Mated to My Ex's Alpha

Chapter 3

Aurora's POV

Alpha Brian's eyes held a sly smile, his gaze like moonlight on a still lake. His face was striking, with sharp features and a rebellious edge. The top buttons of his shirt were undone, hinting at the muscular chest beneath. He casually wiped a pool cue, but his look at me was loaded with meaning, and for some reason, it was piercing.

My heart clenched suddenly. Could he sense my secret?

...No. As clever and powerful as Alpha Brian was, he wouldn't believe in something as bizarre as being reborn.

He just wanted to watch me stumble. In the past life, Brian and I had been at odds. He was the lofty Alpha, and I was merely a Beta's wife. Brian never showed me any kindness; he treated me like I was invisible.

As a Beta's mate without a wolf, maybe that’s why Brian ignored me...

"What madness is this?" Gabriel's angry voice jolted me back. His tone was icy and commanding. "Aurora, apologize to Anna right now!"

Anna pulled away from Gabriel, looking hurt and vulnerable. "I don't know what gave you this idea, but Gabriel and I are just friends and colleagues. Your suspicion is too much."

I laughed coldly and said, "Then what kind of pool lesson involves lying in another woman's husband's arms?"

Anna hesitated, then replied, "Gabriel was just teaching me. You're overreacting. Even if you're his mate, I won't stand for such humiliation."

With a sigh, Anna turned to Gabriel, sounding wounded, "Let it go, Gabe. Don't argue over me. I'll leave now."

As expected, her words ignited Gabriel's anger toward me. He approached, face tense. "Whatever you're trying, apologize to Anna and go home. I might still forgive you."

Anna always played the victim, winning Gabriel's and others' sympathy. In the past, I always fell into her trap, branded as the jealous and useless Aurora.

Looking at them, I wondered why I had endured it, losing myself and letting them walk all over me.

"Apologize to her?" I sneered. "Not a chance! And I don't need your forgiveness."

Gabriel's glare turned ice-cold in an instant.

"You've gone too far. I need to teach you a lesson," Gabriel said through gritted teeth. Anna, who was about to leave, flashed me a smug, taunting smile.

Gabriel's gaze was icy, almost freezing, as he reached out his hand toward me, ready to strike.

I stood there, stunned.

I never imagined Gabriel would dare to lay a hand on me for Anna's sake, and in front of so many people!

But instinctively, I stopped Gabriel's hand.

"How dare you defy me?!" Gabriel's face darkened like the night, his lips pressed into a thin line.

He was furious, and his eyes turned silver in an instant. It was his wolf, Nelson.

His wolf's claws swiftly lunged for my throat, ready to tear it apart at any second. Without Lilith, there was no way I could dodge it.

No one would save me.

No one could be faster than Gabriel's wolf.

A flood of panic and despair washed over me.

But just as I was losing hope, a hand forcefully intercepted Gabriel's move.

"Don't cause trouble on my place," a deep, commanding voice echoed.

I looked up and saw Alpha Brian, who had been silently watching all along.

Gabriel froze, shifting back to human form. "Alpha?"

"Gabriel, Aurora is my guest. Show her some respect," Alpha Brian commanded, his voice cold and unyielding.

The realization struck me like a lightning bolt.

Alpha Brian... was standing up for me?!

But why? He'd always looked down on me before.

Aurora's POV

Anna almost gasped in shock, "Alpha, how could Aurora be your guest?"

"I heard she's quite the pool player. So I invited her for a game," Brian continued, sounding casual.

I frowned. What's Brian up to?

Is he trying to save me from Gabriel? Anyone can see that if we go back, the argument will only get worse. Since when has Brian had such a kind heart?

I stared at him, searching for answers in his eyes, but they were as unreadable as ever.

Brian had that mysterious vibe that always kept people guessing.

But honestly, it felt more like he wanted to see me make a fool of myself.

"Thanks, but it's Amy's birthday tonight, and I need to stay with her," I said.

Brian nodded toward the door. "If you mean those girls, you can invite them to join us."

Just then, Amy walked in, waving. "We were worried about you! Thought you might be in trouble. Looks like we were right to check on you. We've got your back!"

