Alpha King's Fake Mate Wants Out

It was 3:00 am.

In the master bedroom of the palace, the air was thick with the scent of cedarwood and musk. That was the smell of an Alpha King after a passionate romp.

"Ugh…"

I lay there, limp on the disheveled bed, feeling as though a truck had run over me. I didn't even have the strength to move my fingers.

I turned to the male wolf, who was panting with his back to me.

Just a few minutes ago, he had pinned me down and pressed his scorching lips to my ear, growling over and over, "Freya, you're mine… only mine…"

His voice was so tender it almost made me believe that maybe his cold heart was actually beating for me.

I gave in again.

Maybe it was the hormones in the air messing with my head, but as I looked at his broad back, I felt a strange urge to touch his heaving spine. I even found myself longing for a hug, even if it only lasted a second.

"Ethan, I—"

But before my fingertips could brush his skin, the mattress beside me suddenly lightened.

Ethan Klein got up and climbed out of bed. There was no tenderness, no embrace, or even a single word of concern.

Under the wall lamp, I saw Ethan's broad shoulders and narrow waist as he walked away. His back was marked with red scratches from my loss of control.

He coldly glanced at my hand, which was still hovering awkwardly in the air.

At that moment, my heart sank.

I'd asked him before, naively, if those sweet words were real.

He had said, "Human, don't take the things said in bed seriously. That's just instinct."

The sound of a belt fastening snapped me back to reality. The sharp, cold click felt like the signal of a deal coming to an end.

"Go back to your own room."

Ethan didn't turn around. His voice was raspy and brooked no argument as he said, "Don't sleep here."

He said it again. It had been like this every single time for over a thousand nights.

No matter how wild the act, he remained indifferent once it was done.

He seemed to loathe my presence in his territory. The second it was over, he wanted me gone.

Enduring the ache in my waist, I lowered my eyes to hide the spark of hope that had been snuffed out as soon as it flickered to life.

I just never learned.

I grabbed the torn nightgown off the floor, slipped it on, and silently left the room, which was filled with his possessive scent.

The door clicked shut.

Unbeknownst to me, the usually cold Alpha King threw himself onto the pillow I had occupied the second I was gone. He buried his face in the sheets, greedily inhaling my lingering scent.

Back in my room, I sank into the bathtub.

I was so exhausted. I might be an adult with normal needs, but who could withstand three years of this, night after night?

If this kept up, I'd be drained dry in five years by that insatiable mate of mine and die from pure exhaustion.

Just then, my phone, left on the sink, lit up.

It was a text from my sister, Nora Mueller. I was shocked.

Trembling, I opened the message.

She wrote, "Freya, I'm so mad! That blond jerk actually shouted at me! I'm heading home to give him the cold shoulder for a while. My flight is tomorrow. Don't tell Mom and Dad. I need you to pick me up."

In that instant, all the exhaustion, pain, and frustration vanished.

I sat up straight in the tub, splashing water everywhere.

Nora was coming back? Ethan's supposed fated mate was coming back?

Everyone knew the bond between fated mates was irresistible.

Three years ago, Nora ran away with her boyfriend-turned-husband, Reynold Shaffer, before Ethan could meet her. That was how he ended up with me as his mate.

But if they met, it would spark a soul-binding connection!

Did that mean that…

"I'm free?"

I shot up from the water.

Suddenly, my waist didn't hurt, and my legs weren't shaky. Even the feeling of being drained dry was blown away by pure adrenaline.

I grabbed my phone and kissed the screen, wishing I could jump through the screen to give Nora two big hugs.

"Hahaha! I'm finally off the clock!"

Sorrow of a discarded woman? That was non-existent!

To a lust-quencher who hadn't had a good night's sleep in three years, nothing felt better than "quitting".

Sure, Nora was only coming back to spite Reynold, but once she met Ethan, that fated bond would show itself.

Once that happened, I—the "ex-mate"—would gracefully pack my bags and step out!

But… Ethan had a strong sense of duty and was incredibly stubborn.

What if he forced me to stay as a mere decoration for the sake of "the greater good", even after finding his true love?

Then I'd still be stuck carrying out my "duties".

No way! I wouldn't let that happen!

I needed to break his attachment for good. I had to make him loathe the very sight of me at this critical moment.

Only when he thought I was "tainted" would he kick me out without a second thought and run into Nora's arms.

A brilliant idea flashed through my mind.

I bolted out of the bathroom and rifled through my closet for the men's shirt I had bought for Ethan's birthday but never had the chance to give him.

I sprayed it with a strong men's cologne.

And just like that, I had created a "secret lover".

Tomorrow, after Ethan left and met Nora… While his mind was in total disarray…

Clutching that shirt, I took a massive hit of the cheap perfume. Was it suffocating? Absolutely.

But this was the fragrance of freedom! A victory anthem for being single!

I was so excited I started wriggling like a worm on the bed, even humming a little tune of pure joy.

This was the kind of thrill that came only from breaking free after being trapped for so long.

At this moment, I wasn't just the strategist. I was the prisoner about to be granted a pardon!

I kissed the shirt and said, "My dear 'secret lover,' I'm counting on you tomorrow."