Leaving My Cheating Mate to Find Love Again

“Hey, Cassie,” he said, his tone suddenly playful, the kind of voice he reserved for people he enjoyed being around. My heart sank as I realized just who he was talking to.

I couldn’t stand it. I turned my back to him, trying to block out the sound of his laughter as he chatted with her, his carefree tone grating against my raw nerves. The betrayal felt like a dagger twisting in my chest.

“Yeah, I’ll be there in a bit,” he said, glancing back at me. “Just gotta wrap things up here. See you soon.”

I felt sick. He was leaving me for her, and I could do nothing but stand there, paralyzed by pain and fury. Derek hung up and walked back toward me, his expression indifferent.

“Sorry, babe. Duty calls. I’ll be home later,” he said, as if that made everything okay.

“Home? Is that what you call this place now?” I snapped, feeling my throat tighten. “You’re just going to walk out on me again? After everything?”

He shrugged, not even bothering to mask his annoyance. “I can’t just sit around here moping, Lila. The pack needs me. You’ll be fine on your own for a while.”

“Fine on my own?” I repeated incredulously. “You think I’m fine? You think I’m just going to sit here and pretend everything’s okay while you run off with her?”

Derek’s eyes narrowed. “It’s not like that. I’m not running off with anyone. Cassie is just... a distraction, like I said. It doesn’t mean anything.”

The hurt was suffocating, and I took a step back, feeling my resolve start to crumble. “You know what? I don’t even want to hear your excuses anymore. You’ve made your choice clear. You don’t care about me, about what I’m going through.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but I cut him off. “You need to go. Just leave. I don’t want to see you right now.”

Derek looked taken aback, a mix of surprise and frustration on his face. “You’re being unreasonable. I’m still your mate, Lila.”

“Not anymore,” I said, the weight of my words hitting me hard. I was tired of fighting for a relationship that felt one-sided. “If you can’t be here for me, then what’s the point?”

Derek just shrugged his shoulders, as if my pain was a joke. “You’re overreacting, Lila. I’ll be back later. I’m still your mate, remember?” He didn’t take me seriously at all.

“Not anymore!” I shot back, but he didn’t seem to care.

He just turned and walked out, leaving me standing there, alone and fuming. I felt like I was living in a nightmare. I sank onto the couch, feeling the weight of everything crash down on me.

The silence of the house was deafening, and I tried to push away the thoughts of Derek and Cassie. I couldn’t let myself think about it. I forced my eyes shut and tried to sleep, but it was restless. I tossed and turned, my mind racing with anger and hurt. Eventually, I drifted off, hoping that when I woke up, everything would somehow be better.

I jolted awake in the middle of the night, startled by a sound that pulled me from sleep. It took me a moment to register what it was—a soft moaning, unmistakably familiar. My stomach twisted as I realized who it was.

I knew I shouldn’t get up. I should just roll over and ignore it, but my body moved on autopilot. I found myself walking down the hallway, my heart pounding in my chest. The sounds grew louder, and I felt a mix of anger and dread as I approached our bedroom.

I paused outside the door, taking a deep breath. This was it. I had to see for myself. Slowly, I pushed the door open, and the sight before me knocked the wind out of my lungs.

There they were—Derek and Cassie, completely naked, tangled in each other’s arms. I stood frozen in the doorway, my mind racing. I had expected to feel crushed, to break down into tears, but instead, I felt a strange sense of clarity wash over me.

Derek looked over, his eyes wide, a smirk on his face as he caught sight of me. The image burned into my mind—the two of them lost in their own world, laughing and wrapped up in each other, completely oblivious to the pain they were causing me.

“Hey, Lila! You wanna join?” he called out, that cocky grin plastered across his face. Cassie giggled, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she looked at me, and my heart dropped even further.

I felt my chest tighten, anger and hurt crashing over me like waves. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The betrayal was overwhelming, and in that moment, my tears began to flow unbidden. I turned on my heel, fighting the urge to scream, to break something, but I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of seeing me hurt.

As I walked away, I could hear Cassie's laughter trailing behind me. “Poor Lila,” she cooed, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. “Maybe she just needs some time to understand.”

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. I had had enough. I rushed into the living room and grabbed my phone, my hands shaking as I dialed my friend Mia’s number. I needed to get out of there—fast!