32EthanThe moment Riley stepped away, leaving me clutching the bouquet, I felt the weight of countless eyes on me. My skin prickled under the scrutiny, and the crowd buzzed with whispers, their gazes bouncing between Riley and me as if we were the stars of some twisted rom-com. I should have been furious. *I was* furious—at Riley, at this ridiculous situation, and most of all, at myself for letting it spiral so far. Then I caught sight of Liam once again.He was standing near the bar, his jaw clenched so tightly it seemed his teeth might shatter. His face was a mask of barely contained rage, and beside him stood Owen, clearly trying to calm him down. But Liam didn’t notice; his entire focus was locked on me. Good. For a split second, satisfaction rippled through me. Liam deserved this—to feel helpless, to be on the outside looking in. Still, the way he stormed toward Owen, dragging him roughly by the arm, sent a jolt of unease through me. “What’s he up to now?” I muttered un
33EthanLiam’s eyes darted between me and Riley, his face turning an alarming shade of red. He was practically shaking with fury, his jaw clenched so tightly I feared his teeth might crack.“Shut up, Riley!” Liam spat, his voice dripping with venom. “You don’t know anything. You’re just his *puppet*—his little mouthpiece for whatever sick, twisted plan he’s concocting.” He turned his glare back to me. “This is all your doing, Ethan. You can’t handle the fact that I moved on. That I found someone better than you. So you’re trying to destroy everything!”I stepped forward, my hand gripping Riley’s tighter. “No, Liam,” I said, forcing a calmness I didn’t feel. “It’s you who’s destroying everything. Not me. Not Riley. You. You’re lying, and everyone here knows it. You begged me for a second chance in the restroom. I didn’t have to tell anyone that, but I did. Because Owen deserves the truth.”Liam scoffed, his expression twisting into something ugly. “You’re *bitter*. You can’t stand see
34EthanLiam’s eyes widened in shock as he looked between Owen and the guards, confusion spreading across his face. “What’s going on, Owen? Why are you—”But Owen didn’t give him the chance to finish. “They’re liars. They’re undesired. They’re frauds. Get them out of here.” His voice cracked with finality.The guards didn’t hesitate. They moved swiftly toward us, their hands ready to escort us out. Liam, looking as though he’d just won some twisted victory, stood up, his fake tears now gone, replaced with a smug grin.Riley stepped in front of me, his face hard as stone, but I could tell he was as caught off guard as I was. “Owen, don’t—” he began, but the guards weren’t listening.One of the guards grabbed Riley’s arm. “Let’s go,” he barked, pulling him toward the door.I was too stunned to speak as I was escorted out alongside Riley. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what had just happened. This wasn’t how I had expected it to go. Everything was falling apart in front of my ey
35Ethan“I can’t slow down! This is GOLD!” she interrupted, her laughter bubbling through the phone. “Hold on, I’m sending you a link. No, actually, put me on speaker. Riley has to hear this!”I glanced at Riley, who was already looking at me with raised eyebrows. With a sigh, I hit the speaker button. “You’re on,” I said.“RILEY!” Ava shouted, her excitement palpable. “Check your phone right now! It’s all over Twitter, TikTok, everything! Liam’s wedding is the *scandal* of the year!”Riley’s eyes widened, and he immediately pulled out his phone, his fingers flying over the screen. “Wait, no way,” he muttered, his expression shifting as he scrolled. Then, suddenly, he let out a bark of laughter. “Oh my God. She’s right. Ethan, you have to see this.”“What are you looking at?” I asked, still trying to process everything.“The hashtags are insane,” Riley said, turning his phone to show me the screen. “‘#LiamLiar,’ ‘#OwenDeservesBetter,’ ‘#WeddingGoneWrong’—dude, you’re *everywhere*.”
