Semua Bab I Don't Need Fake Matebond: Bab 1 - Bab 10

Late at night.Derek lay beside me, his breathing steady. The cheap wild-berry scent on him had faded, but the memory of it still made me want to puke.I wanted to check his phone, to find out who this Beta was.But he was always on guard, even in his sleep, with his phone tucked securely under his pillow.So, I opened the werewolf forum again.That glaring post had a new update.The original poster, my mate, had written in a bragging tone:[It worked, she agreed. What a stupid woman.][I've got it all planned out. Once I'm off our territory, I'll fake an accident, pretend I died in a beast tide in the wilderness. That way, I can legally take the entire family fortune for myself and never have to deal with those two meddling old parents or that crying pup again.]The replies were a chorus of praise, calling him "a genius" and saying "a true Alpha lives for himself."I couldn't take it anymore. Using an anonymous account, I typed a reply:[You plot against the mate who bore your pup. Ar

The turning point came faster than I expected.Less than a week after Derek left, his father, our pack's Alpha, had a heart attack after a high-intensity patrol. He was rushed to the medical center.His condition was critical. He needed expensive heart bypass surgery immediately.His mother panicked. She reached out to Derek through their mind link, again and again, but was met with complete silence. Her hands trembled as she switched to his phone, dialing his number repeatedly. All thirty-plus attempts to reach him vanished into the void. There was nothing. Fighting back tears, she stormed into the family business demanding to know what was going on. The answer they gave her chilled her to the bone. Derek had requested an extended leave, and had given his subordinates explicit instructions not to tell me or his parents.He had completely vanished.His mother's face went pale. She was about to report him to the pack's enforcers as a missing person.That was my moment. I stumbled

Three years passed in a blur.This family had completely forgotten Derek ever existed.Without him, everything was better.My daughter, my little moonlight, was enrolled in the best academy on our territory.She was smart and brave, an outstanding pup praised by all her teachers.The Alpha's health had completely recovered under my careful watch. He was now full of energy every day.In the mornings, he handled pack business with the Elders. In the afternoons, he taught the young wolves fighting techniques in the forest clearing.His mate had found new joy as well. She organized a group for the pack's she-wolves. They had tea, arranged flowers, and discussed the latest fashions. Her life was elegant and fulfilling.I was no longer the mate who just stayed at home, waiting for her Alpha's favor.Using my eye for art and my in-laws' connections, I joined the family business, in charge of developing the luxury goods and art investment department.My instincts proved to be sharp and ruthles

In the fourth year of Derek’s disappearance, my life was back on track. The family business was thriving, thanks to the luxury investment division I was leading, and I’d made a name for myself as an investment expert. Seeing that my career was a success, my parents-in-law started worrying about my love life again.“Elena, you’re so successful now. You can’t let that beast hold you back from your own happiness,” my mother-in-law would often tell me. “Your father and I will help you look for a suitable Alpha.”To be honest, Derek’s betrayal had made me wary of finding another mate. I was terrified of meeting another guy who seemed perfect on the surface but was rotten underneath. Until that full moon night.I was at a cross-pack business gala, held at an old manor on the outskirts of the city. Halfway through the evening, I felt a little dizzy, so I stepped out into the manor’s back garden for some fresh air. The moonlight spilled over the stone path, making it shimmer like silver.

In the end, on his own parents’ orders, Derek was dragged out by security like a dead dog.As they hauled him away, he pointed a finger at me from across the hall, screaming curses.He called me a liar, a thief, and threatened to report me to the Enforcers and expose me on the werewolf web.I just stood beside Marcus, arms crossed, watching him with a cold stare, as if he were nothing more than a pathetic clown.After that little interruption at the engagement party, it took a while for my parents-in-law to catch their breath.They turned to me, their faces full of apology."Elena, dear, don't listen to a word that worthless creature says. In our hearts, he died a long time ago. Now, you are our only daughter."My daughter ran over and made a little fist, pouting playfully. "Mommy, I'll protect you! If that bad man comes back, I'll get Uncle Marcus to beat him up for you!"Marcus looked at us all, full of regret. "Father, Mother, Elena, this is my fault. I thought since it was just the