The day I found out I was dying, Alpha Griffon Knight broke up with me. Our relationship was a contract, but when his true love came back, he didn’t need me anymore. He canceled our contract and told me to get lost. I thought that after five years, his frozen heart would thaw for me. How wrong I was. So I packed my things and left. Without telling him… I only had three months left to live. —— Taya Griffon Knight’s private jet landed at the airport at 7:00 p.m., just as the sun was starting to set, vivid orange and red giving way to the bright light of the moon. Within a half hour of his arrival, he requested that I be brought to his downtown penthouse. Per our contract, I must be thoroughly cleansed “inside and out” without any traces of perfume or makeup. As an Alpha, his senses were more perceptive than most other wolf shifters. I strictly followed his preferences and requirements, changed into freshly washed silk pajamas, and then went to the bedroom on the second floor. Griffon was sitting in front of the fire in his leather wingback chair, one ankle resting on his knee in a relaxed manner, flipping through a stack of documents. When I entered the room, he gave me a glance before placing the papers on the side table next to him. “Come here,” he demanded, his wolf flashing amber in his dark eyes for a second as he narrowed his gaze at me. A chill ran over my spine. His voice was gruff and emotionless, weighing heavily on my heart as it always did. I longed, just once, to hear something in his tone when he spoke to me. But he always maintained his powerful and mysterious aura, never giving an indication of what he was thinking or feeling. I didn’t dare to hesitate for a moment, worried that any delay might anger him. Keeping my head tilted down in deference to his formidable presence, my bare feet were silent on the plush carpet as I rushed over to him. As soon as I was at his side, he pulled me into his arms and onto his lap, lifting my chin with his large hand. He lowered his head and kissed my waiting lips aggressively, without any traces of the warmth I longed for. His tongue delved into my mouth, twisting around mine, and desire flowed through my body, pooling in my nether regions. Griffon might seem noble and restrained to his pack and other pack elites, but he showed no such thing when it came to sex. He was never restrained, never tender with me. No sweet talk, no soft kisses. Just hunger, desire, sex. With me, he was always the animal. Always the coarse Alpha, never the cool, calm, and collected leader that others saw. He had been away on pack business for three months; he probably wouldn’t let me go easily tonight. As I had expected, he was rougher than usual. It was as if he was all feral wolf instead of just mostly wolf like he typically was. Griffon didn’t stop his thrusts until I was too exhausted for more, his wolf shining in his eyes and his face twisted in a snarl the entire time. *** When I woke up, I found myself alone in bed. Instead of the usual silence I typically wakened to, I heard running water came from the bathroom. I frowned in confusion and looked in the direction of the sound, surprised to see Griffon’s tall and muscled form reflected in the glass door of the shower. He usually left immediately after our encounters. No goodbye, no waiting for me to wake up. I struggled to sit up, my body spent from hours of lovemaking, and I quietly waited for the man to come out. A few minutes later, the water stopped, and Griffon came into the room, a towel wrapped around his waist. Water droplets from the tips of his dark hair fell onto his bronze skin, slowly sliding down his well-defined abs. His face was finely chiseled, exquisitely handsome, with sharp, distinct features. His eyes, almond-shaped and hazel in color, were aloof and distant, deep and unreadable. Even in his human form, his dark wolf side showed through, creating even more of an enigma surrounding the Alpha. To everyone else, he was charming yet distant, friendly yet aloof and unattainable. With one glance, people could tell he was not an easy man to get along with, but not completely impossible. To me, he was simply cold, harsh, and unreachable even when he was inside me. Seeing that I was awake, he gave me a stony look and said, “You don’t need to come anymore.”

I blinked, clutching the covers tightly around my body, my knuckles white as a sliver of panic raced through my heart. What did he mean? Griffon turned around, went to the side table, to the papers he’d been looking through last night. He shuffled through them, then tossed one onto the bed in front of me. “I’m canceling our contract. You’re fired.” I felt the blood drain from my face, and my heart stopped for minute. Fired. Not “we’re breaking up.” Fired. Regardless as to how our relationship had started, regardless of how I’d come to feel about him, I knew this day would come. Because in reality, we had no “relationship”. We were employer and employee, and I served only one purpose for Griffon. Nonetheless, his words stung. I’d never expected that he would end things so abruptly. I’d thought I’d have more time. Sure, I’d expected his typical unemotional coldness, but this was beyond that. After being with him for five years, he gave me no reason or explanation. He didn’t think I deserved that, and it was painful to think about. Suppressing the sharp pain in my heart, I slowly raised my head from staring at the document on the bad and gazed at Griffon. Enough time had passed with my being frozen by his words that he was now fully dressed in his typical dark suit. “But…the contract will expire in six months. Can’t we wait for a little longer?” My voice was somewhat pleading, and I struggled to keep it from cracking. The doctor said I only had three months left, and the only thing I wanted was to stay with him until the end of my life. Griffon remained silent, staring at me with his stoic, vacant expression, as if he were kicking away a toy he had grown tired of playing with. His silence was all I needed. His decision was final. After five long years of trying, I had failed to thaw Griffon’s frozen heart. It was time to wake up from my illusion. I took the contract and plastered on a fake smile, attempting to feign indifference. “Don’t be so serious. I was just joking.” Then, I added, “I’m glad this is over. I get six months off. How perfect!” Griffon paused as he adjusted his shirt sleeves, then lifted his gaze to me. It took everything in me to make sure there was no sadness in my eyes, to make sure the only emotions he might see were excitement or relief. The absolute last things I felt. Griffon narrowed his eyes and frowned. “You’re glad it’s over?” I nodded and shrugged one shoulder as if I hadn’t a care in the world. “Yup. I’m not the little girl I was when I agreed to this. It’s time for me to get married and have children. I can’t always be your contract lover, can I?” Inside, I laughed at myself. It was impossible for me to get married or have children, but I’d be damned if I ever let Griffon know that. I would leave with dignity and grace. I forced another smile and asked, “Does that mean I can finally have a normal boyfriend once I leave here?” Griffon’s eyes were filled with deep and unidentifiable emotions. After staring at me for a while, he looked at his watch and turned to leave. “Do whatever you want.” Looking at his back as he turned and walked away, my smile faded. Griffon hated it when other people touched his things, including his woman. His wolf would push through, his eyes flashing amber and his claws coming out. But this time, there was no reaction. He truly was done with me.

After Griffon left, his assistant walked in. Andre handed a morning-after pill to me and said respectfully, “Ms. Palmer, please take it as usual.” Griffon would never allow me to get pregnant. Not only was I just his contracted lover, I wasn’t even a wolf shifter. I’d always grown up around wolves, and had spent time in the shifter orphanage, but I’d never gained her wolf at puberty. No one knew where I came from, though the assumption had always been that at least one of my parents had to have been a shifter in order for me to be dropped off at the shifter orphanage. Staring at the small pill in the palm of my hand, my heart started to hurt even more. I wasn’t sure if the pain was caused by my heart failure or Griffon’s cruelty, but regardless, it was so intense that I struggled to take a breath. “Ms. Palmer…” When I didn’t immediately take the pill, Andre urged me along with a nervous expression. He was probably afraid that I would cause trouble since it had been my last night with Griffon. I swallowed through the pain in my chest and tossed the pill in my mouth. I didn’t even bother with water, forcing it down dry. Andre let out a sigh of relief, then took an apartment deed and check from his briefcase and placed them in front of me. “Ms. Palmer, this is Mr. Knight’s compensation for you. In addition to the real estate and cars, he had also placed five million dollars in your account.” How generous. Too bad, he never knew what I truly wanted. “I don’t want it.” I set her mouth in a grim line and shook my head. Andre was stunned and confused. “Do you think it’s not enough?” My heart shattered beyond what I’d thought possible. Even Andre thought I was doing it for the money. It was too much. So much money, plus an apartment and a luxury car. Was he afraid I would ask him again for more money in the future? I picked up the bag beside me with a bitter smile, took out a debit card, and handed it to Andre. “This is all the money Griffon paid me over the years. I never spent a single penny, and I don’t want it. The pin number is his birthday.” Andre was dumbfounded, a confused look making his brows furrow. I didn’t care whether he believed me or not. I placed the card on the pile of documents. Then I left the penthouse without another word. *** Winter was cold in Arcadia. I walked the empty street, alone and shivering. The shadow of my thin figure was cast on the ground by the streetlight, gaunt and fragile. I tightened my beige coat, gritted my teeth, and walked back to my apartment in my high heels. I pushed the door open. It was huge inside, taking up an entire floor. Despite the warmth inside and the luxurious decor, the apartment couldn’t dispel the chill that flooded me. I sat on the sofa, staring blankly at the surroundings for a moment. Then I began to pack. Griffon had purchased this apartment for me to live in so that I would be close to his penthouse, able to rush over at a moment’s notice. I had loved that he wanted me close by, wishing and praying to the goddess above that somehow it meant more than what it really did. Since he didn’t want me anymore, I didn’t want anything that came from him. Taking out my suitcase, I opened the closet and pulled out all of my clothes. I hadn’t brought many things with me, and it didn’t take me long to pack up everything and leave. I packed quickly and efficiently, with no outward emotion, nothing like the girl from five years ago. The desperate, crying girl who’d begged Griffon to purchase my virginity. After getting into the car, I sent a text message to Andre. [The key code to the Hudson Apartment is 0826.] *** Andre returned to the Knight Pack headquarters, handed the documents to Griffon, and told him what Taya said. With an indifferent gaze, Griffon glanced at the items on his desk. His stoic gaze fixed on the debit card. “You checked the balance?” “Yes, Alpha.” “There is additional money in there?” “Yes, Alpha.” Andre nodded. The exact amount Griffon had paid Taya for her virginity. Griffon frowned, and Andre heard his wolf rumbling. After a moment of staring at the card, he stretched out his hand, picked up the piece of plastic, and snapped it in half, his claws starting to extend. He pushed the pile of documents toward Andre, his fingers curled and starting to crumple the papers. He was clearly resisting his wolf’s urge to shred them. “Get rid of it then.” Andre opened his mouth and wanted to say something nice for Taya, but the Alpha had already turned away and was looking at his phone, a snarl on his face. He knew better than to speak when his Alpha was like this, so he picked up the pile of documents and left the office.

I took my suitcase to my best friend Harper Duke’s. I gently knocked on the door and waited. Harper had grown up with me in the same orphanage, and we were like sisters. Except Harper had her wolf. “If anything happens, come home,” Harper had said when Griffon took me away five years ago. It was because of Harper that I could leave everything from Griffon behind. As soon as Harper opened the door, a wide smile appeared on her face when she saw me. “What are you doing here?” I tightened my grip on the suitcase. “I need a place to crash,” I said quietly. Only then did Harper see the suitcase, and the smile on her face disappeared, a look of worry replacing it. “What’s wrong?” “I just broke up with him.” I forced a smile to hide my pain. Harper looked closely at me and saw past my pretense in a matter of seconds. Her eyes narrowed, then she frowned. I knew how I looked. I was thin and pale, my eyes sunken. Harper hugged me tightly. “Don’t worry. I’m here for you.” I couldn’t help but tear up at her words. I hugged Harper and patted her gently on the back. “I’m fine. Don’t worry.” Harper knew how much I liked Griffon, how much more I wanted with the powerful, distant Alpha. We shared everything. Over the past five years, I had worked hard to earn the amount Griffon had paid me so I could give it back to him. I was so naive and innocent, I believed that if I returned the money, his feelings for me would change. Maybe then we could be something more than just “employer and employee.” But I couldn’t have been more wrong. Harper remembered that rainy night five years ago just as might as I did. If it weren’t for Silas Johnson, I wouldn’t have met Griffon. If the accident never happened, I could have had a happy life. I didn’t want to burden Harper with my sorrow. After gently pulling back from the hug, I smiled and said, “Girlie, aren’t you going to let me in? It’s freezing out here!” I stood there, forcing myself to believe that I would soon recover from this. For orphans like us, who had no one to rely on, being abandoned was just another day, right? Harper took my suitcase and led me into the house. “You don’t need a place to crash. This is your home, too.” After that, she turned around, fetched clean pajamas, and handed them to me. “Go take a shower. I’ll make you something to eat, and you can get some sleep. Don’t think about anything else, okay?” “Okay.” I took the pajamas and nodded. Harper had always been like this. She was unconditionally good to me, like a beam of light that sliced through the darkness. Most other people didn’t know what to do with me. I lived in a gray area…raised by wolves yet not a she-wolf. It was a pity that I suffered from terminal heart failure, and my life was soon coming to an end. Had I been blessed by the goddess with my wolf, there would be other options, other treatments. But with no wolf to help me heal… If Harper found out that I was going to die soon, she would be devastated. And the last thing I wanted to do was burden her with that knowledge. I gazed at the busy figure in the kitchen and slowly walked over. “I want to quit my job.” Harper nodded in agreement and said, “You should. You’ve been working so hard for so long. God, you must be exhausted. Quit your job and take some time to yourself. Don’t worry about anything; I’ve got your back.” I wrapped my arms around my best friend and squeezed her tightly, filled with too many emotions to verbalize them. Then, I turned around and went to the bathroom with tears in my eyes. Fate had never favored me. If Harper and I were meant to be apart, I should use the last three months of my life to be with her. To be with someone who truly loved me. *** The next morning, I applied makeup to conceal my pale face and lips and went into the office to quit my job. Just as I sat down and was about to turn on the computer to write my resignation letter, my colleague Brielle came over. “Have you seen the email?” I shook my head. I’d spent the whole weekend in Griffon’s penthouse; I hadn’t had time for anything else other than him and…recovering from him. “Lila sent a letter saying that Elder Thorin’s daughter is taking over today,” Brielle said. I had no impression of the elder’s daughter, so I wasn’t interested. Plus, I was about to quit anyway. Brielle, on the other hand, was very intrigued. “I heard she had just returned from studying abroad in one of the European pack cities, so she doesn’t have much work experience with pack politics and business. Is she even qualified?” Another colleague, Margaret, sneered and said, “Who would dare question her? She’s the long-lost love of Alpha Knight.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “397465”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #Werewolf #Alpha #HiddenIdentity #Steamy #Billionaire #LoveAfterLoss #SecondChance #Mistress #OvercomingOdds #Surrogate

I thought growing up half-witch, half-wolf, hated by both, was the worst thing that could happen to me. But then one day I was rescued by an Alpha who treated me better than anyone had in my entire life…until he found out who I am. He’s my true mate. My worst enemy. And the connection between us will either save us or kill us all.

My husband Chris enfolded his secretary, lovingly. His colleague sent me a creepshot of that and said, “You’d better keep your eye on her, Sophie.” I didn’t pay much attention to it. Because I saw that secretary’s face once in a company group photo Chris showed me. No makeup, no shining glow, quite plain among all those pretty girls. Chris had also complained to me countless times about her: “I’ve never seen someone so incompetent. She can’t do anything right.” “She looks so ordinary and doesn’t know how to dress. That hurts my company’s image.” His tone of disdain was still ringing in my ears. But later on, he beat her fiancé up and got detained for 10 days, all for her sake.

Spire 73, the highest rooftop bar in the western hemisphere. Located right on top of Hotel InterContinental. Cora Lane was seated with a very good looking man. Her ruby red lips glistened under the moonlight. Dangerously inviting. The man asked her with a cold smirk, “You want to kiss me? Do you not know who I am?” Cora was drunk, she could barely see straight and her words slurred “Who are youuuu?” Even through her beer goggles, Cora could tell this man was very good looking. His features looked sharp enough to be a Greek god. This man’s damn sexy. She thought as she reached for his face again to kiss him. Byron didn’t let her of course, he grabbed her wrist midair and whispered in a dangerously low voice, “I’m your fiancé, Eason Patton’s uncle. Technically you should call me Uncle Byron.” Did this girl really not know him? But he distinctly remembers meeting her before at a family event… At the mention of Eason Patton, Cora’s pretty face scrunched up, “Fiancé my ass! Your nephew is a cheater and a scumbag!” Byron Hansen was not used to someone dissing his family member so openly in front of him. Everyone knows, Byron Hansen is the richest man in New York, the de facto ruler of Hansen enterprise. Once the old Mr. Hansen passes away, Byron will be next in line. Cora smiled and leaned into Byron,”Eason cheated on me, so why can’t I sleep with his uncle?” Byron narrowed his eyes at Cora, “this is your final warning.” Cora ignored him and leaned in for a kiss, her eyes fluttered close and something inside Byron snapped. “You asked for it.” This time, Byron didn’t hold back. Byron’s hotel room was only a few levels down from the bar, on the executive level suite. Still, the elevator ride felt like an eternity. Once inside the room, Byron and Cora fell into a frenzy. Clothes fell onto the floor in various ways… They were surprisingly compatible, the only little hiccup was when Cora felt the knife scar on Byron’s shoulder. She wanted to ask him how he got stabbed but he was buried so deep inside her, her question became moans instead. They went on for hours. Cora didn’t know how many times they did it, but she was very sore the next morning. Especially this being her first time. A splash of red could be seen on the white Egyptian cotton. Byron was already awake and looking at her, his eyes glanced at the splash of red but he quickly looked away and headed to the bathroom. By the time he came out he was already showered and dressed. He saw that Cora had to put on the hotel’s bathrobe, because her dress was torn. He asked half-seriously, “Eason broke off the engagement with you, so you are planning to become his aunt-in-law for revenge?” … After being stunned for a moment, Cora said half-jokingly back, “If I can’t be Eason’s wife, being his aunt doesn’t seem too bad! But I don’t know if Mr. Hansen will give me this opportunity.” “Don’t even think about it.” Byron was smiling but there was no sense of humor in his tone. Cora understood what he meant. This was just a one night stand and nothing more. Cora was not surprised, Byron Hansen is the notorious ice-king. A serious relationship is out of the question. Plus, it’s not like she actually wanted anything to do with him after either. “Last night was fun, thanks.” She simply smiled and brushed it off. Yesterday, she got dumped by Eason. Fate would have it, she went to Spire 73 for a drink and ran into Byron Hansen. She didn’t expect this to happen either. “I have some business to attend to, so I’m heading out. I already called a car to take you home so just head downstairs whenever you are ready.” “Thank you, Mr. Hansen.” Neither of them said “goodbye” to each other. Because Byron had made it pretty clear that they weren’t going to see each other again. Except… fate always has other plans. *** After Cora went home that day, she checked her mailbox and got a letter from the hospital. Her mother’s medical bills were late. Again. This time, if she can’t pay on time they would be forced to send it to debt collection. It would absolutely ruin her credit. Being crushed by reality, Cora realized that she had no other choice but to go to Eason Patton’s house. “Eason, can I borrow 50 grand? I know I shouldn’t be asking you but my family’s bankrupt and my mother’s in the hospital. It’s urgent.” Eason was already feeling guilty about cheating, and now seeing Cora asking so humbly, he felt really bad for her. “Cora, come inside. I’ll go write a check for you, have some water while you wait.” “Thank you. I promise I’ll pay you back.” As soon as Cora followed Eason into the hallway of the Patton Mansion, she saw Byron Hansen standing in the living room with Lydia, Eason’s mother！ Maybe Byron heard the sound of her footsteps, because the next second… he looked over and their gazes locked…

Byron didn’t say anything. He just glanced at Cora coldly. A hint of ridicule flashed across his eyes but his facial expression quickly returned to normal. They had sex less than twenty four hours ago, with the idea that they wouldn’t see each other again. Cora knew why Byron looked at her with a hint of ridicule, he must think of her as a manipulative gold digger. She told herself to not care about what he thought, but still, she felt bad somehow. Lydia saw her too and spoke up first, “Byron, take a seat first. I’ll be right over after dealing with this.” Lydia rushed over with a frown. She spoke quietly but one can tell her voice had a tone of anger, “Eason, why did you bring her in here again?” “Mom, the hospital is urging her to pay the fees. Cora really has no choice but to borrow money from me.” Eason, on the other hand, honestly told Lydia what had happened. “Borrow money? You are no longer engaged to Cora, she’s just using money as an excuse to pester you!” Lydia’s eyes darted upstairs, clearly anxious about Cora being here. “Hurry up and tell her to leave. Just looking at her makes me feel poor.” Cora expected Lydia to be cold, but she didn’t expect Lydia to be straight out mean. Once upon a time, when her family had money, Lydia treated her very well. “Lydia, didn’t you say you always wished I was your daughter? Oh, so just because my family is bankrupt now, your whole attitude is different?” Cora’s fingers dug deep into her palms, but she still couldn’t control her temper and fought back. In fact, she was well aware of the reason why the Patton family broke off the engagement. However, Lydia’s 180 degrees attitude change still felt like a knife stab to the heart. Cora really thought once upon a time, they were going to become family. “Stop talking about the past. Your family’s bankrupt because your father is a horrendous businessman. He took the easy way out and jumped off a bridge, your brother is in jail for financial fraud, your mother has gone crazy. You are a huge liability!” Lydia continued, “But Eason’s career is on the rise, and he needs someone who can help him.” Cora resisted the urge to roll her eyes, “Lydia, I’m not here to get back together with Eason. I just want to borrow some money.” Before Lydia could respond, a voice came from upstairs, “Eason, who’s there?” When Cora looked up and saw Mia, she was very confused. Cora knew Eason found someone else… she just didn’t think it was going to be Mia from college. “…Mia?” “Cora? I thought you’d be crying your eyes out somewhere. Didn’t your Dad kill himself? What are you doing here?” Mia sneered and walked up to Eason as if she were the queen of the house. She even held his hand. Eason wanted to withdraw his hand, but Mia didn’t let him do so. He could only sneak a peek at Cora. He knew that Mia’s family could help him greatly, but this doesn’t mean he’d want Cora to know Mia was the “new girl.” Because not only was Mia very ugly and fat, she was also extremely unpleasant as a person. Unfortunately, there’s no point in hiding it anymore. Even a blind person could see Mia’s relationship with Eason. The sudden realization made Cora feel nauseous, and the thought of begging him for money made her want to vomit. She would rather beg on the street than borrow money from him. So she let it all out. “Hey Eason, didn’t you say before Mia reminded you of Shriek, the troll? Now you’re dating her? Wow. Good for you.” “What?!” Mia’s face turned red and glared at Eason. Before Eason could respond, Cora added, “When Mia asked you out in college, you told me you’d rather die than go out with her. What made you change your mind?”

