He Cheated With My Bestie. Now He Begs for Mercy

At the pack's festival, a witch hands me a crystal orb that reveals the truth. When I ask "why," she says she was entrusted to deliver it and reminds me only to use it when I am alone.

As the image in the orb grows clearer, and my mate appears, I forget how to breathe.

"Jared Hamilton, do you love me?" a woman asks in her sweetest voice, curling her arms around his neck.

"I do. Of course, I do. You're the only one I'll love for the rest of my life, Luciana."

My hand slips. Even after the crystal orb hits the floor, I can still hear them talking.

"I swear before the sacred Moon Goddess that I'll be with you, Luciana Rose, until my very last breath. If I ever break this oath, may I never know joy again."

I feel suffocated. All I can do is stare in disbelief. The woman he vows to love for life is none other than my very best friend.

I watched Jared Hamilton tangled up with Luciana Rose in the crystal orb. One of them was my mate, and the other was my best friend. Every drop of blood in my body seemed to freeze.

I sat on the couch, as though my soul had been ripped out of my body, and stared blankly ahead. The imagery in the orb continued playing, and I couldn't quite look away as they kissed their way from the living room to the bedroom.

He pushed her down on the bed, fingers sliding over her clothes like he had done a thousand times. "Can we do it tonight?"

She pretended to blush, covering her eyes with the tips of her fingers. "At this point? Just do it already."

Their bodies tangled together, and every moment of witnessing it was a blade twisting deeper into my heart.

When Jared and I first got together, I even introduced Luciana to him. Before meeting her, I had told him, "She's my best friend. We basically grew up together, and I trust her with everything. If she approves of you, our bond will only be stronger."

He had put on the perfect smile and promised me. "I'll make sure of it. Consider it done."

I had gone with him to buy gifts, arms full of bags, as we sat outside a cozy cafe waiting. The moment Jared saw Luciana, his eyes widened—just for a heartbeat—before he snapped back and greeted her with a polite smile.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jared Hamilton, Monica's mate."

Luciana dropped her usual gentle, sweet act in an instant. The first look she gave him was pure hostility.

"I don't care if you're an Alpha. I'm not convinced you can take care of her. I know just how debauched you Alphas can be behind closed doors. Who knows how many women you've got on the side?"

Back then, I wanted so badly to defend him and tell her that Jared wasn't like the others.