Pregnant And Rejected

Chapter 47

Bastien‘s POV

The first thing I see is the fear on Selene‘s face. Fear I hate myself for causing. She‘s backed into a corner, appearing so much more like the lost little wolf I pulled from a tree, than the confident woman I met today.

It takes all my strength to pull my eyes from Selene‘s haunted expression and survey the rest of the scene, at which point I realize why she‘s in the corner. The tiny body is visible even now, with pint–sized hands clutching her skirt and a gleaming pair of two–toned

eyes peeking out from behind her leg.

Mate, Axel croons with satisfaction. And mate‘s pup. Mine, both mine.

We don‘t know who that pup belongs to yet. I caution him, though I cannot help but feel drawn to the tiny creature in a way I can‘t explain

I don‘t care who she belonged to. He growls. I saw her. I like her. She‘s mine now.

That‘s not how it works. I admonish him.

Unable to assuage her curiosity, the little girl pokes her head out of hiding, and Selene stiffens reflexively. Waving off my men, 1 stride forward and close the door, carefully approaching the she–wolves. “Hello little one.” I murmur to the child, kneeling down so that we‘re at eye level, even if I‘m still halfway across the room. “Goddess she looks exactly like you.” I revel, looking back and forth between the beautiful faces.

I‘ve seen many pups and kissed many babies in my life, but I cannot remember ever seeing such a perfect child. It‘s not just that she is my mate‘s creation that she is the heart and soul of the woman I adore – it‘s that she is pure light, pure love. Despite my misgivings, I have to agree with Axel. Mine.

A tiny voice tugs at my heart strings. “Mommy who‘s that?”

The gooey warmth in my belly hardens like a rock, and the reality of our situation splashes over me like a bucket of ice water. If this child is mine, Selene hid her existence from me for years. She left Elysium knowing she was pregnant, and took my baby someplace where I could not protect her.

“That‘s an excellent question.” I state harshly, catching my mate in my crosshairs. “Selene?” Slowly unfolding until I‘m standing again, I move forward. “Who am I to her?”

“A stranger,” Selene designates coldly, “and what do we say to strangers, Lila?”

On cue the tiny pup lifts her chubby fingers to her lips and pulls ar imaginary zipper across her mouth, pressing her lips tightly together and shaking her head once she‘s finished.

“That‘s very smart.” | praise in a much softer voice than I directed at her mother. “You should never talk to strangers, but that‘s not what I am.” Little by little, the tot is emerging from behind her mother. Interesting – most children are afraid of me at first. “I‘m your mommy‘s mate. Do you know what that word means?”

head, still clutching Selene‘s

we‘re meant to be together.” I say this to Selene alone. “And whatever she

flashes across Selene‘s features. “What the hell are you

to lie

those kinds of ideas in her head!” She hisses, flames dancing

not towards my little wolf. With every second that passes, the more certain I am that this is my child,

answer my question with

is she?” I

her wolf glowing in her eyes. Goddess she‘s

her all

Selene invites, “do you see yourself in her? Do

girl before Selene can stop me. “Come here, pup.” || rumble gently. “let‘s

a bit shell–shocked for a moment, as if she wasn‘t prepared to leave the ground and can‘t quite wrap her head around her new predicament. Nonetheless, her surprise disappears quickly, replaced by unapologetic curiosity. She looks up at me with wide

head, settling Lila more comfortably in my arms and internally swooning when she instantly rests her cheek on my

swinging back and forth between my face and Lila‘s, clearly unsure of what to

floor far below before looking back to

If she‘s used to being carried around by my mate, this probably seems very high indeed. “Too

of pure excitement. “No, want to

go higher?” I consider her words for a moment before

hear a more beautiful sound than this child squealing and giggling with joy as I toss her over my head, catching her and repeating the move until she‘s so exhausted

wolf like he‘s a pony. Bastien gallops around the

ball like a common dog and proudly returned it to my three year old, licking her

the outcomes I considered when I pictured this moment, this is the very last thing I ever imagined. I was ready for the anger, for yelling and drawn out fights, but no amount of preparation could ever make me ready for this: for watching

play. When I first got pregnant this was exactly the kind of scene I dreamed

me these glimpses of bliss that will haunt me for the rest of

to stay strong, I have to keep

impulse I understand how many times

shifts back, passing Lila to me so he can get

really not mine?” He asks,