Iris’s POV

“Iris, I don't know if I have said this before, but I really appreciate you. You've really been working a lot for my birthday celebration, so thank you very much.” He thanked me with a soft smile on his face, as though he wasn't the same person who had mocked me yesterday.

He leaned to kiss me, but I turned at the last moment, making him kiss my cheek instead. I noticed a flicker of annoyance cross his face, but he quickly brushed it off. How had I been blind to these little signs for this long?

“Alright, I'll see you later. I have some little preparations to take care of.” He announced, patting my head gently. “I’ll come pick you up by 4.” He promised.

~

After preparing, I waited for Jake, but he didn’t show up. By 5pm, he sent me a message.

~Can’t make it. Party has already started. Come by yourself~

I scoffed in bitterness as I stared at the phone with tears welling up in my eyes. It was just another broken promise—nothing new.

With the help of a pack member, I was finally able to make it to the pack’s grand hall where the party was taking place. As I arrived, I immediately found Jake. He stood chatting and laughing with Phillip and Luke, but he wasn’t alone. A tall blonde stood beside Jake, clinging to his side, while his arm was around her waist, holding tightly. They looked like the perfect couple.

Pain stabbed my chest as I watched how he gazed into her eyes with so much affection and love, like she was the only person in the room.

I approached them reluctantly, bracing myself. Immediately Jake noticed me approaching, his expression hardened, and a flicker of annoyance crossed his face.

“Hey Luna,” Philip and Luke murmured. I could see the mockery clear in their eyes as they excused themselves.

“Hey,” I replied to them, then I turned to Jake, but he completely ignored me, giving his full attention to the blonde.

For a long time, they chatted, and even flirted, while I stood there awkwardly like the unwanted stranger. They didn’t even care that I was right there. It was getting too painful to bear, so I decided to leave them.

However, the moment I turned to leave, the tall blonde turned her attention to me.

“Hey, you’re Iris, right?” She started, causing me to pause.

I nodded, “Yes, I am.”

She gave me a smile. “Hello, Iris. I am Zara.” The tall blonde introduced herself, confirming my suspicions. This was the Zara that they had been talking about the day before.

“Nice to meet you, Zara.” I greeted with a forced smile on my face.

“First, let me apologize for delaying Jake from coming to pick you this evening. My flight was delayed, and he had to wait at the airport to pick me. It was all my fault that he couldn’t come pick you.” Zara apologized with a soft smile on her face.

Zara wasn’t fooling me with the fake smiles. I could see the delight and glee in her eyes as she spoke.

“It’s fi—” I started, but Jake interrupted me.

“What are you apologizing for, silly? It’s not your fault that the flight got delayed.” Jake scolded her lightly, poking her nose affectionately.

Zara giggled, leaning into him. “Come on, Jake. I’m trying to be nice.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched the two of them. I had promised myself that I wouldn’t cry in their presence, but it was just so hard to watch as Jake poured all his attention and affection on her, completely ignoring me.

“Excuse me,” I mumbled, rushing off to the bathroom so that nobody would see me cry.

Iris's POV

Immediately I entered the bathroom, I locked the door behind me, leaning against it as the tears ran down my face. The ache in my heart increased, and I clutched my chest as I sobbed in pain.

All those years of promises and vows had all turned out to be fake, a big lie. Zara was really the person he wanted.

I don’t know how long I stayed there sobbing, but finally when it felt like I had no more tears to shed, I stood in front of the mirror and stared miserably at my red eyes, and disheveled hair. I looked like a mess—nothing like the gorgeous Zara.

I washed my face, rearranged my hair and my face, and stepped out of the bathroom with a sigh. I braced myself to continue watching Jake and Zara all over each other.

“So Iris, are you done crying?” A familiar voice asked mockingly from beside me, and I froze.

I turned, and there she was, leaning against the wall with a mocking smirk on her face. Zara was obviously showing her true face here.

“I’m fine, thank you,” I replied, trying to walk away.

Zara laughed a loud mocking laugh that sent a shiver down my spine. “I’m just trying to check up on you, make sure you are alright. It’s not easy to see one’s mate all over another woman.”

Pain surged through me at her words, but she wasn’t done.

“Let me tell you something, Iris. As long as it concerns me, he will always prioritize it.”

I clenched my jaw at her words, but I decided to leave to avoid a confrontation.

“I’m really surprised,” she started, and I paused at her words, wondering where she was getting at.

“With your pitiful background, it’s quite funny to think you belong by the alpha’s side. You should know your place.” She taunted with a cruel smirk on her face.

My heart broke all over as I realized how deep Jake's betrayal had been. He had told her the personal details of my life—the things that I had told only him, in moments of vulnerability.

I bit my lips as I struggled to keep the tears in. I was not going to cry here. She took a step closer to me with a sneer on her face.

