Semua Bab Mated to Adoptive Alpha Brother After Betrayal: Bab 11 - Bab 20

Her voice carried such unwillingness and fury that several guests actually stepped back. The raw emotion was uncomfortable to witness.Damon's expression grew uglier with each word. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, and a muscle in his jaw twitched with barely controlled rage.The surrounding guests had given up all pretense of polite conversation. They whispered openly now, their voices creating a buzz of scandal and speculation."Is this true?""The Eternal Crystals are really that valuable?""He spent that much on a woman who isn't even his destined mate?""This is unprecedented."Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Damon's guard wolves quickly stepped forward to try damage control.Marcus, his Beta, grabbed Lydia's arm with a firm but respectful grip."Miss Ashford," he said in a low, urgent whisper. "Please, we explained everything clearly before. The Alpha is only with Sage Rivers because she's Garrett Rivers' sister.""You know Garrett Rivers, right?" a

Damon's expression instantly turned ugly, his face draining of all color.The confident Alpha who had been preparing for his moment of triumph now looked like a man facing his execution.He pulled out his phone with shaking hands, his heart sinking with each passing second. But when his men started to crowd around him, trying to see the screen, he snapped."Back off!" he barked, his Alpha voice making several of them flinch. "Don't crowd around me!"Everyone exchanged bewildered glances."Come on, Alpha," Marcus said carefully. "Are you still worried about us seeing at a time like this? We're your pack. Whatever it is, we can handle it together.""No," Damon said flatly, turning away from them. "This is something I need to see alone."He ignored them all, his focus entirely on the phone in his trembling hands.With fingers that felt like they were moving through thick mud, he opened his email application.The loading screen seemed to take forever. Each second felt like an eternity.The

The moment I walked out of the airport dragging my suitcase, torrential rain poured down like the sky had opened up.I instinctively hunched my shoulders and pulled my hood tighter, but the rain was so sudden and heavy that I was soaked within seconds.After five years in the northern territories, I'd almost forgotten how unpredictable southern weather could be.The southern territories carried their unique humidity—warm, thick air that wrapped around me like an embrace. It was the feeling of home, something I hadn't realized I'd missed until this very moment.My chest tightened with unexpected emotion. I was really back.I lifted my head, searching through the crowd of people waiting for arrivals. My eyes scanned faces until I quickly spotted that familiar figure standing apart from the others.Garrett Rivers was tall and imposing, easy to spot in any crowd. At six-foot-four, he towered over most people around him. His dark gray waterproof leather armor gleamed with rainwater, and I c

Seeing that I wasn't talking, Garrett ended his questions about my romantic life and shifted topics. But his expression grew more serious."That Ironwood Pack Alpha, Damon Blackwood, is my mortal enemy," he said, his voice hardening with each word. "He didn't give you any trouble, did he? If he bullied you at all, you must tell me. I'll tear him apart."Hearing Damon's name spoken with such hatred, my heart tightened like a fist. Fear shot through me—afraid Garrett might notice the way my breathing changed, the way my hands trembled slightly.I forced my voice to remain steady. "No trouble at all. I barely saw him during my time there."The lie tasted bitter on my tongue, but I couldn't tell Garrett the truth. Not about the five years. Not about the love. Not about the betrayal."Good," Garrett said, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel. "That bastard has been my rival since we were teenagers. If he ever laid a finger on you...""He didn't," I said quickly, too quickly.

"Garrett, I..." My voice trembled, my heart in complete chaos.The words stuck in my throat. How could I respond to something so unexpected, so earth-shattering?Garrett gently took my hand, his fingers warm and steady against my cold ones. His tone was infinitely tender."I didn't want to scare you, so I planned to wait until you grew up to confess. But then you left and never came back, making me wait all these years."His thumb traced circles on my palm, a gesture that suddenly felt different from before."Every day you were gone, I wondered if I'd waited too long. If I'd lost my chance forever."My mind was completely blank, unable to process this revelation."But... but you're my brother," I whispered, the words feeling strange on my tongue."Not by blood," he said quietly. "Never by blood, Sage."I asked quietly, my voice barely audible, "But Garrett, Mom and Dad won't approve of this... will they?"Garrett smiled, and for the first time, I noticed how his eyes softened when he l