All Chapters of Sleeping with the Alpha Who Despised Me: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

River POV When we pulled up in front of the restaurant, a large sign carved into a rustic wood read: Under the Sea.As soon as we stepped inside, I understood the name. The entire place looked like it had been plucked straight from the ocean floor. The ceiling was painted a deep, twilight blue with moving projections of waves dancing across it. Jellyfish-shaped lanterns hung above every table, softly glowing with shifting hues of teal and lavender. Glass tanks filled with vibrant fish lined the walls, and seaweed-like drapes framed the windows. The air carried a faint, salty scent mixed with sizzling butter and lemon—undeniably seafood heaven.It was beautiful. Dreamy, even.We spotted Hailey’s friends as soon as we stepped inside. They were at a corner booth, waving us over with bright smiles. I quickly forced a pleasant expression on my face, trying not to let the tension in my shoulders show.“Hey, River!” the twins chorused as they pulled me into a warm hug—first Brandon, then Fe

– Jay (POV) My car pulled to a smooth stop in front of the pack house. I killed the engine and sat there for a moment, staring down at the gift bag on the passenger seat. It wasn’t anything over the top—just a soft, pastel-colored blanket I saw at a boutique earlier that day. It looked like something River would love. And maybe... maybe something her baby could grow up with.I reached over and picked up the bag, stepping out of the car with a nervous energy buzzing beneath my skin. I wasn’t sure why I felt like this. I’d been around River plenty of times before, but yet I still felt nervous. Maybe it was because I knew she wasn’t mine to have. She never had been, not in that way.Still, I wanted her to know that I cared.The front door creaked open as I stepped inside. I climbed the stairs quickly, taking two at a time until I was standing in front of her door. I knocked lightly, then a little louder.No answer.“River?” I called.Nothing.I tried the doorknob, but it was locked. I

River’s POVThe baby section smelled like powder, plastic and something strangely nostalgic– i couldn't quite place my hands on it. I didn't know whether it was the shelves lined with soft toys or the pastel flood of colors everywhere, but the moment we stepped into the isle, my chest tightened in the best way possible.Jay stood beside me, pushing the cart with one hand and sipping iced coffee with the other, acting way too casual for someone whose arms were already full of baby clothes. He’d insisted on helping me push the cart and hold the baby clothes I’d picked out. “You shouldn't be lifting anything heavier than a cloud,” he’d said, throwing me a lopsided grin I was used to– grown to love, but yet I pretended not to like.“So,” I said, eyeing the wall of onesies in front of us. “Team blue, team red, or team yellow?”He smirked. “That depends. Are we shopping by gender or mood?”I snorted. “Mood? What kind of mood is this?” I held up a banana–yellow onesie with a sleepy bear stit

Jay POV She wasn’t my mate… but that didn’t matter.I’d been by her side from the start—through the exhaustion, the silence, the small wins, the rebuilding. We had all stood by her—Hailey, Mom, Dad, me. We were her family now, whether she wanted to admit it or not.And tonight wasn’t going to be any different.The hospital’s air was heavy with the sterile scent of antiseptic and cold anxiety. I sat down for a minute, only to get right back up and resume pacing. I couldn’t sit still.Then the doors slid open again.“Jay!” I heard Hailey call out. Her voice snapped me out of the trance I hadn’t even realized I was in.She rushed in, shaking snow from her shoulders, with our parents right behind her.My mom’s eyes immediately swept the lobby before locking onto me. “Oh, Jay,” she said, already making her way toward me, “how is she? Any news?”Her face was pale, her brows knitted in worry.I shook my head, swallowing hard. “No one’s come out of that room since I got here,” I said. “I’ve

River – POV“No, Steven,” I said, slapping his hand lightly away from the tray. “No cookies for you until later.”“Bad!” he yelled, already on the verge of tears.“No, you’re bad,” I countered with a sigh.Before I could say anything else, he burst into tears and ran out of the kitchen in dramatic toddler fashion, stomping his little feet like the world had betrayed him.I shook my head, hiding the small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. Then I bent down and slid the next tray of cookies into the oven, the sweet, buttery smell already filling the warm air around me.I barely had a second of peace before I heard footsteps upstairs.Of course.Steven never cried alone for long. I didn’t even have to turn to know who was coming—either Jay or Alpha Tyson. And if I knew my son, he’d gone straight to the one person who always came to his rescue.Jay walked in exactly as expected, holding Steven in his arms like the boy hadn’t just tried to stage a cookie rebellion five minutes ago.“Y