D'Angelo
"What's going on here?" I roared, shooting Kira a nasty frown.
But my anger was fake outrage to keep her safe from Alexis whose fingerprints I could see clearly on Kira's cheek. I didn't need anyone to tell me that she had been beaten up.
Alexis was bleeding, and I was concerned for both her and my child. She broke into crocodile tears when I lifted her.
"I warned you that I would be very stressed out by this Omega girl. She is so worthless and stupid. Look at me now-"
"Alexis, we have to take you to the hospital, dammit. It is not normal for you to be bleeding when pregnant.
I was worried about whether she had miscarried, and my heart raced. I was mentally ready to be a dad, so I didn't want to lose my child, whether I was with the wrong partner or not.
Kira looked very shaken. Fear flashed through her eyes like a deer caught in headlights.
With a voice full of sharp disgust, Alexis pointed at her. "Just pray to the moon goddess that nothing happens to my baby, else I'll kill you."
"Come on, let's go," I snapped at Alexis, picking up my car keys and quickly making my way to the car, leaving Kira standing there.
I mentally chastised myself for causing all of this.All of this wouldn't have occurred if Kira had been stationed somewhere else.
"Stop crying, you'll be fine," I said to Alexis, opening the passenger seat for her.
We were lucky that nobody came running to us with questions, especially not Leo's nosy wife Isabel, who I thought must have seen Kira and told Alexis something.
While Alexis's sobs had subsided into whimpers, I drove hurriedly to the pack clinic.
"You're only doing this because of the baby. You are not even concerned about me."
I gritted my teeth. Alexis was a spoilt brat who was accustomed to being pampered by everyone and had an entitled attitude.
"Do you just want to have tantrums, or are you delusional?" I snapped. "Why would you say such a thing? Baby or no baby, I still care about you. You're bleeding."
"That's a fucking lie," she sniffed. You are going to dump me and forget about me once the baby comes. I'm just the vessel for your child and nothing more. How about when you find your mate, I'll become nothing more than a baby mama?"
She then turned to look at me sharply. "Let me be clear: I am not an accessory. If I were not pregnant, I am sure you would not want me around. But, I'm the mother of your baby."
I muttered, focusing on the road, "Let us hope the baby is alive." "If you're going to argue that I don't care about the baby, that's your business."
I nearly braked when she let out a choking cry and tore herself away.
The rate at which Alexis produced crocodile tears needed to be investigated because she loved to abuse affection. She was dramatic and whined away.
She snapped, "Even Zina, a married woman, gets affection from you." "You treat me like trash, you do not even look at me twice, and you expect me to be healthy and carry your baby."
I ignored the dullness in my chest and used my free hand to scrub a hand over my face. Kira's assignment to my house was a dumb move on my part.
Once at the clinic, I parked and headed to the emergency room with Alexis. We were led by a nurse to a private room where Alexis was reassured by the doctors that everything was well and that they would be doing some tests.
While I was in the room, several tests were conducted to guarantee the baby's health. The ultrasound revealed that the baby was alive and had a beating heart. We kept an eye on Alexis and tried to figure out why she was bleeding for more than four hours in that room.
"On my end, everything is good," declared the physician. Make sure that you are not under any stress at all, Miss Alexis.
Stress?
Except for her extraordinary artistic talent, Alexis was a slovenly brat who never put up her hands to work. She did not do anything but eat, gossip, spend money, and use her pregnancy as an excuse for misbehavior since she moved into the pack house, though.
Her lips pursed, "You are right, doc." "It is all the alpha's fault that I am stressed out." He never seems to be around because he is constantly preoccupied with work. And he is so exhausted and does not even seem to care about me when he comes back."
Hating this, I sighed into my hands and glared challengingly at the doctor, waiting for him to spit out any garbage.
He looked very conflicted and said, "I am so sorry about that." He did not know Alexis very well, so my rage subsided, and I did not hold it against him for drawing conclusions too quickly. "After this, I have no doubt that the alpha will put spending quality time with you first."
Alexis rubbed her flat stomach and said, "Let us hope so." "Thank you. I just want to feel like I am not alone. Is that a big deal?"
I laughed, shaking my head, and turned to face the physician. "Is it too early to find out the baby's gender through a scan?"
