Read Online Bridenapped The Alpha's Choice by Georgette St. Clair - Free Book Online Page A

seem bothered by it.
    Regina, looking bored, pulled out her iPod and popped her earbuds in her ears.
    “Where is the maternity ward?” Mary looked around. Wouldn’t it make sense that the maternity ward building would be right next to the main hospital? But there were no other buildings nearby.
    “Oh, it’s towards the back of the property,” Jarrod said.
    Curiouser and curiouser. “I’d like to visit that now.”
    “Take us to the maternity ward, please,” Jarrod said to the limo driver.
    “Fine, I’ll call ahead and let them know we’re coming,” Ignatius said as the limo driver headed down a side road.
    “Why do you need to call ahead?” Mary asked. “You didn’t call ahead to let them know we were coming to the hospital, or anywhere else. Why do you need to call the maternity ward?”
    “It’s common courtesy and pack custom,” Ignatius said, reaching for his phone.
    “Hold it!” Mary cried out, at the same time Jarrod said, “Hold on there.”
    Jarrod said to Ignatius, “It’s not actually pack custom. It’s not that I have any reason not to want you to call them, but why are you insisting on it?”
    “I’d like to say something,” Mary added. “Let’s say this marriage works out and I give birth to our cubs.”
    “Well, of course that’s what will happen,” Jarrod said, looking at her as if she baffled him with her silliness.
    “I assume that I would be giving birth to our cubs at the maternity ward on these grounds?”
    “Yes, that’s right.” He nodded.
    “Well, I can assure you that if I’m going to consider giving birth somewhere, I want to tour the maternity ward first. You’ve got this mysterious building that’s hidden at the back of your property and you need to warn them before we come?” Her tone was as sharp as a knife.
    “Is it the pack birthing custom that you’re concerned about?” Jarrod asked.
    “Well, yes, actually, that’s part of it,” Mary said, even though she had no idea what he was talking about. “I’ve only heard rumors, though. Can you tell me a little more about it?”
    Ignatius reached for his cell phone again. He had an uneasy look on his face.
    “Pick up that cell phone and you’ll be looking at a bleeding stump at the end of your arm where your hand should be,” Jarrod said, baring his teeth. “Now you’re starting to make me think there’s something wrong, when I know there isn’t. Or is there? Tell me, Ignatius, is there something I should be worried about?”
    “Of course not. Sir.”
    Jarrod resumed speaking to Mary. “The pack custom is that male cubs are briefly taken from their mother immediately after she gives birth – just briefly. They are taken out of the room to be blessed by what we call a Mage. They’re returned to the mother one hour later. It’s supposed to guarantee them long life and health. It’s a custom that started when my uncle took over. We’ve been doing it for twenty years now.”
    He saw the look on Mary’s face. “It’s just for an hour.”
    Mary gave him the stink-eye. “Why can’t the mother be in the room with the baby when the Mage is blessing it?”
    “I don’t know, it’s just part of the custom. The Mage needs to be alone with the baby for the blessing to work.”
    “Well, that would be a deal-breaker for me.” She meant it, too. Not that she really thought she was staying here, but she definitely wasn’t handing her theoretical, non-even-conceived-yet baby over to some stranger.
    “All right.” Jarrod nodded. “I understand. You’ve got a strong maternal instinct. I appreciate that. When the time comes, you do not have to send your cub to the Mage.”
    As they pulled up to the maternity ward, Mary didn’t feel particularly reassured. There were security guards in wolf form pacing around the front of the building.
    She raised an eyebrow, looking at Jarrod. “This is certainly a well-guarded building. Do you get many cub-napping attempts?”
    Jarrod laughed at that.