Fake Dating The Hockey Alpha

Aria

It's so fucking beautiful! I spin around in the middle of the suite Ethan booked for us. The luxurious carpet, velvet curtains, sparkling chandeliers-is something straight out of a magazine.

The annual New Year cruise ship tour hosted by my school, Crescent Wolves Academy, is everything I've ever dreamed of but never thought I'd experience.

Me, Aria Whitlock, standing here on a freaking cruise ship? No way. I'm an eighteen-year-old, lowly omega scraping by in a world that couldn't care less about me. But tonight? Tonight, I'm not a nobody.

Nope. Tonight, I'm Alpha Ethan's mate. My Ethan, the future Alpha of the Full Moon Pack, my personal knight in shining armor.

The Moon Goddess must've finally stopped ignoring me.

"Aria, move your ass! We're going to miss the welcome party at this point." Mia's voice yanks me out of my thoughts. She barges in, her wild auburn curls bouncing, looking like a fiery storm in her emerald-green dress. Right behind her is Lily, the complete opposite with her soft, blonde hair and shy smile, rocking a simple blue gown.

They're my best friends... the only ones in the entire damn pack who treat me like a fucking person instead of crap.

"Wow," Lily's blue eyes widen as she takes in the suite. "You and Alpha Ethan's room is so much prettier than ours."

"That's because Ethan wanted me to experience the absolute best," I squeal, practically bouncing on my toes.

Mia gags dramatically. "Ugh, you sound like you're in some cringy rom-com. Stop it before I puke."

"Shut up, Mia," I shoot back, grinning.

She flops onto the bed like she owns the damn place. "Look, I'm just saying, Alpha Ethan better step up tonight. You've been waiting forever for him to stop hiding your ass. If he pulls some crap, I'm kicking his Alpha-wannabe face."

"Mia!" Lily gasps, looking scandalized. "Be nice! This is a big night for Aria."

"I am being nice," Mia shrugs. "Just stating facts. Alpha Ethan's been dragging his feet for months. And I don't know how far I can trust him."

"Stop," I sigh, trying to keep my voice steady. "He promised me, okay? He said tonight, he's telling everyone. It's finally happening."

Mia raises an eyebrow, like she wants to argue, but Lily grabs her arm. "Leave it, Mia. Let Aria enjoy her night."

Mia rolls her eyes but holds her tongue. I turn back to the mirror, fluffing my long black hair and adjusting my floral dress. It's not anything fancy-just the nicest thing I own. Ethan knows I don't care about flashy clothes, and besides, he's already paid for me and my friends to come on this cruise. That's more than enough.

----

The party hall is like something straight out of a movie. Christmas lights sparkle from every angle. The air smells like cinnamon pine trees. And everyone's dressed to kill.

And I mean everyone. These are the elite kids from all the top werewolf academies. Future Alphas and Betas, their perfectly dressed selves, and their annoyingly perfect lives.

Me, Mia, and Lily? We don't belong here.

"Maybe we should've stayed in the suite," Lily murmurs, her wide eyes darting around the room.

"Nope," Mia says firmly. "We're here, so we're owning it. Stand tall, ladies. Don't let these stuck-up assholes make you feel small."

Lily nods hesitantly. And I try to do the same. But the whispers, stares, and judgmental glares... it's all fucking too much.

"I'm gonna find Ethan now," I throw quickly. "You guys grab some drinks. I'll catch up with you later."

"Good luck," Lily says, her soft smile making me feel a little braver.

"You got this, future Luna," Mia adds with a smirk, but I can tell she means it.

Future Luna. The words make my heart flip.

I wander through the party, scanning the crowd for Ethan. My wolf stirs nervously, the back of my mind itching like something's off. I try to shake it off. Ethan's here somewhere, probably waiting for me.

A few minutes later, I spot his hockey teammates relaxing in a corner and laughing about something... Relief floods me as I approach.

"Hey, guys. Have you seen Ethan?" I manage an awkward smile.

The laughter stops. The way they look at me... Like I'm some fucking crap under their shoes. It makes my skin crawl.

