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The faint sound of running water echoed from the bathroom; Vance Bradford was taking a shower. It was three in the morning, and he had just returned home. Rebecca Perry stood at the bathroom door, her heart pounding. There was something she wanted to discuss with him, but she felt nervous, unsure if he would agree once he heard it. As she pondered how to broach the subject, a strange noise came from inside. She listened closely and realized he was pleasuring himself. The heavy breaths and muffled gr0ans struck her like hammers, pounding relentlessly at her chest. Bitterness surged through her like a tidal wave, leaving her gasping for air, drowning in agony. Today marked their fifth wedding anniversary, yet they had never consummated their marriage. So, this was why. He'd rather take care of himself than touch her. His breathing grew more frantic, and suddenly, in a moment of intense release, he gr0aned lowly, "Catherine..." That name delivered the final, crushing blow. Something inside her shattered into dust. She clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs and turned to flee, but in her haste, she stumbled, crashing into the sink and tumbling to the floor. "Rebecca, is that you?" Vance's voice, still ragged from exertion, carried a note of forced composure, though his breathing remained heavy. "I-I needed the bathroom. I didn't know you were showering," she stammered, desperately grabbing the sink to pull herself up. But in her panic, she made things worse. Water slicked the floor and countertop, making it impossible to find her footing. She finally managed to stand just as Vance emerged. His white bathrobe was hastily thrown on, the belt cinched tightly around his waist. "Did you fall? Let me help you," he said, reaching out to lift her. Tears brimmed in her eyes from the pain, but she pushed his hand away, stubborn and resolute. "No need. I can manage myself." She steadied herself but nearly slipped again. Limping awkwardly, she fled back to the bedroom—a hasty escape from the awkward scene. For five years, she had been hiding from the outside world, from the judgmental stares, and from Vance's sympathy. She was ashamed of her condition, though she used to have strong, beautiful legs before the accident. She always felt inferior. A cripple like her didn't deserve someone as accomplished and luminous as Vance Bradford. Vance followed her, his tone gentle and concerned. "Does it hurt? Let me check." "It's nothing." She burrowed under the covers, hiding her embarrassment along with her body. "Are you sure?" His worry seemed genuine. "Yeah." She nodded, showing her back to him. "Then get some sleep. Don't you want to use the bathroom anymore?" "Nope, let's just rest." "Alright. Oh, it's our anniversary today. I got you a gift. Open it tomorrow and see if you like it." "Okay." The gift sat on the nightstand; she had already spotted it. She didn't need to unwrap it to know what was inside. Every year, it was the same-sized box containing an identical watch. Her drawer already held nine of them, including birthday gifts. This would be the tenth. The conversation ended. Vance switched off the light and lay down. The air was filled with the damp, fresh scent of his shower gel, but she barely felt the mattress dip under his weight. The bed was giant, but they lay far apart, each on one edge. The space between them could fit three more people. As if by tacit understanding, neither of them mentioned Catherine Welch or what had transpired in the bathroom. Rebecca lay rigid on her back, her eyes stinging fiercely. Catherine was Vance's college classmate, his first love, and his goddess. After graduation, she had gone abroad, leading to their breakup and his depression. He had spiraled into despair, drinking heavily every day. Rebecca and Vance, however, were classmates in high school. She had harbored a secret crush on him back then. He was the campus heartthrob and an aloof, top student, while she spent most of her time in a dance studio far from the spotlight. She was pretty enough, but she was quiet, never one to stand at the center of things, and in a school full of confident, outspoken girls, she was easy to overlook. So, her feelings had remained her private secret; she never dreamed of approaching him. That changed after she graduated from the dance academy and returned home for summer break, encountering him in his broken state. He was heavily drunk that night, weaving erratically down the street. As he crossed the road without checking the lights, a car barreled toward him, unable to brake in time. She had been trailing him out of concern and shoved him aside—just in time for the car to strike her instead. At that time, she had secured a spot in graduate school, but the accident left her crippled. She could never dance again. Afterward, he quit drinking and married her. He remained forever indebted, forever grateful, soft-spoken and distant. He showered her with gifts and money, but never with love. She had believed time could heal everything and soften the edges of her pain. Yet after five years, he still clung to Catherine so deeply that even in his most private moments, it was her name he uttered. She had been fool and naïve. She lay awake all night, checking an email on her phone over a hundred times. It was an offer from a foreign university for graduate studies—the very thing she had planned to discuss with him that evening. But now, there was no need to consult him. Their five-year marriage, filled with countless sleepless nights, could finally begin its countdown. When he rose in the morning, she feigned sleep, overhearing him speak to the housekeeper, Nancy. "I have a business dinner tonight. Tell Rebecca not to wait up; she should rest early." After his instructions, he returned to the bedroom to check on her. She hid under the covers, her pillow soaked with tears. Normally, she would prepare his outfit for work, laying it out neatly. But not today. He dressed himself in the walk-in closet and left for the office. Only then did she open her eyes, feeling them swollen and sore. Her phone alarm buzzed—the daily reminder she had set for herself to study. Since the marriage, her leg had confined her to the house most of the time. To pass the endless hours, she divided her days into segments, filling each with small tasks. She silenced the alarm and mindlessly scrolled through apps. Her mind was a jumble, unable to focus on anything, until she saw a familiar face in a video. It was posted just the night before, and the account name was Cathy W. The algorithm was really uncanny, delivering this right before her eyes. Rebecca tapped on the video, and lively music played, followed by voices shouting, "Three, two, one! Welcome back, Catherine! Cheers!" One voice stood out—Vance's. Chapter 2 Vance had broken his no-drinking rule. He was obviously drunk, or else he wouldn't have shouted like that. In Rebecca's memories, Vance in high school was the aloof genius, always focused on his studies. Once, a girl who admired him had offered him water on the sports field, but he had ignored her. As her husband, he was polite and emotionally steady, never laughing heartily or showing anger. He was so calm, so detached that even brushing his fingers felt cool. The video panned across faces, capturing a flushed Vance. His eyes were sparkling as he raised his glass with a broad smile. "Welcome home, Cathy." So, he could laugh, be passionate, and use intimate nicknames. He just didn't do that to Rebecca. He never smiled at her, never showed passion, and never called her by her nickname. Nancy's voice came from outside, interrupting her thoughts. "Madam, are you up yet?" Rebecca's daily routine was predictable. When there was no response, Nancy worried she might need help, especially considering her leg injury. Rebecca set her phone aside, her voice hoarse. "Coming out soon." Nancy made sandwiches for breakfast, but Rebecca managed only one bite before losing her appetite. Nancy handed her a glass of milk. "Madam, what would you like for lunch and dinner?" "Anything, I guess," Rebecca started, then swallowed her usual response of making whatever Vance liked. But Nancy understood the implication. That was just the same daily conversation. "Mr. Bradford said he won't be home for dinner. He has a commitment." Rebecca nodded, having seen the list in that post. Catherine had scheduled a week's worth of dinners, listing who was treating and what she craved. [The most genuine friendships from the student days. I'm so lucky to have so many boys pampering me.] Normally, Rebecca's day involved two hours of French study and several more on art theory. Without something to occupy her, how could she endure the endless waiting for Vance to come home? She had waited before... The ache of it was unbearable. Now her plans were different. This offer was likely the university's final round of admissions; she needed to confirm quickly. Her first task was to pay the confirmation fee. When the bank notification popped up, she exhaled in relief. It was another step closer to leaving Vance. That evening, she changed her clothes and prepared to go out. Nancy asked wonderingly, "Madam, where are you going?" Without Vance, Rebecca hardly ever left the house. "Oh, a college friend is performing nearby and invited me to meet," she lied. In truth, she was heading to a hotel near the exam center. She'd have the French Proficiency test tomorrow, and it was scheduled for the morning. Rushing there risked traffic delays. Her previous attempt months ago hadn't met her target score, but with application deadlines looming, she had submitted anyway. Surprisingly admitted, she could now supplement her scores. That was thanks to the school allowing post-admission updates. "But..." Nancy hesitated, eyeing her leg. "Should I accompany you?" Rebecca kept her expression neutral. "No need. It's a girls' night; an extra person would be awkward." Nancy fretted over potential mishaps. "Then I'll let Mr. Bradford know." "No, let him focus on his evening. I'll call him after and have him pick me up." Rebecca grabbed her bag and left. Considering her mobility, Vance had chosen a spacious flat for their home. She took the elevator down and stepped outside. The sunlight made her instinctively lower her head, hunch her shoulders, and pull on a hat, raising her collar. Since her injury, the once-confident dancer who thrived on stage had vanished. Crippled, she had lost the courage to face the public eye. Nancy often advised outings only with Vance, and the man always suggested Rebecca stay at home. They didn't understand. Outings with Vance terrified her more. It was even worse than going out alone. Every glance screamed, "Why does such an outstanding man have a cripple as his wife?" Rebecca hailed a cab to the hotel. En route, gazing at the passing scenery, she spotted Vance's car parked on the roadside. "Could you stop here, please?" she said to the driver. His car was outside a restaurant, which reminded her of Catherine's post. Yesterday, one of his friends had hosted that gathering, and today it was his turn. On impulse, she got out and entered the restaurant. At the reception desk, she said, "I'm here to join Mr. Vance Bradford." She gave his phone number, and a waiter led her to the private room. "This is the one." "Thank you," she said, though she didn't really know why she had come. Earlier, impulse had driven her; now, at the door, her courage faltered. She didn't even dare to open it. Lively chatter emanated from inside. "I can't stay late or drink tonight. Got chewed out by my wife last night," said a guy. "Come on. You said friends come first, even over the king. Now you're henpecked? Guess Vance is the real man here," Catherine protested, her voice soft and coquettish. So, that was her personality. Vance liked that type. Too bad Rebecca was nothing like that, not even close. She couldn't even fake it. The guy whined, "Vance is different. Rebecca wouldn't dare to complain." "By the way," Catherine chimed in, looking at Vance, "I heard your wife is crippled? What happened?" There was no answer, but Rebecca felt a pang in her heart. The conversation continued inside. "Vance, we feel bad for you. With your money, looks, and success, you could have anyone. Why marry a cripple?" "Honestly, you're the best of us. Now with Rebecca, you can't bring her to meetings, events, or press—anywhere a wife should appear. What a loss!" So, that was why. Vance always kept her away from business affairs, telling her to just wait at home for him to bring back money. Her family praised him endlessly, saying she was blessed to live a life of luxury. But now she realized he couldn't bear to show her off in public. Inside the room, Vance laughed bitterly. "She saved my life. I owe her." "You've repaid her with all that money. Isn't that enough to settle it?" "Exactly! Should have just paid her off and moved on. Why sacrifice your happiness?" "Think it through, man. It's better to enshrine a statue and pray for wealth. What's the point of keeping her?" "What can she help you with? She can't attend events, and at home all she does is pour tea. Vance, do you seriously want this?" Laughter erupted, Catherine's peals among them. "Really, Vance? Is that how she walks?" Eavesdropping at the door, Rebecca felt blood rush to her head. Fury and humiliation knocked her off balance, causing her to push open the door. Everyone was laughing loudly as Vance's childhood friend, Aiden Hodge, dramatically limped while holding a glass of water, speaking in a falsetto voice. "Vance, have some water. Ah, I slipped. Vance, help me up." Rebecca stared at Vance, hoping that the man she loved more than anything would stand up for her. Chapter 3 The exaggerated performance fueled even more laughter. Catherine, seated beside Vance, collapsed onto his shoulder in hysterics. The man remained silent. Aiden turned, still grinning. "Vance, is it like..." His words died as he caught sight of Rebecca standing in the doorway. His smile faltered, and his tongue twisted. "R-Rebecca?" The others followed him to look over, all freezing. Catherine got up from Vance's shoulder, grinning. "Oh, this must be the legendary Mrs. Bradford. Come on in. I'm Catherine Welch, Vance's friend." Rebecca scanned the room, her blood running cold. Finally, Vance stood up and walked over to her. "Rebecca? What are you doing here? They were just joking. Don't take it to heart." She stared at him, feeling utterly alienated. For the first time, he seemed a stranger. In the face of mockery toward his wife, he sided with them. Aiden put down his glass, apologizing, "Y-Yeah, it was a joke. I'm sorry, Rebecca. Please don't be mad." Vance moved closer, attempting to embrace her. "Rebecca." But Rebecca recalled Catherine leaning on him earlier, his mas-tur-ba-tion in the bathroom, and the name he uttered in the climax. That hand, the one reaching for her now, felt utterly filthy. She quickly stepped back, avoiding him. "Rebecca?" Vance stared at his empty hand in confusion, then sighed. "I apologize on their behalf. Don't be upset, okay? I'll get a gift to make up for you. Anything you want." Catherine shot Aiden a playful glare. "This is your fault, Aiden. Apologize properly. Not everyone's like me, clumsy and thick-skinned, laughing off your jokes." Rebecca sneered at her cheeky speech, but these men didn't even sense the manipulation. Aiden grumbled, "I already did! Didn't know she'd show up. It was just a joke." "A joke is only funny if the target laughs," Rebecca retorted, her voice shaking with newfound courage. For five years, this curse of her unworthiness of Vance had confined her. Mocking glances made her shrink, retreating like a quail to lick her wounds alone. Aiden winced, "But I already apologized." "I-I don't accept it!" Rebecca trembled harder, defying mockery for the first time. Aiden mumbled, "Then what do you want?" Rebecca shook her head, having no answer. She just rejected their ridicule and Vance's alignment with them. "Enough, everyone." Vance intervened, positioning himself between her and Aiden. He was the leader of the group, his words carrying authority. After graduation, his business savvy had built their empire. The room fell silent, and he nodded, turning back to Rebecca. "Hey," he said evenly, his gaze as detached as ever, unlike the warmth in Catherine's video. "These are my longtime friends. They didn't mean to hurt your feelings. No malice, just banter. Forgive them this once. I'll have the driver take you home." "Rebecca," Catherine pouted, sidling up to Vance. "If you have to blame someone, blame me. This gathering is for my return. Vance, invite her to stay. I'll toast her with an apology." Her phony tone only disgusted Rebecca further and drove her to squint at Vance with resentment. It was his very indulgence that fed Catherine's boldness. "I'm fine," she said, holding back her bitterness. "I don't drink, especially not sour alc0-h0l." "Vance, is she insulting me? I..." Catherine wrinkled her nose, choking back her tears. "She misunderstood me, but it's fine. Don't blame her." Vance's jaw tightened. "Catherine meant well. Why are you being sarcastic?" "Meant well?" Rebecca snorted. Only a fool would think those words were spoken with good intentions, but Vance wasn't fool. He simply showed bias, siding with whom he favored rather than who was right. That side was always the one closest to his heart. Rebecca eyed the pair and their friends, feeling as though an insurmountable chasm lay between them. They formed a solid unit, while she was an intruder in their world. She was forever extraneous. Even lingering on the periphery felt out of place. She swallowed her bitterness, gave a cold laugh, and turned to leave. Behind her, Catherine's voice rang out. "Vance, she..." "It's fine. I'll talk to her when I get back," Vance said, waving it off. "Let's continue." Secretly, he glanced at the retreating figure, texting the driver to esc0rt her. Rebecca yearned to walk gracefully, but every step she took felt more unstable. Agitation only worsened her limp, her frantic exit mirroring Aiden's mockery. That would definitely make them laugh even harder. She wiped her tears with a trembling hand, hastening and wobbling more. The driver chased after her, but she was nowhere to be found outside the restaurant. The driver reported it to Vance, who frowned and called her. Rebecca rejected it and turned off her phone at the next one. Aiden was irked. "Her temper is just too short. You spoil her too much, man. With your status and looks, any wife would worship you. Yet she sulks? You're too soft." Vance stayed silent, but the others piled on. "Aiden is right. You sacrifice too much for her and the family, working tirelessly. She doesn't appreciate or support you. Throwing a tantrum over the smallest things. Worth it?" "Marrying her was charity. Who else wants a cripple? Without you, she'd wed another disabled person." Chapter 4 Catherine, reading the room, interjected timely, "Don't mind their harsh words, but as your long-time friends, we're truly concerned about you. We're blunt, but it's nothing personal. Don't take it to heart." "I'm not upset," Vance replied, pocketing his phone. "Doesn't matter. She won't stray far. Let's go on." In five years, home was her only refuge. He was not worried because she had nowhere else to go. Aiden eyed Catherine, muttering, "Catherine is the bigger person here. If you two hadn't split..." "Don't talk nonsense." Catherine glared. "Keep your mouth shut for one night. Vance is married now. That's inappropriate." Her gaze turned wistful toward Vance. "I don't want much. Just want to be accepted by you guys and stay by your side. That's enough." "Silly talk." Aiden thumped his chest loyally. "You're forever our princess, and we will never let anyone bully you. Vance, right?" Vance swirled his wine, the scene evocative of old times. He'd sit back, watching his crew banter with Catherine, not intervening unless things got out of hand. Now queried, he smiled faintly. "Of course." ... Rebecca didn't go home. Instead, she settled into her booked hotel. All the pent-up grievances and pain were unleashed the moment she closed the door behind her. Aiden's limp-mocking replayed endlessly in her mind, and their laughter haunted her like a curse. She had known all along their whispers behind her back, but she had never told Vance. She understood his work's toll, so she avoided conflicts, unwilling to add to his burdens or strain his bonds with his friends. Now, she saw her folly. He'd never clash with them over her; their friendship trumped everything. To him, she was nothing more than a debt—a burden that dragged him down. Without her, his life would be so much easier. "She is a cripple. Who else would want her?" "Yet she still expects so much from Vance?" "I'd rather be the crippled one than wed one and face ridicule." "Other CEOs flaunt elegant partners; Vance? He doesn't even have someone he can take out in public." ... The gossip and ridicule that Rebecca had heard over the past five years came rushing back like a tidal wave. She felt like she was being dragged under, drowning in it all. She couldn't breathe, the pain so intense it felt as if her chest and lungs were being torn apart. Trembling, she accessed a locked album on her phone—something untouched for five years. It contained photos and videos from her school days, documenting her dance practices and shows. Post-injury, she sealed these relics, set a password, and forced herself not to open it. Now her shaky finger tapped on a random video. The music played; she spun, flipped, and performed a mid-air split. She was vibrant, agile, and applauded thunderously. Was saving Vance wrong? But even then, marriage wasn't her aim. He insisted, orchestrating a grand proposal and kneeling before her with a huge diamond ring that sparked hope. She turned off her phone and collapsed in sobs. It was the first unbridled cry in five years. She wept until her tears ran out, but pain remained burning in her chest, licking at her from the inside like fire. But it was that very pain that brought her a moment of clarity in the suffocating whirlpool of emotions. The more it hurt, the more lucid she became. She rushed to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face to calm down. The mirror reflected her dulled self, and she bit her lip. "Rebecca, one good cry is enough. No more. Now, eat well, rest well, and tomorrow, focus on your exam." The one thing she could be thankful for was that, during those long five years, she had spent her time studying to ki11 the boredom. Not because she had grand ambitions. She just had so much time and had nothing to do. Waiting for Vance to come home had been her whole life, but he always came home late. At first, she thought it was because of work. Later, she realized that he just didn't want to face her too soon. She had overheard it herself. Back then, she understood how hard he worked. She even gathered the courage to show concern for him, making him special meals and delivering them to his office, only to overhear the hard truth. He was talking with a friend who asked why he hadn't gone home yet. There was hardly anyone left in the office, and yet he, the CEO, was still working overtime. Vance had replied, "I don't know how to face my wife's enthusiasm." Simple-minded back then, Rebecca didn't understand the implication, but that friend did. He gasped, "No way! Don't tell me you haven't slept together yet." Vance fell silent because that was the truth. He never touched her, even though she had hinted or taken the initiative. Every time, he found excuses like her condition or his tiredness to reject her. She wasn't fool. Gradually, she realized he simply didn't love her, and that was why he didn't want to touch her. But hearing it from his mouth hurt her deeply, the pain almost suffocating. His friend, half-jokingly, half-seriously, asked him, "You don't mean to tell me you have no physical reaction at all, do you? Anyway, she's pretty." Vance's reply was the needle that pierced deep into her heart, and for the following years, it continually wounded her. Every time she thought about it, the pain would gnaw at her. "I've tried," Vance replied. "I wanted to have a normal married life with her, but every time I look at her leg, I lose all interest." So, that was how it was. Her leg, the one scarred and atrophied from saving him, in his eyes was disgusting, revolting. It was something that turned him off and ki11ed his desire. She never knocked on the office door that day. The meal she had prepared with such care was thrown into the trash can. From then on, she never set foot in his company again. Chapter 5 After that incident, Rebecca turned to books. She hadn't planned far ahead; she simply wanted to infuse her empty life with quiet pursuits. Keeping busy might dull the sting of those words. She never expected these small, personal distractions would, in the end, become her lifeline. She needed to ace tomorrow's exam. She had to leave this place, as far away as possible. The thought still brought intense pain to her heart. She couldn't distinguish if the ache stemmed from Vance or from her five wasted years. But it no longer mattered. What counted was refusing to wallow in the pain any longer. Even if it lingered for ages before fading, she was committed to saving herself. She ordered a light meal and a set of disposable clothes. Then she phoned the front desk for a morning wake-up call, and at last, she compelled herself to sleep. Perhaps due to the previous night's insomnia, she slept soundly. The next day, she woke up on time and turned on her phone. Messages poured in, the device vibrating incessantly, all from Vance. She skipped reading them, fearing they'd disrupt her focus on the exam. After breakfast, she left for the exam center, which was a mere five-minute walk away. As soon as she stepped out of the hotel, her phone buzzed with a call from Vance. In a panic, she nearly dropped it, swiftly rejecting the call before shutting it off again. Emerging from the exam hall, her heart pounded with exhilaration. She felt satisfied with her performance. The oral examiner smiled throughout their conversation. She understood most of what she heard, and the written parts felt steady and controlled. She dared not predict her score, but at least she had completed everything. She wasn't useless after all. Walking alone on the sidewalk, she kept her head down, mentally reviewing every detail of the exam until a pair of leather shoes appeared in her path. Expecting no deliberate block, she couldn't retract her step in time and bumped into the person. Without his steadying grip, she would have fallen. And that person was the last one she wanted to see. "Rebecca," Vance muttered, his voice strained. She remained silent, sensing his barely contained anger. He grasped her shoulders and softened his tone, asking in his usual gentle, warm manner, "Why didn't you come home?" He asked that question while knowing the answer, but it wasn't the time to argue with him. Her bag had just been knocked to the ground, the flap open, and her exam pen peeked out, which could give away her participation in the exam. She quickly wrenched free, squatted down, shoved the pen inside, and secured the bag. "What's that?" he asked, looking at her bag. "Nothing. Just a pen," she replied, trying to sound natural, though her fingers gripped the bag so tightly they blanched. "Let me see it," he said. She clutched it closer. "What do you need a pen for?" "Give me your phone," he demanded. After a brief standoff, she extracted it from the bag and handed it over. He glanced at the dead phone, then handed it back. "I called you so many times and sent countless messages. Why didn't you respond? Still angry?" She held the phone, relieved he hadn't delved into her emails or discovered the exam-related messages. If that was his only concern... She had no desire to argue with him or explain anything. She simply wanted to flee far away, and that urge intensified in his presence. Mistaking her silence for lingering resentment, he sighed, "You're usually so understanding. Why run off over this?" Rebecca swore she intended to stay calm, but his words would pr0v0ke even a saint. "Was it my fault? Was I being unreasonable?" she shot back. "Should I have joined in and complimented Aiden on his spot-on imitation?" Vance's face flushed with awkwardness. "That's not what I meant. You can't control what others say. There is no need to take their words to heart." "I can't control them, but you could!" she retorted, staring at him. "What were you doing? Laughing with Catherine pressed against you?" "Rebecca!" His expression darkened, revealing anger for the first time. She understood that Catherine was his sore spot. What more was there to say? She hugged her bag, trying to walk past him. His arm extended, wrapping around her waist and pulling her close. "I'm sorry for yelling at you," he murmured. "I just don't want you to misunderstand Catherine. She is a friend, just like the others. I only see her as a sister. She's unmarried, so speaking ill of her isn't fair." Rebecca couldn't grasp his reasoning. Hadn't they brought this on themselves? Catherine had leaned on him shamelessly, yet they feared commentary? She managed only a faint "Oh." "Rebecca..." he paused, detected her detachment. "Why still upset? You stayed at a hotel alone and didn't return home. I haven't even reproached you much, yet your anger persists?" That was his typical line. In his mind, it was her fault for everything. "Come on, let's drop it," he cooed. "Lunch first. Then I'll accompany you to the mall, alright?" Rebecca considered it. That was fine. She had something to tell him anyway. Vance led her to a nearby restaurant. As they entered, Rebecca instinctively lowered her head, raised her collar, and shuffled behind him to downplay her limp. It was a habit, though she soon relaxed. If she didn't measure up, so be it. She wasn't planning to match him anymore. Once seated, Vance placed the order, passing her the utensils, when the food arrived. "Dig in. These are all your favorites," he said, his voice as soft as ever. Rebecca eyed the spicy dishes and smiled bitterly. He had no idea she couldn't handle spice; home dinners were always spicy because he preferred them. "I'm not hungry," she said, not touching the food. "I have something to tell you." "What is it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Wherever you want to go, I'll join you. I have the whole afternoon free. We can hang out, and then we'll go to your parents' house for dinner." She stared at his barely perceptible smile, her heart flooding with profound bitterness as she contemplated the words she was about to utter. Chapter 6 "Vance..." Rebecca choked back her tears, her voice trembling despite her efforts to stay composed. "What's wrong?" Vance reached for her hand. "If you feel like crying, then cry. Don't hold back." His voice was truly so soft and gentle. It brought her back to the day years ago when she had come out of the operating room after the surgery. He and the nurse had wheeled her back to the ward, and he had stayed by her bedside, speaking to her in that same tender tone, as if his words could drip with compassion. "Does it hurt? Cry it out. Don't hold back." At that time, she had believed that such gentle care was the best medicine to ease her pain. Then it took her years to fully understand that a man's tenderness and concern could never truly evolve into love. "Vance, let's get a divorce," she said in a low voice, withdrawing her hand as the stinging pain gradually blurred her eyes with tears. He furrowed his brow, clearly not expecting her to say something like that. After a brief silence, he called over the waiter to bring a clean small dish, then picked up a piece of fish with his fork and carefully began removing the bones. At the same time, he spoke in a soft, soothing voice. "I know you're still angry, but mentioning divorce isn't a rational response. If we divorced, what would you do? How would you manage to live on your own?" Rebecca's breathing became rapid and uneven. For five years, in the eyes of everyone around her, she had been seen as nothing more than his appendage. If separated from him, she would become a pitiful, unwanted soul incapable of surviving independently. And now, it was clear that he thought the same way. "I can do it," she replied firmly. For the first time, she stood her ground with determination, eager to prove her strength and fight for her dignity. Yet he merely smiled, as if dismissing her words as nothing more than a momentary fit of pique. He placed the carefully deboned fish in front of her and said, "Eat up. I'll permit you to stay upset for a little while longer, but once the meal is over, you can't be angry anymore." "I'm not angry. I want a divorce," she insisted, unsure how to make him see that her request wasn't just an impulsive outburst born from frustration. "You see," he set down his fork, "today, I pushed back two meetings and a business discussion specifically to spend time with you and make you happy. Tomorrow and the day after, I might not have nearly as much availability. Let me repeat this. Catherine is a good friend to all of us. She's part of our crew. I treat her the same as I do Aiden and the others. She really likes you and has always wanted to become friends with you. With this attitude of yours, how am I supposed to introduce her to you properly?" "Then there's no need to introduce her at all," Rebecca replied, not believing for a second that Catherine truly wanted to be friends with her. Vance's voice sharpened. "Rebecca!" She had known that, whenever the topic involved Catherine, his patience wore thin, and his temper wasn't as controlled. "Eat up. Afterward, we'll go to the mall, buy whatever you like, and then head over to your parents' house for dinner. It's been quite a while since you've gone back to see them, hasn't it?" he said, adding more food to her plate. Unwilling to deprive herself, she picked up her fork and began eating what she could. Regardless of the situation, she needed to ensure she maintained her health first and foremost. There was no point in taking out her frustrations on her stomach. "That's the right approach," Vance said, his voice returning to its gentle tone. "But from now on, don't bring up that word again." She paused for a moment, then lowered her head and continued eating in silence. After finishing the meal, she had no desire to go shopping, but Vance insisted on it, driving them directly to the mall without further discussion. Over the course of their five-year marriage, the number of times Vance had accompanied her on a shopping trip could be counted on one hand. In fact, the occasions when they had appeared together in public at all were exceedingly rare. The mall's lighting was intensely bright, even during the daytime, creating a glaring atmosphere that she found uncomfortable. Clutching her purse, she walked cautiously in his shadow. The first floor was lined with counters displaying luxury bags, watches, and jewelry. "Anything you like?" he asked, turning around. She didn't want to buy anything at all. She just wanted to go home. But before she could respond, someone called out from a distance, "Mr. Bradford!" "It's a new business partner I've recently connected with. I'll go over and greet them quickly," Vance explained. "You can browse around on your own for a bit. I'll come find you shortly." Vance's clients were all people she didn't know. She watched as he walked over and shook hands with a gentleman not far away, then stood there awkwardly. Amid all this opulent luxury, there was nothing that caught her interest or that she wanted to purchase. Her thoughts were interrupted by the voice of a sales associate. "Miss, it's your turn." She turned around, realizing that she had inadvertently positioned herself in the queue at one of the luxury brand stores. "Oh, no, thank you," she said hastily, quickly stepping away from the line. She wandered through the mall until, at a certain high-end watch counter, she caught sight of a familiar figure—Catherine. As she looked at the brand of watches on display, something heavy seemed to sink deep within her chest, and without fully realizing it, she found herself walking toward the counter. Accompanying Catherine in browsing the watches was Aiden. As Rebecca approached closer, the conversation between the two became increasingly audible. "If you like it, just go ahead and buy it," Aiden said. Catherine hesitated. "But this doesn't seem right. Even though Vance gave me his supplementary card and told me to use it freely, I can't bring myself to buy something this pricey." Rebecca stopped in her tracks, unable to take another step. Her heart felt as heavy as her feet. "The supplementary card... Vance's supplementary card..." "Since he gave it to you, he obviously meant for you to use it. When has Vance ever been the type to say one thing but mean another?" Aiden reassured her. "We've been friends for so many years. You know his character better than anyone. If he gives something, it's with full sincerity." "I guess you're right." Catherine nodded, beginning to turn her wrist this way and that to show Aiden the watch from various angles. Rebecca saw it, too. "How does it look?" Catherine asked. "I really love this model. I've wanted it since college. Vance promised me he'd buy it for me upon graduation, but then..." A wave of mocking yet bitter amusement welled up in Rebecca's heart. But then, every year on her birthday and their wedding anniversary, Vance had given her watches of this same model. Originally, she had thought that even if Vance didn't put much heart into it, at least he remembered her important dates and their anniversaries. The gifts might have been repetitive and lacking in thoughtfulness, but they were at least valuable. Now she realized that he did care. It was just that none of it had ever been directed toward her. "Well, Vance is fulfilling that promise now, isn't he?" Aiden laughed. "You can buy whatever you want these days. He can afford it all." "Then I'll go ahead and charge it?" Catherine said, her excitement visibly growing by the second. Meanwhile, in another part of the mall, Vance had finished exchanging pleasantries with his business contact. The man, who was there to pick up his wife from shopping, learned that Vance was accompanying his wife as well and suggested they go over to say hello. As Vance walked in her direction, Rebecca quickly ducked out of sight, hiding behind a Roman column. Catherine spotted him and waved her hand enthusiastically. "Vance, over here!" Peering out from behind the column, Rebecca saw Vance and his business contact making their way toward Catherine. She immediately linked her arm through Vance's and began swaying it playfully. "I want to buy this watch. Is that okay?" "Sure," Vance replied, his gaze softening. The sparkle in his eyes brought his entire face to life, a stark contrast to the bland, emotionless demeanor he always wore at home when he was with Rebecca. "Thank you. I'm going to swipe the card now," Catherine chirped, waving the supplementary card. The business contact smiled warmly. "You guys have such a deep bond. It's so touching, Mr. and Mrs. Bradford." The pair blinked at the appellation, but neither of them attempted to correct the misunderstanding. Chapter 7 After a moment of awkwardness, Vance and Catherine quickly adjusted to the mistaken roles. They began chatting and laughing effortlessly with the business contact. Standing together, they looked like a well-matched couple. Rebecca watched silently, taking a photo with her phone. As she turned to leave, the sharp "needle" buried deep in her heart pricked her once more. A sharp, intricate pain that rapidly spread through her chest, even causing a sour ache at the tip of her nose. Just as she was about to exit the mall, a voice called out, "Rebecca?" She turned to see someone waving vigorously from the descending escalator. To her surprise, it was her instructor from the dance academy. "Mrs. Lemke?" she exclaimed, her heart lifting with joy. Lauren Lemke quickly descended the escalator and approached, taking hold of Rebecca's hands with evident joy. "It's really you, Rebecca! It's been five years since we last saw each other. How have you been?" A wave of sadness washed over her. Five years had passed, and she had lived like a useless invalid. Facing Lauren now, she felt embarrassed. Still holding Rebecca's hand, Lauren asked, "Are you busy? If not, let's find a place to have some afternoon tea." Rebecca wasn't busy at all. In the past, her deep-seated insecurity might have led her to shut herself off further, politely declining any connection to her old dance world and its people. But ever since she had opened that album of dance photos and videos on her phone, it felt as though a fissure had cracked open in her darkened sky. Suddenly, she yearned for light to pour in. She nodded, her eyes shimmering with tears. "Sounds good." Lauren led her to a cozy teahouse located in the center of the first floor, and she asked, "How are the others? What have they been up to?" She had distanced herself from that world so completely and for so long that she had withdrawn from every single group chat with her former peers. "Do you really want to know?" Lauren gave her a perceptive look, aware of her situation. The promising student who had been guaranteed a spot in graduate school suddenly gave it up. Naturally, questions had arisen, and Lauren had even made a special trip to Soliaridge to visit her once. Rebecca nodded emphatically, and Lauren proceeded to fill her in. Five years was indeed enough time to transform a person's life entirely. Her classmates had all moved forward in remarkable ways. Some had joined dance troupes and risen to become principal dancers. Others had pursued advanced studies abroad and now held doctoral degrees. A few had stayed on at the academy as instructors, nurturing the next generation of talent. Everyone had taken a big step forward in their respective paths. Only she had remained stagnant. But starting from today, she vowed to make a change. She would strive to catch up, even if she could no longer dance. She would find her place in other fields. "I-I'm ready to give you an update on my progress too," she said, her eyes feeling hot and prickly. She felt she owed Lauren more than just a promise. "That would be wonderful," Lauren replied with a smile as warm and encouraging as ever. Rebecca leaned in close to Lauren's ear and whispered about her plans to study abroad. "This is fantastic! I knew it! None of my students are quitters!" Lauren exclaimed, gripping her hand tightly in excitement. "And it couldn't be better timing. Our troupe has a European tour coming up. You should come along to get a sense of things and start adapting to life over there." "I..." Rebecca hesitated, not sure if her legs could handle the trip. She could no longer dance; even walking was a pain for her. And the graduate program she had applied for was in a theoretical field. "Nothing's impossible," Lauren encouraged her. "If that accident hadn't happened, you would have been a member of the youth dance troupe by now. You can join us in a support role—as a runner, stage manager, or even helping with makeup." Lauren spoke with such firm conviction, treating Rebecca not as a cripple but as someone fully capable. Rebecca couldn't help but smile; she loved this feeling of not being defined or pitied because of her disability. Even if she couldn't dance, she could still contribute in other ways. She wasn't just a useless invalid. Lauren's phone vibrated with an incoming message. After reading it, she looked up and said, "It's my husband. Would you mind if he joins us?" "Of course not," Rebecca replied with a smile, though she felt a bit timid about it. After five years of seclusion, she had grown unaccustomed to meeting new people, but she knew she had to start somewhere. This was her first step. "Then I'll have him come over," Lauren said, replying to the message. However, what Rebecca never could have anticipated was that Lauren's husband turned out to be the very same business contact Vance had met earlier. "Pascal is here on business, and I came along for a few days of leisure, not expecting to run into you. It's fate," Lauren explained. Rebecca noticed that Vance, Catherine, and Pascal were walking together toward the teahouse. When the trio finally arrived at their table, Rebecca remained seated, observing the fascinating shifts in color on Vance's and Catherine's faces. "Come take a seat. This is my wife, Lauren. She is a dance teacher," Pascal said warmly. "And this is the gentleman I'm collaborating with on this trip, Mr. Vance Bradford, along with his wife." Vance's hand trembled slightly, and Catherine fidgeted restlessly. They both stared at Rebecca with tense anxiety. Rebecca simply looked back at them, offering a faint, composed smile. Lauren also made introductions for Rebecca's benefit. "This is my husband, Pascal." Then, pointing to Rebecca, she added, "And this is one of my students—the one who had the greatest potential to win the National Dance Championship back in the day." Vance stiffened at the mention of the contest, and his gaze shifted downward, as if he were attempting to look at Rebecca's leg. Rebecca detected unmistakable pain in his eyes. Of course, he was in pain. If it hadn't been for her injury, he would never have married her. In that case, the woman by his side now could have rightfully been his wife. Rebecca chuckled, "Actually, I am..." "Ah!" Catherine let out a sharp yelp at just the right moment, interrupting Rebecca mid-sentence. Rebecca paused, looking over. Catherine had spilled the tea, the hot liquid splashing all over her hand and clothes. "I'm so sorry. How embarrassing. This is really rude of me," she stammered, hurriedly grabbing napkins to wipe it up. "It's alright," Lauren said, not understanding the underlying tension, and even helped by passing more tissues. The episode prevented Rebecca from revealing the truth. But if Rebecca had truly wanted to continue, no one could have stopped her. From across the table, Vance cast her a pleading glance, subtly shaking his head and mouthing, "Don't say it." Truth be told, she hadn't intended to say it in the first place. She had deliberately spoken only half the sentence, just to watch the two of them scramble in panic. Throughout this afternoon tea session, some sat as if on pins and needles, while others remained perfectly at ease. As Rebecca reached for her teacup, Lauren suddenly noticed something in her hand. "Is that a wedding ring? You're married? To whom?" The question landed like a bolt from the blue, causing Vance and Catherine to pale dramatically. Rebecca glanced at Vance's hand resting beside his teacup, a mocking smile curling at the corner of her lips. He had never once worn a wedding ring; the pair from their ceremony had been removed immediately after the wedding and left to gather dust somewhere unknown. "Yes, I've been married for five years now," she replied calmly. "My husband's last name is Bradford."
