One Night with My Ex's Alpha Brother

Liora’s POV I stand in front of the mirror in the boutique, admiring the perfect wedding dress on my body. It perfectly accentuates the curves of my figure, like a second layer of skin on me. A week ago, my mate Zade told me that he was about to become the heir of the Hayes Pack. His cruel half-brother was destined to be discarded by them. I have only seen his half-brother once, but the look in his eyes whenever he stared at me always filled me with fear. Zade eased my anxiety with kisses. He told me that now no one could stop him. I didn't know what had happened. But he said that on the day of the heir ceremony, he would hold our marking ceremony at the same time. My mind had room for nothing except the wedding. He booked today's wedding-dress fitting for me. He told me that the groom couldn't see the bride's dress beforehand, or it would bring bad luck. I laughed and kissed him, thanking him for always thinking about our future. I couldn't hide my excitement. With the staff's help, I stepped down from the high platform in front of the mirror. Right now, I only wanted to see Zade. Suddenly, a message popped up on my phone. "Babe, do I look pretty in our wedding photo? Am I pretty enough on the marriage certificate?" It was sent by my good friend Selina. But when I tapped open the photo, my smile froze. A marriage-registration photo of her and Zade, stamped with the enormous steel seal of the Council, appeared on my phone. My wolf immediately let out a whimper of pain. Why? This wasn't real. I was sure Selina was pulling a prank, or doing some kind of pre-wedding trick on me. I immediately dialed Zade's number, but no one answered. I remembered Zade telling me earlier that he would go clubbing with his friends tonight— Numbly, I took off the wedding dress and got into my car. Flashes of the past five years of our relationship ran through my mind—every happy detail, the tenderness when he kissed me. Even though we had never made love, because I worried that my hidden identity would be exposed if I got too excited during s*x. I nearly bit open my thumb. Finally, I arrived at the entrance of the club. I wanted to push open the thick wooden door of the private room, but Zade's low voice made me stop. "Zade, you're such a bastard. You just married the Beta's daughter, and you still plan to secretly hold a second wedding with Leora? Isn't that wrong?" A stranger's voice asked. Probably one of Zade's friends. "I understand Zade," another man said with a laugh. "I heard Leora is really pretty. But Selina can secure Zade's position as heir. Any man would choose the perfect solution." Zade chuckled and continued, "After my mother married into the Hayes Alpha family, she finally, a week ago, officially became the Moon Goddess of the Nightshade Pack. So Leora is no longer worthy of me." Zade's voice echoed with pride and arrogance. "She's nothing but an unknown omega from an unknown pack. Don't tell her about this. She told me we can only make love on our wedding night. I must hide the fact that I've already registered my marriage with Selina." His tone stabbed into my heart like a knife. So he deceived me, just because I was an omega from a nameless pack. I let out a bitter laugh. The reason I never made love with Zade was because I feared that in the moment of excitement, I would expose the truth—that I am an alpha wolf. And my pack is the strongest in the Alliance. I thought Zade had passed my test. My heart felt as though it was shot again. I stood frozen at the doorway, my heart twisting as if being cut by a knife. I had never imagined my mate would be this cruel to me. So, in Zade's eyes, I was nothing. I had been with him for many years, loving him since he was still an illegitimate son—deeply insecure, timid, and weak. Just a month ago, after years of scheming, Zade's mother finally secured her status and married into the Hayes family, and Zade's position rose with hers. Now he thought I was no longer worthy of him. How could he treat me like this? I had had enough of Zade and his friends mocking me with filthy words like "pretty but dumb." I shoved the door open, startling the three of them who were drinking inside. Zade immediately stood up, his eyes widening in terror. "Leora, you… what are you doing here?" Zade blurted, his gaze sweeping over me as if trying to figure out how much I had heard. "Leora, let me explain. Things aren't what you think…" I ignored him and walked straight into the room, my eyes fixed on the bottle of liquor in the center. Before