Charlotte didn't know what to say to Teddy. Truly, Jack was her mate. She perceived him as her real mate the moment she inhaled that sweet, smoky scent that was like coffee.
She wanted to drink him in and have him, but he was her husband's elder brother. She couldn't boldly acknowledge the truth to Teddy. She was afraid of Teddy's reaction. He had been her husband for four years, and he would beat her mercilessly if she dared to tell him the truth—that Jack Hudson was her mate.
While Charlotte was lost in her thoughts, contemplating what to tell Teddy, he moved away from the window and approached her.
"Answer me! Is my elder brother, Jack Hudson, your mate? Did you feel the mating bond with him that you had to grip him closely and kiss him too?" Teddy demanded as he finally approached Charlotte, startling her out of her wild thoughts.
"No..." Charlotte responded in a shaky voice, but Teddy didn't believe her.
"What do you mean by no? And why is your voice shaking? Do you think you can lie to me? You have no right to lie to me. Speak now! Unless you want me to discipline you for lying to your Alpha?" Teddy demanded as he stood beside Charlotte.
For the first time in their four years of marriage, her sweet lemonade scent wafted through his nostrils, and he inhaled it, feeling a bulge forming in his pants.
"Answer me! Can't you speak?" Teddy shouted at Charlotte again as he grasped her neck and pulled her close. He wanted to choke her again, but as his hands touched her neck, he pulled her closer and sealed his lips on hers, giving Charlotte the shock of her life.
Though it wasn't the first time Teddy had kissed her and she would desire him for more, this time Charlotte felt irritation and didn't try to kiss Teddy back.
This fueled Teddy's anger, as he remembered how Charlotte had held onto his elder brother and kissed him sweetly as if her life depended on it. But now, as he kissed her, she stood like a piece of wood, unmoving, while he kissed her soft lips alone.
Charlotte expected Teddy to be irritated and stop kissing her like he usually did, telling her that she wasn't his mate and he felt nothing for her. Instead, he continued kissing her lips, more passionately, and touching her in inappropriate areas.
Charlotte used all her strength, including the power of her wolf, to push Teddy away from kissing her. She felt like vomiting and dashed out of the room, running downstairs and away from Teddy's touch.
The way Teddy's hands had reached to caress her body and fondled one of her buttocks was unlike anything before. Teddy hadn't kissed her like that before, and Charlotte was still angry with him for ruining their anniversary night and bringing another woman into their home.
If he had paid more attention to her when he arrived, he would have seen that she was dressed sweetly and prettily just to welcome him. But he dared to mistreat her and flogged her in front of Anne Robert, his mate and assistant.
Sobbing, Charlotte went downstairs and saw the dining table she had prepared for Teddy and herself to enjoy their wedding anniversary night. The food she served was still covered, the candles had burnt out, and the wine bottles were still on the table.
Charlotte strolled to the dining table to sit and have her dinner, as she hadn't eaten even though it was midnight. She had waited for her husband's arrival, only to be insulted.
Wiping her tears away, Charlotte remembered how Jack had kissed her so differently—sweetly and passionately—and she wanted to have him bare in her arms, to feel his masculine body on her and to mate with him if Teddy hadn't interrupted them.
Smiling sadly, Charlotte uncorked the wine bottle, popped the champagne, and filled two glasses. She wanted to enjoy herself alone before going back to her bedroom to sleep.
Charlotte didn't want to share a bed with Teddy. Usually, Teddy didn't sleep in the master bedroom with her. But she saw him take Anne into the master bedroom and heard him mating with Anne.
Charlotte knew about the mating bond power in the Norfield pack. If a mate cheated on their other half, the mate would feel the pain, which was why Teddy had never mated with her—because Anne would feel pain. He avoided touching Charlotte for four years, but today, seeing his elder brother back, Charlotte was shocked at how passionately Teddy was kissing her and wanted to mate with her too, if she hadn't escaped his touch.
"What's wrong with Teddy? Does he think he can fool me?" Charlotte muttered as she sat at the dining table, drinking wine from her glass and eating the fried chicken.
Teddy hadn't removed the mind link with Charlotte, so he heard what she said as he stepped out of their bedroom, looking for her.
"I'm going to divorce Teddy tomorrow, whether he accepts it or not. I will never be his Luna or mate again," Charlotte said, feeling goosebumps on her back. Staring behind her at the flight of stairs in the dining room, Charlotte saw Teddy standing there shirtless, looking at her with rage.
She quickly looked away from him and focused on her dinner, feeling her heart pounding in her chest, and concentrated on finishing her food.
Teddy took the stairs and came downstairs to meet Charlotte. He was surprised to see the dining table set with red cloth, like a dinner date, with a candle stand, and Charlotte in her pink seductive nightdress. She looked more beautiful sitting there alone, drinking wine and eating fried chicken.
Teddy didn't say a word to Charlotte, knowing she was angry with him. She was his wife and had never done anything to wrong him, except for today when she kissed his older brother and pushed him away from mating with her.
Silently, Teddy strolled up to the dining table to join Charlotte, as he was hungry too, and he saw the love card on the table, which read, "Happy anniversary to us."
Teddy's hands trembled as he picked up the card and gazed at it. Charlotte had prepared all of this before his arrival, like the good wife she was to him. But he ignored it all, disrespected her, and brought his lover and mate to their home.