CHAPTER TWO- Numbing the Pain

London Hale

I was still rooted to the spot, a tsunami of negative emotions consuming me as I beheld my naked wife skillfully grinding on another man.

Her hands were placed against the headboard as the Alpha's hands stayed secured around her waist. Her breasts bounced, and sweat stuck to her body.

She abruptly stopped midway through her orgasm as my voice broke whatever sexual trace she was in.

Leah's face mirrored shock and surprise, which soon turned to guilt and fear. She quickly climbed off the Alpha, picking up the sheets to wrap around herself.

I dipped my eyes to the floor, feeling anger in the midst of the pain that had dulled, and squeezed my hands. Blood coursed through my veins at the sight of both their clothes scattered on the floor.

I knew the scent was too familiar, but I couldn't really place my hands on who its owner was. Upon seeing my Alpha naked, my mystery was solved.

Now I understand the main reason why he gifted me this house. He did it for her and himself.

He rushed out of the bed, quickly picking up his black briefs, which were lying beside the bed stand. His eyes strayed to me with an emotion swinging through those gray orbs, which I was trying so hard to refrain from plucking out.

Who the fuck sleeps with another man's wife, huh?

He looked like he wanted to say something but abruptly looked away. Suddenly, Bryce's words came to mind:

"It's been going around that she's been having something to do with Connan, the beta, and Alpha Preston. Apparently it started way before your engagement to her and has continued after your marriage to her."

Shit. I can't believe he was right. My mother and friends told me this, and I didn't believe them and blindly trusted Leah.

My heart was beating too fast; I could feel a rip through my emotions, and my heart shattered into bits and pieces. I was breathing heavily and clutching my chest at the heavy weight of betrayal that crushed me.

"Leah is a slut, London. And we all know that once a slut is always a slut, no matter how respectable you might try to make her." That word kept replaying nonsense in my mind.

I could hear the rapid hammering of my heart in my chest along with the blood flowing through my veins as I recalled every taunt I'd received since the day I discovered Leah was my mate. I had gone against all ethical odds for her, and what did I get in return?

Of all men, she went for the alpha, whom I saw as a brother figure.

"That woman is not good enough for you!" My mother had said that, and now she was right.

A pang of pain hit me, and I held on to the door for support, struggling to breathe. Sweat claimed me, forcing my eyes to dart between the stupid excuse of an Alpha and the poor choice of a woman that I had married all because of a damn mate bond.

I questioned myself greatly: did I do anything wrong in accepting the moon goddess' choice for me? What have I ever done to that deity to deserve this kind of mockery and hurt?

I stood to my full height, feeling Vince's arms around me. I was sure that he was shocked to see the live representation of him being right in everything he had said. I could feel his pity and worry as he held on to my shoulder.

I staggered back to get a better look at him, tears sitting in my eyes. I heard heavy steps up the stairs, and Bryce appeared soon enough, a loud curse flying out of his mouth as he too took in the sight.

"woah… holy shit! Alpha? You are sleeping with your gamma's mate?"

I glared at the being who called himself my Alpha before breaking into a maniacal laugh at the sight of my trembling and embarrassed wife.

She was embarrassed but didn't feel guilty.

How dare she even have the guts to put on such an act when I was the one who went against all odds to marry her, soiling myself with her dirty reputation? I am currently on bad terms with my mother because of her slutty behavior. I can't believe I loved her.

I couldn't experience the joy of having my wedding attended by my mother and everyone in full delight, all because of her. I endured taunts and insulting whispers all because of her, and she dared act embarrassed? How fucking dare she?

If she was caught sleeping in the act, then that meant she was also sharing a bed with Connan. For goodness sake, what married woman still opens her legs to other men? I wasn't lacking in the sexual aspect either.

I had just seen the length of a dick the Alpha owned while he was putting on his briefs, and I was twice bigger and thicker than that. I wasn't a novice when it came to knowing how to please a woman, and I matched my active libido with skill.

