All Chapters of She Promised Forever Then Marked Him: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Right before our bonding ceremony, my mate, Zarya, said she needed to mark another man—an Omega named Soren who had supposedly saved her life once.“I have to give Soren a temporary mark. He’s dying, Rhys. The moon-fade sickness is eating him alive. His wolf is completely depleted.”Zarya’s gaze was a physical weight, her Alpha authority pressing down on me, demanding I bend.I stopped mixing the Moonpetal elixir in my hands. It was for our ceremony, said to make a mate bond stronger. I could still remember her whispering in my arms, her eyes full of love, “My Head Mate will be the greatest on this continent.”And now, she wanted me to accept her marking another man.My fingertips started to tremble.“Are you fucking kidding me?”“It’s the only way to save him.” Zarya turned away, unable to meet my eyes. That deep blue gaze I once loved was now a storm of conflict and cold resolve. “I owe him my life.”“I don’t care what you owe him!” my voice cracked. “A mark is sacred, Zarya! It’s

That night, Zarya didn’t come back to our apartment.I knew where she was.The next morning, I opened the pack’s internal security network.The top story was a new update.Alpha Zarya had ordered a hundred thousand dollars’ worth of rare herbs for Soren.Dragon’s Blood Vine, Moonflower Fruit, and Soul-Ease Root—all top-shelf remedies used to soothe an Omega after knotting and stabilize a permanent mate bond.The comment section exploded.“Our Alpha is spending that much energy on someone else?”“But isn’t Rhys her Head Mate?”“I heard that guy Soren moved into the penthouse.”“Isn’t the bonding ceremony next week?”I slammed my phone face down on the table. I couldn't look at it anymore.At noon, I met my best friend, Cole.“You what?” Cole’s voice was so sharp it nearly shattered his coffee cup. “You’re canceling the ceremony?”“That’s right.”“Are you insane? She’s your fated mate!”“Fated mates don’t mark other men before their ceremony,” I said calmly, sipping my coffee. “And they

For the next week, my phone was flooded with notifications.Soren’s social media had blown up.A photo of him lying in bed at a luxury resort in the Rockies, Zarya sitting beside him, peeling an apple.A photo of him in a hot spring, Zarya waiting by the pool with a towel ready.A photo of him undergoing an energy scan, Zarya holding his hand tightly.Every picture had the same caption: “Thank you, Zarya, for taking such good care of me. I’ve never felt so safe.”He even posted a few vague statuses, hinting that he was suffering from undeserved misunderstandings but was willing to endure it all for his Alpha’s happiness.I didn’t need to read the comments to know what they would say.“The Alpha is so good to him.”“This is what true love looks like.”“What about the Head Mate, Rhys? We never see him.”“I hear he’s busy with his career.”I turned off my phone and continued packing.On the third day, I drove to my parents’ house.“Rhys?” my mother said, surprised, as she opened the door.

I spun around. Zarya was standing just outside the balcony door, her eyes like chips of ice.The lingering pain from the energy clash had made me careless—an Alpha’s hearing could cut through walls.Thank the Goddess she hadn't heard everything.“A healer friend of mine,” I answered calmly, walking past her back into the dining room. “He’s going to South America to research new herbs.”Zarya followed me and sat back down. “Which friend?”“You don’t know him.”“What’s his name.”“Why should I tell you?”Soren coughed lightly from the side. “Zarya, don’t be so hard on Rhys. Everyone’s allowed to have a few secrets.”His words seemed to calm her down.“I’m sorry,” she said to me, though her eyes were still full of suspicion.But she didn’t press further, seemingly unwilling to make the atmosphere worse.Her gaze softened as she turned to Soren. She pulled a beautiful box from her jacket.“What’s this?” Soren asked curiously.“For you.”Inside was an obsidian pendant carved with intricate

Zarya's POV“Alpha,” the Head Elder walked up to the altar, his face grim. “Rhys initiated the rejection rite an hour ago.”“He said the bonding ceremony is canceled.”“What?”The elder’s words hit me like a physical blow.“Severance rite?” I grabbed his robes, my voice hoarse with shock. “What the fuck are you talking about?”“Alpha, he invoked the ancient rite of rejection,” the elder said, his voice heavy. “Rhys has rejected this bond.”Below the altar, all the guests were staring at me.Their eyes held confusion, shock, and a sliver of pity I couldn’t ignore.“Impossible.” I let go of the elder, stumbling back, muttering to myself. “Last night, he still…”“He said the ceremony is canceled.”“He can’t do that!” I finally roared, my sanity snapping. “I am his fated mate!”“But he has rejected you, Alpha.” The elder shook his head, his eyes filled with sorrow. “It is his right.”I turned and bolted from the altar.The whispers of the guests followed me, but I couldn’t hear them.There