His Beta in Lace, His Luna Walks

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My husband, Elias, was the Alpha of the Dubois pack and the CEO of a major company.

Two months into my pregnancy, I saw his Beta, Vivian, post an update on Ins.

The photo showed Elias with his arms around her, holding up a red lace bra.

My boyfriend is too passionate, he ripped my bra! Good thing he bought me a new lace one!

I quietly liked the post, then destroyed all the baby items I'd bought.

Elias called just as I finished burning the last one.

He hurriedly explained:

"The company designed new lingerie that needs promotion. Vivian and I were just acting if you like it"

"No need," I said, touching my still-flat belly. "Advertising and marketing, I get it."

After hanging up, I called my father, Arthur, the Alpha of the Ashclaw pack.

"Dad, I agree to come back as the Ashclaw pack's Alpha heir and take over your company."

Elias, this time, I'm truly done with you.

Outside, the snow fell thick and fast.

By the time Elias came home, I had already decided to divorce him.

Seeing that I didn't greet him as usual, he immediately looked annoyed.

"Why didn't you come to meet me?"

"It's snowing so heavily, weren't you worried I wouldn't make it back?!"

He complained as he kicked off his shoes. Snowmelt mixed with mud stained the carpet.

In the past, I would have carefully wiped his shoes with a towel, then handed him a cup of coffee I'd brewed myself.

But now, "I don't feel like moving!"

Elias's expression froze instantly. His Adam's apple bobbed twice.

"Then where's my coffee?"

"Forgot."

"Forgot?!"

After a deathly silence,

"Clara, what's gotten into you now?"

"Is it just because of those pictures?"

He excitedly reached for my hand, but I deliberately avoided him, still holding my coffee cup.

"New products need promotion, I told you about it."

"Don't always use your pregnant-woman tantrums to pressure me. I can't handle it"

"You're overthinking it," I calmly interrupted, my legs tucked under the blanket, shrinking back involuntarily.

Pea-sized snow pellets rattled against the window, reminding me of the blizzard night half a month ago, when he'd frowned just like this.

"The company's new products are launching. You don't have to drag me along for a prenatal check-up."

Then, he'd spoken softly to Vivian on the other end of the phone,

"I remember every one of your efforts. Don't worry, no matter what the future holds, I'll do my best to be with you."

But that day, I walked home alone through the blizzard.

Elias's fingertips pressed a red mark between his brows. Finally, he pulled out a cheaply packaged item from his briefcase.

"La Perla!"

"Same color, same style!"

He tossed the lingerie in front of me with a "don't be ungrateful" look.

"Satisfied now?"

I stared at the lingerie lying in the most ordinary plastic bag from a convenience store. The gold-embossed logo was crooked and half-missing.

It was completely different from the one he'd given Vivian.

But I still calmly said "thank you," then continued scrolling on my phone without looking up.

Elias's brows suddenly furrowed. He grabbed my arm.

"I satisfied your vanity, so why are you still giving me attitude?"

"Vivian wore this exact collection. Everyone online is talking about it. So many people are fighting to get their hands on it! And this is your attitude?"

What else did he expect?

"What else should I do?"

"Kneel for you? Or transfer money to you?"

The flowing air instantly fell into a deadly silence.

I didn't want to argue anymore. I threw off the blanket and walked straight to the bedroom.

Behind me, I heard the crash of Elias kicking over the coffee table.

But I truly couldn't think of a way to express gratitude to himfor using a fake to excuse his betrayal under the guise of "promotional needs."

And then, under the name of "vanity," reducing all my grievances and disappointment to irrational pregnancy hormones.

It was utterly pointless.

I changed into clean clothes and walked to the front door.

Elias's furious roar followed me to the entryway, "Where are you going in this blizzard? You're pregnant, what if something happens?!"

I fastened the last button on my coat, unable to help but curl my lips into a smile.

"So you do remember I'm pregnant, Elias"

I put on my shoes. "Do you remember the last time you left me at the hospital?"

"I was thinking the same thing!"

"In a blizzard, while pregnant, what if something happens?!"

"And what happened?"

I spread my hands, then walked out the door without looking back.

Just before the security door closed, I heard the sound of a cup shattering on the floor.

But I didn't panic and rush back like before, to clean up the mess and appease him with a forced smile.

Instead, I straightened my back and stepped into the waiting cab outside.

The swirling snow hit the car windows, and a long-forgotten lightness washed over my heart.

My father, Arthur, is the Alpha of the Ashclaw pack. He always hoped I would inherit his company.

Before I met Elias, I worked at my father's company. Everyone there recognized my abilities, and my father wanted me to be the Ashclaw pack's Alpha heir.

Then, I met Elias, my fated mate.

We fell in love quickly, married quickly. Because he said "I need you," I gave up my chance to become the Ashclaw pack's Alpha heir and became a homemaker instead.

I put away company documents, and my ink-stained fountain pen was tucked into a drawer.

And now, I could finally pursue my career without any reservations.

