Chapter 2
Roana returns to her family’s Pack House after a long, exhausting journey, seeking comfort and peace. However, she is met with coldness and tension from the servants and her parents. Her mother, Luna Milestones, and father greet her with disappointment and authority, while her husband Alexander is already there, wearing a smug expression. The atmosphere is heavy with unspoken secrets, and Roana immediately senses something is wrong.
The confrontation quickly escalates as Roana challenges Alexander’s presence and accuses him of betrayal. Her mother scolds her for abandoning her responsibilities as Luna of the Pack, dismissing Roana’s pain and refusing to hear her side. Alexander calmly insists that their marriage requires compromise, but Roana’s fury boils over when she reveals his affair and the fact that his mistress is pregnant with his child. This revelation shocks everyone, but instead of condemning Alexander, Roana’s father blames her for failing to bear a child and insists she must raise the unborn child as her own to preserve the Pack’s future.
Roana’s parents pressure her to accept the child and maintain the family’s image, disregarding her feelings and loyalty. They criticize her for being childless and accuse her of failing her duties as Luna. Despite their harsh words and Alexander’s smug satisfaction, Roana refuses to be a puppet in their scheme. She boldly rejects their demands, declaring her refusal to raise another woman’s child or submit to their cruelty. Her defiant words cut deep, severing her ties with her parents as she denounces their selfishness and cruelty.
In the end, Roana storms out of the Pack House, feeling utterly alone but ignited by a fierce spark of defiance. She resolves to stand on her own, to stop feeling worthless because of others’ judgments about her appearance and worth. With a determined whisper, she vows to divorce Alexander and leave the Pack behind, choosing to live her life with pride and self-respect despite the pain and rejection she faces.
Chapter 2
The steady thud of my favorite horse’s hooves against the soft earth was a constant rhythm beneath me, yet with every stride, a dull ache spread through my body. The journey had been long, and my muscles protested with fatigue.
I had left behind the pack that had been my home for the past two years. All I carried with me were the clothes I had bought with my own hands and my most treasured companion—my horse. No car, no riches, nothing but the bare essentials: my self-respect and the determination to prioritize myself.
As the familiar silhouette of the River’s Edge Pack House appeared on the horizon, a heavy weight settled over my chest. My travel-worn clothes clung to my skin, damp with sweat and dust. All I craved was a moment of peace—a glimpse of my father’s commanding voice, the comforting presence of my mother. The sanctuary of home, the place that had always grounded me.
I longed to throw myself into their arms and let the tears flow freely. Betrayed by the one I had loved most, I felt shattered.
But the instant I reached the gates, a cold unease crept over me.
The servants greeted me at the door, their heads bowed low, eyes flickering nervously as if I had stumbled upon a secret they had been waiting to witness unfold. My stomach tightened in suspicion—I hadn’t told a soul that I was returning.
“What’s going on here?” I whispered, but silence was all I received.
The walls of the Pack House swallowed me whole—familiar, yet suffocating in their coldness. I pushed forward into the living room, and the moment my eyes landed on them, my body froze in place.
My mother—Luna Milestones—rose from her seat, her eyes narrowing with disappointment that burned like wildfire. My father sat rigidly, arms crossed, his expression unreadable but heavy with authority. The weight of his presence pressed down on me like a stone.
And there, standing with a smug curl playing on his lips, was Alexander.
My husband. He had arrived before me—perhaps taking the car I had refused to use, eager to stake his claim.
“Roana!” my mother’s voice snapped sharply, cutting through the tension like a whip.
I met her gaze with a glare, then turned to Alexander. The smirk on his face made my blood boil.
“What’s happening?” I demanded, my voice trembling with anger. “Why is this bastard here p>
“Roana!” my mother snapped again before I could speak further. “Just because you had a disagreement with your husband doesn’t mean you can abandon your Pack. As Luna, your responsibilities are clear. You can’t run away every time things don’t go your way,” she growled.
