《Fake Mates Till Forever》全部章節：第 11 章 - 第 20 章

LEAH I pushed through the double glass doors of the lobby, still staring at Santos’s final text message. The arrogant jerk had agreed to come to dinner tomorrow, but only after making me squirm first. A tiny, involuntary smile tugged at the corner of my lips, but before I could completely process the strange, fluttering feeling in my chest, my shoulder slammed hard into something solid. "Oh, I am so sorry—" I began, stumbling back. A pair of steady hands caught my forearms, bracing me. "Whoa there, careful!" I looked up, blinking. Standing in front of me was a stunningly handsome man with a shock of vibrant, deep red hair and a bright, charming smile that probably sold millions of magazine covers. I instinctively took a quiet breath, expecting the familiar scent of a wolf, but there was nothing. No pheromones, no heavy territorial weight. He wasn't a werewolf. He wasn't human either. But as I looked closer at his sharp jawline and the structure of his face, a sudden wave of

LEAH I laughed through my tears, because it sounded so stupid. "She was my bird." I said. "I won her in competition back in college. I raised her. She used to sit on my finger and sing." I wiped my nose with the back of my hand. "I gave her to Austin. After my injury. When I couldn't use my fingers properly anymore. He promised to take care of her. He promised.""And Valeria killed her."It wasn't a question. He already knew."She said she killed it," I whispered. "She laughed about it. She said the bird was annoying and she killed it."Santos was quiet for a long moment. I could hear him breathing, slow and controlled, like he was holding himself back from something.Then he whispered so soft I almost didnt hear it. "She won't get away with this."I started crying again, and I couldn't stop. All the pain from the past few days—the betrayal, the humiliation, the fake engagement, the wedding planning, everything—came pouring out of me in ugly, heaving sobs. I didnt even mind if Santo

LEAHMy blood instantly turned to ice. I closed my eyes for a fraction of a second, my jaw tightening as I slowly turned around.Valeria stood alone in the doorway of the boutique. Her small frame was swallowed by the soft lighting of the shop, and she was smiling—that sweet, innocent smile that made my wolf want to bite her face off. Austin wasn't in sight this time. Then she rushed toward me, her steps quick and unsteady, like she might fall at any moment. Her arms were outstretched, her eyes were wide, and everything about her screamed fragile and innocent and helpless."Leah!" she said, her voice breathless. "I'm so glad I found you. Did you get my message?""I got it," I said, my voice flat. "And today is excluded. I have something important to do. Tomorrow we can start working together."Valeria nodded quickly, but her face crumpled. Her lower lip trembled, and her eyes filled with tears."I'm so sorry about what happened," she said, her voice shaking. "I didn't mean it. I was

LEAH "Goodness, Leah,” Bianca yawned loudly, making sure everyone could hear again as she swirled her glass of wine, “where is this big, powerful fiancé of yours? We’ve been waiting for almost two hours! Did he get lost on his way from his fancy castle?” A few relatives snickered. Uncle Robert, meek as always, chuckled nervously while glancing at Aunt Beatrice for approval. Aunt Patricia and Aunt Margaret exchanged uncomfortable glances, trying to stay polite, but even they looked doubtful now. Vanessas scoffed with disgust. “Some of us just can’t keep a man, now we make up lies to look important.” I gripped my phone, my knuckles turned white. “I didn’t lie. He could be held up in traffic. He’ll be here soon.” What's their headache? Bianca laughed, high and fake. “Traffic? Or maybe he realized this whole engagement is just a sad little lie you framed up to make Austin jealous. I mean, come on, sister. Santos De Luca? The terrifying Lycan King? With you?” She shook her he

LEAH Sunlight spilled through the window, paiting golden strips across the floor. I woke up touching my lips.My fingers brushed against my mouth, still tingling from last night, and the memory of Santos's kiss came flooding back. The way his lips had moved against mine. The way his scent had filled my nose. The way my wolf had melted inside me like she had finally found what she had been searching for.I closed my eyes and replayed it. The pressure of his hand on my waist. The way he had pulled me against him. The deep, possessive sound he had made when I moaned.No.I sat up in bed, my heart pounding.Stop it. Stop thinking about it.This was fake. A performance. A deal.He was the Lycan King, playing a game. I was just a piece on his board. That kiss meant nothing to him. It was just another act, another part of the performance.But my wolf didn't agree. She was unusually content this morning, curled up inside me like a cat in sunshine, warm and satisfied and completely at peace.