He Doesn't Love You Anymore (Amber and Ethan) novel Chapter 26

She’s So Beautiful

She’s So Beautiful

(Dominic’s POV)

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The room fell into stunned silence after Amber’s dramatic exit with Lucas. Every pair of eyes in the room bored into me, demanding explanations. My wolf, Leo, paced restlessly beneath my skin, still tingling from that unexpected kiss.

“Would someone please explain what the hell is going on?” Ethan finally broke the silence, his voice strained with barely contained rage.

I straightened my tie, taking my time before responding. The tension in the room thickened with each passing second.

“It’s quite simple. Amber and I are married. She is now your Luna and deserves your respect.”

Melissa clutched Ethan’s arm, her face draining of color. “But… but that’s impossible. You can’t just-”

“I can, and I have,” I cut her off firmly. My authority filled the room like a physical force, making several pack members lower their gazes instinctively.

Ethan stepped forward, challenging me despite the pressure of my alpha energy. His fists were clenched at his sides, knuckles white with tension.

“This is about revenge, isn’t it? You’re punishing me for choosing Melissa over the alliance with the Chase Pack!”

I felt my patience thinning dangerously. Leo snarled inside me, demanding I put the insolent pup in his place.

“Not everything revolves around you, Ethan.” My voice was cold as ice.

“Then explain yourself,” he demanded, taking another step closer. “Why would you suddenly marry Amber? She was my fiancée!”

“Was being the operative word,” I replied sharply. “You made your choice when you chose Melissa. Amber was free to make hers.”

The pack members around us shifted uncomfortably, sensing the growing tension between us. Some backed away, seeking safer positions near the walls.

“Amber’s condition left me with limited options,” I began, addressing the room at large. “Her false amnesia and the complications that followed required decisive action.”

“So you married her?” Ethan scoffed, throwing his hands up in disbelief. “That’s your solution? Marry a woman who doesn’t even know who she is?”

I fixed him with a hard stare that made him visibly flinch. “I married her for two reasons. First, she saved my life years ago. I owe her a life–debt, and I take such obligations seriously.”

Several of the older pack members nodded in understanding. Life–debts were sacred in werewolf culture, a bond not easily dismissed.

“Second, I recognized the danger Amber faces in our community. Whether she remains in her current state or regains her memories, she needs protection.”

I moved to the center of the room, commanding everyone’s attention with my presence alone. The air seemed to vibrate with my authority.

“Marking her as my Luna was the best possible outcome–both for her emotional wellbeing and for protecting the reputation of the Blackwood Pack.”

Ethan’s face contorted with anger. His eyes flashed dangerously, a hint of his wolf showing through,

“That’s bullshit and you know it!” he shouted, slamming his fist against the nearest table. The wood cracked under the impact.

“Watch your tone,” I warned, my voice dropping dangerously low. The room temperature seemed to drop several degrees.

She’s So Beautiful

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He ignored my warning, continuing his tirade. “Have you even considered what might happen if she regains her memory? She’ll react even more violently when she realizes she’s mated to her ex–flancé’s uncle!”

Tremained outwardly calm, though Leo was growling inside me, demanding I put Ethan in his place once and for all.

“Your reluctance to sever your bond with Melissa left me no choice” I stated firmly. “The damage was already done.”

My blue eyes locked with his, and I could see him flinch slightly under the weight of my gaze. The air between us crackled with

tension.

“I can make Amber fall in love with me before she regains her memories. I have no hidden agenda here–only a desire to find a solution that benefits everyone in our pack hierarchy.”

The room fell silent as everyone processed my words. The only sound was the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner.

To my surprise, it was my sister–in–law Olivia who spoke next.

“I think it’s a wonderful match,” she declared, her voice carrying across the room with surprising conviction.

Ethan looked at his mother in disbelief. His jaw dropped open, unable to process her betrayal.

“Mom? Are you serious right now?”

Olivia ignored her son, continuing her praise with growing enthusiasm. “Amber has always been a woman of quality. She comes from an excellent bloodline, she’s educated, and she carries herself with dignity. She’ll make an excellent Luna.”

“How quickly you change your tune,” Benjamin, my brother and Ethan’s father, remarked with a mocking smile. “Just last week you were calling her unstable and unfit. Now you’re currying favor because she’s mated to Dominic.”

Olivia shot him a venomous look but said nothing. Her hands trembled slightly as she clutched her designer purse.

A sharp tap echoed through the room as my father, William Blackwood, struck his cane against the hardwood floor. The aging Alpha King rarely spoke at family gatherings anymore, but when he did, everyone listened.

“This is unacceptable,” he said, his voice weathered but still commanding. His disapproval filled the room like a heavy fog.

“Dominic, I urge you to dissolve this mating bond quietly.” His voice was firm, accustomed to being obeyed without question.

The room collectively held its breath. My father continued, leaning heavily on his cane.

“We can send Amber to our European territories. I’ll personally cover the expenses with pack funds. She’ll be comfortable there, away from the gossip and scandal.”

Something inside me snapped. Leo roared with fury, and I struggled to keep him contained. The very suggestion of sending Amber away filled me with a rage I hadn’t felt in years.

“Never,” I growled, my voice barely human. The single word reverberated through the room like thunder.

My father’s eyebrows rose in surprise at my vehemence. For perhaps the first time in decades, he looked genuinely shocked.

“Do you feel ashamed about this, Father?” I asked, fighting to control the wolf clawing at my insides. “Or is this just another inconvenient situation you’re trying to cover up?”

