Bastien marries me only for duty. I reject him and leave for good by faking my death. Yet he goes crazy looking for me. He says he loves me when we meet again. No! I don't buy it. I can't let him steal my child! ** "She's not yours!" The front door was locked and deadbolted, but it only takes Bastien and his Betas a moment to break past those defenses. As Bastien towers in the doorway, his silver eyes glowing with barely contained fury, I realize it's all over. Everything I've worked for these past three years is already lost; every tear I've shed and sacrifice I've made has all been for nothing. I come to stand in front of my ex-husband. Goddess I’d forgotten how handsome he is; how tall. It doesn’t feel right to be so near him without our bodies touching; it takes all my strength not to reach out to him. “Hello Bastien.” Whatever he was expecting, it clearly wasn’t this. His silver eyes stop their hungry head-to-toe scan of my body, settling on my face and blinking in surprise. I can see the gears turning in his head, piecing together the puzzle of my presence here and replacing shock with confusion and anger. “Is that really all you have to say to me?” I cock my head to the side. “What would you have me say?” “I thought you were dead!” He barks, making my wolf tuck her tail between her legs. Unlike my wolf, I have more than enough bad memories and regrets to withstand his ire. “Oh I’m sorry, did my funeral get in the way of your wedding plans?”
View MoreSelene's POV
It’s dark. I cannot see Garrick's free hand, but I hear the clinking of his belt buckle.
He’s my father. He whips the leather implement from his trousers and throws it away, snapping the end against my bare belly in the process.
A hoarse yelp escapes my lips. “No…! what are you doing? You’re drunk! Get out!”
His claws dig into the papery flesh of my neck, and a strident zip fills the air as he unfastens his pants.
A bolt of panic breaks through my consciousness as he began trying to wrench my legs apart. The thunderstorm roars over Garrick's heavy breathing, the perfect soundtrack to my agony.
Tears stream from my eyes as I kick and thrash against him. But nothing frees me from his hold.
Since my mother died eight years ago, my insane father has held me prisoner, poisoning me with wolfsbane every day.
I keep waiting to die, going to bed each night feeling so certain I won’t live to see the sun rise in the morning. But my wolf Luna died first. She’s gone. I lost her, my only friend and hope.
I haven’t had any food or water since yesterday, but I don’t know why I bother hanging on. What’s the point of surviving if I’m only going to live alone in this filthy cell?
When I see the hard rod of flesh between my father’s legs, terror washes over me. There’s no way that thing will fit inside of me, it will be pure agony.
He keeps wrenching my legs apart no matter how hard I scream and kick, but then my anger overcomes my fear.
I don’t care why he’s doing this to me, I won’t let him. I won’t just lie here and take it.
I reach desperately for his face, trying to scratch his glowing eyes. With a vicious jerk Garrick smashes my head into the floor, dazing me enough for him to temporarily release me so he can paw at my underdeveloped breasts with both hands.
His claws rip into my skin, dragging over my chest and down my stomach. I try to scream, but no sound comes out. Garrick emits a deranged cackle, jamming his fingers between my legs and forcing them inside me.
“No!" I just barely summon my voice, my shriek coming out as a whisper. "You can't do this, I'm your daughter! Don’t’ you care what my mom would think of you?"
Garrick freezes, a look of surprise breaking through the drunken haze of his thoughts. He blinks: once, twice. Shaking his head, he scoffs, "You stupid girl, I'm not your father."
"What?" I’m shocked. His words struck me hard.
He didn't release me, but he was distracted enough to delay his assault. "Your father was some mongrel from another pack." Garrick snaps, "Your mother got herself knocked up by a married man and had to flee in disgrace."
“I was in neutral territory when I found your mother groveling, penniless in a gutter. I saved her worthless life and brought her here. I married her, adopted her bastard and gave her a home. She owed me everything! And what did I get in return?" He demands, spittle flying from his fangs.
“Nothing. She never let me so much as put a finger on her! I did everything I could to prove my love but she could never look past the fact that I'm an Omega." He sneers at me, "You're just like her. A Volana – but unlike her, you are mine." He looks so crazed I fear he might transform completely. "And you don't get to say no!"
He lunges toward me, covering my body with his own. Adrenaline spikes in my blood and my fingers close around the neck of the whisky bottle by my side.
“Go to hell! You’re sick!”
Pang! I smash the heavy flagon over his head, clenching my eyes shut to protect them from the raining shards of bloody glass. Garrick slumps over me in a heap, his weight crushing the air out of my lungs.
