Abby “If you want to meet with the Alpha, you’ll have to book ahead of time. And he’s booked out for three months.” The cool words of Karl’s secretary run through my mind for the millionth time. I tried reminding her he’s also my husband, but it didn’t matter. He’s been so busy with work that I haven’t spoken to him in a month. But it’s finally Christmas and all the Alphas are expected to be home celebrating with their families. I stop in front of the mirror one last time, just to make sure everything’s perfect. I run my fingers through my silky black hair, marveling at the new color. He loves black hair, so I decided to surprise him. I’m wearing a red lingerie set I bought especially for tonight and red lipstick to match. I feel Karl’s presence, and turn to look at him, a wide smile already on my face. I have to resist the urge to run across the room and jump into his arms. His expression is unreadable. His brown eyes meet mine, but there’s none of the usual warmth when he looks at me. “What’s wrong?” I ask, taking a step forward. His eyes sweep over me, but he doesn’t comment on what I’m wearing, or my hair. “Abby.” His voice is harsh, and I shrink back a little. “Let’s get a divorce.” Three Years Later “Hey, Abby.” I smile at my restaurant manager, Olivia. “Hey, how are things going out here?” I walk around the front desk to stand beside her. “Another busy night, it seems.” I look around at the packed restaurant. “Sure, is.” A sudden feeling of pride flows through me. When I started here, hardly anyone knew about this place. Now it’s one of the most popular eateries in the capital, all thanks to me and my team. My best friend Chloe walks in with her friend, Jennine, her smile widening at the sight of me behind the counter. She walks up and nods hello to Olivia. “Look at you.” Chloe practically beams with excitement, and I can’t help but grin. “If he could see you now.” I don’t have to ask to know she’s talking about Karl. It’s been three years since the divorce. At first, I didn’t know what I was going to do. I felt lost without my role as Luna, but now I own a restaurant and I’m a chef. It might not be what I expected, but I’m happy. “He’d go crazy if he saw you like this,” Chloe continues. He certainly would. I don’t think he’d be able to handle knowing that his ex-wife is doing what I’m doing. But he gave up his right to dictate my life when he ended our marriage without warning. The door opens, and Emily enters. The minute she sees me behind the desk, a sympathetic look crosses her face. I know she enjoys seeing me like this, but I plaster on my best customer-service smile. “Hi Emily, how are you?” Her husband enters behind her, his gaze locked on his phone. “Good dear,” she says. She lifts her hand to adjust her bangs, a diamond tennis bracelet glinting on her wrist. Emily is outrageously wealthy. We knew each other back when we were both Luna, and I know she just comes in here to see me is all my ‘misery.’ “Oh, just the regular for us, dear,” she says. She’s taken to calling me dear now that I’m a restaurant owner and not a Luna like her. It’s always said with pity, but I don’t let it get to me. I return with their drinks moments later, placing them carefully on the table. Emily takes a sip and smiles up at me. “Who would have thought we’d end up here?” I know she really means me and not ‘we,’ but I just nod my head. “Abby, the envy of the town, now a waitress.” I don’t bother pointing out that I’m the owner and chef. “Who ever thought that after divorcing Karl, you’d end up a staff member?” She’s got that fake sympathetic smile back on her face. I know what she’s thinking. Poor Abby, abandoned by Karl. “I certainly am a little envious,” I say, glancing at her husband. A smug look crosses her face. I know that one reason, if not the main reason, she comes in here is that she enjoys seeing me like this. I’ve used that to my advantage. My former role as Karl’s wife has allowed me to turn this restaurant into a place where the elite gather. “Your waiter will be right with you,” I say with a diplomatic smile. “I’m here if you need anything.” I retreat to the counter when she waves me off. This restaurant is the first thing I’ve owned. The first thing that’s truly mine, and a few mean comments can’t take that away from me. I know she’ll be back, eager to watch my downfall. From Luna to a mere chef–but I don’t mind. The room is packed with all the wealthy people I used to run in the same circles with. I know where they like to sit, their tastes, what they usually order to eat and drink. All the qualities that made me a good Luna have made me great at my job. A man in a tailored suit walks in, his dress shoes shining in the restaurant lights. He approaches the counter and I give him a welcoming smile. “Hi, how can I help you today?” I ask. I’ve never seen him before, but he certainly looks important. “I want to book this restaurant,” he says. I glance at the books and frown. “I’m sorry, Sir, but we’re fully booked for the week. You’ll have to wait until next week.” He frowns and takes a somewhat menacing step forward. “Don’t you know who I am?” he seethes. My eyebrows go up. “My boss is Karl from the Moon River pack, one of the most powerful Alphas. Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider?” I step around the counter and smile at him, my hands clasped in front of me. “Tell Karl that I’m the boss. If he needs anything, he can make an appointment with my restaurant manager.” I nod at Olivia, who smiles. The man shakes his head. “Are you sure about this? Do you know his background?” I know only too well, but I just raise an eyebrow. “If it’s Karl, his appointment will be scheduled in three months.” I turn and walk back through the restaurant, leaving Olivia to deal with him. I push into the kitchen and breathe in the scent of cooking food, a satisfied smile overtaking my face. Maybe it wasn’t the most mature thing to do, but I couldn’t help myself. It’s time Karl gets a taste of his own medicine.
Abby “Abby, these are so good,” Leah says, humming slightly as she chews her lemon poppyseed muffin. They’re a specialty of mine. Leah, Chloe, and I have a standing afternoon tea date in the capital. Once a week, we get together to catch up on everything we’ve missed. “Thank you,” I say, blushing slightly. I have a contract to provide desserts for this restaurant and a few others. “Your desserts are getting better and better,” Chloe adds. She’s already finished her blueberry scone and has several others in a box to take home to her mother. “All thanks to you guys,” I say. “You’re my first tasters after all.” Leah wipes some stray sugar off the edge of her lip. “A role I treasure.” “You’ll never guess who came into the restaurant the other night,” I say, doing my best to sound nonchalant. “Who?” Chloe asks, pushing her hair behind her ears. “A member of Karl’s staff. He wanted to make a reservation.” Leah looks up, closing the compact mirror with a loud snap. “Tell me you didn’t say yes to him!” I laugh. “I told him we’re reserved three months out. He doesn’t stand a chance.” Chloe grins and high fives me. Across the table, Leah gives me an approving look. “Good, I’m proud of you, girlie.” “I know you guys never really liked him…” Chloe shakes her head. “I liked him at first, but he dragged you along way longer than he needed to. He never treated you right.” I sit back in my chair, trying to quell the rise of indignation. Far be it from me to suddenly stand up for Karl, but I do believe he truly loved me at one point. He couldn’t have faked everything without me picking up on it. There was a time when I meant the world to him. “You sacrificed too much for him,” Leah adds, probably noticing my skeptical look. “You think?” I ask. She nods. “Everything changed the minute you married him. You had to dress the way he wanted you to dress.” I concede that point. Karl never liked me to dress too flashy. He preferred me to dress more conservatively, so that’s what I did. At the time, I didn’t really mind. I was willing to do just about anything if I knew it would make him happy. “Don’t even get me started on the black hair,” Chloe jumps in. I push my long, golden curls off my shoulder. It took me forever to get it back to my natural color. “He loved the black hair,” I say. Leah frowns. “He was too controlling.” “Way too controlling,” Chloe agrees. I know they’re right, but I hate admitting it, even to them. It’s hard to think about all the things I changed about myself just for him. I changed so much that when I look back at pictures from that time, I don’t even recognize myself. That’s why I hide all evidence of my past life at the back of my closet, where I can pretend it doesn’t exist. “He also hated when I cooked,” I say in a small voice, kicking myself a little for how feeble I sound. I’ve always loved to cook, but Karl never understood why I wanted to spend my time in the kitchen when I could have been reading or studying instead. And, like everything else, I resisted the urge to do what I really wanted so I could do what he said. “And you’re so talented at it,” Chloe says, gesturing to the crumbs on her plate. I was a