I looked into his oblivious gaze, and it broke my heart even more. How could he lie so easily, so shamelessly, without a hint of guilt? It was like he was a stranger.

“You’re lying, Deacon. You were with Tara. You took her to a dessert café and bought her a strawberry cake!” I wanted to scream that to his face, but the thought of letting him see me so pathetic kept my mouth shut.

Instead, I took a breath, feigned calm, and squeezed his hand. “You know, honey, I’m suddenly craving a strawberry cake. Could you pick one up for me?” I asked, my voice mimicking the way Tara probably asked for favors. “I want one from Le Blanc on the west side square.”

Annoyance flickered across his face as he pulled his hand away, frustration creeping into his expression.

“Le Blanc’s cakes aren’t anything special. Besides, you’re far along now; you need to watch what you eat.” Standing, he added, “Just hold out a little longer, okay? Call Mom—maybe she can bake you something.”

Without waiting for a response, he muttered, “I’m going to take a shower. I’m exhausted.”

And with that, he left me standing there, alone, outside the room I’d been using on the first floor since my pregnancy started. We’d been sleeping in separate rooms for months, and at first, his excuse—that it was for my and the baby’s safety—seemed reasonable.

But, I wondered how long it had really been since we’d drifted apart. I didn't even notice our bond thinning.

It seemed mate bonds just weren’t what they used to be. Four generations back, they were sacred. Now, people treat them like nothing more than attraction. If I could choose, I’d live in the old days, when mates were bound by something that mattered. Maybe then, I’d be cherished instead of discarded like an old rag.

Swallowing my sobs, I gently stroked my belly and whispered, “Darling, you and I are about to face a tough battle together.”

My gaze shifted to the dining table, where a blinking light caught my attention. It was Deacon’s phone, buzzing with messages. He didn’t even try to hide his infidelity from me; the clues had been too obvious, but I had ignored them all. Did he really think I was that naïve?

I glanced up the stairs, took a deep breath, and waddled over to his phone. It was locked. I tried our birthdays and anniversaries but nothing worked. Then, a string of numbers popped into my mind. My heart raced as I typed in the date from Tara’s ultrasound, hoping it was also a bust.

However, it unlocked. Yet another twist of the knife to my chest.

Biting my lip, I opened his messaging app. I sneered when I saw Tara’s name pinned at the top of his contacts, while mine was buried somewhere down the list. I wasn’t even sad anymore—I just wanted to bash his head in.

“Cheating mutt,” I muttered, scrolling through their messages.

It was sickeningly sweet: “Darling, I miss you,” and “Baby, when will I see you again?” They were so cozy with each other that it made my skin crawl. But I kept my emotions in check, recorded everything, and sent it to my phone.

Next, I opened Deacon’s shopping app. His order history was packed with pregnancy supplements, skincare products, and makeup—all sent to Tara. None of it had ever reached me. To think I was his mate and wife. I took screenshots, then wiped my tracks before placing his phone back exactly where he’d left it.

I waddled back to my room and felt a small movement in my belly as I lay on the bed like my baby was comforting me. I gently stroked my belly, humming softly to calm us both. But the weight of Deacon’s betrayal pressed on my soul, leaving a hollow ache inside me. Seven years together, and this was how he repaid me. What a cruel joke.

Then his phone rang, and I heard him rushing down the stairs to answer it. Through a crack in the door, I watched his face soften as he picked up the call. With a glance in my direction, he stepped out to the patio and closed the door behind him.

I scoffed in disbelief. Does he think I’m deaf, too?

I heightened my hearing, listening in. The first few words made me want to tear his hair out. Deacon’s voice sounded loving, filled with a warmth I hadn’t heard in years, as he spoke to her.

“I know,” he said, almost sighing. “I’ll see you later.”

I rolled onto my side, turning my back to the door as I tried to stifle another sob.

The truth was a bitter pill to swallow, but witnessing it firsthand was agony beyond words.

A few minutes later, I heard Deacon tiptoe into my room. I lay still, pretending to sleep, unwilling to face him. My skin crawled as he sat behind me, his hand resting on my belly while his fingers gently brushed through my hair.

In a soft voice, he whispered, “Honey, the Alpha has an urgent errand for me. I need to head back to the pack mansion.”

What a load of crap. Did he really think I was stupid? Who would buy that he was talking to the Alpha with that sweet, affectionate tone?

I turned my head, meeting his gaze, clinging to the last shred of hope I had left. “I don’t feel well,” I murmured, my voice barely a whisper. “Could you stay?”

For a second, I let myself believe that if he stayed instead of rushing off to that skank, maybe—just maybe—I could try to forgive him. But then, I remembered: trust is fragile. Like a shattered vase, once broken, it can never be truly whole again.

As expected, he forced a smile, trying to appear sympathetic. “Sweetheart, it’s the Alpha’s orders. I can’t ignore them.” He paused. “I’ll call Mom to come stay with you, okay?”

A wave of nausea rolled over me, and goosebumps pricked my skin. Still, I forced out the words, “Drive safe.”

I lay there in silence as he got dressed and left. After a moment, I got up slowly, holding my belly, and made my way downstairs. Outside, I hailed a taxi.

“Riverstone, Downtown,” I told the driver, my voice firm.

The driver sped through the streets, and just as we pulled up, I saw Deacon’s car arrive. My stomach twisted as I asked the driver to park behind a tree. From the back seat, I watched as Tara practically floated into his arms, like some delicate butterfly.

He caught her tenderly, his hand resting on her flat stomach. His expression softened, and with a playful look, he tapped her nose, like she was the only person in the world that mattered.

