Page 35 of Pregnant By the Alpha Wolf

“I am used to it, love. I will not be defeated.” I lift her fingers to kiss them. “But I will not let them hurt you or our baby. I will kill them all. This is not your fight.”

She sighs, suddenly looking conflicted, and I hold my breath, afraid of what comes next. “There’s something you should know…about me,” she says quietly.

Stroking her hand, I smile, asking, “Is it a day of revelations?”

She smiles weakly, and I feel my heart clenching. “It’s quite strange, I think. Our stories are a little similar. My mother was a shifter, and my father a human.” I nod, already knowing she is half-human. “They were so happy.Wewere so happy. I didn’t even realize what it meant. To be different and hated for it. One day, they came—the hunters, they came for my parents. I think my parents always knew they would eventually.”

“But why?” I ask, feeling the weight of her raw emotion through the bond.

“My father,” she replies shakily, “was a hunter who fell in love with a shifter. He was a traitor to them.”

I pull her close to me as her tears fall, kissing the top of her head. “But a hero to us, no? That a hunter can fall in love with a shifter should give us all hope that hatred can be overcome,” I whisper into her hair. “We are made from the same type of love. One that has to overcome.”

The sound of her soft voice soothes me as she speaks again. “You’re a good man, Rowan. Your parents would be proud of you.” She pauses for a moment before adding, “And I am proud to be your mate. To have our baby.”

The hope and acceptance in her voice almost floors me; I sweep her into my arms, my lips brushing hers, demandingentry. Her lips part, and I taste her, the sweetness of her mouth mixed with tears. Her arms wrap around my neck as I deepen the kiss, her body pressing against mine, craving the contact, our tongues dancing slowly. I can feel the shivers running through her body, which only intensifies my connection with her.

We break apart, panting, and I look into her eyes. “I won’t let anyone hurt you or our baby ever again.”

She nods, tears streaming down her face, “I know.” She sniffles, then smiles slightly. “You are mine, too, you know.” Her hand runs down my chest to my stomach, making my eyes cloud with lust.

“Now, love.” I chuckle, “Sara will have my head if I allow you to get too excited.”

“Allow,” she laughs. “Will youallowme to show you how much I love you when we go home.”

We both pause, realizing the gravity of the words that have been spoken. She blushes and looks almost uncertain for a moment. I brush the hair from her face and kiss her again reverently. “I love you, Willow. I will spend the rest of this long life telling you that every day.”

We are disturbed by Sara and the nurses, who are desperate to check on the baby again and talk to Willow about the blood results. After assuring me that everything looks good, I slip from the room and let the lunas see Willow again. The clinic's mood is dramatically different from a couple of hours ago. I emerge into the hall to whoops of joy, everyone celebrating our miracle baby.

Jet steps forward and slaps my back. “There could be no better news today.”

I nod, fighting back a wave of emotion. “We can’t believe it either,” I manage.

“Thank the goddess,” Grayson smiles. “Truly a miracle.”

Kaiden steps forward and shakes my hand. “It’s been a hell of a day, Rowan. We’re all thrilled and relieved for you and Willow.”

I look around the corridor, taking in the warmth of my fellow alphas. Knowing that Kaiden and Jet witnessed the hunter's attack, the revelation of my vampire beast, and the conversation with Rian, it seems even more incredible to have their support. After the cheers and congratulations die down, I steady myself for the difficult things that need to be addressed.

“Kaiden, Jet,” I say, addressing them and then other alphas. “You came to our aid today. We have much to discuss regarding our captive and our next steps. I need retribution, but we need to know what that looks like.”

The men around me nod soberly. The hunter will be interrogated, and we will determine if the wider threat is contained or if there are more imminent attacks. I take a steadying breath before continuing, “Today, you learned of the Nicholson pack heritage. Our vampire heritage. We have fought long and hard for our peace, and we don’t want war, especially with those we consider friends. It’s clear the hunters know about us, our weaknesses…”

Kaiden steps forward. “Youare our fellow alpha and friend, Rowan; nothing I heard here today changes that.” His eyes shine with sincerity as he speaks, nodding toward Jet. “We saw a shifter fighting for his mate. And you may have something extra, but that changes nothing for me.”

Jet nods. “I saw a fighter today…and a friend. I’m proud to stand with you, vampire or not.”

Alder chuckles, “Aye, I always thought there was something of the oldest families about you, Rowan. And it never meant anything more to me than that.”

I stare at him for a moment, the knowing glint in his eye. It’s true that Alder comes from the packs in Scotland and is probably old enough to remember the end of the vampire era himself. I nod gratefully at him. “I appreciate that, Alder; I traveled through Scotland when I left the Old World. I knew your clan; they were good people.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Alder scoffs, laughing good-naturedly.

With a promise to sit down and discuss the ramifications of the Nicholson vampire heritage later, when Willow is settled and the pack has dealt with the captive hunter, we focus on the immediate potential threat of further attacks. I call in our reserve pack members and divide them into patrols while my fellow alphas arrange for their own land to redouble defenses.

“We simply don’t know if this was a one-off or if there are more hunters out there,” Cade points out.

“Before Rian…died,” I say, “he told us that the captured hunter is their local leader, Simon. It seems unlikely that another attack would be imminent without their leader, but we need to increase patrols and surveillance. Rian may have helped them, but they still managed to infiltrate the very heart of my pack. That cannot ever happen again.”

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