All Chapters of BETRAYED BY MY MATE CLAIMED BY HIS STEPBROTHER : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

ZACH WINCHESTER….The banquet dragged on longer than it should have, the elders fussing over pack matters. I barely heard a word of it. My focus was on Vaughn.On the way his jaw clenched every time Ariella shifted beside me. On the way his mother’s disapproval seeped like poison into the room. On the way his eyes kept darting to her, hungry, furious, betrayed.When the elders finally dispersed, I didn’t give him the chance to slither away.“Vaughn,” I called, my voice steady, hard.He turned slowly, that smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Come to thank me for keeping your seat warm?”I took a step closer, letting the weight of my authority sink between us. “You know damn well why I’m here.”His eyes narrowed, the smirk fading.“You need to hear me, brother,” I said, low but sharp enough to cut. “Ariella is mine. She will never be yours, not in the pack’s eyes, not in the Moon Goddess’s, not in hers. So you will stop looking at her like she belongs to you. You will stop lettin

VAUGHN COLLINS…. I’d seen Ariella angry before. I’d seen her cry. I’d even seen her break. But I had never… never seen her like this. She stood in the council chamber like she owned it. Like she had been born to stand beside an Alpha. Her words struck like knives, her presence forcing even the elders to shift uneasily in their seats. This wasn’t the Ariella I remembered, the soft, obedient girl who kept her voice low, who never pushed too far, who bent to keep the peace. No. That girl was gone. And in her place was a woman I barely recognized. A woman who didn’t bow, didn’t shrink, didn’t look at me with wide eyes full of longing. She looked at me now the way she used to look at Zach, like I was nothing more than an obstacle in her path. And it infuriated me. Because she was supposed to be mine. The mate bond had tethered her to me once, and I had been so certain so sure that she would always stay within my reach. I had wanted her gentle, pliant, something I could mold into the

ARIELLA….I was in the training yard, practicing with the warriors, when I felt it. A ripple of murmurs. Quick glances. Whispered phrases floating just beyond hearing, but loud enough to be caught.I stopped mid-swing, eyes narrowing. A young omega hesitated near the edge of the circle, glancing around nervously. He dared to speak, just a little too loudly.“She… she doesn’t respect the elders,” he said, voice trembling. “And I… I heard she threatened Luna Cassandra…” The words hit like a stone.Perfect.I didn’t raise my voice. I didn’t yell. I just stepped forward, calm as death, and all at once the air around me shifted. Silence fell like a blanket over the training yard. I bent slightly, meeting his terrified gaze, and let my smirk curl naturally.“You dare speak those words in front of me?” I asked, low and slow, each syllable deliberate. “Do you have any idea who you are addressing?” He swallowed hard, eyes wide, backing up slightly.“I am Ariella Davenport,” I continued, voic

ARIELLA…..The first thing I felt when I woke up was warmth. Not the kind that came from blankets or sunlight, but from the solid weight of an arm draped protectively across my waist.Zach.His chest rose and fell against my back, steady and calm, while my own heartbeat was anything but. Memories of last night rushed in; the sapphire necklace, his words, the kiss that had unraveled me piece by piece, then him fucking me with his finger.I closed my eyes tight, torn between wanting to relive it and wishing I could erase it. Because every second I let myself lean into him, I was betraying my own resolve. I wasn’t supposed to fall. I wasn’t supposed to feel. I can't deny that I didn't feel good when he finger fucked me. I couldn't shake the feeling off my mind till now. Now I was yearning for his touch.No, Ariella. You have to pull yourself together. You can't make the same mistake again. Trusting a man again is foolishness. There is no guarantee that he wouldn't do the same. If I let t

ARIELLA….Dinner was far more formal than I’d expected. Long oak tables, gleaming silver, and elders positioned around us like judges waiting for a verdict. I kept my back straight, my chin lifted, aware of every eye watching me. The former female Alpha of this pack, Susanna Winchester was also present now. She was resting back then when we came. There were many people I didn't know were present at the dining table.Zach never let go of my hand beneath the table.“So, she's Miss Davenport!” Grandma spoke with amusement, her gaze sharp and calculative.“Yes, grandma.” Zach responded.“Nice choice, grandson. I must say you choose a gem for you. She can rule the pack along with you like an Alpha. I can see the potential in her.” A proud smile ghosted on my lips.“Thank you Grandma.” I expressed my gratitude towards her for seeing such power in me.“Don't break his heart. He had been through a lot in his life. Though he seemed rough from the outside he's soft from inside. His heart is mor