All Chapters of Marked by a Stronger Alpha After Being His Stand-in: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

This time, I would reject the mate bond with my husband. I would walk away from the Alpha I once loved so fiercely I defied my own family for him, erase every trace of my past, and enter a political marriage with a more powerful Alpha I had never even met."Flight confirmed. February 14th, 11:55 PM departure."Staring at the flight information on my phone, I picked up a marker and circled the date on the wall calendar.The ink bled deep, a dark red period marking the end of this disastrous mistake.Fourteen days until I leave.I suddenly remembered something Beta Marcus had once mentioned offhandedly. "The Alpha says your wolf form reminds him of Scarlett, especially your eyes."At the time, I thought it was a stroke of luck, being similar to the woman he could never forget. I thought it would be enough to keep him by my side.Looking back now, I realize that in his heart, I was never me.How foolish.A sharp pain seized my chest, every word a silver bullet to the heart.I took a deep-

At two in the morning, Scarlett sent me photos.The first: Rocco on one knee in the plaza below his office building, holding a bouquet of white roses and gazing up lovingly at the building's facade.The second: A silhouette of them running in the moonlight, her in a white dress, him chasing after her.The third: A candid shot from that very afternoon, of them embracing in his office.I put down my phone and walked to the window.In the distance, the commercial tower was still ablaze with light, the show still playing on a loop.So that was it.What my colleagues thought was an "anniversary surprise" was actually Rocco's public declaration of love for Scarlett.I picked up my phone and replied: "Congratulations."Then I blocked her number.Eight days until my flight.The next morning, I received a mass message from Rocco's assistant: "The Alpha is participating in a five-day, inter-pack hunting competition. He'll be out of contact."Five days.Just enough time for me to handle everythin

"It's pack tradition," I lied smoothly. "The mark is purified before an anniversary to strengthen it."Three days until I leave.Lying to Rocco was becoming frighteningly natural.He stared at me, his Alpha instincts screaming that something was wrong."Look me in the eye, Caterina," he said, moving toward the bed. "You're lying."I met his gaze without flinching."Rocco, I have no reason to lie."He placed the paper on the nightstand and sat down slowly on the edge of the bed.He didn't press the issue."Come here," he said, his voice softening as he opened his arms. "I want to hold you."I obeyed, letting him pull me into his arms.He held me tightly, his chin resting on the top of my head."Caterina, I love you," he murmured in the darkness, his voice impossibly gentle. "You are my only Luna, the most precious thing in my life. No matter what happens, I will never let you leave me.""I need you to remember that."He was whispering all the right things, and his chest still held the f

"Argh—"An agony sharper than anything he had ever known ripped through Rocco's chest, as if a claw had just torn open his soul.He shot up from the chair by Scarlett's bedside, clutching his chest and gasping for air."Rocco? What is it?" Scarlett sat up in bed, her voice laced with concern.This pain… it wasn't right.This wasn't a dull ache; it was a devastating rip.He tried to reach Caterina through their mind-link.Nothing.Absolute silence.It was as if… as if she had been erased from the world."Impossible," Rocco muttered, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead."Rocco, you look terrible," Scarlett said, getting out of bed to steady him. "Is it just exhaustion?"He shoved her hand away, desperately trying to find the mind-link.Caterina's presence in his mind was gone. Completely."What has she done?" Rocco whispered, panic coiling in his gut."Who? Caterina?" A flicker of triumph flashed in Scarlett's eyes—gone so fast he almost missed it—before being masked by a look of c

"Absolutely not, Caterina!"My mother shot up from the sofa, her teacup clattering on the table."He hurt you like this, and you're just going to let him walk away? I won't allow it.""Mom, please, just listen to me," I said, putting my cup down and standing to face her. "I have six years of my life invested in that company. Every project I designed, every blueprint I drew… it's all still there.""If you destroy it, you'll be destroying my work, too."My mother's face was stern in the lamplight. She paced back and forth, her fingers clenched into a fist.As the Luna of the Silver Moon Pack, she rarely lost her composure like this."But that bastard…""I've already lost so much," I said, taking her hands in mine. "My youth, my love... Please don't make me lose the only thing I have left."Her hands were warm, but I could feel her struggling to suppress her rage.The air in the room gradually settled, leaving only the soft crackling of the fire in the hearth.She was silent for a long ti