The tension in the room thickened as I continued, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “How many times have you disposed of your mistresses and illegitimate children in exactly this manner? How many scandals have been covered up before your time?”

Several pack members backed away, sensing the volatile energy between us. Some looked at the floor, uncomfortable with the public airing of family secrets.

“Father, you despise partnership, causing my mother to leave. Do you think you can still influence me?” I looked at my increasingly aging father, seeing him clearly for perhaps the first time.

She’s So Beautiful

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William’s grip on his cane tightened until his knuckles turned while. His face hardened into a mask of cold dignity.

“Is that what this is about? Are you getting back at me throught this marriage?” His voice was quiet but cutting

“No,” I stated firmly, standing my ground. “I chose Amber as my mate because I wanted to. Not to spite you, not for pack politics, but because I wanted her.”

The declaration hung in the air, surprising even myself with its raw honesty. Leo settled inside me, pleased with my admission.

The tense moment was broken by movement at the doorway. Amber had returned, and the sight of her stole my breath away.

She stood tall and radiant in a stunning white traditional gown adorned with exquisite diamond embroidery that caught the light with every subtle movement. The transformation was remarkable.

Usually dressed in modern, sexy attire with a lively personality, she now appeared as the embodiment of a traditional Luna— demure, elegant, and breathtakingly beautiful.

Leo cooed inside me, utterly captivated. *She’s so beautiful in her moonlight costume. I should customize more traditional clothing for her in the future. She’s practically the moon goddess herself.*

I couldn’t disagree with my wolf. The sight of her in traditional pack attire stirred something primal within me, something possessive and proud.

Amber glided into the room with graceful confidence, her amber eyes twinkling with mischief despite her formal appearance. Her hair was styled in an elegant updo, accentuating the graceful curve of her neck where my mark now resided.

“Are you all mesmerized by me?” she asked playfully, breaking the tension that had filled the room moments before.

Her‍light–hearted question seemed to shift the atmosphere. Even those who had been scowling moments before couldn’t help but soften at her charm.

“You look stunning, dear,” Olivia said, the first to approach Amber with a warm smile. She took Amber’s hands in hers, squeezing them affectionately.

• “Truly befitting a Luna,” added one of the pack elders, giving a respectful nod. “The Blackwood Pack has been blessed with your presence.”

One by one, family members offered compliments. Even some who had been skeptical began to approach, drawn by her magnetic presence.

“The dress suits you perfectly,” remarked another elder, his eyes approving.

For a brief, peaceful moment, the pack house was filled with a pleasant atmosphere of acceptance. The tension that had dominated the room just minutes ago seemed to dissipate under Amber’s charm.

I moved to Amber’s side, placing my hand at the small of her back. The contact sent a jolt through me, and I wondered if she felt it too. Her skin was warm beneath the fabric of her gown.

“You look beautiful,” I whispered for her ears only, bending slightly to speak directly into her ear.

She smiled up at me, her eyes dancing with triumph. “I know.”

Just as the mood had lightened, my brother’s mate Ivy Reed’s voice cut through the pleasantries.

“How interesting,” she said with false sweetness. Her eyes gleamed with malice as she stepped forward. “Has anyone else noticed that Melissa and Amber are wearing almost identical styles today?”

Want to move into my home?

Want to move into

my

house?

(Melissa’s POV)

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I stood frozen in place, my stomach twisting into knots as Amber ided back into the room wearing a traditional ceremonial gown. The same style I had chosen to impress Olivia Blackwood. My light blue gown with subtle moonstone embellishments had seemed perfect this morning – elegant, traditional, exactly what a proper Luna should wear.

But Amber’s white gown put mine to shame. Though simpler in color, the diamond embroidery caught every ray of light, creating a halo effect around her perfect figure. She looked like a goddess – demure, innocent, and untouchable.

“Are you all mesmerized by me?” Amber asked playfully, her voice light and confident.

I gripped Ethan’s arm tighter, feeling the fabric of my own gown suddenly heavy and inadequate. The room’s attention had completely shifted to her, as if I had become invisible. Even Ethan cemed captivated, his eyes lingering on her longer than

necessary.

“You look stunning, dear,” Olivia said warmly to Amber.

The compliment stung like a slap. I had spent hours selecting this gown specifically to please Olivia, and now she was fawning over Amber instead.

Just as panic began to rise in my chest, Ivy Reed’s voice cut through the room with false sweetness. “How interesting. Has anyone else noticed that Melissa and Amber are wearing almost identical styles today?”

My face burned with humiliation as all eyes turned to compare us. I silently thanked Ivy for pointing it out while simultaneously wishing I could disappear. Maybe Amber would take the bait and lash out, showing everyone her true colors.

Ethan leaned down to whisper in my ear, “I can have a servant find you something else to wear.”

His words, meant to comfort, only wounded me further. Why was he suggesting that I change? Why not Amber? The implication was clear – between the two of us wearing similar gowns, I was the one who looked inferior.

“That would be nice,” I managed to say, swallowing back tears. “Thank you.”

(Amber’s POV)

I noticed the calculating gleam in Ivy’s eyes as she made her little comment about our matching gowns. Poor Melissa looked mortified, and Ethan was already offering to find her different clothes. How chivalrous of him to make his bride change while leaving his ex–fiancée alone.

I raised an eyebrow and turned to face Ivy directly. “I’m sorry, are you suffering from amnesia too? Didn’t you spend the entire afternoon with Melissa? How could you possibly forget what she was wearing?”

The room fell silent. I could feel Dominic tensing behind me, ready to intervene, but I wasn’t finished.

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