“How’syour wife?” Kai asked.
Alekshrugged, looking resigned. “She’s fine, but I miss her. We talk on the phone.I’m not sure when I will be able to see her again. I can’t risk bringingtrouble to her and I can’t protect her from the queen by myself.”
Kaiand I shared a look. One thing about the mate bond and about Kai that I loved,is that when we shared a thought, it was like a click. Like two puzzle piecescame together.
“Youknow, I have an extra empty house on the mountain that Aurora’s mother wasliving in. We can clean it up and you, Jeremy, and your wife are welcome tolive there under the protection of my pack.”
Shockregistered on Alek’s face. His mouth opened and he stuttered for a second. “I’mnot sure I can accept that,” he said, finally.
Kaiclapped him on the back. “It’s already yours.”
Ichewed the inside of my cheek. God, Kai was such a good man. He opened our packto humans, vampires, and anyone else in need. He would be keeping them at adistance but close enough to offer protection. My mother would have to stay withus until this was all over, anyway. Even after that, we would need help whenthe baby arrived. The baby. It was weird to think I might actually be pregnant.
“Thankyou,” Alek said and shook Kai’s hand before retreating to the basement.
Kaisighed and rolled his neck back and forth, then he met my gaze.
“I’mgoing to tell you to do something and I want you to do it,” he said with aserious tone.
Iraised one eyebrow. “When has starting a sentence with that ever worked foryou?”
“Stayback and let us go to Mexico and lure Layla out. We can find where the girlsare being kept–”
Ididn’t even let him finish. “No.”
Hesighed. “Yes.” His eyes flashed yellow and he stared me down. When he hadforced me to stop driving the car to my mom’s, something went wild within me.This need to break free and now it turned into a need to prove myself to him.To prove what we both suspected. I was more dominant.
Istared him down and straightened my posture.
“Don’tdo this,” he told me and stared back with yellow eyes.
“Kai,Gretchen told me that she could see I was already pregnant,” I told him.
Hiseyes lit up with joy and surprise, but I quickly got to the point. “I’m notgoing to be killing vampires while waddling around with my huge baby bump. Iwant this done. NOW!” I roared and continued to hold his gaze.
Sweatbegan to break out onto my forehead. Kai looked strained as well. I held mychin high. I needed my mate to know how important this was to me. This wasn’tjust about killing Layla and helping the humans. It was about having a purposein this world and needing to fulfill it. A purpose that was mine alone.
Kaibore into my eyes. “If you’re pregnant, than all the more reason to keep yousafe!” he roared.
Mistcrept from my skin as the pictures on the wall began to rattle. “Kai! You don’tunderstand. I’m the only one who can stop her. It’s my purpose. Let me do this!”I felt dizzy with the pressure of his dominance. His upper lip was sweaty and thepictures rattled more. My mate continued to hold my gaze. I felt all of hispossessive love saturate my body and I realized now that if Kai has his way, Iwould be caged in the basement.
“What’sgoing on? Earthquake?” My mother’s voice came from the hall.
Shit!Kai and I broke away panting as my mother came into the room, looking at uswith wild eyes.
“No,mom. It was me. Sorry.” I told her, trying to catch my breath. What the hellwas I doing getting into a dominance battle with my mate? Was I stupid?
Shelooked confused. “Okay …” She looked between me and Kai.
“Youraised a stubborn woman,” Kai told my mother in a deep voice, smoothing backhis hair and wiping the sweat off of his upper lip.
Mymother smiled, nodding. “She was born that way and that stubbornness saved mylife.”
Tearslined my eyes as I smiled at my mother. She may not have given birth to me, Inever knew that woman, but this woman before me was my mother. I was stubbornand I wouldn’t have chosen to change anything about my life. Even though I hadbeen through a lot, it made me who I was.
Kaislipped his hand into mine.‘Can you give me this one thing? If I don’tcapture Layla at the border, I will come home and we will go forward with the planof using you as bait. I’m your Alpha and your mate. Allow me this one last timeto try to protect you.’
Isighed.‘Fine.’
