Ex-Mate's Regret: Now He Wants Me Back?

Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

When I returned to my pack, I hoped that somehow, this nightmare would cease.

I wanted so badly to believe that I could find an ounce of peace here, among the faces I’d known my whole life.

But as I walked through the familiar streets, every gaze that met mine was full of pity or scorn.

"Too bad, her supposed boyfriend publicly rejected her" a she-wolf mocked, laughing.

"Worse, he did it on live broadcast. That must've been so humiliating." Another one added in pity.

"I'd just bury myself in shame if I was her" an older she-wolf expressed.

I kept my head low, refusing to show them the cracks in my heart, but each whispered insult felt like a dagger to my spirit.

I made my way to the pack's elder, the one who handled inheritance matters.

I knew it wasn’t much—my parents hadn’t left me with a lot before their death—but it was something. Enough to start over, to build a life for myself.

But when I stepped into the pack elder's office, the look on his face sent a chill down my spine.

“Clara,” he said, not meeting my eyes. “Given… recent events, the council has voted to rescind your inheritance. It’s been allocated elsewhere.”

“What?” I whispered, disbelief tightening around my chest. “You… you can’t just take it. It was my parents’ legacy!”

He looked away, unable to meet the pain in my eyes. “You’ve brought shame upon the pack, Clara. I’m sorry, but these decisions are final.”

I staggered back, barely able to comprehend his words. Shame? I was the one who had been betrayed, who had suffered. And now, they were taking everything from me.

Tears filled my eyes as I walked out, I was devastated, feeling numb, my heart a hollow, aching shell.

Days turned into weeks, and I did my best to survive with nothing. I took up whatever work I could find, laboring in pain from dawn until dusk just to make ends meet.

But then… then I started feeling sick.

…

I sat in the sterile waiting room of the pack clinic, the scent of antiseptic heavy in the air.

My heart pounded as I clutched my coat around me, feeling both hot and cold at once.

"Please come with me" The nurse finally called me back, and I followed her, barely feeling my feet move.

Minutes passed, each one stretching longer than the last. And then the doctor came in, her face calm, unreadable.

“Miss,” she said softly, meeting my eyes. “Congratulations. According to the results from the tests, you’re pregnant.”

"What?" I exclaimed, staring at her in shock, feeling the world tilt beneath me.

Pregnant. I was carrying Dominic’s child.

"I know this might be a lot to take in, but don't worry, most she-wolves always have this reaction at first. You'll get used to it"

The doctor kept speaking, her voice fading into the background, I couldn’t focus on her words.

All I could think of was how my life had shifted in one heartbeat. Dominic had shattered me, torn me apart in ways I hadn’t known were possible.

And now, he had left this part of himself behind, a reminder of everything he’d taken from me.

When I finally left the clinic, I stumbled into the cold evening air, gasping for breath.

As I walked back to the packhouse, my mind was a storm of emotions. I had to leave. I couldn’t stay here, not with everyone’s judging stares, not with this new reality.

I needed a fresh start, a place where I could protect this child, where I could heal in my own way.

But there was one goodbye I had to make first.

…

"Clara… are you sure about this?" Ruby asked with a worried expression as we stood outside her home, my little bags packed and ready to go.

“Yes Ruby" I managed a small, trembling smile. "I can’t stay here any longer. I can’t raise this child surrounded by all this… hatred and betrayal.”

She nodded slowly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Where will you go?”

“I don’t know yet. But I’ll figure it out,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “I just… I can’t do it here. Not after everything.”

Ruby took my hands, squeezing them tightly. “I hate that you had to go through this, Clara. You didn’t deserve any of it. And if anyone can make it on their own, it’s you. You’re stronger than anyone gives you credit for.”

I swallowed hard, feeling a warmth in my chest that I hadn’t felt in a long time. “Thank you, Ruby. For everything. For standing by me when no one else would.”

She pulled me into a tight hug, holding me fiercely. “Promise me one thing,” she said, her voice thick. “Promise me you’ll come back someday. Show everyone just how wrong they were about you.”

I laughed softly, though it was laced with bitterness. “I’ll try. But right now, I need to do this alone. For my child… and for myself.”

We stood there in silence for a moment, the weight of our goodbyes hanging heavy in the air. Finally, I pulled away, my heart aching as I looked at her one last time.

“Take care, Ruby. And thank you… for everything.”

Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked away. I didn’t look back, didn’t let myself falter, because I knew if I did, I might lose the courage to leave.

As I made my way toward the edge of the territory, the reality of what lay ahead settled over me like a storm cloud. But oddly, I felt a surge of determination.

With a final, steadying breath, I stepped beyond the pack’s borders, leaving everything I had ever known behind.

…

I found refuge in a distant pack, where no one knew me, where I could start fresh, even if it meant starting with nothing.

The months passed, each one harder than the last and I worked as much as I could, saving every bit I earned to prepare for the arrival of the child.

Then, one cold night, it happened. The contractions came hard and fast, ripping through me with a force that caused me intense pain.

I was alone, sweating, screaming into the silence as I brought my child into the world. Finally, with one last cry, I felt the release, and the baby’s cries filled the room.

I pulled him close, staring down at the tiny face that was both a part of me and the man I hated.

“Nico,” I whispered, the name spilling from my lips. “Your name will be Nico.”

I would never let myself forget. Every time I looked at him, I would remember the pain, the hurt that Dominic caused me. Nico would be my reminder, my driving force.

And one day, Dominic would face the consequences of what he’d done. I would make sure of it.