Dumped My Fated Alpha Mate and Married His Rival

Ava's POVThe kitchen reeked of vanilla and desperate hope. It was a cloying, suffocating smell that masked the scent of my own anxiety.I smoothed the final swirl of frosting across the cake, my hand trembling just enough to threaten the delicate moon I'd drawn in icing. The little wolf next to it looked lonely-just like me."Happy twenty-first, Ava," I whispered to the empty room, the silence of the servant's quarters pressing against my ears.I folded my hands, squeezing my eyes shut. It was a childish habit, praying to a Moon Goddess who had seemingly ghosted me three years ago, but I was desperate."First wish," I murmured, my voice cracking. "Let Cole finally see me. Let the future Alpha of Bloodmoon Pack claim me as his Luna, not just his servant."I paused, the next wish sticking in my throat like a shard of glass."Second wish... please, give me Nyx back."My wolf. My strength. She'd been silent for three years, ever since the fire. The night I turned eighteen, the night I dr

Ava's POV"I'm leaving the pack, Alpha Vance."The words hung in the air, simple and absolute.Vance frowned, the lines on his forehead deepening. "Did Cole... did he do something again?""He's my mate," I said, keeping my face blank. "But I can't force him to not be an asshole."Vance sighed, leaning back in his leather chair. He looked tired. Dying. "Give him time, Ava. He's young. Stupid.""He humiliated me in front of the entire pack last night," I cut in. "He told everyone I was just a placeholder. I'm done, Alpha. Grant my request, or I go Rogue."Vance hesitated. He knew losing a Beta bloodline member was bad for the pack stats, but he also knew his son was a disaster."Actually..." Vance slid a heavy, cream-colored envelope across the desk. It bore a wax seal-a wolf crowned with thorns. The Royal Crest."I received a decree this morning." Vance's voice dropped to a whisper. "Alpha King Kaelen demands a bride from the Bloodmoon Pack. Specifically, a daughter of the Beta line."M

Ava's POVThe rumors were delicious.For the past week, the entire Bloodmoon Pack had been whispering about one thing: The Night at the Black Wolf."Did you hear? The Beta daughter bought the bar." "I saw Alpha Cole dripping in champagne. He looked like a drowned rat." "Where did she get the money?"I walked through the Pack House corridors, my heels clicking on the marble. Warriors who used to ignore me now stepped aside, eyeing me with a mix of fear and confusion. I wasn't the "help" anymore. I was the crazy ex with a bottomless bank account.I pushed open the door to the Alpha's Office."Why are you still here?"Lexi was sitting at my desk, trying to figure out the filing system. She looked exhausted. Apparently, being the "future Luna" was harder than just looking pretty."Because of Article 4, Section 2 of the Pack Code," I said breezily, dropping my bag. " 'An un-rejected mate must remain within territory limits until the Alpha Succession is finalized.' "I leaned against the doo

Ava's POVThe world smelled of leather, sandalwood, and raw power.I was sitting on the hood of a sleek black SUV parked deep in the shadows of the forest road. My arm was stinging, but the pain felt distant, numbed by the sheer intensity of the man standing between my knees.King Kaelen.He held my injured arm with terrifying gentleness. He wasn't using magic; he was using a first-aid kit, his large, calloused hands cleaning the rogue's claw marks with precision."He left you," Kaelen said. It wasn't a question. It was a verdict."He chose her," I corrected, watching the antiseptic bubble on my skin. "He always chooses her."Kaelen's jaw tightened. He wrapped a sterile bandage around my forearm, his touch lingering on my skin. The heat from his fingers seeped into my bones, making my wolf, Nyx, purr in a way she never had for Cole."If I were your Alpha," Kaelen murmured, his ice-blue eyes locking onto mine, "I would burn the world before I let a scratch mar your skin."My breath hitc

Ava's POV"You're not going alone," Kaelen rumbled, his frame blocking the hotel suite door."I need a dress for the ceremony, Kaelen," I said, adjusting my sunglasses. "And I need to do this alone. If you come, the paparazzi will swarm, and Cole will know I have backing. I want him to think I'm vulnerable. I want him to be overconfident."Kaelen's jaw ticked, but he stepped aside. "One hour. Take the panic button."The boutique smelled of silk and money. I bought a dress-red, backless, violent. A dress meant for a funeral, or a murder.I stepped out onto the street, bags in hand, feeling the crisp air.Thud.Pain exploded at the base of my skull. My vision swam."Got her," a rough voice grunted.Blackness swallowed me.When I woke, the smell hit me first. Stale beer, mildew, and bad decisions.I was tied to a chair in a damp warehouse. My head throbbed, but my mind was crystal clear."She's awake," a voice sneered.I opened my eyes. Three men in ski masks. I recognized the scent immed