Pregnant and Rejected by My Alpha Mate

#Chapter 102 Powers

Selene

“Bastien, you’re being ridiculous.”

He’s standing across from me in our sunlit kitchen, his arms crossed over his chest and a stubborn

grimace on his handsome face. After the events of last night he’s been on high alert, not letting me out

of his sight for one moment. I actually had to kick him out of the restroom this morning so I could have

a bit of privacy, and now he’s refusing to go to work.

“Can you blame me?” He growls.

In all fairness, I know my husband is also exhausted. We didn’t go to sleep until around four this

morning, and having a young pup means we didn’t get the luxury of sleeping in either. If I thought he

wanted to stay home with us to catch up on his sleep, I might be more understanding – but that isn’t the

case.

“We’ve got to figure out a way to get past this,” I sigh, feeling emotionally drained. “We can’t change

what happened, but we can’t let it take over our lives either. You have to go to work, I’ve got to take Lila

to her playdate and go grocery

shopping.”

And after I’ve got to start figuring out what on earth I’m going to do with my life. I add in my head,

causing Luna to chortle softly.

“What playdate?” Bastien asks, narrowing his eyes.

“With Donovan’s niece, remember?” I prompt, “I told you about this yesterday. She needs to make

some friends here.”

“They can have the playdate here.” He decides, “and there’s no reason for you to go to the store

yourself.”

“I’m not going to let this person control my life, Bastien.” | insist. “I’ve spent too many years living in fear

and I refuse to do it any longer. I’m not going to hide away because of one creep who is too cowardly to

come out of the shadows and challenge you directly.”

I’m seriously regretting the way I fell apart last night. It couldn’t be helped in the moment, but my

reaction has sent Bastien into an overprotective frenzy, and it’s making things very difficult. “Selene,

you know that isn’t what I want.” He reasons coolly, “But until we know what we’re up against, laying

low is imperative. It’s not weak, it’s smart.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” I counter, “but how long is it going to be until we know what we’re up

against? You’ve been trying to find this person for years and you aren’t any closer to identifying them

now than you were when your Father died.”

“Maybe not, but we haven’t had the full story until now.” Bastien reminds me, “I have a feeling you’re

the key to all of this, the piece we’ve been missing.” His jaw twitches in agitation, “which is all the more

reason for us to be cautious.”

“I’m not completely defenseless you know.” I mutter, thinking of my confrontation with the she-wolves in

the ladies room. With everything that’s happened since, I completely forgot about the incident. The

revelations about the safe house and the spy cameras completely overshadowed the strange new

powers I channeled defending myself last night, but now that I think about it, I can’t believe it’s taken

me this long to tell my mate. “Speaking of which, I forgot to tell you…”

Trailing off, I crinkle my nose in thought. How on earth can I explain this? Honey, I forgot to tell you I’m

magic? Or, hey babe, you didn’t happen to hear about a bunch of unconscious women turning up in a

restroom did you? My bad! Maybe, I know we can’t afford any bad press, but I decided to reintroduce

myself to the pack’s she-wolves by knocking

a bunch of them out with my mind.

Definitely the first one. Luna quips.

Bastien’s brows knit together in concern as he watches my internal struggle, “What is it?”

“Something happened at the banquet. I think I somehow tapped into… some new powers or

something.” | summarize feebly.

“What do you mean?” He presses, moving closer.

# Chapter 102 Powers

“Well when you took Lila to the garden, I went to the ladies room and had a little run in with a few she-

wolves.” I broach warily, “three of them came in and started being really horrid about me and Lila, and I

sort of lost my temper.”

Bastien immediately zones in on the wrong part of the story. “Horrid how?”

“Just saying the same sort of ugly nonsense they always did.” Waving off the details, I continue, “but

they went after Lila this time and I completely sunk to their level. I provoked the ringleader and she

attacked -”

“She attacked you?!” Bastien thunders, grasping me by the shoulders. “Are you all right? Why didn’t

you tell me sooner? Who was it? I want a name!”

“That’s not the point, Bastien!” I exclaim, shaking him off. “When she came at me something happened.

I threw my arms out to protect myself and all of a sudden they just collapsed. I didn’t even touch them,

but I felt this…. I don’t know, electricity inside me, and I pushed it outwards. I have no idea what it was

or how I did it, but they went down as soon as it hit them.”

“Was it the same bitch who pushed you into the pool and almost killed you?” He rumbles.

“Bestien, focus. I’m trying to tell you something important.” Dragging a hand through my long hair, I

theorize, “The only

explanation I can think of, is that it’s something to do with my blood. Something to do with being a

Volana.”

Bastien is breathing heavily, standing with his hands on his hips and glaring out the window. I can see

him trying to work through his anger, and I know he hasn’t completely conquered it when he turns back

to me. “Okay, tell me again – in as much detail as you can. Don’t leave anything out.”

I do as he asks, relating every word, thought and feeling that passed through my mind during the

confrontation. He doesn’t look any calmer when I finish, but I can see he’s thinking hard. “I’ve never

heard of anything like what you’re describing.”

“You believe me… don’t you?” I ask hesitantly.

The next thing I know, my mate is looming over me, holding my face between his hands. “Of course I

do, little wolf.”

“What do you think it means?” I wonder aloud.

“I think you’re probably right.” He shares, “this has to be your Volana blood coming through. Maybe

finally shifting triggered something; allowed your powers to start manifesting, the same way it sent you

into your first heat.”

