Betrayed By My Mate

Bitter Than Lemon

Zane gazed at her, momentarily bewildered. A chuckle escaped him as he shook his head, pondering if she had indeed lost her mind. Raven had no one else in the world but him; there was simply no way she could survive without a pack or without him. So why, then, was she demanding a divorce?

His chuckle persisted as he shook his head once more. "I'm certain you don't mean that. You're acutely aware that you can't survive without me, right?”

Raven averted her gaze, struggling to contain the tears welling in her eyes. Who would have imagined that she, the one who had risked everything to save Zane, would now be the one seeking a divorce? She loved him more than life itself, yet here she was, prepared to leave him.

"Genevieve lost the pregnancy," he disclosed, his fists clenching tightly. He couldn't shake the blame he felt towards her.

Raven stole a glance at him before quietly looking away. There was no use in revealing that Genevieve had fabricated the pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage; he would never believe her.

"Are you satisfied now?" he asked through gritted teeth, his anger palpable. He took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself. "You know, right now, I wish I could strangle you right now. All I've ever wanted is to be a father. I wanted you to be the mother of my children, but you've proven to be useless. Two whole years, and you couldn't give me a child. Finally, someone else was about to fulfill my greatest wish, and you took that away from me."

Tears streamed down Raven's cheeks as she nodded, slowly wiping them away. "Did these two years of marriage ever mean anything to you?"

He scoffed, rolling his eyes as he ran his hand through his beard. "I wish they had, but unfortunately, they meant absolutely nothing to me."

Raven nodded, acknowledging the painful truth. She had wasted two entire years on nothing. "Sign the divorce papers, Zane, and I'll be out of your life for good."

"I hate you, Raven. I should have listened to my family from the start. You never deserved me. I married you out of pity, and I regret it. I should have compensated you for saving my life instead of making you my mate." He grabbed her hand and shoved her forcefully to the floor, the papers scattering. "How dare you ask for a divorce after taking my child's life?" he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"She's not only a murderer but also a gold digger. Do you really think my nephew is going to share half of his assets with you just because you told your attorney that he cheated on you?" Miriam asked, disgust evident on her face as she entered the living room.

Raven, in tears, shook her head vehemently. "I don't want anything from him. All I want is for him to sign the divorce papers and set me free," she retorted sadly.

Miriam raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" She turned to Zane, who was glaring at Raven, his face flushed with rage. "Genevieve just lost her baby because of her. How do you think she would feel if she returned and found out that this murderer is still here?"

Zane turned to his aunt, looking slightly confused. "What do you mean, Aunt?"

"Sign the divorce papers and get rid of this woman for good," Miriam insisted.

Zane raised both brows, looking shocked. "You want me to let her off the hook so easily after she killed my child?" he asked incredulously.

Miriam took a deep breath, approaching Zane and placing her hand on his shoulder with a warm smile. "Of course not, Zane. Divorcing her is the worst punishment you can give her. As a rogue, she won't survive a day without us. She'll be dead sooner than you expect. So, cut her loose."

Zane looked away coldly. He never intended to divorce Raven. Despite hurting her and saying horrible things, deep down, he felt something for her. But his allegiance to his maternal family clouded his judgment. They had saved him from dying after his father abandoned him weeks after his mother's death, so he felt indebted to them.

"She's barren. You're an Alpha and you need an heir. You don't need Raven. She served her purpose in your life. Genevieve has proven to be fertile. You will both have more babies in the future," Miriam whispered to him.

Raven picked up the papers, her heart pounding in her chest. She wondered if asking for a divorce was the right decision. But what choice did she have? Zane had made it clear that it was over between them long ago. Staying would only break her further. She'd rather face uncertainty on the streets than endure a mansion filled with heartbreak.

Zane extended his hand to Raven, taking the documents and retrieving a pen from his suit. He glanced at Raven, silently hoping she would stop him. Raven could feel her heart racing as she looked away, fists clenched tightly. She had made up her mind.

"Very well then," Zane muttered before signing the papers in anger.

More tears streamed down Raven's cheeks. Finally, her once beautiful love story had come to an end, leaving her feeling even more alone and heartbroken than she had been two years ago. All because her stepsister hated her so much, and her beloved mate blamed her for not having children.

Miriam grinned from ear to ear as she watched Zane sign the papers. "It's not that hard, is it?" she asked, folding her hands across her chest.

Raven picked up the papers from the table, intending to head upstairs, when Zane's voice stopped her in her tracks. "And where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"To get my things," Raven retorted, gulping hard.

Zane chuckled. "Have you forgotten, Raven?" he asked.

Raven looked confused. "Forgotten what?"

"That you came to this pack with nothing?" he asked, raising a brow.

Raven gasped in shock. Was he serious right now? "Zane, what are you driving at?"

"Everything you have today is because of me. You're nothing without me. So, you're going to leave the same way you came to this pack two years ago," he declared, burying his hands in his pockets.

"That's right," Miriam chimed in, feeling proud of Zane. He was finally treating Raven the same way they had always treated her. There were days when Zane would be away on a trip, and they would make her sit outside in the rain, just to frustrate her enough to leave him on her own.

"Zane, you can't be so cruel. I left my pack with nothing because I saved you and had to elope with you. Have you forgotten that?" Raven asked, her tone a mix of anger and shock.

"And do I look like I care, Raven? You should be grateful that I chose to spare your life after you took the life of my child. If I were you, I'd leave right away before I change my mind and make you leave here naked. After all, the clothes you're wearing right now were bought with my hard-earned money," he said coldly.

Raven sobbed uncontrollably, shaking her head bitterly. "If only I could turn back time, I would have let my pack behead you. I did what no one else could, not even your family or members of your pack came to save you, yet you chose to repay me this way. I promise you one thing, Zane, you will regret this."

Zane laughed mockingly, and Miriam joined in. "And how do you intend to make me regret it? Pray that you don't end up dead on the streets sooner or later. Now, get out of my house!" he ordered, pointing at the door.

More tears fell from Raven's eyes as she recalled all the beautiful moments she shared with Zane. They had promised each other so much, including eternity. Did this mean he never loved her? He said he married her out of pity. Why hadn't she noticed before that he wasn't genuine? These thoughts swirled in her mind as she slowly turned around and exited the Blackwood mansion, clutching the divorce papers in her hand.

Two months later, Raven had relocated to New York City and had been working tirelessly as the manager of a company. During a crucial board meeting, she suddenly collapsed and was rushed straight to the hospital. She woke up a couple of hours later, feeling disoriented and with a pounding headache. As she attempted to sit up, she heard a soft but concerned voice.

"Miss Ashford, I advise you not to get up. You need all the rest you can get, especially in your condition," the voice said gently. The speaker was a tall, middle-aged man wearing a long lab coat. "You'll be fine. You're just under a lot of stress”, he added.

Raven turned to him, feeling confused. "What condition are you referring to, Doctor?" she finally managed to ask before he could leave the room.

"I'm referring to your pregnancy," he replied innocently.

"Are you saying that I'm pregnant?" she asked, looking shocked.