Page 51 of The Alpha's Rejected Arranged Mate

“I don’t have the patience for this old beef when Elin is in danger, Derek. Right now, you’re the closest thing I have to a Beta. I need this to happen. I need someone who will push this through when the males don’t respect Christine as a human woman,” Finn said softly.

Derek nodded once. “Although I think you’re underestimating Christine. She could castrate them all single-handedly if they tried to stop her.”

It was the closest he’d gotten to complimenting her in years. Elin giggled at the comment, and Derek grinned at her. He bowed once and left the room. Finn grunted as he stretched out beside his mate, resting his head on the pillow.

“I like it when you call me your mate,” Elin told him, snuggling close to him.

“I like it, too. So. What names have you come up with so far?”

“Hendrik or Sven. Or Findlay, Finnegan, Finley… something that starts with ‘fin,’ after you,” she said, her voice dropping shyly at the end.

Finn searched her gaze. “You want to name him after me? Even after… everything?”

Elin tapped his nose. “I’m considering it. But now it’s not just my decision. It’s ours. So I want you to come up with a few names yourself.”

“I’ll try,” he promised. His mind went to Beth. Was there a masculine form of the name? He couldn’t think of one.

It wasn’t long before Elin fell asleep. Finn kissed her and tucked the blankets around her before slipping off the bed. He went to his desk but couldn’t find the motivation to work. Instead, he kept watching Elin. She’d gone through another dramatic drop in weight over the last few days. No wonder Christine had suggested the early c-section.

He was still sitting there, watching his mate, when Rosemary came to the house. Finn welcomed her into the house.

“I can sit with Elin while you’re busy,” Rosemary told him.

Finn hesitated. He didn’t want to sneak away while she was sleeping again.

Compassion filled Rosemary’s eyes. “I know it’s a difficult time right now. It’s not easy seeing someone go through that. There were many nights when Seth and I would sit at Beth’s bedside at night, sleepless with worry. Sometimes, I felt as though if I looked away, even for an instant, she would slip away.”

Finn flinched. “I’m sorry. I didn’t…”

He trailed off. What was he supposed to say? He didn’t mean to? It wasn’t a choice he’d made. There was nothing he could have done. He understood why Seth blamed him. He’d gotten so caught up in his anger and guilt he’d followed the same path.

“I’m sorry, too. I’m sorry I didn’t do more to protect you,” Rosemary said, her shoulders slumping. “I’m sorry I didn’t keep you. When I think of what Beth would say… she’d hate me and Seth for what we put you through.”

“I don’t,” Finn said honestly.

“I do.”

Finn nodded his understanding. There were some things that forgiveness wasn’t possible for. And sometimes, that meant you’d never forgive yourself. Just like how he’d never forgive himself if Elin didn’t make it through this pregnancy despite everything. Even though he knew she made her choice, even though he knew she loved that baby… and he loved their son, too, now.

Rosemary sighed. “Elin is strong. Beth wasn’t. She was born with no wolf and was sickly at the best of times. I never thought she would survive as long as she did. She showed strength during that pregnancy, which we didn’t know she had.”

“I wish… I wish she hadn’t died,” Finn said. “I wish she hadn’t sacrificed her life for me.”

“Don’t say that, Finn.” Rosemary took his hands in hers and squeezed lightly. “You were worth it to her, so you must find a way to see that worth yourself. She loved you. She loved you so much. And I’m not sure it would have changed anything. I think… I think she was going to die anyway.”

Shock rippled through him.

“I think she knew it, too. She held on as long as she did because she was determined for you to be born.”

Finn searched Rosemary’s eyes and saw nothing but the truth. But what did it mean? Why was she telling him this? It didn’t change that Beth had been tricked and then died to bring him to life. He didn’t know how to respond to her. Should he reassure her? Thank her?

“I…” he trailed off.

Rosemary squeezed his hand. “Take care of your mate. But also learn to love yourself. You’ll always doubt yourself until you do.”

Chapter 24 - Elin

The next morning, Elin woke feeling like she was being ripped apart. Her breath came in jagged bursts as she curled around herself, the pain of a firestorm in her body. A cry burst from her lips, and Finn jerked awake next to her. He pushed himself upright, and his eyes widened as he took in her sight.

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