He Chose an Heir, so I Faked My Death

My fated mate, Dexter, became Alpha King when his brother died. The crown came with a price: he also inherited his brother’s mate, Jenica.All because she could give him what I couldn’t. A pureblood heir.Every single morning, I was forced to endure the scent of another she-wolf on my mate’s skin. A constant, suffocating reminder that I, his fated half-breed, had failed.That was my torment. My reality.Until the day Jenica announced she was pregnant."Congratulations, Jenica. A pureblood royal heir brings new hope to the kingdom."Elder Erin's voice drifted from the council room.I froze outside the door, clutching the lab results I'd just collected.Dexter had claimed he needed this data on the royal bloodline's stability to prepare for the succession.But now, it was clear a new successor had already been chosen."Moon Goddess bless us, this child will be the strongest heir our kingdom has seen," another elder said, his voice thick with reverence. "A pureblood Alpha prince. The firs

The next morning, I walked into the royal dining hall.It was a space reserved for royals and high nobility, decorated with ancient tapestries and crystal chandeliers.I had just sat down when my stomach turned.Dexter was holding court at the head table. Before him was an exquisite crystal platter.On it were Silverbark Fruits.The sacred fruit that only a pregnant Luna was permitted to eat, said to contain pure lunar energy that would strengthen an heir's alpha power.And he was feeding them to Jenica, one by one."Open up," Dexter's voice was disgustingly gentle.Jenica opened her mouth obediently, letting him place the shimmering silver fruit on her tongue."Sweet?" he asked, his eyes soft."Very sweet," Jenica cooed, closing her eyes in bliss. "I can feel the prince growing stronger inside me."I put down my coffee cup, the ceramic clinking against the saucer, and left.The sound of their quiet chatter and soft laughter followed me out.An hour later, a royal attendant knocked on

Dexter's POV"What?"The word echoed in the opulent suite, but it sounded like it came from a million miles away.The guard repeated the impossible news. "The yacht was caught in the storm around midnight, and then it exploded. The Coast Guard said the flames lit up the sky for miles.""No." He shook his head, a denial forming in his throat. "Impossible.""Your Majesty…""IMPOSSIBLE!" he roared, his Alpha power slamming into the room like a physical wave, making the crystal glasses on the bar tremble.Jenica woke with a start, her hands flying to her stomach. "Dexter, what's wrong?"He didn't answer her. He grabbed the guard by the collar, his eyes wild. "Say it again.""Miss Noelle's… her yacht… it exploded," the guard stammered, terrified. "The search team…"He shoved the guard away and sprinted from the room."Dexter!" Jenica called after him. "The prince needs you!"He didn't stop.The elevator was too slow. He took the stairs, flying down thirty floors without feeling the burn

(Noelle's POV)I watched the aftermath on a secured feed from a safe house three kilometers from the coast. I sat by the window and watched the distant, tiny figure of a man kneeling on the sand.Even from that far away, I could almost feel the sound of his grief in the air.Sarah, my friend who I had "rescued" from the "accident," sat safely beside me, still shaken."Noelle, we were so lucky," she said. "If that private submarine hadn't picked us up when it did…"I nodded, not telling her the submarine was a key part of my escape plan.On the screen, Dexter was still on the beach, a madman consumed by a loss he himself had engineered.But that had nothing to do with me anymore.Three Months Later"Ravencrest Industries stock fell another 15% today following rumors of internal instability."I heard the report on the financial news as I prepped for an investor meeting.It had been three months since my "death."I now lived in New Moon Bay, a coastal tech hub a thousand kilometers from

Dexter's POVIt was late when Dexter drove back to the Royal Headquarters tower.The pain in his chest was a physical, gnawing void. The loss of the mate bond was an amputation of the soul.He stopped the car in front of the monolithic building and looked up.And he saw something that made his already broken heart stop.On the edge of the penthouse terrace, thirty stories up, Jenica was standing with the baby in her arms.The night wind whipped her hair around her face, making her look like a vengeful spirit."Jenica!" he yelled, bolting from the car and into the building.The elevator was too slow. He ran up the emergency stairs, his body screaming in protest.When he burst onto the rooftop terrace, Jenica turned to face him. Her eyes were wide with a crazed, desperate fire."Dexter," she cried out, her voice thin against the wind, "if you don't acknowledge him as your true heir, I'll jump! I'll take him with me!""Jenica, calm down," Dexter said, slowly approaching her. "Give me t