“Olivia, you shouldn’t sit in the dark. What if you fall?” he scolded gently, flipping the light switch. The scent of jasmine clung to him, a mocking reminder. Keeping calm, I asked, “Where were you?”
“At the office, love. Why?” His voice was light, as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
I pushed harder. “Nothing, I just… I suddenly want those dumplings from the east side of the territory.” I touched my swollen belly, feigning a craving, while our pup stirred inside me.
Annoyance flickered in his eyes as he muttered, “They’re not anything special, and you’re far along. You should be careful.” He turned away, already heading toward the bathroom. “Maybe call your mother for some stew.”
The bathroom door clicked shut, and I let out the breath I had been holding. Stroking my belly, I whispered, “It’s you and me, sweetheart. We’re about to face this war together.”
While the sound of water filled the den, Daniel’s phone blinked on the table, vibrating with an incoming message. With the weight of betrayal pressing down on me, I rose, moving slowly to pick it up. Attempting all the usual passwords, I felt relief and disgust when I successfully unlocked it with a date I knew too well—Cara’s ultrasound appointment.
Inside his messages, her profile greeted me. The chat was littered with endearments, confessions of love, and promises for the future. I recorded everything, saving these painful words, each piece of evidence cutting deeper. I then switched to his order history, and there it was—gifts, supplements, everything a pregnant she-wolf would need, all sent to Cara.
Heart pounding, I sent myself every screenshot, every video. Then, I carefully deleted the evidence from his phone and placed it back on the table.
When Daniel finally emerged, toweling his hair dry, I feigned sleep. But I felt him slide in beside me, his arm reaching out to touch my belly. In my heart, I knew this was a final act. Once his fingers brushed my skin, I forced myself not to recoil, listening as he whispered, “Sweetheart, there’s an urgent matter I need to deal with. I’ll be back soon.”
“Can’t you stay?” I whispered, testing him. If he stayed, maybe a part of me could forgive him.
But he gently declined, his voice strained. “I have to, love. It’s the pack. I promise I’ll be home before dawn.”