Alpha King's Fake Mate Wants Out

---- Chapter 7 Ethan's retaliation was swift. Barely an hour later, everyone in the palace received an order-a grand gala would be held tonight to welcome Nora. A maid arrived at my door with a stunning gown, her gaze full of pity. "Ms. Mueller, Alpha King... insists that you attend in your finest attire." My finest attire? To attend my husband's and my sister's engagement party? T looked at my reflection in the mirror and forced a bitter smile. Wasn't this exactly what I wanted? My plan to break the mate bond was almost complete. I should have been thrilled.

I should have been popping champagne. But why... As I stared at the gorgeous gown, a leaden weight settled in my chest, making every breath feel like a desperate struggle. The euphoria of freedom was gone, replaced by an ache I couldn't put into words, 'The ballroom was a sea of glittering lights, yet the air was stifling. Ethan sat at the head of the table. He had changed into black formal wear, his collar slightly open to reveal his collarbone. His handsome face had no expression whatsoever, and he radiated a low-pressure chill that kept everyone at a distance.

---- Erom the moment I stepped into the hall, his gaze locked onto me. It was dark and searching and carried a flicker of something I couldn't quite decipher. Was that expectation? What was he expecting? For me to cause a scene? I took a deep breath, linked my arm with Nora's, and pasted on a perfect, polite smile. To make him give up on me, I had to play the part of the woman who didn't love him to the very end. "Welcome home, Nora," I said. Iraised my glass, offering a distant toast to Ethan at the head of the table.

"And congratulations, Ethan, on finally getting your fated mate back." The goblet in his hand buckled under his grip. He was furious that I genuinely didn't seem to care. suddenly, the heavy doors burst open. A human man in a leather jacket stormed in, his face contorted with rage. It was Reynold! He had returned to get Nora back. "Reynold?" Nora gasped, instinctively moving toward him. "Don't move," Ethan said coldly. He didn't move an inch from his throne, but the sheer weight of his Alpha King pressure flooded the room.

"Who allowed this human inside?" "Don't you use that Alpha King bullshit on me!" Reynold, clearly possessing no survival instinct, pointed a finger ---- directly at Ethan and shouted, "Ethan Klein! You selfish bastard! By what right do you lock Nora up? She's a person, not your property!" "she's my fated mate," Ethan stated flatly. "To hell with fate!" Reynold's eyes were bloodshot as he closed the distance. "Nora loves me! What can you give her besides a fancy cage? "How dare you?" The werewolf guards bared their claws, ready to lunge. stop!

Don't hurt him!" Nora shrieked as she threw herself in front of Reynold. Chaos erupted. I stood on the periphery, watching the scene with a heavy heart. Look, Ethan. Reynold was just a human, yet he was brave enough to storm a werewolf's palace for love. Ethan's feelings for me were nothing more than possessiveness and a refusal to lose. Then, disaster struck. Above the hall, the massive crystal chandelier let out a sickening screech of snapping metal. Thousands of pounds of glass and steel plummeted toward the floor, aiming directly at Nora and Reynold. "Watch out!" I screamed.

In that split second, Ethan's face went pale. "Nora!" The instinct of the fated bond took over. His body moved faster than his mind could process. He became a blur as he lunged forward. At that moment, my world slowed down. I watched him sprint ---- toward Nora with a look of desperation I'd never seen before. As expected, the body wouldn't lie in a life-or-death moment. Duty and the so-called mate bond meant nothing compared to the safety of his fated mate. But just as he was about to reach Nora, it was as if an invisible force yanked on the reins of a runaway horse.

He skidded to a dead halt. With aloud boom, the chandelier shattered against the floor, sending shards of glass flying everywhere. "Nora!" I ran forward. As the dust settled, I saw Reynold, covered in gray ash and debris, shielding Nora beneath his body amidst the wreckage. In the final second before the chandelier struck, it was this human man who lunged with everything he had to tackle Nora to the ground. He took the brunt of the flying shards with his back, but a jagged piece of glass ripped through his arm, leaving a gash so deep the bone was visible. "Reynold!

You're bleeding..." Nora sobbed hysterically. Ignoring his own pain, Reynold shoved away the guards who tried to help him. He pointed a finger at the unscathed Ethan, who stood several feet away, and roared, "See that, Ethan? This is your so- called fated bond? "when danger came, you didn't even move as fast as I did! You don't love her! You're the Alpha King, yet you couldn't keep her safe! You don't deserve her!" Ethan stood frozen, his face ashen. His fists were clenched so tight his knuckles were white, but he didn't argue. He looked at me, and I looked back at him with suspicion.

'An Alpha King's speed should far surpass that of a human. ---- Why did he stop just now?