Chapter 4

As the pack gathering began, the eyes of the pack members pierced through me like knives.

Seeing me, the crowd erupted into a frenzy of insults, calling me a shameless gold-digger.

Nina put on a show of generosity.

"Everyone, please go easy on her. She's here to apologize today."

Under the watchful eyes of the entire pack, I curled my lips into a bitter smile.

"My name is Elaine Carter, and I am here to apologize."

"I apologize for not letting Nina, this shameless homewrecker, steal my boyfriend of seven years in silence. I apologize for not letting her drag my name through the mud while I kept my mouth shut."

"I apologize for not being a spineless coward and taking all of your abuse!"

James laughed, his anger reaching a boiling point.

"Elaine, don't you dare regret this!"

"Mark, cut off all funding for the Healer clinic immediately!"

My pupils dilated. Cutting off the funds now was a death sentence for my mother!

But James grabbed my wrist and stuffed me into his car without another word.

"To the Healer clinic! I'm going to make you watch exactly how your mother pays the price for your stubbornness!"

Inside the clinic, I sobbed and begged James to spare my mother.

Seeing my tears, a flash of hesitation crossed his eyes.

But he turned his head away.

"You hurt Nina deeply. You have to pay the price!"

His voice was cold and unyielding.

"Kneel down and beg Nina for forgiveness. When she forgives you, I’ll resume the payments. Otherwise, prepare to plan your mother's funeral!"

My entire body shivered, my teeth digging into my lip until it bled.

Under Nina’s mocking gaze, I bent my knees and crashed heavily onto the floor in front of her.

"I'm sorry. It was my fault."

I mindlessly slammed my forehead against the floor, begging like a dog stripped of all dignity.

Again, and again, until my forehead was bloody and bruised.

James’s expression softened slightly. He walked out of the room to take a phone call, leaving only Nina inside.

The moment he left, Nina’s face twisted into pure malice.

"You dared to compete with me for James? You deserve this!"

Before I could react, she rushed over to my mother’s bed and violently pulled out the oxygen tube and the IV lines!

"No!"

I struggled to crawl forward, but James’s bodyguards pinned me ruthlessly to the ground.

The heart monitor let out a long, flat beep. My mother’s face quickly turned purple.

Until the last spark of life faded, and her head slumped to the side.

My mother was dead.

I collapsed to the floor in utter despair, tears of blood nearly falling from my eyes.

Nina immediately messed up her own hair and ran out of the room, crying.

She ran straight into James, who was just walking back in.

She wept like a fragile flower.

"James... I just wanted to help adjust the blanket for her, but Elaine suddenly rushed over and shoved me. She said I don't deserve to be with you..."

James’s face darkened instantly.

"Elaine, is your pride really worth that much? You’d rather let your mother die than apologize?"

I let out a hysterical laugh.

"Die? My mother is dead! Nina murdered her!"

Nina immediately denied it, and James was convinced I was just lying to get out of trouble. He sneered.

"Using your own mother's death to lie? Since you refuse to apologize, don't regret what comes next."

He wrapped his arm around Nina and walked away.

Half an hour later, the Silver Creek Pack released an official statement:

[The mate status of Silver Creek Pack Alpha James Moore has long been public. His only recognized mate is Miss Nina Shaw.]

[As a human, Elaine Carter does not have the capacity to understand werewolf laws. Her statements are nothing but delusional rants. The Silver Creek Pack will not tolerate her lies.]

Along with the statement, a video was leaked. It showed a teenage girl standing in an office with an older man’s hand resting on her waist.

My mind went entirely numb.

In high school, I was the poorest student.

A male teacher knew I had no one to protect me and took advantage of me in his office.

I hadn't dared to say anything because no one would back me up.

I suffered from severe psychological trauma and tried to end my life multiple times during college.

It was James who saved me.

He had held me tight, whispering in my ear over and over again:

"Elaine, don't let those monsters ruin your life. It wasn't your fault."

"I will stay with you forever."

That was my darkest secret. I had only ever told James.

But now, he tore open my deepest scar and used my trauma to clear Nina’s name.

To think he would go this far for Nina.

In complete and utter despair, I let out a hollow laugh. I flicked a lighter and threw it onto the bed curtains.

Watching the flames quickly consume the room, I pushed open the window and jumped.

James, from this moment on, there is no "us" anymore.

Meanwhile, James was shopping with Nina when he saw thick black smoke rising in the distance.

An ominous feeling gripped his chest. He grabbed a mall employee, his voice tight.

"What's going on over there?"

"The Healer clinic is on fire. I heard someone trapped in the VIP ward burned to death!"