Facing Andrew’s suspicious gray eyes, I forced myself to stay calm.

"Nothing's wrong," I said dismissively, then deliberately changed the subject. "Do you remember what today is?"

Andrew’s expression froze, a flicker of panic in his eyes. I saw his Adam's apple bob as he scrambled to remember.

"Today is..." His voice was uncertain.

"Our fifth anniversary," I said softly. "The fifth anniversary of our mating."

The color drained from Andrew’s face, replaced by a wave of guilt and panic.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but all that came out was a barely audible sigh.

"Lucia, I—"

"It's okay," I cut off his apology, my voice still unnervingly calm. "I know you're busy. Pack business is important, isn't it?"

My unnatural calm clearly unsettled him.

Normally, if he forgot an important date, I’d be upset, demanding an explanation.

"I can make it up to you," Andrew said eagerly. "What do you want? Jewelry? A new purse? A trip to Paris?"

I stared at his anxious face, a wave of sadness washing over me.

"I only want one thing," I said slowly.

"Anything."

"Do you remember the promise you made when you proposed to me five years ago?"

Andrew searched his memory.

"You said," I continued, "that you would plant me a field of rainbow moonflowers, our symbol of true love."

He remembered. His expression grew even more guilty.

For five years, he had been so busy with pack affairs that the promise had been completely forgotten.

"I'll do it right now." Andrew immediately pulled out his phone. "I'll have the seeds delivered."

After hanging up, he looked at me. "They'll be here within the hour. I'll plant every single one for you myself."

I nodded, saying nothing.

An hour later, his assistant arrived with a dozen bags of rainbow moonflower seeds.

Andrew changed into gardening clothes and began digging in the moonlight.

His movements were clumsy.

I stood on the terrace, watching him quietly. Once, this scene would have moved me to tears.

Now, it just felt ironic.

"In seven days, these will bloom into the most beautiful colors," he said as he planted. "We'll watch them together, babe."

I gave a faint smile.

In seven days, I probably wouldn’t be here to see them bloom.

Two hours later, Andrew had finally finished.

"Go take a shower," I said.

He nodded, kissing my forehead tenderly. "Anything to make you happy, Lucia. I'd do anything for you."

After Andrew went upstairs, I noticed something had slipped out of his jacket pocket.

A pair of black lace panties. They reeked of Crystal's scent.

Worse, my keen senses instantly picked up fragmented images left on the fabric:

Andrew pinning the woman down on his office sofa, her legs wrapped around his waist as he tore at her clothes...

Bile surged up my throat. I couldn't hold it back. I bolted to the bathroom and retched, emptying what little was in my stomach.

Bile burned my throat as tears streamed from my eyes.

Not from heartache, but from pure disgust. I was utterly disgusted by this man.

"Lucia?" Andrew's voice called from upstairs, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps.

He rushed in, a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair still dripping. "What's wrong? Are you sick?"

"I'm fine," I said, wiping my mouth and trying to look like I was just feeling ill. "I'm probably just exhausted lately."

Andrew frowned, reaching out to touch my forehead. "Should I call the pack doctor? You look pale."

"No," I said, gently pushing his hand away. "I just need some rest."

He carefully helped me back to the bedroom, treating me as if I were a fragile doll.

"Get some sleep," Andrew said, tucking me in and placing a soft kiss on my forehead. "If you're not better tomorrow, we'll go to the hospital."

I closed my eyes and gave a tired nod.

The lights went out, and the mattress dipped as Andrew lay down beside me. I could feel his warmth and smell his fresh, clean scent, but it all just made me sick.

About half an hour later, once he was sure I was "asleep," Andrew carefully slipped out of bed.

His movements were silent, clearly trying not to wake me.

Through my lashes, I watched him walk to the balcony and slide the glass door shut.

Then, he took a call.

Even through the glass, my wolf hearing picked up his hushed voice.

"I told you not to call when I'm home. Lucia might hear."

Crystal’s coy voice purred from the other end. "But I miss you... Aren't you craving me?"

"Guess I didn't tire you out enough last night," Andrew let out a low, husky chuckle.

My stomach churned again, but I forced myself to keep listening.

"Of course not. I'm still starving for more," Crystal said, her voice dripping with triumphant provocation. "Same place tomorrow? You can tell me what to wear, anything you want."

The desire in Andrew's voice was obvious. "I want you wearing nothing. I'll dress you myself."

They continued their graphic flirtation, every word a shard of glass in my gut.

Ten minutes later, Andrew ended the call.

He tiptoed back to the bed and placed another gentle kiss on my forehead. "Goodnight, my wife."

