He Swore a Mate, and Kept Another

I was scrolling through an online forum when I stumbled across a post:【 How do you know if your mate is cheating?】

I was about to scroll past when a pinned comment caught my eye.

【Trust me, the most obvious sign is when he starts obsessively covering up his scent. My sponsor—an Alpha who's about to become the next Alpha King—does exactly this. Every time he sees me, he washes five times with a pine and cedar blend, terrified his "fated mate" will catch a whiff of me on him. But honestly? He's completely sick of her. She's too rational, too independent—has no idea how to please a real Alpha.】

My breath caught in my throat.

Ron Blackwood—my fiancé, my boyfriend of five years—had recently started using that exact scent combination with unusual frequency.

I told myself it was just a coincidence, but my fingers kept scrolling.

【Today I casually mentioned feeling unwell, and he immediately ditched her to come keep me company. We spent the whole night at Moonlight Bay. He says being there makes him feel truly free.】

The photo showed a man kissing the back of a hand—only his lips and chin visible, and on that mouth, a fresh cut.

Last night, during a heated kiss, I'd bitten Ron's lip in the exact same spot.

The same position. The same familiar chin and lips.

...

I closed my eyes, trying to convince myself this couldn't be the same person.

The Ron who remembered all my preferences—that I'm allergic to shrimp, that I prefer lavender over roses, that I need solitude the day before a full moon.

We'd been together five years. From when he was just an overlooked second son of the Blackwood family to now, when he was the leading candidate to inherit the Alpha position. I'd witnessed all his struggles and transformations.

Besides, our marking ceremony was the day after tomorrow.

The invitation design—a blooming honeysuckle with a crescent moon hidden among the petals—he'd designed it himself.

I must be overthinking this.

I took several deep breaths and forced myself to reopen the page.

The comments section was flooded with envy and condemnation, while the user calling herself "Moonlight" responded with increasing boldness.

【Stop being jealous. She's occupying the position but doesn't know how to maintain it. Alphas need mates who can awaken their wild side, not bookworms buried in conference rooms all day.】

【Oh, and for my sake, he even pulled strings to get the council to suspend her from work. Now she stays home doing nothing every day while I get to accompany him to all the important pack events. I hear his mother—the current Alpha—is already considering making me his official mate.】

Every word was like a silver dagger, piercing straight into my heart.

A week ago, I'd been summoned after a routine council meeting.

Five stone-faced Elders read out my suspension, citing "work attitude inconsistent with pack expectations."

I argued my case, only to be told it was "a unanimous decision from the top."

When I got home, I curled up in Ron's arms and cried in front of him for the first time.

He kissed my forehead, his voice as gentle as a spring breeze:

"It's only temporary, Arya. You've been exhausted. Take this time to rest properly. Once I inherit the Alpha position, I'll personally clear your name."

"I've approved a living allowance for you from the pack fund—enough to keep you comfortable. You can do things you enjoy—paint, read, or walk in the forest."

I said I didn't want to be a kept ornament. He just smiled and replied:

"You'll never be an ornament, Arya. You're my only mate, my soulmate."

My only mate.

That promise now sounded so bitterly ironic.

With trembling fingers, I clicked on "Moonlight's" profile.

The latest post was from five hours ago.

【Day 244 of being cherished: Casually mentioned wanting that necklace today, and the next second he bought it for me~】

The photo showed a luxury boutique shopping bag, with a man's slender fingers in the background.

Ron had worn a charcoal gray shirt when he left this morning.

And the shirt cuff in the photo was the exact same color.

Nausea churned in my stomach, but I forced myself to keep scrolling.

【Day 215 of being cherished: I designed the invitation for their marking ceremony! I told him I loved honeysuckle, and he actually used it. Ta-da~ Isn't it beautiful?】

The invitation design she posted was identical to the one in my drawer.

I remembered the day Ron showed me the draft, his eyes shining with earnest devotion.

"Honeysuckle symbolizes undying loyalty in ancient wolf legends. It blooms even in the coldest winter, just like my promise to you—no matter what happens, it will never change."

Never change.

What a perfect lie.

【Day 198 of being cherished: Today was his five-year anniversary with that woman, but he still chose to watch the meteor shower with me at Moonlight Bay. He says when he's with me, he feels like a truly free wolf, not a prisoner bound by pack rules.】

I remembered that day clearly.

I'd prepared his favorite stew, ordered a small cake, even tracked down a rare vintage whiskey—his late father's favorite brand.

I'd lit scented candles and waited for him to come home.

Instead, I got an apologetic phone call.

"Darling, there's an emergency pack meeting. Mother insists I attend. I'll get back as soon as I can. Don't wait up—get some rest."

I'd believed every word, even gently reminding him to take care of himself.

Looking back, when he came home that night, he did carry the faint scent of Moonlight Bay's distinctive sea salt.

He'd said it was because the meeting was held at the pack hall by the shore.

And I hadn't questioned a single word.

My fingertips were so cold I could barely hold the phone.

I scrolled all the way back to the earliest post.

【First encounter: Met my ideal type at the forest edge today! He was fighting other wolves—one against five, holding his own brilliantly. Even injured, he beat them all down. He captured my heart. I didn't hesitate—I rushed over and took him to the pack medical center... He seems to have a mate already, but letting such a prime specimen slip away would be criminal! Operation homewrecker commencing!】

The date posted was the exact day Ron said a she-wolf had rescued him during a patrol conflict.

"Ugh—"

I rushed to the bathroom and retched violently.

Tears and vomit blurred my vision. The person in the mirror had red-rimmed eyes and a deathly pale face—like someone on the verge of collapse.

So that was it.

Two hundred forty-four days. Nearly eight months.

All those nights when he said he had to "handle pack business," "attend Elder meetings," "discuss succession matters with Mother."

All those moments when I worried about his stress, massaged his shoulders, prepared midnight snacks for him.

He'd been with someone else.

He'd even destroyed my position—the position I'd spent three years fighting for in the council.

He knew what that job meant to me. It was my way of proving to the entire pack that even without pure blood, even without a prestigious background, I could earn respect through my own abilities.

And he'd casually destroyed it all to please another woman.

After a long while, I pulled myself up by the sink and repeatedly splashed cold water on my face.

Then I opened my phone's photo album and began systematically screenshotting every post.

Each one was evidence.

Each one was an obituary for his five years of promises.

I wouldn't let this defeat me. The betrayer would pay the price.