“Cora, you b*tch!” Mia nearly shrieked. Eason quickly stepped in, “I never said such a thing! If you are pissed don’t take it out on Mia, it’s not her fault.” Eason also became defensive, but it was unknown if he was defending Mia or if he was simply embarrassed. “I didn’t know you’d be so rude, and here I thought you were a proper lady!” Lydia felt insulted as well, so she also spoke up. She was mocking Cora for being two faced. Cora understood what Lydia meant, she quickly retorted back, “At least I’m not the one whoring out my son for business benefit!” Lydia was so angry that she stamped her feet. “What are you talking about? Mia and Eason are good for each other!” Cora gave a cold snort, “Yea right. Then why didn’t Eason agree to go out with her back in college? No one here is stupid, do I really need to spell it out?” Mia was shaking with anger, she raised her hand to slap Cora. But just then, a man’s dignified voice came over. “Stop!” When Cora looked up in shock, she saw that Byron was standing right behind her! He was wearing a tailored black suit, and his height and legs were stunning. At this time, the three others also saw Byron. Especially Mia! She couldn’t hide the amazement in her eyes. “Byron, this girl is Eason’s ex-girlfriend. She tried to borrow money from Eason. But seeing that they couldn’t get back together, she insulted us. What a terrible person!” Lydia was the first to come back to her senses. The first thing she did was slander Cora. Although Eason felt sorry for Cora, he had no intention of trying to stand up for Cora at all. He thought that Cora was too arrogant, so it was good to let Byron teach her how to behave. Cora had thought that Byron would take Lydia’s side, they were family after all. She was ready to face backlash from Byron, but to her surprise he said, “So that’s an excuse to hit Cora?” This time, it wasn’t just Cora who was stunned. Even Lydia and Eason looked at Byron in surprise. They hadn’t expected him to take her side! … Considering that Lydia was much older than Byron, it would be a little embarrassing for her to apologize to her younger brother, so Eason could only take the initiative to speak up for his mother. “Uncle, you’re right. I’m sorry. Getting physical is never okay.” “I’m not the one you should apologize to.” The moment Byron’s voice fell, Eason and Cora’s expressions turned even uglier. Did Byron mean that they should apologize to Cora? Cora was a nobody now! It would be degrading to apologize to her, but then again… Byron was standing right there. When Eason and Lydia were hesitating over what to do, Cora spoke up first. “There is no need to apologize, because I won’t accept it. Let’s take this opportunity to make everything clear.” Eason and Cora locked eyes when Cora said this, “Eason, just like you wanted, our engagement is over. Just so we’re clear, the feeling is mutual.” There was a hint of indifference in her soft tone, which made Eason feel uneasy in his chest, as if he really lost Cora forever. “Cora, come on-” Eason reached out his hand instinctively. But Cora didn’t give him a chance to finish his sentence. She turned around and left the Patton Mansion with her head held high. Byron was glancing at Cora’s back when Lydia’s voice rang out. “Byron, don’t let these irrelevant people affect our mood. I’ve asked the chef to prepare…” But before she could finish, Byron said, “I have to be somewhere, let’s talk later.” “But Bryon! The factory…” Lydia wanted to pull two of the Hansen family’s production lines to the Patton family to work on, so she called Byron over. “We can table that discussion.” Byron didn’t hesitate. After saying that, he strode away. Lydia could only curse under her breath. “It’s all that bitch’s fault! If it weren’t for her, I would’ve brought those two production lines over today.” However, Eason was still staring in the direction in which Cora had left, ignoring Lydia’s curses. As for Mia, she had forgotten about everything already since she laid eyes on Byron Hansen. She had thought that Eason’s appearance was already top notch, she did not expect his uncle to be even more handsome. She was still thinking about how good looking Byron was that she didn’t hear a single word Lydia said. After leaving the Patton family’s home, Cora walked aimlessly on the street, thinking about where she could find a large sum of money for her mother’s treatment. A tire screech pulled her out of her train of thought. To Cora’s surprise, Byron Hasen’s Rolls Royce Phantom pulled up next to her. He rolled down the window and looked at her, “get in the car.”

Without hesitation, she opened the door on the other side and got in. Soon, the car started again. Cora saw that Byron was still holding a document in his hand with a focused expression. Cora didn’t know if she should say something or stay quiet to not bother him. Unexpectedly he took the initiative to ask, “Are you short of money?” Cora was stunned for a moment and did not think there was anything to hide. “Yes, I am.” “How much do you need?” “More than 50K.” Byron took out his checkbook, wrote a string of numbers on a check, and handed it to Cora. Cora looked at the check for 100K and pushed it back to him after hesitating for a while. “I can’t accept this.” Other than last night, they’ve never spoken to each other. They are practically strangers. If she took his money now… it’d make her feel like he’s only giving it to her for sex. … Byron seemed very surprised by her refusal. He stared at the check for a few seconds before taking it back. Cora then asked, “But maybe you can give me some advice? Do you know how I can make some cash fast?” Byron looked at her with a half smile, “all the ways to make fast cash are written in the law books.” Cora smiled awkwardly and said, “Right.” If she went to jail, her mother’s treatment fees would be even more of a problem. Just as Cora was regretting rejecting the money, Byron suddenly asked, “What if I get you a job?” “Okay. But I have to work in the hospital Monday to Friday. Can you give me a part time gig?” “The lounge we were at last night… go to Spire 73 to work in the evening,” he said. … At nightfall, in Spire 73, the favorite leisure and entertainment place of the rich young men in the city. “Byron, how does it feel to be harassed by your nephew’s fiancee?” Byron’s good friend, Harry, was wearing a flowery shirt, drinking and chatting with him. Byron knew that Harry was referring to Cora. He took a sip of wine and said, “Engagement is off. What fiancée?” “That’s true, and damn. That Cora Lane, she’s really something. Rarely do I see a girl with a good face, big breasts AND a fat ass. I bet a lot of people would want to tap that now that she’s single.” Words travel fast, especially in the “rich crowd”. By now, everyone knew about Cora Lane’s fall from grace and that her engagement with Eason Patton was over. When Harry said, “I bet a lot of people would want to tap that” he was specifically looking at Byron. He had exactly three hickies on his neck. Yesterday, he had organized a party for Byron to appear in Spire 73. That was why when Byron left Spire 73 with Cora, Harry had seen the entire thing. Even though he was grabbing the ass of a russian model, he saw from the corner of his eyes how Byron took Cora’s hand and headed towards the elevators. They were both adults. It was easy to know what would happen after they left the bar together. Harry nudged Byron, “so, how does it feel to sleep with the same girl your nephew slept with?” Byron glared at Harry, “who says my nephew slept with her?” Harry’s jaws hit the floor. He edged even closer, “no f*cking way. They were engaged though!” Byron ignored Harry, but the more Byron ignored him the more interested he became. “Come on!! Man, talk to me. How was it?” Byron coldly looked at Harry and just said one word, “no” But because of Harry’s question, his mind took him back to the night before… Cora moaning beneath him, then her legs shaking when he took her from behind. Harry was right, she did have a perfect body. When he thrusted from behind he held on to her tiny waist and watched as her plump butt swallowed his shaft. The air seemed to have suddenly become thinner. Byron quietly pulled open his collar a little. “Aww come on man, you’re no fun…” Harry was very open about relations between men and women. He had seen Cora at the dinner party once, it was a long time ago but he still remembered the blue satin dress she wore. It accentuated her curves, and even someone like him who’s been with countless women, wanted a taste… But at that time, Eason was her fiance and he watched her closely, making sure no man went anywhere near her. Now that the Lane family had been torn apart and the Patton family had drawn a clear line between them, Harry was eager to give it a try. But Byron suddenly interrupted him. “Maybe I’ll tell you next time.” “Next time? There’s going to be a next time? Don’t say I didn’t warn you, what if Jane finds out?” Harry was shocked Byron would actually think about a “next time”. Normally, these types of things would be a one and done, especially for Byron who has a girl his family picked out for him. Jane was the “approved bride”, she came from an impeccable family and had great looks. She’s also a doctor with a kind heart, a rarity in their world. In Harry’s eyes, Jane was excellent. “Why should I care if Jane finds out?” “Wait what? I thought you’d marry Jane!” Before Harry could blurt it out, he saw Cora coming into the lounge. “Oh shit, she looks good…” Harry exclaimed. Byron turned around and looked in the direction of Harry’s gaze and saw that stunning figure…

Cora started her first shift as a promoter. “Sir, would you like to try this new cocktail? It’s delicious.” Cora smiled, and the dimples at the corners of her mouth were lively and intoxicating. This was the part-time job that Byron had gotten for her—promoting different alcohol. The clients were nearly all men, and they looked at her with lustful eyes, “You want us to order the drinks you promote?” “Then show us why we should buy it,” another chimed in with a laugh. A bald guy with greasy looking fingers got up and poured 10 shots of patron. “Come on, if you can drink with us, we’ll order a few bottles from you.” “I can’t hold my liquor. I’m really sorry.” After drinking a few glasses of wine last night, she had sex with Byron. Alcohol tolerance was not her strong point. Cora wanted to give up on this table so she smiled and got ready to leave. Unexpectedly, the several male guests there refused to let her go. “Come on, this is how you treat your clients?” Spire 73 was famous for its hot bartenders and waitresses. That’s another reason why so many men come to this place. However, just as they were about to put their hands on Cora, a cold male voice rang out. “What are you doing?” Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the man’s eyes seemed to be as cold as an iceberg. “Mr. Hansen!” Almost all the people who came here to entertain themselves were rich young men from New York. Most of them knew Byron Hansen. After all, this is the same man whose photos are plastered everywhere. Magazines, billboards and social media. One magazine once wrote “The hottest and most eligible bachelor, Byron Hansen. Who shall take home the gold?” When Cora saw Byron, she was a bit surprised. One young man tried to play it off, “we were just messing with her, we meant no harm.” Looking at those people coldly, Byron said, “You are not qualified to do such a thing. Get lost.” His tone sounded casual, but his innate arrogance and powerful aura suddenly reminded the people present that Spire 73 was also the property of the Hansen family. “Mr. Hansen, I’m sorry. We crossed the line.” “Mr. Hansen, it won’t happen again.” They hurriedly apologized. … However, Byron didn’t listen to them. He only gloomily ordered the bar manager, who had heard the news and rushed over, “Throw these people out. Sue them for sexual harassment, and never allow them into any Hansen Group establishment ever again.” The seemingly casual order made the several men weak in the knees. Almost all of the top-notch leisure and entertainment establishments in New York belonged to the Hansen Group. If they were barred from those places from now on, how could they have the face to stay in the social circle of the new rich young men in New York in the future? How could they maintain their contacts? They kept apologizing and begging for mercy, hoping that Mr. Hansen would take pity on them. Unfortunately, the man ignored them, and the manager immediately asked the bouncers to escort them out. After those people were kicked out, Byron didn’t even look at Cora. He simply went back to where he was sitting before. Cora caught up with him because she wanted to thank him. “For what happened just now, I’d like to thank you for your help.” After thanking him, Cora nodded politely at Harry sitting at the side. Cora behaved in a gracious manner and did not lose the demeanor that a daughter of a rich and powerful family should have. Harry nodded back with a smile. Harry suddenly understood why Byron had ignored his relationship with Eason and slept with Cora. But at this moment, Byron ignored her. However, Cora’s eyes landed on Byron’s hand. It was bleeding. “Are you injured? Let me help you take care of it.” Although she didn’t know how Byron had gotten injured, he had helped her just now. What’s more, Cora is a doctor, she can’t just turn a blind eye to someone with an injury. Harry glanced at Byron, he distinctly remembers Byron shattering a wine glass with his hands when he saw those men harass Cora. Harry’s eyes darted between Cora and Byron, how interesting.

Cora called the manager over and asked for a first aid kit. Then, she took Byron’s hand and began to deal with it. Harry tried saying hi to Cora but she was fully focused on Byron’s wound. This was her natural instinct as a doctor. Although Byron ignored Cora, he didn’t stop her from treating his wound. “The wound looks a little deep. Try not to touch any water in the next two days.” Cora carefully dressed Byron’s wound and did not forget to remind him. She thought that Byron would ignore her as before. After saying that, she got up to leave. Unexpectedly, Byron suddenly asked, “Do you know how to drive?” Cora was stunned momentarily before she realized Byron was talking to her. “Yes, but…” Cora mostly took the subway to get around the city, she rarely drove. But before she could finish, Byron handed over the car key and said, “Drive me home.” Cora wanted to refuse, but when she saw the gauze wrapped around his hand, she realized that it’s not convenient for him to drive. He also helped her three times in one day, best to return a little favor. In the end, Cora took the car key. Harry watched the two of them leave, muttering to himself, “I guess there really is going to be a next time…” … Cora’s never driven a four hundred thousand dollar car before. Heck, she’s never driven anything other than a toyota. But it’s all the same right? Just brakes and gas pedal. Cora thought. However, as soon as she drove through an intersection, Byron, who had been casually sitting in the passenger seat just now, suddenly looked serious. Cora mistook the accelerator for the brake and ran a red light. She almost bumped into a car crossing the road, causing traffic jams. “How did you pass your driver’s test?” “It’s been awhile!” Cora said after taking a deep breath. The sound of other cars honking their horns filled the air. Cora began to feel embarrassed and turned to look at Byron. Byron looked back at her. Cora didn’t know if it was because of the light, but she felt that Byron’s gaze was much more profound than before. “Don’t you live a block away? Go to your place then.” “Okay,” replied Cora. When she drove the car to her apartment, she found her back was soaked. “Well this is me, do you want to call your driver to come?” Once the car was parked, Cora could finally breathe easy. Thank God she didn’t damage the car, she would not be able to afford fixing it. To her surprise, Byron got out of the car. When Cora caught up with him, she found he was already standing in front of her apartment building. “Open the door.” Byron’s words were concise and carried an irresistible deterrence. Even Cora understood what this meant. “Mr. Hansen…” Cora wanted to refuse. It was not a good thing to keep sleeping with Eason’s uncle. If other people found out about their relationship, she worried that her reputation would be ruined, and her job would become a problem. But when Cora thought of how easily she fell asleep after she had slept with Byron last night, she didn’t want to refuse him. Ever since her father killed himself and her entire life shattered, she’s been having insomnia. She moved to her shitty apartment and would spend hours lying in her bed just looking at the ceiling. But last night was the best sleep she’s had in ages. Thinking of this, she suddenly opened the door to her apartment building and let Byron in. Even if this peace of mind was unrealistic, she still wanted to grasp this moment of peace. Byron was emboldened by her sudden behavior, he nearly took her clothes off in the hallway. Cora had to remind him that people could walk out any second. Cora led Byron to her room, he eagerly tossed her onto the bed. His scent filled her nostrils, and somehow it calmed her racing heart. This time when he thrusted inside her, she didn’t feel any pain. She was already wet with desire. “So eager…” he murmured against her ears. His hands reached to her breasts and pinched a nipple. This is the first time Cora ever felt this kind of sensation, she gasped in pleasure. Her moans only encouraged Byron. He thrusted harder, then flipped her over so he could take her from behind. He snaked one hand around so he could gently rub her cl’t as he kept plummeting her body. Cora’s thighs shook badly and her moans could be heard loud and clear. 　　 “Please….! Please….Byron!” She felt a tension building in her core. Hearing his name on her lips, Byron paused for a split second before picking up the pace even more and angling her again to go even deeper. The force of his thrusts rattled her cheap bed so much it was creaking. Finally, Cora let out a muffled cry as she came all over his c*ck. Her entire body was shaking, so Bryon knew she had finished. Byron gave a few final thrusts and released inside of her soon after, and both drifted to sleep in exhaustion…

Early the following day, when Cora woke up, Byron was already dressed and standing beside her bed. Cora was in a daze. As soon as she remembered what had happened last night, Byron handed her a business card. “In the future, you can find this person to follow up on marketing wine in Spire 73.” Cora took the business card and looked at it. There were two words on the business card, Carter Pope. Cora remembered that this person was also a member of the Pope family, one of the four top families in New York. However, there was no mention of anything related to it on the business card. In addition to the name, there was only a phone number and the moniker, “Executive Assistant to Byron Hansen” “Thank you, Mr. Hansen.” “I have a morning meeting, I’ll head out now.” After Byron left, Cora looked at the business card and smiled bitterly to herself. I just wanted a good night’s sleep, but now it seems like Byron thinks it’s some sort of business transaction… Cora’s heart ached faintly, but it’s not like she could explain herself to him… Cora shoved the thought away, she had bigger things to worry about today because it’s the last day to pay the bill. It was Monday today. Cora rushed to the First Hospital. Cora was a medical student and was currently working as an intern in the emergency room of the First Hospital in New York, so her salary was pitifully low. Sally Gray, also the intern this semester and the best friend of Cora, handed her a sandwich in a ziploc bag. “Why are you so late today?” “I erm… didn’t hear my alarm.” After putting on her white coat, Cora opened the sandwich bag and took a bite. But after a few bites, Cora saw Sally smiling at her. “But you look glowy this morning. Did you and your man finally…” Even though Sally didn’t finish her sentence, Cora could guess what Sally was talking about. “How could I?” The image of Byron’s final thrusts before release came into her mind. It was so damn sexy that just thinking about it made her blush. “Are you lying to me? From your look, I can tell you’ve slept with a man recently. Look at the kiss marks…” Sally was an expert in this field. Cora quickly pulled up the collar of her white coat. “Fine, you caught me.” “Oh my GOD you finally lost your V card? Spill! How’s Eason’s sex technique? It should be pretty good, right?” Carol’s heart felt as if it had been pricked by needles when Sally mentioned the name of Eason. She blurted out, “Sally, it wasn’t him last night.” Sally looked at her with shock etched on her face, then Sally looked around to make sure no one was listening, “Girl I love you to death but cheating is risky business. If Easo finds you, your engagement is gonna be screwed.” Sally was analyzing the consequences of this matter with Cora. “Sally, even if I did have sex with him, we can never be together again.” “What, why?” Finally, Cora told Sally everything. After she was done, Sally was beyond furious. “Cora, you dodged a effing bullet. Good thing you didn’t marry him, what a prick!” “Yup, I am so much better off without him,” Cora said, smiling. “Now I just want to have fun, and try to live my life the best way I can.” Sally nodded in agreement. As for who the man with Cora last night was, Sally didn’t care that much, as long as he could make Cora happy. After encouraging Cora, the two returned to their busy work in the emergency room. This kind of busyness continued until noon. Cora took advantage of the lunchtime break to call Carter Pope. From her first phone call till meeting Carter Pope, the entire process only took thirty minutes. Carter showed up at First Hospital and met her at the hospital cafeteria’s coffee shop. He wore a black suit and looked like a business elite. He didn’t talk much but he was very efficient. “Just sign right here on the dotted line, and write down your bank account number. From now on, you’ll get a share in all the alcohol that is sold in Spire 73.” Everything happened so fast that Cora was in a daze, it wasn’t until Sally popped over and asked her did she realize it really all happened. “Cora, isn’t that eldest son of the super rich Pope family? What were you discussing with him?”

