CHAPTER 4

　　Classic tunes from the speakers reverberate the hall and sync with the low-key chattering of the thousands of guests present. 　　It's Alpha Ace's birthday and it has pulled in almost everyone in the Pack and people from the other Packs who are allied with us. 　　The war that lasted two decades between every Packs in the region created a long-term feud between so many Packs. Our Pack is in enmity with so many Packs. Just a few still have a good relationship with us. 　　You can blame it on Alpha Ace for not even trying to fix the feud. Or you can blame it on the other Packs for not being forgiving enough to let go of the grudge. The bottom line is that we have more Pack enemies than friends. 　　I take a deep breath, trying to control my anxiety. Maybe I shouldn't have come to the party. I hate feeling this way. Like a time bomb just went off in my stomach, causing irreparable chaos. 　　But then again, it's Alpha Ace's birthday. I can't miss it. Even though I feel very uncomfortable here. He's my mate and I should be present on his birthday. 　　Another wave of anxiety spirals through my body as I take my gaze back to the long line. It seems unending and it's getting me nervous. 　　I hate that the line is mostly made up of females. Classic and elegantly dressed females. With overly expensive wrapped-up gifts and flirtatious smiles as they wait for their turns to hand their gifts to Beta Luke and kiss Alpha Ace's cheek. 　　It seems to be the tradition here. Everyone who offers a gift gets the chance to kiss Alpa Ace's cheek. 　　I've been irked and pained all through the night from watching these ladies kiss the cheek of my mate. I know it's crazy that I'm getting jealous because of a man who doesn't care about me. But I can't help it. 　　The mate bond is there. I can feel it. And with the pleasure of feeling it comes the pain of watching my significant other break my heart with his actions. All because he doesn't feel the mate bond. I still don't know why he doesn't feel it. It's making me almost cuss out the moon goddess for her reckless pairing. 　　Why does she have to make it so confusing? If she thinks I should be mated to him, then why doesn't she do it right? 　　"Do you also have a present for Alpha Ace?" The question steals my thoughts away. I'm surrounded by three girls who were in that line a while ago. 　　How are they here and how did I not see them approaching me? I wish I did. That way, I can run away and hide. Females freak me out. Especially ones who seem to have some kind of attraction to Alpha Ace. 　　I don't know how but the news of me being his breeder seems to have circulated the Pack. I've never left the Packhouse since Father brought me here. But whenever I bump into any of Ace's flings here in the Packhouse, I always hear them gossip about me. 　　They always talk about my lack of sophistication and how I'm unfit to give birth to the heir of the Pack. 　　I don't doubt for a second that these girls in front of me right now also know that I'm Alpha Ace's breeder. Their cold stares and scornful expressions are enough proof. I wonder if they're also his flings. 　　Alpha Ace brings his girls to the Packhouse and fucks them in his room. He's not the least ashamed of his Casanova lifestyle. But then, why should he be? He's a cold Alpha with no regard for others. And he's also a free man, or so he thinks. 　　If only he knows that I'm his mate. I wonder if it'll make him quit his dirty lifestyle and cling only to me. 　　"Ye — yeah…I do…" I finally reply to them, hoping they'll leave me alone. 　　"What is it? Can we see it?" 　　"No…" I hide the parcel behind my back. "It's just for him alone. I'm sorry …" 　　"Whatever. Get out of our way." They shove me to a corner and sashay away. 　　I notice the line has only two girls so I hurry over to join it. The two girls hand him their gifts and kiss his cheek. 　　It's my turn now and weirdly, I can feel all eyes on me, drilling holes into my skin. 　　Alpha Ace has menace laced in his stares as I stretch out my gift to him with shaky hands. 　　"Happy birthday." I mutter, stretching my little parcel to Beta Luke. 　　"Give me that!" Alpha Ace snatches the box and rips it open. He takes out the hand-made bracelet with a little heart in the middle. I spent all night making it. 　　