Pregnant And Rejected

Chapter 3 Mate

Selene’s POV

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 is complete here, and comforting after the overwhelming assault of lights and sounds in the city.

I climb into the branches of a large 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 plans 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 moment later I succumb, and the world goes black.

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 explain 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.

minutes, but it takes me a moment to realize she is in the trees. Unease flickers in the back of

fir. A pair of two-toned eyes glitter at me

it took. Mine. The instinct to shift came hard and fast, pulling at my muscles as

of my will to

to the surface

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, the latter provokes a rage unlike

word to myself as I looked up at

Selene’s POV

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

had been excuse enough to torment me. My mother

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 how complex the ancient pathways were until I was

found me. At the time he was a young teenager, but he never seemed

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

carried me to safety all those years ago, and here he stands again, gazing up at me in my

so was Garrick. He showered me with love for ten years before showing his true

Bastien’s deep voice sends a shiver down 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

full and soft against a backdrop of sharp lines and angles, form a hard line. “I can’t do that.’

explanation that will send him away. “I scraped myself climbing up here, that’s

eyes, he knows I’m lying, “And why