Pregnant And Rejected

Selene’s POV

I know the words are a mistake the moment they leave my lips.

It was one thing to tell Bastien Lila isn’t his pup. It was another to instruct him to forget about us, but suggesting we’ll never see each other again was akin to waving a red flag in front of an angry bull – and all three together? Well, that was just stupid.

Bastien lunges toward me, tangling one large hand in my hair and tugging my head back so that I’m forced to look him in the eye. His molten silver gaze bores into me, and his mouth hovers mere inches above my own. My breasts graze the muscled contours of his abdomen, and Luna whine needily in my head.

“What did you just say?” Bastien snarls, hitching me up against him.

“I” I stammer uselessly, not following his train of thought.

“Say it, Selene.” He repeats roughly. “Tell me that we’ll never see each other again.”

I gnaw on my lower lip, trying to figure out what to say to defuse his temper, to get him to leave without forcing me and Lila to go with him. “We won’t, as long as Arabella is out there pulling her strings.” I redirect, feeling a twinge of reassurance when the glazed look in his eye eases. “She wont fail next time, even if I do have my wolf now.” His grip on me tightens, but I press on, hammering in the final nail to the coffin. “And she’ll kill Lila too just to spite me.”

“What do you mean, you told Bastien Lila is mine?” Drake repeats, mouth agog.

After telling my mate that Arabella would kill our child if given the chance, he disappeared so quickly I practically fell to the ground. No matter what he believes regarding Lila’s paternity, his protective instincts toward me extend to my pup, which may be the only part of his sudden appearance I can actually appreciate.

Though I truly don’t know what to believe about Bastien’s relationship with Arabella, I’m confident my accusations will at least provide enough distraction for Drake and I to form a contingency plan now that my location has been discovered by my husband.

Admittedly, Bastien left Aiden behind in Asphodel to keep an eye on us, but I’m not worried. Not yet, at least. For the time being, my sole focus is on getting Drake up to speed and figuring out our next steps.

“I told him she’s yours.” I repeat apologetically. “It wasn’t exactly planned but it’s the easiest explanation and another Alpha is just about the only person that could actually stand in his way.”

Selene.” Drake groans, rubbing his eyes. “As much as I love her, Lila doesn’t look or smell like me.” He eyes Lila fondly, “She doesn’t call me daddy, you and I don’t live together, I’m not in any of your photos, she doesn’t have status

Bastien hasn’t already run through these same conclusions is because his surprise and conflicted emotions blinded him to reason but that won’t last for long. “We could say I wanted a baby so you donated

and right, Selene.” Drake

i exclaim. “you’re modern

that I don’t want to help, honestly. But we have to find an explanation that will stand up to scrutiny for more than

out, “We could say you’re gay and this

cuts his eyes to me,

no one’s business how it happened in the first place.” Drake is already rolling his eyes. “That’s private, between you and I. All anyone needs to know is that she’s

the pack I have a child three years after the fact?” Drake ponders, pulling Lila into his lap and bouncing her on his knee. “How do you expect to explain it to this little sausage?” He teases, tickling her

even remember when she’ s older, than permanently introduce the chaos of the

this, Selene.” Drake shakes his head. “This isn’t a lie we can keep under wraps. You have to decide what’s more important: tricking Bastien; or building a good

trail off, “Are you saying you won’t

me to.” Drake assures me, “but you have to

same way he has a thousand times before. I’ve always loved watching them play. Once upon a time I even imagined this might

just the invisible’ bond tying them together, or the similarities in their expressions. It was the pure rightness of them being together,

up in the memory, it takes me a moment

“Even with the lie, I’m not sure it’s

have to.” I murmur, “he’s not Alpha in Asphodel, he can’t challenge your decision without challenging you

put that past Bastien.” He cautions. “No wolf can see clearly when it comes to their mate, and yours is even more headstrong

forever. At one point or another I have to put my foot down and say enough is enough.” I reach over my lap to stroke Lila’s cheek. “My mother was chased out of the Calypso territory. I was chased out of the Nova lands. There aren’t many places left on the continent for us to seek refuge in, and I refuse to let my daughter be chased from

Odette’s POV

Friday afternoon, the very last thing I expect is to hear my son’s voice promptly turning my world upside down. I’d been hoping the