Page 162 of Rejected and Pregnant By the Alpha King

I smile softly as I place my hand over my belly.

“Acceptance,” I say calmly. “If Aiden agrees to the treaty, to letting go ofme,and embraces an alliance, I will not keep him away from his child.”

I reach out and grab Nyx’s hand with my free one. “Our child can be a force for good, Nyx. For all of us. He or she...” I blush, my emotions getting the best of me. Nyx runs his fingers along my cheek smoothly, sighing deeply.

“I came to you broken and without hope, and you accepted me as I was. It was your kindness, your heart, your rule that shaped me and showed me what beauty could come from such dark shadows. Now, Aiden stands before us, broken and withouthope. I know how this ends if we fight, which is why I need you to say yes.” My words shake in my throat, tears forming in my eyes.

Nyx crosses his arms, looking away from me.

“You want me to propose a treaty with Aiden Summers that he will what? Hold off on his armies if I let him have access to my child? To you?”

“Yes,” I say, wiping my tears. “I know it is a lot to ask, Nyx, I do, but—”

“And what about me?” He says, angling himself closer to me. I take a step back as he proceeds to come closer until I am back against the wall.

“What do I get from this...alliance, hmm?”

I gaze up at him, my heart in my throat. I can’t help but reach out to him. My fingers slide over his throat, across his clavicle.

Heat mixes with desire and love in my core, radiating out like a sun.

“You get me,” I say, my voice barely a whisper. “You get us.”

I find his free hand with my own, sliding my fingers between his. He lifts our hands, pressing his lips to the back of my hand.

“And you get anally,” I whisper. “The Northern Kingdom is the second largest kingdom to yours, Nyx. It would be one hell of an alliance.”

Nyx drops my hand. “IfSummers agrees.”

Pride swells in my chest. Well, that wasn’t ano.

“He will agree,” I say vehemently. I know it is probably foolish of me to trust Aiden blindly, but if my instincts are right, he will agree.

Because Aiden is, if anything, pragmatic. His kingdom comes first, and he has proven his obedience to his throne time and time again. He needs to preserve his legacy, and this treaty will allow him to do so and put this scandal behind him. But it would also give him the chance to know his child.

Nyx lets out a deep sigh.

“I hope you are right, Raine,” he says, pulling me closer. He runs his nose up my neck, breathing me in like oxygen, and my stomach flutters.

And for the first time in forever, I have faith that things will work out for the better.

72

Aiden

Delilah bounces her foot nervously, and I let out a frustrated sigh.

“Will you stop that?” I beg, my nerves already frayed.

She stops momentarily, turning to face me. I peer at her from beneath my hand that rests above my forehead, keeping the light away from my eyes.

“I can’t help it—I’m nervous,” she huffs.

“You are not the one proposing an alliance,” I say with a groan.

“Are you having second thoughts?” she asks me, her bright eyes glazing as her eyebrows furrow in worry.

I rise from my chair. Where are Nyx and Raine? I’d sent the beta to fetch him nearly an hour ago, just after Delilah had arrived.

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