted fear dting her pupils. ¡°Bastien ¡± She starts, grappling for a reply but failing to find one. If I had any remaining doubts, her reaction smooths them all away. My wolf rumbles with displeasure and outrage. I can count on one hand the number of times he has been truly angry with Selene, but I cannot me him in this case. Not one bit. ¡°It¡¯s time to find out who L¡¯s father really is.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 60 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 60 Selene¡¯s POV This can¡¯t be happening. Two minutes ago I was being engulfed by my mother-inw¡¯s warmth and affirmations of love, now the rug has been pulled out from under me so abruptly I think I might actually copse. Certainly Bastien¡¯s words on the ferry had startled me, frightened me even. I suspected he intended to do something like this, the way he kept muttering ¡®we¡¯ll see.¡± But I never imagined it had already been done. I thought I had time to counteract him, toe up with a n. What do you mean?¡± I ask hoarsely, ¡°I already told you, she isn¡¯t yours.¡± ¡®You did.¡± Bastien acknowledges with a razor sharp tongue. ¡°But I had a DNA sample sent back to Ely sium just to be sure.¡± Odette looks back and forth between us, doubt marring her features. ¡°You didn¡¯t know he took a sam ple from your pup?¡± ¡°No.¡± I growl, ¡°I did not.¡± My former mother-inw swats her son¡¯s arm. ¡°Bastien, how could you?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have any right to do that.¡± Drake adds coldly, ncing towards the door where Hugo disap peared with L. ¡°I had every right.¡± My matebats, ¡°An Alpha¡¯s pup is not just any child, my mate doesn¡¯t have the right to keep her from me.¡± ¡°Maybe not.¡± Odette agrees calmly, ¡°but you don¡¯t know that she is yours. Selene is her mother, it¡¯s her decision whether or not someone takes her child¡¯s DNA.¡± ¡°Is that why you sent her away when I shifted?¡± I demand thickly, ¡°not to protect her but so you could steal her hair or nails or whatever else you used?¡± Bastien has the grace to look offended. ¡°Of course not.¡± He denies, ¡°I sent her away with nothing but her own best interest in mind ¨C not to mention yours.¡± He¡¯s ring daggers at me, and I try to remember thest time Bastien was truly angry with me. He¡¯s been stern, disapproving certainly, even annoyed. But before we reunited in Asphodel I can¡¯t ever remember him looking at me the way he is now; with such unmitigated fury I want to crawl under the desk and hide. He didn¡¯t even seem this livid when he found out I was alive. Luna is whimpering in my head, tucking her tail between her legs and rolling submissively onto her back. I know his fury is hurting her, that she hates feeling as if she¡¯s failed him. Once upon a time I would have reacted exactly the same way however Bastien isn¡¯t the only one who¡¯s angry. My maternal instincts are raging a battle of their own, outraged beyondprehension that Bastien vi ted my pup this way. Not only did he steal her DNA, he vited my trust. He took advantage of my weak ness and her vulnerability. But he¡¯s right. Luna moans, she¡¯s his pup. He has a right to know. Not this way. I insist. Not if it isn¡¯t what¡¯s best for her. He was always going to find out. Luna insists, and you can¡¯t deny how wonderful he is with her. People don¡¯t change. I argue, he¡¯s the same overbearing bully he¡¯s always been. He doesn¡¯t listen to. what I want, he doesn¡¯t care about us only himself. You love him. Luna exims, and I need him! Our internal argument has grown so fierce I have to stop myself from physically shaking my head. It¡¯s torture to be near him, yet so far-apart. Luna continues, I don¡¯t know how much longer I can take it. I know. Honestly, I do. I pronounce. But this is for the best. Being apart from him isn¡¯t what hurts most, it¡¯s being with him while he breaks your heart over and over again. I can feel every eye in the room survey ing me now, but I can¡¯t continue the external fight before resolving my battle with my wolf. One day you¡¯ll thank me for not letting him destroy youpletely. As Luna curls up in a defeated heap, I glower up at Bastien. ¡°One of these days, you¡¯re going to have to admit that the only person whose interests you act in, are your own.¡± | assert, far more confidently than I feel. ¡°If you really cared about me or L, you would respect my wishes. You would trust me when I tell you she isn¡¯t yours.¡± Odette reaches for my hand, squeezing softly, ¡°I¡¯ve never known Selene to lie, you may want the pup to be yours, but that doesn¡¯t mean she is.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t met her.¡± Bastien turns to Drake with a ck look. ¡°Call your man back in.¡± ¡°Under no circumstances,¡± Drake snarls, ¡°you¡¯ve crossed a line this time, Durand. This isn¡¯t your territo ry. Neither I, nor my men, are yours tomand.¡± He rounds his desk, standing up as tall as he can before my massive mate, ¡°And Selene and L are not yours either. Not anymore.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just see about that won¡¯t we?¡± Bastien rumbles, brandishing the envelope. ¡°And how do we know that you haven¡¯t doctored that paper to show the results you want?!¡± Drake de mands, cunningly offering me an argument for the fight which will inevitably follow the test results. ¡®Then you admit they¡¯ll say I¡¯m the father?¡± Bastien strikes, ¡°Not because of any doctoring, but because that pup is mine as surely as Selene is my mate. You need to get over whatever little fantasy you¡¯ve built up in your head, Cavanaugh. It¡¯s over.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your decision.¡± Drake counters. ¡°Selene can choose her own mate, and L will stay here where she belongs.¡± ¡°Would you two stop fighting over her like she¡¯s a piece of meat!¡± | all but shout, surprising both men so much they fall silent. ¡°I don¡¯t care what those results say.¡± | profess passionately, ¡°L is mine. I bore her, I birthed her, and I raised her.¡± As much as I appreciate Drake¡¯s help, I can¡¯t help but feeling like a pup pet dangling on their strings. ¡°She¡¯s not an Eros, and she¡¯s not a Nova. She¡¯s a Vna.¡± I remind them. ¡°And in case you hadn¡¯t no ticed, that puts her on an endangered species list that should concern you a hell of a lot more than whose sperm was faster.¡± The entire world feels like it¡¯s spinning out of control, and I cannot bear being apart from L any more than I can bear being trapped in this room. I look to Drake, undoubtedly appearing quite mad. ¡°Bring her back.¡± I demand, ¡°I want my pup.¡± Drakeplies almost immediately, recalling Hugo to the study with L in tow. I cross the hard wood floors to meet him in the doorway, collecting my daughter and turning on the assemge. ¡°This isn¡¯t about you.¡± I hiss. ¡°It¡¯s about her.¡± I jostle L on my hip, and she wraps her arms around my neck. ¡°Mommy, seem mad.¡± She chirps. ¡°I am mad, my love.¡± I confess, cuddling her close and kissing her hair, ¡°But not at you. Never at you.¡± The Alphas, Betas and various guards stand stationary, watching and waiting for my next move. Only Odette reacts to L¡¯s appearance, her lovely face filling with light as she crosses the room to meet us. She grins widely when she meets my eyes, sharing a look only mothers can understand. ¡°She¡¯s beautiful.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I murmur, unable to keep my own lips from twitching upward, ¡°I tried.¡± ¡°I think you seeded.¡± Odetteughs, reaching her hand up to shake L¡¯s. ¡°Hello, my darling.¡± She greets my pup with the same overabundance of love she showed me when I first arrived on their doorstep, and I feel a rush of appreciation for this woman unlike any I¡®ve felt before. ¡°I¡®m Odette.¡± Unusually shy, L buries her face in my neck, hiding despite Odette¡¯s warmth. I sway on the spot, crooning as I rub her back, ¡°It¡¯s alright, angel.¡± I promise. ¡°I know there have been a lot of changes today.¡± Odette tucks a strand of dark hair behind L¡¯s ear. ¡°Poor baby, we¡®re not giving you any time to adjust are we?¡± L humphs sulkily, her warm breath fluttering against my cor bone as her arms tighten around my neck, ¡°Mm sleepy.¡± ¡­ I¡¯m still rocking her on my feet, making soft shushing sounds and coaxing her to rest when the sound of rending paper fills the air. I¡¯ve been so distracted reiming my pup I¡¯d almost forgotten about Bastien and the envelope ensur ing my demise. Odette and I turn to stare as one, and the bottom falls out of my stomach. This is it. The moment l¡¯ve been dreading since Bastien appeared in Asphodel. All my hard work, all the sacrifices I made, and for what? A few years of peace, only to be stolen away by a single sheet of paper. I won¡¯t let him take her. I won¡¯t go back to Elysium. I think desperately. Bastien¡¯s eyes flit over the results page, his body winding up like a spring, more tense with every mo ment. His silver eyes jump to mine, filled with disbelief and betrayal. At first I think his reaction is simply born out of the confirmation of my lies, proof that everything I¡¯ve said since we reunited is false. Then he begins to speak, and everything I thought I knew disappears.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 61 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Bastien¡¯s POV This isn¡¯t right. Theb report in my hand is as clear as day, and its conclusions unmistakeable, but it can¡¯t be right. I ve read it at least ten times now, scanning the page over and over again, looking for any sign of hope, any hint that the samples got mixed up or were contaminated in theb. Yet every time the information remains the same. Beneath columns full of DNA markers I cannot even begin to understand, read the damning words: Probability of Paternity: 0% I don¡¯t believe it. She has to be mine. Selene, who turned pale and ashen the moment my mother revealed the envelope, squeezes the pup in her arms a little tighter. I can¡¯t see L¡¯s face, but I can hear the delicate wafts of her breath as she slum bers in her mother¡¯s arms,pletely oblivious to the disaster unfolding around her. Selene furrows her dark brows and pouts her full lips, her beautiful face sullen and wary in equal mea sure. My stomach is in my throat, and the room around me is spinning out of control. She was telling the truth. I think simply, unable to process any moreplex feelings than shock and pain. I¡¯d been so sure. I felt connected to L from the moment I saw her, and we bonded almost instantly. That has to mean something, doesn¡¯t it? Surely I would not feel so possessive of another wolf¡¯s child. I suppose it might simply be the fact that she¡¯s my mate¡¯s daughter; after all, how could I not feel drawn to a pup who has so much of Selene in her? Maybe my mother was right, and I just wanted to be L¡¯ s father. Maybe I didn¡¯t want to believe my mate had truly chosen another wolf over me. But she did. Selene chose Drake Cavanaugh¡¯s pack over mine. She chose him for her protector; she chose him to father her pup. Axel is howling mournfully in my head as I finally lower the paper. Every eye in the room is on me, and I realize they¡¯re waiting for me to say something. ¡°She isn¡¯t mine,¡± I repeat, dropping the test results onto the side table. ¡°The DNA wasn¡¯t a match.¡± Shockwaves reverberate through the room, surprised and disappointed faces mingling with those of re lief and triumph ¨C but all remain silent. Axel is anything but. Howling has turned to ranting and raging, de crying the results with savage snarls and vicious growls. My head is so full of his fury I almost forget where I am. A pair of cerulean and lc eyes glow through the haze of blurry bodies and unfocused faces filling the room beloved, ethereal and far too painful to look at now that I know the truth. ¡°I told you so.¡± Selene tells me with an odd catch in her voice. ¡°More than once. It¡¯s your own fault for not believing me.¡± My mate¡¯s cold words slice me straight to the core. I assumed she was so upset about the test because she thought her lie would be revealed. Now I realize she was simply afraid of how I would react to learning Drake really is L¡¯s father. She was right to be afraid. Her voice set off my wolf even further, and he ws at the surface of my skin, desperate to get out. I¡¯m not sure if I want to kill Drake or im Selene. Frankly, I like the sound of both options. Of course, who¡¯s to say I need to limit myself to one? Every instinct I possess is urging me to defend what¡¯s mine, and Axel is positively rabid with the need to attack whether in violence or passion. My mother is looking at me with sympathy and concern. Unless I¡¯m mistaken, she¡¯s upset by the re sults too, but she can also see that I¡¯m in very serious danger of losing control. ¡°Bastien?¡± She asks hesitantly. ¡°Are you alight?¡± My shoulders rise and fall with the force of my shallow, seething breaths, punctuating the violent pounding of my heart. I know I¡¯m barreling towards doing something I¡¯ll regret, but even if I could stop my self, I don¡¯t want to. I¡¯m done trying to be good, I¡¯m done trying to be worthy of a woman who betrayed me. I¡¯m ¡®an Alpha, not some feeble Omega. It¡¯s my job to lead and protect at all costs, to dominate and control, not coddle and pacify. Aiden can sense the feral energy rolling off my body like a dark storm. ¡°You need to pull back brother.¡± He says, adding through our link, Don¡¯t forget, there¡¯s a pup in the room. The red haze blinding me thins for a moment, parting like fog before billowing back. It ebbs just enough for Aiden¡¯s words to filter through to Axel, and together we try to force down the bloodlust consum ing us. Clenching and unclenching my fists, I will my pulse to slow. I can¡¯t give in to my instincts with L here, no matter how entitled I¡¯d be to do so. I¡¯m beginning to realize this was never going to turn out well. Whether my mate lied and stole my child, or bore one with another wolf, I was always going to lose. It¡¯s a reminder of everything that¡¯s wrong be tween us, further proof of how little I truly know Selene. Selene had loved me, hadn¡¯t she? Had I imagined it all? Was our entire rtionship a fantasy I created in my mind? I can¡¯t believe it was all a lie. The night Selene shifted, she admitted how deeply she cared. She¡¯d been out of her mind with pain, but almost seemed more devastated by the idea I¡¯d rejected her. How many times has she told me that I had my chance, that I¡¯d wasted it? But if she truly loved me so much, how could she take another mate so quickly? How could she be hap py when I was in the depths of despair, barely surviving the heartbreak of losing her. ¡°Why?¡± I demand, pouring all my confusion and grief into the words. ¡°Why did you do it?¡± ¡°You know why, Bastien.¡± Selene answers with exasperation. ¡°It was never going to work between us.¡± ¡°We were happy.¡± I argue, trying to understand. ¡°No, we weren¡¯t!¡± She exims. ¡°Not at the same time at least.¡± My mate sighs, appearing to grapple for patience. ¡°We were doomed from the beginning.¡± Do I imagine the pain in her voice? ¡°A marriage can¡¯t be built on pity and obligation. I couldn¡¯t give you what you wanted, and you couldn¡¯t give me what I need ed. That¡¯s not either of our faults, it¡¯s just the way it is.¡± ¡°You gave me everything I ever wanted and more.¡± | profess fiercely, blocking out our audience so that I can speak to Selene, and Selene alone. ¡°How can you think otherwise?¡± ¡°Because you made me think it!¡± She half whispers, half shouts. ¡°You married me out of duty, you stayed with me out of duty. Whatever feelings that might have developed along the way don¡¯t change the fact that we started out on false pretenses. I want to scream that there were never any false pretenses in our rtionship, but before I can open my mouth, Drake Cavanaugh steps forward. ¡°Enough, Bastien.¡± He crosses the room to stand beside Selene, ¡°you can go around in circles arguing these things all day.¡± He deres, putting an arm around her shoulders, ¡°But that won¡¯t change the past.¡± I knew from the beginning that Drake had feelings for Selene, I could see it in his eyes the first time ! ever saw them together. However, it was one thing when the feelings went one way. It¡¯s another to see Se lene return them. Seeing Drake with my mate and the pup which should be mine, is enough to make me want to kill the young Alpha, and the desire only increases as he continues to speak on Selene¡¯s behalf. ¡°You had your chance. You lost it.¡± He sneers. ¡®This doesn¡¯t concern you, Cavanaugh.¡± I hiss. ¡°It does.¡± Cavanaugh snaps. ¡°As it involves my mate and my pup.¡± My ws and fangs extend, the anger I¡¯ve so recently mastered exploding once more. ¡°You came.¡± Drake continues. ¡°You warned us about the bounty and now we¡®re prepared to face the threat.¡± His emerald eyes sparkle cruelly. ¡°We¡®re grateful truly, we are.¡± He drawls, ¡°But there¡¯s no ce for you here beyond that.¡± ¡°Is that how you feel too?¡± I ask Selene. She frowns, swaying on the spot as she rocks L and eyes me cautiously. ¡°Yes.¡± She finally murmurs. ¡°I just want to be free Bastien. To live my life as I wish. I don¡¯t want to be tied to the past or spend my days dwelling on things I can¡¯t change.¡± At that moment, Axel roars so loudly I know I have to leave. If I stay one minute longer I¡¯m going to at tack, and whatever else might happen between us, I can¡¯t let that happen. Certain I¡¯m going to shift before the minute is out, I betray my every instinct, and walk away from my mate. I take off at a run, fleeing before I can retaliate against Drake and disappearing into the night.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 62 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 62 Chapter 62 However I thought this day would go, I never could have predicted this. I¡¯m so overwhelmed and confused I don¡¯t even know where to begin, but the strange reality remains: l¡¯ m safe. L and my secret are safe from my mate, and though I cannot even begin to understand how it happened, I am eternally grateful. This doesn¡¯t make sense. Luna whimpers. No, I agree, It doesn¡¯t. But thank the Goddess it happened. Weren¡¯t you listening to what he said? Luna presses. He wants you, whatever else happened before, he wants you now. He wants L. Well he can¡¯t have either of us. I argue. I¡¯ve had my fill of men pretending to be innocent, refusing to be ountable for their actions. I can¡¯t deny how deeply his words touched me, how deeply I wanted to believe them. I¡¯ve dreamed about Bastien saying precisely these sorts of things to me a thousand times, but I refuse to let him hurt me again. I refuse to be the vulnerable, foolish girl who he destroyed without a backward nce. L is still sleeping soundly in my arms, and though Drake continues to stand sentry at my side, Bastien is long gone. Aiden and Donovan tore out of the room after him, leaving only a few Nova guards and Odette behind. I¡¯ve been watching my mother inw very carefully. I¡¯ve missed her so much: her love, her warmth, her understanding. Yet she is not looking at me with any of those things now. Odette continues to stroke my pup¡¯s hair and whisper soothing nonsense in her ear, and though she does not seem angry with me, neither is she calm. I can count on one hand the number of times I¡¯ve earned a lecture from Odette, but it¡¯s clear I have oneing now. She waits until Drake steps away from us, not wanting to be overheard. ¡°I don¡¯t know everything that happened between you,¡± Odette finally broaches when we have a semnce of privacy, ¡°And I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happened since. But I do know this. My son loved you with his entire heart, and thinking you died de stroyed him. You have no idea what it was like afterward.¡± | mp my eyes shut, not wanting to picture the events she describes. ¡°You were there, Odette. You saw the way it was thatst night. He chose Arabe.¡± ¡°Nothing is ever as simple as it seems, Selene.¡± Odette counters. ¡°I admit, at first I thought he was crazy for, using you of being involved with the kidnapping, but that was never what he intended. It was to appease the police, nothing else.¡± I know my supposed death can¡¯t have been easy, and I¡¯ve always felt guilty for letting everyone believe such a horrible lie, but I also can¡¯t apologize for doing the best thing for my pup. ¡°You¡¯re a mother, Odette.¡± | murmur, ¡®You know what it¡¯s like. Arabe wanted me dead, Bastien seemed to take her side, and I barely survived any of it.¡± | sigh. ¡°By the time L came along even knowing what I do now I had to do what¡¯s best for her, and that wasn¡¯t Elysium.¡± ¡°No.¡± Odette agrees, ¡°But it could be now.¡± ¡°How?¡± | inquire hotly, ¡°Arabe tried to kill me over and over again, and Bastien still chose her.¡± ¡°I have news for you, Selene.¡± Odette announces, ¡°Arabe has fled Elysium to avoid Bastien¡¯s retribu tion over her crimes against you.¡± ¡°What?¡± I ask in astonishment. ¡°He didn¡¯t know,¡± Odette insists, ¡°and no matter how he felt about it, he would never stand for anyone threatening his mate.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± ¡°Do you?¡± Odette ponders, ¡°Do you know how deeply he cares for you, wants to be with you?¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°I know that my daughter will never be safe with Arabe out there.¡± |bat coolly, ¡°and I know that until she is behind bars, that can¡¯t happen.¡± Odette frowns. ¡°I just want you to be happy, my love.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t have anything to worry about.¡± I promise. ¡°As long as I¡¯m here with L, I¡¯m happy.¡± It takes a while for the room to clear. Bodies slowly filter out, starting with the contingent from Elysium and eventually spreading to include the members of the Eros pack.. I¡¯ve been waiting for everyone to get out since the moment Bastien read the test results, and the soli tude can¡¯te too soon. ¡°What in the Goddess¡¯s name just happened?¡± I demand when I¡¯m finally alone with Drake. ¡°Did you do that?¡± Drake frowns, ¡°What, doctor the test results? No.¡± He replied simply. ¡°I thought maybe you were respon sible.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have any idea.¡± I breathe. ¡°And It doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± I cry, ¡°Bastien is L¡¯s father ¨C with out question.¡± ¡°You never¡­¡± Drake trails off suggestively. ¡°I¡¯ve never been with anyone else,¡± I inform him coolly. ¡°There had to be something wrong with the sam ple.¡± ¡°That or the Goddess was really looking out for you.¡± Drake contends. I don¡¯t know the truth of the matter. What I do know is that DNA won¡¯t be thest of my problems. Bastien is no pushover, and unless I¡¯m very mistaken, this won¡¯t be enough. ¡°Are you okay pretending she¡¯s yours?¡± I wonder aloud. Admittedly, Drake has always imed L to a certain extent, but never like this. His reputation throughout the pack is as a fearless leader, and there are always dozens of she-wolves sniffing around him. Will those things change if he announces L is his daughter? Will the she wolves ept it and move on? Or will the more ambitious social-climbers take my daughter¡¯s existence as a threat the same way Arabe did. ¡°Of course,¡± Drake agrees without hesitation. ¡°I just worry how the pack will react.¡± He sighs, ¡°And I wor ry it won¡¯t be enough to get rid of Bastien.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I murmur, nuzzling L, ¡°He¡¯s attached to her already. He can feel their connection whether he understands it or not.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not your only problem.¡± Drake shares ominously. ¡°I¡¯ve put off taking a mate so long and our rtionship.¡± He trails off indecisively, ¡°There are she wolves in Asphodel who will take this as a threat.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s nothing actually between us!¡± | exim. ¡°Surely they know that.¡± There¡¯s an odd look on Drake¡¯s face: disappointment, frustration and anger entwined with his concern. I¡¯ve worried about Drake¡¯s feelings for me a few times throughout the years, but we¡®ve never been in a situation like this. His role in my life has never been questioned this way, and as much as I want to brush it aside, I can¡¯t. Bastien¡¯s re-appearance isplicated for a thousand reasons, not the least of which is that he¡¯s putting pressure on the delicate bnce I¡¯ve struck here. I don¡¯t want anything to change, but the more time that passes, the more I fear things have already changed beyond allprehension. ¡°People aren¡¯t always that logical.¡± Drake broods, interrupting my thoughts. ¡°But we have bigger problems.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the bounty,¡± I try to instruct. ¡°No. I will worry about the bounty.¡± He insists, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t tell me about it and don¡¯t you dare pretend you didn¡¯t.¡±. Feeling suddenly very petnt after withstanding the disapproval of both these men, I argue, ¡°I refuse to let fear rule my life. Our lives.¡± I correct, squeezing L gently. ¡°I knew about the bounty,¡± I admit, ¡°but it was always going to be there no matter when I went. I can¡¯t run forever.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about running!¡± Drake corrects, ¡°It¡¯s about, talking to me, letting me in so I can protect you when you need it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of Alpha¡¯s coddling me under the pretense of protecting me or doing ¡®what¡¯s best.¡± I argue, ¡°I came here because I wanted to be free, not because I wanted a different wolf to boss me around.¡± ¡°I understand that.¡± Drake insists, ¡°But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯re facing very real dangers.¡± His eyes narrow. ¡°Why does Denizen want you, anyway?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡± I exhale, ¡°And you don¡¯t need to tell me about the dangers.¡± Honestly, do these wolves think I¡¯m oblivious? Do they think I¡¯m suicidal or that I don¡¯t care about my pup. I want to avoid the Calypso Alpha more than anything, but I also know that hiding is only a temporary option. ¡°One way or another, I have to be able to build a life for myself, Drake. I can¡¯t do that if I¡¯m always looking over my shoulder.¡± ¡°Maybe not,¡± He concedes, ¡°But you need to, at least for a while longer.¡± Drake¡¯s green eyes are full of emotion. He¡¯s looking at me in that intense way which never fails to make the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. The Eros Alpha has never made a move or proposi tioned me, but the more time that passes, the more convinced I am that he has feelings for me. When he looks at me this way it seems impossible to pretend otherwise, and as ufortable as it makes me, it also strengthens my resolve. Drake has been an incredible friend these past few years, and I trust his advice, but he¡¯s far from unbi ased. He¡¯s another Alpha who wants the best for me. But I want the best for me too. I want the best for L in a way he never will. ¡°You have my word, I¡¯ll do whatever is necessary to keep L and myself safe.¡± I vow, tilting my chin up. ¡°Maybe that means I have to find a new pack, maybe it means going very far from here. But I won¡¯t return to Elysium, and I won¡¯t be forced to hide in my own home.¡± I insist. ¡°Alright,¡± Drake agrees, his features softening as he reaches onerge paw to me, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We¡¯ll find a way through this,¡± I settle my hand in his, smiling gently and feeling infinitely grateful for his support, ¡°Together.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 63 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 63 .Chapter 63 Family Isn¡¯t About Blood Odette¡¯s POV I don¡¯t transform very often anymore. It hasn¡¯t felt the same since Gabriel died, and though my wolf gets restless like any other, this freedom has a cost. I always miss my mate more when I shift. The pain of his absence is most acute in my soul¡¯s truest form, and I feel eternally guilty for going on without him. Even so, there¡¯s no avoiding it tonight. Bastien disappeared into the darkness in such a fit of rage I¡¯m afraid of what he might do if he¡¯s left alone. Aiden and Donovan went after him, but I do not trust them to pull him back from the edge, and I know they will not tell him what he needs to hear. I follow Bastien¡¯s path at a steady lope, trotting along in his footprints hoping he¡¯s not so far ahead that my efforts are in vain. If he gets it into his head to kill Cavanaugh or seek retribution, war might follow, and that¡¯s thest thing we need. Bastien may be the one at risk of inciting chaos, but Selene isn¡¯t doing much better. I swear I¡¯ve never met a more stubborn pair of shifters: both determined to get their way, neither willing to give an inch. It¡¯s no surpriseing from my son, the Alpha: He¡¯s used to getting exactly what he wants and set tling for nothing less. Selene, on the other hand, has always been so soft and pliant. It is unlike her to dig in her heels this way, but having a pup changes everything. Right now, my daughter-inw is not the sweet, skittish she-wolf I used to know: she is a mother pro tecting her young, not to mention a woman who feels betrayed by her mate. I don¡¯t know everything that happened in their marriage or the events which have transpired since, but it¡¯s clear to me that Selene is un der the impression that Basiten never loved her. Until my son understands and epts that, they will never move forward. Leaving the salt marshes and mangrove forests of Asphodel is a breath of fresh air. It takes miles for thendscape to transform into rolling hills and lond valleys. I can see mountains in the distance, but Bastien has not gotten that far. I follow his scent to the base of a particrly steep slope, where Aiden and Donovan stand sentry, blocking all trespassers from approaching their Alpha. I stop before them and wait, giving them my most imperious re. Donavon caves first. He may have age on his side, but he also spent three decades at my husband¡¯s side. He knows a losing battle when he sees one. Aiden nces at his partner skeptically, engaging in some silent debate lost to my ears before be grudgingly moving out of the way. I trot past them with a little huff, soon setting eyes on Bastien up ahead. I move across the ridge towards the huge ck wolf, meeting his glowing silver eyes as I approach. For a moment I think he might turn his back on me and run, but l emit a soft growl with the order, don¡¯t even think about it. His muscles rx even if his eyes do roll back into his head and he sits down on the hard rocks, I came out here to be alone. I¡¯m aware. I inform him derisively, but sometimes being alone isn¡¯t what you need. I don¡¯t need a pep talk either, Mother. He counters grumpily, you can¡¯t make this better. I don¡¯t think you need a pep talk. I agree warmly. I think you need a good smack on that hard head of yours. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. His furry head swings around, outrage that I haven¡¯t automatically taken his side clear on his face. She left me. She chose another wolf. He rumbles, She gave him¡­ He trails off, emotion thick in his voice, L should be mine. Blood doesn¡¯t make a father, Bastien. I state firmly, settling beside him. Being a parent is about showing up and putting in the work. It¡¯s about providing love and support over a lifetime, giving a pup structure and discipline and everything else necessary to raise strong, independent adults. Duck my head, trying to catch his eyes and refusing to continue until his molten gaze returns to mine. Drake isn¡¯t L¡¯s father. She might have his DNA, she might enjoy spending time with him every now and then, but he isn¡¯t her parent. I insist. And whatever Selene might say, he isn¡¯t her mate. I can see Bastien gearing up to argue, but I cut him off. I don¡¯t know how L was conceived, but it¡¯s clear to me that however they started out Selene doesn¡¯t want anything more from Drake than friend ship and protection. She doesn¡¯t want me either. Bastien growls. It takes all my willpower to smother theugh trying to bubble up in my chest. Sometimes I don¡¯t know what the Goddess was thinking, putting men in charge. I admit, you can be the most obtuse lot. Excuse me? Bastien replies, appearing thoroughly affronted. You are a fool if you think Selene doesn¡¯t want you. I proim. Bastien straightens, pulling up to his full height as if I¡¯m a pack member he can intimidate rather than the being who gave him life. The wolf and the woman are not the same. He argues. I know her wolf recog nizes me. That isn¡¯t the problem. The problem, I sigh. Is that you are so absorbed in your own feelings that you have blinded yourself to Selene¡¯s perspective. A memory floats to the forefront of my thoughts, my recollections rolling off my tongue as the images take shape in my mind. The day your father died the day you were supposed to have your rejection ceremony Selene was heartbroken. She told me it was what you wanted, not her. The big wolf grimaces. What are you talking about? l¡¯d forgotten until now¡­ with everything that happened after. I confess, but she thought you didn¡¯t love her. How could she possibly? Bastien demands, I love her more than anything, I always have. I close my eyes, aching for the beautiful young woman whonded on our doorstep all those years ago. Bastien, you see the scars of Garrick¡¯s abuse in her nightmares and pan loss of her wolf, her mistrust of strangers and fear of men. I exin patiently, but the worst scars are the ones you cannot see. Selene spent the most formative years of her life being told she was worthless and unlovable. Garrick spent eight years telling a child that no one could ever want her, and she believed him. You have to stop thinking about your rtionship in terms of reality and fact. I advise, And start con sidering how things might have looked to someone who believed she was not worthy of attention or deserv ing of love. Bastien¡¯s eyes fall shut, a pained expression overtaking his features, The night Selene shifted, she kept saying I only married her out of obligation, and that the only reason I wanted her now was because of her wolf. He continues, I told her it wasn¡¯t true but I don¡¯t think she remembers. Then I learned that Arabe told Selene I was rejecting her so we could be married. I nod, wishing I could rip Arabe limb from limb for putting those thoughts in my daughter-inw¡¯s head. And then she tried to kill her. I remind him. Selene¡¯s life was in danger and she was convinced you didn¡¯t want her and never had. She¡¯s spent thest three and a half years letting those ideas fester. I can not me her for distrusting you now, especially not when she fears for her pup as well as herself. But she has her wolf now. I can see the gears turning in my son¡¯s head, trying to ept my words while still rationalizing them against the events of the past few days. She knows Arabe was lying, she can feel our bond. That may be so. I concede. But Selene has been lost for as long as I¡¯ve known her and she¡¯s still lost now. I im with more certainty than I can express. She may be stronger, she may be more confident and better at hiding her feelings, but mark my words, Bastien: she doesn¡¯t know what she wants and she¡¯s terrified of being hurt again. Forget everything else that¡¯s happened. I beg him. Forget the past, forget your pride and hurt feelings. When ites down to it, the only thing you need to know is that L is a pup without a father and Selene is a she-wolf trying to survive without her mate. I implore him to understand, Your mate is trying to protect her child from a world that nearly destroyed her, and keep them both safe from wolves who want them dead. Already I can see Bastien swelling with anger, but I¡¯m not taking any chances. Leveling my son with the sternest re I can muster, hammer my point home. If you let a few silly test results change your feelings about them, you aren¡¯t the wolf I thought you were. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 64 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Still Mine A pair of guards nk the entryway to Selene and L¡¯s room in the Pack House. Apparently our arrival, combined with the threat of the bounty, was sufficient to cajole my mate into moving in if only temporary. The guards try to block my approach, but quickly quell beneath the force of my scowl, stepping aside so I can knock. Bracing my shoulders for a fight, I rap on the heavy wood, listening to the movement inside with baited breath. The door swings open, revealing a startled looking Selene. Her hair is up in a messy bun, and her soft blue sundress appears to have been sshed with water. I can smell the remnants of bubble bath and shampoo, and suspect I¡¯ve just missed bath time. ¡°Bastien.¡± Selene greets me stiffly, her nervousness clear for all to see. My wolf whines, wanting to comfort his mate, but I hold him off. I don¡¯t want Selene to be afraid of me, but I can¡¯t show her any reprieve not yet Bracing my hands on the doorframe, I loom near, but do not enter the suite. ¡°We need to talk.¡± Selene shifts uneasily on her feet. ¡°I¡¯m in the middle of getting L to bed.¡± I nce over her head, searching the small set of rooms with curiosity. Sure enough, L is curled on the couch in a pair of footie pajamas, her hair still damp from her bath. Her eyelids flutter heavily, though she clearly wants to stay up. Every few moments she gives herself a little shake and opens her beautiful eyes wide, stubbornly fighting the drowsiness threatening to pull her under. My heart swells in my chest, overflowing with warmth and affection for the adorable pup. I thought ! would feel differently, now that I know she isn¡¯t mine. I thought I¡¯d been imagining the bond I feel with her, that my delusional mind had constructed some fairytale out of false hope and stupidity. Looking at her now, I know I imagined nothing. I feel every bit as besotted with the tiny creature as I was the moment I firstid eyes on her. I don¡¯t see Drake or remember Selene¡¯s betrayal. I don¡¯t feel the sting of resentment and jealousy there is only love. Love for the silly she-wolf fruitlessly attempting to block my view of the apartment, and love for the perfect being she created. ¡°I can wait.¡± I inform Selene, striding past her without asking for permission to enter. A strangled noise sounds in Selene¡¯s throat as she watches me cross the room to the overstuffed sofa. A wide grin stretches across my face when L notices my arrival and perks with happiness to see me. ¡°Bashun!¡± She exims, her excitement fending off sleep just a little while longer. Thook my hands beneath her outstretched arms, pulling the toddler up and into my embrace, ¡°Well, what have we here?¡± I grumble yfully, ¡°Can this be the same pup I saw a few hours ago? She¡¯s so clean!¡± L immediately snuggles against my chest, though her nose crinkles up with indignance. ¡°I¡¯s already clean!¡± She informs me with a pout, ¡°I didn¡¯t need bath.¡± She reminds me so much of Selene I can¡¯t stand it. Even cranky, she¡¯s still so sweet my teeth hurt. ¡°But you smell so good now.¡± I tease, ¡°So good I could eat you right up!¡± I nuzzle her shoulder making nom nom nom sounds, and L breaks into hysterical giggles, wriggling in my arms. I can see Selene approaching out of the corner of my eye, still looking uncertain, ¡°There will be no eat ing any pups tonight.¡± She announces softly, ¡°It¡¯s bedtime.¡± ¡°I wanna story.¡± L deres, looking up at me from beneath her eyshes. Selene¡¯s hands reach out to take the child from me, but I turn away before she can make contact. *That can be arranged.¡± I tell L indulgently. ¡°Which room is yours?¡± ¡°Dat one,¡± She answers immediately, pointing behind me. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Without giving Selene a backwards nce, I carry her pup to bed, tucking her in and settling beside her on the small mattress. My mate follows closely, hovering in the doorway and watching us with a mix of dis belief and confusion. Catching her between my crosshairs, I extend my free arm, inviting her to come lie on my other side. Selene shakes her head defiantly, and I narrow my eyes, emitting a low rumble while Axel howls for his mate. Selene¡¯s body twists and visibly quakes as the sounds move through her, and she wrenches herself away from the door to escape the sensations. Alone with L, I ask, ¡°Does your mommy tell you stories every night?¡± She nods sleepily, cuddling into my side, ¡°Mhmm.¡± Axel is practically purring with happiness, so content is he to be near L. The only thing missing is Se lene, and I know part of him is still calling to her wolf, no matter how she fights. ¡°Do you want to hear one of the one¡¯s she tells, or something new?¡± L thinks for a moment, finally squeaking, ¡°new!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I smile softly, searching for the right words to begin. ¡°Once upon a time, there was a brave lit tle wolf who was taken prisoner by an evil sorcerer. He was very mean to her, and very bad.¡± I exin dra matically. ¡°He kept her locked away in a cage with no light and no people to talk to. He gave her potions to make her weak, and told her terrible things so she would not have the heart to fight him.¡± ¡°Why?¡± L murmurs with a frown. | grapple for an answer that doesn¡¯t involve curse words. ¡°Because some people are so unhappy with themselves, that they want to make the rest of the world unhappy too so they aren¡¯t alone.¡± I finally answer, ¡°but one day the little wolf outsmarted the sorcerer. When he wasn¡¯t looking, she hit him over the head and ran to freedom, where she met a handsome prince who vowed to love her forever.¡± ncing at L to make sure she¡¯s still awake, I press on. ¡°Still, the little wolf was very afraid of the prince because of everything the sorcerer did to her. She thought he was like the man who hurt her, and be cause she remembered all the terrible things the sorcerer told her about the world, she convinced herself the prince didn¡¯t really love her and ran away. ¡°She ran away?¡± L repeats with a furrowed brow. ¡°She did.¡±I confirm, ¡°and for many years, the prince thought she was lost forever. He barely survived it, and spent all his time dreaming of the past, wishing that his little wolf would find a way toe back somehow.¡± I trail off for a moment, petting L¡¯s hair. ¡°Why are you sad?¡± L¡¯s small voice startles me from my reverie, and I realize I¡¯ve paused for longer than I intended. ¡°Because this part of the story is sad.¡± | exin simply. ¡°The little wolf was so afraid of the prince that they both ended up alone and heartbroken for far too long, and it wasn¡¯t until another sorcerer came along ¡°Was dis sorcer bad too?¡± L wonders aloud. ¡°Very bad.¡± | confirm, ¡°But luckily, though he wanted the little wolf, he didn¡¯t know where to find her. When the prince heard about the sorcerer¡¯s search, he traveled to a far awaynd and discovered his little wolf¡¯s hiding spot. He was so excited when he found her, he thought everything would be alright ¨C but it turns out the little wolf had a secret.¡± ¡°Secrets not good.¡± L interjects sagely ¡°Most secrets aren¡¯t.¡± I agree, ¡°But sometimes when secrets are to protect someone they¡¯re okay. The little wolf kept her secret to protect something very precious indeed ¨C a baby.¡± The pup beneath my arm turns her face up to me, listening intently now. ¡°Now, at first the prince was very upset. He wanted the baby to be his, but she wasn¡¯t.¡± A tiny hand clutches at my own, and L squeezes my fingers in sympathy as she watches the emo tions flit across my face. ¡°The prince never learned to share, and it was very hard for him to understand why his little wolf ran, or ept that her child belonged to another. However the more time he spent with them, the more he realized that none of that mattered.¡± ¡°Secrets and fear are very powerful things,¡± I exin, ¡°but love is stronger. It is stronger than loneliness or heartbreak, it is stronger than all the evil sorcerers in the world. And sometimes happiness isn¡¯t about everything going right or the way you expected. Sometimes it¡¯s simply about choosing love over all those other things.¡± ¡°So what happened?¡± L whispers, her eyes closed and her body going just a little bit more limp with every moment that passes. ¡°They chose love¡­ and when the sorcerer saw the strength of their love, he knew he was defeated.¡± L¡¯ s breath is slow and even now, and as I untangle myself from the bed and her small limbs, I lower her head to the pillow. ¡°The sorcerer went away, and the little wolf, her baby and the prince, all lived happily ever after¡±. L is smiling in her sleep, and I find it nearly impossible to take my eyes off of her. I could watch her sleep for hours and never get bored. My mind had already been made up when I arrived at the Pack House this evening, but even this brief time with the pup has convinced me I¡¯m doing the right thing. My mother is correct as usual, the test re sults haven¡¯t done a damn thing to alter the bond I feel with L. Blood doesn¡¯t make a parent, and I don¡¯t care that L doesn¡¯t share my DNA. She is still mine. They both are. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 65 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Worth It Bastien¡¯s POV I close the bedroom door as quietly as I can, unsurprised to find my mate waiting on the other side. I al most smile; some things never change. My little mate seems just as prone to eavesdropping as ever, and stands with her arms coiled defensively around her body, eyeing me with apprehension. ¡°Still listening at doorways, little wolf?¡± I ask, striding forward until I¡¯m towering over Selene and she¡¯s forced to back away to escape my shadow. Rather than answering, she glowers and says, ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± I feign ignorance, ¡°Put your pup to bed?¡± ¡°No.¡± She corrects me immediately. ¡°Why did you say those things to her?¡± ¡°Because L wanted a bedtime story.¡± I shrug, watching her skirt away from me with amusement. She should know better than to run from a predator especially her mate. I follow her at a distance, never coming close enough to make contact, but making my intentions all too clear. You can run, little wolf. Axel rumbles, but you can¡¯t hide. ¡°What did you think of it?¡± Selene is beginning to look rather distraught, like a cornered rabbit with nowhere to turn. ¡°It sounded like a fairy tale.¡± She replies dismissively. ¡°So?¡± | ask, taking too much pleasure in baiting her. ¡°What could be better for a growing pup?¡± ¡°Fairy tales aren¡¯t real.¡± Selene argues, a red flush working its way up her cheeks. I study my mate for a long moment, absorbing the blend of fear and arousal muddying her pristine scent. I can hear her pounding heart and panting breaths, and see the confusion tangling her nerves. Her pupils are great ck discs, surrounded by coronas of blue and violet. Perfect. Axel purrs in my head. I have to agree. My mate is straddling the precipice of lust and nervousness which never fails to send my blood rushing south. It¡¯s been too long far, far too long since I¡¯ve seen her this way, and far too long since we¡®ve mated. She¡¯s perfectly primed, probably nearing her heat and pushed over the edge by my wolf s provocation. But I still must wait a little while longer. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you with Drake, Selene?¡± I question sharply. Completely thrown off bnce by the unexpected question, Selene scrabbles for an answer before fee bly iming, ¡°I am.¡± ¡°No. You joined his pack, you let him father your child, but you aren¡¯t together.¡± I assert, prowling near er. ¡°He hasn¡¯t marked you, he hasn¡¯t formally recognized L as his child, and he hasn¡¯t moved you into the Pack House until now.¡± ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want him to.¡± She counters, crossing her slender arms over her chest defiantly. ¡°I didn¡¯ t want a mate ¨C I don¡¯t want a mate.¡± She amends, ¡°Drake understands that. He respects it. There are no strings in our rtionship.¡± ¡°And why are you so determined to live without a mate?¡± I inquire, ¡°what is so terrible about strings?¡± ¡°Stop it, Bastien.¡± Selene pleads, ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing and it¡¯s not going to work.¡± ¡°What am I doing?¡± I ask innocently, stalking her skittish movements. ¡°You¡¯re trying to make me think you love me, and that you¡¯ll ept L no matter her paternity so that I¡¯ll mate with you.¡± She uses, looking over her shoulder to make sure her escape path is clear. That was a mistake. I take the opportunity to close the distance between us, flitting forward so that I¡¯m standing mere inches away when she turns back to face me. I mp my hand over her mouth before she can cry out, and lock my free arm around her waist, gluing our bodies together. ¡°Shhh,¡± I croon, shifting my hand to cup her cheek, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just didn¡¯t want you to wake L.¡± Though her mouth is uncovered, Selene does not try to speak. She holds herselfpletely still, not frozen in terror, but tensed to the point of shaking as if she¡¯s fighting some internal battle I cannot see. I wonder if her wolf is doing as Axel is: urging her to rub herself all over my body to mark me with her scent. ¡°You¡¯re right, Selene.¡± I dere gently, ¡°I am trying to make you think those things¡± I let the words hang in the air, giving my mate time to backtrack our conversation. When she remembers thest words spoken before I surprised her, her brow furrows in consternation. Unable to help myself, I press my lips to her wrinkled forehead with a deep chuckle. ¡°Not because I want to mate with you though I absolutely do.¡± I promise, ¡°But because that is the way I truly feel.¡± Selene is already shaking her head, tears welling in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re being cruel.¡± She uses. Tracing my hand up and down Selene¡¯s spine, I search her expression, ¡°How, sweetheart?¡± ¡°Lying about loving someone is a horrible thing to do.¡± She informs me, eyes narrowed to slits. ¡°You broke my heart once, wasn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°Careful, little wolf,¡± | growl, tightening my grip on her small body. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you eavesdrop, or push me away, or even run from me.¡± It takes nearly all my strength to keep the anger I¡¯m feeling out of my voice, and I only seed in part. ¡°But don¡¯t you ever, ever, use me of not loving you.¡± I slide my hand into her long hair, tangling my fingers into a fist and tugging her head back so she¡¯s forced to look me in the eye. ¡°I love you, Selene.¡± I profess. ¡°I have always loved you and I¡¯m so sorry I didn¡¯t show you enough.¡± I insist. ¡°I was trying to protect myself. I didn¡¯t think you could feel our bond without your wolf and I believed you were going to leave me.¡± Selene whimpers, and I can feel her wolf trying to submit to me, trying to pull her eyes downward even as I force them up. ¡°And I don¡¯t care if L is Drake¡¯s, or anyone else¡¯s. I love her too.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know her.¡± Selene hups, ¡°And you don¡¯t know me anymore. I¡¯m not the same person ! used to be.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°I know you made her.¡± I proim, ¡°That¡¯s all I need to know.¡± Selene¡¯s ckshes fall shut, forcing out a few tears which slide in rivulets down her cheeks. Her full lower lip trembles dangerously, and I lower my forehead to hers, ¡°And I do know you, Selene.¡± I murmur. ¡°You¡¯re my mate, I would know you anywhere.¡± She shakes her head helplessly from right to left, never parting her skin from mine. ¡°I want to believe you.¡± The words are so quiet, I can barely hear them. ¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡± | press, massaging her nape and letting Axel¡¯s purrs of encouragement vibrate in my chest. Selene gathers in a deep breath, building up the courage to voice her fears. ¡°Because it doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± She exims weakly. ¡°You could have anyone. Why would you want me?¡± A fresh burst of rage sets my blood to boil, sending the molten liquid surging through my veins with ruthless fury. My mother was right. I wish I could kill Garrick all over again for what he did to my mate. That anyone could put such wretched thoughts in her mind is enough to make me physically ill, and I want to go back in time and rip the wolf from limb to limb. ¡°Look at me, Selene.¡± I instruct huskily, trying to keep my grip on her body gentle even as visions of dis membering her stepfather dance in my head. It takes a minute for her toply, but her soakedshes eventually part, and I plummet into pools of cerulean and lc. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± | praise gently, petting her everywhere our bodies connect. Forcing the con nection as long as I can bear before answering her question, I finally exin, ¡°I want you, because you are all I have ever wanted in a mate, and everything I never knew I needed.¡± Selene tries to close her eyes again, but I tug lightly on her hair, prompting her to meet my gaze with out reserve, ¡°The goddess created us for each other.¡± I remind her, ¡°There could never be anyone else for me. It has always been you, Selene.¡± I¡¯m not sure whether my words overwhelmed her, or her ownplicated feelings are rising to the sur face, but her eyes begin to overflow again. I let her bury her face in my chest now, wanting to soothe away her hurts even as I strive to push her out of herfort zone. ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± She breathes shakily. ¡°I know, baby.¡± I sigh, pressing my lips to her temple. ¡°That¡¯s how you know it¡¯s worth it.¡± As thest words leave my mouth, a loud rap sounds on the door. Without waiting for permission to enter, the wooden panel swings open, revealing Drake Cavanaugh at its center. His gaze is locked on Se lene, on her position ensconced in my arms and the tears in her eyes. Tonly have a moment to react. One second Drake is watching us with disgruntled disbelief, the next he s flying at me in a fit of temper so violent his wolf bursts through his skin. I only have time to toss Selene out of the way before shifting to meet him. Whatever his motives, the Eros Alpha just made a critical mistake. It is one thing to attack me on neutral ground or a battlefield, it is another thing entirely to let fly when my mate still stands in the line of fire No matter what he intended, Drake Cavanaugh just gave me license to put him down once and for all. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 66 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Luna¡¯s Choice Drake¡¯s POV I¡¯ve been waiting for Selene to get over Bastien from the first day she set foot in Asphodel. I told myself that as long as I was patient, as long as I proved myself a good friend to her and gave her the space she needed to heal, she would eventually realize how perfect we are for each other. I don¡¯t care that I¡¯m not her mate, or that this isn¡¯t what the Goddess nned. As far as I¡¯m concerned mates are overrated. Bastien never appreciated Selene. He was never good for her and she has always deserved better. I¡¯ve worked incredibly hard thesest few years to help Selene move past him, and I¡¯m certain we could have been together by now if he¡¯d only stayed away. Except he didn¡¯t stay away. He turned up in my city without notice or permission, and immediately set his sights on the woman of my dreams. It would not be so terrible if he only wanted L. Make no mistake, I love the pup, but she isn¡¯t mine. She has all of her mother¡¯s sweetness and charm, but she also shares her father¡¯s fierce spirit and independence. L embodies the same temperament that Bastien used to destroy her mother, and I refuse to let any more harme to Selene. I feel like a fool now that I see them together. These past few weeks I¡¯ve imagined that if I can only keep Selene and Bastien apart, I can keep their bond from reform But life doesn¡¯t work that way. As soon as Selene saw the Nova Alpha, I ceased to exist. Rationally, I understand that there¡¯s nothing I can do to change what nature has predetermined, but in my heart, I cannot help but hope for more. I never intended to attack Bastien, I only wanted to protect Se lene. But what¡¯s done is done, and now I may have very well sacrificed my life in her name.N?velDrama.Org content rights. I throw myself into the battle with everything I have. Bastien is bigger and stronger than I am, and I know my chances of defeating him on my own areughable, but if I have to go down at least I can go down fighting. I look to Selene as these final thoughts filter through my mind, and even as the rational part of my brain questions the logic, there is no doubt in my mind: she¡¯s worth it. Selene¡¯s POV Everything happened so quickly I can barely keep up. One moment I was sobbing into Bastien¡¯s neck, the next l¡¯m t on my back, looking up from the sofa while a pair of alpha wolves war above me. I can¡¯t imagine what Drake was thinking when he decided to attack Bastien, especially not when I was standing between them, but his motives are irrelevant now. Bastien responded to Drake¡¯s assault as any wolf would, by shifting and meeting him head on. The fight is already under way, and I have a terrible feeling that only one man wille out alive. Unfortunately for my friend, the odds of Drake winning are abominably low. Bastien is almost twice Drake¡¯s size in this form, and I¡¯ve seen my mate fight off half a dozen formidable opponents without so much as breaking a sweat. They sh in a fit of teeth and ws, their snarls rending the air in two. I¡¯m certain L will wake at any moment, and suddenly my only instinct is to reach my pup before the danger cannd on her doorstep. I scramble to my feet, only to find myself trapped in ce by the massive tangle of fur. Blood stters on the floor in front of me, and I look up in abject horror to find Drake nursing a paw marred by a vicious gash. He whines in pain, but continues to fight, seemingly oblivious to the odds against him. Finally deciding to escape over the back of the couch, I leap to the other side and dart for the bedroom where my daughter sleeps. I force my way through the door, eyeing the narrow mattress where L contin ues to nap, astonished that she can sleep through this ruckus. Carefully pulling the door shut before the noise can disturb her slumber, I turn back on the battling men. I know it¡¯s only a matter of time, Drake can onlyst so long against Bastien and his strength wanes with every moment that passes. Just as I ponder these condemning thoughts, Drake¡¯s Beta, Hugo appears in the doorway, nked by half a dozen guards. Theyunch themselves at the warring wolves at once, shattering my calm and send ing my nerves haywire. Drake¡¯s guards attack as one, surging forward to challenge Bastien like a tidal wave of fire and fury, They show no restraint, attacking my mate¡¯s weak spots without even pausing to let him catch his breath. Bastien fights one wolf after another, throwing them off of him with practiced ease and making me wonder if there is any pack on the continent capable of truly challenging his dominance. Luna loves his prowess, cooing and preening with every drop of blood he sheds. She loves how power fully he expels his enemies, but she also frets for his safety when more and more guards arrive. What was once six sentries bes ten, and the tactics Bastien once used to repel them begin to falter. The greater Drake¡¯s losses, the more wolves he calls to his aid. For every guard and sentinel Bastien takes out, another lies in the wings, waiting for their chance to destroy the indomitable Alpha. I dash to the doorway, scanning the hall for signs of Aiden or Donovan. This isn¡¯t fair. Bastien is fight ing alone while Drake has an army at his disposal, I never thought Drake would do something with so little integrity. I understood it when I needed a ploy to escape the city and no other option was avable to us. If I thought Drake was attempting a simr strategy, I might not mind so much. I¡¯m not ready to face everything which transpired between Bastien and I. My heart still feels hollow and broken, yet I¡¯m also com ing to realize how wrong I was about our rtionship. Every instinct | possess tells me not to trust the wolf; to protect myself at all costs. Yet my heart also aches for my mate. I want to believe Bastien, I want to be lieve he loves me, that we could truly build a life together. However it¡¯s clear that this is no ruse. For one reason or another, Drake has lost his head. He¡¯s going in for the kill. As more of Drake¡¯s men join the fight, Luna tries to force her way out of my skin, straining and stretch ing to make the painful shift we¡®ve only managed once before. No, I beg her, it hurts, and we don¡¯t know how to fight. We have to do something. She insists, They¡¯re going to kill him if this keeps up. For a few long moments, I continue to fight my wolf. She¡¯s onlye out once before, and the pain was such that I can onlypare it to childbirth. Still, I know Luna is stronger than I am. She possesses skills I do not, and she can help me now. Without thinking, I dive into the fray, putting my body between Bastien and Drake¡¯s men and snarling with every ounce of courage I possess. I assumed they would back off the moment a she-wolf stepped in, but their aggression fuels their violence like a drug, driving them to destroy any obstacle which stands in their way. TWO wolvese at me at once, their glowing eyes boring into my psyche with more ferocity than I can ever recall facing, Garrick may have hurt and abused me, but he never sought to destroy me as a wolf. He always attacked as a man, and I was only able to fend him off because he remained in that form. This is another matter entirely. Bastien is still mid-fight with Drake, unable to reach me but clearly conscious of my actions. He¡¯s growling behind me, warning me off and threatening all sorts of retribution for interfering. Still, persist. My mate might be strong enough to rule a pack, but I am strong enough to defend those I love, no matter the threat. I bare my teeth and offer up my fiercest snarl, determined to protect him. The wolvesunch forward, and Bastien roars in the distance as they tear into my delicate limbs and send me flying. A pitiful whimper leaves my lips even as I crash to the floor. I¡¯m hurt and afraid, not to mention confused beyond all reason. I¡¯m not sure who ends the fight, only that silence eventually falls in the room. However once the chaos halts, there is no question who¡¯s in charge. I would recognize the hands that pull me from the floor anywhere. I¡¯m barely conscious; barely breathing after the terror of the fight and shock of my injuries set in. Still one thing is clear: I¡¯m in Bastien¡¯s arms now, and no matter what else might happen, I know I¡¯m safe. As long as I¡¯m with Bastien, I will always be safe. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 67 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Healing Bastien¡¯s POV I¡¯ll kill them all. Everyst wolf whoid a paw on Selene will pay, followed by that coward they call an Alpha. It was bad enough that Drake wasn¡¯t man enough to fight his own battle, but to let his men attack an innocent she wolf is a new level of abhorrence. I thought I was hallucinating when Selene joined the fight. After all, my mate doesn¡¯t have a violent bone in her body, but I suppose her wolf had other ideas. Everything should have stopped then and there, but I wasn¡¯t near enough to help her, and Drake¡¯s guards were so blinded by bloodlust they never even registered that the obstacle blocking them from their target was the mother of their Alpha¡¯s child. In fairness, Drake is almost as angry as I am. We both moved for Selene the moment we heard her yelp, surging forward to protect her even as the scent of her blood seeped into the air. We shifted at once, reaching for the little wolf copsed in a puddle on the floor at the same time. Axel almost took control again when he realized what Drake was doing, but the brutality of his snarl fended off the other Alpha just in time. Drake turned on his men with a vengeance while I scooped up Selene,ying into them with more strength and authority than I¡¯ve ever seen him disy. By the sounds of it, a few Eros wolves will soon be unemployed. I can approve of that much, but this never should have happened in the first ce. If Cavanaugh had been paying attention to his surroundings, he could have stopped this. I saw Selene step in and tried to warn her off, but I couldn¡¯t reach her until Drake called off his dogs. Iy Selene on the couch and pull a nket over her small form, kneeling in front of her and stroking her gleaming white fur. Crimson stains bloom on her arms, shoulder and ribs, and though the wounds don¡¯t look severe, it terrifies me that she hasn¡¯t regained consciousness. Axel is alternating between whining and growling, beside himself with concern for Selene and over wrought with fury towards the wolves who did this. Sick of listening to Drake¡¯s shouts, I thunder, ¡°Stop barking at those idiots and get a doctor!¡± He looks like he wants to punch me, but one nce at Selene convinces him to obey. His Beta and the pear, and then Drake is striding towards the door of L¡¯s bedroom. A fresh growl bursts from my chest, but he ignores me, narrowing his glowing green eyes with disgust. ¡°Back off, Durand. I have a right to check on my daughter.¡± Axel lets off a string of curses in my head, emitting a bevy of choice words I wouldn¡¯t mind throwing at Drake myself. With great effort, I refrain. I hate hearing him call L that, but he¡¯s right. I know he won¡¯t hurt the pup, and I want to make sure she¡¯s all right too. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Come on, little wolf.¡± | coax softly, trying to steady my hands as they continue to shake with rage. ¡°Open your eyes for me.¡± Selene whimpers faintly, her ears twitching in response to my voice, Sweet relief ms into me, but I refuse to be bowled over, not yet. ¡°That¡¯s it, baby.¡± I praise, e back to me.¡± I can hear running footsteps in the distance, and the faint sounds of a grumpy pup waking from slumber. Drake is rousing L, and I feel nothing but annoyance towards the man when I hear her disgruntled whines. Still, I think Selene must hear them too. Her eyelids begin to twitch as the noises grow louder, and I jump on the idea. ¡°Wake up, Selene.¡± | encourage, ¡°L needs you.¡± Her bright eyes blink open, looking ssy and far away. She whines, sounding so much like her pup | almost want tough, before mping them shut again. ¡°Tsk, none of that.¡± I chide, finally releasing the breath I¡¯ve been holding since I saw her hit the floor. ¡°Open them all the way, beautiful. I can¡¯t hold back my grin when she finallyplies. ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡± Imend her, waiting for the luminous pools to focus. It only takes a moment for her brain to catch up before her nerves start zinging messages of pain back to the control center. Guilt fractures my insides when her pupils contract to pin points and her face twists into a grimace. ¡°I know it hurts, angel, but we need you to shift.¡± L is crying now, and Drake appears in the doorway, rocking the pup in his arms and trying fruitlessly to calm her. I¡¯d like nothing more than to storm across the room and rip the child from his arms. This is all his fault. He hurt my mate and made her pup cry in a matter of minutes. Selene¡¯s head twists around on the cushions, searching for her daughter and trying to rise when she cannot find her. Before I can step in, Selene¡¯s arms give out and she crumples back onto the sofa with a whimper. Drake¡¯s concerned expression deepens, and he moves nearer, clearly intending to put L in Selene¡¯s line of sight. I shake my head at him firmly, Selene might need to see her pup, but L does not need to see her mother bleeding out in the living room. ¡°She¡¯s alright Selene.¡± I promise, pleased to see Drake carrying the toddler out of the room. ¡°She just got woken up before she was ready, that¡¯s all.¡± Pressing a kiss to her velvety muzzle, I continue, ¡°you have to shift back now.¡± I feel like an ogre for asking this of her, especially knowing it¡¯s only her second time. Unfortunately it can¡¯t be helped. Shifting takes a lot of energy; if she doesn¡¯t do it soon, she won¡¯t be able to until she¡¯s had some time to recover. Of course, the doctors can still examine her in this form, but it¡¯s far from ideal. ¡°Shift sweetheart.¡± Scrunching her face up in concentration, Selene¡¯s limbs begin to blur at the edges, vibrating with heat and energy. Louds cracks and pops fill the air, punctuated by a keening cry as my mate¡¯s body twists and bends, reshaping itself in ways that defy nature. By the time the transformation isplete the doctor has arrived, and my mother close behind. I wrap the nket a bit tighter around Selene¡¯s naked body, trailing soothing caresses where I can. ¡°You did so well, baby. I¡¯m so proud of you.¡± ¡°Bastien!¡± Mom exims, looking horror struck, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Cavanaugh happened.¡± I grumble, ¡°Will you do me a favor and go make sure L¡¯s alright, he took her out a few minutes ago.¡± Selene shifts restlessly, too exhausted to speak as she watches my mother leave, immediately taking up her marching orders. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± | croon, reading the distress in her pale countenance. ¡°Mom will take care of her. She¡¯ll spoil her so much you¡¯ll have a real problem on your hands by the time she¡¯s done.¡± She barely has time to process my words before the doctor approaches. Unfortunately it¡¯s a man, which is the veryst thing we needed. If I know my mate, the outbreak of violence will have sent her straight into shbacks of Garrick. Concern for L may have kept her partially present, but right now she¡¯s probably halfway between reality and nightmare. Sure enough, she tries to scrabble away from the man, yelping in pain and not moving an inch. With every second that passes, I find more reasons to hate Drake Cavanaugh. I don¡¯t want to be forced to hold Selene down, and I don¡¯t have any idea where I could even apply pressure without harming her worse than she already is. | share a nce with the white-coated shifter, ¡°You¡¯re safe, Selene.¡± I try to reassure her, ¡°This is Dr¡­¡± ¡°Fields.¡± The man supplies promptly. This is Dr. Fields, he¡¯s here to help you.¡± I exin, ¡°You need to let him take a look at you.¡± When she simply shakes her head and cowers, I add, ¡°I¡¯ll be right here, I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± The doctor takes an experimental step forward, and Selene jerks away as if she¡¯s been electrocuted. Fuck. I think desperately. Let me out. Axelmands savagely. She needs a wolf, not a man. I can¡¯t. I sigh. He¡¯s not wrong, Selene always finds morefort from my wolf when she gets like this, but until Axel grows opposable thumbs,fort is all he can provide. Dr. fields nods in my direction, beckoning me to him so we might confer. With great trepidation, I do as he asks, leaving Selene¡¯s side even though it goes against my every instinct. When I reach him, he¡¯s already preparing a shot, pressing a needle through the top of a vial full of viscous liquid. ¡°I can¡¯t examine her like this.¡± He says curtly. ¡°She¡¯ll have to be sedated.¡± ¡°You know she¡¯s not going to let you near her with a needle either.¡± I remark irritably. The serious-looking man eyes me from over the top of his sses. ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to hold her down.¡± As long as I live, I will never get over the horror of holding my injured mate down so a strange man could put his hands on her. I know it had to be done. I know there was no other way. But I will never forget the terror in her eyes, or the sounds of her pleading and crying when Dr Field¡¯s approached with the syringe. I will never forget the pain I inflicted trying to keep her still, the physical wounds I worsened while she begged us not to hurt her, or her wails of agony when we did it anyway. Even injured as Selene was, her survival instincts kicked in strongly enough that overpowering her surging adrenaline took two doses of sedative. When it was over, it was all I could do to carry her to bed without breaking down. I finally copsed in the chair at her side, watching the doctor tend her wounds and praying to the Goddess that she won¡¯t remember what happened. If she does, she¡¯ll never forgive me. Bastien¡¯s POV I¡¯ll kill them all. Everyst wolf whoid a paw on Selene will pay, followed by that coward they call an Alpha. It was bad enough that Drake wasn¡¯t man enough to fight his own battle, but to let his men attack an innocent she-wolf is a new level of abhorrence, I thought I was hallucinating when Selene joined the fight. After all, my mate doesn¡¯t have a violent bone in her body, but I suppose her wolf had other ideas. Everything should have stopped then and there, but I wasn¡¯t near enough to help her, and Drake¡¯s guards were so blinded by bloodlust they never even registered that the obstacle blocking them from their target was the mother of their Alpha¡¯s child. In fairness, Drake is almost as angry as I am. We both moved for Selene the moment we heard her yelp, surging forward to protect her even as the scent of her blood seeped into the air. We shifted at once, reaching for the little wolf copsed in a puddle on the floor at the same time. Axel almost took control again when he realized what Drake was doing, but the brutality of his snarl fended off the other Alpha just in time. Drake turned on his men with a vengeance while I scooped up Selene,ying into them with more strength and authority than I¡¯ve ever seen him disy. By the sounds of it, a few Eros wolves will soon be unemployed. I can approve of that much, but this never should have happened in the first ce. If Cavanaugh had been paying attention to his surroundings, he could have stopped this. I saw Selene step in and tried to warn her off, but I couldn¡¯t reach her until Drake called off his dogs. Iy Selene on the couch and pull a nket over her small form, kneeling in front of her and stroking her gleaming white fur. Crimson stains bloom on her arms, shoulder and ribs, and though the wounds don¡¯t look severe, it terrifies me that she hasn¡¯t regained consciousness. Axel is alternating between whining and growling, beside himself with concern for Selene and over wrought with fury towards the wolves who did this. Sick of listening to Drake¡¯s shouts, I thunder, ¡°Stop barking at those idiots and get a doctor!¡± He looks like he wants to punch me, but one nce at Selene convinces him to obey. His Beta and the pear, and then Drake is striding towards the door of L¡¯s bedroom. A fresh growl bursts from my chest, but he ignores me, narrowing his glowing green eyes with disgust. ¡°Back off, Durand. I have a right to check on my daughter.¡± Axel lets off a string of curses in my head, emitting a bevy of choice words I wouldn¡¯t mind throwing at Drake myself. With great effort, I refrain. I hate hearing him call L that, but he¡¯s right. I know he won¡¯t hurt the pup, and I want to make sure she¡¯s all right too. ¡°Come on, little wolf.¡± | coax softly, trying to steady my hands as they continue to shake with rage. ¡°Open your eyes for me.¡± Selene whimpers faintly, her ears twitching in response to my voice, Sweet relief ms into me, but I refuse to be bowled over, not yet. ¡°That¡¯s it, baby.¡± I praise, e back to me.¡± I can hear running footsteps in the distance, and the faint sounds of a grumpy pup waking from slumber. Drake is rousing L, and I feel nothing but annoyance towards the man when I hear her disgruntled whines. Still, I think Selene must hear them too. Her eyelids begin to twitch as the noises grow louder, and I jump on the idea. ¡°Wake up, Selene.¡± | encourage, ¡°L needs you.¡± Her bright eyes blink open, looking ssy and far away. She whines, sounding so much like her pup | almost want tough, before mping them shut again. ¡°Tsk, none of that.¡± I chide, finally releasing the breath I¡¯ve been holding since I saw her hit the floor. ¡°Open them all the way, beautiful. I can¡¯t hold back my grin when she finallyplies. ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡± |mend her, waiting for the luminous pools to focus. It only takes a moment for her brain to catch up before her nerves start zinging messages of pain back to the control center. Guilt fractures my insides when her pupils contract to pin points and her face twists into a grimace. ¡°I know it hurts, angel, but we need you to shift.¡± L is crying now, and Drake appears in the doorway, rocking the pup in his arms and trying fruitlessly to calm her. I¡¯d like nothing more than to storm across the room and rip the child from his arms. This is all his fault. He hurt my mate and made her pup cry in a matter of minutes. Selene¡¯s head twists around on the cushions, searching for her daughter and trying to rise when she cannot find her. Before I can step in, Selene¡¯s arms give out and she crumples back onto the sofa with a whimper. Drake¡¯s concerned expression deepens, and he moves nearer, clearly intending to put L in Selene¡¯s line of sight. I shake my head at him firmly, Selene might need to see her pup, but L does not need to see her mother bleeding out in the living room. ¡°She¡¯s alright Selene.¡± I promise, pleased to see Drake carrying the toddler out of the room. ¡°She just got woken up before she was ready, that¡¯s all.¡± Pressing a kiss to her velvety muzzle, I continue, ¡°you have to shift back now.¡± I feel like an ogre for asking this of her, especially knowing it¡¯s only her second time. Unfortunately it can¡¯t be helped. Shifting takes a lot of energy; if she doesn¡¯t do it soon, she won¡¯t be able to until she¡¯s had some time to recover. Of course, the doctors can still examine her in this form, but it¡¯s far from ideal. ¡°Shift sweetheart.¡± Scrunching her face up in concentration, Selene¡¯s limbs begin to blur at the edges, vibrating with heat and energy. Louds cracks and pops fill the air, punctuated by a keening cry as my mate¡¯s body twists and bends, reshaping itself in ways that defy nature. By the time the transformation isplete the doctor has arrived, and my mother close behind. I wrap the nket a bit tighter around Selene¡¯s naked body, trailing soothing caresses where I can. ¡°You did so well, baby. I¡¯m so proud of you.¡± ¡°Bastien!¡± Mom exims, looking horror struck, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Cavanaugh happened.¡± | grumble, ¡°Will you do me a favor and go make sure L¡¯s alright, he took her out a few minutes ago.¡± Selene shifts restlessly, too exhausted to speak as she watches my mother leave, immediately taking up her marching orders. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± | croon, reading the distress in her pale countenance. ¡°Mom will take care of her. She¡¯ll spoil her so much you¡¯ll have a real problem on your hands by the time she¡¯s done.¡± She barely has time to process my words before the doctor approaches. Unfortunately it¡¯s a man, which is the veryst thing we needed. If I know my mate, the outbreak of violence will have sent her straight into shbacks of Garrick. Concern for L may have kept her partially present, but right now she¡¯s probably halfway between reality and nightmare. Sure enough, she tries to scrabble away from the man, yelping in pain and not moving an inch. With every second that passes, I find more reasons to hate Drake Cavanaugh. I don¡¯t want to be forced to hold Selene down, and I don¡¯t have any idea where I could even apply pressure without harming her worse than she already is. I share a nce with the white-coated shifter, ¡°You¡¯re safe, Selene.¡± I try to reassure her, ¡°This is Dr¡­¡± ¡°Fields.¡± The man supplies promptly. This is Dr. Fields, he¡¯s here to help you.¡± I exin, ¡°You need to let him take a look at you.¡± When she simply shakes her head and cowers, I add, ¡°I¡¯ll be right here, I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± The doctor takes an experimental step forward, and Selene jerks away as if she¡¯s been electrocuted. Fuck. I think desperately. Let me out. Axelmands savagely. She needs a wolf, not a man. I can¡¯t. I sigh. He¡¯s not wrong, Selene always finds morefort from my wolf when she gets like this, but until Axel grows opposable thumbs,fort is all he can provide. Dr. fields nods in my direction, beckoning me to him so we might confer. With great trepidation, I do as he asks, leaving Selene¡¯s side even though it goes against my every instinct. When I reach him, he¡¯s already preparing a shot, pressing a needle through the top of a vial full of viscous liquid. ¡°I can¡¯t examine her like this.¡± He says curtly. ¡°She¡¯ll have to be sedated.¡± ¡°You know she¡¯s not going to let you near her with a needle either.¡± I remark irritably. The serious-looking man eyes me from over the top of his sses. ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to hold her down.¡± As long as I live, I will never get over the horror of holding my injured mate down so a strange man could put his hands on her. I know it had to be done. I know there was no other way. But I will never forget the terror in her eyes, or the sounds of her pleading and crying when Dr Field¡¯s approached with the syringe. I will never forget the pain I inflicted trying to keep her still, the physical wounds I worsened while she begged us not to hurt her, or her wails of agony when we did it anyway. Even injured as Selene was, her survival instincts kicked in strongly enough that overpowering her surging adrenaline took two doses of sedative. When it was over, it was all I could do to carry her to bed without breaking down. I finally copsed in the chair at her side, watching the doctor tend her wounds and praying to the Goddess that she won¡¯t remember what happened. If she does, she¡¯ll never forgive me. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 68 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Bastien¡¯s POV ¡°Bastien, I¡¯m fine!¡± Selene insists, spreading her arms wide to show me the veracity of her words, ¡°See, all healed.¡± It¡¯s true that the gashes and bite marks that once littered her body have already faded to the faintest scratches and bruises, no doubt elerated by the healing power of her Vna blood. Even so, I refuse to risk it. ¡°It¡¯s too soon.¡± | decree, nudging her back towards the bed. She¡¯s been trying to convince me to let her leave the makeshift infirmary all day long, too anxious about everything going on to stay put. Wrangling her has been surprisingly difficult, it seems I can¡¯t turn my back without her trying to sneak out. If I had any doubts that my little wolf found her strength during our time apart, her rebellious behavior today has certainly erased them. As if reading my mind, my mate crosses her arms over her chest. ¡°I¡¯m not the fragile halfling you married, Bastien. I have my wolf again, I can recover at twice the rate most shifters can and you know it.¡± ¡°The doctor¡¯s orders were to rest at least two days.¡± I remind her, ¡°regardless of how well you might feel, your body has been through a lot and you need to give it a chance to recover.¡± ¡°I need to talk to Drake.¡± She sighs, ¡°and I want to see L.¡± ¡°Whatever you need to say to Drake can wait.¡± I state coolly. We both know that conversation will not be easy. ¡°And I will dly bring L for a visit.¡± Selene flops back on the bed with a dramatic sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t want a visit, I want out of this room.¡± Trying not to smile, I lean forward, bracing my hands on the mattress and looming over the disgruntled little wolf. ¡°One more day.¡± I promise huskily, ¡°And if you¡¯re a good girl and stop trying to escape, I¡¯ll give you a reward.¡± Curiosity piqued, Selene eyes me suspiciously. ¡°What kind of reward?¡± My cheeks split with a wide grin, and I lower my head until our mouths are nearly touching. ¡®The kind you won¡¯t soon forget Mate.¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Desire and anticipation overtake Selene¡¯s frustration. The scent of her arousal rises to fill my senses, the change so swift that I groan. Goddess, she must be even closer to her heat than I realized. Even as I think the words, a flush travels up Selene¡¯s body and she shudders uncontrobly. Her beautiful eyes widen, her plump lips parting on a gasp. Not close. Axel corrects me, already ravenous for her. It¡¯s here. He¡¯s right, her luscious scent transforms within seconds. I never believed it was possible to want my mate any more than I already did. I never cared that she didn¡¯t have her wolf, she¡¯s always smelled completely exquisite and utterly irresistible. This is different. This is so much more than an aroma. It¡¯s a drug; a powerful narcotic that fills me with a primal need unlike anything I¡¯ve ever experienced. My wolf is quickly losing control, my rut already beginning. ¡°Bastien?¡± My little wolf is looking up at me with confusion and fear. Her voice is soft and hoarse, clearly overwhelmed and looking to me for answers. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± I assure her, ¡°It¡¯s just your heat.¡± I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m saying it¡¯s alright. If we were in any other circumstances it would be, however Selene isn¡¯t in any condition to handle the rough, animalistic mating heats elicit, She¡¯s practically writhing beneath me, desperate to ease the ache consuming her form, ¡°Don¡¯t make me wait.¡± She begs helplessly, ¡°Please Bastien, don¡¯t leave me like this.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± I groan, dropping my forehead to rest against hers, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, baby.¡± Selene pushes up onto her elbow, aggressively dragging my mouth down to hers and immediately opening for my tongue. She kisses me with every ounce of pent up passion she¡¯s carried since we parted three years ago I know, because I¡¯m doing the same. I don¡¯t bother fighting my wolf or pushing her away. It wouldn¡¯t be any use I can¡¯t resist her. Not now, not ever. Instead I take control, sliding my arms around Selene¡¯s small body and nipping her swollen lips when she does not yield. That slight pinch is all it takes, she melts into my embrace, trusting me to take care of her to give her what she needs. And she¡¯s certainly going to get it. In fact, she¡¯s going to get more than she needs. For the first time since we met, I won¡¯t have to hold back. She¡¯s strong enough now that I can unleash myself completely. I can mate her and im her the way I¡¯ve always dreamed her injuries be damned. She asked for it, and she¡¯s going to get it. ¡°Naughty little mate.¡± I purr, kissing my way down her throat and tearing the clothes from her body. ¡°Be careful what you wish for.¡± Selene¡¯s POV Bastien lowers his mouth to my breasts the moment they¡¯re exposed, catching one taut nipple between his teeth and teasing it with his tongue. After a moment hevishes the same treatment on the other, sliding his hands possessively over my naked body and making me forget everything that is not this moment. I want to feel his skin on mine. I reach for the bottom of his shirt and begin to work it up his chiseled abs, but then his hand moves between my legs, and I abandon the ideapletely. His thumb is ruthlessly circling the bundle of nerves at the apex of my thighs, fingers already delving into the pool of wetness gathered at the entrance of my sheath. I can hear myself moaning, but I have no control over the sounds. The heat has wiped every inhibition, thought, and restraint from my mind. My hips are feverishly rising to meet Bastien¡¯s hand, as if the movement might pull his fingers inside me. Luna is out of her mind with lust, and there¡¯s a steady rumble vibrating.in Bastien¡¯s chest that I think must be his own wolf at work. I¡¯m already so close toing, and he¡¯s barely touched me. He finally slides two fingers into my sex and my tight inner muscles begin to clench and contract, squeezing the digits like a vice. He¡¯s still sucking and nibbling my breasts, sending jolts of electricity straight to my clit. His fingers crook inside me, massaging that spot that only he can find. I haven¡¯t been sium, but I¡¯ve tried to find pleasure on my own and it¡¯s never the same. The orgasm ms into me without warning, my back arching off the bed as I cry out, bright lights shing before my eyes With a sultry growl, Bastien ims my lips once more, extracting long, deep kisses while his fingers continue to gently rub my folds, helping mee down from the high. Only instead ofing down, the continued attention just begins driving me to another peak, and I whimper into his mouth. ¡°Greedy girl.¡± Bastien croons, ¡°don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re already going toe again.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it.¡± I whine, throwing my head back so that he can lick and nibble my throat. Riding the wave of pleasure higher and higher, it crashes over me much too soon and I shudder and shake in my mates strong arms. ¡°Poor little wolf.¡± He says sympathetically, ¡°I told you the first heat packs a wallop.¡± In the aftermath my nerve endings are so sensitive and overstimted that even a light touch feels painful, and I¡¯m relieved when Bastien withdraws his hand from my swollen sex. Theforting weight of his body disappears as he leaves the bed and pulls me to the edge, spreading my legs and kneeling be tween them. When I realize what he¡¯s about to do, I p my hand over his target, protecting my oversensitized flesh from another onught. It¡¯s too much, too soon. Bastien slowly raises his head, his silver eyes climbing my body until his disapproving glower settles on my face. I can¡¯t exin how a simple look could compel me to retract my hand, leaving my most precious parts vulnerable to the predator intent on devouring me, but it does. Bastien nips the inside of my thigh and then his tongue is on me, erasing all thought from my mind. I whimper again, overwhelmed by the ecstacy radiating from my core. It¡¯s the most exquisite hurt, to have him sucking andving my overloaded nerve center. I bury my hands in his hair, unsure if I mean to push him away or pull him closer. I settle on simply twining my fingers through the thick, blond locks, anchoring myself to him. He groans, sending delicious vi brations across the bare skin beneath his lips. I think I might explode when his fingers join his tongue, thrusting and stretching my sodden channel. To my utter disbelief, I realize that I¡¯m building to another orgasm. Bastien is challenging everything! thought I knew about my body. When Ie, crying out and clenching my fists in the silky strands¡¯ of his hair, he does not stop. Before I can wind down, his fingers crook inside me, and I tumble over the edge again, mewling helplessly into the air. I feelpletely wrung out, delirious with pleasure and practically floating in space. Bastien is un dressing, watching me as he strips off his clothes and wearing the smug look of a wolf who knows he¡¯s satisfied his mate to the edge of sanity. I¡¯m so drunk on endorphins I actually think he might simply be nning on lying down with me. Bastien is even more gorgeous than I remember, and I want him to make love to me more than anything, but I don¡¯t think I can possibly take any more. But he doesn¡¯t lie down with me. He prowls forward and hooks his arms beneath my knees, lifting my hips and lining up his huge cock with my tight sheath. I meet his gaze, my eyes widening in rm when I feel him nudge my entrance and remember just howrge he is, Dark hunger shes in Bastien¡¯s eyes, the unmistakable look of a wolf about to go in for the kill, and I know: He¡¯s not going to show me any mercy. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 69 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Heat Bastien¡¯s POV ¡°Bastien, I¡¯m fine!¡± Selene insists, spreading her arms wide to show me the veracity of her words, ¡°See, all healed.¡± It¡¯s true that the gashes and bite marks that once littered her body have already faded to the faintest scratches and bruises, no doubt elerated by the healing power of her Vna blood. Even so, I refuse to risk it. ¡°It¡¯s too soon.¡± | decree, nudging her back towards the bed. She¡¯s been trying to convince me to let her leave the makeshift infirmary all day long, too anxious about everything going on to stay put. Wrangling her has been surprisingly difficult, it seems I can¡¯t turn my back without her trying to sneak out. If I had any doubts that my little wolf found her strength during our time apart, her rebellious behavior today has certainly erased them. As if reading my mind, my mate crosses her arms over her chest. ¡°I¡¯m not the fragile halfling you married, Bastien. I have my wolf again, I can recover at twice the rate most shifters can and you know it.¡± ¡°The doctor¡¯s orders were to rest at least two days.¡± I remind her, ¡°regardless of how well you might feel, your body has been through a lot and you need to give it a chance to recover.¡± ¡°I need to talk to Drake.¡± She sighs, ¡°and I want to see L.¡± ¡°Whatever you need to say to Drake can wait.¡± I state coolly. We both know that conversation will not be easy. ¡°And I will dly bring L for a visit.¡± Selene flops back on the bed with a dramatic sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t want a visit, I want out of this room.¡± Trying not to smile, I lean forward, bracing my hands on the mattress and looming over the disgruntled little wolf. ¡°One more day.¡± I promise huskily, ¡°And if you¡¯re a good girl and stop trying to escape, I¡¯ll give you a reward.¡± Curiosity piqued, Selene eyes me suspiciously. ¡°What kind of reward?¡± My cheeks split with a wide grin, and I lower my head until our mouths are nearly touching. ¡®The kind you won¡¯t soon forget ¨C Mate.¡± Desire and anticipation overtake Selene¡¯s frustration. The scent of her arousal rises to fill my senses, the change so swift that I groan. Goddess, she must be even closer to her heat than I realized. Even as I think the words, a flush travels up Selene¡¯s body and she shudders uncontrobly. Her beautiful eyes widen, her plump lips parting on a gasp. Not close. Axel corrects me, already ravenous for her. It¡¯s here. He¡¯s right, her luscious scent transforms within seconds. I never believed it was possible to want my mate any more than I already did. I never cared that she didn¡¯t have her wolf, she¡¯s always smelled completely exquisite and utterly irresistible. This is different. This is so much more than an aroma. It¡¯s a drug; a powerful narcotic that fills me with a primal need unlike anything I¡¯ve ever experienced. My wolf is quickly losing control, my rut already beginning. ¡°Bastien?¡± My little wolf is looking up at me with confusion and fear. Her voice is soft and hoarse, clearly overwhelmed and looking to me for answers. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± I assure her, ¡°It¡¯s just your heat.¡± I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m saying it¡¯s alright. If we were in any other circumstances it would be, however Selene isn¡¯t in any condition to handle the rough, animalistic mating heats elicit. She¡¯s practically writhing beneath me, desperate to ease the ache consuming her form, ¡°Don¡¯t make me wait.¡± She begs helplessly, ¡°Please Bastien, don¡¯t leave me like this.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± I groan, dropping my forehead to rest against hers, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, baby.¡± Selene pushes up onto her elbow, aggressively dragging my mouth down to hers and immediately opening for my tongue. She kisses me with every ounce of pent up passion she¡¯s carried since we parted three years ago I know, because I¡¯m doing the same. I don¡¯t bother fighting my wolf or pushing her away. It wouldn¡¯t be any use I can¡¯t resist her. Not now, not ever. Instead I take control, sliding my arms around Selene¡¯s small body and nipping her swollen lips when she does not yield. That slight pinch is all it takes, she melts into my embrace, trusting me to take care of her to give her what she needs. And she¡¯s certainly going to get it. In fact, she¡¯s going to get more than she needs. For the first time since we met, I won¡¯t have to hold back. She¡¯s strong enough now that I can unleash myself completely. I can mate her and im her the way I¡¯ve always dreamed ¨C her injuries be damned. She asked for it, and she¡¯s going to get it. ¡°Naughty little mate.¡± I purr, kissing my way down her throat and tearing the clothes from her body. ¡°Be careful what you wish for.¡± Selene¡¯s POV Bastien lowers his mouth to my breasts the moment they¡¯re exposed, catching one taut nipple between his teeth and teasing it with his tongue. After a moment hevishes the same treatment on the other, sliding his hands possessively over my naked body and making me forget everything that is not this moment. I want to feel his skin on mine. I reach for the bottom of his shirt and begin to work it up his chiseled abs, but then his hand moves between my legs, and I abandon the ideapletely. His thumb is ruthlessly circling the bundle of nerves at the apex of my thighs, fingers already delving into the pool of wetness gathered at the entrance of my sheath. I can hear myself moaning, but I have no control over the sounds. The heat has wiped every inhibition, thought, and restraint from my mind. My hips are feverishly rising to meet Bastien¡¯s hand, as if the movement might pull his fingers inside me. Luna is out of her mind with lust, and there¡¯s a steady rumble vibrating.in Bastien¡¯s chest that I think must be his own wolf at work. I¡¯m already so close toing, and he¡¯s barely touched me. He finally slides two fingers into my sex and my tight inner muscles begin to clench and contract, squeezing the digits like a vice. He¡¯s still sucking and nibbling my breasts, sending jolts of electricity straight to my clit. His fingers crook inside me, massaging that spot that only he can find. I haven¡¯t been sium, but I¡¯ve tried to find pleasure on my own and it¡¯s never the same. The orgasm ms into me without warning, my back arching off the bed as I cry out, bright lights shing before my eyes. With a sultry growl, Bastien ims my lips once more, extracting long, deep kisses while his fingers continue to gently rub my folds, helping mee down from the high. Only instead ofing down, the continued attention just begins driving me to another peak, and I whimper into his mouth. ¡°Greedy girl.¡± Bastien croons, ¡°don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re already going toe again.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it.¡± I whine, throwing my head back so that he can lick and nibble my throat. Riding the wave of pleasure higher and higher, it crashes over me much too soon and I shudder and shake in my mates strong arms. ¡°Poor little wolf.¡± He says sympathetically, ¡°I told you the first heat packs a wallop.¡± In the aftermath my nerve endings are so sensitive and overstimted that even a light touch feels painful, and I¡¯m relieved when Bastien withdraws his hand from my swollen sex. Theforting weight of his body disappears as he leaves the bed and pulls me to the edge, spreading my legs and kneeling be tween them. When I realize what he¡¯s about to do, I p my hand over his target, protecting my oversensitized flesh from another onught. It¡¯s too much, too soon. Bastien slowly raises his head, his silver eyes climbing my body until his disapproving glower settles on my face. I can¡¯t exin how a simple look could compel me to retract my hand, leaving my most precious parts vulnerable to the predator intent on devouring me, but it does. Bastien nips the inside of my thigh and then his tongue is on me, erasing all thought from my mind. I whimper again, overwhelmed by the ecstacy radiating from my core. It¡¯s the most exquisite hurt, to have him sucking andving my overloaded nerve center. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. I bury my hands in his hair, unsure if I mean to push him away or pull him closer. I settle on simply twining my fingers through the thick, blond locks, anchoring myself to him. He groans, sending delicious vibrations across the bare skin beneath his lips. I think I might explode when his fingers join his tongue, thrusting and stretching my sodden channel. To my utter disbelief, I realize that I¡¯m building to another orgasm. Bastien is challenging everything! thought I knew about my body. When Ie, crying out and clenching my fists in the silky strands¡¯ of his hair, he does not stop. Before I can wind down, his fingers crook inside me, and I tumble over the edge again, mewling helplessly into the air. I feelpletely wrung out, delirious with pleasure and practically floating in space. Bastien is un dressing, watching me as he strips off his clothes and wearing the smug look of a wolf who knows he¡¯s satisfied his mate to the edge of sanity. I¡¯m so drunk on endorphins I actually think he might simply be nning on lying down with me. Bastien is even more gorgeous than I remember, and I want him to make love to me more than anything, but I don¡¯t think I can possibly take any more. But he doesn¡¯t lie down with me. He prowls forward and hooks his arms beneath my knees, lifting my hips and lining up his huge cock with my tight sheath. I meet his gaze, my eyes widening in rm when I feel him nudge my entrance and remember just howrge he is, Dark hunger shes in Bastien¡¯s eyes, the unmistakable look of a wolf about to go in for the kill, and I know: He¡¯s not going to show me any mercy. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 70 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Marked Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Bastien¡®s POV Fucking incredible. Those are the only words I can conjure as I look down at my mate. Selene is dazed and drugged on pleasure, spiraling towards an overdose that will satisfy her heat and prepare her to be marked. I almost can¡®t believe she¡®s really in front of me, the very image of all my erotic fantasies over thest few years. Her taste is still on my tongue, and I can¡®t help but revel in the Goddess¡®s wisdom. She could not have made me a more perfect mate if she tried. Selene is an extraordinary beauty, but lots of she¨Cwolves are beautiful. The true magic is in her sweet submission, her incredible responsiveness and vulnerability. Selene is an experienced woman, yet every time with her is like the first. She¡®s never lost her innocent spirit, that sheltered quality I never get bored of scandalizing. Whatever else might have happened between us, she¡®s not capable of hiding her feelings in the bedroom. She experiences everything openly and honest ly, surrendering to pleasure with absolute abandon. She¡®s still so tight, and unless I¡®m mistaken, it¡®s been a while since she¡®s taken a lover a fact which pleases Axel to no end. I thrust into her as slowly as I can stand, watching her face contort as I spread her wide. I rock back and forth to help her spasming channel adjust to the invasion, savoring her panting breaths and the adorable squeaks she emits. Selene¡®s eyes are glowing, the heat keeping her wolf close to the surface. Her small hands are fisted in the nkets around her, her pale skin glistening with sweat and her rosy mouth open in rapture. I¡®ve never seen anything more stunning. The sight of my thick length disappearing into her is severely testing my control. I release one of her legs, returning my fingers to her clit and circling it in hopes of easing my entry. Selene¡®s backes off the bed and she cries out as I torment the little nub, clutching my wrist and undting her hips, pushing her self further down my cock. I growl in triumph when I¡®m finally buried so deep in Selene¡®s silky heat that my pelvis is resting against her soaked mons. She¡®s velvety and sleek, her internal muscles gripping me like a vice. My mate is gasping, for air, filled to the brim andpletely exposed. This is the way it¡®s supposed to be. We should be like this always, joined as mates and never parted. 1 begin moving, withdrawing with agonizing slowness before mming back into her at full force. Se lene is emitting raw, punched¨Cout gasps every time I bottom out, her eyes rolling into the back of her head. I know I should be gentle, but I can¡®t help it ¡ª even if she wasn¡®t in heat, it¡®s been far too long since we came togetherst. I set a relentless pace, taking her without restraint as every ridge of my steely flesh scrapes along her insides with delicious friction, Selene is still propping herself up partway, meeting me thrust for thrust with her long legs wrapped around my back. Needing to be closer to her to feel her soft body flush against mine 1 scoop her up, letting her wrap her arms around my neck and bouncing her on my hard length. Finding a handhold in her long hair and I tug her head back so that I can im her mouth as ferocious ly as I im her body. She drags her nails down my back as our tongues tangle, and a guttural moan leaves my mouth as I increase my speed, pounding into her as her cries be more frantic. The instinct to mark her is getting stronger every second. I begin kissing my way towards her neck, scraping my jaw along her silky cheek. My scruff leaves a rash of red marks across the delicate surface but Selene simply nuzzles her face against mine, adding to the scrapes and dropping kisses over every inch of skin she can reach. Mine. Mine. Mine. Axel chants as I tease the junction of her neck and shoulder with my tongue. Finally, he exims, we should have imed her long ago. Her wolf is begging for it. I want to sink my teeth into her tender flesh more than anything, but I have to time it right. I don¡¯t want to hurt my mate, I don¡®t want her to associate being imed with pain. Timed right, the mark can take a she wolf to new heights of euphoria. Timed wrong, it can ruin the momentpletely. I force myself to slow down, pressing Selene¡®s back into the wall and rolling my hips in synchrony with hers. I grind my pelvis into her clit in between thrusts, bracing her weight against the wall to free my hands. I can¡®t decide where I want to touch her most: her luscious breasts, round ass or overworked sex. In the end I don¡®t decide, shifting my touch between all three. My hands are everywhere, drawing out my mates bliss any way I can. Selene¡®s expression ispletely zed over, and I watch her like a starving man, drinking in her plea sure as if it¡®s my own. I could watch her like this forever, especially when a sh of panic breaks through the haze, dashing across her face as she constricts around my cock with almost painful intensity. I don¡®t have to ask to understand what¡®s happening. I¡¯d be willing to bet my naive little mate thought she was done with climaxes for the day. I¡¯m sure she imagined she was just along for the ride at this point, but she should have known better. ¡°You gonna give me another one, gorgeous?¡± | purr. Selene tosses her head back and forth, looking as if she¡¯s near tears. A keening wail settles on her tongue. ¡®I can¡®t.¡¯ ¡°Yes you can, baby.¡± I promise huskily, angling my thrusts upward into her most sensitive spot. ¡°Bastien ¡± Selene yelps, writhing in my arms as if she¡®s attempting to escape, never mind that I¡®m more than twice her size. She whimpers when she doesn¡®t gain an inch, ¡°It¡®s too much!¡± ¡°Don¡®t fight it,¡® I warn her, taking long, deep strokes while I cradle her body. ¡®Just let go.¡± Selene opens her mouth as if she might respond, but no soundes out. Instead she mps her eyes shut, her sheath clenching desperately around me. ¡®That¡®s it,¡± I praise her, trying to remember if I¡®ve ever loved her more than I do in this moment. ¡°Just like that, fuck.¡¯ Just as Selene detonates, I return my mouth to her throat, letting my fangs extend and positioning them for the mark. Axel is howling in my ear at a deafening pitch, driving my lust and egging me on. With no time to waste, I sink my fangs into Selene¡®s neck, sinking in deep and letting the magic of our bond flow through me and into her. Atst. I think, Atst she¡®s mine. Selene¡®s POV He¡®s trying to kill me. It¡®s the only exnation, After three years of marriage to Bastien I didn¡®t think he could surprise me anymore not in the bed room at least. He¡®s always had a habit of inundating me with more pleasure than I can bear, of testing my limits and introducing me to new forms of carnal delight but nothing like this. I¡®m teetering on the edge of sanity, no longer feeling as if I¡®m even in the same room as my mate. I feel like I¡®m in a distant cocoon: wrapped in soothing warmth,pletely blissed out, and only vaguely aware that I¡®m still on a roller coaster of lust. I starting back down to earth when Bastien triggers my final orgasm. I¡®m so overwhelmed at this point that I don¡®t think I can survive another, my erogenous zones are all so sensitive that the magnitude of this climax feels impossible and terrifying at the same time. Yet he does it anyway, gently shushing my concerns and carrying me over the edge. As white lights block out my vision, I feel a piercing pain around the curve of my neck, like two small daggers driving into me. I can¡®t exin how or why, but the pain only makes my orgasm more intense. It propels it higher and higher, until it¡®s no longer one climax, but a string of multiple explosions striking one after the next. An incredible warmth and sense of peace flows through me as I ride out the torrent, free to enjoy the sensations knowing I¡®m safe in my mate¡®s arms. All at once, I feel a rush of love spreading through my body, swelling my heart and anchoring me to Bastien like never before. Tused to feel like we were two different people, two souls intertwined but undoubtedly separate. Now it seems like I can¡®t tell where I end and he begins. Luna is howling joyously, harmonizing with the blood singing in my veins. We¡®re one now. She tells me, celebrating raucously in her little corner of my heart. Forever. He¡®s marked me, I realize. That¡®s why I feel so wonderful. My mate finally imed me, and though we will never share a brain or body, Luna¡®s right: We are no longer two souls, we are one. Bastien is mine, not even the Goddess cane between us now. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 71 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Drake¡®s Reckoning Bastien¡¯s POV The early morning sun filters through the windows and bathes the room in dappled light. I trace the patterns its rays form on Selene¡¯s skin, trailing my fingers down her spine, circling the shadows and deli cate illuminations across her ribcage before tugging the sheet pooled around her waist down to reveal a broader swath of canvas. Selene sighs in her sleep as my hands travel the length of her body with a featherlight touch. Unable to resist the temptation, I soon rece my hands with my mouth. Selene shivers as my lips find the small of her back, finally stirring her from slumber. She turns onto her side to look up at me sulkily. ¡°How do you expect me to sleep with you doing that?¡± I chuckle deeply, iming her mouth possessively before answering, ¡°I think you might be missing the point.¡± Selene¡¯s breath catches as I trail my mouth down her throat, zing a scorching path to the swell of her breasts, ¡°We only just went to bed.¡± Sheins, closing her eyes again and attempting to return to sleep. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡±. ¡°Mmm,¡± I purr, nipping the tender flesh of her stomach, ¡°Poor, naive mate, I¡¯m nowhere near being done with you.¡± It¡¯s true. In the hours since I marked her, we¡¯ve scarcely rested, making love over and over again to the point of delirium. Still, I haven¡¯t had enough. Her heat is still in full force, and she might be exhausted from the sheer avnche of climaxes I¡¯ve inflicted on her, but I still have plenty of energy yet. Selene¡¯s grin is overtaken by a whimper as my mouth moves further south and settles between her legs. Her hand leaps reflexively to the top of my head, burying her fingers in my thick hair. ¡°Bastien,¡± She gasps. ¡°I¡¯m sore.¡± After a few moments dy, during which I manage to elicit a series of barely smothered moans from Selene, I worked my way back up her flushed body until I¡¯m hovering above her. ¡°You should have thought about that before you decided to look so damn ravishing.¡± | scold, ¡°you¡¯ve done nothing but taunt me all morning.¡± Selene squirms beneath me, looking adorable disgruntled. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even awake!¡± A predatory gleam appears in my eye as a growl rumbles in my chest. ¡°As if that¡¯s any excuse.¡± Selene shrieks withughter as my hands sweep down to the sensitive nerves of her belly, tickling her weak spots without mercy. She tries to wrestle out of my hold as she giggles, but my strength wins out. We quickly make a mess of the bedding, writhing around like a pair of fish out of water, squirming and tussling until we¡®re both short of breath. Then, just as Selene is closing her teeth around the arm I¡¯m using to hold her captive, a loud rapping at the door cut through the noise of our battle. We freeze, looking around for something to cover ourselves with and finding we¡®ve pushed all the bed ding to the floor. ¡°All right you two.¡± Aiden calls through the door, having enough sense not to enter, ¡°L¡¯s awake and she¡¯s asking for you. Odette¡¯s going to bring her up in a few minutes.¡± I look down at Selene, who is still mid-chomp and looking entirely unrepentant. I grin from ear to ear, dropping a kiss to her throat and pausing to nibble my mark, fresh and bright red against her pale skin. ¡°Come on, gorgeous. We better get up.¡± ¡°But we aren¡¯t finished.¡± Seler ¡®And whose fault is that?¡¯ I rep Software update ready to install. ¡®You can¡¯t leave me like this.¡± Selene catches my hand and guides it between her legs. ¡®Look what you¡¯ve done.¡¯ Clever little wolf. She¡¯s dripping wet and searing hot. ¡°Poor baby¡± | coo, sinking my fingers into the swollen, soaked flesh. I love watching her writhe on the thick digits, immediately sumbing to the raging hormones consuming her worn out body. When I pull back, triumph wells in my chest. I gaze down at Selene¡¯s furrowed brow and zed eyes with a devilish grin, ¡°Maybe this will teach you not to question me.¡± Selene¡¯s POV A draft of cold air washes over my body as Bastien rises, taking his warmth and talented hands with him. My lust-addled brain is slow to the uptake, and it¡¯s a moment before I rise onto my elbows. ¡°Bastien!¡± He¡¯s pulling on a pair of sweat pants, pretending like he¡¯s not rock hard and obscenely straining the soft cotton fabric. ¡°Yes, angel?¡¯ ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡± | exim, gesturing to my prone body expectantly. Only a monster would get me all worked up and then walk away. L¡¯s not here yet, I¡¯m sure we have time to sneak in another round. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. He strides over to the bed, towering over me menacingly. ¡®Wanna bet?:¡¯ Outrage washes away my stubborn hope. ¡®Fine.¡¯ I hiss, dropping down onto my back. ¡®I don¡¯t need you to finish. Before my fingers can connect with my aching flesh, one of Bastien¡¯s massive hands mps down on my wrist. ¡®Oh yes you do.¡¯ There¡¯s no mistaking the threat in his voice. Seething, I dig my fist into his pillow and smash it into his side with a vicious swing. Clearly my heat and Luna¡¯s influence has bolstered my confidence I never would have tried such a thing when we were married. Undeterred, Bastien scoops me up and sets me on my feet, ¡®We are going to get up and have breakfast with L.¡¯ He decrees, pressing my silky pajamas into my hands. ¡°Andter if you¡¯re good I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡± | re up at him, unable to stand still I¡¯m so ovee with lust. ¡°And if I¡¯m bad?¡± | question defiantly Bastien just grins, cupping my upturned face in his hands. It will be the better for waiting, Selene. He presses a soft kiss to my lips, pulling back only slightly to deliver his next promise. ¡°But your pleasure is my responsibility. If you try to take it from me again,¡¯ he slides one of his hands into my thick tresses, tilting my head back a little further. ¡®And I will know if you do I will make what you are feeling right now seem like nothing.¡¯ ¡®Two can y at that game.¡¯ I hiss,pletely full of it. ¡°They can,¡± Bastien agrees, his silver eyes glittering dangerously, ¡°But we both know I¡¯ll win.¡± I want to argue. I want to deny his words, tell him he¡¯s wrong and storm off in a righteous huff. Instead I pull the pajamas from his grip, stalking toward the bathroom and muttering mutinously under my breath before shutting myself inside. If this heat has taught me anything, it¡¯s that my mate has even more power over my body than he did before, I¡¯m helpless to resist him ¨C especially now that he¡¯s marked me. All Luna wants is to be tied to him in the most intimate manner, and I want it too. We don¡¯t stand a chance. Drake is staring at the mark on my neck as if it¡¯s a particrly gruesome wound, appearing both horrified and slightly ill. I left L with Bastien after our breakfast together, needing to talk to my friend and hoping the distance from my mate would help cool down my raging desires. Unfortunately it¡¯s done no such thing so far, and I¡¯m feeling increasingly certain nothing can save me from this onught of feelings. ¡°What the hell were you thinking?¡± I ask Drake, pulling the cor of my shirt over Bastien¡¯s mark. ¡°Why did you attack him?¡± ¡°I was trying to protect you.¡± Drake insists. ¡°You seem to forget who you are when you¡¯re around Bastien, it¡¯s like he has you under a spell.¡± ¡°He does ¨C in a way.¡± I remind him gently. ¡°He¡¯s my mate.¡± ¡°He mistreated you for years, Selene!¡± Drake thunders, ¡°Have you forgotten what that was like?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± I try to exin, ¡°There¡¯s a lot that happened back then I¡¯m only just beginning to understand. I¡¯d be lying if I said our marriage was perfect,¡± Drake scoffs in disbelief, but I ignore him, ¡°but it also wasn¡¯t what I thought. I love him, Drake.¡¯ The Eros Alpha is shaking his head, pacing back and forth and looking as if steam is pouring from his ears. ¡°No.¡± He snarls. ¡°No. It was alright when you were here on your own with L, I was alright keeping you at a distance, but I can¡¯t watch you go back to him.¡± He deres, ¡°It¡¯s not right, Selene. You know it isn¡¯t. My stomach is starting to feel very queasy. I don¡¯t like hearing Drake speak this way. It¡¯s too personal, too intimate. ¡°Drake, you¡¯re my best friend ¡° I begin. ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± He interrupts. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be your friend, Selene. I¡¯ve never wanted that.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± I choke weakly. ¡°I¡¯m saying that I¡¯m in love with you!¡± Drake explodes. ¡°I¡¯ve been in love with you from the day we met. You and L don¡¯t belong with Bastien.¡± He hisses, ¡®You belong with me!¡± Before I can stop him, before I even realize what¡¯ he¡¯s doing, Drake yanks me into his arms and ms his mouth into mine. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 72 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 72 Chapter 72 The Plot Sophie¡¯s POV I¡¯ve been in love with Drake Cavanaugh for as long as I can remember. We grew up together. My dad was his step-father¡¯s Beta, and we spent our entire childhoods tied at the hip. All my fondest memories are with Drake. We spent our days running through the docks of Asphodel like wild things,pletely free andpletely happy. I always imagined Drake would wake up one day and realize he loved me. The older we got, the harder ! fell, and even though it was slow, it really seemed like he felt the same. I know men have to go out and sew their wild oats or whatever you want to call it they have to explore and get all those primal urges out of their systems. So I didn¡¯t worry when he didn¡¯t immediately fall at my feet during my first heat. I didn¡¯t worry when we reached our twenties and he still seemed more interested in other she-wolves. We were still just kids, and I¡¯ve always been patient. I could certainly be patient for Drake I¡¯ve never met a man more worth waiting for. And then he met Selene. The first time he return Asphodel after meeting her, I knew something had changed. He was more mature, more serious and motivated. He started taking his position in the pack more earnestly, and I love him for it all the more. I didn¡¯t know what was behind the change until muchter, when he finally brought Selene home with him. He said it was nothing, that she was just a she-wolf in need of protection, but I saw the way he looked at her. I wanted to hate her so badly. My jealousy drove me out of my mind with the most horrible thoughts about the pretty she-wolf, but the more time I spent with her, the more I liked her. Selene assured me there was nothing between her and Drake, and even though I knew those were her feelings and not his, I ept ed it. I¡¯ve watched them closely over the years, and I¡¯ve never doubted that Selene¡¯s only feelings for Drake were tonic. When the news spread that she was breeding, everyone assumed the baby was his, but I trusted my friend when he told me otherwise. I believed Drake and Selene when they insisted L¡¯s father belonged to another pack. I¡¯ve done nothing but wait. I¡¯ve been nothing but patient, and in my delusional mind, I thought it would eventually pay off. I truly believed my day woulde with Drake. Then Bastien Durand came to town, and I learned that my so called friends have been lying to me for years. Selene isn¡¯t just any she-wolf, and her pup doesn¡¯t belong to another man. The news about L¡¯s paternity broke days ago, and I¡¯ve spent the better part of a weak trying to build up the courage to confront Drake. It¡¯s not even about my feelings, it¡¯s the betrayal. He didn¡¯t have to lie to me. We¡¯ve never lied to each other about anything or we hadn¡¯t, until Selene. After wallowing in self pity for a few days, I finally forced myself out of bed and set off for the pack house, prepared to both bare my soul and have it torn to shreds. I made it to the packhouse around mid day, as prepared as one can ever be for a life changing conversation. I climb the stairs to Drake¡¯s office like I have a thousand times before, my stomach in my throat. I have it all nned out. I know every word I¡¯m going to say. That¡¯s when I see them: Drake locked Selene in his arms and was about to kiss her. I feel like the ground is crumbling beneath my feet. This isn¡¯t how it was supposed to go. I knew that Drake was L¡¯s father, but I never imagined he and Selene were still together. I can¡¯t bear it. I turn on my heel and run back down the hallway, taking the stairs two at a time as I rush out of the pack house. I¡¯ve been such a fool. Selene¡¯s POV It takes almost all of my strength, but I¡¯m finally able to push Drake off of me. If I ever had any questions about whether my heat could be satisfied by anyone other than Bastien, they were just answered. I¡¯m so d I sessfully ducked before Drake could kiss me. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I demand. ¡°Have you lost your mind. Do you have any idea what Bastien would do to you if he knew you wanted to kiss me?¡± Abject disbelief paints Drake¡¯s handsome features, ¡°That¡¯s your response?¡± He hisses. ¡®That¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking about right now? What Bastien will do?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my mate.¡± I snap, ¡°And in case you didn¡¯t notice, you can¡¯t take him down without a full army at your back. If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t risk pissing him off.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn what Bastien thinks or wants or feels.¡± Drake exims, ¡°I just professed my love for you and you¡¯re acting like it was nothing¡±. He watches me with horrible fascination, ¡°It is nothing to you, isn¡¯t it?¡± He croaks, ¡°You didn¡¯t feel anything?¡± ¡°Drake.¡± I breathe, praying for patience, ¡°Please don¡¯t do this. You know you¡¯re my important friend¡­ I just can¡¯t love you the way you need me to.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°But Bastien Durand is worthy?¡± He bites, ¡°you want to build a life with that animal?¡± ¡°I already have a life with him.¡± I state coolly. ¡°We have a pup, he¡¯s imed me. We¡¯re still married for Goddess¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°I thought¡­¡± His eyes are shining oddly, ¡°I thought maybe you just didn¡¯t know what you were missing.¡± I shake my head sadly, ¡°You¡¯re right that I¡¯ve been missing out for years now, just not in the way you think.¡± I admit, ¡°Bastien is what I need. He¡¯s the one I¡¯m meant to be with, and I¡¯ve been hurting ever since I came here.¡± ¡°I brought you here to protect you.¡± Drake reminds me. ¡°And I will forever be in your debt.¡± I agree, ¡°but I don¡¯t need your protection anymore I need my mate.¡± Sophie¡¯s POV My pillow is soaked with tears. I¡¯ve been sobbing ever since I saw Selene and Drake together in his of fice, and I¡¯ve long since stopped caring who sees me. I cried openly on the walk home, drawing concerned look from passers-by and even a few well-intentioned inquiries. I waved them all off, wallowing in my pain and wishing I could go back to this morning and save myself from uncovering this secret. They¡¯ve been lying to me all these years, not only about L¡¯s paternity, but about their rtionship. How could Drake do it? I¡¯ve been nothing but a friend to him. I don¡¯t understand why he would hurt me this way ¡°What are you snivelling about?¡± My brother, Martin is hovering in my bedroom doorway, watching me without an ounce of sympathy. ¡°Nothing.¡± | sniffle stubbornly. Martin doesn¡¯t have a kind bone in his body, if he¡¯s asking me why I¡¯m crying, it¡¯s not out of concern. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me this is about that pathetic crush of yours.¡± He drawls, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you no man would ever be satisfied just being friends with that piece of ass?¡± He did tell me that, but I never believed him. I thought he was just being gross, I didn¡¯t realize the truth could be so terrible. ¡°My Goddess, Sophie.¡± He sighs, ¡°Grow a backbone. Why bother crying over that bastard? You don¡¯t get sad. You get even.¡± I don¡¯t want to hear this. Martin can be such a jerk. I just want to wallow in my wretched feelings and eat a few dozen tubs of ice cream, ¡°Go away, Martin.¡± I hup. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡± He smirks, ¡°Of course, if I leave, I can¡¯t help you.¡± ¡°Help me with what?¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°Help you get even.¡± He scoffs, ¡°Haven¡¯t you been listening?¡± ¡°And how on earth am I suppose to get even?¡± I ask, more out of habit than true curiosity. ¡°You take something yourpetition cares about more than the Alpha.¡± He exins slyly. ¡°You make her see the error of her ways.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t making any sense.¡± I gripe. ¡°I¡¯m saying.¡± Martin grumbles through clenched teeth, ¡°that you need leverage. If you have something to hold against Cavanaughs whore, you can force her to give up her im on him. You can make her walk away.¡± Deep down I know what he¡¯s suggesting is twisted and wrong, yet at the same time, I can¡¯t help but feel intrigued. Is is really possible to make Selene back off? Can I convince her to let me have Drake? ¡°What kind of leverage?¡± I ask, still unconvinced. ¡°What does she care about more than anything in the world?¡± Martin questions, seeming as if he al ready knows the answer. ¡°What?¡± I inquire nervously. ¡°Her pup.¡± He growls, ¡°take her pup, and she¡¯ll give you anything you want even Cavanaugh.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 73 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 73 Chapter 73 L Disappears Odette¡¯s POV Watching L dart gleefully around the yground ¨C positively squealing with happiness transports me far into the past. I¡¯m no longer a lonely widow far past her prime, I¡¯m a young mother with my whole life ahead of me. My loving, powerful mate stands by my side, and together we look on in amazement as our pup finds his way in the world. My heart aches to return to those halcyon days, but the talgia and grief aren¡¯t what concern me most. At first I thought I was seeing shes of Bastien in Selei. pup out of wishful thinking. Now I know better., She might be her mother¡¯s miniature in looks, but L is my son¡¯s clone in spirit. There is so much of Bastien in L I can¡¯t believe he doesn¡¯t see the resemnce. I suppose it¡¯s difficult to recognize one¡¯s own mannerisms and expressions in another person, but I would recognize them anywhere. A mother never for gets, and it¡¯s not Selene¡¯s baby I¡¯m seeing in front of me it¡¯s mine. No matter what the DNA tests say, it¡¯s be painfully obvious that L is Bastien¡¯s child. The clues go far beyond the pup¡¯s looks or personality, as soon as I acknowledged the possibility, the puzzle pieces started falling in ce. Selene was sick as a dog in the weeks before her supposed death, not to mention the mood swings and exhaustion. I should have recognized it at the time but I was admittedly distracted. I don¡¯t know Selene¡¯s motivations for lying, or how those results came back negative, but I intend to find out. I won¡¯t repeat Bastien¡¯s mistake and go behind her back. I n on confronting Selene directly. I¡¯ll find some time for us to be alone together and ask her what¡¯s going on. I understand the pressures, fears, and stresses of motherhood in a way my son and his Betas never will. I know how strong the instincts are to protect our young ¨C how primal. I¡¯m not going to jump to any conclusions. If it turns out that Selene is keeping this secret forpelling reasons, I may even be convinced to stay quiet. Knowing my daughter inw, I suspect there must be a good reason for hiding the pup¡¯s identity. However, if I¡¯m wrong, if it turns out she¡¯s lying for the sake of silly insecurities or spite ¨C I won¡¯t hesitate to tell Bastien. The fact remains that L is both a Vna wolf and an Alpha¡¯s pup. I won¡¯t stand for my grandchild being denied the privileges and protections her birthrights demand unless I can be convinced deception is the safer option. Sighing and shaking my head, I continue to follow the movements of L¡¯s tiny body with my eyes. She¡¯ s wearing a bright red sundress, though the garment is little more than a blur the way she¡¯s zooming around the park. Movement shes in my periphery, and a familiar scent fills my nose. I turn to greet Drake¡¯s mother, Diana. She and I are old friends, bonded through the shared experience of being mated to Alphas and raising their heirs. I immediately fold her into a hug, ¡°Diana! It¡¯s been too long.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Shemiserates. ¡°You¡¯d think Joseph retiring would give us more time to travel but nooo.¡± She quips, referring to her husband. ¡°All he wants to do is lock himself in his study and read!¡± ¡°You could travel without him.¡± I suggest, knowing it¡¯s a fruitless idea. Joseph may be Diana¡¯s second husband and merely a chosen mate, but he¡¯s still an Alpha: they don¡¯t like to let their wives out of their sight. ¡°I wish.¡± She mutters, ¡°I¡¯d love toe stay with you in Elysium for a while.¡± ¡°Well you¡¯re wee any time.¡± I assure her, reaching out to squeeze her palm.Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Diana grins and returns the squeeze. ¡°Thank you.¡± She nces around at the yground, catching sight of L. ¡°I take it you¡¯re on babysitting duty?¡± I follow her gaze, curiosity welling inside my chest. L does not seem to be aware that Diana has arrived, or if she is, she doesn¡¯t care. Simrly, Diana does not seem overly interested in the pup odd behavior, considering she is supposed to be her Grandmother. ¡®Tell me,¡± I ask, ¡°Do you see Drake in her?¡± Diana blinks, understanding shing across her sharp features quickly. ¡°No,¡± She answers honestly. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°She reminds me so much of Bastien. It¡¯s uncanny.¡± I share. Diana nods pensively, ¡°We¡¯ve been friends for a very long time, Odette.¡± She broaches gently, ¡°longer than our pups understand. And our friendship means more to me than whatever games they¡¯re ying.¡± She continues. ¡°Drake has imed L as his publically. I can¡¯t pretend I know what¡¯s going on with him and Selene, I can¡¯t pretend I understand all the stakes but I know this,¡± Diana confides, ¡°Selene gave birth six months after arriving in Asphodel.¡± ¡°And the baby?¡± I press. ¡°Full term.¡± Diana confirms, ¡°She was small ¨C but not premature.¡± I nod, this new information providing yet another clue to therger picture. ¡°Thank you for telling me.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She sighs, ¡°Though I admit, I wouldn¡¯t mind if she were Drakes. She¡¯s such a pretty little thing ¨C and it¡¯s long past time that boy is mated.¡± I chuckle, ¡®You know how it is with Alphas. Everything in their own time.¡± ¡°Just so.¡± She grins. I-search the yground for the little red ball of energy, awash with fresh certainty that she is my blood. I scan the slides and swings, the sand boxes and climbing contraptions, but I do not find her. My brow fur rows, where did she go? I step forward, an eerie sense of unease raising my hackles. I scan the yground again and again, searching every corner and crevice for signs of L. When Ie up empty I scent the air, rm jolting through my system when I find only slight traces of the toddler. I reach out for Diana, steadying myself on her arm. ¡°Diana.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She questions sharply, reading my panic. ¡°Do you see L? Do you smell her?¡± I ask hoarsely. My friend¡¯s expression slowly transforms: from cation, to puzzlement, to concern. ¡°No.¡± She breathes anxiously. ¡°Odette¡­ I think¡­¡± I don¡¯t need her to finish the sentence. ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV Selene is tempting me to no end. Ever since I denied her this morning, she¡¯s been torturing me, trying to provoke me into mating her while simultaneously punishing me. She started by donning the most scandalous lingerie she could find and parading around her rooms pretending to deliberate what to wear for the day. After sorting through her wardrobe and dropping a suspicious number of items on the floor throughout the process, all of which she very slowly and deliberately bent over to retrieve, wagging her round bottom in the air all the while she finally settled on a dress that necessitated going braless. After stripping off the silky garment and sliding the dress over her head, she made sure to strut past me at a pace that set her pert breasts to bouncing, before donning heels that made her slender legs look a mile long. None of it was necessary, the scent of her arousal and irresistible pull of her wolf was enticement enough. If I had my way we never would have left the bedroom, but we are not young wolves without responsibilities. Selene is a mother, and I am an Alpha we cannot let our lust control us. I suppose it¡¯s easier for me, I¡¯ve experienced many ruts in my life, but this is Selene¡¯s first heat. For all intents and purposes, she¡¯s like an untried virgin, overwhelmed by the powerful sensations taking over her body. It doesn¡¯t bother me to be responsible for both of us, to take control when she cannot but she doesn¡¯t have to make it so damn difficult. After our breakfast with L, Selene went to talk with Drake while I met with my Betas and called home to the council. I¡¯ve already been away from Elysium too long and my work is piling up but I won¡¯t leave without Selene. We got through lunch and a few strategy sessions about the bounty without further incident, trusting my mother to babysit L. Now we¡¯re finally back in Selene¡¯s rooms, and we have about a half hour before Mom and L return from the park. I don¡¯t n on wasting a single moment. I¡¯ve been nning out my revenge for Selens¡¯s an tics all morning, and while half an hour isn¡¯t nearly enough time to aplish everything I hope, it¡¯s certainly a start. Selene is currently eyeing me like the naughty little mate she is, with hunger, anticipation and guilt. She knows she¡¯s been bad, and she¡¯s so sweet I could gobble her up in one bite. I start walking towards her across the suite, Axel rising close to the surface as the scent of her arousal fills my senses. I¡¯ve been waiting for this all day, and I can¡¯t wait to im Selene again. Just then, my mother, Diana Cavanaugh and Donavon burst into the room unannounced. Mom looks white as a sheet, tears shining in her eyes. It takes me all of one second to realize L isn¡¯t with them, and the pit falls out of my stomach. I know what she¡¯s going to say before the words leave her mouth, but I pray I¡¯m wrong. I¡¯m not. ¡°L¡¯s been taken.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 74 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 74 Chapter 74 The Letter Selene¡¯s POV This isn¡¯t happening. It can¡¯t be real. I¡¯m frozen in ce, staring at Odette as if she¡¯s a ghost. I must have misheard her. But if that¡¯s the case, why does she look so distraught? Why are there tears in her eyes? And where is my pup? I swing my gaze from her to Bastien, whose hands are locked in white knuckled fists at his sides. He¡¯s breathing heavily, his eyes glowing and fangs extended. My first reaction was disbelief. His apparently was fury. Bastien¡¯s gaze descends on me, and I feel my lower lip begin to tremble uncontrobly. It¡¯s not real. I think desperately. Luna is frantic,shing out our heightened senses to every corner of the room in search of L and coming up empty. ¡°What do you mean she was taken?¡± I choke, ¡°How could that happen, weren¡¯t you watch ing her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Selene.¡± Odette professes sincerely. ¡°I turned my back for one moment and she was gone!¡± What?!.can¡¯t help ming Odette a little when I realize Bastien is crossing the room towards me, a de termined look in his molten eyes. I back away from him, shaking my head in denial and trying to stay out of his reach even as his muscr arms extend towards me. ¡°No!¡± I insist, swatting at his hands. I don¡¯t want to be cuddled. I don¡¯t want to beforted. I want my pup. ¡°Don¡¯t Bastien!¡± He doesn¡¯t listen, growling dominantly and dragging me into his embrace no matter how hard I fight. Eventually my iling limbs and defiant snarls give way to sobs. It isn¡¯t real. I think again. She isn¡¯t gone. My hands go from pushing my mate away to trying to climbpletely into his arms. He lets me, lift ing me off the ground and rocking me gently back and forth. Gentle, soothing purrs vibrate against my cheek and soft lips press to my hair. ¡°Shhh little wolf.¡± Bastien croons. ¡°We¡¯ll find her.¡± He promises, an edge of steel in his deep voice, ¡°You have my word if it¡¯s the last thing I do, I will bring her home.¡± Sophie¡¯s POV I think I¡¯ve made a terrible mistake. It all made sense when Martin was spelling out the n. He was so convincing. All I needed was a little leverage to hold against Selene in order to convince her to leave Drake, and her pup would certainly provide the motivation. It¡¯s not even really a kidnapping L knows me, and I have no intention of hurting her at all. I just want to talk with Selene, to make sure she isn¡¯t a threat to me. However the more time that passes, the more I start to imagine how Selene and Drake must be feeling now that the pup has disappeared, and Martin¡¯s n doesn¡¯t seem so great after all. They must be out of their minds with worry, and I highly doubt they¡¯ll be forgiving when the truthes out. What was I thinking? How could I be so foolish? Has my love for Drake really blinded me so much that I would steal an innocent child from her mother? That I would hold her hostage in exchange for staying away from the Alpha? I¡¯ve always liked Selene. I¡¯ve always liked L. I don¡¯t want to cause them pain. I¡¯m not a mother and I cannot pretend to understand the bond between parent and pup, but I know enough to understand this is cruel and unreasonable. L is ying happily in my living room, and again I feel a rush of abject guilt. Even if I believed in what I was doing how stupid can I possibly have been to bring her to my home? Maybe if I reach out and pre tend it was an ident. I can say I found L wandering near the park and rescued her but if that were the case I don¡¯t know how I would exin bringing her home with me. It¡¯s been hours, I think it¡¯s safe to say the excuse ship has sailed. Martin is hovering in the doorway watching me, a gruesome sneer on his face, ¡°Having second thoughts sister?¡± ¡°This was a mistake.¡± I whisper, afraid of speaking any louder lest I set off his temper. ¡®They¡¯re going to hate me when they find out.¡± Martin shakes his head, striding forward with a cold leer and taking my chin in his hand. ¡°Are you ques tioning me, Sophie?¡± He growls. ¡°No!¡± I insist, shaking my head. I know whates of questioning Martin it¡¯s never good. ¡°You better not be.¡± He hisses. ¡°I want what¡¯s best for you. I want you to have Drake. Don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, but¡± ¡°There are no buts!¡± Martin roars. ¡°For once in your life just do what you¡¯re told. I swear, I don¡¯t know why you have to make things so difficult. You want the Alpha, I¡¯m getting you the Alpha. Now stop sniveling and write the note!¡± He shoves a pen and paper into my hand, and I can feel L watching us. I nce in her direction, find ing her tiny brow furrowed at Martin. ¡°You mean.¡± The pup uses. Oh Goddess. This isn¡¯t good. Martin approaches L, his ruthless temper flushing his ruddy face. ¡°What did you say?¡± I jump to my feet, running to put myself between the two of them. ¡°She¡¯s just a pup,¡± I insist. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s saying.¡± ncing over my shoulder, I see L still ring. Shame writhes in my belly, apparently even toddlers are braver than I am. ¡°Then you can take her punishment.¡± Martin answers gruffly,shing out with the back of his hand and smashing it across my cheek. | yelp and hit the floor, stars swirling in my vision. I don¡¯t have any time to get my bearings before he¡¯s grasping me by my shirt cor and dragging me back to the desk where the unwritten ransom note waits. ¡°Get on with it you worthless bitch.¡± Licking my lips and tasting the coppery taste of blood, I try to force down the sick rising in my esopha gus. Trying to steady my shaking hand, I lift the pen, and begin to write. Selene¡¯s POV I¡¯m alone when I find the note. It appears out of nowhere, as if conjured from thin air. After a horrific afternoon of scouring the city, listening to Odette and Diana rey the events on the ster 74 The letter ground over and over again without ever gaining any more rity, Bastien finally convinced me to re 1 home in case the kidnappers reached out with a ransom. Personally I thought this was very optimistic thinking. We all know that the most likely motive for tak L has nothing to do with money or power, and everything to do with her Vna blood. Still, I couldn¡¯t kleaving a single stone unturned, and that meant considering a ransom. I don¡¯t think Bastien believed the kidnappers would take this route either, I think he just wanted to calm down. In the end we were both wrong. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org I spent a good hour pacing the suite waiting for the phone to ring and pathologically guarding the win ows to search the grounds. It wasn¡¯t until my dder was full to bursting and screaming for release that I nally took a break. And when I returned to the living room, the note was waiting for me on the coffee table. It was simple archment, scrawled in a hand I do not recognize. L is safe. Meet me at 2:00 O¡¯clock on the Lethe Bridge if you want her to stay that way. Tell no one where you¡¯re going. If you involve the Alpha or the enforcers, I will have no choice but to cut my losses. Don¡¯t try anything clever or think you can get around these conditions. If you flout them, your pup will pay the price. Don¡¯t bete. I swing around, ncing at the mantle clock and quickly absorbing the time signature shing across the digital surface. I have half an hour to get to the edge of the city, or my pup will suffer Goddess knows what depravities. I don¡¯t even consider calling Bastien or Drake. I don¡¯t contemte seeking backup or dialing the en forcers. L needs me, and there is not a single thing I would do to risk her life. I depart the house on my own, and set off to meet my daughter¡¯s kidnapper without pause. I may be alone, but any woman can tell you that hell hath a mother scorned. Whatever is toe, I¡¯m ready to meet it. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 75 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 75 Chapter 75 The Meeting Selene¡¯s POV The Lethe bridge is suspended over the turquoise waters of thegoon, its silver cables and solid deck reflected in the crystalline surface. A few meandering shifters and workers onte lunch breaks are scat tered along the length of the bridge, none of whom look anything like the rogues I imagined. Unease seethes in my belly. This feels wrong. Granted, I¡¯ve experienced nothing but pure anguish since L was taken, but this is different. Something about this meeting seems off, though I can¡¯t put my finger on any one thing in particr. It¡¯s partly theck of visible suspects, but I also can¡¯t believe the kidnappe asked for a meeting in such a public ce, and in broad daylight too. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org And why wasn¡¯t there a ransom? Why did they only ask for a meeting? I¡¯m still standing at the mouth of the bridge, scanning the long structure for likely suspects, but finding none. Suddenly a soft voice sounds behind me, and a familiar scent ripples through the air. ¡°Selene?¡± I whip around, my heart skipping a beat as Iy eyes on the speaker. My brow furrows, this isn¡¯t what expected. I¡¯d recognize the lovely hazel eyes and strawberry blonde hair anywhere, but they are terribly out of ce in this moment. ¡°Sophie?¡± Her eyes are red-rimmed and a dark bruise is blooming over her high cheekbone. My first instinct is worry, but then I smell L. Sophie smells like my pup ¨C and that can only mean one thing. My disquiet flourishes into fresh anger, and my eyes narrow to slits, ¡°You?¡± She immediately begins shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Tears well in her eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. I don¡¯t know what I was thinking.¡± ¡°Where is my daughter?¡± I hiss. ¡°She¡¯s safe.¡± Sophie promises with a hup. ¡°I only wanted to talk to you to convince you to leave Drake.¡± Fire explodes from deep within, and Luna begins wing to get out. The instinct to shift to attack is almost undeniable. ¡°You kidnapped my daughter because of a silly crush!?¡± I thunder. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t¡­¡± She sobs helplessly, unable to conjure an exnation for her insane n. I¡¯ve known how Sophie feels about Drake for a long time, and until now she¡¯s had my sympathy. If anyone understands unrequited love, it¡¯s me. However this is too far, much too far, ¡°Splitting us up won¡¯t make him love you, Sophie.¡± I snap harshly. ¡°We¡¯re not even together.¡± ¡°I saw you kissing!¡± She bursts out, looking as if she wants the ground to open up and swallow her whole. I breathe in a heavy sigh, trying to find patience. I¡¯m no longer terrified for my pup¡¯s life, but I won¡¯t re lax until I have her back. ¡°No. I ducked his kiss, and it will never happen.¡± I share, brushing my hair back to expose Bastien¡¯s mark. ¡°I already have a mate, I don¡¯t need another.¡± Sophie¡¯s eyes widen in horror, ¡°But¡­ L¡­ it¡¯s all over the pack that she¡¯s his.¡± Suddenly I realize my blunder. I can¡¯t keep up the lie about L¡¯s paternity and also maintain that Drake and I have never been together, but my daughter¡¯s safetyes first. ¡°She isn¡¯t.¡± I announce coolly. The other woman¡¯s lip is trembling fiercely, and she¡¯s slowly folding in on herself, ¡°I¡¯ve been so stupid.¡± She shudders as if invoking the name of a demon, ¡°Martin¡­ He said¡­¡± The fine hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. ¡°Sophie, how did you get that bruise on your cheek?¡± I interrupt, a sickening feeling in my stomach. I¡¯ve only met Martin twice, but I¡¯ve never liked him. As I look at Sophie now, the clues begin to fall into ce. A suspicious number of injuries over the years, her skittishness, and difort around any men but Drake. Sophie averts her eyes and shakes her head, looking so utterly deleated that my heart opens for her ¨C just a crack. I¡¯ve been a man¡¯s prisoner, I know exactly how horrifically they can twist your thoughts and feelings. My fury ebbs slightly, followed instantly by a great resurgence of terror, I take Sophie by the shoulders, giving her a little jerk and pulling her eyes up to mine. ¡°I need you to tell me where my daughter is.¡± I insist. ¡°Right now.¡± My heart stops beating as the other woman begins to reply, the veryst words I wanted to hear al ready on her lips, ¡°Martin¡± ¡°I should have known you¡¯d bungle this.¡± A snide voice interrupts her. We both turn to find her brother leaning against the railing, malice glittering in his eyes. ¡°Martin, what are you doing here?¡± Sophie squeaks. He rolls his eyes, ¡°You stupid girl,¡± Martin jeers, ¡°haven¡¯t you figured it out by now?¡± Sophie hasn¡¯t, but I have. ¡°You didn¡¯t bring me here for any promise,¡± I assert hoarsely, ¡°You left that note to get me away from the Alphas.¡± A cruelugh leaves his lips as he strides forward. ¡°Very good.¡± He taunts, the humor vanishing from his features so quickly I have whish. ¡°And now, you¡¯reing with me, both of you.¡±. Bastien¡¯s POV I know something is wrong the moment we return to the packhouse. Now that I¡¯ve marked Selene, I can feel when she¡¯s close by and she isn¡¯t. I cannot smell her or sense her presence, and Axel immediately goes into protector mode. They¡¯ve taken her too. He growls in my head, We shouldn¡¯t ever have let her out of my sight! We don¡¯t know that for sure. I try to reason, but my heart is pounding frantically in my chest. I run up to Selene¡¯s suite, blood rushing in my ears. I can hear Aiden and Donovan calling out after me, their footsteps pounding up the stairs at my back, but I ignore them. I don¡¯t have time to exin. Crashing in so violently that the doores off its hinges, I scour the set of familiar rooms, scenting the air for traces of shifters who do not belong. I catch only the tiniest hint of an unfamiliar wolf. The aro ma ispletely separate from my mate¡¯s, and I don¡¯t think they were actually near each other. There are no signs of a struggle, no knocked over furniture or broken vases. Everything is as it should be, appearing exactly as we left it. Everything except for a single piece of parchment on the coffee table. I lunge for the page, trying to block out Axel¡¯s bloodthirsty tirade against the people responsible for stealing our females. I¡¯ll rip out their throats one by one. I¡¯ll skin them alive and use their bones as tooth picks. I¡¯ll¡­ My eyes fly across the page: once, twice, three times, just to be sure I understand. Surely Selene didn¡¯t go to meet the kidnappers alone. She wouldn¡¯t ever do anything so foolish, would she? Goddess it¡¯s probably a trap, otherwise they would have demanded money or some other sort of ransom. Immediately pulling out my phone to check the time, I let off a volley of curses. It¡¯s 2 o¡¯clock already. I turn on my heel and storm out of the room as swiftly as I came, shoving the note into Drake¡¯s chest when we nearly collide on thending. Behind me I can hear the crinkling of paper as he unfurls it, then the shoutedmands and charging feet of at least a dozen guards. Drake falls into sync with Aiden, Donovan and I, catching up more quickly than I expected. ¡°Why would she go alone?¡± He asks, voice thick with worry. ¡°Her pup¡¯s life is on the line.¡± Donavon grumbles on my left, ¡°Do you really believe she wouldn¡¯t risk her own neck to save her?¡± ¡°But now they¡¯re going to get both of them!¡± Aiden exims. ¡°Not if we get there first.¡± I growl, finally exiting the oversized mansion and shifting midstep. With Axel in control, I race to thegoon as fast as I can, only deferring to Drake for navigation assistance. The inhabitants of Asphodel scatter as wee barreling along the docks, jumping out of the way when we pass and hiding in their doorways. It¡¯s a rare thing to see so many powerful shifters in wolf form within city limits, especially two Alphas side by side. By the time we reach thegoon, news has spread through town that a hunting party is out for blood. I don¡¯t know how word beat us there, but the bridge is empty and the surrounding area positively deserted. No Selene. And no L. The remnants of her presence remain, and I follow her scent to the edge of the water, where a boat was recently tied. She¡¯s not alone. Two other wolves were with her, a male and a female. I snarl and dig my ws into the ground, they left on the water, which means they can¡¯t be tracked. I¡¯m seconds away from throwing my head back and howling into the air, when Drake appears at my side, a very odd expression on his furry face. What? I demand sharply. His glowing green eyes bore into my own, I know who has her. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 76 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Prisoner Selene¡¯s POV ¡°Mommy.¡± L whines, ¡°it¡¯s too tight!¡± don¡¯t rx my arms one bit. As long as my baby is still breathing, I¡¯m going to hold her as tightly as I possibly can, for as long as I possibly can. Martin brought us to a ramshackle hut in the woods just outside the city. We had to drive for about twenty minutes after docking the boat, and once we arrived the big bully forced us into the odd little shack. Sophie is locked in the basement with L and I, both prisoner and aplice to our predicament. When Martin appeared and announced his intentions, I hoped he would take me back to his house. Drake will recognize his scent and go straight there, but apparently the foul wolf is smarter than I credited him. We traveled over thegoon, and unless Bastien and Drake find the boat they won¡¯t have any idea we left the city. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. My only hope is that Martin is the caller who reported L and I to the tip-line. If he is then he¡¯ll be in for quite the surprise when he tries to deliver us to my mate. If, on the other hand, he wants us for some other reason or knows about ise Denisons real bounty well, we¡¯re in very big trouble. There¡¯s no way to know which possibility is correct, so once I¡¯ve sufficiently snuggled my pup, my first task is to try to n an escape. I¡¯m strangely proud of how well I¡¯m keeping it together. If it weren¡¯t for L I would probably be having a full blown PTSD episode, but my daughter is keeping my head on my shoulders. Maternal instincts really are the most powerful forces I¡¯ve ever encountered far more magical than those of mere shifters. For all the simrities of Martin and Garrick¡¯s prisons, l¡¯ve managed to shut off my memory and emotions, focusing only on the here and now. ¡°Have you ever been here before?¡± I ask Sophie, adjusting L on myp. She¡¯s been very calm ever since I arrived, and I don¡¯t know whether she¡¯s in shock or simply too young to realize the gravity of our situation. ¡°No,¡± the other woman frowns apologetically, ¡°I¡¯ve hardly ever been out of the marsh. I didn¡¯t know Mar tin had property anywhere else.¡± ¡°Did he tell you what he¡¯s nning?¡± I press, ¡°Do you know why he took us?¡± Sophie looks like she¡¯s about to burst into a fresh wave of tears, ¡°No.¡± She says again, ¡°He kept saying it was for me. I don¡¯t know why I believed him.¡± She swipes at a rogue tear sliding down her cheek. ¡°He¡¯s never done anything for me, but his mind is so twisted I didn¡¯t put it past him to think he was doing me some big favor.¡± Shaking her head forlornly, she drops it into her small hands. ¡°I¡¯m so stupid.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not stupid, Sophie.¡± I answer sternly. Letting go of L only long enough to squeeze her shoul der, ¡°Martin only says you are so that you won¡¯t fight back. It¡¯s how his kind control their victims,¡± I grum ble, ¡°they say whatever they have to in order to break your spirit and make you believe you¡¯re powerless. But you¡¯re not.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She says for the thousandth time, ¡°I just lost it when I saw you with Drake, ¡± ¡°I know, Sophie.¡± I interject, ¡°I can¡¯t say I forgive you. But I understand.¡± I press my lips to L¡¯s hair, breathing in her pure, perfect scent. ¡°We have to move past that, we have to focus on getting out of here.¡± L snuggles deeper into my arms, content to let me smother her with affection now that she can breathe again. ¡°Let¡¯s dig tunnel!¡± She suggests. I don¡¯t know how I find the will tough, but I do. I suppose my extraordinary relief at finding my baby safe and unharmed has made me a bit delirious. ¡°That might take a bit too long, L bean.¡± Sophie¡¯s shaking her head, and I can see my little pep talk didn¡¯tnd. ¡°There¡¯s no use.¡± She says de spondent, ¡°He¡¯s bigger and stronger than all three of usbined.¡± Her next words are so quiet, I almost miss them, ¡°We¡¯re never getting out of here.¡± Drake¡¯s POV It doesn¡¯t make any sense. I¡¯ve known Sophie my whole life. I can¡¯t believe she was involved in this. We¡¯re in the apartment she shares with her brother, Martin. He¡¯s been her guardian ever since their par ents died ten years ago, and while I can¡¯t imagine Sophie harming a fly, I¡¯m not so certain about Martin. There¡¯s always been something about the wolf I don¡¯t like. On the surface he¡¯s as personable as anyone, but I¡¯ve always sensed a cold cunning underneath, a shifty demeanor I can¡¯t bring myself to trust. ¡°They aren¡¯t here.¡± Hugo announces unhelpfully. ¡°Obviously not.