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.”

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 Arabella, to safeguard the pack.

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 promises

chastises. “You‘d never forgive yourself if something went wrong

risk i’ll have to take.” I snap, wishing I

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

the far reaches of my mind, even as

of their other targets have survived.” He reminds, “I doubt they planned on letting her live. We just beat them to

my hair. “What makes you so sure we can even get her

“We’ve already

her back while she cries. Her nose and cheeks are swollen and splotchy, her flushed skin

Danvers’ burly shoulders. “He said he said he was going to

bench. “Can you tell us anything about the man responsible? What he looked

being more concerned, indeed, under any other circumstances I would be absolutely horrified by my

I’ve known for a long time that those feelings come down to my love for Flynn,

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

hunters and power mad dictators – and it was all for nothing. The real danger

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

Selene’s POV

senses gradually return, filling in the world around me with crisp air, damp earth, and the familiar smells

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

so like the forests around Elysium; the forests I grew up exploring with Luna; the forest where

stomping grounds; that my afterlife should be spent in the

confusion, a new thought plaguing my bewildered psyche. If this