Bullied Pregnant Mate (Honeyville Firefighter Shifters #4)

Chapter 1 - Gina

I swallowed nervously. I don't even know why I decided to come to the funeral. I knew exactly how everything would go. Eddy would look perfect in her casket, and everyone would be crying even though she was a cranky old bitch that didn't care about anyone but herself. How she lived as long as she had, I will never know.

Being her great-granddaughter and the only living relative, everything fell to me. I could have thrown it aside and washed my hands of the entire situation, but it would have only blown up in my face. The pack would have been furious and likely treated me worse than they already did.

I took in the full parking lot and the cascade of people heading inside. All were wearing black, and they were wiping their eyes. Some I knew were genuine, and others I wasn't so sure. Some I knew were only forcing them because of Eddie's power. She had been the oldest member of the pack, and whether you liked her or not, she got respect.

I squared my shoulders and headed inside. I was trying to walk confidently, but I hated heels, and my feet hurt even after wearing them for only twenty minutes from the drive over. I hated the black dress I had on, feeling sweat rolling down my back. And my hair—god, I hated having my hair down.

As I opened the door, I could already feel eyes on me. The church was filled, all eyes turned to me, and the whispers began.

"Late to her own family's funeral, how fitting."

"And look at her outfit? Does she have no dignity? She's too big to wear a dress like that."

"And she's walking like a newborn calf."

I took a slow breath, wishing I was sitting at home in my sweatpants, watching a murder show instead of being here. I'd be anywhere but here.

I forced a smile because I always told myself it was better to just push through it rather than fight back. I'd tried fighting back for years, and it got me nowhere. If I at least acted like it didn't bother me, I felt I’d won a little.

"Afternoon," I said, nodding at a few as I walked further into the church. I could see the eye rolls as people turned away, returning to whatever conversation they had had before I walked in.

I adjusted my purse on my shoulder and headed further toward the altar where I knew Eddy would be. I turned the corner and took the large space in.

The church had a large glass dome that sparkled color all around the room. There were rows of benches for sitting where a few people were already seated. Eddy's casket, which was a mahogany brown, sat open at the other end. I straightened my shoulders and headed down the aisle. I could hear people whispering, and I tried to ignore it.

"Pity that Eddy had her as a great-granddaughter."

"What a shame to have such a fragile, lone wolf to be the sole heir to the family's money and name."

I could hear a little laughter and shook my head, stopping in front of the casket. Eddy, who was a hundred and two, lay peacefully in her bed. Her white hair was perfectly done, per the request in her will. The will, Jesus, the goddamn will.

She wanted a large funeral where the entire pack was invited. She wanted lilies and no carnations. She wanted to wear her favorite dress, her bedazzled navy blue dress, with her pearl earrings and necklace. You're not supposed to bury someone in jewelry, but she wanted it. She demanded it. The will had detailed information, from her outfit to the music she wanted playing.

Finger sandwiches and fancy wine were to be served—not the cheap stuff because she wasn't cheap; she had the money. She wanted an extra two hours for people to view her, and then the casket was to be closed.

I rolled my eyes because even in death, she was still a bitch. Even in death, she had to have all the control.

I remembered going to her house the last time I saw her. It was her birthday, only two months ago. She looked worn down, but she still spoke with an iron tongue.

"Sit up," she'd snapped at me, her eyes narrowing on me with rage. "I didn't invite you to my house to look like a homeless brat. You were raised with class."

I had fixed my posture, wondering why the hell I even went. I hadn't wanted to, but you couldn't refuse Eddy. And if I was being honest, I needed the company. While Eddy was a bitch, I knew her worth, and if I was to live through all this pain, there was something I was going to get in the end.

Maybe it made me shallow, but if you spent almost all of your life being looked down on, you would look for something that felt like salvation, and I had.

Eddy shook her head at me. "I can't believe you're the last person in my bloodline. A waste."

I scowled, always keeping my voice to myself, but it struck a nerve. I tightened my hand on the fork. "Doesn't that prove I'm strong, Eddy?"

Her eyes snapped back at me, and she laughed a cold, brittle laugh. Her eyes held no love, no remorse, or kindness as she spoke. "No, it just proves no one has crossed your pathway, but they will, and when they do, you're done for."

I wanted to yell at her that I held my own. While everyone else was dropping like flies, I stood strong.

Sometimes, I was shocked at how I was the last one standing when everyone around me constantly was telling me I was going to die because I was a waste of space and couldn't protect myself.

Eddy had two children who had gotten married and had children. My relatives died from various things. My father had died from a heart attack at a young age, which is why I started watching what I ate. My mother died when I was twenty from heartache. But if I was being honest, I think it was all the alcohol she drank in secret.

And my brother. The prize jewel of my family.

A smirk pulled at my lip. I couldn't help it because he treated me lower than garbage. Any chance he had, he would hurt me. He'd sneer about how he would be alpha, and I would end up alone with no one to love me.

He died from a fight with another wolf. He was a hothead and messed with the wrong person. It was common to fight, but my brother was going for blood. And it cost him his life.

