Chapter 2. Uncovered

It's been three nights since Jarl hasn't gone to the Grimlore mansion to sleep, but he often misses home due to many meetings or trips in which he must participate before being declared alpha of the pack, which according to Katrina's understanding, will be in three more moons.

Thirty minutes later, Katrina parks her old car in the parking lot of Sofisthy's offices and takes the elevator that goes to the floor where her husband's office is located. 

All employees look at her strangely when the metal doors open. Her casual attire and unkempt appearance contrast completely with the sumptuous and immaculate office with polished floors, high ceilings, and to top it off, perfectly uniformed and groomed assistants. Katrina is wearing light pink denim shorts and a pink t-shirt with a heart emoji design on the chest, with white athletic sandals. 

Her long, blond hair is tied in a messy ponytail that lets some strands fall on her face. She is wearing no makeup. She has never liked using them because her mother taught her that she was more beautiful being natural. 

"Good morning, miss. I'm here to see Jarl Fenrisson," she says with a smile to the receptionist. 

"Do you have a scheduled appointment, miss?" the woman asks without giving it much importance. "President Fenrisson only receives important people with prior appointments. I don't think he has time to see you." 

"I didn't make an appointment, in fact, I came to surprise him," Katrina shows her bag hopefully, where she has the food she had prepared for him. "Could you call him and tell him I'm here? Please." 

After Katrina's insistence, the woman makes a short call before authorizing her to pass. 

A few minutes later, she walks through some hallways where the offices of the main bosses are located. With every step she takes, her anxiety grows, her hands start to tremble with anticipation. 

Jarl Fenrisson is busy with a beautiful and slender woman in his office when his secretary knocks on his door to let him know that someone wants to meet with him. 

"I told you not to interrupt me!" the brunette growls, slamming his desk hard, thus avoiding the young woman from saying something else. 

The secretary, filled with anger and wanting to interrupt his hot meeting with that woman, instructs reception to let Katrina in. 

Lizzie and Jarl kiss passionately again as he grabs her waist and lays her on the elegant sofa to remove her panties. 

It's no secret to anyone in Sofisthy about the future alpha's reputation as a womanizer. There isn't a single employee he hasn't fucked at least once, anywhere he pleases. His sexual appetite is such that he can't even control himself in front of his father-in-law.

Despite being a recently married man to the daughter of the deceased Alpha Lauren, he behaves as if he really isn't. Everyone wonders how the daughter of the leader of one of the strongest packs in the country can accept such treatment. 

Katrina looks both ways down the hallway before reaching a large wooden door with her husband's name on it. A beautiful woman behind a desk looks at her with a rather fake smile and signals with her fingers for her to continue.

"Hello, I came to see..."

"To President Fenrisson," the woman, who is Jarl's secretary, finishes the sentence for her. "He is in the office waiting for you. You can go straight in without knocking."

Katrina thanks her and walks there, holding the food container excitedly in one hand and the pregnancy test in the other.

She grabs the doorknob as the young woman had instructed her, but strange noises from inside abruptly stop her. She hesitates for a few seconds, but ultimately gathers her courage and opens it.

The bag of food slips from her hands and falls to the ground as she witnesses the grotesque scene. She brings both hands to her mouth to stifle a scream of anger upon discovering her husband and her stepsister having sex during work hours on the sofa.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Jarl screams at her while struggling to fasten his pants. His sister slowly stands up from the sofa, not paying much attention to what just happened. She runs her fingers through her shiny blonde hair before adjusting her designer dress and picking up her panties from the floor.

"What is this, Jarl?!" Katrina asks tearfully. "What are you doing with Lizzie? Is this the great job you fulfill at Sofisthy?"

"First of all, don't shout, it will disturb the employees and save the dramatic show for when you're at home," Lizzie responds arrogantly, approaching her with a smirk on her face. "Nobody here has to tolerate your stupid fits of jealousy. It's not that big of a deal."

"Not that big of a deal? I caught you having sex with my husband! You, my own sister. What kind of prostitute does that to their own blood?" A hard slap lands on Katrina's cheek, leaving her stunned for a moment.

"Don't you dare insult me again, you worthless person," Lizzie points her finger at her sister. "You should be grateful that you still have a husband. Absolutely nobody in the Alba Noctis pack wants to be with a woman like you. Just look at yourself, you look like a beggar from the street, you don't even comb your hair. Do you think Jarl will desire you like that? Will he want to make love to you?"

With anger and pain, Katrina wipes away her tears while she looks at her husband sitting in his chair, unconcerned by the situation. Her distress deepens as she realizes everything that has been happening right under her nose.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" she asks Jarl, sobbing. "Is what Lizzie saying true?"

"Lizzie didn't say anything that wasn't true, Katrina. You are a woman who is, to put it mildly, not very attractive. I can't be expected to live in misery just because I married you. Resign yourself and accept that this happened and will continue to happen, whether you like it or not, if you want to remain my wife."

Lizzie looks at Katrina with indescribable pleasure before approaching Jarl and pecking him on the lips, while Katrina feels like she's dying right before her eyes.

Trembling all over, she nods. She puts the pregnancy test into the pocket of her shorts and runs out of the place.

She doesn't even go through the parking lot to retrieve her car, she leaves the building and starts running down the avenue with a chest pain that suffocates her.

How could Jarl and her sister do this? How could she have been so foolish to believe in the love he claimed to feel for her?