Humiliated by My Alpha, I Married His Sworn Enemy

On the day of our Mate Ceremony, I stood before the Moonlight Altar behind my veil, my heart bursting with joy as I waited for the ritual to begin. But instead of Alpha Ethan, Liam—the pack's resident fool—stepped forward and lifted my veil. The hall erupted into cruel laughter. Ethan’s friends sneered with gloating amusement: "Well, according to tradition, whoever lifts the veil gets to claim the bride for her Mating Night." "I wouldn't mind taking one for the team and keeping Alpha Ethan company tonight." Only then did Ethan stroll in, completely unbothered. "It's just a joke, Emma. Don't be such a sore loser." "He's a useless weakling who can't even shift. His brain is stuck at age six. Sleeping with him for one night won't kill you." Looking at his sneering face, I actually smiled. "Since he lifted my veil, why stop at one night?" "If I'm taking a mate, I'm taking him for life." My friends, who had arrived early, stared in disbelief. "Forcing Emma to spend her Mating Night with a wolf-less cripple? How could you even think of that!" "Even a joke has lines you don't cross!" Ethan arched an arrogant brow. "What's it to you? I'm the Alpha, and if I don't care, why should she feel wronged?" He stepped right up to me, his voice laced with a threat. "You humiliated Sophie in public last time and got half a year of her rations docked. I'm settling the score for her today." "Either sleep with this fool for one night, or our alliance is over!" Hearing his ultimatum, I felt less anger and more pure absurdity. Last month, our packs hosted a joint trade summit. Sophie represented the Crimson Pack, but she ignored every instruction I gave her. She bid wildly at the auction, costing both packs massive resources. Afterward, I held her accountable on behalf of the Silver Creek Pack. By law, she should have been handed over to Silver Creek for punishment. To save face, Elder Luna Diana punished Sophie herself—docking her rations and demoting her to low-level labor. Out of respect for Ethan, I let it drop. But if Sophie hadn’t been reckless, none of this would have happened. Yet Ethan stubbornly believed I was just picking on Sophie out of spite. No matter how I explained, he refused to listen. To him, I was just cold and heartless. He even forced me to kneel in the pack hall all night, making me apologize publicly to Sophie. Only then did he let the matter rest. I thought the chapter was closed, never imagining he'd pull this stunt today. In that moment, my heart turned to ice. Just to avenge Sophie, he orchestrated this humiliating farce at our own Mate Ceremony. I could already picture the rumors that would spread tomorrow. I would become the laughingstock of the entire werewolf world. Ethan's smug smirk showed he was certain I loved him too much to ever disobey. He was completely convinced that no matter how deep the trap was, I would jump right into it just to keep him. What he didn't realize was that even the fiercest love dies when trampled upon. I let out a cold scoff and looked away from him. Instead, I dropped to one knee before the man foolishly munching on wedding candy. I took his hand, looking up into his eyes. "Liam, will you be my mate?" Ethan’s eyes bulged in shock. "Emma, have you lost your damn mind?! I only told you to sleep with him for one night! You're actually marrying this loser?" Sophie quickly grabbed his arm, whispering urgently, "Ethan, calm down. There's no way Emma would marry someone like him. She's just bluffing to make you back down." "If you freak out now, you're playing right into her hands." Ethan froze, letting Sophie's words sink in. A smirk crept back onto his lips. "Emma, make sure you scrub yourself clean before coming back to me tomorrow. I don't want your filth on me!" Seeing that I ignored him, Ethan rolled his eyes. "Since the bride wants to marry someone else, let's turn tonight into my bachelor party! Drinks on me until dawn!" With that, he dragged Sophie out of the chamber without a backward glance. I remained on one knee, my hand hovering in the air, my chest hollow and numb. Just then, a warm, gentle palm came to rest over mine. I looked up and met Liam's gaze. He smiled, a soft, sweet curve forming on his lips. His voice was soft, but crystal clear: "I do."A flicker of surprise hit me. For some reason, even though Liam looked silly and confused, his eyes were remarkably clear and bright. But the thought faded as quickly as it came, and I didn't dwell on it. I brought Liam back to the Silver Creek Pack manor. After settling him in, I placed the mating ring into his palm and whispered softly: "Liam, we’re having our Mate Ceremony in three days. When the time comes, you'll put this ring on my finger yourself." Liam clutched the ring, his eyes sparkling. He held it tight against his chest, refusing to let go. When I stepped into the hallway, my parents were waiting for me. Taking a deep breath, I walked up to them. "Mom, Dad," I