“It’s a long story,” Cora said. How should I describe my relationship with Carter? I’m sleeping with Carter’s boss? Cora thought. While Cora was trying to find her words to describe her relationship with Carter, Sally took it the wrong way and immediately said. “Okay, I understand. Just remember, protect yourself okay?” Cora blinked a few times, “Protect myself from what?” Sally rolled her eyes. “Contraception, duh!” Cora covered her aching head and said, “No, no no. It’s not like that. I just signed a contract with Carter to act as the agent for the alcohol he’s selling in Spire 73.” “Right, and why would he help you for no reason…?” Cora stopped talking. After all, Sally was right. It’s just that the person in question was not Carter Pope, but Byron Hansen. For some reason, Cora didn’t want to tell Sally about Byron. Maybe it’s because Byron is Eason’s uncle, or maybe it’s just because she wants to keep him to herself… What Cora didn’t expect… was for this misunderstanding to continue. … When Sally found out that Cora had just broken up, she was afraid that Cora would be in a bad mood, so she reserved a table for two in Cora’s favorite restaurant in advance and took her there after work. “Did you make a reservation?” Before they entered the restaurant, a waiter stopped them. This restaurant was very high end, and the reservations were pretty hard to get. “Yes, I made a reservation in advance.” When Sally finished speaking and the waiter was about to let them in, a female voice rang out. “Why do you allow nobodies like them in? Aren’t you afraid they can’t pay the bill?” Cora and Sally turned around and saw Mia entering the restaurant with her personal shopper. “Miss Donald!” The waiter, who had been indifferent just now, immediately put on a warm smile when he saw Mia Donald. Even the GM rushed over after Mia came in. Everyone in New York knew Mia Donald, the bratty daughter of the Donald family. “Mia, did you not brush your teeth this morning? Your breath stinks.” Since finding out Mia stole Cora’s fiance, Sally’s been meaning to go off on Mia. Mia gritted her teeth and said, “What are you talking about!” “I guess even money can’t buy good dental hygiene” Sally rolled her eyes and laughed. Mia knew she wasn’t going to win in an argument so she turned to the manager of the restaurant. “These two don’t deserve to eat with me here. Drive them out!” The manager told Cora and Sally, “Miss, we don’t welcome rude people like you in our restaurant. Please find another place.” Mia often came to their restaurant to eat and her parents hosted events here so she was a VIP client. The manager didn’t want to offend Mia for two nobodies. Cora was also annoyed. “She was the one who accused us of not being able to pay, how is she not the rude one?” “Miss Donald is probably just stating a fact. If you don’t leave now, you will be blacklisted by our restaurant chain. In the future, you can’t enter any restaurants our group owns.” The manager was cunning. He knew that morality and principles were important, but he had to give in to the interests in his hands. Sally was upset too. She brought Cora out for dinner to make her happy, but it proved annoying. When Mia saw what the manager did, she became increasingly arrogant and ridiculed them. “Bah! See? Two bitches with no money and no power, and you want to pick a fight with me?” Sally flew into a rage on the spot. “That’s right. You have money and power but evidently, NO CLASS. No wonder you only get to have Cora’s sloppy seconds!” Mia was speechless. She was humiliated again! Mia couldn’t let it go, but she knew she was no match for these two women when it came to quarreling, so she commanded the manager on the spot. “What are you waiting for? Throw them out.” The manager immediately asked the waiters to take action. The waiters knew Mia’s purpose was to teach Cora and Sally a lesson. Therefore, they dragged Cora and Sally to the door of the restaurant in a rude manner. Cora twisted her ankle in the push and almost fell back into a man’s arms. There was a faint smell of mint mixed with tobacco on his body, which was so familiar that it made her heart speed up. This scent… it belongs to…

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The Alpha was forced to marry me.I still fell for him anyway. What’s worse… I only have six months to live. He doesn’t love me… So why can’t he let me go? —— “Did your family not come with you today, Luna Leah?” I frown. This was just supposed to be a routine check-up and bloodwork. Nothing that required another person. Besides… What family did I have? My mother died in the last pack war, and to make peace my father pledged me to Alpha Aaron. I was thirteen when I had to leave my home, and was forced to move to Aaron’s pack. At first, he was tolerant of me. Sometimes, even kind. I used to resent him for tearing my family apart. But eventually, I came to love him, not as a child, but as a woman loves a man. When I came of age at eighteen, we were married. It should’ve been the start of a beautiful life together. But Aaron never wanted to marry me. To him, I was still the enemy. And the worst of it all—my wolf never manifested. Without a wolf, I was useless. I couldn’t be a real Luna. I couldn’t be a true mate. Still, I always held out hope. I refused to give up on the dream that someday my wolf would emerge. That someday, Aaron would love me. It was the whole purpose of this visit to the doctor, alone. I wanted to know how I could be a full-fledged wolf… …so I could have a baby. “I’m sorry, Doctor. I didn’t know I needed to bring anyone,” I say as he stares at me. “I thought you were just giving me my test results.” He looks uncomfortable. Perhaps even anxious. Maybe he’s afraid Aaron will be mad that he treated me without his knowledge. “I know I’m a ‘late bloomer’ compared to other shifters,” I explain. “But there have been cases of wolves emerging later in life—” Ohhh, wait. Maybe he thought I needed to be here with my husband because of my symptoms. I’m tired all the time and I’ve been feeling nauseous lately. Maybe I’ve been feeling off, not because of my wolf, but because I’m carrying a baby. The thought ignites a spark of joy inside me. “Doctor,” I whisper, smiling. “Am I pregnant?”   If I’m pregnant, maybe Aaron will finally mark me, and we can be a true family. Oh my gosh–a baby! Happy tears leak free. Doctor Henley coughs to clear his throat. He slides a stack of papers across the desk to me. “I’m afraid I have some… terrible news, ma’am.” I flip through the files, but I’m not sure what it all means. “You’re not pregnant, Luna Leah,” he says softly. “You have cancer. I’m sorry.” “What? No, that can’t be right.” I shake my head. I’m still reeling from the high of thinking I was carrying a child. I feel that loss to my soul. I can barely process that I have cancer. “I’m… I’m only twenty-three. And, my wolf healing should prevent me from getting sick!” He sighs. “It’s possible that this is why your wolf hasn’t surfaced. You have an aggressive form of liver cancer, and I’m afraid… you’re in the advanced stages now.” It feels like the ground crumbles beneath me, and I’m spiraling downward… He closes the file and comes around the desk to squat in front of me. He squeezes my hands for a second. “I’m sorry, truly.” I don’t respond. His dark eyes flit nervously around the room, and he adds in a voice so low I struggle to hear, “Are you still paying the blood debt?” I look down in embarrassment. It was a common form of reparation in peace treaties for surrendering wolves to offer their blood. Normally though, no one had to do it for as long as I did… I nod. “Yes, once a month. Aaron’s physician draws my blood personally.” “Your body will only weaken with more offerings. You have to stop.” My head is spinning. “What can be done, Doctor?” “I recommend seeking help at a facility that specializes in cancer treatment. Somewhere outside the pack.” He places his hand on my shoulder in comfort. “And I suggest you do it quickly.”

It’s raining when I leave Doctor Henley’s office in the city. I took a taxi here, alone, and I chose to walk back to our packlands, thirty miles away. Alone. People walking in umbrellas and driving in cars glance at me as I pass by, soaked through my clothes. But I don’t care. I’m dying. What difference did a little rain make? A black SUV pulls up beside me. The driver’s window rolls down, a large, brooding man sitting at the wheel, glares at me like I’m a wet stray on his doorstep. It’s Aaron’s Beta, James. He doesn’t say a word, his piercing eyes speaking for themselves, demanding I get in the car. I open the passenger door and get inside, shivering and turning up the heat. He doesn’t ask where I was, or what I was doing. I doubt he even cares. Despite technically being under my authority, James never liked me. Probably because before I came along, Aaron was supposed to marry his sister, Jessica. I’m pretty sure Aaron still loves her. The two are always together, and she hangs on his arm constantly. If I wasn’t around, he would already be mated to her by now. It’s one more pain in a list of so many. She would make the perfect Luna. Sweet and pleasing, obedient and submissive, and absolutely beautiful. Everything I am not. She has a big, strong wolf. She isn’t an enemy, a human…dying. The entire drive is quiet. But I can feel James’ glances next to me while I stare blankly ahead, replaying Doctor Henley’s words in my head… “Unfortunately, even if you do get proper treatment… That might only buy you a few extra months…” A few extra months… Ninety days, maybe even less. Before I came of age, I spent years dreaming of growing up. Getting my wolf, becoming Aaron’s mate, and making him love me. Tears silently streamed down my face. All those years, wasted on hopeless dreams. And now my days are numbered. Eventually we’re back in the packlands, and James drives us to Aaron’s private mansion, the guards waving him through the main gate. The security is meant to keep humans out. But it’s also to keep me in. Even if he didn’t love me, Aaron couldn’t risk losing me. I was his bargaining chip over my father’s pack. That’s all I ever was to him. I wipe the tears from my cheeks as James pulls the car to the front of the mansion. He stares at me curiously, and he looks like he’s about to say something. But he doesn’t. His usual indifference shouldn’t sting after all this time. But it does… My family was all to eager to barter me for peace, and even in making that sacrifice, I’ve gained no friends. I may be Luna, but this pack hates me. Even after all these years. When I die, they’ll probably throw a party. I get out and stare up at the massive house. Four stories of stone and ornate architecture. A grand estate fit for an Alpha’s home. “Was there something wrong with your phone today, Leah?” a dark, familiar voice asks. “Or are you just deaf?” The Alpha. My husband. Aaron. He storms through the front door and grabs my arm, dragging me inside the house into his private study. I twist my arm free from his hand, and his eyes flash gold. A warning. “Well?” he growls. I fish my phone out of my back pocket and hold it up for him to see. “My phone died.” He stalks toward me, and I instinctively step backwards. This Alpha is strong. This Alpha is merciless. This Alpha is angry. “Where the f*ck were you?” A day ago, I would’ve cowered. But now… “What does it matter?” I ask quietly. He stiffens. Aaron has seen all sides of me—stubborn, argumentative, happy, sad. Most times, I think I amuse him. But he’s never seen me so low. So utterly defeated. “Answer me, Leah. Now.” I look around the study, eying the rows of books on his wall-to-wall shelves. I spent a lot of time here as a kid, reading quietly while Aaron worked. I sniffle. And again, a flicker of shock crosses his face. I try my best to will my tears from falling. I wouldn’t cry for this man, who had taken me from my home. Who made me his wife, when he didn’t even love me. He snarls. “I said answer me!” Everything with this male speaks of extremes. Peace and quiet. Yelling and fighting. Being ignored–or ravished. Through his rage, I think back to the days and nights we spent in this room together, when life was simpler. When he was still somewhat good to me, out of kindness, or pity, or whatever reason. Many, many things had changed since then… He slams his hands against the wall on both sides of my head, and I’m like a prey, cornered and trapped beneath this predator. I crane my head to look up at him, and his scent wraps around me—rich and warm and enticing. He growls, and lowers his head to mine, his breath hot against my face, his chest against mine… His hardness against my belly. We’ve done this dance many times before. I fight or run. He hunts me down. Then he claims me. The gold returns to his eyes, his body heating up with desire. I suck in a breath. This man might hate me, but he can’t deny… He wants me.

His shoulders are wide and strong. His hair is dark, a bit long and disheveled. I’ve run my fingers through it countless times. He leans down and bites the curve of my neck. I tremble, and he growls approvingly. His mouth scorches a path from my throat to my ear. Then his other hand grabs a fistful of my hair and pulls my head back. “You still didn’t answer my question…” His eyes are golden and wild, barely containing the wolf inside him. His wolf is at the surface and his emotions are every bit as wild as the beast inside him.  More extremes, I realize… Passion and rage.  Pleasure and pain.  Hate and love.  Well, not love. At least not for him.   “What will you do, Aaron?” I keep my gaze level on his. “F**k me against this wall?” His glaze flickers for a moment as if he’s eyeing the bookshelf for how sturdy it will be. “Torture me until you get what you want?” I shake my head even as it pulls out strands because he still has one hand gripped tight in my hair. “I’m done. I won’t live like this. I won’t love you anymore.” He jerks back, like I slapped him. I can see his arms flexing, his hands balled into knuckle-white fists. He’s furious now. Suddenly, Jessica walks in, pretending like she’s completely innocent and unaware. She’s holding a feather duster and wearing an obscenely short skirt… I roll my eyes. “What is this, your little French Maid fantasy?” Then I turn my gaze back to Aaron. I don’t bother hiding the jealousy—the hurt—in my eyes. Not this time. “She’s the one you really want, right? Then have her.” I shove past him and rush by Jessica out the door. I can hear her huff not-so-quietly, “Wh*re…” Aaron roars, “Don’t f*cking walk away from me!” But I won’t play weak and submissive like Jessica. I’m not his mate. I was never officially made a member of his pack. His Alpha powers have no hold on me. I only stop to look back at her. “You win, Jessica. You wanted him all these years. You snuck into his room to seduce him away from me, his wife… Well now he’s yours.” Tears finally slip and roll down my face. Aaron’s eyes widen. “I hope you’re happy together,” I whisper. Then I run, climbing the stairs to my room, and slam the door behind me.   * * * * * * * * * AARON   “What the hell is going on?!” I growl. Jessica stands beside me. She’s been mine since we were young. We know everything about each other. But even she can’t appease my anger now. “Get your brother,” I bark to her. “Tell him to meet me in the training ward. And the guards too. He’ll know what I mean.” “Y-Yes, Alpha,” she bows meekly, obviously sensing my rage. She hurries from the room and I’m alone, a strange, cold feeling spreading through my body. It sort of feels like the moment right before a battle, when the entire world stands still. The calm before the storm. The last few months have been stressful, with threats against the pack and careful plans I’d prepared that would change everything. And now, this outburst from Leah… I stare up the stairwell she’d run. I’ve never been rejected by a woman. And Leah has never once denied me in the five years we were married. She would always come to my bed unbidden, and stayed even after I was satisfied. She would cling to me in the afterglow, and press her naked body against mine… I rub my chest, trying to make that unsettling feeling go away. But it stays. I hear a door slam from somewhere in the house, where my little wife went to hide away. I can still smell her lingering scent—light and floral, and beneath that, the headier smell of her arousal. She might claim to hate me—but I know better. I can feel my canines sharpen and my claws extend all on their own. An Alpha isn’t supposed to be out of control like this. But I don’t f*cking care. ‘My silly little wife thinks she can disrespect me…? That she can run away from me…?’ My wolf howls… I climb the stairs three at a time to her bedroom. She caught me off guard in the study and got away. But she won’t get away so easily this time. The day she was pledged to me, I gave Leah only two rules: Don’t ever lie. And don’t ever run from me. She’s just broken both.

I bust through her door, breaking it off the hinges. “You don’t run from me,” I growl softly. “I own you.” She jumps but stands firm in the middle of the bedroom. The room looks the same as it did since she first moved in, just as I ordered. Pink walls. A pile of her stuffed animals in the corner. No photos or mementos from her old pack. She didn’t decorate any part of the room herself. But still… parts of her invade the space. Her hair ties on the vanity, a couple scattered on the floor. She picks and plays nervously with the one around her wrist. A habit she never outgrew. Her books are around the room. On the bed, the nightstand. Stacked in high piles. On the floor. Worn clothes are piled in her hamper. Her damned scent is everywhere. “There’s nowhere to run now, Leah.” She straightens her back, squaring off with me. This is far from our first fight. Stubborn fucking woman, sometimes I wonder if she does it on purpose, provoking me. Poking and prodding at the wolf until it bites. Part of me wonders if she likes that side of me—the feral one, that is all passion and need. For certain, she is the only female I’ve come across that can get under my skin so completely. I grab her waist and lift her off her feet, and she gasps. I inhale deep through my nose. I don’t smell another male on her. If I did, there’s no telling what I’d do. She continues glaring at me. It would be so easy, to wrap her legs around my waist, grind her hot little c*nt against my d*ck… But then, her eyes glisten, and I hesitate. “If you’re going to force me, Aaron…” she says, “just do it already.” I search her face. There’s usually fire in her eyes during our intimate moments. She usually fights, resists, then yields to me and gives in to the pleasure I give her. That’s our M.O. And it plays out almost every day of the week. I don’t even mind that she challenges me. Something about it makes the victory that much more sweet. But her eyes are cold now. Her body is aroused, I can smell the way she reacts between her thighs… But there’s no fire, and suddenly… It doesn’t feel right to play the same game we always do. Now, I want to do something different… I lower her to the floor gently and draw her close. “What…” She blinks rapidly. “What’re you doing?” I push the hair away from her face and kiss her forehead. Her eyes. Her cheeks. Then finally, her soft, plush mouth that haunts my dreams. Slowly. Lovingly. I never go this slow when we have sex. It’s usually rough and hard. I’ve never actually made love to my wife before. But I intend to right now. Leah can sense the change in my actions, softer and gentler than ever before, and she shudders. “Aaron, wait—” I catch her lips, my tongue softly caressing hers. My arms are next to her head, holding me above her as I cover her with my body. I break our lips apart for just a moment to quickly peel off my shirt and throw it across the room, then return to her. I kiss her face, brushing my lips across her freckles, then trail my lips down her neck, to the freckle on her shoulder. She has them all over her body. I know where each one is. Behind her right knee. On her left hip. Under her breasts. Inside her thigh, right next to her weeping center… I note to myself to kiss every single one, thoroughly exploring her body. Worship every inch of her skin with my hands and lips, tearing an orgasm or two or three from her body and listening to her cry out my name in ecstasy. I always love the way she sounds, moaning my name. Only then would I unzip my pants, and inch by inch push my c*ck inside her warmth. I’ve probably f*cked her on every surface of this room. But tonight, I want to have her in bed. Like husbands and wives do. I carry her to the bed, and when she looks up at me, her eyes are wide and glossy in the most alluring way. The same way they always are when she’s ready. But she still looks deep in thought. Not upset like before, but not quite happy or turned on either. I kiss her again, stealing the breath from her lungs, determined to push away her pressing thoughts and get her to let go… “The door…?” she whispers, eyes flitting to her broken doorway. I chuckle against her mouth, quickly peeling her clothes off her body. “You should’ve thought about that before you ran, sweetheart.” She gulps. There’s no room for conversation now. I capture her lips once more, then drag my teeth and tongue all over her body. I take my time at her most sensitive spots. The curve of her neck, where I bite and suck, making sure to leave marks. Her taut, dusty colored nipples, I tease and lick while my fingers rub her over her damp panties. Her back arches when I finally pull her panties aside, and gift her sad, wet p*ssy with my mouth, pushing my tongue deep inside and licking faster when I feel she’s close, then pulling away right as she’s about to fall over the edge. I don’t let her come until she begs me, and give her two of my fingers inside while I suck hard on her swollen little cl*t. She comes two more times on my tongue, before I finally push my aching c*ck inside and thrust into her, slowly at first because I wanted to be tenderbwith her. But her wet heat feels too f*cking good around me, and my movements turn faster and harder. Her arms and legs wrap around me like a vice, and I growl as her nails scratch down my back, drawing blood. She screams as I wring another intense orgasm out of her overstimulated body, loud enough for the whole house to hear, and I grin. I’d fuck her in front of the whole pack if I could. To make sure everyone knows exactly who she belongs to. As she clenches and pulses around me, I feel myself edging closer, and with a few more thrusts I groan into her neck and spill my seed deep inside her. My orgasm brings her over the edge one last time, her body shaking as I fill her to the brim with my come. When I draw back, her eyes are glazed over and she’s breathing fast. I sigh softly. I lost control, and went back to taking her roughly, like an animal. I cup her cheek softly. “Tell me where you went,” I whisper. Her heart is still hammering, but she slowly comes back to reality. “No.” She moves her cheek away from my hand and laughs darkly. “Oh, and, Aaron? I want a divorce…”