The faint sound of running water echoed from the bathroom; Vance Bradford was taking a shower. It was three in the morning, and he had just returned home. Rebecca Perry stood at the bathroom door, her heart pounding. There was something she wanted to discuss with him, but she felt nervous, unsure if he would agree once he heard it. As she pondered how to broach the subject, a strange noise came from inside. She listened closely and realized he was pleasuring himself. The heavy breaths and muffled gr0ans struck her like hammers, pounding relentlessly at her chest. Bitterness surged through her like a tidal wave, leaving her gasping for air, drowning in agony. Today marked their fifth wedding anniversary, yet they had never consummated their marriage. So, this was why. He'd rather take care of himself than touch her. His breathing grew more frantic, and suddenly, in a moment of intense release, he gr0aned lowly, "Catherine..." That name delivered the final, crushing blow. Something inside her shattered into dust. She clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs and turned to flee, but in her haste, she stumbled, crashing into the sink and tumbling to the floor. "Rebecca, is that you?" Vance's voice, still ragged from exertion, carried a note of forced composure, though his breathing remained heavy. "I-I needed the bathroom. I didn't know you were showering," she stammered, desperately grabbing the sink to pull herself up. But in her panic, she made things worse. Water slicked the floor and countertop, making it impossible to find her footing. She finally managed to stand just as Vance emerged. His white bathrobe was hastily thrown on, the belt cinched tightly around his waist. "Did you fall? Let me help you," he said, reaching out to lift her. Tears brimmed in her eyes from the pain, but she pushed his hand away, stubborn and resolute. "No need. I can manage myself." She steadied herself but nearly slipped again. Limping awkwardly, she fled back to the bedroom—a hasty escape from the awkward scene. For five years, she had been hiding from the outside world, from the judgmental stares, and from Vance's sympathy. She was ashamed of her condition, though she used to have strong, beautiful legs before the accident. She always felt inferior. A cripple like her didn't deserve someone as accomplished and luminous as Vance Bradford. Vance followed her, his tone gentle and concerned. "Does it hurt? Let me check." "It's nothing." She burrowed under the covers, hiding her embarrassment along with her body. "Are you sure?" His worry seemed genuine. "Yeah." She nodded, showing her back to him. "Then get some sleep. Don't you want to use the bathroom anymore?" "Nope, let's just rest." "Alright. Oh, it's our anniversary today. I got you a gift. Open it tomorrow and see if you like it." "Okay." The gift sat on the nightstand; she had already spotted it. She didn't need to unwrap it to know what was inside. Every year, it was the same-sized box containing an identical watch. Her drawer already held nine of them, including birthday gifts. This would be the tenth. The conversation ended. Vance switched off the light and lay down. The air was filled with the damp, fresh scent of his shower gel, but she barely felt the mattress dip under his weight. The bed was giant, but they lay far apart, each on one edge. The space between them could fit three more people. As if by tacit understanding, neither of them mentioned Catherine Welch or what had transpired in the bathroom. Rebecca lay rigid on her back, her eyes stinging fiercely. Catherine was Vance's college classmate, his first love, and his goddess. After graduation, she had gone abroad, leading to their breakup and his depression. He had spiraled into despair, drinking heavily every day. Rebecca and Vance, however, were classmates in high school. She had harbored a secret crush on him back then. He was the campus heartthrob and an aloof, top student, while she spent most of her time in a dance studio far from the spotlight. She was pretty enough, but she was quiet, never one to stand at the center of things, and in a school full of confident, outspoken girls, she was easy to overlook. So, her feelings had remained her private secret; she never dreamed of approaching him. That changed after she graduated from the dance academy and returned home for summer break, encountering him in his broken state. He was heavily drunk that night, weaving erratically down the street. As he crossed the road without checking the lights, a car barreled toward him, unable to brake in time. She had been trailing him out of concern and shoved him aside—just in time for the car to strike her instead. At that time, she had secured a spot in graduate school, but the accident left her crippled. She could never dance again. Afterward, he quit drinking and married her. He remained forever indebted, forever grateful, soft-spoken and distant. He showered her with gifts and money, but never with love. She had believed time could heal everything and soften the edges of her pain. Yet after five years, he still clung to Catherine so deeply that even in his most private moments, it was her name he uttered. She had been fool and naïve. She lay awake all night, checking an email on her phone over a hundred times. It was an offer from a foreign university for graduate studies—the very thing she had planned to discuss with him that evening. But now, there was no need to consult him. Their five-year marriage, filled with countless sleepless nights, could finally begin its countdown. When he rose in the morning, she feigned sleep, overhearing him speak to the housekeeper, Nancy. "I have a business dinner tonight. Tell Rebecca not to wait up; she should rest early." After his instructions, he returned to the bedroom to check on her. She hid under the covers, her pillow soaked with tears. Normally, she would prepare his outfit for work, laying it out neatly. But not today. He dressed himself in the walk-in closet and left for the office. Only then did she open her eyes, feeling them swollen and sore. Her phone alarm buzzed—the daily reminder she had set for herself to study. Since the marriage, her leg had confined her to the house most of the time. To pass the endless hours, she divided her days into segments, filling each with small tasks. She silenced the alarm and mindlessly scrolled through apps. Her mind was a jumble, unable to focus on anything, until she saw a familiar face in a video. It was posted just the night before, and the account name was Cathy W. The algorithm was really uncanny, delivering this right before her eyes. Rebecca tapped on the video, and lively music played, followed by voices shouting, "Three, two, one! Welcome back, Catherine! Cheers!" One voice stood out—Vance's. Chapter 2 Vance had broken his no-drinking rule. He was obviously drunk, or else he wouldn't have shouted like that. In Rebecca's memories, Vance in high school was the aloof genius, always focused on his studies. Once, a girl who admired him had offered him water on the sports field, but he had ignored her. As her husband, he was polite and emotionally steady, never laughing heartily or showing anger. He was so calm, so detached that even brushing his fingers felt cool. The video panned across faces, capturing a flushed Vance. His eyes were sparkling as he raised his glass with a broad smile. "Welcome home, Cathy." So, he could laugh, be passionate, and use intimate nicknames. He just didn't do that to Rebecca. He never smiled at her, never showed passion, and never called her by her nickname. Nancy's voice came from outside, interrupting her thoughts. "Madam, are you up yet?" Rebecca's daily routine was predictable. When there was no response, Nancy worried she might need help, especially considering her leg injury. Rebecca set her phone aside, her voice hoarse. "Coming out soon." Nancy made sandwiches for breakfast, but Rebecca managed only one bite before losing her appetite. Nancy handed her a glass of milk. "Madam, what would you like for lunch and dinner?" "Anything, I guess," Rebecca started, then swallowed her usual response of making whatever Vance liked. But Nancy understood the implication. That was just the same daily conversation. "Mr. Bradford said he won't be home for dinner. He has a commitment." Rebecca nodded, having seen the list in that post. Catherine had scheduled a week's worth of dinners, listing who was treating and what she craved. [The most genuine friendships from the student days. I'm so lucky to have so many boys pampering me.] Normally, Rebecca's day involved two hours of French study and several more on art theory. Without something to occupy her, how could she endure the endless waiting for Vance to come home? She had waited before... The ache of it was unbearable. Now her plans were different. This offer was likely the university's final round of admissions; she needed to confirm quickly. Her first task was to pay the confirmation fee. When the bank notification popped up, she exhaled in relief. It was another step closer to leaving Vance. That evening, she changed her clothes and prepared to go out. Nancy asked wonderingly, "Madam, where are you going?" Without Vance, Rebecca hardly ever left the house. "Oh, a college friend is performing nearby and invited me to meet," she lied. In truth, she was heading to a hotel near the exam center. She'd have the French Proficiency test tomorrow, and it was scheduled for the morning. Rushing there risked traffic delays. Her previous attempt months ago hadn't met her target score, but with application deadlines looming, she had submitted anyway. Surprisingly admitted, she could now supplement her scores. That was thanks to the school allowing post-admission updates. "But..." Nancy hesitated, eyeing her leg. "Should I accompany you?" Rebecca kept her expression neutral. "No need. It's a girls' night; an extra person would be awkward." Nancy fretted over potential mishaps. "Then I'll let Mr. Bradford know." "No, let him focus on his evening. I'll call him after and have him pick me up." Rebecca grabbed her bag and left. Considering her mobility, Vance had chosen a spacious flat for their home. She took the elevator down and stepped outside. The sunlight made her instinctively lower her head, hunch her shoulders, and pull on a hat, raising her collar. Since her injury, the once-confident dancer who thrived on stage had vanished. Crippled, she had lost the courage to face the public eye. Nancy often advised outings only with Vance, and the man always suggested Rebecca stay at home. They didn't understand. Outings with Vance terrified her more. It was even worse than going out alone. Every glance screamed, "Why does such an outstanding man have a cripple as his wife?" Rebecca hailed a cab to the hotel. En route, gazing at the passing scenery, she spotted Vance's car parked on the roadside. "Could you stop here, please?" she said to the driver. His car was outside a restaurant, which reminded her of Catherine's post. Yesterday, one of his friends had hosted that gathering, and today it was his turn. On impulse, she got out and entered the restaurant. At the reception desk, she said, "I'm here to join Mr. Vance Bradford." She gave his phone number, and a waiter led her to the private room. "This is the one." "Thank you," she said, though she didn't really know why she had come. Earlier, impulse had driven her; now, at the door, her courage faltered. She didn't even dare to open it. Lively chatter emanated from inside. "I can't stay late or drink tonight. Got chewed out by my wife last night," said a guy. "Come on. You said friends come first, even over the king. Now you're henpecked? Guess Vance is the real man here," Catherine protested, her voice soft and coquettish. So, that was her personality. Vance liked that type. Too bad Rebecca was nothing like that, not even close. She couldn't even fake it. The guy whined, "Vance is different. Rebecca wouldn't dare to complain." "By the way," Catherine chimed in, looking at Vance, "I heard your wife is crippled? What happened?" There was no answer, but Rebecca felt a pang in her heart. The conversation continued inside. "Vance, we feel bad for you. With your money, looks, and success, you could have anyone. Why marry a cripple?" "Honestly, you're the best of us. Now with Rebecca, you can't bring her to meetings, events, or press—anywhere a wife should appear. What a loss!" So, that was why. Vance always kept her away from business affairs, telling her to just wait at home for him to bring back money. Her family praised him endlessly, saying she was blessed to live a life of luxury. But now she realized he couldn't bear to show her off in public. Inside the room, Vance laughed bitterly. "She saved my life. I owe her." "You've repaid her with all that money. Isn't that enough to settle it?" "Exactly! Should have just paid her off and moved on. Why sacrifice your happiness?" "Think it through, man. It's better to enshrine a statue and pray for wealth. What's the point of keeping her?" "What can she help you with? She can't attend events, and at home all she does is pour tea. Vance, do you seriously want this?" Laughter erupted, Catherine's peals among them. "Really, Vance? Is that how she walks?" Eavesdropping at the door, Rebecca felt blood rush to her head. Fury and humiliation knocked her off balance, causing her to push open the door. Everyone was laughing loudly as Vance's childhood friend, Aiden Hodge, dramatically limped while holding a glass of water, speaking in a falsetto voice. "Vance, have some water. Ah, I slipped. Vance, help me up." Rebecca stared at Vance, hoping that the man she loved more than anything would stand up for her. Chapter 3 The exaggerated performance fueled even more laughter. Catherine, seated beside Vance, collapsed onto his shoulder in hysterics. The man remained silent. Aiden turned, still grinning. "Vance, is it like..." His words died as he caught sight of Rebecca standing in the doorway. His smile faltered, and his tongue twisted. "R-Rebecca?" The others followed him to look over, all freezing. Catherine got up from Vance's shoulder, grinning. "Oh, this must be the legendary Mrs. Bradford. Come on in. I'm Catherine Welch, Vance's friend." Rebecca scanned the room, her blood running cold. Finally, Vance stood up and walked over to her. "Rebecca? What are you doing here? They were just joking. Don't take it to heart." She stared at him, feeling utterly alienated. For the first time, he seemed a stranger. In the face of mockery toward his wife, he sided with them. Aiden put down his glass, apologizing, "Y-Yeah, it was a joke. I'm sorry, Rebecca. Please don't be mad." Vance moved closer, attempting to embrace her. "Rebecca." But Rebecca recalled Catherine leaning on him earlier, his mas-tur-ba-tion in the bathroom, and the name he uttered in the climax. That hand, the one reaching for her now, felt utterly filthy. She quickly stepped back, avoiding him. "Rebecca?" Vance stared at his empty hand in confusion, then sighed. "I apologize on their behalf. Don't be upset, okay? I'll get a gift to make up for you. Anything you want." Catherine shot Aiden a playful glare. "This is your fault, Aiden. Apologize properly. Not everyone's like me, clumsy and thick-skinned, laughing off your jokes." Rebecca sneered at her cheeky speech, but these men didn't even sense the manipulation. Aiden grumbled, "I already did! Didn't know she'd show up. It was just a joke." "A joke is only funny if the target laughs," Rebecca retorted, her voice shaking with newfound courage. For five years, this curse of her unworthiness of Vance had confined her. Mocking glances made her shrink, retreating like a quail to lick her wounds alone. Aiden winced, "But I already apologized." "I-I don't accept it!" Rebecca trembled harder, defying mockery for the first time. Aiden mumbled, "Then what do you want?" Rebecca shook her head, having no answer. She just rejected their ridicule and Vance's alignment with them. "Enough, everyone." Vance intervened, positioning himself between her and Aiden. He was the leader of the group, his words carrying authority. After graduation, his business savvy had built their empire. The room fell silent, and he nodded, turning back to Rebecca. "Hey," he said evenly, his gaze as detached as ever, unlike the warmth in Catherine's video. "These are my longtime friends. They didn't mean to hurt your feelings. No malice, just banter. Forgive them this once. I'll have the driver take you home." "Rebecca," Catherine pouted, sidling up to Vance. "If you have to blame someone, blame me. This gathering is for my return. Vance, invite her to stay. I'll toast her with an apology." Her phony tone only disgusted Rebecca further and drove her to squint at Vance with resentment. It was his very indulgence that fed Catherine's boldness. "I'm fine," she said, holding back her bitterness. "I don't drink, especially not sour alc0-h0l." "Vance, is she insulting me? I..." Catherine wrinkled her nose, choking back her tears. "She misunderstood me, but it's fine. Don't blame her." Vance's jaw tightened. "Catherine meant well. Why are you being sarcastic?" "Meant well?" Rebecca snorted. Only a fool would think those words were spoken with good intentions, but Vance wasn't fool. He simply showed bias, siding with whom he favored rather than who was right. That side was always the one closest to his heart. Rebecca eyed the pair and their friends, feeling as though an insurmountable chasm lay between them. They formed a solid unit, while she was an intruder in their world. She was forever extraneous. Even lingering on the periphery felt out of place. She swallowed her bitterness, gave a cold laugh, and turned to leave. Behind her, Catherine's voice rang out. "Vance, she..." "It's fine. I'll talk to her when I get back," Vance said, waving it off. "Let's continue." Secretly, he glanced at the retreating figure, texting the driver to esc0rt her. Rebecca yearned to walk gracefully, but every step she took felt more unstable. Agitation only worsened her limp, her frantic exit mirroring Aiden's mockery. That would definitely make them laugh even harder. She wiped her tears with a trembling hand, hastening and wobbling more. The driver chased after her, but she was nowhere to be found outside the restaurant. The driver reported it to Vance, who frowned and called her. Rebecca rejected it and turned off her phone at the next one. Aiden was irked. "Her temper is just too short. You spoil her too much, man. With your status and looks, any wife would worship you. Yet she sulks? You're too soft." Vance stayed silent, but the others piled on. "Aiden is right. You sacrifice too much for her and the family, working tirelessly. She doesn't appreciate or support you. Throwing a tantrum over the smallest things. Worth it?" "Marrying her was charity. Who else wants a cripple? Without you, she'd wed another disabled person." Chapter 4 Catherine, reading the room, interjected timely, "Don't mind their harsh words, but as your long-time friends, we're truly concerned about you. We're blunt, but it's nothing personal. Don't take it to heart." "I'm not upset," Vance replied, pocketing his phone. "Doesn't matter. She won't stray far. Let's go on." In five years, home was her only refuge. He was not worried because she had nowhere else to go. Aiden eyed Catherine, muttering, "Catherine is the bigger person here. If you two hadn't split..." "Don't talk nonsense." Catherine glared. "Keep your mouth shut for one night. Vance is married now. That's inappropriate." Her gaze turned wistful toward Vance. "I don't want much. Just want to be accepted by you guys and stay by your side. That's enough." "Silly talk." Aiden thumped his chest loyally. "You're forever our princess, and we will never let anyone bully you. Vance, right?" Vance swirled his wine, the scene evocative of old times. He'd sit back, watching his crew banter with Catherine, not intervening unless things got out of hand. Now queried, he smiled faintly. "Of course." ... Rebecca didn't go home. Instead, she settled into her booked hotel. All the pent-up grievances and pain were unleashed the moment she closed the door behind her. Aiden's limp-mocking replayed endlessly in her mind, and their laughter haunted her like a curse. She had known all along their whispers behind her back, but she had never told Vance. She understood his work's toll, so she avoided conflicts, unwilling to add to his burdens or strain his bonds with his friends. Now, she saw her folly. He'd never clash with them over her; their friendship trumped everything. To him, she was nothing more than a debt—a burden that dragged him down. Without her, his life would be so much easier. "She is a cripple. Who else would want her?" "Yet she still expects so much from Vance?" "I'd rather be the crippled one than wed one and face ridicule." "Other CEOs flaunt elegant partners; Vance? He doesn't even have someone he can take out in public." ... The gossip and ridicule that Rebecca had heard over the past five years came rushing back like a tidal wave. She felt like she was being dragged under, drowning in it all. She couldn't breathe, the pain so intense it felt as if her chest and lungs were being torn apart. Trembling, she accessed a locked album on her phone—something untouched for five years. It contained photos and videos from her school days, documenting her dance practices and shows. Post-injury, she sealed these relics, set a password, and forced herself not to open it. Now her shaky finger tapped on a random video. The music played; she spun, flipped, and performed a mid-air split. She was vibrant, agile, and applauded thunderously. Was saving Vance wrong? But even then, marriage wasn't her aim. He insisted, orchestrating a grand proposal and kneeling before her with a huge diamond ring that sparked hope. She turned off her phone and collapsed in sobs. It was the first unbridled cry in five years. She wept until her tears ran out, but pain remained burning in her chest, licking at her from the inside like fire. But it was that very pain that brought her a moment of clarity in the suffocating whirlpool of emotions. The more it hurt, the more lucid she became. She rushed to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face to calm down. The mirror reflected her dulled self, and she bit her lip. "Rebecca, one good cry is enough. No more. Now, eat well, rest well, and tomorrow, focus on your exam." The one thing she could be thankful for was that, during those long five years, she had spent her time studying to ki11 the boredom. Not because she had grand ambitions. She just had so much time and had nothing to do. Waiting for Vance to come home had been her whole life, but he always came home late. At first, she thought it was because of work. Later, she realized that he just didn't want to face her too soon. She had overheard it herself. Back then, she understood how hard he worked. She even gathered the courage to show concern for him, making him special meals and delivering them to his office, only to overhear the hard truth. He was talking with a friend who asked why he hadn't gone home yet. There was hardly anyone left in the office, and yet he, the CEO, was still working overtime. Vance had replied, "I don't know how to face my wife's enthusiasm." Simple-minded back then, Rebecca didn't understand the implication, but that friend did. He gasped, "No way! Don't tell me you haven't slept together yet." Vance fell silent because that was the truth. He never touched her, even though she had hinted or taken the initiative. Every time, he found excuses like her condition or his tiredness to reject her. She wasn't fool. Gradually, she realized he simply didn't love her, and that was why he didn't want to touch her. But hearing it from his mouth hurt her deeply, the pain almost suffocating. His friend, half-jokingly, half-seriously, asked him, "You don't mean to tell me you have no physical reaction at all, do you? Anyway, she's pretty." Vance's reply was the needle that pierced deep into her heart, and for the following years, it continually wounded her. Every time she thought about it, the pain would gnaw at her. "I've tried," Vance replied. "I wanted to have a normal married life with her, but every time I look at her leg, I lose all interest." So, that was how it was. Her leg, the one scarred and atrophied from saving him, in his eyes was disgusting, revolting. It was something that turned him off and ki11ed his desire. She never knocked on the office door that day. The meal she had prepared with such care was thrown into the trash can. From then on, she never set foot in his company again. Chapter 5 After that incident, Rebecca turned to books. She hadn't planned far ahead; she simply wanted to infuse her empty life with quiet pursuits. Keeping busy might dull the sting of those words. She never expected these small, personal distractions would, in the end, become her lifeline. She needed to ace tomorrow's exam. She had to leave this place, as far away as possible. The thought still brought intense pain to her heart. She couldn't distinguish if the ache stemmed from Vance or from her five wasted years. But it no longer mattered. What counted was refusing to wallow in the pain any longer. Even if it lingered for ages before fading, she was committed to saving herself. She ordered a light meal and a set of disposable clothes. Then she phoned the front desk for a morning wake-up call, and at last, she compelled herself to sleep. Perhaps due to the previous night's insomnia, she slept soundly. The next day, she woke up on time and turned on her phone. Messages poured in, the device vibrating incessantly, all from Vance. She skipped reading them, fearing they'd disrupt her focus on the exam. After breakfast, she left for the exam center, which was a mere five-minute walk away. As soon as she stepped out of the hotel, her phone buzzed with a call from Vance. In a panic, she nearly dropped it, swiftly rejecting the call before shutting it off again. Emerging from the exam hall, her heart pounded with exhilaration. She felt satisfied with her performance. The oral examiner smiled throughout their conversation. She understood most of what she heard, and the written parts felt steady and controlled. She dared not predict her score, but at least she had completed everything. She wasn't useless after all. Walking alone on the sidewalk, she kept her head down, mentally reviewing every detail of the exam until a pair of leather shoes appeared in her path. Expecting no deliberate block, she couldn't retract her step in time and bumped into the person. Without his steadying grip, she would have fallen. And that person was the last one she wanted to see. "Rebecca," Vance muttered, his voice strained. She remained silent, sensing his barely contained anger. He grasped her shoulders and softened his tone, asking in his usual gentle, warm manner, "Why didn't you come home?" He asked that question while knowing the answer, but it wasn't the time to argue with him. Her bag had just been knocked to the ground, the flap open, and her exam pen peeked out, which could give away her participation in the exam. She quickly wrenched free, squatted down, shoved the pen inside, and secured the bag. "What's that?" he asked, looking at her bag. "Nothing. Just a pen," she replied, trying to sound natural, though her fingers gripped the bag so tightly they blanched. "Let me see it," he said. She clutched it closer. "What do you need a pen for?" "Give me your phone," he demanded. After a brief standoff, she extracted it from the bag and handed it over. He glanced at the dead phone, then handed it back. "I called you so many times and sent countless messages. Why didn't you respond? Still angry?" She held the phone, relieved he hadn't delved into her emails or discovered the exam-related messages. If that was his only concern... She had no desire to argue with him or explain anything. She simply wanted to flee far away, and that urge intensified in his presence. Mistaking her silence for lingering resentment, he sighed, "You're usually so understanding. Why run off over this?" Rebecca swore she intended to stay calm, but his words would pr0v0ke even a saint. "Was it my fault? Was I being unreasonable?" she shot back. "Should I have joined in and complimented Aiden on his spot-on imitation?" Vance's face flushed with awkwardness. "That's not what I meant. You can't control what others say. There is no need to take their words to heart." "I can't control them, but you could!" she retorted, staring at him. "What were you doing? Laughing with Catherine pressed against you?" "Rebecca!" His expression darkened, revealing anger for the first time. She understood that Catherine was his sore spot. What more was there to say? She hugged her bag, trying to walk past him. His arm extended, wrapping around her waist and pulling her close. "I'm sorry for yelling at you," he murmured. "I just don't want you to misunderstand Catherine. She is a friend, just like the others. I only see her as a sister. She's unmarried, so speaking ill of her isn't fair." Rebecca couldn't grasp his reasoning. Hadn't they brought this on themselves? Catherine had leaned on him shamelessly, yet they feared commentary? She managed only a faint "Oh." "Rebecca..." he paused, detected her detachment. "Why still upset? You stayed at a hotel alone and didn't return home. I haven't even reproached you much, yet your anger persists?" That was his typical line. In his mind, it was her fault for everything. "Come on, let's drop it," he cooed. "Lunch first. Then I'll accompany you to the mall, alright?" Rebecca considered it. That was fine. She had something to tell him anyway. Vance led her to a nearby restaurant. As they entered, Rebecca instinctively lowered her head, raised her collar, and shuffled behind him to downplay her limp. It was a habit, though she soon relaxed. If she didn't measure up, so be it. She wasn't planning to match him anymore. Once seated, Vance placed the order, passing her the utensils, when the food arrived. "Dig in. These are all your favorites," he said, his voice as soft as ever. Rebecca eyed the spicy dishes and smiled bitterly. He had no idea she couldn't handle spice; home dinners were always spicy because he preferred them. "I'm not hungry," she said, not touching the food. "I have something to tell you." "What is it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Wherever you want to go, I'll join you. I have the whole afternoon free. We can hang out, and then we'll go to your parents' house for dinner." She stared at his barely perceptible smile, her heart flooding with profound bitterness as she contemplated the words she was about to utter. Chapter 6 "Vance..." Rebecca choked back her tears, her voice trembling despite her efforts to stay composed. "What's wrong?" Vance reached for her hand. "If you feel like crying, then cry. Don't hold back." His voice was truly so soft and gentle. It brought her back to the day years ago when she had come out of the operating room after the surgery. He and the nurse had wheeled her back to the ward, and he had stayed by her bedside, speaking to her in that same tender tone, as if his words could drip with compassion. "Does it hurt? Cry it out. Don't hold back." At that time, she had believed that such gentle care was the best medicine to ease her pain. Then it took her years to fully understand that a man's tenderness and concern could never truly evolve into love. "Vance, let's get a divorce," she said in a low voice, withdrawing her hand as the stinging pain gradually blurred her eyes with tears. He furrowed his brow, clearly not expecting her to say something like that. After a brief silence, he called over the waiter to bring a clean small dish, then picked up a piece of fish with his fork and carefully began removing the bones. At the same time, he spoke in a soft, soothing voice. "I know you're still angry, but mentioning divorce isn't a rational response. If we divorced, what would you do? How would you manage to live on your own?" Rebecca's breathing became rapid and uneven. For five years, in the eyes of everyone around her, she had been seen as nothing more than his appendage. If separated from him, she would become a pitiful, unwanted soul incapable of surviving independently. And now, it was clear that he thought the same way. "I can do it," she replied firmly. For the first time, she stood her ground with determination, eager to prove her strength and fight for her dignity. Yet he merely smiled, as if dismissing her words as nothing more than a momentary fit of pique. He placed the carefully deboned fish in front of her and said, "Eat up. I'll permit you to stay upset for a little while longer, but once the meal is over, you can't be angry anymore." "I'm not angry. I want a divorce," she insisted, unsure how to make him see that her request wasn't just an impulsive outburst born from frustration. "You see," he set down his fork, "today, I pushed back two meetings and a business discussion specifically to spend time with you and make you happy. Tomorrow and the day after, I might not have nearly as much availability. Let me repeat this. Catherine is a good friend to all of us. She's part of our crew. I treat her the same as I do Aiden and the others. She really likes you and has always wanted to become friends with you. With this attitude of yours, how am I supposed to introduce her to you properly?" "Then there's no need to introduce her at all," Rebecca replied, not believing for a second that Catherine truly wanted to be friends with her. Vance's voice sharpened. "Rebecca!" She had known that, whenever the topic involved Catherine, his patience wore thin, and his temper wasn't as controlled. "Eat up. Afterward, we'll go to the mall, buy whatever you like, and then head over to your parents' house for dinner. It's been quite a while since you've gone back to see them, hasn't it?" he said, adding more food to her plate. Unwilling to deprive herself, she picked up her fork and began eating what she could. Regardless of the situation, she needed to ensure she maintained her health first and foremost. There was no point in taking out her frustrations on her stomach. "That's the right approach," Vance said, his voice returning to its gentle tone. "But from now on, don't bring up that word again." She paused for a moment, then lowered her head and continued eating in silence. After finishing the meal, she had no desire to go shopping, but Vance insisted on it, driving them directly to the mall without further discussion. Over the course of their five-year marriage, the number of times Vance had accompanied her on a shopping trip could be counted on one hand. In fact, the occasions when they had appeared together in public at all were exceedingly rare. The mall's lighting was intensely bright, even during the daytime, creating a glaring atmosphere that she found uncomfortable. Clutching her purse, she walked cautiously in his shadow. The first floor was lined with counters displaying luxury bags, watches, and jewelry. "Anything you like?" he asked, turning around. She didn't want to buy anything at all. She just wanted to go home. But before she could respond, someone called out from a distance, "Mr. Bradford!" "It's a new business partner I've recently connected with. I'll go over and greet them quickly," Vance explained. "You can browse around on your own for a bit. I'll come find you shortly." Vance's clients were all people she didn't know. She watched as he walked over and shook hands with a gentleman not far away, then stood there awkwardly. Amid all this opulent luxury, there was nothing that caught her interest or that she wanted to purchase. Her thoughts were interrupted by the voice of a sales associate. "Miss, it's your turn." She turned around, realizing that she had inadvertently positioned herself in the queue at one of the luxury brand stores. "Oh, no, thank you," she said hastily, quickly stepping away from the line. She wandered through the mall until, at a certain high-end watch counter, she caught sight of a familiar figure—Catherine. As she looked at the brand of watches on display, something heavy seemed to sink deep within her chest, and without fully realizing it, she found herself walking toward the counter. Accompanying Catherine in browsing the watches was Aiden. As Rebecca approached closer, the conversation between the two became increasingly audible. "If you like it, just go ahead and buy it," Aiden said. Catherine hesitated. "But this doesn't seem right. Even though Vance gave me his supplementary card and told me to use it freely, I can't bring myself to buy something this pricey." Rebecca stopped in her tracks, unable to take another step. Her heart felt as heavy as her feet. "The supplementary card... Vance's supplementary card..." "Since he gave it to you, he obviously meant for you to use it. When has Vance ever been the type to say one thing but mean another?" Aiden reassured her. "We've been friends for so many years. You know his character better than anyone. If he gives something, it's with full sincerity." "I guess you're right." Catherine nodded, beginning to turn her wrist this way and that to show Aiden the watch from various angles. Rebecca saw it, too. "How does it look?" Catherine asked. "I really love this model. I've wanted it since college. Vance promised me he'd buy it for me upon graduation, but then..." A wave of mocking yet bitter amusement welled up in Rebecca's heart. But then, every year on her birthday and their wedding anniversary, Vance had given her watches of this same model. Originally, she had thought that even if Vance didn't put much heart into it, at least he remembered her important dates and their anniversaries. The gifts might have been repetitive and lacking in thoughtfulness, but they were at least valuable. Now she realized that he did care. It was just that none of it had ever been directed toward her. "Well, Vance is fulfilling that promise now, isn't he?" Aiden laughed. "You can buy whatever you want these days. He can afford it all." "Then I'll go ahead and charge it?" Catherine said, her excitement visibly growing by the second. Meanwhile, in another part of the mall, Vance had finished exchanging pleasantries with his business contact. The man, who was there to pick up his wife from shopping, learned that Vance was accompanying his wife as well and suggested they go over to say hello. As Vance walked in her direction, Rebecca quickly ducked out of sight, hiding behind a Roman column. Catherine spotted him and waved her hand enthusiastically. "Vance, over here!" Peering out from behind the column, Rebecca saw Vance and his business contact making their way toward Catherine. She immediately linked her arm through Vance's and began swaying it playfully. "I want to buy this watch. Is that okay?" "Sure," Vance replied, his gaze softening. The sparkle in his eyes brought his entire face to life, a stark contrast to the bland, emotionless demeanor he always wore at home when he was with Rebecca. "Thank you. I'm going to swipe the card now," Catherine chirped, waving the supplementary card. The business contact smiled warmly. "You guys have such a deep bond. It's so touching, Mr. and Mrs. Bradford." The pair blinked at the appellation, but neither of them attempted to correct the misunderstanding. Chapter 7 After a moment of awkwardness, Vance and Catherine quickly adjusted to the mistaken roles. They began chatting and laughing effortlessly with the business contact. Standing together, they looked like a well-matched couple. Rebecca watched silently, taking a photo with her phone. As she turned to leave, the sharp "needle" buried deep in her heart pricked her once more. A sharp, intricate pain that rapidly spread through her chest, even causing a sour ache at the tip of her nose. Just as she was about to exit the mall, a voice called out, "Rebecca?" She turned to see someone waving vigorously from the descending escalator. To her surprise, it was her instructor from the dance academy. "Mrs. Lemke?" she exclaimed, her heart lifting with joy. Lauren Lemke quickly descended the escalator and approached, taking hold of Rebecca's hands with evident joy. "It's really you, Rebecca! It's been five years since we last saw each other. How have you been?" A wave of sadness washed over her. Five years had passed, and she had lived like a useless invalid. Facing Lauren now, she felt embarrassed. Still holding Rebecca's hand, Lauren asked, "Are you busy? If not, let's find a place to have some afternoon tea." Rebecca wasn't busy at all. In the past, her deep-seated insecurity might have led her to shut herself off further, politely declining any connection to her old dance world and its people. But ever since she had opened that album of dance photos and videos on her phone, it felt as though a fissure had cracked open in her darkened sky. Suddenly, she yearned for light to pour in. She nodded, her eyes shimmering with tears. "Sounds good." Lauren led her to a cozy teahouse located in the center of the first floor, and she asked, "How are the others? What have they been up to?" She had distanced herself from that world so completely and for so long that she had withdrawn from every single group chat with her former peers. "Do you really want to know?" Lauren gave her a perceptive look, aware of her situation. The promising student who had been guaranteed a spot in graduate school suddenly gave it up. Naturally, questions had arisen, and Lauren had even made a special trip to Soliaridge to visit her once. Rebecca nodded emphatically, and Lauren proceeded to fill her in. Five years was indeed enough time to transform a person's life entirely. Her classmates had all moved forward in remarkable ways. Some had joined dance troupes and risen to become principal dancers. Others had pursued advanced studies abroad and now held doctoral degrees. A few had stayed on at the academy as instructors, nurturing the next generation of talent. Everyone had taken a big step forward in their respective paths. Only she had remained stagnant. But starting from today, she vowed to make a change. She would strive to catch up, even if she could no longer dance. She would find her place in other fields. "I-I'm ready to give you an update on my progress too," she said, her eyes feeling hot and prickly. She felt she owed Lauren more than just a promise. "That would be wonderful," Lauren replied with a smile as warm and encouraging as ever. Rebecca leaned in close to Lauren's ear and whispered about her plans to study abroad. "This is fantastic! I knew it! None of my students are quitters!" Lauren exclaimed, gripping her hand tightly in excitement. "And it couldn't be better timing. Our troupe has a European tour coming up. You should come along to get a sense of things and start adapting to life over there." "I..." Rebecca hesitated, not sure if her legs could handle the trip. She could no longer dance; even walking was a pain for her. And the graduate program she had applied for was in a theoretical field. "Nothing's impossible," Lauren encouraged her. "If that accident hadn't happened, you would have been a member of the youth dance troupe by now. You can join us in a support role—as a runner, stage manager, or even helping with makeup." Lauren spoke with such firm conviction, treating Rebecca not as a cripple but as someone fully capable. Rebecca couldn't help but smile; she loved this feeling of not being defined or pitied because of her disability. Even if she couldn't dance, she could still contribute in other ways. She wasn't just a useless invalid. Lauren's phone vibrated with an incoming message. After reading it, she looked up and said, "It's my husband. Would you mind if he joins us?" "Of course not," Rebecca replied with a smile, though she felt a bit timid about it. After five years of seclusion, she had grown unaccustomed to meeting new people, but she knew she had to start somewhere. This was her first step. "Then I'll have him come over," Lauren said, replying to the message. However, what Rebecca never could have anticipated was that Lauren's husband turned out to be the very same business contact Vance had met earlier. "Pascal is here on business, and I came along for a few days of leisure, not expecting to run into you. It's fate," Lauren explained. Rebecca noticed that Vance, Catherine, and Pascal were walking together toward the teahouse. When the trio finally arrived at their table, Rebecca remained seated, observing the fascinating shifts in color on Vance's and Catherine's faces. "Come take a seat. This is my wife, Lauren. She is a dance teacher," Pascal said warmly. "And this is the gentleman I'm collaborating with on this trip, Mr. Vance Bradford, along with his wife." Vance's hand trembled slightly, and Catherine fidgeted restlessly. They both stared at Rebecca with tense anxiety. Rebecca simply looked back at them, offering a faint, composed smile. Lauren also made introductions for Rebecca's benefit. "This is my husband, Pascal." Then, pointing to Rebecca, she added, "And this is one of my students—the one who had the greatest potential to win the National Dance Championship back in the day." Vance stiffened at the mention of the contest, and his gaze shifted downward, as if he were attempting to look at Rebecca's leg. Rebecca detected unmistakable pain in his eyes. Of course, he was in pain. If it hadn't been for her injury, he would never have married her. In that case, the woman by his side now could have rightfully been his wife. Rebecca chuckled, "Actually, I am..." "Ah!" Catherine let out a sharp yelp at just the right moment, interrupting Rebecca mid-sentence. Rebecca paused, looking over. Catherine had spilled the tea, the hot liquid splashing all over her hand and clothes. "I'm so sorry. How embarrassing. This is really rude of me," she stammered, hurriedly grabbing napkins to wipe it up. "It's alright," Lauren said, not understanding the underlying tension, and even helped by passing more tissues. The episode prevented Rebecca from revealing the truth. But if Rebecca had truly wanted to continue, no one could have stopped her. From across the table, Vance cast her a pleading glance, subtly shaking his head and mouthing, "Don't say it." Truth be told, she hadn't intended to say it in the first place. She had deliberately spoken only half the sentence, just to watch the two of them scramble in panic. Throughout this afternoon tea session, some sat as if on pins and needles, while others remained perfectly at ease. As Rebecca reached for her teacup, Lauren suddenly noticed something in her hand. "Is that a wedding ring? You're married? To whom?" The question landed like a bolt from the blue, causing Vance and Catherine to pale dramatically. Rebecca glanced at Vance's hand resting beside his teacup, a mocking smile curling at the corner of her lips. He had never once worn a wedding ring; the pair from their ceremony had been removed immediately after the wedding and left to gather dust somewhere unknown. "Yes, I've been married for five years now," she replied calmly. "My husband's last name is Bradford."
