“She is good,” Ada tells Duke.“I am impressed,” Duke nods.“Ready to face the ex?” Ada asks.“You talk to Gabby. Monty and I will talk to Titan,” Duke reminds her, pointing to a door where Gabby is.“Party pooper,” Ada fake pouts.“A kiss, please,” Duke pulls her in.“Yes, sir,” Ada bats her eyes before kissing him.When she opens the door, she is not ready for the beauty on the other side.“Your Grace,” Gabby bows.Ada shakes off how beautiful Gabby is and sits down.“I was told to come in here and get your side of the story,” Ada tells her.“It’s not as bad as everyone is making it out to be,” Gabby sighs. “It was during my heat. I wasn’t a virgin, and he was. So, he turned on me hard. I fought him off.”“That can be suppressed. That anger. I went through heat and didn’t so much as slap Duke and that is with all the stupid shit that comes from his mouth daily. Don’t make excuses for Titan,” Ada tells her.“We wanted to get pregnant,” Gabby says. “So, I didn’t suppress. Any
Ada rushes into Gabby’s room when she hears Duke give his command.Gabby’s eyes go wide as Ada takes her hand.“He gave the order,” Ada says, and Gabby grips her hand hard.Titan comes in, followed by Monty and Duke.“Duke,” Gabby says, staring at her former lover. Duke nods but looks at Ada.“Use her legal name,” Monty demands.“We got married in Atlantic City, I changed my last name,” Gabby tells them.“We will get divorce papers filed tomorrow,” Monty assures Gabby.Titan looks at her and she meets his eyes.“I should never have hurt you the way I did. But I can’t forgive you for the pain I feel when I look at you,” Titan tells her.“I love you, Titan,” Gabby tells him. “I wish you could get past my past.”“I can’t. I want to, but I can’t,” Titan takes a deep breath. “I, Titan Estes, of Red Blood Pack reject you, Gabriela Estes, as my mate.”Gabby starts to cry and grabs her neck. Ada holds her as she screams through the pain.“You have to accept,” Monty tells her, kneeling i
Rose calls a family meeting in the kitchen. She calls for her parents, Davis’s parents, Duke and his mates. She calls for Monty, Zoe, and Zoe’s parents, Finley and Everly. “Who is pregnant?” Zoe laughs, seeing everyone in the kitchen. “Besides me.”Everyone laughs except Gabby, Rose, and Davis.“Emma,” Ari guesses first.“Nope, not me,” Emma shrugs. “I suppressed my first heat so it’s going to take us a minute.”“Ada?” Ari asks with a strained smile.“Oh, goddess, I really hope not,” Ada jokes. “Hey,” Duke pulls her to him in a hug.“Well, Rose did call this meeting,” Romana, Gabby’s mother smiles.“Oh,” Ari looks over at her daughter.“It’s not me,” Rose says.“Mom, Dad, Ari, Anderson, I want you all to remember what you are about to hear maybe shocking, but we are a family,” Davis says.“What is happening?” Ada asks, looking at Gabby. “Did your mate get you pregnant?”Gabby shakes her head. “So, it’s not Gabby,” Ari looks around.“I’m pregnant,” Gabby says.Everyone stares a
“Baby,” Bär says after getting off the phone with his mother.“What is it?” Ingrid rolls over and sleepily looks at him.“Something has happened, and you need to know,” Bär tells her, pulling her close.“Are the girls okay?” Ingrid asks.“Physically yes, but Gabby is pregnant. She named Duke as a possible father. Stag says the pup is not his, but both Emma and Ada are angry because it came out that Duke cheated on Gabby several times. Ada is extremely upset because Stag allowed it. Mom, Romana, and Aunt Everly are wine tipsy, while Dad, Turk, and Uncle Finley have been through a case of Scotch. Ada is staying at Aunt Everly’s and Uncle Finley’s tonight. Emma is staying with Duke.”Ingrid sighs. “I’m so thankful you waited for me. I am also thankful I never took a lover after Erik. Our lives are so much simpler. Let me call Ada.”Bär holds her and she makes the call.“Mom, what time is it at home?” Ada asks.“Around 11, we were asleep. But Ari called, so I wanted to check in