Rage spreads through me like a wildfire, and it’s a miracle I don’t shift right now. “Think about what you’re saying, Leah,” I warn. “Our marriage is the only thing keeping the peace. You leave, and I’ll have no choice but to take action.” “Come on, Aaron, be reasonable. Our packs have thrived in the ceasefire. Fighting would make zero sense.” I shake my head in disbelief at the sheer hubris of this woman. She wasn’t around for the horrors of her father’s reign as Alpha. She has no idea of the slaughter and horror that shattered my world. She didn’t have to bury the bloody remains of a sibling… I stare into her eyes, stubborn defiance swirling within. She’s already shown me she can’t be trusted, with her sneaking away, doing Goddess knows what… “You’re forcing my hand, Leah. You’ll regret it.” Her face hardens, and any affection or warmth that she held for me moments before is gone. “It’s my life, Aaron.” I tear myself from her arms and shoot up from the bed, pulling my pants back up. She sounds like a bratty child, not the wife of the most powerful Alpha in the region. She doesn’t get to run off and do what she wants. “Where did you go?” I ask her sternly. “What are you hiding?” Her lips are pressed into a thin line. A voice in the back of my head tells me to calm down, to not do something I’ll regret. But I’ve had enough. I grab her wrist and drag her out of bed and through her broken door. Then I push her into a spare bedroom and lock the door and her inside. My heart is pounding in my ears as I walk away. She’ll stay inside that room until she’s ready to talk. Guards will stand outside to make sure she doesn’t run off again. This is a punishment, I tell myself. This is what she deserves. So why is that cold, aching feeling in my chest back again? I storm outside through the back gardens to the elevator that will take me to the estate’s underground training facility. “Clear the field!” I shout as soon as the elevator doors open. There are at least a dozen wolves training. They all stop what they’re doing and immediately obey. James comes out from the elevator behind me, just as all the trainees file in anxiously. I ask. “Where was she?” “I don’t know.” He shoves his hands into his pockets. “And the guards on patrol?” “On their way here.” They’ll be lucky if I let them live. We had an attack on our pack recently, and several wolves were killed. No evidence. No scent trail to follow. Then today, barely a week later, my wife manages to evade a whole contingent of guards and my Beta to go gods knows where. The rain would’ve wiped out her scent too. Mighty convenient if you asked me. “How did she get off packlands without anyone knowing?!” I snarl. “You found her and brought her back?” James shakes his head. “I found her walking back our way. She got into the car willingly. She didn’t say where she’d been.” “Didn’t say? Or you didn’t ask?” His face is stone cold. “Neither.” I narrow my eyes. “What the f*ck are you Beta for, if you can’t complete one simple task?” He bristles, clearly furious. But he doesn’t argue. He knows better. “The Luna of this pack—my wife—was gone and unaccounted for for several hours. So, I’ll ask you again…” I stalk towards him. “Where. Was. She?” James’ wolf is at the surface now. He spits, “Ask her yourself.” It’s the closest he’s come to mouthing off at me. But it’s just enough to set my wolf off. I lunge. My wolf tears at his skin, my teeth and claws sinking into his flesh…   * * * * * * * * * * * LEAH It’s been a few days since Aaron locked me in this room. Every morning, he asks the same question. “Are you ready to tell me the truth?” Every morning, I ask the same question. “Are you ready to give me a divorce?” Then he doesn’t say a word, and I hear his heavy steps walk away. There’s no food. I drink water from the bathroom tap. My stomach aches and twists with hunger so much, I’m dizzy. I don’t know if the pain I feel is from being starved… or if it’s the cancer. When I’m too tired to move, I cry. And when I can’t cry anymore, I sleep. The minutes start feeling like hours… Stay positive, I repeat to myself. Just stay positive. You’ll be alright. I keep thinking if I say it enough times, I’ll believe it. I don’t dream when I sleep. I wish I did. It would make the waking moments more bearable. Because when I wake, I just feel sorry for myself. For the time I had in this life that I never appreciated. For all the things I’ve longed for and wished for that will never be. Sometimes I think Aaron’s outside, listening, thinking of letting me out. But that’s just wishful thinking. To him, I’m just a warm body. A pawn in his game, and occasionally someone to fuck. Not family. Not his love… After the fifth day, I don’t feel hunger pangs anymore. Just pain. Everywhere. On day six. He greets me at the door, carrying a platter of fresh fruit and meats. “Your phone died so we can’t trace where you went. You ready to tell me? And who you were with?” Maybe the starvation drove me mad. Because I still choose to be defiant. “I’m not telling you anything. I’m done, Aaron. If you want peace, I’ll make sure my father keeps it. But I’m tired of living like this. I wanted a real marriage. A real love. But I’m done loving you.” My words don’t faze him. Instead, he laughs. “Oh, so you’re telling me you want to keep staying here and reflect on how to be a better wife? No problem…” He yells down the hall, “Jessica!” She comes running in obediently, holding a phlebotomy kit. “It’s time to take Leah’s blood debt. Be a dear and draw it from her,” he tells her. “You son of a b*tch,” I sneer. I scramble backward on the bed. But there’s nowhere to go. I’m a wounded animal in their trap. “Leave me alone!” She makes a show of it all. Slowly putting on gloves, flicking the needle. She’s enjoying this… I flinch when she grabs my arm. “Stop!” “You owe us,” she utters, her blue eyes filled with pure hate. She jams the needle into my arm, and I bite my lip from crying out. My blood instantly spills through the needle and into the tube, filling the blood bag. Aaron stands there watching, indifferent to my pain. “It’s the anniversary of the slaughter. Draw a second offering.” My vision dims as Jessica forces the blood from my body. I’m too weak to fight. I fall back, my eyes flickering open and closed. Through the darkness I hear his voice. “Come on. The chef prepared breakfast for us.” I open my eyes, and they’re strolling out of the room, Jessica holding bags of my blood in one hand, the other through Aaron’s arm. I scream, “I hate you!” I think maybe he pauses for just the briefest second. But then he’s gone, shutting the door, and locking it behind him…

I don’t know what day it is now. All I know is the fever. The chills. The pain. I haven’t left the bed in a while. The air is thick. My eyes feel heavy. So heavy… Suddenly, the door slams open. I try to lift my head, but I can hardly move. There’s screaming, and the guards are struggling with a tall male. Then there’s Aaron, cursing with fury… And a familiar voice, shouting, “What the hell did you do to her?!” “Adam…?” I croak. Aaron slams him against the wall. I push myself up on shaky arms. Adam is my best friend from home. “Is this who you snuck away with? Went to feed more info to your bastard father!” My head spins, from the sudden movement, and from Aaron’s words… The two men are screaming and growling at one another, uncontrollably shifting into their lycan forms, barely being held back from tearing each other apart. Something compels me to get between them. But as I stand, my legs crumple beneath me, and I fall to the floor. Everything starts to go dark. I can hear a man shouting my name, and strong arms lifting me. But my eyes won’t open, and I think… maybe this is death.  Then, I feel nothing. When I open my eyes again, I’m in Aaron’s room. The huge suite has dark blue walls and a giant bed. The white sheets are silk and soft and smell like him. I sit up slowly. There’s a tray of food beside me. I should be hungry, but I’m not. After going so long without food, I’ve lost my appetite. Maybe that’s a good thing. I read somewhere that fasting can help cleanse the body of defective cells. Maybe Aaron did me a favor. Adam’s sitting on a chair. He’s a few years older than me. A couple of inches over six feet tall, with light brown hair and light green eyes. He’s good looking. Nice. Calm. Even as a child, he was an intellectual, where the rest of my pack was singularly focused on war. “This isn’t my room,” I say. Adam shrugs. “Your husband insisted.” “How are you here?” “Why the hell didn’t you call me?” he says. I reach for the glass of orange juice. It’s probably going to burn my stomach, but the sweet, fresh juice has me salivating. I take a careful sip and try to gather my thoughts. I was locked in a room, so weak I fainted. Now I’m in Aaron’s room and my childhood friend is here. And he’s angry I haven’t called him!? “Adam.” I hold the glass in both hands. “We haven’t talked in years. Why would I call in the first place? If you missed me so much, you could’ve called me.” I get to see my family a few times a year. There are even escorted visits back to my packlands. Only home doesn’t feel like home anymore. Everyone there…they’ve moved on. So when I come back, it’s always awkward. Like seeing me is a reminder of what they did to secure their way of life. Adam stands and then leans over the bed, one arm on either side of me, caging me in in a move I’d expect from Aaron, not my old childhood friend. He starts examining my eyes. Prying open my mouth to look down my throat. “Dude… stop.” “No. You came to my pack hospital, Leah. I run that facility. Did you seriously think that Dr. Henley wouldn’t share your bloodwork? I gasp. That explains why he came. Because he knows I’m sick. He shoves away from the bed and paces the room. “Does your piece-of-shit husband know?” I cringe. “Lower your voice,” I tell him. Aaron has fought over lesser insults. He freezes. “Then he doesn’t know.” I shake my head. “You need to tell him.” “Why?” Adam’s mouth drops open. “Seriously. Explain to me why I should tell him anything.” Adam’s pensive. Finally, he says, “Fine. Leave the bastard in the dark. But then come home.” With my days numbered… I’m not sure I want to spend them there either. “Leah, you need to come home.” Do I? I’m not so sure. “Let me spell some things out for you. I was barely thirteen years old when my mother died, and my father dragged our pack into even more brutal battles with the Rathborns. My mom was killed by the very bastards I’ve been forced to live with all these years. Not a day goes by that I am not reminded of her, that I don’t miss her.” He frowns. “I wanted to stay with my family. I needed them. I was devastated and grieving. But instead, my father pledged me, like some piece of chattel or a pawn, to an Alpha who has hated me and every one of my bloodline since before I was born.” Adam crosses his arms. “I was taken away from my family and everyone I’ve ever known. I was imprisoned here. I’ve never been respected or made to feel welcome. I’m not treated with kindness. Not even by my husband–and I’m ten times the fool, because I loved that brute, and actually wanted to become his bride.” “Leah, you have–” “Let me finish. My love has been one-sided for far too long.” I think about that for a moment. As a teen, I latched onto Aaron because he was nice to me. Some twisted form of Stockholm Syndrome surely. Or just the desperation of a too-young, too-dumb girl. Too lonely girl. But I’m not that girl anymore. “Leah, I’ve read the reports… You’re terminal. You are going to die.” “Yes. We all die, Adam. Some sooner than others.” “Your husband is an Alpha. He can mate you. Maybe he can force your wolf to rise.” Does he think I haven’t already thought of all these things? “There are risks,” he goes on, “but you have a chance.” I eat a few bites of bread and my stomach knots around them. Biting a human to ‘turn’ them is a rite that requires approval from the Council and even when it is sanctioned, very few humans survive the transition. I might get a pass given my lineage, and we could forego the formality of petitioning them since I am already Aaron’s wife, but that still doesn’t mean it would work. And if he mates me… “What then, Adam? At best I’m stuck, forever bound to a man that hates me. At worst, my sickness kills him through our bond, and then we’re right back to war.” He clasps my hands. “There are treatments, Leah. I graduated from NYU. I did my residency at MD Anderson. I’ll pull together a treatment plan. You can fight this.” Yes, I suppose I can. But do I want to? Adam’s hands are smooth and tapered. The hands of a surgeon. Not a warrior. He wears a suit and an expensive watch. He’s a powerful, wealthy, high-ranking member of my father’s pack. Most females would fawn over him. His bright green eyes search mine. “I can take care of you, Leah…” I’m still thinking about his offer when there’s a growl at the door.

The door slams open a moment later. Aaron’s eyes take me in. On the bed. Adam sitting beside me and his hands holding mine. He growls again. “Stop!” I yell. “This is my friend, Aaron. One of the only ones I have. And just where the hell do you get off acting jealous, when you’ve got Jessica trying to hump you every time you turn down the hall?” He scoffs. Then he turns to Adam. “Your visit is over. Get out.” Aaron comes within inches of Adam and his nostrils flare. He’s looking for evidence. “I’m not lying! Will you stop already!” Adam rocks back on his heels. His smile is confident, taunting. “It’s been incredible seeing you, Leah. And I’ll be sure to get things ready for when you come home.” He means with my treatments. Aaron snarls. “My wife isn’t going anywhere.” Adam glances at me. “You need to tell him.” “Tell me what!” Aaron shouts. I press my lips together. Adam sighs. He sidesteps Aaron and walks out. His men surround him. “Your boy looks awful smug, but he won’t be laughing for long,” Aaron says. “What does that mean?” I ask. He shrugs. “Let’s just say, big changes are coming. And they’re coming soon…”   * * * * * * * * AARON   Leah is nervous. She’s doing that thing with her hair and eyeing me like I’m a predator who hasn’t eaten in a week. Speaking of… she looks terrible. Too skinny and weak. Her scent is off too. “What’s wrong with you?” I ask. She blanches. “Nothing.” “I’ve warned you about lying to me, princess.” She twists another curl. “I haven’t eaten in days, Aaron. What the hell did you think would happen?” Fair. But I never expected her to hold out this long. There were nights when I wanted to break down the door and force her to answer me. But her will is strong. Too strong. And though I’ve done many things I’m not proud of, I’ve never beaten my wife. But that’s not to say I won’t. Always, pack comes first. Always. If she is a threat to them, she’ll find I won’t be as patient as I have been. I push the platter of food toward her. It’s filled with meat and vegetables. “Eat,” I command her. She gradually picks up a roasted vegetable. But I don’t think she does it to obey me, or even because she needs the sustenance, her whole demeanor is just bored. While she was locked away these last days, I structured the plans to ensure our pack’s safety. Her father’s pack won’t survive. It’ll all come out at the Regional Council meeting. Once the Collective sees what Alpha Roberts has done, they’ll seize his lands, accounts, and corporations. The Council will order his execution. It’s a ruthless strategy, even for me. But I’ll do it. For my pack… I’ll do anything. “What have you done, Aaron?” Leah whispers, watching me carefully. She knows me well, this woman. “Aaron, answer me.” Now it’s my turn to be smug. “No.” Besides, she’ll see soon enough, and the fallout of what’s about to transpire will ripple through these packs for years to come.

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So, here’s the thing. I took the place of my sister and ended up marrying her fiancé, who unexpectedly lost his sight. Surprisingly, we hit it off really well after tying the knot. He always believed I was my sister, so he treated me with utmost care, love, and affection. For me, life was supposed to be smooth sailing from there. But one day, out of the blue, this supposedly blind man regained his sight.

After my husband’s first love came back, I saw his answers to a question on Quora – “What is it like to marry someone you don’t love?” He wrote that he didn’t love his wife. Despite her wholehearted dedication and taking good care of the family, he still couldn’t forget about his ex-girlfriend. He said he knew it was wrong, but he couldn’t help it. Someone commented: You’re not anonymous, aren’t you afraid that your wife will see this post and divorce you? He replied: No, she can’t live without me. However, what he didn’t expect was that the next day, I left the divorce agreement on his bedside table and left without a word.

“Cry for me.” His grip on her shoulders was rougher than usual, fingers digging in deep enough to leave marks. Athena Newton was spread out on the messy bed, letting out a broken sob. Same position as always, five years of this routine. He never let her move, always had to look at her face like he was searching for someone stuck in his head. “Freya…” he growled in her ear, voice all raspy with want. Athena’s heart stopped for a second. She turned her head and caught sight of their only photo together on the nightstand. Her face in it looked just like Freya Bates’. He told her that once, she looked most like Freya when she cried, with flushed cheeks. So that’s all I am? Just some replacement he could swap out at any time? Then why did he send me that diamond ring yesterday? That sparkle almost had her fooled. Almost made her think she had finally gotten into his heart as herself, not as Freya. What a joke. She pushed against his chest, trying to get him off. But Byron didn’t move an inch. “Mr. Crawford…” Athena kept it proper like always, but the intimacy and warmth were all gone. “Let’s stop here. I’m tired.” “Tired?” Byron stopped cold, thrown off by her tone. Leaning down, he whispered against her ear with irritation, “Athena, you getting too big for your shoes? You have no right to complain about what’s between us.” Between us? His cold tone hit her like a slap. She was stuck there while he kept biting at her neck, thrusting into her like everything was normal. They were doing what lovers do, but they weren’t even close to being lovers. Even after five years, Athena still caught herself dreaming that someday she’d be his real girlfriend. But facts were facts. She was just his mistress, and that’s all she was ever gonna be. Five years ago, debt collectors were on her case. Her grandma was dying, and Athena needed money badly. She was desperate when someone brought her to Byron and laid it out—she was gonna be a copy, a shadow, a doll to fill some hole. “You do look like Freya. A lot,” Byron had said, checking her out like some product. “Those eyes especially.” Freya Bates was his everything. But she left to marry some big shot in Gaston while he was in a coma after an accident. Byron must’ve been crazy in love. Even being abandoned didn’t fix him. He just went looking for a knockoff to make it hurt less. And Athena became that knockoff. That night, Byron cleared her debts and hooked her grandma up with the best medical care. The deal? Athena played his secretary in the streets, bedroom partner in the sheets. Real talk—she was just a mistress. What right did a sugar baby have to say no? Athena shut her eyes and let go, feeling the pain spread from her body to her soul. Byron finally backed off after what felt like forever. “Check’s on the table. Twenty million dollars,” he dropped casually. “Plus that ring from yesterday and the villa by Lakin. All yours now.” Athena was taken aback, and then it hit her. She looked up and asked, “Is this a breakup fee?” Byron always splashed cash, but never this hard. Twenty million dollars and a diamond ring would’ve been plenty. But that Lakin villa? That place was worth nine figures easy. She’d seen this before—Byron’s exit strategy. Fat check, clean split, bye bye. A sharp pang twisted in her chest. But strangely… she felt some relief. “Call it a bonus,” Byron said, voice rough. Athena caught that cold disdain in his eyes. Then he grabbed her chin, thumb running over her busted lip, voice smooth but cruel, “Keep playing nice, and there’s more where that came from.” Keep playing nice? How many times had she let herself get caught up in this same game, just to wake up to the same old mess? Honestly, she was just tired of it all. Just then, her phone buzzed on the floor. Athena finally snapped back to reality. Byron was gone, in the shower now. She struggled to sit up, body aching, and reached for her phone. It was a financial news alert. [Breaking: Imbe Group’s CEO to marry the Ross heiress. Two old-money empires joining forces; market’s about to go wild.] Her grip went deathly white on the phone. Imbe Group’s CEO? That’s Byron. Everything made sense now. Those crazy expensive gifts? Hush money. Byron wanted to keep her on the side while playing happy husband. Athena’s chest tightened, the air thick like drowning. She couldn’t do this anymore. Maybe, it’s time to end everything… I’m done being someone’s backup plan. Before long, a pill box dropped in front of her face. Byron stepped out of the bathroom in a bathrobe, still dripping wet. “Take the pill,” he said, leaving no room for argument. Athena eyeballed the box. He never cared about this sort of thing. But now… Was it because of the engagement? Thinking of this, Athena couldn’t help but sneer. “What’s wrong, Mr. Crawford? Scared I’ll get pregnant right before your wedding?” “You know?” Byron’s surprise flickered, then died. “This marriage matters to the company. I can’t risk any drama.” Drama? So that’s what he calls our baby… She’d actually loved this guy. How unbelievable. And he’d only ever seen her as a problem to manage. But Athena knew she deserved better. “Well, don’t sweat it, Mr. Crawford. I’ll pack my stuff and disappear. Won’t mess up your perfect life anymore,” she said, voice like winter. Byron’s face twisted at her new backbone. “What’s with this? Money not enough or something? “Just name your price, then,” he sneered. “That’s how it works with girls like you, right? Wave enough cash and you’ll do whatever.” Athena’s face went pale. Something cracked in her chest. Right. She’d sold herself from day one. To him, she was just merchandise. Pay enough, and he would get whatever he wanted. Athena fell silent for a while. She looked up, finally seeing him for what he was. Her gaze turned icy, as if he were just a piece of garbage. “Sorry, Mr. Crawford,” she said softly. “I’m not for sale anymore.” Fighting the ache, she dressed up quickly, then pulled open her vanity drawer. Inside was a stack of resignation letters, and she grabbed one from the pile. She’d written them on endless nights when disappointment kept her awake. Now, it was finally time to hand one over. She walked up to Byron and held it out, her voice firm. “Mr. Crawford, I quit. I’ll wrap up my projects and be gone.”

