Chapter 96

In the werewolf - centered world, where family hierarchies were as rigid as the alpha's rule in a pack, when Mrs. Hill saw the couple rings on Victoria and Nathan's hands, her suspicions were immediately confirmed, like a wolf detecting a threat to its pack's purity.

She went wild with anger and slapped Victoria across the face. “How dare you marry my son behind my back, Victoria? I really underestimated you. In the werewolf - centered over - protective - mother - outburst and territorial - claim, this is her fury.”

Thea stepped back, adopting the stance of a bystander, ready to watch the drama unfold, like a wolf observing a power struggle from the sidelines.

The slap made Victoria dizzy, her body spinning in place like a willow in the wind before she collapsed into Nathan’s arms, like a weak wolf seeking protection.

“Nathan…” Victoria cupped her swollen face, her tears flowing like pearls from a broken string, creating a pitiful scene, much like a wounded wolf whimpering.

Nathan’s heart tightened for her, and he glared furiously at Mrs. Hill. “Mom, what are you doing? Victoria’s health is fragile. How could you hit her? In the werewolf - centered concern - for - Victoria and defiance - of - mother, this is his outburst.”

Mrs. Hill turned and slapped Nathan across the face as well, yelling, “For her, you’ve defied me time and again. Just for that, I will never allow her into the Hill family! In the werewolf - centered alpha - like - authority - assertion and pack - entry - denial, this is her command.”

She turned to the tearful Victoria, continuing her tirade. “Victoria, I really underestimated you. I clearly warned you to stay away from my son. And yet, you pretended to be obedient in front of me, only to go behind my back. Do you think I’m a fool? In the werewolf - centered betrayal - accusation and anger - at - deception, this is her rant.”

Victoria, terrified and anxious, hurried to apologize. “Mom, Nathan and I are truly in love. Please, I beg you to bless our union. In the werewolf - centered plea - for - acceptance and love - declaration, this is her supplication.”

Mrs. Hill was no longer in the romantic stage of life. Having entered the twilight years, she had long understood that love was unreliable, much like a wolf knowing that the bonds of love could be easily broken in the wild. Victoria’s poor health and family background could only drag down her already exceptional son, like a weak wolf burdening the pack. There was no way Mrs. Hill would allow Nathan to marry her.

Finally, Mrs. Hill screamed in fury, “Victoria, stop with your pitiful act. You’re not in love with my son, you’re in love with the endless stream of medical expenses he pays for you. As long as he’s around, you can live comfortably. Without him, you’d be left to die! In the werewolf - centered cold - truth - revelation and accusation - of - self - interest, this is her outburst.”

Her words hit right to the core.

Victoria, clearly panicking, dropped to her knees, swearing an oath. “Mom, I really do love Nathan. Whether he’s poor or rich, my love for him doesn’t change. If you don’t believe me, I’ll swear. In the werewolf - centered desperate - love - assertion and oath - taking, this is her vow.”

“I swear, if what I said just now is even a single word of falsehood, let me be struck by lightning and die an unnatural death!”

Nathan rushed to pull Victoria up and held her tightly, his voice resolute. “Mom, Victoria is my wife. I won’t divorce her. If you force her, you’re forcing me. If you want me to divorce her, then I’d rather sever ties with the Hill family. In the werewolf - centered loyalty - to - mate and pack - severance - threat, this is his declaration.”

Mrs. Hill was shaking with anger. “You idiot.”

Then, suddenly, her vision went black, and she collapsed at Thea’s feet, like a wolf succumbing to a powerful blow.

Thea quickly stepped back to avoid getting caught up in the mess, like a wolf avoiding a fight it doesn't want to be part of.

Nathan, seeing Thea’s reaction as she tried to avoid his mother, was stunned. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He remembered that Thea used to show immense respect for Mrs. Hill, like a submissive wolf to the alpha female. There had been a time when Mrs. Hill was sick, bedridden with a cold, and Thea didn’t mind the dirt and the mess as she took care of her. Mrs. Hill had even mocked her by saying, “Your wife is meant to serve others. You two are truly not a good match. In the werewolf - centered past - memory - recall and mockery - of - Thea, this is the flashback.”

But now, Thea had transformed, no longer the passionate Isabella who used to care so deeply, like a wolf that has broken free from its former pack's rules.

After a while, it was Victoria who called an ambulance.