Ada smiles to herself. She is going home to where Bär is. She will be cooking for him again. Leaving her calming scent oil on objects again. She will finally have him close to her. She is a little worried, her mother hasn’t been taking her heat suppressant without Ada there to put it in her afternoon tea. But it’s only been three days. Surely, her mother didn’t go into heat yet. Ari would be announcing it to everyone. In 19 hours, her mother would be back on the suppressant and all would be well.Vixen- We can turn it up. I can flirt with Buck. Make him see a younger stronger version will be best for his legacy. Ada- I love that you are finally on my side. Vixen- Sorry it took me so long to get on board. Ada- Hey, I’m just happy you showed up at all. Inside his childhood bedroom, Duke is holding his mate tight as she doses on his chest. A text message makes him look at his phone and he quickly frowns.Gabby- Can you meet me at the spot?Duke- Hell NO!Gabby- Duke, come
“Stop,” Duke moves away. “I forgot how hard resisting you is.”“So don’t,” Gabby says. “Reject them. I was trained to be the Duchess. We can raise my child together.”“You are insane, you know that?” Duke laughs. “You are completely insane. Ingrid, the Queen, is the mother of Ada and Emma. You think she will allow you into the Palace if I reject her daughters for you? Do you think it is possible at all that Bär will let me keep my title? You have seriously lost your mind.”Gabby sighs. “I don’t want my child to be raised with a blood sucker,” Gabby tells him.“Then you shouldn’t have fucked a blood sucker,” Duke tells her. Bär- DUKE!“Holy Shit!” Duke drops to his knees, hearing Bär roar inside his head.Bär- Get in front of Emma NOW and call me or so help me I will kill you.“I have to go,” Duke gets ready to shift.“What happened?” Gabby asks.“My guess, Ada felt that almost kiss and called her stepdad, who is pissed and wants my blood. He just sent a Royal Mindlink from
“I’ll get on a commercial flight and get there,” Duke tells them.“Emma,” Ingrid calls out.“I’m here, Mom,” Emma answers in her old small voice.“No,” Duke reaches and strokes her face. “You are not that girl anymore, Emma. You are not weak. Don’t go back there. Be the woman who stood up to Ada. Please be her.”“You broke her,” Emma answers. “You broke my trust, you broke me.”“Emma,” Ingrid calls out again. “Bär believes Duke. You and Ada felt it for a moment only. Had it been more, you would have felt it more.”Duke starts crying, holding Emma’s face.“Look into my eyes. Jillian, talk to Stag. I love you, Emma,” Duke says again.Stag- Jillan, I was tired from running. We were not thinking clearly because of the fight with Ada. I love you. Please forgive us. I love you so much.Emma hears Stag talking and looks at Duke’s eyes. He is crying.“Emma?” Ingrid calls again.“Mom, I’m okay. I believe him,” Emma says, but can’t say anymore as Duke presses his lips to hers.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Ada asks Tyson on the phone.“The hospital is investigating a glove that was wrapped about a needle and plunger. The needle had the King’s DNA on it. Inside the plunger was pineapple juice. I have the gloves in my office. We got fingerprints off of them. Seven possibles were narrowed down on my computer, all seven are being looked at,” Tyson takes a breath. “Mary’s fingerprints are there too.”“So, she will get blamed what’s the issue?” Ada shrugs.“She died hours before the King. They are going to put it together. You need to get me out of here. I need 100 thousand to get out of here,” Tyson hisses at her.“That is too much. I gave you the 30k, use it and get lost,” Ada tells him.“I will make a copy of that transaction and leave it for the King if you don’t,” Tyson growls.“You are speaking to a Duchess of the Realm. You will be admitting to blackmail,” Ada says. “And tampering with evidence. Disappear if you want. They will never
15 years later“Oliva,” Alexander calls after his daughter.“No Daddy,” Oliva yell back. “You will not take me to New York. I am staying here. You want to go back and be Mr. CEO, Mr. BigShot, Mr. Boss, GO! I’m staying with my family!”“I am your family too. I’m your father,” Alexander yells as she runs to Bär’s office.“Poppa,” Oliva yells not caring that Marya and Julia are there. “Don’t make me go.”Bär stands up and hugs Oliva. “What is going on?”“I want her to go with me back to New York,” Alexander tells them.“This is her home,” Marya says running to her Niece and hugging her.“You suck,” Julia says to Alexander.“Julia,” Bär calls her down. “Show a little respect.”“Sorry Uncle Alexander,” Julia says before sitting down.“I want to finish high school here with my friends,” Oliva tells him.“I know that,” Alexander rolls his eyes. “I mean for college.”“She is going to Conrad with us,” Marya says. “We are going to rule that school, with a Dear Friends and fellow Supernatur