said, keeping my voice steady. "The ceremony didn't happen. Ethan humiliated me in front of everyone and made Liam lift my veil." My father’s face darkened. My mother squeezed my hand tight. "Liam and I will hold our Mate Ceremony in three days," I said, looking them straight in the eyes. "This is my decision." My father stayed silent for a moment before nodding. "Silver Creek stands behind you." I drove alone to the VIP lounge downtown where Ethan had taken his crowd. When I pushed open the door to the private room, only Ethan and Sophie were left. Ethan was gently wiping Sophie's mouth with a damp towel. Her collar was smeared with vomit. Ethan was a notorious germaphobe. Once, when I had a raging fever and threw up on the bedsheets in the middle of the night, he jumped back in disgust, pinching his nose and snapping at me: "Emma, you're disgusting! Can't you make it to the bathroom?" I had to drag my sick body out of bed to change the sheets while he showed zero concern, leaving to stay at Sophie's place that very night. Yet right now, Sophie's mess didn't bother him at all. Sophie sobered up just enough to see me, a drunken grin spreading across her face. "Emma... didn't you say you were spending the night with that freak? What's the matter? Regretting it already..." Ethan kept dabbing at her face, murmuring gently, "Sophie, quiet down." Then he looked up at me, his tone indifferent. "I assume you've learned your lesson from today, Emma. I won't hold it against you." "I'll reschedule our Mate Ceremony in a few days. Right now, I need to take Sophie home. She drank way too much." Seeing his tender care for Sophie compared to the cold distance he always showed me, the icy numbness in my chest felt stabbed anew, sharp and agonizing. But then, even that faded into dead silence. I nodded, speaking in a deadpan voice. "Do whatever you want. But don't bother rescheduling anything. In three days, Liam and I are having our Mate Ceremony." Ethan’s face turned livid. "Emma, are you out of your mind? You're actually having a ceremony with that freak?" "You're insane! If word gets out, how am I supposed to show my face as an Alpha?" Even now, all he cared about was his own ego. After all, if people found out the daughter of the Silver Creek Alpha dumped him for a wolf-less invalid, he would be ridiculed forever. Sophie gave another drunken giggle. "Emma, going this far just to make Ethan jealous? Even I have to admit I'm impressed." "It's one thing to ruin your own reputation, but dragging Ethan down with you is just cruel." Her words were beyond ridiculous. They were the ones who pushed me into Liam's arms for the Mating Night. When I proposed to Liam, Ethan scoffed. And now they were acting like victims? Suddenly, Sophie retched again. Vomit splattered directly across Ethan's sleeve. He gasped, but instead of pushing her away, he looked around frantically. The tissue box was empty. His eyes snapped to my wrist, demanding sharply: "Emma, where's your bracelet? Hand it over! Now!" I froze. The braided cord bracelet he was referring to was something he made by hand when we first started dating, bearing silver charms of our initials. He used to tell me it was our token of devotion, insisting I wear it every single day. Over the years, I treasured it like gold and never took it off. And now, he was naturally demanding our token of love just to wipe Sophie's vomit. My heart crumbled into dust. Without a word, I unclasped the bracelet with a blank expression. Instead of handing it to him, I tossed it onto the floor right by his feet. "Ethan, we are done." He grabbed the bracelet and immediately began scrubbing Sophie's shirt, shouting angrily at me: "It's just a damn string! Why are you being so dramatic? If it gets dirty, wash it! I can always braid you another one when I'm free!" I didn't say another word. I turned and walked straight out the door. *Another one?* There would never be an "after" for us. Seeing me leave without looking back, Ethan yelled after me in fury: "Fine, walk away, Emma! You think I actually want to be with you?!" "You'll regret this! Don't come crawling back on your knees begging for me!"The night was late when I returned to the estate. Liam was curled up asleep on the bed, still clutching the mating ring tightly against his chest. Seeing him like this made something soft melt in my chest. I tiptoed over to help him pull up the blanket. But Liam stirred, startled. When his sleepy eyes focused on my face, they lit up instantly. "You... you're back." "Yeah," I smiled, leaning down. "If I'm ever out late again, you don't need to wait up. Just go to sleep when you're tired, okay?" After tucking him in, I headed to the study. My phone lit up on the desk. A text from Ethan. *Emma, come back right now and apologize, and I might consider forgiving you.* *Throw all the tantrums you want, but you cross the line using that freak to humiliate me!