¡± Bastien grouses derisively, ¡°but L was. We all smelled the pup the moment we entered the house. It was afort not to find any cages or rooms that resembled a prison cell, but then again, they probably didn¡¯t need them. L knows Sophie, and she hasn¡¯t been separated from her parents for more than a day. It probably seems no different than an un conventional babysitting adventure. I can only pray that Selene and L are back together, because Goddess help us, I don¡¯t know where to even begin looking. When I express this to Bastien, he veritably explodes. ¡°This is your city!¡± He roars, ¡°If you don¡¯t know where to find its underbelly, then you aren¡¯t worth anything as an Alpha.¡± For a moment I fear he¡¯ll throw something. ¡°And you know them. Use your fucking head and think ¨C what do you know about them? How/ do they think? Where would they go?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak to me that way.¡± I snap, I¡¯m just as worried as you are. Your temper isn¡¯t helping any thing.¡± Before I know what¡¯s happened, the Nova Alpha has one massive hand around my throat, and my feet leave the ground, I¡¯m choking and gasping for air, wing at the hand wrapped around my windpipe. ¡°You could never be as worried as I am.¡± Bastien ims ferociously, his ws digging into my skin. ¡°Selene is my mate.¡± ¡°And L is my pup.¡± | force the lie out through clenched teeth. It¡¯s the only thing I can hold over this overbearing Alpha¡¯s head, and I don¡¯t care that it isn¡¯t true. It¡¯s enough to see the rage on Bastien¡¯s face. The other man looks ready to snap my neck, and for a moment real fear stabs through my conscious ness. Luckily cooler heads remain with us. ¡°Stop it!¡± Donovan orders, grasping Bastien¡¯s shoulder, ¡°This isn¡¯t helping anyone especially not Selene and L.¡± My feet return to the ground, and I rub my throat with agitation, massaging the sore tissues as I gaze around the apartment once more. ¡°Alright. We know they left in a boat, and we know they didn¡¯te here.¡± I croak, ¡°But I don¡¯t think they own property anywhere else.¡± ¡°If they had any brains at all, they¡¯ll have left the city.¡± Aiden contributes, shuffling through a stack of documents on Martin¡¯s desk. ¡°I think we¡¯re going about this the wrong way.¡± Donavon chimes in, ¡°We¡¯re focused on the what, not the why. Why did they take them, what¡¯s the motive?¡± ¡°I still can¡¯t believe Sophie had anything to do with this.¡± | insist. The little wolf is one of the kindest people I¡¯ve ever met. She likes Selene, and my wolf is fervently rebelling against the idea that she could be responsible for such a terrible crime. ¡°There are only two possible motives.¡± Bastien replies, ¡®The Vna bounty, or to ckmail one of us.¡± He exins, gesturing between our bodies. ¡°Given we¡¯re dealing with locals, it seems unlikely it would be about you, Bastien.¡± Donavon replies, ¡°My money¡¯s on the bounty. Otherwise they would have contacted Drake by now.¡± As the words leave his mouth, Aiden¡¯s cell phone rings, and he raises the device to his ear. He begins turning as if he means to stride away to take the call in private, but then he stops, holding up one long fin ger to give us pause. ¡°Give me a minute,¡± he instructs to the person on the other end of the line. When he turns to us, tri umph zes in his eyes. ¡°Martin just called the tip line.¡± Aiden announces, ¡°apparently he has the Vnas in his possession and is ready to cash in the reward.¡± ¡°Set a meet.¡± Bastien rumbles, ¡°And tell him that if even one hair is out of ce on their heads, I will rip him limb from limb.¡± Aiden purses his lips, suggesting, ¡°How about I say the payment is void unless they¡¯re in perfect condition.¡± An edge of dark humor enters his voice, ¡°Same sentiment but way less suspicious.¡± Bastien is unamused. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you have to say, Just arrange the meet.¡± He turns to me, a predatory glint in his eye. ¡°And if you want them to walk away from this, you better give me a damn good reason to let them live.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 77 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Injecting Selene¡¯s POV I don¡¯t know how much time has passed since we arrived here. Without windows I have no way of deciphering whether it is day or night, and while it feels like it¡¯s been hours, misery always makes time move more slowly. Sophie has finally stopped crying and is manically hugging her knees to her chest and rocking back and forth on the ground. I feel sorry for the poor woman, but I cannot forget that she is partially responsible for our situation. I might be more understanding if she¡¯d only involved me, but endangering my pup was un forgivable. L is sleepingfortably in myp, and I am trying my best to hold it together. My head is pounding with stress and dehydration, and if we were anywhere else I would be terribly embarrassed by how loudly my stomach is growling. It sounds like an angry bear out for blood, but I know I can handle it. I¡¯ve starved before, I can starve again. Thankfully my daughter has not had to experience that particr hardship yet. I don¡¯t think I can bear to watch her waste away as I once did, and I need to get us out of here before that happens. Think. I hiss in my mind, there has to be a way. Attack the bastard. Luna suggests, let me at him! He¡¯s too strong. I remind her, and I don¡¯t want to risk pissing him off. He might retaliate by hurting L. I stare hopelessly at the door. If it were just made of wood Luna might be able to smash through it, but Martin was clearly prepared for a hostage situation. Iron bars have been installed in front of the standard oak panel, and we don¡¯t have any tools to try and pick the lock. I don¡¯t know what to do, and I hate feeling so helpless with my pup¡¯s life at stake. We¡¯ll find a way out of this. Luna deres, we always figure something out. I know she¡¯s trying to be positive, but the fact remains that Luna wasn¡¯t around for the most difficult trials of my life. I haven¡¯t survived through skill or intelligence; I haven¡¯t solved my own problems. I escaped Garrick out of luck. Bastien saved me from homelessness and starvation. Drake saved me from drowning and being assaulted. Someone I have never been able to identify rescued me from the fire, and kind strangers helped me make it to Eros territory when I woke up. I can¡¯t even take credit for building my life in Asphodel it was handed to me. I might feel more confident and sure of myself now that I¡¯m older now that I¡¯m a mother but the truth is that I owe my survival to other people and idents of fate. If I¡¯d been left to my own devices | would have died a long time ago, and I¡¯m terrified that my string of luck has finally run out. I will never for give myself if anything happens to L because I never learned to fend for myself. My throat itches with emotion, and I try to force the feelings away. I can¡¯t fall apart. If I start crying then I¡¯ll be no more use than Sophie. I¡¯m only just getting myself back under control when a loud nking fills the air. Martin appears as the basement door swings open, followed by the thick ck bars. He¡¯s wearing his familiar smirk, dragging scornful eyes over his struggling sister and then closing in on me and L. My pulse races as hees down the stairs, a thousand possibilities racing through my mind for what might happen next. He¡¯s got something in his hand, and as he draws closer I realize it¡¯s a syringe. Oh Goddess, I think, that can¡¯t be good. Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to attack him? Luna questions. He¡¯s walking straight towards me, and I turn into the wall, cing my body between L and Martin. ¡°Stay away from me.¡± I snarl, letting my fangs extend. ¡°You don¡¯t tell me what to do.¡± Martin res. ¡°And unless you want me to hurt your brat, you¡¯ll shut up and submit.¡± ¡°Submit to what?¡± I demand, nodding toward the syringe. ¡°What is that?¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Just a little something to help you rx.¡± He states icily. ¡°Martin-¡°Sophie squeaks, not seeming to know what she wishes to say. ¡°Shut you goddess-damned mouth.¡± Martin thunders, his temper detonating from a single word. He begins moving towards me again, and I shake my head frantically, ¡°No!¡± | exim, ¡°You¡¯re not putting that in me!¡± Luna is right at the surface of my skin, but I don¡¯t know how to shift and keep hold of L at the same time. Martinshes out and wraps his fist in my hair, using it to pull me from the ground even as I struggle and fight, trying as hard as I can to keep my pup away from this monster. I¡¯m snapping and snarling, thrashing with all my might but it¡¯s no use. The needle stabs into my neck with a vicious sting, and burning liquid shoots into my nervous system. Thest thing I see before the world goes ck, is Martin preparing a second syringe one headed straight for my daughter. Bastien¡¯s POV The meet is set. We¡¯re on our way out of the city, headed for a remote location in the nearby hills. Axel is already straining to get out, and I can¡¯t wait to get my teeth in the mongrel who stole my family. It¡¯s been less than twelve hours since L was taken, but this day has been among the worst of my life. We pull up to the trailhead of a popr hiking path, deserted now in the dead of night. A wolf I don¡¯t recognize is standing in front of a parked vehicle with ring headlights, his hands stuffed into his pockets as he leans against the hood. I can smell him before we¡¯re out of the car, and I immediately recognize the aroma from Selene¡¯s rooms and the kidnappers¡¯ apartment. He¡¯s alone. I don¡¯t see my family or his aplice, and this is the only reason I don¡¯t kill him on sight. I can feel Selene and L. I know they¡¯re close, but we can¡¯t risk some sort of contingency or booby trap. It bothers me that his sister is not visible. Is she waiting just out of sight? Is she holding the hostages in case we try to shortchange him? Martin¡¯s eyes widen in horror when Drake and I step out of the car, and fear instantly muddying his scent. ¡°Where are they?¡± Drake growls, taking the lead when he realizes I¡¯m too furious to speak. All I can think about is destroying this wolf in the most painful manners possible. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Martin replies instead. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Did you really think you could get away with this?¡± Drake demands, ignoring the shifter¡¯s questions. I ve never viewed Drake as a particrly strong Alpha, but it¡¯s clear his own people feel differently. I suppose it¡¯s difficult to recognize the dominance of a weaker man, but the fact is that Cavanaugh is still at the top of the food chain in his pack. Martin is apparently even dumber than I realized, because he continues to argue. ¡°The bounty¡± ¡°There is no bounty!¡± I explode, unable to stand this a moment longer. ¡°It was a ruse to root out traitors like you. Now, Where. Are. They?¡± The same shifter who cowered before Drake now shrinks where he stands, his knees caving as he watches me in abject terror. ¡°If I tell you, you¡¯ll kill me.¡± He argues hoarsely. ¡°And what do you think is going to happen to you if you don¡¯t?¡± I inquire threateningly. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a deal.¡± He offers, looking directly at Drake and shaking like a leaf. ¡°I¡¯ll give you Selene and the pup now, but you have to let me leave, if you don¡¯t, Sophie will die.¡± Drake looks as if he¡¯s been pped, and I¡¯m barely able to smother my own surprise. He and his sister were working together, weren¡¯t they? The color has drained from the Eros Alpha¡¯s face, ¡°What have you done to her?¡± Martin straightens ever so slightly, as if growing a fraction of a backbone. ¡°She¡¯s unharmed for now.¡± He exins, ¡°But she¡¯s locked up with no way out. Unless I go back and release her, she¡¯ll starve to death.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t she helping you?¡± I grumble when Drake doesn¡¯t respond. Martin snorts, ¡®That worthless g could barely get the pup away from a pair of old crones without be-, ing seen and broke down the second Selene confronted her.¡± He rolls his eyes, ¡°I nned for weeks, I wait ed so patiently for the opportunity to arise to grab the Vnas, and she fucked it up within minutes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Drake still has the strangest look on his face: anger, confusion and fear all rolled into one. ¡°How did you convince her to help you in the first ce?¡± ¡°Oh that was your doing, Alpha.¡± Martin announces smugly, ¡°I knew I needed a patsy to take the fall for the kidnapping after I collected the bounty, but I wasn¡¯t sure how to convince Sophie until you decided to dere your love for the Vna bitch. My sister tends to copse under physical coercion, but seeing you kiss his mate did just the trick.¡± He exins, nodding toward me with gleeful cruelty. I¡¯m not sure whiches first: Drake¡¯s realization of what ¡®physical coercion¡¯ must mean, or mine, that the other Alpha kissed Selene after I marked her. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 78 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Just in Time Drake¡¯s POV I could kill Martin where he stands. Behind me I can hear Bastien¡¯s Betas¡¯ frantic mutterings, reminding the other Alpha that the scum kneeling before me is trying to distract us, to turn us against each other. They beg him to stay calm, not to react, but I barely notice. I don¡¯t care that Martin told Bastien I kissed his mate, though in fact I failed. I care that he took Selene and L, and I especially care that he¡¯s been abusing his sister. If you¡¯d asked me this morning who I cared about more, I would have unequivocally chosen Selene but that was before: Before I heard what this monster did to the sweet wolf I grew up with, before I realized how oblivious I must have been to overlook his cruelty. No one deserves to be hurt by someone responsible for taking care of them, especially Sophie. She¡¯s bright and warm, she loves and is beloved by everyone she meets. I had no idea she had feelings for me, and I¡¯ve never looked at her as anything other than a friend but knowing she¡¯s in danger has changed everything. It¡¯s a strange thing, not realizing how important someone is to you until they might get taken away. Yet that¡¯s exactly what¡¯s happening now. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve gone more than a week without seeing Sophie since was little, and the thought of never seeing her again makes me want to tear the world in two. I would give anything to ughter Martin like the pig he is, but I can¡¯t. Not until Selene and L are found, and not until Sophie is safe. ¡°Where is she?¡± Bastien¡¯s POV Aiden and Donavon are still muttering in my ear when Drake begins snarling at Martin, demanding to know his sister¡¯s whereabouts. More than anything else, seeing how upset he is about the other she-wolf calms my temper. When this is all over, I intend on having words with both him and my mate about the incident, but now is not the time. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you once I¡¯m safely out of the territory,¡± Martin suggests. ¡°You¡¯ll tell me now.¡± Drakemands, more powerfully than I¡¯ve ever witnessed before. ¡°It¡¯s Sophie or the Vnas.¡± Martin counters maliciously. ¡°You choose whoes first.¡± Drake looks to me with rage and desperation, and I try to send him a silent message using eye contact alone. I need him to trust me, not to interfere. I don¡¯t want an innocent wolf starving to death, and I would never abandon her thus. Drake has to understand that for my n to work. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ve seeded when I begin moving toward Martin, but I can¡¯t risk extending the contact further and giving away the game. I circle the prone kidnapper and lunge forward, closing my hands around his head and digging my knee into his spine to hold him still. In this position I could snap his neck with the flip of my wrist, and he knows it. ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit about your sister.¡± I hiss in his ear. ¡°I care about my mate. I know she¡¯s here some where, so I don¡¯t need to keep you alive. As soon as you¡¯re dead I can follow her scent and have her back within minutes. The only reason you aren¡¯t already lying in pieces is because of him.¡± I jerk his head to wards Drake, enjoying the strangled whimper that lodges in his throat. ¡°But I¡¯m done waiting.¡± I lie, ¡°you have five seconds to tell us where Sophie is. If you do, we¡¯ll at least give you the chance to run. Keep quiet, and I¡¯ll simply snap your weak neck now and avoid the hassle of chasing you. It¡¯s no loss to me if your aplice dies with you.¡± Drake¡¯s nostrils re, and his hands close into fists. ¡°That wasn¡¯t the deal!¡± He objects, catching on and ying his part. ¡°Fuck the deal.¡± I answer savagely, ¡°this has gone on long enough.¡± Applying slight pressure, I begin turning Martin¡¯s head to prepare for the snap, and the vile wolf breaks like a twig. ¡°She¡¯s in a cabin in the central valley!¡± He exims, rattling off an address. Drake¡¯s Beta imme diately jumps back in his car and takes off, no doubt headed for the location. ¡°And where is my mate and the pup?¡± I press, keeping up the stark pressure on his bones. ¡°The trunk!¡± He squeals. ¡°They¡¯re in the trunk!¡± T¡¯drop him like a bag of bricks, nodding to Aiden to take over as I move towards the car. I can hear Mar tin trying to crawl away in the dirt, then unmistakable cries of outrage when Aiden stomps down on his spine, pinning him in ce. Trip the trunk hatch right off the car, throwing it aside and reaching inside to gather up the sleeping bundles inside. They¡¯ve been bound and gagged, even though both are unconscious. I¡¯m already counting the minutes until Drake¡¯s beta calls in to confirm Sophie¡¯s safety. I¡¯m going to enjoy killing Martin almost as much as I enjoyed killing Garrick. Ripping the ropes off of Selene and L, I cradle them both, carrying them back to Drake¡¯s car and set tling into the back seat. As I try to revive them, Aiden follows my mental instructions and continues interro gating Martin. ¡°What did you give them?¡± He interrogates. ¡°Nothing!¡± Martin insists desperately. Selene is breathing easily, but L¡¯s pulse is very slow and her skin is pallid. I don¡¯t like the look of her, and I¡¯m very afraid that something is wrong. ¡°They¡¯ve clearly been drugged.¡± Aiden persists, ¡°Tell us what you gave them!¡± ¡°It was nothing,¡± Martin groans, clearly in pain. ¡°Just a little Starlight.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Drake exims, seeming suddenly panicked, ¡®You gave them Starlight?¡± I¡¯m not sure why the information concerns him so much, Starlight isn¡¯t a dangerous drug almost every hospital on the continent prescribes it as a sedative. Nheless, another nce at L makes my heart plunge below my navel. She¡¯s at least two shades paler than Selene, and a sheen of sweat has formed on her forehead. ¡°Yes!¡± Martin wheezes, equally confused. ¡®They¡¯ll wake up soon.¡± ¡°Bastien.¡± The other Alpha¡¯s voice is sharp as a knife. I jerk my head up, pausing my attentions. ¡°L is allergic to Starlight.¡± ¡°How allergic?¡± I immediately rify. It¡¯s a stupid question, I can already see the damage the drug is doing to the tiny pup. ¡°Very.¡± He answers gravely, ¡°We need to get her to a hospital right now.¡± I¡¯m already moving, adjusting the she-wolves in myp and pulling the car door shut as Drake returns to the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Does Hugo have Sophie?¡± ¡°He just got there.¡± Drake nods, turning the key in the ignition. ¡°Martin was telling the truth.¡± I¡¯d nned on killing Martin myself, but Les first. As we pull out of the trailhead, I issue my orders to Aiden through our link. Kill him and make it hurt. Martin¡¯s screams follow us as we race off into the night, and I don¡¯t regret delegating the job. The sound of his torment is satisfying enough, I can only pray that we reach help in time. Selene¡¯s POV I¡¯m in Bastien¡¯s arms when I wake. 1 don¡¯t know how he found us. Thest thing I remember was Martin stabbing me with the syringe. It seems impossible that we¡¯re safe. Yet Bastien is here, so I know we are. My mate¡¯s handsome face is peering down at me intently, his brow furrowed with concern. His features soften briefly when he sees my eyes open, but even as he wees me back to the waking world, the ten sion doesn¡¯t leave his body. ¡°Hello, little wolf.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± I ask hoarsely. ¡°Where¡¯s L?¡± Btedly I realize we¡¯re moving, bundled into the back of a car with the world whizzing by at dizzying speed. Bastien is frowning deeply. ¡°Martin was the tipster.¡± He exins grimly, turning my head toward his other arm. ¡°L¡¯s here.¡± My eyesnd on my pup, and ice floods my veins. Why does she look like that? ¡°We¡¯re on the way to the hospital baby.¡± Bastien exins, ¡°He gave you Starlight.¡± Everything is still very hazy, a thick fog clouding my senses and slowing my brain. ¡°What?¡± I ask dumb ¡°Starlight.¡± He repeats, stroking my cheek. ¡°L¡¯s having an allergic reaction, but we¡¯re almost to the hospital.¡± Understanding clicks much too slowly. Last year L was stung by a bee and her little hand swelled to the size of a melon. It took a massive dose of steroids to counteract the reaction, and I decided to have her tested for other allergies. Other that bees and wasps, there was only one other substance that returned a positive result on the test: Starlight. The doctors told Drake and I that if she ever injected the drug, it could kill her. ¡°No.¡± I whisper frantically, trying to move and realizing that my body is still too deeply under the influ ence of the drug. I can¡¯t make my limbs work. ¡°Give her to me.¡± I beg, tears welling in my eyes. Bastien does so immediately, settling her on my chest and holding her steady, ¡°It¡¯s alright sweetheart, we¡¯re going to get her help.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. I stare down at her sweet little face, fear unlike anything I¡¯ve yet experienced consuming me. It¡¯s not al right. Even if we get to the hospital in time, there¡¯s only one antidote for Starlight allergies. The doctors of fered to prepare an emergency dose for us when she tested positive in case she ever needed it ¨C but it wasn¡¯t possible at the time. The antidote requires blood from both parents, and we only had mine. Bastien is here now so we might have time for them to prepare the potion, but there¡¯s no way around it now I¡¯m going to have to tell him the truth. L is his daughter. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 79 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 79 Chapter 79 The Truth Comes Out Selene¡¯s POV When we arrive at the hospital I¡¯m on the verge of hysterics. My mind is still foggy from the Starlight, and my emotions are all over the map. I feel as moody and sensitive as I did when I was pregnant, like my feelings are a surging river dragging me along and I¡¯m pow erless to stop it. More than anything else, I¡¯m afraid for my pup¡¯s life. I¡¯m terrified we¡®re going to be toote and furious with myself for not protecting her better. I should have shifted when Luna wanted to, I should have at tacked Martin no matter the risk. The guilt is crushing, not only for failing my daughter, but for the secret which is about toe to light. I¡¯ve already caused Bastien so much pain, and I¡¯m about to cause him more. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to tell him he¡¯s going to be so angry. I know Bastien would never hurt me, but his temper is still a dreadful thing to behold. . His anger is only the tip of the iceberg. Once the truthes out, my life in Asphodel is going to be over. The future I imagined, everything I¡¯ve been working towards since arriving here, disappears. Losing those things will hurt, but not nearly so much as losing L. There¡¯s no doubt in my mind that I¡¯m doing the right thing. I just wish I¡¯d never told this damned lie in the first ce. Bastien loves me, he¡¯s imed me, and all the things I thought I knew turned out to be wrong. It¡¯s hard not to feel like everything I went through trying to survive thesest few years was for nothing. My knees buckle when I try to step out of the car, and Bastien catches me before I fall. He tries to hand L to Drake so that he can carry me, but I cry out in protest,tching onto my pup even as I hang in his arms. ¡°Shhh,¡± He croons, carefully prying my fingers off of L. ¡°We¡®re not going to take her from you, little wolf. We just need to get situated.¡± With that he hands off the pup, sweeping his arm behind my knees and lifting me into the air. Afterwards Drake returns L to me, and Bastien carries us both inside. Donovan is already in the lobby, rattling off orders and clearing the way for us. No one raises a single objection when the two Alpha¡¯s storm inside, stalking straight past the admissions desk and triage station and into the treatment area. Nurses and orderlies jump out of the way to let us pass, and before I know it l¡¯ m being lowered onto an upright stretcher. A doctor is already standing at the foot of the bed, her sharp eyes scanning L and me. ¡°Just the pup, or Mom too?¡± ¡°Just the pup.¡± I sniffle at the same time Bastien replies, ¡®They¡¯re both patients.¡± I shake my head stubbornly, ¡°I¡¯m fine, my daughter is having an allergic reaction to Starlight.¡± ¡°They were both kidnapped.¡± Bastien interjects sternly, ¡°She needs to be checked out after you¡®ve stabi lized the pup.¡± I¡¯m ring at Bastien, but both he and the doctor seem unfazed. ¡°May 1?¡± The strange woman asks, pulling on a pair of gloves. ¡°Of course.¡± I immediately adjust L, arranging her so the physician can examine her more easily. Luna is growling as the unfamiliar shifter begins measuring L¡¯s pulse and vital signs, but I fight back my protective instincts. My daughter might be in mortal danger, but this woman is a doctor. She¡¯s going to help. I can see Bastien fighting the same impulses, though he¡¯s not quite as sessful at quelling them. He moves around to my other side, reaching out to rest his hand on my nape. His calloused fingers begin mas saging the sore muscles, and I wish I could climb back into hisp. ¡°How long ago was she given the drug?¡± The doctor asks, lifting L¡¯s eyelids and shining a stark white light into her pupils. Confusion assails me. I don¡¯t know the answer. How much time passed between Martin administering the Starlight and his meeting with our supposed buyers? How long did they talk before Bastien found us? ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±I admit frantically. ¡°Was it already dark out?¡± She presses, still poking and prodding my pup. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I couldn¡¯t see outside.¡± I reply, beginning to get impatient. ¡°Does it really matter? We know what¡¯s wrong with her, we just need an antidote.¡± ¡°The timing matters, I¡¯m afraid.¡± The doctor answers. ¡°The antidote will take about half an hour and we need to keep her stable until it¡¯splete. Knowing how much time has passed will help inform the treat ment n.¡± My lower lip begins to tremble, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I repeat pitifully, looking to Bastien for help. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been more than a few hours.¡± He supplies, stroking my neckfortingly. ¡°I don¡¯t know exact ly when he did it or what dosage, but Selene woke up about five minutes ago.¡± The doctor makes a note on the chart in her hand, and I think I might explode. How can they possibly be moving this slowly? Doesn¡¯t she understand that my pup is dying? If it weren¡¯t so frustrating I might find humor in the irony moments ago I was in a tizzy over telling Bastien the truth and now I¡¯m practically chomping at the bit to get it over with. ¡°This is a pre-existing allergy?¡± She continues blithely. ¡°Yes.¡± I confirm, my heart beating a little more loudly. ¡°But we were never able to get an antidote made.¡± She nods, making another note. ¡°We¡¯ll need blood from both mother and father to make it, is that going to be a problem?¡± ¡°No.¡± I answer immediately, My heart beginning to beat a little louder. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°In that case there shouldn¡¯t be any cause for concern, but I¡¯m afraid we are going to have to separate is gently, ¡°We need to get L set up with an IV and start her on some fluids. We¡¯ll keep her going with epinephrine until the antidote is finished. In the meantime, ab tech will be by to take your blood.¡± nod, pressing hurried kisses to my daughter¡¯s sweet-smelling hair before tearfully relinquishing her to the nurses. Bastien too leans over to kiss her soft cheek before they take her away, and I feel a deep pang of longing and remorse. He doesn¡¯t even know she¡¯s his, and already he loves her like a daughter. The doctor helps me lean back against the flimsy pillow, ¡®Your pup is in good hands, Selene. We have every reason to be optimistic.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± | hup, jolting slightly when she reaches for my wrist. ¡°Easy now, we need to have a look at you too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I say again, feebly resisting her. Bastien is back by my side, fingers twitching like they watch to reach for me but he holds himself back. When I continue squirming he growls gently, encouraging me to behave, but Luna rears up, snarling right back. One thick brow arches, his silver eyes hard as steel, and I suddenly feel very small indeed. I lower my gaze and sullenly settle, submitting to the examination. Theb tech arrives just as the doctor is trying to convince me to be admitted overnight for observation. She¡¯s already set a nurse upon me with an IV bag and is wielding a horrid hospital gown, but I don¡¯t want to be admitted. If I¡¯m stuck in a hospital bed then I won¡¯t be able to stay with L, and I refuse to leave her. I jump at the diversion, brandishing my arm for the young man to do his work and extract the life-sav ing liquid from my veins. I focus only on him as he carries about his work, drowning out the scolding voices around me. The worst is about to happen, but the sooner it does, the sooner my daughter will be well. The tech finishes up promptly and deposits the crimson vials into a biohazard cooler before turning to Bastien, ¡°Now you, sir.¡± Before I can say anything Bastien shakes his head. ¡°I¡¯m not her biological father. He is.¡± He announces, pointing to Drake. The tech turns to the Eros Alpha, but I put a staying hand on his arm. ¡°No.¡± I croak, my mouth suddenly feeling like it¡¯s full of cotton, ¡°you were right the first time.¡± The young man furrows his brow, clearly confused, and I swing my gaze to Bastien. ¡®They need your blood, not Drake¡¯s.¡± All the men in the room go very still, but none more so than Bastien. His molten eyes are boring into me like a thousand daggers, and I want to crawl under the bed and hide. ¡°What?¡± ¡°They need your blood.¡± I repeat anxiously. ¡°She isn¡¯t Drake¡¯s.¡± Bastien looks back and forth between us, a riot of emotions already ying across his countenance. ¡°The DNA test was negative.¡± He reminds me. ¡°It was wrong.¡± I state, as calmly as I can. ¡°I don¡¯t know how or why but it was wrong. L is yours. I¡¯ve never been with anyone else¡­¡± Sucking in a deep breath, I share the final damning details before I can lose my nerve. ¡°I was already pregnant when I met Drake.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 80 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Antidote Selena¡¯s POV Shock, fury and betrayal war for dominance in Bastien¡¯s imposing features. He¡¯s looking at me the same way he did when he first discovered I was alive, as if he¡¯s realizing he doesn¡¯t recognize me at all. Tears have been rolling down my cheeks since I woke, but a fresh surge rushes forth as I wilt beneath his scrutiny. ¡°Bastien, they need it now.¡± Drake interjects. As if in a trance, Bastien shoves out his arm toward theb tech, ¡°Take it.¡± He orders coldly. The poor tech is shaking as he tries to draw the enraged Alpha¡¯s blood, and he¡¯s not alone. Every lesser wolf in the room is positively quailing in the face of the apoplectic energy Bastien is putting off, myself in cluded. When the young manpletes his duties, he practically sprints out of the bay, heading off for theb. No one says a word. We¡¯re all waiting with bated breath to see how Bastien will respond, even the doctor. When Bastien finally finds his voice, he says just about thest thing I expected. ¡°Put on the gown.¡± He commands, nodding toward the ugly garment at the end of my bed. ¡°You¡¯re being admitted.¡± I blink, my limbs frozen in ce. What? This isn¡¯t good. Luna whines, her tail between her legs, His wolf is really mad, I can¡¯t bear it. It¡¯ll be okay. I think back, trying to convince myself as well as her. I don¡¯t know where I find the courage to protest, but I do. ¡°I need to be with L.¡° Bastien¡¯s eyes sh dangerously, and he finally acknowledges the other people in the room. ¡°Leave us.¡± He orders, scanning the small group. One by one they file out, abandoning me. Everyone but Drake. The Eros Alpha stands stubbornly inside the curtain, not looking at my mate. Instead he watches me carefully, waiting to follow my cue. I really don¡¯t want to be left alone with Bastien, but I know that Drake staying will only result in a fight between the men. Drake will lose and I¡¯ll still end up alone with Bastien, only he¡¯ll be in an even worse mood. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I promise Drake. He nods and slips out of the bay, ignoring Bastien¡¯s low growl of disapproval. Bastien prowls to my bedside, towering over me while I sit defenseless on the gurney. ¡°You¡¯ve been through something very traumatic today. You¡¯re disoriented, weak and dehydrated. You need to be admitted.¡± He may be right, but I don¡¯t care. My pupes first. ¡°But¡± Arguing was a mistake. Bastien growls so savagely I flinch away from him, cowering against the pil low. ¡°My decision is final, Selene.¡± He thunders, his deep voice never rising in volume, but carrying the force of a brutal storm. The huge wolf reaches toward me, ignoring my fright and yanking my dress off over my head. He snatches up the hospital gown and removes my bra, bundling me into the scratchy garment while I sit there too shocked to move. Afterwards I eye him warily, painfully aware that his anger has absolutely nothing to do with my resis tance to staying in the hospital, and everything to do with my lie. ¡°Bastien,¡± I murmur meekly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You have every right to be angry with me, but deflecting it this way won¡¯t help anything.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t fair for you to punish me by making me stay here for treatment.¡± | insist. ¡°L is more ill t she¡¯s ever been before, I can¡¯t be apart from her until I know she¡¯s going to be okay.¡± Bastien steps back, rubbing his jaw and eyeing me like I¡¯m a bug he¡¯d like to smush under his bc ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of fucking nerve, you know that?¡± Bastien¡¯s POV Selene is staring up at me like a deer in the headlights, her beautiful eyes wide and bloodshot. It amazing that I can be so unbelievably furious at a person, yet still want nothing more than to hold them my arms and kiss away their tears. I was livid when I discovered Selene had let me believe she was dead for three years. I was outrage when I learned she didn¡¯t think we were mates. I was irate when I thought she¡¯d taken another man for lover. But none of that is anythingpared to what I¡¯m feeling now. My heart is torn between joy and betrayal; between relief and wrath; between worry and bitterness.. Finding out that L is my pup is the greatest gift I¡¯ve received since finding my mate. I¡¯ve loved L from the moment I met her, and I got over it when I learned she belonged to another man. I hated the idea of sharing her with Drake, but he didn¡¯t seem to want to be involved in her life, so I made my peace. Even as my protective instincts rally and rail knowing she¡¯s not out of the woods yet, I¡¯m ted and ec static that she¡¯s mine. Axel is still howling exuberantly in celebration, and I can¡¯t me him. Of course, all this happiness is tainted by Selene¡¯s betrayal. I wouldn¡¯t be feeling it so keenly if we hadn¡¯t reconciled, if I hadn¡¯t finally imed her or we¡¯d been on rockier footing. I can almost get past the fact that she never told me that she didn¡¯te back to Elysium when she found out she was pregnant. After all, Arabe was trying to kill her and she believed I was in love with her attempted murderess. I may have had a right to know, especially given L¡¯s vulnerability as a Vna, but I know Selene thought she was protecting her pup. She thought she was doing the best thing for them both. I can even ex cuse the first lie, to a point. Things were chaotic and challenging in the extreme when I first arrived in As phodel, and she was still operating under her old misconceptions. The true crime is that she never came clean. We resolved all our old issues. Selene realized how horribly she¡¯d been misled by Arabe and epted how deeply I love her. We cemented our bond and are finally together the way we were always meant to be. We agreed to start fresh and move forward with no more lies and still she said nothing. And to top it all off, the stubborn little creature just used me of taking my anger out on her by sepa rating her from our pup. Our pup¡­ that¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve thought the words, and I¡¯ll be damned if I¡¯m not going to be chanting it over and over for weeks toe. ¡°What?¡± Selene squeaks, drawing my attention back to our conversation. I stalk back to the bed, catching her chin between my thumb and forefinger and tilting her head up so she¡¯ll have no choice but to meet my gaze. ¡°You¡¯re my mate, Selene.¡± I rumble harshly. ¡°Do you really think I wouldn¡¯t be making you stay if you¡¯d told me the truth? Do you really believe I care that little about you? That I would risk your health to appease your will?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± She¡¯s scrambling to find a logical reply, yet she can¡¯t seem to conjure anything but half formed stutters, ¡°It¡¯s that¡¯s not I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about L.¡± I continue, trying to cool my seething blood, and I¡¯m offended you believe I would ever keep her from you out of spite, especially at a time like this.¡± Tears hover on Selene¡¯s dark eyshes, and it takes all my willpower to remain strong and not coddle her. ¡°You¡¯re being admitted because the doctors need to keep an eye on you. It¡¯s for your own damn good, and shame on you for thinking otherwise.¡± Those precariously ced tears spill over, running down her pale cheeks in a steady stream. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She professes pitifully. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°As soon as you¡¯re both settled, we¡¯ll have them bring your beds together.¡± I promise, taking her face between mynds and brushing away her tears with the pads of my thumbs. ¡°But I expect you to rest and do as the doctors say.¡± Selene nods fervently, ¡°I promise.¡± She¡¯s already looking over to the closed curtain concealing L¡¯s bay, anxiously hoping for a glimpse of the pup. ¡°And Selene,¡± I say, pulling her attention back to me. When she sees my expression her features be come wary. Smart girl. ¡°When L is healed and you¡¯re both well enough to be discharged, you are in big. big trouble.¡± She visibly gulps, looking so vulnerable I can¡¯t help but tease her just a little. I press my lips to her crown, lingering tenderly and thoroughly confusing the poor little wolf. She¡¯s flushed and fidgety when I pull away, and I sh her a lethal grin. As I watch the anxious emo tions flickering behind her eyes, I realize there¡¯s one more thing to be very, very happy about. Now that L is mine, there is nothing stopping me from taking them both back to Elysium where they belong. An Alpha¡¯s pup belongs with his pack, and his mate belongs by his side. Selene has no more excuses to make at least, not any I¡¯ll ept. She¡¯s lost, and we both know it. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 81 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Daddy Bastien¡¯s POV By the time theb has mixed the antidote for L, Selene is so exhausted she¡¯s barely able to keep her eyes open. She¡¯s trying so hard to stay awake, but thest few days have been exhausting in more ways than one. As pleasurable as heat cycles are, non-stop sex for hours on end takes a lot out of you as does resisting the hormones in order to function normally when you inevitably must. Running on almost no sleep, my poor little wolf had to cope with heat, her pup being kidnapped, then being taken herself, and now this. If it hadn¡¯t been for her time under the Starlight, I think the stress would have toppled her over hours ago. I¡¯m not in great shape myself, but I¡¯ve been trained to endure war, to survive under the harshest conditions imaginable and somehow persevere. Besides, just as Selene keeps herself going for L, I keep myself going for them both. I¡¯ve stationed myself between their beds, holding my mate¡¯s hand and gazing at my pup in wonder. I¡¯m a father. Not a surrogate standing in for another man, not a guardian or adoptive parent, but a real father. It still doesn¡¯t seem real. I already thought I was the luckiest bastard on the just for getting to call Selene my own and help raise L. Now! think I must be dreaming. ¡°You should really try to rest a little.¡± I encourage Selene for the dozenth time, stroking her palm with my thumb. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll wake you the second something changes.¡± Selene shakes her head weakly. ¡°No.¡± She replies hoarsely, ¡°not until I know she¡¯s okay.¡± Luckily we don¡¯t have to wait much longer. Selene has been watching L¡¯s vital signs like a hawk, and when the doctors finally enter with a syringe full of eerie purple liquid, she practically tries to jump out of her bed. I catch her before she gets very far, not that it¡¯s difficult. Her movements are sluggish and unsteady, like a drunk under water. ¡°Okay Mr and Mrs Durand, the antidote is ready.¡± The doctor announces, showing us the drug. ¡°I¡¯m going to inject it straight into her IV so it will get into her system nice and fast.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure it¡¯s going to work?¡± Selene frets. ¡°Nothing¡¯s ever one hundred percent.¡± The doctor hedges, ¡°but I¡¯ve never known this treatment to fail.¡± She presses the needle into one of the little ports along the clear tubes feeding into L¡¯s arms, and depresses the plunger. The purple liquid slowly seeps out of the syringe and into the tubes, then disappears into the toddler¡¯s veins. ¡°It will take a little while to fully revive her.¡± ¡°How long?¡± I press, my agitation spiking now that the moment of truth is imminent. ¡°Half an hour?¡± She theorizes. ¡°Give or take.¡± ¡°Half an hour.¡± I repeat to Selene, kissing her hand. ¡°That¡¯s not so bad.¡± The waiting is terrible, but after five minutes L¡¯s vital signs begin to improve. Her heart beat grows more steady and her blood pressure rises, even her coloring starts to look a little better. ¡°Bastien.¡± Selene shakes my hands as vigorously as she¡¯s able ¨C which isn¡¯t very much. ¡°look!¡± ¡°I know, baby.¡± I assure her, ¡°It¡¯s working.¡± For a moment I think she¡¯s going to start crying again, only she doesn¡¯t look relieved or happy as I might expect. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°She¡¯s too far away.¡± Seleneins in a small voice. My lipspress into a hard line as I study the pup, observing all the wires and machines hooked up to her tiny body. It¡¯s impossible to put them in the same bed, but Selene isn¡¯t nearly as tangled up in equipment. Careful to pull her IV pole with us, i scoop my mate up and settle her in myp, moving the chair as close to L¡¯s bed as possible. She¡¯spletely limp, her wet cheek pressed against the curve of my neck. Still, she peeps, ¡°Closer.¡± She needs to sleep. Axel gripes, his concern for our mate overriding his happiness about L. She¡¯s delirious. I¡¯m not going to make her sleep before the pup wakes. I counter, She can make it a little while longer. ¡°Hush sweetheart,¡± I soothe, rubbing her back. ¡°It won¡¯t be long now.¡± ¡°Why is this happening ? She whispers, so quietly I almost don¡¯t hear her. ¡°Why is someone always trying to hurt us?¡± My heart cracks wide open at these words, at the pain in her sweet voice. The worst part is that I don¡¯t have an answer. Selene¡¯s life has been one trauma after another, and it never seems to stop. ¡°I don¡¯t want L to live this way.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not going to.¡± I vow, not having the faintest idea how to fix any of this, but certain that I will find a way. I will not let this be my daughter¡¯s story or my mate¡¯s, not anymore. ¡°I promise Selene, if it¡¯s the last thing I do, I¡¯m going to make her safe.¡± Unfortunately Axel is right, and Selene has fallen beyond logic or understanding. She¡¯s spiraling deeper, delving into dark thoughts and buried fears. ¡°What did we do to deserve this?¡± She continues wearily, ¡°Is life always this hard?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t deserve anything that¡¯s happened to you, Selene. Do you hear me?¡± I demand, squeezing her more tightly. ¡°Hm.¡± She grunts sleepily, not truly answering me. ¡°Life isn¡¯t always going to be this way.¡± I soberly im, ¡°We¡¯re going to make it better, we¡¯re going to be happy all three of us.¡± Selene nuzzles her face into my neck, ¡°I¡¯m so tired, Bastien.¡± Before I can respond, a tiny voice sounds on my right, ¡±Mommy?¡± We both jolt, our attention snapping to the bed. L¡¯s two-toned eyes are blinking blearily, and she¡¯s squirming with difort, no doubt riddled with confusing aches from the machinery. As disoriented as she was a moment ago, the sound of her pup¡¯s voice rouses Selene like a ring rm. ¡°I¡¯m here, angel.¡± She immediately answers, reaching for the child. Standing, I bnce Selene on the edge of the bed, keeping her weight braced against me so she doesn¡¯t topple over. Her gentle hands flutter over the pup. ¡°It¡¯s okay, my darling. You¡¯re safe.¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org L¡¯s little face twists up, and she begins pulling at the various tubes connected to her body. ¡°Mommy, owie.¡± ¡°No L, you have to leave those alone.¡± Selene tells her. ¡°I know they hurt but they¡¯re helping you.¡± Her cheeks flush bright red, and I can¡¯t help but admire the color given how pale she was a little while ago, even though I recognize what¡¯sing. L begins to cry, overwhelmed by the aches, strange surroundings, and Goddess knows whatever else the Starlight did to her system. Selene tries to soothe her, but unable to hold the pup or fix her hurts, she soon bes distressed. Within minutes I have two crying she-wolves on my hands, one whom I can¡¯t calm, and another who won¡¯t allow me to try. The nursese to give L a sleeping draught, and Selene shakily croons to her until she goes under. The moment L¡¯s eyes fall shut once more, Selene copses, passing out in my arms. Selene¡¯s POV It feels as though I¡¯ve been asleep for days. My body is so heavy and leadened I can¡¯t lift a finger. I think I must be drugged. I feel so calm and restful, like I¡¯m floating on a warm breeze. I can hear L¡¯s precious voice somewhere to my left, and I can feel Bastien nearby. ¡°Mommy¡¯s really sleepy.¡± She¡¯s saying. ¡°She is.¡± Bastien agrees, ¡°She had a very rough few days. You both did.¡± ¡°What happened to bad man?¡± L asks in return, undoubtedly thinking of Martin. ¡°He¡¯s gone away.¡± Bastien informs her, ¡°And he¡¯s nevering back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± L chirps, prompting a chuckle from her father. She giggles right back, pausing to linger in their shared amusement before speaking again. ¡°Bashun, I¡¯s hungry.¡± ¡°Well we can certainly get you some food.¡± He quips, an odd note in his low voice. When he speaks again, I understand why. ¡°But instead of Bastien, how would you like to call me Daddy?¡± ¡°Daddy?¡± L mimics thoughtfully. My heart flutters in my chest, he¡¯s offering my daughter the one thing I¡¯ve never been able to give her, the thing I never thought she¡¯d have. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He remarks solemnly, ¡°Because that¡¯s who I am. I¡¯m your daddy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never had Daddy before.¡± L muses. ¡°Well you do now.¡± He replies adoringly. My heart has been broken in so many ways over the years that I¡¯ve lost track of all the fissures and cracks; all the fractures. Often I don¡¯t realize a piece was broken until it¡¯s mended, and this is no different. I never realized how badly I needed to hear L call Bastien Daddy, to see my pup and my mate together. It¡¯s such a small word, a simple gesture, and yet it carries all the weight in the world. Now that the truth is out, we can finally be a family. We are a family atst. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 82 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Sophie is Rescued Sophie¡¯s Pov I shifted after Martin left with Selene and L. It¡¯s so cold in this basement that my teeth were actually chattering I¡¯ve never been so grateful for my fur. I don¡¯t know where he¡¯s taken them or when he¡¯s coming back, but I¡¯m not sure it matters. By now Drake must know what I¡¯ve done. If I ever get out of this ce I¡¯m going to be in a world of pain, either from Martin¡¯s fists or Drake¡¯s hatred. Hell it will probably be both. I¡¯ve survived Martin¡¯s temper my entire life, I¡¯m not sure I can survive Drake hating me. My stomach is growling so fiercely and I can¡¯t remember thest time I ate. I¡¯ve been trying to distract myself from the wretched pangs and my parched throat, but my thoughts can only drift so far before finding their way back. I hope Selene and L are okay. I still don¡¯t understand what Martin is up to. I was a fool for believing him, but I don¡¯t have the faintest idea why he wanted the she wolves. I have a very bad feeling about all this. Did he leave me here so I couldn¡¯t run for help? Or is he simply not finished with me yet? I¡¯m still pondering the idea when I hear the front door open, then a wolf moving through the house on all fours. A shadow appears beneath the door at the top of the stairs, and Hugo¡¯s familiar scent wafts down to me. Oh Goddess, has hee to arrest me? The door jerks off its hinges, releasing a stream of yellow light filtering through the iron bars. Hugo is back in human form, squinting through the darkness, ¡°Sophie?¡± He calls, ¡°Are you alright?¡± I can¡¯t answer, I can¡¯t bring myself to shift back. I can barely breathe. I¡¯m spinning into a panic attack, the walls closing in around me. Hugo curses under his breath, and I can see him fighting with the padlock on the bars. ¡°Just hold on Soph, I¡¯m going to get you out.¡± I whimper as the room begins to spin, listening to the clinking and nking of metal far above me. The last thing I remember is hearing a metallic crash as the lock breaks, then everything is ck. The world is blurry when myshes part, and I can smell the strident clean of a hospital. It¡¯s a terrible unnatural scent, and so powerfull almost don¡¯t notice the familiar aroma beneath. Drake. I think miserably, mping my eyes shut again. Any other time I would beforted and thrilled to find him at my bedside, now I wish he was just about anyone else. He won¡¯t hurt us. My wolf, Rose, is always more optimistic than I am. She says it¡¯s because her instincts are stronger, I think it¡¯s because she often gets to stay safe inside me while I bear the brunt of Martin¡¯s anger. Hey, I heard that. She grumbles. ¡°Are you going to pretend to sleep all day littlemb?¡± Drake¡¯s deep voice skitters over my skin, and suddenly I can feel him next to me, warmth radiating off his big body. Soft fingers graze my uninjured cheek, and I flinch as if I¡¯ve been struck. He tsks, settling his hand more firmly against my skin rather than pulling it away, ¡°Goddess I could kill him all over again.¡± This gets my attention. I hesitantly open my eyes, finding Drake¡¯s handsome face much closer than I expected. His emerald green eyes are clouded with anger and worry, his angr jaw covered in a dark swath of stubble. ¡°Kill who?¡± I squeak.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He sighs heavily, looking almost regretful. ¡°Martin.¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead?¡± I ask, unable to process this new information. ¡°Yes.¡± Drake replies soberly, ¡°He can¡¯t ever hurt you or anyone else again, Sophie.¡± Don¡¯t ask me why, because I haven¡¯t the faintest clue, but a sob rises in my chest. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening to me. I hate Martin Hated. Rose corrects me gently. Hated. I hated my brother, he¡¯s done nothing but hurt me for years and histest transgressions have probably cost me my future. I know they¡¯ve cost me the man I love. I shouldn¡¯t be sad that he¡¯s gone. Only someone truly sick would mourn their abuser. right? He was still our brother. Rose reminds me, he wasn¡¯t always evil. We grew up together, those memories count and he¡¯s the only family we had left. I flinch again when Drake climbs into my bed, shifting me over so he can stretch out on the cot and pull me into his arms. I copse against him without shame, crying my heart out over everything that¡¯s happened over thest week over thest few years. Drake strokes my hair, making soft shushing noises and murmuring encouragements my ear, ¡°That¡¯s it sweetheart. Let it all out, I¡¯ ve got you.¡± Somehow his words make it worse, he shouldn¡¯t be nice to me, not after what I did. I don¡¯t deserve his kindness. If I¡¯m capable of kidnapping an innocent pup, maybe I deserved Martin¡¯s punishments after all. But not this. I know he¡¯s angry with me. I can feel rage writhing in his chest like a feral beast, lurking just beneath the surface and waiting to burst out-probably when I¡¯m not a blubbering mess. I¡¯m not sure how I can sense it so keely, I¡¯ve always been able to tap into Drake¡¯s feelings like this and I stopped questioning it a long time ago. ¡°Stop.¡± I moan, clenching my small fists so tightly my fingernails break the skin, digging into my palm in perfect rows of bloody crescents. ¡°Stop what, Soph?¡± Drake purrs, his nose twitching as the scent of my blood fills the air. He instantly catches my wrists, prying my fingers out of their tightly locked position, ¡°baby, what are you doing?¡± ¡°S-stop b-being ni-ice to me.¡± I weep shakily, despising his sweet words and pet names. He¡¯s always done this, always called me by terms of endearment and showered me with physical affection. It¡¯s why it¡¯s been so impossible to get over him, to even look at anyone else as a possible mate. ¡°Look at me, Sophie.¡± He growls, Alpha authority heavy in his voice. I can only cower and cringe away from him until a second growl shatters the quiet, and my gaze jumps to his without my permission. Drake¡¯s nose is almost touching mine, and his dark brow is furrowed in disapproval. Hisrge hands are still steadily petting me despite his pulled focus, and I can only think about how horrible I must look. ¡°You are not responsible for what Martin did.¡± He ims falsely, ¡°I won¡¯t stand for you feeling guilty about his crimes.¡± I drop my forehead against his chest, hiding my face and all but wailing, ¡°But I am. Selene will tell you. I kidnapped L.¡± ¡°Selene already told me.¡± He states firmly, nudging me with his shoulder, ¡°I know exactly what happened.¡± I pause, trying to catch my breath. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What did you think was going to happen, Sophie?¡± Drake questions ominously, ¡°Did you think I would me you when I¡¯m the one who failed to protect you, to even notice what was happening right under my nose?¡± Crinkling my nose in confusion, I tilt my chin up so I can see his face. A moment ago I thought his seething anger was for me, now I understand he¡¯s turned it towards himself. I open my mouth to argue, but a long, masculine finger presses to my lips. ¡°You were locked in a cell when Hugo found you. You still bear his bruises.¡± He rumbles furiously, eyeing my cheek. ¡°If L hadn¡¯t been in such bad shape I would have stayed back to help Aiden exterminate the bastard¡± ¡°What happened to L?¡± I ask fretfully, swiping at my eyes and smearing blood over my face. Drake tuts and presses the nurse¡¯s call button before answering my question, using his thumbs to try and wipe the crimson stain from my skin, ¡°Just an allergic reaction to the Starlight.¡± He shares, ¡°She¡¯s fine now.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why he wanted them.¡± I admit tearfully, ¡°I mean he convinced me to help him by¡­¡± Suddenly realizing exining my side of the story would mean admitting to Drake that I have feelings for him, I trail off. ¡°Yes?¡± Drake prods, arching his brow. Just then the nurse appears, taking one look at Drake and I and immediatelyunching into a lecture. She chases Drake out of the bed and sets about wrapping the fresh injuries on my hands and cleaning the blood and tears from my skin. We remain silent as she works, but the tension in the air is unbearable. Before she leaves she turns on the Alpha, ¡°Sophie needs to rest. She doesn¡¯t need you getting her all worked up.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Drake salutes her, and she rolls her eyes before stalking off. When she¡¯s gone, he returns to my bedside, though he doesn¡¯t climb back in. Instead he leans over me, an unreadable expression on his face. ¡°Now, where were we?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 83 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Guilt Drake¡¯s Pov Thest twenty-four hours have turned my lifepletely upside down. I¡¯ve always been so self- assured, so confident in who l am. After all, I¡¯m an Alpha how could I not be? I may not be the strongest Alpha on the continent or even the best leader, but I¡¯ve never needed to be those things. I¡¯ve only ever needed to be a good leader for my pack, and I grew up knowing my ce in the greater order. I may seem weak next to wolves like Bastien and ise Denizen, but they are not normal Alphas. Denizen¡¯s reputation is nearly Godlike, and Bastien is well on his way to earning the same status. I will never be able topete at their level, but the fact remains I¡¯m stronger than everyst member of my pack, which numbers in the thousands. I¡¯d wager I¡¯m even stronger than the shifters in the Nova pack. I¡¯ve seen Bastien¡¯s Betas in battle often enough to estimate their skill it would be a close fight, but I¡¯m rtively certain I woulde out on top. Certain, the same way I was certain I was in love with Selene. It¡¯s not in my nature to doubt myself, and even though my wolf was never convinced about the beautiful Vna, I knew in my heart that she was meant for me. Seeing Bastien¡¯s mating mark on Selene made me furious, and when she and L were taken I was devastated but neither hit me as hard as learning Sophie was in danger. Just like that, everything I thought I knew disappeared. I¡¯m only just beginning to acknowledge that I didn¡¯t actually know myself before today, and concerningly, I¡¯m starting to wonder if I truly know my pack. I¡¯ve never experienced fear like I did when Martin said Sophie would die. It was a savage and primal, a ruthless terror deep in my bones. My wolf went beserk at the words, and all at once I realized I was never truly in love with Selene. Infatuated perhaps, besotted even, but now that I know what true love feels like, I see what a fool I was. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. I always thought I would know my mate when I saw her, but I¡¯ve heard stories about shifters who knew each other for years before the bond kicked in. Most of them were cases just like me and Sophie, wolves who grew up together and had their instincts muddled by childhood friendships. Looking down at the beautiful little wolf now, I don¡¯t know how I could have ever missed it. I haven¡¯t felt the instinctive pull to im her yet, but there¡¯s no doubt in my mind that the connection wille in time. Even my wolf agrees. He incessantly begged me all night long toe see Sophie, but I couldn¡¯t leave Selene and L until I knew they were alright. I¡¯m trying very hard not to look too smug and happy this has been a traumatic day and Sophie is absolutely beside herself with grief, guilt and anxiety but finding one¡¯s mate is a big deal, especially when you already know they love you in return. Sophie is looking anywhere but at me, her cheeks flushed bright red. Has there ever been anyone so adorable? Has anyone ever smelled so good? My wolf replies. It¡¯s true, Sophie¡¯s scent is abination of everything I love: dark berries and vani bean, marsh flowers and fresh sea air. It seems like Sophie is going to ignore my question. But then she looks up at me from beneath her long, darkshes, her hazel eyes looking very green in their red rims. ¡°You were going to tell me why Martin took Selene and L.¡± Sneaky little wolf. That is absolutely not where we left off, and she knows it. ¡°Was I?¡± I arch my brow and Sophie¡¯s flush spreads to her chest. ¡°Well,¡± I begin, deciding to y along. ¡°There was a bounty on Vna wolves a veryrge bounty. Martin wanted it.¡± Her lovely face twists up in confusion. ¡°Who ced the bounty?¡± It¡¯s a very long story and even I don¡¯t know all the details.¡± I sigh. ¡°The real bounty is being offered by ise Denizen, luckily Bastien set up a shadow system to intercept anyone trying to collect the reward.¡± ¡°So when Martin tried to turn them in¡­¡± She says, slowly piecing things together. ¡°He called us.¡± I confirm, ¡°And delivered them at our feet.¡± ¡°Thank the Goddess.¡± She breathes mournfully, clearly still beating herself up for her role in the ordeal ¡°Why does the Calypso Alpha want them?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t tell me.¡± No matter that I can hardly protect my pack members from threats when I don¡¯t have all the information, but then again, I doubt Selene will be part of my pack much longer. It¡¯s truly astonishing, a week ago that thought would have sent me reeling, now I just want her to be happy. I still don¡¯t trust Bastien, but Selene clearly loves him. ¡°I do know that if they¡¯re turned in, Denizen will kill them.¡± Sophie¡¯s sweet flush disappears, the blood draining from her face. Damn, maybe I shouldn¡¯t have been quite so honest. Apparently he¡¯s been looking a very long time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s horrible.¡± Sophie exims weakly. Visible gears are turning in her head, undoubtedly churning with unpleasant thoughts and memories. She mps her eyes shut, as if she¡¯s trying to hide from the feelings. I don¡¯t like this. I much preferred it when she was tying herself into knots over her feelings for me. ¡°So, how did Martin convince you to help him.¡± Her eyes snap open, and she begins taking on that same squirrely energy she had earlier. ¡°That¡¯s not important.¡± ¡°I disagree.¡± I press, ¡°I think it must have been very important if you were willing to kidnap a pup.¡± I knew the words were a mistake as soon as they left my mouth. Wincing, I amend, I¡¯m not judging you, littlemb. I just want to understand.¡± Sophie wraps her arms protectively around her small body, unintentionally pressing her breasts together. I can see the plump mounds even through her hospital gown, and my mind takes a decidedly scious turn. I¡¯ve never thought about Sophie¡¯s breasts before, let alone lusted for them I must have been blind. Goddess, I¡¯m drooling over a woman in a hospital bed. Is this going to be what it¡¯s like? I ask my wolf. I¡¯m going to be able to help wanting her even in the most inappropriate times? Pretty much. He replies. Groaning internally, I turn my attention back to Sophie¡¯s face, where it belongs. She¡¯s staring at herp, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡± I can¡¯t resist reaching out to her, running my hands through her luscious hair. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to ruin our friendship,¡± Sophie whispers, leaning into my touch even as she backs away from me emotionally. ¡°I never deserved it in the first ce, but if I tell you it will be over and I don¡¯t want that.¡± ¡°Sophie, you¡¯ve got to stop saying you don¡¯t deserve nice things,¡± Imand firmly, ¡°you deserve to have everything you want in life, and if anything, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s undeserving.¡± I remind her, ¡°How many years of pain did you suffer at Martin¡¯s hands because I wasn¡¯t paying attention?¡± She purses her lips tightly, determined not to answer. ¡°Tell me.¡± I order, my voice rough and gravelly. ¡°That isn¡¯t a fair question.¡± She says meekly. ¡°It¡¯s not like¡­¡± Again she teeters on the edge of revealing too much, catching herself just in time and redirecting. ¡°I mean, we¡¯re only friends protecting me isn¡¯t your job.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not just your friend, I¡¯m your Alpha.¡± I rumble, ¡°It absolutely is my job.¡± As much as I hate to see Sophie¡¯s lip trembling, once again on the verge of tears, I don¡¯t regret my harsh tone. She needs to ept this, she needs to know it wasn¡¯t her fault. ¡°And there is nothing you could ever say to me, that would make me forsake you.¡± I add for good measure. ¡°Nothing.¡± Sophie sniffles, her little red nose just begging to be kissed, but I restrain the impulse. A few tears escape hershes, sliding down her temples and into her hair. They pool against my palm, and I fight the urge to brush them away. There will be plenty of time for kisses and cuddlester, now it is most important that she submit. ¡°Do you understand me, Sophie?¡± She nods shakily, but I¡¯m not buying it. Sophie would agree to just about anything to put an end to this conversation. ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°What?¡± She chirps in surprise. ¡°Say that none of this was your fault. Say you deserve the world. And say that you know I won¡¯t ever turn my back on you, no matter what happens.¡± I instruct. Sophie looks somewhat shell-shocked, and I want to kick myself over and over again. All this time my problem wasn¡¯t only that! didn¡¯t know myself, it¡¯s that I didn¡¯t know Sophie either. I knew only what she wanted me to see, I believed the masque she wore to cover up wounds still being inflicted. ¡°I¡¯m getting impatient, littlemb.¡± ¡°N-none of this was my fault.¡± She repeats obediently. ¡°I deserve¡­¡± ¡°The world.¡± I prompt. ¡°The world,¡± Sophie mimics, ¡°And I know you won¡¯t turn your back on me, no matter what.¡± ¡°Good girl,¡± I praise, kissing her forehead. As much as I want to hear her tell me she¡¯s in love with me; as much as I want to tell her the same and begin our lives together, I can see this isn¡¯t the time. This conversation has been evidence enough. Despite Sophie¡¯s feelings, she¡¯s clearly not ready to bring them into the open. Given everything I¡¯ve learned today I don¡¯t me her. She has toe to me in her own time, which means that I¡¯m going to have to figure out how to be patient. I¡¯m going to have to wait. I just pray I won¡¯t have to wait too long. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 84 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Changing ns It¡¯s over. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Bastien marked Selene. He knows the pup is his. All my best ns, all the money and resources I wasted, all the trouble I¡¯ve gone to in order to keep them apart: it has all been for nothing. Bastien is going to bring this mate and pup back to Elysium, and he¡¯ll be stronger than ever. He¡¯ll have no distractions, no depression or grief to weaken his spirit. If anything he¡¯ll have more of a reason to fight. He has something to protect now. To top it all off Arabe has fled to the Calypso pack, leaving mepletely high and dry. My only remaining ally is my mother, and she¡¯s more of a figurehead than anything else. When Uncle Gabriel killed my father she instigated the plot, determined for our family to have revenge and to see me take my rightful position as Alpha. She sent me to the best schools, found shifters to train me in one on onebat and battle strategy; she gave me all the tools needed to seed. She even set me on track to get a job that would permanently put me in Durand¡¯s orbit. As far as she was concerned, her part concluded when my education wasplete. She made it my responsibility to design the plot and find allies, then set me loose. Of course, the further downhill things roll, the more vocal she bes. She hasn¡¯t set foot back in Nova territory since the day of the revolt, but she¡¯s got a powerful influence even at a distance. Sometimes I think my mother is the one who should have nned Dad¡¯s insurrection. She¡¯s cunning and ruthless in a way I can never be. She wants me to put things right and kill Selene and L. ¡°Like I should have from the beginning.¡± She says. She insists it¡¯s the only way, but I can¡¯t do it. I might have been able to once, but I already lost that fight when I saved Selene from the fire. I don¡¯t care much about Bastien¡¯s brat, but I can¡¯t even bring myself to do away with her, because of the pain it would cause Selene. I¡¯ve always seen a kindred spirit in Selene, only she¡¯s a thousand times stronger than I am. I lost my father and my birthright, she lost her freedom and her wolf. She suffered for so many years, and I felt for her even before I met her and what a mistake that was. As soon as I saw her, and saw how miserable she was with Bastien, I was a goner. Despite my promises to Arabe, I even started thinking about taking Selene as my wife when I finally got rid of Bastien. The blonde would have thrown a tantrum beyond all reason, but by then I¡¯d be Alpha it wouldn¡¯t matter what she wanted. As inconvenient as it is currently, having Arabe out of the picture actually makes my future ns for Selene easier. I just have to figure out how to get her away from Batien first. I have to separate them, one way or another. I don¡¯t want Selene in the line of fire, and the worse their rtionship suffers, the weaker Bastien bes. Mother is threatening toe take matters into her own hands if I don¡¯t get things under control within the month, and I can¡¯t afford to let that happen. The clock is ticking. Selene¡¯s Pov L runs up the stairs in front of Bastien and I, her tiny legs propelling her forward at a snail¡¯s pace not that we mind. We¡¯re finally home. Not at the Pack House or a Safe House, but back in the apartment where I raised L. My pup is all giggles and sunshine, thrilled to be back in the familiar space and away from all the stress of thest weeks. The hospital released us early this morning, and we spent the rest of the day packing up our belongings and shopping for essentials like groceries. Bastien has his arm slung across my shoulder, and he¡¯s whispering in my ear as I unlock the door, ¡°I hope you¡¯re feeling rejuvenated little wolf, because it¡¯s been almost two days since Ist had you and my wolf is getting very impatient.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I ask archly, every bit as eager as he is. Though L¡¯s kidnapping and poisoning completely distracted me, my body was still awash with the tortuous hormones and impulses of my heat. Now that the danger has passed and I¡¯m no longer exhausted to the point of insanity, they¡¯ve risen again to take control. Not to mention I will take any excuse to dy our inevitable fight about L¡¯s paternity. Right now we¡¯re still reveling in the joy of health and security, I want to keep that going as long as possible. ¡°And how do you propose we get a moment alone?¡± I murmur back, nodding toward our pup, who is currently zooming around the apartment in an irrepressible burst of energy. Bastien shoots me a wolfish grin, nibbling on my earlobe as he points out, ¡°in case you hadn¡¯t noticed, it¡¯s almost nine o¡¯clock. That means bedtime for pups and ytime for mommy and daddy.¡± It hasn¡¯t escaped me how frequently he¡¯s been using these monikers, I remember how strange and surreal it was to be a mother to actually think of myself as a mommy. It fills me with joy to see Bastien experiencing the same wonder now, despite our rocky start as a family. I snort, ¡°First lesson in parenting big bad wolf, pups are notorious for sneaking into Mommy and Daddy¡¯s bed, especially after a lot of stress and excitement.¡± Bastien doesn¡¯t look concerned amatuer. After a bath and a lot of cajoling L finally goes down, but Bastien doesn¡¯t even have all my clothes off before the door creaks open and L¡¯s little head pokes into the bedroom. ¡°Mommy, can¡¯t sleep.¡± Down to my underwear and hitched up against my mate while he kisses and licks his mark, all the while making delightful growly sounds, I try to respond naturally. ¡°I¡¯m sorry baby, I¡¯ll be right there.¡± I promise, pushing at Bastien¡¯s shoulders in hopes of prying his big body off of me. It doesn¡¯t do any good, he pauses his affections but he doesn¡¯t allow me to put even an inch of space between us. His head raises to study the tiny creature in the doorway, and his features immediately shift from predatory to tender. L¡¯s lower lip sticks out in a full on pout, and her eyes go big and wide, ¡°I want sleep with you.¡± I know I predicted it, but I¡¯m so worked up right now that the thought of going to sleep before Bastien ruts me makes me want to cry. I¡¯m struggling toe up with an answer, torn between my pup and my mate. If it weren¡¯t for the heat it would be no contest: my daughteres first. ¡°Of course, little one.¡± Bastien answers before I can get myself under control. He didn¡¯t think about it for one moment, he immediately caved. L already has her Daddy wrapped around her little finger. I¡¯m thrilled and frustrated all at once. I drop my face to his chest, whining softly. ¡°Hush little wolf, I¡¯ll take care of you too.¡± He rumbles, pressing gentle kisses to my hair. L is running toward us now, and Bastien scoops her up to snuggle between us. ¡°What were you doing?¡± She asks sleepily. melting into my arms. ¡°Cuddling.¡± Bastien says, a note of humor in his voice, ¡°But now we should all get to bed.¡± My gaze jumps questioningly to his, and he gives me a look urging me to be patient. I sigh and climb into bed with L, turning onto my side and wrapping my arm around her. Stripping to his boxers, Bastien climbs into the other side, slipping his arm beneath us both so we¡¯re curled against him. L is nestled between our bodies in a perfect fit, and she falls asleep so quickly I almost don¡¯t believe it. I can¡¯t help but stare at her with utter adoration: she looks so serene, so perfect I¡¯m mesmerized. She¡¯s safe and whole, and in my arms. I couldn¡¯t ask for a better gift. After a moment I realize L isn¡¯t the only one being watched. I look over at Bastien and find him watching us both in much the same way I was watching our pup. ¡°It¡¯s incredible, isn¡¯t it?¡± I ask, ¡°how one little being can give so much joy just sleeping?¡± ¡°It is,¡± he agrees, a well of unspoken emotion rising between us. ¡°But I felt that way long before I met L.¡± My heart swells in my chest, and I can feel his love pulsing through the bond. My desire spikes, and I feel myself squirming, trying to relieve the ache without disturbing L. ¡°Bastien, I need..¡± ¡°I know, baby.¡± He leans forward to capture my lips, dark promise in his eye. *Just hold on a little while longer. Once she¡¯spletely out you¡¯re not going to know what hit you.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 85 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 85 Chapter 85 I Don¡¯t Think I Can Be Gentle Bastien¡¯s Pov Selene¡¯s eyes are glowing with barely contained emotion when I finally sneak her out of bed, unraveling L¡¯s plump limbs from our bodies and slipping out from beneath the covers. Tossing my mate over my shoulder, I cart her into the living room and pull the bedroom door shut. Depositing Selene onto the sprawling sectional, I pounce, covering her body with my own and reveling in the feel of her bare skin on mine. I know the Goddess created us for each other, but it never ceases to amaze me how perfectly our bodies fit together. giant, her little form fits so snugly in my arms I could happily carry her forever. And that¡¯s not to mention the glove like embrace of the sleek channel I¡¯m about to bury myself in. ¡°What if she wakes up?¡± Selene whispers in between kisses, her hands trailing over every inch of my body. She¡¯s exploring me as if she¡¯s afraid some part of me has changed in thest 24 hours, as if she¡¯s no longer certain I¡¯m real. ¡°You¡¯re just going to have to be very quiet,¡± I tease, licking and nipping my way down her throat. ¡°Bastien, I¡¯m ser-¡± Her words are cut off with a strangled gasp when I suck her nipple into my mouth, all protests forgotten. She arches her back, offering up her charms to my questing lips, biting down on her fingers to keep quiet. In truth, I¡¯m not worried about waking the pup because I know this is going to be over fast. We¡¯ve both been waiting too long to be reunited this way and are positively frenzied with need after denying our instincts for so many hours. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can be gentle this time, baby.¡± I warn her. The truth is I need to be inside her so badly it hurts. My frustrated anatomy aches with unrequited lust, and my sanity teeters on the edge. I might have seemed in control to Selene when we put L to bed, but I simply have more experience being in rut. ¡°Good.¡± She growls passionately, sinking her little teeth into the bulging muscles of my shoulder. Swearing under my breath, I rip the thin undergarments from her body, groaning when I see the wetness pooled at her center. The scent of her arousal has been torturing me all evening, but I didn¡¯t realize how drenched she was until this moment. Selene is so ready I don¡¯t even need to touch her, so I bury myself inside her with a single thrust. I sink into her soaked sheath all the way to the hilt, swallowing my mate¡¯s cry as she throws her head back with rejoice. I im her savagely, giving her everything and taking the same in return. When we were married I would have been afraid to take her so roughly, but now that her wolf has returned she¡¯s egging me on, encouraging me and begging for more. I don¡¯t hold back, pinning her to the sofa as I pound into her tight heat, my pelvis mming into hers almost savagely. I know the exact moment Selene loses controlpletely, when her efforts to silence her euphoric moans cease and she begins crying out and whimpering without restraint. I pause, eliciting a snarl from Selene. Flipping her onto her hands and knees, I deliver a spank to her luscious behind, changing her snarl to a whine. I give her another, liking her intive sounds just a bit too much. Driving into her from behind, I drag her torso up, pulling her body against mine and covering her sweet mouth with my hand. Selene¡¯s back bows as her hips undte into my thrusts and her shoulder des shake against my chest, the muffled sounds of her pleasure growing lowder. My mark is red and swollen, mere inches away from my mouth, and I can¡¯t resist. I sink my teeth into the imprint, not hard enough to break the skin, but forcefully enough to prevent her from moving as I chase my climax. When I feel it begin to tingle in the base of my spine I slide my free hand to her slippery clit, spurring her to a sudden and explosive peak. Her body goes rigid as it takes her, and her spasming muscles squeeze my cock so fiercely that I cannotst another second. I spill into her with a ragged growl, riding her through the throws of ecstasy and only stopping when her body goes limp in my arms. Selene¡¯s head lolls back against my shoulder, wearing a delirious smile that fills me with smug pride. I steal one final kiss from her lips, delving my tongue into her mouth and savoring the taste of my mate. I never forgot Selene¡¯s taste or smell in the years I believed she was dead, but I never imagined I would experience them again. Now that I am, I never want to stop but my little wolf is already half- asleep in my arms, and I know we need to rest. The bedroom door is still tightly closed, and L remains dead to the world when we make it back to bed, showered and freshly clothed. Selene is out the second her head hits the pillow, and thest thing I see before I go to sleep is L unconsciously snuggling into her mother¡¯s warmth. Selene Some very silly part of me thought Bastien might actually forget about the DNA test and my lie. He¡¯s been nothing but adoring ever since rescuing us, and after a morning of family time and frantic quickies whenever L takes a nap, I¡¯ve almost forgotten myself. After lunch Bastien pulls me aside, ncing at L out of the corner of his eyes and speaking softly. ¡°How are you feeling about L?¡± His words may be vague, but I know what he means. The immediate danger may be passed now that Martin is dead, but having my baby kidnapped in broad daylight has made me fairly determined to never let her out of my sight again. ¡°I¡¯m afraid to turn my back.¡± I admit in a whisper, ¡°everytime I do I¡¯m filled with panic, even though I know she¡¯s still here.¡± Bastien tsks and pulls me into a hug, ¡°I know exactly how you feel.¡± He rumbles, lips moving against my hair. ¡°I¡¯ve been that way every since I realized you were alive.¡± Guilt ties my stomach into knots. I hate the idea of causing Bastien to feel what I am now. I tilt my face up to tell him how sorry! am, but the words die in my throat when I see his expression. Luna immediately tucks her tail between her legs. Where there was only love and desire moments ago, there is now an Alpha¡¯s stern disapproval. Cupping my cheek, he proims, ¡°We need to find some alone time to talk.¡± ¡°Talk?¡± I squeak, not liking the sounds of that at all. ¡°Among other things.¡± He replies ominously, but I don¡¯t want to separate you from L if it¡¯s going to cause either one of you stress.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t cause you stress?¡± I ask with mild disbelief. I¡¯ve seen the way he keeps scanning the room for invisible threats every fifteen minutes. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about taking her out of the apartment. I thought we could go down the street to the cafe and leave her here with Aiden and Mom.¡± He thinks about it, then adds, and a full security team.¡± I know Bastien¡¯s giving me an out. Being separated from L and facing the consequences of my lies are the veryst things! want to do. However, I also know that my mate will see right through me if I refuse him just to get out of being held ountable. I try to imagine having L a few doors down, knowing Aiden¡¯s mental link with Bastien will alert us the very second something goes wrong. I don¡¯t love the idea, but if the situation were different and we were using the alone time to mate, I think I might be okay with it in theory at least. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. My lower lips quivers, I hate confrontations. I hate people being angry with me, and Bastien knows it. It seems like no matter how much time passes, I can¡¯t shake Garricks ghost not when ites to this. My mate is frowning now, as if a new thought is just urring to him. ¡°How have you deal with the episodes all these years?¡± I know he¡¯s really asking if Drake helped me through them, but when my PTSD strikes, any man who isn¡¯t my mate bes Garrick reincarnated ¨C even my friend. ¡°On my own.¡± I answer honestly. He nods grimly, thenpresses his lips into a hard line. ¡°We can¡¯t put it off forever, little wolf.¡± Bastien remarks gently, stroking my hair back from my face. ¡°And the sooner it happens the sooner we can put it behind us.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I whisper, dread leeching into my veins. ¡°Tonight?¡± Bastien considers me for one long moment, then agrees. ¡°Tonight.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 86 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 86 Chapter 86 You Knew You Were Pregnant? Selene¡¯s Pov The cafe is closed on Mondays, but when Bastien and I arrive the lights are already on and the scent of roasting meat is emanating from the kitchen. My stomach rumbles in reply, and I look up at my mate in confusion, ¡°you gave someone my keys?¡± His lip quirks, ¡°Just Donavon.¡± I should have guessed. Donavon has always been a wonderful chef, and he takes every opportunity he can get to invent new dishes and recipes. ¡°Oh,¡± I rx, calling out a hello to the Beta. A disembodied voice returns my greeting, and then Donavon¡¯s head pops around the corner, his shoulder-length salt and pepper hair-pulled into a ponytail. ¡°Dinner is just about ready ten more minutes and I¡¯ll be out of your hair.¡± I from, feeling ufortable that the older man should be waiting on us. Bastien reads my expression and chuckles,¡± don¡¯t worry, he volunteered.¡± He assures me, ¡°And it¡¯s not just for us, he¡¯s packing up boxes to take to the apartment.¡± ¡°Oh good,¡± I rx a little, looking around the familiar space. All of the tables are bare save one. A cozy booth in the corner is set with a pristine white table cloth and gleaming silver tware. Tealights glow at its center, and a bottle of red wine awaits with two empty sses. Bastien tugs me over to the booth, waiting for me to slide in before taking a seat on the opposite bench. My eyes widen with surprise when I realize he means to sit across from me. Bastien never lets me out of arm¡¯s reach if he can help it. Even before all this happened, he preferred to keep me close touching me more often than not. I used to think it was a show of possession or protection, now I understand that he simply does it because he wants to. Anxiety skitters in my veins, my heart beating a little louder. I don¡¯t like this. Luna says. I don¡¯t either. I admit shakily. *Don¡¯t look so rmed, baby.¡± Bastien purrs, pouring the wine and offering me a ss. ¡°This is simply to make sure we don¡¯t get distracted.¡± well, let¡¯s just That¡¯s fair I suppose. My heat can strike at the most inconvenient times, and if he¡¯s touching me when it happens say we won¡¯t be getting any talking done. Just then the kitchen door swings open, and Donavon appears carrying two steaming tes. The food looks incredible when he sets it down in front of us and even though I¡¯m starving, I¡¯m so nervous I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll be able to keep anything down. Bastien is frowning deeply, I think the scent of my fear is agitating him. I know he¡¯s furious with me, but I doubt he wants me frightened. I imagine it feels something like when I have to discipline L for being naughty. I know it¡¯s the right thing to do, but seeing her suffer the consequences fills me with terrible guilt. I would be horrified if I thought she was afraid of me. When Donovan retreats, Bastien raises his silverware, asking me something innocuous about my day and throwing me offpletely. Later I realized he did it to help me rx and put some food in my stomach, because for the next hour or so we had a perfectly pleasant dinner. It wasn¡¯t until afterwards, when a second bottle of wine came out and we were both pleasantly sated, that he struck. ¡°So,¡± Bastien begins, leaning back in his seat and eyeing me with lethal intent. ¡°Where do you want to begin? I freeze with my wine ss halfway to my lips, ¡°What do you mean?¡± He¡¯s all predator now, all Alpha. ¡°Well, you have quite a few options to choose from, Selene.¡± He rumbles, ¡°There¡¯s the fact that you failed to tell me Drake kissed you. There¡¯s the fact that you willingly walked into Martin¡¯s trap without telling anyone where you were going or what was happening.¡± He sets his own ss down before his tight grip can smash it. ¡°And then there¡¯s the fact that you told me I wasn¡¯t L¡¯s father.¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Oh Goddess, I thought this was just about L¡¯s paternity, Ipletely forgot about Drake¡¯s attempted kiss and the ransom note. In hindsight it makes perfect sense that Bastien would disapprove of those things, but I never considered his reaction in the moment. Gulping, I broach, ¡°Drake didn¡¯t actually kiss me.¡± I wait for him to contradict or question me, but he simply sits there watching me with that same intense stare. ¡°He tried, but I deflected him.¡± Bastien¡¯s chin dips, his silver eyes hard. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll amend that. You failed to tell me another Alpha came onto you.¡± ¡°Because nothing happened.¡± I insist, ¡°You¡¯re my mate, I picked you. And telling you would only have made things between you and Drake worse.¡± Bastien sighs, and I can see him fighting for patience. ¡°Selene, I know you were never taught about these things, but did you consider what my mark signifies?¡± I shrug, confused about why we¡¯re suddenly discussing marks. ¡°That we¡¯re mates.¡± ¡°A iming mark is an announcement to every wolf you meet, that you are already spoken for. It protects you from unwanted advances from males and decides your status among the pack females.¡± He exins evenly, ¡°To proposition any marked she wolf is a serious offense. It disrespects her choice and challenges her mate¡¯s im, but you¡¯re not just any she wolf.¡± An edge of steel enters his deep voice. ¡°You were marked by an Alpha.¡± Understanding clicks in my head, ¡°So if he challenges your im on me¡­¡± Bastien nods, challenging an Alpha is challenging an Alpha ¨C it doesn¡¯t matter the motive. If he and I were to truly fight ¨C no Beta¡¯ s or back up, no interfering little mates trying to be noble¡± he teases, reminding me of theirst fight, in which I nearly got myself killed. ¡°- the winner would im the loser¡¯s pack.¡± ¡°Then,¡± I think aloud, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I didn¡¯t tell you, because you would have been forced to meet his challenge and then you¡¯d have been stuck with the Eros pack.¡± I swear the corner of his mouth twitches like he wants to smile, ¡°Maybe, but that¡¯s not why you kept it a secret.¡± ¡°I knew you would fight and I didn¡¯t want any more violence.¡± I reason, ¡°Is that so wrong?¡± ¡°Of course not, but I need you to understand that it isn¡¯t nothing if someonees onto you.¡± Bastien lectures. It¡¯s a very big deal, and it¡¯s very important that you tell me if and when it happens. Not only because it¡¯s an offense against me, but because it may very well mean you¡¯re in danger. Anyone willing to challenge an Alpha for their mate isn¡¯t going to be very concerned with your consent.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I agree sheepishly. ¡°And speaking of danger,¡± he transitions cryptically, ¡°why don¡¯t you tell me about Martin¡¯s note.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t apologize for that.¡± I counter, straightening my spine. ¡°It might have been a trap, but I would rather someone hurt me than L, and I would rather be in trouble with her, than leave her in trouble alone.¡± Bastien¡¯s molten gaze bores into me, and I can see the thoughts flickering through his mind. ¡°This isn¡¯t about a mother¡¯s instincts to protect her pup.¡± He finally asserts. ¡°If it were just a matter of protecting L, there¡¯s no doubt you did the right thing. The problem is how you did it.¡± ¡°The note said not to tell anyone.¡± I remind him. ¡°I couldn¡¯t risk it.¡± Again he pins me with a long, assessing stare, clearly trying to find the right words. ¡°Sweetheart, have you considered what would have happened if Martin hadn¡¯t been the tipster?¡± Actually I¡¯ve been trying very hard not to think about that. I would still rather it be me than her.¡± ¡°But it wouldn¡¯t have been you instead, it would have been both of you!¡± Bastien exims, his temper slipping. Pausing to take it a deep breath, he clenches and unclenches his fist, finally setting it on the table. ¡°Do you realize that until Martin¡¯s phone call came in, we didn¡¯t have the first clue where you were? We didn¡¯t have a trail to follow and we were nowhere near finding you?¡± I nch, ¡°No.¡± ¡°If he¡¯d called a real seller instead of us, L would be dead from the Starlight.¡± Bastien states grimly, ¡°If he¡¯d handed you over to the Calypso pack, ise wouldn¡¯t have agreed to kill just one of you. Not telling us what was going on didn¡¯t just endanger you, it endangered L.¡± His words slice into me like a knife, and now I really do think I might be sick. ¡°I¡¯m not saying any of this to make you feel badly.¡± Bastien grimaces sympathetically, ¡°but ise is still out there and if Goddess forbid something like this happens again, the most important thing you can do is maximize our odds of us finding her. We have to have as much information as humanly possible.¡± ¡°A dead hostage isn¡¯t worth anything to a kidnapper, ¡± Bastien softens his tone when he realizes how harsh he sounded, ¡°And while they might be able to hurt her and still collect, at least then she¡¯d be alive which she wouldn¡¯t be ise got his hands on her.¡± I nod. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I croak, despite my earlier words. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± My mate looks ready to end this horrible conversation, and for a moment I think the guilt might just win out. However after a moment Bastien seems to push through it, a resolute expressioning over his face. ¡°Listen, I know Arabe terrified you so much you were too afraid toe back to Elysium when you found out you were pregnant,¡± Bastien begins. ¡°Actually I already knew.¡± 1 correct him before I can consider the wisdom of doing so. His eyes sh dangerously. ¡°Excuse me?¡±. ¡°I knew.¡± I repeat meekly, already regretting my honesty. ¡°I knew I was pregnant before I left Elysium.¡± For a moment Bastien just stares at me, breathing heavily and looking furious. Then, without another word, he stands from the table, and storms out of the cafe. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 87 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Sophie¡¯s Pov I shifted after Martin left with Selene and L. It¡¯s so cold in this basement that my teeth were actually chattering I¡¯ve never been so grateful for my fur. I don¡¯t know where he¡¯s taken them or when he¡¯s coming back, but I¡¯m not sure it matters. By now Drake must know what I¡¯ve done. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. If I ever get out of this ce I¡¯m going to be in a world of pain, either from Martin¡¯s fists or Drake¡¯s hatred. Hell it will probably be both. I¡¯ve survived Martin¡¯s temper my entire life, I¡¯m not sure I can survive Drake hating me. My stomach is growling so fiercely and I can¡¯t remember thest time I ate. I¡¯ve been trying to distract myself from the wretched pangs and my parched throat, but my thoughts can only drift so far before finding their way back. I hope Selene and L are okay. I still don¡¯t understand what Martin is up to. I was a fool for believing him, but I don¡¯t have the faintest idea why he wanted the she-wolves. I have a very bad feeling about all this. Did he leave me here so I couldn¡¯t run for help? Or is he simply not finished with me yet? I¡¯m still pondering the idea when I hear the front door open, then a wolf moving through the house on all fours. A shadow appears beneath the door at the top of the stairs, and Hugo¡¯s familiar scent wafts down to me. Oh Goddess, has hee to arrest me? The door jerks off its hinges, releasing a stream of yellow light filtering through the iron bars. Hugo is back in human form, squinting through the darkness, ¡°Sophie?¡± He calls, ¡°Are you alright?¡± I can¡¯t answer, I can¡¯t bring myself to shift back. I can barely breathe. I¡¯m spinning into a panic attack, the walls closing in around me. Hugo curses under his breath, and I can see him fighting with the padlock on the bars. ¡°Just hold on Soph, I¡¯m going to get you out.¡± I whimper as the room begins to spin, listening to the clinking and nking of metal far above me. The last thing I remember is hearing a metallic crash as the lock breaks, then everything is ck. The world is blurry when myshes part, and I can smell the strident clean of a hospital. It¡¯s a terrible unnatural scent, and so powerfull almost don¡¯t notice the familiar aroma beneath. Drake. I think miserably, mping my eyes shut again. Any other time I would beforted and thrilled to find him at my bedside, now I wish he was just about anyone else. He won¡¯t hurt us. My wolf, Rose, is always more optimistic than I am. She says it¡¯s because her instincts are stronger, I think it¡¯s because she often gets to stay safe inside me while I bear the brunt of Martin¡¯s anger. Hey, I heard that. She grumbles. ¡°Are you going to pretend to sleep all day littlemb?¡± Drake¡¯s deep voice skitters over my skin, and suddenly I can feel him next to me, warmth radiating off his big body. Soft fingers graze my uninjured cheek, and I flinch as if I¡¯ve been struck. He tsks, settling his hand more firmly against my skin rather than pulling it away, ¡°Goddess I could kill him all over again.¡± This gets my attention. I hesitantly open my eyes, finding Drake¡¯s handsome face much closer than I expected. His emerald green eyes are clouded with anger and worry, his angr jaw covered in a dark swath of stubble. ¡°Kill who?¡± I squeak. He sighs heavily, looking almost regretful. ¡°Martin.¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead?¡± I ask, unable to process this new information. ¡°Yes.¡± Drake replies soberly, ¡°He can¡¯t ever hurt you or anyone else again, Sophie.¡± Don¡¯t ask me why, because I haven¡¯t the faintest clue, but a sob rises in my chest. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening to me. I hate Martin Hated. Rose corrects me gently. Hated. I hated my brother, he¡¯s done nothing but hurt me for years and histest transgressions have probably cost me my future. I know they¡¯ve cost me the man I love. I shouldn¡¯t be sad that he¡¯s gone. Only someone truly sick would mourn their abuser. right? He was still our brother. Rose reminds me, he wasn¡¯t always evil. We grew up together, those memories count and he¡¯s the only family we had left. I flinch again when Drake climbs into my bed, shifting me over so he can stretch out on the cot and pull me into his arms. I copse against him without shame, crying my heart out over everything that¡¯s happened over thest week over thest few years. Drake strokes my hair, making soft shushing noises and murmuring encouragements my ear, ¡°That¡¯s it sweetheart. Let it all out, I¡¯ ve got you.¡± Somehow his words make it worse, he shouldn¡¯t be nice to me, not after what I did. I don¡¯t deserve his kindness. If I¡¯m capable of kidnapping an innocent pup, maybe I deserved Martin¡¯s punishments after all. But not this. I know he¡¯s angry with me. I can feel rage writhing in his chest like a feral beast, lurking just beneath the surface and waiting to burst out-probably when I¡¯m not a blubbering mess. I¡¯m not sure how I can sense it so keely, I¡¯ve always been able to tap into Drake¡¯s feelings like this and I stopped questioning it a long time ago. ¡°Stop.¡± I moan, clenching my small fists so tightly my fingernails break the skin, digging into my palm in perfect rows of bloody crescents. ¡°Stop what, Soph?¡± Drake purrs, his nose twitching as the scent of my blood fills the air. He instantly catches my wrists, prying my fingers out of their tightly locked position, ¡°baby, what are you doing?¡± ¡°S-stop b-being ni-ice to me.¡± I weep shakily, despising his sweet words and pet names. He¡¯s always done this, always called me by terms of endearment and showered me with physical affection. It¡¯s why it¡¯s been so impossible to get over him, to even look at anyone else as a possible mate. ¡°Look at me, Sophie.¡± He growls, Alpha authority heavy in his voice. I can only cower and cringe away from him until a second growl shatters the quiet, and my gaze jumps to his without my permission. Drake¡¯s nose is almost touching mine, and his dark brow is furrowed in disapproval. Hisrge hands are still steadily petting me despite his pulled focus, and I can only think about how horrible I must look. ¡°You are not responsible for what Martin did.¡± He ims falsely, ¡°I won¡¯t stand for you feeling guilty about his crimes.¡± I drop my forehead against his chest, hiding my face and all but wailing, ¡°But I am. Selene will tell you. I kidnapped L.¡± ¡°Selene already told me.¡± He states firmly, nudging me with his shoulder, ¡°I know exactly what happened.¡± I pause, trying to catch my breath. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What did you think was going to happen, Sophie?¡± Drake questions ominously, ¡°Did you think I would me you when I¡¯m the one who failed to protect you, to even notice what was happening right under my nose?¡± Crinkling my nose in confusion, I tilt my chin up so I can see his face. A moment ago I thought his seething anger was for me, now I understand he¡¯s turned it towards himself. I open my mouth to argue, but a long, masculine finger presses to my lips. ¡°You were locked in a cell when Hugo found you. You still bear his bruises.¡± He rumbles furiously, eyeing my cheek. ¡°If L hadn¡¯t been in such bad shape I would have stayed back to help Aiden exterminate the bastard¡± ¡°What happened to L?¡± I ask fretfully, swiping at my eyes and smearing blood over my face. Drake tuts and presses the nurse¡¯s call button before answering my question, using his thumbs to try and wipe the crimson stain from my skin, ¡°Just an allergic reaction to the Starlight.¡± He shares, ¡°She¡¯s fine now.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why he wanted them.¡± I admit tearfully, ¡°I mean he convinced me to help him by¡­¡± Suddenly realizing exining my side of the story would mean admitting to Drake that I have feelings for him, I trail off. ¡°Yes?¡± Drake prods, arching his brow. Just then the nurse appears, taking one look at Drake and I and immediatelyunching into a lecture. She chases Drake out of the bed and sets about wrapping the fresh injuries on my hands and cleaning the blood and tears from my skin. We remain silent as she works, but the tension in the air is unbearable. Before she leaves she turns on the Alpha, ¡°Sophie needs to rest. She doesn¡¯t need you getting her all worked up.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Drake salutes her, and she rolls her eyes before stalking off. When she¡¯s gone, he returns to my bedside, though he doesn¡¯t climb back in. Instead he leans over me, an unreadable expression on his face. ¡°Now, where were we?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 88 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Consequences Selene¡¯s pov Oh Goddess, why did I just say that? It seemed like a good idea in the moment. Bastien was watching me with that predatory gleam in his eye and my heat sparked with a vengeance. One look and Ibusted, mes of passion engulfing my body and driving all sense from my head. Luna got the better of me, convinced me I needed him more than I needed oxygen, told me to say whatever it took to make him im me. But I just challenged him, told him he hadn¡¯t done his job as my mate ¨C as if he wasn¡¯t already angry enough. He was going to rut me either way, I tell Luna ruefully, I didn¡¯t have to provoke him. Yes you did, his wolf needs this and so do I. She insists. She¡¯s right, I realize, and she¡¯s not alone in her desires. I need to feel Bastien¡¯s dominance, I need to feel his possession so deeply that it permanently brands my soul. Bastien¡¯s eyes sh and the next thing I know I¡¯m spinning, turning to face the table. Bastien clears the surface with one powerful sweep of his arm, sending ss and china ttering onto the bench. Pressure between my shoulder des bends me over the table, and the next thing I know my cheek is flush against the cool wood. Bastien keeps onerge hand syed across the small of my back to pin me in ce ¨C not that he needs to. My palms rest on either side of my head, but I don¡¯t try to rise. My heart races as Bastien flips up my dress and rips away my panties, my breath diminishing to a ragged pant. I can barely keep up with what¡¯s happening, but I don¡¯t need to, I know my mate will take care of me. I know Smack! Bastien¡¯s handes down hard on my exposed backside, drawing a startled yelp from my lips. Now I do try to push myself up, pressing my hands into the wood with all my strength, but I¡¯m powerless beneath him. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± I cry in shock, even as another swatnds. Forgetting about standing, I throw my hands back to try and cover my bottom, but Bastien simply gathers my wrists and holds them behind my back. ¡°What does it look like I¡¯m doing?¡± He growls, his voice like gravel. Suddenly I remember where we are, and I strain to see over the top of the booth. ¡°Bastien, someone could see!¡± I exim, thinking of the floor to ceiling windows lining the front of the cafe. ¡°Then they¡¯ll see an Alpha punishing his naughty mate.¡± He replies nonchntly, as if spanking fully grown women is something that happens every day. A series of five sharp smacks pepper my behind, Bastien punctuating each one with his scolding words. ¡°I. Could. Never. Hate. You.¡± He says the phrase so viciously I wince. I know he¡¯s only using a tiny fraction of his strength, but my skin burns beneath his touch. I writhe, trying to escape his punishing hands and whining like a pup. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You are my everything, Selene.¡± Bastien deres fiercely, rubbing my aching bottom and then delivering another whack to the spot he just soothed. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare forget it.¡± Bastien My poor little mate doesn¡¯t know what hit her literally. I¡¯ve given Selene a few yful swats over the years, even a few real ones in the bedroom, but I¡¯ve never disciplined her this way. I was always afraid of triggering her post traumatic stress, of reminding her of Garrick and making her afraid of me. To be fair, I didn¡¯t actually intend to do this. Axel responded to our mate¡¯s challenge so abruptly I didn¡¯t even think about what was doing. One moment Selene was whispering that I hadn¡¯t imed her thoroughly enough, and the next I had her sprawled over the table with her luscious bottom on disy. Bright red handprints mark her pale cheeks, and I can hear her sniffling softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Selene pleads, still trying to wriggle out of my hold. Apparently my concerns about frightening her were unnecessary. Not only is she not afraid, but the scent of her arousal has grown stronger, spiking every time Ind a spank. ¡°You¡¯ve been a very bad girl.¡± I purr, giving her two strong smacks. Selene squeals in protest, more affronted than pained. ¡°Doubting your mate.¡± Smack! ¡°Lying to him.¡± Smack! ¡°Keeping secrets.¡± Smack! ¡°Putting your precious life in danger.¡± This smack is the hardest of all, and my mate finally stops struggling. Her body rxes, the fight draining out of her limbs. Little by little, she submits, epting her punishment and yielding to my control. This time when she apologizes, she means it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Bastien.¡± She murmurs, her voice thick with tears. ¡°For everything.¡± ¡°I know you are, sweetheart.¡± I flip her over onto her back, smirking when she hisses as her rear end meets the hard table. ¡°But I¡¯m not done with you yet.¡± Her eyes widen as I reach for my fly, and she pushes up onto her elbows, frantically checking the windows. ¡°Not here.¡± She begs, ¡°we¡¯re practically in public.¡± The only reason I agree is because I don¡¯t want any wolves passing by to get an eyeful of what¡¯s rightfully mine. I scoop up Selene and cart her into the kitchen, kicking the door shut behind me and She sighs, and I realize the cold surface probably feels good against her stinging backside. Chuckling darkly, I withdraw my cock from my trousers, pulling the neckline of ?elene¡¯s dress down to expose her breasts. Axel groans in my head as I sweep my gaze over her naked skin, the sight making my already rock hard arousal stiffen further. For a moment I consider taking a picture of her. I would love to be able to see her like this whenever I want: spread out like a feast for me to devour, disheveled and needy, ripe for the taking. In the end I¡¯m too impatient. I may have reasserted my dominance in the dining room, but I¡¯ve yet to reassert my im, and I can¡¯t wait a second longer. ¡°Hold on tight little wolf.¡± I instruct, teasing her swollen clit with the head of my cock. ¡°You¡¯re in for a rough ride.¡± Selene¡¯s POV Rough was putting it mildly. In the delirious aftermath of our lovemaking, Bastien lies with his head pillowed on my breasts, bent over the ind counter in exhaustion as I run my hands through his soft hair. I feelpletely boneless: drowsy and satisfied beyond belief. The strange thing is how peaceful I feel; not just calm but light as a feather. I didn¡¯t realize how heavily the burden of my secrets was weighing on me until it lifted. Even my guilt has faded. It was still eating me up inside before Bastien bent me over the table, but somehow his spanking freed me of it. I still can¡¯t believe he did that. I still can¡¯t believe how much I liked it. It hurt like hell, but every time his hand fell my sex throbbed and clenched, needing to be filled. Deep down I secretly loved Bastien taking me in hand that way, dominating me with so much raw power and control. Somehow it made me feel safe and cared for, like some sort of catharsis which set everything right with my mate. I hazard shifting my hips and hiss with difort. My backside is even more sore than it was before, which isn¡¯t surprising given how ruthlessly Bastien rutted me. The big wolf lying on top of me rumbles contentedly, and lingering kisses shower my breasts, ¡°You took that so well baby.¡± He croons, petting my sides. ¡°I¡¯m very proud of you.¡± While his praise fills me with warmth, there is one thing I have to make clear. ¡°If you ever,¡± I begin sleepily, ¡°spank L I will-¡± Bastien¡¯s head suddenly jerks up, his expression so horrified that I stop speaking. From the look on his face you would think I used him of murder. ¡°I would never.¡± He proims, straightening up and taking hisforting weight with him. ¡°Spankings are for naughty mates, not innocent pups.¡± I snort, adjusting my dress to cover my nudity and gingerly sitting up. I¡¯m sore in all the right ces, and I really could use a nap. I stretch, emitting a little moan before I catch Bastien watching me hungrily. ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t.¡± I tell him, wagging a finger. ¡°I can¡¯t take any more of your love today, mister.¡± Bastienughs, swooping his head down to steal a kiss before righting his own clothes ¡°That¡¯s probably for the best.¡± He agrees reluctantly, ¡°We still have to talk about the move.¡± That stops me in my tracks. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I ask, furrowing my brow. What move? I think, surely he doesn¡¯t mean¡­ Bastien looks down at me with steely eyed resolve. ¡°We¡¯re going back to Elysium.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 89 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Breeding Selene¡¯s pov ¡°What?¡± I ask, unable to conjure any other words. ¡°I¡¯ve been away too long,¡± Bastien sighs, ¡°And so have you.¡± He adds pointedly. Suddenly I realize he must have dropped everything toe here. He has so many responsibilities in Elysium, I don¡¯t know how he managed it. Who¡¯s been running the pack while he¡¯s been busy chasing me around Asphodel? The council? Next I wonder how none of this urred to me before. We can hardly be together while living in separate cities. In Bastien¡¯s mind, I probably agreed toe back to Elysium the moment I let him im me. Thest card in my hand had been needing to keep L near her father, and that excuse went out the window when I told him the truth about the DNA test. ¡°Bastien, I have a life here.¡± I reply hesitantly, ¡°You had a life there too:¡± Bastien reminds me, brushing a few strands of hair out of my eyes. ¡°No.¡± I correct him. ¡°I had you and nothing else. Here I have a business, friends, a purpose beyond standing beside you and looking pretty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I want for you, Selene. You can have all those things in Elysium. You could have had those things before if¡­¡± He trails off, uncertain why I hadn¡¯t shown an interest in opening a cafe or having a life of my own when we were married. Puzzled and clearly concerned he asks, Did you think I wouldn¡¯t let you?¡± ¡°No.¡± I exhale heavily, ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything you did, well, not in the way you mean.¡± I amend, reaching up to stroke my mate¡¯s clenched jaw. ¡°You have to understand. When you first rescued me I was ¡°If I coddled you, it¡¯s because I love you.¡± Bastien informs me, looking perturbed. ¡°I didn¡¯t push you because taking care of you was never a burden to me, I wanted to do everything for you. I never wanted you to have to struggle again.¡± ¡°I know that now.¡± I assure him gently, but I never learned how to fend for myself. I never got far enough out into the world to find myself, to figure out who I was and what I wanted out of life.¡± ¡°It had only been three years,¡± Bastien argues protectively. ¡°You made incredible progress in that time, considering where you started. Goddess, Selene, you were trapped in a basement through your entire adolescence.¡± He reminds me as if I could forget. ¡°You had to learn everything from scratch, all while trying to figure out how to be a wife and an Alpha¡¯s mate.¡± ¡°And I did it in a bubble.¡± I proim firmly, ¡°When I came here I didn¡¯t have a choice. Drake helped me get the apartment and provided for me financially, but I had to figure out how to survive on my own. I had to figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.¡± ¡°So do those things in Elysium.¡± Bastien beseeches, ¡°It won¡¯t be like before.¡± ¡°Bastien, you said it yourself, being an Alpha¡¯s mate is a lot more than just being a wife.¡± I¡¯m trying to choose my words carefully, but I¡¯m not sure how sessful my efforts are. My mate is looking grumpier by the minute. ¡°It¡¯s a full time job with a lot of responsibilities, if I go back I won¡¯t have a choice anymore.¡± Dragging onerge hand through his hair, Bastien huffs in frustration. ¡°What did you think was going to happen when I imed you Selene? That you and L would stay here when I went back home?¡± He eyes my t tummy. ¡°For Goddess¡¯s sake, you¡¯re probably breeding already.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± I squeak, not sure I heard him correctly. Bastien rolls his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re in heat, Selene.¡± The man seems determined to tell me things I already know this evening. ¡°So?¡± I exim, throwing my hands up. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. My mate appears to be praying for patience, bringing his palms together and speaking very deliberately, ¡°You¡¯re the most fertile you¡¯ll ever be, and we¡¯ve had unprotected sex a dozen times since it began.¡± I blindly reach behind me, seeking the edge of the ind to brace myself. Suddenly my knees feel like jelly. How could I have failed to connect those dots? Without contraception heat cycles almost always result in babies it¡¯s kind of the entire point. Blood is rushing in my ears, blocking out all other sounds with a loud whirring. I¡¯ve never considered having another pup. I wouldn¡¯ t have ever wanted one with anyone but Bastien and I never thought I¡¯d see him again. I try to picture what it would be like to go through a pregnancy now, how different it might be from the first time with Bastien by my side. I try to imagine having another pup, a sibling for L, maybe a little boy a miniature Bastien. Luna is swooning at the thought, and I have to admit I am too. Now that I know it¡¯s possible, I desperately want to have another child with Bastien, but I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m ready to do it right this minute. We still have a lot to figure out. L and I are still in danger what if I have another girl, another Vna in need of protection? There¡¯s something else, a niggling thought in the back of my mind. Bastien knew. He knew he might get me pregnant again. He seems to expect it, treating it like it¡¯s a foregone conclusion. What¡¯s more, we always used protection in the first year of our marriage, when having a baby would have been more traumatic for me than joyful. Narrowing my eyes at my mate, I push away from the counter, stalking towards him. ¡°Were you nning this?¡± I hiss, ¡°Have you been trying to get me pregnant? Did you see I had a child with Drake and need to nt one of your own to spite him and lock me down?¡± Bastien rubs the back of his neck, looking decidedly guilty. ¡°The thought did ur to me,¡± He admits, ¡°But in my defense, I thought you understood the situation.¡± ¡°You are unbelievable.¡± I dere hotly, ¡°I know you didn¡¯t believe I would thoughtlessly jump into such a bigmitment when things were so uncertain between us when we live in different cities! When my first pup is already endangered because of the blood I passed down to her!¡± Bastien reaches for me and I try to back out of his reach, but he¡¯s too fast. Before I know it the full length of my body is pressed against his, and his silver eyes are ring down at me. ¡°It¡¯s instinct, Selene.¡± He states sternly, ¡°It¡¯s my instinct to breed my mate, to mark what¡¯s mine and wipe away any remnants left behind by other wolves.¡± Goddess help me, but his words are starting to excite me again. ¡°I assumed your instincts were driving you to do the same.¡± Were they? I think. Was I subconsciously trying to seal our bond with another baby? Is all this lust really driven by that base instinct to continue my line? Of course it is. Luna tells me, I want another pup, I want to raise them with our mate. I¡¯m rarely angry with my wolf, but I am now. She might have known what was happening, but I didn¡¯t. I never even considered another child, I was too overwhelmed just coping with Bastien¡¯s reappearance in my life. ¡°Well they weren¡¯t!¡± Pushing against Bastien¡¯s chest and not moving an inch, I continue, ¡°I¡¯m terrified every single day about L and this bounty! I was already carrying her when I found out about it in Elysium. I would never intentionally try to breed with that kind of threat hanging over my head!¡± ¡°All the more reason for you toe home.¡± Bastien asserts, entirely unyielding. ¡°You belong in Elysium. You and L belong with me.¡± His massive hands squeeze my hips, and if you are carrying another pup, they¡¯ll belong with me too.¡± ¡°I know that!¡± i burst out, finally speaking my truth. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be apart from you! I don¡¯t want L to go another day without her father!¡± ¡°Then why are you fighting me, little wolf?¡± Bastien demands, emanating pure ferocity. ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to go back to being that person!¡± My throat scratches ufortably, and I can already hear the tears in my voice. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back to being weak and afraid and useless!¡± ¡°You were never weak.¡± Bastien growls, fire burning in his eyes. ¡°You survived things no other wolf could. You managed to hold onto your heart through years of torture and abuse.¡± He professes, ¡°And you were never useless. Not to me.¡± ¡°You know what I mean.¡± I hup, unable to meet his gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t want it to be like before. I don¡¯t want to be bullied by jealous she-wolves and sit idly by while you govern the pack.¡± Kissing my brow and gathering me to his chest, Bastien promises, ¡°That¡¯s not who we are anymore, baby.¡± ¡°Promise me it will be different.¡± I request in a small voice, ¡°Promise me it will be better.¡± ¡°I promise.¡± His deep voice wraps around me like an embrace, and even though my fear urges me not to believe him I can¡¯t help but trust my mate. Burying my head in his chest for one long moment to try and get hold of my tears, I make my decision. ¡±When do we leave?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 90 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Leaving Asphodel Bastien¡¯s pov My small family is gathered in Drake Cavanaugh¡¯s office. Selene and I sit across from the Eros Alpha with L bnced between ourps, preparing to announce our departure to Elysium. I was anticipating a scene, given the way things went when the other man found out i¡¯d imed Selene, however now I¡¯m not so sure. Everything was so chaotic after the kidnapping that I didn¡¯t pay attention to the way Drake was looking at Selene, but now the difference is striking. Whereas he used to eye my mate with unrequited longing, now he studies her with nothing but friendly warmth. I have a feeling I know the reason behind this sudden shift, and while I still harbor some resentment for the little she-wolf who helped kidnap my mate and pup, solving my Drake problem might just be worth my forgiveness. I know she was a victim in all this, but the fact remains that my pup almost died, and the father in me just can¡¯t get past that. I know Selene feels the same. ¡°I presume you¡¯vee to tell me you¡¯re leaving.¡± Drake prompts us, a sad smile on his handsome face. ¡°Yes.¡± Selene confirms, squeezing my hand. Before the week is out.¡± ¡°Well I can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t expect this.¡± Drake admits ruefully. ¡°But I¡¯m going to miss having you here.¡± He tells Selene, before looking down at L. ¡°And what am I going to do without my L bean?¡± L giggles and mbers down to dart across the room. Drake scoops her up and sits her on his knee, bouncing her enthusiastically while her peels ofughter ring out. This timest week the sight would have sent me into a green-eyed rage, but I¡¯m not bothered now that I know L is mine. Besides, when the girls were kidnapped Drake and I had to put aside our differences, recognizing that their safety was far more important than our pride or egos. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll ever be friends, but I do consider him an ally. Our affection for the she-wolves unites us in a way politics never could. ¡°Listen Drake,¡± Selene broaches, sounding emotional, ¡°I will never be able to repay you for everything you did for me. You saved my life so many times I¡¯ve lost count, and in helping me you saved L too.¡± She¡¯s right. If nothing else, I have to be grateful to Drake for taking care of my mate all these years, no matter how badly the idea makes me want to throw something. ¡°You¡¯ve been an incredible friend to me from the day we met.¡± Selene continues. ¡°I know things are a little difficult right now, but you have to know how grateful I am. And how much I care about you.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Drake¡¯s expression goes very serious, and he looks straight at me now, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the way I reacted to your im. It wasn¡¯t right, and not only because of the disrespect it showed you.¡± His emerald eyes turn to Selene. ¡°I was wrong. I thought I was in love with you, because you¡¯re so wonderful my wolf couldn¡¯t see anyone else.¡± He smiles, and I¡¯d recognize that look anywhere. This is a wolf who¡¯s found his mate. ¡°Sophie?¡± I suggest, causing Selene to stare up at me in surprise, before swinging her expectant gaze back and forth between us. ¡°Sophie.¡± Drake confirms, beaming. ¡°She¡¯s still recovering, but when the time is right..* Heat infuses his tone, and I can practically read his thoughts. They¡¯re the veryst thing any man should be contemting when holding a pup. Clearing my throat loudly, I drag his attention back to the present. Selene frowns with concern, ¡°Drake, are you sure?¡± Protectively cuddling L closer, he answers, ¡°You know it was never her will to hurt anyone, don¡¯t you?¡± His brow furrows with pain and anger, ¡°Martin was hurting her for a long time.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± Selene says stiffly, ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t me her if she¡¯d onlye after me.¡± A growl bubbles up in my chest before! can stop it, and my sweet mate leans into my side, bombarding me with her scent. ¡°But I hope you understand why I can¡¯t forgive herpletely.¡± ¡°I do.¡± Drake concedes,¡°Just as I hope you can understand why I can¡¯t hold her at fault.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± I announce before Selene can answer. My mate could burn down a convent and I wouldn¡¯t be able to hold it against her. That¡¯s the way of fated mates. The bond is wonderful and impossible all at once. ¡°Thank you.¡± Drake bows his head. Selene opens her mouth to argue, and I drop my lips to her ear. ¡°How would you feel if it were me?¡± My mate throws me a sulky look, but settles without further protestation. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I have to ask you before we can put all this behind us.¡± I broach carefully. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Drake encourages. ¡°I don¡¯t want us to part on uneven footing any more than you do.¡± It¡¯s amazing how much I can respect the other Alpha when he¡¯s not drooling over my mate. ¡°We¡¯re still not sure what happened with the DNA test.¡± I exin, ¡°Did you have anything to do with it?¡± Cavanaugh looks every bit as concerned as I feel. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t know anything about it until the results came back.¡± He starts bouncing L again, distracting her as our conversation grows tense, ¡°You had them run in Elysium, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I confirm, ¡°And I know it wasn¡¯t the courier.¡± Given that the courier was my mother, who just yesterday told me she¡¯d figured out L was mine even before the kidnapping. ¡°Maybe the sample was simply contaminated in theb.¡± Selene suggests, not sounding like she believes it. Shaking my head, I caress her velvety arm. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, little wolf.¡± I wish I could shield her from this, but she needs to know what we¡¯re up against. ¡°Someone in Elysium has been undermining me for years. I think this is more of the same.¡± ¡°Ar¨¡be.¡± Selene immediately reminds me, ¡°Arabe was undermining you for years.¡± ¡°She was already gone by the time the sample made it to the city.¡± I remind her. ¡°I know,¡± Selene agrees, ¡°But maybe she wasn¡¯t working alone.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask in befuddlement, ¡°She wanted you out of the way so I would be free to marry her, what good would it do to sabotage me?¡± Selene¡¯s brow knits up in thought, and I have to resist the urge to smooth out the wrinkles. She looks so cute, but I don¡¯t want her to think I¡¯m not taking her seriously. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ve been assuming the wrong motive.¡± She suggests. ¡°Arabe always seemed like she was more interested in power than in you like you were simply a means to an end. If she wanted to control the Nova pack and you made it clear it wasn¡¯t going to happen through marriage, maybe she would just try to get you out of the waypletely align herself with whoever has been working against you all this time.¡± It¡¯s an interesting thought, and though it goes against my preconceived notions, I have to admit it makes sense. Arabe stoppeding onto me a long time ago, after I rejected her one too many times. Did I misconstrue her advances? Did I really know so little about Flynn¡¯s baby sister? ¡°Either way I think you¡¯ve got a very serious situation on your hands,¡± Drake assesses, looking reluctant, ¡°Are you sure going back to Elysium is the safest option?¡± Selene instinctively snuggles close to me, her unease absolutely palpable. She¡¯s watching L like she wants to grab the pup out of Drake¡¯s arms, so I press a few reassuring kisses to her temple. ¡°We¡¯re a family.¡± I reply, we need to be together.¡± Drake nods in understanding. ¡°Well, you know you always have allies in Asphodel.¡± He grins at L, who is now ying with his wolf-shaped paperweight. And a second home, should you ever need one.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Selene says again, leaving the couch to go hug Drake and retrieve our pup, ¡°You¡¯re wee in Elysium anytime.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll miss you.¡± He squeezes her tightly and hands over L, ¡°both of you.¡± For the first time, L seems to realize she won¡¯t be able to see her beloved uncle every day. ¡°Uncle Rake¡¯s noting to Lysium?¡± A pang of regret ms into me. We¡¯ve told L that she¡¯ll be moving, but I don¡¯t think she truly understands. After all, what toddler could? How much is she going to miss Asphodel the only home she¡¯s ever known? What if she doesn¡¯t like Elysium? We don¡¯t have water and exciting animals, only caves and endless forests. ¡°No my darling,¡± Selene tells her gently, ¡°but he¡¯s going to visit. Isn¡¯t he?¡± She questions pointedly. ¡°Absolutely.¡± He agrees, kissing L¡¯s soft cheek. ¡°And we can talk whenever you want.¡± This seems to satisfy my pup, though I fear she still doesn¡¯t realize what all this means. I¡¯m thest to depart, hanging back with Drake while Selene takes L downstairs. ¡°You¡¯ll keep an eye out for the bounty?¡± I prompt. ¡°Every day.¡± He vows, shaking my hand. ¡°But you can¡¯t keep this up forever, Bastien. Sooner orter you¡¯re going to have to deal with ise.¡± His gaze shifts to the doorway through which my mate just exited, ¡°They¡¯ll never be safe until you do.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I sigh with resignation. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 91 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Coming Home Selene¡¯s pov Leaving Asphodel is harder than I imagined. I¡¯ve been homesick for Elysium ever since I left, but I have so many fond memories here. This is where L took her first steps and said her first words, this is where her young life began. Bastien seems to sense my sadness, he¡¯s been hovering over me all morning in the agitated way men do when they¡¯re faced with a problem they don¡¯t know how to solve. I think he feels guilty for putting his foot down about the move, but not guilty enough to dy it. I suppose prolonging the ordeal would only make things worse anyway. L is actually taking this better than anyone, though I don¡¯t know how long that¡¯s going tost. She¡¯s been running around the docks while the men pack the boat, saying goodbye to all the fish and manatees, hugging her favorite buildings and even attempting to crawl into the mangroves to kiss them farewell. I almost fell into the canal pulling her back, which would have been the perfect end to a very stressful week. Though it was probably foolish of me to live in a city like this without learning to swim, I¡¯ve never been able to get over my fear of drowning. Not since I fell into the pool the night Drake and I met. With much cajoling and even a few tears, the Eros Alpha convinced me to let him teach L, but I was never able to get back in the water myself. At least that will be one less thing to worry about in Elysium. I can trade my concerns about dying in a watery grave for ones about ise Denizen and faceless enemies lurking in the shadows. How lucky am I? Bastien loops his big arm around my shoulders when all of my belongings are finally stowed in the hull of our chartered ferry, ¡°It¡¯s time, baby.¡± mping my eyes shut to try and ward off the inevitable tears, I nod. ¡°Come on L bean,¡± I say, bundling her into my arms, and takingfort in her pure scent. ¡°It¡¯s time for a new adventure.¡± I can only pray it¡¯s less eventful than ourst one. Bastien¡¯s pov I feel like an absolute ogre. Selene¡¯s obvious sorrow as we float away from Asphodel makes me want to rake myself over hot coals. I hate knowing I¡¯m the one who put that pained expression on her face, and even worse is knowing there¡¯s not a damned thing I can do to fix it. The city is growing smaller and smaller across thegoon, and even L¡¯s exuberant mood seems to have be subdued. I imagine it feels very different to talk about leaving, than it does to actually watch the only home you¡¯ve ever known fade into the distance, especially at such a young age. Axel whines as L¡¯s lower lip begins to quiver, ¡°Mommy, wee back?¡± She asks shakily. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°One day.¡± Selene promises, trying to soundposed. Tucking her more securely under my arm, I give shoulders a reassuring squeeze. ¡°Next week?¡± L asks hopefully. ¡°No angel,¡± I can hear the strain in my mate¡¯s voice,¡±it¡¯s going to be a while before we can visit, but you¡¯re going to love Elysium.¡± She says, redirecting the pup¡¯s train of thought. There are forests as far as the eye can see, plus whole mountains to explore and a beautifulke. I¡¯m going to take you to all my favorite ces.¡± ¡°And we live with Daddy?¡± L chirps, sessfully distracted. ¡°Yes.¡± I answer for Selene, leaning down to kiss my daughter¡¯s nose. ¡°We¡¯re all going to live together and be very happy.¡± Internally I¡¯m keeping my fingers crossed, desperately hoping that this is a promise I¡¯ll be able to keep. I don¡¯t know how the pack is going to respond to Selene¡¯s return, in fact I have a bad feeling more than one person will have something to say about her hiding L¡¯s existence from the pack. Nheless I¡¯m determined to make things better for her this time. I won¡¯t stand for anyone making her life difficult. I¡¯m still haunted by her words in the hospital: those hopeless questions about why she¡¯s experienced so much hardship, her fear that L¡¯s path will be as difficult as hers. Despite all this, despite my guilt over failing her sopletely, I¡¯m overjoyed to be bringing my mate home. The house hasn¡¯t been the same since Selene left and I never thought I would see her again, let alone live with her. It¡¯s as if the Goddess delved into all of my wildest dreams and manifested them into reality. Sometimes I still have to pinch myself just to be sure this is all real. I¡¯m eager to return home for other reasons too, not the least of which is getting away from this strange floating city. I don¡¯t know how the Eros wolves can be so happy surrounded by water. I don¡¯t feel right unless I¡¯m in the mountains, and it makes me horribly restless to be so far from the woonds. Then there¡¯s the pack. I always feel uneasy leaving for more than a few days, even though I know the council has been taking care of things in my stead. I would have heard if anything was going wrong at home, but I¡¯ll still feel better once I¡¯m back in Elysium where I belong. More importantly, there are answers in Elysium: Answers about the forged DNA tests; answers about how my mate survived Arabe¡¯s fire; how her death was faked without her knowledge. Neutralizing the threat ise Denizen poses is my number one priority, but none of the things that have gone wrong thesest few years have been his doing. From the day my father was murdered, something has been very wrong in my city, and I¡¯m only just discovering how deep the rifts plunge. Selene L and I sleep through most of the car ride to Elysium, still recovering from everything that has happened in thest few weeks. There were a couple of tears when we finally began our journey on land, but L loves the car so much that her sadness was short lived. For a while I entertained myself by simply watching her take in the world whirring past the windows, but her mid-afternoon nap put an end to that. Before I knew it I was falling asleep too, dozing to the soft music emanating from the radio and the feel of Bastien¡¯s steady hand on my thigh. It¡¯s dark by the time I wake, confusing my bleary eyes as I return to consciousness. Looking around to try and figure out what disturbed my slumber, my attention quicklynds on Bastien, who is leaning over me with a tender smile. No longer ensconced in the driver¡¯s seat, my mate is standing in the open passenger door, looking impossibly handsome. ¡°Poor baby.¡± He croons, ¡°You were tired.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± I moan reluctantly, ¡°why did you wake me?¡± His warm chuckle envelopes me as I stretch, ncing behind me to check on L who isn¡¯t there. The car seat is empty, and I turn back to Bastien in confusion, absorbing our surroundings for the first time. We¡¯re not in Elysium, and we¡¯re not at a restaurant or hotel. The vehicles bearing all my boxes appear to have gone ahead, while our car and the one transporting Aiden, Donovan and Odette remains here on the side of some remote mountain. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, L is with my mother. Getting ready.¡± My mate shares before I can ask. Rxing slightly, it takes a moment for his words to sink in, ¡°Getting ready for what?¡± ¡°Well,¡± He replies with a secretive grin, ¡°there¡¯s one more thing we have to do before we go home.¡± ¡°What? No, we did everything I¡¯m sure of it.¡± I argue, flipping through my mental checklist for the move. I crossed off everyst task from our to-do list before we left, made sure everything was ounted for. I¡¯m certain we didn¡¯t forget a thing. ¡°Not everything.¡± Bastien corrects me with that same smile. Suddenly I realize why he looks so dashing at the moment he¡¯s wearing a suit, a suit he definitely wasn¡¯t wearing earlier. ¡°Selene,¡± Bastien continues, taking my hand and kneeling down. ¡°Three and a half years ago, on the absolute worst day of my entire life, you rejected me.¡± There¡¯s a decidedly haunted look in his molten irises, and pain swells in my chest as I remember those horrible moments in the burning cabin, ¡°I never epted it, but I think we¡¯re in need of a fresh start even so.¡± My heart thumps a little bit more loudly as I develop an inkling of hope. Is he saying what I think he is? ¡°You are the love of my life; the twin half of my soul; the mother of my pup.¡± Bastien professes deeply, ¡°I never want to spend another day apart from you, and I never want you to doubt how desperately I adore you.¡± Unable to take so many sweet words, I lean forward to kiss my mate, but he catches my face between his powerful hands, staring deep into my eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t do right by you the first time around, but I¡¯m determined to do right this time, little wolf.¡± Bastien¡¯s voice is hoarse with emotion, ¡°We¡¯ve been through a lot, but I don¡¯t want to live in the past anymore. I want to put all the pain and sadness behind us and start our new life together the way we should have started it in the beginning.¡± ¡°Selene,¡± He says my name like a prayer, ¡°Will you marry me again?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 92 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Vow Renewal Bastien¡¯s pov At first I wasn¡¯t sure springing a vow renewal on Selene was a good idea. She doesn¡¯t tend to do well with surprises, but my mother convinced me that this surprise would be well received. It just goes to show you should always listen to your mother when you¡¯ve got one like mine anyway. Selene is beaming, her blue and violet eyes shining and hair still disheveled from sleep. Sliding her hands around my neck she asks, ¡°Can I kiss you now?¡± Sweeping my thumb over an escaped tear, I purr, ¡°You have to answer me first.¡± Selene giggles joyfully, ¡°Of course of course I¡¯ll marry you again.¡± I don¡¯t wait for her to kiss me, instead swooping in and pulling her from the car. Hitching her up against me, I finally dip my head to join our lips, nting my mouth over hers and drinking her in. I only intended it to be a quick prelude, a sample of what is toeter. Instead I find myself getting lost in my mate, extracting kiss after kiss from her swollen lips and groaning when her delectable tongue slips into my mouth. ¡°Come on, you two.¡± An amused voice sounds behind us, ¡°that¡¯s for after the wedding.¡± Turning, I find my mother dressed in an elegant silver gown, watching us with unabashed delight and holding L by the hand. My pup is wearing a pristine though I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t stay that way for long white dress with a silky pink sash tied around her waist. She¡¯s twisting left and right so the filming skirts float around her like a bell and grinning up at us. ¡°Oh L!¡± Selene exims, pushing at my chest to signal I should put her down. Of course I don¡¯t. I wait until she turns a little re on me and give her onest thorough smooch before setting her on her feet, sending her off with a swat to her behind. Her head whips around when my hand connects, her long dark hair flipping and shining in the moonlight. I think she probably meant to re again, but she can only smile, eyes twinkling with carnal amusement. When she reaches our daughter she oohs and ahs, ¡°Come here munchkin, let me see this beautiful dress.¡± She twirls the pup around before scooping her up and kissing her tiny hands, making little nibbling noises as she says, ¡°You look so pretty I could just eat you up!¡± Lughs and chirps, showing her mother all the flourishes and details on the frock before bouncing up and down with unrestrained glee. ¡°You get married now?¡± ¡°She has to get dressed first.¡± Mom says, brushing a strand of hair from Selene¡¯s eyes, ¡°It won¡¯t be your original gown, but I think I¡¯ve found something equally lovely.¡± ¡°Thank you Odette,¡± Selene murmurs, pressing a kiss to Mom¡¯s cheek, ¡°and you look stunning, by the way.¡± ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Mom waves her off as they retreat towards the changing tents we set up earlier, ¡°You know, I remember the days when people used to make a fuss like that over me.¡± She teases, nodding towards L. ¡°So do ,¡± Selene jokes, but I think our glory days have passed, my L bean just shows everyone else up- don¡¯t you angel?¡± L nods firmly, and theirughter lingers long after they disappear from sight. Selene ¡°Mommy, you look like a princess.¡± L murmurs in awe. ¡°Thank you, my love.¡± I reply with a grin. I have to admit, I do look like something out of one of her story books. My reflection glitters in the long mirror someone managed to cart into the tent. The first time I got married my dress was wispy and ethereal: a gauzy, fragile thing exactly like I was. This time Odette found a creation that seems to have been spun from threads of pure moonlight. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it. The pearlescent fabric hugs my modest curves, the neckline plunging to my waist and thin straps leaving my back and sides almostpletely bare. The skirt billows out into a cascade of shimmering chiffon, with a modest train that flows behind me as I walk. It¡¯s still delicate, but where my first gown looked like it would dissolve in water and made me feel like a child ying dress up, this one is anything but. The fragile looking straps support the full weight of the garment, belying their appearance with untold strength, and the risque cut announces loud and clear that I¡¯m a woman grown. I feel powerful and beautiful in a way I rarely have before, and I can¡¯t thank Odette enough. ¡°Enough.¡± She says after my third outpouring of thanks, ¡°let¡¯s not waste all this beauty on us. Your mate is waiting.¡± My heart is pounding as we leave the tent, but it stopspletely when I see the altar. What I took as a deserted mountainside is anything but. Below the tent, an enchanted woond sprawls, wreathed in fairy lights and wildflowers. Lanterns cast glowing amber light over the petal- strewn pathway at my feet, which winds down to a shaded meadow lined with towering trees. And at the center of it all is a simple stone altar, where my mate now stands looking up at me with the exact awe-struck expression our daughter wore moments ago. Odette and L are already down below, and I begin my descent with electricity pulsing through my veins. Bastien¡¯s expression has gone from worshipful to ravenous and possessive, then back again at least three times. I can¡¯t take my eyes off him, and I can feel his passion for me as keenly as I feel my own desire. I can¡¯t recall ever being happier than I am in this moment. Even L¡¯s birth was tainted by my mate¡¯s absence, but here we all are together atst. This is how it was always meant to be, I realize. If it hadn¡¯t been for Arabe and Garrick, if there were no ise Denizens and no scheming saboteurs, this might have been how our life was from the beginning. Bastien and I would have met in some perfectly innocuous way. I wouldn¡¯t have needed three years of coddling and struggle just to be rejected. I wouldn¡¯t have been forced to live as a shadow myself for so long, or be separated from my soulmate when we needed each other most. We would have gathered at an altar just like this, pledged ourselves to each other and weed L¡¯s arrival with nothing but joy. We would never have to run, never have to look over our shoulders for bloodthirsty Vna hunters. For a moment the unfairness of it all rises up from a bitter well inside of me. Why couldn¡¯t that be our life, our story? Why did we have to go through all this pain just to get here? I think Bastien can sense the direction of my thoughts it seems like he¡¯s able to do that more and more since he marked me because he walks to greet me at the bottom of the makeshift steps, pure love radiating from his handsome face. ¡°You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.¡± He tells me reverently, taking my hand as I descend into the meadow. His arms snake around me in a protective cage when Ind on the mossy floor, and then his lips are at my ear, ¡°Don¡¯t think about what might have been, sweetheart.¡± He encourages, ¡°Think only about what lies ahead. We have a lifetime of happiness ahead of us, and we¡¯ll appreciate it all the more because of how hard it was to get here.¡± Leaning into his warmth, I nod in agreement. He¡¯s right. There¡¯s no use dwelling on the things we cannot change, and this moment is all the sweeter because of how hard we fought to get here. So I let Bastien lead me down the aisle where the small gathering of shifters await, and feel nothing but joy as we start our lives together once more. We say our vows under the full moon and stars, reaffirming ourmitment to love and cherish each other for the rest of our days, and kissing to the raucous cheers of our family and friends. I¡¯m crying by the time it¡¯s over, and even Bastien looks like he might shed a tear. But then the time for pretty words and human traditions is over, and we look to the forest to seal our bond in a way we¡¯ve only done once before. Bastien guides me out of the clearing and down the hill, before pressing me up against an ancient tree and kissing me senseless. My mate strips my gown off of me with relentless patience, kissing, licking and nibbling every inch of flesh he bares and driving me absolutely out of my mind with need. With a wolfish grin, Bastien pulls away from me, and I realize I¡¯m not going to get what I crave for a long time toe. ¡°Time to shift little wolf.¡± He announces huskily. Oh I¡¯ll shift all right, I think mutinously, I¡¯ll give him the chase of his life for denying me this way. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Without offering him any warning, I transform and take off into the night, running as fast as my four legs can carry me. Bliss bubbles up inside of me when I here my mate howling in the distance, warning me that the hunt has begun. Bastien is chasing me now, and Goddess, I can¡¯t wait to be caught. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 93 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 93 Chapter 93 The Honeymoon is Over Selene¡¯s POV In the dawning light of early morning, Bastien and l emerge from the forest, dressed in our wedding garb once more. L and Aiden are already awake, though the Beta looks like he would rather have slept in. I¡¯m sure the excitement of her first camping trip rendered L incapable of staying in bed for a single moment longer than she had to, and her uncle Aiden must have been the weak link among her babysitters. He¡¯s rubbing his eyes, clearly regretting caving to L¡¯s adventurous whims. She¡¯s currently seated beside him in front of the campfire, but she has the squirrelly energy of a pup who¡¯s been told she can¡¯t go y until she finishes her breakfast. When she sees us, L looks askance at our disheveled state. ¡°Mommy you¡¯re dirty.¡± Her little head tilts to the side as she takes in the sight of my muddy limbs beneath my dress. Bastien isn¡¯t any cleaner, but his suit covers him a hundred times better than my gown. ¡°What were you doing?¡± .. Her question makes me flush, less from embarrassment than the heated memories of our wedding night. I can still hear the predatory howls of my mate echoing in my head. I can still feel the wind on my face as I flew through the trees, my pulse racing faster the closer his howls drew. I didn¡¯t make it easy for Bastien. I evaded him for as long as I could, but he cornered me in a sunken stream bed and pinned me to the ground, refusing to let me up until I surrendered. I went from showing him my furry belly to lying beneath the massive ck wolf in my human form, feeling impossibly vulnerable with the vicious beast looming over me. When I reached for his velvety muzzle Bastien transformed back to a man, though he took me with such raw, animalistic vigor that I wondered just how close to the surface his wolf remained. He ravished mepletely, rutting me right there on the ground then up against a tree in the shallow stream on the ground again. Eventually I had to shift back into my wolf and snarl at him just to give my poor body a break. Thankfully my insatiable husband took mercy on me, at least I thought he had. No sooner had I returned to my human form than Bastien coaxed me into letting him take a look at my tender sex, but I put a stop to his mischief the moment his tongue came out to soothe me¡± as he put it. ¡°We were celebrating.¡± Bastien answers L, noting my distraction with a smug smirk. ¡°That¡¯s one word for it.¡± Aiden snorts under his breath. ¡°Celbrating how?¡± L¡¯s pert nose crinkles in confusion, but a momentter her features light up as she arrives at a possible exnation for all the mud, ¡°jumping in puddles?¡± ¡°No my love,¡± Iugh. Jumping in puddles is L¡¯s all time favorite pastime. ¡°We let our wolves out to y.¡± This announcement sends L into a tizzy. She abandons her breakfast and runs up to Bastien, who crouches down to her height and pulls her in for a cuddle before she can ask her question. L only indulges him a moment, quickly wriggling free and bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. ¡°Daddy, I want a wolf ride!¡± Now it¡¯s my turn to feel smug. That¡¯ll teach him not to waste all his energy trying to rut me into aa. ¡°Hmm,¡± Bastien pretends to think, rubbing his chin with his thumb and forefinger. ¡°What¡¯s the magic word?¡± ¡°Please!¡± L immediately begs, please, please, please!¡± ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡± Bastien praises her, straightening up to unbutton his shirt while L dances around in triumph. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. With the sound of my daughter¡¯s high pitched, ¡°yaaaayyyy!¡± ying in the background, I study the worn lines around Bastien¡¯s rugged countenance. Unlike me, he didn¡¯t get to nap through yesterday afternoon. He drove all day and was up all night, and now he¡¯s paying the price. ¡°I bet you regret not sleeping now.¡± I sing in a told you so sort of tone. My mate arches a challenging brow and drags me up against him, taking my mouth in a demanding kiss. His soft lips are relentless, and his skilled tongue teases my mouth open and thrusts inside with long, sensuous strokes that evoke thoughts of a very different organ. Despite my soreness, Bastien¡¯s dominance makes my thighs clench, trying to soothe the ache he¡¯s creating at their apex. He doesn¡¯t release me until I¡¯m panting with need, a devilish glint in his silver eyes as he replies, ¡°Not in the least.¡± It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m starving and worn out, or I might be tempted to pull Bastien away for another round. Instead I go sit with Aiden by the fire, shoveling pancakes into my mouth and watching the giant wolf I married gallop around the meadow with L on his back. I¡¯m sure the peels of her joyousughter are going to wake Odette and Donovan, but the sound is simply too sweet to interrupt. When the older wolves emerge from their tents, I know they feel the same. Their smiles are every bit as wide as mine, and I wish this moment could never end. Bastien¡¯s POV Oh how I wish this moment would end. Don¡¯t get me wrong, under any other circumstances, I would be delighted to do this for hours. I would be thrilled to be L¡¯s pony orpdog, or anything else she wanted me to be-but Goddess am I tired. Still, I can¡¯t bring myself to put an end to the game until she¡¯s had her fill. Selene thinks I¡¯m going to spoil the pup, and she¡¯s absolutely right at least when ites to my time and affection. I have three years of absence to make up for. Besides, no one ever turned rotten from too many snuggles. When L¡¯s little arms get too tired to hold on any longer, I slow to a stop, kneeling so she can slide off my back. Once she¡¯s clear, I copse onto my side with an exaggerated huff, letting my tongue loll out and panting dramatically. ¡°Uh-oh.¡± I crack one eye open to see Aiden standing next to L. ¡°I think you¡¯ve done him in, little one.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± She asks curiously. ¡°Well he¡¯s too exhausted to move!¡± My Beta exims before adopting a somber tone, ¡°we might have to leave him here.¡± ¡°He is heavy.¡± L remarks sagely, ¡°but we can¡¯t leave Daddy.¡± ¡°No?¡± Aiden inquires with a smile in his voice, ¡°Ah well, I suppose the pack does need an Alpha.¡± My friend leans down and takes hold of my back legs. ¡°Okay L, grab a paw, we¡¯re going to have to drag him back to the car.¡± Two small hands circle my right foot, and I feel a light tug on the limb. She¡¯s probably pulling with all her might, but it feels about as strong as a light breeze. Aiden, of course, has no intention of dragging me anywhere, instead letting L bear the brunt of the task. ¡°Are you pulling?¡± I hear her ask, voice full of usation. ¡°Of course I am,¡± He sounds offended, and the gentle tugging on my front leg resumes. Around the time I hear the pup begin to grunt with the force of her efforts, I open my eyes and pounce, smothering her in big, slobbering wolf kisses while she giggles and squeals beneath me. I scent Selene a momentter, turning to watch the stunning she-wolf approach. I don¡¯t know how she managed to get herself so clean, but she¡¯s free of mud and wearing a fresh dress. She eyes our pup, who is still giggling in the grass, before raising her eyes to me and crossing her arms over her chest. ¡°What was the idea, Bastien? To get her as muddy as we were?¡± Looking down at L, I realize she is indeed very muddy. I exchange a wide, canine grin with my daughter, before offering my mate an apologetic shrug. Sheughs softly and rolls her eyes, shaking her head in exasperation. ¡°Come on pup, we need to get you cleaned up before we leave.¡± Selene says, extending her hand to L. I let the toddler wrap her arms around my neck and pull her to her feet, before nudging her towards her mother with my nose. However L doesn¡¯t move. ¡°I want keep ying.¡± She argues, pouting. ¡°I know angel,¡± Selene answers, taking her resistance in stride. ¡°but we have to go soon and your Daddy needs a rest.¡± ¡°No he doesn¡¯t.¡± L insists stubbornly, ¡°I don wanna go anyway.¡± ¡°L,¡± Selene begins in a warning tone. ¡°You¡¯ll have plenty of time to yter. Be a good girl and come along.¡± L stomps her tiny foot. ¡°No.¡± I can feel a tantruming on, and rumble low in my chest, giving the pup another nudge forward. She turns to scowl at me, seeming to forget that I am not actually her pony but a very powerful predator. Her eyes widen when she sees my stern expression, and she instinctively lowers her gaze. I press my muzzle into her soft tummy, encouraging her to go to her mother. L sps her hands on either side of my snout, giving me world-ss puppy dog eyes, ¡°I wanna keep ying.¡± She begs in a small voice. Devious little thing, I think. Mommy says no, so you ask Daddy instead. I shake my furry head, and L¡¯s pitiful expression scrunches up into one full of rage. Her cheeks flush bright red and before know it, she¡¯s thrown herself on the ground at my feet. Before she can begin crying and beating the earth with her balled up fists, I carefully close my teeth around the back of her shirt, and lift her into the air. The pup freezes, looking around in befuddled shock for a few moments before resuming her tantrum. I carry the angry bundle over to Selene, who receives her with practiced ease. I shift back to human form and drop a kiss on my mate¡¯s cheek, ¡°I¡¯lle help as soon as I¡¯m decent.¡± I promise. However before I can walk away, my pup turns her furious, tear-stained face to me, ¡°I don like you anymore.¡± She snaps before resuming her attempts to squirm out of Selene¡¯s arms. I know pups say all sorts of things they don¡¯t mean when they¡¯re upset, but I¡¯m amazed at how deeply her words cut me. I feel like the air has been knocked out of my lungs. Selene emits a heavy sigh, ¡°I guess the honeymoon is over.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 94 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Elysium Bastien¡¯s POV By the time I¡¯m clean and dressed in fresh clothes, L¡¯s tantrum has subsided. I find her and Selene by the campfire, the pup sniffling softly against her mother¡¯s neck. Selene trails a gentle hand up and down L¡¯s back, somehow soothing her and scolding her all at once. ¡°I know it¡¯s a lot of big changes and it¡¯s all happening very fast,¡± She murmurs, kissing L¡¯s hair. ¡°it probably seems like all of these things are happening around you and you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, just that all the grown ups are telling you that everything¡¯s going to be different and you don¡¯t have a say in any of it.¡± L nods, rubbing her wet, salty skin over Selene¡¯s cor. A wave of guilt washes over me. Here I thought her tantrum was just regr toddler mood swings I took it at face value, but Selene knew instantly. I wonder if it¡¯s maternal intuition, or simply experience and knowing the pup so much better than I do. A few weeks ago I would have felt bitter about her advantage with L, but now I simply feel wretched for causing my daughter distress. Maybe L was right to say she doesn¡¯t like me anymore, it sounds like I deserved it. ¡°It¡¯s alright to feel upset or scared or angry.