Pregnant and Rejected by My Alpha Mate

Chapter 18

#Chapter 18 I Want To Reject

Bastien’s POV

Five Hours Earlier

I stare at the flier in my hands, my hackles raised. It’s a reward poster, not the kind people pin up to find lost pets or missing children, but the kind law enforcement agencies use to locate wanted criminals. It has precisely the same format, asking for tips or any information regarding the whereabouts of Volana wolves, listing details on how to identify them and promising monetary compensation for any solid leads.

A crude illustration was plastered beneath the words, displaying a woman with black hair and two-toned eyes. She looks nothing like Selene, but the descriptions provided offer enough details for even the most clueless wolf to identify members of her lineage.

“Where the hell did you find this?” I ask Aiden in horror. When he’d called me right before my father’s celebration insisting it was an emergency, I’d known something had to be terribly wrong. Aiden knew how important this event was, he would not call me away for no reason. Even so, this was worse than I’d imagined.

“One of our spies in the East came across it just outside of Calypso territory. Thankfully it doesn’t seem to have spread any farther than that.” His warm brown eyes survey me curiously, “Do you have any idea why they’re looking for Volanas?”

Everyone in Elysium knows what Selene is, but I’ve gone to considerable effort to gloss over and downplay her lineage, and no one knows the secret of her blood. I study my right-hand, hating myself for questioning whether he can be trusted. Other than my family, I trust Aiden more than anyone, but Selene’s safety is too precious to risk.

“I know that Blaise Denizen is a cruel and twisted man.” I say, referring to the Calypso Alpha, “If he wants Volanas, I guarantee it isn’t for anything good.”

Aiden eyes me for a second, and I know he caught my evasion. Instead of looking offended he simply asks, “You have reason to believe he’s a danger to Selene?”

“I know he is.” I admit.

“Is that why we sent spies East in the first place?” Aiden questions, “You thought something like this might happen?* Now I do hear an edge in his voice, and I can’t blame him for being annoyed. He can’t do his job if he’s working with incomplete information.

“Yes.” I concede softly.

“What the hell, Bastien?” He snaps, “Do you really trust me so little?”

“It isn’t like that.” I promise tiredly. “I promised her I wouldn’t share this secret with anyone, even you.”

“When it comes to the safety of my Alpha’s mate – my best friend’s mate – I need to know what’s going on.” He declares harshly. “I don’t have to know the details, you don’t have to betray confidences, but I can’t protect this pack if you’re withholding intelligence.”

“I know brother, I’m sorry.” I reply honestly, “The fact is simply that Blaise will kill Selene if he finds her, he’ll kill any Volana he finds.”

Aiden scrubs a hand over his face. “We need to be proactive.” He waves the flier in the air, “This reward is only going to get higher and spread farther. We either need to neutralize Denizen, or make sure the truth can never get back to him.”

“I’d like nothing more than to get rid of the man.” I grumble, “But I’m not Alpha yet, and even if I was – he’s the most powerful pack leader on the continent. We‘d need an army to take him down.”

“You’re right.” Aiden agrees, “We couldn’t win a war against the Calypsos. But who said it has to be a war?”

I snort, “So what, you want to assassinate him?”

Aiden grins, “You have to admit the idea has its merits.”

about disemboweling the cruel leader. But for

I

more unpopular we make him, the less people will want to help

the man, but plenty would help

crossing my mind. “Who do we have that’s good with

“Eddie’s pretty

duplicate this. Set up a new phone line devoted to tips and replace it with Denizens.” I say, the plan coming

beta’s brow furrows, “Why would you

know who is calling and what they’re reporting. Second, because if we can get to Volanas first, we can help them.” I explain. And third, because if people think they’ve already reported a tip, it won’t matter if Denizens real posters actually

agreement, “I’ll get Eddie on

“in the meantime we need to figure out security for Selene after the rejection

want to go through with

I’ve chanted in my head over and over again these past few weeks. “She’s never had any choices in her life and deserves them now.

what about your happiness?” Aiden demands, “Don’t

and I forced my traumatized mate to marry me – even if it was for her protection. “If Selene is happy, I will be too.” I answer. I tell myself I’m being honest, and part of me believes it, but deep down I know that watching someone else make my mate happy will destroy

so, it’s

says, standing over me with his arms

exhausted to do anything other than swat at him from my position sprawled out

me in

they drugged

they?” I ask

to guess I’d say it was Selene’s new friend.” He answers, referring to Amanda, who almost killed my mate with her little pool assault. “But honestly it could have been

harpies?” I repeat

“You know the ones, they almost revolted when you married

even know about the rejection?”

how gossip is around here,” Aiden admonishes me, “The walls have

find out

assures me. “I nabbed your glass from

relief. “When did

He reflects uncertainly, “About the time you started growling at the waiter for refilling Selene’s water glass.” I wince, not remembering that particular detail.

to cart you out of

should have acted faster,” I grouse unfairly. “I shouldn’t have been alone

the easy going person he is. “I acted the best I could based on the

almost marked her!”

would have been a disaster. You would have caved to one of the harpies and created a scandal

“Barely 1 mutter mutinously

about. Someone in this pack thinks they can drug their future Alpha and get away with it. Do you want to prove them right, or

my phone, finding Selene’s photo plastered across the screen, announcing an incoming call. Guilt swirls in my stomach, I can’t

Selene’s POV

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