Betrayed By Two Alphas:Bound By One Fate

Chapter 24

Liam’s POV

I paused mid-step, my hand still on the shopping cart, and turned just in time to see Ashley and Aurora shaking hands. Both of them were smiling—genuine, easy smiles that twisted something sharp in my chest. What the hell is going on?

Before I could move, Ashley was already walking toward me, her expression bright and relaxed.

“She seems pretty nice,” she said as soon as she reached me, still wearing that soft smile.

I stared at her, confused, knotting my brows. “Why did you go talk to her?”

Ashley shrugged lightly, a playful glint in her eyes. “I guess I was a little curious. Wanted to talk to her for a bit.” She added a wink that only irritated me more. I rolled my eyes and looked away.

I kept watching Aurora from a distance as she moved through the aisles, picking up the few things she needed. Every time she reached for something on a higher shelf, my mind flashed back to earlier—how I’d caught her when she nearly fell, my hands steady on her waist, her body pressed against mine for that brief second. She’d been rude afterward, brushing me off like I was nothing. Yet here I was, still thinking about it.

When she finished, I paid for everything without a word. The drive back home was quiet. Too quiet.

Back in my room, I tried to focus on the paperwork spread across my desk, but my mind kept drifting. Aurora’s face refused to leave me alone. The way she’d looked at me when I saved her from falling. The sharpness in her voice when she pushed me away. And then… the memory that burned the most—Lucian kissing her. His mouth on hers like he had every right.

My grip tightened around the pen until it nearly snapped. Anger simmered low in my gut, hot and restless. I hadn’t spoken to Lucian since that day. Not a single word. The silence between us felt heavier than any argument we’d ever had.

Ashley had left for her painting class an hour ago. The house was empty. Too empty.

Fuck this.

I slammed my laptop shut, grabbed my keys, and headed out. If I didn’t clear my head tonight, I was going to lose it.

Lucian’s place looked different this time. This was only the second visit where I didn’t walk into a haze of smoke, thumping music, or half-naked girls scattered across the couches. The quiet felt almost unnatural.

He noticed me the moment I stepped into his private lounge. A slow smirk tugged at his lips as he leaned back in his chair.

“You really love showing up unannounced, don’t you?” he said, amusement lacing his voice.

I didn’t smile back. “Are you okay?” I asked, though the words came out sharper than intended. “No bitches tonight? No bottles?”

Lucian raised an eyebrow. “Straight to the point. I’m fine. What’s eating you?”

I crossed my arms, staring him down. “Why the hell were you kissing Aurora?”

For a moment, he just sighed and stared at me, his expression unreadable. I gave him a suspicious look, then forced a smile, trying to play it off like old times.

“Come on, man. Why didn’t I think of it sooner? You’re trying to ruin her relationship, right? Just like we planned. Get her all confused and twisted up. Smart move.”

Lucian’s face didn’t change. No smirk. No laugh. He simply shook his head.

“I’m not doing any of that,” he said quietly. “I am the one who’s confused here, Liam.”

Something in his tone made my stomach drop. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and for the first time in years, he looked… serious. Vulnerable, almost.

“No woman has ever made me feel this way before.”

The smile I’d forced onto my face completely vanished. A heavy frown settled in its place as the words sank in. This wasn’t part of the game. This wasn’t the plan.

“What the hell do you mean by that?” I demanded, stepping closer. “Why are you talking all funny? You sound like you’ve lost your damn mind.”

Lucian sighed again, rubbing a hand over his face. He looked tired—more real than I’d seen him in years. “There’s this pull toward her, Liam. Like a string tied around my chest, some kind of power I can’t stop myself from following. At the restaurant, I couldn’t stop staring at her. Every time her goddamn fiancé smiled at her, I felt like ripping him open right there in front of everyone.”

He paused, his eyes distant. “My wolf goes crazy around Aurora. At first, I thought it was just my own guilt eating me alive for what we did to her. But now… I think I might have fallen for her.”

My eyes widened, annoyance surging through me like fire. This was bullshit. Pure, delusional bullshit.

“You’re losing the plot, man,” I snapped, my voice sharp. “You don’t like Aurora. You just think you do. Or maybe you’re not used to a girl moving on that quickly from you. That’s all this is.”

Lucian shook his head slowly, unfazed. “I know what I’m saying, Liam. Haven’t you felt it too? That sharp pain we both get… it vanishes the second Aurora is near. Like she’s the only thing that fixes it.”

“Shut up,” I cut him off, my jaw tight. “It’s just a coincidence.”

“I don’t think so,” he replied quietly. “It’s been happening too much. Is the universe trying to punish me for what we did to her? Is that why I can’t stop thinking about her?”

