Chapter 3

Cold water splashed on my face before I could barely suppress my churning emotions.

I'd just reached the staircase when I ran into Lira.

"Elara," she looked at me smugly, "you saw everything just now, didn't you?"

I tried to turn and leave, but she grabbed my arm.

"I got a good thing last night. I want to show you."

She held up a wolf fang pendant in front of me.

That wolf fang pendant was Blackrock Pack's heirloom, traditionally passed only to the Luna.

Kael had said this pendant would be placed around my neck by his own hands on our wedding day.

It was his promise to me.

I stared at the pendant, my heart aching in waves.

"Look familiar?" Lira spun the pendant between her fingers.

"Kael put it on me himself. He said this wolf fang should have belonged to his future Luna, but this child and I need protection more than any Luna."

She leaned close to my ear and whispered:

"I'll tell you another secret—this child isn't from any artificial insemination."

"Kael has slept with me many times. The first time, he was so nervous his whole body was shaking."

"Elara, don't you mind that you're with a man who's slept with me?"

In the past, with my temper, I would have slapped her across the face.

But these five years with Kael had smoothed too many of my rough edges, dimmed too much of the sharpness that belonged to the heir of Whitepeak Pack.

Instead of getting angry, I smiled and looked into her eyes:

"You two sleeping around behind Rurik's back—if he knew, he'd probably strangle you both, you filthy pair!"

"That child in your belly is even more unfortunate. Should it call Kael 'daddy' or 'uncle' in the future?"

"Elara, you—!"

Lira trembled with rage.

"You two are perfect for each other, both disgusting!"

Unable to out-argue me, she grabbed a nearby vase and smashed it toward my head.

The vase flew past my scalp and shattered against the stone wall with a crash.

Hearing the commotion, Kael rushed in immediately.

Thinking I'd made the first move, he lunged forward and grabbed my throat.

His eyes churned with towering fury, as if he wanted to kill me on the spot.

"I'm the one who postponed the wedding. I'm the one who decided to keep this child. Why do you keep targeting Lira?"

"She's pregnant—can't you give her a break? I've told you so many times that nothing happened between us!"

Just then, Lira called out tearfully:

"Kael, glass shards cut my leg—it's bleeding..."

Kael immediately released his grip on my throat and rushed to her side.

"Don't be afraid. I'll take you to the doctor right now."

With that, he carried Lira away without looking back, leaving me standing there.

Blood was flowing from the wound on my arm, but from beginning to end, he never saw it.

Enduring the pain, I called a car and went to Whitepeak Pack's hospital alone.

I'd just finished treating my wound when I ran into Kael carrying Lira as they rushed to the emergency room.

Seeing me, his face instantly filled with annoyance: "Are you following us?"

"Elara, how many times have I told you—Lira is my sister-in-law. There's nothing between us. If you keep being unreasonable like this, our engagement is completely over!"

I said coldly: "I'm not so idle as to follow you two, much less bother her."

Only then did Kael finally notice the thick bandage on my arm, still seeping blood.

A flash of guilt crossed his face. He stepped forward, wanting to touch my arm, and opened his mouth to explain:

"Elara, Lira is pregnant. I was just anxious to take care of her. I was too impulsive earlier. Let me register you for an appointment."

I looked at Kael's anxious face and scoffed.

This world was truly ironic.

If Rurik knew that the brother he'd died to save not only slept with his woman but also got her pregnant, he probably couldn't rest in peace even in death.

The next second, Lira's tearful voice came from the examination room:

"Kael, I'm scared. Can you come in and stay with me?"

Kael immediately withdrew his outstretched hand and turned to me:

"Elara, handle it yourself first. Lira is timid—I need to go in with her."

With that, he turned and rushed into the examination room without another glance at me.

I had to completely cut ties with a man like this, the sooner the better.