Chapter 2

• Serelina’s POV
• Emeric stood in the doorway. Sharp features. Eyes blue as the ocean. A black suit that made him look elegant and untouchable. He was so handsome that it felt unreal, and his height gave him a cold, superior presence.
• He glanced down at me, open disgust etched on his face. “Go clean yourself up.”
• I stared at him, disbelief and bitterness tightening my voice. “What’s that supposed to mean? You were gone for a whole month, and you came back just to have sex?”
• Emeric’s eyes were cold. “People who like each other make love. You and I? That’s just sex.”
• As he spoke, he slowly tugged off his tie and unbuttoned his shirt, one button at a time, revealing a hard, muscular chest.
• “Besides, today’s your ovulation day. You begged me to come back. Isn’t this why?”
• I got it. He did not come back because I was hurt. He only came back because he just wanted me to give him a child as soon as possible.
• He didn’t love me. He thought I was a useless, wolfless nobody, unworthy of carrying his child. But he still needed a child—Grandma’s orders.
• He never loved me, not even a little. He didn’t even touch me on our wedding night.
• It took Grandma laying down the law to force his hand. And even then, Emeric found his own way to fight this loveless marriage.
• He only came home during my ovulation window. Only then would he sleep with me—and every time, it was rough, fast, and empty.
• Bitterness flooded me. That red lace thong flashed in my mind again, and my stomach turned.
• I looked up at him, heart gone cold. “These years must’ve been really hard on you.”
• Emeric frowned but said nothing, already impatient.
• I let out a bitter laugh. “Keeping a mistress outside while dealing with the mate at home, doesn’t that wear you out?”
• His face flickered, then smoothed over. “Since you already know, don’t waste this chance. Every extra second I look at you makes me sick.”
• He strode over, grabbed my shoulders, and turned me toward the sink.
• The sudden move startled me. I struggled on instinct. “What are you doing? Let me go!”
• My voice broke as panic surged through me.
• “Fuck you.”
• He gave a cold laugh. His hand yanked up my skirt, and his fingers hooked my underwear, pulling it down.
• The cold air hit my skin, and I shivered violently. Tears fell one after another, splashing onto the counter. “Don’t… Emeric, don’t do this to me…”
• My voice cracked as I tried to pull away.
• “At a time like this, the only thing I want to hear is you moaning. Keep your mouth shut otherwise.”
• After that warning, he undid his belt in a couple of quick motions and forced himself on me from behind, doing it to humiliate me, ignoring my struggle.
• Pain swallowed everything, and despair followed. “Emeric, I hate you!”
• He froze for a beat, face darkening. He clamped a hand over my mouth and wrenched my head up, forcing me to look at the mirror—at myself, at what he was doing to me.
• “Hate me? Look at you. Do you even know if you love me or hate me?”
• His movements turned rougher as he spoke.
• Even though this only happened during my ovulation window, even though it was always cold and transactional, three years had passed.
• In three years, our bodies learned each other too well.
• Shame burned through me when, under the pain and humiliation, a sliver of pleasure crept in. My muffled sobs leaked through his fingers and twisted into something uglier, a humiliating moan.
• I hated myself for it, but all I could do was squeeze my eyes shut and let the tears run wild.
• With my eyes closed, my sense of smell sharpened. I caught a faint green-tea scent on him, not the cologne he usually wore.
• When I tried to focus on it, it was gone.
• Maybe I was imagining things.
• But then a wave of sensation crashed over me like a tide, dragging me up and out. White light burst behind my eyes.
• I climaxed.
• Emeric kept going. By the time that he was finally finished and let go, we’d moved from the bathroom to the bed.
• I lay there covered in marks he had left behind—red and purple, like brands he’d burned into my skin, marking me as his.
• But now, I was done orbiting around Emeric.
• With what little time I had left, I wanted to live as myself.
• I lifted my head and looked at Emeric who was already put back together, suit neat, every inch was a gentleman, and I spoke firmly.
• “Emeric, I want to end our mate bond. I, Serelina, refuse you—”
• My fingers tightened around the blanket as I forced the words out.
• “Give it up, Serelina. I won’t accept your refusal.” He cut me off with a cold laugh. He stood at the foot of the bed, looking down on me. “Back then, you pulled every dirty trick in the book just to become my mate. And now, you’re willing to end it?”
• A bitter ache rose in my throat, but I forced myself to meet his gaze.
• “I never meant for things to happen the way they did. Believe it or not, I mean it now.” I tugged the blanket up to cover my naked body.
• He retied his tie with steady, elegant hands, his voice ice-cold. “You mean it?”
• His question made my chest tighten, but I didn’t look away.
• “Yeah. I’ll set you free. You don’t want to be with me anyway.” I met his eyes, more serious than I had ever been.
• He let out a mocking laugh. “Are you setting me free, or setting yourself free?”
• I frowned. “What are you getting at?”
• He didn’t answer. He grabbed his coat and turned to leave.
• Staring at his back, fighting through the ache in my chest, I called out, “Emeric, if you hate me this much, why won’t you end it with me?”
• He paused for a second. He didn’t look back. Then, he walked out.