Page 34 of The Alpha’s Forced Rejected Mate (Silverlight Valley Alphas #1)

Luna’s stomach twisted as she stared at the small orb glowing in her hand. Its soft blue light throbbed in a rhythm that confirmed what she had been dreading for days.

Pregnant.

The spell didn’t lie. Magic this simple and primal couldn’t make mistakes.

She extinguished the light with a sharp motion of her wrist, then sat on the edge of the bed. Her fingers dug into the thick comforter as if holding onto it could steady her. Morning sunlight leaked through the open curtains, catching tiny specks of dust drifting in the air.

She was carrying a child.

Dominic’s child.

She had been sick for weeks. Nausea came and went, hitting hardest in the mornings. At first, she thought it was just the toll of recent stresses—running from the Hunter Organization, getting back to the Silverlight Valley Pack, and bracing for Xavier's attack.

But she couldn’t lie to herself anymore.

Her hands rested on her stomach, still flat under the loose gray shirt she wore. There were no signs yet, but something was already happening inside her. A small life—a piece of her, and a piece of him—was growing every day.

He’s going to reject me again.

Luna got up and started pacing the room.

This changes everything.

A sob stuck in her throat as emotions pushed and pulled at her.

She felt joy. Not just any joy, but the kind she had always pictured with having the family she had dreamed about.

Then came the fear, sharp and sudden, because bringing a child into a world where demons hunted them felt dangerous—almost reckless.

Beneath it all, doubt crept in. What if Dominic didn’t see this as a blessing? What if he thought of it as just one more weight to carry? He cared about her—she knew that—but did he want to be a father?

Luna drew in a deep breath and stood tall. She wasn’t an outcast anymore; she needed to stop thinking like one.

She was a witch now, strong in ways she couldn’t have imagined before. No matter what Dominic felt or what happened, she would guard this baby with everything she had in her.

I need to step outside. Clear my head.

The hallway outside her room stayed silent. All the pack members were caught up in their morning tasks. Luna walked downstairs and paused in the kitchen to grab an apple. It was one of the few things she could eat. She slipped out quietly through the back door of the pack house.

The fresh autumn air filled her lungs. It smelled of pine from the thick forest nearby. The pack's land stretched out for miles in every direction. Magical barriers now guarded it, ones she had played a role in creating. She bit into the apple and felt relieved her stomach handled it without issue.

How am I supposed to tell him? When should I do it?

Luna walked toward the training fields, following the faint sound of voices carried by the breeze. She expected Dominic to be there—he spent mornings training the pack to ready them for Xavier's attack.

Thinking about seeing him made her stomach flutter. It had nothing to do with morning sickness and everything to do with him being the man who had claimed her as his mate.

She stopped at the edge of the trees, staying out of sight while she watched. In the middle of the group of pack children stood Dominic. He was teaching while they listened and learned. He had gotten better with the kids since his first training session.

"The key isn’t just having strength," he said. "It’s knowing the right moment to use it."

A young girl with auburn braids lifted her hand. "What if we can't shift? The demons are coming, and I can't even turn into a wolf."

Luna's chest tightened. The girl's fear reminded her of her own as a child—the panic of being different and the shame of not shifting when everyone thought she should.

Dominic knelt, lowering himself to the girl's height. His every move seemed smooth and calm, even with his broad, imposing frame. "Callie, do you know who one of the strongest members of this pack is?"

The girl shook her head, her eyes round and full of worry.

"Luna, my mate." His voice gentled as he said her name. "She couldn't shift since she was a child. But she found other ways to grow strong, other ways to fight."

Luna froze, her breath catching while the apple she held slipped.

"But Mistress Luna is a witch, not like us," one of the older boys said, his tone doubtful.

Dominic nodded, his sharp gray eyes steady. "No, you're not. But every one of you has something special. Some of you run faster. Some think quicker. Some of you can track better than most adults in the pack. You don’t have to be a full shifter to matter."

He rose to his full height, a striking figure even from a distance. "Now find yourselves a partner."

The kids spread out, breaking into pairs across the field. Dominic weaved between them correcting their stances and showing them how to move. He worked like he had all the time in the world.

Luna couldn’t stop staring at him. He was no longer the man who had hunted her down or the harsh alpha twisted by darkness. This was the man who had stolen her heart twice, first when she a young girl, and now again as a grown woman.

I love him. Moon help me, I love him.

That thought hit her hard, as if the truth had just dropped in her lap. She had been dodging it, pretending it wasn’t true, trying to shield herself from more pain. But seeing him now—kind and patient with the kids, but so determined to make them strong—she couldn’t keep lying to herself.

A younger boy tripped and hit the ground hard, tears filling his eyes right away. Dominic got to him before anyone else even noticed, crouching next to him with a steady hand resting on the boy's shoulder.

"Let me take a look," he said. He inspected the scraped knee. "That's the kind of wound that warriors get."

The boy wiped his nose. "It hurts."

"I believe you," Dominic said in a calm and understanding tone. "Pain reminds us that we're alive. But do you know what makes someone a real fighter?"

The boy shook his head, unsure.

"They always get back up. My own father thought me that." Dominic lifted him to his feet. "Every time, no matter how hard they fall."

This man is the father of my child.

The idea brought a comforting warmth to her chest, pushing away her worries for a brief moment.

