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Author: Alyssa J
Unmasking Deception

Derek stood frozen, unable to answer my accusation. His silence spoke volumes—he knew I had hit the nail on the head about Victoria's deception.

I turned to Victoria, my voice dripping with venom as I stepped closer to her. "And you, Victoria. Stop with this pathetic act. A wolf always shows its true colors eventually! Did you think I wouldn't figure it out?"

Victoria's perfectly maintained composure faltered slightly. "I don't know what you're talking about. I genuinely came to check on you because I was worried."

"Worried?" I laughed bitterly. "Let's examine the evidence, shall we? Who else could have been waiting so precisely at my door when I collapsed? Who else could have known I was in the hospital so quickly, and even gone to the trouble of tipping off those reporters?"

I paced the room, my strength returning with my anger. "Those reporters asked such specific, humiliating questions, completely disregarding my feelings. They knew exactly where to find me and
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  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   9

    "Emma, what do you mean?" Derek growled, his eyes flashing with an angry red glow. He stepped toward me, fists clenched at his sides. "Didn't you say I was your destined mate, that we'd be together forever? That nothing could separate us?"I laughed bitterly. Sure, I'd said those things. But he was the one who abandoned me first, who tossed me aside the moment Victoria reappeared."Forever ended when you chose her over me at our own ceremony," I replied coldly. "What right do you have to question me now?"Derek opened his mouth to argue, but before he could speak, the door to my den burst open with such force that it slammed against the wall.Victoria's parents stormed in, their expensive clothes disheveled from their hurried arrival, faces contorted with rage. Mr. Evans's silver-streaked hair seemed to stand on end with fury, while his wife's perfectly manicured claws were fully extended."Derek! Where are you?" Mr. Evans bellowed, his dominant aura filling the room. "We've just hear

  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   10

    Seeing my lack of reaction, Derek stared at me, his hope fading. "So you knew all along that Ethan liked you. When did you two get together? When he brought you healing herbs? Or even earlier?"He wiped away his tears, his questions growing more intense. Derek grabbed my shoulders, his grip tightening with each word. "You really played me for a fool, didn't you?"Ethan stepped between us, his broad shoulders shielding me from Derek's anger."I've been pursuing Emma on my own. She hasn't accepted me yet," Ethan declared firmly. "You lost her yourself, Derek. Who else can you blame? If you can't love her properly, then give me the chance. I, your brother, can show you how to truly love someone!"Ethan's words were so sincere, so heartfelt, that I nearly shed tears myself. I couldn't help but think that Ethan would make a better Alpha. He knew how to care for others and understood what it meant to love someone.Derek clutched his chest, tears flowing freely. "Emma, please, give me one mor

  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   1

    On the day of my mating ceremony with my Alpha mate, Derek, his childhood sweetheart returned.Victoria, using her supposed silver poisoning as an excuse for needing care, crashed our ceremony.My mate carried her to the pack healer, leaving me alone and humiliated. But he didn’t know that I was the one truly poisoned by silver.……During my mating ceremony, my heart pounded with anticipation as I waited for my mate Derek to walk through the doors.Instead, those doors burst open to reveal Victoria—Derek's childhood sweetheart—wearing a dress identical to mine. Her parents trailed behind her.The crowd gasped collectively. I froze, my claws instinctively extending before I forced them back."Derek," Victoria announced, her voice carrying throughout the hall, "I'm here to be your mate!"The assembled pack members began murmuring among themselves. Ignoring everyone's protests, Victoria threw herself into Derek's arms. Her eyes, rimmed with just the right amount of tears, focused solely

