Page 51 of Betrayed Pregnant Mate

Aris stares at me, his mouth slightly open.

“I could hear Linnea’s…” he leans forward, dropping his voice so just the three of us can hear. “It was just like that when Linnea was pregnant. I was told I could hear the baby’s heartbeat because I’m an alpha.”

“Oh,” I say, heat rising to my cheeks. “Maybe I’m just imagining it.”

“No, man,” Aris says, shaking his head. “Don’t write it off—strong team members are an asset. Own that shit. And tell me about that stuff when you discover it. I want to be able to use you and all your talents.”

“Rosa said she thought you might notice some changes from the long-term exposure,” Bigby mutters, “but I didn’t know you were gonna be more badass than Aris.”

“Nobody said that,” I mutter, as Aris punches Bigby in the arm, and Bigby doubles over, groaning, only to straighten up and ask Aris if that made him feel like a man. I laugh, but when I glance at Veronica again, I realize it’s time to go.

Especially if I need to ask her about this double heartbeat.

Chapter 25 - Veronica

The next time Percy needed a blood transfusion was two weeks after the meeting with Paul, the vampire. My heart was racing as I set it up, and I gave him only half of what I normally would, terrified that it might hurt the baby. If Percy noticed, he didn’t comment on it.

At the meeting, after Paul left, I’d cornered Rafael and grilled him on everything he knew about vampires.

“Can I still eat garlic?” I’d asked, genuine panic crawling up my throat at the thought of it. When Rafael laughed, I’d wanted to punch him in the throat, but I assumed that could be due to either my love or garlic, or my pregnancy hormones. Or both.

“Of course,” he said, “that’s an old wives’ tale.”

“What about mirrors?”

“Total horseshit,” he said, laughing again.

“The sun?”

“You might be a little more sensitive,” he says, hand on his chin, “but you’re not going to burst into flames. But don’t go smoking—that’s dangerous.”

“Like, in a cancer way?”

“Like, in a, you could burst into flames kind of way.”

“Okay. What about the grains of rice thing?”

“What?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be an expert on vampires or something?” I had whispered, pulling him further into the room and talking so quietly that I hoped only another vampire could hear me. “The grains of rice, throw them, and we have to organize them?”

“Where did you hear that?” he asked, bewildered, “I’ve never heard of that.”

“What about the threshold thing?”

“Oh,” he said, his face finally growing more serious. “Yeah, actually, that’s an ancient curse that keeps vampires from entering somewhere without an invitation. The witch died before anyone could get her to reverse it—I think she had a vamp as a lover and was pissed when he cheated on her.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Well, the rest of that could all be made up,” he admitted, “but yeah, you have to get permission to go over a threshold that doesn’t belong to you.”

I’d wondered when Percy’s apartment started belonging to me, remembering that I’d had to ask for permission the first time to come in. It had felt so natural, goading him for not letting me in. Now, I realize that there were a lot of moments I could go into a room without someone inviting me first.

When I’d noticed Percy staring at me, looking pissed that I was talking to Rafael, I’d told him to leave, and that I would call him.

When we got home that night, Percy showered me with love, telling me that he wanted me to think about staying. It felt out of nowhere and completely expected at the same time.

For the past three weeks, he’s been kind, which isn’t a huge deviance from his normal behavior. I think he can tell something is bothering me, but he’s waiting patiently for me to work through it.

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