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.

in the trees. Unease flickers in the back of my mind. How afraid does a

huddled among the dense branches of a towering silver fir. A pair of two-toned eyes glitter at me through the darkness, accompanied by flashes of pale skin and

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

my will to stay

Axel growls insistently, so close to the surface I feel my claws

the acrid aroma of blood and fear. The former sends my heart pounding in my chest, the latter provokes a

to myself as I

Selene’s POV

looks much older than I remember, but there’s no mistaking his rugged features. Tall, broad, with dark blond hair and a

in the Nova Pack, but being a Volana wolf had been excuse enough to torment me. My mother and I were the only ones in Elysium, and

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 how complex the ancient pathways were until I was well

Bastien found me. At the time he was a young

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

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

me once, but so was Garrick. He showered me with love for ten

little wolf? Bastien’s

my branch. “Go away.” I beg meekly. My voice is barely a whisper, but I know his wolf ears can hear

lines and angles, form a hard line. “I can’t

scramble for an explanation that will send him away.

in his steely silver eyes, he knows I’m lying, “And why