  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   2

    I wiped away my tears with trembling hands and dragged myself back to my quarters to change out of my heavy mating ceremony attire. As I peeled off the white dress, I noticed small crescents of blood on my palms where my claws had dug in while I struggled to maintain composure. Unlike other wolves, these small wounds didn't immediately heal - my secret burden."Destined mates," I muttered bitterly to myself. "What a joke."My phone buzzed with a notification. With a sense of dread, I checked the screen.Victoria had posted a series of photos on WolfNet. The first showed her in Derek's arms - him carrying her out of MY ceremony. The second showed them in what appeared to be the pack's most luxurious healing den - the one reserved for the Alpha family.The caption read: "You'll always be my mate. Some bonds transcend time and circumstance. #TrueMates #AlwaysAndForever"The comments section was already filling with supportive messages from pack members and neighboring wolves alike."Al

  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   3

    Shattered TrustI took a deep breath, steeling myself. "What if I told you I was poisoned too?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to keep it steady.That got his attention. Derek's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing as he studied me. But instead of showing concern—the concern a mate should show—he burst into mocking laughter."You? Trying to compete with Victoria now?" He stood up, circling around the desk to look me up and down with undisguised skepticism. "You're so strong, Emma. No male in the pack can beat you in combat. Who would believe you're poisoned?"The cruel dismissal in his voice cut deeper than any physical wound. My heart clenched painfully, making it hard to breathe. My wolf whimpered inside me, injured by our mate's rejection."You don't believe me?" I whispered, hurt evident in my voice."How could I? You've never mentioned this before. Convenient timing, don't you think?" His tone was accusatory, as if I was the one who had disrupted our mating cer

  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   4

    When I discovered Derek was my destined mate, I pursued him with fierce determination. He'd once told me he'd never love anyone else because of his passionate past with Victoria. He even had her name tattooed on his skin as a testament to his devotion.But I was ambitious. I boldly told Derek that one day, he would fall in love with me because we were mates blessed by the Moon Goddess herself.Day after day, I studied his preferences, catering to his every need. On his 20th birthday, I risked my life venturing into the treacherous Shadowmoon Forest to collect a rare moonflower for him.The pack warriors admired Derek for having such a dedicated mate. When he saw me, disheveled and injured from nearly falling off a cliff while gathering the flower, his eyes glistened with unshed tears. He said softly, "You fool, don't do this again. It pains me to see you hurt."After that day, we began a new life together. He took me hunting, and we chased each other through the forest in our wolf form

  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   5

    After severing our bond, I mustered all my strength to reach for my phone. I scrolled through my contacts, looking for a neutral wolf healer from a neighboring pack. Life shouldn't revolve around just Derek, should it? If he could run to Victoria, I could find someone else too.Why should I degrade myself like this?In my hazy state, I felt a pair of warm hands cup my face. Tears blurred my vision, but I recognized that familiar, gentle voice echoing in my ears."Emma, it's me... I'm sorry I'm late. I came too late..."It was Derek... but unfortunately, I no longer needed him.I pulled away from his warm hands, fighting through the pain as I turned away. "Go away. I don't want to see you. We're done."The more I pushed him away, the tighter Derek held onto my hands."Emma, don't say that. I was wrong before. I didn't know you were really poisoned by wolfsbane... I thought you were just joking when you said you were poisoned.""Let go of me! We're done!"The healer I had called earlier

  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   6

    Derek ran through the pack grounds with me in his arms, his face twisted with panic and desperation. Pack members jumped out of our way, their shocked whispers following us like shadows."Is that Emma? What happened to her?""Look at all that blood!""The future Alpha looks terrified..."I was barely conscious, my head lolling against Derek's chest as he burst through the doors of the healing den. The metallic scent of my blood filled the air around us."Help her! NOW!" Derek roared, his Alpha voice making the healers flinch.I was quickly placed on a bed in the main healing chamber. The head healer, a gray-furred older wolf named Marta, cut away my bloodied sleeve to reveal the deep gash on my wrist."Moon Goddess," she gasped. "This should have already started healing."Derek gripped the edge of the bed, his knuckles white. "She's... she has wolfsbane poisoning. Her healing ability is compromised."Marta's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Like Victoria Evans?"Derek looked away, shame

