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Id	Vlad	Saved	Scrape Time	Status	Scrape Result	Title	Body	Cta Type	Link Url	Page Name	Page Profile Uri	Page Like Count	Enddate	Cta Text	Caption	Display Format	Link Description	Link Url	Creation Time	Page Profile Picture Url	Page Entity Type	Current Page Name	Startdate	Actions
2,112,386	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2112368}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:30	active	1589	All-In-One Storage Solutions	Safe and secure!	CONTACT_US	https://www.delaneyworldwide.com/local-long-distan	Delaney Worldwide	https://www.facebook.com/61557773368721/	5	1969-12-31 18:00	Contact Us	delaneyworldwide.com	CAROUSEL	Safe and secure!	https://www.delaneyworldwide.com/local-long-distance/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/456326637_1062883972209377_1888591131315826226_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=-K-rt-TfRE8Q7kNvgFUyUpn&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A4thAtUcreA-Koy_dnS3ohN&oh=00_AYAqZrZRCaYuNBsfjS6HIZg1GnaU4suAoU0QTHdrFnW2pw&oe=670A13B6	PERSON_PROFILE	Delaney Worldwide	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,113,828	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2113614}'	No	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔥️click here to read more FREE chapters!	Maxwell arrived home well past 11:00 pm. The villa was eerily quiet, with only a night light switched on in the living room. Jennifer sat on the couch, seemingly waiting for him. As Maxwell took off his coat and loosened his tie, he spoke impatiently, "Didn't we agree on the divorce? I won't shortchange you when it comes to assets. You can rest assured about that." He thought she wanted a larger share of the assets. Jennifer's voice was hoarse when she asked, "Maxwell, did you want a divorce because of that woman?" Maxwell's expression faltered slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He didn't want to hide anything from her, nor did he care to. "Yes. I owe it to her. That's something I must do," he admitted frankly. Jennifer chuckled bitterly. "I only discovered today how hypocritical you are. You played the victim, making me feel guilty and pushing me to get a divorce. I bet you were secretly pleased, weren't you? You finally caught me making a blunder, and you're now forcing me to leave so you can be with her." Maxwell furrowed his brows. His tone was chilling as he replied, "Jennifer, let's make things clear. Rachel and I were together in the first place. You know very well how you ended up marrying me. Now that you have someone else, we're even. Let's spare each other, shall we?" "No!" Jennifer's words were sharp. "I hate being deceived. You and her have been playing me like a fool for the past two years. Do you think I'll let you off?" Maxwell rubbed his temples, suppressing his irritation. With gritted teeth, he demanded, "Then what do you want?" "I won't get a divorce." With that, Jennifer went to the bedroom. Almost as soon as she turned around, her tears surged out. For two whole years, she had been waiting for him to return her feelings. Before her mother passed away, she was told that most marriages in this world were built on growing affection over time. Love at first sight was just infatuation, like what she felt for Maxwell. But marriage ultimately relied on tolerance and patience. Jennifer thought her perseverance would eventually warm his heart. Now she realized how wrong she was.	LEARN_MORE	https://mn.ikkly.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=12134	Free BOOKS	https://www.facebook.com/61560779513133/	496	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	mn.ikkly.com	DCO		https://mn.ikkly.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=12134&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/448810168_508013721795463_5680667871745428556_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=ska4nRZXC7sQ7kNvgHI7W1G&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AwafYQ3_rctQbuCe8wEgsy5&oh=00_AYDkwNPjXw6Y-ybPimAMGXkC8Jk0xPpVc7alT4zesFZT1w&oe=670A19B5	PERSON_PROFILE	Free BOOKS	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,113,847	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2113614}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔥️click here to read more FREE chapters!	Maxwell arrived home well past 11:00 pm. The villa was eerily quiet, with only a night light switched on in the living room. Jennifer sat on the couch, seemingly waiting for him. As Maxwell took off his coat and loosened his tie, he spoke impatiently, "Didn't we agree on the divorce? I won't shortchange you when it comes to assets. You can rest assured about that." He thought she wanted a larger share of the assets. Jennifer's voice was hoarse when she asked, "Maxwell, did you want a divorce because of that woman?" Maxwell's expression faltered slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He didn't want to hide anything from her, nor did he care to. "Yes. I owe it to her. That's something I must do," he admitted frankly. Jennifer chuckled bitterly. "I only discovered today how hypocritical you are. You played the victim, making me feel guilty and pushing me to get a divorce. I bet you were secretly pleased, weren't you? You finally caught me making a blunder, and you're now forcing me to leave so you can be with her." Maxwell furrowed his brows. His tone was chilling as he replied, "Jennifer, let's make things clear. Rachel and I were together in the first place. You know very well how you ended up marrying me. Now that you have someone else, we're even. Let's spare each other, shall we?" "No!" Jennifer's words were sharp. "I hate being deceived. You and her have been playing me like a fool for the past two years. Do you think I'll let you off?" Maxwell rubbed his temples, suppressing his irritation. With gritted teeth, he demanded, "Then what do you want?" "I won't get a divorce." With that, Jennifer went to the bedroom. Almost as soon as she turned around, her tears surged out. For two whole years, she had been waiting for him to return her feelings. Before her mother passed away, she was told that most marriages in this world were built on growing affection over time. Love at first sight was just infatuation, like what she felt for Maxwell. But marriage ultimately relied on tolerance and patience. Jennifer thought her perseverance would eventually warm his heart. Now she realized how wrong she was.	LEARN_MORE	https://mn.ikkly.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=12134	Free BOOKS	https://www.facebook.com/61560779513133/	496	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	mn.ikkly.com	DCO		https://mn.ikkly.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=12134&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/448810168_508013721795463_5680667871745428556_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=ska4nRZXC7sQ7kNvgHI7W1G&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AwafYQ3_rctQbuCe8wEgsy5&oh=00_AYDkwNPjXw6Y-ybPimAMGXkC8Jk0xPpVc7alT4zesFZT1w&oe=670A19B5	PERSON_PROFILE	Free BOOKS	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,113,853	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2113614}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔥️click here to read more FREE chapters!	"Madam, it seems Mr. Lance won't be coming home tonight. Perhaps you should rest first?" Martha Zayne kindly spoke upon noticing the still-lit bedroom. A hint of disappointment crossed Jennifer Yale's eyes. Just then, the sound of an engine revving came from the yard. She didn't care to put on her slippers as she rushed to the window to peer outside. Sure enough, it was Maxwell Lance's silver car pulling into the garage. Jennifer took a deep breath, glancing down at her sensual lingerie while her heart pounded like a drum. Despite being married for two years, Maxwell had always slept in the guest room, and he never touched her. She knew their marriage was arranged by Maxwell's grandfather, Robert Lance, and it was not his choice. However, two years had passed. They couldn't possibly continue on like this. Did Maxwell not like her because she was merely an undergraduate with no experience in relationships? Was it because he found her too passive? With these thoughts, Jennifer quietly approached the guest room, clad in a seducing black lace nightgown. Summoning her courage, she knocked on the door, but there was no response. Carefully, she opened the door and heard the sound of running water from the bathroom. Maxwell must still be showering. The water suddenly stopped, and Maxwell emerged from the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around his waist. His muscular physique was in full display with water droplets cascading down his solid muscles. Jennifer was momentarily stunned. So, was this the embodiment of looking slim when clothed but muscular when undressed? "Jennifer!" Maxwell frowned, his tone clipped as he snapped, "Are you done staring? Who let you into my room?" Awkwardly, Jennifer averted her gaze and replied meekly, "You're my husband. Isn't your room also mine?" Then, with blushing cheeks, she blinked up at him and asked, "Do you like how I look?" Her petite, delicate frame stood before him, her soft face flushed red, and her long lashes fluttered. She appeared so innocent yet emitted an irresistible allure at the same time. He never knew his wife had this side to her. Maxwell masked the strange look in his eyes and subconsciously gulped. Quickly, he put on his robe before tossing her one of his shirts. Reining in his emotions, he said, "Go back to your room." Jennifer looked at him aggrievedly, feeling as though she had humiliated herself. In her mind, her best friend Laura Scott's words resurfaced. Laura had said that a young, energetic man like Maxwell, the scion of the wealthiest family in Haven City, coupled with his good looks, would inevitably attract countless women's attention. As he couldn't possibly remain celibate for long, he had to be indulging elsewhere and then coming home with a facade of abstinence. In a moment of doubt, Jennifer blurted out, "Are you seeing someone else?" Maxwell's gaze flickered briefly, and he neither confirmed nor denied it. Calmly, he uttered the cruelest words, "Jennifer, on the day we got married, I told you all I could offer was the position of Mrs. Lance. You shouldn't think about having anything else." Each time he repeated those words, a wave of powerlessness and despair surged within Jennifer, overwhelming her. Perhaps to him, she was just a girl from a modest background trying to climb the social ladder by marrying him. After all, no one would willingly marry a stranger. What he didn't know was that, many years ago, he had been a beacon of light that illuminated her world. While Jennifer was lost in her thoughts, Maxwell had opened the door for her. "Go to bed. Don't dress like that again. It doesn't suit you." At his evident dismissal, Jennifer left his room dejectedly, her face burning with mortification. As soon as she returned to her bedroom, her father, Zion Yale, called. "Dad, I'm sorry. He probably won't be going to Grandma's birthday celebration tomorrow." Jennifer knew she wouldn't be able to persuade Maxwell. Zion sighed heavily, saying, "You've been married for two years, yet he hasn't visited our family once. I've said we weren't worthy of the Lance family. If it weren't for your mother's insistence—" "Dad." Jennifer disliked hearing disparaging remarks about her mother. She interjected, "I married him out of my own will!" … The next day, Jennifer had to attend her grandmother Agnes Taylor's birthday celebration alone. Although she knew Agnes wasn't fond of her, she had to offer a toast in front of the guests as a show of respect. Her stepmother, Jocelyn Logan, remarked sarcastically, "Hey, Jennifer, why didn't you bring Maxwell? It's been two years since you got married, and we haven't even seen him." Agnes held a glass of wine and echoed with a fake smile, "I suppose our humble Yale family isn't worth his time! Today is an important day, but it seems like Maxwell doesn't value his grandmother-in-law." Jennifer's stepsister, Bridget Yale, chimed in mockingly, "Jennifer, I think the one Maxwell doesn't value is not Grandma but you. Am I right?" The voices of ridicule buzzed in Jennifer's ears, making her feel miserable. Out of frustration, she emptied her glass in one go. However, the aftereffects of the wine hit her hard, and she soon blacked out. In a car, Jocelyn and Bridget sat on either side of her. "Mom, as long as we get Jennifer into Mr. Zito's bed, I will secure my role as the second female lead in his new show!" Bridget's eyes sparkled with excitement. Jocelyn slyly ordered, "We mustn't let your father find out. Since he dotes on that wretched girl so much, he won't let us alone." "I know, I know," Bridget replied. "I've confirmed with Mr. Zito to bring her to Nimbus Lounge's penthouse suite." Jocelyn chuckled darkly. "What's so great about Jennifer? She doesn't deserve to marry Maxwell. It's only because of her mother who operated on Mr. Lance Senior and saved his life years ago that she got married to him. "On her deathbed, she entrusted Jennifer to them. At the end of the day, she was trying to reach the top. How shameless!" Bridget quickly agreed, "Exactly! If anyone should marry Maxwell, it should be me. What makes Jennifer better than me?" Jocelyn swore through gritted teeth, "Tonight, we will ruin her completely!" … Jocelyn and Bridget had only added a few sleeping pills to Jennifer's drink. When Jennifer felt a man's heavy breath and warmth on her, she immediately snapped awake. "Ugh... Let go of me!" The room was dark, and she couldn't see the man's face. Thus, she could only struggle against him with all her might, knowing the consequences of letting the man have his way would be irreversible. However, the man easily subdued her flailing arms. His warm lips brushed against her ear as he spoke in a low and husky voice, "Shh, behave..." Chapter 2 Maxwell had completely lost his rationality at this point. Whether it was the food or the drinks at the party earlier, something had gone wrong. Now, driven by desire, he found it difficult to control himself. As he touched the woman on the bed, her soft skin and fragrance aroused him considerably. The innocence in her responses and her helpless sobbing nearly drove him mad! An hour later, the man was finally satisfied and fell asleep. Jennifer felt as though her entire body had been crushed, the pain penetrating deep into her bones. Enduring the soreness in her limbs, she hurriedly got dressed and fled from the pitch-black room. In her haste, she collided with a young woman as she entered the elevator. "Sorry." Jennifer's face was deathly pale. She quickly stepped into the elevator and pressed the close button. Rachel Walker immediately looked back after exiting the elevator, staring at Jennifer in disbelief before the door closed. She recognized Jennifer as Maxwell's wife, the woman who'd stolen her place! There was only one penthouse suite on the top floor, so did that mean Jennifer had come out of Maxwell's room? Did they… sleep together? Jealousy consumed Rachel. She had put so much effort into bribing the staff at the party and calculating the timing and dosage of the drug in Maxwell's drink, only for Jennifer to beat her to it! Rachel hurried into the room. In the darkness, she heard Maxwell's even breath as he slept. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief. A cunning smile played on her lips as she removed her clothes and lay down beside him. … Jennifer emerged from the club. She was too afraid to return to her and Maxwell's shared villa. She feared being seen in this state by him or the housekeepers. After all, in their two years of marriage, Maxwell had never touched her. But now, her purity had been stolen by a stranger. At the thought of this, Jennifer's mind went blank and her heart was in turmoil. She hailed a taxi, intending to return to the Yale residence. At least, she needed to take a shower and change her clothes first. When she arrived home, Bridget and Jocelyn were waiting in the living room, expecting a call from Daniel Zito. "Mom, do you think Mr. Zito has found Jennifer and… Ugh, I'm getting anxious! Why hasn't he called us yet? Shouldn't he just agree to let me be the second female lead already?" Bridget lamented, her eyes filled with greed. Jocelyn squinted and said, "Calm down. It's only past 11 pm. Mr. Zito is known for being play around. He wouldn't let Jennifer slip from his hands." While they were talking, Jennifer walked in with an extremely gloomy expression. "J-Jennifer?" Bridget stammered in shock, "Why are you back?" Jennifer sneered at her reaction. "Why are you so surprised?" Jocelyn looked equally flustered. She forced out a smile and said, "Jennifer, why did you leave your grandmother's birthday celebration? You didn't even inform us. She was very upset with you!" Jennifer slowly approached them. Judging from their behavior, she could roughly deduce who had brought her to Nimbus Lounge. The thought of her innocence being inexplicably tarnished ignited a rage within Jennifer. With a resounding slap, she struck Jocelyn's face mercilessly. Instantly, Bridget erupted in fury. "Jennifer, how dare you hit my mom? I'm going to call Grandma and Dad right now! Just you wait!" Jennifer seized Bridget's wrist, forcefully pulling her back. She shot Bridget a menacing glare as she bit out, "Go ahead, call everyone down. I can retrieve evidence from the surveillance at Nimbus Lounge. Once Dad finds out what happened tonight, let's see if he'll tear you both apart!" Jocelyn and Bridget's faces turned pale at her threat. They were visibly frightened of the repercussions if the night's affair were to reach Zion's ears. Back when Zion divorced his ex-wife, Jennifer was still young. She was reportedly bullied during her middle school days, even suffering from depression. Therefore, he had always felt guilty toward Jennifer, showing her more love. Moreover, what happened to Jennifer was no trivial matter. If things escalated, Jocelyn and Bridget would be in deep trouble! Jennifer sensed their unease and panic. She violently shoved Bridget away, causing her to fall to the floor, then dragged her weary body upstairs. Jocelyn hurriedly helped her daughter up, her sharp gaze fixed on Jennifer's retreating figure. Bridget asked anxiously, "Mom, why did Jennifer come back so soon? Did she and Mr. Zito..." "They must have," Jocelyn affirmed with a malicious smirk. "Didn't you see the marks on Jennifer's neck earlier? Seems like Mr. Zito was rather rough!" Suddenly, Bridget became worried. "But Jennifer must hate our guts now. What if she checks the surveillance and tells Dad about this? Did you not see how she looked just now? I thought she wanted to murder us!" Jocelyn calmly replied, "What's there to fear? Jennifer is married to Maxwell now. Do you think she would dare to reveal today's events? It's her reputation on the line here." The reasoning made sense, and Bridget began to relax. She then hastily urged, "Mom, hurry up and give Mr. Zito a call. Ask him when I can go to the set." Jocelyn dialed Daniel's number and questioned ingratiatingly, "Mr. Zito, were you satisfied with Jennifer tonight?" "Don't even mention it. Someone else has taken my penthouse suite reservation for tonight. I heard he was a big shot." Daniel said dejectedly, "I didn't even get to see the pretty chick you sent over." Jocelyn's face fell. "What? A big shot? Does that mean you didn't go to that penthouse suite?" Who slept with Jennifer then? There were so many marks on Jennifer's neck! "Alright, let's talk about your daughter's audition another time." Daniel's mood soured as he hadn't had his fun. Bridget stomped her foot in frustration, unable to believe that the first role she ever landed was going to be ruined just like that. At the corner of the staircase, Jennifer secretly observed the mother-and-daughter duo. From their conversation, she came to learn the whole situation. It turned out that they had planned to send her to Daniel, but because the penthouse suite was taken by someone even more powerful than him, she had been violated by another man… Jennifer tightly shut her eyes, not daring to recall further. The more she thought about it, the stronger her urge to strangle Bridget and Jocelyn became. Yet, she knew she couldn't act on those impulses. This matter involved both the Yale family's and the Lance family's reputation, as well as her own dignity. Hence, she could only swallow her anger and let the matter rest. Jennifer made her way to the bathroom. Standing under the shower, she vigorously scrubbed her bruised body. She felt absolutely filthy. Her innocence had been taken by a stranger instead of her husband. The thought made her sob uncontrollably, the sound blending with the rush of the shower, creating a poignant melody of despair. … Jennifer spent the whole night pondering. She was unable to suppress her indignation. She wanted to know who the man from the night before was. Thus, early the next morning, she went to Nimbus Lounge, hoping to retrieve surveillance footage or guest registration information. Unfortunately, she was told that guest information was kept strictly confidential. Furthermore, their surveillance system was hacked last night and only got back on moments ago. As for the footage, it was gone. Nimbus Lounge was the most upscale entertainment club in Haven City, with complex connections behind it. A young girl like Jennifer couldn't do anything about it. And so, Jennifer couldn't find a single clue. She couldn't seek help from anyone else either. If she were to make a fuss about it, it would cost her pride and dignity. Exhausted, Jennifer returned to the villa she shared with Maxwell. Along the way, she bought emergency birth prevention pills. Even though she was only 22 and inexperienced, she still had some basic knowledge. She took the pills and absentmindedly placed the box in a drawer. Jennifer collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep once again. When she woke up, it was already noon. To her surprise, Maxwell had returned at some point and was sitting on the bedroom couch. He was dressed in a black suit with a silver-gray tie, exuding an air of sophistication and elegance. However, his demeanor seemed extra aloof. Jennifer was startled. Because of what happened to her the previous night, she felt a sense of guilt and unease. Besides, Maxwell usually headed straight for the guest room upon his return, never setting foot in the master bedroom. At this moment, Maxwell stood up and walked over to her. "I came home earlier and heard from the housekeepers that you looked unwell. I thought you were sick, so I came in to check on you." Jennifer heaved a sigh of relief. Then, he tossed a pillbox in front of her. "I was looking for a thermometer in your bedside drawer, and I found this. Care to explain?" His tone was calm, but there was a palpable coldness and questioning in it. Jennifer saw the emergency birth prevention pills she had bought and felt her heart clench. Chapter 3 Jennifer looked at him in a panic, choking out, "Hear me out. Yesterday I—" "Enough," Maxwell cut her off, his gaze falling on the marks on her neckline. It was unmistakably the aftermath of a liaison. His tone remained calm and indifferent as he continued, "It's partly my fault for ignoring you these two years. I don't blame you for what you did. But, Jennifer, the Lance family can't accept a tainted woman." Jennifer's mind went blank. All her explanations now seemed futile. Anyway, why would he listen to her when the truth was right before his eyes? Besides, even if she could prove that she had been framed by Bridget and Jocelyn, it was still a fact that she was tainted. Jennifer smiled bitterly. "So, are you asking for a divorce?" Maxwell nodded. "I hope you will make it clear to Grandpa that you're the one asking for a divorce. I can offer you a bit of dignity by keeping him in the dark about your infidelity." Jennifer felt her eyes sting with tears, but she desperately held them back. After a long while, she inhaled deeply and asked, "Can you... answer a question?" "Go ahead." Maxwell's eyes betrayed no emotion. Staring at him, Jennifer quavered, "Are you seeing someone else? In these two years of marriage, have you felt anything for me? If it weren't for her, would you have liked me?" Maxwell's gaze softened slightly, and he replied casually, "Sorry. As I told you on the day we got married, all I can offer you is the position of Mrs. Lance." Although he wasn't answering her question, Jennifer, being a woman, had an intuition that he had long harbored feelings for another woman. "In the next few days, I'll have my lawyer draw up the divorce agreement. You only need to sign it and then explain things to Grandpa." Maxwell spoke of divorce with such casualness, as if he were discussing what to have for dinner. After saying that, he left the master bedroom without hesitation. Jennifer felt cold. Despite it being a hot summer day, she felt like she was trapped in ice. What made her hopeless was not Maxwell's proposal for divorce, but the fact that he believed she had an affair and yet remained so composed. She knew that his calmness was not due to his manners and upbringing, but because he simply didn't love her. Jennifer was in a daze. She had always known their marriage would eventually end like this. But now that day had truly arrived, she found herself unable to bear it. She was unwilling to let go. Taking out her phone, she dialed her best friend's number. "Laura, have you finished work? I... I..." Jennifer's voice choked up. She felt so aggrieved that she couldn't speak. Sensing her distress, Laura said troubledly, "Jennifer, I have to conduct an interview tonight, and it might take a while. How about I send you the address and you come to find me? We can talk after I finish the interview, okay?" "Okay." After Jennifer agreed, she immediately set out. According to the address Laura gave her, she arrived at a dance studio and parked her car downstairs. The studio was holding its grand opening, and the owner wanted to make a splash by arranging an interview with the local TV station in Haven City. When Laura heard that Jennifer had arrived, she ran downstairs and got into her car. "The studio owner is so unreliable. The ribbon-cutting and opening were supposed to be in the morning. I could have finished work early today. But because she changed the time, I had to stay here and work overtime for the interview. I mean, who schedules a grand opening in the evening?" Laura started complaining as soon as she saw Jennifer. Jennifer could only comfort her. "This is Haven Tower. Every inch of space is precious. The rich can be capricious." As the two were talking, Laura received a call from her colleague asking her to go up. "Go ahead, I'll wait here," said Jennifer as she felt too exhausted to tag along. After Laura left, Jennifer's gaze fell on the street not far away. The next second, her eyes widened in shock. That was because she had inadvertently spotted Maxwell get out of a car. He was holding a bouquet of red roses. The bright red color was as glaring as blood. Jennifer's hand on the steering wheel trembled. This man had talked to her about divorce not long ago. And now, he was here with roses that she had never received before. Maxwell headed into Haven Tower. Immediately, Jennifer got out of the car and followed from a distance. At the entrance of the dance studio, the lights were on and the atmosphere was lively. Laura was interviewing the studio's owner, a knowledgeable and beautiful woman. The latter spoke with a warm and friendly smile. In her hands were the roses Maxwell had just given her. Jennifer felt a buzzing in her ears, and her eyes fell on Maxwell. Nonetheless, he didn't see her as all his focus was on that woman. Even the gentle smile on his lips was one she had never seen before. Jennifer clenched her fists tightly, willing herself not to rush over to confront them. … After the opening ceremony, Rachel and Maxwell went to the lounge alone. "Max, did you really bring up the divorce with your wife?" Rachel leaned in his arms, looking aggrieved. "Your grandfather won't blame you, will he? I'm afraid you'll offend him because of me." Maxwell comforted her softly, "You're the woman I cherish the most. If I can't have you as my wife, I'd rather not lay my hands on you. I've felt guilty for letting you follow me in obscurity all these years. Since I took your innocence last night, I will take responsibility." A scheming glint flashed in Rachel's eyes, but she quickly resumed her pitiful expression. "I'm lucky to be your woman. I've never regretted it." Rachel then held her chest and said meaningfully, "Thank goodness your assistant told me that you were drugged. Otherwise, if another woman had entered that room, I... I really wouldn't be able to take it. Max, I don't want to share you with anyone else." Amid their affectionate moment, Maxwell's phone rang. He was surprised to see that it was a call from Jennifer. Why would she call him? "What do you want?" he answered somewhat indifferently. Jennifer said, "Maxwell, I regret the divorce." Maxwell paused. "What do you mean?" "Come home. I think we need to talk." Jennifer hung up the phone after that. Meanwhile, Rachel's expression had changed too. She had vaguely heard that Maxwell's wife didn't want a divorce anymore. "Rach, I need to go home for a bit." Maxwell explained truthfully, "There may be some changes regarding the divorce." Chapter 4 Maxwell arrived home well past 11:00 pm. The villa was eerily quiet, with only a night light switched on in the living room. Jennifer sat on the couch, seemingly waiting for him. As Maxwell took off his coat and loosened his tie, he spoke impatiently, "Didn't we agree on the divorce? I won't shortchange you when it comes to assets. You can rest assured about that." He thought she wanted a larger share of the assets. Jennifer's voice was hoarse when she asked, "Maxwell, did you want a divorce because of that woman?" Maxwell's expression faltered slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He didn't want to hide anything from her, nor did he care to. "Yes. I owe it to her. That's something I must do," he admitted frankly. Jennifer chuckled bitterly. "I only discovered today how hypocritical you are. You played the victim, making me feel guilty and pushing me to get a divorce. I bet you were secretly pleased, weren't you? You finally caught me making a blunder, and you're now forcing me to leave so you can be with her." Maxwell furrowed his brows. His tone was chilling as he replied, "Jennifer, let's make things clear. Rachel and I were together in the first place. You know very well how you ended up marrying me. Now that you have someone else, we're even. Let's spare each other, shall we?" "No!" Jennifer's words were sharp. "I hate being deceived. You and her have been playing me like a fool for the past two years. Do you think I'll let you off?" Maxwell rubbed his temples, suppressing his irritation. With gritted teeth, he demanded, "Then what do you want?" "I won't get a divorce." With that, Jennifer went to the bedroom. Almost as soon as she turned around, her tears surged out. For two whole years, she had been waiting for him to return her feelings. Before her mother passed away, she was told that most marriages in this world were built on growing affection over time. Love at first sight was just infatuation, like what she felt for Maxwell. But marriage ultimately relied on tolerance and patience. Jennifer thought her perseverance would eventually warm his heart. Now she realized how wrong she was. The presence of that woman had already negated all her efforts and perseverance. … For the next two weeks, Maxwell never returned to the villa. He even stopped staying in the guest room altogether. Jennifer immersed herself in her university's laboratory, focusing on her studies. She was now in her fourth year of medical school, preparing for her postgraduate entrance exam. She didn't want to trap herself in a hopeless marriage. Even if she couldn't have love, at least she would still have her career. Now, concentrating all her energy somewhere else was the only way to keep her thoughts from drifting toward Maxwell. In the evening, after finishing her experiments, Jennifer came out of the laboratory. "You're Ms. Yale, right?" Rachel was standing outside the laboratory building, waiting for her. Jennifer immediately recognized her as the dancer Rachel whom Laura had interviewed. Nonetheless, she pretended not to know her and asked impassively, "I am. Who are you?" Rachel smiled, as smart and gentle as ever. "Ms. Yale, do you mind having a talk? My name is Rachel Walker. I'm… a friend of Max's." "A friend?" Jennifer sneered. "Maxwell has too many friends; I've never heard him mention you. Sorry, but I don't have time right now." Rachel blocked her way, still smiling. "Ms. Yale, I won't take up much of your time." Jennifer had long harbored resentment toward this woman. Since she insisted, Jennifer wanted to see what Rachel was up to. So, the two of them went to a cafe near Haven University. "Ms. Yale—" Rachel had just opened her mouth when Jennifer interrupted her. "Ms. Walker, since you're a friend of Max, you should know me, right? Please call me Mrs. Lance." Jennifer emphasized "Mrs. Lance" heavily. Rachel looked embarrassed and nodded. "Okay, I'll call you Mrs. Lance for now. I came to apologize to you today. After all, Max has caused you a lot of grievances because of me." "Has he?" Jennifer acted nonchalant, saying, "What grievances has he caused me? I don't know about that. Ms. Walker, aren't you thinking too highly of yourself? Maxwell has been good to me, really." Rachel's smile deepened, and in her softest voice, she pierced through Jennifer's facade. "Is that so? But Max told me you refused to get a divorce. He's quite troubled by it. After all, Max and I met in our university days, and we got together very early on. We were about your age when we fell in love." Although Jennifer was prepared to face Maxwell's mistress, she only realized how far she was from Rachel's level during the actual confrontation, especially when Rachel recounted her past with Maxwell. "Max told me everything about you. Your late mother saved his grandfather's life with a highly complex heart surgery, which made Mr. Lance Senior feel deeply indebted to your family. So, when she entrusted you to him before her death, he couldn't refuse. Of course, you were also a sacrifice in this arranged marriage. You're quite pitiful." Rachel's voice was gentle, neither hurried nor annoyed, but it was enough to insult Jennifer's pride and dignity. Jennifer slowly stirred the coffee in front of her, her heart completely knotted by now. So, it seemed that Maxwell had told this woman everything. She must be a joke to them, right? Jennifer decided to play along and said, "Since you pity me, why don't you be a good person and stop bothering Maxwell and me?" Rachel's smile stiffened. She had expected Jennifer to be furious. However, she was surprised to find that the young girl could keep her composure. With a shallow smile, she responded, "I didn't want things to turn out this way either, but Max insists on taking responsibility for me. After all, even though I'm not his wife, we have consummated. Ms. Yale, you're still young, and you wouldn't understand." Jennifer clenched her fists tightly under the table. Each word Rachel uttered was akin to a dagger stabbing her heart without mercy. She had seen this coming. No man could control himself when it came to the woman he loved. But hearing the blatant truth from Rachel caused Jennifer to feel suffocated. After taking a deep breath, she asked, "So, have you come to me today to ask for my acceptance for you two to be together?" "If possible, I'll make sure Max provides you with more security for your future. You will receive fair compensation." Rachel thought Jennifer was wavering, so she proposed attractive conditions, tempting her with money. Jennifer chuckled at that. "I'm sorry, but I'll get much more than what's in this divorce agreement by continuing being his wife." "But there should be order when it comes to love." Rachel's smile faded as she realized Jennifer wasn't budging. She continued with a hint of urgency, "Even if you insist on staying married, it's futile. I came into Max's life first. It's him and I who are in love." Jennifer nodded. "Yes, you two love each other, but I'm the one married to him. Love may have an order, but the law doesn't care about who comes first. Our marriage certificate is solid proof that you can never be with him legitimately." Just then, Jennifer's phone rang. Seeing that it was Maxwell calling, she was instantly reminded that the fifteenth of every month was the day they would return to Lance Manor to dine with Robert. Intentionally, she put the call on speaker for Rachel to listen. Maxwell's voice sounded. "Where are you? We have to head to Lance Manor today." "Babe, I'm still at the university. I just finished my experiment. Could you come pick me up?" Jennifer's voice was meek with a hint of coquettishness. For a moment, Maxwell was stunned, unable to wrap his head around what Jennifer had called him. Chapter 5 Maxwell had never given her permission to address him as "babe". Just as he was about to reprimand her, Jennifer had already ended the call. Observing Rachel's displeased expression, Jennifer finally broke into a smile of unprecedented satisfaction. "Ms. Walker, did you see that?" She shook her phone while saying, "My husband is coming to pick me up. Regardless of who came into his life first, the person he brings back to Lance Manor will always be me!" Then, she stood up and placed two 100 bills on the table. "Enjoy your coffee. It's my treat." Having said that, Jennifer walked out of the cafe. At that moment, the burden that had weighed on her chest for so many days was finally lifted. … Before long, Maxwell's car arrived at the gates of Haven University to pick Jennifer up. Robert had raised him, and he held an eternal respect for Robert. It was for this reason that he personally came to pick Jennifer up, to avoid displeasing Robert. As she got into the car, Maxwell stated coldly, "Jennifer, don't call me that again." "Understood," Jennifer obediently replied. She didn't bring up Rachel's visit because his favoritism might cloud his judgment. Who knows, he might even accuse her of mistreating his darling. When she didn't argue, Maxwell quit pursuing the matter and drove toward Lance Manor. Lance Manor was situated in the southern part of Haven City, surrounded by hills and water. A wealthy foreigner had once set his eyes on this mansion, offering eight billion to purchase it, only to earn Robert's disdainful smile in return. The fifteenth of every month was the Lance family banquet, where Maxwell's father and stepmother would also be present. Maxwell's stepmother, Lorraine Young, was smiling obsequiously while saying to Robert, "Dad, Jordan heard that you haven't been feeling well lately, and your asthma is acting up frequently. "He specifically went abroad to seek help from medical experts. That's why he couldn't make it back in time for dinner today. He asked me to apologize to you." Robert was slightly taken aback. "Since when did Jordan become so thoughtful?" Lorraine's face revealed a hint of unease as she hurriedly clarified, "Jordan has always been dutiful. Recently, he even mentioned that since he graduated long ago, it's time for him to work at Lance Group to assist Max. He wishes to share your burdens with Max." Maxwell's expression darkened a little when he heard this. In exchange for marrying Jennifer, he had made Robert promise to hand over the executive power of Lance Group to him and not let his stepbrother, Jordan Lance, join the company. From the way Lorraine put it, could it be that Robert hadn't made it clear to them yet? Maxwell's father, Zachary Lance, chimed in, "Dad, why don't you arrange a position for Jordan at Lance Group soon? Although Max is running the company well, Lance Group is too big for him to do it alone." Since Zachary's divorce from his ex-wife and marriage to Lorraine, Robert had relieved him of all his positions at Lance Group and instead allowed Maxwell to take over the company. Zachary and Lorraine were afraid that their youngest son would also be rejected by Robert, hence they spared no effort to speak up for Jordan. Robert cleared his throat and replied bluntly, "Jordan is still young. He should gain more work experience elsewhere. There isn't a suitable position for him at Lance Group at the moment." Lorraine's face fell in an instant. She knew that as long as Maxwell was around, her son would never be valued by Robert. Jennifer had been sitting silently next to Maxwell, eating her meal without a word. However, she understood their conversation perfectly well. At this moment, Robert shifted his attention to her, and his stern expression eased up. "Jennifer, you seem to have lost weight again. You should eat more," Robert said with a smile. "Is Max treating you well? He hasn't mistreated you, has he?" Jennifer glanced at Maxwell and forced a smile. "Don't worry, Grandpa. Max treats me very well." Lorraine's chuckle followed right after. "Really? How come I heard that Max hardly goes home aside from a few times a month? Even when he does, he's sleeping in guest room." "What? Guest room?" Robert's expression immediately turned sullen. "What's going on?" Maxwell pursed his lips, casting a suspicious gaze at Jennifer. He had handpicked all the housekeepers at the villa. He was sure none of them would gossip, so how was Lorraine well-informed about these things? Afraid that Robert wouldn't believe her, Lorraine added, "Dad, they have been married for two years now, but there's still no news of a baby. They are both so young. They should have conceived by now." A realization seemed to dawn on Robert, and he stood up. "Max, come with me to the study." Jennifer watched in concern as the two left, feeling a bit flustered. Although Maxwell deserved Robert's reprimanding, she couldn't help but worry. … In the study, Robert and Maxwell faced each other in silence. After a long while, Robert spoke solemnly, "Max, I didn't let you marry Jennifer to make her suffer. Her mother saved my life!" "Marrying her was the biggest compromise I could make. As for the rest, I can't promise anything." Maxwell's voice was devoid of any warmth. Robert snorted. "You heard what Lorraine said just now. If this is how you treat Jennifer, then I'll have to reconsider the inheritance issue more fairly. Jordan is also my grandson after all." Ultimately, Maxwell held himself back from mentioning the divorce. He had sacrificed so much to marry Jennifer. He couldn't afford to fail now. When he was six, Zachary drove his mother away and married Lorraine. He had searched for his mother for so long, but couldn't find her. Until now, he didn't know whether his mother was alive or dead. How could he let go of such hatred? "I understand, Grandpa. I know what to do," he agreed in the end. As long as he stayed in power, he would never let Zachary and Lorraine off easy! But Robert didn't easily buy his words. "From today onward, you and Jennifer will move back to Lance Manor," he commanded. "Once you both have a child, I'll hand over all the shares and executive power I hold at Lance Group to you." … And so, Maxwell and Jennifer moved to Lance Manor that night. Of course, Robert had arranged for them to stay in one bedroom. Jennifer nervously gazed at Maxwell's gloomy face, her heart pounding in her throat. Maxwell reached out, pinching her chin and forcing her to look into his eyes. "How did Lorraine find out about our situation? Are you close to her?" Jennifer picked up his suspicion and immediately defended herself. "You hate that woman, and I don't like her either. Why would I be in contact with her?" However, her words lacked conviction. Maxwell smirked wickedly. "Are you that desperate to share a room with me? I shall fulfill your wish today then!" Chapter 6 Jennifer understood the meaning behind his words and instinctively retreated to the corner of the bed. Without a warning, Maxwell effortlessly gripped her calf and pulled her toward him, pinning her down with his weight. Having been rendered immobile, Jennifer could only push at his shoulders, asking in alarm, "Maxwell, what are you doing?" "What do you think? What else can a man and a woman do on a bed?" Maxwell's cool breath swept over her as his fierce kiss landed on her neck. "No!" Jennifer struggled, frightened. "Maxwell, don't do this. Don't touch me!" His actions reminded her of that horrific night when the strange man seemed equally rough. Jennifer didn't want to recall it again. If Maxwell continued, she would break down. Seeing Jennifer crying miserably, Maxwell couldn't truly bring himself to punish her in this way, even if he was always harsh toward her. After all, if this were done without love, it would be a punishment for both sides. He stopped, but his hands remained at her sides as he leaned down to look at the pitiful woman. "Why are you crying?" Maxwell growled. "Since you don't want a divorce, don't try to remain chaste for other men! Get your head straight and remember that I am your husband!" He would never stoop low and force himself on women, especially not Jennifer who had been tainted by another. She was filthy! Maxwell retrieved blankets and pillows from the closet, preparing a makeshift bed on the floor. Jennifer felt extremely aggrieved. She wanted to tell him that she didn't have another man, but then how could she explain the birth prevention pills? Even if she told Maxwell that she had been violated by a complete stranger, he would probably think she was even more indecent, wouldn't he? … The next day, Maxwell felt sore all over as he had never slept so on the floor before. When they went downstairs for breakfast, Robert was already seated at the table. His expression softened slightly when he saw the two coming down together. At that moment, Maxwell's phone buzzed with a WhatsApp message from Rachel. Jennifer glanced at it and saw a photo, probably of breakfast that Rachel had made. It looked quite appetizing. Maxwell looked at the message and stood up without touching the food on the table. He said, "Grandpa, I'm going to the company." "At this hour?" Robert frowned. "Do you think I'm easy to deceive because I'm old?" "I have a meeting today. I want to avoid getting stuck in traffic," Maxwell reasoned. Jennifer sneered inwardly at his excuse. She bet he simply didn't want to miss out on the breakfast Rachel had made. Robert ordered, "Sit down and have breakfast. After that, send Jennifer to class before going to the company." "What?" Maxwell sounded impatient. "Doesn't she have a car?" Jennifer immediately said, "Babe, my car broke down yesterday. It's getting repaired." Babe? She was calling him that again? Maxwell restrained his anger in front of Robert and gritted his teeth. "Fine, I'll send you." After breakfast, Robert deliberately prompted, "Jennifer's car broke down. How will she come home later?" "Grandpa, Max will come to pick me up," Jennifer said, her eyes fixed on Maxwell. "Right, babe?" Maxwell forced a smile. "Right." Only then did Robert grin happily and nod. "That's more like it! Back in our days, people would get married before even meeting each other. Nonetheless, they lived happily ever after. Jennifer is a wonderful girl. You should know how to cherish her!" Maxwell listened to his grandfather's advice, feeling a headache coming on. Upon reaching the garage, Maxwell stopped in his tracks and looked at Jennifer sternly. "Jennifer, I warned you yesterday not to call me that." Jennifer blinked innocently. "Didn't you say last night that I should get my head straight and that you're my husband? So, what's wrong with calling you that?" "Jennifer! Are you trying to piss me off?" Maxwell frowned deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. Jennifer didn't want to endure his mistreatment anymore. What did she gain from being submissive and obedient every day? She couldn't warm Maxwell's stone-cold heart. Instead, she had let him step all over her with his mistress! With a determined mind, Jennifer haughtily got into his car. On the way, Maxwell said sombrely, "Jennifer, just because Grandpa has your back, it doesn't mean you can act so recklessly. You better rein in your temper. My patience is limited!" "Well, so is mine!" Jennifer smirked as she drawled, "Babe, just drop me off at the intersection across from the campus. Remember to pick me up in the evening." Maxwell slammed on the brakes, yelling, "Don't push your luck! I'm busy tonight. You can take a taxi home by yourself." Jennifer shrugged. "Fine. I'll tell Grandpa to send a driver to pick me up." … As expected, using Robert as leverage was more effective than anything else. At 6:30 pm, Jennifer exited the university campus and spotted Maxwell's conspicuous red car at first glance. Suddenly, chaotic calls for help rang out. "Is there a doctor? Someone has fainted here!" "It looks serious! She seems to have stopped breathing!" As a medical student, Jennifer couldn't stand idly by. She quickly rushed into the crowd, where an elderly woman was surrounded. She lay unconscious on the ground, her face turning purple. Jennifer immediately instructed the crowd to step back and make room. While urging someone to call the ambulance, she began performing CPR on the elderly woman. "Anyone here has asthma? Do you have an inhaler?" Judging from the symptoms of the elderly woman, Jennifer felt she seemed to be suffering from an asthma attack. Due to a lack of medication, it had led to brain hypoxia and cardiac arrest. "I do. I do!" At this moment, a kind-hearted passerby handed over his inhaler. After ten minutes of continuous chest compressions, coupled with the effects of the inhaler, the elderly woman finally began to recover consciousness. The ambulance happened to arrive as well. "Ms. Yale, every second counts. If it weren't for your timely rescue, I'm afraid the old lady wouldn't have made it before we arrived," said the doctor who got out of the ambulance. Coincidentally, he was Jennifer's former lecturer. He generously praised her, feeling proud for raising such an excellent student. The crowd also complimented Jennifer for her heroic act as they had marveled at the thrilling scene earlier. As the crowd gradually dispersed, she noticed Maxwell standing not far away. Jennifer was slightly taken aback upon meeting his gaze. She had never seen such a gentle look in Maxwell's eyes before. It was uncharacteristically warm. Chapter 7 Maxwell seemed like he was smiling as he approached Jennifer. Then, he crouched down and took out a wet wipe with wine, helping her clean the dirt on her knees. It was only then that Jennifer snapped back to her senses. She had knelt on the ground for a full ten minutes, so deeply engrossed in saving a life that she hadn't noticed these trivial details. Now, she realized that her knees were not only dirty but also grazed. "Ouch..." she murmured. "Be gentle." Maxwell said softly, "Bear with it." As he resumed with his head bowed, a strange emotion began to stir in Jennifer's heart. Her knees really hurt, but she felt warm inside. After cleaning the dirt, Maxwell stood up and said, "Your knees are injured. Do you want to go to the hospital to get them bandaged?" Jennifer smiled and casually brushed it off. "There's no need. A band-aid will do for this small injury. Let's go home quickly. Grandpa is waiting for us for dinner!" Then, she started walking toward where he parked the car. Maxwell followed silently, thinking that if Rachel had been in this situation, she probably would have long thrown herself into his arms and wailed. Maxwell felt like he had seen a different side of Jennifer when witnessing her save a life just now. He even felt a hint of pride. Anyway, Jennifer was still his wife. … During dinner, Jennifer ate quite a bit because she was in a good mood. Just then, the housekeeper brought two bowls of tonic to their table. Maxwell wrinkled his nose at the strong smell of medicine and asked, "Grandpa, what is this?" "Aren't you two planning on giving me a great-grandchild after two years of marriage?" Robert chuckled. "This tonic is from a renowned traditional medicine doctor in Haven City. It's very nourishing. From now on, both you and Jennifer will have one bowl each until she conceives." "What?" Maxwell looked at the bowl of tonic speechlessly and then glanced at Jennifer. She also had a conflicted expression, not knowing what to do. Robert urged, "What are you waiting for? Drink up!" Maxwell couldn't force himself to drink it. The smell alone was unbearable. Jennifer thought for a moment before saying to Robert, "Grandpa, we're still young, and there's nothing wrong with us. Isn't it too soon to drink this tonic now?" MMaxwell quickly agreed, "Yeah, it's not like we're incapable. Do we really need to drink this now?" Robert scolded, "Nonsense!" The men in the Lance family were all robust and healthy. How could they possibly suffer from incapablity? To appease Robert, Maxwell compromised. "Grandpa, why not let us try on our own first? If it doesn't work, we can consider taking the tonic." Jennifer gaped at him. Try on their own? How? After contemplating for a while, Robert said, "You'd better not disobey me. If you dare mistreat Jennifer under my nose and make her live like a widow, I'll punish you severely!" Maxwell was speechless again. What did he mean by living like a widow? … Back in the bedroom, Maxwell started laying out the blankets on the floor again. Jennifer couldn't bear to see this. It just didn't seem right for an influential man like him to sleep on the floor. She spoke softly, "Why don't you sleep on the bed? It's big enough to maintain a safe distance." Maxwell paused, glanced at her, and continued his task. He said calmly, "You don't need to take Grandpa's words to heart. I won't tie you down with a child if I can't give you a future." Jennifer's eyes dimmed, a trace of bitterness rising in her heart. She murmured, "I just wanted you to sleep better. You kept messaging your neck just now." "It's nothing." Maxwell returned to his usual coldness. He finished laying out the blankets and went into the bathroom. Not long after, the phone he had left by the pillow rang. Because their phones were the same brand, the ringtone was also the same. Jennifer mistakenly picked it up as her own. It wasn't until Rachel's coquettish voice came from the other end did she realize she had picked up Maxwell's phone. "Max, where are you? I have a fever. I feel terrible... I miss you so much..." Jennifer rolled her eyes and stated curtly, "It's me." "You..." Rachel froze for some time before asking, "Why do you have Max's phone?" Jennifer retorted, "Why wouldn't I have my husband's phone? Your call has disturbed our rest. If you have a fever, go see a doctor. Maxwell doesn't know how to treat illnesses!" She shut down the conversation, tossing the phone aside. Maxwell finished his shower, and Jennifer went in to take her turn. When she came out, Maxwell seemed to have just hung up the phone. He looked at her with a grim expression. "Did you answer my phone just now?" Jennifer knew that Rachel wouldn't give up easily and would definitely call him a second time. She calmly leveled his gaze and replied, "Yes. What's the matter?" Maxwell said bitterly, "Rachel's grandmother passed away, and you didn't tell me about it. Jennifer, I thought you were kind when I saw you save a life today. But I didn't expect you to be more malicious than I imagined. How could you have the heart to insult someone who just lost their loved one?" "Her grandmother passed away?" Jennifer said confusedly, "How would I know about that? She only said she had a fever. She didn't say anything about her grandmother!" "Enough!" Maxwell interrupted her impatiently, hastily putting on his clothes and storming out. After he left, Jennifer suddenly felt freezing. The joy of saving someone earlier had disappeared in an instant. She smiled self-deprecatingly and folded the blankets on the floor. He probably wouldn't be coming back for the night.	LEARN_MORE	https://mn.ikkly.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=12134	Free BOOKS	https://www.facebook.com/61560779513133/	496	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	mn.ikkly.com	DCO		https://mn.ikkly.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=12134&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/449822948_438512845838212_4009865779659306784_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=GfVeotct_8MQ7kNvgE_0RAp&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AnLOFggc-oxP582PmJguAkO&oh=00_AYBQaAeU6ZWrOAmK4r2EP-w5l6e7b6p7ge2UO-wp_6ZHCg&oe=670A2730	PERSON_PROFILE	Free BOOKS	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,113,856	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	Take Your Music to the Next Level with Vocalfy's Vocals!	