Pregnant And Rejected

Chapter 61

Bastien’s POV

This isn’t right.

The lab report in my hand is as clear as day, and its conclusions unmistakeable, but it can’t be right. I ve read it at least ten times now, scanning the page over and over again, looking for any sign of hope, any hint that the samples got mixed up or were contaminated in the lab. Yet every time the information remains the same. Beneath columns full of DNA markers I cannot even begin to understand, read the damning words:

Probability of Paternity: 0%

I don’t believe it. She has to be mine.

Selene, who turned pale and ashen the moment my mother revealed the envelope, squeezes the pup in her arms a little tighter. I can’t see Lila’s face, but I can hear the delicate wafts of her breath as she slum bers in her mother’s arms, completely oblivious to the disaster unfolding around her.

Selene furrows her dark brows and pouts her full lips, her beautiful face sullen and wary in equal mea sure. My stomach is in my throat, and the room around me is spinning out of control. She was telling the truth. I think simply, unable to process any more complex feelings than shock and pain.

I’d been so sure. I felt connected to Lila from the moment I saw her, and we bonded almost instantly. That has to mean something, doesn’t it? Surely I would not feel so possessive of another wolf’s child.

I suppose it might simply be the fact that she’s my mate’s daughter; after all, how could I not feel drawn to a pup who has so much of Selene in her? Maybe my mother was right, and I just wanted to be Lila’ s father. Maybe I didn’t want to believe my mate had truly chosen another wolf over me.

But she did. Selene chose Drake Cavanaugh’s pack over mine. She chose him for her protector; she chose him to father her pup.

Axel is howling mournfully in my head as I finally lower the paper. Every eye in the room is on me, and I realize they’re waiting for me to say something. “She isn’t mine,” I repeat, dropping the test results onto the side table. “The DNA wasn’t a match.”

surprised and disappointed faces mingling with those of re lief and triumph – but all remain silent. Axel is anything but. Howling has turned to ranting and

and unfocused faces filling the room beloved, ethereal and far too painful

own fault for not believing me.” My mate’s cold words slice me straight to the core. I assumed she was so upset about the test because she thought her lie would be revealed. Now I realize she was simply

was right to

my wolf even further, and he claws at the surface of my skin, desperate to get out. I’m not sure if I want to kill Drake or claim Selene. Frankly, I like the sound of both options. Of course, who’s to say I need to

by the re sults too, but she can also see that I’m in very serious danger of losing control. “Bastien?” She asks hesitantly. “Are you

fall with the force of my shallow, seething breaths, punctuating the violent pounding of my heart. I know I’m barreling towards doing something I’ll regret, but even if

who betrayed me. I’m ‘an Alpha, not some feeble Omega. It’s my job to lead and protect at all

can sense the feral energy rolling off my body like a dark storm. “You need to pull back brother.” He says, adding through our link, Don’t forget, there’s a pup

force down the bloodlust consum ing us. Clenching and unclenching my fists, I

realize this was never going to turn out well. Whether my mate lied and stole my child, or bore one with another wolf, I was always going to lose. It’s a reminder

loved

I imagined

relationship a fantasy I created

was all a lie. The night Selene shifted, she admitted how deeply she cared. She’d been out of her mind with pain, but

quickly? How could she be hap py when I was in the depths of

and grief into the words.

Bastien.” Selene answers with exasperation. “It

I argue, trying

“We were doomed from the beginning.” Do I imagine the pain in her voice? “A marriage can’t be built on pity and obligation. I couldn’t give you what you

me everything I ever wanted and more.” | profess fiercely, blocking out our audience