Byron snatched the letter and tore it to pieces, his face going dark. “What do you mean?” “We had a deal when I got with you,” Athena replied calmly. “No the other woman status. You get married, I leave.” Byron stared her down. His eyes flashed with something like fear and confusion, but he didn’t even catch it himself. Yeah, he remembered that deal. But he never thought she’d actually leave just because he put a ring on someone else. She’d always played by his rules. No matter how messed up or brutal, she’d never said no. Now she’s growing a backbone? The nerve! “Athena, haven’t I taken good care of you? What’s your game here?” He stepped forward, pressing close to her, his presence suffocating. All the color drained from Athena’s face. Her gut screamed to back away. But Byron locked his arm around her waist, trapping her right there. “Mr. Crawford, you’re getting hitched. I’m out. That’s what we agreed to from the beginning,” Athena sighed. Byron laughed, ugly and mean. “So what? You’re saying twenty million dollars and that villa aren’t enough?” Athena froze. Her mind drifted back to earlier. He’d said, “Wave enough cash, and you’ll do whatever.” Her stomach turned. She dug her nails into her palm, trying to keep it together, fighting to break free from this guy who kept treating her like dirt. “Byron, get off me!” she yelled. “I’m running out of patience, Athena. Cut the crap. Just tell me, what’s your price?” Byron growled, holding her tighter. Athena stopped dead. Even now, he thought this was about money… All the strength drained out of her body. She was just… tired. Feeling her go limp in his arms, Byron cooled off. His voice went honey-sweet, lips brushing her earlobe. “Come on, don’t be like that. How much do you want, forty million? Eighty? Just say the number.” Classic her—acting all tough at first. But what went down? Flash some cash and boom, she’s in my sheets, letting me have my way. Money’s all that matters. I just gotta up the price. No way she’s really trying to walk away from me! His lips curled into that same shark smile he used in business deals. But Athena didn’t give him what he wanted. Her brows drew together, and her gaze turned even icier. “Byron,” she whispered, “I told you, I’m not for sale anymore.” Her voice was quiet but dead tired, like every word cost her. Byron’s smile dropped, and his eyes turned sharp. “Enough of this. Just give me a number. Stop being so extra.” He finally let go of her, looking down at her like trash. Byron was heated now. And Athena felt every bit of it. But she was done caring. Done watching his moods and playing nice. “You wanna talk price?” she let out a cold laugh. “Cool. Then bring my mom back. “A side piece pushed my mom to her death. So, I’m never gonna be one.” The room went dead quiet. Nothing but their breathing was left. Even if Byron couldn’t read her mind, he knew damn well Athena was about to walk away for good. His fist balled up, and his temper snapped. He yanked Athena by the wrist. His fingers squeezed so tight they could’ve crushed her bones. “You were just Freya’s stand-in. I’ve been using you for five years and have gotten comfortable. You really thought I couldn’t live without you?” Yeah, just comfortable. Other replacements existed, but Byron was too lazy to break in someone new. “I know what I am, Mr. Crawford. I wouldn’t dare,” Athena shot back, her tone hard and cold. “Good!” Byron nodded, threw her wrist away. “You weren’t the best Freya look-alike, but you’ve always been the most obedient. That was your only strength.” Looking down at her, his rage cooling to that usual whatever. “Now, you’ve lost that too. Since you’ve made up your mind, have it your way.” “Thanks, Mr. Crawford,” Athena said, trying to keep it cool even though she was messed up inside. “Don’t worry. I’m gonna finish everything right. Won’t cause you any problems.” “You don’t need to hand stuff over. I’ve got a new secretary coming in. Just make sure she’s trained before you leave.” Then Byron just walked out, didn’t even look back, cold as ever. Athena watched him for just a second before looking away. He was born with a silver spoon, ego through the roof. That little hesitation earlier? Not love. She’d just played Freya’s shadow too well, stayed sweet too long. Now she wasn’t playing by his rules, and he had no patience left. He wouldn’t bother with her again. Athena checked her red wrist. It was time to wake up from the dream. Guys like Byron? Never meant for girls like her. She wiped her tears, opened her laptop, typed up her resignation email, and sent it to HR.

The next morning, the Imbe Group executive floor was in total chaos. Everyone knew Byron was a nightmare to work with, and Athena was the only one who could handle his mess. But Athena? MIA. Byron’s face went dark, eyes fixed coldly on Liam, his assistant. His voice could’ve frozen the air. “Where’s Athena?” “Ms. Newton… has submitted her resignation,” Liam squeaked out, like someone had a gun to his back. He was stiff as a board. BANG! Byron smashed his coffee cup down. Liam flinched hard. He caught Byron’s face looking dark as hell from the side. Like he was about to turn that cup into powder. “Call Athena. I don’t care if she quits. She needs to wrap up her work right.” Byron yanked his tie loose, teeth grinding. Warning bells went off in Liam’s head. He immediately pulled out his phone. Byron glanced over, looking even more pissed. When the call hit, Athena was at the hospital. She’d been throwing up like crazy since she woke up. And her whole body was weak, everything spinning. She had to call 911 and get herself to the ER in the end. She looked at the doctor, worry written all over her face. “Doctor, what’s wrong with me?” “Congratulations. You’re eight weeks pregnant,” the doctor said. Athena just stared at her flat stomach, brain frozen. Pregnant? Right when she finally grew a spine to leave Byron, and she was pregnant? Athena was lost. If it had been yesterday, she would’ve immediately run to tell him. Now? She knew better. Even with his kid, she’d never be his wife. ***** When Athena got back to the office, it was already 2 PM. She had no clue that in just one morning, the entire executive department had been in meltdown. “Ms. Newton, why are you quitting? What are we supposed to do without you?!” “Exactly! Mr. Crawford’s been scary as hell today. I was afraid to even breathe too loud!” “Please, Ms. Newton, don’t go! Without you keeping Mr. Crawford chill, we’re all toast!” The second her coworkers spotted her, they came running, acting like the world was ending, hanging onto her like she was their last hope. Athena gave a small smile. “Relax, I’m not leaving tomorrow. Takes like a month to complete the process.” She tried to calm them down, but they still looked like they were heading to their own funeral. Everyone knew Byron was impossible to handle. Without their human shield, they could see the nightmare coming. Just then, the CEO’s private elevator dinged. In an instant, everyone straightened up and lined up perfectly. A moment later, those elevator doors opened. Byron walked out in a clean black suit, with a mystery woman right behind him. “Mr. Crawford,” everybody said together, including Athena, standing in the back with her eyes glued to the floor. Byron frowned. Athena had never slacked off like this. For five whole years, she’d always been the first to meet him, taking his jacket and stuff, staying one step behind him like clockwork. Now? Nobody was treating him that way. And Athena was keeping her distance. “Athena,” he said her name through his teeth, feeling some weird anger coming up. Athena looked up, staring right back at his cold eyes. “This is Ruby Holland, my new secretary,” Byron said, voice flat. “Train her properly.” Athena checked out Ruby. She looked just like Freya, way more than Athena ever did. “Got it, Mr. Crawford,” Athena said with a nod. “Nice to meet you, Athena! I’ll work super hard to learn everything!” Ruby chirped sweetly. “That’s great,” Athena said back, all professional. Byron couldn’t spot even a tiny bit of jealousy or attitude on her face. Only a woman who doesn’t care about you never gets jealous… That sentence hit him out of nowhere, making him even more mad. “Coffee,” he snapped, then stormed into his office. A moment later, in the break room. “Ms. Holland, Mr. Crawford’s quite picky about his coffee, so…” “Athena, you need to stop showing your face around Byron,” Ruby cut in, arms crossed, acting all high and mighty. “He gets all worked up when he sees you. He’s my man now. When he’s upset, it hurts me too.” She was already acting like she owned Byron or something. “If you want me gone that bad, Ms. Holland,” Athena kept her cool while grinding coffee beans, “maybe talk less and learn faster.” Ruby was trying to get under her skin, hoping Athena would snap and go off. Then Byron would hate her and throw her out. But Athena didn’t even flinch. Acting like Byron didn’t matter at all. How’s that possible? Byron is every girl’s dream guy. Everyone wants a piece of that. No way Athena doesn’t care! Unless…She didn’t even see me as competition! Ruby’s teeth clenched. The truth was, she’d been sent to Byron months ago. But somehow, Athena had him on lock. Even though Ruby looked more like Freya, Byron kept blowing her off for Athena. To this day, Byron hadn’t even touched her hand. He just looked at her face sometimes with dead eyes, and treated her straight up cold. Ruby shot Athena a death glare. “You’re just Byron’s leftovers. What’s there to be cocky about?” Her face was full of scorn, and her words were humiliating. Athena sighed, looking through her like glass. “Don’t treat me like a threat, Ms. Holland. I’m not after Byron like you think. “This is just work for me. Once I hand everything over, I’m out. I’ve got two notebooks about this position. I’ll give them to you later.” Those notebooks had everything—what Byron likes, what he eats, his health stuff, even how to play Freya. Not a single detail was missed. She’d played the role of stand-in mistress like a pro. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Ruby eyed her with suspicion. She didn’t buy it so easily. She would never believe Athena could be that generous. “What else would it mean?” Athena smiled gently. “It’s just part of the handover.” To Ruby, that smile looked straight poisonous. She’s definitely plotting something. Ruby stuck her nose up. “It’s just some secretary job. I don’t need your handover to crush it.” Just a secretary? Athena had to laugh. Did she really think being Byron’s chief secretary was just playing coffee girl? This job is way deeper than that. As the chief secretary, she needed to deal with the VPs and take their reports. Also, she had to learn about every detail to make sure she was in control of all projects. Byron could hit her with questions about any of it. She had spent five years leveling up from bottom assistant to where she was now. Way more than just some regular secretary work. “Well, since you’re such a pro, I’ll skip the training.” Athena pushed the fresh coffee across with a smile. “Get this to Mr. Crawford.” With that, she walked out. Ruby watched her leave, getting weird vibes for some reason. A sudden sense of unease crept in, like trouble was coming… Back in her office, Athena opened the system and put in for leave. Then, she approved it with one click. All the CEO office’s time off had to go through her, even her own. But she wasn’t trying to tell Byron about it. She wanted to dodge him as much as possible, keep her head straight. After putting in the request, Athena grabbed her bag and stepped out. She turned to her colleagues and said calmly, “Everyone, I’m taking three days off.” “Three? Three whole days?!” Several people stood up in panic. “Chill,” Athena smiled. “I’ll be on my phone. If you need anything, just hit me up.” She added, “And I’ll still be back to complete the rest of the handover.” Only then did everyone breathe a sigh of relief and tell her to get some rest. Some even tried to get her to stay for good. Athena just smiled, kept quiet. But deep down, she knew better than anyone—there was nothing worth staying for. The second she got back to the villa, she started throwing her stuff in boxes. Five years of memories in this place. Her touch was everywhere, and now she had to erase it all. She packed like a robot, not even checking the time. When the last suitcase finally snapped shut, she called some movers to ship everything out. After that, she booked a one-way ticket to Greeli City for that night, grabbed one small suitcase with the basics, and walked out of the place she called home for five whole years. And she didn’t look back once. ***** Byron only found out Athena had left after grinding through meetings all day. “I just asked her what kind of coffee beans you like,” Ruby was in his office crying, holding up her red hand. “And she just threw hot water on me.” Byron barely looked at her, face blank. “Then go to the hospital and get it treated.” He didn’t believe a word of it. With Athena’s personality, even if she were mad, she wouldn’t pull something that messy. But leaving work early… That was a first. Maybe she was… jealous? Byron’s lips curved up a little. Ruby, seeing him smiling instead of being angry, felt a chill inside. She pouted and whined in a sweet voice, “Byron, she was mean to me. Aren’t you gonna stick up for me?” Byron finally looked up at her, eyes going cold. “Deal with it yourself.” Ruby paused for a while, then dropped her head all sad. “Fine.” After she left, Byron grabbed his phone and called Athena. He was ready to come at her about leaving without saying anything. The phone rang through his big office, sounding extremely loud. He loosened his tie and leaned back, already thinking about how Athena would sound all stubborn but hurt, then give in like always. But she went too far this time. He wasn’t letting it slide. He smiled and tapped his desk, waiting. “Sorry, the number you dialed is not available…” Byron’s face went dark. He hung up and tried again, but the result was the same. Then it clicked—Athena had blocked him. “Huh.” Byron let out a cold laugh and threw his phone down. Athena had never ignored his calls. Not in the middle of the night, not even when she was sick. She was deliberately making a fuss this time. Anger surged through his chest. He took a deep breath and called Liam right away. As soon as Liam picked up, he snapped, “Where’s Athena?” Liam went quiet for a second. Then, he started typing fast to track her down. Moments later, he came back respectfully, “Mr. Crawford, cameras show her leaving the villa with a suitcase, catching a cab to the airport.” Byron’s voice went sharp as a knife. “And?” “She got a ticket to Greeli City… And she’s gone already.”

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“There’s a banquet at the Hilton Hotel. Go there now.” The man’s voice was cold and indifferent. Anastasia Graves was overjoyed when she received a call from her husband, Christian Patterson. “I am at the hospital…” Christian hung up before Anastasia could tell him that she had come to the hospital to take a pregnancy examination. Christian had been on a business trip for more than two months, and this was the first time he had called her on his own initiative. Although his attitude was as cold as ever, his call was enough to make Anastasia happy. He should have remembered that it was their third wedding anniversary today. He must have let her go there to surprise her. At the thought, Anastasia’s haggard face turned a little rosy. Delighted, she left the hospital with the examination report. She also had good news to tell Christian. They were blessed with two happy events today. As soon as Anastasia got out of the car, she was surrounded by countless reporters. They flocked to her, blocking her way. Anastasia could not conceal her pleasure. It must have been Christian who broke the news of their anniversary, so the reporters waited in particular to send them their best wishes. With that in mind, she happily waved to the reporter. “Mrs. Patterson, you and Mr. Patterson have been married for three years, and Mr. Patterson’s illegitimate child is two years old. Do you know it?” “Mrs. Patterson, what do you think of the illegitimate child? Will you agree to take him back and raise him?” “Are you and Mr. Patterson in a marriage of convenience, where you both pursue your own interests?” “Is the child yours and Mr. Patterson’s? Or is him Mr. Patterson’s illegitimate child?” There had been rumors about Christian’s illegitimate child recently, but Anastasia didn’t believe it. “Christian is very busy. We don’t have children yet, and he doesn’t have any illegitimate children. It’s all rumors. We love each other very much. I believe in my husband.” After three years of marriage, she had become adept at handling such unexpected situations skillfully and decisively. At that moment, Christian stood nearby, his presence commanding attention with his tall and muscular frame. His striking features enhanced his overall appearance, giving him an air of coolness. His eyes and eyebrows added a hint of mysterious aloofness. He exchanged pleasantries with the person opposite him. And when he looked up, he saw Anastasia walking over. Instantly, his smile faded, and his stern face was as indifferent as usual. The next second, Anastasia’s smile faltered a little, her expression froze for an instant, and her step was heavy. She saw a cute little boy in his arms. The child appeared to be around two years old and bore a striking resemblance to Christian. Christian looked down at the child with pleasure, noble and gentle. The woman beside Christian took over the child gently. They behaved like a couple who had been married for many years. The woman was Beatrice Cohen. She was back. The child’s eyebrows and eyes were similar to those of Beatrice and Christian. Anastasia didn’t even believe that the child would have nothing to do with Christian. Clenching her fists tightly, Anastasia tried hard to calm herself down. Three years earlier, Beatrice had broken up with Christian after accepting a sum of money from his mother, Lamia Patterson. After that, she had gone abroad. Christian was heartbroken by his girlfriend’s betrayal. Probably out of revenge on his mother, Christian dated plenty of women from then on. At that time, Anastasia had long been in love with Christian. She had been kidnapped abroad, and it was Christian who passed by and rescued her. Since then, she believed in love at first sight. After returning to her home country, Anastasia deliberately went to work at Patterson Group in order to get close to Christian. But he had forgotten who she was at that time. Therefore, Anastasia could boost her career to attract his attention. It only took her half a year to become the chief secretary in his office. Then suddenly, Christian’s younger sister became seriously ill and needed a bone marrow donation. During a check-up, it was found that Anastasia’s bone marrow typing was a suitable match. That was the first time Christian had come to her because of a personal matter. With a patient demeanor, he asked her what conditions she required to agree to donate bone marrow. Anastasia was willing to donate her bone marrow, but she did not want to get a sum of money in return. In the end, she suppressed her nervousness and tentatively said, “I will agree if you marry me.” Christian paused and responded casually, “Okay.” He seemed indifferent to whom his wife would be. On the other hand, Anastasia was very elated, and she considered being his wife her life’s mission. In the past three years, she had been ridiculed, humiliated, and neglected and had become a topic of gossip. Everyone took it for granted she would be abandoned. Yet, Anastasia herself had always believed that she would never regret marrying him. She believed that she would become a qualified wife. As time passed by, she would prove that his choice was not wrong. She would finally get his attention and make him fall in love with her. However, now, her confidence and determination seemed to have collapsed. Standing on the stage, Christian glanced coldly at the surrounding people, and the hall immediately fell silent. “Thank you all for taking the time to celebrate the birthday of my son, Charlie Patterson. Unfortunately, we are photographed and subjected to baseless speculation today. To avoid any harm to Charlie, I would like to declare officially that he is the son of my wife and me.” Anastasia listened to his words, her mind buzzing. She raised her head to look at him with a stiff and embarrassed expression. Her face was pale. The reporters at the gate had not gone far. So, they definitely heard Christian’s words. Anastasia had firmly denied Christian’s relationship with that child in front of the reporters just now. Unexpectedly, Christian admitted that it was his child in the next second. Obviously, Christian wanted the public to know that the child was his while he had nothing to do with Anastasia. She seemed to have been slapped twice in public. The scorching heat enveloped the top of her head, and her cheeks were so hot that they were about to burn. Anastasia couldn’t believe that her husband would announce such an event on their wedding anniversary. Perhaps, he forgot it was their wedding anniversary today. He prepared the banquet to announce the child’s identity, and he simply informed her to attend it. Tears welled up in Anastasia’s eyes, blurring her vision. Everything in front of her exposed the façade she had desperately maintained in her marriage, shattering all her perseverance and self-esteem. When Anastasia took a deep look at Christian, he was still waiting for her to express her cooperation. Realizing that he put her in such a situation regardless of her feelings, Anastasia was overwhelmed with embarrassment and humiliation. His icy, piercing gaze revealed his menacing intentions. A sharp ache weighed on her heart. Now, he not only embarrassed her but also shifted the blame onto her. Anastasia found it utterly absurd. It seemed that there was no way to soften his heart of stone. She had been too naive, and now she had to admit defeat. It was time to put an end to everything. She took hold of the microphone and smiled slowly. Her voice came out rough and slow. “Mr. Patterson, you’ve made a mistake. I have no connection to the child. I too am curious about who the child’s mother is.” The hall erupted in chaos. Everyone exchanged shocked glances. Anastasia’s clear eyes locked with Christian’s furious gaze. She sensed his anger and restraint. His expression turned icy. He lowered his voice and said, “Anastasia, what are you causing a scene for? Can’t you grasp the seriousness of the situation? Remember your promise.” She had promised that once he married her, she would be a devoted wife and never bring disgrace to the Patterson family. Letting out a bitter laugh, she suppressed her disappointment and narrowed her eyes. Her gaze gradually turned cold. “Am I causing a scene for no reason, or have you gone too far?” Anastasia’s eyes were filled with disappointment and desolation. As a final attempt not to embarrass him too much in public for his own sake, she lowered her voice. “Christian, let’s get a divorce!”

