Chapter 3 Chapter 0003

•CASSANDRA•

I sighed when I woke up the following morning and realized that Mason didn't come to bed. His side of the bed was empty and cold.

Something inside me cracked. In the past six years I had been married to him, I had never felt the way I felt when I looked at the empty space next to me.

I let out a few tears, took deep breaths, and got out of bed. It took me almost an hour to shower and get ready for the day.

After getting dressed, I headed downstairs to check on Rowan. The TV was echoing through the living room before I even entered.

Rowan was sitting on the couch eating pancakes while laughing at an animated show. He barely looked at me when I approached him.

"Good morning, baby." I kissed the top of his head and was surprised at how distant he was this morning.

Usually, Rowan hugged me the second he saw me. I shook my head and decided not to think too much about it. He was still young and changing.

"Good morning," he replied.

I frowned when I looked at his pancakes on the table counter. "Who made you breakfast, baby? I thought we were going to grab something at the market together."

"Nadia made them for me."

My chest tightened. "Nadia is here? And she cooked for you?"

"Her pancakes are nice, and Dad told me to be nice to her because she's going to stay with us from now on."

"I see," I answered, clearing my throat. My stomach sank and the room closed in on me. I had never seen this day coming.

"And where's your father?"

"He's with Uncle Noah."

"Alright," I answered. "Eat your breakfast and I will come to check on you later." I turned around and went to the kitchen, hoping to find Nadia and talk with her.

Nadia was standing near the kitchen counter, pouring coffee into two cups when I walked inside. She tilted her head and smiled when she saw me.

“Good morning, Luna Cassandra.”

That bitch. She knew how to put on a face and pretend as if she weren't fucking Mason behind my back.

"Good morning, Nadia."

"Do you want coffee?" she asked. "I can pour you a cup if you want one. It is still hot."

“That won’t be necessary, but thank you.”

She smiled. “I hope you don’t mind me helping Rowan this morning. He looked hungry and complained that you were still sleeping.”

"That's very kind of you, but I also want to thank you for saving my husband when he was in danger. But I also think that it was unnecessary to come here and be a part of us because of that reason alone."

Nadia tilted her head and frowned. "Oh, but Mason doesn't think so. Does he?"

"I don't think he can tell you that in person because he feels indebted to you."

She scoffed before she leaned closer and closed the small gap between us. "It's such a pity that you lack confidence in yourself in such a way that you feel threatened by me being here, Luna. Do you think your husband will realize that I should be the one in your place?"

"You don't threaten me, Nadia."

Nadia chuckled. "You've been here for six years, but you've never been able to fully replace me, have you?"

Before I could respond, I smelt Mason’s scent, and he walked in a few seconds later. And his expression darkened the moment he felt the tension in the air.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” I answered immediately.

Nadia lowered her eyes. “We were just talking.”

Mason looked at me. “Cassandra.”

"There's nothing you should worry about," I answered. "I was simply welcoming Nadia into our home."

Mason exhaled, as if he already expected trouble. “Then leave it at that. I don't want the pack to think that the Luna is not making our guest feel welcome in the pack house.”

"Yes, of course." I smiled.

"Here," Nadia said as she handed Mason a cup of coffee. "I made this for you."

"Thank you, Nadia." He smiled and that felt like the ultimate betrayal. The way he looked at her and smiled at her confirmed that he was with her the previous night. They fucked each other.

"Kira is taking me on a tour around the pack, so I won't be around the rest of the morning," she answered as she sipped her coffee and placed the cup on the counter.

"You're welcome, Nadia," Mason replied. "This is your home now. The council elders will introduce you to the farm workers soon and get you acquainted before you begin your work there."

"Thank you, Alpha." She smiled and looked at me before she walked past us and left. Mason looked at me once before he turned around and left as well.

Six years of marriage with Mason had brought me nothing but painful memories. I stood by his side after his father died and he became the new Alpha.

I took care of his newborn son when he told me that his mother had died. I loved Rowan like my own son and never treated him differently.

But throughout the six years, Mason had never looked at me the way he looked at Nadia. He never appreciated me for anything that I did for him.

Even though I was his mate, he had never recognized me as one. I always felt as if I were competing with Rowan’s late mother.

But now there was someone else that he had never told me about. It broke me apart to see that he loved her and was fucking her while I was taking care of his son.

My fists clenched on my sides as I finally decided to confront Mason. I didn't care if it would lead to a divorce, but all I knew was that I was at my breaking point.

I walked up the stairs and bumped into Mason in the corridor. He was coming from our bedroom when I asked to speak with him.

"What is it?" he asked. "I have a meeting with Elder Orin and I don't want to keep him waiting."

"I want to talk about Nadia," I answered. "I want to know what she is to you. Why did you bring her here?"

His jaw tightened. “What exactly are you asking me, Cassandra? Are you accusing me of something?”

My throat tightened. "I want the truth, Mason. I know something is happening between you and Nadia. You can't hide something that is in plain sight."

"Nothing is happening between Nadia and me," he answered, sounding irritated. "I told you that she saved my life and this is my way to thank her."

"I heard you on the phone talking with her, Mason, so you can't lie to me. I know that you're fucking her," I scoffed. "If you want her as your new wife, then you should tell me instead of acting as if I am a fool!"

"She is the woman that I love, Cassandra!" he snapped. "Is that what you wanted to hear?"