Chapter 2.

STACY

“Why you ungrateful mutt, is this the nonsense you called us for?” Jason's father is the first person to erupt at his announcement. Alpha John might be the former Alpha but he still command with dominance and power whenever he spoke.

Jason scoffs at his father's words which I had never seen before. This isn't the man I know.

For a moment, I can’t breathe. Jason's words echo repeatedly in the air like a death sentence.

‘He can’t be serious.’

I force myself to speak in-between John scolding his son.

"Jay… is this some kind of joke?" My voice is trembling but not more than my legs.

Jason’s cold eyes meet mine, and the chill in his gaze sends a shiver down my spine. "I’m not joking, Stacy," he says flatly, as if discussing the weather.

My world spins, and suddenly, everything around me fades. The murmurs of our guests, the soft music playing in the background—it all goes mute. I can see Jason’s parents scolding him some more, their faces red with anger, but their words don’t reach me. It’s like I’m watching a silent film, detached from reality.

‘How can this be happening?’ I think back to our perfect two years of marriage. Every moment, every smile, every kiss. I remember how perfect it all seemed, how Jason and I were the envy of the packs even though my parents were against the marriage from the start, but I didn’t listen. I thought love would be enough, that our bond was unbreakable.

But now, here I am, standing in a room full of people, while the man I love announces he’s leaving me for someone else. I can’t believe it. I won’t believe it.

My newborn son’s cries break through the fog that surrounds me, snapping me back to the present. I look down at him, his tiny face scrunched up in distress.

The room comes rushing back into focus, and I realize Jason and his father, John, are nose to nose, the tension between them palpable.

"I won’t let you disgrace our family like this!" John’s voice booms, his fists clenched at his sides.

"Stay out of it, old man, no one ever interferes into your marriage issues," Jason snaps back, his eyes burning with anger.

The two Alphas are seconds away from tearing into each other, their energy crackling through the air like a live wire.

"Stop!" I call out, but my voice is swallowed by the chaos. I take a deep breath and, with as much composure as I can muster, I say louder, "Please, stop this. Jason, can I have a word with you?"

Jason doesn’t even look at me. His arm tightens around Nicole, pulling her closer. "Say whatever you need to say right here, Stacy. I don’t have time for private conversations."

My heart sinks at his callousness, but I know I can’t let this go. Not like this. "Why, Jason? Why the sudden divorce? Did I do anything wrong?" I manage to ask, my voice barely more than a whisper.

Jason scoffs, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Why?" he repeats, as if the answer should be obvious. "Because I never loved you, Stacy. I only married you to fulfill my duty to the pack, to sire an heir since age was catching up on me... But I’ve always been waiting for Nicole to come back to me. She’s the one I love, not you."

‘NOT YOU!?’

His words cut deeper than any knife could. I feel the blood drain from my face, my heart shattering into a thousand pieces.

‘He never loved me?’ My mind struggles to process the confession, to make sense of the past two years. How could I have been so blind?

Jason’s father, John, steps forward, his face contorted with fury. "You little shit! Apologize to your wife! Apologize to everyone here for this disgrace!"

Jason doesn’t flinch. "I’m not apologizing to anyone, least of all Stacy," he says coldly. "The only person I owe anything to is Nicole."

The room goes deathly quiet. In a flash of movement, John punches Jason square in the jaw, sending him staggering backward. The force of the blow reverberates through the room, leaving everyone frozen in shock.

My baby’s cries grow louder, more frantic. Jason glares at his father, his eyes dark with rage. He looks like he’s about to lunge back at John, but his mother, Linda and the two elders, steps between them.

Linda is in tears and I can't help but feel sorry for her because she obviously can't pick a side as one was her husband and the other her son.

"Please, Jason, leave," she begs. "Not here, not now. Two Alphas fighting in front of a baby isn’t what any of us want."

For a moment, I see a flicker of conflict in Jason’s eyes, but then he snorts, dismissing it. Without another word, he grabs Nicole’s hand and storms out of the house, leaving me standing there, more shattered than before. The door slams shut behind them, the sound echoing in the silence of the room.

I feel myself start to crumble, but I hold on, if only for the tiny life in my arms that needs me to be strong. My perfect world has been shattered, but right now, I can’t afford to fall apart. Not in front of my guests anyway.