good housewife, and I did whatever I could to please him, but even that wasn’t good enough. He still left me, for no reason that I can think of. And without a good education, and my father’s businesses in jeopardy, I had no way to make a living. Nobody would hire me. To top it off, no matter how many times I asked, he never told me why he decided to leave me. To this day, I still don’t know. Just thinking about the darkness I plunged into during those months after the divorce makes something heavy sit on my chest. My wolf took it just as hard, if not harder, and she’s been in a coma ever since. “He’s trash,” Leah says, conclusively. “Total garbage,” Chloe agrees. “You gave him way too much of yourself, and he never deserved it.” “But hey, at least you got a good settlement in the divorce.” Leah twirls a strand of chocolate brown hair around her finger. “Now you have this great life you created all for yourself.” “I am happy,” I say. Chloe reaches over and squeezes my hand. “And you deserve to be.” “I wonder what he’s up to now,” Leah says, pulling out her phone. She quickly searches Karl up and then shows us a photo of him in the capital. It’s of him, looking handsome in a well-cut suit. Apparently, he’s staying in the capital for an upcoming Alpha party. “I don’t even want to know,” I say, waving the phone away. “This interview is something you have to see!” Leah practically screams. “God, he’s ridiculous!” The three of us lean forward to look at the screen. It’s Karl’s business story. The interview is with Karl’s secretary and she’s going on and on about how wonderful Karl is and how cool he is. She’s practically beaming with pride as she talks about the pack’s growth and how many new investments he’s gotten. It’s clear she admires him. “No one who meets Karl could ever forget him,” she says. “I’ve even seen lots of women cry.” The reporter asks her if she thinks Karl attracts a lot of women, and the secretary nods. “I’m well aware of his charms.” She grins. “Women pester him constantly, and it’s my job to help him handle that.” “What about you?” the reporter jokes. She flashes a confidential smile in response. Beside me, Chloe rolls her eyes, leaning away from the screen. Leah looks revolted, and I imagine I have a similar expression on my face. What a narcissist. “Geez,” Leah says, putting her phone away. “We’re going to find you someone a thousand times better than Karl.” I nod. I’ve been meaning to go on a date, but I just haven’t made the time. If I keep this up for too long, though, my estrogen levels are going to plummet. “Here,” she says, “I’m going to send you some contact information. We’re going to find you a hot guy who isn’t a controlling narcissist.” Chloe claps her hands together. “Now, won’t this be fun,” she says. There’s nothing they love more than trying to set me up with someone. They’re determined to find me someone new, so I can officially leave Karl in the past. I pull out my phone, and my eyebrows go up. Leah sent me the information of… 17 hot guys ?! Well, at least I’ll have options.
Abby “I know there’s a lot to choose from,” Leah says innocently. “So, just pick the ones you want to sleep with the most.” I give her a look, but she just plasters on that innocent smile and waits for me to look at my phone. Beside me, Chloe leans in slightly, trying to get a look at the screen. “Fine, this guy,” I say, showing them the one I picked. “There, I have a date,” “Why not meet someone else too, while you’re at it?” Leah says. “Just to save time.” I’m a bit resistant to the idea, but I eventually give in to Leah’s pestering. I message another guy to meet me later in the evening. “You guys need to help me find something to wear,” I say when everything’s been planned. They both agree, and we pay our bill. We walk around the shops until we find one that might have the kind of thing I’m looking for. Chloe and Leah help me pick out a few dresses, and I go in the back to try them on. I decide on a form-fitting black dress. It hugs my curves and cuts down in the front to show a bit of cleavage. It’s flattering on my fuller figure, and I can’t help but admire myself a bit in the mirror. It’s the kind of dress Karl never would have wanted me to wear. Leah grins when I walk out to show them. I do a little twirl, and Chloe claps. “Now that’s a dress!” she exclaims. “You look like a goddess,” Leah adds. I can feel my face warm. “Come on, stop,” I say with a laugh. “Very sexy,” Chloe continues, making me blush even harder. I wave them off and go into the back to change into my regular clothes. I buy the dress and