Chapter 5

"Cynthia, listen to me. You know I was running some errands for the Alpha, so I couldn't get back at once. I came back to you as soon as I dealt with the pack's affairs," said Derek firmly.

He looked so sincere. I thought, 'The old me would have believed you.'

He used the same excuse once when he stayed out all night. I complained to him, yet he roared at me and said that this was the way things with the pack worked, and there was nothing he could do.

"Indeed. The pack always comes first. Your wife was about to divorce you, yet you were still calm enough to deal with the pack's matters. Then why are you acting like this now?" I asked with a sneer.

"It was something very important. I..."

He was still trying to defend himself, but his panic gave him away.

"Derek, stop. You can't even convince yourself with that lie. What am I to you? A three-year-old?" I looked at the bite mark on his neck, which was so obvious, and I sneered.

The evidence was right in front of me, making it impossible for me to turn my head away.

Right now, I wasn't walking on eggshells like I used to. Probably because of that, he lost his cool.

"Cynthia, that rogue seduced me. I love you. You are my mate. I can't live without you."

Derek, you finally admitted it.

I threw my head back to keep the tears from falling.

I finally got the answer, but so what?

The memories we had together emerged in my mind. Back then, he respected me and even when we kissed, he was still nothing but polite. He even took my face in earnest and told me that he didn't have sex with me, because he loved me so much.

I was moved by what he said to me.

At the time, I thought it was touching that a werewolf could endure the most primitive impulses for the sake of his beloved mate.

How ironic it all seemed now.

All of this was simply his excuse!

Looking at my tear-streaked face, Derek started to turn flustered. He wrapped his arms around my legs, regardless of everything else, and started recalling our time together, trying to persuade me.

Every word he used to describe the happy memories we shared seemed to me more like a mockery of my stupidity.

"Cynthia, believe me. I won't do anything like that again."

Never again?

I thought, 'He kept addressing that rogue as his mate in the video, and I didn't feel any pain when he was cheating on me, which means that rogue might be his mate for real.

If so, how could he resist his instinct as a wolf?

Besides, I did the same thing. I cheated on Derek with Lucas. So, there's no way for me and Derek to go back.'

"Let's get a divorce. We'll go to court tomorrow and file for divorce."

I was not a decisive person, but at this moment, I was soberer than ever and made up my mind.

We both had an affair, and our marriage was crumbling. Forcing it to go on would only hurt us both.

His face turned pale. He hugged me tightly with all his strength.

"Cynthia, I won't divorce you. That's out of the question."

Derek was probably going nuts. He broke down and shouted, asking me not to leave him.

I couldn't be bothered by his hysteria. Silently, I picked up my not-so-full suitcase and planned to leave.

Nothing here belonged to me except the clothes in the closet and the skin care products on the makeup table. The place was under Fiona's name, and the car belonged to Derek.

Just as I was about to open the door, Derek grabbed me.

"Cynthia, no matter what I do or how I make up for you, you still want to leave. Is that right?"

Or what?

I looked at him and thought, 'Am I supposed to make do with you with a broken heart? Am I supposed to forgive you for cheating on me with another she-wolf?'

I nodded very seriously and calmly said, "I will not tell Fiona and my parents about any of this. I'll just tell them that things don't work anymore."

I figured that this was the best solution. Since he didn't love me, I wouldn't pester him anymore.

But I did not expect that as I was about to step out of the door, I was pulled into the bedroom by him, and he slammed the door shut.

"What are you doing?"

I stared at him with displeasure, only to see that he was no longer as humble as before.

The anger in his eyes was burning.

"Since you won't listen to me, then, I'm sorry."

His raised voice deprived me of my resolution and courage to leave. His face was twisted. I couldn't believe that the man in front of me wasn't the gentle and elegant man I had lived with for years.

I didn't know why he said he was sorry.

Just as I was puzzled, he suddenly raised his arm and fiercely swung it at my face. I was slapped in the face with such force that I could not stand still.

I fell on the bed and felt dizzy at once, my face burning and painful.

I clutched the sheets. He grabbed my hair so hard that my scalp hurt.

He came close to me, and his eyes were fierce and terrifying.

"Before you get pregnant, you are not going anywhere. Otherwise..."

So, did he want me to give birth to a baby?

His weird smile made every hair on my body stand up. Was he the same Derek I knew? Or was it that I never knew his true colors?

I was not strong enough to fight him at all. I was completely vulnerable. Besides, my resistance would only be futile and drain my strength.

At the realization of that, I sat obediently and dared not to play tough.

Seeing that I no longer resisted, he let go of his hand, which was grabbing my hair and patted my face. His hand was freezing.

"That's my good wife."

How ridiculous. I was a fool to think he'd divorce me so easily. I figured that maybe he acted hysterically just to make me let down my guard, and then he would gradually waltz his way in and trick me into giving birth to a baby.

"So, that's why you won't divorce me?"

He looked at me as if I were some garbage. He said, "What do you think? Melinda is a rogue, so the Beech Pack will not accept her, and she can not give birth to cubs. Only you can carry my babies. It's a pity that you refuse to cooperate with me and have to make things hard. My hands are tied. You leave me with no choice. You can't blame me for this."