CHAPTER 05

The next day, Irish was determined now more than ever to make Adrian reject her. She couldn't continue living like this.

Even though she had dreamt of that kiss last night, the rest of her dreams were filled with images of Ashley trying to stick a knife in her stomach.

There were bags under her eyes, she had been too terrified to go back to sleep.

She lifted her head to Cynthia, one of the maids who was setting up breakfast in her room. She hated going downstairs for breakfast, Ashley already made it obvious that she wasn't needed there.

"Wait," she called when Cynthia was done and made to leave. "Could you please arrange for me to meet Alpha Adrian today? Please?" Her eyes were big and glassy with tears.

Cynthia shook her head. "I'm afraid that wouldn't be possible today. You're not allowed to step out of your room."

Irish frowned at the shocking news, "Why not?"

Pity appeared in Cynthia's eyes, "I understand how you feel, especially because you're the Alpha's true mate. You're strong and I'm sure you're gonna be just fine-"

Those weren't the words Irish wanted to hear. "Pity is the last thing I need, Cynthia. Tell me," she looked her dead in the eye. "Why can't I meet him?"

Why did it seem as though the answer was to shake her? The silence that covered her room only contained to make her anxiousness grow.

"Alpha will be busy today. He needs no disturbance. He's renewing his marriage vows today," her words sliced through Irish's composure and for a moment, she was thankful she was seated on the bed.

A storm of rage and anger erupted within her. Cynthia's pity felt like a constant reminder of her own misfortune.

His marriage was none of her business. She shouldn't be bothered but why the heck was her heart crumbling like a piece of paper?

The injustice of it all was a physical blow, a searing pain that ripped through her chest.

She wanted to scream, let out her wolf, and let it howl to the Moon goddess herself. She wanted to demand an explanation for this cruel twist of fate. How could Adrian, her mate, be so happy renewing his marriage vows while she and the baby wallowed in the ocean of despair?

"Ha..." She exhaled softly, just to calm herself. Where was this anger and betrayal coming from? Was it the kiss that messed with her head?

“Make him come to us,” Elsa reverberated through her soul, each whining a torment of emotions.

The isolation felt suffocating, and the helplessness was unbearable as she fought to keep the silent scream caught up in her throat. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Cynthia said, rushing to open it.

A wolf guard entered and nodded curtly at Cynthia without even regarding Irish. No one here regarded her as anything but a breeder.

"The Alpha summons you to his chamber, now." The guard left immediately after the message was delivered.

Why? She wanted to ask but the news had left her with a mix of surprise and half-hearted joy. Goddess! She hated how he controlled her mood with just very little things.

Adrian had never invited her to his room before. What was this about? Her cheeks heated, turning pink as her thoughts strayed there.

"Well, we better get going now," Cynthia replied.

"O-Oh uhm... Okay," she got to her feet, suddenly feeling self-conscious. She wanted to glance in the mirror at least once before leaving but Cynthia was already heading out the door.

She didn't bother taking her breakfast, she quickly sprung to her feet and left the room, escorted by Cynthia. As they walked, Irish noticed an increase in the number of people. They stood in pairs, talking with wine glasses in their hands, dressed formally like they had come for an occasion.

Irish seemed out of place but she didn't care. The decorations were also exquisitely beautiful, reflecting the celebration mood of the day. Her eyes darted to the television. A newscaster was making an announcement and the wedding anniversary appeared on the headlines.

Everything reminded her that her mate didn't want her and for a moment, she shut her eyes. She felt downcast. A part of her didn't want this rejection to happen while another part just wanted to be set free.

There was no place for her and Adrian in this world, not when he wouldn't be man enough to choose her.

In a bit, she was standing in front of Adrian's room. She stretched out her hand and knocked on the door but it opened, pushing back slowly as it wasn't locked.

Her eyes bulged at the scene in front of her, trembling at the sound of her own heart breaking.

He was kissing Ashley, with the same passion and fervor with which he kissed her the other night.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she witnessed the pure lust and desire in his eyes.

His fingers trailed her collarbone, as he buried his face in the nook of her neck, feathering kisses from her jawline, then back to her lips again.

Suddenly, Ashley turned to Irish wearing a smug smile, her eyes saying, "I told you, you're nothing but a breeder - a piece of shit."

"Darling, we forgot to lock the door." Ashley's smile broadened as Adrian whipped his head to the door. Immediately, his eyes landed on Irish and they were filled with panic.

He seemed to recover quickly, "What are you doing here?" He asked in a hoarse voice.

"You summoned me here!" She finally let out that scream she wanted to do so badly. Tears pooled up in her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Her heart bled.

Guilt flashed across his face, “I didn't.”

Ashley walked towards the door. She made to close it, but then leaned in and whispered subtly to Irish, “I needed to see that look on your face, skunk.”

Irish balled up her fists by her side as she soon realized that Ashley was doing this on purpose.

Irish fought to sniffle back tears as she battled with humiliation and that gnawing feeling of being unwanted. Ashley's words had made her feel worse.

"You'll be punished for this. I made you understand that you're not to come to my chambers unless you're summoned." He had a peevish expression before he harshly shut the door on her face.

All of a sudden, Irish's vision blurred. She could hear the faint sounds of Ashley's voice, "Sweetheart, you don't have to mind the confused soul, okay?"

Irish's balance swayed as her wolf wailed, "Our mate is cheating on us."

All she could feel right now was the earth snatched from under her feet, then her eyes shut close and she fell backward.

Cynthia tried to prevent the fall, but she wasn't fast enough. All Irish could remember was her head spinning before she embraced the darkness.

******

Hours later, Irish was at the hospital.

She woke up to the smell of drugs mixed with disinfectants.

She wanted to get up but lay still when she heard the chatter of familiar voices in the background.

They seemed to be in the middle of a conversation as their footsteps echoed in her ears.

They were walking into the hospital room she was in.

Irish shut her eyes.

She wanted to hear the rest of the things those despicable duo would say but she had no idea how terrible their words would be.

"You have to kill her immediately after she gives birth to this baby." Ashley's voice sounded harsh so that Irish almost winced from the effect of her words, but she had to keep calm to hear more.

"Fine. But I'll only do that after she puts to bed. For now, she has to scale through the pregnancy." Adrian sounded like he was pleading.

Irish sighed inwardly. Was this their plan all along?

Adrian had been pretending all along that he needed to keep his mate by his side to be a stronger Alpha. While all he wanted to do was kill and take her baby from her.

It was already the third month, meaning that they wanted her dead in six months, leaving the baby behind.

Very cruel, that was very cruel of them.

But Adrian spoke in her defense that day like he meant it, besides, she wasn't also meant to hear the rest of the conversation on that day when Ashley said, "I can't have a child because of that incident years ago. I went silent just to protect you…”

Could it be that there were some secrets Ashley held against him?

Was that why he agreed so quickly today?

If this wasn't reason enough, then, Irish didn't know what else.

She couldn't help questioning herself.

'If he was resisting her all the while, then why his sudden agreement to kill her?

Why not just reject her?

Nevertheless, Irish didn't have enough time on her hands to think deeply about these things. She had to save herself and her baby first.

To do that, her mind reverberated with only one word.

“RUNAWAY.”