Chapter 2 · Replace My Cheating Beast Mate

I couldn't help but cry.

Grace, the attendant at the Beast Mate Center, gently handed me a tissue.

She said, "Ms. Summers, please don't be sad. Because of a technical glitch, there's a 1% chance that beast mates of the last generation might cheat or transfer their affection.

"That's our mistake. Don't worry. We'll upgrade you to the newest, top-tier beast mate for free. Satisfaction guaranteed."

Top-tier beast mates cost over hundreds of thousands of dollars.

When I bought Patrice, I'd just graduated.

I only had 60 thousand dollars, which was barely enough for a mid-tier beast mate.

Patrice was a top-tier beast mate. He was gorgeous and had a killer body, but his personality was a bit of a mess.

Getting him for 60 thousand dollars was a total fluke.

Grace led me to the top-tier beast mate section and introduced me to Kael Noble.

She explained, "Ms. Summers, Kael is our newest generation of top-tier beast mate.

"He's really easygoing, incredibly gentle, and always puts his owner first. Most importantly, he's absolutely loyal."

Loyalty? That was all I ever wanted.

I longed to be someone's irreplaceable, to be loved like I was the only one in their world.

Too bad Kael got injured rescuing someone a few days back, and he was still healing up.

I couldn't help but frown.

Grace passed me Kael's profile and started explaining, "Ms. Summers, rest assured. Kael's a genuinely kind guy. He loves helping others, but once he's bonded to you, you'll always be his top priority.

"No one will ever outrank you in his eyes. He'll put you first in everything.

"And Kael is fiercely protective. If anyone tries to mess with you, he won't let them get away with it."

I stared at the handsome face in the profile and felt a strange tug in my chest.

He looked somehow familiar.

Grace promised again and again that Kael wouldn't let me down.

He was the most obedient and loyal out of all the top-tier beast mates.

I glanced at the profile. His loyalty was listed as 100%.

Patrice only had 70% loyalty when I got him.

I pressed my lips together, making up my mind.

"Alright, I want him," I said.

*****

Kael would need a week to recover from his injuries.

As soon as I got home, I saw Patrice and Sophie sitting on the couch, both glaring at me with obvious hostility.

Sophie looked me up and down, then glanced at the kitchen, now blackened from the fire.

She scoffed, her eyes full of disgust.

She sneered, "Emma, come on, even if you're pissed, you can't burn the whole house down.

"Look at this place. It's a total wreck. How's Patrice supposed to live in this dump? You want him to sleep on the street with you or what?

"A loser like you doesn't even deserve to form a mate bond with Patrice."

She held her head high, chin lifted, as arrogant as ever.

She definitely had the right to be proud.

She was beautiful, with fair skin and a perfect figure.

Everyone who met her wanted to spoil her.

Our parents did, and so did Patrice.

And now, I slipped up and my phone hit the floor.

She clapped a hand over her mouth, acting all shocked.

"Emma, why are you dropping your phone? You're so broke. Can you even afford a new phone?" she sneered.

I pressed my lips together and was about to explain.

But Patrice cut me off, looking visibly impatient. "Emma, apologize to Sophie.

"She's right. You're broke. It's your lucky day I'm even willing to stick around.

"You treat me like crap, so what right do you have to be mad? Hurry up and apologize, or don't blame me if I blow up."

His fluffy wolf tail thumped against the floor again and again.

He was silently pressuring me.

He was always like this, always taking Sophie's side.

Like last time, when Sophie accidentally fell into the pool, he assumed I was jealous of her figure and pushed her on purpose.

Sophie didn't even bother to explain. She pursed her lips, looking like the world had done her wrong.

I was always a pushover, used to taking whatever comes my way.

This time was no different.

I kept my head down and mumbled, "Sorry."

Sophie walked over and picked up my phone from the floor.

"Oh, Emma, it's fine. I'm generous. I forgive you," she said.

As she spoke, whether she meant to or not, her hand slipped.

The phone crashed hard onto the floor.

With a sharp crack, the screen shattered.

I picked up my phone, my heart aching, and I couldn't help but let my voice go cold. "Sophie, what the hell are you doing?"

That one sentence was all it took to set Patrice off.

He shoved me to the ground and pulled Sophie behind him.

"Emma, why are you yelling at her? It's a stupid phone," he snapped.

"It's so old and beat up, even an eighty-year-old wouldn't want it. Why are you making such a fuss?"

He pushed me down, and my palm landed right on the shattered screen.

Blood spilled everywhere, but he acted like I was invisible, wrapped his arm around Sophie and walked out.

"You should stay here and think about what you've done," he said coldly.

"When you finally realize your mistakes, I'll come back. And maybe then I'll think about the mate bond."

