My mate?

I scoffed when the thought hit my head. At this point, the term was ridiculous and even I had to admit it to myself.

"What's amusing to you?" Lorenzo asked. That question brought me back to my life. I have been so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't realize my reaction had been noticed by him.

"Nothing," I responded. But that was a lie. Looking at him standing in front of me, I didn't feel an iota of guilt for actually lying to him.

I was disgusted by the mere sight of him. There was no way I could stand the man I saw less than an hour ago in an intimate position with another woman.

Yes, I saw him locking lips with another. The fact that we were supposed to be married in less than two weeks didn't even make him respect me.

I should confront him, I know. But he was just going to deny despite the fact that I caught him red-handed.

"Did you hear what I just said?" he asked again.

"Come again," I had to say.

Immediately, a frown etched on his face. I could sense his displeasure.

"This is the problem I have with you," he started to say. "You always zone out on me whenever I'm speaking to you. How are you going to understand me?"

'And you had the effrontery to cheat on me!' I wanted to say but kept mute right at the last second. I wasn't going to say anything about the girl he was with. Not right now.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, feigning regret.

I still cannot believe that I haven't properly said my mind to him even though I should. He doesn't deserve my respect anymore at this point.

"Why did you ask to see me again?" he queried.

I took a deep breath first. I don't know why I was feeling like shit right now but there was a reason I summoned him in the first place.

"You haven't met with my family yet," I said, maintaining eye contact with him.

His brows are raised as if in confusion and he went to ask: "Should that be a problem?"

"Remember I told you how things work in my pack, right? It's a rite that you have to follow or it would lead to complications in our marriage..."

"Complications like what?"

He was already beginning to lose his composure and I could see that. I know he didn't want to have this conversation with me just like the way he has been avoiding any other conversation with me.

This time I wasn't going to just let him go without letting him know what I had in mind. I can't let him continue treating me like I didn't matter at all.

"My family won't be happy with you. And most importantly, they won't be happy with me," I explained.

"I am the Alpha. I don't think I should bloody care what anyone thinks. I am not ready to see your family and if they cannot deal with it, then they had better find a way to come see me instead."

Hearing him say that made me angry. Why in the world would he say that about my family?

I didn't hide my anger as I said, "It is an essential rite that you meet with them."

"And I said I am not ready for that. Are you suddenly hard of hearing?"

"I am not."

That was a first for me. For the first time since I began staying with him as his mate, I was actually dishing him a response. I feel like I am possessed as much as I know what came over me.

"Don't talk back at me, Ivy!"

I gave him something akin to a death stare hoping he would realize the mistake he just made.

My name wasn't Ivy!

BLUE:

"What is it?" he quizzed when he noticed how I was staring at him.

"You just called me Ivy..."

He shrugged. "So?" was what he said before walking away from me.

That wasn't a coincidence. Ivy must be the name of the girl I saw him with. And she must mean a lot to him for him to mix up her name with mine.

I was Lorenzo's mate but he has never treated me like one since I moved in with him. He kept treating me more like a property that he owned and could discard any time he wanted.

I had been warned before doing what I did but I chose not to listen because I loved and still love Lorenzo. I guess I was just a fool then.

_________

Evening came and I had to join the omegas to cook dinner. I shouldn't even be in the kitchen in the first place as there was enough omegas to handle that but Lorenzo always insisted on me doing the cooking because I had the 'best hands'.

Once I was done cooking, I went to set up the dinning table for myself and Lorenzo. I was almost through with that when he got to the dinning area and immediately said: "Set the table for an extra."

I stopped what I was doing and looked at him. "Are we expecting a guest?" I asked.

Without looking at me, he responded: "Yes."

I began to wonder who it was going to be because he never mentioned that we were having a visitor. It's a good thing I cooked in excess or I would never be able to find something for whoever the visitor is.

I rushed back into the kitchen and got extra utensils for the guest. And by the time I got back to the dinning room, there was indeed a visitor.

I stood transfixed on the spot when I saw who it was. It was a lady with long brown hair that flowed down to her waist. Why did it shock me? Because this was the same hair color I saw on the woman that I saw Lorenzo kissing.

