Chapter 10

Gabriel's POV

I sat at my desk, staring at the contract before me, the letters gradually blurring into an indistinct mass. My thoughts had long since drifted to Isabella. Since she moved in, these two days had become unusually long. I found it increasingly difficult to resist the urge to see her; my wolf constantly growled, yearning to be near her, to protect her, fearing she might be in danger.

I knew she was safe. This mischievous little human had been clutching that Bond Stone every few hours, seemingly just to see if I would come. I was beginning to regret giving it to her, yet deep down I anticipated each time she would grasp it, giving me an excuse to yield to my wolf's desires and go to her.

Isabella was completely different from my former mate, Vanessa Kingsley. When Vanessa was my mate, I gave her everything she wanted, but her temperament was difficult to handle.

If Vanessa had been pregnant, she would undoubtedly have demanded an even more luxurious lifestyle and complained constantly. Isabella, however, seemed simply immersed in anticipation of the new life.

My phone vibrated with a message from Jason: The investigator has arrived.

A knock came at my office door. The private investigator I'd hired entered with a folder tucked under his arm. My heart involuntarily quickened.

"Mr. Vasquez," he nodded respectfully.

"What did you find?" I gestured for him to sit.

"Everything checks out," the investigator said, opening the folder and spreading several documents across my desk. "Miss Morgan's background completely aligns with what she told you. She grew up in the foster system, worked as a nanny for a wealthy family, and was indeed betrayed by her boyfriend Brian."

I examined the reports, feeling a wave of relief. My wolf howled with satisfaction in my mind. Isabella truly wasn't a gold-digger.

"Her debt is considerable," the investigator continued. "Her ex-boyfriend convinced her to take out loans for supposed investments, then disappeared with the money. This man has a history of similar scams with other women."

"What about the sperm sample mix-up? Any leads on how that happened?"

The investigator shook his head. "That remains unclear. The reproductive center's records show she selected a surgeon's sample, just as she claimed. There's nothing to suggest she orchestrated this situation."

"And Dr. Collins?"

"No evidence of conspiracy between them. They're old friends from the foster system, but neither appears to have planned this... accident."

I leaned back, processing this information. Isabella's experience mirrored my own in unexpected ways—we both desperately wanted children, and we both had been betrayed by our partners. Perhaps I could try trusting her, getting answers directly from the source.

I nodded, signaling him to leave. The room returned to silence, but my wolf grew more restless. I stood up and walked directly to Isabella's suite. I found her curled up in an armchair by the window, reading a book about pregnancy, her expression quiet and soft.

Without a word, I approached and gently placed my hand on her still-flat stomach. She flinched slightly, trying to move away, but I firmly held her in place.

"Don't move," I said softly. "I just want to feel the baby. All werewolf parents have a mental connection with their pups, even in the womb."

Her eyes widened, her voice filled with disbelief, "Is that why I could hear your voice inside my body when I fainted before?"

I nodded, somewhat surprised. "Possibly." That she could feel this connection was unusual—humans typically couldn't sense it—but there was no better explanation.

I withdrew my hand and sat in the chair opposite her. "May I ask why you decided to try artificial insemination?"

Isabella looked at me: "You believe me now?"

"I apologize for not trusting you initially," I met her eyes directly. "Trusting people isn't easy for me."

She nodded, seeming to understand. "After my ex-boyfriend Brian betrayed me, I discovered he had been secretly putting birth control in my coffee for years." Her voice trembled slightly. "It severely depleted my egg reserve. My doctor told me I might only have one last chance to conceive."

Her amber eyes were filled with pain. "I've always wanted to be a mother more than anything. When I discovered Brian's betrayal, I knew I couldn't wait any longer. So I went to Sarah for help."

As I listened to her story, a surge of protectiveness rose within me. Without thinking, I moved to her side and gently pulled her into an embrace. I could hear her soft crying, which ignited fury in my heart. No one could hurt the mother of my pup like this.

My wolf growled. Find this Brian. Teach him a lesson he'll never forget.

"What happened between you and your mate?" Isabella asked hesitantly, pulling back to look at me.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "As I mentioned before, not all fated mates are compatible. Vanessa was intelligent and calculating. Our relationship wasn't based on love so much as the fact that we were fated mates."

"Vanessa desperately wanted a child. When I couldn't give her one, she betrayed me, choosing another powerful werewolf. She was materialistic at her core—without the chance to have an heir, the position of Luna meant nothing to her."

"We've both been hurt," Isabella said softly, her hand unconsciously moving to her stomach.

I was about to say something when a voice came from outside the door.

"Alpha, there's news outside that you've brought back a woman who's pregnant. The werewolf council is all buzzing about it."