¡± My mate continues, ¡°I feel the same way sometimes, but you know better than to say mean things simply because you¡¯re feeling out of sorts. You hurt your Daddy¡¯s feelings.¡± ¡°I didn mean it.¡± L moans piteously. ¡°I know angel, but words are very powerful.¡± Selene exins, rocking her gently. ¡°You can¡¯t take them back, saying sorry doesn¡¯t make someone forget that you thought those things in the first ce. And that hurts.¡± ¡°Is he mad at me?¡± the pup hups weakly. My wife meets my gaze over our daughter¡¯s head, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him?¡± She suggests. Moving to sit next to Selene, I rest my hand on L¡¯s small head, prompting her to look up at me tearfully. ¡°Poor pup, you¡¯ve had too much excitement haven¡¯t you?¡± L looks positively miserable, like she wants to reach for me but isn¡¯t sure if I¡¯ll take her. The thought nearly breaks my heart.¡±)¡± m sorry, Daddy.¡± She sobs. Pulling her out of Selene¡¯sp and wrapping her up tight in my arms, I answer,¡±I¡¯m sorry too, little one.¡± She¡¯s so tiny, so fragile ! have to remind myself not to squeeze her too tightly. ¡°Please don be m-mad at me.¡± She cries, holding onto me as tight as she can. It takes me a moment to pry her off my chest, but I need her to look at me when I say this, ¡°Listen to me very carefully, L.¡± I instruct seriously, staring into her two toned eyes. ¡°There is nothing you could ever do or say that will make me stop loving you. I might get angry or disappointed sometimes, but that¡¯s only because I care about you so much. You can alwayse to me, and you never need to worry that I¡¯ll turn you away, because that will never happen.¡± Her lower lip is still quivering, but she no longer looks so anxious. ¡°Just like Mommy?¡± ¡°Just like Mommy.¡± I confirm, looking to Selene and searing her with my gaze so she¡¯ll know I¡¯m not only talking about a parent¡¯s love, but a mate¡¯s as well. In some ways it¡¯s harder with Selene because L has only ever known love, so it¡¯s easier for her to ept these concepts. Four little words drag my attention back to my pup, the four most perfect words that I¡¯ve ever heard. ¡°I love you, Daddy.¡± My mate¡¯s miniature is looking up at me bashfully, with red eyes and a red nose, her plump limbs still smeared with mud. Her tantrum is all but forgotten, and her promation washes away the hurt I was feeling a little while ago. I feel like my heart has swollen three sizes. ¡°I love you too, L.¡± Selene¡¯s POV Though we got through L¡¯s fit with rtive ease, I was right to think our honeymoon was over. Our wedding and makeshift campsite was only an hour outside of Elysium, so the final leg of the trip was swift and easy. Our arrival was another story. My breath caught the first time I glimpsed the beautiful city over the ridge of the North mountain, in fact I was so mesmerized by the sight that I temporarily lost the ability to speak. Luna had been ecstatic to be back in the fresh alpine airst night, but returning to Elysium makes me feel like a fish that has been trying to survive onnd and finally made it back to the water. You might think I never wanted to see Elysium again after everything I went through with Garrick, but his dank basement was a world away from the incredible city where I spent my childhood. That dark cell was the exact opposite of the wide open greenspaces and towering mountain peaks dominating the Nova territory. Making it out into the city is what saved me. Elysium is where I found my freedom, where I met my mate. Bastien and I had three years of happiness here before Arabe returned, and even her horrid influence can¡¯t poison those early memories. More than anything else, I think thisnd is simply in my blood. My mother might have fled the Calypso pack, but they are mountain wolves too Elysium is my element, pure and simple. ¡°Look L,¡± Bastien pointed out the window, ¡°there it is your new home.¡± ¡°Elysium?!¡± She eximed. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± He confirmed warmly, reaching over to stroke my nape as I navigated the twisting mountain roads, ¡°and you see that big house right at the top of that ridge?¡± ¡°Uh-huh!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the pack house. That¡¯s where you¡¯re going to live.¡± Bastien shared, sounding so happy that my insides melted. L continued asking questions and reveling in the scenery as we drove through the city gates and up the main road. However my own excitement dampened the further we ventured into Elysium. The news had clearly spread about my return and L¡¯s existence. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Bastien¡¯s sleek ck car has always been like a shing marquee announcing that the Alpha is away from the pack house. I¡¯ve never driven with him without half the city turning to stare and signal their respect, but it hadn¡¯t even been like this before. It seemed like the entire pack was lined up on the sidewalks awaiting our arrival. These weren¡¯t just intrigued nces or cursory salutes from wolves going about their business, these people were expecting a show. Luckily the windows were tinted so heavily that I didn¡¯t have to worry about anyone actually seeing inside the car, but I still felt the weight of their prying eyes. It didn¡¯t help that Bastien seemed taken aback by this development, though he hid his feelings better than I did. We forged up the serpentine streets towards the Pack House and Nova Hall, our wheels bumping over the cobblestones and further fraying my nerves. And the closer we came to our destination, therger the crowds grew. I tried to tell myself this was all because of L, because the pack wanted to see the Alpha¡¯s pup and nothing more. Of course then all I could think about was the fact that thousands of people would be gawking at my pup like some sort of circus animal an idea that made Luna snarl with maternal outrage. ¡°So many people!¡± L observed, making me wince. ¡°Bastien,¡± I¡¯d murmured nervously, unable topose a sentence or voice my concerns in front of my pup. ¡°Easy sweetheart,¡± He purred, massaging my tense shoulders, ¡°they¡¯re just curious.¡± Unfortunately the note of tension in his deep bass belied his cating words. He didn¡¯t believe what he was saying. Reporters and camera crews were assembled at the Pack House¡¯s security gate, and I breathed a little easier when we cleared the guardhouse and the gates closed behind us, safely locking out the medie. Of course, my relief vanished when we rounded the final corner of the drive, and the house came into view. Half of the elder council was gathered in the mansion¡¯s doorway, and they did not look pleased to see us. I pulled into the garage rather than parking out front, triggering the door close¡± button on the remote and waiting for the wide metal curtain to lowerpletely before stepping out of the car. I headed Bastien off before he could open the back door to extract L from her car seat, closing my hand over his on the handle. ¡°Tell me the truth, Bastien.¡± I begged, ¡°Why are they here?¡± He sighed, scrubbing his hand over his face. ¡°The truth is that I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not good is it?¡± | demanded. My husband studied me for a long moment before answering. ¡°No baby,¡± He acknowledged, sounding resigned. ¡°it isn¡¯t.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 95 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Wee Home Bastien¡¯s POV I¡¯m tempted to have Selene and L enter the house through the garage, bypassing the gathered councilors and going straight up to our apartment. However I know such a diversion would be seen only as weakness, and more than anything else, I refuse to give the men that kind of power over me. We¡¯ll enter through the front door with our heads held high and if I have to incapacitate everyst elder in order to do so, I dly will. Our small gathering exits the side door, moving down the walk towards the front of the house. Aiden and Donovan nk Selene and L while I stride ahead, bracing myself for whatever unpleasant news awaits. ¡°Gentlemen,¡± I greet the assemge without any hint of a smile, ¡°to what do we owe the pleasure.¡± They are all looking past me, surveying my mate and pup with undisguised curiosity and, in some cases, distrust. ¡°You¡¯ve been gone nearly a month, Alpha.¡± The chief elder states, ¡°And we¡¯ve heard nothing but oundish rumors from Asphodel though it appears at least one tale was true.¡± He acknowledges, nodding toward Selene. Extending my arm to my mate, I encourage her toe forward. She does so slowly, holding L tightly in her arms and instantly leaning into my side when she reaches me. ¡°As you can see, the Goddess has smiled on us.¡± I announce loudly enough for all to hear, ¡°By beloved mate is alive and well, and now that the danger which drove her from Elysium has passed, it is finally safe for her to return to the Nova pack along with my daughter.¡± A few of their eyes bulge out in shock, ¡°I thought the child was Cavanaugh¡¯s.¡± One of the newer council members blurts out. ¡°You were misinformed.¡± I dere stonily. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°With all due respect, Alpha.¡± The Chief Councilorinterjects, ¡°how can you be sure?¡± To my surprise and probably hers as well, Selene pipes up, ¡°Because I¡¯ve never been with anyone else.¡± She hitches L a little higher on her hip, ¡°And because Bastien is in her every expression.¡± L, suddenly finding herself the object of intense scrutiny from a horde of shifters, hides her face in Selene¡¯s neck. The movement jostles the neckline of Selene¡¯s dress, revealing my mark to the crowd. Muttering passes through the throng, and Axel mutters a string of curses in my head. ¡°And tell us,¡± The councilor implores, ¡°how did this miraclee to pass? We all believed your mate was dead.¡± ¡°I would be happy to exin everything to youter,¡± I rumble, ¡°But as you can see, we¡¯ve yet to even walk through the door after a very long trip. I would like to get my family settled and have a rest before we continue this discussion.¡± None of the gathered shifters move, ¡°Forgive us, Alpha.¡± The Chief continues, sounding like he wants nothing of the sort, ¡°But surely you cannot expect to turn up with a woman who has done nothing but deceive us all for years, and ask the pack to ept her as your mate without reservation.¡± ¡°Actually, I think you¡¯ll find I can.¡± I snarl, letting Axel rise to the surface. ¡°To do otherwise would be to question my judgment and I¡¯m certain that isn¡¯t what you intend.¡± Menace pouring out of me in waves, I release Selene and move forward to tower over the aged wolves. ¡°And if I were you, I would be very careful how you talk about my mate.¡± Invisible tails tucked between their legs, each of the gathered men lower their heads in submission, but the Chief continues to speak. ¡°No one doubts your judgment, Alpha.¡± I swear the man doesn¡¯t know when to stop. ¡°But matters of the heart can toy with even the most logical man¡¯s perceptions. Objectivity is impossible.¡± Sensing my quickly unraveling temper, my mother steps forward. ¡°Counselor, I would remind you that it is not only your Alpha who trusts Selene, but your Betas and I myself.¡± Ever the diplomat, she continues. ¡°But if you are so concerned, perhaps you could tell us what it is about these circumstances which bothers you most?¡± The Chief raises his head, though he still can¡¯t seem to meet my gaze, instead focusing somewhere in the vicinity of my chin. ¡°You put out a warrant for Arabe Winters, a she-wolf who has done nothing but help this pack while your mate faked her death,mitted arson and concealed the existence of your pup assuming she can be believed about the child¡¯s paternity.¡± My hand shoots out, grabbing the man around the throat and lifting him off the ground as a savage snarl tears from my chest, ¡°I warned you once, counselor.¡± I thunder, ¡°You should know better than to think I would grant you a second.¡± My ws extend and muscles begin to twitch as I fight the shift. The councilor ws at my iron grip around his throat gasping for air.¡± Arabe winters tried to murder my pregnant mate in cold blood on more than one asion, she almost seeded when she burned down my family¡¯s cabin. She is lucky she¡¯s only being exiled and not hunted!¡± The words are pouring out of me in a vicious flood, all the fury I¡¯ve been suppressing this past month finally detonating. ¡°My pup¡¯s life was endangered, and Selene did what was necessary to protect her. The entire pack should be grateful for the sacrifices she made to ensure the Alpha¡¯s line survived. And she is my line!¡± Donavon and Aiden are both by my side now, trying to cool my wrath and bnce my temper. This isn¡¯t the way, Bastien. Donavon says urgently, if you don¡¯t let him go soon you¡¯re going to kill him. Think of L. Aiden adds, do you want her to see you kill a man with your bare hands? This thought, more than any ethics or logic breaks through to Axel, and I drop the vile wolf where I stand. He crumples to the ground, holding his throat and coughing violently. ¡°Consider yourself relieved of your duties.¡± My voice is edged with steel. ¡°I never want to see you in the council chambers again.¡± Turning to check on my she-wolves, I find Selene and L wearing identical wide-eyed expressions. They seem surprised, rmed even, but not afraid. Reaching for my mate, I turn back to the cowering huddle of men, ¡°Now does anyone else want to object or can I take my family inside now?¡± They scatter like a herd of terrified gazelles, muttering apologies and begging forgiveness. ¡°I didn¡¯t think so.¡± I grouse, stepping right over the former Chief Counselor¡¯s prone body as we head into the house. ¡°Daddy¡¯s cranky.¡± L assesses, reaching towards me like she thinks a hug will help. ncing at Selene in amazement, I take the pup from my mate and settle her in my arms. Sure enough, she wraps her arms around my neck and rests her soft chest against my chest, snuggling close. I¡¯m so stunned I can¡¯t find the words to respond to her. Even if she is my blood, I don¡¯t know how any toddler could witness such a horrendous scene and not be afraid of me. The others are chuckling, ¡°Daddy is cranky.¡± Selene agrees in amusement, rubbing the tense muscles between my shoulder des. ¡°How do you think we can make him feel better?¡± L pulls away from me, surveying me with a serious expression. ¡°You should nap.¡± She finally decides. ¡°Naps always make it better, veen when you don wanna.¡± ¡°Such a smart girl,¡± Selene praises, but when I look over at her, the humor is gone and her countenance is drawn with concern. Her brows have knitted together and she¡¯s gnawing on her lower lip, though it¡¯s still swollen fromst night¡¯s kisses. Like a teenager at the height of puberty, the mere thought of our nocturnal activities distract me from the matter at hand, though to be honest I think I would jump at any distraction right now. ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who didn¡¯t sleepst night.¡± I remind Selene, letting some of my hunger for her that ravening need that remains constantly simmering beneath my skin when she¡¯s near seep into my voice. ¡°Maybe we should take one together.¡± Selene shakes off whatever unpleasant thoughts put that frown on her face, at least enough to offer me a rueful smile, ¡°I¡¯m not sure I trust your naps. Have you ever actually taken one?¡± ¡°Oh I¡¯ve taken many naps, little wolf.¡± I tease, ¡°You might even call me an expert.¡± ¡°Oh really?¡± She arches her brow, ¡°well now I think I need a demonstration.¡± ¡°dly.¡± I vow, opening the door to our apartment. After we get settled and put L down for her own nap, Selene leads me into the bedroom with a tender look in her eye. This is the first time we¡¯ve been back in this room together for three and a half years, but the heavy emotion in this moment is about so much more than our history. We both know this won¡¯t be like our usual love making: not yful and lighthearted, not rough and wild, not a steady give and take of dominance and submission. I¡¯m on edge after what happened downstairs, I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m in control and I don¡¯t want to be. I¡¯m exhausted from always keeping such a tight rein on myself; my emotions are swirling out of control and I feel like I¡¯ll go mad if I don¡¯t find some release. I need to be with my mate. I need to let go and disappear into my passion, to forget all my troubles and spend a moment lost in time with her. I know Selene is still sore fromst night, but I think she can see how desperately I need to be close to her right now. She takes off her dress and climbs onto the bed,ying herself out like a prize for the taking. Seeing her like this back in my bed where she belongs I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ve survived thest three and a half years without her. I haven¡¯t even touched her yet and already I feel some of the weight lifting from my heart. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so damn much.¡± I murmur hoarsely, standing over her. Selene¡¯s eyes soften, and she rises onto her knees and crawls towards me. ¡°Show me.¡± She implores, her nimble fingers undoing my shirt buttons. ¡°Come show me, Bastien.¡± That¡¯s all the invitation I need. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 96 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Headlines Selene¡¯s POV The day after we arrive home, Bastien is stuck in meetings from dawn to dusk. He barely made it home in time to read L her bedtime story, and when he emerges from her room half an hourter, he looks absolutely exhausted. I¡¯m waiting in the kitchen with a tumbler of scotch, but Bastien bypasses the alcoholpletely and wraps his big body around me like a nket. Burying his head in the curve of my neck, he pulls my hair out of its pins so that it falls around him in a chocte cascade. ¡°What happened?¡± I murmur, brushing my fingers through his thick hair. He inhales deeply, breathing in my scent and sighing with relief, before raising his head. There are dark circles under his eyes, but those molten irises are as sharp as ever when he studies my lips and moves in for a long, luxurious kiss. When he¡¯s had his fill, he tucks my head under his chin and clutches me to his chest. ¡°Nothing bad.¡± He shares, though in this position I can¡¯t see his face. ¡°It was just a really long day.¡± ¡°What did the elder council say?¡± I inquire, not wanting to bombard him with questions but incredibly anxious after what happened yesterday. It seemed bad enough that the city was rallying against me, thest thing we need is for them to turn against Bastien and somehow I imagine strangling the Chief Elder isn¡¯t going to earn him any brownie points. ¡°Believe it or not, Grigore wasn¡¯t exactly popr with his colleagues or the people.¡± Bastien exins, referring to the man by his given name now that he¡¯s been stripped of his position. ¡°Oh I believe it,¡± I snort. Finally setting me away from him, Bastien retrieves the ss of scotch, as well as the freshly microwaved te of leftovers ! prepared for him while he was reading to L. ¡°Apparently Arabe was working her charms on him for a while before she left, and our little weingmittee yesterday was the result of his outrage over her exile.¡± He continues, moving to the dining room table. ¡°Working her charms?¡± I repeat, following him with a ss of wine in hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know the extent and frankly I don¡¯t want to.¡± Bastien remarks, sounding fairly revolted. ¡°But I¡¯d put nothing past her.¡± Now I understand why he seems so put off. Grigore is about as old as dirt, the idea of anyone as young as Arabe ¡°charming¡± him is disturbing to say the least. ¡°Anyway, it seems Grigore¡¯s been very busy trying to turn the pack against you ever since.¡± My mate goes on. ¡°but luckily he¡¯s so vile that most people actually sided with you because he told them not to.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I scoff, ¡°it didn¡¯t look like anyone was on my side yesterday.¡± To my surprise Bastien grins, rising from his chair to collect the newspapers stacked by the door. I didn¡¯t go anywhere near them this morning because I was convinced they would be nothing but horrid. Now my husband drops three different daily chronicles in front of me, all boasting headlines that shock me to the core. Alpha Returns, Rids Elder Council of Chronic gue. Attempted Murderess Arabe Winters Exposed, Alpha¡¯s Pup Rescued by Mother¡¯s Sacrifice. Selene Durand Alive and Well, Gifts Alpha with a Daughter. ¡°The pack came out to watch our arrival because they were curious after all the gossip. It wasn¡¯t an angry mob, just an interested one.¡± Bastien deres. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± I breathe, staring at the newspapers, ¡°Was this you?¡± ¡°No.¡± He smiles, ¡°A few of the elders got chatty with the press, but I didn¡¯t nt or leak anything.¡± ¡°But this doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± I insist. ¡°People hated me when I lived here.¡± ¡°A few jealous she-wolves might have, and many didn¡¯t trust you were strong enough to lead without your wolf but that wasn¡¯t dislike. In fact, I¡¯d say the majority of people had great sympathy for you.¡± Bastien reims his chair, taking a big bite of pork. ¡°Unfortunately the most powerful people in the city are also the most entitled and shallow, and they¡¯re the ones we have to deal with most often. But Selene, they don¡¯t represent average Elysians, you had much more support among the general popce than you ever knew.¡± I sit back in my chair, struggling to take in this information. In all honesty, I¡¯m starting to feel like a crazy person. It¡¯s like everywhere I turn I¡¯m met with some new revtion that contradicts everything I thought I knew. It¡¯s confusing and overwhelming and I don¡¯t know how to handle it. ¡°Even if that hadn¡¯t been the case, Arabe made herself a viin and you a martyr.¡± Bastien rtes, ¡°Nothing earns people¡¯s forgiveness faster than self-sacrifice.¡± ¡°How can you be so certain of all this?¡± My hands are fidgeting in myp, and Luna is bing increasingly agitated. ¡°I mean it¡¯s easy for you to say all that, but I know how I was treated when we started out. It¡¯s not like it was all in my head: I got pushed into pools and stalked, it wasn¡¯t just mean girls calling me a halfling.¡± Bastien pushes back his chair and opens his arms to me in invitation, but I stay seated with my arms crossed over my chest. ¡°No. I¡¯m not going to let you soothe this away or distract me, Bastien. If I¡¯m going to raise my daughter here, I need to know she¡¯s not going to go through what I did.¡± His eyes sparked dangerously when I refused him, but I know I¡¯ve made a mistake when I said ¡°If I¡¯m going to raise her. My mate growls low in his chest, ¡°I¡¯m going to count to three, little wolf.¡± ¡°Or what?¡± I bite, ¡°You¡¯ll spank me again?¡± Bastien arches a brow that tells me he absolutely would, and he¡¯d enjoy doing it. Even so, I don¡¯t actually get out of my chair until he says ¡°three.¡± When I stalk around the table and sulkily settle in hisp, Bastien purrs and rubs his huge hand deliberately over the curve of my hip. ¡°Careful baby, or I¡¯m going to think you want to be punished.¡± My mate¡¯s words send delicious shivers through my body, and I¡¯m praying that for once in my life he won¡¯t be able to smell my arousal. But then his nostrils re and a predatory glint appears in his eye. Nheless, he¡¯s perfectly solemn when he addresses myment. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to soothe this away or contradict what you experienced. I¡¯m trying to tell you that I think you were right when you said you lived in a bubble here, and unfortunately that bubble wasn¡¯t just my protection, it was a bubble of spoiled, materialistic aristocrats.¡± Bastien reaches for the nearest paper, his long arm easily closing the distance across the table. And I know because the proof is right here in ck and white.¡± He affirms gently, ¡°I also know because when we thought you died, Mom and I weren¡¯t the only ones mourning. Yes a subset of young she-wolves saw it as an opportunity to rece you, but most of the pack was devastated.¡± I¡¯m staring down at the page in his hand, scanning the article beneath the huge boldface font. Selene Durand, forced to go into hiding to protect herself and her unborn pup, has finally returned to Elysium to reim her rightful ce at Alpha Bastien¡¯s side. Shaking my head, I exim, ¡°All of these articles and headlines make it sound like I was doing some great, noble thing by leaving. When really I was a scared, stupid girl who got manipted by a deranged sociopath.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me mate stupid.¡± Bastien admonishes, petting me to take the sting out of his stern rebuke. ¡°And trust me, that¡¯s the angle we want them to take. It might not feel authentic or be entirely urate- but it¡¯s not false either, and the more people who run with this storyline, the better.¡± ¡°I hear you, but I still don¡¯t trust this,¡± I confess. ¡°It feels too good to be true.¡± ¡°Oh we¡¯re not out of the water yet.¡± Bastien sighs, ¡°The Council is throwing us a Banquet tomorrow, to wee you home and introduce L to the pack.¡± My heart sinks. Not another overly formal event full of two-faced rich people. And L¡¯s expected to go? What is a toddler going to do at a banquet, how is she supposed to be introduced, it¡¯s not like she can make a speech. ¡°Do we have a choice?¡± I moan. ¡°Not if we want to keep them on our side.¡± Bastien informs me. I huff with disappointment, then look up at my husband with sudden skepticism. ¡°Wait, if the worst part of the day was being invited to a banquet, why was it so long and difficult?¡± Bastien drops his head in exasperation, ¡°See, this is why I get angry when you call yourself stupid.¡± He deres ruefully, nibbling my ear. ¡°My little wolf doesn¡¯t miss a thing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± I press. ¡°I sat through about ten different council debriefings, and every one was about some crisis that Grigore buried so I wouldn¡¯t rush back to deal with the problem. Right now I think I¡¯m less popr than you are, because a lot of issues popped up and I wasn¡¯t here doing my job.¡± He takes a deep breath, ncing at me in a way that bodes nothing good. ¡°And it particrly concerns me, because the more time that passes, the more likely it seems I¡¯m going to have to leave again.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask sharply, ¡°Leave again where?¡± Bastien looks like he¡¯d rather do anything than answer my question. ¡°To the Calypso pack.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 97 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 97 Chapter 97 The Last Thing I Want Sophie¡¯s POV ¡°I don¡¯t have the first clue what I¡¯m doing.¡± Iin, throwing my hands up in exasperation. We¡¯re in the back of Selene¡¯s cafe. Drake is sitting at the kitchen ind watching me fight with a lump of dough on a floured cutting board, and unless I¡¯m very much mistaken he¡¯s fighting the impulse to laugh. ¡°It isn¡¯t funny.¡± I huff, ¡°I¡¯m not a cook. I¡¯m not a baker I shouldn¡¯t be the one to take over this ce.¡± Drake arches his dark brows, ¡°You didn¡¯t want to move into the Pack House, and you didn¡¯t want my money, which means you need a job to make rent.¡± He reminds me. ¡°This is a job, and a good one at that.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I confirm, agreeing with his logic, but I can¡¯t do this job. I have zero qualifications ¨C amateur or professional.¡± We¡¯ve already had this argument about eight times already, but it keeps resurfacing anyway. Drake knows I can¡¯t boil water without starting a kitchen fire, so I¡¯m a little suspicious that he keeps pushing the cafe on me. I think he¡¯s trying to wear me down until I cave and ept his money or move into the Pack House but thest thing I want to do is watch him moping around missing Selene, and I don¡¯t want his pity either. ¡°Sophie,¡± Drake says gently, hopping down from the stool and closing the distance between us. He stops so close to me that have to tilt my head all the way back just to see his face. His lips quirk as he takes in my flushed face, ¡°you have flour on your nose. I swipe at my nose in frustration, ¡°Is that what you came over here to tell me?¡± ¡°No,¡± Drake replies with a wide grin, taking my face between his hands and brushing the white powder from my skin with the pad of his thumb. ¡°I came over here to tell you that you are smart and hardworking, and one of the fastest learners I¡¯ve ever met. You might not be able to cook now, but you just need practice.¡± In all fairness, I would love to learn how to cook for basic survival reasons if nothing else, but learning to do it at home and doing it for a living are very different things. But why this job?¡± I press, ¡°You¡¯re the Alpha, there must be other businesses where you have sway. I¡¯d do much better as a pet sitter or maid or something.¡± ¡°Well for one thing, this job is open.¡± Drake still hasn¡¯t taken his hands from my face, in fact his thumb is stroking my cheek now. * And for another, this cafe has a knack for helping people get back on their feet.¡± ¡°Yes but I was never on my feet to begin with.¡± I mutter. I know Selene took in a lot of strays, in fact everyone who works here now has some sort of tragic past, but most of those people fell on hard times later in life. ¡°Neither was Selene before she came here.¡± Drake counters, making all my limbs tense up. Hearing her name on his lips does nothing but remind me that he¡¯ll never be mine. He might get over losing Selene one day, but eventually his mate wille along and then where will I be? Stuck watching Drake build a life with yet another beautiful woman to whom I can neverpare. Goddess, what a miserable thought. Somehow I¡¯ve got to find a way to break the spell he has over me. I don¡¯t want to spend my life looking on from the shadows while other people find happiness. I don¡¯t want to waste my best years loving someone who can never love me back. I lurch out of Drake¡¯s hold, turning back to my bread dough-though I doubt the lumpy mass will ever actually be bread. It¡¯s somehow tough and soggy at once. ¡°Maybe Selene had the right idea, maybe moving to a different city is the answer.¡± I breathe. ¡°You know, a fresh start?¡± ¡°No.¡± The feral snarl makes me jump out of my skin, dropping my pathetic attempt at sourdough straight onto the floor. I¡¯ve heard Drake grumble and growl at other shifters before. After all, he¡¯s the Alpha, ferocity is part of the job description. This is different. The sound was guttural and raw, so menacing it vibrated deep in my bones ¨C and it was directed at me! My friend has never so much as raised his voice at me,,et alone show this kind of animal aggression. My wolf should be cowering, I certainly am, but Rose is cool and calm as the big Alpha bears down on me. My back is flush against the ind, and instead of looking guilty or apologetic for startling me, Drake is prowling forward with eyes aglow. He doesn¡¯t stop until his powerful hands are gripping the ind on either side of my body, caging me in. ¡°You are not leaving Asphodel.¡± Drakemands. Blinking,pletely taken aback and quivering beneath him, I scramble for words. you.. it was just a thought.¡± ¡°Well it was a bad one.¡± He rumbles deeply. What¡¯s happening? I ask Rose desperately, I don¡¯t understand, why is he being this way? I don¡¯t know. Rose hedges, maybe he thinks we really can¡¯t survive on our own. ¡°Drake, you¡¯re scaring me.¡± I finally squeak, though the truth is I¡¯m less scared than confused. I don¡¯t believe my friend will hurt me, but I¡¯ve never seen him this way. Light flickers in his emerald irises, the raging mes slowly dying down as my words register in his mind. Drake¡¯s threatening demeanor softens, his white-knuckled fists unclenching and fangs retracting. Still, he doesn¡¯t move away, he doesn¡¯t free me from his arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, littlemb.¡± Drake purrs, dropping his head and nuzzling my neck. Well that¡¯s new. Rose remarks. Is he smelling me? I reply, loving his nearness and hating it all at once. It¡¯s everything I want and everything I can¡¯t have. I can¡¯t bring myself to speak, staying still as a statue until Drake straightens up. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡± He tells me huskily, ¡°that¡¯s thest thing I want.¡± He thinks about that statement for a moment, then amends, ¡°actually it¡¯s the secondst.¡± ¡°What¡¯s thest?¡± I wonder aloud, my eyes wide as dinner tes. ¡°You just said it.¡± He growls. Before I can ask what he means, Drake¡¯s phone chimes in his pocket, and he promptly retrieves it. I might be offended that he¡¯s abandoning our conversation so abruptly, but I immediately know why he prioritizes the call. I¡¯d recognize that ringtone anywhere: Selene. While the man I love strides out of the kitchen to speak with his beloved, his voice so full of joy that it breaks my heart, I¡¯m left reeling against the counter. I don¡¯t understand what just happened. And I don¡¯t understand what Drake meant by hisstment. All I can do is sink down to the floor next to my so called dough and cry. Drake¡¯s POV When my phone rings, I realize it¡¯s already 4¡¯clock and therefore time for the facetime date I promised L. It¡¯s probably for the best too, because I waspletely losing control in that damned kitchen. It happened so fast I didn¡¯t even know what I was doing, I just responded out of instinct. My mate mentioned moving away, and my wolf roared to life needing to stop that from happening at all costs. I route the call through my bluetooth and hit ept a moment before stepping through the door to the main restaurant, greeting the little pup exuberantly, ¡°Hello my love!¡± L appears in Selene¡¯sp, both she-wolves visible on the screen though the toddler is taking up most of the frame. ¡°Uncle Rake!¡± She exims, ¡°I miss you!¡± ¡°I miss you too, angel.¡± I answer honestly, ¡°It¡¯s not the same here without you. How do you like Elysium.¡± L apparently loves her new home, and spends a quarter of an hour telling me all the things she¡¯s seen and done since they arrived, all about her new room and apartment, every detail her little brain can recall. When she finally runs out of information to share, Selene takes over, filling me in on the wedding, their dramatic arrival and her concerns about Bastien¡¯s ns for the Calypso pack. ¡°Nothing¡¯s decided yet, but he says he¡¯s been thinking about a trip there for a few weeks.¡± She rys with a frown. ¡°I think he¡¯s right to consider it, and probably he¡¯ll be right to go.¡± I agree. ¡°You¡¯ve got to know what you¡¯re up against.¡± ¡°I know, I just wish there was another way.¡± She sighs. By this point L has gotten bored of the grown up talk and disappeared somewhere into the background, so Selene takes the opportunity to ask me something she clearly didn¡¯t want to say in front of the pup. ¡°Listen, I¡¯ve been going through my boxes and I can¡¯t find L¡¯s favorite puzzle for the life of me.¡± She rtes in a whisper. ¡°You know, the rainbow fish one? I know it wasn¡¯t in the apartment because we cleared it out, but I remember we had it at the safe house, so I¡¯m wondering if she left it there. I know it¡¯s a trek but could you check for me the next time you¡¯re out there.¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org For a second I think I¡¯ve misheard her, ¡°Wait, what?¡± ¡°When Bastien first turned up, I took some of Ls toys to the safe house so she wouldn¡¯t get bored. We were distracted when we left so I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if we missed something.¡± The she wolf answers. ¡°Selene,¡± I state evenly,¡± what safe house?¡± A flicker of unease enters her expression. ¡°The one you sent me to, in the hills.¡± ¡°I sent you there?¡± I repeat, baffled. ¡°Yes, you texted me from a burner or something.¡± She pauses anxiously, ¡°didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No.¡± I sigh, ¡°I couldn¡¯t have. Because I don¡¯t have a safe house. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 98 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 98 Chapter 98 The Sate House Selene¡¯s POV Drake¡¯s grim face stares up at me from my tablet, hisst words slowly sinking into my brain. This doesn¡¯t make any sense. Maybe we misunderstood. Luna suggests with a whine. We didn¡¯t misunderstand. Drake¡¯s words werepletely clear, and I can tell from his expression that this isn¡¯t some sort of joke. He seems every bit as confused as I am, only his first instinct is clearly to assume the worst, while I¡¯m wallowing in denial. Just then Bastien walks in, and L races across the room to greet him, ¡°Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!¡± He snatches her up and tosses her into the air, causing the pup to shriek withughter. ¡°L, L, L!¡± He mimics, throwing her over his head a few more times before settling her against his broad chest and kissing her hello. ¡°Daddy, we went to da woods! She exims,unching into her ount of the day. The trees were so big dey touch the sky!¡± L has seen forests before but never one like this. The pup had been so taken with the ancient sequoias dominating the Novan forest that she decided to name them. By the time she was done, the list was so long I had to promise to write down all the names when we got home, so she wouldn¡¯t forget. L is rattling off her favorite ones as Bastien carries her into the living room, his wide smile disappearing when he sees the look on my face. I rise from the sofa before he can reach me, still holding the tablet. Bastien¡¯s eyes dart between Drake¡¯s face and my own, ¡°Baby?¡± ncing at L, I hedge, ¡°You remember when you arrived in Asphodel, and I took L to stay at that house in the hills?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He agrees, sounding like he doesn¡¯t appreciate the reminder. ¡°Well,¡± I begin, licking my lips nervously. ¡°I thought it was Drake¡¯s house. I thought he sent us there for our vacation.¡± I censor, still eyeing my pup. But it wasn¡¯t him.¡± Bastien¡¯s brow knits together. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°When I got back to the apartment that day, I got a text from an unknown number, with all the information we needed to find the house and everything.¡± I exin, wincing when I see his expression. L, who has realized her father¡¯s attention is no longer on her, huffs. ¡°Daddy are you lisning?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what little one.¡± Bastien suggests, ¡°If you give Daddy a few minutes to talk with Mommy, you can have extra dessert at the banquet tonight.¡± She readily agrees, toddling off to y in her room while I throw my mate an exasperated look, ¡°Really? Bribery?¡± ¡°She¡¯s got to sit through a formal dinner surrounded by adults, I figured we¡¯d be rewarding her anyway.¡± Bastien replies, changing course and closing the distance between us. ¡°You followed directions from an unknown number?¡± I can see the anger simmering up inside him, ¡°You drove out into the remote wilderness and blindly walked into a house based on the word of some mysterious stranger?¡± ¡°I assumed the message was from Drake!¡± I counter defensively, ¡°I thought he was using a burner phone or something to contact me so you couldn¡¯t trace the text. I mean who else would have known what was going on in that moment?¡± I inquire, ¡°Who else would have been trying to help me?¡± ¡°It was a fair assumption, Bastien.¡± Drake pipes up from the tablet. A low growl rumbles in Bastien¡¯s chest, and he looks down at the other Alpha. ¡°You really knew nothing about this?¡± ¡°I thought she¡¯d found her own hiding ce. I didn¡¯t press to find out where, because I figured if I didn¡¯t know you couldn¡¯t beat the information out of me.¡± Drake admits, rubbing the back of his neck. We¡¯re in our own apartment, guarded by the Pack House¡¯s elite security force, but Bastien starts looking around like he expects monsters to pop out of the walls at any moment. I sidle closer, sliding my arm around his middle to anchor him. It seems to do the trick. Bastien¡¯s arm locks down on my waist, holding me tight to his side as he returns his attention to Drake. ¡°Can you get a team out there?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll go myself as soon as you send the address.¡± Drake confirms, ¡°But Selene is right, the real question here, is who knew what was going on between you two? Who had the ess to not only know Selene was alive and that you¡¯d found her, but that she needed a get away?¡± it had to be one of your men.¡± Bastien asserts coldly, ¡°The only people who were in your office with us were our Betas and your guards. Bastien grumbles. ¡°And I know it wasn¡¯t my Betas.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we can assume anything right now.¡± Drakebats, assumptions are what got us into this mess in the first ce.¡± ¡°The bigger question is why,¡± I breathe, pulling the mens¡¯ attention. ¡°If it was someone in Drake¡¯s camp it was probably done to help me, but if it was someone in yours¡­¡± I look to my mate, unable to continue. Bastien finished the thought for me, looking grave. ¡°It was a betrayal.¡± ¡®It¡¯s a betrayal either way,¡± Drake corrects, whether they wanted to help you or not, they went behind my back and hid this information. That doesn¡¯t portend good intentions.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. My mind races to process all this new information. I hate to think someone could have betrayed Bastien or Drake, but I don¡¯t see any other exnation. Whoever sent me that message had to be from within our inner circle. Still, I don¡¯t understand what could have motivated anyone else to send me to that house. ¡°I¡¯m so confused.¡± I confess, whether they had good intentions or bad, why this? Why help me hide? How could that possibly benefit them?¡± I should think that¡¯s obvious enough,¡± Bastien rumbles darkly, ¡°they did it to keep us apart.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV ¡°We need to get ready for the banquet.¡± Selene¡¯s sweet scent wafts over me a few moments before her arms slide around my neck from behind, and her cheekes to rest against mine. Her skin is still dotted with drops of water from her shower, and I¡¯m sure if I look over my shoulder I¡¯ll find her completely nude. I¡¯m seated on the edge of our bed, trying to work through the unexpected revtions that came to light during Selene¡¯s facetime call with Drake. The Eros Alpha agreed to send investigators out to the house this very evening, but I can¡¯t get over the fact that someone has clearly betrayed us. Is that why I¡¯ve never been able to pin down the person responsible for all the trouble caused in Elysium since Dad died? Is it possible one of my own men betrayed me? ¡°We have to be over at the hall in an hour,¡± Selene¡¯s tongue traces the shell of my ear, and her sharp little canines nibble my earlobe. I have a feeling the mischievous she wolf is trying to distract me. ¡°Though I suppose that¡¯s actually quite a bit of time when you think about it.¡± I can¡¯t contain my chuckle, ¡°Come here, you naughty thing.¡± Hitching my arm behind me and snagging my mate¡¯s waist, I drag her around and into myp. ¡°Hmm,¡± i purr, raking my eyes over her bare curves, ¡°You look awfully underdressed for a banquet, little mate. ¡°Oh,¡± Selene looks down at her naked body like she¡¯s only just noticing. ¡°maybe you¡¯re right.¡± She agrees, trailing kisses up my neck Her dripping wet hair sticks to my shoulder as her round bottom undtes over my quickly hardening arousal. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to do something about that.¡± i tease, mping my hands down on her hips to cease her movement. ¡°I won¡¯t have every wolf in the city drooling over my mate because she can¡¯t decide on an outfit. *Are you sure it won¡¯t do?¡± She asks, undoing my shirt buttons one by one. ¡°After all, you¡¯ll have to dress to match. Maybe you just need to see it on both of us. You know, get the full effect?¡± I arch my brow, shrugging out of my long sleeves. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better I¡¯d think you were trying to get me naked.¡± Selene shes me a devious grin, ¡°Is it that obvious?¡± The next thing I know she¡¯s sliding out of myp, kneeling between my legs and tackling my belt buckle. Before I know it she¡¯s pulled the leather implement free and slipped her small hand into my trousers, palming my engorged member. ¡°Oh my.¡± Selene murmurs with faux concern. ¡°Well you certainly can¡¯t go to the banquet like this.¡± I can only groan, cupping her cheek in my hand as she looks up at me from beneath her long, dark lashes, ¡°would you like me to care of this for you, Alpha?¡± A growl of primal lust vibrates in my chest, her words instantly triggering my dominant instincts. ¡°I think you¡¯d better,¡± I remark sternly, tangling my fist in her hair. ¡°Since it¡¯s your fault I¡¯m in this state.¡± Selene¡¯s two tone eyes glitter in the dim line as she pulls my cock free, her pink lips hovering just inches from its swollen head. ¡°Your wish is mymand.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 99 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Halfling No More Whoever invented stilettos was a sadist. There are a lot of things I remember disliking about these wretched pack events, but until now I forgot how agonizing it is to stand in high heels for hours on end. Of course the Alpha¡¯s mate has to look the part, so I don¡¯t have much of a choice. I have to cram myself into consticting, ufortable designer clothes and strap torture devices to my feet in order to be taken seriously. Granted, I suppose I do look good but at what cost? Bastien has it easy, he¡¯s standing next to me in the same ck suit he always wears to these things. Meanwhile I¡¯m over here gasping for air in a skin tight cocktail dress with so many straps and cutouts that I needed a map just to get into it. L¡¯s silver and ck party dress matches mine in color, if nothing else. She looks absolutely adorable, and she¡¯s already stolen the spotlight from both Bastien and I-rightly so. It seems like every elder councilor, ranking pack member and aristocrat in Elysium has alreadye to pay their respects, and the evening has barely begun. Everyone who meets L has done nothing but sing her praises: saying how lucky she is to have inherited her mother¡¯s beauty and her father¡¯s spirit. They¡¯ve congratted Bastien and I on our reunion, but it¡¯s fairly clear that everyone really came out to get a peek at my pup. L really has borne it all well, acting on her best behavior and patiently enduring the endless mingling. She¡¯s been delightful and sweet, not the least bit cranky despite the fact that it¡¯s already past her bedtime and we haven¡¯t even eaten dinner yet. In short, she already has the pack wrapped around her little finger, and I couldn¡¯t be prouder. By the time we actually get around to the banquet portion of the evening, I¡¯ve rxed more than I ever imagined possible. I¡¯ve seen enough people faking nice over the years to recognize when someone is only pretending to be friendly, and most of the guests in attendance really do seem pleased for us. Of course there are exceptions. In between courses Bastien takes L for a breath of fresh air in the garden, and I take a much needed bathroom break. After relieving myself and washing my hands, I pause to check my makeup in the mirror. As I reapply my lipstick, the door swings open, and a trio of she-wolves appear in my periphery. With a knot of dread already forming in my belly, I see a sh of silky red hair one I recognize all too well. Trying to harden myself for the inevitable confrontation, I nce at the women in the mirror, greeting them coolly, ¡°Ladies.¡± Three and a half years ago the beautiful redhead now blocking the door almost killed me, pushing me into the pool during Gabriel s birthday party after saying a rash of horrendous things about my marriage. Thest time I saw her, Bastien was publicly punishing her for those actions, a fact I¡¯m sure she hasn¡¯t forgotten. ¡°Well if it isn¡¯t the halfling.¡± She drawls cruelly, prompting titters from the two minions at her side. ¡°Back from the grave and trying to pass off some other wolf¡¯s bastard as our Alpha¡¯s pup.¡± Her lip curls, ¡°honestly if you had any decency you would have stayed dead.¡± Luna surges forward the moment she calls L a bastard, and I half to forcibly restrain the urge to shift. Dropping my lipstick I turn to face the she-wolf head on. ¡°You mutt, is your head really so empty that you¡¯ve forgotten what happened thest time you disrespected me?¡± I question harshly. ¡°Or did you simply not learn your lesson?¡± Her blue eyes burn with fury at my insult, ¡°Careful Selene, Bastien¡¯s not here to protect you now.¡± I let Luna shine through my eyes, feeling power surge through my veins and relishing the startled expressions on the women¡¯s faces. ¡°I don¡¯t need Bastien to protect me anymore.¡± I growl, ¡°And if you say one more word about my daughter, I guarantee you will see just how much I¡¯ve changed since we metst.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. I¡¯ve shifted many times now, but I¡¯ve never felt this strange flood of electricity, it feels like sparks might fly from my fingers any moment. Then again, I suppose I¡¯ve never shifted amidst a threat. She snorts, ¡°Oh, so you think you¡¯re tough now that you somehow found your wolf?¡± Sneering, she steps forward and lets her own wolf rise to the surface, ¡°I¡¯ve been shifting since I was thirteen years old. At best you have what three years of experience? | could trounce you in my sleep.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure about that,¡± I snarl, ¡°I¡¯m also a mother, and you just insulted my pup. But then I suppose a spinster like you wouldn¡¯t know anything about maternal instincts.¡± Pointedly eyeing her up and down, I match her sneering expression, though you may have a point, you are at least twice my size.¡± ¡°You bitch!¡± The redhead lunges for me, her hands reaching for my throat with ws extended. I don¡¯t know where it came from, I don¡¯t even know how I did it, but one moment the furious she-wolf was charging towards me and the next she and her friends were t on their backs on the grimy floor. I didn¡¯t even touch them. I raised my arms to defend myself, but before our bodies could connect some sort of shockwave pulsed out of me. I felt the strange swell of power rising deep inside me, and must have unintentionally pushed it outwards. It mmed into the she wolves and knocked them out in one go, while I was left standing there in confusion. ¡°What the hell?¡± I say aloud, staring at my hands in bafflement. Whatever just happened was not normal. Shifters cannot hurt each other without touching one another, at least, not normal shifters. People always talk about Vna wolves being powerful, having special abilities, but I¡¯m suddenly realizing I have no idea what they include. The only Vna I ever knew was my mother and she died before she could tell me about my powers. Clearly I have some research to do. Stepping over the women¡¯s unconscious bodies, I stroll out of the restroom feeling rather triumphant. It might not have been on purpose and I might not have the first clue how I did it, but I¡¯d be willing to bet those she wolves will think twice before messing with me again. When I get back to the banquet dessert is being served, and true to Bastien¡¯s promise, L has two pastries on her te instead of one. I¡¯ve already opened my mouth to tell my mate about what happened in the bathroom when I nce at my own te and realize my daughter isn¡¯t the only one with two desserts. My lip quirks, ¡°Am I being rewarded too?¡± The Alpha leans over L¡¯s head to give me a searing kiss, showing no concern for our audience. When he finally drags his mouth from mine, he shifts his lips to my ear and his heated voice answers, ¡°After the way you helped me get ready for the banquet? Hell yes you¡¯re being rewarded.¡± It¡¯s almost one in the morning by the time we get back to the apartment, and Bastien has been holding L ever since she passed out at ten. We¡¯re exhausted both mentally and physically, and I want nothing more than to climb into bed and go to sleep. Unfortunately we¡¯ve barely set foot in the apartment when Bastien¡¯s phone starts ringing. He nces at the screen and grimaces, before looking over at me. ¡°Can you take her, baby?¡± He asks, offering me L. I gather the sleeping bundle into my arms, ¡°What is it?¡± He simply shakes his head,¡± nothing good.¡± I can tell he doesn¡¯t want to take the call in front of me, especially when he bends down to kiss L goodnight, then also kisses me. ¡°Don¡¯t wait up.¡± Uneasy but needing to get L to bed not to mention out of these damn shoes), 1 retreat, only catching Bastien¡¯s tense greeting as he steps back out the door, ¡°Tell me.¡± L doesn¡¯t even stir as I remove her shoes and party dress, before tucking her into bed with a quick kiss. Slipping off my heels, contemte simply going to bed as I so dearly want to, but it makes me nervous that Bastien wouldn¡¯t talk in front of me. I¡¯m certain he¡¯s gone to his study, and it¡¯ste enough that I doubt he¡¯s got anyone guarding the door. Making a split second decision, I tiptoe out the door and slip downstairs, moving as silently as I can through the sleeping house. My heart sinks as I near the study door, I can already hear Bastien¡¯s voice, and he¡¯s not happy. ¡°Destroy them, destroy everyst file and don¡¯t let anyone watch them first.¡± To my shock, I hear Drake¡¯s voice reply. ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s possible this asshole is on one of them.¡± My mind reels. What on earth are they talking about? What files? And why is Drake calling Bastien instead of me? Why is he calling sote? This has to be about the safe house. Luna surmises. They were going out there tonight, they must have found something bad. Bastien¡¯s gruff reply pulls my attention back to the conversation in the study. ¡°They¡¯re too smart for that.¡± ¡°You never know, they weren¡¯t smart enough to put a failsafe on the drive. Maybe that wasn¡¯t their only mistake.¡± Drake reasons. ¡°Fine, check the footage before and after,¡± My mate concedes. ¡°but I don¡¯t want anyone going near the recordings from when they were actually there.¡± Footage? Recordings? What the hell is going on? ¡°I understand where you¡¯reing from, but you should consider reviewing those files yourself.¡± Drake encourages, ¡°Trust me, you want to know if anyone but Selene and L were there. You did say the perimeter rms went off.¡± Igasp out loud, understanding finally clicking. There must have been security cameras at the house, but why wouldn¡¯t Bastien want the footage to be reviewed? Wouldn¡¯t that be important? ¡°Hold on, Drake.¡± Bastien murmurs, and the study goes oddly silent. I press my ear more tightly to the door, straining to hear what¡¯ s going on inside. Bastien¡¯s scent permeates the heavy wood, and for one glorious second I feel soothed. Of course, that was before I realized the scent was noting through the door at all. It wasing from behind me. ¡°Hear anything good?¡± Bastien growls over my shoulder. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 100 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Cameras I leap a foot in the air, yelping softly as my heart races with sudden panic. Spinning in ce and steadying myself against the solid doors, I find a veryrge, very angry Alpha towering over me. Bastien emanates disapproval: his silver gaze narrowed in reproach, his jaw rigid and arms crossed over his chest. I quail, guilt assailing me as I shrink away from him, my cheeks flushing bright pink. ¡°How in the Goddess¡¯s name did you do that?¡± He ignores me, closing one powerful hand over my nape. ¡°What do you have to say for yourself, little wolf?¡± By now my initial shock has subsided, and I realize I have no reason to feel guilty. Straightening up and giving my mate my best scowl, I state, ¡°I have a right to know what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Then knock on the door ande in,¡± Bastien admonishes,¡± don¡¯t eavesdrop.¡± ¡°If I was in there you wouldn¡¯t have spoken openly,¡± I argue. ¡°You came down here specifically so I wouldn¡¯t hear. Drake called you instead of me because he didn¡¯t want me to know either right?¡± ¡°We did those things for damn good reason.¡± Bastien grumbles, reaching past me to open the doors. Moving into the room, I see the bookcase concealing the side passage he must have used to sneak up on me still standing wide open. Well that exins that mystery. Bastien¡¯s phone is sitting on his desk, and I circle the sprawling mahogany surface to retrieve it. Drake¡¯s eyes widen when he sees me, but before I can say anything Bastien plucks the device from my hand. ¡°Some advice Cavanaugh,¡± He drawls, sitting down and pulling me into hisp. ¡°If Sophie shows any propensity for eavesdropping, you¡¯d do well to train it out of her early on. Don¡¯t make the same mistake I did and overlook it because it¡¯s cute.¡± ¡°Excuse me, train it out of her?¡± I hiss. Bastien¡¯s eyes sh dangerously, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± His arm is like an iron bar around me, far from the gentle embraces he usually prefers Drake sighs, ¡°Selene, how much did you hear?¡± ¡°Enough to know you found security cameras at the house, but I don¡¯t understand why you don¡¯t want them to be reviewed.¡± I share, turning to my husband. Both Alphas don the same tight-lipped expression, like they don¡¯t want to answer my question. After a moment Drake shoots Bastien a look that seems to say, ¡°she¡¯s your mate.¡± My mate really is fuming, his molten gaze boring into me. ¡°Damn it, this is exactly why I didn¡¯t want you on this call.¡± ¡°I have a right to know.¡± I say again. ¡°No one is denying that, Selene.¡± Drake interjects soberly. ¡°The issue is when knowing does more harm than good.¡± I don¡¯t like the sound of that. Returning my focus to Bastien, I murmur. ¡°Bastien?¡± Looking as if he wants to throw something, Bastien emits a bitter exhale. ¡°They weren¡¯t security cameras.¡± He rumbles, shaking his head in frustration. It¡¯s painfully clear he doesn¡¯t want to tell me this, and equally clear that he¡¯s livid I forced the situation. *They were spy cameras in every room of the house. Common areas, bedrooms, bathrooms.¡± My blood turns to ice as his words register, a thousand horrible implications racing through my head. ¡°What?¡± Bastien¡¯s mouth is a hard line, his eyes closed in resignation. ¡°Baby, whoever sent you there was watching you.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV I swear, I could wring my mate¡¯s little neck. At the same time, I want to bundle her in my arms and kiss away all her fears, tell her that none of this is real. When I saw Drake¡¯s calle in sote, I knew he must have found something like this: something so bad it couldn¡¯t wait; so bad he didn¡¯t want to tell Selene. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org I already regret telling her the truth. The moment the words were out, all the blood drained from her face, her porcinplexion turning a shade of sickly green. ¡°You mean,¡± She stammers hoarsely, ¡°The whole time? When when we were sleeping? And when we went to the bathroom? When you and ? ¡°Yes sweetheart.¡± I confirm sadly. In a sh she¡¯s out of myp and vomiting into my waste basket. ¡°Fuck,¡± curse, immediately going after her. ¡°Drake I¡¯m going to have to call you back in the morning.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s something else that can¡¯t wait,¡± Drake interrupts urgently, refusing to hang up even as Selene¡¯s gagging grows louder. Already on the ground next to Selene, holding her hair and rubbing her back while she retches, I call. ¡°Then get on with it.¡± ¡°We were able to trace the feed to a cell tower.¡± The Eros Alpha reports. ¡°We couldn¡¯t narrow it any further than that, but we have a general location on where the footage was being sent.¡± That got my attention. ¡°Tell me.¡± I hiss, fearing I already know where this is headed. ¡°Bastien,¡± Drake sighs, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it was going to Elysium.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV The soothing jets of the master bathroom¡¯s huge sunken tub pulse around our bodies, frothing sweet- smelling foam and bubbles on the surface of the deep water. The massaging streams of heated water are probably doing me more good than Selene, since she¡¯s sprawled out on my chest and not actually seated in the tub, but she doesn¡¯t seem to mind. After my mate finished emptying her stomach into my waste basket I hung up with Drake and brought her back up to our room. Half an hour ago we were both so exhausted we could have slept through a hurricane. Now I¡¯m worried I won¡¯t be able to get Selene to sleep at all, and if I do I¡¯m afraid it will only be interrupted by nightmares. She hasn¡¯t said a word since I exined about the cameras. She was silent as I carried her upstairs crooning sympathetic words; silent as I started the bath and stripped her down; silent as I guided her to the sink to brush her teeth. Selene bore it all in a sort of trance, looking so lost and empty I¡¯ve done nothing but fantasize about disemboweling whoever owns that safe house since. She¡¯s still not truly with me, her sleek form rests atop mine and her cheek is flush to my chest, but her eyes are staring nkly into the distance. Trailing my hands over her slender form in soothing patterns, I try to check in without pushing her. ¡°How are you doing, baby?¡± I breathe a sign of relief when she blinks and looks up at me, pleased she¡¯s still responsive. Unfortunately that¡¯s the only good news I¡¯m going to be getting tonight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I eavesdropped.¡± Selene whispers pitifully, her beautiful eyes welling with tears. ¡°Hush now, little wolf.¡± I hum, cuddling her closer and stroking her hair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I was such an ogre, I only wanted to protect you.¡± She nods and hups, ¡°You were right. I wish I could un-know this.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I confirm sincerely, ¡°I wish you could too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so¡­¡± Selene searches for the right words, retracting her gaze. ¡°So sick,¡± she finally decides with a shiver. ¡°So viting.¡± ¡°Hey, look at me.¡± I order gently. She doesn¡¯tply at first, but after a moment her little head tilts back and I¡¯m staring into those bottomless pools of blue and violet once more. ¡°I promise you, Selene. If it is the veryst thing I do, I will find whoever is responsible for this, and I will make them pay.¡± My voice is little more than a snarl at this point, ¡°I will make them regret everying eyes on you, I will make them wish they¡¯d died instead of ever hatching this n.¡± I vow, ¡°And I swear to you, I will kill them.¡± From the look on my mate¡¯s face you¡¯d think I promised to buy her candy and roses, rather than issuing a string of violent threats. ¡°I know you will.¡± ¡°Good.¡± I praise, caressing her spine. After a moment Selene looks up again, ¡°Does this mean¡­? She trails off with a furrowed brow, as if the thought is on the tip of her tongue but she can¡¯t grasp it. ¡°Hmm, what are you thinking?¡± ¡°Well, you think someone was trying to keep us apart, right?¡± Selene asks. ¡°Yes.¡± I confirm gravely. ¡°So¡­¡± She¡¯s almost cringing as she spits out the words, they wouldn¡¯t have wanted you to mark me. And they had the ess to see you on the verge of doing it when. When we were in the shower in the safe house.¡± ¡°That rm.¡± I exim, realizing she¡¯s exactly right. Someone in Elysium set off that rm to prevent me marking my mate. Someone in Elysium altered those DNA tests, took Selene out of the city after the fire and left her in neutral territory, then faked her death. I¡¯ve known most of this for a while now, but I¡¯m only just starting to realize the broader implications of these events. All this time l¡¯ve been thinking about the problems in my city my father¡¯s murder and everything that¡¯s gone wrong since and my misfortunes with Selene as two separate issues. But now it¡¯s ringly clear. It¡¯s all connected. Whoever has been trying to ruin me as Alpha hasn¡¯t only been interfering in the pack, they¡¯ve also kept me from my mate and that, is unforgivable. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 101 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Arabe Makes a Friend Arabe¡¯s POV The Calypso Pack House is the most magnificent building I¡¯ve ever seen. It¡¯s at least three times the size of the Nova Pack House, and if it wasn¡¯t for the imposing fortifications surrounding the marble behemoth, it might be mistaken for a luxury resort. The mansion is built on a hill in the center of the capital city, Tartarus. Clearly the architect designed it so the Alpha can look down on all his subjects, never freeing them of his watchful gaze and never letting them forget their ce beneath him. Glorious. I think wistfully, finally, a true Alpha. The entire city makes Elysium look like a third world slum. While the Novas seem content to remain living in the past preserving ancient buildings, outdated traditions and muddy forests Tartarus was built with only strength in mind. The city¡¯s towering border walls keep out any undesirables, and the few that slip through the cracks are dealt with in short order. The poorest members of the pack are kept well out of sight and out of mind; living beneath the streets in the sprawling underground chambers which made up the civilizations of old ¨C before the modern city was built overtop them, of course. It really is much better this way. The aboveground is preserved for the shifters who¡¯ve earned their ce, who actually contribute something to society. After all, the aristocracy¡¯s taxes pay for almost everything. Why should they have to share the bounty of their wealth with those who won¡¯t even make an effort to better themselves. So many of my problems would have been solved if Elysium was organized this way. Keeping the sses separate just makes everything so much cleaner and more tasteful. I swear, as soon as I get control of the Nova pack, I¡¯m going to recreate Elysium in the Calypsos¡¯ image. I¡¯d like to think I have a chance of winning over ise, convincing him to take me as his mate, but I¡¯m not only doing this for power. Sure, I¡¯ll take it if I can get it, but I want revenge more. That means I can¡¯t commit to anything until I¡¯m sure every bridge with Bastien has been burned. Worst case, I have to simply take Bastien¡¯s pack from him by force but we aren¡¯t there yet. I¡¯m just d my audience with ise Denizen has finally arrived. It¡¯s taken me two weeks to secure this meeting, and I¡¯ ve been trying to be patient, but it¡¯s not easy when all my ns are at stake. Bastien¡¯s cousin Frederic turned out to be such a disappointment, I¡¯m ready to meet a real man, a worthy partner. I¡¯m wearing my best dress, at least the best one I threw into my suitcase when I fled Elysium. It¡¯s red and slinky, showing off all my best assets. This Alpha isn¡¯t going to know what hit him. My eyes immediately lock on ise when I enter his audience chambers. He¡¯s seated in an ornate chair on a raised dais, dressed in all ck and looking so powerful my knees go weak. He¡¯s a bit older than I¡¯d like. His dark hair is streaked with grey and slight wrinkles gather at the corner of his eyes, but he¡¯s in excellent shape and Goddess knows he¡¯s younger than that gargoyle, Grigore. I strut down the aisle, swinging my hips and shooting the dominant wolf my best e hither¡± look. I can see his dark eyes glinting from across the room, and I know he likes what he sees. Then again, who wouldn¡¯t? When I¡¯m finally standing in front of him, I lower my gaze and curtsy, waiting for him to address me before speaking. I can feel his eyes raking over my body, lingering on my full breasts and the smooth swell of my hips. ¡°Tell me your name, my beauty.¡± He orders, not giving me permission to stand. ¡°Arabe Winters, Alpha.¡± I murmur, ¡°I am of the Nova pack and have traveled very far to reach you today.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you for your life story.¡± He snaps, sending a shiver of fear through me, ¡°But since you offered it, what brings you to my doorstep.¡± Nervously licking my lips, I say, ¡°I have a proposition for you. An opportunity to spread your power to new territoires.¡± I can see ise standing out of the corner of my eye, but I¡¯m too anxious to risk looking up at him. ¡°Do you believe I am not already powerful enough?¡± He hisses. ¡°You Think if I did not want more power, I could not take it?¡± ¡°No Alpha!¡± I exim, my heart racing. ¡°That isn¡¯t what I meant. I¡¯m simply looking for an ally. Your biggestpetitor on the continuent is the Nova pack, and they grow stronger every day, but I know how to beat them.¡± The Alpha is right in front of me now, his muscr body so close I can feel his heat. I can¡¯t bring myself to look him in the eye, but he solves that problem for me,tching his fist in my hair and yanking my head back. ¡°And how do you know that?¡± ise demands, his eyes ck as coal. ¡°Because, I was raised by Gabriel Durand.¡± I exin huskily, ¡°And I helped kill him.¡± ise¡¯s eyes widen imperceptibly, and I feel a small rush of confidence, ¡°I know Bastien better than anyone else. I know what motivates him. I know his weaknesses.¡± His hands aren¡¯t nearly so harsh now, and I raise my head, meeting his gaze head on. ¡°If you want Elysium, you need only ask.¡± My mother has always been a cold woman. Even when Dad was alive, she was never the doting matriarch so many families boast. No, she was cunning and calcted, the perfect match for my ambitious father. When I was a boy I used to feel cheated. I saw the other pups getting hugged and kissed by their parents, and I would while away the hours imagining what such a life could be like. However I quickly learned the error of my ways. My mother exined to me that love never got anyone anywhere in life, and there was no ce for it in our family¡¯s mission. My father should have been the Nova Alpha, but he was born second, and trying to im his rightful ce got him killed. Still, I can¡¯t deny how love has interfered in our ns. Mom says I¡¯m weak, and maybe I am, but I can¡¯t help it. I don¡¯t want to hurt Selene. I can¡¯t stand seeing her with that mongrel, Bastien. I did everything I could to keep my mother at a distance, but after Selene and L returned to Elysium, she refused to stay away. Now I¡¯m stuck with her hovering over me, criticizing my every n. ¡°You¡¯ve failed.¡± She says, setting the dining room table. ¡°How are you possibly going to challenge Bastien now?¡± ¡°We can still separate them.¡± I insist, prodding the sauce I¡¯ve been doctoring on the stovetop. ¡°Selene is vulnerable, easy to manipte.¡± ¡°And this is the woman you¡¯ve thrown everything away for?¡± Mom gripes, throwing down the napkins she¡¯s supposed to be folding. ¡°That isn¡¯t fair.¡± I argue, ¡°She was abused, mistreated. Her vulnerabilities are perfectly natural.¡± My mother snorts derisively as she returns to the kitchen. ¡°Only weak women let hardship get the better of them.¡± She pulls the wooden spoon from my hand, raising it to her lips and grimacing, ¡°Too salty.¡± Reaching into the cabs for some citrus, she continues, ¡°I don¡¯t care what happened to her. She¡¯s a fragile, silly little whore who doesn¡¯t have enough brains to recognize a true Alpha when he¡¯s standing right in front of her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about her that way.¡± I growl, ripping the spoon back out of her hands. ¡°Well, well.¡± Mom raises her brows, ¡°it seems caring for her has grown you a backbone if nothing else.¡± ¡°I have news for you mother.¡± I grouse,¡±; intend to take Selene as my mate once Bastien¡¯s out of the way. You¡¯d do well to get used to the idea of having her as a daughter-inw.¡± My mother¡¯s lip curls up, and I brace myself for her ire. ¡°You cannot take a mate who has already borne a pup to another Alpha. You need someone pure fresh.¡± She insists, ¡°Unless of course you¡¯re willing to get rid of her pup along with Bastien.¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± I demand, ¡°Her pup is a girl, she¡¯ll never rule.¡± ¡°And since they¡¯ve been back together?¡± Mom presses, ¡°Are you sure she isn¡¯t already breeding again.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Well if she is, I¡¯ll be the first to know.¡± I grumble. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s only been a few weeks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re smarter than this, Frederic.¡± My mother shakes her head, ¡°don¡¯t let one foolish she-wolf undo all your hard work.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that simple.¡± I counter, ¡°I can¡¯t change how I feel.¡± ¡°Well you¡¯d better.¡± Mom orders, or so help me I will finish the job for you and I won¡¯t spare the little halfling.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± I thunder, ¡°I¡¯m done listening to your insults and following your orders.¡± I exim, relishing the way my mother cringes away from me. ¡°This is my n, my quest. Your time is past. You can fall in line, or you can get out!¡± For a long moment, I¡¯m sure my mother will contradict me. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll fight back. Instead, she quells. ¡°Whatever you say, son.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 102 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Powers Selene¡¯s POV ¡°Bastien, you¡¯re being ridiculous.¡± He¡¯s standing across from me in our sunlit kitchen, his arms crossed over his chest and a stubborn grimace on his handsome face. After the events ofst night he¡¯s been on high alert, not letting me out of his sight for one moment. I actually had to kick him out of the restroom this morning so I could have a bit of privacy, and now he¡¯s refusing to go to work. ¡°Can you me me?¡± He growls. In all fairness, I know my husband is also exhausted. We didn¡¯t go to sleep until around four this morning, and having a young pup means we didn¡¯t get the luxury of sleeping in either. If I thought he wanted to stay home with us to catch up on his sleep, I might be more understanding but that isn¡¯t the case. ¡°We¡¯ve got to figure out a way to get past this,¡± I sigh, feeling emotionally drained. ¡°We can¡¯t change what happened, but we can¡¯t let it take over our lives either. You have to go to work, I¡¯ve got to take L to her ydate and go grocery shopping.¡± And after I¡¯ve got to start figuring out what on earth I¡¯m going to do with my life. I add in my head, causing Luna to chortle softly. ¡°What ydate?¡± Bastien asks, narrowing his eyes. ¡°With Donovan¡¯s niece, remember?¡± I prompt, ¡°I told you about this yesterday. She needs to make some friends here.¡± ¡°They can have the ydate here.¡± He decides, ¡°and there¡¯s no reason for you to go to the store yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to let this person control my life, Bastien.¡± | insist. ¡°I¡¯ve spent too many years living in fear and I refuse to do it any longer. I¡¯m not going to hide away because of one creep who is too cowardly to come out of the shadows and challenge you directly.¡± I¡¯m seriously regretting the way I fell apartst night. It couldn¡¯t be helped in the moment, but my reaction has sent Bastien into an overprotective frenzy, and it¡¯s making things very difficult. ¡°Selene, you know that isn¡¯t what I want.¡± He reasons coolly, ¡°But until we know what we¡¯re up against,ying low is imperative. It¡¯s not weak, it¡¯s smart.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say,¡± I counter, ¡°but how long is it going to be until we know what we¡¯re up against? You¡¯ve been trying to find this person for years and you aren¡¯t any closer to identifying them now than you were when your Father died.¡± ¡°Maybe not, but we haven¡¯t had the full story until now.¡± Bastien reminds me, ¡°I have a feeling you¡¯re the key to all of this, the piece we¡¯ve been missing.¡± His jaw twitches in agitation, ¡°which is all the more reason for us to be cautious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m notpletely defenseless you know.¡± I mutter, thinking of my confrontation with the she-wolves in thedies room. With everything that¡¯s happened since, Ipletely forgot about the incident. The revtions about the safe house and the spy cameraspletely overshadowed the strange new powers I channeled defending myselfst night, but now that I think about it, I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s taken me this long to tell my mate. ¡°Speaking of which, I forgot to tell you¡­¡± Trailing off, I crinkle my nose in thought. How on earth can I exin this? Honey, I forgot to tell you I¡¯m magic? Or, hey babe, you didn¡¯t happen to hear about a bunch of unconscious women turning up in a restroom did you? My bad! Maybe, I know we can¡¯t afford any bad press, but I decided to reintroduce myself to the pack¡¯s she-wolves by knocking a bunch of them out with my mind. Definitely the first one. Luna quips. Bastien¡¯s brows knit together in concern as he watches my internal struggle, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Something happened at the banquet. I think I somehow tapped into¡­ some new powers or something.¡± | summarize feebly. ¡°What do you mean?¡± He presses, moving closer. ¡°Well when you took L to the garden, I went to thedies room and had a little run in with a few she- wolves.¡± I broach warily, ¡°three of them came in and started being really horrid about me and L, and I sort of lost my temper.¡± Bastien immediately zones in on the wrong part of the story. ¡°Horrid how?¡± ¡°Just saying the same sort of ugly nonsense they always did.¡± Waving off the details, I continue, ¡°but they went after L this time and Ipletely sunk to their level. I provoked the ringleader and she attacked¡±. ¡°She attacked you?!¡± Bastien thunders, grasping me by the shoulders. ¡°Are you all right? Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner? Who was it? I want a name!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point, Bastien!¡± I exim, shaking him off. ¡°When she came at me something happened. I threw my arms out to protect myself and all of a sudden they just copsed. I didn¡¯t even touch them, but I felt this. I don¡¯t know, electricity inside me, and I pushed it outwards. I have no idea what it was or how I did it, but they went down as soon as it hit them.¡± ¡°Was it the same bitch who pushed you into the pool and almost killed you?¡± He rumbles. ¡°Bestien, focus. I¡¯m trying to tell you something important.¡± Dragging a hand through my long hair, I theorize, ¡°The only exnation I can think of, is that it¡¯s something to do with my blood. Something to do with being a Vna.¡± Bastien is breathing heavily, standing with his hands on his hips and ring out the window. I can see him trying to work through his anger, and I know he hasn¡¯tpletely conquered it when he turns back to me. ¡°Okay, tell me again in as much detail as you can. Don¡¯t leave anything out.¡± I do as he asks, rting every word, thought and feeling that passed through my mind during the confrontation. He doesn¡¯t look any calmer when I finish, but I can see he¡¯s thinking hard. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of anything like what you¡¯re describing.¡± ¡°You believe me don¡¯t you?¡± I ask hesitantly. The next thing I know, my mate is looming over me, holding my face between his hands. ¡°Of course I do, little wolf.¡± ¡°What do you think it means?¡± I wonder aloud. ¡°I think you¡¯re probably right.¡± He shares, ¡°this has to be your Vna blooding through. Maybe finally shifting triggered something; allowed your powers to start manifesting, the same way it sent you into your first heat.¡± ¡°So really what you¡¯re saying is this is all your fault.¡± I tease, after all I never would have shifted in the first ce if you hadn¡¯t found me.¡± Bastien shoots me a wolfish grin, ¡°I¡¯ll dly take credit.¡± He replies, only slightly smug. ¡°I know it¡¯s probably rming, but the more defenses you have the better. If part of your bloodline gives you some sort of extra abilities, we should encourage them as much as possible.¡± ¡°Especially since L will have them too.¡± I agree, ¡°only she¡¯s going to have to deal with them a lot sooner than I did.¡± Bastien frowns, looking suddenly perturbed. ¡°I hadn¡¯t even considered that.¡± ¡°We always knew there had to be a reason people talked about Vnas the way they do. I mean no one knows the blood secret, so it had to be something like this, right?¡± l¡¯?n not sure why I¡¯m whispering, but it feels wrong to talk about these things at full volume. ¡°The problem is that I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m supposed to encourage these powers when I don¡¯t even know how I tapped into them in the first ce.¡± ¡°We need to find someone who knows Vna lore.¡± Bastien poses, ¡°There have to be books or histories, people who know more about the heritage than you and I.¡± ¡°Yes well, finding them without advertising why we¡¯re looking is going to be a challenge.¡± I remark dryly. Bastien rubs his jaw, ¡°that¡¯s a fair point. We¡¯re going to have to be very carefu! Do you remember anything your mother might have shared with you, any names or stories?¡± ¡°No.¡± I grimace, ¡°I didn¡¯t even know I¡¯d have powers like this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± Bastien assures me, pulling me into a hug. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out. I promise.¡± I rx instantly, breathing in his incredible scent and leaning my weight into his strong arms. The tension filling my body slowly unwinds, and even though nothing has been resolved, I feel calmer. ¡°I still want to know the names of those she-wolves.¡± Bastien grumbles in my ear. His words flip a switch in my mind, and I lean back, looking up at him curiously. ¡°What if there was another way?¡± I inquire slyly. ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asks. ¡°Well, we know the powers came out when I felt threatened right?¡± I state rhetorically, ¡°so if we want to get them toe out again¡­¡± ¡°Tell me you aren¡¯t suggesting what I think you are.¡± Bastienmands ominously. Looking up at him from beneath myshes, I purr, ¡°How would you like to attack me?¡± Bastien¡¯s POV ¡°Go!¡± Selene calls, taking up a defensive stance, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± | growl, ¡°this isn¡¯t right.¡± We¡¯re out in the garden, positioned on a wide swath of manicuredwn and standing about ten meters apart. Selene is dressed in workout garb and eyeing me with mild exasperation. Aiden and Donovan from the sidelines, wide grins on their faces even though nothing has happened yet. ¡°Attack me!¡± My mate insists, throwing her arms out in encouragement. ¡°Selene, I really don¡¯t think-¡± ¡°Bastien you promised!¡± She reminds me. It hadn¡¯t been easy for her to convince me to try and test her powers this way, and to be honest I still think it¡¯s a bad idea. I know Axel and I would never intentionally hurt her, but idents happen and even a fake attack can go wrong. ¡°This is dangerous.¡± I gripe, ¡°what if it doesn¡¯t work? What if I can¡¯t pull back in time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why Aiden and Donavon are here.¡± She reminds me firmly. When I still don¡¯t move she softens and bats hershes. ¡°Please, baby?¡± Grumbling under my breath, I agree. ¡°Okay, On my count.¡± With a deep breath, I brace myself for the attack, ¡°Three¡­ two¡­ one!¡± To my credit, I do manage to shift, but the moment Axel sees Selene everythinges to a stop. I¡¯m not even halfway across the grass before my snarls be purrs, my charge bes an excited lope, and the most aggressive feeling I can conjure is lust. Selene throws her head back in frustration. ¡°This is ridiculous Bastien. If you can¡¯t do it, then you need to let someone else!¡± Shifting on the spot, I cross the garden and pull her flush against me. ¡°No one else is going to attack you, mate.¡± | rumble, ¡°Do you know why?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Because you¡¯re so overprotective and possessive that you even feel territorial about threatening me?¡± She quips. ¡°Because fake or not, if I see another wolf showing aggression to my mate, I won¡¯t be able to control myself.¡± | correct, skewering her with my gaze. ¡°I will defend you as if the threat ispletely real, and I¡¯d rather not kill my Betas over an experiment.¡± My mate casts a sulky nce, ¡°You can¡¯t think about this as if it¡¯s a true threat ¡± She argues, ¡°just remind yourself that this is all to help me. You¡¯re doing a good thing by attacking me, you¡¯re teaching me to defend myself.¡° Sighing heavily, I pry a few kisses from her soft lips. ¡°Spoken like someone without a violent bone in her sweet little body. ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± Seiene asks, her striking eyes narrowed with suspicion. ¡°It means you don¡¯t understand the darkness that takes hold in these moments.¡± I exin ruefully, ¡°And I hope you never do.¡± ¡°Bastien, I need this.¡± My mate murmurs urgently. ¡°I need to know what¡¯s happening with my own body.¡± She implores, ¡°I know this isn¡¯t easy for you and that I can¡¯t understand the kind of malice you¡¯re talking about. I know you might not be able to feel that towards me, but you spar with Aiden and Donavon all the time why is this any different?¡± ¡°Because neither of them are my mate.¡± I exin passionately. ¡°Oh, so you can spank me but you can¡¯t pretend to fight me?¡± Selene questions coyly. Chuckling darkly I answer, ¡°those are very different things.¡± My wife has mentioned her spanking so frequently I¡¯m beginning to think she wants another. ¡°You earned the spanking.¡± I remind her huskily. ¡°You could never earn an attack.¡± Pouting, Selene shifts restlessly against me, ternpting me to no end, ¡°Please just give it one more try?¡± She begs, trailing. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 103 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Odette¡¯s Library Her slender fingers down my chest. Groaning, I steal onest kiss before returning to my starting position. Bracing myself for the imminent battle, I try to put myself into a mindset that will allow me to do what is necessary. You¡¯re helping her, you¡¯re helping her, you¡¯re helping her. I think somewhat manically. ¡°Go!¡± Selene calls with absolute determination. This time I¡¯m finally able to lunge at her with true ferocity, growling and snapping like the wild animal I keep buried deep inside. However it seems I¡¯m no longer the problem, because while I attack my mate with totalmitment, she cannot seem to safeguard herself. Her defensive stance rxes even as I charge forward, a beautiful smile stretching across her face as my wolf attacks. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. It seems Selene is no more capable of fearing me, as I am of threatening her. This is hopeless. Odette¡¯s POV Things have been very uncertain since Selene returned. The entire city has been in an uproar every second of the day, and convincing the aristocracy to ept my daughter-inw and granddaughter has been no small feat. Needless to say, thest few weeks have been an emotional roller-coaster, but I¡¯m convinced it¡¯s all for the best. Bastien has been a shadow of himself ever since Selene left a condition I understand all too well. I¡¯m beyond thrilled that his heart and spirit has been restored, and I want nothing more than peace for my family. Still, when I enter the garden this afternoon and find my son in his wolf form, mid-way through an attack on his mate, can¡¯t help but pull up short. Granted, Selene doesn¡¯t seem the least bit bothered. In fact, she looks somewhat delighted to have her mate treating her so aggressively. ¡°What in the Goddess¡¯s name are you doing?¡± I question, ncing back and forth between them. ¡°I¡¯m trying to get Bastien to attack me, but he¡¯s too chicken.¡± Seleneins, her lovely eyes glittering with mirth. My son growls, and Selene shivers with delight. For a moment I¡¯m reminded so viscerally of Gabriel that my heart hurts. I remember that glorious tension between lust and fear so profoundly that I feel a loss even now, so many years after my mate died ¡°And why do you want him to attack you?¡± I ask skeptically. Selene rolls her eyes as if her next words ¡°Because, the other day someone tried to attack me¡±. ¡°What¡¯¡± i interrupt, incapable of smothering my instinctive response. ¡°Are you alright? What happened!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, honestly, everyone is missing the pointi¡± Selene exims, showing more defiance and backbone than I can ever recall seeing from her before. ¡°Which is that I was able to repel them without touching them.¡± Her two-toned eyes bore into mine, imploring me to understand, ¡°It was like magic. I tapped into some sort of new power, and we¡¯re trying to recreate the phenomenon.¡± It¡¯s a serious matter, but I cannot contain my amusement. Laughter bubbles from my chest in an irrepressible rush. ¡°Well of course that won¡¯t worki¡± exim, ¡°he¡¯s your mate, you know he won¡¯t hurt you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Selene murmurs softly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how tough or threatening he acts,¡± I share, ¡°you trust him on an intimate level, he¡¯s never going to Ingger the survival instincts you need. ¡°That may be.¡± Bastien argues firmly ¡°But I¡¯m not letting anyone else attack her.¡± ¡°Honestly my darlings, it¡¯s not as if violence is the only solution.¡± I state simply ¡°Why don¡¯t youe with me, Selene.¡± ¡°Come with you where? Bastien asks hesitantly. I swear, the man is so protective of his inate that even I¡¯m not above suspicion. ¡°To my library ¡°I drawl, rolling my eyes. ¡°I have a few books which might offer a bit more insight, and none ci them will put your health or rtionships at risk¡±. Selene seems ready toe along withoutint, but Bastien catches her around the waist, whispering something in her ear so quiet that even my keen ears can¡¯t hear. Selene flushes bright red, and I have a feeling that whatever her mate just said was deeply personal indeed. When he finally leaves us alone, I ask, ¡°How are you doing, my love, truly?¡± ¡°I keep waiting for the rug to get dragged out from under my feet.¡± Selene admits. ¡°I mean, I know Bastien loves me. At least, I¡¯ming to realize that and trying to convince myself to trust it. Still, everything I¡¯ve ever known has taught me the opposite. I don¡¯t really know how to deal with it.¡± ¡°Tunderstand.¡± I affirm gently, ¡°It¡¯s difficult to ept that other people love you when you¡¯ve been conditioned to think you aren¡¯t worthy of it.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Selene murmurs, ¡°he¡¯s so confident, so sure of his feelings and beliefs ¨C when I¡¯m just trying to keep my head above water.¡± ¡°Do you think finding this new power will help even the ying field?¡± I ask. I know what it is to be an Alpha¡¯s mate, to question your own strength alongside that of such a dominant wolf. I wish I could tell Selene she has nothing to worry about, but the truth is that these issues never go away. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She admits, ¡°I just want my family to be safe. I want to know my pup won¡¯t have to live in fear.¡± ¡°She won¡¯t,¡± I promise, my own protective instincts rising to the forefront as I pull a volume from the packed shelves of my bookcases. I sy the text open for Selene, disying the table of contents for the Vna history annals. Of all my books, this text offers my daughter-inw and granddaughter all they could ever wish to know about their heritage. ¡°Because you¡¯re going to learn to harness your power, and when L¡¯s timees, you¡¯ll teach her too.¡± I affirm. ¡°Together you¡¯ll have the world at your fingertips, and that¡¯s a strength no one can ever take away from you.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 104 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Vna History Selene¡¯s POV I¡¯m beginning to think my mother told me the wrong secret. Granted, she chose the most important not to mention scariest one, but talk about burying the lead! Sure, my blood can give eternal life, but that doesn¡¯t help me while it¡¯s still running in my veins. Learning that I can hypnotize people, on the other hand, could have reallye in handy before now. Odette¡¯s history books aren¡¯t exhaustive and half of their ims sound more like fairy tales than fact, but there¡¯s enough empirical data included to persuade me regarding other matters. For example, I seriously doubt that any Vnas discovered how to be invisible the way one thirteenth century zealot insisted, but I believe the hundreds of contemporary ounts describing the way Vna wolves could harness moonlight to increase their own powers. I can¡¯t believe I never knew any of this. I marvel, scanning through ancient censuses listing the names of my ancestors. I can. Luna rolls her eyes, I mean when would we have had the opportunity to learn this stuff? It¡¯s not like Garrick gave us library privileges. I know, but mom never taught me any of this! I answer. I was too young to understand some of it, but not everything. Why wouldn¡¯t she have wanted me to know our own history? We¡¯re an endangered species, Selene. My wolf reminds me. She probably thought you¡¯d try to use your powers if you knew about them and that could get you noticed. Luna makes a fair point. Hundreds of years ago Vna¡¯s were required to register with their elder councils, as they were considered so powerful that they needed monitoring to ensure they posed no threat to their packs. For the most part I think this was just a lot of small minded men being intimidated by any woman who defied their expectations, but I have to admit their fears weren¡¯t entirely in vain. In one case, a Vna wolf overthrew her Alpha and went on to conquer an entire continent, bing the first andst woman Alpha in history. Well, they certainly left that out of the textbooks. I snort, Admittedly, I missed out on half my education, but I worked very hard to make up for lost time after I escaped Garrick and I¡¯ve never heard of half of the events detailed in these volumes. That¡¯s because history is written by men. Luna quips. Continuing to read, I can feel my eyes growing wider and wider all on their own. If even half of this is true, I¡¯m much more powerful than I ever imagined. The documented Vna abilities go far beyond power surges like the one triggered in the restroom, or even harnessing moonlight. ording to these books, I can not only hypnotize people with my eyes, but bend shadows to make them see things that aren¡¯t there, navigate the most starless night, summon light, give sleep, slow time and control the tides in addition to simply being extremely hard to kill. I would probably find this more comforting if it weren¡¯t for the fact that these powers don¡¯t kick in until you¡¯re grown, which means L has a long way to go before any of this helps her. Another problem is that knowing about the powers and using them are two very different things. I still have no idea how to tap into any of these abilities, or even how many of the powers listed here are legitimate. I do know at least I¡¯m fairly certain that all of this cycles with the moon itself. I¡¯ll be strongest when it¡¯s full, and weakest when it¡¯s new. Shaking my head, I turn the page, delving into an analysis about the bloodline¡¯s decline as time passed. ¡°Mommy what are you reading?¡± L pipes up next to me. She¡¯s been napping beside me for the better part of an hour, but now she¡¯s sitting up, rubbing her eyes and looking so adorably sleepy I could eat her right up. ¡°I¡¯m reading about our bloodline.¡± I exin gently. I haven¡¯t ever talked to L about this subject before and I have no intention of getting into the details, but I don¡¯t intend on hiding it from her either. While I understand my mother¡¯s decision and desire to protect me, I can¡¯t help but feel that keeping me in the dark about all this set me at a disadvantage. It makes sense that knowing about the powers would encourage me to use them, but I¡¯d rather use them and be able to defend myself, than not know they exist and remain helpless against threats that are inevitable either way. ¡°Our what?¡± L chirps. ¡°Our bloodline.¡± I repeat slowly, brushing a lock of dark hair back from her face. ¡°Our family history. My mother and her mother, and her mother¡¯s mother, going back hundreds of years.¡± ¡°That¡¯s long.¡± L assesses with raised brows. ¡°It is long.¡± I agree with augh, ¡°but it¡¯s also powerful. Everything we are,es from our ancestors. It¡¯s the reason your eyes are blue and violet, the reason you look so much like me.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°What about Daddy?¡± L¡¯s dark head cocks to the side. ¡°It¡¯s the same for everyone.¡± I share, ¡°We all have different histories, but everyone is shaped by the past ¨C including Daddy.¡± The door opens behind us and I can hear Bastiening inside, as if our conversation conjured him. ¡°And you and I have a very special bloodline, one that means we have to be extra careful.¡± Her little brow crinkles in confusion. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you two are the most important things in the world.¡± Bastien¡¯s deep voice rumbles over our heads, and we both crane our necks back to look up at his smiling face. ¡°And when other people figure that out, they might want to take you for themselves.¡± I want to roll my eyes. I¡¯m doing my best to raise L with both of her feet firmly nted on the ground, and telling her the world revolves around her is absolutely not going to further that cause. Still, it¡¯s hard to exin suchplicated matters to a toddler, and Bastien¡¯s words do hit the nail on the head. Besides, I know he¡¯s speaking the truth his truth, at least. To my immense surprise and amusement, L is rolling her eyes in my stead. ¡°Daddy, you wouldn¡¯let ¡®nyone take us.¡± She says, as if the suggestion is preposterous. It takes all my will not tough, and I can see Bastien fighting the same impulse, ¡°Is that so?¡± He asks her. ¡°Course!¡± She exims, standing on the couch cushions and raising her arms to him. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you?¡± He immediately plucks her from the sofa, kissing her soft cheeks one after the other. ¡°I would never let anyone take you from me, L bean.¡± My daughter flips upside down, dissolving into a fit of giggles as Bastien leans over to kiss me hello, ¡°Or my little wolf.¡± ¡°Daddy, why d¡¯you call Mommy that?¡± L asks once she can breath again, ¡°She¡¯s not liddle.¡± ¡°She¡¯s little to me.¡± Bastien reasons, carting her off towards the kitchen, ¡°Now tell me all about your day. I want to hear everything.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV ¡°It even said I could harness moonlight.¡± Selene exims, so preupied with sharing her discoveries that she doesn¡¯t ¡®seem to notice me kissing a path down her t tummy. L is finally asleep, and we¡¯re safely ensconced in our bedroom. My wife is syed over our bed like a beautiful feast, even if she seems unaware she¡¯s about to be devoured. ¡°That¡¯s great, baby.¡± I praise her, truly meaning it but not having the brainspace to focus on her powers at the moment. Instead I busy myself with stripping off her bra and panties, baring my stunning mate to my questing hands and mouth. ¡°The only problem is that it was all theoretica! describing what Vna¡¯s can do, not how they ah, Bastien!¡± Selene arches off the bed, looking down at me with sudden need. I chuckle darkly, pinning her hips to the mattress while I swipe my tongue up her center. ¡°Yes my love?¡± I ask her with a cheshire grin, continuing to tease her plump, pink flesh. Selene wines wordlessly, squirming beneath me, ¡°I¡¯m trying to tell you about the books.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s stopping you?¡± I question, adding my fingers to the mix. Circling her swollen clit and delving my fingers around her soaked entrance, I relish her soft cries. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not ying fair.¡± Sheins, tangling her fingers into my hair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sweetheart.¡± I lie, sliding two long, thick fingers into her slick channel. ¡°Do you want me to stop?¡± Selene¡¯s hips jerk, and she whimpers so sweetly I almost take mercy on her almost. Instead I crook my fingers inside her, feeling a rush of pure fire when her eyes roll back in her head and her tight muscles clench around me. ¡°No.¡± She murmurs, ¡°I¡¯m just trying to tell you what I learned. ¡°And I want to hear all about it.¡± I assure her, ¡°as soon as I¡¯m done with you.¡± Selene flops down in exasperation. ¡°Are you ever going to be done with me?¡± I consider her question for one long moment before deciding. ¡°No.¡± I announce firmly. ¡°Never.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 105 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Searching Selene¡¯s POV My husband is impossible. I swear, it¡¯s not even dark out and we¡¯re already in bed. We don¡¯t even have my heat to use as an excuse anymore. That ended days ago, but the way Bastien is acting, you¡¯d think we were a pair of teenagers trapped in a frenzy of hormones. Not that he¡¯s solely to me, it seems like every time he touches me I dissolve into a puddle. It may sound like I¡¯mining, but I¡¯m just overwhelmed by everything that¡¯s happened over thest few weeks. I¡¯m not the least bit disappointed to have this incredible Alphavishing his affection on me, I¡¯m simply at a loss for how to deal with all these changes. Bastien is wrapped around me like the warmest of nkets, his big body cushioning every inch of me while his lips move over my soft skin. ¡°Goddess, I love you.¡± He murmurs, nuzzling my neck. ¡°I love you too.¡± I whisper, smiling widely. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t listen to me when I try to tell you about my powers.¡± Bastien¡¯s warm chuckle vibrates against my skin moments before his fingers flutter over my sides, tickling me mercilessly. Squealing withughter and writhing in his arms, I try to escape the tortuous touches, but only end up winding myself tighter in his embrace. ¡°I was listening.¡± He promises, nibbling my shoulder, ¡°1 simply had other things on my mind.¡± ¡°Oh I know what you had on your mind.¡± I answer wryly, cuddling closer. ¡°But what do you think?¡± ¡°I think if even half of what you read is true, then we need to figure out how to help you ess that part of yourself.¡± He ims simply. ¡°Really?¡± I ask, ncing over my shoulder and trying to glimpse his rugged face. ¡°Of course.¡± Bastien confirms. ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s¡­¡± I start with a shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t know, dangerous or something?¡± ¡°I think you need to learn as much as you can,¡± My mate assesses firmly. ¡°The more able you are to defend yourself, the better.¡± ¡°I want to be able to teach L, too.¡± I confide, ¡°when she¡¯s old enough.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Bastien purrs in confirmation, ¡°We need to find you a teacher somehow. Someone who knows about these things someone we can trust.¡± ¡°Where on earth are we going to find someone like that?¡± I ask softly. ¡°I¡¯ve never even heard of any other Vnas, and the people who wrote those history books have been dead for years.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Bastien answers, sounding like his mind is a thousand miles away. ¡°But I can¡¯t see another option. We¡¯ve tried to bring the powers out on our own and it¡¯s not working. We need help.¡± Rolling over to face my husband, I tilt my face up for a kiss. My wish is granted almost immediately as his form lips im mine. Even as I dissolve into the moment, his words ring in my head, echoing through my thoughts as if holding some unspoken truth just out of reach. He¡¯s right that we haven¡¯t been able to trigger my powers on our own, but I can¡¯t forget what Odette said about my inability to see my mate as a threat no matter what he does. I know Bastien won¡¯t allow anyone else to attack me, but my instincts will never kick in unless I¡¯m truly afraid. Selene, Luna pipes up, rousing from her contented daze, the answer is obvious. We don¡¯t need to be attacked to be afraid, we just need to be in danger. What are you talking about?¡± Iin. We were in danger with Martin and nothing happened. I can almost see my wolf shaking her head. L was with us then, we were trying to shield her, not fight. Well how do you expect us to fight if no one is attacking us? I scoff. People aren¡¯t the only threats to us. Luna reminds me. In fact I can think of one threat that¡¯s right next door, one we can face without risking harm to anyone else. Suddenly I know exactly what she means, Luna, that¡¯s insane. We have a child, and a mate who has already survived our death once. We¡¯re not going to risk killing ourselves and leaving them all alone, just to test a theory. Don¡¯t you see? Luna implores. L and Bastien are precisely why we¡¯ll have to fight, she argues. They need us. Dying isn¡¯t an option. No. I insist, at least, not without some sort of backup. I can picture my sleek, white wolf nodding. I think it¡¯s time we pay another visit to Odette. Bastien¡¯s POV Heads jerk up when I walk through the front doors of Elysium Memorial Hospital with Aiden and Donovan, doctors and nurses scanning our small group as if looking for signs of illness or injury, then furrowing their brows when they find none. Reading my grim expression and determined stride, most drop their gazes once they realize we aren¡¯t here for an emergency or social call. We march straight to the pathologyb, the falsified DNA tests safely clutched in my fist. When we arrive theb supervisor does a double take, her eyes going wide when she suddenly finds her Alpha bearing down on her. I tten the results page on the counter, ¡°What can you tell me about this?¡± I demand. Hesitantly reaching for the page, she eventuallytches onto the corners, forced to tug it out from beneath my palm and looking more and more nervous every second. Her dark eyes flit over the results page, before she looks back up at me with a frown. ¡°This appears to be a negative paternity test.¡± My eyes narrow to slits, ¡°Perhaps I should have been clearer. This test was run in yourbs, and the results have since been proven false. So I¡¯m trying to figure out whether your staff is simply ipetant, or criminal.¡± The blood drains from the woman¡¯s face. ¡°Alpha, forgive me, this is the first I¡¯m hearing of this.¡± She stammers, ¡°Can may I ask?¡± She trails off looking uncertain. ¡°I know they¡¯re false because my daughter has a starlight allergy which was recently triggered.¡± I expiain, ¡°My blood was required for the antidote.¡± The supervisor¡¯s jaw tightens, ¡°I see.¡± Turning to aputer on her left, she quickly types in a rapid stream of information, presumably pulling up the electronic records. Gnawing on her lip as she reads the results, she nces at me uncertainly. ¡°Everything in the system matches that print out.¡± ¡°Which means what, exactly?¡± I interrogate. ¡°Well, either the sample was contaminated, or the wrong sample was run against your daughter¡¯s.¡± She hedges. ¡°Intentionally or identally.¡± ¡°Could someone have edited the results once they were generated?¡± Aiden questions. ¡°I¡¯d be able to see edits made after the fact.¡± She exins. ¡°If I had to guess I¡¯d say the wrong sample was run. If you would be willing to provide me another, I could confirm this.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± I agree through a thick red haze. ¡°Who ran the tests? She scrolls up to the top of the screen, her brow knitting together in confusion, ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ it¡¯s not¡­ this doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Her words are running together in a rapid whir. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Donavon asks gently. The supervisor stares up at me with pure trepidation, ¡°It says I ran these¡­ but I wasn¡¯t even here that day!¡± She immediately squeaks, ¡°I was on vacation, down at the coast with my family.¡± ¡°You can provide proof of this?¡± I question. ¡°Of course.¡± She promises, ¡°and my colleagues can confirm it.¡± ¡°Who was covering for you?¡± Aiden wants to know. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°My assistant Jane.¡± She straightens her shoulders a bit, ¡°but she couldn¡¯t have done this. The system requires our ID badges to swipe in and I leave mine at home when I¡¯m not at work. It was exactly where I left it when we got back to the city.¡± ¡°So what are you saying, who could have done this?¡± | press, getting more and more frustrated by the minute. Her mouth gapes wordlessly for one long moment, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She finally answers feebly, ¡°none of this makes any sense. The test was run after hours ¨C theb wasn¡¯t even open when it happened.¡± Donavon leans forward, resting his burly forearms on the counter, ¡°Does everyone who enters theb have to badge in?¡± ¡°Yes, I can pull the log!¡± She exims,tching onto the idea. As soon as the screen poptes, I know the effort was for naught. The supervisor lookspletely dejected, ¡°It says ! swiped in just after midnight.¡± She whispers, ¡°No one else was here.¡± Aiden squeezes my shoulder, nodding towards the hallway. ¡°They installed security cameras a few years ago. If someone entered theb using her badge, we should be able to see them on the footage.¡± Shaking my head I growl, ¡°if it hasn¡¯t been tampered with too.¡± I gripe, ¡°how much do you want to bet the recordings from that night have been erased?¡± My betas grimace, and suddenly Aiden¡¯s voice appears in my head. You believe her? Studying the supervisor bleakly, I-reply. Yes, unfortunately I think she¡¯s telling the truth. So where do we go from here? Donavon interjects. First we check the security tapes, I decide, then we need to pay Dr Kane a visit. Dr Kane? Aiden asks, to file aint? It¡¯s a logical assumption, after all Kane¡¯s been the pack¡¯s chief physician since my father was alive. But that¡¯s not why want to see him now. No, I counter. To ask him how he misidentified my mate¡¯s body after the fire. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 106 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Doctors and Damsels Bastien¡¯s POV Dr Kane looks as if he¡¯s been expecting us. After a thoroughly frustrating visit to the security offices, where we discovered nothing more than twelve hours of cked out camera footage the night the paternity test was run, my betas and I navigated up to the chief physician¡¯s office on the tenth floor. We now stand in the doorway of his corner suite, carefully watching the doctor¡¯s reaction to our sudden appearance and finding nothing but a nk te. He¡¯s seated behind his desk, his shiny loafers propped up on the sleek wooden surface and a takeout container syed in hisp. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen the man, and though he¡¯s only a few years older than myself, I can¡¯t help but think he¡¯s aged. His dark hair boasts a few streaks of gray, and the lines around his eyes and mouth are more pronounced than I remember. ¡°Alpha, to what do I owe the pleasure?¡± Dr Kane greets me, barely looking up from his lunch. As far as Alpha¡¯s go, I¡¯ve also considered myself on the more rxed end of the spectrum. I don¡¯t expect my people to stand on constant ceremony, but it does strike me that most shifters still show a degree of deference out of respect. Dr Kane clearly does not. I can¡¯t decide whether or not it bothers me. ¡°Dr Kane.¡± I reply curtly, ¡°I have a few questions for you.¡± The doctor gestures to the chair opposite him, ¡°Please have a seat.¡± He encourages me with a warm smile, ¡°It¡¯s been a while, I owe you much congrattions.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± I prompt, sitting stiffly across from the familiar man. ¡°It¡¯s not every day a man bes a father, or finds his long lost mate.¡± Kane borates, as if this should have been obvious to me. ¡°No it isn¡¯t.¡± I agree, feeling a sudden spike of anger. ¡°especially when you told me with total confidence that my mate was dead.¡± Dr. Kane purses his lips, lowering his feet from his desk and setting his lunch aside. ¡°You have my sincerest apologies Alpha, I¡¯ve alreadyunched an investigation into the matter.¡± ¡°What investigation?¡± | demand, ¡°aren¡¯t you the one who examined the body?¡± His expression clouds, ¡°Bastien, I delivered the report to you out of respect for your position and as a courtesy given our understanding rtionship. I reviewed everyst detail of the case, but the medical examiner conducted the autopsy and ran all the tests, not me.¡± Anger simmers in my veins, this was absolutely not made clear at the time. ¡°Where is the medical examiner now?¡± ¡°He leftst year, took a job in a different territory.¡± Dr Kane exins, ¡°but I have always had the utmost respect for him. I can¡¯t imagine him making such a grave error¡± ¡°Oh I don¡¯t think it was an error.¡± I growl. The physician¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°You mean, you think he changed the results on purpose?¡± ¡°I think someone wanted me to believe my mate was dead.¡± I force the words out through clenched teeth, ¡°Just as someone wanted me to believe her pup belonged to another wolf, and falsified yet another set of DNA results.¡± Kane leans forward now, confusion and concerncing his movements, ¡°What are you talking about.¡± Rting our discoveries from the pathologyb as quickly as I¡¯m able, I pin the doctor with my fiercest gaze, ¡®The way! see it, one of three things is happening here. Either you have some very ipetant staff here or more likely, we¡¯re dealing with some form of corruption. Whether it¡¯sing from within the system, or someone has been paying your people off to falsify information, remains to be seen.¡± Dr Kane¡¯s features harden, ¡°We take oaths in this hospital, Alpha ¨C sacred oaths to do no harm. To suggest that anyone here would intentionally damage this pack¡¯s wellbeing is a very grave usation.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of that.¡± I rumble, ¡°though it¡¯s curious that you should talk about the pack¡¯s wellbeing, rather than my own.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You are an extension of the pack, are you not?¡± Dr Kane argues, ¡°to harm you is to harm us all.¡± ¡°Be that as it may, someone has been working against me.¡± I assert coolly, ¡°and they¡¯ve used this hospital¡¯s resources to further those aims. Oaths can be broken, and it is your duty to discover who might have forsaken theirs.¡± Dr Kane nods in acknowledgement. ¡°There¡¯s something else, Bastien.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± I allow. ¡°I think in your concern for your mate¡¯s misidentified body, you¡¯ve overlooked a rather key detail.¡± He announces confidently Arching my brow, I state, ¡°I presume you¡¯re referring to the question that, if the body in the fire wasn¡¯t Selene¡¯s, who did it belong to?¡± Dr Kane nods, looking almost impressed that I caught the detail. ¡°Strange thing that,¡± I acknowledge, unfurling to my full height. ¡°No one else was reported missing before or after the fire.¡± Moving towards the door, I gesture for my betas to follow, stopping just before we exit, ¡°but I know one ce someone could have easily found a corpse to use.¡± ¡°And where¡¯s that?¡± Dr Kane asks, the very picture of curiosity. I watch the man very closely when I reply, searching for any signs of emotion in his nk expression, and finding none. ¡°The hospital morgue.¡± Selene¡¯s POV ¡°Selene, I don¡¯t know about this.¡± Odette frets, wringing her hands. ¡°Look, you¡¯re a strong swimmer, right?¡± I ask, stripping out of my clothes to reveal the simple ck swimsuit I donned for my ¡°hairbrained scheme¡± as my mother-inw so fondly put it. ¡°Yes but ¡°She begins, only to be cut off by my determined tongue. ¡°And you agree that I need to find a way to tap into my survival instincts, without endangering some poor guard¡¯s life assuming I could even convince one to attack me?¡± I press. Neither of us is worried my powers might be strong enough to harm an experienced fighter, the problem is Bastien. Fake or not, there¡¯s a good chance he¡¯d rip out the throat of any wolf daring enough to pretend attack me. ¡°Yes but¡± Odette tries again. ¡°And you agree it can¡¯t wait and Bastien will only overreact to the idea?¡± I continue. We discussed it for more than an hour, going round and round in circles before finallynding here. While I don¡¯t think Bastien would oppose the ideapletely, I doubt he would agree to let me try this unless he was with me ¨C and then I¡¯d feel too safe. ¡°Selene, all of this is true.¡± She sighs in exhaustion. ¡°Then what¡¯s the problem?¡± I inquire impatiently, throwing up my hands. The older wolf cuts her eyes to me, ¡°I swear, you¡¯re every bit as stubborn as my son is sometimes.¡±. Offering her a smile, I tease. ¡°Did you like me better when I was a timid little wallflower?¡± Odetteughs, ¡°oh just go drown yourself you impossible girl!¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡± I salute her, turning towards the water. Of course, no sooner have I set the pool in my sights, that I freeze in ce. Now that it¡¯s staring me in the face, fear skitters down my spine. The crystalline surface looks so cool and weing so serene but I remember what it was like to be submerged in those depths, my lungs burning like fire. I can still feel the pressure bearing down on me, the way my limbs failed desperately through the eerie blue abyss in slow motion. It¡¯s as if the darkness is already closing in again, and I¡¯m trapped in those moments I was certain would be myst. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, sweetheart.¡± Odette assures me, our earlier jokes a distant memory now.. Frowning, I return my gaze to the elegant she-wolf. ¡°Do you know how many st moments¡± I¡¯ve had?¡± I ask solemnly, ¡°How many times I¡¯ve been so certain I was about to die; that I¡¯ve seen my life sh before my eyes and said my final prayers?¡± ¡°I know my darling.¡± Odette¡¯s eyes are full of sympathy, but no pity. ¡°Even one time would be too many.¡± ¡°And every time, I¡¯ve only been proven wrong through someone else¡¯s benevolence.¡± I recall, ¡°Bastien, Drake, Goddess knows who pulled me from the fire.¡± Shaking my head I proim, ¡°I¡¯ve spent my entire life being a victim. Every problem I¡¯ve ever had has been solved for me by a man and I can¡¯t do it anymore.¡± I implore my mother-inw to understand, staring into her vibrant irises with a pleading gaze. After a moment Odette nods in solidarity, her lovely countenance so forlorn that I wonder if she hasn¡¯t been in these same shoes at some point in her life. ¡°I¡¯m done waiting for other people to rescue me.¡± I conclude, sighing heavily. ¡°It¡¯s time I learned to save myself.¡± Before I can think about it for another moment, I leap, cucing my body up into a little ball as I plummet towards the rippling water. Gulping in one final breath of precious air, I crash into the water with a tremendous ssh, disappearing into the watery world that tried to kill me once before, and praying I will have the strength to survive again. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 107 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Drowning Selene¡¯s POV This was a mistake. I know it the moment I hit the water. I was a fool to attempt such a ridiculous n. I plunge beneath the turquoise surface like a ton of bricks, sinking to the bottom of the pool and trying not to panic. The pool is only about twenty feet deep, but even that shallow pressure seems crushing to me. I feel like I¡¯m being ttened, like the entire world hase crashing down on top of me and I¡¯ll never be able to get out from under it. I¡¯m running out of air quickly, but all I can think is how strange it is down here. Time is moving so slowly, and everything is fuzzy and blue. It might be beautiful if it wasn¡¯t so terrifying. I spread my arms out to my sides, trying to imagine a well of power trapped inside me, picturing myself reaching into it and pulling out my own salvation. I can¡¯t hold in the air I¡¯ve been storing in my cheeks any longer, breathing it out through my nose and watching the bubbles ascend to the glittering surface so far above. I feel some relief just letting that bit of weight go, but in my heart | know my window of opportunity is closing. mping my eyes shut, I try to force my hidden strength into being. If I don¡¯t do something, I¡¯m going to die. I think firmly, If I don¡¯t find a way out of this, I¡¯ll drown. A tiny spark flickers to life in my chest, an odd sort of electricity that feels alien and familiar all at once. It¡¯s working. I¡¯ve got too little air and I¡¯m too deep for Odette to reach me in time. I tell myself grimly, pulling at that spark with all my strength. The effort of resisting my instincts to breathe in is beginning to strain my lungs, I know I¡¯ll only take in water if I try to take a breath, but I can¡¯t hold out much longer. Bastien will have to relive your death. You¡¯ll be torturing your mate. The spark grows, expanding like a miniature ball of light in my heart. That¡¯s it! Luna encourages, keep doing that! The electricity is growing, flooding through my limbs little by little. The power is building, but in a wave of fresh panic realize I don¡¯t know what to do with it. I can feel it, but I don¡¯t know how to use it. What good is this light, this electricity? It can¡¯t give me oxygen. At that moment my lungs finally give out, and I suck in a great gulp of water. The pain is instantaneous, salty fluid flooding my lungs, burning in my chest like a thousand needles. No! I think as the light dims. I grapple for the edges of the power, trying desperately to hold on to the nascent force as I sputter and cough, drowning for the second time in my short life. Darkness closes in, encroaching around my vision in a dense ck cloud. Pain, both physical and emotional, pierces my heart as I realize I¡¯ve failed. And just like that, the spark goes out. Bastien¡¯s POV I knew something was wrong the moment I got back to the pack house. I can¡¯t exin why or how, only that my hackles raised and Axel went on high alert the second i stepped through the door. I immediately went up to our top floor apartment to check on Selene and L, but when I arrived, I found only half of my family. L and Donavon¡¯s niece, Maeve, were happily ying in the living room, watched over by my Beta¡¯s sister. The poor woman looked so startled when I entered she jumped half a foot in the air. Before I could apologize to her, L was toddling to her feet and rushing forward to greet me. ¡°Daddy!¡± ¡°Hello little one!¡± I knelt down to her level, sweeping her into a quick hug. ¡°Where¡¯s Mommy?¡± ¡°With Gamma,¡± L peeps, trying to climb into my arms even though I¡¯m attempting to look her in the eye. ¡°With Grandma, where?¡± I press, ncing between my pup and her babysitter, ¡°Daddy, want up!¡± L pouts, squirming her way into the crook of my arm. Caving, I lift her as I stand and approach Donavon¡¯s sister, Anna. ¡°Do you know where they went?¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± She asks anxiously, ¡°They¡¯re just next door at Nova Hall.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± I exin honestly, ¡°Something feels off. Do you know what they¡¯re doing there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t.¡± She shakes her head, reaching for L, ¡°Here, you go. I¡¯ll watch her.¡± L immediately begins to whine when I hand her over, ¡°Daddy, I want you stay.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, angel.¡± I promise. ¡°I just want to check on Mommy.¡± ¡°Take me wid you?¡± She begs, looking up at me with wide, puppy-dog eyes. ¡°Not this time, L bean.¡± I answer apologetically, ¡°be good for Anna.¡± My pup begins to cry as I stalk out of the room, the sounds and smell of her tears tugging at my heartstrings so powerfully I might have turned back if it wasn¡¯t for the terrible sense of dread eating away at my insides. My unease is so great I almost shift, not trusting my human legs to carry me to the hall quickly enough. Instead I storm through the halls at top speed, Aiden and Donavon never leaving my side. ¡°What is it Bastien?¡± Aiden presses. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.¡± I grit out, ¡°I don¡¯t know what, but something¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°Do you think Selene¡¯s in danger?¡± Donavon questions. ¡°I don¡¯t know, it might just be bad memories.¡± It doesn¡¯t escape my notice that thest time Selene went off with Mom, Arabe set fire to our family cabin and destroyed my happiness for three and a half long years. Donavon shakes his head, already on the same wavelength. ¡°You were feeling this before you knew she left with Odette.¡± Fuck. I think, breaking into a run, He¡¯s right. By the time we reach the hall, a small contingent of guards trailing behind us, I can hear amotion by the pool: sshing and Mom calling Selene¡¯s name, her voice strained with fear. Goddess, surely she¡¯s not in the pool! I think desperately. Did she fall in? What the hell were they doing? Pain rips through my chest so suddenly it stops me in my tracks, bending me double and making me gasp for air. Axel is howling desperately, calling for his mate and begging for her to reply. Aiden and the other men are gathered around me, anxious to help but unsure what to do. But there¡¯s nothing to be done. This pain can only mean one thing. Selene is dying. Selene¡¯s POV Myst thought before the world goes ck, is of L. I¡¯ll never see my pup again, and she¡¯ll be forced to grow up without me. I won¡¯t be there to protect her, I won¡¯t be there to teach her or guide her through life. This ridiculous effort to figure out my powers so I can help her deal with her own one day, won¡¯t just be in vain, it will have made things a million times worse. She won¡¯t just be without a Vna teacher, she¡¯ll be without a mother. I won¡¯t be there to kiss her hurts and wipe away her tears, I won¡¯t be there to watch her blossom into a woman. I know what it¡¯s like to lose your mother too soon, and though I know she¡¯ll never suffer as I did at Garrick¡¯s hands, that doesn¡¯t change the fact that I will have abandoned her to face the world without me. I can¡¯t exin how so many thoughts went through my head in such a short burst of time, but that¡¯s the way of final moments. The world seems to slow to a standstill, making space for all the sorrow, fear and rage a heart can conjure at one¡¯s end. I can hear him. Luna moans suddenly, Bastien¡¯s wol¨ª is calling for me. Bastien, I think desperately, I only just got him back. L only just got two parents. It wasn¡¯t intentional. I don¡¯t know how it happened, but one moment I was manically thinking Bastien, L, Bastien, L, and the next the spark had returned, more powerful and furious than before. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. It consumes mepletely. My pain and fury at myselfbine with an outpouring of love for my daughter and mate, exploding out of me in a brilliant ray of light. The electricity is building to a blinding crescendo that blocks out the rest of the world entirely. I¡¯m rising then, the same sort of power I managed to channel in the bathroom propelling me upward, carrying me out of the water and throwing me onto the cold tiles at the side of the pool. Immediately water spews from my lungs, as I cough and retch, bringing up everything in my stomach and moaning pitifully. ¡°Selene!¡± Odette exims, ¡®Thank the Goddess, I¡¯d almost reached you and then-¡± ¡°Selene!¡± Bastien¡¯s roar blocks out his mother¡¯s next words, and before I know it he¡¯s there, bundling me into hisp. crying and kissing every inch of skin he can reach. ¡°You scared the shit out of me.¡± He growls. Bastien is holding me so tightly I can¡¯t breathe, but I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m so relieved to be alive and in his arms that I¡¯d let¡± him strangle me unconscious. Tears pour from my eyes as he rocks me in his arms, his lips moving frantically against my ear, ¡°What the hell happened, how did you end up in the pool?¡± He pulls back to look me over, ¡°Are you alright, are you hurt¡­¡± My mate¡¯s silver eyes widen as he finally realizes I¡¯m in a swimsuit, ¡°what are you wearing?¡± Woops. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 108 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 108 Chapter 108 You Promised! Selene¡¯s POV ¡°Bastien, put me down!¡± i exim, squirming as he carts me through the pack house in his arms. ¡°I can walk!¡± ¡°I know you can walk.¡± He growls, hitching me closer, ¡°I¡¯m carrying you because I don¡¯t trust you not to run away and do something crazy if I leave you to your own devices.¡± This isn¡¯t good. Bastien has barely said a word to me since realizing that I must have intentionally jumped into the pool. Instead he scooped me up and stormed out of Nova Hall, refusing to speak to his mother or anyone else. He charged back over to the pack house so quickly I can scarcely believe he¡¯s still in human form. Now he¡¯s stomping around in a silent rage, swinging me around like a sack of potatoes while steam billows from his ears. Bastien charges up the stairs and pushes into the apartment without pausing, and the sounds of L¡¯s tears immediately reach my ears. I twist around, trying to find my pup, but Bastien doesn¡¯t let me move from his iron grip. ¡°L?¡± I call, listening with Bastien¡¯s breath as her wails dissolve to sniffles, and then her tiny voice chirps, ¡°Mommy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here, my love.¡± I promise, but to my surprise, when she appears in my periphery, I¡¯m not the one she¡¯s running towards. ¡°Daddy where you go?!¡± She exims sullenly, charging my mate¡¯s legs. *Im sorry, L Bean.¡± Bastien professes gently, setting my feet on the ground and leaning down to catch her before she collides with his shins. ¡°I¡¯m here now,e here.¡± My pup throws her arms around his neck, crying pitifully while he rubs her back and whispers soothing nonsense in her ear. I¡¯m not entirely sure what to do ¨C this is a first. I¡¯m always the one L turns to forfort, I¡¯ve never had to stand by and watch someone else care for my daughter this way. On one hand I think I should feel upset, but honestly I¡¯m simply touched to know how quickly L has bonded to her father. ¡°Thank you Anna,¡± I say to Donovan¡¯s sister, knowing that in a few minutes thest thing we¡¯re going to need is an audience. ¡°I appreciate your help this afternoon. What do I owe you?¡± After paying Anna and seeing her to the door, I turn to find my husband ring at me from a few feet away. For one panicked moment I contemte running out the door behind the babysitter, but then my pup is looking me up and down with confusion. ¡°Mommy, why¡¯re you wet?¡± L asks, crinkling up her tiny nose. Before I can reply Bastien answers in a low growl, ¡°Because Mommy has been very bad.¡± Shooting my husband a furibus nce I mouth, don¡¯t tell her that! He arches a heavy brow, as if to ask if he should lie to her. Before I can react, L has another question on her tongue. ¡°Mommies can be bad?¡± She inquires with amazement, her two-toned eyes wide. ¡°Of course,¡± my mate exins ominously, ¡°anyone can be bad, and today your Mommy decided to try and go for a swim.¡± ¡°But Mommy, you can¡¯t swim!¡± L reminds me.N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°No, she can¡¯t.¡± Bastien agrees darkly, looking me up and down. ¡°She¡¯s lucky to be alive.¡± I don¡¯t appreciate him saying these things in front of my pup, but I also don¡¯t understand why he¡¯s dragging things out this way. I know how angry he is, it doesn¡¯t make any sense that he brought me back up here without first dealing with the matter at hand. I know he¡¯s not going to fight with me in front of L, so why did he bring me back up here? Why is he dragging this out? Just what is he nning on doing with me? Bastien¡¯s POV I¡¯m working very hard to stay calm. I¡¯d like to say I brought Selene back to the apartment so quickly out of concern for my pup, but the truth is I needed time to cool down. I knew that seeing L would help me reign in my temper, even if my mate is the one responsible for her current upset. Comforting my daughter put my wolf in a caring mindset, rather than a furious one. It¡¯s a good thing too: if I¡¯d attempted to talk to my mate about her little pool adventure before, I would havepletely lost control, and that wouldn¡¯t be good for anyone. ¡°You can¡¯t leave like dat, Daddy.¡± L scolds me, her little face twisted up into an adorable glower. ¡°If Mommy in trouble, I wannae.¡± ¡°If Mommy is in trouble, thest ce I want you to be is anywhere near her.¡± I answer sternly, squeezing the grumpy bundle in my arms. ¡°It¡¯s very important for you to be a good girl and do what you¡¯re told in those moments. In fact the times when it feels hardest to obey Mommy and Daddy are the ones when it¡¯s most important you do so.¡± L doesn¡¯t look convinced, so I continue, ¡°I don¡¯t like leaving you anymore than you like being left, but I promise I will alwayse back.¡± Movement shes in the corner of my eye, and I realize Selene is trying to slink off to our bedroom. ¡°Hold it right there!¡± Selene freezes in ce, her little body overflowing with guilty energy. If I weren¡¯t so livid I might find it tempting. She¡¯s standing there in a sleek ck bikini, her dark hair wet and disheveled, her fair skin flushed with excitement and anxiety. A very pretty picture if only she hadn¡¯t just risked her beautiful neck diving into a death trap. ¡°I think you owe L an apology.¡± I announce, prompting my little wolf to wrap her arms self-consciously around her body. ¡°Bastien, I think we should discuss this in private.¡± She remarks coolly. ¡°Believe me, we will.¡± I promise menacingly, ¡°but first, you owe our daughter an apology.¡± Her stunning eyes sh, and for a minute I¡¯m certain she¡¯s going to argue with me, but then her sullen gaze slips from my disapproving re to L¡¯s confused expression, and she softens. Moving forward, she pulls the pup from my arms and cuddles her close, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, angel.¡± ¡°Why Mommy?¡± L asks, returning her mother¡¯s affection even though she doesn¡¯t understand it. Her plump arms are wrapped around my mate¡¯s shoulders, her face buried in the curve of her neck. ¡°Because I wasn¡¯t as careful as I should have been.¡± Selene murmurs, causing Axel to snarl in protest. Both she-wolves start in surprise, but my wife doesn¡¯t amend her words. She offers me a defiant stare, and my palm begins to itch. I¡¯m suddenly very d she sent Anna away, this way we won¡¯t be able to speak until L goes to bed this evening. I certainly need the time to calm down, and I¡¯m pleased to know my mate will be forced to stew in apprehension. By the time night actually falls, Selene is practically twitching with worry, her earlier bravado fading the closer wee to her inevitable reckoning. After putting L to bed, I take Selene by the hand and guide her into our bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed and standing her between my legs. ¡°Well little wolf,¡± I begin gruffly, what do you have to say for yourself?¡± Selene sighs in exasperation, her lovely pink lips parting on my name, ¡°Bastien¡± ¡°And don¡¯t you dare try to excuse your actions.¡± I caution her. *Please don¡¯t be mad.¡± She beseeches, sounding more frustrated than sincere. ¡°It¡¯s toote for that.¡± I confess gravely, ¡°but I¡¯ll do my best not to get any angrier.¡± Just when she¡¯s beginning to look relieved I add, ¡°assuming you don¡¯t give me any reason to.¡± Selene squirms restlessly, shifting into her feet and avoiding my gaze. ¡°I needed a way to test my strength without having you as a safety.¡± *Are you telling me that you nned this?¡± I demand. ¡°You left our daughter with a babysitter and went to intentionally try drowning yourself while I was too far away to reach you?¡± ¡°You make it sound a lot worse than it was.¡± Selene argues. ¡°I brought Odette with me in case anything went wrong, and I knew my powers would save me anyway.¡± ¡°No you hoped your powers would save you!¡± I explode, forcing myself to lower my voice when she flinches. ¡°And you were very nearly wrong! I felt you dying, Selene. Do you have any idea what that was like? How painful it was?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Selene¡¯s brow knits together in concern,¡± truly Bastien, I didn¡¯t mean to distress you. But I knew I¡¯d never be able to feel enough fear to trigger my powers if you were with me.¡± ¡°What were you thinking?¡± Keeping my hands braced on her hips, I have to resist the urge to curl my fingers into fists. ¡°You could have been killed you have a child, Selene. And a mate! This didn¡¯t just effect you!¡± *But I wasn¡¯t killed, because I was right! I was right about my powers! They kicked in right when I needed them to and I¡¯m truly sorry it hurt you, but I had to do this.¡± Selene insists, ¡°For L¡¯s sake as well as my own!¡± ¡°If you thought it was such a good idea why didn¡¯t you tell me about it?¡± I inquire bitterly. ¡°Because you never would have let me do it!¡± She exims. ¡°Damn straight I wouldn¡¯t!¡± I retort fiercely, ¡°I¡¯m d you tapped into your powers, but not at the cost of almost losing you. I mean how are you nning on reaching them again? Do you intend on trying to kill yourself every time you want to practice?¡± ¡°Bastien can you please just acknowledge that I made a huge breakthrough, today?¡± She requests, pressing her palms to my chest. ¡°Don¡¯t avoid the question, Selene.¡± I admonish. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± my mate admits, looking determined. ¡°You promised me it wouldn¡¯t be like last time! You promised you wouldn¡¯t coddle me!¡± ¡°Coddle you?¡± I repeat, an edge of pure steel entering my deep voice. Before she knows what¡¯s happening. I tip her facedown over myp, raising her round bottom into the air andnding the first of many hard spanks on her rear end. ¡°How¡¯s this for coddling, baby?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 109 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Not Again Selene¡¯s POV Suddenly I¡¯m staring at the floor, bent over my mate¡¯sp and iling my arms to protect my, now bare, behind. How did he do that so fast? Luna bemoans at the same time I think, I¡¯ve got to stop wearing dresses it makes my body far too easy for him to ess. My hands are immediately trapped behind my back, while my furiously kicking legs quickly be caged by Bastien¡¯s powerful thighs. Unlikest time, I don¡¯t weakly squeal or beg for exnations. No, this time I kick up as much of a fuss as I can, absolutely furious to find myself back in this situation. I can¡¯t believe Bastien is doing this to me again. It seems like the incident in the cafe opened an entire can of worms. Is this how he¡¯s going to respond every time I do something of which he disapproves? I suppose I shouldn¡¯t have provoked him, but I can¡¯t bring myself to regret it either. I know in my heart that I¡¯m right about this. Still, it isn¡¯t fair. After all, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m strong enough to escape him. I don¡¯t have any choice but to simply endure my mate¡¯s punishment or do I? I¡¯m much more powerful than I knew even a week ago, maybe defending myself from mortal peril isn¡¯t my only skill. Maybe this is the exception to the rule about not seeing Bastien as a credible threat because this is certainly credible, and I certainly want it to stop. Reaching deep down into my soul, into that deep well of power I managed to find at the bottom of the pool, I strain to take hold of my newfound strength. I can feel it. I can feel the currents of electricity dancing at my fingertips- but I can¡¯t seem to wrap my hands around it or bring it forward. Fire courses over my bottom, radiating from Bastien¡¯s massive palm and spreading across my punished skin in a crimson flush. He spreads his swats evenly over my cheeks and upper thighs, seeming to know exactly when one patch of flesh starts to feel relief, then stealing it away before I can feelforted. Again I strive to take hold of my power, to bring it to the surface and project it towards my mate. Again I fail, fruitlessly grasping for the unnamed force only to have it slip through my fingers at thest moment. Suddenly Bastien¡¯s rumblingugh is vibrating against my side, I know what you¡¯re doing, baby.¡± He purrs, gently massaging my aching behind and making me whimper pitifully. Tears are streaming down my face, but Goddess help me, my sex is also swollen and throbbing with need. ¡°Would you like to know why it¡¯s not working?¡± My mate continues, sounding far too smug as his fingers dip between my legs, dragging an embarrassed moan from my lips when they meet the pooling wetness at their center. Suddenly I¡¯m surging upward, Bastien tipping me back onto hisp and holding me still with a possessive paw on the back of my neck. I wince when my backside meets his leg, sniffling as he arranges me in his arms. ¡°It¡¯s because you know this is right.¡± He growls, petting my thighs as he skewers me with his gaze. ¡°You need this. You¡¯ve been testing your limits ever since we came home, and you certainly hit them today, little wolf.¡± His lips descend to my neck, where he lovingly nibbles his mark, ¡°you could repel me if you wanted. But you don¡¯t want to, do you Selene?¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± I argue weakly, shifting my weight to try to find afortable position and finding none. ¡°Is it?¡± Bastien asks, arching a brow, ¡°We both know this isn¡¯t like the other times. When I pretended to attack you, your power stayedpletely closed off didn¡¯t it? But that¡¯s not the case now.¡± He ims with more confidence than should be allowed. ¡°You can reach it, you just can¡¯t bring yourself to use it.¡± ¡°And how do you know that?¡± I grumble, swiping at my cheeks indignantly. ¡°The stronger our connection grows, the less we can hide from one another.¡± He deres, his silver eyes glinting hungrily. ¡°I can feel your intentions, your desires and I can feel when your power is welling. I felt a surge at the banquet, but I didn¡¯t know what it was. It wasn¡¯t until this afternoon that I understood, when you escaped the pool I felt a burst of pure light.¡± He shares, ¡°like you were glowing through the bond.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°And now?¡± I gulp. A wide grin splits Bastien¡¯s cheeks, ¡°you¡¯re pulsing like a little strobe light. Delving into the power, but not using it.¡± His nimble fingers slip between my legs again, rubbing my sensitive clit anding away glistening with moisture. And then there¡¯s this.¡± He reminds me, sliding his fingers into his mouth and licking off all my honey. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡± I insist, flushing scarlet. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweetheart.¡± He teases, massaging my nape. ¡°You¡¯re going to have plenty of time to keep trying. The next thing! know I¡¯m upside down again, a surprised cry on my lips as Bastien¡¯s gravelly voice sounds from somewhere above me. ¡°Because I am nowhere near being finished with you.¡± . On Tuesday I wake up with a throbbing behind and a sour stomach. I make it to the bathroom just in time, retching miserably and wishing my mate was there tofort me, Bastien got up first thing this morning to spend some time with L before starting his work day, so the house ispletely empty. When my stomach is finally empty I drag my sore body into the kitchen with a groan, putting on a kettle of tea and wondering if using my powers would always make me feel so wretched, or if this was just the after effects of almost drowning to death, Thankfully by the time Bastien and L return I almost feel human again. Thest thing I need is to end up bedridden today. Not only did I promise L to show her where I grew up-a prospect which I¡¯m sure did nothing to help my stomach, but tomorrow is a lunar eclipse, which means the entire city is in a frenzy throwing together avish moon festival. ¡°Mommy!¡± L collides with my legs, hugging my knees while Iugh and stroke her hair. ¡°Daddy push me on da swings for hours!¡± ¡°He did!¡± i exim, grinning as Bastien enters the kitchen. My husband crosses the room and wraps me in a hug, nting a deep kiss on my lips. ¡°Good morning, my love.¡± He greets me, sliding his hand down my spine to squeeze my tender bottom and chuckling when I whine and squirm against him. ¡°What do you two have nned for today?¡± He asks when we part, still smirking while I re up at him mutinously. Pausing to get L settled at the table with a te of sliced fruit, I avert my gaze before answering. ¡°I¡¯m going to take L bean to see where I grew up.¡± I share, trying to keep my voice neutral. I can¡¯t see Bastien¡¯s face, but I can feel his sudden tension as if it¡¯s my own. ¡°You¡¯re taking her to Garrick¡¯s?¡± ¡°It was my childhood home before my mother died.¡± I exin evenly, ¡°not all my memories of it are bad. And it¡¯s not as if there¡¯s any danger to be had now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not concerned about danger.¡± Bastien answers simply, studying me carefully. *Are you sure you want to do this?¡± ¡°L has asked me about ten times since we arrived.¡± I whisper, transferring the cutting board to the sink. ¡°I promised her.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait until I can go with you?¡± He suggests, sliding his arms around my waist from behind. ¡°Just in case.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± I assure him, wishing I could feel as confident as I sound. Bastien huffs a disgruntled sigh, his warm breath fluttering my hair. ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡± Turning to face him, I catch his angr jaw between my hands, ¡°We¡¯ll be fine.¡± I repeat, gazing into his silver eyes. ¡°And you¡¯ll call me if you start to feel even a little bit uneasy?¡± He presses, looking anxious. ¡°Of course.¡± I vow. ¡°But it won¡¯t be necessary.¡± A few hourster, I¡¯m eating my words, wishing I¡¯d caved to Bastien¡¯s pressure and allowed my mate to join us. We barely made it past noon before the day took a turn for the worse, and to my immense surprise, it¡¯s not even my PTSD causing the problem. It¡¯s not ghosts of my past, nightmares or bad memories. No it¡¯s a very real, very present threat. With the world spinning around me and fear pulsing in my veins, I scramble for my cell phone, staring at my beautiful pup with a rush of guilt. This was such a foolish idea. I should have known better. The shrill dial tone rings for only half a second. ¡°Baby, is everything okay?¡± Bastien answers immediately. ¡°No,¡± I breathe nervously. ¡°Bastien, I think we¡¯re being followed.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 110 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Followed Selene¡¯s POV When L and I reached New Town, the streets rearranged themselves before my very eyes. All of a sudden the world around me transformed: the cars and modern advertisements faded, reverting to styles and campaigns from the forgotten past. New restaurants and shops disappeared, reced by businesses which have long since closed. Everything appears as it did fifteen years ago thest time I truly spent time here ¨C thest time I walked these streets before my mother died and Garrick took me prisoner. After I escaped I rarely came here. I avoided this neighborhood like the gue. But here I am again, ten years old and about to lose everything I ever knew and loved. ¡°This is it, Mommy?¡± L¡¯s tiny hand squeezes mine, her beloved voice jolting me out of my reverie. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°This is it.¡± I confirm. ¡°I grew up in that very house.¡± And lost everything there too. Luna adds. Hush. I tell my outspoken wolf. ¡°Can we go inside?¡± L asks eagerly. ¡°Okay.¡± I agree hesitantly. Walking through the unlocked front door feels like stepping straight into the past. It¡¯s even worse than being out of the street. In this familiar foyer, I feel like I¡¯m no taller or wiser than my pup. The house has been emptied, but the lingering scent of my childhood remains. It¡¯s not all bad. I was right when I told Bastien there were some happy memories here. I remember coming home from school to find my mother pulling freshly baked cookies out of the oven, or building nket forts with her in the middle of the living room. I can still see her smile, I can even imagine I smell her perfume. Being here evokes sensations I never thought I¡¯d feel again, feelings I want to hold onto and never let go. However the moment I look at the heavy basement door, I see only darkness. I turn away from the door with determination, watching L wander the deserted space. ¡°Mommy, dere¡¯s no furniture.¡± ¡°There was when I lived here.¡± I exin. ¡°There was furniture and artwork and all the sorts of things we have at home.¡± ¡°Where¡¯d everything go?¡± L asks curiously. ¡°Well,¡± I exin, gathering her into my arms. ¡°My mother died when I was still just a girl. So after I met your Daddy, I went to live with him. There wasn¡¯t a reason to keep anything here.¡± Her little head cocks to the side, ¡°what bout your Daddy?¡± A heavy weight settles in the pit of my stomach. I¡¯ve never talked to L about Garrick, and I don¡¯t n on doing so until she¡¯s much older ¨C if ever. ¡°I never knew my Daddy.¡± I state calmly, sticking to the truth without revealing more than I have to. ¡°The way I didn¡¯t?¡± She reasons. ¡°That¡¯s right, of course your Daddy found us, so now you¡¯ll always know him.¡± I smile, trying to force the unwee memories of Garrick from my mind. ¡°I sorry, Mama.¡± L squeezes her arms around my neck, ¡°I wish your Daddy found you too.¡± Returning my pup¡¯s hug, I almost want to cry. She¡¯s so innocent, so pure. The thought of anyone doing to her what Garrick did to me makes my newfound power surge to life, rising inside me like a tidal wave of protectiveness. Suddenly my fury towards ise Denizen hits a fever pitch, and I have to smother the energy pulse fighting to burst out of me. It seems now that I¡¯ve unlocked my power, controlling it is going to be the true challenge. It¡¯s enough to give me emotional whish. This timest week I couldn¡¯t summon my strength for anything in the world, now it pulses like a wild thing inside of me, but I can neither harness it when I desire, nor hold it in when it¡¯s not needed. It¡¯s better this way. Luna assures me, Better to my out of control thanpletely helpless. I have to agree, though it does worry me to have this kind of force at my disposal when my precious pup is so nearby. ¡°What do you think, angel?¡± I ask L, ¡°Have you seen enough.¡± My pup nods eagerly, ¡°can we get I scream?¡± Giggling at the way my daughter pronounces ¡°ice cream,¡± I decide nothing has ever sounded more appetizing. ¡°You bet.¡± | promise. As we step out of the house I notice that the same ck SUV which was driving behind us when we first arrived, is now parked a few spaces down from our car. The windows are tinted, but I can just decipher the outline of the driver, who still sits inside waiting. A spike of unease pulses through my nerves, but I remind myself that there could be a perfectly reasonable exnation. I buckle L into her car seat, then slide behind the wheel and turn the car towards the ice cream parlor. I barely remember the drive. I don¡¯t think I looked forward for more than one second at a time through the entire route. Instead my eyes were glued to the rear view mirror, watching the ck SUV crawling along behind us. It¡¯s definitely following us, I¡¯m certain now. When I park in front of the ice cream shop, the SUV stops too. I yank L out of the car and stride into the parlor as quickly as I can, pulling out my phone while my toddler presses her nose to the ss case holding the cold treat, oohing and aahing in delight. The shrill dial tone rings for only half a second. ¡°Baby, is everything okay?¡± Bastien answers immediately. ¡°No,¡± I breathe nervously. ¡°Bastien, I think we¡¯re being followed.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± He asks, instantly on edge. ¡°Yes,¡± I insist, ¡°someone has been following us since before we got to New Town. We left a while ago and went for ice cream, and they¡¯re parked outside right now. I don¡¯t have the first clue why, but somehow Bastien sounds more rxed now, ¡°what do they look like?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s a ck SUV.¡± I report. ¡°I can¡¯t see their face- and I can¡¯t scent them. But it¡¯s a man, he looks pretty big. Wearing dark sses and a dark hoodie.¡± As we speak, movement shes inside the car, and I¡¯m able to see my stalker raising a phone to his ear. ¡°Is he taking a phone call?¡± My mate asks with psychic precision. ¡°Yes,¡± Drawing out the word suspiciously, I add, ¡°how did you know that?¡± ¡°Alright, it¡¯s okay.¡± Bastien sighs with relief. ¡°It¡¯s just Jerome.¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s just Jerome?¡± I demand. ¡°Who the hell is Jerome?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the sentey I assigned to guard you two.¡± My husband exins, as if this was the most obvious thing in the world. ¡°What?¡± I question. ¡°With everything that¡¯s going on, I didn¡¯t feelfortable with you and L running around the city without protection.¡± Bastien rumbles. ¡°When did you do this?¡± I question sharply, ¡°before or after I told you our ns for the day?¡± ¡°Before.¡± He answers easily, but trust me I was very d of it this morning. How did it go?¡± ¡°Oh no, don¡¯t you go changing the subject on me, mister.¡± I object, ¡°maybe I¡¯ll consider telling you about our visit after you exin yourself.¡± ¡°Baby, I¡¯m not going to apologize for looking out for you and our daughter.¡± Bastien proims coldly. ¡°The problem isn¡¯t the protection.¡± Iin in exasperation, ¡°it¡¯s the fact that you didn¡¯t tell me about it!¡± ¡°Sweetheart Bastien begins in a cating tone. ¡°He scared the hell out of me, Bastien. Did you not consider that having someone dressed like a complete creep trailing after me would be rming?¡± The teenagers working behind the ice cream counter shoot me a few curious nces, and I lower my voice, ¡°hold on a second.¡± Crouching down to L¡¯s level, I tickle her round belly,¡± do you know what you want munchkin?¡± ¡°Can I has a sundae?¡± She requests with big eyes, practically bouncing up and down. My supernatural hearing picks up on Bastien¡¯s voice through the receiver, not before lunch! Nheless, I ignore him, ¡°you can have whatever you want, angel.¡± While my pup gives her order to the grinning girl on the other side of the counter, I return my phone to my ear. I know you heard me, little wolf.¡± Bastien gripes. I snort, rolling my eyes into the back of my head. ¡°Hey if you get to make security decisions about my pup. ¡°Our pup.¡± Bastien interjects. ¡°Our pup,¡± I amend, digging in my bag for my wallet, ¡°without consulting me, then I get to make food decisions about her without consulting you.¡± ¡°Selene, I¡¯m sorry Jerome startled you.¡± Bastien exhales heavily, ¡°the idea was that you would never know he was there. I thought it might make you more afraid to think you needed a bodyguard, rather thanforted.¡± ¡°Bastien Durand.¡± I hiss, managing to hold onto my temper even as the waitress hands a humongous banana split to L. ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter how I might react or feel about the situation. I have a right to know either way. We¡¯re supposed to be partners, you can¡¯t keep excluding me from decisions about our family.¡± ¡°If you recall thest time I tried to exclude you from something and you forced your way in, you came to regret it.¡± He retorts, referring to the revtions about the safe house. ¡°Well you know what?¡± Ish out, feeling irrationally angry for reasons I don¡¯t even understand, ¡°much more of this and I¡¯m going to begin regrettinging back at all.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 111 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Eclipse Sophie¡¯s POV ¡°It¡¯s almost time.¡± Hugo is standing in the doorway, watching me with a sort of detached curiosity that makes my skin flush red. ¡®It¡¯s as if I¡¯m some sort of strange new oddity, a creature he thought he understood but now realizes he misjudged. A lot of people in the Pack House have been eyeing me this waytely and it makes my skin crawl every time. I drag my gaze from the Beta, returning it to the full length mirror on the far wall. Of course, my reflection mocks me like all the rest. Here I am, standing in the most stunning dress I¡¯ve ever seen, looking like apletely different person than I did mere months ago but still it¡¯s not enough. It feels very strange to envy someone who has had such a difficult life, but Goddess help me, I can¡¯t help but wish I was Selene. She is beautiful in a way I will never be. She has this air of mystery, this unknowable quality that enchants every man who meets her. Where her tragedy has left her with an irresistible air of dark romance, my own has left me with naught but sadness, My looks are decent enough, with my long rose gold hair and hazel eyes that shift between gold and green depending on the light, but whatever beauty I might have possessed has been buried beneath my sorrow. My Cupid¡¯s bow lips are always trapped in a frown, and my lithe figure has been deprived of its curves by stress and privation. I haven¡¯t the faintest idea why Drake asked me to be his date to the Eclipse ball. Actually that isn¡¯t true I know exactly why he did it pity. If the Alpha was actually free to invite the she wolf of his choice, I expect it would be someone much closer to his beloved Selene, Someone graceful and lovely, charming and gorgeous without even trying. Instead his guilty conscience forced him to settle for me. He found me this dress, provided every luxury to help me get ready, but I¡¯m still going to be a disappointment. No amount of professional makeup or hair styling can erase the haunted expression I seem doomed to wear for the rest of my life. Hugo is going to escort me to Drake¡¯s office in a few minutes, where I know my unrequited love is probably working himself into the ground trying to track down Selene¡¯s enemies. He¡¯s been working day and night, constantly on the phone with Bastien and using every moment not dedicated to governing the pack, to their hunt. I don¡¯t know everything that has happened since Selene left Asphodel, but it¡¯s clear Drake wishes he was in Elysium with her. It still amazes me how my heart can feel so much pain, when it¡¯spletely broken. After all, it¡¯s lying in absolute tatters; it shouldn¡¯t be able to long, love, or grieve. It shouldn¡¯t be able to feel anything at all yet somehow it does. Perhaps Drake has not yet broken it enough. Tears burn in my eyes as I contemte how the Alpha could possibly trample my bleeding heart any further, but I force them down, looking up to Hugo with a gravel smile, ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°You look incredible.