Pregnant and Rejected by My Alpha Mate

Chapter 16

#Chapter 16 The Wine Is Drugged

Selene’s POV

Woops.

When I asked Drake to keep me company at the party, I planned to flirt and dance, to give Bastien a little taste of his own medicine. Annoyance, that was the plan. An annoyed Bastien is manageable, an enraged Bastien is dangerous.

I stare at my husband with wide eyes. He’s standing in the doorway, on the verge of shifting, fury rolling off him in waves. His metallic gaze is locked on my face, on my tears and Drake’s comforting hands.

Drake doesn’t seem the least bit troubled by the rabid creature looming over us. He slides his fingers from my skin, turning to Bastien with a friendly smile. “Bastien, it’s been a while.”

“Too long.” Bastien agrees, “So long you seem to have forgotten who you’re dealing with.”

Drake rolls his eyes, and I have a sudden and newfound respect for the young Alpha. He may wear the face of a playful rogue, but underneath he is every bit the hard and commanding leader the role demands. “Honestly Bastien, I didn’t think you’d be so ungrateful.” He quips, “In case you haven’t heard, I saved your wife’s life tonight. I wouldn’t have had to if you’d been here.”

Bastien’s claws extend and retract compulsively, betraying the conflict raging within him. Drake’s words were an outright provocation, but there was no denying the truth in them. After a moment Bastien settles into a low simmer, striding past the other man to reach me. He drags me into a tight embrace, cuddling me to his chest. “What happened?”

Feeling suddenly warm and hazy, it takes me a moment to realize he asked a question. Drake – apparently – suffers no such impediment. “You have some vipers in your nest.” He drawls, “It was only a matter of time before one striked.”

I plant my palms against Bastien’s chest, trying to push away from him so I can pin Drake with the full force of my indignant glare. “What happened to ‘heroes don’t tattle?!**

Drake’s face scrunches up in a wince, and I belatedly realize my mistake. I look up at my husband, whose handsome features are awash with foreboding. “Am I to take it you intended to keep this information secret?” He asks, his voice dangerously low.

I lower my gaze, careful not to challenge his dominance, “It wasn’t a big deal.” I argue, “It’s not as if she knew I couldn’t swim.”

I see Bastien’s head turn in my periphery, and realize he’s now looking to Drake, “Who?”

His answer is immediate. “Redhead, blue dress, gaggle of minions trailing after her wherever she goes.”

Ten minutes later the door swings open, and Aiden pokes his head in. “Bastien would like to see you in the great hall.”

arriving in the hall just in time to see the rest of the party guests gather within. We move forward, slipping through the crowd until the object of everyone’s

stands in the center of the hall, the redhead from the gardens

Bastien makes short work of her hesitance, clamping one large hand around the back of her neck and steering

the way I treated you.

my husband’s chest, and the woman quickly amends her statement. “I should never have treated you that way, no matter

of me is gushing pure elation. For the first time in my memory, Bastien is putting me ahead of the pack. He’s protecting me, making a public example of my detractors, and staking his claim

my vulnerability and weakness. Now she looks anything but strong; she looks like a spoiled

suggest you never do so again: you won’t

me a small smile, before turning his attention to the gathered audience. “That goes for all of you.” He announces, “if I hear anyone speaking about my

immediately. Everything was fine when we sat down to dinner, but by the end of the

forth between giddiness, aggression, and detachment. One moment he’s so

does not go

following dessert and the party begins to shift toward the ballroom, I catch him. “Bastien?” | say

in a daze. His pupils are dilated

question pointedly, checking his forehead for a temperature but finding

can answer me, a young socialite approaches his side and asks him to dance. I recognize her as one of the women who’d been gossiping with my would-be murderer. I shoot her a disgruntled

of my neck, It was extremely odd for a pack member to approach and proposition

– but I know something is wrong. This is not Bastien. His behavior is completely out of character, regardless of how he may feel about me or Arabella or anyone else. He

Aiden studying Bastien’s wine glass out of the corner of my eye. I shift in his direction and our eyes meet. We’re both

confirmation I need to go after

watched my back for years without complaint; the least I can do is return the favor. Doubt lingers in my mind as I search the crowd. What if he will not come away,

I

next to the blonde, who is wrapped around him like cling film. I glide through the swaying mass of dancers, never taking my eyes from the

steps away from her without a word, closing the distance between us as if in a trance. I rise up on my tiptoes when he is

down onto my heels as he begins to turn us haphazardly around the dancefloor, his intimate grip and undulating movements arousing my

and

moment we’re dancing and the next Bastien has dragged me

bodies and catch his face between them. “I need you to take me home.” I implore, hoping my words will

forgot. Bastien’s confused expression gives way to

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