Ten years into my secret crush on Alpha Ambrose Byrd, he finally agreed to be my mate.

That very night, I mustered all my courage and went down on him.

But he told me he was allergic to female fluids, and even the slightest contact would make it hard for him to breathe.

For his sake, I buried my own cravings and never touched him again.

On our third wedding anniversary, I went to the hospital to inquire about IVF.

There, I saw Ambrose holding Angelica Dunn, the newest member of our pack, as he accompanied her to a prenatal check-up.

Later, he begged me for a fake divorce so her child could have a legal father's name on its birth certificate.

I refused outright and demanded he end things with her for good.

I thought that would be the end of it.

But the day before I went into labor, he ordered someone to stitch my belly and private parts shut.

I crouched on the floor, begging him through the searing pain, but he only watched me with icy detachment.

"It's all your fault. If it weren't for you, Angie wouldn't have killed herself and our baby!"

My baby suffocated inside me. Soon after, I died on a hospital bed.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day Ambrose begged me for that fake divorce.

He stood before me, urging me to "see the bigger picture."

Smiling, I nodded.

Little did he know, my transfer request to the Forbidden Forest had already been approved the day before.

***

"Alpha Bryd, there's a mandatory one-month waiting period before the divorce can be finalized."

Before I could even respond, Ambrose had already handed the signed application over.

"Skip that. We don't need to wait."

Even though it wasn't the first time I'd been through all this, my heart still ached.

Seeing my expression, Ambrose explained in a hurry, "Darling, relax.

"It's just a divorce in name only.

"As soon as Angie's baby is born and registered, we'll remarry."

To reassure me, he pulled me into his embrace and ruffled my hair as usual.

I scoffed, my hand drifting to my slightly bulging abdomen.

"Sorry, baby," I whispered inwardly. "I'll see you again in our next life."

After we got into the car, Ambrose instinctively reached for my hand.

My gaze, however, was drawn to the dozen used condoms on the passenger seat.

Noticing my sullen expression, Ambrose immediately apologized, "Honey, I'm sorry. But you know about my allergy. That night I had too much to drink ... and I mistook Angie for you. That's the only reason she's carrying my child. It's nothing but an accident.

"I lent the car to Wilbur last week. He must have hooked up with his latest fling and left this mess behind. Hon, we've been together for over a decade. Don't I deserve at least a little trust?"

I gave a curt nod. Now that I was about to leave, I couldn't even be bothered to expose his lies.

Disgusted, I slammed the passenger door shut and opened the rear door, only to see the back seat covered in stains from sex.

A pungent, fishy odor hit me, and I couldn't help but start to retch.

Ambrose frowned at my reaction.

"Since when did you become so delicate? They're just a few stains."

Then, he ordered the driver to rush to the hospital.

At a red light, his phone rang. His expression darkened the moment he answered.

"It's Angie. There's an emergency—I have to go to her now.

"Chelsea, go to the hospital by yourself."

With that, he pushed me out of the car. A sharp pain twisted through my abdomen, drenching me in cold sweat.

I didn't snap out of it until I received confirmation messages of my abortion appointment and flight ticket.

Then, I hailed a cab and went to the hospital alone.

Seeing that I was all by myself, the doctor seemed a bit surprised.

"Where's Alpha Byrd? He didn't come with you?

"You have congenital anemia. You need someone to look after you after the abortion."

I shook my head with a bitter smile.

"He's busy," I said.

Just then, the hushed voices of nurses discussing in the hallway drifted to my ears.

"Alpha Byrd dotes on his mate so much. It's just prenatal reactions, but he insisted on the top VIP suite and won't even let her feet touch the ground. He carried her straight to bed!"

"Gosh! How romantic!"

"And get this—he even bought out every advertising screen in the entire pack to celebrate their baby's arrival before it's even born!"

I pulled out my phone and happened to see the video of Ambrose commissioning 9,999 drones to express his love for Angelica.

Tears welled in my eyes as the cold anesthesia flowed into my vein.

Before surrendering to unconsciousness, my mind was adrift. Ambrose ... actually chose another woman over our own child.

We had thirteen years together. Every time I tried to be intimate, his body would break out in red hives, and his breathing would turn ragged.

