A few months later, my stomach had gotten bigger and my hips had expanded. I knew I needed to stay somewhere safe until I gave birth. I had to stop working for a while, which meant relying on someone else to take care of me and my expenses. Consulting a human doctor wasn't an option either; I couldn't risk them figuring out I was a beast and killing me during delivery. Just imagining it gave me the creeps. With no other choices left, I had to accept Ethan’s offer. He was a werewolf too—the heir to the White Wolves pack—so he understood my situation perfectly.
"Milady," Ethan said, holding the car door open for me.
I still felt uncomfortable every time he called me that. Ethan was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, so it was no surprise that he always acted so formal. I’d told him to just call me by my name plenty of times, but he couldn't seem to get the hang of it.
"Thanks," I said, stepping into his brand-new car.
I had brought all my things with me. In my mind, I could still see Cindy crying like a little girl, hugging me so tight she wouldn't let go. In the end, Ethan had to gently pull me away. I hadn't told Cindy what I really was, but I knew she was a good friend—far too good to be dragged into my messy life.
Ethan climbed into the driver's seat and shut his door. "You ready?" he asked, catching my eye in the rearview mirror.
I nodded. Truthfully, I wasn't ready at all. But every time I looked at Ethan, I remembered how he had stood up against Alpha William. He had been so cool and brave. From that moment on, I knew I could trust him.
"Alright, let's go then." He started the engine and pulled out into the street. "Don't worry, I'm sure everyone at my place will give you a warm welcome. I've already talked to them."
"Thank you. I wouldn't know where to go if it weren't for you. You're a lifesaver, Ethan."
"It's a pity we couldn't save your fiancé. Otherwise, I would have spent the whole day taking you out on a date," he said, chuckling a little.
"We didn't really need to save him. I'm sure his father won't hurt him. You already saved me, and that's more than enough," I replied.
"So, does that mean I can date you?" he asked, glancing over at me.
"You'd better focus on the road if you don't want our first date to be in a hospital room," I teased. "Besides, if your fiancée doesn't come back, then maybe you can date me."
"Same goes for you. If your fiancé doesn't come to get you, we can be together," Ethan countered.
But deep down, I didn't think Aaron would ever come back to me. It was my fault in the first place. I had killed his mother, Luna Asfara. He must hate me. And it wasn't just his hatred standing in our way—it was also his responsibility to his pack. Maybe this was the Moon Goddess’s way of telling me that Aaron and I were never meant to be.
Finally, we arrived at Ethan's mansion. He got out first and opened my door, then called over the guards to help with my suitcases. "Please take these up to her room. She’ll be staying here from now on," he instructed them.
"And who exactly is she?" a gorgeous woman asked, strutting over from the main entrance. "You didn't break up with me for her, did you?"
From the way she spoke, I realized she must be Ethan’s ex-fiancée, Jessica. She was tall, with long legs, full red lips, and short, curly black hair. She was wearing a flimsy, revealing outfit.
"Jessica, what are you doing here?" Ethan asked, his tone dropping.
"I just came back to get the rest of my things. Don't flatter yourself, Ethan, I didn't come for you. I know I deserve someone way better. Why? Am I not allowed here anymore just because you wanted to do your dirty business with the new girl?"
"Don't cause a scene, Jessica. Can't you see she's pregnant?" Ethan said firmly. "If you've got your things, you can leave."
"So that's why you broke up with me? Because you knocked up some other woman? How shameless of you, Ethan. I wish I’d never met you." Jessica slammed her suitcase against the cobblestones, storming off toward a waiting cab without a single backward glance.
"You okay?" Ethan asked, turning to me.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I should be asking you that, though. I know it's not easy to let someone go. I'm here if you need to cry," I offered gently.
"Thanks for the emotional support, but there's no need. Jessica and I are done. I don't cry over things that don't belong to me anymore," he said coldly.
He sounded detached, almost as if he viewed Jessica as a lost possession. But despite his hard words, I knew he was just putting up a front, bottling up his emotions because he didn't want me to see him vulnerable.
"I'm sorry about the bad welcome," he added, softening. "Come on, let's just forget about it and start fresh. Let me show you around." He reached out his hand to me.
I took it, and he led me on a tour of the mansion. He introduced me to the maids and servants, and to my surprise, Glenn, Mark, and Sarah were there too. I hadn't expected them to be living under the same roof.
"I thought they were your employees?" I whispered to him.
"I lied," Ethan admitted with a smirk. "They're actually some of the best hunters from the White Wolves. We left the pack together when my father died and my uncle took over the throne. We've been planning to go back and take what's mine ever since."
"So the White Wolves have their own civil war to deal with?" I asked.
"Ethan was still young when we had to flee," Sarah chimed in, her voice heavy. "As terrible as it sounds, it was his own uncle who murdered his father."
"That really is awful. I guess jealousy and envy can happen even between siblings," I murmured.
Instantly, my thoughts drifted back to Aaron. I hoped he wouldn't have to face a similar betrayal. I knew Francine wouldn't just sit back and let someone else take her father's throne; she was the type of woman who would do anything to keep what she thought belonged to her. Aaron was going to have a hard time.
"Don't dwell on it," Ethan said, pulling me out of my thoughts. "What matters right now is that you're safe here. I highly doubt William is just going to let you go, especially once he finds out you're carrying his grandson."
"Don't worry, Boss. We'll protect her," Sarah promised with a reassuring nod.
"Thank you. And I'm sorry for being a burden to you all," I said.
"You're not a burden," Mark replied flatly. "Ethan's paying us. We're getting compensated to be your bodyguards."
I turned to Ethan. "You did?"
Ethan quickly looked away, avoiding my eyes. He actually looked kind of cute when he was feeling guilty. I couldn't blame him, though—he was just worried about me.
"They're my friends," Ethan muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "And from now on, they're your friends too."