Her eyes quickly scanned the room, and I remembered—Amy had a thing for good-looking guys.

Brian was one of the best-looking wolves in the pack, and the guys in the room were just as impressive. They all had chiseled muscles, tall frames, and perfect features—each one a fierce warrior among wolves.

Before long, Amy and my other friends were mingling with Brian's crew, the earlier tension disappearing. Anna had slipped away at some point, but Gabriel's eyes stayed on me, a chill radiating from his glare.

"Aurora, how about a game?"

Brian approached me, seemingly ignoring my earlier refusal.

I was taken aback. Is Brian really asking me to play? Something about this feels off, like he has other motives.

I instinctively glanced at Gabriel.

His expression darkened as Brian got closer, his eyes filled with a warning. Gabriel looked furious. But since Brian was the alpha he respected, Gabriel couldn't just push Brian aside like he would with any other guy.

Seeing Gabriel's frustration gave me a sense of satisfaction.

But Brian's presence was strong, making me uneasy.

Still, considering he had just lured me into this room, using him to get under Gabriel's skin didn't seem like a bad idea.

"Just a simple game of pool? Maybe adding a bet would make it more interesting," I replied.

Aurora's POV

A faint, mysterious smile appeared on Brian's face. "Looks like you're confident in your skills. So, what's the bet?"

"Hmm..." Feeling bold from Brian's unexpected willingness to play along, I decided to go big. "If I win, you have to spend the rest of the night with me."

Before Brian could respond, Gabriel's angry voice cut through the air. "Aurora, do you even realize what you're saying?!"

I shot him a disdainful glance. "Of course. And just so you know, this is between Brian and me. You have no say in it."

Gabriel scoffed, saying, "You wish! You're my mate. There's no way Brian would agree to that bet."

I raised an eyebrow at Brian, a smirk on my face. "Is that so? I never thought the all-powerful Alpha Brian would back down from a little challenge."

Without missing a beat, Brian handed me a pool cue, his eyebrow arching in challenge. "Bring it on. I'm game."

"Brian!" Gabriel shouted, his face a mix of shock and disbelief.

I shot Gabriel a triumphant grin. Then, with a confident stride, I leaned over the table and broke the rack.

It had been ages since I'd played pool, not since marrying Gabriel. But my natural talent was still fresh in my memory.

Brian was no slouch either. As the game went on, the table was soon left with just the eight ball.

I could feel everyone's shocked stares burning into me... especially Gabriel's.

Can't blame them. I used to hustle pool before getting married, but after? I'd played the perfect little wife, and since Gabriel never took me anywhere, nobody knew I was actually a shark at this game.

Now all eyes were glued to my game with Brian, watching every move.

Brian's face hardened as he focused on the eight ball, calculating his shot. He bent down, eyes narrowed, perfectly assessing the angle. With a mighty swing, he struck the cue ball.

It was a good shot, but the angle was tricky. The ball bounced off the back and rolled towards the left side of the pocket—no luck.

Now, it was my turn.

The setup looked tricky, but I wasn't worried.

I perched myself on the edge of the table, aligning the cue vertically at a 90-degree angle. With my eyes fixed on the pocket across the table, I took a deep breath and struck. The white ball sped forward, hitting the eight ball. The black ball zipped across the table, bounced off the opposite side, and rolled straight into the center pocket with graceful ease.

The room fell silent for a moment, then erupted into gasps and applause.

With the table now empty, a weight lifted from my shoulders. It felt like all the tension Gabriel had caused dissipated at that moment.

I winked at Brian. "I won. So, Alpha Brian, ready to accept your defeat?"

"Of course," Brian replied, setting down the cue. A newfound admiration flickered in his eyes as he looked at me.

Gabriel couldn't hold back any longer, striding over with an unmistakably furious tone in his voice.

"Aurora, what on earth are you trying to pull? Is this some ploy to make me jealous? Or are you trying to get my attention with some kind of mind game?" He grabbed my chin, eyes blazing with anger.

I wasn't about to back down. Clenching his wrist, I met his furious gaze head-on. "Gabriel, I've already told you—I want a divorce. I want to break our mate bond."