Grote's appetite was insatiable, and his methods were brutal. In the heat of passion, he would lose all restraint and push with excessive force. After seven years, I knew the agony of that tearing sensation all too well.

But whenever I was injured during our intimacy, I had to visit the healer alone.

Grote had never looked at me with the panic and heartache he was currently showering on Christine. Not once.

Despair washed over me, and I couldn't suppress a sneer. "Grote, you promised me you'd never do this again."

Grote stiffened, but there was no guilt or regret on his face—only a flash of pure annoyance.

"Renata, can you grow up? Look at the situation! Do you really have to bring that up right now?

"Christine is hurt because of me. You're always dealing with those infections down there. You know this better than anyone. Go in there and talk to the healer. Help me save Christine."

A bitter taste rose in my throat, and it felt as though my very blood were running cold. What was I even doing here?

My mate of seven years was asking me to save the mistress who had destroyed our relationship.

I really wanted to ask Grote what I was to him.

But before I could speak, he grabbed my arm and dragged me into the treatment room. He barked an order at the male wolves to pin me down, then proceeded to force my legs apart.

"Healer, check her. See if her symptoms down there match Christine's."

I struggled with everything I had. I never imagined that Grote would just ignore the gazes of the other male wolves and force my legs open in front of everyone.

The healer stepped toward me, looking conflicted, but he didn't dare disobey Grote. He donned his cold, latex gloves and prepared to lay hands on me.

"Grote, are you crazy? Are you really going to humiliate me in front of everyone?" I screamed, tears of rage blurring my vision as I tried to cover myself.

However, Grote held me down with terrifying strength. I could feel the eyes of the other male wolves on me. Their stares were like needles pricking my skin.

"How could you do this to me for a mistress? Let me go!" I screamed.

Grote's eyes turned a feral, bloodshot red. "Christine is in critical condition! Stop making a scene!"

From the bed, Christine's soft voice drifted out, "Honey, don't be mad at Ms. Bowers. It's all my fault. I just loved you too much. I'm the one who seduced you.

"Blame me if you have to. I'm completely satisfied now. If Ms. Bowers won't save me, then let me die in agony. I have loved you, and for that, I have no regrets!"

Her words made me want to gag. Since when did an affair become some grand, tragic romance?

But Grote was visibly moved.

At this very moment, I finally tasted the true bitterness of this poison called "love". I was finally, completely awake to reality.

The healer pulled back, and his expression turned solemn as he addressed Grote. "But Alpha Grote, Ms. Henson… is with pup."

Outside the partition, the Betas and warriors fell silent for a heartbeat before their expressions shifted to pure, unadulterated awe.

Everyone knew Christine was a renowned expert in bed. The number of male wolves she'd been with was endless.

Rumor had it she possessed a mystical power. Because of that, she could only be satisfied by truly strong male wolves. And now, Grote had gone so far as to get her pregnant.

To think that the legendary male wolf was none other than my mate of seven years.

The wolves erupted into cheers, the sound thundering against my eardrums.

"Congratulations, Alpha Grote! You're truly the pride of our pack! Ms. Henson's pup will be a warrior for the ages!"

"The Valkyrie Pack has a new heir!"

Seeing their looks of sheer admiration, Grote could no longer suppress the smug grin spreading across his face. He was ecstatic.

I stood there, watching as he gathered Christine into his arms.

She leaned into his chest, weeping happy tears. To me, the scene was so sickeningly blissful.

They completely forgot I existed.

Grote swept Christine up in his arms, carefully carrying her out without a single glance in my direction.

"Wait!" Christine chirped.

Grote stopped instantly, hanging on her every word.

She tilted her chin up to look at me and asked coyly, "Ms. Bowers, you aren't mad, are you? I didn't mean for this to happen. If it hadn't been for your infection down there, this stroke of luck should have been yours."

The humiliating words stung, but I felt strangely numb. I forced a smile and replied, "Congratulations. You should take good care of her, Grote."

A flicker of guilt crossed Grote's face at my thoughtfulness.

"I'm sorry, Renata. This was an accident, but the pup is innocent. You're going to be my Luna. Surely you're generous enough to accept this, right?"

I kept the smile fixed on my face as I looked at him. "Of course."

I was leaving him anyway. Whether I accepted the pup or not didn't really matter.

"I'm glad you feel that way. You know, if you'd managed to get pregnant at any point in the last seven years, you'd already be my Luna."

He tightened his hold on Christine and continued sincerely, "Christine is in this state because of me. I can't turn my back on her now."

How poetic. He'd once said the exact same thing to me—that he wouldn't turn his back on me and wouldn't let anyone hurt me.

In the end, he was the one who tore my heart to shreds.

A single tear escaped and tracked down my cheek.

Grote saw it, and for some reason, he felt bad for me. He reached out to brush the tear away, sighing as he made another promise.

"Don't worry. My love for you has never changed. I'm just asking you to bear with this for a while and help me take care of Christine, okay?"

So he did know this was something I had to endure.

But it was too late. My heart was already closed to him.

"How could I possibly complain?" I whispered.

