Page 40 of Bully Alpha's Pregnant Mate

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive myself for what happened,” I admit, my voice barely more than a whisper. “I don’t know if I’ll ever feel like I’m good enough to lead them.”

“You’re more than good enough,” she insists, her tone soft but firm. “The pack sees it, Alec. I see it. You’re doing everything you can, and you’re not alone in this.”

The words settle over me, breaking through the walls I’ve built, and for the first time, I feel a flicker of hope. A fragile but undeniable reassurance that maybe, just maybe, I’m not as alone in this as I thought.

“Thank you,” I murmur, barely able to keep the emotion out of my voice.

She smiles, brushing a hand over my hair, and the simple gesture feels more comforting than I can put into words. “Come on, lie down. You need rest.”

I hesitate for a moment, but the exhaustion pulls me down, and I let her guide me until we’re both lying together with her arm wrapped around me.

As I let myself drift, I feel the warmth of her body beside mine, the steady rise and fall of her breathing. For the first time in days, the knot of anxiety in my chest starts to loosen. The darkness is soothing, and I allow myself to fall into the steadyrhythm of her heartbeat, feeling the comfort and reassurance that only she seems able to provide.

“You’re here,” she whispers in a soft reminder that pulls me further into the calm that her presence brings.

I tighten my grip around her, letting the last remnants of tension slip away.

Chapter 18 - Isadora

The lake is glowing with a soft, silver-blue sheen under the twilight, and the air is filled with the scent of pine and mossy earth. But let’s be real—my mind isn’t on the scenery. It’s on Alec, who’s holding my hand in that firm, familiar way, like he’s not letting go tonight, no matter what.

We’ve discovered some paw prints near where our patrol unit was attacked, so we can breathe a little easier knowing it’s not demons this time. Rogue wolves, we can handle, so the tension has eased back just a bit, meaning we can finally take a moment to relax.

“Picnics aren’t exactly your style, are they?” I tease Alec, giving the setup a once-over as we settle on the blanket he’s spread out by the water’s edge.

It’s… cute, I’ll give him that, but there’s a distinct air of Alec’s classic approach—meaning he probably Googled “what to bring on a date picnic” about ten minutes before picking me up. A wine bottle and two mismatched glasses sit off-kilter on the edge of the blanket, looking dangerously close to tipping into the grass. There’s also a random assortment of snacks: a jar of olives (really?), a wedge of cheese with no knife to cut it, some berries tumbling around in the bottom of a paper bag, and—because apparently, he’s ignoring all picnic norms—a handful of energy bars tossed in as an afterthought.

I raise an eyebrow, my lips quirking into a smile. “I mean, this all looks very you. Olives and protein bars? Going for high-end and functional, are we?”

He shoots me a look that’s equal parts amused and a little embarrassed. “Hey, olives have a high mineral content. And energy bars… they’re packed with nutrients.” His grin is a littlesheepish, but he plays it off with a casual shrug. “Besides, who needs typical picnic food? Figured I’d keep you guessing.”

“Guessing is right,” I say with a laugh, reaching for the bag of berries. But even as I tease, I can’t deny the charm of his thrown-together effort, the way he’s somehow managed to turn a chaotic assortment of snacks into something that feels like… us.

“I know the last few days have been…” He pauses, weighing his words. “Hell, I know I’ve been busy, and that things haven’t been easy since the attack.” He reaches for my hand and brushes his thumb over my knuckles in that way he knows gets my pulse going. “But tonight, I wanted to make sure you know that I’m here. For you.”

It’s hard not to feel the weight of his words. Alec may be an infuriating mix of arrogance and charm, but this? This is different. Sincere. I glance down at our hands, and my stomach does an annoyingly hopeful flutter as I try to stay in control.

“Thanks, Alec. I get it. You have a pack to run, people to keep safe.”

Alec leans closer, his eyes never leaving mine. “But tonight, my priority’s you.”

The words are simple but land with so much force. Suddenly, I’m not sure what to do with all this… warmth.

He pours us each a glass of wine, then pulls out a small box wrapped in delicate tissue paper. I raise an eyebrow, instantly suspicious.

“Oh no,” I mutter. “If it’s a charm bracelet, I’m jumping in the lake.”

He laughs, that low rumble that I hate to admit does things to my nerves. “Open it and see.”

I take the box, peeling back the tissue, and gasp softly. Inside is a delicate necklace—a slender, silver chain with a tiny, intricately crafted moonstone pendant. It catches the fading sunlight and glimmers with a soft, bluish sheen that feels like something pulled from a fairytale. My chest tightens despite myself, even as I try to brush it off with sarcasm.

“Wow,” I say, holding it up. “Did you hire a personal shopper for this?”

“Thought about it,” he replies, smirking. “But figured it was better if I picked it out myself.” He leans in to put it on me, and his fingers graze my collarbone as he fastens it around my neck, his touch lingering longer than necessary. “Figured it’d suit you.”

For a second, his fingers stay at my neck, warm and steady, before he pulls back, and I’m left feeling more than a little disoriented. I force myself to look away, taking a long sip of my wine to refocus.

““You really went all out,” I comment. “What’s the catch?”

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