Page 77 of Rejected and Pregnant By the Alpha King

“Come,” I tell her, and breeze past her to exit the greenhouse.

I don’t wait for her to follow me before stepping out into the cool night air, figuring if she needs the time to settle herself, then she’ll have it.

My pond ripples when I approach it, flashes of orange and red darting under the dark surface, just out of view. The funny thing about fish is that despite their rather simple nature, they can be quite clever creatures when it comes to recognizing a predator looming over them.

“Do I just throw this all in?” she asks from behind me.

My wolf rumbles softly, both of us surprised at her sudden and silent appearance. Something in me tells me that she’s used to moving quietly and undetected, though for what purpose I’m still unsure of.

I’m unsure about a lot of things in regard to her life back in Andromeda, actually. However, asking about it is a level of intimacy that I’m unwilling to breach at the moment, despite my curiosity.

“Sprinkle in handfuls a bit at a time,” I tell her. “If you throw it all in at once they get too rowdy.”

She mumbles something under her breath, sounding like, “fish can get rowdy?” but does as she’s told.

Tails flick against the surface of the water, mouths coming up to gulp down the pellets tossed onto the surface. I slowly sink down onto the grass, content with watching and letting Raine do as she pleases.

The night is nice and quiet for once: a rare occasion for the Soleus packlands, unfortunately.

“Can I ask you something?”

I lift my head to look at her.

She’s frowning at the fish, a large handful of pellets clutched in her hand. “Why are you doing this?”

I wait for her to elaborate.

She swallows visibly at my silence, her body growing stiff again. It’s an interesting reaction, one that has me wondering yet againwhat her pack alpha was like. Meeting him in person, he hadn’t impressed me, nor had his enforcers.

To me, it seemed as if they were on the brink of falling apart. Though for what reason is still unclear. Perhaps in-fighting or disregard for his authority, a common thing among packs with poor leadership.

Not to mention his beta had been nowhere in sight, for some reason.

Going anywhere without Wren at my side seems like too much of a statement that I’m not willing to make. I named him my beta for a reason, and his steadfast position at my side is a permanent fixture everywhere we go, unless there’s an emergency that takes him elsewhere.

“You…you’re supposed to be…” she trails off again.

I don’t need her to finish whatever it is she’s about to say.

I know what my reputation is, and what the rumors surrounding my pack are like. I have no interest in correcting them or proving them right. Either way, as long as the packs under my rule are compliant and the northerners keep to themselves, I’m fine upholding the status quo.

“Is there a particular reason you believe I’m going to harm you?” I ask.

She flinches. “I-I…”

“That would be rather counterproductive, would it not?” When she doesn’t say anything, I go on. “We are to raise a child together, after all.”

Her hand, still clenched around the pellets, comes up to rest over her belly. “When…will that be?”

I shrug. “Whenever you wish.”

Her head whips around to look at me. “Isn’t thatyourdecision?”

My lips quirk up in amusement. “Not particularly.Youare the one who will be doing the bulk of the work.”

“I meant—you…” She clears her throat. “You know.”

I lift myself back up onto my feet, letting out a slow exhale. “Were you not the one begging me to not kill the child already inside of you? Unless of course, you’ve changed your mind.”

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