I Rejected My Cruel Alpha: Now He Won't Let Me Go

Kira Hayes POV:

"Aiden... hold me."

It was our first wedding anniversary, and for once, I wanted to believe the distance that had grown between us could disappear for one night.

His mouth brushed the sensitive skin beneath my ear, his hand firm around my waist as he pulled me closer. I wore the silver silk slip dress I'd chosen just for him, the thin fabric cool against my heated skin.

For a few precious seconds, there was no pack, no work, no endless responsibilities-only Aiden Carlisle, my husband and my fated mate.

He was the reigning Alpha of the powerful and wealthy Carlisle Pack, and one of Hollywood's biggest A-list movie stars.

To the rest of the world, he was a man with everything-power, money, fame, and countless admirers. But tonight, I only wanted him to be my husband.

Then his laptop chimed.

Aiden went still. The warmth vanished from his expression almost instantly. He released me and stepped away, leaving cold air where his body had been.

"I have a video conference," he said, already reaching for the crisp shirt draped over the back of a chair.

I stared at him, still trying to catch my breath. "Now? Aiden, it's our anniversary..."

"Pack business always comes first." He pulled on the shirt, the words laced with an authority that allowed no argument. It was an Alpha's command, a fundamental rule of our world, even to his mate.

A wave of hurt washed over me, but I forced a smile. "Okay. I'll wait for you."

My hand unconsciously settled over my still-flat stomach.

I hadn't told him yet. I was pregnant.

For three days, I had carried the secret alone, imagining every possible expression on his face when I finally told him. Tonight had seemed perfect. Our first anniversary. A fresh beginning. Maybe this baby could bring back some of the tenderness we'd lost.

For our baby, I told myself. I could be patient a little longer.

Aiden sat at his desk, put on his headset, and turned his attention completely to the screen. I remained nearby, the anniversary night I'd imagined slipping away minute by minute while his voice stayed cool and businesslike behind me.

An hour later, he finally took off the headset. I stood up immediately, my face arranged back into a mask of hopeful expectation.

He walked toward me. My heart hammered against my ribs, thinking, finally. A hug. A word.

He just picked up his jacket from the sofa. "Thanks for waiting. Get some rest."

His lips brushed my forehead. As cold as a snowflake.

My smile froze. "Where are you going? It's almost midnight."

His phone buzzed. The screen lit up with a name that felt like a physical blow.

Blanche.

Aiden answered it instantly. The impatience he'd shown me vanished, replaced by a tenderness I hadn't heard in months.

A woman's broken sob came through the phone.

"Aiden... I'm sorry. I know it's late, and I know tonight is probably important to you and Kira, so I really shouldn't be bothering you..." Blanche's voice trembled delicately. "But my tire blew out on this mountain road outside the city. It's so dark here, and I'm all alone. Some reporters recognized me after I pulled over, and now they're surrounding my car. They keep banging on the windows and taking pictures. I'm scared to even get out."

Her breath hitched with another soft sob. "I called roadside assistance, but with all these reporters blocking the road, I don't even know if they can get to me. I'm sorry, Aiden. I really didn't know who else to call."

She sniffled, then added quickly, "Forget it. I shouldn't have bothered you. Kira must be waiting for you. I'll just... stay in the car and figure something out myself."

"Don't be afraid. Tell me where you are. I'm on my way."

My mind went blank. The blood in my veins turned to ice. Blanche Watkins. The actress who always hinted at something more with Aiden in her interviews. His ex-girlfriend.

He hung up and walked straight to the door without a single glance at me.

"Don't go!" I scrambled after him, grabbing his arm. The words tore from my throat, raw with panic. "Aiden, I'm pregnant!"

He stopped. He turned, and his eyes held no surprise, no joy. Only cold assessment and a flicker of annoyance.

"Kira, don't use lies like that to get attention. Not now."

Lies?

The word ripped my heart to shreds. He thought I was lying.

He yanked his arm from my grasp. The force sent me stumbling backward.

"Her car has a flat tire on a mountain road outside the city," he said, his voice cold, as if explaining a duty of grave importance. "She's alone and it's dangerous."

I ran after him, down the grand staircase. My foot slipped on the plush runner.

The world spun.

I tumbled down the long flight of stairs, a sharp, twisting pain exploding in my abdomen.

"Aiden..." I landed in a heap on the cold marble floor. A warm, sticky wetness spread between my legs. I reached for him, my hand trembling.

He glanced back. I saw a flash of hesitation in his eyes, quickly replaced by overwhelming irritation.

With my last ounce of strength, I reached for him through our mind-link, the sacred connection between fated mates.

"Aiden, save me... save our baby..."

My mental touch, a fragile thread, found him. A jolt of my agony shot through the link.

A second later, he severed it. Cleanly. Brutally.

"Stop being so dramatic, Kira."

That was his last message to me.

Darkness swarmed my vision. I felt my life, my hope, and our child draining away with the blood pooling beneath me.

The heavy front door of the manor slammed shut, sealing me in my own private hell.