Page 42 of The Alpha's Rejected Arranged Mate

Finn scooted closer so he could wrap his arms around her while not pulling her out of the salt circle. His mind raced. How did they stop an archdemon from possessing a body? Performing the exorcism ritual and trapping him would be one way. Maybe he could find a way to do it when they attacked his palace.

“Maybe surgery is possible,” Elin murmured into his shoulder. “Humans perform prenatal surgery on babies sometimes, right? When they have health problems? Maybe Christine can perform surgery. Maybe she can implant a talisman in him before he’s born. That will protect him.”

Finn nodded. “That’s an excellent idea. I’ll talk to her about it.”

“No. No, that’s not your responsibility.” Elin pulled away slightly.

His arms ached to bring her closer again.

She wiped tears from her eyes and gave him a trembling smile. “You have plenty on your plate already. I’ll talk to Christine. We’ll come up with a plan to increase the protections around me so that my baby will be safe even after Dukiel isn’t blocked by the talismans in my body.”

Finn cupped her face, her dear face. She’d lost more weight, making his heart clench. She was still beautiful—would always be beautiful—but the way her skin was looser on her bones and the bags under her circles seemed to sag made him realize just how much this was taking out of her. He was gladthat she’d started off with a curvier figure, so she’d had the stores of fat needed to see her through this.

Unlike Beth, who was thin even before she became pregnant. She’d always been thin, Rosemary had told him. They’d always worried about her being underweight. Beth went into pregnancy, frail and sick already. Elin was strong, and she would stay strong.

“I will protect you and our baby,” Finn murmured. He rested his hand on her belly. “And you fight. You fight against that bastard, and you fight to keep yourself strong. We are going to have a wonderful life together. You’re not going back to Bluebell Valley. You’re staying here. I’ll be Alpha, and you’ll be my Luna. We’ll revitalize the Moon Lake economy. We’ll make sure it’s safe, and we’ll establish schools and send the younger generation to college.”

Elin started to smile as he spoke.

“And even though this will be our only biological child, we’ll adopt,” Finn continued, pressing his hand a little tighter to her stomach. “Four, five, a dozen. We’ll have more kids around here than we’ll know what to do with. You’re going to be a wonderful mother, and I will be the father and mate you need me to be. It’s going to be wonderful.”

Elin smiled at him, causing the protective symbols on her cheeks to warp strangely. “Thank you, Finn.”

“It’s going to be a wonderful life,” he said.

She shook her head slowly, her eyes never leaving his. “No, you misunderstand. Thank you for your pretty words. It shows me that you care, even if you don’t mean them.”

His mouth opened, but nothing came out.

“I know you don’t mean it because you don’t want it. And that’s okay. Because knowing that you care enough to pretend, even if it’s only for a little bit…” She cupped his cheek in her hand. “Thank you.”

A flood of emotions washed through Finn. He hated that he couldn’t tell her she was wrong, that maybe he did want all of that. Maybe he could work through his own fears to give her everything she dreamed of. But his wolf was howling again. Pain and fear flashed through him as he thought about arguing with her.

It was hard to know what to say when he didn’t even know how he felt.

“Just hold on, okay?” he finally managed. “I don’t want you to give up. I want you to keep fighting. He’ll be back. And I need you to fight him. Don’t let him get under your skin. Whatever he says, it won’t be true. Even when it sounds like truth.”

Elin kept a straight face as she asked, “So if he says the sky is blue, don’t believe him?”

“Exactly,” Finn said fervently. He pressed his forehead to hers. “Because he’s nothing.”

As he sat there, their foreheads touching and breathing the same air, he realized that the image he’d painted with his words wasn’t just a fantasy he’d woven to comfort Elin. He wanted it, too. He wanted her to stay at his side as his mate. He wanted to hold her, to be a man worthy of her. He wanted to have a family and be a father.

His heart ached. He wanted it more than anything… except one thing.

What he wanted most in this world was for Elin to be safe. And he wasn’t sure that he could have both.

Chapter 20 - Elin

The next morning, Finn returned from the planned raid of Dukiel’s palace unsuccessful. What they thought was the place turned out to be nothing but a clearcut on the mountain, layered with cardboard that had been meticulously painted to look like the rogue’s description from the air.

“I don’t understand how the rogue could have gotten it wrong. She must be lying,” Elin said.

“Don’t talk. Take a deep breath,” Christine said.

Elin huffed, then did as she was told. Christine moved the stethoscope to the other side of her back. “Again.”’

Another deep breath.

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