Sensing the shift, Christine tugged at Grote's sleeve and gestured for him to set her down.

"Ms. Bowers, I know you're angry, but please, let me keep this pup," she said, her voice trembling.

Suddenly, she cried, as if her tears had been summoned on command. "I know you hate me. I know you're furious. But I… I…"

She took a step toward me, looking small and pathetic, as if I were the villain tearing two lovers apart.

"I truly love Grote. Please, just let me have this pup. Don't make me abort it. I'll leave once the pup is born. I promise. Just please!"

Before I could react, she dropped to her knees with a heavy thud and began slamming her forehead against the floor.

I looked down at her coldly. Nausea rolled through me so violently that I had to cover my mouth to keep from gagging.

I remained silent. Grote's heart ached as he watched Christine's frantic display. He hurried to help her up.

"Stop it! Get up, Christine!"

But seeing that I wouldn't relent, she kept hammering her forehead against the floor, seemingly determined to draw blood.

I wasn't about to fall for such a pathetic ruse. Sickened by the performance, I turned to leave.

"Just say yes, Renata! Don't make this harder for me!" Grote grabbed my arm, forcing me to agree.

I spun around, my eyes blazing as I glared at him. "Don't touch me!"

I had reached my limit.

But in the next second, Grote lost control. A sharp slap landed hard on my face. "Don't push it! Christine is bleeding! How can you be so heartless?"

The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. I spat a red glob onto the floor.

My head spun from the impact. Even my self-healing abilities couldn't dull the throbbing in my cheek.

He hadn't held back at all. An Alpha's strength was more than I could endure.

The pain radiated through my entire body, leaving me trembling.

I shot Grote a glare full of pure venom. "Grote, have you lost your mind? I'm leaving. Is that enough for you? I don't want anything to do with either of you ever again!"

I leaned against the wall, dragging my body toward the exit.

But Christine let out a wail and lunged forward, wrapping her arms around my legs.

Her forehead was bleeding, and she sobbed hysterically as she begged, "Ms. Bowers, please! Stay! Please stay and look after my pup! I'm going to leave after I give birth. How is my poor pup supposed to survive in this pack without protection?"

Grote's expression darkened with every word she spoke.

As she clung to my legs, begging through her tears, Grote struggled to contain his mounting rage. He threatened in a low voice, "Renata, just say yes. Is it really that hard? I'm asking you nicely."

Weren't seven years of abuse enough? They were the ones in the wrong, yet they played the victims to force my hand.

Before I could even open my mouth to refuse, Grote barked an order to his warriors to haul me away.

I kicked and bit them, but against the iron grip of those male wolves, my resistance was pathetic.

"Let me go! Grote, you bastard! I hate you!"

Their hands felt like heated pincers, and I could hear my bones groaning under the pressure.

In the chaos, someone roughly twisted my arm to pin me down. A searing pain instantly exploded in my arm.

It was broken.

The pain was so intense that my whole body trembled, and cold sweat drenched my back. They succeeded in making me stop struggling.

Grote carefully helped Christine up, wiping the blood from her forehead with his sleeve. His eyes were filled with so much tenderness that it seemed like he wanted to become her and bear her pain himself.

Meanwhile, I was on the verge of passing out from the agony. The other male wolves informed him of my condition, but he didn't even look at me.

All his concern was directed at Christine.

My heart felt numb as I let them take me away.

Grote forcefully took me back home, demanding that I care for Christine. He promised that if I agreed, I would be rewarded.

Did I have a choice?

I pretended to agree, hoping that I could escape once he was in a good mood.

Christine's belly grew rounder each day, and she became increasingly spoiled. She clung to Grote, insisting that she move into our old master bedroom.

This spacious seaside house had been carefully chosen by Grote just for me.

Knowing I loved the ocean, he had picked this place just so I could lie on the balcony in the afternoons and gaze at the blue sea and sky.

But just days after Christine moved in, she grabbed Grote's hand and said coyly, "Honey, will you sleep with me every night? If not, the pup inside me won't be happy."

Then she looked at the floor-to-ceiling window facing the sea. "This bedroom is perfect. I can see the ocean as soon as I wake up. I love it! Can you let me have it?"

I couldn't believe how easily Grote agreed. Despite my protests, he let Christine take the master bedroom.

"Renata, can you bear with it for a while? Christine's carrying my pup. We can't let her suffer."

And so, I was forced to stay in the storage room. I could only move back to the master bedroom after Christine gave birth to the pup.

I told myself to hold on and that this would pass, but things were far from as simple as I had imagined.

When Grote was busy with work, Christine had no restraint. With nothing to do, she vented her frustration on me.

"Ms. Bowers, you're so lucky to be Grote's mate and the future Luna. I really envy you!"

She wouldn't let me eat. If I couldn't wake up from hunger, she'd force me to drink swill. Every time, I'd gag until I convulsed.

If it hadn't been for an Omega—who once cared for me—secretly bringing me food, I would have likely starved to death.

Whenever I tried to resist or escape, Christine would push me to the ground and slap my face over and over again until her anger died down.

She even took my phone, so I couldn't contact Dad.