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  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   10

    Seeing my lack of reaction, Derek stared at me, his hope fading. "So you knew all along that Ethan liked you. When did you two get together? When he brought you healing herbs? Or even earlier?"He wiped away his tears, his questions growing more intense. Derek grabbed my shoulders, his grip tightening with each word. "You really played me for a fool, didn't you?"Ethan stepped between us, his broad shoulders shielding me from Derek's anger."I've been pursuing Emma on my own. She hasn't accepted me yet," Ethan declared firmly. "You lost her yourself, Derek. Who else can you blame? If you can't love her properly, then give me the chance. I, your brother, can show you how to truly love someone!"Ethan's words were so sincere, so heartfelt, that I nearly shed tears myself. I couldn't help but think that Ethan would make a better Alpha. He knew how to care for others and understood what it meant to love someone.Derek clutched his chest, tears flowing freely. "Emma, please, give me one mor

  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   9

    "Emma, what do you mean?" Derek growled, his eyes flashing with an angry red glow. He stepped toward me, fists clenched at his sides. "Didn't you say I was your destined mate, that we'd be together forever? That nothing could separate us?"I laughed bitterly. Sure, I'd said those things. But he was the one who abandoned me first, who tossed me aside the moment Victoria reappeared."Forever ended when you chose her over me at our own ceremony," I replied coldly. "What right do you have to question me now?"Derek opened his mouth to argue, but before he could speak, the door to my den burst open with such force that it slammed against the wall.Victoria's parents stormed in, their expensive clothes disheveled from their hurried arrival, faces contorted with rage. Mr. Evans's silver-streaked hair seemed to stand on end with fury, while his wife's perfectly manicured claws were fully extended."Derek! Where are you?" Mr. Evans bellowed, his dominant aura filling the room. "We've just hear

  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   8

    Unmasking DeceptionDerek stood frozen, unable to answer my accusation. His silence spoke volumes—he knew I had hit the nail on the head about Victoria's deception.I turned to Victoria, my voice dripping with venom as I stepped closer to her. "And you, Victoria. Stop with this pathetic act. A wolf always shows its true colors eventually! Did you think I wouldn't figure it out?"Victoria's perfectly maintained composure faltered slightly. "I don't know what you're talking about. I genuinely came to check on you because I was worried.""Worried?" I laughed bitterly. "Let's examine the evidence, shall we? Who else could have been waiting so precisely at my door when I collapsed? Who else could have known I was in the hospital so quickly, and even gone to the trouble of tipping off those reporters?"I paced the room, my strength returning with my anger. "Those reporters asked such specific, humiliating questions, completely disregarding my feelings. They knew exactly where to find me and

  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   7

    I snapped back at Victoria through the phone, "Thanks to you, I'm not dead. Sorry to disappoint you."The silence on the other end of the line was momentarily satisfying. Victoria clearly hadn't expected me to answer Derek's phone.The pack rumor mill hadn't caught wind of my near-death experience yet, which made Victoria's perfectly timed call all the more suspicious. How did she know to call Derek the moment I was out of danger from the healing ritual? What was her real angle here?"I... I don't understand what you mean," Victoria finally stammered, her voice losing its usual confident edge. "I was just concerned—""What, disappointed I'm alive?" I cut her off harshly. "Upset Derek won't have time for you now? Or did you just want to make sure I was suffering enough?"I could hear her breathing quicken on the other end of the line. "Emma, that's not fair! I genuinely care about your well-being. We used to be pack-mates before—""Before you decided to crash my mating ceremony and stea

