Page 25 of The Alpha's Bullied Pregnant Mate

She chuckled. “I almost believe you this time, my boy.”

The call disconnected and silence returned. Fortunately, Isla’s visit hadn’t been a complete disaster. His mother wanted to meet her again, and that was a victory as far as he was concerned. The only problem now was Isla.

Fannar thought back to everything that had happened between them the night before, and the memory filled him with desire. Whatever euphoria that had come from their time together, she’d smashed to pieces this morning when she’d called what they had a mistake.

A mistake? The word filled Fannar’s mouth with bile and he hated to think about it. She’d been the one initiating things the whole time, and then she turned around and called it a mistake? What was she trying to accomplish by being dishonest with herself?

She wanted to keep what they had strictly business. Unfortunately, Fannar was convinced that that ship had sailed. It was impossible for them to go back to the strangers they had been a few days ago, not after how intimately they'd connected.

He felt her hunger as vividly as he did his own, and they’d worked hand in hand to quench each other’s thirst. Whatever pull he felt towards her, he was certain she felt it too. She left him feeling confused and angry because he knew she was lying.

He couldn’t understand his longer for her any better than she could understand it herself, but there was no denying that it was there. He wasn’t going to pretend like he didn’t feel it. Isla wanted him, but she was holding back, and that led Fannar to ask himself the same question over and over. Why?

What was she so afraid of? What was she guarding against? He had no idea and his lack of answers frustrated him. What was worse, that uncanny longing was back again,and this time, it was much stronger than it had ever been. It was relieving to know that there was a way to ease this burning, even if Isla had made him promise to keep things strictly professional.

Fannar sighed and turned off the car. He needed help, and he knew just the people to offer him that help. His life had been perfect and easy before Isla, and now he wondered if it would not have been better if he had avoided Isla that day.

In any case, one of his friends would know how to help him. What’s more, one of them had to know about this strange longing sensation he kept feeling when he was away from Isla and what it meant.

If she wanted him to be strictly professional, then that was what he was going to do. He got out of his car and waded through ankle deep snow to his front door, forcing himself to ignore images of Isla’s beautiful, twisting body as it twined with his.

He could pretend not to care all he wanted, but that wasn’t going to stop the blood from pumping through his groin at the thought of Isla’s supple body. This was going to be hard, and he made no attempts to deceive himself to the contrary.

***

Fannar went through the rest of his day with mechanical precision, methodically closing off every thought and recollection of Isla. It was one of the strongest qualities he possessed, an ability to switch off and focus on what was important.

He had a pack to run and a town to cater for. That was a full time job and it rarely gave him the comfort of distraction, not that he minded too much. I thought I did, but that was before I met Isla again, and I now know that I was wrong. I’m not beyond distractions.

He spent the day with the scientists at the farm, a highly secured compound deep in the mountains where mana crystal plants were grown and turned into medication that serviced various needs across the various werewolf communities.

Security in and around the premises had increased significantly ever since Fannar found out that Klaus, the were-bear criminal had managed to get his hands on a vast shipment of the valuable herb.

Despite the end of their war and the trade agreements that now existed between the two territories, Fannar did not for one second believe that Klaus acted alone, neither did he think that Klaus’ cache of the highly coveted Frost Peak asset was the only one out there.

He had witnessed the danger of allowing the mana crystal flower first hand when Callahan had almost been killed by a synthesized offspring of the drug. It had taken a miracle and unbelievable skill by Josie to save him, but that had been too close a call and measures were being taken to tighten control of the plants.

For starters, with the help of the other alphas, purchase of mana crystal products from anyone other than registered Frost Peak agents had been outlawed in their towns.

Branding of the products had also been changed, rendering every previous stockpile useless and unmarketable. Thorough background checks were carried out on every single member of staff in the farm, among other measures.

No matter how vigilant Fannar was, he didn’t deny the fact that loopholes existed still in his plans. He could not prepare for every eventuality, but he could make it difficult for the wrong hands to easily access the mana crystal plants.

Josie worked closely with the Frost Peak scientists too. While she was now a Whispering Oaks wolf now for all intents and purposes, she still carried out a lot of work and research for her home pack.

Fannar had given her a job as an independent contractor, the first time someone outside their heavily guarded facility would have access and permission to carry out experiments on the mana crystal plants.

Josie had rewarded that faith by perfecting the variant that had saved Callahan’s life, and had then created a batch of similar antidotes and sent down to Frost Peak, with her formula and notes. She also worked tirelessly on improving the healing time of the mana medicine, and had proved herself all in all an invaluable asset to both the town and the pack.

It was late afternoon when Fannar drove past the security checkpoint outside the farm, but the sun had already started sinking behind the mountain range.

Fannar didn’t need to identify himself, but he had warned the security team to check every single vehicle coming into and leaving the premises. His as well as other high ranking members. He was not going to take chances, and he wanted his wolves to see things as urgently as he did.

He sat patiently through the security check, watching his men through his mirrors as they searched the trunk and under the car. The security agent shut the truck.

“The alpha’s clean. Let him through.” He leaned into the window and handed Fannar, his security clearance. “Have a lovely evening, alpha Fannar. Drive safe, heavy snow tonight.”

“Thanks, Erik,” Fannar said, accepting his credentials. “I’m always safe. Good work.” He pulled away from the barricade and smiled with satisfaction at how alert the four men stationed at the gate looked.

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