¡± Drake¡¯s words warm me from the inside out, and I actually want to smile. At least, I do until I remember he¡¯s only saying it to be polite. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that.¡± I demure, flushing out of embarrassment rather than ttery. ¡°Oh yes I do.¡± Drake replies fiercely, green fire zing in his eyes. He strides forward and catches my waist, gently applying pressure so that I¡¯ll spin in ce and give him the full effect. ¡°Incredible.¡± He repeats once Ie to a stop. The truth is that if anyone looks incredible, it¡¯s Drake. His raven hair is slicked back, and his strong jaw is clean shaven for once. He smells like oakmoss and sea salt, and he fills out his velvet lined dinner jacket sopletely I worry the seams might burst. My deep green gown seems to belong next to his sleek ck suit, only the wrong person is in it. Seeing us side my side in the reflective windows of Drake¡¯s office makes me want to erase my body from the image, leaving only the silhouette of the elegant frock. It wasn¡¯t made for someone like me; I don¡¯t deserve to wear it, and I don¡¯t deserve to apany the Alpha to such a fancy event. Just as I¡¯m about to conjure some excuse to get out of the evening, Drake stops me. Are you ready to go?¡± He asks. ¡°As I¡¯ll ever be.¡± I answer nervously, smoothing my skirts. A few hourster my head is light from too much champagne and my heart is heavy from watching Drake captivate the pack, going through his duties with unfathomable ease. I can¡¯t understand how he does it, how he bears the weight of all their scrutiny and dominates them without ever second guessing himself. For most of the night we¡¯ve danced and celebrated like all the others, me simply going through the motions and praying no one will see through my act, while Drake lives and breathes the event. He really is a good Alpha, and I feel like an absolute fraud standing next to him. I¡¯ve watched an endless parade of stunning she-wolves prance around in front of the Alpha, all hoping to catch his attention and shooting daggers at me when they fail. Drake seemspletely oblivious, grinning at me with that devil-may-care charm and sweeping me around the dance floor with predatory grace. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± His jaw, already sprinkled with fresh scruff, grazes my cheek as his warm breath flutters over my ear. The eclipse has already begun, and while most of the pack is out lining the docks as floating bonfires glitter on the water, Drake and I are standing alone at the center of the ballroom¡¯s sprawling terrace. ¡°Nothing.¡± I lie, keeping my face turned up to the quickly disappearing moon. ¡°Come on, littlemb.¡± Muscr arms slide around my waist, causing butterflies to explode in my belly. ¡°Talk to me.¡± ¡°Why do you call me that?¡± I question grumpily, trying and failing to shrug out of his hold. ¡°Because when I look at you, I see the sweetest creature I can imagine.¡± His lips trail across my cheek, and suddenly I feel like I want to cry ¡°You mean helpless.¡± I correct him bitterly. ¡°No, I mean sweet.¡± Drake retorts sternly. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t.¡± I insist stubbornly, ¡°You don¡¯t call anyone else that sort of thing. It¡¯ll give people the wrong idea.¡± And what idea is that?¡± He purrs, pulling me more tightly against his hard body. ¡°You know!¡± I snap, and you shouldn¡¯t touch me that way either.¡± Though I try to pull away from him again, he doesn¡¯t let me. ¡°Sophie, what¡¯s going on?¡± He asks me abruptly. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I counter defensively. ¡°I mean, what¡¯s going on?¡± He repeats severely. ¡°Why are you acting this way?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s going on.¡± I say again, barely resisting the urge to stomp my foot, ¡°I¡¯m just tired of this.¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Drake orders, his voice full of raw authority. ¡°I¡¯m not asking as your friend anymore, I¡¯m asking as your.¡± Alpha.¡± Why did he pause that way? Rose wonders in my head. I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t really care. It isn¡¯t fair of him to torment me this way. I answer. ¡°Well as my Alpha you can kindly leave me alone.¡± I inform him, sounding almost haughty. ¡°No I can¡¯t.¡± Drake replies, forcing me to turn in his arms and cupping my cheek in onerge hand. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to talk to you about.¡± ¡°What? You mean other than interrogating me?¡± I hiss, squirming against him. ¡°I¡¯m entitled to my own thoughts, you know. I should at least be allowed some privacy.¡± Drake¡¯s brow furrows in befuddlement. ¡°What has gotten into you?¡± I know what he means. I feel like I¡¯m spinning out of control. I¡¯m so overwhelmed and off-kilter after everything that¡¯s happened recently. The kidnapping, Martin¡¯s death, watching Drake slip away from me a little more every day. Still, I can¡¯t help it. My wolf wants nothing more than tosh out with all this turbulent emotion, even if it is at my oldest friend and deeper love. ¡°Stop treating me like a child.¡± I demand, knowing full well that I¡¯m acting like one. ¡°Nothing has gotten into me, I¡¯m sorry if I don¡¯t feel happy every second of every day, but I can¡¯t help having feelings.¡± ¡°What feeling are we talking about, Sophie?¡± Drake inquires huskily, his emerald eyes glimmering. ¡°It¡¯s not important,¡± I redirect immediately, ¡°what did you want to talk to me about?¡± Looking suddenly like he wants to eat me for dinner, the Alpha replies, ¡°You¡¯re in luck baby.¡± The palm he¡¯s been resting so gently on my cheek slides into my hair, undoubtedly ruining my upto as he buries his fingers in the silky tresses. ¡°Because feelings are exactly what I want to talk to you about.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 112 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Not Like This N?velDrama.Org content rights. Drake¡¯s POV Sophie freezes like a deer in headlights, her gold-flecked eyes going wide. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I can feel her unease as if it is my own, and I can imagine what she¡¯s thinking. Before Bastien turned up, there were a few asions when I thought Selene might have picked up on my feelings for her. Every time was a trial. The anxiety was excruciating, a sudden vulnerability so overpowering it made my knees go weak. Poor little mate, my wolf thinks fondly. She¡¯s absolutely beside herself. I almost feel guilty, for while Sophie frets, I¡¯m filled with assurance. I don¡¯t have to worry about my love being returned this time; I know how deeply she cares. I know we are fated. I meant to give Sophie more time to recover from the turbulent events ofst month. She clearly isn¡¯t ready to reveal her feelings to me, but I¡¯m starting to think giving her space is doing more harm than good. In a matter of weeks Sophie has gone from someone controlling her entire life, toplete freedom. I didn¡¯t want to do to her . what Bastien did to Selene, and trade her cage or iron for one of gold taking care of her sopletely she never learned to do it for herself. However I¡¯m starting to see the answer wasn¡¯t leaving her entirely to her own devices, but finding some sort of middle ground. ¡°Sophie, I know everything in your life is uncertain right now,¡± I begin gently. ¡°And this probably isn¡¯t the right time to make any major life decisions but I can¡¯t take this any longer.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t take what?¡± She murmurs, peeking up at me from beneath hershes. Sighing I answer, ¡°Pretending like there are only tonic feelings between us.¡± Some unknown emotion flickers in Sophie¡¯s wary countenance. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± She lies, crossing her slender arms protectively over her chest. ¡°Careful littlemb, I don¡¯t appreciate being lied to.¡± I growl, pinning her with a disapproving gaze. ¡°Especially over matters of such significance.¡± My mate stares at the ground, shifting her weight from one small foot to the other and looking very guilty indeed. ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like to tell me?¡± I press. To my surprise, a mutinous expressiones over her face,¡±you seem to have all the answers, Drake.¡± She mutters, ¡°why do you even bother asking?¡± ¡°Come on, Soph.¡± I encourage, giving her tiny waist a squeeze. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that.¡± ¡°Like what!¡± She snaps, her plump bottom lip quivering. ¡°You could start by telling me why you¡¯re so upset with me.¡± I suggest, letting her pull free of my grip and watching her start to pace across the stone floor. For a few long moments that¡¯s all she does, working herself up into ather and shooting me adorable res while she tries to decide what to do. ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± She finally bursts out, her skin flushed bright pink. ¡°That I¡¯m in love with you? That I have been since we were children and not being with you is tearing me to absolute pieces?¡± Sophie demands, throwing her arms up in exasperation. ¡°Is that what you wanted? Was it everything you hoped, was it really worth destroying our friendship?!¡± ¡°Absolutely it is!¡± i bite back, and her eyes well with tears. Because we¡¯ll be trading it in for something so much better!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Sophie cries. ¡°We¡¯re meant to be together, Sophie.¡± I proim, catching her wrists before she can dance back out of my reach, and pulling her flush against me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t see it sooner, but I do now.¡± Sophie shakes her head in disbelief, a rogue tear sliding down her cheek, ¡°what, so you¡¯re making fun of me now?¡± My brow knits together in confusion, how could she think such a thing. ¡°Of course not!¡± I correct her fiercely. ¡°Sophie I¡¯m trying to tell you I¡¯m in love with you too.¡± Before I can say another word, my mate raises her sweet voice to a near shout, ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± She objects, trying to push me away with all her strength and getting nowhere. ¡°This isn¡¯t I don¡¯t want that, not like this!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± I interrogate, holding her tight. ¡°Because it¡¯s cruel, Drake!¡± She exims, her voice so shaky she can barely get the words out. ¡°How?¡± I question desperately. ¡°I¡¯ve spent thest four years living in Selene Durand¡¯s shadow, and I refuse to do it for the rest of my life.¡± She hups, ¡°I¡¯m never going to be Selene, and you know it!¡± ¡°Baby, I don¡¯t want you to be Selene.¡± My wolf is close to the surface now, and I have to force the words out through clenched fangs. I¡¯m not the only one, Sophie¡¯s brilliant eyes are glowing, her muscles wound tight as a spring. ¡°Who¡¯s lying now?¡± She hisses, ¡°you can¡¯t have the woman of your dreams so you¡¯re settling for some cheap imitation. ¡°Don¡¯t call yourself that!¡± I rumble furiously. ¡°Why not?¡± She counters, ¡°it¡¯s the truth! You have a type Drake. You like broken women, ones you think you can save.¡± Sophie lobs the usation like a verbal grenade. ¡°You had the perfect damsel in Selene, but she already had a mate, so you looked around and found the first mistreated she-wolf you could find and decided she¡¯d have to do, right?¡± ¡°Wrong!¡± I snarl, softening my hold on her lithe wrists when she flinches in pain, ¡°I was never in love with Selene¡° ¡°Stop lying!¡± Sophie explodes, ¡°I heard you professing your feelings for her the day after Bastien imed her, I saw you try to kiss her!¡± ¡°Yes, you did,¡± I concede, ¡°but I was wrong. I thought I loved her, but only until I learned you were in danger. The moment I realized I might lose you, I realized how wrong I was about Selene. I didn¡¯t know what love was before, but I do now.¡± ¡°Do you even hear what you¡¯re saying?¡± She scowls, ¡°you just admitted you didn¡¯t want me until you thought I needed saving.¡± My hands are shaking with anger now, but thankfully Sophie is too worked up to notice. ¡°Enough!¡± I thunder, grasping her nape and dipping my head until our lips are nearly touching, staring into her bloodshot eyes so intensely she freezes in ce. ¡°Would you like me to tell you the difference between you and Selene, Sophie?¡± ¡°I already know!¡± She tries to say, ¡°She¡¯s beautiful and experienced¡° ¡°Selene isn¡¯t the one who takes my breath away when she smiles at me.¡± I correct her harshly, barely resisting the urge to give her a shake. ¡°Selene isn¡¯t the one whose scent makes me dizzy with the need to im her. Selene isn¡¯t the one who makes me want to neglect all my responsibilities so I can spend all day and night by her side.¡± Sophie is staring up at me in abject shock, appearing so lost I want to cuddle her close and wipe away all her tears. But not yet, ¡°And Selene isn¡¯t the one who makes me feel like my heart has leapt right out of my chest and now beats in her tiny hands.¡± I conclude. ¡°Selene isn¡¯t my mate, you are!¡± For the first time, it seems like my words have broken through her stubborn little head. ¡°I am?¡± She peeps uncertainly. ¡°You are.¡± I confirm, and if I have to spend every day for the rest of our lives proving it to you, I dly will.¡± I vow, finally softening my possessive grip. ¡°But we will be mated whether you¡¯re convinced or not. You will be my wife.¡± To my surprise, Sophie looks away from me, forcing her hand between our bodies so she can pinch her left arm. I yank the little pincers free when she winces. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m dreaming.¡± She exins, her voice barely louder than a whisper. For the first time since this conversation began, a wide smile stretches over my face. ¡°You should have said so,¡± I tease, dropping a kiss to her cheek, ¡°I have a much better way of testing that out.¡± ¡°You do?¡± Sophie wonders aloud, her longshes fluttering when I ce a matching kiss on her other cheek. ¡°Oh yes.¡± I grin, trailing my lips over her jaw, ¡°not nearly as painful, and much more fun.¡± ¡°How do you do it?¡± She asks breathlessly, her soft form melting against me. ¡°Like this.¡± I exin, tenderly kissing her damp eyelids one after the other, ¡°And this,¡± I add, depositing another kiss on the tip of her nose. When I finally move to im her luscious mouth, Sophie already looks as if she¡¯s in a daze. Hmm, my wolf assesses thoughtfully, we might have to repeat this lesson a lot. Just to make sure it sinks in. I couldn¡¯t agree more. I think back, catching my mate¡¯s mouth in the first of a lifetime of kisses. As soon as our lips connect, I feel like a missing puzzle piece has finally fallen into ce. Sophie moans, her lips parting in invitation, and all I can think is that nothing has ever felt so right. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 113 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Making Up Bastien¡¯s POV ¡°Much more of this, and I¡¯m going to regreting back at all!¡± I can¡¯t stop hearing Selene say those awful words over and over in my head. They circle round and round, tormenting me every time my mind drifts from my work. We haven¡¯t spoken since that phone call. When I got back to the apartmentst night Selene was already asleep, and this morning she took L to the park before I was even awake. It¡¯s clear she doesn¡¯t want to talk to me, and if our situation were any less dire ! wouldn¡¯t permit such avoidance, but the investigation is keeping me busy day and night. Luckily the eclipse festival will force us into the same room tonight, and I won¡¯t let us go to bed angry again. We¡¯ll talk all this out and keep at it until things are resolved, we can¡¯t go back to bottling up our feelings and I can¡¯t fail Selene again. I won¡¯t. The only blessing we¡¯ve had since returning is Selene¡¯s good press, and even my own has improved greatly since those first tense days back. Still, nothing is simple. I¡¯m putting out fires left and right, and the more dead ends I reach searching for our enemies, the more stressed I be. I can only pray that nothing goes wrong at the festival tonight-whether in my marriage, or the pack. Selene¡¯s POV ¡°Careful sweetheart.¡± I caution L, ¡°the oven is very hot.¡± We¡¯re in the kitchen baking cookies, and in all her excitement to see the gooey chocte confections come out of the oven, my pup is hovering right behind me as I extract the tray. ¡°How soon we eat dem?¡± She asks hopefully. ¡°They have to cool first.¡± I remind her, ¡°but it won¡¯t be too long.¡± ¡°One mint?¡± She chirps. ¡°More like fifteen minutes,¡± I correct. ¡°Mommy dat¡¯s forever!¡± She exims. ¡°Better forever than a burnt tongue, my love.¡± Iugh. As I get started on the dishes, L sets up camp in front of the cooling rack, hungrily watching the cookies as if she¡¯s worried one might jump off and roll away. In fact she¡¯s so intent, I¡¯m surprised to hear her small voice after only a few moments. ¡°Mommy?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± I hum in reply, already preparing to tell her ¡®not yet¡¯. However, L does ask me if the cookies are cool yet. Instead she inquires, ¡°Are you ¡®n¡¯ Daddy fighting?¡± Shit. I think. ¡°We¡¯re not fighting, angel.¡± I qualify, ¡°just disagreeing. Sometimes grown ups disagree with each other and it can sound or feel like fighting, but it¡¯s not anything for you to worry about.¡± ¡°Well I don¡¯ like it.¡± She announces. Huffing a silent chuckle, I reply. ¡°I don¡¯t like it either.¡± *Then why you do it?¡± L questions, sounding as if she thinks I¡¯m very irrational. ¡°Because disagreeing is natural and even healthy. It¡¯s how you learn new things and grow.¡± I exin, choosing my words very carefully. Besides it¡¯s important to share what you¡¯re feeling with the people you love, even when those feelings aren¡¯t good. Otherwise, you can never fix it.¡± The irony of my advice doesn¡¯t escape me. I avoided Bastienst night and this morning, more out of guilt forshing out at him than anything else. ¡°Why can¡¯ you fix it?¡± My daughter presses. I¡¯m beginning to think children this age aren¡¯t capable of hearing anything without asking ¡®why.¡¯ ¡°Because when we keep unhappy feelings locked up inside of us, then they stay there and get bigger and bigger.¡± I say slowly sensing my own unhappy feelings growing even as I speak. ¡°You have to let them out. You just have to be very careful how you do it, how you express them.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°Like when I tell Daddy I no like him?¡± She chirps. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I confirm. Or when foolish mommies tell their mates they regret reconciling with them. ¡°So you ¡®n¡¯ Daddy make up?¡± My pup continues. ¡°Not yet, L bean.¡± I confess. ¡°Sometimes you have to take a little bit of time or space to calm down or figure out what you¡¯re feeling ¨C so you don¡¯t say things you don¡¯t mean.¡± Or when you¡¯re a big scaredy- cat who can¡¯t face the bad things you already said. ¡°Like when you¡¯re very upset and I have you lie down in your room until you¡¯re ready to talk.¡± ¡°So how long it take?¡± L wants to know. ¡°For me and Daddy?¡± I rify. ¡°Yes.¡± She peeps. ¡°Hopefully not much longer.¡± I answer truthfully. I¡¯m not sure why I¡¯m feeling so moody, but I really don¡¯t want to fight with Bastien. I just have to find the courage to face what I said, and hope my husband will forgive me. Bastien¡¯s POV My mother brings L down to my study just before seven to say goodnight, as we all decided she was too young to stay up for the festival. My pup toddles in, her adorable little face unusually serious as she crosses the room. When I pull her into myp, she snuggles in deep- the exact way Selene always does. Sometimes they¡¯re so alike my heart aches. ¡°There¡¯s my sweet pup, how was your day L bean?¡± She looks up at me with the same sober expression, ¡°Daddy, I don¡¯ wan¡¯ you ¡®n¡¯ Mommy to disagree anymore.¡± Her words catch me off guard. Selene warned me how pups pick up on everything, but I wasn¡¯t prepared for her to be so tuned in when she hasn¡¯t even seen us together. ¡°I don¡¯t want us to either.¡± I respond simply. L throws her arms up in exasperation. ¡°So make up!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, little orle.¡± I sigh, kissing her hair. ¡°Yes¡¯tis.¡± L insists, ¡°just say sowwy.¡± I start to chuckle softly, wishing everything truly was as ck and white as they seem in children¡¯s minds. However, when L hears the rolling rumble in my chest, she frowns. ¡°Is not funny, Daddy.¡± *I know, sweetheart, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Hugging her close, I promise, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Mommy tonight. You have my word.¡± ¡°Good.¡± She nods firmly, scrambling down from myp now that the mission is aplished. ¡°Hey!¡± I call after her, ¡°I don¡¯t get a goodnight kiss?¡± L turns back with a radiant smile and giggle, running back over to me and throwing her arms around my neck, ¡°goodnight Daddy!¡± Squeezing her tight, I reply. ¡°Goodnight L. I love you.¡± When Selene appears, I¡¯m standing in front of the wide, floor to ceiling mirror in my closet, decked out in a ck suit and wrangling my cuff links into my sleeves. She leans in the doorway, looking so stunning my heart skips a beat. She¡¯s wearing a long ck dress embroidered with gold, silver and bronze threads, making it appear as if she¡¯s wrapped in the night sky itself. It flows around her like a cascading shadow,plimented by her smoky eyes and onyx jewelry. I only wish she looked as happy as she is lovely, instead her beautiful features are positively forlorn. Turning to face her directly, I fall into the bottomless pools of her eyes and Axel sits up in concern. I don¡¯t care what we have to say, as long as it takes that look of her face. Before I can open my mouth to do as my wolf suggests, Selene beats me to the punch. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± She murmurs sorrowfully. Her words lift some of the weight from my heart, but far too much remains as her guilt pulses through our bond. ¡°Baby-¡° ¡°I don¡¯t know why I said it.¡± She interrupts. ¡°I feel terrible. Two weeks ago I was scolding L for taking her anger out on others and I just did the same thing to you.¡± ¡°Come here, little wolf.¡± I order, opening my arms to my poor mate. She doesn¡¯t listen. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I said it.¡± Selene repeats, ¡°I just feel so out of sorts. Everything is such a mess.¡± Tears well in her eyes as she emphatically shakes her head. Striding over to her, I don¡¯t stop until our bodies are mere centimeters apart. ¡°Selene, look at me.¡± I instruct, taking her chin when she still does not obey. ¡°I¡¯m sorry too,¡± I profess, brushing away an escaped tear, ¡°you were right. And I never want to make you feel that way not ever.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t!¡± She insists, ¡± I don¡¯t regreting back. I¡¯m so much happier than I¡¯ve been thest few years ¨C even with all the disasters.¡± ¡°I am too.¡± I share, leaning down to kiss her. She dodged my lips, and Axel growls from somewhere inside me. ¡°I¡¯m not just sorry for saying those things.¡± Selene says, ignoring my wolf¡¯s warning. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I avoided you, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t talk to you. I¡¯ve been acting like a child.¡± ¡°Listen to me right now, mate.¡± Imand, ¡°you¡¯ve got to stop beating yourself up for this. I know you¡¯re sorry, I know how overwhelmed you must be feeling and I understand.¡± ¡°I feel like I haven¡¯t done anything but hurt you since you found me.¡± She whispers. ¡°Well that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong.¡± I correct her, ¡°it hasn¡¯t been easy, but I¡¯ve done my fair share of hurting too.¡± ¡°But¡± ¡°You¡¯ve given me so much more good than I ever dreamed.¡± I interrupt. ¡°And even if you hadn¡¯t, I¡¯d rather spend every day being hurt by you than live without you.¡± Selene hups augh, ¡°that¡¯s really twisted. But I know what you mean.¡± ¡°Can we kiss and make up now?¡± I ask with a grin. Selene slides her arms around my middle and presses herself flush against me, ¡°just kiss?¡± ¡°For now,¡± I concede, iming her lips. ¡°Butter? Later you¡¯re all mine.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 114 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Honeymoon Bastien¡¯s POV The Eclipse Festival sprawls before us, a whirlwind of lights and colors so overwhelming I can feel my mate leaning close to me forfort. It¡¯s not only the size of the event and deafening noise around us unsettling her, it¡¯s also the attention. We¡¯re still in the VIP section, and wherever Selene and I walk people turn to stare, and I can¡¯t help but notice how different things are from the past. Four years ago these aristocrats would have been whispering behind their hands and curiously eyeing Selene¡¯s unmarked neck. Tonight there¡¯s a sense of reverence in their attention, an admiration and respect my sweet mate is still struggling to get used to. Even though it¡¯s the proper response, I can¡¯t help but feel angry it took my pack this long to see Selene for the treasure she is. They should have been bowing down to her from day one. ¡°How are you doing, little wolf?¡± I murmur as we enter a shining pavilion, pausing to nibble her earlobe and relishing the blush that bursts across her cheeks. She peeks up at me from beneath hershes, ¡°I could use a distraction.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± I reply, moving my tongue to the soft spot behind her ear, ¡°What kind of distraction?¡± ¡°This is working fairly well.¡± She admits, turning to face mepletely and closing her eyes as I continue to taste her. ¡°I can almost forget they¡¯re all watching.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a little while longer.¡± I promise, ncing up at the moon. It¡¯s almostpletely obscured now, a huge red orb rimmed with a crescent of pearly light. As soon as the eclipse isplete we¡¯ll go out to the main festival stage and kick off the fireworks. I¡¯ll make a short speech, and then we¡¯ll be free to go. Just then a chirping noise sounds from the vicinity of Selene¡¯s hip, followed by a soft vibration. She pulls her phone from a hiddenpartment in her gown, flipping open the notification center and scanning the contents. Then Selene looks up at me with a brilliant, contagious smile. ¡°Drake finally told Sophie!¡± ¡°And?¡± I ask, grinning back at her. Her smile widens, a mischievous glimmer appearing in her lovely eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s just say he¡¯s going to be imunicado for the foreseeable future.¡± Sliding my hands around my mate¡¯s waist, I pull her close again, not liking the slight distance her text message imposed on us. ¡°Mhmm, I know what that¡¯s like.¡± Lowering my lips to her throat, I trail kisses over my mark, you know, you and I never had a real honeymoon.¡± ¡°Well you certainly did your best to make up for it.¡± Selene quips, reminding me of all the hours we¡¯ve spent locked away in our bedroom. ¡°It¡¯s not like we had time, let alone the opportunity.¡± Shaking my head in disapproval, I decide, ¡°When things calm down, we¡¯re going to have one.¡± ¡°Oh really?¡± Selene asks, arching her brow curiously. ¡°Yes.¡± I confirm, ¡°Just you and me. We can go to the inds, take L and spend a few days ying at the beach. Then you and I can sneak away to our own private bungalow and make up for lost time.¡± ¡°What, and leave L by herself?¡± Selene remarks, hire some sea turtles to babysit and hope they don¡¯t ck off?¡± Cutting my eyes to her, I scold, ¡°You know what I mean. We¡¯ll figure something out.¡± Selene giggles, rising up on her tiptoes to kiss me. I catch the back of her head and keep her mouth locked against mine, drawing kiss after kiss from her lips until we¡¯re both breathless. When we part, I can feel all the ogling shifters around us, but my attention remains on Selene. My mate¡¯s smile flickers, a shadow of what it was a few moments ago. ¡°When things calm down.¡± She repeats, ¡°Do you really believe such a time wille?¡± ttening my mouth into a hard line, I vow, ¡±Selene, I¡¯m going to make this right. I¡¯m going to make our family safe.¡± ¡°How?¡± She asks forlornly. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe in you, baby.¡± She assures me needlessly. ¡°I just this all feels so much bigger than us so far out of our control.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I admit, cuddling her close and ring at the people around us until the whole lot turns away and pretends they aren¡¯t still watching out of the corners of their eyes. ¡°I know it feels like that, but we can¡¯t believe it. When we do, that¡¯s when they¡¯ve won.¡± I exin soberly, ¡°We¡¯re taking it step by step; searching the area around the cell tower, looking into the DNA, going through all the evidence from my father¡¯s murder and the fire and I¡¯m going to deal with ise.¡± I promise, ¡°I will not rest until the threats to us are neutralized.¡± ¡°Deal with ise?¡± Selene parrots, looking up at me uncertainly, ¡°how?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, sweetheart.¡± I admit, sighing heavily. This isn¡¯t entirely true. The more time that passes, the more I¡¯m convinced my family will never be safe as long as the Calypso Alpha lives. However, taking out the most powerful Alpha on the continent is no simple matter, especially because challenging him would mean taking responsibility for his pack if I won. I¡¯m not even sure I could win, and losing would mean abandoning Selene and L to his mercy. ¡°But I will.¡± I swear to Selene. I don¡¯t think of it as a lie, because I have to figure out how to deal with ise. I don¡¯t have any other choice, and so I¡¯ll find a way. ¡°I will.¡± Selene¡¯s POV After Bastien gives his speech and we move back towards the VIP pavilions, one of the elder councilors approaches us and pulls my mate away with a promise to return shortly. I¡¯m left standing at the mouth of a market tent, one whose contents could easily fill a museum. Everywhere I look there are priceless jewels and artworks I¡¯d feel too afraid of damaging to ever wear or disy. Frankly I would rather Bastien have left me among the throngs of shifters watching the fireworks. He wasn¡¯t lying when he said themon people were much fonder of me than the nobles. Most people seem to havee around anyway, but I know my enemies are most likely members of this crowd the ones who stroll through the tent¡¯s riches dropping inordinate sums of gold left and right. Right on cue, a familiar sh of red hair appears in the distance. Of course. I think grumpily. This woman must have some sort of special radar for knowing when I¡¯m alone. In the past I would have run from her, but not today. I¡¯m done being afraid of silly, vindictive she wolves whose entire identity is constructed around being some wealthy man¡¯s arm candy. I know she sees me too, she¡¯s walking straight towards me and I can almost feel the spite radiating from the ck hole in her chest. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve never learned this she wolves name. She tried to kill me once, and attacked me twice I suppose I felt like spending any time finding out who she is would be feeding into her power over me. ¡°You.¡± Red hisses, and for once she¡¯s not surrounded by a flock of minions. ¡°What did you do to us in that bathroom, you freak?¡± Crossing my arms over my chest, I arch a skeptical brow. ¡°Was it not enough to teach you your lesson?¡± I inquire coolly. ¡°I mean how dumb are you? The Alpha doesn¡¯t scare you, me knocking you out without even needing to dirty my hands touching you, doesn¡¯t scare you. So what will it take?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about me.¡± She spits, eyes glowing. ¡°It¡¯s not about what you say or do to try and intimidate me. It¡¯s about what is right.¡± The woman continues fiercely. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve Bastien, you never have and you never will. I don¡¯t care what you do to me, am never going to let you off the hook.¡± I let her hateful words wash over me, feeling my power begin to stir deep inside. Still, I don¡¯t bring it forward. Cocking my head to the side, I consider the bitter creature in front of me. How sad her life must be, if this is the story she has to tell herself, if she feels the need to attack others for getting things she wanted. ¡°I feel sorry for you.¡± I announce, watching pure outrage consume her features. ¡°Excuse me!¡± She barks. ¡±I repeat slowly, ¡°Feel sorry for you.¡± Red tries to move towards me, and this time I do reach for my power, sending out a pulse strong enough to knock her off her feet, but small enough to keep her conscious. Moving to stand over her, I keep her pinned to the ground with my foot, pressing my shiny gold stiletto into her belly. ¡°Your life must be fucking miserable¡­¡± I reason coldly.¡± mean, you must really hate yourself.¡± Dark emotion flickers in her eyes, and I know I¡¯m hitting close to home. ¡°I know what that¡¯s like. But it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to let you bring me down.¡± Pressing my heel into her flesh enough to pinch, but not break the skin, I add. ¡°I used to believe it when bitches like you told me I don¡¯t deserve Bastien. I used to believe I was worthless.¡± I can feel Bastiening closer now, and I have a feeling he¡¯s going to appear behind me at any moment. ¡°But guess what?¡± | continue, ¡°The Goddess created us for one another. And I¡¯m not the weak little girl you knew back then. I know my worth, and I know how to deal with trash like you.¡± My power swirls through my blood, rising up like a tidal wave. ¡°The next time I see you in my path, you better disappear before you can cross it. You only get three strikes I won¡¯t give you a fourth.¡± With that I send out another energy pulse, knocking her clean unconscious and stepping back from her prone body with a sense of true pride. Bastien¡¯s oversized handnds on my waist, and I look up to find him gazing at me with pure pride, and raw desire. Before I can speak, he nces pointedly to my left, and I realize he wasn¡¯t the only person who witnessed my confrontation. Dozens of aristocrats and elders circle us, their mouths ck-jawed with surprise and respect even fear. I guess Bastien was right. We really aren¡¯t the same people we used to be and now the entire pack knows it.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 115 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Odette Sees a Ghost Odette¡¯s POV ¡°Woah! Slow down little one,¡± I call as L races down a steep hill. We¡¯re in the park for our daily tea- time, which we agreed should always be a pic on sunny days. While I¡¯mying out the nket and unpacking the basket, my granddaughter is racing around the grassy meadow, burning off all her youthful energy. I don¡¯t mind her tiring herself out, but i¡¯d also prefer to return Selene¡¯s pup to her in one piece. My daughter-inw has gone to look into buying the Full Moon Cafe, the city¡¯s most popr bistro. Everyone knew the owners were getting on in years, but it was still a shock when the restaurant went up for salest week. Devoted patrons across Elysium immediately went up in arms, arguing about who should take over and ensuring the beloved menu is carried over to the new owners. It just so happens that Selene has been trying to figure out what to do with her spare time here and greatly misses the cafe she had in Asphodel, so it seems fortuitous she should take over. There is a small chance the owners won¡¯t want to sell to her, but I think it¡¯s more likely they¡¯ll jump at the chance. Selene is the richest woman in the city, and she¡¯ll take the responsibility seriously. When Selene is finished with her meeting she¡¯ll join us for tea, but until then I get to soak up some one-on-one time with L. ¡°Gamma watch me!¡± L exims, doing a somersault and grinning with pride. *Very nice,¡± I praise warmly, extending my arms to her. ¡°Nowe here rolly polly, don¡¯t you want some sandwiches?¡± The tiny wolf toddles over happily, ¡°With cucumbs?! ¡°Yes with cucumbers,¡± I answer, carefully pronouncing the word so it will sink into her beautiful little head. Until two weeks ago my granddaughter had never heard of a tea sandwich, now they¡¯re all she wants to eat, but she hasn¡¯t quite figured out the pronunciations yet. For a while we eat and chat in ease, me telling stories about when Bastien was little, and L giggling in delight over her fathers exploits. Part of me worries about putting ideas in her head, but then again, it would serve Bastien right to experience some of the chaos he put me through as a boy. ¡°Daddy really paint da cat?¡± L chirps happily. ¡°He did.¡± I confirm. ¡°Bright blue the poor thing wouldn¡¯t go near him for weeks afterwards.¡± ¡°What was deir name?¡± She asks curiously. ¡°Mr Whisk¡± I begin, only to be interrupted a momentter. ¡°Gamma, wha¡¯s dat?¡± L asks suddenly, pointing across the park to a group of people gathered around a street performer. ¡°It looks like a musician.¡± I exin, scanning the crowd. ¡°He¡¯s ying a violin, do you know. My voice dies in my throat. There, just off to the side of the small audience, is a woman I would recognize anywhere. ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡± I mutter under my breath. It¡¯s been years since I saw Odile, but she looks exactly the same. She¡¯s dressed in all ck, as if she¡¯s still in mourning after all this time. Her once blonde hair is now silvery gray, and though her eyes are covered by sunsses, I remember their opulent green shade perfectly. It¡¯s not possible. My wolf says, She was exiled, she has no business here. It shouldn¡¯t be possible ¨C but there¡¯s no mistake. I counter. I would know Odile anywhere. It¡¯s not just her appearance, it¡¯s the way she holds herself her posture and way of moving. I¡¯ve never met another woman who could appear simultaneously rigid and fluid all at once. It¡¯s as if she¡¯s made of pure stone, so impossibly still when standing in ce, but as soon as she moves it¡¯s with the easy grace of a summer¡¯s breeze. ¡°Gamma, wha¡¯s wong?¡± L¡¯s little voice sounds on my right, and the next thing I know the sweet pup is crawling into myp. I look down to find Selene¡¯s two-toned eyes staring up at me in concern, and offer my granddaughter a soft smile. ¡°Nothing sweet girl,¡± I lie, petting her tiny cheek, ¡°I just thought I saw somebody I knew once.¡± L leans into my breast with a tea sandwich sped in each plump hand, settling in and making it clear she has no intention of moving. Stroking her hair while she takes alternating nibbles of her lunch first the sandwich in her right hand, then the one in her left and back again I look back to the street musician. Odile is gone. The distinguished widow is nowhere in sight, but I¡¯m certain it was her. I may be aging, my mind is as sharp as ever and if there was ever a face I will never forget, it¡¯s my enemy¡¯s. Just then I scent Selene, and a momentter my daughter-inw is crossing the meadow in front of us, barefoot and carrying her heels in one hand. She¡¯s grinning at L, who is still happily munching away in myp. ¡°Are you sofy that you¡¯re not even going toe say hello to me L Bean?¡± She teases. ¡°Uh huh.¡± L nods mischievously, sending us all into a fit ofughter. ¡°She¡¯s a fickle little thing.¡± I chuckle. Selene leans down and kisses her daughter¡¯s hair, ¡°Not fickle.¡± She reasons warmly, ¡°Just a cuddle bug.¡± ¡°She gets that from you.¡± I share, gazing lovingly at the pup, ¡°when Bastien was little I could never get him to sit still. But give this one a snuggle and she¡¯ll be on you like glue.¡± When I look up Selene is watching me closely, as if she can read my unease through my smile. She cocks her head to the side in question, and I shake my head, mouthing:ter. She nods in understanding, and I change the subject, ¡°How did your meeting go?¡± Selene¡¯s smile is like pure sunshine, and I can scarcely believe this is the same she-wolf Bastien rescued from Garrick all those years ago. It¡¯s even hard to believe she¡¯s the same guarded woman I met two months ago in Asphodel. Marriage and motherhood agree with her, and now that she has her wolf back and her powers are growing, she¡¯s finally bing the woman she was always meant to be. ¡°It¡¯s not official yet.¡± Selene exins, ¡°But I made an offer and they epted.¡± ¡°Oh sweetheart, that¡¯s wonderful!¡± I congratte her. ¡°I suppose that means you¡¯ll be needing someone to wrangle this munchkin on a regr basis then?¡± I ask, referring to the child in my arms. ¡°Yes,¡± Selene confirms, ¡°but don¡¯t worry, we can find a nanny if you don¡¯t want to-¡± ¡°Over my dead body.¡± I growl, prompting anotherugh. ¡°Well then,¡± Selene quips, reaching over to brush a few crumbs from L¡¯s cheek, ¡°I suppose that¡¯s that.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV I know something is wrong the moment my mother walks into my study. She¡¯s pale and gaunt, as if she¡¯s seen a ghost. I¡¯m on my feet instantly. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong? Is it Selene? L?¡± ¡°No, no.¡± She promises, waving me off. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± She trails off, sounding uncertain, ¡°Bastien, it¡¯s Odile.¡±. ¡°What?¡± I repeat in astonishment. ¡°I saw her in the park. It was at a distance, but I¡¯m sure it was her.¡± Mom asserts firmly, ¡°You remember how distinctive she was.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. I don¡¯t know how to respond to this. A thousand thoughts are swirling through my mind. ¡°Tell me everything.¡± As my mother recounts the tale, my mind races. Odile was once my aunt by marriage. She married my traitorous uncle and birthed his heir Frederic, and though my father never uncovered any evidence that Odile was involved in my uncle¡¯s attempted coup, we always expected she was an active yer in the scheme. ¡°I believe you.¡± i tell Mom after she insists she¡¯s not crazy for the dozenth time. ¡°The question is why. Why would shee here? Why now?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be a coincidence.¡± Mom surmises. ¡°Not with everything that¡¯s gone wrong thest few years.¡± Her words hit me like a p across the face. All this time I¡¯ve been struggling to understand the motive of our enemies, attributing everything to a hunger for power. However, this has always felt more personal than that. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I never considered this before.¡± Mom nods in agreement. ¡°If you ask me, Arabe isn¡¯t the only one who wanted revenge.¡± Again I freeze, ¡°What?¡± ¡°For Flynn.¡± Mom rifies, as if the answer was obvious. ¡°Are you saying you think she targeted Selene and I because she mes me for Flynn¡¯s death?¡± I question dumbly. ¡°Well of course,¡± She replies, ¡°what did you think it was about?¡± Slowly lowering myself into my chair, I bury my head in my hands. ¡°Goddess, I¡¯ve been so blind.¡± Rubbing my eyes I wonder aloud, ¡°But if Arabe wanted revenge, why focus so much on marrying me?¡± Mom purses her lips, ¡°I think the question is what she was nning after you were mated. Who¡¯s to say she nned on keeping you alive?¡± Taking a series of deep breaths, Selene suspected she wasn¡¯t working alone. And we know she allied with Grigore¡­ do you think it¡¯s possible she also allied with Frederic and Odile?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s probably.¡± Mom confirms sadly. ¡°They¡¯ve all been exiled now, and while Arabe is too well known here to show her face, Frederic certainly is not.¡± ¡°He was just a child during the coup.¡± I recall. ¡°He could have been here for years and we¡¯d never have known.¡± Mom agrees, ¡°And even if he wasn¡¯t, I¡¯m sure he is now. Odile wouldn¡¯t be here otherwise.¡± Staring at my mother in shock and horror, I say, ¡°What the hell are we going to do?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 116 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Midnight Snack Bastien¡¯s POV Learning that my cousin may be responsible for all my problems over thest few years has sent me through a loop. I¡¯ve been searching for a motive beyond power and bloodlust since this all began, but it seems I didn¡¯t learn my lesson after my uncle¡¯s coup. Problems don¡¯t disappear after they¡¯ve been exiled, and blood is no guarantee of loyalty. When I came home tonight I held my mate and pup close, feeling even more protective of them than usual. I think Selene sensed something was wrong, but thankfully she passed out even earlier than L did. She¡¯s been tiredtely, taking a lot of naps and going to bed so early I have to fight the urge to wake her up for adult ytime when I¡¯m finally ready to go to sleep myself. Tonight I didn¡¯t have any such problems. Sex was thest thing on my mind, and it was hours before I could rx enough to go to sleep. Iy awakete into the night, staring at the ceiling and wondering how everything could have possibly gotten so mixed up. The worst part of all this is that my family¡¯s past drama may be endangering the life of my wife and child. Selene and L had nothing to do with any of this, yet their proximity to me has put them in the line of fire. The guilt could eat me alive. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Ifort myself by wrapping my body around Selene¡¯s so tightly that I know no one could possibly get to her without going through me first. After drifting off in fitful bursts, I wake around three AM, immediately aware I¡¯m alone in bed. I nce at the bathroom door, but it stands ajar and the lights are off. Sliding out of bed, I pad to the bedroom door, tracking my mate¡¯s scent out into the main apartment. A soft white light emanates from the kitchen, and I follow the gentle glow, rounding the marble ind to find Selene standing in front of the open refrigerator. She¡¯s still wearing the silky negligeel wrangled her unconscious limbs into when I put her to bed, and her thick, dark hair is an artfully disheveled mess. Her back is to m, and I can hear her soft munching noises indicating ate night snack, but I¡¯m so on edge I have to ask, ¡°Baby,¡± I greet her sleepily, ¡°are you okay?¡± Selene jumps half a foot into the hair, spinning around and whipping her hands behind her back with a dismissive shrug. ¡°I missed dinner.¡± ¡°I know you did.¡± Imiserate, eyeing her tense posture. ¡°I¡¯m sorry sweetheart, I would have woken you but you were really out. I thought you must need the rest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she assures me, ¡°I just woke up hungry.¡± ¡°I can imagine. Why don¡¯t you let me make you something.¡± I suggest, rounding the ind and reaching for her. ¡°No! That¡¯s okay!¡± She exims, shrinking away from me. ¡°I already found something.¡± Tilting my head to the side and knitting my brow, I remark, ¡°I¡¯m d to hear it, would you like to tell me why you¡¯re trying to hide. Appearing very sullen, Selene huffs, ¡°I¡¯m not hiding anything.¡± I reach for her again, and again she dances out of my grasp. ¡°What¡¯s going on little wolf, what are you eating?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Selene insists defensively. ¡°Which is it, mate?¡± I demand, my amusement growing with every minute that passes, ¡°have you found something or are you eating nothing?¡± Looking as if she¡¯s admitting a terrible secret, Selene slowly brings her hands forward, revealing a jar of pickles in one hand, and a jar of chocte spread in the other. Unable to hold back a chuckle, I say, ¡°chocte covered pickles?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good!¡± Selene exims stubbornly. Alright.¡± I agree in my most soothing tone, slipping an arm around her while simultaneously extracting the ingredients from her hands. With hesitation, I dip a pickle in the chocte and sample a bite. Axel immediately starts making retching noises, and I burst intoughter, ¡°Goddess Selene, that¡¯s revolting.¡± Selene moans, her eyes welling with tears and her lower lip quivering dangerously. I can see a storm coming, and guilt immediately washes over me, ¡°Hey, no it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°N-no it¡¯s not.¡± Selene chokes, salty rivulets sliding down her fair cheeks. ¡°You said I was revolting!¡± ¡°Selene, baby,¡± I profess, framing her face in my hands, ¡°I said the pickles were revolting, not you!¡± ¡°Yeah but I¡¯m eating them, so I¡¯m disgusting!¡± She cries, breaking downpletely. Absolutely beside myself and baffled about how a midnight snack turned into such a minefield, I pull her into my arms, rocking her as I ask, ¡°Sweetheart where is thising from?¡± ¡°I just wanted a snack!¡± Selene wails pitifully, sobbing into her pickle. If I had a death wish, I might ask my mate if it¡¯s her time of the month. I know she was unafflicted yesterday, but we haven¡¯t been intimate today and she must be due. We¡¯ve made love just about every day since reuniting and she hasn¡¯t had her period yet. Of course the logic slowly works out in my brain, that was two months ago. All of a sudden, our conversation in the cafees back to me. You¡¯re probably breeding already, you¡¯re the most fertile you¡¯ll ever be and we¡¯ve had unprotected sex dozens of times. Looking at Selene sharply, I lower my face to her neck, inhaling deeply and feeling a rush of euphoria when her altered scent reaches my nose. A joyousugh escapes me, and my poor little mate cries harder, ¡°Stopughing at me!¡± I can¡¯t even exin my discovery or correct her misunderstanding, I¡¯m too thrilled. Overjoyed and kissing Selene everywhere I can reach, I lift her into my arms and spin her around. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Selene hups, clutching me for support. ¡°Selene,¡± I say her name like a prayer, exalting my perfect mate and setting her down so I can look into her beautiful face. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant.¡± I exin, kissing her lips, nose and eyelids. Kissing all the way down her neck to my mark, then back up again. ¡°What?¡± Selene sniffs in confusion. ¡°Your scent is only just starting to change.¡± I share, ¡°But it¡¯s there. And it all fits the exhaustion, the cravings, the mood swings.¡± ¡°Mood swings?¡± Selene repeats, thoroughly affronted. ¡°Sweetheart,¡± I say, trying to pull her attention to the matter at hand. ¡°We¡¯re going to have a pup!¡± My words slowly sink in, and Selene¡¯s eyes grow so wide I fear they might burst. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes baby.¡± I insist, sliding my hand to her t tummy and trying to feel the tiny being within. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Selene thinks about this for a long moment, the gears visibly turning in her mind as she tries to process the news. Eventually she looks back up at me and bursts into fresh tears, throwing her arms around my neck. ¡°Selene, why are you crying?¡± I inquire in concern, holding her close. ¡°Because I¡¯m happy!¡± She balls, pressing her tear stained face to my neck. Gathering her up into my arms, I vow, ¡°It¡¯s going to be different this time. I¡¯m going to be with you every step of the way. You won¡¯ t have to do it alone.¡± Selene whimpers, and at first I don¡¯t think she¡¯s going to share her thoughts, but eventually she gazes up at me, ¡°You have no idea how much I wanted you with me.¡± She weeps, ¡°I was begging for you in the delivery room, I was begging for you from the moment we parted.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t ever have to go through that again.¡± I promise, caressing her hair. ¡°You proved you could do it without me, but you won¡¯t have to now. We¡¯ll be together, we¡¯ll do it all together.¡± ¡°Bastien, I was really sickst time.¡± Selene admits. ¡°That¡¯s why I ended up in the hospital that time. It wasn¡¯t just morning sickness, but a severe nausea condition thatsted the entire pregnancy. I was hospitalized more than once in Asphodel.¡± A stab of fear pierces my heart. ¡°You never told me that.¡± ¡°We still have a lot to catch up on.¡± Selene hups, ¡°A lot has happened over thest three years.¡± ¡°And we will catch up.¡± I insist. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you, I¡¯ll do everything I can to support you.¡± ¡°L¡¯s going to be a big sister.¡± My mate realizes with a gentle smile. ¡°She¡¯s not going to like having to share the spotlight.¡± ¡°But she¡¯ll love having someone to boss around.¡± I proim, still rocking the precious bundle in my arms. ¡°Do you need more snacks or can we go back to bed?¡± I murmur, kissing her velvety lips. Selene¡¯s tears have slowed, and she grins up at me, ¡°can I bring the chocte to bed?¡± Throwing my head back andughing without restraint, I confirm, ¡°Baby you can bring whatever you want, as long as you promise to share.¡± With a sullen nce from beneath hershes, Selene replies, ¡°I¡¯ll share the chocte, but not the pickles.¡± Feeling as if the sun is burning inside my very chest and threatening to burst out, I agree. ¡°Deal.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 117 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Travel ns Selene¡¯s POV Bastien is watching me when I wake up. Propped on his elbow and tracing patterns across my bare belly with a goofy grin on his face. Shivering in the cool morning air, and less than amused to have my covers stolen from me, I roll towards my mate, ¡°Bastien I¡¯m cold.¡± I whine. ¡°I¡¯m sorry little wolf,¡± He chuckles, snuggling me close, ¡°I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± ¡°You know it¡¯s very creepy to watch someone sleep.¡± I grumble sleepily. ¡°I¡¯m the Alpha, I can do whatever I want.¡± He counters smugly,¡±even if it¡¯s creepy.¡± Breathing in his familiar scent, I try to calm my stomach. Suddenly myte night snack is seeming like a very bad mistake. My insides are roiling with sour acid, and I can feel my gorge rising in my throat. For a moment, I think I might be able to ease the sickness, but I quickly realize it is not hope. Rolling out of Bastien¡¯s arms, I dart for the bathroom, my hand sped over my mouth. I can hear Bastien following on my heel, and though I try to close the door behind me, he forces his way through anyway. mming the toilet seat up and miserably emptying my stomach into the porcin bowl, I drop to my knees on the cold tiles. My mate¡¯srge, warm hands pull my hair back from my face and rub up and down my back. Bastien makes soothing, sympathetic noises, and as much as I appreciate his affection, I can¡¯t help but think he¡¯s going to have to get used to this. Closing the lid and resting my forehead on my arm, I nce up at the concerned wolf, ¡°This is nothing.¡± I moan. ¡°Just wait.¡± ¡°Poor baby.¡± Bastien croons, stroking my hair. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± ¡°Just keep doing that.¡± I murmur pitifully. ¡°We need to get you in to see a doctor.¡± He muses, surely they can prescribe you something.¡± I nod, ¡°I¡¯ll make an appointment.¡± In the distance I hear L calling me, and Bastien¡¯s lips graze my temple, ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± He assures me, ¡°Do you think you can stomach any breakfast?¡± Before I can answer, another wave of nausea rolls over me, and my head is already back in the toilet. When I finally make it out into the living room, L is helping Bastien make pancakes. She¡¯s sitting on the counter next to the bowl, stirring while he pours flour into the mix. I move towards her, but the moment the scent of sizzling bacon hits my nose, I turn green and retreat. ¡°Mommy, where you going?¡± my pup inquires, squirming on the marble surface like she wants to get down but can¡¯t figure out how. Wiping his hands, Bastien lifts her down, and L runs to hug me good morning. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, angel.¡± I hum, kissing her sweet-smelling head. ¡°Mommy¡¯s tummy is upset.¡± We¡¯re still standing there huddled in the living room when Aiden enters a momentter. ¡°You¡¯rete, Bastien!¡± He announces, pushing through the door without knocking. The beta turns to face L and I, a wide grin splitting his cheeks. ¡°Good morning, my lovelies.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. The next thing I know, a vicious snarl sounds from the kitchen, and in the blink of an eye Bastien is in front of us. His ws are extended and his fangs bared, eyes aglow with rage as he res at his best friend. ¡°Bastien what are you doing?¡± I exim. Aiden¡¯s palms raise, and though surprised, he doesn¡¯t seem rmed. ¡°Easy brother, I¡¯m not going to touch them.¡± While Bastien heaves in deep breaths like a wild beast, Aiden nces at me and scents the air, sudden understanding washing over his features. ¡°I see.¡± He smiles, ¡°feeling a bit extra protective, buddy?¡± ¡°Daddy why¡¯re you grumpy?¡± L pipes up, reading her father¡¯s threatening behavior as little more than a bad mood. ¡°Your Daddy¡¯s wolf is just a little on edge.¡± Aiden exins in a low, even tone, he just needs a minute to calm down.¡± ¡°Bastien, it¡¯s only Aiden.¡± I add, reaching for his hand. His silver eyes jerk down to me, swirling with savage ire. ¡°We¡¯re safe.¡± Slowly the red haze clouding his vision ebbs away, and his rigid muscles rx. Looking back to his second inmand, Bastien sighs, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Aiden, I don¡¯t know what came over me.¡± ¡°I do.¡± Aidenughs, tentatively stepping forward to give his friend a hug, ¡°It seems congrattions are in order.¡± Bastien returns the embrace, looking far more lighthearted now, ¡°Thank you. We¡¯re very excited.¡± ¡°Excided bout what?¡± L chirps curiously, obviously feeling left out of these strange events. Aiden looks like he wants to hug me too, but seems to think it¡¯s too soon to attempt such close proximity. Instead he turns to my pup, ¡°excited that your Mommy bought a new cafe!¡± He lies smoothly. Bastien and I both shoot him appreciative looks, we are definitely not ready to exin this to L yet. ¡°But we ready knew dat.¡± L exims, as if we¡¯ve all lost our minds. ¡°Well Aiden didn¡¯t.¡± I correct her warmly. ¡°This is the first time we¡¯ve seen him since it happened.¡± Rising to my feet and carrying the pup with me, I push L into Bastien¡¯s arms, forcing him to calm down further. Before I can think of moving away, he snakes his free arm around me, sandwiching himself between our bodies. Aiden is watching us with obvious amusement, but then his face twists up into a grimace as he peers towards the kitchen. ¡°I think your bacon is burning.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV ¡°You know you¡¯ll have to go now.¡± Aiden says grimly once we¡¯re alone in my office. I don¡¯t need him to exin, I know he¡¯s talking about the Calypso pack. I¡¯ve been thinking about going for a while now, and now it¡¯ s more important than ever to deal with these threats. At the same time, I can¡¯t stomach the idea of leaving Selene when she¡¯s so vulnerable. ¡°I can¡¯t leave my pregnant mate alone, especially not when we still have enemies here.¡± I¡¯ve already filled my Betas in about my mom seeing Odile, and Donavon has been scouring the city since. ¡°Bastien, if it¡¯s another girl¡­¡± Aiden scrubs a tired hand over his face,¡±you don¡¯t have a choice.¡± ¡°I know that!¡± I snap,shing out at him and instantly regretting it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I sigh, ¡°It¡¯s not just the danger, or the need to protect Selene. She was really sickst time, and I wasn¡¯t there to take care of her. She did it all alone.¡± I don¡¯t want to admit my other fears, but they spill out of me anyway. And I missed it. I missed seeing her perform a miracle, I missed seeing my daughter grow into being and enter the world.¡± As much as I hate to admit it, I¡¯m not sure what bothers me more, not being here to protect my family, or missing out on these experiences. The knowledge fills me with guilt and shame, what kind of wolf am I? What kind of Alpha puts their own selfish desires over the safety of their loved ones? ¡°You¡¯re doing this to protect them.¡± Aiden reminds me, as if reading my thoughts. ¡°So that the next pup thates won¡¯t have to worry about any of this. So that you can be there for every second of the journey. Selene is only 24, she has a lot of breeding years ahead of her still. As long as she has a future, you¡¯ll have more chances but she has to have a future, Bastien.¡± He¡¯s right. I know he¡¯s right. ¡°How am I even supposed to leave again when the pack is still angry at me for chasing Selene to Asphodel?¡± ¡°Because you won¡¯t be leaving everything to the council this time. Odette, Donavon, Selene and I will still be here to take care of business. Between the four of us, we¡¯ll keep the trains running.¡± My beta reasons. As much as I want Selene to feel empowered as my mate and get involved with governing the pack, the ns we¡¯ve drawn up for my hypothetical trip didn¡¯t ount for her being pregnant. Now not only is she going to be starting a new business and wrangling a toddler, she¡¯s going to be sick as a dog. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to watch Selene very carefully. All of you.¡± I tell Aiden, ¡°she¡¯ll work herself into the ground if you let her.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take care of her.¡± Aiden promises, ¡°And L. We¡¯ll be in constant contact, and it won¡¯t be that long.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± I ask. ¡°Because it can¡¯t be.¡± He responds stonily, ¡°We can get by without you-keep people cated ¨C for maybe a month. Any more than that and¡­ I don¡¯t know what would happen.¡± The prospect of my mission is seeming more and more impossible. I¡¯ve got to infiltrate the Calypso territory, somehow get close to ise without him finding out who I am, and either convince him to give up his hunt for Vna wolves, or make it impossible for it to continue. And now I only have a month to do it. ¡°One month,¡± I nod in agreement. ¡°Have you told Selene?¡± Aiden wonders aloud. ¡°She knows I¡¯ve thought about it, but she doesn¡¯t realize how serious I was.¡± I exhale, dragging a hand through my hair. ¡°How the hell am I going to tell her?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 118 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Dr¡¯s Appointment Selene¡¯s POV Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Frowning at my reflection, I try to focus my attention inward, reaching deep to try and ess the well of my powers. I¡¯ve been working at it every day, wanting to learn how to do more than send out a few random energy bursts. I want to figure out how to do all the things I read about in Odette¡¯s books, and Bastien has been encouraging me to practice as much as possible so long as stay far away from the pool. I¡¯ve turned the lights down low, staring determinedly at the shadows and begging them to bend to my will. Of course they don¡¯t budge one bit, they remain stubbornly fixed in the nooks and corners of our walk in closet. Grumbling with frustration, I try to take a few deep breaths and reset, but Bastien rounds the corner before I can, no doubt summoned by my disgruntled noises. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, little wolf?¡± He asks, not stopping until I¡¯mpletely wrapped in his arms. ¡°I¡¯m trying to bend the stupid shadows and it¡¯s not working. It seems like everything I try today is just bound to fail.¡± Iin. I¡¯m expecting a speech offering support and encouragement, instead I find my husband¡¯s brow furrowed in worry. ¡°Sweetheart, I think you should hold off practicing your powers for a while.¡± ¡°What?¡± I question in surprise. ¡°What happened to, the more you¡¯re able to defend yourself, the better¡¯?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know how any of this might affect the baby.¡± Bastien answers simply. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should risk it.¡± I hadn¡¯t thought of that. I admit to Luna, suddenly awash with anxiety. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine. My wolf answers. The powers are a part of us. So is the pup. Surely they can¡¯t harm it. I¡¯d like to think that too. I agree, but I know so little about all this¡­ Bastien¡¯s probably right. ¡°We can ask the doctor.¡± I decide, rubbing a hand over my cloth covered belly. My appointment ister this afternoon, and Bastien cleared his schedule so he coulde along. I had been looking forward to getting my first ultrasound, now I¡¯m overflowing with eagerness to find out if I can continue training. ¡°No.¡± Bastien replies sharply, bursting my bubble. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone outside of the family to know about your powers, Selene.¡± ¡°Then how else am I going to find out whether it¡¯s safe?¡± I argue. ¡°We¡¯ll keep researching and just feel things out as we go along.¡± He states, as if we¡¯ve had a long discussion on the matter andnded at this decision together. ¡°Oh really?¡± I reply, ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I think we should do.¡± My mate amends gently. ¡°We can¡¯t risk the information getting out, and we can¡¯t risk you or the baby.¡± ¡°Bastien I knocked out a she-wolf in full public viewst week.¡± I remind him sardonically, ¡°I think people are going to find out about my powers one way or another.¡± *They don¡¯t know what they saw at the festival.¡± Bastien ims, and I don¡¯t mind them knowing once you have full control over them, but until then you¡¯re vulnerable until ise is dealt with, we have to keep them quiet.¡± ¡°Why do you keep saying that?¡± I ask, a knot forming in my stomach, ¡°What are you nning to do about ise, how are you going to deal with him?¡± ¡°We can talk about thatter.¡± My husband promises, notforting me one bit. ¡°For now let¡¯s just enjoy this moment. In a few hours we¡¯re going to have our first picture of the baby.¡± He reminds me excitedly. ¡°Alright.¡± I concede, ¡°just promise me we will talk about it?¡± Bastien¡¯s face falls, and my apprehension grows. ¡°I promise. Before the week is out.¡± At the hospital, a thoughtful nurse sweeps us into a private room before anyone can see us in the OBGYN¡¯s waiting room. Soon enough the media will get their hands on the story anyway, Selene¡¯s scent announces the news wherever she goes, but I want to keep it quiet for as long as possible. While Selene changes and patiently submits to the nurse¡¯s vital tests, I stroll around the strange office, studying all the diagrams and anatomical models depicting the various stages of pregnancy. It¡¯s not until a familiar scent reaches my nose that I draw my attention away. When Dr Kane enters the room, Selene offers him a wide smile. ¡°Dr Kane, it¡¯s so good to see you!¡± ¡°You too.¡± He exims, ¡°Especially since we all thought you were dead.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Selene flushes, ¡°well, luckily I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Very luckily.¡± The doctor grins, ¡°And I see congrattions are in order! You¡¯re going to be parents again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dr Kane.¡± I interrupt, confused as to why the man is here. ¡°You¡¯re not an obstetrician.¡± ¡°No, but I am the family doctor.¡± He reminds me genially, ¡°And I was Selene¡¯s doctor during her first pregnancy at least the portion of it which took ce in Elysium.¡± The doctor looks back to my mate, ¡°How are you feeling Selene, is the nausea any better this time?¡± ¡°Wait a minute,¡± I interject again, directing my attention to Selene. ¡°He was your doctor before you left?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She replies, shooting me a baffled look. ¡°Dr Kane is the one who helped you cover your scent?¡± I growl, growing more suspicious, not to mention more angry by the minute. ¡°Yes.¡± Selene repeats, more gently this time, as if she can sense the direction of my thoughts. ¡°And you knew she was pregnant when she supposedly died?¡± I demand of Dr Kane, ¡°And you said nothing?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think the information would do anything but cause you more grief.¡± Dr Kane sighs, looking regretful. My wife crinkles her nose, ¡°Am I missing something?¡± ¡°Dr Kane is the one who confirmed the DNA on the body from the fire.¡± I share gruffly. ¡°You mean the fake me was pregnant too?!¡± She inquires in horror. For a moment I don¡¯t understand what on earth she¡¯s talking about, and it takes a good bit of footwork to catch up to her train of thought. An anonymous medical examiner couldn¡¯t have known Selene was pregnant and would have easily missed the discrepancy between bodies. But Kane knew about the baby, so either the unfortunate soul who was used to impersonate my mate was also pregnant, or he knew it wasn¡¯t Selene and lied. My existing suspicions about the man begin to spread like wildfire, but then the doctor calmly exins. ¡°We never checked for that detail. The corpse was so burnt we couldn¡¯t even tell if it was male or female, and once the DNA came back a match¡­ honestly it never urred to me to check for a fetus.¡± ¡°Oh of course.¡± Selene grimaces, ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± He waves off her self-depreciation, ¡°Now tell me honestly, how are you feeling.¡± I spend the rest of the appointment, not reveling in the joy of our new pup¡¯s arrival, but stewing in anger. Now that my ire has been sparked, I can¡¯t seem to quell it. That fetus he¡¯s talking about is L. My daughter very nearly died before ever being born. If Selene hadn¡¯t been pulled from the fire she would have been gone before I even knew she existed, and this man who has vowed to serve my family helped keep that secret from me. I¡¯m not sure whether I believe Dr. Kane¡¯s words or not. He seems to have a reasonable exnation for every clue that points his way, but the clues continue to pile up. I can¡¯t imagine how he could have be mixed up in my family¡¯s drama, but he¡¯s growing more suspicious by the minute. When the appointment is over and Selene is changing back into her regr clothes, I call Aiden. ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± He greets me. ¡°Listen,¡± i jump in without dy. ¡°Is the hospital within the range of the cell tower that transmitted the safe house footage?¡± There¡¯s a pause as my beta checks the map, followed by a slow but firm, ¡°No.¡± ¡°And what about Dr Kane¡¯s house?¡± I press, ¡°Is it within range?¡± Another long pause builds as my friend looks up the address. Only this time, he sighs, ¡°Yes.¡± Drawing in a deep, steadying breath I snarl, ¡°I want a full background on that man, right now.¡± I order. ¡°I want to know everywhere he¡¯s been over thest decade. Everything he¡¯s done, everyone he¡¯s ever spoken to.¡± ¡°You think he might be behind all this?¡± Aiden asks. ¡°I think he¡¯s involved somehow or another.¡± I theorize, ¡°he may just be corrupt and taking payments for helping whoever really is. responsible, or he may be involved more substantially. But too many coincidences have happened now, too many clues point in his direction.¡± Quickly sharing the revtions I discovered during the appointment, I wait for my friend to tell me I¡¯m overreacting again. ¡°Bastien,¡± He broaches instead, ¡°Kane was also the one who examined your father¡¯s body. He was at the crime scene and we were never able to identify the scent of his attacker. We thought they just covered it up but what if it was somebody we already knew, someone who was there right after?¡± When Selene walks out a few minutester, I take her face in my hands, ¡°We¡¯re finding you another doctor.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 119 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Big Sister Bastien¡¯s POV ¡°I¡¯m not sure we should do this today.¡± Selene frets, watching L nibble on a slice of apple. It¡¯s just before lunchtime on Saturday, and we¡¯ve agreed to tell our pup about the new addition to our family before night falls. ¡°Everyone is going to know before too long.¡± I remind her, ¡°she should hear it from us, not from whispers on the street.¡± ¡°She wouldn¡¯t know what they meant even if she did hear them.¡± Selene argues, ¡°she¡¯s too young. We should wait.¡± Only we can¡¯t wait, because I need to know everything is alright before I leave for the Calypso pack. I need to make sure my family is on solid footing, that Selene and L can thrive without me. ¡°The more time she has to get used to the idea, the better.¡± I remind my mate. ¡°Yes but ¡°r¡± Selene trails off, cradling her belly, ¡°Bastien nothing is certain until we¡¯ve made it past the first trimester. If something goes wrong. I don¡¯t want to have to exin that to her on top of everything else.¡± ¡°Is that what you¡¯re worried about?¡± I question, striding towards her. ¡°You¡¯re afraid you might lose the baby?¡± The idea hadn¡¯t even urred to me, I¡¯ve been so worried about ise Denizen and Selene¡¯s health, that I never dreamed such a tragedy might ur amidst all our other problems. ¡°Not afraid so much as cautious.¡± She answers, ¡°It¡¯s a lot moremon than you think.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen.¡± I insist, holding her tightly. ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡± Selene whispers sadly, ¡°And you can¡¯t control this. We don¡¯t have the power here ¨C only the Goddess does.¡± ¡°Selene.¡± I breathe, ¡°this baby is going to arrive healthy and whole, in her own time and at her own pace.¡± I can¡¯t exin why I think the child will be another girl, it¡¯s just a feeling deep in my bones. Selene is convinced it¡¯s a boy, but we¡¯ve agreed to leave it a mystery until the baby arrives. ¡°Stop saying that!¡± My wife exims, ¡°You¡¯ll jinx us.¡± ¡°Baby, it¡¯ll be okay.¡± I promise, kissing her deeply, ¡°now let¡¯s tell L and help her get used to the idea, rather than courting disaster.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± She grumbles, ¡°But she¡¯s going to have a lot of questions, and since this is your idea, you get to be the one to answer them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright by me.¡± I answer simply, internally baffled at how I¡¯m going to exin where babiese from to a three year old, but unwilling to cave to Selene¡¯s pressure. Together we cross the kitchen to our pup, stering smiles on our faces. They start out just for show, to help encourage the toddler to be excited, but it doesn¡¯t take long for our genuine joy to shines through the facade. ¡°L,¡± Selene begins, drawing her miniature¡¯s attention. We have some exciting news to tell you.¡± ¡°What news?¡± L asks easily, bouncing up and down in her chair, ¡°Are we going on an venture?¡± ¡°Sort of,¡± my mate grins, squeezing my hand. ¡°Our family is about to get bigger, and that¡¯s always an adventure. Daddy and ¡­ well, that is to say: You¡¯re going to be a big sister!¡± The pup¡¯s tiny face falls, scrunching up into an indignant pout, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Mommy is going to have a baby.¡± I exin gently. ¡°In a few months you¡¯ll have a little sister.¡± ¡°Or brother.¡± Selene corrects me in exasperation, swatting at my arm. Catching her little hand and tugging her under my arm, I turn my attention back to our daughter. A little sister or brother.¡± L thinks about this for a long moment, looking back and forth between our expectant faces before deciding. ¡°No, tank you.¡± ¡°Honey, it¡¯s not really a choice. It¡¯s going to happen.¡± I rify. ¡°But I don¡¯t want a baby¡± L answers pointedly, as if I¡¯m being much too slow on the uptake. ¡°Well L bean, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to get one anyway.¡± Selene informs her softly. ¡°But why?¡± The pup inquires indignantly. ¡°Because the baby is already inside me, already growing.¡± Selene shares, stroking a hand over her belly. ¡°So take it out.¡± L suggests going back to her apple as if this solves everything. Smothering a smile, I inform her, ¡°That¡¯s not possible, little one.¡± Giving Selene a reassuring squeeze, I gloss over the possibleplications. Once a baby is there, it won¡¯te out until it¡¯s ready to be born.¡± The toddler¡¯s head jerks up in rm. I can see the thoughts whirring behind her wide eyes, and she eventually huffs, ¡°But how¡¯d it get dere?¡± ¡°Daddy put it there.¡± Selene exins, petting L¡¯s cheek, ¡°Just like he once put you there.¡± L¡¯s head cocks to the side, confusion clear on her face. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You were inside me once too.¡± Selene tells the pup, leaning her elbows on the counter so that they¡¯re eye to eye. ¡°I grew you like a little bean, until you grew big and strong enough toe out into the world. You¡¯ve seen mommies carrying babies in their tummies before, remember?¡± ¡°Yeah, but your tummy s¡¯not big like deirs.¡± The pup reasons. ¡°It will be.¡± Selene deres, ¡°It¡¯s going to get bigger and bigger over the next few months, until it¡¯s so big I can¡¯t even see my own feet.¡± The image puts a beaming smile on my face; I can¡¯t wait to see my mate round and swollen with my pup. Needing to touch the walking miracle in front of me, I slide my palm over Selene¡¯s hip, gently kneading the small of her back in a way that makes her arch and stretch like a contented housecat. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°But..¡± L gnaws her lower lip in ¡°How¡¯d Daddy put da baby in dere?¡± Selene nces over her shoulder, arching an expectant brow in my direction. shing her a wolfish grin as she continues to purr beneath my ministrations, I improvise, ¡°Well, when mommies and daddies want to make a baby, they do a special kind of dance.¡± ¡°A dance?¡± L repeats skeptically. ¡°Yes,¡± I continue, feeling suddenly inspired. ¡°They hold each other very close and pour all their love for each other into the steps. Then, when they¡¯re ready, they make a wish with all their hearts and if they¡¯re lucky, a tiny seed will get nted, and then it grows and grows. The pup considers my words, before a hopeful expressiones over her face. ¡°Can I see da dance?¡± Selene chokes on augh, and I squeeze her side, barely able to contain my own amusement. ¡°No angel,¡± she recovers, ¡°It has to be done in private, or the wish won¡¯te true.¡± A new thought seems to ur to L then, and she looks back and forth between Selene and I, her sweet countenance full of doubt. ¡°Why¡¯d you wish it t¡¯all? We don¡¯ need a baby.¡± ¡°We wished it because we love you so very much, that we wanted another pup every bit as wonderful as you are.¡± I answer solemnly. ¡°You brought so much happiness to our lives, and this new baby is going to do the same.¡± ¡°But you ready have me!¡± She exims, her bottom lip trembling dangerously. Suddenly I realize that, to L, all my pretty cations have sounded like she isn¡¯t enough for us. Panic slices through me as I scramble to figure out how I can fix this. Fortunately I don¡¯t need to. As usual, Selene knows just what to say. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you a secret, L.¡± She murmurs, gathering up our daughter¡¯s small hands and bringing them to her lips. And it¡¯s very important you remember this, okay?¡± My mate waits until the pup nots in agreement before pressing on. ¡°Love is infinite do you know what that word means?¡± L shakes her head in denial. ¡°It means that it doesn¡¯t have any limits.¡± Selene summarizes. ¡°It never ends, it doesn¡¯t have a bottom or a top and if you let it, it will just get bigger and bigger and never stop growing. Nothing can stop it, nothing can contain it. You can keep adding to it forever and never run out. So getting a brother or sister doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re going to love you any less, and it doesn¡¯t mean you haven¡¯t given us enough happiness to satisfy us. It just means that we all get more. More love, more happiness, more fun and adventures for you as well as us. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Nodding but still looking disgruntled, L sighs. ¡°D¡¯we have ta keep it?¡± ¡°Yes, my darling.¡± Selene kindly dashes the toddler¡¯s hopes, ¡°We do. But you know what? You¡¯re going to like being a big sister so, so much. You two will be such great friends. They¡¯re going to love you and look up to you, you¡¯ll always have someone to y with and talk to. It¡¯s going to be so fun!¡± L looks up at us from beneath hershes. ¡°You pwomise?¡± Selene and I share a tender smile before pledging our vow to the beloved creature in front of us, ¡°We promise.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 120 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Telling Selene Bastien¡¯s POV Selene¡¯s silken voice is floating out of L¡¯s bedroom in a steady stream, weaving fairy tales from thin air to carry our pup off to sleep. It¡¯s already dark out, the winds of autumn ushering in the night earlier and earlier as we near the equinox, and confusing my young daughter¡¯s internal clock to no end. Moving to lean in the doorway, I spy my mate stretched out on L¡¯s twin bed, our pup snuggled beside her with heavy eyelids. Her little mouth stretches wide with frequent yawns and I know it won¡¯t be long before she passes outpletely. Pure longing consumes me as I watch the beautiful pair: Selene¡¯s gentle hands caressing L¡¯s dark hair as she spins her fantasy, the sweet pup¡¯s soft cooing sounds as she¡¯s lulled into dreand. I could stand here gazing at them forever. I¡¯m continually astonished at how my love for them continues to grow, even after I¡¯m convinced it could not be any greater. These precious beings disprove that assumption over and over again, and I have no doubt the new baby will do the same. As painful as the pangs evoked by the thought of leaving them are, this very sight is exactly what I need to send me off on my journey. I will carry this image with me through every day I¡¯m gone as a reminder of what¡¯s truly important, and why I must take this risk. Sensing my observance, Selene¡¯s head turns toward me, an incandescent smile stretching across her perfect features when she catches me spying. We share a long look before Selene turns back to check on L, finding her conked out in deep sleep. Leaning down to kiss my daughter goodnight, I help untangle my mate from the bed, and guide her out of the room. No sooner has the door closed behind us that I pin Selene against the wall, iming her full lips in a string of long, luxurious kisses that leave us both breathless. I only intended to steal a few moments of affection, but now that I¡¯ve started I can¡¯t seem to stop. Selene arches into my questing hands, moaning in contentment. ¡°I love you so much.¡± I profess fervently, staring deep into her eyes. ¡°I love you too.¡± She replies huskily, pressing closer and nibbling my ear. Groaning and growing hard as her small hands slide across my chest, I try to hang on to my sanity. I can¡¯t let myself be distracted from the matter at hand, no matter how pleasant the distraction. Capturing Selene¡¯s face between my hands, I suggest, ¡°Let¡¯s go for a run.¡± ¡°What?¡± She blinks in surprise, clearly expecting us to engage in a very different activity. ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I confirm with a new sense of urgency. If we stay here I won¡¯t be able to stop myself from making love to her, and she won¡¯ t appreciate me breaking the news to her afterwards, ¡°Right now.¡± Frowning, Selene tries to put some distance between us, but I don¡¯t let her. ¡°Bastien, is everything all right?¡± ¡°Yes. I just want to go for a run with my gorgeous mate, is that so wrong?¡± I answer, tugging her towards the door. Looking unconvinced, Selene reluctantly follows, letting me lead her down the stairs and out of the house. At the edge of the forest we strip off our clothes, shifting into our wolf forms and disappearing into the trees. It¡¯s almost pitch ck in the dense woond. A thickyer of charcoal clouds is blocking out the waning moon¡¯s pearlescent glow, leaving not a single star in sight. Nheless, our keen eyes guide us forward as we bound through the crisp air at high speed, fallen leaves crunching beneath our paws with every step. yfully nipping at Selene¡¯s heels, we pounce and y until finally arriving at the high cliffs overlooking the Elysian Valley. Curling my furry body around my little mate¡¯s, I breathe in the fresh air and Selene¡¯s own unique fragrance ¨C softened and sweetened by the presence of our growing pup. Sighing and pillowing my head on her snowy coat, I try to work up the strength to tell her what I must. In the end I don¡¯t need to muster the right words, because Selene can already sense something is wrong. What¡¯s going on Bastien? She questions, her lyrical voice chiming in my head. Nudging and licking her muzzle, as if affection might soften the blow of my departure, I exin, This baby changes things, Selene I know. She replies with apprehension, things already seem crazy now, but this is nothingpared to what it will be like with a newborn in the house. That¡¯s not what I meant. I correct gently. It was bad enough having you and L at risk, but now. I can¡¯t put this off any longer. Put off what? My mate asks, her body tensing up. I have to deal with ise, I announce firmly, hardening myself to her inevitable objections. I have to make you safe. Selene twists around so she can see my face, her blue and violet eyes wide. What are you talking about? Deal with him how? I have to go East. I exin, I have to try whatever I can to make him give up his hunt for Vnas. But we haven¡¯t even figured out what¡¯s happening in Elysium yet. She argues, agitated energy pulsing off her small form in waves. I know. I admit with resignation. But we don¡¯t have a choice. You promised! Selene bursts out, pulling away from me and mbering to her feet, you said you¡¯d be here with me for this pregnancy. You said we¡¯d do it all together! And we will, but I can¡¯t let another pup be born in danger, Selene. I growl, more harshly than intended. When she flinches I try to soften my tone, standing and nuzzling her downy fur. If I go now, I can be back before you start showing. You don¡¯t know that! My mate correctly insists, You can¡¯t know how long you¡¯ll be away. Besides, how do you possibly n to make ise give up? He¡¯s a monster, a psychopath. You think you¡¯re going to change his mind about obtaining immortality. I have to try Selene. I grind out, I can¡¯t just stand by and let the danger continue to grow. Listen to me Bastien. Selene begs, he¡¯ll die before he lets go of his ambition. Are you prepared to challenge him? He¡¯s the most powerful Alpha on the continent! I know that. I counter gruffly, But you¡¯re only making my point for me. ise will never stop unless we stop him. Then wait for me, She implores, wait until we can try to stop him together. No! I snarl, my protective instincts ring at the mere idea of her being anywhere near the Calypso Alpha. Selene reels back as if I¡¯ve struck her, and I follow closely, I¡¯m sorry baby, but no. I repeat. We can¡¯t risk you. If something happens to me, you¡¯ll be all the pups have left. One of us has to stay safe for them, and they need you more than they need me. But I need you too! Selene cries, tugging at my heartstrings. I¡¯d never survive it if something happened to you. Yes you would. I reply easily, you are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for, little wolf. And we¡¯ll be stronger together than apart, Selene advocates, My powers Selene, I¡¯m begging you. I beseech, cutting her off before she can make her case. Please don¡¯t make this harder than it is. No, I¡¯m going to make it as hard as I possibly can. Shebats, emotion thick in her voice. I don¡¯t want you to go. Do you think I want to go? I demand hotly. Do you believe I want to miss a minute of this pregnancy, so you think I want to spend a single minute away from you? From L? No, Selene exhales, sounding forlorn. I just She trails off, struggling to find the words to express her feelings anding up empty. I know, baby. I assure her, feeling her pain so keenly through our bond I want to rip myself to shreds for making her feel this way. But I have to do this. I have to make you and our pups safe. You don¡¯t have to do anything. Selene sniffs. You¡¯re choosing this. You¡¯re choosing to leave us when we need you most. Don¡¯t you ever use me of not caring about this family¡¯s needs or failing to take care of you! I rumble before I can stop myself. Her words stabbed straight into the sorest spot in my heart, and I can¡¯t help but respond instinctively. This is a sacrifice, Selene. I¡¯m doing this for us! Besides, I¡¯m not the one of us who walks out on my mate, you are. I regret the words as soon as they leave my head, but it¡¯s toote. The damage has already been done. Tears well in Selene¡¯s luminous eyes, and she drops her head in shame. Before I can say another word, she turns on her heel and flees, sprinting away into the night.N?velDrama.Org content rights. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 121 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Goodbye Selene¡¯s POV Thunder crashes overhead, jarring me straight to the bone. Terrornces through me as lightning streaks through the sky, pushing me to run faster, even as I hear Bastien howling for me in the distance. The rain begins soon after, fat droplets bursting onto the forest floor and transforming dirt and leaf litter to thick, sticky mud. Annoyance flits through my mind. The rain might help cover my scent, but the quickly coalescing muck will save my footprints in a perfect trail. It will be only too easy for Bastien to follow me, and I do not wish to be caught. The worst part about my mate¡¯s hurtful words is that we both know they¡¯re undeniably true. I deserve to feel this pain, I deserve to suffer the consequences of my past cruelty. Tears stream from my eyes as I run, the steady pounding of my heart punctuating every loping stride I take. I don¡¯t want Bastien to leave, I¡¯m terrified that if he goes to the Calypso territory he¡¯ll nevere back. I¡¯d rather live with him in danger for the rest of our lives, than live safely without him. I want my pups to be safe too, what mother wouldn¡¯t? I hate the idea of anyone wanting to hurt my babies and I want ise gone every bit as much as Bastien does, I just can¡¯t stand the idea of losing him, even to such a noble cause. As the heavens open above me, releasing a torrent of rain so powerfull fear the earth might flood, I wonder if I¡¯m being irrational. Bastien is trying to do the right thing and keep my children safe, how can I begrudge him thus when I want the same exact thing? Perhaps it¡¯s because he intends to do it all without me. He made the decision without me, he informed me rather than consulting me, and now he¡¯s going to go across the continent and leave me behind to agonize about whether or not he¡¯s dead in a ditch somewhere. Pushing myself harder and feeling mud ssh over my legs and belly, dirtying my pristine white coat, I channel all my fear and frustration into the run. Bastien¡¯s howls are sounding farther and farther away now, but I don¡¯t feel relieved. The deeper I run into the storm, the closer Ie to the haunting memories of my past, which now include all the years I spent separated from the man I love. I¡¯ve never been surrounded by more love than I am now. Between Bastien, L, Odette, the new baby and the suddenly and shockingly supportive pack, I¡¯ve never been more supported. So how is it that I¡¯ve never felt more alone than I do in this moment? Bastien¡¯s POV When the storm begins my fury with myself detonates into a zing inferno. How could I be so thoughtless, how could I be so cruel. I sent my pregnant mate running off into the night crying, and now she¡¯ll be facing the traumas of her past all alone. I¡¯m still on her trail, my sense of smell and her muddy footprints guiding my way even through the heavy downpour. Still, I know she¡¯s far ahead, and I hate the idea of her spending even one moment alone in this state. As I crash through the undergrowth and howl into the darkness, I slowly begin to recognize the path my wayward wife has taken. At first I think I¡¯m mistaken, but the closer I draw, the more certain I am that I know where Selene is headed. And it¡¯s the veryst ce i¡¯d expect her to go. The scorched shell of the family cabin Arabe burned down almost four years agoys exactly as we left it. I never had it rebuilt, never had the hollow structure demolished. I left it standing as a sort of macabre monument to my lost mate. I used toe here when I felt like punishing myself, on the days I started to feel too good about myself and needed to be reminded of my past failures. This is the first time I¡¯ve been here since Selene returned, and certainly the first time I¡¯ve visited since learning it was not the site of her demise. I still hate it, especially when I see my beautiful mate huddled in the wreckage, naked and shivering, with tears streaming down her face. When she hears me approaching behind her, Selene turns, her glowing eyesnding on my solemn expression as she hugs her arms around her body. Baby what are you doing here?¡± I croon, pulling her into my arms. ¡°T-this is where I left you.¡± She weeps. ¡°This is where I rejected you.¡± ¡°Sweetheart, I¡¯m so sorry for what I said. It was horrible and unfair, I never should have said it.¡± I exin desperately. ¡°It was t-true.¡± Selene hups. ¡°I did leave you, I gave up on you.¡± ¡°You ran for your life, you did the best you could with the information you had.¡± I correct. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You have every right to be upset that I¡¯m leaving when there¡¯s still so much to worry about here, when you¡¯re going to have to go through another hard pregnancy and I can¡¯t promise. I¡¯ll be here to support you through the worst.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°I know you¡¯re only leaving to protect us¡­ I¡¯m just scared.¡± Selene admits. ¡°I thought we would be together this time and What if something happens to you? ¡°We will be together.¡± I vow, hoping to the Goddess this is a promise I can keep. ¡°I¡¯ll be back before you know it. I¡¯ll deal with ise. I¡¯ll make our family safe. And then I¡¯lle home to you and we can start our future once and for all.¡± ¡°What about the pack?¡± My mate sniffles, ¡°What about the threats here?¡± ¡°Aiden and Donovan will take care of the investigation and keep the trains running with the elder council.¡± I exin, ¡°We¡¯ve already got a n in ce to cover all our bases. And Mom will help where she¡¯s needed.¡± ¡°I can help too.¡± Selene states, pulling back and swiping at the salty liquid staining her cheeks. Shaking my head, I adopt my sternest tone. ¡°I just want you to focus on taking care of yourself, L and this baby.¡± ¡°What?¡± She pouts, looking so adorably disgruntled I have to smother the urge to smile. ¡°So you get to risk your life to help our family and I¡¯m just supposed to sit here and let other people fix all my problems?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t what I said.¡± I reply ruefully. ¡°Maybe not, but it¡¯s what you meant.¡± Selene insists. In essence that may be true, but I have every reason to feel this way. Carrying the new baby is already sapping my mate¡¯s strength, painting dark circles beneath her eyes and hollowing her cheeks. ¡°I just want you to be healthy.¡± I murmur, ¡°You¡¯ve got enough to deal with wrangling L and coping with the pregnancy.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go through life having other people fight my battles for me, Bastien.¡± She informs me coolly. ¡°That¡¯s not what this is.¡± I assure her, trailing my hand over her rain-slicked belly. ¡°This is just a different kind of battle. No one else can cope with the sickness for you. No one else can give our pup a home while she grows.¡± ¡°He.¡± Selene corrects me with the barest hint of a smile. ¡°Either way,¡± I grin, kissing the tip of her nose. ¡°You¡¯ve created another miracle. Safeguarding it and our first is the most important thing you can do. I¡¯ll be protecting our family from afar, you¡¯ll be protecting it at home. That¡¯s all.¡± Just promise you¡¯lle back.¡± Selene implores, ¡°If you can¡¯t figure out how to make ise give up, juste home. Don¡¯t kill yourself ying the hero.¡± ¡°I promise I will do everything in my power toe back to you.¡± i profess sincerely. ¡°But you have to promise me that no matter what happens, you won¡¯te after me. If I don¡¯t return, don¡¯te looking for me. You can¡¯t ever set foot in Calypso territory.¡± She instantly balks. ¡°But what if you¡¯re in trouble? What if you need help?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll do my best to get out of it, but if I¡¯m to die on this journey, you have to let me go, baby.¡± I instruct. ¡°No!¡± Selene stubbornly retorts, ¡°You¡¯d never simply stay put if something happened to me. You¡¯d exhaust everyst possibility before ever epting I wasn¡¯ting home.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°Maybe not.¡± I agree. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t be in mortal danger just setting foot into the territory.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter if you were, the danger wouldn¡¯t stop you.¡± Selene ims hotly. ¡°But this is about so much more than just you or me!¡± I remind her. ¡°This is about L. It¡¯s about this baby. If you¡¯re in danger, so are they, and I can¡¯t have that.¡± I growl. ¡°You have to promise me, for their sake if nothing else, that you¡¯ll let me go.¡± ¡°Pups need a father every bit as much as they need a mother.¡± Selene whispers weakly. ¡°They need a parent who loves them.¡± I agree, ¡°And if I¡¯m gone, then you¡¯re the only one they have left. Don¡¯t risk making them orphans on the off chance that I might be saved.¡± I can see Selene wants to continue fighting: she doesn¡¯t want to agree to my conditions even though she sees the logic of my words. She¡¯s not going to give up. With a stab of regret, I pour all my Alpha authority into my next words, ¡°Promise me, Selene.¡± She struggles against the order, her wolf railing for control and her heart rebelling against her instincts. Eventually, shooting me a sullen re that tells me she knows exactly what I¡¯ve done, my mate agrees. ¡°I promise.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 122 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Contingencies Bastien¡¯s POV N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Daddy do you have ta go?¡± My pup¡¯s tiny voice cuts me right to the core. Has there ever been a worse feeling than this? Than leaving my family and not knowing if I¡¯ll ever see them again? Than knowing that if I can¡¯t fix things with ise, their lives might be forfeit, and I won¡¯t be around to protect them? ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be going unless I absolutely had to, L bean.¡± I exin earnestly, cupping her tiny cheek in my hand. ¡°When youe back?¡± L questions mournfully, reaching towards me with both arms open. ¡°As soon as I can.¡± I promise, pulling her out of Selene¡¯s arm and into my own. ¡°Next week?¡± She asks, her adorable face so hopeful I want to cancel my mission just to make her happy. I can¡¯t believe how deeply I love this little being after so short a time. I¡¯m touched at how attached we¡¯ve be despite our brief acquaintance, and yet part of me wishes we had not formed this bond. Leaving would be so much easier. ¡°No little one, probably not next week.¡± I answer gently. ¡°But I promise I won¡¯t stay away a moment longer than I have to.¡± L¡¯s face is turning pink, and I can already see the tearsing on. Axelwhines in my head, Selene is already softly crying and the salty scent is driving me up the wall. Squeezing my daughter tight, I reach out and pull Selene into my embrace as well, holding my family close Sure enough, L is crying within moments, pitifully weeping against my neck as I kiss my mate goodbye. I have to fight the instinct to im Selene onest time before I go. We made love twice this morning already, but the taste of her honeyed lips beneath mine is only too tempting. ¡°I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± I swear huskily, staring into Selene¡¯s red rimmed eyes. She nods, tenderly extracting L from my grasp and making soft shushing noises when the toddler objects with whines and wails. Thest thing I see before sliding into the car is Selene gently bouncing our pup in her arms while the child sobs my name. ¡°Daddy! She¡¯s squirming to escape my wife¡¯s grasp, undoubtedly wanting to run after me, and Selene finally turns to carry her away into the house, the sounds of her own, muted tears tormenting my supernatural ears. Aiden slides into the passenger seat, offering me a sympathetic frown, ¡°They¡¯ll be okay.¡± He promises. ¡°Donavon and I will take care of them.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I breathe, ¡°thank you, brother.¡± My beta is going to apany me to the border, and his face grows more drawn and serious as we pull out of the drive. ¡°Everything is in ce, we¡¯ll keep you updated with every new development here.¡± ¡°Have you found out anything more about Odile?¡± I prompt, all the possible misfortunes facing my family tormenting my already. ¡°No. We¡¯ve been searching everywhere.¡± Aiden replies with a swift shake of the head. ¡°If anyone has seen her, they aren¡¯t talking. But I don¡¯t doubt your mother¡¯s word. If ODette says she saw Odile, I believe her. She¡¯s here somewhere, we just aren¡¯t looking in the right ce.¡± ¡°You ought to visit Grigore, if Odile¡¯s got any connections remaining in the city, she¡¯ll know he¡¯s primed to ally against us.¡± I suggest firmly, wondering if it was a mistake to treat the former elder councilor so harshly. ¡°And the doctor?¡± Aiden questions. *Just keep an eye on him.¡± I instruct tensely. ¡°I know your investigation didn¡¯t uncover any evidence of wrongdoing, but finding nothing doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s nothing to find. We¡¯ve always known our enemy was talented. As far as I¡¯m concerned, Dr Kane is a suspect until proven otherwise.¡± My Beta nods in agreement. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. There have been too many coincidences with his involvement, either someone is using him as a pawn, or he¡¯s helping to pull the strings.¡± As we pull onto the main road out of the city, my mind drifts to our other unanswered question. ¡°Any word on Arabe?¡± *Only that she went East after her exile.¡± Aiden exins, shooting me a meaningful look. ¡°East?¡± I repeat. ¡°You don¡¯t think?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± my friend grumbles. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t put anything past the bitch.¡± ¡°Well said.¡± I remark dryly, pulling the car over just before we cross the border into rogue territory. We both exit the car, and I circle around to my second inmand. ¡°Take care of my girls.¡± I implore him, knowing I need not ask.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll guard them with my life.¡± He vows, ¡°You just worry about getting back in one piece. If you die and force me to be Alpha, I¡¯ll kick your ghost ass.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± I chuckle, giving him a forceful hug and patting his back. ¡°Goddess speed, Alpha.¡± He salutes me when we part. The next thing I know he¡¯s transformed, shifting into a huge gray wolf and disappearing into the trees. I return to the car, pointing it towards the Calypso territory and praying this won¡¯t be thest time! see my home. Drake¡¯s POV The steady thrum of the shower emanates through the open bathroom door, an endless stream of water sttering against the tiles. As I near the doorway I realize the sound is slightly off, broken and scattered, as if the shower head has been removed from its cradle and redirected from its usual downward spray. The water¡¯s clean scent is muddled by the familiar perfume of Sophie¡¯s shower gel and her own unique fragrance. As l inhale her lovely aroma I realize it¡¯s changing, deepening and growing even sweeter than before-heightened by arousal and the primal hormones triggered by meeting one¡¯s mate. A muffled whimper punctuates the rain-like pitter-patter, and I realize why the water sounds so strange, and why my littlemb¡¯s sc¨¦nt is so especially irresistible at the moment. ¡°Just what do you think you are doing?¡± I demand yfully, peeking my head into the shower stall. Sophie jumps almost a foot in the air, a bright red flush coloring her cheeks as she jerks the shower head away from her swollen clit. Drake! What? It isn¡¯t¡±. She stammers hopelessly, wrapping her arms around her body to hide her nakedness from view. My mark is still rosey red against my mate¡¯s fair skin, the swollen indentation of my fangs zing at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Though I couldn¡¯t stop myself from marking her, I haven¡¯t yet imed her body, wanting to give her time to get used to the idea of being mated before introducing sex into the equation. Apparently I¡¯ve waited too long. ¡°Yes, my love?¡± I tease, stripping off my clothes and joining her under the shower¡¯s spray. Sophie¡¯s eyes widen in surprise, and she determinedly keeps her attention above my waist. Her pink tongue darts out to lick her lips as she gazes warily up at me, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into me.¡± She admits nervously. ¡°I do.¡± I rumble warmly, pulling her taut body flush against mine. ¡°You¡¯re going into heat.¡± If I thought Sophie had been red before, she¡¯s positively scarlet now. ¡°I am?¡± She squeaks, unconsciously clenching her thighs to relieve the ache at their center. ¡°You are.¡± I confirm with a predatory grin, but that¡¯s no excuse for taking matters into your own hands.¡± but I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m your mate. Your pleasure belongs to me and me alone.¡± I exin sternly, grasping her nape so she¡¯ll look me in the eye. Squirming with need, Sophie frowns in confusion, ¡°My pleasure?¡± Btedly I realize nobody was ever around to exin the ways of men and women to my sweet mate. The only person who might have borne the responsibility was Martin, and I¡¯m extremely d he didn¡¯t. ¡°Why were you using the shower head that way, littlemb?¡± I inquire. Her golden eyes drop to the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Yes you do, baby.¡± I encourage, petting her in slow soothing patterns. Her voice is so quiet I almost don¡¯t hear her reply. ¡°Because it felt good.¡± ¡°Mhmm,¡± I purr, ¡°And what do you think might have happened if I hadn¡¯t interrupted you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She says again, her anxious movements rubbing her naked flesh against mine in a way that is only too distracting. ¡°Would you like to find out?¡± I tease, dropping my head to trail kisses along her throat. ¡°Drake,¡± she whimpers, leaning into me. ¡°I feel so strange, I need¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± I prompt when she trails off in uncertainty, ¡°what do you need, my love?¡± Before Sophie can get another word out my phone begins to ring, ring the ringtone I reserve for serious pack business. Cursing under my breath, I step out of the shower and lean down to retrieve the device from my abandoned clothes. Bastien Durand¡¯s name shes across the screen, and I whip it up to my ear. ¡°This had better be good.¡± I greet the Nova Alpha gruffly. Deepughter meets my ears. ¡°I know that tone.¡± Bastien jokes, ¡°Am I interrupting y time, Drake?¡± ¡°What do you need, Bastien?¡± I question sharply, not in the mood for his jests. ¡°I need to ask you a favor.¡± He replies, sounding so sober my annoyance wanes. ¡°Has something happened?¡± I ask, my heart pounding a bit faster. ¡°Not yet.¡± Bastien sighs, ¡°But I have a bad feeling it will. I need your help.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 123 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Favors Drake¡¯s POV ¡°What¡¯s going on, Bastien.¡± I inquire urgently, eyeing Sophie where she huddles in the shower. Lowering the phone for a moment, I lean over and press a kiss to her cheek, ¡°We¡¯ll finish thister.¡± I promise, hoping she knows I¡¯m not cutting our conversation short because of any lingering feelings for Selene. Sophie nods, looking far too serious and gnawing her plump lip. ¡°I love you.¡± I remind her, rxing slightly when a wide smile stretches across her lovely countenance, ¡°And no more ying without me.¡± I order huskily. Leaving my blushing mate, I stride out into my bedroom. ¡°Go ahead.¡± I say into the phone. The other man¡¯s low voice sounds in my ear. ¡°I¡¯m on my way to the Calypso territory,¡± he exins, ¡°I¡¯ve left Selene and L behind, but things are far from resolved in Elysium.¡± ¡°Then why are you going?¡± I challenge. ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice.¡± He exhales heavily, sounding both ecstatic and overwhelmed with concern all at once. ¡°Selene is with pup.¡± Happiness for my friend washes over me, ¡°Congrattions!¡± I tell him, truly meaning it. ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised the way you two were going at it, but I¡¯m happy for you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Bastien rumbles. ¡°I don¡¯t like leaving her at all, but especially not in this condition.¡± ¡°And especially not when you haven¡¯t yet identified your enemies at home.¡± I reason aloud. ¡°Exactly.¡± He grumbles. ¡°What can I do to help?¡± I ask, amazed at how easy it can be to work together with my former adversary now that we¡¯re both happily mated. ¡°I was wondering if you might be willing to visit Elysium while I¡¯m away. Help keep an eye on things.¡± There¡¯s a pregnant pause, and I can almost hear the grim gears turning in Bastien¡¯s mind, ¡°And if anything happens to me.¡± ¡°Is it that serious?¡± I press, the horrible image of Selene and L mourning the Alpha¡¯s death forcing its way into my unwilling mind. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it is.¡± Bastien admits. ¡°Of course I¡¯ll visit.¡± I offer immediately, ¡°And of course, I¡¯ll take care of them if the worst happens, you needn¡¯t even ask.¡± ¡°Thank you, Drake.¡± The relief in his voice is evident. ¡°They should be okay for a couple of weeks. And don¡¯t get me wrong, I trust my Betas¡¯. I just can¡¯t stand the idea of leaving them this way. Having another Alpha around who loves them will set my mind at ease.¡± ¡°I understandpletely.¡± I confess. If I were in his shoes and Sophie was alone, pregnant and vulnerable, i¡¯d be going out of my mind. I¡¯m actually incredibly impressed he has the strength to take his eyes off of them at all, given all the threats they face. Only the most powerful of Alpha¡¯s could deny their instincts this way, even if it is the best thing he can do for his family, ¡°And please, don¡¯t tell Selene I¡¯ve asked this of you.¡± Bastien continues, ¡°she¡¯s upset enough as it is.¡± ¡°You have my word.¡± I agree, ¡°Sophie and I will make the trip at the end of next week. We¡¯ll keep them safe for you. ¡°Thank you, my friend.¡± Bastien replies sincerely. ¡°I owe you one.¡± After I hang up, I turn to find Sophie approaching, her dripping body wrapped in a fluffy towel. She has a wary expression on her pretty face, and I have a bad feeling she overheard at least part of my call. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She asks quietly. ¡°How would you like to visit Elysium in a few weeks?¡± I counter, not truly answering her question. My mate stiffens, Why? ¡°Bastien has gone to confront ise Denizen, but there are still threats in the Nova pack.¡± I exin. Reading her persisting unease, I add. ¡°I agreed only as a favor to him. He well, he doesn¡¯t want Selene to be alone if the worst happens.¡± Sophie¡¯s entire bearing changes, going from tense and suspicious to soft and supple in seconds. ¡°Of course I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Thank you, sweetheart.¡± Offering her a tender smile, I say, ¡°You know I only have eyes for you, don¡¯t you?¡± Her lip twitches, and suddenly she¡¯s seeming to find it very difficult to look me in the eye. ¡°So you¡¯ve said.¡± ¡°Oh-ho,¡± I grin, ¡°Have I not proven it well enough, littlemb?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t what I meant.¡± She flushes, looking like she wants to say more. ¡°Yes?¡±i coax, closing the distance between us. ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± She admits, peeking up at me from beneath hershes, ¡°what I was doing in the shower.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± I encourage, pulling her towel away before she can stop me and sliding my hands over her body. ¡°What would have happened if you hadn¡¯t interrupted me?¡± Sophie wonders, her rising heat clearly getting her more worked up with every moment that passes. ¡°You¡¯ve never tried that before?¡± I rify, her innocence making my wolf rise to the surface so suddenly I have to use all my strength to reign the beast in. ¡°You¡¯ve never touched yourself just to feel good?¡± Shyly shaking her head, Sophie confides, I¡¯ve never felt this way before, it¡¯s like my entire body is on fire.¡± *Poor littlemb. I croon, capturing her lips in a deep kiss. ¡°Let me help you with that.¡±¡­ ise¡¯s POV You¡¯re telling me Durand is that strong?¡± I snap fiercely. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The insufferable blonde she-wolf in front of me is batting hershes like a mindless leming. She¡¯s a pretty enough piece of ass, but I prefer my woman with more spirit. After all, what¡¯s the fun of forcing a bitch to submit if she¡¯s not going to fight back? ¡°He¡¯s not nearly as strong as you, my lord.¡± Arabe fawns, ¡°But Bastien is not to be underestimated. His cousin and I spent years trying to bring him down, and every time he found a way to thwart us.¡± Annoyance thrums in my veins. The woman¡¯s nasal voice grates at my nerves and I swear, her shameless flirtation is so over the top i¡¯d like to throw her out like yesterday¡¯s garbage. Still, she has useful information to offer. I¡¯ve been so busy with my vital quest thesest few years that I¡¯ve been toox watching my own back. I¡¯ve dominated the continent so long that I now fear I¡¯ve becent. If there truly is another Alpha capable of challenging me for power, I cannot afford to lower my guard for one moment. Arabe is busy arguing that Bastien Durand¡¯s preupation with his personal life is creating an opening for me to expand my power. ¡°He¡¯s distracted, too busy chasing his pitiful little mate around the country to actually give the pack the attention it deserves.¡± She informs me, overflowing with smugness. However while she seems to delight in tearing him down, trying to convince me his reputation has been wildly overblown, all I¡¯m hearing is the opposite. If the man is powerful enough to fend off years of sabotage from Frederic and Odile Durand ¨C two of the most cunning wolves I¡¯ve ever encountered, as well as govern his pack from afar while members of his own elder council work to undermine him, he is an undeniable threat. Not just anyone could do what Arabe is suggesting, and the fact that he¡¯s now back in Elysium ruling alongside his mate bodes nothing but trouble. He¡¯s in control and growing his family, how long will it take before he decides to grow his territory as well? What ambitious young Alpha wouldn¡¯t seek to grow as powerful as possible? Arabe may be too stupid to realize it, but I¡¯m not it¡¯s only a matter of time before Durand sets his sights on me. I need to start preparing, and now more than ever, I need to find Corinne¡¯s daughter. I may be strong enough to oust someone like Durand now, but I won¡¯t always be. The only true insurance I can obtain to stay in power forever is the blood of a Vna. When I first learned about the magic of their lineage, I was blessed enough to have one such she-wolf living in my own pack. And when she got away. I didn¡¯t stress overly much about finding another. I assumed there were still plenty of wolves bearing the hallowed bloodline to meet my needs. I know better now. I¡¯ve been searching for almost a quarter of a century, suffering dozens of false reports and mistaken sightings, putting down countless money-hungry shifters desperate to garner the reward through deceit. My experience has convinced me that Corinne was among thest of her kind. I gave up hope of finding Corinne herself long ago. I doubt she survived long after I killed her mate and even if she didn¡¯t the blood of an old, heartbroken woman is nothingpared to the lifeforce of a young she-wolf at the height of her power. I don¡¯t want Corinne. I want the child she carried, the one her doctor assured me was a girl. Whoever and wherever she is, she¡¯s thest Vna on earth. i¡¯ll do whatever it takes to find her. I¡¯ll drain her body of everyst drop of the crimson gold running through her veins, I¡¯ll kill Bastien Druand before he cane for my empire, and then there will be no one left to stand in my way. I will rule this continent for the rest of time. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 124 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Frederic Has an idea Arabe¡¯s POV Looking around my opulent suite in the Calypso pack house, I decide that a girl could get used to this kind of pampering. The rooms are ten times nicer than my apartment back in Elysium, and even bigger than the private apartment Bastien renovated when he married the halfling, ise must like me very much indeed to afford me such an honor, though I am a bit disappointed he hasn¡¯t invited me to share his bed yet. Either way, I have to revel in the knowledge that I¡¯m living better here in Tartarus than Bastien ever will in Elysium. In fact, if Flynn¡¯s memory wasn¡¯t driving me forward, I¡¯m so content here that I might consider abandoning my mission. ise can offer me more wealth and power than I ever dreamed of possessing, but no amount of luxury can avenge my brother¡¯s death. Still, it¡¯s tempting to give in to the creatureforts surrounding me and call off my vendetta. I¡¯ve been fighting this shadow war for more than a decade, and I¡¯m no closer to destroying the Durand family than I was when I started. It¡¯s exhausting work, plotting all this subterfuge, scheming and deceiving everyone around me. I hardly ever have time for the things I truly enjoy it¡¯s been months since I set foot on my yacht or went to the spa. The good news is that things are going extremely well here; I¡¯ve got ise wrapped around my little finger. The big Alpha doesn¡¯t know what hit him. I catch him staring at me all the time, and as tough as he acts, I¡¯m certain it¡¯s only a matter of time before he makes his move. I want to tell him to hurry up and get on with it, but I know better than to push an Alpha.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I learned the hard way with Bastien ise has to think our rtionship is his idea. If Ie on to him, he¡¯ll see it as a challenge to his dominance. Men are so foolish. Do they really think that the only kind of power is overt? Don¡¯t they realize how much of what they do is by a woman¡¯s design? I suppose Alpha¡¯s like ise assume we¡¯re all spineless wretches like Selene, too weak to stand on our own two feet. Rolling my eyes, I stride to my closet and peruse my options for the day. I only managed to bring one suitcase of my favorite designer frocks when i fled Elysium, but ise has been only too generous helping me replenish my wardrobe. It¡¯s true he looked like he wanted to p me when I suggested he come shopping with me, but he gave me the money anyway. It¡¯s a good thing too. I need to look perfect tonight. I think I¡¯ve persuaded ise to take on Bastien, but I¡¯ve yet to secure my position in his pack. The wealthiest and most beautiful she-wolves in Tartarus will be present at this evening¡¯s state dinner, and I need to outshine them all. First I¡¯ll conquer ise, then I¡¯ll conquer Elysium. Nothing can stop me now. Frederic¡¯s POV ¡°You were sighted!¡± I roar, mming my fist down on the kitchen counter, ¡°What the hell were you thinking? I told you to stay in the house!¡± My mother cowers away from me, lowering her gaze in submission, ¡°They can¡¯t be sure it was me. You said yourself they found nothing when they searched, there¡¯s no evidence to back up Odette¡¯s word. Bastien will have to assume she imagined it.¡± ¡°Unlike you, Odette is no fool.¡± I snap. ¡°They won¡¯t discount her word so easily.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Frederic.¡± Defiance shes in my mother¡¯s eye, sparking a fresh burst of anger. She would never have dared to speak to my father this way. Does she think she is permitted to condescend to me simply because she raised me? ¡°But you can¡¯t expect me to stay cooped up in the house all day long.¡± ¡°I can and I do.¡± I growl, catching her chin in my hand. ¡°I did not ask you toe here, you did that on your own and you can sure as hell pay the consequences for your short sightedness. You should have known better.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still your mother.¡± She bites back, *don¡¯t speak to me as if I¡¯m that exiled whore.¡± ¡°That whore was of more use to me than you¡¯ll ever be.¡± I thunder, ¡°You might have a few good ideas, but you¡¯re useless when ites to putting my ns in ce. I need someone who can move through the city without causing suspicion.¡± ¡°So what do you n on doing now?¡± She questions sulkily. Scowling down at the she-wolf, I ask, ¡°Do you remember what you said to me after Dad died?¡± Bending down and ring into her green eyes, I continue, ¡°When I wanted to know how we were going to make Gabriel and Bastien pay for his death?¡± Looking wary now, Mom answers, ¡°No.¡± ¡°You told me to sit down, shut up and just do what I was told.¡± I remind me, ¡°now it¡¯s your turn. I don¡¯t owe you any exnations, especially not when you almost ruined everything.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t fair!¡± My mother argues hotly. Fury pulses through my body, and before I can stop myself, Ish out with the back of my hand, catching her square in the face. Mom yelps and crumples to the ground, but I don¡¯t feel guilty. She earned her punishment with her insolence, ¡°I am your Alpha.¡± A trickle of blood trails from the corner of her mouth, the scent triggering my prey drive. ¡°I don¡¯t owe you fairness. I don¡¯t owe you anything at all. Now you can fall in line or you can get out of my city.¡± Staring at the ground, she nods meekly, and I storm out without another word. Honestly, I think in exasperation. The nerve of that woman. It wasn¡¯t so very long ago that I revered my mother, thinking she was the ideal Luna. Now I see her for the vain, impudent woman she is. Without my father around to keep her in line, she clearly forgot her ce. I should have taken charge a long time ago, but I suppose I needed a push to finally get out from under her heel. Of course once I did, I realized just how brazen she¡¯d be: manipting me, trying to tell me what to do long after I reached maturity it was as if she thought she could rule by using me as a puppet. The idea is preposterous, there¡¯s a reason women aren¡¯t permitted to rule. They possess neither the brains nor the brawn required to lead. Heading for my office, I try to calm my raging temper, thinking of my own future Luna. Selene would never dream of being so disrespectful. She would never talk back, never defy my orders or undermine me. She is too sweet, so perfectly submissive I can¡¯t help but fantasize about all the ways I¡¯ll have her serve me when I finally im her as my own. Bastien¡¯s departure is nothing short of a blessing. Now that he¡¯s gone, I¡¯ll have unlimited ess to Selene. I can continue wreaking havoc in the pack and woo her at the same time. The best part is that my cousin doesn¡¯t suspect a thing. Even when he figures out some piece of my past schemes, by the time he catches up it¡¯s toote. I¡¯m always five steps ahead, and that means I can keep him looking in all the wrong ces for as long as I wish. Though I must admit, his sudden absence is making me question my current strategy. I¡¯d wanted to destroy Bastien in person, to steal all his power and take away everything he loves, ensuring he knows I am the one responsible for his downfall. I wanted to see the pain in his eyes, I wanted him to suffer as have all these years. Of course, that was before he thwarted my efforts so easily before I wasted years running down dead end roads and lost my closest ally, before he found Selene and became stronger than ever. I¡¯d be a fool not to consider taking advantage of the opportunity his travel provides Bastien is alone and out of sight, I could hire a pack of rogues to kill him in neutral territory and no one would be any the wiser. It would take arge number of shifters to bring him down, but everyone knows how dangerous thends between protected territories are. It would never be traced back to me. If the Alpha doesn¡¯t return to the pack, I¡¯d be free to challenge his current Betas for the position without ever raising anyone¡¯s suspicions. Selene would mourn for a while, but I¡¯m ideally situated to offer her a shoulder to cry on. She would be blessedly vulnerable to my advances lonely and hurting, in need of a new, powerful protector. The more I think about it, the better the idea sounds. It would be so much faster than the gradual fall from grace I¡¯m currently trying to engineer. Besides, I can always request that the men I hire deliver a message from me beforending the killing blow. I can make sure he knows who is responsible for his death, after all dead men can¡¯t talk. I snatch up my phone, deciding in a split second that this inspired idea is truly the best course of action. Goddess, by this time next week I could have the entire pack kneeling at my feet, and Selene naked in my bed. Dialing one of the mercenaries I hired to set up the safe house outside of Asphodel, I impatiently listen to the line¡¯s steady ring, willing him to answer. A momentter a click signals his answer, and a gruff voice says, ¡°Yes?¡± Triumph surges through my veins. ¡°I have a job for you.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 125 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Murder for Hire Bastien¡¯s POV The attackes just before I reach the edge of the Calypso territory. I left the car at the edge of the woods when night fell, wanting to do a bit of reconnaissance before deciding how my quest should proceed. There¡¯s a chance that when all is said and done I¡¯ll retrieve the car and enter Tartarus without further deception, driving right up to the front door and introducing myself to ise Denizen under a diplomatic front. However, I think it¡¯s far more likely that I¡¯m going to need to hide my presence here at all costo. I suspect that if I do approach Denizen in person, it will not be under my true identity. However I can¡¯t decide which tact to choose before I¡¯ve been the Calypso pack for myself. I want to find out what the common people know about their Alpha¡¯s quest to find Vna wolves, and I need to get my boatings and n contingencies including escape routes in case things take a turn for the worse. The Eastern mountains aren¡¯t nearly as tall as those surrounding Elysium, but they do seem to have been corved from pure granite, Dense trees are broken up by massive boulders and rockfaces my paws scrabble over without croco, and I actually consider shifting back into human form to climb up some of the trickler inclines. Still, the night is cool and quiet, with the waning moon ohining bright overhead. Following my nose towards the city and enjoying the freedom to stretch my legs after so many hours of being cramped in the car, I tackle the steep slopes and unfamiliar terrain with increasing vigor. The closer I draw to my destination, the more my curiosity grows. I also con¡¯t help but thinking that the sooner my mission isplete, the sooner I can return home to my family, I already miss Selene and L, though it¡¯s barely been two days since I left them. I¡¯m still picturing their beautiful faces when I hear quiet footsteps moving through the woods a few hundred meters to the south. Pretending I don¡¯t hear who over is on my trail, I scent the air. Unfortunately they¡¯re downwind, sol can scarcely smell them. However I can tell there are at least a dozen shifters, and they aren¡¯t all wolves. There¡¯s at least two felines and one bear, which frankly doesn¡¯t bode well for me. I¡¯ve been so focused on the threat posed by ise Denizen that I didn¡¯t give much thought to rogues and bandits in the bordends, but now I¡¯m kicking myself for the oversight. Hopefully when they see I¡¯m in wolf form and not carrying anything of value they¡¯ll pass by without incident, but one can never be too careful. They¡¯re moving faster now, doubtless trying to reach me before I can cross over into Calypso territory, where ise will undoubtedly have sentries patrolling the forest. If I were so inclined, I could break into a run and probably reach safety before they can catch up. But it¡¯s not in my nature to run from a fight, and if I¡¯m wrong and they do follow me across the border, I¡¯ll have wasted my energy in the chase. Instead I turn to face them head on, watching as seven gray wolves, two foxes, three bobcats and a ck beare slinking through the trees around me, their eyes glowing in the pitch darkness. Three of the wolves are females, but they¡¯re all clearly rogues. Their shabby appearances and plentiful battle scarsbine to emit an undeniable aura of menace. If you¡¯vee looking for an easy mark, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to be disappointed. I tell them, sending out a wave of Alpha authority that visibly startles the group. A few of the shifters exchange surprised nces, and I continue, I don¡¯t have any money or valuables on me, you might as well move along. Thergest wolf omong the ragtag pack steps forward, and I clock a long scar through one of his golden eyes. He bares her fangs, growling low and deep, We aren¡¯t here to steal from you, Durand. My heart sinks when I hear my name. This is not good. The only silver lining is that I made the right decision by not running, these shifters have only one goal in mind attack. So you know who I am, I snarl, not letting my agitation show. But you clearly didn¡¯t warn your pack who they¡¯d be dealing with. I know! wouldn¡¯t appreciate being kept out of the loop, especially since you¡¯re putting their necks on the line. An ripple of unease passes through the other shifters, and I know I¡¯ve hit a nerve. Still, the leader Ignores my words, you leave my people to me. Of course, if they want to follow a bastard who doesn¡¯t give a damn about their lives, that¡¯s their choice. I counter, hoping at least one or two of my attackers will abandon the fight before it begins. I desperately need to thin the herd if I¡¯m going to win. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Not going to offer to pay us off, Durand? The leader questions, almost seeming as though. I¡¯m letting him down. No. I inform them stonily. They¡¯ve clearly been hired toe after me, even if I was cowardly enough to try and buy my safety, it wouldn¡¯t do any good. They¡¯d only slit my throat after I paid them, in order to take what¡¯s mine ond still collect their fee. If you want my money you¡¯ll have to find it yourself, assurning you survive that is. You¡¯re awfully cocky for being so outnumbered Alpha. The wolf taunts. I¡¯ve survived worse odds. I announce coldly, and I have a hell of a lot more to fight for now than I did in the past. So I¡¯ve heard. The man sinirks, sending a river of ice through my veins, I have a message for you. He proims, salutations from my benefactor. And who might that be? I demand. The rightful heir to the Nova pack. The rogue exins, his eyes glittering with predatory glee, Frederic wants you to know that you¡¯ve had thising for a long time. My cousin¡¯s name bounces around my brain with painful reverberations. We¡¯ve considered the possibility of myte uncle¡¯s surviving family being behind all our troubles ever since Mom saw Odile, but this confirms it. Btedly I realize my assant is still speaking, pulling me out of my thoughts. You should have sided with your uncle when he tried to im his rightful ce in the pack. The wolf recites, clearly having memorized his little murder speach. Your father has already paid the price for his mistake, and now it¡¯s your turn. If my uncle had been strong enough to lead the Nova pack, then he would be. I argue, my hackles raised as I keep a sharp eye on all the shifters closing in. Though I have to admire Frederic learning from his father¡¯s mistakes. Clearly he knew he couldn¡¯t defeat me in singlebat. Does it worry you that he felt the need to hire so many of you to try and bring me down? Do you truly enjoy doing a coward¡¯s bidding so much that you¡¯re willing to risk me killing you the way my father killed his in one bite? I¡¯m not finished. The wolf interjects, sounding no less confident even though hispatriots are looking increasingly nervous. Frederic says not to worry about Selene. He ns on taking very good care of her, if you know what I mean. A savage, thundering growl bursts from my chest, and half the assembled rogues visibly shiver. Without another word, I lunge for the cocky wolf, moving so quickly he doesn¡¯t have time to even register my attack before my jaws are locked around his throat. Sinking my fangs in deep, I rip his flesh from his bones, killing him in one vicious strike and letting his bloody corpse fall to the ground at my feet. I can see wolves lunging in my periphery, but I also notice the foxes and bobcats taking off at a run, clearly seeing reason and deciding not to take on a predator twice their size. Fangs slice into my haunches, but I throw off my attacker, flinging their body into the rocks so forcefully they pass out cold. I dispatch the other wolves one by one, but then the bear is running towards me, roaring like a wild beast. Calctions race through my mind. I¡¯ve never fought such arge opponent, though while he might be bigger, I know I¡¯m faster. I wait until his slobbering fangs are only a foot away from my face, before diving beneath him and dragging my razor sharp ws down his torso, gutting him like a fish. The remaining rogues take one look at my blood drenched body and rabid expression and turn tail, fleeing as fast as their terrified feet can carry them. Howling into the darkness with triumph and rage, I take off back towards the car. I have to warn Selene! Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 126 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Get Out of the House Bastien¡¯s POV The dial tone drags on and on, and my heart sinks deeper into my stomach with every moment that passes. Pick up, pick up, pick up ! Finally the line clicks open, only it isn¡¯t Selene¡¯s voice which answers. ¡°Mommy¡¯s phone!¡± L chirps happily. ¡°L?¡± My eyes fall shut as I revel in the sound of her sweet little voice. She¡¯s safe. I tell myself firmly, if nothing else, I know my pup is safe. ¡°Daddy!¡± She squeals in excitement. ¡°Is that you?¡± ¡°Hello angel.¡± I greet her warmly. ¡°Daddy, I miss you so much!¡± She exims. ¡°I miss you too, little one.¡± I reply earnestly, wishing I could see her lovely face, but knowing a video call is impossible when my own appearance is so disturbing at the moment. ¡°I desperately want to talk to you, but I need to speak to Mommy first.¡± I exin,¡±Is she there?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in da kitchen with Gamma.¡± L exins, sounding a bit disappointed not to have my full attention. ¡°Okay sweetheart can you put her on the phone?¡± I press, trying to keep my tone light even though Axel is going crazy with worry inside me. ¡°Daddy is something wrong?¡± She questions. Before I can reply, I hear my mate¡¯s voice in the background, and thank the Goddess for the beautiful sound, even distant as it is. ¡°Who are you talking to, L Bean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Daddy.¡± L peeps happily. A few odd muffles travel through the line, but a momentter Selene¡¯s voice sounds in my ear, strong and sure. ¡°Bastien?¡± Relief washes over me in a tidal wave. I know from her rxed tone that all is well, but still I have to ask, ¡°Baby, are you okay?¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯re just fine.¡± She answers, a flicker of unease entering her lyrical tone, ¡°why, what¡¯s wrong? C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°You need to get out of the house, right now.¡± I advise her sternly, ¡°All of you.¡± A pregnant pause extends between us before my mate answers, and I hate the fear in her voice. ¡°Bastien, you¡¯re scaring me.¡± She murmurs. ¡°Good.¡± I reply gruffly, ¡°This is serious, little wolf. You have to get to a safe location as soon as you can.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Selene inquires, more demanding this time. ¡°Someone just tried to kill me.¡± I admit reluctantly. ¡°I¡¯m not even in the Calypso territory yet. It seems we were right about my uncle¡¯s family being involved in all our troubles. My cousin Frederic sent a team of hired assassins after me. He won¡¯t know that I survived yet, but he knows all the secret tunnels into the house.¡± ¡°What?¡± Selene squeaks. ¡°He¡¯s still family.¡± I exin grimly, ¡°He knows the hidden passages. It¡¯s how he killed my father. I can¡¯t believe we didn¡¯t see this before.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s true,¡±Selene begins shakily. ¡°How do we, where are we supposed to go, Bastien? Where will we be safe?¡± *Aiden and Donovan have ns in ce for this kind of emergency. Go tell them what¡¯s going on get L and Mom out of the house, and then call me once you¡¯re safe.¡± I instruct. ¡°Okay.¡± she agrees. ¡°Are you okay, are you injured?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I promise. And I will be as long as you and the pups are safe. Now go, baby. We¡¯ll talk soon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Selene breathes, ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too, Selene,¡± I profess, ¡°And I love you, L!¡± I call into the receiver, loudly enough for the pint-sized pup to hear. ¡°I love you too Daddy!¡± She calls back, filling my heart with more joy and relief than I imagined possible five minutes ago. They¡¯re safe. I continue to manically repeat the same words in my head long after we¡¯ve hung up. Thankful that I was in wolf form when the rogues attacked, I use a bottle of water and one of the towels I packed to wash the blood and gore from my body, before changing into clean clothes. Retreating from the border, I drive high into the mountains to a secluded cliffside and wait for Selene to call me back. I can¡¯t keep my thoughts quiet, all the terrible possibilities of what might have happened are still racing through my mind, followed closely by the tragedies that could still befall us. Did my cousin threaten Selene to torment me, or because he truly wants her for himself? What are his ns for L? Does he hope to kill my mother too? I was a fool for leaving, it was too soon. They¡¯ll be okay. Axel insists. ise is still the bigger threat. We can deal with Frederic. How? I demand, How are we supposed to deal with him from another territory? Aiden and Donavon will keep the family safe, Drake cane sooner than we nned and Selene can go back to practicing her powers. What about the baby? I hiss. The baby will be fine. My wolf says confidently. How can you be sure? I counter. I simply am. He replies unhelpfully. Grumbling low in my chest, I decide that not all of my wolf¡¯s advice is overconfident optimism. He did make a few good points. Following his train of thought. I dial Drake and hope Selene won¡¯t call while I¡¯m on the phone. His familiar voice answers in a low growl, ¡°You better have a damn good reason for calling thiste.¡± In the background I can hear the soft moans of a she-wolf in heat, and I have a good idea about why the other Alpha is greeting me with such hostility. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I say sincerely, ¡°I truly hate to interrupt your evening, but this could wait.¡± Sophie¡¯s whimpers quiet, and Drake¡¯s voice shifts from annoyed to concerned. ¡°What happened. Quickly recounting the night¡¯s events, I pray the man will agree about the urgency of the situation. ¡°The timing isn¡¯t ideal, but I have to ask. Can you go to Elysium now?¡± On the other end of the line, I hear distant footsteps, and I suspect the Eros leader is retreating from his mate. ¡°Under the circumstances I won¡¯t risk bringing Sophie with me, but yes, I can be there in two days time.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I breathe, wishing I could express the depth of my gratitude. ¡°You¡¯re a lifesaver. Truly, I can¡¯t thank you enough.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got that right.¡± He drawls, ¡°Do you have any idea what I¡¯m walking away from?¡± Recalling the image of my own mate in the delicious throws of her first heat, I adopt a sympathetic tone, ¡°Better than anyone.¡± Heughs, and I suggest, * If I were you I¡¯d make the most of tonight. Please give Sophie my apologies.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Drake promises. ¡°Be safe, Bastien.¡± ¡°You too.¡± I reply sincerely, feeling eternally blessed to know this man-whol once considered my enemy. Within a quarter of an hour my phone is ringing again, and I whip it up to my ear, ¡°Selene.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Her silken voice floats to me across hundreds of miles, ¡°We¡¯re safe. Aiden and Donavon got us out.¡± *Thank the Goddess.¡± I exalt. ¡°How are you coping?¡± ¡°L is confused and I got carsick the moment we started moving, but otherwise we¡¯re holding it together.¡± Selene shares good naturedly. ¡°Poor baby.¡± I sympathize,¡±how is our new little bean?¡± ¡°If my morning sickness is any indication, he¡¯s strong as a bear.¡± Selene moans. ¡°She,¡± I tease, unsure of how to process this information. On one hand I want to be d the baby is growing strong, on the other, the thought of my mate being so ill when I¡¯m not there to take care of her fills me with fear and guilt. ¡°Please don¡¯t push yourself too hard, my love.¡± I implore. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± She agrees, ¡°Do you want to talk to L?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I purr, ¡°I¡¯d rather talk to you two than anyone else.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± I hear my mother call in the distance. ¡°You too, Mom!¡± I amend quickly. After an extended conversation with my young daughter, exining our dire situation in the gentlest terms I can, I ask to speak with my Betas, directing Aiden and Donovan to move out of hearing distance of the women. ¡°Listen,¡± I exin once they¡¯ve assured me they¡¯re alone. ¡°Drake ising within 48 hours to provide extra protection, but the danger is far from passed.¡± ¡°What did the assassins say to you exactly?¡± Donovan inquires. Trepeat Frederic¡¯s message as urately as I can, cringing when I reach the part about Selene. ¡°I don¡¯t know what he ns for her, but I know it¡¯s not good. You have to keep an extra close watch on her.¡± We¡¯d already discussed this in terms of the baby. I remember how dehydrated and delirious she became when she was so sick carrying L and thoroughly briefed my men on looking out for her. But this is different. This is far more serious. ¡°You have to watch the people around her like a hawk. I don¡¯t know what Frederic ns to do with L, but it¡¯s clear she¡¯s not the one he wants. He wants Selene. You have to do whatever is in your power to keep her safe.¡± ¡°You have our word.¡± Donovan vows. ¡°We¡¯ll die before Frederic gets his hands on Selene.¡± Aiden confirms. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 127 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Selene Goes to the Doctor Selene¡¯s POV In the days since Bastien¡¯s urgent call to get out of the house, my life has been turnedpletely upside down. After the sentries swept the house and cordoned off all the escape passages, we were finally allowed to return, but no amount of bodyguards or security measures can erase the knowledge that somebody wants to hurt my family. The thought of Bastien traveling alone in the Calypso territory with assassins lurking around every corner makes my skin crawl. I would always rather be overcautious and secure than under cautious and suffer for it, but I can¡¯t help but think my mate is focusing on the wrong threat. He¡¯s the one out there putting his life on the line. His cousin can have no use for L and I the only threat would be if my pup does turn out to be a boy. After all, he knows better than anyone how far a scorned son will go to avenge their father. Still, there¡¯s no convincing Bastien that he should worry more for himself. It is not in his nature to prioritize his own wellbeing over that of others. Even now, when he charges head first into danger, he always makes time to call L and me each morning and each night before bed. His calls are a blessing where my daughter is concerned. This transition has been harder on L than on anyone, and she¡¯s acting out more and more every day. At this moment the poor pup is in time out, after throwing a tantrum over the contents of her breakfast. Not only did she refuse to eat the waffles I prepared by her request, but she actually threw them onto the floor and smashed them beneath her little feet. I¡¯m currently exining the debacle to Odette while I get ready for a doctor¡¯s appointment. ¡°Don¡¯t let her give you any cheek. She misses Bastien and she¡¯s upset about the baby, but she has to get used to the idea.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Odette agrees, ¡°She¡¯s testing her limits, Bastien was the same way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than that.¡± I try to find the right words to express my thoughts without affronting my mother-in- law. ¡°When Bastien was this age he wasn¡¯t under the kind of stress L is. She¡¯s spiraling a little bit,¡± i exin, so confident in my assessment because I¡¯m feeling exactly the same way. ¡°It¡¯s really difficult to stay firm knowing how she¡¯s struggling with all this.¡± *Trust me sweetheart.¡± Odette assures me, ¡°our struggles may have been different, but Bastien had his fair share of meltdowns. I¡¯ve got everything under control.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I breathe, wishing I didn¡¯t have to leave my baby. Turning to the pouting pup in the corner, I call, ¡°Mommy¡¯s leaving L bean, please be good for Gamma.¡± ¡°L whips around, looking horrified. ¡°Where you going?¡± ¡°I have a doctor¡¯s appointment.¡± I exin gently. ¡°I won¡¯t be gone long.¡± The next thing I know L is crying and running towards me, ¡°Take me wit¡¯ you!¡± ¡°Not this time, angel.¡± I sigh, wrapping her in a hug. ¡°But I promise we¡¯ll spend some time together this afternoon, just us.¡± ¡°No!¡± L wails, clinging to me desperately. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go!¡± ¡°I have to, my darling.¡± I frown, rubbing her back and kissing her wet cheeks, ¡°Please don¡¯t be sad. You¡¯ll have fun with Gamma and I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± By the time I finally hand my daughter over to Odette, the sound of her cries have grown ear-splitting. I rush downstairs as quickly as I can, knowing the faster I leave the faster we¡¯ll both recover, but I can¡¯t stop the tears streaming from my eyes as I drive. When L is upset this way it makes me feel like my heart is being ripped right out of my chest. When I reach the unfamiliar offices of Dr. Ryan Chase, I find a much less weing staff than those at Dr Kane¡¯s practice. Everyone is professional and attentive, offering me the same privacy protections we received at the hospital, but no one possesses the warmth of my usual physician. Still, I agreed to switch doctors for Bastien, and friendliness isn¡¯t as important as expertise. I keep repeating these same sentiments, right up until the young doctor enters my exam room and begins speaking to me without looking up from the chart in his hands. ¡°Mrs. Durand, I don¡¯t like your weight.¡± I was about to tell the man to call me Selene and extend my hand in greeting, when his words register in my mind. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± He nces up at me, wearing an expression that tells me he thinks my low weight is both intentional and frivolous. ¡°You¡¯re growing a child, you have to take better care of yourself.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°Dr. I¡¯ve been trying to put on weight as best as I can,¡± I exin, resting a protective hand over my womb¡± but I have a severe nausea condition. I can¡¯t keep any food down.¡± The man snorts dismissively, provoking my temper. ¡°All women have tummy troubles in the first trimester, there¡¯s no need to be dramatic.¡± Feeling thoroughly incensed, I argue, ¡±It¡¯s not drama it¡¯s what my previous doctors diagnosed. Dr Kane as well as multiple in Asphodel. I spend hours vomiting every day and keeping myself hydrated is a full- time job. I need anti-nausea medicine, not condescension.¡± The doctor rolls his eyes. ¡°Mrs. Durand I see women like you all the time, wealthy socialites who would rather maintain their dress size than give their children the nutrients they need to survive.¡± My hands curl into fists at my sides as I fight the urge to punch the man right in the nose. ¡°I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s your fault, our society has put too much pressure on she-wolves to look a certain way, but this is about your baby¡¯s life, not fashion.¡± ¡°I would rather die than harm my child.¡± I growl. ¡°So would most mothers, and the ones who do fit your description are unwell ¨C not superficial.¡± Getting to my feet, I gather my jacket and purse. ¡°Furthermore, I am not just any¡¯wealthy socialite,¡¯ I am the Alpha¡¯s mate and you would have been wise to show me the respect I¡¯m owed.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not get hysterical now, Mrs Durand.¡± Dr. Chase grumbles. ¡°Hysterical?¡± I hiss, ¡°I¡¯ll show you hysterical, you pompous blowhard. I¡¯m going to tell every she-wolf in Elysiumn to avoid your practice like the gue. I don¡¯ t know how you¡¯ve managed to stay in business this long already, but I assure you that you won¡¯t be for much longer.¡± His eyes widen, and he finally gives me his full attention. ¡°Mrs Du-¡± ¡°Not another word!¡± I interrupt. ¡°You had your chance, and you blew it. Now get out of my way.¡± An hourter I¡¯m storming into Dr. Kane¡¯s office, ¡°You won¡¯t believe what just happened to me!¡± Frowning in concern, Thomas rises from his chair and gestures for me to take a seat, ¡°Are you alright?¡± Recounting my dreadful experience with Dr. Chase, I exim, ¡°How does somebody like that be an OBGYN? Why work with women if you have such a low opinion of them?¡± ¡°We all know doctors who went into the business for nothing but money.¡± Dr. Kane shakes his head in disapproval. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I had no idea he was like that or I never would have referred you there. He has an excellent reputation in the field.¡± *Among other doctors maybe,¡± I grouse, ¡°I bet if you talk to his patients you¡¯d hear very different feedback.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry Selene, truly.¡± He repeats, pacifying my indignant anger. ¡°What he said to you was unconscionable, you have every right to be upset.¡± He squeezes my hand, ¡°I can rmend someone else, I know an excellent she wolf run practice nearby.¡± ¡°No.¡± I answer firmly. ¡°I want to stay with you.¡± Bastien won¡¯t like it, but I don¡¯t hold the same grudge he does. From my perspective Dr. Kane went above and beyond to help me, trusting that I knew what was in my own best interests. Of course, to my mate, the only thing that matters is that the man helped hide my pregnancy from him. I understand why he doesn¡¯t like Thomas, but the Dr was only doing what I asked. ¡°I thought you wanted a specialist, given your condition.¡± Dr Kane rifies, repeating the lie Bastien told him after ourst appointment. ¡°That was Bastien.¡± I admit, ¡°I was always happy to stay with you and after meeting Dr. Chase, well. let¡¯s just say I¡¯ll be calling the shots from here on out.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Dr Kane smiles softly, ¡°it¡¯s natural for men to worry about protecting their mates more than the pup before it¡¯s born we don¡¯t have the same connection to the pup you do at this stage.¡± This is precisely why I love Dr Kane so much, he not only tries to understand, but he always empathizes even though he¡¯ll never know what it¡¯s like to go through a pregnancy. ¡°Where is the Alpha today?¡± He continues. ¡°He¡¯s away on business.¡± I exin with a sheepish smile. ¡°Ah,¡± Thomas grins, ¡°so he doesn¡¯t know you¡¯ve decided to overthrow him yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell him when he calls tonight.¡± I confide, that way he¡¯ll have some time to get used to the idea before he returns. ¡°Well I hope he returns soon,¡± Dr Kane shares, ¡°i¡±m sure he¡¯d hate to miss a moment of this journey.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I smile, ¡°Now, please tell me you can prescribe me some of the good stuff?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 128 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Bastien Arrives in Tartarus Selene¡¯s POV L is crying again when I get home, and as soon as I enter the apartment my mother-inw shoots me a look of abject relief. My pup is running towards me before I can even close the door behind me, her tiny feet drumming a rapid pitter patter across the wood floors. ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°Hello sweet pup.¡± I croon, gathering her in my arms and rocking her gently from left to right. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Gamma wouldn¡¯ let me have cookie!¡± She cries pitifully. ¡°I said not before you eat your lunch,¡± Odette reminds her kindly, dropping a kiss to my cheek and whispering in my ear, ¡°You¡¯ve definitely got your hands full. I¡¯m sorry I dismissed you earlier.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, I didn¡¯t take it that way.¡± I assure her, turning to L. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what, little bean. I¡¯m starving, why don¡¯t we have lunch together and then afterwards we¡¯ll go share a big cookie from the bakery?¡± L¡¯s tears slow, but she sniffles when she looks up at me. ¡°I don¡¯ wanna share.¡± ¡°Well I hate to break it to you angel, but you¡¯re going to have to get used to it.¡± i inform her, instantly sensing a fresh wave of defiance and continuing, ¡°but the fun part of sharing is that it means we¡¯re together. When you share something, you¡¯re never alone.¡± My daughter doesn¡¯t look convinced, but she¡¯s cated enough to hug Odette goodbye and sit down for lunch. We spend the rest of the afternoon together, ying and talking about all the big changes happening in our lives. I wish I could say it was enough, but there¡¯s no way to exin to a three year old why their entire world has turned upside down. Tomorrow she¡¯ll have the same questions, the same fears, and we¡¯ll do it all over again. ¡°L¡¯s having a really hard time.¡± I tell Bastien over the phone that night, ¡°I¡¯ve never known her to act out so much. Some of it is just age but¡­¡± ¡°But it¡¯s also the move, and the new baby, and me being gone.¡± He sighs. ¡°Yes.¡± I confess, not wanting to make him feel guilty, yet needing to share my feelings with my mate. Part of me wonders if that¡¯s selfish. With everything Bastien is risking for our family, is it fair of me to further burden him with my troubles? After all, I¡¯m well equipped to handle L¡¯s tantrums, I¡¯ve been their sole manager all these years. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sweetheart. I¡¯ll try to talk to her.¡± He promises. She¡¯s not the only one who wants you home. I think, stopping myself from speaking the words aloud. ¡°Thank you.¡± I say instead. ¡°She misses you. We both do.¡± ¡°I know baby, I miss you too.¡± He professes, his deep voice low and gravelly. ¡°How was your appointment with Dr Chase?¡± ¡°Not great,¡± I admit, ¡°he yelled at me for being too thin and called me dramatic when I told him I have a nausea condition.¡± ¡°He what?¡± My mate snarls. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I told him I was going to make sure no other she-wolves went to his practice and walked out.¡± I share with a grin. ¡°Good girl.¡± He praises, sending a warm shiver down my spine, ¡°It would serve the bastard right to lose his business.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Iugh, ¡°needless to say I¡¯ll be looking for a different doctor.¡± This afternoon I thought long and hard about telling Bastien I¡¯ve gone back Dr. Kane, and in the end I decided I simply couldn¡¯t. I know my husband will only worry if I tell him now, and I don¡¯t want to distract him even further than he is already. I¡¯ll tell him when he gets back to Elysium. I might get in trouble for the lie, but I have to do what¡¯s best for the baby and that means having the best doctor for us both. ¡°Hopefully you can find someone fast.¡± He replies, full of sympathy, ¡°How are you feeling?¡± He asks me this every day, and every day I tell him the same lie. ¡°I¡¯m hanging in there.¡± In reality I want to curl up in a little ball and die. My first pregnancy could afford to simply sulk and feel sorry for myself, this time is very different. I have too much responsibility. ¡°When will you arrive in Tartarus?¡± I ask, needing to change the subject. ¡°Tonight.¡± Bastien answers, sounding tense. ¡°I¡¯ve cleared the woods around the city¡¯s entire perimeter and checked my point of entry three times today alone. Either word of his failure hasn¡¯t gotten back to Frederic yet, or his recement team is too far behind me to pick up my trail.