Chapter 0003

•CATHERINE•

“Hey, baby,” I greeted Brian with a quick kiss on the cheek. Usually, he’d light up the second he saw me, but today, nothing. He didn’t even flinch, just stared at the TV with a grin plastered on his face.

“Did you have breakfast?” I asked.

He nodded without looking at me, eyes glued to whatever was on the screen. It felt off because Brian always ran to me in the mornings, but maybe he was just upset because I’d slept late.

“Who made you breakfast, sweetheart? I thought you’d wait for Mommy, like we always do.”

“Mary already made me breakfast. I’m full.” He glanced at me once before turning back to the TV.

My heart dropped. The words shouldn’t have stung, any kind she-wolf could cook for the pack. But hearing her name in my son’s mouth sent a flicker of unease through me.

Before I could stop myself, I marched to the guest room, the one Leo had given her. Her door was slightly open when I strode inside and slammed the door behind me so she’d be aware of my presence.

She was scrolling on her cellphone, laughing about something when she lifted her eyes and looked at me.

“Catherine, what are you doing here?” She asked, standing and folding her arms like she owned the place.

Nyra’s voice echoed in my mind, calm but firm. ‘Be careful with her, Cat. She’s not who you think she is. Don’t say or do anything that might get you in trouble, and get her the favor of the Alpha and pack members.’

But I was done playing nice.

I knocked once and stepped inside before I could talk myself out of it. “Mary,” I said, keeping my tone neutral. “I heard you helped Brian this morning. Thank you.”

She looked up, smiling too easily. “Of course. He was hungry.”

“Next time, let me know first,” I said softly. “He’s sensitive about routines.”

Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Of course, Luna. But the boy was hungry because you overslept. And instead of owning that, you’re here throwing a tantrum because you’re failing as a mother?”

My blood boiled. My claws came out before I even realized it. “Come near my son again, Mary, and I swear I’ll rip you apart with my own hands.”

“What’s going on here?” Leo’s voice thundered behind me. He stormed into the room and immediately went to Mary’s side.

“She came in here and threatened me!” Mary cried, her voice trembling just enough to sound believable.

“That’s not true,” I said, forcing calm into my voice. “We were talking about Brian. I thanked her for feeding him. But—”

Leo’s glare landed on me, sharp as a blade. “Enough! I warned you to stay away from her.” His voice cut through the air like a blade. “If I see you come near Mary again, I’ll make you drink wolfsbane.”

I froze. Wolfsbane. My stomach twisted. It was lethal to wolves. It stripped you of the ability to hear your wolf for days or weeks.

It made you weak, and other werewolves were believed to have died from wolfbane if given in high quantities.

My wolf pushed at the edge of my control, but I stood still. “You’d punish me for her?” I whispered, my voice breaking. “You’d rather believe her lies than your own mate?”

“Leave us,” he ordered coldly. He wrapped his arm around Mary’s shoulder. She leaned into him, smirking when she thought I wasn’t looking.

“Thank you, Leo,” she murmured sweetly. “I was so scared.”

“You’re safe with me. No one will hurt you,” he answered, his voice softer now and protective. The same voice he used to use with me.

I walked out before the tears could fall, slamming the door behind me. My hands shook as I stepped onto the porch, trying to breathe, trying to stop my wolf from taking over.

“Did you see how quiet Luna was when the Alpha introduced his mistress?” I overheard a pair of she-wolves whispering nearby. “So sad. I thought he loved her.”

“She’s the silent Luna, all right. If my mate ever did that to me, I’d rip them apart and hang their bodies in the hall.”

“Maybe they’re not true mates,” another voice said.

“Maybe,” came the reply, followed by laughter.

I clenched my fists, turned back to the house, and slammed the door shut. If they thought I’d just roll over and let this happen, they were wrong. I wasn’t giving up my marriage without a fight.

Leo was my mate. I’d loved him for six years. Every damn part of me was bound to him. 

I’d given this marriage every ounce of patience I had. If he wanted to throw it away for her, fine —but I wouldn’t let them rewrite the story of who I was.

When I reached the hallway to our bedroom, I ran right into him. He looked at me with the same bitter expression and tried to walk past, but I grabbed his arm.

I met him in the hallway. “Leo,” I said quietly. “We’ve both changed, but I’d like to understand why. I don’t want a fight.”

He stared at me for a moment before he answered. “Do you want to know why things are like this between us?”

My chest tightened, and my stomach sank because I knew what he would say. I had thought I could make him love me after the six years we had been together.

I thought one day he’d look at me and love me. We were true mates, and we both felt it the day we first saw each other. But no matter how much I had tried, he seemed to struggle to move on from his dead fiancée.

I thought if I became more patient, loving, and tolerant, he would love me.

But what he said next completely shattered me.

“Mary is the one I love, Catherine…”