What I Saw When I Touched You

I had reserved a table at Mooncrest a month in advance for the third anniversary of our Mate Bond.

That morning, the werewolf hospital confirmed that I was six weeks pregnant. I placed the report inside a gift box, planning to tell Ronan over dinner.

At six, I changed into his favorite red dress. I had just put on one pearl earring when he called.

“Rogues were spotted near the northern border. I won’t be home tonight.”

“Is it serious?”

“Just a routine patrol.”

“But today is our Bonding Anniversary.”

He paused.

“I’ll make it up to you.”

Then he hung up.

It was the first time in twenty-one years that Ronan had ended a call before I finished speaking.

When Maya found out, she insisted on taking me to dinner.

We had barely parked outside another restaurant when I saw Ronan through the window.

A young woman sat across from him.

She was the second face I had seen in his heart that morning.

I was a rare Moon Seer. When I touched someone, I could see the people who held the strongest emotional claim on their heart. It did not always mean romantic love—but a face never appeared without a powerful attachment.

From the day Ronan and I met at seven, through our wolves recognizing each other at eighteen, to the night he marked me as his mate, I had always been the only face in his heart.

Until that morning.

When I adjusted his collar, another woman had appeared beside me.

I had blamed the vision on my pregnancy.

Now she was sitting in front of him.

There were no border maps or patrol reports on their table. Only two dinners and a half-eaten slice of cream cake.

A little frosting clung to the woman’s mouth. Ronan leaned across the table and wiped it away with his thumb.

He had once done that only for me.

Maya reached for her seat belt.

“I’m going inside to ask the Alpha if this is what he calls a border patrol.”

I caught her arm.

“Don’t.”

“He lied to you on your anniversary, and you’re going to let him?”

“I’m not letting anything go.”

My hand settled over my stomach.

For my child’s sake, I needed to know who the woman was and why Ronan had allowed her so deeply into his life.

This was the last chance I would give him—not to choose me, but to tell me the truth.

If he had already chosen to protect her at the cost of our bond, I would not compete.

I would leave.

Ronan returned to the Alpha Residence at eleven carrying red roses.

“I’m sorry about tonight. The border situation was more complicated than expected.”

He wrapped his arms around me from behind. He did not smell of pine or soil from the northern forest.

He smelled faintly of sweet cream.

“Did you handle the rogues?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Was anyone hurt?”

“No.”

He looked directly into my eyes as he lied.

“Don’t be angry.” He kissed my hair. “You’ll always be my only mate.”

I took his hand.

The other woman’s face was clearer now. Mine had begun to fade.

It did not mean Ronan loved her.

It meant his guilt, attention, and need to protect her were beginning to outweigh his loyalty to me.

His phone lit up.

Thank you for tonight, Dom.

The message was from Lydia Ashford.

His personal assistant.

I did not confront him. Ronan assumed I believed his story and soon fell asleep with his arms around me.

The pregnancy report remained unopened on my dresser.

Tomorrow, I would go to the Pack Administration Center and meet Lydia myself.

If Ronan had made her his priority, I would leave her the Luna title too.

Then I would take my child and leave Blackridge for good.