Jaliyah and I both mated into the Martinez pack, and soon after, we were blessed with pups growing within us. I was mated to Francis Martinez, the pack’s skilled healer, while Jaliyah tied her bond with Quentin Martinez, a Delta warrior in our pack. Three years into our mate bonds, Idris, my father-in-law, was escorting me to a prenatal checkup when we were struck by a rogue-driven vehicle.

With Idris critically injured and me bleeding heavily, I frantically tried to mind-link Francis, but his childhood friend, Alena, intercepted the connection. "Francis is here with me; what do you need?" she replied, her voice dripping with false sweetness. Exhausted and terrified, I begged her to pass the connection to Francis. "Please, the accident was serious. Idris and I—I’m scared for the pup."

Francis’s voice crackled through the link, laced with irritation. "Alena cut her hand with a kitchen knife; I’m tending to her wound. Do you have to curse my father like this?" He severed the connection, and when I tried to reach him again, his mind-link was blocked.

Jaliyah arrived swiftly at the hospital and attempted to mind-link Quentin, but he scoffed, "Do you know the consequences of fabricating an accident? Enough of this; Alena is hungry, and I need to prepare her meal." Then he cut her off as well.

That day, overwhelmed with anger and grief, Jaliyah lost her pup. My child and father-in-law died on the operating table.

---

"The patient has suffered severe blood loss and multiple injuries," the healer said, removing his gloves with a grave expression. "If Healer Martinez were here, he might have been able to save them... Aren’t you his mate? Where is he?"

Dragging my weakened body, I joined Jaliyah beside the healer. Her eyes were red with tears as she held me close. We struggled to explain that the Martinez brothers were preoccupied with Alena’s minor cut, neglecting their father in a life-or-death situation.

Desperate, I pleaded with the healer, "Please, try to stabilize Idris. My mate will surely come."

Jaliyah kept attempting to mind-link Quentin, but all she got was silence. Suddenly, her phone beeped—a social media post from Alena: "It’s wonderful having you right by my side when needed," along with a picture of Francis gently tending to her injured finger, while Quentin offered her a spoonful of soup.

"That shameless rogue!" Jaliyah cursed through clenched teeth, trembling as she dialed Alena’s number, only to hear the steady tone of disconnection.

Furious, I grabbed the phone and said, "Let’s go find them!"

I knocked vigorously on their door, and Alena answered, feigning innocence. "Oh, Sofia, what brings you here?"

"Where’s my mate?" I pushed past her into the room. Francis was comforting Alena, and he looked at me impatiently. "Why are you here? I told you Alena was hurt and needs my care."

Ignoring his disregard, I pulled at his arm desperately. "Idris was in an accident! His condition is critical, and the healer says only you can save him—please come with me!"

He shook my hand off dismissively. "What accident? Don’t make up lies just to drag me back. Alena’s injury is serious, and you didn’t even ask about her when you came in."

"Francis, is this really the time for that? Your father is fighting for his life!" I couldn’t believe his indifference and felt my eyes welling up.

Alena spoke in a delicate, almost pitiful tone, "Francis, don’t be harsh on Sofia. I’m sure she’s just anxious for your company and blurted out those curses in panic…" Her fingers wrapped in bandages, she sat on the couch with teary eyes, appearing deeply wronged.

Quentin stood protectively beside Alena, glaring at Jaliyah angrily. "Sofia, how could you wish ill on Idris? He’s such a good man…"

Seeing this, Jaliyah couldn’t hold back. She lunged forward, aiming to silence Alena, "Shut up! Since when did you have a say in our pack matters?"

But Quentin caught her hand, spinning her around and delivering a stinging slap. "Enough of this! Alena was just being considerate, and you repay her like this?"

"Don’t you dare talk about Alena that way!"

Jaliyah reeled from the blow, holding her cheek in disbelief. I comforted her, fighting back tears, and turned to Francis in supplication. "Francis, I’m begging you—please, let’s go to the hospital. Idris is really close to the edge…"

Grasping his arm, desperation overwhelmed me. "Think of our years together, think of how Idris has tirelessly raised you—please, go and save him…" I was sobbing, feeling faint with grief.

The brothers exchanged glances, their expressions finally showing a flicker of doubt. Seeing them hesitate, a glimmer of hope surfaced, and I continued pleading. "Francis, Quentin, I’m begging you both. Time is running out for Idris…"

Just then, Alena softly interjected, "It’s all my fault. I’m too fragile and always need your care…" Her eyes brimmed with tears again, casting a helpless gaze.

Jaliyah, enraged, pointed at Alena shouting, "Alena, how dare you! Our father-in-law is in a grave condition!"

Quentin shielded Alena, glaring furiously at Jaliyah. "You speak against Alena once more, and I’ll shut that mouth of yours!"

"Francis…" I trembled with despair, looking at him hopelessly.

"Enough!" Francis impatiently cut me off, gently wiped Alena’s tears. "Alena, don’t cry. Your health shouldn’t suffer from agitation—it’s our fault you’ve been wronged…"

The persistent pain in my abdomen reminded me of my lost pup. Idris’s kind face flashed before me—how could such a good wolf be gone like this?

