Rejecting the Pack's Hero

My mate, David, was hailed as the most generous wolf in our pack. He donated his entire ten-thousand-dollar monthly salary to the wolf orphanage. He didn't keep a single cent for himself. The heavy mortgage, his parents' expensive herbal medicines, and the pack academy tuition all fell squarely on my shoulders. I had to pay for everything using my salary as an emergency room doctor. I worked several forty-eight-hour night shifts in a row at the pack hospital. My inner wolf was utterly exhausted, but my salary was never enough to cover our expenses. Having no other choice, I tried to talk to David. "When you get paid next time, could you leave just a little bit of money for us?" To my surprise, his face instantly darkened. "That's my money. I can donate it however I want. Why is it any of your business?" His parents immediately jumped in to defend him. "Everyone in the pack praises David. Instead of being proud, you're being petty. You're trying to ruin his reputation. What's wrong with you?" Even our five-year-old son, Leo, accused me in his childish voice. "You're stopping Daddy from being a hero. You're a bad mommy!" I looked at my fingers. They were trembling uncontrollably from pure exhaustion. I felt my inner wolf growing weak and decided not to argue anymore. I turned around and sent a confirmation email to the Lycan Medical Center. I officially accepted their six-month isolated medical residency. I couldn't wait to see how this family of saints would survive without the money I worked myself to the bone to earn. Chapter 1 On payday evening, the moment David stepped into the house, he updated his status on the pack's social page. "I donated fifteen thousand dollars to the wolf orphanage this month, including my year-end bonus. May the Moon Goddess bless every homeless soul." The post included a screenshot of his bank transfer and a digital certificate of honor from the shelter. As soon as the post went live, endless praise from other pack members flooded the comments. "David is an absolute legend. He donated his base salary and his massive year-end bonus!" "Giving everything he has to save our kind shows true heart. I admire him so much." "The Moon Goddess will forever bless your kind heart." His parents were quick to claim the top comments. "That's our good son. We'll always be proud of you!" I rubbed my aching calves in the hospital locker room. I sighed, closed the social app, and opened our family bills. There was Leo's tuition for the rest of the year, my in-laws' imported herbs to suppress their wolfsbane toxicity, the mortgage for our house, and the massive credit card debt I racked up last month just to keep us afloat. Everything added up to fourteen thousand dollars. My emergency room salary was only eight thousand dollars, even after working multiple night shifts. We were exactly six thousand dollars short. The familiar sense of despair washed over me again. Every time this happened, the bills felt like a claw gripping my throat. I took a deep breath, dragged my exhausted body home, and looked at David. He was laughing at his phone on the couch. After much hesitation, I spoke up. "David, we need to talk." He didn't even look up. His eyes were still glued to the screen. "Speak." I bit my lip, trying my best to soften my tone. "We're six thousand dollars short this month. Could you please keep a little money for us from now on?" David's finger stopped scrolling. He looked up and glared at me like I was a monster. His voice dripped with impatience. "I worked hard for my money. I'll donate it if I want to. Why are you telling me what to do?" I pushed past my exhaustion and explained. "I'm not trying to stop your charity work. I'm just asking you to share the financial burden." "Your dad's wolfsbane complications require imported medicine. Your mom's physical therapy is very expensive. Leo's advanced classes need to be paid, plus the mortgage. The expenses are too much. I can't handle it alone anymore." David sneered. He looked completely self-righteous. "If you can't handle it, why don't you just take on a few more night shifts?" "The whole pack respects me as a hero. Why are you holding me back just because you're lazy?" I stared at him in disbelief. My entire body turned cold. I never imagined such words could come out of my mate's mouth. For the sake of this family, and to earn a pitiful amount of overtime pay, I worked myself to the bone in the emergency room. Over the years, I never bought myself a nice dress. I never slept through a single peaceful night. Even when I was so tired that my inner wolf was fading, I never dared to ask for a day off. And now, in his eyes, I was just making excuses to be lazy. Chapter 2 I'd given my blood, sweat, and tears. I truly couldn't hold on any longer. All I wanted was for him to act like a mate, a father, and a son. He needed to shoulder his basic responsibilities. How did that make me greedy and lazy? I was shaking with anger. Just as I was about