Chapter 10
August’s face was still badly swollen.
I stared at him warily. “How did you find this place? What do you want?”
For him to evade so many of Ryder’s pack members and track me down here, he must’ve gone to great lengths. The image of Hailey’s deranged expression flashed through my mind, and my heart clenched tight in alarm.
August seemed to sense my fear and quickly spoke up, “Sophia, don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you. I just…”
I took two steps back, feeling irritated. “Just what?”
“Sophia, the truth is… the one I’ve always loved is you. Every time I think about you being with another werewolf, having his pup … it feels like my heart is being ripped apart.
“I know you love me, too. Come with me. Let’s run away. Let’s go somewhere no one knows us and start over.”
August was covered in wounds, but it was obvious he had dressed carefully before coming to see me. He was even wearing the suit I had once gifted him.
But I remembered clearly that back then, he’d said the suit looked cheap and ugly and had thrown it straight into the trash.
Seeing that I stayed silent, August seemed to think he had a chance. His eyes lit up with hope as he rushed forward, trying to embrace me. However, I dodged him with disgust.
“Start over? August, when you abandoned me in the Pack Affairs Department and turned me into a public joke, did it ever cross your mind that this day would come?
“And now you’ve got the nerve to talk about love? Doesn’t it make you sick to say that out loud? It’s disgusting.”
August scrambled for a last-ditch explanation, rushing to say, “Hailey was pregnant with my pup. I couldn’t just walk away. You .wouldn’t want me to be the kind of werewolf who shirks responsibility, would you?”
I sneered. “You’re absolutely shameless. You cheated on me, and that’s how that pup came to be. The moment you betrayed me, you lost every right to talk about responsibility.
“Even now, you’re still trying to justify your mistakes. It’s pathetic and disgusting, really. You’re rotten, just like garbage.
“The only thing I regret is being blind enough to fall for someone like you. And now, after everything, what makes you think I’d ever take you back?”
August opened his mouth to say something, but before he could get a word out, the guards who had rushed in seized him.
Ryder followed close behind, his gaze ice-cold, his voice low and lethal. “August, you’ve got some nerve. Since you’re so desperate to die, I’ll grant your wish.”
His dark, stormy eyes swept over me, checking carefully to ensure I wasn’t hurt. Once satisfied, he gave a small wave of his hand. The guards immediately began to drag August out.
Struggling against them, August thrashed and shouted furiously, “You really think Sophia loves you? You’re nothing but a substitute! I’m the one she truly wanted. You’re just the loser she settled for…”
Before he could finish his sentence, one of the guards knocked him out.
He had always known about my past with August. Even though we had been together for years, he still couldn’t shake his insecurity.
He was always afraid I’d leave him one day, and my love wasn’t genuine. That fear never truly left him.
Looking at Ryder’s silent figure now, I felt a sharp ache in my chest.
He was such a proud werewolf, but a few wild words from August made him doubt. This only proved that he loved me too much. At that moment, I genuinely wished August would die. Having him share the same space was a waste.
After we visited my parents and returned home from the Aurelis pack, I found myself staring blankly at the wedding photo on
the wall.
In the picture, Ryder was looking at me with nothing but deep affection in his eyes, while my expression remained calm and
distant.
I had to admit that when I agreed to form a mate bond with him, it truly had been a moment of impulsiveness. But after all these years together, after everything he had done for me with such care and tenderness, my heart had long since begun to change.
I lightly traced Ryder’s features in the photo with my fingers and then noticed something peeking out from behind the frame. I removed the wedding photo from the wall and uncovered a hidden secret.
Behind the large frame were countless photos of me. I couldn’t help but ponder whether Ryder had fallen for me long before I
first met him.
Some of the earliest pictures were from my high school years, before I met August. As I examined the images, I was shocked and amazed to realize he had been watching over me for decades.
My heart began to pound wildly.
Ryder returned from a business meeting and found me quietly sitting on the couch, surrounded by dozens of my photos. His long -hidden secret was exposed.
He was stunned. He walked up to me nervously, like a pup caught doing something wrong, and said softly, “Honey, you found…”
He didn’t dare meet my eyes. He knew better than anyone that what I hated most was being lied to.
I felt playful and hid the smile tugging at the corners of my mouth, deciding to tease him a little.
“If you liked me for so long, why didn’t you chase me earlier? Who knows? I might have fallen for you back then, and we wouldn’t have missed all those years.
“If I had been in love with you from the start, I couldn’t imagine how happy I would’ve been. You took some pretty good shots. From now on, you’re in charge of all my photos.”
Ryder froze in place as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. But the very next second, he pulled me into his arms with overwhelming joy. “Honey, you’re… you’re not mad at me?”
I was confused. “Why would I be mad?”
“I was a creep, watching your life from the shadows. A total pervert who didn’t even have the courage to approach you.”
I stopped him sternly before he could go on. “Don’t talk about yourself like that. To me, you’re the most charming werewolf in the world. You’re my one and only mate, the person I’ll entrust my whole life to. You’re nothing like a pervert!”
He was always so cold and composed, but he actually cried when he heard my words. “Honey, I never dared to hope you’d love me back. Just having you by my side was already more than enough for me.”
I covered his mouth. “Don’t say nonsense like that. The one I love is you. You’ve already taken over my heart completely.”
I could never quite understand why Ryder was so insecure in front of me. He was clearly the pride of the pack, admired and pursued by countless she-wolves.
But I had, by chance, learned about his past. He was an orphan, taken in by the former Alpha.
From then on, he underwent strict and relentless training. It was that upbringing that shaped his distant, icy personality.
2/3
Chhote
+15 Bonus
He had always believed that his adoptive father didn’t truly care for him. But in truth, his adoptive father had placed deep hopes and expectations on him.
In a sudden flash of memory, I remembered the very first time I met Ryder.
It had been deep in the forest, where he was undergoing harsh training. I had gotten lost and stumbled upon him. He was alone and wounded.
I saved him and wrapped his injuries with trembling hands. “Hi, I’m Sophia Miller. Are you okay?”
He had looked so disheveled back then, pain etched across his face as he groaned in agony. I never imagined the werewolf from that day was actually Ryder.
Now I understood. It was those early experiences that left him with such a deep sense of insecurity. Yet, it didn’t matter.
Soon, we’d be welcoming our second pup into the world. I was willing to spend the rest of my life proving to that sensitive soul that I loved him deeply. One day, I knew he would believe it.
