The Alpha Who Staged My Assault

I initially refused the ritual to reconnect with my inner wolf. Even though Ishaan, the pack healer, strongly recommended it, the risks of memory loss or even amnesia made me reject the idea without a second thought.

Yet now, I find myself wishing for nothing more than to forget everything.

I tucked the mate bond certificate back into the drawer, only to notice the pregnancy test report folded beside it. The paper looked worn from being unfolded too often. As I stared at the words "12 weeks pregnant" and connected it with what I'd heard, laughter spilled from me involuntarily.

Arlo, the Alpha of the Red Moon Pack, always promised he'd wait until I was ready to try again; he said he could be patient. As it turns out, he wasn’t patient—he simply found someone else. It was never about me overcoming my fears; it was about him overcoming his own.

When Arlo walked in, I had already returned the report to its place. He wrapped me tightly in his arms. "Sleep, don’t be afraid. I’m here with you."

With a whirlwind of emotions churning inside me, I mumbled a response and shut my eyes.

A few minutes later, he gave me a gentle nudge. As I remained still, he slipped out of bed quietly, and I heard the soft click of the closing door.

I bit my lip hard and followed him quietly.

Leyla’s door was left ajar.

Arlo was carefully applying pregnancy cream on Leyla’s belly, his eyes brimming with tenderness.

"Earlier, your father-in-law mentioned that once the baby is born, all shares will be transferred to the baby’s name, so you don’t have to worry about them going to an illegitimate child," Leyla said excitedly.

"That’s wonderful!"

Arlo’s expression softened with empathy. "It’s just unfair to you. You’ve helped us so much."

"I’m sorry. If I hadn’t hired those rogues to torment Serena so cruelly, your child wouldn’t have been lost, and Serena wouldn’t have lost her ability to conceive. This is the debt I owe you," Leyla sobbed.

Arlo gently wiped the tears from her face. "It’s not your fault. It was my decision, and besides, that child came at the wrong time."

My fingertips dug fiercely into my palms, heartache threatening to suffocate me.

Arlo, was my child and I merely a hurdle in your quest for the Brown legacy? How could I have loved someone so heartless for over a decade?

Leyla suddenly lifted her head and met my gaze. I expected panic from her—we had been as close as sisters for over a decade. Instead, she raised an eyebrow smugly, turning to Arlo.

"Alpha," she said, her voice dripping with sweetness, "I know the one you love is Serena, but you don’t realize that the one I love is you. In the months remaining, I hope you’ll be mine."

The two bodies on the bed swiftly entwined, bare of any clothing.

I returned to the bedroom with a heavy heart, unable to hold back my tears any longer. I cried until the faint morning light crept in.

It wasn’t until then that Arlo returned. As he wrapped me in his embrace, I pretended to awaken.

He held me with a seemingly profound affection, his hand gripping my shoulder tightly. "Honey, I love you."

I suppressed the burning rage inside me.

He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "I’m off to work. Don’t forget, tonight is my mother’s birthday party. She specifically asked me to invite you."

My heart felt numb and void of life.

I couldn’t fathom why he treated me this way.

He was right—if I had known he’d choose to mate with someone else, I would have ended things!

But even now, I have the choice to leave him.

Throughout the day, I quietly packed my belongings and scheduled an appointment with Ishaan for the ritual.