Bound to My Enemy's Brother

I thought my wedding day would be the start of my forever with my fated mate, Alpha-heir Liam. I was wrong. I found him under the moonlight, tangled with my best friend, Isabella. His rejection wasn't just a whisper; it was a public spectacle. He denied our bond, called me a desperate, delusional Omega, and cast me out. As my world crumbled, the last person I expected was Felix, Liam's reckless younger brother. He offered me the devastating truth: Liam had not only stolen my heart but also my life's work—the sacred Moonlight Totem designs that were meant to strengthen our pack. And in the midst of my ruin, a new, searing heat ignited between Felix and me—the undeniable, cruel, and brilliant spark of a true soul bond. My fated mate was my betrayer's brother. The moon itself seemed to laugh at my tragedy.

*****

The silver thread felt cool and familiar between my fingers. I held my breath, focusing all my will into the final, intricate knot. A soft, ethereal glow pulsed from the completed tapestry in my lap—the Moonlight Totem. It was my masterpiece, a conduit designed to channel the pure energy of the full moon and strengthen the spiritual defenses of the entire Silvermane Pack. Tomorrow, on my wedding day, I would present it to my fated mate, Alpha-heir Liam. It was to be my gift, my vow as his future Luna.

A shiver of anticipation, warm and sweet, ran down my spine. My wolf, Serene, purred contentedly within me. 'Soon,' she whispered. 'Our mate. Our pack.'

I allowed myself a small, private smile. For years, I, Scarlett, the quiet Omega with a peculiar talent for weaving ancient magic into thread, had lived in the shadow of others. But Liam had seen me. He had claimed to feel the pull of the fated mate bond, a connection so rare and sacred it was whispered about in legends. He had promised me a place by his side, a purpose. This totem was the proof that I was worthy of that promise.

The night air was still and heavy with the scent of impending rain and night-blooming jasmine. I decided to find Liam, to show him the finished work. Perhaps we could even present it to his father, the Old Alpha, together tonight. The thought sent another thrill through me. I carefully folded the tapestry, its silken threads shimmering like captured moonlight, and slipped out of my secluded workshop.

The pack grounds were bustling with preparations for the morrow's festivities. Garlands of white flowers hung between the ancient oak trees, and the air hummed with excited energy. I received nods and smiles, but they felt distant, tinged with the perpetual pity reserved for the gentle, unassuming Omega who had somehow captured the Alpha-heir's eye. I was used to it. Soon, they would all see. Soon, the power humming within my totem would silence any doubt.

I headed towards the sacred clearing where Liam often trained under the full moon. As I approached the tree line, the familiar, potent scent of him—of oak moss, frost, and raw power—filled my senses, making my head spin with a pleasant dizziness. Serene wagged her tail eagerly.

But then, another scent tangled with his. A cloying, floral perfume I knew all too well. Isabella. My best friend. A cold knot tightened in my stomach. Perhaps they were discussing final wedding arrangements. It made sense. Isabella had been helping coordinate everything.

I pushed through the final veil of weeping willow branches, the words of greeting already on my lips. They died there, freezing into a solid block of ice in my throat.

The scene before me was perfectly illuminated by the cold, brilliant light of the full moon. Liam, tall and magnificently built, his Alpha aura a palpable force even in repose. And Isabella, pressed against him, her arms wrapped around his neck, his hands possessively gripping her waist. Their lips were locked in a kiss that was anything but brotherly.

The world tilted. The carefully folded totem slipped from my numb fingers and landed on the soft grass with a dull thud. The sound was small, but it was enough.

They broke apart. Liam's eyes, the color of a winter storm, met mine. There was no shock, no guilt. Only a cold, calculating annoyance. Isabella had the decency to look momentarily flustered, before a smug, vicious little smile curled her perfect lips. She didn't step away from Liam's embrace. If anything, she nestled closer.

"Scarlett," Liam's voice was a low growl, devoid of any warmth he had ever shown me. "This is... unfortunate timing."

Unfortunate timing. The words echoed hollowly in the cavernous silence of my shattered heart. Serene let out a whimper, a sound of pure, animal agony.

"Isabella... Liam..." I managed to choke out, my voice a broken whisper. "What... what is this?"

"This," Liam said, his gaze sweeping over me with dismissive contempt, "is the reality you refused to accept." He gestured between Isabella and himself. "This is a bond worthy of an Alpha. A union of strength, not... pity."

Pity. The word was a physical blow. I staggered back a step.

"You said... you said we were fated mates," I whispered, the sacred words tasting like ash in my mouth. "I felt it. You said you felt it too."

Liam let out a short, harsh laugh that cracked through the night air. "The fated mate bond? With you? A simple Omega with a penchant for sewing?" He shook his head, a cruel smirk playing on his lips. "I said what was necessary to secure your... cooperation. Your little tapestries have their uses. But a true Luna?" He looked at Isabella with a possessiveness that made me feel sick. "A true Luna looks like this."

The betrayal was a double-edged sword, plunged deep and twisted. Not only had he lied about his love, but he had also used me for my gifts. My "little tapestries." The Moonlight Totem, my heart's blood woven into thread, was just a tool to him.

Tears I refused to shed burned behind my eyes. I forced myself to stand straight, to cling to the last shreds of my dignity. "The totem... it's complete. It's meant for the pack. For your—"

"The totem will be presented as Isabella's creation," Liam interrupted, his tone final. "A gift from your future Luna to the pack. It's a more believable story, don't you think? An Omega of your standing, creating such power? It's laughable."

Isabella finally spoke, her voice a syrupy poison. "Don't take it so hard, Scarlett. You can still be useful. I might need someone to mend my ceremonial robes."

The humiliation was complete. It was designed to break me, to grind me into the dirt until nothing remained. I felt the stares of the few pack members who had been drawn by the commotion. Their whispers were like shards of glass against my skin. Poor thing. I always knew she wasn't enough for him. How embarrassing.

Serene was howling inside me, a mournful, desperate sound that mirrored therippinging agony in my soul. The world I had built, the future I had dreamed of, had not just collapsed; it had been revealed as a grotesque lie from the very beginning.

I looked at Liam, at the man I had loved, had pledged my life to. I saw only a cold-hearted stranger. The bond I had cherished, the invisible thread I had felt connecting us, now felt like a filthy, suffocating chain. Had it ever been real? Or was my perception as pathetic as he claimed?

Without another word, because there were no words left, I turned. I left the folded tapestry lying in the grass, a piece of my soul discarded like trash. I walked away from the clearing, from the whispers, from the ruins of my life. Each step was a monumental effort, as if I were wading through thick, black tar.

The moon, once a symbol of my hope and power, now seemed to mock me with its cold, indifferent light. The promise of moonlight had turned to ash in my mouth. And in the deafening silence of my heart, a new, terrifying question began to form: if everything I believed was a lie, what was left?