Tempted by the Beta

Scheming Woman

A heavy sigh escaped the elder's lips, but he respected my wish and did the paperwork. "The verification will take two days. Once that is done, you will no longer be part of the pack. Your details will be deleted from the database. You have three days to leave the pack."

I nodded in silence and bought a flight ticket that was scheduled for three days later.

When I came back to the territory, I saw Zacharias standing at the villa's entrance looking all nervous. He noticed me and strode up to me. "Where were you, Lucilla? You didn't tell me you were going somewhere. I was worried sick when I couldn't find you."

He checked me closely and breathed a sigh of relief. I was fine, it seemed. Then I checked the time. That process at the City Hall took three whole hours, yet he only realized I was gone not too long ago. He must've only finished his affair with Yvonne.

"The villa's stuffy, so I wanted to get some fresh air in the woods," I lied naturally. Yes, I could do that to Zacharias now.

Zacharias held me tightly. When he spoke, his voice was trembling. "You could've asked for me. Don't go alone. The woods are dangerous. There are Rogues there. You could've gotten hurt."

His fresh scent assailed me, but then I noticed something else. A scent belonging to fruits. It was sickly sweet, and it made me retch. I pushed him away. Nervously, he patted my back.

"What's wrong? Did you eat some of the woods' fruits?"

I turned my head away so I wouldn't taste that sickly sweet stench again. Only then did I manage to keep my bile down. "No, my walk just took a bit too much out of me. I need some rest," I explained. Still, something was making me uneasy.

"I'll stay with you!" He took me to the bedroom, but a moment later, Yvonne knocked on the door again.

"Alpha, something's wrong with the territory's expense account. I might need your help for this." She did not show any hint that said she was sorry. Her eyes were filled with a challenge.

Zacharias stopped in his steps. He was conflicted, unsure of what he should do. Like the understanding fiancee I was, I pushed him outside. "Work's important. I can rest up by myself."

Yvonne took Zacharias away. She held her head up high, strutting like she'd won something. Her provocation did nothing to me. Something more pressing was waiting for me.

…

The healer gave me the report. I was three weeks pregnant. The news stunned me. Just when I'd decided to leave Zacharias, I was pregnant with his pup.

"The baby's healthy, and so are you. Congratulations, you're going to be a mother!"

I took the ultrasound report with trembling hands. My mind was reeling. I tucked the report in my pocket. 'I should talk with him,' I thought.

For our children, I would give him one last chance.

However, the moment I came out of the consultation room, I saw Zacharias holding Yvonne as they carefully entered the room next door.

These rooms were exclusively for expecting mothers.

Yvonne noticed me, and her gaze lingered on me for a moment.

…

I had no idea how I even walked out of the healing chamber. My legs took me right up to the borders of the pack's land, and I stopped right beside the woods, my mind still in a state of confusion.

My wavering heart steeled itself again. I would leave the pack, along with my unborn child. Then I turned around, and Yvonne was in my way.

"You guessed it, didn't you? I'm pregnant. It's Zacharias'." Yvonne caressed her belly. There was no mistaking the challenge in her eyes.

"He was delighted when he found out. Insisted on a full-body checkup. He promised me the spot of Luna, since my pup will be the next Alpha."

Yvonne's bragging tore my heart into tiny little pieces. The promises he used to give me. Now he was giving them away to someone else freely.

The only thing I had left was an illusion of love.

Yvonne suddenly darted closer. She whispered in my ear, "I'll need you to disappear. My child doesn't need you around."

She stuffed a dagger into my hand and slammed her arm into its edge.

"Don't hurt me, Lucilla!"