Chapter 1

Staring at the pregnancy kit in her hand, Leslie couldn’t help but scream in excitement.

“Emelda! Emelda!” She called out her sister’s name, running out of the bathroom. Emelda rushed into her room at the same time, a worried look on her face.

The moment she saw Leslie smiling, she stood at a place, placing one hand on her hip, “So what happened this time around that warranted you to disturb my peace? It better be good ‘cause you can’t have me running to your room for nothing.”

From the thin line on her lips, anyone could tell she was annoyed but Leslie knew this good news would excite her.

“I’m waiting.”

Taking in and letting out a deep breath, she flashed the kit to her face. “I’m pregnant, Ems!”

Leslie had been mated and married to the pack’s Alpha for four years without a child to show for it. Alpha Nathan had started to distance himself from her for this reason and so that was the reason she came back to her family house to take a little break.

Emelda didn’t seem to be as joyful as Leslie had expected; her face looked smug.

With a folded forehead, Leslie walked closer to her sister, “You are not happy for me, is there a problem?”

At once she rolled her eyes. “Wake up, sis! What’s here to be happy about? You left your matrimonial home for almost a month and that mate of yours didn’t bother to check on you, not even for a day! Now you are happy you have his child, which he is likely to abandon like he did to you.”

Her face fell to a gloom and she didn’t know what reply to give, Ems was right but Leslie loved Nathan so much and still believed this news would get them back together. ‘A child, that was all he wanted from her,’ she thought.

“Trust me, Ems, I know what Nathan did to me was wrong but it is justifiable. He waited for four good years and I couldn’t provide him with an heir, of course, he has every right to behave the way he did.”

A scoff escaped Emelda’s mouth, as she took a seat, looking directly at Les. “You are just so in love with this man and I hope you do not end up taking your life when you find out how unimportant you are to him.”

Leslie’s eyebrows knit together, her forehead creases deepening, “What’s come over you, that is very mean to say, especially to me,” her voice was laced with disappointment.

Realizing how hard and mean she’s been, Emelda reaches out for her hand, “Sorry sis, there’s just something about him that I can’t explain. He’s not good for you, he has never been. You deserve much better.”

“You don’t have to worry about me. I will go back home today to see Nathan and tell him about the baby, if he’s excited then it means it was my inability to conceive that was the problem but if the opposite is the case, I’ll move on.”

They wrapped their discussion and hugged each other afterward.

****

Later that day, Leslie stepped into the pack, commanding the staff to be quiet and not inform Nathan of her presence. They had this disturbing look on their faces but she passed it off as fear.

Nathan was nowhere to be seen, so she guessed he was in the room. On getting closer to his room, she heard muffled sex moans and the voices were familiar.

The male voice belonged to her husband and the female voice belonged to her best friend, Maria.

A tear fell from her eyes, as she pushed the door open to confirm that she wasn’t imagining things.

“Is she the reason you refused to call me, even for a day since I left?” Her voice rose, causing the two of them to detach themselves, staring wide-eyed at her.

“What the hell are you doing here?” He asked, turning to look at her.

Leslie closed her eyes and opened it again, trying to come to terms with his reply. She just caught him in bed with another woman and this was the first thing he could say.

“How dare you, Nathan? Today is supposed to be our anniversary day and you choose to fuck my best friend instead?”

He scoffed and his next reply was like a heavy blow, “I chose to enjoy with a woman and not my fellow man!”

“Your fellow man? What do you mean?” She quizzed, unsure of the message he was trying to pass.

“Don’t be a dimwit, you this barren woman! You can’t bear him children, so that makes you nothing less than a man.”

What? Even Maria didn’t feel bad for her actions.

Taking four bold steps closer to them, Leslie let out a painful laugh. “And you?” She called out, her eyes fully on Maria.

“I would never have guessed that you would spread your legs open for my husband. How could you comfortably do this and still throw insults at me?”

With a smirk, Maria replied. “Nathan deserves nothing but the best. You were never the right person for him, I was! Stop acting so self-righteous, when you are just an evil, manipulative bitch.”

Nathan watched with a delightful smile as Maria heaped more insults on Leslie.

