Chapter 2

Damian was gone the entire night. As I lay awake, I could hear Cynthia and him chatting and laughing through the thin wooden walls. In the room next to theirs, for the first time in three months, I felt the faint movement of my pup.

That night, I resolved to leave the Bradley Pack.

The first couple of years were tolerable, but after I gave birth to our second daughter and with Evander’s death, Luna Lorelei began favoring the first family more and more. Even my mate seemed to grow increasingly distant. Alone in this rural Irish pack, without any support from my birth pack, I was subjected to constant mistreatment.

They had pushed us to the brink this time, nearly driving my daughters and me to despair.

The next morning, I woke up early, strapped Makayla to my back, and headed out. Braving the heavy snow, I walked for half an hour until I finally reached Alicia Andrews’ house, the Beta of the women’s guild.

As soon as I entered, I fell to my knees, pleading with her and recounting all that had happened at the packhouse. Initially, Alicia was upset by the tales of favoring sons over daughters. But upon hearing about Alpha Damian’s affair with Cynthia, a Delta from the Robinson Pack, she was utterly stunned.

“The Bradleys, really, they’re something else. Willow, you’ve suffered enough. Don’t worry; the guild won’t stand by idly,” Alicia assured me, holding my hand tightly. She immediately helped me draft a mate rejection, as I had requested.

As I left, she repeatedly urged me, “Willow, if Alpha Damian refuses to let you go, come to me. I’ll make sure you get justice.”

Grateful for her support, I carried Makayla back to the packhouse before noon.

As soon as I entered, Luna Lorelei’s voice rang out, “Lazy Omega, where have you been since early morning, trying to starve us?”

My mate emerged from Cynthia’s room, casting a disapproving glance my way.

“Willow, this is unacceptable today. Cynthia is pregnant, so it’s understandable she’s more prone to hunger. How could you be gone so long?”

I made an excuse, saying, “Alpha Damian, I just went to Alpha Braylen Kennedy’s place. There was a document from the Lycan Kingdom that needed our signatures and thumbprints.”

I nervously took out the mate rejection, my eyes fixated on Alpha Damian’s hand as he signed. When he finally finished, relief washed over me. Thankfully, he couldn’t read, and I had been the one who taught him to write his own name.

Seeing I had indeed gone for a valid reason, his demeanor softened, and he gently squeezed my hand.

At that moment, Cynthia came from the kitchen, annoyed from having cooked all morning. Seeing this, her expression darkened immediately.

I caught a glimpse of her face out of the corner of my eye, and though I hesitated, I let Alpha Damian hold my hand and spoke just loud enough for Cynthia to hear, “Alpha Damian, please, not like this.”

Mina, who had been waiting for me all morning, ran out as soon as she saw me return.

“Dad, Mom!”

Cynthia’s face turned pale with anger.

Even pregnant, she could never have the right to call Alpha Damian “Dad” for her pup. She was still burdened by the label of the first family’s widow.

Thinking of these troubles ahead made her feel even more uneasy, and she started to act as if a severe headache had overcome her, murmuring, “Alpha Damian, Alpha Damian.”

Seeing Cynthia leaning against the doorframe, Luna Lorelei called out sharply to Alpha Damian, “Alpha Damian, don’t just stand there, can’t you see your sister-in-law is uncomfortable?”

At her words, he abruptly let go of me and rushed to Cynthia’s side.

Even Mina’s attempts to grab his hand couldn’t sway his concern for her.

I quickly steadied Mina, who nearly toppled over, and carefully hid the mate rejection against my chest.

For the next couple of weeks, I pretended to ignore Alpha Damian and Cynthia’s antics, as if I’d accepted my fate, just to lower his guard.

Finally, when the time came to prepare for the Moon Goddess’s Blessing Feast, I hitched a ride on a pack tractor to the pack hall to finalize the rejection.

Everything had gone smoothly until I returned to the packhouse and saw Cynthia’s family. My heart sank—what were they doing here?