The Alpha’s Rejected And Broken Mate
Chapter 102

Amber POV

I couldn't shake the feeling that somebody was watching me. It was the most curious feeling and I found myself peering over my shoulder constantly. When I told Stefan about it, he offered me my own personal guard, which I declined, of course. I put it down to nerves and pregnancy hormones. I couldn't believe I was having a little boy. I knew it was silly, but I was already trying to think of a name for the baby. "How about Gunther" teased Teresa as I threw a pillow at her and she dodged quickly to the side.

I shuddered at the thought of any child being given such a hideous name.

"I don't think so, what about Hunter?" I asked thoughtfully, "I really like that name?"

"Ah," said Teresa, "I love it, but what about Stefan? Is he going to get a say in the child's name?"

"Of course," I said lightly, "it's going to be his child as well, it's only right that he gets to help name him."

We sat down on the bed and I sighed. I missed Stefan. He was at a council meeting, no doubt arguing on my behalf about being queen again. I had offered to join him but he told me and I quote "I don't want you getting stressed out because of the baby." As if women didn't get stressed while they were pregnant. Geez. He was barking up the wrong tree if he thought pregnancy was all calm and relaxing when it was anything but.

A large woman appeared in the doorway, leaning against it with a friendly smile on her face.

"Melissa", I greeted her with a grin. She was the person in charge of housekeeping and kitchen duties and I realized with a bit of a sinking feeling that I had stolen Teresa away without asking again.

"Your highness," she said, and I shook my head adamantly, feeling like a fraud. I wasn't queen yet and who knew what could happen in the meantime?

"Please," I protested, "just call me Amber."

She sighed. But, acceded to my wishes, "Amber," she said very civilly, "we're a little short-staffed in the kitchen and I was wondering if it was possible to steal Teresa back?"

I felt instantly guilty as Teresa hopped up off the bed. "I'm so sorry Melissa, I didn't realize it" I began, but she held up a hand and halted me in my tracks.

"Nonsense," she said, "I know that you and Teresa are friends and I really don't mind you stealing her," she said, her eyes twinkling "I just happen to need her for a few minutes is all."

"Of course, Melissa," Teresa said hastily, giving me a wink as I fought the urge to laugh. "You could always come help," she said with a chortle.

Melissa gave a gasp of indignation "The King's mate in the kitchen? I don't believe my ears and it's most definitely not happening" she muttered, "the king would be most upset with me."

To be honest, I don't think Stefan would really care. He was the most laid-back and down-to-earth royal I had ever met. I could easily see him helping in the kitchen if needed, but Melissa seemed to be really upset at the idea of it. "Thank you anyway,", I told Teresa, who gave me a nod, "but I think I'll stay here and finish my book. Maybe go for a walk if you want to join me later?"

"The King will most likely want to spend time with you," Teresa said sweetly, "but I'll come to see you tomorrow."

They both vanished out the door, Melissa curtseying as though I was royalty and I rolled my eyes. She wasn't the only one to treat me as though I was already queen though. Omega's, or rather servants I suppose they were more likely to be called, were bowing to me left, right, and center these days.

I picked up the book in question and began to idly flip through it. It was Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, but after reading a few chapters, I gave up and put the book back down in frustration. I was replaceing it hard to get into, even though I knew it was a good book and it had been highly recommended by Teresa, who had adored it and lent it to me. I was going for a walk, I decided to myself and put my coat on. Perhaps Stefan was finished with his meeting and could join me? But when I went past the throne room, it was still firmly closed against visitors and the guards informed me, rather sadly, that the meeting was still continuing and the King remained occupied. It was no biggie, I thought to myself with a shrug, as I began to walk down the hallways, I could easily go for a walk myself, it was just that I was feeling rather lonely.

Oh well. I made my way outside and breathed in the fresh air. The sky was a beautiful light blue with white fluffy clouds lazing around and birds were chirping happily to each other from their nests and perches in the trees. The grass was soft and lush beneath my feet and the sun was warm, without burning me. It was the perfect day for a walk. I began to meander along the pathways, content to take my time, stopping every so often to smell the flowers and inhale their lovely scents. On occasion, I got goosebumps, as though someone was following me and I would stop and glance around with a frown, but every time I looked there was either no one there, or a vampire walking past and genuinely confused at my glance. It was irritating and I knew that I was making a big thing out of nothing, but it couldn't be helped. Perhaps I would have been less nervous if I had someone to walk with, I thought with a grimace.

I began to make my way to the forest and sighed. I wanted to go for a run more than anything. Lilac was sniffing the fresh air and getting excited and it broke my heart to tell her we still needed to keep a low profile. Especially since both of us wanted to shift and just race into the trees, run as though our lives depended on it, and drink from the streams. I missed the wilderness, the part of me that needed to be let free instead of confined, as I felt like I was back at the castle. I needed to go wild.