“So really what you’re saying is this is all your fault.” I tease, after all I never would have shifted in the

first place if you hadn’t found me.”

Bastien shoots me a wolfish grin, “I’ll gladly take credit.” He replies, only slightly smug. “I know it’s

probably alarming, but the more defenses you have the better. If part of your bloodline gives you some

sort of extra abilities, we should encourage them as much as possible.”

“Especially since Lila will have them too.” I agree, “only she’s going to have to deal with them a lot

sooner than I did.”

Bastien frowns, looking suddenly perturbed. “I hadn’t even considered that.”

“We always knew there had to be a reason people talked about Volanas the way they do. I mean no

one knows the blood secret, so it had to be something like this, right?” l’ın not sure why I’m whispering,

but it feels wrong to talk about these things at full volume. “The problem is that I don’t know how I’m

supposed to encourage these powers when I don’t even know how I tapped into them in the first place.”

“We need to find someone who knows Volana lore.” Bastien poses, “There have to be books or

histories, people who know more about the heritage than you and I.”

“Yes well, finding them without advertising why we’re looking is going to be a challenge.” I remark dryly.

Bastien rubs his jaw, “that’s a fair point. We’re going to have to be very carefu! Do you remember

anything your mother might have shared with you, any names or stories?”

“No.” | grimace, “I didn’t even know I’d have powers like this.”

“That’s okay.” Bastien assures me, pulling me into a hug. “We’ll figure it out. I promise.”

Irelax instantly, breathing in his incredible scent and leaning my weight into his strong arms. The

tension filling my body slowly unwinds, and even though nothing has been resolved, I feel calmer. “I still

want to know the names of those she-wolves.” Bastien grumbles in my ear.

#Chapter 102 Powers

His words flip a switch in my mind, and I lean back, looking up at him curiously. “What if there was

another way?” | inquire slyly.

“What do you mean?” He asks.

“Well, we know the powers came out when I felt threatened right?” | state rhetorically, “so if we want to

get them to come out again…”

“Tell me you aren’t suggesting what I think you are.” Bastien commands ominously.

Looking up at him from beneath my lashes, I purr, “How would you like to attack me?”

Bastien

“Go!” Selene calls, taking up a defensive stance,

“I can’t.” | growl, “this isn’t right.”

We’re out in the garden, positioned on a wide swath of manicured lawn and standing about ten meters

apart. Selene is dressed in workout garb and eyeing me with mild exasperation. Aiden and Donovan

from the sidelines, wide grins on their faces even though nothing has happened yet.

“Attack me!” My mate insists, throwing her arms out in encouragement.

“Selene, I really don’t think-”

“Bastien you promised!” She reminds me. It hadn’t been easy for her to convince me to try and test her

powers this way, and to be honest I still think it’s a bad idea. I know Axel and I would never intentionally

hurt her, but accidents happen and even a fake attack can go wrong.

“This is dangerous.” I gripe, “what if it doesn’t work? What if I can’t pull back in time?”

“That’s why Aiden and Donavon are here.” She reminds me firmly. When I still don’t move she softens

and bats her lashes. “Please, baby?”

Grumbling under my breath, I agree. “Okay, On my count.” With a deep breath, I brace myself for the

attack, “Three… two… one!” To my credit, I do manage to shift, but the moment Axel sees Selene

everything comes to a stop. I’m not even halfway across the grass before my snarls become purrs, my

charge becomes an excited lope, and the most aggressive feeling I can conjure is lust.

Selene throws her head back in frustration. “This is ridiculous Bastien. If you can’t do it, then you need

to let someone else!”

Shifting on the spot, I cross the garden and pull her flush against me. “No one else is going to attack

you, mate.” | rumble, “Do you know why?”

“Because you’re so overprotective and possessive that you even feel territorial about threatening me?”

She quips.

“Because fake or not, if I see another wolf showing aggression to my mate, I won’t be able to control

myself.” | correct, skewering her with my gaze. “I will defend you as if the threat is completely real, and

I’d rather not kill my Betas over an experiment.”

My mate casts a sulky glance, “You can’t think about this as if it’s a true threat ” She argues, “just

remind yourself that this is all to help me. You’re doing a good thing by attacking me, you’re teaching

me to defend myself.“

Sighing heavily, I pry a few kisses from her soft lips. “Spoken like someone without a violent bone in

her sweet little body

“What is that supposed to mean?” Seiene asks, her striking eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“It means you don’t understand the darkness that takes hold in these moments.” I explain ruefully, “And

I hope you never do.”

“Bastien, I need this.” My mate murmurs urgently. “I need to know what’s happening with my own

body.” She implores, “I know this isn’t easy for you and that I can’t understand the kind of malice you’re

talking about. I know you might not be able to feel that towards me, but you spar with Aiden and

Donavon all the time – why is this any different?”

“Because neither of them are my mate.” I explain passionately.

“Oh, so you can spank me but you can’t pretend to fight me?” Selene questions coyly.

Chuckling darkly I answer, “those are very different things.” My wife has mentioned her spanking so

frequently I’m beginning to think she wants another. “You earned the spanking.” I remind her huskily.

“You could never earn an

attack.”

Pouting, Selene shifts restlessly against me, ternpting me to no end, “Please just give it one more try?”

She begs, trailing