(Olivia’s POV)

spanng="EN"Theodore didn’t hear my shouts. I watched helplessly as he carried ra into the house and mmed the door shut.

spanng="EN"My heart felt like it was being torn apart. I pounded on the door with my fists until my knuckles bled.

spanng="EN"“Theodore,e out and tell me the truth!” I roared, but my voice came out weak and broken.

spanng="EN"My consciousness began to blur as tears streamed down my cheeks. Had his selfless act of rescuing me from the depths of despair all been a lie?

spanng="EN"Had he never loved me? Was our mate bond nothing more than an borate conspiracy?

spanng="EN"Was he only after my mother’s fortune? The insurance policy burned in my mind like acid.

spanng="EN"Suddenly, the door was yanked open. Ophelia Thorne appeared, looking at me with contemptuous eyes.

spanng="EN"“What’s with all the noise in the middle of the night?” she snapped impatiently.

spanng="EN"I was in no mood to deal with her. “Get out of my way,” I said coldly.

spanng="EN"Ophelia blocked the entrance, retorting, “Get out of what way? This is my house; the manor is in my daughter’s name. What right do you have to enter?”

spanng="EN"She saw my pale face and the way I clutched my chest. A wicked smile spread across her lips.

spanng="EN"“You’re so sickly, no Alpha can stand being touched by you,” she taunted cruelly. “Our ra is helping you out, and instead of being grateful, youe here making trouble every day.”

spanng="EN"The sounds of ra’s moans and an Alpha’s heavy breathing drifted down from upstairs. Each sound pierced my ears like daggers.

spanng="EN"“You’re just like your useless mother,” Ophelia sneered. “Can’t even keep an Alpha, and you me others.”

spanng="EN"Ophelia’s voice grew more vicious. “What are you trying to get in for? They’re right in the middle of it, can’t you hear?”

spanng="EN"The words and sounds stabbed at my heart. This wasn’t a reason for his betrayal.

spanng="EN"I pped Ophelia hard across the face. “You’re not worthy of mentioning my mother,” I seethed.

spanng="EN"Ophelia clutched her reddened cheek and shrieked, “If it weren’t for her money, Silvanus would never have looked at her!”

spanng="EN"Her words hit me like physical blows. “If you want to talk about a homewrecker, she was the one who stole my mate!”

spanng="EN"“She knew Silvanus and I already had a pup, but she still threw herself at him,” Ophelia continued viciously.

spanng="EN"I gasped, “You’re lying! You deceived my mother…”

spanng="EN"I pped Ophelia again, but she pushed me hard in return. My heart felt like it stopped beating.

spanng="EN"My body fell backward uncontrobly. I couldn’t catch myself.

spanng="EN"I fell into a warm and strong embrace. It was Killian who caught me.

spanng="EN"Killian’s alpha power pressed against Ophelia, causing her to retreat in fear. “This has nothing to do with me! She fainted on her own!” she cried out.

spanng="EN"She mmed the door shut with a bang. Killian’s sharp eyes softened as he looked down at me.

spanng="EN"He lifted me urgently. “Olivia, hold on, I’m taking you to the infirmary!”

spanng="EN"As the sounds of intimacy faded behind us, I felt a sharp cramp in my lower abdomen. I ced a hand on Killian’s chest.

spanng="EN"“Killian, take me to a neutral territory healer,” I whispered weakly. “And contact Dr. Aris Lowell for me.”

spanng="EN"My voice was barely audible. “I’m pregnant, and no one else can know about this.”

spanng="EN"Stunned, Killian immediatelyplied. At the neutral territory’s medical facility, Dr. Aris Lowell confirmed the pup was safe.

spanng="EN"But she delivered a grim warning. “Olivia, your body is too weak. The pup will continue to drain your energy, even your life force.”

spanng="EN"“You just had heart surgery,” she continued gravely. “If you don’t rest, you might not survive the birth!”

spanng="EN"After the doctor left, I tried to get up. Killian stopped me gently but firmly.

spanng="EN"He finally lost his temper. “You’re this sick, and he abandoned you for that she–wolf! He’s not worth your devotion!”

spanng="EN"He saw my despair and told me gently, “You don’t love him anymore, you know that? You’re just used to loving him, afraid to face it, afraid of change.”

spanng="EN"He pulled me into a hug, his heart aching for me. “Olivia, don’t love him anymore.”

spanng="EN"Facing Killian’s worried gaze, I knew he had misunderstood me. But I didn’t want to exin.

spanng="EN"In four days, I would leave. I would leave behind Theodore and Killian both.

spanng="EN"To protect Killian from Theodore’s inevitable anger, I had to make things clear. “Killian, no matter what, this is between Theodore and me,” I said in an emotionless voice.

spanng="EN"“After things here are settled, I will leave to find Matthew. Let’s not meet again.”

spanng="EN"There was a heartbroken feeling in Killian’s eyes. But he only nodded silently.

spanng="EN"“Alright, I’ll take you back.”

spanng="EN"I slipped back into the manor unnoticed and went to Leo’s room. The new caregiver, Rhonda, greeted me nervously.

spanng="EN"I reassured the anxious she–wolf that her job was secure. “Please take good care of my son,” I asked gently.

spanng="EN"Grateful, Rhonda decided to reveal a dangerous secret. “Luna, my sister is a TV host. That Miss Evelyn you argued with today…”

spanng="EN"She hesitated, then continued, “She gave my sister a video of the Alpha and… she wants to expose it.”

spanng="EN"Rhonda exined that Evelyn’s goal was to destroy my mating. “She wants to humiliate you publicly.”

spanng="EN"“Luna, don’t worry, my sister promised not to air it,” Rhonda said hastily. She believed the video was fake.

spanng="EN"“Miss Evelyn is too vicious. If my sister refuses, she’ll just find someone else.”

spanng="EN"But I was past the point of pain. I looked at Rhonda calmly.

spanng="EN"“It doesn’t matter anymore. Tell your sister to agree to Evelyn’s request, but dy the broadcast until four days from now.”

spanng="EN"I thought of how Theodore had deceived everyone, even my own mother. He didn’t love me anymore.

spanng="EN"Fine. I would grant them their wish to be together.

spanng="EN"Just then, the door opened. A refreshed Theodore walked in.

spanng="EN"He wrapped his arms around my waist, his face alight with affection. He leaned in to touch his forehead to mine.

spanng="EN"The strong scent of perfume mixed with a decadent aura washed over me. I could smell ra all over him.

spanng="EN"I shoved him away with all my might. “Don’t touch me!”