Chapter 1 Third wheel

(Jasmine's POV)

My hand quivered uncontrollably as I clutched my husband's phone. Its screen showed a naked photo sent by an unknown number: a woman wearing only one piece of underwear, her chest towering high and her cleavage exposed. Naked.

But that wasn't the part that shocked me the most. My gaze fell on the embroidery on her underwear—it had my name and his on it. I looked more closely to confirm my suspicion.

It was the same lingerie couple set I bought that Logan, my husband had supposedly misplaced during a business trip. The same one I had picked out specifically for a special occasion. I was so certain because it was custom-made for us, with our initials embroidered on it: J & L.

My mouth hung open, and I hadn't even realized how much my tears had spilled until I felt them on my chin.

I zoomed in to try to find out why this woman looked oddly familiar, and then a crescent-shaped mole on the woman’s cleavage hit me like lightning. My stomach twisted. Only one person I knew had such — Samantha, my best friend.

Every detail pointed to her, from her freshly painted white nails to the leg chains she always wore.

How could it be? They don't even know each other in person. When did they meet? Countless questions in my head squeezed my reasoning tightly.

Just then, Logan's car horn blared repeatedly, yanking me out of my spiraling thoughts. Hastily, I wiped my tears and adjusted my hair, composing myself. He was signaling for his phone; it was one of those days he forgot it in his morning rush to leave for work, a habit of his.

As I handed it to him, I swallowed the bile rising in my throat. I couldn't even look him in the eyes because my eyes would betray the turmoil brewing inside of me.

My stomach churned with anguish, yet I had no idea how to react. I wanted to unleash my fury, scream at him, and throw the phone in his face. But my remaining sanity told me that I had to find more favorable evidence to put myself in a favorable position.

I bit back my emotions to prevent an angry outburst and played along, saving my rebellion for later.

"Thanks, babe. Love you," he said casually, taking the phone and driving off without so much as a second glance. He didn't even wait for my response as usual, just a casual dismissal. His recent change in attitude was beginning to make sense now.

As a devoted warrior-ranked member of the Gold Crescent pack, I had pledged to uphold my trust and loyalty to the love of my life, Logan, with every fiber of my being. Never have I doubted his loyalty to the very foundation of our mate bond.

I was well aware that he was a jealous lover who had once engaged in a fight with one of my admirers long before our mating, nearly giving him an irreparable mark, but cheating? Never have I given room for such what-ifs. How would I have known that Logan ’s devotion to our bond didn't mirror mine?

I watched his car disappear, my fists clenched tightly at my sides.

Logan, the revered CEO of Prime Company of Gold Crescent Pack, had just stomped on our bond as if it meant nothing. I scoffed in disbelief.

Despite my potential of graduating with honors, topping my class, and being the best student in most of the tough-placed courses, including kickboxing, I had thrown it all away to be a full-time housewife, just to support and please Logan .

I became the woman he wanted, not the woman I dreamed of being. I had been naive. No, foolish.

My heart burned with a raging fire that no ice could extinguish. Fresh tears threatened to spill, but I held them back. I was done crying. I would not continue to be a doormat.

They had done enough already.

And Samantha? Her betrayal cut even deeper knowing she was the one helping him destroy the mate bond. She knew the pack's rules: "Disrespecting a mate bond is punishable by exile," yet she risked it all.

Or was Logan confident because his uncle, the new Alpha of our pack, would protect him? Whatever the case, I couldn't take it anymore.

Locking the door behind me, I retrieved my phone from the TV console and sat on the floor, scrolling through my contacts. My fingers hovered over a name: Rose, a lawyer and my close friend from way back in college.

I gulped, anxiety clawing at my chest. Could I really do this? My hands shook as I typed out the email body: After much reflection, I have come to the difficult decision to request a divorce from Logan. I need help with the papers as fast as the speed of light. I hit send.

After this, an idea hit me and I immediately knew what to do next. I had to get a clear evidence that Logan was an ungrateful mate, disrespectful and disloyal to the mate bond.

Without further ado, I dialed Samantha's phone number. Her high-pitched voice cut through the phone. I invited her over for dinner, explaining that it was a chance for her to meet my husband in person. And as my “best friend,” it wasn’t right that she had never met my mate ever since she came back to Strattletown. As I expected, she accepted the invitation without hesitation.

