Zina:
"What the fuck? This is..n't me, I sw..ear," my voice trembled, as I struggled to maintain a grip on the phone. My heart pounded loudly against my ribcage as the video continued to play on repeat.
"You liar!" Trina's voice cut through, and the next thing I felt was a stinging slap on my face, causing my head to shift sideways.
I placed my hands on my cheeks, hoping Xaden would step forward in my defense and confront Trina for the slap I had just received, but he didn't. Instead, all he did was shake his head in disappointment.
"Xaden, I swear on the goddess's name, that's not me. Just hear me out, I love you so much that I wouldn't cheat on you." With tears brimming at the corner of my eyes, I tried to defend myself with every ounce of strength I had, aware they might not believe me. I gawked stupidly at the video playing on the phone, wondering if this was all a setup. I had never been to a club, let alone worked as a stripper dancing almost naked.
The girl in the video, swaying her butt seductively, bore an uncanny resemblance to me—hair, face,ncomplexion, body features, everything fucking thing matched! How could I make them believe it wasn't me?
If it were just a picture, I might have convinced him it was an edit, but this was a video, displaying her face in an undeniable manner. Was this the reason behind his cold behavior and the decision to get back at me by cheating with Trina?
The next thing that shattered the lingering face was the sound of papers being thrown at me, hitting my face. Xaden's next words stopped my heart for a few seconds, leaving my entire body numb.
"Sign those divorce papers, and get the fuck out of this office and out of my life. A slut like you isn't fit to be a Luna."
My heart shattered into a million pieces, and before my eyes, my world crumbled. Everything I had worked hard to build seemed to go down the drain because of an allegation I never committed. Or was this some kind of dream I was in?
His next words confirmed I wasn't in a dream, as I felt my breath seize for a few seconds.
"I, Xaden Wilson, reject you, Zina Adams as my mate,and as my Luna."
Tears formed at the corner of my eyes, and my wolf writhed in pain. As I flipped through the divorce papers, I discovered that the agreement was made without my consent, and worse, it had been finalized two months ago. Why hadn't he told me about any of this?
He held it in for two whole months, acting distant towards me. He felt the perfect time to unleash it all on me was on our anniversary day, the day I discovered I was finally pregnant with his child. Pathetic.
Telling him about my pregnancy wouldn't make a difference, as he'd likely believe the false story about "men" at a club I had never visited, getting me pregnant.
"Pend your signature, and you're free to leave," Xaden's voice dripped with hate as I stared at the alimony amount written at the end of the page: 3 million dollars. Was this supposed to compensate for the pain I was enduring and help me forget?
I had sacrificed everything to make this marriage work, yet all he offered was a deaf ear. Appending my signature, I stood up. I wouldn't beg, nor would I linger in pain for someone who cared so little.
"I don't need your money." I dropped the papers on his table, and his eyes widened in shock. He surely must have anticipated tears and pleas from me, as I had often done.
Picking up my bag, I turned to leave, only for my gaze to fall upon Trina, who wore a pitiful look, as though she wasn't the cause of all this. That greedy betrayer! She had always eyed my husband, and I was foolish not to notice. I confided in her about everything in my marriage, yet she chose to stab me in the back, by sleeping with him.
"Hmph." I nodded and walked out of the office to my car, receiving pitiful stares and whispers from those who saw me pass by.
If someone had told me my life would turnout this way—miserable and pathetic—I wouldn't have believed it. Yet, this was my reality now, and I needed to embrace it.
I was so engulfed in my thoughts, and was oblivious to my surroundings that I accidentally collided with someone, almost losing my balance. To my astonishment, it was Jared—the beta of our pack. Since I became a part of this pack, he consistently ensured my well-being, coming to my defense even when Xaden didn't.
He was genuinely the only one in the pack who still cared about me, amidst the resentment from everyone else.
"Oh, goddess. Are you okay, Zina?" he asked,his hands gently tracing my face, wiping away the tears that had left their mark.
"I'm not o...okay, Jared. Xaden cheated on me! And he divorced me too," I confessed in a hushed tone, every word resonating with pain. Jared looked at me with profound pity, and I could see in his eyes that he empathized to the point of wanting to shed tears on my behalf. That was just how deeply he cared for me.
To think, the only reason he remained in the pack was for me. He had aspirations to advance his career, but he stayed back to take care of me and shield me from any harm, as though I was his mate.
"Everything will be fine, Zina," he assured,pulling me into a reassuring hug. In his embrace, I felt a safety and comfort I hadn't experienced during my time with Xaden.
Not wanting to burden him further, I hastily ran off and returned to our mansion to pack a few things, preparing to leave for my father's pack, Goldcrest. It had been two years since I last saw any of my family. When I ran away, I left a letter, asking them not to look for me, claiming I was chasing my dreams.
Xaden was everything I thought I had. But look whose dreams were shattered now?
As I packed my belongings, my eyes landed on the last thing I wanted to see – a frame of Xaden and me on our wedding day, wearing what seemed like genuine smiles.
Pulling it out, I angrily smashed the frame on the floor and broke down in tears. I had been so blind not to see that he never loved me. Perhaps he had used me for whatever he wanted to achieve. To gain recognition and build up his pack to a much greater level. Now, here I was, pregnant with his child.
I took off the shiny goddamn ring off my finger, placing it on the bed shelf before leaving the house. Many pack members were curious about my departure with luggage – this was the first time I had left the Waterfall pack. I lied to them, saying I was going on a one-week vacation.
I lied. My "vacation" wouldn't be just a week; it would be forever, as nothing could compel me to set foot in this pack again.
Driving to the Goldcrest pack, my father's pack, felt like an unwelcome burden. I felt energized a little by my wolf, and we got there in less than 2 hours.
I desperately wanted to see my family, but I chose not to go there first. I didn't need anyone to tell me the mockery and scorn I'd face if I visited the pack mansion where they lived.
At the pack's gate, I encountered big and burly men whom I'd never seen before. They seemed oblivious when I mentioned being Alpha Williams' daughter. Didn't they recognize their Alpha anymore?
After pleading extensively and assuring them I wasn't a spy, they reluctantly let me in.
They searched my entire car, finding nothing suspicious. I drove past them, not heading to the pack mansion but to my grandmother's place. I knew she would be furious if she saw me, well,everyone would. But unlike others, she had a tender heart and would likely let me in until I was settled.
The door creaked open, revealing her same, pretty face, now etched with a mix of shock and disappointment.
"Zoe?" Her voice carried a tinge of worry as she pulled me into a long, comforting hug. Just as I assumed, she let me in and treated me kindly.
After sharing the whole story, including the fact that I was carrying Xaden's child, she pulled me into another hug. Her embrace had a unique way of providing relief and comfort—exactly what I needed at that moment.
"I...have something to...tell you. It's a bad one." Her words faltered as she pulled out of the hug and drew me closer.
"Bad? What is it, Granny?" I locked eyes with her, wondering if anything could be as bad as my current situation. I was totally wrong. The next words she uttered hit me so hard that I almost fell off the chair, saved only by her tight grip.
"Your parents are de...ad. They were killed by rogues when they attacked the pack."
"How? When? What happened?" My head spun, and I clutched my chest tightly as millions of questions raced through my mind. I wished someone could pinch me and tell me it was a dream.
"They attacked shortly after you left, two years ago." She took my tender hands in hers and gently squeezed them, while a sob escaped my eyes.
I had lost my entire family, unable to even say goodbye, all because I fled to please the man I loved. Yet, I just lost him too.