Do you want fresh, new vocals to make your songs stand out? Vocalfy offers special house and EDM vocals. Made by artists who have worked with big names like Netflix, Spinnin' Records, and Universal. These vocals are perfect for making your tracks sound different and unique. They are high-quality, royalty-free, and ready to use right away. -3 Vocal Takes (Dry & Wet): Choose the perfect sound for your mix. -High-Quality WAV Files: Clean, clear, and ready for your tracks. -Instant Download: Get the files right after you buy them. -Limited Edition Vocals: Our vocals are rare and often removed to stay special. -Stems & MIDI Files Included: More tools to help you be creative. With Vocalfy, you don’t just get vocals; you get the tools to make music that stands out. Find the perfect vocal now and make your next track a hit: https://bit.ly/_vocalfy_	DOWNLOAD	https://vocalfy.com/	Vocalfy	https://www.facebook.com/100076230931991/	2,144	1969-12-31 18:00	Download	vocalfy.com	VIDEO	Click here 👉	https://vocalfy.com/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/462001997_1049956209903150_3502678320002670221_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=s1nIeJxXY2IQ7kNvgEeg5gE&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AnLOFggc-oxP582PmJguAkO&oh=00_AYAMpZKfcQJ8Z3qA9jNebW_wYYDwxaY0xQBSGfVMaELevw&oe=670A1107	PERSON_PROFILE	Vocalfy	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,113,889	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2113887}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	Alice arrived at the mansion. Servant's gaze, tense and almost mocking, followed her tired footsteps to the living room. And, there, he found Casey, trading kisses with her sister. “Alice!” Casey gasped, struggling for a moment to get Amber off of him. “I could ask what are you two doing…” Alice gritted her teeth. “Alice... I...” Casey stuttered, “I can explain...” “Explain what? That while you were asking me to move in together, you were sleeping with my sister?” she spat, disgusted. “I... I'm really sorry, Alice. If I could go back in time, I would have been honest with you from the moment I realized I was in love with Amber.” Amber whimpered, “Why are you so angry just because he's trying to be happy with someone who really loves him? If you care about both of us, you’ll want to see us happy, won’t you?” "Are you serious?!" Alice growled “My sister is having an affair with my boyfriend and you think I should congratulate you both on that? ” “What do you think you’re saying to your sister?!” Alice froze where she was, only managing to turn her neck to find her mother there. “Casey, could you excuse us for a moment?” Kendra smiled. “Uh... Of course...” Casey hesitated. Kendra sneered, “ Amber will stay with the Campbells’ son, who is much better suited to her. And you will marry Massimo, so everyone knows that the Dawseys are not heartless monsters who abandoned a family friend just because he is now crippled. ” Alice gasped “Do you realize you’re talking about me marrying him as if we were in the 18th century? Like I’m an object?!” “ I could have thrown you out of this house for being a Filthy woman who doesn't even know who made you have a baby, but did I? No! Did I let you continue here, creating a child and dirtying our family name, charging only a symbolic amount of rent so that you could learn your lesson? But once again, Alice, I will be kind and give you a choice.” “You can stop trying to be a problem for attention and accept becoming Massimo's wife... Or you can stay here and suffer all the punishments I still have to inflict on a stubborn child like you.” Kendra finally stopped by her side, muttering that last part against her ear.	LEARN_MORE	https://redtgb.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=14341&u	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61559743679549/	182	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	redtgb.com	DCO		https://redtgb.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=14341&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&placement={{placement}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/461208702_1588110025459328_4646628019454027853_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=jpSDq5beWeMQ7kNvgEIzb0L&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A9-dMbqJtXsVOCPEjksFi_T&oh=00_AYDBVRth0nXITFA0GvTB3_EH-ZMm7SFh9mRplTJITS3BpQ&oe=670A0F0D	PERSON_PROFILE	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,113,969	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2112389}'	No	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	One Neah “Where the heck is she?” I hear the Beta scream. I already knew Beta Kyle was talking about me, the only servant of the house. I groan and get to my feet, grabbing the cleaning basket and taking it with me. The moment Beta Kyle sees me, he strides towards me and his hand slices against my cheek. I don’t make a sound. Years of experience has taught me to keep my mouth shut at all times and only speak when spoken too, even if what they are doing to me hurts. “Alpha Trey and I are expecting company and you still have not cleaned the office like you were asked.” Beta Kyle spits at me I nod my head and my hand tightens on the cleaning basket. If I could just find the courage to swing it at his head, it would make my day. I resisted, he was stronger than me and I didn’t need locking up for another week with no food. My stomach already hurt enough. “We are trying to make a good impression on Alpha Dane. Do you not understand how important it is for us to join ourselves with his pack?!” I don’t answer, I know it's a trick, to try and get me to say something so that he can give himself a reason to punish me. I keep my eyes low so that I didn’t have to look at his face. Alpha Dane, I had only ever heard rumours about him. Words exchanged between the other pack members when I was in the room. From what I gathered, he was a ruthless man, a Wolf feared by others. He didn’t mess around and he had the largest pack. “He is the Alpha of Black Shadow, the biggest pack in the world, we need him!” Beta Kyle continues. Yet he doesn’t tell me why. We had never been attacked and we had never attacked anyone, so why did we need another pack to help us? He places his hands on my shoulders, digging his nails into my thinning skin and turns me around, kicking me in the but as he shoves me towards the office. ”Useless Wolf.” He mutters as he moves away. Quietly closing the door, I lean back against it, observing the already clean office. There was nothing out of place, it looked perfectly fine for a meeting with this so-called powerful Alpha. Closing my eyes, I slide down to the floor. I hated this house. I thought that when I turned eighteen, I could finally escape, but four years later, here I still am, a slave in my own home. Doing all the dirty tasks for my brother, Alpha Trey and the pack. While my ex mate, Beta Kyle waltzes around reminding me of how worthless I am. Someone clears their throat and I freeze, I thought I was alone. Leaning forward, I see a handsome man sitting in a chair, just around the corner. A foot propped up on his knee as he nurses a glass of drink. His short hair is dark and his eyes are a deep crimson colour, that don’t quite look right. They suddenly shift to me and I throw myself back against the door as my heart pounded. “Is this the way you greet all Alpha’s?” His deep voice rumbles through the room, there was an edge of amusement to his tone. “I’m sorry.” I whisper, getting to my feet. “I…I thought I was alone.” I had no idea who he was but I could feel the power radiating off of him, even without my Wolf. He doesn’t introduce himself either, why should he? “Come forward.” He orders and I already feel a lump forming in my throat. Alpha Trey was going to finish me. I step around the corner, doing as I’m told, allowing him to see me properly. I close my eyes, expecting the worst. “You smell funny. Yet you are a Wolf, correct?” I nod, though I couldn’t tell how he was going to react. Most laughed when they found out about me. “I would prefer it if you spoke to me.” He growls, “I’m not in the mood to play games.” “Yes.” I whisper. I couldn’t help but think of all the punishments I was going to have to endure. A whipping maybe? Starvation for another week? “Why do you smell strange? And how is it possible for you to not know I was in the room? You should have scented me.” “I…..” I hated the question. “Spit it out, I haven’t got all day!” He takes a swig from his drink. I knew why I couldn’t scent him. I knew why I hadn’t been aware of his presence, but telling people why was not something I ever wanted or liked to do. They never let me tell my side of the story. All they do is laugh and mock me. “You should open your eyes when you are talking to someone. It’s rude to not look at them. Has your Alpha not taught you anything?” His deep voice sends a shiver through me. Slowly, I open my eyes and lower them, there was no way I was making eye contact. “My Wolf abilities were bound,” I mutter. Twice, I wanted to add. Twice my abilities were bound. But he probably wasn’t interested in that part. He leans forward, carefully placing his glass on the small table next to the chair. I could feel him staring at me, “Why would someone do that?” If this is the Alpha that my brother is supposed to be meeting with, I knew I could screw everything up for him by saying too much. “It was a punishment.” I whisper. It wasn’t far from the entire truth but it was the simplest answer I could give. There’s a twitch in his cheek. Was he angry to hear of such a punishment? Or maybe, just like the others, he was amused by it. I couldn’t tell. The door swings open and my brother screeches at me “Neah, what the heck are you doing in my office?” He turns to the crimson eyed man. “I am so sorry that my sister is bothering you, Alpha Dane.” Crap, it was him. My brother spins around, his hand stretching out to hit me. I close my eyes, bracing myself, ready to feel the burn. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Alpha Dane’s voice rumbles through the room. Peeking through slits, I see Alpha Dane has risen to his feet, his hand coiled around my brother's wrist. He was taller than my brother, more muscly too. “Neah,” My name rolls off of his tongue, “was kindly showing me to your office, Alpha Trey, as you failed to meet me at the front of your house like I requested. I was lucky someone was present, at least someone understands the importance of this deal.” What? I had no idea what he was talking about. And he had no reason to lie for me. My brother glares at me, clenching his jaw tight. I was going to pay for this later. I would have to try and steal some food. “Go and get Beta Kyle.” Alpha Trey seethes. “Tell him that our guest is here.” I nod my head and hurry from the room, the last thing I wanted was to be caught between bickering men. “Beta Kyle,” I whisper as I enter the dining hall. He instantly glares at me with his dark eyes. I had spoken without being spoken to. “Alpha Trey is in the office with Alpha Dane. I was sent to inform you.” He slams the newspaper down on the table and glares at me as he walks by. “You’re lucky that the Alpha sent you to get me, otherwise you wouldn't be seeing sunlight for a few days.” Pausing behind me, he yanks my head back, locking his fingers in my hair, leaning in close to me, I feel his hot breath on my skin. He doesn’t speak, it was just his way of proving that he could do what he wants when he wants. I try to keep myself busy so I can stay as far away from the office as possible. My peace doesn’t last long when I hear my brother calling out to me. Quietly, I pad towards the office and plaster a smile on my face as I open the door. “Neah, go get the champagne and some glasses, we are celebrating.” I bow my head and hurry to the drinks cabinet. Quickly finding what my brother has asked for. As I re-enter the office, I can feel Alpha Dane watching my every move, even the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. No one ever watches me this closely. Approaching the small table by Alpha Danes chair, I start to fill the glasses. He takes the champagne bottle from me, telling me he is more than capable of filling his own glass. I feel my cheeks flame, not from embarrassment, but because I knew that I would be punished for this. I should have been quicker. I should have filled the glasses before entering the office. I should have…. My brain freezes when I see my brother glaring at me. “Neah is your sister, correct?” Alpha Dane questions my brother. “She is.” Alpha Trey mutters with disgust. He looks away from me to focus on the man asking questions. “Why do you treat her like vermin?” Straight to the point, my brother wouldn’t like that. He only liked sharing information on his terms. No one had spoken to my brother about his treatment of me because everyone took great joy in beating me. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t move but I knew I had to get out of there. If this deal goes to pot because of me, then that would be my fault too. “Neah was responsible for our parents' death.” Alpha Trey spits I closed my eyes, battling back the tears that were threatening to break free. “Responsible how?” Alpha Dane’s voice rumbles through me. He was definitely angry. “She served them Wolfsbane.” Two Neah Don’t make a sound. Don’t make a sound. I knew Alpha Dane was studying me. They all did, no one could ever quite believe how someone could do something so disgusting as poisoning their own parents. I stood there, with my head hanging low, wishing for the ground to open up and suck me in. There are movements around me. He was standing directly in front of me. With a rough finger he tilts my face up towards his, forcing me to look at him. Slowly, his hand latches onto my throat but he doesn’t squeeze. “You poisoned your parents?” “I was six.” I splutter. “I just made them lemonade.” My voice comes out all squeaky as I try to defend myself. I could barely remember my parents, but I could remember all the guilt I had been made to feel since that day. His crimson eyes flash to my brothers. “Hardly seems fair to blame a six year old.” “A six year old should know the difference between plants.” Alpha Trey snaps “Sounds to me like she was set up.” Alpha Dane shrugs his shoulders, letting go of my throat. “We all know that standard wolfsbane doesn’t affect us anymore. We evolved from that thing centuries ago.” What? What did he mean? Wolfsbane wasn’t lethal. It had been drummed into me since I could walk. “Which only leaves Blood of Wolfsbane.” Alpha Dane mutters “You weren’t there, Alpha Dane.” My brother muttered through gritted teeth as his eyes narrowed to slits. “It was Wolfsbane.” He nods his head. “You are right, I was not present.” Great, now there was someone else who could remind me of something I had done by accident, years ago. “But tell me this, where would a six year old get Blood of Wolfsbane?” “I didn’t ask you here to talk about my slave!” Alpha Trey spits. “Or what happened to my parents.” Alpha Dane grabs his leather jacket from the chair. Unlike other Alpha’s he seemed to dress more casually. A simple black tee and jeans covered his huge frame. And unlike other Alpha’s, his arms are bare of tattoos, not a single bit of ink poked out anywhere. “You’re right and now I have a few things to mull over.” “I thought we agreed.” My brother exclaims “Nothing has been signed. Now I will show myself out.” The moment he is out of the office, both my brother and Beta Kyle round on me. “What the heck did you say to him?” My brother demands, slamming a hand into my stomach. “N..nothing. Well, he just asked me why I smelled funny.” “Did you tell him?” Beta Kyle demands. He was practically spitting in my face. I hated him. I hated him so much that I had vowed to one day get my revenge and rip his stomach out through his mouth. “WELL?” My brother yells when I don’t immediately respond and smacks me across the side of the head. My head involuntarily moves up and down. “But I didn’t say it was you.” I tried to sound strong and confident but it just comes out as a whisper. If they weren’t Wolves, they probably wouldn’t have heard me. My brother's hand locks into my black hair as he yanks my head back, sending a shooting pain through my skull. “If you have ruined this, you won’t see daylight again.” He drags me by my hair from the office and down the hallway towards the basement door. “Please….” I beg. “He was an Alpha…I… I had to answer him.” My cheeks burn with my tears as he flings the door open. On the other side of the door is Alpha Dane. He is leaning against the wall with his arms folded, staring out at us. My brother's hand falls from my hair, relieving the pressure on the back of my skull.. “Alpha Dane, I thought you had left.” Alpha Trey murmurs angrily. “I said I would show myself out. I thought I had found the door, but instead I find a basement, riddled in your sister's strange scent. Is this how you treat your family?” “As I said,” my brother holds his ground, “She is responsible for the death of my parents, so yes, this is what she deserves.” “You should keep your nose out of other packs' business!” Beta Kyle adds. Alpha Dane laughs. “If I agree to this deal, everything about your business becomes my business. So tell me, what would your punishment be for her? No food, locked away for a week, beatings?” “We don’t….” “Really?” He cocks a brow, “You really expect me to believe that you would have just let her sleep? I have already stopped you from hitting her once. " His eyes roam over me. "She is underfed, bags hover under her tired blue eyes. For a sister of an Alpha, she is certainly not treated like one. Regardless of what she allegedly did when she was a pup.” “She did do it!” Alpha Trey seethes “And she has nothing to do with our deal.” “That’s for me to decide.” His crimson eyes flicker around the hallway. “Where is your mate? I would be interested to know how she feels about this.” I close my eyes, silently begging my brother not to call his Luna. Luna Cassandra is worse than Beta Kyle and Alpha Trey together. “On second thoughts, why bother her. I’m certain she is just as vile as you.” He sneers I peer through slits to see his crimson eyes on me. There was no reason for him to defend me and yet he was. I was a nobody, no one special. Just who everyone called a traitor. Only instead of being given a death sentence, my brother had decided to make me spend my life suffering. “I have a proposition for you, Alpha Trey.” Alpha Dane is smirking at my brother “We have already agreed on terms.” “Well, I’m adding one. And if you don’t agree, you will not get my help. Instead, you will become my enemy. And we both know, you don’t want that.” “I take it that your new terms have something to do with her?” Alpha Trey mutters through clenched teeth. “You would be correct. Let me take her away to my pack and then you, Trey will have a deal.” Me? Why would he want me? As my brother and his Beta discuss me, Alpha Dane is still studying me. His look made me nervous. What could someone like him possibly want with me? “Deal.” Alpha Trey sticks out his hand for Alpha Dane to shake. He doesn’t take it, instead his crimson eyes shift from me to my brother. “I will have paperwork drawn up and will return tomorrow.” He reaches a hand out and cups my face, “Ensure you have everything packed.” He drags his thumb across my bottom lip and strides to the opposite end of the hallway and straight to the front door. He knew exactly where the front door was, so what was he up to? He pauses at the door. “If I find out any one of you has laid a hand on her. The contract will be the last thing you need to worry about.” He struts out, slamming the door behind him. “Get out of my sight!” My brother snaps at me. Hurrying away, I make my way up the stairs and into my tiny bedroom. It was practically empty, the only things I had were a few changes of clothes. It would take me less than a minute to pack By morning, I hadn’t slept. Alpha Danes questions were on repeat and why was I so interesting to a Wolf like him. There was a reason he had the biggest pack. They were known for their fighting abilities, that’s why my brother wanted to link Moonshine with Alpha Danes pack, but where did I fit in to all this? And what o earth is Blood of Wolfsbane? Three Dane “Tenth bride’s the charm.” Jenson mocks as the driver pulls up in front of Moonshines packhouse. “Shut up!” Eric snaps at him “Both of you shut your mouths. Before you say something you regret!” ‘He will never learn.’ My wolf, Aero muses. The driver pulls open the door. “Just give me a second, I need to speak to my men.” The door closes and neither one of them speaks. “She isn’t like the others. Don’t speak to her, don’t look at her. And you Jenson, keep your hands to yourself or you might just lose them this time.” I was more rattled than usual. Neah was different to the previous selected mates. I didn’t know what it was or whether it was because I was used to confident women, but there was something about her. And Aero appeared to like her too, more than any of the others. I had to have her. “I mean it!” I snap at Jenson's smug face, “Being my brother won’t change my mind!” He runs his fingers over his lips as though he was zipping them shut. They follow me from the car. Standing in front of the old packhouse, all three of us stare up at it. Because until a month ago, I knew nothing about them and even after my visit, all I had learned was the Alpha is a beast. My knuckles hammer on the door. It’s barely open an inch when I force myself through making his Beta stumble back. I spot her straight away, hiding herself behind a corner. “Are you ready?” I call out. “If you just want to…..” Beta Kyle starts. “I was not talking to you. I was speaking to Neah.” The expression on Beta Kyle’s face was a picture. His jaw hung open and his eyes are wide. He clearly had never been told what to do, even by his Alpha. Neah steps out from her hiding spot, clutching a barely full carrier bag. She drags her teeth across her bottom lip and nods her head. “Where are the rest of your things? I told you everything needs to be packed” “That’s all she has.” Trey snorts as he makes his appearance. “That’s it?” I stare at him. “That’s all her belongings? She’s what, in her early twenties and that’s all she has?” “What more does she need?!” His Beta sneers. ‘Kill him, let me rip out his throat and he will regret the day he crossed us.’ “What are you waiting for?” I hear a horrible shrill voice that seems to vibrate through the floors. Looking away from the Beta, I see a woman holding on to a statue of herself that sat at the bottom of the stairs. Her blonde hair hung in waves around her face as her green eyes studied me and she sways her hips as she moves to Trey. I noticed Neah’s reaction yesterday. When I asked Trey where his mate was. Her whole body had tensed up in fear. She was afraid of this woman and I wanted to know why. “Take her Alpha Dane. I’m sure she will be as useful a slave to you as she is to us.” Her shrill voice goes straight through me. “Look at the silly girl, she’s going to pass out.” The blonde bimbo laughs “You don’t get to talk about her like that anymore.” I glare at the blonde, “She is not your toy. She is not your slave and I suggest that you, Alpha Trey keep your wife in check. There is only so much disobedience that I will tolerate.” “DISOBEDIENCE!” The woman screeches just as Neah’s hip hits the floor. “How dare you! If anyone is disobedient, it’s that rat in the corner.” ‘Who the heck is she calling a rat?’ Aero growls “You should make yourself familiar with our agreement.” I snap. “It seems your mate has not told you everything.” Waving Eric forward, he pulls a thick wad of paper from the folder under his arm. The contract that I have drawn up. “All that for your help?” His mate’s eyes are wide “I don’t do half-witted contracts.” Taking the contract from Eric, I shove it against Trey’s chest “Shall we go to the office?” Trey leads the way with his mate clinging on to him and his Beta hurrying behind. My men follow them while I stay behind to check on my new mate. “You are more than welcome to join us, after all, you are involved in this deal. Or my car is outfront, you can take your stuff and wait there for me.” “Are those my only options?” she whispers, keeping her eyes low “For now. Personally, I think you should sit in with us. It will give me great pleasure in pissing off that mate of your brothers.” She keeps her blue eyes low as she continues to clutch that bag of hers. This close to her, I could really see how ill she looked. Even her heart beat is slow, like it’s fighting to hang on to life. “So what will it be?” “I….” Her head rotates between the front door and the direction of the office. “I….. The office I guess.” “Good choice.” I hold out a hand for her but she doesn’t take it. Pushing herself up to her feet. She wobbles a little, but steadies herself. Walking a few steps behind her, I see the evil glares she receives from Trey and the other two idiots as she enters the office.. “Take a seat.” I whisper as I walk past her. My hand grazes her lower back and she immediately tenses up. She stands, frozen to the spot. Only her eyes dart about when she shakes her head. “Sit!” I say it a little louder “She doesn’t have that privilege here!” The blonde snaps, with her lips curved up in amusement “Sitting is not a privilege.” I growl, wondering what else they were forcing her to do. I couldn’t see any bruises on her arms or legs, a good sign, I hoped. ‘It better be!’ Aero paces in my head. He wanted her out of this place as much as I did. The blonde physically recoils in her seat. Her mouth falls wide open, shocked that I had said something. “And I suggest,” I look at Trey, “You tell your mate to keep her mouth shut. Or I can shut it for her.” “Alpha Dane, you are in my home…..” “And you want my help, correct?” The three of them were fuming. No one liked being told what to do in their own home, yet they were doing just that to Neah. I point to the empty chair between Jenson and Eric and she finally sits down. “Let’s just get this done.” Trey snaps, “The sooner she is gone, the happier I can be.” “You should read the contract.” I muse “I agreed that you could take her as part of our deal.” “Idiot!” Eric murmurs. He knew as well as I did that contracts should be read before they are signed They sign without reading and practically throw the contract back at me. “Done.” Trey mutters “Good, you can get her out of my house.” Trey’s mate screeches. If I had it my way, I would just take Neah, then I wouldn’t have to put up with the twidles, but this way, they can’t have her back. Even if they begged. A contract was a contract and it was impossible for them to get out of. Getting to my feet, I hold a hand out to Neah, “Come, we are leaving this rat hole before I lose my temper.” Her warm fingers slip into my hand as she rises to her feet. Her other hand clutches the bag to her chest as she walks with me to the front door. She doesn’t even look back to say goodbye and that confirmed everything I needed to know. She hated them as much as they hated her. She pauses at the open front door, her hand falling from mine. Her blue eyes are wide as she stares at the limo. “Come.” I instruct Eric and Jenson are standing behind her, watching her curiously. ‘Is she okay?’ Eric links me. “Neah?” I step in front of her and she doesn’t move. She seems to be staring right through me. “It’s time to go.” “Okay.” Her lips barely move She takes a step forward, almost as if she is in slow motion. Her hands grip the door frame, her knuckles turn white as her heartbeat increases. Her lips part a little and her hand falls from the door frame just as her eyes roll to the back of her head. “I’ve got you.” I mutter, catching her just before she hits the floor. Her entire body tenses up as I lift her and carry her to the car. She was so weak and was even lighter than I expected. She probably didn’t weigh much more than a small child. Jenson and Eric get in the car first. Jenson cocks his eyebrow at me and has a smirk plastered to his face as I slide in with Neah on my lap. “Keep your thoughts to yourself, Jenson!” I hold her close, listening to her breathe and her heart as it slowed. Letting my fingers comb through her dark hair as she becomes a little more with it. Suddenly, she sits up right, moving away from me and trying to make herself as small as possible. Deciding not to force her to do anything, I keep my attention on my Beta and my brother, talking about pack stuff while casting a glance over to her every so often to make sure she was alright. “Come.” I mutter as the limo comes to a stop. I don’t wait for the driver and get out myself, holding a hand out for her. “I’m fine.” She speaks at last while glancing at the others and shuffles herself forward to the open door. She stares up at my home, gasping a little. It was easily three times the size of her previous home and I hoped that she would be happy here. That I could provide her with a life that was better than her last. “Let me give you a tour.” I suggest as she continues to clutch that carrier bag to her chest. She follows me in, not speaking a word. I had no idea if she was listening to what I was saying or not “The omegas swap out on a rotational basis. Good for the youngsters to learn some responsibilities before they get proper jobs.” I tell her while showing her the dining hall with a table long enough to fit twenty people around. We move through to the kitchen. Where I point out a board on the wall. “If there is anything you need, you just add it to the board and it will be ordered in.” Her brow furrows and still she says nothing. Picking up a pen, I smile. Maybe she felt intimidated by me. “So tell me, what do you need because there is no way you are living under my roof with just the things that are in that bag.” Her dazzling blue eyes dart around the room “Well?” I ask. “I don’t need anything.” She whispers Sighing, I start scribbling things down. Underwear, jeans, workout clothes, dresses, shoes, anything I can think of that will cover her for a few days. Holding the pen between my teeth, I grab her around the waist. My thumbs meet just above her belly button and my fingers touch her spine. She was so thin, how was she even alive? Four Dane She looked like a deer caught in headlights as I write her size down. She was tinier than I thought. Skin and bone. If I had moved my hands up any higher, I would have felt every rib sticking out. It sickened me, she should be strong, powerful, she had Alpha blood running through her veins. I also saw how she scrunched her face up when I measured her. It wasn’t fear, it was pain. She was hiding something underneath the baggy maids dress. “I know you want to say something, so just say it. I’m not interested in the crap Trey drummed into you. You don’t have to wait until someone asks you a question. You are free to say what you want. Are you injured?" "No." She was lying, I could feel it. She shakes her head as if it would confirm her answer and a lock of her black hair falls from the band that was supposed to be holding it back. Neah was going to be a tough girl to crack. A life of being starved had made her quite protective over herself. I will make Trey pay for what he has done to her. “You have to say something, Neah. I cannot read your mind. When I mark you, at least I will know what you are feeling.” “Mark me?” I didn’t think her eyes could get any wider. “Yes, I will mark you.” She was completely and utterly shocked by the idea. Her pink lips part a little as she continues to stare at me. I thought she knew. I thought that was why she came so willingly. My Beta had kept asking me if I was certain I wanted her as my bride. There was no doubt about it, she had a strange scent but something was luring me to her. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her when I first saw her. My Wolf Aero was going mad for her too. Though he hadn’t said a word about her. Annoyed with me for not taking her home with us yesterday. “You….You brought me so that you could mark me.” She takes a step back, walking into the kitchen island. She winces a little and quickly covers up her pain, relaxing her face.. “If Trey had bothered reading the contract, he would have discovered that you are to be my bride, not a slave. He would also have read that if he or his ridiculously silly mate tried doing anything to you going forward, that pack would become mine, or rather, yours. I never bought you, Neah, you were always destined to be mine.” “I’m a murderer.” She gasps. “Why would someone like you want me for a bride?” ‘Blood’ Aero growls interrupting my thoughts. I glance down at her baggy dress. A blood stain had appeared right where I had my hands wrapped around her. “What’s that? Are you injured?” I demand, I had barely touched her. She covers the stain with her hand. “It’s nothing. It’s just a cut that I keep knocking and it opens up again. I forget it’s there.” Forget? How could she forget a wound? ‘Why isn’t she healing?’ I feel Aero’s panic. ‘She’s been with us less than two hours and already she has some form of injury.’ His need to protect her was strong. It hadn’t occurred to me that her lack of abilities included not being able to heal. I would have to find someone who could reverse the binding and soon. “Show me!” “It’s fine.” She mumbles I was already so sick of hearing that phrase. “It’s not optional.” I mutter. “If you won’t show me, I will have to find a way to look, myself.” Her heart skips a beat. She looks around the kitchen. “Can.... can we go somewhere more private?” “Private?” I didn’t really do privacy. What Wolf did?! She bobs her head but still keeps her focus slightly off of me. Almost afraid to look me directly in the eyes. ‘Office,’ Aero mutters. ‘I was just going to suggest that!’ I snap back at my Wolf. I feel his eyes roll as he retreats to some dark corner of my mind. “This way.” I gesture to the door. Neah waits for me and follows closely behind. The scent of blood steadily grew stronger, it was more than just a cut. I already knew that. In the office, I hit the remote and the blinds start to drop, blocking out the sunlight. Neah hesitates and slowly begins to unfasten the buttons of the dress but only where the large blood stain was. Keeping everything else covered from me. She pulls the dress to one side. The wound was about four inches long and already fairly infected. “See, it’s fine.” she whispers. “You need to stop saying that.” She closes her mouth and starts to fasten the buttons. “No,” I grabbed her hands, I had caught sight of another bruise. “Let me see the rest of them.” It wasn’t optional. She gasps as my fingers rip apart the rest of the buttons. Her sports bra had seen better days, just the same as her underwear. But it was the bruising I was most concerned about. Bruise upon bruise, scars that had come from whips. Her hip bones and ribs stuck out too. Turning her around, and pulling the dress from her, I find that her back is just the same. Yet interestingly, there was nothing above her chest and nothing below her thighs. Her arms were completely bare of wounds too. There was only one reason why someone would do that. To either hide what they were doing to someone, or to keep up appearances. They didn’t want guests to see. More importantly, they didn’t want me to see, considering the meeting was arranged over a month ago. She fumbles with the dress, pulling it tightly around her thin frame. “You need to see a doctor.” “It’s …..” she trails off when she sees the anger on my face. “It always heals, eventually.” “Did Trey do this?” I mutter with my teeth gritted and gesture to her body She lowers her blue eyes. “Cassandra?” She still doesn’t answer me. “That prick that follows Trey around? All three of them?” She pulls her dress tighter around her and silently nods. She brings her hand up to her face, brushing her cheek, wiping away an escaped tear. “Anyone else?” “The pack.” She whispers. ‘I’m going to kill them all.’ Aero growls. He will have to get in line, “Because of what you allegedly did to your parents.” She nods. “I don’t believe you were responsible.” She tilts her head up towards me, her brow knits together as her eyes finally find mine. “Because of Blood of Wolfsbane?" Five Neah “I…I don’t know what Blood of Wolfsbane is?” I whisper He frowns at me. “Your brother said you knew the difference between plants.” “I…” I didn’t have an answer. I couldn’t remember, not fully. “Blood of Wolfsbane is Wolfsbane fed by our blood. The leaves will have a red hue to them. I can’t imagine a child would know what it is because it is not freely grown. Your brother’s story doesn’t add up.” “Oh.” “I won’t stop until I find out who did this, Neah.” His crimson eyes narrow. “I will make them pay for the suffering you have endured.” He sits on the edge of his desk, studying me. “Right now, you do need to see someone about the infection.” I kept my mouth closed, I was still trying to process his news of me being set up. Why had my brother never considered it? “Come, I will show you our bedroom. You can shower before we see the pack doctor.” Frozen to the spot, I don’t move. Did he just say ‘our bedroom,’? As in, we are sharing a bedroom? I guess he thinks he can mke love with me whenever he wants if I’m his contract bride. A shiver runs down my spine at the thought. Glancing up, I see him watching me. He is stood at the open door, waiting for me. Ensuring my dress has me covered, I step out into the hallway. No one was around and the hallways were quiet. As we moved, Alpha Dane would tell me what each room was, but he seemed more focussed on getting me to the bedroom. His bedroom is huge, with massive windows, just like the rest of the house. The bed sat pressed up against the wall. All around it, thin drapes hung from the ceiling, but they were tied back at each bed post. What surprised me the most was that the bath and the shower were in the same room. Only the toilet was in a small room to the side of the shower. No privacy, whatsoever. Though, he didn’t seem to care about that. He makes me jump when I feel his warm breath on my skin. “You don’t need to be afraid.” I may not be able to smell him, but he would be able to scent the changes in my emotions. Crossing the room, he pulls open the glass door to the shower and turns it on. The moment he closes the door, the steam of the shower quickly fogs up the glass. And still, I find myself afraid. He gave me no clue as to what he was expecting from me. “Hey,” His rough fingers tip my face up. “It’s just you and me and for now, I will let you shower in peace.” Walking away, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and messes around with it before placing it on the bedside table. “The alarm is set for ten minutes. I will come back then. I will bring you something to wear so just stay in the towel. Understand?” He stares at me, waiting for an answer and I just nod. A ten minute shower. I was lucky if I got a minute shower back home and the water was always cold. He moves to the door and with his hand resting on the door knob he looks back over his shoulder at me. “I really wish you would talk more, Neah.” Alpha Dane leaves me in peace and I make a mad dash for the shower as if I’m in some kind of fantasy land and this was all a dream. Maybe it was, maybe I was about to wake up in the basement of my home. The smells of the soaps and shampoos are divine as I lather them into myself. And my hair has never felt so clean. The wound on my stomach stung as the hot water hit it, but I didn’t care, it was worth it. Someone in the room clears their throat and I freeze. Thanking the steam for keeping me semi hidden. “Neah, are you done? The alarm went off five minutes ago.” Alpha Dane’s voice seems louder in here. I had been so caught up in the freedom of a simple shower that I hadn’t even heard the alarm or the Alpha come back into the room. “Coming.” I mutter, turning off the water and pulling a towel around me to hide the hideousness underneath. Stepping out, I already see that my ripped dress, underwear and worn sandals had been removed from the floor. Alpha Dane sits on the end of the bed with what looked like folded clothes on his lap and a pair of trainers. “It’s not much, as we don’t have anyone with as small a waist as you.” He smiles as he hands over the clothes. A matching navy blue sweatshirt and joggers. “You will have to make do without the underwear for now. Should be here first thing tomorrow.” He watches me with a cocked eyebrow as I pull the joggers on and tug the sweatshirt over my head before removing the towel. Maybe he was used to the women parading themselves in front of him, or throwing themselves at him because he has power, but I wasn’t like that. “Let’s go.” He rises to his feet and this time, I follow him. Something told me that if I didn’t get this wound looked at, it would put him in a bad mood. The pack doctor was young, unlike the one back home who was old and afraid to let anyone take over from him. She smiles at us as we enter the pack hospital and rewraps her dark hair into a bun. “Raven, this is Neah.” Alpha Dane introduces me with a grin. I keep my eyes low as I hear Raven say, “Alpha Dane, what seems to be the problem apart from the strange smell she has brought with her.” It didn’t sound like a hurtful comment like I was used to, but more a comment of curiosity. “She will tell you herself when she finds her tongue.” “I have a wound.” I whisper. “And you are not healing?” Raven asks, confused “I don’t have my Wolf.” I hated saying it. It was just a constant reminder that I did not fit in. “Her Wolf was bound when she was a kid.” Alpha Dane tells her. “That’s why her scent is strange. Her Wolf is there, locked away, waiting to be freed.” My eyes flicker up only to find him staring straight back at me. I had always believed that my Wolf was gone. Not that she was trapped. Raven’s dark eyes hover on me. “Wow, okay.” She grabs my hand. “This way, let’s take a look at this wound of yours.” She leads me into an empty room and asks me to lay on the bed and to show her my wound. Pulling up the sweatshirt, just enough for her to see the wound. Her eyes widen, a flicker of rage passing over them as she takes in the infected wound and the bruising that surrounds it. Her fingers carefully press around the wound. “How long ago?” “A few days.” I mutter, though I wasn’t sure. Every beating blurred into another one. Any day that I wasn’t hit was a good day. Raven shakes her head. “This is longer than a few days ago, the infection has had at least a week to develop.” “Neah, you need to tell us the truth.” Alpha Dane orders “I don’t know.” “NEAH!” His deep voice rumbles through me and I close my eyes, fearing his anger. Anger brought punishment, punishment brought pain. “I swear, I don’t know. The beatings, they happen so often that they just kind of…. I’m never not bruised.” There’s silence and I was too afraid to open my eyes. Alpha Trey had said it over and over, that if anyone found out, he would make my life a misery, more than it already was. I used to wonder who would ever find out that didn’t already know. Now here I was, sitting in another pack’s hospital, revealing the truth. “Heal her!” Alpha Dane shouts after what seems like forever. He storms from the room, pulling a phone out of his pocket. “You will have to forgive my brother. His temper is short, especially when it comes to things like this.” Raven mutters as she gently inspects my wound “Your brother?” I whisper, opening my eyes “Ah, I see he informed you. I’m guessing he didn’t tell you that Jenson is our brother too?” I shake my head, I’m guessing Jenson was one of the men that came to my brother's house. She chuckles. “Jenson is considered to be our brother’s Gamma.” “Gamma?” I had never heard of the term. “Yep and Alpha Dane has a love/hate for me working here. He wants me to represent our family, but he knows this is what I’m good at.” She grabs a pot of cream from the cupboard. “Now this needs to be applied three times a day. It should clear up the infection, if it hasn’t changed in a couple of days, I will take another look. My brother is waiting for you out front.” “Thanks.” I mumble, taking the pot of cream from her. I looked at the label, but couldn’t read it. I had never learned to read. She bobs her head at me as I hurry out to find Alpha Dane on his phone, snapping at someone. He hangs up as soon as he sees me and asks what Raven said. “Cream, three times a day.” I show him the pot and he takes it from me. “Good, come.” He strides off and I have to run to keep up with him. I follow him through the house and into the office. “Show me.” He orders, pulling the lid off the pot. It wasn’t going to be negotiable, not when he had used the same tone moments before he ripped my dress open earlier. Slowly lifting my sweatshirt, he crouches down in front of me and gently smothers the wound in the cold cream. “I don’t want you to lie to me, Neah. Not ever. If you can’t remember, that is what you need to tell me. Is that clear? I don’t want to have to guess what you mean.” “Okay.” I couldn’t say anything else, I was too focussed on the warmth of his hands. One presses against my lower back, holding me steady while the other gently rubs cream into my wound. The only touch I had received from another man was a beating. “Stop holding your breath.” He tells me, getting to his feet. “I am not going to hurt you.” It seemed impossible to believe given my history. The act, the words coming from him, it just didn’t feel real.	LEARN_MORE	https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&u	Galaxy in the Story	https://www.facebook.com/61555427913037/	1,374	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	wwwedb.com	DCO		https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/448791819_801329188771681_1239684611142513538_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=hoZXmpsTT0YQ7kNvgE7wXzx&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A9-dMbqJtXsVOCPEjksFi_T&oh=00_AYDZ-TBcCvSXIncs6rBVswXzcit0xtNERzBpStS1KJcWtQ&oe=670A1833	PERSON_PROFILE	Galaxy in the Story	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,113,971	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2112389}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	One Neah “Where the heck is she?” I hear the Beta scream. I already knew Beta Kyle was talking about me, the only servant of the house. I groan and get to my feet, grabbing the cleaning basket and taking it with me. The moment Beta Kyle sees me, he strides towards me and his hand slices against my cheek. I don’t make a sound. Years of experience has taught me to keep my mouth shut at all times and only speak when spoken too, even if what they are doing to me hurts. “Alpha Trey and I are expecting company and you still have not cleaned the office like you were asked.” Beta Kyle spits at me I nod my head and my hand tightens on the cleaning basket. If I could just find the courage to swing it at his head, it would make my day. I resisted, he was stronger than me and I didn’t need locking up for another week with no food. My stomach already hurt enough. “We are trying to make a good impression on Alpha Dane. Do you not understand how important it is for us to join ourselves with his pack?!” I don’t answer, I know it's a trick, to try and get me to say something so that he can give himself a reason to punish me. I keep my eyes low so that I didn’t have to look at his face. Alpha Dane, I had only ever heard rumours about him. Words exchanged between the other pack members when I was in the room. From what I gathered, he was a ruthless man, a Wolf feared by others. He didn’t mess around and he had the largest pack. “He is the Alpha of Black Shadow, the biggest pack in the world, we need him!” Beta Kyle continues. Yet he doesn’t tell me why. We had never been attacked and we had never attacked anyone, so why did we need another pack to help us? He places his hands on my shoulders, digging his nails into my thinning skin and turns me around, kicking me in the but as he shoves me towards the office. ”Useless Wolf.” He mutters as he moves away. Quietly closing the door, I lean back against it, observing the already clean office. There was nothing out of place, it looked perfectly fine for a meeting with this so-called powerful Alpha. Closing my eyes, I slide down to the floor. I hated this house. I thought that when I turned eighteen, I could finally escape, but four years later, here I still am, a slave in my own home. Doing all the dirty tasks for my brother, Alpha Trey and the pack. While my ex mate, Beta Kyle waltzes around reminding me of how worthless I am. Someone clears their throat and I freeze, I thought I was alone. Leaning forward, I see a handsome man sitting in a chair, just around the corner. A foot propped up on his knee as he nurses a glass of drink. His short hair is dark and his eyes are a deep crimson colour, that don’t quite look right. They suddenly shift to me and I throw myself back against the door as my heart pounded. “Is this the way you greet all Alpha’s?” His deep voice rumbles through the room, there was an edge of amusement to his tone. “I’m sorry.” I whisper, getting to my feet. “I…I thought I was alone.” I had no idea who he was but I could feel the power radiating off of him, even without my Wolf. He doesn’t introduce himself either, why should he? “Come forward.” He orders and I already feel a lump forming in my throat. Alpha Trey was going to finish me. I step around the corner, doing as I’m told, allowing him to see me properly. I close my eyes, expecting the worst. “You smell funny. Yet you are a Wolf, correct?” I nod, though I couldn’t tell how he was going to react. Most laughed when they found out about me. “I would prefer it if you spoke to me.” He growls, “I’m not in the mood to play games.” “Yes.” I whisper. I couldn’t help but think of all the punishments I was going to have to endure. A whipping maybe? Starvation for another week? “Why do you smell strange? And how is it possible for you to not know I was in the room? You should have scented me.” “I…..” I hated the question. “Spit it out, I haven’t got all day!” He takes a swig from his drink. I knew why I couldn’t scent him. I knew why I hadn’t been aware of his presence, but telling people why was not something I ever wanted or liked to do. They never let me tell my side of the story. All they do is laugh and mock me. “You should open your eyes when you are talking to someone. It’s rude to not look at them. Has your Alpha not taught you anything?” His deep voice sends a shiver through me. Slowly, I open my eyes and lower them, there was no way I was making eye contact. “My Wolf abilities were bound,” I mutter. Twice, I wanted to add. Twice my abilities were bound. But he probably wasn’t interested in that part. He leans forward, carefully placing his glass on the small table next to the chair. I could feel him staring at me, “Why would someone do that?” If this is the Alpha that my brother is supposed to be meeting with, I knew I could screw everything up for him by saying too much. “It was a punishment.” I whisper. It wasn’t far from the entire truth but it was the simplest answer I could give. There’s a twitch in his cheek. Was he angry to hear of such a punishment? Or maybe, just like the others, he was amused by it. I couldn’t tell. The door swings open and my brother screeches at me “Neah, what the heck are you doing in my office?” He turns to the crimson eyed man. “I am so sorry that my sister is bothering you, Alpha Dane.” Crap, it was him. My brother spins around, his hand stretching out to hit me. I close my eyes, bracing myself, ready to feel the burn. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Alpha Dane’s voice rumbles through the room. Peeking through slits, I see Alpha Dane has risen to his feet, his hand coiled around my brother's wrist. He was taller than my brother, more muscly too. “Neah,” My name rolls off of his tongue, “was kindly showing me to your office, Alpha Trey, as you failed to meet me at the front of your house like I requested. I was lucky someone was present, at least someone understands the importance of this deal.” What? I had no idea what he was talking about. And he had no reason to lie for me. My brother glares at me, clenching his jaw tight. I was going to pay for this later. I would have to try and steal some food. “Go and get Beta Kyle.” Alpha Trey seethes. “Tell him that our guest is here.” I nod my head and hurry from the room, the last thing I wanted was to be caught between bickering men. “Beta Kyle,” I whisper as I enter the dining hall. He instantly glares at me with his dark eyes. I had spoken without being spoken to. “Alpha Trey is in the office with Alpha Dane. I was sent to inform you.” He slams the newspaper down on the table and glares at me as he walks by. “You’re lucky that the Alpha sent you to get me, otherwise you wouldn't be seeing sunlight for a few days.” Pausing behind me, he yanks my head back, locking his fingers in my hair, leaning in close to me, I feel his hot breath on my skin. He doesn’t speak, it was just his way of proving that he could do what he wants when he wants. I try to keep myself busy so I can stay as far away from the office as possible. My peace doesn’t last long when I hear my brother calling out to me. Quietly, I pad towards the office and plaster a smile on my face as I open the door. “Neah, go get the champagne and some glasses, we are celebrating.” I bow my head and hurry to the drinks cabinet. Quickly finding what my brother has asked for. As I re-enter the office, I can feel Alpha Dane watching my every move, even the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. No one ever watches me this closely. Approaching the small table by Alpha Danes chair, I start to fill the glasses. He takes the champagne bottle from me, telling me he is more than capable of filling his own glass. I feel my cheeks flame, not from embarrassment, but because I knew that I would be punished for this. I should have been quicker. I should have filled the glasses before entering the office. I should have…. My brain freezes when I see my brother glaring at me. “Neah is your sister, correct?” Alpha Dane questions my brother. “She is.” Alpha Trey mutters with disgust. He looks away from me to focus on the man asking questions. “Why do you treat her like vermin?” Straight to the point, my brother wouldn’t like that. He only liked sharing information on his terms. No one had spoken to my brother about his treatment of me because everyone took great joy in beating me. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t move but I knew I had to get out of there. If this deal goes to pot because of me, then that would be my fault too. “Neah was responsible for our parents' death.” Alpha Trey spits I closed my eyes, battling back the tears that were threatening to break free. “Responsible how?” Alpha Dane’s voice rumbles through me. He was definitely angry. “She served them Wolfsbane.” Two Neah Don’t make a sound. Don’t make a sound. I knew Alpha Dane was studying me. They all did, no one could ever quite believe how someone could do something so disgusting as poisoning their own parents. I stood there, with my head hanging low, wishing for the ground to open up and suck me in. There are movements around me. He was standing directly in front of me. With a rough finger he tilts my face up towards his, forcing me to look at him. Slowly, his hand latches onto my throat but he doesn’t squeeze. “You poisoned your parents?” “I was six.” I splutter. “I just made them lemonade.” My voice comes out all squeaky as I try to defend myself. I could barely remember my parents, but I could remember all the guilt I had been made to feel since that day. His crimson eyes flash to my brothers. “Hardly seems fair to blame a six year old.” “A six year old should know the difference between plants.” Alpha Trey snaps “Sounds to me like she was set up.” Alpha Dane shrugs his shoulders, letting go of my throat. “We all know that standard wolfsbane doesn’t affect us anymore. We evolved from that thing centuries ago.” What? What did he mean? Wolfsbane wasn’t lethal. It had been drummed into me since I could walk. “Which only leaves Blood of Wolfsbane.” Alpha Dane mutters “You weren’t there, Alpha Dane.” My brother muttered through gritted teeth as his eyes narrowed to slits. “It was Wolfsbane.” He nods his head. “You are right, I was not present.” Great, now there was someone else who could remind me of something I had done by accident, years ago. “But tell me this, where would a six year old get Blood of Wolfsbane?” “I didn’t ask you here to talk about my slave!” Alpha Trey spits. “Or what happened to my parents.” Alpha Dane grabs his leather jacket from the chair. Unlike other Alpha’s he seemed to dress more casually. A simple black tee and jeans covered his huge frame. And unlike other Alpha’s, his arms are bare of tattoos, not a single bit of ink poked out anywhere. “You’re right and now I have a few things to mull over.” “I thought we agreed.” My brother exclaims “Nothing has been signed. Now I will show myself out.” The moment he is out of the office, both my brother and Beta Kyle round on me. “What the heck did you say to him?” My brother demands, slamming a hand into my stomach. “N..nothing. Well, he just asked me why I smelled funny.” “Did you tell him?” Beta Kyle demands. He was practically spitting in my face. I hated him. I hated him so much that I had vowed to one day get my revenge and rip his stomach out through his mouth. “WELL?” My brother yells when I don’t immediately respond and smacks me across the side of the head. My head involuntarily moves up and down. “But I didn’t say it was you.” I tried to sound strong and confident but it just comes out as a whisper. If they weren’t Wolves, they probably wouldn’t have heard me. My brother's hand locks into my black hair as he yanks my head back, sending a shooting pain through my skull. “If you have ruined this, you won’t see daylight again.” He drags me by my hair from the office and down the hallway towards the basement door. “Please….” I beg. “He was an Alpha…I… I had to answer him.” My cheeks burn with my tears as he flings the door open. On the other side of the door is Alpha Dane. He is leaning against the wall with his arms folded, staring out at us. My brother's hand falls from my hair, relieving the pressure on the back of my skull.. “Alpha Dane, I thought you had left.” Alpha Trey murmurs angrily. “I said I would show myself out. I thought I had found the door, but instead I find a basement, riddled in your sister's strange scent. Is this how you treat your family?” “As I said,” my brother holds his ground, “She is responsible for the death of my parents, so yes, this is what she deserves.” “You should keep your nose out of other packs' business!” Beta Kyle adds. Alpha Dane laughs. “If I agree to this deal, everything about your business becomes my business. So tell me, what would your punishment be for her? No food, locked away for a week, beatings?” “We don’t….” “Really?” He cocks a brow, “You really expect me to believe that you would have just let her sleep? I have already stopped you from hitting her once. " His eyes roam over me. "She is underfed, bags hover under her tired blue eyes. For a sister of an Alpha, she is certainly not treated like one. Regardless of what she allegedly did when she was a pup.” “She did do it!” Alpha Trey seethes “And she has nothing to do with our deal.” “That’s for me to decide.” His crimson eyes flicker around the hallway. “Where is your mate? I would be interested to know how she feels about this.” I close my eyes, silently begging my brother not to call his Luna. Luna Cassandra is worse than Beta Kyle and Alpha Trey together. “On second thoughts, why bother her. I’m certain she is just as vile as you.” He sneers I peer through slits to see his crimson eyes on me. There was no reason for him to defend me and yet he was. I was a nobody, no one special. Just who everyone called a traitor. Only instead of being given a death sentence, my brother had decided to make me spend my life suffering. “I have a proposition for you, Alpha Trey.” Alpha Dane is smirking at my brother “We have already agreed on terms.” “Well, I’m adding one. And if you don’t agree, you will not get my help. Instead, you will become my enemy. And we both know, you don’t want that.” “I take it that your new terms have something to do with her?” Alpha Trey mutters through clenched teeth. “You would be correct. Let me take her away to my pack and then you, Trey will have a deal.” Me? Why would he want me? As my brother and his Beta discuss me, Alpha Dane is still studying me. His look made me nervous. What could someone like him possibly want with me? “Deal.” Alpha Trey sticks out his hand for Alpha Dane to shake. He doesn’t take it, instead his crimson eyes shift from me to my brother. “I will have paperwork drawn up and will return tomorrow.” He reaches a hand out and cups my face, “Ensure you have everything packed.” He drags his thumb across my bottom lip and strides to the opposite end of the hallway and straight to the front door. He knew exactly where the front door was, so what was he up to? He pauses at the door. “If I find out any one of you has laid a hand on her. The contract will be the last thing you need to worry about.” He struts out, slamming the door behind him. “Get out of my sight!” My brother snaps at me. Hurrying away, I make my way up the stairs and into my tiny bedroom. It was practically empty, the only things I had were a few changes of clothes. It would take me less than a minute to pack By morning, I hadn’t slept. Alpha Danes questions were on repeat and why was I so interesting to a Wolf like him. There was a reason he had the biggest pack. They were known for their fighting abilities, that’s why my brother wanted to link Moonshine with Alpha Danes pack, but where did I fit in to all this? And what o earth is Blood of Wolfsbane? Three Dane “Tenth bride’s the charm.” Jenson mocks as the driver pulls up in front of Moonshines packhouse. “Shut up!” Eric snaps at him “Both of you shut your mouths. Before you say something you regret!” ‘He will never learn.’ My wolf, Aero muses. The driver pulls open the door. “Just give me a second, I need to speak to my men.” The door closes and neither one of them speaks. “She isn’t like the others. Don’t speak to her, don’t look at her. And you Jenson, keep your hands to yourself or you might just lose them this time.” I was more rattled than usual. Neah was different to the previous selected mates. I didn’t know what it was or whether it was because I was used to confident women, but there was something about her. And Aero appeared to like her too, more than any of the others. I had to have her. “I mean it!” I snap at Jenson's smug face, “Being my brother won’t change my mind!” He runs his fingers over his lips as though he was zipping them shut. They follow me from the car. Standing in front of the old packhouse, all three of us stare up at it. Because until a month ago, I knew nothing about them and even after my visit, all I had learned was the Alpha is a beast. My knuckles hammer on the door. It’s barely open an inch when I force myself through making his Beta stumble back. I spot her straight away, hiding herself behind a corner. “Are you ready?” I call out. “If you just want to…..” Beta Kyle starts. “I was not talking to you. I was speaking to Neah.” The expression on Beta Kyle’s face was a picture. His jaw hung open and his eyes are wide. He clearly had never been told what to do, even by his Alpha. Neah steps out from her hiding spot, clutching a barely full carrier bag. She drags her teeth across her bottom lip and nods her head. “Where are the rest of your things? I told you everything needs to be packed” “That’s all she has.” Trey snorts as he makes his appearance. “That’s it?” I stare at him. “That’s all her belongings? She’s what, in her early twenties and that’s all she has?” “What more does she need?!” His Beta sneers. ‘Kill him, let me rip out his throat and he will regret the day he crossed us.’ “What are you waiting for?” I hear a horrible shrill voice that seems to vibrate through the floors. Looking away from the Beta, I see a woman holding on to a statue of herself that sat at the bottom of the stairs. Her blonde hair hung in waves around her face as her green eyes studied me and she sways her hips as she moves to Trey. I noticed Neah’s reaction yesterday. When I asked Trey where his mate was. Her whole body had tensed up in fear. She was afraid of this woman and I wanted to know why. “Take her Alpha Dane. I’m sure she will be as useful a slave to you as she is to us.” Her shrill voice goes straight through me. “Look at the silly girl, she’s going to pass out.” The blonde bimbo laughs “You don’t get to talk about her like that anymore.” I glare at the blonde, “She is not your toy. She is not your slave and I suggest that you, Alpha Trey keep your wife in check. There is only so much disobedience that I will tolerate.” “DISOBEDIENCE!” The woman screeches just as Neah’s hip hits the floor. “How dare you! If anyone is disobedient, it’s that rat in the corner.” ‘Who the heck is she calling a rat?’ Aero growls “You should make yourself familiar with our agreement.” I snap. “It seems your mate has not told you everything.” Waving Eric forward, he pulls a thick wad of paper from the folder under his arm. The contract that I have drawn up. “All that for your help?” His mate’s eyes are wide “I don’t do half-witted contracts.” Taking the contract from Eric, I shove it against Trey’s chest “Shall we go to the office?” Trey leads the way with his mate clinging on to him and his Beta hurrying behind. My men follow them while I stay behind to check on my new mate. “You are more than welcome to join us, after all, you are involved in this deal. Or my car is outfront, you can take your stuff and wait there for me.” “Are those my only options?” she whispers, keeping her eyes low “For now. Personally, I think you should sit in with us. It will give me great pleasure in pissing off that mate of your brothers.” She keeps her blue eyes low as she continues to clutch that bag of hers. This close to her, I could really see how ill she looked. Even her heart beat is slow, like it’s fighting to hang on to life. “So what will it be?” “I….” Her head rotates between the front door and the direction of the office. “I….. The office I guess.” “Good choice.” I hold out a hand for her but she doesn’t take it. Pushing herself up to her feet. She wobbles a little, but steadies herself. Walking a few steps behind her, I see the evil glares she receives from Trey and the other two idiots as she enters the office.. “Take a seat.” I whisper as I walk past her. My hand grazes her lower back and she immediately tenses up. She stands, frozen to the spot. Only her eyes dart about when she shakes her head. “Sit!” I say it a little louder “She doesn’t have that privilege here!” The blonde snaps, with her lips curved up in amusement “Sitting is not a privilege.” I growl, wondering what else they were forcing her to do. I couldn’t see any bruises on her arms or legs, a good sign, I hoped. ‘It better be!’ Aero paces in my head. He wanted her out of this place as much as I did. The blonde physically recoils in her seat. Her mouth falls wide open, shocked that I had said something. “And I suggest,” I look at Trey, “You tell your mate to keep her mouth shut. Or I can shut it for her.” “Alpha Dane, you are in my home…..” “And you want my help, correct?” The three of them were fuming. No one liked being told what to do in their own home, yet they were doing just that to Neah. I point to the empty chair between Jenson and Eric and she finally sits down. “Let’s just get this done.” Trey snaps, “The sooner she is gone, the happier I can be.” “You should read the contract.” I muse “I agreed that you could take her as part of our deal.” “Idiot!” Eric murmurs. He knew as well as I did that contracts should be read before they are signed They sign without reading and practically throw the contract back at me. “Done.” Trey mutters “Good, you can get her out of my house.” Trey’s mate screeches. If I had it my way, I would just take Neah, then I wouldn’t have to put up with the twidles, but this way, they can’t have her back. Even if they begged. A contract was a contract and it was impossible for them to get out of. Getting to my feet, I hold a hand out to Neah, “Come, we are leaving this rat hole before I lose my temper.” Her warm fingers slip into my hand as she rises to her feet. Her other hand clutches the bag to her chest as she walks with me to the front door. She doesn’t even look back to say goodbye and that confirmed everything I needed to know. She hated them as much as they hated her. She pauses at the open front door, her hand falling from mine. Her blue eyes are wide as she stares at the limo. “Come.” I instruct Eric and Jenson are standing behind her, watching her curiously. ‘Is she okay?’ Eric links me. “Neah?” I step in front of her and she doesn’t move. She seems to be staring right through me. “It’s time to go.” “Okay.” Her lips barely move She takes a step forward, almost as if she is in slow motion. Her hands grip the door frame, her knuckles turn white as her heartbeat increases. Her lips part a little and her hand falls from the door frame just as her eyes roll to the back of her head. “I’ve got you.” I mutter, catching her just before she hits the floor. Her entire body tenses up as I lift her and carry her to the car. She was so weak and was even lighter than I expected. She probably didn’t weigh much more than a small child. Jenson and Eric get in the car first. Jenson cocks his eyebrow at me and has a smirk plastered to his face as I slide in with Neah on my lap. “Keep your thoughts to yourself, Jenson!” I hold her close, listening to her breathe and her heart as it slowed. Letting my fingers comb through her dark hair as she becomes a little more with it. Suddenly, she sits up right, moving away from me and trying to make herself as small as possible. Deciding not to force her to do anything, I keep my attention on my Beta and my brother, talking about pack stuff while casting a glance over to her every so often to make sure she was alright. “Come.” I mutter as the limo comes to a stop. I don’t wait for the driver and get out myself, holding a hand out for her. “I’m fine.” She speaks at last while glancing at the others and shuffles herself forward to the open door. She stares up at my home, gasping a little. It was easily three times the size of her previous home and I hoped that she would be happy here. That I could provide her with a life that was better than her last. “Let me give you a tour.” I suggest as she continues to clutch that carrier bag to her chest. She follows me in, not speaking a word. I had no idea if she was listening to what I was saying or not “The omegas swap out on a rotational basis. Good for the youngsters to learn some responsibilities before they get proper jobs.” I tell her while showing her the dining hall with a table long enough to fit twenty people around. We move through to the kitchen. Where I point out a board on the wall. “If there is anything you need, you just add it to the board and it will be ordered in.” Her brow furrows and still she says nothing. Picking up a pen, I smile. Maybe she felt intimidated by me. “So tell me, what do you need because there is no way you are living under my roof with just the things that are in that bag.” Her dazzling blue eyes dart around the room “Well?” I ask. “I don’t need anything.” She whispers Sighing, I start scribbling things down. Underwear, jeans, workout clothes, dresses, shoes, anything I can think of that will cover her for a few days. Holding the pen between my teeth, I grab her around the waist. My thumbs meet just above her belly button and my fingers touch her spine. She was so thin, how was she even alive? Four Dane She looked like a deer caught in headlights as I write her size down. She was tinier than I thought. Skin and bone. If I had moved my hands up any higher, I would have felt every rib sticking out. It sickened me, she should be strong, powerful, she had Alpha blood running through her veins. I also saw how she scrunched her face up when I measured her. It wasn’t fear, it was pain. She was hiding something underneath the baggy maids dress. “I know you want to say something, so just say it. I’m not interested in the crap Trey drummed into you. You don’t have to wait until someone asks you a question. You are free to say what you want. Are you injured?" "No." She was lying, I could feel it. She shakes her head as if it would confirm her answer and a lock of her black hair falls from the band that was supposed to be holding it back. Neah was going to be a tough girl to crack. A life of being starved had made her quite protective over herself. I will make Trey pay for what he has done to her. “You have to say something, Neah. I cannot read your mind. When I mark you, at least I will know what you are feeling.” “Mark me?” I didn’t think her eyes could get any wider. “Yes, I will mark you.” She was completely and utterly shocked by the idea. Her pink lips part a little as she continues to stare at me. I thought she knew. I thought that was why she came so willingly. My Beta had kept asking me if I was certain I wanted her as my bride. There was no doubt about it, she had a strange scent but something was luring me to her. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her when I first saw her. My Wolf Aero was going mad for her too. Though he hadn’t said a word about her. Annoyed with me for not taking her home with us yesterday. “You….You brought me so that you could mark me.” She takes a step back, walking into the kitchen island. She winces a little and quickly covers up her pain, relaxing her face.. “If Trey had bothered reading the contract, he would have discovered that you are to be my bride, not a slave. He would also have read that if he or his ridiculously silly mate tried doing anything to you going forward, that pack would become mine, or rather, yours. I never bought you, Neah, you were always destined to be mine.” “I’m a murderer.” She gasps. “Why would someone like you want me for a bride?” ‘Blood’ Aero growls interrupting my thoughts. I glance down at her baggy dress. A blood stain had appeared right where I had my hands wrapped around her. “What’s that? Are you injured?” I demand, I had barely touched her. She covers the stain with her hand. “It’s nothing. It’s just a cut that I keep knocking and it opens up again. I forget it’s there.” Forget? How could she forget a wound? ‘Why isn’t she healing?’ I feel Aero’s panic. ‘She’s been with us less than two hours and already she has some form of injury.’ His need to protect her was strong. It hadn’t occurred to me that her lack of abilities included not being able to heal. I would have to find someone who could reverse the binding and soon. “Show me!” “It’s fine.” She mumbles I was already so sick of hearing that phrase. “It’s not optional.” I mutter. “If you won’t show me, I will have to find a way to look, myself.” Her heart skips a beat. She looks around the kitchen. “Can.... can we go somewhere more private?” “Private?” I didn’t really do privacy. What Wolf did?! She bobs her head but still keeps her focus slightly off of me. Almost afraid to look me directly in the eyes. ‘Office,’ Aero mutters. ‘I was just going to suggest that!’ I snap back at my Wolf. I feel his eyes roll as he retreats to some dark corner of my mind. “This way.” I gesture to the door. Neah waits for me and follows closely behind. The scent of blood steadily grew stronger, it was more than just a cut. I already knew that. In the office, I hit the remote and the blinds start to drop, blocking out the sunlight. Neah hesitates and slowly begins to unfasten the buttons of the dress but only where the large blood stain was. Keeping everything else covered from me. She pulls the dress to one side. The wound was about four inches long and already fairly infected. “See, it’s fine.” she whispers. “You need to stop saying that.” She closes her mouth and starts to fasten the buttons. “No,” I grabbed her hands, I had caught sight of another bruise. “Let me see the rest of them.” It wasn’t optional. She gasps as my fingers rip apart the rest of the buttons. Her sports bra had seen better days, just the same as her underwear. But it was the bruising I was most concerned about. Bruise upon bruise, scars that had come from whips. Her hip bones and ribs stuck out too. Turning her around, and pulling the dress from her, I find that her back is just the same. Yet interestingly, there was nothing above her chest and nothing below her thighs. Her arms were completely bare of wounds too. There was only one reason why someone would do that. To either hide what they were doing to someone, or to keep up appearances. They didn’t want guests to see. More importantly, they didn’t want me to see, considering the meeting was arranged over a month ago. She fumbles with the dress, pulling it tightly around her thin frame. “You need to see a doctor.” “It’s …..” she trails off when she sees the anger on my face. “It always heals, eventually.” “Did Trey do this?” I mutter with my teeth gritted and gesture to her body She lowers her blue eyes. “Cassandra?” She still doesn’t answer me. “That prick that follows Trey around? All three of them?” She pulls her dress tighter around her and silently nods. She brings her hand up to her face, brushing her cheek, wiping away an escaped tear. “Anyone else?” “The pack.” She whispers. ‘I’m going to kill them all.’ Aero growls. He will have to get in line, “Because of what you allegedly did to your parents.” She nods. “I don’t believe you were responsible.” She tilts her head up towards me, her brow knits together as her eyes finally find mine. “Because of Blood of Wolfsbane?" Five Neah “I…I don’t know what Blood of Wolfsbane is?” I whisper He frowns at me. “Your brother said you knew the difference between plants.” “I…” I didn’t have an answer. I couldn’t remember, not fully. “Blood of Wolfsbane is Wolfsbane fed by our blood. The leaves will have a red hue to them. I can’t imagine a child would know what it is because it is not freely grown. Your brother’s story doesn’t add up.” “Oh.” “I won’t stop until I find out who did this, Neah.” His crimson eyes narrow. “I will make them pay for the suffering you have endured.” He sits on the edge of his desk, studying me. “Right now, you do need to see someone about the infection.” I kept my mouth closed, I was still trying to process his news of me being set up. Why had my brother never considered it? “Come, I will show you our bedroom. You can shower before we see the pack doctor.” Frozen to the spot, I don’t move. Did he just say ‘our bedroom,’? As in, we are sharing a bedroom? I guess he thinks he can mke love with me whenever he wants if I’m his contract bride. A shiver runs down my spine at the thought. Glancing up, I see him watching me. He is stood at the open door, waiting for me. Ensuring my dress has me covered, I step out into the hallway. No one was around and the hallways were quiet. As we moved, Alpha Dane would tell me what each room was, but he seemed more focussed on getting me to the bedroom. His bedroom is huge, with massive windows, just like the rest of the house. The bed sat pressed up against the wall. All around it, thin drapes hung from the ceiling, but they were tied back at each bed post. What surprised me the most was that the bath and the shower were in the same room. Only the toilet was in a small room to the side of the shower. No privacy, whatsoever. Though, he didn’t seem to care about that. He makes me jump when I feel his warm breath on my skin. “You don’t need to be afraid.” I may not be able to smell him, but he would be able to scent the changes in my emotions. Crossing the room, he pulls open the glass door to the shower and turns it on. The moment he closes the door, the steam of the shower quickly fogs up the glass. And still, I find myself afraid. He gave me no clue as to what he was expecting from me. “Hey,” His rough fingers tip my face up. “It’s just you and me and for now, I will let you shower in peace.” Walking away, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and messes around with it before placing it on the bedside table. “The alarm is set for ten minutes. I will come back then. I will bring you something to wear so just stay in the towel. Understand?” He stares at me, waiting for an answer and I just nod. A ten minute shower. I was lucky if I got a minute shower back home and the water was always cold. He moves to the door and with his hand resting on the door knob he looks back over his shoulder at me. “I really wish you would talk more, Neah.” Alpha Dane leaves me in peace and I make a mad dash for the shower as if I’m in some kind of fantasy land and this was all a dream. Maybe it was, maybe I was about to wake up in the basement of my home. The smells of the soaps and shampoos are divine as I lather them into myself. And my hair has never felt so clean. The wound on my stomach stung as the hot water hit it, but I didn’t care, it was worth it. Someone in the room clears their throat and I freeze. Thanking the steam for keeping me semi hidden. “Neah, are you done? The alarm went off five minutes ago.” Alpha Dane’s voice seems louder in here. I had been so caught up in the freedom of a simple shower that I hadn’t even heard the alarm or the Alpha come back into the room. “Coming.” I mutter, turning off the water and pulling a towel around me to hide the hideousness underneath. Stepping out, I already see that my ripped dress, underwear and worn sandals had been removed from the floor. Alpha Dane sits on the end of the bed with what looked like folded clothes on his lap and a pair of trainers. “It’s not much, as we don’t have anyone with as small a waist as you.” He smiles as he hands over the clothes. A matching navy blue sweatshirt and joggers. “You will have to make do without the underwear for now. Should be here first thing tomorrow.” He watches me with a cocked eyebrow as I pull the joggers on and tug the sweatshirt over my head before removing the towel. Maybe he was used to the women parading themselves in front of him, or throwing themselves at him because he has power, but I wasn’t like that. “Let’s go.” He rises to his feet and this time, I follow him. Something told me that if I didn’t get this wound looked at, it would put him in a bad mood. The pack doctor was young, unlike the one back home who was old and afraid to let anyone take over from him. She smiles at us as we enter the pack hospital and rewraps her dark hair into a bun. “Raven, this is Neah.” Alpha Dane introduces me with a grin. I keep my eyes low as I hear Raven say, “Alpha Dane, what seems to be the problem apart from the strange smell she has brought with her.” It didn’t sound like a hurtful comment like I was used to, but more a comment of curiosity. “She will tell you herself when she finds her tongue.” “I have a wound.” I whisper. “And you are not healing?” Raven asks, confused “I don’t have my Wolf.” I hated saying it. It was just a constant reminder that I did not fit in. “Her Wolf was bound when she was a kid.” Alpha Dane tells her. “That’s why her scent is strange. Her Wolf is there, locked away, waiting to be freed.” My eyes flicker up only to find him staring straight back at me. I had always believed that my Wolf was gone. Not that she was trapped. Raven’s dark eyes hover on me. “Wow, okay.” She grabs my hand. “This way, let’s take a look at this wound of yours.” She leads me into an empty room and asks me to lay on the bed and to show her my wound. Pulling up the sweatshirt, just enough for her to see the wound. Her eyes widen, a flicker of rage passing over them as she takes in the infected wound and the bruising that surrounds it. Her fingers carefully press around the wound. “How long ago?” “A few days.” I mutter, though I wasn’t sure. Every beating blurred into another one. Any day that I wasn’t hit was a good day. Raven shakes her head. “This is longer than a few days ago, the infection has had at least a week to develop.” “Neah, you need to tell us the truth.” Alpha Dane orders “I don’t know.” “NEAH!” His deep voice rumbles through me and I close my eyes, fearing his anger. Anger brought punishment, punishment brought pain. “I swear, I don’t know. The beatings, they happen so often that they just kind of…. I’m never not bruised.” There’s silence and I was too afraid to open my eyes. Alpha Trey had said it over and over, that if anyone found out, he would make my life a misery, more than it already was. I used to wonder who would ever find out that didn’t already know. Now here I was, sitting in another pack’s hospital, revealing the truth. “Heal her!” Alpha Dane shouts after what seems like forever. He storms from the room, pulling a phone out of his pocket. “You will have to forgive my brother. His temper is short, especially when it comes to things like this.” Raven mutters as she gently inspects my wound “Your brother?” I whisper, opening my eyes “Ah, I see he informed you. I’m guessing he didn’t tell you that Jenson is our brother too?” I shake my head, I’m guessing Jenson was one of the men that came to my brother's house. She chuckles. “Jenson is considered to be our brother’s Gamma.” “Gamma?” I had never heard of the term. “Yep and Alpha Dane has a love/hate for me working here. He wants me to represent our family, but he knows this is what I’m good at.” She grabs a pot of cream from the cupboard. “Now this needs to be applied three times a day. It should clear up the infection, if it hasn’t changed in a couple of days, I will take another look. My brother is waiting for you out front.” “Thanks.” I mumble, taking the pot of cream from her. I looked at the label, but couldn’t read it. I had never learned to read. She bobs her head at me as I hurry out to find Alpha Dane on his phone, snapping at someone. He hangs up as soon as he sees me and asks what Raven said. “Cream, three times a day.” I show him the pot and he takes it from me. “Good, come.” He strides off and I have to run to keep up with him. I follow him through the house and into the office. “Show me.” He orders, pulling the lid off the pot. It wasn’t going to be negotiable, not when he had used the same tone moments before he ripped my dress open earlier. Slowly lifting my sweatshirt, he crouches down in front of me and gently smothers the wound in the cold cream. “I don’t want you to lie to me, Neah. Not ever. If you can’t remember, that is what you need to tell me. Is that clear? I don’t want to have to guess what you mean.” “Okay.” I couldn’t say anything else, I was too focussed on the warmth of his hands. One presses against my lower back, holding me steady while the other gently rubs cream into my wound. The only touch I had received from another man was a beating. “Stop holding your breath.” He tells me, getting to his feet. “I am not going to hurt you.” It seemed impossible to believe given my history. The act, the words coming from him, it just didn’t feel real.	LEARN_MORE	https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&u	Galaxy in the Story	https://www.facebook.com/61555427913037/	1,374	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	wwwedb.com	DCO		https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/448791819_801329188771681_1239684611142513538_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=hoZXmpsTT0YQ7kNvgE7wXzx&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A9-dMbqJtXsVOCPEjksFi_T&oh=00_AYDZ-TBcCvSXIncs6rBVswXzcit0xtNERzBpStS1KJcWtQ&oe=670A1833	PERSON_PROFILE	Galaxy in the Story	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,113,977	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2112389}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	One Neah “Where the heck is she?” I hear the Beta scream. I already knew Beta Kyle was talking about me, the only servant of the house. I groan and get to my feet, grabbing the cleaning basket and taking it with me. The moment Beta Kyle sees me, he strides towards me and his hand slices against my cheek. I don’t make a sound. Years of experience has taught me to keep my mouth shut at all times and only speak when spoken too, even if what they are doing to me hurts. “Alpha Trey and I are expecting company and you still have not cleaned the office like you were asked.” Beta Kyle spits at me I nod my head and my hand tightens on the cleaning basket. If I could just find the courage to swing it at his head, it would make my day. I resisted, he was stronger than me and I didn’t need locking up for another week with no food. My stomach already hurt enough. “We are trying to make a good impression on Alpha Dane. Do you not understand how important it is for us to join ourselves with his pack?!” I don’t answer, I know it's a trick, to try and get me to say something so that he can give himself a reason to punish me. I keep my eyes low so that I didn’t have to look at his face. Alpha Dane, I had only ever heard rumours about him. Words exchanged between the other pack members when I was in the room. From what I gathered, he was a ruthless man, a Wolf feared by others. He didn’t mess around and he had the largest pack. “He is the Alpha of Black Shadow, the biggest pack in the world, we need him!” Beta Kyle continues. Yet he doesn’t tell me why. We had never been attacked and we had never attacked anyone, so why did we need another pack to help us? He places his hands on my shoulders, digging his nails into my thinning skin and turns me around, kicking me in the but as he shoves me towards the office. ”Useless Wolf.” He mutters as he moves away. Quietly closing the door, I lean back against it, observing the already clean office. There was nothing out of place, it looked perfectly fine for a meeting with this so-called powerful Alpha. Closing my eyes, I slide down to the floor. I hated this house. I thought that when I turned eighteen, I could finally escape, but four years later, here I still am, a slave in my own home. Doing all the dirty tasks for my brother, Alpha Trey and the pack. While my ex mate, Beta Kyle waltzes around reminding me of how worthless I am. Someone clears their throat and I freeze, I thought I was alone. Leaning forward, I see a handsome man sitting in a chair, just around the corner. A foot propped up on his knee as he nurses a glass of drink. His short hair is dark and his eyes are a deep crimson colour, that don’t quite look right. They suddenly shift to me and I throw myself back against the door as my heart pounded. “Is this the way you greet all Alpha’s?” His deep voice rumbles through the room, there was an edge of amusement to his tone. “I’m sorry.” I whisper, getting to my feet. “I…I thought I was alone.” I had no idea who he was but I could feel the power radiating off of him, even without my Wolf. He doesn’t introduce himself either, why should he? “Come forward.” He orders and I already feel a lump forming in my throat. Alpha Trey was going to finish me. I step around the corner, doing as I’m told, allowing him to see me properly. I close my eyes, expecting the worst. “You smell funny. Yet you are a Wolf, correct?” I nod, though I couldn’t tell how he was going to react. Most laughed when they found out about me. “I would prefer it if you spoke to me.” He growls, “I’m not in the mood to play games.” “Yes.” I whisper. I couldn’t help but think of all the punishments I was going to have to endure. A whipping maybe? Starvation for another week? “Why do you smell strange? And how is it possible for you to not know I was in the room? You should have scented me.” “I…..” I hated the question. “Spit it out, I haven’t got all day!” He takes a swig from his drink. I knew why I couldn’t scent him. I knew why I hadn’t been aware of his presence, but telling people why was not something I ever wanted or liked to do. They never let me tell my side of the story. All they do is laugh and mock me. “You should open your eyes when you are talking to someone. It’s rude to not look at them. Has your Alpha not taught you anything?” His deep voice sends a shiver through me. Slowly, I open my eyes and lower them, there was no way I was making eye contact. “My Wolf abilities were bound,” I mutter. Twice, I wanted to add. Twice my abilities were bound. But he probably wasn’t interested in that part. He leans forward, carefully placing his glass on the small table next to the chair. I could feel him staring at me, “Why would someone do that?” If this is the Alpha that my brother is supposed to be meeting with, I knew I could screw everything up for him by saying too much. “It was a punishment.” I whisper. It wasn’t far from the entire truth but it was the simplest answer I could give. There’s a twitch in his cheek. Was he angry to hear of such a punishment? Or maybe, just like the others, he was amused by it. I couldn’t tell. The door swings open and my brother screeches at me “Neah, what the heck are you doing in my office?” He turns to the crimson eyed man. “I am so sorry that my sister is bothering you, Alpha Dane.” Crap, it was him. My brother spins around, his hand stretching out to hit me. I close my eyes, bracing myself, ready to feel the burn. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Alpha Dane’s voice rumbles through the room. Peeking through slits, I see Alpha Dane has risen to his feet, his hand coiled around my brother's wrist. He was taller than my brother, more muscly too. “Neah,” My name rolls off of his tongue, “was kindly showing me to your office, Alpha Trey, as you failed to meet me at the front of your house like I requested. I was lucky someone was present, at least someone understands the importance of this deal.” What? I had no idea what he was talking about. And he had no reason to lie for me. My brother glares at me, clenching his jaw tight. I was going to pay for this later. I would have to try and steal some food. “Go and get Beta Kyle.” Alpha Trey seethes. “Tell him that our guest is here.” I nod my head and hurry from the room, the last thing I wanted was to be caught between bickering men. “Beta Kyle,” I whisper as I enter the dining hall. He instantly glares at me with his dark eyes. I had spoken without being spoken to. “Alpha Trey is in the office with Alpha Dane. I was sent to inform you.” He slams the newspaper down on the table and glares at me as he walks by. “You’re lucky that the Alpha sent you to get me, otherwise you wouldn't be seeing sunlight for a few days.” Pausing behind me, he yanks my head back, locking his fingers in my hair, leaning in close to me, I feel his hot breath on my skin. He doesn’t speak, it was just his way of proving that he could do what he wants when he wants. I try to keep myself busy so I can stay as far away from the office as possible. My peace doesn’t last long when I hear my brother calling out to me. Quietly, I pad towards the office and plaster a smile on my face as I open the door. “Neah, go get the champagne and some glasses, we are celebrating.” I bow my head and hurry to the drinks cabinet. Quickly finding what my brother has asked for. As I re-enter the office, I can feel Alpha Dane watching my every move, even the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. No one ever watches me this closely. Approaching the small table by Alpha Danes chair, I start to fill the glasses. He takes the champagne bottle from me, telling me he is more than capable of filling his own glass. I feel my cheeks flame, not from embarrassment, but because I knew that I would be punished for this. I should have been quicker. I should have filled the glasses before entering the office. I should have…. My brain freezes when I see my brother glaring at me. “Neah is your sister, correct?” Alpha Dane questions my brother. “She is.” Alpha Trey mutters with disgust. He looks away from me to focus on the man asking questions. “Why do you treat her like vermin?” Straight to the point, my brother wouldn’t like that. He only liked sharing information on his terms. No one had spoken to my brother about his treatment of me because everyone took great joy in beating me. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t move but I knew I had to get out of there. If this deal goes to pot because of me, then that would be my fault too. “Neah was responsible for our parents' death.” Alpha Trey spits I closed my eyes, battling back the tears that were threatening to break free. “Responsible how?” Alpha Dane’s voice rumbles through me. He was definitely angry. “She served them Wolfsbane.” Two Neah Don’t make a sound. Don’t make a sound. I knew Alpha Dane was studying me. They all did, no one could ever quite believe how someone could do something so disgusting as poisoning their own parents. I stood there, with my head hanging low, wishing for the ground to open up and suck me in. There are movements around me. He was standing directly in front of me. With a rough finger he tilts my face up towards his, forcing me to look at him. Slowly, his hand latches onto my throat but he doesn’t squeeze. “You poisoned your parents?” “I was six.” I splutter. “I just made them lemonade.” My voice comes out all squeaky as I try to defend myself. I could barely remember my parents, but I could remember all the guilt I had been made to feel since that day. His crimson eyes flash to my brothers. “Hardly seems fair to blame a six year old.” “A six year old should know the difference between plants.” Alpha Trey snaps “Sounds to me like she was set up.” Alpha Dane shrugs his shoulders, letting go of my throat. “We all know that standard wolfsbane doesn’t affect us anymore. We evolved from that thing centuries ago.” What? What did he mean? Wolfsbane wasn’t lethal. It had been drummed into me since I could walk. “Which only leaves Blood of Wolfsbane.” Alpha Dane mutters “You weren’t there, Alpha Dane.” My brother muttered through gritted teeth as his eyes narrowed to slits. “It was Wolfsbane.” He nods his head. “You are right, I was not present.” Great, now there was someone else who could remind me of something I had done by accident, years ago. “But tell me this, where would a six year old get Blood of Wolfsbane?” “I didn’t ask you here to talk about my slave!” Alpha Trey spits. “Or what happened to my parents.” Alpha Dane grabs his leather jacket from the chair. Unlike other Alpha’s he seemed to dress more casually. A simple black tee and jeans covered his huge frame. And unlike other Alpha’s, his arms are bare of tattoos, not a single bit of ink poked out anywhere. “You’re right and now I have a few things to mull over.” “I thought we agreed.” My brother exclaims “Nothing has been signed. Now I will show myself out.” The moment he is out of the office, both my brother and Beta Kyle round on me. “What the heck did you say to him?” My brother demands, slamming a hand into my stomach. “N..nothing. Well, he just asked me why I smelled funny.” “Did you tell him?” Beta Kyle demands. He was practically spitting in my face. I hated him. I hated him so much that I had vowed to one day get my revenge and rip his stomach out through his mouth. “WELL?” My brother yells when I don’t immediately respond and smacks me across the side of the head. My head involuntarily moves up and down. “But I didn’t say it was you.” I tried to sound strong and confident but it just comes out as a whisper. If they weren’t Wolves, they probably wouldn’t have heard me. My brother's hand locks into my black hair as he yanks my head back, sending a shooting pain through my skull. “If you have ruined this, you won’t see daylight again.” He drags me by my hair from the office and down the hallway towards the basement door. “Please….” I beg. “He was an Alpha…I… I had to answer him.” My cheeks burn with my tears as he flings the door open. On the other side of the door is Alpha Dane. He is leaning against the wall with his arms folded, staring out at us. My brother's hand falls from my hair, relieving the pressure on the back of my skull.. “Alpha Dane, I thought you had left.” Alpha Trey murmurs angrily. “I said I would show myself out. I thought I had found the door, but instead I find a basement, riddled in your sister's strange scent. Is this how you treat your family?” “As I said,” my brother holds his ground, “She is responsible for the death of my parents, so yes, this is what she deserves.” “You should keep your nose out of other packs' business!” Beta Kyle adds. Alpha Dane laughs. “If I agree to this deal, everything about your business becomes my business. So tell me, what would your punishment be for her? No food, locked away for a week, beatings?” “We don’t….” “Really?” He cocks a brow, “You really expect me to believe that you would have just let her sleep? I have already stopped you from hitting her once. " His eyes roam over me. "She is underfed, bags hover under her tired blue eyes. For a sister of an Alpha, she is certainly not treated like one. Regardless of what she allegedly did when she was a pup.” “She did do it!” Alpha Trey seethes “And she has nothing to do with our deal.” “That’s for me to decide.” His crimson eyes flicker around the hallway. “Where is your mate? I would be interested to know how she feels about this.” I close my eyes, silently begging my brother not to call his Luna. Luna Cassandra is worse than Beta Kyle and Alpha Trey together. “On second thoughts, why bother her. I’m certain she is just as vile as you.” He sneers I peer through slits to see his crimson eyes on me. There was no reason for him to defend me and yet he was. I was a nobody, no one special. Just who everyone called a traitor. Only instead of being given a death sentence, my brother had decided to make me spend my life suffering. “I have a proposition for you, Alpha Trey.” Alpha Dane is smirking at my brother “We have already agreed on terms.” “Well, I’m adding one. And if you don’t agree, you will not get my help. Instead, you will become my enemy. And we both know, you don’t want that.” “I take it that your new terms have something to do with her?” Alpha Trey mutters through clenched teeth. “You would be correct. Let me take her away to my pack and then you, Trey will have a deal.” Me? Why would he want me? As my brother and his Beta discuss me, Alpha Dane is still studying me. His look made me nervous. What could someone like him possibly want with me? “Deal.” Alpha Trey sticks out his hand for Alpha Dane to shake. He doesn’t take it, instead his crimson eyes shift from me to my brother. “I will have paperwork drawn up and will return tomorrow.” He reaches a hand out and cups my face, “Ensure you have everything packed.” He drags his thumb across my bottom lip and strides to the opposite end of the hallway and straight to the front door. He knew exactly where the front door was, so what was he up to? He pauses at the door. “If I find out any one of you has laid a hand on her. The contract will be the last thing you need to worry about.” He struts out, slamming the door behind him. “Get out of my sight!” My brother snaps at me. Hurrying away, I make my way up the stairs and into my tiny bedroom. It was practically empty, the only things I had were a few changes of clothes. It would take me less than a minute to pack By morning, I hadn’t slept. Alpha Danes questions were on repeat and why was I so interesting to a Wolf like him. There was a reason he had the biggest pack. They were known for their fighting abilities, that’s why my brother wanted to link Moonshine with Alpha Danes pack, but where did I fit in to all this? And what o earth is Blood of Wolfsbane? Three Dane “Tenth bride’s the charm.” Jenson mocks as the driver pulls up in front of Moonshines packhouse. “Shut up!” Eric snaps at him “Both of you shut your mouths. Before you say something you regret!” ‘He will never learn.’ My wolf, Aero muses. The driver pulls open the door. “Just give me a second, I need to speak to my men.” The door closes and neither one of them speaks. “She isn’t like the others. Don’t speak to her, don’t look at her. And you Jenson, keep your hands to yourself or you might just lose them this time.” I was more rattled than usual. Neah was different to the previous selected mates. I didn’t know what it was or whether it was because I was used to confident women, but there was something about her. And Aero appeared to like her too, more than any of the others. I had to have her. “I mean it!” I snap at Jenson's smug face, “Being my brother won’t change my mind!” He runs his fingers over his lips as though he was zipping them shut. They follow me from the car. Standing in front of the old packhouse, all three of us stare up at it. Because until a month ago, I knew nothing about them and even after my visit, all I had learned was the Alpha is a beast. My knuckles hammer on the door. It’s barely open an inch when I force myself through making his Beta stumble back. I spot her straight away, hiding herself behind a corner. “Are you ready?” I call out. “If you just want to…..” Beta Kyle starts. “I was not talking to you. I was speaking to Neah.” The expression on Beta Kyle’s face was a picture. His jaw hung open and his eyes are wide. He clearly had never been told what to do, even by his Alpha. Neah steps out from her hiding spot, clutching a barely full carrier bag. She drags her teeth across her bottom lip and nods her head. “Where are the rest of your things? I told you everything needs to be packed” “That’s all she has.” Trey snorts as he makes his appearance. “That’s it?” I stare at him. “That’s all her belongings? She’s what, in her early twenties and that’s all she has?” “What more does she need?!” His Beta sneers. ‘Kill him, let me rip out his throat and he will regret the day he crossed us.’ “What are you waiting for?” I hear a horrible shrill voice that seems to vibrate through the floors. Looking away from the Beta, I see a woman holding on to a statue of herself that sat at the bottom of the stairs. Her blonde hair hung in waves around her face as her green eyes studied me and she sways her hips as she moves to Trey. I noticed Neah’s reaction yesterday. When I asked Trey where his mate was. Her whole body had tensed up in fear. She was afraid of this woman and I wanted to know why. “Take her Alpha Dane. I’m sure she will be as useful a slave to you as she is to us.” Her shrill voice goes straight through me. “Look at the silly girl, she’s going to pass out.” The blonde bimbo laughs “You don’t get to talk about her like that anymore.” I glare at the blonde, “She is not your toy. She is not your slave and I suggest that you, Alpha Trey keep your wife in check. There is only so much disobedience that I will tolerate.” “DISOBEDIENCE!” The woman screeches just as Neah’s hip hits the floor. “How dare you! If anyone is disobedient, it’s that rat in the corner.” ‘Who the heck is she calling a rat?’ Aero growls “You should make yourself familiar with our agreement.” I snap. “It seems your mate has not told you everything.” Waving Eric forward, he pulls a thick wad of paper from the folder under his arm. The contract that I have drawn up. “All that for your help?” His mate’s eyes are wide “I don’t do half-witted contracts.” Taking the contract from Eric, I shove it against Trey’s chest “Shall we go to the office?” Trey leads the way with his mate clinging on to him and his Beta hurrying behind. My men follow them while I stay behind to check on my new mate. “You are more than welcome to join us, after all, you are involved in this deal. Or my car is outfront, you can take your stuff and wait there for me.” “Are those my only options?” she whispers, keeping her eyes low “For now. Personally, I think you should sit in with us. It will give me great pleasure in pissing off that mate of your brothers.” She keeps her blue eyes low as she continues to clutch that bag of hers. This close to her, I could really see how ill she looked. Even her heart beat is slow, like it’s fighting to hang on to life. “So what will it be?” “I….” Her head rotates between the front door and the direction of the office. “I….. The office I guess.” “Good choice.” I hold out a hand for her but she doesn’t take it. Pushing herself up to her feet. She wobbles a little, but steadies herself. Walking a few steps behind her, I see the evil glares she receives from Trey and the other two idiots as she enters the office.. “Take a seat.” I whisper as I walk past her. My hand grazes her lower back and she immediately tenses up. She stands, frozen to the spot. Only her eyes dart about when she shakes her head. “Sit!” I say it a little louder “She doesn’t have that privilege here!” The blonde snaps, with her lips curved up in amusement “Sitting is not a privilege.” I growl, wondering what else they were forcing her to do. I couldn’t see any bruises on her arms or legs, a good sign, I hoped. ‘It better be!’ Aero paces in my head. He wanted her out of this place as much as I did. The blonde physically recoils in her seat. Her mouth falls wide open, shocked that I had said something. “And I suggest,” I look at Trey, “You tell your mate to keep her mouth shut. Or I can shut it for her.” “Alpha Dane, you are in my home…..” “And you want my help, correct?” The three of them were fuming. No one liked being told what to do in their own home, yet they were doing just that to Neah. I point to the empty chair between Jenson and Eric and she finally sits down. “Let’s just get this done.” Trey snaps, “The sooner she is gone, the happier I can be.” “You should read the contract.” I muse “I agreed that you could take her as part of our deal.” “Idiot!” Eric murmurs. He knew as well as I did that contracts should be read before they are signed They sign without reading and practically throw the contract back at me. “Done.” Trey mutters “Good, you can get her out of my house.” Trey’s mate screeches. If I had it my way, I would just take Neah, then I wouldn’t have to put up with the twidles, but this way, they can’t have her back. Even if they begged. A contract was a contract and it was impossible for them to get out of. Getting to my feet, I hold a hand out to Neah, “Come, we are leaving this rat hole before I lose my temper.” Her warm fingers slip into my hand as she rises to her feet. Her other hand clutches the bag to her chest as she walks with me to the front door. She doesn’t even look back to say goodbye and that confirmed everything I needed to know. She hated them as much as they hated her. She pauses at the open front door, her hand falling from mine. Her blue eyes are wide as she stares at the limo. “Come.” I instruct Eric and Jenson are standing behind her, watching her curiously. ‘Is she okay?’ Eric links me. “Neah?” I step in front of her and she doesn’t move. She seems to be staring right through me. “It’s time to go.” “Okay.” Her lips barely move She takes a step forward, almost as if she is in slow motion. Her hands grip the door frame, her knuckles turn white as her heartbeat increases. Her lips part a little and her hand falls from the door frame just as her eyes roll to the back of her head. “I’ve got you.” I mutter, catching her just before she hits the floor. Her entire body tenses up as I lift her and carry her to the car. She was so weak and was even lighter than I expected. She probably didn’t weigh much more than a small child. Jenson and Eric get in the car first. Jenson cocks his eyebrow at me and has a smirk plastered to his face as I slide in with Neah on my lap. “Keep your thoughts to yourself, Jenson!” I hold her close, listening to her breathe and her heart as it slowed. Letting my fingers comb through her dark hair as she becomes a little more with it. Suddenly, she sits up right, moving away from me and trying to make herself as small as possible. Deciding not to force her to do anything, I keep my attention on my Beta and my brother, talking about pack stuff while casting a glance over to her every so often to make sure she was alright. “Come.” I mutter as the limo comes to a stop. I don’t wait for the driver and get out myself, holding a hand out for her. “I’m fine.” She speaks at last while glancing at the others and shuffles herself forward to the open door. She stares up at my home, gasping a little. It was easily three times the size of her previous home and I hoped that she would be happy here. That I could provide her with a life that was better than her last. “Let me give you a tour.” I suggest as she continues to clutch that carrier bag to her chest. She follows me in, not speaking a word. I had no idea if she was listening to what I was saying or not “The omegas swap out on a rotational basis. Good for the youngsters to learn some responsibilities before they get proper jobs.” I tell her while showing her the dining hall with a table long enough to fit twenty people around. We move through to the kitchen. Where I point out a board on the wall. “If there is anything you need, you just add it to the board and it will be ordered in.” Her brow furrows and still she says nothing. Picking up a pen, I smile. Maybe she felt intimidated by me. “So tell me, what do you need because there is no way you are living under my roof with just the things that are in that bag.” Her dazzling blue eyes dart around the room “Well?” I ask. “I don’t need anything.” She whispers Sighing, I start scribbling things down. Underwear, jeans, workout clothes, dresses, shoes, anything I can think of that will cover her for a few days. Holding the pen between my teeth, I grab her around the waist. My thumbs meet just above her belly button and my fingers touch her spine. She was so thin, how was she even alive? Four Dane She looked like a deer caught in headlights as I write her size down. She was tinier than I thought. Skin and bone. If I had moved my hands up any higher, I would have felt every rib sticking out. It sickened me, she should be strong, powerful, she had Alpha blood running through her veins. I also saw how she scrunched her face up when I measured her. It wasn’t fear, it was pain. She was hiding something underneath the baggy maids dress. “I know you want to say something, so just say it. I’m not interested in the crap Trey drummed into you. You don’t have to wait until someone asks you a question. You are free to say what you want. Are you injured?" "No." She was lying, I could feel it. She shakes her head as if it would confirm her answer and a lock of her black hair falls from the band that was supposed to be holding it back. Neah was going to be a tough girl to crack. A life of being starved had made her quite protective over herself. I will make Trey pay for what he has done to her. “You have to say something, Neah. I cannot read your mind. When I mark you, at least I will know what you are feeling.” “Mark me?” I didn’t think her eyes could get any wider. “Yes, I will mark you.” She was completely and utterly shocked by the idea. Her pink lips part a little as she continues to stare at me. I thought she knew. I thought that was why she came so willingly. My Beta had kept asking me if I was certain I wanted her as my bride. There was no doubt about it, she had a strange scent but something was luring me to her. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her when I first saw her. My Wolf Aero was going mad for her too. Though he hadn’t said a word about her. Annoyed with me for not taking her home with us yesterday. “You….You brought me so that you could mark me.” She takes a step back, walking into the kitchen island. She winces a little and quickly covers up her pain, relaxing her face.. “If Trey had bothered reading the contract, he would have discovered that you are to be my bride, not a slave. He would also have read that if he or his ridiculously silly mate tried doing anything to you going forward, that pack would become mine, or rather, yours. I never bought you, Neah, you were always destined to be mine.” “I’m a murderer.” She gasps. “Why would someone like you want me for a bride?” ‘Blood’ Aero growls interrupting my thoughts. I glance down at her baggy dress. A blood stain had appeared right where I had my hands wrapped around her. “What’s that? Are you injured?” I demand, I had barely touched her. She covers the stain with her hand. “It’s nothing. It’s just a cut that I keep knocking and it opens up again. I forget it’s there.” Forget? How could she forget a wound? ‘Why isn’t she healing?’ I feel Aero’s panic. ‘She’s been with us less than two hours and already she has some form of injury.’ His need to protect her was strong. It hadn’t occurred to me that her lack of abilities included not being able to heal. I would have to find someone who could reverse the binding and soon. “Show me!” “It’s fine.” She mumbles I was already so sick of hearing that phrase. “It’s not optional.” I mutter. “If you won’t show me, I will have to find a way to look, myself.” Her heart skips a beat. She looks around the kitchen. “Can.... can we go somewhere more private?” “Private?” I didn’t really do privacy. What Wolf did?! She bobs her head but still keeps her focus slightly off of me. Almost afraid to look me directly in the eyes. ‘Office,’ Aero mutters. ‘I was just going to suggest that!’ I snap back at my Wolf. I feel his eyes roll as he retreats to some dark corner of my mind. “This way.” I gesture to the door. Neah waits for me and follows closely behind. The scent of blood steadily grew stronger, it was more than just a cut. I already knew that. In the office, I hit the remote and the blinds start to drop, blocking out the sunlight. Neah hesitates and slowly begins to unfasten the buttons of the dress but only where the large blood stain was. Keeping everything else covered from me. She pulls the dress to one side. The wound was about four inches long and already fairly infected. “See, it’s fine.” she whispers. “You need to stop saying that.” She closes her mouth and starts to fasten the buttons. “No,” I grabbed her hands, I had caught sight of another bruise. “Let me see the rest of them.” It wasn’t optional. She gasps as my fingers rip apart the rest of the buttons. Her sports bra had seen better days, just the same as her underwear. But it was the bruising I was most concerned about. Bruise upon bruise, scars that had come from whips. Her hip bones and ribs stuck out too. Turning her around, and pulling the dress from her, I find that her back is just the same. Yet interestingly, there was nothing above her chest and nothing below her thighs. Her arms were completely bare of wounds too. There was only one reason why someone would do that. To either hide what they were doing to someone, or to keep up appearances. They didn’t want guests to see. More importantly, they didn’t want me to see, considering the meeting was arranged over a month ago. She fumbles with the dress, pulling it tightly around her thin frame. “You need to see a doctor.” “It’s …..” she trails off when she sees the anger on my face. “It always heals, eventually.” “Did Trey do this?” I mutter with my teeth gritted and gesture to her body She lowers her blue eyes. “Cassandra?” She still doesn’t answer me. “That prick that follows Trey around? All three of them?” She pulls her dress tighter around her and silently nods. She brings her hand up to her face, brushing her cheek, wiping away an escaped tear. “Anyone else?” “The pack.” She whispers. ‘I’m going to kill them all.’ Aero growls. He will have to get in line, “Because of what you allegedly did to your parents.” She nods. “I don’t believe you were responsible.” She tilts her head up towards me, her brow knits together as her eyes finally find mine. “Because of Blood of Wolfsbane?" Five Neah “I…I don’t know what Blood of Wolfsbane is?” I whisper He frowns at me. “Your brother said you knew the difference between plants.” “I…” I didn’t have an answer. I couldn’t remember, not fully. “Blood of Wolfsbane is Wolfsbane fed by our blood. The leaves will have a red hue to them. I can’t imagine a child would know what it is because it is not freely grown. Your brother’s story doesn’t add up.” “Oh.” “I won’t stop until I find out who did this, Neah.” His crimson eyes narrow. “I will make them pay for the suffering you have endured.” He sits on the edge of his desk, studying me. “Right now, you do need to see someone about the infection.” I kept my mouth closed, I was still trying to process his news of me being set up. Why had my brother never considered it? “Come, I will show you our bedroom. You can shower before we see the pack doctor.” Frozen to the spot, I don’t move. Did he just say ‘our bedroom,’? As in, we are sharing a bedroom? I guess he thinks he can mke love with me whenever he wants if I’m his contract bride. A shiver runs down my spine at the thought. Glancing up, I see him watching me. He is stood at the open door, waiting for me. Ensuring my dress has me covered, I step out into the hallway. No one was around and the hallways were quiet. As we moved, Alpha Dane would tell me what each room was, but he seemed more focussed on getting me to the bedroom. His bedroom is huge, with massive windows, just like the rest of the house. The bed sat pressed up against the wall. All around it, thin drapes hung from the ceiling, but they were tied back at each bed post. What surprised me the most was that the bath and the shower were in the same room. Only the toilet was in a small room to the side of the shower. No privacy, whatsoever. Though, he didn’t seem to care about that. He makes me jump when I feel his warm breath on my skin. “You don’t need to be afraid.” I may not be able to smell him, but he would be able to scent the changes in my emotions. Crossing the room, he pulls open the glass door to the shower and turns it on. The moment he closes the door, the steam of the shower quickly fogs up the glass. And still, I find myself afraid. He gave me no clue as to what he was expecting from me. “Hey,” His rough fingers tip my face up. “It’s just you and me and for now, I will let you shower in peace.” Walking away, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and messes around with it before placing it on the bedside table. “The alarm is set for ten minutes. I will come back then. I will bring you something to wear so just stay in the towel. Understand?” He stares at me, waiting for an answer and I just nod. A ten minute shower. I was lucky if I got a minute shower back home and the water was always cold. He moves to the door and with his hand resting on the door knob he looks back over his shoulder at me. “I really wish you would talk more, Neah.” Alpha Dane leaves me in peace and I make a mad dash for the shower as if I’m in some kind of fantasy land and this was all a dream. Maybe it was, maybe I was about to wake up in the basement of my home. The smells of the soaps and shampoos are divine as I lather them into myself. And my hair has never felt so clean. The wound on my stomach stung as the hot water hit it, but I didn’t care, it was worth it. Someone in the room clears their throat and I freeze. Thanking the steam for keeping me semi hidden. “Neah, are you done? The alarm went off five minutes ago.” Alpha Dane’s voice seems louder in here. I had been so caught up in the freedom of a simple shower that I hadn’t even heard the alarm or the Alpha come back into the room. “Coming.” I mutter, turning off the water and pulling a towel around me to hide the hideousness underneath. Stepping out, I already see that my ripped dress, underwear and worn sandals had been removed from the floor. Alpha Dane sits on the end of the bed with what looked like folded clothes on his lap and a pair of trainers. “It’s not much, as we don’t have anyone with as small a waist as you.” He smiles as he hands over the clothes. A matching navy blue sweatshirt and joggers. “You will have to make do without the underwear for now. Should be here first thing tomorrow.” He watches me with a cocked eyebrow as I pull the joggers on and tug the sweatshirt over my head before removing the towel. Maybe he was used to the women parading themselves in front of him, or throwing themselves at him because he has power, but I wasn’t like that. “Let’s go.” He rises to his feet and this time, I follow him. Something told me that if I didn’t get this wound looked at, it would put him in a bad mood. The pack doctor was young, unlike the one back home who was old and afraid to let anyone take over from him. She smiles at us as we enter the pack hospital and rewraps her dark hair into a bun. “Raven, this is Neah.” Alpha Dane introduces me with a grin. I keep my eyes low as I hear Raven say, “Alpha Dane, what seems to be the problem apart from the strange smell she has brought with her.” It didn’t sound like a hurtful comment like I was used to, but more a comment of curiosity. “She will tell you herself when she finds her tongue.” “I have a wound.” I whisper. “And you are not healing?” Raven asks, confused “I don’t have my Wolf.” I hated saying it. It was just a constant reminder that I did not fit in. “Her Wolf was bound when she was a kid.” Alpha Dane tells her. “That’s why her scent is strange. Her Wolf is there, locked away, waiting to be freed.” My eyes flicker up only to find him staring straight back at me. I had always believed that my Wolf was gone. Not that she was trapped. Raven’s dark eyes hover on me. “Wow, okay.” She grabs my hand. “This way, let’s take a look at this wound of yours.” She leads me into an empty room and asks me to lay on the bed and to show her my wound. Pulling up the sweatshirt, just enough for her to see the wound. Her eyes widen, a flicker of rage passing over them as she takes in the infected wound and the bruising that surrounds it. Her fingers carefully press around the wound. “How long ago?” “A few days.” I mutter, though I wasn’t sure. Every beating blurred into another one. Any day that I wasn’t hit was a good day. Raven shakes her head. “This is longer than a few days ago, the infection has had at least a week to develop.” “Neah, you need to tell us the truth.” Alpha Dane orders “I don’t know.” “NEAH!” His deep voice rumbles through me and I close my eyes, fearing his anger. Anger brought punishment, punishment brought pain. “I swear, I don’t know. The beatings, they happen so often that they just kind of…. I’m never not bruised.” There’s silence and I was too afraid to open my eyes. Alpha Trey had said it over and over, that if anyone found out, he would make my life a misery, more than it already was. I used to wonder who would ever find out that didn’t already know. Now here I was, sitting in another pack’s hospital, revealing the truth. “Heal her!” Alpha Dane shouts after what seems like forever. He storms from the room, pulling a phone out of his pocket. “You will have to forgive my brother. His temper is short, especially when it comes to things like this.” Raven mutters as she gently inspects my wound “Your brother?” I whisper, opening my eyes “Ah, I see he informed you. I’m guessing he didn’t tell you that Jenson is our brother too?” I shake my head, I’m guessing Jenson was one of the men that came to my brother's house. She chuckles. “Jenson is considered to be our brother’s Gamma.” “Gamma?” I had never heard of the term. “Yep and Alpha Dane has a love/hate for me working here. He wants me to represent our family, but he knows this is what I’m good at.” She grabs a pot of cream from the cupboard. “Now this needs to be applied three times a day. It should clear up the infection, if it hasn’t changed in a couple of days, I will take another look. My brother is waiting for you out front.” “Thanks.” I mumble, taking the pot of cream from her. I looked at the label, but couldn’t read it. I had never learned to read. She bobs her head at me as I hurry out to find Alpha Dane on his phone, snapping at someone. He hangs up as soon as he sees me and asks what Raven said. “Cream, three times a day.” I show him the pot and he takes it from me. “Good, come.” He strides off and I have to run to keep up with him. I follow him through the house and into the office. “Show me.” He orders, pulling the lid off the pot. It wasn’t going to be negotiable, not when he had used the same tone moments before he ripped my dress open earlier. Slowly lifting my sweatshirt, he crouches down in front of me and gently smothers the wound in the cold cream. “I don’t want you to lie to me, Neah. Not ever. If you can’t remember, that is what you need to tell me. Is that clear? I don’t want to have to guess what you mean.” “Okay.” I couldn’t say anything else, I was too focussed on the warmth of his hands. One presses against my lower back, holding me steady while the other gently rubs cream into my wound. The only touch I had received from another man was a beating. “Stop holding your breath.” He tells me, getting to his feet. “I am not going to hurt you.” It seemed impossible to believe given my history. The act, the words coming from him, it just didn’t feel real.	LEARN_MORE	https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&u	Galaxy in the Story	https://www.facebook.com/61555427913037/	1,374	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	wwwedb.com	DCO		https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/448791819_801329188771681_1239684611142513538_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=hoZXmpsTT0YQ7kNvgE7wXzx&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A9-dMbqJtXsVOCPEjksFi_T&oh=00_AYDZ-TBcCvSXIncs6rBVswXzcit0xtNERzBpStS1KJcWtQ&oe=670A1833	PERSON_PROFILE	Galaxy in the Story	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,113,981	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2112389}'	No	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	The clearing of a throat makes me jump. I thought I was alone. Leaning forward, I see a handsome man sitting in a chair. A foot propped up on his knee as he nurses a glass of alcohol. His short hair is dark and his eyes are a deep crimson colour, that don’t quite look right. They suddenly shift to me and I throw myself back against the door. Shrinking down to the ground. “Is this the way you greet all Alpha’s?” His deep voice rumbles through the room, an edge of amusement to his tone. “I’m sorry.” I whisper, getting to my feet. “I…I thought I was alone.” I had no idea who he was but I could feel the power radiating off of him, even without my Wolf. “Come forward.” He orders. Alpha Trey was going to kill me. I do as I’m told. Allowing him to see me properly and I am met with narrowed crimson eyes. I close my own eyes, expecting the worst. “You smell funny. Yet you are a Wolf, correct?” My head moved up and down, though I couldn’t tell how he was going to react. Most laughed when they discovered the truth about me. “I would prefer it if you spoke to me.” He growls, “I’m not in the mood to play games.” “Yes.” I whisper. “I am…I am a Wolf.” I couldn’t help but think of all the punishments I was going to have to endure. A whipping maybe? Starvation for another week? I wasn’t sure how much more my body could take. “How is it possible for you to not know I was in the room? You should have scented me.” “I…..” I hated the question. “I haven’t got all day!” He takes a swig from his drink. I knew why I couldn’t scent him. I knew why I hadn’t been aware of his presence, but telling people why was not something I ever liked to do. They never hear my side of the story. All they do is accept Alpha Trey's word as the truth. “You should open your eyes when you are talking to someone. Has your Alpha not taught you anything?” His deep voice sends a shiver through me. Slowly, I open my eyes and lower them. There was no way I was making direct eye contact. “My Wolf abilities were bound.” “Why?” If this is the Alpha that my brother is supposed to be meeting with, I knew I could screw everything up for him by saying too much. “It was a punishment.” “For what?” “For killing my parents.”	LEARN_MORE	https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&u	New world publications	https://www.facebook.com/61557831245498/	22	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	wwwedb.com	DCO		https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447959759_1311554859802432_4227718076479884991_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=piyQp8alXg4Q7kNvgFeFq4d&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A9-dMbqJtXsVOCPEjksFi_T&oh=00_AYD5Dt7VYiR-nrKyE_nPIRqxiSQyG2tJDNScwlGSkaRBLA&oe=670A0ADD	PERSON_PROFILE	New world publications	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,113,984	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2112389}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	The clearing of a throat makes me jump. I thought I was alone. Leaning forward, I see a handsome man sitting in a chair. A foot propped up on his knee as he nurses a glass of alcohol. His short hair is dark and his eyes are a deep crimson colour, that don’t quite look right. They suddenly shift to me and I throw myself back against the door. Shrinking down to the ground. “Is this the way you greet all Alpha’s?” His deep voice rumbles through the room, an edge of amusement to his tone. “I’m sorry.” I whisper, getting to my feet. “I…I thought I was alone.” I had no idea who he was but I could feel the power radiating off of him, even without my Wolf. “Come forward.” He orders. Alpha Trey was going to kill me. I do as I’m told. Allowing him to see me properly and I am met with narrowed crimson eyes. I close my own eyes, expecting the worst. “You smell funny. Yet you are a Wolf, correct?” My head moved up and down, though I couldn’t tell how he was going to react. Most laughed when they discovered the truth about me. “I would prefer it if you spoke to me.” He growls, “I’m not in the mood to play games.” “Yes.” I whisper. “I am…I am a Wolf.” I couldn’t help but think of all the punishments I was going to have to endure. A whipping maybe? Starvation for another week? I wasn’t sure how much more my body could take. “How is it possible for you to not know I was in the room? You should have scented me.” “I…..” I hated the question. “I haven’t got all day!” He takes a swig from his drink. I knew why I couldn’t scent him. I knew why I hadn’t been aware of his presence, but telling people why was not something I ever liked to do. They never hear my side of the story. All they do is accept Alpha Trey's word as the truth. “You should open your eyes when you are talking to someone. Has your Alpha not taught you anything?” His deep voice sends a shiver through me. Slowly, I open my eyes and lower them. There was no way I was making direct eye contact. “My Wolf abilities were bound.” “Why?” If this is the Alpha that my brother is supposed to be meeting with, I knew I could screw everything up for him by saying too much. “It was a punishment.” “For what?” “For killing my parents.”	LEARN_MORE	https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&u	New world publications	https://www.facebook.com/61557831245498/	22	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	wwwedb.com	DCO		https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447959759_1311554859802432_4227718076479884991_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=piyQp8alXg4Q7kNvgFeFq4d&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A9-dMbqJtXsVOCPEjksFi_T&oh=00_AYD5Dt7VYiR-nrKyE_nPIRqxiSQyG2tJDNScwlGSkaRBLA&oe=670A0ADD	PERSON_PROFILE	New world publications	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,113,985	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2112389}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	The clearing of a throat makes me jump. I thought I was alone. Leaning forward, I see a handsome man sitting in a chair. A foot propped up on his knee as he nurses a glass of alcohol. His short hair is dark and his eyes are a deep crimson colour, that don’t quite look right. They suddenly shift to me and I throw myself back against the door. Shrinking down to the ground. “Is this the way you greet all Alpha’s?” His deep voice rumbles through the room, an edge of amusement to his tone. “I’m sorry.” I whisper, getting to my feet. “I…I thought I was alone.” I had no idea who he was but I could feel the power radiating off of him, even without my Wolf. “Come forward.” He orders. Alpha Trey was going to kill me. I do as I’m told. Allowing him to see me properly and I am met with narrowed crimson eyes. I close my own eyes, expecting the worst. “You smell funny. Yet you are a Wolf, correct?” My head moved up and down, though I couldn’t tell how he was going to react. Most laughed when they discovered the truth about me. “I would prefer it if you spoke to me.” He growls, “I’m not in the mood to play games.” “Yes.” I whisper. “I am…I am a Wolf.” I couldn’t help but think of all the punishments I was going to have to endure. A whipping maybe? Starvation for another week? I wasn’t sure how much more my body could take. “How is it possible for you to not know I was in the room? You should have scented me.” “I…..” I hated the question. “I haven’t got all day!” He takes a swig from his drink. I knew why I couldn’t scent him. I knew why I hadn’t been aware of his presence, but telling people why was not something I ever liked to do. They never hear my side of the story. All they do is accept Alpha Trey's word as the truth. “You should open your eyes when you are talking to someone. Has your Alpha not taught you anything?” His deep voice sends a shiver through me. Slowly, I open my eyes and lower them. There was no way I was making direct eye contact. “My Wolf abilities were bound.” “Why?” If this is the Alpha that my brother is supposed to be meeting with, I knew I could screw everything up for him by saying too much. “It was a punishment.” “For what?” “For killing my parents.”	LEARN_MORE	https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&u	New world publications	https://www.facebook.com/61557831245498/	22	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	wwwedb.com	DCO		https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/447959759_1311554859802432_4227718076479884991_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=piyQp8alXg4Q7kNvgFeFq4d&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A9-dMbqJtXsVOCPEjksFi_T&oh=00_AYD5Dt7VYiR-nrKyE_nPIRqxiSQyG2tJDNScwlGSkaRBLA&oe=670A0ADD	PERSON_PROFILE	New world publications	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,114,021	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2112389}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	One Neah “Where the heck is she?” I hear the Beta scream. I already knew Beta Kyle was talking about me, the only servant of the house. I groan and get to my feet, grabbing the cleaning basket and taking it with me. The moment Beta Kyle sees me, he strides towards me and his hand slices against my cheek. I don’t make a sound. Years of experience has taught me to keep my mouth shut at all times and only speak when spoken too, even if what they are doing to me hurts. “Alpha Trey and I are expecting company and you still have not cleaned the office like you were asked.” Beta Kyle spits at me I nod my head and my hand tightens on the cleaning basket. If I could just find the courage to swing it at his head, it would make my day. I resisted, he was stronger than me and I didn’t need locking up for another week with no food. My stomach already hurt enough. “We are trying to make a good impression on Alpha Dane. Do you not understand how important it is for us to join ourselves with his pack?!” I don’t answer, I know it's a trick, to try and get me to say something so that he can give himself a reason to punish me. I keep my eyes low so that I didn’t have to look at his face. Alpha Dane, I had only ever heard rumours about him. Words exchanged between the other pack members when I was in the room. From what I gathered, he was a ruthless man, a Wolf feared by others. He didn’t mess around and he had the largest pack. “He is the Alpha of Black Shadow, the biggest pack in the world, we need him!” Beta Kyle continues. Yet he doesn’t tell me why. We had never been attacked and we had never attacked anyone, so why did we need another pack to help us? He places his hands on my shoulders, digging his nails into my thinning skin and turns me around, kicking me in the but as he shoves me towards the office. ”Useless Wolf.” He mutters as he moves away. Quietly closing the door, I lean back against it, observing the already clean office. There was nothing out of place, it looked perfectly fine for a meeting with this so-called powerful Alpha. Closing my eyes, I slide down to the floor. I hated this house. I thought that when I turned eighteen, I could finally escape, but four years later, here I still am, a slave in my own home. Doing all the dirty tasks for my brother, Alpha Trey and the pack. While my ex mate, Beta Kyle waltzes around reminding me of how worthless I am. Someone clears their throat and I freeze, I thought I was alone. Leaning forward, I see a handsome man sitting in a chair, just around the corner. A foot propped up on his knee as he nurses a glass of drink. His short hair is dark and his eyes are a deep crimson colour, that don’t quite look right. They suddenly shift to me and I throw myself back against the door as my heart pounded. “Is this the way you greet all Alpha’s?” His deep voice rumbles through the room, there was an edge of amusement to his tone. “I’m sorry.” I whisper, getting to my feet. “I…I thought I was alone.” I had no idea who he was but I could feel the power radiating off of him, even without my Wolf. He doesn’t introduce himself either, why should he? “Come forward.” He orders and I already feel a lump forming in my throat. Alpha Trey was going to finish me. I step around the corner, doing as I’m told, allowing him to see me properly. I close my eyes, expecting the worst. “You smell funny. Yet you are a Wolf, correct?” I nod, though I couldn’t tell how he was going to react. Most laughed when they found out about me. “I would prefer it if you spoke to me.” He growls, “I’m not in the mood to play games.” “Yes.” I whisper. I couldn’t help but think of all the punishments I was going to have to endure. A whipping maybe? Starvation for another week? “Why do you smell strange? And how is it possible for you to not know I was in the room? You should have scented me.” “I…..” I hated the question. “Spit it out, I haven’t got all day!” He takes a swig from his drink. I knew why I couldn’t scent him. I knew why I hadn’t been aware of his presence, but telling people why was not something I ever wanted or liked to do. They never let me tell my side of the story. All they do is laugh and mock me. “You should open your eyes when you are talking to someone. It’s rude to not look at them. Has your Alpha not taught you anything?” His deep voice sends a shiver through me. Slowly, I open my eyes and lower them, there was no way I was making eye contact. “My Wolf abilities were bound,” I mutter. Twice, I wanted to add. Twice my abilities were bound. But he probably wasn’t interested in that part. He leans forward, carefully placing his glass on the small table next to the chair. I could feel him staring at me, “Why would someone do that?” If this is the Alpha that my brother is supposed to be meeting with, I knew I could screw everything up for him by saying too much. “It was a punishment.” I whisper. It wasn’t far from the entire truth but it was the simplest answer I could give. There’s a twitch in his cheek. Was he angry to hear of such a punishment? Or maybe, just like the others, he was amused by it. I couldn’t tell. The door swings open and my brother screeches at me “Neah, what the heck are you doing in my office?” He turns to the crimson eyed man. “I am so sorry that my sister is bothering you, Alpha Dane.” Crap, it was him. My brother spins around, his hand stretching out to hit me. I close my eyes, bracing myself, ready to feel the burn. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Alpha Dane’s voice rumbles through the room. Peeking through slits, I see Alpha Dane has risen to his feet, his hand coiled around my brother's wrist. He was taller than my brother, more muscly too. “Neah,” My name rolls off of his tongue, “was kindly showing me to your office, Alpha Trey, as you failed to meet me at the front of your house like I requested. I was lucky someone was present, at least someone understands the importance of this deal.” What? I had no idea what he was talking about. And he had no reason to lie for me. My brother glares at me, clenching his jaw tight. I was going to pay for this later. I would have to try and steal some food. “Go and get Beta Kyle.” Alpha Trey seethes. “Tell him that our guest is here.” I nod my head and hurry from the room, the last thing I wanted was to be caught between bickering men. “Beta Kyle,” I whisper as I enter the dining hall. He instantly glares at me with his dark eyes. I had spoken without being spoken to. “Alpha Trey is in the office with Alpha Dane. I was sent to inform you.” He slams the newspaper down on the table and glares at me as he walks by. “You’re lucky that the Alpha sent you to get me, otherwise you wouldn't be seeing sunlight for a few days.” Pausing behind me, he yanks my head back, locking his fingers in my hair, leaning in close to me, I feel his hot breath on my skin. He doesn’t speak, it was just his way of proving that he could do what he wants when he wants. I try to keep myself busy so I can stay as far away from the office as possible. My peace doesn’t last long when I hear my brother calling out to me. Quietly, I pad towards the office and plaster a smile on my face as I open the door. “Neah, go get the champagne and some glasses, we are celebrating.” I bow my head and hurry to the drinks cabinet. Quickly finding what my brother has asked for. As I re-enter the office, I can feel Alpha Dane watching my every move, even the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. No one ever watches me this closely. Approaching the small table by Alpha Danes chair, I start to fill the glasses. He takes the champagne bottle from me, telling me he is more than capable of filling his own glass. I feel my cheeks flame, not from embarrassment, but because I knew that I would be punished for this. I should have been quicker. I should have filled the glasses before entering the office. I should have…. My brain freezes when I see my brother glaring at me. “Neah is your sister, correct?” Alpha Dane questions my brother. “She is.” Alpha Trey mutters with disgust. He looks away from me to focus on the man asking questions. “Why do you treat her like vermin?” Straight to the point, my brother wouldn’t like that. He only liked sharing information on his terms. No one had spoken to my brother about his treatment of me because everyone took great joy in beating me. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t move but I knew I had to get out of there. If this deal goes to pot because of me, then that would be my fault too. “Neah was responsible for our parents' death.” Alpha Trey spits I closed my eyes, battling back the tears that were threatening to break free. “Responsible how?” Alpha Dane’s voice rumbles through me. He was definitely angry. “She served them Wolfsbane.” Two Neah Don’t make a sound. Don’t make a sound. I knew Alpha Dane was studying me. They all did, no one could ever quite believe how someone could do something so disgusting as poisoning their own parents. I stood there, with my head hanging low, wishing for the ground to open up and suck me in. There are movements around me. He was standing directly in front of me. With a rough finger he tilts my face up towards his, forcing me to look at him. Slowly, his hand latches onto my throat but he doesn’t squeeze. “You poisoned your parents?” “I was six.” I splutter. “I just made them lemonade.” My voice comes out all squeaky as I try to defend myself. I could barely remember my parents, but I could remember all the guilt I had been made to feel since that day. His crimson eyes flash to my brothers. “Hardly seems fair to blame a six year old.” “A six year old should know the difference between plants.” Alpha Trey snaps “Sounds to me like she was set up.” Alpha Dane shrugs his shoulders, letting go of my throat. “We all know that standard wolfsbane doesn’t affect us anymore. We evolved from that thing centuries ago.” What? What did he mean? Wolfsbane wasn’t lethal. It had been drummed into me since I could walk. “Which only leaves Blood of Wolfsbane.” Alpha Dane mutters “You weren’t there, Alpha Dane.” My brother muttered through gritted teeth as his eyes narrowed to slits. “It was Wolfsbane.” He nods his head. “You are right, I was not present.” Great, now there was someone else who could remind me of something I had done by accident, years ago. “But tell me this, where would a six year old get Blood of Wolfsbane?” “I didn’t ask you here to talk about my slave!” Alpha Trey spits. “Or what happened to my parents.” Alpha Dane grabs his leather jacket from the chair. Unlike other Alpha’s he seemed to dress more casually. A simple black tee and jeans covered his huge frame. And unlike other Alpha’s, his arms are bare of tattoos, not a single bit of ink poked out anywhere. “You’re right and now I have a few things to mull over.” “I thought we agreed.” My brother exclaims “Nothing has been signed. Now I will show myself out.” The moment he is out of the office, both my brother and Beta Kyle round on me. “What the heck did you say to him?” My brother demands, slamming a hand into my stomach. “N..nothing. Well, he just asked me why I smelled funny.” “Did you tell him?” Beta Kyle demands. He was practically spitting in my face. I hated him. I hated him so much that I had vowed to one day get my revenge and rip his stomach out through his mouth. “WELL?” My brother yells when I don’t immediately respond and smacks me across the side of the head. My head involuntarily moves up and down. “But I didn’t say it was you.” I tried to sound strong and confident but it just comes out as a whisper. If they weren’t Wolves, they probably wouldn’t have heard me. My brother's hand locks into my black hair as he yanks my head back, sending a shooting pain through my skull. “If you have ruined this, you won’t see daylight again.” He drags me by my hair from the office and down the hallway towards the basement door. “Please….” I beg. “He was an Alpha…I… I had to answer him.” My cheeks burn with my tears as he flings the door open. On the other side of the door is Alpha Dane. He is leaning against the wall with his arms folded, staring out at us. My brother's hand falls from my hair, relieving the pressure on the back of my skull.. “Alpha Dane, I thought you had left.” Alpha Trey murmurs angrily. “I said I would show myself out. I thought I had found the door, but instead I find a basement, riddled in your sister's strange scent. Is this how you treat your family?” “As I said,” my brother holds his ground, “She is responsible for the death of my parents, so yes, this is what she deserves.” “You should keep your nose out of other packs' business!” Beta Kyle adds. Alpha Dane laughs. “If I agree to this deal, everything about your business becomes my business. So tell me, what would your punishment be for her? No food, locked away for a week, beatings?” “We don’t….” “Really?” He cocks a brow, “You really expect me to believe that you would have just let her sleep? I have already stopped you from hitting her once. " His eyes roam over me. "She is underfed, bags hover under her tired blue eyes. For a sister of an Alpha, she is certainly not treated like one. Regardless of what she allegedly did when she was a pup.” “She did do it!” Alpha Trey seethes “And she has nothing to do with our deal.” “That’s for me to decide.” His crimson eyes flicker around the hallway. “Where is your mate? I would be interested to know how she feels about this.” I close my eyes, silently begging my brother not to call his Luna. Luna Cassandra is worse than Beta Kyle and Alpha Trey together. “On second thoughts, why bother her. I’m certain she is just as vile as you.” He sneers I peer through slits to see his crimson eyes on me. There was no reason for him to defend me and yet he was. I was a nobody, no one special. Just who everyone called a traitor. Only instead of being given a death sentence, my brother had decided to make me spend my life suffering. “I have a proposition for you, Alpha Trey.” Alpha Dane is smirking at my brother “We have already agreed on terms.” “Well, I’m adding one. And if you don’t agree, you will not get my help. Instead, you will become my enemy. And we both know, you don’t want that.” “I take it that your new terms have something to do with her?” Alpha Trey mutters through clenched teeth. “You would be correct. Let me take her away to my pack and then you, Trey will have a deal.” Me? Why would he want me? As my brother and his Beta discuss me, Alpha Dane is still studying me. His look made me nervous. What could someone like him possibly want with me? “Deal.” Alpha Trey sticks out his hand for Alpha Dane to shake. He doesn’t take it, instead his crimson eyes shift from me to my brother. “I will have paperwork drawn up and will return tomorrow.” He reaches a hand out and cups my face, “Ensure you have everything packed.” He drags his thumb across my bottom lip and strides to the opposite end of the hallway and straight to the front door. He knew exactly where the front door was, so what was he up to? He pauses at the door. “If I find out any one of you has laid a hand on her. The contract will be the last thing you need to worry about.” He struts out, slamming the door behind him. “Get out of my sight!” My brother snaps at me. Hurrying away, I make my way up the stairs and into my tiny bedroom. It was practically empty, the only things I had were a few changes of clothes. It would take me less than a minute to pack By morning, I hadn’t slept. Alpha Danes questions were on repeat and why was I so interesting to a Wolf like him. There was a reason he had the biggest pack. They were known for their fighting abilities, that’s why my brother wanted to link Moonshine with Alpha Danes pack, but where did I fit in to all this? And what o earth is Blood of Wolfsbane? Three Dane “Tenth bride’s the charm.” Jenson mocks as the driver pulls up in front of Moonshines packhouse. “Shut up!” Eric snaps at him “Both of you shut your mouths. Before you say something you regret!” ‘He will never learn.’ My wolf, Aero muses. The driver pulls open the door. “Just give me a second, I need to speak to my men.” The door closes and neither one of them speaks. “She isn’t like the others. Don’t speak to her, don’t look at her. And you Jenson, keep your hands to yourself or you might just lose them this time.” I was more rattled than usual. Neah was different to the previous selected mates. I didn’t know what it was or whether it was because I was used to confident women, but there was something about her. And Aero appeared to like her too, more than any of the others. I had to have her. “I mean it!” I snap at Jenson's smug face, “Being my brother won’t change my mind!” He runs his fingers over his lips as though he was zipping them shut. They follow me from the car. Standing in front of the old packhouse, all three of us stare up at it. Because until a month ago, I knew nothing about them and even after my visit, all I had learned was the Alpha is a beast. My knuckles hammer on the door. It’s barely open an inch when I force myself through making his Beta stumble back. I spot her straight away, hiding herself behind a corner. “Are you ready?” I call out. “If you just want to…..” Beta Kyle starts. “I was not talking to you. I was speaking to Neah.” The expression on Beta Kyle’s face was a picture. His jaw hung open and his eyes are wide. He clearly had never been told what to do, even by his Alpha. Neah steps out from her hiding spot, clutching a barely full carrier bag. She drags her teeth across her bottom lip and nods her head. “Where are the rest of your things? I told you everything needs to be packed” “That’s all she has.” Trey snorts as he makes his appearance. “That’s it?” I stare at him. “That’s all her belongings? She’s what, in her early twenties and that’s all she has?” “What more does she need?!” His Beta sneers. ‘Kill him, let me rip out his throat and he will regret the day he crossed us.’ “What are you waiting for?” I hear a horrible shrill voice that seems to vibrate through the floors. Looking away from the Beta, I see a woman holding on to a statue of herself that sat at the bottom of the stairs. Her blonde hair hung in waves around her face as her green eyes studied me and she sways her hips as she moves to Trey. I noticed Neah’s reaction yesterday. When I asked Trey where his mate was. Her whole body had tensed up in fear. She was afraid of this woman and I wanted to know why. “Take her Alpha Dane. I’m sure she will be as useful a slave to you as she is to us.” Her shrill voice goes straight through me. “Look at the silly girl, she’s going to pass out.” The blonde bimbo laughs “You don’t get to talk about her like that anymore.” I glare at the blonde, “She is not your toy. She is not your slave and I suggest that you, Alpha Trey keep your wife in check. There is only so much disobedience that I will tolerate.” “DISOBEDIENCE!” The woman screeches just as Neah’s hip hits the floor. “How dare you! If anyone is disobedient, it’s that rat in the corner.” ‘Who the heck is she calling a rat?’ Aero growls “You should make yourself familiar with our agreement.” I snap. “It seems your mate has not told you everything.” Waving Eric forward, he pulls a thick wad of paper from the folder under his arm. The contract that I have drawn up. “All that for your help?” His mate’s eyes are wide “I don’t do half-witted contracts.” Taking the contract from Eric, I shove it against Trey’s chest “Shall we go to the office?” Trey leads the way with his mate clinging on to him and his Beta hurrying behind. My men follow them while I stay behind to check on my new mate. “You are more than welcome to join us, after all, you are involved in this deal. Or my car is outfront, you can take your stuff and wait there for me.” “Are those my only options?” she whispers, keeping her eyes low “For now. Personally, I think you should sit in with us. It will give me great pleasure in pissing off that mate of your brothers.” She keeps her blue eyes low as she continues to clutch that bag of hers. This close to her, I could really see how ill she looked. Even her heart beat is slow, like it’s fighting to hang on to life. “So what will it be?” “I….” Her head rotates between the front door and the direction of the office. “I….. The office I guess.” “Good choice.” I hold out a hand for her but she doesn’t take it. Pushing herself up to her feet. She wobbles a little, but steadies herself. Walking a few steps behind her, I see the evil glares she receives from Trey and the other two idiots as she enters the office.. “Take a seat.” I whisper as I walk past her. My hand grazes her lower back and she immediately tenses up. She stands, frozen to the spot. Only her eyes dart about when she shakes her head. “Sit!” I say it a little louder “She doesn’t have that privilege here!” The blonde snaps, with her lips curved up in amusement “Sitting is not a privilege.” I growl, wondering what else they were forcing her to do. I couldn’t see any bruises on her arms or legs, a good sign, I hoped. ‘It better be!’ Aero paces in my head. He wanted her out of this place as much as I did. The blonde physically recoils in her seat. Her mouth falls wide open, shocked that I had said something. “And I suggest,” I look at Trey, “You tell your mate to keep her mouth shut. Or I can shut it for her.” “Alpha Dane, you are in my home…..” “And you want my help, correct?” The three of them were fuming. No one liked being told what to do in their own home, yet they were doing just that to Neah. I point to the empty chair between Jenson and Eric and she finally sits down. “Let’s just get this done.” Trey snaps, “The sooner she is gone, the happier I can be.” “You should read the contract.” I muse “I agreed that you could take her as part of our deal.” “Idiot!” Eric murmurs. He knew as well as I did that contracts should be read before they are signed They sign without reading and practically throw the contract back at me. “Done.” Trey mutters “Good, you can get her out of my house.” Trey’s mate screeches. If I had it my way, I would just take Neah, then I wouldn’t have to put up with the twidles, but this way, they can’t have her back. Even if they begged. A contract was a contract and it was impossible for them to get out of. Getting to my feet, I hold a hand out to Neah, “Come, we are leaving this rat hole before I lose my temper.” Her warm fingers slip into my hand as she rises to her feet. Her other hand clutches the bag to her chest as she walks with me to the front door. She doesn’t even look back to say goodbye and that confirmed everything I needed to know. She hated them as much as they hated her. She pauses at the open front door, her hand falling from mine. Her blue eyes are wide as she stares at the limo. “Come.” I instruct Eric and Jenson are standing behind her, watching her curiously. ‘Is she okay?’ Eric links me. “Neah?” I step in front of her and she doesn’t move. She seems to be staring right through me. “It’s time to go.” “Okay.” Her lips barely move She takes a step forward, almost as if she is in slow motion. Her hands grip the door frame, her knuckles turn white as her heartbeat increases. Her lips part a little and her hand falls from the door frame just as her eyes roll to the back of her head. “I’ve got you.” I mutter, catching her just before she hits the floor. Her entire body tenses up as I lift her and carry her to the car. She was so weak and was even lighter than I expected. She probably didn’t weigh much more than a small child. Jenson and Eric get in the car first. Jenson cocks his eyebrow at me and has a smirk plastered to his face as I slide in with Neah on my lap. “Keep your thoughts to yourself, Jenson!” I hold her close, listening to her breathe and her heart as it slowed. Letting my fingers comb through her dark hair as she becomes a little more with it. Suddenly, she sits up right, moving away from me and trying to make herself as small as possible. Deciding not to force her to do anything, I keep my attention on my Beta and my brother, talking about pack stuff while casting a glance over to her every so often to make sure she was alright. “Come.” I mutter as the limo comes to a stop. I don’t wait for the driver and get out myself, holding a hand out for her. “I’m fine.” She speaks at last while glancing at the others and shuffles herself forward to the open door. She stares up at my home, gasping a little. It was easily three times the size of her previous home and I hoped that she would be happy here. That I could provide her with a life that was better than her last. “Let me give you a tour.” I suggest as she continues to clutch that carrier bag to her chest. She follows me in, not speaking a word. I had no idea if she was listening to what I was saying or not “The omegas swap out on a rotational basis. Good for the youngsters to learn some responsibilities before they get proper jobs.” I tell her while showing her the dining hall with a table long enough to fit twenty people around. We move through to the kitchen. Where I point out a board on the wall. “If there is anything you need, you just add it to the board and it will be ordered in.” Her brow furrows and still she says nothing. Picking up a pen, I smile. Maybe she felt intimidated by me. “So tell me, what do you need because there is no way you are living under my roof with just the things that are in that bag.” Her dazzling blue eyes dart around the room “Well?” I ask. “I don’t need anything.” She whispers Sighing, I start scribbling things down. Underwear, jeans, workout clothes, dresses, shoes, anything I can think of that will cover her for a few days. Holding the pen between my teeth, I grab her around the waist. My thumbs meet just above her belly button and my fingers touch her spine. She was so thin, how was she even alive? Four Dane She looked like a deer caught in headlights as I write her size down. She was tinier than I thought. Skin and bone. If I had moved my hands up any higher, I would have felt every rib sticking out. It sickened me, she should be strong, powerful, she had Alpha blood running through her veins. I also saw how she scrunched her face up when I measured her. It wasn’t fear, it was pain. She was hiding something underneath the baggy maids dress. “I know you want to say something, so just say it. I’m not interested in the crap Trey drummed into you. You don’t have to wait until someone asks you a question. You are free to say what you want. Are you injured?" "No." She was lying, I could feel it. She shakes her head as if it would confirm her answer and a lock of her black hair falls from the band that was supposed to be holding it back. Neah was going to be a tough girl to crack. A life of being starved had made her quite protective over herself. I will make Trey pay for what he has done to her. “You have to say something, Neah. I cannot read your mind. When I mark you, at least I will know what you are feeling.” “Mark me?” I didn’t think her eyes could get any wider. “Yes, I will mark you.” She was completely and utterly shocked by the idea. Her pink lips part a little as she continues to stare at me. I thought she knew. I thought that was why she came so willingly. My Beta had kept asking me if I was certain I wanted her as my bride. There was no doubt about it, she had a strange scent but something was luring me to her. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her when I first saw her. My Wolf Aero was going mad for her too. Though he hadn’t said a word about her. Annoyed with me for not taking her home with us yesterday. “You….You brought me so that you could mark me.” She takes a step back, walking into the kitchen island. She winces a little and quickly covers up her pain, relaxing her face.. “If Trey had bothered reading the contract, he would have discovered that you are to be my bride, not a slave. He would also have read that if he or his ridiculously silly mate tried doing anything to you going forward, that pack would become mine, or rather, yours. I never bought you, Neah, you were always destined to be mine.” “I’m a murderer.” She gasps. “Why would someone like you want me for a bride?” ‘Blood’ Aero growls interrupting my thoughts. I glance down at her baggy dress. A blood stain had appeared right where I had my hands wrapped around her. “What’s that? Are you injured?” I demand, I had barely touched her. She covers the stain with her hand. “It’s nothing. It’s just a cut that I keep knocking and it opens up again. I forget it’s there.” Forget? How could she forget a wound? ‘Why isn’t she healing?’ I feel Aero’s panic. ‘She’s been with us less than two hours and already she has some form of injury.’ His need to protect her was strong. It hadn’t occurred to me that her lack of abilities included not being able to heal. I would have to find someone who could reverse the binding and soon. “Show me!” “It’s fine.” She mumbles I was already so sick of hearing that phrase. “It’s not optional.” I mutter. “If you won’t show me, I will have to find a way to look, myself.” Her heart skips a beat. She looks around the kitchen. “Can.... can we go somewhere more private?” “Private?” I didn’t really do privacy. What Wolf did?! She bobs her head but still keeps her focus slightly off of me. Almost afraid to look me directly in the eyes. ‘Office,’ Aero mutters. ‘I was just going to suggest that!’ I snap back at my Wolf. I feel his eyes roll as he retreats to some dark corner of my mind. “This way.” I gesture to the door. Neah waits for me and follows closely behind. The scent of blood steadily grew stronger, it was more than just a cut. I already knew that. In the office, I hit the remote and the blinds start to drop, blocking out the sunlight. Neah hesitates and slowly begins to unfasten the buttons of the dress but only where the large blood stain was. Keeping everything else covered from me. She pulls the dress to one side. The wound was about four inches long and already fairly infected. “See, it’s fine.” she whispers. “You need to stop saying that.” She closes her mouth and starts to fasten the buttons. “No,” I grabbed her hands, I had caught sight of another bruise. “Let me see the rest of them.” It wasn’t optional. She gasps as my fingers rip apart the rest of the buttons. Her sports bra had seen better days, just the same as her underwear. But it was the bruising I was most concerned about. Bruise upon bruise, scars that had come from whips. Her hip bones and ribs stuck out too. Turning her around, and pulling the dress from her, I find that her back is just the same. Yet interestingly, there was nothing above her chest and nothing below her thighs. Her arms were completely bare of wounds too. There was only one reason why someone would do that. To either hide what they were doing to someone, or to keep up appearances. They didn’t want guests to see. More importantly, they didn’t want me to see, considering the meeting was arranged over a month ago. She fumbles with the dress, pulling it tightly around her thin frame. “You need to see a doctor.” “It’s …..” she trails off when she sees the anger on my face. “It always heals, eventually.” “Did Trey do this?” I mutter with my teeth gritted and gesture to her body She lowers her blue eyes. “Cassandra?” She still doesn’t answer me. “That prick that follows Trey around? All three of them?” She pulls her dress tighter around her and silently nods. She brings her hand up to her face, brushing her cheek, wiping away an escaped tear. “Anyone else?” “The pack.” She whispers. ‘I’m going to kill them all.’ Aero growls. He will have to get in line, “Because of what you allegedly did to your parents.” She nods. “I don’t believe you were responsible.” She tilts her head up towards me, her brow knits together as her eyes finally find mine. “Because of Blood of Wolfsbane?" Five Neah “I…I don’t know what Blood of Wolfsbane is?” I whisper He frowns at me. “Your brother said you knew the difference between plants.” “I…” I didn’t have an answer. I couldn’t remember, not fully. “Blood of Wolfsbane is Wolfsbane fed by our blood. The leaves will have a red hue to them. I can’t imagine a child would know what it is because it is not freely grown. Your brother’s story doesn’t add up.” “Oh.” “I won’t stop until I find out who did this, Neah.” His crimson eyes narrow. “I will make them pay for the suffering you have endured.” He sits on the edge of his desk, studying me. “Right now, you do need to see someone about the infection.” I kept my mouth closed, I was still trying to process his news of me being set up. Why had my brother never considered it? “Come, I will show you our bedroom. You can shower before we see the pack doctor.” Frozen to the spot, I don’t move. Did he just say ‘our bedroom,’? As in, we are sharing a bedroom? I guess he thinks he can mke love with me whenever he wants if I’m his contract bride. A shiver runs down my spine at the thought. Glancing up, I see him watching me. He is stood at the open door, waiting for me. Ensuring my dress has me covered, I step out into the hallway. No one was around and the hallways were quiet. As we moved, Alpha Dane would tell me what each room was, but he seemed more focussed on getting me to the bedroom. His bedroom is huge, with massive windows, just like the rest of the house. The bed sat pressed up against the wall. All around it, thin drapes hung from the ceiling, but they were tied back at each bed post. What surprised me the most was that the bath and the shower were in the same room. Only the toilet was in a small room to the side of the shower. No privacy, whatsoever. Though, he didn’t seem to care about that. He makes me jump when I feel his warm breath on my skin. “You don’t need to be afraid.” I may not be able to smell him, but he would be able to scent the changes in my emotions. Crossing the room, he pulls open the glass door to the shower and turns it on. The moment he closes the door, the steam of the shower quickly fogs up the glass. And still, I find myself afraid. He gave me no clue as to what he was expecting from me. “Hey,” His rough fingers tip my face up. “It’s just you and me and for now, I will let you shower in peace.” Walking away, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and messes around with it before placing it on the bedside table. “The alarm is set for ten minutes. I will come back then. I will bring you something to wear so just stay in the towel. Understand?” He stares at me, waiting for an answer and I just nod. A ten minute shower. I was lucky if I got a minute shower back home and the water was always cold. He moves to the door and with his hand resting on the door knob he looks back over his shoulder at me. “I really wish you would talk more, Neah.” Alpha Dane leaves me in peace and I make a mad dash for the shower as if I’m in some kind of fantasy land and this was all a dream. Maybe it was, maybe I was about to wake up in the basement of my home. The smells of the soaps and shampoos are divine as I lather them into myself. And my hair has never felt so clean. The wound on my stomach stung as the hot water hit it, but I didn’t care, it was worth it. Someone in the room clears their throat and I freeze. Thanking the steam for keeping me semi hidden. “Neah, are you done? The alarm went off five minutes ago.” Alpha Dane’s voice seems louder in here. I had been so caught up in the freedom of a simple shower that I hadn’t even heard the alarm or the Alpha come back into the room. “Coming.” I mutter, turning off the water and pulling a towel around me to hide the hideousness underneath. Stepping out, I already see that my ripped dress, underwear and worn sandals had been removed from the floor. Alpha Dane sits on the end of the bed with what looked like folded clothes on his lap and a pair of trainers. “It’s not much, as we don’t have anyone with as small a waist as you.” He smiles as he hands over the clothes. A matching navy blue sweatshirt and joggers. “You will have to make do without the underwear for now. Should be here first thing tomorrow.” He watches me with a cocked eyebrow as I pull the joggers on and tug the sweatshirt over my head before removing the towel. Maybe he was used to the women parading themselves in front of him, or throwing themselves at him because he has power, but I wasn’t like that. “Let’s go.” He rises to his feet and this time, I follow him. Something told me that if I didn’t get this wound looked at, it would put him in a bad mood. The pack doctor was young, unlike the one back home who was old and afraid to let anyone take over from him. She smiles at us as we enter the pack hospital and rewraps her dark hair into a bun. “Raven, this is Neah.” Alpha Dane introduces me with a grin. I keep my eyes low as I hear Raven say, “Alpha Dane, what seems to be the problem apart from the strange smell she has brought with her.” It didn’t sound like a hurtful comment like I was used to, but more a comment of curiosity. “She will tell you herself when she finds her tongue.” “I have a wound.” I whisper. “And you are not healing?” Raven asks, confused “I don’t have my Wolf.” I hated saying it. It was just a constant reminder that I did not fit in. “Her Wolf was bound when she was a kid.” Alpha Dane tells her. “That’s why her scent is strange. Her Wolf is there, locked away, waiting to be freed.” My eyes flicker up only to find him staring straight back at me. I had always believed that my Wolf was gone. Not that she was trapped. Raven’s dark eyes hover on me. “Wow, okay.” She grabs my hand. “This way, let’s take a look at this wound of yours.” She leads me into an empty room and asks me to lay on the bed and to show her my wound. Pulling up the sweatshirt, just enough for her to see the wound. Her eyes widen, a flicker of rage passing over them as she takes in the infected wound and the bruising that surrounds it. Her fingers carefully press around the wound. “How long ago?” “A few days.” I mutter, though I wasn’t sure. Every beating blurred into another one. Any day that I wasn’t hit was a good day. Raven shakes her head. “This is longer than a few days ago, the infection has had at least a week to develop.” “Neah, you need to tell us the truth.” Alpha Dane orders “I don’t know.” “NEAH!” His deep voice rumbles through me and I close my eyes, fearing his anger. Anger brought punishment, punishment brought pain. “I swear, I don’t know. The beatings, they happen so often that they just kind of…. I’m never not bruised.” There’s silence and I was too afraid to open my eyes. Alpha Trey had said it over and over, that if anyone found out, he would make my life a misery, more than it already was. I used to wonder who would ever find out that didn’t already know. Now here I was, sitting in another pack’s hospital, revealing the truth. “Heal her!” Alpha Dane shouts after what seems like forever. He storms from the room, pulling a phone out of his pocket. “You will have to forgive my brother. His temper is short, especially when it comes to things like this.” Raven mutters as she gently inspects my wound “Your brother?” I whisper, opening my eyes “Ah, I see he informed you. I’m guessing he didn’t tell you that Jenson is our brother too?” I shake my head, I’m guessing Jenson was one of the men that came to my brother's house. She chuckles. “Jenson is considered to be our brother’s Gamma.” “Gamma?” I had never heard of the term. “Yep and Alpha Dane has a love/hate for me working here. He wants me to represent our family, but he knows this is what I’m good at.” She grabs a pot of cream from the cupboard. “Now this needs to be applied three times a day. It should clear up the infection, if it hasn’t changed in a couple of days, I will take another look. My brother is waiting for you out front.” “Thanks.” I mumble, taking the pot of cream from her. I looked at the label, but couldn’t read it. I had never learned to read. She bobs her head at me as I hurry out to find Alpha Dane on his phone, snapping at someone. He hangs up as soon as he sees me and asks what Raven said. “Cream, three times a day.” I show him the pot and he takes it from me. “Good, come.” He strides off and I have to run to keep up with him. I follow him through the house and into the office. “Show me.” He orders, pulling the lid off the pot. It wasn’t going to be negotiable, not when he had used the same tone moments before he ripped my dress open earlier. Slowly lifting my sweatshirt, he crouches down in front of me and gently smothers the wound in the cold cream. “I don’t want you to lie to me, Neah. Not ever. If you can’t remember, that is what you need to tell me. Is that clear? I don’t want to have to guess what you mean.” “Okay.” I couldn’t say anything else, I was too focussed on the warmth of his hands. One presses against my lower back, holding me steady while the other gently rubs cream into my wound. The only touch I had received from another man was a beating. “Stop holding your breath.” He tells me, getting to his feet. “I am not going to hurt you.” It seemed impossible to believe given my history. The act, the words coming from him, it just didn’t feel real.	