The training session went on, and Luna forgot about the time while watching Dominic interact with the children. She didn’t realize when the apple core dropped from her hand or when the wind began to pick up, carrying her scent across the open field.

Dominic froze, his head lifting as he caught her scent in the air. His eyes locked onto hers. The strength of his stare made a chill run down her back.

He spoke briefly to an older pack member, who then took charge of the children, before heading in Luna's direction. She noticed how he moved with intent, steps firm and almost hunting, much like when he had pursued her some months ago.

Luna moved away from the trees and met him in the middle of the field. The sunlight touched his dark hair, accentuating the sharp lines of his features. Standing closer, she could make out the exhaustion carved into his expression.

He was pushing himself too hard.

"You should be in bed," he said instead of a proper greeting. His gaze swept over her face and stopped at the shadows under her eyes. "You’re still unwell."

Luna felt the tight knot in her throat. "I feel better today." The words tasted wrong as soon as she said them.

Say it. Just say it.

His eyes flickered down to her stomach so quickly she caught it. They returned to her face, his expression almost impossible to read.

"Do you need something?" he asked. His tone was soft even if the question felt distant.

Luna tried to speak, but nothing came out.

I'm carrying your child. I'm scared you'll push me away again. I still love you.

But none of that escaped her lips.

Tell him. He has the right to know.

She took a shaky breath. "Dominic, I—"

The sound of footsteps running broke her words. Both of them turned, spotting Marcus dashing toward them. His messy auburn hair bounced as he ran, and his face looked serious. Luna felt a jolt in her chest when she saw him.

Marcus was supposed to be with Adrian breaking into what was left of the Hunter Organization.

If Marcus was here, something was very wrong.

"Dom," Marcus called out, slowing down as he got closer. His amber eyes landed on Luna but went right back to Dominic. "We have to talk."

Dominic straightened up right away, all traces of relaxation gone. "What’s going on?" he asked.

Marcus scanned the area, checking that no one could overhear. "Adrian sent me. Xavier knows where you are. He’s throwing everything he’s got at this—hunters, demons, anyone still following him. They’ll show up within days, maybe sooner."

Luna's stomach tightened with dread. Her hand moved toward her stomach, an action she caught herself doing too late. Dominic noticed but chose to stay silent.

"How many are we talking about?" Dominic asked, his voice sharp.

"Too many to count," Marcus said, his tone heavy.

Dominic gave a firm nod, deciding instantly. "Get everyone that's not a warrior to the pack house. Lock it down completely. Start evacuating the weakest first—elders, kids." He turned his focus to Luna. "That includes you."

She stiffened right away. "I’m not going anywhere."

"Luna—"

"No." Her tone came out sharper than she meant. "I'm your strongest witch. My magic is the best weapon you've got against whatever Xavier throws our way. You need me here."

Dominic's jaw tightened as his teeth ground together. "It's too much of a risk."

"Everything is a risk," she shot back without hesitation. "My whole life, people have hunted me. I’m done running."

Not now, not with our child on the line.

Marcus scratched his head and cleared his throat. "I'll go get everyone." He shuffled back, leaving them locked in their argument.

Dominic moved closer, forcing Luna to tip her head back to look up at him. His height and presence loomed over her, making him seem imposing. But fear never entered her mind—just the same electric charge she always felt around him.

His voice was low and full of annoyance, visible in his stiff posture. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?" he asked.

"Why are you always trying to push me away? After everything we've been through—everything we’ve survived—you still don’t trust me enough to stand with you?"

Despite the tension still holding him, he lifted his hands and touched her face, his touch gentle.

As his wolf pushed forward, Dominic's eyes changed color, the gray shifting to silver. "I can't lose you. Not now.”

What if you knew I was pregnant?

She found it difficult to breathe due to the intensity of his tone. He continued before she could speak.

"I turned you away once to keep you safe, and it almost tore me apart. I hunted you because the darkness corrupted me. I made you marry me in a way that was meant to steal your power." He brushed her cheeks with his thumbs.

"Every time, I’ve tried to control what happens to you, but miraculously I’ve failed. But protecting you from Xavier—this is something I can do. It’s something I have to do."

Luna reached out and placed her hands over his. "Dominic, there’s something important I need to tell you—"

But before she could finish, noise erupted from the pack house. They looked up to see several pack members rushing toward them, their expressions serious.

"They’re here!" a man yelled, his voice echoing across the open field. "The alarms went off on the eastern side!"

Too quick. Way too quick.

Dominic lowered his hands from Luna’s face, his expression hardening. In a single moment, he went from a man spilling his heart to the alpha readying for battle.

As if sensing they were back in work mode, his infiltration specialist was again at his side, auburn hair catching the sunlight in his peripheral vision.

"Get the kids inside now," he commanded, his tone firm and unyielding. "Marcus, round up the fighters. Luna—"

She locked eyes with him, unflinching. "I’m staying."

For a second, she thought he might argue. But instead, he just gave a sharp nod. "Stay near me."

Luna pushed aside the panic threatening to overwhelm her as pack members rushed everywhere. She placed a hand on her stomach for a moment, a quiet vow to protect the life she carried.

Again, Dominic noticed the movement, and narrowed his eyes a bit before Marcus grabbed his focus. Luna watched as he shifted into full alpha mode, giving orders and setting up defenses like a leader who had faced countless battles.

Their child couldn't be addressed now; it would only distract Dominic. Xavier was approaching, and with him came a fight that could decide everything.