This was the place where Ethan and I had once promised each other forever.
He said I was his one and only fated mate.
I just couldn’t understand it.
Just the day before, he had held me in his arms and told me he loved me.
How could Victoria possibly be pregnant?
He had tossed all our vows aside.
Was it really just for an heir?
Suddenly, I heard a faint whimper.
Inside a nearby abandoned cave, there was a pup.
He was skin and bones, incredibly weak.
One of his legs was injured, and he could barely stand.
I asked where his family was, but he only whimpered in response.
I realized he was mute.
I gently picked him up and cleaned and dressed his wound.
The mountains were so remote; I couldn’t get him to a hospital right away.
“Do you have no family either?”
The little pup didn’t struggle. He just nuzzled against me.
I looked at him, thinking this might be a sign from the Moon Goddess to keep me from being so lonely.
The next morning, before the sun was up, I was woken by frantic knocking on my door.
It was Margaret, Ethan’s mother.
Victoria was trailing behind her.
Margaret had always thought I wasn’t good enough for Ethan—just a mere wolf behavior researcher with no status.
I opened the door, and she glared at me with disdain.
“Why are you still here? Don’t you know there are a million things to do back at the house?! You’re lazy and can’t even produce a pup! What on earth does Ethan see in you?!”
My face hardened. I was done with her abuse.
“I’ve moved out. Didn’t Ethan tell you? Besides, Victoria is the mother of his child. Put her to work!”
“Victoria is pregnant! How can she possibly work?!” Margaret rolled her eyes at me.
Just as she finished speaking, Victoria, pretending to admire my cabin, deliberately kicked the pup’s injured leg.
The pup screamed in pain and sank its teeth into her.
“Ah! Let go!” Victoria cried out, tears welling in her eyes.
Ethan walked in at that exact moment. Seeing the scene, he immediately roared at me:
“Gritte, whose pup is this, and why is it attacking Victoria?!”
“I didn’t do anything,” I said, looking straight into Ethan’s eyes.
The shove was pure instinct. Anger on his face quickly melted into guilt.
“Gritte, I—”
