All Chapters of Bouquet Of Deception : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

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 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.

Chapter 6: A Chance Encounter Plastering on the most neutral expression I could manage, I turned around slowly.“Liam. Fancy seeing you here.”He smiled, that same charming smile that used to make my heart race. Now it just made my blood boil. “Ethan,” he greeted, as if we were old friends who’d parted amicably. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”Not long enough, I thought bitterly, but I kept my face calm. “Yeah, it has.”Liam gestured toward the man standing beside him—tall, poised, and irritatingly perfect. His dark hair was styled with just the right amount of mess, and his tailored suit screamed wealth and class. This had to be Owen.“Ethan, this is Owen,” Liam said, his hand lingering a little too possessively on Owen’s shoulder. “Owen, meet Ethan. We—uh, we used to date.”There it was. The awkward introduction. I wanted to laugh at how Liam stumbled over his words, but I settled for a raised eyebrow. Owen, however, extended his hand like he was meeting an old friend at brunch.

Chapter 8: Revenge With A Smile Ethan I went to the store after work, my mind still spinning with thoughts of Liam and Owen. What the hell were they doing in front of my office? Was Liam spying on me now? That idiot, that cheater. As if running into them hadn’t been bad enough, he had to act all smug and charming, like nothing had ever happened.I clenched my jaw as I stood in the frozen food aisle, staring blankly at the selection of pizzas. My fridge had been empty since the weekend—I hadn’t gone grocery shopping after hiding out at home, wallowing in my own misery. It was Monday now, and with Riley coming over later, I needed to get my act together. The last thing I wanted was for him to think I couldn’t even manage to feed myself.I grabbed a box of frozen dumplings and threw it into the basket, followed by a carton of eggs, some vegetables, and whatever else looked easy to cook. My budget wasn’t exactly thriving, but I figured I could splurge a little since Riley was doing me s

10Ethan’s POVThe moment the door clicked shut behind Riley, I let out a long breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. For a split second, the apartment felt eerily quiet, save for the faint buzz of the TV Ava had barely pretended to watch all night.I turned to face her, and there she was—sprawled on the couch like she owned the place, her legs crossed, a smirk plastered across her face. She was crunching on a chip with the kind of casual defiance that made my blood boil.“Ava,” I said through gritted teeth, crossing my arms.“What?” she replied innocently, tossing another chip into her mouth. “Did I embarrass you, lover boy?”“Embarrass me?” I barked, my voice rising before I caught myself. “You were relentless! You didn’t stop talking about how ‘hot’ Riley is, and you didn’t even try to tone it down. Do you know how awkward you made this for me?”Ava shrugged, clearly unfazed. “Awkward for you, maybe. Riley didn’t seem to mind. If anything, he looked like he was having fun.”I ra