* I stared at the screen, utterly detached. Words that once had the power to shatter my world now seemed like nothing more than an eyesore. I didn't reply. I blocked his number immediately. Total silence followed. Early the next morning, I took Liam out. For all these years, he didn't even have a phone of his own. I thought having one would make it easier if he ever got lost or needed help. At the store, I helped him get a new number and saved it into my contacts. When typing his name, I paused before firmly typing out: "Liam." But just as we stepped out of the mall, we ran smack into Ethan and Sophie. Ethan's glare cut like daggers across our intertwined hands before locking onto my face. He scoffed with mocking fury: "Emma, you really playing house now? Parading this pathetic joke around... aren't you ashamed of embarrassing Silver Creek?" Sophie chimed in, her tone smug and patronizing: "Emma, drop the act. Ethan's already cooled off. Just apologize and this will all blow over." "Excuse us. I'm taking my mate to pick out our ceremony attire." I cut them off, my voice cool and flat. Hearing me call Liam my *mate*, Ethan lost it. "Emma! Have you forgotten how you begged to be with me? Have you forgotten you swore you'd only ever love me?" "How long are you going to keep up this ridiculous farce with this idiot? Are you really throwing our Mate Ceremony away?!" I met his furious glare, answering with icy calm: "That's right, Ethan. I don't want you anymore." As the color drained from his face, I guided Liam past him and never looked back.Three days later, Liam and I held our Mate Ceremony as planned. Predictably, Ethan crashed it. He didn't just bring Sophie and his pack cronies— he invited delegates and gossiping wolves from neighboring packs to spectate. Liam and I had planned an intimate ceremony, but Ethan's rowdy entourage flooded the entire hall. Before Ethan even spoke, wolves from the other packs crowded around me: "Ms. Clark, are you seriously picking a wolf-less invalid just to spite your intended mate? Have you considered the shame this brings upon him?" Standing behind them, Ethan put on a pitiful, heartbroken display, his voice cracking: "Emma, I know you're still mad at me, but how could you punish me like this? How am I supposed to hold my head high?" Even though I had prepared myself, the sheer weight of their mocking stares made hot fury surge through my veins. Seeing my tense posture, Ethan smirked with triumph. He parted the crowd and stepped up to me, his tone dripping with condescension: "Emma, you went through all this trouble just to get my attention, didn't you?" "I won't be too hard on you. Kneel down right here, apologize sincerely, and beg for my forgiveness in front of everyone. Maybe then, I'll take you back..." He tilted his chin up, arrogant satisfaction written all over his face, certain I would take the lifeline he was throwing me. I clenched my fists, rage boiling in my chest. But just as I opened my mouth to tear him apart, a cold, commanding voice boomed from the entrance, cutting through the chatter like thunder: "Emma and I are already bound by ceremony. She is officially my mate." "What's the matter, Ethan? Are you here to steal my bride?" Everyone snapped their heads toward the door. Liam stood there in a tailored suit. His posture was straight as an arrow, chin held high, his eyes blazing like twin daggers. His gaze swept across the room before he strode toward me with lethal grace. The overwhelming Alpha aura radiating from him was completely unrecognizable from the timid fool we had all known. Every breath hitched. The entire hall fell dead silent. "What nonsense are you spewing, you freak? Emma was my intended mate! You really think she'd settle for trash like you?" Livid and humiliated, Ethan raised his fist to strike Liam across the face. But in the next split second, Liam clamped his fingers around Ethan's wrist like an iron vise. His gaze was icy as he flung Ethan's arm back with terrifying force. The sheer power sent Ethan stumbling backward, nearly crashing to the floor. Shock twisted Ethan's features. "You bastard! You dare lay a hand on me?!" Ethan shrieked. For years, Liam had been nothing more than Ethan's personal punching bag. Whenever Ethan was in a bad mood, he beat and berated him at will. And Liam had always cowered, trembling in silence, too scared to even cry aloud. A servant's brain-damaged brat dare strike back? But dread soon crawled up Ethan's spine. The man standing before him was sharp, dominant, and dangerous. Where was the cowardly idiot he used to abuse? Ethan's voice wavered, a tremor of panic creeping in. "Liam... what the hell is this?" Liam didn't answer him right away. Instead, he turned to me, his dark eyes brimming with complex emotion— concern, tenderness, and profound apology. "Emma, I'm sorry. I lied to you." "Don't worry. Once I settle this, I'll explain everything." Turning back to Ethan, his eyes frosted over with bone-chilling hatred. "You want answers, Ethan? Fine. I'll tell you everything today."