Chapter 2

I stood up, not wanting to hear another word of this disgusting conversation.

Seeing that I was about to leave, Eric quickly got up as well, signing anxiously. He was asking what was wrong.

I shook my head. "I'm tired. I want to go home and rest."

Without waiting for his response, I walked straight out of the private room.

As soon as I stepped out of the banquet hall, I saw the plaza used for the Kalmoor Pack's rituals. Right in the center, Eric had arranged candles to spell out, "Alison, marry me!"

Passersby who saw it let out envious gasps.

"Oh my god, I heard that the Alpha's mate is deaf, so he planned this whole proposal just for her."

"Mr. Winslowe must really love his mate. He's definitely going to be a great husband after they get married."

I smiled bitterly. I would have reacted the same way—convinced of Eric's love, believing he would be a good husband.

I was an orphan. When I was a child, I wandered from place to place, and the beatings and abuse from cruel people left me permanently deaf.

Because of that, I was always on guard around strangers, never opening my heart to anyone.

When I turned 18, the Moon Goddess revealed that Eric and I were fated to be mates. That very day, Eric fell in love with me at first sight.

"I don't think someone like me is worthy of marrying the Alpha of the Kalmoor Pack."

No matter how many times he confessed to me, I rejected him every time.

Then, an earthquake struck, and he shielded me with his body without hesitation. Even as falling rocks hit him in the head, he never let go of his protective embrace.

When the pack's healer finally revived him, he was so weak he could hardly move, yet he still signed to me. "As long as you're safe, that's all that matters."

That was when I found out he had spent three whole months learning sign language, just so he could communicate with me better.

The walls around my heart slowly crumbled, and I agreed to be his mate.

After we got together, he remained just as loving as before. And when I had completely fallen for him, he promised to give me the grand wedding of my dreams—one that would make everyone jealous.

I wanted to hear Eric say "I do" with my own ears at our wedding.

So, without telling him, I secretly sought out the healer and underwent half a month of treatment.

But the first thing I heard wasn't a confession of love from him.

"Alpha, no… I can't anymore…"

It was the sound of Eric and Camilla Johnson—the maid—tangled up in the bed right in the room next to mine.

That was when I realized he had been with her all along, hiding their affair from me.

No wonder he always told me that my chances of regaining my hearing were slim. I thought he was just worried I'd be devastated if the treatment failed.

But now I knew, he just wanted to keep their year-long affair a secret.

Even with our wedding approaching, he never had any intention of ending things with her.

I grabbed a watering can from the roadside and dumped it over the candles, drenching them all at once.

Cold droplets splashed onto my face, and my mind became even clearer.

I would show Eric the truth. Lies would always be exposed in the end.

And I would never tolerate liars.