Chapter 12

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Is this some kind of prank?” he asked, his intensity making me shiver.

I spun around, ready to bolt, but his hands found my sides, holding me in place. Then, to my surprise, he wrapped his arms around me from behind, his hands cradling my stomach.

“All I’ve ever wanted, my whole life, is a child—an heir,” he whispered into my ear, sending chills down my spine.

I had been terrified of his reaction, of him not wanting this, of him thinking it was a trap. I had been so scared, but now he seemed not only accepting but thrilled.

I felt a wave of relief so powerful it was as if the weight of the world had been lifted from my shoulders.

I whirled around to face him, searching his face for any sign of insincerity, but all I saw was his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled.

When he finally met my gaze, his eyebrows furrowed, puzzled by my expression. “I was terrified of how you’d react,” I admitted.

“Scarlett,” Christopher murmured, pulling me into his arms.

There, with his body pressed against mine, his chin resting on the top of my head, his steady breathing in my ears, his scent surrounding me, and his arms wrapped around me, I felt safe. It was as if nothing in the world could touch me.

“Is that why you’ve been avoiding me?” he asked, gently pulling back to look at me.

I could only nod, tears welling up in my eyes. “I need you to understand that you don’t have to stay with me just because of this baby,” I told him.

“Don’t ever say that,” he said, his sky-blue eyes locked onto mine.

“This is what I want more than anything.” His smile was wide and genuine. “And I want to do this right. How about a date tonight?”

Before I could respond, he dropped to his knees in front of me, his eyes level with my belly.

The alpha was kneeling before me. “Actually, I want to take both of you out on a date,” he said, addressing my stomach before looking up at me. It was the sweetest thing I’d ever seen, and all I could do was smile and nod, tears streaming down my face.

Christopher kissed my belly, then stood up.

He cradled my face in his hands and brought his lips close to mine. I had missed his kisses so much. The taste of him was intoxicating, and the feel of his lips on mine made me sigh into his mouth. His tongue tangled with mine as my hands pulled him closer, his arms tightening around my waist as the kiss deepened—leaving me breathless.

His hands roamed my body as if he had missed my skin and wanted to memorize every inch of me.

His hand squeezed my ass, sending shivers through me. His kisses trailed down to my neck, his fingers teasing the hem of my scrubs.

I was wearing scrubs, so he simply pulled the elastic waistband aside to touch my skin. He caressed my thigh, then his lips found my ear, nipping lightly at my earlobe while his fingers slipped beneath my panties. He pushed the thin fabric aside, and a wave of pleasure washed over me as his thumb brushed my clit and a finger slipped inside me, drawing a soft moan from my lips.

“You’re so wet, so responsive to my touch. You have no idea how much I’ve missed this,” he murmured, his voice husky.

His words reached my ears just before his lips found mine again. His movements were perfectly timed, and it wasn’t long before I was on the brink of consciousness. The pressure on my belly grew until it was almost too much. He knew exactly how to touch me, how to bring me pleasure. My body responded to every circular motion, every touch, pushing me closer to the edge. He broke the kiss just in time to watch me climax, then pulled me into his arms.

“I’ve missed you so much. You have no idea,” Christopher said, holding me close.

I wanted him too. My hands found their way to his pants, and I heard him growl. “Baby, you have no idea how much I want this. But we both have to get back to work,” he said, sighing as he tried to regain control.

He was right, and I knew it. As difficult as it was, I pulled away and composed myself. At least now, I felt confident that things would be okay between us.

“This baby smells so much like me,” Christopher said.

“I know. It’s unmistakable,” I replied, laughing for the first time in days. “I won’t be surprised if he or she is a spitting image of you. I don’t think that would be a bad thing, really.”

I ran my fingers through his hair, and his eyes narrowed.

“You thought it might be Mathew’s?” he asked.

The memory made me squirm. “I panicked, thinking it could be his. Female wolves are fertile during the full moon, and that’s when we slept together. We used the pull-out method, but that’s not exactly foolproof. But when I smelled the baby, I knew it was yours,” I said, letting out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

“Honestly, it wouldn’t matter to me if it wasn’t mine. I would never let you raise a child alone. And then I’d give you a child of my own. I’m already enjoying the practice,” he said, kissing my neck and making my legs wobble.

“Are you serious?” I asked, incredulous.

