Page 75 of Rejected Alpha Mate

“You’re pregnant.” My voice comes out calmer than I feel, because the instinctive part of me wants to drag her upstairs and lock every door behind us, but we have company. “I’m not putting you anywhere near a place the dark lord might be hiding.”

Donna lifts her chin, eyes flashing a lighter shade of brown. “You’re not putting me anywhere. I decide where I go, Nick.”

A murmur of awkward tension circles the room. Tyler coughs, Gwen looks at the floor, and Sean suddenly finds the coffee mug very interesting.

Cecelia steps in gently. “Donna…sweetheart, maybe we should consider—”

“No.” Donna’s voice is steady but not harsh with her best friend, her sister-in-law. “If this war is connected to my lineage, then I need to be there. And you all know it.”

I exhale measuredly through my nose, keeping my eyes on Donna. “You’re not invincible. I can’t lose you.”

“You won’t.” She steps closer, placing her hand on my chest, right over my heart. “You won’t, Nicholas. I’m not reckless. I’m not going to run into danger head-on. But I’m not fragile either.” Then, quieter: “Let me choose how I show up for this fight. It’s my fight, too.”

Dominic clears his throat, clearly trying to help. “Maybe we take a couple of days to think things through. Do recon. Get more intel.”

“Exactly,” Donna agrees, squeezing my shirt. “It’s not like we’re leaving tomorrow. We’ll plan it carefully.”

I can’t argue without making a scene in front of everyone, so I force my jaw to unclench. “We’ll talk about this later,” I murmur so that only Donna can hear me.

The meeting dissolves after that, and one by one, everyone heads out into the cool night air toward the guesthouse, until the main house is quiet again, lit only by the warm glow of the fireplace.

Donna turns toward me, that soft smile forming, one that always knocks every argument out of my head.

“You’re mad,” she observes in a teasing tone.

“I’m terrified,” I correct, holding an arm out. “Terrified of losing both of you.”

She steps into me, arms sliding around my waist. “I know. But I need you to trust me, Nick.”

I sink my face into her hair, inhaling the soothing mix of her scent and the sweeter undernote that’s appeared since she became pregnant—a scent that I’d only become aware of when she told me the news last month. “I do trust you,” I whisper. “It’s myself I don’t trust. My instincts…they’re louder now. Stronger. I feel like if I blink, something will take you both from me.”

Her hands smooth along my chest. “Then don’t blink,” she says lightly. “Come upstairs with me instead.”

The shift in her tone is subtle, but unmistakable.

Donna never needs to seduce me. All she has to do is breathe near me. But when she laces her fingers with mine and tugs me toward the stairs, hips swaying in that deliberate, knowing way…

Yeah. She knows exactly what she’s doing.

By the time we reach our bedroom, I’ve already forgotten why I was arguing with her in the first place.

I scoop her up as soon as the door clicks shut. Donna squeals softly, hands flying around my shoulders. “Nicholas!” she giggles, her cheeks turning pink. “You can’t carry me all the time!”

“You’re pregnant,” I remind her. “I’m carrying you everywhere.”

“You’re ridiculous.” But she’s smiling, cheeks flushed, eyes warm.

I lay her gently on the bed and crawl in beside her, immediately resting a hand on her stomach, no longer terrified of losing them when feeling the small swell beneath my palm makes something primal and tender unfurl inside my chest.

I’ll protect them until my last breath, and that’s something I’m sure of. It’s why Donna doesn’t mind going on missions; she knows I’ll be there by her side, to protect them both and ground her.

“How are you feeling?” I ask gently, and Donna sighs.

“Tired,” she murmurs. “Hungry. Emotional.” She brushes the pad of her thumb along my jaw. “Loved.”

“You are loved,” I whisper, pressing a kiss to her temple. “More than I’ll ever know how to say.”

She curls into my side, and I wrap my arms around her, letting her settle against the pillow, her belly warm against my ribs. The quiet between us is peaceful in this moment, not heavy or silent with the strain of battle from weeks ago.