The day Phillip Morton's first love, Briana Raymond, came back to town, the whole elite circle in Duventon was waiting for me to make a fool of myself. He handed me a check for 15 million. "Flora, Briana doesn't want you around. Just take the money and leave." I didn't cry or make a scene. I took the check without hesitation and pressed the signed divorce papers right against his chest. I smiled. "Thanks for making this happen, Mr. Morton. Pretending for three years in front of you was exhausting." Phillip frowned, his voice tinged with confusion. "What do you mean?" I unlocked my phone, pointed at the lock screen, a memorial photo of a man who looked strikingly similar to Phillip, and grinned. I said, "What I'm saying is, you were just a substitute, too. Now that I've got money, I don't need a knockoff anymore." That night, Phillip, the prince of the Duventon elite, went crazy. ***** Phillip's face darkened right before my eyes. He locked his gaze on the photo on my phone. The man in the picture had gentle eyes and a soft expression. He looked uncannily like Phillip. But there was a faint scar above his right eyebrow, giving him a wilder edge. "Flora, what are you trying to pull right now? Is this your idea of a joke?" Phillip demanded, his tone sharp. He snatched my phone from my hand and slammed it hard onto the floor. With a loud crack, the screen shattered into pieces, the memorial photo instantly reduced to scattered shards. "You faked a dead guy's photo just to mess with me? That's seriously messed up!" he spat. He straightened his suit collar, still creased from when I slapped the divorce papers against his chest. "Take the check and get lost. Don't push me, or I'll have my bodyguards toss you out," Phillip warned, his voice icy. I stared at the phone's broken pieces on the floor and didn't even flinch. After all, the real photo was locked away in my safe. The one on my phone was just a digital copy I kept around to mess with Phillip. I bent down, picked up the phone, popped out the SIM card, and with no second thoughts, tossed the latest model right into the trash, making sure he saw every move. My actions were smooth, not a hint of attachment or sentiment. "Yeah, it's messed up," I said, brushing the dust off my hands and shooting him a grin. "Since you gave me this phone, I'm returning it to you now." My attitude totally pissed Phillip off. Back then, I was always obedient around him, never daring to raise my voice, always tiptoeing, afraid I might disturb him. But now, I felt like someone he'd never met, and he could sense his authority slipping away. Just then, a soft, delicate voice floated down from the staircase upstairs. "Phillip, don't be so harsh. Ms. Coleman doesn't have anywhere to stay, and it's pouring outside," Briana called out. Briana stood there in Phillip's shirt, bare-legged, looking freshly woken and relaxed, with a suggestive red mark on her neck. She was Phillip's first love, the woman he'd been searching for in me these past three years. As soon as Phillip heard her voice, his whole demeanor softened. He turned and strode over, pulling her into his arms. He sneered, "Don't bother with her. She can't last a day without me. Give it three days, and she'll be crawling back, begging at my feet. "Flora, don't even think about taking anything from this place except the clothes you're wearing. The Morton family doesn't keep traitors around." I glanced down at the coat Phillip had picked out for me. He'd had it custom-made, so I'd resemble Briana even more. Without a word, I slipped it off and dropped it carelessly on the floor. Underneath, I was only wearing a flimsy white blouse. I didn't give Phillip another look. I turned, pulled open the villa's front door, and walked out into the darkness and pouring rain. Behind me, I caught Briana's surprised gasp and Phillip's cold scoff. The rain drenched me instantly, icy drops running down my cheeks. But I felt a rush of freedom. It had been three years. I had to stare at Phillip's face, no matter how much he reminded me of someone else, and force myself to cater to his every whim, even though it made me sick. Phillip stood by the floor-to-ceiling window upstairs, watching me leave, his brows tightly knit. He tugged at his tie in irritation and instinctively reached into his pocket. There was always a box of mints in there. It was Lawrence Hood's favorite brand, so I'd gotten used to always slipping a box into Phillip's pocket. But this time, his hand came up empty. "Damn it," Phillip muttered. Phillip clenched the check in his fist and slammed it against the glass window in a burst of anger. I made my way back to my shabby apartment. This was my only haven in the city, and the place where I kept all of Lawrence's keepsakes. I pulled an old wooden box out from under my bed and opened it. Inside was a thick pile of sketches, plus a photo kept safe in a sturdy frame. Lawrence grinned in the picture, the scar above his right eyebrow catching the sunlight and standing out even more. My fingers trembled as I gently caressed Lawrence's face in the photo. "Lawrence, I finally made it. I've got money now," I whispered. Chapter 2 I couldn't hold back my tears any longer, and they fell onto the glass frame. "That 15 million is enough to give you the most spectacular art exhibition. I want everyone to see your art," I said. Early the next morning, I got a text from the bank. All my supplementary cards were frozen. I didn't even need to guess. It must be Phillip's doing. He thought that by cutting off my money, I'd obediently crawl back and be his pampered pet again. Too bad for him, he had no idea I'd already deposited that 15 million check last night and moved it straight into the art show account. In the CEO's office of the Morton Group, the assistant came in nervously and said, "Mr. Morton, Ms. Coleman has sent back all the jewelry and bags you gave her. "I just checked. She hasn't spent a single cent on her supplementary cards in the past three years." Phillip stared at the mountain of luxury goods piled on his desk, his face darkening. For the past three years, I didn't even care to touch his money or his gifts. "Well, good for her," Phillip said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Spread the word. Anyone who dares to give Flora a job is going against me. Let's see how long she can keep pretending to be tough!" I wandered around the job market, and sure enough, everywhere I went, doors slammed shut in my face. As soon as the recruiters heard my name, they acted like they'd seen a ghost and hurried to shut me out. I wasn't surprised, and I didn't feel discouraged. Anyway, I wasn't really there to find a job. My real goal was to prepare for my art exhibition. While passing by a gallery, I paused for a moment. There was an unfinished oil painting in the window, its brushstrokes raw and childlike. It brought back memories of that afternoon when Lawrence showed me how to paint. A black Maybach pulled up behind me. The window was rolled down, and Phillip's imperious face appeared. He sneered, "Changed your mind? "Get in. Go apologize to Briana, and I'll let bygones be bygones." His tone made it sound like he was tossing me a bone. I turned around, looking straight through Phillip, focusing on the space behind him as if he wasn't even there. "Mr. Morton," I said coolly, "you're blocking the light. Could you step aside?" Phillip's smile froze on his face. He thought I was playing hard to get. He had someone follow me and found out I'd taken over a gallery in an off-the-beaten-path location and was busy renovating it. "Using my money to keep some pretty boy?" Phillip muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he scanned the report. That same night, two bodyguards "invited" me to Phillip's private club. It was more like they dragged me there. The private room was thick with smoke, packed with rich kids from Duventon's elite circles. Briana was sitting at the head of the table. When she saw me being escorted in, she put a hand over her mouth in mock surprise. She said, "Oh my, Ms. Coleman, what brings you here? Phillip, this is a private party. And look at what Ms. Coleman is wearing." I glanced down at my paint-splattered work pants and T-shirt, still marked from the remodel. I was totally out of place there. The room erupted in laughter. "Is this the infamous ex-wife from the Morton family?" someone sneered. "I heard she got 15 million dollars and won't leave, still trying to worm her way back into Phillip's life," another chimed in. Phillip sat right in the middle of the couch, swirling his wine glass, his eyes cold as he stared me down. "Don't just stand there, Flora. Briana said she wanted some shrimp. You used to be the queen of peeling them, didn't you?" he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. He gestured toward the mountain of shrimp piled up on the table. I had a mild seafood allergy, but Phillip never had a clue, because Lawrence loved shrimp. Back then, I became really good at peeling shrimp for Lawrence. Even when my hands got red and itchy, I didn't care. If it were for him, I would be happy to do it. Briana sauntered over, swirling her wine glass. "Ms. Coleman, sorry if I ever offended you before. This drink's on me," she said, her tone sickly sweet. With a flick of her wrist, she dumped the whole glass of red wine all over me. "Oops, my bad, Ms. Coleman. My hand slipped," Briana said with over-the-top innocence, but the smug glint in her eyes gave her away. The whole room went dead silent, everyone waiting to see how I'd react. Expressionless, I picked up the massive wine decanter from the table. There was still half a bottle of red wine left inside. Before anyone could react, I flipped my wrist and poured it right over her face. Briana let out a shriek. I calmly set the decanter down and said, "Oops, guess my hand slipped as well." The whole room went dead silent. Phillip sprang to his feet and seized my chin in a grip so fierce that it felt like he could snap my jaw. "Flora, have you lost your mind? Apologize to Briana!" he barked. His eyes were blazing with rage, like he wanted to devour me alive. He forced my chin up, making me stare right back into his eyes. In his eyes, I saw my own messy reflection, but there was not a hint of fear in me. "Apologize?" I gave a cold laugh, my gaze so lifeless that it made him uneasy. "She's not worthy." Phillip was stung by the look in my eyes. Chapter 3 Phillip pointed at the shrimp on the table and ordered, "Not going to apologize, huh? Fine. Peel this whole plate of shrimp, and I'll let you go. "Otherwise, that shabby gallery of yours will be nothing but rubble by tomorrow." He knew just where to hit me. I stayed quiet for a couple of seconds, then pulled up a chair and sat down. I slipped on the disposable gloves and got to work peeling shrimp. Heads off, shells gone, veins out, every move felt like muscle memory carved into my bones. Phillip watched me, head down, quietly peeling shrimp, and smirked. "That's the Flora I remember, so well-behaved," he said with a hint of mockery. My hands inside the gloves were swollen and blistered, itching like hell. But for the gallery, I clenched my teeth and forced myself to keep it together. After peeling the last shrimp, I pulled off my gloves and looked at the plate stacked with shrimp meat. Lawrence used to dig in just like this, grinning as he called me his "shrimp-peeling ace." But nothing was the same anymore. Phillip shoved the plate toward Briana, giving me a mocking look. "Not bad. Briana, have a taste." Briana smugly picked up a shrimp. I wiped my swollen, red fingers with a tissue and murmured, "He used to really like shrimp." Phillip stiffened, and his movements suddenly halted. Briana ended up in the hospital after that whole "red wine shower" incident. Phillip, to avenge Briana and make my life miserable, forced me to bring her meals to the hospital every day. "Since you love serving people so much, go ahead," he sneered. I showed up at the hospital with a thermos in hand. Inside was beef and cilantro. Lawrence couldn't stand cilantro, but he'd always force it down, frowning, to make me happy. I wanted to see how Phillip, with that Lawrence-lookalike face, would react to cilantro. Inside the hospital room, Phillip was busy peeling an apple for Briana. When he saw me walk in, he snorted. "Glad you finally figured it out." Briana wrinkled her nose at the food in the thermos. "Ugh, why is it all cilantro? Phillip, you know I hate this stuff." Phillip shot the cilantro a look, his brows furrowing. He pointed at Briana and said to me, "Feed her." I walked over, mechanically scooped up a spoonful of beef, and held it out to Briana. Briana shrieked, "Jeez, it's burning," and suddenly flung her hand, knocking the spoon away. Scalding soup splattered all over the back of my hand, leaving a huge red mark in seconds. I didn't flinch or say a word. I just watched the beef hit the floor. "Too bad. He loved that," I muttered under my breath. Phillip, still checking if Briana was burned, snapped his head around when he heard me. "Who likes that stuff? I've never eaten cilantro in my life. Flora, who are you really seeing when you look at me?" Phillip snapped. His voice had a faint tremor, barely noticeable. I came back to myself, looking at the furious Phillip, a mocking smile tugging at my lips. "Relax, Mr. Morton. I meant my dog," I said coolly. Phillip, furious, sent the thermos crashing to the floor. "Get out! Go back where you came from," he roared. I turned and left the hospital, heading straight for the old villa we once called home. I wasn't there to patch things up. I just came to take the last thing that was still mine, that piano. Lawrence and I picked it out together, and our initials are still carved on the inside of the lid. Phillip followed me back to the villa. When he saw me heading straight for the piano, he lost it. He yelled, "That beat-up piano means that much to you? You used to play it for me every damn day. Now we're getting divorced, and you still want to take it? "If you want to break it off, make it clean!" Phillip snatched up the golf club and smashed it down hard onto the piano keys. Bang! The screeching crash of the piano tore through the hall, keys shattered, black and white pieces flying, splinters of wood exploding everywhere. "No!" I screamed. For the first time, I lost my composure. I rushed over like a madwoman, throwing myself in front of the piano lid to shield it. The golf club slammed into my shoulder and slid down onto the piano. A sharp splinter sliced across the corner of my eye, blood streaming down instantly and blurring my vision. Phillip was stunned. He stared at me, my face covered in blood, and the golf club dropped to the floor with a loud clang. "Flora..." he called out, instinctively reaching out toward me. I shoved him away, not giving a damn about the pain or the blood on my face. My hands trembling, I reached out and touched the inside of the piano lid. There, the initials "L.F." had been shattered, leaving only a deep crack behind. My heart shattered right then and there. I ran my fingers over the jagged letters, tears and blood dripping down my face. This was the last piece of Lawrence I had left, the only thing that still tied me to him. Phillip watched me cry, a trace of heartache flickering across his face. "Why are you crying? It's just a piano. If you behaved, I'd get you ten Steinways," he said. I looked up at Phillip. "Phillip, you're so pathetic. "Now that you've smashed it, you don't even have a proper replacement to hold onto anymore."
The day Phillip Morton's first love, Briana Raymond, came back to town, the whole elite circle in Duventon was waiting for me to make a fool of myself. He handed me a check for 15 million. "Flora, Briana doesn't want you around. Just take the money and leave." I didn't cry or make a scene. I took the check without hesitation and pressed the signed divorce papers right against his chest. I smiled. "Thanks for making this happen, Mr. Morton. Pretending for three years in front of you was exhausting." Phillip frowned, his voice tinged with confusion. "What do you mean?" I unlocked my phone, pointed at the lock screen, a memorial photo of a man who looked strikingly similar to Phillip, and grinned. I said, "What I'm saying is, you were just a substitute, too. Now that I've got money, I don't need a knockoff anymore." That night, Phillip, the prince of the Duventon elite, went crazy. ***** Phillip's face darkened right before my eyes. He locked his gaze on the photo on my phone. The man in the picture had gentle eyes and a soft expression. He looked uncannily like Phillip. But there was a faint scar above his right eyebrow, giving him a wilder edge. "Flora, what are you trying to pull right now? Is this your idea of a joke?" Phillip demanded, his tone sharp. He snatched my phone from my hand and slammed it hard onto the floor. With a loud crack, the screen shattered into pieces, the memorial photo instantly reduced to scattered shards. "You faked a dead guy's photo just to mess with me? That's seriously messed up!" he spat. He straightened his suit collar, still creased from when I slapped the divorce papers against his chest. "Take the check and get lost. Don't push me, or I'll have my bodyguards toss you out," Phillip warned, his voice icy. I stared at the phone's broken pieces on the floor and didn't even flinch. After all, the real photo was locked away in my safe. The one on my phone was just a digital copy I kept around to mess with Phillip. I bent down, picked up the phone, popped out the SIM card, and with no second thoughts, tossed the latest model right into the trash, making sure he saw every move. My actions were smooth, not a hint of attachment or sentiment. "Yeah, it's messed up," I said, brushing the dust off my hands and shooting him a grin. "Since you gave me this phone, I'm returning it to you now." My attitude totally pissed Phillip off. Back then, I was always obedient around him, never daring to raise my voice, always tiptoeing, afraid I might disturb him. But now, I felt like someone he'd never met, and he could sense his authority slipping away. Just then, a soft, delicate voice floated down from the staircase upstairs. "Phillip, don't be so harsh. Ms. Coleman doesn't have anywhere to stay, and it's pouring outside," Briana called out. Briana stood there in Phillip's shirt, bare-legged, looking freshly woken and relaxed, with a suggestive red mark on her neck. She was Phillip's first love, the woman he'd been searching for in me these past three years. As soon as Phillip heard her voice, his whole demeanor softened. He turned and strode over, pulling her into his arms. He sneered, "Don't bother with her. She can't last a day without me. Give it three days, and she'll be crawling back, begging at my feet. "Flora, don't even think about taking anything from this place except the clothes you're wearing. The Morton family doesn't keep traitors around." I glanced down at the coat Phillip had picked out for me. He'd had it custom-made, so I'd resemble Briana even more. Without a word, I slipped it off and dropped it carelessly on the floor. Underneath, I was only wearing a flimsy white blouse. I didn't give Phillip another look. I turned, pulled open the villa's front door, and walked out into the darkness and pouring rain. Behind me, I caught Briana's surprised gasp and Phillip's cold scoff. The rain drenched me instantly, icy drops running down my cheeks. But I felt a rush of freedom. It had been three years. I had to stare at Phillip's face, no matter how much he reminded me of someone else, and force myself to cater to his every whim, even though it made me sick. Phillip stood by the floor-to-ceiling window upstairs, watching me leave, his brows tightly knit. He tugged at his tie in irritation and instinctively reached into his pocket. There was always a box of mints in there. It was Lawrence Hood's favorite brand, so I'd gotten used to always slipping a box into Phillip's pocket. But this time, his hand came up empty. "Damn it," Phillip muttered. Phillip clenched the check in his fist and slammed it against the glass window in a burst of anger. I made my way back to my shabby apartment. This was my only haven in the city, and the place where I kept all of Lawrence's keepsakes. I pulled an old wooden box out from under my bed and opened it. Inside was a thick pile of sketches, plus a photo kept safe in a sturdy frame. Lawrence grinned in the picture, the scar above his right eyebrow catching the sunlight and standing out even more. My fingers trembled as I gently caressed Lawrence's face in the photo. "Lawrence, I finally made it. I've got money now," I whispered. Chapter 2 I couldn't hold back my tears any longer, and they fell onto the glass frame. "That 15 million is enough to give you the most spectacular art exhibition. I want everyone to see your art," I said. Early the next morning, I got a text from the bank. All my supplementary cards were frozen. I didn't even need to guess. It must be Phillip's doing. He thought that by cutting off my money, I'd obediently crawl back and be his pampered pet again. Too bad for him, he had no idea I'd already deposited that 15 million check last night and moved it straight into the art show account. In the CEO's office of the Morton Group, the assistant came in nervously and said, "Mr. Morton, Ms. Coleman has sent back all the jewelry and bags you gave her. "I just checked. She hasn't spent a single cent on her supplementary cards in the past three years." Phillip stared at the mountain of luxury goods piled on his desk, his face darkening. For the past three years, I didn't even care to touch his money or his gifts. "Well, good for her," Phillip said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Spread the word. Anyone who dares to give Flora a job is going against me. Let's see how long she can keep pretending to be tough!" I wandered around the job market, and sure enough, everywhere I went, doors slammed shut in my face. As soon as the recruiters heard my name, they acted like they'd seen a ghost and hurried to shut me out. I wasn't surprised, and I didn't feel discouraged. Anyway, I wasn't really there to find a job. My real goal was to prepare for my art exhibition. While passing by a gallery, I paused for a moment. There was an unfinished oil painting in the window, its brushstrokes raw and childlike. It brought back memories of that afternoon when Lawrence showed me how to paint. A black Maybach pulled up behind me. The window was rolled down, and Phillip's imperious face appeared. He sneered, "Changed your mind? "Get in. Go apologize to Briana, and I'll let bygones be bygones." His tone made it sound like he was tossing me a bone. I turned around, looking straight through Phillip, focusing on the space behind him as if he wasn't even there. "Mr. Morton," I said coolly, "you're blocking the light. Could you step aside?" Phillip's smile froze on his face. He thought I was playing hard to get. He had someone follow me and found out I'd taken over a gallery in an off-the-beaten-path location and was busy renovating it. "Using my money to keep some pretty boy?" Phillip muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he scanned the report. That same night, two bodyguards "invited" me to Phillip's private club. It was more like they dragged me there. The private room was thick with smoke, packed with rich kids from Duventon's elite circles. Briana was sitting at the head of the table. When she saw me being escorted in, she put a hand over her mouth in mock surprise. She said, "Oh my, Ms. Coleman, what brings you here? Phillip, this is a private party. And look at what Ms. Coleman is wearing." I glanced down at my paint-splattered work pants and T-shirt, still marked from the remodel. I was totally out of place there. The room erupted in laughter. "Is this the infamous ex-wife from the Morton family?" someone sneered. "I heard she got 15 million dollars and won't leave, still trying to worm her way back into Phillip's life," another chimed in. Phillip sat right in the middle of the couch, swirling his wine glass, his eyes cold as he stared me down. "Don't just stand there, Flora. Briana said she wanted some shrimp. You used to be the queen of peeling them, didn't you?" he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. He gestured toward the mountain of shrimp piled up on the table. I had a mild seafood allergy, but Phillip never had a clue, because Lawrence loved shrimp. Back then, I became really good at peeling shrimp for Lawrence. Even when my hands got red and itchy, I didn't care. If it were for him, I would be happy to do it. Briana sauntered over, swirling her wine glass. "Ms. Coleman, sorry if I ever offended you before. This drink's on me," she said, her tone sickly sweet. With a flick of her wrist, she dumped the whole glass of red wine all over me. "Oops, my bad, Ms. Coleman. My hand slipped," Briana said with over-the-top innocence, but the smug glint in her eyes gave her away. The whole room went dead silent, everyone waiting to see how I'd react. Expressionless, I picked up the massive wine decanter from the table. There was still half a bottle of red wine left inside. Before anyone could react, I flipped my wrist and poured it right over her face. Briana let out a shriek. I calmly set the decanter down and said, "Oops, guess my hand slipped as well." The whole room went dead silent. Phillip sprang to his feet and seized my chin in a grip so fierce that it felt like he could snap my jaw. "Flora, have you lost your mind? Apologize to Briana!" he barked. His eyes were blazing with rage, like he wanted to devour me alive. He forced my chin up, making me stare right back into his eyes. In his eyes, I saw my own messy reflection, but there was not a hint of fear in me. "Apologize?" I gave a cold laugh, my gaze so lifeless that it made him uneasy. "She's not worthy." Phillip was stung by the look in my eyes. Chapter 3 Phillip pointed at the shrimp on the table and ordered, "Not going to apologize, huh? Fine. Peel this whole plate of shrimp, and I'll let you go. "Otherwise, that shabby gallery of yours will be nothing but rubble by tomorrow." He knew just where to hit me. I stayed quiet for a couple of seconds, then pulled up a chair and sat down. I slipped on the disposable gloves and got to work peeling shrimp. Heads off, shells gone, veins out, every move felt like muscle memory carved into my bones. Phillip watched me, head down, quietly peeling shrimp, and smirked. "That's the Flora I remember, so well-behaved," he said with a hint of mockery. My hands inside the gloves were swollen and blistered, itching like hell. But for the gallery, I clenched my teeth and forced myself to keep it together. After peeling the last shrimp, I pulled off my gloves and looked at the plate stacked with shrimp meat. Lawrence used to dig in just like this, grinning as he called me his "shrimp-peeling ace." But nothing was the same anymore. Phillip shoved the plate toward Briana, giving me a mocking look. "Not bad. Briana, have a taste." Briana smugly picked up a shrimp. I wiped my swollen, red fingers with a tissue and murmured, "He used to really like shrimp." Phillip stiffened, and his movements suddenly halted. Briana ended up in the hospital after that whole "red wine shower" incident. Phillip, to avenge Briana and make my life miserable, forced me to bring her meals to the hospital every day. "Since you love serving people so much, go ahead," he sneered. I showed up at the hospital with a thermos in hand. Inside was beef and cilantro. Lawrence couldn't stand cilantro, but he'd always force it down, frowning, to make me happy. I wanted to see how Phillip, with that Lawrence-lookalike face, would react to cilantro. Inside the hospital room, Phillip was busy peeling an apple for Briana. When he saw me walk in, he snorted. "Glad you finally figured it out." Briana wrinkled her nose at the food in the thermos. "Ugh, why is it all cilantro? Phillip, you know I hate this stuff." Phillip shot the cilantro a look, his brows furrowing. He pointed at Briana and said to me, "Feed her." I walked over, mechanically scooped up a spoonful of beef, and held it out to Briana. Briana shrieked, "Jeez, it's burning," and suddenly flung her hand, knocking the spoon away. Scalding soup splattered all over the back of my hand, leaving a huge red mark in seconds. I didn't flinch or say a word. I just watched the beef hit the floor. "Too bad. He loved that," I muttered under my breath. Phillip, still checking if Briana was burned, snapped his head around when he heard me. "Who likes that stuff? I've never eaten cilantro in my life. Flora, who are you really seeing when you look at me?" Phillip snapped. His voice had a faint tremor, barely noticeable. I came back to myself, looking at the furious Phillip, a mocking smile tugging at my lips. "Relax, Mr. Morton. I meant my dog," I said coolly. Phillip, furious, sent the thermos crashing to the floor. "Get out! Go back where you came from," he roared. I turned and left the hospital, heading straight for the old villa we once called home. I wasn't there to patch things up. I just came to take the last thing that was still mine, that piano. Lawrence and I picked it out together, and our initials are still carved on the inside of the lid. Phillip followed me back to the villa. When he saw me heading straight for the piano, he lost it. He yelled, "That beat-up piano means that much to you? You used to play it for me every damn day. Now we're getting divorced, and you still want to take it? "If you want to break it off, make it clean!" Phillip snatched up the golf club and smashed it down hard onto the piano keys. Bang! The screeching crash of the piano tore through the hall, keys shattered, black and white pieces flying, splinters of wood exploding everywhere. "No!" I screamed. For the first time, I lost my composure. I rushed over like a madwoman, throwing myself in front of the piano lid to shield it. The golf club slammed into my shoulder and slid down onto the piano. A sharp splinter sliced across the corner of my eye, blood streaming down instantly and blurring my vision. Phillip was stunned. He stared at me, my face covered in blood, and the golf club dropped to the floor with a loud clang. "Flora..." he called out, instinctively reaching out toward me. I shoved him away, not giving a damn about the pain or the blood on my face. My hands trembling, I reached out and touched the inside of the piano lid. There, the initials "L.F." had been shattered, leaving only a deep crack behind. My heart shattered right then and there. I ran my fingers over the jagged letters, tears and blood dripping down my face. This was the last piece of Lawrence I had left, the only thing that still tied me to him. Phillip watched me cry, a trace of heartache flickering across his face. "Why are you crying? It's just a piano. If you behaved, I'd get you ten Steinways," he said. I looked up at Phillip. "Phillip, you're so pathetic. "Now that you've smashed it, you don't even have a proper replacement to hold onto anymore."
