Page 19 of Bully Alpha’s Pregnant Mate (Starfire Hollow Alphas #2)

I’ve faced down demons, taken on rogue shifters, and kept three packs safe through all kinds of threats. Watching my wife, pale and queasy, wrapped in three blankets and looking miserable as she huddles over a bucket? I’m pretty sure this is a whole new level of terrifying.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she grumbles, managing a faint glare even though she’s barely sitting up. “I’m fine, Alec. Really. It’s just a little bug.”

“Right. That’s why you’ve already made three trips to the bathroom and can’t keep anything down? Because it’s a little bug?” I try to look disapproving while I pass her another bottle of water. She takes it with a grimace, as if the idea of drinking anything else is almost worse than the sickness.

“You act like I’m on my deathbed,” she mutters, hugging her abdomen with a wince.

“If you’d just rest like a normal person, I wouldn’t have to act like this,” I say, trying not to let my worry show too much. But it’s hard not to when her face is flushed, her voice is strained, and I swear she looks a little worse every time she so much as thinks about getting up.

She starts to pull herself up but clutches her stomach, her face tightening in discomfort. I gently press her shoulders so she goes back to bed. “Don’t even think about it. You’re not getting up, Isadora. Not until you’ve had a solid day of rest.”

“Alec, I don’t have a ‘day of rest’ in my schedule,” she protests, brushing my hand off with about as much energy as a wilted flower before she places the bottle of water on the table beside her. “There are things to do, you know. I have a shift at the bookstore, borders to check, traps to double—”

“And people who can handle it just fine without you for a day,” I interrupt, raising an eyebrow. “Trust me, the pack won’t crumble if you take a break. I’d rather have you healthy than burning yourself out.”

She rolls her eyes but doesn’t make another attempt to get up. “You’re one to talk, Alpha. I’ve just got a bit of an upset stomach.”

I shoot her a look. “An upset stomach doesn’t explain why you look like you’re ready to pass out. And remember who’s talking to you here. I know a thing or two about overdoing it. And right now, you’re practically wearing the warning signs like a banner.”

She scoffs but sinks back into the pillows with a resigned sigh. “Fine. But only because I’m too tired to fight you right now.”

“Good,” I say, grabbing the water bottle off the bedside table and handing it back to her. “Drink this, and don’t even think about trying to work on those maps you have tucked under the bed.” I shoot her a look. “Yes, I saw them.”

She narrows her eyes at me. “You’re annoyingly observant, you know that?”

“It’s a talent,” I reply, smirking as I settle into the chair beside her bed, crossing my arms like I have all day to sit here and keep her in check. And honestly, I do. Right now, everything else can wait.

She watches me for a moment, her eyes narrowing. “You’re really going to just sit there and babysit me, aren’t you?”

“Think of it as returning the favor,” I say, leaning back. “You did the same for me a few weeks ago when I was running myself into the ground. It’s only fair.”

She huffs but doesn’t argue. A faint smile tugs at her lips, even though she tries to hide it by turning away. “Yeah, well, don’t get too comfortable. Once I’m back to full strength, I’ll be back to bossing you around again.”

“Looking forward to it,” I reply, trying not to sound too amused. “In the meantime, let me enjoy a moment where you actually have to listen to me.”

Her chuckle is weak, and her smile fades as she fights another wave of nausea, her hands clenching the blankets. I instinctively reach out, holding her hand until it passes. Her breathing slows as she settles. She mutters something about being coddled, but her eyes drift shut a moment later, her breathing evening out as sleep takes over.

Once she’s out, I take a deep breath, letting myself relax for the first time since I saw her shivering this morning. I’ve seen her take on so much without a second thought, seen her work tirelessly alongside me as if nothing could slow her down. But right now? Right now, she just looks… small. Small and far too vulnerable for my liking.

I stand and take a quick walk around the room, organizing the water bottles, tissues, and the herbal teas she’s barely touched. A pile of maps peeks out from under the bed, and I slide them out to add to the organized chaos on her desk.

“Are you rearranging my life while I’m sleeping?” Her voice, slightly groggy but unmistakably annoyed, comes from behind me.

“Only the parts that look like a fire hazard,” I reply, setting down the maps and turning back to face her. “Rest, Isadora. Just this once, let me handle everything else.”

She blinks at me, still looking skeptical, but after a moment, she relents, closing her eyes again. “Fine,” she says. “But if I hear anything’s gone wrong because of this, I’m holding you personally responsible.”

“Deal.” I smirk, knowing full well that I’d take any heat just to keep her off her feet for a few hours. I pull the chair closer, keeping an eye on her as she drifts back to sleep, knowing that this time, she doesn’t have to bear the burden alone.

I’ve barely settled into my chair when my phone vibrates, the screen lighting up with a message that’s as unwelcome as it is urgent: North perimeter breach. Multiple reports of activity. Immediate response needed.