"Why don't you check over there?" One of them nods towards a dark corner of the hall.

The others snicker. All except one.

Alpha Lucas of the Shadow Pang pack.

He's leaning against the wall, arms crossed. His intense gray eyes fixed on me with an unreadable expression. Lucas Russo, captain of the hockey team. Notorious playboy, and Ethan's arch enemy. He doesn't laugh or smile... just looks at me like he knows something I don't.

My wolf, Gail, shifts uncomfortably under his gaze. But I ignore her. "Thanks," I force a smile, turning toward the corner.

I make my way through the crowd, my stomach suddenly twisting in knots.

And then I see him.

Ethan.

My Ethan... his hands are on Vanessa, the Academy's head cheerleader, most popular girl in school, and my personal nightmare. One hand gripping her ass... squeezing it, the other hand fondling her boobs as he kisses her like she's the air he needs to breathe.

My heart fucking shatters.

Aria

My stomach drops. The same fucking hands that held me last night, the same damn lips that whispered I love you and kissed me like I was his world are now all over Vanessa's face.

"Ethan, how could you," I choke out, my chest splitting open with a pain so sharp it steals my breath.

He freezes, pulling back just enough to meet my gaze. For a split second, I catch a flicker of guilt in his eyes. Then, he smirks.

Smirks!

"Aria," he says nonchalantly, like he wasn't just caught red-handed. "What are you doing here? Go away."

My wolf growls low in my mind, her anger and heartbreak twisting with mine. He lied, she snarls. He lied to us.

Vanessa, of course, looks smug as hell. She leans into him, her perfectly manicured nails trailing down his chest like she's marking her territory. "Oh, sweetheart," she purrs with a fake smile. "You didn't really think he'd pick you, did you?"

Ethan laughs cruelly, and his smirk stretches wider.

"You're such a goddamn joke," he begins, like I'm the punchline to some twisted, cruel comedy. "Did you really think you were anything more than a silly fuck? A poor, desperate little omega playing my girlfriend? Luna? You? Get real, Aria. You're a nobody. Always will be."

His words slam into me like a freight train. I blink, my throat dry, my ears ringing.

"You promised, Ethan. You said-"

"Yeah, and you believed me?" he cuts me off with a sharp, biting laugh. It's loud, cold, and heartless. "God, Aria, you're even more pathetic than I thought."

Vanessa giggles, her bright red lips curving into a satisfied smirk as she clings to his arm like a trophy. Ethan glances down at her, his expression softening in a way it never has for me.

"Why the hell would I pick you to stand beside me?" he continues in disgust. "A weak, pudgy little nobody? I need a Luna who's strong, beautiful like Nessa. Not some mid-tier omega with a sob story."

I swear, the air leaves the room. My hands start shaking, and I can barely see straight. "You don't mean that," I whisper, tears blurring my vision. "So... last night... it didn't mean anything to you?"

"Oh, you mean the fucking?" He smirks, and Vanessa throws her head back, laughing like I just told the funniest joke in the world.

"It was all a bet. I wanted to prove to my friends how easy you are ...a cheap whore. And guess what? You didn't disappoint."

Vanessa steps forward, her red dress clinging to her like some cheap second skin. "Hear that, ugly duckling? It was all a game. A pathetic, hilarious game."

People were staring now...whispering. Laughing. Every single one of their gazes feels like a knife to my chest.

"No," I manage, shaking my head so hard my hair whip around my damn face. "No, Ethan, you're lying. You're my mate!"

"Not anymore." He crosses his arms. "I, Alpha Ethan Stevens of the Full Moon Pack, reject you, Aria Whitlock, as my mate and future Luna."

My knees almost give out, and my wolf lets out this sorrowful howl in my head that made me wince. "No," I choke out, over and over, my hands clutching my chest trying to hold my shattered heart together.

Ethan rolls his eyes. "Accept the rejection, Aria. Or, I swear, when we get back to the pack, I'll have you banished. I don't need you. I don't want you. Hell, the sex wasn't even good."

His words stab my heart like a freaking knife. I can't breathe, can't think, can't do any fucking thing except stand there, crashing out.

