2#Stolen by the Alpha Wolf: Shifter Romance (Deliberate Theft) (3 page)

“Um,
Steph…”

She
glanced at Tanya.

“Your
tummy is definitely a little distended. Even if I hadn’t known about…your
pregnancy, I would probably still have noticed now that you are naked.”

It
was an automatic reaction when her hand went to her belly, feeling its
roundness. Tanya was right. It was no longer completely flat. How had she not
noticed?  Emotion welled in her. The child inside her was already big enough
that she was showing. She shouldn’t be showing yet. Oh gods. The termination
was going to be her only option. She couldn’t allow herself to hope for
anything different.

Not
going to cry.

Not
going to cry
. She grit her teeth.

“I
need to be alone now.” Her voice had a desperate edge, which Tanya must’ve
picked up on because she nodded.

“If
you need me…” Tanya stood.

“I
swear, I’ll call,” she whispered, her voice a bit shaky. “Tomorrow morning,
eight o’clock in your tower.” Thank blood she’d managed to calm herself down
enough to give Tanya a tight smile.

“I’ll
see you then or sooner if you need me. I mean it, Steph.”

“Thank
you.”

Tanya
took a step towards her, but then seemed to think better of it. She gave a sad
smile and left. Stephany waited until she heard the main door click before turning
to face the mirror. Her hair had grown quickly, it was just past her shoulders
now. Long overdue for a cut. She’d rectify that as soon as possible. Her
breasts were definitely fuller, her nipples dark and distended. Turning to the
side, she let her hands drop to her sides. A bump. Small, almost unnoticeable
but very much there. She let out a small sob.

Pregnant.

Her
greatest wish and her biggest nightmare. Stephany squared her shoulders,
turning from the mirror. She stepped into the tub, sitting with her knees
clasped to her chest. Thank the gods she wasn’t far along yet. It would be a
simple procedure. Another small sob managed to escape. Quick, easy. The baby
couldn’t be much more than a clump of tissue at this stage. Stephany buried her
face into the tops of her thighs, hugging herself tighter.

Just
a little clump of tissue.

When
the tears came this time, she didn’t try and stop them. She needed to get them
out. She wasn’t sure how long she had sat there, only that the water was cold
when she was finally able to pull herself together enough to get out.

So
emotionally drained when she finally made it to bed, Stephany was still surprised
that she’d slept so soundly. Waking only when the morning light spilled in
through the cream colored curtains.

It
was a struggle to find something to wear. None of her business skirts or
dresses fit anymore. Now that she knew about her condition, her symptoms felt
like they had worsened overnight.

Finally,
she chose a loose fitting summer dress and made for the northern tower. Already
five minutes late, she slowly ascended the stairs not looking forward to this
confrontation.

York
smiled as she approached. “They are expecting you. I have been told to wait at
the bottom of the stairs.” His brow was creased and he paused, clearly waiting
for an explanation.

“Important
royal business. I’m sure you understand.”

“Of
course.” He nodded and moved to the stairs. Stephany waited until he was out of
sight before knocking on the door.

“Enter,”
Brant said.

The
suite was large like a well-appointed, open plan apartment. Tanya immediately
walked towards her and hugged her as soon as she entered. Zane moved towards
them, folding his arms across his chest. “What is going on?” His dark eyes
narrowed on her.

“Zane,
behave. Stephany is our guest.” Tanya stepped towards the big male, threading
her arm around his middle. He visibly relaxed.

“I
don’t like that my female came home with red eyes last night. I could smell her
sadness.”

“Come
in, Stephany.” Brant strode towards them. “Let’s sit.” He gestured to the
sitting area behind him. “Tanya mentioned that you have something important to
tell us.”

“Our
female is distraught. She is so upset that she won’t even let us rut her.” Zane
almost looked like a small child that had been told that he couldn’t have any
candy. If it weren’t for the situation she was in, she would’ve found it to be
comical.

Tanya
smacked Zane on the arm. “Stop it. You’re acting like a big baby.”

Zane
looked sheepish. “I don’t like to see you like this,” he said, his eyes firmly
on his mate. “Come and sit.” He wrapped his arm around Tanya and made for the
sitting area.

 Stephany
took a deep breath and followed.

Brant
nodded in greeting. Tanya sat between the males. Zane kept his arm loosely
around her shoulders and Brant slid his hand onto the top of her thigh,
squeezing lightly. Stephany sat opposite to them on a wing back chair.

“We
are ready to hear what has upset Tanya. What is going on?” Brant lifted his
eyebrows. Zane’s dark eyes focussed on Stephany as well, making her want to
squirm in her seat.

