Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Caleb's POV

My life was changing, and no matter how hard I tried to convince myself that I should accept it for my mother's happiness, I just couldn't bring myself to.

It was only this morning that she had told me she would be remarrying. She hadn't even said who the man was. I refused. I protested. I told her how content I was living with just her, even though my life had been anything but happy since my father's death years ago. Still, she said nothing to soothe me. She didn't even promise to call off the mating ceremony.

The cold evening breeze brushed against my skin as I stood before Maddox's house, breathing in the faint scent of the flowers that lined his front yard. Maddox and I had been together for years, since college. But since our graduation last month, we hadn't seen each other once.

I had come here because this was the only place I could think of that still felt safe. The only place I thought I could find comfort — something I hadn't felt since my mother's announcement.

The idea of having a stepfather, or worse, step-siblings, was something I hadn't even begun to process.

When I reached Maddox's door, it was locked. But I didn't panic. I still had the spare key one of his friends had given me a month ago. Since I hadn't returned it, I used it to let myself in. I told myself I'd wait inside until he came back. Anything was better than going home. Home wasn't home anymore.

The moment I stepped inside, I noticed the lights were still on. I brushed it off — maybe Maddox had forgotten to turn them off before leaving. But just as I was about to settle into a chair, I heard a sound. A loud, breathless moan.

I turned toward the television, thinking maybe that was where it came from, though I was sure it had been off. It was completely off, yet the sound came again, louder this time.

My heart began to pound. I followed the sound up the stairs and hesitated when I reached his bedroom door. My hands trembled as I reached for the knob, still trying to convince myself I was imagining things — that maybe I had the wrong room and that this wasn't what I thought.

But I wasn't wrong.

Tired of standing there, tired of pretending, I pushed the door open.

Maddox was driving himself into someone sprawled across his bed, breathless moans filling the room thick with the stench of sweat and sex.

"Maddox?" I managed to whisper, my voice cracking with disbelief, every part of me freezing in place as I stared at the scene before me — the kind of betrayal I never thought I'd witness with my own eyes.

He didn't move at first, frozen in place. But when he realized the voice belonged to me, he quickly pulled away. And that was when I saw the other person's face clearly.

Elara.

My best friend.

For a moment, my world stood still.

"Caleb, it's not what you think!" Maddox stammered, scrambling to cover himself with the bedsheet like that would somehow fix the filth I had just walked in on. His voice shook, desperate and pathetic.

I didn't wait to hear more. I didn't care what lies he had lined up. I turned and bolted out of the room, my chest tight, tears stinging at the corners of my eyes.

I was almost down the stairs and nearly out of the house that now reeked of betrayal when his hand shot out and caught my wrist. He yanked me back roughly, still clutching the sheet around his waist with his other hand.

"Come on, listen to me, Caleb!" he barked, as if shouting would make his words matter.

"Listen to you?" I rasped, my voice trembling as I turned to glare at him. "Listen to what, exactly?" I added, forcing steel into my tone even though the tears threatened to spill.

"It was a mistake!" he snapped, jaw tightening. "Everyone makes mistakes. Don't tell me you're going to throw away our four years together because of one stupid mistake. We've been together too long for that!"

"Oh, wow," I scoffed, shaking my head. "It's nice to know you actually remember how long we've been together. Almost four years, right? You, who never remembered a single anniversary. I was always the one reminding you, Maddox." I let out a bitter laugh. "And after four years, this is what you call a mistake? Sleeping with Elara — my best friend?"

"Stop trying to make this a big issue, Caleb!" he growled. "It's not. Everyone sleeps around. I only did it so we'd last longer, so I wouldn't get bored of you and have to end things. Why can't you understand that?"

For a second, I almost laughed. The sheer absurdity of his words was beyond comprehension. I couldn't even respond. Instead, I yanked my wrist free from his grip and turned toward the door, determined not to give him the satisfaction of watching me break down.

"It's not like I've done anything wrong!" he called after me, his voice sharp and cruel. "I've been with you for four years! How many wolves would put up with someone like you?"

I froze.

Slowly, I turned back to face him. "And what exactly do you mean by that?"

He scoffed, his lips curling into that arrogant smirk I used to find charming. "Just look at yourself, Caleb. Do you really think you're worthy of me? Back at school, you were nothing but the pathetic boy no one wanted to talk to. I was kind enough to make you mine. Do you even realize that?" He laughed bitterly. "I stayed because of the great sex. That's all. You should be grateful. What other wolf would waste four years on a weak, wolfless omega like you?"

Each word cut deeper than the last, slicing through the remnants of whatever love I thought I had left for him, until all that remained was silence, fury, and the cold realization that the person I had loved had never seen me as anything more than his charity case.

I didn't let him finish before my palm connected with his face, the crack of it echoing through the room like a gunshot.

Tears blurred my vision, but I didn't stop to see his reaction. I turned and bolted for the door, my chest tight and my breath ragged. I left his key behind on the floor where it belonged, refusing to carry another reminder of him.

My feet carried me faster than my thoughts could form, as though I could outrun the ache clawing at my chest. Each step away from that place felt like tearing free from every lie he had wrapped around me.

Four years. Four good years of my life wasted on Maddox. Four years of trust, loyalty, and foolish hope.

And to think I had truly believed we were meant to be. That the Moon Goddess herself had tied our fates together. I had been so sure that if he had asked me to be his mate on our fourth anniversary, I would have said yes without hesitation. I would have given him everything.

Who knew that all this time, I had been nothing more than a pastime to him? Who knew how long this betrayal had been

unfolding right under my nose while I was too blinded by love to see it?