For his sake, I made compromises time and again, accepting a sexless marriage and even going through IVF just to have a baby of our own.

Yet, on the very day I received the result, Angelica sent me a video to provoke me.

In the video, Ambrose was on top of her, and they tried every position imaginable.

He pushed in and out again and again and wouldn't stop, even as his body was red and swollen and he couldn't even breathe.

The memory was so painful it jolted me back to consciousness.

I faintly heard Ambrose's voice.

"I've talked to Chelsea about the baby's birth certificate.

"One thing, though. You and the baby can never appear in front of her."

Angelica cried, feigning grievances.

"You don't believe me, Ambi?

"All I want is for our baby not to be called a bastard. Otherwise, I'd never have asked you to go through with this fake divorce..."

Ambrose stroked her hair dotingly before kissing her lips.

Soon, ceaseless moans and whispered pleadings reached my ears.

I let out a self-mocking smile, my heart aching with a desperate pang.

In my past life, he had me and our baby killed for her sake. Remembering his cruelty, I gritted my teeth in great hatred.

The thirteen years I thought were built on love were nothing but an ironic joke.

After the abortion, I came home to pack.

I didn't have many belongings. One suitcase was enough.

As I walked out of the bedroom, I saw Ambrose on the sofa in the living room.

I put on my backpack and was about to leave, but he rose to his feet and grasped my wrist.

His voice was utterly icy. "Chelsea!"

He tightened his grip around my neck with great force, his eyes bloodshot.

"Tell me. What did you do to Angie's baby?"

I gaped at his face, soon finding it hard to breathe.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

A cold scoff touched his lips.

"Chelsea, I know you're upset about the divorce.

"But the baby is innocent. I warned Angie not to show up in front of you. How could you do this to a baby? You're so vicious!"

I stared at Ambrose in utter disbelief.

The force of his grip was crushing, and the sheer madness in his eyes convinced me he wouldn't hesitate to kill me right there. My vision began to blur, and I beat at his hands frantically.

Just as the darkness started to swallow me, his grip loosened a bit. A sliver of air rushed into my lungs, and I started to cough violently. "Enough, Ambrose! When would I have even seen her baby?"

My defiant tone made Ambrose pause.

He released me and said, looking confused, "But Angie told me..."

Just then, Angelica ran toward us.

Standing in front of me, she pleaded pitifully, "Luna Singleton, please... I don't want anything anymore. I'll leave with my baby.

"Please... Just let us go... My baby has never offended you..."

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she slumped to the ground, tugging at my trousers and bumping into me.

A sharp pain shot through my abdomen.

While she cried and shouted desperately, she knocked over my backpack.

My belongings spilled from the backpack and clattered across the floor.

I bent over hastily, only to see her stepping on my parents' Medal of Honor.

They gave their lives fighting rogues, and now, the very medal was right there, trampled by her.

All my sanity vanished at once.

I stormed over, slapped her face with all my might, and roared, "How dare you?!"

Covering her face, she cried even more pitifully.

"Luna Singleton, I didn't mean to.

"If you're upset about the divorce, hit me however you want. But please ... don't hurt my baby. OK? I'm begging you..."

I was utterly bewildered by her words.

Before I could react, Ambrose slapped me across the face hard.

"That's enough, Chelsea!"

His face had turned livid at some point.

"The clothes you gave Angie's baby gave him rashes. How dare you act so brazenly and claim you had nothing to do with it! Apologize to Angie! Now!"

I trembled in anger. Clutching the bent medal, I stubbornly met his gaze, my eyes bloodshot.

"I told you already. I knew nothing about this.

"Why won't you believe me? And you even let her taint what's left of my parents!"

The maid, who was standing aside, glared at me.

"Luna Singleton, you gave the clothes to Ms. Dunn's baby. Otherwise, he wouldn't have broken out in such a terrible rash.

"Ms. Dunn is so kind and good-hearted. She never wanted to compete with you for anything. After she got pregnant, she even tried to get an abortion—more than once—just to avoid upsetting you.

"But you? Luna Singleton, you're a woman, too. Ms. Dunn isn't a threat to you. Why did you give her a hard time again and again? And you even tried to murder her baby!"

Their slanders filled me with fury, and I trembled so violently, unable to utter a word.

