Page 151 of Rejected and Pregnant By the Alpha King

But Nyx never wavered.

“I was sold to him as a breeder. I was prepared to endure painful things under his rule, but...Nyx has only shown me kindness when cruelty would be so much easier.”

My gaze catches Rose’s, and I see tears threatening to spill from her eyes, too.

“Aiden rejected me. He broke our bond, and I didn’t think I would ever recover from such a devastation.”

I fall to the ground as I let the emotions and truth surface for the first time.

“I may not be bound to Nyx, not in the way I am to Aiden. But what I feel for him is so much more than I could have ever hoped to feel for anyone ever again.”

Delilah sits in front of me, taking my hands in hers.

“I cannot sit here and be angry that you have found someone that makes you feel this way,” she says calmly. “Even if it is not for Aiden. But no matter how deep your feelings run for Nyx, you cannot change the fact that Aiden is as much a part of you as you are of him.”

Her hands stray to my belly, and I have to stifle a sob.

“You can pretend all you want, Raine. Nyx can shout his claim to the lands beyond, but no amount of shouting or pretending will erase the truth.”

I squeeze her hand, the birds chirping overhead, oblivious to their surroundings.

“I’m not pretending, Delilah, I—”

“You have to think about what is best for thischild, Raine. For your kingdom. Not just what is best for you.”

I know she meansherkingdom. Our home.

But the truth is that is not my kingdom anymore. Aiden made sure of that when he turned me away in exile.

No, my kingdom is where my alpha rules. Where Nyx rules.

Aiden’s words reverberate in my brain. He said he’d doanythingfor a chance to prove he’d changed and that his feelings were true. How could I be so sure his words were genuine and not just some ploy to solidify his alpha kingship? How can I trust his words when he has failed me before?

I slip my hands out of Delilah’s, my gaze flashing at Rose.

“You’ve been awfully quiet,” I say.

Rose shrugs. “It isn’t my place to intervene,” she says, but we both know Rose has quite an opinion of her own. Her gaze flashes to Delilah, her stance tense.

“But surely you have an opinion on the matter?” I ask gently.

Rose crosses her arms.

“As much as it pains me, Delilah is right. There is more at stake here than just your feelings.” She sighs. “Though Aiden has done nothing to prove he is worthy of anything from you or your child, despite his hand in making it.” A soft smile graces her lips as she nods at Delilah. “So, you would be well within your right to deny the asshole of anything he asks.”

“Aiden is perfectly within his right to ask! It is only because of his love for Raine—hisfated mate—that he has not declared war on the Southern King as is!”

Delilah stands, her cheeks flushed and pink. I watch as she and Rose circle each other. I’ve known Delilah all my life, and while she’s always been much more outgoing and bolder than I am, I’ve never seen her quite so agitated.

Especially over analpha. I remind myself Aiden is not just any alpha. He is an alpha king-to-be.Herking-to-be.

I’m not sure why I didn’t see the signs when Delilah and Aiden arrived, but it’s more than evident now as she defends him. Defending one’s alpha king is expected, of course, but the tenor of her voice, the conviction in her words, goes beyond that of a dutiful subject.

“Stop!” I holler, but they continue to argue.

“I said stop!” I scream, my voice ranging on the edge of a howl. Both of them stop, turning to look at me.

“I need time to think,” I say as I get up, brushing past both of them as I head for the door.

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