The scent of coffee and paper filled the office.

The employees buzzed around me, and first among them was my father's Beta, Joe. He handed me a thick stack of documents.

"I knew you wouldn't be trapped in a gilded cage forever."

I took the documents and said a sincere "thank you!"

In the three years I'd been married to Elias, I truly made him my entire world.

From taking care of every household chore to being his unwavering support, and finally giving up the most brilliant career of my life.

Thankfully, I finally realized that love couldn't be everything in life.

I finished processing the last email, and it was late when I got home.

The dim yellow light stretched Elias's desolate figure. I didn't pay attention to his expression, only seeing the mess in the living room.

He was drinking.

This was the first time in three years, outside of company dinners, that he was drinking alone at home.

I suppressed my shock and placed my briefcase in the entryway.

He rushed over and grabbed me.

"Where were you?"

I didn't speak, taking off my shoes.

"I asked where you were!"

His voice unconsciously rose. He saw the company documents still in my hand and suddenly looked enlightened.

"Clara, are you serious? So upset with me that you run away from home? You know how much I hate you meddling in company affairs, but you deliberately went to your Dad's just to spite me. When are you going to grow up?"

I stared at his pale face, speechless for a moment, finally dismissing all his questions with a cold scoff.

"What do you mean" He grabbed me from behind. "It's not still about that lingerie, is it?"

"I already explained, it was for new product promotion, and besides, I bought you the same one. What more do you want?"

Dried coffee stains pricked under my fingernails. I coolly pulled my hand away.

"Yes, what more do I want?"

"Are you done talking? If so, I'm going to sleep."

He suddenly kicked over the shoe rack. Shoes clattered against the wall, dislodging plaster dust that mingled with the smell of paper and ink.

"Every time, you put on that deadpan face!"

"You're throwing away a perfectly good life, just to get involved with those disreputable people. Clara, what do you even consider our marriage to be?!"

His hysterical accusations were as grating as the howling winter wind outside.

But I still said nothing.

Before any black-and-white argument, I always believed silence could pierce through all stubborn rationalizations.

That night, the sharp pop of an aluminum can being opened sliced through the entire night sky.

I sat on the edge of the bed, studying my phone, and heard Elias's deliberately lowered voice from the living room.

"When will she ever be like you?"

The next day, I opened my bedroom door.

I saw Elias slumped in front of the empty cans, a pile of cigarette butts still askew in last night's spilled drink.

In the past, I would have silently cleaned up the mess and carefully found a way for us to reconcile.

Even if my heart ached with injustice, I would have used the gentlest smile and actions to gloss over the argument as a minor bump in life.

But now, I walked straight past the cans and out the door.

Before closing it, I heard Elias growl,

"If you're so capable, then never come back!"

That was exactly what I was planning.

Since resigning from the company three years ago, I hadn't touched those business documents again.

Now that I had the chance, I wouldn't squander this freedom.

Following Joe's arrangements, I signed up for the Alpha heir assessment at my father's company, three days from now.

"It's a long journey, and you might be gone for a year or more. Are you really not going to discuss it with him?"

Joe's voice crackled with static. I traced the unfinished "Company's Three-Year Plan" on my phone's screen.

It was a draft I'd worked on three years ago, when I was the executive director at my father's company, a path I'd stopped for Elias.

But now, "No need to discuss it. We're getting divorced soon."

Back home, Elias stood in front of the mirror, dressed in a custom-tailored suit.

His fingertips combed through his sideburns with an Italian handmade comb.

His slicked-back hair highlighted his increasingly handsome and sharp features.

"I have a client dinner tonight," he said without looking up.

Then he pulled out his phone, a smile playing on his lips, and walked out the door.

That smile was identical to the one Vivian posted on her social media.

A laugh so free, so gentle, with an indulgent warmth that lingered in the corners of his eyes and brows.

I remembered three years ago, he used to smile at me like that.

On a snowy street, he'd wrapped my shivering shoulders in a thick coat, then wound a scarf around my neck layer by layer, saying with a smile,

"See, this way my little heir won't turn into a snowman."

But now, he warmed someone else's winter with that same smile.

The starlight in his eyes no longer belonged to me.

I knew he was with Vivian again.

Since I got pregnant, he often came home late. Every time I tried to FaceTime him, I could always see Vivian nearby.

I became anxious, trying every way to hold onto him.

But in the end, all I got was his, "Can you just stop being so annoying?"

That evening, I clicked on Instagram on a whim.

I saw Vivian's new photos.

Elias stood beside her.

Both held the same bottle of champagne, smiling brightly in front of a giant champagne tower.

The caption read: "Wherever you are, it's always radiant."

Below it was a heart emoji from Elias.

"Wherever you are, I'm never alone."

In the past, I would have cried hysterically, then screamed and questioned him like a madwoman,

"Who exactly is your wife? Did you ever consider my feelings?"

But at that moment, I quietly closed my phone and slept through the night.