I let out a bitter laugh, though it hurt to hear. “Disagreement? That’s what you think this is?” Disappointment flooded me—she didn’t even want to hear my side.
She waved me off dismissively. “Don’t exaggerate p>
My gaze snapped back to Alexander, my voice low and sharp. “What are you doing here, Alexander? How dare you step into my father’s house to twist the truth p>
“Luna,” he said smoothly, his tone dripping with false sweetness. His eyes gleamed with feigned innocence, lips parting as if every word he uttered was sacred. “I don’t understand this behavior. We’re fine. Every marriage requires compromise. Everyone adjusts. That doesn’t mean you can give up on us p>
My wolf inside me growled fiercely, a raw howl breaking free from my chest. “Enough! Get out p>
But my mother’s hand sliced through the air like a blade. “That’s enough, Roana! You will not speak to your husband like that. You should be grateful he still cares about someone like you p>
Someone like me? The room spun. My breath caught painfully. “Grateful? Grateful to a cheater p>
Both flinched at my words, but Alexander only tilted his head with a sly smile, letting me dig my own grave.
I spat the words out, my voice breaking with sorrow and rage. “You didn’t tell them about the woman, did you? The woman you sneak away to, the one with your child growing inside her. She’s about to give birth, Alexander! Don’t you dare stand there and pretend otherwise p>
A suffocating silence fell over the room.
My father’s jaw tightened, but he did not deny it. He didn’t turn on Alexander. Instead, he turned on me.
“Even if this is true,” he said, his voice cold and steady, “he is still your husband. He has given this Pack what you could not p>
His words hit me like a crushing blow.
“What—?” I choked, heart pounding. “I couldn’t give him a child p>
My mother stepped forward, her gaze sharp and unforgiving. “You’ve been married for years, Roana. Years. And not one child. Do you think no one has noticed? A Luna who cannot bear the Alpha an heir? You have failed your most basic duty p>
Tears blurred my vision, hot tracks running down my cheeks. “You think this is my fault p>
“What else are we supposed to think?” she snapped. “You were never like the other girls. You carry weight—temper, pride—but not a child. Alexander, at least, has proven he can give life to his Pack. That is more than you have done p>
My knees trembled beneath me. I gripped the edge of a chair, nails digging into the wood to steady myself.
Alexander lowered his eyes, pretending shame, his voice soft and honeyed. “I never wanted this, Roana. But what choice did I have? I need an heir. The Pack needs one. She… it just happened p>
“It just happened?” I laughed, a raw, jagged sound that echoed in the room. “You betrayed me. You lied to me. You p>
My father’s voice cut me off sharply. “Enough, Roana. You will not raise your voice in this house p>
I looked at him—the Alpha, my father, the man who had taught me loyalty and honor—and saw only judgment.
My mother’s tone softened, but her words cut deeper than any blade. “Listen to me, child. The baby is innocent. The woman? She will not matter once the child is born. You will take the child as your own. Raise it. Present it to the Pack as the rightful heir of River’s Edge. That is your duty p>
My breath caught in my throat. “You… you want me to raise his mistress’s child p>
She nodded firmly. “Yes. You are the Luna. You will act like one. Stop this foolish pride. The Pack doesn’t care how the child comes, only that there is one. This is a blessing, Roana. Don’t let it become a source of shame p>
Alexander’s lips curved into a small, satisfied smile. He didn’t even need to fight. My parents were breaking me for him.
I staggered back, shaking my head vehemently. “No. I will not raise another woman’s child as my own while he stands here smirking at me. I am not your puppet p>
My father rose then, towering over me, his voice booming with authority. “You will do as we say, Roana! You will not disgrace this Pack any further. Do you want the Pack to laugh at us? At you? At your failure? You can’t even have a child. And now you think you can come back and humiliate us? I do not approve your return p>
Failure. The word sliced through my heart like a blade.
Ugly. Overweight. Childless.
Their eyes saw only what I lacked. Never what I gave. Never who I truly was.
