Five years into our sacred bond, my mate, Ethan Quinn, betrayed me with his secretary, Clara Newton.

I stood outside his CEO office, the door slightly ajar, when a stifled moan hit my ears-a sound I knew all too well. My blood turned to ice. Taking a deep breath, I shoved the door open.

The first thing I saw was a pair of feet with pink nail polish peeking out from under the desk. Behind it, Ethan leaned back, his face caught mid-pleasure, freezing the second he saw me.

"Nina," he stammered, his voice hoarse, panic lacing his words. "What are you doing here?"

My face drained of color as the truth sank in. "I came to get your signature on some papers. Your secretary wasn't around, so I let myself in. Am I interrupting something?"

"No," Ethan said, forcing calm as he tapped the keyboard twice, his voice still rough. "Just leave the papers there. I've got some things to handle."

Before he finished, the she-wolf under the desk faltered, her legs giving out as she tumbled into view. Her hair was a mess, her blouse missing two buttons, black stockings torn at the thigh, and her neck littered with kiss marks.

It was Clara, his new secretary.

When she saw me, she fumbled to button her blouse, shrinking behind Ethan like a scared pup.

"I'm so sorry, Nina, I." she started.

"Don't worry," Ethan cut in, draping his jacket over her. "Go. I'll handle this."

Clara nodded shyly and bolted from the office like she was fleeing a hunt.

"You saw it, so I won't lie," Ethan said, his tone casual, like he hadn't just shattered our bond. "It's just a fling. You're still the one I love most."

My hand trembled around the papers. After a long pause, I heard my voice shake. "Ethan, do you even know what cheating is?"

"Nina, don't make a scene."

He stepped closer, brushing it off. "It's just playing the field. Clara's innocent, reminds me of you back in the day. This thing with her? It doesn't change anything. You're my mate, and that's forever."

He reached for my face, but I recoiled, the stench of gardenia perfume-not mine-choking me. "Ethan, you reek."

"Enough, Nina. What do you want from me? I made a mistake every wolf makes. Compared to those who chase every she-wolf out there, I'm loyal, aren't I?"

I stared at his impatient face, unable to believe my ears. "What did you just say? Ethan, do you hear yourself?"

Seven years. That's all it took for the Ethan who held me close, promising to love only me forever, to vanish. Where did he go?

When we met, I was the cherished she-wolf of the Nash pack, raised with care. Ethan? Just a struggling college wolf, scraping by, rejected at every job.

I was leaving a gala at a hotel when a pack of rogues cornered me. Scared out of my mind, I thought I was done for-until Ethan showed up, saving me. We became friends, and with my help, he landed a job at my father's pack office.

Five years into our sacred bond, my mate, Ethan Quinn, betrayed me with his secretary, Clara Newton.

I stood outside his CEO office, the door slightly ajar, when a stifled moan hit my ears-a sound I knew all too well. My blood turned to ice. Taking a deep breath, I shoved the door open.

The first thing I saw was a pair of feet with pink nail polish peeking out from under the desk. Behind it, Ethan leaned back, his face caught mid-pleasure, freezing the second he saw me.

"Nina," he stammered, his voice hoarse, panic lacing his words. "What are you doing here?"

My face drained of color as the truth sank in. "I came to get your signature on some papers. Your secretary wasn't around, so I let myself in. Am I interrupting something?"

"No," Ethan said, forcing calm as he tapped the keyboard twice, his voice still rough. "Just leave the papers there. I've got some things to handle."

Before he finished, the she-wolf under the desk faltered, her legs giving out as she tumbled into view. Her hair was a mess, her blouse missing two buttons, black stockings torn at the thigh, and her neck littered with kiss marks.

It was Clara, his new secretary.

When she saw me, she fumbled to button her blouse, shrinking behind Ethan like a scared pup.

"I'm so sorry, Nina, I." she started.

"Don't worry," Ethan cut in, draping his jacket over her. "Go. I'll handle this."

