His Rotting Core of Love

“It's fine. You can stay here tonight, and I'll check on your place in the morning. Wear this. You'll catch a chill,” Kaelen replied.

Seraphina shot me a triumphant glance. Then, she bit her lip and said in a low voice, “Elara, if you're uncomfortable, I'll leave right away. Please don't fight with Alpha Kaelen because of me.”

Kaelen's expression darkened, and he turned to me.

“She's a mess right now. Can you drop the jealous mate act for five minutes? She's young and all alone. Be more considerate, can't you?”

A sharp pain twisted my abdomen. I could barely stand, let alone process what he had said.

“Whatever.” I turned and walked into the bedroom.

Kaelen seemed to freeze for a moment, then turned to settle Seraphina in the guest room.

He gave the calming herbs to her instead.

He never came back to our bedroom; it was clear he had spent the night on the sofa outside the guest room.

Kaelen and I had met at a summit between our two clans.

Once, while we were strolling through the Moonlight Forest after a meeting, a pack of rogues cornered us.

They hurled crude insults and tried to lay their hands on me.

Kaelen had thrown himself in front of me without hesitation, his raw Alpha power blazing as he took on three adult rogues.

I quietly sent out a distress signal. However, by the time the Clan's guardians arrived, Kaelen was already lying unconscious on the ground.

Tears pricked my eyes at the memory.

How had we gotten to this point?

The next morning, the house was empty. I packed a few bags, leaving everything Kaelen had ever given me untouched.

The guest room door was open. With a single glance, I saw a piece of lace lingerie at the foot of the bed, heavy with the scent of an Omega's pheromones.

I walked over, captured an image of it using a sliver of my power, and sent it to Kaelen.

Just as I was about to leave, I ran into his parents.

They grabbed me excitedly, suggesting a naming ceremony and a celebration party for the pup.

A sharp pain lanced through my chest, and I answered in anguish, “It's too early for that.”

They ignored my words and mind-linked Kaelen.

“Hey, Mom, Dad. What's up?”

His thoughts came through, followed by a woman's voice, clear as day in the background.

“Kaelen, I think I left my underwear at your house.”

“What should I do? Do you think she'll find it?”

His parents, who were about to speak, froze. Then, as if realizing their mistake, they hastily cut the public projection of the link.

“You bastard! Get that Omega away from you!”

“Are you trying to worry your mother and me to death!”

I picked up my bag, unwilling to watch their charade. “Excuse me. I have other business to attend to. I'm leaving.”

They looked like they wanted to say something, but ultimately swallowed their words.

I went to the Pack's archives.

After our union, my father had wanted me to stay in the Silvermoon Clan and learn to manage our ancient family.

However, I had insisted on coming to the Blackwood Pack, taking only a nominal position in its archives.

As I arrived at my desk to pack my things, I heard whispers coming from the break room.

“Poor her. She gave her noble bloodline and the best years of her life to the Alpha, only to be replaced by some stray Omega.”

“You should have seen the state of that Omega the other day.”

“She's so two-faced. I don't know how the Alpha fell for her act. She screwed up a huge deal last time, and he didn't even get mad!”

My hands paused for a moment, but I continued packing.

The comm crystal beside me kept lighting up, so I reached over and flipped it facedown.

Kaelen arrived much later, his face darkening when he saw what I'd done. “What are you doing?”

I replied calmly, “Resigning. I'm going back to the Silvermoon Clan to focus on my pregnancy.”