Alpha King's Fake Mate Wants Out

---- Chapter 9 Midnight struck. A new day had begun, but Ethan's words from earlier were still looping in my head. suddenly, the lock clicked open. Ethan walked in carrying a decanter of red wine, looking exhausted, 'The cold, intimidating pressure he usually wore had vanished, replaced by a heavy weariness "Have a drink with me," he said, pouring two glasses. His eyes were dark and unreadable. "Happy third anniversary, Freya." I froze. Was today the third anniversary of our mate bond? With all the recent drama, the date had completely slipped my mind.

"Let's talk after this drink," Ethan said. His voice was eerily soft as he looked at me. "We'll talk about what you want... about breaking our bond." Dissolving our bond? I took the glass, feeling suspicious. As I stared at the deep crimson liquid, a sharp sense of deja vu hit me. It seemed like every time a special occasion rolled around, he'd insist ona drink with me. And every time, I'd black out. I'd wake up the next morning feeling like my body had been shattered and pieced back together. My head would throb, the only thing left being hazy memories of frantic lovemaking.

Looking into Ethan's meaningful gaze now, I finally realized the ---- truth-the wine was spiked He wanted me to forget tonight, just like all the others, and be his mindless doll. Fine. If he wanted to play this game, I'd play along. I raised the glass and pretended to take along sip. A moment later, 1 let my hand flutter to my forehead. "Ethan, 1 feel dizzy..." Tet my body go limp, sagging backward. Ethan instantly caught me before I hit the bed. T closed my eyes and steadied my breathing, feigning a deep sleep. The room fell into a deathly silence.

After a long while, I felt the mattress sink beside me. Acalloused hand brushed against my cheek. 'The touch was trembling and tentative, as if he were reaching for something that might shatter at any moment. "T'm sorry..." A choked-back sob broke against my ear. 1 felt my heart jolt. Was Ethan... crying? "T'm so sorry I had to use this on you again." He buried his face in the crook of my neck. His tears were so hot they felt like they were scorching my skin.

His body trembled violently, yet he didn't dare to be too loud, Like a puppy abandoned by its owner on the roadside, he let out only faint, broken whimpers. "But Freya... I don't know what else to do. You asked me if I've ever given you anything but sex. You asked if I've ever even said I love you. ---- He gave a bitter laugh and tightened his arms around me, as if trying to press me into his very bones. "You little fool. I've said it... every single time you've drifted off. I've told you I love you a thousand times. I've even gone down on my knees and begged you to love me back.

But you always wake up and forget. You only remember my coldness. You only remember the worst of me." 1 lay there, paralyzed in his arms. My mind was totally blank. He loved me? "Do you remember?" He kissed my earlobe and gently continued, "Every time we're in bed, I say the most insane things. When you'd ask me about it later, I'd just tell you it was the heat of the moment. That it didn't mean anything." Ethan leaned down and pressed a reverent kiss to my collarbone, his touch bordering on worship. "The truth is... I'm a coward. I mean everything | said.

Only in moments like those am I brave enough to hide my honest feelings within my ragged breaths. I'm terrified that if you knew how much 1 loved you while you were awake, you'd want to run even further away. After all... you don't love me." 'Ashe spoke, he sniffled and bit me, only to immediately soothe the sting with a stroke of his tongue. "You never check my phone or step foot in my study." He nudged my neck, sounding as vulnerable as a pup.

"If you just took a second to look, you'd see that the password to my ---- phone, my computer, and even the safe holding the kingdom's deepest secrets is your birthday. I've carved your name into every corner of my world, but I never had the courage to tell you."