LEARN_MORE	https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&u	Galaxy in the Story	https://www.facebook.com/61555427913037/	1,374	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	wwwedb.com	DCO		https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/448791819_801329188771681_1239684611142513538_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=hoZXmpsTT0YQ7kNvgE7wXzx&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AQ0mJwnw01ahZOkO5E2kydx&oh=00_AYDeWz2ovLBdp_J_s819ThTnZ4vC9Rosa8gI_Ru3jMaW5A&oe=670A1833	PERSON_PROFILE	Galaxy in the Story	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,114,025	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2112389}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	One Neah “Where the heck is she?” I hear the Beta scream. I already knew Beta Kyle was talking about me, the only servant of the house. I groan and get to my feet, grabbing the cleaning basket and taking it with me. The moment Beta Kyle sees me, he strides towards me and his hand slices against my cheek. I don’t make a sound. Years of experience has taught me to keep my mouth shut at all times and only speak when spoken too, even if what they are doing to me hurts. “Alpha Trey and I are expecting company and you still have not cleaned the office like you were asked.” Beta Kyle spits at me I nod my head and my hand tightens on the cleaning basket. If I could just find the courage to swing it at his head, it would make my day. I resisted, he was stronger than me and I didn’t need locking up for another week with no food. My stomach already hurt enough. “We are trying to make a good impression on Alpha Dane. Do you not understand how important it is for us to join ourselves with his pack?!” I don’t answer, I know it's a trick, to try and get me to say something so that he can give himself a reason to punish me. I keep my eyes low so that I didn’t have to look at his face. Alpha Dane, I had only ever heard rumours about him. Words exchanged between the other pack members when I was in the room. From what I gathered, he was a ruthless man, a Wolf feared by others. He didn’t mess around and he had the largest pack. “He is the Alpha of Black Shadow, the biggest pack in the world, we need him!” Beta Kyle continues. Yet he doesn’t tell me why. We had never been attacked and we had never attacked anyone, so why did we need another pack to help us? He places his hands on my shoulders, digging his nails into my thinning skin and turns me around, kicking me in the but as he shoves me towards the office. ”Useless Wolf.” He mutters as he moves away. Quietly closing the door, I lean back against it, observing the already clean office. There was nothing out of place, it looked perfectly fine for a meeting with this so-called powerful Alpha. Closing my eyes, I slide down to the floor. I hated this house. I thought that when I turned eighteen, I could finally escape, but four years later, here I still am, a slave in my own home. Doing all the dirty tasks for my brother, Alpha Trey and the pack. While my ex mate, Beta Kyle waltzes around reminding me of how worthless I am. Someone clears their throat and I freeze, I thought I was alone. Leaning forward, I see a handsome man sitting in a chair, just around the corner. A foot propped up on his knee as he nurses a glass of drink. His short hair is dark and his eyes are a deep crimson colour, that don’t quite look right. They suddenly shift to me and I throw myself back against the door as my heart pounded. “Is this the way you greet all Alpha’s?” His deep voice rumbles through the room, there was an edge of amusement to his tone. “I’m sorry.” I whisper, getting to my feet. “I…I thought I was alone.” I had no idea who he was but I could feel the power radiating off of him, even without my Wolf. He doesn’t introduce himself either, why should he? “Come forward.” He orders and I already feel a lump forming in my throat. Alpha Trey was going to finish me. I step around the corner, doing as I’m told, allowing him to see me properly. I close my eyes, expecting the worst. “You smell funny. Yet you are a Wolf, correct?” I nod, though I couldn’t tell how he was going to react. Most laughed when they found out about me. “I would prefer it if you spoke to me.” He growls, “I’m not in the mood to play games.” “Yes.” I whisper. I couldn’t help but think of all the punishments I was going to have to endure. A whipping maybe? Starvation for another week? “Why do you smell strange? And how is it possible for you to not know I was in the room? You should have scented me.” “I…..” I hated the question. “Spit it out, I haven’t got all day!” He takes a swig from his drink. I knew why I couldn’t scent him. I knew why I hadn’t been aware of his presence, but telling people why was not something I ever wanted or liked to do. They never let me tell my side of the story. All they do is laugh and mock me. “You should open your eyes when you are talking to someone. It’s rude to not look at them. Has your Alpha not taught you anything?” His deep voice sends a shiver through me. Slowly, I open my eyes and lower them, there was no way I was making eye contact. “My Wolf abilities were bound,” I mutter. Twice, I wanted to add. Twice my abilities were bound. But he probably wasn’t interested in that part. He leans forward, carefully placing his glass on the small table next to the chair. I could feel him staring at me, “Why would someone do that?” If this is the Alpha that my brother is supposed to be meeting with, I knew I could screw everything up for him by saying too much. “It was a punishment.” I whisper. It wasn’t far from the entire truth but it was the simplest answer I could give. There’s a twitch in his cheek. Was he angry to hear of such a punishment? Or maybe, just like the others, he was amused by it. I couldn’t tell. The door swings open and my brother screeches at me “Neah, what the heck are you doing in my office?” He turns to the crimson eyed man. “I am so sorry that my sister is bothering you, Alpha Dane.” Crap, it was him. My brother spins around, his hand stretching out to hit me. I close my eyes, bracing myself, ready to feel the burn. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Alpha Dane’s voice rumbles through the room. Peeking through slits, I see Alpha Dane has risen to his feet, his hand coiled around my brother's wrist. He was taller than my brother, more muscly too. “Neah,” My name rolls off of his tongue, “was kindly showing me to your office, Alpha Trey, as you failed to meet me at the front of your house like I requested. I was lucky someone was present, at least someone understands the importance of this deal.” What? I had no idea what he was talking about. And he had no reason to lie for me. My brother glares at me, clenching his jaw tight. I was going to pay for this later. I would have to try and steal some food. “Go and get Beta Kyle.” Alpha Trey seethes. “Tell him that our guest is here.” I nod my head and hurry from the room, the last thing I wanted was to be caught between bickering men. “Beta Kyle,” I whisper as I enter the dining hall. He instantly glares at me with his dark eyes. I had spoken without being spoken to. “Alpha Trey is in the office with Alpha Dane. I was sent to inform you.” He slams the newspaper down on the table and glares at me as he walks by. “You’re lucky that the Alpha sent you to get me, otherwise you wouldn't be seeing sunlight for a few days.” Pausing behind me, he yanks my head back, locking his fingers in my hair, leaning in close to me, I feel his hot breath on my skin. He doesn’t speak, it was just his way of proving that he could do what he wants when he wants. I try to keep myself busy so I can stay as far away from the office as possible. My peace doesn’t last long when I hear my brother calling out to me. Quietly, I pad towards the office and plaster a smile on my face as I open the door. “Neah, go get the champagne and some glasses, we are celebrating.” I bow my head and hurry to the drinks cabinet. Quickly finding what my brother has asked for. As I re-enter the office, I can feel Alpha Dane watching my every move, even the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. No one ever watches me this closely. Approaching the small table by Alpha Danes chair, I start to fill the glasses. He takes the champagne bottle from me, telling me he is more than capable of filling his own glass. I feel my cheeks flame, not from embarrassment, but because I knew that I would be punished for this. I should have been quicker. I should have filled the glasses before entering the office. I should have…. My brain freezes when I see my brother glaring at me. “Neah is your sister, correct?” Alpha Dane questions my brother. “She is.” Alpha Trey mutters with disgust. He looks away from me to focus on the man asking questions. “Why do you treat her like vermin?” Straight to the point, my brother wouldn’t like that. He only liked sharing information on his terms. No one had spoken to my brother about his treatment of me because everyone took great joy in beating me. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t move but I knew I had to get out of there. If this deal goes to pot because of me, then that would be my fault too. “Neah was responsible for our parents' death.” Alpha Trey spits I closed my eyes, battling back the tears that were threatening to break free. “Responsible how?” Alpha Dane’s voice rumbles through me. He was definitely angry. “She served them Wolfsbane.” Two Neah Don’t make a sound. Don’t make a sound. I knew Alpha Dane was studying me. They all did, no one could ever quite believe how someone could do something so disgusting as poisoning their own parents. I stood there, with my head hanging low, wishing for the ground to open up and suck me in. There are movements around me. He was standing directly in front of me. With a rough finger he tilts my face up towards his, forcing me to look at him. Slowly, his hand latches onto my throat but he doesn’t squeeze. “You poisoned your parents?” “I was six.” I splutter. “I just made them lemonade.” My voice comes out all squeaky as I try to defend myself. I could barely remember my parents, but I could remember all the guilt I had been made to feel since that day. His crimson eyes flash to my brothers. “Hardly seems fair to blame a six year old.” “A six year old should know the difference between plants.” Alpha Trey snaps “Sounds to me like she was set up.” Alpha Dane shrugs his shoulders, letting go of my throat. “We all know that standard wolfsbane doesn’t affect us anymore. We evolved from that thing centuries ago.” What? What did he mean? Wolfsbane wasn’t lethal. It had been drummed into me since I could walk. “Which only leaves Blood of Wolfsbane.” Alpha Dane mutters “You weren’t there, Alpha Dane.” My brother muttered through gritted teeth as his eyes narrowed to slits. “It was Wolfsbane.” He nods his head. “You are right, I was not present.” Great, now there was someone else who could remind me of something I had done by accident, years ago. “But tell me this, where would a six year old get Blood of Wolfsbane?” “I didn’t ask you here to talk about my slave!” Alpha Trey spits. “Or what happened to my parents.” Alpha Dane grabs his leather jacket from the chair. Unlike other Alpha’s he seemed to dress more casually. A simple black tee and jeans covered his huge frame. And unlike other Alpha’s, his arms are bare of tattoos, not a single bit of ink poked out anywhere. “You’re right and now I have a few things to mull over.” “I thought we agreed.” My brother exclaims “Nothing has been signed. Now I will show myself out.” The moment he is out of the office, both my brother and Beta Kyle round on me. “What the heck did you say to him?” My brother demands, slamming a hand into my stomach. “N..nothing. Well, he just asked me why I smelled funny.” “Did you tell him?” Beta Kyle demands. He was practically spitting in my face. I hated him. I hated him so much that I had vowed to one day get my revenge and rip his stomach out through his mouth. “WELL?” My brother yells when I don’t immediately respond and smacks me across the side of the head. My head involuntarily moves up and down. “But I didn’t say it was you.” I tried to sound strong and confident but it just comes out as a whisper. If they weren’t Wolves, they probably wouldn’t have heard me. My brother's hand locks into my black hair as he yanks my head back, sending a shooting pain through my skull. “If you have ruined this, you won’t see daylight again.” He drags me by my hair from the office and down the hallway towards the basement door. “Please….” I beg. “He was an Alpha…I… I had to answer him.” My cheeks burn with my tears as he flings the door open. On the other side of the door is Alpha Dane. He is leaning against the wall with his arms folded, staring out at us. My brother's hand falls from my hair, relieving the pressure on the back of my skull.. “Alpha Dane, I thought you had left.” Alpha Trey murmurs angrily. “I said I would show myself out. I thought I had found the door, but instead I find a basement, riddled in your sister's strange scent. Is this how you treat your family?” “As I said,” my brother holds his ground, “She is responsible for the death of my parents, so yes, this is what she deserves.” “You should keep your nose out of other packs' business!” Beta Kyle adds. Alpha Dane laughs. “If I agree to this deal, everything about your business becomes my business. So tell me, what would your punishment be for her? No food, locked away for a week, beatings?” “We don’t….” “Really?” He cocks a brow, “You really expect me to believe that you would have just let her sleep? I have already stopped you from hitting her once. " His eyes roam over me. "She is underfed, bags hover under her tired blue eyes. For a sister of an Alpha, she is certainly not treated like one. Regardless of what she allegedly did when she was a pup.” “She did do it!” Alpha Trey seethes “And she has nothing to do with our deal.” “That’s for me to decide.” His crimson eyes flicker around the hallway. “Where is your mate? I would be interested to know how she feels about this.” I close my eyes, silently begging my brother not to call his Luna. Luna Cassandra is worse than Beta Kyle and Alpha Trey together. “On second thoughts, why bother her. I’m certain she is just as vile as you.” He sneers I peer through slits to see his crimson eyes on me. There was no reason for him to defend me and yet he was. I was a nobody, no one special. Just who everyone called a traitor. Only instead of being given a death sentence, my brother had decided to make me spend my life suffering. “I have a proposition for you, Alpha Trey.” Alpha Dane is smirking at my brother “We have already agreed on terms.” “Well, I’m adding one. And if you don’t agree, you will not get my help. Instead, you will become my enemy. And we both know, you don’t want that.” “I take it that your new terms have something to do with her?” Alpha Trey mutters through clenched teeth. “You would be correct. Let me take her away to my pack and then you, Trey will have a deal.” Me? Why would he want me? As my brother and his Beta discuss me, Alpha Dane is still studying me. His look made me nervous. What could someone like him possibly want with me? “Deal.” Alpha Trey sticks out his hand for Alpha Dane to shake. He doesn’t take it, instead his crimson eyes shift from me to my brother. “I will have paperwork drawn up and will return tomorrow.” He reaches a hand out and cups my face, “Ensure you have everything packed.” He drags his thumb across my bottom lip and strides to the opposite end of the hallway and straight to the front door. He knew exactly where the front door was, so what was he up to? He pauses at the door. “If I find out any one of you has laid a hand on her. The contract will be the last thing you need to worry about.” He struts out, slamming the door behind him. “Get out of my sight!” My brother snaps at me. Hurrying away, I make my way up the stairs and into my tiny bedroom. It was practically empty, the only things I had were a few changes of clothes. It would take me less than a minute to pack By morning, I hadn’t slept. Alpha Danes questions were on repeat and why was I so interesting to a Wolf like him. There was a reason he had the biggest pack. They were known for their fighting abilities, that’s why my brother wanted to link Moonshine with Alpha Danes pack, but where did I fit in to all this? And what o earth is Blood of Wolfsbane? Three Dane “Tenth bride’s the charm.” Jenson mocks as the driver pulls up in front of Moonshines packhouse. “Shut up!” Eric snaps at him “Both of you shut your mouths. Before you say something you regret!” ‘He will never learn.’ My wolf, Aero muses. The driver pulls open the door. “Just give me a second, I need to speak to my men.” The door closes and neither one of them speaks. “She isn’t like the others. Don’t speak to her, don’t look at her. And you Jenson, keep your hands to yourself or you might just lose them this time.” I was more rattled than usual. Neah was different to the previous selected mates. I didn’t know what it was or whether it was because I was used to confident women, but there was something about her. And Aero appeared to like her too, more than any of the others. I had to have her. “I mean it!” I snap at Jenson's smug face, “Being my brother won’t change my mind!” He runs his fingers over his lips as though he was zipping them shut. They follow me from the car. Standing in front of the old packhouse, all three of us stare up at it. Because until a month ago, I knew nothing about them and even after my visit, all I had learned was the Alpha is a beast. My knuckles hammer on the door. It’s barely open an inch when I force myself through making his Beta stumble back. I spot her straight away, hiding herself behind a corner. “Are you ready?” I call out. “If you just want to…..” Beta Kyle starts. “I was not talking to you. I was speaking to Neah.” The expression on Beta Kyle’s face was a picture. His jaw hung open and his eyes are wide. He clearly had never been told what to do, even by his Alpha. Neah steps out from her hiding spot, clutching a barely full carrier bag. She drags her teeth across her bottom lip and nods her head. “Where are the rest of your things? I told you everything needs to be packed” “That’s all she has.” Trey snorts as he makes his appearance. “That’s it?” I stare at him. “That’s all her belongings? She’s what, in her early twenties and that’s all she has?” “What more does she need?!” His Beta sneers. ‘Kill him, let me rip out his throat and he will regret the day he crossed us.’ “What are you waiting for?” I hear a horrible shrill voice that seems to vibrate through the floors. Looking away from the Beta, I see a woman holding on to a statue of herself that sat at the bottom of the stairs. Her blonde hair hung in waves around her face as her green eyes studied me and she sways her hips as she moves to Trey. I noticed Neah’s reaction yesterday. When I asked Trey where his mate was. Her whole body had tensed up in fear. She was afraid of this woman and I wanted to know why. “Take her Alpha Dane. I’m sure she will be as useful a slave to you as she is to us.” Her shrill voice goes straight through me. “Look at the silly girl, she’s going to pass out.” The blonde bimbo laughs “You don’t get to talk about her like that anymore.” I glare at the blonde, “She is not your toy. She is not your slave and I suggest that you, Alpha Trey keep your wife in check. There is only so much disobedience that I will tolerate.” “DISOBEDIENCE!” The woman screeches just as Neah’s hip hits the floor. “How dare you! If anyone is disobedient, it’s that rat in the corner.” ‘Who the heck is she calling a rat?’ Aero growls “You should make yourself familiar with our agreement.” I snap. “It seems your mate has not told you everything.” Waving Eric forward, he pulls a thick wad of paper from the folder under his arm. The contract that I have drawn up. “All that for your help?” His mate’s eyes are wide “I don’t do half-witted contracts.” Taking the contract from Eric, I shove it against Trey’s chest “Shall we go to the office?” Trey leads the way with his mate clinging on to him and his Beta hurrying behind. My men follow them while I stay behind to check on my new mate. “You are more than welcome to join us, after all, you are involved in this deal. Or my car is outfront, you can take your stuff and wait there for me.” “Are those my only options?” she whispers, keeping her eyes low “For now. Personally, I think you should sit in with us. It will give me great pleasure in pissing off that mate of your brothers.” She keeps her blue eyes low as she continues to clutch that bag of hers. This close to her, I could really see how ill she looked. Even her heart beat is slow, like it’s fighting to hang on to life. “So what will it be?” “I….” Her head rotates between the front door and the direction of the office. “I….. The office I guess.” “Good choice.” I hold out a hand for her but she doesn’t take it. Pushing herself up to her feet. She wobbles a little, but steadies herself. Walking a few steps behind her, I see the evil glares she receives from Trey and the other two idiots as she enters the office.. “Take a seat.” I whisper as I walk past her. My hand grazes her lower back and she immediately tenses up. She stands, frozen to the spot. Only her eyes dart about when she shakes her head. “Sit!” I say it a little louder “She doesn’t have that privilege here!” The blonde snaps, with her lips curved up in amusement “Sitting is not a privilege.” I growl, wondering what else they were forcing her to do. I couldn’t see any bruises on her arms or legs, a good sign, I hoped. ‘It better be!’ Aero paces in my head. He wanted her out of this place as much as I did. The blonde physically recoils in her seat. Her mouth falls wide open, shocked that I had said something. “And I suggest,” I look at Trey, “You tell your mate to keep her mouth shut. Or I can shut it for her.” “Alpha Dane, you are in my home…..” “And you want my help, correct?” The three of them were fuming. No one liked being told what to do in their own home, yet they were doing just that to Neah. I point to the empty chair between Jenson and Eric and she finally sits down. “Let’s just get this done.” Trey snaps, “The sooner she is gone, the happier I can be.” “You should read the contract.” I muse “I agreed that you could take her as part of our deal.” “Idiot!” Eric murmurs. He knew as well as I did that contracts should be read before they are signed They sign without reading and practically throw the contract back at me. “Done.” Trey mutters “Good, you can get her out of my house.” Trey’s mate screeches. If I had it my way, I would just take Neah, then I wouldn’t have to put up with the twidles, but this way, they can’t have her back. Even if they begged. A contract was a contract and it was impossible for them to get out of. Getting to my feet, I hold a hand out to Neah, “Come, we are leaving this rat hole before I lose my temper.” Her warm fingers slip into my hand as she rises to her feet. Her other hand clutches the bag to her chest as she walks with me to the front door. She doesn’t even look back to say goodbye and that confirmed everything I needed to know. She hated them as much as they hated her. She pauses at the open front door, her hand falling from mine. Her blue eyes are wide as she stares at the limo. “Come.” I instruct Eric and Jenson are standing behind her, watching her curiously. ‘Is she okay?’ Eric links me. “Neah?” I step in front of her and she doesn’t move. She seems to be staring right through me. “It’s time to go.” “Okay.” Her lips barely move She takes a step forward, almost as if she is in slow motion. Her hands grip the door frame, her knuckles turn white as her heartbeat increases. Her lips part a little and her hand falls from the door frame just as her eyes roll to the back of her head. “I’ve got you.” I mutter, catching her just before she hits the floor. Her entire body tenses up as I lift her and carry her to the car. She was so weak and was even lighter than I expected. She probably didn’t weigh much more than a small child. Jenson and Eric get in the car first. Jenson cocks his eyebrow at me and has a smirk plastered to his face as I slide in with Neah on my lap. “Keep your thoughts to yourself, Jenson!” I hold her close, listening to her breathe and her heart as it slowed. Letting my fingers comb through her dark hair as she becomes a little more with it. Suddenly, she sits up right, moving away from me and trying to make herself as small as possible. Deciding not to force her to do anything, I keep my attention on my Beta and my brother, talking about pack stuff while casting a glance over to her every so often to make sure she was alright. “Come.” I mutter as the limo comes to a stop. I don’t wait for the driver and get out myself, holding a hand out for her. “I’m fine.” She speaks at last while glancing at the others and shuffles herself forward to the open door. She stares up at my home, gasping a little. It was easily three times the size of her previous home and I hoped that she would be happy here. That I could provide her with a life that was better than her last. “Let me give you a tour.” I suggest as she continues to clutch that carrier bag to her chest. She follows me in, not speaking a word. I had no idea if she was listening to what I was saying or not “The omegas swap out on a rotational basis. Good for the youngsters to learn some responsibilities before they get proper jobs.” I tell her while showing her the dining hall with a table long enough to fit twenty people around. We move through to the kitchen. Where I point out a board on the wall. “If there is anything you need, you just add it to the board and it will be ordered in.” Her brow furrows and still she says nothing. Picking up a pen, I smile. Maybe she felt intimidated by me. “So tell me, what do you need because there is no way you are living under my roof with just the things that are in that bag.” Her dazzling blue eyes dart around the room “Well?” I ask. “I don’t need anything.” She whispers Sighing, I start scribbling things down. Underwear, jeans, workout clothes, dresses, shoes, anything I can think of that will cover her for a few days. Holding the pen between my teeth, I grab her around the waist. My thumbs meet just above her belly button and my fingers touch her spine. She was so thin, how was she even alive? Four Dane She looked like a deer caught in headlights as I write her size down. She was tinier than I thought. Skin and bone. If I had moved my hands up any higher, I would have felt every rib sticking out. It sickened me, she should be strong, powerful, she had Alpha blood running through her veins. I also saw how she scrunched her face up when I measured her. It wasn’t fear, it was pain. She was hiding something underneath the baggy maids dress. “I know you want to say something, so just say it. I’m not interested in the crap Trey drummed into you. You don’t have to wait until someone asks you a question. You are free to say what you want. Are you injured?" "No." She was lying, I could feel it. She shakes her head as if it would confirm her answer and a lock of her black hair falls from the band that was supposed to be holding it back. Neah was going to be a tough girl to crack. A life of being starved had made her quite protective over herself. I will make Trey pay for what he has done to her. “You have to say something, Neah. I cannot read your mind. When I mark you, at least I will know what you are feeling.” “Mark me?” I didn’t think her eyes could get any wider. “Yes, I will mark you.” She was completely and utterly shocked by the idea. Her pink lips part a little as she continues to stare at me. I thought she knew. I thought that was why she came so willingly. My Beta had kept asking me if I was certain I wanted her as my bride. There was no doubt about it, she had a strange scent but something was luring me to her. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her when I first saw her. My Wolf Aero was going mad for her too. Though he hadn’t said a word about her. Annoyed with me for not taking her home with us yesterday. “You….You brought me so that you could mark me.” She takes a step back, walking into the kitchen island. She winces a little and quickly covers up her pain, relaxing her face.. “If Trey had bothered reading the contract, he would have discovered that you are to be my bride, not a slave. He would also have read that if he or his ridiculously silly mate tried doing anything to you going forward, that pack would become mine, or rather, yours. I never bought you, Neah, you were always destined to be mine.” “I’m a murderer.” She gasps. “Why would someone like you want me for a bride?” ‘Blood’ Aero growls interrupting my thoughts. I glance down at her baggy dress. A blood stain had appeared right where I had my hands wrapped around her. “What’s that? Are you injured?” I demand, I had barely touched her. She covers the stain with her hand. “It’s nothing. It’s just a cut that I keep knocking and it opens up again. I forget it’s there.” Forget? How could she forget a wound? ‘Why isn’t she healing?’ I feel Aero’s panic. ‘She’s been with us less than two hours and already she has some form of injury.’ His need to protect her was strong. It hadn’t occurred to me that her lack of abilities included not being able to heal. I would have to find someone who could reverse the binding and soon. “Show me!” “It’s fine.” She mumbles I was already so sick of hearing that phrase. “It’s not optional.” I mutter. “If you won’t show me, I will have to find a way to look, myself.” Her heart skips a beat. She looks around the kitchen. “Can.... can we go somewhere more private?” “Private?” I didn’t really do privacy. What Wolf did?! She bobs her head but still keeps her focus slightly off of me. Almost afraid to look me directly in the eyes. ‘Office,’ Aero mutters. ‘I was just going to suggest that!’ I snap back at my Wolf. I feel his eyes roll as he retreats to some dark corner of my mind. “This way.” I gesture to the door. Neah waits for me and follows closely behind. The scent of blood steadily grew stronger, it was more than just a cut. I already knew that. In the office, I hit the remote and the blinds start to drop, blocking out the sunlight. Neah hesitates and slowly begins to unfasten the buttons of the dress but only where the large blood stain was. Keeping everything else covered from me. She pulls the dress to one side. The wound was about four inches long and already fairly infected. “See, it’s fine.” she whispers. “You need to stop saying that.” She closes her mouth and starts to fasten the buttons. “No,” I grabbed her hands, I had caught sight of another bruise. “Let me see the rest of them.” It wasn’t optional. She gasps as my fingers rip apart the rest of the buttons. Her sports bra had seen better days, just the same as her underwear. But it was the bruising I was most concerned about. Bruise upon bruise, scars that had come from whips. Her hip bones and ribs stuck out too. Turning her around, and pulling the dress from her, I find that her back is just the same. Yet interestingly, there was nothing above her chest and nothing below her thighs. Her arms were completely bare of wounds too. There was only one reason why someone would do that. To either hide what they were doing to someone, or to keep up appearances. They didn’t want guests to see. More importantly, they didn’t want me to see, considering the meeting was arranged over a month ago. She fumbles with the dress, pulling it tightly around her thin frame. “You need to see a doctor.” “It’s …..” she trails off when she sees the anger on my face. “It always heals, eventually.” “Did Trey do this?” I mutter with my teeth gritted and gesture to her body She lowers her blue eyes. “Cassandra?” She still doesn’t answer me. “That prick that follows Trey around? All three of them?” She pulls her dress tighter around her and silently nods. She brings her hand up to her face, brushing her cheek, wiping away an escaped tear. “Anyone else?” “The pack.” She whispers. ‘I’m going to kill them all.’ Aero growls. He will have to get in line, “Because of what you allegedly did to your parents.” She nods. “I don’t believe you were responsible.” She tilts her head up towards me, her brow knits together as her eyes finally find mine. “Because of Blood of Wolfsbane?" Five Neah “I…I don’t know what Blood of Wolfsbane is?” I whisper He frowns at me. “Your brother said you knew the difference between plants.” “I…” I didn’t have an answer. I couldn’t remember, not fully. “Blood of Wolfsbane is Wolfsbane fed by our blood. The leaves will have a red hue to them. I can’t imagine a child would know what it is because it is not freely grown. Your brother’s story doesn’t add up.” “Oh.” “I won’t stop until I find out who did this, Neah.” His crimson eyes narrow. “I will make them pay for the suffering you have endured.” He sits on the edge of his desk, studying me. “Right now, you do need to see someone about the infection.” I kept my mouth closed, I was still trying to process his news of me being set up. Why had my brother never considered it? “Come, I will show you our bedroom. You can shower before we see the pack doctor.” Frozen to the spot, I don’t move. Did he just say ‘our bedroom,’? As in, we are sharing a bedroom? I guess he thinks he can mke love with me whenever he wants if I’m his contract bride. A shiver runs down my spine at the thought. Glancing up, I see him watching me. He is stood at the open door, waiting for me. Ensuring my dress has me covered, I step out into the hallway. No one was around and the hallways were quiet. As we moved, Alpha Dane would tell me what each room was, but he seemed more focussed on getting me to the bedroom. His bedroom is huge, with massive windows, just like the rest of the house. The bed sat pressed up against the wall. All around it, thin drapes hung from the ceiling, but they were tied back at each bed post. What surprised me the most was that the bath and the shower were in the same room. Only the toilet was in a small room to the side of the shower. No privacy, whatsoever. Though, he didn’t seem to care about that. He makes me jump when I feel his warm breath on my skin. “You don’t need to be afraid.” I may not be able to smell him, but he would be able to scent the changes in my emotions. Crossing the room, he pulls open the glass door to the shower and turns it on. The moment he closes the door, the steam of the shower quickly fogs up the glass. And still, I find myself afraid. He gave me no clue as to what he was expecting from me. “Hey,” His rough fingers tip my face up. “It’s just you and me and for now, I will let you shower in peace.” Walking away, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and messes around with it before placing it on the bedside table. “The alarm is set for ten minutes. I will come back then. I will bring you something to wear so just stay in the towel. Understand?” He stares at me, waiting for an answer and I just nod. A ten minute shower. I was lucky if I got a minute shower back home and the water was always cold. He moves to the door and with his hand resting on the door knob he looks back over his shoulder at me. “I really wish you would talk more, Neah.” Alpha Dane leaves me in peace and I make a mad dash for the shower as if I’m in some kind of fantasy land and this was all a dream. Maybe it was, maybe I was about to wake up in the basement of my home. The smells of the soaps and shampoos are divine as I lather them into myself. And my hair has never felt so clean. The wound on my stomach stung as the hot water hit it, but I didn’t care, it was worth it. Someone in the room clears their throat and I freeze. Thanking the steam for keeping me semi hidden. “Neah, are you done? The alarm went off five minutes ago.” Alpha Dane’s voice seems louder in here. I had been so caught up in the freedom of a simple shower that I hadn’t even heard the alarm or the Alpha come back into the room. “Coming.” I mutter, turning off the water and pulling a towel around me to hide the hideousness underneath. Stepping out, I already see that my ripped dress, underwear and worn sandals had been removed from the floor. Alpha Dane sits on the end of the bed with what looked like folded clothes on his lap and a pair of trainers. “It’s not much, as we don’t have anyone with as small a waist as you.” He smiles as he hands over the clothes. A matching navy blue sweatshirt and joggers. “You will have to make do without the underwear for now. Should be here first thing tomorrow.” He watches me with a cocked eyebrow as I pull the joggers on and tug the sweatshirt over my head before removing the towel. Maybe he was used to the women parading themselves in front of him, or throwing themselves at him because he has power, but I wasn’t like that. “Let’s go.” He rises to his feet and this time, I follow him. Something told me that if I didn’t get this wound looked at, it would put him in a bad mood. The pack doctor was young, unlike the one back home who was old and afraid to let anyone take over from him. She smiles at us as we enter the pack hospital and rewraps her dark hair into a bun. “Raven, this is Neah.” Alpha Dane introduces me with a grin. I keep my eyes low as I hear Raven say, “Alpha Dane, what seems to be the problem apart from the strange smell she has brought with her.” It didn’t sound like a hurtful comment like I was used to, but more a comment of curiosity. “She will tell you herself when she finds her tongue.” “I have a wound.” I whisper. “And you are not healing?” Raven asks, confused “I don’t have my Wolf.” I hated saying it. It was just a constant reminder that I did not fit in. “Her Wolf was bound when she was a kid.” Alpha Dane tells her. “That’s why her scent is strange. Her Wolf is there, locked away, waiting to be freed.” My eyes flicker up only to find him staring straight back at me. I had always believed that my Wolf was gone. Not that she was trapped. Raven’s dark eyes hover on me. “Wow, okay.” She grabs my hand. “This way, let’s take a look at this wound of yours.” She leads me into an empty room and asks me to lay on the bed and to show her my wound. Pulling up the sweatshirt, just enough for her to see the wound. Her eyes widen, a flicker of rage passing over them as she takes in the infected wound and the bruising that surrounds it. Her fingers carefully press around the wound. “How long ago?” “A few days.” I mutter, though I wasn’t sure. Every beating blurred into another one. Any day that I wasn’t hit was a good day. Raven shakes her head. “This is longer than a few days ago, the infection has had at least a week to develop.” “Neah, you need to tell us the truth.” Alpha Dane orders “I don’t know.” “NEAH!” His deep voice rumbles through me and I close my eyes, fearing his anger. Anger brought punishment, punishment brought pain. “I swear, I don’t know. The beatings, they happen so often that they just kind of…. I’m never not bruised.” There’s silence and I was too afraid to open my eyes. Alpha Trey had said it over and over, that if anyone found out, he would make my life a misery, more than it already was. I used to wonder who would ever find out that didn’t already know. Now here I was, sitting in another pack’s hospital, revealing the truth. “Heal her!” Alpha Dane shouts after what seems like forever. He storms from the room, pulling a phone out of his pocket. “You will have to forgive my brother. His temper is short, especially when it comes to things like this.” Raven mutters as she gently inspects my wound “Your brother?” I whisper, opening my eyes “Ah, I see he informed you. I’m guessing he didn’t tell you that Jenson is our brother too?” I shake my head, I’m guessing Jenson was one of the men that came to my brother's house. She chuckles. “Jenson is considered to be our brother’s Gamma.” “Gamma?” I had never heard of the term. “Yep and Alpha Dane has a love/hate for me working here. He wants me to represent our family, but he knows this is what I’m good at.” She grabs a pot of cream from the cupboard. “Now this needs to be applied three times a day. It should clear up the infection, if it hasn’t changed in a couple of days, I will take another look. My brother is waiting for you out front.” “Thanks.” I mumble, taking the pot of cream from her. I looked at the label, but couldn’t read it. I had never learned to read. She bobs her head at me as I hurry out to find Alpha Dane on his phone, snapping at someone. He hangs up as soon as he sees me and asks what Raven said. “Cream, three times a day.” I show him the pot and he takes it from me. “Good, come.” He strides off and I have to run to keep up with him. I follow him through the house and into the office. “Show me.” He orders, pulling the lid off the pot. It wasn’t going to be negotiable, not when he had used the same tone moments before he ripped my dress open earlier. Slowly lifting my sweatshirt, he crouches down in front of me and gently smothers the wound in the cold cream. “I don’t want you to lie to me, Neah. Not ever. If you can’t remember, that is what you need to tell me. Is that clear? I don’t want to have to guess what you mean.” “Okay.” I couldn’t say anything else, I was too focussed on the warmth of his hands. One presses against my lower back, holding me steady while the other gently rubs cream into my wound. The only touch I had received from another man was a beating. “Stop holding your breath.” He tells me, getting to his feet. “I am not going to hurt you.” It seemed impossible to believe given my history. The act, the words coming from him, it just didn’t feel real.	LEARN_MORE	https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&u	Galaxy in the Story	https://www.facebook.com/61555427913037/	1,374	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	wwwedb.com	DCO		https://wwwedb.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=11782&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/448791819_801329188771681_1239684611142513538_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=hoZXmpsTT0YQ7kNvgE7wXzx&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AQ0mJwnw01ahZOkO5E2kydx&oh=00_AYDeWz2ovLBdp_J_s819ThTnZ4vC9Rosa8gI_Ru3jMaW5A&oe=670A1833	PERSON_PROFILE	Galaxy in the Story	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,114,030	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"is_bh_simple_request":false,"simple_request_ratio":1,"is_bh_selenium":false,"selenium_ratio":1,"ratio_threshold":0.8}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	Bryan was slicing fruit for his mother-in-law when his phone rang. He looked around to make sure there’s no one close to him before picking it up. “Liana. I remember I’ve told you not to contact me unless it's necessary." He lowered his voice and said a bit harshly. "Sorry, Mr. Bryan. But congratulations! Your wife has achieved great success. She has finally made it and become the best actress in Glare, standing on the stage of Heavenwood and enjoying the attentions from all over the world.” A gentle and pleasant female voice came from the phone. Bryan was first stunned, then as if suddenly remembering something, he reproached himself, "Oh, gosh, I didn’t know this important thing!" But then he couldn’t help muttering, “But...why didn’t Amelia tell me to attend the ceremony with her?” He felt a little upset. As Amelia’s husband, he should be allowed to accompany with her. Also more importantly, he wanted to tell the whole world that Amelia is his wife! But he had lost the best opportunity. “She must be too busy!” Bryan relieved himself in heart. At that moment, a voice suddenly roared from the living room, which startled him. “What are you doing in the kitchen? Where is the fruit? Take it to me now!” That was Mrs. Hailey, Amelia's mother, whose attitude toward Bryan became increasingly worse as her daughter became more and more famous. In the past, when Amelia was only an unknown actress, Mrs. Hailey always praised Bryan as a good husband; But after her Amelia became famous, she started to look down on Bryan, thinking that a stay-at-home husband was not good enough for her big star daughter. Bryan immediately hung up the call, sliced the fruit as quickly as possible, and rushed to give it to her. He gently placed the plate in front of Mrs. Hailey, who was glaring at him. “Good-for-nothing! What kind of fruit is this?” she snapped. “Apples and bananas, ma'am.” Bryan replied, keeping his voice humble and his gaze lowered. “Foolish guy, are you a deaf? Or even the poverty in your life has spread through your brain? Don’t you know I dislike apples and bananas? You are really annoying me!” she shouted. “Sorry, but you didn’t...” Bryan felt very aggrieved and wanted to explain. “Shut up! You useless trash!” She glared fiercely at Bryan and shouted to cut off his explanation. In fact, she didn't hate apples and bananas, she was just looking for trouble. Bryan stood there, suffering from her chattering. It wasn't the first time he had heard those humiliations, but out of respect to his wife, he also respect her mother. Finally, Mrs. Hailey got tired of scolding him. She took a glass of water that Bryan handed over, took a sip and looked at him with disgust, shouting, “ Get lost! Don’t block me from watch TV.” At this moment, Bryan saw the live broadcast of the Grayer Awards Ceremony on the screen, and exactly, it was his wife's turn! Bryan blushed immediately as Amelia walked on stage. She looked so pretty, wearing a stunning off-shoulder gown that accentuated her figure. She was shining brightly! She was the center of attention! "That's my daughter!" Mrs. Hailey excitedly shouted, but she soon got calm when she saw Bryan. She mocked, "Bryan, you are such a piece of waste. Look, how excellent my daughter is! You're only hindering her progress!" "But...she is my wife..." Bryan protested, he even wanted to tell this snob what he had secretly done for his wife. However, he can’t expose it because Amelia always hoped to succeed because of her own hard work. "You are not even worthy to be Amelia’s husband. My superstar daughter deserves better man! Hump, clean up the room right now!" she commanded, her eyes full of contempt. “I’ve done it this morning.” . “Do it again!” Bryan knew arguing with her was baseless. So he hurriedly picked up the rag and started cleaning the living room. The stage anchor's voice boomed from the TV, "And here we have our beautiful, talented Amelia, the best actress of the year. Please welcome her with a round of applause!" Bryan stole glances at the TV as he cleaned up the room. He quietly joined in the clapping. Amelia collected the award and began her acceptance speech: "Thank you so much for this incredible honor. All thanks to my fans, team, and supporters. First, I'd like to thank my wonderful mother for always believing in me and supporting me every step of the way. Your unwavering love and guidance have been my anchor.” Mrs. Hailey laughed excitedly, very proud of her daughter; Bryan's eyes were glued to the TV, confident that his name would be mentioned then. He knew that! “I also want to express my deep gratitude to my amazing director and other teammates, they really taught me a lot...” “......” Bryan felt anxious. As time went by, he didn’t hear anything relevant to him in Amelia’s speech. “But Why? I’m her husband!” Bryan thought in mind, feeling disappointed. “Amelia will definitely mention me in the end! We deeply love each other!” Bryan muttered to himself, as if he was relieving himself. Eventually, under Bryan’s expectant gaze, the speech was coming to an end. “Lastly, my deepest gratitude goes to the most special person in my life. Your unwavering support, your endless love, and your belief in my dreams have been the foundation of my success...” “She is looking at me! She is referring to me!” Bryan excitedly stated. Mrs. Hailey felt very confused because Amelia had ever told her that she didn’t love Bryan at all. Suddenly, she realized something. She looked at Bryan, who was dancing with excitement, and laughed in her heart, "Poor guy, Amelia was not talking about you!” On TV, Amelia was still going on, “You are my rock and my greatest love. Every achievement of mine is a testament to your devotion and sacrifice. I couldn't have done this without you, and I am eternally grateful for everything you’ve done for me. This award is as much yours as it is mine. Thank you, my love, for being my everything, I love you! Yeah, I mean you.” Amelia then, smiled at the camera so brightly, with very much lovely affection. Bryan's eyes flushed and his heart melted. “It's me! Wow, I can't believe there is a day Amelia would appreciate me like this. I love you too, Amelia.” he muttered back However, on TV, Amelia’s loving gaze was passing through the crowd of spectators and falling on a handsome young man in the middle of the audience, who was beyond the range of the camera. ... ... Bryan beamed with joy, smile appeared on his face as Amelia's appreciation replayed in his mind. He never doubted that the man his wife referred to was not him. As he cleaned up the room, he hummed and thought to himself, “I know I made a good decision marrying Amelia and supporting her career.” After that, Bryan planned to prepare a candlelight dinner and celebrate with his wife when she returned home. Fortunately, Mrs. Hailey had gone out for something urgent. Bryan rummaged through the pantry and refrigerator, gathering ingredients for his special dishes. With practiced hands, he began chopping vegetables, humming a tune as he worked. Bryan decided to cook Amelia’s favorite food. He set the table, beautifully decorating it with a bouquet of fresh flowers, adding a touch of elegance. Expensive beverages and candles were lit, casting a warm glow over the room. After all things were ready, he looked over the transfer agreement he had prepared for the entertainment company's shares. Bryan intended to transfer the shares of Imperial Legacy Entertainment, one of the state's leading entertainment companies, worth billions of dollars, to give Amelia a big surprise. He couldn't wait for his wife's reaction when she saw it; she must be ecstatic! He sat impatiently waiting for her. All this while, all he could do was help her from the shadows. Now, he could fully support her openly. He watched the time slip by as Amelia was yet to return home. He felt worried and nervous. Normally, even if Amelia didn’t come back home, she would have given him a call or a message. He called her in anxiety. It rang the first time but no one picked up. He tried it again, but she hung up immediately. On the third call, she finally answered and Bryan felt relieved. “Hi babe! Congratulations on your success today!” He said eagerly. “Thanks.” She replied simply. “You looked very, very beautiful on TV. I can't believe you are my wife,” He complimented her. “Yeah, I know.” She answered coldly again. Bryan was surprised because the wife he knew would have screamed and called him sweet names. “Are you coming home soon? There are a lot of surprises for you!” He said excitedly. “No!” She answered in the same indifferent tone. Bryan frowned, he immediately knew something was off. “Is everything okay, Amelia? You should open up to me.” He probed gently. “Yeah, everything’s fine. I won’t be coming home until tomorrow morning,” She said, her voice lacking any warmth. Bryan felt disappointed. He had prepared all those dishes for her, and now it was going to waste. “Okay, tomorrow then!” he said, and as he was about to hang up, he heard a thick voice vibrate in the background asking, “Who is that?” Bryan immediately asked, “Amelia, where are you and who is that talking?” Amelia answered, now with a sweet tone, “Babe, I am in the bar with my colleagues. They are throwing a party for me. I'm sorry I won't be coming home.” Bryan smiled and nodded, “Okay then, bye, love you.” The phone hung up when he was expecting a “love you too.” He pondered what was going wrong because that wasn't the usual Amelia. Then he shrugged it off, thinking, “She is just tired and busy.” He consoled himself and felt disappointed for the food he cooked. He went to clear the table. He was still on it when his phone vibrated. He checked it to see it was an incoming message. He clicked on it. His heart skipped a beat as his grip on the plates in his hand loosened. The plates shattered on the floor as he stumbled backward, his eyes wide with shock. He felt like throwing up. "No, this must not be real!" he uttered, his voice shaking, staring at the picture on the screen. The message contained an image showing a man kissing his wife, Amelia, passionately in front of a bar. Bryan's face contorted in denial, his eyes scanning the picture frantically. He gripped the table tightly, his knuckles white with tension. His head spun with confusion, "No, no... someone is trying to frame my sweet wife," he muttered to himself, "I know my Amelia will never do this, never, never." With a determined look on his face, he gathered himself up and immediately called Amelia, but she didn't answer. He tried repeatedly, but her phone went straight to voicemail, each time displaying the same automatic response. "Oh no! It can't be, it can't be my wife," he uttered nervously. He didn't know what to do, and again, he tried her number, and the response was the same. He checked the image again and nodded as he sat down somberly on the chair in the dining hall. "No, it can't be, Amelia won’t do this!" he muttered again. ... ... In a presidential suite, a luxury hotel, the light was dim, the only sound was the soft hum of the air conditioning and the gentle crackle of the fireplace. A handsome young man, dressed in a tailored suit, stood tall, his eyes locked on the woman in front of him. She was stunning, her red gown hugging her curves in all the right places. As they moved closer, their mouths met in a passionate kiss. The man's hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her in tight, while hers grasped his shoulders, deepening the embrace. The woman's eyes fluttered closed, her head tilting back as the man's mouth traced a path down her neck. His hands roamed, caressing her skin, then he stopped and gazed at her. “Is that your lowlife, servant husband that called you earlier?” He asked her. Amelia nodded slowly, “Yeah, it's that worthless waste. I'm fed up with him.” “Sure, then… why haven't you divorced him then? When are you doing that? I can't wait any longer.” He said. Amelia hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, “I will divorce him soon. The agreement is ready, just give me some time.” “Okay, I can't wait to live with you together, babe.” The man, Xander, said. Amelia smiled and kissed him. “I will, soon.” Although Amelia had been married to Bryan for three years, her heart belonged to Xander. He was the man she was praising during the speech. Her first love, the