Sold to Bastard Alpha after My Divorce! novel Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Kael’s POV

I hated this.

Everything about tonight. The ceremony. The crowd. The pretense.

And her.

That Shadow Moon Omega sitting in my passenger seat. Silent. Small. Radiating anxiety like a kicked dog.

Fenrir growled in my head. Low. Insistent.

*Want. Need. Go to her.*

"Shut up," I muttered.

"What?" Aria’s voice was barely a whisper.

"Nothing."

My wolf had been losing his mind for days. Ever since I’d first approached her at that bus stop. Ever since Rebecca suggested this idiotic game.

Fenrir had never acted like this. Not once in twenty-five years.

He’d been quiet my whole life. Content. Manageable. Only surfacing when I needed him for fights. For dominance displays. For the occasional rut.

But never—not once—had he fixated on anyone like this.

Not even Rebecca.

Rebecca and I had been together for years. Childhood friends. Lovers. Partners. Everyone expected us to mate eventually.

But there was no bond. No pull. No instinct screaming that she was mine.

It was just... easy. Comfortable. Expected.

And now Fenrir wouldn’t shut up about an already-married Omega who smelled like cheap soap and moonflowers.

I gripped the steering wheel tighter. My knuckles went white.

This was supposed to be simple. Three dates. The ceremony. Twenty-five thousand dollars. Rebecca’s birthday game. That’s it.

But every time I looked at Aria, something twisted in my chest.

*Want her. Claim her. MINE.*

"No," I said out loud.

Aria jumped. "I’m sorry?"

I ignored her.

She couldn’t be my mate. Impossible. She’d already been marked. Already belonged to someone else. Already had a child.

Damaged goods.

Shadow Moon trash.

But that scent...

Moonflowers and rain and something else. Something that made my mouth water. Made Fenrir rake at my insides trying to get out.

I’d never smelled anything like it.

And her wolf. I could sense it even through her fear. Weak. Trembling. But there. Artemis. A goddess name for a broken creature.

Who was her husband? Some new-money wolf trying to buy respectability through an Omega wife. Pathetic.

What kind of man let his mate walk home alone? Let her wear clothes that looked like they came from a donation bin?

I glanced her. Faded black. Cheap fabric. Wrong cut. It hung on her like a sack.

Is this what she thought was acceptable? For the mating ceremony? For appearing with ME?

I started driving away from the venue. Toward the shopping district.

"Where—"

"Shopping."

The boutique was one of my usual stops. The staff knew me. Knew not to ask questions.

I watched her walk through the store. Head down. Shoulders hunched. Like she was waiting for someone to throw her out.

I checked my phone. Tried to focus on anything else.

Then she emerged.

And Fenrir went silent.

The dress fit her perfectly. Hugged curves I hadn’t noticed before. Made her silver eyes stand out. Made her skin glow.

She looked... beautiful.

Not like the Omegas who threw themselves at me. Not like Rebecca’s polished perfection.

Different. Natural. Real.

My heart kicked against my ribs.

*Mine. Ours. Perfect.*

I forced the feeling down. Buried it deep.

"Fine," I said. Kept my voice cold. "We’ll take it."

---

The ceremony venue blazed with light. Hundreds of wolves. All dressed to impress. All here to find their mates.

I got out. Walked around. Opened her door.

She stepped out. The dress moved with her. Caught the light.

That’s when I saw them.

A male and a human woman. Walking toward the entrance. Hand in hand.

The male was tall. Well-dressed. Handsome in that boring, predictable way. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

But it was the human that caught my attention. Golden hair. Blue eyes. Delicate.

And the way the male looked at her...

My eyes flicked to Aria. She’d gone white. Completely pale. Frozen.

Her husband.

This was her husband.

Rage hit me like a punch. Hot. Instant. Irrational.

*Kill him. Rip him apart. How dare he—*

I grabbed Aria’s hand. She startled. Looked up at me with those wide silver eyes.

"Walk," I commanded. Let my Alpha Voice seep through. "Smile. Now."

She moved. Mechanical. But she moved.

Her hand was cold in mine. Trembling.

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