Chapter 1

Maeve’s POV

Maybe I was just overthinking and maybe he really did have something waiting for me, some sort of surprise. Something, anything 

Who was I kidding? He had forgotten and it tore deep at my heart 

I can't believe that he forgot my birthday and our anniversary…

How could he forget?

Three years have already passed since I walked down the aisle and exchanged vows with my mate Alphonso, the Alpha of the crystal moon pack.

It's been three fucking years! I remember that day vividly, I was nineteen, blond hair tied back to compliment that white armless lacey dress but now at twenty- two? I couldn't say anything about it.

It used to be my favourite memory of us, it still was. I could hear my wolf groan and I didn't blame her. It was pathetic to see me cling to that after everything he had put me through.

I heard his footsteps and smelt his scent across the room.

I had leaped out of my room to go and greet him at the door of his own since we both slept in separate rooms despite being married and mates.

"Good morning, Alphonso, did you sleep well?" I greeted him.

He responded grudgingly and then said that he was going to stay out a little late and then slammed the door in my face

That wasn't a bad sign, right? But my legs remain glued to the floor watching him slam the door, with only one thought ringing in my mind like a ell; had he really forgotten?

Of course not, he couldn't have.

So, tonight I was ready for him, wearing some sexy lingerie which I had gotten as a wedding gift but I was always too embarrassed to put it on.

Maybe if he saw me in it, he would want me as much as I wanted him.

And besides that, tomorrow was our packs annual gala and I had to come with him as his Luna, it breaks my heart that the only time he ever wanted to come out with me was when it was compulsory.

Three months after we got married, he had become so cold to me as if we were nothing more than strangers that had been forced into an arranged marriage.

Three years had passed and it seemed like things were getting worse everyday.

But I love him so much and I wanted our relationship to work.

I went to my room and changed into the lingerie and laid on my bed, hoping he would come to my room. Now my skin shivered and shifted on my bed, the cool night breeze caressed me, my cheeks were as red as roses as this pinkish, smooth transparent fabric slid on skin, over my lingerie.

My eyes crossed over to the wall clock and anxiety gripped to my neck like fingers of steel making it hard for me to even breathe if he spent any longer, I was going to put on my robe and just sleep.

For a brief foolish moment, I interchange the thoughts that maybe he was actually getting me a wonderful present for our anniversary and my birthday.

Suddenly I heard his voice echoing along the hallway and it played with the beat of my heart, I could swear it was going to fall from my chest.

I ran like I was being chased until I got to the door and flung it open. 

What I saw immediately made my tongue dry for words, and I just gaped there for a couple of seconds like a fish that was out of water.

I was broken out of my state of shock by my sister's screeching laugh which was just as pleasant as hearing nails run across a chalkboard.

"Oh, Maeve, I didn't know that you were here," she said casually with her hand on my husband's shoulder holding him as if she was the one that had exchanged vows with him and not me.

But then I noticed that he was glaring at me and the anger in his face seemed to be conflicted with annoyance or disgust, that was when I realized that I had been so excited that I hadn't even bothered to cover myself up before rushing out.

I wrapped my arms around my body but it barely hid anything, especially my shame.

He looked like he was about to throw up and I wanted to dig a hole and bury myself in it.

"What are you wearing?"

I bit my bottom lip thinking that nothing could make this moment even more embarrassing but then my sister, Avery walked over and tried pulling my hands away.

"Al…" She called him by the nickname that she had coined for him.

"She obviously wore something like this for you! Come on, Sis, show him the goods!" 

I was so angry with the way she was acting that I pushed her away and almost immediately my mates had reached forward to grab her by her waist and he glared at me again. 

He couldn't even bother to veil his disgust at all.

"I hope you don't end up embarrassing me by wearing something like this tomorrow…"

My eyes were glued to the floor because I couldn't even dare look at him now without bursting into tears and then he walked past me with my sister.

I gathered up some courage and asked them what they were going to do. 

Avery laughed and then she turned to my husband with a wide smile that spread across her ears. 

"Well, aren't you going to tell her what we are going to do?" 

He grunted and without even looking back, he said, "We are going to be looking at the details for the security for tomorrow's annual celebration, make sure that you don't disturb us," 

And then they just kept heading towards his study from the looks of their direction, I quickly crawled back into my room before somebody else would come down the hallway and see me in basically nothing but my underwear. 

The moment I closed the door behind me I melted on the floor with tears and sobs that shook my entire body.

After a while I was finally able to pick myself up and I went to my wardrobe changing into my normal baggy pajamas that looked like a sack over my body. 

It didn't make any sense at all.

Why was he even discussing anything like that with my sister?

What did she know about security that made it necessary for them to go to his study privately when most of the preparations had already been concluded? 

Dreaded thoughts pass through my mind but I immediately buried it in the back of my mind. 

There was no way that he would do that to me, right?

He said that they were going to talk, so, they were just talking! 

Would I be too surprised if they were doing something more? My sister never really cared about my feelings. She would do anything she could to take whatever I had, it was a normal thing to her. It had been for as long as I could remember, it felt as if we were in some sort of competition 

To say that I hated her with every fiber of my being was a huge understatement.

Now I just wish that she would stay away from my husband.

It would have been better for us until an unfamiliar feeling engulfed me and threatened to knock me off my feet.