My exes could testify that I never left a woman lacking in bed. So why on earth would she cheat on me? I had chosen to look past her past because I wasn't exactly a saint before marriage. I had my own share of sexscapes and quenching lonely nights. But I swore to be faithful to my wife, to my mate, because that is what a good husband who truly loves his wife would do.

My love for her wasn't only based on the mate bond; it grew when I saw how graceful, homely, and innocent she could be, or so I thought. I had been a big fool, and I was sure Vince and Bryce and every fucking person would be laughing at me right now.

"Buddy, are you okay there?" Vince asked.

"Don't fucking touch me!" I screamed at him.

"You're happy now, right? You're happy now that you've been proven right and that I've been a fool for defending that cursed woman. Aren't you?" I growled at him, and he took a step back.

Vince wasn't the cause of my problem, but I just needed someone to vent my frustrations, so I snapped at him.

The hurt was coming at me like a hurricane, burning and burying every bit of civility I had left.

"How long, Leah?" I asked, a threatening chill in my voice.

She sniffled, tears spewing out of her eyes, and my brows rose above my head at her pathetic appearance. Her hair was messy, and she looked pale, fiddling her fingers with themselves.

"Baby, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to... You weren't supposed to—"

"—find out?" I completed her statement as the bitter taste of it remained in my mouth.

"It's not like that, please." She sobbed.

"What do you fucking mean, Leah? I just walked in on you riding my Alpha like his dick was the most beautiful thing on the planet, yet you stand here to fucking dare to say that!" I was outraged by her audacity.

She flinched at my words, and my eyes flashed a bright orange, a clear indication that Fuyu, my wolf, was fighting to push through my consciousness and rip both of them to shreds.

My wolf, Fuyu, was a big white wolf, a direct descendant from the warrior clan of Gammas. He never really supported the wolf bond, knowing our mate's former reputation, because he was a wolf heavy on dignity and respect. He was in support of me fighting the mate bond and taking a chosen mate.

Me marrying Leah was only possible after I had a big fight with him and ended up having him submit to my decision on the condition that I would divorce her if she wasn't meeting my standards.

Fuyu was in support of killing her if she messes up, but I wasn't in on letting murder happen under the account of infidelity, but right now, with my emotions in ashes, I was considering letting Fuyu take control and do as he pleases.

"Alpha!" My wolf sneered, his voice a deathly low octave.

"Isn't it unethical to go after another man's wife?" He said this without looking at him.

His main focus was on our supposed mate as he inched closer towards Leah, trailing a clawed finger down her cheek. He was growling lowly as he pictured possible ways to end her life.

"My dear beloved wife... so it's true about Connan." My wolf future asked with a mighty glare.

My heart was on fire with heats of betrayal promising to burn me to nothingness. My emotions bled, and Fuyu's foretelling came true. I was such a fool to think that I could change her.

Alpha Preston turned to Leah with a furrow of his brow upon hearing my words. I would have laughed out loud if I wasn't feeling heartbroken at the moment because he looked like a victim.

"What's he talking about?" Alpha Preston asked, looking at my mate.

Oh, how much I wanted to sink my claws into his heart and rip it out. But sadly, doing that would mean treason, as he was the Alpha, and I would face execution if I went ahead to kill him.

"You haven't heard?" My wolf, Fuyu, asked partly out of control.

"You're not the only one she's riding. Go on, Leah, fucking tell him." He gripped her face tightly with the intention of crushing her jaw, but I fought against him, my eyes switching between orange and hazel.

I knew the source of Fuyu's rage was not only the disgrace she brought upon us but also the fact that she betrayed me, the one person who saw something good in her. Minus disgrace, Fuyu hated betrayal.

"Please, I'm sorry. I-I won't do it again, I promise." She choked out.

Fuyu grinned, finally happy to have her right where he wanted her—one more move from him would have her in death's cold embrace, ripping her neck off her body.

"Of course you won't. The dead always stay dead," he sneered.

Vince rushed to my side, struggling to pry my fingers away from her face. Leah wailed as Preston came to her aid, trying to prevent me from killing her.

"Please keep Fuyu under control; she's not worth the kill." He was panicked at my loss of control.