Kapitel 1 Eine völlig neue Welt Bridgets Perspektive „Schhh… meine süßen Lieblinge.“ Meine Mutter murmelt, und selbst in der Dunkelheit kann ich hören, wie fest ihr die Angst in der Kehle sitzt. Der Regen zieht sich wie Fäden durch die Bäume, während wir uns eng aneinanderdrücken. Der Wald riecht frisch gewaschen, nach diesem feuchten, sauberen Duft, den es nur nach einem heftigen Schauer gibt. Die Blätter über uns fangen die Tropfen auf und lassen sie in sanften, gleichmäßigen Klopflauten wieder fallen. Es ist seltsam, woran der Verstand festhält. Ein Vogel, der sich irgendwo weit entfernt bewegt. Ein Kaninchen, das ein paar Meter weiter raschelt. Jedes winzige Geräusch trifft scharf. Obwohl es Nacht ist, kann ich sehen — zu deutlich. Meine Finger vor meinem Gesicht. Die glatte Rinde. Die Schatten zwischen den Stämmen. Dann trifft es mich. Andere Herzschläge. Nicht unsere. Sie kommen näher. Stimmen peitschen durch den Regen, wütend und scharf. „Da drüben!“, ruft ein Mann. „Holt sie — sofort!“ „Lauf.“ Die Stimme meines Vaters ist nicht laut; es ist, als würde sie direkt in meinem Schädel auftauchen. Er hebt mich hoch, seine Arme schließen sich fest um mich, und ich erhasche einen Blick auf meine Momma, die vorauseilt. Wir brechen auf das Flussufer hinaus. Die Männer holen auf. Ihre Schritte und ihr Atem und ihre pulsierende Wut erfüllen die Nacht. Der Himmel reißt weiter auf — noch mehr Regen prasselt herab, als wollte er die Welt ertränken. Wir drängen in den Fluss, während das Wasser höher, kälter, schneller aufwühlt. Mein Vater rutscht für eine Sekunde aus, dann fängt er sich wieder. Meine Mutter nicht. Ihr Fuß gleitet weg. Ihr Körper kippt. Und sie ist verschwunden — von der Strömung mitgerissen. „Momma!“, schreie ich und strecke die Hand aus, als könnte meine Hand sie aus dem dunklen Wasser packen. Mein Dad brüllt ihren Namen und setzt mich auf einen Felsen, schnell und grob, dann wirft er sich ihr hinterher. Ich denke nicht nach. Ich springe. Der Fluss ist Eis. Er reißt mich unter Wasser und zerrt uns flussabwärts, als wären wir nichts. Ich kämpfe um Luft, um Sicht, um irgendetwas. Ich kann sie nicht finden — nur schwarzes Wasser, nur rauschender Lärm. Irgendwo, gedämpft durch die Strömung, höre ich meinen Dad meinen Namen rufen. Und dann schaltet sich alles aus. Das ist der Moment, in dem ich immer aufwache — genau dann, wenn die Dunkelheit gewinnt. Ich schrecke aus dem Schlaf hoch, als der Bus langsamer wird und seufzend in irgendeiner fremden Stadt zum Stehen kommt. Ich war sieben, als ich meine Eltern verlor. Es fühlt sich nie an, als wären zwölf Jahre vergangen; es fühlt sich an wie gestern, nur in einem anderen Mantel. Damals in Thornmere war der Regen mein Lieblingsding gewesen. Nach der Highschool hatte ich dort gelebt, Schichten in einem Diner gearbeitet und versucht, das Leben einfach zu halten. Aber einfach bleibt nie einfach. Noch eine Auseinandersetzung, noch ein Grund zu verschwinden. Ich war nicht der Typ, der damit anfing, aber ich hatte ein Problem damit, aufzuhören, sobald es begonnen hatte. Ein gebrochener Kiefer bei jemand anderem bedeutete, dass ich wegmusste — schnell. Ich mag klein sein, aber ich schlage hart zu. Ich hatte ein bisschen Bargeld gespart. Ich rannte, bis meine Lungen brannten, bis Entfernung sich wie Sicherheit anfühlte. Irgendwie landete ich in einem Bus Richtung Nordkalifornien. „Halt hier für Ravenshollow“, ruft der Fahrer, als die Türen zischend aufgehen. Ich schwinge meinen Rucksack hoch und steige hinunter in Luft, die nach nassem Holz und Essen riecht. Vor mir steht ein aus Baumstämmen gebautes Hotel mit grünem Dach, perfekt wie auf einer Postkarte. Ein Restaurant ist angeschlossen, und der warme, herzhafte Duft lässt meinen Magen sofort antworten. Ich folge einer Familie, die hineingeht. Direkt am Eingang gibt es einen kleinen Geschenkeladen, vollgestellt mit Souvenirs — und ein HILFE GESUCHT-Schild, das genauso gut ein Leuchtfeuer sein könnte. Hinter dem Tresen steht eine ältere Frau. Dunkle Locken nach hinten gebunden, wache Augen. Sie lächelt die Familie an, heißt sie willkommen, und dann landet ihr Blick auf mir, als hätte sie erwartet, dass ich auftauche. Ich tue so, als würde ich stöbern, und verschaffe mir eine Minute. Kleinigkeiten. Postkarten. Dann bleibt meine Aufmerksamkeit an einer kleinen Schneekugel hängen — Wälder und Berge unter Glas versiegelt. Hübsch. Vertraut auf eine Weise, die an einem anderen Traum zieht, den ich manchmal habe. Der ist kein Albtraum. „Kann ich dir helfen, Liebes?“, sagt eine Stimme hinter mir. Ich zucke zusammen, mein Herz macht einen Sprung. Wie war sie so nah gekommen, ohne einen Laut? Normalerweise war ich überwachsam — immer am Lauschen. „Hallo“, sage ich und drehe mich um. „Ich habe das Hilfe-gesucht-Schild gesehen.“ Ich deute zur Tür. Ihre Augen wandern über mich, langsam und abschätzend. Dann — nein, das konnte sie nicht getan haben — hebt sie die Nase, als würde sie meinen Geruch aufnehmen. Hat sie gerade an mir geschnuppert? Verwirrung flackert über ihr Gesicht. Sie deutet zur Kasse, und ihre Hand landet kurz auf meiner Schulter — warmer Druck, dann so schnell wieder weg, dass es sich anfühlt, als hätte ich es mir eingebildet. „Wie alt bist du?“, fragt sie und reibt sich die Hand, mit der sie mich berührt hatte, als würde ihre Haut reagieren. „Einundzwanzig, Ma’am“, antworte ich zu schnell. „Blödsinn.“ Meine Kehle zieht sich zusammen. „…In zwei Jahren“, gebe ich zu. „Ich brauche Arbeit. Ich arbeite hart. Ich werde keine Probleme machen.“ „Wenn du einen Job willst, sagst du die Wahrheit, wenn ich dich etwas frage.“ Ihre Stimme ist fest, von der Sorte, die nicht nachgibt. „Ich bin Miriam. Und du bist?“ „Bridget, Ma’am.“ „Also, Ms. Bridget — nenn mich Ms. Miriam. Das machen alle.“ Sie hebt das Kinn und nimmt den Raum ein, ohne es zu versuchen. „Das hier ist meine Lodge. Ich gebe dir eine Chance und sehe mir an, was du kannst. Kannst du kochen? Zimmer putzen?“ „Ja, Ms. Miriam. Das habe ich den größten Teil meines Lebens gemacht.“ „Hm.“ Sie mustert mich erneut. „Hast du irgendwo einen Platz zum Schlafen?“ „Nein, aber ich kann etwas organisieren.“ Ich halte meine Stimme ruhig. Ich hatte einen Park bemerkt, als wir hereingefahren waren; ich könnte dort verschwinden, still bleiben, unsichtbar bleiben. Ich bezweifelte, dass eine so kleine Stadt viel an Unterkünften zu bieten hatte. „Also, so läuft es bei mir. Die Leute, die Zimmer putzen, behalte ich auf dem Gelände.“ Sie sagt es, als wäre es das Normalste der Welt. „Ich habe Platz. Und dazu gibt es drei Mahlzeiten am Tag im Diner. Was meinst du?“ Für eine Sekunde schmerzt meine Brust, als wüsste mein Körper nicht, wie er so viel Glück halten soll. „Ja, Ma’am — Ms. Miriam“, korrigiere ich mich und schlucke schwer. „Das klingt… unglaublich. Ich werde Sie das nicht bereuen lassen.“ „In Ordnung, Kind.“ Ihr Ton wird nur einen Hauch weicher. „Dann sorgen wir erst dafür, dass du etwas zu essen bekommst, und danach bringen wir dich unter.“ Ich folge ihr, während sich Entschlossenheit in mir festzieht. Ich würde das schaffen. Was auch immer mich hierhergeschleppt hatte, ich würde nicht wieder gehen, es sei denn, ich müsste. Die Leute starren, als wir vorbeigehen. Ich bemerke die Seitenblicke, die neugierigen Pausen, die Art, wie Gespräche zu Flüstern werden und dann wieder weitergehen, sobald ich vorüber bin. Ich war schon früher das neue Mädchen. Zu oft. Es sticht immer noch, aber ich lasse nicht zu, dass es meine Haltung verändert. Ms. Miriam blickt zurück. „Alles in Ordnung, Mädchen?“ „Ja“, sage ich und atme aus. „Nur… ich bin wirklich dankbar, dass Sie mir eine Chance geben.“ „Ich glaube, dir wird diese Stadt gefallen.“ Sie rutscht in eine Nische nahe der Küche und bedeutet mir, mich zu setzen. „Und ich glaube, du könntest hierherpassen.“ Passen. Das Wort landet seltsam. Ich nehme die Speisekarte, die sie mir reicht, und zwinge mich zu einem kleinen Lächeln zurück. Ich suchte nicht nach Wundern. Ich wollte einfach nur den Kopf unten halten, arbeiten, bis ich mir meinen eigenen Platz in der Welt verdient hatte. Aber während ich dort sitze, dem Klappern aus der Küche und dem leisen Summen der Lodge um uns herum lausche, begreife ich zwei Dinge. Ich mag Ms. Miriam schon jetzt. Und vielleicht — nur vielleicht — bin ich endlich an einen Ort getreten, an dem ich bleiben kann. Kapitel 2 Das Blackwood-River-Rudel Teil 1 Alphas Ryders POV „Alpha Ryder, Ihr Vater versucht, Sie zu erreichen. Er muss mit Ihnen sprechen, Sir.“ Einer meiner Krieger holte mich endlich ein. Ich hatte jede Kommunikationsleitung gekappt und war zu einem Lauf davongeschossen. Ich halte meine Männer scharf. Immer. Fährtenübungen, Tarnarbeit, die Art von Tests, die sie ins Schwitzen bringen. An den meisten Tagen finden sie mich überhaupt nicht. In diese Art von Stärke hineingeboren zu werden — der stärkste Alpha, den irgendjemand, der noch lebt, je gesehen hat — wird auf eine Weise alt, die niemand versteht. Kämpfe enden schnell. Gegner zerbrechen. Ich nicht. Rücksichtslos ist das Wort, das sie benutzen. Tötungsmaschine ist das, das sie flüstern. Vielleicht ist das der Grund, warum unser Gebiet voll und geschützt ist — über zweitausend Wölfe unter meinem Namen, und kein einziger Idiot mit einem funktionierenden Gehirn kommt auf die Idee, Ärger zu suchen. Dads Besessenheit ist seit Monaten dieselbe: ein weiterer verdammter Ball. Die nahegelegenen Rudel einladen. Lächeln. Hände schütteln. Das Schicksal endlich meine Gefährtin auf meinen Weg schieben lassen. Ich hatte bereits gesucht. Über Kontinente hinweg und wieder zurück. Immer noch nichts. An diesem Punkt fühlt es sich an, als hätte die Mondgöttin meinen Faden leer gelassen. Vielleicht ist meine Gefährtin tot. Vielleicht hat sie nie existiert. Gefährten der zweiten Chance sind selten genug, um Märchen zu sein. Also nehme ich, was ich will, wann ich es will — jede Wölfin, die mir ins Auge fällt. Es nimmt die Schärfe heraus, hält den Druck davon ab, überzukochen. Oder, genauer gesagt, es hält Talon davon ab, die Welt auseinanderzureißen. Talon ist mein Wolf: riesig, mitternachtsschwarz, mit Augen wie Mondlicht auf Stahl. Und irgendwie schafft er es, ein noch größeres Arschloch zu sein als ich. Sein Ruf ist schlimmer als meiner, was dir alles sagen sollte. „Danke, Mason“, sagte ich und schnitt zwischen den Bäumen hindurch. „Deine Fährtensuche wird besser. Mach weiter Druck. Ich werde jemanden wie dich an der Spitze brauchen.“ „Ja, Alpha!“, antwortete Mason sofort. Er macht noch die Highschool fertig, aber der Junge hat Instinkte. Nicht der brutalste Kämpfer, aber ich kann ihn zu der Art von Fährtenleser formen, die nichts übersieht. Die Tatsache, dass er mich so schnell gefunden hatte, erzählte mir allerdings die wahre Geschichte. Mein Vater hatte den richtigen Boten ausgewählt. Ich rannte wieder mit voller Geschwindigkeit los, und Talon drückte gegen meinen Geist, ungeduldig, schob, als wollte er aus meiner Haut herausbrechen. „Nicht jetzt“, warnte ich ihn. „Vater ruft. Heute Nacht bekommst du deinen Lauf. Einen richtigen.“ ‚Ja. Das sagst du schon seit Tagen, Arschloch‘, fauchte er. „Jemand hat schlechte Laune.“ Ich lachte. Er schnitt mich ab und knallte eine Mauer zwischen uns. Na gut. Der Wald tut, was sonst nichts kann. In dem Moment, in dem sich das Blätterdach schließt, beruhigt sich mein Puls. Hier gehören wir hin — Wölfe, in das Land eingefädelt, als wären wir daraus gemacht. Das Blackwood-River-Rudel liegt in Nordkalifornien, ausgebreitet über das größte Gebiet weit und breit. Unsere Grenzen werden von den besten Kämpfern der Region bewacht, und wir stehen nicht allein. Im Norden, innerhalb unserer Landlinie, hält ein Vampirrudel Gebiet. Im Osten verankert sich eine Hexenkolonie wie Wurzeln im Stein. Menschen begreifen es nicht. Sie denken, die Welt sei das, was sie auf Bildschirmen sehen. Die Wahrheit ist größer. Wir pflegen Bündnisse mit Regeln, die zählen — kein Töten über Speziesgrenzen hinweg. Brich diese Regel, und der königliche Hof schaltet sich ein. Diese Prozesse enden nicht mit Gnade. Sie enden mit Leichen. Im Herzen unseres Landes liegt das Dorf: Cottages für Familien, Gemeinschaftsbereiche und eine Schule, die für unsere Kinder gebaut wurde. Es geht nicht nur um Lesen und Zahlen. Es geht um Geschichte — jede übernatürliche Gruppe, jedes hässliche Kapitel und jede harte Lektion. Respekt passiert nicht zufällig. Man lernt ihn, oder man wiederholt dieselben Kriege. Ein paar Menschen besuchen sie auch. Die meisten von ihnen wissen ganz genau, was wir sind, und sie halten den Mund. Im Gegenzug halten wir ihre Stadt sicher. „Lass mich raten“, sagte Connor, als er neben mir in Schritt fiel, sobald ich ins Rudelhaus ging, „du hast dich wieder versteckt und es ‚Training‘ genannt.“ Connor — mein bester Freund, mein zukünftiger Beta. „Ja“, gab ich zu. „Ich brauchte es. Talon ist angespannt. Diese Veranstaltung rückt näher, und mein Vater hört nicht auf zu drängen. Ich denke, ich fahre vielleicht runter nach Crescent Valley.“ Connors Augen glitten seitwärts, misstrauisch und amüsiert. „Ach, ist das so?“, sagte er. „Oder ist es einfach Aurelia, von der du nicht wegbleiben kannst?“ Ich stieß langsam den Atem aus. Aurelia sollte selbst eine Alpha werden. Wir hatten uns als Kinder im Alpha-Training kennengelernt, und es hatte schnell zwischen uns gepasst — zuerst Freunde, immer. Der Sex kam später, mal ja, mal nein, ohne daran geknüpfte Versprechen. Wir hofften beide noch auf Gefährten. Wir waren nur stark genug, um ohne sie weiterzuleben. Crescent Valley lag direkt südlich von uns, Strände zogen sich entlang ihres Landes. Talon liebte es immer, nahe am Wasser zu laufen. „Nun“, sagte ich und ließ ein Grinsen an meinem Mund ziehen, „wenn mich die Erinnerung nicht täuscht, schaffst du es, jedes einzelne Mal eine neue Wölfin zu ‚finden‘, wenn wir diese Reise machen.“ Connor grinste. „Ich werde nicht so tun, als hätte ich deine Urlaube nicht genossen.“ Aber irgendetwas an ihm fühlte sich falsch an — zu angespannt hinter den Witzen. „Alles okay?“, fragte ich und blieb im Flur stehen, sodass er sich mir stellen musste. „Du bist in letzter Zeit woanders gewesen. Sprich mit mir.“ Wir waren fast gleich groß. Er hielt meinem Blick stand und nickte dann, als hätte die Frage ins Schwarze getroffen. „Ja“, sagte er und fuhr sich mit einer Hand durchs Haar. „Es ist … mein Wolf. Irgendetwas geht vor sich, und er sagt mir kein verdammtes Wort. Es macht mich wahnsinnig.“ Er sah aus, als könnte er sich die eigenen Haare ausreißen. „Vielleicht lernen unsere Wölfe irgendwann, wie Erwachsene zu kommunizieren“, sagte ich laut genug, damit Talon es hörte. Gleichgültigkeit streifte meinen Geist — Talon, der sich abwandte — dann ging die Mauer wieder hoch. Wir gingen zur Haupttreppe und stiegen in den zweiten Stock hinauf. Das Büro meines Vaters lag am Ende des Flurs. Meins lag gegenüber, mit Blick auf den Garten und das Labyrinth. Der Ball würde stattfinden, ob es mir gefiel oder nicht. Dad hatte vollständige Anwesenheit verlangt, alles nur, weil er wollte, dass ich endlich meine Gefährtin fand. Ich war fünfundzwanzig — jung für einen Mann, aber nicht für einen Alpha. Die meisten übernehmen mit achtzehn. Nach Rudelmaßstäben war ich bereits spät dran. Ich hatte die Alpha-Trainingsschule absolviert. Ich hatte zusätzliche Arbeit mit der königlichen Garde gemacht. Wenn das Schicksal sich weigerte, mir Frieden zu geben, würde ich zumindest meine Hände beschäftigt halten. Training ließ die Wut abfließen. Es hielt Talon unter Kontrolle. Und wenn das nicht genug war, ließ ich den Rest an Frauen aus, die bereit waren, mein Bett zu teilen. Ich hasste mein Leben nicht. Ich hasste nur den hohlen Raum, wo eine Bindung sein sollte. Irgendwo da draußen, betete ich immer weiter, gab es noch eine Gefährtin, die für mich bestimmt war — eine Frau, stark genug, um meinen Wolf zu beruhigen und unser Rudel noch schwerer zerbrechlich zu machen. Falls das überhaupt möglich war. Oben an der Treppe verlinkten die Wachen im Dienst meinen Vater per Gedankenverbindung, dass wir angekommen waren. Bevor wir klopfen konnten, drang seine Stimme durch die Tür. „Herein.“ Wir traten ein. „Sohn. Connor.“ Mein Vater sah von seinem Schreibtisch auf. „Nett von euch, euch endlich zu zeigen. Dein Verschwinden bereitet unseren Fährtenlesern Albträume.“ „Alpha Marcus“, sagte Connor und verbeugte sich respektvoll. Dads Aura traf wie Druck in der Luft — intensiv, befehlend — aber bei mir bewirkte sie nie viel. „Ja, Dad“, sagte ich und ließ Humor meine Gereiztheit maskieren. „Kann sie ja nicht faul werden lassen.“ Mit zwei Meter sechzehn, mit Schultern, die wie eine Wand gebaut sind, bin ich nicht gerade unauffällig. Aber Geruchskontrolle und Bewegung sind Fähigkeiten, und ich habe sie früh gemeistert. Ein Teil des Trainings besteht darin, zu lernen, wie man unsichtbar ist, selbst wenn man es eigentlich nicht sein sollte. Das Blackwood-Training ist aus gutem Grund brutal. Wir halten unsere Zahlen hoch und unsere Verluste niedrig. Es bedeutet etwas, den Namen dieses Rudels zu tragen. Mein Vater schloss die Mappe auf seinem Schreibtisch. „Deine Mutter hat den Ball für nächste Woche angesetzt. Die lokalen Rudel sind bestätigt, und wir haben sogar ein paar, die aus dem Ausland kommen. Es wird groß werden.“ Sein Blick wurde schärfer. „Ich brauche dein Wort, dass du dich benimmst. Du wirst gastfreundlich sein. Und du wirst nicht mit jedem zukünftigen Alpha Streit anfangen, der falsch atmet. Das ist deiner Mutter wichtig — und mir. Je eher du deine Gefährtin findest, desto eher können wir endlich zurücktreten.“ „Dad“, sagte ich vorsichtig, „ich führe das Rudel bereits. Du hast die Arbeit übergeben. Finanzen, Sicherheit, Grenzberichte — alles. Ich habe das stärkste Team, das wir je hatten. Mein Beta ist hier. Mein Gamma und Delta sind an ihrem Platz. Wir sind bereit.“ „Ihr seid nah dran“, sagte er und gab keinen Zentimeter nach. „Aber eine Luna bringt Gleichgewicht. Deine Gefährtin wird das Biest in dir beruhigen und dich auf Arten stärken, die du noch nicht berührt hast. Ich trete nicht zurück, solange du noch ein unberechenbarer Hitzkopf bist.“ Die Luft verließ meine Lungen in einem kontrollierten Ausatmen. Er lag nicht falsch. Ich wusste nur nicht, wie ich mich beweisen sollte, wenn er sich weigerte, loszulassen. „Ich werde mich von meiner besten Seite zeigen“, sagte ich. Er wandte sich Connor zu. „Zukünftiger Beta Connor, ich erwarte, dass du deinen zukünftigen Alpha ruhig hältst. So wie du es immer getan hast.“ Connor senkte erneut den Kopf. „Ja, Alpha Marcus. Betrachten Sie es als erledigt. Sie können auf mich zählen.“ Wir verließen das Büro. Connor ist an meiner Seite, seit wir Welpen waren. Wenn es eine Person gibt, der ich meinen Rücken, meine Kehle und mein Leben anvertraue, dann ist er es. Loyal zum Rudel. Loyal zu mir. Und irgendwie ist er der Einzige, der mich herunterreden kann, wenn Wut mich blind macht. „Wir haben noch Zeit vor dem Mittagessen“, sagte ich, während wir gingen. „Lass uns wechseln und laufen.“ Talon wurde sofort aufmerksam, Aufregung drückte an die Ränder meines Geistes. Connors Grinsen kehrte zurück. „Klingt gut. Drake hat es auch gebraucht.“ Wir gingen hinaus zur Baumgrenze hinter dem Rudelhaus. Unterwegs trafen wir auf Lucas und Pierce — zwei weitere aus unserem Kreis. Wenn ich endlich offiziell die volle Kontrolle übernehme, sind sie diejenigen, die ich als Gamma und Delta an meiner Seite haben will. Lucas hatte seine Gefährtin bereits gefunden, und das sah man. Sie kam aus einem benachbarten Rudel, und sie hatten sich erst vor Kurzem kennengelernt, aber sie klebten aneinander, als hätte die Bindung sie zusammengeschweißt. Ich wollte das. Nicht den Sex. Die Gewissheit. Der Rest von uns — Connor, Pierce und ich — war oft zusammen gereist. Nächte endeten gewöhnlich mit einem warmen Bett und welcher Wölfin auch immer wir wählten. Am Rand des Waldes zogen wir uns schnell aus, darauf bedacht, außer Sicht zu bleiben. Unverpaarte Wölfinnen in unserem Rudel lauern wie Schatten, immer auf der Jagd nach Aufmerksamkeit. Ich vermeide es, wenn ich kann. Ich habe genug Geschichten darüber gehört, was eine Luna innerhalb ihres eigenen Rudels ertragen muss — die Eifersucht, die Intrigen, den ständigen Druck. Wenn meine Gefährtin kommt, will ich, dass sie sich hier sicher fühlt. Als würde dieser Ort ihr gehören. Ja, ich hatte mit ein paar Frauen aus Blackwood geschlafen. Aber in letzter Zeit hatte ich es mir zur Regel gemacht: keine mehr. Nur Außenstehende. Es ist sauberer. Einfacher. Und da Talon sich … anders verhält, fühlt es sich notwendig an. Etwas kommt. Ich kann fühlen, wie es direkt vor meinem Leben sitzt und darauf wartet, hart genug zuzuschlagen, um alles zu verändern. Kapitel 3 Das Blackwood-River-Rudel Teil 2 Alpha Ryders POV Wir zogen uns aus und verstauten unsere Kleidung am Fuß einiger Bäume, während wir unsere Wölfe nach vorn gleiten ließen und ihnen das Steuer überließen. Talon kam als der Größte heraus—keine Frage. Ich war schon in menschlicher Gestalt groß, aber mein Wolf war deutlich über zwei Meter groß, gebaut wie ein Rammbock, mit Schultern, die sich durch alles hindurchwalzen konnten. Drake, der Wolf meines Betas, kam mir in der Größe beinahe gleich. Connors Blutlinie war mir immer alt und mächtig vorgekommen; sein Wolf zeigte es—dunkelbraunes Fell mit sauberen weißen Pfoten. Nero, Lucas’ Wolf, trug ein kräftiges graues Fell, während Pierce’ Wolf, Lance, ebenfalls grau war, mit Weiß um die Augen und quer über die Brust gezeichnet. Schnell. Stark. Gefährlich. Die beste Kombination. Wir schnitten mit voller Geschwindigkeit durch den Wald, die Welt verschwamm zu Stämmen und Wind—bis Talon plötzlich hellwach wurde. Er riss hart herum und schoss in einen Sprint, so abrupt, dass es an meinem Gleichgewicht zerrte. Ich versuchte, ihn zu erreichen, meine Stimme in seinen Geist zu drücken, aber er knallte die Verbindung zu. „Talon—was ist los?“ Ich drängte trotzdem weiter, bekam nichts zurück, während er direkt auf die Klippe zuraste. Er wurde erst langsamer, als er den Rand erreichte, der über der Stadt lag—der Menschenstadt—die sich unten wie ein stilles, gewöhnliches Gemälde ausbreitete. Ich kämpfte um genug Kontrolle, um zu sehen, was ihn gepackt hatte. Die alte Lodge. „Talon“, verlangte ich, „was ist hier los?“ „Ich weiß es nicht…“, antwortete er, und allein das zog mir einen Knoten in die Brust. Talon hatte immer einen Spruch. Immer. Die anderen donnerten schließlich hinter uns herauf. „Alles okay?“, verband sich Drake, der Atem rau vom Lauf. „Mit Talon stimmt etwas nicht“, schickte ich zurück. „Wir gehen rein. Mittagessen.“ Was auch immer ihm unter die Haut gegangen war, ich würde es herausfinden. Zurück im Rudelhaus duschten wir und gingen in den riesigen Speisesaal. Die Küche war hier für alle offen—keine verschlossenen Türen, keine Trennung. Meine Eltern traten gemeinsam ein, die Hand meines Vaters um die meiner Mutter geschlossen, als gehörte sie dorthin. Sie passten zusammen. Sie beruhigte ihn, wenn sein Temperament hochkochte; er gab ihr Halt, wenn die Welt versuchte, sie zu schieben. Das wollte ich eines Tages auch. Hinter ihnen kam der Beta meines Vaters, Warren—Connors Dad. Die Jungs und ich traten danach ein und verbeugten uns vor meinem Alpha und meiner Luna. Dann stieß jemand gegen meine Schulter—ein kleiner, vertrauter Aufprall. „Irgendwann wirst du Pünktlichkeit lernen müssen“, sagte ich, schon amüsiert, als mir ein Grunzen antwortete. Evelyn. Meine Schwester würde bald achtzehn werden, und ich konnte es kaum erwarten, ihren Wolf kennenzulernen. Diese Paarung würde Ärger bedeuten. Evelyn war strahlend und laut und chronisch zu spät. Sie sah aus wie Mom: enge pechschwarze Locken, mandelförmige braune Augen, warme hellbraune Haut. Ich kam mehr nach Dad—haselnussbraune Augen—aber die Locken hatte ich auch geerbt. Ich trug meine ungefähr schulterlang, obwohl sie sich selten benahmen. In einem Kampf verwandelten sie sich in eine wilde Mähne; ich hatte mich nach einer Schlacht gesehen und ausgesehen, als hätte ich versucht, einen Sturm mit dem Kopf zu rammen. „Dieser Tag wird nie kommen“, sagte Evelyn. „Meine Labore gehen vor.“ Genie reichte nicht einmal ansatzweise aus, um sie zu beschreiben. Sie belegte bereits Kurse auf College-Niveau, zielte auf die Wissenschaft ab, und sie arbeitete Seite an Seite mit den Hexen in unserem Rudel, während sie Wissen hin und her austauschten. Sie war umwerfend, und deswegen—weil sie meine und Dads war und wir wussten, was die Welt schönen, brillanten Frauen antat—hatten wir jede Stunde Sicherheit bei ihr. Niemand rührte sie an. Niemand kam ihr zu nahe. Falls doch, hätte ich es mit bloßen Händen geregelt—vorausgesetzt, Dad wäre nicht zuerst dort gewesen. „Hey, Evelyn“, sagte Connor und sah sofort weg. Ich hatte meine Freunde gewarnt: Legt eine Hand an sie, und ich entferne Dinge, an denen sie hingen. „Hi, Connor!“, strahlte Evelyn. „Danke für das Buch. Es war genau das, was ich für meine Forschung gebraucht habe.“ „Was für ein Buch?“ Die Worte kamen schärfer heraus, als ich beabsichtigt hatte, und meine Alpha-Aura begann von mir abzurollen. Connor spürte es und fiel in Unterwerfung, senkte den Kopf und entblößte seinen Hals. Evelyn bewegte sich schnell und stellte sich zwischen uns. „Ryder, hör auf. Es ist für die Schule. Atme.“ Sie sah zu mir auf—flehend, stur, furchtlos. Meine Mutter trat an meine Seite und führte mich zu meinem Stuhl. „Schatz, beruhig dich. Ich habe Connor gebeten, es auf seiner letzten Fahrt mitzunehmen.“ Und einfach so floss die Hitze aus mir heraus. Diese zwei Frauen—meine Mutter und meine Schwester—konnten mich vom Rand zurückziehen wie niemand sonst außer meiner zukünftigen Gefährtin. Dad versuchte, ein Lachen zu verbergen, und scheiterte. Er wusste genau, wie sehr sie mich in der Hand hatten. Ihn ebenfalls. ‚Tut mir leid, Mann‘, verband sich Connor, als wir saßen. ‚Luna Kendra hat mich gebeten, es zu besorgen. Ich wusste nicht, dass es für Evelyn war. Keine Respektlosigkeit.‘ Ich nickte und ließ es gut sein. Evelyn nahm den Platz mir gegenüber ein. Ein paar ihrer Freundinnen winkten, als sie zu ihrem eigenen Tisch gingen, und warfen Connor und mir ein Lächeln zu. Wir beide grinsten schief und sahen weg. Zum einen waren sie gerade erst volljährig. Zum anderen hatten Connor und ich beide nach der Regel gelebt: Leg dich nicht mit den Frauen in deinem eigenen Rudel ein. Ich hielt dieses Versprechen noch immer. Connor… in letzter Zeit fühlte er sich seltsam an. Als hätte sich etwas unter seiner Haut verschoben. Wölfe waren beim Thema Sex nicht schüchtern. Starker Trieb, offene Einstellungen—es war hier kein Tabu. Das änderte sich, wenn es um Familie ging. Und es änderte sich noch mehr, wenn es um eine Gefährtin ging. Der Gedanke, dass jemand anderes sie berührte, drehte mir den Magen um. Jemals. Auf irgendeine Weise. Es war heuchlerisch—wenn man bedachte, mit wie vielen Frauen ich zusammen gewesen war. Ich wusste es. Trotzdem war die Wahrheit hässlich: Ich war ein selbstsüchtiges Arschloch. Das Mittagessen kam für die Hauptfamilienlinie auf den Tisch—Brathähnchen, Kartoffelpüree, grüne Bohnen und ein Salat, der mit Erdbeeren und Blauschimmelkäse aufgepeppt war. Wir betrieben sogar eine Kochschule für Rudelmitglieder. Ja, es war schwer für die Mittagszeit. Aber Training verbrannte Treibstoff schnell, und Wölfe—zusammen mit den anderen Paranormalen auf unserem Land—liefen heiß. Mein Vater legte seine Gabel ab. „Sohn, ich bin gerade auf etwas aufmerksam gemacht worden, um das ich mich nach dem Mittagessen kümmern muss. Ich will dich und deine Männer in meinem Büro, wenn wir fertig sind.“ „Ja, Dad“, sagte ich. „Ist alles in Ordnung?“ „Wir reden unter vier Augen. Es ist nichts, womit wir nicht fertigwerden.“ Sein Blick hielt meinen, dann wechselte er zum Gedankenlink. ‚Wir haben Teams, die die Grenzen überprüfen. Wir glauben, es hat eine Sichtung eines Abtrünnigen gegeben. Sie werden sich in Kürze melden. Iss. Wir müssen Entscheidungen treffen.‘ ‚Ja, Sir‘, schickte ich zurück. Ich aß wie ein verhungerndes Tier. Talon war unruhig, bereit, hinauszurasen und selbst die Grenze zu patrouillieren. Nach dem Mittagessen gingen wir in das Büro meines Vaters—Connor, Lucas, Pierce und ich. Krieger standen an der Rückwand stramm. Ältester Gideon vom Vampirzirkel war dort, und auch Hohepriesterin Winifred vom Hexenzirkel—beide Zirkel lebten auf unserem Land. Dad und Beta Warren kamen herein. Wir nahmen Plätze rund um den langen Eichentisch ein, mein Vater am Kopfende. Er gab unseren besten Fährtenlesern ein Zeichen. „Ein Durchbruch“, berichtete der leitende Fährtenleser und verbeugte sich. „In der Nähe des Flusses. Wir haben aufgeschnappt, was ein Abtrünniger sein könnte… aber etwas fühlte sich anders an. Vielleicht Magie.“ „Bei Wachen an jedem Punkt“, fuhr ich auf und knallte die Handflächen auf den Tisch. Holz knackte unter dem Druck. „Wie ist irgendetwas durchgekommen—und ist es noch auf unserem Grundstück?“ Ältester Gideons Stimme schnitt hinein, ruhig und uralt. „Bei allem Respekt, Alpha Ryder, ich glaube nicht, dass es ein einfacher Abtrünniger ist. Ja, wir haben den Geruch von Wolf aufgefangen. Aber wir haben auch etwas gespürt… darüber hinaus. Jenseitig. Kräfte außerhalb von allem, dem wir in Tausenden von Jahren begegnet sind.“ Mein Vater nickte langsam. „Dann konsultieren wir die Große Versammlung. Wenn sie abnorme Energie gelesen haben, die von hier kommt, könnten andere Spezies sie ebenfalls bemerkt haben.“ „Ich stimme zu“, sagte Gideon. „Etwas bewegt sich seit ungefähr einer Woche in den Schatten. Ich habe starke Schwingungen aus der Stadt gespürt. Die Menschen, mit denen ich spreche, behaupten, nichts habe sich verändert, aber ich werde wieder Vampire hinunterschicken, damit sie nachsehen.“ Andere Rudel fanden es seltsam—Wölfe, die Land mit Hexen und Vampiren teilten. Ich fand es klug. Zahlen hielten einen am Leben. Wir halfen, ihre Bereiche zu verteidigen; sie verstärkten unsere mit Zaubern. Und dennoch war, trotz all dem, unsere Grenze in den letzten Tagen durchbrochen worden. Mein Vater wandte sich wieder mir zu. „Ryder, ich brauche dich und deine besten Fährtenleser an den Grenzen. Crescent Valley berührt fast unsere südwestliche Linie. Ich werde Alpha Zachary kontaktieren und fragen, ob sie irgendetwas gespürt haben. Seine Luna hat Fähigkeiten, die helfen könnten—und ihr Zirkel ist in der Nähe.“ „Es ist nicht weit“, sagte ich. „Ich kann persönlich hingehen, direkt mit ihnen sprechen und am nächsten Tag wieder zurück sein.“ Aus dem Augenwinkel zuckte Connors Mund, als wäre er amüsiert. Talon wurde bei der Idee munter—Ozean. Jede Ausrede, um ins Wasser zu kommen, und er war sofort dabei. Und ich konnte Aurelia besuchen, während ich dort war. Dampf ablassen. Mein Vater lehnte sich zurück, nachdenklich. „Das könnte wertvoll sein. Aber wir rufen zuerst an. Wir tauchen nicht einfach auf.“ Dann sah er zu Connor. „Zukünftiger Beta Connor—das ist eine gute Gelegenheit für dich. Führungstraining. Du wirst erleben, wie es ist, das Rudel in der Abwesenheit deines Alphas zu verwalten. Dein Vater wird dich anleiten. Jeder versteht seine Rolle, um unser Land für alle Spezies hier sicher zu halten?“ Connor nickte. Warren nickte. Der ganze Tisch tat es ihnen gleich. „Ja, Alpha“, antworteten alle zusammen. Wir brachen mit Zielstrebigkeit auf. Als zukünftiger Alpha wollte ich, dass alles, was auf unser Land geschlüpft war, gefunden—und schnell entfernt—wurde. Ich musste einen Anruf tätigen und eine Tasche packen, damit ich aufbrechen und so schnell wie möglich zurückkommen konnte. Etwas kam durch unsere Grenzen. Und was immer es war, es trug eine Macht in sich, die jeden Einzelnen von uns nervös machte. Kapitel 4 Nur Arbeit und kein Vergnügen... Bridgets Sicht Ich war jeden Tag vor Sonnenaufgang aufgewacht, fast aus dem Bett gesprungen, nur um zwischen den Bäumen laufen zu gehen. Die kalte, klare Luft traf auf meine Lungen und ließ mich lebendig fühlen. Hier aus diesem Bus auszusteigen, war die richtige Entscheidung gewesen. Wenn ich nicht arbeitete, war ich meistens bei Ms. Miriam, und sie sagte mir immer wieder—immer und immer wieder—, dass ich Leute in meinem Alter brauchte. Gnadenlos, Ms. Miriam. Und außerdem urkomisch. Ich hatte damit angefangen, Zimmer zu schrubben, aber jetzt half ich endlich im Restaurant aus. Miriam verwöhnte mich praktisch—ein Zimmer vorne in der Lodge, drei Mahlzeiten am Tag, plus ein Gehaltsscheck. Meine Ersparnisse würden im Handumdrehen wieder aufgebaut sein. Mein Zimmer lag nahe am Eingang: ein Bett, ein winziger Wohnbereich, eine Kochnische mit einem kleinen Tisch und mein eigenes Badezimmer. Es war nichts Besonderes, aber es gehörte mir. „Abholen, Tisch vier“, bellte Roland vom Küchenfenster aus und riss mich aus meinen Gedanken. „Bin dran, Roland. Danke“, rief ich zurück. Er schenkte mir ein seltenes Lächeln. Roland war älter und normalerweise sauer wie Essig—nur nicht bei mir. Miriam sagte gern, ich würde ihn beruhigen. Mom hatte früher gesagt, ich könne einen Raum heller machen. Vielleicht hatte sie nicht völlig unrecht gehabt. „Bitte sehr, meine Damen.