But I can't afford to be Banished.

"I..." My voice is barely a whisper. "I, Aria Whitlock, accept the rejection."

The moment the words leave my mouth, pain explodes in my chest. My wolf howls louder, her painful cries echoing in my head as the bond snaps. It's like my soul's been ripped in shreds.

"Good," Ethan sneers. "Now, get your pathetic silly ass out of my sight. Oh, and don't forget to clear your shit out of my suite."

I look at him, pleading. "Where am I supposed to stay? The ship has a two-person room limit-"

"Not my problem," he cuts me off rudely. "Hell, jump overboard for all I care."

His words burn. They scorch. And before I can register, my legs carry me out of the party room, past the laughing crowd, and up the ship's deck.

I don't know how long I sat there, sobbing into the night. The stars above feel like they're mocking me, shining so brightly while my life has completely shattered. Ethan, my mate...my fucking mate has destroyed me. How could the Moon Goddess be so cruel? I gave him everything. My heart. My trust. My virginity. And for what? To be humiliated and tossed aside like trash?

Before I know it, I'm climbing onto the railing. The wind blows my hair around my face, and the ocean below looks so calm, so inviting. Maybe that bastard is right. Maybe I don't belong anywhere.

I'm so ashamed, too brokenhearted. There is nothing left for me in this stupid world. I know the bullying will only get worse, the gossip louder, the stares sharper. I'll be ostracized even more, torn apart by the same people who've always hated me.

And my friends... I can't bear the thought of them suffering because of me. They've stood by me through thick and thin, but this? This shame? It'll drag them down too.

It's not worth it. Not at all.

I close my eyes, ready to jump, when a voice carries through the night.

"Don't do it. Don't jump."

I freeze, my heart thumping. Slowly, I turn to see Alpha Lucas leaning against the railing, a cigarette dangling between his fingers. His alluring gray eyes glint under the moonlight, and for a second, I don't even know how to breathe.

"Why do you care?" I snap, tears still streaming down my face. "You've never even acknowledged my existence. Just go away."

"You're right," he sighs, taking a slow drag from his cigarette. "But are you really gonna jump, because some fucking asshole decided to be an even bigger asshole."

"You don't understand," I yell back. "My life is fucking ruined!"

He raises his eyebrow, blowing out a puff of smoke. "Alright, jump then."

I blink at him, confused. "What?"

"You heard me." He shrugs, leaning casually against the railing. "If you're so sure it's over, then jump. Go ahead."

I let out a frustrated sob, turning back to the water. But I can't fucking do this. My hands are shaking, and my legs stay frozen in place.

"What's the problem?" Lucas taunts. "Chicken?"

I whip around, ready to yell at him to fuck off, but the movement made me lose my balance. My foot slips, and before I can scream, Lucas lunges forward, grabbing me and pulling me back. My breath catches as I look up at him, his face inches from mine.

I land against his chest, his strong arms wrapping around me effortlessly.

Suddenly, fireworks explode in the sky above us, painting his sharp, chiseled features in flashes of red and gold. My heart skips a beat, and I'm unable to tear my gaze away from him.

My wolf stirr, and then it hit me-hard.

Mate.

Aria

"What the actual hell?" I yank myself out of his hold, shaking my head like he's lost his damn mind. "You're lying. I don't even feel a bond or smell your scent."

A lie. A huge lie. He smells like heaven dipped in sin, and being this close to him makes my wolf stir like she's been on a three-shot espresso bender. But no way. Nope. Not happening. He can't be my mate.

"Why..." My voice rises with each word. "Why the hell would the Moon Goddess saddle me with someone like you as my second-chance mate?" I throw my hands in the air, completely done with this cosmic joke.

Lucas looks amused, which only pisses me off more. Of course, he's amused. The guy's the king of our school, the golden boy every girl worships, and oh yeah, a fucking young billionaire. Me? I'm just Aria Whitlock, professional doormat. We're not even the same species as far as the social ladder is concerned.

"No, seriously," I add, throwing him a dirty look. "Why would the Goddess waste a perfectly good mate bond on you?"

