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Pete takes the phone away from his ear again, and I hear the murmur of his voice, but not what he says. I can’t make out her response, either, but there’s less screeching involved than before.
“She’s saying you can ask her that yourself when you get here,”Pete tells me after a moment.“Would you like me to force her to answer now, sir?”
I hear Eve’s outraged squeak in the background, and snarl into the phone in warning. “Don’t ever fucking joke about laying a finger on my woman again!”
“Sorry, sir. Is there anything more you need from me at this moment?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, instincts still clamoring at me to murder one of my most trusted men for his ill-timed attempt at humor, and thoroughly frustrated that I have to communicate with my mate through another man. “No. Tell her I’ll be there in twenty-five minutes. Then go back to your post.”
“Yes, sir.”
Despite the confirmationthat Eve is unharmed, the knowledge that she’s angry with me gnaws at me, and sets my adrenaline on a hair-trigger. I haven’t bonded her yet, playing the long game until she’s ready to submit to my claim willingly, but that also means that shetechnicallycould leave me. Or she could at least try to. If I have to forcefully take her and make her mine, then we’re both in for a lifetime of fucking misery.
I’d still choose it over losing her. I will, if she forces my hand. But the thought makes my gut feel leaden.
I love this woman in a way I didn’t know I could love. I always knew meeting my mate would awaken possessive urges in me—it’s one of the first things you’re told as an alpha—but I didn’t realize how completely she would rule my entire existence. Just the thought of her unhappy makes me want to dry heave. But if she left me?
I’d rather die.
I burst out of the elevator and barely acknowledge Pete as I stride to my front door in three steps and enter my home.
Eve’s faint, but soothing scent fills my nostrils the moment I step inside, and I breathe in deeply, allowing it to settle my frayed nerves before I call out, “Eve, I’m here. What’s the matter, baby girl?”
“Get in here!” she snaps from the living room area.
I head in. She’s pacing in front of the coffee table, the scowl on her face softened by the look of panic in her eyes. I spot the pregnancy test on the glass surface behind her, and my heart gives a jolt of excitement.
Could it be…?
“You got me pregnant!” she accuses with a shaking finger pointed at the test, confirming my hope.
I can’t contain the broad smile on my face at the news. “Oh, darling, really?”
“Why do you soundhappy?”she stares at me, eyebrows rising high with sheer surprise. “You understand this is crazy, right? We’ve known each other for twoweeks!You even gave me a morning-after pill to prevent this! It’s a disas—” Her panicked voice cuts off as realization strikes. Her pretty eyes narrow with suspicion. “You… did you…planthis?”
“Of course not,” I lie smoothly. Still smiling, I step forward and pull her into my embrace, kissing her forehead and cheeks. “That would be insane. But I admit, every alpha instinct in me is ecstatic to know you’re carrying my child. You’ll be a wonderful mother, Eve. And I’ll dote on you both every second of every day, I promise.”
“Well, don’t get too excited just yet,” she growls, flashing me an annoyed glare even though she doesn’t pull away from my affections. “I haven’t decided if… if I’m keeping it.”
Everything inside me stills. Surely, she wouldn’t…?
I scan her face, my arms gentle around her waist despite the throbbing urge to clutch her tight and never, ever let her leave my side for so much as a second. She’s scared, my sweet mate, afraid of how a baby will change her life, but behind the fear, there is a different kind of emotion: longing. A part of her wants this. It’s my job to make her feel safe enough to embrace motherhood, and embraceme.
I look into her beautiful eyes with all the love I contain. “Eve, it’s your body. It’s your choice. But please don’t make it out of fear. I know we’ve been together for a short amount of time, but we’refated, baby girl. You and me—we’re forever. Any children that come our way will be a wonderful solidification of our love, no matter when we are blessed with them.”
I gently push a lock of hair behind her ear, caressing her cheek as her bottom lip quivers. “Please, my love. It may be soon, but you and me starting a family together… there is nothing I won’t give to convince you that it’s the right choice. Nothing I won’t do.”
She closes her eyes, inhaling deeply, and though we don’t yet have a bond that ties us together, I can almost feel the tremble in her heart as she takes in my promise.
“Eve,” I whisper. “Trust that I will protect every part of you. All I want is to make you happy, darling.”
She looks up at me, and there’s a thread of steel peeking through the vulnerability. “You say that, but you had metrappedin your apartment. Mr. Bodyguard out there refused to let me so much as go to the pharmacy—on your orders.That’s not exactly something that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy about having your baby. In fact, it’s something that would make any sane woman fuckingflee.”
I breathe slowly, evenly, tempering the roil of fury and panic in my gut as she mentionsfleeingfrom me. There’s no way on this green Earth I’ll ever let that happen, but giving in to the alpha urges and telling her exactly who’s in charge of her movements isn’t going to make my mate willingly surrender her future to me.
Ordering Pete to keep her safely locked inside was a mistake; in a moment of weakness, I caved to my alpha instincts snapping and snarling to make sure my precious female is always exactly where I left her, safe and protected. And as I should have known, the second she realized she wasn’t free to come and go as she pleased, the truth of my obsession became apparent. And that can’t happen. Not until she’s my mate and she’s got my baby on her breast and there is no way out.
And even then, it would be better for both of us if she never finds out the extent of my possessiveness.