I scoffed bitterly. Tonight was the night I would see them for who they truly were.

A few hours later, Logan arrived home. “Hey, babe. What’s the occasion?” he asked, tossing off his shoes. I told him I’d invited Samantha over for dinner, a chance for him to meet my best friend in person.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” he asked, noticing my tense demeanor. I shrugged it off, claiming I was just tired. His jaw clenched in frustration, but he dropped the subject. He will find out in no distant time that I’ve discovered the skeleton in his cupboard.

Soon, the doorbell rang, signaling Samantha’s arrival.

I opened the door to find her dressed in a skimpy outfit, her breasts almost spilling out of her dress. A fake smile plastered her face, unaware that I had discovered who she truly was—a viper disguised as a friend. It took everything in me to reciprocate her cheerful demeanor, forcing a polite smile as I ushered her in.

We were already seated for dinner when I introduced them to each other. I watched them act like they’ve never met each other, thinking they were fooling me. But they didn’t realize I caught their stolen glances and shared smirks.

Desperation danced in Samantha’s eyes as I noticed a subtle movement from Logan. His body stiffened while his eyes clouded with lust. A clandestine glance under the table confirmed my suspicions; her foot was extended, resting firmly on his groin. It was an unmistakable sign of their intimacy.

Clearing my throat, I forced a brittle smile. “Hope you’re enjoying dinner,” I said, barely containing the rage boiling inside me. I felt my control slipping, as though I might lose it at any moment.

I excused myself to the kitchen, under the pretense that I had to check on something. I couldn't believe what was happening right under my nose. In the kitchen, I pulled out my phone and quickly checked the surveillance monitoring app on it.

My heart dropped as I saw Samantha leaning closer to Logan and slipping something into my wine. This was unforgivable. To what extent did they want to go just for a few seconds of stolen pleasure? I was disgusted. I strained my eyes to confirm the tablets in her hands —they were sleeping pills. Logan smirked at her mischievous action, giving her a thumbs-up.

I returned to the table, apologizing for the delay, picked up the wine glass and pretended to take a few sips. Samantha continued to chatter as usual, obviously more interested in keeping her secret lover engaged.

Later, as we moved to the living room, I wobbled on my feet, feigning dizziness.

“Take it easy, babe. You might need to rest. Probably stress from preparing the sumptuous meal,” Logan said, holding my arm tightly as though he cared.

“Yeah… the room is spinning. I must be so tired,” I slurred, wrapping my arms around his neck as I played along.

He quickly guided me to the closest bedroom, the guest room close by. After tucking me in, he slammed the door behind him.

But they weren’t aware that I had outsmarted them, I could hear their excitement.

Moments later, I heard muffled moans and grunts—they were already having sex. A harsh reminder that their affair wasn’t just a mistake. My stomach twisted as bile rose in my throat, but I swallowed it down.

Navigating to my surveillance app, I hit the record button. I rarely checked the monitoring app, often forgetting I even had it installed, but desperate times called for drastic measures.

My wolf stirred, trying to take control, but I refused to let her. I couldn’t take it anymore, couldn’t watch them lust over each other aggressively. I turned off the phone, disgusted by their betrayal.

Goosebumps spread across my skin as tears burned my eyes. My stomach churned with agony, but I had to steady my nerves and think more clearly.

Logan wasn’t worthy of my love. I should have left the first time I saw a red flag, but I stayed. I stayed through his late nights, his lies, the suspicious phone calls, and even the female belongings I found in his car. He had his smart ways of concealing his deception. I was too blinded by my loyalty to him, hence why I have stayed in the dark for too long, being the perfect wife in a perfect marriage. But not anymore. My love was so meaningless to him that betraying me required no second thought.

Clutching the pillow tightly, I muffled my sobs. Tonight, I mourned the life I lost. But as the tears dried, a new determination rushed through me.

Tomorrow, it will all be over. I will make Logan sign the divorce papers to sever all ties with him. He will have no choice but to. I had enough evidence to prove that he has brought nothing but shame to our marriage bond, a bond that our pack held sacred.

I will never forgive him for the pain he has brought to me; I must reclaim the life he took away from me.