After that, Anastasia threw the microphone on the ground, turned around, and left. There was a dead silence in the venue. Anastasia and Christian had been married for three years, yet his illegitimate child was two years old. In other words, in the past three years, Christian didn’t come home these three years because he had to care for another woman and their child, not because he was busy with work. He said he didn’t like children and didn’t allow Anastasia to bear one. It turned out that he didn’t want her to be the mother of his child. Thinking of that, Anastasia found that she was a fool in the past few years. She even tried her best to maintain the façade of a happy marriage. When she walked out of the banquet hall, Anastasia stopped and looked back. She saw Beatrice go up to comfort Christian with the child in her arms. Beatrice said to him gently and slowly, “Christian, why did Anastasia leave? Does she not like Charlie?” Christian said coldly, “Ignore her.” Hearing that, Anastasia sneered. Christian’s indifferent voice seemed to have driven her into an abyss covered with thick snow, torturing her. To him, she was only a woman who had taken advantage of him to marry him. Now, she took the initiative to divorce, which was a correct decision, and it was a relief for him. Anastasia snorted. She looked desperate and decisive with her eyes red. Turning her head, she strode away from the hotel without hesitation. Anastasia liked Christian, but it didn’t mean he could trample her again and again. She would not go down without a fight when her self-esteem was trampled on. Divorce was not shameful. But it would be shameful that she still tried to help him cover it up when she was aware of his affair and his illegitimate child. It was really ridiculous. Anastasia had made up her mind that she would fix everything. *** Anastasia returned to the villa they shared after their wedding. She had carefully arranged the furnishings to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for Christian when he returned to the villa. But now, the huge villa felt empty and devoid of life. Anastasia remembered how Christian had stayed for just one day and left in a hurry last month. His return today took her by surprise, as it was a rare occurrence. Over the past three years, he should have been with Beatrice and their child. The thought made her feel sick. She went upstairs to pack her belongings when she heard a knock on the door. “Mrs. Patterson, Brian is here.” Hearing that, Anastasia paused for a moment before going downstairs. Beside Brian Vega stood a suitcase, indicating that he had just arrived. He held a jewelry box and a bouquet of flowers, offering them with a smile. “Mrs. Patterson, these are gifts that Mr. Patterson prepared for you to celebrate your anniversary.” Anastasia hesitated for a moment before looking up at him. It suddenly struck her that Brian had always been the one to deliver the anniversary gifts. Now that Christian was busy celebrating his illegitimate child’s birthday, it was impossible for him to have have prepared these gifts. Anastasia sneered but didn’t reach out to take them. With disappointment piling up, she had no choice but to accept her own defeat. “Brian, Christian doesn’t even remember what day it is today. You prepared these gifts, didn’t you?” As soon as she finished speaking, Brian’s smile faltered for a moment. Struggling to maintain it, he stuttered, “Mrs. Patterson, it’s, it’s…” His reaction confirmed her suspicions. Anastasia felt a weight lifted off her chest as she let out a sigh of relief. She was relieved to have her answer. She had once been so happy to receive these gifts, but now it all seemed so ridiculous. She had been too blind to see the signs. Without saying a word, Anastasia turned and went back upstairs. She took out her phone, contemplating whether to contact her family, but hesitated. Three years ago, she married Christian against her family’s wishes, and now she believed she deserved what had befallen her. Tapping the screen, she was greeted by news from the internet. The headlines were buzzing with scandalous claims. “Shocking! Anastasia used to be a mistress and had an abortion before marriage, rendering her unable to conceive!” “Why can’t the Pattersons have children of their own?” “Christian is so pitiful! He married someone who can’t bear children!” “Christian and Beatrice are a perfect match!” “Anastasia’s indiscretions revealed after marrying into a wealthy family!” The internet was flooded with such headlines. Anastasia was clearly the victim, yet they were all slandering her. As she held her phone, Anastasia’s hands trembled Tears welled up and fell onto her hands. In her heart, she sneered, “Christian, you’re so heartless! Is this your way of punishing me for not cooperating with you? Fine! Thank you for removing any lingering feelings I still had for you!” With a wry smile, Anastasia wiped away her tears, her eyes turning cold and resolute. Her belongings were packed, leaving only the things she had brought with her. She was waiting to cut off all her ties with Christian after completing the necessary procedures tomorrow. *** At midnight, Anastasia fell into a drowsy sleep, oblivious to the faint sound of a car outside. Soon enough, heavy footsteps echoed outside the bedroom. Anastasia’s bedside sank as a cold hand touched her soft skin. She trembled violently, instantly jolting awake. With great effort, she brushed away his hand and protected her belly. In the darkness, the atmosphere froze. When Anastasia caught a whiff of the familiar yet unfamiliar cold scent mixed with a slight hint of alcohol, she knew it was Christian. His sudden appearance was indeed a surprise.Upon further consideration, she suspected that he had come to settle the score for what had transpired at the daytime banquet. Suppressing the bitterness in her heart, she distanced herself from him with an air of indifference. In the next moment, a warm light filled the entire room. Anastasia was confronted with the towering figure of Christian. His face was icy, and his cold gaze fixated on her. “Haven’t you caused enough trouble?” Did he think her reaction earlier was unwarranted drama? Anastasia lowered her gaze, concealing her sadness, and mustered a faint smile. She said, “I’m serious about getting a divorce.” Christian’s eyes remained icy and locked onto her, as if he were holding back his anger. “You’re insane. You’re afraid the child will affect your status, so you’re purposely seeking my attention by asking for a divorce, right?” With that, he observed Anastasia’s pale face and shocked expression for a moment, believing he had seen through her ploy. A moment later, he sneered dismissively, “Let me tell you…” But before he could finish speaking, Anastasia jumped out of bed, swiftly headed to the closet to grab her coat, and emerged with a packed suitcase. Christian froze, squinting his eyes. He stared sharply and coldly at her, who was ready to leave at any moment. Anastasia stood there in her windbreaker, her eyes profound as she looked up at him. Her gaze exuded nothing but coldness. She knew Christian would only view her with the utmost malice. “Christian, if you don’t show up at the court to finalize the divorce proceedings tomorrow, I’ll expose all the dirty secrets about your family to the media.” She knew what he detested the most, thus she resorted to this tactic. As expected, Christian’s expression turned cold instantly, and his gaze remained as sharp and dangerous as ever. Now, Anastasia had nothing to fear. She was no longer afraid of losing him after accepting the failure of their marriage. Though her heart was still shrouded in sorrow, she believed that everything would be alright as time went by. Anastasia couldn’t stay any longer now. Pushing the suitcase, she turned around and left. Christian glanced down at her and grabbed her wrist. His eyes were gloomy, his voice cold. “Anastasia, don’t regret it!” Of course, she would not regret it, so she was resolute in her decision to leave. With the arrival of early autumn, the night grew pitch-black, accompanied by a subtle chill. As soon as Anastasia stepped out of the villa, her eyes welled up and her vision blurred, tears silently streaming down her face. Her suppressed emotions seemed to have found an outlet. She let out a soft laugh, took out her cellphone, and called her friend, Eleanor Duncan. “Come pick me up, Eleanor.” Eleanor paused briefly, then replied calmly and swiftly, “Wait for me. I’ll be there right away.” Eleanor had been Anastasia’s friend since childhood. She was the one who had voiced the strongest opposition to her marrying Christian back then.However, Anastasia stubbornly ignored her advice and insisted on marrying him. It wasn’t until the failure of her marriage that she realized who truly cared about her. For the past three years, Anastasia purposely distanced herself from her friends, afraid that they would find out about her struggles and cause trouble. And now, she felt foolish. In less than ten minutes, Eleanor arrived. When they saw each other, their eyes were teary. Eleanor glanced at the suitcase next to Anastasia and suddenly understood something. She clenched her teeth, filled with anger and distress, saying, “Let’s go back to my apartment first.” The Duncan family was known for their wealth in Amarilla City. Therefore, Eleanor, the eldest daughter, had the means to be extravagant and arrogant. Half an hour later, they arrived at a luxurious downtown apartment. As soon as Eleanor stepped inside the apartment, she couldn’t help but curse, “I wanted to curse him when I read the news earlier today. That heartless jerk! How dare him?! Having the audacity to bring his illegitimate child to you and forcing you to accept him!” Originally, Anastasia thought she would be heartbroken when hearing Eleanor’s words, but the truth was, she felt nothing. It was as if everything about Christian had become a distant memory. She shook her head with a bitter smile. “We’re getting a divorce tomorrow.”

Eleanor paused. “That’s great. That’s more like it, girl! I would disrespect you if you still hung on the thought that he would fall for you one day!” As she spoke, Eleanor walked over to help Anastasia unpack her belongings quickly. There was a moment of silence. Eleanor turned her head and embraced Anastasia to offer comfort. “It’s good that you’ve come back. You’re not allowed to fall for that jerk again in the future. I’m warning you!” Tears welled up in Anastasia’s eyes. Blinded by love, she had wasted too much time on Christian. Then she answered with resolution, “I won’t. I promise.” Then Anastasia took a deep breath, suppressing her emotions. When telling Eleanor she wouldn’t fall for Christian, she was actually warning herself not to be so stupid again. It was gloomy and stifling the following day. Anastasia abandoned her regal style of dressing and her dignified image as Mrs. Patterson. She chose a green off-the-shoulder gown that she hadn’t worn in three years, which accentuated her delicate and radiant skin. Then Eleanor drove Anastasia straight to the court and waited in the car. They waited for a long time, but Christian didn’t show up. Anastasia called him three times in a row, and he rejected her calls. Looking at the rejected calls, she quickly found the phone number of a reporter who had a good relationship with the Patterson Group. With a calm smile, she got straight to the point as the call was answered. “I have evidence of Christian’s infidelity. How about I give it to you for free?” Taken aback, the reporter quickly exchanged a few words before hanging up. Eleanor gave Anastasia a thumbs up, and Anastasia adjusted her hair. She casually said to Eleanor, “Wait a little longer. He’ll be here soon. By the way, anything interesting happened lately?” Eleanor pondered for a moment and smiled, “Last month, the Graves Group unveiled groundbreaking bionic technology that shook the world. It has successfully dominated the international market. People say that the Graves family may seem low-key, but they’re actually quite wealthy!” As soon as Eleanor finished speaking, Christian called. Anastasia chuckled softly. As expected, her strategy worked. She answered the call calmly, hearing his angry voice. “Anastasia, stop being so full of yourself. Even if you do have evidence, no reporter would dare to publish it.” Anastasia knew that with the powerful influence of the Patterson Group, those reporters wouldn’t dare to offend him. But she had to use this trick to make sure the divorce would go smooth. She smiled lightly, her voice indifferent. “Mr. Patterson, I’ve been waiting for you at the court. Since you didn’t show up, I had to resort to necessary measures.” Christian fell silent for a moment. A while later, he replied in a cold and harsh voice. “I don’t have time to play games with you. You better get to work at the company on time, or I’ll fire all the incompetent employees in your team.” With that, he hung up the phone abruptly. Anastasia’s face froze. She wondered if he despised her so much that he would take it out on innocent people. After thinking for some time, Anastasia asked Eleanor to head back to her apartment first. After that, she hailed a taxi and went to the Patterson Group. The employees in the company were shocked when they saw Anastasia. They hadn’t expected her to return so soon. What shocked them even more was that she looked more radiant than before. Anastasia went straight to Christian’s office with the divorce papers and resignation letter she had prepared long ago. She just wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible. When she reached the floor, she didn’t bother knocking on the door, but instead pushed it open and walked in. To her surprise, Beatrice, looking frail and pitiful, was sitting next to Christian. The two of them were huddled together. Their heads lowered as they were engrossed in discussing the documents, appearing quite intimate. Anastasia’s face darkened slightly. She hadn’t expected to see Beatrice there. But then again, it wasn’t all that surprising since they had a child together. Clearly, Beatrice’s presence disrupted their harmonious atmosphere. Disdain flashed in Anastasia’s eyes as she spoke directly, “I had originally planned to finalize the divorce proceedings before resigning. It seems I’ll have to resign first.” Christian looked up at her, his expression somewhat distant. His shirt was perfectly pressed, and he emitted an icy aura. “Aren’t you worried that I’ll fire them if you make such a fuss?” He knew that Anastasia had trained the secretaries herself and cared deeply about them. In response, Anastasia sneered, “Then I’ll take all of them with me.” The atmosphere froze for a moment. Upon hearing this, Beatrice averted her gaze and smiled faintly. She then pulled out a gift box from the drawer, and handed it over. “Ms. Graves, are you still upset about what happened yesterday? I’m sorry. I heard it was your third wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, Christian has been busy taking care of me and our child, so he forgot about it. This is the gift I picked out for you together with him. I hope you like it.” Beatrice approached and whispered in Anastasia’s ear. “By the way, I also have a necklace just like this one!” She stared at Anastasia, her eyes full of provocation and sarcasm. Did Christian prepare the gift with Beatrice? Did he even give her the same necklace as Beatrice’s? It sounded absurd! Anastasia couldn’t put her feelings into words. It was as if she had stepped on a pile of poop when she went outside. She glared at Beatrice coldly. In the next moment, she raised her hand abruptly and knocked the gift out of Beatrice’s hand, saying, “Save it, Beatrice. I know what kind of person you are.” Beatrice’s face turned pale, and she looked at Anastasia with a pitiful expression. She said, “I know you’re angry with me, but Charlie is innocent. Can you please take him in and raise him like your own child?” Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed. “Anastasia, what are you doing?” Christian’s voice was indifferent as he stood up with a gloomy expression. Seeing the gift box on the floor and Beatrice sobbing, he was annoyed. He couldn’t believe that Anastasia actually had the guts to bully Beatrice in front of him. With tear-filled eyes, Beatrice clung to his arm, whimpering, “Ms. Graves has every right to be angry at me. It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t like the gift I chose. I just want to beg her to treat Charlie better. I never intended to ruin your marriage.” Christian looked at Anastasia, his brows furrowed. And his deep eyes were filled with coldness. Anastasia watched Beatrice’s performance and couldn’t help but get impressed her acting skills. Seconds later, she smiled lightly and spoke in a cold tone, “You became a mistress and even had an illegitimate child. Why are you pretending to be innocent? Don’t you think it’s ridiculous?” Beatrice’s face turned pale. She weakly leaned against Christian’s body, tears streaming down her face. Christian’s face grew cold, and his eyes filled with angry gloom. “Anastasia, don’t be harsh. She is not the other woman. You better show her some respect.” Watching him defending Beatrice as if she were his beloved, unwilling to let her suffer even the slightest grievance, Anastasia felt like a villain who was tearing a couple apart suddenly. Anastasia’s eyes turned sharp, and she looked at the man in front of her with a sneer. “You want me to respect her? Does she deserve it?” Anastasia suppressed the disgust in her heart and glanced at Christian, her eyes filled with indifference. As Christian observed her face, he felt a strange sensation in his heart. But he quickly pushed it down. He heard Beatrice crying pitifully, and it only made him feel sorry for her. “Anastasia, apologize to Beatrice!” “Apologize?” Anastasia paused for a moment, looking at him with a sense of absurdity. In that moment, Beatrice bit her lower lip, took a cup of coffee from the table, and approached Anastasia. “I’m sorry, Ms. Graves. I should apologize to you.” She attempted to hand the cup of coffee to Anastasia. Just when coffee was about to spill onto Anastasia, she quickly dodged backwards and slapped Beatrice hard across the face even when anger took over her mind. Clap! The impact of the slap resonated with the sound of the cup shattering. Anastasia shook her numb hand, feeling an indescribable sense of satisfaction. Shocked, Beatrice kept playing the victim card. When she covered her rapidly reddening and swelling face, tears dripped down her frightened eyes. Christian, in disbelief, stared at Anastasia. Ignoring the mess on himself, he shielded Beatrice behind him. His gaze turned instantly menacing. “Anastasia, have you lost your mind?!” He snapped.

