Chapter 13

I stabbed at my food a little too hard, shoving each bite into my mouth with more aggression than necessary.

Lucian didn’t like me. That much was obvious by now.

What just happened earlier only confirmed what I had already suspected. He didn’t care about me and clearly wanted me gone from his pack.

And if I’m being honest… he scared me. I’m always uncomfortable around him. His blank expression and cold, unreadable face made everything worse. I never knew what he was thinking. I never knew what to expect.

All I could do now was wait until I healed. Then we would have the conversation. The one I was dreading. The one that would decide my fate.

“Abuela. You didn’t have to come all the way here to eat. You just recovered from hurting your back,” Lucian said, standing up and speaking to someone who had just entered the room.

Abuela? That meant grandmother in Spanish, didn’t it?

I turned my head toward the door, curious. Sure enough, an older woman was walking in slowly, her presence commanding and warm all at once.

“Oh, don’t be silly, child,” she waved him off. “How many times do I have to tell you I’m stronger than I look? Don’t let this old body fool you. And besides, how do you expect me to sit at home when the whole pack is whispering about the new guest?”

Great. That’s me. I’m the new guest everyone’s talking about. Yay. The runaway alpha’s mate, pregnant and hiding. What a headline.

Honestly, I would probably be curious too if it weren’t me. It’s not every day you see an alpha’s mate walking around without her alpha glued to her side.

Kellan slid another stack of pancakes onto my plate, and I kept my head down, focusing on eating. I didn’t bother listening to the conversation between Lucian and the old woman.

Everyone at the table had stood up to greet her, hugging her, asking about her health, smiling like she was the sun in their lives. And for the first time since I got here, I felt… out of place.

Like I didn’t belong. She walked towards me and sat next to me. Her presence was warm, gentle and strong and I could feel her eyes on me.

I didn’t look up. I couldn’t.

Not until she asked a question that made my head snap toward her.

“That’s a very strong pup you’ve got in your belly, child. How far along are you?” she asked, her voice calm.

I froze.

My eyes darted around the table. Every single person was staring at me.

Crap.

Panic bubbled in my chest. My fork slipped from my hand and clattered to the floor.

I bent down quickly to pick it up, hearing Dee snort.

I wasn’t expecting that question, definitely not from her. And honestly, I didn’t even know how far along I was.

I hadn’t been keeping track. No doctor. No calendar. No updates.

All I knew was that every single day, I heard the steady thump of my baby’s heartbeatand that was enough to keep me going.

“I really don’t know…” I muttered, barely loud enough for anyone to hear. “A lot has been going on, and I haven’t exactly had time for any antenatal check-ups.”

Abuela gave a thoughtful hum. “Very well. So… does your mate know you’re pregnant?”

My stomach twisted.

“It’s just that, it’s very rare,” she continued, eyeing me closely. “For an alpha’s mate to be away from the pack while carrying his pup. Usually, the male would tear the world apart to find her. So I’m guessing…”

She didn’t finish the sentence. She didn’t need to.

My chest tightened, and I could feel everyone’s eyes on me again.

Abuela was asking the kind of questions that backed you into a corner and somehow, it felt like she already knew the answers. Like she wasn’t asking for herself, but for me.

Did Kaden know I was pregnant? No.

Hell, I didn’t even know, not until I got to that motel bathroom and saw the truth for myself.

And would he care?

Would Kaden, who rejected me, who looked at me like I was worthless, really tear the world apart just because I was carrying his child?

No.

He hated me.

With a passion that burned colder than ice.

He didn’t want me… and I doubted he would ever want his pup either.

“Alphas care for their pups more than you can imagine,” Abuela said gently as she chewed, her eyes never leaving mine.

I blinked. Can she hear my thoughts? That would be seriously creepy.

“A pup is more than just a child,” she continued. “They’re the future, the next bloodline. The one who carries on their legacy. An alpha will train his pup through rain and storm just to watch him grow strong enough to protect the pack one day. A pup is everything.”

She paused, then added quietly, “If your mate finds out you’re carrying his child… it’ll be the beginning of trouble.”

I stared at her, speechless.

Her words made my stomach twist. Was she right?

Would Kaden come for me if he found out? Would he drag me back to the pack? Or worse… would he take my baby away from me?

Fear slithered up my spine.

No. I couldn’t let that happen. I won’t let that happen.

I lowered my shaky hand to my stomach, my jaw clenched. I will raise my child on my own and no matter what it takes, Kaden can’t find out.

“That’s enough, Abuela,” Kellan said suddenly, his voice firm but respectful. “You shouldn’t talk while you’re eating, you know what happened last time. And Seraya is still recovering. She needs rest, not more questions. You can talk to her later when she’s feeling better.”

Abuela chuckled and nodded, turning her attention back to her plate without another word.

But my mind was spiraling and I was grateful to Kellan for stepping in before she said something else that might break me completely.

Things were getting scary.

Really scary.