After My Mate Betrayed Me

The Moonveil guest house loomed before me like a gilded cage, all marble columns and crystal windows that caught the dying light. My hands trembled as I climbed the steps, each footfall echoing my thundering heartbeat. The scent hit me before I even reached the door—pine and winter storms, unmistakably Ethan.

My wolf surged with joy. *Mate. He's here to help us.*

But when the door opened, the sight that greeted me shattered something fundamental inside me. Ethan stood in the doorway, his powerful frame blocking my view of the interior. Behind him, I caught a glimpse of Olivia Reed lounging on a velvet sofa, cradling a bundle of blankets.

A pup. She was holding a pup.

"Luna." Ethan's voice was cold, professional. Nothing like the warm rumble that used to whisper promises against my neck. "You're late."

"Ethan?" My voice cracked. "What is this? Why are you—"

"Inside." He stepped back, and I had no choice but to enter. The door clicked shut behind me with terrible finality.

Olivia looked up from the pup, her auburn hair cascading perfectly over her shoulders. Even exhausted from childbirth, she was stunning. "Oh good, the help has arrived."

*The help.*

I stood frozen in the entrance, my mind struggling to process what my eyes were seeing. Ethan, my mate, the man who'd marked me, was here with Olivia. And she had his pup.

"I don't understand," I whispered, my fingers finding my birthmark, tracing it frantically. "You said you needed someone with nurturing abilities. You said—"

"I said what I needed to say to get you here." Ethan moved to stand beside Olivia, his hand resting possessively on her shoulder. "Olivia needs help bonding with our pup. Your... abilities... are required."

*Our pup.*

The words hit me like physical blows. I stumbled, catching myself on the doorframe. "But we're... you marked me. We've been together for three years."

"A partial mark," he corrected, his tone clinical. "And I never intended to complete it. You were... convenient. A placeholder while Olivia and I worked through some complications."

Each word was a knife, cutting deeper than any physical wound. My wolf howled in anguish, recognizing the betrayal even as she struggled to accept it. This was our mate. This couldn't be happening.

"My father," I managed, grasping for the only thing that mattered now. "The hundred thousand—"

"Will be yours upon completion of services." Ethan pulled out a rolled parchment from his jacket. "But first, you'll sign this."

He unrolled the document on the marble table. A blood oath contract. The most binding agreement in werewolf law.

"I won't—"

"Then your father dies." His Alpha tone crept into his voice, not quite commanding but threatening. "Sign it, Luna. Provide nurturing services for one week, and you'll have your money. Refuse, and you can explain to your father why his omega daughter's pride was worth more than his life."

Tears burned my eyes, but I wouldn't let them fall. Not here. Not in front of them. I read through the contract, each clause another chain:

*The undersigned agrees to provide exclusive nurturing services...*

*The undersigned will follow all directives from the Alpha and his mate...*

*The undersigned forfeits payment upon any breach of contract...*

"Where do I sign?" My voice was hollow.

Ethan produced a ritual blade, its silver edge gleaming. "Blood oath requires blood."

I took the blade and sliced my palm without hesitation. The pain was nothing compared to the agony in my chest. I pressed my bloodied hand to the parchment, watching the crimson spread across my name. The contract glowed briefly, sealing my fate.

"Excellent." Ethan rolled up the document, his movements efficient. "Your quarters are in the omega wing. Third door on the left. You'll begin tomorrow at dawn."

"The omega wing?" The words slipped out before I could stop them. We were in the Alpha guest house. I should have been—

Olivia's laugh was like breaking glass. "You didn't think you'd be staying in the main house, did you? Ethan, she's adorable."

"Go settle in," Ethan commanded, already turning away from me. "And Luna? Don't even think about running. The blood oath will ensure you fulfill your obligations... one way or another."

I fled to the omega quarters, my vision blurring as I stumbled down narrow hallways that smelled of industrial cleaner and desperation. The room was barely larger than a closet—a single bed, a small dresser, a cracked mirror that reflected my shattered expression.

I sank onto the thin mattress, finally letting the tears fall. Somewhere above me, in the luxurious Alpha suite, my mate was settling in for the night with another woman and their pup.

And I was bound by blood to watch it all, knowing that my father's life hung in the balance of my obedience.