2

I screamed in grief and anger, hoping he would believe me this time. But he didn't. The look in his eyes was calm and indifferent, unlike anything I had ever seen before. “We’ll have more children. You’re not in a good state of mind right now, so get some rest first. We’ll talk about the rest later.” After saying that, he helped Cheryl out. Watching his distant figure, I couldn’t hold back my tears any longer and covered my face and cried. He didn’t know that we would never have children again… Cheryl had grown up with him since childhood, and had always enjoyed his endless trust and affection—something I could never match. But what she did to me, I will never forgive! Thinking of my innocent child who had died, I took a deep breath, forced myself to stand up from the ground, and planned to sneak into Cheryl’s office to look for clues. But as I approached the door, I discovered that Alpha Howar and Cheryl were inside. Through the slightly open door, I unexpectedly overheard their conversation. “I need to wash my hands thoroughly when I get home. The thought of her being toyed with by those lowly Rogues makes me feel so disgusted. I can’t believe dear you had the courage to touch her.” Alpha Howar suddenly made a disapproving sound, as if expressing dissatisfaction. “Cheryl, don't be so harsh. If you hadn't taken a fancy to her fiance, secretly drugged her and asked me to find someone to throw her into the Rogue group, how could this have happened later? “ “So you're defending her?” Cheryl mocked. Alpha Howar lowered his voice, “I'm just stating the facts.” “If you're just stating the facts, then you won't really have another child with her, will you?” Facing Cheryl’s question, Alpha Howard answered almost without hesitation: “Of course not. You know I’m just sympathizing with her situation. Originally, throwing her into the Rogue group was just meant to scare her, ruin her reputation, and let you marry Beta Lewis as you desired. But I never expected those Rogues would actually harm her. “Ultimately, this was my negligence, so compensating her afterward was something I should have done. But having her give birth to my child? Given her status, she's far from worthy of that.” Cheryl’s face lit up instantly. “Howar, I knew you were just playing with her. By the way, the aborted fetus is still here with me. Do you want to take a look?” “It’s just a pile of rotten flesh. What’s there to look at? Get rid of it quickly. Don’t you find it unlucky?” Alpha Howar’s final words sent me plummeting into an endless abyss, wishing I could die along with the child. I couldn’t make out what the two of them were saying inside anymore. My mind was in a daze. When I came to my senses, I realized I had somehow ended up in the bathroom, vomiting uncontrollably over the toilet in a stall. I wanted so badly to rush out and expose their hypocrisy in front of everyone at the hospital. But my strength was too weak, and Howar was the respected Alpha of this pack. Without concrete evidence, no one would believe the words of a victim like me. Actually, Cheryl was right about one thing: I was naive and foolish to truly believe that Alpha Howar would become my partner. Over the past few months, I had been completely immersed in his care for me, completely neglecting the fact that his so-called promises were just idle talk. Otherwise, he wouldn't have kept me at home all day, rarely letting me go out. At the time, I genuinely believed he was worried about me encountering danger. Now that I think about it, he clearly didn't want others to discover that such an immoral woman like me was with him. Thinking about what he did to me sends chills down my spine, yet at the same time, an uncontrollable rage burns within me, nearly consuming me entirely. But I won’t attempt suicide like before. I will live on, for myself and for that lost little baby, and make everyone who harmed us pay a terrible price! With that thought, I took a deep breath, sent a message on my phone, then leaned against the wall and slowly stood up to leave. In the bathroom mirror, my face was pale as a ghost. I stared at it blankly, then, as if possessed, lifted the hospital gown off my body. Looking at my flat abdomen, I couldn’t quite describe the feeling. Though filled with grief and anger, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. Relieved that this child was gone, for if I had given birth to him and later discovered the truth, how could I face him? From the moment I attempted suicide and was saved by Alpha Howar, I had regarded him as the only light in my life. Yet it was precisely he who extinguished that light. From now on, there is only endless hatred between us. I took a deep breath and plunged into the cold sink. I had intended to calm myself down, but the next moment, a hand suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me up forcefully. “Zelda, what are you doing!” A voice filled with suppressed anger rang in my ears, sending a shiver down my spine. Through the mirror, I saw a familiar face I hadn't seen in ages, as handsome and refined as when we first met. Beta Lewis. If it weren't for what happened, we should have been the happiest couple in this pack. But because of Alpha Howar and Cheryl, all my beautiful fantasies have vanished. I stared at him, suddenly feeling like crying. But I forced myself to hold back, biting my lip as I pulled my arm free from his grip and turned to leave. “This is the women's restroom; you shouldn't be here.” Beta Lewis seemed to realize how abrupt he had been and hurried after me. “I saw you walk in here looking dazed in the hallway. I waited a long time but didn’t see you come out, so I couldn’t help but come in. Zelda, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” I paused, wanting to tell him about the cruel things I had experienced here. But then I thought, his current partner is Cheryl, and he works under Alpha Howar. What good would it do to tell him? If he truly loved me, he wouldn’t have abandoned me and chosen to be with Cheryl instead. Thinking of this, I couldn't help but laugh bitterly at myself. He and Alpha Howar were both unworthy men. “Nothing's wrong. I just had a minor surgery.” I replied casually and turned to go back to the ward. But as I turned my head, I saw Alpha Howar and Cheryl standing in the corridor, having arrived at some point. Alpha Howar glared at me, clearly angry. Cheryl, however, raised her eyebrows with a smile, like a venomous snake coiling before me, her eyes fixed on my face, ready to strike at any moment. “What minor surgery, Zelda? Why didn’t you tell Lewis the truth—that you actually came to the hospital for an abortion?”