Chapter 1

"Ahh!"

"What's wrong, Kelly?" Adam rushed over, helping Kelly up after she had fallen.

Adam was Raven Pack's Alpha and my Mate.

I barely dodged the small cooler as it crashed to the ground, spilling several cans of drink that rolled to my feet.

"Ana, what did you do to Kelly this time?" Adam glared at me.

"I didn't do anything! She just lost her balance holding the cooler!" I quickly gathered the cans from the ground.

I was about to tell Adam that I almost got my foot crushed by the small cooler too, but Kelly interrupted me.

"It's fine... Ana didn't mean it..." Kelly murmured softly in Adam's arms.

"Apologize to Kelly!" Adam firmly said.

"I didn't do anything wrong! She tripped on her own!" I argued.

"This isn't the first time you've done something like this. You put almonds in Kelly's milk last month, even though you know she's allergic to them!"

"I already explained that I didn't know she was allergic to almonds!"

"Stop lying! Since you won't apologize, you can stay here and think about it!" Adam snapped, guiding Kelly to the passenger seat—the seat that should have been mine.

Just as I was about to open the back door, Adam walked over and shut it.

"Apologize first!"

"I didn't do anything..."

He slammed the door shut and hit the gas.

I looked at Kelly, who smirked back at me.

The exhaust from the jeep hit me hard as it sped off.

"Wait, Adam!" I yelled after him.

"I'm pregnant!"

...

I was pregnant!

Since Adam marked me when I was 18, he had been pushing for me to have an heir. But for the past six years, I hadn't gotten pregnant. I had gone through multiple rounds of ovulation shots, and Adam's mother even forced me to drink all kinds of herbal concoctions made by witch doctors. Some of the concoctions even had to be inserted into my private parts!

One time, I had a severe allergic reaction to one of their new concoctions and broke out in a full-body rash.

But Adam and his mother just looked at me in disappointment and asked, "Why aren't you pregnant yet?"

So, when I found out last week that I was three months pregnant, I decided to give Adam the surprise of his life. I planned a road trip to Rosy Beach, intending to tell him the good news once we arrived at the resort.

But I never expected that just before we set off, Adam would insist on bringing Kelly along.

"Kelly is my Beta, so of course she should come with us," Adam said.

"But I was hoping this would be a private trip for just the two of us..."

"Haven't we had enough private time together already? Besides, Kelly can protect you," Adam said as he loaded Kelly's suitcase into the trunk. "Enough. I've made my decision."

"Ana, thank you for organizing this. I'm really excited about going to Rosy Beach!" Kelly hugged me, the strong scent of roses almost suffocating me.

I forced a smile and nodded, resigning myself to the three of us going together.

Most Alphas had male Betas, but Adam's Beta was a woman. Kelly had grown up with Adam, and she was one of the pack's best warriors.

Unlike me, she always wore her hair in a high ponytail, and dressed in tight clothes that showed off her toned figure.

I couldn't shake the feeling that they were too close, but Adam always accused me of being paranoid and jealous.

The trip already felt off with the three of us going, and things only got worse when they abandoned me in the middle of nowhere!

Watching the car disappear, I sat on a small cooler, hoping to catch a ride with anyone passing by.

The nearest town was over 20 miles away. I waited for nearly an hour as dusk began to settle, but not a single car passed by.

I felt my frustration build as time passed.

I wouldn't call Adam. Kelly was the one who was careless, so why should I apologize?

Just then, I heard movement coming from the woods beside the road, and a horrible stench hit my nose.

"Who's there?"

I stood up warily.

Three tall figures stepped out of the trees. They were all Rogues.

"What do you want?" I gripped a glass soda bottle. I could feel their malicious intent.

"What do you think?" One of them leered at me, scanning me up and down with a perverted look.

I quickly pulled out my phone, my hands shaking as I dialed Adam's number.

It rang once. Twice.

Then the call dropped.

Adam had rejected my call!

The three Rogues moved closer, and I instinctively took a step back.

"I don't think anyone's coming to save you," the one in the middle mocked.

"This one's mine," the Rogue on the left said.

"No, I called dibs. This one's perfect for me," the Rogue on the right sneered as he licked his lips.

"Get away from me!" I shouted. In a panic, I hurled the bottle at the closest Rogue.

The bottle hit him square in the face, and he let out an enraged growl.

I bolted into the trees, sprinting as fast as I could. Branches whipped at my face, and I could hear their angry shouts echoing behind me…