The Betrayal

Georgina Sinclair's POV:

"You look stunning, Danica. The most beautiful woman in my eyes."

Those are my husband's words. But he doesn't say them to me. He says those words to her.

Danica Kayser.

There is a thick an uncomfortable silence draping over the crowd like a cold fog. I can feel it in their stares. Some are looking at me with pity while the others are just curious. My heart races but I keep my expression neutral and still frozen from disbelief.

"You don't look so well, Luna Georgina." Rose, my handmaiden, whispers while pressing a cool glass of water into my trembling hands. "Please drink this."

How could I possibly look well when my heart is breaking in silence?

Alpha Ryan, my mate and my husband is busy twirling Danica Kayser on the dance floor like she is his everything. His eyes sparkle as he looks at her like she is his moon, his breath and his reason to breathe. Danica then giggles softly before he pulls her closer and whisper into her ear before kissing her lips.

It should be me in his arms. It should be me laughing in his ear. It's our wedding anniversary today, after all.

We are supposed to celebrate our third wedding anniversary today. But ever since Danica returned a week ago, my world has been unraveling. She was his first love. And just like that, I became invisible in Alpha Ryan's eyes.

"Thank you, Rose." I said late while I force the glass to my lips to drink.

The water tastes like rust in my mouth.

I close my eyes and instantly remember the day Alpha Fernand, Ryan's father, to choose a mate. His first choice? Of course it was Danica. But she turned him down before she ran to Alpha Ken of the Crestmoon Pack and leaving Ryan into broken pieces.

And that's when I came into the picture. I was just fresh out of college and still full of hope for my future. But during one of my father's party, Ryan and I sensed our mutual bond. It was a mating bond. When both of our fathers heard about it, they were thrilled.

Then weeks later, Georgina Sinclair, the heiress of the Dark Shadow Pack, became the Luna of the River Moon Pack.

Using all the things I learned from college, I poured my everything into fixing Ryan's collapsing businesses. I revised all of their strategies, structures and also their profit. And when my father passed away, the Dark Shadow Pack joined hands with the River Moon Pack.

And together, we built our own empire.

But a month ago, Alpha Fernand, Ryan's father, had died after he got sick out of nowhere. In an instant, Ryan replaced his father. Then after that, Danica came back. And now, Ryan uses our wedding anniversary as a stage to show-off Danica to others instead of celebrating our marriage.

"I missed you so much, Ryan." I heard Danica whispers while she leans on my husband's chest. "And now that I'm back, I can't bear to be separated from you anymore."

Instead of rejecting it, Alpha Ryan strokes her back gently and kisses her cheek.

"I want to make things right again, Danica."

Make things right?

My cheeks burns in shame while my heart seethes in anger.

After taking a deep breath, I stand up slowly and plaster a smile on my face that feels more like a blade and walk toward them. I also make sure my heels are clicking loudly on the marble floor.

"This must be hard for you, Danica." I sweetly said. "But I just want to remind you that Alpha Ryan is my husband and my mate. And there is no room for a third person in this marriage. So maybe it is time you for you to sort things out with Alpha Ken."

I turn to Ryan and calmly meet his eyes.

"Isn't that right, honey?"

In an instant, Danica's face changes. Big tears starts falling down her cheeks when she turns around and runs away from the room.

"Danica!" Ryan called before he instantly follows her.

My wolf, Lira, growls inside me. She is trying to claws her paws against the cage of my will.

'Let me out. I want to rip her apart.'

But I press down the urge to allow her from doing it.

"Ryan." I called. "This is wrong. And I know you know that."

My husband doesn't answer. He just turns at me with to give me a glance with his cold eyes before he stalks after Danica and follows her to the guest room where she is staying in.

"Ryan!"

I run after him but Ryan whirls around and growls at me. It is a deep and guttural warning that freezes me in place. And then he slams the door in my face. And soon, the silence after that is deafening.

When nighttime comes, I lay flat on the bed and stares at the ceiling while thinking about my husband's action. And when I'm about to sleep, a sudden and violent pain hits my whole body.

It feels like something inside me is being torn apart. I start gasping for air while clutching my stomach when several waves of agony roll through me. I crawl to the bathroom and starts vomit until my I feel empty in my stomach. And when I lift my head and look into the mirror, I can see a since tear of blood rolling down my cheek.

It finally hits me.

My husband slept with someone who is not me. Because Alpha Ryan is my mate, Lira and I remains faithful to him. But once our mate starts looking for another, the one who is left behind will instantly feel it.

I curl up on the cold bathroom floor and starts sobbing silently. I wish my father is still here. I know he will not allow this to happen. I continue crying on the bathroom floor all but Ryan doesn't return to our bedroom at all.

When I get up, all I can feel is the numbness of my body and heart. Without a word, I take a bath to wash the tears, sweat and blood that I shed all night. Then I wear a silk dress, brushes my hair, wear my jewelry and put a nice make-up on my face. And when I look at the mirror, my reflection is steadily staring back at me.

I am the Luna of this pack. I am not going to be weak.

During breakfast, the servants keep glancing at me with pity. But I ignore them and keep my head high, my back straight and walk toward my husband's office. But suddenly, there are two guards who step in front of me.

"Luna Georgina..." one of the guard called in a soft voice. "We can't let you get inside. It was Alpha Ryan's orders."

"I'm his wife. I coldy replied. "Now move."

"...I'm sorry. The Alpha said no can disturb him."

And before I can respond, Beta Vince, my husband's secretary, suddenly appears and his face looks apologetic towards me.

"Luna..." he said. "Maybe you should return later? I will inform the Alpha that you visited him."

"Vince!" I growled his name. "You really dare to stop me like this?!"

But before I can lunge on him, all of us suddenly hears it. There are moans inside. And it is loud and unrestrained.

"Harder, Ryan! Don't stop... More... Give me more, Alpha!"

It's Danica.

In an instant, the pain strikes me again. It is sharp and twisting in my guts. I double over and starts gasping for air. Vince moves forward to catch me before my knees hit the floor.

"I'll bring you to the clinic, Luna!" Vince said in a panicked voice.

Then he carries me in his arms and lays me down on a bed. And then he leaves. The doctors tries to treat me but they can only give me some painkillers hoping it can ease the pain I'm feeling.

But the pain doesn't stop.

And three days later, I still haven't seen my husband at all. The pain I'm feeling is still pulsing like a second heartbeat. Soon, gossip starts flooding the whole pack. They keep saying that Luna Georgina couldn't hold and restrain her mate. The wives of our old council stops speaking to me while the servants enjoy whispering behind my back.

In their eyes, I am just a joke.

But still, I need answers to my unanswered questions in my heart. Why did Danica return? Why did she leave Alpha Ken? Why is she doing this despite knowing that Alpha Ryan is now a married man?

I need to have my own answers. But at the same time, I can already feel the possible rejection that I can get from these. It will surely burn me deep and raw.

And maybe...

Maybe I am not yet ready to face all of it.