Divorce Contract

[Elara's POV]

I jolted awake at the alarm clock on my nightstand, groaning as I slapped the thing off and rolled to bury my head beneath my pillows. It had been dark outside, so early in the morning, with not a trace of sunshine to be found, just dark blackness and shadows, broken only by the occasional glint of a small window through a nearby crack. I had woken up early because I had an appointment with the doctor today.

For the past few days, I had felt very low and tired most of the time, like someone had drained all the energy from me. Even when I slept, I couldn't rest. My mind had constantly raced around in circles, trying to figure out what had happened while I was asleep and how long I had been unconscious. It had felt impossible. No matter what day it was or where I lived, sleep didn't make me forget things or disappear for good.

But last night, I vomited and our pack mother checked my pulse. She said I didn't feel good because I was pregnant. I couldn't believe it because Ethan and I had been trying for this for over a year now. Quickly, I got out of bed and went for a shower, hoping the cold water could clear the cobwebs away from my thoughts. Once done, I put on a very nice pista green dress and went downstairs to check on our pack mother.

The old lady was sitting at her work station, looking through a basket full of dried fruits and nuts, and listening to music. I greeted her and sat beside the chair to eat my breakfast. I didn't want to visit the doctor on an empty stomach, though I didn't feel like eating anything. I took some food anyway. The pack mother gave me a disapproving look as she passed the platter of fruits towards me; she thought I needed the extra nutrients, and she was right. But I ignored it. My appetite had always been poor, and I rarely got to eat enough.

After swallowing my food, I looked at our pack mother curiously. She kept picking some random fruit out of a bowl and tossing them into her mouth. "I'm going to the hospital for my checkup," I said in my usual monotone voice, and she nodded. The hospital seemed busy in the early morning. "Elara Zalenski," they called my name, and I went inside to see Dr. Smith Jones, my gynecologist.

"I have some fantastic news for Elara. Congratulations, you were pregnant!" the doctor stated, and I looked down at the test results once more. Yes... there it was. I was going to be a mother. But this couldn't happen. This must be a dream... I needed some water. I thanked him, walked out the door, and made my way out of the hospital. I felt my eyes fill with tears, and I couldn't control it. It was pretty crowded, people talking, laughing, eating, getting their prescriptions filled... just typical, everyday life.

"Sorry!" I said as I quickly moved to avoid running into anyone and put my hand on my stomach in a protective manner before rushing to my waiting car. My driver, Beta Daniel, stood next to the elegant black vehicle and bowed to open the door for me.

"Thank you!" I said as I entered politely.

When he got in the car, he asked, "Where to, ma'am?"

"Home," I murmured, unable to contain my delight and the smile that spread throughout me.

This was a real situation. After more than a year of trying for a child, I was finally... finally pregnant. I felt permitted about where I fit in the group now. I wanted to declare to everyone, "Yes!" from the top of the roof! I was carrying the heir apparent! But I tried not to get too excited. I had to break the good news to Ethan first. Ethan was the Alpha of the Gravefur pack, one of the biggest packs in the state's southern region. But the vast area was accompanied by perilous boundaries rife with renegades eager to tear apart anyone who stood in their path. All their lives, werewolves searched for and hoped to find their true love.

For me, ever since I had laid eyes on Ethan when I was eleven years old, I had harbored a crush on him. The crush had never faded, and when it had transpired that he was my soulmate, it had been like a dream come true, and we had been married. He had yearned for an heir badly—among the Alphas, who didn't? He had been thirty-one when I had found him, but I had just turned eighteen. At their age, many other alphas were already training their sons to be the next generation of alphas.

I leaned back against the supple leather seat and said to the driver, "Hurry, Daniel, there's a lot of work to get done now."

As soon as I entered our massive guarded house, my stilettos reverberated on the oak flooring as I made my way straight to the kitchen. I would prepare his favorite dessert and tuck the reports under the dish!

"I think you can take the evening off and rest, Clara," I told the maid. "I'm going to bake for him tonight."

"Oh, thank you so much!" she exclaimed, dropping the dish towel she was holding. "If you bake his favorite dessert, I'm certain he would be thrilled. Not that he likes sweets, but he can't help but be drawn to your custard!" She said it with such enthusiasm that it almost made me giggle.

"That's not necessary, Clara. We both know he will like what I'm making," I replied, and Clara nodded.

