"Why should you pretend you don't know?" I sneered at Marceline Hart, my voice low and dangerous. As an Omega, she should have been trembling under the weight of my Alpha aura, but her arrogance only seemed to grow. "Kolton owes me, and if he doesn't want his secret out, he better pay for my silence."
Marceline hadn't expected me to breach this forbidden topic, and she was briefly taken aback before letting out a dismissive laugh. "Oh, so you've found out, have you? Well, since you're in the loop now, there's no point in playing coy."
She leaned closer, her voice dripping with malice. "Kolton adores me, you know. I'm not ashamed to admit I spent my wedding night with Jayceon beside him."
"Disgusting!" I spat, my wolf snarling in the back of my mind. The thought of their betrayal made my stomach churn.
My fury only seemed to delight Marceline further, and she went on to spill more details about her illicit relationship with Kolton Ferguson. "Jayceon was passed out drunk, so I was done with waiting around. His mom, Liliana, called Kolton over to help, and right there next to Jayceon, Kolton and I hooked up..."
No wonder Kolton was so adamant about breaking the mate bond to give Marceline and her unborn pup a home. He'd been involved with her all along, probably thinking he was Marceline’s one and only. His dedication ran so deep that even when I told him Marceline was also mixed up with Benicio Rice, a Delta, and some shady characters, he didn't believe me.
I hoped that in this lifetime, he could realize his dreams and be eternally tied to Marceline.
As these thoughts flitted through my mind, Marceline's gaze zeroed in on my belly. "Alaina Harvey, since everything's out in the open now, stop fantasizing about getting back with Kolton and get rid of the pup," she ordered, her tone sharp and commanding.
"And why would I do that?" I locked eyes coldly with Marceline, my Alpha aura flaring. "Kolton said he would remate me. Why would I terminate the pregnancy?"
"So you're still holding onto that fantasy of having the pup?" Marceline laughed scornfully. "Listen, Alaina, Kolton has already told me he won't let your pup be born. In three days, he'll make sure your pup never sees the light of day."
I believed Marceline's threat, recalling how Kolton had shown no mercy to me or my unborn pup before. If he planned to repeat his ruthless behavior, I wouldn't back down either. Old scores and grievances needed settling, and I'd repay them with interest.
Kolton came home with a whole chicken and brought his mother, Liliana Vargas, the pack's Gamma. While he prepped the roast in the kitchen, Liliana waltzed into my room, casting a sideways glance with her beady eyes.
"I’m not well and need to go to the city for treatment—give me five hundred dollars right now," she demanded, her voice sharp.
Ever since I mated with Kolton, Liliana Vargas never showed me any kindness. She felt I was too plain and unworthy of her son. No amount of money I gave her or meals I treated her to changed that; she always saw me as an inconvenience.
Liliana adored Marceline, who buttered her up without handing over a single cent or lifting a finger for chores. Marceline had a way with words, calling Liliana 'Mom' in a sugary tone and massaging her shoulders, and Liliana would bask in pride, singing praises of Marceline's supposed filial devotion.
Liliana still thought she could bully me, that I'd be the same naïve Alaina Harvey who allowed herself to be exploited.
I replied icily, "Mrs. Vargas, ask your son Kolton for money, or your daughter-in-law Marceline. Now that Kolton and I are no longer mates, your demands have nothing to do with me. I owe you nothing!"
Her eyes narrowed, but she said nothing, turning on her heel and storming out of the room. My wolf growled softly, a reminder of the strength I now carried. This time, I wouldn’t let them break me.
