Can't stay alone

My chest tightened, tears fighting to escape. Alessandro's demeanor had changed, turning more ruthless by the second.

Evelyn's words had pushed him to the brink. She was clearly flaunting about her mate, clearly unbothered by her actions five years ago. Alessandro got no one but me to vent his frustration.

He hadn't been joking when he said he would drag me out if I was pregnant. The coldness in his eyes, the mercilessness in his voice—none of it had been a lie.

Slowly, I shut the door behind me and grabbed the pregnancy kit from the counter. My fingers trembled as I stared at it, my mind spiraling with every possibility.

If I was pregnant, he would force me to get an abortion. If I wasn't... I would be safe. But deep down, I knew that either way, I was already broken. A part of me desperately wished I was pregnant. A child of my own blood and flesh could be the reason to keep going in this lonely world.

But reality was cruel. I decided to check anyway, to find out the truth I was so afraid of facing.

As I waited for the lines to change, the only prayer running through my mind was,

"Moon Goddess, please don't make me pregnant. I don't want to kill my own child."

Yet another thought crept in, bitter and selfish. Maybe if I was pregnant, I would have someone. I wouldn't be alone in the human world, with no one to call family.

But even I knew how selfish that prayer was. I didn't want Alessandro's child, not really. Any child of his would be neglected, despised by their own father and his family. A mere human like me had no right to bear the Alpha's heir.

Besides, Alessandro had his own enemies. Even as the strongest Alpha Wolf, acknowledged by the Moon Goddess as the next Alpha, he defied every prophecy and blessing to stay away from authority. His elder brother was the firstborn, and by tradition, only the firstborn should have possessed the strongest wolf. Alessandro's very existence had strained his relationship with his family beyond repair.

Everyone knew how cold and bitter things were between Alessandro and his parents, Alpha Simmons and Luna Simmons. They blamed him for overshadowing their firstborn's success.

If they found out that Alessandro had gotten a human pregnant, both the child and I would be in grave danger. Alessandro would be the first to eliminate his own weakness. He would never hesitate.

I stared blankly at the pregnancy kit. My breathing hitched, my body trembling, a painful lump lodged itself in my throat.

I was pregnant.

Before the result could truly sink in, a sound echoed from the living room. Panic seized me. I threw the kit into the trash bin and rushed out.

Alessandro was standing by the window, his broad shoulders stiff, his back facing me.

Why is he back? I thought he wouldn't return tonight. This was first night after his beloved woman returning. I thought he would spend his time with her or in his study like he always did whenever her birthday approached, grieving or missing her.

"It's past ten. Aren't you going to sleep?" I asked quietly, almost in a whisper.

Alessandro turned, his eyes meeting mine. They were hollow, void of warmth. For a fleeting moment, I thought I saw something—vulnerability—but it disappeared too quickly.

"I am," he muttered, walking to the bed and lying down on one side, his back facing me.

I froze. He had never stayed after... not like this. I was supposed to remain in his room only until he was finished with me. After that, I would return to my own bed. That was the rule.

Yet tonight, he stayed.

I didn’t dare ask why. Silently, I lay down beside him, pulling the blanket up to shield myself. Protecting myself from his unpredictable rage was the only thing I could do.

The silence between us was suffocating. Alessandro's heavy, uneven breathing filled the room, proof that a storm brewed inside him.

I wanted to reach out, to offer some meaningless comfort. But what could I say to someone who had long stopped believing in kindness?

I closed my eyes, exhausted. The earlier result still haunted me, even though I hadn’t dared to acknowledge it yet. I needed to survive tonight.

"Ms. Scarlet," Alessandro called.

My body jolted. The mattress creaked as he shifted, facing me.

I stiffened. I was too scared to face him. An Alpha's anger could be fatal for someone as powerless as me.

"Ms. Scarlet," he repeated, his voice dangerously calm.

My hands trembled. A shiver crawled up my spine. I swallowed hard and slowly turned to face him.

"Yes, Mr. Simmons," I answered in a small voice.

Our eyes locked. His golden irises had deepened into a dangerous shade of red. In that moment, I felt tiny under his gaze, a fragile doll trapped under a beast’s paw.

I looked away, my throat dry and tight.

Alessandro moved closer, reaching out to grab my chin. His touch wasn't painful, but it was firm enough that it made my heart pound in terror.

"Tomorrow, you must act like a perfect wife. Not a lover. Not an ex-lover. My perfect wife. After that, we will decide when to divorce. Do you understand?"

My eyes widened.

That meant... I could finally be free. No more punishments. No more forced acting. I could endure just a little longer.

"I understand," I whispered, carefully pulling away. Sitting up, I grabbed a shawl and wrapped it tightly around myself. The cold seeped deep into my bones tonight.

"Where are you going?" Alessandro asked. His voice was less cold, but there was a sharp irritation hidden beneath it.

"I need to prepare for tomorrow's celebration," I said, eager to escape the suffocating room.

I opened the door, but before I could leave, Evelyn barged in, almost knocking me over.

"Alessandro!" she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Alessandro rushed to her side in an instant, his entire demeanor changing. Panic and worry filled his expression as he cupped her face gently.

"What happened? Evelyn, are you okay?"

"I'm scared," she sobbed, clutching onto him tightly. "I can't... I can't sleep alone!"

Alessandro froze, stunned by her sudden closeness. The corners of his face reddened slightly.

"You know... I can't sleep alone. Please. You don't even have to share the bed. Just... stay on the couch."

"It's fine," Alessandro said softly, almost too gently. "I'll stay on the couch. Don't worry."

"Really?" Evelyn’s face lit up. Then she glanced at me, her expression twisted with false innocence.

"But what if your wife gets upset? What if she minds?" she asked sweetly.

Alessandro's gaze snapped to me immediately. Regret and resentment clouded his eyes, as if he regretted my very presence here.

"She doesn't mind. She isn't insecure," he said sharply.

I nodded with a mechanical smile, feeling more like a trained puppet than a human being.

Alessandro’s expression softened slightly as he turned back to Evelyn, gently taking her hand.

"Let's go."

But Evelyn pulled her hand away with a playful laugh. She shot me a smug glance before speaking.

"I need some help from your wife. Can you wait for me in my room? Please?"

My stomach dropped. Her eyes and voice were definitely giving me a creep.

Before Alessandro could answer, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his cheek. Alessandro froze, clearly uncomfortable, though he didn’t pull away fast enough.

"What do you need? I can help," Alessandro said hesitantly, looking between me and her.

"Oh, Alessandro, you're still the same clueless boy from five years ago," she teased in a flirty tone before focusing her gaze on me.

"It's woman stuff. You wouldn't understand," she said mockingly.

Her hand gripped my wrist with fake sweetness, but I hissed quietly when her sharp nails dug into my skin.

Alessandro lingered for a moment, his eyes flickering with doubt, but eventually, he left the room.

But his eyes held that distrust towards me. As if he didn't want to leave his beloved woman with me.