¡± ¡°Thank the Goddess.¡± I breathe. ¡°You¡¯re going to be careful, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± He vows. ¡°My days of running in and ying the hero are long gone. I would never risk my life now that I have a family to care for not unless have no other choice.¡± ¡°Just make sure you don¡¯tnd in a situation where you lose those choices, Bastien.¡± I plead. ¡°If it comes down to returning home to us or killing ise, juste home.¡± Silence stretches between us, and I can already sense his refusal. ¡°I can¡¯t make that promise, little wolf.¡± ¡°Yes you can.¡± I argue. ¡°I will take every precaution,¡± He promises instead. ¡°I won¡¯t risk anything I do not have to, but I can¡¯t make any guarantees, Selene. You know I can¡¯t.¡± The horrible thing is that I do know, we talked about this extensively before he left, but apparently it wasn¡¯t enough. I¡¯m beginning to feel as moody as L. I want my mate and I don¡¯t care what has to happen for him toe back to me, as long as he does. Another man might lie to me for the sake of my hormones and feelings, but not Bastien. ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive you if you die.¡± I inform him petntly. My mate¡¯s reply leaves no room for argument, he¡¯s as ruthless as he is stern. ¡°And I¡¯ll never forgive myself if I don¡¯t do everything in my power to protect you and our children.¡± Sophie¡¯s POV ¡°Do we really have to?¡± I ask Drake, feeling about as mature as a five year old. I know I¡¯m being silly, I know we came to Elysium because Selene and L are in danger, but I can¡¯t help but feel some lingering envy for the morous she wolf. ¡°We¡¯re already here, sweetheart.¡± Drake replies, pressing his lips to my throat. ¡°Let¡¯s just make the most of it.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± I grumble sullenly. Drake chuckles and pulls me closer, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be jealous, littlemb. Don¡¯t you know I only have eyes for you?¡± My mate it¡¯s still so strange to think of Drake that way has certainly gone above and beyondvishing his affection on me. In fact, since my heat began I¡¯ve been so overwhelmed with pleasures I never knew existed that it¡¯s difficult to even string two thoughts together. Still, every time I do regain the cognizance to ponder my situation, I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s real. Every time I have to wonder why such an incredible man would want me, and every time Martin¡¯s voice sounds in my head to tell me he doesn¡¯t. Drake can I want me, I¡¯m not worth it. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re thinking.¡± Drake warns in an ominous tone, his warm breath fluttering over my ear, ¡°stop it right now.¡± ncing up at him from beneath myshes, I say. ¡°What if I was thinking about how much I love you?¡± You weren¡¯t.¡± He rumbles affectionately, capturing my mouth in a kiss. ¡°You were thinking something bad about yourself, and that¡¯s not allowed.¡± ¡°Only an Alpha would think he can dictate someone else¡¯s thoughts.¡± Iin. ¡°Maybe an Alpha can¡¯t, but your mate certainly can.¡± He teases, squeezing me close. Tilting my chin up for another kiss, I melt into the powerful shifter when he obliges, only to have our intimate moment cut short by the sound of a gleeful squeal, ¡°Uncle Rake!ll ¡°L bean!¡± Drake exims, releasing me and kneeling to meet L. The toddler flies into his arms, and I look beyond her to find Selene standing at the end of the hallway with wide eyes. ¡°Drake? Sophie Selene gapes, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Bastien called me.¡± Drake exins, extending an arm to give Selene a half-hug. ¡°It sounded like you could use some backup.¡± Hugging and kissing me hello, Selene looks as if she¡¯s unsure how to feel. ¡°I admit having another familiar face around for this little monster will probably be a goddess-send.¡± She reasons, squeezing her daughter¡¯s foot. ¡°But you didn¡¯t have toe all this way!¡± Drake and I both know her husband disagrees, but my mate simply says, ¡°nonsense, we wanted to come!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Selene murmurs, tears suddenly shining in her eyes. I¡¯m just starting to feel concerned when she stomps her foot and swipes at her cheeks, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not upset, it¡¯s just the baby. Yesterday I cried because we ran out of pickles.¡± L leans forward conspiratorially, whispering to Drake. ¡°Mommy ate da pickles.¡± ¡°Tattle tale!¡± Selene hups augh, and extracts her pup from Drake¡¯s arms, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll have some rooms made up for you.¡± Drake tucks me under his arm as we set off up the stairs. ¡°Well I hate to say it, Selene. But it¡¯s obvious you¡¯re breeding. You look terrible.¡± ¡°Drake!¡± I exim, smacking his chest. ¡°It¡¯s okay Sophie, I know it¡¯s true.¡± Selene sighs. Even I have to admit that the stunning Vna looks worse for wear. In fact, for the first time since we met, I don¡¯t feel inadequate standing beside her. Finally!N?velDrama.Org content rights. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 129 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Bastien Runs Into An Old Friend Selene¡¯s POV Having Drake here is an absolute Goddess send. Not only is he precisely the kind of familiar and loving face I needed to help soothe L¡¯s overwhelmed nerves, but he was with me throughout my first pregnancy and knows exactly how to make me feel better. When I crave something sweet, the Eros Alpha knows what brand of cookies to buy. When I turn green and make a run for the bathroom, he knows to turn up the air conditioning and pour me a ss of ice water. When I start to cry over nothing, he knows which jokes to tell in order to make meugh. Still, as relieved as I am to have my friend close by, his sudden appearance makes me uneasy. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± I admit once the initial excitement has died down, ¡°when did Bastien call you? L and I are seated on the edge of the bed in the guest suite, watching Drake and Sophie unpack. It¡¯s sort of strange to see them together, but both look happier than I can ever remember seeing them. I grin every time Drake catches Sophie¡¯s eye and a bright red flush works its way up her cheeks. In fact, they¡¯re so preupied with each other, Drake almost misses my question. ¡°In truth he called me before he left.¡± The Alpha admits, ¡°we were going toe in a couple of weeks, but then¡­¡± He trails off, ncing at L. ¡°Then he met his weing party and asked you toe sooner?¡± I surmise, censoring my words for the sake of my pup. ¡°You guessed it.¡± Drake agrees, pausing to ruffle L¡¯s hair. ¡°But that was fine by me, I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d survive another week without seeing my favorite little bean.¡± ¡°Uncle Rake, I¡¯ve so much to show you!¡± My daughter replied eagerly. ¡°We have to go to da forest, and Mommy¡¯s new cafe and da museum.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go to all those ces and more, munchkin.¡± He promises, pausing when he sees the exasperated look I shoot him. ¡°Assuming your Mommy agrees its safe.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯ be safe?¡± L inquires, cocking her head to the side, ¡°dis is Daddy¡¯s city.¡± ¡°Yes angel, but Daddy¡¯s not here right now.¡± I sigh, ¡°So we have to be a little extra careful. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°I don¡¯ understand.¡± L confesses, looking confused. Sophie offers me a sympathetic look. ¡°Well maybe you can help your Mommy teach me some recipes.¡± She suggests, ¡°I have no idea what I¡¯m doing at the cafe and I could use all the help you can give ¨C assuming you have time.¡± She adds, speaking directly to me now. ¡°Of course!¡± I leap at the offer, it¡¯s the perfect activity to keep L both entertained and safe in the house. ¡°I¡¯d be delighted to help you Sophie.¡± Just then a wave of nausea rolls through my belly, as if the baby heard me speaking and decided to remind me that these things are no longer up to me. ¡°Though I have to warn you that some dishes will have to be off limits.¡± ¡°Ipletely get it.¡± She assures me warmly, seeming more confident than I can ever remember seeing her before. ¡°We¡¯ll take it one at a time.* I slip out of the room a little whileter, taking Drake up on his offer to babysit L while I take a nap. However instead of going upstairs and climbing into bed like l so desperately want to, I make a B-line for Bastien¡¯s office, where I know Aiden and Donovan are busy reviewing their ns for our security. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I knock softly and walk inside without waiting for a signal to enter, embracing my own newfound confidence. The Betas are seated on the couches in the corner, a pile of papers littering the coffee table in front of them. Selene,¡± Donovan says, rising to his feet, ¡°Is everything.¡± ¡°How bad is it?¡± I interrupt, crossing my arms over my chest. The men exchange a wary nce, ¡°How bad is what?¡± ¡°The situation with Frederic.¡± I rify, starting down the powerful wolves, ¡°I know Bastien didn¡¯t tell me everything. You two have been hovering over L and I like a pair of gargoyles and now Drake turns up out of the blue because Bastien didn¡¯t seem to think your protection was enough.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t the reason.¡± Donovan sighs, ¡°He just thought having a friend nearby would help take some of the weight off your shoulders.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± I growl, ¡°I don¡¯t want any more well intentioned lies told to protect my feelings. This is my pup we¡¯re talking about. I have a right to know how much danger she¡¯s in.¡± ¡°Selene, we have everything under control, there¡¯s nothing you need to worry about.¡± Aiden tries to appease me. ¡°Stop it. I know you think you¡¯re helping but being kept in the dark is only adding to my stress, not reducing it.¡± I exim, my overwhelming frustration growingrger by the minute, Silence stretches between us, and Donovan and Aiden seem to be having some sort of telepathic argument. I can¡¯t tell what¡¯s being said or who¡¯s winning. only that both Betas seem very reluctant to grant my request. ¡°Are you going to stare at each other all day, or are you going to treat me like a goddess-damned adult and tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± I finally burst. Donovan emits a heavy sigh, raising his dark eyes to mine with grim determination. ¡°It¡¯s not L, Selene.¡± He tells me gently. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± ¡°What?¡± I repeat, feeling both baffled and relieved. It¡¯s not L. I think over and over again. It¡¯s not L. But what does he mean when he says it¡¯s me? ¡°Frederic didn¡¯t just send assassins for Bastien, he also sent him a message.¡± Donovan continues, ignoring Aiden¡¯s disapproving look. Clearly the younger man¡¯s opinion about sharing this information was overruled. ¡°He ns on taking over the pack. And then he ns on iming you for himself.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV This city is a nightmare. I crossed into Tartarustest night, and though the city seemed bleak and dim in the darkness, I told myself things would probably look better in the light of day. Oh how wrong I was. It turns out the night¡¯s shadowy cover obscured the sprawling metropolis¡¯s worst blemishes, rather than exaggerating them. The rogues and criminals who lurked in the maze of underground passageways beneath the city only multiplied in the cold morning air, terrorizing the impoverished inhabitants of the Calypso pack¡¯s capital. Packs of hungry orphans form bands of pickpockets roaming the filthy tunnels, and the scent of fear fills the air wherever I turn. I can feel curious eyes on me as I move through the barren slums, and for once I make no effort to conceal my power. Usually I try to keep a lid on my dominant energy unless I need to unleash it, but now I let it pour out of me in waves, pleased to see shady figures scattering when I draw near. It¡¯s in these living catbs that I discover the posters advertising ise¡¯s reward on Vna wolves. Like in Asphodel and every other city I¡¯ve visited across the continent¡¯s northern territories, these ads are reserved for the seedy underbelly of society, rather than the mainstream popce. The difference here is that the vast majority of the Calypso wolves have been relegated to this harsh existence, with only the wealthiest members of the pack actually permitted to live in the exclusive districts built atop the subterranean ghetto. Only after I¡¯ve explored the entirety of Tartarus¡¯s underworld do I finally emerge into the fresh air of the aboveground city, the autumn sun blinding me with its harsh rays. Thevish excess of the city proper does nothing to erase the images of squalor and suffering from my mind. If anything this false dreamscape makes the depravity of the municipality¡¯s crowded understories even starker, and I¡¯d honestly like to kill ise on principle alone. What kind of Alpha does this to his people? This is a new low, even for a homicidal narcissist like Denizen. Now that I¡¯m out among the nobility I do leash in my power, not wanting any of these pompous aristocrats to run tattling to their leader. I don¡¯t know how ise keeps the poption so divided, but I can only imagine it¡¯s through extremely harsh deterrence. Only the most stringent enforcement and severe punishments could keep people so desperate from breaking the rules and traveling outside of their designated spheres. Whatever the implications, there are no threats to mitigate now. Quite the opposite, showing people how dangerous I am in these parts will only get me into trouble. Exploring the opulent neighborhoods in concentric circles which carry me closer and closer to ise¡¯s over the top residence in the center of the city, absorb everyst detail of my surroundings. As expected there are no reward posters or signs of discord here, only empty beauty and extravagant wealth. I¡¯m almost at the Pack House¡¯s front door when a familiar scent meets my nose, one which makes my blood positively boil. Following my nose to a designer boutique, I catch sight of a tall, blonde woman happily chatting with a clerk while posing in front of a floor to ceiling mirror looking right at home. I¡¯d know her anywhere Arabe. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 130 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Odile Learns a Secret Selene¡¯s POV ¡°What do you mean, Frederic wants to im me for himself?¡± I ask nervously. ncing back and forth between the two betas. ¡°The message he sent Bastien made it very clear, Selene.¡± Donovan sighs. ¡°He ns on taking you for his mate, whether you agree or not.¡± That doesn¡¯t make any sense. I think uselessly. Why not? Luna asks. You¡¯re the Alpha¡¯s mate, you have his child and the pack loves you both. Who better to convince them to ept Frederic as their new leader than you? Ignoring my wolf, I press, ¡°Why? Just to spite Bastien?¡± The men exchange a look that sends my stomach lurching up into my throat. ¡°That¡¯s possible.¡± Aiden admits. ¡°But?¡± I prompt, knowing there has to be more to this. ¡°But we think¡± Donovan begins, only to have Aiden cut him off. ¡°No, we promised Bastien.¡± The younger man argues. ¡°You promised.¡± Donovan corrects, ¡°I think she has a right to know.¡± Pursing his lips and eyeing me with staid resolve, he continues. ¡°We it¡¯ s highly likely Frederic has been posing as someone you know. He probably doesn¡¯t just want you on principle there¡¯s a strong chance he¡¯s truly interested in you romantically.¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± I ask. ¡°How could he be in the city without being recognized?¡± ¡°He was only a boy when his father was killed, and he hasn¡¯t lived here since.¡± Aiden sighs, ¡°Besides, he could be in disguise for all we know. It¡¯s clear he¡¯s very clever.¡± ¡°And I suppose Bastien intended to keep all this from me?¡± I demand, indignant anger rising up inside my chest. Suddenly I don¡¯t feel nearly so bad about lying to my mate about Dr. Kane. The nerve of the man: forbidding me from keeping secrets, then turning around and keeping a thousand of his own. ¡°He wanted to protect you.¡± Donovan sighs. After what happened with the safe house-¡± ¡°You know I¡¯m getting really tired of people trying to protect me by keeping me in the dark.¡± I snap, cutting him off before he can remind me how badly I wished I¡¯d stayed in the dark about the spy cameras in Asphodel. Pressing my palm to my belly. ¡°And what about the baby? What about L? Did Frederic say anything about them?¡± ¡°As far as we know, he didn¡¯t mention L, but she¡¯s a girl, she wouldn¡¯t be a threat to him anyway.¡± Aiden rtes. ¡°And the baby?¡± I repeat stiffly. I can¡¯t stand the way the betas are looking at me, their eyes full of pity, as if there¡¯s no hope for us. ¡°As far as we know he doesn¡¯t have any idea you¡¯re breeding.¡± Donovan admits, ¡°And we need to keep it that way as long as humanly possible.¡± Frederic¡¯s POV ¡°Selene is breeding.¡± My mother announces, striding into the kitchen. Turning to face her, I note the thickyer of makeup caking her bruised cheek. ¡°Excuse me?¡± She averts her gaze in submission. ¡°it¡¯s all over the city. The Alpha¡¯s mate is carrying his second child almost guaranteed to be a male heir, or so they say.¡± Grinding my teeth in frustration, I hiss, ¡°How can they possibly know that? ¡°She¡¯s far enough along that her scent has changed.¡± Mom exins, ¡°There¡¯s no doubt. She¡¯s pregnant.¡± ¡°Idle gossip.¡± I growl. ¡°Let me know when they see a damned sonogram.¡± ¡°I heard it from one of the alpha¡¯s sentries.¡± My mother informs me coolly, ¡°Trust me, he knows what¡¯s going on inside the pack house better than you do.¡± Anger sparks at her words, how dare she think a lowly guard could be more in tuned with pack happenings than I am? ¡°What the hell were you doing talking to one of the sentries?¡± I snarl. ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± She insisted, the scent of her fear spiking between us, ¡°I was eavesdropping, he never knew I was there.¡± Goddess damn it. This is all going wrong. As if it wasn¡¯t bad enough that Bastien marked Selene and started rutting her day and night for all to see. Now I¡¯m not only going to be stuck with my mother, but probably another one of his brats. It¡¯s not a death sentence. My wolf asserts grumpily. It¡¯s only a problem if the pup is a boy. If it¡¯s another girl it won¡¯t make a difference, you can send her off to boarding school with L after you im Selene. ¡°We need to move faster.¡± I tell Mom. ¡°We need to make sure people know he¡¯s left the city again. We need to make sure they don¡¯t forgive him this time.¡± ¡°How are you going to do that?¡± She asks, ¡°We don¡¯t have an insider on the council anymore.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need one.¡± I proim, ¡°I have an inside track with the Novan press, and you know as well as I do that there are some offenses which can¡¯t be forgiven. This time he can¡¯t march back into town with some romantic saga to excuse his negligence.¡± ¡°If you tell me what you¡¯re nning, I can help.¡± My mother insists stubbornly. ¡°I don¡¯t want your help.¡± I hiss. ¡°I want you to sit down, shut up and do what you¡¯re told.¡± Raising my hand, I move to tower over her, or do I need to give you another lesson on who¡¯s in charge.¡± ¡°No Frederic.¡± She immediately quells. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV What is she doing here? I think irately. Who cares? Axel counters, surging forward with a vicious growl. Let¡¯s get her. I can¡¯t deny the idea is appealing. I want nothing more than to charge into the shop and take the woman I once considered a surrogate sister into custody. Almost as quickly as the impulse strikes me, fear rises up alongside it. Arabe knows Selene is a Vna, by now she might even know about L. If Arabe has met ise she might now know about the reward, and she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to turn my mate in even if there wasn¡¯t money up for grabs. This is very, very bad. I think in agitation. What do we do? Axel presses, some of his anger fading amidst our shared concern for our mate and pup. We¡®ve got to find out how much she knows. I decide, hating the idea of cozying up to the would-be murderess, but unable to see another option. And if she¡¯s spent time with ise, we ve got to discover what she¡¯s told him. I wait for her to exit the shop, slipping around the corner and watching the entrance until I hear the strident ring of the entrance bell. Arabe struts out of the boutique, sashaying down the street in the opposite direction. It only takes me a moment to circle around through one of the alleyways, and within seconds I¡¯m standing at the mouth of a narrow side street, waiting for the traitorous she wolf to walk into my trap. When her footsteps near I reach out and grab her by the cor, pulling her into the alcove and mming her up against the wall. Her brown eyes go wide as dinner tes, and undiluted fear washes over her countenance. ¡°Bastien?¡± ¡°Give me one reason, one, why I shouldn¡¯t kill you where you stand.¡± Imand, forcing the words out through bared fangs. Axel is aching for the chance to make good on my threat, and I¡¯ll be damned if I don¡¯t want to let him. ¡°Please,¡± Arabe begs, ¡°please just hear me out.¡± ¡°Hear you out?¡± I thunder, lowering my voice when I realize passers-by might overhear me. ¡°Hear out how you tried to murder my pregnant mate. How you undermined me every moment you were in Elysium, how you allied with my enemies to ruin my life?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand. She whines, ¡°Frederic made me.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Frederic?¡± I demand, my worst fearsing true. Of course I¡¯d entertained the idea that they might have been working together, but I¡¯d hoped against hope I was wrong. ¡°I was talking about. Grigore.¡± The blood drains from Arabe¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± I bark, ¡°you wanted the chance to exin, now exin!¡± ¡°He¡¯s a monster. She mewls, tears sparkling in her eyes. ¡°He forced me to work for him. I didn¡¯t want to. you have to believe me. He¡¯s mad with his ns for revenge, and so cruel you have no idea what I¡¯ve been through.¡± ¡°Oh give it up. Arabe.¡± Shaking her roughly, I continue, ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot, and I know you came back to Elysium with your own agenda in mind. Don¡¯t pretend like you¡¯re a victim in all this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± She squeaks, ¡°I didn¡¯t ever want toe back, I always dreamed ofing here. But I met Frederic in the Gemini territory and he took me prisoner.¡± My rage growing more violent with every minute that passes, I go in for the kill. ¡°You know he is the reason Flynn is dead.¡± I dig my ws into the papery skin above her carotid artery. ¡°Not me. If Frederic and his father hadn¡¯t tried to stage a coup, your brother would still be here.¡± That was all it took. Arabe suddenly went from begging and pleading to being positively crimson with righteous fury. She drops her act, and for the first time in years, I¡¯m actually looking at the woman beneath the mask. ¡°No!¡± She spits, ¡°I was there! I saw what happened! I know the truth, Bastien! My brother is dead because of you!¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 131 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Arabe Fights Back Arabe¡¯s POV Fourteen Years Earlier It wasn¡¯t easy getting away from Odette. The powerful she-wolf was determined to keep me in the shelter with the other women and children, but I¡¯ve always been good at slipping through the cracks when adults aren¡¯t looking. I¡¯m still furious at Flynn and Bastien, they always treat me like I¡¯m a baby. It isn¡¯t fair that they get to go fight while I¡¯m expected to cower in the darkness and wait for the danger to pass. Boys get to be warriors, why is it any different for girls? I may not be as old as they are, but I¡¯m every bit as brave I know I am. Darting through the forest, I head towards the sounds of the battle, determinedly keeping my eyes straight ahead. I can hear snarls and screams in the distance, and every now and then crimson pools sh in my periphery, blood spraying from fallen shifters as their lives wink out. I followed my brother¡¯s scent all across the mountain, but they traveled so far throughout the conflict that all the action had died down by the time I finally caught up with them. They were at the edge of a cliff, rolling over the bodies littering the ground to check for signs of life. I¡¯ d never seen such carnage, and my stomach churned at the terrible images. However the faces of these dead strangers were not the ones which would go on to haunt my nightmares for years toe. No, it was what happened next that brought my world crashing down and forever ruined my chances of achieving a good night¡¯s sleep. One of the supposedly deceased wolves at the edge of the trees got to his feet when Flynn and the others had their backs turned. I didn¡¯t see him myself until it was toote otherwise I would have screamed a warning. Until this moment my foolish young mind had imagined itself in love with Bastien Durand. He was everything I could dream of in a mate, and one day he would be Alpha. No one in my family¡¯s history had ever risen to a position of such power. Flynn woulde the closest by bing Beta, but if I married. Bastien I¡¯d outdo even my superstar brother. Well, those dreams died when the enemy wolf charged Bastien, and Flynn threw himself at the would- be killer just in time. Now I did open my mouth to scream, but unfortunately no sound came out. I stood there with my mouth gaping wild while Flynn and his target toppled over the edge of the cliff. I watched my brother fall to his death, and I¡¯ve watched it a million times more in my memory. Thest surviving member of my family was gone in the blink of an eye, and all for the sake of Bastien Durand. My brother gave his life to ensure this man could one day rule the pack, and all because he happened to be born to a powerful man. That was the day I lost all respect for the pack hierarchy, and that was the day I decide that I would turn it on its head if it was thest thing I do. I¡¯d lost everything I cared about in the whole world, it was only right that Bastien should be made to feel that pain for himself. ¡°You¡¯re the reason he¡¯s dead!¡± I choke, wing at the huge wolf¡¯s iron grip on my body. ¡°It was your fight, not Flynn¡¯s, and he wasn¡¯t that wolf¡¯s target. You were. It should have been you who died!¡± ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that?¡± Bastien snarls, ¡°You think I didn¡¯t wish it had been me?¡± ¡°But it wasn¡¯t!¡± I exim. ¡°So you decided to kill innocent people rather thaning after me directly?¡± He scoffs, ¡°What kind of logic is that, Arabe?¡± ¡°Your father wasn¡¯t innocent¡± Squirming and kicking at the horrible man, I add. ¡°Meeting Frederic in the Gemininds was a blessing. He knew he saw your family for the criminals you are! He was more of a friend to me than you ever were.¡± Nothing I do seems to budge his hold, but still I fight,shing all of my anger out at him. ¡°He offered me revenge, all you ever offered me was condescension, as if marrying you could ever make up for my loss and you didn¡¯t even do that!¡± ¡°I was going to marry you because you¡¯d been in love with me for years and I felt guilty enough about Flynn that I was willing to do whatever it took to make you happy. But in the end I did what was best for us both, I still provided for you, and I left the door open for you to find your own fated mate.¡± Bastien growls. ¡°I don¡¯t care about mates!¡± I cry, the words pouring out of me in a torrent now that I¡¯ve begun. ¡°I stopped loving you and stopped caring about romance the day Flynn died. Since then all I have ever wanted is to have him back and if I couldn¡¯t have that, I was willing to settle for power. I was going to wait until we married and then get rid of you so I could rule and ensure Flynn¡¯s sacrifice would actually have been worth something. But you found a way to mess that up too.¡± ¡°And what about Selene? Bastien demands, ¡°what about my pup? They didn¡¯t have anything to do with Flynn¡¯s death.¡± **They got in the way!¡± Thrashing violently, I continue. ¡°They ruined everything! The only thing they were good for is to cause you pain. I wasn¡¯t strong enough to take the pack by force, but through them I could finally make you feel what I have all these years.¡± ¡°Flynn would be ashamed of you.¡± Bastien grates out, baring his sharp canines. ¡°He would be mortified to see what you¡¯ve be.¡± The words bounce off of me like rubber. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have the option to feel any way about me anymore.¡± I remind Bastien. ¡°And when I¡¯m done. Selene and your brat won¡¯t have the option to care about you either.¡± His massive hand squeezes around my throat, his razor sharp ws digging into my tender flesh. ¡°Do not threaten my family.¡± Instantly realizing my mistake, I gasp for air. I can¡¯t believe I let him wind me up this way. How could I tell him all that? It was so foolish, so blind. Bastien is ring up at me with a savage glint in his eye, as if he knows exactly what I¡¯m thinking, and that this is precisely what he intended. Fear seeps through my consciousness, and my survival instincts begin to demand I fight or flee. Of course I¡¯ve been trying to flee, but that¡¯s not going very well at all. My purse is still dangling from my wrist, and suddenly I remember that I bought a stun gunst week, just in case things get out of hand with ise. Abruptly ceasing to fight, I pin the bag between my body and the wall, stabilizing it enough to reach inside. ¡°What are you going to do to me?¡± I squeak, ying for time. ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± He grumbles, ¡°My wolf thinks I should kill you, and I have to admit the idea has its appeal.¡± Something flickers behind his silver eyes, and for a moment it almost seems like he feels guilty. ¡°But luckily for you, I have more respect for your brother¡¯s memory than you seem to. He wouldn¡¯t want me to kill you, no matter how much you deserve it.¡± My heart racing, I close my fingers around the solid weight of the stun gun and extract it from my bag, jamming it into the side of Bastien¡¯s throat before he can see iting and pressing down hard on the power button. Electricity jolts from the metal prongs and into his flesh, ricocheting through his body in a violet wave. My feet hit the ground with surprising force as Bastien drops to the pavement twitching. Bending down and pressing the prongs to his middle, I send another jet of electricity into his body, not stopping until he loses consciousness. Breathing heavily, sweet relief rushes over me, but I know I¡¯m not out of the woods yet. I drag his body further into the shadows and fumble for my phone. For a moment I stand there frozen, unsure who to dial. My first instinct is to call ise, but I¡¯m not sure I want to involve him. If I can take down Bastien without his help, then I won¡¯t have to share my power. If he gets involved, he¡¯ll take control of the Nova pack immediately and once again my fate will be dependent on whether or not a man wants to marry me. That was fine when I had no other choice, but this strange coincidence has changed everything. As confident as I am in my sess with the Calypso Alpha, I¡¯ve been confident before and I¡¯d like to think I¡¯m wise enough to have learned from my mistakes. Instead, I dial another new friend, the same bear shifter who sold me the stun gun. A n is slowly forming in my mind, and I think I¡¯m going to be in the market for more illicit goods and fast. As the dial chimes in my ear, I take a few steadying breaths. After a moment the line clicks open. ¡°Speak.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The words tumble out before I can stop them. ¡°I need your help.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 132 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Radio Silence Arabe¡¯s POV ¡°You¡¯re sure this will work?¡± I ask, studying a bottle of viscous liquidbeled with swirling text in a language I neither speak nor understand. ¡°Entirely.¡± Jax for that¡¯s the only name he ever gave me answers. The big bear is covered in tattoos from head to toe, and thus far he¡¯s the only member of the Calypso pack from the lower city who I¡¯ve dained to meet. It was dumb luck that I found him at all. After a particrly tense dinner with ise, who seems to be the kind of man who believes the best way to keep his women in line is through violence, I decided to invest in a bit of insurance. I¡¯m not sure the Alpha would ever raise his hand against me, but he has no problem raising them against his concubines. I watched him half-strangle the one delivering his steak simply because she ced his knife on the wrong side of his te. Part of me likes knowing he doesn¡¯t hold back his dominance, especially with the kind of immoral women who would agree to debase themselves for his pleasure, but I haven¡¯t survived this long by underestimating the cruelty of others. Quite the contrary, I assume everyone is a threat until proven otherwise, and ise offers more evidence than most. ¡°This drug was made to treat depression,¡± Jax is exining. ¡°But apparently it worked too well when it came to making people forget their troubles. It was found to have such major impacts on memory function that it was pulled from the market within weeks.¡± ¡°it will make him forget everything?¡± press, already prepping a needle to inject Bastien. This first time I¡¯ll have to dose him intravenously. but Jax assures me it can be injected directly in the future. A few drops in his morning coffee, and Bastien will be the perfect puppet for my ns. After all, if I want the Nova pack to ept me as their leader, the Alpha¡¯s endorsement will go a long way. Once I¡¯ve gotten rid of Selene and the brat, I can begin my conquest, eventually phasing out Bastien as Alpha and making him suffer every step of the way. It really is a blessing that he turned up here. Away from the Novas, I can convince him of whatever I want, and by the time we go back to Elysium, he¡¯ll be so convinced of my trustworthiness that nothing anyone else says will matter. I¡¯ll control him completely. The hard part is going to be keeping him away from ise. Jaz¡¯s reply tugs my thoughts back to the present. ¡°Well not everything. It will only take him back a certain distance. His long term memory will be fine, it¡¯s his short term that will be affected.¡± This stops me short, ¡°I need him to drop back at least seven years.¡± To before he met Selene. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± Jax assesses. ¡°You just need to strengthen the dose a bit.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I breathe. ¡°Thank you again for your help.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a favor.¡± Jax growls, ¡°I expect you to pay me double for the house call.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I smile, ¡°I¡¯ll pay whatever you ask, so long as you keep the goodsing.¡± Selene¡¯s POV One Night Earlier ¡°What are you wearing?¡± Bastien¡¯s deep voice reverberates through my mind, sending delicious shivers down my spine and making the sensitive flesh between my legs swollen and slick with desire. ¡°How old are you?¡± Iugh, trying not to let him know how powerfully he affects me as if it¡¯s any secret. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t think you can get away with sassing me just because I¡¯m away.¡± My mate threatens, a predatory note entering his husky tone.¡± will spank your naughty little behind the moment I get home.¡± Still giggling I insist, *You¡¯re obsessed!¡± Even as Iin, I¡¯m imagining being bent over my mate¡¯s lap with his powerful hands raining punishment down on me. ¡°Howe I never saw this side of you when we were married the first time?¡± ¡°You were too well behaved,¡± Bastien informs me, sounding much too pleased with himself. ¡°And as you¡¯ve said, I coddled you.¡± As he speaks I slide my hand between my legs, letting myshes fall shut as I imagine my husband being here with me. ¡°Needless to say, I learned my lesson.¡± ¡°Mhmm.¡± I purr. ¡°What are you wearing?¡± ¡°Not much.¡± He rumbles, making my sodden channel clench with need. ¡±Why don¡¯t we switch to video, and I¡¯ll show you.¡± Humming with faux uncertainty. I tease. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m almost naked myself. What if the line isn¡¯t secure?¡± ¡°You vixen.¡± Bastien groans, sounding rough and warm all at once. ¡°I¡¯m hard as a rock and imagining you¡¯re here with me.¡± ¡°And what would you do if I were? I prompt, rubbing my aching clit. ¡°Well I would start by kissing every inch of your beautiful little body.¡± He exins, the images he¡¯s describing shing into my mind. ¡°I¡¯d set up camp between your thighs and lick you raw, until you can¡¯t take it anymore.¡± I whimper, feeling so overwhelmed with need I could cry.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you touching yourself little wolf?¡± There¡¯s a note of foreboding in his voice that makes my toes curl with anticipation. ¡°Maybe.¡± My smile leaks into my voice, and I can hear Bastien¡¯s own in his reply. ¡°Bad girl, I didn¡¯t give you permission.¡± His admonishment only excites me further. ¡°But you aren¡¯t here.¡± Iin, he can¡¯t expect me to just sit here and listen to him say such tawdry things without acting on my desire. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing too.¡± He cryptically remarks. For a moment my pregnancy hormones break through my lust, and a stab of real sadness slices into me. ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± ¡°Why not, baby?¡± He asks. ¡°Because I want you here.¡± I admit softly, my throat tickling dangerously. ¡°Even if I¡¯m punishing you?¡± i know he¡¯s trying to steer me away from dwelling on my tormented emotions, and thankfully it works. His dirty talk brings me right back to my lust, and I confess just how badly I want him with me. ¡°Yes, even then.¡± I grin. ¡°Get on video.¡± He orders. ¡°Now.¡± Within moments his handsome face fills the screen, and a rush of affection washes over me. ¡°I love you.¡± His predatory gaze softens to an expression so tender it hurts. ¡°I love you too.¡± His arm is moving steadily, and though it¡¯s out of the frame, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s rubbing his cock. ¡°I¡¯m counting the hours until I¡¯m back home with you.¡± Syncing my movements with his, I raise my phone until my entire body is in view, eliciting a ravenous growl from my mate. ¡°And when will that be?¡± He stills, his silver eyes boring into the camera so fiercely I almost want to lower my gaze. There¡¯s no doubt he means what he says next, and he means it with every ounce of conviction he possesses. ¡°As soon as possible.¡± I¡¯ve been reying ourst conversation over and over in my head, and not only because it was so hot I get wet just thinking about it. It¡¯s distracted me so frequently over the course of the morning, precisely because I haven¡¯t spoken to Bastien since. For the first time since he left, Bastien didn¡¯t call to wish us a good day. It¡¯s not umon for him to callter on in the morning, sometimes it¡¯s even been aste as noon, but today noon came and went in total radio silence, and I can¡¯t help but feel afraid something has gone wrong. My distraction is significant enough that I¡¯m being very rude to my mother inw. After she catches me staring at my phone for the fifth time rather than listening to her speak, Odette breaks. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m being so rude.¡± I sigh, dragging a hand through my hair. ¡°Selene, tell me what¡¯s worrying you.¡± The older woman presses, not seeming the least bit affronted. Frowning and ncing nervously at L, I reply. ¡°Bastien hasn¡¯t called.¡± At all?¡± She questions, her pupils dting slightly. ¡°Today.¡± I admit, ¡°But he¡¯s called morning and night since he left. It¡¯s not like him to miss a date.¡± ¡°Did he promise to call twice a day?¡± She rifies. ¡°No, he just started doing it.¡± I exin, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m being paranoid?¡± ¡°No.¡± She murmurs, ¡°I just don¡¯t think you should jump to conclusions, things must be moving very quickly. Now that he¡¯s actually entered the city, it may very well be the case that he can¡¯t call for days at a time, even if he wants to.¡± That makes sense. It also stands to reason that he might have called so frequently before to make up for the inevitable breach in contact we¡¯re experiencing now. So why don¡¯t I feel better? Why do I feel as though something has gone wrong, even though I have no reason to believe this is the case? Are my instincts lying to me? Or is Bastien in trouble? Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 133 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Waiting Selene¡¯s POV It¡¯s been three days, and still Bastien hasn¡¯t called. I¡¯m trying not to be an rmist and avoid jumping to conclusions, but I can¡¯t help but feel a sweeping sense of dread. Something is wrong. I know it. My mate wouldn¡¯t let so many days go by without checking in, if not for L¡¯s and my piece of mind, but for his own. I know how worried he was for our safety when he left, he wouldn¡¯t just stop calling. Luna has been beside herself since Bastien left, but now she¡¯s really starting to lose it. Her agitated energy isbining with my own nerves and constant nausea in a very unpleasant way, and I¡¯m starting to think all this turmoil will drive mepletely crazy. There¡¯s only so much a she wolf can take. What makes it worse is that L has been asking on a nearly hourly basis when Daddy is going to call, and the best I can tell her is that I don¡¯t know. Drake and Sophie have been a big help, distracting her and keeping her busy when I¡¯m working on the cafe transition. Of course, they can only do so much, especially when they¡¯re distracted themselves being so newly mated. ¡°Come on.¡± I tease Drake when we¡¯re alone after dinner, ¡°Out with it, when¡¯s the wedding?¡± ¡°Who says there has to be one?¡± He answers slyly. ¡°We¡¯re already mated. I¡¯ve never seen the point of weddings when the mate bond is so much more powerful than a piece of paper.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Maybe because you¡¯re going to have your own hormonal mess to deal with before too long.¡± I tease, only half joking. It¡¯s true some she wolves can go through a heat cycle with their mate and not end up breeding, but that¡¯s quite an umon oue unless contraception is being used. Drake grunts in acknowledgement, but I can see the corners of his mouth twitching. Oh yes, he likes that idea. Typical man they get to have all the fun watching the miracle happen while we have to suffer through it. At least, most men get to watch Bastien missed seeing Le into being is he going to miss this baby too? ¡°Hey, stop it.¡± Drake orders in his usual, bossy fashion. My friend always has had a habit of mind reading. Not only that, he¡¯s always been under the mistaken impression that he can somehow dictate the thoughts of others. Only an Alpha. I think ruefully. ¡°I can¡¯t help it.¡± I moan. ¡°I can¡¯t stand this. L is so confused, I feel like hot garbage and my mate is thousands of miles away, probably trapped in that psychopath¡¯s dungeon!¡± *Who said ise has dungeons?¡± Drake asks, furrowing his brow. ¡°No one.¡± I reply sulkily. ¡°He just seems the type.¡± ¡°Eh,¡± Drake shrugs, ¡°that¡¯s fair.¡± He reaches over and covers my hand with his own, squeezing gently. ¡°But I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s too early to know anything. Three days isn¡¯t that long and you have enough to worry about as it is. Don¡¯t stress out until you have a reason to.¡± Narrowing my eyes, I catch the Eros Alpha in my crosshairs. ¡°If Sophie was in my position, and you were in Bastien¡¯s, would you go a day without checking in?¡± Drake¡¯s mouthpresses to a hard line. ¡°We don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like there, Selene. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. I¡¯m sure Bastien wants to check in, but whether he¡¯s able to or not is another matter entirely.¡± ¡°I¡¯m his mate.¡± I remind him. I¡¯m connected to him in a way you all are not. And I can feel that something is wrong.¡± ¡°Sweetheart, you¡¯re also under incredible pressure, sick and no offense, but your hormones are going haywire.¡± Drake points out gently. ¡°I know it feels like something is wrong, but isn¡¯t there a chance your body is ying tricks on you?¡± I want to rant and rave that my friend has no idea what he¡¯s talking about, but the truth is that he¡¯s right. I can¡¯t trust my body right now, not when I have a beloved little monster growing inside of me. As if the baby wants to prove Drake right, the next thing I know tears are streaming from my eyes. Clucking sympathetically, Drake pulls me into his arms, ¡°Poor thing. It never gets any easier does it? ¡°No!¡± I cry,tching onto the sturdy wolf and weeping into his cor. of course this is the moment my young daughter chooses toe toddling out of her bedroom, clutching a stuffed elephant to her chest. ¡°Mommy wha¡¯s wrong?¡± Sniffling and wiping my eyes, I pull away from Drake. ¡°I¡¯m sorry angel, did I wake you?¡± She ignores me, her lower lip quivering dangerously, ¡°Why¡¯re you crying?¡± ¡°You know how we talked about the new baby making Mommy extra emotional?¡± I prompt, crossing the cool floors to gather her up. ¡°This is more of the same.¡± ¡°I don¡¯ like da new baby.¡± L pouts. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, my love.¡± I caution her, hugging her soft body close. ¡°But is making you sad.¡± Sheins, wrapping her arms and legs around me so tightly my heart instantly swells. ¡°No darling, the baby isn¡¯t making me sad.¡± I correct, trying to figure out how to exin. In the end I decide to tell her the truth. ¡°I¡¯m sad because I miss Daddy. The baby actually helps me feel close to him, because it¡¯s like I have a little piece of him inside me. You do the same. You¡¯re so much like him that sometimes when I look at you, I feel like he¡¯s staring out at me through your eyes.¡± L considers this, crinkling her nose and eyeing me closely. Finally she nods, peeking up at me from beneath hershes. ¡°I miss Daddy too.¡± ¡°I know you do.¡± I murmur, feeling a small weight lift from my chest. Sometimes nothing heals like the truth, even with toddlers. ¡°Can I sleep wit¡¯ you tonight?¡± My sweet pup whispers, cuddling closer. Every morning since Bastien left, I¡¯ve been woken up by L climbing into bed next to me. I usually prefer those early morning snuggles to being kicked and drooled on all night, but tonight I find I could use the extra affection. I don¡¯t want to be alone, and in a few months L will have to share my attention with a little brother or sister. We don¡¯t have too many of these moments to bond together left, at least not for just the two of us. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± In the early hours of the morning, a cloaked figure slinks through the dense trees of the Novan forest, a canister of some unidentified substance in one hand, and a book of matches in the other. They move through the woonds as quietly as a ghost, leaving no tracks behind them, only a steady stream of noxious liquid spilling from the can. In a few hours time nothing will be left of the powerful elerant, nor the forest itself. For all intents and purposes it will look like the entirendscape went up in mes of its own ord, a spontaneous That all changes tonight. It wasn¡¯t a very creative n, after all Arabe too had yed her hand at arson and failed with spectacr grace. But this was different. This was not an attack on one captive she-wolf. It was an attack on the city itself, with one very important piece of coteral. Frederic didn¡¯t want anyone to get hurt per se, but he also wouldn¡¯t be terribly bothered if the fire spread into the residential neighborhoods around the park. After all, the more destruction, the worse the scandal. This n would work where all the others had failed, because unlike the flooded equinox festival or disastrous sh with the Geminis at Gabriel¡¯s funeral, Bastien wouldn¡¯t be here to clean up the mess. He couldn¡¯t sell his act as the grieving son, stoic leader or grieving widower. He would be nowhere to be found while his pack burned, and while his pregnant mate struggled to fill his role and raise his pup alone. It would not be long before they all turned against him, no matter how much they liked the man. Setting down the canister after circling the woodspletely, Frederic lowered his hood and said a quick prayer of thanks and good fortune to the goddess, before striking a match and letting it fall to the chemical soaked leaves. mes exploded around him, and he fled just in time. Within moments the entire park was burning, a red and yellow inferno cascading into the night sky without an end in sight. Within the half hour, sirens were ring and half a dozen firetrucks were streaming towards the out of control ze. It was exactly how it was meant to be. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 134 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 134 Chapter 134 mes Selene¡¯s POV The fire raged past dawn and throughout the early morning. I got the call just after 4am, but Aiden and Donovan insisted I stay away because of the risk of smoke inhtion. They didn¡¯t want to chance harming the baby, no matter how much my presence might have helped calm the pack. So L and I sat by and waited for the all clear to be announced, but it didn¡¯t come for hours and hours. By that evening, the news was all over the city, and the damage was irreparable. What used to be the most beautiful forest in all of Elysium now lies in ruin, a charred husk of the fertile lands where our ancestors built this city. The once lushnd is buried beneath thick mounds of ash, and everywhere the eye can see is a charred ck shell pulled straight from my worst nightmares. It was pure luck that the firefighters were able to prevent the inferno from spreading beyond the edge of the forest, protecting the homes and apartment buildings at the edge of the forest. Well, lucky for shifters that is nature knew no such reprieve. It burned down to nothing, and nothing can repair the loss. When Drake and Sophiee down to dinner, they¡¯re carrying the evening news, which I¡¯m almost too afraid to read. When the heavy ck and white print is spread open in myp, my stomach leaps into my throat. Elysium Chronicle Today, amidst a natural disaster the likes of which the Nova pack has never before seen, the Alpha is nowhere to be found. Though no one in the pack house or elder council has shared any details about the Alpha¡¯s whereabouts with our reporters, one thing is clear, Bastien is unavable for the foreseeable future. Of course many questions remain. Where has the Alpha gone? Has he forsaken us, or is he simply too far away toe to our aid? Why has he left so soon after returning from another extended trip? Few can forget that his departurees only weeks after spending more than a month in Asphodel without any exnation until his return with his mate long thought to be dead. Is it possible our Alpha is on another noble mission, or has he abandoned us in our time of need? While it is widely known that the Alpha¡¯s mate, Selene, is breeding and therefore unlikely to be found in such a dangerous environment for a pup, the question remains as to what possible cause could pull the Alpha away from his family at such a critical time? It is almost unheard of for a wolf to leave his mate unprotected when they are expecting, except in cases of warfare. Yet the Nova pack has been at peace for years, so how could our Alpha do such a thing? There are far more questions than answers at this stage in the game, but there¡¯s no denying we are currently a pack without a leader. Wherever Bastien is, his neglect will not be forgotten. Hurtling from the table, I crash into the restroom, falling to my knees before the toilet as I empty my belly. Soft hands pull my hair from my face, and Sophie¡¯s scent whirls through my senses. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I moan. ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry.¡± The young she-wolf encourages, ¡°it¡¯s only natural. It means the baby is healthy.¡± ¡°It means the world is crumbling around me.¡± I groan. ¡°How can they write such drivel? Bastien is doing everything he can to protect us. He would never forsake the pack in its time of need.¡± ¡°You know that and I know that, but this is the press.¡± Sophie reasons, ¡°They pretend to print in ck and white, but they never do. There¡¯s always an angle.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t fair.¡± I breathe, ¡°I just want things to go back to normal. I want Bastien home with me.¡± ¡°He will be.¡± Sophie assures me, rubbing my back, ¡°Just give it time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sick of everybody pretending like they know what¡¯s going on.¡± I grumble. ¡°None of us know. Not really. Bastien mighte back, but he might not. Empty promises won¡¯t make it hurt any less if that timees.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Sophie agrees. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I think it¡¯s harder for men sometimes. They want to have all the answers. They don¡¯t want us to worry. So they lie they pretend they try to be strong.¡± She shakes her head, her rose gold hair glinting in the dim lights. ¡°They don¡¯t realize that simply admitting how powerless we all are can be the best course of action.¡± ¡°The terrible thing is that Bastien has never been powerless.¡± I share. ¡°He¡¯s not like other men. He¡¯s always so strong. I can¡¯t imagine a world where he no longer exists.¡± ¡°Listen, Sophe pleads, ¡°You¡¯re connected to him right? You can feel him, even far away as he is?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I confirm. ¡°Then reach down.¡± She advises. ¡°Tell me. Reach out as far as you can. Is he there?¡± I do as she asks, employing everyst ounce of my strength to feel through our mating bond. It doesn¡¯t happen instantly, but after a moment a jolt of electricity travels towards me through our intangible connection. ¡°Yes.¡± I breathe, ¡°He¡¯s there.¡± ¡®Then he¡¯s alive.¡± Sophie assures me. And if he¡¯s alive it means he¡¯s doing everything in his power to come home to you, yes?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I agree, feeling suddenly calmer, ¡°You¡¯re right. Thank you.¡± ¡°No thanks necessary.¡± Sophie promises, ¡°after all, without you I¡¯d still be wasting my time pining for Drake.¡± Eyeing the other woman, I ask, ¡°Are you happy now, truly?¡± Her beam is undeniable. ¡°I¡¯ve never known such joy. And it¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. For once, I ept thepliment. I¡¯m d my friend has finally settled, and I¡¯m pleased that poor, mistreated Sophie has finally gotten a break. I can only pray that she¡¯s right and Bastien is out there right now fighting toe home to L and me. Bastien¡¯s POV It¡¯s dark when I wake, and for the life of me, I can¡¯t remember where I am or what day it is. I¡¯m in an unfamiliar room, and from the strange smells surrounding me, I know I¡¯m not in Elysium. This doesn¡¯t make any sense. I think, I was in Elysiumst night, I was in the Pack house with Mom and Dad. Something isn¡¯t right. Axel replies, sounding tense. I feel off. Every muscle in my body aches as I rise from the plush bed where Iy, and I gingerly stretch my sore limbs. I¡¯m in what appears to be a hotel room of some sort. There¡¯s a bed, dresser and small desk, with an en suite bathroom and heavy curtains framed by a thin rectangle of light. Striding to the dark curtains, I rip them open, revealing a sunlight window overlooking a sprawling modern city. Sleek ss buildings dominate the horizon, with paved roads and skyscrapers extending as far as the eye can see. Where the hell am I? I wonder helplessly. Just then a knock sounds at my door, and a familiar scent finally reaches my nose. Arabe pushes inside a momentter, but she looks older than I remember. Yesterday she was a girl of eighteen, now she appears to be in herte twenties. ¡°Arabe? What¡¯s going on, where are we?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± she asks, her brow furrowing in confusion. ¡°You must have hit your head even harder than I thought. ¡°Reaching up to my temples, I feel for an injury but find none. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°We¡¯re in Tartarus.¡± Arabe exins carefully. We barely made it into the city, we were attacked on the road.¡± ¡°Tartarus?¡± I repeat dumbly, the capital of the Calypso territory. ¡°What do you mean, why are we here? Who attacked us?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here because things have gotten bad in Elysium.¡± Arabe says, her voice thick with emotion. ¡°I¡¯m afraid your wife sent the rogues after us as punishment for leaving.¡± ¡°My wife?¡± That doesn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°What in the Goddess¡¯s name are you talking about?¡± I demand. ¡°I don¡¯t have a wife.¡± ¡°Bastien.¡± Arabe purses her lips, true concern dominating her lovely features. ¡°You¡¯ve been married for years now. I think your concussion has affected your memory.¡± ¡°No.¡± I insist. ¡°This isn¡¯t right, I would know if I was married.¡± ¡°What¡¯s thest thing you remember?¡± Arabe presses. ¡°Having dinner with Mom and Dad.¡± I share, rubbing the back of my neck and racking my brains for any hint of this other life she¡¯s describing. ¡°Today was supposed to be the solstice festival.¡± ¡°Oh Bastien.¡± My old friend has tears in her eyes now, and I know whatever she¡¯s about to say will break my heart. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Your father is dead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± I insist, her words not truly clicking in my mind. ¡°I was just with him.¡± ¡°No Bastien, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s been dead for more than three years now.¡± She murmurs tenderly. ¡°He was killed by Selene.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 135 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Arabe Weaves A Web of Lies Bastien¡¯s POV ¡°What are you saying?¡± I demand. ¡°Who is Selene?¡± The name seems to be ringing a bell in the very back of my mind, but I have no idea why. Of course, if what Arabe is saying is true, I would expect her name to be familiar. It simply isn¡¯t possible. My father can¡¯t be dead. ¡°Selene is your wife.¡± Arabe sighs. ¡°No.¡± Shaking my head, I raise my palms to her in denial. ¡°You¡¯re lying. I don¡¯t have a wife, and if I did, it would be you.¡± I¡¯ve always nned on marrying Arabe, ever since that horrible day Flynn died to protect me. It seemed like the least I could do in order to ensure she was always taken care of. ¡°Bastien, you broke our engagement when you met Selene.¡± Arabe¡¯s voice is firm and steady, overflowing with patience. ¡°She¡¯s well she¡¯s a con artist, some might even call her a witch. She convinced you she was a helpless victim of a wolf called Garrick, she convinced you that you two were mates and manipted your sympathy in order to make you do her bidding. You killed Garrick for her, and then somehow she made Gabriel order you two to be wed. I don¡¯t know how she did it, but the Alphamanded the union. So you obeyed.¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± I insist, none of this makes any sense. ¡°As I said, she convinced you that she was your mate.¡± Arabe exhales deeply, settling on the edge of my bed with a forlorn smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t stand a chance. You two wed, and left the pack for a while. I traveled, saw the world, started looking for my own mate it wasn¡¯t until learned you¡¯d finally seen through her act and were nning a rejection that I went back to Elysium.¡± ¡°A rejection?¡± I parrot, feeling as if I¡¯m a bumbling idiot, repeating her every word. ¡°But you just said we were still married.¡± A tragic expression crosses the blonde¡¯s features, and her big brown doe eyes overflow. ¡°The day of your rejection, she paid an assassin to break into Gabriel¡¯s office and kill him. In the chaos that followed, all talk of a rejection ceased.¡± ¡°Why would she do such a thing?¡± I inquire, still not believing my ears. ¡°Because she wanted to control the pack, and if she lost you, that would never happen.¡± She exins, ¡°I also think though this is just a guess, that Gabriel was starting to be wise to her deception.. she wanted to shut him up.¡± ¡°My father is really dead?¡± I gulp. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Arabe rushes forward and wraps her arms around me, pulling me close. I never imagined the doctor warned me you might have some memory problems, but I never imagined it would be this bad.¡± ¡°What about my mother?¡± I question. ¡°She lives.¡± Arabe promises, ¡°It was touch and go for a while there, but she found her strength in time.¡± ¡°Not just anyone could kill my father.¡± I argue, still looking for any w in her tale. ¡°No simple assassin would be strong enough.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the worst part.¡± Arabe nods, ¡°She didn¡¯t do it alone. Somehow she met your cousin Frederic. My guess is that he was her lover all along, and she married you to get an inside track on the pack so that he could take over one day. First Gabriel fell and she¡¯s made it clear in recent months that you¡¯re her next target. I expect that her n is to kill you and act as the grieving widow, and then Frederic will return to take your ce. The pack loves Selene, so if she epts him, they will too.¡± My mind reels as it struggles to sort through the details of this horror story. ¡°Frederic killed Gabriel, then you and Selene stayed together while you mourned, and in the meantime she did everything she could to get rid of me. She pushed me down a flight of stairs, she burned down the family cabin with me inside, colluded with corrupt members of the elder council, and when nothing else worked, she faked her death and pinned it on me.¡± Axel is caught in between howls of pain and growls of fury, but now he falls silent, trying and failing to understand. ¡°How would faking her death help her stay in power?¡± ¡°Because it gave her time to conceive a child with Frederic, and form the next part of their n. After a couple of years she led you back to her, using your relief at finding her alive to persuade you not to ask too many questions about her pup¡¯s paternity. She told you a story about how I tried to kill her, saying that Imitted all the crimes she actuallymitted against me to make you exile me from the pack.¡± Leading me to the bed and sitting beside me on its edge, Arabe continues, ¡°I know it sounds crazy. But it¡¯s the truth. I came here, and after a while you must have figured out that she was working against you all along, because you followed me to Tartarus.¡± A haunted lookes over her, making my heart ache. And the moment you did she sent more assassins to kill you, only she underestimated you. You found me, and she failed only your memory was harmed in the attack apparently.¡± ¡°If what you¡¯re saying is true.¡± ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t believe me?¡± Arabe sniffles, her tears starting anew. ¡°Of course not, darling.¡± I assure her, ¡°I just can¡¯t. I can¡¯t wrap my mind around this Arabe. Everything you¡¯re saying, I don¡¯t remember any of it. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, it¡¯s simply that I¡¯m overwhelmed, I don¡¯t know how to process any of this. Yesterday my family was whole and healthy, now you¡¯re telling me it¡¯s broken and I¡¯m married to a monster.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s hard.¡± Arabe nods, ¡°But I can prove what I¡¯m saying is true.¡± Striding to the table by the door, Arabe extracts a newspaper from a thick stack, before returning with it in her palm. She ces a copy of the Elysium Chronicle in front of me. ¡°This is from two days ago. You¡¯ve been out for some time.¡± My eyes fly across the page, the lump in my chest growingrger andrger the more I read. The article, which identifies me as Alpha and Selene Durand as my mate, summarily tears my reputation to shreds. ¡°This is what she does.¡± Arabe confides. ¡°She pulls the strings of every person and institution she can to achieve her aims. If you ask me she probably set the fire herself.¡± Blood rushes in my ears. ¡°T have to go back. I have to fix this I can¡¯t allow a person like this to run rampant in my city.¡± ¡°No!¡± Arabe exims, clearly consumed by panic. ¡°Bastien no. If you go back, she and Frederic will murder you before you can set foot across the border.¡± ¡°I will not cower and hide thousands of miles away.¡± I inform her coldly. ¡°I will not allow lies and injustice to rule my pack.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting you do.¡± Arabe assures me. ¡°I¡¯m simply asking that you think things out. Stay here until you¡¯re fully recovered. Regain your strength and return when the time is right. Do not rush in blindly like some epic hero. Heroes die, Bastien. You have to live, if not for yourself than for the Novas.¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking me to stand by and do nothing while a witch tears my home and my reputation apart.¡± I summarize. ¡°How amenable do you think Elysium will be to my rule after she has free reign for another few weeks, or months.¡± Brandishing the newspaper, I im, ¡°These kinds of rumors never go away Arabe, I might be able to convince most people, but now that this is out there, I will always have people questioning my morals and motives. I cannot let this stand uncontested.¡± ¡°You have to.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Arabe argues. ¡°You have to let this lie go, so that you can regain control when the time is right. You¡¯ve always said that ruling requires sacrifice.¡± She reminds me, ¡°This is just one more. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Surging to my feet, I begin to pace. ¡°I cannot just stand by and do nothing!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be doing nothing.¡± Arabe rises and rushes forward, taking my hands in hers, ¡°You¡¯ll be preparing. You¡¯ll be nning. You¡¯ll be doing everything in your power to ensure that when you finally do go home, it will be for good. You will get rid of that parasite, you will deal with Frederic, and you will give the Nova pack the leader they deserve.¡± I see the logic of her words, but nothing can change the feeling of dread in my heart. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± ¡°Sacrifices never feel right.¡± Arabe murmurs, sometimes doubt is the guidance you need to find the right path.¡± Her words ring true, and I start at my old friend with love and regret. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for what you¡¯ve been through.¡± profess. ¡°I promise, I will make this up to you.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 136 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Drake Learns the Truth Selene¡¯s POV ¡°Maybe I should call him?¡± I suggest to Drake. ¡°Selene, Bastien will call when he can.¡± My friend replies, for what seems like the thousandth time. I can tell he¡¯s getting tired of my constant fretting, but his frustration cannot ease my worries, no matter how guilty I feel. ¡°You mustn¡¯t allow yourself to be overtaxed. It¡¯s not good for the baby. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Why is it that men always feel so confident in telling women what is or isn¡¯t good for their children, when they would never be able to bear the toil of actually bringing one into the world themselves? I ask Luna. Because they¡¯ve convinced themselves they¡¯re the stronger gender. My wolf replies, And itforts them to think they have some control in these things. Idiots. I mutter internally, letting my grumpiness take full control. ¡°If I can¡¯t call him, then I at least have to find out whether or not our spies have any information.¡± I reason. ¡°Aiden and Donavon must have some contacts in the Calypso pack, that¡¯s how they found out about the Vna bounty in the first ce.¡± Drake nces around to make sure we¡¯re alone. ¡°Selene, I don¡¯t mean to overstep, I know this is a sensitive topic. But I can¡¯t help asking just one more time. Why does ise want you anyway?¡± While Bastien may not have trusted the Eros Alpha with this most precious secret, my instincts tell me my friend can be trusted. He would never turn on me the way my mate fears. ¡°If I tell you, you can never repeat this.¡± I caution, ¡°Not even to Sophie.¡± Drake frowns, already so enthralled by his beautiful mate that the idea of keeping anything from her seems terribly wrong. ¡°Is it truly that delicate.¡± ¡°It is.¡± I confirm. ¡°Not just for me, but L too.¡± I confide. Drake thinks about it for a long moment, before he finally nods. ¡°I want to help you Selene, I don¡¯t think I can do that unless I know what¡¯s going on, and¡­¡± I can almost read his thoughts, for all his comforting words, he¡¯s already thinking as I am, that he might be all I have left if Bastien is lost. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± I interrupt, ¡°you don¡¯t have to say it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Drake sighs, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to make you feel worse.¡± *As if you could.¡± I scoff. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll tell you.¡± I decide. ¡°The truth is that Vna blood isn¡¯t special simply because of the power it gives to bearers of the lineage.¡± I sigh, ¡°The power it carries can also be transferred. It can be consumed such that anyone who drinks the blood of a Vna will live forever, and be immune to harm.¡± Drake blinks, ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°You heard me.¡± I remark ruefully. ¡°You¡¯re saying that if I were to drink your blood, it would make me immortal?¡± Drake demands in utter disbelief. ¡°So help me,¡± I joke, ¡°if youe at me with a knife and a straw I will repel you with every bit of strength I have.¡± Drake swats my arm, ¡°You know I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. I just don¡¯t understand. I mean Vna¡¯s aren¡¯t immortal themselves, so why would their blood give that gift to another?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how the Goddess works or what her reasons are, any better than any other wolf.¡± I admit, flopping back on the couch. ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, magic is magic, and I¡¯m not meant to understand.¡± Remembering Garrick, I press on, ¡°But I think my bloodline is the only reason why I survived the wolfsbane as long as I did. And I think it¡¯s why I¡¯ve been able to ovee so many hardships since.¡± ¡°And Bastien¡­?¡± Drake questions. ¡°Bastien knew the danger I was in from the beginning. For the longest time, I believed that¡¯s why he married me. Because my blood was such a threat that I needed constant protection¡­ That¡¯s why I convinced myself he didn¡¯t really want me. It¡¯s why I believed he was sacrificing his happiness to be with me.¡± Shaking my head, I realize just how far I let my insecurity and guilt mislead my poor mind. ¡°I told myself I was a victim, and I convinced myself he saw me the same way.¡± ¡°But you aren¡¯t.¡± Drake insists. ¡°If this is true, Selene, you¡¯ve got to start practicing your powers now more than ever.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± My arguments with my mate y through my mind as if they happened yesterday. ¡°Bastien is worried it will harm the baby.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡± Drake assesses, ¡°But you went through a hell of a lot carrying L and everything still turned out fine. If you ask me, the stronger you are the better, and that begins with your powers.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even really know what I¡¯m doing.¡± I admit. ¡°I mean I¡¯ve been following ancient textbooks and trying my best to feel things out on instinct, but what I really need is a teacher.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll find you one.¡± Drake shrugs, as if this is no problem at all. ¡°Easier said than done.¡± Iugh, ¡°In case you hadn¡¯t noticed, Vnas are an endangered species, it¡¯s not like I can walk into a university and stumble across a mentor. ¡°You¡¯re thinking too small.¡± Drakeughs, ¡°Who ever said you needed another Vna to train you? Power is power, you just need to find someone who knows how to wield it, whether theirs is the same as yours or not.¡± ¡°So what?¡± I rify, ¡°You¡¯re saying I just need to find a shaman or witch and misapply their teachings to my own contexts?¡± ¡°Why do you have to make everything a problem?¡± Drake eximed, ¡°It¡¯s like you expect to fail so you don¡¯t let yourself hope.¡± ¡°In my book that¡¯s called self preservation.¡± I bite, trying not to let the derision I feel seep into my tone and failing miserably. ¡°Well in mine it¡¯s called defeatism.¡± Drake counters. ¡°Don¡¯t count yourself out of the fight before it even begins.¡± Rolling his words over in my mind, I consider how it might feel to give in. My instincts have been begging me to take action and practice my skills for ages, but I¡¯ve been holding myself back all this time under the pretense of not defying my mate and not endangering my child. ¡°Bastien will never allow it.¡± ¡°Bastien doesn¡¯t have to know about it until it¡¯s already done.¡± Drake states coolly, ¡°After all, it¡¯s not like he¡¯s picking up the phone right now anyway.¡± A moment ago I was smiling, but it slips away the moment his words hit home. As if he realized his mistake, my friend instantly reaches towards me, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Selene. I didn¡¯t mean that. It was a thoughtless, cruel thing to say.¡± ¡°No.¡± I purport. ¡°It was true. Bastien isn¡¯t in touch right now, so he doesn¡¯t have a say.¡± I agree, a terrible sense of dread filling my body, ¡°And though I know you won¡¯t say it. I also know you¡¯re right when you think that I need to find my strength without my mate.¡± My voice is thick with emotion, but I fight through it. ¡°If he doesn¡¯te back I¡¯m going to have to do all this on my own. I can¡¯t count on someone else fixing my problems.¡± ¡°Selene, he¡¯s going toe home.¡± Drake promises. ¡°Whether he does or not,¡± I decide, ¡°I will protect my family.¡± The pain of the words seeks to cripple me, but I fight it every step of the way. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, it will destroy me if he doesn¡¯t return. But I have to figure out how to survive either way. For L, and for our new pup.¡± Deciding once and for all, I announce. ¡°I did it once, I can do it again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Drake agrees. ¡°You can do anything you put your mind to.¡± Pretending to gag, I tease. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that. I want your real advice, not pandering.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± He cries,ughter overtaking his features. ¡°I truly think you can do anything.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think it.¡± I advise, finding my voice. ¡°Help me prove it. I need a teacher, and you know everyone who¡¯s anyone.¡± ¡°You have a deal.¡± Drake concedes. ¡°We;¡¯ll find you a teacher, we¡¯ll get you up to speed, and then¡­¡± ¡°And then we¡¯ll ensure that no one can ever take advantage of this pack again.¡± I decide. ¡°I¡¯m tired of people thinking we¡¯re lost without an Alpha.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Drake confirms. ¡°With a Vna leading the Nova pack, it will thrive every bit as well as it would with a strong male wolf in charge. I have no doubt in my mind.¡± ¡°Are you sure you can find me a teacher?¡± I question doubtfully. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry.¡± Drake promises, ¡°Before the week is out, you¡¯ll be testing your skills against a master.¡± ¡°You promise?¡± I ask, nudging the big wolf. He grins and nudges me back, ¡°Promise.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 137 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Bastien Remembers His Friend Flynn, Aiden and Bastien raced through the forest beneath the full moon, ying like pups much younger than they were. They wrestled and joked until they caught the scent of a huge stag, his powerful muskbining withrge, deep tracks in the mud. The hunt was on in an instant. The wolves fell in line without a single word, giving way to the natural patterns of the chase and fulfilling the roles they¡¯d been developing since childhood. Their instincts were irrepressible, demanding they pursue their target the moment it caught sight of them and took flight. Darting through the trees after their prey, they herded it toward the river, circling it on all sides. Together Aiden and Flynn drove the buck towards their future Alpha, whoy in wait just beyond the shoreline. The beast reared up when he saw the massive shifter, grunting and kicking his hooves while his eyes went wild. With the other wolves still at his back, he lowered his antlers and prepared to charge. Bastien braced himself for the assault, licking his fangs in anticipation for the kill. However, just as the stag began to move, a small gray wolf leapt in front of Bastine. Hey! What are you guys doing? Panic fracturing his bloodlust, Bastien ran forward and snatched Arabe out of the way just in time. His teeth caught the scruff of her neck and he lifted her from the ground, sprinting away from the buck and letting it crash forward into the river. As Bastien dropped the wriggling pup at his feet, the buck fled to freedom, the scent of his fear fading on the wind even as Arabe¡¯s indignant whines rose in Bastien¡¯s ears. Let me go! Arabe! Flynn rushed forward, frantically looking over the small female, Are you all right? What were you thinking? What are you doing here? You guys left without me. Arabeined, pouting pitifully. Of course we did! Flynn eximed. You shouldn¡¯t be out thiste at all, let alone out here with us. You could have been killed! You never let me have any fun! The little girl groused, it isn¡¯t fair. You should be less concerned with what¡¯s fair and more concerned with staying alive. Bastien chimed in, his Alpha instincts demanding he do his part to admonish his surrogate sister. Original from N?velDrama.Org. I was fine. Arabe insisted stubbornly. You jumped in front of a charging stag! Bastien growled, it would have gutted you like a fish. Hey! Flynn objected, shooting his oldest friend an exasperated look, dude she¡¯s just a kid. She wants to be grown up, she can get spoken to like an adult. Bastien argued. He has a point. Aiden agreed. What you did was very dangerous Arabe. Well if you want me to be safe, next time you ought to include me. The girl argued. All three young men exchanged the same beleaguered nce, their thoughts one in the same at that moment. Good grief. A little whileter, once they were safely back in the Pack House and Arabe was sound asleep in bed, Bastien found his friend sitting out on the sprawling rooftop of the modern abode. He climbed out the trap door and strode out onto the t surface, taking a seat next to his future Beta and patting his shoulder infort. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to do with her.¡± The shifter sighed, sounding much older than his 16 years. ¡°it¡¯s like she gets wilder and wilder with every day that passes.¡± ¡°She¡¯s just a kid.¡± Bastien reasoned. ¡°It¡¯s normal.¡± Flynn shaked his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to do this.¡± It had been almost two years since their parents had died and Gabriel took them under his wing, but the young Beta knew the true responsibility for raising his sister rested on his shoulders. They were the only family each other had left, no matter how completely Bastien felt like his brother. ¡°I can¡¯t take care of her the way Mom and Dad would have. She¡¯s so out of control, and I don¡¯t have the first clue how to make things right for her.¡¯ ¡°You don¡¯t have to do it alone. We¡¯ll do it together.¡± Bastien vowed, squeezing his friend¡¯s shoulder. He might be a mere teenager, but his Alpha traits were already so strong it was impossible to contain them. ¡°My parents will help, but you and I will make sure she has the affection and guidance she deserves. We¡¯ll give her everything she needs to seed in life, we¡¯ll keep her safe and teach her everything she needs to know.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s not enough?¡± Flynn wondered, disying a rare moment of vulnerability. ¡°That girl is going to have a whole vige looking out for her, and more big brothers than she could want or need.¡± Bastien promised. ¡°You¡¯ Il see. All will be fine.¡± As Bastien¡¯s clouded thoughts left the past in favor of the present, he gazed at the young she-wolf whom he¡¯d sworn to protect all those years ago. Within months Flynn was as much a ghost as his parents, and all of his responsibility fell to his friend. It was a burden Bastien took very seriously, and one he could never imagine forsaking. How was it possible that another woman could have stolen his attention, distracted him from his duties sopletely that he¡¯d abandoned the most importantmitment of his life? Had she tricked him as Arabe suggested, or was it something else? It was true that Arabe had grown into a lovely woman and though her disposition had grown far gentler as the years passed, she had never been one for intellectual pursuits, hard work or adventure. She was pretty, well-dressed, agreeable and little else. She also had a spoiled streak that came out at the worst of times. Inparison his wife was both a mystery and a conundrum. One newspaper article, an old obituary and a few sneakily captured photos on the inte was all he¡¯d been able to find of the woman. The photos told him she was drop-dead gorgeous, and the obituary he himself penned described a wolf of incredible sweetness, intelligence and strength. Arabe shared that Selene¡¯s own paranoia prevented anything else from being published about her, but she also couldn¡¯t seem to tell him how they¡¯d met or what Selene¡¯s history was prior to their marriage. Was it possible that attraction alone could have undermined his mission to care for Arabe? He couldn¡¯t believe he would abandon her for anything less than a fated mate, and the obituary did describe her thus. Arabe insisted it was all a spell Selene ced on him, but what if she was wrong? He was painfully aware that Arabe was not his mate. Could it not be true that Selene was his mate, as well as a conniving she-devil? After all, fated mates did not always get along; their feuds and competitions could be even more intense and violent than those of life long enemies. It was a very rare urrence, but not unheard of. One way or another, he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the woman back in Elysium, the one he had no memory of meeting, but who had apparently robbed him of all morals and peace of mind. Bastien had to find a way to make things right. He had to honor his vow to Flynn, he had to deal with Selene and Frederick, he had to save his pack and he couldn¡¯t do it alone. Allies were few and far between, especially since he¡¯d learned that Selene was as tightly bound with Drake Cavanaugh as she was his cousin. Bastien wanted to reach out to Aiden and Donavon, but Arabe had convinced him it was best for Selene to think her assassination had been sessful for the time being. It was quite logical given how tenuous his current situation was, but it still grated at his nerves to be so seemingly helpless. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Arabe asked, striding over to him with a soft smile. ¡°I was thinking about Flynn.¡± He admits, ¡°The night you followed us out hunting and almost got trampled by that stag.¡± Arabe frowns, ¡°I remember that night, you were all terribly mean to me.¡± Assuming she¡¯s joking, he offers her a wide grin and replies, ¡°You were asking for it.¡± She sniffs, ¡°How can you say that? All I ever wanted was to spend time with you and Flynn and you were horrible to me in return.¡± ¡°You were our responsibility.¡± Bastien reminds her, sobering when he realizes how serious she is. ¡°We wanted you to be safe.¡± ¡°You mean I was your burden.¡± Sheins, her eyes shining with tears, ¡°that¡¯s all I¡¯ve ever been to you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± He forbade, taking hold of her upper arms, ¡°you¡¯ve never been a burden.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie.¡± She hups. Pulling her into a hug, Bastien winced when her curves pressed up against him. He knew he nned on marrying her, but no amount of time seems capable of making him see her as anything other than a sister, ¡°It¡¯s not a lie. But listen, I need your help with something.¡± He confessed, changing the subject before things could get too emotional. ¡°Anything!¡± She agrees, squeezing me tightly. ¡°I want to set a meeting with ise.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 138 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Selene Calls Bastien Arabe¡¯s POV ¡°What?¡± i squeak, ¡°Why do you want to meet ise?¡± That cannot be allowed to happen. ise can¡¯t find out he¡¯s here! ¡°I need allies.¡± Bastien exins, releasing me. ¡°And he¡¯s the closest possibility.¡± Though my tears had beenpletely fake a moment before, true desperation grips me now. ¡°No Bastien, please.¡± I beg. ¡°You don¡¯t know ise. If he knows the Nova pack is without an Alpha right now, if he finds out you¡¯re here all alone, he¡¯ll move against you.¡± This much, at least, is true. ¡°I came here because I thought it was the only ce i¡¯d be safe from Selene, because ise is an even bigger monster than she is. He¡¯s powermad and violent, he wants to grow his empire at any cost.¡± ¡°The Nova pack isn¡¯t without an Alpha.¡± Bastien growls, ¡°And I¡¯m not so weak as you imagine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re weak.¡± I insist, wincing slightly when I realize how he interpreted my words. ¡°I¡¯m merely saying that ise is impossibly strong, and far crueler than you.¡± ¡°Then what do you propose I do?¡± Bastien demands, ¡°Lay low here forever, try and return home without any reinforcements?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m suggesting you look elsewhere for allies.¡± I breathe, ¡°Please believe me, ise will not help you. He will only make things worse.¡± ¡°I believe you.¡± Bastien rumbles, looking as if he feels the opposite. ¡°I¡¯m just frustrated.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I tell him carefully, feeling my own frustration seethe beneath the surface of this ridiculous farce. I¡¯m so sick of pretending to be nice and supportive of this man. I honestly don¡¯t know how spies manage to keep up constant deception; it¡¯s exhausting. ¡°But you just have to tell yourself the same thing you told me after Flynn died. Do you remember?¡± His brow furrows, ¡°No.¡± Of course not. I think bitterly. The one part of his memory that¡¯spletely intact, and he can¡¯t remember. Clearly it wasn¡¯t important enough to him to stick. ¡°You would say that I just have to get through this one moment in time. You told me to stop thinking about everything I had ahead of me and to take things one at a time. Survive this moment, and once that¡¯s done, survive the next. Eventually I¡¯d have so many behind me that the ones ahead wouldn¡¯t feel so daunting.¡± ¡°Did it work?¡± Bastien asks, his silver eyes boring into me. I want to say: Not in the fucking least you selfish mongrel. Instead I grit my teeth into a smile and force out a falsely cheerful titude. ¡°of course it worked, that¡¯s why I¡¯m advising you to do the same now.¡± Bastien¡¯s shoulder¡¯s slump, rxing per my guidance, ¡°thank you, Arabe.¡± Now I finally manage a true smile, if for no other reason than I¡¯m relieved at howpletely I have the big Alpha eating out of the palm of my hand. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m here to help!¡± Selene¡¯s POV ¡°I¡¯m not sure this is a good idea.¡± Aiden gripes. ¡°Come on, what¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡± Donavon replies, nodding towards me in encouragement. I¡¯ve finally convinced the Betas to let me try calling Bastien, though I have a feeling they¡¯re going to continue arguing about the matter until the deed is done. Raising my cell phone to my ear, I press the green send button and wait for the call to connect, muttering prayers to the Goddess under my breath. I¡¯m expecting to suffer through a drawn out series of rings, but the line never connects at all. It goes straight to Bastien¡¯s voicemail. My fingers are shaking as I lower the phone and end the call. ¡°Either his phone is dead or turned off.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not entirely surprising.¡± Aiden assures me, sounding far more rxed than I think he truly feels. ¡°We knew he¡¯d have to go dark for this.¡± ¡°Go dark?¡± I repeat skeptically, a rush of nausea taking my stomach hostage and clutching painfully at my insides. ¡°You talk like he¡¯s a secret agent.¡± Both men shrug as if this is precisely the case, and I find myself gnashing my teeth. ¡°So what¡¯s your n for making contact again when hepletes his mission?¡± i bite sarcastically. ¡°Carrier pigeons? Morse code?¡± ¡°Selene,¡± Donavon says in a tone meant to calm me, but which only angers me more, ¡°Bastien will check in when he can.¡± ¡°And how are you supposed to know if his silence if nned, or if it¡¯s a sign he¡¯s in trouble? I inquire, looking back and forth between them expectantly. I wish Odette was here, I know she¡¯d see the logic of what I¡¯m asking, but I needed her to babysit L so I could make the call. ¡°Selene, I know this is hard.¡± Aiden condescends, raising his palms to stave off my interruption. It doesn¡¯t work. ¡°No, you don¡¯t know.¡± I counter, pressing my own hand to my churning belly. ¡°You have no idea what this is like for me, how difficult it is to sit here and have you all make decisions about my life my childrens¡¯ lives without consulting me even once. To have a bunch of bossy men who think they know best tell me how things are going to be and brush off all my concerns as if I¡¯m just being silly and emotional.¡± Aiden opens his mouth to respond, but now it¡¯s my turn to block his objection. ¡°Bastien isn¡¯t just my friend, he¡¯s my mate and the father of my pups. He is more important to me than either one of you could understand.¡± I snap at the pair of bachelors, ¡°And there is more at stake here than you know!¡± Aiden¡¯s eyes are glowing now. ¡°Bastien has been my best friend since we were pups, I swore my life to standing by him. We¡¯ve fought wars together I don¡¯t have to share his bed to care about his well being or feel bonded to him.¡± I know he¡¯s speaking the truth, and I¡¯m wise enough to realize that trying to preference our feelings will never convince him, so I change tracks. ¡°Bastien wouldn¡¯t approve of you excluding me this way. It¡¯s not a matter of my safety this time and you know it.¡± I proim defensively. ¡°Think what you like.¡± Aiden puts his foot down. ¡°But we have our orders, and they include not stressing you out.¡± The room begins to blur as we argue, and I have to steady my hand on Bastien¡¯s desk to stay upright. Both men cease speaking, eyeing me nervously. ¡°Selene, are you alright?¡± im fine,¡± I insist waving off their concerns, ¡°I just want you to take what I¡¯m saying seriously. I want you to consult me on matters that impact my family. Being kept in the dark is stressing me out more than knowing could!¡± Aiden starts to refuse, but Donovan reaches a hand out to stall him. ¡°No, that¡¯s fair. You¡¯re right, Selene. You have a right to know these things.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± I exim, feeling as though I could hug the man. However I can¡¯t do any more than contemte the idea, as the room is spinning far too quickly for me to consider moving. My head feels light and fuzzy, and my body is suddenly so warm I feel like I¡¯ve been dipped into a warm bath. Hmm, I ponder out of nowhere. ¡°A bath would be nice.¡± It¡¯s only when Aiden and Donovan nce at each other with identical frowns and say, ¡°what?¡± that I realize I said this outloud. ¡°Sorry.¡± I murmur, my voiceing out strangely slurred. ¡°My mind got away from me there.¡± ¡°I think maybe you should sit down.¡± Donovan suggests, moving towards me. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly.¡± I argue, swatting him away, ¡°I already am sitting!¡± Stern hands push me onto a couch, and I btedly realize I must not have been sitting after all. ¡°Selene, can you hear us?¡± Aiden is asking, sounding very far away. ¡°I hear¡­¡± I murmur deliriously, an image of a megaphone appearing in my mind. That¡¯s what he needs. When did he get so quiet anyway? And why is his face all swirly? ¡°Your head is a megaphone.¡± I inform him firmly. Something is very wrong. I realize, much toote. The room is tilting sideways, the floor and ceiling seeming to switch positions. ¡°Call the doctor, right now.¡± Donovan sounds far away too, and yet they¡¯re both right in front of me. ¡°Wou¡¯ you stop thhhat?¡± I request, needing them to stop throwing their voices around, and internally pleading they would stop blurring together like a pair of two-headed monsters. The next thing I know darkness is closing in. Thest thing I remember before the world goes ck is L bursting into the study and stopping dead in her tracks when she sees me. I reach toward her as she cries my name, but my arm falls uselessly by my side as I slip away into unconsciousness. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 139 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Fever Dreams Selene¡¯s POV The dream began in a forest I don¡¯t recognize. The territory seemed familiar enough, tall snow-capped mountains and thick, lush evergreens. Snow covered the ground, and wolf tracks dotted the pristine white surface for as far as the eye could see. Are those my tracks? I wonder dimly, ncing down at my feet. However when I look, I find myself in human form. My pale, bare feet sink into the thick powder, and though my toes curl into the icey substance, I don¡¯t feel any cold. I¡¯m wearing a long silvery gown,pletely unsuitable for being out in these elements. My limbs are exposed to the frigid air, and as flurries of snowkes fill the air around me, I realize they do not melt when theynd on my skin. Something isn¡¯t right. Why can¡¯t I feel anything? Why can¡¯t I tell if it¡¯s night or day. Everything is so surreal and strange, I realize it must be a dream. However, figuring out I¡¯m unconscious does nothing to rescue me from this strange halfworld, instead the scene around me ys on as if I¡¯ m merely an observer rather than a participant. A young woman is trudging up the mountain on my left, bundled in heavy coats and hauling a duffel bag over her shoulder. Her belly swells with child, poking out of her clothes at a breadth that seems to indicate she¡¯s about halfway through her term. It¡¯s my mother. Her blue and violet eyes glow from beneath her hood and her blonde hair flutters in whisps around her beautiful face. She walks past me as if she doesn¡¯t see me at all, delicately moaning as she forges through the snow. Behind her trudges a tall, powerful wolf with hair the exact shade of mine. He¡¯s dragging a sleigh full of luggage up the steep slope with a determined expression on his face.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. My father. I know even though I never met the man. Even though I never saw a single photo. He seems terribly familiar, protectively eyeing my mother as she struggles. I have to fight the urge to reach out and touch him. Like my mother, he moves past as if I¡¯m not there at all, instead focusing on the she-wolf ahead. ¡°Enough Corinne, you need to let me take that.¡± He instructs sternly. ¡°I¡¯ve got it.¡± Mom insists stubbornly. ¡°It¡¯s only one bag, you have everything else.¡± ¡°You¡¯re already carrying something far more important.¡± My father insists, closing the distance between them and taking hold of the duffel bag¡¯s strap. Before he can pluck the bag from her hold, the sound of a howl rises up in the distance, and my parents freeze in terror. No. I think desperately, I know what this is. I don¡¯t want to see this. ¡°Run!¡± I tell them urgently, ¡°Go now and you might still make it!¡± They don¡¯t hear me. Instead my father takes my mother¡¯s face in his strong hands. ¡°We knew this might happen, my love. You have to go on ahead now.¡± ¡°No!¡± She exims, clutching at his arms. ¡°It¡¯s not toote, if I use my powers¡­¡± ¡°You promised, Corinne.¡± He reminds her fiercely. ¡°We decided, you and Selene have to make it, not me.¡± ¡°You decided!¡± My mother insists, ¡°please don¡¯t do this, please don¡¯t make me go on without you.¡± My father shakes his head, putting down his foot. ¡°You have to run baby. I¡¯ll buy you some time.¡± ¡°But my powers!¡± She tries again. ¡°If you use your powers it will only call more attention to you!¡± My father argues, setting his jaw and wearing precisely the same expression Bastien does when he¡¯s made up his mind about something and refuses to budge. ¡°Go Corinne, the Nova border isn¡¯t far now. It will be all night¡± ¡°It won¡¯t!¡± She cries, tears running down her cheeks. ¡°It will never be all right without you.¡± I¡¯mn crying too now. I knew my parents got separated running from the Calypso pack, I knew my father died on the way, but I didn¡¯t know he sacrificed himself this way. It¡¯s a thousand times worse to watch it happen than it was to hear about it. ¡°It will.¡± He promises, his voice thick with emotion. ¡°You¡¯ll have Selene, I¡¯ll live on through her. As long as you¡¯re together, you will always have a piece of me with you.¡± ¡°Please James,¡± My mother begs. ¡°Pleasee with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry sweetheart.¡± He professes, his eyes shining with tears, ¡°I so wanted to go on this adventure with you.¡± Kissing her deeply and hugging her onest time, he murmurs, ¡°Take care of my mate, and tell our little girl how badly I wish I could have met her.¡± ¡°I promise.¡± She sobs. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too.¡± He smiles through his tears, drops a final kiss on her lips then turns and shifts into his wolf form, charging away down the mountain. My mother drops her own bag and turns to the north, shifting and tearing off through the trees with tears flying from her furry cheeks. They sprint away in opposite directions, my father running to meet his death, my mother racing to save our lives. I always knew they loved each other, but now that I have a mate of my own I understand just how terrible their sacrifice truly was. I crumple to my knees in the snow, weeping as I watch their forms fade into the distance. Suddenly the dream shifts, the snowy mountain blurs and the odd half lit world shifts to one of total darkness. My keen wolf eyes can see the huddled form of a young pup pressed against the rockface, and at first I think I¡¯m seeing L, only this child is too old. After a moment I realize I¡¯m staring at myself, the little wolf who ran too deep into the mountain tunnels and became hopelessly lost. I was too young and weak then to try and fight for myself. I didn¡¯t know I had any powers, or that my blood was special. I simply curled up in the darkness and cried, waiting to be rescued. I remember all too well whates next. After hours and hours alone in the horrible maze of rocky caves surrounding the city, my knight in shining armor appeared. When I was five, teenage Bastien had looked like a god. Already tall and more muscr than most fully grown men, he strode through the darkness at a leisurely pace, demonstrating the lethal grace of the Apex predator he would one day be. His silver eyes glowed in the darkness, locking in instantly on the sniffling girl in the corner. *Well hello there.¡± He greeted me warmly, careful not toe too close. ¡°You look lost, little wolf.¡± Hupping and nodding, I exin, ¡°They were making fun of me, I ran in here to get away, but then I got all turned around.¡± ¡°Who was making fun of you?¡± He asked, sitting down beside me. ¡°The kids at school.¡± I share, swiping at my tear stained cheeks. ¡°What are you doing down here?¡± ¡°Why I¡¯m looking for you, of course.¡± Bastien answers smoothly, ¡°and you shouldn¡¯t listen to those other kids.¡± ¡°They called me a freak.¡± i murmur, ¡°they said I must have been bewitched or deformed because my eyes are different colors.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Teenage Bastien hums thoughtfully, ¡°let¡¯s see.¡± if I thought the size difference between us as adults wasughable, the difference between his huge paw and my tiny chin in this memory is downright absurd. He tilts my chin up to study my wide, shining eyes, and his rugged features soften, ¡°I think you have beautiful eyes.¡± Bastien states earnestly. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what, if anyone ever tries to make fun of them again, youe tell me, and I¡¯ll teach them a lesson.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I sniffle. ¡°Really.¡± He promises. ¡°You can find me at the pack house,e any time.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I whisper shyly. ¡°Of course.¡± He grins, ¡°Now, do you want to hide here a wide longer, or would you like to go home?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how to get out.¡± I confide, my lower lip quivering as a fresh wave of tears threatens. ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re with me.¡± Bastien quips, rising to his feet. He bends down and gathers me up as if I weigh nothing. ¡°Come on you, lets get you back to your mother. She¡¯s been worried sick.¡± I wrapped my arms and legs around him, cuddling close and letting him carry me out of the darkness. He was impossibly gentle, even for being a wild teenager. ¡°Honestly.¡± He mused, hugging me to his chest, ¡°how could anyone make fun of a sweet thing like you?¡± ¡°People are mean.¡± I pout. ¡°Not all people, little wolf.¡± He advises. ¡°You just have to find the right ones.¡± I never forgot those words, and I never doubted for a single moment that in Bastien Durand, I¡¯d already found the right person for me. That day began my lifelong love for the man- one I will carry on whether hees home to me or not. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 140 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Odette Puts Her Foot Down Odette¡¯s POV ¡°Dr, will Selene be all right?¡± I ask worriedly, speaking in hushed tones so as not to be overheard. ¡°She¡¯s still unconscious.¡± Dr Kane replies, ¡°She needs rest, and we¡¯re still waiting on herb work, but she¡¯s young and healthy. As long as she takes care of herself she should be fine.¡± ¡°Is there anything we can do to help her?¡± I press. ¡°Keep an eye on her, I know she¡¯s very ill, but you¡¯ve got to get as much food and water into her as possible, even when she doesn¡¯t want anything.¡± He instructs. ¡°But won¡¯t that make her sick more often?¡± I fret, wringing my hands. ¡°I know it sounds terrible, but it¡¯s about gain. The more she takes in, the more nutrients she retains, even if she¡¯s bringing the majority back up.¡± Dr Kane exins with an apologetic from. ¡°Thank you.¡± I say, pushing the unpleasant images from my mind. What he¡¯s saying makes sense, I just don¡¯t want to picture it. After he moves away I turn on my heel and stomp around the corner to where Aiden and Donavon wait. ¡°Well I hope you two are pleased with yourself.¡± I remark derisively, staring down the Betas. ¡°What?¡± They exchange nervous nces, ¡°You can¡¯t mean to me us for this! It¡¯s the pregnancy.¡± ¡°Your Alpha¡¯s mate is struggling through a high-risk pregnancy while keeping herself and her daughter hidden from a homicidal maniac, at the same time as she¡¯s starting a new business and serving as the symbolic head of the pack while her mate is off Goddess only knows where fighting off assassins, and you think it¡¯s a good idea to stress her out further by picking arguments and hiding information from her? Though both men stand at least a head taller than me, in that moment they look positively tiny. Donavon clears his throat. ¡°Bastien told us to shield her from anything she didn¡¯t need to know ¨C so that she wouldn¡¯t be stressed.¡± ¡°And you think she didn¡¯t need to know he would fall out of contact?¡± I scoff. ¡°That you had no ns in ce to reconnect with him in the future? You don¡¯t think knowing that in advance and having time to come to terms with that would have helped her?¡± The men exchange guilty nces. ¡°We didn¡¯t think about it that way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t.¡± I grate out.. ¡°Is she awake yet?¡± Aiden inquires sheepishly. ¡°No.¡± I sigh, ¡°The doctor said it might be some time yet. She¡¯ll wake when she¡¯s ready.¡± I say, ncing at L and Drake ying on the other side of the waiting room. ¡°For L¡¯s sake, we¡¯ll just have to hope it¡¯s soon.¡± Selene¡¯s POV Bastien grins wolfishly up at me, before lowering his talented tongue to my overheated sex. My back arches off the bed and I wind my fingers tightly into his hair. ¡°Oh Goddess!¡± His finger joins his mouth, delving into my sodden channel and massaging my sensitive flesh before adding a second; thrusting, rubbing and stretching me from the inside out. It¡¯s too much to bear, and my body is so unused to being touched this way I¡¯ming within moments. He continues wringing the pleasure out of me until Ie back down to earth. Once I do he crawls back up my body and cuddles me to his chest, kissing me and whispering praise and sweet nothings in my ear. ¡°How do you do that?¡± I pant in astonishment. He chuckles indulgently. ¡°You could do it too, if you wanted.¡± ¡°Not with my tongue.¡± I joke, ¡°You know what I mean.¡± He replies with a wide smile. I shake my head in denial ¡°it wouldn¡¯t be the same.¡± Bastien kisses me again, and I reach for the hard length between his legs. As usual, he¡¯s still fully clothed, though I¡¯mpletely naked. He catches my hand, ¡°What are you doing?¡± He asks, obviously already knowing the answer. ¡°I want to give you pleasure.¡± I whisper meekly. ¡°That isn¡¯t necessary.¡± Bastien rolls out of bed without another word, leaving me feeling terribly cold. ¡°But¡­ ¡± I murmur helplessly. sliding out of the bed as if I meant to follow, but not moving an inch. ¡°Selene, we¡¯ve talked about this.¡± Bastien reminds me, pausing at the bathroom door. ¡°If you touch me, I¡¯ll lose control. I won¡¯t be able to stop myself.¡± At the time I assumed he meant he would be forced into doing something he¡¯d regret. We had had this conversation before, earlier in our marriage, but I couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want me?¡± As soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize they¡¯re a mistake. Bastien slowly turned back around, looking absolutely furious. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you want me?¡± I repeat, so quiet I can barely hear my own words but my husband certainly does. The next thing I know, Bastien is storming across the room, backing me into a corner and towering over me menacingly. ¡°Not want you?¡± He demands, breathing heavily. ¡°Not want you? How can you say that? How can you think that?¡± His massive hand ttens against the wall by my ear, so forcefully the ster shakes, ¡°Don¡¯t you realize you¡¯re all I want? I crave you day and night, Selene/ It¡¯s been absolute torture to touch you this way without being able to go further, but I¡¯ve been holding myself back for you. I don¡¯t want to push you into anything you aren¡¯t ready for.¡± ¡°But I want you to.¡± I squeak, pressing my hands to his muscr chest. Don¡¯t get me wrong. I¡¯m scared.¡± I admit, ncing warily at the huge bulge in his trousers, ¡°But I want to be close to you that way. I want to give you pleasure¡­ I want to truly be man and wife.¡± I¡¯ve known from the beginning that our marriage would never be official until we took this step, but I suppose I hadn¡¯t been desperate enough before now. Besides, if it¡¯s anything like what you¡¯ve shown me already¡­¡± I never get out the rest of my sentence, Bastien¡¯s mouth ims mine so passionately my heart stops beatingpletely. The next thing! know he¡¯s carrying me back to the bed, tossing me onto the plush covers and dragging my body towards him while he strips off all his clothes. My husband stretches out on the coverlet and pulls my body atop his, kissing me fiercely, ¡°Just this once baby ¨C you get to be in control, after this we do things my way.¡± Our tongues tangling, I rock my aching core over his massive member, anticipation building inside me like a zing firework. After a moment he grasps my hips and positions himself at my entrance. I lowered myself hesitantly, feeling his wide mushroom head stretching my entrance and gasping at the sensation. It was delicious and painful all at once. He felt way too big to ever fit, and if what I was feeling now was only the head. As if sensing the problem, Bastien raised himself to a sitting position and coiled his arm around my waist. His mouth covered mine at the same moment he thrust into me, burying himself to the hilt and locking me in ce with his iron grip. I keened into his nting mouth, tears burning in my eyes. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°Shh,¡± Bastien crooned, ¡°That was the worst part, it¡¯s over now.¡± As he slowly helped me begin to move, guiding my hips and rubbing my swollen clit, I realized he was right. Pleasure more profound than anything he¡¯d shared with me before began to bloom deep within me, sending bolts of electricity flying through my body. Whimpering and increasing my pace, Bastien helped me find a rhythm, the incredible friction of his cock thrusting in and out of me building to new heights. ¡°That¡¯s it, Baby.¡± He encouraged, ¡°Just like that. Goddess, you¡¯re beautiful. You feel so good, Selene.¡± Within a few minutes of increasingly frantic undting, I was cresting the wave of pleasure, fireworks bursting across my vision in a stunning riot of light and color. As I threw my head back and cried out in ecstasy, Bastienved the spot where he would one day leave his mark with his tongue. ¡°Such a good girl.¡± He encouraged, ¡°Coming all over my cock.¡± Before I could even process the pleasure racking my body, Bastien flipped me beneath him, thrusting hard and fast until he spilled his seed inside me, growling my name and swallowing my whines as I toppled over the edge a second time. In the delirious aftermath, he cradled me close. ¡°You have no idea how long I¡¯ve wanted to do that.¡± Giggling, I reply. ¡°How soon can we do it again?¡± Bastien chuckles deeply. ¡°Insatiable little wolf.¡± ¡°No one ever told me.¡± I admit, peeking up at him from beneath myshes. ¡°That was¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± Bastien agrees, stroking my hair back from my eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt anything like it myself. It¡¯s not always like that, Selene ¨C far from it.¡± His silver eyes bored into me with terrifying intensity. ¡°I love you.¡± My heart swelled in my chest. It was the first time he ever told me he loved me, and one I¡¯d forget all too soon. ¡°I love you too.¡± I never want to leave this dream. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 141 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Selene Wakes Up Myshes flutter open to reveal a stark white room, a bevy of sterile, chemical scents filling my nose. I feel weighed down and dizzy at once, like I¡¯m floating yet unable to move. I recognize this feeling, and I¡¯ve woken up in this situation often enough to guess what happened. I must have passed out from exhaustion, dehydration, stress, or all three. I¡¯m back in the hospital, hooked up to half a dozen beeping machines and wearing a scratchy, unttering paper gown. The world is dark beyond the windows, and I nce around for a clock. It was around ten o-clock this morning when I attempted to call Bastien, but it¡¯s after 8pm now. I¡¯ve been asleep all day. Slowly but surely, the events which passed before I lost consciousness filter back through my mind, and I immediately want to find L. She must have been so scared. As if reading my mind, Odette appears in my doorway a momentter, with L peeking around her legs. ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°Hello little bean!¡± I greet her with as much enthusiasm as I can muster. Pushing myself up to a sitting position, I extend my arms to the pup, e here and give Mommy a hug.¡± She toddles over without hesitation, mbering onto the bed and into my arms and ignoring Odette¡¯s soft caution to be gentle with me. I don¡¯t want my sweet daughter to be gentle any more than she does, I want her as close as possible. Her warm little body smothers me with affection, and I cuddle her close. ¡°How are you?¡± I ask anxiously, kissing her soft cheeks. ¡°Mommy you scared me!¡± she says, a note of usation heavy in her voice. ¡°You fain-ed and everyone got all loud.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, angel.¡± I breathe, ¡°Mommy just got very tired very fast.¡± ¡°Cuz of da baby?¡± She inquired curiously. *That¡¯s right.¡± I agree, rocking her gently from side to side. ¡°Alright now, little one.¡± Odette tries to intervene, caressing L¡¯s hair. ¡°Your Mommy needs her rest.¡± A nurse pokes her head around the doorway and echoes my mother-inw¡¯s advice, ¡°Careful now, she really shouldn¡¯t be in bed with you though I¡¯m d to see you¡¯re awake.¡± re at them both, Nuzzling my pup¡¯s sweet-smelling skin and glowering over her shoulder. ¡°Easy Mama Bear,¡± Dr Kane moves around the nurse with a wide smile, ¡°She can stay right where she is.¡± The nurse looks like she wants to object, but the chief physician shoots her a quelling stare and she backs down immediately. He strides further into the room, greeting Odette warmly before turning to me, ¡°How are you feeling Selene?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± I lie, in truth I feel like I¡¯ve been hit by a bus. I can tell no one is convinced by my falsehood, but my L Bean saves me from being called out. She nces warily at the handsome young doctor, ¡°Whose dat?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Dr. Kane.¡± He introduces himself. ¡°I took care of your Mommy when she was carrying you, and I¡¯m taking care of her and the new baby now.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re taking care¡¯f her, why¡¯s she so sick?¡± L grumbles, surprising us all. I try tough, but even that seems to take too much energy. The othersugh for me. ¡°That can¡¯t be helped sweetheart. I¡¯d actually be a lot more sick if Dr Kane wasn¡¯t helping me.¡± I remember well how difficult it was to get Dr¡¯s in Asphodel to take my condition seriously. They wouldn¡¯t prescribe me the anti-nausea drugs I requested until I¡¯d been hospitalized twice in one week. L doesn¡¯t seem convinced, especially not when Dr Kane steps forward and reaches for her. ¡°I won¡¯t make you leave, but let¡¯s just rearrange you a teensy bit so I can take a look at your Mommy, hmm?¡± L stubbornly shakes her head and hugs me tighter, burying her face in my neck. Stroking my hand in soothing patterns up and down her spine, I give the Dr a beseeching look. ¡°I hate to ask, but could you come backter? After this one has gone to bed?¡± This gets my pup¡¯s attention. Her little head pops up. ¡°I sleep here, with you, Mommy.¡± ¡°Sweetheart, I wish you could stay with me, but it¡¯s not allowed.¡± I sigh, pressing my lips to her hair. ¡°But Mommy, wanna stay!¡± L insists, sounding near tears. Dr Kane eyes me as if trying to decipher whether I really do want her to stay or if I¡¯m using the hospital rules as an excuse to give me some time to rest up alone. But it isn¡¯t an excuse, I really do want her nearby. It was hard enough being away from her when everything was fine, but now that our lives are such a mess it gets harder and harder to let her out of my sight. Reading my expression, Thomas nods, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what, Ms. L. If you go get a cookie with your Grandma now so that I can have a minute with your Mommy, I¡¯ll fix it so you can stay with her tonight.¡± ¡°But Dr¡± The nurse objects looking horrified. ¡°She¡¯s the Alpha¡¯s mate.¡± He reminds her sharply. ¡°If there was ever anyone worthy of making exceptions for, it¡¯s her.¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± she sulks, looking like she doesn¡¯t agree. I suppose it will make her life harder to have to work around my pup all night. Though I don¡¯t want to make her job more difficult, I¡¯m also unwilling to give up my pup. After all, it¡¯s only one night and she¡¯s the most important thing here. ¡°What do you say, L bean?¡± I ask, ¡°Can you give us a minute?¡± She gazes up at me with wide eyes, ¡°Do I have to?¡± She murmurs, gesturing towards the doctor. ¡°I don¡¯ like him.¡± I smother a sigh, I can¡¯t say I me the little girl for being less trustworthy and closed off to new people with everything that¡¯s happened, but I also can¡¯t encourage it. ¡°If you want to stay with Mommy tonight, you need to go with Gramma for a little while.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Sulking and dragging her feet, L slides off the bed and ces her small hand in Odette¡¯s, walking out of the room with a forlorn nce over her shoulder. When we¡¯re alone Dr Kane approaches my bedside. ¡°Alright you, tell the truth now, how are you feeling?¡± ¡°Terrible.¡± I admit. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, the meds were working.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Thomas assesses smoothly. ¡°Have you been under any undue stress this week?¡± Peering up at him from beneath myshes, I admit, ¡°maybe a little.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± He nods, looking around, ¡°Is Bastien here somewhere? We really need to talk about making some lifestyle changes so that you can avoidnding back here again.¡± I drop my gaze, feeling a red flush work its way up my cheeks. ¡°Actually he¡¯s still out of town.¡± Dr Kane¡¯s eyes widen, and I can tell he¡¯s shocked the Alpha would leave me for so long when I¡¯m in this condition. Its the same look of surprise and displeasure everyone who¡¯s out of the loop dons. If only they knew what was going on, if only they knew he had no choice. The physician recovers quicker than most, wiping his countenance of any emotion.¡±I¡¯ll call him then.¡± Gulping, I murmur, ¡°Actually I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible either.¡± Nervously checking to make sure no one can overhear us, I add. ¡°He¡¯s sort of off the grid.¡± This time Dr. Kane makes no effort to hide his feelings. ¡°You¡¯re kidding. ¡°Unfortunately not.¡± I confess. ¡°Selene,¡± Thomas sighs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but that is not eptable.¡± ¡°I did this on my own once before.¡± I remind him with an anemic shrug. ¡°That was different.¡± Dr. Kane growls, you didn¡¯t have a choice then. ¡°I don¡¯t have one now either.¡± I inform him, ¡°Things areplicated at the moment. Bastien will be back as soon as he can, I just have to hang on a little while longer.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Thomas questions, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to question the Alpha¡¯smitment to you, but I can¡¯t imagine any mate cutting off contact even if they did have to leave for a time.¡± ¡°Bastien loves me more than anything.¡± I tell Dr. Kane confidently, ¡°he¡¯ll be home before we know it.¡± ¡°That he will.¡± Drake¡¯s deep voice sounds behind the doctor, and my heart swells a little when I catch sight of him. ¡°Drake!¡± I exim, ¡°You didn¡¯t have toe all the way down here.¡± ¡°What, and miss seeing you in that fabulous gown? Fat chance.¡± He jokes, ¡°Now what¡¯s this I hear about you copsing in the middle of the day and scaring everyone half to death?¡± Grinning sheepishly. I reply. ¡°I guess it was a bit dramatic.¡± ¡°Just a bit.¡± Drake teases, ¡°you know if you want attention all you have to do is ask, you don¡¯t have to land yourself in the hospital.¡± ¡°Alpha her condition is not a joking matter.¡± Dr Kane interjects, suddenly looking so serious that I¡¯m taken aback. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dr.¡± Drake responds smoothly. ¡°we¡¯re just trying to lighten the mood a bit.¡± ¡°Well I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s not much to make light about.¡± Thomas informs us grimly. ¡°Selene, part of why I wanted to speak to you alone is because your blood tests were quite concerning. I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re not going to be able to release you yet.¡± ¡°Well I already knew that much.¡± I say, trying to stay positive. ¡°I already knew I was spending the night.¡± ncing back and forth between us, Dr Kane exhales heavily. ¡°No. I mean we can¡¯t release you until yourbs improve. Which means you¡¯re going to be here for some time.¡± ¡°How long?¡± Drake rifies. ¡°It could be days.¡± Dr Kane exins, or it could be weeks.¡± I swing my eyes to Drake. How the hell am I suppose to help run the pack and raise my daughter from a hospital bed, ¡°there has to be a mistake.¡± Dr Kane shakes his head in denial. ¡°I¡¯m afraid there isn¡¯t. This is the way it has to be¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 142 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Bedrest Selene¡¯s POV The dreams haven¡¯t stopped. It seems every time I close my eyes, some new memory or imagined depiction of the past resurfaces to haunt me. Most of the time they¡¯re pleasant: the early months of my first marriage to Bastien, milestones in L¡¯s young life, even a few more events from my childhood. Of course they aren¡¯t all good. I¡¯ve relived my mother¡¯s death in this ufortable hospital bed, as well as Garrick¡¯s abuse and Gabriel¡¯s murder and then there are the dreams about Bastien. Not sweet reminiscings of our recent reunion or sex fueled fantasies, but nightmares: horrible visions of all that might befall him on his journey, and imaginings of horrors already suffered. Just now I was wrenched from sleep by the bloody scenes of his attempted assassination, which my tormented brain created in the middle of an otherwise peaceful rest. I sit up in bed gasping for air, looking around in fear and confusion as if I might still be in that forest surrounded by violence and death. My heart monitor is beeping wildly, and the next thing I know, Dr Kane is striding into the room with a worried frown. ¡°What¡¯s going on little mama?¡± He asks, studying my pale face and then the machines, ¡°Are you going to be sick?¡± As soon as he says it, I realize I am. Nodding frantically, I reach for the trash bin next to my bed, and he promptly helps me, pushing the stic lined container into my hand. Retching while the physician holds back my hair and murmurs words offort, tears spring to my eyes. Sliding out from between my tightly clenchedshes and rolling down my cheeks, I have no way of stopping the salty cascade. My hands are upied trying to ensure the meager contents of my stomach make it into the trash receptacle and not my bed or the floor. Thus, when the sickness finally passes, there is no hiding my distress from the doctor. ¡°Poor darling.¡± He murmurs sympathetically, producing a box of tissues. ¡°You must be feeling awful.¡± Nodding pitifully, I dab at my tears, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I hope you aren¡¯t here sote because of me.¡± We¡¯d discovered just how disruptful my illness had been to my rest the night L stayed with me, which unfortunately did not go very well. After being woken three times by my retching and bing increasingly upset seeing me in such a state, I had to call Drake toe get her. The attentive doctor had been very concerned and forbidden further sleepovers, but he also began stayingter andter at work to keep an eye on me. ¡°You¡¯ve got the future of the pack in there.¡± He says, nodding towards my belly. ¡°It would be a dereliction of duty for me to leave you unattended.¡± Guilt brings my tears raging back, and a rush of emotion so powerful I can¡¯t even attempt to without it has me throwing my head back and sobbing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± When Thomas¡¯s eyes widen in rm and he reaches toward me in concern, I raise my palm, ¡°No, I¡¯m s-sorry, I¡¯m f fine.¡± I hup, sounding completely unconvincing. ¡°It¡¯s just mood swings.¡± The doctor cuts his gaze to me, ¡°It¡¯s also stress, Selene.¡± He diagnoses sternly, ¡°you weren¡¯t this bad off with L. I¡¯m very worried that you¡¯ re still losing weight, even being admitted here and on all our drugs. You shouldn¡¯t be this sick¡­¡± He trails off, looking like he wants to say more. *What?¡± prompt, ¡°what is it?¡± And,¡± He sighs, ¡°you shouldn¡¯t be without your mate. The Alpha should be here.¡± It¡¯s not the first time he¡¯s expressed this, in fact he¡¯s repeated it at least three times a day since I arrived. ¡°It¡¯s uneptable that he isn¡¯t.¡± My jaw tightens, ¡°With all due respect, Dr Kane,¡± I begin in a hard voice, surprising the man with whom I¡¯m usually much more informal. ¡°You don¡¯t know what is going on in our lives, and as we¡¯ve discussed, I was under plenty of stress during my first pregnancy. More stress than being without my mate for a few days could evenpare to!¡± Part of me actually believes this. After all, Bastien was rejecting me, Gabriel was murdered, Odette was practially suicidal, the pack was falling to pieces, Arabe was trying to murder me and then I was trying to figure out how to be independent and a mother at the same time. Still, I know the weight of our current predicament is weighing on me more. I didn¡¯t have my wolf before, and Bastien hadn¡¯t marked me yet. I was basically a shell of a woman, unable to truly process anything that was happening or feel the depth of emotion I do now. And now I have a pup who¡¯s life is in danger, I have a bonded mate who¡¯s out there risking his life to protect us from one homicidal tyrant while another spies and plots stealing me from Bastien while simultaneously trying to kill him. Everything feels so much more intense now my love, fear and pain. ¡°Selene.¡± Dr Kane purses his lips. ¡°Let me tell you what I do know. Your blood pressure is elevated, you¡¯re five pounds lighter than you were at this stage with L despite starting out at a higher weight, you¡¯re anemic and calcium deficient, dangerously dehydrated and you¡¯re sleeping round the clock. I don¡¯t need to know what¡¯s going on to read the signals your body is sending. Whether you agree or not, your body is showing much greater physical signs of stress than it was in your first pregnancy.¡± Sulkily peeking up at him from beneath myshes, I say. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s Bastien¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°Perhaps not, but it does mean he should be here.¡± Dr. Kane counters, digging in his heels, ¡°I assume by now he knows that you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°No.¡± I reply, my heart rate increasing on the machine, drawing both of our attention and sending a flush over my cheeks. ¡°When I said he was out of reach, I wasn¡¯t speaking temporarily.¡± Thomas shakes his head. ¡°There must be some way you can get word to him.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡± I insist, a bit defiantly. ¡°Believe me if there was, it would already be done.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The doctor sits on the edge of my bed, and rests his hand atop mine. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to pry, Selene.¡± He says, in the tone of someone who is absolutely about to pry. ¡°But under the circumstances I need to know your situation to best care for you. Has something happened between you and the Alpha? Are you certain well, is there a chance he won¡¯t be returning?¡± His words pierce my heart like a knife. ¡°There¡¯s always a chance some misfortune could befall him before he returns.¡± i grind out, but believe me, if he has any say in the matter whatsoever, he will return. Nothing has happened between us that might change that.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re still together?¡± Dr. Kane presses, ¡°He still considers you his mate?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I snarl. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He apologizes, raising his hands in defense, ¡°I had to ask.¡± Suddenly I¡¯m more inclined to agree with Bastien about finding a new doctor. Even though I spent most of our rtionship believing Bastien didn¡¯t care about me, hearing someone else suggest it now that I know the truth now that our mating bond has let me feel the enormity of his love in no uncertain terms ¨C makes me furious. ¡°No you didn¡¯t.¡± i inform him coolly. ¡°Bastien loves me.¡± ¡°Then why isn¡¯t he here?¡± Thomas inquires, clearly losing his own temper. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t he given you a way to reach him? Why is he neglecting you?¡± For the first time, it urs to me that my doctor¡¯s feelings about me might not be entirely professional. He¡¯s indignance on my behalf doesn¡¯t soundpletely innocent it almost sounds, well¡­ jealous. As if he would never dream of treating me this way if I was his. ¡°Dr. Kane.¡± I state evenly, trying to find the right words, ¡°I promise you, he isn¡¯t neglecting me. He¡¯s gone at the moment because it¡¯s what¡¯s best for me. We both want him home, but he isn¡¯t because he¡¯s putting my wellbeing above all else.¡± Worry wrinkles his brow. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t say any more.¡± I admit, ¡°just know that he ising back, and he would never do anything that would risk preventing him from returning home to his family and the pack.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re sure.¡± He murmurs, making his exit. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end as he strides away, and I slip out of bed. My feet pad silently across the floor, ensconced in bulky hospital socks with rubber soles. I pause just inside the doorway when I hear Thomas¡¯s voice speaking to a nurse on the other side, ¡°well? ¡°He¡¯s got the poor thingpletely brainwashed.¡± He reports, ¡°she actually believes he¡¯s faithful to her.¡± ¡°Someone has to tell her the truth.¡± The nurse replies. ¡°They can try. I doubt she¡¯s open to hearing it now.¡± He audibly exhales, ¡°in time perhaps, after she figures out he isn¡¯ting home.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 143 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Go Fish Drake¡¯s POV ¡°Go fish!¡± L giggles, holding a fan of cards close to her body. ¡°Hmm,¡± I grumble, narrowing my eyes at the mischievous pup, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t have any fives, L bean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure!¡± She exims, nodding vigorously. Halfway through my draw, her expression changes, ¡°Mommy, I have to potty.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take her.¡± Sophie offers, sliding off myp and helping L to her feet. I¡¯m momentarily distracted watching my stunning mate walk away, but once the bathroom door closes at her back I turn back to Selene. We¡¯re seated around a small table in her VIP hospital suite, with Selene herself situated in an oversized armchair fitted with an IV hook and a call button. She¡¯s wearing a thick robe and a worried expression, but herplexion is decidedly less green today than it was yesterday. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask. She nces at me somewhat sheepishly, as if uncertain she wants to share her thoughts. ¡°Dr. Kane is up to something.¡± ¡°What makes you say that?¡± I question, not that I doubt her for one moment. That man had been so openly aggressive towards me anytime I got near Selene that I was already convinced he was in love with her. I n on speaking to Bastien about it the next time we talk, but if he¡¯s making Selene ufortable then maybe we can get rid of him sooner. ¡°He¡¯s really been criticizing Bastien for not being here, and right to my face.¡± She begins, gnawing on her lower lip. ¡°But the other day! overheard him telling one of the nurses that I don¡¯t know, he made it sound like Bastien has mepletely under his thumb and is out there screwing everything in a skirt while I¡¯m oblivious. He made it sound like Bastien not being here was proof he¡¯d left me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s absurd.¡± I growl. ¡°Bastien¡¯s not just any wolf, he¡¯s the Alpha. He can¡¯t escape his responsibilities by running away even if he wanted to, and he never would.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± Selene agrees. ¡°You do? I confirm. I¡¯ve spent enough time with mistreated she-wolf¡¯s to know how easy it is to believe the worst, even when it defies logic. It wouldn¡¯t be her fault if the physician¡¯s words swayed her, not when she¡¯d been told she was worthless her entire life. ¡°Yes.¡± Selene insists, with more strength than I expected. ¡°That¡¯s why I think Thomas is up to something.¡± She pauses, ncing at me with a plea for understanding. ¡°I was really wrong not to have faith in Bastien when we were married the first time. I¡¯m not going to make that mistake again. I know he loves me, I know he lives for L.¡± ¡°Good.¡± I nod approvingly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what game the doctor is ying, but I have my suspicions and I expect he wanted you to hear his nder.¡± ¡°You think he¡¯s interested in me.¡± Selene guesses. ¡°I suspected it when he jumped down my throat for joking with you the other day, and I¡¯ve been watching the way he looks at you. It¡¯s not how I would expect an objective medical practitioner to look at their patient. Besides, you said he¡¯s been staying overtime to care for you. She stares at herp. ¡± I feel like I never get any better at reading people. I really thought he was my friend. He helped me so much when I was pregnant with L.¡± ¡°Love makes people do crazy things.¡± I proim. ncing at the bathroom door, where I can hear Sophie chattering with L to give us time to talk in private. Such a clever littlemb. My wolf thinks, making my thoughts take a particrly inappropriate turn. Down Boy. I caution him, turning my attention back to the matter at hand, ¡°having feelings for you doesn¡¯t make him a viin.¡± ¡°You never would have tried to manipte me that way.¡± She counters, perhaps giving me more credit than I deserve. I don¡¯t know many shifters who wouldn¡¯t go to the ends of the earth to win the object of their heart¡¯s desire. ¡°Maybe not.¡± I agree, offering her a wolfish grin, ¡°but not all men can be of my high caliber.¡± Selene tosses a pillow at me, and I catch it deftly before gently tossing it back to her. Anyway, listen. I wanted to talk to you about your training.¡± Her head whips up, excitement filling her eyes, ¡°Have you found me a teacher.¡± ¡°Yes and no.¡± I sigh, not really wanting to deliver this news. ¡°What does that mean?¡± She asks suspiciously. ¡°It means I¡¯ve found someone who agreed to work with you.¡± I exin, delivering the good news first. ¡°but I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in any state to begin working with her.¡± ¡°Ohe on!¡± Selene cries, throwing up her hands in exasperation. ¡°i¡¯m not made of ss. Everyone is treating me like I¡¯m going to fall apart at any moment.¡± ¡°Sweetheart, three days ago you were telling Aiden he had a megaphone head and copsing in front of your pup.¡± I recall, adopting an admonishing tone. ¡°I hate to say it, but kid gloves are probably necessary for the foreseeable future. Using your powers will require a lot of energy and you have dangerously little to spare.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll never get stronger if I don¡¯t practice!¡± Sheins. ¡°I know.¡± I agree, ¡°but you have to get strong enough to practice before you can hope to improve. It won¡¯t do anyone any good if you knock yourself out on day one, especially not the baby.¡± She looks down at the small hand resting on her t belly, a look of pure guilt taking over her features. Assuming she feels badly for not considering its wellbeing I say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to imply you were being neglectful.¡± ¡°No.¡± Selene says flushing scarlet, ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± She admits, ¡°I was thinking about the baby, I just can I say something horrible?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I promise, ¡°No judgment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really happy about this baby.¡± Selene promises, seeming so sincere it makes my heart ache. ¡°I¡¯m so excited to grow our family, to give L a sibling, and to have another little monster in the house. I¡¯m thrilled that I might be giving Bastien an heir¡­¡± She trails off, as if too afraid to finish her thought. ¡°But the timing?¡± I guess. ¡°The timing is absolutely horrible!¡± She bursts, obviously grateful for my prompting, ¡°I legitimately cannot think of a worse set of circumstances to be in when bringing a new life into the world. I know Bastien was just following his instincts, and my wolf didn¡¯t exactly help matters but Goddess to I wish this could have happened a few months down the line after all of this was sorted.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡± I concede, reaching over to squeeze her hand. ¡°And it¡¯s perfectly valid to feel that way, but pups are always chaos. There¡¯s never a good time to bring chaos into your life.¡± ¡°Maybe not,¡± Selene remarks sardonically, ¡°but there are certainly better times like when you aren¡¯t facing certain doom.¡± Laughing softly, I reply. ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s already done. Selene.¡± A few months ago the pout on her full lips would have put all sorts of dirty thoughts in my mind, but now it doesn¡¯t absolutely nothing. I suppose it helps that she looks like hell, but I know the truth and it¡¯s currently hiding on the other side of the bathroom door. How strange it seems that I can miss my mate so much, when she¡¯s only a few feet away. Pulling my distracted brain back to the present, I return my gaze to Selene. ¡°You can¡¯t turn back the clock, this baby ising whether it¡¯s convenient or not. Pretending you have control here is only going to make things more difficult, you¡¯ve got to slow down, and you¡¯ve got to make the most of the hand you¡¯ve been dealt.¡± ¡°Cute.¡± She snorts, brandishing her fanned cards. ¡°I thought so.¡± I smile. ¡°Alright.¡± My friend surrenders, patting her stomach. ¡°No training until things calm down, and until this little one is big and healthy enough to withstand a bit of excitement.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡± I praise. Just then the bathroom door swings open, revealing my scowling mate, ¡°That¡¯s your who, now?¡± As L runs back over to us, I stand and approach Sophie, ¡°She¡¯s my girl.¡± I exin, pulling her close. ¡°You¡¯re my littlemb, my mate, my delectable little.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°There are pups present!¡± Selene calls from her chair, humor and admonishment thick in her voice. ¡°I¡¯ll remind you exactly what you are to meter.¡± i inform Sophie, iming her lips. ¡°You promise?¡± She requests, batting her longshes, ¡°You can count on it.¡± I confirm, sliding my hand over her perfectly rounded backside. ¡°Ahem!¡± Selene pointedly clears her throat, and Sophie and Iugh as we return to our seats. When we¡¯re settled again, L shoots me a cheeky grin before turning to Sophie, ¡°Do you have any fives?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 144 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 144 Chapter 144 The News Gets Out As a general rule, I try not to judge people based on appearances, but I can¡¯t recall ever seeing a bigger bunch of misfits than I¡¯m staring at now. Gnarled, grizzled and tattooed, the rogues in front of me are so stereotypically rough looking it¡¯s actuallyughable. It¡¯s as if a casting director put up an ad for outcasts and every muscle bound ruffian in the city turned up to audition. Oh well, I might not care for their style, but there¡¯s no question, they¡¯re exactly what I need. With Bastien gone, the opportunity to cause disruptions in the pack are higher than ever, I¡¯d be a fool not to take advantage. ¡°You¡¯re sure the Alpha isn¡¯t here?¡± The lead shifter demands, sharpening a knife in an obvious bid to look intimidating. Ridiculous, I think. What kind of shifter resorts to weapons, you¡¯ve got built-in knives in your paws! Of course, his act might be more believable if he wasn¡¯t so concerned with whether or not an authority figure was present in the territory. ¡°I¡¯m positive, it¡¯s been all over the news for days.¡± I exin, tossing a newspaper at their feet. ¡°The city is in the hands of his Betas, and trust me, they are nothingpared to Bastien Durand. You¡¯ll have free reign.¡± The man briefly scans the document before nodding and tossing it to one of hispatriots. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± The leader questions, making me roll my eyes. So distrustful. ¡°Because the worse people think of Bastien, the better things are for me.¡± I drawl. ¡°Trust me, we¡¯re on the same side here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust anyone.¡± The shifter grumbles, trying to sound menacing. ¡°You¡¯ve also seen way too many crime dramas.¡± I remark, ¡°Now stop wasting my time, are you in or are you out?¡± The oversized rogue nces at his aplices. For a few brief moments, I wonder if they¡¯ll turn on me and my mind begins running simtions: can I take them, or should I run? However my fears are for naught. After a moment the hulking men nod in agreement. ¡°We¡®re in.¡± A triumphant grin splits my face in two, and I pivot to the side, sweeping my arm in a gesture of wee, ¡°Then wee, gentlemen.¡± announce, ¡°Elysium is yours for the taking.¡± The assorted bandits charge past me with a cheer, shifting mid-stride and charging across the boundary line dividing Novands from neutral territory. They leap over the bodies of the sentries I dispatched, and take off through the woods, heading straight for the center city. Selene¡¯s POV The television mounted on the wall across from my bed has been an absolute lifesaver during my confinement. I have a few books and magazines to distract me, but nothing transports me away from my current predicament better than a good movie or mind numbing si. Besides, the TV has also be my only outlet to the outside world. Drake and Odette won¡¯t bring me any newspapers (iming to forget! requested them every time I ask) but they can¡¯t stop me from watching the news. Of course, when the morning shows begin on the fifth day of my hospitalization, I begin to think that maybe they had a point about keeping me in the dark. Things aren¡¯t going well. Actually, that¡¯s an understatement, based on the grim looking reporters and scrolling text across the bottom of the screen, Elysium is in big trouble. ¡°Last night central Elysium was beset by rogues who apparently infiltrated the territory in a bid to take advantage of Alpha Bastien¡¯s absence.¡± One of the newscasters is saying. ¡°Two sentries were killed along the bordends, and a stream of violent crimes rocked the city in the early hours of the morning including three bank robberies, eight car thefts, a dozen break ins, five hold ups and three homicides.¡± The reporter¡¯s colleague takes up the next segment of lines, ¡°Elysium has not suffered an infiltration on this scale in living memory and in only a few hours, these despicable outsiders terrorized what was once considered the safest corner of the city on an unprecedented scale. Never before has central Elysium seen such a dramatic surge in violence and one has to wonder if this tragedy could ever have urred if our Alpha was home where he belongs.¡± My heart sinks with every word they speak, but if I thought all these developments were distressing. I was about to be proved very wrong. The headlines scrolling below the news desk foreshadow the next headlining story, and I¡¯m horrified to see my own name listed. Breaking News Selene Durand is confirmed to be breeding and hospitalized with severe morning sickness, but the Alpha remains missing in action. *After Odette Durand was sighted leaving Elysium Central hospital with her granddaughter L yesterday, this reporter learned that they were visiting Selene while she remains confined to bed suffering a bout of hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition resulting in extreme nausea and dehydration during pregnancy.¡± A new reporter is depicted holding a microphone outside the hospital, followed by a recording of Odette and L leaving the prior afternoon. My mouth gapes open in shock and outrage. I¡¯m half tempted to go to the window and look to see if this is really happening live, but thest thing I want is to have my own image added to the ridiculous news story. ¡°Needless to say, the Alpha¡¯s absence while his mate is not only breeding, but hospitalized, comprises an unthinkable offense. Breeding is a highly sensitive period for fated mates, and the idea that our leader could possibly leave his mate in such a vulnerable condition is absolutely reprehensible.¡± So much for unbiased reporting. I think bitterly. Why is this happening? Luna whines, this isn¡¯t fair, they don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. They don¡¯t need to. I remind her, they have a tform, they can say whatever they want. But it isn¡¯t true! She insists. I know, but the only way we can challenge them is.. What? Luna prompts. I think I have an idea. ¡°I have to give an interview.¡± I state firmly. Dr Kane¡¯s eyes bulge out of his head. ¡°That is out of the question.¡± ¡°Please hear me out.¡± i beg. ¡°I have to set the record straight. The pack needs to know Bastien hasn¡¯t abandoned them.¡± ¡°You mean they need to know he hasn¡¯t abandoned you?¡± He analyzes skeptically. ¡°No.¡± I push back. ¡°This isn¡¯t about me, not beyond making it clear that he¡¯s not neglecting his duties as a mate. But that¡¯s only so that they won¡¯t question his integrity. If it were merely a matter of my reputation I wouldn¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Selene,¡± Thomas sighs, clearly ramping up for a lecture. ¡°No, please just listen,¡± I request. ¡°This is far bigger than my rtionship with Bastien. This is about the rogues that infiltrated, this is about making sure people know he isn¡¯t off gvanting around while the pack suffers. You know as well as I do that when people feel unsafe and unsettled, they act in ways that only make things worse. We have to keep the peace.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not objecting to your logic.¡± Dr. Kane insists. ¡°My objection is to the strain an interview might ce on you. You aren¡¯t well enough to endure interrogation.¡± ¡°Well that¡¯s good,¡± I counter, ¡°Because it won¡¯t be an interrogation.¡± For once I¡¯ve embraced my cunning. No reporter in their right mind would be ruthless towards a pregnant she-wolf, not if they want to keep their career. If they try to do too much hard-hitting reporting they¡¯ll only look like bullies and make me seem the victim. ¡°They¡¯ll lob me a few soft ball questions, and I¡¯ll defend my mate.¡± ¡°Selene, you can¡¯t be sure that will happen.¡¯ Dr Kane cautions me. ¡°Of course I can.¡± I insist. Because you¡¯ll guarantee it. You¡¯ll advise the newscasters not to upset me, and they¡¯ll go easy as a result.¡± He stubbornly shakes his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Selene. I can¡¯t endorse this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to endorse this.¡± I correct, ¡°I¡¯m telling you: This is the way it¡¯s going to be.¡± The doctor takes a step back, looking surprised and rmed. ¡°Selene, l¡± ¡°Dr. Kane, I appreciate everything you¡¯ve done for me.¡± I state simply. ¡°And I appreciate how grave your concern is for my well being, but please understand this is something I have to do. I¡¯m not just a patient, I¡¯m the Alpha¡¯s mate. It¡¯s my responsibility to step up when the pack is in trouble.¡± His eyes widen almost imperceptibly, and maybe it¡¯s my imagination, but I¡¯m sensing a new-found respect from the physician. ¡°I¡¯ll make the arrangements.¡± He agrees, ¡°But I also withhold the right to shut the interview down if I think it¡¯s causing you too much stress. Extending my palm, I smile widely, ¡°Deal.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 145 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Selene Gives a Press Conference Selene¡¯s POV ¡°How do I look?¡± Sophie grins at me, ¡°like a queen.¡± ¡°A very tired queen.¡± I joke. ¡°That is why the Goddess invented makeup.¡± She replies, dabbing concealer on the dark circles beneath my eyes. When she¡¯s finished, even I have to admit that I look pretty good. Make no mistake, I¡¯ve looked much better, but at least this way I look the part of an Alpha¡¯s mate. I¡¯ m wearing a simple wrap dress cut from pearlescent white fabric, with my dark hair flowing in waves around my shoulders and a thickyer of mascara framing my blue and violet eyes. Hopefully the camera lights will make my fair skin look porcin, and not the pallid gray I¡¯ve been sportingtely. ¡°You look lovely Selene.¡± Dr Kane appears in the doorway as I slip on a pair of gold pumps matching my simple jewelry. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re up for this?¡± ¡°Yes, Thomas. I¡¯m sure.¡± I reply confidently. ¡°Good.¡± He nods in approval, his gaze lingering just a bit too long on my curves. ¡°The Novan News Corps has already checked in downstairs, they¡¯re waiting in the lounge.¡± Right on cue, Les trotting in from the halfway, ¡°Mommy there¡¯s people with cameras!¡± ¡°I know, my love!¡± I reply, lifting her up and giving her a kiss hello. Unsurprisingly the news stations had requested L join the interview; everyone in Elysium seems to be half obsessed with finding out more about the Alpha¡¯s pup. And while I¡¯m sure L would have agreed, I don¡¯t think a three year old has the cognitive ability to truly understand the consequences of being in the public eye this way, and it¡¯s not something I want her exposed to just yet. Instead we agreed she could watch from the wings with Sophie. So when Odette, Drake, the Betas and I file out onto a raised dais fitted with a podium and far more microphones than can possibly be necessary, my pup stays on the sidelines and watches with avid interest.I step up to the podium with the others nking me on either side, and greet the assembled reporters. Blinding white overhead lights and blinking red camera signals all but blind me, and my nerves rocket into overdrive. I¡¯ve never done anything like this. It takes all my willpower to keep my voice steady as I begin to speak, and I have to sp my hands together to stop their shaking from rattling the podium. ¡°Good morning. I want to thank all of you for being here today.¡± I can hardly see the crowd, the lights are so bright, but I press on. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the unusual setting and am greatly appreciative of Elysium Central Hospital for letting us impose this way. I wish I could have addressed you all sooner, but Dr. Kane has forbidden me from having any excitement until now.¡± The cameras swing to the grinning Dr, ¡°Technically it¡¯s still forbidden, Selene is just misbehaving.¡± Laughter moves through the audience, and I continue. ¡°That is technically true, but I didn¡¯t feel I could avoid excitement in good conscience when the pack has had no such luxury.¡± My hands are shaking less and less, and the fluttering in my belly seems to have evened to a low thrum. ¡°This week has been a very difficult one for all members of the Nova pack. I was devastated to learn of the wildfire and want to assure you all that we are doing everything we can to help restore the forest and assist those pack members impacted. We have been working diligently with families living in the area of the ze, but I encourage anyone with concerns about our response or future prevention to please reach out to the pack house so that we might address your concerns directly.¡± ¡°In addition, I want to assure everyone watching at home that our enforcers have caught all the rogues who infiltrated the territory this week and are processing them for trial.¡± ncing around the room, I expect to find an angry mob, instead I find a rapt audience. We are increasing sentries and patrols at the border, and likewise, would like to hear from anyone with additional security concerns. We can¡¯t be everywhere at once, so you may have insights that we simply don¡¯t. We all have to work together in these trying times, especially while the Alpha is away on highly sensitive business.¡± The reporters all perk up, looking avidly interested. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot share the Alpha¡¯s whereabouts with you at this time, other than to tell you he is out of the territory on critical business rted to pack security. If I could tell you more without risking the safety of his mission or this pack I would, but that simply isn¡¯t possible.¡± Multiple people speak over each other at once then, vying to be the loudest. ¡°Selene, how are you feeling?¡± ¡°Selene, how can you support the Alpha being away when you¡¯re in this condition?¡± ¡°Selene, is the pack in danger?¡± I feel my eyes widen as I try to take in all their questions. ¡°As to the first question, I can tell you I¡¯ve felt better.¡± I admit ruefully, earning a few chuckles, ¡°I¡¯m so thrilled Bastien and I are expecting another pup, but the going is a bit rough at the moment. And I support Bastien¡¯s absence because it was the right decision for all of us. Neither of us are happy about it, but we both believe being a good leader means making personal sacrifices for the pack.¡± ncing at L, who¡¯s watching me avidly from her spot in Sophie¡¯s arms, I add. ¡°Believe me, the Alpha did not want to leave, precisely because I¡¯m breeding. If he¡¯d had any other choice, he would be here with me. You have no idea how difficult the decision was, especially since he missed seeing our first pup born.¡± Taking a deep breath I proim. ¡°And while I can assure you that the pack is not in any immediate danger, the work Bastien is doing is crucial to ensure that remains true. As powerful as we are, the Nova pack is not without its enemies; the fire, these rogues are proof of that.¡± Gesturing to the wolves around me, I share. ¡°But as you can see, the Alpha left a strong team behind to govern the pack while he¡¯s away. ¡°Are you saying these tragedies have been the work of our enemies?One of the reporters questions anxiously. ¡°We believe that is the case, though I¡¯m not able to share more information at this time as frustrating as I know that is to hear.¡± I sigh apologetically, really not sure if anything I¡¯m saying is going to help matters or make them worse. Fortunately the personal drama i referenced first seems to have distracted them, because the next question raised is, ¡°Selene, what did happen with your first pregnancy? Did Arabe really force you out of the territory?¡± I realize that while everyone must know the story by now, they¡¯ve never heard it straight from me. ¡°Yes.¡± I confirm, taking a deep breath.¡± m not sure what all you¡¯ve heard, but I can tell you that most of what was printed in the newspapers is true. I left because my life and my unborn pup¡¯s life was in danger, and I didn¡¯t feel I had another choice. When Arabe found out I was pregnant, she tried to kill me more, than once, and she almost seeded.¡± Even as I share the barest details of the story, my stomach churns with the memory. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Suddenly I realize I¡¯m going to be sick, and on live TV. Abruptly spinning so my back is to the crowd, Odette takes one look at my face and grabs the trash bin we set behind the dais for precisely this purpose. Retching into it while the reporters moan in sympathy, I mp my eyes shut in embarrassment. I can¡¯t believe I just did that. Just then I hear L calling me, her voice sounding much too close. ¡°Mommy!¡± A secondter her little body collides with my leg, her plump arms wrapping around my knee in case someone tries to remove her. Reaching back to stroke her hair, I use my free hand to wipe my mouth. ¡°It¡¯s okay angel, Mommy¡¯s just being silly again.¡± When I¡¯m finished, Odette hands me some tissues and I wipe my face. Reaching down for my pup, I scoop her into my arms and turn back to face the audience. ¡°Sorry about that.¡± I murmur huskily, squeezing L tighter as she hides her face in my neck. For being such a sociable little pup, she does get shy around big crowds. Of course every eye in the room is on her, even as various people ask about my wellbeing. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I promise, adjusting L on my hip, ¡°of course this little bean wasn¡¯t supposed to be part of the press conference, but I wasn¡¯t supposed to get sick in front of you either.¡± I joke, provoking a few peels of laughter. Of course the reporters take this as permission to start asking L questions. ¡°L, does it make you sad when your Mommy¡¯s sick?¡± She nods sulkily, cuddling closer and eliciting a series of aws from the onlookers. ¡°L, how do you like Elysium?¡± Someone else asks. Pressing my lips to her hair, I remind her, ¡°you don¡¯t have to answer baby, only if you want to.¡± She looks up at me uncertainly, then turns to the waiting crowd, ¡°Lots.¡± She smiles shyly, ¡°I likes the trees, an the ice scream.¡± The reportersugh, ¡°Do you miss your Daddy?¡± She nods vigorously, getting a little more confident with every question. ¡°Is not fair. I just gots him.¡± She pouts, provoking another round of chuckles. Thinking further, L cocks her head to the side, Daddy promise he be back soon dough.¡± ¡°Are you excited to be a big sister?¡± One of the men in the front row asks. I exchange a meaningful nce with Odette. I¡¯m really not wild about my daughter being broadcast on television, especially when we¡®re in the kind of danger we are, but I know the Novan Newswork doesn¡¯t reach outside our borders. Besides, it seems like she¡¯s distracting everyone from all the bad news, which we desperately need. ¡°No.