When My Ex-Mate Faked Our Bond

I gripped the hilt of my blade, knuckles white as I stepped into the moonlit clearing—the same ground where my father had cast me out as wolfless. The Black Moon Pack gathered, their faces twisted in equal parts awe and dread. On the platform, Alpha Alaric Quinn—my father—stood trembling, flanked by my brother, Caleb, and Lauren, whose Luna crown gleamed with stolen glory. My heart hammered, fury and grief colliding in my chest as I watched Lauren entwine her fingers with Marcus—my former mate. "She’s supposed to be dead," Caleb hissed, barely masking his fear. Lauren’s lips curled into a mocking smile. "Wolfless Alpha? What a fantasy." "Enough," I growled, letting my Alpha aura crackle through the crowd. Omegas dropped to their knees, but Lauren only sneered. Just then, Ethan Grant—the Silverfang Alpha and my fated mate—strode out of the shadows, his pine-and-earth scent cutting through the venom in the air. "Charlotte Quinn returns not as your daughter, but as the Alpha of Midnight Creed," he announced, his voice slicing through the silence. My breath caught as Ethan moved beside me, our scents merging in a way that electrified the entire pack. Lauren’s eyes widened, her composure shattering as the healers approached, bearing mate bond essences. The verdict rang out: "No true bond detected." Marcus recoiled from Lauren, horror etched across his face. My fists clenched, nails digging into my palms as my father’s mask of authority crumbled. With the pack in chaos and Ethan’s silver gaze burning into me, I realized the lies that had destroyed me were finally unraveling—and my vengeance had only just begun.