Bryce was by my side, shielding Leah from me. As much as he despised her even more for hurting me, he didn't want me to kill her.

"She's not worth it, London. Please stop Fuyu." He spared her a look of disgust as she cowered behind him, sobbing stupidly.

"She brought another man into our matrimonial bed; what bigger insult is there?" Fuyu screamed through me while I fought to keep him back. "Move before I kill you all along with her!" He growled, baring his canines.

I had a horrible temper but was better at keeping it in check; my wolf, on the other hand, was one to act out his rage. His motto was to eliminate all who threatened his reputation and pride, including those who hurt me. But I wasn't going to let Fuyu fight for me. I brought this upon myself, and I was going to bear the full consequences.

"She's not worth it!" Bryce screamed, shielding Leah with his back.

"Reject her instead." Vince screamed while struggling to hold me back.

'No, let me rip that shameless whore to shreds, London. At least give me that honor!" He screamed in my head, trying to break through my restraint.

He was right. Staring at Leah and recounting every insulting moment since I met her, my heart flamed at the sight of purple hickies on her neck and shoulders. I stared at the crook of her neck where my mark stood, and a fresh batch of rage brewed at the sight of a bright red love bite there.

I closed off my heart as my emotions threatened to drown me with ragged breaths and spat in unison with Fuyu, "Once a slut, always a slut. I, London Hale of the Nightwalker Pack..."

"Baby, please don't do this... You promise to always love me forever, despite all my shortcomings." Her eyes widened as she turned paler than before.

"... reject you, Leah Flesker of the Nightwalker pack." I continued ignoring her.

"London, please, I beg you, give me another chance. I'll change, I promise. Vince, do something; beg your friend. You were present on our wedding day when he made that promise; don't let him break it." She screamed, her body shaking as she gasped, and Vince glared at her, turning a deaf ear to her pleas.

"You're free to fuck who you please now, whenever and wherever you want." I sneered at her and turned to the Alpha.

"She's all yours now. You might want to draft a schedule with Connan and the rest of her conquests to avoid another clash like this. Must be embarrassing, right?" In the midst of my pain was the need to get the hell away from her.

My eyes darted to Preston, who looked away when faced with my deathly glare. Oh, how much I wanted to sink my claws into his heart and rip it out, or better yet, we fight man to man and the loser gets kicked out. But sadly, I couldn't do either of the two, and he could only walk away freely from all this.

At the moment, my blood was boiling, and I didn't give a damn that I would face execution if I went ahead to kill him.

"You get to live another day, Alpha. Thank the fact that I'm your subordinate and Leah is not worth the bloodshed for that," I spat with disgust.

"I sacrificed my reputation and relationship with my mother for you, Leah. I went against Fuyu, for goodness sake, and I deeply regret it. You were the worst thing that ever happened to me, and I never want to see your face again." I screamed at her before taking my leave.

I rushed down the stairs, digging out my car keys from the rack where I usually hang them. I grabbed my black leather Jack and rushed out of the door, ignoring the worried calls of Vince and Bryce.

I needed to get out of there. Fuyu wasn't ready to back down; he was eager to rip her to shreds. Whereas the mate bond is meant to hurt when broken, it was a pain meant to be felt by both wolves and humans.

But considering how Fuyu never valued nor wanted the mate bond with Leah, as he was unenthusiastic to tell me about it, the pain was subtle, as your wolf counterpart is the only one capable of revealing your mate to you. We were basically human without them.

I was hurting because, as a human, I had fallen deeply in love with my now-ex-wife. I really loved her. I threw myself into my car, buried my head in the crook of my arms resting on the steering wheel, and screamed out loud in pain. My heart was beyond broken.

I started the car and immediately drove off, secretly hoping never to return again, as I didn't have the courage to face everyone and the embarrassment to come.

My heart sank, and a mix of anger, sadness, and betrayal engulfed me. I couldn't believe what I had witnessed and hoped it was a dream.

All those warnings, all the signs, and yet I had chosen to turn a blind eye.

I had chosen to accept the mate bond, and now I was made a fool in front of everyone.