Page 12 of Bully Alpha's Pregnant Mate

As I lie there, staring at the ceiling, I tell myself I’m perfectly fine sleeping on this couch, that I’m doing the right thing by giving her space. But deep down, I can’t shake the feeling that this arrangement is going to be a long, cold battle unless something changes.

The night stretches on, and sleep doesn’t come easy. I toss and turn, replaying every word, every look, every smirk on her face that somehow managed to get under my skin.

This was supposed to be different. Hell, I’d even convinced myself that maybe there could be something good here if we could just look past… everything.

Eventually, sleep drags me under, and I wake up feeling stiff, irritable, and even more determined to stay out of her way.

I’ve barely sat up when I hear the front door open, and my sister’s voice echoes through the entryway.

“Alec? Are you here?”

I rub a hand over my face, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep, and stand, stretching out the stiffness from a night spent on the couch. “I’m here,” I call back, heading toward her voice.

Jade’s already in the kitchen. Her face is tight with an urgency that immediately puts me on high alert. Her usualeasygoing smile is gone, replaced with an expression that’s all business.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“I had another vision,” she explains. “It’s… it’s bad, Alec.”

A chill needles its way up my spine. Jade’s visions have saved our pack more than once, and they’re rarely ever good news.

“What did you see?” I ask.

She hesitates, looking away, and I can see the weight of whatever she saw in her eyes. “It’s the town. There’s something coming… I don’t know exactly what, but it’s powerful. Dark. And it’s heading straight for us. I think we’re running out of time.”

My mind races, the last remnants of sleep fading as adrenaline kicks in. “When? Did you get a sense of how soon?”

“No,” she says, shaking her head. “But it felt close, like it could happen at any moment. We need to warn the pack and start preparing for whatever this is.”

I nod, already thinking through the preparations, the defenses we need to strengthen. But as much as I want to jump into action, I know I need to keep a clear head and think strategically.

“Alright,” I say. “We’ll gather everyone tonight, make sure they know what’s coming.”

She places a hand on my arm, her eyes worried. “Alec… this feels different. Worse than anything I’ve seen before.”

I swallow hard, nodding. “Then we’ll be ready.”

Chapter 6 - Isadora

I am not a morning person. Not by a long shot. So if I’d known being married to Alec Thornton meant I’d be roused by hushed voices and the smell of burnt coffee before the sun has hardly come up, I might’ve signed up for another extended sabbatical instead.

I crack open one eye as the voices reach me, faint but insistent, filtering up from downstairs. I sit up, tugging the blanket around my shoulders, and strain to make out the words. No use from up here—this house is way too big. But the curiosity eats at me, and before I can second-guess myself, I’m slipping out of bed and moving toward the door.

I step into the hallway, careful not to let the floors creak under my feet as I edge down the stairs. One voice, unmistakably Alec’s, carries a hint of tension, and the other—a lighter, more playful tone—I recognize as belonging to his sister, Jade.

I creep down, stopping just before the last step, hidden but close enough to finally hear them clearly.

The voices float up from the kitchen, clear enough for me to catch almost every word. Pressed against the wall near the base of the stairs, I lean in just a little closer, careful not to make a sound.

“It’s close, Alec,” Jade declares. “I don’t know what exactly, but it’s powerful, and it’s coming straight for us. The pack isn’t ready for something like this.”

There’s a brief pause, then comes Alec’s voice, steady and calm, almost tender. “Then we’ll prepare, Jade. Whatever you saw, we’ll make sure it doesn’t touch the pack. We’ll get through this.”

I risk a glance around the corner. Alec has a hand on her shoulder, and his expression is softer than I’ve ever seen it. His entire focus is on her. His patience and care—it’s like he’s another person entirely.

Jade takes a shaky breath, nodding. “We need more than just basic defenses this time, Alec. I think… I think we’ll need reinforced barriers. Traps. Maybe even enchantments.”

He gives her shoulder a squeeze. “Say the word, Jade. Whatever you need, it’s yours. You know I trust you.”

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