Chapter 2

I had no idea how I eventually drifted off. All night, my stomach felt as if it were being churned by a blender-a relentless, agonizing twisting. The sharp pain had only intensified since last night.

Was it because my child could feel his father's coldness? Was he staging a silent protest on my behalf?

Staring at the empty bedroom, the realization hit me-Brian never came back all night. So, he's been with Silvia the whole time?

The thought of what they might be doing made the tears start again. How could he just erase everything I've done? I remember the moment he lifted me from the pool of my father's blood-that was when I fell completely in love with him.

For the past three years, I had been entirely at his beck and call. I had managed the majority of the pack's administrative affairs-though I was just an Omega, I was sharp.

From overseeing the orphanage for young pups to mediating internal disputes, managing the pack's finances, and meticulously safeguarding our reputation-I had often worked well into the dead of night. Blackwood's rise to power wasn't solely due to Brian's brute strength; it was built on my labor.

I'd bet my life he would never acknowledge that, though.

It was already nine-thirty. I had to hurry with my morning routine-I needed to end this marriage as quickly as possible.

But when I finally reached the gates of the Council Hall, the sight stopped me cold. Brian was holding Silvia tightly in his arms, cradling her as if she were the most precious treasure in the world.

And just last night, that same chest had been mine to lean on.

It felt like all the air had been sucked out of my lungs-I couldn't breathe.

But what really stopped my heart was what he said next.

"Of course, Silvia, I've always loved you," Brian said, his voice softer than I'd ever heard before. "Even when I was making love to Ashley, it was your name I was whispering in my heart."

At that moment, it felt like my entire world collapsed.

The mark on my neck burned, like someone was holding a branding iron to my skin over and over again. The pain wasn't just physical-it came from somewhere deep in my soul, spreading like wildfire through my veins. My heart felt like it had been shot, shattering into a million jagged pieces that tore through my chest, slicing me apart from the inside.

My face went pale, and my legs could barely hold me up.

So this was the truth. Every heated night, every moment I thought we were close, every time I trembled in his arms and called out his name-he wasn't thinking of me. It was always Silvia.

I was just a replacement. A pathetic stand-in. I caught the flash of a triumphant smirk on Silvia's lips-was she truly ill?

A sharp unease swirled in my stomach, followed by a cramp that nearly doubled me over. No. I couldn't break down here. I couldn't let them see me weak, and I definitely couldn't reveal the secret of my pregnancy.

Clenching my teeth, I forced myself to stay upright, mustering every ounce of strength I had left. Then, calmly, I said to him, "Let's go get this done."

Brian's brow furrowed, his eyes scanning my face with a hint of suspicion. "Why do you look so deathly pale?"

The moment I opened my mouth to respond, Silvia erupted into a fit of coughing.

She spoke up, her voice soft. "Ashley, I know you're being forced into this." She leaned weakly against Brian's arm. "But I've already begged Brian... he's promised to let you keep the lifestyle of a Luna."

Then, her tears spilled over. "Ashley, please... promise me you won't blame Brian for being so cruel. He's only doing this because he's terrified of leaving me with regrets once I'm... once I'm gone."

So considerate.

Every word out of her mouth highlighted how much Brian cared for her, each one a sharp reminder of my place: the clingy wife who didn't want to let go.

Brian stood up, throwing a cold glance my way. "Let's go inside. Don't waste any more time."

He couldn't wait to get this over with, to leave me behind as fast as possible. Six months from now, would he really still entertain the idea of rekindling anything with me?

As I hesitated, Silvia chimed in again, her tone dripping with mock concern. "Ashley, it's not too late to change your mind-" Then she broke into another fit of violent coughing.

I cut her off immediately. "Hesitate? For a jerk who thinks about another woman while we're having sex?" I watched as Brian's face turned angry again.

"Shall we go, Alpha Brian?" I sneered. "Or do you want me to change my mind?"

Fuming, Brian shoved Silvia ahead toward the office.

I followed behind them.

Watching their figures side by side, I felt like an unwanted outsider-I could feel my eyes welling up again.

But I quickly pulled myself together. No point crying over someone who doesn't love you.

The hall was practically empty.

As soon as the staff saw Brian walk in, they scrambled to their feet, nervous. "Respected Alpha?"

"Processing a divorce," Brian ordered bluntly.

The staff froze for a second, their gaze bouncing between me and Silvia before finally landing on me.

"Luna..."

"Just do it," I said calmly, handing over my ID.

Not daring to ask further, the staff hesitated, then started typing away nervously.

The system's beeping filled the silent hall, grating against my ears.

A few minutes later, the staff suddenly stopped, their expression troubled.

"Alpha, according to the system... you and Luna Ashley are both registered as core pack members. Under Wolf Pack Law, Section 72, your divorce request requires a one-month cooling-off period."

Brian frowned hard.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, today you can only submit the application. After thirty days, if both sides still insist on divorce, then the mate bond can officially be dissolved."

Thirty days.

That meant I'd still have to wear the title of "Brian's wife" and watch him flaunt around with Silvia for a whole month.

"Is there no other way?" I couldn't help but ask, the words slipping out despite knowing the answer would be no.

The clerk wiped the cold sweat from his brow, his voice trembling. "I'm so sorry, Luna... these are the rules set by the Council. The system is locked; I don't have the authority to bypass the protocols."

"Ashley, you're so desperate to leave me?" Brian strode over, his towering figure casting a large shadow over me, radiating that typical Alpha pressure. "Are you throwing a tantrum now? I've explained this to you so many times-this is temporary. In six months, we'll remarry, and you'll still be Luna. Who are you putting on this 'desperate to escape' act for? Trying to make me feel guilty?"

He grit his teeth, each word practically pushed out from between them.

I found it laughable. He was the one who forced me to divorce, brought his old lover to humiliate me, and now, when I'm giving him what he wanted, he doesn't like it?

"Brian, you're way too full of yourself. Do you really think I'm some pet who comes and goes at your command? When you need me, I'm your Luna; when you don't, I'm just some placeholder you can discard?"

I stepped back, putting some space between us.

"There's no 'temporary.'" My voice echoed through the vast hall, sharp and firm. "Brian, the moment I sign, we're done. Forever."

Brian reached out, trying to grasp for my arm, but Silvia's frail voice cut through the air. "Brian... the wind is so cold. I feel a chill..."

I didn't stay to witness their intimacy. I turned and strode toward the exit of the Council Hall. I had to get to the hospital. I had to make sure my pup was okay.