Pregnant and Rejected by My Alpha Mate Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Bastien's PO V The first thing I see is the fear on Selene's face. Fear I hate myself for causing. She's backed into a corner, appearing so much more like the lost little wolf I pulled from a tree, than the confident woman I met today. It ta kes all my strength to pull my eyes from Selene's haunted expression and survey the rest of the scene, at which point I realize why she's in the corner. The tiny body is visible even now, with pint-sized hands clutching her skirt and a gleaming pair of two-toned eyes peeking out from behind her leg. Mate, Axel croons with satisfaction. And mate's pup. Mine, both mine. We don't know who that pup belongs to yet. I caution him, though I cannot help but feel drawn to the tiny creature in a way I can't explain I don't care who she belonged to. He growls. I saw her. I like her. She's mine now . That's not how it works. I admonish him. Unable to assuage her curiosity, the little girl pokes her head out of hiding, and Selene stiffens reflexively. Waving off my men, 1 stride forward and close the door, carefully approaching the she-wolves. "Hello little one." I murmur to the child, kneeling down so that we're at eye level, even if I'm still halfway across the room. "Goddess she looks exactly like you." I revel, looking back and forth betwe en the beautiful faces, I've seen many pups and kissed many babies in my life, but I cannot remember ever seeing such a perfect child. It's not just that she is my mate's creation - that she is the heart and soul of the woman I adore - it's that she is pure light, pure love. Despite my misgivings, I have to agree with Axel. Mine. A tiny voice tugs at my heart strings. "Mommy who's that?" The gooey warmth in my belly hardens like a rock, and the reality of our situation splashes over me like a bucket of ice water. If this child is mine, Selene hid her existence from me for y ears. She left Elysium knowing she was pregnant, and took my baby someplace where I could not protect her. "That's an excellent question." I state harshly, catching my mate in my crosshairs. "Selene?" Slowly unfolding until I'm standing again, I move forward. "Who am I to her?" "A stranger," Selene designates coldly, "and what do we say to strangers, Lila?" On cue the tiny pup lifts her chubby fingers to her lips and pulls ar imaginary zipper across her mouth, pressing her lips tightly together and shaking her head once she's finished. "That's very smart." | praise in a much softer voice than I directed at her mother. "You should never talk to strangers, but that's not what I am." Little by little, the tot is emerging from behind her mother. Interesting - most children are afraid of me at first. "I'm your mommy's mate. Do you know what that word means?" Lila shakes her head, still clutching Selene's skirt. "It means we're m eant to be together." I say this to Selene alone. "And whatever she cares about, I care about too." Outrage flashes acros s Selene's features. "What the hell are you doing?" "Do you want me to lie to her?" I demand. "You have no right to put thos e kinds of ideas in her head!" She hisses, flames dancing in her incredible eyes, I can't recall ever f eeling such rage, not towards my little wolf. With ev ery second that passes, the more certa in I am that this is my child, which means I have eve ry right. I arch a brow at Selene. "How old are you Lila?" My mate's hand whips out and closes over t he child's before she can lift her fin gers to answer m y questio n with a patented "this mary" instead Selene scowls, her plump lip curling "She's not yours." "Then whose is she?" I interrogate. "Mine" Selene snarla, her wolf glowing in her eyes. Goddess she's stunning when she's angry "Oh, you made her all by yourself?" I goad. Look at her, Selene invites, "do you see yourself in her? Do you see even the tiniest resemblance?" That was all the invitation I needed. I bend down and scoop up the sweet little girl before Selene can stop me. "Come here, pup." || rumble gently. "let's have a look at you." Lila looks a bit s hell-shocked for a moment, as if she wasn't prepared to leave the ground and can't quite wrap her head around her new predicament. Nonetheless , her surprise disappears quickly, replaced by unapologetic curiosity. She looks up at me with wide eyes, st udying my face intently and then reaching out to feel the scruff on my cheek. I know instantly that I'm a goner, if this little creature asked me for the moon I would try to steal it for her, no ma tter how imposs ible. Shaking my head, settling Lila more comfortably in my arms and internally swooning when she instantly rests her cheek on my shoulder. "I can't see anyone else in her either." I finally answer Selene's question, unable to disguise the reverence in my deep vo ice, "She's all you." Selene looks lost herself now, her attention swinging back and forth between my face and Lila's, clearly unsure of what to do. Lila makes the decision for her, lifting her head and staring at the floor far below before looking back to me, as if for confirmation. "T's high." Her serious expression transforms t o one of pure excitement. "No, want to go higher!" Where d id it all go w r ong? I lament, thoroughly indulging in a fit of self-pity as I watch my daughter riding around on the back of a huge black wolf like he's a pony. Bastien gallops around the room indulging Lila's every whim. It started with "the flying game", as it's no w known, and somehow evolved and unraveled into playful chaos: wolf-back rides, play-wrestling, even a game of fetch. Of all the outcomes I considered when I pictured this moment, this is the very last thing I ever imagined. I was ready for the anger, for yelling and drawn out fights, but no amount of preparation could ev er make me ready for this: for watching Lila play with her fath er for the first time in her life. When the tears begin to fall I sneak away to the bathroom, thankfully unnoticed amidst the raucous play. When I first got pregnant this was exact ly the kind of scene I dreamed about. Before the rejection, before Arabella and everything else, this w as my fantasy. I could curse the Goddess for doing this to me, for giving me these dreams and then snatching them awa y ; showing me these glimpses of bliss that will haunt me for the rest of my life. I want so badly to believe our lives could actually be like this, but I know the truth all too well. I have to stay st rong, I have to keep fighting. When I emerge , Lila has finall y exhausted he rself and is lying on top of wolf Bastien as if he's a giant pillow. Honestly it's an impulse I understand - how many times did he s hift to comfort me through thunder storms, when he knew the feel of a male body would only make the flashbacks wo r s e? When he sees me return to the living room Bastien shifts back, passing Lila to me so he can get dressed. "She's really not mine?" He asks, butt oning his shirt. "No." I confirm icily. "She' s not yours." Liar. Luna hisees in my ear. "Did you think I would harm her?" Bastien wonders aloud, "ls that why you came here? You thoug ht I' d harm my male's pup because it was sired by another wolf "Saying what?" He questions, seeming truly bewildered. "That we're mates." I ex claim. "Not once in our entire marriage did you call me that." Let me out. Luna pleads nonsensically, I can't take this any longer, I need him. The Alpha looks at me incredulously. "It was the first word out of my mouth when I saw you, Selene." His voice is like gravel. "I've known from day one, you're the one who couldn't feel it." "Stop it! You don't get to rewrite history this way." Lila stirs in my arms, and I carefully transport her to the bed, setting her among the plush blankets and returning to Bastien with a furious whisper. "I was there, remember? I was hopelessly, desperately in love with you for years and you merely put up with me. Do you have any idea what that felt like, to be nothing but an obligation, a weight around your neck holding you back from everything you really wanted?" You have to let me out! Luna begs again. Basti en's sharp eyes bore into me, even as my own burn with tears. "Selene, what the hell are you talking about?" "Don't pretend like you don't know! I-" A sharp stabbing pain in my middle bends me double, forcing a hoarse cry from my lips. Luna! I can't help it. She moans apologetically, he's calling me, I don't have a choice. Strong hands are on me instantly. "Selene?" "Something's wrong." | gasp. "I feel… my wolf is…. it's like she's trying to force her way out of me?" 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