The gathering was in full swing. The packhouse buzzed with laughter, conversations, and the sound of clinking glasses. I stood near the edge of the room, my heart heavy.

Jack moved through the crowd like a true Alpha. Confident. Commanding. Everyone seemed drawn to him.

But I couldn’t shake the memory of the note I’d found. The words replayed in my mind like a broken record.

Clara was here. I’d seen her earlier, standing close to Jack, laughing at something he said. Too close.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms.

Beth nudged me from the side. “You’re awfully quiet tonight,” she said.

“I’m fine,” I replied, forcing a smile.

But I wasn’t fine. I couldn’t just stand here and pretend everything was normal. Not when I knew what I knew.

Jack caught my eye from across the room. He smiled at me, but it felt hollow. Forced.

I took a deep breath and started walking toward him.

As I approached, Clara stepped into view. She was by his side again, her hand brushing against his arm.

My stomach turned.

“Jack,” I said firmly, stopping in front of them.

He looked at me, his smile faltering. “Caroline. Enjoying the party?”

“I need to talk to you,” I said, ignoring Clara.

His brow furrowed. “Now?”

“Yes. Now.”

Clara smirked, stepping back but not far enough. She was still close, her presence irritating.

“Fine,” Jack said, his tone sharp. “What’s so urgent?”

I glanced around. Everyone was watching. The pack had stopped their conversations, their eyes fixed on us.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” I asked.

Jack frowned. “What are you talking about?”

I looked at Clara. “Her. Why is she always by your side? Why is she in your office, leaving notes?”

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Clara’s face turned pale, but she quickly recovered, her lips curving into a smug smile.

“This is ridiculous,” Jack said, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

“No, it’s not,” I shot back. “I found her note, Jack. I know something is going on.”

Clara stepped forward, her voice dripping with mock innocence. “Luna, I think you’ve misunderstood. I would never—”

“Don’t lie to me!” I snapped, my voice shaking. “I saw you with him. I heard him tell you—”

“Enough!” Jack interrupted, his voice booming.

The room fell silent.

Jack turned to face the pack, his expression cold. “Caroline has been under a lot of stress lately,” he said. “She’s imagining things. There’s nothing between me and Clara.”

I stared at him, disbelief washing over me. “Imagining?” I repeated.

“Yes,” he said firmly. “You’re being delusional.”

The words hit me like a slap.

A murmur spread through the crowd. I could feel their eyes on me, judging. Doubting.

“Jack,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “How can you say that?”

“Because it’s the truth,” he said.

Clara stepped closer to him, placing a hand on his arm. “Luna, I understand if you’re feeling insecure, but I assure you, there’s nothing inappropriate happening here.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out.

Jack had turned the pack against me in an instant.

He had humiliated me.

I turned and walked out of the room, my vision blurry with tears.

The cool night air hit my face as I stepped outside. I gasped for breath, my chest tight.

This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real.

Jack had called me delusional. In front of everyone. He had chosen Clara’s side.

I wandered into the forest, needing to be alone. The trees offered a comforting silence, but it wasn’t enough to stop the ache in my chest.

I sat on a fallen log, staring at the ground.

The mate bond tugged at me, a cruel display of the love I was supposed to feel for Jack. But how could I love someone who treated me like this?

Footsteps behind me broke the silence.

I turned, half expecting Jack to come and apologize.

But it wasn’t Jack.

It was them.

Jack and Clara.

They stood a few feet away, their backs to me. They didn’t see me.

I froze, my heart pounding.

Clara leaned closer to Jack, her voice soft. I couldn’t hear what she said, but the way she looked at him made my blood boil.

Then it happened.

Jack cupped her face and kissed her.

Under the moonlight, with no hesitation.

My breath caught in my throat.

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think.

The bond between us shattered into pieces.

Tears streamed down my face as I turned and ran.

The morning was cold, and the air heavy. I woke with a knot in my stomach, the kind that doesn’t go away no matter how hard you try to ignore it.

Jack hadn’t come home last night. Again.

I sat up in the bed that once felt warm and safe. Now it felt like a prison. My eyes landed on the empty side of the bed. The sheets were still neat, untouched.

Something inside me broke.

I got dressed quickly, pulling on a simple sweater and jeans. My hands shook as I tied my hair back.

I had to know the truth.

I marched to Jack’s office. My steps were firm, my heart pounding like a drum. The hallway seemed longer than usual, the walls closing in around me.

When I reached the door, I hesitated for a moment. Then I pushed it open.

The office was quiet, filled with the scent of cedarwood and Jack’s cologne. Papers were scattered across his desk, but something caught my eye immediately.

A scarf.

It wasn’t mine.

I stepped closer, my fingers brushing the soft fabric. The scent was unmistakable. Clara’s perfume.

My chest tightened as I moved toward his desk. The scarf wasn’t the only thing. There was a notebook open, and on the corner of the page, I saw it.

Her name.

Clara.

The words beside it burned into my mind.

“My love. My future.”

I slammed the notebook shut, my hands trembling.

This was it. The proof I needed.

I stormed out of the office, my vision blurred with anger and tears. My feet carried me toward the packhouse, toward the place where I knew I’d find them.

The dining hall was bustling with pack members. Laughter echoed, but it all stopped the moment I walked in.

Their eyes followed me as I made my way through the room. Whispers filled the air.

Then I saw them.

Jack and Clara.

They sat together at the far end of the room, close enough to touch. Her hand rested on his arm, her smile sweet and poisonous.

I couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Jack!” I shouted, my voice cutting through the murmurs.

He looked up, surprised at first. Then his expression hardened.

“What is it, Caroline?” he asked, his tone cold.

I ignored the stares and marched right up to them. “You’ve been lying to me. To the pack. To everyone.”

Clara leaned back in her chair, her smile widening. “Luna, you should really calm down.”

“Don’t call me that!” I snapped, glaring at her.

Jack stood, towering over me. “What are you doing?”

“I’m done pretending,” I said, holding up the scarf. “This is hers. I found it in your office. Along with your notebook.”

He didn’t flinch. Not even a flicker of guilt crossed his face.

“So what if it is?” Clara said, standing beside him.

My heart stopped.

Jack didn’t say anything. He didn’t deny it.

“You’ve marked her, haven’t you?” I whispered, my voice shaking.

Clara tilted her head, exposing the fresh mark on her neck. The proof was right there, glowing like a brand.

The room erupted in gasps and murmurs.