Chapter 3

Even as Anderson spoke sweetly to me, he still didn't pull his arm away from Leah's body.

I averted my gaze and said flatly, "It's fine."

An avalanche had just occurred, leaving many people injured.

I couldn't bring myself to celebrate on top of their suffering.

My uncharacteristic calm made them uncomfortable.

Rhys let out a mocking laugh. "Irene, drop the act. This isn't a stage for your fantasy.

"Everyone knows you're the one desperate to be Alpha's little pet, even trying to trap him with a pregnancy. Changing your persona now won't make you any nobler. Even if you are pregnant, you're still worthless compared to Leah."

He was just as childish and stupid, completely oblivious to how I had changed.

Anderson grew impatient after being rejected by me. His face darkened as he scolded me harshly, "I wasn't planning to call you out on your endless need for control, but why did you have to follow us here?

"We don't have time for your games. Leah is shaken from the avalanche. She needs peace, and all you do is bully her.

"You're useless here. You should leave now."

He grabbed my arm so hard it hurt.

As we struggled, a second avalanche struck. A massive wave of snow came crashing down.

Anderson's and Rhys's first instinct was to shield Leah.

Anderson even shoved me aside, knowing full well there was a boulder rolling in that direction.

The rock came down hard on my left foot, and the pain was so excruciating that I blacked out.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in the pack's infirmary, and my left foot was wrapped up exaggeratedly.

There was no one else in the room.

The healer came over to check on me with concern. "You need to take better care of yourself, Irene. You almost lost the baby."

My face was pale, and I felt weaker than I had ever done before. "This child shouldn't exist in the first place. Can you check my abortion appointment for me?"

The person who had brought me here was a beta I had once treated.

The Alpha, who should have been by my side, only sent a single text. "Leah was terrified by your injuries. I'm taking her to see the best healer in the neighboring pack. You should apologize to her."

Anderson and Rhys had already shifted into their wolf forms and left with Leah. They didn't spare a single word of concern for me or the child.

I curled up, feeling as if my very soul was scarred beyond repair, the pain never ceasing.

The abortion required a few hours of preparation.

In the meantime, I asked the elders how to unilaterally break a mate bond.

While I was drowning in anxiety, Leah wasn't sitting idle either.

My phone buzzed with a group chat notification—photos of my father, Anderson, and Rhys celebrating Leah's birthday.

I stared at the falling autumn leaves outside the window, feeling my heart sink to the bottom.

My father had given Leah a wolf fang necklace—the same one my mother had gifted him years ago.

"Happy birthday, Leah!" Rhys had given her a bottle of moonlight wine he brewed himself.

"May the Moon Goddess bless you and keep you safe and happy forever!"

Anderson had gifted her a showpiece brooch from an auction. "Leah, you will always be my Luna."

Leah accepted the gifts and smiled radiantly with joy.

The harmony of that scene burned my eyes. I couldn't bear to look anymore. I closed the app and left the chat.

As soon as the notification popped up on their end, Anderson immediately called to berate me. "Irene, stop this nonsense! You can't stand seeing Leah being happy, can you?

"You always claimed Leah and Maryanne drove Felicia to her death, but that's not true! Benjamin told me Felicia was mentally weak—she had paranoia and killed herself!

You also claimed Benjamin and Maryanne threw you into a correctional facility where you suffered endlessly…"

Anderson let out a cold, disdainful laugh. "I looked into it. That place you described doesn't exist at all. Rhys told me you deliberately took him to the wastelands, where he was attacked by enemy werewolves, leaving him brain-damaged and with amnesia.

"Leah was the one who cared for him. You just wanted to escape responsibility, you liar."

It was as if he had been holding this in for a long time, and now, he finally let it all out. "I never wanted you as my Luna. If Leah hadn't pitied you, worried you'd be as mentally fragile as Felicia and kill yourself, I wouldn't have met with you, let alone fallen into your trap that night when you drugged me."

I never interrupted him, not until the healer came in to inform me, "Irene, we're ready for the abortion."

Anderson paused for a moment before his voice rang out sharply. "What was that? Are you getting an abortion?"

His tone was as if he had just heard something absurd, waiting for me to deny it.

Before I could say anything, Leah's voice chimed in from his side. "Anderson, you're overthinking it. Irene went to such immoral lengths to get pregnant. She wouldn't possibly give up the baby. She cherishes it too much."

Anderson's voice turned cold again. "You almost had me fooled again. You always do this. It's disgusting.

"You and Leah grew up in the same household. Why is she so pure and kind, while you're this despicable?

"I won't believe you anymore. If you keep acting obsessive, then get ready for my rejection!"

If this were before, I would have immediately caved, humbled myself, and begged for peace. I knew he was waiting for that.

But today, I wouldn't do it again. I took a deep breath and made sure my voice was steady and firm before saying, "I accept it. Let's go through with the rejection in a few days."

I turned off the phone, followed the healer, and lay down on the operating table.