“Thank you all for coming today,” Said Council member Jun Ho, one of the oldest known wolves in our region.

“I would like to announce the fall of Alpha Kris, his ignorance, temper and rage will no longer affect our packs thanks to Alpha Chae Rin of the Blood shed pack,” everyone in the room clapped as Chae Rin stood up and bowed.

“And who may this young lady next to you be?” Jun Ho asked.

It seemed as though time froze when his eyes landed on me. I knew he was trying to avoid eye contact but he was having internal conflict. His grey eyes that was filled with mixed emotions landed upon mine.

“This is Choi Ana, Beta of the Bloodshed pack,” Chae Rin announced nervously

It would’ve been considered a disgrace if I hadn’t gotten up to introduce myself. The table was hiding my pregnancy but I could hide it no longer. I slowly stood up and watched as Jonghyun’s eyes darted toward my round belly. Anger flashed in his eyes as he balled his hands into a fist, breathing heavily.

“Ah Ms. Choi how far along are you?” Jun Ho asked.

He was making matters worse with his question. My brother Gi Tae was staring at me with guilt in his eyes, Naeul was whispering things in Jonghyun’s ear to calm him down but it wasn’t working.

“Five months,” I whispered.

At that moment Jonghyun got up from the table and left the room.

“He went to go get some fresh air, I’m sorry for the rudeness,” Naeul quickly said.

I noticed on her neck, Jonghyun’s mark, it stood big and proud on her neck but it shouldn’t be there, it should be on me.

I sat back down with my head hanging low, oblivious to the meeting going on. I was just too lost in my thoughts until I heard the words.

“Kris will be sentenced to execution for his crimes in his pack, creating war and his ignorance.”

So I was right, Kris would die before he ever saw his child. I want to be there when it happens, to look him in the eyes and watch the light fade from his eyes.

“Ana?” I looked up to see Chae Rin staring at me curiously

“Huh?”

“I asked where you related to the Beta Gi Tae of the Bloodrose Pack?” Jun Ho asked.

I thought about that for a moment. Do I really want to be considered their daughter after all they done for me? I looked up at my brother who was looking at me with pleading eyes. The same eyes that looked at me with anger, the same eyes that watched and were entertained by my beatings.

“No, I have no relation to them whatsoever,” I said firmly.

I watched as Gi Tae’s head hung down low at my words. He should be ashamed. No matter how guilty he feels or how sorry he is, I can never trust him.

Ten minutes later the meeting was over, Jonghyun never came back to the meeting and once we left the room, Chae Rin pulled me into the bathroom.

“Ana I need to talk to you,” Chae Rin whispered in my ear, “It’s very important,” she sounded concerned.

I was dealing with my own problems but I didn’t want to leave my friend hanging, her problem was my problem.

“What?”

“I found my mate.”

At that moment the words were ringing in my ear and I smiled. I was happy for her, she could finally be happy with someone and not have to worry about Kris killing them.

“I’m rejecting him,” She said.

“Don’t you dare break his heart like that, he has done nothing to you but love you the moment his eyes landed on you,” I growled.

“But what about you? He has done nothing but beat you these past few years,” she said annoyed.

At that moment I was confused. Who was she talking about? Then it hit me.

“Is your mate my brother?” I asked quietly.

She nodded her head as it hung low.

“Chae Rin go back to the hotel room, we can talk there but I need some air,” I said quickly.

She nodded her head and headed toward the door, “I’ll call to bring another car for you,” she said as she walked out the door.

I walked after her and was greeted by my brother, “Ana I-”

“I don’t want your apology and I don’t want to talk to you. You turned your back against me when I needed you the most and you tortured me. I don’t want your apology, if you still believe I am the killer of Jinki, the one I loved then just go away,” I turned my head.

I heard a sigh as Gi Tae began walking away, he will never believe me no matter what, I took one of his best friends away.

I walked out the back door and was welcomed by the warmth of the sun. My head was spinning and I felt nauseous about everything happening.

“Ana!” I heard a husky growl call my name.

I turned around to see Jonghyun walking toward me with a pained expression. He looked so vulnerable, hurt, pain and regret clearly shown in his eyes. He was battling with something and I could tell. He stopped a foot away from me but I wanted him closer, I wanted to feel his touch and only his touch.

I stepped forward but he stepped back causing me to frown.

“Do I disgust you? Are you mad at me? Does my pregnancy bother you?” I choked out.

He hasn’t said anything but my name but yet his actions were hurting me, “I thought mates were supposed to give each other love, not pain but that’s all you’ve been doing to me for five years,” he whispered.

His brown eyes told me he felt sadness, his body language told me he felt pain. But his voice told me he felt weak.

“What do you mean five years? We only found out we were mates a few months ago,” I said confused.

“Alphas are different, senses are heightened, stronger and powerful, they can even detect their mates at a young age. You tore my family apart and you didn’t even know it,” he said with a pained expression.

“The connection wasn’t as strong as it is now but I felt it but at that time Jinki announced you two were dating. I tried to tell him but he labelled me as jealous, I hated seeing you to together looking love struck because you were mine! I argued with him, I pleaded with him, I begged him to leave you alone but he didn’t listen. Our relationship died and we drifted farther apart because of you and you didn’t even know it,” he collapsed on the ground with his head in his hands. 

“My last words to him before he died were I ing hate you, do you know what that’s like? Living with that guilt, it’s horrible, I was depressed for months and my happiness was draining and all I felt was anger towards you, if you stayed away from us we wouldn’t have fought,” I watched as tears slid down his face as he talked, I felt his pain and it was strong.

“When I rejected you it hurt, I don’t believe you killed my brother but you still took the other half of me, even after you left you were still hurting me. I woke up with bruises, a hot searing pain inside of me and a thousand knives cutting away at my skin. I don’t know if someone was abusing you but it felt like it and I wasn’t there to protect you because you ran away!” He growled.

“What did you expect?! You rejected our bond! I couldn’t stay there knowing you rejected me but accept my cousin who we used to laugh at!” I shouted but cried at the same time. It was too many emotions for me to handle, I didn’t know what to think or do at the moment, “You even marked her, as your mate and Luna-”

“I WAS FORCED TO MARK HER AS MY LUNA! Do you really think I want her to be my one and only?! For years you’ve known me do you really think I would do something like that?! My parents forced me to mark her! I made a mistake and told them about you being my mate, they forced me to mark her. Even after all the pain you put me through I still want you!” He screamed at me.

“Now that I’ve finally found you, you’re ing having a child with someone else!” He rubbed his face to get the tears away.

“I-” I couldn’t bring myself to tell him I was .

All the things he’s been through because of me, I don’t want him to think that it’s his fault, that he couldn’t save me. I’ll take the fall even if it means appearing like the bad guy.

“Jonghyun I’m so-” I looked up but noticed I was all alone.

Just like how he felt.