Semua Bab I Won't Settle for Pretend Love: Bab 1 - Bab 10

The next morning, Nate accompanied me to the royal healing center for a prenatal check-up.He stayed by my side the entire time, occasionally asking the healer about the pup's condition. The experienced she-wolf healer smiled and said warmly, "Alpha Nate is so responsible. It's very rare for someone as busy as he is to take the time to care for his mate like this. You're truly lucky!"Nate held my hand, his gaze full of tenderness and certainty. "This is the Moon Goddess' blessing we've waited so long for. Of course, I'll protect both mother and child."As we stepped out of the examination room, we ran into Rose.She was wrapped in a loose-fitting gold cloak that concealed her figure. Still, she stuck her belly out proudly. When she saw me, there was a flicker of smug satisfaction in her eyes that she couldn't hide.I stared at her stomach without a word.No wonder she kept saying things like, "What a coincidence, we conceived around the same time." She had known about Nate's

As I sat on the bed at the private healing center, I listened to my best friend, Lara Oberlin, whispering beside me.A few seconds later, she was done and turned to me. "Don't worry. It's all arranged. Everything will go exactly as you planned."I gave a slight nod, my voice calm. "Okay."Just then, David knocked and entered. He held a medical chart in his hand, and his expression was very somber."Diana," he said solemnly. "I need to confirm your decision one last time before the procedure."He opened the file and looked up at me, his tone carrying extra weight. "The pup is nearly full term. Terminating the pregnancy at this stage will cause significant harm to your body… It wasn't easy for you to conceive this pup either. Are you absolutely sure about this?"I met his gaze, my eyes steady and unwavering as I replied, "I'm sure."He hesitated a little before asking, "Don't you have any family here with you?"With me?I let out a soft, bitter laugh.Those so-called loved ones

In the weeks that followed, I recovered quickly both physically and mentally. The official decree to break the mate bond came through, and it was soon done—Nate and I were no longer bound.I didn't feel anything in particular. It was like waking from a nightmare that had dragged on too long. My mind was clear, and my heart was finally still.I was really, truly free now.After that, I headed straight for the largest branch of the Resource Alliance in the northern region.This time, I wasn't anyone's mate. I wasn't the daughter of the Roth family. I wasn't the Luna who looked glamorous but was always treated as disposable.I was just myself. I was going to carve my own path in this werewolf world with my own claws and on my own terms.As I stepped into the towering building, a graceful, poised she-wolf in an elegant forest-green formal dress caught my eye from across the lobby.She looked at me and froze for a moment. Then, her gaze softened with something that seemed like a se

Rose's face was drained of color, and her lips trembled uncontrollably. She opened her mouth, wanting to deny it.However, her in-laws weren't fools. They had already sensed something was wrong. Her strange behavior and my pointed remark had already planted a seed of doubt in their minds.Jess spoke up slowly with a frown, her voice heavy with suspicion. "Rose… Is that pup really yours?""Of course it is! How could you even ask me that?" Rose's voice cracked with panic. She clutched the pup in her arms tightly, holding on to it as if it might be snatched away the moment she loosened her grip. She was too nervous and defensive, which only made things look worse.Michael's expression turned cold and grim. His tone left no room for argument. "We'll run a blood test tomorrow."Rose's legs buckled slightly. Her face was now ashen.At last, Nate spoke. He had stood off to the side all this time, his expression shifting constantly. His brows were tightly knitted, as though he was only

I expected Rose to have learned her lesson after all that. Yet, she took things even further.One day, Lara sent me a link and said with disgust, "Look at this. She really has no shame."I looked down at my phone screen.It was a viral forum post with a bolded title, "She Took Everything From Me Since We Were Pups!"In the post, Rose spun a tale of woe and victimhood. She claimed I had bullied her as we grew up, accusing me of using my status as the eldest daughter to bully her and take away all the good things for myself. She went on to say that I was calculating and often put on a gentle front while forcing her to back down behind the scenes. Rose even said I'd stolen her fated mate by coercing our parents. She then accused me of leveraging my rediscovered royal identity to retaliate, causing her to be rejected by her mate and pack, thereby effectively ruining her reputation and life.She coated every word of her sob story with vicious accusations, twisting everything around