Beloved Alpha Mated With My Best Friend, I Turned To Mate With His Rival Chapter 05
Every head whipped toward the booming shout.
I followed the noise to spot Dylan—Barnett’s bitter rival from Werewolf Talons Academy, now ruling as Alpha of the Shadowmaw Pack. His usual composed Alpha bearing vanished entirely; he fought off restraining guards and stormed straight for Barnett, grabbing the front of his formal suit in a white-knuckled grip.
“You promised you’d love and protect her! Is this the protection you swore to give?”
Barnett’s face darkened furiously as he shoved Dylan off hard. “You’ve lost your mind; this is none of your business!”
“None of my business?” Dylan’s grief-stricken gaze swept over me, and I ducked my head instinctively. “You told me Eileen was your destined Luna and warned me off pursuing her…”
“DYLAN, SHUT YOUR MOUTH RIGHT NOW!” Barnett snarled, Alpha rage thick in his voice.
Barnett’s father, the retired former Alpha of Dewmoon Pack, cut through the chaos with a sharp, authoritative shout. “What in the world is going on here?”
My mom twisted toward me, eyes blown wide with confusion. “Eileen… was your secret boyfriend really Barnett all these years?”
“Absolutely not!” Bonnie shrieked before I could answer, clinging tight to Barnett’s arm in a panic. “I’m his mate! I’ve been with him this whole time!”
Barnett caught Bonnie’s desperate pleading gaze, then glanced over at me. Hesitation flickered across his face; his lips parted like he might speak up, yet he said nothing in the end. I’d abandoned all hope of his favor the second he chose Bonnie, so his silence came as no surprise.
With every guest’s eyes fixed on our little group, I smiled calmly and crossed the room to Dylan’s side, looping my arm naturally through his.
“Bonnie’s telling the truth; she’s Barnett’s mate. As for me…” I shot an apologetic glance toward my stunned mother. “Dylan’s the man I’ve dated for five years. I lied about his death after a bad falling-out between us; he’s very much alive.”
Barnett’s irises blazed crimson with uncontained Alpha fury at the sight of my linked arms with Dylan, his body coiled to break free of Bonnie’s grasp. She squeezed his arm harder, tears welling in her eyes and whispering a shaky plea.
“Barnett, please hold on. We’ll sort everything out with Eileen after the ceremony—just finish our bonding first, I beg you.”
I’d held my peace to safeguard my family’s honor, and now Bonnie fought tooth and nail to preserve her own newly earned Luna status, terrified a last-minute breakup would leave her and her greedy Beta father open to endless pack mockery and ruin. Jaw tight with frustration, Barnett forced down his urge to chase after me and stayed rooted beside his official bride.
“Sorry for interrupting your celebration. Please carry on with your ceremony.” I gave a faint, civil smile and dragged the still stunned Dylan outside the banquet hall.
Once we stepped clear of the venue, Dylan fixed me with a confused, scrutinizing stare. “He deceived you completely. Why didn’t you expose him right then?”
“I value my dignity,” I replied evenly. “Do you think dragging all our dirty laundry into public spectacle would only embarrass them? This pack is my lifelong home, my family’s whole world. I can’t burn every bridge and force my bloodline into exile just to get petty revenge.”
Dylan still fumed on my behalf. “But you didn’t do anything wrong! No one will ever learn how badly you’ve been hurt if you stay quiet!”