Clara nodded shyly and bolted from the office like she was fleeing a hunt.

"You saw it, so I won't lie," Ethan said, his tone casual, like he hadn't just shattered our bond. "It's just a fling. You're still the one I love most."

My hand trembled around the papers. After a long pause, I heard my voice shake. "Ethan, do you even know what cheating is?"

"Nina, don't make a scene."

He stepped closer, brushing it off. "It's just playing the field. Clara's innocent, reminds me of you back in the day. This thing with her? It doesn't change anything. You're my mate, and that's forever."

He reached for my face, but I recoiled, the stench of gardenia perfume-not mine-choking me. "Ethan, you reek."

"Enough, Nina. What do you want from me? I made a mistake every wolf makes. Compared to those who chase every she-wolf out there, I'm loyal, aren't I?"

I stared at his impatient face, unable to believe my ears. "What did you just say? Ethan, do you hear yourself?"

Seven years. That's all it took for the Ethan who held me close, promising to love only me forever, to vanish. Where did he go?

When we met, I was the cherished she-wolf of the Nash pack, raised with care. Ethan? Just a struggling college wolf, scraping by, rejected at every job.

I was leaving a gala at a hotel when a pack of rogues cornered me. Scared out of my mind, I thought I was done for-until Ethan showed up, saving me. We became friends, and with my help, he landed a job at my father's pack office.

That is, until my father found out we were falling for each other. He kicked Ethan out of Nash Business. For love, I cut ties with my pack and moved into a tiny basement den with him, barely ten square feet.

That first year together was rough. To scrape together startup cash, I worked odd jobs, sold my blood, even pawned a bracelet passed down through the Nash pack. When I got sick from pushing too hard, collapsing in bed, Ethan knelt beside me, tears streaming down his face. "Nina, I swear, I'll love only you my whole life. I'll make it big, give you the life you deserve-no more suffering, no more sacrifices."

I believed him. For years, I set aside my pride as a Nash she-wolf, wining and dining clients, smiling through gritted teeth to help him build connections. And he didn't let me down-at first. His pack office took off, a howling success.

I joined his pack-his pack office-working as his secretary, handling everything from pack disputes to paperwork. Me, who'd never lifted a finger for chores, kept our den spotless, too.

I thought we'd stay that tight forever, our bond unbreakable. Until Clara showed up.

Ethan gave me a new role, saying my skills were better suited for leading the pack's HR den. The second I was reassigned, he brought in Clara-a fresh-faced she-wolf straight out of college, clueless but eager.

I never doubted his intentions. Not once. But five years later, Ethan tore my dreams apart with his own paws.

"I get it," I said, handing him the pen. "Sign the papers."

He scribbled his name without a second thought, unaware I'd slipped in my resignation.

I'd come to tell him my father was dying, that my mother called me back to inherit the family business and legacy. I was ready to hand it all to Ethan once I'd claimed it. Not anymore. I was done. I wanted to break our bond.

"Signed," Ethan said, grinning. "Dinner tonight?"

"No, I'm busy."

As I turned to leave, he softened his voice. "One more thing. Clara's upset, thinking she's a homewrecker. To ease her mind, I was thinking we could break our bond for now. Once I'm done with her, we'll rebind. Sound good? Don't worry, you're my only true mate."

My heart ripped in two, clutching the resignation. After a long silence, I nodded. "Fine. Whatever you want. Sign the papers when you're ready."

Ethan's eyes lit up. "Nina, you're the best!"

I walked out, face blank, hiding the truth: in my world, breaking a bond is final. No second chances.

Ethan, you chose to stray. That means you've forsaken our bond. From now on, we run separate paths.

He didn't come home, but I tracked his every move. He was at the real estate den, buying Clara a villa, loud and proud like he wanted the whole pack to know. His credit card pinged with charges-villas, yachts, limited-edition bags, jewelry. Anything to keep his new songbird happy, he threw around cash like it was nothing.

I didn't confront him. Didn't howl. Just saved every screenshot, every receipt.