Chapter 12

She’s pregnant with someone else’s baby.

Yes. I already know that. His wolf hummed, surprisingly mellow despite the nightmarish situation that they had somehow found themselves in.

She’s pregnant with a baby isn’t ours.

We’ve established that already. His wolf growled, annoyed at the reminder, as if he didn’t know it already. I know she’s pregnant and I know the baby isn’t ours. You don’t need to keep reminding me.

But we need to talk about it. Marcellus insisted even though this was the last thing he wanted to talk about right now. However, he was never one to shy away from confrontation as he believed that regardless of how uncomfortable a situation was, it was best to face it head on rather than run away from it.

Probably, but just not now, okay? We can talk about this later. His wolf sighed and growled lightly when his human refused to drop the subject, insisting they discuss absolutely everything right now. I don’t know what to do but we can’t deny her. That’s not fair on either of us and it’s not like she even knew that she was going to be mated to an Alpha. Or even a werewolf, for that matter. It’s not her fault.

Maybe. Marcellus pursed his lips and squeezed his eyes shut. But are we going to be able to live a life with her knowing that her child isn’t ours? Are we going to be able to raise this child, knowing that our mate had him or her with someone else?

Honestly? I don’t know, but I sincerely hope so.

Having not expected that response, Marcellus was at a momentary loss for words. His wolf was never this amenable and usually, he just demanded that he get his way. Marcellus was surprised that the Alpha wolf was actually considered compromising, especially in regards to something as serious and life-changing as this.

Don’t tell me you don’t feel the same way.

I don’t know what I feel. He admitted honestly and reached a hand up to run through his dark hair, pulling on the ends slightly in frustration. This is all too much too soon.

I couldn’t agree more.

A moment pass before Marcellus voiced aloud what they were both thinking.

It’s going to be harder if she’s still with the father.

You think he’s still in the picture?

I don’t know. Marcellus groaned aloud in frustration. But it looked like she lives alone. It didn’t look like she was living with someone.

One-night stand?

I hope so.

That would certainly make things easier.

Marcellus hummed, still unable to see the positive side of the situation. As far as he was concerned, there was no positives to his mate having a child with someone else, especially since werewolves were brought up on the belief of a one true mate.

It was one thing to have sexual partners and relationships before meeting your mate however, it was a whole other thing for a wolf to start a family with someone that was not their mate. To go that far was like slapping the Moon Goddess in the face, not to mention nothing short of a crime against their moon destined mate.

In all his years as Alpha – and even before then when his father ruled the pack – not once had Marcellus come across a case where a wolf had started a family with someone that was not their mate, before meeting their mate.

A rejection would have been less cruel.

Rejections weren’t all that uncommon as some wolves just weren’t interested in putting in the work that was required to establish a healthy relationship, expecting the mate bond to do all the work for them. But starting a whole family without rejecting your mate was abominable but unfortunately, not technically a crime.

Either way, I’m not sure I’ll be able to raise a pup that isn’t mine. Having to look at him or her everyday would just remind me that our mate started a family with someone that wasn’t us. I don’t think that’s something I can spend the rest of my life dealing with.

So, what now? You’re just going to reject her? His wolf challenged him with a deep growl.

I don’t know. I need some time to think.

You can’t fucking be serious right now!

I just told you I don’t know what I’m going to do! Marcellus couldn’t help but roar back at his wolf, not at all appreciate of the way he was being spoken to, as if he was some common wolf and not an Alpha.

How can you even think of rejecting her? How can you think of rejecting our mate?

She’s having someone else’s child! She didn’t wait for us. How are we supposed to raise her child?

Like it’s our own!

So, you’re going to do that, are you? He fired back at his wolf, his hands fisted and his jaw clenched tight.

It was time like this that Marcellus wished his wolf was a separate entity. It wasn’t often that they got into an argument – and never one as serious as this – but when they did, it would have been so much simpler to sort matters by throwing fists. Unfortunately, he could not fight himself. While it would be a rather comical sight, it wasn’t the most feasible.

If I need to, yes!

Bullshit!

I’m not chatting bullshit.

Yes, you fucking are! There’s no way you’re going to be able to look at that child without thinking of her betraying us!

His wolf growled loudly, baring his teeth at him, almost as if he was getting ready for an attack.

Marcellus snorted at that and rolled his eyes, his sharpened claws now digging into the palms of his hand.

She’s human! She didn’t know she was going to have a mate so how did she betray us?

She’s having someone else’s child! She’s starting a family without us! That’s betrayal. I don’t fucking care if she’s human or not.

It’s not betrayal! She didn’t even know about us.

Marcellus huffed and ground his teeth, at a complete standstill with his wolf who refused to see eye to eye on the matter. As far as he was concerned, his mate had committed the greatest betrayal a wolf could ever commit and unlike his wolf, he wasn’t as forgiving.

Even though he knew it was impossible, Marcellus was determined to forget his so-called mate. Since he had no intentions of letting her know that they were mates, or even stake his claim on her, everything would just be better this way.

His wolf snorted at the absurdity of the notion but didn’t bother commenting.

If Marcellus was going to be stubborn, then his wolf was determined to show him the true meaning of the word.