"Bro, don't…" Beta Luke tries to come to my rescue as always but it's too late. 　　Alpha Ace is already twirling the bracelet in his grip. "What the fuck is this?" 　　"It's — it's —" Stuttering makes it impossible for me to give him a well, logical explanation. 　　"It's crap. That's what it is!" He declares, tossing the bracelet to the floor. 　　The hall shakes with a burst of deafening laughter and mock whistles. I've become the unprofessional comic of the event. 　　"You're just a third-rated breeder, Betty. You don't get to attend my party or give me cheap, disgusting gifts. I forbid it." 　　"But—" 　　"Take her away!" 　　In a flash, I'm being dragged out of the party. Everyone is laughing at me. Even after getting tossed into my room, I still hear the laughter echoing into the hallway. 　　Barely settling my butt on the bed, I feel a wave of nausea rushing through my throat. I hurry to the bathroom, throwing up repeatedly. 　　I rinse my mouth when I'm done and I stare at the mirror. God, I look pale. What's wrong with me? 　　But then it hits me. I'm late. I'm fucking late. No way! Am I…. 　　Rubbing my flat stomach, the possibility that there's a little soul in there makes my heart melt. 　　I can't keep doing this. The constant rejection from Alpha Ace needs to stop. For my child's sake. And he may be Alpha Ace's heir, but I'll be his mother. So I have every right to choose to keep him away from a Father as cruel as Alpha Ace. I have to make sure my little one doesn't face the tragedies I faced. 　　There's only one way to do that — I need to leave this pack. Tonight. I need to go far away from Alpha Ace and his torture. I need to leave now before the party ends. 　　Quickly, I pull the doorknob and rush back into the bedroom. There's an extra presence and I almost let out a shriek but quickly hold it in. 　　"Alpha Ace —" 　　He's drunk. Very drunk. His coat is gone. He's wearing just a white shirt but the buttons are gone. It's very creased and sticking out messily. 　　What has he been doing and why is he here? I thought he vowed never to step into my room again. 　　"Come." He stretches out his hand to me. His tone is livid and taking his hand may be submitting to another torturing moment with him. 　　Tears leave my eyes as I recall the little soul growing inside me. "Please. We don't have to —" 　　"Come!" 　　"Oh, God." I gasp silently and quickly grab his hand. He takes me out to the hallway and shoves me up against the wall. 　　"Maybe this is the only way for you to understand…" He pulls down the hands of my dress. "...for you to understand that you're just a tool to me. Nothing more." 　　"What are you doing—" He places a hand over my mouth, silencing me. I'm naked now, just in my panties. But he rips it off too. 　　Why is he doing this in the hallway? What if someone passes by and sees us? Why is he bent on making me a target for ridicule? 　　"I want everyone interested to watch. I want them to see us. I want you to understand that fucking you means nothing. So you don't ever think you have any kind of value to me. So you do not ever overplay your role again." 　　His verbal onslaughts coupled with the hard thrusts from his cock send slashing pain to my heart. Half of my face is being pressed against the wall as he goes deeper, keeping me on my toes from the shattering sparks going off inside me. 　　Thankfully, no one comes by the hallway, and sooner than usual, I come all over his cock. He has his release too and slumps on the floor, passing out. 　　I pick up my dress and quickly put it on. Running off right now is the plan. I can't help but give him another look. 　　Tears stain my face as I kiss his cheek. "Take care, Mate." He may have hurt me a lot but that hasn't altered my feelings for him. 　　If it's just me, I'll stay with him. No matter how vicious he gets. But my child deserves better and this is one of those painful sacrifices I have to make as a soon-to-be-Mother. 　　Making sure no one sees me, I run out of the house, racing to the main gate. I feel someone watching me and I turn. 　　It's Beta Luke. He's staring at me from the terrace. But he doesn't try to stop me. Instead, he motions at the guards and they let me leave the gate. 　　"Thank you." I mouth at him, and he nods. I take one last look at the building and race out of the gate. 　　I don't stop running as I head to the subway to board a train.