Unable to hold it in, I fell to my knees before Francis, but he remained unmoved.

"Don’t think I don’t see through your schemes!"

Quentin chimed in, "Yeah, stop talking nonsense. Our father is just fine at home—why would he get hit by a car?"

Jaliyah, overwhelmed with grief and fury, slapped Quentin, "You ungrateful wretches! Idris did so much for you!"

Quentin’s fury erupted, and he raised a hand to strike back. I quickly shielded Jaliyah. "Touch her, and you’ll regret it!"

Francis shoved us both toward the door, "Get out! You’re not welcome here!"

"Quentin, I curse you!" Jaliyah cried out as she was pushed harshly, collapsing onto the floor.

The phone rang from the hospital.

“Miss Martinez, the patient won’t be with us much longer. Please come to see him one last time…”

“One last time…” I whispered, feeling the tears flow uncontrollably.

Jaliyah shouted frantically, pounding on the door repeatedly, her voice trembling with desperation. “Francis! Quentin! Come out! Your father is dying! Do you even care?!”

Only silence answered her cries, thick and suffocating, like the oppressive aura of an Alpha’s command.

I noticed Jaliyah’s Victorian-style dress, now stained with blood. “Jaliyah…”

She glanced down at herself and managed a bitter smile, her voice barely above a whisper. “My pup… is gone too…”

“Let’s go! To the hospital!” I stood abruptly, pulling her along as we stumbled out the door, our footsteps echoing through the empty halls of the pack house.

When we arrived, Idris lay on the hospital bed, his face pale as paper, with barely any rise and fall in his chest. He strained to open his eyes, and his clouded gaze fell on Jaliyah and me. Seeing us, a flicker of hope appeared in his once-dull eyes, but it quickly faded when he realized we were alone.

“Dad…” I threw myself beside the bed, clutching his cold hand, my tears unstoppable.

He moved his cracked lips, his voice so faint it was nearly inaudible, “Fran…Francis… Quentin…”

I loathed the brothers’ heartlessness and my own helplessness even more. How could they abandon him like this? How could they betray their pack, their family, their own father?

“Dad… I’m sorry… it’s all my fault…” I choked out, my voice breaking.

Jaliyah held Idris’s hand, her voice choked with emotion, “Dad, I’m sorry we couldn’t bring them both here…”

Idris tried to smile, tears slipping from his eyes, “It’s not your fault; it’s mine. I failed to raise my sons right, and you both suffered for it…”

He attempted to lift his hand to comfort us. But as soon as he raised it halfway, it fell back, lifeless.

“Dad!” I screamed in anguish, the sound tearing through the sterile hospital room.

Jaliyah’s vision darkened, and she began to faint backward; I quickly caught her, my own legs barely holding me up. She was rushed into surgery, and I collapsed onto a bench, feeling utterly defeated.

The final image of Idris’s eyes replayed in my mind: filled with regret, unwillingness, concern, but no blame. He had passed away without his beloved sons by his side. Such a kind man, leaving with so many regrets.

Francis and Quentin Martinez, how could you live with yourselves? How could you live with yourselves!

Although Idris had protected me during the accident, I was in bad shape after my surgery. Jaliyah and I spent a week recovering in the hospital before we found the strength to arrange his funeral.

Francis and Quentin didn’t show up once, as if they had vanished into thin air. They didn’t answer calls, ignored messages. I scrolled through old chats with Francis, the last message lingering on our third anniversary. He had lovingly called me “darling,” promising a candlelit dinner.

Idris’s ashes sat on the coffee table; I reached out to gently touch the cold urn. Silent tears fell.

I remembered our early days as mates, when Francis was affectionate and attentive, treating me like a treasure, afraid I would slip away. We shared so many joyful moments as a family, strolling through pack lands, running under the full moon, experiencing all the happiness together.

It all faded away after Alena returned. Her scent of rosemary, sharp and intoxicating, seemed to consume him, pulling him further from me and from his duties as a healer and a son.

I stared blankly at Idris’s photo on the coffee table, his kind face smiling back at me. “Sigh… how can Dad be gone…”

He had been so full of life, making breakfast for us every morning when he learned we were expecting. A kind, vibrant wolf, reduced to a handful of ashes.

Jaliyah sighed deeply beside me, her voice heavy with pain. “I remember Quentin saying his mom died in a tragic accident, which is why he became a warrior—to protect his family…”

“Francis said something similar, that he pursued healing to take care of loved ones…” My tears started to flow again.

“We used to praise them for being devoted sons, and now… they’ve forsaken their father for a woman! It’s so ironic…”

I turned to Jaliyah with determination, my voice firm despite the ache in my chest. “Jaliyah, I’m going to dissolve the mate bond.”

Without hesitation, Jaliyah declared angrily, “Yes, I will too!”

“Those ungrateful wolves don’t deserve mates!”

“Let them be together forever!”

Without dragging it out, Jaliyah and I immediately contacted the pack’s Gamma to draft the formal rejection vows. We decided to give Idris a dignified funeral, honoring him as the wise elder he was.

We went through our contact list, notifying pack members and allies one by one. Before I could finish the calls, Francis and Quentin returned, their presence like a storm rolling into the room.