man of her dreams since adolescence. ... ... The Next Morning... Bryan tried to dismiss the pictures from his mind. He didn’t believe Amelia had betrayed him. After all, photo editing and AI face-swapping technology are very advanced. He thought that photo must have been maliciously edited to defame his innocent wife. However, a seed of doubt lingered, gnawing at him. He spent the entire night on the sofa in the living room, unable to sleep, because the image on the picture would appear in his mind when he closed his eyes. Suddenly, the door opened, Amelia entered the room with a flushed face, looking radiant. It seemed that he had spent a good night with her first love. She was surprised to see Bryan there, looking haggard and exhausted. "Welcome back, darling," Bryan said tiredly. Amelia glanced at her pale husband and the candlelight dinner he had prepared on the table, but she didn't care about those, nor did she greet him back as she sat down on the sofa. "Uh, I'm so exhausted... come and massage me, Bryan." she simply stated, like commanding her servant. His heart began to waver, and he felt uneasy about his wife's change in attitude towards him. He didn’t follow her instruction and kept silent, just staring at her. Amelia frowned and repeated, "Are you deaf? I said come and massage me, right now!" Her voice sounded a bit angry and impatient. Bryan didn’t do it still... "Wow, you aren’t even willing to do this for me since I work so hard to feed the family?" Amelia's voice dripped with sarcasm. She immediately missed Xander, who would have done it without even asking. But she never thought Bryan used to give her massage. Then, Bryan finally asked, “Where were you last night?” Amelia frowned and leaned forward. “Why are you asking? I told you I was celebrating the award with my friends. I told you that, Bryan.” "Please, Amelia... don't lie to me. Where were you all night? I kept calling you but you ignored my calls." "My phone was switched off, it powered off... Bryan, you should have known that." "Powered off?" Bryan found it funny. What a poor excuse! Amelia's brow furrowed, and she snapped, “Should I have to repeat it again and again? I said I was with my colleagues that time... or... What are you thinking? That I'm with another man, uh? How could you not be wild in imagination since you are just staying at home and doing nothing?” Her voice filled with disdain. "You can't even answer a question without shaming me," Bryan said. "Yeah, that's because you are selfish and accusing me with some baseless question! I was with my colleagues, that's all. I don't know why I have to keep explaining that to you!". "Amelia, do you still love me? You..., you are my heart, and I can't believe that nonsense. If you love me, tell me where were you last night". Bryan stated, his voice trembling with fear. "Bryan, it's enough! Stop bothering me! I have told you the truth!". Bryan then opened his phone and threw it at her. “Then what is this? ” Amelia grabbed the phone and checked it, then saw the photo, clearly the scene of her and her first lover Xander. Her eyes popped out, then she immediately composed herself and stayed calm, “Where did you get these pictures? It's just a behind-the-scenes shot from the new movie I'm currently in.” The worst fear was confirmed. Amelia was really cheating on him. Bryan knew she wasn’t preparing for any new movies. "Amelia! who is that man, we can talk it out." He softly stated. "What are you saying!", Amelia yelled, now on her feet, "How dare you tag me with such affairs! Someone set me up and I don't know who was working for you to get you this picture." He scoffed, “ You are still lying to me!” Amelia felt ridiculed, saying, “How audacious you are! Do you even have the right to ask me anything when I'm literally the one feeding you?” Bryan still expected she could regret and apologize to him, spoke in low voice, “Amelia...” “Don't call my name, you’re disgusting! I work so hard to get to where I am today and provide for the family. What did you do? Nothing, absolutely nothing,” she yelled. Bryan didn't even know what to do. He just stood there. He couldn't believe all these years of supporting her were just a waste. Amelia was talking about hard work when she actually did nothing. She was an actress who didn't want to accept minor roles, even as a newbie. Bryan was the one who made it all easy for her. He made sure she was always the main character, took out every actor and actress that would get in her way, and took it upon himself to take care of the home so Amelia could just focus on her career. “Amelia… I can't believe you are saying this… to me” “Why not when you are accusing me? And I am just stating the fact. You are poor, useless, and I am your host while you are nothing but just a parasite!” she yelled. Bryan felt extremely disappointed and asked, “Then, what is that man to you, symbiosis? Benefiting each other? Uh?” Amelia was filled with rage immediately. She couldn't take Bryan's ridicule. As she raised her hand and tried to slap him, Bryan caught her hand and in anger flung it away. Unexpectedly, Amelia lost her balance and fell onto the ground. “Stop! What are you doing?” A voice roared from behind. It’s Xander, who had expected this scene earlier because... ... ... Actually, it’s Xander who sent the photo to Bryan’s phone. He knew Amelia was hesitating in divorcing Bryan, maybe she still had some feelings for him, so he took the photo secretly and expose it to Bryan to accelerate their divorce. He stepped forward towards Bryan and confronted him, “How could you beat a woman? She’s your wife! How could you do this?” Bryan saw that this man was the guy seducing his wife on that photo, and he angrily said, “You dare to come to my home!” “Yeah, I have. Because I won't let you hurt Amelia anymore!” He stared at Bryan’s eyes, firmly said. Then he turned to Amelia, swearing affectionately, “Amelia, I swear...I will protect you forever.” Initially, Amelia was a bit angry at Xander for showing up unannounced, but after hearing his heartfelt confession, especially compared to Bryan, Xander seemed like a perfect man. She was also moved by him and looked at him affectionately. Seeing his wife gazing affectionately at another man in his home, Bryan felt extremely uncomfortable. With a dark expression, he warned Xander, "Get out of my house!" “What if I don't?” Xander taunted. Amelia intervened. “Xander, stop. This shouldn't cause a fight. We will resolve the issues.” But Xander's gaze never left Bryan's face. “No, Amelia. I won't let him get away with this. He hurt you led your face injured. As an actress, face is wealth!” Amelia was immediately impressed by what Xander said. Bryan gritted his teeth and said with his face gloomy, “You think you're a hero by doing this?” “At least I'm able to protect her from you, you’re a beast. She is the one feeding you, and you want to ruin her career!” Xander stated. Bryan stared at him. He felt Xander looked awfully familiar once he saw Xander. Then he suddenly recalled it! Amelia had a photo album some years ago, which was all about her and her first love. She named the album "Moonlight” and kept it secret. Once he accidentally found the photo album, and she explained that she no longer liked Xander, it was just a souvenir of her youth. However, it’s also a lie! He turned to her. “we have been married for 5 years, Amelia, five good years! What's wrong with our marriage that you have to reconcile with your ex boyfriend?” Amelia gazed back at him. She wasn't going to keep up with this any longer. Xander had proven he was the right person she needed...forever be. She uttered, “Bryan, I'm over this. Let's get a divorce, yeah, I don't want you now, I want Xander. He is my true love!” Bryan immediately felt disheartened although he had known things would come to this end. He was still sad for his marriage, and all those he had sacrificed... He complied with her request to become a stay-at-home husband, providing her with emotional support and taking care of her. Not to hurt her pride, he secretly arranged to support her career until she succeeded. Bryan couldn’t understand... Amelia continued and justified her reasons, “Bryan, you know… you were never up to my standard to begin with. Now I'm in a higher league, higher than you can imagine. In just a short time, I will become a well-known international actress. You can't be my husband, or it will be my forever smirch!” “Amelia…” “Yeah, you know that. You are useless, worthless, poor, and just an idle househusband. You can't add any value to my life.” “I have high ambitions. I want to go places, but you… you are nothing, no ambition, lazy, and just wait around for me to feed you. You are satisfied with your status quo. You are even a disgrace to other men. It will be best if I just let you go,” she said, then dipped her hand in her bag and brought out a stack of papers containing a pre-draft divorce agreement. “Sign, and let's end our false marriage here, you useless husband,” she threw it at him. Bryan felt bitter. Her success was because of him. Everything she achieved, he made possible. He thought she was a devoted wife, and he couldn't just watch her struggle, so he helped her behind the scenes, and just yesterday, he made her collect the award. She had drastically changed. Bryan not working was not because he was lazy, but when they first met, Amelia told him she wanted a husband who would be at home, not busy, and she wanted to see him every time she wanted. Bryan left his company to his subordinate to help her achieve that. Also, her mother forced him to do the chores anytime he contemplated working... Bryan planned to tell her about his true identity last night after her initial success and transfer one of his successful companies to her as a surprise, allowing her to pursue filmmaking as a hobby rather than work. However, she didn’t sign the transfer agreement while he had to sign the divorce agreement. How ridiculous! He didn't even bother to talk again. He bent down, picked up the papers, and brought out a pen. He thought of all he had done and all the years spent together. He stared at her one more time, brought out his pen and, in pain, scribbled his signature on the agreement. “Bye. but you will regret it.” Bryan calmly said. "regret? I’m the fastest upcoming actress, you must be joking!" As Amelia watched him leave, she felt something very important slipping out of her life. Her heart felt empty. Xander patted her gently. “You did great, babe. It's better to let him go. Later, you will see how your life will improve.” She stayed mute. Then Xander added and assured her, “We will make a film, a blockbuster movie, with you as the female lead, and after that, we will announce our romantic relationship. Just envision how perfect that would be. Everyone will be jealous.” Amelia nodded. Actually, a movie with great potential directed by a great director was soon to be filmed. She was determined to secure the female lead role, and also she planned on recommending Xander as the male lead. Xander hugged her and smirked. He had achieved the first step of his plan... ... ... Bryan felt heartbroken broken as he walked, lost in thought. He never imagined there would be one day that he and Amelia would divorce. He came to a park, wondering where to go... Then it hit him that he was the owner of the house, and he shouldn't have been the one to leave, but it should have been the two. Suddenly, his phone rang, and it was from Liana. He picked it up. “Boss, The role for Amelia in the new movie has been arranged. This time, she will be the only female leader role in this movie and gain more and better reputation!” Liana said sincerely. There was a brief silence before Bryan spoke, “Well done! But unfortunately, we have just divorced! It is of no use now.” “Huh?” Liana was stunned by the surprising news. “I said I divorced with her. Just cancel everything, including the female leader role and the company's share transfer arrangements... Cancel them all.” He commanded. Then Liana was overwhelmed with joy and spoke excitedly. “Wow, great...” she slipped. “What?” Bryan felt confused. Why was so happy when she heard the news. “I am sorry, boss. I was just… somehow shocked. Okay, I will tell the director as soon as possible before he notifies your ex-wife.” She said. After hanging it up. Liana felt she was the happiest woman in the world. She was so excited about Bryan’s divorce. After all, she had had a crush on him for many years, even earlier than his marriage. After calming down, Liana immediately called a familiar movie director and instructed, "Don't give the role of the female lead in the new movie to Amelia. Replace her with another actress! She doesn't deserve such a good role anymore!" Liana looked down on Amelia in every way. She despised Amelia’s acting skills. If it weren't for Bryan's secret support, she wouldn't have deserved to become famous at all. She knew the real reason for Amelia's success, and she never expected that foolish woman to divorce Bryan. Although she was happy that their relationship had broken down, she would not thank Amelia. Instead, she was extremely angry that she had hurt Bryan, which was unforgivable! She was determined to make that foolish woman pay the price! She would make her regret it! ... ... Bryan stood alone in the quiet cemetery, his eyes fixed on the grave in front of him. The headstone bore his mother's name, Mrs. Wood. He had come to pay tribute to her. His knees sank into the soft earth, and gently touched the engraved letters. "Mom, here I am again… I have failed you. I broke my promise to you that I would be here with my wife, but I was unable to achieve it… We broke up and got divorced." He trailed off as he lamented. Then, a feminine voice suddenly shrieked into the air, so loud! Someone was screaming, “Help, help, help…somebody help me...”	LEARN_MORE	https://herfv.com/market/meganovel/13?lpid=13229&u	Fantasy Hero Country	https://www.facebook.com/61561117201220/	1,023	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	herfv.com	DCO		https://herfv.com/market/meganovel/13?lpid=13229&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/454313049_3697295210508522_4376685614113117256_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=aJIuHATwxNsQ7kNvgHFpEA-&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AQ0mJwnw01ahZOkO5E2kydx&oh=00_AYBuFW80fKEdkFkA0wNNDVonAlRPkZgKnQ4As1NN2haGuQ&oe=670A289C	PERSON_PROFILE	Fantasy Hero Country	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,114,031	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2114030}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	Bryan was slicing fruit for his mother-in-law when his phone rang. He looked around to make sure there’s no one close to him before picking it up. “Liana. I remember I’ve told you not to contact me unless it's necessary." He lowered his voice and said a bit harshly. "Sorry, Mr. Bryan. But congratulations! Your wife has achieved great success. She has finally made it and become the best actress in Glare, standing on the stage of Heavenwood and enjoying the attentions from all over the world.” A gentle and pleasant female voice came from the phone. Bryan was first stunned, then as if suddenly remembering something, he reproached himself, "Oh, gosh, I didn’t know this important thing!" But then he couldn’t help muttering, “But...why didn’t Amelia tell me to attend the ceremony with her?” He felt a little upset. As Amelia’s husband, he should be allowed to accompany with her. Also more importantly, he wanted to tell the whole world that Amelia is his wife! But he had lost the best opportunity. “She must be too busy!” Bryan relieved himself in heart. At that moment, a voice suddenly roared from the living room, which startled him. “What are you doing in the kitchen? Where is the fruit? Take it to me now!” That was Mrs. Hailey, Amelia's mother, whose attitude toward Bryan became increasingly worse as her daughter became more and more famous. In the past, when Amelia was only an unknown actress, Mrs. Hailey always praised Bryan as a good husband; But after her Amelia became famous, she started to look down on Bryan, thinking that a stay-at-home husband was not good enough for her big star daughter. Bryan immediately hung up the call, sliced the fruit as quickly as possible, and rushed to give it to her. He gently placed the plate in front of Mrs. Hailey, who was glaring at him. “Good-for-nothing! What kind of fruit is this?” she snapped. “Apples and bananas, ma'am.” Bryan replied, keeping his voice humble and his gaze lowered. “Foolish guy, are you a deaf? Or even the poverty in your life has spread through your brain? Don’t you know I dislike apples and bananas? You are really annoying me!” she shouted. “Sorry, but you didn’t...” Bryan felt very aggrieved and wanted to explain. “Shut up! You useless trash!” She glared fiercely at Bryan and shouted to cut off his explanation. In fact, she didn't hate apples and bananas, she was just looking for trouble. Bryan stood there, suffering from her chattering. It wasn't the first time he had heard those humiliations, but out of respect to his wife, he also respect her mother. Finally, Mrs. Hailey got tired of scolding him. She took a glass of water that Bryan handed over, took a sip and looked at him with disgust, shouting, “ Get lost! Don’t block me from watch TV.” At this moment, Bryan saw the live broadcast of the Grayer Awards Ceremony on the screen, and exactly, it was his wife's turn! Bryan blushed immediately as Amelia walked on stage. She looked so pretty, wearing a stunning off-shoulder gown that accentuated her figure. She was shining brightly! She was the center of attention! "That's my daughter!" Mrs. Hailey excitedly shouted, but she soon got calm when she saw Bryan. She mocked, "Bryan, you are such a piece of waste. Look, how excellent my daughter is! You're only hindering her progress!" "But...she is my wife..." Bryan protested, he even wanted to tell this snob what he had secretly done for his wife. However, he can’t expose it because Amelia always hoped to succeed because of her own hard work. "You are not even worthy to be Amelia’s husband. My superstar daughter deserves better man! Hump, clean up the room right now!" she commanded, her eyes full of contempt. “I’ve done it this morning.” . “Do it again!” Bryan knew arguing with her was baseless. So he hurriedly picked up the rag and started cleaning the living room. The stage anchor's voice boomed from the TV, "And here we have our beautiful, talented Amelia, the best actress of the year. Please welcome her with a round of applause!" Bryan stole glances at the TV as he cleaned up the room. He quietly joined in the clapping. Amelia collected the award and began her acceptance speech: "Thank you so much for this incredible honor. All thanks to my fans, team, and supporters. First, I'd like to thank my wonderful mother for always believing in me and supporting me every step of the way. Your unwavering love and guidance have been my anchor.” Mrs. Hailey laughed excitedly, very proud of her daughter; Bryan's eyes were glued to the TV, confident that his name would be mentioned then. He knew that! “I also want to express my deep gratitude to my amazing director and other teammates, they really taught me a lot...” “......” Bryan felt anxious. As time went by, he didn’t hear anything relevant to him in Amelia’s speech. “But Why? I’m her husband!” Bryan thought in mind, feeling disappointed. “Amelia will definitely mention me in the end! We deeply love each other!” Bryan muttered to himself, as if he was relieving himself. Eventually, under Bryan’s expectant gaze, the speech was coming to an end. “Lastly, my deepest gratitude goes to the most special person in my life. Your unwavering support, your endless love, and your belief in my dreams have been the foundation of my success...” “She is looking at me! She is referring to me!” Bryan excitedly stated. Mrs. Hailey felt very confused because Amelia had ever told her that she didn’t love Bryan at all. Suddenly, she realized something. She looked at Bryan, who was dancing with excitement, and laughed in her heart, "Poor guy, Amelia was not talking about you!” On TV, Amelia was still going on, “You are my rock and my greatest love. Every achievement of mine is a testament to your devotion and sacrifice. I couldn't have done this without you, and I am eternally grateful for everything you’ve done for me. This award is as much yours as it is mine. Thank you, my love, for being my everything, I love you! Yeah, I mean you.” Amelia then, smiled at the camera so brightly, with very much lovely affection. Bryan's eyes flushed and his heart melted. “It's me! Wow, I can't believe there is a day Amelia would appreciate me like this. I love you too, Amelia.” he muttered back However, on TV, Amelia’s loving gaze was passing through the crowd of spectators and falling on a handsome young man in the middle of the audience, who was beyond the range of the camera. ... ... Bryan beamed with joy, smile appeared on his face as Amelia's appreciation replayed in his mind. He never doubted that the man his wife referred to was not him. As he cleaned up the room, he hummed and thought to himself, “I know I made a good decision marrying Amelia and supporting her career.” After that, Bryan planned to prepare a candlelight dinner and celebrate with his wife when she returned home. Fortunately, Mrs. Hailey had gone out for something urgent. Bryan rummaged through the pantry and refrigerator, gathering ingredients for his special dishes. With practiced hands, he began chopping vegetables, humming a tune as he worked. Bryan decided to cook Amelia’s favorite food. He set the table, beautifully decorating it with a bouquet of fresh flowers, adding a touch of elegance. Expensive beverages and candles were lit, casting a warm glow over the room. After all things were ready, he looked over the transfer agreement he had prepared for the entertainment company's shares. Bryan intended to transfer the shares of Imperial Legacy Entertainment, one of the state's leading entertainment companies, worth billions of dollars, to give Amelia a big surprise. He couldn't wait for his wife's reaction when she saw it; she must be ecstatic! He sat impatiently waiting for her. All this while, all he could do was help her from the shadows. Now, he could fully support her openly. He watched the time slip by as Amelia was yet to return home. He felt worried and nervous. Normally, even if Amelia didn’t come back home, she would have given him a call or a message. He called her in anxiety. It rang the first time but no one picked up. He tried it again, but she hung up immediately. On the third call, she finally answered and Bryan felt relieved. “Hi babe! Congratulations on your success today!” He said eagerly. “Thanks.” She replied simply. “You looked very, very beautiful on TV. I can't believe you are my wife,” He complimented her. “Yeah, I know.” She answered coldly again. Bryan was surprised because the wife he knew would have screamed and called him sweet names. “Are you coming home soon? There are a lot of surprises for you!” He said excitedly. “No!” She answered in the same indifferent tone. Bryan frowned, he immediately knew something was off. “Is everything okay, Amelia? You should open up to me.” He probed gently. “Yeah, everything’s fine. I won’t be coming home until tomorrow morning,” She said, her voice lacking any warmth. Bryan felt disappointed. He had prepared all those dishes for her, and now it was going to waste. “Okay, tomorrow then!” he said, and as he was about to hang up, he heard a thick voice vibrate in the background asking, “Who is that?” Bryan immediately asked, “Amelia, where are you and who is that talking?” Amelia answered, now with a sweet tone, “Babe, I am in the bar with my colleagues. They are throwing a party for me. I'm sorry I won't be coming home.” Bryan smiled and nodded, “Okay then, bye, love you.” The phone hung up when he was expecting a “love you too.” He pondered what was going wrong because that wasn't the usual Amelia. Then he shrugged it off, thinking, “She is just tired and busy.” He consoled himself and felt disappointed for the food he cooked. He went to clear the table. He was still on it when his phone vibrated. He checked it to see it was an incoming message. He clicked on it. His heart skipped a beat as his grip on the plates in his hand loosened. The plates shattered on the floor as he stumbled backward, his eyes wide with shock. He felt like throwing up. "No, this must not be real!" he uttered, his voice shaking, staring at the picture on the screen. The message contained an image showing a man kissing his wife, Amelia, passionately in front of a bar. Bryan's face contorted in denial, his eyes scanning the picture frantically. He gripped the table tightly, his knuckles white with tension. His head spun with confusion, "No, no... someone is trying to frame my sweet wife," he muttered to himself, "I know my Amelia will never do this, never, never." With a determined look on his face, he gathered himself up and immediately called Amelia, but she didn't answer. He tried repeatedly, but her phone went straight to voicemail, each time displaying the same automatic response. "Oh no! It can't be, it can't be my wife," he uttered nervously. He didn't know what to do, and again, he tried her number, and the response was the same. He checked the image again and nodded as he sat down somberly on the chair in the dining hall. "No, it can't be, Amelia won’t do this!" he muttered again. ... ... In a presidential suite, a luxury hotel, the light was dim, the only sound was the soft hum of the air conditioning and the gentle crackle of the fireplace. A handsome young man, dressed in a tailored suit, stood tall, his eyes locked on the woman in front of him. She was stunning, her red gown hugging her curves in all the right places. As they moved closer, their mouths met in a passionate kiss. The man's hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her in tight, while hers grasped his shoulders, deepening the embrace. The woman's eyes fluttered closed, her head tilting back as the man's mouth traced a path down her neck. His hands roamed, caressing her skin, then he stopped and gazed at her. “Is that your lowlife, servant husband that called you earlier?” He asked her. Amelia nodded slowly, “Yeah, it's that worthless waste. I'm fed up with him.” “Sure, then… why haven't you divorced him then? When are you doing that? I can't wait any longer.” He said. Amelia hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, “I will divorce him soon. The agreement is ready, just give me some time.” “Okay, I can't wait to live with you together, babe.” The man, Xander, said. Amelia smiled and kissed him. “I will, soon.” Although Amelia had been married to Bryan for three years, her heart belonged to Xander. He was the man she was praising during the speech. Her first love, the man of her dreams since adolescence. ... ... The Next Morning... Bryan tried to dismiss the pictures from his mind. He didn’t believe Amelia had betrayed him. After all, photo editing and AI face-swapping technology are very advanced. He thought that photo must have been maliciously edited to defame his innocent wife. However, a seed of doubt lingered, gnawing at him. He spent the entire night on the sofa in the living room, unable to sleep, because the image on the picture would appear in his mind when he closed his eyes. Suddenly, the door opened, Amelia entered the room with a flushed face, looking radiant. It seemed that he had spent a good night with her first love. She was surprised to see Bryan there, looking haggard and exhausted. "Welcome back, darling," Bryan said tiredly. Amelia glanced at her pale husband and the candlelight dinner he had prepared on the table, but she didn't care about those, nor did she greet him back as she sat down on the sofa. "Uh, I'm so exhausted... come and massage me, Bryan." she simply stated, like commanding her servant. His heart began to waver, and he felt uneasy about his wife's change in attitude towards him. He didn’t follow her instruction and kept silent, just staring at her. Amelia frowned and repeated, "Are you deaf? I said come and massage me, right now!" Her voice sounded a bit angry and impatient. Bryan didn’t do it still... "Wow, you aren’t even willing to do this for me since I work so hard to feed the family?" Amelia's voice dripped with sarcasm. She immediately missed Xander, who would have done it without even asking. But she never thought Bryan used to give her massage. Then, Bryan finally asked, “Where were you last night?” Amelia frowned and leaned forward. “Why are you asking? I told you I was celebrating the award with my friends. I told you that, Bryan.” "Please, Amelia... don't lie to me. Where were you all night? I kept calling you but you ignored my calls." "My phone was switched off, it powered off... Bryan, you should have known that." "Powered off?" Bryan found it funny. What a poor excuse! Amelia's brow furrowed, and she snapped, “Should I have to repeat it again and again? I said I was with my colleagues that time... or... What are you thinking? That I'm with another man, uh? How could you not be wild in imagination since you are just staying at home and doing nothing?” Her voice filled with disdain. "You can't even answer a question without shaming me," Bryan said. "Yeah, that's because you are selfish and accusing me with some baseless question! I was with my colleagues, that's all. I don't know why I have to keep explaining that to you!". "Amelia, do you still love me? You..., you are my heart, and I can't believe that nonsense. If you love me, tell me where were you last night". Bryan stated, his voice trembling with fear. "Bryan, it's enough! Stop bothering me! I have told you the truth!". Bryan then opened his phone and threw it at her. “Then what is this? ” Amelia grabbed the phone and checked it, then saw the photo, clearly the scene of her and her first lover Xander. Her eyes popped out, then she immediately composed herself and stayed calm, “Where did you get these pictures? It's just a behind-the-scenes shot from the new movie I'm currently in.” The worst fear was confirmed. Amelia was really cheating on him. Bryan knew she wasn’t preparing for any new movies. "Amelia! who is that man, we can talk it out." He softly stated. "What are you saying!", Amelia yelled, now on her feet, "How dare you tag me with such affairs! Someone set me up and I don't know who was working for you to get you this picture." He scoffed, “ You are still lying to me!” Amelia felt ridiculed, saying, “How audacious you are! Do you even have the right to ask me anything when I'm literally the one feeding you?” Bryan still expected she could regret and apologize to him, spoke in low voice, “Amelia...” “Don't call my name, you’re disgusting! I work so hard to get to where I am today and provide for the family. What did you do? Nothing, absolutely nothing,” she yelled. Bryan didn't even know what to do. He just stood there. He couldn't believe all these years of supporting her were just a waste. Amelia was talking about hard work when she actually did nothing. She was an actress who didn't want to accept minor roles, even as a newbie. Bryan was the one who made it all easy for her. He made sure she was always the main character, took out every actor and actress that would get in her way, and took it upon himself to take care of the home so Amelia could just focus on her career. “Amelia… I can't believe you are saying this… to me” “Why not when you are accusing me? And I am just stating the fact. You are poor, useless, and I am your host while you are nothing but just a parasite!” she yelled. Bryan felt extremely disappointed and asked, “Then, what is that man to you, symbiosis? Benefiting each other? Uh?” Amelia was filled with rage immediately. She couldn't take Bryan's ridicule. As she raised her hand and tried to slap him, Bryan caught her hand and in anger flung it away. Unexpectedly, Amelia lost her balance and fell onto the ground. “Stop! What are you doing?” A voice roared from behind. It’s Xander, who had expected this scene earlier because... ... ... Actually, it’s Xander who sent the photo to Bryan’s phone. He knew Amelia was hesitating in divorcing Bryan, maybe she still had some feelings for him, so he took the photo secretly and expose it to Bryan to accelerate their divorce. He stepped forward towards Bryan and confronted him, “How could you beat a woman? She’s your wife! How could you do this?” Bryan saw that this man was the guy seducing his wife on that photo, and he angrily said, “You dare to come to my home!” “Yeah, I have. Because I won't let you hurt Amelia anymore!” He stared at Bryan’s eyes, firmly said. Then he turned to Amelia, swearing affectionately, “Amelia, I swear...I will protect you forever.” Initially, Amelia was a bit angry at Xander for showing up unannounced, but after hearing his heartfelt confession, especially compared to Bryan, Xander seemed like a perfect man. She was also moved by him and looked at him affectionately. Seeing his wife gazing affectionately at another man in his home, Bryan felt extremely uncomfortable. With a dark expression, he warned Xander, "Get out of my house!" “What if I don't?” Xander taunted. Amelia intervened. “Xander, stop. This shouldn't cause a fight. We will resolve the issues.” But Xander's gaze never left Bryan's face. “No, Amelia. I won't let him get away with this. He hurt you led your face injured. As an actress, face is wealth!” Amelia was immediately impressed by what Xander said. Bryan gritted his teeth and said with his face gloomy, “You think you're a hero by doing this?” “At least I'm able to protect her from you, you’re a beast. She is the one feeding you, and you want to ruin her career!” Xander stated. Bryan stared at him. He felt Xander looked awfully familiar once he saw Xander. Then he suddenly recalled it! Amelia had a photo album some years ago, which was all about her and her first love. She named the album "Moonlight” and kept it secret. Once he accidentally found the photo album, and she explained that she no longer liked Xander, it was just a souvenir of her youth. However, it’s also a lie! He turned to her. “we have been married for 5 years, Amelia, five good years! What's wrong with our marriage that you have to reconcile with your ex boyfriend?” Amelia gazed back at him. She wasn't going to keep up with this any longer. Xander had proven he was the right person she needed...forever be. She uttered, “Bryan, I'm over this. Let's get a divorce, yeah, I don't want you now, I want Xander. He is my true love!” Bryan immediately felt disheartened although he had known things would come to this end. He was still sad for his marriage, and all those he had sacrificed... He complied with her request to become a stay-at-home husband, providing her with emotional support and taking care of her. Not to hurt her pride, he secretly arranged to support her career until she succeeded. Bryan couldn’t understand... Amelia continued and justified her reasons, “Bryan, you know… you were never up to my standard to begin with. Now I'm in a higher league, higher than you can imagine. In just a short time, I will become a well-known international actress. You can't be my husband, or it will be my forever smirch!” “Amelia…” “Yeah, you know that. You are useless, worthless, poor, and just an idle househusband. You can't add any value to my life.” “I have high ambitions. I want to go places, but you… you are nothing, no ambition, lazy, and just wait around for me to feed you. You are satisfied with your status quo. You are even a disgrace to other men. It will be best if I just let you go,” she said, then dipped her hand in her bag and brought out a stack of papers containing a pre-draft divorce agreement. “Sign, and let's end our false marriage here, you useless husband,” she threw it at him. Bryan felt bitter. Her success was because of him. Everything she achieved, he made possible. He thought she was a devoted wife, and he couldn't just watch her struggle, so he helped her behind the scenes, and just yesterday, he made her collect the award. She had drastically changed. Bryan not working was not because he was lazy, but when they first met, Amelia told him she wanted a husband who would be at home, not busy, and she wanted to see him every time she wanted. Bryan left his company to his subordinate to help her achieve that. Also, her mother forced him to do the chores anytime he contemplated working... Bryan planned to tell her about his true identity last night after her initial success and transfer one of his successful companies to her as a surprise, allowing her to pursue filmmaking as a hobby rather than work. However, she didn’t sign the transfer agreement while he had to sign the divorce agreement. How ridiculous! He didn't even bother to talk again. He bent down, picked up the papers, and brought out a pen. He thought of all he had done and all the years spent together. He stared at her one more time, brought out his pen and, in pain, scribbled his signature on the agreement. “Bye. but you will regret it.” Bryan calmly said. "regret? I’m the fastest upcoming actress, you must be joking!" As Amelia watched him leave, she felt something very important slipping out of her life. Her heart felt empty. Xander patted her gently. “You did great, babe. It's better to let him go. Later, you will see how your life will improve.” She stayed mute. Then Xander added and assured her, “We will make a film, a blockbuster movie, with you as the female lead, and after that, we will announce our romantic relationship. Just envision how perfect that would be. Everyone will be jealous.” Amelia nodded. Actually, a movie with great potential directed by a great director was soon to be filmed. She was determined to secure the female lead role, and also she planned on recommending Xander as the male lead. Xander hugged her and smirked. He had achieved the first step of his plan... ... ... Bryan felt heartbroken broken as he walked, lost in thought. He never imagined there would be one day that he and Amelia would divorce. He came to a park, wondering where to go... Then it hit him that he was the owner of the house, and he shouldn't have been the one to leave, but it should have been the two. Suddenly, his phone rang, and it was from Liana. He picked it up. “Boss, The role for Amelia in the new movie has been arranged. This time, she will be the only female leader role in this movie and gain more and better reputation!” Liana said sincerely. There was a brief silence before Bryan spoke, “Well done! But unfortunately, we have just divorced! It is of no use now.” “Huh?” Liana was stunned by the surprising news. “I said I divorced with her. Just cancel everything, including the female leader role and the company's share transfer arrangements... Cancel them all.” He commanded. Then Liana was overwhelmed with joy and spoke excitedly. “Wow, great...” she slipped. “What?” Bryan felt confused. Why was so happy when she heard the news. “I am sorry, boss. I was just… somehow shocked. Okay, I will tell the director as soon as possible before he notifies your ex-wife.” She said. After hanging it up. Liana felt she was the happiest woman in the world. She was so excited about Bryan’s divorce. After all, she had had a crush on him for many years, even earlier than his marriage. After calming down, Liana immediately called a familiar movie director and instructed, "Don't give the role of the female lead in the new movie to Amelia. Replace her with another actress! She doesn't deserve such a good role anymore!" Liana looked down on Amelia in every way. She despised Amelia’s acting skills. If it weren't for Bryan's secret support, she wouldn't have deserved to become famous at all. She knew the real reason for Amelia's success, and she never expected that foolish woman to divorce Bryan. Although she was happy that their relationship had broken down, she would not thank Amelia. Instead, she was extremely angry that she had hurt Bryan, which was unforgivable! She was determined to make that foolish woman pay the price! She would make her regret it! ... ... Bryan stood alone in the quiet cemetery, his eyes fixed on the grave in front of him. The headstone bore his mother's name, Mrs. Wood. He had come to pay tribute to her. His knees sank into the soft earth, and gently touched the engraved letters. "Mom, here I am again… I have failed you. I broke my promise to you that I would be here with my wife, but I was unable to achieve it… We broke up and got divorced." He trailed off as he lamented. Then, a feminine voice suddenly shrieked into the air, so loud! Someone was screaming, “Help, help, help…somebody help me...”	LEARN_MORE	https://herfv.com/market/meganovel/13?lpid=13229&u	Fantasy Hero Country	https://www.facebook.com/61561117201220/	1,023	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	herfv.com	DCO		https://herfv.com/market/meganovel/13?lpid=13229&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/454313049_3697295210508522_4376685614113117256_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=aJIuHATwxNsQ7kNvgHFpEA-&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AQ0mJwnw01ahZOkO5E2kydx&oh=00_AYBuFW80fKEdkFkA0wNNDVonAlRPkZgKnQ4As1NN2haGuQ&oe=670A289C	PERSON_PROFILE	Fantasy Hero Country	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,114,037	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2114030}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	Bryan was slicing fruit for his mother-in-law when his phone rang. He looked around to make sure there’s no one close to him before picking it up. “Liana. I remember I’ve told you not to contact me unless it's necessary." He lowered his voice and said a bit harshly. "Sorry, Mr. Bryan. But congratulations! Your wife has achieved great success. She has finally made it and become the best actress in Glare, standing on the stage of Heavenwood and enjoying the attentions from all over the world.” A gentle and pleasant female voice came from the phone. Bryan was first stunned, then as if suddenly remembering something, he reproached himself, "Oh, gosh, I didn’t know this important thing!" But then he couldn’t help muttering, “But...why didn’t Amelia tell me to attend the ceremony with her?” He felt a little upset. As Amelia’s husband, he should be allowed to accompany with her. Also more importantly, he wanted to tell the whole world that Amelia is his wife! But he had lost the best opportunity. “She must be too busy!” Bryan relieved himself in heart. At that moment, a voice suddenly roared from the living room, which startled him. “What are you doing in the kitchen? Where is the fruit? Take it to me now!” That was Mrs. Hailey, Amelia's mother, whose attitude toward Bryan became increasingly worse as her daughter became more and more famous. In the past, when Amelia was only an unknown actress, Mrs. Hailey always praised Bryan as a good husband; But after her Amelia became famous, she started to look down on Bryan, thinking that a stay-at-home husband was not good enough for her big star daughter. Bryan immediately hung up the call, sliced the fruit as quickly as possible, and rushed to give it to her. He gently placed the plate in front of Mrs. Hailey, who was glaring at him. “Good-for-nothing! What kind of fruit is this?” she snapped. “Apples and bananas, ma'am.” Bryan replied, keeping his voice humble and his gaze lowered. “Foolish guy, are you a deaf? Or even the poverty in your life has spread through your brain? Don’t you know I dislike apples and bananas? You are really annoying me!” she shouted. “Sorry, but you didn’t...” Bryan felt very aggrieved and wanted to explain. “Shut up! You useless trash!” She glared fiercely at Bryan and shouted to cut off his explanation. In fact, she didn't hate apples and bananas, she was just looking for trouble. Bryan stood there, suffering from her chattering. It wasn't the first time he had heard those humiliations, but out of respect to his wife, he also respect her mother. Finally, Mrs. Hailey got tired of scolding him. She took a glass of water that Bryan handed over, took a sip and looked at him with disgust, shouting, “ Get lost! Don’t block me from watch TV.” At this moment, Bryan saw the live broadcast of the Grayer Awards Ceremony on the screen, and exactly, it was his wife's turn! Bryan blushed immediately as Amelia walked on stage. She looked so pretty, wearing a stunning off-shoulder gown that accentuated her figure. She was shining brightly! She was the center of attention! "That's my daughter!" Mrs. Hailey excitedly shouted, but she soon got calm when she saw Bryan. She mocked, "Bryan, you are such a piece of waste. Look, how excellent my daughter is! You're only hindering her progress!" "But...she is my wife..." Bryan protested, he even wanted to tell this snob what he had secretly done for his wife. However, he can’t expose it because Amelia always hoped to succeed because of her own hard work. "You are not even worthy to be Amelia’s husband. My superstar daughter deserves better man! Hump, clean up the room right now!" she commanded, her eyes full of contempt. “I’ve done it this morning.” . “Do it again!” Bryan knew arguing with her was baseless. So he hurriedly picked up the rag and started cleaning the living room. The stage anchor's voice boomed from the TV, "And here we have our beautiful, talented Amelia, the best actress of the year. Please welcome her with a round of applause!" Bryan stole glances at the TV as he cleaned up the room. He quietly joined in the clapping. Amelia collected the award and began her acceptance speech: "Thank you so much for this incredible honor. All thanks to my fans, team, and supporters. First, I'd like to thank my wonderful mother for always believing in me and supporting me every step of the way. Your unwavering love and guidance have been my anchor.” Mrs. Hailey laughed excitedly, very proud of her daughter; Bryan's eyes were glued to the TV, confident that his name would be mentioned then. He knew that! “I also want to express my deep gratitude to my amazing director and other teammates, they really taught me a lot...” “......” Bryan felt anxious. As time went by, he didn’t hear anything relevant to him in Amelia’s speech. “But Why? I’m her husband!” Bryan thought in mind, feeling disappointed. “Amelia will definitely mention me in the end! We deeply love each other!” Bryan muttered to himself, as if he was relieving himself. Eventually, under Bryan’s expectant gaze, the speech was coming to an end. “Lastly, my deepest gratitude goes to the most special person in my life. Your unwavering support, your endless love, and your belief in my dreams have been the foundation of my success...” “She is looking at me! She is referring to me!” Bryan excitedly stated. Mrs. Hailey felt very confused because Amelia had ever told her that she didn’t love Bryan at all. Suddenly, she realized something. She looked at Bryan, who was dancing with excitement, and laughed in her heart, "Poor guy, Amelia was not talking about you!” On TV, Amelia was still going on, “You are my rock and my greatest love. Every achievement of mine is a testament to your devotion and sacrifice. I couldn't have done this without you, and I am eternally grateful for everything you’ve done for me. This award is as much yours as it is mine. Thank you, my love, for being my everything, I love you! Yeah, I mean you.” Amelia then, smiled at the camera so brightly, with very much lovely affection. Bryan's eyes flushed and his heart melted. “It's me! Wow, I can't believe there is a day Amelia would appreciate me like this. I love you too, Amelia.” he muttered back However, on TV, Amelia’s loving gaze was passing through the crowd of spectators and falling on a handsome young man in the middle of the audience, who was beyond the range of the camera. ... ... Bryan beamed with joy, smile appeared on his face as Amelia's appreciation replayed in his mind. He never doubted that the man his wife referred to was not him. As he cleaned up the room, he hummed and thought to himself, “I know I made a good decision marrying Amelia and supporting her career.” After that, Bryan planned to prepare a candlelight dinner and celebrate with his wife when she returned home. Fortunately, Mrs. Hailey had gone out for something urgent. Bryan rummaged through the pantry and refrigerator, gathering ingredients for his special dishes. With practiced hands, he began chopping vegetables, humming a tune as he worked. Bryan decided to cook Amelia’s favorite food. He set the table, beautifully decorating it with a bouquet of fresh flowers, adding a touch of elegance. Expensive beverages and candles were lit, casting a warm glow over the room. After all things were ready, he looked over the transfer agreement he had prepared for the entertainment company's shares. Bryan intended to transfer the shares of Imperial Legacy Entertainment, one of the state's leading entertainment companies, worth billions of dollars, to give Amelia a big surprise. He couldn't wait for his wife's reaction when she saw it; she must be ecstatic! He sat impatiently waiting for her. All this while, all he could do was help her from the shadows. Now, he could fully support her openly. He watched the time slip by as Amelia was yet to return home. He felt worried and nervous. Normally, even if Amelia didn’t come back home, she would have given him a call or a message. He called her in anxiety. It rang the first time but no one picked up. He tried it again, but she hung up immediately. On the third call, she finally answered and Bryan felt relieved. “Hi babe! Congratulations on your success today!” He said eagerly. “Thanks.” She replied simply. “You looked very, very beautiful on TV. I can't believe you are my wife,” He complimented her. “Yeah, I know.” She answered coldly again. Bryan was surprised because the wife he knew would have screamed and called him sweet names. “Are you coming home soon? There are a lot of surprises for you!” He said excitedly. “No!” She answered in the same indifferent tone. Bryan frowned, he immediately knew something was off. “Is everything okay, Amelia? You should open up to me.” He probed gently. “Yeah, everything’s fine. I won’t be coming home until tomorrow morning,” She said, her voice lacking any warmth. Bryan felt disappointed. He had prepared all those dishes for her, and now it was going to waste. “Okay, tomorrow then!” he said, and as he was about to hang up, he heard a thick voice vibrate in the background asking, “Who is that?” Bryan immediately asked, “Amelia, where are you and who is that talking?” Amelia answered, now with a sweet tone, “Babe, I am in the bar with my colleagues. They are throwing a party for me. I'm sorry I won't be coming home.” Bryan smiled and nodded, “Okay then, bye, love you.” The phone hung up when he was expecting a “love you too.” He pondered what was going wrong because that wasn't the usual Amelia. Then he shrugged it off, thinking, “She is just tired and busy.” He consoled himself and felt disappointed for the food he cooked. He went to clear the table. He was still on it when his phone vibrated. He checked it to see it was an incoming message. He clicked on it. His heart skipped a beat as his grip on the plates in his hand loosened. The plates shattered on the floor as he stumbled backward, his eyes wide with shock. He felt like throwing up. "No, this must not be real!" he uttered, his voice shaking, staring at the picture on the screen. The message contained an image showing a man kissing his wife, Amelia, passionately in front of a bar. Bryan's face contorted in denial, his eyes scanning the picture frantically. He gripped the table tightly, his knuckles white with tension. His head spun with confusion, "No, no... someone is trying to frame my sweet wife," he muttered to himself, "I know my Amelia will never do this, never, never." With a determined look on his face, he gathered himself up and immediately called Amelia, but she didn't answer. He tried repeatedly, but her phone went straight to voicemail, each time displaying the same automatic response. "Oh no! It can't be, it can't be my wife," he uttered nervously. He didn't know what to do, and again, he tried her number, and the response was the same. He checked the image again and nodded as he sat down somberly on the chair in the dining hall. "No, it can't be, Amelia won’t do this!" he muttered again. ... ... In a presidential suite, a luxury hotel, the light was dim, the only sound was the soft hum of the air conditioning and the gentle crackle of the fireplace. A handsome young man, dressed in a tailored suit, stood tall, his eyes locked on the woman in front of him. She was stunning, her red gown hugging her curves in all the right places. As they moved closer, their mouths met in a passionate kiss. The man's hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her in tight, while hers grasped his shoulders, deepening the embrace. The woman's eyes fluttered closed, her head tilting back as the man's mouth traced a path down her neck. His hands roamed, caressing her skin, then he stopped and gazed at her. “Is that your lowlife, servant husband that called you earlier?” He asked her. Amelia nodded slowly, “Yeah, it's that worthless waste. I'm fed up with him.” “Sure, then… why haven't you divorced him then? When are you doing that? I can't wait any longer.” He said. Amelia hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, “I will divorce him soon. The agreement is ready, just give me some time.” “Okay, I can't wait to live with you together, babe.” The man, Xander, said. Amelia smiled and kissed him. “I will, soon.” Although Amelia had been married to Bryan for three years, her heart belonged to Xander. He was the man she was praising during the speech. Her first love, the man of her dreams since adolescence. ... ... The Next Morning... Bryan tried to dismiss the pictures from his mind. He didn’t believe Amelia had betrayed him. After all, photo editing and AI face-swapping technology are very advanced. He thought that photo must have been maliciously edited to defame his innocent wife. However, a seed of doubt lingered, gnawing at him. He spent the entire night on the sofa in the living room, unable to sleep, because the image on the picture would appear in his mind when he closed his eyes. Suddenly, the door opened, Amelia entered the room with a flushed face, looking radiant. It seemed that he had spent a good night with her first love. She was surprised to see Bryan there, looking haggard and exhausted. "Welcome back, darling," Bryan said tiredly. Amelia glanced at her pale husband and the candlelight dinner he had prepared on the table, but she didn't care about those, nor did she greet him back as she sat down on the sofa. "Uh, I'm so exhausted... come and massage me, Bryan." she simply stated, like commanding her servant. His heart began to waver, and he felt uneasy about his wife's change in attitude towards him. He didn’t follow her instruction and kept silent, just staring at her. Amelia frowned and repeated, "Are you deaf? I said come and massage me, right now!" Her voice sounded a bit angry and impatient. Bryan didn’t do it still... "Wow, you aren’t even willing to do this for me since I work so hard to feed the family?" Amelia's voice dripped with sarcasm. She immediately missed Xander, who would have done it without even asking. But she never thought Bryan used to give her massage. Then, Bryan finally asked, “Where were you last night?” Amelia frowned and leaned forward. “Why are you asking? I told you I was celebrating the award with my friends. I told you that, Bryan.” "Please, Amelia... don't lie to me. Where were you all night? I kept calling you but you ignored my calls." "My phone was switched off, it powered off... Bryan, you should have known that." "Powered off?" Bryan found it funny. What a poor excuse! Amelia's brow furrowed, and she snapped, “Should I have to repeat it again and again? I said I was with my colleagues that time... or... What are you thinking? That I'm with another man, uh? How could you not be wild in imagination since you are just staying at home and doing nothing?” Her voice filled with disdain. "You can't even answer a question without shaming me," Bryan said. "Yeah, that's because you are selfish and accusing me with some baseless question! I was with my colleagues, that's all. I don't know why I have to keep explaining that to you!". "Amelia, do you still love me? You..., you are my heart, and I can't believe that nonsense. If you love me, tell me where were you last night". Bryan stated, his voice trembling with fear. "Bryan, it's enough! Stop bothering me! I have told you the truth!". Bryan then opened his phone and threw it at her. “Then what is this? ” Amelia grabbed the phone and checked it, then saw the photo, clearly the scene of her and her first lover Xander. Her eyes popped out, then she immediately composed herself and stayed calm, “Where did you get these pictures? It's just a behind-the-scenes shot from the new movie I'm currently in.” The worst fear was confirmed. Amelia was really cheating on him. Bryan knew she wasn’t preparing for any new movies. "Amelia! who is that man, we can talk it out." He softly stated. "What are you saying!", Amelia yelled, now on her feet, "How dare you tag me with such affairs! Someone set me up and I don't know who was working for you to get you this picture." He scoffed, “ You are still lying to me!” Amelia felt ridiculed, saying, “How audacious you are! Do you even have the right to ask me anything when I'm literally the one feeding you?” Bryan still expected she could regret and apologize to him, spoke in low voice, “Amelia...” “Don't call my name, you’re disgusting! I work so hard to get to where I am today and provide for the family. What did you do? Nothing, absolutely nothing,” she yelled. Bryan didn't even know what to do. He just stood there. He couldn't believe all these years of supporting her were just a waste. Amelia was talking about hard work when she actually did nothing. She was an actress who didn't want to accept minor roles, even as a newbie. Bryan was the one who made it all easy for her. He made sure she was always the main character, took