“Absolutely,” he said, his words a warm breath against my skin.

“You’re like a drug to me. It’s a good thing you don’t work here, or I’d never get anything done,” Christopher said, pulling back slightly to look at me. “Actually, I have a lot of work to do today, but I’ll pick you up at seven tonight, okay?”

“I finish at the clinic at seven. You can pick me up at eight,” I told him.

He sighed. “I’m not used to being contradicted. But that’s okay. I’ll pick you up at eight,” he said, planting a quick kiss on my lips.

“I enjoyed our meeting, alpha. We should do it again sometime,” I said, straightening my scrubs and turning to leave.

But he caught my arm, pulling me back. “Don’t tease me, Scarlett.” His voice was a husky whisper in my ear as his arms wrapped around me once more. I pressed myself against him, then pulled away from his embrace.

“Let’s keep some for tonight,” I suggested, spinning around to plant a soft kiss on his lips. I flashed him a smile before heading toward the door.

My dad was kind enough to drop me back at the hospital. As I strolled through the main entrance, my mom peeked out from her office. I gave her a reassuring smile, and she instantly knew everything was okay.

“Doctor, a patient insisted on waiting for you in your office,” the receptionist, Amanda, informed me as I made my way to my workspace. I wondered, ~Who could it be?~

“Thanks, Amanda,” I responded, continuing my journey to my office. As I swung the door open, my heart skipped a beat—Mathew was sitting in my office.

“What brings you here?” I questioned, shutting the door behind me.

“You’ve been ignoring my calls and texts, so I had no choice but to come here,” he retorted, his gaze locked on mine.

“Mathew, I’ve made it clear—I don’t want anything to do with you,” I stated, hoping he would finally understand.

“But I’m your mate, Scarlett,” he declared, as if that justified his actions. He began to approach me.

“You certainly don’t act like one, Mathew. You lied and betrayed me,” I retorted, stepping back. But he only advanced, attempting to wrap his arms around my waist. All I felt was revulsion.

“What if I promise never to do it again?” he proposed, still trying to pull me into an embrace. I pushed his hands away.

“I can’t trust you anymore. My feelings have changed, and I don’t see a future for us,” I confessed.

I tried to push his hands away, but he was too strong and managed to encircle me in his arms.

“I’ll call security if I have to,” I threatened, my voice louder and more assertive than I expected.

“You wouldn’t dare,” he challenged, trying to intimidate me.

“I would, Mathew. And you know what? I need to free you from this. It might hurt now, but it’s for the best. You’ll be free to date any wolf you want,” I began, preparing him for my next words. “I reject you.”

He was taken aback by my rejection. His face turned pale, and he looked utterly shocked. His mouth opened, but no words came out. Then his shock turned to anger, and he rolled his eyes.

I felt a void in my chest as our link was severed. It was as if a part of my soul had been ripped away. My heart seemed to beat differently, and although I was free, I also felt alone. It was painful, but necessary. Mathew wasn’t the mate for me, and staying with him would only prolong my suffering.

“Whatever. You’re not even that attractive. You’ve lost your chance, Scarlett. Now I’m free to get the girl I want. But you? I don’t know who would want to be with you,” he spat, storming out of my office and slamming the door behind him.

I sat alone in my office, trying to process what had just happened. Just then, a text from Christopher popped up on my phone.

Christopher

Only five hours left until I see you again.

His passionate words brought a smile to my face and snapped me back to reality. I resumed my work, seeing one patient after another.

Before I knew it, it was time to leave.

As I was packing up, my mom and sister walked into my office. I greeted them with a smile.

“What’s got you so happy?” Karen inquired.

“I have a date tonight,” I revealed, grinning.

My mom looked taken aback.

“With who? I saw your mate storming out of here earlier,” she remarked, raising an eyebrow.

“With Alpha. Mathew and I are done. He tried to reconcile, but I rejected him. There was no way we could continue,” I explained, rummaging through my bag for some papers.

“So, today’s meeting was to set up a date?” Karen asked.

“I’ve been avoiding him because of the pregnancy, but I decided to tell him today. He took it better than I expected,” I admitted.

I had assumed Mom would have told Karen about my pregnancy, but apparently, I was wrong. Karen’s jaw dropped, and her eyes widened.

“Pregnancy?” she exclaimed.