Chapter 2

Nicholas stepped out into the rain, umbrella tilted against the downpour, walking quickly toward her.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was low, tense. "Didn't I tell you? No matter what happens, don't ever come to my house. And don't let Julie see you."

Chanelle lowered her head, her voice small and trembling.

"Today marks our first month together. I just… wanted to spend it with you."

Then she reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Nicholas froze. But the umbrella in his hand shifted, tilting toward her.

"I told you I'd come by tonight," he murmured.

She pouted and tapped his chest lightly with her fist. "Liar. You go home and give all your love to your Luna. You know I'm terrified of thunder, and you still left me alone…"

Then she started crying.

I thought he would scold her, but instead, he reached up to wipe her tears, tenderness flickering across his face.

"How could I forget?" he said softly. "I still remember exactly what you like in bed."

His gaze lingered on her rain-soaked body, on the curve of her hips beneath the clinging lace, and his eyes darkened with desire.

He said. "Go to the hotel first. I'll come satisfy you tonight."

Chanelle looked up at him pleadingly. "Can't I go to your house instead? It'd be more exciting if we slept together there."

His expression hardened.

"No. Absolutely not. If Julie sees you, we're both finished. I'll take you to the hotel myself."

He shoved the umbrella into her hands and turned back toward the house, hurrying through the rain without a thought for his own soaked clothes.

He loved her even more than I thought.

I smiled bitterly, already calculating how to sever our mate bond.

Just then, the door opened. Nicholas stepped inside, probably ready with some excuse about pack business—until he saw me standing there by the door.

He froze. The smile that rose to his lips looked almost painful.

"Julie, why are you standing there? You finished eating?"

I took a step forward, pretending I was about to leave.

"I'm full. Thought I'd get some air."

A flicker of panic crossed his face. He moved quickly, blocking my view of the doorway.

"It's pouring outside. You'll catch a cold."

A loud clap of thunder rolled through the sky. It gave him the excuse he needed.

"You're afraid of thunder," he said, gently pushing me toward the bedroom. "Let's rest, okay?"

On my phone screen, Chanelle still stood outside, clutching the umbrella, waiting like a fool in the storm.

Let her wait a little longer, I thought.

I lay back on the bed, tugging at Nicholas's hand as he tried to leave.

"I'm scared," I said. "I can't sleep."

He squeezed my hand and smiled softly. "Then I'll tell you a story."

I closed my eyes, listening—to the rain, to the sound of his phone ringing again and again, to the edge of panic in his voice each time he hung up.

Aya, my wolf, growled in my mind. 'He really cares that much about Chanelle?'

Her words brought the image back—him holding Chanelle in the rain, her arms tight around his waist.

I remembered the first time I'd heard her name. It was a year ago.

Years into our bond, I had seen Nicholas angry for the very first time… because of Chanelle.

She had insisted on working by his side as his assistant. But for my sake, all his assistants were male werewolves.

When he refused, she'd cried, screamed, threatened to kill herself—even held a knife to her throat, claiming he was discriminating against her because she was a she-wolf.

He'd been furious, cursed her out, and that night, he'd ranted about it to me for hours.

Back then, I hadn't thought much of it. I even told him to let her have the job. He only shook his head and said, "Julie, I won't let you suffer even a little."

After that, he reassigned her to a distant sales post of the pack—and never mentioned her again.

So when did they start this affair, right under my nose?

I couldn't understand it. The werewolf holding me now was thinking of another she-wolf standing outside in the rain.

He tried several times to pull his hand away, but I held on tighter.

With a quiet sigh, he finally gave up and pulled out his phone.

Through half-lidded eyes, I saw the message he sent to his assistant: [Take Chanelle to a hotel. Get her some cold medicine.]

Aya snorted. 'So thoughtful, isn't he? Always the considerate one.'

Only after receiving a reply did Nicholas relax again, wrapping his arm around me and closing his eyes.

The next morning, I went to the council chamber of the pack with him.

The moment we stepped inside, a cup smashed to the floor near my feet.

Nicholas's expression darkened. He pulled me behind him, shielding me. "What in the world?"

That's when I saw Chanelle, standing in the center of a crowd, eyes red from crying.