The Lycan Kingpin's Captive: A Baby For The Beast novel Chapter 22

My news didn’t affect him as much as I thought it would, but then again he has such a good poker face. The man was made to lie and manipulate the same way as all Alphas do - lie, cheat, take what’s left of you, and toss you to the side.

I should have known better, instead, I allowed myself to believe Alpha Nikolaos might be different. How foolish!

Now here I am yet again, struggling to fall asleep with thoughts of the Alpha plaguing me. The look of betrayal in his eyes when I turned to face him, the way he comforted me after the pack house was invaded.

“You’re deluding yourself, Mirabella; he simply wants your womb and nothing else. Do not romanticize this…It’s madness!” I repeat the mantra again, hoping it sticks but I have a restless night again.

But the scent of autumn keeps me awake all night, taunting me with reminders of what I’ll never have. I just have to hold on for a few more months…then I’ll be free of this.

I am woken up by an odd scent permeating my room and my eyes shoot open as I become aware of someone else in the room with me. Jumping from the bed, I back up towards the bathroom, but he mirrors my movements.

Fear grips my heart, but as he steps out of the shadows I can feel my heart skipping a beat - why is Alpha Nikolaos in my room?

“Alpha Nik…” I trail off with a frown, then I shake my head as his grin grows wide. “No, you’re not Alpha Nikolaos.”

Sandalwood, mint, and….something that causes my throat to feel strangled by an icy chill as if I’ve taken a deep breath in a blizzard. I can’t explain it, but this man smells like winter. I don’t like the way he’s looking at me with pity, and when he cocks his head to the side, it angers me more.

“Who are you? Why are you in my room?!”

He has his hands in the pockets of his jeans, mimicking the Alpha’s casual stance as his eyes blaze Alpha crimson. “I’ve just come to see the mother of my niece or nephew, that’s all. I heard you’re making quite the…ruckus.”

That smile hides something that causes my throat to constrict with fear. This is the Alpha’s twin brother, but what is he doing here?

“You have to excuse my doubt, sir, but I don’t believe you,” I say as I slowly grow tired of the games these Alphas play.

He chuckles. “Whether you believe me or not is none of my concern, dear girl, but what you want with my brother…now that is my concern.”

Crossing his arms over his broad chest, he languidly walks over to me with that grin ever present. My body is shaking as I am backed up against the wall next to my bed.

“So, what makes you so special that Niko chose you to birth his firstborn?” he asks, seemingly perplexed.

“Because it was easier than getting another woman who would expect more out of him,” I reply robotically, but I can tell he doesn’t believe me.

“Hmm, sounds believable, but I think there’s something more. Niko wouldn’t just pick a woman off the street to be his surrogate. So tell me truthfully, little one, why did he choose you?”

I frown at whatever he’s insinuating. “I’m not sure I follow? Are you assuming there’s something more to this?”

“You tell me,” he says with a shrug. “From what I can see, there’s nothing overly interesting about you except for those innocent big brown eyes.”

The comment is biting, but I don’t let it affect me. “Why don’t you ask the Alpha himself? I’m sure he’ll tell you exactly the same thing since I asked him that exact question weeks ago.”

This man, the Alpha’s twin, seems to take a beat and think for a little bit. “I did that, but even as he gave me the same answer, I can tell there’s something more,” he says, smirking. “Especially when he talks about you. Yes, I do think my brother is truly enamored with you.”

I suck in a surprised breath at this insinuation, then I shake my head at this preposterous notion. “I think you’re mistaken, sir. Alpha Nikolaos doesn’t feel anything for me-”

“He allowed you to touch him when he cannot stand the touch of another; please explain that,” he says, interjecting. “And from what Lilah has told me, he even let you sleep in his bedroom.”

I blanch at this, my heartbeat quickening. What is this man saying? There’s no way Alpha Nikolaos would treat me any differently than others since I am a complete outsider. And he can’t have an aversion to being touched, because I have…

My mind goes back to when he caught me in after I nearly fell in the bathroom. We had a moment where we just stared at each other, our faces close. But he immediately jumped back after I touched his chest.

Could this be true? But I…I clung onto him the night I was attacked and he let me…

“No…” I trail off, but I don’t believe my own words and when I peer up at him, he’s wearing a smirk as if he knows I just came to the same conclusion.

He leans in close and his overbearing scent knocks the breath from my lungs. “You’re doing something to my brother, something he doesn’t like. That change can either make him or break him; do you want to be known as Alpha Nikolaos’ downfall, little girl?”

I shake my head vehemently. “I won’t-”

“Because if you allow him to get soft, if he thinks your protection means more than that of the pack, you’ll be nothing but his destruction-”

“That’s enough, Bastien.” Our heads whip towards the door where we see Alpha Nikolaos standing. He’s wearing a scowl, glaring at his brother while his hands are balled into fists at his side.

His brother, Bastien I know now, chuckles and takes a step back from me. “Just introducing myself,” he says and winks at me before walking over to Alpha Nikolaos.

“I told you there’s no need for that; she’s just a surrogate,” he growls, the anger in his scent palpable.

My heart is sitting in my knees right now, not only from what his brother has said but from the way the Alpha is looking at me. He’s claiming I’m just a surrogate, but that look in his eyes tells me he’s worried.

Bastien waves his wrist in a dismissive motion. “Be that as it may, I still wanted to see her,” he says, placing an arm around his brother’s shoulder. “And I learned a few things that intrigued me.”

Alpha Nikolaos growls. “Stop it and please leave,” he says. Bastien chuckles and winks at me again.

“I’ll be in your office,” he says before walking out the door.