I instinctively flinched away, turning slightly in my sleep.

Andrew didn't suspect a thing, assuming it was just an unconscious movement.

The next morning, Andrew was up early, making me breakfast.

Scrambled eggs, bacon, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and my favorite Blue Mountain coffee.

The perfect breakfast from the perfect mate.

Just then, the doorbell rang. It was Logan, his beta, holding a discreet black bag.

"Boss, the stuff you asked for," Logan said, avoiding my eyes as he quickly handed it over.

My sharp eyes caught the logo of an adult novelty store on the package.

It must be the "new clothes" he mentioned on the phone last night, for his rendezvous with Crystal this afternoon.

Andrew returned to the dining room as if nothing had happened, hiding the bag behind his back.

"Who was that?" I asked casually.

"Just Logan, dropping off some work files," he lied smoothly. "Boring pack business."

I nodded, not calling him on it.

We ate in silence. To an outsider, it would have looked like a scene of domestic bliss.

Halfway through the meal, I put down my fork and looked up at him.

"Andrew, can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?" he asked, his gaze soft.

I looked into his clear, gray eyes and asked softly, "Could you ever cheat on me?"

The question caught him off guard. He put down his coffee cup and took my hand.

"Why would you ask that?" His expression grew serious, earnest.

"Just curious," I said, keeping my expression innocent. "We've been mated for five years. Don't you ever get tired of me?"

Andrew squeezed my hand tighter, using his other hand to point to the mate mark on his chest.

"Listen to me, Lucia. If I ever betray you, may the Moon Goddess strip me of my wolf and leave me a powerless outcast. I swear on my life, I will never cheat on you. I will never betray our bond."

His solemn, gut-wrenching vow echoed in the dining room. His expression was so sincere, his eyes so truthful, that if I didn't know the truth, I would have been moved to tears.

Now, all I felt was deep, biting irony.

Just last night, he was planning today's tryst with another woman. Just minutes ago, he accepted a package of sex toys for his affair.

And now, he could swear the most sacred oath to the Goddess without flinching.

I looked up at his handsome, deceitful face and slowly broke into a smile.

"Okay. I believe you."

After Andrew left, I sat alone at the dining table.

Suddenly, a searing pain exploded in my chest.

"Ah—!"

I clutched my chest, feeling as if something was tearing my very soul apart.

It was the backlash from the ritual, far more violent than I had anticipated.

Waves of agony crashed over me. My vision blurred, and my body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Deep inside, I could feel my wolf whimpering.

Instinct took over. I reached out to Andrew through our mate bond, a primal cry for help from the depths of my soul, like a drowning person grasping for a lifeline.

【Andrew… help me… It hurts so much…】

The connection opened.

But what I found on the other side was a vision that made my heart turn to ice.

In a lavish presidential suite, Andrew was on top of Crystal, pounding into her with fierce intensity.

Her nails raked across his back as she let out shameless moans.

Andrew's face was completely lost in a sea of lust.

My cry for help, my agony, was nothing in the face of their carnal feast.

The moment he severed the mental link, a cold, profound despair washed over me.

That feeling of being utterly abandoned cut deeper than any physical pain.

I don't know how much time passed, but when I woke up, I was in a bed in the pack hospital.

White ceilings, the sharp smell of antiseptic, and the hum of complex medical equipment.

"You're awake," a gentle voice said.

I turned my head to see Dr. Wilson, the pack’s head physician, standing by my bed, his face etched with worry.

"Lucia, your wolf's spirit is extremely weak. You need your mate’s presence and the nourishment of his spiritual energy. The Alpha's vitality can be channeled through the mate bond to help your spirit stabilize."

I couldn't help but give a bitter smile.

Andrew's presence?

When I was on the brink of death, he was screwing another woman.

When my wolf's spirit was fading, he cut me off without a second thought.

And now I was supposed to rely on his presence to save me?

It was a cosmic, cruel joke.

"Don't worry too much, Lucia," Dr. Wilson said, mistaking my despair for fear. "Alpha Andrew will be here soon. With him by your side, you'll recover in no time."

I stared out the window as the sky began to darken, thinking that Andrew was probably still enjoying himself with Crystal.

Maybe they were finished and were now playfully splashing in a bathtub together.

"It doesn't matter," I said calmly, still looking outside. "He won't be my mate for much longer."

Just as the words left my lips, the door to the room swung open.

Andrew stood in the doorway. He had clearly rushed here; his hair was a mess and his shirt wasn't fully buttoned.

He frowned, looking at me with confusion. "What do you mean, not your mate?"