Chapter 158; What?
Aiden’s POV
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" I snapped, my voice thick with annoyance as I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.
"What am I doing?" Ragnar muttered, his voice slurred and heavy. He reached out blindly, his hand brushing against my jacket. "I am kissing you. Like we always did. You know, you can actually be handsome sometimes."
"Don’t try that shit ever again, Ragnar, or I will break your nose," I warned, irritation radiating off me.
Ragnar let out a dry, self-deprecating laugh, and I could see the sudden sheen of tears in his eyes. "Of course you also don’t want me. I mean, you never liked me, right? You used me and tossed me away. I was just your sex doll. You know, for a minute, I actually thought maybe I would be your fated mate. I thought you wouldn’t be able to ever let me go." He shook his head, his chin trembling. "I was so fucking stupid."
I stared at him, my brow furrowing. What the hell has gotten into him?
I decided I had seen enough and needed to leave. But the moment I turned around, I froze.
Boca was standing right there.
"What are you doing to him?" Boca asked, his dark eyes fixing on me with an icy, dangerous glare.
"What the fuck?" I scoffed, throwing my hands up. "I am not doing anything to him. I just met him here. He is dead drunk. Since you are here, you should help him so he doesn’t go around kissing everyone."
Boca’s eyes widened slightly at my words. He didn’t say anything else. He brushed past me and walked straight to the booth, lifting Ragnar up and supporting his weight.
"Stay away from him," Boca growled over his shoulder. He then turned and carried Ragnar out of the pub.
I watched them go, my jaw clenched. This kind of mess wouldn’t be happening if all these damn rogues could just leave our territory for good. But of course, no one in the pack was ready to take charge and chase them all out.
Wait.
A thought struck me, and a slow, dark grin spread across my face. Yes. I just needed to convince everyone that these rogues were not fit to live with us. There hadn’t been any high-profile killings lately, and the city had been quiet for some reason. If I wanted to turn the pack against them, I needed to stir something up. Once I did, the rogues wouldn’t have a place here anymore.
Later that night, I walked back into the packhouse. The heavy weight in my chest lifted slightly the moment I saw Alina standing in the foyer.
"Baba!" Leo squealed, his small face lighting up the moment his eyes met mine.
I couldn’t help but smile. I stepped forward and took him gently from Alina’s arms, holding him close to my chest.
"How is my baby boy doing?" I cooed, tickling his stomach and making him burst into a loud, bubbly laugh.
I looked up at Alina, my expression softening. "Alina, I am really happy you are back," I said, a genuine smile playing on my lips.
She gave me a very light, quiet nod. "I will go inside," she murmured, turning her head away.
But before she could walk past me, the collar of her shirt shifted. My eyes locked onto a dark, angry red mark resting right on her neck.
My chest tightened instantly. A wave of suffocating anger washed over me. That bastard.
When was all of this finally going to end?
I forced myself to breathe, keeping my voice calm for the baby. I took Leo up to the nursery, played with him for a few minutes, and then handed him over to the housekeepers.
Once I was alone,I marched straight down the hallway to Alina’s room and stopped at her door. I knocked firmly, but there was no response.
I turned the handle and stepped inside. The bedroom was empty, but I could hear the faint sound of running water coming from the bathroom.
"Alina, are you okay?" I called out.
No response came from behind the door. My worry flared, so I gripped the handle, pushed the door open, and stepped inside. My eyes widened in shock. Alina was hunched over the toilet, violently vomiting.
"Are you okay?" I asked, stepping closer, my voice thick with concern.
"Yes, I am good," she said quietly. She wiped her mouth, her voice entirely too calm. "You shouldn’t be here."
I watched as she turned on the faucet, splashing cold water over her face. I stepped back, giving her space as she walked out of the bathroom. Her skin looked incredibly pale.
"I will call the family doctor," I said, reaching for my phone.
"It’s nothing, really, Aiden," Alina said, stopping me. She shook her head. "I am fine, okay? I just need to rest a little."
I let my hand drop, nodding slowly.
"Please give me space to rest," she added, her eyes pleading. "Please leave my room."
"Okay," I responded.
I turned and left, walking straight back to my own bedroom. Once the door was shut, I began to pace. My mind was racing. Why had she suddenly become so pale? Why was she vomiting like that?
A knock sounded on my door, and before I could answer, it swung open. Emily walked in, her face set in a serious expression.
"Aiden, I need to speak to you," she said, her tone sharp.
"What is it?" I asked, barely looking at her.
"Aiden, I want us to spend time together. Just like we used to do in the old times," she said.
I rolled my eyes, letting out a heavy sigh. "Emily, I am really not in the mood for this right now," I said, my voice full of annoyance.
"Fine," she snapped, turning on her heel to leave.
"Wait," I called out.
She paused, looking back over her shoulder with an irritated expression.
"You are a lady, right?" I said.
Emily frowned, clearly annoyed by the question. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"If a lady suddenly becomes very pale and starts vomiting... what does that usually mean?" I asked.
Emily stared at me for a moment. "It usually means she is pregnant," she said.
My eyes widened in total shock.