Chapter 9 A loveless marriage

When Alyssa woke up, she found herself strapped to an operating table, her limbs immobilized. Her heart raced, and fear washed over her like a tidal wave. She tried to scream, but only a faint sound escaped her throat. No one responded to her cries for help.

Suddenly, the door opened.

"You’re awake," Ezekiel’s cold voice cut through the air like a sharp blade.

Alyssa turned her head and saw Ezekiel staring at her with his usual icy gaze. A mix of emotions surged within her—surprise and an unwelcome flicker of joy. He had finally come to see her. Despite the deep hurt from last night, she couldn’t help but feel a sliver of comfort at his presence.

"Come on… you need to do something," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"What? Does he know I’m pregnant? Is he going to…?" Fear spread through her. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing another child in an operating room. The last miscarriage had haunted her, and this time, she vowed to protect her baby at all costs.

She struggled again, trying to free herself from the restraints, but it was useless.

"Ezekiel… please let me go. I won’t bring up divorce again. Just tell me, what are you going to do?" she screamed with all her might, her voice hoarse and desperate.

"Shh, don’t be afraid. It’s just a small surgery. Soon, you’ll be normal," Ezekiel said, his voice unexpectedly gentle.

Gentle? He had never been gentle with her.

Alyssa’s heart sank. This was all just to calm her down so she would quietly accept the abortion!

"No!! I don’t want the surgery!" she signed frantically, her hands clutching her abdomen. The memory of losing her last child made her desperate to protect this one.

Ezekiel looked at her in surprise, not understanding her resistance. The surgery was her only dream—she had always wanted to speak.

He was tired of the trouble she caused, so before she could run away, he grabbed her and dragged her toward the operating room, despite her cries and pleas.

"In a few hours, you’ll realize this is for your own good," he muttered as he pulled her along, but it didn’t stop her from resisting.

When he couldn’t take it anymore, he stopped and held her in place. His eyes were cold as ice, glaring at her angrily. Seeing his anger, she immediately stopped struggling, afraid of what he might do.

"You’d better behave and not disappoint me, because whether you like it or not, the surgery will happen," he warned coldly.

Alyssa’s heart sank to the pit of her stomach, and the fight drained from her body. She knew that no matter how hard she tried, his resolve was unshakable. She nodded slowly, bitter tears stinging her eyes as she blamed herself for failing to protect her child.

Just as despair was about to overwhelm her, Cindy appeared.

Lying on the bed, Alyssa looked at Cindy with fear.

"Don’t worry, this surgery is just Ezekiel’s way of fixing your vocal cords," Cindy said with a smile, her tone laced with mockery.

Alyssa’s eyes widened in shock. Why? Why would Ezekiel suddenly want to fix her vocal cords? What was he planning?!

"You must have a lot of questions, don’t you?" Cindy continued, her eyes gleaming with malice.

Alyssa nodded numbly.

"Because Ezekiel finally realized that only by restoring your voice can you truly reject him. That way, it won’t violate his father’s dying wish, right?" Cindy’s tone was dripping with sarcasm.

Tears streamed down Alyssa’s face. She hated herself for still holding onto hope for Ezekiel.

But she couldn’t keep crying. She had already sent Ezekiel the divorce papers. She had planned to seek treatment for her vocal cords after joining Lily’s pack.

But now, Ezekiel had done it for her. This was good. This way, she could finally cut ties with him completely.

As the surgical lights turned on, she closed her eyes. She looked forward to the first thing she would do after her voice was restored.

---

After the Surgery

Alyssa woke up again, unsure how much time had passed. She opened her eyes to see Ezekiel standing by her bedside.

He wore a rare smile, which made Alyssa uneasy. She doubted he truly wanted to hear her reject him.

"You’ve just had surgery, so rest and don’t talk too much," he said in a soft voice, his tone carrying a gentleness she had never heard before. But Alyssa was too heartbroken to notice.

"Also, the café you worked at has been closed, so you don’t need to go out anymore," he continued, his tone commanding.

Alyssa didn’t respond.

After a moment of silence, she decided to voice her decision, even though it would hurt her forever.

Her voice was hoarse and low, but her words were firm and clear. "I, Alyssa Gray, reject you, Ezekiel Crawford," she said, speaking her first words.

Ezekiel’s heart ached at her words. His wolf did too. He could hear the painful howl echoing in his wolf’s mind.

"W-why?" he asked hoarsely, a flicker of panic in his eyes.

"I don’t want to stay in this loveless marriage anymore. Please, let me go," Alyssa’s voice, though weak, was filled with resolve.

Ezekiel stood frozen, as if struck by lightning. His world crumbled in that moment.