The Mating Rules

Bailee’s POV

It hurts, my chest, like I’m being stabbed through the heart. I grab hold of my swollen stomach and stumble toward the door, I’ve tried calling my Mate through the Mind link, but he’s blocked his connection for some reason.

I stumble out of the Beta suite, using the wall to support me as another wave of pain cuts through my chest making it damn near impossible to breathe. What is happening to me, is the baby in distress? Am I dying? Thank the Goddess that our son, Travis is with my friend Polly. She is the Gamma female and was the first to welcome me into her friend group when I returned with Arthur after the mating, a brand hew claiming mark on my neck. Her son, Elliott is a year older and Travis is besotted with him, always wanting to go and play down the hall instead of hanging out with his beach ball-sized mama.

I press my fingers into my chest as a fresh wave of pain slices through me, I need to find Arthur, something is wrong.

Swallowing down a sob, I use our bond to focus in on where he could be, following the tug that connects us and moving clumsily down the hallway, away from our sleeping quarters and toward Arthur’s office.

The closer I get to his office door, the more my chest hurts, and I have to bite down on my lower l*p to hold in the cry of pain, the coppery taste of b***d coating my tongue.

With a shaky hand, I reach out and curl my fingers around the door handle, pushing it downward until the door swings open.

I stumble inside, my eyes widening as I focus on the pack Beta, the man who promised to love me for eternity, my Mate, f*cking another she wolf.

The blonde who I now recognise as one of the low-level warriors shrieks loudly, trying to push herself up from the desk he has her bent over, as her hands scrabble to cover her breasts.

Turning toward me, Arthur doesn’t even look surprised to see me, in fact, his face holds a mask of indifference as he places a hand on the she wolf’s back, forcing her to stay still, his d**k still buried deep inside of her.

‘What the f*ck?’ is all I manage to get out as pain, betrayal, anger, and grief all crash in on me at once.

Bailee he greets me, expression bored, ‘what are you doing here? I’m busy!’

‘Busy?’ I hiss, ‘is that what you call this?’

Arthur shrugs, 1 have needs Bailee, I’m a man, a werewolf, a Beta, you cannot expect me to just be celibate? I need release woman, and you are unable to fulfill my desires in 150 Points

your current condition. This w***e is just a hole, I have no feelings for her, she merely serves a purpose, she’s a commodity. Then, as soon as you are capable, no longer incapacitated as you are, I’ll be back in our bed.’

What condition?’ I spit angrily, waving down at my stomach, This condition, the one that you put me in? The condition where I’m carrying your Goddess damn baby?’ I yell, hands fisting at my sides as I stare at my Mate who still hasn’t made any attempt to remove himself from the woman underneath him, let alone pull his pants back up.

She at least has the good grace to look away from me, unable to meet my eyes as she continues to allow my Mate to use her like a c*m dumpster as he cheats on me.

Arthur rolls his eyes, sighing loudly, ‘I did it last time Bailee’ he huffs as though he made some great sacrifice for me.

Like he’s some damn hero for not sleeping with someone else during the last six weeks that I was pregnant with Travis and was just too big to get comfortable let alone deal with my Mate slamming into me.

‘It’s been three weeks, I am not going to wait another month for you to decide that you are interested in performing your duties’ he continues.

I can feel my claws extending from my fingers as my wolf, Baila snarls furiously in my mind

“My duties?” I snap, ‘f*cking you is my duty? And what the hell do you mean, when I decide to be interested? I’m eight months pregnant, I can’t even go half an hour without peeing, I haven’t seen my own feet in two months, and forget being able to take a deep breath with two feet in my lungs, how the hell am I supposed to be able to do that?’I* wave a hand at the warrior who is still trying to pretend that she’s not there.

I shake my head in disgust, ‘you know what Arthur, do whatever the f*ck you like, because this she wolf will never allow you to touch her again.’

1 turn on my heel, ready to storm out when I double over in pain, crying out as I wrap my arms around my stomach protectively.

‘For F*Cks sake Bailee, stop being so damn dramatic’ my Mate snaps, ‘I’m sure that you can deal with a little discomfort for me. I’ve made sacrifices for you throughout both of your pregnancies, now its your turn to do the same.

If you took just a few,seconds to look at this from my point of view, you’d realise just how selfish you are to expect me to wait around until you are over your issue.’

I try to say something back, but the pain intensifies, and I feel a warm trickle between my legs.

Looking down, my eyes widen at the pool of water, s**t, my waters just broke! I muffle a sob, trying to shuffle out of the room but Arthur actually seems to realise that something is wrong, and I hear his zipper go up moments before his hand grabs my arm, turning me back to him.

