Page 44 of The Alpha's Bullied Mate

Knowing she was pregnant would only make that target on her back even bigger.

Tess frowned at her. “Are you okay?”

Mica struggled to reign in the anxiety that was no doubt leaking into her expression. “Disappointed. A baby would be a welcome beacon of light in these dark times.”

She hoped the strange lilt to her voice could be mistaken for sadness. She didn’t have the mental energy to explain everything to Tess, nor did she want to. Not only were these raging emotions making her feel hollowed out inside, but Tess shouldn’t be the first one to find out. Hayden should.

Once Hayden knew and they had a plan for moving forward, she could tell Tess the truth. Hopefully, she’d understand.

Right now, though, there was so much tension in the splintered pack that if it was known she was pregnant, it might push the pack to no longer wait for the challenge… which was meant to be tomorrow afternoon.

“I’m going to rest,” Mica told Tess, managing a small smile. “And you should as well. We’ve been through a lot. Please check on Elin and make sure that she got medical treatment for those cuts on her hands.”

Tess nodded. “Of course, Mica—or, rather, Luna.”

Mica winced. “Call me by my name.”

“We need to start addressing you as Luna in front of the rest of the pack, though. You are our Luna and should be addressed as such,” Tess said softly.

“We’re not in front of the pack. So call me by my name.”

Tess kissed her cheek. “Of course. Get your rest, Mica.”

She slipped from the room. Mica dropped onto the bed, letting her mask melt away. Both of her hands went to her stomach, kneading into the softness there. What would it feel like as her baby grew?

As she lay there, the thought hit her like a train. This wasn’t just her baby. It was Hayden’s baby. More, in fact, especially if it was a boy. The pack wouldn’t see Mica’s child; they’d see the Alpha’s son or daughter. Wasn’t that the reason why she, Ryder, and Echo were looked down on? Because they weren’t connected to one of the men in the pack?

Humans might be able to leave their partners, but as soon as a baby was in the mix, they were bound together. And now here she was. Bound to Hayden, regardless of her humanity.

Now that she stopped to think about everything, it seemed impossible. What was she still doing here? Why was she putting in so much effort and care for a pack that tormented her? Why was she letting herself fall so deeply intertwined with Hayden? The callous look on his face when he’d declared that she was nothing and he’d never take her as a mate made her stomach hurt.

And tomorrow was the day when he’d face Monroe. If he was defeated, would Monroe make good on this threat to take her as his mate? She couldn’t see a way to escape him if she was still here when that happened.

If Hayden died… she knew what that meant, not only for her but for her baby.

Mica closed her eyes, fighting a rising panic that bubbled through her. The demon in Echo had known she was pregnant. Who was to say that the demon in Monroe didn’t already know as well? It wasn’t just cruel Monroe she had to contend with. It was a literal demon!

If Hayden was defeated, then the demon would kill her baby. Maybe she’d find some mercy and learn that the demon would kill her, too.

Laying there with nothing but thoughts and fears to keep her company was too much. Mica bolted from the bed and hurried out of the room. Her breath came in quick gasps, but she wiped all emotion from her face when she emerged downstairs.

Rachel and Derek loitered in the hallway at the base of the stairs. They both turned to her, frowning.

“Are you okay?” Derek asked. “Were you hurt when—”

Mica forced a smile on her face and waved her hand. “I’m fine. Where’s Hayden?”

“He’s in the back, training.”

Mica nodded, heading through the house. The wolves were murmuring to each other, but they stopped when they noted her. A few of them bowed their heads toward her, while others gave her distrustful looks. Just how much about the events with Echo and Ryder did they know?

As she struggled to keep the emotion from her face, her chest grew tighter.

This wasn’t what she signed up for.

She never asked to be part of a wolf pack. She never asked to be kept here, even when it became apparent that she would never belong. She hadn’t asked to be Hayden’s mate. Being Luna? She had never wanted that. Even if it had been offered, she would have turned it down. Being on the outside looking in was bad enough, but being on the outside while having to take care of the inside? It was even worse.

She wouldn't have to deal with this if she had been raised by a human family.

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