Chapter 3

CAMILE

I stepped back, afraid of what I was seeing. My eyes flicked between the devil child and my own husband and without a second thought, I turned sharply and left the room.

I don’t know how long I stayed still, the wind blowing at my hair and my tears merging with the wind as it left my face but the moment he came to the balcony I smelled him.

“Camile,” his voice was smooth and small but I’d rather turn to stone than turn to look at him. 

He knew me so well, he didn’t wait for me to turn towards him. He walked towards me and stood in front of me where he knew I couldn’t turn away.

The sun had gone down, a once glorious promising day had turned to a nightmare.

“I’m sorry,” he spoke softly and my teeth bared in anger.

He was sorry?

“I promise, it’s not what you think,” he said. The same age old pick up line men said after doing something irreparably foolish.

I shifted back, my body rejecting his attempt to caress my face.

Goddess forbid!

“Camile…”

“Don’t. You dare!” I spat in rage.

“You fucked a twenty moons child and got her pregnant and now you stand before me, your damn wife! And say it’s not what I think?” I questioned and then a harsh laughter left my lips.

“And yet few minutes ago, you were ready to strike me because I was about to treat that mannerless devil child some respect,” and his eyes glinted in anger. 

I scoffed and his eyes softened again.

He gave a tired sigh before rubbing at his face “This is new for me too,” he said and my brain paused. Was he expecting me to feel sorry for him?

“You have to understand, I would never want to hurt you” I gave a louder scoff at his reasoning, I wanted to call out his lie but I also could see the way his eyes swam with emotions.

“Everyone knows that I am loyal to you. I have been for the past ten years but everything changed when I realized that Vanessa was my mate.” He spoke sadly.

“I didn’t even mean to, we were both drunk and it just…happened,” he gave a deep sigh.

“And at first, I asked her to abort it but then I thought what if I kept it? Anybody that sees me and you know you’re the bane of my existence. I asked her to keep the baby and I’m sorry I wasn’t honest with you because I thought maybe you wouldn’t mind becoming the pup’s mother,” he finished delicately, his blue eyes dimming in shame.

I didn’t even know what to think. My lips tore down in surprise. 

In all my years, I have never expected such a reason for cheating and then deciding to keep the product of infidelity.

“And it kills me every year that you dress up to go to the motherless pups homes, how you are talked down at, treated? I thought I could turn this scandal into something useful for you because I swear, if it wasn’t for the mate bond… I would never cheat on you. I have never done it and I’m sorry,” he begged. 

I closed my eyes, my body vibrating in anger. As I stood there silent, I suddenly felt a weight on my waist and in shock looked down to see that Trevor was kneeling, his face buried in my waist his body shaking as slowly I could hear him sob.

“Please, Camile,” he begged “don’t leave me,” he said and slowly tears left my eyes.

“But Vanessa?” I asked and he looked up quickly, his hands circling my waist immediately.

“She knows I don’t want to be with her, she hasn’t told anyone and nobody will know about this unless we want them to,” he said quickly and I tipped my head back.

I was so used to making hard decisions since I was a Co- Alpha of our pack but this decision was the hardest one I have ever made in my entire life.

I loved Trevor and I knew deep down, he would never hurt me…at least not willingly.

It took me a minute, tears smeared down my face and the anger that broke my heart melted into a sadness that made the sharp heartbreak feel like a dull ache.

I looked down and gradually allowed myself to touch Trevor again. My hands caressed his head and slowly he took my hands and brought it to his lips. His legs carefully stood up and I allowed him to pull me into himself as he kissed me but I knew, we were no longer the same people from this morning.

He wanted to sleep with me but I couldn’t allow that just yet, my heart still reeked of heart break and surprisingly, I’m glad he didn’t push me. He kissed me gently and hugged me close that was until a guard came to disrupt us, alerting us that the arena for the coronation was done.

I wiped my eyes and smothered the wrinkles from his long sleeve “We have a coronation to conduct, “ I spoke softly and he kissed my head.

“Will you come?” He asked and memories of when he asked me the same question on that one solstice night flashed before my eyes and I nodded my head vehemently.

We departed from each other, I got ready for the event that we have been planning for years. This night was only a success if he could get two out of three powerful leaders to sign off on the coronation. Even though we had planned a party, it was still a test to know who would sign at the last minute, he got a signature before the coronation and the third person was anonymous but it wasn’t a surprise that Vanessa’s father — General Greg of the East moonbeam pack was among the people with a potential signature whom Trevor has had his eye on which was why he insisted previously on my excellent tolerance. I tried not to think that prehaps even this pregnancy was a strategy.

I shook my head rejecting that idea, Trevor wouldn’t betray me like that — even though a small voice in my head whispered that he had already betrayed me like that.

The party was in full swing when I was done with my makeup, I started to decend down the stairs and my eyes gleamed in delight when I noticed that Trevor was below the stairs, his hands outstretched to receive me.

The crowd was in awe of my dress, makeup, everything and for once I didn’t feel neglected but that was until people started to whisper and then like a dream, my spotlight was stolen from me when General Greg walked in and with no surprise his devil child daughter, Vanessa.

I took Trevor’s hand in mine and I knew even before we started to walk that Trevor was going to greet them. A part of me wanted to stop him but nobody here knew the truth and I was in charge of keeping it that way, so I sucked up my anger and plastered a fake smile on my face.

“Trevor Cross!” He bellowed and decide to shake the hand that I took in mine, severing our contact instant.

“I am so excited to talk with you, maybe we can go somewhere private,” he spoke with enthusiasm that made my stomach knot. 

Trevor looked at me and I gave a small nod and without waiting for Trevor to speak, he clamped him on the shoulder,laughed and walked away with him.

I couldn’t help it, I watched him go and quickly grabbed a glass from a passing waiter and downed it in a go.

“You’re going to need more after I’m done with you,” Vanessa’s voice suddenly floated and I turned sharply as though I was in a nightmare.

I watched her grin and walk towards where the men stood and somehow my heart started to pound as their talk started to get more and more serious. I didn’t know how long I stood there or how many glasses I took but I knew when a hand closed on mine stopping me from taking another glass.

“I think, that’s enough Camille,” my eyes were blurry for a minute but I would recognize that voice any day.

I snatched my hand from his grip and unintentionally, lost my balance. Strong hands wrapped around my waist and his scent intoxicated me.

My body hummed with excitement, my wolf moaned in harmony with his. My vision cleared instantly as his lips turned to a smirk…

“Mate” I heard myself whisper, his eyes widened and instantly I pushed myself against him.

My legs moving back as I looked for help towards where Trevor had been standing but it was empty.

As my vision cleared, it became obvious that I wasn’t having a drunken dream.

Vance was really here.

Why was Vance here? 

What was he doing here?

How was he here!?

“Cupcake, did you miss me?” He asked and my eyes unintentionally roamed over his body as I realized that just like me, time had changed his whole appearance.

He wasn’t the blood thirsty rogue whoonce had murderous intentions towards me, who had kidnapped me and unintentionally saved me from death…

No.

He was this six-foot-four tall dark brooding man with a powerful aura that sent needles of desire down my core.

And he was my mate!?

No. I was drunk.

Before he opened his mouth to speak, I turned sharply on my heel and ran. My legs taking three steps at a time as I moved swiftly to my balcony. 

I closed the doors barricading myself against Vance and panic set in.

I breathed out raggedly and turned, my back against the door but just when my breathing started to calm down, I smelled her.

“Took you long enough,” she spoke and emerged out of the shadows.

Talk about wrong timin