I cradled my belly, my free hand trembling as I pulled out my phone, switching it to video mode. I watched through the screen, my lips quivering, as Deacon lifted her into the passenger seat and carefully buckled her seatbelt, his gestures so gentle, so caring. The kind I once believed was reserved for his mate, me.

My eyes stung, but I fought back the tears. I couldn’t fall apart now.

“Sir, follow that car,” I whispered, my voice barely steady.

We tailed their car as it climbed onto the overpass, neon lights flashing through the window. I sat there in a daze, my nails digging into the door handle until they split. The sharp pain grounded me, and I brought my bleeding fingers to my mouth, biting down hard.

I kept repeating to myself, “Annette, hold on. The pain will pass.” But I wasn't sure how long that would be or if I could handle that alone.

Finally, we arrived at Evergreen General Hospital. I hurriedly stepped out to follow them, but the driver, who had been silent the entire ride, suddenly spoke up, his voice surprisingly gentle. “Miss, please, take care of yourself. For the baby’s sake, don’t harm yourself.”

Since discovering Deacon’s affair, I hadn’t told a single soul. The secret felt like poison, corroding me from the inside. Somehow, the kindness of this stranger felt like fresh air, grounding me, and pulling me back from the edge.

I closed the car door softly and managed a small, grateful smile. “Don’t worry, sir. No one can hurt me anymore.” I took a deep breath. “Because I’m ready to throw the trash where it belongs.”

I watched Deacon take care of this she-wolf while hiding behind a pillar. He hadn’t been to a single prenatal check-up with me this entire pregnancy, always claiming he was “too busy with pack duties.” But here he was, darting around the hospital, picking up medication, helping another woman in and out of appointments—like the perfect mate.

At that moment, I realized it wasn’t that he was busy. He just didn’t want to make the effort for the mate he’d been bound to for seven years.

Deacon held her close in the bustling hospital lobby, his voice gentle as he reminded her, “The doctor said you need to eat less tonight and stay active. Early pregnancy digestion can be tough, so let’s try to follow their advice this time, okay?”

“Aww, fine,” she replied with a playful pout. “But it’s your fault! You got me all those desserts!”

“Alright, alright, I’ll take the blame,” he said, smiling as he brushed a stray lock of her hair back. “It’s all on me for making my sweetheart eat too much, okay?”

“That’s better.” She smirked and tugged at his arm. “Fine, I’ll forgive you... this time.”

They were so casual, like a true mated pair, their bond seemed inseparable as they stood there laughing together. Watching them, I felt like a stranger in my own life, invisible under the harsh, cold lights of the hospital.

With a heavy heart, I cradled my belly and turned to leave. Outside, the rain had started up, falling in cold sheets against the pavement. The chill autumn wind whipped around me, stinging against my face. As I stepped out into the rain, I witnessed Deacon draping his coat over his lover's shoulders, shielding her from the downpour as he helped her into the passenger seat.

She grinned up at him, grabbing his tie to pull him in for a kiss. He leaned down and kissed her deeply, standing there with the rain coming down on them both. When they finally pulled apart, Deacon tapped her nose playfully. Tara tugged on his tie again in retaliation, biting his lip just a little too hard.

I thought Deacon would blow up at her because he never liked that kind of needy gesture when I did it, but Deacon just smiled, looking pleased. He climbed into the car, looking like the very picture of bliss, as if this was all perfectly natural for him. Just before the car pulled away, Tara rolled down her window, locking eyes with mine.

She smirked at me, with smugness as if to say, “Annette, you’ve lost.”

I felt a strange calm settle over me. I shook my head slowly. “It’s okay, Annette,” I whispered to myself. “He’s just a man, nothing more.”

As the car turned the corner, I raised my hand in a wave, as if bidding farewell to a ghost. “Deacon, I don’t want you anymore. You’re hers now.”

With that decision, standing alone under the hospital awning, I pulled out my phone. Calmly, I sent every piece of evidence I’d gathered to my friend, a respected lawyer known throughout the anthropomorphic society for her prowess in securing ironclad dissolution deals. I was going to carve out the best future I could for my child, no matter what.

By the time I finished, the rain had soaked the hem of my dress. But I barely noticed. Just as I slipped my phone back into my bag, it rang. It was Mom.

“Annette! Dean texted me so I made some soup for you and brought it to the house. Where are you and Dean? Why's nobody home?” Her voice was warm, full of love and concern.

Before I could answer, she kept going, “Oh, that Dean! You’re this far along, and he’s still taking you out? You really need to take it easy now. What if you ran into an accident?”

Hearing her voice felt like a punch to the chest. All the pain, the anger, everything I’d been holding back, threatened to spill over, tightening in my chest. I bit down on my lip, fighting the sob rising in my throat. My body shivered from holding it all in.

I forced a smile, even though she couldn’t see it. “Don’t worry, Mom,” I managed. “I was craving for something so Dean took me out.” I swallowed hard, struggling to keep my voice steady. “Yeah, we’re being careful. Dean’s right here with me.”

I couldn’t let her hear me cry. I had to keep it together.

“It’s raining, Mom,” I added, “so drive home safely, okay? Text me when you get there.”

I ended the call quickly before my voice could crack. As soon as the line went silent, I let out a shaky breath, and the tears started falling. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t hold them back anymore.

I stood there, clutching my heavy belly as I cried alone in the pouring rain, surrounded by strangers bustling in and out of the hospital. And in that cold, indifferent world, I cried until I couldn’t cry, no more.