It
was important that she put this in a way that they would understand. “I spent
almost a week with the wolves.”

Brant
nodded, a frown creased his brow.

“Well…”
She swallowed, choosing her words carefully. “The alpha was very attractive. We
rutted a couple of times. It was completely consensual.” She added the last for
the record.

Zane
pulled a disgusted face. “After twenty years of celibacy, you rut a wolf? The same
male that wanted to take Tanya and mate her against her will?” He grit his
teeth.

Stephany
felt like rolling her eyes. “He would never have done anything to hurt Tanya.
He is a good male.”

Zane
made a sound of irritation. “You have a mate. What of Lance? The male almost
died while you were off rutting a”—a growling noise resonated from deep in his
chest—“wolf.”

Stephany
squared her shoulders and narrowed her eyes at the big male. “Lance has rutted
with anything in a skirt for years. I rut another male once, and it is deemed
unacceptable? How is that fair?”

“Yeah,
but a wolf.” Zane growled again, shaking his head.

“I
at least hope he had a big dick.” Brant muttered to himself, then he shrugged
looking bored. “So you rutted a wolf, this is important how?”

“I
hope he knew how to use it. Twenty years and she chooses a wolf.” Zane said
more to himself than to Stephany. “I guess it’s your business,” he added as an afterthought.
“Why are you so upset about this, Ysnaar?” He turned to Tanya.

“Shhh,
let Stephany talk,” Tanya said.

“I’m
pregnant.” She had to work to keep her eyes locked with theirs.

“What?”
Brant said.

“What
the fuck?” Zane bellowed. He released Tanya, moving forward on the seat. “Can’t
you rut without getting yourself into trouble? First mating Lance and now this?
I didn’t even think an interspecies pregnancy was possible regardless of King
Katar’s assurances that Esral will birth young.” He shook his head and shrugged.
“I suppose if it works with humans.” His eyes darkened. “You rutted a wolf
while in heat? That’s just plain stupid.”

“Zane,”
Tanya chided. “Don’t…”

“It
wasn’t like that.” Stephany interjected.

Brant
made a sound of anguish. “Oh, no…” He lowered his eyes. Her king knew full well
that she was unable to birth a child. “I’m so sorry.” His eyes were filled with
concern. “If there is anything we can do.”

She
shrugged. “I need your permission to terminate.”

“We
wouldn’t force you to abort, Stephany,” Zane said. “It was stupid and
irresponsible, but you have our support. The coven would accept a child,
regardless of its origins. There has never been an interspecies child before,
but all young are considered precious. You do not have to terminate because of
its wolf blood.” He grit his teeth. “We would need to make it clear that this
type of inter breeding is not permitted though.” He turned to Brant as he spoke.

Stephany
shook her head. “I am unable to birth a child.”

His
brow creased. “Why have you not had the operation to prevent pregnancy then?”

“I
was celibate for a long time. I never planned on rutting again. I didn’t think
it was necessary. I messed up.” She blew out a lung full of air. “I didn’t even
go into heat…I don’t know how this happened.”

“You
probably fell pregnant before you exhibited any outward signs of being in
heat…it’s rare, but it has happened before.” Brant’s eyes narrowed on her. “The
point is that you are pregnant and this needs to be rectified. I really hope that
you are not even considering trying to birth the child at all. You know how
that would end.”

“I
know, and no I do not plan on trying to have the child. I realize that it would
be a futile exercise that could only end in disaster.”

Brant
sighed, leaning back in his chair. “You have my permission to perform the
procedure. How far along are you? Must be a good couple of weeks by now.”

“Two
months.”

Brant
nodded. “Well within the limit, but you shouldn’t wait though. The recovery
time will only increase if you do.”

She
nodded. “I realize that. It’s important that this stay between the four of us.
I don’t want anyone else finding out. Ever.”

Brant
grit his teeth for a few beats but finally nodded. “I will contact Isla
personally. She is the most trustworthy of the birthing mothers.”

Such
a…
wrong
…title for females of their kind, responsible for more sterilizations
than they were births. They were most likely responsible for more terminations,
which were rare, rather than births as well. Yet, they were known as birthing
mothers none the less.

“I
would appreciate it.”

“I
will contact you later today with the details. In the meanwhile, take some time
off. This can’t be easy.” Brant kept his eyes on her. The male knew her well
after all these years of working together. He knew about her mother. Maybe he
even knew of her deep seated desire to be a mother herself, even though she had
never admitted it openly.