to speak, the bedroom door on the second floor opened. His parents had clearly heard the argument. My mother-in-law looked down at me from the top of the stairs. She put on a fake look of concern. "Serena, you aren't thinking straight." "David is a highly respected pack hero now. It's bad enough that you aren't proud of him, but why are you scheming for his money?" A wave of frustration hit my chest, but I suppressed my anger and explained. "Mom, David is a part of this family too. I just hope he can consider us when he donates his money." "Besides, I'm not spending that money on myself." "Dad's wolfsbane complications require rare herbs. A small bottle of that imported extract costs six hundred dollars. Your daily physical therapy bills are also piling up. If we don't pay the bills, you two won't have any medication next week." My mother-in-law waved her hand impatiently. "Alright, stop nagging. We know our own bodies." "Stop using our illness as an excuse. At the end of the day, you're just spoiled. You don't want to work hard." My father-in-law snorted coldly. "Exactly. I've never seen such a selfish daughter-in-law." "David is famous across the packs because he dedicates everything he has. He never keeps a penny for himself. By forcing him to pay for household expenses, you're ruining his reputation." "He finally entered elite pack circles and earned respect. As his mate, you should learn from him. Instead, you're trying to hold him back over a few measly dollars?" The three of them backed each other up. They condemned me like I was a criminal. It felt like a bucket of ice water was poured over my head. My mind instantly cleared. Over the years, David was always busy attending donation ceremonies and charity galas. And me? I worked my life away in the emergency room. I gave up my rest time to drive his parents across the state to specialist clinics. I often skipped lunch just to wait in line for their doctor appointments. Every time we got the medicine, my mother-in-law would grab my hand and sigh. "Oh, Serena. David has such a big heart, but he forgets about us. Thank goodness we have you holding this family together." My father-in-law would look grateful. "Good girl, you sacrifice too much. If David ever treats you badly, just tell us." Even David would swear to me during intimate moments. "Baby, having a mate as strong and understanding as you is a blessing from the Moon Goddess." "Don't worry. I'll make up for everything I owe you. I'll never let you suffer." Every word they said back then seemed so sincere. And I was stupid enough to believe them. So for all this time, I swallowed my pain. I endured it alone, even when I was so exhausted I could barely stand. I thought they truly cared about my struggles, appreciated my sacrifices, and needed me. I used to hope that once David was satisfied, he would act like a true mate. I thought he would support this family with me and protect me. But today, the mate bond felt like a cruel joke. I finally realized how terribly wrong I was. All their gratitude and pity were fake. They were just lies to squeeze every last drop of value out of me. Chapter 3 They never intended to contribute a single cent to this family. All they wanted was an unpaid servant. They wanted someone who never complained. As long as I kept quiet and never asked for help, I was a dutiful mate and a good daughter-in-law. But the moment I asked them to share the burden, I instantly became a selfish sinner. At this moment, I realized my sacrifices over the years were a complete joke. My heart filled with bitterness. Suddenly, my five-year-old son, Leo, dropped his toy blocks on the rug. He rushed up to me and yelled. "Mommy is bad. I hate Mommy!" I looked down at my son's angry little face. A heavy lump formed in my throat. I nearly died bringing this pup into the world. When I was pregnant with him, my body severely rejected the pregnancy. I threw up everything I ate. I lost fifteen pounds in the first five months because my inner wolf was so weak. The pack healers warned me that the pup wasn't growing. I had to force myself to swallow thick nutritional supplements. When I threw them up, I forced them back down. By the seventh month, I developed severe complications. My legs swelled up terribly. Every step I took felt like I was suffocating. On the day of delivery, I lost so much blood. I almost died on the delivery bed. But now, the son I risked my life for was pointing his finger at me. He called me bad and said he hated me. I crouched down, trying to keep my voice calm. "Leo, why am I a bad mommy?" My son put his hands on his hips and glared at me. "My classmates and teachers at the pack academy all say Daddy is a hero. But you want to stop him from saving others. You're a villain!" "I hate you. I never want to see you again!" He turned and threw himself at David. He hugged David's leg tightly and refused to look back at me. A flash of smugness crossed David's eyes. He stood up straight and looked down at