Chapter 5 I Am a Jerk

Vortend

Four months had passed since Selene accepted the severance ritual and left Black Pine Pack. Four months of hollow victories and restless nights.

"You're still brooding," Jason observed, leaning against the doorframe of my office.

"I'm working," I replied curtly, shuffling the papers.

He leaned forward, his expression serious. "Vortend, it's been four months. If you couldn't let her go, why did you perform the severance ritual in the first place?"

The question struck a nerve. "I didn't think she would accept the severance," I muttered, almost to myself.

Jason's eyebrows shot up. "What did you expect? Did you think she'd beg? That's not Selene."

No, it wasn't. Selene had always been proud, resilient, determined. It was one of the many things I'd grown to admire about her.

"She gave up too easily," I said, the words bitter on my tongue. "After everything we'd been through, she just... accepted it. Like she couldn't wait to be free of me."

Jason's eyes narrowed. "Maybe because you were already moving on with Adriana before the ink was even dry? You hurt Selene for no reason, then went straight back to your ex."

I didn't respond. The truth was, I had no good explanation for my actions—at least none I could remember clearly.

"Speaking of your girlfriend," Jason continued, "you really need to talk to Adriana about throwing her weight around in the territory center."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"She's been ordering the cleaning staff around, telling the chefs what to cook, instructing the guards where to stand. Hell, she even tried to tell the gardener which flowers to plant."

I waved a dismissive hand. "I'm sure they can handle it. I have more important matters to deal with."

"More important than your potential mate acting like she already owns the place?" Jason challenged. "No one in the pack accepts her, Vortend. Is this really the woman you want as your Luna?"

Something cold and hard settled in my chest. "I am the Alpha," I said, my voice dropping an octave. "The pack will learn to accept my decisions."

Jason stiffened. "You haven't even told anyone about the severance ritual yet."

I looked away, guilt gnawing at me. I'd kept Adriana's presence and the severance ritual quiet for now. My father Malcolm would be displeased, to say the least.

The entire situation hadn't gone according to plan. I'd been backed into a corner and had no choice but to reject Selene.

"Your parents are coming back from vacation soon," Jason warned. "How long do you think you can keep this secret? And what do you think Elizabeth will say? She adored Selene."

"Honestly, Selene was the one for you," Jason said, his voice softening. "She was beautiful... the Moon Goddess created her just for you."

"The Moon Goddess isn't always right," I countered.

Jason leaned back in his chair, undeterred. "Her body, those curves. Damn, you must be insane to give up the chance to—"

I slammed my fist on the desk. "Watch it!" The wood cracked slightly under the impact. "That's my woman you're talking about."

Jason's eyes widened momentarily before narrowing. "Your ex-mate, Vortend. Your ex. You rejected her, remember?"

I felt my wolf raging inside me, wanting to tear into Jason for speaking about Selene that way, but the rational part of me knew he was right. I had no claim on her anymore.

Jason stood, heading for the door. He paused, turning back with a hard expression. "You've got Adriana now. I won't accept her, Vortend, but if someone else claims Selene, you have no right to stop it. You rejected her."

The door closed behind him, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

My life had always been complicated. Growing up as the heir to Black Pine Pack, with a demanding family legacy to uphold.

My father had given me an ultimatum: find and marry my fated mate or lose my inheritance and pack leadership. Adriana, my girlfriend at the time and ironically Selene's half-sister, had been heartbroken when I ended things.

My original plan had been simple: marry Selene for a year, then divorce her without consummating the marriage. But her innocence, her beauty, her confidence—they had all won me over. Before I knew it, I was falling for her.

---

A movement outside my office caught my attention. Vivian Clark, Selene's best friend, was walking past with a medical file in her hands. Our eyes met briefly before she quickened her pace.

I rose from my desk. "Vivian."

She froze, turning slowly to face me.

"What are you hiding?" I demanded, sensing that the file contained information about Selene.

I remembered how Selene had collapsed after accepting the severance ritual. Jason had rushed her to the medical center. I had wanted to visit her, but Melanie, Selene's mother, had refused to let me see her. When Adriana tried to visit, she'd been publicly humiliated.

Was Selene sick? Was that why she had accepted the severance?

I snatched the file from Vivian's hands.

"Please, Alpha!" she begged, her green eyes flashing with fear and anger.

I opened the file, and my world tilted on its axis. At the top of the report: "Pregnancy Test: Positive."

My eyes scanned the document rapidly: Pregnant... twins... high risk...

In the background, I could hear Jason and Vivian arguing, their voices growing distant as blood rushed in my ears. Adriana burst into the room, her golden hair flying behind her.

Vivian grabbed the file back from my hands, glaring at Jason. "You bastard!" she spat.

"Like you're any better!" Jason retorted.

I vaguely recalled that Vivian and Jason had dated and broken up bitterly. Selene and I had often mediated between them.

I ignored Adriana, who was clinging to my arm. "Answer me, Vivian," I demanded.

"Fine! You want to hear it? Then listen! She was pregnant, but she's not anymore. Happy now?" Vivian snapped.

My stomach twisted as a horrible thought formed in my mind.

"Was?" I asked, my voice low and dangerous. "What do you mean? Did she terminate it?"

"No, Alpha," Vivian said firmly. "Selene would never do that. Your severance ritual caused her to miscarry."

The words hit me like a physical blow. I... I was the reason my child died...

Jason roared at Vivian, and she screamed back that this was exactly why she hadn't wanted to tell me.

"Enough!" I commanded, my voice cold with pain. My mind raced back to our final days together. Why hadn't Selene told me she was pregnant?

"She must have known the severance ritual could endanger our child's life. Why would she go through with it?!" I demanded.

Vivian's eyes were hard. "You didn't give her a choice, Vortend. You were too busy getting rid of her." She cast a cold glance at Adriana.

Guilt and remorse transformed into anger. I slammed my fist into the bar, sending a bottle of whiskey flying.

"She should have told me she was pregnant!" I shouted.

"She was going to," Vivian countered. "That night. But instead, you handed her the severance papers."

Jason whispered something to Vivian. She nodded grimly, then turned to me, adding that she hadn't wanted to hurt me, which was why she'd kept it secret. Then she left."

Adriana tried to comfort me, placing her hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off.

"I killed my child," I said, my voice hollow with grief.

"It's not your fault," Adriana insisted. "Selene wasn't strong enough. If she had been—"

"If I hadn't rejected her, our baby would be fine," I cut her off, the truth of it crushing me.

"That's enough, Adriana," Jason growled. "Get out."

"I will be his Luna," Adriana argued, her voice rising. "You have no right—"

Jason laughed bitterly. "Luna? You? That's rich."

"I killed that child... my child," I whispered, the words tearing at my throat.

"Both of you, get out," I ordered, my voice ice cold. "I need to be alone."