I remembered getting the call and sitting there silently, unsure what to feel. We never had a good relationship, and I had long given that up. I didn't feel sorrow; at least, I didn't think I felt it.

I stared at Eddy now, the last person standing. I reached in, adjusting the necklace. Anger bubbled up, and I leaned down right by her ear. "I hope you rot in hell with everyone else, which is less than what you deserve. It's less than what any of you deserve for the way that you treated me."

I leaned back, looking her over once more, before pulling my shoulders back and taking in a slow breath.

I turned and froze when I spotted Chris, the family lawyer, sitting just a few feet away. I internally winced, hating how his eyes were glued to me. His face looked at me with disgust, and he made it known.

I walked back down the aisle, assuming he had paperwork and needed signatures for Eddy's things. I stopped next to him.

"I hope you thanked her for everything she gave you because you don't deserve it."

No one heard what I said to her, so I smiled. "I thanked her."

He pulled himself up, fixing his tie. "We have papers for you to sign and important information about the house and land."

I swallowed, hating how he said it. I would rather talk somewhere private about these things, but knowing Chris, he wouldn't allow it. If he had something to say to embarrass me, he'd do it in public.

"Ok, I have a pen in my purse."

He quickly pulled out a binder and placed a few papers in it. "Eddy wanted to be buried in the family cemetery. You just need to sign for the body to be moved."

I scribbled my name, and he yanked the paperback and flipped to another page. He pointed to another, and I signed my name once more.

"And the family inheritance."

I tilted my head, waiting. The family inheritance should be mine, but knowing Eddy, she had a plan for that—she had a plan for everything. I could live without the money.

"There is a total of twenty thousand in her account."

"What?" My words echoed around me, and I could tell if people weren't looking before, they were now. I shook my head, lowing my voice. "What do you mean twenty thousand? That's not right."

Chris smirked, and my stomach dipped.

"That's what's given to you. That's what's left."

"Last year, she had over five hundred thousand dollars," I said, utterly shocked.

He kept that smile. "Yeah, Eddy spent it."

My entire body felt hot with rage. I looked at her casket, knowing the bitch did it on purpose. She knew the money would go to me, and she wasted it. I knew I shouldn’t be surprised, but I was.

"On what?" I growled.

Chris shrugged. "She gave a handful to people, did some renovations on her house, bought herself some jewelry..." He rambled all the other places. All the money that was rightfully mine was pissed away like it was pocket change.

"But this twenty is also taxed, so really, you only have about eighteen left."

I just stood stunned.

"And her house and possessions were to be given to Kathleen and her husband, Frank."

"What?" My voice echoed once more, and I could hear people murmuring now. I took a slow breath in, feeling tears bloom. "Kathleen and Frank aren't even related to her. I'm her blood! How does that work?"

"It's in her will," he said, pulling it out and waving the paper at me. "As is all the other details that she wanted. I do hope you followed all her demands or that eighteen is to be given to someone else."

I bite hard on my cheek, tasting blood. I knew damn well I followed all her demands. "What else?" I was seething with rage, but I couldn't let that all go. I didn’t really care about the house here, but it still hurts.

"There is the summer house. It sits on 45 acres of land," I remembered. It was my salvation in this mess. We had gone so many times when I was young, and it always felt like home—a real home.

He pulled out a paper with a picture of the house and information printed: "But the house is only to be given if you're married, which I know you aren't.."

I waved my hands because this was new. Whenever Eddy spoke about the house, she hated it. She honestly just let it rot, so why the hell would she put up a stipulation for it? "Why do I have to be married? That wasn't part of any other demands."

Chris snorted. "You know why you're a lone wolf, Gina. You aren't going to accomplish anything, and they don't want the house and the land to go to waste and be ruined. More than it already is."

I curled my hands into fists, feeling my anger boiling over. I was so sick and tired of everyone looking down on me like I was a waste and of everyone telling me what I could and couldn't do.

"Well, that's fine because I'm getting married."

Chris raised an eyebrow, almost seeming a little surprised. "You?"

"Yes." I yanked the paper from his hands. "And if that's all you need, I'll be leaving. Enjoy the funeral."

I turned, walking away. I felt my face grow hot with rage. In one of the pews were Kathleen and her husband. Kathleen looked perfect with her slim frame and long blond hair. She smiled proudly, and I hated her—I hated everyone.

I walked past her, storming out of the altar and then out of the church. I'd been fucked over, just like every other day in my life.

I felt tears bloom, and I wanted to just fall apart and cry. But I looked at the paper and pulled it up, taking the picture in. The house looked abandoned, with a few busted windows and weeds taking over the yard. I wouldn’t be surprised if animals got inside, ruining it.

But of course, Eddy wouldn't just give it to me. She wanted me to be married, and she knew I wasn't when she died.

This was my ticket. I could finally leave this place and start over, get away from all the hatred, and be happy somewhere else.

I took a deep breath and headed to my car, trying to figure out a loophole to finally get what I deserved.