Chapter 10

Jonathan stiffens, then raises a brow. "No, I didn't hear anything."

I take a step back, turning to keep cleaning the dishes. "The principal called me today and said someone tried to pick up our son from school in the middle of class." I let the venom drip into my voice this time.

He barely looks at me, walking over to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water. He drinks like he was thirsty from a jog, not from dragging our son out of school mid-day.

He looks at me over the rim of the bottle, suspicion. "That is weird. But you solved it right?" I hate the nonchalance in his voice. It's like he knows what I'm talking about, but chooses to downplay it so that he doesn't talk about it.

Coward.

"Why is Luna Samira listed as Jayden's emergency contact at school?" I blurt out, unable to keep it in anymore.

His brow lifts. He turns around and leans on the counter, the bottle half full in his hand.  "Seriously? You're upset about that?"

I didn’t drop my perfect smile. I tilted my head, not bothering if I looked uncanny at the moment. "I just want to understand, baby. Why did you not talk to me first?"

He gives a dry chuckle and waves a hand. "Come on, she's been a huge part of Jayden's life. He's close to her. She’s taken care of him so many times, and I figured... well, in case something happens and neither of us is unreachable, she's a safe option."

I take a step closer to him, keeping my voice calm. "But I’m his mother. His only mother. It felt like a violation, especially since we're both supposed to be making the decisions here." I make sure to stress in the word 'mother.'

Jonathan rolls his eyes and pushes off the counter. "You’re overreacting. I didn’t think I needed your permission for everything."

Now that stings.

"You do when it concerns our child," I say, my tone now shaking a little. "You changed his records behind my back."

Jayden looks up from his lollipop, watching us from the hallway. His attention is no longer on the television.

Jonathan sighs sharply. "Oh, here we go again. Everything has to be drama with you. I did what I thought was best. You want to turn it into a crime now?"

"I want to be respected as Jayden’s mother. That’s not too much to ask. What do you mean everything has to be drama with me? Since when?" This time, I don't hold back the rage.

Jayden flinches at the volume in my voice. His little fingers grip the edge of the wall.

"Mommy..."

I look at him, instantly softening, but the tears had already started in his eyes. Jonathan throws his hands up, groaning.

"Great. See what you did? You scared him."

My jaw drops. "Are you serious right now?"

He walks over to Jayden and scoops him up. "Let’s go for a ride, buddy. Let mommy cool off." Then he turned to me. "Get a grip."

Jayden buries his face in his father’s shoulder, sniffling silently.

I stand still, numb and surprised as hell, as the door shuts behind them. Only when I hear the car drive off do my knees give way. I sink to the floor, my back sliding against the kitchen cabinet, and pressing the heels of my palms into my eyes.

He blamed me.

Again.

My shaking fingers reach for my phone. I text the Alpha: Can we meet again? Something else happened.

His response comes minutes later: Not tonight. I have a council meeting tomorrow. We talk after.

Okay, I type, then delete it. Understood, I send instead.

That night, I move like a ghost. I didn’t bother changing clothes or putting on makeup. What purpose was it trying to impress someone who did nothing but look down on me? Nothing. So I neglected it.

I enter Jonathan’s room, checking drawers, folders, coat pockets. Anything.

Receipts. Emails. Paperwork. Nothing makes sense yet, but I have to keep looking.

I slip the ring into the back drawer of his dresser, behind an old stack of socks. It sits there, dark and silent, and I tap it. The red light begins to blink, starting the recording. I would need to find out more, I think.

When they return, the mood had shifted.

Jonathan walks in holding Jayden's hand, the little boy hanging on like his life depends on it. Jonathan looks relaxed, too relaxed. Jayden looks tired, his cheeks red from the cold breeze.

"Hey babe," Jonathan says, leaning in to kiss me on the cheek. I turn slightly, letting it brush the edge of my skin.

"You okay?" I ask. "I'm sorry about earlier." I'm not meant to apologize, but I do. Perfect wife aren't I?

He nods. "Just needed to get some air. Jayden’s fine now. Aren’t you, champ?"

Jayden gives me a small smile, but something in his eyes flickered like confusion. Like he didn’t know how to feel.

Jonathan puts his arm around me too comfortably, too easily. He holds me a bit longer than usual, and it makes my skin crawl.

"You sure you’re okay?" he repeats.

I nod, returning the smile. "I am now."

That night, he checks my phone while I was in the shower. I could see the angle of the lock screen change when I was done. The slight smudge on the screen. He had been trying to look for something, and I scoff. I am not him, and I know he won't find anything.

Lying and Betrayal are poisonous to my soul.

He starts brushing his fingers along my arms when he walked by, calling me “babe” more. He even offered to cook dinner for the next day. My thoughts race. Is he doing this because I did too? What game is he playing?

Jayden, however, had gone quieter.

He hugged me tighter, but avoided looking at me too long. He didn’t ask for bedtime stories. He asked if Auntie Luna was coming over tomorrow.

I said no. He looked disappointed.

I held him a little longer.

War wasn’t always fought with swords and blood. Sometimes, it started with lollipops, fake kisses, and a child who didn’t know which parent was telling the truth.

But I was going to win for him.

And they would never see me coming.