me. "Did you hear that? Even our son knows you're wrong." "You need to reflect on your actions. Stop talking about money all the time. You're obsessed. It's embarrassing." Seeing the four of them stand together, I gave up. I just asked David one last time. "Are you really not going to leave a single cent for us?" My mother-in-law's special herbs were almost gone. My father-in-law's imported medicine bottles were empty. Leo's academy had already sent three payment reminders. My bank account balance was at zero. This family needed money just to survive. Faced with my final plea, pure disgust flashed in David's eyes. "We already talked about this. Why are you still after my money?" "Fine. I'll make this clear right now." He pulled out his phone and tapped quickly on the screen. A few seconds later, he shoved the bright screen in my face. "Do you see this? I just set up a direct deposit for my paychecks to the charity fund. I can't change it for three years." "From now on, my salary goes straight there every month. Don't even think about touching my money." Seeing this, my mother-in-law clapped her hands in excitement. "David, brilliantly done!" "Charity should be a full commitment. That's the style of a true hero." My father-in-law nodded proudly. "Well said. I support you unconditionally." He glanced at me with a mocking look. "Unlike a certain low-ranking she-wolf who only cares about money. You'll always be a pathetic bottom-feeder." Leo clapped his hands and cheered. "Daddy is so cool! Daddy is a hero!" "I love Daddy the most!" Chapter 4 The four of them looked like a picture-perfect, happy family. They looked at me like I was an ungrateful outsider. Looking at their contempt, I felt the situation was utterly comical. For all these years, David never contributed a single cent to this family. Yet he was a hero praised by the entire pack. I gave them everything, but I only received blame in return. Since that was the case, why should I even care? I nodded. My tone was calm. "Doing good deeds requires total sacrifice. I hope you can keep up this grand gesture." Seeing that I finally backed down, David smiled. "You're finally being smart for once." "I do good deeds on behalf of the Moon Goddess. As my mate, you have to support me. If we're short on money, just work more night shifts. If you can't put food on the table, go take a part-time job at a human clinic." My in-laws quickly agreed. "Exactly. You're lucky to have a mate as respected as David. That's a rare blessing." I didn't argue. Instead, I quietly pulled out my phone. Three days ago, the hospital's medical director sent me a private message. "Serena, the Lycan Medical Center is starting a six-month isolated medical residency." "The spots are highly competitive. If you graduate, you'll be promoted to department head when you return. Your salary will double." "The board knows you work harder than anyone else. This spot belongs to you. Do you want it?" My reply at the time was: "Dr. Grant, my in-laws suffer from severe wolfsbane toxicity. My pup needs care, and this family relies entirely on me. I can't leave." It wasn't that I didn't want the opportunity. I just didn't dare to drop my responsibilities. This high-level training was completely isolated. For six months, leaving the base and using cell phones were forbidden. Also, all pack mind-links would be blocked by magic wards. If I wasn't around, who would buy the expensive medicine for my in-laws? Who would drive them to their check-ups? Who would pay Leo's tuition and the mortgage? Dr. Grant had replied sympathetically. "Don't give me a final answer yet. This is a rare career leap. Think about it." Thinking back on it now, I was an idiot. I almost missed a great opportunity for a bunch of leeches. They only treated me like a slave. I took a deep breath and typed a reply. "Dr. Grant, I accept the residency. How soon can I leave?" He replied almost instantly. "I was waiting for you to say that!" "You leave first thing tomorrow morning. Submit your online forms into the system tonight." I quickly replied, then organized my application materials and submitted them. Dr. Grant was efficient. In the blink of an eye, my pass and plane ticket were booked. The next day, I climbed out of bed before dawn. David and my in-laws were snoring loudly upstairs. I packed a few clothes and drove alone to the airport. By the time I arrived at the medical center and went through security, it was already afternoon. As soon as I turned my phone back on, the screen flooded with David's missed calls and messages. "Where did you go? Why aren't you answering my mind-link?" "My parents are out of medicine. They're feeling sick. Get back here and handle this!" "Leo's academy called. If his tuition isn't paid today, he'll be expelled!" Looking at the furious messages, I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Now he finally knew how to panic. But it was too late. My phone kept vibrating frantically in my hand. Message after message popped up.