¡± L chirps matter of factly. ¡°I don wanna share Mommy and Daddy.¡± The room devolves into ¡°aws¡± and giggles, and in one fell swoop my daughter has stolen the show and saved us from the pack¡¯s scrutiny. If anyone ever had any doubt she was Bastien¡¯s child, they certainly won¡¯t now. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 146 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Arabe Learns the Limits of Magic Arabe¡¯s POV Damn it! I internally shriek, staring in horror at the news broadcast filling.the television screen. Selene and her brat are parading across a stage, charming the crowd and giving a wlessly sympathetic performance. What the hell are they thinking? This is thest thing I need! Bastien has been watching the news like a hawk, pacing like a caged tiger in front of the TV and alternatively scouring the newspapers for any scrap of intel. I¡¯ve been carefully screening both before he gets his hands on the remote or the morning post, but until now we haven¡¯te up against this kind of crisis and that¡¯s undoubtedly what this is. If Bastien sees the press conference footage I¡¯m absolutely screwed. They are too convincing, too lovely, and that child is obviously his. For all she resembles her mother, when she speaks to the reporter it¡¯s as if the words areing from Bastien himself albeit a very young Bastien. Everything I¡¯ve been telling him depends on making Selene the enemy: a cunning, vengeful tyrant. My story is a far cry from the quietly courageous, loving and fragile beauty on the TV. What¡¯s worse, her speech is the perfect balm for everything which has been going wrong in Elysium thesest few weeks no doubt at Frederic¡¯s hands. I can almost see the rifts in the Nova pack healing beneath her caring ministrations. I cut the wires to the TV before Bastien wakes, thanking the Goddess that fatigue seems to be a side- effect of the memory potion. I¡¯m just in time. No sooner have I stored the wire cutters that he emerges from his room, scrubbing a tired hand over his face as he moves toward the abandoned remote only pausing to give me a chaste kiss on the cheek. ¡°Morning Be.¡± Clicking the device repeatedly with no response, he mutters, ¡°the cable must be out.¡± Instead he retrieves the newspaper, which thankfully printed too early to include details from the press conference. Still, i¡¯ll almost certainly have to find a way to alter tomorrow¡¯s post. As Bastien sits down at the breakfast table, pouring himself a mug of coffee, I suddenly realize I was so distracted by Selene¡¯s antics that I¡¯ ve forgotten to dose his drink. While his head is still buried behind the paper, I sidle close, uncorking the vial I keep on a chain around my neck and leaning over him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I say, pretending to reach for a slice of toast and tipping the vial over his ss of juice. ¡°I¡¯ll call the cablepany first thing.¡± Bastien looks up just as I shake a few drops of potion into his drink, and I whip the vial behind my back before he can see what I was doing. He looks as though her might have caught a sh of movement, but the potion dulls his senses as well as his memory, and a quick distraction should easily ease his suspicion, ¡°Okay?¡± I prompt, focusing his attention on my previousment. ¡°Fine.¡± He afrees. ¡°I don¡¯t want to spend the day in front of the TV again anyway. I¡¯ve got to get out of this apartment, Be.¡± ¡°Bastien we¡¯ve talked about this.¡± I sigh, not having to fake an ounce of my exhaustion with the subject. ¡°Yes, but you¡¯re assuming I¡¯ll be recognized here when there¡¯s no reason to think I would.¡± He argues, ¡°After all, you told me you had to order the Nova News Network and paper specially. Most Calypso wolves won¡¯t see any of this. They won¡¯t know what I look like.¡± ¡°No but they¡¯ll know a strange wolf is roaming around.¡± I remind him. In fact, I have to scrub myself raw every time I leave the house so his scent won¡¯t linger on me when I visit ise. ¡°Be, I¡¯m going crazy being locked up here.¡± He gripes, ¡°This city has millions of inhabitants and thousands of tourists visit every day. One strange wolf isn¡¯t going to raise any rms.¡± ¡°Alright, alright!¡± I agree, worn down to the bone. ¡°We¡¯ll go out tonight but I decide where, and you have to be disguised.¡± Bastien straightens up, lookingically indignant. ¡°I will not put on a disguise and slink around like some rogue.¡± ring and gnashing my teeth, I mutter, ¡°You are so stubborn.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. He shes me a wolfish grin. ¡°Well if that isn¡¯t the pot calling the kettle ck, I don¡¯t know what is.¡± Bastien¡¯s POV ¡°What is this ce?¡± I inquire, staring at my surreal surroundings in surprise and dismay. When Arabe said she was going to show me the city, I expected her to take me on a tour of her favorite ces. Granted, that¡¯s thest thing I wanted to see, but I¡¯m starting to think I¡¯d prefer it to this. We¡¯re in some sort of strange subterranean street, staring into a dark maze of underground streets. It¡¯s true that Elysium was built into the mountains themselves, but not like this. Elysium is beautiful and open and at one with nature, conforming itself to the naturalndscape rather than bending the environment to our will. But there is nothing natural about this ce it is cold and dank and hopeless. Unlike the glittering streets aboveground, these homes and shops are not shining examples of technology and innovation, instead I feel as if I¡¯ve walked two centuries into the past. Yet Arabe looks around with bright eyes, blind to the suffering surrounding us on all sides. ¡°It¡¯s the underground. The Calypso pack is partitioned by ss to keep things simple. The poor stay belowground in the old levels of the city, and the nobility and aristocrats live above. It¡¯s all very organized. no unnecessary conflicts or ufortable confrontations.¡± She exins dreamily. After all, no one wants to have to look at that kind of unpleasantness.¡± She remarks, wrinkling her nose. I stop in my tracks, her words slowly filtering through my brain. I don¡¯t know why, but ever since I got here it¡¯s taken me much longer than usual to wrap my head around even simple concepts. It feels sort of like I¡¯m constantly moving through water, fighting to sort out logic and my own feelings in slow motion. ¡°Simpler?¡± I repeat, ¡°Arabe, it¡¯s barbaric.¡± ¡°No. Sheughs warmly, trying to make me understand. ¡°People are happier this way ¨C the poor and the rich. The sses aren¡¯t meant to mix, Bastien, How do you think the poor feel when they have to look at everything the wealthy enjoy but they¡¯ll never possess themselves? This is more humane.¡± She loops her arms through mine, and leads me back to the above ground section of the city. Fresh air washes over me instantly, and the wretched conditions of the city beneath our feet seems even starker byparison. ¡°I brought you here so you could see how things could be in Elysium.¡± Arabe continues, sweeping her arm wide. ¡°Look at this, it¡¯s a utopia because ise isn¡¯t afraid to make controversial decisions.¡± I pull free of her touch, feeling a rush of disappointment in my surrogate sister, as well as shame for failing her sopletely. Clearly we did not raise her well enough. ¡°It¡¯s a utopia built on blood.¡± Arabe¡¯s POV This day just gets worse and worse. After dropping Bastien at home, I head straight back to the underground. That excursion did not go as I had nned at all. I thought Bastien would appreciate Tartarus as I do, even if he needed a little help to see the beauty of the arrangement. Yet no matter what I said, he insisted ise¡¯s creation was an atrocity, and refused to listen to reason. What¡¯s worse, no matter how many ways I try to win him, Bastien seems immune to my charms. It doesn¡¯t matter that he doesn¡¯t remember Selene, he seems no closer to falling in love with me now than he did seven years ago. Striding into the dim hole in the wall where my friend, the apothecary, conducts his business, I look around and fight not to turn my nose up at the dirty shop. The bell above the door chimes shrilly, and a disembodied voice sounds from the back of the store, ¡°Just a minute!¡± A few momentster, when the sketchy character I¡¯vee to consider my supplier for all things illicit appears, I set my hands on my hips, ¡°It¡¯s not working.¡±. He arches a brow, ¡°You mean he still has his memory?¡± ¡°No.¡± I snap. ¡°He doesn¡¯t remember a thing, but he¡¯s not susceptible to control. I swear, making him like me is like pulling teeth.¡± ¡°I never promised that my potion would let you control him.¡± He reminds me. ¡°I said it would steal his memory and dull his sharpness.¡± *Fine, then give me something that will make him fall in love with me.¡± Imand. The gnarled man cuts his eyes to me, ¡°oh princess, didn¡¯t anyone ever tell you the limits of magic?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I demand. ¡°No potion can create or instill love.¡± The apothecary exins, only the Goddess can do that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying there¡¯s nothing you can do to help me?¡± I exim in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m saying that if you want the man to fall in love with you, you might want to try acting lovable.¡± The man remarks snidely. Ever consider it?¡± ring at the rude man, I turn and storm from the shop. I¡¯ll show him. I think spitefully. I¡¯ll be so lovable Bastien won¡¯t know what hit him. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 147 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Aiden and Donovan Catch a Prize ¡°Odile was spotted again.¡± Donavon informs me urgently. ¡°In Newtown.¡± ¡°When?¡± I reply, alight with excitement. ¡°Just now.¡± He shoots me a predatory grin, and I know we¡¯re already on the same page. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°We need to move now, before it¡¯s toote.¡± I announce. ¡°I¡¯m already on it.¡± He assures me. ¡°Every enforcer we have is currently deploying, we¡¯ll have the entire neighborhood on lockdown within half an hour.¡± Donavon is as good as his word. In no time at all, Newtown is crawling with enforcers and sentries, all concentrating around a single focal point: Paws and ws, Elysium¡¯s most exclusive nail salon. As betas, we stand at the center of thew enforcement melee, frantically going over everyst detail of the raid. We¡®ve yet to notify anyone but Drake, defaulting to the strongest wolf in the area amidst this unusual power vacuum. Though we won¡¯t admit it to Selene, it worries us to no end that Bastien hasn¡¯t been in touch. It¡¯s less about his own wellbeing, than it is Selene and L¡¯s. If he were on his own, he might stay out of contact for an extended period of time, but he would never go this long without checking in on his mate and pup. ¡°What kind of she-wolf turns up in a city where she¡¯s exiled, and goes to a nail salon?¡± I question. ¡°The kind who believes she holds the world on a string.¡± Donavon answers. We¡®ve confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that she¡¯s still inside the salon, and we have every entrance and exit thoroughly blocked, ¡®I want her brought in alive.¡± Donovan growls. ¡°Everyone just keep your head down until we give the mark.¡± I advise, ¡°As long as everyone ys their part, this should be an easy catch.¡± As we watch, three female enforcers enter the salon arm in arm, pretending to be friends on a girl¡¯s day out. Target is in sight. One of the women reports, we got here just in time, it looks like she¡¯s checking out. We wait with baited breath as the enforcers circle Odile, surrounding her as more sentries filter through the salon doors, no longer concerned with remaining covert. ¡°Odile Durand, put your hands up and turn around very slowly.¡± Once of the enforcers orders loudly. The elegant she-wolf freezes in ce, her body going rigid as she slowly raises her hands into the air. She turns, emitting a low growl and curling her lip in disgust. ¡°Well, well, well.¡± She drawls. ¡°Looks like Bastien isn¡¯tpletely inept after all.¡± Odile¡¯s POV This day just gets worse and worse. I¡¯ve been kicking myself all the way to the enforcement headquarters. What was I thinking? I can already hear Frederic¡¯s voice in my head, you risked our cover to get your nails done? YOUR NAILS! Of all the stupid, frivolous ideas, Mother. If I¡¯m being honest, I¡¯m terrified of facing him after this. A month ago I never would have dreamed of fearing my own son, but it seems he¡¯s finallye into his Alpha genes. He wrested control of our ns away from me just as his father would have done when he was alive, right down to his cruel methods of putting me in my ce. The apple truly doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree. He¡¯s going to be absolutely furious I¡¯ve been caught. In fact, I¡¯d much rather be here with these spineless betas than in Frederic¡¯s clutches, at least until he¡¯s had time to cool his temper. Case and point: Donovan stands in front of me with a smug grin that ¨C far from intimidating-shows he¡¯s much too pleased with himself. ¡°Odile, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± The two Novan alphas are standing over me, while I sit handcuffed to a stark metal table. ¡°Donovan,¡± I reply coolly, ¡°20 yearster and you¡¯ re still just an Alpha¡¯sckey.¡± His smile widens, bing a sharp, predatory thing. ¡°Unlike you, I don¡¯t believe you have to run the pack to be of value. Everyone has their role, and not everyone with strength is fit to rule.¡± ¡°Your son, for example.¡± Aiden interjects, ¡°if Frederic had what it took to lead he could challenge Bastien outright. But he doesn¡¯t, and he never will¡± ¡°As you said.¡± I remind him, ¡°leading is about more than brute strength. Do you really think it¡¯s fair that Basiten should be in charge simply because no one else can beat him in a fight.¡± ¡°Funny.¡± Donovan chuckles, crossing his arms over his chest, ¡°Frederic has been scheming to bring him down for years, has he not? And Bastien hasn¡¯t fallen ¨C what would you call that if not outwitting his enemy?¡± ¡°I¡¯d call it luck, and standing on the shoulders of those wiser and more cunning than he is.¡± I suggest. ¡°Then you don¡¯t know Bastien.¡± Aiden proims firmly. ¡°Oh I know Bastien, just like I knew his father.¡± I snarl. ¡°Wolves full of pretty ideals who aren¡¯t willing to make the hard decisions and do what is necessary for the good of the pack.¡± ¡°Like what, releasing rogues into the territory to torment innocent men, women and children? Is that how you think you¡¯ll help the Novas?¡± Donovan inquires with a scoff. ¡°The Novas could be the most powerful pack on the continent.¡± I exim. Honestly, these people have no vision! ¡°We could overtake the Calypsos if we invested in building our power rather than keeping the peace.¡± ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s your n.¡± Aiden assesses shrewdly, ¡°terrorise everyone so they¡¯ll support a war to take control of the continent.¡± The young man looks more and more disgusted with every word.¡±That kind of power is only good for those who stand to gain. You don¡¯t give a damn about the people.¡± ¡°You stupid, naive boy!¡± I hiss, ¡°Have you never heard of sacrifice for the greater good?¡± ¡°Of course I have.¡± Aiden assures me, ¡°granted it¡¯s usually only espoused by psychopaths like you. Honestly it¡¯s hard to me Frederic for turning out a madman with the kind of parents he¡¯s had.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a clue who you¡¯re dealing with.¡± I tell him with relish, you would do well not to underestimate my son.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us more, Odile.¡± Donovan invites, ¡°We¡¯d love to hear all about your and Frederic¡¯s ns.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you would.¡± I snort, cutting my eyes to the two betas. ¡°Unfortunately for you, I¡¯m not that foolish.¡± Donovan pins me with his gaze. And you¡¯re sure Frederic is the smarter choice? He¡¯s not going to be happy you let yourself get caught, Odile. I don¡¯t know the body, but if he¡¯s anything like his father¡­¡± He trails off ominously. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Forcing the words out through clenched teeth, I try not to think about how right the big wolf is. What is he going to do with me? The men exchange a nce, and I fear they¡¯ve read my unease. ¡°Think about it, Odile.¡± Aiden instructs, ¡°we might be the lesser of two evils here. We can help you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your help.¡± I spit, ¡°my son would never harm me, when this is all said and done, I¡¯m going to rule at his side.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what he seems to think.¡± Aiden taunts, ¡°all our intelligence shows he ns on Selene ruling at his side. In fact, he doesn¡¯t seem to have thought of you at all.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong!¡± I cry, losing my cool just a little. *Think what you like.¡± Donovan shrugs, ¡°After all, you said it, you know your son better than we do. If he¡¯s promised you a role in his government, who are we to say otherwise.¡± And that¡¯s when I realize¡­ Frederic hasn¡¯t promised me anything. For months I controlled the ns, always intending to continue pulling his strings once victory was ours, I never expected him to throw me over. After he took control, I still assumed I would be his main advisor after all, who better to look out for him than his mother? However as time has passed he¡¯s be more and more domineering, cutting me out little by little, and never mentioning where I might fit into his future ns. I told myself it was alright, that it was simply the takeover and I¡¯d take my ce when things settled down. Yet as these two wretched, uncouth wolves look down on me, I realize they¡¯re right. Frederic isn¡¯t including me, and he isn¡¯t asking for my advice because he doesn¡¯t want it. I¡¯ve been deluding myself all this time, imagining he would respect my experience and stay true to my vision. The moment I lost control of him, I lost my chance to be involved. ¡°Are you sure there isn¡¯t anything you want to share with us?¡± Donovan asks knowingly. As much as I abhor the idea, I¡¯d be a fool not to consider it. After all, I¡¯m the one who insisted this isn¡¯t about ideals, it¡¯s about power and right now, they have it. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 148 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Prison Break Frederic¡¯s POV Bloody typical. I leave the house for a few measly hours and the dumb bitch goes and gets herself caught and at a nail salon no less. Of all the stupid, thoughtless things to do! I swear, I could strangle the woman. It doesn¡¯t take me long to find her. I know they wouldn¡¯t take her to the pack house, and while they might want to lock her up, the idiots are too noble topletely bypass the system. They¡¯ll take her to the enforcement headquarters to interrogate. They won¡¯t actually lock her into a jail cell until they have something with which to charge her. I know my mother isn¡¯t foolish enough to tell them anything intentionally, but I need to get to her before they trick her into revealing some detail of my ns. Clearly I¡¯ve been overestimating her intelligence if she let herself get caught this easily. I watch the headquarter¡¯s entrance until I see the betas leaving for the night, then wait for the night shift to fully take over. There are fewer people around after hours: fewer guards, fewer enforcers and investigators, fewer people to watch the security feeds. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. I consider any number of operations, but in the end I decide to go with chaos over precision. I¡¯ve already located her cell by hacking the security feed, I just need to distract the men and women standing guard. It will make for a better story in the morning papers anyway ¨C one I¡¯ Il make sure gets printed. I cut the power to the building remotely, simultaneously unlocking all the cells so that the enforcers will have their hands full with escaping detainees. Slipping in a side door, I steal a custodian¡¯s uniform from one of the supply closets, along with a bucket and mop to push around as part of my disguise. Pulling the cap down low over my eyes, I slip through the ckened hallways with ease, listening to people shout and tussle. It must have been a busy day, with lots of arrests and therefore lots of perpetrators to fill the holding cells. Perfect. Luck is on my side, I only have to knock out three enforcers before I find my mother, trying to slink out of the building unnoticed, and failing miserably. There are two enforcers on her tail, and she doesn¡¯t even seem to notice. Rolling my eyes, I dispatch the men quickly, before snagging my mother by the scruff of her neck and pulling her out of the building amidst ring rms. She tries to exin on the drive home, thering excuses and promising me over and over that she didn¡¯t tell them anything. Yet her words fall on deaf ears. I¡¯m sick and tired of her mistakes, and I¡¯m done listening to excuses. When we get back to the house, I bodily drag her down to the basement, throwing her in the small, damp room without mercy. ¡°Until you learn how to follow orders, I can¡¯t trust you to be off leash.¡± I decide ruthlessly, hardening myself to her horrified expression. ¡°You¡¯ll stay here until I decide you¡¯ve learned your lesson. ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me! I¡¯m your mother!¡± She cries, as if I don¡¯t know. ¡°You¡¯re a liability, and you had your chance.¡± I decree, mming the door shut. Her body crashes into the wood, followed by the pounding of her weak, ineffectual fists. ¡°Please Frederic! Without me, you¡¯d be nothing!¡± ¡°No!¡± I snarl, ¡°without you, I¡¯d already be the Alpha of the Nova pack! All these years you insisted you were helping me, you really just held me back, but that¡¯s over now!¡± I announce, ¡°You made your bed Mother, now sleep in it.¡± Selene¡¯s POV ¡°You¡®ve got to get me out of here.¡± I beg Drake, clutching his arm with both hands. ¡°Selene, honey.¡± He cates me, gently detaching my grip. ¡°You know that isn¡¯t possible.¡± ¡°But my blood tests are better!¡± I insist, feeling near tears. I¡¯m going crazy being trapped in this bed, hooked up to machines, packed full of needles and separated from my pup. ¡°I know, but the Doctor says you need to stay here until you put on a few pounds.¡± Drake informs me in the same even tone. ¡°But I could be on bed rest at home!¡± I argue, ¡°why do I have to stay here when I don¡¯t need any special equipment to keep up my health?¡± ¡°It¡¯s round the clock care.¡± Drake reasons, ¡°you have the nurses on call at a moment¡¯s notice.¡± ¡°We could hire a nurse to help her out at home.¡± Odette suggests. ¡°Yes!¡± i exim, making my eyes wide and pushing out my lower lip in a dramatic pout. ¡°Please, Drake? Please, please, please?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good idea.¡± He sighs, ¡°Why not?¡± i cry, dropping the pleading expression and his arm all at once. ¡°You¡®re supposed to be on my side here.¡± Drake narrows his eyes, offering me an admonishing glower. ¡°I am on your side, Selene.¡± He states with forced patience,¡±but I¡¯m trying to do what i think Bastien would want. I¡¯m trying to put myself in his shoes and make the same decision I would for my own mate.¡± ¡°So you¡®re saying you¡¯d ignore your mate¡¯s wishes, separate her from her pup and lock her up in this torture charnber?¡± I grumble. ¡°Now you¡¯re just being dramatic,¡± He drawls. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± I sniff, ¡°i¡¯m allowed.¡± ¡°She does have a point, Drake,¡± My hero, Odette points out. ¡°She would be less stressed if she was home with L, It isn¡¯t good for her mental health to be in this environment, whatever benefits it may offer her physically.¡± ¡°See!¡± I jump on her ¡°I¡¯ll go crazy if I stay here.¡± ¡°I think you already are.¡± My friend mutters under his breath. ¡°I heard that¡± I snipe, but I think you¡®re forgetting I¡¯d also be easier to keep safe in the pack house. Anyone could walk into the hospital and attack me.¡± ¡°Sure, except the hospital has cameras in everyst hall and requires key card entry to this wing, whereas your house is full of secret passages which Frederic has already used tomit a murder.¡± Drake recalls. Throwing my hands up, I revert toining about matters of principle, rather than trying to convince the stubborn man about logic. ¡°How is this fair anyway? You aren¡¯t my mate and I¡¯m a full grown woman, how is it your call to make this decision for me?¡± ¡°Because Bastien made it my responsibility.¡± Drake replies, as if this is the most logical thing in the world. But okay, I¡¯ll talk, just talk to Dr Kane, I¡¯m not making any promises here. If he says it¡¯s too risky, you¡¯re staying put.¡± I want to make another scathing remark, but I¡¯m afraid of pushing my luck too far, so I settle for a simple, ¡°Thank you!¡± Drake¡¯s POV ¡°That is out of the question.¡± Dr Kane proims instantly. ¡°I was afraid of that.¡± I sigh. ¡°You¡®re sure there¡¯s no arrangement we can make home nurses, daily check ups? She¡¯s really unhappy here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± The physician says, seeming to genuinely mean it. ¡°But I really feel she¡¯s better off here than at home.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s causing her more stress to be here?¡± I press. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing.¡± Dr Kane exins, ¡°the night we tried to have L stay over, we did it so Selene wouldn¡®t feel anxious, but you know what ended up happening? She ended up more anxious because L was so upset to see her ill. I truly understand it¡¯s stressful for her to be away from home, but I genuinely believe it would do more harm than good.¡± I can¡¯t help but think his words make sense. She might want to be home, but I know if she¡¯s there, she won¡¯t truly rest. She¡¯ll try to work and go back to being super Mom, and she¡¯llnd herself right back here. Nodding, I thank the man and take my leave, trying to decide how to tell my friend the bad news. As I stride back towards her room, I intercept Aidening up the stairs with a grim look on his face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask immediately. Thest time I saw the betas they were full of excitement over catching Odile. ¡°I came to deliver the news.¡± He sighs, seeming as if the weight of the world is on his shoulders. ¡°Odile escapedst night.¡± ¡°Great.¡± I remark sarcastically. ¡°Though maybe if you tell your news first, mine won¡¯t seem so bad.¡± His brow furrows, ¡°Why, what¡¯s your news?¡± ¡°Selene wanted to go home to be on bedrest there, but Dr Kane says it¡¯s impossible.¡± I share. Aiden¡¯s head jerks up, and I try to understand why he¡¯s looking at me with such a horrified expression. Dr Kane?¡± He repeats, aghast. ¡°Her doctor is Thomas Kane?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± I answer uncertainly,pletely confused by his reaction. I know the betas haven¡¯t been around the hospital much, but I don¡¯t know why it should rm him that the chief of medicine is caring for the Alpha¡¯s mate. That¡¯s how it should be, right? To my shock, his mouth forms a hard line and he shakes his head with grave determination. ¡°We¡®ve got to get her out of here. Now.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 149 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Defying the Doctor¡¯s Orders Selene¡¯s POV With every day that passes, the more worried I be that Bastien hasn¡¯t called. I¡¯m certain he¡¯s alive. With our bond, I know I would feel it if he weren¡¯t, no matter how far away he may be. Still, the continued radio silence is enough to make me fear any number of other tragedies. Is he hurt? Is he sick? Sitting in a dungeon somewhere? Don¡¯t jump to conclusions. Luna advises in a soothing tone. As far as we know, no news is good news. I hate it when people say that. I reply silently, no news can be just as damning as bad news, especially when the person you¡¯re worried about is literally facing death. The worst part of all of this is that I know the others are worried too, but they aren¡¯t telling me because they¡®re worried I¡¯ll fall to pieces. I¡¯m sick of being babied this way just because I¡¯m pregnant. I mean, I know there are some things I probably don¡¯t want to know, and I know I¡¯m already under too much pressure and buckling beneath the weight of everything already on my shoulders, but shielding me from reality isn¡¯t helping. Now I¡¯m simply imagining a thousand horrible possibilities rather than coping with anything real. ¡°Mommy,¡± L begins, interrupting my thoughts. ¡°Yes lovey?¡± I prompt, pulling her into myp. ¡°Will Daddy be home before da babyes?¡± Apparently our minds were on the same wavelength. The sweet pup is looking up at me hopefully, expecting me to have all the answers even though I¡¯m in the dark almost as much as she is. ¡°I hope so, angel.¡± I answer honestly. ¡°I really do.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°Can we call him?¡± She asks for the thousandth time. She¡¯s asking less and less often, but she still asks far too frequently, and everytime she does my heart breaks a little more for all three of us. ¡°You know his phone isn¡¯t working right now, L. We¡¯ve talked about this, remember?¡± I exin gently. ¡°I tought it might be better by now.¡± She pouts, fiddling with the stuffed elephant in her tiny hands. After thinking for a moment, she looks back up at me hopefully, and I know what she¡¯s going to ask before the words leave her mouth. ¡°Can youe home t¡¯day?¡± Another question that breaks my heart, and one I hear way too often. Sighing heavily, I begin, ¡°I wish I could sw¡± ¡°Your wish has been granted.¡± Aiden announces out of nowhere, striding into the room as if he¡¯s on a mission, ¡°We¡®re getting you out of here, Selene.¡± I can barely believe my ears, ¡°What?¡± Drake strolls in behind the beta, an odd look on his face. ¡°Did Dr Kane say it was okay?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± Aiden quips matter-of-factly, ¡°He did not. And that¡¯s why we¡¯re leaving.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± I murmur, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll exinter.¡± Drake promises, looking down at my pup, ¡°You hear that little bean Mommy¡¯s coming home!¡± ¡°Yaayyyy!¡± L cries, bouncing up and down in myp and unfortunately making my stomach roil. Seeing the expression on my face, Drake quickly gathers her up and offers me the trash bin. After emptying my stomach, I watch in a daze as the men pack my bags and call for the nurse to remove my IV. She¡¯s still in the middle of the process when Dr Kane appears in the doorway. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± ¡°We¡®re taking Selene home.¡± Aiden deres, his countenance so cold I¡¯m taken aback. The beta is normally the friendliest of shifters, I can¡¯ trecall ever seeing him look so fierce outside of a fight. ¡°I thought we discussed this.¡± Dr Kane says to Drake, she¡¯s not ready.¡± ¡°Selene,¡± Aiden says abruptly, turning to me, ¡°Are you ready to go home?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± i nod vigorously, not understanding what¡¯s happening, but knowing exactly where I stand on this matter. ¡°See,¡± Aiden tells Thomas curtly. ¡°She¡¯s ready.¡± ¡°Wanting to go and being ready are not the same thing.¡± Dr Kane growls. ¡°And your orders are technically only rmendations.¡± Drake counters with his own re. What on earth is going on! ¡°Selene can sign herself out of her own volition.¡± Aiden finishes the Eros Alpha¡¯s thought. And that¡¯s exactly what she¡¯s going to do. You can¡¯t keep her here.¡± ¡°Listen, I¡¯m not sure what is going on. Dr Kane hedges, holding up his palms defensively. ¡°but I must urge you to rethink this decision. Selene¡¯sbs are barely recovered and she still isn¡¯t putting on weight, she needs more time and a stress free environment.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing.¡± Drake sighs, ¡°But I assure you home is less stressful for her than the hospital.¡± I¡¯m ted that the men are finally supporting me, finally listening to what I¡¯ve been saying this entire time. ¡°Exactly!¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to hire a full time nurse to help her at the pack house.¡± Aiden ims, everything you have here, we can provide for her at home. ¡°Except instant care in an emergency!¡± Dr Kane argues. ¡°It¡¯s not as if she¡¯s at risk of a heart attack.¡± Drake defends, ¡°if she gets too dehydrated and passes out, we just have to get fluids into her, not rush her to the OR for surgery.¡± ¡°I am begging you to reconsider.¡± Thomas says, somewhat manically. ¡°Dr. Kane, is there something you aren¡¯t telling us? Aiden grumbles confrontationally. ¡°some reason you¡¯re determined to keep Selene here? I don¡¯t want to share my own guess with them, especially not with the man in the room. It¡¯s a very awkward thing to imagine your obstetrician has a crush on you in the first ce, let alone confront him with the theory in a room full of your husband¡¯s friends. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor. She¡¯s my patient. That¡¯s all.¡± Thomas insists. *Actually she¡¯s not.¡± Drake informs him coldly. ¡°What?¡± Dr Kane asks, not following. ¡°She¡¯s not your patient.¡± Drake announces, passing L back to me and moving to tower over the shorter man. ¡°not anymore.¡± ¡°Mommy, why¡¯s uncle Rake and uncle Aidn being so weird?¡± My pup whispers in my ear. ¡°I don¡¯t know, angel.¡± I answer honestly. My only guess is that somehow between my conversation with Drake and now, he figured out or began to suspect the same thing I do: that Thomas has feelings for me. ¡°They¡¯re really cranky.¡± L narrates. Smothering augh, I stride across the room to stand beside Drake and attempt to defuse the situation. ¡°I really appreciate everything you¡¯ ve done for me, Thomas.¡± I profess sincerely, ¡°but I think this is for the best. I¡¯m ready to go home, and I just think your regimen is too strict for me. His green eyes sh dangerously. ¡°The Alpha would want us to be overprotective rather than under,¡± he asserts, taking me by surprise. I¡¯ve never seen this aggressive side of Thomas, and I do not care for it at all. ¡°I think we know the Alpha¡¯s mind a bit better than you do, Dr.¡± Aiden snipes, zipping up my bag. ¡°In fact these orders areing directly from him.¡± I whip my head around to stare at the beta in shock, ¡°What?! You talked to him?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exin in the car.¡± Aiden remarks simply.ing to stand on my other side. Together we form a united front against the imposing chief doctor, and though his jaw is twitching as if he wants to argue further, eventually Dr. Kane backs down. Pursing his lips, Thomas makes a dismissive tsking noise. ¡°It¡¯s your funeral.¡± He derides, stepping aside. Aiden and Drake snarl in unison, but I¡¯m already gliding away down the hallway, practically bolting towards freedom just in case on of my babysitters change their minds. L is happily chattering away in my arms, intermittently singing. ¡°We¡®re going home!¡± and suggesting different activities for us to do when we get there. Aiden and Drake catch up with us after a moment, and I nce back and forth between them. ¡°Would one of you like to tell me what¡¯s going on? *In the car.¡± Aiden repeats, peeking at my out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us that Dr. Kane was your physician?¡± ¡°I thought you knew!¡± I exim, ¡°he¡¯s the chief of medicine here, besides Odette and Drake knew.¡± ¡°Yeah well Odette and I weren¡¯t in the loop on everything that¡¯s been going on.¡± Drake shares, sounding annoyed. ¡°There was no reason for you to know this.¡± Aiden says back in the tone of someone who is already tired of discussing this. They¡¯re really starting to get on my nerves. Luna grouses. You¡¯re preaching to the choir. I answer, letting my own annoyance bleed into my next words. ¡°All right boys, y nice.¡± I cate. Despite their odd behavior, my mind can¡¯t help but linger on the single most important piece of information they shared back in my room. ¡°Did you really talk to Bastien?¡± Aiden exhales heavily, ¡°Selene¡­¡± ¡°I know, I know.¡± Iin, mocking his earlier words. ¡°In the car.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 150 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Selene Learns the Truth The moment the car door closes and L is secured in her carseat, I demand, alright, we¡¯re in the car. Now tell me what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Selene.¡± Donovan sighs, ¡°I¡¯m sorry if we got your hopes up but we haven¡¯t heard from Bastien.¡± ¡°But-¡± I object, reying our conversation in the hospital over in my head, ¡°Aiden said the orders were coming directly from him.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t know you¡¯d gone back to Dr. Kane.¡± Donovan exins gravely. ¡°Bastien told us before he left that he doesn¡¯t want you anywhere near the man.¡± ¡°Now tell her why.¡± Drake instructs grumpily. ¡°Honestly, how do you expect her to know she¡¯s supposed to stay away from people if you don¡¯t tell her.¡± ¡°Bastien told her when he was here.¡± Aiden argues. ¡°Bastien wanted to switch doctors because Thomas helped me hide my first pregnancy from him.¡± I remind him, ¡°That was his problem, not mine.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t the reason.¡± Donovan informs me grimly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Selene, but there¡¯s a chance that Thomas is actually the one behind all of our troubles here.¡± ¡°What?!¡± I exim, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I listen in horror as they exin all the clues pointing to Dr Kane, ncing at L every five seconds to make sure she¡¯s not listening to our conversation. Luckily my pup is too preupied watching the world fly by out the window to focus on boring grown up talk. ¡°You¡®re saying that Thomas might not be Thomas at all?¡± I summarize when they¡¯re finished, ¡°You¡¯re saying he might be Frederic? And every time I¡¯ve thought he¡¯s helping me¡­¡± I trail off, unable to finish such a horrible thought. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what we¡¯re saying.¡± Aiden admits, ¡°Which is why the first thing we¡¯re doing when we get home, is having another doctore by to check on you. If we¡¯re right I wouldn¡¯t put it past Thomas to have been making you sick so that you¡¯d be nearby and at his mercy.¡± One more horrible piece clicks into ce as I consider this possibility. ¡°Those¡­¡± I was about to say assassins, but I remember L just before the word leaves my tongue. ¡°Bastien¡¯s weingmittee at the Calypso border,¡± I say instead, they said Frederic wanted me for himself?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Donovan and Aiden say in unison. ¡°Well that would fit.¡± Drake interjects, clearly on the same page that I am, ¡°Because Dr Kane definitely has a thing for her.¡± ¡°Oh god, and he could have been monitoring the baby in case it¡¯s a boy.¡± I realize, horror slicing through me when I realize how easy it would have been for him to induce a miscarriage if that happened. A thousand tiny clues are falling into ce the more I think about it. It was always possible that Frederic set his sights on me without us ever meeting, but it makes a lot more sense that it happened after multiple interactions. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Selene.¡± Drake assures me, squeezing my hand. ¡°We got you away in time, you¡¯re safe now.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe Bastien didn¡¯t tell me.¡± I whisper, feeling a rush of anger towards my mate, followed immediately by the sorrow of wishing he was here even if it¡¯s only so I can yell at him. ¡°I¡¯d never have gone back to him if I¡¯d known.¡± ¡°He was trying to protect you.¡± Drake reminds me, sounding as if he understands only too well. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s thinking of Sophie now. As a mother, I know better than anyone how tempting it can be to withhold information to spare the one you love pain or fear, but now that I¡¯ve experienced being on the other side of things sopletely, I vow never to do the same to L or my new pup within reason of course. ¡°Do yourself and your mate a favor.¡± I advise my friend, ¡°respect Sophie enough to face her problems head on. It will help you both in the long run.¡± ¡°cebos.¡± The doctor assesses, studying each of the pills Dr. Kane prescribed me in turn. ¡°All of them.¡± My heart sinks. It seems Donovan and Aiden were right. The reason I wasn¡¯t getting any better is because none of the medicines Thomas gave me were actually capable of helping. I¡¯ve been taking sugar pills from day one, so it¡¯s not wonder I ended up in such bad shape. ¡°Who prescribed these to you?¡± My new physician, a woman named Dr. Lee, inquires. ¡°Dr Kane.¡± I share sadly. Her eyes widen almost imperceptibly. ¡°The chief of medicine?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Donovan confirms, we¡¯re handling the situation, and I¡¯m afraid we must require that you not repeat any of this to anyone else, including the medical board.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s your preference.¡± Dr Lee nods with a heavy sigh. ¡°Alright Selene, I think you and I should take a few minutes alone so you can catch me up on your case history and I can examine you. In the meantime one of your faithful guardians here can go get a new prescription filled so we can have you feeling better ASAP.¡± She clears the men from the room, and for the first time I appreciate just how much difference a female doctor can make. Talking to her is so different from talking to Dr. Kane, especially when I tell her that Bastien is away indefinitely. ¡°That must be very difficult.¡± Shemiserates, ¡°But have no fear, we¡¯ll take good care of you so that you¡¯re in tip top shape when he returns.¡± No judgment, no prying questions, only support. ¡°Thank you.¡± I breathe, ¡°I have to admit doing this alone again has been really stressful.¡± ¡°I believe it.¡± Dr. Lee agrees, ¡°but you aren¡¯t alone, Selene. I know it isn¡¯t the same as having your mate here, but you have a wonderful circle of people here to support you, and now that includes me.¡± ¡°Dr. Lee.¡± My hormones have me on the verge of tears. I¡¯m so grateful for the woman I could hug her. ¡°Where have you been all my life?¡± Frederic¡¯s POV The bastards took her. They actually took Selene out of the hospital against my explicit orders. It can only mean one thing. They¡¯ve finally figured out the truth, and that means I don¡¯t have any reason to continue pretending. It¡¯s time Ie out of hiding. The pack is inplete disarray, especially after the news about my mother¡¯s escape broke. One more disaster, and no glowing press conference in the world will be able to erase the damage. I won¡¯t mind at all if Selene keeps trying of course, after all, the more the pack loves her, the better it will be for me when I finally take over. Having the former Alpha¡¯s mate in my corner will defuse any criticism about a hostile takeover. Of course, I¡¯ll have to make sure she knows she can¡¯t get away with this kind of disobedience in the future. I¡¯m sure it never would have happened if it weren¡¯t for that pack of idiots Bastien left guarding her. Selene is too sweet, too biddable to ever act out on her own. No, the only reason she dared to defy my orders was because they enabled her, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll see how wrong that was when I exin it to her. Of course now that my ess to her has been cut off, I¡¯m going to be out of the loop. I¡¯ll have to think of some other way to get close to her. It would really be best if I can get rid of the betas and Drake Cavanaugh, maybe my next scheme can kill two birds with one stone. Killing them should be easy enough, but how can I make sure Selene isn¡¯t also harmed when one of them is almost always with her? And how can I arrange it so that Selene won¡¯t see me as an enemy once the dust has settled? It would also be best if I can make Bastien look worse in the process. My assassins may have failed, but he hasn¡¯t returned home yet either, and the more trouble I can cause while he¡¯s away the better. pace my office as I go through my options, then all at once it hits me. A kidnap. I can hire someone to take Selene, L and Drake¡¯s little mate in fact she¡¯s the one who¡¯s inspired my n. Her own failed kidnapping attempt is exactly what I need, only this time it won¡¯t be the kidnapper who doesn¡¯t survive the ransom meeting. I can draw all the betas and Cavanaugh to the meetup. Maybe I can even get Odette to attend as well, she¡¯s another obstacle I don¡¯t need. They¡¯ll gather like fish in a barrel, perfectly primed for me to pick off one by one. And Bastien remaining absent when his mate¡¯s kidnapping and a mass murder of his loved ones is sshed through the headlines ¨C they¡¯ll never forgive him. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Once the others are dead I can swoop in and rescue the girls, winning over Selene and the pack all at once. It¡¯s perfect. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 151 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Frederic Puts His n into Motion Selene¡¯s POV I¡¯m amazed at the difference one little pill can make. I feel like apletely different person now that I¡¯ve thrown out Dr. Kane¡¯s (if that¡¯s truly his name) cebos. Dr. Lee¡¯s medicines have reduced my morning sickness so much that the condition actually lives up to its name and only strikes in the morning. I¡¯ve even put on a pound! It¡¯s only been three days since leaving the hospital, and I couldn¡¯t be happier to be home, even though everything else in my life is a bloody disaster. I keep trying to call Bastien every morning, but he never picks up, the line never even rings. It goes straight to voicemail. In addition to my mate¡¯s absence and my pup¡¯s continuous questions about where her Daddy is, the pack is all in an uproar. Apparently while I was stuck in the hospital Aiden and Donovan captured Odile, then immediately lost her. The worst part is that I think Frederic leaked the story himself, because almost no one knew she¡¯s been caught. Her escape included a ck out and riot at the enforcement headquarters, and as much as I¡¯d like to exin this away the same way I handled Bastien¡¯s absence, the truth is that we did fail. Whether it¡¯s sabotage or not, we¡¯re failing to protect the pack and keep the peace. Frederic is winning, and I can¡¯t stand it. Still, today I¡¯m going to try and forget all the drama and sadness. Sophie and I are going to take L to the zoo for a much needed day out. My poor pup has been such a trooper throughout all these crises and changes, and she desperately deserves a reward. ¡°Mommy I wanna walk!¡± She informs me as we walk towards the zoo entrance. ¡°But I want to carry you!¡± I reply, snuggling her close and kissing her cheek half a dozen times, ¡°I haven¡¯t had any time with my L beantely. I¡¯ve missed you.¡± ¡°But Mommy, i¡¯s the zoo.¡± She replies, as if I¡¯mpletely missing the point. ¡°I wanna run round!¡± ¡°Fine.¡± I sigh dramatically, ¡°You can walk, but don¡¯t run too far ahead, okay?¡± I instruct. ¡°Okay.¡± She agrees. ¡°L, I mean it, stay within sight.¡± I say, more stern now. ¡°I pwomise.¡± She vows, already squirming to escape theforting safety of my arms. I set her little paws on the ground and she immediately races ahead. Rolling my eyes, I link arms with Sophie. ¡°This is how it begins.¡± I sigh. ¡°First she doesn¡¯t want to be carried, next she¡¯s going to be too embarrassed to be seen with me in public.¡± Sophieughs, ¡°I think that¡¯s still a few years away. Besides, when that day doese, you¡¯ll still have the new baby tofort you.¡± ¡°Until it grows up too.¡± Iin, only half joking. Damned pregnancy hormones, I haven¡¯t even given birth yet and I¡¯m already in a snit that my baby will grow up too fast. ¡°So just keep having babies.¡± Sophie suggests. ¡°That way there will always be a young pup to cuddle.¡± ¡°Spoken like a woman who¡¯s never been pregnant.¡± I snort, instantly regretting my words when I see the look on the other woman¡¯s face. ¡°Oh Sophie, I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know what I was thinking that¡¯s such an assumption, and such a cruel thing.¡± ¡°Rx Selene.¡± She interrupts me. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You¡¯re exactly right. I¡¯ve never been pregnant ¨C until a few weeks ago I was a virgin.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I inquire, undeniably curious while simultaneously reluctant to think about Drake in that capacity. ¡°And?¡± Sophie giggles and flushes, ¡°It¡¯s been amazing.¡± She intones shyly, ¡°But I think Drake is ready for a family and babies and all the rest, and I¡¯m just trying to get my feet under me, you know?¡± ¡°Typical Alpha.¡± I sigh, ¡°I swear, mean would never be so eager to be fathers if they had to do the hard part.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even that he¡¯s pressuring me.¡± Sophie admits. ¡°I can just sense that he¡¯s holding back that side of himself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily a bad thing.¡± I tell her. ¡°I know it probably doesn¡¯t feel great, but you said yourself that you aren¡¯t ready. It¡¯s better he understands and gives you time than forces you into it.¡± ¡°I know, but he¡¯s pretending he¡¯s totally satisfied and I know he isn¡¯t.¡± She shares. ¡°I mean it¡¯s his instinct to father pups now that he¡¯s marked me, I hate that he¡¯s hurting for my sake.¡± ¡°Have you talked to him about this?¡± I prod gently, knowing full well my shy friend hasn¡¯t. ¡°No,¡± She confesses, ¡°I¡¯m not good with conflict.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not either,¡± i sympathize, ¡°but being with Bastien helped me learn that not all disagreements are disasters. This is still all very new to you, and I understand exactly what you¡¯re going through, but promise it gets better.¡± ¡°Thanks. Selene.¡± Sophie smiles, appearing truly relieved. ¡°Any time.¡± I promise, keeping my eyes locked on my pup as we pass through the entrance gates. It¡¯s crowded today, and for a moment a young family moves into my line of sight, blocking L from view. I quicken my pace, trying and failing to see through their bodies to my little girl. They shift back out of the way after a few seconds, and L reappears, skipping along happily and heading straight for the giant anteater exhibit up ahead. Exhaling. I turn to Sophie. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Soph, but I¡¯m going to lose it if we don¡¯t keep up with her.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± She allows, speeding up beside me. I only looked away for one second, but this time when I return my attention to the spot where L was standing a moment ago ¨C she¡¯s gone. Pure, undiluted terror fills me so quickly it defies belief. ¡°L?¡± I call, ncing around in worry, ¡°Sophie, do you see her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s here somewhere.¡± The she wolf says calmly, scanning the area. Her brow crinkles in concern when she can¡¯ty eyes on the pup either. ¡°She¡¯s probably hiding. L!¡± I dash through the crowd to the exhibit, my eyes darting over every surface, every shifter present. She¡¯s nowhere to be found. The shifters around us are pointing and whispering to each other, clearly recognizing me, but I ignore them. I have my baby¡¯s scent locked into my senses, and I follow it away from the melee. ¡°L!¡± I call again, tracking her determinedly and praying she¡¯s misbehaving rather than in trouble. ¡°L bean where are you?¡± My heart sinks when I hear a muffled cry, but my protective instincts take over and I sprint in that direction, Sophie hot on my heels. We round the corner, finding what appears to be a supply shed, and storm inside without a second thought. The door shuts behind us, and I clock a hulking bear shifter in my periphery, but I can¡¯t give him a moment of my time. Directly in front of me, a strange man is holding my pup hostage and pure, maternal rage is pulsing through me like a wildfire. ¡°Take your hands off my pup, this instant.¡± I snarl, my hackles raised. ¡°Calm down sweetheart.¡± The shifter croons, ¡°No one¡¯s going to hurt you or your pup, we¡¯re just going to take a little field trip.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± i inform him harshly, speaking over Sophie¡¯s whimpers. ¡°You have until the count of three to release my daughter, or you¡¯ll be sorry.¡± The menugh, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Selene, we¡¯re not going to separate you.¡± Hees forward and hands L to me, ¡°we¡¯re all going to go. Isn¡¯t that right, Jimmy?¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. The man behind us pulls out a length of rope, brandishing it in our direction. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He agrees, offering us a stomach-curdling smile. Quickly checking over L, who looks scared and confused but otherwise unharmed, my worry fades, rece by rage. ¡°Sophie, get down.¡± Imand, holding L close and willing the power I¡¯m drawing up from my internal well not to harm anyone but the men seeking to abduct us. ¡°You hear that, Ed?¡± The man called Jimmy scoffs, ¡°It almost sounds like the little wolf intends to fight.¡± ¡°You might be surprised.¡± I announce, sending out a wave of pure electricity the moment Sophie ducks out of the way. ¡°I¡¯m really sick of people trying to kidnap me.¡± As the would be kidnappers hit the floor, Drake, Donovan and Aiden smash through the door behind us. I don¡¯t know how they knew we were in trouble, but I¡¯m proud to have dealt with things myself. For once I¡¯m not a damsel in distress, this time I defended myself and my baby all on my own, and now they know what I¡¯m truly capable of. ¡°Not good with conflict my ass!¡± Sophie exims, even as Drake is practically strip searching her to ensure she¡¯s not injured. ¡°That was amazing.¡± Shooting a smug look to the betas, I ask, ¡°Still think it¡¯s too dangerous for me to learn to use my powers?¡± ¡°We¡¯re getting you a teacher.¡± Aiden decides. ¡°First thing tomorrow.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 152 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Best to Trust a Witch Selene¡¯s POV ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± I drawl, crossing my arms over my chest and ring at Drake. ¡°What?¡± He counters in exasperation, ¡°She¡¯s a powerful witch, why wouldn¡¯t you seek her help?¡± ¡°Because she¡¯ll never work with me without knowing the source of my power.¡± I exim. After the almost kidnapping at the zoo, the Beta¡¯s ced L and I on lockdown, while Drake holed Sophie up in his rooms and presumably showed her how grateful he is that she¡¯s safe. Every time I¡¯ve seen either of them since, they¡¯ve been wearing dopey lovesick smiles and Sophie¡¯s been wearing long sleeves and long pants that tell me she¡¯s trying to hide more than a few hickeys and lovebites. On the other hand the betas were true to their promise and immediately began searching for a teacher to help me with my powers. After everything calmed down, we learned they got ast minute tipoff from one of the original kidnappers who got fired a few hours before the job began and wanted revenge against his former colleagues. So in all likelihood, the guys would have arrived in time to rescue us, but thankfully they recognized the value of training me anyway. Now Drake has located a revered witch in the oldest part of the city, but he brought me to meet her without first finding out whether she¡¯s even willing to take on a student. Simply tell her you¡¯re a Vna, she doesn¡¯t have to know you hold the key to eternal life in your veins.¡± He states matter of factly. Could we please not advertise that!¡± | exim, encouraging him to lower his voice. ¡°Ohe on, no one¡¯s listening.¡± He assures me, ¡°now stop being silly, and go introduce yourself.¡± Grumbling under my breath, I cross the distance to the stately townhouse and prepare to knock on the door. I turn back to look at Drake onest time before raising my hand, receiving an encouraging nod in reply. However before I can actually knock the door swings open, revealing an elegant woman with coils of shiny silver hair piled atop her head and loose flowing clothes. She blinks when she sees me, ¡°well I have to say you¡¯ve surprised me. I was expecting a new student, but I never imagined it would be the Alpha¡¯s mate.¡± I nce hesitantly at Drake again, ¡°You knew I wasing?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m a witch darling, that is why you¡¯re here, isn¡¯t it?¡± She questions, stepping to the side and sweeping her arm wide to wee me into her home. ¡°Well yes, but¡­¡± I don¡¯t know how to exin. ¡°You¡¯ve never met a real witch have you, little mother?¡± She surmises, nodding at Drake so he¡¯ll join us in the house. ¡°No.¡± I admit, ¡°and I¡¯m not one myself.¡± *Well that¡¯s obvious enough dear.¡± She remarks with a rueful smile. ¡°You¡¯re not my first student toe from another walk of life.¡± She¡¯s circling me now, studying me closely and even poking at my arms, shoulders and hip experimentally. I don¡¯t have the first clue what she¡¯s doing, but she stops in front of my after three slow circuits, staring at me curiously. ¡°Though I suspect you will be myst.¡± ¡°Last student, orst one who isn¡¯t a witch?¡± Drake rifies uneasily. ¡°Last student.¡± She replies unemotionally, hopping ahead to the next subject as if she hasn¡¯t just made a thoroughly ominous remark about her own fate. ¡°I¡¯ve seen magic like yours before, but never this strong.¡± Wrapping my arms around myself protectively I ask, ¡°Can you help me learn to wield it?¡± ¡°I would not have been home for your visit today if I did not intend on teaching you, silly girl.¡± She chuckles, gazing at my two-tone eyes and making me feel as if she can see right through me. ¡°My grandmother told me stories about Vna wolves when I was a girl, though even she did not know the secrets of your blood. I see now we¡¯ve been underestimating your kind¡¯s true power.¡± ¡°How do you see that?¡± I question, more curious than unsettled. The womanughs again. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before and I¡¯ll say it again, you shifters are never taught how to truly look at the world. There is so much you do not see, simply because you do not open your eyes.¡± I don¡¯t really understand what she¡¯s talking about, and I can see that Drake doesn¡¯t either. Shaking off some of my nerves, I extend my hand to her, ¡°I¡¯m Selene, by the way.¡± I offer inanely, quickly amending myself. ¡°I mean, I know you recognize me, but we haven¡¯t truly been introduced.¡± ¡°Helene.¡± She introduces herself, but instead of shaking my hand she uses it to pull me forward. When she was young I imagine she must have been much taller than me. She still has a few inches on me, but her spine is bent and curved with age. She turns my chin right and left in her hand. ¡°Pretty thing.¡± She says to herself, an observation rather than apliment. Her brow furrows then and she tsks regretfully, ¡°and to have survived so much darkness. I confess I¡¯ve never met another like you.¡± ¡°The only other Vna I¡¯ve met myself is my mother.¡± I share, assuming this is what she means. ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about your bloodline.¡± Helene corrects me calmly, ¡°but that¡¯s no surprise, given you and your daughter are thest ones.¡± At first I think i¡¯ve misunderstood her, ¡°What?¡± She blinks. ¡°Did you not know?¡± Her gaze bounces between Drake and I, and she doesn¡¯t wait for us to answer, ¡°No I can see you didn¡¯t. Well I¡¯m sorry to tell you, there aren¡¯t any other Vna wolves left why else do you think you are being hunted?¡± ¡°You know about that?¡± Drake demands. ¡°I do now.¡± Helene exins,¡±before today I confess I never thought much on the matter, but you learn a great deal meeting new people.¡± I want to run from this house and beg her to teach me everything she knows at the same time. Helene grins as if she can read my thoughts, then bursts outughing when I narrow my eyes at her. ¡°Ohe now, don¡¯t be silly. No one can read minds.¡± ¡°But if you can¡¯t, how did you know I was thinking that?¡± I object. ¡°I read feelings and secrets, I read the past.¡± She rifies, her tone bing matter-of-fact as she continues, ¡°And I¡¯ve been at it long enough to know what it means when someone looks at me that way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m impressed by your knowledge and skill.¡± Drake informs her, looking like he¡¯s not sure whether to be pleased or concerned, and I¡¯m d to know you¡¯ll teach Selene. My question is whether that¡¯s all you¡¯ll do. Can we trust you with what you¡¯ve discovered today? Can we trust that you will only help and do no harm?¡± Helene gives Drake a long, assessing look that makes him shift nervously from foot to foot. After a moment she returns her gaze to me and arches a brow. ¡°You have too many guard dogs.¡± Trying to hide my snort ofughter while Drake growls in offense over being called a dog, I cough and clear my throat. ¡°You have no idea.¡± ¡°Do not worry, Alpha.¡± Helene informs Drake coolly. ¡°Your friend is safe with me. I have no need for money, I have no ambition for power, and I¡¯ve already lived too long as it is.¡± ¡°And how long is that?¡± Drake demands. ¡°Drake!¡± I exim, outraged on my new teacher¡¯s behalf, ¡°stop being rude!¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright little mother.¡± Helene tells me, patting my cheek. ¡°Age is only a matter of vanity for the young. I¡¯m a hundred and seventy years old young man. I¡¯ve lived more than five of your lifetimes, and you cannot intimidate me by baring your fangs. You can either trust me or kill me, but do not expect me to bow and scrape like the rest of your subjects.¡± I cannot hide my surprise. Shifters have long lives as a rule, but I¡¯ve never heard of anyone living past a hundred and fifty before. Drake considers her for a moment, before nodding and turning to me. ¡°I like her.¡± I do too, far more than I imagined I would a few minutes ago. It¡¯s such a relief to have everything out in the open and have someone not only willing, but capable of helping me. Besides, I get the feeling Helene will not coddle me the way the men do. Drawing her attention back to me, I ask the only other question that might cease our association before it can truly begin. ¡°Is it safe to use my powers in my condition?¡± Her eyes light up. ¡°that reminds me! I have something for you.¡± Without another word she turns and disappears deeper into the house, the sound of her footsteps receding down a flight of stairs. * ¨C but, you didn¡¯t answer my question.¡± Iin, trailing after her. I descend the steps into what can only be her work room: the walls are lined with ss jars and herbs, the central table is scattered with heavy books and parchment, and there¡¯s even a bubbling cauldron in the corner. I feel as though I¡¯ve walked into a fairy story, even though it¡¯s all still too surreal. Helene is scanning the jars on her shelves, her gnarled finger skimming thebels until she clucks with pleasure and plucks one from the mantle. ¡°Aha!¡± She uncorked the ss vessel and raises it to her nose, nodding in approval. ¡°Not only is it safe, but using your powers will make you and the baby stronger, Selene.¡± She tells me. ¡°So will this.¡± epting the jar from her, I study the dried flowers inside,pletely confused. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The cure for your illness.¡± She says, as if it should be obvious. ¡°Forget the doctors deary, when it comes to creating life, it¡¯s best to trust a witch.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 153 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.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°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 ¨C 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.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 154 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Arabe Has an Audience with ise Arabe¡¯s POV As much as I wanted to p my supplier right in the face when he advised me to try being lovable, I can¡¯t deny he had a point. I need Bastien to fall head over heels in love with me, and I haven¡¯t been trying very hard thus far. After all, I have to convince him we¡¯re meant to be together sopletely that he won¡¯t believe the truth even when his betas say it to his face. He has to be so blinded by affection that he won¡¯t recognize his own mate if they meet again. I¡¯ve got my work cut out for me. At least I have one advantage, which is that I know what he likes. I just have to act as pathetic and helpless as Selene, and the big idiot will fall at my feet. No one is easier to manipte than an alpha with a heroplex, except maybe one who¡¯s being drugged. That¡¯s the other tool in my limited arsenal. I¡¯ve decided to up the dosage of the memory potion a bit, so that he¡¯s even more confused than he is already. I¡¯m going to set my n in motion tonight. I¡¯ve done everything I can think of to arrange the perfect date. While he¡¯s taking a little drug induced nap a professional cleaning crew and chef will make me look like susie homemaker, and the dress purchased this afternoon will make me look even more appetizing than dinner. I¡¯ll act as sweet and ditsy as possibly can, lord knows his mate doesn¡¯t have a spine, let alone a brain. However before I begin the distasteful task of making that oaf love me, I have to deal with the other Alpha in my life. ise hasn¡¯t seemed to mind my absence too much in recent days, and I might have been offended if it weren¡¯t for the fact that I very much needed the time away from him to sort out things with Bastien. Still he did call an audience with me this afternoon, so I expect he¡¯ll be bending over backwards to apologize for his neglect. I¡¯ll have to act aloof and unconvinced so that I can exin my continued absence ining weeks. ise is the only Alpha I¡¯ve ever known who actually sits on a throne, and he¡¯s waiting for me in the throne room when I arrive, looking imperiously down at his subjects from the dais. The room is half full of nobles and aristocrats required to fawn over him every afternoon by his own decree, and i¡±m only too pleased to have an audience for his apology ¡°Is there something you¡¯d like to tell me, Arabe?¡± ise inquires ominously, tapping his fingers impatiently on the arm of the throne. For a moment I think he might know about Bastien, and fear courses through my body. ¡°Whatever do you mean?¡± I ask him with a wide smile, ying dumb. ¡°Think very carefully, Novan.¡± He growls, ¡°you do not want to lie to me.¡± I want to be caught hiding Bastien from you even less. I think. Furrowing my brow, I say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. I¡¯m confused. I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ise nods at his beta, and the big wolf steps forward and ces a stack of glossy photos in my hand. Looking down at them in surprise and disbelief, I realize they¡¯re all of me. Thankfully none of them include Bastien, but they do show me going around the city on my day to day business, including visiting my potion supplier at the underground market. ¡± I stammer, ¡°You¡¯ve been having me followed?¡± ¡°As is my right.¡± ise snarls, clenching his fists at my audacity, would you care to exin what you were doing buying memory potions from amon trader?¡± I have to think fast. ncing around the assembled crowd and praying for someone toe to my aid, my mind races a mile a minute. When no one speaks up I look back to the terrifying alpha and nervously gnaw on my lower lip. ¡°I was stocking up.¡± I lie, sudden inspiration striking me. ¡°I thought it mighte in handy when we take over the Nova pack. There might be a few people who don¡¯t fall in line immediately, but if we can make them forget it will be easier.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Is that so?¡± ise asks rhetorically, rising from his throne. ¡°Yes!¡± I insist, ¡°I was going to tell you the n the next time we met.¡± The Alpha smiles, and I breathe a little easier. I return his grin as he draws nearer, relieved beyond belief that he bought my story. Hees so close that our bodies are almost touching, and before my eyes his smile melts to a horrible grimace. Heshes out and fists his hand in my hair, yanking my head back. ¡°Listen to me, you impudent bitch.¡± I flinch as his harsh words and even harsher touch, not understanding where I went wrong. ¡°First of all, we are not taking over the Nova pack I am taking over the Nova pack and if you¡¯re lucky I¡¯ll let you live long enough to lick my boots once we seed.¡± He hisses, spittle flying from his lips as he shakes me roughly, drawing an unwilling whimper from my lips. *Second, you do not make ns and inform me about themter, you do not make ns at all. You do not even think without my permission You are useful to me because of your connection to the Durands and your inside knowledge, that is why I¡¯m keeping you around, not so that you can fuck up my best laid ns by getting ideas of your own.¡± He thunders. To my shame tears burn in my eyes and I begin to tremble. The only reason I¡¯m able to keep it that much together is that he¡¯s clearly not nning on killing me, but I¡¯m only too aware that he might still hurt me. ¡°And third, I don¡¯t associate with the drudges of the underground. No one aboveground is permitted to contaminate themselves with those mongrels¡¯ poverty and depravity. If you expect to receive another audience with me, I expect you to thoroughly disinfect yourself and never set foot down there again. I do not need another dirty whore serving me, I want only the purest of she-wolves in my presence. Is that clear?¡± ¡°Yes sir, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I mewl pitifully. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you, I promise.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t do a single thing without my express orders!¡± ise roars. He raises his hand a second before his knuckles m across my face, sending pain exploding through my head. He¡¯s still holding me by the hair, so I can¡¯t even fall to the ground, I hang there by my hair, struggling to breathe through the agony. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± I moan again, half sobbing. ¡°Good.¡± He drops me like a sack of bricks, ¡°Now get out of my sight.¡± I can¡¯t meet the gazes of any of the courtiers filling the room as I slink out with my tail between my legs. What on earth just happened? I can¡¯t believe I miscalcted so badly. I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t notice I was being followed. I¡¯m going to have to be much, much more careful in the future. I stop in the opulent restroom before leaving, wiping away my running mascara and trying to get my tears under control. There¡¯s already a huge purple bruise blooming across my cheek, and my nose and eyes are red and splotchy. This is so not how I wanted to look before my big date with Bastien. After all, Selene always looks perfect, she¡¯s even a pretty crier and I absolutely am not. However as I¡¯m washing my face I realize that this might actually work in my favor after all. Bastien has always been a sucker for a woman in need, and I don¡¯t actually have to tell him about ise. I could easily pretend I was attacked by some strange wolf and fall into his arms like that helpless bitch he calls a mate. The more I consider the idea the more I like it, and the more grateful I am to ise this really couldn¡¯t have gone better if I nned it. When I get home a little whileter I turn off the oven and kick out the cleaners, undoing all their preparations for our date and hiding the evidence. Once the apartment is back to normal, I walk out into the hallway and work myself up into another fit of tears. When I¡¯m suitably pathetic I crash into the house so loudly I¡¯m sure it will wake Bastien. I m the door hard and throw myself against it, sliding by back down the wood until my butt hits the floor and sobbing melodramatically. Right on cue Bastien surges out of his room on high alert. He takes one look at me and pales, his hands instinctively clenching into fists. ¡°Be!¡± He asks frantically. ¡°What happened!¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 155 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Bastien Takes Care of Arabe Bastien¡¯s POV All I ever seem to do these days is pace. Pace, scour the news from Elysium and try to figure out what hell I¡¯m going to do. I cannot stomach the idea of standing by and doing nothing, but Arabe gets so frantic every time I mention going back or taking action that I¡¯ve learned to cool my temper around her. It¡¯s strange, I¡¯ve witnessed a thousand of Be¡¯s tantrums over the years, but she¡¯s never been a cowardly wolf. No, her fits have almost always been about not getting her way, this is the first time I¡¯ve ever seen her so beside herself out of fear. She must have been terribly traumatized to be this afraid, and things must be even worse in Elysium then I realized if she feels she has no allies there. I still find it hard to believe my mother, Aiden and Donovan would all be so easily fooled by Selene, but everything I read in the papers or see on TV backs up what Arabe says. The pack is about ready to throw me out as Alpha, and my so-called mate is nowhere to be found. If anything, she stirs up the discontent by making herself a victim at the expense of my absence. Unfortunately the cable was outst week during the press conference she gave, but Arabe showed me the papers the next day, which detailed how my wife bemoaned my negligence and med me for everything going wrong at home. I don¡¯t want to upset Arabe, but I cannot allow this to go on, I have to return home and expose my cousin and traitorous wife. I¡¯m supposed to be here nning my next move, but every time I think of a new idea, Arabe shoots it down. I admit she knows the current situation better than I do, but I think I¡¯ve been letting her fear guide us both, and that cannot continue. My wolf goes on high alert when I smell Be drawing near the apartment and hear her crying. I¡¯m automatically bracing myself for danger when she stumbles into the room, bruised and sobbing. ¡°Be!¡± Rushing to her side, I lock the door behind her and gather her up, trying to get a look at her even as she copses into my arms. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°It was ise.¡± She wails, sniffling loudly, ¡°He called an audience with me and I thought it was just to talk about the state dinner next week, but it wasn¡¯t.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°ise did this?!¡± I demand fiercely, finally pushing her off of me long enough to get a look at the dark bruise blooming across her cheek. What kind of a man hits and innocent woman? I think in horror, what kind of Alpha treats his subjects that way? The same kind that would lock all the poor and diabled people in an underground prison and ban them from mixing with their ¡°betters¡±. Axel supplies with a snarl. ¡°Yes!¡± Arabe cries, ¡°oh Bastien, he was terrifying. He¡¯s been having me followed, he said he knew I¡¯d been exploring the city, going to the underground. He said he didn¡¯t give me permission to roam Tartarus at will and threatened to kill me if I crossed him again.¡± ¡°What?¡± Tutter in disbelief, that¡¯s insane.¡± ¡°He¡¯s insane!¡± Arabe agreed. ¡°it¡¯s only a blessing he didn¡¯t see us together. We can¡¯t risk you leaving the house again, or he might kill us both.¡± As guilty as I feel for thinking it, I can¡¯t help but feel Arabe is being hysterical. First because breaking aw and going to the underground is a far cry from merely stepping outside one¡¯s own front door especially when ise has no idea who I am. Second because regardless of the threat it may pose, I have zero intention of lying down and letting a tyrant walk all over me. And third, because none of this makes any sense. I mean, I know ise is a ruthless tyrant, but I have to be missing some detail here. Why would he care so much about a random she-wolf who doesn¡¯t even belong to his pack defying him? Why would it matter if he saw another visitor staying with her. She¡¯s not telling us everything. Axel reasons, far more calmly than I would have expected him to feel under the circumstances. That¡¯s the only exnation ¡°Come here,¡± I encourage Arabe gently, guiding her to the kitchen, ¡°Let me take a look at your cheek.¡± As we move across the room I realize Arabe is limping, so I sweep her up into my arms and set her on the counter. ¡°Just breath Be.¡± I encourage. ¡°Can you do that for me?¡± The sobbing blonde heaves in a few gulps of breath, and when her shaking has lessened, I prompt her to start from the beginning. ¡°It¡¯s like I told you,¡± She chokes, ¡°He called me for an audience and attacked me.¡± Though bruised, her cheek looks as if it will heel rtively quickly. Based on my own battle experience, I¡¯d say he walloped her pretty hard, but only struck once. At least the bastard is capable of that much restraint. ¡°Okay, where else are you hurt?¡± I ask, looking her over. ¡°Just my cheek and my ankle.¡± She sniffs, her lips trembling dangerously. Moving to examine her ankle, I can¡¯t find anything visibly wrong with it, but presume it must be a sprain. ¡°Be, why was ise having you followed?¡± I don¡¯t really know a delicate way of asking this question, so I simply blurt out the tactless thought in my mind, ¡°Why does he care about you, or what you¡¯re doing in the city?¡± Arabe flushes, looking surprised by my blunt words and unsure how to answer, I can see the gears spinning in her head, and I know Axel was right. she is hiding something. It¡¯s also clear she doesn¡¯t want to tell me her secret. Her lips are pursed and her brown eyes are darting around as if searching for an answer. ¡°What is it, Be?¡± I encourage, ¡°You can tell me.¡± She peeked up at me from beneath hershes, looking more vulnerable than I can remember seeing her in a very long time. ¡°You have to promise you won¡¯t get mad.¡± Just tell me, honey. I promise you¡¯ll feel better with everything out in the open.¡± Staring at herp and nervously twiddling her fingers, she admits, ¡°ise he¡¯s been pursuing me.¡± Her voice is barely louder than a whisper, ¡°He came onto me when I first arrived but I told him I wasn¡¯t that kind of girl. I don¡¯t think he knows how to take no for an answer.¡± Damn, I think, ovee with fury and frustration. This exins a lot, including why a strange man¡¯s mere presence could cause problems for Arabe. It¡¯s also a very unfortunateplication, for both of us. ¡°Well he has a funny way of showing his affection.¡± I growl, pulling a bag of frozen peas from the freezer and tenderly applying it to her cheek. She winces and tries to push me away, but I hush her and hold firm, ¡°I know it hurts, darling. Just give it a moment. It will help.¡± *Thank you for taking care of me, Bastien.¡± She whimpers, ¡°I don¡¯t know what i¡¯d do without you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t ever have to worry about that again.¡± I vow. ¡°From here on out, it¡¯s you and me, Be. We¡¯re going to get through this together.¡± She blinks up at me tearfully, her hands clutching my shirt in an iron grip. But how?¡± In this moment I can almost see her as a child again, when she inevitably got herself in over her head trying to prove herself and Flynn and I would have toe to the rescue. I recognize the hallmarks well, and I have a feeling this is more of the same. I don¡¯t doubt she¡¯s hurting, but Arabe has never been the type to pull out the puppy dog eyes unless she¡¯s trying to garner sympathy. Nothing excuses what ise has done, but I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she hadn¡¯te here intending to charm him and subsequently bit off more than she can chew. Sweet and vulnerable is not her style unless she¡¯s trying to get out of trouble, then she¡¯ll pull out all the stops to avoid ountability, ¡°We¡¯ve got to get out of this city.¡± I insist, hoping this incident will finally make her see how dangerous it is to stay here. ¡°I need to return to Elysium, and we need to get you away from ise.¡± ¡°No!¡± Arabe yelps, surprising me, ¡°We can¡¯t leave. This is the only ce we¡¯re safe from Selene.¡± Furrowing my brow in confusion, I study Flynn¡¯s sister closely, thinking perhaps ise hit her harder than I realized. ¡°But Be, we aren¡¯t safe here either¡± I remind her. ¡°ise is never going to be an ally to me, and he¡¯s a threat to us both.¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been thinking.¡± Arabe says, though it truly seems like she¡¯s making this up as she goes along. ¡°Maybe I should just give in to ise.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I demand. ¡°He might help us if I did.¡± She shrugs. ¡°Be, you¡¯ve spent weeks telling me what a monster he is and that he¡¯d kill me for the Nova Pack and the first chance.¡± I exim. ¡°I just, I don¡¯t know what else to do!¡± She cries, jumping down off the counter. ¡°it¡¯s different for you, you can go back and fight Selene and Frederic, but I¡¯m exiled ¨C from our pack and from all of our allies¡¯ too. I don¡¯t have a choice but to stay in Tartarus, and this might be the only way I can do so safely.¡± ¡°No,¡± imand forcefully. ¡°That isn¡¯t happening. When I go home, you¡¯lle with me. I¡¯m going to make things right.¡± She shakes her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. ¡°You still don¡¯t get it, do you?¡± She asks. ¡°The moment you go back there, they¡¯ll turn you against me. They¡¯ll convince you i¡¯m evil. They¡¯ve already done it once, they can do it again.¡± Understanding finally sinks in, and I realize this is what she¡¯s been afraid of all along. ¡°Then we won¡¯t give them a choice.¡± I decide. ¡°We¡¯ll make it so nothing cane between us.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Arabe questions, sounding defeated, ¡°We¡¯ll get married.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 156 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 ¨C 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. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°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.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 157 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Selene Eminaces Her Fame Selene¡¯s POV I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get used to people recognizing me on the street, as if I¡¯m some sort of celebrity rather than a girl who spent 8 years alone in a basement with no one forpany but my trapped wolf. Now it¡¯s impossible for me to go anywhere without being recognized. Even now as rain falls in sheets around me and I¡¯m bundled up against the crisp chill of the autumn air, walking down the street is a veritable minefeld. Half of the people who stop me merely wish to offer me congrattions on the new baby, but the other half pepper me with questions about Bastien¡¯s whereabouts. I¡¯ve almost reached the hospital when a reporter catches me, running forward with a microphone and camera crew in tow. ¡°Selene, I¡¯m Katrina Davies from the Evening Standard, do you have a moment to speak with us?¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. I can spare a moment,¡± I agree, unsure of whether this is actually a good idea. We¡¯ve been debating how to respond to Frederick¡¯s challenge since he issued it yesterday, barely sleeping in the wake of the unfolding disaster. As of yet we still haven¡¯t reached a consensus about what to do, and I¡¯m already going rogue by going to the hospital in the first. The guys would lose their minds if they knew I n on confronting Dr. Kane directly ¨C and I¡¯d certainly prefer to avoid the conflict myself but I don¡¯t know what else to do. I can only pray I get through it without having a post-traumatic stress episode, I¡¯m sure the sly wolf would use it as an excuse to hospitalize me again. On the other hand, if I give an interview in front of the hospital, at least people will know where to look for me if I don¡¯te home tonight. ¡°First of all, how are you doing?¡± Katrina asks, holding the microphone out to me, ¡°We¡¯re so pleased to see you out of the hospital.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I respond graciously. ¡°I¡¯m happy to report I¡¯m doing much better,¡± I smile, patting my belly through my wool coat, ¡°And getting fatter by the day,¡± The reporter and crew chuckle warmly, and I decide that speaking to them might actually help after all. If I can pretend to be charming, maybe people will take our side. *That¡¯s wonderful.¡± Katrina gushes, ¡°And your little one at home, has she warmed up to the idea of being a big sister yet?¡± Now it¡¯s my turn tough. ¡°Not quite, but she is currently trying to convince me that she¡¯d feel better about it if I got her a pony, so at least it¡¯ s helping her develop an enterprising spirit.¡± ¡°And the Alpha?¡± Katrina continues, ¡°is there any word on when he might return?¡± ¡°I wish I could tell you otherwise.¡± I share honestly, ¡°but I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have any news on that front.¡± ¡°Now I have to ask,¡± The reporter announces, which all but guarantees she doesn¡¯t have to do anything of the sort. ¡°Do you have anyment about the usations Dr Kane made against the Alpha yesterday, and the challenge he issued?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to say I won¡¯t dignify Dr. Kane¡¯s nder with ament, but I¡¯m afraid that would only add more fuel to the proverbial fire.¡± I sigh. not bothering to hide my frustration. Next to the slimey wolf¡¯s fake persona, hopefully seeing someone with genuine feelings will highlight just how dishonest Dr. Kane¡¯s act truly is. ¡°Instead I¡¯ll say this to any Novan who has met my husband in person,¡± I begin, choosing my words carefully. ¡°I beg you to think back on those asions and ask yourself what you yourself thought of him. What did your wolf¡¯s instincts tell you about the man and how did you feel in the moment? Ignore whatever might be getting said in the papers or on tv. And ask yourself whether you trust yourself or the words of strangers who greatly stand to gain by bringing down the Alpha, more.¡± ¡°You think Dr Kane is saying all these things purely for his own gain?¡± Katrina questions excitedly. Pursing my lips, I reply, ¡°Well let¡¯s just say this. If you want evidence of Dr. Kane¡¯s dedication to this pack¡¯s wellbeing and his apparent concern for me, you might like to know that while I was in the hospital, he treated me by giving me cebos which kept me ill and under his control. He purposefully failed to help a patient in his care because he wanted me within his reach and away from the people looking out for me. ¡°After our betas and Drake Cavanaugh helped me leave the hospital as I¡¯d been begging to do for days and days, I went to another physician who confirmed that Dr Kane had been making me sick. He risked my life, and the life of the Alpha¡¯s pup, because he knew if I was close by he might have a chance to convince me to give up on my husband.¡± The reporter¡¯s jaw actually drops, ¡°That¡¯s quite an usation.¡± ¡°The evidence is right here.¡± I shrug. patting my belly again. ¡°You can see how well I appeared in my own press conference, after I¡¯d been under his care for over a week and was supposedly drugged to the hilt. I couldn¡¯t make it ten minutes without getting sick and looked like a walking skeleton. Now, I¡¯m down to three prescriptions with a different doctor and I can not only make it through the afternoon without copsing, but I¡¯ve already put on five pounds. The only difference is that my pills are real now.¡± ¡°How could any doctor do such a horrible thing?¡± One of the cameramen mutters, earning an exasperated look from Katrina. ¡°We¡¯ll cut that out.¡± She remarks, ¡°but he¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been approached by a lot of concerned Novans these past few weeks.¡± I continue, on a roll now, ¡°And I appreciate everyone¡¯s congrattions on my growing family, and I empathize with everyone who is afraid or upset right now, because I¡¯m honestly feeling exactly the same way. We are living in extremely difficult times.¡± I feel myself tearing up, and ask to pause the interview. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, can we stop for a second?¡± ¡°No, this is great!¡± Katrina whispers, before saying more loudly. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Selene, tell us how you¡¯re feeling.¡± Annoyed but trusting the woman, i continue. ¡°I wish Bastien was home, and I know he does too. But he¡¯s not here because he believes so much in his duty to protect his family and his pack that he¡¯s willing to lose his reputation in order to do what¡¯s right.¡± Swiping at the rogue droplets rolling down my cheeks, I clear my throat, ¡°The people¡¯s concerns are valid, and it¡¯s right to ask where Bastien is and why he isn¡¯t here even if we can¡¯t give you the answers you deserve for security reasons. But anytime we¡¯re faced with the prospect of a challenge like this, we also have to remember to ask about the people making the usations. I don¡¯t have these answers yet myself, but I encourage anyone who cares about our future to ask who exactly Dr. Kane is. Where did hee from? What is his background? Why should we listen to him? And if ites to this, does he deserve to lead us?¡± ¡°Wise words.¡± Katrina nods, an excited glimmer in her eyes, ¡°Now Selene, I can¡¯t help but notice we¡¯re standing outside Dr. Kane¡¯s hospital right now. Can we presume you¡¯re on your way to ask some of those questions yourself?¡± Offering her an amused huff, I confirm. ¡°Yes, I¡¯d hoped to speak with Dr. Kane about his press conference off the record, rather than beginning a public feud by keeping everything in the media but you got the better of me, Katrina.¡± ¡°Well you know the public loves good gossip.¡± Sheughs. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t?¡± i concede, ¡°But I find as entertaining as gossip is at times, it almost never makes things better for the people with most at stake, which in this case, is the pack. Hard work behind the scenes isn¡¯t fun or newsworthy, but it does more to improve the lives of everyday people than slinging mud behind a podium.¡± ¡°So I suppose there¡¯s no chance you¡¯d let use with you?¡± She asks hopefully, clearly realizing this was never going to happen. I shoot her a look, and she surrenders with augh. ¡°Alright, thank you Selene.¡± Katrina shakes my hand, ¡°We wish you luck either way.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I answer, trying to smile as I walk away. I¡¯m not sure how well that went, and I have a bad feeling it sounded far too preachy at the end. Still, it helped me frame my thoughts for the conversation ahead. A few minutester, I¡¯m storming into Dr Kane¡¯s office with my hands on my hips and smoke steaming from my ears. The physician rises, a surprised expression on his face as hees around his desk. ¡°Selene, how are you feeling?¡± Rather than answering him, I narrow my eyes and offer him my most intimidating re. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 158 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Selene Confronts Dr. Kane Frederic¡¯s POV Well this is interesting. I didn¡¯t think Selene had it in her to stand up for herself, clearly the betas and Drake have been a worse influence on her than I realized. On the other hand, she is here, and that gives as an opportunity to help her see the error of her ways. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask, spreading my hands in front of me and inviting her to continue. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that.¡± Selene snaps, ¡°You just publicly challenged my husband.¡± Goodness, she can be feisty when she wants to. My wolf growls. Just another bad habit to train out of her. I think back. There were always bound to be a few. And look, she looks much better, she must have figured out about the pills. My wolf points out, sounding even more irritated than before. I too have to admit that¡¯s a problem. I had been hoping she¡¯d miscarry without the right drugs, but I didn¡¯t want to trigger it directly because then she¡¯d be released from the hospital and go home. Far better if she be admitted for a drawn out stay and lose the baby towards the end, by which point I¡¯d have been her closest confidant. I still hadn¡¯t given up hope for this n when she left against my orders, after all I knew she¡¯d be back soon enough without the right care. Unfortunately her watch dogs seem to have figured out that she wasn¡¯t getting better for a reason. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± I sigh, trying my best to sound genuine. ¡°This has all been so unfortunate.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sorry?¡± Selene parrots fiercely, ¡°You do realize your actions are hurting some very real people don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°And what about the harm to the pack?¡± I argue back, pressing my hand to my heart. ¡°I have to follow my conscience.¡± I insist. Reaching forward and sping her by the arms, I ignore her protests and speak as poignantly as I can manage. ¡°Selene, the pack is suffering.¡± ¡°And you think ying on their fear and pain is helping them?¡± She counters incredulously. ¡°You think that exploiting their hardships to make them turn against the best leader we¡¯ve had in a century is going to make things better?¡± Her tiny hands are pushing at my arms ineffectually, and I can¡¯t help but admire how adorable she is for trying when she has no chance of sess. ¡°No Thomas, let¡¯s be honest, you just want to cause chaos and destabilize the city so that you can swoop in like a hero and take power.¡± Hmph, she¡¯s smarter than I realized. My wolf notes, another problem. Not if she can be won over to our side. I reason, brushing aside his cynical concerns. Please, you¡¯ve seen what happens when she-wolves get too many bright ideas. He reminds me, Arabe and your mother caused nothing but problems. They weren¡¯t Selene. I insist. You know as well as I do that she¡¯s normally sweetness itself. You were the one who pushed me to save her from the fire, remember, you couldn¡¯t bear to see such an innocent life taken when she¡¯s already suffered so much. That was before. He grumbles. She¡¯s only doing this now because she¡¯s frightened. I state firmly. Cornered animals are always the most dangerous. He agrees, the question is whether you can ever convince her to trust you. As long as she sees you as an enemy, she¡¯ll never feel safe and we¡¯ll be stuck with this defiance. I know my wolf is right. I have to make her realize I want what¡¯s best for her that I, not Bastien, am the one she truly deserves to be with. Staring deep into her eyes, I drop my voice an octave and brush my thumbs back and forth across her bare skin, pleased to see a shiver of desire run down her spine. ¡°That¡¯s not the only reason and you know it,¡± I dere. ¡°I can¡¯t stand what he¡¯s doing to you.¡± ¡°What he¡¯s doing to me?¡± Selene repeats, her lovely, full lips agape. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know he¡¯s doing all this for me.¡± She hisses, trying to hide her obvious interest in me by goingpletely still. ¡°And regardless, I¡¯m not your concern.¡± Oh, so that¡¯s the way you want to y it? I think in amusement. ¡°You¡¯re a public figure and the leader of this pack¡¯s she-wolves,¡± I remind her. ¡°your treatment is of concern to all Novans.¡± Her stunning eyes sh, ¡°Lets cut the crap, Dr. Kane.¡± She insists, ¡°this isn¡¯t about the pack, it never has been.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± I agree. ¡°Let¡¯s speak inly. Bastien has never treated you right.¡± She opens her mouth to object, but I raise a finger to her lips. ¡°I¡¯ve known you for years, Selene. I remember how devastated you were when he was rejecting you, I remember the way he sided with Arabe all the while she tried to kill you. How could you ever forgive him after everything he did?¡± ¡°No.¡± Selene pushes my finger away, ¡°You knew me once, at a time in my life when I was weak and confused. I had so little self worth I believed I waspletely unlovable, and I was so vulnerable to maniption that I let a crazy woman trick me into believing my husband didn¡¯t want me. None of it was real.¡± ¡°Oh Selene,¡± I shake my head and sigh, ¡°you poor thing. That isn¡¯t what happened, you¡¯re so caught up in the middle of all this you¡¯re incapable of seeing the truth.¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± She cries, so loudly that I release her and close the door to my office before my secretary can get suspicious. ¡°I lived it, not you! And you¡¯re not an objective observer here. Just admit it, you¡¯ve had it out for Bastien since day one.¡± When I try to approach her again she backs away, continuing to retreat until we¡¯re circling each other. Arabe tried to push me down the stairs and you helped me run away from Bastien, you encouraged me to fear him.¡± Selene recalls. ¡°Arabe made me believe he was leaving me for her, and you helped me hide my pregnancy, you didn¡¯t tell him I was pregnant when Arabe tried to kill me. You probably altered the DNA results too didn¡¯t you? You knew I wasn¡¯t dead but you wanted Bastien to be weak so you made him think I was!¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± I growl. ¡°I was trying to help you. It never had anything to do with him.¡± ¡°And why were you willing to risk so much to help me?¡± She demands, ¡°You turned against your Alpha, you kept him from his mate. He could have killed you if he found out and no one in the pack would have med him.¡± ¡°Why do you always defend him?¡± I explode, mming my fist on my desk, ¡°He¡¯s an arrogant, entitled, bully! He has good looks, muscles, and nothing else! He only married you because his father ordered him to, then he made you miserable the entire time you were together, he didn¡¯t even im you until he found out he¡¯d bred you!¡± ¡°And what you would have done things differently, would you?¡± Selene scoffs. ¡°Damn straight I would!¡± i thunder, ¡°I¡¯ve seen how special you are from day one! I would have imed you the moment Iid eyes on you, if I had his power, I would have made you my queen. I would have made sure you never wanted for anything. You deserved to be pampered and cherished after everything you went through, not tossed aside like yesterday¡¯s garbage.¡± Her brows furrow, and a sliver of vulnerability enters her expression. Her voice is small when she asks, ¡°You would have imed me, when I was barely eighteen, traumatized, wolfless, and didn¡¯t even know what the word meant?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I assure her passionately, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have thought twice about it. That¡¯s how much I care about you!¡± ¡°That¡¯s despicable.¡± She forces the words out through clenched teeth, all signs of weakness long gone. ¡°Bastien may have coddled me and kept himself at a distance, but at least he recognized that I needed time to heal rather than just forcing himself on me. I¡¯m d it was him and not you! I¡¯m d, even if I did end up almost burning alive because of the target on his back!¡± ¡°And who do you think pulled you from that fire?¡± I question ferociously, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t even be standing here today if it wasn¡¯t for me?¡± ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯re the one who saved me?¡± Selene rifies, looking truly stunned now. ¡°Yes!¡± I cry, ¡°Yes, I saved your life and L¡¯s!¡± I¡¯m not sure what I expected. Gratitude? Thanks, praise, fawning? Promations of love or eternal dedication? Whatever I thought, it isn¡¯t what I got. Instead Selene¡¯s shocked expression fades away, reced by a look so cunning I take a step back. What? ¡°And how did you know I was in that cabin, Thomas?¡± She asks, going in for the kill, ¡°how did you know I needed saving, and why did you abandon me, pregnant and alone, in the neutral territories afterward?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 159 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Training with Helene. Selene¡¯s POV There haven¡¯t been many times in my life that I¡¯ve felt like a genius, but I certainly do now. After my sess with the reporters outside, was prepared to take on Dr. Kane, but I never expected to catch him out like this. As rming and disturbing as his behavior has been throughout our conversation, I¡¯m on the verge of making him admit he was working with Arabe, and that¡¯s only a few steps short of making him admit he¡¯s not Dr. Kane at all, but Frederic. This man I once trusted, is looking at me as if he¡¯s never seen me before. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll try to touch me again or profess his love, but I¡¯m also afraid he might attack. It honestly seems like it could go either way. ¡°I learned what Arabe was nning.¡± He admits hoarsely, seemingly unable to think of a lie in the moment. ¡°Because you were working with her.¡± I suggest. ¡°Because you were helping her drive me away from Bastien.¡± Suddenly another detail clicks into ce, ¡°That¡¯s why she was in the hospital the night she tried to push ¡®me down the stairs isn¡¯t it? She wasing to meet you and you made sure she overheard I was pregnant.¡± ¡°No.¡± He immediately denies, ¡°she was never supposed to overhear that.¡± ¡°But she was there to meet you.¡± I press, feeling more powerful than I can remember being in quite some time. Moments ago this man was controlling the room, and now he¡¯s pale and sputtering nervously because of me and I didn¡¯t even have to use my powers. ¡°Yes.¡± He breathes in resignation. ¡°We were working together. But Selene, you have to understand, it started out about Bastien, but when I met you, I realized we were meant to be together.¡± ¡°The Goddess would disagree.¡± I reply simply. ¡°And so do I.¡± I¡¯ve been walking a fine line this entire time, needing him to confess to being Frederic Durand, but knowing if Ie out and ask or use him outright, he¡¯ll deny it. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you were working with her in the first ce. If it was before you met me, what did you have against Bastien, has it always been about the power?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± He asks, clearly offended. ¡°I tell you I saved your life, and your pups life, and all you care about is why I worked against your husband?¡± ¡°Our lives never would have been in danger in the first ce if it hadn¡¯t been for your and Arabe¡¯s schemes.¡± I remind him. ¡°Do you expect me to thank you for that?¡± He shakes his head, looking truly disappointed now, ¡°You¡¯re not who I thought you were.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the difference between a fantasy and a real person, Thomas.¡± i¡¯d be lying if I said I didn¡¯t feel discouraged not to extract a full confession from him, but I also don¡¯t want to show him all my cards just yet. ¡°I¡¯m not the dream woman you imagined, and Bastien isn¡¯t the viin you¡¯ve made him out to be either.¡± Turning towards the door, I leave him with one final thought, ¡°The truth is a lot more complicated than you¡¯re making it out to be, I¡¯m here, if you want to talk further. I¡¯d much rather you and I speak this way, than y games in the media.¡± He looks truly torn, as if he wants to believe me and strike me at the same time. I¡¯m not sure which feeling will win out, and I don¡¯t want to risk thetter, so I duck out before he can respond. When I get home I¡¯m excited to share what happened with the others, but I don¡¯t get the chance. As soon as I walk inside, my pup¡¯s voice and the sound of the tv news greets me, and I have a sneaky suspicion I know what the anchors are covering. ¡°Mommy you¡¯re famous!¡± L cries, flying across the room and into my arms. Kissing her hello and moving deeping into the apartment, I see my own image on the television screen and wince, I always hate seeing myself in photos and videos. Even so, the scrolling text at the bottom of the screen is nothing short of a glowingpliment, even going so far as to encourage viewers to keep an eye out for investigations into Dr. Kane. Odette is asplimentary as my daughter, hugging me and sharing, ¡°I¡¯m impressed, they almost never show full interviews like this. It¡¯s always edited down to a few clips. You did so well, Selene.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where it came from, the words just sort of spilled out of me.¡± I shrug, blushing. ¡°And you looked fabulous.¡± Sophie adds from the couch, in the rain and all!¡± Turning to look at the other figures in the room, I realize the womens¡¯ opinions are not shared. Drake, Aiden, and Donovan are ring at me with identical expressions of disapproval. Unfortunately for them, there¡¯s only one wolf that can make me quake in my boots these days, and he¡¯s very far away. ¡°Ah-ah.¡± Aiden scolds, clearly reading my mind. ¡°We might not scare you Selene, but we¡¯re making a list for Bastien when he gets home.¡± As much as the threat makes my insides go to pure mush, just hearing that they still believe Bastien wille homeforts me. I¡¯m not even bothered that he¡¯ll be furious when he learns everything I¡¯ve been up to in his absence, as long as he¡¯s furious with me, I don¡¯t care. Helene¡¯s POV ¡°Concentrate, Selene.¡± Helene¡¯s soothing voice instructs. ¡°Focus on the magic, forget everything else that¡¯s happening in your life right now.¡± ¡°Easier said than done.¡± I snort. After the scolding I received from Drake and the Beta¡¯s about confronting Dr. Kane without them, I shared what I learned. My information both confirmed their suspicions and shocked them, and ever since they¡¯ve been locked in Bastien¡¯s office nning their next steps. To their credit they aren¡¯t excluding me anymore, but I have so much to do between raising L, practicing with Helene, keeping up public appearances and puking up my guts every morning that joining their discussions inevitably gets pushed to the bottom of my agenda. ¡°Just remember that this is the most important thing you can do to protect your family.¡± Helene reminds me, everything else is just window dressings.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the pack would love to hear their governance referred to that way.¡± I chuckle. ¡°You can¡¯t govern them if ise Denizen is drinking you like a juice box.¡± She scolds good-naturedly. ¡°Fair point.¡± I concede, dropping my hands in frustration. But this isn¡¯t working!¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re not concentrating.¡± Helene observes with the sort of detached assessment i¡¯vee to expect from the ancient witch. ¡°Surely you didn¡¯t think you¡¯d learn to bend shadows overnight.¡± ¡°No.¡± I agree with a huff, ¡°But creating energy bursts happens so naturally, I kind of thought the other stuff woulde the same way once ! knew how to do it.¡± She¡¯s been trying to teach me to use this particr skill for days. It¡¯s not something normal witches can do, but Helene assures me it¡¯s not that different from transfiguring matter whatever that means. All I know is that she¡¯s confident this is the easiest of the abilities Odette¡¯s books attribute to Vnas, so we¡¯re starting here. Unfortunately, if she¡¯s right and this is the easiest, I¡¯m not too optimistic about learning the other skills. ¡°Any idiot with an ounce of power can create an energy burst.¡± She derides, shaking her head. ¡°You have the potential to be great Selene, but getting there is going to take a lot of hard work.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying.¡± I insist, trying to draw the shadows towards me the way she instructed. You must first draw them to you if you want them to do your bidding. She¡¯d cryptically exined. It seems I¡¯m doomed to only understand a fraction of what my mentor says, but as long as she doesn¡¯t mind, I¡¯m willing to be confused and just pray some of her knowledge will rub off on me. ¡°You know the problem, Selene.¡± She says then, studying me closely. ¡°You¡¯re afraid of the shadows.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± I reply simply. ¡°I lived among them for years, trust me, the shadows and I are old friends.¡± ¡°No.¡± She utters thoughtfully, ¡°they tortured you for years, you were never equals. Familiar is not the same thing as unafraid.¡± I stop trying to summon them for a moment, staring at the elegant woman while she lectures. ¡°Garrick used them against you, now you have to make them your own. You have to channel them for your own purposes, take control and make them work for you, not against you.¡± I throw my hands up in exasperation, ¡°how am I supposed to undo eight years of trauma in a few days. I can¡¯t just rewrite history.¡± ¡°Think about everything you¡¯ve aplished this week alone. Think about what you told me about all those bossy men you just faced down.¡± She encourages. ¡°Five years ago even one angry authority figure would have made you copse, but today only the very strongest of wolves can intimidate you. You aren¡¯t that little girl Garrick tormented anymore. Show those shadows who¡¯s boss the way you showed Dr Kane.¡± I have to admit she has a point. I¡¯m not the scared little girl I used to be, and this week has proved it more than most. ¡°Bastien is going to be so proud of you when hees home.¡± Helene adds, making my heart swell in my chest. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to show him what you can do?¡± It happens then without trying, all the shadows in the room flee their hiding spots to gather around me as if I¡¯m one of their own. Swathed in darkness and studying my own shadow kissed limbs in awe and confusion, I ask, ¡°How did that even happen, all I did was think of pleasing Bastien?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the trick to magic, sweetheart.¡± Helene grins. ¡°The light calls the dark, and the dark calls the light. You just have to know how to speak theirnguages.¡± Excitement swells in my chest. ¡°What else? What else can you teach me?¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 160 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 160 Chapter 160- Selene Confides in Helene Selene Shadows surround me, downing me in darkness so imprable even my supernatural eye site cannot stand against it. Moments ago I could have sworn Helene was standing next to me, talking me through yet another training exercise, but now when I reach for her she¡¯s nowhere to be found. I cannot hear her anymore, and I cannot find even the tiniest sliver of light to help me find my way out of this ce. I¡¯m alone,pletely lost in the artificial night I created with my own hands, and a stab of fear slices into me as I realize I¡¯m truly stuck. The obsidian cloud pulses with energy I can feel but not see, and I will the shadows to part, to take shape rather than blinding me. They don¡¯t budge, instead smothering me in pitch ckness, choking me with it until I¡¯m gasping for air. Panicking, I send out an energy burst, hoping my power will shatter the darkness and return the shadows back to the fringes and hollows where they belong. But my power only feeds the nightmare, and suddenly the gloom transforms, just not in the way Thoped. Suddenly I¡¯m ten years old again, locked in Garrick¡¯s basement after losing my mother and wondering if I¡¯ll ever see the outside world again. I¡¯m too afraid to cry out, he always hurts me when Iin or call for help. My body is already covered in bruises, I don¡¯t want any more pain. Luna? I think weakly, calling to my wolf. Are you there? She doesn¡¯t answer, and I can feel tears of despair burning in my eyes. She can¡¯t be gone, she¡¯s the only thing I have left ¨C my only friend in the world. Besides, it¡¯s not possible for a wolf to live without their wolf¡­ right? Wait, my delirious mind thinks weakly, Why does this feel so familiar? Has this happened before? ¡°Selene!¡± A voice calls in the distance, sounding miles and miles away. ¡°Luna?¡± I jerk my head up, hope zinging through my veins. When the voice sounds again, I realize it¡¯s not my wolf after all. ¡°Come back to me now, Selene.¡± I know that voice. I just can¡¯t ce it. ¡°You¡¯ve gone too deep.¡± Helene! I realize suddenly, returning to the present. All at once the detailse flooding back, Garrick¡¯s basement was just a waking nightmare. I¡¯m in Helene¡¯s workshop, practicing my powers. But I didn¡¯t mean to create so much darkness, I just wanted to make a trick of light ¨C and I don¡¯t have the first clue how to find my way back out of this mess. ¡°I can¡¯t!¡±I cry, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to make it stop.¡± ¡°Yes you do, Selene.¡± She encourages. ¡°You created the darkness, you can make it go away.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple!¡± I insist, ¡°It¡¯s everywhere! It¡¯s too powerful.¡± ¡°The power doesn¡¯t belong to the shadows Selene, it belongs to you.¡± Helene guides me firmly. ¡°Take it back.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. My hands are shaking violently as I reach out to the onyx void, trying with all my might to pull the electrical currents swirling through the air back into my body. Come back,e back,e back. I think manically, I can¡¯t stay trapped here, I have to get home to L. My pup¡¯s sweet face appears in my mind¡¯s eye, and some of the crushing darkness eases. Luna help me. I beg, praying she¡¯ll answer this time. Just keep thinking about L, and the new pup. She advises. They need you. But I started out channeling my feelings, I remind her, what if I get lost again? You got lost because you let your fear take over, but a mother¡¯s love is stronger than fear. She replies sagely, you won¡¯t get lost this time. Doing as she says, I direct all my determination into getting home to my daughter and caring for my baby. Little by little, the web of shadows unwinds. Strands thin and break, letting in dappled rays of light until with one final tug, the darkness breaks and I copse on the ground, gasping for air. Helene kneels down next to me. ¡°Just breathe darling.¡± She croons, ¡°In and out, slowly. ¡±I¡¯m still gulping in air like a fish out of water, and she squeezes my hand, ¡°slower, Selene. Just inhale and hold it for a moment. Good, just like that.¡± She praises when I obey. When I¡¯m finally calm enough to speak, I gasp, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± She asks gently. ¡°I was thinking about Bastien, like usual.¡± I exin shakily. After our first couple of lessons i quickly discovered that being in the right frame of mind often made the difference between sess and failure ¨C and nothing grounds me better than my mate. ¡°He always makes me feel stronger than I am.¡± ¡°But?¡± She prompts, ¡°But then I started thinking about him too much, about why I haven¡¯t heard from him . and why he¡¯s still gone.¡± I confess, my voice thick with emotion. ¡°I¡¯m starting to show. He promised he¡¯d be back by now¡­ and the more time that passes, the more I think he¡¯s nevering home.¡± ¡°What do the others say?¡± Helene asks, referring to Drake and the betas. ¡°They keep assuring me everything will be fine, but they haven¡¯t heard from him either. ¡°I share. ¡°Are you you afraid he¡¯s dead?¡± She asks bluntly. ¡°I¡¯d feel it if he was.¡± I answer simply. ¡°I know he¡¯s still alive, but something is wrong. I¡¯m sure of it. He¡¯d never go this long without checking on us, and if he knew what was going on in the pack, he¡¯d never stay away¡­ if he coulde back, he would have by now.¡± ¡°Are you certain?¡± She prods, not skeptical, but curious. ¡°Alphas don¡¯t give up easily, especially when it comes to their family¡¯s safety. He might not know everything that¡¯s happening here, and if he does, he might still put the mission first.¡± ¡°The problem is that we¡¯re in danger here too.¡± I confess, exining about Frederic. When I finish, she purses her lips. ¡°That is concerning.¡± Helene abruptly takes my face in her hands, studying me closely. For anyone else her behavior would be considered odd, but I¡±ve gotten used to the old witch¡¯s quirks. She does this sort of thing so often that it ceases to surprise me. ¡°I think you¡¯re right.¡± She murmurs after a minute. ¡°He lives, but something is waying him. Something¡­ or someone.¡± She releases me, striding to her shelves. ¡°T¡¯U look into it, but I have to warn you that you may not like what I find.¡± ¡°Look into it how?¡± I ask, following her. Helene cuts her eyes to me, and I flush and apologize. Another lesson I learned early on, is that it¡¯s better not to question her methods. Some things are not meant for me to know ¨C or so Helene says. ¡°In the meantime, you need to work on controlling your powers.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll start using L to ground myself instead of Bastien.¡± I decide, remembering Luna¡¯s words. . ¡°No.¡± Helene replies, surprising me. ¡°Running from the problem isn¡¯t going to help anything. I think it¡¯s good for you to get lost like you did today, and to work through the darkness rather than avoiding it altother. I know it wasn¡¯t pleasant, but the morefortable you be facing your fears, the better.¡± She continues, multitasking as she pours varying amounts of herbs and oils into a bowt. ¡°Now you know you can use L to help you find your way back, but I want you to continue pushing yourself.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± | agree reluctantly. ¡°If I do, can we start practicing a new skill?¡± Helene shoots me another look, ¡°You think you¡¯re ready to move on after two weeks of bending shadows? That¡¯s not how magic works, little girl.¡± If anyone but Bastien called me that, I¡¯d probably try to bite them, but Helene is so ancient I know I am just a child byparison ¨C just like our size difference makes me seem tiny to my mate. ¡°Yes but look at all the threats I¡¯m facing!¡± | exim. ¡°If ise turns up here tomorrow, bending shadows isn¡¯t going to protect me- unless of course he¡¯s afraid of the dark.¡± Helene arches a brow, ¡°You think that¡¯s all this is? ying with darkness? Making tricks of light?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s more than that.¡± I sigh, realizing I put my foot in my mouth yet again. The witch sets down the vials in her hands and surprises me by saying, ¡°You have a point that your situation may necessitate changing the way I normally do things. However | urge you not to underestimate the power of shadows, Selene. Just look at what a little darkness did to you today.¡± ¡°Yes, but darkness is a trigger for me.¡± I reason. ¡°Darkness is a trigger for everyone, darling. Your demons are just more literal. You didn¡¯t start out thinking you were in Garrick¡¯s basement, you started out thinking about your husband and then the darkness descended.¡± I have no idea how she knew what the shadows made me see. It might be a lucky guess, but one of the more unsettling things about Helene is the way she seems to just divine information. ¡°A man like ise is bound to have a lot of demons in his own shadows.¡± Helene surmises, ¡°if you can use them against him, you stand better than a fair chance of defending yourself when the timees.¡± ¡°You mean if the timees.¡± I correct her. Theers of her mouth tug downward, and I have a very bad feeling she¡¯s about to shatter my world. ¡°No Selene.¡± She announces sadly, ¡°I mean when.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 161 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 161 Chapter 161- Selene Gets a Letter Selene ¡°Mommy, are you wake?¡± A little voice speaks in my ear. Slowly I return to the waking world, blinking open my tired eyes and registering the warm little body snuggling up against me. ¡°Hello little bean.¡± I murmur, wrapping my arms around L and pulling the covers more tightly around us. L hasn¡¯t slept through the night in her own room since Bastien left. Instead she¡¯s taken to crawling into my bed somewhere between the hours of midnight and dawn, which both warms my heart and makes handling my morning sickness more difficult. Today the sun is just beginning to rise, and Helene¡¯s soothing draughts have actually managed to ease the worst of my symptoms, so I¡¯m happy to simply lie here and cuddle with my daughter until we¡¯re ready to get up. ¡°Mommy, I had a dream ¡¯bout Daddy.¡± Her morning puppy breath is terrible, so I tuck her head beneath my chin, earning myself a mouthful of her hair. ¡°You did?¡± I inquire, smoothing down her tangled locks, ¡°was it a nice dream, hope?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± She nods against my breast. ¡°We were ying pony, an¡¯da flying game.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful.¡± I breathe, honestly ted that she¡¯s not having nightmares like I am. I hate that she misses him so much, but I¡¯m d her dreams are sweet memories rather than horrible possibilities. Ever since talking with Helene, my nights have been haunted with terrible images of Bastien hurt, imprisoned, or dead. ¡°Mommy, will Daddy be home soon?¡± L wonders aloud. I¡¯m fully awake now, with arge lump caught in my throat. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, sweetheart.¡± I admit. She looks up at me in rm, and I wonder if my honesty was a mistake. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because things aren¡¯t going so well. It might be some time before we see him again, L.¡± I confess. Her tiny face twists up, turning red as tears well in her eyes. ¡°But I wan¡¯him home!¡± ¡°I know, angel.¡± I hush her gently, wiping the tears from her cheeks. ¡°I do too.¡± ¡°I¡¯s not fair!¡± She exims, heading straight towards a tantrum. ¡°I want Daddy!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, L.¡± I proless, on the verge of tears myself. ¡°If I could bring him home for you this second, I would. Things just aren¡¯t that simple.¡± ¡°You¡¯re liar!¡± She uses. ¡°You pwomised he wouldn¡¯be gone long!¡± ¡°I was wrong.¡± I admil. ¡°Mommies don¡¯t know everything sweetheart, we can only do our best.¡± ¡°You don¡¯ care!¡± She cries, pushing me away ¡°you¡®re never ¡®ven here¡¯nymore! Deep down I know L understands I love her. Deep down I know this is just my baby being a toddler and testing her limits, but my heart doesn¡¯t think with that kind of logic, my heart just sees my pup in pain and breaks into pieces knowing. I¡¯m the one causing it. ¡°L, i care about you more than anything in the world.¡± I vow firmly, trying to rub her back and earning a wail for my efforts. ¡°I know I¡¯ve been busytely and we haven¡¯t gotten to spend as much time together, but that¡¯s not by choice. If I could, I would stay with you always, but grown ups have responsibilities sweetheart. I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re hurting, but one day you¡®ll understand.¡± ¡°No I won¡¯!¡± She insists, ¡°Go away!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± I choke out the words. ¡°That¡¯s not how this works. You can be upset with me all you want, but I¡¯m going to be here whether you like it or not.¡± She¡¯s in full tantrum mode now, squealing and beating her hands and feet against the mattress while I sit next to her and try to push down my own feelings. It¡¯s no use, within seconds I¡¯m crying too, breaking into a sob and burying my face in my hands instead. I can only imagine the picture we make. If Bastien was here he¡¯d walk in and fuss over us both,forting me and helping L work through her feelings until we were ready to kiss and make up. But he¡¯s not here, and it hits me all at once how much of a difference he¡¯s made in our lives in such a short time. It used to be me and L against the world, but finding a mate and a father made us both realize what we¡¯d been missing, and now it doesn¡¯t feel like enough just being together. One day we might get there again, but right now¡­ right now it¡¯s just going to hurt. Next to me, L¡¯s tears quiet, and I feel a pair of miniature paws tugging at my wrists. Apparently she realized she wasn¡¯t the only one having a meltdown, and is now determined to see my face. Sighing heavily I drop my hands and show her my red eyes and miserable expression. Her two-tone eyes widen as her full lower lip quivers violently. ¡°I sorry, Mommy, please don¡¯ be sad.¡± ¡°I am sad.¡± I exin forlornly, ¡°I miss your Daddy, and I hate seeing you upset.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. L climbs into myp without a moment of hesitation, wrapping herself around me.¡° Is okay, Mommy.¡± She sniffles, ¡°I make it better.¡± She presses sweet little kisses to my wet cheeks, and I moan pitifully, holding her close. ¡°I really am sorry, L.¡± I confide, when I can speak again. ¡°I haven¡¯t been giving you enough attention. Why don¡¯t we do something special today, just us?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like dat.¡± She agrees. ¡°Good.¡± I exhale shakily, swiping at my cheeks. ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal okay. No more tears today, only fun.¡± L nods enthusiastically, ¡°Deal.¡± After a full day of ying in the park, painting pottery and going to a movie with L, we¡¯re both fairly exhausted. By the time we get back to the pack house L is passed out in her car seat, and I have to carry her all the way to the top floor to get her to bed. When I enter the apartment, I find a full house. Drake, Sophie, Odette and the Betas are all there, and all offer to take L from me. However I don¡¯t want to let anyone else have her. I put her down for a nap in her room, before rejoining the others. No sooner have I entered the main living area that a knock sounds on the door, and I find a sentry holding an envelope which was apparently just delivered via courier. It takes a second for me to realize why the guard¡¯s expression is so urgent, but then Bastien¡¯s scent hits my senses like a ton of bricks. I snatch up the envelope, ripping it open and eagerly extracting its contents. Excitement and relief when I recognize Bastien¡¯s handwriting, but as I begin to read confusion and overwhelming hurt take over. Selene, You will be disappointed to learn that your assassins failed. I am alive and well, and I know what you¡®ve done. Consider this the beginning of the end. Your efforts have truly been impressive, but now that I know the truth, I will not rest until you are behind bars. You will pay for your crimes, and no amount of pleading or lies will save you now. I am writing you today for two reasons, first to inform you that I am having our marriage annulled as soon as possible, and I will be formally rejecting you as soon as the papers are filed. Don¡¯t bother refusing to sign them, your consent is not required under these circumstances. I also n on publically disowning your child ¨C she may be innocent in this, but I refuse to acknowledge Frederic¡¯s bastard as my own. Second, you and Frederic would be wise to give up your schemes and leave Elysium immediately. I will not let you go if you do, you will be hunted to the ends of the earth ¨C but every day I fail to catch you, is another day you get to live. I feel I owe you at least that much, if you are in fact my mate. Either way, you may consider this your formal notice: I aming for you both, and when I find you all hell will reign down. What you have done is unforgivable, and no bond on earth could ever save you from being held ountable. Your days are numbered. Bastien Beneath the letter is a stack of legal documents, pages and pages of forms exining in very fancy language that our marriage was being annulled on the grounds of gross deceit and criminal deception. I flip through them in stunned silence, barely able toprehend what I¡¯m seeing. Luna is howling in my chest, but I¡¯m still just trying to make sense of Bastien¡¯s bizarre letter. ¡°Selene, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Odette asks, crossing the living room to stand in front of me. ¡°It¡¯s Bastien.¡± I say, my voice like gravel. This gets everyone¡¯s attention. Suddenly Drake, Sophie and the betas are all gathered around me, and I¡¯m infinitely d L is napping. ¡°He¡¯s alive.¡± I announce, to their immense relief. ¡°And he¡¯s rejecting me¡­ again. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 162 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 162 Chapter 162- Selene Decides to go to Tartarus Selene Within moments, I have five fully grown wolves hovering over my shoulder, reading the strange letter with sounds of confusion and disbelief. The tension in the room is palpable, but within moments it explodes into chaos. ¡°What on earth?¡± Odette murmurs. ¡°This is madness.¡± Drake agrees. Aiden is doing nothing but curse, while Donovan has taken to pacing and reading the annulment papers. Sophie is the only one who hasn¡¯t said a word, but she seems stunned into silence. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense, is it in code?¡± Aiden finally exims, apparently running out of four letter words. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Donovan frowns, ¡°we¡¯ll look into it, but there aren¡¯t any patterns jumping out at first nce.¡± ¡°Selene,¡± Sophie asks gently, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m going to go back to bed.¡± I decide, convinced I¡¯m dreaming. ¡°This is a nightmare. It has to be a dream, so if I go to sleep here, I¡¯ll wake up back in reality, right? Five pitying expressions close in on me, and I sigh in defeat, ¡°Well it was worth trying.¡± Flopping down onto the couch, I read the letter for a fifth time. ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­ it¡¯s his handwriting, but it¡¯s like¡­¡± ¡°Like he¡¯s lost his memory. Drake finishes my thought. ¡°Lost his memory and swallowed a pack of conspiracy theories.¡± ¡°Why is he talking about the assassination attempt like it just happened?¡± I ask, ¡°we spoke afterwards, of course I know he survived.¡± *More importantly, why does he think you sent the assassins?¡± Donovan questions. ¡°Maybe there was another attempt.¡± Odette suggests. ¡°One Frederic pinned on you. ¡°Maybe, but he wouldn¡¯t tie himself to it as well.¡± Aiden reasons, ¡°it¡¯s one thing to frame Selene, it¡¯s another to expose himself.¡± SEX I keep going back to the line where he says he¡¯ll disown L. ¡°No, this isn¡¯t Frederic. Someone has made him believe I had an affair with Frederic, that L belongs to him.¡± | speak the words as they enter my head, ¡°Frederic himself would never im a pup that wasn¡¯t his.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Drake assesses. ¡°So it isn¡¯t Frederic, and we can assume it isn¡¯t ise because he would just have killed Bastien on sight. Who does that leave?¡± Another knock sounds on the door, and this time I refuse to answer it. ¡°Uh-uh, things didn¡¯t go so well thest time I opened the door. Someone else can do it this time.¡± Sophie pats my hand and moves towards the front door, but Drake intercepts her with a growl, spinning her to face me and nudging her back in my direction while he goes to the door. A familiar, herbaceous scent hits my nose a second before the wooden panel swings open and Helene appears. ¡°Helene!¡± I exim, ¡°Thank goodness, the strangest thing has just happened.¡± The aged witch epts the letter and legal documents from Odette, bypassing all introductions as she scans the pages. When she finishes she offers me a solitary nod. ¡°It¡¯s as I feared.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask anxiously, guiding her into the living room and offering her a chair. ¡°Well, I looked into the Alpha¡¯s whereabouts like I promised.¡± She begins hesitantly.¡± And I found¡­ well, it¡¯s like you suspected Selene, something is very wrong.¡± ¡°Can you tell what?¡± I urge her, my agitation growing by the minute. Narrowing her eyes at me, she reaches out and takes my pulse, clucking her tongue when she feels it racing. She lurches to her feet and walks to the kitchen, moving around the open space as if she¡¯d been there a thousand times before. While she started the process of making tea, we all look on in stunned silence, unsure how to react to her strange behavior. She seems so calm, but her words had beenpletely cryptic. When the kettle is bubbling away over an open me, she looks back to me. ¡°Your mate is very far away. ¡°We already knew that.¡± Aiden snarks. Helene shoots him a re, ¡°I did not mean in distance, pup.¡± I¡¯m not the only one who has to smother a snort ofughter, seeing Aiden respond to being called a pup by the old crone was beyondughable. At first he puffed himself up like: an angry blowfish, before slowly deting beneath the weight of Helene¡¯s re. ¡°I mean his spirit.¡± She exins. ¡°He¡¯s lost his way, and he¡¯s not alone. Someone is leading him astray they¡¯ve stolen his memory and his strength. With every day that passes he falls further, and though he¡¯s safe for the time being, that will onlyst as long as he serves a use for his captor.¡± ¡°Who is his captor? Donovan presses urgently. ¡°I cannot see exactly.¡± Helene purses her lips thoughtfully. ¡°But I can tell you it is a woman. A woman with the soul of a snake and a heart of stone.¡± ¡°Arabe.¡± I mutter, not understanding how I¡¯m so certain, but knowing without doubt she is the person behind thistest misfortune. ¡°Arabe is in the Calypso territory?¡± Aiden demands. ¡°It would make sense.¡± Donovan ponders aloud. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have been able to flee to our allies, and that wouldn¡¯t leave her many options.¡± ¡°But how could she fool Bastien?¡± Odette questions, ¡°when he left here he would have killed her on sight.¡± ¡°That assumes he saw her first.¡± Drake remarks cryptically. ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter what his true opinions were. He¡¯s forgotten them now.¡± The tea kettle begins to whisper, the shrill noise piercing my dazed mind and making my skull throb as Drake¡¯s meaning sets in. ¡°He¡¯s forgotten me?¡± I repeat, feeling sick to my stomach. ¡°And l?¡± ¡°He is under a spell,¡± Helene assur?s me, pouring steaming water into a mug with a blend of herbs from her purse. ¡°and a powerful one at that.¡± ¡°But what is her n?¡± Sophie chimes in, ¡°I mean it¡¯s one thing to make him forget the past, but it¡¯s not like she could enchant all of Elysium. She has to know the truth woulde out once they return.¡± ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why she¡¯s trying to get Selene to leave before they arrive.¡± Odette suggests as Helene presses the warm mug into my pal. ¡°Then either she¡¯s crazy or just in stupid.¡± Drake grumbles, prompting a round of m¨¹ttering nods. ¡°Selene being absent won¡¯t stop the rest of us from setting him straight. Odette shakes her head. ¡°I know Arabe, I helped raise her and she isn¡¯t stupid.¡± She slumps onto the sofa beside me, ¡°But she is incredibly headstrong, and she doesn¡¯t know how to take no for an answer. I wouldn¡¯t be terribly surprised if she doesn¡¯t ever intend on on Bastien returning. She just needs to win him long enough to¡­¡± She trails off, a look of dread taking over her elegant features. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°What is it, Odette?¡± Donovan asks. ¡°I never believed Arabe wanted to marry Bastien because she cared about him.¡± She replies soberly, ¡°And you¡¯ve all been talking about her motives for working with Frederic and Grigore.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t about jealously.¡± Aiden finishes her thought, the same dawning horror on his face, ¡°It¡¯s always been revenge.¡± ¡°Revenge and power.¡± I add, remember the way she used to talk about the threat my child would pose to her own heir. ¡°And if all she wants is power¡­¡± Drake ponders, ¡°that¡¯s probably why she went to Tartarus in the first ce. ise is the most powerful shifter on the continent. She¡¯d lost all her allies, what better ce to find a new one?¡± ¡°So what are we saying?¡± Odette asks, ¡°that she¡¯s going to try to make Bastien marry her so she can lead the pack, then get rid of him?¡± Donovan shakes his head, ¡°It¡¯s almost unheard of for a female to be Alpha.¡± ¡°But not unprecedented.¡± Aiden reminds him, ¡°and Arabe doesn¡¯t consider herself to be average in any way. She¡¯s conceited enough to believe she could out muscle herpetition, whether physically or through more deception.¡± ¡°I hate to say it,¡± Donovan admits, ¡°but that makes sense ¨C more sense than any of the other exnations we¡®vee up with to understand everything that¡¯s gone wrong thesest few years.¡± As one, we all turn to look at Helene, searching for her approval of the theory. On cue, she disappears into that magical void she somehow inhabits, studying us all closely before her expression goes nk and finally resets. When her search isplete she nods, ¡°I think you¡¯re right. As I look around the room, studying the worried faces of my friends and family, I know what has to be done. The words are on my lips before I can think better of them. Working with Helene has taught me to trust my instincts over my chaotic thoughts, so just as I sensed Arabe was behind all this, now I sense the only solution to our problem with supernatural certainty. I stand, calling everyone¡¯s attention to me. Taking a deep breath, announce, ¡°I have to go to Tartarus.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 163 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Selene Convinces the Betas Selene Every mouth in the room is gaping wide open in shock. From the looks on their faces, you would have thought I¡¯d announced I was nning a ritual human sacrifice, rather than proposing a trip across the continent. When they finally regain their senses everyone begins speaking at once, half shouting objections and already trying to talk me out of it. In truth can¡¯t really decipher one person¡¯s words from another¡¯s, but I certainly hear Aiden when he thunders: ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m very much in my mind, thank you.¡± I retort, trying to stay calm amidst all the upset. Thest thing I need is to have an anxiety attack from so many people yelling. That would hardly convince them I¡¯m up for the journey. ¡°Selene, you can¡¯t go to Tartarus.¡± Drake insists in a much more reasonable tone than either of Bastien¡¯s Betas. ¡°ise is hunting Vnas. One look at you and you¡¯ll be done for.¡± ¡°We can disguise her eyes.¡± Helene announces, though I have no idea how we¡¯d aplish such a thing. When I went to Asphodell attempted to use color contacts but it was no use. The magic of my eyes shone through the artificial lenses as if they weren¡¯t even there. ¡°No.¡± Donovan chimes in, ¡°It¡¯s out of the question. Bastien would have our heads on a tter.¡± ¡°Bastien doesn¡¯t even know his own name right now.¡± I remind them. ¡°If I was in his ce, he¡¯d move mountains to help me. I can¡¯t just stand by and let this happen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± Drake sighs. ¡°Why?¡± I demand. ¡°Why is it any different for me? Because I¡¯m a woman? In case you¡¯ve forgotten, I have powers none of you possess.¡± ¡°No.¡± Donovan sighs, gesturing to the soft swell of my stomach. ¡°Because you¡¯re a breeding mother.¡± ¡°So what, I¡¯m weak?¡± I challenge. ¡°I¡¯m incapable of helping my mate?¡± ¡°Selene you can barely go a week without being hospitalized!¡± Aiden exims. ¡°That isn¡¯t fair.¡± I fight back, feeling increasingly tired of everyone treating me as though I¡¯m made of ss. Honestly, the way people behaved you¡¯d think being pregnant was a terminal illness, not a miracle of life. ¡°I¡¯m getting stronger every day.¡± ¡°You forget that you may very well be carrying Bastien¡¯s heir.¡± Donovan interjects, ¡°It¡¯s not just about your strength, but the risk to the baby.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare insinuate that this child¡¯s safety isn¡¯t my highest priority.¡± I snarl, every ounce of maternal instinct I possess rearing up protectively. ¡°None of you could ever care as much as I do about this baby. If I¡¯m willing to go, it¡¯s because I feel it¡¯s worth the risk, and that I can seed.¡± ¡°Why are we even discussing this?¡± Aiden questions, ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± He continues, trying a different tactic, ¡°The letter says he¡¯sing home.¡± ¡°And by the time he does, it will be toote.¡± I cry, ¡°You read it as well as I did leave Elysium immediately or else. If I¡¯m still here when he gets back, there¡¯s no telling what he¡¯ll do. Every day Arabe continues to mislead him, the more danger the pack is in. We can¡¯t wait for them toe back home.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°Selene,¡± Odette begins in a soothing tone, ¡°you¡¯re upset.¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± I agree, interrupting her before she can finish her undoubtedly condescending remark. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m wrong.¡± Spinning around to look at them all in turn, I dere, ¡°I have to go. I have to do this for him.¡± ¡°What about L?¡± Drake inquires, ¡°What about Frederic?¡± Taking a deep breath, I look hopefully at Drake and Sophie, ¡°I would ask you to take L to Asphodel for a while. Just until we¡¯re back.¡± Drake tugs Sophie to his side and murmurs something in her ear, so low I can¡¯t even hear what he¡¯s saying. After a moment Sophie nods, and Drake looks up at me. ¡°Of course, if this is happening we¡®d be happy to take her.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I sigh, thinking about the second part of his question. ¡°And Frederic, well it¡¯s probably better if I¡¯m out of his reach. People are already looking into his background, it won¡¯t be much longer before the truth is exposed. He¡¯ll keep trying to use me as a prop to defend himself if I¡¯m still around. But he can¡¯t do that if he doesn¡¯t know where I am.¡± ¡°That raises another question, Selene.¡± Donovan asserts grimly. ¡°What would you tell the pack? How can we possibly exin your absence?¡± ¡°Tell them I¡¯m on bedrest.¡± I supply simply, ¡°Or that I went to a treatment facility outside of the territory because I didn¡¯t trust Elysian institutions after what happened with Frederic.¡± .*That¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± Odette acknowledges. ¡°No one would fault her and it would help build resistance to Frederic.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Aiden grouses, nces back and forth between us. ¡°Let¡¯s say we agree.¡± He suggests, ¡°Let¡¯s say you go to Tartarus and find Bastien and Arabe. What happens then? What are you going to do? How are you going to break her spell or whatever she¡¯s done to him?¡± ¡°The only reason Arabe has been able to do this is because we¡¯re not together.¡± | argue. ¡°If we were his wolf would recognize me. He¡¯d be able to feel that I truly am his mate and realize she was full of shit.¡± To my surprise, it¡¯s not the Betas or Drake who contradict me, but Helene. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not that simple.¡± She announces. ¡°The letter acknowledges that you may be his mate, but she¡¯s clearly convinced him that you tricked him into loving you. Being near you will make it harder for her certainly, but he doesn¡¯t remember you exist. All he knows is what she¡¯s told him.¡± ¡°All the more reason I have to go.¡± I insist. ¡°I have to help him remember me, before she convinces him to do something truly drastic.¡± ¡°Fine, but if this is happening you can¡¯t go alone.¡± Donovan proims, ¡°if you¡¯re determined to do this, we¡¯re going with you.¡± ¡°No.¡± Odette shoots him down immediately. ¡°We can¡¯t all go. We already made that mistake once. If Selene and Drake are both leaving, you and Aiden have to stay to run the pack. I¡¯ll go with her.¡± The Betas nce at one another nervously, ¡°Odette, please don¡¯t take this the wrong way,¡± Aiden broaches, ¡°but you¡¯re not exactly a spring chicken anymore.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, is there a right way for me to take that?¡± My mother inw growls. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I¡¯ve seen more action in my time that you could ever dream of, pup.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t argue about this.¡± I interrupt. ¡°I don¡¯t need a chaperone, and if anyone was going toe along, well, I¡¯d ask Helene.¡± Helene smiles softly, patting my hand. ¡°There now, a good idea atst.¡± She teases. ¡°I¡¯ll go with Selene. She can keep training on the way, and I¡¯m not important to the pack. No one-will miss me.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± I press, though I¡¯m already breathing a sigh of relief. ¡°Of course.¡± Helene says, as if it was obvious, ¡°you aren¡¯t ready to face ise alone. I wince as the words leave her mouth, but it¡¯s toote. The others are already jumping on the statement. ¡°Face ise?¡± Drake repeats, ¡°who said anything about facing ise? Helene stares at him intently, not offended by his objection, but not giving him an inch of leeway. ¡°You cannot change what is fated. All of you are so determined to interfere with the Goddess¡¯s ns because you do not like them, but they are what they are.¡± Giving me an approving nod, she continues, ¡°Among you only Selene is epting what is rather than what she thinks should be.¡± ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s her fate to fight ise?¡± Odette asks weakly. ¡°Her destiny.¡± Helene corrects gently, ¡°Just as it is mine to help her on her quest.¡± My mentor¡¯s words fill me with pride, but also with trepidation and fear. She¡¯s alluded to me facing ise in the past, but she¡¯s never been so explicit about what my future has in store. ¡°Is she destined to win?¡± Sophie pipes up for the first time, ¡°I mean, will shee back?¡± ¡°Not even I know that.¡± Helene admits simply. ¡°Either way, I have to go.¡± I reiterate. ¡°Not because of fate, or destiny or anything else. I have to go for Bastien. Please stop trying to talk me out of it and just support me.¡± There¡¯s a long beat of silence, all the members of my makeshift family thinking hard and exchanging meaningful looks. ¡°All right.¡± Donovan breaks first. ¡°If you¡¯re certain this is the way it has to be, we¡¯ll support you.¡± The others mutter in agreement, and a wave of relief washed over me. ¡°Thank you.¡± Right on cue, L¡¯s bedroom door opens, and Les toddling out rubbing her eyes. She¡¯s still half asleep from her nap, which is a guarantee she¡¯s looking for cuddles. I Intercept her halfway across the room, gathering her into my arms and feeling a rush of warmth as she snuggles happily into my embrace. Then she asks a question I¡¯ve been absolutely dreading, one I don¡¯t have the first clue how to answer. ¡°Mommy what¡¯s going on?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 164 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 164 Chapter 164- Telling L Selene After two full days of arguing about my ns to go to Tartarus ¨C most of which were devoted to convincing the Betas it was the right thing to do even though we¡¯d already reached that agreement with Helene ¨C Aiden, Donovan and I have finally reached something close to a detente. The Betas have epted that I¡¯m going to Tartarus whether they like it or not, and now Helene and I are well under way nning out trip. After reviewing the quickest route to Tartarus over and over again, we finally moved on to figuring out how we¡®re going to disguise me, what precautions I¡¯ll take to avoid ise, and how to convince Bastien to believe me over Arabe. I¡¯ve continued training with her day and night, moving on from bending shadows to working on hypnosis, harnessing moonlight and putting people to sleep. I¡¯m not very good at thetter two, but I¡¯ve made surprising progress with the hypnosis, so much so that Helene offered me rare praise after our first session, telling me my efforts weren¡¯t half bad. In the meantime I¡¯ve been trying to figure out how I¡¯m going to exin what¡¯s happening to L, let alone how I¡¯m going to work up the strength to leave her. I¡¯ve never been away from L for longer than a day or two, and at least one of those asions was her k********g, so I don¡¯t exactly have strong positive feelings associated with the idea. I wish I had more time to prepare her for my departure, letting her sit with the idea for a day or two would surely be better than surprising her with it and immediately disappearing, but we simply don¡¯t have the time to spare. So today I¡¯m going to spend everyst second of my time with my pup, and tomorrow we¡¯ll both be leaving Elysium ¨C L traveling West with Drake and Sophie, and me traveling to the far East in hopes of rescuing Bastien from Arabe¡¯s cruel clutches. I¡¯m so lost in my thoughts about what is yet toe, I forget to hide my pensive mood from my daughter. ¡°Mommy, wha¡¯s wrong?¡± L asks,ing to stand beside me as I finish doing the dishes from Breakfast. ¡°Sorry L bean, I was just thinking. Are you almost ready to go?¡± I ask her. ¡°Mommy I¡¯s ready hours ago!¡± She announces dramatically, throwing her dark head back in exasperation. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Iugh, drying my hands, ¡°let¡¯s go!¡± I¡¯ve been promising L a real trip to the zoo after ourst attempt was thwarted by Frederic¡¯s k********g scheme, but this time it¡¯s going to be just us. Sophie is spending the day with Drake, so I¡¯ll have an abundance of quality time with my little girl, and countless chances to break the news of my departure to her. Of course, when ites down to it, L has so much fun zooming around the enclosures full of exotic animals that I¡¯m loathe to ruin her good mood. Still, I know it has to be done. As we stroll through the aquarium, surrounded by glowing turquoise light, I say, ¡°I have to tell you something Angel.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. In hindsight I realize telling her here may have been a mistake, because she¡¯s so distracted naming all the fish in the floor to ceiling tanks lining the walls, that she isn¡¯t listening to a word I say. ¡°And dat one¡¯s Gil, and Flipper, ooh and there¡¯s Guppy and Stripe!¡± Pulling L to a bench in the middle of the room, I lift her into myp and wrap both arms around her, resting my chin on her slight shoulder, ¡°Which one is your favorite?¡± ¡°I like da pretty speckled one.¡± She announces happily, pointing to a lionfish. ¡°That is a good one.¡± I agree, ¡°I bet you miss all the fish in Asphodel, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± She confirms, still only half listening ¨C though now rather than being preupied with what¡¯s in front of her, her thoughts seem far away. I have no doubt she¡¯s remembering running through all of the floating city¡¯s canals, it used to be impossible to get her toe inside when the sun was shining and the water was teaming with fish and wildlife. ¡°I like ¡®Lysium better cuz of you ¡®n¡¯ Daddy, but I miss all my fish friends.¡± ¡°Well how would you like to visit them?¡± I suggest, praying the conversation continues to go smoothly. ¡°Really?¡± L chirps, bouncing up and down in myp. ¡°Can I, can I, can 1?¡± ¡°You can.¡± I confirm with a wide smile. ¡°Uncle Drake and Aunt Sophie have invited you toe stay for a few weeks. You can see all your friends and ride the boats, then you can go searching for manatees and have pancakes at the cafe!¡± ¡°When d¡¯we leave?¡± She exims, already jumping down from myp. ¡°Well that¡¯s the thing, L bean.¡± I sigh, catching her and pulling her to a stop between . my legs. ¡°I actually won¡¯t being with you.¡± Her-exuberant expression disappears, confusion overtaking her sweet features.¡± ¨C What¡¯d you mean?¡± This is the absolute worst part of having young pups, I decide. When they aren¡¯t old enough to understand why bad things are happening, but you can¡¯t protect them from misfortune either. Just rip it off like a bandaid. Luna advises. I know it hurts now but in two years L won¡¯t even remember this happened. Unless I don¡¯te back. I think morosely. Don¡¯t say that. Luna snaps. Thinking that way doesn¡¯t help anything. Easier said than done. I concede, turning my attention back to my daughter. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lie to you, L. So I¡¯m going to tell you something very serious, and I want you to promise me you¡¯ll try to understand.¡± ¡°I pwomise.¡± She vows sincerely, her blue and violet eyes wide. ¡°I¡¯m going to find Daddy and bring him home.¡± I admit, dragging my knuckles across her cheek. ¡°He¡¯s a little lost, just like I was when he came and found me in Asphodel. So I have to go find him now.¡± ¡°Then Ie with you.¡± L decides firmly. ¡°You can¡¯t my darling.¡± I try to break the news as gently as I can, but it hurts just speaking the words. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. So while I¡¯m gone, Uncle Drake is going to keep you safe.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± L thinks for a moment, her lower lip pushing out in a pout. ¡°When youe back?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, little one. I wish I could tell you for certain that it will only be a few weeks, but I don¡¯t want to make you any promises I can¡¯t keep.¡± I share honestly. ¡°But what if you don¡¯e back?¡± L is working herself up to tears, and my heart thumps in sympathy, ¡°Like Daddy. What if you goes away and I don¡¯ see you ¡®gain?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to see me and Daddy again.¡± I swear, gripping her shoulders. ¡°Do you know why?¡± ¡°Why?¡± She sniffles, rubbing her eye. ¡°Because we love you more than anything in the world and as long as we are alive, we will always find you. We will alwayse home to you, even if we get a little lost on the way.¡± I promise, knowing that this is one vow I can absolutely keep. Nothing on earth could keep me from doing whatever is necessary to get home to my pup. ¡°Besides, this baby is going to need it¡¯s older sister to teach it how the world works.¡± Distracted, L gazes at me in surprise. ¡°Mommy tha¡¯s a lot of ¡®sponsibility.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Iugh, ¡°That¡¯s what Daddy and I have been trying to tell you. Being a big sister is a very important job.¡± ¡°Will da baby be here when youes back?¡± She questions, c*****g her head to the side. ¡°I sincerely hope not.¡± I reply honestly. ¡°I¡¯m going toe home with Daddy as soon as I can, and then we can all watch this new pup make me big and fat together.¡± L giggles. ¡°Okay Mommy.¡± ¡°So is that okay?¡± I press, amazed that she¡¯s not more upset, ¡°Will you be okay with Drake and Sophie for a few weeks?¡± ¡°A course.¡± L shrugs, ¡°I loves uncle Rake.¡± ¡°I know you do.¡± I grin, pulling her in for a hug. ¡°Thank you for being such a big girl about this. I¡¯m so proud of you, L.¡± ¡°Mommy, I am a big girl.¡± She reminds me in exasperation. ¡°Silly me.¡± I hup, ¡°How could I forget?¡± ¡°Silly Mommy.¡± Lughs, ¡°Come on, I wanna see da sharks!¡± As L drags me forward through the aquarium, leading me by the hand and pointing out all her favorite animals, I feel a catch in my throat. I know it won¡¯t really sink in that I¡¯m leaving her until tomorrow morning when Helene and I set out, but I can¡¯t help but feel like L is handling all this much better than I am. I¡¯m a basket case thinking about leaving her for so long, but she took it all in stride. I¡¯m both proud and worried for what will happen when we actually part ways. But for today, I¡¯m determined to make the most of our afternoon together. Despite what I told her, I¡¯m far too aware that if things don¡¯t go as nned, this might be thest time I see her ¨C and that scares me more than ise Denizen ever could Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 165 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 165 Chapter 165- Frederic Slips Up Frederic Selene is smarter than I gave her credit for ¨C and more stubborn. Her impromptu interview with the press outside the hospital was masterful ¨C if it hadn¡¯t caused such problems for me I¡¯d even be impressed. However ever since she told the pack to start looking into my background, I¡¯ve been doing nothing but putting out fires. Every five minutes a different reporter is calling for myment, while a bevy of others dig into my past. Of course, Thomas Kane only has records dating back to college ¨C when my mother invented him. Before then everything I did was tainted by my father¡¯s so-called ¡° crimes¡±. The media has already figure out my current identity is a fraud, how much longer can Ist before they learn the truth? Even the medical board has been calling me, threatening to revoke my license. Part of me regrets throwing my mother into the basement, I¡¯d really love to have someone to talk to right now, but I have a feeling Mom isn¡¯t going to be too forting with advice after spending two weeks in a cold dark pit. Oh well, you live and you learn. It might be easier to stomach if I were any closer to winning over Selene. But she seems as distant as ever- if not more so. We haven¡¯t spoken in quite some time now, and I have a bad feeling she¡¯s onto me ¨C why else would she have directed everyone to investigate me? Every day that passes seems to make my situation seem more and more bleak, and I¡¯m trying to keep my head up, but it isn¡¯t easy. The worstes when I learn that Selene is nning to leave the territory to chase Bastien. I didn¡¯t realize at first, it wasn¡¯t until my spies around the pack house began to notice a lot of movement: Selene and her witchy mentor nning and packing their bags, and Drake and his little mate talking to L about their ns for Asphodel. It doesn¡¯t take a genius to figure out what¡¯s going on, but no matter the harm she¡¯s done to my reputation or the problems it might cause, I know I have to stop her. Selene I¡¯m on my way to visit Dr. Lee onest time before Helene and I depart, and I¡¯m hoping she¡¯ll agree to do an early sonogram test so I can take the video with me to Tartarus. I need everyst bit of helpi can get to make Bastien remember the truth, and if there¡¯s a chance the new baby can convince him, I¡¯ll dly use it. However just before I reach Dr. Lee¡¯s office, I smell Dr. Kane. Stopping and looking around warily, my heart sinks into my stomach when I see the man in question step out from behind a parked van. For one terrible moment I¡¯m afraid he intends to coerce me into the vehicle, but instead hees to stand in front of me. He¡¯s wearing a grave expression, and his bodynguage is downright somber. ¡°Selene, what are you nning?¡± Gritting my teeth I reply, ¡°Thomas, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I came to talk to you because I heard a rumor that you were leaving.