Page 56 of The Wolf's Bullied Pregnant Mate
I didn’t sleep for a long time that night, my thoughts churning with visions of my baby—ourbaby—and Adalyn and what would ever happen if there was a time when I couldn’t protect either of them.
I would die before I let that happen, I realized.
I vowed, in the darkness of that night, that no matter what happened, I would always protect my child, even before they were born, protecting my unclaimed mate that carried them.
Chapter 19 - Adalyn
All through the night, I felt Zephyr holding me. I woke up with our hands resting on my stomach, his hands so much bigger than mine. Comfort and peace settled in my bones. I hummed quietly, enjoying the silence.
Yet the training had ignited an urge in me to keep moving, to be up,doingsomething. I thought of when I had once sat at the Emporium’s desk for hours, able to sit still. Now, I felt restless. Like Zephyr did when he paced.
But there was a churning in my gut, a panicked feeling overtaking me that I was going to be sick suddenly. I tried to relax, thinking it was just that we were rationing food and I had expended more energy.
Just nausea, I told myself.Sleep it off.
But then I was bolting upright and sprinting to the sink, retching. My shoulders trembled as I held myself over the basin, gasping when my stomach heaved as I was sick. Zephyr was at my back immediately.
“I’m right here,” he said softly, his hand skimming up and down my back before he rubbed soothing circles into my spine. “It’s okay, Adalyn. I’m right here.”
I suddenly felt small and vulnerable, like I needed him there, and like if he moved even an inch, I would crumble. I reached around my back to grasp onto him. My hand slipped into the front pocket of his sweatpants, pulling him to me.
“Don’t leave,” I mumbled.
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
I pressed my other hand to my stomach, groaning, as I rested my head on my forearm.
“Must have been something I ate,” I said. When I was sure nothing else would come up, I rinsed my mouth out with water and drank from the glass Zephyr handed me.
As his arm went over my head to reach over me for the water, I moaned softly at his scent, leaning back against him as I drank deeply. His hands settled on my waist as he hugged me close to him.
“You want to get back to bed?”
I nodded. Before I could start walking, Zephyr scooped me up and carried me back over. I let out a confused laugh.
“What are you doing?”
He froze as he slowly put me down on the bed. “Nothing. Just… In case you’re weak.”
“It’s just a stomach bug,” I muttered. But he was right. My legs felt like jelly, and my body felt too light to be comfortable. I went limp on the bed, smiling up at him as he tucked me back against his chest. It was strangely domesticated, and I hadn’t noticed how easily we had become accustomed to that until we had been forced to do it.
“Adalyn,” Zephyr began, but his voice trailed off before he could say anything else. “Never mind. Sleep for now, okay? No training today.”
“Are you serious?” I asked, my voice quiet and weak. “I need to pay you back for flooring me yesterday evening.”
He laughed quietly. “You can tomorrow when you’re feeling better.”
I was already falling back asleep when I nodded. Even as I drifted off, I clung to Zephyr, hating being even one inch away from him. It seemed like a new need had nestled in my body, yearning for his closeness and physical contact.
My dreams awaited me, and in them, I walked through an endless hallway with Zephyr at my side and a heavy feeling in my gut. He kept asking me if I was ready, and I kept questioningwhat for? No answer came in response.
Zephyr was curled around me protectively when I woke up as if he anticipated anything attacking us down here. His eyes were lowered, awake but not watching me. The back of his knuckles brushed over my shoulder. He kissed the bare, freckled skin there, lapping it with his tongue where he had left a bite bruise days ago.
“Afternoon,” he said, his voice deep in his chest. I stretched, feeling better for the extra sleep.
“It’s that late already?”
He held up his phone. “It’s already gone two o clock.”