out every actor and actress that would get in her way, and took it upon himself to take care of the home so Amelia could just focus on her career. “Amelia… I can't believe you are saying this… to me” “Why not when you are accusing me? And I am just stating the fact. You are poor, useless, and I am your host while you are nothing but just a parasite!” she yelled. Bryan felt extremely disappointed and asked, “Then, what is that man to you, symbiosis? Benefiting each other? Uh?” Amelia was filled with rage immediately. She couldn't take Bryan's ridicule. As she raised her hand and tried to slap him, Bryan caught her hand and in anger flung it away. Unexpectedly, Amelia lost her balance and fell onto the ground. “Stop! What are you doing?” A voice roared from behind. It’s Xander, who had expected this scene earlier because... ... ... Actually, it’s Xander who sent the photo to Bryan’s phone. He knew Amelia was hesitating in divorcing Bryan, maybe she still had some feelings for him, so he took the photo secretly and expose it to Bryan to accelerate their divorce. He stepped forward towards Bryan and confronted him, “How could you beat a woman? She’s your wife! How could you do this?” Bryan saw that this man was the guy seducing his wife on that photo, and he angrily said, “You dare to come to my home!” “Yeah, I have. Because I won't let you hurt Amelia anymore!” He stared at Bryan’s eyes, firmly said. Then he turned to Amelia, swearing affectionately, “Amelia, I swear...I will protect you forever.” Initially, Amelia was a bit angry at Xander for showing up unannounced, but after hearing his heartfelt confession, especially compared to Bryan, Xander seemed like a perfect man. She was also moved by him and looked at him affectionately. Seeing his wife gazing affectionately at another man in his home, Bryan felt extremely uncomfortable. With a dark expression, he warned Xander, "Get out of my house!" “What if I don't?” Xander taunted. Amelia intervened. “Xander, stop. This shouldn't cause a fight. We will resolve the issues.” But Xander's gaze never left Bryan's face. “No, Amelia. I won't let him get away with this. He hurt you led your face injured. As an actress, face is wealth!” Amelia was immediately impressed by what Xander said. Bryan gritted his teeth and said with his face gloomy, “You think you're a hero by doing this?” “At least I'm able to protect her from you, you’re a beast. She is the one feeding you, and you want to ruin her career!” Xander stated. Bryan stared at him. He felt Xander looked awfully familiar once he saw Xander. Then he suddenly recalled it! Amelia had a photo album some years ago, which was all about her and her first love. She named the album "Moonlight” and kept it secret. Once he accidentally found the photo album, and she explained that she no longer liked Xander, it was just a souvenir of her youth. However, it’s also a lie! He turned to her. “we have been married for 5 years, Amelia, five good years! What's wrong with our marriage that you have to reconcile with your ex boyfriend?” Amelia gazed back at him. She wasn't going to keep up with this any longer. Xander had proven he was the right person she needed...forever be. She uttered, “Bryan, I'm over this. Let's get a divorce, yeah, I don't want you now, I want Xander. He is my true love!” Bryan immediately felt disheartened although he had known things would come to this end. He was still sad for his marriage, and all those he had sacrificed... He complied with her request to become a stay-at-home husband, providing her with emotional support and taking care of her. Not to hurt her pride, he secretly arranged to support her career until she succeeded. Bryan couldn’t understand... Amelia continued and justified her reasons, “Bryan, you know… you were never up to my standard to begin with. Now I'm in a higher league, higher than you can imagine. In just a short time, I will become a well-known international actress. You can't be my husband, or it will be my forever smirch!” “Amelia…” “Yeah, you know that. You are useless, worthless, poor, and just an idle househusband. You can't add any value to my life.” “I have high ambitions. I want to go places, but you… you are nothing, no ambition, lazy, and just wait around for me to feed you. You are satisfied with your status quo. You are even a disgrace to other men. It will be best if I just let you go,” she said, then dipped her hand in her bag and brought out a stack of papers containing a pre-draft divorce agreement. “Sign, and let's end our false marriage here, you useless husband,” she threw it at him. Bryan felt bitter. Her success was because of him. Everything she achieved, he made possible. He thought she was a devoted wife, and he couldn't just watch her struggle, so he helped her behind the scenes, and just yesterday, he made her collect the award. She had drastically changed. Bryan not working was not because he was lazy, but when they first met, Amelia told him she wanted a husband who would be at home, not busy, and she wanted to see him every time she wanted. Bryan left his company to his subordinate to help her achieve that. Also, her mother forced him to do the chores anytime he contemplated working... Bryan planned to tell her about his true identity last night after her initial success and transfer one of his successful companies to her as a surprise, allowing her to pursue filmmaking as a hobby rather than work. However, she didn’t sign the transfer agreement while he had to sign the divorce agreement. How ridiculous! He didn't even bother to talk again. He bent down, picked up the papers, and brought out a pen. He thought of all he had done and all the years spent together. He stared at her one more time, brought out his pen and, in pain, scribbled his signature on the agreement. “Bye. but you will regret it.” Bryan calmly said. "regret? I’m the fastest upcoming actress, you must be joking!" As Amelia watched him leave, she felt something very important slipping out of her life. Her heart felt empty. Xander patted her gently. “You did great, babe. It's better to let him go. Later, you will see how your life will improve.” She stayed mute. Then Xander added and assured her, “We will make a film, a blockbuster movie, with you as the female lead, and after that, we will announce our romantic relationship. Just envision how perfect that would be. Everyone will be jealous.” Amelia nodded. Actually, a movie with great potential directed by a great director was soon to be filmed. She was determined to secure the female lead role, and also she planned on recommending Xander as the male lead. Xander hugged her and smirked. He had achieved the first step of his plan... ... ... Bryan felt heartbroken broken as he walked, lost in thought. He never imagined there would be one day that he and Amelia would divorce. He came to a park, wondering where to go... Then it hit him that he was the owner of the house, and he shouldn't have been the one to leave, but it should have been the two. Suddenly, his phone rang, and it was from Liana. He picked it up. “Boss, The role for Amelia in the new movie has been arranged. This time, she will be the only female leader role in this movie and gain more and better reputation!” Liana said sincerely. There was a brief silence before Bryan spoke, “Well done! But unfortunately, we have just divorced! It is of no use now.” “Huh?” Liana was stunned by the surprising news. “I said I divorced with her. Just cancel everything, including the female leader role and the company's share transfer arrangements... Cancel them all.” He commanded. Then Liana was overwhelmed with joy and spoke excitedly. “Wow, great...” she slipped. “What?” Bryan felt confused. Why was so happy when she heard the news. “I am sorry, boss. I was just… somehow shocked. Okay, I will tell the director as soon as possible before he notifies your ex-wife.” She said. After hanging it up. Liana felt she was the happiest woman in the world. She was so excited about Bryan’s divorce. After all, she had had a crush on him for many years, even earlier than his marriage. After calming down, Liana immediately called a familiar movie director and instructed, "Don't give the role of the female lead in the new movie to Amelia. Replace her with another actress! She doesn't deserve such a good role anymore!" Liana looked down on Amelia in every way. She despised Amelia’s acting skills. If it weren't for Bryan's secret support, she wouldn't have deserved to become famous at all. She knew the real reason for Amelia's success, and she never expected that foolish woman to divorce Bryan. Although she was happy that their relationship had broken down, she would not thank Amelia. Instead, she was extremely angry that she had hurt Bryan, which was unforgivable! She was determined to make that foolish woman pay the price! She would make her regret it! ... ... Bryan stood alone in the quiet cemetery, his eyes fixed on the grave in front of him. The headstone bore his mother's name, Mrs. Wood. He had come to pay tribute to her. His knees sank into the soft earth, and gently touched the engraved letters. "Mom, here I am again… I have failed you. I broke my promise to you that I would be here with my wife, but I was unable to achieve it… We broke up and got divorced." He trailed off as he lamented. Then, a feminine voice suddenly shrieked into the air, so loud! Someone was screaming, “Help, help, help…somebody help me...”	LEARN_MORE	https://herfv.com/market/meganovel/13?lpid=13229&u	Fantasy Hero Country	https://www.facebook.com/61561117201220/	1,023	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	herfv.com	DCO		https://herfv.com/market/meganovel/13?lpid=13229&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/454313049_3697295210508522_4376685614113117256_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=aJIuHATwxNsQ7kNvgHFpEA-&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AQ0mJwnw01ahZOkO5E2kydx&oh=00_AYBuFW80fKEdkFkA0wNNDVonAlRPkZgKnQ4As1NN2haGuQ&oe=670A289C	PERSON_PROFILE	Fantasy Hero Country	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,113,929	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2112698}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	Quietly closing the door, I lean back against it, observing the already clean office. There was nothing out of place, it looked perfectly fine for a meeting with this so-called powerful Alpha. Closing my eyes, I slide down to the floor. I hated this house. I thought that when I turned 18, I could finally escape, but four years later, here I still am, a slave in my own home. Doing all the dirty tasks for my brother, Alpha Trey and the pack. While my ex mate, Beta Kyle was always reminding me of how worthless I am. The clearing of a throat makes me jump. I thought I was alone. Leaning forward, I see a handsome man sitting in a chair. A foot propped up on his knee. His short hair is dark and his eyes are a deep crimson colour, that don’t quite look right.	LEARN_MORE	https://wwwedb.com/market/meganovel/13?lpid=11783&	New world publications	https://www.facebook.com/100090352943774/	3,706	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	wwwedb.com	DCO		https://wwwedb.com/market/meganovel/13?lpid=11783&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/455172933_1561754088079517_5961363558332384002_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=ziKsEx-NZacQ7kNvgFOZRCj&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A9-dMbqJtXsVOCPEjksFi_T&oh=00_AYBlS_xefKpV5Jb5rvx06xJ8TO7_sDxdXfxsAeTjNvcggQ&oe=670A119B	PERSON_PROFILE	New world publications	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,114,011	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2114010}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	Astrid’s POV My husband and mate Killian, who is also the Alpha of the Silvermoon Pack, left the assembly and went somewhere with his ex-girlfriend leaving me behind. As the Pack’s Luna, I dutifully prepared for our annual pack assembly, but he nearly ruined it because he couldn’t wait to spend time alone with Giselle. Giselle was Killian’s ex-girlfriend. She was his one true love, a woman who is better in many ways than me. Giselle and Killian were in love with each other. Even after Killian found out that we were mates and marked me as his mate and Luna, Killian only had Giselle in his heart. As his mate, it kills me to know that my mate who is supposed to love and cherish me is in love with someone else. Killian had always reminded me that he felt nothing for me. In the years that we were married, he treated me as nothing more than his mere subordinate. Aside from being a Luna, I am also Killian’s right-hand man in the military. I am in charge of the Pack training and I always work alongside Killian like I was his secretary. With my fighting skills and abilities, no one in this Pack can take me down in a fight. With this, I earned my position in the military. It is also one of the reasons why Killian’s father was so happy to find out that I was his son’s mate. If it wasn’t for Killian’s father, Killian would have rejected me as his mate. I would have lived miserably, watching Killian being happy with someone else and forming his own family. I know that Killian never wanted me as a mate. I know that I do not have a place in his heart. I thought everything would be fine as long as I fulfilled my duties as his Luna and right-hand man, but things only got worse ever since Giselle came back. Two months ago, Giselle came back out of nowhere. Ever since then, Killian had become more cold and indifferent towards me. He also started to neglect his duties because of her which added to my workload. This cannot continue any longer especially now that I’m pre9nant. With what has been happening recently, I know I can't keep this a secret any longer. My palms grew clammy as I approached Killian’s office. I hadn’t seen him the whole night and searching his office was the first thing that I could think of. Doubts and insecurities filled my mind as I went nearer and nearer to my destination. I couldn’t get off my mind that Killian and Giselle had been spending time together for a long time. Laughter entered my ears when I finally reached Killian’s office in the distance. My brows wrinkled in confusion when I realized that the laughs were coming from his office. I stared at Killian’s office in silence. Its light poured out of the windows, but I could only see their shadows inside because of the translucent blinds that were blocking my view. I pursed my lips as I took hesitant steps to get closer. I thought they would be talking about work, but I didn’t expect that they would be having fun together inside. In the years that I have been together with Killian, I have never heard him laugh so sweetly as he is doing now with Giselle. I felt a pang of jealousy inside my chast because Giselle could easily make Killian laugh while I couldn't even bring a smile to his face even if I'm his mate and Luna. I always knew that Killian didn’t love me. I always knew that he loved Giselle. With that knowledge, I couldn’t help but feel insecure as I heard them having fun inside. It hurts inside my heart to know this, and it hurts even more because there's no way for me to change it. I've never held a special spot in Killian's heart, but he's the only one who's ever had a place in mine. His cold treatment towards me is a constant reminder that he sees me as nothing but a pestilence for him. If only I wasn’t his mate, he wouldn’t be forced to have me out of his will. As I stood there at the door listening to their sweet waves of laughter, I leaned into the door hoping to hear a glimpse of the conversation that they were having. I am Killian's mate and Luna, but I don't even have the right to go inside and find out what my mate is talking about with his ex-girlfriend. Unable to hear their conversation, I grew more curious and my insecurities got the best of me. When their laughter suddenly died down, I knew I had to go in there and know what was happening. I know Killian still has feelings for Giselle, which has been obvious ever since she came back. As his mate, I couldn’t help but feel anxious that he was alone in a room with that woman. Trouble filled my heart as different thoughts entered my head. Jealousy got the best of me and before I could think clearly, I pushed Killian’s door open, stopping the two from what they were doing. “Astrid! Didn’t I tell you to always knock? How many times do I have to tell you that you are only allowed to enter if I tell you to enter?!” Killian yelled at me angrily after I caught him sitting close to Giselle. I gripped the hem of my oversized shirt tightly as I stared at their closeness. Killian’s muscular build shields Giselle’s petite frame. Killian looked so relaxed and comfortable with Giselle. He is even sitting on the same couch as her. Although I am his mate, I have never been that close to him. He had always been so formal with me, always treating me as his subordinate. I glanced at Giselle and looked over her outfit. She doesn't look like she came here to discuss work. She’s wearing little clothes with too much skin exposed. Anyone would think that Giselle came to seduce Killian. She’s wearing a silk nightgown with her unblemished porcelain skin exposed. I gulped as I stared at her perfect body. Her skin is clear and radiant with a flawless complexion. Just by looking at her skin, you could say it is soft and supple because her skin looks smooth as polished porcelain. Is this why Killian likes her? I clenched my jaw as I compared her body to mine. As a Pack Warrior, I had to train every day under the sun this left me with tan and dry skin, unlike Giselle’s smooth porcelain skin. I also have some scars on my body as a result of the fights that I had. Aside from that, I also have callouses on my hands which I got from training and fighting with weapons. You could say that my body is tarnished, unlike Giselle’s unblemished body. Besides, Giselle is a woman. Although I am also a woman, I do not act like one. I even had to pretend to act ladylike when I was in public, but that comes naturally for Giselle. I am unruly and nowhere near what is expected from a woman. Now, I no longer wonder why Killian doesn’t like me and why it was hard for him to forget his first love. “What do you want?!” Killian demanded as they finally separated from each other. Giselle starts to wear her clothes and Killian puts on his shirt. I blinked as I was taken out of my reverie. I came here because I wanted to say that I’m pre9nant, but based on the circumstances this is the worst time to tell him that. “I-I just have something to report,” I stuttered. “A report? Did you interrupt us for a useless report? Couldn’t that wait until tomorrow?” Killian questioned angrily. I swallowed hard after receiving his furious response. “This is urgent,” I lied with a straight face. Giselle stood up. “This must be something important. I’m going to leave,” Giselle spoke softly as she stood up to leave. As an unofficial member of the pack, this is a private matter that she couldn’t pry into. Giselle carried the tray of food that they had together for dinner with her and purposely knocked over me making her drop to the floor. In her fall, she dropped the tray that she was holding, sending the dishes flying. Broken shards splattered across the room upon her fall. I winced when one of the shards slashed my skin when it splattered towards me “Giselle!” Killian shouted worriedly as he turned to help her while I was left on my own, checking the sliced wound on my leg. I watched as Killian searched over Giselle’s body for any signs of wounds or injuries, but she was perfectly fine. It was I who got hurt but Killian couldn’t care less about me. Giselle glared at me when this was entirely her fault. There was a lot of space on the other side of the room, but she purposefully bumped into me. “I know you don’t like me, Astrid, but you can’t just hurt me if you want. It’s not my fault that Killian likes me. Why don’t you look at yourself in the mirror? Do you think that any man would fall for you?” Giselle hurls insults at me when I didn’t even do anything against her. “Astrid! What are you a four-year-old?” Killian rebukes me without even asking me for an explanation. “Is this how a Luna should act? This kind of attitude is not fit for a Luna,” he added. I swallowed hard when my identity as a Luna was also questioned. I did everything for this Pack. As a Luna, I never slacked on my duties. I am his mate, therefore I am the righteous Luna of this Pack. How could he question my credibility as the Luna? “What would you do if Giselle gets a mis carriage? I will never forgive you if you kil our child,” Killian hissed angrily. My eyes went wide at this newfound information. “S-She’s pre9nant?” I stammered. I was speechless for the next few seconds as the news of Giselle’s pre9nancy hit me like a freight train. A lump formed inside my throat as I locked gazes with Killian. I waited for him to say something, to defend himself for the immoral thing that he had done, but all I received from him was his anger. He doesn’t even feel any remorse for cheating on me and impregnating a different woman. Instead, he dared to glower over me with his nose flaring angrily. My heart twitched slightly inside of me as I locked gazes with him. Am I really that insignificant to him? Haven’t he thought of how this news is going to hurt me? “You apologize to her!” Killian demanded, making my jaw fall open. I let out an air of disbelief when I heard what he had just demanded me to do, but he just looked at me with a straight face. He is really serious about this. I blinked at his shamelessness. Isn’t it enough that he impregnated his mistress without them feeling guilty about it? Does he have to force me to apologize to his mistress when I didn’t do anything wrong in the first place? He is looking down on me like I was nothing. Has he forgotten who I am? My blood boiled as I looked at Giselle who was carrying my mate’s child. She knew that Killian was my mate and that we already marked each other, but she just couldn’t keep her legs close. She stole my man without feeling guilty about it, but I am forced to apologize for something that isn’t even my fault. If there is anyone who had to say sorry, it was them. They must apologize for betraying me. Chapter 2: Unwanted Astrid’s POV “I am not just a warrior in this Pack, Killian. I am also your wife and your Luna. Why should I apologize to your mistress that is not even a part of this Pack,” I blurted out as I pointed an angry finger at Giselle. Killian only scoffed in response. He looked at me mockingly like I was a joke to him. “You are so delusional!” He answered back frustratingly. “When have I ever seen you as my mate and Luna?” He questioned taking me aback and causing a sharp pain in my chest. “If it wasn’t for you, Giselle and I wouldn’t have separated.” My body ran cold when I heard his blunt response. I never thought that he was blaming me for what happened between him and Giselle. “Killian… I’m your mate,” I retorted with my lips quivering. “A mate that I never wanted!” He yells back and shatters what is left of my broken heart. “K-Killian, the moon goddess chose us to be together. How could you choose someone else over me?” I asked back as my wolf whimpered inside of me. His rejection caused a fatal blow to my heart because of the mate bond. “I don’t care! All this time I never cared! You are just a mere Pack Warrior. If you hadn’t manipulated my father into forcing me to mark you, I would have marked Giselle as my mate and Luna instead.” I held myself together as I locked gazes with him. Looking into his eyes, I knew he was telling the truth. In the years that we have marked each other, I knew that he never liked me, but it hurts as hel to hear the truth come out of his lips. “I never manipulated your father, Killian. I never asked him to force us into this marriage,” I rebutted to clear my name. “Really? Why would my father force me to mark a mere warrior if you haven’t deceived him?!” Killian shot back, turning me speechless. Even if I’m telling the truth, it was hard to prove my innocence with his question. “Giselle had already suffered so much because of you. You do not have to punish her anymore,” Killian hissed with menace making my body turn rigid. I fell quiet as I stood still in front of them. Killian thinks that I’m bullying Giselle. Killian thinks that I’m the reason why he and Giselle broke up. Killian thinks that I manipulated his father to force him into marking me. In short, he thinks that I’m a manipulative woman who wormed her way out to become the Pack Luna and separated him from the love of his life. To him, I am the villain that ruined his life. “Giselle, are you okay? Does anything hurt?” Killian asked softly, his anger vanished instantly as he fussed over Giselle worriedly. I blinked as I felt tears pricking my eyes. Killian crouched down and looked at Giselle with concern etched all over his face like she was a fragile doll. Killian has never looked at me like that. “I’m okay, but I’m afraid,” Giselle’s eyes watered as she looked into Killian and gripped his sleeves for comfort. “I badly fell on the floor. What if something happened to the baby? I need to go to the hospital and have it checked. I wouldn’t be able to sleep until I know that the baby is fine,” Giselle muttered with her lips curled downwards. “Don’t worry, I will take you to the hospital,” Killian comforted her and carried her in his arms without questions. They left the room and rushed to the hospital leaving me behind like I wasn’t even there. My lips stretched slightly as I looked at the calendar. Today is our anniversary. No one even remembered it, not even him. I was planning to tell him my surprise that I was pre9nant with his child, but I was the one who got surprised instead. Before my thoughts could spiral down and cause me to gloat, I cleaned Killian’s office knowing that he would be expecting it to be clean and spotless when he arrived. I cleaned up the mess that Giselle made and organized his things in his office while I was at it. His office was as good as new when I finished. Only when I was done with cleaning, did I finally tend to my wound. My wound on the leg is long and deep and I have to tend to it myself. As a Pack Warrior though, I’ve seen wounds much more grotesque than this, and I’ve had some uglier wounds myself. Most of my wounds, I had to clean on my own to avoid infection. This shouldn’t be a big deal, but I couldn’t help but overstate my situation because of Giselle. It is still clear in my head how Killian was worried sick about her and how he brought her to the hospital for nothing. She had no injuries, but Killian was so worried. Meanwhile, he couldn’t care less about me. When I was done applying ointment on my wound and wrapping it in a bandage, I finally walked out of Killian’s office and locked his door closed. “Astrid.” I turned around in surprise when I heard someone call my name. My brows furrowed, not expecting anyone to be still outside at this hour. “Drystan?” I called back when I saw Killian’s uncle standing in the dark, smiling at me. The wrinkles on my brows straightened and I beamed happily when I saw him. Drystan is a kind guy who has always been nice to me. What is he doing here? Drystan is the Alpha of the Nightsong Pack. He was originally the powerful heir of our pack but was excluded because he wasn’t the eldest son. So, he set up his own Pack which is very unique from the others. His Pack is the only Pack that doesn’t follow the status class. In the Nightsong Pack, everyone is equal like in human society. The members are not classified by the level of their power. “What happened to your leg?” Drystan frowned when he saw my leg wrapped in a bandage. Nothing really escapes his eye. Even in the dark, he still noticed my leg wound. “I got it during practice,” I lied in between my teeth. I know that if he finds out what truly happened, he will get angry. Drystan could be too concerned about me than his own good. Drystan’s brows knotted together upon hearing my answer. It’s in the middle of the night and my wound is still fresh, I also just came out of Killian’s office. How could I have gotten my wound on a practice match? “Is everything okay?” He asks me with concern in his face. I forced a smile on my face. “Of course I’m fine, I‘m just tired,” I waved him off. Drystan wasn’t the least convinced of my words. He knew I was lying. He knew I was hiding something, but he also knew when to trust me. I know whoever Drystan’s mate is, she would be so lucky to have him as her mate. It’s so tragic that Drystan’s mate had already died. She died a long time ago and until now, Drystan still hasn’t met his second chance mate. “Astrid,” Drystan called my name when I was about to leave. I turned around to face him. “Happy Anniversary,” Drystan greeted me softly, surprising me. My mate did not even remember that it was our anniversary, but he remembered. I just stood there with wide eyes until Drystan turned his back on me and left. Why did I see sadness in his eyes when he greeted me? My phone suddenly rang, interrupting me from my thoughts. Seeing the caller ID, my heart raced in anxiousness. It was a call from the hospital. “Hello?” “Mrs. Sullivan, please come to the hospital quick, your grandmother—“ I didn’t wait to listen to the rest of her words. I instantly shifted to my wolf and raced to the hospital. My grandmother has been seriously ill. I always knew she only had a little time left, but I didn’t expect it to happen this sooner. “Mrs. Sullivan! You’re here! You must hurry while your grandma is still alive,” a familiar nurse instantly recognized me when I arrived. “Astrid?” Someone stopped me. When I turned around I saw Giselle. “What are you doing here? Are you here to cause us trouble again?” She taunted with an angry look in her eyes. I did not expect that Killian would bring Giselle to the same hospital where my grandmother was admitted. I only had little time left so I ignored her. “Hey! I was talking to you. Didn’t you hear what I said?!” Giselle yelled after me. I bit my lower lip in anxiousness when I saw that the elevator was still high up and I had no time to wait so I sprinted for the stairways instead. “Astrid!” Giselle yelled my name repeatedly as she chased me. “How dare you?! You can’t just ignore me like that!” I gasped when Giselle suddenly grabbed me by the arm and forced me to face her making me nearly lose my balance. “Giselle, I need to go,” I spoke firmly as I looked directly into her eyes. I harshly took my arm away from her hold, but I did not expect that she would use it as her chance to fake her fall. Giselle suddenly yelped as she rolled down the stairs. I stared at her in shock not knowing what to do. “G-Giselle,” I stammered as she writhed on the ground, but before I could even turn to help her, someone suddenly arrived. “Giselle!” Killian yelled as he rushed to her side. “K-Killian,” Giselle’s voice trembled as blood trickled down her dress. Killian’s breath hitched when he realized that their baby was in danger. After seeing the blood, he slowly looked up at me with a murderous glare in his eyes. My body ran cold as I locked gazes into him. I’ve never seen Killian look at someone with this much hatred. “I-I” my voice quivered. “Killian, she pushed me! She tried to kill me and our baby,” Giselle teared up as she held on to Killian. “Don’t let her leave! What if something bad happens to the baby and she tries to get away with it?” My mouth fell open at Giselle’s words. Killian nods his head. “Astrid, you must stay until I make sure that Giselle and our baby are okay. As for what you did to Giselle, you must be punished accordingly.” “Killian, my grandmother is in danger. She needs me.” I blurted out as I rushed towards him. “Stop making excuses! You will not leave us until I say so.” Killian asserted. Doctors and nurses arrived to rush Giselle into the emergency room. “Killian, my grandma is waiting for me. She’s dying.” Tears streamed down my eyes as I pleaded with Killian, but he didn’t even bother to look at me. His eyes were only on Giselle. Desperate to be with my grandmother, I dropped to my knees and lowered myself before Killian. “Killian, please just let me see her before she dies.” “You know who else is dying here? It’s Giselle and it’s all because of you,” Killian responded coldly. “You are not leaving until I say so, Is that clear?” Tears blurred my vision as he pushed me, making me fall to the ground. While my grandma was dying, I was there forced to stay with them for nothing. “Giselle and her baby are safe,” the doctor announces after having a thorough examination on Giselle. Hearing this, I finally rushed to my grandmother’s ward hoping to see her alive one last time. “G-Grandma,” my lips quivered when I entered her room only to see her lying on the bed coldly. I felt the world stop as her beeping heart monitor filled my ears. The flatline was a reminder that I came too late. “Grandma!” I wailed loudly as I hugged her lifeless body. All I could do was cry because she’s gone. Because of my mate, I wasn’t able to see my beloved grandmother for the last time. Chapter 3: Funeral Astrid’s POV My eyes had been swollen red and puffy from endless crying. My grandmother was the only family member I had left. Now that she’s dead, I am left all alone. Since I’m the only one left, I am in charge of her medical expenses and I have been busy preparing for her funeral all alone. I’ve never stopped crying since my grandmother died. Still, I hated myself. What’s the purpose of preparing for her funeral and crying after she died when I wasn’t even there by the time that she needed me the most? In her last days, I wasn’t even there to comfort her. My precious grandmother doesn’t deserve a granddaughter like me. I held back my tears as I gathered my grandmother’s favorite foods together and placed them near her casket. In the happy memories that I had when I was little, I wasn’t all alone. I always had my mom and grandma to rely on. That didn’t last long though, eventually, my mother died and my grandma had to shoulder all the responsibilities and raise me on her own. Having only each other to rely on, my grandma and I became very close. She is the person closest to me, the person to whom I also owe my life. I was pulled back from my thoughts when someone placed a hand on my shoulder. I thought it was Killian, but when I looked up I felt disappointed to see Drystan. “Condolence,” Drystan muttered under his breath as we locked gazes. I just gave him a slight nod. My heart is too heavy to say anything. I looked around to search for Killian. The guests are piling up already to share their condolences, but he’s still nowhere to be found. He is my mate, he should be the first one to comfort me after the person who raised me had just died. He knows that my grandmother was the only family member I have left. I needed his comfort the most. I have been waiting long enough for him to come, but he is nowhere to be found. Drystan sat at the empty seat beside me which I left vacant for Killian because I was still hoping that he would come. I know Killian doesn’t love me and he only cares about Giselle, but I thought in the years that we’ve been together, he would at least feel concern for me especially since I was just bereaved of a loved one. He is the reason why I wasn’t able to see my grandma while she was alive. I thought he would come and at least apologize for that. In the end, I was stuppid for hoping that Killian would show care for me at all. “Luna Astrid, should we start the funeral?” Someone came and whispered to me. I swallowed hard. “There’s no need to delay the funeral any longer. It’s better to conduct the funeral while the people who truly cared are here.” I answered in a soft whisper, but Drystan heard me because he was sitting beside me. Tears that I thought I had already used up sprang up again and streamed down my eyes as my grandmother’s casket was slowly lowered into her burial place. My shoulders shook and I heaved knowing that this would be the last time I would ever see my grandmother again. “Here,” Drystan whispered to me as he handed me his handkerchief. I took it willingly and used it to wipe my tears and snot away without feeling embarrassed because Drystan and I were close. I stiffened a bit when Drystan suddenly caressed my back to comfort me, but eventually, I relaxed since he was my friend. Wanting more of his comfort, I turned around and enveloped him in a hug. Right now, all I need is warmth. Thankfully, he didn’t push me away. Instead, he hugged me back and continued to rub my back soothingly. If Drystan wasn’t here, I would have been a mess. Thanks to his hug and comfort, some of the pain in my heart had melted away. Drystan never left me. As I saw the guests away and received their condolences, Drystan just stood by my side, ready to give me comfort whenever I needed it. The funeral was done and the guests had left. As I packed everything up, Drystan helped me without saying a word. His silence was like his comforting hug to me. Just seeing him here helping me, I felt understood and I do not have to feel alone anymore. “Thank you, Drystan,” I muttered under my breath and gave him a small smile. “It’s nothing, Astrid.” he pauses. “Everything will be okay. I’m sure time will heal you,” he adds when he still sees sadness in my eyes. I nodded my head slightly, accepting his advice. “What happened to Killian?” He asks me. He must have been dying to ask me that question, but he waited until I had turned emotionally stable. I averted my gaze at him and continued to pack the excess things that I bought for my grandmother’s funeral. Drrystan doesn’t know anything because I haven’t told him anything yet. I’m not planning to tell him anything either. I heard footsteps behind me as I felt a presence approaching me. I stopped what I was doing and turned around to see who the late visitor was only to find out that it was Killian. Killian looked like he ran in his wolf form to come all the way here. His hair is a mess, and his tie is not even tied properly. He was breathing so fast that he couldn’t even speak. My face turned blank as I locked gazes with him. The funeral was over, he didn’t need to come. Annoyed with his presence, I stormed out of the place and left Drystan. Killian chased after me with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. “Astrid, I couldn’t leave early because I had something I needed to take care of. It was something I couldn’t get away from.” I stopped and turned on my heel to face him. My fists balled up at my sides as I narrowed my eyes at him. “Was there anything else more important than to be on your mate’s side at the time that she needed you the most?” I shot back at him. His eyes met mine and for a fleeting moment, a shadow of remorse flickered across his gaze However, it wasn’t enough to quench my anger. “You know what, you do not even need to come here,” I spoke bitterly. “If only you hadn’t stopped me that night, I would have still met my grandma while she was still alive.” Killian’s grip on the bouquet tightened when he heard my words. “I had no idea I—“ “I kept telling you that my grandmother needed me!” I yelled, interrupting him from his words. “You never listened to me.” “All you cared about is Giselle who is pre9nant with your child.” I blurted out finally releasing all the emotions that I have buried down long enough. Killian could not say a word. Whatever he says, and even if he apologizes, his words would never bring back my grandmother and it would never bring me back the time that I could have spent with her. Killian was silent for a moment. My heart which has always been heavy, felt lighter than it was after I finally told him the things that I’ve been wanting to tell him. I glanced at him in surprise when he suddenly crouched down and placed the bouquet of flowers that he brought on the ground where my grandmother had just been buried. “I only came here to pay my respects to your grandmother. I’m sorry if I was late, that was out of my control,” Killian replied like he didn’t just hear the rest of the words that I said. My breath turned shallow and my heart burned more in anger at his heartlessness. After everything that I said, that was it? Unable to control myself anymore, I picked up the flowers and thrashed them on Killian until the flowers were all shredded into pieces. Killian accepted all the hits that I had given him without saying anything. “You are here to pay respect?!” I screamed at him. “Do you know how disrespected my grandmother would feel to see how much you had disrespected me?” I threw what was left of the flowers to the ground. “I’m tired of this. If you can’t give me respect, I should at least give myself some respect,” I spoke in a weak voice as I collected myself together. This wasn’t a part of any of my plans, but right now I think that is the best decision I could ever make for myself. “Let’s just stop this joke and get a divorce,” I spoke firmly, looking at Killian directly in his eyes. Chapter 4: Divorce Killian’s POV Divorce? I couldn’t understand. I sighed and raked my hair in frustration when I caught my mind drifting off again instead of focusing on the paperwork that I had to finalize for the day. My mind kept on going back to Astrid’s words. I couldn’t believe how she easily asked me for divorce. Astrid has always been responsible and obedient as a Luna and as my right-hand man or commander in the military. I couldn’t believe that she would easily file for divorce knowing that divorcing me would mean she would have to give up her Luna title and it would also make things awkward between us. I leaned on my chair and shut my eyes as I felt my headache coming. She must be talking purely out of her emotions. Once she had calmed down and saw the whole situation with a clear head, she would realize that the divorce would be too much. I was just late for her grandmother’s funeral and I have a reasonable excuse for that. If I really didn’t care, I wouldn’t have shifted to my wolf and raced to that place even though I knew I was already late. For the part when I stopped her from being with her grandmother before she died, that wasn’t intentional. I had no idea that she was actually telling the truth at that time. I thought she was making excuses. I really had no idea. If she didn’t push Giselle off the stairs, she wouldn’t miss her chance to be with her grandmother. What would she expect me to do after she tried to kil Giselle and endanger the life of my unborn child? Again, this is entirely not my fault. I agree that I have been busy lately and have neglected Astrid’s feelings, but it’s not an appropriate reason to suddenly decide on a divorce. I jolted when someone suddenly entered my room without knocking, I thought it was Astrid, but it turned out as no other than my Beta. I forgot Astrid is required to knock before entering, but Beta Ryder could enter my office whenever he wants. “Are the papers signed already?” Beta Ryder asked me as he strolled loftily inside my office. I glanced down at the papers that my mind had barely absorbed. Before I could give my answer, Beta Ryder spoke up. “You’ve been out of yourself ever since Luna Astrid left. What happened between you two?” Beta Ryder asked curiously. It’s been three days since Astrid had left, surprisingly he is only asking that question now. “Astrid is filing for divorce,” I answered him straightforwardly. His eyebrows shot up when he heard my answer. “Are you serious?” He asked me in disbelief. “Do I look like I’m joking?” I glared at him. His brows furrowed as he thought carefully. “Is this a good thing or a bad thing?” My eyes narrowed at him upon hearing his question, but I couldn’t blame him for asking such a question. Although Astrid and I were married for four years, we had never been intimate with each other. I have never even treated Astrid as my own mate, but when Giselle came back I already made her pre9nant. It is common for Beta Ryder to think this way. “Of course, it is a bad thing,” I answered him. “She is our Pack Luna, we cannot lose her.” When I met Astrid, I thought she was just a weak werewolf who wouldn’t be able to handle the role of a Luna. Of all the powerful women I could be mated to like Giselle, I ended up with Astrid who is born omega. I hated her because she was weak and didn’t match up to me. I hated her more because she manipulated my father and separated me from Giselle. Eventually though when I saw what she was capable of, I finally learned to hate her less only because of the contributions she had to the Pack. She is still a useful Luna to this Pack even though she is born omega. “How about Giselle then?” He asked me as he plopped on my couch making himself comfortable like he was at home. “She’s still pre9nant with your child and for sure she would also love to be the Pack’s Luna.” “Giselle can’t be our Luna,” I replied. If Giselle becomes the Luna, I’m sure she won’t be half as good as Astrid. Besides, our pack cannot afford to let go of a talent like Astrid. All of this started because I got Giselle pre9nant. If I hadn’t impregnated her, then maybe Astrid wouldn’t even have thought of divorce. I will also have more reasons to make Astrid stay in our Pack. What happened between me and Giselle was an accident. I was drunk. I don’t even remember how it happened on the night that Giselle came back. I hated myself for being unable to control myself. The next thing I knew, Giselle was already pre9nant. I couldn’t go back in time even if I wanted to, and I had to be responsible for my actions whether it was intentional or not. In the end, the baby is innocent and it is still mine. It is my responsibility to take care of Giselle and my child. “I will take care of her and our child since it’s my duty and the Pack needs an heir, but Astrid is the rightful Luna. I’m not divorcing her,” I added firmly after making a decision. “Then since you have already figured that out, why don’t you just go and tell her that?” He suggested as if it was that easy. “Astrid is still angry. She would only hate me more if she saw me and heard me say anything more.” My downcast expression brightened up a bit after I thought of something. “Trust me, once Astrid has calmed down, she would realize that the divorce is something she wouldn’t want. Astrid wouldn’t like to leave the Pack and turn into a rogue, does she? Who in their right mind would want that?” All my fears were washed away as I had that thought. “What are you planning to do now?” Beta Ryder asks me, putting me deep in thought “Buy me some flowers, lilies to be exact,” I ordered him. “What?” Beta Ryder’s brows furrowed at my unexpected response. “I shouldn’t just wait for Astrid to calm down, I should try to ease her anger too,” I replied. Since my problem would be solved once Astrid had calmed down, it would be better if I did something to ease her anger. In that way, I would also be able to wim her heart too. Hearing my reason behind it, Beta Ryder did not ask more questions and left to get the flowers that I asked for. What is a better gift you can use to win a woman’s heart than flowers? I’m sure once Astrid receives the flowers, she will rethink all that she said, and she will also think that I don’t only care about Giselle just like what she had thought. A small smile stretched on my lips when I remembered the first time that I met Astrid. It was a beautiful spring day. I was just taking a stroll in our packhouse’s garden when I saw her from afar speaking to the fishes swimming in the pond while feeding them. It was the first time I saw someone in their right mind talking to a fish. She didn’t notice that I was watching her so she continued talking. At that time, I had no plans of talking to her. I just saw her as a weird woman talking to creatures that she knew wouldn’t be able to understand her. I was about to leave when she suddenly fell off the pond’s bridge and dropped into the swimming fishes that she was feeding. I didn’t think twice and jumped in to save her. It was an unusual first encounter, so I could never forget it. At that time, many lilies were growing out of the pond. Ever since then, I am always reminded of our first encounter whenever I see lilies. I’m sure once she receives my gift, she will be reminded of that encounter too. Chapter 5: Bracelet Astrid’s POV My heart was heavy with grief and my body was fully exhausted when I returned to the packhouse. Being pre9nant made me become more emotional, and it also made me tire more easily. With everything that had happened to me lately, being pre9nant made things more difficult for me. Returning to the packhouse was the last thing that I wanted, but I had to. I had left all my things behind when I suddenly decided not to come back anymore. Right now, I just don’t want to meet anyone who would ruin my mood even further. I came to the packhouse to pack my things and that’s it. I have no intention of meeting Killian or even seeing his face. I also do not have any intention of telling him about our unborn child anymore. I instinctively touched my bump as I had that thought. I bit my lower lip as I felt sorry for my child. As someone who grew up without a father, I do not want my baby to experience that also. However, I couldn’t also let him grow up with a father who doesn’t want him either. Since Killian already has a child with Giselle, it’s clear he wouldn’t want a child with me anymore. It doesn’t matter anymore. My mother managed to raise me on her own before. I will make sure that I will be a better mother to my child than my mother was. “You’re back,” someone spoke from behind me while I was stuffing all my things in my luggage so I could finally leave this place for good. “You were gone for three days. What kind of Luna leaves the Pack for such a long time without notice?” I gritted my teeth as I closed my filled luggage and zipped it up before turning around to face Killian’s mother. Killian’s mother had always disliked me. She had always thought that I was too weak to become a Luna and that I did not deserve her son. For years, I’ve tried my best to live up to her expectations and live in peace with her as my mother-in-law. However, no matter what I did, she never liked me. She just hated me for who I was and had always tried to force me to leave his son and denounce my position in the Pack. Killian’s mother glared at me as she stood at the doorway with her arms crossed. Every time that I made mistakes, she was always there to point them out and shame me. She must have been waiting for me to come back so she could rub it in my face on how bad of a Luna I was and force me to denounce my Luna title once again. “I thought you did not want me here. Don’t you used to force me to leave this Pack and denounce my title? Why are you angry that I was gone for three days?” I shot back at her. Before, I used to let her insult me, yell at me, and vent her anger on me even at the cost of my own dignity. I never talked back to her since she is my mother-in-law and I had to respect her. Now that Killian and I are getting a divorce. There’s no need for me to svck it all up when she and I will no longer be related to each other. Her eyes widened when she heard my disrespectful response. “You!” she raised her voice as she pointed an angry finger at me. “Is that how you are supposed to talk to your own mother-in-law, huh?!” “Don’t worry, you are not going to be my mother-in-law anymore. Killian and I are getting a divorce and I’ll be leaving this Pack for good. You wouldn’t have to see my face just as you wanted!” I yelled back at her. Finally, after so many years of just being silent whenever she disrespected me, I could finally yell back at her and defend myself against her. It feels good to be able to stand up for myself again instead of just accepting insults and keeping everything in. “Really?!” Her face which was contorted with anger suddenly brightened up when she heard my words. “You are leaving?” She asks again, not quite believing it. “Yes! I’m finally leaving this place and I’m also so happy about it!” I yelled back at her angrily when I saw how happy she was to find out that I was leaving. If she’s happy, I should be happy too. I should be happy that I could finally leave this place where no one ever appreciated me. “Finally you came to your senses!” She responded with a look of relief in her eyes. “Giselle is now pre9nant, and the Pack finally has an heir. You have been married to my son for several years, but until now you haven’t bore my son with any children.” Hearing her words, I looked down on my belly and stilled. “You have been holding back this pack and my son. It’s time for you to leave and let my son live with someone better than he deserves.” Killian’s mother is truly glad at the news that I’m leaving, not knowing that I would be bringing her grandchild with me. “Since you have decided to divorce my son and leave, don’t you ever come back in the future? You only bring misfortune to us all. You are a jinx to our Pack,” Killian’s mother added without shame at all. I’m not coming back. I will never come back. Once I leave this place, I will cut all the ties I have in this Pack and live my own life as a free woman who doesn’t have to please anyone else. I smiled when I thought of the future that awaited ahead of me. I should have left a long time ago. I shouldn’t have let these people demean me and lower my self-value. For one last time, I collected myself together and took out my belongings with me. I would make sure that this would be the last time that I’d ever see this place. As I was about to walk past Killian’s mother, she suddenly pulled me aside causing my bag to fall on the floor. All of the stuff inside was scattered all over the place just when I was about to leave this wretched place. I dropped to the ground to bring my stuff back inside my bag when Killian’s mother suddenly crouched to the ground and picked up my bracelet which was given to me by my grandmother. “I knew it, you little thief. You still dare to steal from us before you leave?” Killian’s mother hissed at me. I stood back up and tried to snatch my bracelet from her hand, but she was too fast. She raised her hand before I could even reach it. “That’s mine, I didn’t steal it.” I narrowed my eyes at her. Killian’s mother just laughed at me. “You were just an omega when you came here. How could you possibly own such valuable stuff? You are trying to steal from us before you leave,” she accused me. I clenched my fists when I heard her unwarranted accusations. Killian’s mother had always been hurtful with her words. Even though I’m just an omega, I am not a thief. My grandmother raised me properly. I do not come from a family of thieves. “This bracelet is mine,” I spoke firmly. “My grandmother gave this to me. It doesn’t belong to you or the Silvermoon Pack at all.” “This bracelet is made with rare gems. How could your grandmother afford it? This must be a gift from my son and you are not allowed to take it,” Killian’s mother rebutted. “What is happening here?” Killian suddenly arrived at the scene, stopping me from doing anything I might regret against his evil mother. I will never leave this place without that bracelet that my grandmother has given me. “Killian, have you ever given me gifts before?” I asked him so that his mother would realize how wrong she was. In our entire marriage, I have never received a single gift from Killian. He doesn’t even know my birthday, he doesn’t even know our anniversary, and he couldn’t care less about me on Christmas. In our entire marriage, I never received anything from him at all. I waited for Killian to give his answer, but he did not speak. I glanced at him to see what was stopping him from answering when the bouquet of lilies in his hand caught my eye. I sneezed when its fragrance entered my nostrils. I started to laugh as I felt my nose start to clog up because of my allergies. “In the four years of our marriage, you do not even know that I’m all ergic to lilies. How could you even think of buying me a bracelet?” I asked him with a bitter look on my face. He and his mother had just rubbed on me again because of how awful they were towards me. Chapter 6: Rejection Astrid’s POV Killian turned his face away in shame when he heard my words. His hands trembled slightly as he reluctantly pulled the lilies away from my face, giving me the chance to breathe much better. I remained silent as I covered my nose. My nose felt itchy because of the damm flowers that stirred up my allergies. Killian suddenly scoffed after a moment of silence. “These flowers are not for you,” he spoke angrily. I slowly looked up at him through the corner of my eyes when I heard him speak. When he came here holding the flowers, I really thought it was meant for me. “For whom was it then?” I asked him since I really thought that he had come all the way here to give me those flowers as his way of apologizing. “For Giselle of course,” Killian blurted out. “As you have said you have never received any gift from me. Did you really think I would give you a flower now?” A bitter smile spread across my face when I heard his answer. It was foolish of me to expect that the flowers he was holding were meant for me. Killian is right. I truly am delusional. Even though I know that he doesn’t like me, I always hope that he will still care about me. I hoped that he would learn to love me and forget about Giselle while we were married. I hoped that he would be happy to find that I was pre9nant with our baby. I hoped that he would be present to comfort me at my grandmother’s funeral. In the end, I always get hurt because of my stvpid expectations. From now on, I will no longer hope for such things anymore. I will no longer be the foolish Astrid that I was. “Then that’s great,” I shot back with a forced smile on my face. “Even if you beg me for forgiveness and fill my feet with flowers, I will never change my mind about the divorce.” Killian was stunned at my words. Maybe he was expecting that I would cry and wallow at his words, but I’ve already learned my lesson. A man like him is not worth my tears and efforts. It’s better that I leave him as soon as possible before he fully ruins my life. “Give me my bracelet now so I can leave this place.” I narrowed my eyes at Killian’s mother. Killian’s mother just smirked at me, unswayed by my seriousness. Instead, she held up the bracelet in her hand and showed it to his son. “Tell me, Killian. Is this bracelet really hers?” She questioned him in earnest. Killian stared at the bracelet carefully. His brows furrowed and his eyes deepened as he examined the bracelet carefully. “Is it hers, Killian?” His mother repeated her question when it took too long for him to answer. Killian blinked as if he was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts. “T-the bracelet is hers,” Killian answered truthfully. The eyes of Killian’s mother widened at her son’s answer. “That couldn’t be!” She exclaimed. “How could a mere omega like her own such an expensive bracelet? She must have stolen it,” she insisted. I gritted my teeth upon hearing her accusations. Now I know where his son got his attitude from. Both mother and son think so little about omegas. “Be careful of your words, mother,” Killian reprimanded her. “It’s true, Astrid owns the bracelet,” he muttered firmly. The bracelet that his mother is holding right now is so precious to me. It is a gift given to me by my grandmother making it a very important treasure for me. If the bracelet wasn’t given to me by my grandmother, I would have freely given it to her despite its financial value. However, it holds a sentimental value for me. “Mother, you should give her a bracelet,” Killian tells his mother respectfully. Killian’s mother gripped the bracelet tightly in her hand. Anger rose inside her as she thought of giving up the bracelet to me. The bracelet must be so expensive as she had said for her to want it so much. With an emotionless expression on my face, I stared blankly into his sharp eyes and opened my palm in front of her. Killian’s mother clenched her jaw tightly before reluctantly dropping my bracelet into my palm. After securing my bracelet, I opened my bag and pulled out the signed divorce papers. “Here,” I muttered coldly as I handed him the papers. “Since you are already here you can now sign it.” Killian’s eyes shot up to me when he heard my words, then I just took off without waiting for his answer. When I had exited the packhouse, Killian finally caught up to me after he recovered from his shock. “Astrid!” He yelled. I gasped when he suddenly grabbed my arm stopping me from leaving. “What are you thinking?” Killian glared at me as he gripped my arm so tightly that I could feel a bruise forming. “You are the Pack Luna, you can’t just leave!” I bravely stared into his narrowed eyes without cowering down before him. “Don’t you understand, Killian? I give up!” I yelled into his face surprising him. “I don’t want to be your mate and I don’t want to be your Luna anymore. Just sign the divorce papers and let me go!” “I won’t sign these damm papers!” Killian blurted out as he raised the divorce papers that had crumpled at his tight hold. The corner of my lips slowly stretched as I stared into him. Slowly, I shook my head and started to laugh coldly at him. Killian stiffened as he looked at me like I had gone crazy. Maybe, I truly have gone crazy because of him. “Why not? Giselle is free to become your Luna, after all, she is already pre9nant with your child,” I retorted blankly. Killian’s face softened. “It’s not like that. Giselle and I—“ I raised my hand stopping Killian from his words. “You don’t owe me any explanation, I understand. You never like me and now that Giselle is back—“ “You don’t understand, Astrid!” He yelled interrupting me from my words. “You just can’t leave,” he told me unreasonably as he gripped my shoulders. “Oh! I get it now. The divorce papers are not enough right? Fine! Let’s just reject each other now so you can have Giselle as your Luna without any problem,” I continued to speak without allowing Killian to answer. “I, Astrid Zorensen reject Killian Sullivan as my mate.” As those words left my lips, a searing pain coursed through my body causing me to drop to the ground. I shut my eyes tight as a soft cry escaped my lips. I clawed at my chast as I felt the agonizing torment coming from there. Just like me, Killian also crumbled to the ground because of pain. He couldn’t speak as his face contorted in pain with his hand clutching his heart. He knelt weakly on the ground with one hand pushing himself up, trying to keep himself off the ground. He stayed like that trying to bear the pain without accepting my rejection. If he had only accepted my rejection, he wouldn’t have hurt that much. Since I had already snapped whatever bond I had with him through the rejection, my body had coped up eventually. When the pain had minimized a bit, I forced myself to stand up. Killian just watched me with pain in his eyes. Now that he is weak and in pain, he will no longer be able to stop me. With little strength that I had left, I turned around to leave. “You can’t live without me, Astrid!” Killian yelled. “I know you’d come back sooner or later. You will never survive out there!” I smiled coldly without giving him the satisfaction of turning back and giving him attention. I will never come back here. I’d rather die than come back.	