CHAPTER 6

FARKAS’ POV

Once Ashina left after informing me about how she had been taking good care of my family while I wasn’t here, guilt and shame hit me.

Ashina had been the light in my life and now that she was willing to grant me a divorce without making any fuss, why should I make things more difficult?

My mother’s words echoed in my mind like a sinister chant as I sat in the worn-out armchair, the dim light of the evening casting long shadows across the room.

“Quickly divorce Ashina, and make sure she’s the one at fault. Then you can take all of her property,” she said, her tone sharp, like a knife being drawn across fabric.

I froze, my mind struggling to process what she had just said.

“What?” I finally managed to croak, my voice shaky. “What did you just say?”

She didn’t flinch.

“You heard me. If you divorce her now and make it look like she’s the one who’s at fault, you can take everything. The house, the businesses... everything.”

I felt anger rise in me.

“No, that’s despicable! How can you even suggest that? She’s my wife. You want me to betray her like that?”

She sighed, the sound almost one of pity.

“Oh, you’re too naive. You think loyalty means anything in this world? Ashina’s family was powerful. When her father was alive, they controlled so much of Ironclaw tribe's wealth. Now that she’s inherited it all, you’re going to let it slip through your fingers?”

I could feel the weight of her eyes on me, but I refused to let it break me.

“I’m not like you, Mother. I don’t care about her money.”

“Oh, you don’t care about it now. But you will when you realise what kind of life we’ve been living,” she retorted, her voice growing colder. “You’re a Beta now, aren’t you? The pack needs to see you as a man of status, not as some nobody from a family of workers. Look at this house.”

She pointed around, her eyes scanning the cramped space.

“This is nothing. You deserve more. We deserve more… And that requires money. Lots of it.”

I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to snap back.

“This house may not be perfect, but it’s ours. My father worked hard to build this life for us. Why can’t you appreciate that?”

She scoffed.

“Your father? A repairman in the tribe. You really want to live his life, with his struggles? You have a chance to do better. To be better.”

Right, Dad was a repairman. Then I was appointed as the Beta which made my parents Lord and Lady right after my marriage with Ashina. Still, my ungrateful mother wanted me to cheat on Ashina?

She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “We need a bigger house, a grand wedding... Don’t you see? All those things require money. Ashina’s wealth could give us all of that. And even more.”

I sat there, stunned by her words.

“I’m not going to use Ashina like that. I can’t betray her for money.”

My mother shook her head slowly, as if I were a child who didn’t understand the world.

“You think she’ll be heartbroken? Please. You’ve only been married only a year. She’s probably already made her plans for the future. If you divorce her now, you’ll have a comfortable life ahead of you.”

“But that’s shameful,” I blurted out, before I could stop myself.

The words hung in the air between us, and my heart pounded in my chest. It was the truth, even if it felt like a weakness in the face of my mother’s cold pragmatism.

My mother’s eyes softened, just for a moment, before she masked it with a smirk.

“It’s you right as a husband. Guilt doesn’t pay the bills. It doesn’t buy you the respect of the tribe. Money does. Power does.”

I shook my head, trying to push away the storm of thoughts and emotions that threatened to overwhelm me.

“I don’t need to take her wealth. I’ll figure something out on my own.”

“You’ll figure it out?” she repeated, her tone dripping with disbelief.

“How? With your meager salary as a Beta? You really think you can provide for us like that? No, you’re not thinking clearly. You need this, and Ashina is the key. You think she’ll fight for the property? Let her. You’ll be the one in control. She won’t be able to touch a thing.”

I stood up, my chair scraping loudly against the floor.

“I’m not doing it. I won’t hurt her like that.” My voice broke with a mixture of anger and frustration. “I’ll find another way.”

My mother’s gaze turned cold, and she stood up with me, her hands resting on her hips.

“You’re not as smart as you think you are. Do you really want to go back to the way things were? To struggle like we did? Your father is disabled. He’s not here to help anymore. You’re the one who has to make something of yourself now.”

I clenched my jaw, fighting the overwhelming urge to shout.

“I won’t betray her, no matter what you say.”

She stared at me, her eyes narrowing in a way that made my skin crawl.

“Fine. But remember this, dear; your future depends on the decisions you make now. Don’t come crawling to me later when you realise how foolish you’ve been.”

I could sense the tension in the room, dense and suffocating. Her words stung, but I refused to let them control me.

“I’ll make my own future, thank you,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “I don’t need your advice.”

She gave me one last look, a mixture of disappointment and cold calculation, before she turned and walked out of the room.

“We’ll see,” she called over her shoulder. “We’ll see.”

I stood there for a long moment, my hands trembling at my sides. I wasn’t sure what to think anymore. My mother’s words lingered in my mind, poisoning the air around me. I didn’t want Ashina’s property. I didn’t want to betray her.

Yet, the temptation was there, gnawing at me like a hunger I could not ignore.

That night, as I lay awake in bed, I could not stop thinking about what my mother had said. Ashina’s wealth, her family’s legacy—it all seemed so close, just a few decisions away.

I could secure a life of comfort, a life free from the financial struggles that had always plagued my family. But at what cost?

I thought about Ashina’s laughter, the way she always stood tall, despite the grief she carried from losing her parents. She wasn’t just the sum of her wealth. She was more than that.

Nonetheless, if I followed my mother’s plan, if I let greed take over, I knew I would lose even more.

I rolled over in bed, my mind racing. There had to be another way.

A way to move forward without sacrificing my integrity—or Ashina. How about Esther? My promise to her?

“I can’t wait for our grand wedding, Farkas… Oh, my Farkas… I love you so much,” had said Esther.