Pregnant and Rejected by My Alpha Mate novel Chapter 98

#Chapter 98 The Sate House

Selene

Drake’s grim face stares up at me from my tablet, his last words slowly sinking into my brain.

This doesn’t make any sense.

Maybe we misunderstood. Luna suggests with a whine.

We didn’t misunderstand. Drake’s words were completely clear, and I can tell from his expression that this isn’t some sort of joke. He seems every bit as confused as I am, only his first instinct is clearly to assume the worst, while I’m wallowing in denial.

Just then Bastien walks in, and Lila races across the room to greet him, “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!”

He snatches her up and tosses her into the air, causing the pup to shriek with laughter. “Lila, Lila, Lila!” He mimics, throwing her over his head a few more times before settling her against his broad chest and kissing her hello.

“Daddy, we went to da woods! She exclaims, launching into her account of the day. The trees were so big dey touch the sky!” Lila has seen forests before – but never one like this. The pup had been so taken with the ancient sequoias dominating the Novan forest that she decided to name them. By the time she was done, the list was so long I had to promise to write down all the names when we got home, so she wouldn’t forget.

Lila is rattling off her favorite ones as Bastien carries her into the living room, his wide smile disappearing when he sees the look on my face. I rise from the sofa before he can reach me, still holding the tablet.

Bastien’s eyes dart between Drake’s face and my own, “Baby?”

Glancing at Lila, I hedge, “You remember when you arrived in Asphodel, and I took Lila to stay at that house in the hills?”

“Yes.” He agrees, sounding like he doesn’t appreciate the reminder.

“Well,” I begin, licking my lips nervously. “I thought it was Drake’s house. I thought he sent us there for our vacation.” I censor, still eyeing my pup. But it wasn’t him.”

Bastien’s brow knits together. “What do you mean

“When I got back to the apartment that day, I got a text from an unknown number, with all the information we needed to find the house and everything.” I explain, wincing when I see his expression.

Lila, who has realized her father’s attention is no longer on her, huffs. “Daddy are you lisning?”

“I’ll tell you what little one.” Bastien suggests, “If you give Daddy a few minutes to talk with Mommy, you can have extra dessert at the banquet tonight.”

She readily agrees, toddling off to play in her room while I throw my mate an exasperated look, “Really? Bribery?”

“She’s got to sit through a formal dinner surrounded by adults, I figured we’d be rewarding her anyway.” Bastien replies, changing course and closing the distance between us. “You followed directions from an unknown number?” I can see the anger simmering up inside him, “You drove out into the remote wilderness and blindly walked into a house based on the word of some mysterious stranger?”

“I assumed the message was from Drake!” I counter defensively, “I thought he was using a burner phone or something to contact me so you couldn’t trace the text. I mean who else would have known what was going on in that moment?” I inquire, “Who else would have been trying to help me?”

“It was a fair assumption, Bastien.” Drake pipes up from the tablet.

A low growl rumbles in Bastien’s chest, and he looks down at the other Alpha. “You really knew nothing about this?”

“I thought she’d found her own hiding place. I didn’t press to find out where, because I figured if I didn’t know you couldn’t beat the information out of me.” Drake admits, rubbing the back of his neck.

We’re in our own apartment, guarded by the Pack House’s elite security force, but Bastien starts looking around like he expects monsters to pop out of the walls at any moment. I sidle closer, sliding my arm around his middle to anchor him.

Chapter 98 The Sate House