Chapter 1 Do You Want to See the New Lingerie You Bought Me

Liora's POV I sat on the edge of the bed with a book called "Planning for Pregnancy" open in my lap. Ethan Doyle and I had decided we wanted a pup, and we had been trying for four months. To give us the best chance, I had circled the fertile days on the calendar around my ovulation window. Lately, our intimacy hadn't been as frequent. Ethan was always on duty, so I felt like I had to plan every opportunity we had to be together. "Traditional positions may offer a slight advantage because gravity can help. Some healer recommendations suggest lying flat for 5 to 15 minutes afterward to support the sperm's movement," the book said. My cheeks warmed as I skimmed those pages, and my pulse picked up. With my hearing, I could track the sound of Ethan in the shower. My mouth went dry, my heartbeat kicked up, and I took a long drink of cold water until the heat in my face finally eased. We had been married three years. We weren't fated mates, but we loved each other. Ethan had married me over his family's objections, and our married life had been sweet. He was a considerate and thoughtful husband. Even when he was busy, he took care of me and looked after my family. We had been together eight years and had never had a real fight. Things in bed had been good, too. Ethan liked to keep it playful, and he had always seemed a little obsessed with me. Just then, his phone buzzed on the table. Was that an emergency? A patrol alert? Ethan hadn't been home in a month. As a warrior of the Frostmane pack, he led a patrol team and was constantly on the move. People said he was this busy because the Gamma seat was open and he was aiming for it. If he became Gamma, he could work at the pack house, spend more time at home, and finally leave life on the road behind. His uncle, Kieran Doyle, had defeated all challengers this year and become the new Alpha of Frostmane pack. If Ethan rose to Gamma, he could help his uncle handle pack business. I glanced at his phone, worry tugging at me. What if he missed something important? If it mattered, I could call out to him right away. We didn't keep secrets. We knew each other's passcodes. So, I picked up his phone and unlocked it. The moment I read the message, a tightness gripped my chest, stealing the air from me. It was a message from Olivia. "I'm wearing the new lingerie you bought me. Ethan, want to see for yourself? Come to our usual hotel. Tonight's going to be unforgettable." A selfie followed. The black lace lingerie barely covered anything. It looked too small for her boobs, and the whole thing left very little to the imagination. She puckered at the camera like she was blowing Ethan a kiss. My mind went blank. The message turned my whole body to stone. After what felt like forever had passed, I finally moved. I scrolled up and saw nothing but work chatter. Only then did my heartbeat crawl back into my chest. Had she sent it to the wrong person? I let out a sigh of relief. Maybe her boyfriend's name was Ethan too. Or maybe... "Lio, I'm out of the shower. Want to come check?" Ethan's voice came from behind me. He wrapped his arms around me from the back. His chest was warm against my back, his palm slid over my waist, and his damp hair brushed the side of my neck. I didn't turn to kiss him like I usually did. I took two steps forward to slip out of his hold. That message felt like a grenade. I still hadn't recovered. But Ethan didn't let go. His hands stayed at my waist. He licked my ear, and his whisper made them burn red. Heat surged through me on instinct, my knees buckling as I leaned into his chest. My breath came uneven, and so did his. His warm breath brushed my ear, sending goosebumps down my arms. "Do you want me on the bed or the couch tonight?" he whispered. I turned to face him, searching his expression for anything suspicious. His light brown eyes were already burning with desire. His grip on my waist tightened, and a gentle pull sent me stumbling into him. He dipped his head for a kiss, but I turned my face away. "Lio?" He froze at my rejection. Confusion clouded his eyes, as if he couldn't understand what was wrong with me. Every time he did something wrong, he would give me that same look, like a stray dog lost in the rain. It had worked on me before. But this time, I couldn't get that photo out of my head. If it meant what I thought, then he had cheated on me and broken our vows. I hardened my heart and shoved his arms off me. A red mark flared on his forearm. I swallowed the instinct to apologize, forced myself not to care, and held the phone up to his face. I took a deep breath and kept my tone even. "I need a real explanation, Ethan." I stared at him intently, watching every shift in his expression, though I wasn't sure what answer I was hoping to find. He only looked baffled until his gaze dropped to the screen. His brows furrowed, and his face went taut. He took the phone, tapped call, and lifted it to his ear. The contact name on the screen was Olivia.