That feeling again. I whipped my head around and, as usual, nothing was there. I began to feel my heart beating loudly in my chest and my hands began to get clammy from feeling nervous. I was certain that someone was following me. I just wasn't sure why. I raised my head and called out "Hello, anyone there?" and waited.

Nothing. Not even the merest whiff of someone's scent, but we were downwind, which could explain why we weren't smelling another vampire or shifter. I steadied myself and called out again. "I know you're out there, so stop hiding and just come out" I growled this time, letting my frustration show.

Silence. I was beginning to feel foolish now and turned back, readying myself to make it back to the grounds when suddenly I saw a flash of raven black hair. I squinted against the light and then suddenly there she was, standing right in front of me and looking nervous as all hell. As she should be. I had no frigging idea what she was doing here and right now all I felt was anger at seeing her there.

"What are you doing here?" I asked with a low growl.

Her dark brown eyes stared at me steadily "I um needed to replace somewhere to take me in" she said, fidgeting with her hands.

I raised an eyebrow. I would have thought that Rowan would have taken her in, especially considering I had rejected him. Not to mention they were having a child together, so what had happened in my absence to cause her to go elsewhere and away from Rowan's pack? It didn't make sense/?

I noticed she was wearing a maid's uniform. Melissa must have hired her then, without knowing her connection to me.

"I don't get it, Stacey. Rowan made his choice and it was to be with you. What are you doing out here? In the vampire King's castle no less? Did you follow me here?"

She shook her head, her hair billowing in the wind, biting her lip. "I didn't even know that you were here until after Melissa hired me," she said quietly, "or I would have gone elsewhere."

It wasn't too late for her to disappear. I thought to myself a bit viciously, not liking the girl at all and extremely displeased to have her anywhere near me. She had made my life a living hell the entire time I'd been in Rowan's pack and I was still certain she was the one responsible for my ingesting poison and almost losing my unborn baby.

"Please don't make me leave" she burst out suddenly, going pale as a sheet "I don't have anywhere else to go."

She was heavily pregnant, I realized, seeing the swell of her stomach and grimacing. I couldn't make a pregnant woman leave, no matter how much I disliked her.

"Just stay away from me," I said with a shake of my head. "I don't trust you Stacey, not one bit. I don't know why you even bothered to show yourself around me."

Her face fell and she looked at me nervously, her hand shooting out to grab hold of my arm when I went to leave.

"Wait" she hissed as I stopped and looked at her, raising an eyebrow "there's something I want to tell you."

I waited, Stacey, letting go of my arm as I folded both of them over my chest and narrowed my eyes. "Well, whatever it is, just spit it out already", I growled.

"It's about Darius," she said, and I stilled. Darius. I hadn't thought about him or Sophie since I'd come to the castle. I had resolved to contact them but then hadn't gone through with it. Still, how did Stacey know about Darius? He'd only ever come to Rowan's pack once when she was there.

"What about Darius?" I asked, my mouth dry. Had something happened to him?

She looked away and sighed. "Darius is still obsessed with you, Amber, and he's planning on coming for you. He wants custody of the baby so that he can have you."

I laughed. I couldn't help it, it sounded so ludicrous to me. After all, Darius was in love with Sophie now and had been for some time. I had initially told him that we would share custody of the child, but I was having second thoughts now.

"You're lying" I accused her, but part of me wondered. Her tone of voice had been sincere and genuine when she spoke to me.

"I'm not," she choked out, waving her arms around and looking a little distraught, "he wants you, Amber, believe me, don't believe me, that's up to you. I can't make you see the truth, all I can do is tell it," she said.

Why would Darius still be obsessed with me? Did he simply want control of the child? Or was he really after me and the unborn baby was his way of getting to me? I frowned and then glowered at Stacey.

"What do you gain from telling me all of this?" I spat out and she cringed, recoiling away from me, her eyes flashing with pain.

"Nothing," she said pitifully, "I just want somewhere safe to hide out and I'm hoping you'll keep my presence here a secret if anyone comes looking for me."

I didn't believe her. I knew there had to be something in it for her, but I couldn't work out what it was. All I knew was that she had given me something to think about and something to worry about. I knew I was going to have to make that phone call and talk to Sophie and Darius, but part of me was hesitant as I knew they would want to discuss custody arrangements and I wasn't ready for that.

"Leave," I told Stacey quietly, "and I'll keep you being here a secret, but I don't trust you" I warned her, "and if I replace out you're causing mischief, then I won't hesitate to kill you."

She nodded looking relieved and made a mad dash out of the woods, without a backward glance as I followed more slowly, my mind awhirl with all sorts of thoughts, namely did I tell Stefan about the conversation in the woods or did I keep it secret in case Stacey was lying to me?