Abandoned While Pregnant, Claimed by the Alpha novel Chapter 52

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Chapter 52

Brian’s POV

The sound of the slap echoed through the dead-silent office like a gunshot.

The sting on my cheek was nothing compared to the shock that hit me deep in my chest. She slapped me. She actually slapped me. An Omega-one I dragged out of the dirt-dared to lay a hand on her Alpha?

But then I locked eyes with her. Those eyes full of shattered anger and bitter resentment. And just like that, every ounce of my

rage froze in place.

I watched, helpless, as her body crumpled, like a statue suddenly stripped of all its supports, and she collapsed backward.

Thud.

The dull sound of her hitting the floor struck me like a hammer, shattering what was left of my pride.

“Ashley!”

I lunged forward, my anger extinguished in an instant by cold, raw fear. Dropping to my knees, I scooped her fragile body into my arms as carefully as I could. Her face was ghostly pale, like paper soaked in water, and the faint scent of my own marking, mixed with the smell of her fear, hit me like a knife to the chest. Somewhere inside, my wolf let out a wrenching, agonized howl.

What did I do wrong?

No-no, this wasn’t on me. She’s the one who betrayed me. She’s the one who pushed me this far. It’s her fault. None of that

mattered now.

I scooped her up in my arms, heading straight for the pack’s medical center. She had to be okay-she just had to be. I wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

But as I turned, the door to the office suddenly slammed open.

A sharp, icy Alpha scent, like frozen pine forests after a snowfall, swept through the room with undeniable hostility.

Hebert.

He stood there in the doorway, his perfectly tailored suit doing nothing to hide the dangerous aura of a predator at the top of the food chain. His eyes locked onto Ashley, unconscious in my arms. Those deep-set eyes instantly turned glacial, colder than a Siberian winter.

“Put her down,” he said, his voice calm but laced with a demand I couldn’t ignore.

୮

“Get off my territory, Hebert,” I shot back through gritted teeth, clutching Ashley tighter. “Or don’t blame me for what happens

next.”

“You’re the one who needs to let her go, Brian.” He stepped closer, his overwhelming presence pressing against me like an invisible force. “Can’t you see what you’ve done to her? You don’t deserve her.”

The wolf inside me roared uncontrollably, demanding to tear apart the intruder who dared challenge my authority. My nails sharpened on their own, and the golden glow unique to an Alpha burned in my eyes.

“She’s marked by me!” I growled through clenched teeth. “She’s my Luna! Try laying a finger on her and see what happens!”

“Marked?” Hebert let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “A mark from someone who treats her like trash? Brian, you’re the dumbest Alpha I’ve ever seen. You’re holding a rare diamond in your hands, and all you see is a worthless pebble. Since you don’t deserve her, maybe I should take your place.”

The moment those words left his mouth, he moved like a panther, coiled and ready to strike.

Chapter 52

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Just as the tension peaked and the air between us bristled with danger, my phone rang-loud and shrill-shattering the silence. The name on the screen instantly cooled at least half of the storm raging inside me.

Amara Winter. My grandmother.

Ignoring the call wasn’t an option.

I glared at Hebert, and he returned the look with y defiance. We were like two lions in a deadlock, neither willing to back down. Reluctantly, I fished the phone out of my pocket, keeping my eyes fixed on him.

“Let her go,” Hebert’s voice cut through the air, cold and threatening. “Or I promise you, the Bloodmoon Pack will declare war on the Blackwood Pack.”

I answered the call, my arm holding Ashley trembling slightly with anger.

“Brian!” Grandmother’s usually authoritative voice was now brimming with barely contained fury. “I heard Ashley’s been openly appearing in public with Hebert!”

I didn’t respond; my focus was locked on the enemy glaring at me just a few feet away.

“Ungrateful wretch!” Grandmother’s voice was sharp, like nails scraping against glass. “We pulled her out of a Brooklyn slum, gave her the honor of being a Luna! And this is how she repays us? All because of that insignificant incident with Silvia. No wonder her own uncle abandoned her!”

She paused, her tone hardening even further. “Don’t you dare agree to any of her terms! Brian, you need to shut her down right now. Make her understand where she belongs!”

“Now isn’t the time for this,” I said hoarsely. “Of course it is!” Grandma’s tone left no room for argument. “Hebert’s intentions couldn’t be clearer! He’s already threatened us. He wants to take your Luna away and trample on Blackwood Pack’s pride! He’s trying to make a spectacle of you for the entire werewolf alliance! You must summon the council immediately, join forces with the other two packs, and declare war on the Bloodmoon Pack! He needs to pay for this!”

“No,” I refused without hesitation.

Start a war with one of the most powerful packs in North America? Over a woman? That’s insanity. My reputation would be in tatters, and the council would write me off as some idiot ruled by his impulses.

“I’ll tell the council that Ashley went to the Bloodmoon Pack strictly for business consultations,” I said in a calmer tone, hoping to ease her frustration. “She’ll come back soon. Grandma, I’ll handle this.”

“Handle it? And just how do you plan to do that?!”

I didn’t respond. I hung up instead.

My gaze shifted to Ashley, lying unconscious on the couch. I pulled off my jacket and draped it over her. Standing up, I turned

back toward Hebert.

“You win this round, Hebert.” My voice was icy, each word laced with meaning. “But remember this-she’s mine. I’ll bring her back.”

Without another word, I walked out of that suffocating office. I needed to clear my head and come up with a solid plan.

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