Chapter One: The InvitationEthan's POVI didn’t expect much when I opened the mail that morning. Bills, maybe a flyer for a local pizza joint, or yet another notice from my landlord about “building improvements” that never actually happened. But when I saw HIS name on the envelope, my breath caught. Liam Carter. My ex-boyfriend. With shaky hands, I ripped it open, and there it was—a wedding invitation, embossed in gold foil and scented with some absurdly expensive cologne he used to wear. My eyes skimmed the elegant calligraphy, but the words blurred as my mind raced. Liam Carter and Owen Taylor request the pleasure of your company at their wedding.Three months. Three measly months since we broke up after a three-year relationship, and he was already tying the knot? My stomach churned, bile rising at the thought. My first reaction was disbelief. Then rage. How long had he been planning this? How long had Owen been in the picture? Was it even possible to fall in love and plan
Chapter 2: Strange Request Riley’s POV I had barely finished my first sip of coffee when Ethan dropped the question, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure if I’d heard him right. “Would you be willing to be my boyfriend?” I blinked at him, the mug halfway to my lips. My heart stuttered in my chest as his words sank in. Ethan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his hazel eyes darting to the floor before meeting mine again. “You… you want me to be your what now?” I asked, setting the mug down carefully. He winced, running a hand through his dark brown hair, a habit I’d already noticed in the hour or so we’d spent together. “Not my real boyfriend,” he clarified quickly, his voice laced with embarrassment. “Just… fake. For one day. Maybe two.” “Fake boyfriend,” I echoed, leaning back against the counter. Of all the things I expected from my new neighbor, this wasn’t it. My wolf stirred uneasily beneath the surface, sensing something intriguing about this man, though I couldn’t pinpo
Chapter 3: A Practice RunEthan's POVI couldn’t believe Riley had actually agreed. Relief washed over me, but it was quickly followed by the realization that I had no idea how to pull this off. “So,” Riley said, leaning casually against the counter, his grey eyes twinkling with amusement. “What’s the story? How did we meet?” “Uh…” I paused, racking my brain. “We met… at a coffee shop?” Riley raised an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “A coffee shop? Really? That’s the best you’ve got?” “Hey, it’s believable!” I protested, crossing my arms. “Sure,” he said, his tone teasing. “Except we’d need to agree on which coffee shop, who approached who, and what we were drinking. You know, details.” I groaned, running a hand through my hair. “Okay, fine. How about you come up with something, then, Mr. Creative?” Riley chuckled, tapping his chin thoughtfully. “Hmm. How about this? You were at a bookstore, hopelessly lost in the self-help section. I came over
Chapter 4: Flashback Riley’s POVI woke up with a jolt, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst out of my chest. My sheets were soaked in sweat, clinging to me like a second skin, and the faint scent of the forest still lingered in my nose, a cruel trick my mind played on me.The nightmare had come again. The same one.I swung my legs off the bed, my feet hitting the cool wooden floor as I ran a trembling hand through my hair. I couldn’t get the images out of my head: blood staining the earth, my father’s body lying limp in the moonlight, the sharp, snarling voice of the Beta accusing me.“You did this, Riley! You killed him!”“Stop,” I muttered to myself, squeezing my eyes shut. But the memories weren’t just nightmares. They were real.I pulled in a shaky breath, trying to steady myself. My wolf, speedy clawed at the surface, angry and restless. It always happened after these dreams as if the wolf wanted to rip through me and go back to that night, to fight, to avenge.
35Ethan“I can’t slow down! This is GOLD!” she interrupted, her laughter bubbling through the phone. “Hold on, I’m sending you a link. No, actually, put me on speaker. Riley has to hear this!”I glanced at Riley, who was already looking at me with raised eyebrows. With a sigh, I hit the speaker button. “You’re on,” I said.“RILEY!” Ava shouted, her excitement palpable. “Check your phone right now! It’s all over Twitter, TikTok, everything! Liam’s wedding is the *scandal* of the year!”Riley’s eyes widened, and he immediately pulled out his phone, his fingers flying over the screen. “Wait, no way,” he muttered, his expression shifting as he scrolled. Then, suddenly, he let out a bark of laughter. “Oh my God. She’s right. Ethan, you have to see this.”“What are you looking at?” I asked, still trying to process everything.“The hashtags are insane,” Riley said, turning his phone to show me the screen. “‘#LiamLiar,’ ‘#OwenDeservesBetter,’ ‘#WeddingGoneWrong’—dude, you’re *everywhere*.”
34EthanLiam’s eyes widened in shock as he looked between Owen and the guards, confusion spreading across his face. “What’s going on, Owen? Why are you—”But Owen didn’t give him the chance to finish. “They’re liars. They’re undesired. They’re frauds. Get them out of here.” His voice cracked with finality.The guards didn’t hesitate. They moved swiftly toward us, their hands ready to escort us out. Liam, looking as though he’d just won some twisted victory, stood up, his fake tears now gone, replaced with a smug grin.Riley stepped in front of me, his face hard as stone, but I could tell he was as caught off guard as I was. “Owen, don’t—” he began, but the guards weren’t listening.One of the guards grabbed Riley’s arm. “Let’s go,” he barked, pulling him toward the door.I was too stunned to speak as I was escorted out alongside Riley. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what had just happened. This wasn’t how I had expected it to go. Everything was falling apart in front of my ey
