Page 55 of The Alpha's Forced Pregnant Mate

"As if you could."

Danny snarled, the whites of his teeth showing, but before things could go any farther, a blond blur stepped between us.

"Hey, so I know you're busy but I need to talk to Julian. Like, right now."

I almost laughed, but my wolf clawing to get out and fight the other Alpha in front of me took some of the humor away from the interruption. I gently took Whitney's shoulders in my hands before speaking. “Whitney. I just need a few minutes."

She shook her head, white hair flying. "No. No, we need to talk right now. Like, this exact second. Before I lose my nerve."

"Julian," Danny barked, "This is not a fucking casual catch-up."

I held Whitney still and searched her eyes while I carefully plucked at the mate bond. She was nervous, nauseous, and desperate to get something over with. She was being sincere, it wasn't just a ploy to get me away from Danny. "Five minutes, Danny," I said, never taking my eyes off my mate.

"Whatever."

I nodded and let her pull me away to a copse of trees, where the sounds of the pack were muted and the sun peeked through the leaves.

Whitney stopped and turned to look at me, her pale hair glimmering in the sunlight. Her eyes were full of emotion, and I could feel our bond vibrating with whatever she wanted to say. She took both my hands in hers, holding onto me like a lifeline, and said, "I wish we had a better moment than on a bloody battlefield, but I've waited too long already, and it would be so bad for you to hear this from stupid Saul instead of me, and—"

"Whitney."

She inhaled and exhaled slowly, letting her shoulders relax. "Right. Sorry. I, um, I've never done this before, but…close your eyes, please, and look deeply into our bond."

"Whitney," I said again, more insistent. "What is this about?"

"Just do it!"

I wanted to argue, but instead did as she asked. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the bond between us. I had felt it grow since our initial mating ceremony, and it was now strong and vibrant. It glowed golden in my mind's eye, and I could sense all of her emotions as if they were my own. She was nervous but also excited. She was happy, and that made me smile, despite Danny being just ten feet away planning my murder.

"Okay," I said, keeping my eyes closed. "Now what?"

"Keep your eyes closed, but reach out," she instructed. "Seek the connection between us. Do you feel it?"

"Yes," I replied, the golden rope so clear that I thought if I reached out, it might be tangible.

"Now, pull back, and see what else is there."

I frowned, trying to understand what she was telling me, but then it was clear. There was a tiny, thin thread of gold next to the one that connected us. It was barely there, but it was glowing as bright as a star. My eyes flew open as my brain put together what it all meant. I could see the truth in her face, even before she confirmed it with a single word.

"Pregnant."

The word hit me like a ton of bricks, and I struggled to keep my composure. Whitney's hand tightened on mine, and I could feel her nervousness through our bond. Pregnant? That meant a baby…my baby. Our baby. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.

I tried again. "Pregnant? Are you sure?"

Her smile was soft, and her eyes bright with unshed tears. "I took like twenty tests and got a blood test."

"Is it…"

"Yours, of course."

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I mean, is it okay? After the tranquilizer…"

Whitney bit her lip. "Saul said it was fine. I was only out for an hour."

My stomach sank. I hated myself for letting her go alone. I should have been there with her, protecting her. My mate…my pregnant mate. The words were foreign in my mind, but as soon as they settled in, I knew they were right. She was the mother of my child. She was mine. And I would never let anything happen to either of them again.

"Julian?" Her voice was low and nervous, and I realized I'd been silent for too long.

---