Page 155 of Rejected and Pregnant By the Alpha King

“I can deal with Anais. I—”

“And if not Anais, what of Delilah?” She interrupts, and I nearly get whiplash from her words.

What about Delilah?

I cock my head to the side as I look at her. “Delilah does not factor into this,” I tell her.

Raine shakes her head.

“I will never be enough for you, Aiden. We both know that. I was not enough for you during the ball. I was not enough for you when I discovered you with Anais. I was not enough for you when I was begging you for sanctuary. And you stand here before me claiming that you have changed, but you have never looked at me once the way you looked at Delilah just now.”

Heat builds within me at her accusation.

I lean in closer, capturing her gaze. “You do not look atmethe same, either, Raine,” I growl.

Sliding my hand over her hip, my thumb grazes the slight swell of her belly, and she gasps softly.

“You’ve never looked at me the way you look at him.” I can’t hide the jealousy in my voice. I half expect Raine to push me away, to shove me and holler and pitch a damn fit like she did that night she found me with Anais.

But to my surprise, she doesn’t fight me. She slides her hands up my chest, up my collarbone, and around my neck. Her bright gaze is misty, and in it, I can see all the broken promises and pain she has kept hidden beneath her beautiful surface.

“Tell me you feel nothing,” I say, my voice shaking. The energy I once felt is an echo in my bones, replaced by possession and greed.

I long to feel free again, like my life isn’t some awful mess of pain and half-truths.

My father set a high bar for me, insisting I would reach it if I only worked hard enough. If I did as I was told and remained obedient and dutiful to my people and my crown, I would see the success and life I wanted more than anything.

But as I look at Raine, I see that everything I’ve ever wanted has always been out of my reach.

I settle my free hand in her hair, twisting her locks tightly around my fist. Memories flood me of the last time I’d gripped her so tightly.

She moves closer to me, her lips only inches away from mine.

“Aiden...” she whispers my name, and in her breath, I can feel the dying embers that wish to return to life. I stroke her belly softly with one hand while the other slides from her locks to her neck.

And then I feel it. The fresh marks of a claiming bite.

I remove my hand to see the faintest prick of blood.

The bastard.

He fuckingbit her.

Anger floods me as her hands find my jaw. She forces me to look at her, and all I want to do is shift. To howl.

I’m too late.

“Tell me you don’t feel anything for me...” I say, my voice betraying me as anger and sadness swell within me. Tears threaten to fall as I balance precariously on the edge of it all.

I don’t think because I can’t. I’m fueled purely by the dying embers that I can’t quite let go of. I crush my mouth to hers, wishing, hoping that it will be enough to spark life back into the charred remains of my heart.

Of our bond.

Raine settles her palms on both sides of my throat, and I can feel my pulse race beneath her touch.

Raine gracefully kisses me, her mouth a slow and tormenting curse.

But she doesn’t slide her tongue into my mouth or moan when I bite and suck on her lower lip like she did before.

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