Since yesterday, Anastasia had undergone a complete transformation. With a scornful expression, she faced Christian’s angry gaze and threw the resignation letter and divorce agreement that she had prepared a long time ago in his face. “Christian, shame on you! You manipulated public opinion and bought over so many social media to slander me. You seriously think I will forget that?! Don’t expect me to have any respect for you. You disgust me!” She smirked coldly, took a step forward, and approached Christian without fear. As she looked into his sharp eyes, Anastasia was unfazed. Grabbing Christian by the collar, she pulled him towards her with force. While his handsome face was getting closer, her voice remained icy and threatening. “Mr. Patterson, you know perfectly well how capable I am at my job. If you don’t want to embarrass yourself, sign the agreement and have a peaceful divorce with me. Otherwise, I will sue for divorce and expose all the scandals of the Patterson Group to the public.” After finishing her speech, Anastasia gave them a cold glance, released her grip in disgust, and walked away. And she felt surprisingly relieved after that. Christian stared at her retreating figure with deep, furrowed brows. His expression turned cold and complicated. Earlier, when she grabbed his collar, it felt as if she had also grasped his heart tightly. His heart raced wildly, making him feel somewhat anxious. He didn’t have any affection for Anastasia, but he was satisfied with her. After marrying her, Christian’s life had been worry-free because she was obedient and didn’t cause any trouble. Also, she had been even more helpful than he had expected. And Christian had never seen this side of Anastasia before. Angry, clear-headed, rational, and indifferent, she seemed like a little beast that had been pretending to be a mellow sheep. And she finally revealed her true nature when being threatened. An indescribable strange feeling surged within Christian’s heart, and he couldn’t control it. The calm and indifferent gaze she had just shown replayed in his mind. He felt incredibly restless, dying to know why Anastasia would assume that he slandered her by bribing the media on purpose. And what he did know was that he realized that he didn’t actually want a divorce. Beatrice cautiously sobbed, reaching out to hold his arm. She said, “Christian, should I find an opportunity to explain the whole thing to Ms. Graves?” Christian evaded her touch, pressed his lips together tightly, and gazed at her slightly swollen face. “No need. Don’t blame her.” Beatrice’s face turned pale, and she weakly smiled, understandingly. “Of course, I won’t.” Meanwhile, a trace of wariness flickered in Beatrice’s heart. She wanted to know if Christian still cared about Anastasia. As soon as Anastasia left, her colleagues surrounded her, expressing their sympathy. “Anastasia, you’re Mrs. Patterson. You’ve sacrificed so much. Are you really going to step aside for the other woman?” “That’s right. According to what Brian said, they plan to assign that bitch to the secretary’s office. Are they trying to push you out?” “Mr. Patterson must be blind. In terms of ability and beauty, that woman is nothing compare to you!” Anastasia smiled reassuringly. At this point, she had nothing to worry about. “Don’t worry about me. I would be insane if I didn’t give up on this marriage. DOn’t you think?” With that, she displayed a nonchalant smile. “Oh, by the way, Mr. Patterson might take out his anger on you because of me. If you ever want to leave the company, you can come to me anytime.” After working with them for three years, Anastasia had developed a strong bond with her colleagues. If Christian fired them because of her, Anastasia wouldn’t mind recommending them to the Graves Group. Even if Christian banned any of them in the industry, she could handle the consequences. After saying her goodbyes, Anastasia left the office with her belongings. Later on, Christian sent someone to investigate the incident of slander against Anastasia. Soon, Brian had the results, and the PR manager came to report on the incident. “You ordered us not to involve Mr. Charlie in the rumors, especially about his background, so… We had to expose Mrs. Patterson’s past to divert attention.” Christian’s face turned serious. “What past?” “It’s… about her indiscreet personal life before marriage. She had multiple abortions and was unable to conceive.” Upon hearing this, Christian slammed his cup to the ground. His face immediately darkened, and he looked at the manager coldly. “Who told you that?” He was furious. Christian knew what kind of person Anastasia was. She was still a virgin when she married him. So, the rumors couldn’t possibly be true. The office fell silent. The PR manager wiped his sweat when explaining, “Someone sent us the news about Mrs. Patterson anonymously, and Ms. Cohen also asked us to protect Mr. Charlie at all costs…” At that moment, sensing Christian’s anger, the manager didn’t dare to hide anything. Christian’s eyes instantly darkened, and his face turned cold and angry. “Go back and pack your things. You’re fired.” The PR manager begged for mercy, but it was in vain. He was eventually dragged out by security guards. Christian had been careless this time. The strange feeling in his heart for Anastasia grew stronger, and he couldn’t shake it off. For several days, Anastasia ignored any calls from the company. A week later, she got a call from the hospital, reminding her to go for a pregnancy check-up. Only then did Anastasia remember that she was pregnant. If it were the old Anastasia, she would have been happy to have an unbreakable connection with Christian in this world now that she had his child. But at this moment, Anastasia couldn’t bring herself to be cheerful. Christian had another child outside of their marriage, so what did her child mean to him? It felt like God was playing a trick on her by giving her a baby unexpectedly. And Anastasia knew she had decide whether to keep the child or not. Later on, she went to the hospital alone without telling anyone. In the ward, the doctor examined her. Seemingly sensing her hesitation, he gently told her, “The fetus is very healthy. If you don’t want it, you need to make a decision soon.” Anastasia hesitated and smiled weakly. “Thank you. I’ll think it over.” She then stood up and left. Lost in thought, she walked to the gate. Her figure was slender, and her head was slightly lowered. She appeared gentle but lonely. While Anastasia was still in a daze, a child suddenly bumped into her leg out of nowhere and fell to the ground. The next second, he clutched his forehead and cried in distress. Anastasia was about to bend down to help him up when she froze at the sight of the child’s face. Then she heard Beatrice’s anxious and worried voice nearby, “Charlie!” Beatrice quickly ran over, glanced at Anastasia, hugged Charlie in her arms, and cried. She acted like Anastasia had hurt her son. The crying of the mother and son soon caught the attention of many people. The next moment, Christian also ran over from the side with his sleeves rolled up, his aura cold and stern. The scene made his face turn livid instantly, and his sharp eyes were fixed on Anastasia.With tears streaming down her face, Beatrice pleaded, “Ms. Graves, I’m sorry, but please don’t harm Charlie. He’s just a two-year-old child. Please let him go!” Anastasia watched this scene in disbelief and couldn’t help but feel ridiculous. Was Beatrice some kind of drama queen? Dealing with Beatrice’s tricks was becoming tiresome, and she found them incredibly dull. Christian held Charlie in his arms, comforting him silently with a tender and loving gaze. When he looked at Anastasia, his eyes were sharp, and he frowned slightly. “Why are you here? Are you following us?” He questioned angrily. Anastasia’s heart skipped a beat, her mood worsened. She scoffed lightly, “What makes you think I would follow you? You think too highly of yourselves.” Gradually, Charlie stopped crying in Christian’s arms. He relied more on his father. Watching this, Anastasia only felt irritated. When she thought of the purpose of her visit, she became even more annoyed. It felt as if her airway was blocked, making it difficult to breathe. The struggle to breathe even caused a slight pain in her lower abdomen, as if something had fallen. Softly, Beatrice said, “Charlie had a fever. Christian and I brought him to see a doctor, but to our surprise, he went missing when we turned around. Ms. Graves, I didn’t expect to find you here. What are you doing?” She seemed to accuse Anastasia of taking Charlie away.

Anastasia sneered and snapped, “He bumped into me himself! I didn’t even touch him. Surveillance cameras are a great invention. Use some common sense. Look at the footage before accusing others of something they didn’t do.” Beatrice’s face stiffened, and her sobs stopped. She seemed to have forgotten about the surveillance cameras. So, her previous accusations could easily be disproven. She was about to say something to clear the air when Anastasia turned away with her bag. Christian frowned and quickly handed Charlie to Beatrice. “Wait for me here.” He hurriedly caught up with Anastasia. He couldn’t quite decipher his feelings, but Anastasia’s differences and the subtle changes in his heart made him uneasy. When he caught up with Anastasia, she was waiting for a car outside. Christian stood there with a conflicted expression. His tone was cold. “Why did you come to the hospital? Are you sick?” Anastasia gave him a puzzled look. He had accused her of following him here, and now he seemed concerned about her? Why would Christian be concerned about her? Of course, Anastasia wasn’t about to let Christian know about her pregnancy, so she replied indifferently, “I came here to visit a friend.” After all, Christian didn’t know who her friends were. Christian’s face tensed up. “Where have you been staying these days? Why haven’t you come home?” Anastasia glanced at him coldly, her voice extremely indifferent. “Why do you care? Since I’ve moved out, you can bring your lover and illegitimate child to live there!” Christian raised an angry eyebrow. Anastasia chuckled. “Right, Mr. Patterson, you have so many houses. How could you make them live in a second-hand house? Their existence is no secret.” Christian suppressed his anger, silently enduring it. His voice turned cold. “I always thought your character had no flaws. Can’t you even tolerate raising Charlie and treating him like your own?” Anastasia’s heart trembled, and she tightly clenched her fists. Did she have to tolerate the child of him and another woman? Was she to blame for being narrow-minded? She smiled slowly, a touch of coldness in her expression. “Christian, I don’t want to talk about it anymore. You’ve seen the divorce agreement. Besides going through the formalities, don’t bother me with anything else.” The car pulled up in front of Anastasia. She glanced at the license plate number, got into the car, and closed the door. She didn’t even spare him another glance. It was ridiculous. Did he think she should naturally take care of his mistress and illegitimate child? Was she supposed to degrade herself like that? Looking at her indifferent face, Christian remained outwardly calm but internally flustered. He hadn’t told her that the public incident last time was orchestrated by the PR department. But even if he did, she might not believe him. Somehow, he felt like something was quietly slipping away from his heart, and he was too powerless to stop it. At that time, Beatrice approached from behind with a crying Charlie in her arms and asked cautiously, “Charlie is crying again. Is he still running a fever?” Christian snapped out of his thoughts. His face remained cold. Suppressing his icy aura, he turned around and looked at the adorable Charlie gently. “Don’t worry. The doctor will have a solution.” Beatrice smiled weakly and looked at him tentatively. “I saw your divorce agreement. Christian, are you really going to get a divorce?” Christian’s smile froze. His eyes turned cold in an instant, and he looked at her nonchalantly. “No, she will always be Mrs. Patterson.” Beatrice’s disappointment was evident. She forced a fake smile, her lips stiff and her eyes cold. “That’s good. Otherwise, I would feel sad and blame myself,” she added as Christian walked in with Charlie in his arms. Christian remained silent and walked past Beatrice without acknowledging her. Beatrice lowered her gaze, her eyes betraying her resentment and unwillingness. Christian didn’t want a divorce, so Beatrice had decided to target Anastasia. *** Back at home, Anastasia received several text messages from strangers. They contained intimate photos of Beatrice and Christian, along with insults about Anastasia’s fertility issues. She didn’t need to think twice to know who was behind these messages. Anastasia saved all the messages as evidence for her divorce, which she had been handed on a silver platter. During this time, Anastasia enjoyed good food and had fun with Eleanor. She felt more relaxed and in a better state than before. That night, Eleanor took her to a club to meet some friends. Anastasia didn’t refuse the invitation. She laughed and chatted with her friends, feeling like she had returned to the carefree days before getting married. Halfway through the gathering, Anastasia excused herself to go to the bathroom. To her surprise, she bumped into Beatrice there. Anastasia looked away and took out her lipstick to touch up her makeup, treating Beatrice as a stranger. Beatrice observed Anastasia, who looked radiant and charming, and couldn’t help but feel jealous. “Ms. Graves, I didn’t expect to find you enjoying yourself at the club. Christian and I are having a great time here. Would you like to come and say hello?” Anastasia could sense Beatrice’s attempt to show off. She smiled indifferently and glanced at Beatrice’s pretentious face in the mirror, her tone cold. “If you’re capable, ask Christian to divorce me. Don’t bother me, or I’ll slap you.” Anastasia warned Beatrice fiercely, giving her a cold gaze, and then turned to leave. As she walked away, a piece of paper accidentally fell out of her bag. Unaware of it, Anastasia continued on her way. However, Beatrice bent down and picked up the paper. It was an examination report. As she read the results, she was shocked. Anastasia was pregnant! Beatrice tightly clutched the report, feeling a surge of unease and growing nervousness. She struggled to breathe. If Christian found out about Anastasia’s pregnancy, all her efforts would be in vain. And her hopes of becoming part of the Patterson family with Charlie would be shattered. Beatrice’s eyes turned dark and filled with determination. She would never let anyone stand in her way! Anastasia returned to the private room, where everyone was almost drunk. Eleanor called an end to the gathering, and Anastasia went outside to wait for Eleanor and the designated driver. Standing at the intersection, surrounded by dim streetlights, Anastasia gently smiled, placing one hand on her lower abdomen. She seemed to be talking to her baby. In that instant, Beatrice’s anger and ruthlessness erupted. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, her eyes filled with malice and fury. There was only one crazy thought in her mind. She wanted to drive over and kill Anastasia’s baby! She couldn’t allow Anastasia and her baby to become obstacles. If they were eliminated, no one would steal Christian from her. Everything should have been hers! In her heart, she cursed, “Anastasia, go to hell with your baby!” Beatrice was tense all over. Gritting her teeth, she slammed on the accelerator. Go to hell!As Anastasia looked up, she was met with a fierce glare from the opposite side, making it impossible for her to even open her eyes. Then, with a harsh grinding sound, a car came rushing toward her at high speed. In that moment, her mind went blank, and her limbs turned cold. As the car collided with her, she saw clearly who was behind the wheel. It was Beatrice. The sharp sound seemed to pierce through the silent night sky. With a loud crash, Anastasia was sent flying through the air and landed heavily on the ground. Intense pain surged through her body, as if every bone had shattered, and then all the pain concentrated in her lower abdomen. Warm liquid flowed from her body, as if something was slowly leaving her. Her heart constricted, and fear and excruciating pain overwhelmed her. Anastasia couldn’t move a muscle. She felt abandoned by the world. Save her baby… She had made up her mind to raise the baby alone. But now, she was on the verge of losing her child. She was helpless. Tears and blood mixed together, streaming down her face. In great pain, she couldn’t a single word. The harsh light ominously filled her surroundings. The smell of blood filled her nostrils, and her vision grew increasingly blurred. The three-year marriage had left her with nothing. Her heart felt like it was being crushed in someone’s hands. The pain spread through every nerve in her body. There was a deafening silence all around. But Anastasia could almost hear Eleanor’s panicked and hysterical cries. Gradually, the ringing in her ears faded away… Soon, she passed out.

People rushed out of the club, making it a chaos. An ambulance quickly arrived. Eleanor finally let the doctor take away Anastasia and stood up. She rushed towards the car, picked up a nearby brick, and fiercely smashed Beatrice’s car window. Beatrice seemed frightened and trembled uncontrollably. The car window shattered, so Eleanor opened the car door from the inside and grabbed Beatrice by the hair, pulling her out of the car. She forcefully kicked her and followed it up with a slap. “Smack!” The sound of the slap was crisp and loud, shocking everyone present. Eleanor tore at Beatrice’s hair, seething with anger. “Do you know who she is? How dare you harm her…” Beatrice’s face was pale as she regained her senses. She pushed Eleanor away and threw herself into Christian’s arms, crying in terror. “I didn’t mean to, Christian! It was too dark, and I didn’t see she was there…” Christian furrowed his brow and watched the chaotic scene with a gloomy face. As he came out, he witnessed the medical staff lifting a stretcher onto the ambulance. When he saw the dark red puddle on the ground, he felt panic and that something bad had happened. Eleanor coldly watched the guilty couple as her hatred grew. “Christian, Beatrice, you will pay for this with your lives!” After the curse, Eleanor jumped into the ambulance and left with Anastasia. Christian felt unusually uneasy and wanted to go after them, but Beatrice clung tightly to him, not letting go. “Help me, Christian. I really didn’t mean to…” Beatrice pleaded desperately. Christian’s brow furrowed with coldness as he pushed her away. “What exactly happened?” Beatrice cried pitifully, clutching onto his clothes. “I just returned and haven’t adapted to driving rules here. And it was so dark that I didn’t see someone standing there. Christian, Charlie can’t be without a mother…” Christian’s expression softened slightly at the mention of Charlie, and he tried to get back his composure. He remained silent for a few seconds before patting her shoulder and comforting her. “I understand. I will have my lawyer help you. Everything will be fine.” Beatrice cried and laughed with relief, embracing him once again. “Thank you, Christian. I knew you wouldn’t abandon Charlie and me.” The restlessness remained. He immediately called Brian. The police arrived quickly, and Brian and the lawyer arrived soon after. After gathering evidence, the police asked Beatrice, “Do you know the person who was hit?” Beatrice weakly leaned against Christian’s chest, shocked and bewildered, shaking her head. “It was too dark. I couldn’t see anything clearly.” After they finished questioning her, Christian instructed Brian. “Negotiate with them for any amount of compensation. Minimize the impact of this incident.” Brian nodded and went with the lawyer to accompany Beatrice to the police station. Inside the hospital. The doctor came out of the operating room with a grim expression. “We couldn’t save the baby. Please have the family of the patient come.” Eleanor stood at the door in shock. She took out her phone, crying as she spoke. “Mr. Baxter Graves, Anastasia has been in an accident…” In the early morning of the next day, Brian and the lawyer obtained Beatrice’s release from the police station and took her to Christian’s place. Then the police and Brian went to the hospital to discuss compensation matters. However, only Eleanor and the lawyer were waiting when they arrived at the hospital. Brian found Eleanor somewhat familiar but couldn’t remember where he had seen her before. The police approached for questioning. “What is your relationship to the injured person?” the officer asked. “A friend,” Eleanor replied. “What is the name of the injured person?” “Anastasia Graves.” As soon as Eleanor spoke, Brian’s face changed as he stared at her in shock. Eleanor looked at Brian with a cold smile, then threw the surgical examination report to him. “You want to negotiate? Ask Christian how to settle the debt that Beatrice, that wretched woman, has caused by killing Anastasia and his baby. How should we account for it?” Eleanor said. Brian hastily picked up the report, and his face turned pale. He didn’t say a word, immediately turned around, and made a phone call to report the situation. Anastasia was pregnant, but none of them knew! The victim was Anastasia, and on top of that, the baby was gone. This made the situation even more complicated! However, when he tried calling, there was no answer at all. Two words echoed in his mind. “It’s over!” Christian put his phone on silent mode as he accompanied Charlie to sleep. Beatrice intermittently cried throughout the night. Christian couldn’t leave right away, so he stayed until dawn. When Brian finally reached Christian the next day at noon. Christian’s voice sounded tired and hoarse and was even with a hint of impatience. “Has it been resolved?” Brian hesitated for a moment and replied, “The victim won’t come forward, so we can’t negotiate compensation.” “And what about the person? Is it serious? Offer more money.” Christian’s voice turned cold and grave. Brian paused momentarily. “Mr. Patterson, the victim was Mrs. Patterson, and…” He took a deep breath, then continued. “Mrs. Patterson was pregnant, just one month along, and now the baby is gone!” Silence enveloped the call…

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “397461”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #BillionaireBillionairess #Divorce #KickAssHeroines #B×G #LoveHate #Misunderstanding

It’s a good thing my grandfather’s dead; he’d die if he saw me now. “Keep walking, mutt.” The prison guard shoves me from behind and I stumble forward into the sunlight. Outside the gates are two alphas. One was my love. One was my best friend. They’re both the reason I was left here to rot. __________   “Stop!” I tell the guard. “I don’t want to go out this way.” “Yeah, yeah.” He shoves me. “All you females get attached. I got no time for trash like you. Get a move on!” He shoves me again and I stumble to my knees. The snow bites through my clothes, chilling me to the bone. It’s been three years. Three years in this hell-hole, fending off daily assaults, and constrained to a cage with no warmth. They’d bound me in silver for so long I was severed from my wolf. I still mourn that loss. Our regeneration powers. The ferocity she gave me to fight. The freedom I felt in my true form, when I could run and be free…If I had my wolf, I’d attack this lowly guard. But without her, I’m just another weak human. The guard kicks me in the ribs. Not hard enough to break them; just enough to remind he holds the power here. “Move it,” he growls at me. I push to my feet and walk along the barbed-wire fence. Funny, I’ve dreamed of this day from the moment I was imprisoned. But now, seeing the two Alphas who wait for me, everything tells me to run back and hide. “Grace!” Jacob yells. I turn away from Alpha Jacob who leans against his Maybach, his dark hair styled and his clothes impeccable despite the snow and sleet. Jacob was my best friend. We grew up in the same pack. I’d known him all my life. He eventually became an alpha and an attorney. The same lawyer who prosecuted me. Then… there was Alpha Sean. I hate Sean even more—if that’s possible. His eyes are bright and focused on me, his expression cold. The wind musses his hair in the most perfect way. He’s tall, strong, and so handsome it hurts. Sean was my first and only love. My mate. Father of my baby… I swipe away my tears and keep walking. “Grace!” he calls, no doubt he’s furious that I’m ignoring him. But I keep walking. “Wait.” This time it’s Jacob. “Grace!” Sean calls again, putting the force of his Alpha strength behind the command. “Come here.” But his powers hold no influence on me now. Not since he severed our bond. I stick to the edge of the barbed-wire fence and avoid these Alphas. I have no phone. No money aside from a few odd bills. I’m broken and disfigured. A shell of the woman I’d once been. My grandfather… It’s a good thing he’s dead because he’d be gutted to see me now. Shame bubbles up inside me, flooding my body. Sean gets in his car, intent on intercepting me. I panic. I run, sneakers slipping on icy ground and arms flailing as I try not to faceplant on the concrete. A bus is rounding the corner. I run and block out the muffled curses behind me. I don’t stop or look over my shoulder. They’d ordered the inmates at this prison to ‘take good care of me’. The beatings I endured almost daily for these long years tell me that either of these men might personally finish what they’d started. As Alphas, they’d be within their rights. After the accident, I’d been rejected and named a rogue. If they wanted to, they could put a bounty on my head or strike me down for trespassing on their territory. But it’s not my fault I was imprisoned here! I wave for the driver to see me as I rush across the street. I need to get out of this town—away from these two packs! The driver takes pity on me and waits. I race the last few feet and grip the rail to haul myself inside. I fish into my pocket for what money I have and hand it over. The driver’s dark eyes rake over me with resigned sympathy. He’s an older man, with wrinkles on his forehead and the corners of his eyes. “That’s too much money,” he says quietly. But I’m shaking too hard to count it and I’m terrified at any moment that Sean or Jacob will grab me and drag me away. “It’s okay,” I say, shoving it into his hand and hurrying to the first vacant seat. The woman across from me sniffs and turns away, like the sight of me is repulsive. She tugs her scarf closer to her neck. I don’t have a coat—just the clothes they arrested me in, a t-shirt and jeans. My hair is shorter and cut unevenly. My bruises aren’t too bad this week. My lip is mostly healed and my eye has healed from deep purple to a dull, yellowish-green. The bus quickly lurches away from the curb. I breathe deep, but it doesn’t taste like freedom. Panic boils up swiftly. It’s okay. You’re okay. Today is a new day. But I’m not okay. Not even close. The last time I was in a moving vehicle, it ended in a horrific crash. One that set this whole horrible chain of events into motion. One that cost me my pack, my mate. My everything. The last time I was in a car, I lost my baby…

