Pregnant And Rejected

Bastien’s POV

I’ve never spent much time in Asphodel.

When I was a boy my father dragged me all over the continent, visiting different territories and packs, learning the lay of the land and meeting other Alphas, but I never liked anyplace as well as Elysium. Now, watching Selene and Lila commune with the strange animals who live in the watery mangroves of the Eros Pack’s capital, I can almost appreciate the strange, floating city.

A soft, furry snout emerges from the water, kissing Lila’s tiny toddler hand and making the pup squeal with delight. Selene keeps one slender arm locked around her daughter’s middle so the child doesn’t leap from the dock, but her own beaming grin is so wide 1 feel tempted to step forward and impose the same protection on my mate.

As if she can feel my gaze on her, Selene glances over her shoulder, her bright, intelligent eyes narrowing on me as her full mouth forms a luscious pout. I offer her a wolfish grin, Axel purring in my chest when a visible quiver vibrates up Selene’s spine despite her grumpy expression.

I’m only vaguely aware of my Beta approaching on my left, desperately trying to ignore his grim energy in favor of the vision before me on the pier. Arabella fled Elysium.

Well that certainly dampened the mood. She what?

Someone tipped her off, clearly. Donovan responds evenly, She was gone before the warrant was even issued.

Then it’s true. Aiden joins our silent conversation, appearing on my other side.

You doubted it? Donavon questions skeptically. Where Arabella’s romantic interest in me had exposed the less savory aspects of her nature long ago, and Donavon’s experience standing in as one of her guardians had offered him the same clarity, Aiden’s idealistic view of our surrogate little sister has never quite been challenged until now that is.

No. He rebuts, I just hoped… I suppose it was just denial. Aiden finally confesses. We grew up with her after all. Can you blame me for not wanting to believe it?

No. I answer easily. I don’t want to believe it either but I refuse to allow my own wishes to blind me to the truth. Guilt floods me as we stand there watching the identical she-wolves playing in the water, both so small in their own ways. The fact is I let myself ignore Arabella’s faults for way too long. If I hadn’t, none of this might have ever happened.

feel my Betas’ eyes on me, and I know what Donovan is going to ask before the thought

yeah, I’m not sure how I would have

around mid-afternoon, begging to be carried and then slumping in her mother’s arms long before we neared the center-city neighborhood my mate and her pup called home. Though Selene had agreed to accompany our party on a diplomatic tour around the city only after significant cajoling, her daughter’s exhaustion seemed to provide

carry Lila the rest of the way, bearing the brunt of the physical toll. Halting her imminent excuses to slip away, Selene reluctantly passed the pup to me while grumbling mutinously

the process, I snuggled the pint

few hairs from the sleeping pups’ head and passed them to Aiden. “Here, get these back to Elysium straight away. I want you to oversee the tests personally, and don’t leave until they have

world-class, I don’t trust Eros wolves with such delicate matters. I want the Drs in Elysium to run these tests, and I do I want a single middleman

suggesting it” i joke. In truth, Selane’s defensiveness only raises my suspicions that Lila is mine. After all,

you have anything to worry about.” Donovan

Donovan, I think I have even more to worry about if she is mine.” “At least if she isn’t I

up Lila’s sample.

Selene’s POV

my apartment, looking over my shoulder at the Alpha cradling my daughter as I push the door open. Stepping just inside, I reach out for Lila, sighing in frustration when Bastien pushes past me into the foyer rather than handing over

Sirpanien.”

and then Lila’s before settling on my sofa. Stripping off my own outerwear, I promptly swipe my baby away from the big predator

shoulder and circling the other around Lila. “I put out an order

toward him in surprise, and I sit up, holding my body away from his

He sighs, dragging one large paw

sink in, their full implications washing

the words can leave his mouth. “Not

only way you could have found that out is if you found me, which means she knows I’m alive.” And that also means she knows Lila