Pregnant and Rejected by My Alpha Mate

#Chapter 76 Prisoner

Selene’s POV

“Mommy.” Lila whines, “it’s too tight!”

don’t relax my arms one bit. As long as my baby is still breathing, I’m going to hold her as tightly as I possibly can, for as long as I possibly can.

Martin brought us to a ramshackle hut in the woods just outside the city. We had to drive for about twenty minutes after docking the boat, and once we arrived the big bully forced us into the odd little shack. Sophie is locked in the basement with Lila and I, both prisoner and accomplice to our predicament.

When Martin appeared and announced his intentions, I hoped he would take me back to his house. Drake will recognize his scent and go straight there, but apparently the foul wolf is smarter than I credited him. We traveled over the lagoon, and unless Bastien and Drake find the boat they won’t have any idea we left the city.

My only hope is that Martin is the caller who reported Lila and I to the tip-line. If he is then he’ll be in for quite the surprise when he tries to deliver us to my mate. If, on the other hand, he wants us for some other reason or knows about Blaise Denisons real bounty… well, we’re in very big trouble.

There’s no way to know which possibility is correct, so once I’ve sufficiently snuggled my pup, my first task is to try to plan an escape. I’m strangely proud of how well I’m keeping it together. If it weren’t for Lila | would probably be having a full blown PTSD episode, but my daughter is keeping my head on my shoul ders.

Maternal instincts really are the most powerful forces I’ve ever encountered – far more magical than those of mere shifters. For all the similarities of Martin and Garrick’s prisons, l’ve managed to shut off my memory and emotions, focusing only on the here and now.

“Have you ever been here before?” I ask Sophie, adjusting Lila on my lap. She’s been very calm ever since I arrived, and I don’t know whether she’s in shock or simply too young to realize the gravity of our sit uation.

“No,” the other woman frowns apologetically, “I’ve hardly ever been out of the marsh. I didn’t know Mar tin had property anywhere else.”

“Did he tell you what he’s planning?” I press, “Do you know why he took us?”

she’s about to burst into a fresh wave of tears, “No.” She says again, “He kept saying it was for me. I don’t know why I believed him.” She swipes at a rogue tear sliding down her cheek. “He’s

you won’t fight back. It’s how his kind control their victims,” I grum ble,

time, “I just lost it

to Lila’s hair, breathing in her pure, perfect scent. “We have

let me smother her with affection now that she can breathe again. “Let’s

I find the will to laugh, but I do. I suppose my extraordinary relief at finding my baby safe and unharmed

head, and I can see my little pep talk didn’t land. “There’s no use.” She says de spondent, “He’s bigger and stronger than all three of us combined.” Her

Drake’s POV

doesn’t make

life. I can’t believe she

since their par ents died ten years ago, and while I can’t imagine Sophie harming a fly, I’m not so certain about Martin. There’s always been something about

here.”

Bastien grouses

the house. It was a comfort not to find any cages or rooms that resembled a prison cell, but then again, they probably didn’t need them. Lila knows Sophie, and she hasn’t been separated from her parents for more than a day.

Selene and Lila are back together, because Goddess help us, I don’t know

this to Bastien, he veritably explodes. “This is your city!” He roars, “If you don’t know where to find its underbelly, then you aren’t worth anything as an Alpha.” For a moment I fear he’ll throw something. “And you know them. Use your fucking head and think – what

that way.” I snap, I’m just as worried as you are. Your temper

W

throat, and my feet leave the ground, I’m choking and gasping for air, clawing at the hand wrapped around my windpipe. “You could never be as worried as I am.” Bastien claims ferociously, his

my pup.” | force the lie out through clenched teeth. It’s the only thing I can hold over this overbearing Alpha’s head, and I don’t care that it isn’t true. It’s enough

real fear stabs through my conscious ness. Luckily cooler heads remain with us. “Stop