Page 45 of Bullied Pregnant Mate

Before I can move or speak, a great howl rips through the forest not too far behind me. The cry is taken up by the next wolf, and the next. Before I can stop him, Brad shifts and disappears into the woods.

Fuck! Fuck this!

Turning towards the howls, I shift back into my wolf shape and run towards the sound. Patrols are being coordinated. I don’t know if it has anything to do with Brad or not. All I know is, I have to go in.

Could this be true?

I don’t know, but too much of it makes sense for me to outright deny it. I need more information, and I wonder if I should try talking to Mom.

Bad idea, for so many reasons.

Beyond my confusion, and a painful, vain hope that I might have found my father, is a deep, encompassing rage.

They attacked my wife—my mate! It sounds like they have no love of witches.

And that means they are worse than useless to me. They are a liability.

Chapter 15 - Alisa

After Jenks leaves for patrol, I stack the dishwasher, thinking things over. It’s good to have a simple, repetitive task to keep my hands busy while I think, so I take my time rinsing each plate and stacking it.

How did we get here? Jenks was the one thing in the world I was truly afraid of because I knew my feelings for him wouldn’t change, even if he was mean to me. Then I end up married to him, tied to him forever, determined to push through with my dignity intact… and now I’m actually feeling empathy for him.

It’s my worst fear come true.

I spent years hardening my heart so he couldn’t touch me, even in my memories, and now my body is aching for him worse than it ever has before.

Well, he is extremely good in bed.

A small smile lights up my face, and I close my eyes as I let a few choice memories flow through my mind. The images play out across my skin, until my body hums with pent-up desire that I don’t think will ever fade.

I can’t believe the childhood he suffered through. So much loss, abandonment, and isolation.

All that time he was hurting me, it was because he was hurting, too. Deep inside.

I can feel there’s more to the story, and I know it was hard for him to open up as much as he did. Even through all my pain, I can’t stop myself from reaching out to him and wanting to provide comfort.

Maybe there really is a good guy in there, someone responsible and accountable. More than a wise-cracking party guy who can’t be serious even for a second.

It’s easy to see how his upbringing came out in his behavior. That’s no excuse for what he’s done, but I can understand how his pain made him act that way.

If he didn’t joke about everything, then he’d probably have resorted to violence, like so many neglected kids do. Jenks didn’t have a chance at a normal upbringing, and it’s almost a miracle that he got this far in life without getting into serious trouble.

I finish stacking the last of the plates and turn the dishwasher on, wiping down the counter before I leave the kitchen. I’m contemplating what I should do while Jenks is out when the doorbell rings.

Good. I could use the distraction. I don’t want to get stuck in my own head all day with these thoughts.

As I walk towards the front door, I try to calm my jitters. There seems to be no way out of this paradox—I want to help Jenks and be there for him, but I still can’t trust him. My heart has taken the leap, and my body is drawn to him like a magnet.

I’m pretty much on fire every time he comes near me.

But logically, I haven’t seen enough evidence to convince me that he’s changed. Even after last night, I still feel like he could turn on me and become his old self.

And if I trust him, and the worst happens… I know I can’t ever recover from it.

I open the door and am instantly relieved to see Amanda and Body.

“Hey, newlywed!” Amanda says, hugging me. “Can you cope with a visitor today?”

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