She Stopped Fighting for the Alpha's Bed

At the Dubois Pack's moonlight ball, I was a temporary server pouring drinks for the wolves.

I had told my six-year-old daughter Lily to stay put in the kitchen and wait for me, but she snuck out and came to my side.

Along the way, she accidentally bumped into a drunk wolf.

The wolf spilled his entire drink on me and started cursing me out.

My ex-husband, Alpha Caius, appeared and got me out of the situation.

He sighed. "Let's remarry. Lily's still young. She can't keep living like this."

I agreed without hesitation.

After we got back together, I stopped getting jealous and throwing tantrums.

Lily also stopped competing with Kittythe daughter of Caius's childhood friend Aislingfor her father's attention.

When he stayed out all night with Aisling and her daughter, Lily and I didn't call to check on him.

When we ran into them outside, Lily and I tactfully kept our distance.

We became exactly the kind of understanding wife and daughter he always wanted.

But his eyes turned red. "Honey, why aren't you angry?"

"Lily, why won't you come close to Daddy anymore?"

On the night of the moonlight ball, Caius marked me, and we became mates once again.

The next day, after signing the remarriage papers, we returned to Caius's mansion.

He came up the steps behind us. Lily and I were standing at the door.

"Why aren't you going in?"

I said calmly, "The password's been changed."

As we spoke, the door opened from inside.

Aisling appeared wearing an apron, her voice full of playful reproach. "What took you so long? Kitty's asked about you several timesTalia?"

I nodded politely.

"Talia, please don't misunderstand. Caius has been so busy with pack business lately, I just came to make him some soup."

"I always forget the password, so Caius changed it to my birthday. I'll change it back right away."

But she made no move to do so. The smugness in her eyes was impossible to hide.

"Daddy!"

Aisling's daughter Kitty threw herself at Caius's legs.

Aisling frantically covered her mouth, putting on a show of being afraid of me.

"Kitty, didn't I tell you to call him Uncle Caius?"

Caius looked over at me awkwardly.

Seeing that Lily and I weren't making a scene like we used to, a flash of surprise crossed his face.

Lily's room was full of new things.

Aisling bit her lower lip lightly. "Kitty sometimes sleeps here..."

The little hand in my palm clenched tight. Lily said softly, "Mom, I can switch to a different room."

My heart, which had been completely calm until now, suddenly ached.

In the past, whenever she saw Caius doting on Kitty, she would pout and cry, shouting "Daddy is mine and mine alone."

Every time, Caius would scold me for not disciplining her properly.

Now she just quietly looked at her changed room.

Children are sensitive. She already understood that only the favored ones could act spoiled.

Caius frowned.

Aisling hurried to say, "I'll take the stuff away. Talia, please don't be angry at us"

The mother and daughter huddled together, trembling, looking pitiful.

In the past, I was always provoked by her passive-aggressive remarks, which led to fights with Caius.

But now, I just looked at her coolly without saying a word.

Caius suddenly spoke. "Don't come in and out of my house so casually anymore. You're a single motherpeople will talk."

After packing up her things, Kitty said through tears, "Daddy, I want you to take me home."

Caius hesitated, looking at me.

I smiled. "You and Aisling have so many years of history together. Of course you should take them home."

He opened his mouth to say something, but I turned to boil some water.

Before leaving, Caius said hurriedly, "Wait for me to come back. We need to have a proper talk."

Only after everyone left did Lily and I truly relax.

Soon, a message popped up on my phone.

Aisling: [Sorry about this, Talia. Kitty's used to having Caius watch cartoons with her, so he'll be back a bit late.]

That familiar "sorry about this" again.

I smiled and sent a brief reply: [Okay.]

Caius didn't come back until the next day. I was reading Lily her pre-nap story.

I didn't demand to know where he'd been.

Throwing jealous fits like I used to would only make him resent me more, and it would affect Lily too.

After Lily fell asleep, Caius handed me a box.

It was the black diamond necklace I once wanted but that someone else had won at auction.

In the past, I probably would have been overjoyed and thrown myself into Caius's arms.

But now, my heart was completely calm.

I used to love jewelry.

But after the divorce, I moved into a rough neighborhood and was dragged down the stairs by a thief yanking my necklace, ending up bloody and bruised.

From that moment on, I realized these things were flashy and useless, and could even cost me my life.

Not getting the enthusiastic reaction he expected, Caius's expression flickered. "Let me put it on you."

I smiled and dodged. "Thank you, but I don't like wearing jewelry anymore."

He stiffened.

I went to the kitchen to cut some fruit. When I came back out, Caius was already gone.

That afternoon, I took Lily out.

Money had been tight these past two years. Lily often wore hand-me-downs from the landlord's daughter.

