I stared at Harry as if he’d lost his mind. His hopeful expression only fueled my disbelief.
“What are you doing?” I asked, stepping back, away from the diamond ring he was holding out. My hand instinctively went to my stomach, shielding the secret I’d been carrying for weeks.
“I'm serious… please come with me,” he said.
“No,” I said firmly, although I could sense my wolf's hesitation in rejecting him.
Harry’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t give up. He stepped closer, closing the distance between us. “Elina…” But the moment shattered when the door burst open.
Carol stood there, her face twisted in rage. Her sharp eyes darted between Harry and me, and I knew exactly what she was thinking.
“Unbelievable!” she spat. “You’re cheating on David? On your wedding day?”
The accusation stung, not because it was true, but because it came from her.
Before I could respond, Carol turned on her heel and stormed out, no doubt heading straight to David. Panic surged through me. I couldn’t let her twist the truth any further.
“Carol!” I called out, breaking free of Harry’s grip. He grabbed my arm to stop me, but I pulled away.
My wolf growled inside me while I ran after Carol. By the time I reached the main hall, it was too late. She was already there, her voice carrying over the murmurs of the guests.
“She’s been cheating on David!” Carol announced, her finger pointing toward me as I entered the room. Gasps filled the air, and a wave of whispers rippled through the crowd.
“Elina?” My mother’s voice cut through the chaos. She stepped forward, her face pale and full of concern.
“What is going on?”
I opened my mouth to explain, but David’s voice silenced me.
“Is it true?” he asked, his tone cold and accusing. His eyes bore into mine, full of betrayal.
My wolf snarled inside me, furious at his hypocrisy. My pain turned to anger as I realized how little he truly cared.
“You really believe her?” I asked, my voice was low but steady.
The murmurs grew louder, the weight of everyone’s judgment pressing down on me.
“What an embarrassment from the Alpha's daughter…” murmurs from the allied pack.
David's dad stood in the middle and called for my father. “Mr. Hale, if this disrespect is true, I cannot let my pack allied with liars.”
“I assure you, this is a misunderstanding. My father pulled me away from them and slapped me in front of the public.
“Stop with this nonsense. Whatever you do, the alliance between our pack and David’s will happen. Stay still and be a good daughter. That's all you can do as a woman anyway,” my father told me.
The Alpha of the Redwolf pack was never happy to have me as his heir. They believe that she-wolves are always less than any male wolf in the pack. But he never had a son, only three daughters.
“I was being accused of something I didn't do,” I said but he never listened.
“Ms. Walter, if you have seen anything, can you tell us who the man was? Or at least point him out in the public and we can ask him directly.”
Carol looked scared when the Alpha of their pack was waiting for her answer. She glanced around but didn't see the guy earlier.
“I swear to my dead body, I saw her with another man. But he’s not here,” she said, her head down apologetically.
“Then there is no problem. Let's continue the pack union. What do you think, Mr. Walter?”
David's father nodded. He's clearly not happy with what had happened, but since the issue has no evidence, he can't reject my father or the union will fail and war will start.
My mother guided me back to my dressing room to fix my hair and makeup.
But I feel nauseous. I quickly went to the bathroom and vomited.
My mom followed me to the bathroom and asked, “Are you pregnant?”
I didn't answer. I couldn't be. My mother left to inform my father that I wasn't feeling well and needed a few minutes to calm down.
Through my blurry vision, I noticed something shining on the table.
It was Harry's ring.
After seeing it, I couldn’t stay here any longer and lie to myself.
If the Moon Goddess's answer is having a life inside my womb, then, I will follow her.
“I’ll leave,” I whispered, clutching Harry's ring tightly. “I’ll run, and hide in the human world just like Harry. I’ll raise my child far away from all of this.”