Clutching the transfer order in my pocket, I picked up my backpack and turned to leave.

"Ambrose, I can't believe how stupid you are. From today on, I want nothing to do with you. We're done.

However, Angelica blocked my way, her arms spread wide.

"Wait.

"For all we know, you could have stolen from the Byrd family.

"I need to search your backpack."

Ignoring the smirk on her face, I turned around to look Ambrose in the eye.

"Ambrose, are you really going to humiliate me like this?"

His lips moved slightly, a trace of reluctance flashing in his eyes.

But eventually, he said nothing.

Noticing his tacit approval, Angelica let out a triumphant smile.

She snatched my backpack, yanked the zipper open, and poured everything onto the floor.

Then she deliberately stomped on my belongings.

She looked up, a faint sneer of satisfaction crossing her face.

Just then, Wilbur Swanson, the Beta, suddenly rushed in.

Seeing my things scattered across the floor and the look on my face, he couldn't help but plead urgently, "Alpha Byrd, this is too unfair to Luna Singleton!

"You can't do this to her!"

Finally, Ambrose parted his lips, but every word was a defense of Angelica.

"Shut up!

"It seems I've been far too lenient with you both.

"How dare you conspire to target Angie and my baby?"

Staring at him, I suddenly let out a scoff.

"Since you've made up your mind, fine. Do as you please.

"But since we're settling accounts, let's do it thoroughly."

Angelica snorted in disdain, "Yeah, as if you've ever done anything worth crediting."

Ignoring her, I continued, "Ten years ago on Mount Wraith, you suddenly developed high-altitude pulmonary edema and respiratory failure and were unconscious.

"I carried you on my back through a blizzard at minus forty degrees Celsius for twenty kilometers.

"I almost lost my legs and could only walk again after spending three months in the hospital.

"When you woke up, you held my hand and cried, swearing you'd love and cherish me for the rest of your life.

"Five years ago, we were trapped in a deep-sea emergency. In a state of extreme oxygen deprivation, I kept a clear head and found the spare oxygen tank. When we finally surfaced, you held me tight in your arms, calling me your savior and saying you owed me your life."

I recounted everything calmly.

As I spoke, Ambrose's face grew paler and paler.

"All of this combined has long surpassed anything you have ever given me," I concluded.

However, Angelica scoffed, "Give us a break.

"You're not that noble, Chelsea.

"Ambi gave you the chances. That's why you could carry out these missions.

"So what if your legs were frostbitten? Ambi led the team. Without him, you wouldn't even have been qualified to be there.

"You seriously believe you deserve all the credit?"

The sarcastic grin on her face was glaring.

"Every honor you have is inseparable from Ambi.

"Without him, Chelsea, you're nothing."

Ignoring her provocative words, I stared at Ambrose throughout the entire time.

He remained silent.

"Ambrose," I couldn't help but ask, "have you forgotten the promise you whispered against my ear when I lay severely injured and unconscious?"

After what felt like an eternity, he finally gritted out a single, harsh word. "Yes."

I had thought that, given this second chance at life, all my hope for Ambrose had long since died.

But the blade of his harsh word still plunged deep into my heart.

I took a deep, steadying breath, suppressing the tide of emotions threatening to overwhelm me, and slowly crouched down.

Ignoring their gazes, I began taking out my few personal belongings from the suitcase, item by item.

Unable to watch any longer, Wilbur strode forward and grabbed my arm.

"Luna Singleton, don't."

I gently but firmly brushed his hand away and placed the last of my things on the table.

"The rules are the rules."

After placing the keys to the car and the house on the table, I took off my jacket, folded it neatly, and laid it beside the keys.

All that was left on me was a thin inner shirt.

Angelica flashed out a grin, radiant with the sweet satisfaction of revenge.

Finally, Ambrose couldn't help but stop me.

"That's enough, Chelsea."

Clutching the bent medal, I looked at him calmly.

"You gave me everything, Ambrose.

"Today, I return it all to you.

"From now on, I owe you nothing.

"Our paths will never cross again."

With that, I put on my backpack, walked out, and hailed a cab to the airport.

As the plane ascended, charging through the layers of clouds, I blocked all of Ambrose's contact information.

Goodbye, Ambrose.

Goodbye, my wasted thirteen years of youth.