“Duke?” Emma walks into the office an hour before the Royal Pack will honor Ariella. “My Duke, are you in here?”The lights are off and curtain is drawn. Duke is sitting behind his desk and holding a picture of his family. “I’m here,” Duke crocks out. “I just needed a minute before going in there and everyone talking about Mom.”“I remember Dad’s Funeral. All these people talked about what a loving gentle man he was. I was too young then to understand it was a bunch of bitches rubbing in my Mom’s face that they had slept with Dad. At least you won’t have any of that,” Emma sides into his lap.“That will be good,” Duke holds her. “But my concern is all the housekeepers and warriors who knew she was being abused and did nothing. What are they going to say to defend themselves. The ones who went to school with her and saw everyday what was happening but didn’t stand up. I don’t know how to face them. Luanne was one of them. So was the head chef, the several who work here. What
2 Years and 6 Months Later“Baby!” Bär screams as he runs toward Ingrid’s office after training. The new Omegas still giggle at him. The ones who have been there since the beginning smile at him with pride. Seeing the example the King sets for mates, makes all the kingdom happy.“Daddy,” Marya runs full force toward him.Bär smiles and kneels to hug her. She smiles as she throws her tiny arms around his neck. “Are you being helpful to Mommy?” Bär asks his daughter.“No,” Marya answers honestly. “Poppa!” Oliva runs to join them and Bär scoops her up as well.“Are you being helpful to Oma?” Bär asks Oliva.“No,” Oliva is also honest. “Poppa!” Julia runs to him too.“Hey,” Duke calls her attention making Julia change directions.“Daddy!” Julia hugs her father. “I help Mommy!”Bär looks at both Marya and Oliva. “So one of the girls is helping and the other two are doing what?”“Playing,” the girls say in unison. “Terrorizing everyone,” Luanne, the head housekeeper, tells him. “
Duke is standing next to Emma as she lays on the table.“You look funny with that mask,” Emma tells him making him laugh.“You feel better with the drugs?” Duke asks.“Better? I’m not feeling anything,” Emma smiles. “We will have our pup soon. If it’s a boy I want to name him something that has nothing to do with either family. Like Brian or Julian. Hell, Felix or Claus are fine too. ““I like it. Julian Felix Conrad,” Duke smiles.“For a girl Amalia or Hannah,” Emma tells him.“Or Jane, Alice, Julia,” Duke offers.“Julia Amalia Conrad,” Emma says with a smile. “I love it,” Duke kisses her head as a baby’s cries fill the silence. Duke looks at Emma who is smiling. “You okay?”“I really don’t feel anything,” Emma tells him. “If we do this everytime you can keep me pupped.”“Let’s see how you feel about this after the drugs wear off,” Duke kiss her again.“Lady Julia,” A nurse presents a baby girl to Duke.Emma starts laughing. “Bet you are regretting your playboy ways now.”“Not
“Your Grace if you don’t let her go, we can’t hook up the monitors,” The nurse tries to explain to Duke. “Please we will let you back in the bed with her once we have the monitors on. She can move around and do whatever, but she needs the monitor so we can make sure the new pup is safe.”“I’m okay My Duke,” Emma touches his pale face. “I promise I’m okay. You have to let them prep me. The contractions just started we are going to be here a while. We need to know our pup is okay. Just breathe.”Duke finally lets the nurse start their work. He is breathing heavily and looks ill to the nurses. He hears them but it sounds like they are in a tunnel. He stumbles a little. The head nurse calls for another team to come in to look after Duke.“Your Grace please sit down,” a nurse tells him. She takes his blood pressure and other vitals. “Your Grace you are having a panic attack. You need to take deep breathes.”Another nurse turns to Emma. “Do you know is he allergic to anything?”“
