Chapter 1: Backstabbers!

**REIKA**

“Reika, where are you?” My best friend, Bella's, shrill voice boomed from the car speakers.

“On my way back home. I have something to tell Kaid!” I squealed to her, navigating my car through a sharp bend.

“The tour guide is asking about you. What news is that anyway?”

“Give him an excuse for my absence. I'll tell you the news as soon as I tell Kaid. Bye!”

I hung up the phone and concentrated on the road, my heart beating excitedly each second.

My left hand was curled tightly around a pregnancy test kit, which read positive.

For the past five years of my marriage with Alpha Kaid of River Brook Pack, we've been trying to have a baby.

Numerous visits to doctors and specialists have left us losing hope of me ever bearing a child despite their assurance that nothing was wrong with me.

And just as we were about to give up, I found out I was pregnant.

I turned my car into the Alpha house driveway, sitting for a moment to catch my heaving breath before grabbing the gift on the passenger seat.

It was a wrapped baby onesie that would tell Kaid the news perfectly.

I could imagine how happy he would be by it and hope this news will restore the fizzling romance in our marriage.

“Kaid?” I called out as I stepped into the foyer, pulling off my shoes and rushing into the kitchen for water.

The house was silent with no sign of maids and even the guards.

I assumed most of them joined the Annual River Brook tour but not everyone was permitted to attend.

Kaid decided to stay back to look over some documents that were piling up while he insisted I go.

I wiped the water off my lips and walked to our bedroom.

It was empty, the bed lay perfectly like no one had slept in it for the two days I was absent.

I pulled out my phone, my fingers pressing the contact name ‘hubby’.

I listened to the dial tone ring before it was suddenly cut off.

“Where could Kaid be?” I muttered to myself, checking each room before returning to the parlor.

“Of course!” I smacked my head gently as I walked out of the house and towards the back door to his office.

My poor baby! He has so much work to do.

I jogged the distance to his office located some yards from the pack house, my chest heaving at the action.

There were no guards around his office and the door was cracked open.

The air was eerily silent but I could make out some faint sounds coming from inside.

I pushed the door open, the pregnancy test clutched in my left hand while under my arms I carried the gift.

I paused at the reception, the sound becoming clearer to me.

“Ohh gosh, Kaid…you're so good!”

“..you like this?” Kaid's voice sounded a bit muffled like he was eating something.

I stepped into the office, my eyes immediately jammed into the back of a naked lady, sitting astride Kaid's desk.

He wasn't eating something, he was eating someone.

I stood there, my body trembling, and felt tears sting the back of my eyes.

The lady threw her head back, her fingers tangled into Kaid's hair as she pulled him deeper.

“Is this what that cunt has been enjoying? Oh, Kaid, you need to get rid of her quickly!” The lady moaned.

My tears ran wordlessly down my cheeks, my palm turned cold and my legs remained glued, forced to watch my mate devour a woman like it was his last supper.

“Don't worry baby,” Kaid pulled back, his lips slick with a creamy liquid which he licked off with his tongue.

“ She'll be gone soon. She's a barren woman and isn't fit to be by my side.

Once she returns from that stupid tour I'll divorce her!” He smirked and returned to his feast.

My legs couldn't keep up with the torment anymore as they crumbled beneath me, forcing me to drop the gift in my arms.

The commotion startled them as Kaid hurriedly stood up and the lady turned.

My face turned pale and my eyes widened as I looked at the lady on the table.

“Ly—Lyra?” I croaked, as I stared into the cold grey eyes of my step sister

Her shocked expression gave way to a malicious one as she narrowed her gaze, picking up a flimsy nightrobe and tying it around her body.

“Reika? What are you doing here?” Kaid barked, his face devoid of any pity or contrition.

I felt a wave of nausea rush over me and bile rushing to my throat.

“Save it!” I waved my hand and stumbled out of the room, heading back to the pack house.

I rushed into the kitchen and emptied the contents of my stomach into the sink, my breath was ragged and my throat throbbed painfully.

My sister and husband are having an affair behind my back?

I shook my head slowly as a dull ache spread through my head and I felt my eyes spin.

“Hello sister,” Lyra smirked as she walked in, pulling a box of orange juice and drinking leisurely like she didn't just commit an abomination.

“How dare you Lyra? How dare you sleep with my husband?”

“Oh shut it! You're barren, your husband doesn't want you again so he came to me, his rightful mate!” She barked.

Mate?

“What do you mean by mate? He is my mate?” I growled, the pregnancy test kit in my hand snapping in two.

“He chose you as his mate because you are the first child. I am his true mate.

You should even be happy I let you have him for those five years!” her eyes were narrowed dangerously, filled with an intense and manically loathing as she met my red rage-filled ones.

“Kaid! You knew she was your mate and you still married me anyway! Why..,” my voice broke as I addressed my husband who walked in.

“Why? Why did you put me through this?” I cried the tears I desperately tried to hold back falling and missing with snot that ran down my nostrils.

He shrugged, his face calm. “ To get the pack. You are the true alpha of River Brook and getting married to you means the position is transferred to me. So of course I had to marry you first then think of a way to get rid of you,”

“And the opportunity presented itself. You're barren, you're wolfless. That's enough reason to divorce you,” Lyra finished, her fingers trailing across Kaid's chest.

I gripped the kitchen counter tight, my arms vibrating, drawing whatever strength I could from it as my heart shattered.

All the years of suffering, of training from dusk till dawn just to make sure I was strong enough to support him, taking over the tedious task matters, protecting my sister, and making sure she didn't feel left out.

This was the reward I got.

I stood there, the weight of the betrayal crashing down on me, the pain, torments, and sleepless nights I endured just to fulfill their wishes.

A low chuckle began to build in my chest and I threw my head back as a shrill laugh escaped my lips, my body convulsing, and hate-filled tears spilled down my face.

Lyra exchanged a confused look with Kaid, fear evident in their gaze as they watched me laugh.

The goddess was so unfair to me.

“If it's the pack you want, you can have it in the afterlife!” I screamed and grabbed a knife for the counter hurling it at Kaid.

Years of training with the soldiers came in handy as the knife struck his shoulder clean.

I rushed to hurl another at Lyra but she was faster. She kicked it out of my hands and unsheathed a dagger behind her.

“It's time to go bitch!” She screamed, stabbing the dagger through my stomach repeatedly.

I slipped to the floor, my hands wrapped around my tummy.

In my line of sight was the broken pregnancy test, the positive sign staring at me as my vision gradually darkened.

My baby.

I didn't even bask in the joy of getting the one thing I always wanted.

“Try not to be so dumb in your next life!” Lyra smirked.

If there was a next life, I vowed to raise hell and destroy them, for my sake and for the innocent child they just killed.

“I want revenge!” I pleaded weakly before the world went quiet.