Chapter 2

Alexander froze for a moment, then seemed to figure something out.

"I know. You've been waiting for me this long—it's only natural you'd be upset."

I finally steadied myself and looked at him coldly.

"Alexander, we broke up a long time ago. What makes you think I'd let you mark me?"

He paused, then laughed helplessly.

"Come on, Aurora. I know you're resentful. But the whole Pack knows you're my fated mate. Who else would want you?"

Looking at the certainty in his eyes, I felt it was absurd.

On my eighteenth birthday, I discovered that Alexander was my mate.

Alexander was the Beta of our pack.

His golden hair gleaming on the football field and his athletic build made him the prince charming of many girls' dreams.

I had been infatuated with him too.

Our relationship went smoothly, but the day before our wedding, he suddenly disappeared, leaving me only a note.

"Rosalind has never traveled anywhere. Now that she's graduated, I'm taking her on a graduation trip."

I just never expected his trip would last three years.

And a year later, he even sent back his child with Rosalind.

That's when I found out he had been cheating with Rosalind all along—she was already pregnant before my wedding.

Thinking of this, my anger burned even fiercer.

Just as I was about to punch him in his hypocritical face, my son Ryan's cries came from the distance.

"Mommy! Mommy, save me!"

Rosalind was twisting Ryan's ear, lifting his entire body off the ground.

The little boy's face was flushed red from the blood rushing to it.

Seeing this, my mind exploded.

"Stop it! Rosalind! What the fuck are you doing?!"

I rushed over and slapped Rosalind to the ground, then pulled Ryan into my arms.

Rosalind threw herself into Alexander's arms as he hurried over, covering her face and sobbing.

"Alexander, I just wanted to see the child, but he doesn't recognize me as his mom at all. He was punching and kicking me."

"I was just disciplining my own child, but Aurora hit me?"

I looked at the obvious bruises on Ryan's body and angrily cut Rosalind off.

"Shut up! Ryan is MY child. He has nothing to do with you, you fucking bitch!"

"Enough!" Alexander stared at me in shock. "Aurora, when did you become so vicious? Don't forget—Rosalind is the child's biological mother! You only raised him for three years, and now you want to claim him as your own?"

I laughed in disbelief and emphasized again.

"Ryan has nothing to do with this woman."

Rosalind used to be just an ordinary omega in the pack.

When her parents died, they left behind a huge debt. The creditors were going to sell her to a brothel to become a pack whore.

But I pitied her, so I had my father adopt her. Not only did we pay off her debts, but we also gave her the best education.

I never expected she would seduce my mate behind my back.

At that moment, Rosalind dropped to her knees.

"It's all my fault. I deserve to die. But the child is innocent. Aurora, please give the child back to me?"

As she spoke, she began slapping herself across the face.

I watched her coldly.

"If you want to act crazy, get out. Don't dirty my place."

Alexander glared at me furiously, kicked me hard in the knee, and snatched Ryan from my arms.

Rosalind immediately clutched the child tightly.

"Baby, it's all my fault. I haven't been by your side all these years, that's why you're so distant with me. Now I'm back. I'll never leave you again."

She wailed hysterically.

And Ryan—the pup who, just like his father, hated strong perfume—instantly cried even harder.

"Let me go, you bad woman! I want Mommy!"