The pack house felt suffocating as I made my way through the dimly lit corridors toward Ethan's office. It was well past midnight, and most of the pack had retired for the evening, leaving only the soft padding of night patrol wolves echoing in the distance. My weakened wolf stirred restlessly within me, sensing something amiss but unable to articulate what.
I'd volunteered to organize the territorial documents for next week's claiming ceremony—our ceremony. The moonlit hillside territory we'd dreamed of for years was finally within reach, and I wanted everything perfect for the moment we'd make it official. Ethan had seemed distracted lately, claiming increased rogue activity demanded his attention, but I attributed it to pre-ceremony nerves.
The office door creaked as I pushed it open, moonlight streaming through the tall windows and casting long shadows across the mahogany desk. Stacks of territorial maps and legal documents awaited my attention, but as I reached for the main filing cabinet, my elbow knocked against Ethan's laptop, causing it to spring to life.
The screen illuminated, revealing what appeared to be surveillance footage from various pack territories. I moved to close it, not wanting to invade his privacy, but something in the timestamp caught my eye. Last Tuesday, 11:47 PM—the same night Ethan claimed he was patrolling the eastern borders.
My breath caught in my throat as the footage began to play.
There, in a hidden forest clearing I recognized from our own territory, stood Ethan. But he wasn't alone. Violeta emerged from the shadows, her usually pristine appearance disheveled, her dark hair falling in waves around her shoulders. What made my world tilt on its axis wasn't just seeing them together—it was the way she moved toward him, the intimate familiarity in her gestures.
My hands trembled as I watched Violeta tilt her neck, exposing the tender skin where a fresh mating mark gleamed in the moonlight. Ethan's mark. The same mark that should have been mine alone.
"No," I whispered, but the footage continued its merciless revelation.
Violeta's hand moved protectively over her belly, and even through the grainy surveillance feed, I could see the subtle swell beneath her shirt. Pregnant. She was pregnant with his pup.
I sank into Ethan's chair, my legs no longer able to support me. The mate bond that had once felt like a warm, constant presence in my chest now burned like acid. How long had this been going on? How many nights had he lied about patrol duties while I waited at home, preparing meals and tending to pack business?
The surveillance system showed multiple files, each labeled with dates spanning the past several months. My finger hovered over the mouse, part of me desperate to know the full extent of his betrayal, part of me terrified of what else I might discover.
I clicked on another file. This one showed them in what appeared to be an abandoned den, Violeta's laughter echoing as Ethan spun her around, his face bright with a joy I hadn't seen directed at me in months. The timestamp read three weeks ago—the same night he'd told me he was too exhausted from Alpha duties to attend the pack celebration I'd been looking forward to.
My best friend. My mate. The two people I trusted most in this world.
The office door suddenly creaked, and I quickly closed the laptop, my heart hammering against my ribs. But it was only Marcus, my brother, carrying a steaming mug of tea.
"Couldn't sleep either?" he asked, setting the mug on the desk. His eyes, so similar to mine, studied my face with concern. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
I wanted to tell him everything, to collapse into his arms and let him comfort me like he had when we were children. But the words stuck in my throat, too painful and too unbelievable to voice.
"Just nervous about the ceremony," I managed, forcing a smile that felt like shattered glass.
Marcus nodded, though his expression remained troubled. "Ethan's lucky to have you, Em. What you did for him during the rogue attack... not many would sacrifice their wolf's strength for their mate."
His words were meant to comfort, but they only deepened the ache in my chest. I had given everything for Ethan—my strength, my future with the Lycan Council, my very essence as a wolf. And this was how he repaid that sacrifice.
After Marcus left, I sat alone in the darkness, the weight of my discovery settling over me like a suffocating blanket. Tomorrow, I would have to face Ethan, to look into the eyes of the man I'd loved with every fiber of my being and demand answers I wasn't sure I was strong enough to hear.
But tonight, I would grieve for the life I thought we were building together, and prepare for the confrontation that would change everything.
