Riley’s POV


    I saw it the moment his eyes dropped to my left hand–the ring.


    A simple obsidian band, snug on my middle finger. Lucien’s promise.


    And just like that, Maddox snapped.


    His knuckles turned white where they clutched the arms of his wheelchair, the metal creaking beneath his fingers.


    “What the hell is that ring?!” he growled. “Are you engaged?”


    Finished


    His voice climbed into a snarl, pure territorial rage. “Who the hell gave you permission to bond with some stray male?!”


    His eyes burned, pupils dted like a wolf ready to shift.


    “Your heart should belong to me. Only me. I’m the one who can make you happy–not him. But no–while I was crawling through hell, you went and opened your legs for another mutt!”


    “You’re disgusting! A low–born she–wolf in heat, missing a kidney and still this damn desperate for a mate?! First Ronan Duskcliff, and now this bastard? Tell me, Riley–how many males have you slept with? Huh? Tell me!”


    His words dripped venom, filthy and rabid. He spoke like I was his property–his possession.


    If this had been months ago, maybe I would’ve burned with shame, maybe even rage. But not today.


    Today, I felt nothing but a frigid kind of rity.


    I nced at the ring again. A tail ring that Lucien had worn once–now resized and resting on my hand. A symbol.


    And just to spite Maddox, I leaned into Caelum’s arm, wrapping myself around him like I belonged there.


    “That’s right,” I said sweetly, letting the words drip with triumph. “We’re together.”


    Then I rested my other hand gently on my stomach.


    And I’m pregnant.”


    His breath hitched like someone had punched the wind from his lungs.


    The word pregnant struck harder than a silver de. I felt Caelum go rigid beside me, probably dying a little inside–but he stayed silent.


    (Stars help him, he better y along.)


    But Maddox<b>? </b>


    He crumbled.


    He looked like someone had gutted him and left him to bleed in the snow.


    His lips parted, then closed again–no sound came. Just a strangled wheeze. His eyes turned wild, bloodshot, locked on my belly as if he could burn a hole through it with hate alone.


    “You…” he gasped “You’re shameless!”


    Then came the explosion. Full volume. Full madness.


    “You don’t even know what it means to be a worthy she–wolf! Carrying some mongrel’s pup before a proper bonding ceremony? Are you not afraid? That male’s family could use the pup against you! You think he’ll protect you forever?”


    “You’ve disappointed me. You’ve ruined yourself. I wouldn’t take you back even if you begged. Your womb’s already spoiled.


    <b>3:53 </b>PM P P .


    tainted with another male’s seed. You’ll never be worthy of my legacy. Never!”


    “You make me sick.”


    His words tore through the air like ws.


    I stood tall. My spine straight, my eyes locked on his twisted, contorted face.


    I didn’t flinch.


    Finished


    “Maddox,” I said coldly, “I must’ve been blind not to see how pathetically backward you are. I used to think you were clever. Now I wonder if you ever learned the difference between honor and poison.”


    “If I had known that under your ‘elite student‘ mask hid a self–righteous, misogynistic leech, I would’ve never sent you a damn coin―let alone every cent I earned.”


    That hit him. I saw it in his eyes–the disbelief.


    “What are you saying?” he rasped. “What do you mean you sent me money?”


    He raised his voice, desperate, like volume could drown out the rising panic wing at his insides. But his voice shook.


    He already knew.


    I leaned in, dropped my voice to a deadly whisper.


    “Your tuition, your luxuries, every overpriced shirt, every brand–name coat… That was me. I funded your precious reputation. I bled for it. I worked three shifts and scraped every coin just so you wouldn’t have to suffer.”


    “And what did you do with it?” My voice cracked with disgust. “You used my money to y rich boy on campus, chasing praise, chasing power–and worst of all, you used it to spoil Scarlett. Gifts, lies, fake promises. All with the blood money of the girl you abandoned.”


    His shoulders slumped. The proud posture crumbled.


    I could see it–the flicker of memories shing in his head. The nights he unted his wealth. The fake smiles from ssmates. The lies.


    He thought it was all him.


    Now he knew better.


    And the shame… it settled on him like a curse.


    Good


    Because that’s all he ever deserved.


    Send Gifts


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