The front door slammed shut behind them.

My chest tightened, and I could barely breathe.

Chapter 2

I couldn't help but cry.

Grace, the attendant at the Beast Mate Center, gently handed me a tissue.

She said, "Ms. Summers, please don't be sad. Because of a technical glitch, there's a 1% chance that beast mates of the last generation might cheat or transfer their affection.

"That's our mistake. Don't worry. We'll upgrade you to the newest, top-tier beast mate for free. Satisfaction guaranteed."

Top-tier beast mates cost over hundreds of thousands of dollars.

When I bought Patrice, I'd just graduated.

I only had 60 thousand dollars, which was barely enough for a mid-tier beast mate.

Patrice was a top-tier beast mate. He was gorgeous and had a killer body, but his personality was a bit of a mess.

Getting him for 60 thousand dollars was a total fluke.

Grace led me to the top-tier beast mate section and introduced me to Kael Noble.

She explained, "Ms. Summers, Kael is our newest generation of top-tier beast mate.

"He's really easygoing, incredibly gentle, and always puts his owner first. Most importantly, he's absolutely loyal."

Loyalty? That was all I ever wanted.

I longed to be someone's irreplaceable, to be loved like I was the only one in their world.

Too bad Kael got injured rescuing someone a few days back, and he was still healing up.

I couldn't help but frown.

"No one will ever outrank you in his eyes. He'll put you first in everything.

"And Kael is fiercely protective. If anyone tries to mess with you, he won't let them get away with it."

I stared at the handsome face in the profile and felt a strange tug in my chest.

He looked somehow familiar.

Grace promised again and again that Kael wouldn't let me down.

He was the most obedient and loyal out of all the top-tier beast mates.

I glanced at the profile. His loyalty was listed as 100%.

Patrice only had 70% loyalty when I got him.

I pressed my lips together, making up my mind.

"Alright, I want him," I said.

*****

Kael would need a week to recover from his injuries.

As soon as I got home, I saw Patrice and Sophie sitting on the couch, both glaring at me with obvious hostility.

Sophie looked me up and down, then glanced at the kitchen, now blackened from the fire.

She scoffed, her eyes full of disgust.

She sneered, "Emma, come on, even if you're pissed, you can't burn the whole house down.

"Look at this place. It's a total wreck. How's Patrice supposed to live in this dump? You want him to sleep on the street with you or what?

"A loser like you doesn't even deserve to form a mate bond with Patrice."

She held her head high, chin lifted, as arrogant as ever.

She definitely had the right to be proud.

She was beautiful, with fair skin and a perfect figure.

Everyone who met her wanted to spoil her.

Our parents did, and so did Patrice.

And now, I slipped up and my phone hit the floor.

She clapped a hand over her mouth, acting all shocked.

"Emma, why are you dropping your phone? You're so broke. Can you even afford a new phone?" she sneered.

I pressed my lips together and was about to explain.

But Patrice cut me off, looking visibly impatient. "Emma, apologize to Sophie.

"She's right. You're broke. It's your lucky day I'm even willing to stick around.

"You treat me like crap, so what right do you have to be mad? Hurry up and apologize, or don't blame me if I blow up."

His fluffy wolf tail thumped against the floor again and again.

He was silently pressuring me.

He was always like this, always taking Sophie's side.

Like last time, when Sophie accidentally fell into the pool, he assumed I was jealous of her figure and pushed her on purpose.

Sophie didn't even bother to explain. She pursed her lips, looking like the world had done her wrong.

I was always a pushover, used to taking whatever comes my way.

This time was no different.

I kept my head down and mumbled, "Sorry."

Sophie walked over and picked up my phone from the floor.

"Oh, Emma, it's fine. I'm generous. I forgive you," she said.

As she spoke, whether she meant to or not, her hand slipped.

The phone crashed hard onto the floor.

With a sharp crack, the screen shattered.

I picked up my phone, my heart aching, and I couldn't help but let my voice go cold. "Sophie, what the hell are you doing?"

That one sentence was all it took to set Patrice off.

He shoved me to the ground and pulled Sophie behind him.

"Emma, why are you yelling at her? It's a stupid phone," he snapped.

"It's so old and beat up, even an eighty-year-old wouldn't want it. Why are you making such a fuss?"

He pushed me down, and my palm landed right on the shattered screen.

Blood spilled everywhere, but he acted like I was invisible, wrapped his arm around Sophie and walked out.

"You should stay here and think about what you've done," he said coldly.

"When you finally realize your mistakes, I'll come back. And maybe then I'll think about the mate bond."

The front door slammed shut behind them.

My chest tightened, and I could barely breathe.