Chapter 1

Kylie's POV

Putting down my wine glass, I let my eyes wander around the glittering ballroom, trying to locate my mate.

I had been sitting here for a while now, but he was nowhere to be found, even though he told me he'd be here.

Just as I was debating whether to go look for him for the third time, Mia, my best friend, muttered beside me.

"Look at him." With disgust written all over her face, she smacked her lips together. "He's literally making out with her in public, and his mate just had twins two weeks ago. Poor woman, probably cooking at home with no idea her husband is out here tasting something else."

I followed her gaze, and my stomach twisted. A tall male wolf had a younger she-wolf on his lap, one hand on her waist, the other inside her shirt while his head was pressed against her nape, clearly taking in her scent.

My nose crinkled, and I shook my head.

I recognized the man, Jace. He was married, and I had met his mate. She was a lovely beauty: sweet, soft-spoken, and she had once gave me food when my stepmother hide the foodstuff. .

"He's disgusting," I whispered.

"They're all like this lately," Mia said, not bothering to keep her voice down. She glared at him with fire in her eyes. "Half the males in this pack treat their mates like temporary toys, claiming they're polygamous by nature. Just thinking about it gives me a headache."

I nodded at her words.

The males had indeed grown more condescending lately. Mia's older sister hadn't been spared either. Her mate had eloped with a young omega just after she got pregnant.

I'm sure Jace could hear us. He glanced our way, both arms now under the she-wolf's shirt, the outline of his hands clearly visible on her chest.

"Monogamy is for women, not us. We male wolves can't be satisfied with one woman," he murmured, kissing the woman's neck. "How can anyone be content eating the same meal every day?"

'Scumbag,' my wolf, Rain, muttered. I couldn't agree more.

I refuted his words. "That's a lie."

He looked over at me, amused, and smirked. "Oh yeah? You think your fairy-tale love story's going to last? Wait until your mate gets bored. Then you'll see I was right."

I opened my mouth to argue, but Mia beat me to it, her voice confident. "Not everyone can't keep their dick in their pants like you. Ky's mate is going to propose to her soon. They'll have their happily ever after."

"Really?" Jace's smirk widened, his eyes crinkling.

"Yes!" Mia replied confidently.

He chuckled, and just when I was wondering what he found so funny, he pointed toward a random corner of the room.

"Isn't that your mate?"

I instinctively followed his gaze, but my brows furrowed, there was no one there.

I frowned and glanced at him. "What are you talking about?"

Was he toying with me?

"Oh... they walk quite fast. It's not easy to hold it in," he said with a knowing smile. "Your boyfriend just passed through there with a beautiful companion. Isn't that surprising?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Mia snapped, her brows furrowing deeply.

"Well, believe me or not. I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."

Whatever he was saying, I was sure it was garbage.

Still, I had been looking for Cole for nearly thirty minutes. He had specifically asked me to come here earlier. I'd tried contacting him, but he wasn't answering his phone. I had brushed it off, thinking it might be part of his proposal plan. But what if he was indeed there?

Telling Mia to wait, I went toward the direction Jace had pointed. It led to the garden. I honestly didn't expect to find him there, and indeed, I didn't, so I prepared to leave.

But then, I heard some strange noises.

I froze, trying to listen more closely. The sounds grew clearer.

"Ahhh... it's too big... mmm... slow down... I-I can't take it anymore..."

I shook my head, my cheeks burning with embarrassment as I turned to leave.

Can't they just go home if they want to have sex?

"Hunnnn, your cock is too big, Cole... slow down, please..."

I froze. My eyes widened.

Cole?

That was my mate's name...

And he was the only one I knew who bore that name.

Or did I mishear?

My heart pounded and I panicked. I moved toward the voice, needing to be sure. Even if I had misheard, I had to see for myself.

I lifted the hem of my silver gown, the best dress I owned, worn specifically for tonight and ran forward.

And lo and behold, two figures were intertwined against the garden wall.

I could only see the man's back, his pale white butt in the air as he rammed into the woman in front of him.

My legs gave out beneath me. I felt my wolf cry out in despair.

"Cole?" I called shakily, my voice trembling, my face ashen.

My word stopped the couple, and the man turned around.

The world blurred, and I saw stars.

Deep inside another woman, was none other than my fiancé and mate of five years, Cole.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

What was I even asking? It was obvious. He was fucking another woman after telling me to get ready for a proposal tonight.

I gritted my teeth, tears welling up in my eyes.

Jace... that scumbag had been right.

"Ahhh." I clutched my chest... I felt suffocated.

My wolf kept crying, calling out for his. She was broken too.

This betrayal, it had come out of nowhere.

"Kylie...?" The woman he was with turned around, and I stumbled back in shock at the sight of the familiar face.

My voice trembled with rage. "Yo–You're cheating on me with my step mother? How could you do this to me? Have you forgotten that I'm your mate? Was that why you asked me to come here? To humiliate me?!"

"Stop shouting," Cole said, frowning.

"Ahhhh!" I screamed, my voice rising uncontrollably. "You son of a bitch! I've been with you for five years! Five fucking whole years! And this is how you repay me? By screwing my step-mom?! Bastard and a fucking two-faced whore, you two are a perfect match!"

"Ky–Kylie..."

My nostrils flared with fury as I glared at the woman who made my father despise my mother, which led to their divorce, and somehow actually now come in between me and my mate.

Lucy Jones — I hate this woman. I fucking hate her with every fiber of my being. She despised me too, but it was the least of my expectation that she would sleep with my mate.

"I'm not a whore... I was just helping your mate," she muttered, biting her lip, her eyes watering as if I had wronged her.

I've had enough of this two-faced bitch! I've really had enough.

Despite her being my stepmother, she was actually just two years older than me.

She ruined my parents' decades of marriage by enjoying her first heat with my father, and now, seven years later, with only two months after my father's death, she's entangled with my fiancé!

But to my shock, Cole fell for it. He actually fell for it.

He pulled her into his arms and glared at me. "Don't you dare call her that again."

"To hell with you!"

My eyes landed on a nearby glass of red wine. Without thinking, I picked it up and smashed it at the shameless pair.

"Ky—What's—" Mia rushed up, her eyes wide as they took in the scene.

It was clear what was happening.

I felt humiliated as Jace appeared behind her, the she-wolf still clinging to him, both of them smirking.

They were mocking me.

Damn it!

So much for saying a faithful male wolf existed.

I clenched my fists and looked back at Cole, who now had the audacity to look angry.

"How could you throw that glass at us? You hurt Lucy!"

He was blaming me?

His shamelessness was astounding.

A small crowd had gathered now, drawn in by the commotion.

Lucy whimpered, her eyes watery with tears. "My foot... it hurts..."

I looked down at the shard of glass, sure enough, one had pierced her foot.

I clapped mockingly. "Exactly! I hope it hurts more!"

My words infuriated Cole. He scooped Lucy into his arms, glaring at me. The love I once saw in his eyes whenever he looked at me was gone. All that remained was cold, bitter hatred.

My heart shattered again, but I refused to show it. I bit my lip hard, unwilling to back down.

But what came next shocked me more than anything else.

"I, Cole King, sever the mate-bond with you, Kylie Edwards."