The Lost Queen

Ch. 10: Half-Breed

Rayne turned around to face her more than surprised family and Jarrah, who rubbed a palm against the side of his flushed face. Her shoulders cringed inward and the apologetic smile she flashed at everyone was not well perceived. Even after she joked out a squeaky, "Surprise!"

There was a brief moment of silence. But then Ronan, in true Ronan fashion, had to say something stupid.

"WAIT. THEN WHO THE HELL IS THE FATHER?" Ronan shouted, jumping to his feet.

Jarrah glared at him, Rayne groaned, Navaeh, Ezra, and Nashoba ignored him to look at her, and Ronan's father shoved him back into his seat with a warning growl. He slumped in his seat with a snicker, but sent a wink to Rayne, which oddly enough made her shoulders relax. She smiled back at him and looked up at her family, who were still struggling to wrap their heads around the thought of her being pregnant.

"You weren't supposed to find out this way," she started, nibbling on the corner of her lip. "But it's true. I'm pregnant."

Nashoba rubbed at his forehead and passed his hand over his silk, black hair. "Rayne . . . this soon? We've barely begun integrating Moonshine with the Fae. It's only been a month!"

"I know," she admitted. "But you don't exactly plan for these things to happen."

"No, but you're supposed to prevent it from happening," Nevaeh argued, crossing her arms. "Or at least try to!"

"I-We did try!" she partially lied. The first time they tried, and then the second time . . . yeah, that was their fault.

"Not hard enough! You've hardly been seeing each other for that long!"

"He's my mate, mom. You know what it's like trying to resist it!"

"I can't listen to this," Nashoba mumbled, scrunching his nose in disgust. Declan nodded in agreement, wincing at the topic. Ronan just laughed under his breath.

Rayne opened her mouth to add to it, but Ezra cut her off.

"Do we even know what it's going to become?" he snarked.

Jarrah tensed and Rayne growled low in her chest. Jarrah shot her brother a heated look and through clenched teeth, grumbled out, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Ezra shrugged, rage brewing in his gaze. "I think you know exactly what I mean. Do you expect the pack to be okay with a half-breed as their future alpha?"

"Ezra, that's enough," Nashoba snapped, glaring at him.

"Oh, come on dad, you know it's true. When has Moonshine, the strongest pack in the world, ever been led by a shifter who wasn't a purebred wolf? Rayne being with the fairy is one thing, but having a kid with one?" he said, his disgust for Jarrah evident in the tone of his voice.

Jarrah hissed and took a threatening step forward, his eyes turning white.

"Shut up, Ezra," Rayne snarled, her chest igniting with a burning flash of rage.

"If you're jealous of a baby being stronger than you, then just say that and leave our child out of it," Jarrah spat. The veins in his neck strained with the clench of his jaw, and Rayne knew if she didn't settle things fast, there was going to be a full out brawl between her mate and her brother.

"Look, you can all be mad and disappointed about it all you want. But it won't change the fact that I'm having a baby with Jarrah and I don't regret it. So you can all either be on board with it, or leave us alone until you can. I'm still the alpha, which means my child will be the future of Moonshine and the Fae. If that isn't "strong enough" for you Ezra, then by all means feel free to keep that to yourself or leave," Rayne snapped, crossing her arms.