Suddenly, his arm wrapped tightly around her neck—choking her.
Innes choked, coughing as she struggled to find her breath. Max had suddenly grabbed her, and she couldn't understand why. Her mind was still focused on finding a way to escape his hold. Her eyes met his, sadness clearly visible in them.
"Why, Max?" she choked out, her voice filled with desperation.
Max's eyes were cold as he choked her like she was nothing more than a lifeless object. His gaze held nothing but coldness and hatred, as if Innes had somehow offended him.
But what could the innocent Innes have done to deserve this?
She felt like she was going to die. Her trembling hands reached for his strong arm, desperately trying to pry it away from her throat.
Max's eyes narrowed, and he suddenly released her, flinging her aside with brutal force.
Innes's petite figure hit the cold marble floor, a soft gasp escaping her lips.
'Max, why are you doing this to me? Why are you suddenly different? Have I offended you in some way?' she questioned in her heart, holding back her tears, trying to keep her emotions calm.
Max looked down at her coldly as she lay on the floor where he had thrown her.
"You've been lying to me all these years," Max growled, gritting his teeth as he took a step toward her and squatted beside her.
"I don't understand, Max." Innes's eyes trembled as she raised her head to meet his gaze.
She was not a liar. She never lied—lying was something she hated the most. And this was her mate, the man she had learned to bond with. She would never lie to him.
What lie had she supposedly told that she wasn't even aware of?
Max sneered, looking at Innes's delicate face, which still carried an innocent expression.
"Eleven years ago, Innes… who saved me?"
Max cupped her face, his actions seeming gentle, but the grip on her chin made Innes grimace in pain. She almost shed a tear.
What was all this? Innes couldn't understand. She was pregnant and had been eager to share the good news with her husband, but now she found herself in a situation she never imagined would happen in her life. She never expected this.
Innes blinked as old memories resurfaced. "Yes, it was me who saved you, Max. Have you forgotten?" she said, a mix of a smile and heartbreak on her face. Was it because of this—just this simple thing—that Max was treating her so cruelly now?
"Impudent," Max sneered as her words came out. "Innes, you never saved me. You were not the one who saved me."
Max was furious. Back then, when his life had been in danger, it was a kind-hearted girl who had saved him. After helping him recover, she left.
He had been deeply grateful to that girl for saving his life, and over time, he had become obsessed with finding her again. He had sworn to keep her by his side.
He never expected that one day, he would find that girl within his own pack—and that girl was Innes, his current mate. Or so he thought.
He never imagined that his savior would turn out to be his fated mate. On the night of the full moon, when the moonlight was about to cast upon him, he found her.
At first, he had been ready to reject his mate—because he had already made a vow to be with his savior. But then, the young girl with flushed cheeks saw him and claimed she recognized him. She spoke about how she had once saved someone who looked exactly like him but hadn't seen him in a long time.
He had laughed it off, believing it to be a coincidence. Believing she had, indeed, saved him.
He had been living happily with her for all these years, believing in the lies that she was his savior.
Until he found out that she had almost killed his savior and pretended to be his savior. His savior was Gloria.
"I was never meant to be with you," Max said, willing to have nothing to do with Innes anymore. This was a sign of his rejection.
He was going to reject her.
Innes finally let her tears fall.
She laughed sarcastically. For such a silly reason, her bond with her mate was about to be broken. Who would believe that?
"Max, I was the one that saved you. Why put such thoughts in your head? I was the one that saved you. Is it this woman standing here that you said is the one that saved you?" Innes said, turning to look at Gloria standing there and shifting her eyes from her as if she was some kind of beast that would hurt her at any moment.
Innes felt like this was a manipulative female. Even the way she shifted away, she was afraid that if Max noticed, he would go on and treat her more badly because right now, he misunderstood her.
"Max," Gloria called, turning to Max, clinging to him as if she was looking for protection in his arms, as if she was very afraid of Innes.
Innes Panicked, and as expected, Max glared at her.
"You better stay away from Gloria," he sneered. "In my presence, you still want to hurt her? How cruel can you be, Innes?"
Innes shook her head with tears.
"No, Max, I did nothing to her! She's acting! Max, look in her eyes, it's all pretend!"
Innes pointed, but Max just looked at her more coldly. He did not believe her.
Max had always been a man with a different mentality. How he thought and acted was very different from others. The worst thing was when he felt that someone had lied to him.
That was why all these years, Innes had avoided lying to him. She was even too innocent to make up lies.
But today, just because he thought she was lying, he was going to break the bond between them.
Was there still hope?
Max should believe her. She couldn't live without him. She had been so dependent on him and his cold passion all these years. She didn't want to let go. It was as if an important part of her would leave her.
"Please, Max. Has she given you evidence? Have you found out everything? This female might be lying," Innes thought and said. She tried controlling herself, pretending it didn't hurt to see the way Gloria clung to his arms.
Max laughed at Innes' words. Did she think he was stupid enough to believe something without evidence?
"Innes, I'm not stupid. I have all the evidence."
Innes shook her head, not wanting to listen to what Max was saying.
Couldn't he believe her for once? The ten years of bond they shared—was it for nothing? Did he never love her? Was he only following the mate bond rules and never really considering her as someone very close?
"Max, please, can you listen to me? I'm…"
"I, Maxwell, Alpha of Greenhill Pack, reject you, Innes, as my mate."
Maxwell's words came like a blow. He rejected her before she could complete her words.