Page 29 of The Alpha's Forced Pregnant Mate

His rage filled the cabin, but it took more than an angry wolf to intimidate me. I could feel his anger and sadness pouring down our bond, but I shut it out, whirling around to grab my shoes from beside the door. “I don’t need to hear another word, Julian. I’m going on a walk. I’ll be back when you’re done throwing your temper tantrum. DON’T follow me.”

“Don’t you dare walk out that fucking door,” he growled, taking a step toward me.

“Don’t add being a controlling asshole to your already impressive repertoire of negative attributes, Julian. I won’t go far.”

He was practically shaking with rage, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, but I didn’t give a shit. The last thing I wanted was to sit around and listen to his bullshit justifications. I’d heard plenty in the last two days, and I was already over it.

I needed some air, so I yanked open the front door and stormed out, slamming it behind me.

Outside the cabin, I could still feel his rage even through the thick walls and windows, but I ignored it as best as I could and started walking. I couldn’t go too far because my body still felt sore and heavy from the mating ritual, but I needed to get away from Julian for a bit. I needed some space.

The night air was cool, a relief to my overheated skin. I could hear the gentle tinkling of water and followed the sound to a small pool. It was formed naturally from a crack between two large boulders, and it seemed deep enough to be refreshing. I was tired and sore, but I was covered in sweat and dirt and really needed to wash up.

I stripped off my clothes and waded into the water, sighing in pleasure as I submerged myself fully. It was refreshing but retained some of the heat from the daytime sun, and my muscles were already feeling better.

I took my time washing up, scrubbing the sweat and dirt from my skin, then dunked my head under the water to wash my hair. The water was surprisingly clear, and I could see my feet if I looked down. I washed my hair twice, wanting to get rid of the sticky feeling it always had after I used magic. I knew the feeling would go away in a day or two, but until then I would be stuck with it.

A ripple in the water caught my eye, and I turned to see an enormous fish swimming past me. I watched in fascination as it swam by, surprised by how close it came to me before it changed directions and swam away.

I stood up, running my fingers through my hair to squeeze out some of the excess water, and was about to turn back toward the cabin when a familiar scent reached my nose.

“You look like a water spirit,” Julian said, his voice low. “But you smell like mine.”

I turned to face him, crossing my arms to cover my breasts. It’s not like he hadn’t seen them already, but still. “I told you not to follow me.”

Julian didn’t even have the good sense to look guilty, his gaze roving over my bare body appreciatively. “I can’t help it. I want to be with you.”

I couldn’t help but feel a little pleased with how blatant he was in his attraction to me. It felt good to be wanted. “Look, I know that’s part of the magic and all, but could you give it a rest? I don’t want you following me around like a lost puppy.”

Julian’s gaze lifted to meet mine, and I saw something dark flicker in his eyes. He looked angry again, but it wasn’t at me.

It was at himself.

“Look. I was an asshole back there. I stand by what I said but I shouldn’t have gotten loud with you.” He sat on the edge of the pool, and I realized he was barefoot as he let his feet drift in the water. “Can I, uh, explain myself a little more? But as a conversation. I want to listen to you this time.”

I eyed him suspiciously. “Why are you suddenly being nice?”

He let out a long sigh, looking up at the sky. “I’m not trying to be nice. I’m just trying to show you that I’m not all bad. We’re bonded now, and I need you to believe me when I say that I don’t regret it. If you’d come to me willingly, I would have treated you like the goddess that you are. I would have taken care of you. But this is what we have and I need to figure out how to work with it.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, frowning at him. “I haven’t been a bitch to you because of your reputation, I’ve been a bitch to you because you are a bitch.”

Julian laughed softly. “No, that’s fair. I get that. But I can’t help but think that maybe if I had been different, I could have had a real shot with you.”

“That’s not—"

He held up his hand. “I’m not trying to get you to fall in love with me. I’m just trying to tell you that I’m not an asshole because I like being one. I’ve had my fair share of heartbreak. And now, I have another person that hates me and wants nothing to do with me. So I guess I’m just trying to explain why I’m so angry all the time.”

I felt bad, but I tried to shake the feeling away. I was still pissed with him. “That’s not an excuse to be a dick.”

Julian sighed again, looking out over the water. “Yeah, I know. I don’t think I can change overnight. But I can try to do better. If we’re going to be stuck together, then we might as well at least try to get along. At the very least, I’d like us to be friends.”

I was stunned. I wasn’t expecting him to try and be friendly, but I was surprised by how much it meant to me. Maybe it was the bond working, or maybe I was just ready to call a truce, but I wanted him to try.

“If you want to be my friend, then you have to respect me. I don’t care if we’re mated or not, I’m still a person with feelings and needs. I have no desire to be some submissive little housewife who hangs on your every word.”

Julian turned his head to look at me, his eyes roaming over my body, and I could see the lust in his gaze. “I don’t want you to be submissive, Whitney. I just want you.”

His words sent a shiver through me, and I could feel myself growing hot. “Fine. Say your piece and I’ll listen. But you have to answer any questions I might have honestly, and the second you get angry we’re done here.”

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