Rejected and Pregnant for the Alpha King

3

He reached for me, his hand grazing my skin.

I tried to pull away.

“About time these balls get more interesting. Hmm, look at that sweet red mouth,” another one drawled. “I can't wait to feel that mouth around my cock.”

I heard a zipper. Panic welled up inside of me, and before I knew what I was doing, I lashed out with my foot. It connected with someone, but they only laughed.

One hand grabbed my foot, and soon, more hands began to grab me and push me to the ground.

This can’t be happening! I thought to myself over. Fight, Elara! Fight! I cried, but my boy wouldn’t move.

“Stop,” I screamed. “Please… no… stop!”

One of the men laughed wickedly. “Oh, don’t worry, baby. We won’t stop.”

“That’s enough!” a voice commanded.

I was immediately released. The circle around me widened as the men stepped back. Through the tears in my eyes, I was surprised to see their heads bowed as they lowered their gazes.

They muttered apologies under their breath.

“Leave us,” the man ordered, his voice came, and yet there was no mistaking the power in that command. He reached down.

When my response was to cringe away in fear, he gently pulled me up to my feet.

My dress started to fall, and I gasped, reaching my hands up to hold it up.

The biggest man I had ever seen in my life stared down at me. His eyes were so dark that they were practically black. Dark brows slashed over those deep, mysterious eyes, adding to the danger in them. As if that wasn’t enough, a scar so deep and menacing ran down his right eyebrow.

There was gentleness in the way he helped me up, but there was no warmth on his face.

Tears running down my face, I pulled my dress back up and looked around. There was a group of men standing stiffly behind me, but the place was deserted as everyone else had gone.

Was this man saving me?

Or was he like the other, who simply wanted me for himself?

I was shaking like a leaf when I finally raised my gaze to his.

No pity.

No kindness.

No warmth.

He simply watched me with that enigmatic face, like he was wearing a mask.

“Darren,” he called out without taking his eyes off me, “Bring the car around.”

“I – I…” I tried to speak, but that look in his eyes silenced me.

Oh my gosh, what the hell is happening?

“You are coming with me.”

**

AIDAN’S POV

The frightened little dove didn’t say a word throughout the car ride. Aside from the tears drying on her cheeks and the hint of fear in her eyes, her face was completely blank as my men led her up to the hotel room.

The drive had taken only 10 minutes. It was Elisha’s idea that I stay close because he was worried that if I had booked another hotel far from the venue, I wouldn’t show up for the ball.

Even now, my phone was blowing up, but I ignored it.

It was Elisha calling.

Fuck.

Someone will distract him eventually.

I wasn’t sure why I felt compelled to take the redhead from the ball. If I hadn’t intervened while those men tried to attack her, I definitely would have been inside the ballroom entertaining myself with all the alcohol available.

Saving the redhead had mostly been an excuse not to go in, but even then, I didn’t miss anything.

From what I heard, Ryker had already claimed his wife, and it wasn’t this spurned redhead.

She was lovely, I had to admit.

A little too small for a wolf.

She had a heart – shaped face and red hair that shone like gold when the light touched it a certain way. Freckles dotted the bridge of her nose and her cheeks in an almost adorable way, but there was no other indication that she spent much time in the sun.

Her skin was white, creamy and smooth.

She was beautiful, but beauty wasn’t the reason I had taken her.

I was surrounded by beauty on all sides.

Women paraded themselves in front of me in the hopes that one might catch my interest or that a mating bond would magically snap into place.

It was laughable.

Pathetic.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed women and toyed with them.

But none had affected me quite like her.

And I don’t know why.

Maybe it was the fear in her heart, tugging on my wolf’s need to protect. That damned thing loved to play the knight in shiny armour.

Or maybe it was the thought that, if she kept running around with a torn dress – a dress that was barely there in the first place, hanging on a thread if I might add – other wolves would tear her apart.

A private elevator brought us into the penthouse.

Her hands were still wrapped around her body, keeping the shreds of her dress up. She looked as small as a dove and as meek as a lamb. Just looking at her step gingerly out of the elevator like a lamb about to be slaughtered created a protective urge so fierce inside me.

Inside me, my wolf growled.

We had both seen the bruises on her back.

They must have been from Ryker’s hands.

Hmm, maybe this little dove likes it rough, but neither my wolf nor I loved seeing it.

I didn’t like her marked or to know that she had felt pain, even if she did want it.

Maybe even begged for it.

I definitely didn’t want to even think of her with Ryker.

That was strange since I usually don’t care about a woman’s s****l past.

“Do you have a name, dove?” I finally asked when we stepped out of the elevator.

I led the way, and she followed like an obedient little girl.

“E- Elara,” she stammered.

Elara.

It sounded regal.

“Elara. Do you know why I brought you here?”

She chewed on her bottom lip as she stared at my room in all its black. For some dubious reason, my room was the only place I wanted her to see.

It was clear to see that she was nervous, so imagine my surprise when her hands dropped, and the top of her dress fell, revealing the most gorgeous pair of t**s I have ever seen. Perky, creamy mounds, round with rosy pink n*****s.

She stared at me, nervous but defiant. “It’s not hard to figure out why I’m here.”

I nearly groaned in approval. My wolf growled inside me.

Instead, I smiled. “Exactly. I don’t think I have a dress to replace that one, so I don’t think you will return to the ball tonight. But you don’t have to keep wearing that all night.” I couldn’t resist adding. “Unless you want to.”

A puzzled look crossed her face.

I crossed the room to the closet.

Elisha always said it was a bad look when my one – night stands stumbled home in the clothes they were wearing the night before, so I had the closet stocked with some clothes beforehand. I found a pair of jeans and a t – shirt that looked like they would fit her – yes, I have a type.

Tossing them on the bed, I turned my back to her. “Drink?”

“What?” I imagine she blinked in surprise when I was grabbing her and forcing myself between her thighs.

“What would you like to drink?” I asked slowly, biting my words carefully in case she was slow and too stupid to understand what I meant. I let my eyes drift to the mirror on the wall. It didn’t surprise me when her gaze met mine. She had yet to change. “The room is fully stocked. There’s liquor, beer, wine and even juice. Anything catch your interest?”

“Uhm… wine,” she said softly. “Red.”

Turning, she grabbed the t – shirt and pulled it over her head before letting the dress fall to the floor.

I forced myself to avert my gaze from the perfection that was her body and made us two drinks from the mini – bar.

Red wine was too soft and feminine for me, so no. I poured myself some bourbon and red wine for her. When I turned, she still hadn’t put the jeans on.

The shirt, short as it was, skimmed the tops of her creamy thighs, prompting lust in my mind.

It was the middle of summer. Most of the wolves around her spent their time in the sun tanning and getting golden–bronze. She was white, like she didn’t spend time outside.

Maybe she was too delicate for that.

I couldn’t stop myself from staring.

I hadn't brought her here to f**k her, just to rescue her, but now that she was walking around half – naked, with a combination of shy and tempting, I had a hard time averting my gaze.

There was something in her eyes, too, as her gaze roamed over me.

Open interest, clear as day, but as soon as I caught her eyes, she looked away.

Hmm.

Submissive.