Chapter 7 – Agreement

Ella

“This baby is mine.” I tell him possessively. “You can’t just tell me you’re magic and expect me to take that as proof you’re the father.”

“My senses don’t lie, little human.” Sinclair declares, leaving no room for argument. “Nor do my investigators. You’re not in any position to care for this child. Your income is too low to pay off your debts in time, and no woman who claims to be responsible would ever get pregnant in such a situation.”

“My income?” I force the words out through clenched teeth, “what income? You got me fired!”

The big man… or wolf, I suppose, blinks in surprise. “You were fired?”

“Now who’s playing dumb?” I demand wryly. “You called the Graves after I asked you to help Cora, you got me fired and ruined my reputation.”

“I did no such thing.” He insists. “I didn’t even know you were no longer employed.”

“I thought your investigators were the best?” I taunt, and I can feel myself toeing the line of his temper.

“Clearly this was very recent.” He bites back. “And I don’t blame you for becoming desperate, but you have to admit the only explanation for this,” He gestures to my tummy, “is that you needed money and hoped to extort it from me in exchange for the child.”

“I wanted this child more than anything in the world!” I exclaim, surging to my feet. “I’ve been trying to get pregnant for years and when I came to Cora I didn’t know about the identity theft or that I was going to lose my job. This was my last chance and you have no idea how hard it’s been… how painful it is to think I might have to abort it because of everything that’s happened since.” I didn’t mean to tell him so much, but the words poured out of me before I could stop them. I’ve been so preoccupied with these thoughts the last few days I clearly couldn’t keep them contained.

his feet in a blur, suddenly towering over me despite the fact that I’m

I can’t afford to have a baby so I was trying to do

and Cora knows that. I’m sure that’s what she was thinking when she suggested using my

if this child is yours, it was an accident! Cora didn’t switch the samples on purpose and I didn’t get pregnant because I

narrows his eyes at me. “You’re a very good actress, you know

be surprised if you have scales when you shift

you a lot of lenience right now because you don’t

pups are so I know you’re not going to hurt me.” To my horror, I feel my eyes burning with tears. Swiping at them angrily, I continue, “and I’ve already lost everything else

me cry. I don’t know what to do – I know how suspicious our situation looks. If I didn’t know better, I would think the same thing he did. It was all too suspicious, especially now that I know the truth about Cora’s lab. It couldn’t be easy to mix up samples of different species… wait a minute. The little voice in the back of my head whispers, and I turn back

She wouldn’t have believed it would work even if we were as calculating as you seem to think. And if all I wanted was to extort your money, why haven’t I asked

he sighs, scrubbing a hand

him warily, “what

your price, Ella.” He mutters, pinching the bridge

I sputter, “You want me to

and it will be raised by me.” He insists. “You don’t belong in my world. So how much is it

my baby, like it’s a bag of rice or a car! Nor do I want it raised by someone who thinks of it as nothing more than a commodity!” I’m raising my voice now, feeling beyond offended for the tiny being in my

grumbles, “do you

this child now, but I’m not going to hand it over to someone who doesn’t give a da mn about it beyond what it can offer them.” I state ferociously, my

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