Mira woke with a dull ache in her chest—and a warmth beneath it that made no sense.
She pressed a hand there, frowning, as fragments of the previous night drifted just out of reach.
She recalled the rogues snarling, their attack.
She sat up abruptly, patting her ribs for the injury but there was nothing.
No pain, no blood.
Her clothes had even been changed.
She frowned in confusion.
A knock sounded softly at the door, making her flinch.
“Miss?” A woman’s voice called out.
“Checkout is in an hour.”
“O—okay,” Mira swallowed.
“I’ll be out soon.”
She swung her legs over the bed, her body sore in places she didn’t remember injuring.
As she stood, her gaze landed on the bedside table, where a note sat neatly.
Beside it was a glass of water and a small vial of healing salve.
She picked up the note.
‘You’re safe.
Drink the water, apply the salve, rest before going home.’
That was it.
No signature, no explanation.
Her chest tightened.
King Evren was gone.
She noticed for the first time that his scent was barely there.
He’d been gone for a while.
She sank back onto the bed, staring at the note as fragments of the night before floated just out of reach.
She remembered his arms—unyielding, warm.
His voice, steady against the storm in her head.
She remembered the way her wolf had quieted in his presence.
Heat crept up her neck.
Mira shook her head sharply and folded the note, tucking it into her pocket as if keeping it too long would make it mean something it shouldn’t.
***
“You smell different.”
Mira froze, shutting her eyes tightly.
Of course.
The one day she didn’t want Adrian home.
She turned.
Adrian stood near the base of the stairs, arms crossed, jaw tight.
His eyes flicked over her in sharp assessment, lingering on the faint bruising near her collarbone.
Her heart sank.
“What?” She asked, forcing herself to remain calm.
He climbed the stairs, approaching her slowly.
Her heart pounded loudly in her chest.
“There’s another male’s scent on you.” He whispered when he was close enough to sniff her.
“Who is he?
And where did you go this morning?”
This morning.
He hadn’t noticed her absence last night.
“I—” she opened her mouth to respond but no words came out. Find the original chapter at g.com.
“You left too early,” he spoke again, his voice laced with anger.
“Didn’t answer my calls, blocked our bond, and now you come in smelling like another man.”
The accusation was loud and clear.
Triggering an anger within her.
“I was attacked.” She whispered finally.
Adrian stiffened, his eyes widening in shock.
“What?”
She clenched her jaw, fighting back the painful memories from last night.
“I was attacked by rogues, Adrian,” she continued, her anger increasing with each word.
“I went out with Jenny and got attacked by rogues.”
Silence fell between them.
Adrian looked…
guilty, remorseful.
It only increased her rage.
Her wolf pressed forward, disappointed by her mate.
“You should’ve reached out—”
“I did,” she cut in.
“I did reach out, Adrian.
Multiple times but you had me blocked!”
He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
“I didn’t know,” he stepped forward.
Mira took a step back, avoiding his touch.
“I reached out to you!” She continued.
“Hell, I reached out to Mason.
You—”
“Mira?”
Mira’s blood ran cold.
That voice.
She looked downstairs, and there she stood.
Ivy.
Her hand rested protectively on her swelling stomach, her expression carefully gentle.
“Oh,” Ivy said quietly.
“You’re back.”
Mira heard her words, but she wasn’t focused on them.
Her attention was on the clothes Ivy wore.
A silk nightgown and a robe—her robe.
“What—” her voice broke.
“What is this, Adrian?”
Her eyes didn’t leave Ivy.
“Mira,” he started.
“Answer the question” she demanded, finally turning to face him.
Her eyes blazed with rage and pain.
She knew.
She knew before he said the words.
“She’s pregnant, Mira.”
“That much is established.” She hissed.
“Now answer the damn question.”
“It’s only temporary.” He shifted uncomfortably.
“Answer the fucking question!” She hissed.
“She’ll be staying here for a while.
So we can take proper care of her.”
The words rang in her ears. Find the original chapter at novelping.com.
We.
Take proper care of her.
We.
She saw red.
Her skin suddenly felt hot, too hot.
Her heart pounding loudly in her ears.
“You moved her into my home!”
“She needs help Mira, try to be reasonable.”
Mira laughed, a dry, humorless one.
“Try to be reasonable?” She tilted her head, taking a step closer.
“You brought your pregnant mistress into my home—our home.” She poked his chest.
“Without asking me.”
He flinched.
She poked his chest again.
“How could you Adrian?” Her anger dulled, mixing with something, an emotion she hated.
“How could you?” Her voice trembled.
“I was out all night.
Did you notice?”
Adrian grabbed her hand, pressing it against his chest.
“I—I”
“Of course not.” She interrupted, fighting back her tears.
“Of course you didn’t notice.” Her lips wobbled, her chest tightening.
“Because while I was out there fighting for my fucking life, you were busy moving your mistress in.”
“Mi—”
“I reached out for you,” her chest tightened painfully as she recalled the memories, the helplessness.
“I was desperate and alone.
I reached out to my mate.”
“Mira.
Please try to understand.” He raised her hand to his lips.
She yanked it away, taking a step back from him.
She couldn’t see him, couldn’t make out what he looked like.
Her vision was distorted, blurred by the tears she’d fought so hard to hold.
She turned sharply, unwilling to let them see her pain, to let them watch her break.
“Mira!” It was Ivy this time.
But Mira didn’t bother.
She ran straight to the bedroom, locking the door behind her.
The moment she was alone, she broke down, her knees going weak.
She collapsed against the door.
Broken sobs wracked through her body.
She sank to the ground, drawing her knees to her chest.
He did it over and over again.
Hurt her, humiliate her, choose his mistress over her.
She could’ve died last night and he wouldn’t have noticed.
She hated herself for feeling this way, for constantly letting herself get hurt by him.
She hated him for doing this to her.
Her wolf recoiled, shifting to the corner of her mind, her chest aching from the betrayal of their mate.
As Mira sat alone in the room, sobbing brokenly, only one thought surfaced.
She had to finalize the divorce.
She had to do it fast.