Pregnant and Rejected by My Alpha Mate

#Chapter 32 House Arrest

Bastien’s POV

“Enough” i cut through the rising voices: Selene swearing her innocence, the enforcers combatively

contending that the evidence is against her, Aiden calling for calm. “This isn’t getting us anywhere. Our

priority is finding Arabella.”

No one quells more than Selene under the force of my tone, and I wish I could comfort her. My anger is

for the enforcers, not her.

“Our best trackers are on the trail, Alpha.” A resigned Danvers promises, “I’ve already received word that

the men you sent rendezvoused with the team.”

“They’ve followed Bella’s scent to New Town.” Aiden confirms. Then, using our mental link he adds, If it

were me, and I wanted to frame Selene, I would take Arabella to Garrick’s house.

He’s right. It’s the only property Selene owns independently, and the last place either of us would ever

go. Let’s go.

Aiden marches out on my order, no doubt pulling the car around while I wrangle the enforcers back out of

the room. “We have a lead.” I announce. “I want everyone ready to move out in five minutes.”

Danvers brow furrows, “What lead?”

T’ll explain on the way.” I deflect, calling mother and the sentries back into the secure room.

“You’re leaving?” Selene’s small voice surprises me. “Now?”

“Yes.” I answer simply.

“What if it’s a trap?” Selene halts me for the second time. “You should let the enforcers go and make sure

it’s safe first.”

I don’t even consider the suggestion. I’ve never run from a fight before, I don’t intend to start now, I need

to be there for Arabella.”

*Please don’t go, Bastien.” Selene whispers, her cerulean and violet eyes shining.

“I have to.” Once the guards are positioned at the door once more, I command, “Don’t let anyone in until

I’m back.”

“Wait.” Tiny feet charge after me, near silent on the persian rug. “You’re locking us in here again?”

I turn back, facing the distress written clearly across my wife’s face. “I promise you’ll be safe.”

Selene blinks, her confusion and fear gradually eclipsed by outrage. “From what?” She hisses, sounding

entirely unlike my mate.” thought I was the kidnapper. Why do I have to stay in lock down if I’m the one

causing all this?”

Her anger is completely justified, but I don’t have time to put out this fire, not when another blazes out of

control. I need to ensure my mate is safe, and the enforcers want to keep her under lock and key until

she’s eliminated as a suspect.

Heaving a weary sigh, I close the distance to my wife and drop my lips to her ear. “Don’t make this

harder than it has to be. Selene.”

“I’m not making this anything!” She croaks.

“It’s this or enforcer custody, sweetheart.” The endearment rings false in my clipped tone, “which would

you prefer?”

It’s a lie, but we still have an audience. I have no intention of allowing the enforcers anywhere near

Selene, no matter what other false evidence they find, but I can’t reveal this – not yet. It will be seen as

corruption, and I need the investigators on my side until Arabella is safe and the immediate threat

neutralized. I cannot risk alienating them by going against the law.

*Oh.” The threat hits home with devastating impact, and I wish I could take back the words. “So it isn’t

lock down.” She summarizes. “It’s house arrest.”

“I don’t mind what you call it,” I said. “As long as you stay put.”

Selene’s POV

“This is ridiculous.” | vent. “Where the hell do they think I’m hiding her? My hands gesticulate wildly as I

pace in front of Odette “Do they imagine I’m such a villain that I have a secret lair somewhere under the

mountain?”

“I don’t think logic has anything to do with it, Darling.” Odette soothes, more alert than I’ve seen her in a

long time. Providing comfort seems to have sidelined her sorrow, if only for a while. “Enforcers aren’t

trained to question evidence, only collect it.”

“I know.” I grumble, “But I can’t believe Bastien is going along with it. Doesn’t he know me better than

that?”

“I think he’s just afraid for Bella.” She asserts. “He’s always had a blind spot when it comes to her.”

“Truly though,” I harp on, unable to let the issue go. “Let’s assume I wanted to kidnap Arabella and

actually found a way to accomplish it. Where could I possibly put her? What am I supposed to be doing

with her? There’s no ransom and no body- and I ve been here basically 24/7 since before she was taken,

so it’s not like I can be off torturing her!” The words pour out of me in a frenzy.” And they’d know if I hired

someone to do it for me, because all of my money is Bastien’s!”

“You’re right.” She agrees, sitting up with a look of dawning light on her face. “The only things you have

are Bastien’s.”

“Well thanks for putting it so gently.” I mutter.

Odette ignores my sarcasm, pulling me into the bathroom and out of the guard’s hearing. “The cabin.”

She murmurs, “The pack house isn’t technically your property because it transfers to any Alpha, but the

cabin is in Bastien’s and your name. It’s the only place they could tie directly to you, and no one has

been up in ages.”

I fight the urge to jump up and down in excitement. “Odette, you’re a genius!”

“I have my moments.” A sly smile stretches across her face. “What do you say, we make a break for it?”

I‘ve wanted nothing more than to get out of this room since the first moment Bastien threw me into it.

“How?* I agree immediately.

Odette begins combing her hands along the wall, her slender fingers searching for some unseen

pressure point in the plaster. “One benefit of being Alphas,” she shares smugly, we get to know the

escape routes even the guards don’t.”

As her lips close around the final word, the wall clicks loudly, and a hidden doorway slides open before

us. Sweet relief fills me, accompanied by only a fraction of frustration. “Why didn’t you show me this five

hours ago?”

Odette shrugs. “That was before. Now we know you aren’t in any danger – they can’t blame you for the

kidnapping and attack you at the same time.”

I catch her arm as she lifts her foot over the threshold. “What about you?”

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