Pregnant and Rejected by My Alpha Mate novel Chapter 153

Chapter 153 – Frederic Issues a Challenge

When Drake and I return from meeting Helene, Lila seems like the only one who’s happy to see us. She runs over and leaps into my arms, kissing me on the cheek and immediately rattling off stories from her day. Unfortunately everyone else is gathered on the couch in front of the television, looking very somber indeed.

“What’s wrong?” Drake asks, striding over to his mate and lifting her off the couch, before sitting in her spot and settling her in his lap. Sophie simply nods towards the television in answer.

Oh no, I think, this must be about the kidnapping.

The attempt on Lila, Sophie and I has been headline news ever since it happened, particularly because Bastien has still not reappeared. It turns out it didn’t really matter whether Frederic’s latest attempt – and we’re all certain he is the one who was behind the plot – succeeded or not. The almost disaster was plenty damning in the eyes of the pack, at least when it comes to condemning my mate. After all, what kind of Alpha lets his pack fall to chaos for his own ends? And what kind of mate fails to care when his wife and child’s lives are in danger?

Carrying Lila further into the room until I can see the screen myself, I’m both relieved not to see Bastien’s name scrolling across the bottom of a news desk, and very dismayed to see Dr. Kane instead. Thomas or Frederic, or whatever other name he might go by, is standing in front of the same podium I spoke behind last week, looking very grim indeed.

*This pack has been without a leader for too long.” He announces, his features hard and unforgiving. “I have immense respect for the Durand family’s legacy in Elysium, and I consider Selene a close friend, I would never wish to impune her honor.”

“Here we go.” Aiden mutters grumpily, reflecting my own feelings.

Close friends my ass. I think, friends do not make each other sick or spy on them under the guise of providing help.

They also don’t try to destroy their relationship or kill their mates. Luna adds.

Fair point.

“However, over the last few weeks I have been deeply disturbed by Basiten’s absence, and the crimes which have transpired as a result of the pack being seen as weak and lawless. I have seen the suffering of good Novans firsthand, from those who lost their homes in the fires, to the families who lost fathers and mothers to the rogues. I have watched while Selene fights for her life and her child’s while her husband is away doing Goddess knows what, and all while maintaining the strength and dignity of a true leader.”

Every time he compliments me, I know the hammer is about to fall against Bastien. It’s a truly clever ruse, alternately riling up people’s discontent and giving them someone to blame for their misfortunes, and avoiding being seen as a detractor through praising me. He’s trying to turn Basiten into a villain and himself a hero, all the while dangling me between them like the damsel I used to be. Even with Helene’s healing herbs, I feel sick to my stomach.

“We have to stop this!” I protect, my voice thick with emotion. “He can’t do this, he can’t be allowed to just stand up there and lie to the pack.”

“If we cut him off, we’ll look like the monsters he’s accusing us of being. It will play right into his hands.” Donovan advises.

“This most recent news disturbed me more than everything which came before. I was certain that no matter what neglect he may have inflicted against the pack in the past few years, a wolf as honorable as Bastien would never neglect his mate the same way, especially not with everything he risked to get her back. Yet here we are days later, and there is still no sight of him. I know from caring for Selene in the hospital that she herself has not heard from Bastien in weeks, despite her hospitalization being so widely publicized he must certainly know.”

“I have come to the terrible and unfortunate conclusion that our Alpha is not the man we believed him to be. He is without integrity and without honor, and he does not care about us the way our leader should. He does not care for his family the way a man must, and he does not deserve our reverence or our respect.”

“That bastard!” Odette curses, offering me an apologetic glance when she remembers that Lila is in the room.

“Mommy, why’s the mean doctor saying dose tings ’bout Daddy?” My pup asks, understanding far more of the unfolding events than I’d like. In hindsight I realize I should have paid more attention to my daughter’s dislike for the man. When it comes to sensing untrustworthy people, children and pets really do have the market cornered. Lila hadn’t liked Thomas from the beginning, and I should have listened to her instincts rather than my own bias.