Chapter 2

LEXI.

My heart thudded loudly when I couldn’t find my key in the big pot of plants outside my door. I knew it was an easy spot for someone to just steal it, but I’d been here for a year, and none had taken it except one person — Austin.

I had given him access to my apartment, so he was free to come and go. But he was just here a day ago. He would usually come once or twice a week.

So why was he here again? 

I swallowed the invisible lump in my throat before patting my cheeks, making sure I didn’t look pale. I was about to knock when the door swung open, and Austin’s handsome, smiling face popped up. 

His arm was leaning on the door frame. He was wearing just regular sweatpants and showing off his perfectly toned abs.

He was definitely here to get laid. 

I smiled at him, restraining myself from jumping on him. So, instead, I slid past him, and I heard him let out a breath before closing the door. 

“Are you in a bad mood? I can make you feel better.” He began.

Tempting. But no. 

“We need to talk, Austin,” I told him after I dropped my bag on the counter and turned around to face him.

“Can that wait? I didn’t overspeed to get here and wait an hour for you to come home just to sit and talk. I need action.” He came closer and dipped his face onto my neck, nuzzling his nose against my skin.

Fire. 

I bit my bottom lip, stopping myself from giving in, but then his hand moved onto my breasts and began kneading them. “I want to taste these big tits, baby. You can tell me your story while I suck and bite them.”

“Austin!” I gasped, clutching his hands from my breasts and securing them on his sides. “Please, let’s talk.”

“Are you breaking up with me? Can we have at least one fuck, then we can part ways?” He chuckled, but when he realized I was not smiling, he pulled away from me and raised his hands up with his eyebrows hiking up. He slowly backed away and slumped his ass on my couch. “Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?”

“We need to discuss something…”

“Come to daddy…” He patted his thighs, and his devilish grin was back on his face. This man certainly knew how to woo females. “Be a good girl and tell me what you did wrong today, and I can promise you that whatever punishment I have in mind, you will enjoy it like the last time.”

“Daddy? I’m older than you.” I rolled my eyes at him before crossing my arms against my chest. I didn’t think before answering that, but I regretted it the moment he stood up again and headed in my direction. 

His hands landed on my ass and he lifted me off the floor so that I had no choice but to cling to his shoulders. 

“Austin!” I shrieked. 

He yanked my legs and wrapped them around his hips before he smacked my ass hard, making me gasp again.

“You’re older, but we both know I’m still the boss here because, again, who’s the one spanking this perfect round ass of yours?” He groaned, but he didn’t even let me answer his questions.

His mouth smashed into mine as he moved our position swiftly. My back hit the wall as he pressed his front against mine. He was having an erection, and I was sure my juices were already wetting my underwear.

But I know it was now or never.

I tilted my head to the side so that his mouth landed on my cheek. But he continued to kiss me, nibbling and sucking my skin.

“Put me down…” I said in a hoarse voice. 

He pulled away from my face as he slowly let me down. His eyes were dilating, and I knew he was upset. “What’s going on?”

My hands went to his chest as I slowly pushed him away, wanting a space to breathe between us. 

“I’m pregnant.”

“Who’s the father?” He asked almost immediately.

My heart constricted as my hand flew to my chest. I didn’t expect him to ask me that. “What do you mean with your question?”

“Is it mine?” He asked as he stepped back.

“Of course, it is yours! Who do you think is the father?”

“I don’t know.” He brushed his hand over his hair as his jaw tightened. “We are not exclusive, so I thought...”

“So you thought I was fucking around? Like you do?” I said, my teeth gritting. 

“I don’t know. I never asked! So don’t blame me if I thought that way!”

“Of course, who knows? But yes, this is yours! And I’m sure of that!”

“But how did you get pregnant?”

I gasped. “Are you stupid? Of course, you fucked me! Not just once! Do you want me to give you the exact details of how it happened?”

“You don’t understand my fucking question! How did you get pregnant when you don’t have a fucking wolf!” He was not raising his voice, but he was talking differently from Austin, who would sweet-talk me all the time before and after we messed around. 

His voice at the moment was cold, like I did a horrible thing to him.

“I don’t know! I told you to use a condom, but you said no — you got this! Remember?” 

“Why were you not taking pregnancy pills?”

“You said you got this!” I yelled at him. “You said I would not get pregnant because I don’t have a wolf! And just so you know, I’d been taking pregnancy pills for the last two years, so I wouldn’t get pregnant from my asshole ex, so I thought I would get a breather from it! But then you came, and instead of making sure I wouldn’t get pregnant by using a condom I was shoving on your ass, you made me believe you got this! Well, newsflash, Austin Montrell…” I paused for a second and pointed my fingers at my still-firm stomach. “... you got this!”

“No! No! No! Fucking no!” He was shaking his head, and I felt my heart stop as I stared at him. “I’m not ready for a pup! I don’t think I can do this!” He said in a cold tone as his eyes dilated. 

My mouth opened as tears pooled in my eyes, but I blinked them back right away. I couldn’t find the words to say. I was expecting that this scenario would happen, but I didn’t know that the flat-out rejection would happen right away.

“What do you mean?” I asked in a soft voice.

“Are you sure it’s mine?” He asked again, and I saw something in his eyes that any female would not want to see. 

He didn’t want this pup. 

He looked different from the Austin who had been visiting me, and I knew I had lost this battle already.

My hand raised, and a hard slap hit his cheek, making his face tilt to his right. And he just let it stay there. 

“Get out!” I pointed to the door while my chest continued to heave.

That was my last stance. Maybe he will realize what he just said and request that we talk again. I was keeping my hopes high. But, like always, Austin let me down. 

He grabbed his shirt from the couch and pulled it on his head before picking up his car key on my kitchen counter. And without a word, he walked past me toward the door without even glancing at me.

The tears I was holding raced down my cheek when I heard the door slam. My shoulders shook as I let my sobs wrack my whole body.

I had expected this, but why am I crying? Because I didn’t know it would hurt this much. 

Austin, like everyone in my life, they would just leave when they had no need for me. I was back to square one. Alone.

I held my stomach as I pressed my back against the cold wall and slowly lowered my body until I reached the floor. I had no idea where I would start or what I needed to do. But I knew I couldn’t give up. Someone was expecting me to take care of him or her. I needed to be strong for this baby wolf in my stomach.

I bit my bottom lip to stop it from quivering before I started mumbling to myself. “Don’t worry, baby. Mommy is here. Mommy is going to take care of you. And I promise you that even if it’s just me, I will make sure you get all the love you need. I will make sure I am enough. You and me — we will be okay.”

I got this. I told myself. I had been telling myself that since the day I watched them burn my mother’s ashes and lower her urn to the ground. 

I got this. 

I would not let Austin’s rejection make me lose my sparkle. My mother raised me to be a strong and independent female. I would not let her down. 

-----------------

I had no idea what time I fell asleep as I spent the whole night twisting and turning in my bed. I had been contemplating what my next step would be. 

At the same time, I kept checking my window because a part of me was hoping he would come back.

But he never did. No messages or missed calls, as well.

It only went to show that I was nothing but just a flesh he craved but never wanted. I knew we didn’t have any commitment, and I didn’t expect him to commit himself to me, but I was hoping at least he would acknowledge his own pup. I could forgive him for asking me if it was his, but the flat-out rejection of his pup was the one breaking my heart.

He didn’t even try. 

I knew he was not ready, and neither was I. 

I didn’t do this alone. We did this pup together. I shouldn’t be the only one who needs to face the changes because of this.

But I have no choice now. It was time to move on and forget about him.