Page 27 of The Baby Contract

Gorgeous wouldn't be enough to describe the way Millie looked in that dress. Scrumptious, maybe. Irresistible, sure.

Fuckable, hell yes.

Her skin, although pale, was somehow glowing. The tight pink dress she was wearing perfectly displayed the two pups she was carrying.

When her brown eyes locked with mine, it took every bit of self-restraint not to throw her on the table and fuck her under that sexy dress in front of my whole family. I imagined her updo falling down her back as I racked my fingers through it, bringing her close to dominate her lips.

I imagined the heavenly feeling of her sweet pussy, now dripping with our mixed scents. I wanted to taste every bit of it, to savor it.

"The one time Theo comes to dinner he messes everything up!" Aspen scolded, leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed. "We were finally getting to know Millie, you idiot."

"It wasn't me who was acting like a bunch of wolves," I snapped out of my trance, picking up Millie's plate. She had hardly touched it. My wolf yapped at the thought of Millie and our pups not being fed.

Mom slammed her body down in her chair, dragging her hands down her face. "Millie hates us!"

"Hey- "Dad comforted her, soothingly rubbing her back. "That's not true."

"It is, Cassian!" She scolded Dad. "We are the people ripping her away from her own pups, and the worst part-" Mom stabbed her shaking finger into his chest. "You knew about it!"

Dad sighed deeply. "Honey- "

"Don't honey me, Cassian!" Mom stood, slapping her hands on the table. "You are sleeping on the couch tonight."

That struck a cord in Dad. "Kate- "he breathed, his voice evident with rejection and hurt. "You know we can't do that."

They were mates, meant to be together. Even if Mom put him in the doghouse, he would find a way back to her. I always found it funny how Mom could boss one of the most dangerous, powerful Alphas around.

Mates were our strengths, but also our biggest weakness.

"How could you let your son act so, so- "Mom struggled, her face red. "Rash!"

"Our son, Kate." Dad side-eyed me, angry at me for getting him in trouble.

My hearing muffled as the screaming continued across the table. My wolf took the truth in our mother's words and punished me for it. He clawed desperately inside my chest, as a reminder of how stupid I am for losing his chances with his Millie.

I shook my head, taking the plate as I rushed to the door, trailing her rose scent.

It was easy to catch up to Millie. If she had once been fast, she wasn't anymore. She was weighed down by our two pups.

Her bump alone was enough to drive a man wild.

Millie saw me behind her but made no attempts to acknowledge me. She was desperate to get out of my reach. When she got to the top of the stairs, she grabbed the doorknob to the suite, looking back one more time to see if I was still trailing.

As in instinct, I covered my hand over Millie's small, soft one, causing her to jump slightly in surprise at our touch.

At our sparks.

"Millie- "I purred, my voice becoming deep as my wolf came forward to the surface. "Look at me."

I grazed my finger under her chin, eager to meet her eyes again. Her eyes found mine under her long lashes; her body unable to ignore my Alpha commands.

"Sorry, Alpha- "she whispered, struggling to keep my gaze.

Millie felt heavenly this close. This was the closest I had been to her since early that morning when she got sick in the bathroom.

Millie's distress in my presence made my wolf let out a small whine. My wolf desperately wanted her to know, that despite the past, she was safe with me.

I slipped my hand around Millie's neck, holding her ear tenderly as I pulled her shaking figure to my chest. Her eyes widened, unsure of my actions.

She stiffened as I leaned my head down to the back of her ear, breathing in the scent I had missed so much. I rolled my fingers through her hair, her updo becoming loose as I did so.

Her hair felt soft between my fingers. I closed my eyes as I took big breaths of her scent and enjoyed the feeling of her in my grasp.

That's when the conversation with Orion flooded my mind.

She is safe here, with us. I breathed in her scent. Millie is not in danger.

So, why did I feel like she was?

Millie let out a shaky breath as I pressed my nose into her hair. "Millie- "I whispered, moving my lips to her ear. "You smell so good."

I pulled away slowly, taking a deep breath to calm my wolf. He wanted nothing more than to show her that we were not a threat, but instead her protector, and the one who could pleasure her in every way possible.

Threat. The word echoed in my head. Orion.

I grasped Millie's shaking wrist gently, as I moved us into the suite and closed the door behind us. My heartbeat was rapid at the thought of finally being alone.

I could easily throw Millie down on this bed and claim her in every way possible. Millie looked like she had this thought too, but her thoughts were different than mine, as she wearily looked between the bed and me.

"I won't hurt you," I assured, letting go of her wrist. "You don't have to be scared."

My wolf was destroyed by how small and fragile she looked. I needed to ask Millie about Orion, her wolf, her past. But, how?

Be gentle, Theo.

"We need to talk," I walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge to make myself look less intimidating, big, and daunting to her. I patted the spot next to me, inviting her to sit. "Sit."

Millie surveyed the spot for a minute before deciding to follow my commands, shakily sitting on the bed, putting a decent amount of distance between us.

My wolf was satisfied when she sat. He knew her feet hurt from the extra weight she was carrying. Millie played with her fingers nervously, like she had in the dining room.