I turned away from him, pretending to examine the empty bottles on his shelf so he wouldn’t see my face. Because the truth was, I was feeling it. The same damn pull. The same sharp ache that disappeared whenever she was close. The way my mind kept replaying the moment I caught her from falling, the warmth of her body against mine. The anger that burned when I saw Lucian kiss her.

But I’d never admit it. Not to him. Not to anyone.

Not even to myself.

I spun back around, frustration boiling over. “Who the hell are you right now, Lucian? You can’t let some girl make you lose yourself like this. This isn’t you. We both need to get our minds off Aurora—go out, party, do some crazy s**t. That’s what you f*****g need.”

Lucian leaned back, looking unconvinced. “I’m over it, man. I don’t think that’s the best idea tonight.”

I pushed harder, clapping a hand on his shoulder with a forced grin. “Come on. One night. It’ll clear your head. Trust me.”

After a long pause, he finally gave in with a reluctant nod.

An hour later, we were inside the pulsing chaos of the club. I had already texted Ashley: Business meeting ran late. Heading out with Lucian for a bit. Be home soon. A clean lie. She wouldn’t question it.

The music was deafening, bass rattling my bones. Everywhere I looked, strippers moved under the flashing lights—bodies glistening, hips swaying like they knew exactly what they were doing. I leaned toward Lucian over the VIP table.

“See anyone you actually want to f**k tonight?” I asked, scanning the crowd.

He barely glanced up. He wasn’t into it at all.

I wasn’t having that. I waved over a group of girls, making sure plenty came to our table. They danced around us, grinding close, laughing, showing off every curve. One of them pressed against Lucian, but he just sat there, staring into his drink like the whole scene bored him. I was losing my s**t internally—this was supposed to work—but I forced myself to relax, laughing along with the girls like everything was fine.

I ordered multiple shots and pushed them toward him. “Drink up. You’ll feel better.”

It worked too well. A few rounds later, Lucian was drunk and way too talkative.

He looked at me with glassy eyes. “You really gonna marry Ashley?”

I nodded without hesitation. “That’s the plan. So yeah, I will.”

Before I could steer the conversation away, he kept going. “Before you do… you should try and find out the kind of person she really is. Make sure you actually want to spend your life with her.”

I frowned, confused. What the hell did that mean? I opened my mouth to ask, but my eyes suddenly locked onto a familiar face across the club.

Damon. Aurora’s fiancé.

A girl was leaning in close, whispering something in his ear. His eyes widened, a sly smile creeping across his face. My blood ran hot. This man was cheating on Aurora. Right here, in plain sight. The thought hit me harder than it should have.

I stood up abruptly and told one of the girls hovering nearby, “Watch over him. Make sure he doesn’t fall over or do anything stupid.” She nodded with a flirty smile, but I was already moving.

I crossed the club floor, heart pounding with rage. When I reached Damon, I tapped his shoulder hard. The second he turned around, I swung—my fist connected square across his face, catching him completely off guard. He stumbled back, clutching his jaw.

“So this is what you’re out here doing?” I growled. “Cheating on Aurora?”

Damon straightened, wiping blood from his lip. I kept going, voice low and venomous. “I don’t even blame you. I blame Aurora for her low thinking—choosing a piece of s**t like you.”

An amused laugh escaped him. That sound only made my anger burn hotter.

“Why do you care what I do?” Damon shot back, smirking. “Now you’re acting like a saint? What the hell did you do when you were married to Aurora?”

I clenched my fists until my knuckles ached. “That doesn’t count. You’re a piece of s**t, and that’s why Aurora doesn’t know the kind of man you really are. At least I don’t pretend.”

Damon chuckled again. “Aha. That’s enough.” He gestured around us. “This club is mine, by the way. And this woman over here?” He pointed to the girl who had been whispering in his ear. She waved at me with a knowing smile. “She’s the club manager.”

He stepped closer, voice calm but edged with warning. “I won’t press charges against you because I promised him I wouldn’t fight again.”

Him? Who the hell was he talking about? The question burned in my mind, but before I could ask, Damon continued.

“Not everyone is a piece of s**t, Liam.” His eyes locked on mine. “You are.”

He turned and walked away, leaving me stunned speechless, rooted to the spot as the club music thundered around me.

I shook it off and headed back to Lucian, who was now slumped and mumbling incoherently. I got us both out of there, drove home in silence, and half-carried my drunk friend up to his room. I placed him on the bed, watching as he kept murmuring words I couldn’t quite make out—something about Aurora, something about guilt.

Lying there, I couldn’t help but regret dragging him into this mess in the first place. What the hell had I done?