Chapter 2

"The divorce papers are on the table. The pen is right next to them."

Kael leaned back against the sofa, his voice dripping with blatant impatience.

The Omega named Lila slowly fixed her collar, her neck covered in flush-red hickeys.

She sat comfortably in the single armchair I usually sat in, giving me a sideways glance without saying a word, acting as if she were already the mistress of the house.

I walked over and picked up the agreement. Three pages of parchment, packed with words.

The borderland villa went to Kael. All shares of the trading post went to Kael. The savings in the pack account went to Kael. Even the five-year-old off-road pickup truck went to Kael.

I got absolutely nothing.

"I'm leaving empty-handed?"

Kael finally looked up at me, his tone carrying a patronizing generosity.

"I wrote a settlement fee in the contract. Three thousand dollars. It's not a small amount."

Three thousand.

I had been with this man for three years. One thousand dollars a year.

Lila put down her porcelain cup and spoke in a sweet, soft voice.

"Elara, three thousand dollars is enough for you to rent a decent single room near the market."

I stared at her. "When did you get back from Europe?"

"Yesterday," she tilted her head.

"Kael picked me up at the borderland airport. The flight was delayed for four hours, and he stood in the freezing wind for four hours just waiting for me."

Yesterday.

Yesterday, Kael told me he was going to a neighboring pack to negotiate an important mineral deal and had to stay overnight.

Lila stood up, naturally wrapping her arm around Kael's. "Kael told me you are very gentle. He said you wouldn't make things hard for me."

Kael didn't pull away.

In my inner pocket, the pregnancy report pressed against my ribs, sending a sharp ache through my chest.

I had run home, wanting to burst through the door and tell him, Kael, we're having a baby.

You don't have to beg those high-ranking pack managers anymore. You don't have to drink until your stomach bleeds just to get an order. You don't have to walk on eggshells around the main pack's Alphas.

I thought today would be the turning point of our lives.

"Where is the pen?"

Kael pointed to the coffee table.

I squatted down to grab it. From this angle, I could see Lila's hand resting gently on Kael's waist.

As I uncapped the pen, the pregnancy report almost slipped from my pocket. I quickly pressed it down.

"Sign on the last page. Put today's date," Kael's voice drifted down from above.

I signed my fake name: Elara Reed.

I put the pen down and stood up.

"The divorce agreement needs to be notarized by the Pack Council Elders to take effect."

"Tomorrow morning at nine. I'll wait for you at the entrance of the Council," Kael said. He pulled out his phone, unlocked it right in front of me,

And changed my contact name from "Mate" to "Elara Reed."

Then he slid his phone back into his pocket.

Lila leaned her head on his shoulder. "Kael, I want to eat your tomato beef stew."

"Sure, I'll make it right now."

Kael actually turned and walked into the kitchen.

For three years, he had never cooked a single meal for me.

I had asked him before if he knew how to cook. He said Alphas were born to fight for their careers, and that he would burn even a piece of toast.

But now, the way he tied the apron was smoother than the way he tied his neckties.

Lila shrugged at me. "Elara, don't just stand there. Pack your things and go. I'm having this place renovated tomorrow. I saw your old clothes—they're pretty ragged. Don't bother taking them. They're too rough to even use as cleaning rags."

I went to the bedroom, grabbed my ID, and packed a small cloth bag containing a few old things I had brought with me from my family—nothing related to Kael.

As I passed the kitchen on my way out, Kael was chopping tomatoes, the knife thudding against the cutting board. He didn't look up.

As I was changing into my boots at the door, Lila followed and leaned against the doorframe.

"Elara, I don't know if I should say this."

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