The Sovereign Biker’s Forbidden Mate

Etta’s POV “Oh, stop it, baby!” Their giggles echoed through the door while I stood behind it, my fingers digging so hard into my palms that my nails nearly broke the skin. It was cliche. The very thing I always assumed would never happen to me but fate was never on my side. Because inside my bedroom, on my matrimonial bed, my husband was playing around with another woman. They weren't even trying to be quiet. And the worst part? The woman in there with him was Amelia. My own sister. My whole body shook with a rage and tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. It had been a year since I married Will. A full year of living under the same roof, and he had never touched me. Not once. On our wedding night, he hadn't wrapped his arms around me or whispered sweet promises. Instead, he had tossed a humiliating bunny outfit at me and demanded I put it on. When I refused, he completely shut down and turned his back on me. Since that night, I had been banished to the guest room at the end of the house, while my sister casually slipped into my place. The door opened and Will stepped out into the hall, running a hand through his messy hair. The moment his eyes landed on me, his expression hardened from playful happiness into disgust. "What are you doing standing out here like a ghost?" he snapped. The truth was, I had finally had enough. Why did I have to hide when I was the lawful wife? "I live here, Will.” I shouted, my voice trembling. "Or have you forgotten? You don't treat me like a wife or even a human being.” "A wife?" Will laughed and before I could blink, his hand flew. I staggered back at the force of the slap on my cheek, and he kicked my leg next, forcing me down to my knees. "You really think you're a wife?" he sneered, glaring at me. "You're just an omega pawn that your father rid himself of. I wanted Amelia from the start, but I got stuck with your useless self instead!" I stared at him with tears pricking my eyes, his every word was tearing down whatever little self-esteem I had left. "Will? What's going on out here?" Amelia stepped out of the bedroom, clutching the sheets around herself and adjusting her hair. Will turned away from me, wrapping an arm around Amelia's shoulders and pulling her close. "It's okay, babe. She's just being crazy," he muttered, kissing her temple. He turned back to me, shoved his hand into his pocket and tossed an envelope to me. "Do not bother us again tonight and as for that. We have to go to the Sovereign's masquerade ball tonight. Now get out of my sight." I watched as he guided Amelia back toward the master bedroom, but right before the door closed, my sister glanced back over her shoulder. A smug smirk was plastered on her face. "Don't you have any shame?" I spat and pushed myself up off the floor. "We're sisters, Amelia! How can you do this to me?" Amelia paused, turning around slowly. "Sisters? Honestly, Etta, sometimes I wonder if you're even a real part of this family. You might as well be a bastard.” I stiffened but she continued, flashing me a dazzling smile as she did. “I mean, look at us… out of everyone in our family, you're the only one who turned out to be an omega.” She slipped into the room and shut the door in my face. I staggered back to my room, barely noticing the maids that glanced at me. My hands were shaking so badly I could barely hold my phone. I dialed my father's number and the phone rang, but as it did, his harsh words from a year ago rang even louder in my head. “Don't you ever call us, Etta. Even if you were on your deathbed, do not call me or your mother.” My finger hovered over the screen, and I canceled the call. I slumped against the door and finally let the tears pour down my face. ********* A few hours later, I stood in front of the full-length mirror in the guest room. I had done my best to cover up the redness on my cheek with makeup and I was wearing a strapless mermaid gown that clung to my body like a second skin. It was a gift from Will two weeks ago, I had wondered why he suddenly gave me a dress out of the blue but it was coming in handy now. My mask was silver, matching the emerald green of the dress and I tied it behind my head. "You look absolutely stunning, Lady Etta," my maid, Sharon, praised behind me. Her eyes were filled with sympathy, which only made my heart ache more. "Thank you, Sharon," I managed a small smile. I took a deep breath and walked downstairs. But the moment I reached the bottom of the staircase, my stomach plummeted. Standing near the front door was Amelia. She was wearing the exact dress that I was wearing, the only thing different was her bright gold mask. How did she… hold on, did Will give us the same dress? Will looked up at me, his face completely indifferent. "Amelia is coming with us.” "It's just that I felt so bad about earlier, Etta," Amelia chimed in, using her sugary voice while clinging to Will's arm. "I didn't want to leave you feeling left out, so I thought we could match as sisters. Isn’t it cute?” I felt sick to my stomach and I couldn't even bring myself to argue. The drive to the Sovereign's estate was torture. They sat on the seat across from me, completely ignoring my existence. Will spent the entire ride showering Amelia with compliments and gushing over how incredible she looked in her dress. I sat by the window, feeling completely invisible. When we finally arrived at the palace, Will stepped out first. He extended his hand and helped Amelia down, carefully guiding her toward the entrance while leaving me to climb down by myself. Walking into the grand ballroom felt like walking into a nightmare. There were several guests in different masks, laughing and drinking champagne. I trailed a few paces behind Will and Amelia, feeling like a third wheel. Why did he even ask me to be here if he was still going to treat me like this? When I looked up, both of them were gone and I was lost in the sea of crowd. People shoved at me while I frantically walked around looking for my husband but I only got more lost. “Will?” The sound of his name left my throat in a sob. They were gone. Did they even notice or was it on purpose? "You look like you're not feeling well." The voice came from directly behind me and I spun around too fast, my heels caught on the hem of my dress. I gasped as I lost my balance, tripping over but a strong arm wrapped around my waist and held me in place. I looked up and found myself staring into a pair of bright azure eyes glowing through the eyeholes of a black mask. "I-I'm so sorry," I stammered, quickly pushing myself away from his chest. "Thank you." "No need to apologize," he replied, his lips curving into a small smile. "Are you alright?" I nodded, trying to get my racing heart under control. "Yes, I'm fine. Just... overwhelmed. I'm Etta, by the way. Thank you again.” The man bowed his head slightly, his gaze lingering on me with an intensity that made my skin tingle. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Etta. I am the Sovereign." I froze. The room seemed to go dead silent. The Sovereign. The most powerful, and feared wolf in the entire realm. And I was standing right in front of him, talking to him like he was just a regular guest. He glanced over his shoulder toward the staircase. "If you will excuse me." He began to turn away, but a sudden wave of panic hit me. His presence felt magnetic, and for the first time all night, I didn't feel invisible. Without thinking, I reached out and grabbed his sleeve. "Wait!" He stopped, turning back to look at me and my cheeks flushed with heat. ‘What am I doing?’ I thought, terrified of my own bold action. ‘I just grabbed the Sovereign!’ "I... I was just wondering," I swallowed hard, trying to sound brave despite the trembling in my voice. "Would you... like to have a drink with me?" I regretted the words the moment they left my throat and I braced myself for his rejection. Instead, he stepped closer and slipped his hand into mine. "You look like you want more than a drink, Etta," he murmured, his bright azure eyes piercing into my own. I opened my mouth and closed it, not knowing what to say. My heart was pounding even faster now. His full mouth curled into a smile and then he whispered. “Follow me.”