Aria's POV
I glanced at my wrist watch. It's 11:59pm. I'd instructed my personal driver, Leah from the pack to drive me here as soon as I got the information.
I'm seated in the backseat of my car, parked at the corner side of the road in Silvermoon Pack's territory. From here, I can see my husband at a far end leaning beside a car in front of one of the silver moon mansions, one we'd barely lived in.
He's not alone. Mateo Ragnar , Alpha of the Silvermoon pack is with another lady in our house.
A young she-wolf stands beside him, slim, curvy, beautiful but what caught my attention more was she didn't look like a stranger to him. They were in an intimate position. As her hands caress his chest.
I expect him to brush her off, to give her that nonchalant, controlled look he always gives me but none of that happened.
Mateo isn't a man who should love or care this way. He never has been. But now, the sight only made my inner wolf feel hurt.
Instead of refusing her, he smiles softly at her, moving a strand of hair from her face. I see him reach out and tap her nose, like she's something precious as they both smiled. They both looked so much in love.
Then, without hesitation, he bends down and lifts her into his arms.
My chest tightens instantly.
That's the same man who barely touches me, who can go weeks without a word unless it's about pack business or when he wants to travel out with his beta. The same man who once told me emotions were "a distraction for leaders."
Now, he is carrying another woman, his expression gentle.
I force myself to look away, but I can't. My wolf, Kira, growls in my head, low and bitter.
The more I look, the more hurt I get.
Soon, my gaze catches on the mark at the back of his neck, a small reddish birthmark shaped like a moon shape given to him by his mother as the lady caresses it and he doesn't seem to look uncomfortable at all.
I remember touching it by mistake years ago while he made love to me but immediately, his eyes goes cold as he warned me never to be near it again and dismissed me whenever I even try to act romantic with him. He always feels irritated. But I never felt bad. I understood everyone has likes and dislikes and allergies.
But now, I see that girl's pale fingers tracing that same spot, her face buried in his neck as she laughs. Convincingly, he doesn't feel that allergy or irritation.
The man in front of me doesn't look like my mate anymore. The Alpha of Silvermoon looks like a stranger now.
I shut my eyes, trying to swallow my pain at the realization.
Immediately, I pull out my phone and took a photo of them.
Then I call Mateo. The line rings several times before he picks up.
"What?" His voice is nonchalant as usual, cold.
"Did you forget it's my birthday?" I say softly. "When will you come home for dinner?"
A pause. A long one as I heard her young, teasing voice.
"Mateo, are you still talking to her? End that call. I want all your attention."
Instantly, the line goes silent as he ends it.
My hand tightens around the phone, but I don't let the tears come. But my heart is crying.
I shut my eyes, taking a deep breath and when I opened my eyes again, all emotion drained from me. There's no rage, or heartbreak. Just vulnerability.
Mateo… you ass hole!
Love can die quietly. And mine? It just died.
I turned to Leah. "What more do you know about this?"
Leah glances at me through the rearview mirror. "Alot my Luna. Her name is Bella. She's the only daughter of alpha Marcus from the Darkmoon pack. Alpha has been meeting her secretly for three moons now after she returned from New York. And also have been protective of her."
Protective. That word cuts deeper than I expect. Mateo has never protected me. In fact, he was the one incharge of my pain despite being his Luna. I'm his Luna by title, but he's always treated me like the political alliance, marriage arranged, not chosen. Our union was as a result for the better of our pack.
"Ummm…" Leah stuttered. "They have been childhood sweethearts for years now…"
"Here…" says Leah as she hands me a folder.
I look down at the folder. Inside are photos, reports, times, places. Proof of them together, little evidence Leah gathered by my order.
So it's true.
Leah hesitates. "Is there anything to help you with my Luna?"
I stare through the tinted glass at Mateo and the girl again and all I could see was hate. When love turns to hate, then it becomes deadly.
Earlier he had told me he was traveling for a pack meeting and would return late as usual. So this is the meeting?
"Contact the power supply by my order. Make sure all light and supplies going to this building are stopped tonight. No food, no water, nothing.."
"Yes, Luna."
I once believed the moon goddess chose mates for love. Now I think she just likes testing how much pain we can take.
When I finally go home, it's 2am. The main building of the Silvermoon mansion.
Leah brings in the rejection papers I drafted earlier, one I'd submit to the pack council.
To clear my head, I made my way to the bathroom where I take a bath, letting the warm water soak away the ache in my chest.
When I stepped out, nothing changed. I didn't feel any better.
My reflection in the mirror stares back at me, but all I could suddenly see was a strong woman, not the weak, desperate Luna I used to be.
I used to think if I loved him unconditionally, his love for me would grow but it got worse and made me look stupid.
Soon, I heard the door creak open. I turned to see Mateo.
His scents and aura that always make my wolf crave him is now filled with irritation all over me.
As if he'd been informed I was responsible for the lack of supplies, his eyes goes darker in fury as he approached with no warmth.
"You are the one who had the supplies turned down right? Just because I gave a little attention to the daughter of a…friend, care and suddenly I've disgraced you? Stop this, Aria." He said.
He moves closer and tries to have his way with me as he usually does and knows I would not refuse him despite how much he knows I love him. For me, I thought love was just love making. But I knew better.
He takes another step forward, reaching for me. His hands move to my waist, his grip firm and with that, he lifts me easily, carrying me to the bed like he's done so many times before.
He lays me to the bed, his cold gaze reaching mine as he tries to undress me but I stop him.
"Get off me!" I snap, shoving his chest.
"You've always wanted this." He says coldly. "You've always wanted to give me a son."
Yes he is right but not anymore. Giving him a son means giving him more leverage over me.
"Well, I do not want a child anymore." I replied.