"What did you say?" Lnd spoke in a low voice. He couldn''t believe his own hearing.


    Was he hallucinating because of the cold? No... right?


    "That I…" Sophie hesitated when she noticed that Duke Romanov sounded angry. She chose not to mention the fact that she was pregnant so she would be able to stay here in the castle and earn some good money.


    However, now that the situation called for her to reveal the truth, Sophie could feel the man''s wrath and it made her throat dry. She had lied to him and Duke Romanov must be so furious that he couldn''t even speak a word.


    "What was it?" Lnd bluntly asked again. "Perhaps I have misheard you, Miss Hansley."


    A stammer came in Sophie''s voice and she replied meekly. "I am pregnant with another man''s child, Duke Romanov. I cannot—"


    "Stop!"


    Sophie''s eyes widened and she knew that he truly was upset.


    The Alpha''s eyes shed in anger and he barely restrained himself back fromshing out. His own nails dug into his hands and he hoped that he had heard incorrectly.


    Sophie was pregnant…?


    With that bastard who died and left her?


    Sophie bit on her lip and was unaware of the man''s thoughts, but she knew that she had to exin herself to him and apologize properly to Duke Romanov for not telling the truth right away when she first came here.


    Even if she couldn''t be his wife, Sophie still needed her job here so she could afford to take care of her baby. She needed his protection, a roof over her head, and some extra money before she could figure out what to do with her life.


    So, she needed to do her best even when she could barely manage to say a word at this moment.


    The atmosphere in Duke Romanov''s study was already chilling, dark, and cold as if a harsh freezing wind had blown into the room and covered everything in its icy exterior.


    Duke Romanov was like a cier, unmoving and yet his expression told Sophie everything that she needed to know. One wrong move and word and then Sophie would be tossed out from the castle and she would lose everything once again.


    It was a struggle to work up the courage to talk, but Sophie gulped and spoke again. "I understand that I have neglected to tell you everything when I first epted your job offer—"


    What she meant was, she failed to mention her pregnancy when the duke expressed his interest in her during that breakfast.


    Was this what made him furious?


    He must feel tricked into epting Sophie to work for him?


    Sophie felt really bad. She closed her mouth and opened it again to say something, but before she could even say moe, Duke Romanov left her.


    The duke swiftly walked past her without another word.


    Lnd stormed out of his study, each of his steps was harsh and dangerous.


    His aura dispersed all around him madly and any lycan who was going in his direction quickly rushed out of their Alpha''s way. The man was like a thunderstorm that blew back everything that blocked his path.


    Everyone truly wished to avoid incurring the man''s wrath.


    Lnd could barely hold in his anger and rushed out to the balcony in the castle. He screamed at the sky and crushed the railings of the cement balcony underneath his hands.


    He looked around madly and tossed aside the vases resting on them and listened to them crash down to the castle''s grounds.


    If anyone had gotten hurt in this hour, Lnd could barely care as his own self was engulfed in pain unlike any other.


    The Alpha didn''t want to admit it to himself loudly and had only tried to say to both Sophie and himself that this marriage was of convenience and solely to protect her…


    However, he actually lied to himself. He had fallen in love with her, the moment he saw her again, right there in ckwoods, when she walked out from the forest with the basket filled with mushrooms in her hands.


    She was basking under the glowing autumn sunset and the leaves falling down from the trees. Her smile, her crispughter, and her beauty made all around her be magical.


    ? Lnd was stunned and in awe. However, that feeling was soon crushed when he saw Nichs walk following Sophie and they bothughed together. The affection she showed him was like a dagger stabbing Lnd''s heart mercilessly.


    He had always liked Sophie as a little girl, and he thought she was cute and brave. He grew up thinking someday, far in the future, they could meet again and they could be good friends.


    However, when he saw her after she became a woman, Lnd was enamored and perhaps, it was love at first sight? He didn''t know. He was not good with such stuff.


    When he met Sophie again and this time she had be a widow, Lnd took it as fate. Perhaps, he was meant to be her second chance mate?


    He was extremely jealous of that other man, but over time, slowly but surely, by having Sophie near him, Lnd could suppress the feelings and now he was thinking of taking the time to foster a rtionship with her, gain her trust, and then opened up to her about who he was and shared with her his missions and aspirations.


    If Sophie knew what really happened to her parents, and the fact that she was the descendant of a great Lycan king, Lnd believed she would take his side and share this mission with him.


    Lnd just wanted justice for Anne and Jack and his tribesmen. And then, he wanted to give Sophie everything she deserved in life.


    .


    .


    _____________________


    From Missrealitybites:


    OMG!!! I am so, sorry. I just remembered that I was supposed to do a 5 chapter mass release yesterday and I only published 2. I really forgot about it and only realized it when I re-read the past chapters.


    I am so embarrassed... ahahaha... I think I got slight memory loss because I''m so exhausted this week, working on conferences back-to-back. I will give the mass releaseter today. So, you can expect more chapters today.


    And, sorry for the inconvenience. ^^