It
was something that she had discovered about herself in a moment of weakness. One
of the females staying at the manor house had just birthed a boy. Patrick, the
happy couple had named him Patrick. As was customary, since births were so
rare, Stephany had gone to visit mother and son. The female, whose name she
couldn’t remember, had asked Stephany to hold the infant. Stephany had declined
but the young female had insisted thrusting the squirming pink creature into
her arms before disappearing into the bathroom.

Looking
down, large blue eyes had stared back up at her. Soft downy hair covered the
little one’s head. It’s tiny, chubby hands were fisted at its chest. Baby
Patrick was perfect in every way. She’d heard females talk of becoming broody.
Of a deep seated need to reproduce being awakened so that every fiber of a
person’s being craved it. The baby had made a gurgling sound. The need rose up
in her, almost consuming her. For just a second, her hands tightened around the
child.

It
was impossible. Could never be, no matter how many times she wished it to be
true. When the female had returned, she’d quickly handed the child back and
left as soon as was polite. She’d tried to tuck her desires deep down inside
herself and had failed.

It
only just occurred to her that it was possible that her reason for choosing celibacy
was not truly because of her accidental mating with Lance. It had to have been so
she wouldn’t have to be sterilized. She knew she could never birth a child, yet
the act of rendering herself sterile had seemed abhorrent to her.
Subconsciously she’d blamed her lack of control during rutting as the reason not
to ever rut, when this was the real reason. There was too much risk attached to
rutting without being sterilized and so she’d chosen celibacy. The realization
shocked her.

She
shook her head and returned to the conversation, “No, it’s not easy.”

“What
of the father?” Zane said, his voice a low rumble.

“Ward.”

“The
alpha”—Zane narrowed his eyes as he said the male’s name, then he shook his
head—“Ward.” He paused, “He deserves to know.”

“Why?”
she bristled. “It won’t change the outcome.”

Zane
frowned. “This is his child too.” He may not have realized that he did it in
that moment, but he glanced at Tanya’s stomach. “It would be the right thing to
do. I would want to know.” He added on a growl, looking back up at her.

“Zane
has a point.” Brant said while moving forward in his chair.

“I
would rather spare him. He has moved on with his life. It would be better if he
didn’t know.” The thought of telling Ward, of hurting him in that way,
needlessly. No, she couldn’t do it.

Zane
raised his eyebrows. “Think on it. I would be prepared to overlook his not
swearing his allegiance…short term. He would be”—Zane paused—“welcome”—he
growled the last word—“to be here for the procedure. It is his duty as a male
and his right as the father.”

“He
isn’t a father, I am terminating. I don’t need him here. I told you, we rutted
a few times. Really great sex, but it’s over and that’s all it was.” She lied.
“He probably wouldn’t want to be here anyway. Has most likely mated with one of
the female wolves by now.”

A
deep frown creased Zane’s forehead. “He doesn’t deserve to call himself a male.
If I see him again, I will yank his balls off. He doesn’t deserve the honor of
being a father.”

Brant
growled. “I can’t believe you would rut with a male like that. I will kill him while
you are juggling with his bloody balls.”

Stephany
gasped. “Ward is not bad or without honor. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Do
not try and defend him,” Zane growled. His whole demeanour softened. “You made
a mistake. You allowed this male to talk you into rutting.”

“That’s
not how it went.” Frustration and guilt welled up inside her. She’d just made
the situation between both parties worse.

Zane
held up his hand. “You have our word that this will stay between us.”

“What
of Lance…?” she asked.

“He
will never know. I would urge you to be honest with him though. He loves you,
Stephany. I am sure he would still want you back,” Zane said.

“Oh,
how nice of him.” She shook her head. “No. No one is to know.”

“Think
on it,” Zane urged, his face solemn. “The male loves you very much.”

“He
only thinks he loves me.” She shook her head. “With respect, my lord, I do not wish
to discuss this with you.”

“I
will request that Isla sterilize you while you are under the knife.” Brant
steered the conversation away from Lance.

Stephany
shook her head. “No need, I will not be rutting again.”

Brant
shook his head. Concern edged in every feature on his face. “It would be for
the best. You can’t birth young anyway. Don’t fight this Stephany. This can’t
happen again.”

She
didn’t know it was possible, but what was left of her heart splintered even
more as she nodded in agreement. What choice did she have?

****

The
next day…

“I
was getting worried that you might be ill or something.” Xavier said as he
watched her drink from his vein. “It has been days since you last took from me,
and you do not take as much as you used to. I hope that all is well.”