LEARN_MORE	https://wwwedb.com/market/meganovel/13?lpid=13490&	Galaxy in the Story	https://www.facebook.com/61555427913037/	1,374	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	wwwedb.com	DCO		https://wwwedb.com/market/meganovel/13?lpid=13490&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/456457347_7981590751933249_889351046386276487_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=U8aMmSOOG7oQ7kNvgHYPXDX&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AQ0mJwnw01ahZOkO5E2kydx&oh=00_AYD7fQ2n_4_b4ZmqvURIx9E3OexGFXtZQvZsNTen3jJtpw&oe=670A0AA8	PERSON_PROFILE	Galaxy in the Story	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,114,013	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2114010}'	Yes	2024-10-07 16:34	active	1589	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	Astrid’s POV My husband and mate Killian, who is also the Alpha of the Silvermoon Pack, left the assembly and went somewhere with his ex-girlfriend leaving me behind. As the Pack’s Luna, I dutifully prepared for our annual pack assembly, but he nearly ruined it because he couldn’t wait to spend time alone with Giselle. Giselle was Killian’s ex-girlfriend. She was his one true love, a woman who is better in many ways than me. Giselle and Killian were in love with each other. Even after Killian found out that we were mates and marked me as his mate and Luna, Killian only had Giselle in his heart. As his mate, it kills me to know that my mate who is supposed to love and cherish me is in love with someone else. Killian had always reminded me that he felt nothing for me. In the years that we were married, he treated me as nothing more than his mere subordinate. Aside from being a Luna, I am also Killian’s right-hand man in the military. I am in charge of the Pack training and I always work alongside Killian like I was his secretary. With my fighting skills and abilities, no one in this Pack can take me down in a fight. With this, I earned my position in the military. It is also one of the reasons why Killian’s father was so happy to find out that I was his son’s mate. If it wasn’t for Killian’s father, Killian would have rejected me as his mate. I would have lived miserably, watching Killian being happy with someone else and forming his own family. I know that Killian never wanted me as a mate. I know that I do not have a place in his heart. I thought everything would be fine as long as I fulfilled my duties as his Luna and right-hand man, but things only got worse ever since Giselle came back. Two months ago, Giselle came back out of nowhere. Ever since then, Killian had become more cold and indifferent towards me. He also started to neglect his duties because of her which added to my workload. This cannot continue any longer especially now that I’m pre9nant. With what has been happening recently, I know I can't keep this a secret any longer. My palms grew clammy as I approached Killian’s office. I hadn’t seen him the whole night and searching his office was the first thing that I could think of. Doubts and insecurities filled my mind as I went nearer and nearer to my destination. I couldn’t get off my mind that Killian and Giselle had been spending time together for a long time. Laughter entered my ears when I finally reached Killian’s office in the distance. My brows wrinkled in confusion when I realized that the laughs were coming from his office. I stared at Killian’s office in silence. Its light poured out of the windows, but I could only see their shadows inside because of the translucent blinds that were blocking my view. I pursed my lips as I took hesitant steps to get closer. I thought they would be talking about work, but I didn’t expect that they would be having fun together inside. In the years that I have been together with Killian, I have never heard him laugh so sweetly as he is doing now with Giselle. I felt a pang of jealousy inside my chast because Giselle could easily make Killian laugh while I couldn't even bring a smile to his face even if I'm his mate and Luna. I always knew that Killian didn’t love me. I always knew that he loved Giselle. With that knowledge, I couldn’t help but feel insecure as I heard them having fun inside. It hurts inside my heart to know this, and it hurts even more because there's no way for me to change it. I've never held a special spot in Killian's heart, but he's the only one who's ever had a place in mine. His cold treatment towards me is a constant reminder that he sees me as nothing but a pestilence for him. If only I wasn’t his mate, he wouldn’t be forced to have me out of his will. As I stood there at the door listening to their sweet waves of laughter, I leaned into the door hoping to hear a glimpse of the conversation that they were having. I am Killian's mate and Luna, but I don't even have the right to go inside and find out what my mate is talking about with his ex-girlfriend. Unable to hear their conversation, I grew more curious and my insecurities got the best of me. When their laughter suddenly died down, I knew I had to go in there and know what was happening. I know Killian still has feelings for Giselle, which has been obvious ever since she came back. As his mate, I couldn’t help but feel anxious that he was alone in a room with that woman. Trouble filled my heart as different thoughts entered my head. Jealousy got the best of me and before I could think clearly, I pushed Killian’s door open, stopping the two from what they were doing. “Astrid! Didn’t I tell you to always knock? How many times do I have to tell you that you are only allowed to enter if I tell you to enter?!” Killian yelled at me angrily after I caught him sitting close to Giselle. I gripped the hem of my oversized shirt tightly as I stared at their closeness. Killian’s muscular build shields Giselle’s petite frame. Killian looked so relaxed and comfortable with Giselle. He is even sitting on the same couch as her. Although I am his mate, I have never been that close to him. He had always been so formal with me, always treating me as his subordinate. I glanced at Giselle and looked over her outfit. She doesn't look like she came here to discuss work. She’s wearing little clothes with too much skin exposed. Anyone would think that Giselle came to seduce Killian. She’s wearing a silk nightgown with her unblemished porcelain skin exposed. I gulped as I stared at her perfect body. Her skin is clear and radiant with a flawless complexion. Just by looking at her skin, you could say it is soft and supple because her skin looks smooth as polished porcelain. Is this why Killian likes her? I clenched my jaw as I compared her body to mine. As a Pack Warrior, I had to train every day under the sun this left me with tan and dry skin, unlike Giselle’s smooth porcelain skin. I also have some scars on my body as a result of the fights that I had. Aside from that, I also have callouses on my hands which I got from training and fighting with weapons. You could say that my body is tarnished, unlike Giselle’s unblemished body. Besides, Giselle is a woman. Although I am also a woman, I do not act like one. I even had to pretend to act ladylike when I was in public, but that comes naturally for Giselle. I am unruly and nowhere near what is expected from a woman. Now, I no longer wonder why Killian doesn’t like me and why it was hard for him to forget his first love. “What do you want?!” Killian demanded as they finally separated from each other. Giselle starts to wear her clothes and Killian puts on his shirt. I blinked as I was taken out of my reverie. I came here because I wanted to say that I’m pre9nant, but based on the circumstances this is the worst time to tell him that. “I-I just have something to report,” I stuttered. “A report? Did you interrupt us for a useless report? Couldn’t that wait until tomorrow?” Killian questioned angrily. I swallowed hard after receiving his furious response. “This is urgent,” I lied with a straight face. Giselle stood up. “This must be something important. I’m going to leave,” Giselle spoke softly as she stood up to leave. As an unofficial member of the pack, this is a private matter that she couldn’t pry into. Giselle carried the tray of food that they had together for dinner with her and purposely knocked over me making her drop to the floor. In her fall, she dropped the tray that she was holding, sending the dishes flying. Broken shards splattered across the room upon her fall. I winced when one of the shards slashed my skin when it splattered towards me “Giselle!” Killian shouted worriedly as he turned to help her while I was left on my own, checking the sliced wound on my leg. I watched as Killian searched over Giselle’s body for any signs of wounds or injuries, but she was perfectly fine. It was I who got hurt but Killian couldn’t care less about me. Giselle glared at me when this was entirely her fault. There was a lot of space on the other side of the room, but she purposefully bumped into me. “I know you don’t like me, Astrid, but you can’t just hurt me if you want. It’s not my fault that Killian likes me. Why don’t you look at yourself in the mirror? Do you think that any man would fall for you?” Giselle hurls insults at me when I didn’t even do anything against her. “Astrid! What are you a four-year-old?” Killian rebukes me without even asking me for an explanation. “Is this how a Luna should act? This kind of attitude is not fit for a Luna,” he added. I swallowed hard when my identity as a Luna was also questioned. I did everything for this Pack. As a Luna, I never slacked on my duties. I am his mate, therefore I am the righteous Luna of this Pack. How could he question my credibility as the Luna? “What would you do if Giselle gets a mis carriage? I will never forgive you if you kil our child,” Killian hissed angrily. My eyes went wide at this newfound information. “S-She’s pre9nant?” I stammered. I was speechless for the next few seconds as the news of Giselle’s pre9nancy hit me like a freight train. A lump formed inside my throat as I locked gazes with Killian. I waited for him to say something, to defend himself for the immoral thing that he had done, but all I received from him was his anger. He doesn’t even feel any remorse for cheating on me and impregnating a different woman. Instead, he dared to glower over me with his nose flaring angrily. My heart twitched slightly inside of me as I locked gazes with him. Am I really that insignificant to him? Haven’t he thought of how this news is going to hurt me? “You apologize to her!” Killian demanded, making my jaw fall open. I let out an air of disbelief when I heard what he had just demanded me to do, but he just looked at me with a straight face. He is really serious about this. I blinked at his shamelessness. Isn’t it enough that he impregnated his mistress without them feeling guilty about it? Does he have to force me to apologize to his mistress when I didn’t do anything wrong in the first place? He is looking down on me like I was nothing. Has he forgotten who I am? My blood boiled as I looked at Giselle who was carrying my mate’s child. She knew that Killian was my mate and that we already marked each other, but she just couldn’t keep her legs close. She stole my man without feeling guilty about it, but I am forced to apologize for something that isn’t even my fault. If there is anyone who had to say sorry, it was them. They must apologize for betraying me. Chapter 2: Unwanted Astrid’s POV “I am not just a warrior in this Pack, Killian. I am also your wife and your Luna. Why should I apologize to your mistress that is not even a part of this Pack,” I blurted out as I pointed an angry finger at Giselle. Killian only scoffed in response. He looked at me mockingly like I was a joke to him. “You are so delusional!” He answered back frustratingly. “When have I ever seen you as my mate and Luna?” He questioned taking me aback and causing a sharp pain in my chest. “If it wasn’t for you, Giselle and I wouldn’t have separated.” My body ran cold when I heard his blunt response. I never thought that he was blaming me for what happened between him and Giselle. “Killian… I’m your mate,” I retorted with my lips quivering. “A mate that I never wanted!” He yells back and shatters what is left of my broken heart. “K-Killian, the moon goddess chose us to be together. How could you choose someone else over me?” I asked back as my wolf whimpered inside of me. His rejection caused a fatal blow to my heart because of the mate bond. “I don’t care! All this time I never cared! You are just a mere Pack Warrior. If you hadn’t manipulated my father into forcing me to mark you, I would have marked Giselle as my mate and Luna instead.” I held myself together as I locked gazes with him. Looking into his eyes, I knew he was telling the truth. In the years that we have marked each other, I knew that he never liked me, but it hurts as hel to hear the truth come out of his lips. “I never manipulated your father, Killian. I never asked him to force us into this marriage,” I rebutted to clear my name. “Really? Why would my father force me to mark a mere warrior if you haven’t deceived him?!” Killian shot back, turning me speechless. Even if I’m telling the truth, it was hard to prove my innocence with his question. “Giselle had already suffered so much because of you. You do not have to punish her anymore,” Killian hissed with menace making my body turn rigid. I fell quiet as I stood still in front of them. Killian thinks that I’m bullying Giselle. Killian thinks that I’m the reason why he and Giselle broke up. Killian thinks that I manipulated his father to force him into marking me. In short, he thinks that I’m a manipulative woman who wormed her way out to become the Pack Luna and separated him from the love of his life. To him, I am the villain that ruined his life. “Giselle, are you okay? Does anything hurt?” Killian asked softly, his anger vanished instantly as he fussed over Giselle worriedly. I blinked as I felt tears pricking my eyes. Killian crouched down and looked at Giselle with concern etched all over his face like she was a fragile doll. Killian has never looked at me like that. “I’m okay, but I’m afraid,” Giselle’s eyes watered as she looked into Killian and gripped his sleeves for comfort. “I badly fell on the floor. What if something happened to the baby? I need to go to the hospital and have it checked. I wouldn’t be able to sleep until I know that the baby is fine,” Giselle muttered with her lips curled downwards. “Don’t worry, I will take you to the hospital,” Killian comforted her and carried her in his arms without questions. They left the room and rushed to the hospital leaving me behind like I wasn’t even there. My lips stretched slightly as I looked at the calendar. Today is our anniversary. No one even remembered it, not even him. I was planning to tell him my surprise that I was pre9nant with his child, but I was the one who got surprised instead. Before my thoughts could spiral down and cause me to gloat, I cleaned Killian’s office knowing that he would be expecting it to be clean and spotless when he arrived. I cleaned up the mess that Giselle made and organized his things in his office while I was at it. His office was as good as new when I finished. Only when I was done with cleaning, did I finally tend to my wound. My wound on the leg is long and deep and I have to tend to it myself. As a Pack Warrior though, I’ve seen wounds much more grotesque than this, and I’ve had some uglier wounds myself. Most of my wounds, I had to clean on my own to avoid infection. This shouldn’t be a big deal, but I couldn’t help but overstate my situation because of Giselle. It is still clear in my head how Killian was worried sick about her and how he brought her to the hospital for nothing. She had no injuries, but Killian was so worried. Meanwhile, he couldn’t care less about me. When I was done applying ointment on my wound and wrapping it in a bandage, I finally walked out of Killian’s office and locked his door closed. “Astrid.” I turned around in surprise when I heard someone call my name. My brows furrowed, not expecting anyone to be still outside at this hour. “Drystan?” I called back when I saw Killian’s uncle standing in the dark, smiling at me. The wrinkles on my brows straightened and I beamed happily when I saw him. Drystan is a kind guy who has always been nice to me. What is he doing here? Drystan is the Alpha of the Nightsong Pack. He was originally the powerful heir of our pack but was excluded because he wasn’t the eldest son. So, he set up his own Pack which is very unique from the others. His Pack is the only Pack that doesn’t follow the status class. In the Nightsong Pack, everyone is equal like in human society. The members are not classified by the level of their power. “What happened to your leg?” Drystan frowned when he saw my leg wrapped in a bandage. Nothing really escapes his eye. Even in the dark, he still noticed my leg wound. “I got it during practice,” I lied in between my teeth. I know that if he finds out what truly happened, he will get angry. Drystan could be too concerned about me than his own good. Drystan’s brows knotted together upon hearing my answer. It’s in the middle of the night and my wound is still fresh, I also just came out of Killian’s office. How could I have gotten my wound on a practice match? “Is everything okay?” He asks me with concern in his face. I forced a smile on my face. “Of course I’m fine, I‘m just tired,” I waved him off. Drystan wasn’t the least convinced of my words. He knew I was lying. He knew I was hiding something, but he also knew when to trust me. I know whoever Drystan’s mate is, she would be so lucky to have him as her mate. It’s so tragic that Drystan’s mate had already died. She died a long time ago and until now, Drystan still hasn’t met his second chance mate. “Astrid,” Drystan called my name when I was about to leave. I turned around to face him. “Happy Anniversary,” Drystan greeted me softly, surprising me. My mate did not even remember that it was our anniversary, but he remembered. I just stood there with wide eyes until Drystan turned his back on me and left. Why did I see sadness in his eyes when he greeted me? My phone suddenly rang, interrupting me from my thoughts. Seeing the caller ID, my heart raced in anxiousness. It was a call from the hospital. “Hello?” “Mrs. Sullivan, please come to the hospital quick, your grandmother—“ I didn’t wait to listen to the rest of her words. I instantly shifted to my wolf and raced to the hospital. My grandmother has been seriously ill. I always knew she only had a little time left, but I didn’t expect it to happen this sooner. “Mrs. Sullivan! You’re here! You must hurry while your grandma is still alive,” a familiar nurse instantly recognized me when I arrived. “Astrid?” Someone stopped me. When I turned around I saw Giselle. “What are you doing here? Are you here to cause us trouble again?” She taunted with an angry look in her eyes. I did not expect that Killian would bring Giselle to the same hospital where my grandmother was admitted. I only had little time left so I ignored her. “Hey! I was talking to you. Didn’t you hear what I said?!” Giselle yelled after me. I bit my lower lip in anxiousness when I saw that the elevator was still high up and I had no time to wait so I sprinted for the stairways instead. “Astrid!” Giselle yelled my name repeatedly as she chased me. “How dare you?! You can’t just ignore me like that!” I gasped when Giselle suddenly grabbed me by the arm and forced me to face her making me nearly lose my balance. “Giselle, I need to go,” I spoke firmly as I looked directly into her eyes. I harshly took my arm away from her hold, but I did not expect that she would use it as her chance to fake her fall. Giselle suddenly yelped as she rolled down the stairs. I stared at her in shock not knowing what to do. “G-Giselle,” I stammered as she writhed on the ground, but before I could even turn to help her, someone suddenly arrived. “Giselle!” Killian yelled as he rushed to her side. “K-Killian,” Giselle’s voice trembled as blood trickled down her dress. Killian’s breath hitched when he realized that their baby was in danger. After seeing the blood, he slowly looked up at me with a murderous glare in his eyes. My body ran cold as I locked gazes into him. I’ve never seen Killian look at someone with this much hatred. “I-I” my voice quivered. “Killian, she pushed me! She tried to kill me and our baby,” Giselle teared up as she held on to Killian. “Don’t let her leave! What if something bad happens to the baby and she tries to get away with it?” My mouth fell open at Giselle’s words. Killian nods his head. “Astrid, you must stay until I make sure that Giselle and our baby are okay. As for what you did to Giselle, you must be punished accordingly.” “Killian, my grandmother is in danger. She needs me.” I blurted out as I rushed towards him. “Stop making excuses! You will not leave us until I say so.” Killian asserted. Doctors and nurses arrived to rush Giselle into the emergency room. “Killian, my grandma is waiting for me. She’s dying.” Tears streamed down my eyes as I pleaded with Killian, but he didn’t even bother to look at me. His eyes were only on Giselle. Desperate to be with my grandmother, I dropped to my knees and lowered myself before Killian. “Killian, please just let me see her before she dies.” “You know who else is dying here? It’s Giselle and it’s all because of you,” Killian responded coldly. “You are not leaving until I say so, Is that clear?” Tears blurred my vision as he pushed me, making me fall to the ground. While my grandma was dying, I was there forced to stay with them for nothing. “Giselle and her baby are safe,” the doctor announces after having a thorough examination on Giselle. Hearing this, I finally rushed to my grandmother’s ward hoping to see her alive one last time. “G-Grandma,” my lips quivered when I entered her room only to see her lying on the bed coldly. I felt the world stop as her beeping heart monitor filled my ears. The flatline was a reminder that I came too late. “Grandma!” I wailed loudly as I hugged her lifeless body. All I could do was cry because she’s gone. Because of my mate, I wasn’t able to see my beloved grandmother for the last time. Chapter 3: Funeral Astrid’s POV My eyes had been swollen red and puffy from endless crying. My grandmother was the only family member I had left. Now that she’s dead, I am left all alone. Since I’m the only one left, I am in charge of her medical expenses and I have been busy preparing for her funeral all alone. I’ve never stopped crying since my grandmother died. Still, I hated myself. What’s the purpose of preparing for her funeral and crying after she died when I wasn’t even there by the time that she needed me the most? In her last days, I wasn’t even there to comfort her. My precious grandmother doesn’t deserve a granddaughter like me. I held back my tears as I gathered my grandmother’s favorite foods together and placed them near her casket. In the happy memories that I had when I was little, I wasn’t all alone. I always had my mom and grandma to rely on. That didn’t last long though, eventually, my mother died and my grandma had to shoulder all the responsibilities and raise me on her own. Having only each other to rely on, my grandma and I became very close. She is the person closest to me, the person to whom I also owe my life. I was pulled back from my thoughts when someone placed a hand on my shoulder. I thought it was Killian, but when I looked up I felt disappointed to see Drystan. “Condolence,” Drystan muttered under his breath as we locked gazes. I just gave him a slight nod. My heart is too heavy to say anything. I looked around to search for Killian. The guests are piling up already to share their condolences, but he’s still nowhere to be found. He is my mate, he should be the first one to comfort me after the person who raised me had just died. He knows that my grandmother was the only family member I have left. I needed his comfort the most. I have been waiting long enough for him to come, but he is nowhere to be found. Drystan sat at the empty seat beside me which I left vacant for Killian because I was still hoping that he would come. I know Killian doesn’t love me and he only cares about Giselle, but I thought in the years that we’ve been together, he would at least feel concern for me especially since I was just bereaved of a loved one. He is the reason why I wasn’t able to see my grandma while she was alive. I thought he would come and at least apologize for that. In the end, I was stuppid for hoping that Killian would show care for me at all. “Luna Astrid, should we start the funeral?” Someone came and whispered to me. I swallowed hard. “There’s no need to delay the funeral any longer. It’s better to conduct the funeral while the people who truly cared are here.” I answered in a soft whisper, but Drystan heard me because he was sitting beside me. Tears that I thought I had already used up sprang up again and streamed down my eyes as my grandmother’s casket was slowly lowered into her burial place. My shoulders shook and I heaved knowing that this would be the last time I would ever see my grandmother again. “Here,” Drystan whispered to me as he handed me his handkerchief. I took it willingly and used it to wipe my tears and snot away without feeling embarrassed because Drystan and I were close. I stiffened a bit when Drystan suddenly caressed my back to comfort me, but eventually, I relaxed since he was my friend. Wanting more of his comfort, I turned around and enveloped him in a hug. Right now, all I need is warmth. Thankfully, he didn’t push me away. Instead, he hugged me back and continued to rub my back soothingly. If Drystan wasn’t here, I would have been a mess. Thanks to his hug and comfort, some of the pain in my heart had melted away. Drystan never left me. As I saw the guests away and received their condolences, Drystan just stood by my side, ready to give me comfort whenever I needed it. The funeral was done and the guests had left. As I packed everything up, Drystan helped me without saying a word. His silence was like his comforting hug to me. Just seeing him here helping me, I felt understood and I do not have to feel alone anymore. “Thank you, Drystan,” I muttered under my breath and gave him a small smile. “It’s nothing, Astrid.” he pauses. “Everything will be okay. I’m sure time will heal you,” he adds when he still sees sadness in my eyes. I nodded my head slightly, accepting his advice. “What happened to Killian?” He asks me. He must have been dying to ask me that question, but he waited until I had turned emotionally stable. I averted my gaze at him and continued to pack the excess things that I bought for my grandmother’s funeral. Drrystan doesn’t know anything because I haven’t told him anything yet. I’m not planning to tell him anything either. I heard footsteps behind me as I felt a presence approaching me. I stopped what I was doing and turned around to see who the late visitor was only to find out that it was Killian. Killian looked like he ran in his wolf form to come all the way here. His hair is a mess, and his tie is not even tied properly. He was breathing so fast that he couldn’t even speak. My face turned blank as I locked gazes with him. The funeral was over, he didn’t need to come. Annoyed with his presence, I stormed out of the place and left Drystan. Killian chased after me with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. “Astrid, I couldn’t leave early because I had something I needed to take care of. It was something I couldn’t get away from.” I stopped and turned on my heel to face him. My fists balled up at my sides as I narrowed my eyes at him. “Was there anything else more important than to be on your mate’s side at the time that she needed you the most?” I shot back at him. His eyes met mine and for a fleeting moment, a shadow of remorse flickered across his gaze However, it wasn’t enough to quench my anger. “You know what, you do not even need to come here,” I spoke bitterly. “If only you hadn’t stopped me that night, I would have still met my grandma while she was still alive.” Killian’s grip on the bouquet tightened when he heard my words. “I had no idea I—“ “I kept telling you that my grandmother needed me!” I yelled, interrupting him from his words. “You never listened to me.” “All you cared about is Giselle who is pre9nant with your child.” I blurted out finally releasing all the emotions that I have buried down long enough. Killian could not say a word. Whatever he says, and even if he apologizes, his words would never bring back my grandmother and it would never bring me back the time that I could have spent with her. Killian was silent for a moment. My heart which has always been heavy, felt lighter than it was after I finally told him the things that I’ve been wanting to tell him. I glanced at him in surprise when he suddenly crouched down and placed the bouquet of flowers that he brought on the ground where my grandmother had just been buried. “I only came here to pay my respects to your grandmother. I’m sorry if I was late, that was out of my control,” Killian replied like he didn’t just hear the rest of the words that I said. My breath turned shallow and my heart burned more in anger at his heartlessness. After everything that I said, that was it? Unable to control myself anymore, I picked up the flowers and thrashed them on Killian until the flowers were all shredded into pieces. Killian accepted all the hits that I had given him without saying anything. “You are here to pay respect?!” I screamed at him. “Do you know how disrespected my grandmother would feel to see how much you had disrespected me?” I threw what was left of the flowers to the ground. “I’m tired of this. If you can’t give me respect, I should at least give myself some respect,” I spoke in a weak voice as I collected myself together. This wasn’t a part of any of my plans, but right now I think that is the best decision I could ever make for myself. “Let’s just stop this joke and get a divorce,” I spoke firmly, looking at Killian directly in his eyes. Chapter 4: Divorce Killian’s POV Divorce? I couldn’t understand. I sighed and raked my hair in frustration when I caught my mind drifting off again instead of focusing on the paperwork that I had to finalize for the day. My mind kept on going back to Astrid’s words. I couldn’t believe how she easily asked me for divorce. Astrid has always been responsible and obedient as a Luna and as my right-hand man or commander in the military. I couldn’t believe that she would easily file for divorce knowing that divorcing me would mean she would have to give up her Luna title and it would also make things awkward between us. I leaned on my chair and shut my eyes as I felt my headache coming. She must be talking purely out of her emotions. Once she had calmed down and saw the whole situation with a clear head, she would realize that the divorce would be too much. I was just late for her grandmother’s funeral and I have a reasonable excuse for that. If I really didn’t care, I wouldn’t have shifted to my wolf and raced to that place even though I knew I was already late. For the part when I stopped her from being with her grandmother before she died, that wasn’t intentional. I had no idea that she was actually telling the truth at that time. I thought she was making excuses. I really had no idea. If she didn’t push Giselle off the stairs, she wouldn’t miss her chance to be with her grandmother. What would she expect me to do after she tried to kil Giselle and endanger the life of my unborn child? Again, this is entirely not my fault. I agree that I have been busy lately and have neglected Astrid’s feelings, but it’s not an appropriate reason to suddenly decide on a divorce. I jolted when someone suddenly entered my room without knocking, I thought it was Astrid, but it turned out as no other than my Beta. I forgot Astrid is required to knock before entering, but Beta Ryder could enter my office whenever he wants. “Are the papers signed already?” Beta Ryder asked me as he strolled loftily inside my office. I glanced down at the papers that my mind had barely absorbed. Before I could give my answer, Beta Ryder spoke up. “You’ve been out of yourself ever since Luna Astrid left. What happened between you two?” Beta Ryder asked curiously. It’s been three days since Astrid had left, surprisingly he is only asking that question now. “Astrid is filing for divorce,” I answered him straightforwardly. His eyebrows shot up when he heard my answer. “Are you serious?” He asked me in disbelief. “Do I look like I’m joking?” I glared at him. His brows furrowed as he thought carefully. “Is this a good thing or a bad thing?” My eyes narrowed at him upon hearing his question, but I couldn’t blame him for asking such a question. Although Astrid and I were married for four years, we had never been intimate with each other. I have never even treated Astrid as my own mate, but when Giselle came back I already made her pre9nant. It is common for Beta Ryder to think this way. “Of course, it is a bad thing,” I answered him. “She is our Pack Luna, we cannot lose her.” When I met Astrid, I thought she was just a weak werewolf who wouldn’t be able to handle the role of a Luna. Of all the powerful women I could be mated to like Giselle, I ended up with Astrid who is born omega. I hated her because she was weak and didn’t match up to me. I hated her more because she manipulated my father and separated me from Giselle. Eventually though when I saw what she was capable of, I finally learned to hate her less only because of the contributions she had to the Pack. She is still a useful Luna to this Pack even though she is born omega. “How about Giselle then?” He asked me as he plopped on my couch making himself comfortable like he was at home. “She’s still pre9nant with your child and for sure she would also love to be the Pack’s Luna.” “Giselle can’t be our Luna,” I replied. If Giselle becomes the Luna, I’m sure she won’t be half as good as Astrid. Besides, our pack cannot afford to let go of a talent like Astrid. All of this started because I got Giselle pre9nant. If I hadn’t impregnated her, then maybe Astrid wouldn’t even have thought of divorce. I will also have more reasons to make Astrid stay in our Pack. What happened between me and Giselle was an accident. I was drunk. I don’t even remember how it happened on the night that Giselle came back. I hated myself for being unable to control myself. The next thing I knew, Giselle was already pre9nant. I couldn’t go back in time even if I wanted to, and I had to be responsible for my actions whether it was intentional or not. In the end, the baby is innocent and it is still mine. It is my responsibility to take care of Giselle and my child. “I will take care of her and our child since it’s my duty and the Pack needs an heir, but Astrid is the rightful Luna. I’m not divorcing her,” I added firmly after making a decision. “Then since you have already figured that out, why don’t you just go and tell her that?” He suggested as if it was that easy. “Astrid is still angry. She would only hate me more if she saw me and heard me say anything more.” My downcast expression brightened up a bit after I thought of something. “Trust me, once Astrid has calmed down, she would realize that the divorce is something she wouldn’t want. Astrid wouldn’t like to leave the Pack and turn into a rogue, does she? Who in their right mind would want that?” All my fears were washed away as I had that thought. “What are you planning to do now?” Beta Ryder asks me, putting me deep in thought “Buy me some flowers, lilies to be exact,” I ordered him. “What?” Beta Ryder’s brows furrowed at my unexpected response. “I shouldn’t just wait for Astrid to calm down, I should try to ease her anger too,” I replied. Since my problem would be solved once Astrid had calmed down, it would be better if I did something to ease her anger. In that way, I would also be able to wim her heart too. Hearing my reason behind it, Beta Ryder did not ask more questions and left to get the flowers that I asked for. What is a better gift you can use to win a woman’s heart than flowers? I’m sure once Astrid receives the flowers, she will rethink all that she said, and she will also think that I don’t only care about Giselle just like what she had thought. A small smile stretched on my lips when I remembered the first time that I met Astrid. It was a beautiful spring day. I was just taking a stroll in our packhouse’s garden when I saw her from afar speaking to the fishes swimming in the pond while feeding them. It was the first time I saw someone in their right mind talking to a fish. She didn’t notice that I was watching her so she continued talking. At that time, I had no plans of talking to her. I just saw her as a weird woman talking to creatures that she knew wouldn’t be able to understand her. I was about to leave when she suddenly fell off the pond’s bridge and dropped into the swimming fishes that she was feeding. I didn’t think twice and jumped in to save her. It was an unusual first encounter, so I could never forget it. At that time, many lilies were growing out of the pond. Ever since then, I am always reminded of our first encounter whenever I see lilies. I’m sure once she receives my gift, she will be reminded of that encounter too. Chapter 5: Bracelet Astrid’s POV My heart was heavy with grief and my body was fully exhausted when I returned to the packhouse. Being pre9nant made me become more emotional, and it also made me tire more easily. With everything that had happened to me lately, being pre9nant made things more difficult for me. Returning to the packhouse was the last thing that I wanted, but I had to. I had left all my things behind when I suddenly decided not to come back anymore. Right now, I just don’t want to meet anyone who would ruin my mood even further. I came to the packhouse to pack my things and that’s it. I have no intention of meeting Killian or even seeing his face. I also do not have any intention of telling him about our unborn child anymore. I instinctively touched my bump as I had that thought. I bit my lower lip as I felt sorry for my child. As someone who grew up without a father, I do not want my baby to experience that also. However, I couldn’t also let him grow up with a father who doesn’t want him either. Since Killian already has a child with Giselle, it’s clear he wouldn’t want a child with me anymore. It doesn’t matter anymore. My mother managed to raise me on her own before. I will make sure that I will be a better mother to my child than my mother was. “You’re back,” someone spoke from behind me while I was stuffing all my things in my luggage so I could finally leave this place for good. “You were gone for three days. What kind of Luna leaves the Pack for such a long time without notice?” I gritted my teeth as I closed my filled luggage and zipped it up before turning around to face Killian’s mother. Killian’s mother had always disliked me. She had always thought that I was too weak to become a Luna and that I did not deserve her son. For years, I’ve tried my best to live up to her expectations and live in peace with her as my mother-in-law. However, no matter what I did, she never liked me. She just hated me for who I was and had always tried to force me to leave his son and denounce my position in the Pack. Killian’s mother glared at me as she stood at the doorway with her arms crossed. Every time that I made mistakes, she was always there to point them out and shame me. She must have been waiting for me to come back so she could rub it in my face on how bad of a Luna I was and force me to denounce my Luna title once again. “I thought you did not want me here. Don’t you used to force me to leave this Pack and denounce my title? Why are you angry that I was gone for three days?” I shot back at her. Before, I used to let her insult me, yell at me, and vent her anger on me even at the cost of my own dignity. I never talked back to her since she is my mother-in-law and I had to respect her. Now that Killian and I are getting a divorce. There’s no need for me to svck it all up when she and I will no longer be related to each other. Her eyes widened when she heard my disrespectful response. “You!” she raised her voice as she pointed an angry finger at me. “Is that how you are supposed to talk to your own mother-in-law, huh?!” “Don’t worry, you are not going to be my mother-in-law anymore. Killian and I are getting a divorce and I’ll be leaving this Pack for good. You wouldn’t have to see my face just as you wanted!” I yelled back at her. Finally, after so many years of just being silent whenever she disrespected me, I could finally yell back at her and defend myself against her. It feels good to be able to stand up for myself again instead of just accepting insults and keeping everything in. “Really?!” Her face which was contorted with anger suddenly brightened up when she heard my words. “You are leaving?” She asks again, not quite believing it. “Yes! I’m finally leaving this place and I’m also so happy about it!” I yelled back at her angrily when I saw how happy she was to find out that I was leaving. If she’s happy, I should be happy too. I should be happy that I could finally leave this place where no one ever appreciated me. “Finally you came to your senses!” She responded with a look of relief in her eyes. “Giselle is now pre9nant, and the Pack finally has an heir. You have been married to my son for several years, but until now you haven’t bore my son with any children.” Hearing her words, I looked down on my belly and stilled. “You have been holding back this pack and my son. It’s time for you to leave and let my son live with someone better than he deserves.” Killian’s mother is truly glad at the news that I’m leaving, not knowing that I would be bringing her grandchild with me. “Since you have decided to divorce my son and leave, don’t you ever come back in the future? You only bring misfortune to us all. You are a jinx to our Pack,” Killian’s mother added without shame at all. I’m not coming back. I will never come back. Once I leave this place, I will cut all the ties I have in this Pack and live my own life as a free woman who doesn’t have to please anyone else. I smiled when I thought of the future that awaited ahead of me. I should have left a long time ago. I shouldn’t have let these people demean me and lower my self-value. For one last time, I collected myself together and took out my belongings with me. I would make sure that this would be the last time that I’d ever see this place. As I was about to walk past Killian’s mother, she suddenly pulled me aside causing my bag to fall on the floor. All of the stuff inside was scattered all over the place just when I was about to leave this wretched place. I dropped to the ground to bring my stuff back inside my bag when Killian’s mother suddenly crouched to the ground and picked up my bracelet which was given to me by my grandmother. “I knew it, you little thief. You still dare to steal from us before you leave?” Killian’s mother hissed at me. I stood back up and tried to snatch my bracelet from her hand, but she was too fast. She raised her hand before I could even reach it. “That’s mine, I didn’t steal it.” I narrowed my eyes at her. Killian’s mother just laughed at me. “You were just an omega when you came here. How could you possibly own such valuable stuff? You are trying to steal from us before you leave,” she accused me. I clenched my fists when I heard her unwarranted accusations. Killian’s mother had always been hurtful with her words. Even though I’m just an omega, I am not a thief. My grandmother raised me properly. I do not come from a family of thieves. “This bracelet is mine,” I spoke firmly. “My grandmother gave this to me. It doesn’t belong to you or the Silvermoon Pack at all.” “This bracelet is made with rare gems. How could your grandmother afford it? This must be a gift from my son and you are not allowed to take it,” Killian’s mother rebutted. “What is happening here?” Killian suddenly arrived at the scene, stopping me from doing anything I might regret against his evil mother. I will never leave this place without that bracelet that my grandmother has given me. “Killian, have you ever given me gifts before?” I asked him so that his mother would realize how wrong she was. In our entire marriage, I have never received a single gift from Killian. He doesn’t even know my birthday, he doesn’t even know our anniversary, and he couldn’t care less about me on Christmas. In our entire marriage, I never received anything from him at all. I waited for Killian to give his answer, but he did not speak. I glanced at him to see what was stopping him from answering when the bouquet of lilies in his hand caught my eye. I sneezed when its fragrance entered my nostrils. I started to laugh as I felt my nose start to clog up because of my allergies. “In the four years of our marriage, you do not even know that I’m all ergic to lilies. How could you even think of buying me a bracelet?” I asked him with a bitter look on my face. He and his mother had just rubbed on me again because of how awful they were towards me. Chapter 6: Rejection Astrid’s POV Killian turned his face away in shame when he heard my words. His hands trembled slightly as he reluctantly pulled the lilies away from my face, giving me the chance to breathe much better. I remained silent as I covered my nose. My nose felt itchy because of the damm flowers that stirred up my allergies. Killian suddenly scoffed after a moment of silence. “These flowers are not for you,” he spoke angrily. I slowly looked up at him through the corner of my eyes when I heard him speak. When he came here holding the flowers, I really thought it was meant for me. “For whom was it then?” I asked him since I really thought that he had come all the way here to give me those flowers as his way of apologizing. “For Giselle of course,” Killian blurted out. “As you have said you have never received any gift from me. Did you really think I would give you a flower now?” A bitter smile spread across my face when I heard his answer. It was foolish of me to expect that the flowers he was holding were meant for me. Killian is right. I truly am delusional. Even though I know that he doesn’t like me, I always hope that he will still care about me. I hoped that he would learn to love me and forget about Giselle while we were married. I hoped that he would be happy to find that I was pre9nant with our baby. I hoped that he would be present to comfort me at my grandmother’s funeral. In the end, I always get hurt because of my stvpid expectations. From now on, I will no longer hope for such things anymore. I will no longer be the foolish Astrid that I was. “Then that’s great,” I shot back with a forced smile on my face. “Even if you beg me for forgiveness and fill my feet with flowers, I will never change my mind about the divorce.” Killian was stunned at my words. Maybe he was expecting that I would cry and wallow at his words, but I’ve already learned my lesson. A man like him is not worth my tears and efforts. It’s better that I leave him as soon as possible before he fully ruins my life. “Give me my bracelet now so I can leave this place.” I narrowed my eyes at Killian’s mother. Killian’s mother just smirked at me, unswayed by my seriousness. Instead, she held up the bracelet in her hand and showed it to his son. “Tell me, Killian. Is this bracelet really hers?” She questioned him in earnest. Killian stared at the bracelet carefully. His brows furrowed and his eyes deepened as he examined the bracelet carefully. “Is it hers, Killian?” His mother repeated her question when it took too long for him to answer. Killian blinked as if he was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts. “T-the bracelet is hers,” Killian answered truthfully. The eyes of Killian’s mother widened at her son’s answer. “That couldn’t be!” She exclaimed. “How could a mere omega like her own such an expensive bracelet? She must have stolen it,” she insisted. I gritted my teeth upon hearing her accusations. Now I know where his son got his attitude from. Both mother and son think so little about omegas. “Be careful of your words, mother,” Killian reprimanded her. “It’s true, Astrid owns the bracelet,” he muttered firmly. The bracelet that his mother is holding right now is so precious to me. It is a gift given to me by my grandmother making it a very important treasure for me. If the bracelet wasn’t given to me by my grandmother, I would have freely given it to her despite its financial value. However, it holds a sentimental value for me. “Mother, you should give her a bracelet,” Killian tells his mother respectfully. Killian’s mother gripped the bracelet tightly in her hand. Anger rose inside her as she thought of giving up the bracelet to me. The bracelet must be so expensive as she had said for her to want it so much. With an emotionless expression on my face, I stared blankly into his sharp eyes and opened my palm in front of her. Killian’s mother clenched her jaw tightly before reluctantly dropping my bracelet into my palm. After securing my bracelet, I opened my bag and pulled out the signed divorce papers. “Here,” I muttered coldly as I handed him the papers. “Since you are already here you can now sign it.” Killian’s eyes shot up to me when he heard my words, then I just took off without waiting for his answer. When I had exited the packhouse, Killian finally caught up to me after he recovered from his shock. “Astrid!” He yelled. I gasped when he suddenly grabbed my arm stopping me from leaving. “What are you thinking?” Killian glared at me as he gripped my arm so tightly that I could feel a bruise forming. “You are the Pack Luna, you can’t just leave!” I bravely stared into his narrowed eyes without cowering down before him. “Don’t you understand, Killian? I give up!” I yelled into his face surprising him. “I don’t want to be your mate and I don’t want to be your Luna anymore. Just sign the divorce papers and let me go!” “I won’t sign these damm papers!” Killian blurted out as he raised the divorce papers that had crumpled at his tight hold. The corner of my lips slowly stretched as I stared into him. Slowly, I shook my head and started to laugh coldly at him. Killian stiffened as he looked at me like I had gone crazy. Maybe, I truly have gone crazy because of him. “Why not? Giselle is free to become your Luna, after all, she is already pre9nant with your child,” I retorted blankly. Killian’s face softened. “It’s not like that. Giselle and I—“ I raised my hand stopping Killian from his words. “You don’t owe me any explanation, I understand. You never like me and now that Giselle is back—“ “You don’t understand, Astrid!” He yelled interrupting me from my words. “You just can’t leave,” he told me unreasonably as he gripped my shoulders. “Oh! I get it now. The divorce papers are not enough right? Fine! Let’s just reject each other now so you can have Giselle as your Luna without any problem,” I continued to speak without allowing Killian to answer. “I, Astrid Zorensen reject Killian Sullivan as my mate.” As those words left my lips, a searing pain coursed through my body causing me to drop to the ground. I shut my eyes tight as a soft cry escaped my lips. I clawed at my chast as I felt the agonizing torment coming from there. Just like me, Killian also crumbled to the ground because of pain. He couldn’t speak as his face contorted in pain with his hand clutching his heart. He knelt weakly on the ground with one hand pushing himself up, trying to keep himself off the ground. He stayed like that trying to bear the pain without accepting my rejection. If he had only accepted my rejection, he wouldn’t have hurt that much. Since I had already snapped whatever bond I had with him through the rejection, my body had coped up eventually. When the pain had minimized a bit, I forced myself to stand up. Killian just watched me with pain in his eyes. Now that he is weak and in pain, he will no longer be able to stop me. With little strength that I had left, I turned around to leave. “You can’t live without me, Astrid!” Killian yelled. “I know you’d come back sooner or later. You will never survive out there!” I smiled coldly without giving him the satisfaction of turning back and giving him attention. I will never come back here. I’d rather die than come back.	LEARN_MORE	https://wwwedb.com/market/meganovel/13?lpid=13490&	Galaxy in the Story	https://www.facebook.com/61555427913037/	1,374	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	wwwedb.com	DCO		https://wwwedb.com/market/meganovel/13?lpid=13490&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/456457347_7981590751933249_889351046386276487_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=U8aMmSOOG7oQ7kNvgHYPXDX&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AQ0mJwnw01ahZOkO5E2kydx&oh=00_AYD7fQ2n_4_b4ZmqvURIx9E3OexGFXtZQvZsNTen3jJtpw&oe=670A0AA8	PERSON_PROFILE	Galaxy in the Story	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete

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