“I am not barren!” She fought back, badly wanting to prove them wrong but she was cut short immediately.

Maria began to clap her hands, an act of mockery. “Four years! Four good years, Les! How many children do you have to show for these wasted years? None. But guess what? I am pregnant with him. I have given him what you couldn’t give to him for four years.”

“What!” She exclaimed, shooting bloody stares at them.

“Do not waste your time talking to her, my darling,” Nathan said, his hands caressing the side of Maria’s face.

Raging in fury, Leslie got closer to Maria and dashed a hot slap across her face, causing Nathan to immediately rise in anger.

“How dare you raise your filthy hands to …”

He was still talking when she hit him hard on his face too. Nathan became pissed, his hand was in the air about to hit her back but he stopped midway.

He turned around and got closer to the bedside table, grabbing a bunch of papers and throwing them to her face. “Those are the divorce papers, sign them and get out of our lives!”

Leslie froze, staring at the bound document on the floor. Her nightmares were alive, and staring back at her in the face. Her knees buckled before she dropped down to gather them, muttering a short but heartfelt prayer to the Moon Goddess it wasn't what she thought it was. But as she peered through her tear-filled eyes, and picked it with shaky hands, the blood beat in her brain. It took a while before the words settled, then she looked up to meet the furious, unapologetic face in front her. His arms were crossed, as if to make his intentions any clearer than it already was.

"You... you want a divorce?" She croaked, glancing at the documents. "Is that what you really think? That I'm barren? That I can't give you the family you want? You could have just told me, Nathan, that I don't mean anything to you." Her voice was breaking again. "I- I mean, w-what the hell are you doing in my life if this is how worthless I am to you? You-"

"I didn't ask you to walk in on us having sex. And yes, I don't think you can give me what I want." He cut her off, jaws clenched so hard she could see his massaters twitch through his clean cut beard. "And let me make myself a bit clearer. You've been nothing but a fucking burden, Leslie, and I don’t want you anymore. I don't want to see you again. I am done waiting for something you'll never give me."

Leslie picked up the document, while carefully tucking back the pregnancy test results in her bag. It felt like her heart was practically being seared, like hot knife through butter.

And just when she thought the insults couldn't get any worse, Maria quipped. "Why are you begging, Leslie? You have no idea how fucking pathetic you look right now. He's finally upgrading to someone who can actually give him what he deserves."

The words ignited a fresh wave of hot rage, and before Leslie could think, she lunged at Marie a second time but Nathan immediately stepped in, blocking her with a force that sent Leslie crashing on the floor with a painful thud.

"Are you insane?" Nathan looked like he would descend on her as he got into a protective stance while advancing towards her. "You don't get to touch her! Don't take the fact that I haven't beaten you up as leniency, because I'll hurt you if you tempt me. Get up and sign these, bitch! And when you're done I want you to pack your things and get out!"

Leslie groaned as the pang snaked up her arm to her back, but it was nothing compared to the searing pain in her heart. She looked up at Nathan, a sobbing mess now. "I'm your wife, Nathan-"

"Was*" Nathan quipped, but she ignored the jest and went on, tears running down her face.

"I've loved you and stood by you even when you turned you back on me. The goddess knows I don't deserve this."

He scoffed. "You don't deserve me. And point of correction, I don't deserve this. I don't deserve having four years of my life wasted because of worthless piece of shit like you."

His words sliced what was left of her broken heart, and when she looked into his eyes, the reality settled in even though she was fighting not to accept it. He wasn't just angry- he didn't care. He never did. Covering her naked body with the sheets, Maria snaked a possessive arm around his waist before slowly trailing the other hand down to massage his flaccid cock, wearing a smirk.

"Sign the papers, Leslie." she said. "Know when you've lost."

That did it for her.

With fresh tears gathering in her eyes, she pick the papers. “How long have you had these papers? A month, weeks?”

“None of your business, just sign the damn papers!” Maria chipped in, smiling when she heard him groan.

She was starting to feel sick at the sight of them, so she picked up the pen and hurriedly signed the papers.

“The both of you will pay for what you have done to me, I promise!”