I grabbed the recipe I had written down the previous night from the bookcase and started preparing a large batch of custard. With my back to the door, I continued to hum softly. As I baked, I recalled the first time he had told me that it was now his second favorite dessert. I had asked him what his favorite dessert was in the hopes of creating it for him. He only chuckled and said, "You."

I worked, wanting everything to be flawless for his return, and I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. The happiness I was experiencing made the air around me seem lovely. After several hours, when everything was almost ready, I got dressed, arranged the food on the dining table, lit the candles, placed the flowers and chocolates in the middle, and then sat down to wait for my mate's arrival.

Five minutes until 11 PM, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching, and my heart began to beat faster as I watched the doorknob turn, the handle turning slowly until I heard the click. I sprinted across the hall, giddy with joy at being able to break the wonderful news to him at last. It was him, standing in the darkened hallway. His gorgeous appearance hadn't changed. Even after a year, watching him still made my heart jump a little bit. He set down his briefcase and held a few folders in his hands while loosening his grey tie. I smiled as his tired-looking honey brown eyes met mine.

"Ethan!" I dashed towards him and put my arms around his neck. He grabbed me with one arm, but he didn't seem excited. I placed a soft kiss on the side of his face. His scent was so calming and familiar, mixed with the faint smell of alcohol, wood smoke, and coffee. He pulled away and stared deeply into my eyes. His honey brown irises seemed to burn holes through my skull, and his facial features softened. I noticed he looked tired and worn, and I felt guilty for not noticing. It seemed like he had a very difficult day, but I didn't mind because I knew how demanding his job had been lately. He put me back on the ground and looked down at me with a raised eyebrow. In his rough, deep voice, he asked me, "What are you still doing awake at this hour?"

"I stayed up for you. I wanted us to have dinner together," I said as I helped him out of his jacket and brushed off a speck of dust from his white shirt, which was no longer as clean as it had been that morning. "There's something I wanted to tell you," I added.

He startled me by stating, "I've already eaten," and walked into the living room. "Well, I have something to share with you."

"Alright, you go first," I said as he relaxed onto the couch, spreading out his long legs and leaning his arm across the backrest.

I took a seat next to him, hoping he might talk about something related to the meeting or work. I knew a lot about these things and always provided my input on his ideas.

Something felt off, though. When he looked into my eyes, there was an iciness in his stare. I flinched as I heard the sharp snap of the file hitting the table when Ethan glanced down at it in his hands.

"Check it out!"

With discomfort, I opened the blank file and saw the highlighted red words. My blood froze cold at the print at the very top of the first page.

"DIVORCE CONTRACT," I gasped, skimming the page.

The sensation worsened. This was a divorce decree with our signatures... Looking up at him, my whole body shook, pained and bewildered.

"W-why?" I stared at the man I loved with all my heart, managing to choke out. The pain and sadness I felt were excruciating. "Why?!"

His lips curled into a slight smirk. I stood up and started pacing the room. I couldn't believe it.

"Do you still have feelings for me?" I asked as I spun around to face him. "What went wrong between us?" A tear fell down my face

. My emotions overwhelmed me... I felt like crying. Why? Why did this happen to us? What did I do to deserve such horrible luck? I could barely think. All I could feel and all I could taste was bitterness. I felt like a broken toy.

"Natalia is back, and she's joined the Gravefur pack."

I gave him a brief look. It was hard for me to breathe. I had a lot to process, and I wasn't sure if I would be able to function properly for a while.

"But I'm your mate," I mumbled. How could he still care about Natalia? She was his past, and we had been married for a year.

"We made the mistake of getting married in the first place. My father insisted I marry my mate back then, but I no longer wish to be constrained by the Goddess's will. The idea of fated mates seems pointless to me," he said coldly, his gaze piercing my soul.

"Then why?" I asked again, tears beginning to flow once more. "Is our marriage nothing to you?" I asked shakily, my body trembling, my chest tightening. I glanced at his face, trying to discern what he was thinking, but his feelings remained hidden behind walls, avoiding the mate bond.

He stood up, towering above me. "My mother is not my father's mate, yet she gave birth to me. She gave him an imposing Alpha son, and despite finding his mate, he stayed by her side, rejecting his mate. I'll never understand his desire for me to be with my intended mate when he is proof you do not need one."

His words were more painful than being stabbed multiple times, and tears brimmed in my eyes as the pain of my wolf consumed me. Was he truly certain that was the truth? Natalia was my cousin, and while she and Ethan had dated, I knew her true self, the one she masked behind her beautiful smile and almond eyes.