Tears spilled freely as my wolf inside me roared in fury, clawing to break free. “You all… you would see me burn alive if it meant saving his pride p>
My mother pressed her lips into a thin, unyielding line. “We would see you fulfill your duty p>
And Alexander? He stepped closer, lowering his voice until only I could hear, his eyes glittering with triumph. “Don’t worry, Luna. You’ll grow to love the child. It will even call you mother p>
My vision blurred, a tangle of rage and grief making it hard to stand. My parents’ faces were cold and unyielding. Alexander’s smirk was cruel and victorious.
I had never felt so utterly alone.
Yet somewhere deep inside, through the cracks of my breaking spirit, my wolf whispered defiance.
If they believed I would bow, if they thought I would raise his betrayal as if it were a gift—they were gravely mistaken.
I turned away from them, trembling but standing tall. “You may force me into silence, but you cannot force me into love. And one day, when the truth burns through all your lies, remember this moment. Remember how you chained me with a child that was never mine p>
I took a steadying breath and looked directly at my parents.
“Now I understand why the Moon Goddess didn’t bless you with another child. Because she knows you don’t deserve us. Not even me p>
Their shocked gasps filled the room. My body shook with the weight of my words.
“What did you just say?” my mother’s eyes glistened with tears.
“I said I’m glad you have no other children. And from this day forward, Mom and Dad, I refuse to acknowledge you as my parents. Thank the Goddess she didn’t allow you to bring another soul into this family! You are selfish, cruel, and terrible parents! I loathe you p>
They stood frozen as I stormed out of the house. They had always wanted children but couldn’t. Sometimes they blamed each other, and it had become a painful, festering wound between them.
I never wanted to say those words, but today, their cruelty wounded me beyond repair. I loved them. I trusted them. But not anymore.
The heavy air of River’s Edge still pressed down on me, but inside my chest, a spark of defiance flickered.
If they would not stand by me, I would stand alone. I was done feeling worthless just because I was deemed ugly and overweight. If no one else could love me, I would learn to love myself.
And when the time came, I would refuse to bow. Even if no one wanted someone like me—a woman they called fat, unattractive, and useless—I would not let them use me.
“What are you going to do now, Roana?” my wolf purred inside, laced with pain and disappointment.
“Divorce,” I whispered fiercely, clenching my teeth. “Then I will leave this Pack—and everyone behind. I will live my life with pride p>
The chapter closes on a powerful note of defiance and self-realization. Roana’s return to the Pack House, meant to be a homecoming, instead becomes a crucible where her worth is harshly judged and her pain magnified. Yet, despite the crushing weight of betrayal and rejection, she refuses to be broken. Her fierce declaration against the unfair expectations and cold judgments of her family and husband marks a turning point, where she begins to reclaim her identity beyond the roles imposed on her.
Amidst the turmoil, a spark of resilience ignites within Roana, fueled by the quiet strength of her wolf and her own burgeoning self-love. This chapter captures the raw emotions of heartbreak and anger but also the courage to stand alone rather than submit to injustice. Roana’s vow to seek pride and freedom, even in the face of loneliness, speaks to a deeply human struggle for dignity and self-respect—an emotional journey that promises growth and transformation ahead.
The next chapter promises to deepen the emotional turmoil Roana faces as she confronts the harsh realities of her fractured family and the heavy expectations placed upon her. With her defiant decision to seek a divorce and break free from the suffocating grip of her Pack, readers can anticipate a powerful exploration of Roana’s struggle for autonomy and self-worth amidst the shadows of betrayal and rejection. The tension between duty and desire will only intensify, revealing how far she is willing to go to reclaim her identity.
As Roana steps away from the only home she has ever known, the emotional stakes rise, and the question lingers: Will she find allies or more obstacles on her path to freedom? The next chapter may also delve deeper into the complex dynamics within the Pack, exposing cracks in loyalties and perhaps unexpected alliances. Roana’s journey is just beginning, and the simmering conflicts promise to unravel further, challenging her resolve and forcing her to confront painful truths about love, family, and power.
Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.