Cristian Vasquez’s love for me was notorious.
In our pack’s school, despite the strict rules against mating before adulthood, he made his intentions clear from the start. He was the future Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, and I was just the daughter of a Gamma, but that didn’t stop him from marking his territory. He’d growl at anyone who even looked my way, his alpha aura intimidating enough to send them scattering. Once, he even tore up a letter from a young Delta who’d dared to express interest in me. Cristian didn’t just want me—he wanted everyone to know I was his.
Later, to attend the same university as me, Cristian, who wasn’t exactly top of his class, pushed through sleepless nights and intense study sessions to secure a spot in a prestigious program. His parents, the former Alpha and Luna of our pack, even thanked me for inspiring his success. They saw me as a stabilizing force in his life, someone who could temper his impulsive nature.
Before we completed our mate bond, he transferred all his pack assets to my name, joking that he’d forever be my loyal assistant. It was a grand gesture, one that made me feel secure in his commitment. Even after the marking ceremony, he continued to rely on the allowance I gave him, though it never seemed to bother him. He’d laugh it off, saying, “You’re the one with the brains, Gracelynn. I’m just here to look pretty.”
But despite all that, he still managed to have an affair and support another woman.
I found out when their pup was almost due.
---
On a pack assignment, I started feeling unwell. My wolf stirred uneasily in the back of my mind, a low whine of discomfort echoing in my thoughts. My colleague, Apollo Ross, a Delta warrior in our pack, insisted on taking me to the pack’s healing den. There, I discovered I was pregnant.
My heart soared for a moment. This was what we’d been waiting for, what I’d feared might never happen. I was about to mind-link Cristian to share the news when I saw him, unexpectedly, aiding another woman with a clearly visible baby bump in the distance.
The connection went through before I could sever it.
“Hey there, what’s up?” His voice was as soothing as ever, calling me ‘darling’ right in front of that woman, with all the affection in the world.
I saw the woman’s fleeting disappointment upon hearing his words, but she quickly tugged playfully on his sleeve, and he held her teasing hand.
“Where are you?” he asked smoothly. “Darling, remember? I’m supposed to be checking out the new training grounds today. Everything alright?”
We were both at the same healing den, playing pretend over the mind-link.
“Oh, I forgot. I just remembered I’ll be home a bit late tomorrow. You don’t need to pick me up.”
He continued to ask if I had any issues...
Meanwhile, the woman beside him, possibly overhearing my words through the mind-link, wrapped her arms around his waist, snuggling close. Her scent—vanilla and something faintly floral—reached me even from where I stood, and it made my stomach churn.
I hurriedly ended the connection, worried my emotions might betray me.
Hidden in a corner, I watched Cristian embrace the woman and gently caress her belly, saying something that made her beam with joy—a picture-perfect family, one that could easily evoke envy.
I always thought Cristian wasn’t keen on pups.
Due to my health, I had difficulty conceiving, and he reassured me patiently, “We can enjoy our time just us two. Pups can be a handful. It’s great they’re not happening.”
To avoid pressuring me, he dealt with the calls for grandchildren alone.
He told his parents, the former Alpha and Luna, “If you love pups so much, go ahead and have another one yourselves. I wouldn’t mind a younger sibling.”
Only to get a playful growl from his father.
My mother, a Gamma in her pack, feared that my struggle to have a pup might make the Vasquez family turn away from me. Already anxious about mating above my standing, she grew superstitious and sought out unconventional remedies when I didn’t conceive.
When Cristian learned about it, he earnestly promised my mother it was his issue, insisting I shouldn’t resort to strange medicines.
He said that if we couldn’t have pups, we’d adopt, since pups are pups, and adoption would save us the trouble of having our own.
Cristian’s love was so genuine that I never doubted him.
When did he wander?
Who was this other woman?
I knew none of it, except for the image now etched into my mind of him touching her belly and smiling warmly. My wolf let out a low whine, a sound of pain and betrayal that echoed deep within me. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay composed. But inside, I was breaking.
