My Mate Chose Her Over Me

Rhys and I have been mated for seven years. Over the years, he’s been unfaithful five times. Whenever the thrill of a new affair faded, he would use me as his excuse to end things, painting me as the loyal mate he could never leave.

I remember all too well the first night I discovered he was seeing someone else. I was gasping for breath, like a wolf caught in a trap, helpless and betrayed by the side of our bed. I grabbed his collar, confronting him, slapping him hard and spewing venomous words at him and his lover. But he just stood there, letting me vent until I collapsed in tears on the floor.

He calmly said, "Georgina, this is just how alphas are. Life’s too long to be with only one person. You need to understand that. You can't have it all. My heart belongs to you; my body deserves freedom." He reassured me, "I only choose those who are careful. They’re clean, no diseases."

With each betrayal, my heart broke a little more. I would look through the bonding vows he wrote for me, the trinkets he crafted, and the videos of us together. I couldn’t comprehend how he changed so drastically. After all, I was the mate he once swore he would die for. When his parents, both high-ranking in the Blue Moon Pack, opposed our mating, he endured endless lectures from his father, the Gamma. Even when the arguments became heated, he didn’t abandon his desire to bond with me. He locked himself away, refusing food and drink, even resorting to silence to pressure them. He once said that without me by his side, he’d never know happiness. During our marking ceremony, he solemnly vowed, “I, Rhys, Beta of the Blue Moon Pack, accept you, Georgina Cruz, Healer of the Blue Moon Pack, as my mate. I swear to cherish and protect you for as long as the moon shines.”

After we bonded, he cherished me above all else. When a pack member hinted that I wasn’t good enough for him, he used his authority to cut off their privileges, forcing an apology. He never let anyone belittle or disrespect me, even his own family. We agreed to delay having pups for the sake of our roles in the pack, and he didn’t hesitate. He even went so far as to falsify a medical report, claiming low fertility, telling his parents he needed specialized treatment. They felt guilty and treated me with newfound respect.

But within three years, everything changed. He let his mistress openly mock me, ridiculing my appearance. He no longer defended me, even letting his brother, a Delta warrior, suggest I be more understanding. "Georgina, Beta Rhys and those women are just having fun. The other mates envy you because he’s never talked of severance. You should be content."

It was his parents who were outraged, invoking their familiar reprimands. "You fought so hard for her, and now you treat her like this? How dare you keep a mistress? Your grandfather and father never disgraced the Cruz family like this."

Once again, he faced their anger, their disappointment clear, yet he refused to admit his mistakes or change. He’s stubborn, unwavering once he’s made up his mind. I never doubted his sincerity; it just shifted. He once loved me, but now he doesn’t. And my love for him has finally run dry.

My wolf whimpers in the back of my mind, a faint echo of the pain I’ve carried for years. She’s been silent for so long, but now she stirs, her presence a reminder of the bond we once shared. I close my eyes, trying to shut out the memories, but they flood in like a pack of rogues, relentless and unforgiving.

Rhys may be the Beta, but he’s no longer the mate I once knew. And as I stand here, surrounded by the remnants of a bond that’s been shattered too many times, I know it’s time to let go. For my sake, and for the sake of the wolf within me who deserves better.