Pregnant and Rejected by My Alpha Mate novel Chapter 87

#Chapter 87 I’ve Loved You Since I Was Five

Bastien’s Pov

I only make it a few paces out of the cafe before I change my mind and turn back. All night I’ve been tip-toeing around, trying to get through this fight without upsetting Selene, but I can’t hold back any longer.

I don’t want my mate to be afraid of me. I don’t want to trigger her and send her into a PTSD episode, but I have a right to be angry. Besides, fights are upsetting. There’s no way to honestly have one if you can’t express your feelings for fear of offending someone else’s.

Selene jumps when the door slams back open, the bell hanging above it jingly wildly. I stalk back to our booth, towering over my beautiful mate with steam billowing from my ears. “How long?

“What?” Selene squeaks, eyeing me warily.

“How long before you left did you know you were pregnant?” I demand. My mate immediately drops her head, unable to meet my gaze. The moment she does I know I’m not going to like the answer to this question. “Answer me, Selene.”

“I found out the day before our anniversary.” Her eyes are turning red when she glances back up at me, “the day you told me you were rejecting me.”

I feel like I’ve been punched in the stomach. “You knew all that time?” I hiss, trying to process this information. In hindsight the puzzle pieces begin to click into place: her illness, her refusal to go to the hospital, the way she stopped drinking alcohol and caffeine. “Why couldn’t I smell it on you?”

If she was in her wolf form I have no doubt my mate would currently be on her back exposing her belly to me. She’s curled in on herself, invisible tail tucked between her legs. “I covered it up.” She confesses hoarsely, “the doctor gave me something to hide the scent.”

Axel is positively snarling in my chest, but I’m still struggling to wrap my head around this development, “Why?”

I scent her tears a moment before I see them. Selene steps out of the booth, looking up at me plaintively. “Everything I told you about the fire is true, but part of why Arabella tried to kill me is because she knew about the baby. When she tried to push me down the stairs at the hospital it was because she overheard the doctor and I talking. She wanted me to miscarry.”

“That’s not what I asked you.” I rumble.

“I thought you loved her! I thought you didn’t want me!” Selene cries, “And she wanted me dead, she wanted Lila dead!”

| almost snap at her again for ignoring the question, then I realize what she’s trying to do. She’s trying to explain herself before

but you were always planning on leaving.”

Selene is practically sobbing and part of me wants to comfort her but, for the first time, my anger is more powerful than my concern. “Weren’t you?” | snarl again when she doesn’t answer.

“Yes!” Selene yelps, jumping half a foot in the air. “Yes. Drake and I had a plan but then Gabriel died and it seemed like you actually needed me for a while. But then you still wanted the rejection… I was going to go right after.”

“The rejection was for you!” I thunder, all the memories coming back to me. “You never had a choice in marrying me and you were mooning over some wolf you’d known for 15 years. I wanted you to be happy!”

“What are you talking about?” Selene hiccups.

“I heard you on the phone with your friend, talking about how upset you were that you couldn’t be with the man you’d been in love with since you were 5.” It’s been a long time since I’ve thought about that time in my life. When I thought Selene died I only wanted to remember the good parts of our marriage. I blocked out those last few months so completely I actually forgot about the phone call I overheard.

Selene is gaping at me, her tears slowing amidst her surprise. When she finally responds, it’s with such exasperation and disbelief I almost miss her words. “You idiot.”

“Excuse me?” I reply dangerously.

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13:15 L

#Chapter 87 I’ve Loved You Since I Was Five

“I was talking about you, Bastien!” Selene practically shouts.