  Three Months Later   I never minded winter before. My wolf loved to run in the snow . But since losing Ava and the damage to my body, the cold makes my bones ache and the pain in my fingers almost unbearable. In prison, they ripped out my fingernails and broke my bones. The doctors reset my fingers, but with no actual surgery the damage to the nerves and joints was permanent. And without my wolf, I can’t regenerate. My fingers always throb now. There’s nothing to be done for it, so I try to think of other things, to keep my mind off the pain. I shove my tools back into my locker and zip my coat. There are only a handful of employees working at this hour and most of them flit around pretending to work. This sanitation center is in neutral territory, not controlled by any pack. The lowest of wolves from the four reigning packs in the area can still find work here. There are other rogues, humans that don’t realize what we are, and poor wolves that aren’t wanted elsewhere. It isn’t bad, I suppose. The work is hard and the hours are long. But it’s a legitimate job, and it pays the bills. “Did you hear? Sean Stevens got engaged to Lily Atkinson!” I stop dead in my tracks. It’s one of my coworkers, sitting behind the reception desk with her feet up and watching entertainment news. Sean Stevens. My Alpha… Sean, whose cold eyes still haunt me even after all these years. ‘So… he’s moving on and marrying Lily?’ Bile rises in my throat. It’s because of Lily that my life went to trash. She always wanted to be Luna, and hated me because I didn’t come from a wealthy family like she does. And also because… she wanted Sean for herself. Wolves are known to be ruthless, but Lily is more ruthless than most. I should know… She killed my grandfather. Lily’s smiling face on the tv screen mocks me. Her long hair is swept back. Her face glowing flawlessly. And she’s looking up at Sean like he’s the only man in the world. My stomach pitches when I think of all I’ve lost—all they’ve taken from me. I open the door outside into the cold night, my breath fogging up the air. I had been that girl. Gorgeous clothes. Fancy cars. A life of luxury. The envy of she-wolves throughout the region. Lily Atkinson was living my life. Now, I’m a no-name who cleans streets for a living. I shove my hands into my pockets and start the long walk home. The studio apartment I rent is three miles away. It’s still in the neutral zone within the city, so I’m lucky that I don’t have to commute from far. I’ve thought about moving far away and petitioning another pack for clemency. I could be a servant or maybe put my degrees to use somehow. But such a move would take money. And that’s if the new pack wanted to risk Sean’s wrath. Because I’ve discovered since getting out of prison that Sean had made it his personal mission to keep me in the gutter. Before the accident, I’d gone to school and graduated at the top of my class. I was an attorney! But my education and title meant nothing now, as a convicted felon. Even human companies had been warned against me. I’ll sweep the streets and pick up trash along the side of the road and save what money I can. Then, when I have enough, I’ll leave this place. Forever. I don’t mind the work. It’s honest. With my wolf gone, my senses aren’t as acute, so the stink doesn’t bother me much. And the night shift I work is quiet, so I don’t have to interact with anyone if I don’t want to. I tug my coat tighter and keep walking. The businesses in this area closed hours ago, making the streets eerily quiet. Headlights flash as a car speeds past me in the opposite direction. The engine slows. I cast a quick glance over my shoulder and watch the car pull a U-turn. There’s no cause for a car to be creeping along around here,especially not a luxury SUV like this one. A trickle of dread rolls down my spine. I keep walking, but every instinct I have tells me to run.

The SUV swerves in front, cutting me off. The doors open and four people get out. Three males. One female. “Told you it was her!” The man’s voice is deep and slurred. Clearly drunk. A few years ago, a situation like this wouldn’t have been more than an annoyance. But I’m not as strong or fast or capable of defending myself. And four against one are not good odds. I call to Ava, hoping maybe this time, I feel something. But there’s nothing… Unable to shift, I keep walking, stretching the distance between us. The second male, a twenty-something guy in a gray suit, blocks me. “It’s her alright. Sean’s ex.” “Where you going, sweetheart?” it’s the first male again. He’s on my right, but moving behind me. They’re boxing me in. “Surprised they let you out of prison.” The guy in the suit smiles. “Bet you were lonely in there.” He smells like whiskey and malice. I don’t need my wolf to see the dark desire in his eyes. The female is laughing. Her eyes sparkle with something malicious too. The male on my right side, I remember now. Chris Peterson, a businessman that Sean’s pack had dealings with. I met him at some business dinners. He’s sleazy and I never liked him. The four of them are wolves. Low-level, but still dangerous… Chris steps closer to me. He brushes my cheek, and I jerk away from his touch. “There’s gotta be better ways for you to make money, Grace. Come with me,” he says. “I’ll pay you for the night. Beats sweeping the streets.” The woman laughs again. “You were a lawyer, and now you’re…what? Janitor?!” I can take the humiliation. But what Chris is proposing… “Leave me alone.” I duck under the gray suit’s arm, but the third guy grabs me. “Maybe you didn’t hear my friend,” he says. He’s stocky, his fingers crushing my arms. I feel the bite of his grip through my coat. Chris grabs my hair and I’m dragged backwards. “Stop!” I scream. But there’s no one to hear me. The men snicker and turn back to the she-wolf. Two of them crowd her and then shove her into the back seat of the Range Rover. She’s laughing again, and I’m horrified at what’s happening. “Chris, you can’t—“ He slams my head into the building. My back’s against the wall. I can’t escape. He knocks my head back again and my vision dims. “S-stop!” His hand tightens around my throat and I claw at his wrist “L-Let me go…” Chris jerks at his belt and his eyes flash. I start kicking. He blocks me and then curses when I land my knee in his groin. “You b*tch!” He backhands me so hard my ears ring. I have no doubt this wolf can and will overpower me. But I can’t give up. “You wanna run, Grace?” His eyes light up again, his wolf close to the surface. There’s no contest. In his true form he’d run me down, and I wouldn’t survive. “N-No,” I whimper. “I’ll even give you a head start…” He draws back and I’m frozen with indecision. If I stay, he’ll hurt me. If I run, he’ll chase me down and hurt me more. “One…two…three…” he’s counting. I can’t just stand here. I shove off the wall and run as fast as I can. I cut down a deserted side street but he follows. Chris isn’t rushing at all. He’s toying with me. “Six…seven…” I run for all I’m worth, and at the count of ‘ten’ I hear the low growl. Not of a human. A wolf. I race for the nearest main street, thinking if I can get somewhere more populated, I’ll be able to escape. Chris can’t fully shift within city limits. But I never get the chance. His snarling form gains on me and in the next heartbeat, I’m slammed to the concrete. I roll and scrape across the ground. I try to get up but can’t. Chris pins me down. His eyes glow with his wolf. Running only excited his beast more. “You thought I forgot the way you insulted me, b*tch? You told Sean to stop working with me. It cost my family millions!” His teeth elongate. “But he isn’t here to protect you now.” Is he going to kill me? As a rogue, I won’t be missed. “Fight all you like, but I’m going to f*ck you like the b*tch you are, right here on the street.” I fight hard, shoving and scratching at his arms and face. But he’s so much stronger than I am. Ava! Please! Desperately, I call to my wolf. But there’s only silence. She’s retreated to some deep part of my soul or the long exposure to the silver has permanently severed my bond to her. Chris catches my wrists and slams my arms above my head. Then he fumbles with my clothes. “That’s right,” he mutters. “Fight me. Scream if you want. Nobody’s coming.” He tears my coat, my pants. “Please! Stop!” I scream, tears leaking from my eyes. His claws cut into the skin on my arm where he holds me. “Stop it! Get off me! Stop!!!” “I think you should listen to the lady.” A cold voice sounds behind me.

I cower and scramble away as a man grabs Christopher and throws him a dozen feet away. Chris growls. The newcomer tilts his head. Then he charges at Chris and they tumble to the ground. The man comes out on top. Then he rains punches on Chris that echo loudly in the air. Chris is wheezing, his face bleeding. The stranger doesn’t relent. He slams his fists over and over again. It’s brutally violent. Part of me revels in it—the justice—because I know if not for him, Chris would’ve assaulted me, and despite open violence in our true forms being forbidden, his wolf undoubtedly would have torn me apart if given the chance. A shuddering breath escapes me. The stranger’s head turns sharply as if he’s attuned to me. I see it then, the flash of gold. He’s a wolf.A strong one. In the next instant, he turns and resumes hitting the unconscious body beneath him. “S-Stop,” I whisper. “You’ll kill him.” “So?” the stranger growls. “It’s not worth violating pack laws for him.” It’s true. This man saved me. But Chris is a wolf of rank and status. If he died there’d be repercussions, and I don’t think they’d care that this man was defending me. They might even punish him more. Chris’s head thumps as he’s unceremoniously dropped to the ground. I wince. The male stalks over to me. I blink as I’m finally able to see the man clearly. He’s tall. Well over six feet. And handsome. Dark eyes and a strong jaw. Full lips and a strong body. His hair is longer on top and stylishly messy. My thoughts are interrupted as the SUV comes careening around the corner. I tense. This could be bad. But instead of fighting, they take in this stranger, standing with his hands shifted so his claws are ready to strike. They must see the same thing I do—this wolf is fearless. Rather than challenge him or attack me, they gather Chris and pull him into the SUV. He stirs and starts swearing. “You b*tch! I’ll kill you both!” The man who saved me bristles, stalking toward the car. “Don’t.” I catch his arm. “He isn’t worth it.” His dark eyes remind me of the depths of the forest I ran as a child. Woods so dark and dense that you could hardly see the Goddess’ moonlight from above. This man though… He looks deadly—like people’s lives mean nothing to him at all. Perhaps they don’t. Most wolves don’t think humans are equal. And within packs, fights for dominance are common. But… “It is not worth being imprisoned over someone like him.” The man doesn’t react, but I sense him relaxing. The she-wolf sticks her head out the car. “Holy sh*t! Is that Jason Reed!?” The other two men look back and forth between her and the stranger. “What, are you drunk?” one of them says. They climb into the front seats. The stocky one peers out the window, “Jason Reed, the richest man in the city? No f*cking way!” I blink, confused. Jason Reed is the Alpha. The wealthiest, most powerful werewolf to emerge in a century. He wouldn’t be in this part of the city, wearing rags and sporting bruised knuckles. He wouldn’t waste his time on humans. Or a rogue wolf. On me. This is no billionaire. His jacket is threadbare, and his face is haunted. This man—my savior—is in old clothes. He looks… as broken as I do. This man is big and strong, and he might have alpha tendencies. But he’s probably a rogue too. Why else would he even be here? I watch the car tear up the street. When the road is quiet again, I look back at the man. “Thank you… for saving me.” He grunts, but says nothing more. He walks to the edge of the road—the same spot where Chris pinned me, and sits down on the curb.His hands have morphed back, no claws or fur visible. This man appears in perfect control. But what if that should slip? What if Chris were to come back here, with more men? I don’t think this wolf would back down. And he’d either end up in jail, or worse… at the mercy of pack enforcers should his wolf break free. I walk over to him. “Um… Aren’t you going home now?” No response. I lower my voice. “You should go back to your pack. Or take a run to cool off, maybe. Do you want me to call your family?” He slowly raises his head, and what I see leaves me speechless. Death. Darkness so absolute that the only thing comparable is…death. I’ve seen the same darkness in my own eyes many times. When my grandfather died. When Ava was stripped from me. When I lost my baby. I swallow past the memories rising up to haunt me. ”If you have nowhere to go… you can stay with me.”

I’m not sure why I invited the strange wolf to my home. I’m obviously grateful. He saved me from what would’ve been rape or death or worse. But I usually don’t involve myself with other wolves these days. Since my release, I’ve stuck to myself. So why did I welcome him? Gratitude, sure. More likely… because I’m lonely. So lonely it’s hard to imagine what I’m living for. But in those brief seconds this stranger risked his life for mine…it was like someone saw something in me. Something worth saving. He glances at me sharply while I fumble with the lock. I open the door and hold it open for him to enter. They call it a ‘studio apartment,’ but it feels more like a box. A cramped space with just the essentials—a bed, table, kitchen and bathroom. I watch him carefully, his expression giving nothing away. I gesture to his still bloody hands. “If you want to wash up…” He wordlessly moves to the bathroom and closes the door behind him. Chris is a monster. The wolves that were with him…they’re no better. If I was still an attorney, I would’ve put them all in prison for their crimes or have them punished by pack law. But life had taught me that the innocent rarely prevailed. I repeat my mantra in my head. It’s okay. You’re okay. Today is a new day. The man steps out of the bathroom. His brows furrow as he looks at me. I can only imagine what he sees. My clothes are torn. I’m dirty and bruised. My hair’s a mess and I’m sure my face is too. The back of my hair is caked and I’m pretty sure I’ve got a gash from when Chris smashed my head into a wall. He sniffs deeply. “You’re not human.” It’s a statement, not a question. “No. But I’m not like you,” I tell him the truth. “My wolf is gone.” His eyes widen, the most emotion I’ve seen from him. His gaze travels over me, probably cataloging all my injuries. If I could shift, my body could heal instantly. But without my wolf… I am weak. Fragile. Human. “I’m fine,” I say. “I’ll heal.” Eventually… “Are you hungry?” I ask. “I don’t have much, but I have dry rice and pasta—“ “I’m not hungry.” “Let me get you a drink.” “I’m not thirsty.” I’ve been on my own for so long, I am not up to casual conversation. If I’m being honest, I don’t think he’s too good at that either. He crosses the small room until he’s directly in front of me. I lift my head, tilting it back, until I meet his eyes. I twist my hands together anxiously, and they ache. Just one more pain in my scarred body. But even that pales to the discomfort of not knowing what to say or do or how to act around this strong wolf. He touches my face and a soft sigh escapes me. He tilts my head, side to side. I feel awkward, and strangely lacking, beneath his gaze. “What’s your name?” he asks. “Grace… You?” He remains silent for a long time, then finally answers: “Jay.” “Jay,” I repeat his name. It’s a common one, could even be an initial or nickname, so I don’t think much about it. “Where do you live? What about your pack?” He scoffs. “I don’t have one.” That’s heartbreaking. He’s a good man. One who thought nothing of saving a total stranger. It didn’t seem fair that he was rogue or exiled. He’s watching me closely, his senses sharper than mine. I wonder what he’s learning about me. I squirm uncomfortably. I take a step backward, but he follows. This man… Jay… is powerful. He’s big and strong and he has alpha genes. A body and will made for war. I wonder briefly if he ever fought in the great pack wars, like my grandfather did This man has the body of a warrior and the face of a model. One of his dark brows arches up and I realize I’ve been staring… A lot. I blush, embarrassment staining my face and warming my ears. “You, uh, really should shift,” I stutter, latching onto the distraction. He isn’t injured. But the fight would’ve stirred his animal instincts. Better to let the wolf takeover than keep it caged up. “Why is that, Grace?” The way he says my name makes my breath hitch in my chest. He lifts my chin with his large hand, forcing me to look him in the eye. “What is it you’re hoping will happen…?” Then he bends down to me, his face inches away, his lips so, so close to mine. His hot breath sends shivers through my body. And I feel something stirring within me that I haven’t felt in years. Something like desire… It would only take one swift move to lean in, and…

I’m speechless. I think he’s talking about… no. I already told him I have no wolf. And we aren’t packmates—or any kind of mates!—so the normal way our beasts would connect and interact with one another… that won’t apply here. The thought saddens me. “I, uh, just thought you’d be more comfortable…” I’m blushing again. And I feel awkward. These are emotions I haven’t experienced in so long they feel foreign to me. Jay steps back a few feet. He rolls down his sleeves and undoes a few buttons. Then he peels his shirt over his head. His abs ripple. His chest is … dense with muscle. His skin is bronzed like he spends a lot of time in the sun. His pants hang low on his hips and he doesn’t wear a belt. When he undoes the top button and slides down the zipper, I clamp my eyes shut. He makes some sound. It isn’t a laugh, I don’t think. Or if it is, it is a very rusty one. I wish I could see his eyes. His body. To see that magical moment when space and time seem to glimmer and the body contorts, morphing into something else. I don’t move. I don’t think I breathe. It’s several seconds before something cold nudges my hand. I open my eyes and look down. It’s his snout. This wolf is huge. He’s dark, not quite black throughout, but with an undercoat of grey and brown that shows through when he moves. He sits on his haunches, his head near to my hand. And I can’t resist. I reach out and rub along his head and shoulders. He leans into my touch. His fur is so soft and I wish I had my own wolf. That Ava could rub against him, learning his personality and smell. Our beasts communicate so much better than we do. Everything is instinctual. None of the guessing or pretense or wondering at motives. Wolves are primal that way, and stronger because of it. I grab a heavy blanket and set it on the floor beside my bed. I move to set my pillow on the ground and he growls at me. All right. It’s not like I would’ve minded sleeping on the floor. The mattress at the prison wasn’t more than an inch thick. He nudges my hand then swings his head toward the bathroom. It’s obvious he wants me to go in. And, of course, I intend to. I’m sure I smell of sweat and Christopher, and I can’t wait to wash this night off of me. I cross the small room and he stays there near the bed, waiting. I grab my nightclothes and gasp when I enter the bathroom. I’m a mess. Blood on my face, a busted, swollen lip. Bruises on my throat and jaw. A moment later, he’s there. His wolf eyes assessing me, a low growl emanating. “I’m okay,” I whisper. “I, uh, didn’t realize what a mess I am.” There’s a cut on my arm and when I rub the back of my head my hand comes away red. Jay growls viciously. “It’s not deep. It’s just a scape. Head wounds always bleed a lot.” How sad is it, that I should know that so intimately? This wolf cocks his head like he thinks what I said is sad too. I turn on the shower and he swings back into the main room. I quietly close the door, strip and step under the water. I want it to be hot. But the plumbing in this building is old, so instead the shower alternates between lukewarm and cold. I’m shivering by the time I finish and my hands are cramping painfully. I towel dry the best I can and dress quickly. When I step out, Jay is in his human form again. “You look disappointed,” he says. I guess I sort of am. It’s been years since I’ve been connected to my wolf, and maybe seeing his satisfies some of the loneliness. Like I might be alone, but I’m still part of something. Our species lives on. Even if not through me. Not my baby. I cross the room and climb into bed. I’m sad and unsettled, but then Jay surprises me and sits down on the mattress beside me, and I suck in a breath as he leans over me. His hand lifts my face from side to side. I’m not sure what I expected. Or what I’m feeling. “I, uh, I’m fine. Just a few bruises.” He makes some sound. Then he’s bringing me forward so my head is against his bare chest. His hands are in my hair. As he bends my head more so he can see the back of it, my lips graze his skin. He freezes. “I didn’t mean to do that.” My breath fans against his skin as I speak and his muscles tense. Up this close, I can smell him. And it’s clean and strong. A scent that’s layered and not quite describable—at least not for my human senses—and I breathe him in. “You should see a doctor,” he tells me. With what money? I can barely afford my rent and enough food to eat. He moves off the bed and onto the floor. He stretches out his long body and crosses his ankles. The space he left feels cold and empty. It’s…odd. ”I usually sleep with the lights on,” I tell him. “I hope you don’t mind.” Ever since I was released from prison, I had gotten into the habit. “That’s fine.” It should feel weird having a man alone beside me where I sleep. But it doesn’t. If Jay wanted to hurt me, he wouldn’t have defended me on the street. I lay down on the bed, he stays positioned on the floor. The room is silent save for the soft hum of the heater. If I listen hard enough, I can hear him breathe. I stay motionless, waiting. After a few minutes, I roll over onto my elbow. “Jay, if you don’t have anywhere to go, you can also live here.” I’m not even sure he understood me, I say it so fast. But his head tilts as he sits up slowly. We’re so close I can see the flickers of brown and gold in his dark eyes. “If you don’t want to, just pretend I didn’t say anything,” I add. His mouth finally opens and he asks quietly, “Do you want me?”

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