ALPHA BIKER WHO CLAIMED HIS BROTHER'S MATE

Maya's POV The swanky hallway of the cruise ship seemed to stretch on forever. I was on a mission to find my new husband, Jalen, who’d vanished after one too many tequila shots with his buddies. I was still in my big, poofy white wedding dress, the layers swishing around my ankles. Talk about a walk of shame, and the marriage was only, like, six hours old. I followed Jalen's scent down the hall, letting our mate bond guide me to him. That’s when I heard it. A low moan was coming from one of the rooms down a quieter corridor. I rolled my eyes. Seriously? We’re on a floating city of randos, so of course people are gonna get frisky. Not my business who slept with whom. I picked up my pace, ready to pass by and continue my search for my husband, but then his scent became stronger. And worse? It was corrupted. At first, I remained delusional. But then I heard the woman’s voice, which stopped me in my tracks. “Oh, Jalen! Yes, right there!” I froze. My entire world screeched to a halt. The fancy carpet beneath my feet felt like quicksand. “What the f**k?!” The whisper came out of my throat, sharp and disbelieving. No. It couldn’t be. It had to be a different Jalen. There were probably a hundred Jalens in Louisiana. My Jalen would never, we’d just gotten married, and his f*****g tie was still in my purse. I tried to find a stupid excuse for his corrupted scent. But my feet moved on their own, carrying me back to the door. I pushed it, expecting resistance. And yes, it was locked. A weird, cold calm settled over me. I reached into my clutch and pulled out a gold-rimmed master key card. It had been given to Jalen and me in case of an emergency for our wedding. The lock gave way with a beep. And there he was. Pants around his ankles, dress shirt still on but rumpled. He was buried deep into a woman from behind, her dress hiked up around her waist, head thrown back in pleasure, breasts exposed. Jalen gripped her hips with one hand while the other squeezed her breast. He was really into it, so carried away that he didn’t even notice the door opening with a beep. My heart tried to climb out of my throat in disbelief as my wolf howled in agonizing pain. Then the woman’s face turned slightly, her eyes fluttering open, and I almost screamed. Because it was Tessa Moore. My best friend since the sandbox. The one who’d held my hair back at my bachelorette party last week. The one who’d adjusted my veil and told me I was the most beautiful bride she’d ever seen, just hours ago. The very one who helped me pick the f*****g dress I was wearing. Her eyes met mine and widened in shock and guilt. “Jalen, stop!” she gasped, shoving at him. He grunted, annoyed at the interruption, and followed her horrified gaze to the door, then to me, standing there in my wedding dress, the gold key card still clutched in my hand. The color drained from his face. “Maya? Baby, I…” That’s all I needed to hear. I’d seen enough. My chest caved in like my ribs were about to collapse, but I found footing. I stumbled back, slamming the door shut on their frantic scrambling. A different wave of pain struck me. I felt my wolf clawing at me, desperate to go at them, but I was an omega, and they would kill me in one strike with their alpha-beta strength. I don’t remember walking away. It was more of a dizzy, stumbling flight. Everything was a blur as I moved through the halls, ignoring the smiling faces. “Congratulations, sweetie!” “The wedding was beautiful!” “Where’s the lucky man?” Their voices sounded like they were coming from the bottom of a well. I just kept moving, one foot in front of the other, my vision swimming with unshed tears. My husband and my best friend, the cliché of it all was almost as painful as the betrayal itself. I finally burst through a set of doors and into the cold night air. I was on the top deck, and the whole ship glittered with lights, twinkling merrily like the universe itself was laughing at me. Oh, the irony. I staggered to the railing, gripping the cold metal until my knuckles turned white. The dark ocean stretched out forever below, while the pain in my chest ate me alive like a twisted knife right where my heart used to be. Our mate bond, that stupid, beautiful link that had felt so magical this morning, was now just a cord pumping pure agony directly into my soul. I couldn’t breathe. I was hyperventilating, hot tears finally spilling over and tracing cold paths down my cheeks. How could they? How could they? The ocean suddenly looked peaceful, dark and deep, silent. It wouldn’t hurt there. The pain would just stop. It was a compelling thought. I leaned further over, the toes of my wedding shoes lifting off the deck. I closed my eyes and loosened my grip, testing the weight of the choice. One step, and I’d never have to hear their voices again. Then I let go completely. The railing slipped from my fingers. The world went still, and the ocean rose to claim me. Cold wind rushed past my face, and I waited to be consumed by the water. Then a growl ripped through the night. A hand clamped around my arm, yanking me back against a solid wall of muscle. My eyes flew open, colliding with the sharp gaze of a man built like a god, broad shoulders, dark hair tied back, fury etched into every line of his face. “Are you out of your mind?” he snarled, tightening his hold on me.