“Jake is mine. Has always been. I don't care that he's your mate or whatever, but it's me he wants, so you better back off.” She snarled.

I clenched my jaw as a fresh wave of pain surged through me as Jake's conversation in his office flashed through my mind. Zara had nothing to worry about. I thought bitterly to myself.

Zara snorted to herself in amusement. “Why am I even bothering? Jake has always made it clear to me how much he wants me.” Her eyes shone with glee. “Especially when we make love.” She added with a cruel smirk on her face.

I inhaled sharply at her words.

“Oh yes, don't be surprised, because it's very true. Do you remember that alphas’ conference that he went to a few months back?” She asked, tilting her head with delight in her eyes.

I remembered it vividly, as it was the first time Jake had been away for two weeks since we had gotten together. I had missed him terribly and had kept calling him, just to hear his voice to soothe the ache in my chest. I also remembered how distracted and distant he had been whenever I called him.

“Yes, Iris,” Zara said, smirking. “There was no conference. Jake spent those days with me, in my arms, in my bed. You were probably home, waiting like a good little Luna while your mate was in my bed.”

I clenched my fists as I struggled to maintain my composure. I refused to break down here.

“As if that wasn't enough, this afternoon, after he picked me from the airport, we spent hours together, just like old times. Jake couldn’t keep his hands off me. He kept telling me how much he missed me, how you have never satisfied him.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I whispered, my voice shook.

“Because you need to hear the truth,” Zara said with a wide grin. “Jake doesn't want you. He never did. You’re just... convenient.”

Her words were so hurtful. How had I been so blind? There were so many signs, but I had chosen to ignore them, because of my blind trust in him.

Zara laughed mockingly at the look on my face. “I think I'm done here. Let me leave before my Jake gets worried, and starts looking for me.”

Iris's POV

Several moments later, after Zara left, I stood in that hallway, trying to gather together the remnants of my composure.

How did it come to this? How had I been so blind, so trusting? Probably because he had been my fated mate, so I had nothing to suspect him of.

I had sacrificed everything for Jake—my time, my trust, my love. And what had he given me in return? Lies, betrayal, and humiliation.

I walked out of the bathroom feeling miserable. I felt like I was living in a nightmare that refused to end.

As I stepped out, I immediately noticed that Jake's arm was wrapped around Zara. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion when I saw that he was consoling her, her eyes were red, like someone who had been crying.

The moment Jake lifted his head and saw me, his expression darkened. I was confused, but I ignored it as I went to tell him to tell him that I was going home.

“Jake, I—”

Before I could even react, his fist slammed into my face. Pain exploded through my cheek as I fell to the ground, clearly not expecting it.

Instinctively, one of my hands rushed to protect my stomach, while the other clutched my cheek as I stared up at Jake in shock. My ears rang as I tried to process what had just happened. Jake, my fated mate, had just hit me.

I could hear the gasps of the nearby pack members as they watched in shock.

“Jake!” I cried out as I gave him a look of disbelief.

However, his eyes were filled with rage as he stepped toward me. Zara stood behind him, and when I caught her eyes, she smirked mischievously before she quickly changed her facial expression to an expression of pure innocence.

“How could you?” Jake growled venomously. “How could you do this, Iris?!” He bellowed.

Tears had already welled up in my eyes from the pain of his fist.

“What did I do?” I cried softly.

“How dare you lay your hands on Zara?” He snapped in anger, his eyes blazing with anger.

“What?” I whispered, my voice trembling as I wondered what he was talking about.

I glanced between Jason and Zara in total confusion with tears streaming down my face. Jake had never hit me before, so I was shocked.

“She told me everything,” Jake cut me off with an accusing tone. “You cornered her in the hallway, said horrible things, and hit her! She’s been nothing but kind to you, Iris, and this is how you treat her?”

My heart shattered at his words. He believed her. Without question, without even asking for my side of the story, he believed Zara’s lies.

“I didn’t touch her,” I said softly, willing him to believe me. “I swear, Jake, I would never—”

“Enough!” he roared with spittle flying out of his mouth, “You’ve humiliated me enough, Iris. You shouldn’t have come here.” He spat disdainfully.

Even though I tried to stop it, I couldn’t help but sob out in pain. The betrayal, the humiliation—it was just too much.

Zara stepped forward, and placed a gentle hand on Jake’s arm as if she was trying to calm him, but her eyes shone with glee and delight. “Jake, please,” she said softly, her voice shaking. “I don’t want to cause trouble between the two of you, just let it go.”

Her voice was filled with concern, but clearly she was enjoying every second of this.

Jake shook his head with cold eyes, clenching his jaw tightly. “No. She’s crossed the line. There’s nothing to explain. Go home!”

I felt the eyes of the entire room on me, and I felt so humiliated. However, the humiliation didn’t hurt as much as the betrayal. I stared at Jake, my mate, the man I had trusted and loved for five years, who had just turned on me.