"She's… she's pregnant."
Lynsandra's entire world shattered with only two words coming from the lips of the man she had bet her entire life on. Slowly, she turned toward the driver's seat, their car parked by the ocean shore—where they first met, their first moonlight, where they first fell in love, their first kiss, and all the other firsts that once filled her heart with love.
A tear rolled down her cheek, her lips quivering. "What?"
"I'm sorry." Victor hung his head, then looked back at her. He reached out to hold her hand resting on her lap. "But Lizzie, that doesn't mean we have to break up. It was just—"
The rest of his words halted as she flung his hand away from hers.
"Doesn't mean we don't have to break up?" she repeated, scoffing. "Vic, you promised… it was one drunken mistake."
A drunken mistake that he didn't want to happen, but happened anyway. Lynsandra forgave him and gave him a chance. All because she loved him dearly and thought they could put that mistake behind them.
But that was a year ago.
Lynsandra brushed the stray hairs off her face, her eyeglasses slipping down her nose.
"This is ridiculous."
"Lizzie—"
"Don't follow me." She scoffed and walked out of the car.
Three years ago, Lynsandra had never thought that Victor would break her heart the way he did now. They used to be each other's worlds, and out of deep love for him, she had given everything up so she could support him from the shadows.
But the second Victor tasted success, their relationship began to spiral. He was changing—slowly at first. It started with his tastes, his lifestyle, and then… women. Even so, Lynsandra endured it after a single, "Sorry, I won't do it again."
She felt stupid for falling for that over and over.
Lynsandra wiped her tears as she walked away from their usual spot—the salt wind tangling that stray of her hair, sand clinging to her feet, tears blurring her vision. Her steps stopped when a hand wrapped around her wrist, tugging her back and forcing her to look at him.
"Liz!" Victor shouted. "I'm sorry, alright? I meant it when I said it was a mistake—"
"A mistake?" Lynsandra roared, yanking her arm free. "Vic, how can you call it a mistake when the first time it happened was a year ago?! You said it wouldn't happen again, but now, she's pregnant!"
His face twisted. "I know! But—but you've got to understand, hun." He sighed, taking a step closer, slipping into his usual persuasive tone. "The business is doing well now because she's been helping me. Besides, she's affiliated with the Royal Pack. With her help, our pack is finally being acknowledged!"
"What?"
"Lizzie." Victor held her shoulders gently, looking her straight in the eyes. "You know you're the only one in my heart. It's just that… this is something I have to do. I can't just not take responsibility. The Alpha King would kill me!"
"The Alpha King?" she scoffed, thinking how the Alpha King would tear him apart once he found out what he had done to her heart.
Three years ago, Lynsandra had left home to find some semblance of normalcy in her life—something she would never see if she stayed in the Royal Pack, a royal lineage of werewolves. A secret she didn't feel the need to disclose to anyone. After all, she wanted a life outside the shadow of her father, the Alpha King. Outside the Royal Pack.
Just be Lynsandra—Lizzie, for short.
"Please, honey," he cooed, squeezing her shoulder blades lightly. "It's just a pup. We don't have to break up. We'll just have to figure out how to move forward—"
Before he could spew more ridiculousness, a sharp slap echoed against his cheek. Shock instantly appeared on his face, eyes wide, head snapping to the side.
"Fuck you," Lynsandra spat, stepping back with a dry laugh. "Screw yourself, Vic."
She scoffed, her hands curling into fists. She wanted to beat him—knock out a few teeth, physically inflict the pain he had carved into her heart. But instead, she chose to walk away. Out of the remaining love and respect she still had for him. The love he no longer deserved.
But as she walked away, her steps halted at his shout.
"You are nothing without me, Liz!" he screamed, fuming. "You think you can walk away like this?! Fine! Go ahead! But I'm telling you, you'll end up crawling back to me!"
For a second, her heart thudded painfully, her ears ringing with words she never thought he would utter. Slowly, she turned back to him in disbelief.
"What did you say?"
"Just look at you!" He marched toward her, bobbing his head mockingly.
There before him was a woman with huge, round glasses, hair tied so tightly that stray hairs stuck out. Compared to all the other women around him, she looked so dull. So boring.
"Liz, when we first met, we both had nothing. But I worked hard and gave us a better life. Katarina helped me with her connections, but what did you do?"
"What do you mean, what did I do?" Lynsandra echoed, rendered speechless by how easily he erased everything she had sacrificed. "Did you really not know?"
The multiple jobs she had juggled just to fund his failed projects. The sleepless nights. The life she could've chosen, but didn't. The life she put on hold so his could flourish.
"Hah… unbelievable." An airy laugh slipped past her lips as she shook her head. "Vic, you… selfish jerk."
This time, she resumed walking, refusing to stop for anything. She told herself this was the end—her last act of self-respect, her way of saving herself from more pain. This was the best before she started seeing red.
She was certain there was nothing Victor could say to stop her.
But she was wrong.
"Fine! Go!" he roared. "But remember this, Lizzie—you won't find anyone like me! No one's going to want a wolfless defect like you!"
Her steps came to a full stop, her mind going blank. She couldn't believe he dared say that on top of everything else.
A short laugh escaped her lips as she turned back to him. A spiteful smile curved her mouth as she spoke.
"You think?" she scoffed. "Watch me."