It takes all my strength to roll his big body off me, but I manage. I find my feet, stumbling towards the door.
----
I take off into the night, my mind grappling for any location that might be safe. I do not pause to gain my bearings or orient myself, my only thought is to put as much distance between myself and Garrick as possible. I move as quickly as I can, staggering into the road and forcing cars to screech to a halt so I may pass.
I do not go unnoticed. Startled looks and concerned expressions greet me on all sides. Then, like a vision from a dream, I see a face I recognize approaching in the lamplight.
I've dreamed of Bastien Durand many times over the last eight years. He looks much older than I remember, but there's no mistaking his rugged features. Tall, broad, with dark blond hair and a chiseled jaw; it's easy to see why I imagined myself in love with him as a child. He's the Alpha's son and heir, and he's coming towards me now with a concerned expression on his face.
Bastien's silver eyes glow in the darkness, his palms outstretched in placation as he comes toward me. Lightning strikes with a loud crack, and the eerie illumination transforms his handsome face into something truly sinister. His men fan out around me, and all of my girlish fantasies disappear.
This is a massive Alpha wolf approaching me, another man who wants nothing more than to harm me. When he nears, his deep voice sends shivers down my spine and his placating words fall on deaf ears, "Easy little wolf."
Just before his fingers make contact on my skin I lash out defensively. He blocks my first strike, clamping his hands around my arms, but he seems reluctant to use any true force. His hesitance saves me, as I wrench away from him, hitting and kicking until I'm free and taking off at a sprint.
For one blessed moment I think I might have a chance – then I hear his voice, as thunderous as any storm. "Catch her." Bastien orders. "Now."
Selene “Why do you have that look on your face?” I ask Bastien, suspiciously eyeing his tense expression as he guides our car through the winding mountain roads. My father is in the back seat napping, and another vehicle follows behind us, transporting Helene and Frederic’s coffins. It’s both grim and comforting to be returning home under such circumstances, and I know Bastien is feeling as conflicted as I am about feeling so happy when our journey cost us so much. Still, I don’t think that’s what’s bothering him – but something clearly is. “Are you worried about how the pack is going to receive you?” “No.” Bastien sighs, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck. “Then what?” I press, wanting to comfort him the same way he’s comforted me over the last few days. After the initial elation about surviving wore off, a thousand distraught feelings closed in around me, threatening to pull me under. Nightmares about Blaise, guilt about Helene and Frederic, sorrow about their los
Bastien When I set out on this journey, I never planned on being gone for so long. I thought I’d travel for a few weeks, deal with Blaise as best I could, and return home before Selene started showing. Maybe it was naivete on my part, but there’s no denying things did not go as expected. Now, as I lie in bed a full twelve hours after the entire world as we knew it imploded, I’m merely grateful that we survived. Selene is bundled safely in my arms, and our pups are growing safely in her womb. I still don’t know how we managed to make it through the last few days unscathed – physically at least. I know the losses of Helene and Frederic are already weighing on my mate, and she hasn’t even begun to process their sacrifices. But we have plenty of time for that in the days to come. In fact – we have all the time in the world. We’re both eager to get home to Lila as soon as possible, not to mention that I’m dreading the mess I’ll be returning to in Elysium, but for now there is
As long as I live, I’ll never forget the sight of Bastien killing Blaise, or the strange sense of relief to watch another being’s life snuff out so brutally. Under any other circumstances I might be horrified, but now there is only the eerie sensation of all my fear evaporating at once. It almost happens too fast, ricocheting me back and forth between such extremes of emotion that my brain needs to shut down in order to cope. I actually black out for a few moments, the world going as dark as my shadows as I try to process what has just happened. Luckily I’m not alone. My father is by my side anchoring me to reality, and before long my mate is there too. Of course I didn’t see it happen; one moment Bastien was shaking Blaise like a ragdoll, the next he’s in front of me. He’s back in human form, bloody, bruised and naked as the day he was born. I can barely comprehend that it’s over, that the danger has really passed. Still, my wolf is rejoicing as Bastien takes my face in hi
