Page 49 of Impregnated By the Alpha

Moira jolted, knocking Loaf out of her lap. He gave her a reproachful look and sauntered off, tail flicking back and forth in annoyance. She’d have to give him extra catnip later to make up for it.

“I can’t,” Moira said, searching for a lie that would keep Vera from asking too many questions. She set her hands on her stomach. “I’m just too exhausted from this pregnancy. The first trimester is rough like that.”

Vera pursed her lips and gave a terse nod. “Okay, fine, but don’t stay up late watching another movie then and fall asleep on the couch. You always get awful sleep when you fall asleep on the couch.”

It was true, but Moira still disliked how Vera said it. She rolled her eyes. “Fine, fine. Thanks, Mom. Let me know what the pack says?”

“You got it.” Vera pulled her hat over her head, pom pom bouncing. “I mean it. Right to bed.”

Moira saluted. “Got it.”

Vera waited until Moira got up off the couch to leave and then brought the popcorn bowl to the sink. She changed out of her lounge clothes and into jeans, a turtleneck, and thick wool socks. She stooped to give Loaf a scratch and a fish-shaped treat before apologizing.

“Sorry buddy, I have to go too, but I’ll be back soon, I promise.” She kissed the top of his head and crept downstairs, pausing to make sure that Vera was long gone before she opened the door.

It was one of those crystal autumn nights when the threat of frost hung in the air, and there were no clouds in the sky to block the cold, dark expanse. Stars twinkled there, but to Moira, they seemed duller somehow, at odds with the sharp chill, as if some of their light had gone out. She shifted, taking the wolf form that felt like home to her.

She took the opposite path that Vera had taken, heading toward Jonah’s apartment on the edge of the Silversand coast. The cafe was empty, shuttered two hours ago at closing time, and above, Jonah’s apartment was dark. His trail, however, was fresh on the pavement.

Moira followed the most recent track and tried to ignore the bubble of shame that told her to go home. Vera’s words had sunken in too deeply to just shake off. She needed to know for sure.

His trail led out of town and onto the beach. Moira stayed close to the dunes where the scrubby grass could hide her form. She planned the lie she’d tell him if he caught her, that she’d just needed a late night walk, that the pregnancy made it hard to sleep.

When she found him, he wasn’t alone. Moira could make out their two shapes sitting on the sand, their feet in the surf, even though it must have been frigid. The man beside Jonah was larger than him, thick with muscle, and she didn’t recognize him from behind. She had to get closer.

Crouching low, she crept along the dune grass. Each paw was carefully placed. The low murmur of their voices became more solid, more discernible, with every step she took.

“I’ll miss you guys too, but I can’t leave this place. Not now. Not after everything,” Jonah was saying, shoulders hunched. “I’d be worse than my father if I did that.”

The other man clapped Jonah on the back, two hard slaps that rang out through the night. Moira flattened her ears.

“And it doesn’t hurt that you’ve finally found your mate, does it? What’s she like?” The man asked, nudging Jonah with his shoulder in an intimately friendly way. The kind of easy camaraderie that comes from years of knowing each other.

What was this man? Moira wondered. She wanted to slink closer and get a look at his face but didn’t dare, already counting her blessings, that the dunes were downwind of the men. Swiveling her ears, she strained for Jonah’s response.

“She’s… everything. Doesn’t take any of my shit. Gorgeous. More kind and forgiving than I’ve ever deserved.” Jonah’s shoulders shook as he took a deep breath. “But she’s not really my mate, Dev. Just because the soothsayer said it, doesn’t mean she has to go along with it. All we’ve got right now is a deal. A mutually beneficial agreement.”

Moira recognized that name. Dev. He was the White Winter Alpha, the one that Jonah called his best friend. It didn’t look good after what Vera had said about Jonah being a White Winter, having his alpha here. Were they in on the plot together? Was it part of a White Winter plan to weaken the two packs so they could take over everything?

Dev nodded emphatically. “I think you know I’m uniquely suited to comment on this, man. There was vitriol between me and Beth, too, remember? We overcame that. Have faith that you two can do the same because it sounds like you’re really crazy about this girl. I’ve never seen you like this.”

She didn’t dare to breathe. Could Jonah’s feelings for her be real and not just the tools he needed to make his plan happen?

“I hope you’re right. But even if it doesn’t work out that way, I need to be here. I want to help Silversand get its legs under it again. I want to build something better, like I helped you do with the White Winters. And I want to be here for our baby.” Jonah’s voice cracked with emotion on the last words, and Moira’s pulse quickened.

He sounded so genuine. There was no one around to watch this interaction. They had no reason to perform. She let herself hope for a second that it was real and that Vera had been wrong after all, that her own fears were unfounded, riding the tails of the trauma she’d faced in high school.

“You’re a good man, Jo. The best friend a guy could ever have. Come visit, okay? We'd love to have you once things have settled down and you can make it out there.”

“If things ever settle down,” Jonah replied, running his hands through his hair in a way that Moira had become very familiar with. She liked the way it made his wild curls even wilder. “First, there was vandalism, and now someone is missing? Never mind the direct attacks on me and Moira. I need to get to the bottom of this before it's too late.”

“You think it’s this Evans guy? Your half-brother?” Devon asked, twisting to face Jonah.

“I think so, but I can’t find him. The second I start closing in on him, he vanishes like smoke.”

“Don’t try to do this alone.” Devon got to his feet and brushed the sand from his clothes. “You’ve made friends here, so lean on them. Learn from my mistakes. We’re part of a pack for a reason.”

“Nobody trusts me here,” Jonah said, standing. “And I can’t blame them.”

---