Pregnant And Rejected

Chapter 96 Headlines

Selene’s POV

The day after we arrive home, Bastien is stuck in meetings from dawn to dusk. He barely made it home in time to read Lila her bedtime story, and when he emerges from her room half an hour later, he looks absolutely exhausted.

I’m waiting in the kitchen with a tumbler of scotch, but Bastien bypasses the alcohol completely and wraps his big body around me like a blanket. Burying his head in the curve of my neck, he pulls my hair out of its pins so that it falls around him in a chocolate cascade.

“What happened?” I murmur, brushing my fingers through his thick hair.

He inhales deeply, breathing in my scent and sighing with relief, before raising his head. There are dark circles under his eyes, but those molten irises are as sharp as ever when he studies my lips and moves in for a long, luxurious kiss.

When he’s had his fill, he tucks my head under his chin and clutches me to his chest. “Nothing bad.” He shares, though in this position I can’t see his face. “It was just a really long day.”

“What did the elder council say?” I inquire, not wanting to bombard him with questions but incredibly anxious after what happened yesterday. It seemed bad enough that the city was rallying against me, the last thing we need is for them to turn

against Bastien and somehow I imagine strangling the Chief Elder isn’t going to earn him any brownie points.

“Believe it or not, Grigore wasn’t exactly popular with his colleagues or the people.” Bastien explains, referring to the man by his given name now that he’s been stripped of his position.

“Oh I believe it,” I snort.

Finally setting me away from him, Bastien retrieves the glass of scotch, as well as the freshly microwaved plate of leftovers ! prepared for him while he was reading to Lila.

“Apparently Arabella was working her charms on him for a while before she left, and our little welcoming committee yesterday was the result of his outrage over her exile.” He continues, moving to the dining room table.

“Working her charms?” I repeat, following him with a glass of wine in hand.

to.” Bastien remarks, sounding fairly revolted. “But I’d put

about as old as dirt, the idea of anyone as young as Arabella “charming” him is disturbing to say

very busy trying to turn the pack against you ever since.” My mate goes on. “but luckily he’s so

“it didn’t look like anyone was on my

this morning because I was convinced they would be nothing but horrid. Now my husband drops three different daily chronicles in front of me, all

Returns, Rids Elder

Winters Exposed, Alpha’s Pup Rescued

Durand Alive and Well, Gifts

because they were curious after all the gossip.

I breathe, staring at the newspapers, “Was this

of the elders got chatty with

doesn’t make sense.” I insist. “People hated me when I lived

many didn’t trust you were strong enough to lead without your wolf

are also the most entitled and shallow, and they’re the ones

person. It’s like everywhere I turn I’m met

that hadn’t been the case, Arabella made herself a villain and you a

certain of all this?” My hands are fidgeting in my lap, and Luna is becoming increasingly agitated. “I mean it’s easy for you to say all that, but I know how I was treated when we started out. It’s not like it was all in my head: I got pushed into pools and stalked, it wasn’t just mean girls calling me a

arms crossed over my chest. “No. I’m not going to let you soothe this away or distract me, Bastien. If I’m going to raise my daughter here, I need to know

but I know I’ve made a mistake when I said “If I’m going to raise

his chest, “I’m going to count to three,

I bite, “You’ll spank me

he’d enjoy doing it. Even so, I don’t actually

and rubs his huge hand deliberately over the curve

I’m praying that for once in my life he won’t be

that I think you were right when