The doctor's shoulders sagged in relief. In most cases, a scan in the first trimester is too early to tell. It is challenging to get a clear image because the baby's reproductive organs are still developing. Rest assured, though; when it is more precise, we can check in the second trimester."
"I see," I nodded. "Would that be all?"
Alexis was given the all-clear by the physician, who also promised to check in with her that evening.
We went to the pack's restaurant for lunch to lift her spirits, and she made me take hundreds of photos of her, which she would later show off to her friends.
I dropped her off at home and went to the scouts' initiation parade that evening, which was open to all pack members to watch the scouts receive their tribal totem.
Together with Gray and Zina, we drove to the stadium of the pack, where enthusiastic spectators gathered.
Warrior trucks drove at the head of the parade with decorated scouts and flags flying on floats. There were numerous high-ranking military officials present, some of whom kept watch over the throng.
The stadium was decked with totems and ancient symbols that symbolized the strength and unity of the pack, and I took center stage there. We sang the pack anthem as the trumpets blew.
The scouts lined up and took their places, each with a tattoo of werewolf paws on their left chest. After the elders had blessed their upcoming journey, I spoke to the assembly.
After my speech, Leo said to me, "Remember when we were newly initiated," and I grinned with nostalgia. back when things were simpler.
When my dad was here.
I lost track of time while thinking back on the happy times because I missed him every day.
"Hey, what did Isabel tell you?" I said to Leo in a whisper.
He turned to face me, his eyes hooded like a hawk, acting purposefully mysterious.
"Tell me what?"
I dismissed Leo with a sigh of relief. "Never mind."
He laughed and remarked, "Well, if I were you, I would be more careful with that girl." My wife told me she saw you frolicking with her in the garden. Just consider what might have happened if someone else had noticed you."
I moaned and became serious, saying, "Damn it." "Tell your wife to shut up. Any word that gets out there indicates that she was about to speak. Furthermore, keep in mind that Alexis is expecting. I swear I will kill you and your wife if anything happens to my baby."
"Alpha, come on," he prodded me. "You know how my wife is. Her mouth is uncontrollable."
When my gaze darkened, he turned serious and nodded.
"Well, at the very least, make an effort to show Alexis respect while she is pregnant."
As I turned to go to my car, Kira and her mother passed me, pretending not to notice me.
After waiting for it to get dark, I went to the Omega house to join them for dinner, which looked like a feast. With everyone talking at once, they were really noisy.
They all halted eating and bowed as soon as they saw me. I saw through their pretense of humility. I was aware that a few of them would despise me and speak foolish things behind my back.
"Send Kira's mom to me," I said to Logan.
"Logan called for Irene to be sent." "Tell her to stop whatever she's doing and rush out to meet the alpha."
I was curious as to why Kira and her mother were not dining with the others.
The other women shot me a look, and their eyes widened in false innocence when I led Irene to the entrance, which had concrete chairs scattered around the place.
"Good evening, alpha," she smiled. Based on the way she dressed, she gave off the impression of being a very traditional and kind woman.
"I wanted to apologize for what happened between Kira and my... um... Lady earlier. It's not like I didn't know that she was not at fault, but I take full responsibility for everything."
She stared at her lap and then smiled up at me. With the exception of their age difference, Kira and her mother bore an incredibly striking resemblance.
"I get it, Alpha. I am simply concerned about my daughter's welfare. She is suffering greatly as a result of the mating bond."
"I guarantee that such an incident will never occur again. You can trust me on that."
She chuckled, but there was a hint of worry in her tone as she joked, "Trust is a very strong word."
"I will ensure her safety. Was she hurt in any way? I can take her to the clinic."
"Oh, no, no. She's fine. She is now doing fine after sleeping it off."
The woman seemed like an epitome of virtue. She was a good listener and showed no bone of rudeness.
She understood when I told her what had happened and why I had to act like I was upset with Kira in order to make Alexis feel better.
"And how is the lady doing?" she worriedly enquired. "Hopefully, it is not a major issue."
"She's well," I smiled back at her. "The doctors advised her to rest and not stress herself."
I could smell Kira in the air, and when I turned around, there she was, batting her eyelashes and casting me a spooky look.