Take a picture

BELLA

The soft hum of the air condition fills the quiet room while I sign off my section of the divorce papers. All that is left is Brad's signature, he signs off and then I'm free. I don't know which will be more challenging, telling him about the divorce or getting him to sign it.

I should forge his signature and leave his ass before he becomes any wiser, Night Shade Attorneys are good with these kinds of discretion. I welcome the idea for a second before thrashing it, his ego is bigger than the pack and he'll do anything to keep it that way__my humiliation this morning was one of many.

I can't fit into this life with a child on the way, I have to disappear, my bag’s packed, not even Esme will know where I am. I could rip a page out of Ari's playbook and fake my own death, that way I can't be traced.

I don't know what's worse, having a child in a home where he'll never be loved by his father or raising my child as a single mother, no werewolf without a father has ever been treated fairly.

I rub my temples gently, these thoughts are giving me migraines. Why do I have to do this alone? Brad may not like me but would he pass that lack of affection to his own child? I love Brad, and I love my baby, maybe I should fight like Esme advised, or I don't have to, I hope he'll change when he finds out. I fold the papers neatly in the envelope; I can't have these lying around, not until I make a decision.

He opens the door as I slip the envelope under the pillow.

“Can't you knock?” I asked. His eyes held amusement and suspicion.

“Why should I do that? This is my room too.”

“Yeah, but you startled me, I…”

“Not my fault you're jumpy. What are you doing?”

“Nothing I__ where’ve you been?”

“Out with my men.” of course.

My sensitive nose twitches, catching a whiff of Ariana's flowery scent as he takes off his sweat stained shirt.

“With your men you say?”

“Yeah, and Ariana, we were horse riding.”

I hope that was the only thing you were riding.

Why am I bothered that he's spending time with Ari? I'll be leaving soon, so it's okay. Liar.

The thought of them together evaporates when he takes off his trousers, revealing the huge bulge under his briefs. I've seen him naked a lot of times but still drool every time. I swallow hard, taking my mind back to the last time we made love.

Over a month ago, he came back late, swearing obscenities at Jakov and his lineage, the leader of our rival pack. The diplomatic truce ended badly and would have turned into a bloodbath if the Betas of both packs had not intervened and held back their egocentric Alpha's.

“Brad, honey, you need to calm down.” I said to him as I held his face gently, one of those few times he would let me touch him. He leaned into my palm, eyes closed and exhaled.

When he opened them, they were rings of fire, his musky scent became stronger.

“Take off your clothes!” He growled. I had barely registered what he was saying when he ripped them off and turned me over. I was on my hands and knees, trying to keep up with his powerful thrusts throughout the night, loved every bit of it, wishing we had rough sex more often.

“Take a picture, It'll last longer.” Brad's voice snapped me back.

“Uh? I….” I lick my lips.

“I’m gonna take a shower real quick.” I feel warm in certain places, looking at his firm butt as he walks into the bathroom. I should be ashamed of myself, here I was moments ago thinking about what's best for my baby, now a flash of a naked Alpha has stopped me from thinking. It's too early to blame it on hormones. I open the windows to let in some fresh air.

I need to think of a better way to handle this, I can't survive alone out there, the little fortune I have will only get me a small cottage and enough to live on till the baby is born, what happens after that? I could get a job, but I'll be putting my child's life more at risk, raising a child penniless with no protector.

I reach for the envelope under the pillow, if he signs this then I'll be out of his life for good.

Do I tell him about the baby? He may learn to love me with time, or least love our child, I've seen the fondness in his eyes when he visits the Pack’s orphanage, his spends hours with them once every week and for those moments, he isn't an Alpha or the most powerful leader in all the province, he’s just a male who loves children_ours won't be any different.

This could all be just a misunderstanding, maybe he will forget about Ariana once he knows about our baby...or I would be giving him a reason to kick me out for good. Am I willing to gamble my baby's life by hoping for what will never be?

I blink back the hot tears blurring my vision. Too late.

“What are you holding?” Brad asks. I shove the envelope in my jacket before turning to him.

“Myself, it's cold in here.”

Brad surprisingly cups my round cheeks, concern etched on his face as he wipes the stray tear from my cheek, his brow creased.

“Are you alright?”

I stare at the man who gave me a hard look this morning and watched unfazed as I was humiliated in front of everyone.

The man who was ready to have me flogged or injected with wolfsbane even after crying and begging for mercy. Why is he bothered by a single tear when I shed a fountain this morning?

“Nothing that I can't handle,” I reply, shaking my head. He put his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants, taking a step back.

The cold air quickly replaces the warmth of my cheek, where his hands had been. Fighting the urge to put it back, to wrap my arms around him and fill my lungs with his soapy scent, I hug myself tighter.

“Sit, I need to tell you something.”

This is happening, we both can't ignore it. His long lost love is here and he'll put me away. My heart ache thinking about the long lonely nights ahead of me, hard as our marriage has been for the past three years, I'd always looked forward to his warmth beside me every night.

“Okay.” I croak, trying so hard to swallow the lump in my throat. He leans his shoulder on the wall opposite the edge of the bed where I sit, his legs crossed at the ankles, his relaxed stance that still retains its dominance.

It'll be over soon and I'll be free, this is what I wanted but why does it hurt so much?

“What I'm about to say may hurt you, but you need to hear it from me…”

Just say it already!

The door opens before we can register the swift knock that came prior.

Ariana breezes in like an evil spirit.

Mistaking our positions for intimacy, she focuses her eyes on Brad, but not before I saw the flash of jealousy in her eyes.

“Ariana.” Brad walks to her like he hadn't been with her a moment ago.

“What’s wrong?”

“I_ Bella please, may I sit?”

I turn to look at her in shock. Surely I must have misheard.

Not the same Ari who humiliated me and asked me to stay away from her a few hours ago, why is she here? It can't be good.

“It’s okay Ari.” Brad said gently.

She walk pass Brad and sits close to me, once again filling the room with that flowery scent I'm beginning to dislike so much.

“Bella, I'm sorry about what happened today, honestly it wasn't my intention to treat you like that in front of everyone.”

Liar!

My face remains passive, waiting for the bomb she's about to drop.

“We’re sisters Bel, wombmates. The three years I spent without seeing you felt like a life time, and I can't bear being away from you anymore.”

My skin crawl as she takes my palm in hers, she gives me that smile that no one else seems to see through.

“Please can I stay in this room with you? I need us to have that bond we once shared.”

What? No.

Brad may have fallen for her theatrics, but not me. She can't be here.

“I…”

“Of course you can.” Brad gives me the kind of look that says he wasn't asking.

Ariana turns to Brad with a smile on her face,

“Really? I don't want to inconvenience Bella in any way.”

Then leave!

“It’s no trouble,” Brad pats her shoulder, his eyes fixed on mine.

“Bella wouldn't mind, would you?"