2

“You know what? I think you should get out of here and stop being so delusional.” He shot me a death glare before crossing the room to help Indie, who was whining dramatically about her dress. I couldn’t remember the last time Karl stuck around in bed with me for a minute after engaging in anything sexual but here he was, helping Indie fix herself after a rough banging.

I inhaled as the most excruciating pain tore through my body, none of this what I wished to see but nevertheless, I wasn’t giving up. I shook my head, hastily wiped away my tears and rushed after him. This isn't over yet. I dropped to my knees before him, my palms rubbing together anxiously.

"Please," I begged, looking up at him with pleading eyes, my last piece of pride abandoned. "Reconsider. Don't leave me like this. I'm truly pregnant with your child. Please…” I forced myself to smile, still hoping the news would touch his heart and make him reconsider his words.

I never asked for the world.

I simply wanted to give love and be loved just the same. I never would have thought this day would come but at the same time, I couldn’t blame him for thinking I was a bad luck; a dent on his perfected life.

However, I held onto the hope that this time, luck would finally smile on me. And for a while, it did.

Karl's love and affection were genuine and true, a rare love that I cherished with all my heart. My only mistake was being blind to the fact that not everyone would be happy for us. I can remember my father warning me about Indie, saying she was a sly person, but as the drunkard he was, I mistook his words as gibberish. Because out of everyone else, the one person I never expected to turn against me was my closest friend.

Now, it seems like no matter how much I try, it’s always a never-ending cycle of loss and heartache, and I’m not sure how much more I can take before I’m completely broken.

I braced myself, expecting him to walk right past me with her, without a second glance but to my surprise, Karl stopped. He stared down at me, suspicion clouding his face.

“Now, are you trying to pull my legs? I’m done with you and you better get that into your skull. Neither your tears nor your silly excuse will get me to stay.” He snarled, and I saw it in his eyes, the finality.

“But it’s not an excuse, the baby is really yours.” I wanted to say right after but hesitated, coming to the realization that I’ve already lost him. My heart ached, and I bit down at my lip until it drew blood. While I contemplated what I was supposed to do with my life now, salt was added to my sore wound.

Indie’s smile stretched into a grin from beside him, and when she spoke, her mocking voice hit me like a harsh downpour of rain.

“I didn’t know you would stoop so low, but I suppose it’s to be expected from someone of your background. My only regret is ever associating with someone as pathetic as you. You’re poor, ugly, with a father who can’t even hold down a job and a dead mother who was little more than the pack’s slut. What’s the purpose of someone like you, huh? You’re so useless you can’t even get anything right. A womb, at least, would have been something but no, you’ve failed at that too,” She snorted, not pausing for another moment before she spat, a smug look appearing on her face. “Oh, I forgot, it runs in the family, after all.”

Her last sentence struck my face like a physical slap, my body shook and my heart pounded in my ears. I inhaled sharply, fighting to hold back the tears that prickled at the corners of my eyes.

I stood, and straightened up, my eyes glaring back into hers. The urge to speak was there. I badly wanted to exchange words with her, insult her just as much as she ridiculed me but making a fool of myself over a spilled milk was what I wouldn’t do.

I faced Karl. The same man I dreamt of spending forever with, the one I thought would be my rock, my partner, and my everything. And all I saw before me now is a stranger, a man who callously discarded our three-year commitment for a lie and a brief taste of another woman’s warmth. Or maybe, he was never truly invested in me at all.

"Let's pretend, just for a moment, that I am carrying your child. Tell me, what would you want me to do with our baby? I know you're totally done with me, but know this, whatever decision you make now will decide whether you'll have any rights to our child in the future—”

“Abort it!” He cut in before I even finished. I stared at him in utmost disbelief, and my body jerked backward in shock. He continued at the same time, eyes lingering with an unmistakable scorn, "You and I both know the truth, Alethea. I'm aware of everything now, and we both know you can't get pregnant. So, if by some impossible chance you are, get rid of it and don't ever show your face to me again."

His outburst was shocking and as I stood there, it all began to dawn on me. I realized the only explanation for the three years he spent in my life was that he pitied me. He must have tolerated me, stayed with me, and pretended to love me all because he saw me as a pathetic broken creature whom he could toy with, using the affection I must be craving. Because only that could explain his sudden hatred, and make it all make sense.

I turned back to Indie, rage fueling the burning fire deep within me. I accept she’s been with me all along secretly plotting to snatch my partner away from me, but what I didn’t expect was the venom with which she spoke about my parents.

“The next time that you speak, remember to spare my family from your rants. We might be poor but at least, we don’t hijack what belongs to others. Especially when it’s a thrash, with no value.” With that said, I looked back at Karl’s face. He was glaring at me with visible irritation. “Go ahead. You can now reject me.” I spoke but I couldn’t recognize my own voice. I gazed down at my stomach for a second, as if the mere thought of raising our child alone will make this hurt any less.

I might be putting on a strong face but internally, it felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. I hated that even close to heartbreak, I still hoped within me for him to retract his decision.

He knows I can’t live without him. So, I’m certain he wouldn’t listen to me. He won’t do it. He wouldn’t break me like this… or so I thought. He did just that.

“I, Karl Darius, hereby reject you, Alethea Maddox, as my mate and Luna, and I wish no one else has to suffer the fate of knowing you.” I was close to lowering my head when he suddenly burst out, looking directly into my eyes and all the hair on my body froze. But he didn’t care about any of that. He walked away with ease, Indie by his side and that was when tears broke through my eyes.

My wolf’s growl demanded I rise, that I should flee, but I clutched my stomach and let out a painful cry.

My heart felt like it was about to collapse and crumble. I felt the strain as the bond between us stretched to its limit, and then it snapped apart.

Eventually I stormed out of the basement and ran far into the darkness as fast as I could. When I reached somewhere far from sight, I sprawled myself on the floor and cried bitterly.

It was all too shocking, too sudden and too painful.

I placed a gentle hand on my stomach. What if I had broken the news to him sooner? Would it have made a difference? Or maybe that’s who he’s always been, and I just never saw it.

His hurtful words kept repeating in my head. I tried to be brave there with them, but the rejection hurt deeply. It seemed I wasn't meant to be loved. After so much pain, I finally found a mate, but it turned out my supposed mate would end up rejecting me.

If he truly wanted me, a jealous friend’s lies wouldn’t have been enough to tear us apart.

I sucked in a breath, pushing back the rest of my tears. As I rose from the floor and smoothened out my dress, I made up my mind.

The pack’s mistreatment and hatred hadn’t broken me and neither would he. I will not break, instead, I will stand tall, survive this and get my revenge!