Chapter 1The Alpha Only Loved My Voice

Alpha Ethan's fated mate Amber, who went abroad for treatment after being poisoned, has recovered and returned.

Seeing the photo Ethan posted of them together, I comforted myself. We're mates now.

Ethan loves me now.

Until I overheard his conversation with a friend.

"Ethan, Amber has recovered and come back. Why haven't you broken up with her yet? Don't tell me you've actually fallen for that replacement?"

Ethan's voice was cold and mocking. "How could I? I'm only with her because her voice sounds like Amber's. An Omega... If she's obedient, maybe I'll let her continue as my mistress. But the Luna position. She'll have to give it back to Amber."

He didn't just treat me as a substitute. He wanted to crush my dignity.

But on the seventh day after I left, he finally remembered that I wasn't some fragile Omega who could only depend on him.

I was also the most gifted herbalist and healer in the pack.

* * *

Molly POV

In my second year as Luna, I got pregnant.

But on the very day I found out, Ethan's former fated mate Amber came back.

Then I saw the photo he'd just taken with Amber on his social media.

The comments were overwhelmingly positive.

"Amber looks even more beautiful than before! She really is the beta's daughter!"

"She used to be a journalist! She even interviewed the Luna Queen!"

"She got her wolf at sixteen and she's incredibly strong. She's my role model."

"If she hadn't been poisoned during that hunt and voluntarily left alpha Ethan, Molly would never have had a chance to be with him!"

At first, I told myself not to worry about these rumors.

My father was a werewolf warrior, my mother just an ordinary Omega.

My wolf was also very weak.

In the werewolf world that valued strength above all, everyone believed I wasn't worthy of the powerful alpha Ethan.

But that didn't matter. As long as Ethan loved me, that was enough.

Until I saw one comment that made me freeze in place.

"Ethan has very high standards for women's voices. Back then he liked Amber not just because they were fated mates, but because of her voice. His current mate's voice sounds almost exactly like Amber's."

My mind exploded.

Ethan had this quirk.

During intimate moments, he liked to turn off all the lights and have me call his name over and over.

Sometimes he'd even give me news scripts to record, then play them on loop in his study.

I'd never thought much of it. I'd even considered it an intimate ritual that belonged just to us.

With trembling hands, I pulled up those recorded news scripts, only to see that every single one was written by "Amber."

Tears fell onto the screen one by one as my heart felt like it had been shoved into an ice pit.

I rushed to Ethan's study, wanting only to ask him what was going on.

But just as I reached the door, I heard laughter coming through the crack.

"Ethan, Amber has recovered and come back. Why haven't you broken up with her yet? Don't tell me you've actually fallen for that replacement?"

His tone was indifferent, though it couldn't hide that trace of affection. "You're overthinking it. I'm only with her to give Amber peace of mind. To put on a show so she could go get treated."

I froze outside the door, my legs going weak.

The people in the study continued laughing. "Amber was just afraid she'd drag you down. After all, the pain between fated mates can transfer. If her poison couldn't be cured and she died, it would have a huge impact on you too. That's why she forced you to Mark someone else, to sever the fated bond."

I knew about this practice. I'd read about it in books.

When one half of a fated mate pair Marks someone else, it means their connection is forcibly severed. Even if one dies, it won't affect the other.

But if both become single again, fate will guide them back together.

There won't be a second chance mate.

But the process of a fated mate Marking someone else is extremely painful.

I never imagined Amber would be willing to go that far for Ethan.

"But Molly does have a great body. After you two break up, what if I go after her? Unless you'd mind, of course."

After a brief silence came his familiar yet strange voice. "After all, she's been with me all these years. If you're serious, go ahead and pursue her. But if you're just playing around, forget it. If Amber finds out, she'll blame me."

Replacement?

My mind felt like someone had struck it hard.

I staggered backward, unable to listen anymore.

So the happiness I thought I had was just a performance from start to finish.

The only one who got too into character was me.

He'd once fought bitterly with his parents over me.

He'd stood in front of me to protect me when I was being bullied.

As an alpha, he'd made me breakfast for five years.

But all of it was just acting!

How ridiculous.

Back home, I rushed into the bathroom and soaked in the tub, trying to calm myself down.

As I dried my hair, I comforted myself. Maybe he was just joking around with his friends.

That's what men do when they're together, right? They like to brag.

But that evening, he only sent one message:

"Have to handle urgent pack business tonight. Go to bed early."

I sat on the couch all night.

When dawn was just breaking, he finally came home.

He looked relaxed, and when he saw me, he smiled. "My little sleepyhead, couldn't sleep without me? Look, I bought your favorite egg tarts."

I didn't move, didn't speak.

Just quietly watched him, smelling the strong scent of roses on him.

I never used rose-scented perfume.

They were together last night, and they managed to hide it from our mate bond?

No. Maybe it was distance.

They weren't in the pack last night.

That's why he could bring back egg tarts from that bakery in town.