My father is bending over me, his large, warm hands on my shoulders. “She’s gone Selene.” He murmurs, “She’s gone, you can’t help her now.” “No!” I insist tearfully, “she’s lived forever, she’s got more power in her little finger than I do in my whole body, she has to be faking, this has to be some kind of spell.” “Sweetheart, you have to focus.” My father coaches, “Blaise still lives and your mate still fights. It’s over for Helene but it doesn’t have to be over for you.” Little by little his words seep into my brain, and I’m finally able to look up at the scene around me. Bastien, Grayson and Matthew are still fighting tooth and nail, but Blaise and his spellcaster are standing side by side, looking only too pleased with themselves. “This is what defiance gets you, my beauty.” Blaise informs me. “Now be a good girl and come to me before anyone else gets hurt.” I thought I knew what anger was, I’ve certainly felt pure rage on any number of occasions in the past, bu
I immediately take a step towards Selene, but Blaise lazily waves his hand and a line of sentries crosses the floor between us, forming a human barricade between myself and my mate. Now Selene, Helene and James are completely encircled by guards, but my beautiful little wolf looks as determined as ever. If I so chose, I could barrel through the shifters dividing us with little issue, but I’m sure that’s exactly what Blaise wants. He wants to distract me, he wants to use Selene against me. Unable to help myself, my eyes drop to my mate’s belly. She’s put on at least five pounds since I saw her last, and her dress is now ballooned outward by a healthy baby bump. Twins, I think again, in awe of how much my wife has been through these last few weeks, and amazed by the miracle she’s embodying. When our eyes meet, I can see her determination so clearly it’s staggering. Nothing I say now is going to convince her to leave, even if it means she’s in for the spanking of a lifetime wh
Looking around in a panic, I demand, “where? Where has he gone?” “His orders were for me to get you out, Selene.” Helene informs me, not sounding as if she’s particularly interested in actually following them. “Then again, you are a headstrong young woman, and I’m just an old woman. It would be only too easy for you to overpower me and go after them.” “Them?” I repeat, “he’s not alone?” “No.” A deep voice sounds behind me, the man who had been standing with Helene before going to dispatch the guards. “His with the rebel leaders, Matthew and Grayson.” Turning around, I study the strange man closely. I’m sure I’ve never seen him before, but he seems oddly familiar. He’s got to be close to sixty years old, with gray streaked hair and the gaunt form of a man who’s known true deprivation. My wolf is already wondering if he might be my father, but the look on his face confirms it. He’s looking at me as if he’s seeing a ghost, his eyes shining with unshed tears. “Hello Sel
Selene “Why are we still in lockdown?” I demand, glaring at Blaise. “I thought you said the danger had passed.” “It has passed, my beauty, I’m merely being cautious.” He insists, reaching up to drag his knuckles over my cheek. “It’s an annoyance to be sure, but one we’ll get through.” “This is what happens when you abuse your people.” I grumble, “if you don’t want to be annoyed maybe you should respect their rights.” “Rights.” He scoffs, “more like a city full of spoiled children clamoring for attention and making unreasonable demands.” “I want to go back to my rooms.” I announce, overflowing with disgust for the horrible man. “You can’t do that yet.” He informs me brusquely. “Why, what’s going to happen?” I ask. “You know I normally don’t mind your sass, but I don’t have the patience for it today.” He gripes, turning away from me. “Wait!” I exclaim, clasping onto his arm as a rush of inspiration strikes me. We’re in his safe room surrounded by guards, but a man as
BastienMaking myself wait to take action until hearing from Helene is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. My relief over escaping the dungeons with Grayson and James wore off almost immediately after learning that Selene was still Blaise’s captive. I hadn’t really expected her to get away at the same time we did, but my disappointment and worry once Matthew filled us in was proof of the hope I hadn’t let myself acknowledge.The worst part is waiting for the witch to appear afterwards, but my new allies keep reminding me that I won’t be any help to Selene if I get captured again. Only this fact keeps me from stormi
SeleneI’m woken by the sounds of blaring alarms, the sound so shrill and horrible I slam a pillow over my face before I can stop to consider what the sound might mean. It’s not until my bedroom door swings open and a young servant girl pokes her head in, that I lower the plush implement. She pulls me out of bed and helps me into a robe while my head spins.An alarm. I think hopefully, that’s bad for Blaise. And what’s bad for Blaise can only be good for us. Luna answers slyly.
Pregnant and Rejected by My Alpha Mate by Caroline Above Story is a beautiful love story with a rating of four and a half stars. Selene suffers abuse under her father, and the Alpha heir, Bastien, rescues her. Selena and Bastien, due to obligation, had to marry. The two agree to separate if they are unhappy with the marriage. However, due to unfavorable consequences, the two got separated. Bastien believes Selena is gone forever. But one day, he surprisingly stumbles upon Selena. She has a daughter. The sight stirs the heart of Bastien. Who is the father of this child?
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