I swear under my breath, the knot of frustration winding tighter as I read. Every instinct tells me not to leave Isadora, especially when she’s sick and already looks like she’s bearing half the weight of the world. But I know what a breach means—and what it could mean if I ignore it.

Isadora stirs, squinting over at me, her voice hoarse. “Something wrong?”

“Nothing you need to worry about,” I say, forcing a reassuring smile. “Just another boundary check. Probably the patrols getting spooked.”

She doesn’t look convinced. Her hand reaches for mine, and her fingers curl around it with a weak but determined grip. “Be careful, alright?”

“Of course.” I squeeze her hand, hoping she doesn’t hear the lie in my voice. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

She watches me closely, as if searching for any reason to stop me, and I have to force myself to pull my hand away. “Promise you’ll actually rest while I’m gone?”

“Fine, fine,” she mutters, rolling her eyes. “Just go. You’re making me tired all over again.”

I give her a final nod before heading out, feeling the weight of my decision with every step. Halfway down the hall, I grab my phone and make a quick call, knowing there’s only one thing that will ease the gnawing worry sitting heavy in my gut.

Her father picks up after a couple of rings. “Alec? Everything alright?”

“Yes, sir,” I reply. “I’ve got to leave for a bit—another issue up north. Isadora’s resting, but she could use some company. Nothing serious, she just needs someone with her.”

There’s a brief pause before he answers. “Of course. I’m not nearby at the moment, but Janelle and Lianne can be there in a few minutes. They’ve been missing their sister, anyway.”

I let out a relieved sigh. “Thank you. Really. It makes leaving her a little easier.”

“You know we’re here,” he says, his words carrying a weight of sincerity that reminds me why I’d trust her family with my life.

As soon as I hang up, I head out toward the northern perimeter, my thoughts already racing through the possibilities of what’s waiting for us. Each step only intensifies the tension, and by the time I reach the patrol site, it feels like the air itself is brimming with a static charge.

Quincey is already there, along with Kai and half a dozen other members of our top patrol. His expression is all business, but the look in his eyes tells me this is no false alarm.

“Talk to me,” I say, my voice gruffer than usual as I scan the area, noting the heightened defenses we’d set up in the last week. Most of them still look intact, but that only fuels my unease.

“It’s bad, Alec.” Quincey tightens his jaw as he motions for me to follow. “Whatever hit us knew exactly where our traps were. It’s like they were avoiding them.”

I glance at him sharply. “You’re saying they had inside knowledge?”

He doesn’t answer directly, but the look in his eyes is enough. Kai falls in beside us as we walk the path along the border, her usually confident demeanor subdued. She gestures to a spot just ahead, her face etched with a mix of anger and disbelief.

“Over here,” she says quietly. “We found… evidence.”

We reach a clearing, and I freeze at the sight. The remains of a trap—a reinforced one that Isadora herself worked on with me—lies in pieces on the ground. And scattered around it is something we haven’t seen in weeks: deep, jagged claw marks embedded into the earth and splintered wood oozing a dark, sticky substance that reeks of sulfur and rot.

I kneel down, brushing my hand over the strange, otherworldly residue, my stomach twisting as recognition hits. This isn’t rogue shifters. This isn’t even close.

Kai crouches beside me, her voice barely more than a whisper. “You’re thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Demons.” The word is bitter on my tongue. We were so sure the last attack came from some random rogue shifter. We caught sight of him on one of our security cameras even. But what I see right now tells me we were dead wrong.

Quincey lets out a low growl. “This isn’t just a random attack. They’re testing us. Seeing how far they can get before we catch on.”

My mind is racing through every possible way we could reinforce the area, every method we haven’t tried yet. “They’re getting bolder. Last time, they were cautious, slipping through the cracks. But now? They’re practically taunting us.”

Kai straightens her spine. “What’s the plan?”

“Double patrols, day and night,” I say immediately. “We got lax when we thought the matter was settled. Now, we’re reinforcing every boundary with more than just traps. I want magical defenses, the works. Call in any witches you think would be open to helping us. If they’re coming at us, they’ll have to get through every layer we can throw at them.”

Quincey nods, already pulling out his phone to set things in motion. Kai glances at me with a steely expression. “And Isadora?”

I grit my teeth. The thought of her lying back at home, vulnerable and unaware, twists my gut.

“She’s sick,” I explain. “Her family’s with her. Plus, we have security at the house. She’s safe.” I say that last part more for me than for them, but they nod just the same.

We set out getting the traps and triggers back in shape, but even as I focus on securing the area, my thoughts drift back to the house, to the way I’d left Isadora lying there, too tired to fight anyone or anything off. My pulse quickens with the realization that it might not be enough.

As soon as we’ve secured the perimeter, I need to get back home and protect my wife.