Now I could finally buy her clothes that fit properly.

As we entered the children's clothing store, we ran into Aisling and her daughter.

And Caius.

The sales clerk fawned over them. "Alpha Caius, Miss Aisling, these just arrived yesterday. They'd be perfect for Kitty."

Kitty shouted, "I want this one!"

Caius smiled and swiped his card.

"Ma'am, can I help you with something?"

Another clerk approached me.

I said softly, "I'd like to buy a couple outfits for my daughter to wear now."

Caius and the others also looked our way.

I pretended not to notice and pulled Lily inside.

When we came out after trying on clothes, Aisling and her daughter were gone.

Caius looked at me with a complicated expression. "Today is Kitty's birthday. I was buying her clothes as a gift..."

"I see. Please send her my best wishes."

After speaking, I turned to the puzzled-looking clerk. "I'll take both of these outfits."

Just as I was about to pay, Caius grabbed my arm.

I quickly pulled my hand away.

The clerk's eyes darted between us. "Ma'am, you and Alpha Caius..."

I smiled. "We're friends."

A loud crash came from behind me.

"Mr. Caius, you dropped your phone!"

I turned around. Caius was staring at me intently. "What nonsense are you talking?"

I looked puzzled. "Aren't you going to celebrate her birthday with them?"

He continued glaring at me, his chest heaving violently, but he said nothing.

I didn't understand, but I didn't dare provoke him, so I pulled Lily toward the exit.

The moment we left the store, Caius grabbed me.

He asked in a low voice, "We're clearly husband and wife. Why did you say we're friends? Why did you just let them misunderstand our relationship?"

I laughed. "Aisling was right there next to you. They obviously all thought Aisling was your girlfriend. If they knew you were already married, it would be terrible for Aisling's reputation. Don't you care most about Aisling's reputation?"

Caius was stunned into silence. After a long pause, he finally spoke. "Why are you so different from before?"

In the past, I would have made a huge scene over something like this.

Caius was always impatient. "Stop being unreasonable. Aisling is a widow raising a child alone. It's not easy for her. If people think she's my girlfriend or mistress, at least they won't bully her."

But what was the point of fighting with Aisling over these things now?

I just wanted to raise Lily properly and let her live the comfortable life she deserved.

I said calmly, "Isn't this what you always wanted?"

Caius's face turned dark. He turned and left in anger.

I didn't care. I took Lily out to eat and shop, buying quite a few things.

This life without worrying about making ends meet felt like it had before the divorce.

After getting married, I became a stay-at-home mom.

Everyone around me envied me. Although I was just an ordinary wolf, I was Alpha Caius's fated mate. We dated, got married, and I became the Luna of Dubois Packall perfectly natural.

When we first got married, Caius treated me very well.

The day I received the pregnancy test results and discovered I was expecting Lily, Caius was so excited he couldn't contain himself. He held me and spun me around again and again.

At that time, he gently caressed my belly and said, "I'll make you and our child the happiest people in the world."

For a while, I truly believed I would stay this happy forever.

Until Aisling's mate died.

That day it was pouring rain. Aisling came to our door with Kitty.

She was soaked through. The moment she saw Caius, she threw herself into his arms, crying that her mate had died.

And Caius didn't push her away.

Later, Caius told me he was just being considerate of Aisling's grief over her recent loss.

I believed him.

Until Caius missed our anniversary for the first time. He told me he was handling pack business.

But the moment he got home, Aisling showed up at our door to return his tie.

I was confused.

He just pinched the bridge of his nose. "Aisling was helping me with work. She brought it over on her way."

I wanted to ask more questions, but seeing how exhausted he looked, I didn't have the heart.

I lived a pampered life at home while he worked so hard outside.

It really didn't seem right to doubt him.

I told myself that spouses needed basic trust. I couldn't let jealousy run wild.

But later, things like this happened more and more often.

On our anniversary, Caius left me alone at the restaurant to go rescue Aisling from her difficult landlord.

When sudden rain trapped Lily and me at the early learning center, Caius was taking Aisling and Kitty home.

When Lily came down with the flu and had a fever-induced seizure, I couldn't reach Caius. I took her to the hospital alone, only to find him bringing an entire team of pack medical specialists to treat Kitty's scratched hand.

Every single time, Aisling would proactively message me to "report."

[Sorry about this, Talia. Caius said I can't stay here anymore, so he's arranging for me to stay at another one of his properties.]

[Sorry about this, Talia. It's my fault for getting dizzy. Caius will come pick you up right after he drops me off.]

[Sorry about this, Talia. Caius is just too worried about Kitty. I'll talk to him about it later.]

