Chapter 13

“There’s no difference,” Hunter said. His voice was still icy, his dark eyes still hooded.

I felt a pit open in my chest. I was empty and numb, but at the same time raw and exposed. My physical symptoms weren’t helping either.

As we’d been talking, the nausea and headaches that were becoming more and more constant had worsened.

I couldn’t go on like this much longer. Neither my heart nor my body could take it.

“Why not just reject me and divorce me now?” My voice sounded more pleading than I would have liked. Like I was begging him. I wanted to continue talking. To tell him I couldn’t go on like this because it was breaking my heart.

Instead I kept my face still and tried not to cry. Or throw up.

His face didn’t change.

“This matter is under my control. You just need to follow my orders. After all, I chose you because you know your place and make things easier for me. Or is it that you’ve found someone else and want to get divorced?”

Every time I thought he couldn’t break me any more completely, he did.

How could he think there was someone else?

After what I’d been to him, the steady presence in his life for so many years.

He knew me.

Or he should.

Could he honestly think there was something between me and Leo?

I stood, nodded to him, and walked quickly from the room.

I managed to make it to the bathroom before I dissolved into a weeping, retching mess. The crying made me nauseous, and I gagged over the toilet. Every time I almost threw up I remembered I was pregnant, which made me cry even harder.

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I threw myself into work over the next few days, trying to distract myself from having been relieved of so many of my responsibilities.

I spent long hours interviewing members of my office and those from the Gamma team, trying to figure out who was working with the rogues. I got nowhere.

Gossip about Maya spread like wildfire.

People continued to wonder if she was his fated mate, and whether they were sleeping together yet or not.

The other common thread in the pack members’ gossip was surprise at the fact that Hunter was taking Maya so seriously.

She was taking herself more seriously too, I thought, watching her walk into the office in a sleek business casual dress and pointed heels. She’d formerly been wearing much more casual attire. She was standing up straighter than she used to as well. And laughing and joking more easily with the other Deltas.

I’d been trying to avoid her, though, and had a feeling that she’d been doing the same.

I was surprised when she walked straight up to me.

“How’s it going, Kara?” She asked brightly. She seemed a little strained, but like she was trying to make her tone light and playful.

“I’m okay, how are your new duties going?” I asked.

She smiled.

“Oh, I’m managing. I know Hunter believes you’re more suited to take care of him than I am, but wanted to relieve you of at least some of your workload by promoting me.”

I wasn’t sure how I should respond to that. It was nice of her to say it, but it obviously wasn’t true.

I was saved from needing to reply by Laila rushing up to us, holding a file and looking worried.

“Maya,” she said tensely, “you’ve made another mistake with this month’s procurement file, look—” she opened the file and pointed to a spot about halfway down the page. Maya’s face fell.

“It has to be processed today,” Laila continued. “It will need to be redone as soon as possible.”

Maya hesitated.

“I—I—I don’t know how I’m going to manage it. Hunter has assigned me so many other tasks today—”

Laila narrowed her eyes. She’d been perfectly polite to Maya since I’d told her and Elle off for gossiping, but I could tell she was still suspicious of her. Still fiercely loyal to me.

I paused, looking at Maya’s downcast face. I knew how hard it was to manage all of Hunter’s needs, especially on top of any other work.

No one knew better than me.

I reached out my hand for the file.

“I’ll finish it for you,” I said.

Laila sighed, and I thought I saw a hint of grateful tears in Maya’s eyes.

I finished correcting the procurement file quickly. Given her lack of experience, I was sure it would have taken Maya hours, but it was the kind of thing I could do in my sleep.

Even considering everything with her and Hunter, I felt glad to have helped her.

I drove into the city to browse for some initiation ceremony supplies, needing a break from being around all the gossip.

My head felt clearer as I started the drive home. If I could focus on work and take breaks from being around the rest of the pack, maybe I could manage things. At least for now.

I watched raindrops slide down the windshield as I drove. I tried to calculate how much more money I would need to get set up by myself. How much did it cost to raise a baby?

How long did I realistically have before I started showing and couldn’t hide it any longer?

Lost in thought, I didn’t notice how much thicker the rain had become until I could barely see.

I was going much too fast.

I hit the brakes, but the car hydroplaned on a deep puddle.

“No, no, no—” I yelled in panic, just as the tires righted themselves.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

But then I was slowing down more than I should be. I hit the gas, but nothing happened. The car slowed and slowed. I squinted to try to find a safe spot on the shoulder to pull over.

I stopped.

“Damn it,” I said loudly, looking at the fuel gauge. Empty.

That wasn’t like me. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d made an error like forgetting to fill my car with gas.

I felt both humiliated and annoyed: at myself and with Hunter. If this wasn’t all happening, there was no way I’d have forgotten something like that.

I didn’t really want to, but there was nothing else that made sense to do.

I picked up my phone and dialed Hunter.

The call didn’t go through. I only had one bar. I moved the phone around the air until I saw two, put it on speakerphone and tried again. No answer.

I clicked back to my home screen, thinking maybe I’d try Leo next, but was distracted by a notification. Maya had posted a status update.

Dinner with my favorite, it said, along with an artistic photo of two wine glasses and a basket of bread on a white tablecloth.

My heart sank.

I no longer wanted any company right now. Even if it meant walking all the way home.

I trudged back home, at least two miles, wet and shivering before I’d taken the first ten steps.

I entered the Alpha suite immediately without thinking. It was closer. And until recently, it had been where I spent most of my time.

Going there was a reflex.

Besides, I was beginning to feel feverish.

I collapsed into bed and dozed fitfully, interrupted by dreams and imagined noises.

Actually, the noise continued. Shuffling and giggling.

Hunter and Maya stumbled through the door. I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes.

Maya gaped at me.

“How did you end up here?” she demanded.