Page 29 of My Bad Boy Alpha

Zuri didn’t want my pups, not yet.

And while it killed me on the inside, I had to respect her wishes.

* * *

“Fuck,” I whispered, sitting on the edge of our bed and running a hand through my hair.

Zuri glanced over her shoulder at me and frowned.“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I said, refusing to turn around now and let her see me like this.“Go to bed.”

After a moment, the bed shifted, and Zuri’s arms came around my shoulders.“We might not be mated yet, but I can feel your emotions, Stone.You’re an asshole most of the time, but you don’t usually feel like this.”

“I’m fine,” I said, running another hand through my hair.

I didn’t want to tell her because I didn’t want her to think I wouldn’t—or couldn’t—protect her from my brother.But I couldn’t get over the fact or the thought that he had made it through my borders and corrupted one of my good friends.I couldn’t believe that I hadkilledone of my best and closest warriors because I thought it was him.

“I visited Wyatt’s mate tonight to see how she was doing,” I admitted.

“And?”

“And I found her in a puddle of her own blood,” I whispered, my entire body tightening and tears building in my eyes.I balled my hands into tight fists, letting my claws sink into my palms.“She was holding a positive pregnancy test.”

“Oh my Goddess,” she whispered, pulling me closer.“Stone, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine,” I mumbled, though my heart was crumbling.

My pack would be torn apart because of my actions.The doctors were working on keeping her alive as we spoke, and I … I was here, about to cry in front of the one person I had sworn to protect.

“I don’t know if she’ll live,” I whispered, clutching on to her elbow.

When Zuri’s arms tightened around me, I opened my mouth and let out a sob.While she had been vulnerable in front of me way more than once, I had never wanted her to see this side of me.I wanted her to be confident that I would protect her at all costs.

Because she needed it.

She didn’t think that she was strong or that she deserved love.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.“Both of you must be going through so much pain.This doesn’t compare, but I remember when my mother died when I was just a child.I felt so much hurt that I wanted to … to do that too.”

“No,” I said, a low growl leaving my throat.I whipped my body toward her and shook my head.“Don’t fucking say that, Zuri.”

She swallowed hard.“I don’t want to now, but the thought crossed my mind.She was my rock and the only person who ever truly cared about me.It’s hard when the person you love the most is torn from you.”

“Is that why you don’t want to get close to me?”I asked.

She stiffened and pressed her lips together, not saying a word.

“Zuri,” I whispered, the tears and stress building in my eyes.“Is that why you don’t want to mate with me, why you continue to refuse wanting to mate me or to have my pups?Because I’m not going to leave you.”

“Life is so precious,” she whispered.“You don’t know what will happen.”

“The Moon Goddess won’t let it.”

“That’s what all wolves believe,” she said.

“That’s what I know.There’s something different about us.Aboutyou.”

I didn’t know what it was, but I could feel it in my bones.We were mates, but Zuri was one of the most powerful women I had ever met.Not only on the outside, but on the inside too.And she was sweet—almost too sweet.

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