¡± He says, as if the mere idea of me going away is ludacris. ¡°You heard a rumor,¡± I repeat coldly, not believing this story for a single second. ¡°More like you have more spy cameras hidden somewhere.¡± His eyes widen almost imperceptibly before he quickly covers his surprise. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Enough Lies, Frederic.¡± I answer, throwing caution to the wind. ¡°I know exactly who and what you are.¡± His entire demeanor changes at once, as if by confronting him I flipped a switch and transformed him from kindly Thomas Kane to conniving Frederic Durand. The man I¡¯ve only ever known to be warm and earnest is gone, reced by someone I don¡¯t recognize at all. His green eyes narrow to slits, and he crosses his arms over his chest, sidling closer to tower over me. ¡°And just how did you figure that out?¡± ¡°Because you aren¡¯t as smart as you think you are.¡± I hiss, tilting my chin up defiantly.¡± The next time you want to try and ruin someone¡¯s life, you might want to consider covering your tracks better.¡± Now he doesn¡¯t bother to hide his shock. ¡°How can you say that? Surely you know I would never hurt you.¡± He moves to touch me, and I instinctively back away. A few passersby are beginning to take notice, but Frederic doesn¡¯t seem to realize the attention we¡¯re drawing. His locus is solely on me. ¡°You¡¯re a survivor, like me.¡± Suddenly I realize the man is not just cunning and ruthless, butpletely delusional. I knew he¡¯d developed some sort of strange fixation on me, but he truly believes every word he¡¯s saying, ¡°You already have hurt me. How do you think it felt learning you were spying on me in the most intimate moments of my life7 Keeping me from Bastien all that time didn¡¯t help me, Frederic, it almost destroyed me. If you and Arabe hadn¡¯t ever separated us, so much pain could have been avoided. Don¡¯t pretend you care about me. You care about yourself and your own mission, not me.¡± Somewhere in the back of my mind I know it¡¯s terribly risky to confront someone who is so clearly disturbed this way, but I can¡¯t help it now that the fight has begun. Besides, we¡¯re beginning to gather an audience, and the more people hear, the better. ¡°That isn¡¯t fair. ¡°Yes it is, and you know it.¡± I counter fiercely, keeping his attention on me. One of the people standing behind Frederic has pulled out their phone and are clearly recording our interaction. ¡°You knew Arabe was going to try to kill me and you didn¡¯t stop her, you got cold feet at thest second and abandoned me in a situation that could have ended up just as deadly. You made me sick so that I would stay under your control and risked the life of my baby, you separated me from my mate over and over again. You faked my death. You murdered Gabriel, who was like a father to me!¡± With every word I speak, Frederic has gotten angrier and angrier, swelling up like a puffer fish and turning redder and redder. It¡¯s sort of like watchingva bubble up in a volcano, and he¡¯s clearly about to blow. ¡°Gabriel deserved to die!¡± Frederic explodes, ¡°And so does Bastien! The entire Durand family is corrupt and has only stayed in power this long by taking credit for other people¡¯s achievements!¡±. ¡°You¡¯re a Durand too, Frederic.¡± I remind him, speaking very clearly for the cameras.¡° Your father tried to stage a coup and he failed because he wasn¡¯t strong enough to lead. That¡¯s how it works.¡± Shaking my head, Iugh in his infuriated face, ¡°You know you two are just alike. He thought the world had wronged him and he was so determined to im what he thought he deserved that it didn¡¯t matter who he hurt in the process. Good people died in that battle, Frederic. Wolves fighting to defend their families lost their lives because of his vendetta and now you are following in his footsteps!¡± : ¡°Don¡¯t you dare speak ill of my father!¡± Frederic thunders. ¡°You weren¡¯t there that day! I was, I saw Gabriel kill him ¨C his own brother!¡± ! ¡°Who was trying to kill him!¡± I shout back. ¡°He was doing what good Alpha¡¯s do and defending his pack.¡± ¡°If he cared about what was best for the pack, he would have stepped aside to allow a better ruler to take over.¡± Frederic insists. I swear arguing with him is like talking to a brick : wall. But it¡¯s certainly serving its purpose. Multiple onlookers are recording us now, and I¡¯m sure the footage will be all over the evening news. N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°And if you cared about what was best for me, you¡¯d let me go and stop trying to sabotage my mate! I combat, ¡°you¡¯ve been trying for years now and all your best attempts have failed! Aren¡¯t you tired of ying this game yet?¡± ¡°My ns have only failed because -¡± He begins furiously. ¡°Because Bastien deserves to be Alpha!¡± I interrupt him. ¡°You sent the Geminis to disrupt Gabriel¡¯s funeral, and Bastien talked them down. You flooded the Equinox festival, and he handled the crisis. You made him believe I was dead, and he overcame his grief for the sake of the pack. He has been outmaneuvering you for years while you hid in the shadows like a coward!¡± When the final word leaves my mouth, I realize I¡¯ve gone too far now. Frederic looks positively murderous, and I flinch away from him when he raises his hand to strike me. My eyes are clenched tightly shut and I¡¯m still waiting for the pain to explode across my cheek when I hear a pping sound and a new voice. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Opening my eyes, I find the bodyguard Bastien secretly hired to protect L and me standing over Frederic with his fist curled around the younger man¡¯s wrist. For the first time, Frederic seems to realize that we are standing on a public street, and that our conversation was far from private. Breathing heavily, he looks around in horror and notices our audience. All the livid color drains from his face, and he looks back at me with the kind of helpless expression L sometimes gets when she gets herself in trouble. She would say, ¡°uh-oh.¡± Frederic, on the other hand, chooses a different word. ¡°Fuck.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 166 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 166 Chapter 166 ¨C Saying Goodbye Arabe ¡°What fresh hell is this?¡± I mutter, staring at the news coverage from Elysium in horror. I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m seeing. Frederic, who is by far the most conniving wolf I¡¯ve ever met, is on screen getting tricked into admitting his crimes by that little W***e, Selene. The worst part is that she drags me into it too, and he doesn¡¯t deny a single word. N?velDrama.Org content. My mouth falls wider and wider open with every word that passes between them. The cunning b***h clearly knows they¡¯re being watched, and she eggs him on for the cameras. A dozen questions flood my mind as their conversation esctes. How on earth did this happen? How did she even find out the truth? She isn¡¯t smart enough to figure it out on her own. Igasp when Frederic raises his hand to strike Selene, mping my own hand over my mouth and knowing the answers aren¡¯t important. The only question that matters now is how in the hell I¡¯m going to hide this from Bastien. This is going to be at the top of the news cycle all week long ¨C at a minimum. I can¡¯t keep breaking the cable and making fake newspapers. Making a few edits to one or two articles is one thing, but I simply don¡¯t have the time to do it every day. Not to mention Bastien is already getting too impatient to return to Elysium. Even if I can find a way to cover this up, he¡¯s going to keep pressuring me to stop stalling and return home. He already sent the annulment papers to Selene, as far as he¡¯s concerned every moment we dy is another day for her and Frederic to make a head start. Even now, I can hear him stirring in the other room. I have to think fast, I have to find a way to dy him and hide the news at once. Desperation takes hold of me as Bastien appears in the doorway, and I m my finger down on the remote¡¯s power button. His handsome brow furrows as he looks between me and the television.¡± What was that?¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± I exim, much too quickly. ¡°Just more of the same nonsense they¡¯re always spinning. You¡¯re a monster, Selene¡¯s a goddess ¨C you know.¡± ¡°I know you hate it, Be.¡± Bastien sighs,ing forward and reaching for the remote. ¡°But it¡¯s important I keep up with everything happening in Elysium, even if it¡¯s infuriating.¡± He pries the ck rectangle out of my fingers, and I panic, turning and Nat grabbing the vase of flowers sitting on the coffee table. The screenes to life and a reporter sitting behind a news desk only has time to say, ¡°the shocking video-¡± before I bring down the heavy ss on the back of Bastien¡¯s head with all my strength. He crumples to the ground, unconscious, and I pull out my phone, dialing swiftly. The man who made me Bastien¡¯s memory potion gave me his number on myst visit, a gesture I¡¯m now eternally grateful for ¨C especially considering the fact that I don¡¯t want to risk ise¡¯s fury by returning to the undercity again. The line only rings twice before a gruff voice answers, filling me with instant relief despite his hostile tone. ¡°I told you only to use this number in case of emergency.¡± ¡°This is an emergency.¡± I breathe nervously, ¡°I need help.¡± I wouldn¡¯t normally trust an underworld potion maker with anything so sensitive, but I don¡¯t have anyone else to turn to. ¡°I¡¯ve got an unconscious man who needs to be moved, and I need a strong sleeping potion- something that can be injected.¡± ¡°That will cost you.¡± The slimy shifter tells me, sounding annoyed and excited for such a profitable opportunity at once. ¡°I¡¯ll pay any price.¡± I answer foolishly, wincing after the words are out of my mouth. That was stupid. ¡°Any price?¡± He repeats gleefully. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be right over.¡± Selene ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do this.¡± My reflection stares back at me in the bathroom mirror, both thoroughly familiar, yet strange. Helene concocted a potion that would disguise my eyes after a few drops have been applied directly to my cornea, and we¡¯re testing it out for the first time. Now instead of the etherealbination of blue and violet I¡¯m used to seeing, both of my eyes are an unremarkable shade of brown. Of course, as surreal as it is to see myself this way, my altered image is not the cause of my unease. We¡¯re supposed to leave within the hour, and while I¡¯m still confident that this is the right thing to do, leaving feels much harder now that the time is upon us. Drake and Sophie are taking L to Asphodel as soon as Helene and I leave, and they¡¯re taking Bastien¡¯s bodyguard with them. Still the prospect of being separated from her while everything is still so uncertain makes me so agitated I can barely breathe. It¡¯s true that Frederic has been exposed to the pack now thanks to his attempted intervention, but I¡¯ve learned the hard way that a wounded animal is the most dangerous by far. He¡¯ll feel he has nothing to lose now, especially with the constant news coverage. In a matter of 24 hours he¡¯s gone from a potential alpha to the most reviled man in the territory, and I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to do something desperate. Aiden and Donovan immediately put out a warrant for his arrest, but of course by the time the enforcers arrived at his apartment, he was gone. I hate knowing he¡¯s out there somewhere probably plotting his revenge, and I pray that if he¡¯s watching us he¡¯ll choose to follow me and not L. ¡°None of that, my darling.¡± Helene murmurs, rubbing my arms. ¡°This is not the time for doubts. You need your confidence now more than ever.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not doubts.¡± I admit weakly, feeling tears burn in my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s fear. I¡¯m afraid of leaving L like this, I¡¯m afraid that I won¡¯te back¡­ I know what it¡¯s like to grow up without a mother ¨C I don¡¯t want that for her.¡± ¡°That is exactly why you¡¯ll fight so hard to return.¡± Helene reminds me. ¡°You have something to live for, something that ise never will.¡± ¡°ise has himself.¡± I reason, ¡°He¡¯s incapable of loving another person, he doesn¡¯t need anyone other than himself to keep going.¡± ¡°Selene, if you weren¡¯t afraid you¡¯d be a fool.¡± Helene says. Her words were probably meant to be reassuring, yet they only make me worry harder. ¡°A little fear is good, it drives you to survive at all costs, but you can¡¯t let it consume you. Just think: if you hadn¡¯t been afraid of what Garrick would do to you, you never would have fought him off, but if you¡¯d let the fear control you, you never would have found the strength to escape either.¡± Blinking in surprise I whisper, ¡°I never told you that.¡± She rolls her eyes, ¡°When are you going to learn, silly girl? You don¡¯t have to tell me for me to know.¡± Continuing she reminds me, ¡°You found the strength then, when you only had yourself to live for. Now you have three other lives to fight for ¨C don¡¯t forget it. You are capable of so much more than you think.¡± ¡°Thank you, Helene.¡± I sniffle, ¡°I wish you¡¯d been there to give me these pep talks when I was younger. I might have avoided some terrible mistakes.¡± ¡°And you never would have learned your own lessons.¡± She smiles wanly, ¡°Now, finish getting ready so we can make our goodbyes, the longer you put them off, the worse they¡¯ll be.¡± In the end they¡¯re horrible no matter the dy. Saying goodbye to Odette, Drake and Sophie was torment enough, their warm hugs and words of support had me crying before I could even contemte the pain of missing them. I was even feeling so sentimental that I actually enjoyed Aiden and Donovan¡¯s final lectures about safety. I hugged and kissed the big worrywarts and promised to be as careful as if they were standing over my shoulder. However the worst was parting with my pup ¨C not that this was any surprise. Just like when we left Asphodel, reality didn¡¯t seem to sink in for L until the moment of truth was upon us. She cried and screamed and broke my heart to absolute pieces, wailing for me not to go so loudly that I could hear her even as Helene drove us away from the house. As soon as we were in the car I let go and sobbed, covering my ears in a futile attempt to drown out the sounds of her misery. Helene crooned and rubbed my back, promising that L would be alright and the sooner we got to Tartarus and found Bastien, the sooner I could return home to her. , Her words filled me with determination, and after a while I was able to dry my tears and focus on what lies ahead. In two days time we¡¯ll be in Tartarus. I¡¯m not going to let anything get in my way now ¨C I don¡¯t care what I have to do, or who I have to defeat to bring my mate home. It¡¯s only a matter of time. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 167 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 167 Chapter 167 ¨C Bastien Dreams Knocking on the door of the bedroom my father assigned Selene, I hear a dull thump and a sudden scampering sound within. Pushing the door open I scan the space, noticing a photo book syed haphazardly on the bed as if it had been dropped there in hurry, and a pair of abandoned slippers on the floor by the headboard. However, I don¡¯t see hide nor hair of the woman I came to find. Stepping inside, I call,¡±Selene?¡± Her sweet scent floats to my nose, muddled with a distinct linge of acrid fear. Despite my sympathy for her plight, my sweet mate unwittingly ced a hunt under my nose, and no wolf worth his sall tan resist such a tempting offer. ¡°Come out,e out wherever you are, little woll.¡± I hear a muted whimper in the direction of the bed. Furrowing my brow, I realize it had sounded awfully low to the ground, and after a moment I understand. The poor thing was so frightened she¡¯d actually crawled under the bed to hide from me. Slowly striding forward, I close the distance between us, trying to wipe the smile from my face. Thest thing she needs is to know how adorable I find her behavior. Kneeling down at the foot of the bed, I duck my head low enough to see the cowering she wolf. She¡¯s t on her belly, her eyes wide as dinner tes as she stares back at me, positively trembling with fear. ¡°You going to make mee all the way down there to get you, baby?¡± She doesn¡¯t answer, instead sidling closer to the wall and turning her face away from me. Resolved to retrieve her, I lower myself to the ground, at which point I discover that she¡¯s both out of my reach, and I¡¯m too broad to fit into the narrow space myself. Clever little mate. I could move the bed, but I decide to try and coax her out instead. Mimicking her position, I settle in for a chat. ¡°Okay sweetheart, let¡¯s just talk.¡± I begin, grinning wolfishly when she looks at me in surprise. ¡°We need to get to know each other if we¡¯re going to be married after all.¡± Selene still doesn¡¯t answer, but the scent of her fear isn¡¯t as strong as it was before, so I continue. ¡°You should know that Garrick is dead.¡± I share, hoping that this information will help her trust me. ¡°He denied everything, but I saw -¡± my voice trails off as I remember my visit to their house, to the basement he¡¯d used as her prison cell. It was too horrible to contemte keeping a child down in such desperate conditions for so long. ¡°I saw where he was keeping you, and I found his Wolfsbane supply.¡± She curls in on herself a little, as if reliving the pain of the potion. ¡°We destroyed all of it. You don¡¯t ever have to worry about anyone hurting you ever again, Selene. You¡®re under my protection now.¡± Her stomach growls in reply, and the corner of my mouth tilts up. ¡°1 wish you¡¯de out and talk to me.¡± I tell her. ¡°If you did, we could have some lunch together.¡± She¡¯s so thin that her eyes look toorge in her beautiful face, giving the impression of a puppy dog expression when she finally asks, ¡°Will you let me eat if I don¡¯t?¡± Axel growls fiercely in my head, and I¡¯m just barely able to stop from letting the same sound escape me. I wish I could kill Garrick all over again, and I know then that as long as she¡¯s out of reach, she¡¯s never going to trust me. ¡°Of course I will.¡± I promise, fighting to keep my tone gentle, ¡°but you might have to share it with that spider.¡± Selene¡¯s gaze follows mine,nding on the huge arachnid curiously approaching her. It was a bit of a gambit. After all, eight years in a basement had to have acquainted her with all kinds of creepy crawlies, but that could either immunize or hyper sensitize her to them. Luckily for me, it¡¯s the latter. With a terrified squeak she rapidly crawls out of the narrow space, yelping when she hits her head in her rush, and then again when I catch her beneath the arms and pull her into my arms. Selene ils against me, trying to escape at the same time as she struggles to wrap her head around how I managed to get to her so quickly. Unfortunately she¡¯s so frail that it takes very little effort for me to trap her wriggling limbs, ¡°Easy, sweetheart, you¡¯re all right. You¡®re safe.¡± The squirming bundle whines in protest as I snuggle her to my chest, settling on the edge of her bed and rocking back and forth. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t hurt you, Selene.¡± I vow, rubbing a soothing hand up and down her spine the same way I might a skittish horse. ¡°That¡¯s it. ¡°Iencourage when she begins to settle, ¡°Just let me take care of you.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Apparently attempting a hail mary pass to escape me, Selene makes one final thrash. A pair of sharp little fangs dig into my arm, and I surprise her with my purr. The innocent she wolf has no idea how badly I want to bite her mysel¨ª ¨C or how intimate the gesture is between men and women. We only bite our mates; her instincts clearly recognize me even if she does not. In the end it seems myck of rebuke convinces her I can be trusted, and she stillspletely, pouting but cuddling closer when I continue purring my approval. ¡°Good girl.¡± I praise, carefully tilting her head forward so I can examine the quickly swelling goose-ege where she hit her head. Tsking softly, I press my lips to the tender spot once, twice, three times. ¡°Is he really dead?¡± Selene asks in a small voice. ¡°Dead and burned.¡± I assure her, ¡°I did it myself.¡± I let that information sit with her for a moment, hoping that it won¡¯t frighten her too much. He wasn¡¯t the first man i¡¯d ever killed. but he was the one I¡¯d found the most pleasure in destroying. ¡°Are we really going to be married?¡± Selene whispers after a moment. ¡°Yes,¡± I confirm, ¡°Does that scare you?¡± She thinks about my question for a long moment, before hesitantly shaking her head no. ¡°I¡¯m sorry i bit you.¡± I want to kiss her more than I¡¯ve ever wanted to kiss anyone, but I know she¡¯s not ready for that yet, so I simply lower my cheek to her hair and breathe in her incredible scent. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± The images slowly fade, the bedroom dissolving around us until it¡¯s rece with a new scene. I¡¯m waking up alone in my bed a few weekster, worryncing through me when I instinctively reach for Selene but find her missing. As tortuous as it is for me to lie beside her every night without touching her the way my wolf aches to, her nightmares are so persistent that she¡¯d never sleep at all without me. Rising from bed, the steady drumbeat of rain fills the air, and I¡¯ve barely made it a step before thunder and lightning crash in near perfect synchrony, the sound shaking the walls as light shatters the darkness through the windows. A muffled cry from the living room sends me running, and when I reach themunal space, I find Selene in the middle of aplete breakdown. In the back of my mind I recall there was a storm the night she escaped Garrick, but I haven¡¯t been able to convince her to tell me exactly what happened that day. Approaching her warily, Selene scrambles away as if I¡¯m the devil himself. I stop in my tracks, sighing, ¡°Oh Baby, I thought we¡¯d gotten past this.¡± It¡¯s true, after our first couple of weeks together Selene had gone from fearing me to viewing me as her only safe space. She was still incredibly skittish, but by now I¡¯d be ustomed to her running to me ¨C not away. My words fell on deaf ears, in fact it seems like she can¡¯t hear me at all. She¡¯s staring at me as if she doesn¡¯t even recognize me, sobbing and pleading for me not to hurt her. ¡°Please no!¡± Selene weeps, sounding absolutely petrified, ¡°It¡¯s not right, Garrick!¡± That stops me dead in my tracks, as two things be very clear. First, my mate is in the middle of a pull blown PTSD episode and has no idea where she is or who I am. Second, Garrick clearly did more than beat and poison her. Acting instinctively, I shift into my wolf form, not bothering to remove my clothes first. They fall in tatters around me, and Selene¡¯s panicked breathing eases slightly. The sound of her agony has me ttening my ears to my head as a low whine sounds in my chest, and to my relief my mate seemspletely unafraid of the giant predator bearing down on her. She reaches toward me as I draw near, and I wrap my furry body around her, dly offering her the only comfort she can ept at the moment. The dream changes again, Selene¡¯s voice echoing in my head much stronger than it had been at the time, ¡°You coddled me!¡± ¡°If I coddled you it¡¯s because I love you!¡± I hear myself replying. I don¡¯t remember this conversation, but I can¡¯t help thinking that I¡¯ve never seen anyone in more need of coddling than my traumatized mate in the early months of our rtionship. ¡°I never learned how to fend for myself!¡± She answers fiercely. The strange thing is that I can¡¯t see her, I can hear her, but I have no other context to ce the moment. It doesn¡¯t even make any sense, we haven¡¯t known each other long enough to ¡®ever or never¡¯ do anything. My consciousness rolls around ufortably, and the surreal sensation of dreaming washes over me. This isn¡¯t real. I realize. I¡¯m only dreaming. Straining to leave the fantasy world and return to reality, I urge myself to wake up. Except I can¡¯t seem to break free of this strange sleep. It¡¯s like I¡¯m trapped, walking through memories and things that haven¡¯t happened yet. What in the hell is going on? Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 168 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 168 Chapter 168 ¨C Arriving in Ta¡­ #Chapter 168 ¨C Arriving in Tartarus Arabe I have to admit, I like life much better with Bastien unconscious. It¡¯s so much less stressful not having to y pretend every second of every day, especially with the constant news stories about Selene and Frederic. Part of me feels vindicated that Frederic exposed himself through utter overconfidence and stupidity ¨C after all the times he called me names and criticized my mistakes, it feels good to see him get hiseuppance. Still, there¡¯s no denying it¡¯s inconvenient. Not to mention I very nearly slipped up with the memory potion. It hadn¡¯t urred to me that it Bastien wasn¡¯t awake to drink the potion, it¡¯s effects might have worn off by the time things have finally settled down enough for him to rejoin the waking world. It wasn¡¯t until he started muttering Selene¡¯s name in his sleep that I realized my oversight, and I very quickly called in another favor from my underworld contact. The injections won¡¯t take away the memories of his dreams, but they¡¯ll certainly ensure he doesn¡¯t recall the distant past. If I wanted to start this entire process over again and have him forget all the progress I¡¯d made with him in the past few weeks I could have arranged for a different concoction, but in the end I decided dreams are always so strange and mystical that it will be easy to convince him whatever truths they showed him were just his imagination. After a week of nning my wedding in blissful silence without any interference from bossy Alphas or having to worry about counterfeiting newspapers, I finally let Bastien wake. Selene and Frederic are still frequently in the news, but at least they¡¯ve stopped ying the videos of their confrontation on loop. There¡¯s a chance that Bastien might catch some coverage about it, but if ites to it! should be able to convince him that Selene betrayed Frederic in order to take over the pack on her own. As long as he doesn¡¯t see Frederic admitting to his crimes, my ns can still move forward. When he emerges from the bedroom the morning after I cease giving him the sedative injections, he looks drowsy and confused.¡° You¡¯re finally awake!¡± | cry, throwing my arms around him. ¡°How long was l out, I feel¡­ Goddess I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°I bet,¡± I nod in understanding, moving into the kitchen to prepare some food. I wouldn¡¯t normally cook for anyone, but I need to stay on his good side right now. ¡°You¡¯ve been really sick.¡± His brow furrows in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t get sick.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Well you¡¯ve slept the week away with a fever.¡± I inform him wryly, ¡°if that¡¯s not sick I don¡¯t know what is.¡± ¡°That must be it.¡± He mutters to himself, borating when he sees my confusion. ¡°I had the strangest dreams. They must have been from my fever ¨C only they didn¡¯t seem like nightmares¡­ they were more like memories.¡± I freeze in ce, ¡°Oh? What kind of memories?¡± ¡°All kinds of things.¡± He answers vaguely, ¡°Flynn when we were little, my father teaching me to run the pack.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± I press nervously, slowly chopping up some vegetables to throw in an omelet. ¡°Yeah.¡± He sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face. ¡°There were a few more recent ones, but they didn¡¯t make any sense.¡± He sounds dangerously conflicted, and I decide to face the issue head on. ¡°I heard you say Selene¡¯s name a few times.¡± I tell him, drawing his rapt attention. ¡°You have to remember what a good actress she is, Bastien. I can see that you¡¯re confused, but know whatever you saw was probably her maniption.¡± He frowns deeply, ¡°Maybe my head is ying tricks on me, if what I saw was an act¡­¡± ¡°Remember she¡¯s a Vna.¡± I caution, ¡°She has powers you and I cannot fathom. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s how she fooled you all these years. She¡¯s practically a witch.¡± ¡°The woman I saw didn¡¯t even have a wolf ¨C she was so helpless.¡± He argues. ¡°Of course she was, helpless people never raise suspicions.¡± I remind him. ¡°She needed you to underestimate her at every turn so you¡¯d never view her as a threat.¡± He thinks about it for a long moment before nodding, ¡°if you say so.¡± ¡°I do.¡± Selene ¡°How are we going to find them?¡± I ask Helene as we near the border. ¡°Tartarus is a huge city, they could be anywhere.¡± ¡°We should be able to narrow down a radius easily enough.¡± My mentor answers. ¡°How much do you know about the Calypso pack?¡± nu that my parents were Calypsos and that it¡¯s another mountain pack ¨C that and their Alpha is a major piece of work.¡± I answer dryly. ¡°Well, that piece of work has a very interesting way of segregating his city.¡± Helene exins, ¡°in fact he and your step-father had a few things inmon.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I inquire, smothering a shiver. ¡°Only the wealthiest wolves and nobility are allowed to actually roam the city freely, everyone else: the poor, other shifter species, his political opponents, they¡¯re forced to live underground. You see Tartarus was rebuilt over and over again over the centuries, but instead of expanding outward, they just kept building on top of what former civilizations left behind. The subterranean city is ancient-it goes very deep and it¡¯s just about the most miserable ce on the continent.¡± Now I really am shivering, ¡°And that helps us because?¡± ¡°Wellis Arabe the type of she-wolf to associate with the masses, or would she force her way into the most elite circle she could manage?¡± Helene prompts. ¡°Clearly you already know the answer to that.¡± I chuckle. ¡°So you see, already we¡¯ve eliminated three quarters of the city.¡± The old woman smiles. ¡°My suggestion is that we head for the center city and wander around a bit, that way we can get our bearings while also seeing if we can pick up either of their scents.¡± ¡°And if we can¡¯t?¡± I fret. ¡°Always so pessimistic.¡± Helene clucks, ¡°if we can¡¯t find them then tonight we¡¯ll start practicing some of your other skills in earnest.¡± ¡°Respectfully Helene, sometimes I think you speak in riddles just to toy with me.¡± I remark pointedly. ¡°You know I thought the young were supposed to be more fun.¡± She quips in return, ¡°Take my advice darling, we¡¯re headed into the most difficult challenge of your life, you have to try and find the light where you can, and that includes humoring an old bat¡¯s riddles.¡± Her wry words sober mepletely, ¡°You think it¡¯s going to be that bad?¡± She frowns at me. ¡°Lesson number two, Selene. Challenging does not mean bad. Nothing worth having in life is easily won, and it will be all the more rewarding when you ovee it.¡± Fear gnaws at my insides. That¡¯s certainly easy for her to say, after 150 sessful years in our world. But my life is just getting started. Thave a child to worry about and another on the way. I have a mate to save. I can¡¯t afford to be so philosophical about my future. ¡°Can you promise I will?¡± i counter, ¡°Ovee it, I mean.¡± ¡°That is up to you and you alone, little mother.¡± She replies, making me grit my teeth in frustration. ¡°I can tell you that you are capable of oveing it, but I cannot give you the drive to do what you must or promise circumstances will be favorable. I can only tell you that there is reason to hope.¡± ¡°Reason to hope.¡± I repeat bleakly. ¡°And exactly what powers that I haven¡¯t even begun to practice are supposed to help me find my husband in the chaos you¡¯re describing?¡± ¡°Selene.¡± I can tell from her tone that Helene is genuinely bing frustrated by my bleak outlook. ¡°Stop assuming the worst and use your head. He¡¯s your fated mate isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I confirm. ¡°And who fated you?¡± She encourages. ¡°The moon Goddess.¡± I answer automatically. ¡°Okay, so what power can help you find him?¡± She¡¯sying a trail of cookie crumbs with the demeanor of someone speaking to a toddler. Granted, I¡¯m less than a toddler to her when I think about our age difference. of a sudden, the answeres to me and a wide smile takes over my features. ¡°Moonlight.¡± I supply, preening under her approving grin, ¡°That¡¯s my girli¡± She praises, patting my shoulders as I drive through the winding mountains. We¡¯re just rounding a bend of thick forest when something catches my eye, a strange glimmering in the distance. I squint towards the object, realizing that it¡¯s not one object but many. The closer we draw the clearer it bes: A shimmering gold city sprawls across the horizon, glinting towers of metal stretching as far as the eye can see. Helene confirms what I already suspect. ¡°We¡®re here.¡± Her hand slides from my body as we both take in the daunting sight, scarcely believing the size of the metropolis. ¡°Wee to Tartarus.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 169 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 169 Chapter 169-Odile Breaks¡­ Frederic I¡¯ve been on the road for hours, following Selene¡¯s trail East and wondering if she¡¯s truly on her way to the Calypso pack. It seems like the only possible destination for the route she and her witchy mentor are taking, but I can¡¯t imagine she¡¯s actually headed somece where she might be killed just for being a Vna. If I¡¯m right there¡¯s only one possibility: for one reason or another, she must think that Bastien is there. If I¡¯m lucky, I might be able to catch up to her before she finds him. I know if she would just give me another chance and listen with an open mind, I could convince her to stay with me. Tregret our fight on the street, especially since it ruined more than ten years of undercover work and exposed me to the pack, but I also regret raising my hand against her. Still, I¡¯m sure I can make her understand what Alpha doesn¡¯t lose his temper every now and then? Shifters are very physical beings ¨C Selene must know that I¡¯ll apologize and make her understand that if she hadn¡¯t been so insolent and disrespectful towards me, I never would have dreamed of hitting her. She simply needs to learn his ce. She¡¯s a reasonable she-wolf, she¡¯ll understand everything once I exin. Getting tired of the silence, I flip the radio on and turn it to the Novan News Network. I know I¡¯m probably not going to like what I hear, but I have to stay tuned in if I¡¯m ever going to figure out a new n. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t have predicted just how unpleasant the news would be. I listen in horror as the reporter¡¯s fuzzy voice rtes the day¡¯stest developments: Frederic Durand¡¯s mother Odile turned herself into the Elysian enforcers today, iming that she escaped from the basement of a house in Old Town after being imprisoned by her son. Frederic, who has been living under the assumed identity of Dr Thomas Kane for thest decade, was nowhere to be found when the enforcers went to the address Odile provided. Despite the disgraced wolf¡¯s absence, they were able to verify his mother¡¯s ount, describing the basement where he was holding her as being in ¡°deplorable condition. In a statement to the Novan Press Corps this afternoon, Odile said that she had supported her son from the day he was born and she¡¯d long assisted him in his efforts to be pack Alpha. However their rtionship soured when his luck turned for the worse, revealing a cruel streak she¡¯d never before witnessed from her only child. iming he struck her on more than one asion, she disyed bruises and clear signs of abuse, apparently inflicted when she ¡°talked back¡± to Frederic. These developments are the most recent in a disturbing trend we first witnessedst week, when Selene Durand exposed her Cousin-inw on camera, and almost became a victim of the man¡¯s temper herself ¨C despite being pregnant. Enforcers have vowed that tracking down Frederic is their top priority, with Beta Aiden stating that the safety of all Novan¡¯s would be at risk as long as he remains at farge. mming the dial off in a fresh fit of rage, I m my fist against the steering wheel and bellow with fury. Can this week get any worse? Selene Moonlight bathes Helene and I in a warm glow. It had taken us a long time to decide on a ce to try and practice this ability, but in the end we were left with no choice. We couldn¡¯t catch a whiff of Bastien or Arabe¡¯s scent anywhere around the city center, and neither of us wanted to risk questioning strangers about the pair. After seeing the kind of city that ise runs from the horrifying underground caverns to the suspiciously clean top level and painfully uptight locals ¨C we agreed that he probably had spies everywhere. A tyrant like him was bound to have secret enforcers scouring the territory for dissenters, and if the downtrodden expressions on the faces of the lower caste were any indication, he didn¡¯t leave any room for arnbiguity. It was either obey or suffer, and even obeying wouldn¡¯t help if you weren¡¯t wealthy. I want to tear down every glittering brick of ise¡¯s capital ¨C nowhere so wretched should be allowed to be so beautiful. Even now, when Helene and I are reveling at the way the golden buildings shine beneath the Goddess¡¯s light, I can¡¯t help but resent them. We chose a spot at the edge of the main park, leaving us with numerous escape paths if we were forced to run. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s working.¡±Itell Helene, after my sixth attempt to channel the moon¡¯s power. ¡°Nonsense, this is like all the other skills ¨C trial error. We don¡¯t know exactly what¡¯s going to work, you just have to keep trying. She advises. Trusting her guidance, which has yet to fail me despite the fact that she¡¯s basically been making all of this up as we go, trying to adapt her witchcraft to my mysterious powers. I try again.. Focusing on Bastien, on my need to be with him again, I direct all my energy at the huge autumn moon. I try to pull in its power the same way I do the shadows, but it doesn¡¯t do any good. I¡¯m not even sure what¡¯s supposed to happen. Is the magic something I¡¯ll just feel, or will it be something we can see? N?velDrama.Org content. Changing tactics, I begin to meditate, trying to recreate the sensation I¡¯ve begun to feel in our hypnosis lessons. It took us a while to figure out, but eventually Helene suggested that I try to reach a zen state not unlike the one I would be trying to put my target in. That seems to help, increasing the moon¡¯s glow over our patch of grass, but other than that it doesn¡¯t seem to have much effect. ¡°Any ideas?¡± I ask Helene. ¡°Hmm.¡± She¡¯s circling me like a very friendly vulture, rubbing her chin in thought. ¡°Alright, how about this: Keep thinking about Bastien, but instead of trying to pull the moon¡¯s power to you, try sending your feelings out to it.¡± ¡°You mean like, send my love to the moon?¡± I snort. ¡°Snort not little mother, the best magic isn¡¯t fancy, or even original.¡± She scolds good-humoredly. ¡°It¡¯s simply true.¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Iugh, doing as she instructs. ¡°And take it seriously!¡± She admonishes. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± I agree, pausing only long enough to salute her. As I begin trying to send my feelings outward, I can hear Helene muttering something about sassy pups beneath her breath, but after a moment ipletely forget about her, because I realize I¡¯m beginning to glow. Staring down at my shining chest in surprise, I try totch onto the technique, seeing the light waver with my shock and immediately doubling down on the emotions. The more I focus, the stronger the light glows, not the gaudy gold of the city, but pure white moonlight. I can hear Helene encouraging me in the background, and I eagerly continue. After a few minutes of intense effort, the light flows out of me, leaving my body and forming a shining strand suspended in the air and extending into the distance. I began walking in the direction of the light, looking around nervously in fear that someone will see this stunning magic. Luckily the streets seem fairly deserted after dark, which is both a relief and somewhat disturbing. Part of me worries that the absence of people is some sort of omen, or a sign of some rule Helene and I don¡¯t know ¨C like a curfew. Still, now that the moonlight is leading me somewhere, Thave to follow. If there¡¯s even a small chance it will lead me to information about where to find Bastien, or help me in some other way on this quest, I don¡¯t have a choice. Helene and I trail along behind the floating string of pearly light, blindly following it deeper into the city. It twists around corners and jumps over the bridge-covered river, and with every step we take I feel a little stronger. Not only stronger, I feel strangely warmer happier. We¡¯re close to something now, I know it. I speed up as we cross an intersection and begin down a new block, feeling my heart race with excitement. Pressing my hand to the slight swell of my stomach, 1 silently encourage my baby, just a little farther. The next thing I know, I feel a sharp tug on my jacket as I¡¯m yanked into an alleyviay. Yelping, my back is forced up against a brick wall and i reach deep down to send out an energy pulse at my attacker, but for some reason it won¡¯t work. A secondter I realize why, when my favorite scent in the world fills my senses. Gasping, I open my eyes to look up at the shifter in front of me, finding a huge, furious Alpha woll ring al me with pure hatred: Bastien, Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 170 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 170 Chapter 170 ¨C Not so happy¡­ #Chapter 170 ¨C Not so happy reunion Bastien I was getting ready for bed when I felt it. The strangest sensation deep in my chest, like something was tethered to my ribcage and dragging me forward. I was helpless to resist it, following the pull even though it could have been leading me anywhere. Arabe shouted after me that I couldn¡¯t leave. We couldn¡¯t afford for me to be seen, and even if no one connected us, there was a curfew. She tried to stop me, begging me to tell her what was going on and not to go, but I simply shook her off. I don¡¯t know what came over me ¨C it was like I was in a trance. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. When I made it out onto the street I had enough of my senses intact to evade the sentries patrolling the block, but I didn¡¯t care about anything else. All I knew was that I had to find the source of this eerie power. Axel urged me on at every turn, showing no fear or doubt whatsoever. I knew very little of the city, but my early investigations told me I was headed towards the park. As I neared, a bewitching scent met my sharp nose ¨C like honeysuckle and freshly fallen snow. It was the most incredible thing I¡¯d ever smelled in my life, and as soon as it entered my head Axel began wing at the surface of my skin, begging to be let out. Go faster. He¡¯d begged, We can¡¯t let it get away. Only it wasn¡¯t fading into the distance, it was getting stronger with every step I took. Instinctively I understood that if I found the source of the scent, I¡¯d also found the force that drew me from the apartment. Scanning my surroundings for more sentries, I broke into a jog, speeding up when I saw a sh of light in the distance. The moon was so bright overhead that I saw her long before she saw me. The pearlescent sheen surrounded her, seemed to be extending from her body and reaching towards mine. I recognized her immediately, though she was a thousand times more beautiful than she¡¯d been in my dreams or her photos. It was Selene. She was the being who smelled so irresistible, and she was the one who¡¯d managed to lure him from his hiding ce. Axel was eagerly purring Mate, in my head, and I had to admit that the desire to rush forward and take her in my arms was so powerful it made me nearly shake with need. I forced down those instincts, knowing they were only the effects of the mating bond. It seemed that ¨C at least ¨C had not been a lie. They truly were mates, there was no doubting it now. I made myself focus on the other truths l¡¯ve learned in recent weeks: the deception, betrayals and crimes. I couldn¡¯t allow myself to be distracted by my feelings or her beauty. Still, it seemed hard to believe such a magnificent creature was capable of doing the things Arabe told me, she looked like an angel floating towards me. Although, that was probably how she¡¯d tricked me sopletely in the first ce. Her act was so convincing that I¡¯d been incapable of seeing past it. But she doesn¡¯t even know you¡®re here. Axel mused, So who is she acting for now? She might not see me but she¡¯s obviously searching for me, why else would she have cast this spell? I didn¡¯t quite believe Arabe¡¯s usations that Selene was a witch until now, but I can¡¯t think of another exnation for the light she¡¯s following or my own trancelike foray into the night. Maybe the Goddess is doing this, not her. Start thinking with what¡¯s between your ears instead of what¡¯s between your legs. I admonish my wolf, earning a growl in reply. You¡¯ve seen the news coverage. She¡¯s not to be trusted. I ducked into an alleyway, waiting for her toe near enough to ambush and finding it harder and harder to stay still the stronger her fragrance became. Lashing out the moment she passed by the mouth of the alley, I snatched her up and pressed her up against the wall, lifting her small feet of the ground. Selene emitted a startled yelp that tugged at my heart strings, looking as though she was aching to fight but couldn¡¯t figure out how. After a moment her eyes widened in surprise ¨C only, they were the wrong color. Instead of the two-tone shade of blue and violet i¡¯d seen in my dream, they were as dark brown as Arabe¡¯s. ¡°What have you done to your eyes?¡± It was the veryst thing I wanted, needed, or intended to say. Nheless, those were the words my useless mouth uttered. Selene¡¯s expression had gone from frightened to overjoyed, lighting up every bit as brightly as the moonlight she¡¯d harnessed a moment before. Shocking me, she threw her arms around my neck and pressed her soft body close, ¡°Bastien!¡± She cried in a voice like rough silk, ¡°thank the Goddess.¡± I was so surprised I actually returned her embrace for a moment before realizing what I was doing. I was just about to harshly push her away when her slender arms tightened around me, ¡°Please ¨C I know you have to yell at me, but please just give me a moment.¡± She whimpered, ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much, I didn¡¯t realize how frightened I was until I actually saw you! I¡¯m so d you¡¯re all right.¡± If I hadn¡¯t known any better, I would have believed her every word, ¡°You can¡¯t fool me with this sweeter than sugar act.¡± I rumbled. forcing her back. Still, I was more gentle than I would have been a moment before. The woman truly was dangerous. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Selene blinked away tears, ¡°I came to find you.¡± This was clear enough, but it also didn¡¯t make any sense. Why would shee after me when I¡¯d threatened her, unless it was ast ditch effort to rescue her scheme? ¡°When I told you to leave I didn¡¯t mean for you toe here!¡± I growl, reminding her of my letter. She shook her head tearfully, still holding on to me though she was supposed to be my prisoner, ¡°You have toe home Bastien.¡± This request was as confusing as thest, surely it was easier for her to make trouble when I wasn¡¯t in Elysium watching her every move. ¡°Where¡¯s Frederic?¡± I demanded, trying to throw her off aspletely as she was throwing me. Her lovely brow furrowed, ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen the news?¡± ¡°Oh I¡¯ve seen the news.¡± I informed her coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve seen him challenging me for control of the pack, parading around in disguise, I¡¯ve seen the lies you two are spinning about me!¡± ¡°Bastien that happened weeks ago.¡± She informed me, ¡°Frederic¡¯s real identity was outed to the pack on Monday and he¡¯s had to flee into hiding.¡± Just then an elderly crone rounded, the mouth of the alley, catching sight of us with a deep frown. ¡°If I were you I¡¯d put her down.¡± She advised coolly. Selene barely offered the woman a nce, ¡°it¡¯s okay Helene, he won¡¯t hurt me.¡± Growling low in my chest, I realized she was right. The idea of harming my mate was impossible, no matter how badly she deserved it. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m her mentor, I¡¯ve been teaching her to use her powers.¡± She answered simply. ¡°Powers?¡± I repeated grimly, ¡°Like the ones that led me here tonight?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Selene admitted easily. The two women¡¯s behavior was wrinkling my brain, why acknowledge it so openly. Wasn¡¯t her witchcraft supposed to be a secret? ¡°Bastien, please listen to me,¡± Selene beseeched, pulling my focus back to her face, ¡°I don¡¯t know what Arabe has told you, but I only want to talk.¡± I didn¡¯t answer, inviting her to continue and hoping she might get carried away and reveal some of her secrets.¡± Please hear me out, I got your letter and I swear to you nothing is as she¡¯s made it seem. I love you so much and I¡¯m sorry you ever had toe here for my sake -¡± ¡°For your sake?¡± | parroted,pletely baffled. Arabe had told me I¡¯de to the territory to find her after learning her whereabouts. ¡°Bastien,¡± Selene grimaced, studying me closely. ¡°Do you remember why you came here?¡± ¡°I came to find Arabe.¡± I replied swiftly. ¡°Is that what you remember?¡± Helene questioned shrewdly, ¡°Or is that what she told you?¡± My head was beginning to ache painfully, I couldn¡¯t make sense of all these riddles, I couldn¡¯t believe she was really in front of me. I also couldn¡¯t think straight with her damnable aroma filling my senses, so fresh and pure but¡­ suddenly I looked down at Selene sharply, my gaze traveling from her worried countenance to the tightly wrapped waist of her coat. Using the wall to support her weight, I uncinched the garment and stared at the ever so slight curve of her belly. ¡°You¡¯re breeding Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 171 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 171 Chapter 171 ¨C Reunion Part 2 Selene If Bastien wants to hold me up against this wall and growl at me for the rest of our lives, I¡¯ll dly let him. It¡¯s honestly a miracle I¡¯m not crying like a baby just being reunited with him. The crushing weight that left my shoulders when I saw him was absolutely unfathomable. I truly did not realize how much stress I was carrying until I felt the sweet release of knowing my mate is unharmed ¨C even if he has lost his marbles a bit. I don¡¯t have the first idea what Arabe has done to him, but it¡¯s clear he has no idea what has been happening while he¡¯s away ¨C or even what happened before. If she were a Vna I might think he¡¯d been hypnotized, but since she¡¯s not, I have to think some sort of magic is responsible. When he looks at me with that bewildered expression and opens my coat to reveal my small baby bump, I feel a tiny flutter behind my belly button. It¡¯s as if the pup knows it¡¯s father is finally near, and it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve felt the baby quicken. I¡¯m about to gasp when his silver eyes bore into me, ¡°You¡¯re breeding?¡± ¡°Arabe didn¡¯t tell you?¡± I guess, not surprised Arabe would have kept this knowledge secret when she¡¯s clearly been hiding more recent news from him as well. ¡°How would she know?¡± Bastien snarls defensively. ¡°Bastien, it¡¯s been all over the news. I¡¯ve been in the hospital, Frederic was keeping me there, making me sick.¡± I exin in the simplest terms I can. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± He uses immediately, ¡°I¡¯ve been following the news very closely ¨C I haven¡¯t seen anything about this.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what coverage you get here, but I promise if you search you¡¯ll find plenty of results.¡± I share, hoping he¡¯ll do as I suggest. I can¡¯t be sure how much of what I¡¯m saying is actually getting through to him, but I have to try to nt as many seeds as I can.¡± Bastien stares at my belly for a moment, his jaw ticking. ¡°I suppose this is another of his bastards?¡± ¡°Bastien, If I¡¯d been with Frederic, you¡¯d smell him on me, but you don¡¯t do you? There¡¯s only you.¡± I pull my neckline back to expose his mark.¡± I¡¯ve never been with anyone else, and you nted this pup the night you gave me this.¡± He stares at the crinkled white scar as if he¡¯s waiting for it to jump out and speak to him. I have no idea what he sees or smells, but I know the way male wolves respond to marks, I know they can sense thingspletely below women¡¯s radar. ¡°This pup is yours, just like L is.¡± I remind him passionately. ¡°L?¡± He repeats, sounding as if the name might be ringing a bell, but one which he simply cannot ce. ¨C ¡°L, our daughter.¡± I¡¯m unbelievably d my pup isn¡¯t here at the moment, it would devastate her to think her father had forgotten her. ¡°Do you truly remember nothing of thest five years?¡± I press, bing increasingly worried. ¡°Do¡­ do you remember meeting me?¡± Bastien finally sets my feet on the ground, removing some of the pressure forcing me against the cold bricks, ¡°your assassins took my memory in the attack.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°They weren¡¯t my assassins!¡± | exim. ¡°They were Frederic¡¯s and they didn¡¯t take your memory. We spoke after it happened. You called Aiden and Donovan to get L and I to a safe house because you were afraid someone wasing for us too!¡± ¡°She¡¯s lying!¡± Suddenly Arabe is standing next to Helen just inside the alleyway. I¡¯m beginning to think the magic has dulled my other senses. I didn¡¯t smell Bastien until he was in front of me, and I didn¡¯t hear hering. ¡°Don¡¯t let her fool you Bastien. You remember waking up after the attack ¨C you were in my apartment.¡± ¡°And just how did he get from being knocked out by assassins to being in your apartment?¡± Helene demands, voicing my thoughts. ¡°How did he escape them if they knocked him out. I suppose they had a sudden crisis of conscience, decided to give up their mercenary ways and carried him to your doorstep?¡± Keeping one eye on Bastien, a spark of hope lights in my hear when he apparently considers this question for the first time. What in the Goddess¡¯s name has she done to him? I ask Luna. It¡¯s like it¡¯s not just his memory but his logic too. Better yet, who¡¯s been helping her? My wolf adds, we both know she didn¡¯t manage this alone. ¡°Put a sock in it, witch.¡± Arabe spits, sending a re of outrage through my blood. As usual however, my mentor needs no help defending herself. ¡°Now, now. Don¡¯t say that like it¡¯s a bad word, deary. You might offend me.¡± She states ominously. Cringing away from the woman, Arabe reached for Bastien,¡° Remember honey, you¡¯d already found me when they caught up to you, after we fought them off I had a friend help me get you inside.¡± Bastien lookspletely overwhelmed now, as if he¡¯s racking his brain trying to remember but keeps coming up empty. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the newspapers Bastien.¡± Arabe reminds him. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the lies she¡¯s been spreading about you.¡± ¡°Then he will also have seen the news about my pregnancy, Frederics exposure, all of it.¡± I argue fiercely, looking at my husband helplessly. ¡°If you can get the Novan News Network here it would have been impossible to miss thisst week.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been sick this week.¡± Bastien murmurs hazily, ¡°I slept for seven days straight.¡± ¡°How convenient.¡± I snap, approaching him cautiously. ¡°You don¡¯t get sick, Bastien.¡± I remind him. ¡°During our first marriage I could be bedridden with the flu for days on end and you could take care of me without evering down with so much as a sniffle.¡± He¡¯s staring straight at me now, and I¡¯m almost tempted to channel some of my power into my words, but I won¡¯t risk being used of maniption. ¡°Since when do you lose fights? Since when do you sumb to injury or illness?¡± I press, ¡°This isn¡¯t you. If you would onlye home with me you¡¯ll see. Aiden, Donovan, your mother, they can verify all this. We¡®ve all been calling you for weeks.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve tricked them.¡± He says dully, not sounding like himself at all. Disappointment ms into me, for a moment there I thought we¡¯d had him, but now it seems like he¡¯s fallen further away. ¡°You¡®ve tricked them just like you tricked me.¡± Pain and frustration swell up inside me, but then a new thought strikes me. ¡°How did you know I¡¯d changed my eyes, Bastien. How do you know what color my eyes are supposed to be?¡± ¡°I had a dream.¡± Bastien confesses, rubbing the back of his neck and pacing. ¡°I don¡¯t even know if it was real. You were¡­ afraid of me, we talked about someone called Garrick. I killed him for hurting you.¡± ¡°That was real, Bastien.¡± I assure him, ¡°back then I didn¡¯t have my wolf, I didn¡¯t know we were mates.¡± ¡°Stop this!¡± Arabe practically shrieks, ¡°don¡¯t you see what she¡¯s doing? Who are you going to believe Bastien? You¡¯ve known me my entire life, you remember every day we spent together ¨C all you know of her are a couple of imagined shes amid a fever.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s that cut and dry then what¡¯s the danger of hearing my version of events?¡± I counter. Footsteps sound on the main road then, and Helene peeks her head around the wall. ¡°Bad news, we¡®ve gotpany.¡± ¡°I warned you about the curfew!¡± Arabe half whispers, half-shouts. She grasps Bastien¡¯s hand, dragging him towards the opposite end of the dark corridor. ¡°This is probably one of her traps. She brought you out knowing you¡¯d be caught.¡± ¡°It¡¯s far more dangerous for me to be caught by them than him.¡± I growl, even as Helene begins pulling me away too. ¡°Ask yourself Bastien, ask yourself what makes more sense: Is the person trying to deceive you the one asking you to face reality head on, or is it the one who wants you to stay here with your head in the sand.¡± ¡°You b***h!¡± Arabe scowls, ¡°You have no idea the bond we have ¨C we¡¯re going to be married, and then we¡¯re going toe home and deal with you once and for all.¡± ¡°You cannot marry him when he hasn¡¯t yet rejected me!¡± I remind her sharply, regretting the words the moment they¡¯re out of my mouth. ¡°That can be easily arranged.¡± Arabe answers gleefully. ¡°Go ahead, Bastien. Do it! Reject her!¡± ¡°We have to go, now!¡± Helene urges us, even as I stare at my mate in horror as he begins opening his mouth. ¡°Reject her!¡± Arabe urges him, ¡°do it now before it¡¯s toote!¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 172 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 172 Chapter 172 ¨C Selene FinFinds Her Confidence Selene ¡°Selene they¡¯re almost on us!¡± Helene whispers urgently. Staring at my mate, it¡¯s easier to summon the shadows than ever. While he watches, still looking deeply confused as Arabe begs him to reject me, I wrap the darkness around the mouth of the alley. I can hear the sentries on the other side of the dark veil, but they cannot see us through the imprable fog. ¡°Who goes there?¡± One shouts, hesitantly reaching into the darkness. I extend the shadows toward him in reply, inky tendrils reaching out for his body like a predator. Both men leap back with little yelps. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± ¡®It¡¯s got to be some kind of magic.¡± The other replies, ¡°call it in.¡± ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± Helene urges me, tugging at my arm as I continue to wait for Bastien to decide whether or not to reject me. Luna won¡¯t let me move until we know our fate, even if the oue is too painful to contemte. Arabe, staring at the shimmering void I¡¯ve conjured in abject horror, seems to feel the opposite. Losing her patience, she grabs Bastien and pulls him towards the opposite end of the alley, disappearing around the corner a momentter. Their sudden departure jolts me out of my reverie, and I run after them, however by the time I reach the end of the narrow corridor and exit onto the street, Bastien and Arabe are long gone. Helene appears at my elbow a momentter, ncing over her shoulder to make sure the guards are still held captive by the shadows. ¡°How will we find him again?¡± I murmur, scanning the deserted block for the dozenth time, just in case I somehow missed them. ¡°The same way you did tonight.¡± She replies, guiding me away When we get back to our hotel, the staff hurried us inside with hushed voices, ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t you know thew? You can¡¯t be out after nine o¡¯clock. If the night guards catch you, you¡¯ll be arrested!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I say, wide eyed. ¡°We didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Helene frowns, ¡°why is there a curfew?¡± ¡°Because the alpha decrees it.¡± The concierge answers simply. Helene gives me a little nudge, and I reflexively jolt, looking down at her in bafflement. She tilts her head towards the man and darts her eyes in his direction, clearly encouraging me to press harder. Realizing she must want me to use my power to try and get more information out of him, I adopt the zen headspace I¡¯ve been practicing my hypnosis with. Staring deep into his eyes, 1 ask, ¡°I don¡¯t understand, does that mean the people here can never shift beneath the moon?¡± The man seems unaffected by my attempt, and I realize Helene¡¯s drops must have stolen this particr ability when they changed the color of my eyes ¨C after all Odette¡¯s book described it as hypnotizing people with my eyes, not some innate power. That¡¯s right.¡± He says shortly. Coming to the same conclusion I did, Helene nods and thanks the man, before leading the way to our room. Once inside, she grumbles, ¡°there¡¯s something seriously wrong with this ce. Can you imagine never going on another night run?¡± ¡°Yes, but then I never shifter until I was twenty four.¡± I remind her. Still, I know what she means. We can shift at any time of course, but it¡¯s different when you can feel the Goddess¡¯s light shining over you. The magic we all possess feels stronger, and the darkness frees us to let our animal side truly take over. ¡°I wonder¡­¡± I mutter dragging my hand through the long tresses of my hair, ¡°do you think it makes wolves weaker? If they¡¯re away from the moonlight for a very long time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s entirely possible.¡± Helene agrees, ¡°But it could just as easily be about control for the sake of control. ise might not have a real reason for doing it other than to restrict people¡¯s lives further.¡± ¡°I swear the more I learn about that man, the more I want to kill him.¡± I growl, surprising myself. I don¡¯t think of myself as a violent person and I can¡¯t ever remember wanting to physically harm anyone ¨C other than in self defense. But tonight my desire to attack Arabe was so strong it nearly won over, and I could happily attack the Calypso Alpha now. ¡°That¡¯s your wolf talking sweetheart.¡± Helene smiles, ¡°When she came back she didn¡¯t just wake your powers, but your predatory instincts too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel like much of a predator.¡± I confess with a sigh, sitting on the edge of my bed. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine actually harming someone.¡± ¡®We¡®re all capable of harm, Selene. My mentor deres, ¡°it just takes more of a push for some people than others.¡± Clearly it doesn¡¯t take anything for Arabe.¡± I grouse. ¡°I can¡¯t believe what she¡¯s done to him.¡± I reflect, reving the night events in my mind. ¡°I mean, I knew she¡¯d stolen his memory, but part of me thought he¡¯de out of it when he saw me, but I might as well have been a stranger to him, he didn¡¯t remember me at all¡± I can¡¯t bring myself to voice how deeply this cut me. I know it isn¡¯t his fault and that Arabe has done this to him, but it hurts to think he could forget me, no matter her schemes. Logically I understand it¡¯s silly to expect such a thing, after all, Bastien is just a man ¨C albeit a very formidable one. He¡¯s not a superhero and he¡¯s not immune to magic, but my heart doesn¡¯t understand logic. The idea that my mate could ever turn against me makes it want to split in two. ¡®She¡¯s clearly got a powerful hold on him.¡± Helene concurs, ¡°some sort of spell or potion.¡± ¡°How am I ever going to get through to him?¡± I inquire hopelessly. ¡°She was right, he has at least twenty years of memories bonding him to her, and the only thing he knows of me is what she¡¯s told him.¡± ¡°And what his wolf senses.¡± Helene adds, ¡°That is what you have to focus on. I¡¯ll try to break whatever enchantment she¡¯s put him under, but you have something neither of us do ¨C and that¡¯s a mating bond. There is no more powerful magic. You have to target his wolf.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to manipte him.¡± I caution, that¡¯s exactly what she¡¯s doing.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°Sometimes you¡®ve got to fight fire with fire, darling.¡± Helene reasons. ¡°Don¡¯t think of it as maniption, this of it as using your wiles to remind him of the truth.¡± ¡°So what, I should seduce him?¡± I rify. ¡°That¡¯s one way to do it.¡± She chuckles, but not the only one. My point is really that you should rely less on words and more on feelings: when you¡¯re together position yourself so he can smell you strongly, wear clothing that exposes his mark and keep your hair up, tailor your movements to his, make sure he can sense your own response to him.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± I agree, but the hard part is going to be getting him away from Arabe. From the looks of it she¡¯s not letting him out of her sight.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. We have to find a way to separate them.¡± She muses. ¡°Or at the very least, we need to locate them so we can figure out when they aren¡¯t together.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something else.¡± I realize, still going over our quick but tense encounter in my head. ¡°She¡¯s clearly been hiding the news from him ¨C if we can find a way to get the true coverage in front of him, he might start to question her more.¡± ¡°And we have to do all of this without letting her know what we¡¯re up to.¡± Helene contributes, ¡°If she gets spooked there¡¯s no telling what she might do.¡± ¡°That could work in our favor ¨C the more desperate she is, the more mistakes she¡¯s bound to make.¡± I suggest. ¡°Or the more drastic lengths she might go to in order to seed.¡± Helene says, shaking her head, ¡°A cornered animal is a very dangerous thing, Selene ¨C and Arabe¡¯s already more dangerous than most.¡± ¡°Okay, that¡¯s fair.¡± I exhale, pursing my lips. But I refuse to stand by and watch them get married. So help me, if he still hasn¡¯te out of this ¨C this trance, by their wedding day, I don¡¯t care how dangerous she is, I will drag her away from that alter kicking and screaming.¡± Seething, I rise from the bed and stride to the mirror. Staring at my reflection, I try to remember how I must have looked thest time Arabe saw me ¨C the terrified, crying girl she locked in a closet. ¡°Arabe has no idea who she¡¯s dealing with.¡± remark coldly. ¡°I¡¯m not the weak little halfling she used to bully.¡± Gripping the edge of the dresser, I consider Helene¡¯s words about my wolf bringing out the predator in me. ¡°She¡¯s not the only one who¡¯s dangerous now ¨C and we don¡¯t even know everything I¡¯m capable of yet.¡± When I nce at Helene, she¡¯s smiling widely. ¡°There you are. She purrs, full of praise. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± ¡°What?¡± I wonder aloud. ¡®This is the she-wolf I saw waiting in your destiny the first time we met ¨C the one you could be if you found your confidence.¡± Helene exins,ing forward to cup my cheek in her hand. ¡°She¡¯s finally here. You¡®re ready now to truly begin training Furrowing my brow, I begin to worry the old woman¡¯s mind is slipping. ¡°What do you mean? We¡¯ve been training ¡°No darling up until this point we¡¯ve been working with kid gloves on.¡± She grins, ¡°Now the real fun begins Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 173 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 173 173 ¨C Let the fun begin Bastien ¡°Arabe what was all that?¡± I demand as soon as the apartment door is closed behind us. The blonde stares at me in innocent confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°All those things Selene said, about Frederic being exiled and her being hospitalized ¨C about me still having my memory after the assassination attempt?¡± I¡¯ve been reying the conversation over and over in my head, every confusing detail sticking in my mind, and new baffling details reappearing every minute. Why didn¡¯t Selene hide the fact that she had powers? Why did she have a teacher with her and talk about them like she was just beginning to learn? Why was she asking me toe home when my absence could only help her scheme? More striking than anything else, was how sincere she¡¯d seemed, from the way she clung to me when we first saw each other, to the moment we parted. If it truly was an act, she was the best actress in the world. ¡°Bastien, this is what she does!¡± Arabe groans, ¡°I can already see you doubting yourself. She¡¯s the most talented gaslighter I¡¯ve ever met. She twists facts and bends the truth and is so convincing that she can convince people they¡®re wrong about what they know in their hearts. You can¡¯t be fooled by her sweet, innocent act.¡± She insists, frowning. ¡°I don¡¯t know what news she was talking about, but if Frederic has been exiled, I guarantee you it was Selene¡¯s doing ¨C so that she wouldn¡¯t have to share her power with him. Now that she¡¯s gotten a taste she probably wants to run the pack on her own.¡± ¡°A female Alpha?¡± | question. It¡¯s not unheard of, but if she aplished such a thing she¡¯d been the first in generations. ¡°She¡¯s certainly powerful enough.¡± Arabe shrugs. My head aches trying to unravel this logic. Selene couldn¡¯t both pretend to be innocent and harmless, and im to be powerful anough to lead a pack like the Novas. Selene¡¯sst question rang in my head like a relentless warning bell, is the person trying to deceive you the one asking you to face reality head on, or is it the one who wants you to stay here with your head in the sand? ¡°Why are you so determined that we don¡¯t return to Elysium yet?¡± I ask ¡°Because of her!¡± Arabe bursts out, her voice thick with emotion. ¡°I was afraid this would happen, I was afraid that if we went back everything would go back to the way it was before. That you¡¯d fall for her tricks and go back to hating me. That¡¯s why I wanted to get married first, so that at least then I¡¯d have a little bit of security.¡± She sniffles, her eyes shining with tears, ¡°I can¡¯t lost you again, Bastien!¡± She throws herself into my arms, and I catch her reflexively, rubbing her back and trying to calm her down. Yet even as Ifort Arabe, doubt writhes in my chest. She is behaving so differently from how I¡¯ve ever seen her act in the past, and Selene seemed exactly like the woman from my dreams ¨C older, stronger and much healthier, but every bit as sweet. She felt so right in my arms and everything she said made so much sense. I¡¯ve never lost a fight in my life, I haven¡¯t gotten sick since I was a child, and I can¡¯t imagine leaving my pack at such a stressful time. After a moment, she pulls back and wipes her tears away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± She whimpers, ¡°I¡¯m being such a baby. Why don¡¯t make us some tea? It¡¯s been such a terrible evening.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I mutter, not really processing her words. pace as Arabe tters around the kitchen, trying to sort out the tangled information in my brain. A momentter she reappears and offers me a cup, still steaming and blissfully aromatic. I take a few sips and feel the tension seep out of me almost instantly. As I rx, I seem to even forget why I was so worried in the first ce. In fact, now that I think about it, what was I thinking about a moment ago? Why was I so agitated when everything seems fine? Arabe and I are at home in her apartment, safe and sound. Axel, do you remember? I ask my wolf. It takes a moment, but then his familiar voice sounds in my ear. Selene. He rumbles simply. Of course. Why else would I be so anxious but for the woman who is currently destroying my reputation and my pack? Shaking off my unease, I remind myself that Arabe and I will be home soon enough. I¡¯ll deal with Solene once and for all ¨C and then Arabe and I can finally begin our life together. Selene ¡°Helene, this is not fun!¡± I shout, struggling to maintain my focus. It¡¯s our second night in Tartarus, and we¡¯ve returned to the park to practice my moonlight magic once more, but tonight feels very different from yesterday. Instead of the gradual harnessing I achieved to lead me towards Bastien ¨C and apparently call him to me ¨C today the power floods over me like a tidal wave. At first I merely noticed a soft glow at my fingertips, but before long my entire body was lit up like some strange new species of bioluminescent wolf, and my feet left the ground. Now I hang in the air, white light pouring out of me as I struggle to regain control. ¡°Just focus.¡± Helene calls from below me. ¡°If you don¡¯t get yourself down from there you¡¯re going to call every guard for a mile around, and then where will we be?¡± ¡°Is that your way of encouraging me?¡± I demand hotly, waving my arms uselessly around me. ¡°No more kid gloves little mother.¡± She grins, ¡°nothing motivates like a healthy dose of fear.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to give you a healthy dose of your own damned medicine.¡± I mutter under my breath. ¡°I heard that!¡± Helene chuckles, not sounding the least bit bothered. Okay, I think, shaking off my nerves. Just focus. Use the power to get your feet back on the ground. If your feet are on the ground, you can find Bastien. You can¡¯t find him if you¡¯re floating here like a canine balloon. Slowly, I feel the air shift around me, and the harder I concentrate, the softer the breeze bes. Before long I feel my feet reconnecting with the ground, and triumph rushes through my veins. ¡°Good Selene,¡± Helene praises. ¡°Very good, now turn off the glowing, firefly.¡± I imagine pulling all the light emanating from my body within, again reminding myself that the sooner all this is sorted out, the sooner I can find my mate. Every muscle in my body goes taut with the effort, but when I peek my eyes open nothing has changed. I¡¯m still lit up like a marquee and the radiance doesn¡¯t even seem to be softer than it was a moment ago. ¡°It isn¡¯t working.¡± I tell Helene. She shakes her head with a wry smile, ¡°Such a pup. No patience whatsoever.¡± N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°Hey!¡± I object, ring at her. In the pearly light she looks years younger, and I realize what a beautiful woman she must have been in her prime. Still, her words grate at my temper. ¡°I¡¯m a grown woman and a mother ¨C forgive me if my family and my pack being on the line makes me a bit anxious.¡± ¡°And a moody pup too.¡± She teases, patting my pregnant belly. ¡°Just keep trying, don¡¯t let failure bog you down.¡± At the word ¡°failure¡± I feel something burst inside my chest, and all at once the light is sucked inside my body. I almost imagine that I hear a pop, and when I look down, I see only a gentle white luminance on my skin. Despite my pleasure at seeding, I level my mentor with a glower. ¡°You know I really don¡¯t like you sometimes.¡± ¡°Tut tut.¡± She brushed off my words as I knew she would, ¡®no one likes being pushed, but look where it gets you.¡± She lectures, gesturing at me. ¡°Truly ¨C if you could bottle that you¡¯d make a million on the beauty market. As if you weren¡¯t pretty enough already.¡± ¡°But what can I do with it?¡± I ask, studying the moon-kissed skin of my arms. ¡°Find your mate.¡¯ Helene instrusts. ¡°But this time don¡¯t draw yourself a map or pull him to you, just locate him. Reach out with your mind and let the moon guide you.¡± Closing my eyes and thinking hard, I try to envision the strange city where we¡¯vended and fill my senses with all that is Bastien: his scent, his handsome features, the feeling of his body against mine. Little by little my mind closes in on my target, and before long I¡¯m lighting up ¨C not with the moon, but a smile ¡°I know where he is.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 174 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Sophie L is sprawled on the sofa in our apartment in Asphodel, flipping through Drake¡¯s photo album. There used to be a time when that album filled me with jealousy. Half of it was upied with photos of Selene ¨C when she was pregnant with L, the early days after the pup had been born. Now it fills me with longing. I want a pup of my own so badly, a dream I never even realized I had until Drake imed me as his own. I haven¡¯t confessed this dream to my mate yet, but I know he wants the same thing. He¡¯s been endlessly patient with me, taking every new stage of our rtionship one step at a time. One day soon I hope to share this secret with him, but I¡¯m still finding my feet in the new order of things. As nervous as I was to be given the responsibility of caring for Selene and Bastien¡¯s daughter while they¡¯re away, I¡¯vee to adore L, and even catch myself practicing my own mater nal skills on her. I¡¯m not sure if Drake knows this is the reason I ve been so eager to spend time with her, but he¡¯s more than willing to indulge me either way. ¡°What do you want to do today, L Bean?¡± | ask,ing to sit beside her. ¡°I wanna go shopping!¡± She informs me happily, kicking her pint-sized feet back and forth as she lies on her belly. ¡°Shopping?!¡± | exim, not the least bit opposed to this idea, ¡°What kind of shopping?¡± ¡°For gwocries.¡± L answers promptly. ¡°I wanna cook like ! do with Mommy.¡± Of course, I think with resignation. She wants to do the one thing I¡¯m truly terrible at. No matter what Drake says, I know I¡¯m a horrible cook. Thankfully he hired a real chef for Selene¡¯s cafe and re- appointed me as the business manager, otherwise the restaurant would have gone under months ago. ¡°Alright!¡± | agree, ¡°But you don¡¯t get to be mad at me when the food doesn¡¯t taste like how your Mommy makes it.¡± I cau tion the toddler. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± L giggles, ¡°I show you how.¡± For most pups this would probably seem like an over-abun dance of confidence, but L knows exactly how well I can cook, and she¡¯s right to think she can do a better job. Poking my head into Drake¡¯s office, I tell him where we¡¯re headed. ¡°L and I are off to the store.¡± | nned on ducking in and out, but to my surprise, Drake rises from his desk andes to take my hands in his, ¡°Oh? | was thinking about getting a sitter and taking you out tonight.¡± ¡°Really?¡± | flirt, fluttering myshes, ¡°because that would probably save us all from food poisoning.¡± LV.1 Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Stop.¡± He scolds light-heartedly, ¡°I believe in you even if you don¡¯t, you can be a good cook with a little confidence.¡± ¡°I love that you believe in me.¡± | concede, ¡°but I don¡¯t care enough about cooking to put in the effort.¡± I confess, ¡°if we ever have kids, we¡¯re going to have to hire a chef.¡± ¡°Kids?¡± He repeats with a wide smile, ¡°Is that something you want?¡± ¡°You know,¡± I begin in a teasing tone, ¡°most couples dis cuss this sort of thing before tying themselves to each other permanently.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Heughs, ¡°but I love you more than I love some imaginary future. I want whatever life you¡¯re willing to build with me.¡± Leaning into his warmth, 1 wrap my arms around his neck. ¡°You can¡¯t say things like that to me when there¡¯s a pup in the next room, Drake.¡± I scold, feeling my heart pulse with affection. ¡°Oh?¡± He utters with a grin, ¡°why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Because it makes me want to do a lot of very naughty things that would be very difficult to exin to her should she walk in.¡± | exim, turning my cheek when he tries to kiss me. Drake emits a low growl and catches my chin, turning my face back to his and iming my lips despite my protests. When we part a few breathless momentster, I add. ¡°We¡¯re going gro cery shopping. You and I can finish this¡­ discussion,ter.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Drake agrees, dropping his head to his mark and swiping his tongue over the pink scar, ¡°But do me a favor, and get some whipped cream and chocte syrup.¡± Cocking my head to the side, I agree with mild confusion, ¡°Okay, would you like something to go with that? Ice cream per haps?¡± ¡°Oh I already have everything I need.¡± He grins wolfishly, kissing my nose and giving my waist a squeeze. ¡°Right here.¡± mes burst over my cheeks, ¡°Oh.¡± | murmur softly, sud denly liking the idea of staying put much more than I did a mo ment ago. ¡°You know, we don¡¯t have to go.¡± I offer. ¡°Oh yes you do.¡± Drake informs me with a sultry stare. ¡°I have very specific ns for you now, little lamb.¡± Shivering happily, I do as he says, packing L into the car and whisking her off to the grocery store. In addition to the items my mate requested, we picked out chicken, strawberries and carrots for L¡¯s dinner. It was an oddbination, but it was what she wanted and it wasn¡¯t unhealthy, so I agreed. After arriving home and unpacking out bags, L helped me prepare every step of her dinner. Together we sliced the straw berries (her with a very dull stic knife), roasted the chicken andid out the carrot sticks. When the chicken was finally done cooking and ¨C to my amazement ¨C actually smelling appetizing, we let it cool before L cut it into bite sized pieces too. When her te was finally ready, brimming with all the foods she¡¯d specially requested, she looked up at me with her beautiful two toned eyes. ¡°Uh-uh.¡± Blinking, I transferred a few of the dirty dishes to the sink, ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯ want dis.¡± L announced. ¡°What do you mean lovey?¡± | ask patiently, ¡°We made this just for you, it¡¯s exactly what you asked for.¡± ¡°I don¡¯ want it.¡± She repeated, crossing her plump arms over her chest. My head spun slightly, but I reminded myself I was dealing with a toddler ¨C logic wasn¡¯t on the table. ¡°Honey, we went shopping for these specific things, you helped make it and cut it all up, why don¡¯t you want it?¡± | ask. ¡°I don¡¯ like it.¡± L exins, baffling mepletely. ¡°Then why did you ask for it?¡± | murmur, feelingpletely baffled. ¡°I didn¡¯!¡± L insists, pouting deeply. Pursing my lips. I try to conjure a reasonable reply. I want to throw my hands up in defeat, I want to order her to eat the food we prepared or go to bed hungry. Instead I try to imagine how difficult it must be for her to be away from both of her parents right now, and feel myself soften slightly. ¡°Okay L, what do you want instead of this? A few hourster I¡¯m burying my head in my hands andining to Drake, ¡°She¡¯s a monster. We did exactly what she wanted and it still wasn¡¯t right! I cooked sessfully for maybe the first time in my entire life, and she didn¡¯t even care.¡± ¡°Baby, she¡¯s three years old.¡± Drake soothes, pulling me into hisp. ¡°She¡¯s meant to be unreasonable. It¡¯s in her DNA.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how they do it.¡± | admit, thinking of Selene and Bastien, ¡°I mean I worked my ass off and all I got in return was a tiny tyrant making me feel like a crazy person.¡± ¡°It helps when it¡¯s your tiny tyrant.¡± Drake acknowledges, rubbing my back, ¡°But if it makes you feel better, she wouldn¡¯t act out if she didn¡¯t feel safe with you.¡± ¡°How do you figure that?¡± | grumble, cuddling into his arms and pouting. ¡°Because it¡¯s in a toddler¡¯s nature to test their boundaries.¡± He exins, pressing a kiss to my temple, ¡°and they do it the most with the people they know they can trust. That¡¯s why kids are always the worst behaved with their parents.¡± ¡°Really?¡± | question, looking up at him anxiously. ¡°Really.¡± He promises. ¡°L loves you, and she feels fortable with you, so she¡¯s a tiny bit of a brat. Take it as a pliment.¡± ¡°I do.¡± | admit, ¡°I assumed it was because she didn¡¯t like me.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Drake scoffs, ¡°How could anyone dislike you?¡± ¡°I have a life¡¯s worth of evidence of people not liking me at all.¡± I remind him, ¡°It¡¯s not that unthinkable.¡± ¡°Sophie, when are you going to learn?¡± Drake asks, kissing me deeply, ¡°Your family didn¡¯t see you for the gem you are. They were idiots. The rest of us aren¡¯t so foolish.¡± ¡°Easy for you to say.¡± | joke, ¡°You¡¯re my mate, you don¡¯t have a choice either.¡± ¡°How dare you?¡± He growls. ¡°I have a choice. I have every choice in the world.¡± He announces sternly. ¡°That¡¯s precisely why you should recognize how special you are. I could have any woman in the pack, but I want you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a cocky bastard, you know that?¡± | chuckle, stroking his scruffy cheek. ¡°I do.¡± He confirms, nuzzling my neck and breathing in my scent, ¡°Which is precisely why you should feel so confident in yourself.¡± ¡°Whatever you say, Alpha.¡± I preen. ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡± Drake grins, kissing me deeply. ¡°Now ¨C about this starting a family¡­¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 175 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 175 Chapter 174 Sophie L is sprawled on the sofa in our apartment in Asphodel, flipping through Drake¡¯s photo album. There used to be a time when that album filled me with jealousy. Half of it was upied with photos of Selene ¨C when she was pregnant with L, the early days after the pup had been born. Now it fills me with longing. I want a pup of my own so badly, a dream I never even realized I had until Drake imed me as his own. I haven¡¯t confessed this dream to my mate yet, but I know he wants the same thing. He¡¯s been endlessly patient with me, taking every new stage of our rtionship one step at a time. One day soon I hope to share this secret with him, but I¡¯m still finding my feet in the new order of things. As nervous as I was to be given the responsibility of caring for Selene and Bastien¡¯s daughter while they¡¯re away, I¡¯vee to adore L, and even catch myself practicing my own mater nal skills on her. I¡¯m not sure if Drake knows this is the reason I ve been so eager to spend time with her, but he¡¯s more than willing to indulge me either way. ¡°What do you want to do today, L Bean?¡± | ask,ing to sit beside her. ¡°I wanna go shopping!¡± She informs me happily, kicking her pint-sized feet back and forth as she lies on her belly. ¡°Shopping?!¡± | exim, not the least bit opposed to this idea, ¡°What kind of shopping?¡± ¡°For gwocries.¡± L answers promptly. ¡°I wanna cook like ! do with Mommy.¡± Of course, I think with resignation. She wants to do the one thing I¡¯m truly terrible at. No matter what Drake says, I know I¡¯m a horrible cook. Thankfully he hired a real chef for Selene¡¯s cafe and re- appointed me as the business manager, otherwise the restaurant would have gone under months ago. ¡°Alright!¡± | agree, ¡°But you don¡¯t get to be mad at me when the food doesn¡¯t taste like how your Mommy makes it.¡± I cau tion the toddler. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± L giggles, ¡°I show you how.¡± For most pups this would probably seem like an over-abun dance of confidence, but L knows exactly how well I can cook, and she¡¯s right to think she can do a better job. Poking my head into Drake¡¯s office, I tell him where we¡¯re headed. ¡°L and I are off to the store.¡± | nned on ducking in and out, but to my surprise, Drake rises from his desk andes to take my hands in his, ¡°Oh? | was thinking about getting a sitter and taking you out tonight.¡± ¡°Really?¡± | flirt, fluttering myshes, ¡°because that would probably save us all from food poisoning.¡± ¡°Stop.¡± He scolds light-heartedly, ¡°I believe in you even if you don¡¯t, you can be a good cook with a little confidence.¡± ¡°I love that you believe in me.¡± | concede, ¡°but I don¡¯t care enough about cooking to put in the effort.¡± I confess, ¡°if we ever have kids, we¡¯re going to have to hire a chef.¡± ¡°Kids?¡± He repeats with a wide smile, ¡°Is that something you want?¡± ¡°You know,¡± I begin in a teasing tone, ¡°most couples dis cuss this sort of thing before tying themselves to each other permanently.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Heughs, ¡°but I love you more than I love some imaginary future. I want whatever life you¡¯re willing to build with me.¡± Leaning into his warmth, 1 wrap my arms around his neck. ¡°You can¡¯t say things like that to me when there¡¯s a pup in the next room, Drake.¡± I scold, feeling my heart pulse with affection. ¡°Oh?¡± He utters with a grin, ¡°why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Because it makes me want to do a lot of very naughty things that would be very difficult to exin to her should she walk in.¡± | exim, turning my cheek when he tries to kiss me. Drake emits a low growl and catches my chin, turning my face back to his and iming my lips despite my protests. When we part a few breathless momentster, I add. ¡°We¡¯re going gro cery shopping. You and I can finish this¡­ discussion,ter.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Drake agrees, dropping his head to his mark and swiping his tongue over the pink scar, ¡°But do me a favor, and get some whipped cream and chocte syrup.¡± Cocking my head to the side, I agree with mild confusion, ¡°Okay, would you like something to go with that? Ice cream per haps?¡± ¡°Oh I already have everything I need.¡± He grins wolfishly, kissing my nose and giving my waist a squeeze. ¡°Right here.¡± mes burst over my cheeks, ¡°Oh.¡± | murmur softly, sud denly liking the idea of staying put much more than I did a mo ment ago. ¡°You know, we don¡¯t have to go.¡± I offer. N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°Oh yes you do.¡± Drake informs me with a sultry stare. ¡°I have very specific ns for you now, little lamb.¡± Shivering happily, I do as he says, packing L into the car and whisking her off to the grocery store. In addition to the items my mate requested, we picked out chicken, strawberries and carrots for L¡¯s dinner. It was an oddbination, but it was what she wanted and it wasn¡¯t unhealthy, so I agreed. After arriving home and unpacking out bags, L helped me prepare every step of her dinner. Together we sliced the straw berries (her with a very dull stic knife), roasted the chicken andid out the carrot sticks. When the chicken was finally done cooking and ¨C to my amazement ¨C actually smelling appetizing, we let it cool before L cut it into bite sized pieces too. When her te was finally ready, brimming with all the foods she¡¯d specially requested, she looked up at me with her beautiful two toned eyes. ¡°Uh-uh.¡± Blinking, I transferred a few of the dirty dishes to the sink, ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯ want dis.¡± L announced. ¡°What do you mean lovey?¡± | ask patiently, ¡°We made this just for you, it¡¯s exactly what you asked for.¡± ¡°I don¡¯ want it.¡± She repeated, crossing her plump arms over her chest. My head spun slightly, but I reminded myself I was dealing with a toddler ¨C logic wasn¡¯t on the table. ¡°Honey, we went shopping for these specific things, you helped make it and cut it all up, why don¡¯t you want it?¡± | ask. ¡°I don¡¯ like it.¡± L exins, baffling mepletely. ¡°Then why did you ask for it?¡± | murmur, feelingpletely baffled. ¡°I didn¡¯!¡± L insists, pouting deeply. Pursing my lips. I try to conjure a reasonable reply. I want to throw my hands up in defeat, I want to order her to eat the food we prepared or go to bed hungry. Instead I try to imagine how difficult it must be for her to be away from both of her parents right now, and feel myself soften slightly. ¡°Okay L, what do you want instead of this? A few hourster I¡¯m burying my head in my hands andining to Drake, ¡°She¡¯s a monster. We did exactly what she wanted and it still wasn¡¯t right! I cooked sessfully for maybe the first time in my entire life, and she didn¡¯t even care.¡± ¡°Baby, she¡¯s three years old.¡± Drake soothes, pulling me into hisp. ¡°She¡¯s meant to be unreasonable. It¡¯s in her DNA.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how they do it.¡± | admit, thinking of Selene and Bastien, ¡°I mean I worked my ass off and all I got in return was a tiny tyrant making me feel like a crazy person.¡± ¡°It helps when it¡¯s your tiny tyrant.¡± Drake acknowledges, rubbing my back, ¡°But if it makes you feel better, she wouldn¡¯t act out if she didn¡¯t feel safe with you.¡± ¡°How do you figure that?¡± | grumble, cuddling into his arms and pouting. ¡°Because it¡¯s in a toddler¡¯s nature to test their boundaries.¡± He exins, pressing a kiss to my temple, ¡°and they do it the most with the people they know they can trust. That¡¯s why kids are always the worst behaved with their parents.¡± ¡°Really?¡± | question, looking up at him anxiously. ¡°Really.¡± He promises. ¡°L loves you, and she feels fortable with you, so she¡¯s a tiny bit of a brat. Take it as a pliment.¡± ¡°I do.¡± | admit, ¡°I assumed it was because she didn¡¯t like me.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Drake scoffs, ¡°How could anyone dislike you?¡± ¡°I have a life¡¯s worth of evidence of people not liking me at all.¡± I remind him, ¡°It¡¯s not that unthinkable.¡± ¡°Sophie, when are you going to learn?¡± Drake asks, kissing me deeply, ¡°Your family didn¡¯t see you for the gem you are. They were idiots. The rest of us aren¡¯t so foolish.¡± ¡°Easy for you to say.¡± | joke, ¡°You¡¯re my mate, you don¡¯t have a choice either.¡± ¡°How dare you?¡± He growls. ¡°I have a choice. I have every choice in the world.¡± He announces sternly. ¡°That¡¯s precisely why you should recognize how special you are. I could have any woman in the pack, but I want you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a cocky bastard, you know that?¡± | chuckle, stroking his scruffy cheek. ¡°I do.¡± He confirms, nuzzling my neck and breathing in my scent, ¡°Which is precisely why you should feel so confident in yourself.¡± ¡°Whatever you say, Alpha.¡± I preen. ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡± Drake grins, kissing me deeply. ¡°Now ¨C about this starting a family¡­¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 176 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Bastien My head is swimming with too much information. I don¡¯ t remember any of the events Selene is describing, and so much of it defies everything I believe to be true. Still the ev idence in front of me is overwhelming. The videos Selene showed me prove that Arabe has been lying to me, and as strange as it seems, it¡¯s actually a relief. Things have felt off ever since I arrived here, as if I¡¯ve been trapped in some strange fog. I thought it was simply a side effect of losing my memory, but now I suspect it¡¯s Arabe¡¯s doing. As I look down at my beautiful mate, Axel rages in my head, urging me to im her, protect her and punish her for risking her safety all at once. However there¡¯s not time for any of that now. ¡°You need to get out of here.¡± | mand, rising from the couch and pulling her up with me. ¡°You can go down the fire escape.¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± Selene begs, ¡°she¡¯s going to know ! was here either way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not running away like a coward.¡± I announce. ¡°Oh but it¡¯s alright if I¡¯m a coward?¡± She demands, full of sass. ¡°You are far more precious than I am.¡± | inform her, eye ing the slight swell of her belly. ¡°I¡¯ll find you after I¡¯ve dealt with Arabe.¡± ¡°Just, do me a favor and keep this.¡± She requests, push ing the cell phone into my hand. ¡°You can reach me through Helene. You can also track me that way ¨C we¡®re set up to share our locations.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± | agree, opening the window and lifting her out onto the fire escape. ¡°Now hurry, and be careful.¡± ¡°Bastien wait!¡± She exims, before I can close the win dow. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± | pause, scanning her lovely face, which looks deeply conflicted. ¡°Kiss me?¡± She requests in a small voice, as if she¡¯s afraid I¡¯ll refuse. She doesn¡¯t need to ask twice. Leaning out the window, | drag her mouth to mine, perhaps more roughly than I in tended. I¡¯ve been trying to resist doing precisely this from the moment she walked in the door, at first feeling terribly twisted for being so attracted to someone so evil, and now relieved beyond belief that it isn¡¯t true. I nt my mouth over hers, drinking her in with an urgency that pulses deep in my bones. Coaxing her tongue out to y with mine, I run my hands over her body, trying to memorize the way she feels in my arms. I only release her when I hear Arabe¡¯ s keys jingling on the other side of the front door, and there are tears in Selene¡¯s eyes when I pull away. ¡°Go, baby.¡± | encourage her, finally closing the window, ¡°I¡¯lle for you. I promise.¡± As Selene races away down the fire escape, I shove the cell phone under my mattress and return to the living room. When the door pushes open and Arabe appears, she looks furious. ¡°Why do I smell Selene?¡± She asks me abrupt ¡°Because my mate is a lot cleverer than you gave her credit for.¡± | announce. ¡°Is that so?¡± Arabe questions, eyeing me warily. ¡°In fact just about everything you told me about her was wrong.¡± | continue, stalking my way around her. ¡°The only thing you had right is how beautiful she is.¡± ¡°So, she managed to trick you again already?¡± Arabe sighs, attempting to look sad. ¡°No, she managed to outsmart you again.¡± | correct, ¡°How long did you think you could keep this up, Be? Did you really believe you could turn me against my entire fam ily, my betas?¡± Bastien Confronts Arabe ¡°She¡¯s a witch.¡± Arabe insists, ¡°she admitted it herself the other night ¨C you saw her magic. Everyone in Elysium is under her spell.¡± ¡°Right, of course.¡± I agree, ¡°And remind me why I can¡¯t remember meeting her the other night?¡± | demand. ¡°Re mind me why I was mysteriously so ill that I slept through a week of news coverage that exposed you as a liar?¡± ¡°She¡¯s ying with your mind, Bastien.¡± Arabe ar gues, backing away from me into the kitchen, ¡°Please don¡¯t let her divide us this way.¡± ¡°The only person ying with my mind is you!¡± | thun der, ¡°How have you been doing it? A potion? A spell?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not! I haven¡¯t!¡± Arabe whines, adopting a put upon expression, ¡°How could you think I would do such a thing?¡± ¡°Oh give it up Be!¡± | order sharply, ¡°it¡¯s over, you¡¯ve lost.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± She snaps, dropping her act atst. For the first time since I woke up in this strange city, she actually looks like herself again. The weak, frightened little girl image nev er did sit right with the woman I remembered. The furious blonde on the verge of a tantrum however, that is exactly the way I recall Flynn¡¯s baby sister. ¡°I knew that bitch was aning to ruin my ns ¨C like she always does!¡± She raqes. ¡°Did you really think you could go on doing this forev er? For the rest of my life?¡± I hiss. ¡°Yes.¡± She snarls with a cruel smile, ¡°But in my defense, I didn¡¯t n on the rest of your life being all that long.¡± Disbelief slices through me. Arabe spent so long pre tending to be in love with me, that I never imagined she could feel so violently towards me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Flynn, Be.¡± I tell her honestly, ¡°You have no idea how much guilt | carry because of his death, but killing me won¡¯t bring him back. And he wouldn¡¯t want you to tarnish your own soul for his sake. How many innocent people have you hurt try ing to avenge him? Did Selene, did my pup, deserve to be tormented by you and Frederic?¡± ¡°Oh please!¡± Arabe explodes, goingpletely red in the face. ¡°I¡¯m so sick of everybody falling all over them selves to fawn over fucking Selene. She¡¯s a pretty face and a sweet temper, and nothing else! I mean even Frederic lost his damned head over her. And for what? She¡¯s not strong or brave or even smart ¨C it was so easy to fool her into thinking we were having an affair it wasughable. She didn¡¯t even fight for you, she just ran away like a scared pup.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°She¡¯s fighting for me now.¡± I remind her, almost slip ping up and telling Arabe that Selene was brave enough to risk her life just bying here. ¡°She was strong enough to stand up to Frederic, to travel halfway across the conti nent while pregnant and face me even after | threatened her life.¡± Arabe is getting more worked up with every word I speak, edging away from me with her hands braced against the cabs, ¡°She has strengths you never will, Bel.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a fool.¡± She replies, pared to me that little mutt is garbage.¡± ¡°So what, you were going to kill her simply because she got in your way?¡± | question, still prowling after her, the scent of her fear sparking my wolf¡¯s prey drive. ¡°You were going to make my daughter an orphan just like you were, make her suffer the same pain you did?¡± ¡°And leave a loose end?¡± Be scoffs. ¡°I was nning on being the Nova pack¡¯s first female Alpha. That means that even your brat could challenge me when she grows up.¡± The smiling face of the pup in the video shes through my mind: that perfect, sweet little girl who just wanted wolf rides ¨C whatever those are ¨C and silly songs. ¡°You were going to kill her?¡± ¡°Eventually.¡± She shrugs. ¡°You actually made this all a lot easier for me. I was going to try to convince ise to help me take over the pack, but getting rid of him was go ing to be a lot harder than simply wiping your filthy little family off the face of the earth.¡± ¡°You¡¯re deranged.¡± I say the words even as I realize them. ¡°How can you think any of this is justice for what happened to Flynn.¡± ¡°Oh it stopped being about justice a long time ago.¡± She tells me, showing more self-awareness than I imagined her capable of. ¡°I spent my entire life powerless. My parents were taken, then my brother was taken and I was powerless to stop any of it. I had to stand by and watch while you and your family got to rule the world while my family died serv ing you. And after my first few failed attempts to get a slice of the power you all took for granted, I realized the only way I would ever attain the life I deserved wasn¡¯t to share your power, but to take it.¡± She muses. ¡°You should actually take it as apliment ¨C I wouldn¡¯t have to be so drastic about it if you weren¡¯t so formidable. Because when ites to wolves like you, you¡¯ll always be a threat so long as you live.¡± Shaking my head, I dere, ¡°Your brother would be so disappointed in you. It¡¯s actually a blessing he didn¡¯t live to see how horribly you turned out.¡± Closing the distance between us, I try to decide how | want to proceed. I¡¯m horribly tempted to kill her where she stands, but I know that she should probably have a fair trial before being sentenced to death ¨C for the sake of honoring Flynn¡¯s memory if nothing else. A sudden knock on the door pulls my attention for a mere half-second, but it was all the time Arabe needed. A faint prick stings my arm, and when I whip my head back to the despicable she-wolf, she¡¯s grinning widely, her thumb still resting on the plunger of the syringe in her hand. The only thing I have time to think before the world goes ck is: not again. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 177 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Arabe That was way too close. I think, breathing a much need ed sigh of relief. It¡¯s only because of dumb luck ¨C that my potion maker was stopping by to drop off my most recent order ¨C that I even managed to inject Bastien with the sleeping solution. I suppose there was some cunning involved ¨C I had pre pared the syringe and kept it in my purse for emergencies just like this, but i¡¯d hoped I wouldn¡¯t ever need to use it. After helping me drag Bastien to bed and charging me ex tra for thebor, my sketchy contact left as swiftly as he came, leaving me to try to sort out what to do about Selene on my own. Injecting enough memory potion into Bastien that I¡¯m afraid I might actually have to start my n over all the way from scratch, I take a page out of the Alpha¡¯s book and be gin to pace. Somehow Selene had convinced Bastien that everything I¡¯ve worked so hard to convince him of these past few weeks was all a lie. I was only gone for half an hour, so I cannot fathom how she managed to do it. A little whileter pause my panicked plotting when I hear my phone ring, so I go digging into my handbag to re trieve it. However, when I have the device in my hand a mo mentter the screen is completely nk. Still an unmistak able ringtone is ying from somewhere in the house. Fol lowing the sound of the noise, I stride into Bastien¡¯s bed room, seeing a faint glimmer of light between the mattress and boxspring. Pulling out a sleek ck phone from the bed, I see Drake Cavanaugh¡¯s photo behind the red and green call buttons, with his name beside the iing call notice. Ap parently Bastien was right ¨C Selene is cleverer than I gave her credit for, at least in part. She was clearly smart enough to leave her phone with Bastien so they could get in touch, but she must not have trusted he¡¯d keep his memory be cause she removed the passcode from the device. It makes it only too easy for me to ess all her infor mation, including the videos she must have showed him to convince him of her honesty. Well yed, Selene. I think begrudgingly. Too bad you didn¡¯t think to silence it. Wracking my brain, I try to remember the name of the witch who had been traveling with Selene, recalling that it had been something simr to her own name. Pulling up the recent calls, the name Helene Gray appears in multiple rows, and when I check the profile image it depicts the same ancient woman from the alley. To my delight I see that the two women are sharing their locations, and while | can¡¯t be certain, I¡¯d be willing to bet Selene is already back with her mentor. Laughing aloud at the irony, I feel my spirits lift. This day might have started out badly, but it¡¯s sure as hell im proving fast. Selene I¡¯m staring at Helene¡¯s phone like a woman obsessed, willing the device to ring. I haven¡¯t heard from Bastien and it¡¯s been more than an hour, which makes me extremely nervous. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have left him.¡± | murmur, ¡°I should have stayed so we could face her together. Why did I let him send me away like that?¡± | groan. ¡°There¡¯s no use beating yourself up about it now.¡± He lene advises. ¡°You can¡¯t change what happened. All that matters is that you made progress. We know a lot more about his state of mind now, and he has your phone so even if she manages to overpower him somehow, there¡¯s a lifeline to reach him or remind him of what happened.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± | concede, trying to shake off my cyni cism, ¡°Though I should probably contact everyone to make sure they know they can¡¯t reach me using it anymore.¡± Just then the screen lights up on Helene¡¯s phone, and a text message from me appears. ¡°Arabe is gone. I¡¯m on my way to you now.¡± ¡°Arabe is gone?¡± | repeat, my heart leaping into my throat with both excitement and confusion. ¡°Does that mean dead? Or like he¡¯s sneaking out behind her back?¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± Helene smiles, ¡°See, all that worry for nothing.¡± ¡°I know, I need to get out of my head.¡± I confess, ¡°even now I can¡¯t help thinking that it was all too easy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too young to be so jaded.¡± My mentor tells me dryly. Luna is bounding around like an excited puppy in my head, positively overwhelmed with joy that we¡¯ll soon be re united with Bastien ¨C not for a few stolen moments, but permanently. ¡°I still don¡¯t know what we¡¯re going to do about ise.¡± I confide, ¡°I have a bad feeling that Bastien isn¡¯t going to just get in the car and let me take him home once his memory returns.¡± ¡°You may be right about that.¡± Helene agrees, ¡°but this has also gone on much longer than he ever intended, he may see the benefit of returning now ¨C even if he doesn¡¯t give up on the ideapletely.¡± ¡°Is it horrible of me to hope he will give it up?¡± I whisper, ¡°I know L is in danger, but ise is getting on in years al ready, and we¡¯ve made it this long without him finding us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not horrible.¡± Helene promises, ¡°It¡¯s understand able. You¡¯re afraid of losing your mate. But we already know your fated to face ise one way or another, so I¡¯m afraid it isn¡¯t a hope that will pan out.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± | ask her, ¡°surely your pre monitions have been wrong before¡­ at least once or twice?¡± I suggest hopefully. ¡°Sorry sugar.¡± Heleneughs, ¡°I¡¯ve yet to be proven wrong. But there¡¯s a first time for everything.¡± Checking her phone again, I see the dot depicting Bastien moving closer and closer, and my pulse increases with every tiny flicker of the tracking dot. ¡°He¡¯s almost here.¡± | announce happily. I run to the bathroom to empty my dder before he arrives, talking quietly to my baby as I wash up. ¡°Please be good while Mommy and Daddy talk. I would really love not to throw up on him in the middle of our reunion.¡± A knock sounds on the door as I¡¯m drying my hands, and checking my reflection like a nervous teenager before a date, 1 exhale and emerge into the hotel room. I reach the bedroom doorway just as Helene opens the front door of the suite, and I watch in horror as she drops like a fly, leav ing only Arabe in sight. ¡°Oh my Goddess, what have you done to her!¡± | exim. rushing forward and then stopping myself before Ie within reach of the she-wolf. As my shock wears off, disap pointment and fear rise up to rece it. Arabe clearly found my phone and was clearly alive and well, which means one way or another, she did manage to overpower Bastien. ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry about her, it¡¯s just a little bonk on the head.¡± Arabe smiles, slipping inside and nudging Helene¡¯ s fallen body with her foot, pushing her aside so she can close the door. ¡°She¡¯s ancient!¡± | remind her, ¡°You could have killed her.¡± ¡°Nonsense, she¡¯s breathing¡­ I think.¡± Arabe hazards, ncing down at my mentor. ¡°Where is Bastien?¡± | question her sharply, letting Luna rise to the surface of my skin. ¡°Sleeping it off.¡± Arabe smiles. ¡°Did you really think you could undo all my hard work that fast?¡± She demands, stalking towards me, ¡°y a few videos and have him back in the blink of an eye?¡± ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± | ask, shaking my head,¡° know you don¡¯t really love Bastien.¡± ¡°Sorry but I¡¯ve already given my evil monologue for the day.¡± She quips, ¡°Not that anyone will remember it, but c¡¯ est vie.¡± ¡°Fine, then tell me why you¡¯re here.¡± | counter, trying to buy time to figure out what to do. I¡¯m worried about getting too close to the woman. I may have powers now but she¡¯s still a lot bigger than me and she¡¯s clearly capable of bring ing down a wolf as strong as Bastien ¨C somehow. ¡°I came to return your phone of course.¡± She smiles fakely, ¡°you identally left it behind.¡± She tosses it onto the couch. ¡°Oh, and one other thing¡­¡± before she can finish I hear something behind me, and when I turn I find a grisly looking man entering through the door connecting the ho tel room to the one next door. ¡°How did you-¡± | begin, but toote I realize it was a massive mistake to look away from Arabe. I don¡¯t even have time to defend myself when I feel something jab my arm. I look back to see a syringe sticking out of my bicep, but the darkness is already closing in. When I wake, I¡¯m in a dark room, chained up and pletely alone. I don¡¯t have any idea where I am, but it smells damp and the air is very cold. Letting my head drop back, I stare up at the only source of light I can find ¨C a flickering lightbulb hanging from the very grimey ceiling. ¡°Well Luna.¡± I sigh, ¡°I guess that was too easy after all.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 178 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Helene When I wake up, still sprawled on the hotel room floor with a terrible ache in my head, I don¡¯t pause to search for Selene or Arabe. I know they aren¡¯t there any longer, and I know Arabe will being back for me once she¡¯s done with Selene. I sense all of this in the same way I sense that my young pupil is not in any immediate danger. There is no exna tion for how the knowledge arrives in my head, and I¡¯ve long since given up trying to understand the magic. Wast ing even one moment wondering how I can tell that Selene is captive but unharmed, is one more moment I could be looking for her. I have my suspicions about the she-wolf¡¯s ns for my student, and one thing is clear: though Selene might be al right now, she won¡¯t be for long. Gathering my few belong ings, I leave the hotel as fast as I can, instead driving to the apartment where Selene and I traced her mate. I don¡¯t have a shifter¡¯s heightened senses, but I was watching when Selene ran down the fire escape earlier to day, and I easily remember she came from the top floor of the building. I can feel the presence of a single sleeping wolf inside, but I don¡¯t want to enter and risk letting Arabele home and catch my scent. Reaching out the ten drils of my power, I close my eyes and concentrate, sending out a magical summons powerful enough to rouse even the deepest of sleeps As soon as the spell isplete, I enter the cafe across the street from the apartment building, and wait. It¡¯s only a few minutes before Selene¡¯s mate appears, looking deeply confused. I draw him to my table without a word, then stand to greet him. ¡°Hello Bastien.¡± I say warmly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He frowns, shaking my hand, ¡°but do I know you?¡± ¡°We¡®ve met once.¡± | inform him gently, ¡°but I¡¯m guess ing you wouldn¡¯t be able to remember even if I reminded you of the asion.¡± The huge man rubs the back of his head, ¡°Yes.¡± He slowly agrees, ¡°I¡¯ve been having trouble with my memorytely.¡± ¡°That can happen, when you¡¯re being fed memory po tion every day.¡± | remark, havinge to this conclusion only after hearing Selene recount their interaction earlier today. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Bastien inquires, sound ing suspicious but open to my exnation. That fool Ara be has clearly been overdoing it. He knows something is Li him but she¡¯s keeping him in too much of a toa for him to figure out the truth. ¡°You cannot trust the woman you are living with.¡± | an nounce simply. ¡°She is making you forget all the details of your life so she can trick you into marrying her.¡± ¡°What?¡± Bastien objects, furrowing his brow, ¡°I¡± ve known Arabe since she was a pup ¨C she wouldn¡¯t¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve known her since she was a pup then you know she¡¯s a spoiled, selfish brat with a mean streak a mile wide.¡± I interrupt. ¡°And you know she¡¯s not acting like her self right now, and she¡¯s been working very hard to keep you in Tartarus when you know you need to return home.¡± He stares at me in shock, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a friend.¡± I exin, ¡°And I want to help you.¡± Fold ¨C ing my arms on the table in front of me, I continue, ¡°Let me ask you this, young man. Does Arabe prepare your drinks for you? Does she make you coffee in the morning or cock tails in the afternoon? Do you watch her do it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He confirms, the gears whirring rapidly in his mind, ¡°and no.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± | nod, ¡°you need to start. I¡¯m going to give you something that should serve as an antidote to any potion she¡¯s using to keep you forgetful, but there¡¯s a chance she¡¯s using something rarer than I¡¯m prepared to counter.¡± | ce a small vial on the table between us, filled with a draught I had the lucky foresight to concost while Selene and I waited for her mate to arrive. ¡°Take a few drops of this every day, but also try to avoid drinking or eating anything you don¡¯t prepare for yourself.¡± ¡°Anything, like this concoction?¡± He remarks, lifting the vial hesitantly. ¡°Here.¡± | take the solution back from the Alpha, and pour a couple of drops into my own mouth to show it won¡¯t harm him.¡± There¡¯s no risk to you if I¡¯m wrong ¨C either you¡¯ll regain your memory or things will continue as they are.¡± || promise. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand.¡± Bastien admits, looking very conflicted. ¡°You will.¡± | assure him, ¡°once you¡¯re back to your old self, it will all make sense again.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± He asks. Shrugging, I offer him a wide smile, ¡°I have a way of knowing things.¡± Bastien It¡¯s been three days since the strange visit I received from the witch, and as odd as the situation seemed, I did as she said. I started watching Arabe like a hawk, and when I caught her tipping something into my coffee from a vial around her neck, I began taking the antidote the woman provided. It¡¯s taken some time, but as she predicted I¡¯ve been able to remember more and more with every hour that passes. First it¡¯s only small things, shes from what I suspect is the recent past ¨C of Selene sitting in Arabe¡¯s apartment, of a little girl with two-toned eyes and chocte on her face. Next it seems like someone is taking an eraser to the fog in my mind, and is ridding me of my confusion starting from the first day I forgot ¨C six years ago. I can remember meeting Selene now, my father sharing the secret of her bloodline and the early months of our marriage. By the second day I remember my mate¡¯s death, and am onlyforted by the knowledge that she isn¡¯t tru ly gone. As confusing as it all is, so far nothing exins why Arabe is trying to tamper with my memory. Everything! remember happens the way she said it did ¨C even if my memories make me feel it¡¯s impossible Selene could be the monster Arabe names her. The woman in my memories is so sweet, so genuine and lovable. The mere thought of her dying cuts me to the core. It¡¯s not until the third day that reality diverges from the tale Arabe told, when I finally recall finding Selene and L in Asphodel, and see how hard she fought me when I tried to bring her home. She didn¡¯te back to me, she ran from me until I literally hunted her down. And she didn¡¯t try to pass off L as mine at all, she denied it until she was blue in the face. I feel as if I¡¯m in the middle of reading a book whose next pages are nk. I can¡¯t wait to remember more, to re gain more of my proper senses and figure out why this is all happening. In the meantime Arabe is nning our wed ding, suddenly saying we should have it before the week is out so we can finally start our lives together. She¡¯s currently showing me swatch after swatch of flower arrangements, asking for my opinion even though I couldn¡¯t care any less about something so frivolous. When I don¡¯t respond to some question or another, she emits a be leaguered sigh. ¡°Honestly Bastien, if I didn¡¯t know any bet ter I¡¯d think you didn¡¯t care about our wedding.¡± She has no idea how right she is. Now that I remember how amazing Selene is, Arabe seems obnoxious and va pid inparison. I¡¯m spending everyst moment fanta sizing about my mate, and wondering how I was ever con vinced to leave her ande here in the first ce. Part of me wants to interrogate Be until she gives me the an swers I crave, but a voice in the back of my head ¨C one that sounds oddly simr to the witch¡¯s ¨C urges me to use cau tion. Wait it out. It encourages, just let the truthe to you, then you can act. Watching me with an odd look on her face, Arabe pales. ¡°You¡¯re starting to remember, aren¡¯t you?¡± She asks. ¡°What?¡± | feign ignorance, returning to the present so abruptly I almost wince. ¡°Of course not, I would have told you.¡± | insist, conjuring a small smile. She shakes her head. ¡°He warned me this might hap pen.¡± ¡°Who warned you?¡± | rify, ¡°that what might happen?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been increasing the dose frequently, but my po tion maker said you might grown immune to the effects af ter such significant exposure.¡± She frowns, seeming to ad mit her scheme so suddenly I can only blink. ¡°That¡¯s why I got a bit of insurance.¡± She continues, pulling out her phone, ¡°after thest slip up, I knew you might need some extra encouragement to get down the aisle.¡± ¡°Be, what are you talking about?¡± | ask, truly worried now. ¡°Say hello to Selene, sweetheart.¡± Arabe instructs me with a sly smile, turning her phone to face me. ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping her on ice for you.¡± The small rectangr screen is lit up with a video of Se lene, who is sitting chained in a dark room, ring up at the camera mounted on the wall above her head. Suddenly ! understand the lengths Flynn¡¯s little sister is willing to go to in order to get what she wants. It wasn¡¯t enough to steal my memory ¨C now she¡¯s kidnapped my mate.N?velDrama.Org content. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 179 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Bastien ¡°You bitch.¡± | growl, ring at Arabe. Without my full memory, I can¡¯t begin to fathom why she is doing this, but it¡¯s clear now Arabe is not my friend. The only reason she¡¯ seven still standing is because she has my mate, and I don¡¯ t have the first idea how to find her in this strange city. ¡°Ouch, Bastien!¡± She pretends to pout, ¡°You¡¯ll hurt my feelings with talk like that.¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± | demand, ¡°why are you doing this?¡± Axel is seething in my chest, begging me to let him out so he can put an end to this woman. It all feels impossibly strange. A few days ago I still saw Be as Flynn¡¯s under standably wed little sister, now years worth of memories have reappeared in my mind all at once, and I¡¯m seeing her more and more as an unforgivable viin. ¡°You know I don¡¯t remember much about my mother,¡± she tells me, ¡°but I¡¯ve always remembered her telling me that some men needed a little bit of extra encouragement to get down the aisle. I guess what they say is right ¨C Mom my does know best.¡± ¡°Why go through all this, just to marry me?¡± I demand, She tilts her head back andughs, a light, tinkling sound. ¡°You know this never gets old. I thought having the same conversation over and over would get really tiring, but I never cease to enjoy the way your poor memory al ways leads you to the same ridiculous conclusion.¡± Arabe sneers, ¡°I suppose after a lifetime of being told you were sooo superior I¡¯ll take any opportunity to disprove it.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I hiss. ¡°I don¡¯t want to marry you, for you Bastien.¡± She an nounces sharply, ¡°I want to marry you for your power: Nothing more.¡± ¡°And you think this will make me agree?¡± | demand, brandishing the phone. ¡°Why should I y into your hands when I could just kill you now?¡± ¡°Because if you kill me, you¡¯ll never find her.¡± Arabe grins, ¡°I¡¯m the only one who knows where she is. If I don¡¯t go by to feed her and give her water, she and your unborn pup will die.¡± ¡°¡­ she¡¯s breeding?¡± | gape, feeling both horrified and thrilled. ¡°You know she¡¯s been a lot more forgiving than I would be in her shoes.¡± Arabe ponders aloud. ¡°I mean, if my mate forgot me and my pups so easily, I¡¯d never want to go near him again.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t fair.¡± I snarl, ¡°It¡¯s not as if it was my choice.¡± Even as we stand here talking, more of my memories re turn, including Selene sharing what really happened the night she left Elysium. Unbridled fury washes over me, and it takes all my strength to keep my temper in check as Ara be carries out her game. ¡°Well this is certainly going to be your choice, pretty boy.¡± She taunts. ¡°You can walk down that aisle with me, or you can say goodbye to your foul little family.¡± ¡°And after?¡± | hiss. ¡°What then? You think we¡¯ll just go back to Elysium like nothing has changed, like you aren¡¯t a fucking monster?¡± ¡°If I¡¯ve learned anything on this little journey of mine,¡± Arabe begins, taking her phone back and stuffing it into her pocket, ¡°It¡¯s to be flexible and adapt your ns as the situation develops. I¡¯m not sure what we¡¯ll do when we go back ¨C but whatever it is, we¡¯ll do it as husband and wife.¡± ¡°Where is Selene?¡± | ask fiercely, ¡°I have other ways of getting the information out of you ¨C don¡¯t forget.¡± | threat en. ¡°You do.¡± Arabe agrees, ¡°but how do you know when thest time it is I paid your little mate a visit? What if she¡¯s dehydrating to death right now? Can you really afford to tie me up and torture me when her life hangs in the bnce?¡± She scoffs. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that breeding mathare noad aum more sustenance that normal women ¨C and poor selene with her severe nausea.¡± She pouts and shakes her head. ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± | use, feelingpletely beyond my depth for what might be the first time in my life. ¡°Am I?¡± Arabe challenges, ¡°How can you be sure?¡± I¡¯ve never wanted to wring someone¡¯s neck more than 1 do in this moment, but I also know the alternative to giving in to Arabe is losing my mate. I want to believe that I could track Selene even if I killed Arabe now, but I¡¯m in a strange city without half of my memory, and there¡¯s no telling whether or not I could actually seed. ¡°And how do I know you won¡¯t just kill her once you get what you want?¡± I press, struggling to contain my wolf. ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± Arabe shrugs, ¡°but there¡¯s no doubt she¡¯ll die if you don¡¯t agree.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± I agree, deciding to y it safe for the time be ing. ¡°I¡¯ll marry you ¨C but don¡¯t expect anything more from me.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want it even if you were offering.¡± Arabe informs me coolly. ¡°But I¡¯m so pleased you¡¯re finally seeing reason.¡± Arching her brow and adopting a mocking tone, she adds, ¡°Get ready honey, the big day is already here!¡± ¡°What?¡± I mutter in confusion. ¡°You heard me.¡± Arabe says simply, tossing a ck tuxedo jacket into my arms. ¡°The wedding is today, so get ready!¡± If I can go the rest of my life without getting kidnapped again, I¡¯ll die a happy woman. Honestly, it¡¯s actually ceasing to be frightening and is just getting old. It¡¯s also getting embarrassing ¨C I mean re ally, what kind of grown woman gets kidnapped more than once and still doesn¡¯t learn her lesson? My only hope is that Helene was unharmed by Arabe¡¯s blow, and was able to recover quickly enough to escape. My own magic isn¡¯t do ing much to help me. Arabe seems to have had the fore sight to chain me with silver, which apparently dampens my power enough to keep me captive. N?velDrama.Org content. I¡¯m also feeling worse with every hour that passes. Without Dr Lee¡¯s medicine and Helene¡¯s potions, my morn ing sickness is quickly spinning out of control. Arabe had the decency to leave me a bucket for my bodily functions, but even on an empty stomach, I¡¯m only filling it with vomit. I¡¯ve got to get out of here ¨C sooner rather thanter. Her flunky, that grisled looking potion maker, is coming by every few hours and pushing food and water through apartment in the door, but so far he¡¯s seemedplete ly immune to my charms. I¡¯ve tried talking to him and con vincing him to free me, but it isn¡¯t any use. I¡¯ve tried everything my exhausted mind can imagine ¨C conjuring shadows, summoning moonlight, even hypnotiz ing the man holding me captive ¨C yet nothing is working. The silver is too strong, and I feel more helpless than I have in a very long time. It¡¯s almost dark when I hear movement outside, and I try to rally enough to make another attempt to charm my guard. However it¡¯s no easy feat to be lovely when you¡¯re spending all your time being violently ill. ¡°Hello?¡± | call, trying to soften my raspy voice when a door nks in the distance. I¡¯ve been trying my best to learn all the sights, smells and sounds of my prison, but | haven¡¯t yet discovered all it¡¯s secrets. I¡¯m not sure if the sounds I¡¯m hearing should frighten me or give me hope. To my surprise, it¡¯s not the gruff tones of the guard which reply, but a very familiar alto. ¡°Hello little mother, got yourself in a bind, have you?¡± ¡°Helene!¡± | exim, ¡°Is that you?¡± ¡°Yes my darling, and not a moment too soon.¡± She an swers, ¡°You¡¯re about to lose your mate to that snake.¡± ¡°Be careful,¡± | caution, not able to concentrate on her words quite yet. ¡°The guard is due soon.¡± ¡°Oh trust me, angel.¡± | can hear the smile in Helene¡¯s voice, ¡°Your guard isn¡¯t going to be doing his job tonight.¡± A momentter a bright shaft of light filters through the darkness surrounding me, and my diminutive mentor appears, brandishing a ring full of heavy iron keys. ¡°How did you find me?¡± I ask with a rush of love and re lief. ¡°I have my ways, Selene.¡± Helene replies, kneeling down beside me and pulling a silver key from the overstuffed ring. She inserts it into the hole in my manacles, tutting when she sees the burns the silver made on my skin. ¡°Poor little wolf. Always getting, taken prisoner.¡±. ¡°I know,¡± | grumble, atst able to see the humor in my situation now that the danger has passed. ¡°I might need to re-evaluate my decision making skills from here on out.¡± ¡°We could all do with a bit of that every now and then.¡± Helene reasons. ¡°You have no idea how much I¡¯ve missed you.¡± I inform her with a wide smile. ¡°I have some idea.¡± She replies sweetly. ¡°But that¡¯s not a matter for the present.¡± She advises. ¡°You have a wedding to crash.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 180 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 180 Chapter 180 ¨C Wedding Bello Bastien I never thought much about my wedding when I was a boy. I imagined it once or twice, trying to picture my fated mate in my mind and hoping my love would be as strong as my parents¡¯, but in all my boyhood fantasies, I never dreamed I would be standing at an altar with so much dread. Even after I reconciled myself to the idea of marry ing Arabe, I didn¡¯t imagine such a bleak future. Loveless maybe,cking any true heart ¨C undoubtedly, but not a tragedy, not the disaster it has clearly be. Every moment that passes, my wolf urges me to kill the girl-I once vowed to protect with my own life, so furious am I about her betrayal. Still, I cannoty a hand on her without also losing my true mate. The more time that passes, the more I remember. I can now recall learning about Arabe¡¯s schemes, discovering that L is my child after all, and even remarrying Selene. I remember all of our fights, all of our struggles, though I still cannot recall how I was ever con vinced to leave them ande to this horrible ce. The only thing I can fathom is that I came here after finding out Selene is breeding again, though I can¡¯t imagine ever agreeing to allow her toe with me. The worst part of all is knowing that she¡¯s been suffering while I¡¯ve been buying into Arabe¡¯s schemes. I¡¯ll never forgive myself if anything happens to her. Arabe has nned everyst detail of this day, from her dress to the flower arrangements and our vows. I didn¡¯t contribute a single word, but I know this is all a waiting game. I will never im Arabe as a true wife, and the mo ment I can dissolve this false union ¨C I dly will. However for the time being I¡¯m stuck standing at the end of a long aisle watching her march towards me to the tired old tune they use in the movies. The affair couldn¡¯t be more different from my weddings to Selene. They had tak en ce outdoors in the forest we both love, under the glow of the moon and stars, with a few close members of our family looking on. They had been small but full of love and light. On the other hand, this ceremony is absent of any guests or well wishers, yet sopletely overdone it¡¯sughable. It¡¯s a perfect reflection of Arabe: gaudy, lone ly, andcking any and all heart. When Arabe finally reaches the end of the aisle, she offers me a lethal grin. ¡°Smile Bastien, this is a happy event.¡± ¡°The moment we¡®re done here, I want Selene released.¡± | order, not bothering to fake a smile for the officiant. ¡°Oh I don¡¯t know about that.¡± Arabe hedges, ¡°If she¡¯s released then I won¡¯t have any more insurance to keep you in line.¡± ¡°Our deal was ¨C *Our deal was that if you were a good boy and walked down the aisle withoutint, I wouldn¡¯t let her die.¡± She interrupts. ¡°I never said I¡¯d let her go.¡± ¡°So what, you¡¯re just going to keep her prisoner for the rest of your life?¡± I hiss ¡°If I have to.¡± Arabe shrugs, it really depends on you. The way she¡¯s treated will be decided by how well you do your job. Now stop arguing with me, we only have the oth ciant for another half hour.¡± The man in question is looking back and forth between us with confusion and mild horror, but he makes no ment. I suppose things in Tartarus are so bleak that even this strange affair cannot phase him. He begins walking Arabe through her vows with all the passion of a funeral director, and my horrible bride smiles and parrots back his words as looking as thrilled as the cat that ate the canary The othciant is turning towards me when I hear a crash from the back of the church. ¡°Stop!¡± i¡¯d know that voice anywhere. No matter what Arabe has done to my memory ¨C no matter what has happened between us. ¡°Selene!¡± Whirling around, I see my beautiful mate standing framed in the open doors of the church, a ring of blinding gold light surrounding her body. Arabe screeches with rage, ¡°What! How!¡± I don¡¯t give her a second look, I¡¯m already running to wards my mate, overflowing with relief. ¡°Are you alright?¡± || question when I reach her, looking her over worriedly. Her skin is pale and she has great dark circles beneath her two toned eyes, but she looks alright otherwise. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She promises, looking suddenly very nervous. ¡°Do¡­ do you remember me?¡± ¡°I remember you.¡± | confirm, framing her lovely face be tween my hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I could have ever for gotten ¨C I¡¯m so sorry little wolf.¡± I move to kiss her, but she puts one small hand on my chest, ¡°You don¡¯t want to do that ¨C I¡¯ve been puking in a dark cell without a toothbrush for three days.¡± Rage pours out of me in waves as I look down at her belly, taking in the soft curve beneath her dress. Seeing her this way seems to snap the remaining pieces of my missing memory in ce, as all the details of the past few monthse flooding back into my mind. Suddenly I remember exactly why I came here: the assassination attempt, finding Arabe in Tartarus, and falling under her control. I remem Chapter 180Wedding Redis ber attacking Selene in that alley, almost rejecting her and everything she revealed to me when she came to visit. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± | growl, iming her lips roughly. ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re safe.¡± | profess as we part, staring into her in credible eyes. Realizing she must not have been able to continue using whatever she¡¯d been to conceal her eyes while in captivity, a rush of urgency ms into me. ¡°But we¡® ve got to get you out of here.¡± She lowers hershes, leaning into my embrace even as an anxious shiver works it¡¯s way down her spine. ¡°Are you angry that I came after you?¡± Feeling a strong pang in my chest, I realize I don¡¯t know how I feel. I¡¯m still very confused and trying to wrap my head around our surreal situation. She did break her prom ise to me, and she is risking her precious life just standing here in this nightmare city, but when I think about what might have happened if she hadn¡¯te here¡­ I¡¯d probably be married to Arabe by now and getting ready to exile Selene from Elysium. ¡°No baby, I¡¯m not mad.¡± I tell her, hugging her tightly to my chest, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I left you for so long, and I¡¯m so proud of everything you¡¯ve aplished while I was away.¡± I dere, feeling my throat thicken with emotion. ¡°But I still have to finish the job I came here to do ¨C espe cially now.¡± Realizing that Arabe has some sort of r tionship with ise is more frightening than anything else ¨C my guess is that she doesn¡¯t know about his bounty, or Selene and L would already be dead. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°And what did youe here to do, Bastien?¡± We¡¯d gotten so caught up in each other, I¡¯d almost forgotten about Arabe. However, it wasn¡¯t Arabe who spoke, nor was it Helene. I don¡¯t recognize the person speaking behind us, but he clearly knows me. Turning around, I keep one arm around my back to hold Selene in ce ¨C out of sight from the stranger. I in stantly recognize the man Arabe had taken me to meet in the city underground hovering behind a huge, seething wolf with a scar through his eyebrow. His dark hair is streaked with gray and slight wrinkles gather at the corner of his eyes, but he exudes strength and power. My heart sinks as I realize this could only be the Calypso Alpha, and my mind races as I try to decide what to do. If I attack him now and lose, Selene will be prime for the taking ¨C then again, I don¡¯t know what other choice I have. Looking down the aisle at Arabe, he res at the suddenly terror-stricken she-wolf. ¡°Well well, Be.¡± His steely voice sounds again, ¡°You¡¯ve been holding out on me.¡± ¡°ise-¡± She tries to exin, wringing her hands but having enough sense not to move forward. ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡± He snarls, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± He¡¯s scanning the room, clearly looking for something. Horror filters through my chaotic thoughts as I realize he al ready knows about Selene. Arabe might not have known about the bounty, but I bet her underworld contact did. He must have been the one guarding Selene while she was locked up, and the moment her disquise wore off, he went running to collect the reward. When ise¡¯s eyes finallynd on Selene. The gray pools instantly begin to glow, and a terrifying grin stretched across his face. ¡°My Goddess.¡± He breathes, ¡°I¡¯ve found you atst.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 181 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 181 Chapter 181 ¨C ise Makes an Offer Bastien ise is still peering around my back, trying to get a good look at Selene, though it¡¯s clear he¡¯s already seen her eyes. ¡°Come out,e out little wolf.¡± He encourages, sounding as though he¡¯s luring a small child out to y. ¡°Let me see you.¡± Axel is wing at the surface of my skin, desperate to put down the other Alpha before he can harm my mate and unborn pup. ¡°Selene,¡± | instruct quietly. ¡°Run.¡± I feel her little fists curl more tightly into my shirt. ¡°No!¡± She whispers frantically, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you here.¡± ¡°And she¡¯s brave too.¡± ise chuckles, clearly delight ed. I¡¯m not sure what to make of the man. The way he¡¯s speaking to Selene is so altered from the way he barked at Arabe. Then again, I suppose that if he¡¯s spent more than half his life searching for something, finally finding the ob ject he¡¯s so obsessed with would make him a bit overenthu siastic. ¡°I said run.¡± | grit out through clenched fangs. ¡°That¡¯s an order, mate.¡± I can feel Selene shaking her head in defiance, even as I snarl at her more viciously than I did when I thought she was my enemy. She jolts in shock, but just holds onto me more tightly. ¡°Clever girl, you found your own Alpha to protect you.¡± ise croons, ¡°but running won¡¯t help you now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Arabe announces shakily, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Shut her up.¡± ise orders coldly. At first I think he must be talking to the man still waiting behind him, but the next thing I know a small army of guards enters the church, entering from every door around the chapel. My stomach immediately tangles into knots. It was questionable whether we could fight our way out of here with only ise to defeat, now it will be impossible. As I watch, one of the guards stalks Arabe into a cor ner, making her cower and whimper with fear. With as little care and ceremony as if he was snapping a twig, the sentry reaches out and snaps Arabe¡¯s neck, dropping her swiftly and letting her body crumple to the ground. Selene yelps, 1 suspect more in surprise than anything else. To my shock, the sound of her cry seems to worry ise. ¡°Now, now,¡± He cautions in that same sharine tone, ¡°don¡¯t be afraid, my lovely. Your death will be much kinder.¡± Unable to contain Axel for a moment longer, I shift, roaring as my body contorts and transforms. When the shift isplete, I lean my hind quarters against Selene, using my weight to herd her backwards. However the mo ment Selene was revealed, ise¡¯s face lit up like a kid in a candy store. ¡°My Goddess, you¡¯re even more beautiful than I imag ined.¡± ise praises, his eyes raking over her form. They freeze when they arrive at the gentle swell of her tummy. He gasps softly, appearing completely transfixed. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me she was breeding.¡± He says to the man behind him.. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it mattered.¡± The man answers gruffly. ¡°Oh it matters.¡± He murmurs reverently. ¡°In fact, you just doubled your reward.¡± ise gives one of his men a signal, and the guard pro duces a pair of briefcases to hand to the shifter . The man takes them and runs out the door so quickly I suspect he wasn¡¯t sure ise would actually let him keep the money he¡¯s been promised. It wasn¡¯t until he ran away that I real ized Helene was nowhere to be found. The witch had been by Selene¡¯s side when she entered the chapel, but some where along the line she must have sensed the danger and disappeared. This and only this gave me a spot of hope we might be able to find a way out of this. Looking back at us, ise shakes his head, making a soft tutting sound. ¡°So remarkable, and that mongrel locked you away like you were nothing.¡± As he considers us, rubbing his chin in thought, I notice the shadows swirling in our periphery. I¡¯d been so distract ed by the danger we¡¯re facing I almost forgot Selene has been training to use her powers while I¡¯ve been away. However I¡¯m not the only one who notices, ise sees the tendrils of ck fog slowly edging in around him, and positively cackles. ¡°And you¡¯ve even unlocked some of the secrets of your magic!¡± He ps his hands together, ¡°You¡¯re magnificent.¡± _¡±Enough fawning.¡± Selene hisses. ¡°You cannot fool me into lowering my guard.¡± ¡°Oh that was never my intention,¡± He answers smooth ly. ¡°I just cannot get over how incredible you are. And now I have a choice.¡± He adds gleefully, staring at her stomach. ¡°Decisions, decisions.¡± He says to himself, ¡°It seems such a shame to destroy something so perfect. What¡¯s a few more months?¡± With a sh of understanding, I realize what he means. He¡¯s debating keeping Selene for himself, and waiting until our baby is born to perform whatever spell requires a Vna sacrifice to grant eternal life. I¡¯m not sure whether Selene is following his train of thought, but she¡¯s done waiting. She swirls the shadows around us until my vision ispletely obscured, filling the room with a darkness so thick it¡¯s impossible for ise or his men to see us. Leaving a small bubble of light around us, Selene draws in a few nervous breaths. She moves to stand in front of me, sending out a powerful burst of ener gy out into the room. The problem with the darkness she¡¯s created is that it blinds us too, and I can sense Selene struggling to decide what to do next. Leaning into her legs, I try to silently en courage her to just breathe and not get overwhelmed, still i can feel the trembles running through her small body. ¡°Very nice.¡± ise calls into the darkness, ¡°but you should know you¡¯re not the only one with powers, my pet.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. All at once the darkness dissipates, but when the shad ows clear we see at least a dozen of the guards fell to Se lene¡¯s energy burst. Unfortunately ise is still standing, and one of the men I took to be a sentry is by his sides, hands extended as light pours from his chest, battling back Selene¡¯s ck fog. We should have anticipated that he would have his own spellcasters, but I¡¯m relieved to see some of the resistance has been thwarted. The path to the door is far from clear, but with my strength and Selene¡¯s powers, we might stand a chance. Nudging Selene to the right, I move to the left, hoping to divide their focus and hopefully draw the wolves away from my mate. ise watches with rapt attention, and Selene nces outside, where night has finally fallen. This time instead of darkness, she summons the moon ¨C the same pearly light she glowed with the night we met in the alley. It spills from her chest, spiraling towards the spellcaster like a bullet from a gun. I cannot watch any longer when a trio of wolves bear down on me. Dispatching them quickly, I turn to my next opponents, tearing at their vulnerable underbellies with my teeth and ws, breaking bones, ripping flesh and striking them down without mercy. However for every wolf I take down, two more appear, and before long ise¡¯s entire guard is on me. It seems like every sentry he brought with him is now charging towards me, and though I know the odds are now against me, I pray it¡¯s enough to let Selene escape. A dozen wolves wrestle me to the ground, forcing me to shift back into human form. Whipping my head around to try and see Selene, I find her frozen in the doorway, star ing at me in panic even as she holds ise at bay with a ball of light between her palms. The spellcaster has fallen, but ise looks entirely unconcerned. When his gaze lowers to me, a glint of something akin to respect in his sharp eyes. ¡°I have to say you¡¯re every bit as formidable as I was told.¡± Ignoring him, I shout at Selene. ¡°Go!¡± Her lower lip trembling, she shakes her head, and I put every bit of Alpha authority I can muster into my voice. ¡°Go Selene, run!¡± She visibly shivers with the impact of my order, but still she does not move. ¡°Let him go.¡± She snarls at ise. The other Alpha is looking back and forth between us with eager anticipation. ¡°You know Arabe was annoying as a gnat, but I have to admit, she did have a good idea ev ery now and then.¡± He acknowledges, nodding towards the men holding me down. I feel something sharp between my shoulder des, and then Selene¡¯s terrified voice reaches my ears. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Damn it, Selene!¡± | roar, ¡°Leave me, get out of here.¡± ¡°Do you want him to live, my beauty?¡± ise offers her, using the same crooning tone. She raises her hands, preparing tosh her magic out at the Alpha, but he wags a finger and I feel the de in my back pierce through my clothes, ¡°Ah, ah.¡± He scolds, ¡°You attack, and he dies.¡± ¡°So what, I should let you kill me instead?¡± She snaps. ¡°Nonsense.¡± He grins, ¡°Why would I kill you when I can keep you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡± She cries, staring at me with terror and longing. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter what you believe.¡± ise shrugs. ¡°You can watch your mate die, or you can come along like a good girl and I won¡¯t set him free, but I won¡¯t kill him either.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do it, Selene. He wants the baby!¡± | warn her des perately. ¡°He¡¯s right. I do.¡± ise confirms, ¡°but that¡¯s months down the road. Plenty of time for you to try and find anoth er way out of this.¡± He tempts her with a predatory smile. ¡°Why would you take the risk of me escaping you?¡± She hisses. ¡°Because you won¡¯t.¡± ise answers coldly, ¡°Not so long as I have your mate at my mercy. You can¡¯t leave here, without leaving him to die.¡± I can see her considering it, I can sense his logic work ing on her. ¡°Baby go now!¡± |mand. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± | promise, truly preferring to die, even though it kills me to know I¡¯ll never meet my child. The pain in my back grows sharper, and ise¡¯s power ful voice rings out, ¡°Decide Selene ¨C your freedom or your mate?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 182 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 182 Chapter 182- Selene Decides Selene Thad a nightmare like this once: being helpless before ise while my family hangs in the bnce. However even my worst dreams couldn¡¯t have predicted this fate: being forced to choose between Bastien¡¯s life and my own. Bastien is roaring and raging at me, ordering me to leave him behind, but I can¡¯t bring myself to turn my back on him, Every time I see the knife go deeper into his back, Luna howls in agony and despair, freezing me in ce. I know ise¡¯s offer is a trap, but I also know that there s no way I can undo what he¡¯s already discovered. One way or another ise knows who I am now, he knows where I live and he knows about my unborn child. He doesn¡¯t know about L, and the only person in Tartarus who might have betrayed her existence to him is dead now. If I run away now, he¡¯ll simply follow me back to Elysium, and then there¡¯ s no guaranteeing that I can keep my daughter safe. ¡°Bastien,¡± | sniffle, begging him to understand, ¡°If I go now he¡¯ll onlye after me, he¡¯ll follow me home.¡± I can see my message click into ce in his mind, but he only pauses for a moment. ¡°Then don¡¯t go home!¡± He hisses, ¡°go to ground, go somewhere he¡¯ll never find you. Don¡¯t sacrifice yourself for me, I¡¯m not worth it ¨C think about the baby!¡± no ¡°I am,¡± | cry, feeling more helpless than I can ever re member. Even if I went to ground, ise would find out about L, and I can¡¯t stand the idea of running forever and losing Bastien too. ¡°And you¡¯re wrong, you are worth it. I¡¯ll find a way out of this, but I can¡¯t let him kill you.¡± If I thought Bastien was angry with me when he learned I was alive and had hidden our child from him, I didn¡¯t know the definition of the word. I¡¯ve never seen rage like the emotion that pours out of my mate as I lower my hands and step towards ise. The sound of his fury fills the room like the st from a cannon, and he actually manages to break free of the small army pinning him down. ise¡¯s spellcaster, just barely staggering to his feet,shes out his power towards my mate, stopping him be fore he can collide with the tyrant in front of me. Bastien falls to the ground with a groan as the magic traps him in its hold, and I try to close the distance between us. Instead ise catches me around the wait, and I can only weep as I reach for my husband. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay.¡± | tell Bastien as he loses consciousness. ¡°I promise.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± the madman praises me, his wide smile audi ble in his voice. ¡°Hold onto that hope, my beauty.¡± Before I can stop him, he straightens me up and looks me over, studying my fair skin even as he makes it positively crawl. Already I can feel myself lighting up again, the moon¡¯s light surging through my veins out of instinct rather than skill. ises tsks, ¡°We¡¯ll have to do something about this magic of yours. You could really do some damage in the right cir cumstances.¡± ¡°You can count on it.¡± | vow, trying and failing to pull away from him. ¡°And to think.¡± He leers, looking me up and down like a piece of meat, ¡°You¡¯ve already proven yourself capable of satisfying the strongest of Alphas, it¡¯s almost as if he¡¯s been preparing you for me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re dreaming,¡± | grit out through clenched fangs, ¡°I will never willingly allow you toy a finger on me.¡± ¡°And do you think I care if you are willing?¡± ise coun ters, ¡°do you not think I will appreciate you all the more for your fight?¡± Realizing he¡¯s the twisted sort of sadist that probably loves making others miserable, I soften my pose, ceasing to try and fight him and instead leaning into hisrge body. ¡°By all means, Alpha.¡± | encourage, hoping my willingness will turn him off. ¡°Tell me what you like.¡± ise throws his head back andughs, the same sort of delighted cackle he emitted when he realized I¡¯d man aged to harness my powers. ¡°Oh my clever pet, do you have any idea how long I¡¯ve been waiting to find a she-wolf like you.¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± | snap, giving up the act for the time being. ¡°I¡¯ve been running from you my whole life ¨C even be fore I knew it. You killed my father, you caused my mother to die long before her time.¡± ¡°And you are even more magnificent than she was.¡± He traces a finger down my cheek, ¡°thest Vna,¡± he grins, looking down at my belly. ¡°For now.¡± Narrowing my eyes, I wonder how much he actually knows about my bloodline. After all, there¡¯s no guarantee the child will inherit the gene, and that¡¯s assuming it¡¯s an other girl. The magic is only passed from mother to daugh ter. Still, telling him that can¡¯t help me: either he¡¯ll decide to kill me now despite his filthy fantasies, or decide to indulge them for the few months he can before killing me. ¡°I can see what you¡¯re thinking.¡± The wretched man tells me smugly. ¡°That there¡¯s a chance your child won¡¯t be the gift I¡¯m hoping it to be.¡± I feel my eyes widen, and a skitter of worry works it¡¯s way through my body. ¡°But I¡¯ve been studying your kind since I was a boy, since the very first time I ever heard about the bloodline. I could tell you se crets about your powers you never dreamed possible.¡± As he speaks I can only half concentrate on his words, because his guards are busy shackling Bastien¡¯s legs and dragging him from the room. I continue staring after him even he¡¯s well out of sight, and ise catches my chin be tween his thumb and forefinger, draggin my attention back to him. ¡°For example, I know that there¡¯s about a seventy percent chance the child will inherit the Vna gift if it¡¯s a girl ¨C and Vna¡¯s are almost twice as likely to bear daugh ters than they are sons.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s not how biology works.¡± I hiss. ¡°Magic finds a way.¡± He smiles, sounding so much like Helene in that moment, that I realize she¡¯s missing for the first time. I don¡¯t know why she didn¡¯t stay and help us fight, but I trust her enough to know she wouldn¡¯t have simply abandoned me in my time of need. She must have realized we were too outnumbered, she probably divined ise wouldn¡¯t kill me now and slipped away toe back and fight another day. The tiny kernel of hope that formed when ise suggested keeping me for himself grows slightly, settling in my heart and giving me the strength to stare this monster in the eye. ¡°We can find out soon enough what you¡¯re expecting.¡± ise reasons, leading me from the church, ¡°If it¡¯s a boy we¡® Il simply get rid of it and make a new one.¡± The kernel of hope twists and writhes, suddenly feeling too small to do anyone any good. If I¡¯m having a boy he might abort it be fore I have enough time to escape and free Bastien, and as terrible as that sounds, imagining being raped just to make a child he can kill is worse. Digging in my heels, I force ise to bodily drag me, but it barely slows him. He¡¯s too strong. ¡°You would kill your own child?¡± I squeak, unable to hide my horror. ise onlyughs. ¡°I¡¯m never going to die, so I don¡¯t need an heir. A boy might grow up to challenge me to bee Alpha, and I have no use for girls. Children are horri ble hassles ¨C in fact you should probably thank me for sav ing you from the trial of motherhood. You¡¯re too lovely to wither away chasing after a bunch of brats.¡± He stops so suddenly that I almost fall over, and I¡¯m only grateful he catches me because the collision might have hurt the baby. Otherwise I¡¯d dly smack my head on the church steps than have the psychopath pawing me this way. When I look up at him, he looks as though he¡¯s been struck with a brilliant idea ¨C and that terrifies me more than anything. ¡°In fact.¡± He muses, ogling my curves, ¡°you¡¯re too lovely to wither away at all. I think we¡¯ll have to make a few pups either way. One for me, and one for you.¡± Shaking my head, I gape at him in disbelief. When the timees to fool him, I¡¯ll act as sweet and submissive as possible to annoy him, but right now I¡¯m incapable of keep ing my outrage to myself. ¡°You know I knew only a monster could create this atrocity of a city, but I think you might be the devil himself.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing I won¡¯t ever have to face judg ment in the afterlife.¡± He mocks me, not looking the least 81 17% bit bothered by the usation. ¡°Nowe along my pet, it¡¯s time to see your new home.