“ Ich stellte die Teller mit einem geübten Lächeln ab. Drei Mädchen ungefähr in meinem Alter sahen auf. „Danke!“, sagte eine. Ich drehte mich zum nächsten Tisch, um nach Nachfüllungen zu sehen, und stolperte beinahe über meine eigene Konzentration. Zwei Männer saßen dort—lächerlich gut aussehend. Einer war blond und hatte Locken. Der andere war kahl, mit einem kurzen Bart und glatter brauner Haut, die im Feuerschein von den Fenstern unwirklich aussah. Ehrlich gesagt sah jeder Mann, den ich in dieser Stadt gesehen hatte, aus, als wäre er dafür gebaut worden, mit Bären zu ringen: groß, breit, alles Muskeln. Audrey schob ihre Mahlzeiten auf den Tisch—doppeltes Country-Fried-Steak, Kartoffelpüree, grüne Bohnen. Die Teller sahen aus, als gehörten sie in einen Wettkampf. Ich füllte ihre Getränke auf. Einer von ihnen nickte mir kurz zu—ein Danke ohne ein Wort—, und ich ging zurück, um Servietten zu holen. „Bridget!“, rief Miriam. Ich drehte mich um und sah, wie sie mit einem Stapel Kuchenschachteln kämpfte—fünf Stück—, die in ihren Armen gefährlich schwankten. Ich eilte hinüber. „Ich hab Sie, Ms. Miriam—“ „Lass mich.“ Eine tiefe Stimme schnitt dazwischen, und eine große Gestalt trat vor. „Mason, Gott segne dich, Liebes“, sagte Miriam erleichtert. Bevor ich blinzeln konnte, hielt ich zwei Schachteln, und der lockige Blonde—Mason—hatte die anderen drei genommen, als würden sie nichts wiegen. „Bridget, das ist Mason“, sagte Miriam. Mason sah zu mir hinunter und wurde leicht rosa. „Schön, dich kennenzulernen“, sagte ich schnell und zwang meine Aufmerksamkeit zurück auf die Arbeit. „Wohin sollen die, Ms. Miriam?“ „Tisch vier.“ Sie ließ sich neben mich fallen, als wir zurück zu den Mädchen gingen, die ich bedient hatte. „Schätzchen, die sind für deine Mutter. Bitte sag ihr, dass ich an sie denke.“ „Mach ich, Ms. Miriam. Ich bringe sie gleich rüber“, versprach das Mädchen. Miriams Augen funkelten, als sie sich wieder zu mir umdrehte. „Bridget, hast du meine süßen Kinder aus der Stadt schon kennengelernt? Evelyn, Sienna, Archer—“ Ihre Hand glitt in Richtung des Tisches. „Und diese Herren sind Mason und Barrett.“ Sie nickten alle, lächelten, als würden sie mich länger kennen als fünf Sekunden. „Hi“, sagte ich, ein wenig steif. Mason lehnte sich vor. „Wir haben gehört, dass du gerade erst hergezogen bist. Was hat dich nach—“ „Oh mein Gott, Mason“, fiel Evelyn ihm ins Wort und warf ihm einen Blick zu. „Sie ist gerade erst hier. Verhör sie nicht.“ Seine Schultern sanken. „Sorry.“ Siennas Gesicht leuchtete auf, als hätte sie sich an etwas Wichtiges erinnert. „Warte—heute Abend Lagerfeuer. Du kommst mit uns.“ Sie stieß Evelyn mit dem Ellbogen an. „Ja“, sagte Evelyn sofort, die Augen hell. „Mondlicht, Musik, Tanzen. Komm schon. Was sagst du?“ „Ich kann nicht“, sagte ich automatisch. „Ich arbeite heute Abend.“ Von hinter der Theke trug Miriams Stimme durch den Raum. „Nicht mehr! Ich habe dich schon freigestellt. Du gehst aus, junge Dame. Du brauchst Freunde. Ich bestehe darauf!“ Ich atmete hilflos aus. „Ich schätze… ich gehe zu einem Lagerfeuer.“ Ich setzte ein Lächeln auf und versuchte, es glaubwürdig wirken zu lassen. „Perfekt.“ Evelyn hielt ihre Hand hin. „Handy.“ Ich gab es ihr, und sie tippte darauf herum, als würde ihr der Laden gehören. „Neun Uhr. Wir holen dich ab.“ Ein Lachen rutschte mir heraus, weil sie so selbstbewusst vorging. Als sie mir mein Handy zurückgab, sah ich, dass sie sich selbst auch geschrieben hatte—damit sie meine Nummer hatte. Ich hob eine Braue. Sie zwinkerte. Okay. Vielleicht konnte mein erstes Lagerfeuer tatsächlich Spaß machen. Und vielleicht würde es mich dazu zwingen, damit aufzuhören, ein einsamer Geist zu sein. Später gingen wir zusammen hinunter zum See. Die Nacht war dicht und dunkel, aber ich konnte gut genug sehen. Ich hatte meine Locken zu einem unordentlichen Dutt hochgesteckt, Jeans und einen Pullover angezogen—denn wie schick soll man sich bitte für ein Feuer im Wald machen? Mason und Barrett kamen auch mit, und wir quetschten uns alle in denselben pechschwarzen SUV. Als wir näher kamen, tauchte das Lagerfeuer vor uns auf—riesig, lodernd, Funken in den Himmel werfend. Menschen umringten es, Musik wummerte, Körper bewegten sich in lockeren Kreisen. Die Flammen waren so hoch, dass sie aussahen, als wollten sie zu den Sternen hinaufklettern. Auf der anderen Seite der Menge bemerkte ich ein Mädchen mit rotbraunem Haar und sonnengebräunter Haut in einem engen Kleid und Gladiatorensandalen. Irgendetwas an ihr schrie nach Ärger. Ich sah weg, bevor sie mich beim Starren erwischen konnte. „Bier-Runde“, verkündete Sienna und drückte den Mädchen Flaschen in die Hände. Ein Schatten fiel über uns. „Nein.“ Masons Arm kam von hinten, und er hob die Biere weg, als wären wir Mittelschüler. „Ich bin ziemlich sicher, dass keine von euch einundzwanzig ist.“ Evelyn stöhnte. „Danke, Dad. Vergiss nicht, meinen Bruder auf den neuesten Stand zu bringen.“ Sie packte mein Handgelenk und zog mich weg, wobei sie die Jungs absichtlich zurückließ. Während sie nicht hinsahen, zog ich zwei Biere hervor, die ich trotzdem irgendwie ergattert hatte. „Ich wusste, dass ich sie mag“, sagte Archer lachend, während er mich kurz umarmte. Dann driftete ein Geräusch herüber—leise, entfernt. Etwas, das nicht hierhergehörte. Ich suchte die Dunkelheit jenseits des Feuerscheins ab und versuchte herauszufinden, ob es sonst noch jemand gehört hatte. Niemand reagierte. Die Musik war zu laut für sie. Wir gossen die Biere in Plastikbecher und fingen an zu trinken. Der Beat wechselte, und „Need To Know“ von Doja Cat dröhnte aus den Lautsprechern. Die Mädchen und ich begannen zu tanzen, mitzusingen und zu lachen, als wären wir seit Jahren befreundet. Fünf Jungs kamen herübergedriftet, angezogen von der Energie. Und als hätte jemand ihnen ein Zeichen gegeben, tauchten Mason und Archer hinter uns auf. Aus der Nähe war es lächerlich—Mason und Archer sahen aus, als könnten sie jeweils zwei der herankommenden Jungs hochheben und hätten trotzdem noch eine Hand frei. Die fünf wurden langsamer, stellten sich breitbeinig hin, starrten. Weitere Männer traten hinter Mason und Archer. Die Neuankömmlinge rechneten nach und wichen zurück, gingen ohne ein Wort weg. Evelyn verzog das Gesicht, als ein sehr attraktiver Typ ihre Aufmerksamkeit erregte und sie ein paar Schritte zur Seite zog. Er beugte sich vor und sprach knapp und leise. Sie versuchte, dabei weiterzutanzen, aber er spielte nicht mit. Sein Blick huschte an ihr vorbei—direkt zu mir. Ich riss meine Augen weg, bevor sich unsere Blicke treffen konnten. „Keine Sorge“, murmelte Sienna an meinem Ohr. „Das ist Connor. Wir kennen ihn.“ Also gehörte Connor zu ihrem Kreis. Vielleicht hatte Evelyn einen Freund. Oder etwas Kompliziertes. Sie sahen gut zusammen aus—bis ich die Spannung in seiner Haltung sah. Er war wütend, entweder auf sie oder auf die Jungs, die herumgelungert hatten. Wir tranken weiter und bewegten uns. Evelyn kam zurück und schlüpfte wieder in die Gruppe, als wäre nichts passiert. Da schlenderte das nach Ärger aussehende rotbraunhaarige Mädchen mit ihrem kleinen Rudel herüber. „Na, hallo“, sagte sie, die Stimme triefend vor Süße. Ihre Augen glitten zu Evelyn. „Wie geht es denn deinem Bruder?“ „Ihm geht es gut, Whitney“, sagte Evelyn gleichmäßig. „Danke der Nachfrage.“ Whitneys Lächeln wurde schärfer. „Vielleicht rufe ich ihn an und sehe nach, ob er heute Nacht wieder Gesellschaft braucht.“ Sie zwinkerte—dann landete ihre Aufmerksamkeit auf mir. Evelyn trat geschmeidig ein. „Das ist unsere Freundin Bridget.“ „Hi“, sagte ich und hielt es neutral. Whitney musterte mich, als wäre ich ein neuer Artikel in einem Regal. „Hi. Ich bin sicher, wir werden uns sehen.“ Dann drehte sie sich wieder zu den anderen. „Tschüss, Ladys.“ Als sie endlich wegging, lehnte ich mich zu Sienna und flüsterte: „Wer war das?“ Siennas Mund verzog sich. „Ein Mädchen, das von Evelyns Bruder besessen ist und das Wort ‚nein‘ nicht versteht.“ Dann hörte ich es wieder. Ein scharfes Knacken—wie ein Zweig, der unter Gewicht bricht. Mein Kopf fuhr zur Baumgrenze herum. Jenseits der Reichweite des Feuers war der Wald vollkommen schwarz. Ich starrte, bis meine Augen tränten. Und dann sah ich sie. Zwei rote Punkte, fest auf mich gerichtet. Mein Atem stockte. Ich stolperte rückwärts und blieb mit der Ferse fast an dem umgestürzten Baumstamm hängen, auf dem Leute saßen. Evelyn war sofort neben mir, Sorge blitzte über ihr Gesicht. „Was ist los?“ Sie folgte meinem Blick. Ich konnte nicht blinzeln. Es war, als hätte etwas meine Aufmerksamkeit eingehakt und würde sie nicht loslassen. Als ich meine Augen schließlich zwang, sich zu schließen, und sie wieder öffnete, sah die Dunkelheit genauso aus—außer dass meine Haut immer noch kribbelte. „Ich—ich schwöre, ich habe etwas gesehen“, plapperte ich. „Augen. Rote Augen. Ich drehe durch, oder? Es muss das Bier sein.“ „Scheiße“, sagte Connor. Er bewegte sich schnell und trat vor uns. Und ich hätte schwören können, dass ich unter seiner Stimme ein Knurren hörte. Ich schluckte schwer. Ich trinke nie wieder. Alles brach in Chaos aus. Weitere Knurrgeräusche schnitten durch die Nacht. Connors Blick wurde fern, fast glasig, als wäre er irgendwo anders hingeglitten. Mason und Archer verschoben sich ebenfalls vor uns und bildeten eine Mauer. Der Wald raschelte vor schwerer Bewegung. Eine starke Böe riss durch die Lichtung. Die Haare auf meinen Armen stellten sich kerzengerade auf. Dann schrie Connor: „Rogues!“ „Was passiert hier?“, verlangte ich zu wissen, nicht einmal sicher, wen ich fragte. „Was sind Rogues?“ „Wir gehen“, flüsterte Evelyn, und plötzlich wurde ich zum Pfad zurück zur Lodge gezerrt. Ich versuchte, über meine Schulter zu sehen, und eine kalte Linie aus Angst glitt meine Wirbelsäule hinunter. „Beweg dich, Bridget!“, schrie Sienna. Hinter uns wurde Connors Stimme scharf vor Befehl. „Mason, Archer—bleibt mit den anderen zurück. Haltet alle sicher, bis ich zurück bin. Verstärkung kommt. Ich bringe die Mädchen raus.“ Nichts davon ergab Sinn. Ich fühlte mich gleichzeitig verängstigt und schwindelig. Wir rannten den offenen Pfad hinunter, das Geräusch des Knurrens verfolgte uns. Connors Kopf drehte sich immer wieder, suchte jede Seite ab, als erwartete er, dass etwas aus der Dunkelheit sprang. Der SUV kam in Sicht. Türen wurden entriegelt. Leute stiegen ein—alle außer mir. „Bridget, steig ein!“, schrie Sienna. „Ich kann nicht“, sagte ich, der Atem riss. „Ich muss nach Ms. Miriam sehen.“ „Ich habe sie schon angerufen—sie kommt“, schnappte Connor, während er Evelyn hineinschob und zu mir herumfuhr. Er riss die andere Tür auf. „Jetzt.“ „Wie?“, protestierte ich, wie am Boden festgewachsen. „Wann hast du sie angerufen? Während wir gerannt sind? Nichts davon—“ Die Kälte traf wieder, härter, als wäre die Luft zu Eis geworden. Ich sah zurück zum Wald. Etwas bewegte sich in der Dunkelheit. Nicht nur Bewegung—Bewusstsein. Als wüsste es, dass ich hinsah. Als würde die Dunkelheit zurücksehen. Was zur Hölle habe ich getrunken? „Ich bin hier, Kind. Los jetzt.“ Miriams Stimme war plötzlich direkt hinter mir. Ich wirbelte herum. Sie war da—zu nah, zu schnell, als wäre sie aus dem Nichts getreten. „Wie sind Sie so schnell hierhergekommen?“, verlangte ich zu wissen. „Was geht hier vor?“ „Steig ein“, sagte sie, fest, aber sanft, und führte mich zum Sitz. „Wir erklären es, wenn wir von diesem Ort weg sind.“ Ich ließ zu, dass sie mich in den SUV schob. Das Fahrzeug schoss sofort nach vorn. Ich drehte mich, um aus dem Rückfenster zu sehen. Auf dem Parkplatz wurden Autos beiseitegeschoben wie Spielzeug. „Was zum Teufel passiert hier?“, schrie ich. Ein scharfer Schmerzstich bohrte sich durch meinen Schädel. Ich schrie auf und klappte zusammen, hielt mir den Kopf, während meine Sicht schwamm. Einer meiner schlimmen Kopfschmerzen hatte sich angekündigt—die Sorte, die immer kam, wenn der Stress zu hoch wurde. „Hey“, sagte Archer, seine Hand rieb gleichmäßige Kreise auf meinem Rücken. „Geht es dir gut?“ Der Schmerz stieg. Dann setzte Regen ein—plötzlich und heftig, ein brüllender Wolkenbruch, der Geräusche verschluckte. „Ich…“ Mein Kopf wurde leicht. Der Regen schien härter niederzuschlagen, füllte meine Ohren, ertränkte alles. Und dann verwandelte sich die Welt in Schwärze. Völlige Schwärze. Kapitel 5 Das Lagerfeuer... Alpha Ryders POV „Alpha Ryder—wirklich, es ist immer eine Freude, wenn du nach Crescent Valley kommst.“ Luna Adrianas Stimme hallt durch die große Halle des Schlosses, in dem Moment, in dem ich eintrete. Ihr Rudel kommt unserem an Stärke und Größe gleich, und wie wir bestehen sie nicht nur aus einer einzigen Art. Wir sind immer die engsten Verbündeten gewesen. Unsere Väter waren schon als Jungen zusammen, haben Seite an Seite trainiert und diese Verbindung nie verblassen lassen. Adriana sieht genauso legendär aus, wie die Leute es flüsternd erzählen. Nahöstliche Gesichtszüge, mitternachtsschwarzes Haar, glatt aus ihrem Gesicht zurückgenommen, ein juwelenbesetztes Diadem, das das Licht zu den Kronleuchtern zurückwirft. Sie ist nicht so gealtert wie normale Menschen—sie könnte immer noch als jemand in ihren Zwanzigern durchgehen. Königliche Ausstrahlung. Scharf. Sicher. Macht sitzt auf ihr wie eine Krone. „Ich weiß es zu schätzen, dass du dir ohne Vorwarnung Zeit für mich nimmst“, sage ich zu ihr und verbeuge mich respektvoll. „Ich weiß, eure Terminpläne sind nicht gerade leicht.“ Wir mögen einander Familie nennen, aber es gibt Grenzen, die man nicht überschreitet. Ich umarme sie nicht; ich lasse meinen Geruch nicht an der Gefährtin eines anderen Alphas haften. So beginnen Kriege. Und bei einer Bindung wie der von Zachary und Adriana wäre ein Krieg keine kleine Sache. Die Leute reden davon, dass Gefährten wie sie Stärke teilen—alte Geschichten behaupten sogar, sie könnten Macht verschmelzen lassen. Seit Jahrhunderten hat niemand etwas dergleichen gesehen. „Sei nicht albern“, sagt sie warm. „Familie ist immer wichtig.“ Die Türen der Empfangshalle öffnen sich hinter ihr. Alpha Zachary schreitet herein, gebaut wie eine Festung, fast so groß und massig wie ich. Tinte bedeckt den größten Teil seiner Haut—Zeichen, Symbole, Trophäen für jeden Kill, den er geholt hat. Ein brutaler Kämpfer. Einer, mit dem ich gern Schläge austausche. Er grinst, und wir umfassen einander an den Unterarmen. Aurelia folgt ihm dicht auf den Fersen—ihre zukünftige Alpha. Schön wie eh und je, die karamellbraunen Augen ihres Vaters in das markante Gesicht ihrer Mutter gesetzt. Als sie meinen Blick auffängt, lächelt sie, als würde sie bereits Ärger planen. „Sieh mal, wer aufgetaucht ist“, sagt sie. „Hast du mich vermisst, Trottel?“ Wir sind eher wie Bruder und Schwester aufgewachsen als irgendetwas anderes, obwohl unsere Eltern alle leise hofften, das Schicksal würde uns miteinander verbinden. Dann wurden wir achtzehn, warteten darauf, dass unsere Wölfe reagierten… und es kam nichts. Kein Ziehen. Kein Funke. Also blieben wir Freunde, trainierten zusammen und verloren nie den Kontakt. „Schwer, das nicht zu tun“, gebe ich zurück. „Hey, Trotteline.“ Sie führen mich in Zacharys Büro, und die drei lassen sich mit der Leichtigkeit von Leuten nieder, die das schon tausendmal getan haben. Aurelia lässt sich auf einen Stuhl fallen und legt den Kopf schief, während sie mich ansieht. „Also quetschen wir noch einen Übungskampf rein, damit ich dich wie üblich schlagen kann?“ Zacharys Lachen grollt. Adrianas Blick schießt zu ihrer Tochter. „Dein Mundwerk, Aurelia. Irgendwo unter all dieser Attitüde bist du immer noch eine Dame. Du stellst meine Geduld täglich auf die Probe.“ Adriana geht zu ihrem Gefährten, und er zieht sie auf seinen Schoß, als wäre es das Natürlichste der Welt. Aurelias Grinsen wird unschuldig. „Tut mir leid, Mom.“ Zacharys Ausdruck wird ernst, als er auf den Bildschirm deutet. „Ich habe Alpha Marcus per Video zugeschaltet.“ „Vater“, sage ich und nehme Platz. Mein Vater nickt knapp. „Alpha Zachary. Luna Adriana. Danke, dass ihr euch mit Ryder trefft.“ „Immer“, antwortet Zachary, seine Stimme fest vor Freundschaft. „Jetzt erzähl uns, was ihr herausgefunden habt.“ Mein Vater atmet ein und spricht dann in dem vorsichtigen Ton, den er benutzt, wenn das Thema gefährlich ist. „Mein Zirkel hat eine alte Warnung weitergegeben. Es soll ein seltenes Wesen geben—männlich oder weiblich—ungefähr im Alter, in dem man zum ersten Mal seinen Wolf erhält. Seine Macht würde alles übersteigen, was wir dokumentiert haben. Die Beschreibung passt zu dem, was einige Texte den Omni-Wolf nennen: einen direkten Nachkommen der Mondgöttin, gesandt, um das Gleichgewicht zu bewahren, wenn die Dunkelheit aufsteigt.“ Er hält inne, die Augen hart. „Das Problem ist, dass man glaubte, die Blutlinie sei ausgelöscht worden. Gejagt, ausgebeutet, ...
The day Phillip Morton's first love, Briana Raymond, came back to town, the whole elite circle in Duventon was waiting for me to make a fool of myself. He handed me a check for 15 million. "Flora, Briana doesn't want you around. Just take the money and leave." I didn't cry or make a scene. I took the check without hesitation and pressed the signed divorce papers right against his chest. I smiled. "Thanks for making this happen, Mr. Morton. Pretending for three years in front of you was exhausting." Phillip frowned, his voice tinged with confusion. "What do you mean?" I unlocked my phone, pointed at the lock screen, a memorial photo of a man who looked strikingly similar to Phillip, and grinned. I said, "What I'm saying is, you were just a substitute, too. Now that I've got money, I don't need a knockoff anymore." That night, Phillip, the prince of the Duventon elite, went crazy. ***** Phillip's face darkened right before my eyes. He locked his gaze on the photo on my phone. The man in the picture had gentle eyes and a soft expression. He looked uncannily like Phillip. But there was a faint scar above his right eyebrow, giving him a wilder edge. "Flora, what are you trying to pull right now? Is this your idea of a joke?" Phillip demanded, his tone sharp. He snatched my phone from my hand and slammed it hard onto the floor. With a loud crack, the screen shattered into pieces, the memorial photo instantly reduced to scattered shards. "You faked a dead guy's photo just to mess with me? That's seriously messed up!" he spat. He straightened his suit collar, still creased from when I slapped the divorce papers against his chest. "Take the check and get lost. Don't push me, or I'll have my bodyguards toss you out," Phillip warned, his voice icy. I stared at the phone's broken pieces on the floor and didn't even flinch. After all, the real photo was locked away in my safe. The one on my phone was just a digital copy I kept around to mess with Phillip. I bent down, picked up the phone, popped out the SIM card, and with no second thoughts, tossed the latest model right into the trash, making sure he saw every move. My actions were smooth, not a hint of attachment or sentiment. "Yeah, it's messed up," I said, brushing the dust off my hands and shooting him a grin. "Since you gave me this phone, I'm returning it to you now." My attitude totally pissed Phillip off. Back then, I was always obedient around him, never daring to raise my voice, always tiptoeing, afraid I might disturb him. But now, I felt like someone he'd never met, and he could sense his authority slipping away. Just then, a soft, delicate voice floated down from the staircase upstairs. "Phillip, don't be so harsh. Ms. Coleman doesn't have anywhere to stay, and it's pouring outside," Briana called out. Briana stood there in Phillip's shirt, bare-legged, looking freshly woken and relaxed, with a suggestive red mark on her neck. She was Phillip's first love, the woman he'd been searching for in me these past three years. As soon as Phillip heard her voice, his whole demeanor softened. He turned and strode over, pulling her into his arms. He sneered, "Don't bother with her. She can't last a day without me. Give it three days, and she'll be crawling back, begging at my feet. "Flora, don't even think about taking anything from this place except the clothes you're wearing. The Morton family doesn't keep traitors around." I glanced down at the coat Phillip had picked out for me. He'd had it custom-made, so I'd resemble Briana even more. Without a word, I slipped it off and dropped it carelessly on the floor. Underneath, I was only wearing a flimsy white blouse. I didn't give Phillip another look. I turned, pulled open the villa's front door, and walked out into the darkness and pouring rain. Behind me, I caught Briana's surprised gasp and Phillip's cold scoff. The rain drenched me instantly, icy drops running down my cheeks. But I felt a rush of freedom. It had been three years. I had to stare at Phillip's face, no matter how much he reminded me of someone else, and force myself to cater to his every whim, even though it made me sick. Phillip stood by the floor-to-ceiling window upstairs, watching me leave, his brows tightly knit. He tugged at his tie in irritation and instinctively reached into his pocket. There was always a box of mints in there. It was Lawrence Hood's favorite brand, so I'd gotten used to always slipping a box into Phillip's pocket. But this time, his hand came up empty. "Damn it," Phillip muttered. Phillip clenched the check in his fist and slammed it against the glass window in a burst of anger. I made my way back to my shabby apartment. This was my only haven in the city, and the place where I kept all of Lawrence's keepsakes. I pulled an old wooden box out from under my bed and opened it. Inside was a thick pile of sketches, plus a photo kept safe in a sturdy frame. Lawrence grinned in the picture, the scar above his right eyebrow catching the sunlight and standing out even more. My fingers trembled as I gently caressed Lawrence's face in the photo. "Lawrence, I finally made it. I've got money now," I whispered. Chapter 2 I couldn't hold back my tears any longer, and they fell onto the glass frame. "That 15 million is enough to give you the most spectacular art exhibition. I want everyone to see your art," I said. Early the next morning, I got a text from the bank. All my supplementary cards were frozen. I didn't even need to guess. It must be Phillip's doing. He thought that by cutting off my money, I'd obediently crawl back and be his pampered pet again. Too bad for him, he had no idea I'd already deposited that 15 million check last night and moved it straight into the art show account. In the CEO's office of the Morton Group, the assistant came in nervously and said, "Mr. Morton, Ms. Coleman has sent back all the jewelry and bags you gave her. "I just checked. She hasn't spent a single cent on her supplementary cards in the past three years." Phillip stared at the mountain of luxury goods piled on his desk, his face darkening. For the past three years, I didn't even care to touch his money or his gifts. "Well, good for her," Phillip said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Spread the word. Anyone who dares to give Flora a job is going against me. Let's see how long she can keep pretending to be tough!" I wandered around the job market, and sure enough, everywhere I went, doors slammed shut in my face. As soon as the recruiters heard my name, they acted like they'd seen a ghost and hurried to shut me out. I wasn't surprised, and I didn't feel discouraged. Anyway, I wasn't really there to find a job. My real goal was to prepare for my art exhibition. While passing by a gallery, I paused for a moment. There was an unfinished oil painting in the window, its brushstrokes raw and childlike. It brought back memories of that afternoon when Lawrence showed me how to paint. A black Maybach pulled up behind me. The window was rolled down, and Phillip's imperious face appeared. He sneered, "Changed your mind? "Get in. Go apologize to Briana, and I'll let bygones be bygones." His tone made it sound like he was tossing me a bone. I turned around, looking straight through Phillip, focusing on the space behind him as if he wasn't even there. "Mr. Morton," I said coolly, "you're blocking the light. Could you step aside?" Phillip's smile froze on his face. He thought I was playing hard to get. He had someone follow me and found out I'd taken over a gallery in an off-the-beaten-path location and was busy renovating it. "Using my money to keep some pretty boy?" Phillip muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he scanned the report. That same night, two bodyguards "invited" me to Phillip's private club. It was more like they dragged me there. The private room was thick with smoke, packed with rich kids from Duventon's elite circles. Briana was sitting at the head of the table. When she saw me being escorted in, she put a hand over her mouth in mock surprise. She said, "Oh my, Ms. Coleman, what brings you here? Phillip, this is a private party. And look at what Ms. Coleman is wearing." I glanced down at my paint-splattered work pants and T-shirt, still marked from the remodel. I was totally out of place there. The room erupted in laughter. "Is this the infamous ex-wife from the Morton family?" someone sneered. "I heard she got 15 million dollars and won't leave, still trying to worm her way back into Phillip's life," another chimed in. Phillip sat right in the middle of the couch, swirling his wine glass, his eyes cold as he stared me down. "Don't just stand there, Flora. Briana said she wanted some shrimp. You used to be the queen of peeling them, didn't you?" he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. He gestured toward the mountain of shrimp piled up on the table. I had a mild seafood allergy, but Phillip never had a clue, because Lawrence loved shrimp. Back then, I became really good at peeling shrimp for Lawrence. Even when my hands got red and itchy, I didn't care. If it were for him, I would be happy to do it. Briana sauntered over, swirling her wine glass. "Ms. Coleman, sorry if I ever offended you before. This drink's on me," she said, her tone sickly sweet. With a flick of her wrist, she dumped the whole glass of red wine all over me. "Oops, my bad, Ms. Coleman. My hand slipped," Briana said with over-the-top innocence, but the smug glint in her eyes gave her away. The whole room went dead silent, everyone waiting to see how I'd react. Expressionless, I picked up the massive wine decanter from the table. There was still half a bottle of red wine left inside. Before anyone could react, I flipped my wrist and poured it right over her face. Briana let out a shriek. I calmly set the decanter down and said, "Oops, guess my hand slipped as well." The whole room went dead silent. Phillip sprang to his feet and seized my chin in a grip so fierce that it felt like he could snap my jaw. "Flora, have you lost your mind? Apologize to Briana!" he barked. His eyes were blazing with rage, like he wanted to devour me alive. He forced my chin up, making me stare right back into his eyes. In his eyes, I saw my own messy reflection, but there was not a hint of fear in me. "Apologize?" I gave a cold laugh, my gaze so lifeless that it made him uneasy. "She's not worthy." Phillip was stung by the look in my eyes. Chapter 3 Phillip pointed at the shrimp on the table and ordered, "Not going to apologize, huh? Fine. Peel this whole plate of shrimp, and I'll let you go. "Otherwise, that shabby gallery of yours will be nothing but rubble by tomorrow." He knew just where to hit me. I stayed quiet for a couple of seconds, then pulled up a chair and sat down. I slipped on the disposable gloves and got to work peeling shrimp. Heads off, shells gone, veins out, every move felt like muscle memory carved into my bones. Phillip watched me, head down, quietly peeling shrimp, and smirked. "That's the Flora I remember, so well-behaved," he said with a hint of mockery. My hands inside the gloves were swollen and blistered, itching like hell. But for the gallery, I clenched my teeth and forced myself to keep it together. After peeling the last shrimp, I pulled off my gloves and looked at the plate stacked with shrimp meat. Lawrence used to dig in just like this, grinning as he called me his "shrimp-peeling ace." But nothing was the same anymore. Phillip shoved the plate toward Briana, giving me a mocking look. "Not bad. Briana, have a taste." Briana smugly picked up a shrimp. I wiped my swollen, red fingers with a tissue and murmured, "He used to really like shrimp." Phillip stiffened, and his movements suddenly halted. Briana ended up in the hospital after that whole "red wine shower" incident. Phillip, to avenge Briana and make my life miserable, forced me to bring her meals to the hospital every day. "Since you love serving people so much, go ahead," he sneered. I showed up at the hospital with a thermos in hand. Inside was beef and cilantro. Lawrence couldn't stand cilantro, but he'd always force it down, frowning, to make me happy. I wanted to see how Phillip, with that Lawrence-lookalike face, would react to cilantro. Inside the hospital room, Phillip was busy peeling an apple for Briana. When he saw me walk in, he snorted. "Glad you finally figured it out." Briana wrinkled her nose at the food in the thermos. "Ugh, why is it all cilantro? Phillip, you know I hate this stuff." Phillip shot the cilantro a look, his brows furrowing. He pointed at Briana and said to me, "Feed her." I walked over, mechanically scooped up a spoonful of beef, and held it out to Briana. Briana shrieked, "Jeez, it's burning," and suddenly flung her hand, knocking the spoon away. Scalding soup splattered all over the back of my hand, leaving a huge red mark in seconds. I didn't flinch or say a word. I just watched the beef hit the floor. "Too bad. He loved that," I muttered under my breath. Phillip, still checking if Briana was burned, snapped his head around when he heard me. "Who likes that stuff? I've never eaten cilantro in my life. Flora, who are you really seeing when you look at me?" Phillip snapped. His voice had a faint tremor, barely noticeable. I came back to myself, looking at the furious Phillip, a mocking smile tugging at my lips. "Relax, Mr. Morton. I meant my dog," I said coolly. Phillip, furious, sent the thermos crashing to the floor. "Get out! Go back where you came from," he roared. I turned and left the hospital, heading straight for the old villa we once called home. I wasn't there to patch things up. I just came to take the last thing that was still mine, that piano. Lawrence and I picked it out together, and our initials are still carved on the inside of the lid. Phillip followed me back to the villa. When he saw me heading straight for the piano, he lost it. He yelled, "That beat-up piano means that much to you? You used to play it for me every damn day. Now we're getting divorced, and you still want to take it? "If you want to break it off, make it clean!" Phillip snatched up the golf club and smashed it down hard onto the piano keys. Bang! The screeching crash of the piano tore through the hall, keys shattered, black and white pieces flying, splinters of wood exploding everywhere. "No!" I screamed. For the first time, I lost my composure. I rushed over like a madwoman, throwing myself in front of the piano lid to shield it. The golf club slammed into my shoulder and slid down onto the piano. A sharp splinter sliced across the corner of my eye, blood streaming down instantly and blurring my vision. Phillip was stunned. He stared at me, my face covered in blood, and the golf club dropped to the floor with a loud clang. "Flora..." he called out, instinctively reaching out toward me. I shoved him away, not giving a damn about the pain or the blood on my face. My hands trembling, I reached out and touched the inside of the piano lid. There, the initials "L.F." had been shattered, leaving only a deep crack behind. My heart shattered right then and there. I ran my fingers over the jagged letters, tears and blood dripping down my face. This was the last piece of Lawrence I had left, the only thing that still tied me to him. Phillip watched me cry, a trace of heartache flickering across his face. "Why are you crying? It's just a piano. If you behaved, I'd get you ten Steinways," he said. I looked up at Phillip. "Phillip, you're so pathetic. "Now that you've smashed it, you don't even have a proper replacement to hold onto anymore."