  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   6

    Derek ran through the pack grounds with me in his arms, his face twisted with panic and desperation. Pack members jumped out of our way, their shocked whispers following us like shadows."Is that Emma? What happened to her?""Look at all that blood!""The future Alpha looks terrified..."I was barely conscious, my head lolling against Derek's chest as he burst through the doors of the healing den. The metallic scent of my blood filled the air around us."Help her! NOW!" Derek roared, his Alpha voice making the healers flinch.I was quickly placed on a bed in the main healing chamber. The head healer, a gray-furred older wolf named Marta, cut away my bloodied sleeve to reveal the deep gash on my wrist."Moon Goddess," she gasped. "This should have already started healing."Derek gripped the edge of the bed, his knuckles white. "She's... she has wolfsbane poisoning. Her healing ability is compromised."Marta's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Like Victoria Evans?"Derek looked away, shame

  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   5

    After severing our bond, I mustered all my strength to reach for my phone. I scrolled through my contacts, looking for a neutral wolf healer from a neighboring pack. Life shouldn't revolve around just Derek, should it? If he could run to Victoria, I could find someone else too.Why should I degrade myself like this?In my hazy state, I felt a pair of warm hands cup my face. Tears blurred my vision, but I recognized that familiar, gentle voice echoing in my ears."Emma, it's me... I'm sorry I'm late. I came too late..."It was Derek... but unfortunately, I no longer needed him.I pulled away from his warm hands, fighting through the pain as I turned away. "Go away. I don't want to see you. We're done."The more I pushed him away, the tighter Derek held onto my hands."Emma, don't say that. I was wrong before. I didn't know you were really poisoned by wolfsbane... I thought you were just joking when you said you were poisoned.""Let go of me! We're done!"The healer I had called earlier

  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   4

    When I discovered Derek was my destined mate, I pursued him with fierce determination. He'd once told me he'd never love anyone else because of his passionate past with Victoria. He even had her name tattooed on his skin as a testament to his devotion.But I was ambitious. I boldly told Derek that one day, he would fall in love with me because we were mates blessed by the Moon Goddess herself.Day after day, I studied his preferences, catering to his every need. On his 20th birthday, I risked my life venturing into the treacherous Shadowmoon Forest to collect a rare moonflower for him.The pack warriors admired Derek for having such a dedicated mate. When he saw me, disheveled and injured from nearly falling off a cliff while gathering the flower, his eyes glistened with unshed tears. He said softly, "You fool, don't do this again. It pains me to see you hurt."After that day, we began a new life together. He took me hunting, and we chased each other through the forest in our wolf form

  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   3

    Shattered TrustI took a deep breath, steeling myself. "What if I told you I was poisoned too?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to keep it steady.That got his attention. Derek's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing as he studied me. But instead of showing concern—the concern a mate should show—he burst into mocking laughter."You? Trying to compete with Victoria now?" He stood up, circling around the desk to look me up and down with undisguised skepticism. "You're so strong, Emma. No male in the pack can beat you in combat. Who would believe you're poisoned?"The cruel dismissal in his voice cut deeper than any physical wound. My heart clenched painfully, making it hard to breathe. My wolf whimpered inside me, injured by our mate's rejection."You don't believe me?" I whispered, hurt evident in my voice."How could I? You've never mentioned this before. Convenient timing, don't you think?" His tone was accusatory, as if I was the one who had disrupted our mating cer

  • Mated to Ex’s Brother After His Betrayal   2

    I wiped away my tears with trembling hands and dragged myself back to my quarters to change out of my heavy mating ceremony attire. As I peeled off the white dress, I noticed small crescents of blood on my palms where my claws had dug in while I struggled to maintain composure. Unlike other wolves, these small wounds didn't immediately heal - my secret burden."Destined mates," I muttered bitterly to myself. "What a joke."My phone buzzed with a notification. With a sense of dread, I checked the screen.Victoria had posted a series of photos on WolfNet. The first showed her in Derek's arms - him carrying her out of MY ceremony. The second showed them in what appeared to be the pack's most luxurious healing den - the one reserved for the Alpha family.The caption read: "You'll always be my mate. Some bonds transcend time and circumstance. #TrueMates #AlwaysAndForever"The comments section was already filling with supportive messages from pack members and neighboring wolves alike."Al

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