Ingrid spends her day in her room with the babies. Bär tries to keep his head above water in the office. Emma is running, eating and begging Duke to have sex again and again.Alexander tries to work from the suite but finds he needs an office to keep himself for turning on the TV or crawling into bed. He heads down to the offices to see Bär and runs into Emma in the hallway.“Every time I see you, I see her,” Alexander says. He looks at Emma’s round belly. “Did her belly get like this with Oliva?”Emma gives him a tight smile. “Yeah, it did. I never saw her eat as much as she did when she was pregnant. She wanted Oliva to be as healthy as possible. She loved you and Oliva very much.”Alexander scoffs. “I know that is not completely true. You and Ada have the same tell when you lie. The tips of your ears turn pink. The bigger the lie the deeper the color.”“Really?” Duke asks coming into the hallway from the stairs. “I never knew that.”“I never lie to you,” Emma tells him.“
After a long night of tears, Emma has one goal. Get this baby out. She wakes up Duke to fuck her hard, then she runs on the treadmill for three miles, after which she drinks a bottle of hot sauce. “Emma calm down,” Ingrid tells her. “Mom, I need this baby out. I need to replace Duke’s memories,” Emma sighs. Ingrid looks at her daughter with sympathy. “I didn’t know you were feeling that way,” Ingrid tells her. “I don’t want to feel this way,” Emma sits at the breakfast table waiting on Duke and Bär. “I don’t want to resent Bär, but I do,” Ingrid admits sitting across from her. “He could have left Ada and Alexander alone and just let them be happy. But he and his mother couldn’t leave her alone.” Emma looks at her mother in shock. “Mom, Ada murdered a King and brought about the deaths of two others. You can’t be serious about expecting anyone to overlook that.” Ingrid sighs but stands when Bär enters the dining hall. Emma also stands, waiting for Bär and Marya. When they arriv
Ingrid stands at her window looking out over the back garden. The moon is high now and the beams of moonlight hit her face. She looks back into the room with a heavy sigh. Her daughter is sleeping in a basket next to the bed. Her granddaughter is squirming in the basket next to Marya. Bär is asleep with one arm over his head and the other hand is resting on his dick. That makes her laugh.When she turns back to the moon, she believes she sees a face in the moon and her breath hitches.“Selene, if you have mercy in your heart, find a way to accept my daughter. I know she did horrible things to those I love most. She even treated the man who loved her like garbage. But Selene she is my child. You have blessed me so richly so completely. How can I be so blessed and my daughter so cursed? I don’t understand and my heart is both full and broken. Selene, help me understand why. I can’t stop the burn of my heart for my child. She was troubled so young. Was that my fault? Did I mak
“Do we give her a funeral?” Ingrid asks as she melts into Bär. “I feel like the answer is no. I feel like we need to let this all go and try raising her daughter to the best of our abilities.”“My daughter,” Alexander reminds them. “As her husband I get a say in the next steps. I get to decide what happens with my daughter. I know you think you can bully me because technically you are monsters. But I am a father now and nothing will come between me and her.”Bär holds Ingrid close to him as he answers Alexander.“Alexander, you know the agreement. Our granddaughter stays with us. You can visit anytime you want. She stays here with her wolf family. She will need a support system without her mother. You can’t provide that for her, but we can. I know she is your daughter. And 16 days ago, I would have told you, you are nuts. But today I can understand what you are saying. If anyone said to me what I am saying to you about Marya, I would tear them apart,” Bär rubs Ingrid’s back.