Page 46 of Forced Pregnant Mate

“Thank you,” he says. “Thank you for everything, Lena.”

I quickly set up the candles and keep my hands busy so I don’t end up crying in front of the entire family. After Jack blows out the candles and a few people bring out simple gifts, the party starts to wind down.

We’re standing in the driveway together, waving goodbye to the last of our guests, when he turns to me and hugs me tightly against his chest.

“Do you feel like going for another run?” he asks. The memory of our last run together is still fresh in my mind, and I nod eagerly.

There is something about running with him that satisfies a deep craving inside me—something that feels wild, and primal, yet extremely human, as well.

“Let’s go,” I tug on his hand and we run through the back yard, stopping briefly to take off our clothes then shifting as we run into the forest.

For the first couple of miles, we race through thick scrub, and the paths are dark and twisted. I can hear Jack’s breath and even hear his heartbeat as we run side by side.

As the ground rises beneath us, the trees thin out and then suddenly we race out on to a wide, treeless plain. The stars seem close enough to touch, shimmering in the dark sky as pale clouds catch the moonlight and pattern us with deep shadows.

Jack leaps and barks, inviting me to play. I dash after him, and a fierce, encompassing joy rises in me. It’s so powerful, I don’t know how my body can contain it. My blood is singing, my heart is free, and I am full of life and love in a way I never thought I could be.

The feeling inside me grows in intensity until I have to throw my head back and howl. The song resonates through my bones, connecting me to the forest and the mountain. Jack sidles up to me, and his howl joins mine.

I feel him press up against me. I turn to him, and we wrestle, just a little. Both of us shift at the same time, so tuned to each other that we need no words to communicate. Naked, we roll across the cool grass with the stars glowing pale white in the crisp, still air.

Jack kisses me, and I kiss him back, running my hands across his skin. He holds himself up a little so he doesn’t crush me, but I reach up and wrap my legs around him, wriggling against him.

“That’s not fair,” he whispers. “I’m trying to behave.”

I can’t help giggling. “I’m not.”

“I can see that,” he says. He kisses me slowly, softly, stroking my face and looking into my eyes.

“Thank you for the wonderful surprise,” he says. “I am so grateful to have you in my life. You make me so happy, Lena, and I should have let myself feel it before now, and admitted the truth to myself. You’re all I want, and I love you.”

I stroke his hair back from his face, feeling overwhelmed by my emotions. The resentment and hurt that held me back is completely fading away. A traitor part of me clings on to pain, since its all I’ve ever known. I don’t see how love can exist without it.

Jack kisses me, and I open myself up to him, trusting him with my entire being. I want real love. I want to know what it feels like to be truly loved, and I know Jack can show me.

Chapter 18 - Jack

A few days after my birthday, I take Lena for a casual date at Shelley’s. We hang out at the bar for a bit and have a couple of cocktails before heading over to the pool tables. Lena has no idea how to play, so we just smack the balls around, drinking beer and eating snacks.

When Bailey and Gina show up, the girls immediately sit down together and catch up. It would warm my heart if I didn’t see a serious look lurking in Bailey’s eyes.

Before I can even say hi, Bailey waves me over to the bar, away from the girls. We sit down at the corner of the bar, and he orders us straight whiskey. My concern is growing—Bailey only drinks strong stuff when he’s really stressed.

“What’s going on?” I ask, shoving aside social niceties. It’s very clear to me that Bailey has something to tell me that goes beyond minor pack disputes.

Bae sighs and throws back his drink, immediately ordering another. My concern raises a few notches.

“I went to Decker with everything you told me, and I found out a few things,” Bailey says. He keeps his voice down and glances around the bar. The place isn’t too crowded, but he obviously wants to keep this information quiet.

“Should we go out the back?”

He shakes his head. “No. We’ll have to have a meeting about this, eventually. I’ll start making calls tonight. I just wanted to come to you with this info first.”

“Jesus,” I mutter. “This sounds like it’s going to be heavy.”

Bailey nods. “Decker tried to skirt around it, but I put him on the spot. He told me Peter has been nothing but trouble his whole life. He completely threw away his family’s money—they were quite well off, initially.”

“Of course, they were of the founding wolves. I always wondered about that.”

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