Page 3 of Bullied Pregnant Mate

“Trust me, you don’t,” Amanda mutters.

“That’s not what we need to talk about,” Lucy says, shaking her head. “Bae is out right now looking for the next match, and it’s on us to choose the witch who will be his mate.They want the ceremony to happen soon. There will be a meeting tonight.”

“Tonight?” Tara asks in surprise. “Thatsoon?”

Lucy nods. “We need to move forward on this. Witches gain stronger powers from the match, and so do wolves. There is still some split within the pack because this war with Decker has cost us a lot. It’s important to keep making matches to show everyone how beneficial it is for us to be here.”

A bit of muttering goes around the table as the girls consider. I know some of the younger ones are excited by the idea of finding a wolf mate and might jump at the chance.

The sense of anxiety has come back to me, rising sharply by the second. I feel like I’m running out of time. Like if I don’t speak up soon, I’ll lose my chance.

Chance at what?

“I’ll do it!” I suddenly shout, the words leaping from my throat, drowning out the chatter from the others.

Everyone goes silent and turns to look at me.

Anxiety claws at my throat and clenches my guts.

What have I done?

“Are you sure, Alisa?” Amanda asks. “Didn’t you say you had a potential mate?”

I shake my head hard. “No. I know I said that some time ago, but I was talking about an old flame from high school. That won’t turn into anything, so I think I should volunteer for this.”

“I was going to put my hand up,” Tara says, grinning at me. “You beat me to it by less than a second.”

I grin back, wanting to make a joke about letting her have it, but the words won’t come out.

What in the hell is wrong with me?

“Okay, Alisa,” Lucy says, her face very serious. “You know how this works, right? You’ll have to move in with him right after the ceremony. How you handle the relationship is up to the two of you, but you have to show unity in front of the pack. The whole point here is that Bae wants the others to see that the benefits of having witches here outweigh the risks.”

“We also want to dispel the idea that keeping us here is just a personal thing,” Amanda says. “Body is part of the top circle, and Peter is the brother of the alpha. We want the pack to know having the witches home is the right thing to do for us all, not just for the sake of those two.”

“The pack wants more evidence of the power boost, too,” Lucy adds. “Our guys have been showing off their skills, and the other wolves want more information before they offer themselves as mates.”

“Okay,” I say, forcing my voice through my tight throat. “I got all of that. I can do this, trust me.”

Lucy gives me a hard look. I stare right back, knowing she can pick up impressions of how I feel, even if she can’t fully read my thoughts. I’m trying to keep my bubbling panic under control, but I don’t think I’m doing a very good job of it.

“Are you sure, Alisa?” she asks. “Do you know exactly why you’re doing this?”

No.

“Yes, I do,” I answer confidently. “I want to strengthen our bond with the wolves and help us settle here permanently. In time, we can even help the others, like Zoe, free their mates.”

“Okay,” Amanda says, nodding. “As long as you’re sure. Once we commit, we can’t go back. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” I nod firmly, keeping my face set and determined. “I want to help my coven, and my pack. I’m ready for this.”

From the way the others look at me, I know they can feel the emotions simmering inside me. I feel like I’m right on the edge of a panic attack, fingers shaking, guts twisting, and heart hammering.

It’s okay. I’m safe. Perfectly safe.

Because I’m going to marry some random wolf, and once it’s done, it can’t be undone. I’ll find the happiness I crave. Someone to share my life with who is devoted to me.

Then I can forget about Jenks forever.

---