In the early morning, I was startled awake by a violent banging on the door. Elias, reeking of alcohol, threw back my blanket.

"I said I had a client dinner, but I didn't say I wouldn't eat, did I?"

"Clara, are you too lazy to even prepare a late-night snack for me now? How can you be so cold and heartless!"

His chest heaved violently, leaving me momentarily stunned.

In the past, whenever he had client dinners, no matter how late, I would meticulously prepare a table of late-night snacks.

But each time, he would push them away with a frown, then turn around and post exquisite late-night meals shared with others on social media.

I rubbed my sleepy eyes and said in as calm a tone as possible,

"You didn't say you were coming back to eat. You always eat out for client dinners. I can't exactly chase after you asking if you've eaten, can I? Wouldn't that make you look like you're henpecked? Besides, Vivian was still there."

Before, every time I questioned him, it would provoke his impatience. He hated every text and question from me, especially when he was with Vivian.

So, hearing what I said, his tightly furrowed brows instantly relaxed.

"That's not what I meant. Isn't preparing late-night snacks part of your duty? The only reason I'm with Vivian is for new product launches. Don't make a big deal out of nothing, or stir up trouble."

I nodded, looking like I understood. "I'm not making a big deal, and I'm not stirring up trouble. I just want to sleep now."

With that, I pulled the blanket over my head, no longer paying attention to his expression as I used to.

But that burning gaze didn't leave me for a long time.

That night, the living room light stayed on.

The next day, I woke up early, washed up, and walked straight to the entryway to change my shoes.

Elias sat at the dining table with his arms crossed.

I knew he was waiting for breakfast, but I didn't give him a chance to speak. I closed the door without looking back.

The cold wind bit, and I pulled my coat tighter.

In that moment, I felt no sadness, no grief.

Only a kind of numb calm.

As they say, a heart doesn't die in a sudden storm, but slowly with countless small disappointments, eroding what was once burning passion.

On my way back, Elias sent a text message.

He said the new product had successfully launched, and he was planning a celebration party at home. He asked me, for the sake of our marriage, not to make things awkward.

It was the first time he'd spoken to me in such a pleading tone, and the first time his voice had an almost imperceptible tremor at the end.

The ridiculous thing was, it wasn't because of me.

But I still agreed.

Not for Elias, or for anyone else, but to use this opportunity to bring a conclusion to this broken relationship.

Just my luck, as I opened the door, I saw Vivian sitting in my spot, holding my wine glass, laughing and drinking with Elias.

The room full of laughter stopped abruptly the moment I pushed open the door.

Elias, even more flustered, quickly pulled his hand away from Vivian's.

"The new product sales hit ten thousand, so I invited everyone to celebrate."

His pale explanation couldn't hide the panic in his eyes.

He feigned composure and stepped back, gesturing for me to sit in the empty seat next to him.

But I didn't even glance at it, walking straight to the sofa.

Vivian's gaze swept over me, a triumphant smile on her lips. As she raised her glass and approached, her expression shifted to one of reluctant apology.

"Oh, Luna Clara, we got a bit carried away and rudely showed up without your permission. This is the wine I brought, please have a taste."

At that moment, all eyes were on me.

Curiosity, scrutiny, speculation C I saw it all.

Only Elias stood frozen in place.

In the past, he was the most opposed to me drinking. At every gathering, he would rush to snatch my glass, saying in an almost scolding tone,

"She can't handle alcohol, she shouldn't drink."

Then he would tip his head back and down it himself.

But now, the white glare of the chandelier fell on his bewildered face. His Adam's apple bobbed, yet he said nothing.

I took the glass and, under everyone's gaze, drank the wine.

The hot, fiery liquid burned down my throat, much like the burning warmth in his palm three years ago at our wedding, when he lovingly held my hand and swore to give me a home.

I thought I had held eternity.

I set the glass down. Elias's phone on the table flashed glaringly.

It was him.

"How could you just drink wine?"

"You're still pregnant"

"Even if you didn't drink, no one was forcing you. Can you stop being so angry with me and tormenting yourself like this?"

"Please, think about our child, okay?"

I stared at the messages scrolling like a barrage of texts, every word packed with "sincere emotion."

Yet not a single one came from the bottom of his heart.

I put my phone face down on the table and quietly ate the food in my bowl.

Someone at the table looked enviously at Elias.

"Alpha Elias's company is growing stronger, he has a beautiful wife, and soon a new baby C truly a winner in life!"

A chorus of agreement followed.

Elias couldn't hide the smile on his face. He uncharacteristically cut a steak and pushed it towards me, but I refused and pushed it back.

In that moment, I ignored all his subtle expressions, ignored the constantly vibrating phone, and focused on eating my own meal.

Someone suddenly said,

"I've heard Luna Clara is especially beautiful and virtuous. She and Alpha Elias are truly a perfect match!"

Everyone echoed the sentiment.

Only I, with a darkened expression, pulled out the medical report for my unexpected miscarriage.

"Elias, let's get a divorce."

"I want to break our mate bond."