Pregnant And Rejected

Chapter 168 – Arriving in Ta… #Chapter 168 – Arriving in Tartarus

Arabella

I have to admit, I like life much better with Bastien unconscious. It’s so much less stressful not having to play pretend every second of every day, especially with the constant news stories about Selene and Frederic. Part of me feels vindicated that Frederic exposed himself through utter overconfidence and stupidity – after all the times he called me names and criticized my mistakes, it feels good to see him get his comeuppance.

Still, there’s no denying it’s inconvenient. Not to mention I very nearly slipped up with the memory potion. It hadn’t occurred to me that it Bastien wasn’t awake to drink the potion, it’s effects might have worn off by the time things have finally settled down enough for him to rejoin the waking world. It wasn’t until he started muttering Selene’s name in his sleep that I realized my oversight, and I very quickly called in another favor from my underworld contact.

The injections won’t take away the memories of his dreams, but they’ll certainly ensure he doesn’t recall the distant past. If I wanted to start this entire process over again and have him forget all the progress I’d made with him in the past few weeks I could have arranged for a different concoction, but in the end I decided dreams are always so strange and mystical that it will be easy to convince him whatever truths they showed him were just his imagination.

After a week of planning my wedding in blissful silence without any interference from bossy Alphas or having to worry about counterfeiting newspapers, I finally let Bastien wake. Selene and Frederic are still frequently in the news, but at least they’ve stopped playing the videos of their confrontation on loop. There’s a chance that Bastien might catch some coverage about it, but if it comes to it! should be able to convince him that Selene betrayed Frederic in order to take over the pack on her own. As long as he doesn’t see Frederic admitting to his crimes, my plans can still move forward.

When he emerges from the bedroom the morning after I cease giving him the sedative injections, he looks drowsy and confused.“ You’re finally awake!” | cry, throwing my arms around him.

“How long was l out, I feel… Goddess I’m starving.”

“I bet,” I nod in understanding, moving into the kitchen to prepare some food. I wouldn’t normally cook for anyone, but I need to stay on his good side right now. “You’ve been really sick.”

His brow furrows in confusion. “I don’t get sick.”

“Well you’ve slept the week away with a fever.” I inform him wryly, “if that’s not sick I don’t know what is.”

“That must be it.” He mutters to himself, elaborating when he sees my confusion. “I had the strangest dreams. They must have been from my fever – only they didn’t seem like nightmares… they were more like memories.”

I freeze in place, “Oh? What kind of memories?” “All kinds of things.” He answers vaguely, “Flynn when we were little, my father teaching me to run the pack.”

“Is that all?” I press nervously, slowly chopping up some vegetables to throw in an omelet.

over his face. “There were a few more recent ones, but they didn’t make any

to face the issue head on. “I heard you say Selene’s name a few times.” I tell him, drawing his rapt attention. “You have to remember what a good actress

head is playing tricks on me, if what I saw

has powers you and I cannot fathom. I’m sure it’s how she fooled you all

I saw didn’t even have a wolf – she was so helpless.”

I remind him. “She needed you to underestimate her at every

it for a long moment before nodding, “if you

“I do.”

Selene

Helene as we near the border. “Tartarus is a huge city, they

down a radius easily enough.” My mentor answers. “How much do you know about

pack?”

were Calypsos and that it’s another mountain pack – that and their Alpha is a

dryly.

city.” Helene explains, “in fact

you mean?” I inquire, smothering a

allowed to actually roam the city freely, everyone else: the poor, other shifter species, his political opponents, they’re forced to live underground. You see Tartarus was rebuilt over and over again over the centuries, but instead of expanding

I really am shivering, “And

masses, or would she force her way into the

you already know the answer to

the center city and wander around a bit, that way we can get our bearings while also seeing if we can pick up either

if we can’t?”

Helene clucks, “if we can’t find them then tonight we’ll start practicing