“Is it the baby?’ he asks though there is no concern in his eyes, more annoyance that I’d dare to go into labour early.

A*****e, it was probably because of him that this is all happening, I’ve most likely been having contractions for a while but the heart crushing pain of him cheating dulled it out.

I shake him off roughly, ‘don’t touch me I growl, ‘go back to your w***e, I don’t need you.’

I grip the doorframe and make myself walk, gritting my teeth through another contraction as I slowly make my way toward the stairs to get down to the clinic.

‘Bailee, you are being ridiculous, I’ll take you to the clinic’ Arthur snaps, trying again to grab me.

My movement is so quick, even I don’t register what has happened until the Beta howls in pain, his hand flying to his cheek where b***d is dripping between his fingers.

My claws on my left hand are smeared with b***d and I look down at them in faint surprise.

‘Don’t touch us’ my wolf snarls warningly, pushing forward slightly to challenge her own Mate.

Arthur looks ready to argue, anger burning through him, but his own wolf Artemis, pushes forward and nods curtly, keeping control as Baila walks me out of the office and toward the stairs.

Thanks Baila’ I gasp as another wave of pain hits me.

My wolf growls, ‘no one threatens pup’ she retorts, ‘not even

Mate, I will kill him.*

I whimper, grabbing the banister and leaning heavily on it as I take each step one at a time. ‘He wouldn’t hurt our pup’ I manage to argue as I grit my teeth!

‘Touching you made you angry, raises b***d pressure, bad for pup’ Baila mutters. He will not touch you while the pup is being born when you don’t want him to.’

I nod, I’m sorry Artemis hurt you’ I whisper, “I’m so sorry Baila.

My wolf whimpers softly but keeps her head high, ‘not Artemis’ she replies, ‘he did not agree with his human, he tried to stop him, and when he couldn’t he retreated as far into his mind as possible, away from what was happening to try and protect me. This was all human’s fault, I am sorry Bailee, sorry that our call was answered by him.’

I swallow hard, my knuckles almost white as I grip the banister so tightly to stop myself from doubling over and falling down the last few steps.

Reaching the bottom, I stumble through the foyer, turning to the right, thankful that we have a door to the clinic directly off the main house so I don’t have to try and walk to another building.

Pushing open the door, I cry out, grabbing the back of a chair in the small waiting room as a nurse rushes toward me.

‘Beta female? Are you alright?’ she asks worriedly.

Waters broke’ I gasp out, ‘baby is coming!’

A wheelchair appears from somewhere and I’m lowered into it, my fingers digging into the armrests as I’m wheeled through to a private room. Helping me into the bed, the nurse, assures me that the doctor will be in within seconds.

‘Do you need me to link Beta Arthur?’ she asks in concern,’ have you managed to contact him?’

I shake my head, growling loudly, ‘he knows’ I grit out, ‘and he is not allowed in this room, understand?’

I stare at the nurse, putting all my Beta aura behind my order, ‘no one but the doctor and yourself comes in here’ I reiterate.

The nurse’s eyes widen but she nods immediately, showing that she understands before hurrying out to forward my order to everyone else working in the clinic today.

The doctor walks in moments later, rolling up his sleeves as he smiles at me nervously.

‘OK, shall we see what’s happening with our new little Beta’ he asks me.

I nod, letting him help me put my feet up in the stirrups and trying to relax as he sits down between my legs to check my cervix.

“You are coming along nicely Bailee’ he murmurs, I don’t think it will be too long before this little pup is here to meet us.’

I breathe a sigh of relief at his calm tone, it’s early, will it be OK?’ I ask, voicing the worry that’s been clogged in my throat since my waters broke.

“the baby should be fine Bailee the doctor comforts me, ‘we wolves develop rapidly, the last month or so is literally just the pup getting a bit bigger before coming out. Everything that he or she needs to survive is already in place and working. The baby will be a little small and we might need to put her in a cot for a couple of days, but honestly, I’m not worried at all.’

I gulp back tears, ‘thank you, doctor, I..’ I cut off as a sob slips from my lips, ‘thank you’

Doctor Mckinock comes around the side of the bed and pats my arm, ‘don’t thank me, Bailee, this is my job, and it is always my honour to help a she-wolf bring another of our kind into the world.’ He studies me for a second before hesitantly speaking, Nurse Alicia told me your order, are you sure that you don’t want ..’

‘No’ I snap warningly, ‘Beta Arthur is not to step foot in this room, if he does, I will waddle my a*s out of this clinic, and give birth alone in the woods, do you understand me?’

I glare at the doctor who swallows before nodding, ‘TIl make sure that no one comes in other than myself and your nurse he replies before turning around and leaving me alone in the room, gnashing my teeth as another contraction cuts through me.