He Doesn't Love You Anymore (Amber and Ethan) novel Chapter 25

The First Kiss

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The First Kiss

(Amber’s POV)

The stunned silence that followed my “Hello, nephew” was absolutely delicious. I savored every second of the shock on Ethan’s face, his jaw hanging open like a puppet with cut strings.

I doubled down, raising an eyebrow at him. “What’s wrong, nephew? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Lucas Blackwood appeared at my side, his eyes wide with confusion. He grabbed my arm and pulled me aside.

“Are you drunk?” he hissed “Have you lost your mind? What game are you playing?”

I shook off his grip, my amber eyes sparkling with confidence. “I’m not playing any game. I’m your Uncle’s Luna now, expect to be treated with respect.”

and I

The statement hit the room like a thunderclap. Gasps echoed around us as everyone suddenly understood what I was implying. I was positioning myself as Dominic’s mate the future Luna of the most powerful pack in the Northern Territory.

–

Ethan’s face darkened with rage. He stormed toward me, his fists clenched at his sides.

“What the hell are you talking about?” he snarled. “I’ve already had a mating ritual with Melissa. We’re married now.

He turned and pulled Melissa close to him, kissing her deeply in front of everyone. The display was clearly meant to hurt me, to

show me what I’d lost.

When they broke apart, he smirked. “See? I’ve moved on. You should too, instead of creating these ridiculous fantasies.”

“You think I’m doing this out of jealousy?” I asked, forcing my voice to tremble slightly. “You think I want to sabotage your new

life?”

“That’s exactly what I think,” Ethan replied coldly. “And it’s pathetic. You need to leave. Now.”

I let my body shake, appearing on the verge of tears. Around us, pack members whispered and laughed, clearly enjoying the drama unfolding before them.

Then I did something Ethan clearly didn’t expect. Instead of breaking down, I swiftly slapped him on the forehead – exactly as I had done earlier to Lucas when reprimanding him.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” I said flatly. “I have no feelings for you whatsoever. My focus is entirely on Dominic, with whom I’ve registered at the United Council of Wolves.”

I reached into my purse and pulled out the marriage certificate, holding it up for everyone to see. Then, with deliberate slowness, I peeled back my collar to reveal the marking on my neck.

“As I said before, nephew, you should show more respect to your aunt.”

Ethan stood dumbfounded, his expression cycling between rage and incredulity. “This is ridiculous,” he finally sputtered. “That certificate is obviously a forgery.”

“Would you like to see it?” I asked sweetly.

“Yes, hand it over,” he demanded, reaching for the document.

I pulled it back. “I don’t think so. You’ll just tear it up.”

“Give it to me!” Ethan lunged forward, grabbing one edge of the certificate.

We struggled, tugging the document between us. I could feel Ethan’s alpha power rising, pressing down on me as he tried to force me into submission.

Suddenly, a wave of overwhelming alpha energy flooded the room. Ethan was physically pushed away from me, stumbling backward as if hit by an invisible force.

The First Kiss

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Dominic stood in the doorway, his powerful presence causing every pack member to lower their eyes instinctively. The sheer power of his Lycanario radiated throughout the space, making it difficult to breathe.

The certificate is genuine,” Dominic said calmly, his deep voice resonating through the room. “Amber and I were married yesterday. She is now my mate and your aunt. You all need to respect her.”

He pulled down his collar, revealing his own marking. “Is that proof enough for you, nephew?”

Ethan’s face drained of color. He backed away, suddenly obedient the face of his uncle’s authority.

Dominic approached me, his eyes scanning my face and arms. “Are you hurt?” he asked softly.

I shook my head, still a bit stunned by his dramatic entrance.

Cora–my no–good wolf–howled excitedly in my head, “Mate! Our mate is so strong! Did you see that? He shook Ethan aside in one fell swoop!”

I wanted to laugh, but I was afraid that people would see it, so I could only shut her up helplessly, “Don’t be so uneducated, haven’t you read the novels? In the novels the strong alphas have to protect their Luna like this!”

I have to admit though, seeing Ethan’s expression really made me feel a lot better.

My glowering seemed to please Dominic, and his eyes became soft when he looked at me.

He handed me his car keys. “The gift we bought is in the trunk. Take Lucas with you to retrieve it.”

I nodded, turning to leave. Then, acting on pure impulse, I spun back around and threw my arms around Dominic’s neck. Before anyone could react – including myself – I pressed my lips to his.

The contact sent an electric current through my entire body. This wasn’t part of my plan, but the intensity of the connection caught me completely off guard. My wolf, Cora, who had been resistant to Ethan, seemed to purr with satisfaction at Dominic’s

touch.

Shocked by my own actions and the unexpected response, I pulled away quickly. Grabbing a bewildered Lucas by the arm, 1

I

practically dragged him out of the house, leaving Dominic to face his questioning family.

Once we reached Dominic’s car, Lucas stared at me like I’d grown a second head.

“What the hell was that?” he demanded. “Are you and Uncle Dominic really married?”

I took a deep breath, deciding to trust him with the truth. “Yes, we are. But it’s not what you think.”

I explained everything – how I’d faked my memory loss, how Dominic and I had carefully planned this marriage to save face and secure my future.

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