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
Her mom was a murderer💀 She grew up unwanted😢 Her father and three half-brothers wanted nothing to do with her💔 Overnight she became the nation's sweetheart🌟 The whole world fell for her❤️ Her childhood friend takes her hand, ""Let's build our own home""🔥 The ones who pushed her away suddenly won't let go😱 Watch now 👉 🔥The Baby Star They Regret Losing🔥 #GoodShort #NationSweetheart #RegretLosingHer #RejectedDaughter #FamilyRegret #NewHome #WontLetGo"
Her mom was a murderer💀 She grew up unwanted😢 Her father and three half-brothers wanted nothing to do with her💔 Overnight she became the nation's sweetheart🌟 The whole world fell for her❤️ Her childhood friend takes her hand, ""Let's build our own home""🔥 The ones who pushed her away suddenly won't let go😱 Watch now 👉 🔥The Baby Star They Regret Losing🔥 #GoodShort #NationSweetheart #RegretLosingHer #RejectedDaughter #FamilyRegret #NewHome #WontLetGo"
Her mom was a murderer💀 She grew up unwanted😢 Her father and three half-brothers wanted nothing to do with her💔 Overnight she became the nation's sweetheart🌟 The whole world fell for her❤️ Her childhood friend takes her hand, ""Let's build our own home""🔥 The ones who pushed her away suddenly won't let go😱 Watch now 👉 🔥The Baby Star They Regret Losing🔥 #GoodShort #NationSweetheart #RegretLosingHer #RejectedDaughter #FamilyRegret #NewHome #WontLetGo"
Her mom was a murderer💀 She grew up unwanted😢 Her father and three half-brothers wanted nothing to do with her💔 Overnight she became the nation's sweetheart🌟 The whole world fell for her❤️ Her childhood friend takes her hand, ""Let's build our own home""🔥 The ones who pushed her away suddenly won't let go😱 Watch now 👉 🔥The Baby Star They Regret Losing🔥 #GoodShort #NationSweetheart #RegretLosingHer #RejectedDaughter #FamilyRegret #NewHome #WontLetGo"
Her mom was a murderer💀 She grew up unwanted😢 Her father and three half-brothers wanted nothing to do with her💔 Overnight she became the nation's sweetheart🌟 The whole world fell for her❤️ Her childhood friend takes her hand, ""Let's build our own home""🔥 The ones who pushed her away suddenly won't let go😱 Watch now 👉 🔥The Baby Star They Regret Losing🔥 #GoodShort #NationSweetheart #RegretLosingHer #RejectedDaughter #FamilyRegret #NewHome #WontLetGo"
Kapitel 1 Eine völlig neue Welt Bridgets Perspektive „Schhh… meine süßen Lieblinge.“ Meine Mutter murmelt, und selbst in der Dunkelheit kann ich hören, wie fest ihr die Angst in der Kehle sitzt. Der Regen zieht sich wie Fäden durch die Bäume, während wir uns eng aneinanderdrücken. Der Wald riecht frisch gewaschen, nach diesem feuchten, sauberen Duft, den es nur nach einem heftigen Schauer gibt. Die Blätter über uns fangen die Tropfen auf und lassen sie in sanften, gleichmäßigen Klopflauten wieder fallen. Es ist seltsam, woran der Verstand festhält. Ein Vogel, der sich irgendwo weit entfernt bewegt. Ein Kaninchen, das ein paar Meter weiter raschelt. Jedes winzige Geräusch trifft scharf. Obwohl es Nacht ist, kann ich sehen — zu deutlich. Meine Finger vor meinem Gesicht. Die glatte Rinde. Die Schatten zwischen den Stämmen. Dann trifft es mich. Andere Herzschläge. Nicht unsere. Sie kommen näher. Stimmen peitschen durch den Regen, wütend und scharf. „Da drüben!“, ruft ein Mann. „Holt sie — sofort!“ „Lauf.“ Die Stimme meines Vaters ist nicht laut; es ist, als würde sie direkt in meinem Schädel auftauchen. Er hebt mich hoch, seine Arme schließen sich fest um mich, und ich erhasche einen Blick auf meine Momma, die vorauseilt. Wir brechen auf das Flussufer hinaus. Die Männer holen auf. Ihre Schritte und ihr Atem und ihre pulsierende Wut erfüllen die Nacht. Der Himmel reißt weiter auf — noch mehr Regen prasselt herab, als wollte er die Welt ertränken. Wir drängen in den Fluss, während das Wasser höher, kälter, schneller aufwühlt. Mein Vater rutscht für eine Sekunde aus, dann fängt er sich wieder. Meine Mutter nicht. Ihr Fuß gleitet weg. Ihr Körper kippt. Und sie ist verschwunden — von der Strömung mitgerissen. „Momma!“, schreie ich und strecke die Hand aus, als könnte meine Hand sie aus dem dunklen Wasser packen. Mein Dad brüllt ihren Namen und setzt mich auf einen Felsen, schnell und grob, dann wirft er sich ihr hinterher. Ich denke nicht nach. Ich springe. Der Fluss ist Eis. Er reißt mich unter Wasser und zerrt uns flussabwärts, als wären wir nichts. Ich kämpfe um Luft, um Sicht, um irgendetwas. Ich kann sie nicht finden — nur schwarzes Wasser, nur rauschender Lärm. Irgendwo, gedämpft durch die Strömung, höre ich meinen Dad meinen Namen rufen. Und dann schaltet sich alles aus. Das ist der Moment, in dem ich immer aufwache — genau dann, wenn die Dunkelheit gewinnt. Ich schrecke aus dem Schlaf hoch, als der Bus langsamer wird und seufzend in irgendeiner fremden Stadt zum Stehen kommt. Ich war sieben, als ich meine Eltern verlor. Es fühlt sich nie an, als wären zwölf Jahre vergangen; es fühlt sich an wie gestern, nur in einem anderen Mantel. Damals in Thornmere war der Regen mein Lieblingsding gewesen. Nach der Highschool hatte ich dort gelebt, Schichten in einem Diner gearbeitet und versucht, das Leben einfach zu halten. Aber einfach bleibt nie einfach. Noch eine Auseinandersetzung, noch ein Grund zu verschwinden. Ich war nicht der Typ, der damit anfing, aber ich hatte ein Problem damit, aufzuhören, sobald es begonnen hatte. Ein gebrochener Kiefer bei jemand anderem bedeutete, dass ich wegmusste — schnell. Ich mag klein sein, aber ich schlage hart zu. Ich hatte ein bisschen Bargeld gespart. Ich rannte, bis meine Lungen brannten, bis Entfernung sich wie Sicherheit anfühlte. Irgendwie landete ich in einem Bus Richtung Nordkalifornien. „Halt hier für Ravenshollow“, ruft der Fahrer, als die Türen zischend aufgehen. Ich schwinge meinen Rucksack hoch und steige hinunter in Luft, die nach nassem Holz und Essen riecht. Vor mir steht ein aus Baumstämmen gebautes Hotel mit grünem Dach, perfekt wie auf einer Postkarte. Ein Restaurant ist angeschlossen, und der warme, herzhafte Duft lässt meinen Magen sofort antworten. Ich folge einer Familie, die hineingeht. Direkt am Eingang gibt es einen kleinen Geschenkeladen, vollgestellt mit Souvenirs — und ein HILFE GESUCHT-Schild, das genauso gut ein Leuchtfeuer sein könnte. Hinter dem Tresen steht eine ältere Frau. Dunkle Locken nach hinten gebunden, wache Augen. Sie lächelt die Familie an, heißt sie willkommen, und dann landet ihr Blick auf mir, als hätte sie erwartet, dass ich auftauche. Ich tue so, als würde ich stöbern, und verschaffe mir eine Minute. Kleinigkeiten. Postkarten. Dann bleibt meine Aufmerksamkeit an einer kleinen Schneekugel hängen — Wälder und Berge unter Glas versiegelt. Hübsch. Vertraut auf eine Weise, die an einem anderen Traum zieht, den ich manchmal habe. Der ist kein Albtraum. „Kann ich dir helfen, Liebes?“, sagt eine Stimme hinter mir. Ich zucke zusammen, mein Herz macht einen Sprung. Wie war sie so nah gekommen, ohne einen Laut? Normalerweise war ich überwachsam — immer am Lauschen. „Hallo“, sage ich und drehe mich um. „Ich habe das Hilfe-gesucht-Schild gesehen.“ Ich deute zur Tür. Ihre Augen wandern über mich, langsam und abschätzend. Dann — nein, das konnte sie nicht getan haben — hebt sie die Nase, als würde sie meinen Geruch aufnehmen. Hat sie gerade an mir geschnuppert? Verwirrung flackert über ihr Gesicht. Sie deutet zur Kasse, und ihre Hand landet kurz auf meiner Schulter — warmer Druck, dann so schnell wieder weg, dass es sich anfühlt, als hätte ich es mir eingebildet. „Wie alt bist du?“, fragt sie und reibt sich die Hand, mit der sie mich berührt hatte, als würde ihre Haut reagieren. „Einundzwanzig, Ma’am“, antworte ich zu schnell. „Blödsinn.“ Meine Kehle zieht sich zusammen. „…In zwei Jahren“, gebe ich zu. „Ich brauche Arbeit. Ich arbeite hart. Ich werde keine Probleme machen.“ „Wenn du einen Job willst, sagst du die Wahrheit, wenn ich dich etwas frage.“ Ihre Stimme ist fest, von der Sorte, die nicht nachgibt. „Ich bin Miriam. Und du bist?“ „Bridget, Ma’am.“ „Also, Ms. Bridget — nenn mich Ms. Miriam. Das machen alle.“ Sie hebt das Kinn und nimmt den Raum ein, ohne es zu versuchen. „Das hier ist meine Lodge. Ich gebe dir eine Chance und sehe mir an, was du kannst. Kannst du kochen? Zimmer putzen?“ „Ja, Ms. Miriam. Das habe ich den größten Teil meines Lebens gemacht.“ „Hm.“ Sie mustert mich erneut. „Hast du irgendwo einen Platz zum Schlafen?“ „Nein, aber ich kann etwas organisieren.“ Ich halte meine Stimme ruhig. Ich hatte einen Park bemerkt, als wir hereingefahren waren; ich könnte dort verschwinden, still bleiben, unsichtbar bleiben. Ich bezweifelte, dass eine so kleine Stadt viel an Unterkünften zu bieten hatte. „Also, so läuft es bei mir. Die Leute, die Zimmer putzen, behalte ich auf dem Gelände.“ Sie sagt es, als wäre es das Normalste der Welt. „Ich habe Platz. Und dazu gibt es drei Mahlzeiten am Tag im Diner. Was meinst du?“ Für eine Sekunde schmerzt meine Brust, als wüsste mein Körper nicht, wie er so viel Glück halten soll. „Ja, Ma’am — Ms. Miriam“, korrigiere ich mich und schlucke schwer. „Das klingt… unglaublich. Ich werde Sie das nicht bereuen lassen.“ „In Ordnung, Kind.“ Ihr Ton wird nur einen Hauch weicher. „Dann sorgen wir erst dafür, dass du etwas zu essen bekommst, und danach bringen wir dich unter.“ Ich folge ihr, während sich Entschlossenheit in mir festzieht. Ich würde das schaffen. Was auch immer mich hierhergeschleppt hatte, ich würde nicht wieder gehen, es sei denn, ich müsste. Die Leute starren, als wir vorbeigehen. Ich bemerke die Seitenblicke, die neugierigen Pausen, die Art, wie Gespräche zu Flüstern werden und dann wieder weitergehen, sobald ich vorüber bin. Ich war schon früher das neue Mädchen. Zu oft. Es sticht immer noch, aber ich lasse nicht zu, dass es meine Haltung verändert. Ms. Miriam blickt zurück. „Alles in Ordnung, Mädchen?“ „Ja“, sage ich und atme aus. „Nur… ich bin wirklich dankbar, dass Sie mir eine Chance geben.“ „Ich glaube, dir wird diese Stadt gefallen.“ Sie rutscht in eine Nische nahe der Küche und bedeutet mir, mich zu setzen. „Und ich glaube, du könntest hierherpassen.“ Passen. Das Wort landet seltsam. Ich nehme die Speisekarte, die sie mir reicht, und zwinge mich zu einem kleinen Lächeln zurück. Ich suchte nicht nach Wundern. Ich wollte einfach nur den Kopf unten halten, arbeiten, bis ich mir meinen eigenen Platz in der Welt verdient hatte. Aber während ich dort sitze, dem Klappern aus der Küche und dem leisen Summen der Lodge um uns herum lausche, begreife ich zwei Dinge. Ich mag Ms. Miriam schon jetzt. Und vielleicht — nur vielleicht — bin ich endlich an einen Ort getreten, an dem ich bleiben kann. Kapitel 2 Das Blackwood-River-Rudel Teil 1 Alphas Ryders POV „Alpha Ryder, Ihr Vater versucht, Sie zu erreichen. Er muss mit Ihnen sprechen, Sir.“ Einer meiner Krieger holte mich endlich ein. Ich hatte jede Kommunikationsleitung gekappt und war zu einem Lauf davongeschossen. Ich halte meine Männer scharf. Immer. Fährtenübungen, Tarnarbeit, die Art von Tests, die sie ins Schwitzen bringen. An den meisten Tagen finden sie mich überhaupt nicht. In diese Art von Stärke hineingeboren zu werden — der stärkste Alpha, den irgendjemand, der noch lebt, je gesehen hat — wird auf eine Weise alt, die niemand versteht. Kämpfe enden schnell. Gegner zerbrechen. Ich nicht. Rücksichtslos ist das Wort, das sie benutzen. Tötungsmaschine ist das, das sie flüstern. Vielleicht ist das der Grund, warum unser Gebiet voll und geschützt ist — über zweitausend Wölfe unter meinem Namen, und kein einziger Idiot mit einem funktionierenden Gehirn kommt auf die Idee, Ärger zu suchen. Dads Besessenheit ist seit Monaten dieselbe: ein weiterer verdammter Ball. Die nahegelegenen Rudel einladen. Lächeln. Hände schütteln. Das Schicksal endlich meine Gefährtin auf meinen Weg schieben lassen. Ich hatte bereits gesucht. Über Kontinente hinweg und wieder zurück. Immer noch nichts. An diesem Punkt fühlt es sich an, als hätte die Mondgöttin meinen Faden leer gelassen. Vielleicht ist meine Gefährtin tot. Vielleicht hat sie nie existiert. Gefährten der zweiten Chance sind selten genug, um Märchen zu sein. Also nehme ich, was ich will, wann ich es will — jede Wölfin, die mir ins Auge fällt. Es nimmt die Schärfe heraus, hält den Druck davon ab, überzukochen. Oder, genauer gesagt, es hält Talon davon ab, die Welt auseinanderzureißen. Talon ist mein Wolf: riesig, mitternachtsschwarz, mit Augen wie Mondlicht auf Stahl. Und irgendwie schafft er es, ein noch größeres Arschloch zu sein als ich. Sein Ruf ist schlimmer als meiner, was dir alles sagen sollte. „Danke, Mason“, sagte ich und schnitt zwischen den Bäumen hindurch. „Deine Fährtensuche wird besser. Mach weiter Druck. Ich werde jemanden wie dich an der Spitze brauchen.“ „Ja, Alpha!“, antwortete Mason sofort. Er macht noch die Highschool fertig, aber der Junge hat Instinkte. Nicht der brutalste Kämpfer, aber ich kann ihn zu der Art von Fährtenleser formen, die nichts übersieht. Die Tatsache, dass er mich so schnell gefunden hatte, erzählte mir allerdings die wahre Geschichte. Mein Vater hatte den richtigen Boten ausgewählt. Ich rannte wieder mit voller Geschwindigkeit los, und Talon drückte gegen meinen Geist, ungeduldig, schob, als wollte er aus meiner Haut herausbrechen. „Nicht jetzt“, warnte ich ihn. „Vater ruft. Heute Nacht bekommst du deinen Lauf. Einen richtigen.“ ‚Ja. Das sagst du schon seit Tagen, Arschloch‘, fauchte er. „Jemand hat schlechte Laune.“ Ich lachte. Er schnitt mich ab und knallte eine Mauer zwischen uns. Na gut. Der Wald tut, was sonst nichts kann. In dem Moment, in dem sich das Blätterdach schließt, beruhigt sich mein Puls. Hier gehören wir hin — Wölfe, in das Land eingefädelt, als wären wir daraus gemacht. Das Blackwood-River-Rudel liegt in Nordkalifornien, ausgebreitet über das größte Gebiet weit und breit. Unsere Grenzen werden von den besten Kämpfern der Region bewacht, und wir stehen nicht allein. Im Norden, innerhalb unserer Landlinie, hält ein Vampirrudel Gebiet. Im Osten verankert sich eine Hexenkolonie wie Wurzeln im Stein. Menschen begreifen es nicht. Sie denken, die Welt sei das, was sie auf Bildschirmen sehen. Die Wahrheit ist größer. Wir pflegen Bündnisse mit Regeln, die zählen — kein Töten über Speziesgrenzen hinweg. Brich diese Regel, und der königliche Hof schaltet sich ein. Diese Prozesse enden nicht mit Gnade. Sie enden mit Leichen. Im Herzen unseres Landes liegt das Dorf: Cottages für Familien, Gemeinschaftsbereiche und eine Schule, die für unsere Kinder gebaut wurde. Es geht nicht nur um Lesen und Zahlen. Es geht um Geschichte — jede übernatürliche Gruppe, jedes hässliche Kapitel und jede harte Lektion. Respekt passiert nicht zufällig. Man lernt ihn, oder man wiederholt dieselben Kriege. Ein paar Menschen besuchen sie auch. Die meisten von ihnen wissen ganz genau, was wir sind, und sie halten den Mund. Im Gegenzug halten wir ihre Stadt sicher. „Lass mich raten“, sagte Connor, als er neben mir in Schritt fiel, sobald ich ins Rudelhaus ging, „du hast dich wieder versteckt und es ‚Training‘ genannt.“ Connor — mein bester Freund, mein zukünftiger Beta. „Ja“, gab ich zu. „Ich brauchte es. Talon ist angespannt. Diese Veranstaltung rückt näher, und mein Vater hört nicht auf zu drängen. Ich denke, ich fahre vielleicht runter nach Crescent Valley.“ Connors Augen glitten seitwärts, misstrauisch und amüsiert. „Ach, ist das so?“, sagte er. „Oder ist es einfach Aurelia, von der du nicht wegbleiben kannst?“ Ich stieß langsam den Atem aus. Aurelia sollte selbst eine Alpha werden. Wir hatten uns als Kinder im Alpha-Training kennengelernt, und es hatte schnell zwischen uns gepasst — zuerst Freunde, immer. Der Sex kam später, mal ja, mal nein, ohne daran geknüpfte Versprechen. Wir hofften beide noch auf Gefährten. Wir waren nur stark genug, um ohne sie weiterzuleben. Crescent Valley lag direkt südlich von uns, Strände zogen sich entlang ihres Landes. Talon liebte es immer, nahe am Wasser zu laufen. „Nun“, sagte ich und ließ ein Grinsen an meinem Mund ziehen, „wenn mich die Erinnerung nicht täuscht, schaffst du es, jedes einzelne Mal eine neue Wölfin zu ‚finden‘, wenn wir diese Reise machen.“ Connor grinste. „Ich werde nicht so tun, als hätte ich deine Urlaube nicht genossen.“ Aber irgendetwas an ihm fühlte sich falsch an — zu angespannt hinter den Witzen. „Alles okay?“, fragte ich und blieb im Flur stehen, sodass er sich mir stellen musste. „Du bist in letzter Zeit woanders gewesen. Sprich mit mir.“ Wir waren fast gleich groß. Er hielt meinem Blick stand und nickte dann, als hätte die Frage ins Schwarze getroffen. „Ja“, sagte er und fuhr sich mit einer Hand durchs Haar. „Es ist … mein Wolf. Irgendetwas geht vor sich, und er sagt mir kein verdammtes Wort. Es macht mich wahnsinnig.“ Er sah aus, als könnte er sich die eigenen Haare ausreißen. „Vielleicht lernen unsere Wölfe irgendwann, wie Erwachsene zu kommunizieren“, sagte ich laut genug, damit Talon es hörte. Gleichgültigkeit streifte meinen Geist — Talon, der sich abwandte — dann ging die Mauer wieder hoch. Wir gingen zur Haupttreppe und stiegen in den zweiten Stock hinauf. Das Büro meines Vaters lag am Ende des Flurs. Meins lag gegenüber, mit Blick auf den Garten und das Labyrinth. Der Ball würde stattfinden, ob es mir gefiel oder nicht. Dad hatte vollständige Anwesenheit verlangt, alles nur, weil er wollte, dass ich endlich meine Gefährtin fand. Ich war fünfundzwanzig — jung für einen Mann, aber nicht für einen Alpha. Die meisten übernehmen mit achtzehn. Nach Rudelmaßstäben war ich bereits spät dran. Ich hatte die Alpha-Trainingsschule absolviert. Ich hatte zusätzliche Arbeit mit der königlichen Garde gemacht. Wenn das Schicksal sich weigerte, mir Frieden zu geben, würde ich zumindest meine Hände beschäftigt halten. Training ließ die Wut abfließen. Es hielt Talon unter Kontrolle. Und wenn das nicht genug war, ließ ich den Rest an Frauen aus, die bereit waren, mein Bett zu teilen. Ich hasste mein Leben nicht. Ich hasste nur den hohlen Raum, wo eine Bindung sein sollte. Irgendwo da draußen, betete ich immer weiter, gab es noch eine Gefährtin, die für mich bestimmt war — eine Frau, stark genug, um meinen Wolf zu beruhigen und unser Rudel noch schwerer zerbrechlich zu machen. Falls das überhaupt möglich war. Oben an der Treppe verlinkten die Wachen im Dienst meinen Vater per Gedankenverbindung, dass wir angekommen waren. Bevor wir klopfen konnten, drang seine Stimme durch die Tür. „Herein.“ Wir traten ein. „Sohn. Connor.“ Mein Vater sah von seinem Schreibtisch auf. „Nett von euch, euch endlich zu zeigen. Dein Verschwinden bereitet unseren Fährtenlesern Albträume.“ „Alpha Marcus“, sagte Connor und verbeugte sich respektvoll. Dads Aura traf wie Druck in der Luft — intensiv, befehlend — aber bei mir bewirkte sie nie viel. „Ja, Dad“, sagte ich und ließ Humor meine Gereiztheit maskieren. „Kann sie ja nicht faul werden lassen.“ Mit zwei Meter sechzehn, mit Schultern, die wie eine Wand gebaut sind, bin ich nicht gerade unauffällig. Aber Geruchskontrolle und Bewegung sind Fähigkeiten, und ich habe sie früh gemeistert. Ein Teil des Trainings besteht darin, zu lernen, wie man unsichtbar ist, selbst wenn man es eigentlich nicht sein sollte. Das Blackwood-Training ist aus gutem Grund brutal. Wir halten unsere Zahlen hoch und unsere Verluste niedrig. Es bedeutet etwas, den Namen dieses Rudels zu tragen. Mein Vater schloss die Mappe auf seinem Schreibtisch. „Deine Mutter hat den Ball für nächste Woche angesetzt. Die lokalen Rudel sind bestätigt, und wir haben sogar ein paar, die aus dem Ausland kommen. Es wird groß werden.“ Sein Blick wurde schärfer. „Ich brauche dein Wort, dass du dich benimmst. Du wirst gastfreundlich sein. Und du wirst nicht mit jedem zukünftigen Alpha Streit anfangen, der falsch atmet. Das ist deiner Mutter wichtig — und mir. Je eher du deine Gefährtin findest, desto eher können wir endlich zurücktreten.“ „Dad“, sagte ich vorsichtig, „ich führe das Rudel bereits. Du hast die Arbeit übergeben. Finanzen, Sicherheit, Grenzberichte — alles. Ich habe das stärkste Team, das wir je hatten. Mein Beta ist hier. Mein Gamma und Delta sind an ihrem Platz. Wir sind bereit.“ „Ihr seid nah dran“, sagte er und gab keinen Zentimeter nach. „Aber eine Luna bringt Gleichgewicht. Deine Gefährtin wird das Biest in dir beruhigen und dich auf Arten stärken, die du noch nicht berührt hast. Ich trete nicht zurück, solange du noch ein unberechenbarer Hitzkopf bist.“ Die Luft verließ meine Lungen in einem kontrollierten Ausatmen. Er lag nicht falsch. Ich wusste nur nicht, wie ich mich beweisen sollte, wenn er sich weigerte, loszulassen. „Ich werde mich von meiner besten Seite zeigen“, sagte ich. Er wandte sich Connor zu. „Zukünftiger Beta Connor, ich erwarte, dass du deinen zukünftigen Alpha ruhig hältst. So wie du es immer getan hast.“ Connor senkte erneut den Kopf. „Ja, Alpha Marcus. Betrachten Sie es als erledigt. Sie können auf mich zählen.“ Wir verließen das Büro. Connor ist an meiner Seite, seit wir Welpen waren. Wenn es eine Person gibt, der ich meinen Rücken, meine Kehle und mein Leben anvertraue, dann ist er es. Loyal zum Rudel. Loyal zu mir. Und irgendwie ist er der Einzige, der mich herunterreden kann, wenn Wut mich blind macht. „Wir haben noch Zeit vor dem Mittagessen“, sagte ich, während wir gingen. „Lass uns wechseln und laufen.“ Talon wurde sofort aufmerksam, Aufregung drückte an die Ränder meines Geistes. Connors Grinsen kehrte zurück. „Klingt gut. Drake hat es auch gebraucht.“ Wir gingen hinaus zur Baumgrenze hinter dem Rudelhaus. Unterwegs trafen wir auf Lucas und Pierce — zwei weitere aus unserem Kreis. Wenn ich endlich offiziell die volle Kontrolle übernehme, sind sie diejenigen, die ich als Gamma und Delta an meiner Seite haben will. Lucas hatte seine Gefährtin bereits gefunden, und das sah man. Sie kam aus einem benachbarten Rudel, und sie hatten sich erst vor Kurzem kennengelernt, aber sie klebten aneinander, als hätte die Bindung sie zusammengeschweißt. Ich wollte das. Nicht den Sex. Die Gewissheit. Der Rest von uns — Connor, Pierce und ich — war oft zusammen gereist. Nächte endeten gewöhnlich mit einem warmen Bett und welcher Wölfin auch immer wir wählten. Am Rand des Waldes zogen wir uns schnell aus, darauf bedacht, außer Sicht zu bleiben. Unverpaarte Wölfinnen in unserem Rudel lauern wie Schatten, immer auf der Jagd nach Aufmerksamkeit. Ich vermeide es, wenn ich kann. Ich habe genug Geschichten darüber gehört, was eine Luna innerhalb ihres eigenen Rudels ertragen muss — die Eifersucht, die Intrigen, den ständigen Druck. Wenn meine Gefährtin kommt, will ich, dass sie sich hier sicher fühlt. Als würde dieser Ort ihr gehören. Ja, ich hatte mit ein paar Frauen aus Blackwood geschlafen. Aber in letzter Zeit hatte ich es mir zur Regel gemacht: keine mehr. Nur Außenstehende. Es ist sauberer. Einfacher. Und da Talon sich … anders verhält, fühlt es sich notwendig an. Etwas kommt. Ich kann fühlen, wie es direkt vor meinem Leben sitzt und darauf wartet, hart genug zuzuschlagen, um alles zu verändern. Kapitel 3 Das Blackwood-River-Rudel Teil 2 Alpha Ryders POV Wir zogen uns aus und verstauten unsere Kleidung am Fuß einiger Bäume, während wir unsere Wölfe nach vorn gleiten ließen und ihnen das Steuer überließen. Talon kam als der Größte heraus—keine Frage. Ich war schon in menschlicher Gestalt groß, aber mein Wolf war deutlich über zwei Meter groß, gebaut wie ein Rammbock, mit Schultern, die sich durch alles hindurchwalzen konnten. Drake, der Wolf meines Betas, kam mir in der Größe beinahe gleich. Connors Blutlinie war mir immer alt und mächtig vorgekommen; sein Wolf zeigte es—dunkelbraunes Fell mit sauberen weißen Pfoten. Nero, Lucas’ Wolf, trug ein kräftiges graues Fell, während Pierce’ Wolf, Lance, ebenfalls grau war, mit Weiß um die Augen und quer über die Brust gezeichnet. Schnell. Stark. Gefährlich. Die beste Kombination. Wir schnitten mit voller Geschwindigkeit durch den Wald, die Welt verschwamm zu Stämmen und Wind—bis Talon plötzlich hellwach wurde. Er riss hart herum und schoss in einen Sprint, so abrupt, dass es an meinem Gleichgewicht zerrte. Ich versuchte, ihn zu erreichen, meine Stimme in seinen Geist zu drücken, aber er knallte die Verbindung zu. „Talon—was ist los?“ Ich drängte trotzdem weiter, bekam nichts zurück, während er direkt auf die Klippe zuraste. Er wurde erst langsamer, als er den Rand erreichte, der über der Stadt lag—der Menschenstadt—die sich unten wie ein stilles, gewöhnliches Gemälde ausbreitete. Ich kämpfte um genug Kontrolle, um zu sehen, was ihn gepackt hatte. Die alte Lodge. „Talon“, verlangte ich, „was ist hier los?“ „Ich weiß es nicht…“, antwortete er, und allein das zog mir einen Knoten in die Brust. Talon hatte immer einen Spruch. Immer. Die anderen donnerten schließlich hinter uns herauf. „Alles okay?“, verband sich Drake, der Atem rau vom Lauf. „Mit Talon stimmt etwas nicht“, schickte ich zurück. „Wir gehen rein. Mittagessen.“ Was auch immer ihm unter die Haut gegangen war, ich würde es herausfinden. Zurück im Rudelhaus duschten wir und gingen in den riesigen Speisesaal. Die Küche war hier für alle offen—keine verschlossenen Türen, keine Trennung. Meine Eltern traten gemeinsam ein, die Hand meines Vaters um die meiner Mutter geschlossen, als gehörte sie dorthin. Sie passten zusammen. Sie beruhigte ihn, wenn sein Temperament hochkochte; er gab ihr Halt, wenn die Welt versuchte, sie zu schieben. Das wollte ich eines Tages auch. Hinter ihnen kam der Beta meines Vaters, Warren—Connors Dad. Die Jungs und ich traten danach ein und verbeugten uns vor meinem Alpha und meiner Luna. Dann stieß jemand gegen meine Schulter—ein kleiner, vertrauter Aufprall. „Irgendwann wirst du Pünktlichkeit lernen müssen“, sagte ich, schon amüsiert, als mir ein Grunzen antwortete. Evelyn. Meine Schwester würde bald achtzehn werden, und ich konnte es kaum erwarten, ihren Wolf kennenzulernen. Diese Paarung würde Ärger bedeuten. Evelyn war strahlend und laut und chronisch zu spät. Sie sah aus wie Mom: enge pechschwarze Locken, mandelförmige braune Augen, warme hellbraune Haut. Ich kam mehr nach Dad—haselnussbraune Augen—aber die Locken hatte ich auch geerbt. Ich trug meine ungefähr schulterlang, obwohl sie sich selten benahmen. In einem Kampf verwandelten sie sich in eine wilde Mähne; ich hatte mich nach einer Schlacht gesehen und ausgesehen, als hätte ich versucht, einen Sturm mit dem Kopf zu rammen. „Dieser Tag wird nie kommen“, sagte Evelyn. „Meine Labore gehen vor.