Pregnant and Rejected by My Alpha Mate

#Chapter 36 Leave

Bastien’s POV

Axel hasn’t made a sound in days. Though he was all but feral from the moment I answered Danver’s phone call to the second Dr Kane uncovered Selene’s body in the morgue, he hasn’t moved a muscle since. I’ve found myself reaching out to him on the hour,

extending my internal feelers toward his shape just to make sure he’s still there.

More than anything else, his absence tells me that this nightmare l’ve been living is unfortunately very real. Selene – my sweet, perfect little wolf – is dead.

She ran from my home believing I thought her guilty of a terrible crime. She fled my protection because I made her think it was persecution, and died alone and afraid.

My father’s death nearly destroyed me, but my mate’s has annihilated me completely. Everything that used to matter to me, has ceased to be important. Suddenly I don’t care if I’m the Alpha; I don’t care if the pack falls to ruin; I don’t care if Arabella is found; 1 don’t even care if I live.

I do not recognize myself, and I don’t feel the need to find the man I once was, nor create a path forward for the wretch I’ve become.

At first I took to the forest, but when I discovered that I could not shift, I returned to the pack house, and locked myself in my rooms. My mother, Aiden and Donovan have all tried to persuade me to return to the land of the living, but I have no interest in being there without Selene,

Even now, when Aiden is outside my door with news that might have sent me running last week, I want nothing more than to disappear.

“The enforcers think they’ve found Arabella.” He calls through the heavy wood panel.

“Fine.” I respond blankly, refusing to pull my attention from the picture frame clutched in my hand. “Go get her.”

“Not without you.” Aiden huffs out a frustrated breath. “We need you to lead us.”

“You don’t.” I counter, tracing Selene’s shape in our wedding photo. “Just bring her home.”

your duty. You made a vow to Flynn and your father to care for Arabella, to safeguard the pack. Do not disappoint them this way. Do

protect my mate.” I lash out, flinging all my anguish and fury in their direction. “I broke the most sacred vow I ever took. How can you

forgive yourself if something went wrong with the rescue and you weren’

risk i’ll have to take.” I snap, wishing I could pull my mate out of the photo

it for honor, do it for intel.” Donavon finally proffers. “If we can recover Arabella there’s a good chance she can lead us to the kidnapper. This is your chance to find

as I brush them aside. “If she could

targets have survived.” He reminds, “I doubt they planned on letting her live. We just beat them to the punch

I drag one hand through my hair. “What makes you so sure we can

Donavon announces assuredly. “We’ve already got

huddle around Arabella, wrapping her in emergency blankets and patting her back while she cries.

and splotchy, her flushed skin wet with tears and her willowy frame shaking with fear

he said he

us anything about the man responsible? What he looked

of sobs. I should feel guilty for not being more concerned, indeed, under any other circumstances I would be absolutely horrified by my apparent apathy when someone I care about is so clearly suffering. Yet I can’t bring myself to conjure any feelings other than relief that

I’ve known for a long time that those feelings come down to my

horrible still, part of me blames Arabella for my mate’s death. It isn’t fair in any way shape or form. She didn’t ask to be kidnapped, but if I hadn’t been off looking for her, I would have been there when Selene needed me. She and Mom never would have gone to the cabin, she would never have

Denizen, trying to protect her from bounty hunters and power mad dictators – and it was all for nothing. The real danger was right under my nose the

Bastien has only himself to blame.” Her big brown eyes lock onto me, her lower lip caught in a trembling pout. “He said you don’t deserve to be Alpha. He said you have blood on your hands and he’s going to come at you until you know how it feels to lose everything he said this

Selene’s POV

my eyelids as the afternoon sun bathes my skin in golden warmth. My senses gradually return, filling in the world around

and sprawling tangles of knobby roots. A fluttering breeze carries birdsong to my ears, along with the babbling of a distant brook, enveloping me in the sounds of the wild

up to examine this new plane of existence. It looks so

otherworld should take the shape of those beloved stomping grounds; that my afterlife should be spent in the peace of the virgin forest. The only things missing are the people. Where is my mother? Where is Gabriel and Luna?

iņ confusion, a new thought plaguing my bewildered psyche.