Page 7 of Bully Alpha's Pregnant Mate

There’s a part of me that wants to deny it, to tell her that I’m different now, that this isn’t about control or pride. But Ican’t ignore the truth: I need this alliance. I need the council to trust me, to see me as the leader they’ve entrusted with their pack.

I step even closer, close enough to feel the heat radiating off her, and I lower my voice. “It’s my turn to make something clear, Isadora. If you leave, if you break this arrangement, I’ll make sure your family pays for it.”

Her eyes widen, and anger flashes across her face, but I don’t look away. I don’t mean the threat, not completely, but I need her to understand what’s at stake here. I can’t afford for her to call my bluff.

For a moment, we’re locked there, a few inches apart, and I can feel the tension crackling between us, thick and unyielding. Her gaze drops to my mouth just for a fraction of a second, and something in my chest pulls tight. I can’t remember the last time I felt this drawn to anyone, this aware of the space between us.

But this isn’t the time and definitely not the place. I take a step back, trying to put some distance between us, trying to clear my head.

“This isn’t how I wanted things to go, Isadora. But we don’t have a choice here.”

She tilts her head, observing me like she’s wondering if I buy my own bullshit. “You have a choice, Alec. You just don’t want to make it.”

Her words cut deeper than I expect. She’s right, in a way. I could choose to walk away, to tell the council this isn’t what I want. But the idea of her—of Isadora—in my life, in my home, by my side… it’s not something I hate.

In fact, there’s a strange pull to it. A part of me wants her here. Wants her to be the one standing beside me.

And maybe that’s the real reason I’m so adamant about this.

“Maybe you’re right,” I offer, keeping my tone low, almost thoughtful. “Maybe I could walk away. But this isn’t just about what I want, or even what you want. This is about what’s best for everyone. And while I don’t know much about you, Isadora, I do know that you have always held your pack’s interest above your own. That’s a great quality for a luna to have.”

She narrows her eyes, searching my face as if she’s trying to figure out if there’s any truth to my words. I wish I could tell her everything—that this isn’t easy for me, either, that I don’t want to be the kind of alpha who forces his hand like this. But I can’t afford to show that kind of weakness. Not now.

“You think this is best for everyone?” she asks. “Or is it just what’s best for you?”

I don’t have an answer, because I don’t know. I don’t know if I’m doing this for the pack or the council, or if I’m doing it for myself. Or if I’m doing it because I can’t ignore the way she looks at me, the way some part of me wants to make up for everything I did to her, to prove that I’m not the same arrogant kid she remembers. She could have a life of luxury as an alpha’s wife.

And maybe that’s why I can’t bring myself to back down, even now.

“This is what needs to happen,” I say finally, my voice hardening. “Whether you like it or not, you’re a part of this pack. And sometimes, being part of a pack means making sacrifices.”

She stares at me, her eyes flashing with a mix of anger and something else—something I can’t quite place. For a second, I wonder if she’s going to slap me, to storm out and leave this whole thing behind. Part of me almost hopes she will. It’d beeasier, cleaner. But the other part of me, the part I’m not entirely proud of, wants her to stay. Wants her to understand why I’m doing this.

For a moment, I think she’s going to say something, to tell me exactly where I can shove my sacrifice speech. But then she takes a step back, crosses her arms, and lifts her chin in that defiant way that makes her look every inch the alpha’s mate she’s destined to be.

“Fine,” she says. “I’ll go along with this… for now. But don’t think for a second that I’m doing this for you.”

I gaze at those beautiful blue eyes, resisting the urge to smile. I wasn’t expecting her to do it for me. But if she’s here, if she’s willing to stay, even if it’s just for her family, that’s enough. For now.

“Good,” I reply. “Because this isn’t about me, or you. This is about what’s best for everyone.”

She scoffs, but there’s a hint of something else there, something that tells me maybe she understands. If anyone could, it’s Isadora.

Without another word, she turns and walks toward the door. And as I watch her go, I feel a strange mix of satisfaction and regret, knowing that I’ve won this round but not entirely proud of the way I played it.

But if I’m going to be the leader this pack needs, if I’m going to prove myself to the council—to everyone—this is how it has to be.

Chapter 4 - Isadora

I should be focusing on the fact that I’m about to get married to Alec Thornton, but my brain has other ideas. Like replaying every single miserable memory of him from those summers as a teenager.

I was the girl who preferred books to people, who could disappear into a library for hours and come out with knowledge on everything from Greek mythology to the migration patterns of Arctic foxes. My curiosity was endless, my thirst for answers insatiable. And apparently, that made me a target.

The only thing more dangerous than being the girl who actually loved school was being the girl who dared to get in the way of Alec Thornton and his band of followers when he was in town.

To say Alec was popular would be the understatement of the century. He wastheguy. A star athlete from a neighboring pack, always laughing with that easy confidence of his, surrounded by a constant swarm of friends and more admirers than I could count.

And me? I was the president of the book club that gathered over the summer, a tiny group of people who, like me, had probably readThe Odysseymore times than they’d attended a Friday night party. We kept to ourselves, and it should have stayed that way.

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