Pregnant And Rejected

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 annihilated me completely. 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 Arabella 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 become.

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 the land 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 running last week, I want nothing more than to disappear.

“The enforcers think they’ve found Arabella.” He calls through the heavy wood panel.

“Fine.” I respond blankly, 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.”

father. “Alpha, this is your duty. You made a vow to Flynn and your father to care for Arabella, to safeguard the

mate.” I lash 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

promise is a promise.” Aiden chastises. “You‘d never forgive yourself if something went wrong with the rescue and

have to take.” I snap, wishing I could pull my mate out of the photo and

try. If you won’t do it for honor, do it for intel.” Donavon finally proffers. “If we can recover Arabella there’s a good chance

even as I brush them aside. “If she could identify them, they would

of their other targets have survived.” He reminds, “I doubt they planned

“What

Donavon announces assuredly. “We’ve already

in emergency blankets and patting her back while she cries. Her nose and cheeks are

he said he was going

us anything about the man responsible? What he looked like? Anything he told you about

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

as I am of Arabella, I’ve known for a long time that

kidnapped, but if I hadn’t been off looking for her, I would

to protect her from bounty hunters and power mad dictators – and it was all for nothing. The real danger

present. “He wore a mask. But he said Bastien has only himself to blame.” 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

Selene’s POV

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

ground beneath my cheek littered with fallen leaves and sprawling tangles of knobby roots. A fluttering

so like

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

confusion, a new thought plaguing my bewildered psyche. If