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 183 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 183 Chapter 183 ¨C Bastien Meets his Cellmates LV1 ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Bastien It¡®s dark when I wake ¨C the pitch ck of a windowless cell, the air cold and damp. I know I¡®m underground without being told, and even before I remember the events that led me to this ce, I know something is horribly wrong. Slowly the details filter back into my mind, and before I can even process my turbulent feelings Axel bursts out of me. I circle the cell, smelling every corner of the space and trying to gain my bearings. It¡®s a cramped space lined with bars of pure silver, boasting nothing whatsoever to support human life. There are no objects present ¨C no furniture, not a bucket for waste or vessel for water, nothing. I can see other cells through the dim light, and the shadows of other shifters lurking in the peripheries. I¡®ve never been in a cage like this, but it makes my wolf feel as feral as a rabid dog. I don¡®t know how Selene survived living in such conditions for a week, let alone eight years. Of course it doesn¡®t help that I know she¡®s in horrible danger right now. The desire to kill ise if a bloodlust unlike anything l ve ever known. I¡®m so overwhelmed with violent energy that I can¡®t help but charge back and forth before the bars, snarling viciously. I don¡®t know what to do ¨C I¡®ve got to find a way out of here. Every second that I¡®m trapped in this dis mal cell is going to cost Selene dearly. As unfair as I know it is, I¡®m also beyond angry with my mate. I know in her shoes I would have done exactly the same thing. In fact, I already did when I agreed to marry Arabe to protect her. Still, I would rather die a thousand deaths than lose her and the baby, or make them suffer this way. I know Selene was worried about ise discovering L, but Drake and I had emergency ns in ce in case the worst happened. She could have run and gone on with out me. Axel howls with pain just imagining where Selene is in this moment, and what she¡®s already been forced to survive in my honor. How much time has even passed since the events at the church? Horrible, unwee picture flood my mind, of ise torturing and abusing my mate, and her allowing him in order to protect me. It isn¡®t right. I have to help her. My entire body is shaking with wrath, a seething craze of outrage and despair. Just as I feel I might spontaneouslybust, an irritated voice floats through the darkness to wards me. ¡°Would you shut up! You¡®re not going to get out of here by ranting and raving that way.¡± ¡°Give him a break, Grayson. You were like this too at first.¡± The second voice is rugged, mature and sounds very tired. ¡°They all are.¡± ¡°That doesn¡®t make it any less unbearable.¡± The first man gripes. ¡°It¡®s giving me a headache and it¡®s not as if it will do any damned good.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± | call out in answer, ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°I¡®m James,¡± the second voice sighs, ¡°And your cheer leader here is Grayson. We¡®re in ise¡®s dungeon ¨C though if it helps to know he must think you¡®re something special. This is the high security wing ¨C he only puts the most dan gerous prisoners down here.¡± ¡°It doesn¡®t help.¡± I hiss, ¡°The only thing that will help is getting out of here.¡± ¡°Well that¡®s not going to happen.¡± The first voice snipes. ¡°Take it from me, it¡®s better to just ept it now rather than holding onto false hope.¡± ¡°I can¡®t give up.¡± | snap. ¡°I have people counting on me.¡± ¡°You hear that James?¡± Grayson scoffs, ¡°This one thinks he¡®s the only man ever to have people he cares about.¡± ¡°Give the pup a break Grayson,¡± James advises patient ¡°How long have you two been here?¡± | ask, feeling my heart sink amidst their cynicism. I may be determined, but I also know the first rule of nning any operation is map ping out they of thend, and no one knows the chal lenges better than the people on the ground ¨C or in this case, in the ground. If they feel it¡®s impossible, they proba bly have a damned good reason for thinking that. ¡°25 years for me.¡± James announces bleakly. ¡°And Grayson ¨C¡± ¡°10 years.¡± Grayson interrupts the other man, ¡°and trust me, we¡®ve tried everything possible to escape during ourbined decades here. If there was a way, we would have found it.¡± My mind is reeling with this information. I never imag ined they would give me such devastating answers, and I suddenly understand every ounce of Grayson¡®s nihilism. ¡°Why hasn¡®t he just killed you?¡± | ask bluntly, knowing that softening my words won¡®t do a damn bit of good with men as hardened as these. ¡°I just watched him snap a woman¡®s neck like she was nothing, why would he keep you alive so long?¡± ¡°The same reason you¡®re probably here.¡± James surmis es, ¡°He needs us for something. We have information he wants.¡± ¡°So every few days he brings out the interrogators to rip off our fingernails and jab us with spikes.¡± Grayson con tributes blithely. ¡°Just one more thing for you in Inok for. ward to. Normally he gives you just enough time to heal be fore pulling you back out.¡± ¡°And you¡®ve never given in?¡± I murmur, feeling a rush of admiration for the strength these two beings must possess. ¡°We¡®d be dead if we had.¡± Grayson answers, ¡°ise only keeps you around as long as you¡®re useful and as miserable as living out the rest of our lives in cages is, I¡®d far rather defy him and suffer than submit. He¡®s taken everything from me, I¡®ll never give him what he wants. ¡°And I don¡®t even have the information he thinks I pos sess. I made sure I would never be able to answer his ques tions, even if I wanted to break.¡± James adds grimly. ¡°What is it, what is it he wants to know from you two?¡± || ask, truly curious now. ¡°You first, pup.¡± Grayson derides. ¡°I¡®m just leverage.¡± | admit, feeling suddenly like I want to cry. ¡°He has my pregnant mate, and he¡®s using me to make her obey him.¡± ¡°Bastard.¡± Grayson spits, ¡°I at least earned my time here ¨C in part at least. I was the leader of an underground move ment to overthrow him, he wants to know the names of my co¨Cconspirators. In truth, my days are probably limited. We¡® ve beenpletely cut off from the outside world so I¡®m as out of touch with the movement as anyone. Part of me thinks he just keeps up the torture to punish me for daring to defy him.¡± Suddenly I understand how the man has such an iron will ¨C only the strongest of wolves could hope to stand against him, and leading a rebellion in a city like this would require incredible courage. ¡°And you, James?¡± | press. ¡°Not so different from yourself really.¡± He remarks thoughtfully. ¡°In fact it¡®s strange, he wants to know where my mate and child are. Of course she wouldn¡®t be a pup anymore, by now she¡®ll be all grown up.¡± ¡°But you don¡®t know where they are?¡± | rify. ¡°Actually I do know where my mate is. I felt her die al most fifteen years ago now.¡± James exined, sounding truly hollow now. ¡°I told ise as much, but it didn¡®t matter, he still wants my daughter, and he still thinks I know where my mate hid her. But that¡®s why I made sure I couldn¡®t lead him to them ¨C we were on the run while she was pregnant and we had to split up. I sent her off in one direction, and then I ran in another.¡± My instincts are going haywire. There¡®s only one reason I know of that ise hunts women, and I also know of one woman with a twenty¨Cfive year old daughter, who died fif teen years ago.Leaning close towards the bars, I inquire, ¡°why did he want her?¡± ¡°I shouldn¡®t tell you really.¡± James utters softly, ¡°but since we¡®re never getting out of here: She was a Vna, and ise discovered her bloodline had magic he wanted to harness.¡± ¡°James,¡± I say urgently, feeling my pulse speed up. ¡°Was your mate¡®s name Corinne?¡°. ¡°How did you know that?¡± He replies sharply. ¡°Because my mate Selene is a Vna, and she was or phaned when her, mother ¨C Corinne ¨C died fifteen years ago. At least, we thought she was orphaned.¡± I exin, hav ing a hard time speaking slowly enough to be understood. ¡°Are you saying¡­?¡± James trails off, even as Grayson mutters, ¡°Holy shit.¡± ¡°I¡®m saying that I think my mate is your daughter.¡± | de re firmly. ¡°And ise has her. He¡®s going to do horrible things to her and kill your grandchild unless we stop him.¡± | grit my teeth, ¡°So let me ask you? Do you still think trying to escape is useless?¡° Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 184 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 184 Chapter 184 ¨C Selene Explores Her New Digs Selene If I thought ise¡®s city was an atrocity, it¡®s nothingpared to his pack house. In fact, Pack house is honestly a misnomer, it¡®s more akin to a pce. That¡®s why it¡®s so easy to see why Arabe liked this ce so much ¨C it¡®s full of the kind of gaudy excess and cruelty she adored. The worst part is that ise is still crooning to me as if I¡®m a puppy, pointing out every detail of his horrible home. His servants, who all avert their gazes from him as if afraid making eye contact will cost them their heads, open every door for us as we pass. They race along side us offering re freshments and amenities, but I can see the bruises on their skin and the terrified look in their eyes. Every inch of the ce is covered in wealth, and I can see nervous looking aristocrats ncing our way out of the corner of their eyes. ¡°First things first, my beauty.¡± ise says, leading me forward by the hand. ¡°We have to make sure you don¡®t get carried away with that magic of yours. But as soon as that¡®s done, we¡®ll get you cleaned up and feed you.¡± ¡°You don¡®t need to contain my magic.¡± | protest. ¡°You have Bastien, I¡®m not going to do anything to risk him.¡± ¡°Of course you will.¡± He chuckles, ¡°It¡®s in your nature. I¡®m trying to keep track of all the rooms we¡®re moving through to map out the mansion in my mind, but it doesn¡®t do any good. This ce is too enormous for me to sort out mentally ¡°Where is Bastien anyway?¡± I ask, ¡°what did you do with him.¡± ¡°He¡®s safe.¡± ise promises. ¡°How do I know that, how can I trust you¡®ll keep your word?¡± | demand. ¡°I want to see him!¡± ¡°Perhaps, if you¡®re very, very good for me.¡± He leers, ¡°but not yet, not until you earn it.¡± He steers me into a room that looks like some sort of armory, but everything inside is made of silver instead of iron. I see a collection of cors and bracelets, and sudden ly realize that most of the aristocrats and guards I¡®ve seen are wearing some version of the essories. ¡°This is how you keep people from defying you.¡± | think aloud, ¡°this is how you keep wolves away from the moon. They aren¡®t obeying you willingly, you¡®re dampening their powers.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± ise praises, petting my long hair. ¡°Of course none of them have powers like yours. You¡®ll need ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . something extra special.¡± He pulls a pair of moonstone studded bracelets from the wall, more ornate than any of the other creations. ¡°I had these made in preparation for you. I always knew I¡®d find you one day.¡± As soon as the bracelets are pped around my wrists, I feel my magic slipping away as swiftly as it had beneath Arabe¡®s shackles. It feels like it did when I had Luna, but hadn¡®t yet tapped into my powers. It¡®s as if my hands have been tied behind my back, and I¡®m fighting with only half my skills. ¡°There now.¡± ise grins, ¡°let¡®s get you up to your new rooms.¡± L. I¡®m only mildly relieved to hear that my rooms are not the same as his. When we reach the fifth floor of the sprawling estate, he pushes open a pair of double doors and reveals a stunning suite fitted with every amenity one could ever imagine ¨C until of course one sees the bars on the windows. A pack of servants sweep in behind us, leading me for ward and out of ise¡®s hands. ¡°You know what to dodies.¡± He instructs them. I want her looking perfect for me.¡± He chucks me under the chin, ¡°You and I have a dinner date, my beauty. I¡®ll see you in two hours.¡± Offering up my best simpering smile, I bat my eysh es even as my heart pounds in my chest. ¡°Can¡®t wait.¡± ise¡®sughter carries back to me as he sweeps out of the room, with the bearing of a man who¡®s won the lottery. The servant girls lead me into the bathroom and strip off my clothes, and as terrified I am about what a dinner date with ise might entail, I can¡®t help but enjoy the first shower I¡®ve been allowed in days. Once I¡®m clean and feel ing ten times more human than I had a few minute before, the servants pour me into a skin tight cocktail dress and paint me in a heavyyer of shec ¨C one that covers the circles beneath my eyes and all the signs of my exhaustion. Once they finish they leave me alone to worry in peace. Not one of them said a single word to me while they worked, but I caught more than one pitying look. ncing at the clock, I realize there¡®s only fifteen more minutes be fore our supposed date. Stalking out into the suite, 1 begin scanning the room frantically for some sort of escape, and pull up short when I realize I¡®m not alone after all. There in the middle of the room, as if she appeared out of thin air, is Helene. She¡®s wearing a servant¡®s garb and a sad smile. ¡°Well you clean up well.¡± ¡°Oh Goddess am I d to see you!¡± | exim, throwing my arms around the woman. ¡°Gentle little mother, I¡®m little more than a bag of bones at this point.¡± She cautions, patting my cheek. ¡°How on earth did you get up here?¡± | ask, ncing around nervously. ¡°Getting old has it¡®s benefits,¡± She shrugs, ¡°being un derestimated and going unnoticed is one of them.¡± Looking me over closely, she adds, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°No.¡± | confess, shaking my head. ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡®m terrified. You have no idea the horrific n ise is forming. He doesn¡®t just want this baby for himself, he ns on breed ing me so we can sacrifice a second and he can keep me forever.¡± Helene nods gravely, ¡°I sensed it was something like that. There is truly something twisted in that man¡®s soul.¡± ¡°What am I going to do, Helene?¡± | fret, wringing my hands. ¡°I don¡®t have the first idea how to get to Bastien, or how to keep ise at bay. The only idea I have so far is to act fawning. For a tyrant who expects everyone to fall at his feet, he seems oddly attracted to my defiance.¡± She nods again, ¡°He¡®s a killer, he likes to hear his victim¡® s pain.¡± She scans the room as we talk, seeing the world with that second sight of hers and making me ache with curiosity to know what she¡®s discovering. ¡°That part of him is both entwined and apart from the authoritarian. You can¡® t expect a madman to be logical darling.¡± ¡°When you told me I was destined to face him¡­?¡± | ask, ¡°did you see how, do you know whether¡­¡± | can¡®t seem to get the words out. I¡®m too afraid of the answers she holds. ¡°No little mother, not even I can see the future that clearly.¡± She sighs, ¡°There are too many variables.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡®t tell me even if you did know though, would you?¡± | press. ¡°No.¡± She smiles sadly. ¡°I wouldn¡®t.¡± ¡°So what do I do?¡± | beg. ¡°I¡®m supposed to have dinner with him in a matter of minutes and somehow I don¡®t think he¡®s the type of rapist that likes to take things slowly.¡± ¡°You already know the answer to that, Selene.¡± Helene informs me maddeningly. ¡°No I don¡®t!¡± | exim, hating that she¡®s turning my mo ment of despair into a teaching moment. ¡°I might have some ideas if I wasn¡®t trapped in these shackles of his, but I can¡®t ess any of my powers like this!¡± ¡°Well in that case,¡± Helene smiles slyly, ¡°we¡®ll just have to take off the shackles.¡± ¡°Take off the shackles.¡± I throw my hands up, ¡°well why the hell didn¡®t I think of that?¡± ¡°Hush now.¡± My mentor says gently, ¡°you let me worry about those bracelets of yours, and in the meantime, use your other superpower.¡± Now I¡®m truly ring, ¡°Helene if you¡®re going senile, you really need to tell me because this is not the time.¡± ¡°All mothers are superheroes, Selene.¡± She proims, pressing her hand to my belly, ¡°and you have a skill that no one would admire, but which just might buy you some time.¡± Slowly, very slowly, her meaning clicks in my brain. No one would want to go through the hell of my morning sick ness, especially not a man like ise. ¡°I don¡®t really consider puking a skill.¡± I tell her, rxing slightly, ¡°but I can¡®t think of a better turn off ¨C or anyone I would rather vomit on, than that monster.¡± ¡°That¡®s my girl.¡± She praises, slipping back away to wards the door. ¡°I¡®ll be back Selene, as soon as I can. Just hang in there.¡± ¡°I¡®ll try.¡± | confirm shakily, not feeling nearly as confi dent as I sound. ¡°I don¡®t have any other choice.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 185 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Frederic I¡®m not sure what to make of the city of Tartarus. On one hand, I can¡®t help but admire the power apparent in ev ery corner of the opulent capital. On the other, it seems like a bloody waste to have relegated three quarters of the citi zens below ground. Just as in Elysium or his teenage home in the Gemini pack, Frederic was always analyzing the pack structure and leadership, always assessing how he would do things differently if he was in control. He supposed ise was powerful and mad enough to afford to subjugate the popce this way, but that also meant he was wasting an incrediblebor force. The under ground inhabitants would be much better served as an army ¨C one that could help expand his territory rather than simply upholding the same status quo that had always ex isted. In his ce, Frederic would certainly not have kept the aristocrats in such high esteem either. If anything, they were the ones who should be forced to live in the ruins of centuries past. Frederic had spent more that enough time with Arabe and pack elites to see that they were only useful as financial backers and ckies. If he had his way the entire entitled ss would be ousted. Once he reached the city, more and more horrified to realize this was Selene¡®s destination despite the threat ise apparently posed to her, it has taken him quite some time to finally zero in on her scent ¨C more than enough time to thoroughly explore the ins and outs of the multi tiered metropolis. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . By the time he finally caught onto her scent, near a chic little hotel in the West End, he¡®d already filled half a note book with observations, ideas and warnings to help guide him when the day finally came that he had his own pack to run. He might have been ousted from Elysium, but he¡®d hit road blocks before ¨C this was just another hurdle to overe. He wasn¡®t giving up, he was simply pausing and res cuing Selene from her own recklessness in the meantime. From the hotel he followed her trail to the park, then an apartment that reeked of Bastien and ¨C to his shock ¨C Ara be. What had happened here? He wondered. He could guess why Bastien might have come here, since the Alpha did have a bounty on Vnas, but he couldn¡®t fathom how he¡®d be tangled up with Arabe. Eventually he tracked them to a modest church near the city center, where he¡®d watched Selene and her witchy mentor enter, soon followed by an entire army of Capital guards and the man who could only be ise. Minutester he saw Helene skulking out the side door. He couldn¡®t see was was happening inside, but he could see violent shes of light and hear Bastien roaring like a feral beast. Shortly after ise escorted a tearful Selene out the front ¨C and two bodies were dragged out the side doors. Bastien at least, appeared to be alive. Arabe was undoubtedly not. At first he hadn¡®t been sure who to follow. He wanted to go after Selene, and he knew Bastien would be the most likely person to be able to take on ise, but in the end, he chose the person who wasn¡®t surrounded by guards. He fol lowed Helene for a few blocks, before she disappeared from sight completely. Confused, he ran ahead, then stopped and turned in a circle, wondering why he couldn¡®t catch her scent any longer. The next thing he knew she was right in front of him with her hands sped in front of her. ¡°I hate to break it to you, but if you thought this pack was going to be an easier mark than the Novas, you were sorely mistaken.¡± ¡°That isn¡®t ¨C I¡®m not, I came to try and stop Selene from doing whatever it is she nned.¡± He insisted. ¡°Well I¡®m afraid you¡®re toote.¡± Helene announced un helpfully. ¡°But, you¡®re going to try and rescue her aren¡®t you?¡± He demanded. ¡°Whatever I do, I have no ns on sharing it with you.¡± She bit. ¡°Please.¡± He begged. ¡°I want to help, I care about Se lene. I don¡®t want anything to happen to her.¡± ¡°You have an odd way of showing caring.¡± Helene groused. ¡°Look, I¡®m not perfect, but I¡®m better than ise.¡± Fred eric imed, ¡°If you¡®re going to get her back you need as much help as you can get, and you know the old saying: the enemy of my enemy is my friend.¡± ¡°What use are you to me?¡± She asked slyly, ¡°I¡®ve been in this city longer than you have, I see things far beyond the naked eye.¡± ¡°Yes, but I have contacts.¡± Frederic asserted, ¡°No one stages a coup on their own. I have underworld allies in ev ery pack on the continent.¡± Helene arched a brow. ¡°Any of them silversmiths?¡± ¡°No,¡± Frederic replied, bewildered, ¡°But I be the rebels know a few.¡± It took Selene a long time to decide if she wanted to try to get out of dinnerpletely, or run out halfway through. In the end, she imagined ise would simply take an outright refusal as defiance; he needed proof of her ill ness, and she was only too eager to give it to him. Yes, she decided, it was far better to go to dinner and let him see for himself. She wished she could call home and check on L, but even if she had ess to a phone, she was too afraid to risk it. She didn¡®t get the sense that ise was a patient man, and he already wanted more than one child. If he knew about L it would only be a matter of time before she was dead. She couldn¡®t stand waiting for Helene to solve her problems for her. She wanted to save herself for once. She wanted to rescue Bastien the same way he¡®d rescued her in the past. So as the eerily silent servants lead her down the hallway to dinner, she tried to take in every detail she could about her surroundings. She still feltpletely turned around in the huge estate, but after a few days out and about she might learn to find her way. She decided then and there that she had to behave well enough for ise to let her roam the pce freely, and if that didn¡®t work, she at least needed to learn to pick the lock on her door. When they finally reached their destination, the ser vants gestured for Selene to go through a solid mahogany door. She expected to be entering ise¡®s private cham bers, instead she found herself entering a massive banquet hall. It seemed that she and ise would not be eating din ner alone, though she had no idea what he was nning for dessert. The entire hall was full of obedient aristocrats showing their fealty at ise¡®s court, and though she was let in through a side door, Selene did not go unnoticed. The mo ment she stepped inside there was a collective intake of breath as hundreds of heads turned her way. Muttering met her ears as she took her first hesitant steps, feeling suddenly very self conscious in her pale pink gown. She moved through the sea of tables without making eye contact with anyone and simply trying to keep her head held high. Some people whispered of her beauty, others spected on her rtionship with the Alpha, while more still noted the silver cuffs on her slender wrists. That¡®s right. She thought dryly. He might be able to dress me up and paint my face like a doll, but at the end of the day I¡®m a prisoner just like you. When she finally reached ise, he beamed ¨C sparking more murmurs than ever. ¡°Selene you look stunning.¡± Heplimented. ¡°Thank you.¡± She replied, amazed at how calm she¡®d managed to sound. ¡°What do you think of my court?¡± He asked, sweeping an arm towards the shimmering gathering. ¡°It¡®s certainly an embarrassment of riches.¡± Selene re marked, unable to keep the irony from her voice, ¡°I¡®m sur prised your people don¡®t look happier.¡± ¡°Happiness isn¡®t a requirement for a prosperous pack, my beauty.¡± ise dered, with the heir of a lecturing professor, ¡°Hard work and obedience are.¡± ¡°And here I was thinking happy people were more pro ductive.¡± Selene bit, drawing ise¡®s piercing gaze. ¡°And that is why I lead, and you serve.¡± He answered, pulling out her chair. ¡°I hope you¡®re hungry.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Selene uttered, taking in thevish spread in front of them. ¡°I¡®m sorry, I wasn¡®t thinking¡­ you know, with the kidnapping¡­ I¡®m having a very strong aversion to poultry.¡± ¡°Ah yes,¡± ise answered, gesturing for the servants to remove the various roasted birds from the table and mak ing Selene kick herself for mentioning it, ¡°The joys of preg nancy. How far along are you, anyway?¡± ¡°Four and a half months.¡± Selene shared, ¡°but I have a severe nausea condition, so I haven¡®t put on as much weight as I should have.¡± ¡°Halfway,¡± he nods in approval. ¡°Good, we should be able to find out the sex tomorrow.¡± ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Selene repeated, aghast. Suddenly it seemed she didn¡®t need to be near any poultry to feel sick. Her terrified body did the work for her, and abruptly emp tied the contents of her stomach, right into ise¡®sp. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 186 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 186 Chapter 186 ¨C Sonogram Selene ¡°And this is your first pregnancy?¡± The doctor questioned, making my heart race right as he took my pulse. ¡°Yes,¡± I lie, earning a raised brow from the man. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°And your previous doctor diagnosed you with HG?¡± He presses. ¡°Yes, I was recently hospitalized for dehydration, but I¡¯ve been able to put on some weight with the help of medication.¡± I exin. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± He encourages. ¡°Do you have any questions before we begin the exam?¡± ring at ise over his shoulder, I state, ¡°Not for you.¡± The physician looks back and forth between us, a ques tioning look on his face. ise smiles up at me, ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to do thing, I want proof that Bastien is al right.¡± ¡°My beauty, this is going to happen whether you want it to or not.¡± ise announces, standing up. ¡°But if you continue to be a good girl, I will give you the proof you desire.¡± Slumping back in my seat, I grumble a thank you and watch as he exits the room, seeming to have the sense to give us some privacy. After the door closes behind him, the doctor studies me for a long moment, looking from my shining eyes to the wide cuffs on my arms. ¡°There¡¯s some gowns behind that curtain.¡± He says, point ing to the curtain. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get changed while I prepare the machine.¡± Doing as he instructs, I go behind the flimsy curtain and strip off my clothes, feeling the stress of the asion wind my muscles into knots. I¡¯ve never been so anxious for a sono gram in my life. Every time I have one, I always feel a tremen dous sense of helplessness as I wait for them to find a heart beat, always paranoid it won¡¯t sound even in thete stages when I felt my baby moving. However this is a thousand times worse. Bastien and I agreed not to find out the baby¡¯s sex and let it be a surprise when it arrived, but I¡¯m about to find out anyway, I¡¯m both praying it¡¯s another girl so that I¡¯ll have another four and a half months to n my escape, and feeling that if I¡¯m going to lose my child either way, it might be less painful to do so now. I feel like crying as the doctor helps me back up onto the exam table and begins poking and prodding me, asking all the deeply personal questions he avoided when ise was in the room with us. It¡¯s interesting to see the way he handles the situation. He doesn¡¯t embody the warm empathy of Dr Lee, nor the false kindness of Frederic or callousness of the doctor I saw in between. This man seems diligent, capable, but nervous and on edge ¨C determined not to get attached. Suddenly I realize he¡¯s as frightened of ise as I am. It¡¯s not in anything he says ¨C just something about his bearing and manner. He doesn¡¯t ask about the baby¡¯s father, or press when I tell him obvious lies. We both know ise is waiting just outside, listening to our every word. I wonder if it¡¯s too crazy to try and signal the doctor for help somehow. As he covers my lower half with a nket and lifts my gown for the sonogram, I nce around for a pen and paper ¨C anything to try andmunicate a silent message. It¡¯s tempting to try. On one hand I don¡¯t have anything to lose, and on the other ise only promised to let me see Bastien if I behaved. Still, can he really be trusted? Luna asks. There¡¯s no guarantee he¡¯ll be good for his word anyway. Maybe not. I agree, but fear is a powerful motivator, it could just as easily prompt him to turn me in rather than help ing me. The doctor squirts a dollop of cold, clear gel onto my tummy, and then applies the wand, probing around my baby bump as the steady whoosh whoosh of the machine fills the air. I feel the same panic I always do as I wait for the heart beat, holding my breath until a small thumpes through the speakers. It happens just when I¡¯m starting to truly believe I might not hear one after all, and then I think I¡¯m hallucinating ¨C because instead of the slow, steady thump, thump, thump | expect, I hear an off rhythm thump thump, thump thump, thump thump. It¡¯s almost as if¡­ There are two. Luna whispers. Looking to the doctor, I ask, ¡°is that?¡± ¡°Twins.¡± He nods, offering me a smile that doesn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°But I¡¯ve already had a sonogram, and there was only one baby.¡± I tell him. ¡°Well there are definitely two.¡± The physician replies, showing me the distinct images on the screen. ¡°It¡¯s rare, but it does sometimes happen that multiples are missed on an early sonogram.¡± He continues moving the wand around, pausing it to take photos of the babies in different positions. ¡°This does exin why you¡¯ve been so sick though.¡± ¡°But surely, if I was underweight for one¡­¡± I think aloud, not bothering to wonder why I¡¯m worrying about their health when they¡¯re already on death row before they¡¯ve even been born. ¡°Yes.¡± He agrees, ¡°it¡¯s a problem. We¡®re going to have to get you on a nutrition regimen immediately.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± I trail off, too afraid to ask, ¡°What are they?¡± ¡°A boy,¡± He says first, making me feel as if the room is spinning, ¡°and a girl.¡± Twins. I reflect somewhat manically, trying to wrap my head around the idea and failing. A boy and a girl. I was going to have a son. Bastien would have an heir. And ise will kill him before you even get to hold him. Luna reminds me. Maybe I could ask him to keep it. I have to carry him to term anyway for his sister. If I¡¯m still here in four months and he actually¡­ I can¡¯t think the words any more than I could say them. I might not be able to save her Maybe ise would let me ¨C You know exactly what ise would say to that. Luna in terrupts, adopting a deep tone. ¡®and let the son of Bastien Du rand and a Vna grow up to challenge me? Your brat will probably be even stronger than his father ¨C never.¡¯ This is worse than I ever dreamed. Now I¡¯m going to lose two babies at once ¨C unless I find a way to escape. This should have been a happy asion, if a little daunting ¨C okay, really daunting. Instead it¡¯s a tragedy. My heart doesn¡¯t know what to do with itself. The optimist in me feels joy to learn | might be weing two miracles, the pessimist insists I can¡¯t let myself get my hopes up because the pain I was already go ing to be suffering at ise¡¯s hands in a few months just dou bled. The mother in me wants to weep either way.. I¡¯m both wishing I could tell Bastien the news, and so thankful I can¡¯t. There¡¯s no need for both our hearts to be bro ken. Tears well in my eyes and before I know it I¡¯m sobbing. The doctor looks at me with pity, patting my back. ¡°There there now, I know it¡¯s all a bit overwhelming.¡± To my surprise he leans close to my ear and whispers, ¡°I can get you two weeks of bedrest for this, no more. Just until you put on some weight.¡± I can only cry and nod, then listen as the doctor goes out side to ry the news to ise. A little while later, once I¡¯ve changed back into the ridiculous dress he picked out for me and dried my eyes, he enters the room beaming. ¡°Now, now, my beauty.¡± He croons, ¡°there¡¯s no need for tears. You¡¯re hav ing a girl, and this just goes to prove how fertile you are.¡± ¡°And my son?¡± I ask weakly. I know he¡¯ll refuse me, but I have to try, I have to do everything in my power to protect my child ¨C no matter how hopeless. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ise frowns, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully¡±well I asked if he could abort just the boy fetus but he said no.¡± When he sees my horrified expression he insists, ¡°I¡¯d hoped to spare you the pain of losing two children, not to mention the nutrients it will divert from the girl.¡± He¡¯s clearly more bothered by the idea that his precious sacrifice might be smaller or less powerful because it¡¯s peting for resources. Already the boy baby isrger than the girl and in his mind I¡¯m sure he imagines the fetuses fighting it out in my belly. ¡°What a shame.¡± I hiss, unable to pretend in this moment. ¡°The true shame is that I won¡¯t be able to have you until you¡¯re off of bedrest.¡± Hements, sounding annoyed. ¡°And Bastien?¡± I press, ¡°you promised me proof of life.¡± ise offers me a lethal grin. ¡°All in good time, my pet.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 187 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 187 Chapter 187 ¨C Plotting 3rd Person ¡°Bribing the guards?¡± Bastien suggested, sharing his fifth idea of the morning. Grayson promptly shot him down. ¡°Tried it.¡± ¡°Tunneling out?¡± Bastien proposed next, determined to find a solution. ¡°Tried it.¡± James vetoed. ¡°Picking the locks?¡± The Alpha offered hopefully. ¡°That was like the first thing any of us tried.¡± Grayson drawled. ¡°Faking an illness?¡± Bastien throw out, feeling more and more defeated with every rejected idea. ¡°Tried it.¡± James confirmed, feeling no small margin of sympathy for the man. He knew how he would have felt if ise had caught Corinne, and even without knowing Selene, he was desperate to help his daughter. He and his mate had sacrificed everything for her, and it had been hard enough to hear the story Bastien told him about her life, he couldn¡¯t al low her to suffer further. Just then a familiar voice floated out of the darkness to wards the, somewhere to the left of their cells. ¡°Would you gentlemen like some assistance?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Grayson demanded sharply. ¡°Helene?¡± Bastien eximed, sitting up in excitement. ¡°Hello there Alpha.¡± She greeted him warmly, appearing suddenly in the triangle of space between the three cells. ¡°Alpha? Grayson repeated, ¡°You never mentioned you were an Alpha.¡± Unfortunately for Grayson, he¡¯d been in his weekly torture session when Bastien shared his and Selene¡¯s story with her father. ¡°Well in his defense I don¡¯t know many Alpha¡¯s who would want to admit they¡¯d gotten themselves into this sort of pick le.¡± The¡¯witch suggested, sparking his ire. ¡°And where were you when ise took us?¡± he growled. It hadn¡¯t urred to him at the time, but now that she wa in front of him he realized the only way she could have gotten away without also bing prisoner, is if she left before the shit hit the fan. ¡°I ran then, so we could all fight another day.¡± She ex ined, her voice remorseful. ¡°If you¡¯d fought with us then, we might have won.¡± He ar gued. ¡°No, you wouldn¡¯t.¡± Helene informed him simply, ¡°There¡¯s a way out of this for you, but it wasn¡¯t in that church.¡± N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°Have you seen her, have you seen Selene?¡± Bastien pressed, positively aching for news of his mate. ¡°Yes.¡± She answers, ¡°She¡¯s alright. Frightened and without her powers, but ise hasn¡¯t harmed her ¨C yet.¡± Bastien breathed in a sign of relief, even as his heart con stricted with her final word. ¡°And L, do you know if she¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°Your pup is fine. Safe and sound in Asphodel.¡± Helene as sured him. ¡°Okay.¡± Bastien felt at least some of the weight life from his chest. ¡°Can you get us out of here?¡± ¡°Getting out of those cells isn¡¯t the problem.¡± Helene ex ined grimly, ¡°it¡¯s getting out of the dungeon itself. You¡¯re 20 stories deep here, and every one of those is nothing but locked doors and guards armed to the teeth.¡± ¡°So what do you do?¡± Bastien snarled, all of his frustration pouring out of him at once. ¡°Which one of you is Grayson?¡± Helene inquired, surpris ing them all. ¡°How do you know me?¡± The gruff rebel answered. ¡°You didn¡¯t think the revolution died with you, did you?¡± The old witch posed. ¡°Who is this woman?¡± Grayson eximed, beyond baffled now and losing his patience. ¡°She¡¯s a witch.¡± Bastien murmured, ¡°A very clever witch.¡± ¡°I have a message from your old partner.¡± She announced. ¡°Matthew?¡± Grayson sounded more excited than Bastien had ever heard him. It was nearly impossible to get the man to talk about himself, which was understandable given the cir cumstances, but Bastien couldn¡¯t help being curious. After all, they were stuck in a cell together with nowhere to go ¨C talk ing was really the only think avable to pass the time, so it was a bit annoying when one third of the conversation con sisted of grunts and sarcastic remarks. ¡°At first I merely hoped to persuade the rebels to help spring Bastien because he¡¯s strong enough to defeat ise, but once I was there in front of him, your name came to my mind.¡± Helene rted. ¡°He was surprised to learn you were still alive. It was only a feeling, but he said if I could confirm that you were here he¡¯d dly help ¨C whether Bastien agreed to support the cause or not.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time to wait for a full force insurgence.¡± Bastien objects. ¡°That¡¯s not how we do things.¡± Grayson corrected him. ¡°There¡¯s not enough of us ¨C not when ise keeps the entire aristocracy on a silver leash.¡± ¡°And you have more time than you think.¡± Helene added. ¡°I¡¯m working to help restore Selene¡¯s power so she can keep ise at bay.¡± ¡°How soon, how soon can they get us out?¡± Bastien ques tioned fiercely. ¡°Make no mistake, Alpha.¡± Helene cautioned. ¡°This won¡¯t be easy, and it won¡¯t be fast.¡± Something nged in the dis tance, ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, is there a message you¡¯d like me to give to Selene?¡± Bastien¡¯s heart panged, ¡°Tell her I love her, that I¡¯m so sor ryl let this happen¡­ that I¡¯lle as soon as I can.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell her everything but that you¡¯re sorry.¡± Helene replied. ¡°It isn¡¯t your fault that this happened.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true, but I can¡¯t force you.¡± Bastien grumbled, ¡°And there¡¯s one more thing. ¡°He found my father?¡± Selene murmured in shock. ¡°But he died. He died before I was born.¡± ¡°Wrong little mother.¡± Helene corrected her with a wide smile. ¡°I met him too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Selene admitted, blinking tears from her eyes. ¡°If all goes well you¡¯ll have the chance to hear his story, but for now ¨C let me see your wrists.¡± Helene ordered. Selene offered her hands, and the witch pulled a silver key from her pocket, undoing the magic suppressing shackles on Selene¡¯s wrists. ¡°Where did you get that?!¡± Selene eximed, rubbing her wrists before Helene pulled out an identical pair of bracelets, save for one very important thing. ¡°There¡¯s a rebel force at work in this city, Selene.¡± Helene exined. ¡°Little does ise know, but his silversmith is a member. There are a few aristocrats on their side, but they can¡¯t effectively resist ise if they¡¯re under his thumb, so the smith started making replica cuffs for the noble members. They look exactly like the real thing ¨C but they¡¯re made of an aluminum alloy instead of real silver, so they won¡¯t affect your magic.¡± As Helene closed the fake cuffs around Selene¡¯s wrists, she stared down at them in wonder. She could already feel the difference. They looked exactly the same, but her magic was pumping through her blood without restraint, so strong after being locked up for so long she felt like she was about to overflow. ¡°Let off the excess power little by little.¡± Helene advised. ¡°Or maybe I could use all the excess now to take down ise.¡± Selene suggested. Helene frowns. ¡°No. First because you¡¯ll burn yourself out. And second because you will not be in control ¨C if you just re lease it all at once you could hurt a lot more people than ise, or do something you didn¡¯t intend, fail and then he¡¯ll know you¡¯re no longer on his leash. I know its frustrating but we all have to be smart about this. We have to be patient.¡± ¡°It sounds like you¡¯ve already given this lecture once to day.¡± Selene teased. ¡°You and your mate are simr in that way.¡± Heleneughed. ¡°Is he really okay?¡± Selene whispered. ¡°Yes, sweetheart.¡± Helene promised. ¡°Now, you know what to do once isees to your bed, yes?¡± ¡°I will be practicing my hypnotism every spare moment of every day.¡± Selene nodded. ¡°but I don¡¯t have to worry about that for at least two weeks. I¡¯m on bed rest.¡± ¡°Clever girl! Helene praised, ¡°how did you manage that?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Selene admitted, staring at her hands and snif fling. ¡°The Goddess arranged it. I¡¯m having twins. A boy and a girl.¡± It should have been a happy announcement. Instead it came out a sob. ¡°Oh my darling.¡± Helene cooed, pulling Selene into her arms. ¡°We¡¯re going to find a way out of this, I promise.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell Bastien.¡± Selene begged. ¡°If you see him again. Okay? I don¡¯t want¡­ if this all goes wrong I don¡¯t want his heart to be more broken than it has to be.¡± ¡°As soon as he¡¯s out, my love.¡± Helene encouraged. ¡°As soon as we free him you¡¯ll be safe to escape yourself.¡± ¡°Unless I can find a way to escape and free him at the same time.¡± Selene mused. ¡°Selene,¡± Helene pursed her lips and shook her head re gretfully. ¡°I¡¯ve been to the dungeons, I¡¯ve seen the obstacles. This is the only way. If you run Bastien will be dead before you can ever reach him, and even if you could get to him in time, you¡¯d never make it back out again. Trust me. Let us free Bastien, and then you can free yourself, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Selene agreed softly. Hating it but trusting her mentor. It wasn¡¯t until a momentter that she realized what she¡¯d said, ¡°Wait a minute, who¡¯s we?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 188 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 188 Chapter 188 ¨C Messages Home Selene ¡°What do you mean, you¡¯re working with Frederic?¡± | de mand, not believing my own ears. ¡°He wants to help.¡± Helene insists, rubbing my arms in an attempt to soothe me. ¡°Helene, he tried to destroy our lives.¡± I remind her, ¡°he let Arabe try to kill me, he murdered Gabriel and tried to assas inate Bastien, he locked his own mother in a basement and would dly do the same to me.¡± ¡°Yes, he did.¡± Helene agrees, ¡°you¡¯re right. But he¡¯s also in love with you.¡± ¡°Oh please,¡± | scoff, ¡°He doesn¡¯t even know the meaning of the word.¡± ¡°Which isn¡¯t his fault.¡± Helene reminds me sternly, ¡°And beggars can¡¯t be choosers. We need all the help we can get.¡± She nces at the door, making me worry she senses some oneing ¨C someone my keen ears cannot hear. ¡°I¡¯m not saying I trust him or think you should befriend him when this is all over,¡± she continues. ¡°I¡¯m simply arguing that right now we don¡¯t have a lot of options, and whatever schemes he might get up to the rest of the time, he¡¯s saved you once be fore.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying we don¡¯t have a choice.¡± | summarize bleakly. ¡°He¡¯s the one who connected me to the rebels,¡± She re minds me, ¡°and they¡¯re Bastien¡¯s ticket to freedom.¡± N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°Fine.¡± I agree sullenly. ¡°But I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Your objection is noted.¡± Helene smiles warmly. ¡°I need to be going soon. Is there anything you need?¡± Wracking my brains, | skip past all my pleas for a rescue and hopes to be reunited with Bastien, and land on the task which can actually be aplished in the little time we have. ¡°Can you get a message to Drake and Aiden?¡± | request, ¡°tell them what¡¯s going on, send L my love.¡± ¡°Of course, darling.¡± Helene promises, eyeing me as I work myself up to tears thinking about my poor pup. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Selene. You¡¯ll be back home with her before you know it.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I sniffle, ¡°whatever you say.¡± Sophie ¡°Drake!¡± | cry out, clenching my fists in the sheets pooled around my body as need and frustration overwhelm me. My mate¡¯s head is between my legs, and mere moments ago he¡¯d been flicking my swollen clit with his talented tongue and thrusting his skilled fingers into my clenching sheath, rubbing against my g-spot. Now, however he¡¯s pulled back,zily licking my sex as if he hadn¡¯t just pulled me back from the brink of orgasm. ¡°Yes, my love?¡± He purrs, sending delicious vibrations through my intimate flesh. vzdis ¡°Stop teasing me!¡± I beg, shamelessly thrusting my hips towards his mouth. ¡°Why?¡± He taunts, kissing the insides of my thighs and making me feel as if I¡¯ll go mad if I don¡¯t find release soon. ¡°Because, it¡¯s mean!¡± |in, ¡°I don¡¯t tease you this way.¡± The next thing I know the big Alpha is kissing his way up my body, pausing to nibble his mark before iming my lips in a deep kiss, ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m in charge, littlemb. Your pleasure belongs to me.¡± He deres when we part, offering me a wolfish grin and kissing me again. ¡°But I¡¯ve been so good!¡± I argue, batting myshes. ¡°I de serve a reward.¡± ¡°Good girls wait patiently for their rewards.¡± He informs me slyly, lowering his head to my breast and sucking my taut nipple into his mouth. I arch into his touch, tangling my fin gers into his dark hair in an attempt to hold him in ce. It doesn¡¯t do any good, instead he simply switches breasts,v ing the same attention on the other and working the tender bud with his tongue. ¡°Please, please, please,¡± | chant, wishing I could squeeze my thighs together to relieve the ache at their apex, but Drake¡¯s powerful body is trapped between them. ¡°I¡¯ve got you, baby.¡± He croons, stroking my hip. ¡°Just trust me.¡± I do trust him. Drake never fails to give me fireworks in the bedroom, but I hate it when he makes me wait this way, espe cially since our time is increasingly limited these days. I love L, but finding time to make love with a pup in the house is nearly impossible. I¡¯m worried that if I don¡¯te soon, we¡¯ll get interrupted, and I¡¯ll have missed my chance. However there¡¯s no telling Alphas what to do or how fast to do it, so Drake continues tormenting me as if he has all the time in the world. As far as he¡¯s concerned my body is his per sonal yground, and he¡¯s determined to keep ying as long as he wants. Working his way back down my body, he hooks my legs over his shoulders and beginsving attention on my needy sex, stroking and kissing me in all the right ces. Before long I¡¯m writhing and begging in his arms, and Drake finally takes pity on me. Rising up above me, his muscr chest glistening with sweat, Drake lined up his hard cock with my soaked channel, teasing his head against my entrance. I whimper, grasping his hips and trying to pull him inside me. ¡°Greedy girl.¡± He croons, easing just his tip inside and letting me feel the stretch before easing out again. ¡°Drake, please!¡± | exim again, beside myself with need now. ¡°Well, since you asked so nicely.¡± He rumbles, shing his fangs and finally thrusting into me and spearing me to the hilt. I was so worked up that this was all it took. Throwing my head back with a cry of relief, my tight inner muscles clench and spasm around his thick length, throwing me over the edge even before he sets a rhythm. ¡°Fuck,¡± he swears, mming his hips into mine and watch ing me like a starving man might stare at a juicy steak. ¡°God dess you¡¯re perfect.¡± By now I¡¯m beyond words. I can merely cling to my mate as he ims me roughly, rolling his hips into mine and rub bing the red mushroom head of his huge member into that sensitive spot inside me. His fierce thrusts send me crashing into orgasm two more times before he finishes inside me with a satisfied groan, capturing my mouth with his own and swal lowing my rapturous cries. He continues thrusting into me as we bothe down, slowing his speed to a gentle rocking motion as our tongues tangle deliriously. No sooner has he rolled off of me and pulled me halfway onto his chest, that a knock sounds on our door, and L¡¯s little voice travels through the wood to our ears, ¡°Uncle Rake, Auntie Sophie, l¡¯s hungry.¡± She calls. ¡°We¡¯ll be right there, L bean!¡± Drake replies, his voice still husky with pleasure. ¡°You do know that if we have one of our own, this will be every day.¡± I say, snuggling into his warmth, ¡°you won¡¯t be able to torture me with these long lovemaking sessions.¡± ¡°Torture you, eh?¡± He repeats, fisting his hand in my hair and gently tugging my head up until he can look me in the eye. ¡°If that¡¯s what you think torture is, your education has been sorelycking.¡± ¡°Well you¡¯re the one who educated me, so if something¡¯scking, look no further than yourself.¡± | grin, pushing myself up and beginning to slide out of bed. The next thing I know I¡¯m t on my back, and Drake is above me, all growly and fierce, ¡°it sounds to me like someone needs a refresher course.¡± He deres. A shiver works down my spine, and I squirm beneath him, amazed at how I can already want him again so soon after ourst round. I¡¯m sore and sated and completely glowing in the aftermath of his attentions, and yet if heid a single hand on me right now I¡¯dpletely melt. Luckily L has my best interest at heart, and calls again. ¡°Uncle Rake?¡± Drake drops his head to the crook of my neck and kisses my damp skin with a dark chuckle, ¡®we¡¯ll finish thister.¡± I groan, but secretly I¡¯m thrilled. I could spend all day ev ery day in bed with Drake and never get bored. After a quick shower, 1 join Drake and L in the kitchen, giving the sweet pup a lengthy cuddle before letting her return to her break fast. We¡®ve bonded thoroughly during her stay here, and I honestly can¡¯t believe how quickly I fell in love with the little girl. I¡¯m going to be very sad when it¡¯s time for her to return home. As I¡¯m making my own breakfast te, Drake¡¯s phone rings, and after ncing at the caller ID, he shes the screen in my direction: Helene. Together we step into his office, and Drake epts the call. ¡°Helene?¡± ¡°Hello Alpha.¡± She greets him, her voice low and even. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Drake asks, and I can feel his unease as if it¡¯s my own. Selene hasn¡¯t called in a couple of days, and it seems very strange that the old witch is calling instead. ¡°Well the good news is that Bastien has his memory back.¡± Helene sighed, sounding very tired. ¡°And the bad news is that ise captured both him and Selene.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Drake demands, more harshly than he probably intended. ¡°They¡¯re both alright for the time being.¡± Helene assures us, ¡°but I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s going to take a bit more time for them to get home.¡± Over the next half hour Helene fills us in on the details, and I feel like I¡¯ve gone on an emotional rollercoaster. The witch assures us that she¡¯s already been in contact with every one in Elysium, and asks if we had a message for Selene. But by the time Drake hangs up, we can both only think of one thing. He stares at me, seeming more helpless than I can re member seeing him in a very long time. ¡°How are we going to tell L?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 189 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 189 Chapter 189 ¨C Fast Forward Sophie ¡°Should we tell her?¡± | ask Drake, unsure whether telling L that her parents will be gone even longer than we feared can do any good. We certainly can¡¯t tell her that they¡¯ve been captured: that Bastien is ise¡¯s prisoner, Selene his ve and her younger sibling bound for death. ¡°We have to tell her something.¡± Drake sighs, ¡°she¡¯s ex pecting them toe for her any day.¡± ¡°She¡¯s three and a half.¡± I remind him, ¡°she doesn¡¯t know what day it is or how long they¡¯ve been gone.¡± ¡°Maybe not, but she asks for them every day.¡± Drake counters, ¡°I don¡¯t want to lie to her ¨C not completely anyway.¡± ¡°I know.¡± | agree, ¡°but where do we draw the line? If we tell her they¡¯re going to be gone longer she¡¯ll want to know how much longer ¨C we can¡¯t very well tell her they might note back at all. She¡¯s already having nightmares.¡± ¡°I just want to prepare her.¡± Drake scrubs a hand over his rugged features, ¡°setting expectations is important and if we don¡¯t she¡¯s going to get her hopes up more and more¡­ it¡¯ll make it that much harder if things don¡¯t turn out the way she wants.¡± ¡°She¡¯s too young.¡± | insist. ¡°Her hopes are going to be up no matter what.¡± ¡°Sophie, if the worst happens¡­¡± Drake begins, sounding as though he doesn¡¯t want to finish his thought but knows he N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. doesn¡¯t have a choice, ¡°she¡¯ll be ours. I promised Bastien and Selene both.¡± He grimaces, ¡°I can¡¯t bear the thought of losing them, or L growing up without them ¨C but if she does we¡¯ll be her parents. She has to trust us, we can¡¯t start out that retionship on a lie.¡± ¡°You sound like you think their fate is already decided.¡± | murmur, wrapping my arms around myself protectively. ¡°ise is the most powerful Alpha the continent has ever known.¡± He states simply. ¡°It might be one thing if Bastien was free or Selene was able to use her powers, but as long as ise can leverage them against each other¡­ the chances of them escaping him are beyond low, Sophie.¡± Drake admits, ¡°they¡¯re practically nonexistent.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I answer shakily, the pressures of potential parent hood suddenlynding on my shoulders with crushing weight. ¡°We¡¯ll tell her some of what¡¯s happening, but I draw the line at telling her they might note back.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Drake confirms, squeezing my hand and leading me back out into the kitchen. L is still seated at the table, scarfing down a waffle with her chubby little fingers. She looks up happily when we enter, grinning widely. ¡°Can I has another waffles?¡± She requests, even though there¡¯s still half of one on her te. ¡°If you finish that one, first.¡± I confirm. ¡°Yum,¡± she says simply, chomping into the confection. She chews thoughtfully and studies our tense expressions. I can see the question on her tongue before she asks it ¨C it¡¯s the same question she asks every morning. ¡°Are Mommy ¡®n¡¯ Daddying home t¡¯day?¡± ¡°No little one.¡± Drake answers gently, the same way he has every day for thest two weeks. ¡°Not today.¡± ¡°When?¡± L presses, pausing her breakfast so she can hear this important information. ¡°L, you remember how we¡®ve been saying they mighte home any day now?¡± I ask, suddenly regretting our prior optimism. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± L replies simply, cocking her head to the side. ¡°Well, something¡¯s happened, and they¡¯re going to be gone longer than we expected.¡± Drake exins. ¡°Wha¡¯ happened?¡± L inquires curiously, setting down her waffle. ¡°They¡®ve gotten a little lost.¡± I answer, deciding this is bet ter than telling her they¡¯re a madman¡¯s prisoner. ¡°So they won¡¯ t be home today, or tomorrow, or even the next day.¡± ¡°The truth, sweetheart, is that they probably won¡¯t be home for a few weeks at least.¡± Drake adds reluctantly. ¡°Weeks?¡± L repeats, horrified. ¡°But that¡¯s for ever!¡± ¡°I know it seems like a long time.¡± | sympathize, ¡°but it¡¯ll pass in no time, you¡¯ll see.¡± L¡¯s plump lower lip begins to tremble, her eyes going so wide I suspect they would be watering even if her emotions weren¡¯t beginning to spill over, ¡°they noting back, are dey?¡± Painnces through my chest, and I immediately reach for the little girl. ¡°Listen to me L. You are the most important thing in the world to your Mommy and Daddy. They¡¯re doing everything they can toe home to you, and they¡¯re not go ing to ever give up.¡± | tell her. ¡°Sometimes things are out of our control, and they can¡¯t help the things keeping them away, but I promise you, they are working very hard to get back to you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Drake concurs, drawing L¡¯s distraught gaze and making her the only promise either of us could offer the little girl. ¡°As long as it¡¯s in their power to return, they will.¡± Three Weeks Later ¡°Hello, my beauty.¡± ise greets me with a terrible leer, entering my bedroom with the overconfident swagger he¡¯s approached me with every night this week. ¡°Alpha.¡± | greet him coolly, sitting up in my bed and watching as he draws closer with a fresh wave of unease. I¡¯ve been able to fend him off every time he¡¯s attempted toy a hand on me so far, but I never cease feeling nervous about it. I¡¯m not as confident in my powers as I¡¯d like to be, but then again I suppose the fear helps drive me to seed. ¡°How are you feeling tonight?¡± He asks, not fooling me one bit. ise doesn¡¯t give a damn how I feel. He wants to know that I¡¯m putting on weight and progressing healthily in my pregnancy for the sake of his future sacrifice, but beyond that it wouldn¡¯t matter to him if I were ecstatic or miserable. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I reply simply, ¡°the doctor says I¡¯m doing very well¡± ¡°I know.¡± He grins malevolently, ¡°he even said you¡¯ve be gun to feel movement.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± | confirm, trying to resist the urge to flinch away from him when he sits on the edge of my bed. ¡°Just flutters so far, but I expect they¡¯ll be kicking soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful.¡± He deres, cing his hand on my thigh. The feel of his touch makes my skin crawl, but I have to let him think he¡¯s winning. I have to let him think that the fan tasies I¡¯ve ced in his mind are real. As he stares into my eyes, I breathe deeply, working to achieve the meditative state necessary for me to invade his thoughts. My two-toned irises do half the work for me, draw ing him in and capturing his attention, but they aren¡¯t enough on their own. I have to attain the zen calm to bewitch himpletely, drawing on the moon¡¯s power to overwhelm him. The few times ise has visited me during the day have proven much harder to practice my hypnosis, and I¡¯m grateful he mostly seeks to ke his lust at night. I do it all without saying a word, subliminally pulling his consciousness towards my own and smothering the unpleasant sensation of connect ing with such a heartless being. As soon as ise is locked in on me and his mind in my grasp, I begin sending images to his wretched brain, making him believe his fantasies about rutting me areing true. It is not nearly the vition of having him force himself on me ¨C far from it ¨C but it still feels like an assault to imagine them for the sake of fooling him. Every frame I picture makes me feel sick to my stomach, especially since he seems to want to de grade, demean and humiliate me at every turn. He¡¯s a truly sick man, and his sexual tastes are no differ ent. I¡¯m at once relieved beyond belief to escape his abuse, and scarred by the knowledge of what he would be doing to me if he had his way. Some nights the worksts longer than others ¨C I suppose it depends on ise¡¯s energy and desires ¨C but the evenings always end the same way. I use thest of my power to send ise back to his own bed overflowing with pride, convinced he¡¯s used me up and spit me out, that l¡¯ ve fulfilled his every imagining. That part is the hardest. Holding him in my thrall when he¡¯ s in front of me is one thing, keeping it up once he¡¯s out of the room never ceases to exhaust me, and I¡¯m genuinely afraid that one day he¡¯ll have more energy than I¡¯ll have power. I have nightmares where he turns back halfway to his rooms and decides to return for a second round ¨C when I¡¯m too weak to hypnotize him again. So far those fears have remained in my dreams, but I can¡¯t help but think it¡¯s only a matter of time. The further my preg nancy progresses, the less strength I possess. One day soon my luck or my strength is going to run out, and I have to es cape before that happens ¨C or suffer the worst. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 190 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 190 Chapter 190 ¨C The Goddess Mans N?velDrama.Org content. Selene ¡°I can¡¯t do this for much longer,¡± | groan, staring out the windows at the glittering skyline of tartarus. ise will be holding court in just under an hour, and my night will go the same of every night that has come before. His servants will dress me in a ridiculously expensive gown, I¡¯ll wear it for a sum total of one hour while the aristocrats of the Calypso pack whisper at me behind their hands and ise fawns over me. I¡¯ll eventually excuse myself from dinner with the excuse of nausea, only to return to my rooms and wait for ise to turn up and try to paw me. I¡¯ll hypnotize him and send him to bed, then lie awake agonizing over Bastien, L and our fu ture. Weeks have passed but nothing has changed, and things aren¡¯t getting any easier. I¡¯m getting more confident in using my magic and practice most of the day, but as I be more adept my body grows weaker. My pregnancy is progressing just as it should, but carrying twins takes more of a toll on my energy, mood and health than carrying L did, and I find my self sleeping almost as often as I¡¯m awake. ¡°You just have to hold on a little while longer.¡± Helene en courages, patting my hand. ¡°I don¡¯t have a while.¡± I argue, ¡°I¡¯m getting bigger every day, and twins almost alwayse early.¡± The doctor didn¡¯t share this piece of news with me, but I found a few books in ise¡¯s extremely neglected library and discovered that I can expect my babies at 36 weeks instead of 40. I¡¯m frightened and heartsore, and every milestone that would usually fill me with joy ¨C like feeling the first gentle kicks in my womb ¨C fill me with dread. ¡°You still have months to go, Selene.¡± Helene attempts to soothe me, ¡°And the rebels are getting closer to putting their ns in motion every day.¡± ¡°Well tell them to hurry up already!¡± | exim, throwing my hands up and pacing away from my mentor. Helene re mains silent behind me, and as the seconds tick by, I feel in creasingly guilty for taking such a tone with her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± | murmur, wrapping my arms protectively around myself, ¡°I just miss Bastien, I miss L, and I¡¯m terrified of still being here when the new babiese.¡± My eyes burn with tears, ¡°what if I never see my family again? What if ise wins?¡± ¡°Of course you¡¯re scared, darling.¡± Helene responds sym pathetically, ¡°but you can¡¯t let your fear consume you. You have to keep fighting.¡± ¡°How are they? How are Bastien and my father?¡± | ques tion, thinking of all the other fears which suddenly seem too inconsequential when all our lives are at stake: like the fact that I promised Bastien he wouldn¡¯t miss this pregnancy and am now breaking my word, or the very new concern that I might never get to meet my father, when I¡¯ve only just learned that he still lives. ¡°Your mate is formidable and determined.¡± Helene an swers, ¡°As long as you¡¯re alright he¡¯ll suffer any difort.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of.¡± | sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t want him to suf fer for me ¨C he¡¯s already been through so much.¡± ¡°If it makes you feel any better, he¡¯s not being harmed.¡± Helene assures me. ¡°He¡¯s caged, but ise has no reason to torture him the way he¡­¡± ¡°The way he tortured my father?¡± | guess, finishing her thought when she cannot. ¡°Yes.¡± She agrees. ¡°I wish I could see them, even just for a few moments.¡± | confess, trying to concoct a n to get down to the dun geons unseen for the thousandth time, anding up short yet again. ¡°Is ise still promising you proof of life?¡± Helene in quires, wrapping her bony arm around my shoulders. ¡°Yes.¡± | utter nkly, ¡°If I¡¯m good.¡± Of course the problem with this guarantee is that the tyrant gets to decide what good means, and when he will make good on his word. Every time I ask he says the same thing: all in good time, pet. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about hypnotizing him to take me to see them, but I¡± m not strong enough. It takes all my energy just to keep his lust at bay.¡± I share. ¡°You just have to keep taking it one day at a time, and trust fate.¡± Helene instructs. ¡°That¡¯s a lot easier said than done.¡± | grumble. ¡°Fate led us here in the first ce. I can¡¯t just sit back and let my life fall to pieces around me.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t what I¡¯m suggesting and you know it.¡± Helene scolds, ¡°People make terrible mistakes when they second guess the Goddess¡¯s ns. It doesn¡¯t mean you give up or bee passive and just let the world toss you about, it just means that everything is meant to happen in it¡¯s own time.¡± ¡°And if the Goddess intends for me to lose my children?¡± || growl, ¡°what then?¡± ¡°Selene, you must remember that Vnas are the embod iment of the Goddess¡¯s power on earth, she would never sac rifice them.¡± Helene reminds me. ¡°You and L are thest sur viving members of her line. It¡¯s not my ce to assume I know her mind, but if I had to guess, you¡¯re here with ise for a reason. He¡¯s been hunting her children for far too long, and you have a chance to put a stop to all of that.¡± I take a step back, unused to hearing Helene speak so openly about her divinations. She¡¯s normally vague and infuri atingly cryptic, but she must think I¡¯m on the edge of giving up to speak so inly. However, the idea that this might all be in the Goddess¡¯s designs for the survival of my bloodline doesn¡¯tfort me one bit. ¡°I don¡¯t want to serve some high er purpose.¡± | snap, ¡°I just want my family to be whole and safe.¡± ¡°I know that, little mother.¡± Helene murmurs, ¡°but none of you will ever be safe as long as men like ise are hunting you. If you and your children survive, Vnas might not be an endangered species in another few centuries. You have to fight for their future.¡± ¡°Why did she even create us anyway?¡± | ask, ¡°I mean what good are we doing by being here? What use is giving a few women extra powers, especially when it makes them targets for monsters?¡± Helene studies me closely, and I can feel her worry as if it¡¯s my own. Even if she wasn¡¯t telegraphing the emotion to me, her continued presence here would be proof enough. Her vis its to my room are normally very brief ¨C it is no easy feat for her to bypass all the guards and secret police to reach me, and if she¡¯s caught all our ns could be at risk. However here she stands, making no indication of an imminent departure. I must really be going off the rails. ¡°I don¡¯t pretend to understand the Goddess¡¯s ways Selene, but I know that the less magic in the world, the worse off all people will be.¡± She exins thoughtfully. ¡°If I had to guess I¡¯d say she created Vnas to be stewards of her light, trusted guardians of the magic which keeps the world turning. Per haps if you had not been hunted so terribly men like ise would never havee into power, perhaps shifter societies would be more just. Or maybe not.¡± She shrugs, ¡°All we can say for sure is that she must have had her reasons, and that¡¯s good enough for me.¡± ¡°Well if she wants me to survive, then why did she do this, why did she allow hunters to be born in the first ce?¡± I hiss, feeling more and more angry at our beloved deity. ¡°What kind of god stands by and lets their creations suffer?¡± I have the feeling Helene desperately wants to roll her eyes, after all she¡¯s told me repeatedly she doesn¡¯t know the Goddess¡¯s mind, yet I cannot quell my outrage. I cannot con tain my fury with the entire world and everything in it. If suf fering to build character was the idea, have | not suffered enough? Have I not lost and sacrificed enough to reach this point? Why must | suffer more? Why must my innocent chil dren suffer? ¡°Selene, I know you¡¯re angry, and I don¡¯t me you.¡± He lene confides, ¡°And one day, I hope you find the answers to your questions. All I can tell you is that the way I see it, benev olent gods grant their creations free will, because otherwise we would all be prisoners. And these are the consequences ¨C these are the risks of allowing people to make their own way in the world.¡± ¡°So I have to fight ise to take back the freedom that should have been ours in the first ce?¡± I demand incredu Tously. ¡°I don¡¯t ept that. I don¡¯t want to fight ise, there has to be another way.¡± I speak the words as a cry of dissent, but theye out a plea. ¡°If you can find another way, I will dly follow you.¡± He lene vows, ¡°but I cannot see a path that does not lead to ise.¡± ¡°And you cannot be sure if I¡¯ll even seed if I face him?¡± I press softly. ¡°No.¡± She confirms. ¡°I cannot.¡± She moves forward to take my face between her wrinkled hands, ¡°But I¡¯ll tell you this much, Selene. If you don¡¯t face him, you will fail. There¡¯s no doubt about it.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 191 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 191 Chapter 191 ¨C Prison Break 3rd Person The rebels struck at dawn. Thousands of ck d bodies poured from the city¡¯s un derground before the sun had even risen, charging forward with homemade weapons and magic wielders at their sides. Some of the ouws shifted into their animal forms; wolves, bears and big cats nipping at the heels of those running on two feet, but others remained upright, wanting the freedom to carry knives, clubs and batons. The Calypso security forces werepletely unprepared for the assault, half of them falling where they stood, while the others ran to sound the rms, warn theirrades or simply escape. It was ise¡¯s greatest failing to be so cruel to those he trusted to defend his pack. When things were calm and individuals could be picked out for failing their duties, fear was more than sufficient to keep them in line. But amidst such chaos the sentries and guards held no loyalty for the tyrant, and had no interest in sacrificing their lives for his sake. They were wise to run; the uprising did not only have the element of surprise on its side, its proponents also had years of rage and the passion of their cause driving them forward. They struck down guards right and left, taking advantage of the surprised scattering of defenders and trying to do as much damage as possible before ise¡¯s entire army came down on them. The rebel leaders remained at the center of the pack, sending their followers out in every direction to confuse ise¡¯s sentry. If everything went as nned the tyrant wouldn¡¯t know their target until it was toote. He would think it was a run of the mill uprising intended to overthrow his court, not a highly strategic rescue mission for three prison ers. In truth they nned on freeing many more, but they doubtedN?velDrama.Org holds ? this. many were members of their fight. ise killed al most all of his opponents, unless they could be of use to him. Still, it was safe to say that most of the upants of his dun geons did not deserve to be there. Many of the ouws knew they would not live to see the sunset, and further understood that their lives would be lost in what was primarily a show of smoke and mirrors. Still they fought, driven forward by the hope that their sacrifice wouldy the foundations for the cause to seed some day in the future. Down in the dungeons, Bastien, James and Grayson heard the first signs ofmotion within minutes. The rebels sta tioned outside the sprawling prison breached the walls just as the guard was changing, and though the men had been fast asleep, ring rms and the distant crashes and screams of battle soon roused them. ¡°I think this is it.¡± Grayson dered, an uncharacteristic note of hope in his deep voice. ¡°We¡¯ll have a better chance of getting out of here if we can meet them halfway.¡± Bastien proposed, remembering what his fellow prisoners had told him about their prior es cape attempts. When they discussed picking the locks he learned that James had figured out the method after about five years of trying, but he¡¯d never been able to get beyond the two floors above them once free. There were simply too many guards, and too many subsequent barricades. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± James agreed, extending his ws into the heavy iron lock on his cell. Bastien and Grayson both attempted to unlock their own cages, but Jame¡¯s cell door swung open before either of them could seed. The elder man rushed through the dark dun geon, unlocking first Bastien, then Grayson¡¯s cells. When they emerged, Bastien was able to get his first good look at the other men. Grayson was probably ten years older than he himself, with dark hair and eyes. He suspected that under the right conditions the man would be built like a tank, but he was so malnourished that only the shadow of the wolf he once was remained. James¡¯ hair was streaked with gray. He was tall andnky, and when Bastien looked up into his handsome face, he could see shes of Selene. As one the three prisoners shifted, charging for the stairs with Bastien in the lead. As the most recent member of their little crew to be imprisoned, he had the most energy and would have been the strongest even if they¡¯d all been free. The first guards they reached were easy sport. Bastien dispatched them while James freed the prisoners on the level above their cell, adding to their ragtag pack one ouw at a time. One grisled, scarred shifter after another emerged from their cages, shifting into animal forms ranging from wolf to li on, and charging into the breach. On the third level above their cells, they reached the first true roadblock. The guards on this level had run upstairs to help defend the prison, taking their keys with them. The locked door barring this level was not the sort James could pick with his ws, and the men looked at each other with pensive expressions. Do we wait? One of the recent escapees inquired mentally. We can¡¯t afford to risk it. Grayson answered, standing be side a wolf with an injured paw. Well we can¡¯t break down iron bars. Bastien grimaced, anyone have any ideas? A hulking man stood at the back of the assembled shifters, still in human form. At first Bastien had assumed he simply wanted the use of his hands, but now as he moved closer he realized the man wasn¡¯t a shifter at all. ¡°Let me try.¡± The prisoner suggested, raising his hands. The faint tang of magic floated off of his skin, and the shifters watched with bated breath to see if he had the strength to call on his pow ers. The magic wielder gritted his teeth and thrust his hands towards the door lock, and the iron slowly began to glow. The man was clearly weak, with fresh bruises dotting his skin be neath his jumpsuit, but he eventually managed to send a powerful enough surge of magic outward with a heavy groan, and the door swung open. Cheering in their heads, the shifters stormed through the gate and continued up the winding stairs of the prison, their numbers growing with every level they passed. The farther they made it, the stronger their hope became. This, James and Grayson realized, is what they¡¯d been missing all these years. They needed an outside force to attack from above while they attacked from below, a distraction to pull all the guards away long enough to make their break and grow their numbers. Soon a small army was charging up through the dun geons with Bastien at the helm, and every step he took brought him one step closer to Selene. It was all he could do to stay back with the other prisoners rather than racing ahead, knowing he was stronger in a pack than on his own. They were on the 12th floor when they finally collided with the invading ouws, and to Bastien¡¯s surprise, Grayson tackled the huge wolf at the front of the rebel force and was soon rolling around with him like a pair of puppies. I take it that¡¯s Matthew? He asked James, unable to deci pher the over-excited wolves¡¯ yips and yful snarls. Looks that way. James confirmed wryly, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen Grayson smile before. It was mostly a joke, after all the men had rarely seen each other¡¯s faces and the shifter in question was currently in wolf form. Still, there was no denying the joy radiating off of the two wolves, and Bastien understood exactly what his father inw meant. Ever since arriving in the dungeons Grayson had been nothing but a cynical grump ¨C understandably so but a grump nheless, it was strange and wonderful to see him so lighthearted. They weren¡¯t the only ones. He was beginning to suspect that ise had been keeping more rebels alive than any of them suspected, because quite a few wolves were reuniting with their friends before him, and unfortunately stopping their escape in its tracks. As touching as this is, he called over themotion, we need to move! The wolf called Matthew straightened up, eyeing Bastien curiously. Are you Durand? I am. Bastien confirmed. Good. The other man nodded, is everyone here? Yes. Bastien dered, we¡®ve opened all the cells. Then let¡¯s go! Matthew ordered, sending the sea of shifters off at a run. The imprisoned blended with the free ouws, their brutalized bodies clearly identifying them, but their ferocity even stronger than that of theirrades. Bastien had been trying not to let himself get his hopes up ¨C despite his advice to his fellow inmates to stay opti mistic, deep down he¡¯d been feeling increasingly despondent as the weeks dragged on. However, watching the men around him racing towards freedom and destroying everything in their path, he not only felt more confident he¡¯d be able to res cue Selene, but even began to believe it was possible to un seat isepletely. Eight more floors passed by in a whir, already cleared by the rebels. Before long Bastien, James and Grayson were bursting out into the fresh morning air, the sun blinding their eyes, but the taste of freedom heavy on their tongues. There was nothing to stop them now. Guards and secret polic¨¦ lit tered the ground, and the entire escape had happened so quickly ise¡¯s army was still assembling. A horn rang out in the distance, and suddenly all the rebels were pouring back beneath the streets, returning to the safety of the underground before the backup forces could swarm their nks and steal their freedom once more. It was a retreat ¨C but a retreat necessary to fight another day. Bastien, James, and Grayson were free, and their next target would be ise¡¯s pce itself. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 192 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 192 Charta 192. -Lockdoen Selene I¡¯m woken by the sounds of ring rms, the sound so shrill and horrible | m a pillow over my face before I can stop to consider what the sound might mean. It¡¯s not until my bedroom door swings open and a young servant girl pokes her head in, that I lower the plush implement. She pulls me out of bed and helps me into a robe while my head spins. An rm. I think hopefully, that¡¯s bad for ise. And what¡¯s bad for ise can only be good for us. Luna answers slyly. N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± I ask the girl helping me. ¡°We¡®re going into lockdown, miss.¡± the young servant an swers, breaking the silence her station usually demands. ¡°What do you mean, lockdown?¡± | question, ¡°What¡¯s hap pened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never heard the rms go off before, but the Alpha¡¯s orders were unequivocal. The entire above ground is locking down, so it can¡¯t be a fire or flood.¡± She rea sons, her voice hoarse from lack of use. ¡°Did you speak to him yourself?¡± | ask, trying to figure out exactly what¡¯s going on. If it¡¯s just a lockdown and he doesn¡¯t know where I am, I might be able to get away. But if she was specifically sent to retrieve me, I probably can¡¯t escape with out endangering her. dure. I¡¯m taking you to one of the safe rooms.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± I cry, pulling her to a stop. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°ra.¡± The girl replies shyly. ¡°Do you want to stay here, ra?¡± I inquire, already imag ining making a break for the dungeons. If the city is on lock down all the guards will be called away to help, and I¡¯m always strongest first thing in the morning. This could be my chance to free myself, Bastien and my father at once. Helene¡¯s voice rings in my ears, urging me to be patient, but only a fool would ignore such an opportunity. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand.¡± ra murmurs in confusion. ¡°I mean, this city is a nightmare and I have to get out of here before it¡¯s toote.¡± I dere, ¡°I don¡¯t want to get you in trouble and I don¡¯t know what you might risk by running, but | want to give you the chance to escape with me ¨C if that¡¯s what you want.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to escape?¡± She repeats, stunned, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on right now, but I guarantee ise and his guards are more distracted than they¡¯ll ever be. So yes, I¡¯m going to try.¡± I exin. ¡°I ¨C I can¡¯t.¡± ra whimpers, ¡°I have a family here.¡± ¡°Then all I ask is that you give me a head start.¡± I beg, tak ing her by the shoulders. ¡°Do you know where the dungeons are?¡± ¡°In the East End, just past the park, but you can¡¯t go out there!¡± She insists, ¡°the city might be under attack.¡± ¡°Goddess I hope so.¡± I breathe, stripping off my robe and nightgown and pulling on a pair of maternity jeans, a ck top and ts. ¡°Please, promise me you won¡¯t tell them where l¡¯ ve gone. You never saw me.¡± | state firmly, forcing a bit of hypnotic power into my words. ra¡¯s body goes sort of limp, her jaw ckens, and she repeats, ¡°I never saw you.¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± I praise, dashing out of the room. If we were in Elysium I might have been able to use one of the many secret passageways lining the Pack House for emer gencies, but ise hasn¡¯t trusted me enough to tell me about any such precautions in his mansion, so I dart down the halls, hugging the walls and praying I don¡¯t encounter any sentries. The first few corridors are clear, and I have to think that they¡¯ve all gone to handle whatever disaster spurred the rms. I¡¯m trying to be as quiet as possible, but I¡¯m also painfully aware that my scent is leaving a trail behind me and anyone seeking to find me will be able to follow it with little difficulty. I have to move fast, even if it means risking expos ing my powers. I haven¡¯t been able to explore the mansion as much as I¡¯d like to, but I know the southern wing has multiple exits, and I have to assume that most of ise¡¯s security force have gone to the guard house beside the front courtyard. I have to pause at every other corner I reach, waiting for neat rows of march ing sentries to pass by before I continue on. Something seri ous is definitely going down for ise¡¯s security forces to be mobilizing this way, and I can only pray this is something to do with the rebels. I weave myself into the shadows as I run, concealing my presence in the dim light of early morning and blinding the few guards I do encounter. The rising sun blinds me when I fi nally break out into the fresh air, feeling a rush of exhration to think I¡¯m finally out of the Alpha¡¯s pce. It almost feels too easy, but I can¡¯t stop to overthink it now ¨C I have to move.¡¯ The first block past the mansion is littered with fallen shifters, and I realize my hopes must be correct. Someone is attacking the Calypso leadership, and I doubt it¡¯s another pack. I feel a brief moment of hesitation as I worry I might be mistaken for one of ise¡¯s devoted followers and make my self a target, but I don¡¯t have time to waste. I run towards the park for all I¡¯m worth, feeling my heart race as my excitement grows. I¡¯m only two blocks away when something or someone huge grabs me from behind, lifting my feet off the ground as I yelp in surprise. Struggling to escape the man holding me, I kick and w and his beefy arms, so preupied with getting away that I¡¯m not even paying attention to my surroundings. ¡°Ahem.¡± I jerk my head up at the sound of someone clear ing their throat, my eyes going wide as¡¯l see a line of guards circling myself and my captor. There at their center, is ise, watching me with the sort of twisted hunger he always gets when hees to my rooms at night. My heart falls into my stomach, plummeting so quickly! feel sure I¡¯m going to be sick. No. I think desperately, no, no, no. He can¡¯t win that easily. But clearly he can. ¡°Nice try, Selene.¡± ise smirks cruelly, ¡°you really came very close. You should be proud.¡± Thrashing against the guards holding me, I can only snarl, ¡°screw you!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± He sighs, feigning regret, ¡°you do know that your track record of good behavior just went out the window.¡± ¡°What does that matter!¡± I hiss, ¡°You haven¡¯t given me any proof that Bastien is alright. How do I know you haven¡¯t killed him and are just lying to keep me in line?¡± | bluff, knowing full well that my husband is alive because of Helene¡¯s spying. ¡°You don¡¯t.¡± ise deres, tracing the silver bracelet on my wrist. ¡°And unfortunately for you, you¡¯re not going to.¡± He chuckles, clearly thinking he doesn¡¯t need to keep his word now that I¡¯m powerless. ¡°You just have to trust me.¡± ¡°I will never trust you, and unless you give me proof of life, I will never stop fighting you.¡± I threaten. ¡°Oh yes you will.¡± ise counters fiercely. ¡°You¡¯ll behave because if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll kill your mate. You aren¡¯t entitled to proof of life or anything else.¡± He argues, tapping the bracelets again, ¡°you belong to me, and if you care about Bastien, you¡¯ll obey.¡± ise pulls my body close to his, his hands an iron cage around my arms even as I writhe to escape him. ¡°He¡¯s not the only card I¡¯ve got hidden up my sleeve, pet. I can get rid of him to punish you, and stillmand your cooperation.¡± I know he¡¯s referring to my father, but I¡¯m not supposed to know he¡¯s alive. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to force my hand and find out.¡± ise promises, pushing me into his guard¡¯s rough hands. ¡°Take her back to her rooms, and lock her in.¡± I snarl and fight the entire way back, forcing them to drag me kicking and screaming. ise might be a monster, but I don¡¯t believe he¡¯ll kill Bastien as long as I¡¯m his prisoner. He¡¯s not stupid, and only an idiot would throw out a winning hand. He knows as long as he has Bastien, I¡¯m stuck in his Pce, no matter how unhappy or rebellious I may behave. When my bedroom door ms behind me, I turn on my heel and repeatedly bang my fists into the wood, yelling ob scenities at the guards striding away down the hall. I hate to admit it, but ise won this hand. He still has Bastien, I¡¯m still his ve¡­ and we¡¯re running out of time. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 193 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 193 Charta 19.3 -Lockdoen Selene I¡¯m woken by the sounds of ring rms, the sound so shrill and horrible | m a pillow over my face before I can stop to consider what the sound might mean. It¡¯s not until my bedroom door swings open and a young servant girl pokes her head in, that I lower the plush implement. She pulls me out of bed and helps me into a robe while my head spins. An rm. I think hopefully, that¡¯s bad for ise. And what¡¯s bad for ise can only be good for us. Luna answers slyly. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± I ask the girl helping me. ¡°We¡®re going into lockdown, miss.¡± the young servant an swers, breaking the silence her station usually demands. ¡°What do you mean, lockdown?¡± | question, ¡°What¡¯s hap pened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never heard the rms go off before, but the Alpha¡¯s orders were unequivocal. The entire above ground is locking down, so it can¡¯t be a fire or flood.¡± She rea sons, her voice hoarse from lack of use. ¡°Did you speak to him yourself?¡± | ask, trying to figure out exactly what¡¯s going on. If it¡¯s just a lockdown and he doesn¡¯t know where I am, I might be able to get away. But if she was specifically sent to retrieve me, I probably can¡¯t escape with out endangering her. dure. I¡¯m taking you to one of the safe rooms.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°Wait!¡± I cry, pulling her to a stop. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°ra.¡± The girl replies shyly. ¡°Do you want to stay here, ra?¡± I inquire, already imag ining making a break for the dungeons. If the city is on lock down all the guards will be called away to help, and I¡¯m always strongest first thing in the morning. This could be my chance to free myself, Bastien and my father at once. Helene¡¯s voice rings in my ears, urging me to be patient, but only a fool would ignore such an opportunity. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand.¡± ra murmurs in confusion. ¡°I mean, this city is a nightmare and I have to get out of here before it¡¯s toote.¡± I dere, ¡°I don¡¯t want to get you in trouble and I don¡¯t know what you might risk by running, but | want to give you the chance to escape with me ¨C if that¡¯s what you want.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to escape?¡± She repeats, stunned, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on right now, but I guarantee ise and his guards are more distracted than they¡¯ll ever be. So yes, I¡¯m going to try.¡± I exin. ¡°I ¨C I can¡¯t.¡± ra whimpers, ¡°I have a family here.¡± ¡°Then all I ask is that you give me a head start.¡± I beg, tak ing her by the shoulders. ¡°Do you know where the dungeons are?¡± ¡°In the East End, just past the park, but you can¡¯t go out there!¡± She insists, ¡°the city might be under attack.¡± ¡°Goddess I hope so.¡± I breathe, stripping off my robe and nightgown and pulling on a pair of maternity jeans, a ck top and ts. ¡°Please, promise me you won¡¯t tell them where l¡¯ ve gone. You never saw me.¡± | state firmly, forcing a bit of hypnotic power into my words. ra¡¯s body goes sort of limp, her jaw ckens, and she repeats, ¡°I never saw you.¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± I praise, dashing out of the room. If we were in Elysium I might have been able to use one of the many secret passageways lining the Pack House for emer gencies, but ise hasn¡¯t trusted me enough to tell me about any such precautions in his mansion, so I dart down the halls, hugging the walls and praying I don¡¯t encounter any sentries. The first few corridors are clear, and I have to think that they¡¯ve all gone to handle whatever disaster spurred the rms. I¡¯m trying to be as quiet as possible, but I¡¯m also painfully aware that my scent is leaving a trail behind me and anyone seeking to find me will be able to follow it with little difficulty. I have to move fast, even if it means risking expos ing my powers. I haven¡¯t been able to explore the mansion as much as I¡¯d like to, but I know the southern wing has multiple exits, and I have to assume that most of ise¡¯s security force have gone to the guard house beside the front courtyard. I have to pause at every other corner I reach, waiting for neat rows of march ing sentries to pass by before I continue on. Something seri ous is definitely going down for ise¡¯s security forces to be mobilizing this way, and I can only pray this is something to do with the rebels. I weave myself into the shadows as I run, concealing my presence in the dim light of early morning and blinding the few guards I do encounter. The rising sun blinds me when I fi nally break out into the fresh air, feeling a rush of exhration to think I¡¯m finally out of the Alpha¡¯s pce. It almost feels too easy, but I can¡¯t stop to overthink it now ¨C I have to move.¡¯ The first block past the mansion is littered with fallen shifters, and I realize my hopes must be correct. Someone is attacking the Calypso leadership, and I doubt it¡¯s another pack. I feel a brief moment of hesitation as I worry I might be mistaken for one of ise¡¯s devoted followers and make my self a target, but I don¡¯t have time to waste. I run towards the park for all I¡¯m worth, feeling my heart race as my excitement grows. I¡¯m only two blocks away when something or someone huge grabs me from behind, lifting my feet off the ground as I yelp in surprise. Struggling to escape the man holding me, I kick and w and his beefy arms, so preupied with getting away that I¡¯m not even paying attention to my surroundings. ¡°Ahem.¡± I jerk my head up at the sound of someone clear ing their throat, my eyes going wide as¡¯l see a line of guards circling myself and my captor. There at their center, is ise, watching me with the sort of twisted hunger he always gets when hees to my rooms at night. My heart falls into my stomach, plummeting so quickly! feel sure I¡¯m going to be sick. No. I think desperately, no, no, no. He can¡¯t win that easily. But clearly he can. ¡°Nice try, Selene.¡± ise smirks cruelly, ¡°you really came very close. You should be proud.¡± Thrashing against the guards holding me, I can only snarl, ¡°screw you!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± He sighs, feigning regret, ¡°you do know that your track record of good behavior just went out the window.¡± ¡°What does that matter!¡± I hiss, ¡°You haven¡¯t given me any proof that Bastien is alright. How do I know you haven¡¯t killed him and are just lying to keep me in line?¡± | bluff, knowing full well that my husband is alive because of Helene¡¯s spying. ¡°You don¡¯t.¡± ise deres, tracing the silver bracelet on my wrist. ¡°And unfortunately for you, you¡¯re not going to.¡± He chuckles, clearly thinking he doesn¡¯t need to keep his word now that I¡¯m powerless. ¡°You just have to trust me.¡± ¡°I will never trust you, and unless you give me proof of life, I will never stop fighting you.¡± I threaten. ¡°Oh yes you will.¡± ise counters fiercely. ¡°You¡¯ll behave because if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll kill your mate. You aren¡¯t entitled to proof of life or anything else.¡± He argues, tapping the bracelets again, ¡°you belong to me, and if you care about Bastien, you¡¯ll obey.¡± ise pulls my body close to his, his hands an iron cage around my arms even as I writhe to escape him. ¡°He¡¯s not the only card I¡¯ve got hidden up my sleeve, pet. I can get rid of him to punish you, and stillmand your cooperation.¡± I know he¡¯s referring to my father, but I¡¯m not supposed to know he¡¯s alive. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to force my hand and find out.¡± ise promises, pushing me into his guard¡¯s rough hands. ¡°Take her back to her rooms, and lock her in.¡± I snarl and fight the entire way back, forcing them to drag me kicking and screaming. ise might be a monster, but I don¡¯t believe he¡¯ll kill Bastien as long as I¡¯m his prisoner. He¡¯s not stupid, and only an idiot would throw out a winning hand. He knows as long as he has Bastien, I¡¯m stuck in his Pce, no matter how unhappy or rebellious I may behave. When my bedroom door ms behind me, I turn on my heel and repeatedly bang my fists into the wood, yelling ob scenities at the guards striding away down the hall. I hate to admit it, but ise won this hand. He still has Bastien, I¡¯m still his ve¡­ and we¡¯re running out of time. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 194 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 194 Chapter 194-0 DIT Selene ¡°Why are we still in lockdown?¡± | demand, ring at ise. ¡°I thought you said the danger had passed.¡± ¡°It has passed, my beauty, I¡¯m merely being cautious.¡± He insists, reaching up to drag his knuckles over my cheek. ¡°It¡¯s an annoyance to be sure, but one we¡¯ll get through.¡± ¡°This is what happens when you abuse your people.¡± | grumble, ¡°if you don¡¯t want to be annoyed maybe you should respect their rights.¡± ¡°Rights.¡± He scoffs, ¡°more like a city full of spoiled children moring for attention and making unreasonable demands.¡± ¡°I want to go back to my rooms.¡± I announce, overflowing with disgust for the horrible man. ¡°You can¡¯t do that yet.¡± He informs me brusquely. ¡°Why, what¡¯s going to happen?¡± I ask: ¡°You know I normally don¡¯t mind your sass, but I don¡¯t have the patience for it today.¡± He gripes, turning away from me. ¡°Wait!¡± | exim, sping onto his arm as a rush of inspi ration strikes me. We¡®re in his safe room surrounded by guards, but a man as paranoid as ise made sure his emer gency refuge wasrge andfortable, so our audience is safely out of hearing distance. Forcibly settling my zing temper, I adopt the meditative calm I¡¯ve learned to embody to capture the Alpha¡¯s mind, and stare deep into his eyes. ¡°Please, tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± | beg sweetly, pulling at his tongue with hypnotic force. His tense muscles rx, and he speaks in a dull droning voice. ¡°There was a prison break.¡± He utters emotionlessly. ¡°The rebels freed everyone from my dungeons.¡± It takes all my willpower to stay in my calm trance, be cause my heart is immediately trying to leap out of my chest. ¡°Do you still have Bastien?¡± | whisper anxiously. ¡°No.¡± ise announces in the same stoic tone, ¡°that¡¯s why we¡¯re here. He¡¯ll being for you.¡± My mind is racing a hundred miles a minute. I can¡¯t be lieve it, I went back with ise when Bastien was already free. If I¡¯d fought him in the park like I wanted to, this could all have been over by now. ¡°Won¡¯t you please let me go back to my rooms.¡± I plea, stroking his arm, ¡°the babies are making me tired and I need a nap.¡± ¡°Go back to your rooms,¡± he repeats dully, ¡°I¡¯ll tell the guards.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I breathe, fully intending to run right out the front door rather than going back to my suite. ¡°Let her go.¡± ise orders the man blocking the door. ¡°Take her back to her rooms.¡± ¡°But Alpha, you said -¡± ¡°Are you questioning me?¡± ise roars, not needing any encouragement from me to lose his temper. I don¡¯t doubt un der other circumstances that the guard would never have dared to push back against the Alpha, but ise had been so adamant about me staying on lock down that the man must have forgotten himself. The door swings open immediately, and the guard escorts me from the secure safe room. He¡¯s silent as we retreat down the hallway, and I hold onto ise¡¯s mind as long as I can; but I haven¡¯t learned to use this particr power at a distance yet. It works beautifully as long as I¡¯m looking into his eyes, but unless I alter his memory it wears off rather quickly once we part. In hindsight I should have made him believe that the danger was passed, but my trick was so spontaneous that | didn¡¯t think of it in the moment. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . The guard and I have reached the floor below the safe room when ise¡¯s sentriese racing after us, charging down the stairs with fangs bared and ws extended as I make my escape. I can hear ise¡¯s bellowing voice above, and my heart plummets into my stomach as I realize my shortsightedness might have just cost me my powers. ¡°Se lene!¡± He thunders, drawing closer with every second that passes. He appears at the top of the stairs above me, breathing heavily. ¡°What have you donel¡± He demands, eying my silver cuffs with suspicion. ¡°Grab her!¡± Feeling that I have nothing left to lose, I send out an ener gy burst towards the guard who¡¯d been escorting me, knock ing him to the ground before he can every a hand on me, ¡°Clever beauty.¡± ise smirks, eyeing me hungrily, ¡®what else have you been up to while I thought your hands were tied?¡± The sentries are closing in on me, and I¡¯m preparing to I¡¯m having a hard time keeping track of all the guards, re alizing with horror that a number have circled around behind me while I was distracted. I send out more energy pulses, but there are too many of them, and I can¡¯t call the shadows with out also blinding myself to my exit routes. Just then a familiar voice sounds at my back. ¡°Selene!¡± Whirling around, I gape as my wide eyesnd on Frederic. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± | cry, edging toward him as ise draws nearer. ¡°I came to save you.¡±. He exins in a tone saying this should be obvious. ¡°Where are the others?¡± | question, not trusting the wolf on his own. ¡°They¡¯re fighting on the lower levels.¡± He shares, ring past me at ise, ¡°the game is up old man.¡± ise glowers, ¡°And just who are you?¡± ¡°Frederic Durand.¡± Bastien¡¯s cousin exins, ¡°And I¡¯m not letting you take Selene.¡± ¨C ¡°It¡¯s not up to you.¡± The Calypso Alpha deres. ¡°She¡¯s mine and so are her pups, now if you care for your life you¡¯ll leave us before it¡¯s toote.¡± ¡°Selene,¡±Frederic grits out, ¡°you need to run.¡± ¡°What?¡± I cry, feeling the room begin to spin around us. ¡°Run.¡± Frederic repeats. ¡°Helene and Bastien are just two floors down.¡± His wolf is right at the surface, his eyes glowing and mus cles rippling. ¡°What about you?¡± I ask anxiously, watching the way his jaw ticks with tension. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± He instructs sternly, ¡°just go.¡± Suddenly I realize what he intends. There¡¯s no way Freder ic can take on ise alone, let along ise and two dozen guards. ¡°Frederic, he¡¯ll kill you.¡± | insist. ¡°Listen to her boy.¡± ise smirks, ¡°she might be a defiant, impossible little thing, but she¡¯s got twice your brains.¡± ¡°Selene, I can¡¯t get you out of here, but I can buy you some time.¡± Frederic whispers urgently. ¡°Let me do this for you ¨C before it¡¯s toote.¡± ¡°But -¡± | object, not knowing why I feel so distraught by the idea of losing someone who tried to destroy everything! care about ¡°Go!¡± Hemands fiercely, raising his voice until I flinch. I turn tail and take off down the corridor without another words, my pulse racing in my veins as I hear ise shout, ¡°Af ter her!¡± The sounds of feral snarls and shing wolves fill the air, and I move as quickly as I can in my condition, cradling my swollen belly as I veer down the spiral staircases. I can hear whimpers and crashing, and when I nce over my shoulder l¡¯ m surprised and pleased to see Frederic holding his own against ise¡¯s men. Guards litter the ground around his huge gray wolf, and for a few moments I actually think he might be able to seed. However almost as soon as I think the damning words, two guards close in on Frederic from be hind while his attention is diverted. The Calypso wolves rip Frederic off his target, and he crashes into the wall with a sickening crack. Before he has time to get to his feet the sentries lunge for his exposed belly. It all happens very fast. There are only a few seconds of ago nized howls before Frederic¡¯s voice goes silent, reced by thick gurgles of blood in his throat. I can see the moment the life leaves his eyes, and my stomach flips violently with pain and nausea. I never wanted anyone to die for me, not even Frederic. Still, I don¡¯t have any time to stop and process the horrify ing scene, because in the next moments ise¡¯s sentries are after me, and I have no choice but to run. I make it down another flight of stairs before fleeing down the hall, repeating Frederic¡¯s words over and over in my mind. They¡¯re on this floor, they¡¯re on this floor. Wolves on my heels, I round the corner and almost crash headfirst into Helene. She¡¯s with a tall wolf I don¡¯t recognize, who¡¯s ears cock towards the sounds of my pursuers. The man shifts in a sh while I throw my arms around Helene. ¡°God dess, I¡¯m d to see you!¡± I exim. ¡°You too, little mother.¡± She greets me warmly. ¡°Where¡¯d Frederic?¡± I can only shake my head, the sounds of more fighting ex ploding behind us. Helene purses her lips and nods, ¡°I feared as much. He was determined to make amends for his past crimes.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t what I wanted.¡± | gasp, ¡°not like that.¡± ¡°I know darling.¡± Helene assures me, rubbing my arms infort. Scanning the hall behind her, I try to catch sight or scent of my mate. ¡°Where¡¯s Bastien?¡± | ask, immediately on edge when I don¡¯t find him. Helene¡¯s frown deepens. ¡°He can¡¯t let ise go free, Se lene.¡± ¡°What?¡± | choke, ¡°You mean¡­?¡± | can¡¯t bring myself to speak the terrible words. ¡°Yes.¡± She confirms bleakly. ¡°He¡¯s gone to finish this ¨C once and for all.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 195 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 195 Chepler 195. Battle Looking around in a panic, I demand, ¡°where? Where has he gone?¡± ¡°His orders were for me to get you out, Selene.¡± Helene in forms me, not sounding as if she¡¯s particrly interested in actually following them. ¡°Then again, you are a headstrong young woman, and I¡¯m just an old woman. It would be only too easy for you to overpower me and go after them.¡± ¡°Them?¡± I repeat, ¡°he¡¯s not alone?¡± ¡°No.¡± A deep voice sounds behind me, the man who had been standing with Helene before going to dispatch the guards. ¡°His with the rebel leaders, Matthew and Grayson.¡± Turning around, I study the strange man closely. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ ve never seen him before, but he seems oddly familiar. He¡¯s got to be close to sixty years old, with gray streaked hair and the gaunt form of a man who¡¯s known true deprivation. My wolf is already wondering if he might be my father, but the look on his face confirms it. He¡¯s looking at me as if he¡¯s see ing a ghost, his eyes shining with unshed tears. ¡°Hello Selene.¡± He greets me warmly. ¡°Are you¡­?¡± | stammer, too afraid to speak the words in case they aren¡¯t true. ¡°You look just like your mother.¡± He tells me thickly. ¡°I nev er dreamed I¡¯d actually get to meet you.¡± ¡°Selene, this is James.¡± Helene interjects, making introduc tions when she realizes we¡¯re both too emotional to get the words out. ¡°Your father.¡± I¡¯m already so emotional between escaping, seeing Fred eric die and finding out Bastien has gone to face ise, that I instantly burst into tears. ¡°I thought you were dead.¡± I tell him, hesitantly reaching towards him. He pulls me into his arms without a second thought, and I can feel his bones protruding terribly. ¡°You¡¯ve been ise¡¯s prisoner all this time?¡± I ask through my tears. He nods, hold ing me so gingerly I wonder if he thinks I¡¯ll break. Squeezing him more tightly, I encourage him not to be shy, unable to truly processing that I¡¯m hugging my father for the first time in my life. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I sniffle, ¡°Mom didn¡¯t know, I¡¯m sure of it.¡± ¡°I know little one.¡± He tells me. ¡°The truth is I¡¯d do it all over again for you two, though it did break my heart to hear what happened to you after she passed.¡± ¡°Nevermind that. When this is all over you cane home with us to Elysium. You can meet your granddaughter, and see the life Mom built for us.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± He agrees, ¡°but first we have to deal with ise.¡± ¡°Helene, where are they?¡± | ask, pulling away from my fa ther for the first time. ¡°The throne room.¡± My mentor answers simply, ¡°They lured him there after the rms went off, he might have been distracted by you running, but I suspect he¡¯s found them by now.¡± Swiping away my tears, I nod. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Bastien We¡¯re surrounded. The n worked perfectly, drawing ise to his ridicu Tously overdone throne room while the other rebels stormed the pce, and Helene, Frederic and James went to help Se lene. l¡¯m not sure yet if they were sessful, but I know the best way I can help my mate is to kill ise, no matter where she is now. ¡°Well, well, what have we here?¡± ise drawls, strolling into the great hall as if he doesn¡¯t have a care in the world. I¡¯m sure from his perspective he feels perfectly safe. His guards are lining the walls on all sides, outnumbering us twenty to one. ¡°Did you mutts not get enough time in my dungeon?¡± He asked, looking between Grayson and I, then eyeing Matthew curiously. ¡°And you must be Matthew Crenshaw. I¡¯ve been looking for you for quite some time.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°This ends now, ise.¡± Grayson deres, setting his shoulders. ¡°Your time in control is over.¡± ¡°And I suppose you think you¡¯re going to take my position from me?¡± ise scoffs, ¡°You ¨C starved, scrawny, beaten.¡± ¡°We have an army full of challengers, ise.¡± Matthew an nounces, ¡°even if you manage to defeat the three of us, even you have to get exhausted after a while. We¡¯ll throw chal lengers at you until you¡¯re defeated.¡± ¡°And I suppose you expect me to simply ept? To fight you when my security forces could easily take you down with a snap of my fingers?¡± ise taunts us, gesturing to all the guards around us. ¡°You could ¨C but only a coward would do such a thing. A true Alpha would defend his title in single combat ¨C the way it¡¯ s always been done.¡± I argue. As he survey¡®s our motley crew, his eyes linger on me. ¡°I¡¯m no fool, Durand. These two might not have the mettle to take me, but after what I¡¯ve been doing with your mate thesest few weeks, I imagine you have enough rage to do some real damage.¡± I try to cool my temper. Helene exined to me that Se lene had been hypnotizing ise when he came to her room at night, but that doesn¡¯t change what he would have done if she hadn¡¯t had her powers, or the fear and pain he¡¯d put her through during her captivity. ¡°I¡¯m not such an easy mark.¡± I inform the wretched Alpha. ¡°I may be angry, but you won¡¯t distract me from killing you.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t feel too badly,¡± He continues, as if I never spoke a word, ¡°in a few months when your brats are born they¡¯ Il join you in the afterlife almost immediately, you won¡¯t have to be alone on the other side for long.¡± Despite my promises not to get distracted, his words pull my attentionpletely ¨C just not for the reason he intended. ¡°Brats.¡± I repeat dazedly, ¡°plural?¡± ¡°Bastien,¡± Matthew grits out in warning, ¡°don¡¯t let him get to you.¡± ¡°Oh that¡¯s right.¡± ise smirks, ¡°you don¡¯t know. You should have heard the way your poor little mate cried when she found out she was having twins, you should have seen how sweetly she begged me to let your son live after I kill your daughter.¡± His words slowly sink into my overwhelmed brain. Twins. A boy and a girl, and he was going to kill them both. I¡¯m not sure if he intended to rile me up so much that I¡¯ll lose control, but all he really managed to do is give me more motivation than ever to wipe him off the face of the earth. Let me out! Axel demands, ravenous for ise¡¯s blood, let me kill him. Not yet. I refuse, knowing we have to bide our time. ¡°How is this supposed to work anyway?¡± ise interro gates, clearly trying to stall, to divide our alliance. ¡°Who is go ing to lead if you can actually pull this off. Durand is a foreign er and Grayson has been in a dark cell for a decade, but both are stronger than you, Crenshaw. You should be the rightful leader, but you know the pack will never ept you with these two roaming about.¡± ¡°Shut up, ise.¡± Grayson orders, ¡°our partnership is based on a hell of a lot more than shared goals. We¡®re not go ing to turn on each other, so you might as welle face us now and get it over with.¡± ¡°Have it your way.¡± ise sneers, gesturing to his guards, ¡°Take them.¡± ¡°You fucking fraud!¡± Matthew explodes, ¡°you¡¯re really go ing to let them fight your battle for you?¡± ¡°You¡¯d better believe it.¡± ise deres, settling in his throne as if he¡¯s getting ready to take in a movie, rather than watch a fight to the death. ¡°I haven¡¯t held on to my power this long by taking needless risks. Besides, I¡¯m betting you¡¯re only going to be interested in fighting for a little while longer.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± I hiss. ¡°Because your mate got away from me a little while ago, and if I know her, she¡¯s not going to simply stand by and let you sacrifice yourself to protect her.¡± He proimed confi dently. A kernel of unease lodges in my stomach at his words. I ordered Selene¡¯s rescue team to get her out of the city with or without me, but what if she got away before they reached her? What if Helene and James break their word? ise is right ¨C Selene wille if she has the choice, the only thing that can stop her is my teams¡¯mitment to the n. Then, as if she heard her name and came running, I smell Selene¡¯s sweet scent and hear soft footsteps approaching on the other side of the closed door. No! I think desperately, No, no no! Tell me she isn¡¯t. The doors bang open behind us, and by the time I turn to look, there¡¯s already a line of ise¡¯s guards circling behind Selene, James and Helene, blocking their exit. Laying eyes on my mate for the first time in weeks is like a balm to my soul, I want to run to her and drink in every detail, but right now my outrage is stronger, ¡°What the hell are you doing ¨C get out of here!¡± To my great indignation, Selene digs in her little heels and tilts her chin up in defiance. ¡°No.¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 196 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 196 Chapter 196I immediately take a step towards Selene, but isezily waves his hand and a line of sentries crosses the floor be tween us, forming a human barricade between myself and my mate. Now Selene, Helene and James arepletely encir cled by guards, but my beautiful little wolf looks as deter mined as ever. If I so chose, I could barrel through the shifters dividing us with little issue, but I¡®m sure that¡®s exactly what ise wants. He wants to distract me, he wants to use Selene against me. Unable to help myself, my eyes drop to my mate¡®s belly. She¡®s put on at least five pounds since I saw herst, and her dress is now ballooned outward by a healthy baby bump. Twins, I think again, in awe of how much my wife has been through thesest few weeks, and amazed by the miracle she¡® s embodying. When our eyes meet, I can see her determination so clear ly it¡®s staggering. Nothing I say now is going to convince her to leave, even if it means she¡®s in for the spanking of a lifetime when this is all over ¨C which I can say with good authority, she ¡°What? No Reunion?¡± ise jeers, ¡°or are you too disgust ed knowing she¡®s been sucking my cock every night to go near her?¡± Selene rolls her eyes. I know because I¡®m still watching her, trusting Matthew and Grayson to warn me if ise or his men make a move. ¡°You idiot.¡± She snipes, raising her voice so the Alpha will hear her at the other end of the hall. ¡°I haven¡®tid a hand on you.¡± ¡°Selene, don¡®t.¡± I warn, I don¡®t want her giving up her ?e crets in case this all goes wrong. ¡°You don¡®t get to rewrite history just because your mate is here now, my pet.¡± ise croons, still talking to her in that same besotted voice he used the first time he saw her, despite how crude he is about her when speaking to me. ¡°It¡®s okay, Bastien.¡± Selene assures me, my name like mu sic on her lips, ¡°We¡®re going to get through this.¡± ¡°I¡®d like to see you try.¡± ise counters coolly. Toote I realize that Selene was willing to spill the beans about her hypnosis, because she and Helene are about to show their true colors anyway. Both women raise their hands to conjure their magic, and I finally understand their n. They might be able to keep the guards at bay long enough to let Matthew, Grayson and I defeat ise, assuming his own spellcaster doesn¡®te along to thwart them again. ¡°Tsk, tsk tsk.¡± ise scolds, ncing at one of the sen tries on his left, ¡°Go get higgins.¡± I can¡®t say for sure, but if I had to guess ise has just sent for his own witch, which means we have act now. ¡°Se lene?¡± I call over my shoulder. ¡°I¡®m not leaving, Bastien.¡± She tells me stubbornly. ¡°I know, baby.¡± I assure her, ¡°just do your worst.¡± ¡°dly.¡± I can hear the smile in her voice, and momentster I see a thick ck fog encroaching around us, blinding all the guards against the walls and leaving only the dozen men directly in front of ise in full view. I¡®m not sure what magic Helene might be wielding since Selene¡®s has surround ed us in darkness, but when Matthew, Grayson and I step for ward, the guards still visible don¡®t move an inch. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ise demands of his men. ¡°Kill them!¡± The three of us rush forward, lunging for the stationary guards and ripping their bodies off the floor one by one. We throw them aside as if they weigh nothing, and then the three of us are bearing down on ise, who finally rises to his feet. ¡°Fine,¡± He grumbles, finally seeming to see the sense of one on one combat now that he¡®s outnumbered, ¡°We¡®ll do this the old¨Cfashioned way. So who¡®s first?¡± ¡°Why should we give you that honor when you offered us no such thing?¡± Grayson growls fiercely. Looking at something over our shoulders, ise¡®s face splits into a terrible grin. ¡°Because the odds just turned against you. For a long time I never got the chance to see Helene¡®s magic. She was so focused on training me that every time I asked about her own powers, she simply scolded me for tak ing my mind off our mission. It wasn¡®t until we came to tar tarus that she finally showed me what she was capable of ¨C beyond knowing the unknowable that is. Together we actually make quite the pair, I can blind men while she can paralyze them, and I can¡®t think of a better use of ourbined talents in this moment. I know Bastien can defeat ise if he¡®s able to actually get near him. The trick is making the Calypso Alpha y fair. I¡®ve been training myself not to get my hopes up these past few weeks, but when we first unleash ourbined powers on the shifters in the room, I can¡®t help but feel a surge of excitement. This can work, we can do this! I think, pouring all my belief into my mate. I should have known better. I should have learned my les son after a lifetime of crushed dreams. When ise first called for his spellcaster | was simply eager to get a second chance against the man, but as soon as he arrives the tide turns against us. The men Helene froze in ce simultaneous ly broke out of their spell, and my veil of shadows begins to swirl as he sends gusts of wind through the room. All at once the three wolves stalking ise on his throne¡®s raised dais are forced to fall back and fight the army closing in on them, shifting into their wolf forms and fearlessly facing down their attackers. ise¡®s sentries are relentless, one man after another charging the trio of rebels. ¡°Where are the others?¡± | ask Helene and my father anx iously, ¡°I thought you said there were more rebels.¡± ¡°They¡®re attempting to seize the pce so that even if we fail here, ise won¡®t be able to hold onto his power.¡± My fa ther exins in between incapacitating guards. ¡°We need help.¡± | state nervously, ¡°there are too many of them.¡± ¡°Have faith, little mother.¡± Helene tells me, repeating the same words which have tormented me throughout my impris onment. ¡°Faith can¡®t win wars.¡± | mutter, watching as Bastien¡®s huge ck wolf rips the shifter surging around him limb from limb with brutal efficiency. Looking beyond them, I see ise standing before his throne, looking down on the chaos with a triumphant glint in his eyes. Suddenly I remember Helene¡®s words when I was first learning to harness the shadows, about the fears utter dark ness brings out in all of us, and the many skeletons ise has in his closet. Redirecting my obsidian fog for the Calypso Al pha, I swirl the ck mist around ise, blocking out all his surroundings. Helene is busy trying to counter his spellcaster, but my own vindictive fury eggs me on, pulling ghosts and monsters straight out of ise¡®s nightmares and manifesting them in the ck veil surrounding him. I can hear his cruelughter fade to a nervous grunt, and then his howl pulls all the atten tion in the room. Bathed in shadows, the Calypso Alpha is quickly fraying at the edges, his worst fears and darkest secrets pummeling him in a relentless assault. I can feel his spellcaster¡®s eyes on me, contemting some way to stop me, but I think the man is afraid of harming me and infuriating ise. N?velDrama.Org content. That¡®s right. I think maliciously. You just stand there and watch while your master unravels. All of my attention is focused on maintaining the shadows around ise, and I can almost see his iling limbs through the imprable fog. Helene and James are urging me on, but their voices sound distant to my ears. I¡®m so intent on tor turing the horrible man, that I don¡®t notice the scene around my shift, until Helene tumbles to the ground at my feet. Her cheeknds on my foot, and my concentration breaks as I look down at her in shock. Toote I realize ise¡®s sor cerer must have found a loophole to attacking me ¨C by at tacking my mentor. I have no idea what he¡®s done, but one thing is painfully clear as I stare down at Helene. Her eyes are wide and vacant, her chest has ceased mov ing with her breath, and she¡®s so still I might think she was paralyzed ¨C were it not for the fact that her heart has ceased beating. Horror fills me as reality sets in, and I realize I was so distracted and consumed by my desire to punish ise, that Helene was attacked mere inches away, and I didn¡®t even no tice. After a hundred and fifty years of surviving no matter what, my wonderful mentor has been vanquished ¨C and by a tyrant¡®s crony no less. Helene is dead ¨C and it¡®s all my fault. Helene always said I would be herst student. I didn¡®t re alize she was speaking so literally when she said it though. I wonder if she knew from the very beginning, from the first day we met, that I would be the end of her. My dazed mind struggles toe to terms with the fact that two people have died for me in under half an hour, and even though I feel so stunned I think I must be dreaming, guilt is already washing over me in a tidal wave of shame and re gret. Dropping to my knees, I roll Helene onto her back, shak ing her gently and calling her name even though I know she can¡®t hear me, ¡°Helene!¡± | cry, ¡°Helene, get up!¡± My father is bending over me, hisrge, warm hands on my shoulders. ¡°She¡®s gone Selene.¡± He murmurs, ¡°She¡®s gone, you can¡®t help her now.¡± ¡°No!¡± I insist tearfully, ¡°she¡®s lived forever, she¡®s got more power in her little finger than I do in my whole body, she has to be faking, this has to be some kind of spell.¡± ¡°Sweetheart, you have to focus.¡± My father coaches, ¡°ise still lives and your mate still fights. It¡®s over for Helene but it doesn¡®t have to be over for you.¡± Little by little his words seep into my brain, and I¡®m finally able to look up at the scene around me. Bastien, Grayson and Matthew are still fighting tooth and nail, but ise and his spellcaster are standing side by side, looking only too pleased with themselves. ¡°This is what defiance gets you, my beauty.¡± ise informs me. ¡°Now be a good girl ande to me be fore anyone else gets hurt.¡° Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 197 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 197 Chapter 197 nI thought I knew what anger was, I¡®ve certainly felt pure rage on any number of asions in the past, but this is some thing else. This is a righteous fury unlike anything I¡®ve ever known, even towards Garrick after so long in captivity. I¡®ve wanted to escape men before, I¡®ve even wanted revenge, but I¡®ve never wanted to kill ¨C I¡®ve never felt the cold blooded de sire to snuff out another human life the way I do now. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Rising to my feet with an eerie sense of calm, I move past Helene¡®s body andsh out my power, feeling it flow out of me more powerfully than ever before. Over the months we trained together, Helene always taught me to tap into my deeper feelings in order to bring up my magic, but it¡®s never been so effortless as it is now. I don¡®t even need to think about it, I simply want to destroy. For the first time my shadows and the white light | nor mally draw from the moonbine, traveling throughout the room like a bolt of vengeful lightening, and downing men left and right. It doesn¡®t kill them, I¡®m not even sure if it knocks them out, but it certainly stuns them. I do it a second time, sending pure electricity racing towards every guard I can see, and relishing the sight of them falling where they stand. Thave no idea what this power is or how I essed it, it¡®s hard to even look at ¨C the shadows and zing moonlight tangling together like glowing onyx. Bastien, Matthew and Grayson were still fighting, busy taking down all the shifters | couldn¡®t risk targeting without hitting them too. I¡®m not even sure if they realize Helene is gone, but I know once they¡®ve fin ished dispatching their victims, there¡®s still one man standing between them and ise. I¡®ve been able to feel ise¡®s spellcaster poking at my magic from afar since I first tapped into this new well of pow er, and the more guards that fall, the more aggressive he¡®s bee. He looks absolutely petrified, holding up an invisible forcefield around himself and ise while he tries to figure out my magic. Unfortunately for him, he needs to understand it in order to stop it, but I don¡®t need to understand it in order to use it. With great pleasure, Iunch my magic towards his magi cal shield, astonished when I¡®m able to see the actual air cur rents vibrating around his hands as my power erodes his own. He groans with the effort of resisting me, but his shield crum ples little by little, until there¡®s nothing left between him and my zing magic. It zaps him just as easily as it zapped the rest, and I¡®m just about to turn the force onto ise when my knees go weak and my head begins to spin. Using so much power with so little restraint has sapped my strength almostpletely, and my father catches me when I begin to topple over. Luckily for us, I managed to elim inate most of the barriers dividing Bastien from ise. Crashing through thest guards standing as if they¡®re fleshy bowling pins, Bastien closes in on ise, who looks as though he¡®s seriously regretting letting me live. The Calypso Alpha is breathing very heavily, though he¡®s done nothing to break a sweat thus far. ¡°Fine.¡± He hisses gruffly, ¡°I guess it¡®s down to you and me, Durand.¡± The words are barely out of his mouth when Bastien at tacks, his energy seeming unwavered despite how hard he¡®s been fighting since this all began. I suspect he¡®s experiencing the same sort of adrenaline fueled outrage I am, and though he doesn¡®t show his exhaustion, I fear he might be in the same situation I was, where I didn¡®t feel it until it was toote. Gathering thest remnants of my energy, I shoo away the shadows and focus on drawing the pure white light of the goddess¡®s power and channel it towards my mate. It isn¡®t much, but I have to hope it might help restore his strength, if only just a little. I can¡®t tell if it does any good, because Bastien doesn¡®t pause when it hits him. He moves with the lethal grace of an apex predator, making the other Alpha look stiff and clumsy inparison. They smash into each other with a deafening roar, and all that¡®s left for those of us left standing to do, is watch. Bastien and ise roll around on the marble floor in a tangle of fur, teeth and ws, vicious snarls and growls ema nating from their snapping maws as they battle. For one terri fying moment, I see ise¡®s sharp fangse dangerously close to ripping into Bastien¡®s vulnerable underbelly, but my mate jerks away just in time. It¡®s almost impossible to keep up with their frenzied movements, and my heart is in my throat the entire time. I say a series of silent prayers to the Goddess as they tum ble and whirl, yelping and roaring every time one of themnds a hit. Bastien isrger than ise, but I¡®m afraid the Ca lypso Alpha has some tricks up his sleeve. They¡®re thrashing bodies crash onto the dais where ise¡® s throne sits, knocking the ornate chair over onto its side and forcing a yelp from Bastien¡®s mouth as his bodynds on top of the seat¡®s sharp edges. He uses his paws to push off of thevish furnishing, veering towards ise with his fangs bared, a ferocious growl reverberating from deep in his chest. Wolves around the room shiver at the sound, his power so palpable that even ise stumbles in the face of it. That mo mentarypse was all Bastien needed, taking advantage of the other man¡®s shock and using the opportunity to sink his razor sharp canines into ise¡®s throat. In the end it all happens very fast. So fast I can scarcely believe it¡®s real. After years of running scared and living in hiding, the monster from all my worst nightmares is struck down in a matter of seconds. It seems wrong somehow, as if it¡®s too anticlimactic to truly be the end of our epic journey. But that¡®s the way life is sometimes. One moment you¡®re full of vitality and vigor, adrenaline pumping and feeling as alive as you ever will, and the next it¡®s all over. After everything that ise has done, I¡®m actually d that he meets his end this way, with my mate¡®s powerful jaws around his neck, struck with a mundane end like any other wolf. He doesn¡®t deserve a noble death, or one that¡®s notewor thy in the grand scheme of things. He deserves as unremark able and callous an end as all the shifter¡®s whose lives he stole over the years. And he gets it. One moment his glowing eyes are boring into me from all the way across the room, and the next the light winks out of them as Bastien snaps his neck clean in two. My wrathful mate can¡®t stop himself from giving ise¡®s corpse an animal istic shake as the tyrant hangs limply from his mouth, and then he drops him like a ton of bricks. ise falls to the ground before his toppled throne ¨C dead as a doornail. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 198 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 198 Chapter 198As long as I live, I¡®ll never forget the sight of Bastien killing ise, or the strange sense of relief to watch another being¡®s life snuff out so brutally. Under any other circumstances | might be horrified, but now there is only the eerie sensation of all my fear evaporating at once. It almost happens too fast, ricocheting me back and forth between such extremes of emotion that my brain needs to shut down in order to cope I actually ck out for a few moments, the world going as dark as my shadows as I try to process what has just hap pened. Luckily I¡®m not alone. My father is by my side anchor ing me to reality, and before long my mate is there too. Of course I didn¡®t see it happen; one moment Bastien was shaking ise like a ragdoll, the next he¡®s in front of me. He¡®s back in human form, bloody, bruised and naked as the day he was born. I can barely comprehend that it¡®s over, that the dan ger has really passed. Still, my wolf is rejoicing as Bastien takes my face in his powerful, blood¨Cstained hands, ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asks me urgently, looking me over from head to toe. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Trun my palms over the torn skin of his chest, not yet con vinced this is real. ¡°Selene, talk to me.¡± Bastien begs, ncing at Helene¡®s fallen body. Staring up at his rugged features, I feel my limbs begin to tremble. ¡°Am I dreaming?¡± The tension seeps out of Bastien like air from a punctured balloon, and the next thing I know I¡®m wrapped up in his warmth. ¡°No little wolf. You¡®re not dreaming.¡± He murmurs against my skin, trailing tender kisses over my hair as he strokes and pets me in soothing patterns. ¡°It¡®s over. It¡®s all over.¡± ¡°Helene,¡± | manage to sob, fisting my hands against his back, ¡°And Frederic¡­¡± ¡°I know, baby.¡± He croons, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Behind us, I can hear ise¡®s former guards muttering, all the while Grayson and Matthew limp over to us. ¡°You must be Selene.¡± Grayson says by way of greeting. I start to pull back to greet him, but Bastien won¡®t let me go. He keeps his arms locked around me tightly, so I simply turn my head towards the Calypso wolves and nod hello. ¡°That¡®s right.¡± | confirm. ¡°Thank you so much for helping us.¡± ¡°If anyone is owed thanks, it¡®s your mate.¡± Matthew an swers, patting Bastien on the back, ¡°He saved an entire city today.¡± ¡°Not on my own.¡± Bastien corrects them, and the city is far from safe. You two have your work cut out for you.¡± ncing around, I notice all of the guards who¡®d been fighting the trio of rebels a few minutes ago, are now bowing their heads with their nails tucked between their legs, clearly showing their respect for the new leaders. Grayson and Matthew scan their ranks, ¡°You sure you don¡®t want to stick around to help?¡± Grayson questions, ¡°we could use some of that brute strength of yours.¡± ¡°Once you get healthy again you¡®ll have brute strength of your own.¡± Bastien chuckles. ¡°What happens now?¡± My father asks, looking back and forth between his former cellmates. Someone answers him, but I don¡®t actually hear the response, I¡®m too amazed by the thought that just went through my head: My father. My father is alive and standing next to me. Unable to help myself, I reach for James, pulling him into my hug with Bastien. He seems uncertain at first, but Bastien wees him easily, ¡°she¡®s a cuddler.¡± He exins, positively purring. Jamesughs and cushions my back for a few long mo ments before pulling away. The men go on talking about all the things that have to happen now, all the steps to transition the government, but I¡®m not hearing any of it, I¡®m simply float ing in Bastien¡®s arms. I feel as though I¡®m on cloud nine, finally able to rx for the first time since he stepped out the door in Elysium. Bastien¡®s hands are surreptitiously traveling over my body, as if he doesn¡®t trust that I¡®m actually okay and needs to feel for himself. As if the pups growing in my belly sense their father¡®s presence, a tiny foot kicks the wall of my uterus, right on the other side of my mate¡®s hand. Bastien jolts, looking down at me in surprise and awe, ¡°Was that?¡± ¡°The babies are d you¡®re okay.¡± I tell him tearfully, even though I¡®m anxious to do an inspection of my own. Bastien looks as if he¡®s been dragged through a meat grinder, and while I understand that we¡®ve just created a storm of chaos and can¡®t simply walk away from it, I want nothing more than to be along with my mate to make sure he¡®s actually un harmed. By the way he¡®s continuing to paw me, I know he feels the same. ¡°Babies,¡± Bastien repeats hoarsely. ¡°We¡®re really having twins? I thought maybe ise was toying with me.¡± ¡°We¡®re really having twins.¡± | confirm, offering him a wa tery smile. The next thing I know Bastien has lifted my feet off the ground and is spinning me through the air, apparently forget ting how delicate my stomach is in his excitement. ¡°Woah, woah, woah!¡± | protect, gripping his muscr biceps, ¡°you¡®re going to make me sick.¡± He immediately puts me down, brushing the hair from my eyes. ¡°I¡®m sorry, I¡®m just so happy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been too scared to really think about it,¡± I admit, pressing a steadying hand to my dizzy brain, ¡°I wasn¡®t sure I¡®d actually get to meet them.¡± ¡°I¡®m so sorry.¡± Bastien professes, pulling me close again, ¡°T m so so sorry I put you in this situation.¡± ¡°You didn¡®t.¡± | assure him, noticing our audience inching away out of the corner of my eyes. Clearly they can sense things are getting personal and have to good sense to slip away before things get too intimate. ¡°I came after you, I sur rendered to ise.¡± ¡°Oh I remember.¡± Bastien tells me ominously, sending a shiver down my spine. ¡°Are you mad?¡± I squeak, peeking up at him from beneath myshes. ¡°More than you know.¡± He informs me darkly, even as he ducks his head to nuzzle the curve of my neck, ¡°but that¡®s for another time. Right now I just want to be with my beautiful mate, and know that everything is finally going to be okay.¡± ¡°Do you really believe that?¡± | ask anxiously, not in defi ance, but needing to hear him tell me that we really are safe, ¡°is it really over?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bastien promises, kissing my neck, ¡°you and I are going to have to get used to the idea that danger isn¡®t hiding around every corner, as crazy as that seems.¡± ¡°I love you so much.¡± I tell him, turning my face up to his and silently begging for a kiss. He doesn¡®t make me wait, his mouth ims mine without hesitation, nting over mine while his tongue teases the seam of my lips, then delving deep when¡®l open for him. I whimper as he devours me, feel ing my body light up like a firecracker just being close to Bastien again. ¡°I love you too.¡± He tells me when we part. ¡°More than anything.¡± As happy as I would be to continue basking in Bastien¡®s embrace, I¡®m impatient to leave. I need to be alone with my mate. I can¡®t stand the smell of ise¡®s blood on him, and I need to make sure his injuries aren¡®t worse than they look. Be sides, Luna is going wild in my head, beyond eager toe together with our mate and reaffirm our vitality. I¡®m about to ask if we can leave ¨C despite the fact that I have no idea where we¡®re supposed to go ¨C when footsteps sound in the distance. Not the footsteps of a few curious courtiersing to see what¡®s happened, but the synchro nous thud of hundreds of heavy boots. I immediately stiffen, but Bastien assuages my worries as if he¡®s reading my mind. ¡°It¡®s okay. It¡®s the rebels.¡± The doors all around the throne room m open a few minutester, and one by one the members of the rebel army march into the destroyed throne room. Matthew and Grayson wee them as liberators of the city, and though it doesn¡®t seem clear which one of them is going to be taking over as Al pha, their first orders to their troops are in perfect agreement. When Bastien, my father and I stride out of ise¡®s pce a little whileter, it¡®s to the sight of thousands of shifters emerging from the underground. They pour from their sub terranean prison like so many ants, squinting in the bright mid¨Cafternoon light and shielding their eyes from the sun. Though most are confused and many seem afraid this is all some borate trick, the rebel army continues to usher the huddled masses into the light. Whatever else may happen in tartarus, one thing is clear ¨C ise¡®s legacy will die with him, and the people of the Calypso pack are free at longst. Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 199 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Reunita Part 2 Bastien When I set out on this journey, I never nned on being gone for so long. I thought I¡¯d travel for a few weeks, deal with ise as best I could, and return home before Selene started showing. Maybe it was naivete on my part, but there¡¯s no denying things did not go as expected. Now, as I lie in bed a full twelve hours after the entire world as we knew it imploded, I¡¯m merely grateful that we sur vived. Selene is bundled safely in my arms, and our pups are growing safely in her womb. I still don¡¯t know how we man aged to make it through thest few days unscathed ¨C physi cally at least. I know the losses of Helene and Frederic are al ready weighing on my mate, and she hasn¡¯t even begun to process their sacrifices. But we have plenty of time for that in the days toe. In fact ¨C we have all the time in the world. We¡¯re both eager to get home to L as soon as possible, not to mention that I¡¯m dreading the mess I¡¯ll be returning to in Elysium, but for now there isn¡¯t a single force on the that could move me from our hotel bed. Except of course, for a certain insatiable little mate who¡¯s round behind is currently rubbing against my hard cock as she pretends to squirm in her sleep. ¡°I know you¡¯re awake, little wolf.¡± | inform her indulgently, rubbing my palm over the gentle swell of her belly, Adorably, Selene pretends to stir and stretch, feigning waking up despite my words. She rolls onto her back and parts hershes, looking up at me with those stunning two toned eyes and making my blood heat up to a thousand de grees. ¡°Good morning.¡± She greets me with a mischievous smile. ¡°Do you think that you¡¯re going to get yourself out of the doghouse by being adorable?¡± | ask, capturing her lips and preventing her from answering until I¡¯ve had my fill of her saucy mouth. ¡°Is it working?¡± She inquires slyly when I pull away a few momentster. ¡°Well it¡¯s certainly distracting me.¡± | tease, kissing her again. Selene and I have a lot to talk about in the weeks toe, not the least of which are all the broken promises and risks she took toe after me. Make no mistake, I¡¯m touched and grateful beyond belief that she did ¨C but I also can¡¯t stop seeing her in ise¡¯s grip, or imagining how much worsethings might have turned out if we weren¡¯t so unbeliev ably lucky. Still, neither of us is ready to have those difficult conver sations anytime soon. We¡¯re both too content to bask in the warm glow of our triumph, and too eager to reaffirm our bond. ¡°You know I almost forgot about this part of the second trimester,¡± Selene confesses, arching her back into my hand as I run my thumb across her taut nipple. ¡°You have no idea how hard it was when I was carrying L ¨C to be so worked up all the time but not have you around to¡­ relieve the ache.¡± Chuckling, I lower my mouth to her breast, still exposed from our lovemakingst night. ¡°And I suppose you¡¯re feeling twice as needy this time around?¡± I guess. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Selene grins, ¡°I definitely won¡¯t be able to focus on anything else for a couple of months at least.¡± ; Sliding my hand between her legs, I find her soaking wet. ¡°I don¡¯t know, as ¡°worked up¡± as you¡¯re feeling, I think we might need to be careful with these twins. I wouldn¡¯t want to risk too much excitement.¡± ¡°Oh no.¡± Selene replies earnestly, eyes wide as she shakes her head. ¡°Excitement is a very good thing ¨C very healthy for me and the babies.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± | question skeptically,zily petting her swollen core. ¡°I think maybe I should ask your doctor.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll agree that I¡¯m not made of ss and treating me likem is a bad idea.¡± Selene insists, grinning up at me. ¡°Well in that case, you should be more than able to with stand the spanking you¡¯ve got headed your way for all your naughty behavior.¡± | state nonchntly, dipping my fingers into her tight sheathe. ¡°What?¡± Selene exims, pushing herself up onto her el bows. ¡°No, that¡¯s too much excitement.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t have it both ways, baby.¡± Iugh, sitting up and moving between her legs. ¡°Besides, I think someone¡¯s forget ting just how needy you get afterwards.¡± Selene whines and squirms, rocking her hips towards my thrusting fingers and moaning when my thumb finds the swollen bud at the apex of her thighs. ¡°But we¡¯ve only just re united.¡± Sheins. ¡°I know,¡± | answer, sinking down until my mouth is mere inches from her sweet arousal, ¡°which is why I¡¯m talking about some day in the future, not today.¡± | exin, flicking my tonque out to taste her. Selene moans and arches, tangling her fingers in my hair as if she¡¯s afraid I might pull my head away after so small a taste. ¡°The distant future, right?¡± She prods, gasping when I suck her clit into my mouth. ¡°More like the not so distant future.¡± | amend, teasing her entrance with two fingers, ¡°now, do you want to keep talking about this, or do you want me to make you feel good?¡± ¡°Feel good.¡± She sighs instantly, dropping her head back as purr against her slick mound, sending vibrations through her most intimate flesh. I make a home between her legs, teasing and tormenting her delectable sex with my mouth and fingers, relishing the taste of my sweet mate and wondering how I ever survived so long without this. I can tell how long its been when I slide my fingers into her clenching channel, the thick digits stretching her tight inner muscles despite the fact that I alreadyvished her with attentionst night. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Before long Selene is panting and rocking her hips into my mouth, and despite my ns to draw this out, I can¡¯t bear to make her wait when she¡¯s giving herself to me soplete ly. Curling my fingers inside of her and finding the rough patch of skin bound to make her see stars, I rub it until she ex plodes around me, crying out and gripping my hair so tightly my scalp is sore. Rising up to kneel between her legs, I press the blunt head of my cock to her entrance. ¡°Think you can handle some more?¡± I ask her, already knowing what her answer will be. ¡°If you don¡¯t I¡¯ll cry.¡± Selene tells me, pouting and lifting her hips in invitation. Sliding into her weing heat, I can¡¯t contain the growl that builds in my chest, and as much as I urge Axel to be gen tle, being away from my mate this long has definitely taken its toll. Selene whimpers as I thrust home, wrapping her long legs around my waist as I find a handhold on the cradle of her hips, and nudge that special spot inside her. ¡°Hold on, baby, I don¡¯t think I can take it easy this time.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Selene answers, her wolf glowing in her eyes. ¡°I need you to im me Bastien. I need you to make me forget we were ever apart. I need to feel you so deep inside me that I Il never get you back out.¡± Swearing under my breath, I pull almost all the way out of her before thrusting back in to the hilt, mming home with enough force to make her cry out. She whimpers as I begin to move, setting a grueling pace and letting my inner predator take overpletely. Selene¡¯s swollen belly keeps me from covering her pletely, but I find I can¡¯t get enough of watching her writhe beneath me, impaled on my hard cock and desperate for more. Her small hands fist in the sheets around us, and I find my eyes lingering on my mark as I im her body, my mouth already watering as I anticipate the moment I¡¯ll sink my teeth into her tender flesh. Much sooner than I expected, Selene ising again, contracting and milking my hard member, and eviscerating my resolve. Flipping her over onto her hands and knees, I pound into her silky heat until I feel myself nearing my own peak, then drag her shoulders up until her back is flush to my chest, and the luscious curve of her neck is beneath my lips. My fangs are already extended, and as my climax crashes over me | sink them into my well worn scars of my mark, re iming her as my own. Withdrawing my fangs as we bothe back down to earth, I continue tove her skin, the fa miliar tang of her blood coating my tongue in the best way. ¡°How was that?¡± | ask, leaving her neck long enough to steal another kiss from her lips, ¡°Too rough?¡± ¡°It was perfect.¡± Selene beams, nuzzling her face into my neck. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d say these words ¨C but everything it perfect.¡± ¡°Almost.¡± | correct her gently. ¡°We still have to retrieve our pup before everything is perfect.¡± She nods in agreement, ¡°Then what are we waiting for?¡± Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 200 Pregnant And Rejected By My Alpha Mate By Caroline Above Chapter 200 Pregnant and Rejected by My Alpha Mate Chapter 200 Honooming Selene ¡°Why do you have that look on your face?¡± I ask Bastien, suspiciously eyeing his tense expression as he guides our car through the winding mountain roads. My father is in the back seat napping, and another vehicle follows behind us, transporting Helene and Frederic¡¯s coffins. It¡¯s both grim andforting to be returning home under such circumstances, and I know Bastien is feeling as conflict ed as I am about feeling so happy when our journey cost us so much. Still, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what¡¯s bothering him ¨C but something clearly is. ¡°Are you worried about how the pack is going to receive you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Bastien sighs, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°Then what?¡± | press, wanting tofort him the same way he¡¯sforted me over thest few days. After the initial tion about surviving wore off, a thousand distraught feel ings closed in around me, threatening to pull me under. Nightmares about ise, guilt about Helene and Frederic, sorrow about their losses and anxiety about the babies ¨C my pregnancy hormones didn¡¯t help, but Bastien was there for everyst unpleasant and unwee feeling I faced. At first I think Bastien is going to ignore my question, but eventually he sneaks a nce my way out of the corner of his eye. ¡°It¡¯s L.¡± He finally admits. Of all the potential exnations, this is thest one I was expecting. ¡°What about L?¡± ¡°It¡¯s stupid.¡± Bastien says, attempting to brush off his wor ries. ¡°Come on, just tell me.¡± I encourage. ¡°There are no stupid worries when ites to being a parent.¡± Again it takes what seems like an age for Bastien to find his words, but gradually he opens up, ¡°She only knew me for a few months before I left.¡± He says softly. ¡°What if¡­ what if she doesn¡¯t remember me, or want me back?¡± ¡°Bastien, she¡¯s been asking for you every day.¡± | share, ¡°She was doing it before I left and Drake says the only thing that changed after is that now she¡¯s been asking for both of us.¡± For a second, Bastien looks relieved but then his face falls, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t that make me feel better?¡± He questions solemnly. ¡°Because having a pup is like taking your heart outside of your body.¡± I reason, unable to stop my lips from quirking up ward as I continue. ¡°And instilling it in a tiny illogical munchkin with the power to light up your entire world while also driving you slowly insane. We both want her to miss us, but feel guilty that she was hurting while we were away.¡± I exin, ¡°I feel the same way.¡± ¡°And we¡¯re about to have two more.¡± Bastien murmurs, downsizing mildly terrified to feel three times the stress, anxi ety, pressure and pure depth of love he feels now. ¡°I know.¡± | agree, not needing him to say anymore to un derstand what he¡¯s thinking, ¡°and if you thought L was re luctant to ept the idea of one baby, wait until we tell her there¡¯s going to be two.¡± | joke, although the more I think about it, it¡¯s really not a joke. Bastienughs, ¡°Goddess, I can¡¯t wait to see her.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to meet her.¡± My father adds. ¡°She¡¯s going to love you, Dad.¡± | tell him with a grin, half smiling because it¡¯s true, and half because I simply can¡¯t help myself every time I say that word. Twenty five years and I fi nally get to call someone Dad. Just one more thing that doesn¡¯t quite seem real. ¡°How much farther do we have to go?¡± He asks, clearly antsy being confined in such a small space for so long, so soon after escaping prison. ¡°About an hour.¡± I tell him. ¡°Drake and Sophie brought L to Elysium to meet us, so that we wouldn¡¯t have to go all the way to the west coast after already driving so far.¡± ¡°Have your betas told you what to expect?¡± James asks Bastien, ¡°from the sounds of it things were pretty contentious when Selene left.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve been trying to smooth things over with the back in anticipation of our return, but I think we¡¯re in for a difficult few months.¡± Bastien shares, ncing at my belly again. Reaching for his big paw, I give it a squeeze. ¡°We¡¯ll be okay.¡± I promise, ¡°after what we just went through we can handle anything ¨C even two babies in the middle of a revolu tion.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even joke about that.¡± Bastien scolds. ¡°You and I are done with excitement, little wolf. From here on out it¡¯s only wedded bliss, rambunctious pups and non death-defying adventures.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± | smile, giving his hand another squeeze, ¡°besides there¡¯s no better adventure than raising a family.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Bastien nods in agreement.A little whileter we cross over the high mountain ridges into the Nova pack territory, and shortly after that the cityes into view. The closer we draw the more excited I bee, practically bouncing up and down in my seat, I¡¯m so ea ger to see my precious pup. We pull up to the pack house just before sunset, and within moments our family both real and adoptive come pouring out the front door. Odette, Aiden, Donovan, Drake, and Sophie alle racing out to greet us, and as thrilled as I am to see them, there¡¯s only one person I really care about in this moment. Stepping out of the car, we¡¯re enveloped in an endless stream of warm hugs, but I¡¯m already looking around for my pup, wondering why she¡¯s not with any of the others. Drake has only just told us she¡¯s napping, when I hear her small voice in the distance, ¡°Mommy! Daddy!¡± Bastien and I both rush inside to meet L as shees flying down the stairs, both warning her to be careful despite the fact that we both want her in our arms as soon as possi ble. I¡¯m crying by the time she flies into my arms, and for once, I know it¡¯s not the pregnancy. ¡°L bean!¡± Bastien¡¯s armse around us both as we cling to each other in the middle of the stairwell, and I realize I¡¯m not the only one crying. L is sobbing into my neck, and Bastien¡¯s eyes are shining with tears as he rains kisses down on us both. ¡°Mommy, you were gone for so long!¡± L wails, ¡°and Daddy you promised you¡¯d be home ages ago!¡± ¡°I know little one,¡± Bastien tells her huskily, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°Why¡¯d you leave me?¡± She cries, bncing between our bodies, one arm around my neck, and one around his. ¡°We didn¡¯t want to, angel.¡± I assure her, ¡°I¡¯m so so sorry.¡± ¡°I promise we¡¯ll never leave you again.¡± Bastien vows, stroking her long, dark hair. It takes a while for us to all calm down, tending our over wrought emotions with lots of snuggles and reassurances. My heart both aches and overflows with joy to be reunited with my baby, even when she tells me how fat I am. About an hour after we arrive, L finally settles, nodding off between us on the couch. Of course, before she actually goes under, she re members to ask a very important question. ¡°Did you bring me a pwesent?¡± L murmurs sleepily. Bastien and Iugh, and I can¡¯t resist tickling her tiny feet, despite the fact that she¡¯d been nearing sleep. ¡°As a matter of fact, we did.¡± I share, earning myself a baffled look from my mate. ¡°Really?¡± L inquires groggily, ¡°What is it? Can I has it now?¡± Beaming at my father over L¡¯s head, I encourage him toe forward. ¡°Actually, we brought you a grandfather.¡± L sits up, suddenly very awake and cocking her head to the side, ¡°really?¡± She questions curiously. ¡°Really.¡± I reply, flipping her around so she can see James. ¡°What do you think?¡± L mbers off of ourps, toddling across the rug to stand in front of my father. She looks up at him with wide eyes, and I fear I¡¯m going to start crying all over again when I see the way James is looking at her, as if she¡¯s the most beau tiful thing he¡¯s ever seen. ¡°Hello L.¡± He greets her gently. My pup studies my father closely for a long moment, be fore nodding and looking over her shoulder at us. ¡°I keep him.¡± L deres firmly, turning back to smile shyly up at James, ¡°You¡¯re mine now.¡± As I watch my fatherughs and pulls my pup into his arms, I lean into Bastien¡¯s familiar warmth, trying to stay present in this incredible moment even as my mind whirls through the past. I truly can¡¯t believe how far we¡®vee, and as difficult as our path was, I can¡¯t regret a moment of it. After all, if things had happened differently, we might have never reached this ce. Our family is whole atst, and that is worth every hard day, every trial and tribtion. I¡¯m safe for the first time in my life. My daughter is safe, and when her brother and sister arrive, they¡¯ll never have to fight for their freedom. Bastien and I took our sweet time finding our way back together, but now we¡¯re stronger than ever. Nothing and no one can ever keep us apart. ¡°What are you grinning about?¡± Bastien asks me, pulling me from my thoughts. ¡°Nothing.¡± | answer, leaning over to kiss him softly. ¡°I¡¯m just happy.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Bastien remarks, returning my kiss with one of his own. ¡°You should get used to it. You¡¯ve got a lifetime of happy ahead of you.¡± Beaming, I fall into the bottomless pools of his silver eyes, feeling truly at home. ¡°I know.¡± The End. Thank you my dear readers for reading this story. I¡¯ll ap preciate it if you explore my other stories as well. Please fol low my fanpage and join my fb group Caroline Above Story if you wanna chat and keep updated on my writing schedule. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Yours, Caroline The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!