#Chapter 3: Tender Heartbreak

Hannah's POV

My ears couldn't take hearing another single word out of his mouth.

I turned and ran. Out of the house and away from the pack. I just needed to run and breathe. I shifted into my wolf form as I hit the edge of the woods and picked up speed.

My mind raced with thoughts as my heart grew heavy. I felt so alone. My parents were gone. My son loved another woman as his mother. My husband was a liar and cheater who dreamed of letting me sharing him with another woman.

Was this my life now?

I ran and ran and when I remembered hearing his words and how he wanted to keep both women as his own, I ran even faster.

No. No. I wouldn't just leave my pack and give it to Sebastian and Molly.

I was the daughter of an alpha and my son was the next alpha in line.

I'd grown up in this pack-everyone admired me and respected me.

I never had to ask anyone else to be the Alpha. I could be the Alpha myself.

I slowed my running down and lay at the base of a huge tree to breathe and cool down. I shifted out of my wolf form and propped my back against the tree.

It wouldn't be easy though. Sebastian was right about one thing...I left all the pack duties to ihm in exchange for full focus on searching for Bash. Between the searching and the grief, I hadn't given my all to my luna duties.

I had respect from the pack, but I wasn't sure if I had their full trust to win the votes.

And I'm a woman.

In the human world, that wouldn't matter. But, in the wolf kingdom, there hadn't been a female Alpha in a century.

Even though my son would be next in line for alpha, some would fear that he'd need a man to show him the ropes. They'd fear that I wouldn't be enough to lead the way.

My son.

I closed my eyes and pictured his smiling face. He'd taken to the pack so easily. Everyone loved him and he'd been thriving as he adapted to the pack.

Everything was almost perfect except for my relationship with him. It was still strained and I blamed Molly for that.

"Hannah?" a soft voice nearby disrupted my thoughts.

I jumped up and spun around to see Wendy, my mother-in-law. I sighed in relief and stepped into the woman's arms as tears started pouring from my eyes.

Sebastian's mother had been like a mother to me since my parents had passed away. She was a successful and respected Beta wife. I'd known this woman as a deeply spiritual and respected elder of the pack in my father's day. I loved Wendy very much.

"What is it, child?" Wendy asked as she rubbed my back and held me close.

All the tears I'd been holding in had been released. I couldn't hold them back any longer.

After several minutes, I released the small, bony woman and stepped back to look at her.

Wendy's health had been bad for a while and I hated to bring her any more stress, but she had to know what was going on.

"I'm sorry, Wendy," I said as I wiped my face and tried to get my breathing under control.

"Is it Bash? Is something wrong?" Her eyes searched my face. She was obviously stressed to see her daughter in law hurting in this way and knew how much I loved Bash.

We'd all been through so much over the years he was missing. I certainly hadn't carried this burden alone.

"No. It's not Bash," I told her and she looked somewhat relieved.

"Come, let's sit a minute." She motioned back to the spot where I had been sitting and we both sat together. Wendy taking my hand in her own two wrinkled hands.

"It's Sebastian," I started. There was really no easy way to say this. "He's having an affair with Molly."

The words came out but my voice had sounded shrill to my own ears.

Wendy's face went still. I hadn't been sure how she would react. I wondered if she would try to stick up for him.

"What an asshole," Wendy said. She shook her head with disgust. "And I've never liked that girl from the first minute I met her."

I couldn't believe it. Sebastian's mom was actually taking my side on this. I breathed a little easier.

"You've been together since you were kids. You rule the pack. Now, that we have our Bash back, it's time for that troublemaker Molly to leave." Wendy was matter of fact in her tone and it started to boost my confidence. "You need to talk to each other when she's not around."

"Yes, I agree. I told her as much," I explained.

"Good. What did she say?"

"She dropped to her knees and begged me to stay," I shared. "And Sebastian wanted her in the pack too."

Sebastian's mother was furious.

"You and Sebastian grew up together," she said, holding my hands. "I will always be on your side. Let's go tell her she's no longer welcome here," Wendy said and then stood and pulled me up with her.

I knew it would be hard, but I still decided to give Sebastian a final chance before I made any decision to divorce or challenge him.

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Wendy and I returned to the packhouse to find Molly crying in Sebastian's arms in the kitchen.

Wendy cleared her throat as we entered the room. The moment they saw us, they separated immediately.

"Sebastian, I've heard what's going on here. This is not the man I raised you to be. This is not the behavior of a devoted husband and alpha. Now as a representative elder of the pack, I have to remind you that it's time for this woman to leave our pack," Wendy said in a calm but stern voice.

"But...." Sebastian said.

"You inherited the pack together from Hannah's parents. You've been perfect together since you were kids. Don't let a random manipulative woman ruin everything, please." Wendy cut him off with a softened tone before he could say anthing.

Molly looked between Wendy and Sebastian, waiting for him to stand up for her but he didn't say another word this time.

Sebastian looked down at the ground. Was that shame on his face?

"Please..." Molly started, reaching for Wendy's hand.

Wendy kept her hands clenched by her side and turned her face away-shunning her.

"Please let me stay. I can't leave Bash here. I have nowhere to go." Molly's voice was whining and pleading.

It wasn't working on Wendy, she refused to make eye contact. She had nothing to say.

Molly looked at Sebastian again, waiting for him to step forward as he'd done when I'd confronted him earlier, but he didn't this time.

She finally turned and headed out of the house.

With her gone, the room remained quiet for a few moments before Wendy spoke up again. "You two need to sit down and talk. This family is too important to throw away on your stupid actions."

With that, she turned and squeezed my arm before leaving.

"Want to go for a walk?" I offered. I just didn't want to be in this house right now. Molly was probably in her room packing and needed to pick things here and therer.

He didn't answer, but he followed me outside and we walked down the hill together.

"You shouldn't bring my mom into this. You know she's not been well lately." He sounded angry and cold.

I sighed. "I didn't mean to-"

That's when we reached the bottom of the hill and saw Molly and Bash.

It turned  out Molly wasn't packing things in her room, but clutching Bash here in a tight hug as they both cried.

All the pups and pack moms who went for the afternoon picnic together were standing around them, whispering.

When Bash looked up and saw me, he ran to me with rage on his face.

I was shocked by the hatred I saw. I bent down to his level to reach for him-to try to console him, but he started hitting me with his tiny fists.

"I hate you. I hate you. You're taking away my real mom. I hate you. You'll never be my mom. Never!"