It took me a while to get a hang of myself. I snapped out of it when I heard laughter only to realize it was coming from the lady who was probably laughing to something funny that Lorenzo said.

"Good thing you're here," Lorenzo said as soon as I began to put the utensils on the table. "This is Ivy, the daughter of Lion Watch pack's Alpha. She's here on a courtesy visit."

A courtesy visit? Ridiculous. Who was he trying to fool?

"Like he said, I'm Ivy. And you must be Blue, right? Lorenzo told me so much about you..." The lady said, revealing all of her thirty-two as if to appease me. I simply nodded in return as I took a seat.

I have already put two and two together. It was really her that I caught him making out with. There was no doubt about it anymore. And the guts to actually bring her here and eat the food that I cooked was beyond comprehension.

"You are going to enjoy this. Blue makes the best meals," Lorenzo said to her while trying to appeal to me by complimenting my cooking.

I watched from my seat as both of them conversed like they were long lost friends. I have never seen Lorenzo this free spirited and it broke my heart that I might never get to experience this side of him.

I must have zoned out again because the cutlery in my hand suddenly dropped to the floor, interrupting the flow in the room.

Realizing what I had done, I swiftly bent to pick up the cutlery and it was just in time for me to see what the shameless people were doing away from sight.

Ivy had her hand on my mate's thigh but quickly took it off when she saw me bending. It was too late though because I had seen enough.

BLUE:

"I am heading out for a meeting with Alpha Denver of Lion Watch. I'll be back late so don't wait up for me," Lorenzo had said before stepping out of the room fully clothed that morning.

I wasn't sure how to feel after recalling that he let his lover sleep under the same roof with us the night before. According to him, it was too late for her to head back to the quarters he assigned for her which was why he let her stay the night.

As soon as he left the room, I went straight to the window to have a view of outside. And what I saw wasn't any different from what I've been seeing since yesterday.

Lorenzo and Ivy stepped out of the packhouse together and I watched as they held hands while walking toward Lorenzo's car. Before they got into the vehicle, Lorenzo pulled her to himself and gave her a tight embrace.

My heart fell. That was supposed to be me. Why would he do that with another woman?

My eyes met with Ivy's eyes all of a sudden as soon as she got into the car. She didn't take her eyes off. Instead, she gave a smug smile before Lorenzo zoomed off.

_________

"Welcome," I said to Lorenzo as he stepped into the living room.

He looked really exhausted as if he had done a lot all day but I didn't look at him like one who had gone out to tend to pack duties. I was looking at him like the cheat he was except I wasn't being confrontational.

From where I sat, he looked at me strangely from head to toe.

"Didn't I tell you not to wait up?" he asked in a rather harsh tone.

I chose to ignore that and just stood up front my seat. Then I began to walk closer to him.

"You did. But I couldn't sleep," I responded, collecting his bag as I did so. I could smell the woman all over him and it disgusted me. "Go and take a shower. I'll go get you your dinner."

"I'm not hungry," he bluntly responded. I should be used to it — his tone, but I can't. The mate bond was stronger than whatever I was supposed to actually feel whenever he spoke to me like this.

I didn't say a word but went up to our chamber with his bag. He followed suit and then went to take a shower almost immediately after he got into our chamber.

For a long time, I stared at the bag I collected from him. I had already placed it on the bed but I couldn't take my eyes off it. I don't know why I was curious to open it but I had a feeling that I should.

"It isn't right," I muttered to myself as I stood close to it now, my hands unzipping the bag. It was ironic but I actually let my curiosity get the better of me.

Inside the bag, I found a small box which I took out. I opened the box only to find a ring inside it.

Swiftly, I took out the ring from the box, excitement slowly brewing in me. I should be mad at Lorenzo but seeing this actually made me happy. I mean, our wedding wasn't far so this was surely bound to get me excited.

That was until I saw the engraving on the ring.

"Ivy," I read to myself what was engraved on the ring. He didn't even try to hide the fact that he was cheating on me. Not even a little courtesy by using initials. But no, her name boldly written on it.