Alicia's POV

I didn’t have a wolf, so no one was really afraid of me. The moment Emma barked her order, everyone lunged toward me in unison.

I stared them down, stepping back with wary eyes.

“Stay away from Alicia!” Mandy quickly stepped in front of me, her body taut and ready, claws sharp and teeth bared, daring anyone to come closer.

Her fierce stance froze the crowd in their tracks, hesitation rippling through them.

“Get her, too!” Emma commanded again

Although Mandy’s sheer determination had startled everyone, it wasn’t long before they decided to press forward, their confidence returning when they realized Mandy was alone. Waves of attackers closed in on both Mandy and me.

Lara charged in first as usual.

Despite the kindness I’d shown her time and time again, she seemed to hold an inexplicable grudge against me. I really couldn't wrap my head around that.

But she clearly underestimated Mandy.

As the daughter of Gamma Zachary, the most formidable warrior in the Silverpeak Pack, Mandy could take down someone like Lara—a mere Omega—without breaking a sweat.

With a piercing scream, Lara’s arm had been ripped clean off, sending a shower of blood across everyone around her.

“Ah!”

Another scream echoed, this time from Emma.

She must’ve never seen something so gruesome before. She collapsed instantly, clutching her chest and gasping for air.

“How dare you!” Emma stammered between shaky breaths, pointing a trembling finger at Mandy, face flushing with panic and utter fear.

“I won't let any of you hurt Alicia!” Mandy hissed, baring her teeth again.

This time, no one dared to move.

“What’s going on here?” The tense silence shattered as Blake's voice rang out.

He and Lilith stepped into my room one after another, halting for a long while when they took in the disastrous scene.

“Help, Luna!” Lara struggled to crawl toward Lilith.

Lilith, on the other hand, didn’t even spare her a glance. Blake flinched at Lara's miserable state and frowned deeply.

He stepped toward Lara almost reflexively, but Lilith blocked his path.

“Blake, look at Emma!” Lilith cried out.

He immediately turned his attention away from Lara, rushing over to Emma’s side. Together, he and Lilith helped Emma sit up.

“What the hell happened?” Blake yelled frantically, eyes filled with anxiety. “Get Vito!”

Vito was the doctor I’d hired to look after Emma by offering generous pay, and his treatments had done wonders for her health.

Someone prepared to leave and fetch him, but I cut them short. “Don't bother. Vito won’t come unless Mandy goes to bring him herself.”

“Alicia, what the hell are you trying to do?” Blake snapped, fixing his icy stare on me.

“I want a divorce.” My voice was calm and unyielding. “Two days ago, I told Mandy to inform Vito that he would only answer to her. Anyone else who approached him would be refused service, or he'll lose out on every penny I pay him.”

“You have two choices. Grant me a divorce, and I’ll have Mandy fetch Vito for your mother, or just watch her die from her illness right before your eyes.”

“Alicia!” Blake’s fury was palpable, his teeth grinding as his eyes blazed with rage. “You’re threatening me, huh? You’re nothing but wolf-less trash!”

He probably wanted to strangle me right then and there.

Oddly, his anger filled me with satisfaction.

Yes, I didn’t have a wolf. Nor did I have the backing of a pack. But that didn’t mean I’d lie down and let anyone walk all over me.

My parents brought me into the world and even tried to protect me by sacrificing their lives. They’d never want me to bow down to betrayal or injustice.

“Emma doesn’t look well.” I continued to challenge Blake, ignoring his seething wrath. “If you don’t decide soon, you’re going to end up as a parentless orphan like me.”

“Blake! Just agree!” Lilith interjected, her brows furrowed with concern. “Emma’s barely hanging on!”

Blake’s glare softened as his gaze shifted toward Emma, who was visibly struggling even to let out a moan.

I was waiting for his answer with bated breath.

If Emma died here, I’d lose my upper hand.

“I-I agree to the divorce,” Blake muttered, every word dripping with reluctant venom.

Relief surged through me so strongly it felt like I could breathe again.

I didn't ask Mandy to go right away. Instead, I turned to Lilith, saying, “Lilith, you gotta be my witness,” dragging her into the matter to make sure this wasn’t something Blake could backtrack on.

“Okay, I’ll be your witness.” Lilith nodded without hesitation and immediately prompted me, “Get Mandy to fetch Vito! Now!”

I turned to Mandy, my instructions already clear in the way I looked at her. She didn’t hesitate and darted out of the room.

While waiting for her return, I pulled out the pre-prepared divorce papers from my cabinet and placed them on the table.

“Sign it.” I looked at Blake.

“Once my mother’s better, I’ll sign.” He shot me a glare as if I was becoming his new enemy.

I returned him a sharp look of my own. I gotta showed him that I was not really weak despite the lack of my wolf.

Soon enough, Mandy returned with Vito, whose treatment quickly brought Emma back from the brink.

“Now it’s time,” I said, sliding the divorce papers to Blake again.

This time, he didn’t argue. He gave me a withering look while grabbing the pen.

I barely breathed as I watched him lower the pen to the paper.

Freedom was within my grasp.

But just as the pen touched the papers, Blake suddenly stopped.

Then he whipped through the paperwork, inspecting every page, before straightening up and requesting, “I want half your assets.”

“What?” Mandy exclaimed before I could react. “Are you freaking insane? Those assets belong to the Silverpeak Pack! You don’t get to take half!”

“You don't get a say in this.” Blake dismissed Mandy coldly, his focus entirely on me.

“So you’re backing out, huh?” My fists clenched as my blood boiled with rage.

“No. I’ll sign, but only if you meet my terms.” There was an unmistakable greed dripping off his voice.

It turned out he was such a jerk. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen through him in the past years.

“You won’t get a single dime from me!” I snarled through gritted teeth as fury and hatred surged to the surface. “And let me remind you, Blake! You were gone for an entire year fighting wars while I managed this pack myself. I know the situation better than anyone else here.”

“Since I can call in debts from other packs tomorrow, I can stir up other kinds of trouble. If you keep stalling, I'll keep pushing back against you. So go ahead, drag this out if you want the troubles to keep going on forever.”

“You!” Blake roared, his fury turning dangerous as his hand shot out to grip my throat. His expression darkened like a storm. “Threatening me, huh?”

My body tensed up, the terrifying weight of his hand stealing my breath.

“Let go of her!” Mandy made another move to protect me, but Lilith blocked her again.

“You have one more chance,” Blake threatened, staring me down. “Take back what you said.”

“Once again, Blake. If you don’t divorce me, I won’t stop making your life a living hell.” I shot back, unwavering despite the ever-growing pressure on my neck.

The moment those words left my lips, his grip tightened brutally. Breathlessness and panic clawed at me, and I was overwhelmed with a mix of intense hatred and terror of death. His face distorted with cruelty. Clearly, he was trying to end my life.

Still, I wouldn’t yield. Not to him.

Pain, unbearable pain, consumed me as the air vanished from my lungs. Really? Was my husband, who I was once crazy about, gonna kill me himself?

Just as the darkness started to take me, a familiar scent of gardenia drifted through like a lifeline, dragging me back from the brink.

There were shuffling and hurried footsteps outside the room, though my fading consciousness didn’t allow me to make sense of the commotion. And then, from deep within my mind, I heard a voice—soft, yet determined.

“Mate!”