Rejecting the Alpha

Months passed by, and our life together gradually began to feel normal again. My memories of the alpha began to fade along with his mark, leaving only Vander's where his once lay. The dreams about my time at Stonemason became infrequent, and new people and experiences began to obscure my painful memories.

"Vander?" I called from the bedroom, having woken up from a nap to find myself alone. I was feeling particularly needy.

"What do you need, Kylie?" he called back, probably from the living room by the sound of it.

His question was a good one. What didn't I need? For the last month I had been growing steadily rounder and I had nearly achieved whale-like proportions. My legs were swollen, and my joints hurt, and I just wanted this baby out of me already, but there was still at least a month to go.

I didn't know how I would survive. I loved her already, of course, but I just wanted my body back to myself.

Plus, I had to pee.

Again.

I pushed myself up out of the bed, just as Vander walked into the room and smiled at me affectionately. "You're beautiful."

"Mmm, thanks." I was in a baggy old t-shirt and my underwear and my hair was crazy from my nap. It was a lucky thing for me that he apparently had a thing for messy marine mammals.

Still, I did feel as beautiful as he said when he looked at me that way, even if I was pretty sure I looked the opposite.

My pregnancy had not been easy. My health had been fine, with no dangers or complications so far, but I'd been an emotional wreck throughout, up and down from hormones, bouncing between excited and sad and afraid, remembering the little one I lost, and the family this baby would never meet, and thinking about the future.

But I had survived and through it all, Vander had been there, and he never let me feel like I was alone. My new pack and my new family had also been supportive and I adored them for it.

He walked over to me and pulled me into his arms, at least as well as he could with my distended stomach getting in between us. I tilted my head up towards him.

"I heard a tone," he said.

"A tone?"

"In your voice. You are beautiful. You think this isn't sexy?" he asked, looking down at my stomach. "How could it not be? Don't you remember how I put her there?"

"Of course I remember," I said, trying to act cool in spite of the heat beginning to build between my legs, just like it always seemed to when he was around. Pregnancy hadn't helped that, either. Lately, he barely had to crook his finger at me to get me going. That deep suggestive voice turned me to putty in his hands.

My sweet mate's smile grew wicked. "Maybe you need a little reminder to refresh your memory...?" He caught my mouth with his own despite the barrier between us, and his hands grabbed my ass.

What he was doing felt so good, but wanting him inside me wasn't the only pressure on my body. I broke his hold on me and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.

"Hold that thought," I told him, pulling him down to kiss him on the forehead.

I rushed off to the bathroom, leaving Vander chuckling behind me. He knew I'd be back.