"Woah," he says, clutching his chest like I've wounded him. "Harsh, much?"

"You're a literal manwhore, Lucas. You've slept with half the school. Probably the other half, too, if skirts aren't your thing."

He shrugs, not even trying to deny it. "Okay, fair."

I narrow my eyes. "I'm not doing this. I can't go from one asshole mate to another. I'm not accepting this bond."

"That's cool." He leans casually against the railing, looking like rejection doesn't faze him. "Because same."

"Wait-what?" I blink, caught off guard.

"But," he continues, that trademark cocky smirk spreading across his stupidly perfect face, "I want to be your fake boyfriend."

I stare at him like he's sprouted another head. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Let's fake-date for the rest of this cruise," he says, like it's the most normal thing in the world. "You know, to piss off Ethan and Vanessa. And don't worry, I'm not interested in the mate bond either."

I gape at him, trying to figure out if he's serious. He is. Of course he is. Lucas Russo lives for drama. I frown, trying to wrap my head around this mess. I know Lucas and Ethan don't exactly get along hell, they can't stand each other. But Lucas's casual dismissal of the mate bond... It stings, but why does it bug me so much? I mean, my own mate doesn't even care about it, so why the hell should I?

But damn it, the idea of rubbing this in Ethan's face is kind of tempting. Still...

"No way," I say flatly. "Not interested."

Lucas tilts his head. "Oh yeah? Where're you planning to stay? Ethan's suite? Oh, wait-he kicked your ass out. And isn't there a two-person limit per room?"

Shit. My face falls as I realize he's right. Stupid ship rules.

"I'll stay with my friends," I snap, grasping at straws.

He smirks. "Last I checked, there were three of you. You really think your friends gonna pick who gets the boot?"

Damn it. He's got me there.

"Why are you even doing this?" I ask, crossing my arms.

Lucas's smirk softens, just a little. "Because I can't stand that dickhead, and I hate the way he treated you. I saw everything."

Shame burns my cheeks, but it's quickly drowned out by anger. Screw Ethan. Screw Vanessa. And screw this entire situation. Maybe Lucas's ridiculous plan isn't the worst idea ever.

I sigh. "So, what's the catch?"

He gives me a sideways smirk. "Pretty much everything.

"Fine," I mutter. "I'll do it. But it's fake. Strictly fake."

Lucas grins, victorious. "Obviously. We'll play the happy couple, make sure everyone knows we're mates, and after the cruise we'll reject each other."

"Deal," I say.

"But one more thing-don't fall in love with me."

I bark out a stupid laugh. "Right back atcha. Don't get any ideas. Seriously. You're not my type, and I'm not gonna fall for you."

I try not to let my eyes travel to his gray eyes, that perfectly chiseled face, olive skin, and those muscles I swear could melt a girl's panties off. Not that I'd ever let it happen. Not in a million years.

"You're not my type either."

I scowl. "Don't worry. I've had enough players to last a lifetime."

Lucas sticks out his hand, smirking. "Partners?"

I roll my eyes but shake his hand. "Partners."

"So, how exactly do we end it... you know, when it's all over?" I ask Lucas, trying to sound casual, even though the question has been rattling around in my head.

His face grows serious for a moment, which is honestly more unsettling than his usual smirk. "The very last day on this ship? We reject each other and get the hell out of here," he says, like he's delivering the weather forecast.

I nod slowly. That actually sounds like the best option. There's nothing for me here, anyway. I mean, Lucas? A total playboy. The guy couldn't commit to any girl. He only cares for hockey.

"Once we're off this ship, whatever happens here stays here," he adds, giving me a pointed look.

I nod again, because what else am I supposed to do? He'll probably waltz back to his perfect life-where women throw themselves at him-and I'll shuffle back to my gloomy little existence. You know, like Cinderella, except without the fancy ball, the prince, or even a decent pair of shoes.

"Great. Now come on, girlfriend, let's go get your stuff from that asshole," Lucas says, all casual, like we're heading to grab coffee-not stepping into the lion's den.