(Astrid's POV)
Four years. Four years of loyalty, sacrifice, and devotion reduced to this moment.
I gripped the steering wheel of my car until my knuckles turned white, watching the scene unfold before me. The luxury den that Everett bought for me for our mating ceremony sat on the edge of pack territory-a place that was supposed to be our retreat. Now it was the stage for his betrayal.
Everett emerged from the den first, his powerful frame silhouetted against the setting sun. Even from this distance, I could recognize the relaxed set of his shoulders, so different from the rigid posture he always maintained around me.
Then she appeared. Isolde Hale. The Beta's daughter.
My stomach clenched as she stumbled slightly on the porch, her delicate features pulling into an exaggerated pout. "Rett, my paws still hurt from shifting," she whined, her voice carrying on the evening breeze.
What happened next felt like a knife twisting in my chest. Everett-my mate, the future Alpha of the Thorn Pack-swept Isolde into his arms with a tenderness I'd never been shown. Not once in four years.
"I've got you, little wolf," he murmured, his voice low and intimate.
He carried her down the steps, her arms wound around his neck as she nuzzled against him. When they reached the grass, he set her down gently, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she rose on her tiptoes, pressing her lips against his.
The kiss was passionate, possessive. And Everett didn't hesitate to return it.
I should look away. I knew I should. But I couldn't tear my eyes from them as his hands threaded through her blonde hair, so different from my honey-brown waves. My wolf, Zoe, whimpered inside me, confusion and hurt radiating through our shared consciousness.
"How long?" I whispered to the empty car. "How long has this been happening?"
My mind raced backward through months of late nights, emergency pack meetings, and territory patrols that suddenly made perfect sense.
Four years ago, Everett had pursued me with the single-minded focus of an Alpha wolf. I still remembered his words clearly: "Astrid, you're my most suitable mate for strengthening the Thorn Pack." Not the most romantic proposal, but I'd understood. As a healer with rare abilities, I brought value to his bloodline.
For him, I'd abandoned my healing sanctuary. For him, I'd left my frail grandmother in the care of others while I moved to the Thorn den. For him, I'd poured my knowledge and skills into improving the pack's healing practices, bringing acclaim and respect to the Storms throughout the territory.
And now that Everett had secured his position as future Alpha, I had become... dispensable.
"Too serious," he'd complained recently. "Where's your playful side, Astrid? Other she-wolves know how to have fun."
Other she-wolves like Isolde Hale.
As if sensing my thoughts, Everett pulled away from Isolde, his head turning slightly toward my hidden car. I ducked down, though I knew he couldn't see me from this distance. My scent was masked by the bitter herbs I'd rubbed on my wrists and neck-a trick I'd learned from my grandmother for gathering rare plants without alerting territorial animals.