With a heart full of ego, instead of apologizing to his wife Charlotte and pleading for her forgiveness for the years he had mistreated her and cheated on her with Anne Robert,
Teddy trailed his finger over the card and asked her, "You set up all this here? Why didn't you say anything when you saw me arrive with Anne?"
How could she tell him it was their anniversary night when he had stared at her with rage and flogged her mercilessly? How could she have told him it was her 22nd birthday and their wedding anniversary night?
Charlotte didn't reply, which annoyed Teddy, but he already knew the answer was because he had arrived home with Anne Robert in his arms.
Anne had followed him to a neighboring pack function, and they arrived at the Norfield pack's gate late, so he had to take Anne home with him to rest before she returned to her father's house the following day.
Teddy knew he was cheating on Charlotte with Anne, as Anne had been his mate since she was younger. He liked her and wished to make her his Luna if he became the Alpha of the Norfield pack.
Teddy adored Anne and played with her while waiting for her to mature. When Anne finally turned 18—four years ago, Teddy wanted to introduce her to his family as his mate, but then his father told him he had to accept Charlotte as his mate if he wanted to rule the pack.
According to his father, Charlotte had been groomed for Jack to become his Luna, but since Jack wasn't around to take over his ruling seat and have Charlotte by his side, assisting him in ruling the pack house as the rightful Luna, it was only best that Teddy take care of Charlotte and accept her as his mate.
His father told him that Charlotte had been instilled with Luna qualities, something every other she-wolf didn't have, including Anne. So, as he wanted to be the next Alpha, which he already was, he had to accept Charlotte as his mate, even though she was not his true mate.
Charlotte had also governed the pack well, taken care of other she-wolves and young pups in his absence and even under his watch. Even though he didn't want to touch Charlotte or get her pregnant, she was still around and a good Luna. The pack's people loved her and admired her whenever they saw her, and she created a facade with them that he was a good husband to her, when all he did was beat her at home and reject her food.
"Answer me, Charlotte. Why did you set up all this and remain silent?" he asked her again.
"What do you want me to say to you? That it's our wedding night when you would never look at me? Stay away from me, Alpha Teddy. It's over between us, and I'm going to pursue the divorce tomorrow morning," Charlotte shouted back, raising her voice at Teddy.
His green eyes flashed red with anger as he neared her and replied, "You wouldn't dare. Do you think I will let you go so that you can marry my brother and become his Luna, thereby giving him the power to take the Alpha position from me? Never!" Teddy's green eyes glowered with rage as he grabbed Charlotte by her chin and pressed her jaw hard.
"You will bear my pups, so that way, you cannot be with Jack, not while I am here," Teddy said, a malicious grin flashing in his eyes. Charlotte shivered as she heard Teddy say that. If it were before, she would be happy and wanting to bear his pups. But now, the thought of having Teddy force himself on her repulsed her, and she couldn't allow him to touch her.
Charlotte didn't react as Teddy finally let go of her. "We will consummate our marriage tonight. Hurry up!" he said as he took his seat next to Charlotte, and she gulped, becoming afraid.
How could she escape from Teddy's clutches? She couldn't bear his pups, so she had to come up with an excuse, Charlotte pondered.
Teddy washed his hands in the bowl of water and picked up the chicken from the big bowl on the table. He resumed eating with Charlotte while he stared at her. She looked so pretty, and Teddy's eyes moved to look at Charlotte's lips as he sat beside her.
Charlotte could feel goosebumps all over her skin as Teddy's eyes roamed over her body. She gulped her nervousness as she tried not to look at him too.
"Eat quickly, so that we can get into action. It's almost daybreak," Teddy said as Charlotte continued eating. She coughed, nearly choking on the meal, and Teddy rubbed her back, making her stiffen as she felt his hard, calloused palm rubbing her back.
The cough immediately ceased, and Teddy withdrew his hand and smiled at her.
"I love your reaction to my touch. Why do I all of a sudden feel differently about you? Was it because I saw you kissing my brother?" Teddy finally asked Charlotte the question that had been running through his mind as he seemed to admire her now.
"Maybe," Charlotte replied as she thought the same way. Seeing the meal had gone down, Charlotte knew sooner or later, Teddy would soon be through with his portion of the meal, and he would want to take her to bed. She had to come up with an excuse to get away from him.
As Charlotte sat there pondering how to escape from Teddy's touch, as she didn't want to mate with him, she knew he wanted to use her to keep the Alpha's position. If he divorced her now, his father might seize the Alpha's position and give it back to Jack.
Besides, for four years that Charlotte had been married to Teddy, they didn't have any pups, and she knew how worried Ex-Luna Sandra was, as well as her own mother.
As Charlotte was still thinking of how to escape from Teddy's clutches, Anne walked out from the guest room in her red seductive dress and frowned upon seeing them together at the dining table.
"Sweetheart, what are you doing here with Charlotte? I thought you told us to leave and you wanted to sleep, and you came here enjoying yourself with her?" Anne walked up to the dining table, and Teddy glowered, trying to control his anger.
"Anne, this is a matter between husband and wife. Allow me to sort it out with Charlotte first," Teddy said, but Anne refused.
"No, Teddy! You promised to marry me and not Charlotte. You promised to get rid of her. Why is she still here with us? Send her away!" Anne shouted, and Teddy stood up from the table and shouted at her, "No, Anne! I wanted to allow Charlotte to go before, but not now that Jack is back. I cannot allow him to have her. He will take the pack away from me, and with Charlotte's help, it will be easy for him to win. I love you, but now, I need Charlotte's help."
Charlotte shivered as she heard Teddy's declaration.
With a shaky voice, Anne asked him, "So what do you want to do? You have to choose between me and Charlotte?"
"I know," Teddy said. "I will always choose you, but now, I want Charlotte to bear my pups and not you."