Third POV

Ashley’s hands shook as she fumbled with her phone, nearly dropping her shopping bags in the process. Nigel’s number was the first on her speed dial.

“Pick up, pick up,” she muttered, pacing in front of the boutique.

The call went to voicemail.

She tried again. Same result.

By the time she reached her car, panic had given way to rage. She threw her shopping bags into the backseat with enough force to crush whatever was inside.

The drive home passed in a blur of angry thoughts and half-formed accusations. How dare Estelle make those insinuations? And why wasn’t Nigel answering his phone?

She pulled into the driveway just as Nigel’s car appeared around the corner. He parked behind her, and she watched him through her rearview mirror as he gathered his briefcase and jacket.

He looked tired. His usually perfect hair was disheveled, and the first three buttons of his shirt were undone.

Ashley stormed out of her car and intercepted him before he reached the front door.

“Where have you been?” she demanded.

Nigel blinked in surprise. “At work. Where else would I be?”

“Don’t lie to me.” Ashley’s voice rose despite being in full view of their neighbors. “I know about your little meetings with Estelle.”

“What meetings?” Nigel looked genuinely confused. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling heavily. “Ashley, look, I’m really tired. If this isn’t anything urgent, can we talk about this tomorrow—”

“The late-night strategy sessions,” she spat. “You and Estelle have been working very closely together.”

Recognition dawned on Nigel’s face. “You mean the border security committee? Ashley, there are five of us on that committee. It’s not—”

“Stop lying!”

Nigel’s expression hardened. “I’m not lying. And I don’t appreciate being attacked the moment I get home from work.”

“Oh, you don’t appreciate it?” Ashley’s voice cracked with hysteria. “I don’t appreciate my husband sneaking around with that manipulative witch!”

“I’m not sneaking around with anyone!” Nigel’s patience finally snapped. “I’m trying to do my job and provide for our family. These accusations are insane.”

“Insane?” Ashley laughed bitterly. “She practically admitted to seducing you right there on the street. She was bragging about how closely you two work together.”

Nigel rubbed his temples. “Ashley, please. I’ve had a fourteen-hour day, I’m exhausted, and the last thing I want to deal with is paranoid fantasies about—”

The slap echoed across the quiet neighborhood like a gunshot.

Nigel’s head snapped to the side, his cheek immediately reddening from the impact. He stood frozen for a moment, his hand slowly rising to touch the stinging skin.

When he turned back to look at his mate, his eyes held something Ashley had never seen before.

Cold fury.

“You just hit me,” he said quietly.

“You’re cheating on me!” Ashley screamed, tears streaming down her face. “With her! With that pathetic excuse for a Luna!”

“I am not cheating!” Nigel roared, his composure finally breaking. “You want to know what I think? You’re obsessed with Estelle! You’re so consumed with jealousy that you can’t see straight!”

“Don’t you dare turn this around on me!”

“Look at yourself!” Nigel gestured wildly. “Look at what you’ve become! All you do is shop and complain while I work myself to death trying to support this family!”

Ashley’s face went white. “How can you say that to me?”

“Because it’s true!” Nigel’s voice cracked with exhaustion and frustration. “Do you know what Estelle does? She runs pack meetings. She handles crisis situations. She makes decisions that affect hundreds of lives. And what do you do? You spend my money on designer clothes and then accuse me of having an affair!”

“She’s not better than me!”

“Isn’t she?” Nigel’s words cut like ice. “When was the last time you contributed anything meaningful to this pack? When did you last help with pack business instead of leaving everything to your mother and me?”

Ashley gasped as if he’d physically struck her. “I just gave birth to your children!”

“Three days ago! And you were shopping today!” Nigel’s face was flushed with anger. “Estelle works sixteen-hour days managing pack affairs while recovering from injuries. You can’t even take care of our own children without hiring help!”

“You bastard!” Ashley launched herself at him, nails extended. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Nigel caught her wrists easily. “Stop it! The neighbors can see—”

“Let them see!” Ashley struggled against his grip. “Let them see what kind of mate you really are!”

“What’s going on here?”

Jessie’s sharp voice cut through their fighting. She hurried across the lawn from the main house, her face tight with concern and embarrassment.

“Mom!” Ashley broke free from Nigel’s grip and rushed toward her mother. “He’s cheating on me! He admitted it!”

“I didn’t admit anything!” Nigel shouted. “She’s completely lost her mind!”

Jessie looked between her daughter and son-in-law with growing alarm. Pack members were starting to gather at their windows and doors, drawn by the commotion.

“Both of you, inside. Now.” Jessie’s voice brooked no argument.

“I’m not going anywhere with him!” Ashley sobbed. “He loves her more than me!”

“Ashley, please—” Nigel tried to approach her, but she backed away.

“Don’t touch me! Don’t you ever touch me again!”

Jessie grabbed Ashley’s arm firmly. “Enough. This is not the place for this discussion.”

“I want a divorce,” Ashley declared, her voice carrying across the yard. “I want him out of my life!”

Several pack members had now emerged from their homes, watching the drama unfold with barely concealed curiosity and judgment.

Nigel’s face went ashen. “Ashley, you don’t mean that.”

“I do mean it!” She turned to face him fully, her eyes wild with tears and rage. “I mean every word! I’m done pretending we have a marriage when your heart belongs to someone else!”

“My heart doesn’t—”

“LIAR!” Ashley’s scream was so shrill that several people flinched.

“That’s enough!” Jessie’s voice cracked like a whip. “Nigel, go inside. Now. Cool off.”

Nigel looked like he wanted to argue, but the growing crowd of onlookers made him think better of it. He shot one last frustrated glance at his mate before stalking toward the house.

The front door slammed behind him with enough force to rattle the windows.

Ashley collapsed against her mother, sobbing uncontrollably. “He hates me, Mom. He thinks she’s better than me in every way.”

“Shh, sweetheart.” Jessie stroked her daughter’s hair while shooting warning glares at the neighboring pack members. “Let’s get you inside.”

“I can’t... I can’t breathe.” Ashley’s breathing became rapid and shallow. “Everything’s spinning.”

“Ashley?” Jessie’s voice sharpened with concern. “Ashley, look at me.”

But Ashley’s eyes were rolling back, her legs buckling beneath her.

“Someone call a healer!” Jessie shouted as she struggled to support her daughter’s weight. “Now!”

Ashley hit the ground hard, her body convulsing slightly before going completely limp.

***

Asher scrolled through his phone, frowning at the empty message thread with Estelle’s name at the top. Usually, she sent him updates throughout the day. Small things about pack business or Finn’s activities.

But for the past three days, silence.

He’d been too busy with pack meetings and territory negotiations to think much about it, but now the quiet felt strange. Estelle was many things, but she wasn’t one to ignore her responsibilities.

Maybe she was still upset about the Luna ceremony preparations. He’d been meaning to discuss that with her, but every time he brought up pack traditions, she found an excuse to change the subject.

His phone buzzed with an incoming call.

“Mom?”

“Asher.” Jessie’s voice was strained. “You need to come to the hospital. It’s Ashley.”

Asher sat up straighter. “What happened? Is she okay?”

“She collapsed. The doctors are with her now, but...” Jessie’s voice broke slightly. “She and Nigel had a terrible fight. She fainted right in front of half the pack.”

“A fight about what?”

There was a long pause before Jessie answered.

“About Estelle.”

Asher frowned. “What about Estelle?”

“She has gone out of control!”