Pregnant And Rejected

Chapter 198As long as I live, I‘ll never forget the sight of Bastien killing Blaise, or the strange sense of relief to watch another being‘s life snuff out so brutally. Under any other circumstances | might be horrified, but now there is only the eerie sensation of all my fear evaporating at once. It almost happens too fast, ricocheting me back and forth between such extremes of emotion that my brain needs to shut down in order to cope I actually black out for a few moments, the world going as dark as my shadows as I try to process what has just hap pened. Luckily I‘m not alone. My father is by my side anchor ing me to reality, and before long my mate is there too.

Of course I didn‘t see it happen; one moment Bastien was shaking Blaise like a ragdoll, the next he‘s in front of me. He‘s back in human form, bloody, bruised and naked as the day he was born. I can barely comprehend that it‘s over, that the dan ger has really passed. Still, my wolf is rejoicing as Bastien takes my face in his powerful, blood–stained hands, “Are you okay?” He asks me urgently, looking me over from head to toe. “Are you hurt?”

Trun my palms over the torn skin of his chest, not yet con vinced this is real. “Selene, talk to me.” Bastien begs, glancing at Helene‘s fallen body.

Staring up at his rugged features, I feel my limbs begin to tremble. “Am I dreaming?”

The tension seeps out of Bastien like air from a punctured balloon, and the next thing I know I‘m wrapped up in his warmth. “No little wolf. You‘re not dreaming.” He murmurs against my skin, trailing tender kisses over my hair as he strokes and pets me in soothing patterns. “It‘s over. It‘s all over.”

“Helene,” | manage to sob, fisting my hands against his back, “And Frederic…”

“I know, baby.” He croons, “I’m so sorry.”

Behind us, I can hear Blaise‘s former guards muttering, all the while Grayson and Matthew limp over to us. “You must be Selene.” Grayson says by way of greeting.

I start to pull back to greet him, but Bastien won‘t let me go. He keeps his arms locked around me tightly, so I simply turn my head towards the Calypso wolves and nod hello. “That‘s right.” | confirm. “Thank you so much for helping us.”

“If anyone is owed thanks, it‘s your mate.” Matthew an swers, patting Bastien on the back, “He saved an entire city today.”

corrects them, and the city is far from

bowing their heads with their nails tucked between their legs, clearly showing their respect for the new leaders.

healthy again you‘ll have brute strength of your own.” Bastien

Someone answers him, but I don‘t actually hear the response, I‘m too amazed by the thought that just went through my head: My father.

I reach for James, pulling him into my hug with Bastien. He seems uncertain at first, but Bastien welcomes him

my back for a few long mo ments before pulling away. The men go on talking about all the things that have to happen now, all the steps to transition the government, but I‘m not hearing any of it, I‘m simply float ing in Bastien‘s arms. I feel as though I‘m on cloud nine, finally able to relax for the

body, as if he doesn‘t trust that I‘m actually okay and needs to feel for himself. As if the pups growing in my belly sense their father‘s presence, a tiny foot kicks the wall of my uterus, right on the other side of my mate‘s

me in surprise and awe,

a meat grinder, and while I understand that we‘ve just created a storm of chaos and can‘t simply walk away from it, I want nothing

repeats hoarsely. “We‘re really having twins? I thought maybe Blaise was

having twins.” | confirm, offering

ting how delicate my stomach is in

puts me down, brushing the hair from my eyes. “I‘m sorry, I‘m just so

steadying hand to my dizzy

Bastien professes, pulling me close again, “T m

assure him, noticing our audience inching away out of the corner of my eyes. Clearly they can sense things are getting personal and have to good sense to slip away before things get too intimate.

remember.” Bastien tells me ominously, sending a shiver

up at him from