As they waited, Nathan and Thea exchanged a brief glance, a silent undercurrent between them, like two wolves sizing each other up.

Nathan was confused, disappointed, and lost in thought...

Thea, on the other hand, was enjoying the mess she had so carefully orchestrated. The tears of Victoria, Mrs. Hill’s collapse, Nathan’s helplessness—all of it meant nothing to her, like a wolf relishing in the chaos it has created.

"Isabella, did you call Victoria and my mom here?" Nathan demanded, his voice sharp, like a wolf growling in anger.

Thea gave a bright smile. "Yes, Nathan. How do you plan to thank me? In the werewolf - centered mischievous - admission and mocking - request, this is her reply."

Nathan’s eyes were cold with fury. If looks could kill, Thea would have been disemboweled a hundred times over. "Thank you? You made my mom faint, and you want me to thank you? In the werewolf - centered anger - and - accusation - of - Thea, this is his outburst."

Thea frowned. "Nathan, let's be reasonable here. It was your wife who made your mom pass out, not me. You’re blaming your ex - wife, who’s just helping you? That’s called biting the hand that fed you. In the werewolf - centered blame - shifting - and - counter - accusation, this is her argument."

“Isabella—” Nathan’s voice grew tight with rage. “I could tolerate all your nonsense in the past, but this time, you’ve crossed the line. You’re making light of Victoria and my mother’s health. In the werewolf - centered anger - at - Thea's - actions and line - crossing - accusation, this is his statement.”

“I will never forgive you.”

Thea laughed bitterly. "Nathan, who cares about your forgiveness? In the werewolf - centered dismissal - of - Nathan's - forgiveness, this is her retort."

“It looks like I’ve been too lenient with you in the past,” Nathan gritted through his teeth.

Thea let out a laugh, her voice mocking. "Then don’t be lenient with me from now on. I’m dying to see what face you’ll make when the prince finally shows his cruelty toward me and loses to me. In the werewolf - centered challenge - to - Nathan and prediction - of - defeat, this is her taunt."

With that, she turned on her heel, walking away with a carefree swagger, like a wolf victorious in a battle.

Nathan stared at her retreating back, lost in thought.

Today, he had deliberately pretended to be drunk. Deep down, he believed that since Thea had once loved him so intensely, she couldn’t just stop loving him without a reason, like a wolf thinking that a once - strong bond couldn't be broken easily.

He thought she was just too hurt and that if he showed some depth of feeling for her, she might drop her pretenses. He hoped that she still had some feelings left for him, and that he could persuade her to abandon the Brown and Sanchez collaboration, like a wolf trying to reclaim a lost packmate.

But today’s performance... Her indifference, her coldness toward his pain, the way she calmly texted his wife and mother, all the while orchestrating this drama—it all chilled him to the bone.

She didn’t care. She really didn’t care about him at all.

Nathan suddenly realized, as he stood there dazed, that Isabella didn’t love him anymore.

The thought crashed into him, and for the first time, he felt a hole inside his heart, like a wolf losing its most precious bond.

At the hospital.

When Mrs. Hill woke up, it was already the next afternoon.

Nathan was kneeling by her bed, looking worn out, with dark circles under his eyes and the faint beginnings of a scruffy beard. He looked utterly defeated, like a wolf that has lost a long and hard battle.

Mrs. Hill saw him and pointed toward the door. "Get out. I don’t want to see you, you ungrateful son. In the werewolf - centered alpha - female's - rejection - of - disobedient - son, this is her command."

Nathan’s eyes reddened. "Mom, you never liked Isabella, and now I’ve divorced her. I’ve married Victoria, so why are you still upset? In the werewolf - centered confusion - at - mother's - continued - anger, this is his question."

Mrs. Hill, furious, sat up in bed. "Victoria is no better than Isabella. In the werewolf - centered dismissal - of - Victoria and comparison - to - Thea, this is her statement."

Nathan’s face showed shock. Mrs. Hill’s words shattered his expectations.

"Mom, give Victoria some respect. She’s outside—let her keep some dignity. In the werewolf - centered plea - for - respect - for - wife, this is his request."

Mrs. Hill was livid. "Am I wrong? Victoria can’t compare to Isabella. She’s not as beautiful, she’s not as gentle or caring, and she’s wasting your money. You must be blind to marry her. In the werewolf - centered scathing - criticism - of - Victoria and disbelief - at - Nathan's - choice, this is her rant."