Pregnant and Rejected by My Alpha Mate

#Chapter 96 Headlines

Selene

The day after we arrive home, Bastien is stuck in meetings from dawn to dusk. He barely made it home in time to read Lila her bedtime story, and when he emerges from her room half an hour later, he looks absolutely exhausted.

I’m waiting in the kitchen with a tumbler of scotch, but Bastien bypasses the alcohol completely and wraps his big body around me like a blanket. Burying his head in the curve of my neck, he pulls my hair out of its pins so that it falls around him in a chocolate cascade.

“What happened?” I murmur, brushing my fingers through his thick hair.

He inhales deeply, breathing in my scent and sighing with relief, before raising his head. There are dark circles under his eyes, but those molten irises are as sharp as ever when he studies my lips and moves in for a long, luxurious kiss.

When he’s had his fill, he tucks my head under his chin and clutches me to his chest. “Nothing bad.” He shares, though in this position I can’t see his face. “It was just a really long day.”

“What did the elder council say?” I inquire, not wanting to bombard him with questions but incredibly anxious after what happened yesterday. It seemed bad enough that the city was rallying against me, the last thing we need is for them to turn

against Bastien – and somehow I imagine strangling the Chief Elder isn’t going to earn him any brownie points.

“Believe it or not, Grigore wasn’t exactly popular with his colleagues or the people.” Bastien explains, referring to the man by his given name now that he’s been stripped of his position.

“Oh I believe it,” I snort.

Finally setting me away from him, Bastien retrieves the glass of scotch, as well as the freshly microwaved plate of leftovers ! prepared for him while he was reading to Lila.

“Apparently Arabella was working her charms on him for a while before she left, and our little welcoming committee yesterday was the result of his outrage over her exile.” He continues, moving to the dining room table.

“Working her charms?” I repeat, following him with a glass of wine in hand.

“I don’t know the extent and frankly I don’t want to.” Bastien remarks, sounding fairly revolted. “But I’d put nothing past her.”

as dirt, the idea of anyone as young as Arabella “charming” him is disturbing

ever since.” My mate goes on. “but luckily he’s so vile that

about?” I scoff, “it didn’t look like anyone was

the newspapers stacked by the door. I didn’t go anywhere near them this morning because I was convinced they would be nothing but horrid. Now my husband drops three different daily chronicles in front

Elder Council of

Exposed, Alpha’s Pup Rescued

Alive and Well, Gifts

they were curious after all the

breathe, staring at

the elders got chatty with the press,

sense.” I insist. “People hated me

1271

#Chapter 96 Headlines

have, and many didn’t trust you were strong enough to lead without your wolf – but that wasn’t dislike. In fact, I’d say

taking a big bite of pork. “Unfortunately the most powerful people in the city are also the most entitled and shallow, and they’re the ones we have to deal with most often. But Selene, they don’t represent average Elysians,

crazy person. It’s like everywhere I

Arabella made herself a villain and you

hands are fidgeting in my lap, and Luna is becoming increasingly agitated. “I mean it’s easy for you to say all that, but I know how I was treated when we started out. It’s not like it was all in my head: I got pushed into pools and stalked, it wasn’t just

pushes back his chair and opens his arms to me in invitation, but I stay seated with my arms crossed over my chest. “No. I’m not going to let you soothe this away or distract me, Bastien. If I’m going to raise my daughter here, I need to know she’s not going to go through what

dangerously when I refused him, but I know I’ve made a mistake when I

mate growls low in his chest, “I’m going to count to

I bite, “You’ll

would, and he’d enjoy doing it. Even so, I don’t actually get out of

hand deliberately over the curve of my hip. “Careful baby, or I’m going to think you want to

he won’t be able to smell my arousal. But then his nostrils

my comment. “I’m not trying to soothe this away or contradict what you experienced. I’m trying to tell you that I think you were right when you said you lived in a bubble

the table. And I know because the proof is right here in black and white.” He affirms gently, “I also know because when we thought you died, Mom and I