Chapter 4

[Rose's POV]

After Nina moved into the villa, she stopped provoking me, maybe because Wade had warned her. But I knew she would come for me sooner or later. I just didn't expect her scheme to hit this fast.

That afternoon, I was lying on the couch in the second-floor bedroom when Wade's furious roar suddenly blasted up from downstairs, followed by Nina's soothing voice.

Poppy jolted, and my whole body went rigid.

Seconds later, heavy, angry footsteps pounded up the stairs. The door was shoved open so hard it slammed into the wall.

Wade had an ugly look on his face. Nina followed him, the corners of her lips tilted in a smug little smile like she was here for the show.

I stared at them, stunned and confused.

"Rose, you'd better explain this to me. What the hell is going on here?"

Wade strode over and threw several photos right in front of me. They scattered all over the floor. I glanced down, then froze.

In the photos, I was in the arms of a human man. He was tilting a bottle to my lips and feeding me water. From the angle, it looked like we were wrapped up in some intimate embrace. There was another shot of him at the hospital, pulling the blanket up over me.

Every image was taken from the most damning angle possible. Anyone who saw them would be suspicious. There was no way to explain them away.

"These were clearly taken on purpose from the perfect angle. You're not seriously doubting me, are you?" I looked up at Wade, my voice shaking.

His eyes were cold and sharp as they locked onto me, rage simmering just beneath the surface. "How do you expect me to believe you when the photos clearly show what was happening? Who is this human, Rose?"

I forced myself to steady my breathing and stay calm. "I don't even know him, Wade. I didn't cheat on you."

Wade roared, "Then explain yourself!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the triumphant curve of Nina's lips. In that instant, I realized that this was another one of her traps.

These photos were from the day I'd caught another she-wolf's scent and secretly followed him, only to collapse halfway and be rescued by a human. If Wade ever found out I'd tailed him, then I was done for, whether or not the pup I carried was his.

Nina really was vicious.

At my silence, she fanned the flames. "Rose, stop lying. You're all over each other in these photos! Is your pup this human's? Is that why there's been no movement all this time?"

Wade's expression turned downright hideous.

My chest felt like it had been stuffed with something. Every breath was tight, painful, and suffocating. When I saw that Nina clearly wasn't going to let this go, I had no choice but to force the words out. "I smelled another she-wolf on you. I got suspicious, so I followed you."

I looked at Wade. The fury in his eyes was already at the brink.

But I had to keep going. "I tailed your car that day. Halfway through, I suddenly had this sharp pain in my stomach. I couldn't hold on and passed out by the side of the road.

"That human found me. He only helped me sit up, gave me some water, and then rushed me to the hospital. These photos were taken on purpose to frame me!"

"You followed me?" Wade roared, a storm of his rage crashing over everything.

His limbs and torso began to shift with his fury, his body morphing into wolf form. Silver fur swept over his skin, and his face reshaped into a wolf's muzzle. A chill shot through me, so cold that my bones felt like ice.

"Rose, I'm your mate. You say I don't trust you, but you're the one who's never trusted me! Isn't that right?" he snarled.

Even though I was terrified, I still stubbornly lifted my chin. "Are you saying that it's not true you had the scent of another she-wolf on you? Is Nina not carrying your pup now?"

Wade faltered for a moment, then his rage surged back, even hotter than before. "The fact that you followed me is an insult to me as Alpha! You sneaking around with a human behind my back means you're not worthy of being my mate!"

The ferocity in his eyes made him feel like a stranger. It terrified me, and I shook so hard my knees weakened. My balance slipped, and my lower back slammed into the armrest. A sharp stab of pain shot through my abdomen.

I instinctively wrapped my arms around my stomach, a muffled groan escaping me.

Off to the side, Nina grabbed Wade's arm in fake concern. "Wade, don't be mad. Rose was just being foolish. She didn't know that following an Alpha is against pack law, and she never thought she would be photographed meeting a human in private. Maybe she didn't mean for any of this to happen."

She sounded like she was trying to calm him down, but every sentence hammered home my supposed crimes.

I stared at the "mates" before me, and a wave of searing anger surged up my throat, burning all the way to my tongue.

I shot to my feet and screamed, "Wade, I didn't betray you! You believed Nina's lies and these photos, yet you refuse to believe me! You're the one who betrayed us!"

Wade snapped. He lunged forward, his hand clamping around my throat as he slammed me back onto the couch.

"I betrayed us? Get this through your head, Rose. Only I get to decide who the betrayer is! I'm the Alpha, yet you dared to question me and even follow me. You'll pay the price for that!"