Chapter 19

(Isabella’s POV)

Santiago pushes Layla away instantly. Thank you, Moon Goddess. The moment she wrapped her arms around him I inadvertently held my breath.

I exit the car and walk to where they stand.

Layla looks me up and down with a look on her face suggesting I smell like spoiled milk.

She turns her attention back to Santiago.

“I know we’re already broken up, But Santiago, please, please let’s get back together – for our baby – for your heir,” Layla says.

“Layla, my mate is right here beside me. I will not, nor will I ever betray her.”

Layla insists that everything that has happened is my fault. “Isabella’s manipulative, Santiago. She’s stolen you from me! This penniless whore cheated on her own mate, Jesse has proof! And, she is the only reason you are treating me this way now.”

Tears and mascara run down her face. She looks at Santiago with pleading eyes as she speaks to him, but then turns to me with a cold, death stare, but yet continues to speak to Santiago.

“Santiago, I’m your fated mate.” She turns her gaze back to him. “Not her,” she says gesturing toward me. “Now, that I’m carrying your child—I won’t let Isabella steal you away!”

“What happened between us, Layla has nothing to do with Isabella. You need to watch your words.” His face is stern with fixed icy blue eyes glaring at Layla and a clenched jaw.

“Layla rushes toward me with her hand raised to slap me.” I grab her wrist before she can make contact with my face. “What is it you are trying to do, Layla?” I ask without flinching.

Suddenly, she pushes herself backward, pretending like I pushed her. She falls to the ground and clutches her belly. She screams in pain.

Santiago immediately picks her up, concern washing over his face as he puts her in the car. Layla’s face is pale as she continues to scream in pain.

“Layla is like a ghost hellbent on haunting you and refusing to go away,” my wolf says in my mind with a growl.

I look at her face, noting the paleness and find myself wishing Santiago would drive faster. At this point my concern for her baby overrides my anger toward Layla.

Even though as werewolves we are physically strong, pregnancy and childbirth are still dangerous situations for she-wolves.

When we arrive at the pack hospital, the nurse gives Layla an injection to protect the baby. The doctor comes in and examines Layla as well. He notes that even though she fell, no harm was done to the baby.

After the examination, Layla is discharged.

Once the doctor is out of the hospital room, Layla stands up and screams at the top of her lungs. Her face is blood red and contorts into a snarl. I see her pupils dilate so profoundly that her eyes turn demonic.

“You’re jealous!” she screams pointed at me. “You deliberately pushed me!”

She turns to Santiago with tears streaming down her contorted face. “I have nowhere to live after the breakup. Isabella is trying to kill our baby out of jealousy, just to take you away. Can’t you see, she doesn’t care about your heir.”

I’ve had enough being accused of shit I didn’t fucking do.

“Absolutely not. I am not jealous of you at all. You staged the whole thing, Layla. I grabbed your wrist to keep you from hitting me, not the other way around. You threw yourself backward on purpose. You are so wrapped up in trying to manipulate Santiago into welcoming your snake-ass back into his bed, that you put your own baby at risk. Clearly, I am not the one between the two of who doesn’t care about his heir,” I say pointing at Santiago.

I lower my voice to finish my thought, “I personally am more invested in keeping your pregnancy healthy up to delivery than anyone, would you like to know why?” I smile sweetly, “Because I am looking forward to seeing the results of a paternity test. I know my infertile ex-husband can’t be the father and I’m willing to bet Santiago isn’t either. Yet, you have the balls to call me a whore. Pathetic.”

Santiago clears his throat.

Layla turns the waterworks on again. “Are you going to let her speak that way to the mother of your child?”

Santiago crosses his arms, “Yeah, pretty much.”

“Santiago, this is your baby…our child. What am I supposed to do?” She sniffles, “Where am I supposed to go?”

“As a pregnant woman, you should take better care of yourself instead of running around. Also, you started the incident. I saw you try to hit Bella and then push yourself backward, Layla. No more of that bullshit will be tolerated. With that said, you may stay at the pack house until the baby is born.”

Layla burst into tears, covering her face with her hands, muffling her voice. “Thank you, Santiago. Can you please take me home.”

Santiago sighs, “Yes. Let’s go.”

I quickly look down so he can’t see my face. I’ve had enough drama for one night…for a lifetime, actually.

I clear my throat. “I’m going to go. You should go take care of Layla, she’s pregnant after all.”

Santiago nods and they exit the hospital room.

I close my eyes and give myself three full heartbeats to calm my nerves and reset my face. I will not cry. I won’t let this shit get under my skin. The way I am talked about does not define me.

After one more deep breath, I walk out of the room. I no sooner turn the corner to find Santiago hugging Layla.

“He’s ours,” my wolf growls inside my mind.

I back up a step and turn to leave out the back exit. Feeling a little hurt, I did something I rarely have ever done…I head out to a bar. I want a drink.

I guess I should have gone home and changed first. I sit at the bar with my legs crossed, allowing the slit in the dress to fall on either side of my thigh. Every man in here, including the bartender has bought me drinks, offered to take me home, along with other offers.

A man walks up to me, buys me a drink, puts his hand on my exposed thigh.

He leans in and whispers low so only I can hear him, “What do you say we get out of here? My car’s right outside.”

He moves his hand to run his fingers down my hair while moving it away from my ear. His lips graze my earlobe. “We can go back to my place and have some fun.

I reach up grab his fingers and bend them till I hear them crack, I slap him with my other hand. “In case my response wasn’t clear…hard pass. Thanks, for the drink though.” I used my Alpha voice to be sure he understood.

My wolf doesn’t want to go home with anyone. She howls in my mind for Santiago. I think about my time with him.

He has followed the terms of our agreement to the letter and never treated me any differently. I told him no sex. Even in his feral state, he stopped himself.

He bought me clothes out of generosity. I look down at my dress. Him saying I look sexy shouldn’t have made me wet…I shouldn’t have wanted him. It was such a little thing.

He doesn’t seem to have to put forth any effort. It's fucking frustrating.

And he seems to belief me about Jesse. He’s helping with the private investigator.

Werewolves have to drink a lot to get drunk. As I look at the bartender and think to myself that I didn’t notice him being triplets before, it occurs to me that I may have had too much.

My thoughts drift back to Santiago, how he looked tonight in his suit. Even fully covered, the muscles in his arms are defined beneath the long sleeves. The two top buttons of his white shirt were unbuttoned, just showing a small amount of his tawny skin.

I picture sliding the jacket off his arms, untucking and unbuttoning his shirt, then his pants…

The thin satin panties I wore under this dress are soaked through.

I pick up my phone and call him and wait for his husky voice to pick up.

“Hello,” he says.

“I want you,” is all I say.