Betrayed By My Mate Saved By His Rival

---- Chapter 9 Ethan's POV "Alpha, the media is all here." My Beta stood at my office door, schedule in hand. I looked up, out past the floor-to-ceiling windows. The pack territory was a sea of ribbons and flowers. Today was the day we would announce the new Luna. "The media?" I frowned. "When did I say anything about inviting the media?" My Beta wouldn't meet my eyes. "Lilith's orders, Alpha. She said an event this grand deserved a world stage." Aheadache started pounding behind my eyes. "What else did she decide?" "Also... representatives from all the vassal packs are here.

The Silver Moons, the Darkfangs..." he said carefully. " This is ten times the size of what we planned." Dammit. This was never the plan. AllI wanted was to handle this quietly. Give Leo a name. ---- Get Seraphina back. But Lilith, she'd turned it into a goddamn circus. "Alpha?" my Beta asked. "Should I try to downsize?" "Forget it." I waved him off. "It's already done." Just then, the office door swung open. Lilith walked in, wearing a pure white gown. She looked beautiful, I'll give her that. But the first thing I felt was a surge of annoyance. "Ethan!" She rushed toward me, excited.

"Did you see outside? It's magnificent!" "Tt's too much," I said coldly. "This isn't a celebration, Lilith. It's a formality." Her smile cracked. "What are you talking about?" "I mean, don't think this makes you the real Luna." I stood up and straightened my cuffs. "Once Leo's status is secured, you step aside." "Step aside?" Her voice went sharp as glass. "For who? For that traitor?" "She has a name," my voice dropped to absolute zero. " ---- Seraphina. And she is my fated mate." "But she cheated on you!" Lilith grabbed my arm. "She was with Julian!

She had a bastard with him!" "Enough." I shook her hand off me. "Today will go as planned. But remember your place, Lilith. You are Leo's mother. Nothing more." "No!" She burst into tears. "Ethan, you can't do this to me!" "Do what to you?" "You promised me!" she sobbed, tears streaming down her face. "You said you would make me your Luna! Leo needs a family!" Leo. Just the thought of the boy made my gut twist. He was my blood, my only pure-blooded heir. And Seraphina's pup... No. Don't think about it. "Lilith, stop making a scene." I sighed. "I never loved you, and you know it.

I always told you to know your place." ---- "But we have a son!" she clawed at my shirt. "That night, in our bed, you told me you loved me!" "That was because Seraphina betrayed me," I said, the truth tasting like poison. "If she hadn't broken my heart, I never would have touched you." The words were a silver knife. I plunged it right into her heart. Her face went pale, her body swaying. "How... how can you say that? What about Leo?" she cried. "He's innocent!" Leo. Always Leo. I looked at her, suddenly exhausted. "Fine." I ground out the word.

"For today, I'll play your loving mate." "Really?" She looked up, her eyes wet with tears. "Really," I nodded. "But only for today." Her tears turned to a smile. She stood on her toes, trying to kiss me. ---- I turned my head. Her lips landed on my cheek. "Go get ready," I said, pushing her away. "We start in an hour." She left, beaming like she'd already won. I stood alone in my office, watching the circus unfold. But my mind wasn't there. It was with her. Where was Seraphina now? Was she okay? I sent someone to the manor last night. She never went there. She had lied to me. Again.

But strangely, I wasn't angry. I felt... relieved. Maybe it was right for her to leave. I needed time to think. To figure out how all this started. To figure out if I was truly the one who was wrong. Aknock on the door. ---- "Alpha, Miss Lilith, the ceremony is about to begin."