Page 14 of Forbidden Pregnant Mate

In all the time I’d known Klyte, I’d never realized what a natural healer he was or how seriously he took it. His face was stoic, his manner professional. I caught him glancing at me curiously over the next few minutes as we continued to look over Freya, but that was all.

We wrapped her leg and arm in gauze. Her bitten calf needed stitches, and walking would hurt for a while. But after getting wrappings on the worst of her injuries, she looked a bit better.

Finally, Klyte dug around in the kit and pulled out a bottle. “Here,” he said, handing Freya a pill. “This should help you sleep.”

Freya nodded, drank from the water glass I’d brought her earlier, and swallowed the pill. A couple of minutes later, she was asleep.

“Thanks,” I said to Klyte.

I turned to find him staring intently at me, a studious frown on his face. He jerked his head toward the door, and my stomach clenched in unease. I knew what was about to come. It was inevitable, after what Freya had said.

We walked out of the room, closing the door behind us. Klyte leaned against the wall, folding his arms as he scrutinizedme. I mirrored his posture on the opposite wall as I waited for the inevitable, wondering what to say or how to say it.

“You can thank me by telling me what is going on and who the hell Isaac is,” Klyte said.

“That’s my business,” I said, though I knew how cringy and hollow it sounded.

He smirked and raised an eyebrow. “She’s my patient now, so it’s my business.”

I shook my head and took several steps back. “Forget it,” I snarled. “I don’t have to tell you anything.”

I spun on my heels to head back into the room to sit with Freya, but Klyte’s hand grabbed my bicep. It was strong and calloused, and my body seemed to jolt with electricity at the contact.

“Let her sleep,” he said. “She’s clearly had a very long day—or several—in order to come here and tell you something.”

I yanked my arm from his grip but didn’t move or say anything. We just stared each other down for what felt like a century. Finally, he asked the question I knew was coming, the one I’d been dreading since Freya spoke.

“Who’s Isaac?”

My jaw clenched, and I shook my head furiously. I wasn’t going to tell him. Icouldn’ttell him. I hadn’t even told my father. I’d told Dad I just wanted to come visit. He didn’t even know that I’d decided to leave my old pack. I’d kept it from him because I knew how he would react. I thought if I just left, it would all go away.

I should have known I was wrong.

I shook my head. “We’re not doing this,” I said. “Thank you for helping Freya, but Isaac is none of your business.”

“He is if he’s who did this to your friend,” he said, jerking his head toward the closed bedroom door. “And he definitely is my business if he’s coming to my town and this is what he does to people.”

“Why should I tell you anything?” I spat.

“Because I’m going to keep bothering you about it until you do.” He gave me a smirk, even though his eyes remained serious. “And you know how stubborn I can get when I put my mind to it.”

I growled and rubbed my forehead in frustration. “You are the most infuriating, stubborn—”

“—handsome, intelligent, quick-witted…” Klyte interrupted. “But we’re not talking about my good qualities here. I want to know why she came to warn you about some guy.” There was a pause and a strange tone to his voice when he asked, “Is he your mate?”

“God, no.” The words were out of my mouth before I could bite them back.

“Then who is he?”

“He’s a fucking creep and an asshole, all right?” I snapped. “Happy?”

“It’s a start,” Klyte said. “Tell me everything. Please.”

It was the “please” that got me. In the entire time I’d known Klyte, I was fairly certain I’d only heard him say that word a handful of times. My shoulders sagged, and I slumped against the wall across from him. His green eyes never left my face, his mouth devoid of its usual smirk.

I folded my arms and spoke to his feet.

“Isaac is the alpha’s son of the Ember Pack. My old pack,” I said. “He’s next in line for the spot. I settled into the pack a few years ago. I liked the people, and California was nice. I had a good job, and everything was going well. At least, until Isaac decided he wanted me as his mate.”

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