Page 11 of Forced Pregnant Mate

I know when I had the fight with Peter, Bailey had to get involved. He dealt with Decker over the matter. This kind of upset is just what we didn’t need at the alliance meeting. Now everyone is on edge and suspicious.

“Yes,” Decker agrees. “I fully admit that. However, he was right about being from the founding wolves. He has a lot of support, and we can’t just kick him out.”

“Even if he is breaking the law?” I ask, my voice a bit stronger. Bailey kicks me under the table and gives me a ‘what are you doing?’ look.

“So far, we have no evidence of that,” Decker says. From the disgust in his voice, it’s obvious that they’ve tried and failed.

“Rest assured, these bad elements will be fully investigated and dealt with,” Gladys says. “We will not allow a few errant members to stand in the way of this alliance. We should go back to our discussion about the marriage—we want to celebrate the good things for today.”

I can tell she is very obviously changing the subject, and from the way everyone is reacting, it feels like this is not the first time Peter has manhandled his daughter. I already knew he was a violent person, but I didn’t know he was low enough to actually hurt his own flesh and blood.

Everyone has sat back down and started talking again, and I realize they still want to choose a “suitable” bride for me.

If they kick Peter out of the pack, Lena will be an outcast, too! I can’t let that happen.

“Excuse me,” I say, cutting through the other’s voices. “While I appreciate your efforts in choosing a suitable bride, I do believe that Lena is the only one I can accept.”

Decker looks at me with surprise. “There are others from far better families—”

“I realize that,” I reply. “But Lena is a virgin, which is very rare. I’m fairly sure you cannot guarantee that in any other female in your pack. She also carries the blood of the founding wolves. She will have very strong children with me—she is a bride fit for a beta.”

I glance around at the others, and Belle has a little smile on her face. She gives me the slightest of nods, and I can’t help smiling back.

She knows I want to rescue Lena, and she approves.

“Fair enough,” Decker says. “Your reasons are sound. Let’s discuss the details, then.”

As the others begin to plan the event itself, I try to process what I’ve just done. Even though I want to think carefully about the future I’ve just committed to, there is only one thing on my mind.

I can’t wait to see her again.

Chapter 5 - Lena

Father drags me across the parking lot and hurls me against the door of the truck. I open it as quickly as I can and climb in before he can hurt me again. He’s never been abusive to the point he would actually beat me, or Sam, but he regularly shoves us and throws us around.

He gets in on the other side and slams his door. He starts up the truck and guns the engine a bit as we tear out of the parking lot.

“Why did you have to go and ruin that for me!” he growls, forcing the words through his teeth. “Do you have any idea how important this marriage is?”

I’m still reeling from seeing Jack there at the meeting, trying to comprehend that he is actually the intended groom. Piled up on top of the exhaustion from last night and the shock of seeing Jack is now the horror that he’s going to marry someone else.

“Are you listening to me?” Father shrieks. My stomach is jumpy, and my eyes are still full of tears, but I’m so angry with him, my pain just doesn’t matter anymore.

“What did you do, Father? Why do the others not want you involved in the meetings?”

“Because they are ridiculous fools,” he scoffs. “Weak-willed cowards, every last one of them. Wolves are opportunists; we take whatever we can. It’s the law of nature.”

I know damn well it’s not, but I don’t argue with him.

“If you’re doing something illegal, then—”

“I’m not!” he protests, arguing with the conviction of a guilty man. “They just suspect me of everything because they’re threatened by my power and status.”

I have to bite my lip hard to stop myself from laughing out loud.

Father drives in silence for a few minutes, glaring at the road. I’m wondering what’s going to happen to me now—and which path I’d truly prefer. I could have been getting ready to marry Jack right now. Instead, I’m stuck in this freezing cold, falling-apart pickup on the way back to our shack, and this poor excuse of a parent is probably going to make me work tonight.

As awful as my current situation is, the idea of being with Jack is so stressful it gives me fierce anxiety. It’s good that the deal fell through, because he doesn’t want me. Not only could we never consummate the marriage, I couldn’t stand to live with him every day, knowing that he has no feelings for me whatsoever.

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