The Betrayed Ex-Alpha

Chapter 5

Alpha’s Choice

Rowan’s POV

The room was in chaos, voices filled with nothing but disgust and disbelief.

Kara stood closer to me, her arms crossed tightly against her chest. Her face a mix of shock and betrayal.

“You’re marrying her?” she hissed, coming closer. Her voice was low, just enough to keep it between us.

I sank back into my chair, my eyes scanning the room. The chiefs sat around the table, the pack’s most trusted leaders, all of them looking at me like I had lost my mind.

Kara and Lynn were no exception. Their judgment was very clear and heavy in the air, but I wouldn’t let it change my decision.

“Yes,” I said, my voice calm but serious. “I’ve made my decision.”

“Decision?” one of the elders shouted, his voice shaking with age but still loud enough.

“You met her a single night ago, Rowan! She’s an outsider. A Coral wolf!”

I stood up slowly, the legs of my chair scraping against the stone floor with a creaking sound.

“She’s not just a Coral wolf,” I said, meeting the elder’s eyes. “She’s a survivor. And she’s useful.”

Kara laughed bitterly beside me, her anger clear. “This isn’t like you,” she said, her voice quiet but no less than disappointed.

“You’re always the one who thinks things through. What happened to being careful? To being logical?”

I turned to look at her fully, my expression unchanging. “I am being logical,” I said. “Do you really think I’m doing this without any reason?”

“She is my mate, and I love her. I want to have a life with her—for us and for her.”

Her eyes locked into mine, as if trying to find a doubt in what I was saying. “She’s not your mate,” she said after a long pause, her voice filled with anger. “You don’t feel anything for her.”

I didn’t answer right away. My gaze drifted toward the door where Lyn had been escorted earlier. Her presence lingered in the back of my mind, a sharp reminder of everything that had happened in such a short time.

“Yes, I do,” I said at last, even though I knew deep down the words were a lie. My voice was colder than I wanted it to sound, but it did the job.

The room exploded into chaos again, questions and protests coming from every corner, but I didn’t care.

Let them talk all they want. They did not need to know the truth—that this was not about attraction or love.

It was a decision I had to make. Lyn wanted revenge for everything she had lost, for the life taken from her, for the death of Briony, and I had already assured her that her wish had been fulfilled.

Our marriage was not based on any feelings or trust—it was a contract, plain and simple. An alliance sealed with vows that none of us cared about.

She wasn’t my mate, and I wasn’t her hero. We both knew the truth—we were just going to use each other to get what we wanted.

Still, as I stood in the middle of the room filled with murmurs and disapproving stares, uneasiness crept into my chest.

The chiefs’ protests became unheard. Their words were nothing more than noise as my mind drifted.

A small, annoying voice at the back of my head was telling me doubts I didn’t want to hear.

Was this the right move? Could I really trust her?

I then thought about Lyn’s eyes earlier. They were cold and calculating, and all I could see was the different emotions she kept hidden.

She said she only wanted to reclaim revenge for the loved one she lost. But was that the whole truth? Could she have other plans she did not mention to me?

I folded my hands into fists, trying to silence the doubts. This was not the time to second-guess myself. I had thought this through, looked at the risks, and considered every possible outcome.

Lyn needed me just as much as I needed her, and for now, our goals were aligned—that was all that mattered.

But being desperate could lead to making weak alliances, and I knew I couldn’t afford to let my guard down.

Only time would reveal the truth, and I wasn’t sure I was ready for the answers.

Lyn’s POV

The wedding day arrived too soon.

I stood looking at myself in front of the mirror, unable to even recognize the woman looking back at me. The gown Kara had chosen with a bitter heart for me was simple but elegant.

I was used to wearing rough leathers and worn-out clothes, not this beautiful material that did not belong to me.

Dark circles were under my eyes, evidence of the sleepless nights since Briony’s death.

I could feel my chest ache with pain as I thought about him—about Rowan, the man who had taken Briony’s life without a second thought.

My fingers folded into fists, holding the dress tightly as anger rose inside me. This wasn’t a wedding. This was a means to an end.

I did not care about Rowan, his pack, or their stupid traditions. I cared about revenge. If this scam of a marriage would get me closer to reclaiming my pack and avenging Briony, I would endure it.

A soft knock on the door forced me out of my thoughts.

“Come in,” I said, forcing a normal tone.

Kara stepped inside, holding a bouquet of white roses. Her expression was bitter, her smile as if she was being forced. She gave me the flowers as if they were a burden.

“They said these are traditional,” she said. “Don’t ask me why.”

I took the bouquet without a word. Kara lingered for a moment, her eyes looking at me as though she wanted to see a little bit of doubt, maybe weakness.

“Do you really want to do this?” she asked, her voice meaner than I had expected.

I met her eyes, looking at me through the mirror. “Yes,” I replied honestly. “I want to do this anyway.”

She didn’t say anything else, she just turned and left, leaving me alone in the room.

The ceremony was set under the open sky. The pack gathered together, their gossip and murmurs carrying in the cool morning air.

Every eye that looked at me seemed to say I stood at the back of the line, waiting to be called forward.

My heart started pounding—not from being nervous, but with anger. This was not any celebration. This was a battle, and I could not afford to lose.

Rowan stood at the center, dressed in black. His dark and imposing figure seemed even more intense as he looked even more formidable.

His expression was filled with nothing but coldness until the moment I started walking forward, his eyes locking onto mine.

My legs grew heavier with each step. The weight of the pack’s judgment held me down, their disapproval clearly showing in their eyes.

But I held my head high. I would never let them see me weak.

When I reached Rowan, he extended his hand toward me. For a moment, I hesitated, wanting to reject him.

But then I thought of Briony—his sacrifice, the life Rowan had taken from me—and I placed my hand in his. His expression surprised me, clashing with the cold image of the man I knew him to be.

“You look...” Rowan murmured, his voice low enough that only I could hear. “Determined.”

But I did not reply.

The ceremony passed in a matter of moments, Rowan’s grip on my hand becoming more intense at times, as if to remind me of the deal we had.

Finally, the priest’s words ended, and the pack took their time before their applause broke the silence.

I turned to look at the crowd. They didn’t smile. They didn’t cheer. And neither did I.

The reception was even more suffocating. Discussions were quiet, all eyes on us, and the air was filled with tension.

Rowan and I sat side by side at the head table, saying nothing, the silence between us even louder than the gossip around the room.

“You’ve got what you wanted,” I said quietly, my voice filled with bitterness. “Now let’s see if you will be able to survive my revenge.”

Rowan did not look at me. “And you’ve got what you wanted,” he replied, his voice cold and sharp. “But don’t forget—you’re mine now. For three months, I have you all to myself.” He said, carrying along with it a mocking smirk.

I folded my hands into fists under the table, my nails digging into my palms. I did not respond to him, but my mind was immediately filled with different ways I would carry out my revenge on him.

This was just the beginning, and he should get ready for more that was to come.