Page 50 of The Alpha's Bullied Pregnant Mate

Breaking the bond mark had taken everything from him. His strength, his will and his wolf. It had left him empty and hollow like a conch shell, and had brought him to the very edge of death. Too many times he had been convinced that he was convinced that he was going to die, and had Isla not returned, he just might have.

That encouraged him. He believed that he had lost her forever, and that killed him faster than anything. Since her return, though, he’d been working hard to fix himself.

He saw the pity and guilt in Isla’s eyes whenever he caught her watching him. She always tried to hide it with a smile but Fannar saw through it plainly. That pushed him to work even harder to get back to his old self, or something close to it.

Progress was slow though, but he was properly motivated. It was a journey he had to complete alone, and it was a daunting task. Isla did her best to help him, though, and her presence meant all the difference in the world.

When he finally felt his wolf stir inside him two weeks ago, he knew it was only a matter of time before he was back to his old self. It felt like seeing an old friend again after years, only his wolf was more than just a friend to him. It was a part of him, an extension of his identity.

And then he woke up this morning, and felt the difference. Something had changed inside him, and his body felt like his again. His muscles felt worn but familiar. There was an agility to his movement that he hadn’t felt in ages.

It had been weeks since he’d last looked in a mirror, the image he’d seen the last time had filled him with pain and bitterness. He’d climbed out of bed and padded softly to the mirror. The difference was so glaring, he thought he was looking at a different person.

His hair, thanks to Isla’s daily ministrations, didn’t look so wiry anymore. There was some color to his skin, and his eyes didn’t look as dead as they had the last time he’d checked his reflection.

He had lost a ton of weight and it would take him some time to get back in shape, but it was possible. He was out of the woods now, and the road to recovery loomed ahead of him.

He flexed his arms and tested his muscles. Satisfied , he'd decided to do some push ups. The feeling of physical activity was exhilarating, and the next thing he wanted to do was release his wolf and go for a run through the snow.

That was before Isla had come in. Now all he wanted to do was a different type of physical activity. She had changed little, except for the massive bump in front of her. It didn’t make her look less attractive, instead, it increased his desire for her.

And still, he was afraid. He couldn’t hide his fear. Now that he had started to feel better, he wondered how he would react if she decided to run away again. Why had she come back? What changed her mind? Had she finally developed feelings for him? There was no way for Fannar to be sure, and his uncertainty only made his fear worse.

“What is going on in your mind?” Isla asked, rousing him.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “I’m scared.”

“Why are you scared?”

“I don’t know!” He threw a hand in the air. “I told you I loved you and wanted a relationship with you. You ran off without a word. You’re back now, and you say want to be bonded. Why? There’s so much I don’t know and that ignorance terrifies me.”

Isla took his hands again. “Fannar… I’m sorry… I know this doesn’t change anything, no matter how often I say it, but it’s the truth. I regret everything. Leaving was the worst mistake I ever made in my life, and I’m hoping I can make up for it with one good decision.”

Isla laughed a high pitched laugh and rubbed the back of her hand on her eyes, wiping the tears gathering there. “For months I was angry at you, you know? I was angry because I thought you had refused to break the bond mark even after I left.

“I was so convinced that you didn’t really feel whatever you thought you felt for me. I was sure it was the bond mark influencing you. I guess I was too scared to believe you loved me as much as you claimed you did. I felt the same way.

“For months you dominated my thoughts and I believed that it was simply because you refused to break the bond. Then Juniper came to me and informed me that you’d broken the bond months ago. That changed everything, and I knew I had to come back.

“Fannar, I can’t blame you for not trusting me, but I can work hard to make sure I earn that trust. I’m never leaving you again. You want to know why I want to get bonded to you? It’s quite simple, really. I love you, Fannar. You have no idea how badly I’ve missed you. Now that I’m here, I have no intention of going anywhere else.”

As she spoke, Fannar felt things falling into place inside him. He wanted to believe her, and while he could still feel fear bubbling inside him, he made up his mind to work through the fear. “I love you too, Isla. I always have. I’m sorry our journey to this point took such a difficult, treacherous path. But we’re here now, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

He kissed her and felt every fear and doubt inside him ease at the touch of her lips. He placed a hand gently on her belly, and the other around her neck. He’d missed this.

Tears poured down Isla’s cheeks and he wiped them with the back of his hand. “I love you,” he whispered between kisses. “I love you.”

Isla’s belly felt hard pressed against him and felt a moment of panic for the baby. She sensed him tense and smiled. “Trust me, he’s stronger than that. He’s your son, alright.”

Fannar chuckled. “You’re sure it’s a boy?”

“Call it a maternal instinct. I feel him.”

“Then we best go gentle for his sake.” Fannar lay Isla on her back and helped her out of her clothes. He’d never had sex with a pregnant woman before, and he had no idea how to navigate it. Her belly seemed to be everywhere.

“Don’t be shy,” Isla teased. “It’s the same thing. Only we have an audience now.”

It didn’t feel like the same thing to him, but he was too aroused to make any arguments. Months without feeling a thing, and now sensation flooded through him. Even his erection seemed alien to him.

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