Chapter 38
Ivy’s eyes widened in confusion. “What are you talking about? Of course, the father is you. It’s your baby, Alpha.”
Her words only ignited the fire inside him. He stepped forward, his hands gripping her arms with unrestrained force. “Don’t lie to me!” His voice was raw with emotion. “I sacrificed everything for you. I put everything aside for you! And now I find out that I’m infertile–I can‘ t have children–and yet you‘ re carrying my child?”
The color drained from Ivy’s face, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to find the right words. “W–what are you talking about? I don’t know what you mean-”
“I’m infertile, Ivy!” Caleb‘ s voice was a low growl, his fury barely contained.
“How is it that you‘ re carrying my child. if I can’t even have one? You‘ ve been
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fooling me this whole time! You‘ re nothing but a liar!” His voice shook with. disgust. “You whore!”
Ivy recoiled, the hurt evident in her eyes, her tears welling as she reached for him.
“No, Alpha, please believe me! I swear to you—”
“I said don’t touch me!” Caleb
bellowed, pushing her hands away as his emotions took over. “Don’t ever show your face to me again, Ivy. I swear, if you do, I’ll kill you along with your fucking child!”
The words left his mouth before he could
stop them, his anger completely eclipsing reason. But he didn’t notice the growing crowd of pack members gathering at the edges of the hall, their eyes wide with shock. They had all heard the confrontation, all witnessed the Alpha‘ s rage, and the truth was now out in the
open.
Caleb stood frozen, chest heaving as he
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looked down at Ivy, her tear–streaked face trembling in front of him. For the first time, he saw her for what she truly was: a manipulative liar who had played him for her own gain.
He felt the weight of the stares bearing down on him, and that’s when it hit him like a punch to the gut. The entire pack now knew he was barren. It wasn‘ t Marissa who couldn’t bear his children. It was him. The realization sent a wave of humiliation crashing over him, and his vision blurred as the weight of his failure. consumed him.
He had failed Marissa. He had failed their
bond. Ivy had used him, and for what?
Power? Position? The Luna title? He didn’t
know anymore, but the pain of it was suffocating. His own pack had witnessed his weakness, his inability to carry his bloodline forward, and all he could do was stand there, completely shattered.
“Alpha,” one of the pack warriors called
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Chapter 38
out hesitantly, his voice filled with sympathy, “maybe… maybe you should step away for a moment.”
But Caleb didn’t move. He was frozen, the cruel truth burning through him. He had let Ivy manipulate him, and now he had not one left to blame but himself. His heart
ached with the realization that Marissa had been right all along. She had seen through everything. He had pushed her away for nothing.
“Get out,” Caleb finally muttered, hist voice barely audible. He turned and walked. away, not sparing another glance at Ivy, who stood trembling behind him.
The pack members parted, their whispers. filling the air as Caleb left the hall. Alone with his thoughts, he realized just how. deeply he had been deceived–and how far he had fallen.
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