33EthanLiam’s eyes darted between me and Riley, his face turning an alarming shade of red. He was practically shaking with fury, his jaw clenched so tightly I feared his teeth might crack.“Shut up, Riley!” Liam spat, his voice dripping with venom. “You don’t know anything. You’re just his *puppet*—his little mouthpiece for whatever sick, twisted plan he’s concocting.” He turned his glare back to me. “This is all your doing, Ethan. You can’t handle the fact that I moved on. That I found someone better than you. So you’re trying to destroy everything!”I stepped forward, my hand gripping Riley’s tighter. “No, Liam,” I said, forcing a calmness I didn’t feel. “It’s you who’s destroying everything. Not me. Not Riley. You. You’re lying, and everyone here knows it. You begged me for a second chance in the restroom. I didn’t have to tell anyone that, but I did. Because Owen deserves the truth.”Liam scoffed, his expression twisting into something ugly. “You’re *bitter*. You can’t stand see
32EthanThe moment Riley stepped away, leaving me clutching the bouquet, I felt the weight of countless eyes on me. My skin prickled under the scrutiny, and the crowd buzzed with whispers, their gazes bouncing between Riley and me as if we were the stars of some twisted rom-com. I should have been furious. *I was* furious—at Riley, at this ridiculous situation, and most of all, at myself for letting it spiral so far. Then I caught sight of Liam once again.He was standing near the bar, his jaw clenched so tightly it seemed his teeth might shatter. His face was a mask of barely contained rage, and beside him stood Owen, clearly trying to calm him down. But Liam didn’t notice; his entire focus was locked on me. Good. For a split second, satisfaction rippled through me. Liam deserved this—to feel helpless, to be on the outside looking in. Still, the way he stormed toward Owen, dragging him roughly by the arm, sent a jolt of unease through me. “What’s he up to now?” I muttered un
31EthanI watched Riley's every move with a mix of curiosity and unease. His sudden departure from my arms left me standing alone on the dance floor, his absence like an echo I couldn’t ignore. He moved toward the MC with deliberate strides, his posture confident and his intentions completely veiled as a magician’s trick.“What the hell is he up to now?” I muttered under my breath, my eyes glued to him as he leaned in to whisper something to the MC. The man’s brow furrowed at first, clearly taken aback by whatever Riley had said. But then Riley smiled—a mischievous, almost devilish grin that had me gripping the edge of my glass tighter. He said something else, his tone light but insistent, and, to my utter confusion, the MC’s cheeks flushed. He actually *blushed* before nodding and breaking into a grin himself. What on earth did Riley say to make the MC blush?“What is he saying to him?” a voice murmured beside me. I turned slightly to see a woman in a sequined dress, her eyes a
30RileyEthan stiffened at first, his hands hovering awkwardly before settling on my waist. His touch was tentative, as if he were unsure of himself. “You’re surprisingly good at this fake boyfriend thing,” he murmured, his tone light but carrying an undertone of something deeper, heavier. I smirked, trying to keep my emotions in check despite the growing tension between us. “What can I say? I’m a natural. Besides, someone had to save you from Jonathan’s smarmy little mind games.” Ethan chuckled, the sound low and warm, but I could sense the tension still coiled in his body. His grip tightened just slightly, his protectiveness slipping through. “What happened with him? Did he try to approach you?” “Oh, he tried,” I said with a roll of my eyes, my voice laced with irritation. “But don’t worry, I handled him. He spent more time tripping over his own words than actually getting under my skin.” Ethan’s jaw tensed, his expression darkening. “That guy,” he muttered, his frustration
29RileyThe lively buzz of the ballroom had dulled into background noise as I swayed with Ethan just moments ago. Now, leaning casually against the bar, I scanned the crowd, my senses still attuned to the game we were playing tonight. I knew our little performance had its risks, especially with people like Jonathan lurking around. Jonathan—Ethan’s insufferable coworker. The man practically reeked of opportunism, and I’d bet my best leather jacket that he’d sniffed out this chance to cause trouble the moment Ethan left for the restroom. Sure enough, I caught his beady little eyes scanning the room before landing on me. Here we go. He approached, a smug smirk plastered on his face. “Riley, right?” I turned to face him fully, flashing my most polite smile—the kind that didn’t reach my eyes. “That’s me. And you’re Jonathan, correct? Ethan’s coworker?” Jonathan’s smirk deepened as he extended a hand. I shook it briefly, resisting the urge to wipe my palm on my pants afterward. H
28EthanThe music in the ballroom was lively, the kind of melody that made your toes tap even when you weren’t paying attention. Riley turned to me, his smirk softer now, less playful, more genuine. He held out a hand, his gaze steady. “Dance with me,” he said, his voice low but filled with a kind of confidence that made it impossible to say no.I raised an eyebrow, pretending to hesitate, but I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips. “You’re asking me to dance? Here? In front of everyone?”“Why not?” he asked, his grin widening. “Let’s give them something to talk about.”With a dramatic sigh, I placed my hand in his. He led me to the dance floor, weaving through the crowd with a natural ease that made me realize just how comfortable he was in his own skin. The moment we stepped onto the polished wood floor, he pulled me close, one hand resting lightly on my waist, the other holding mine securely. The music shifted to a slower tempo, and as we began to sway, I couldn’
27EthanRiley settled back into his seat, looking far too pleased with himself. I placed the bouquet on the table, glaring at him. “You’re enjoying this way too much.” He grinned. “Of course. You have to admit, it’s been entertaining.” I couldn’t argue with that. The mix of emotions on Liam’s face alone had been worth it. Speaking of Liam and Owen, they had both vanished shortly after Riley’s dramatic bouquet catch. “Where do you think they went?” I asked, glancing at their empty chairs. “Probably to sulk or scheme,” Riley said, leaning back in his chair and taking a sip of wine. “Though I wouldn’t put it past them to come back with some sort of ridiculous plan for revenge.” I chuckled at the thought. “Knowing them, that sounds about right.” Moments later, the lights dimmed slightly, and a spotlight illuminated the middle of the room. The MC’s voice boomed again. “Ladies and gentlemen, the moment we’ve all been waiting for—the arrival of the wedding cake!” The crowd erupt