"I'm sorry about your dinner- "Millie whispered, now rubbing her palms on her dress. "I didn't realize-"

"I don't care about the dinner, Millie," I assured her, my voice coming off strong. Good going. "I spoke with your Alpha at the summit."

Millie's body stiffened, her eyes becoming wide as she looked at the rug ahead of her. "Oh."

"He asked me about you, how you were doing," I tried to keep my voice as gentle as possible. "He asked if I had any problems with you since you've been at Stormblade."

Millie's body shivered, recalling the events that had taken place. Her yelling at me the night we found out we were having twins, the day she ran away...

This is great for you, isn't it? Her voice echoed in my head. Two for the price of one.

"I figured that would be a better-kept secret between us."

Millie popped her head up, surprised. She looked uncertain, wary. Her eyes reflecting tints of red. "Really? You didn't tell him anything?"

"Really."

Millie let out a big breath. "Thank you, Alpha Stormblade." She looked up slowly, meeting my gaze for a moment and then dropping it. "Thank you."

My heartbeat at Millie's approval of my actions. "He told me that he found a large amount of cash in your friend's apron and that you had brought it to her. Is that true?"

"No," she shot back quickly, shaking her head. "No, Alpha. I don't know how she would have gotten that. I'm sure it was just a mistake. Maybe she had been saving for a while."

"He also said you lost your wolf when your parents passed- "I continued. "Is that true?"

Millie gulped. "Yes, that's when I lost her."

"You did?"

Millie nodded. "Yes, Alpha."

I was an Alpha trained to detect a lie. And right now, I was certain she was lying to me. The person she should feel most safe with.

My wolf whined, feeling sad about her feeling the need to lie to us. "I'm sorry, Millie," I said bravely. "I'm sorry for what has happened between us. For-"

I breathed, getting the courage to continue. I felt pathetic, for apologizing to the little creature beside me. I was an Alpha, someone who other wolves dared not to cross.

But here I was, swallowing my pride and apologizing to Millie.

"For-"I struggled, closing my eyes to find the words.

"It's okay, Alpha." Millie's voice snapped me out of my stressed state. "I'm sorry too."

I opened my eyes to find Millie smiling at me sadly. I wanted badly to reach out to her and hug her, to comfort her, and tell her it was okay.

"I- "I took a breath. "I can't explain the pain I have been in since I lost my mate." I opened up, offering her some information about myself, in hopes she would do the same. "I still can't get over the night I lost her."

"I felt- "I trailed, looking up at the ceiling. "Incompetent, weak. Like a poor excuse as an Alpha and a mate."

"I failed to protect her that night- "I admitted. "And then, she was gone right before my eyes."

"I couldn't get the image, the sound, the explosion out of my head-"

I stopped when I felt Millie's hand slide over my mine. She reached out to us. My wolf panted excitedly. She wants to comfort us.

"I understand." She looked down at our hands. She couldn't control her movement, it was natural. Even Millie had questioned her actions.

She went to snatch her hand away, afraid of my reaction, but I was quicker. I caught her hand, bringing it back to my lap.

"You do?" I said softly, gripping her hand gently. Millie did know, she understood. But, in what way, I wasn't sure.

I needed to know. I needed to know what happened to Millie's mate.

"Yeah- "she coughed, shaking her head. "I mean- "

"I think- "she struggled, lowering her gaze. "I meant- "

"What happened to him?" I squeezed her hand gently, urging her to go on.

Millie gulped, her face becoming pale. "Nothing. I don't even know who it is. I haven't met him yet."

"Yes, you did." My heartbeat picked up at the truthfulness of my words. "You know him."

Millie shook her head, still denying it. "I was a- "she shied away, her cheeks becoming red. "I mean, you were my first time, Alpha."

I smiled at her shyness; it was cute how nervous she was. She was my complete opposite, the softness to my bluntness.

"That doesn't mean anything," My wolf slapped me for the choice of words. Really, Theo? Did you have to say it like that?

"You could have met him and never had sex." I recovered. "But, only if you were fighting the bond that pulled you together."

Millie pulled her hand away, placing them both over her belly. She looked pale as she thought about this, her eyes glistening in sadness.

You made Millie sad. My wolf whined. Overwhelmed.

Mom's heels tapped down the hallway loud and demanding, like a woman on a mission. Her scent became stronger, along with Dad's who was most likely chasing her back to the suite.

"Sweetheart!" Mom knocked on the door. "Are you sleeping?"

"Millie," I said, breathing out a large sigh. "You will meet me in my office at nine o'clock tomorrow morning."

Millie's scared look crept back onto her features. "Uh- "she nodded. "Yes, Alpha."

Just then, the door creaked open, Mom's face peeking in. "Get out, Theo," she snarled, pointing to the exit. "Leave her alone."

"I brought you your dessert," Mom held up her sweets proudly, a sympathetic smile on her face. "Do you mind if I come in?"

I stood, feeling my mother's death glare boring through my head. "Tomorrow," I whispered, reminding Millie before stepping out of the suite.

As soon as I got to the hallway, I couldn't even look back before the door slammed closed on my face.

Tomorrow at nine o'clock. Tomorrow at nine.

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