Chapter 3

~CAMILLE~

Just like everyone else, I didn’t foresee that. If it had been a different man, there might have been a slight probability—but Cassius?

He was devilish enough to redesign my face with a bottle. He never stopped reminding me how shapeless and ugly I was.

Yet he was the same man standing in front of me right now, declaring his acceptance words before tens of pack members.

I was torn between happiness and sadness. For years, I had longed for this day—when I would meet my mate and begin a new chapter of life. Unfortunately, my mate turned out to be my worst enemy. But he accepted me. Should I reject him or be thankful? Sincerely, I never thought any man would accept a woman like me, but he just did. And he wasn’t just any man… he was the son of an Alpha. Shouldn’t I accept the favor Cassius was tossing at me? He was ready to marry me despite my looks.

“Say the words, Camille.” He broke my train of thought. My heart skipped a beat when my eyes locked with his. He glanced at me hungrily, like he couldn’t wait to devour me. For a moment, I was stupefied. Had he swiftly changed because I became his mate, or was this what he had harbored for years while he bullied me?

“I… I… Camille Mullen, accept you, Cassius Slade, as my mate and future Alpha.” Those words rolled off my tongue before I could stop them. There were yells in the hall and countless pairs of eyes throwing daggers at me. Lyra jerked with happiness inwardly.

His smile grew wider, and he pulled me into a tight hug. Again, I wasn’t expecting that. Could there be a possibility that Cassius had been possessed? “Thank you for accepting me,” he mumbled, squealing between each word.

I didn’t embrace him back… not when I hadn’t processed everything that was unraveling in the pack hall. Could Cinderella’s story actually be real? Could the most hated girl be favored by the most loved and handsome man in the pack?

When the noise persisted, he broke the hug and commanded, “Keep quiet, everybody.”

Nobody dared say a word afterward. They pursed their lips and focused their attention on him.

“Anybody who scorns Camille will have me to contend with. You should accord her the same respect you give to me. She is Cassius’s mate, and I don’t joke with my mate,” he announced and grabbed my hands.

He pierced his gaze into mine, sending electrocuting waves through me. Thousands of butterflies flew in my belly at the same time. This time, I couldn’t hold back. I reciprocated and smiled at him.

I should ask the moon goddess for forgiveness after today. She wasn’t that cruel after all. She paid me back for all she had put me through by giving me HIM.

⸻

It had been a week since I found my mate, Cassius, and it had been the best week of my life. Everything happened quickly, like it was a movie.

Well, it could be a movie, and I would play the lead role: The Cinderella. My story had suddenly changed from being a lowly Omega to a future Luna.

My mistress and Kendra now treated me with respect, even though it wasn’t their wish. They had no choice, because they couldn’t afford to face Cassius’s wrath.

I suggested that we keep the relationship a secret, but Cassius refused. He was ready to show me off everywhere and to everyone. That was a part of him I never thought existed. For a man who despised me in the past, I didn’t think he would accept me in front of so many people and announce to the members that I was his. Life had been different in Silverfang since I became his mate. I garnered respect from both the old and the young. It felt like a dream come true. I’d always wished for a mate who could protect me and give me the life I dreamed about, and the goddess gave me Cassius… the best mate on earth.

For the umpteenth time, I checked myself in the mirror. Although I wasn’t satisfied with my finished look, I walked out. There was no need to try so hard. He told me that he loved me the way I was. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how lucky I was to bag a man like him. My years of enduring shit from everyone had finally paid off. I got rewarded with a gem.

As I neared his personal camp in the woods, my heart pulsed faster. He didn’t know I would be coming. I wanted to surprise him. This was one of the things I had dreamed of doing with my mate. So, I couldn’t stop myself now that I had found a mate who loved me.

A few steps away from the door, an unknown voice slipped into my ears, making me pause. One side of my brow furrowed. “Did he have a guest?”

Oops! I had visited at the wrong time. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to come without prior notice. I had turned and was ready to return home when the voice twisted into moans. My body stiffened.

At first, I concluded there was a fault with my ears, but the moans didn’t stop. They increased and became louder.

My stomach churned with irritation. And then his voice came: “I fucking love this, babe. I will never leave you for a lowly servant.”

Gosh! I was void of feelings. It was as though I was in a phase of denial—or maybe I was. Cassius really loved me. There had to be a reason he was doing this. I stared at the door unblinkingly, contemplating whether to disrupt their fun or leave unnoticed. But I couldn’t. I shouldn’t be the one to have a sleepless night when they were the assholes.

My feet moved closer, and my hand turned the handle before I could think.

Nothing prepared me for what I saw in there. I wouldn’t have believed the scene if somebody had explained it to me.

Cassius was cheating on me…

Not with a random woman…

But with his stepmother. His father’s mate and the Luna of Silverfang. LUNA BENITA.

He was banging her from the back.