I couldn't take it anymore. Again and again I demanded to know who his real wife and daughter were.

At first he patiently explained.

"We've known each other for so many years. I'm just helping her out when I can."

But he grew more and more impatient.

"Aisling lost her parents and her mate. She has no one to rely on. Can't you show her some compassion?"

"Aisling is a widow raising a child alone. Why do you have to target her?"

"Can't you take care of yourself? I have so much pack business to handle. Do I really have to revolve around you two?"

"If you can't raise the child properly, get someone else to do it! She's so young and already bullying others. What kind of monster will she be when she grows up?"

Lily and I stopped waiting eagerly for him to come home.

Because whenever he came back, all this little family got was fighting.

Lily grew quieter and quieter.

Even her daycare teacher came to ask if something was wrong at home.

What finally made me decide to divorce him was what happened at the New Moon Festival celebration.

I'd been exhausted and sleepy all the time during that period, and I completely forgot about the event.

By the time I woke up, the celebration had been going on for quite a while.

Then I saw a post on social media.

[Alpha Caius and Aisling look so perfect together.]

The attached photo showed Caius and Aisling sitting together at the event. Caius was cutting steak for Aisling.

I called Caius five or six times. No answer.

On the seventh call, someone finally picked up, but it was Aisling's voice.

"Talia, Caius is very busy right now. You can tell me whatever you need."

I told her to put Caius on the phone.

But she just laughed coquettishly. "Talia, I'm Caius's secretary. He has no secrets from me."

"You know, today so many people said I'd make a better Luna."

My whole body shook. I hung up and rushed to the venue still wearing my slippers.

Aisling had her arms around Caius's waist, her whole body leaning into his embrace.

I furiously pulled them apart and glared at Caius. "Is this what you do when I'm not around? Holding and hugging her?"

Aisling came over to pull at me. "Talia, I had too much to drink. Don't misunderstand"

I shook off her hand and glared at her. "Don't touch me! Homewrecker!"

I hadn't used much force, but she cried out delicately and fell to the ground.

"Talia! What's wrong with you?"

Caius roughly shoved me aside and helped Aisling up with concern, carefully checking her over.

My lower back hit the corner of the table. The pain brought tears to my eyes.

Aisling's eyes were red as she held back tears.

"It's all my fault. Please don't fight because of me..."

Caius rushed to comfort her. "It has nothing to do with you. She's the one having a breakdown."

Then he turned to me, his voice cold. "Talia, I've told you so many timesAisling's mother asked me on her deathbed to take care of her."

"Do you have any idea how hard it is for her to raise a child alone? You're both women. How can you be so cruel as to call her a homewrecker?"

The look he gave me was icy, even carrying a hint of disgust.

"My patience with you has limits. Know when to stop."

"Don't make me regret marrying you."

The moment those words left his mouth, my ears started ringing.

I looked at Caius in disbelief.

I wanted to say, "You're my husband, Talia's husband. How can you take an outsider's side?"

I wanted to say, "Aisling shows off and provokes me every time. Don't you know that?"

I wanted to tell him about Aisling's true face on the phone earlier.

But something was stuck in my throat. After a long time, all I could say was, "Then let's divorce. We'll break the mate bond."

The moment it came out, I suddenly felt liberated.

I didn't even want to bother with Aisling's gloating expression.

Caius froze for a moment, then laughed mockingly. "Talia, besides threatening divorce, what else can you do? Is fighting for attention and being jealous all your life amounts to?"

With that, he helped Aisling leave.

That day, I sat in the living room until dawn.

It wasn't until Lily started crying that I realized my legs were covered in blood.

Only then did I learn that my recent drowsiness was because I was pregnant again.

And by the time I realized it, I had already miscarried.

The second child who came quietly had left just as quietly.

A week later, Caius and I broke our mate bond and signed divorce papers along with custody and property division documents. I got custody of Lily.

Later, my father suddenly fell critically ill. The doctor said he'd been poisoned with wolf's bane, which could only be purchased from witches.

My father was just an ordinary wolf who lived an honest life. I had no idea who would want to harm him.

Despite several attempts to save him, he passed away.

I used what little savings I had left to arrange his funeral.

I tried to find work, but for some reason, no company would hire me. Many companies notified me of employment only to reverse their decision and reject me.

With no other options, I could only take on various odd jobs for meager wages.

Just like that, I went from being the esteemed Luna to a single mother living in a low-income neighborhood.

Lily suffered a lot because of me.

I woke up crying from nightmares countless times, regretting that I had ruined her life.

This time, I wouldn't fight with Caius over jealousy again.

As long as I could provide a good life for myself and Lily, even if Caius found ten more "Aislings," I would turn a blind eye.