Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Pedros large, tattooed hand remained hovering just inches from my stomach. The golden fire in his eyes had completely vanished, replaced by a dark, terrifying storm. His chest heaved with every ragged breath he took.

"I asked you a question, Harper,"Pedro growled, his voice dropping so low it vibrated against the floorboards. 

"Whose pup is in your womb?"

I pressed my back harder against the wall, my entire body trembling. I squeezed my eyes shut. There was no point in lying. He was an Alpha; he would hear the stutter of my heartbeat if I tried to deceive him.

"It is Elecs,"I whispered.

Pedro stepped back so fast it was as if I had physically burned him. He dragged both of his hands fiercely through his messy black hair, gripping the strands at the roots. He paced across the thick bedroom rug, his jaw clenched so tight I thought his teeth might shatter.

"Fuck,"he spat, kicking the solid oak leg of the dresser. The piece of furniture actually cracked down the middle.

 "Fuck! Are you actually kidding me right now?"

I wrapped my arms around my waist protectively.

 "I found out yesterday morning. Right before he... right before he handed me the divorce papers."

Pedro stopped pacing. He turned his head slowly to look at me. The sheer intensity in his gaze made my breath hitch. "Does he know?"

"No,"I choked out, a fresh tear sliding down my cheek.

 "And he can never know. Please, Pedro. He told me he didn't want it. He told me I was just a requirement for his business. If he finds out about the baby, he will take it away just to punish me. I am twenty-four years old. My familys pack, the Silver Creeks, fell apart years ago. I have absolutely no one left to protect me."

Pedro stared at me. The harsh, brutal Alpha of the Nightfall pack the man who was rumored to have destroyed entire bloodlines without blinking—was looking at me with pure conflict tearing his features apart.

His wolf was raging for its fated mate, but his pride was choking on the reality of my situation. I was carrying his greatest rival's heir.

He let out a harsh, bitter laugh. 

"So the bastard finally gets the ultimate prize, and he throws it out in the rain because hes too blind to see it."

He walked slowly back toward me. I instinctively flinched, turning my face away and squeezing my eyes shut. I prepared myself for the worst. I prepared for him to drag me out by my hair and throw me back onto the cold pavement.

Instead, I felt a heavy, warm fabric drape over my shivering shoulders.

I opened my eyes. Pedro had pulled a thick, black sweatshirt from his closet and wrapped it around me. His knuckles brushed against my collarbone, sending a jolt of raw electricity straight to my core.

"Stop shaking,"he muttered, his voice rough but entirely drained of its previous anger.

 "I am not going to hurt you, Harper."

"You aren't?"I whispered, looking up at him in shock.

Pedro let out a heavy sigh, his thumb gently wiping the tear track from my cheek. "My wolf wants to rip Elecs throat out for touching you. And my brain is telling me that keeping you here is the most dangerous thing I could possibly do. But my bond..."He closed his eyes for a brief second, his jaw ticking.

"Dammit, Harper. You are my mate. I am not throwing you out."

My heart did a wild flutter. Before I could even process his words, the doors to the bedroom slammed open.

"Pedro!"

Pedro instantly stepped in front of me, shielding my body with his massive frame. His spine went entirely rigid.

A tall, imposing man strode into the room. His hair was completely gray, but his shoulders were just as broad as Pedro's. The sheer authority rolling off him was suffocating. Following closely behind him was a woman wrapped in an expensive fur coat, her sharp, aristocratic features twisted into a deep scowl.

Alpha Quinton and Luna Seraphina. Pedros parents.

"What is the meaning of this?"Quinton demanded, completely ignoring the fact that his son was standing there shirtless. "The border patrols are waiting for your command, and you are hiding in your chambers?"

"I am in my rut, Father,"Pedro said coldly, not moving an inch away from me. "I told my Beta to handle the border issues tonight."

"Your rut is an excuse, not a strategy,"Quinton barked, his eyes narrowing. 

"The High Council sent another messenger today, Pedro. The Northern territories are challenging our borders again. You know the pack laws. You turn twenty-eight next moon. If you do not produce an heir and secure this bloodline by your birthday, the Council will strip you of your Alpha title. You will lose the Nightfall territory."

"I am perfectly aware of the Council's archaic laws,"Pedro snapped, his hands curling into tight fists at his sides. "I will handle it."

"You will handle it?"Seraphina scoffed loudly, stepping out from behind her husband. "You have rejected every single pureblood female we have brought to this house. You refuse to take a chosen mate. Time is running out, Pedro. Our pack needs an heir to survive the upcoming council vote."

Seraphina paused, her sharp eyes suddenly catching the movement behind Pedro's back.

She tilted her head, her nostrils flaring slightly as she took in the scent of the room. Her gaze locked onto me, peering around Pedro's broad shoulder.

The color completely drained from her perfectly made-up face.

"Goddess above,"Seraphina gasped, lifting a shaking hand to her mouth. "Quinton, look."

Quinton stepped to the side, his dark eyes finally landing on me. I pulled Pedros oversized sweatshirt tighter around my body, wishing the floor would just open up and swallow me whole.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?"Quinton demanded, his voice dropping to a terrifying, lethal whisper. "You brought herinto this house?"

"Watch your tone, Father,"Pedro warned. A low, dangerous growl ripped from his chest.

"Watch my tone?"Quinton roared, pointing a furious finger at me. "She is Elec Geralds garbage! The entire continent watched her get tossed out into the street tonight like a stray dog, and you brought her into my pack house?"

"She is my fated mate,"Pedro declared loudly. 

Seraphina let out a shrill, mocking laugh. "Your mate? Oh, Pedro, you must be truly desperate to claim this pathetic creature as your fated one. Look at her. She is weak. She smells of fear and failure."

"Mother, I am warning you,"Pedro snarled, taking a threatening step forward.

"No, you will listen to me!"Seraphina yelled right back, her face twisting with pure disgust.

 "She was married to the Gerald boy for three years. Three years, Pedro! And she could not even give him a single pup. She is totally barren. 

You cannot make a barren, rejected female the Luna of the Nightfall pack!"

I flinched, my heart aching. If she only knew the truth.

"I do not care about her past,"Pedro stated, his voice completely unyielding. "The bond snapped into place the second I touched her. She stays."

Quinton stared at Pedro for a long, agonizing minute. The older Alphas eyes darted from his sons fiercely protective stance to my trembling form huddled against the wall. A cold, calculating gleam slowly replaced the fiery anger in his dark eyes.

"The bond is absolute,"Quinton finally said, his voice terrifyingly calm. "I cannot force you to reject your fated mate. And if the Goddess paired you with this... mistake... then we must adapt."

Pedro frowned, his body remaining tense. "What are you talking about?"

Quinton slowly buttoned his suit jacket, his eyes never leaving my face. The look he gave me made my blood run entirely cold. It was the look a butcher gave a piece of meat.

"We need an heir to secure our territory before the High Council strips your title,"Quinton said smoothly. "If you refuse to touch another female because of this mate bond, then fine. She stays."

"Quinton! You cannot be serious!"Seraphina shrieked. "She will ruin our bloodline!"

"She will do no such thing,"Quinton replied coldly, cutting his wife off. He took a single, intimidating step closer to Pedro and me. "Because she will never be Luna."

Quinton tilted his head, a cruel, wicked smirk spreading across his face.

"We will lock her in the south wing,"Quinton announced calmly. "We will use her for the only thing she is good for. She won't be your Luna, Pedro. We will make her a breeder."