“ Genie reichte nicht einmal ansatzweise aus, um sie zu beschreiben. Sie belegte bereits Kurse auf College-Niveau, zielte auf die Wissenschaft ab, und sie arbeitete Seite an Seite mit den Hexen in unserem Rudel, während sie Wissen hin und her austauschten. Sie war umwerfend, und deswegen—weil sie meine und Dads war und wir wussten, was die Welt schönen, brillanten Frauen antat—hatten wir jede Stunde Sicherheit bei ihr. Niemand rührte sie an. Niemand kam ihr zu nahe. Falls doch, hätte ich es mit bloßen Händen geregelt—vorausgesetzt, Dad wäre nicht zuerst dort gewesen. „Hey, Evelyn“, sagte Connor und sah sofort weg. Ich hatte meine Freunde gewarnt: Legt eine Hand an sie, und ich entferne Dinge, an denen sie hingen. „Hi, Connor!“, strahlte Evelyn. „Danke für das Buch. Es war genau das, was ich für meine Forschung gebraucht habe.“ „Was für ein Buch?“ Die Worte kamen schärfer heraus, als ich beabsichtigt hatte, und meine Alpha-Aura begann von mir abzurollen. Connor spürte es und fiel in Unterwerfung, senkte den Kopf und entblößte seinen Hals. Evelyn bewegte sich schnell und stellte sich zwischen uns. „Ryder, hör auf. Es ist für die Schule. Atme.“ Sie sah zu mir auf—flehend, stur, furchtlos. Meine Mutter trat an meine Seite und führte mich zu meinem Stuhl. „Schatz, beruhig dich. Ich habe Connor gebeten, es auf seiner letzten Fahrt mitzunehmen.“ Und einfach so floss die Hitze aus mir heraus. Diese zwei Frauen—meine Mutter und meine Schwester—konnten mich vom Rand zurückziehen wie niemand sonst außer meiner zukünftigen Gefährtin. Dad versuchte, ein Lachen zu verbergen, und scheiterte. Er wusste genau, wie sehr sie mich in der Hand hatten. Ihn ebenfalls. ‚Tut mir leid, Mann‘, verband sich Connor, als wir saßen. ‚Luna Kendra hat mich gebeten, es zu besorgen. Ich wusste nicht, dass es für Evelyn war. Keine Respektlosigkeit.‘ Ich nickte und ließ es gut sein. Evelyn nahm den Platz mir gegenüber ein. Ein paar ihrer Freundinnen winkten, als sie zu ihrem eigenen Tisch gingen, und warfen Connor und mir ein Lächeln zu. Wir beide grinsten schief und sahen weg. Zum einen waren sie gerade erst volljährig. Zum anderen hatten Connor und ich beide nach der Regel gelebt: Leg dich nicht mit den Frauen in deinem eigenen Rudel ein. Ich hielt dieses Versprechen noch immer. Connor… in letzter Zeit fühlte er sich seltsam an. Als hätte sich etwas unter seiner Haut verschoben. Wölfe waren beim Thema Sex nicht schüchtern. Starker Trieb, offene Einstellungen—es war hier kein Tabu. Das änderte sich, wenn es um Familie ging. Und es änderte sich noch mehr, wenn es um eine Gefährtin ging. Der Gedanke, dass jemand anderes sie berührte, drehte mir den Magen um. Jemals. Auf irgendeine Weise. Es war heuchlerisch—wenn man bedachte, mit wie vielen Frauen ich zusammen gewesen war. Ich wusste es. Trotzdem war die Wahrheit hässlich: Ich war ein selbstsüchtiges Arschloch. Das Mittagessen kam für die Hauptfamilienlinie auf den Tisch—Brathähnchen, Kartoffelpüree, grüne Bohnen und ein Salat, der mit Erdbeeren und Blauschimmelkäse aufgepeppt war. Wir betrieben sogar eine Kochschule für Rudelmitglieder. Ja, es war schwer für die Mittagszeit. Aber Training verbrannte Treibstoff schnell, und Wölfe—zusammen mit den anderen Paranormalen auf unserem Land—liefen heiß. Mein Vater legte seine Gabel ab. „Sohn, ich bin gerade auf etwas aufmerksam gemacht worden, um das ich mich nach dem Mittagessen kümmern muss. Ich will dich und deine Männer in meinem Büro, wenn wir fertig sind.“ „Ja, Dad“, sagte ich. „Ist alles in Ordnung?“ „Wir reden unter vier Augen. Es ist nichts, womit wir nicht fertigwerden.“ Sein Blick hielt meinen, dann wechselte er zum Gedankenlink. ‚Wir haben Teams, die die Grenzen überprüfen. Wir glauben, es hat eine Sichtung eines Abtrünnigen gegeben. Sie werden sich in Kürze melden. Iss. Wir müssen Entscheidungen treffen.‘ ‚Ja, Sir‘, schickte ich zurück. Ich aß wie ein verhungerndes Tier. Talon war unruhig, bereit, hinauszurasen und selbst die Grenze zu patrouillieren. Nach dem Mittagessen gingen wir in das Büro meines Vaters—Connor, Lucas, Pierce und ich. Krieger standen an der Rückwand stramm. Ältester Gideon vom Vampirzirkel war dort, und auch Hohepriesterin Winifred vom Hexenzirkel—beide Zirkel lebten auf unserem Land. Dad und Beta Warren kamen herein. Wir nahmen Plätze rund um den langen Eichentisch ein, mein Vater am Kopfende. Er gab unseren besten Fährtenlesern ein Zeichen. „Ein Durchbruch“, berichtete der leitende Fährtenleser und verbeugte sich. „In der Nähe des Flusses. Wir haben aufgeschnappt, was ein Abtrünniger sein könnte… aber etwas fühlte sich anders an. Vielleicht Magie.“ „Bei Wachen an jedem Punkt“, fuhr ich auf und knallte die Handflächen auf den Tisch. Holz knackte unter dem Druck. „Wie ist irgendetwas durchgekommen—und ist es noch auf unserem Grundstück?“ Ältester Gideons Stimme schnitt hinein, ruhig und uralt. „Bei allem Respekt, Alpha Ryder, ich glaube nicht, dass es ein einfacher Abtrünniger ist. Ja, wir haben den Geruch von Wolf aufgefangen. Aber wir haben auch etwas gespürt… darüber hinaus. Jenseitig. Kräfte außerhalb von allem, dem wir in Tausenden von Jahren begegnet sind.“ Mein Vater nickte langsam. „Dann konsultieren wir die Große Versammlung. Wenn sie abnorme Energie gelesen haben, die von hier kommt, könnten andere Spezies sie ebenfalls bemerkt haben.“ „Ich stimme zu“, sagte Gideon. „Etwas bewegt sich seit ungefähr einer Woche in den Schatten. Ich habe starke Schwingungen aus der Stadt gespürt. Die Menschen, mit denen ich spreche, behaupten, nichts habe sich verändert, aber ich werde wieder Vampire hinunterschicken, damit sie nachsehen.“ Andere Rudel fanden es seltsam—Wölfe, die Land mit Hexen und Vampiren teilten. Ich fand es klug. Zahlen hielten einen am Leben. Wir halfen, ihre Bereiche zu verteidigen; sie verstärkten unsere mit Zaubern. Und dennoch war, trotz all dem, unsere Grenze in den letzten Tagen durchbrochen worden. Mein Vater wandte sich wieder mir zu. „Ryder, ich brauche dich und deine besten Fährtenleser an den Grenzen. Crescent Valley berührt fast unsere südwestliche Linie. Ich werde Alpha Zachary kontaktieren und fragen, ob sie irgendetwas gespürt haben. Seine Luna hat Fähigkeiten, die helfen könnten—und ihr Zirkel ist in der Nähe.“ „Es ist nicht weit“, sagte ich. „Ich kann persönlich hingehen, direkt mit ihnen sprechen und am nächsten Tag wieder zurück sein.“ Aus dem Augenwinkel zuckte Connors Mund, als wäre er amüsiert. Talon wurde bei der Idee munter—Ozean. Jede Ausrede, um ins Wasser zu kommen, und er war sofort dabei. Und ich konnte Aurelia besuchen, während ich dort war. Dampf ablassen. Mein Vater lehnte sich zurück, nachdenklich. „Das könnte wertvoll sein. Aber wir rufen zuerst an. Wir tauchen nicht einfach auf.“ Dann sah er zu Connor. „Zukünftiger Beta Connor—das ist eine gute Gelegenheit für dich. Führungstraining. Du wirst erleben, wie es ist, das Rudel in der Abwesenheit deines Alphas zu verwalten. Dein Vater wird dich anleiten. Jeder versteht seine Rolle, um unser Land für alle Spezies hier sicher zu halten?“ Connor nickte. Warren nickte. Der ganze Tisch tat es ihnen gleich. „Ja, Alpha“, antworteten alle zusammen. Wir brachen mit Zielstrebigkeit auf. Als zukünftiger Alpha wollte ich, dass alles, was auf unser Land geschlüpft war, gefunden—und schnell entfernt—wurde. Ich musste einen Anruf tätigen und eine Tasche packen, damit ich aufbrechen und so schnell wie möglich zurückkommen konnte. Etwas kam durch unsere Grenzen. Und was immer es war, es trug eine Macht in sich, die jeden Einzelnen von uns nervös machte. Kapitel 4 Nur Arbeit und kein Vergnügen... Bridgets Sicht Ich war jeden Tag vor Sonnenaufgang aufgewacht, fast aus dem Bett gesprungen, nur um zwischen den Bäumen laufen zu gehen. Die kalte, klare Luft traf auf meine Lungen und ließ mich lebendig fühlen. Hier aus diesem Bus auszusteigen, war die richtige Entscheidung gewesen. Wenn ich nicht arbeitete, war ich meistens bei Ms. Miriam, und sie sagte mir immer wieder—immer und immer wieder—, dass ich Leute in meinem Alter brauchte. Gnadenlos, Ms. Miriam. Und außerdem urkomisch. Ich hatte damit angefangen, Zimmer zu schrubben, aber jetzt half ich endlich im Restaurant aus. Miriam verwöhnte mich praktisch—ein Zimmer vorne in der Lodge, drei Mahlzeiten am Tag, plus ein Gehaltsscheck. Meine Ersparnisse würden im Handumdrehen wieder aufgebaut sein. Mein Zimmer lag nahe am Eingang: ein Bett, ein winziger Wohnbereich, eine Kochnische mit einem kleinen Tisch und mein eigenes Badezimmer. Es war nichts Besonderes, aber es gehörte mir. „Abholen, Tisch vier“, bellte Roland vom Küchenfenster aus und riss mich aus meinen Gedanken. „Bin dran, Roland. Danke“, rief ich zurück. Er schenkte mir ein seltenes Lächeln. Roland war älter und normalerweise sauer wie Essig—nur nicht bei mir. Miriam sagte gern, ich würde ihn beruhigen. Mom hatte früher gesagt, ich könne einen Raum heller machen. Vielleicht hatte sie nicht völlig unrecht gehabt. „Bitte sehr, meine Damen.“ Ich stellte die Teller mit einem geübten Lächeln ab. Drei Mädchen ungefähr in meinem Alter sahen auf. „Danke!“, sagte eine. Ich drehte mich zum nächsten Tisch, um nach Nachfüllungen zu sehen, und stolperte beinahe über meine eigene Konzentration. Zwei Männer saßen dort—lächerlich gut aussehend. Einer war blond und hatte Locken. Der andere war kahl, mit einem kurzen Bart und glatter brauner Haut, die im Feuerschein von den Fenstern unwirklich aussah. Ehrlich gesagt sah jeder Mann, den ich in dieser Stadt gesehen hatte, aus, als wäre er dafür gebaut worden, mit Bären zu ringen: groß, breit, alles Muskeln. Audrey schob ihre Mahlzeiten auf den Tisch—doppeltes Country-Fried-Steak, Kartoffelpüree, grüne Bohnen. Die Teller sahen aus, als gehörten sie in einen Wettkampf. Ich füllte ihre Getränke auf. Einer von ihnen nickte mir kurz zu—ein Danke ohne ein Wort—, und ich ging zurück, um Servietten zu holen. „Bridget!“, rief Miriam. Ich drehte mich um und sah, wie sie mit einem Stapel Kuchenschachteln kämpfte—fünf Stück—, die in ihren Armen gefährlich schwankten. Ich eilte hinüber. „Ich hab Sie, Ms. Miriam—“ „Lass mich.“ Eine tiefe Stimme schnitt dazwischen, und eine große Gestalt trat vor. „Mason, Gott segne dich, Liebes“, sagte Miriam erleichtert. Bevor ich blinzeln konnte, hielt ich zwei Schachteln, und der lockige Blonde—Mason—hatte die anderen drei genommen, als würden sie nichts wiegen. „Bridget, das ist Mason“, sagte Miriam. Mason sah zu mir hinunter und wurde leicht rosa. „Schön, dich kennenzulernen“, sagte ich schnell und zwang meine Aufmerksamkeit zurück auf die Arbeit. „Wohin sollen die, Ms. Miriam?“ „Tisch vier.“ Sie ließ sich neben mich fallen, als wir zurück zu den Mädchen gingen, die ich bedient hatte. „Schätzchen, die sind für deine Mutter. Bitte sag ihr, dass ich an sie denke.“ „Mach ich, Ms. Miriam. Ich bringe sie gleich rüber“, versprach das Mädchen. Miriams Augen funkelten, als sie sich wieder zu mir umdrehte. „Bridget, hast du meine süßen Kinder aus der Stadt schon kennengelernt? Evelyn, Sienna, Archer—“ Ihre Hand glitt in Richtung des Tisches. „Und diese Herren sind Mason und Barrett.“ Sie nickten alle, lächelten, als würden sie mich länger kennen als fünf Sekunden. „Hi“, sagte ich, ein wenig steif. Mason lehnte sich vor. „Wir haben gehört, dass du gerade erst hergezogen bist. Was hat dich nach—“ „Oh mein Gott, Mason“, fiel Evelyn ihm ins Wort und warf ihm einen Blick zu. „Sie ist gerade erst hier. Verhör sie nicht.“ Seine Schultern sanken. „Sorry.“ Siennas Gesicht leuchtete auf, als hätte sie sich an etwas Wichtiges erinnert. „Warte—heute Abend Lagerfeuer. Du kommst mit uns.“ Sie stieß Evelyn mit dem Ellbogen an. „Ja“, sagte Evelyn sofort, die Augen hell. „Mondlicht, Musik, Tanzen. Komm schon. Was sagst du?“ „Ich kann nicht“, sagte ich automatisch. „Ich arbeite heute Abend.“ Von hinter der Theke trug Miriams Stimme durch den Raum. „Nicht mehr! Ich habe dich schon freigestellt. Du gehst aus, junge Dame. Du brauchst Freunde. Ich bestehe darauf!“ Ich atmete hilflos aus. „Ich schätze… ich gehe zu einem Lagerfeuer.“ Ich setzte ein Lächeln auf und versuchte, es glaubwürdig wirken zu lassen. „Perfekt.“ Evelyn hielt ihre Hand hin. „Handy.“ Ich gab es ihr, und sie tippte darauf herum, als würde ihr der Laden gehören. „Neun Uhr. Wir holen dich ab.“ Ein Lachen rutschte mir heraus, weil sie so selbstbewusst vorging. Als sie mir mein Handy zurückgab, sah ich, dass sie sich selbst auch geschrieben hatte—damit sie meine Nummer hatte. Ich hob eine Braue. Sie zwinkerte. Okay. Vielleicht konnte mein erstes Lagerfeuer tatsächlich Spaß machen. Und vielleicht würde es mich dazu zwingen, damit aufzuhören, ein einsamer Geist zu sein. Später gingen wir zusammen hinunter zum See. Die Nacht war dicht und dunkel, aber ich konnte gut genug sehen. Ich hatte meine Locken zu einem unordentlichen Dutt hochgesteckt, Jeans und einen Pullover angezogen—denn wie schick soll man sich bitte für ein Feuer im Wald machen? Mason und Barrett kamen auch mit, und wir quetschten uns alle in denselben pechschwarzen SUV. Als wir näher kamen, tauchte das Lagerfeuer vor uns auf—riesig, lodernd, Funken in den Himmel werfend. Menschen umringten es, Musik wummerte, Körper bewegten sich in lockeren Kreisen. Die Flammen waren so hoch, dass sie aussahen, als wollten sie zu den Sternen hinaufklettern. Auf der anderen Seite der Menge bemerkte ich ein Mädchen mit rotbraunem Haar und sonnengebräunter Haut in einem engen Kleid und Gladiatorensandalen. Irgendetwas an ihr schrie nach Ärger. Ich sah weg, bevor sie mich beim Starren erwischen konnte. „Bier-Runde“, verkündete Sienna und drückte den Mädchen Flaschen in die Hände. Ein Schatten fiel über uns. „Nein.“ Masons Arm kam von hinten, und er hob die Biere weg, als wären wir Mittelschüler. „Ich bin ziemlich sicher, dass keine von euch einundzwanzig ist.“ Evelyn stöhnte. „Danke, Dad. Vergiss nicht, meinen Bruder auf den neuesten Stand zu bringen.“ Sie packte mein Handgelenk und zog mich weg, wobei sie die Jungs absichtlich zurückließ. Während sie nicht hinsahen, zog ich zwei Biere hervor, die ich trotzdem irgendwie ergattert hatte. „Ich wusste, dass ich sie mag“, sagte Archer lachend, während er mich kurz umarmte. Dann driftete ein Geräusch herüber—leise, entfernt. Etwas, das nicht hierhergehörte. Ich suchte die Dunkelheit jenseits des Feuerscheins ab und versuchte herauszufinden, ob es sonst noch jemand gehört hatte. Niemand reagierte. Die Musik war zu laut für sie. Wir gossen die Biere in Plastikbecher und fingen an zu trinken. Der Beat wechselte, und „Need To Know“ von Doja Cat dröhnte aus den Lautsprechern. Die Mädchen und ich begannen zu tanzen, mitzusingen und zu lachen, als wären wir seit Jahren befreundet. Fünf Jungs kamen herübergedriftet, angezogen von der Energie. Und als hätte jemand ihnen ein Zeichen gegeben, tauchten Mason und Archer hinter uns auf. Aus der Nähe war es lächerlich—Mason und Archer sahen aus, als könnten sie jeweils zwei der herankommenden Jungs hochheben und hätten trotzdem noch eine Hand frei. Die fünf wurden langsamer, stellten sich breitbeinig hin, starrten. Weitere Männer traten hinter Mason und Archer. Die Neuankömmlinge rechneten nach und wichen zurück, gingen ohne ein Wort weg. Evelyn verzog das Gesicht, als ein sehr attraktiver Typ ihre Aufmerksamkeit erregte und sie ein paar Schritte zur Seite zog. Er beugte sich vor und sprach knapp und leise. Sie versuchte, dabei weiterzutanzen, aber er spielte nicht mit. Sein Blick huschte an ihr vorbei—direkt zu mir. Ich riss meine Augen weg, bevor sich unsere Blicke treffen konnten. „Keine Sorge“, murmelte Sienna an meinem Ohr. „Das ist Connor. Wir kennen ihn.“ Also gehörte Connor zu ihrem Kreis. Vielleicht hatte Evelyn einen Freund. Oder etwas Kompliziertes. Sie sahen gut zusammen aus—bis ich die Spannung in seiner Haltung sah. Er war wütend, entweder auf sie oder auf die Jungs, die herumgelungert hatten. Wir tranken weiter und bewegten uns. Evelyn kam zurück und schlüpfte wieder in die Gruppe, als wäre nichts passiert. Da schlenderte das nach Ärger aussehende rotbraunhaarige Mädchen mit ihrem kleinen Rudel herüber. „Na, hallo“, sagte sie, die Stimme triefend vor Süße. Ihre Augen glitten zu Evelyn. „Wie geht es denn deinem Bruder?“ „Ihm geht es gut, Whitney“, sagte Evelyn gleichmäßig. „Danke der Nachfrage.“ Whitneys Lächeln wurde schärfer. „Vielleicht rufe ich ihn an und sehe nach, ob er heute Nacht wieder Gesellschaft braucht.“ Sie zwinkerte—dann landete ihre Aufmerksamkeit auf mir. Evelyn trat geschmeidig ein. „Das ist unsere Freundin Bridget.“ „Hi“, sagte ich und hielt es neutral. Whitney musterte mich, als wäre ich ein neuer Artikel in einem Regal. „Hi. Ich bin sicher, wir werden uns sehen.“ Dann drehte sie sich wieder zu den anderen. „Tschüss, Ladys.“ Als sie endlich wegging, lehnte ich mich zu Sienna und flüsterte: „Wer war das?“ Siennas Mund verzog sich. „Ein Mädchen, das von Evelyns Bruder besessen ist und das Wort ‚nein‘ nicht versteht.“ Dann hörte ich es wieder. Ein scharfes Knacken—wie ein Zweig, der unter Gewicht bricht. Mein Kopf fuhr zur Baumgrenze herum. Jenseits der Reichweite des Feuers war der Wald vollkommen schwarz. Ich starrte, bis meine Augen tränten. Und dann sah ich sie. Zwei rote Punkte, fest auf mich gerichtet. Mein Atem stockte. Ich stolperte rückwärts und blieb mit der Ferse fast an dem umgestürzten Baumstamm hängen, auf dem Leute saßen. Evelyn war sofort neben mir, Sorge blitzte über ihr Gesicht. „Was ist los?“ Sie folgte meinem Blick. Ich konnte nicht blinzeln. Es war, als hätte etwas meine Aufmerksamkeit eingehakt und würde sie nicht loslassen. Als ich meine Augen schließlich zwang, sich zu schließen, und sie wieder öffnete, sah die Dunkelheit genauso aus—außer dass meine Haut immer noch kribbelte. „Ich—ich schwöre, ich habe etwas gesehen“, plapperte ich. „Augen. Rote Augen. Ich drehe durch, oder? Es muss das Bier sein.“ „Scheiße“, sagte Connor. Er bewegte sich schnell und trat vor uns. Und ich hätte schwören können, dass ich unter seiner Stimme ein Knurren hörte. Ich schluckte schwer. Ich trinke nie wieder. Alles brach in Chaos aus. Weitere Knurrgeräusche schnitten durch die Nacht. Connors Blick wurde fern, fast glasig, als wäre er irgendwo anders hingeglitten. Mason und Archer verschoben sich ebenfalls vor uns und bildeten eine Mauer. Der Wald raschelte vor schwerer Bewegung. Eine starke Böe riss durch die Lichtung. Die Haare auf meinen Armen stellten sich kerzengerade auf. Dann schrie Connor: „Rogues!“ „Was passiert hier?“, verlangte ich zu wissen, nicht einmal sicher, wen ich fragte. „Was sind Rogues?“ „Wir gehen“, flüsterte Evelyn, und plötzlich wurde ich zum Pfad zurück zur Lodge gezerrt. Ich versuchte, über meine Schulter zu sehen, und eine kalte Linie aus Angst glitt meine Wirbelsäule hinunter. „Beweg dich, Bridget!“, schrie Sienna. Hinter uns wurde Connors Stimme scharf vor Befehl. „Mason, Archer—bleibt mit den anderen zurück. Haltet alle sicher, bis ich zurück bin. Verstärkung kommt. Ich bringe die Mädchen raus.“ Nichts davon ergab Sinn. Ich fühlte mich gleichzeitig verängstigt und schwindelig. Wir rannten den offenen Pfad hinunter, das Geräusch des Knurrens verfolgte uns. Connors Kopf drehte sich immer wieder, suchte jede Seite ab, als erwartete er, dass etwas aus der Dunkelheit sprang. Der SUV kam in Sicht. Türen wurden entriegelt. Leute stiegen ein—alle außer mir. „Bridget, steig ein!“, schrie Sienna. „Ich kann nicht“, sagte ich, der Atem riss. „Ich muss nach Ms. Miriam sehen.“ „Ich habe sie schon angerufen—sie kommt“, schnappte Connor, während er Evelyn hineinschob und zu mir herumfuhr. Er riss die andere Tür auf. „Jetzt.“ „Wie?“, protestierte ich, wie am Boden festgewachsen. „Wann hast du sie angerufen? Während wir gerannt sind? Nichts davon—“ Die Kälte traf wieder, härter, als wäre die Luft zu Eis geworden. Ich sah zurück zum Wald. Etwas bewegte sich in der Dunkelheit. Nicht nur Bewegung—Bewusstsein. Als wüsste es, dass ich hinsah. Als würde die Dunkelheit zurücksehen. Was zur Hölle habe ich getrunken? „Ich bin hier, Kind. Los jetzt.“ Miriams Stimme war plötzlich direkt hinter mir. Ich wirbelte herum. Sie war da—zu nah, zu schnell, als wäre sie aus dem Nichts getreten. „Wie sind Sie so schnell hierhergekommen?“, verlangte ich zu wissen. „Was geht hier vor?“ „Steig ein“, sagte sie, fest, aber sanft, und führte mich zum Sitz. „Wir erklären es, wenn wir von diesem Ort weg sind.“ Ich ließ zu, dass sie mich in den SUV schob. Das Fahrzeug schoss sofort nach vorn. Ich drehte mich, um aus dem Rückfenster zu sehen. Auf dem Parkplatz wurden Autos beiseitegeschoben wie Spielzeug. „Was zum Teufel passiert hier?“, schrie ich. Ein scharfer Schmerzstich bohrte sich durch meinen Schädel. Ich schrie auf und klappte zusammen, hielt mir den Kopf, während meine Sicht schwamm. Einer meiner schlimmen Kopfschmerzen hatte sich angekündigt—die Sorte, die immer kam, wenn der Stress zu hoch wurde. „Hey“, sagte Archer, seine Hand rieb gleichmäßige Kreise auf meinem Rücken. „Geht es dir gut?“ Der Schmerz stieg. Dann setzte Regen ein—plötzlich und heftig, ein brüllender Wolkenbruch, der Geräusche verschluckte. „Ich…“ Mein Kopf wurde leicht. Der Regen schien härter niederzuschlagen, füllte meine Ohren, ertränkte alles. Und dann verwandelte sich die Welt in Schwärze. Völlige Schwärze. Kapitel 5 Das Lagerfeuer... Alpha Ryders POV „Alpha Ryder—wirklich, es ist immer eine Freude, wenn du nach Crescent Valley kommst.“ Luna Adrianas Stimme hallt durch die große Halle des Schlosses, in dem Moment, in dem ich eintrete. Ihr Rudel kommt unserem an Stärke und Größe gleich, und wie wir bestehen sie nicht nur aus einer einzigen Art. Wir sind immer die engsten Verbündeten gewesen. Unsere Väter waren schon als Jungen zusammen, haben Seite an Seite trainiert und diese Verbindung nie verblassen lassen. Adriana sieht genauso legendär aus, wie die Leute es flüsternd erzählen. Nahöstliche Gesichtszüge, mitternachtsschwarzes Haar, glatt aus ihrem Gesicht zurückgenommen, ein juwelenbesetztes Diadem, das das Licht zu den Kronleuchtern zurückwirft. Sie ist nicht so gealtert wie normale Menschen—sie könnte immer noch als jemand in ihren Zwanzigern durchgehen. Königliche Ausstrahlung. Scharf. Sicher. Macht sitzt auf ihr wie eine Krone. „Ich weiß es zu schätzen, dass du dir ohne Vorwarnung Zeit für mich nimmst“, sage ich zu ihr und verbeuge mich respektvoll. „Ich weiß, eure Terminpläne sind nicht gerade leicht.“ Wir mögen einander Familie nennen, aber es gibt Grenzen, die man nicht überschreitet. Ich umarme sie nicht; ich lasse meinen Geruch nicht an der Gefährtin eines anderen Alphas haften. So beginnen Kriege. Und bei einer Bindung wie der von Zachary und Adriana wäre ein Krieg keine kleine Sache. Die Leute reden davon, dass Gefährten wie sie Stärke teilen—alte Geschichten behaupten sogar, sie könnten Macht verschmelzen lassen. Seit Jahrhunderten hat niemand etwas dergleichen gesehen. „Sei nicht albern“, sagt sie warm. „Familie ist immer wichtig.“ Die Türen der Empfangshalle öffnen sich hinter ihr. Alpha Zachary schreitet herein, gebaut wie eine Festung, fast so groß und massig wie ich. Tinte bedeckt den größten Teil seiner Haut—Zeichen, Symbole, Trophäen für jeden Kill, den er geholt hat. Ein brutaler Kämpfer. Einer, mit dem ich gern Schläge austausche. Er grinst, und wir umfassen einander an den Unterarmen. Aurelia folgt ihm dicht auf den Fersen—ihre zukünftige Alpha. Schön wie eh und je, die karamellbraunen Augen ihres Vaters in das markante Gesicht ihrer Mutter gesetzt. Als sie meinen Blick auffängt, lächelt sie, als würde sie bereits Ärger planen. „Sieh mal, wer aufgetaucht ist“, sagt sie. „Hast du mich vermisst, Trottel?“ Wir sind eher wie Bruder und Schwester aufgewachsen als irgendetwas anderes, obwohl unsere Eltern alle leise hofften, das Schicksal würde uns miteinander verbinden. Dann wurden wir achtzehn, warteten darauf, dass unsere Wölfe reagierten… und es kam nichts. Kein Ziehen. Kein Funke. Also blieben wir Freunde, trainierten zusammen und verloren nie den Kontakt. „Schwer, das nicht zu tun“, gebe ich zurück. „Hey, Trotteline.“ Sie führen mich in Zacharys Büro, und die drei lassen sich mit der Leichtigkeit von Leuten nieder, die das schon tausendmal getan haben. Aurelia lässt sich auf einen Stuhl fallen und legt den Kopf schief, während sie mich ansieht. „Also quetschen wir noch einen Übungskampf rein, damit ich dich wie üblich schlagen kann?“ Zacharys Lachen grollt. Adrianas Blick schießt zu ihrer Tochter. „Dein Mundwerk, Aurelia. Irgendwo unter all dieser Attitüde bist du immer noch eine Dame. Du stellst meine Geduld täglich auf die Probe.“ Adriana geht zu ihrem Gefährten, und er zieht sie auf seinen Schoß, als wäre es das Natürlichste der Welt. Aurelias Grinsen wird unschuldig. „Tut mir leid, Mom.“ Zacharys Ausdruck wird ernst, als er auf den Bildschirm deutet. „Ich habe Alpha Marcus per Video zugeschaltet.“ „Vater“, sage ich und nehme Platz. Mein Vater nickt knapp. „Alpha Zachary. Luna Adriana. Danke, dass ihr euch mit Ryder trefft.“ „Immer“, antwortet Zachary, seine Stimme fest vor Freundschaft. „Jetzt erzähl uns, was ihr herausgefunden habt.“ Mein Vater atmet ein und spricht dann in dem vorsichtigen Ton, den er benutzt, wenn das Thema gefährlich ist. „Mein Zirkel hat eine alte Warnung weitergegeben. Es soll ein seltenes Wesen geben—männlich oder weiblich—ungefähr im Alter, in dem man zum ersten Mal seinen Wolf erhält. Seine Macht würde alles übersteigen, was wir dokumentiert haben. Die Beschreibung passt zu dem, was einige Texte den Omni-Wolf nennen: einen direkten Nachkommen der Mondgöttin, gesandt, um das Gleichgewicht zu bewahren, wenn die Dunkelheit aufsteigt.“ Er hält inne, die Augen hart. „Das Problem ist, dass man glaubte, die Blutlinie sei ausgelöscht worden. Gejagt, ausgebeutet, ...