they could react, I grabbed the bottle and smashed it hard against Zade's head. Zade let out a shrill scream, and I watched with satisfaction as blood rolled down from the wound I created. "Leora, you're insane!" Zade shouted, completely unprepared to see me this violent. "Go to hell, you dog! From today on, I, Leora, no longer recognize you as my mate!" I roared at him, releasing all the anger I had bottled up. I didn't wait for them to say anything else. The bottle slipped from my fingers and shattered on the floor, like the reflection of my past five years. I turned and stormed out of the room, ignoring the gasps and whispered questions from other customers outside. The music, the lights, the laughter—everything around me twisted and distorted, the world spinning while I drifted outside of it. I was done pretending, done believing that I meant anything to him. As I stepped out of the club, the cool night breeze rushed against my face. I welcomed it. Any sensation was better than the blazing heat building in my chest. I should have cried. Maybe if I had been weaker, I would have collapsed onto the sidewalk and sobbed on my knees. But no. I wasn't weak. Not anymore. Zade might have used me, abandoned me, humiliated me—but he couldn't break me. He thought I came from nothing, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I had planned to tell him my real identity—my family wasn't poor; my grandfather simply helped me hide it. But now, none of it mattered. I wandered aimlessly along the sidewalk, wanting only to get away—from him, from Selina, from the ache in my chest. I needed something to numb the fire inside me, something strong enough to distract me. At the end of the street, the neon lights of another nightclub flickered. It was a more upscale nightclub—the kind Zade used to say "wolves like us can't get into." I didn't even know what drew me in; I just walked inside. The security guard barely looked at me before letting me through. The air inside was heavier, and the crowd much quieter. Private booths lined the edges, separated by dark curtains and velvet ropes. I ordered the strongest drink in the bar and downed it in one gulp. The burn wasn't enough. I ordered two more. And that was when I saw him. Sitting in a VIP booth was a man I recognized instantly, with two other men beside him. Rowan Hayes. Zade's half-brother, sitting in the booth like a towering wall. He was the legitimate heir of the Hayes Alpha family, but he had disappeared years ago. Cold, ruthless, detached—no one dared approach him. Even Zade had never dared say a bad word about him. And now, there he was—legs crossed, a glass of amber liquor in hand, his deep eyes fixed on me like a predator deciding how to kill me. My heart skipped a beat. As I walked closer, he lifted his head, raising one eyebrow with a hint of amusement. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe the betrayal. Or maybe I was simply tired of being careful. When our eyes met, I didn't hesitate. I walked straight up to him and spoke the first thing that flashed through my mind. "Hey, want to go out?" I asked, sitting seductively on his lap. The two men sitting with Rowan sucked in a sharp breath. I really thought they would stop me and kick me out of the club. But to my surprise, Rowan's hands wrapped around my waist, his voice icy cold. "You've got the wrong person. You're my brother's mate!" he said. He deliberately emphasized "brother," as if trying to snap me back to my senses. "I didn't get the wrong person. I'm looking for you, Alpha Rowan," I said seductively. From the corner of my eye, I saw the men around us avert their gaze—none dared look at us. Then they whispered an excuse and left. I stared into Rowan's eyes, waiting for him to reject me or push me away. But he didn't, so I leaned in and kissed him, silently praying it wouldn't be too awkward or reveal how inexperienced I was. Even though Zade and I discovered five years ago that we were mates, he always refused to sleep with me—only giving me occasional light kisses. When our lips parted, a teasing smile curled at Rowan's mouth. "What's wrong? My brother can't satisfy you?" he mocked. Still drunk, disheveled, and exhausted, I let out a heavy sigh and clung to Rowan tightly. "If you don't want me, I'll find someone else," I mumbled. I tried to pull back, but a strong arm suddenly wrapped around my waist, pulling me into his embrace as if claiming me. With a firm tug, he lifted me up and headed toward the club's exit. "If you want to find someone else, then you're too late."