Chapter 4

　　Sophia

　　After putting my clothes back on with trembling hands, I made my way back to where my friends were sitting. I kept my collar pulled up as high as possible to hide the mark freshly carved into my neck.

　　"I'm feeling really tired," I said, offering Elsa a weak smile. "I think I'm going to head home early."

　　Elsa frowned, immediately noticing the pale color of my face and the quiet strain in my voice. She stood up without a second thought. "I'm coming with you."

　　She said goodbye to our friends, and we walked out of the hotel together into the cool night air. For the first few minutes, we walked in silence. But Elsa knew me too well to let it slide.

　　"Okay, what actually happened back there?" Elsa pressed, grabbing my arm to stop me under a streetlamp. "You look like you've seen a ghost, Sophia."

　　My throat felt tight. I hadn't planned on telling anyone, but looking into Elsa's concerned eyes, the weight became too heavy to carry alone.

　　"I met him, Elsa," I whispered, my voice breaking. "My Fated Mate. He was at the hot springs."

　　Elsa's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Sophia, that's amazing! Who is he? Where is he?"

　　I lowered my head, feeling a fresh sting behind my eyes. "I don't know who he is. We... we mated. He marked me. And then he just got dressed and ran away. He didn't even tell me his name."

　　Elsa gasped, horror completely washing over her face. "He did what? He took advantage of the bond, marked you, and just abandoned you there?" Her voice flared with instant rage. "What kind of irresponsible bastard does that? That is completely insane!"

　　I couldn't answer. Hearing her voice out loud only confirmed the bitter reality: I had been used and tossed aside again.

　　By the time I reached my house, it was already late. The lights in the living room were still on. As soon as I walked through the front door, my parents were standing there waiting for me.

　　"Where have you been all day?" my father asked coldly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Do you have any idea how inconsiderate you're being?"

　　My mother shook her head, looking at me with pure disapproval. "Olivia and Kael's Mating Ceremony was beautiful, Sophia. If you hadn't been throwing a childish tantrum in your room and running off, you would have seen how well-matched they truly are. You're overreacting and being completely unreasonable about this whole situation."

　　I stood near the entryway, listening to them defend the daughter who stole my boyfriend while scolding me for hurting.

　　I looked at them, my voice barely a whisper. "Do you even remember what today is?"

　　My mother blinked. "What are you talking about?"

　　"Today is my eighteenth birthday," I said quietly.

　　Neither of them said a word. The living room fell into a heavy, suffocating silence. My mother opened her mouth, but no sound came out. My father averted his gaze.

　　Without waiting for another useless apology that would never come, I turned and walked upstairs to my room. Exhausted both emotionally and physically, I collapsed onto my bed and finally let the darkness consume me.

　　Several weeks passed in a blur.

　　I tried my best to carry on with my routine, keeping my head down and avoiding Kael and Olivia whenever they visited the house.

　　But then my body started changing. I was constantly exhausted, nauseous in the mornings, and missing my cycle.

　　Sitting on the edge of my bathroom counter, I stared down at the positive pregnancy test in my hands.

　　I was pregnant.

　　Panic surged through my chest, making it hard to breathe. I didn't know what to do, but deep down, despite everything my parents had done to me, a tiny, foolish part of me still held on to a faint hope that they might offer me some support.

　　They were my family. Surely, faced with a new life, they would show me a shred of comfort.

　　Gathering every ounce of courage I had left, I walked into the kitchen where they were sitting and told them the truth.

　　The reaction was instant...and terrifying.

　　"You slept with a complete stranger?!" my father roared, then stood and slapped me in the face. "You don't even know who he is, and now you're carrying his bastard child?"

　　I stumbled to the floor and caught my burning cheek. I looked at my mom, hoping for sympathy and concern to my child, but she was looking at me with disgust.

　　"You have brought complete disgrace upon this family, Sophia!" my mother shouted. "How could you be so careless? What will people in the pack say?"

　　"I didn't plan this..." I tried to speak through my tears, but my father cut me off instantly.

　　"You will terminate this pregnancy," he commanded, his voice cold and uncompromising. "You will go to the clinic tomorrow and get rid of it. If you refuse, you are no longer our daughter. We will throw you out of this house, and you will have nowhere to go."

　　The cruel words struck me right in the chest, shattering the very last piece of hope I had held for them. They didn't care about me. They only cared about their reputation and Olivia's happiness.

　　"No," I said, wiping the tears from my face as my pride took over. "I'm keeping my baby."

　　"Then get out," my father said without a single second of hesitation. "Leave this house today."

　　I didn't argue. I went upstairs, packed my few belongings into a single bag, and walked out of the house without looking back once.

　　Standing on the dark street with nowhere else to turn, I pulled out my phone with shaking fingers and called Elsa.

　　I told her everything...about the pregnancy, my parents' ultimatum, and how I had just been thrown out onto the street.

　　"Stay right where you are," Elsa said immediately, her voice fierce and unyielding. "I'm coming to get you right now. You are not alone, Sophia. You're coming with me."

　　True to her word, Elsa drove over and picked me up within thirty minutes. She didn't hesitate for a single second to take me in.

　　That night, as we drove across the pack boundary line toward Redleaf Pack where Elsa lived, I looked out the car window at the fading lights of Moonvale.

　　I was leaving behind my family, my past, and the painful memories of two men who had abandoned me.