Chapter 3

"Mama, why doesn't Papa like us?"

Jake's question hit me like a physical blow. I stopped brushing his hair and met his innocent eyes in the mirror.

"What makes you think that, sweetheart?" I asked him.

"He's always with Lily and her mama," Jake said, his bottom lip trembling. "He bought Lily a new toy yesterday. A big one, but he didn't get me anything."

I pulled him into my arms, my heart breaking. "Your papa is just... busy."

"Too busy for me?" He asked, curiously.

"Never too busy for you," I lied, kissing the top of his head. "Now, let's get you dressed. We're going to visit Grandma and Grandpa today."

"Yay!" Jake's face lit up, and I was grateful for the distraction.

An hour later, we walked through the lower quarters of the pack territory. The houses there were smaller, and older. This was where I came from, where people like me belonged.

"Elena!" My mother opened the door before I could even knock, pulling me into a tight hug. "And my beautiful grandson!"

"Grandma!" Jake rushed into her arms.

My father appeared behind her, his smile warm but his eyes sad. He always looked at me like I was something broken that he couldn't fix.

"Come in, come in," my mother said, ushering us inside. "I made cookies."

While Jake played in the small living room, I helped my mother in the kitchen.

"How are you, really?" she asked quietly.

"I'm fine, Mama." I forced a smile that didn't reach my eyes, and she immediately knew I was lying.

"Don't lie to me." She grabbed my hand, examining my face. "You look exhausted. You've lost weight."

"I'm just tired. Jake had nightmares last night." I replied again, avoiding the real cause of my exhaustion.

"It's not just that." My mother's voice dropped to a whisper. "I heard Sophia is back."

I slowly pulled my hand away, busying myself with the tea. "News sure travels fast." I muttered under my breath.

"Is it true? Jackson's first love?" She asked, further.

"Yes." I exhaled.

"Oh, Elena." My mother's eyes filled with tears. "What are you going to do?”

"What can I do?" I laughed bitterly. "I'm his wife in name only. I have no claim on him, no mark, no—"

"You have his son!"

"A son he barely acknowledges." I poured the tea, my hands shaking. "Sophia has been back for three months now. And it's been three months of watching Jackson play house with her and her daughter. Three months of being invisible in my own home."

"You need to fight for your marriage." Mother said, trying to encourage me.

"There's nothing to fight for, Mama. There never was." I replied, completely exhausted.

Father slowly entered the kitchen, his expression grim. "Elena, there's something you should know."

"What is it?" I asked him, seeing the expression on his face.

"There's talk in the pack. And it's about Jackson and Sophia." He hesitated for a moment. 

“Dad, what is going on?” I asked, impatiently but I could see his reluctance.

I turned to my mother, “Mum?”

But she just sighed.

“Aren’t you guys going to say anything?” I inquired again, getting a bit worked up.

Dad took a deep breath, and finally started speaking sadly, "They're saying he's going to make her his Luna. That he's going to reject you and probably throw you out of the Alpha's quarters."

The tea cup slipped from my fingers, shattering on the floor.

"He can't," I whispered, my lips trembling. "Can he?"

Father sighed. "Technically, he never marked you," he said. "Without the mate bond, the rejection would be simpler. And since you're of a way lower rank than him—"

"According to the laws, the pack wouldn't object," I finished numbly.

Mother immediately grabbed a broom, and started cleaning up the broken pieces. "You need to talk to him, Elena. Make him see reason."

I scoffed, shaking my head. "He doesn't listen to me. He never has."

"Then make him listen!" My father's voice rose. "You're his wife! The mother of his child!"

"I'm nothing to him!" I shouted back. "I'm a mistake he wishes he could erase! He has made that very clear countless times!"

Jake appeared in the doorway, his eyes wide with fear. "Mama?"

I immediately softened, as I rushed to him, kneeling down to his level. "It's okay, baby. Grandpa and I were just talking loud. We're not fighting."

But Jake looked unconvinced, and I hated myself for scaring him.

We left shortly after, Jake quiet as we walked back home. When we reached the pack house, I heard a familiar laughter coming from the garden. It was Jackson's laugh.

"Papa!" Jake suddenly broke free from my hand, running toward the sound.

"Jake, wait!" I almost screamed, trying to stop him because I knew what the outcome would probably be.

But he was already through the garden gate. I followed, my stomach sinking when I saw the scene before me.

Jackson was pushing a little girl on the swing; Sophia's daughter, Lily. Sophia, herself, stood nearby, looking radiant in a sundress, her blonde hair catching the sunlight.

"Dad! Push me too!" Jake ran up to Jackson excitedly.

Jackson's smile faded when he saw our son. "Jake. You're back. What are you doing here?"

"Will you push me on the swing too?" Jake asked, bouncing on his feet.

"Jake, I'm busy right now—"

"Please, Dad? Just for a little while?" He pleaded earnestly.

My heart broke as I watched our son beg his father just to play with him. My eyes burned as tears threatened to fall from them, but I blinked them away.

"I said I'm busy." Jackson's voice was sharp, and Jake flinched.

"It's okay, Jackson." Sophia said sweetly, touching Jackson's arm. "Lily can wait her turn. Let Jake have a go."

I wanted to scream at her. I wished I could. Instead I just watched as she stood there pretending to be kind, while stealing my husband, and my life.

"Fine." Jackson reluctantly lifted Jake onto the swing, but his movements were mechanical, obviously loveless. "Hold on tight." He warned, coldly.

He had only given Jake a few half-hearted pushes before Lily started crying.

"I want my turn now!" she wailed like someone who had lost a precious jewel.

"Okay, okay." Jackson immediately stopped Jake's swing, bringing him down.

He then lifted Lily up, smiling sweetly as he gently placed her on the swing, "There you go, princess."

Jake's face crumpled. "But Papa, I just started—"

"You had your turn!" Jackson snapped dismissively at Jake. "Go play with your mother."

I watched my son's heart break in real-time. He walked toward me slowly, his head down, as he fought his tears.

"Come on, baby," I said, taking his hand. "Let's go inside."

"Why doesn't dad love me?" Jake whispered as we walked away. “Is he Lily's dad too?”