Chapter 2

I fell into a daze with the phone still in my hand, listening to the busy tone.

Daniel and I had known each other for a long time. In all the years I had known him, he had never been close to any other woman.

Could it be that he really was acting out of a sense of duty toward Laura and not because they were somehow involved with each other?

But over the past year, Daniel's work phone had rung time and time again because of Laura. And when that happened, he would even throw on his clothes and rush out in the middle of the night without a second thought.

"Daniel, my baby kicked me again."

"Daniel, I think the pup is coming."

Even on freezing, snowy nights, Daniel wouldn't hesitate to grab his coat and go to her.

And the moment I showed the slightest hint of dissatisfaction, his face would become stern as he declared righteously, "Laura is an Omega, and she doesn't have a wolf. I can't ignore her plea for help. Besides, you're a Warrior, Bella. You should be more understanding."

Even if I were understanding toward him, then who would be understanding toward me? What did I mean to him now?

Another wave of smoke filled the air, choking me and making my eyes water uncontrollably.

I tried calling Daniel again, only for my call to be rejected immediately.

In despair, I called the fire department's emergency number.

"Hello, this is the fire department."

I trembled as I exclaimed, "My house is on fire! Please save me!"

The dispatcher quickly asked for my address and said, "Please don't panic, ma'am. I've already forwarded your case to the nearest fire station."

"Which fire station is that?" I asked instinctively.

"That would be the Rosewood fire station led by Captain Daniel Ingram."

Unaware of my relationship with Daniel, the dispatcher continued, "But their unit is busy right now, and the other nearby units are also tied up. I'm already coordinating with other fire stations, but the fastest they can get there is in 30 minutes. Please hold on."

My heart dropped when I heard just how long it would take for help to arrive.

The dispatcher added, "Please don't hang up yet. Let me tell you some self-rescue techniques. Cover your mouth and nose with a wet towel. If your clothes catch fire, roll on the ground to extinguish it…"

I let out a bitter laugh.

Daniel had already taught me everything she was saying, but they weren't helping.

Just then, a push notification popped up on my phone.

"A pregnant woman trapped inside her home following a sudden fall due to pregnancy-related complications was swiftly rescued after firefighters broke through the door."

The pregnant woman in the news was none other than Laura.

Daniel really had gone to her.

I had already lost count of how many times he had abandoned me for Laura.

He had even missed our engagement party a month ago, saying, "Bella, I'm sorry. Laura is in really bad shape right now. She can't stop throwing up. I can't leave her alone."

I held it together through the engagement party, only to see Laura's latest Instagram post pop up on my feed.

The caption read, "Morning sickness is so hard to bear. Luckily, I always have him by my side."

In the picture, a man's coat and shoes were neatly placed at the door. Her caption was so ambiguous that it made one's mind wander. As for who "he" was, no explanation was needed.

Daniel had clearly said he would only take Laura to the hospital and then come back. Yet he never came home that night.

I tried calling him, but his phone was switched off.

The next day, Daniel came back with a gift, saying he had been so busy that night that he had only gotten some sleep a while ago, and that was why his phone had been off.

"Bella, nothing happened between me and Laura. I just look out for her a bit more because of how pitiful she is. I haven't known her as long as I've known you. Do you think she would mean more to me than everything we've been through?"

He spoke of trust, yet every sentence he uttered was full of excuses.