chapter 7

She knew who it was and answered the call.

The communicator’s camera was angled discreetly, but Scarlett recognized the two figures instantly.

“Zane, it hurts… please, stop hitting me…” a woman’s voice begged.

The sharp crack of a whip striking skin echoed through the speaker, followed by a familiar male voice, “Shut up. Swallow what I gave you.”

The sound of tearing fabric, ragged breathing, and the roaring thunder outside merged into a nauseating symphony.

Scarlett began to tremble uncontrollably. As if her soul had left her body, she rushed out into the pouring rain, letting the water beat against her skin.

Only this, it seemed, could numb the pain and wash away the filth ringing in her ears.

She returned to the territory drenched and shivering. An omega servant, nearly frantic with worry, hurried her into a hot bath.

By the time Zane—alerted by the disturbance—rushed back, Scarlett was curled under a blanket in the living room. Seeing her hollow expression, he dropped to his knees before her and struck himself hard across the face—once, then twice.

“I will never leave you alone again, Scarlett,” he vowed.

She was long tired of his promises. She didn’t even have the energy to confront him, refusing to grant him so much as a glance.

“It’s fine,” she said tonelessly. “As long as it really helps the pack.”

A flicker of guilt passed through Zane’s eyes.

“I won’t care about any pack business anymore, Scarlett. You are the most important thing.”

That night, weakened by her wounded wolf soul, Scarlett burned with fever. Zane stayed by her bedside all through the dark hours.

She disliked the herbal smell of the Priest’s Hall, so he spent extravagantly to hire the pack’s best private healer. She had no appetite, so he combed through ancient texts for medicinal recipes to tempt her.

The servants in the villa envied what seemed like a perfect bond. Only Scarlett knew that when deep night fell, the vast mansion held only her, enduring endless, heart-shattering pain.

Cecilia updated her social feed daily. Zane appeared in every photo, sometimes his tattooed arm, sometimes the defined abs of his chest marked with a clan insignia.

That night, Cecilia posted a selfie lying on his bare chest, captioned, Where the heart lies, sweat falls night after night.

Scarlett zoomed in on the image. Faintly visible on his chest was the tattooed character “Scarlett” .

He’d gotten it in secret on their first bonding anniversary, saying he wanted to carve her into his heart forever.

Now her own heart felt like a barren wasteland. Expressionless, she tapped 'like'.

So it's true. Some people can really split themselves in two, loving one person with their soul while drowning their body in another.

Not long after, Cecilia initiated contact.

“Scarlett, how did you enjoy listening to our little performance the other night? Just now, he was under me, calling me 'baby' over and over—so tender. They say daytime is for duty, nighttime for instinct. He has no love left for you. Taking care of you by day is just the bond’s obligation. The one he truly desires is me. Why else would I be carrying his pup?”

“Be smart. Know your place. You didn't know, did you? Zane and I have been enScarlettled for over a year. He says you’re like a cold fish in bed. In our three hundred sixty-five days together, we’ve tried over a hundred ways. Sometimes when the beast in him takes over, he’ll keep me in one position for a whole week.”

“The moonlit meadow where you bonded, the Moonview Theater where you first dated, the first hunting vehicle he won for you, even your marital bed—we’ve fucked wildly in every one!”

“Now I carry the Alpha’s pup. If you have any dignity, dissolve the mate contract and leave. The wolf clans value bloodline above all. Once my pup is born, the entire Shadow Pack will know—you, the omega clinging to the Luna title, couldn’t even give your Alpha an heir. You’ll be the pack’s biggest joke!”

…

Scarlett read each message in silence. Cecilia, receiving no reaction, grew impatient.

More than taunting words flooded her communicator—photos followed, one after another.

Places filled with her memories of Zane. The man was the same, but the woman beside him had changed, their poses growing increasingly obscene.

“Scarlett, I didn’t realize you could take so much. Haven’t you seen enough?”

Scarlett pressed the screen, darkening it.

Tears fell freely, streaking across the moonstone surface. She hadn’t even realized she was crying. Gritting her teeth, she wiped them away, but nothing could soothe her heart—torn and ravaged by the wolf soul clawing within.

Zane.

Zane!

How dare you!

You promised a bond for life. To love is to never betray.

All those vows sworn beneath the moon and earth…were nothing but lies.