a pair of strappy black heels to match, leaving Chloe and Leah with the promise that I’ll fill them in the minute the dates end. I meet the first guy, Luke, a few hours later. It’s already crowded when I arrive, and it takes me a minute to spot him at the bar. He’s handsome. Even better than his pictures. Usually, the men Leah sets me up with are total duds, but maybe tonight will be different. “You look gorgeous,” he says, leaning down to kiss me on the cheek. I smile. “You look pretty good yourself.” We edge slightly away from the crowd, and he leans in to talk to me. He starts telling me about his career, all the while glancing not so discreetly at my breasts. I can’t help but feel a little bored. I always had so much fun when I went out with Karl. He dragged me out onto the dance floor and was constantly making jokes. I never knew what to expect with Karl, but it was always exciting. Luke’s like every guy I’ve been out with recently–more interested in how impressive he is than in what I might have to say. Partway through the conversation, I have to cut him off. “Excuse me,” I say, stopping him mid-sentence as he drones on about his recent account at work. “I just need to run to the ladies.” “Alright, don’t take too long,” he says with a wink. I have to resist the urge to cringe as I cross the bar. I adjust my hair in the bathroom mirror, then slip into one of the open stalls. A minute later, the door opens, and Luke pushes his way into my stall. He slips his hand around me and slides it down my back, grabbing my butt. My instincts kick in and I knee him hard. He goes down with a groan. Too bad for him, the only class I aced in school was Warrior Training. I leave him like that, crumbled over in the stall with a pained look on his face. I’ve been out with a number of handsome guys in the last three years, and I haven’t gone home with any of them. They’re all the same, desperate to get into bed with me rather than get to know me. And even though I try not to, I always find myself comparing them to Karl, and they always fall short. I go back to the bar. For a moment, I have the intense feeling that I’m being watched. I look around, expecting it to be Luke, but I catch sight of him retreating out the front door. The feeling persists, and I look around at the crowd again. No one stands out to me. Not anyone I can see from this vantage point, anyway. The next guy arrives, and he walks over with a wide smile. “Hey, I’m Adam,” he says, his voice deep and gritty in a way that makes me perk up a little. I force myself to forget the presence I feel. He’s handsome too, and more my type. He has curly brown hair and deep blue eyes. He’s not as tall as the last guy, but still a few inches taller than me. I wait while he buys us both drinks, then we edge over to a table in the corner to talk. “So, what are your hobbies?” he asks, inching closer. I can feel the heavy weight of someone’s eyes on me, but I don’t turn around. “Please don’t laugh,” I say, “but it’s actually cooking.” I wait for his response, biting my lip. “I like to cook and share it with my friends,” I add. I can’t help but think about Karl and how he liked smart women, not women who can cook. Maybe Adam’s the same. The service industry is the lowest of the low in the eyes of many. He looks a little surprised and I squirm a bit. “Can I try your cooking sometime?” he asks, catching me off guard. “I’m an investor in the food business.” “Sure,” I say. “You should come by my restaurant sometime.” I tell him which one it is, and he makes a note of it on his phone. “I can’t wait.” He orders us both more drinks, and I smile. I can be quick to judge, but I’m trying to be better. It’s not fair to compare everyone to my ex, and Adam seems different from the other guys. So far, he hasn’t leered at my breasts, or tried to grope me in the bathroom. I open my mouth to ask him about his hobbies when I feel Adam’s sudden burst of intimidation. A broad figure shoves between us, cutting Adam off from me. I look up at him and take a half-step back. Karl glares down at me, his jaw tense. Clearly, his was the looming presence I felt. I should have known. Behind him, Adam edges away with a nervous look on his face. He doesn’t leave, though, which I’m grateful for. “Excuse me–” I start. “I’ve been here for hours,” he says, cutting me off. “You’ve been dating several men in a row.” His gaze rakes down my body and I grit my teeth. “And wearing such revealing clothes? When exactly did you become like this?” “What?！” I exclaim angrily.
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