I am Demetra, the girl whose mother slept with every gamma, beta, and zeta…trying to climb her way up, only to crash-land at the very bottom and leave me here to clean up her mess in the Black Covenant Pack. As the lowest-ranking omega in the pack house, my glorious destiny is to personally serve one of three sons of Alpha Kael. Emris. Emris. Emris. Emris. My world is the four walls of his penthouse bedroom. I’m the ghost who takes his designer clothes to the laundry. I scrub his desk. I pick up the condoms after he’s done with whatever girl he drags home from the club. I’m the one who patches up the cuts and bruises from fights he doesn’t want his parents to know about, dabbing at his knuckles while he stares straight through me. I even cut his hair when it gets too long cause he hates when it brushes his shoulders. And when his famous temper explodes, shattering a lamp or hurling it against the wall, I’m the one on my knees, picking up the pieces. Always on my knees. Because Emris runs on a fuel of rage. However, the day I turned eighteen, a mate bond snapped between us during one of my cleaning routines. Me, a nobody, became mated to the first son of the Alpha. The one everyone whispers will inherit everything, because while all two of brothers are hybrids, Emris is the strongest…he is a Trybrid werewolf. Emris, who has never looked at me twice, suddenly couldn’t stand for me to be out of his sight. Yet, despite his new possessiveness. He warned me never to tell a soul that we were mates. Afterall, I’m an orphaned omega, a high-school dropout because the pack’s "charity" didn't cover an actual education. My father isn’t some politician or business mogul; he’s probably one of the countless faceless men my mother entertained. I am the pack’s pity project, the girl they “saved,” and my lifelong repayment has been to scrub their floors and make their beds. He was ashamed of me. The first time Emris ever truly looked at me was the day the mate bond snapped into place. I remember how his uncovered eye, stared down at me while the other was hidden under the usual black patch. The next time I saw him without that black patch, it revealed his serpent-lined colored eyes as he took my virginity in his bed. And I love him. Goddess, I love him with my entire soul, a stupid, desperate love that lives in the deepest, most secret part of my heart. I loved him when he made me his dirty secret. I loved him through his coldness and the countless ways he shattered my heart, only to gather the pieces and hand them back to him all over again. I am the one who watches him sleep. I am the one rocked him back to reality when he woke up from the nightmares of the two years he spent as a kid, locked in an enemy’s pack dungeon. He was broken, far from perfect, but he was everything to me. “Where you going?” His rough voice makes me stop buttoning my stupid house help uniform. I see my reflection in his floor-length mirror, my doll like white hair is all ruffled from where he fisted his hands in it, arching me against me just minutes ago. “It’s almost time for breakfast.” I look around his bedroom for my bra. “Shit.” Emris runs a hand down his face. I see the forgotten cup of water on his nightstand. The one I brought him last night before he pulled me into his bed and made me forget my own name. “This what you’re looking for?” I see my light blue bra dangling from his finger. I march over and reach for it, but he lifts his hand higher. “I’m already late. Give it.” I hold my palm out and try to sound firm. He pushes his dark hair back and sits up. The sheets pools around his naked waist. I can’t help the quick swallow in my throat as I take in the hard planes of his ab muscles or his calloused hands that held my waist so tightly I couldn’t escape a thrust. “Did I say you could leave yet?” Emris’ voice is deceptively soft. “Keep it, then.” I frown and walk out. I can’t do this with him today. I hear his low chuckle behind me. “I don’t like your saltiness. Or is it moodiness? I don’t like your jealousy, either. I have so much to do today, the last thing I want is that attitude from you.” I do my best not to turn around and look at him. He knows exactly why I’m upset. The whole pack knows. The Alpha of the Mud Claw Pack’s daughter, Elena. Emris’s ex-girlfriend has just moved into the pack house. Luna Derisha is already parading her around, calling her his future Luna. And I’m here. His actual, true mate. His dirty little secret. “Demetra?” His tone shifts. It’s becoming a warning. “Don’t let me have to call you a second time!” When I turn, he’s out of bed in a loose pair of pants, walking towards the balcony where I’m standing at. “You know why I’m upset.” Emris rips off his black eye patch and tosses it aside. He usually covers that eye because his wolf gets agitated, and when it does, he can’t control the change. His left eye burns with a ring of gold, the pupil a terrifying thin slit. It scares people. But then, everything about Emris is designed to be scary. I’m just the idiot who’s in love with him, so I see past it. “You’re acting like I slept with Elena this morning!” “Wow.” I let out a scoff that’s designed to hide the hot press of tears in my throat. “So, you want to sleep with her? You can’t wait to have your ex-girlfriend back in your bed?” “Stop it. Her father is an Alpha. My mom is just securing my claim to the Alpha seat. It’s not personal—” “We are mates!” I yell and I’ve never yelled at him before. “You’re an omega.” Emris says it like it’s a disease. “That’s weak for a Trybrid like me. That’s a liability for the Alpha I’m becoming!” “You sleep with me! You claim me almost every night! But now, suddenly, I’m too weak for you because the Alpha seat is up for grabs?” In a second, he’s right in front of me. I watch the pupil in his left eye, “the serpent-like one” dilates. “Don’t you ever disrespect me. I paid for your high school. I offered to pay for college, but you were too proud to take it. I bought you a car you never drove! I give you a roof, my protection, and this is how you thank me?” Emris pulls me and I land against his bare chest, face inches from his. There, I force myself to go still so I won’t anger the beast further. I didn’t accept his gifts because I was sick of feeling like his charity case, a bill he had to pay for the mate he never wanted. “Once I'm Alpha, my pups will be in your belly. You'll... be under my protection for life." He roughs a brand across my waist before palming my back side. There comes the famous grab as he does a little tap-tap-tap taps with ownership. Usually, it would make me blush but this time, I just look at him with tears. However, Emris doesn’t see tears. He’s cold-blooded, and the worst part is, he’s proud of it. “As what?” I look up at him from what feels like a million miles below. The one thing I want is for him to claim me as his mate. To look at me and see his equal, his other half, not a constant reminder of how we’re opposites. Emris just stares back. Of course, he’s going to pretend he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. He’s an expert at that. “Change that jealous look on your face before I see you again.” I push his hand away from my waist and instantly feel cold. I walk out of his bedroom. The moment I step into the moving area of the pack house, I nearly collide with the head chef, whose face is twisted into a scowl that could curdle milk. “Where have you been?!” “I, uh… I woke up late.” I quickly answer. My job is only to maintain Emris’s private penthouse, so I have no idea why she’s so furious with me. “We’re short-staffed. Go help Miss Elena take her bags to her room.” Susan points and my stomach plummets. There she is. Elena Orient. Emris’ ex-girlfriend. 2 Demetra. Elena was a part-time cheerleading trainer at Magnus High for a year. It’s the high school I was able to attend because of Emris’s “charity.” She’s at least four years older than me, and she was that impossibly cool adult all the younger girls, including me, desperately wanted to be. The boys were all secretly in love with her. She had perfect, bouncy blonde waves. Back when I was a gawky, puberty-stricken freshman, I’d daydream about looking like her one day. So yeah, I’m jealous. Elena Orient comes from a rich family, a powerful pack, and everyone adores her. She’s everything I’m not. I remember the first time she saw Emris. It was Guardians’ Day. I didn't have anyone to come for me, but he showed up. He was there for his sister, Teddy but I’ll never forget the way everyone stared as he walked straight up to me in the crowded hallway. The next day, Elena actually sought me out to ask me who he was. It was the first time our cheer instructor had ever spoken directly to me. I gave her his name, never imagining that simple answer would lead to them dating. Back then, I didn't care. I wasn't eighteen; the mate bond was silent, and Emris's life was his own. Now, everything is different. "Morning.” I say. Elena finally looks up from her phone. Even at 7 a.m., her blonde hair is bouncy and shiny. Makeup. She’s dressed in designer clothes plus perfumes. She’s obviously hoping to run into Emris, but he’s probably in the middle of his brutal gym session, followed by a wild run through the woods. He won't be back for at least an hour. "OMG! Demetra, right?" "Yeah. I should take your bags up—" I reach for one of the bold pink suitcases, but when I try to lift it, it doesn't even budge. "Did Emris send you to help me?" What does she think I am, his personal messenger? "Does he know I'm here already?" "No, Miss Elena." I reposition myself to wrestle with the luggage again. "Where is he? Still sleeping? Is he awake?" I give the stubborn bag a hard yank. "Can you give me an answer!?" There comes her irritation. I’d almost forgotten that behind that smile, she wears a lot of masks and her true personality is just plain evil. "I'm not sure, Miss Elena—" "Then, what use are you?" I pull the bag with all my might, and this time, it sends me backward. I lose my balance and crash to the floor just as Luna Derisha walks in with another guest. Oh no. “Elena, why are your luggage not taken yet!?” Luna Derisha’s asks. I get up quickly. “This weak omega—” Luna Derisha’s eyes narrow on me but she forces a smile for the guest. Elena’s mother, who’s watching the entire scene. “I’m sorry, Luna.” I step back. I know better than to be within arm’s reach when she’s like this; her slaps are swift. “Wow, her hair is so beautiful. She is such a beautiful young woman.” I see the muscle in Luna Derisha’s jaw twitch as the woman complements me. She hates any reminder of my mother, and my looks are the biggest reminder of all. Thankfully, Luna Derisha’s drivers come in and effortlessly haul the luggage away. “Luna, the tables are ready.” the head housekeeper announces. The moment they’re out of earshot, Luna Derisha turns on me. “I don’t even know your use in this house. All you do is fatten yourself on our food, yet your strength stays the same.” I stare at the ground. It’s better not to look at her. “Because of us, the sickly thing your mother gave birth to is growing. Your cream-white hair is getting longer. Your uniform is getting tighter on your body. Your hips are fattening like a whore’s, your…” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s those same things your mother used to attract the lowest of the lows. Tell me, are you heading down the same path?” “No, Luna.” I answer quickly. “Get out of my sight! And did I not ask you to dye that hair black?” Someone calls Luna Derisha so her attention finally goes away from me. The moment she looks away. I feel a violent surge in my throat and I throw my hand against it. I don’t know if it’s the humiliation, the stress of the morning, or something else entirely, but I don’t wait to find out. I turn and run across the marble floors until I burst into the empty staff bathroom. I barely make it to the stall before my insides seem to rupture. I vomit and vomit and vomit until my stomach is empty. Tears are streaming down my face as I stare at myself in the mirror. Why am I vomiting? Is it the oats I ate last night? And then my brain decides to gives me an answer. Hey, remember that little monthly thing that ghosted you last month? Oh no. Oh, Moon Goddess… am I pregnant? Pregnant with Emris’ child? ___________ I change out of my uniform, into a pair of jeans and a top. I need a pregnancy test. Now. I've been sitting in front of the desk for the past three hours, trying to count days on a calendar, but it's useless. The problem is Emris. Our schedule last month was basically, all sex. In his room, in mine, sometimes in a skyscraper hotel suite when his late-night meetings with the jet company ran long. Today is the 20th. No sign of my period. That can only mean one thing. We used protection… sometimes. When he remembered. Emris gets so lost in the claiming in a way that makes it impossible for either of us to think straight. I go out through the back kitchen, hoping to go unnoticed. "Where are you going?" Summer, my best friend blocks my path and shoves her hands into her flour-dusted apron, looking less like my ride-or-die and more like a very suspicious, pastry-based bouncer. "Luna Derisha is on a warpath today. So lucky you only answer to Emris. What's going on with you?" "Uh, I just have to run an errand—" "Ugh, don't even get me started. That Elena is such a snob. She brought thirty boxes of Louboutin, Chanel and had the nerve to ask if we'd ever touched anything like that. Please tell me a bitch like that isn't going to be our next Luna." "Summer, if anyone hears you, you're going to lose your job." Paxton warns, he’s the assistant chef. "She's not wrong. Riley is arranging Elena’s closet right now. There are, like, a hundred pairs." Someone else says. "Guys, I really have to go." I try to sidestep them. But Paxton places a hand around my stomach region to stop me. He's always been overly concerned about me. "Are you okay? You look a bit…pale." Before I can answer, my eyes do a casual sweep past his shoulder to the kitchen's large glass windows. And I freeze. Emris is there, a million-foot tall on the gravel, making a phone call in his stuntman stature. He’s staring straight at us. Specifically, at Paxton’s hand, which is currently resting on the exact location of his potential future heir. For his own safety, and to prevent a murder in the parking lot, I crank up a smile. "I'm fine, Pax! Really. Just a quick trip into town. I’ll be back soon.” I hurry out to the gardens but a text lights up my phone from Emris. Just one word: Garage. I knew he wouldn’t let what he saw slide. His private garage is dim and it’s the first time we'd met here. The car Emris is in is a black Bentley that cost more than my life. With blue interior lights that make him a villain of a sci-fi movie. Emris unfolds himself from the seat. “You’re gonna use that nobody to make me jealous!” He has the most devastatingly handsome face I’ve ever seen. Skin like rich gold, messy black hair that looks better the more he runs his hands through it. He’s taller and stronger than any man I’ve ever known. I’ve felt the raw power in his thighs when they move under me, I’ve listened to the steady beat of his heart against my chest. It’s the universe’s cruellest joke that a voice so rough and harsh comes attached to a mouth that gives the softest kisses. “That’s not what I was doing.” “What was he about to touch?” “Emris, Paxton is just my friend. I’ve told you this over and over… he’s just looking out for me.” He rises to his full, ridiculous height. A skyscraper of a jealous Alpha he will soon become. I am forced to step back until I bump into another of his cars. He’s jealous. And when he’s jealous, he’s less a man and more a walking, talking grenade with the pin already pulled. “Looking out for you?” He tilts his neck in that specific way he does, a gesture that shows the tattoos on his throat and across his collarbones. I know they travel all the way down to his waist. I’ve traced them with my fingers before. “Because I don’t do enough looking out for you already!?” “Someone could see us. I should go—” “Get in.” I just stare at him in surprise. Emris has never, ever let me in the same car as him before, especially not while we're on pack grounds. This is breaking like twelve of his own rules. “If someone sees—” He drags me to the passenger side and pushes me in. 3 Demetra. A moment later, he’s driving us smoothly away from the pack house, and I melt into the leather chair. “Where?” “Huh?” Emris hisses. “Where are you going? Don’t piss me off, Demetra.” “The, um… to the store.” “What could you possibly want from the store that you cannot get at the pack house!?” “Some hygiene products.” I squeakily lie. “And a new bra.” When we get to the shopping mall, his phone rings. Thank god, a distraction. He throws a black credit card at me without even looking, and I take it. I only accept because refusing would be a whole thing and I need him to be distracted. I go straight to the pharmacy section. My hands are literally shaking as I grab the test. I pay with my own cash and buy two, just to be sure. I also snag a random, overpriced bra I don’t need as my decoy. I lock myself in a bathroom stall and after ten minutes, my eyes instantly water when both tests show the result. Two pink lines. Two. I stare at myself in the mirror over the sink, looking again and again and again, as if my reflection will have a different answer. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant with Emris’s child. I wipe the tears away, only for more to fall. It’s positive. Both tests are undeniably, life-falteringly positive. I stumble out of the stall and mumble an apology to the annoyed women waiting in line. I rush to the counter to pay for the bra, hastily wiping my cheeks and glancing out the mall to see if Emris is still in the car. My hands are shaking so badly I fumble the card, dropping it twice. As I turn from the counter, I bump hard into an older man and it sends my shopping bag and Emris's black credit card to the floor. "I'm so sorry!" I get to my knees to gather my things. The man bends down too and picks up the card. "Here you go—" "Thanks. I am so sorry, sir!" I repeat until he doesn't let go. I look up and see him staring at me with an expression of shock, so intense that the card in his hand actually trembles. "Sir…?" I try to pull it back. "What is your name?" he asks. "You look familiar. What pack are you from?" "Sir, please. I'm in a hurry." I finally manage to tug the card from his fingers but the encounter is far from over. "Alpha?" I look up to see a guy who must be a million inches tall, built like a valley, standing behind the older man. Did he just call him... Alpha? The older man ignores his guard or is it his Beta to continue staring at me. "You have white hair. You….you have white hair.” Why’s he looking at me like he's seen a ghost. Yes, I have white hair and so? My mind is reeling from the pregnancy tests, and now this? Will Emris accept the pregnancy? Will Emris be happy when I tell him? Will Luna Derisha kill me when she finds out I’ve been sleeping with her son? The future heir of the pack. The Beta speaks. "Alpha, you don't think she is—" “Please, have my business card.” The older man presses an embossed card into my hand but I don’t take it. “Sir, I don’t understand what you are saying or doing—” “I am searching for my daughter. She has white hair, just like…” “I am not your daughter!” A father is the last thing I have or need on this earth. “Dad?” Another young man, handsome and well-dressed, walks up, addressing the older man. The moment his eyes land on me, his jaw goes slack. While I’m distracted by the son’s stunned reaction, the older man quickly slips his business card into the palm of my hand and closes my fingers around it. And at that exact moment, Emris enters. One look at his eyes and I know I’m in deep, deep trouble. “You.” Emris voice makes everyone look in our direction. I rush to the side of the living temptress I call my mate, thinking he’s furious with me, but his eyes are on the group of men. “Emris, son of Alpha Kael.” the older man says. “I heard about your father’s death. My condolences—” “Don’t start with me, old foolish man!” My mate hisses. The son of the older man comes close. “It’s me you hate, Emris. Leave my father out of it. After all, only one of us still has a father left.” The male insults the devastating storm that is my Alpha and walks out the door. The older man follows, and the hefty Beta is the last to exit. “Everyone. Leave.” Emris’s voice isn’t loud, but the store employees and customers run for the exits. Including the owner of the establishment. I don’t think there’s a soul in West Virginia who doesn’t know who Emris is, or the danger that radiates from him. As soon as everyone leaves, I start to explain. “I’m sorry I took so long. My… my stuff fell and—” “First, you throw that puppy, Paxton, in my face. And now I find you cozying up to that dying old man Ronin and his waste-of-space son, Slade. Are you seriously this desperate for attention, or just profoundly stupid?” My eyes widen in genuine shock. That was Slade? The rival Alpha Emris has hated since they were boys? The one from the Lion Pride pack? “I swear, Emris, I didn’t know—” I don’t get to finish when kicks a nearby display, sending a whole aisle of canned goods to the floor. “Why are you doing this!?” I clamp my hands over my ears. “Why am I doing this!?” He kicks another shelf which topples like dominoes, scattering products everywhere before he storms back to me. “I saw him slip you his card. What’s your price, Demetra? Huh? Was my bed not enough of a platform for you to audition for your next role? Are you planning to be Slade’s new step-mom or Slade’s little whore? After acting so damn pure with me, refusing the things I try to give you… you come here to meet with Slade? To become his whore, just like you are to me?” Emris’ words don’t just hurt. They dissolve me. The heat behind my eyes instantly melts into tears that stream down my face. “W-whore? You are the only person I have ever been with!” “Then what do you call a person who is available for me to use morning and night? A convenience. You clean up my messes and warm my bed. I didn't call you anything you haven't proven yourself to be. Now, take whatever pathetic offer that old man gave you and get the hell out of my life forever.” Emris turns to leave but I run after him, furious tears blinding me as I throw my arms around his back like an idiot. “How can you call me that!?” I weep on his shirt. Emris pries my hands off with cold strength. “I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the interaction—” “I tried so hard! I refused your gifts, your money… I did everything I could so you would never, ever look at me that way! But at the end of the day, this is what you think of me? You have no heart, Emris. You are dark. You are…” I gasp for air as the insult dies on my tongue. “I am Alpha! My father is dead and I will be Alpha soon. If you’re still in my territory when I formalize my title, I will personally escort you down the Walk of Judgment. I’ll make sure the entire pack knows exactly what you are.” The Walk of Judgment is a nightmare. A walk of shame where the pack forces you out while throwing filth at you, sometimes tearing the clothes from your back. It’s the ultimate disgrace before being cast out to become a rogue. And he just threatened me with it. I force Emris to face me again. “It’s me, Demetra! Why are you acting this way? It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know that was Slade! I didn’t know who they were!” “And he gave you a card. You might be naive enough to believe that was a coincidence, but I’m not, Demetra. So much for loyalty. How long has this been going on? How long have you been spreading your legs for Slade? Or is the old man getting a turn, too?” Emris insults are too much so I slap him! His head snaps to the side. Once I do that, there is only the sound of his breathing. His chest begins to rise, and rise, and rise so I move away. “We’re done.” Emris storms out. I watch through the glassed door as he speaks to the mall owner before getting into his car and speeding away, leaving me in the wreckage. 4 Demetra. Slowly, I sink to my knees and weep from my lungs so deep it feels like it will break me. I am inconsolable, lost in a storm of tears when a timid voice speaks. “Miss? The… the man said you are the one to clean up the mess he made.” I look up at the mall owner and I frown into tears. How can we be over when I carry a new life, a part of him, inside my belly? ******** I get back to the pack house a little past midnight. My body aches everywhere…. like even my bones are tired. I don’t bother turning on the light; I just crawl into bed and start crying all over again. The kind of crying that makes your throat hurt. Slade. Of all people, it had to be him. Emris hates Slade more than he hates any other enemy. He’s the son of Alpha Ronni from the Lion Pride Pack. The Lion Pride Pack and the Black Covenant share a territory….joined by waters, separated by Alphas. They’re rich, powerful but Emris would rather die than be in the same room as them. I didn’t even recognize them! The older man just… he thought I was someone else. My phone glows in the dark: 2:17 AM. A part of me still wants to go to him, to tell him again that this is a mistake. Maybe if he just listens one more time, he’ll see it. Why does loving him make me feel like such an idiot? I know deep down he doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve me. And yet… I still do. When I finally wake up, it’s because someone’s tapping my arm. “Demetra!” It’s the head chef’s voice. “Goodness, child, I thought you were dead for a second. Do you realize you’ve slept two hours past your shift? Emris’ suite—” Once I see it’s morning, I leap out of bed and dash into the bathroom. I’m so dead. I’m supposed to clean Emris’s room before he gets back from the gym. If even one of his stupid, expensive things is out of place, he throws a fit. Then he’s late for breakfast, and the whole pack knows it’s my fault. I shower and throw on my uniform then take the elevator straight up to the penthouse level. I start planning my apology in my head as I move into Emris’ floor. Suddenly, I stop because standing right in the middle of the living room are Elena and Luna Derisha. And Luna Derisha is holding something lacy and blue between her fingers. My bra. It’s the one Emris took yesterday. The one I told him, over and over, to give back. I forget how to breathe but I have to say something. “Lu… Luna.” Luna Derisha’s violet eyes look almost black. “Who owns this?” I rub my hands on my apron like that’ll make me look less guilty. “Um… I don’t know.” I lie. The door behind me swings open and Radu fills the threshold like a dark mountain. He is the Luna’s gamma, the wolf everyone hushes for in the halls. He’s the one who rescued Emris after he was kidnapped and caged for two years as a kid. Radu doesn’t waste words, he only growls and moves when the Luna says so. Seeing him here means this isn’t just a scolding; it’s an execution. “You fucking slut! You’re trying to seduce my son. You put your bra in my son’s closet.” Elena shakes her head. “How old are you to be acting so shameless? You’re at least seven years younger than Emris!?” “Luna, it’s not… it’s not mine.” “It smells like you. Filthy. My son, who is going to be Alpha, is the person you’re trying to seduce? You’re just like that maggot of a mother who gave birth to you! That bitch spread her legs for every man in the pack just to climb the ladder, and you ended up following the worst of her traits—” Her hot hand snatches my hair! Then, Luna Derisha uses it to bring to my knees. It’s so painful, so utterly painful and shocking that I taste metal and then white light. I see a bunch of my hair in her hands and then I feel blood coming from my scalp. I look up in tears. “It’s not yours. Fine. We’ll test it, then. Bring her downstairs where all the pack employees look. I will use this bitch as a lesson.” “Luna, please! Luna, please!” My screams are short as Radu’s massive hand closes around my ankle. He doesn’t even lift me; he just uses my own body to drag me across the floor. My uniform rides as I twist and kick, but it doesn’t matter. By the time we reach the hall downstairs, every pack employee is there. Cooks, cleaners, security, everyone is looking at me at the centre. I’m trembling on my knees. I’ve always feared Luna Derisha, but never like this. Never when Emris isn’t here to stop her. “I hope you’re all watching…” Elena says loudly. “This is what happens to anyone who thinks they can seduce the future Alpha. Your little colleague here hid her bra in his closet, and now she’s pretending it isn’t hers.” Luna Derisha tosses the fabric at my face. “If you say it’s not yours, prove it.” I am not able to stop shaking. “But Luna….” the head chef speaks up for me. “In front of everyone?” “Are you questioning me?” “Apologies, Luna! Apologies!” I crawl forward on my hands and knees in tears. I grab the hem of Luna Derisha’s designer dress. “Please. Forgive me. I’ll never do anything like this again. Please.” “Luna, I’m begging you. Pleaseee-“ “You should have thought of that before you tried to disgrace my family.” Luna Derisha looks at Radu and I hear his boots coming forward. I feel Radu’s hands on the back of my uniform and the fabric rips straight down my back. I scream, trying to cover myself. “Rip the bra, too so she can try this one.” Radu obeys. The straps of my own bra snap, and I sob, using my long white hair as a pathetic curtain to hide my body. Through the veil of my hair, I see some of the male employees turn their backs so they don’t watch. The girls just stare in horror. I am naked, on my knees, utterly broken. Through, my sobs, I hear the one sound that could make this worse. The sound of the Luna’s sons. Emris. Silver and Regan. I’m shivering, naked and exposed on my knees, when I look up and see them standing there. “What the hell is going on here!?” Emris yells, looking at me. Elena and Luna Derisha spin around. They hadn’t seen him come in. “Mom, what the hell.” Silver says. Regan, the other brother, just chuckles. “Isn’t she Emris’s pretty little housekeeper?” “No, she is her mother’s daughter!” Luna Derisha shrieks. “And I don’t care what you say today, I will punish her mercilessly! Put on the bra, now!” I squeeze my eyes shut. I will rather die right here than be humiliated any further. “Demetra!” I hear Paxton’s voice, and he’s already at my side. Before I can say anything, he uses his own chef’s coat as a wrap around my shoulders. “Paxton.” I shake my head. “She needs more cover!” He yells to anyone who’ll listen and for a second, I think he might fight them all. “Paxton!?” Susan, the head chef calls out to warn him but he doesn’t answer. Then I hear a rumbling growl from Radu. My eyes dart up just in time to see the massive Gamma take a step forward to make an example of Radu but Emris moves faster. He doesn’t go for Radu. He goes straight for Paxton, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him away from me. “The Luna gives an order and you bring yourself into the middle of it!” I can see it in Emris eyes. This isn’t just about the Luna’s command. This is all the jealousy he’s been holding for Paxton, finally finding a public excuse to explode. “Demetra would never try to seduce you! There has to be some mistake!” Paxton chokes in Emris’s grip. “We all know Demetra! She’s kind, she’s content, and she’s worked her entire life for this pack!” Emris’s eyes flash with a dark, wicked fire. “What are you… her little lover?” I watch, horrified, as his hand tightens around Paxton’s throat. Paxton’s face begins to turn a terrifying shade of purple. “Stop!” I yell. “If I were her lover, so what?” Paxton gasps. “Are we so little to you that we are not worth your love, too? If I were, what does it even matter to—” Emris hurls Paxton across the room into the bar cellar in an explosion of shattering glass and wood. The crowd screams, some scatter in fear, others rush to help him. I get up to see if he’s okay. But Emris has something to say to me. “Get out of my pack now!” The shout makes my whole wolf skitter and break in half. 5 Demetra. “But you know I have only you.” I whisper. I need him to remember. I need him to remember that in this entire, cruel world, he’s the only one I have. “What the hell do you mean by that!?” Elena inserts herself. Emris eyes are empty. “You have ten minutes to leave the pack house. If she doesn’t, Radu makes sure she leaves with a claw mark as a souvenir.” Then he walks away. Susan is the first to reach me. “Come on, sweetheart, quickly!” When we reach my room, she lets go so I can pack. I pull on a shirt with trembling hands. My fingers fumble with the zipper of an old bag I drag out from the closet. My chest hurts; my throat burns. I’m shaking so badly it’s hard to fold anything right. I keep thinking: I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, and I have nowhere to go. No one to call family. My mate, the only person I ever thought I had just destroyed me. With five minutes left before Radu comes, I can’t breathe. That’s when I see the business card Alpha Ronni gave me, lying at the corner of my mirror table. His name, his number. I grab it. When I step out, Summer, Susan, and the others are waiting in the hallway. One by one, they hug me quickly, whispering goodbyes. I don’t trust myself to speak so I just keep moving before I fall apart. Downstairs, Luna Derisha is waiting. Silver and Regan step aside to let me through. “Elena?” Luna says lightly, “just promise me that right after you and Emris are married, you’ll give me a grandchild.” Elena smiles. “Of course, Mother-in-law.” I press a trembling hand to my stomach and swallow the scream sitting in my throat. Emris, I swear you’ll never know that I left with a part of you. I leave the Black Covenant Pack house and I don’t look back. Outside the gate, I just carry my light bag and think. Do I call? Do I not? Alpha Ronni barely knows me. No one outside this territory even knows me. I check my wallet and there’s a few bucks at most. Luna Derisha always said food and a bed were my payment so I can’t even afford a motel. I need help. I take out my phone, type in the number on the card, and call. “Hello?” I try not to cry. “Yes… um, I’m Demetra.” I stammer into the phone. “We met — at the store. I was with Emris that day. You are Alpha Ronni—” There’s a pause, then a deep, surprised voice. “Yes, you. I can’t believe you’re calling. Are you all right?” “I…I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha. I just… I have nowhere else to go. That’s why I called.” Silence. I hear my own heartbeat. My mind starts racing and I think what am I doing? He’s an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be calling him. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be calling you. You’re—” “Where are you right now?” “I’m just outside the Black Covenant gates.” I look around me. “I’ll send an escort. A convoy of cars. You’ll be brought to safety at once. Don’t move. Do you understand me?” “Yes…yes Alpha.” The line goes dead, and I clutch the phone to my chest. I look down at my belly and make a promise that Emris will never get to know of my child. He will search for me but he will never find. This heart will never forgive him. This heart will never forgive everyone in the Black covenant pack. ********** Five years later. West Virginia Airport. “Tired?” My dad, Alpha Ronin, wraps his hand around mine in the first-class seat. It’s warm. Six hours from Manila and my butt is sore. “I’m beyond tired.” I mumble through a yawn and glance sideways. “She’s still asleep?” Amira, my daughter is hugging Grandpa’s arms with her mouth slightly open after being a menace the entire flight. The air hostess approaches, politely informing us that the path is clear for us to leave the plane. I start gathering my laptop, my sketchbook, pens— “Mr. Pride, Miss. Pride, this way.” We don’t lift a finger. Not for the bags, not for anything. The moment our feet touch the ground, a black car is already waiting to take us straight from the plane One of the many, many perks of being the daughter of the Alpha of the Lion pack. It still feels a little like playing dress-up, like any minute someone’s going to tap me on the shoulder and say, “Okay, fun’s over. Back to being the Black covenant’s charity case.” Five years ago, I called the number on that business card, not knowing I was dialing my own future. Back then in that store, Alpha Ronin recognized me not because he knew me…but because he knew my mother. A one-night stand. A mistake. Or maybe fate being cruelly efficient. White hair is pretty rare for wolves. Most people bleach or dye it, trying to look cool or intimidating. So it’s hard to spot a true one in the wild. But Alpha Ronin said he saw her in my face and the shape of my eyes. He had to be sure if I was his. When I called him, a fleet of cars arrived like and I was taken to the Lion Pack estate. They didn’t treat me like a stray. They treated me like a person. Like family, even before we knew for sure. That was when I met Slade. My half-brother. Then Alpha Ronin said my mother’s name and suddenly, everything clicked. The Black Covenant Pack had told me the history of my mother and since Alpha Ronin claimed he had a one-night stand with her, I agreed for a DNA test. It proved that Alpha Ronin was my father. All that time, I’d been an Alpha’s daughter, living on my knees. All those years I spent surviving as a charity case, I was the daughter of an Alpha. I nursed my broken heart for a year straight. Some days it nearly kills me but I survived because I wasn’t not alone. Then I give birth to Amira. And somehow, I break all over again. She has Emris’ hair. His eyebrows. His face hiding in hers so clearly it hurts to look at her for too long. Every time I hold her, the truth settles deeper into my bones that she is going to grow up without knowing her father. He doesn’t know she exists. And even if he did… I’m not sure he would care. That thought almost destroyed me. But Amira also saves me. I find strength in her tiny hands, in the way she curls against my chest like I’m her entire world. My dad notices the way I’m fading so he makes the decision for me when I’m too weak to make it myself. I need to leave the country so I choose Paris without really thinking. It sounds far away enough. I don’t realize what it will become until I’m standing inside the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen…flowers everywhere, gardens and that’s where I begin to paint. I paint my pain. I paint my past. I paint my heartbreak. I put every ounce of "him" and every ounce of onto those canvases. I shut out the entire world, focused only on my little girl and the colors on my palette. I started going to art school, not to find myself, but to prove I could. And then I sold my first piece. The first bidder wanted it for hundreds of millions. Just like that, I wasn't just Demetra. I was Demetra Pride, the millionaire artist who came out of nowhere. That sale did something more than fill my bank account. It gave me a new bone structure, one made of confidence. I believed I could do anything. In Paris, dad retires from leading the pack just to be with me and his granddaughter. For a while, it’s just us but now… after five years, we are back. We’ve returned to support Slade as he fully takes the reins of the pack. And Dad… he says it’s my duty, too. To help run it alongside my brother. He doesn’t want Amira growing up away from her entire family, from her legacy. I’m ready. I no longer nurse a broken heart. I have nothing to run from anymore. When we arrive at the pack house, everyone is already waiting. Dad squeezes my hand as we walk toward the entrance. "Ready, cub?" That’s his nickname for me. I squeeze back. "Born ready." 6 Demetra. His sister, Aunt Rachel who visited us in Paris so often when Amira was a baby smiles widely. I see my uncles, my cousins— And then Tiffany, Aunt Allison’s daughter breaks from the crowd to swallow me. “Oh my goodness, Demetra!” “Tiff.” I hug her fiercely and my voice is muffled against her shoulder. When we pull apart, Slade is there. He wraps me in a bear hug. We stare at each other for a long moment. “Craig. Timothy.” I call out my cousins’ names as I recognize them, hugging them before pulling the rest of the girls into quick embraces too. Eventually, we all move inside. “I’m planning the biggest party you’ve ever seen—” “A party?” I say to Tiff. She’s the one who flew to Paris and basically moved in during those hazy, difficult postpartum months. “I feel like I’ve been through so many gallery openings and world events back in Paris that a party is just…” “Don’t even say you’re overwhelmed.” She links her arm with mine and steering me toward the pack house. “You are the Alpha’s daughter, and the entire pack has been dying to formally meet you. This is your fate. Now, come see your room—” She opens a set of double doors and I actually stop breathing for a second. It’s…gorgeous. And insane. It looks like Barbie’s dream house decided to have a love child with a modern castle. A queen-sized bed on a raised platform with large pillars. A gorgeous rooftop balcony. Everything is marble. And the closet… the closet has its own large, spiral staircase. It’s less of a closet and more of a boutique. “Slade went crazy with your room.” Tiffany says, watching my face as my mouth hangs open. “Why does the closet look like a luxury boutique!?” “Maybe because Slade got a boutique consultant to figure that out,” she says with a smirk. “He did what?!” I gasp. This is the point where I stop admiring and need to go interrogate whatever is happening in my brother’s mind. As I whirl around to head back out, I nearly collide with Aunt Scotty. “There you are, darling!” She pulls me into a hug, then holds my face at arm’s length. “You look so beautiful. Truly radiant.” “Thank you, Auntie.” “My friend has a son,” she continues. “He’s the Alpha of the Nightfall Pack, and he’s very single. And by how beautiful you are, I’m sure he wouldn’t care one bit that you have a kid already.” I exhale and gently extract my face from her hand. “I don’t come back to West Virginia to date—” “That is not possible! You are the Alpha’s daughter, and there are many single Alphas who would be thrilled—” “I won’t date someone who sees my daughter as a liability. If I marry one day, it will be to someone who loves my daughter with all their heart, Aunt. That’s non-negotiable. Anyway, can we talk about this later? I’m looking for Slade.” “Demetra…” she sighs, but I squeeze her hand, blow a kiss into the air, and move quickly before she can launch into a full presentation on the pros and cons of marriage. Ever since my last heartbreak, I haven’t even opened my heart enough to imagine another man in that space. And honestly, that might be how it stays. I finally find Slade in his office, finishing a phone call. He sees me lingering in the doorway and his stern expression softens into a smile. He says a quick goodbye and hangs up. “Hey, sis.” “I just escaped Scotty.” I announce, collapsing into the chair opposite his desk. “She’s talking about setting me up on dates and I haven’t even unpacked my luggage’s frist.” He chuckles. “She’s been talking about it. She’s got a long line for the both of us.” I squint, then realize. “True. You don’t have a Luna yet.” “I don’t need a Luna.” Slade says. “Says no one… ever,” I counter with a soft chuckle. “I’ll get a Luna when you get married.” “I am not getting married, Slade.” “And that,” he says lightly, “makes it clear what we both want.” The joke hangs between us and we chuckle. He comes around the desk and pulls me into another hug. He rests his head on top of mine, and for a moment, we just stand there in the quiet of his office. “How’s being an Alpha going?” I murmur into his chest. His sigh is deep. “Hard. Without Dad. Hard, knowing the final decisions are mine to make. The weight of it… it’s different when you’re actually holding it.” I pull back to look up at him. “I’m sorry he left. He left because he wasn’t sure I would find the will to move on. It’s my fault—” “Don’t even,” Slade says quietly. “Dad wasn’t there for you during the years you needed him most, so he definitely wanted to be there for you and Amira this time. I’m just glad you’re both back now. We can do this together.” I smile. “So, what’s the recent gist?” “Um…” Slade hesitates for a moment. “It’s the Black Covenant Pack. They’re trying to take over a territory that belongs to us.” My brows lift. “What?” “We’re separated by water, but there’s land before the shoreline that’s ours. They’re fighting for it. Their Alpha is claiming it belongs to them and he’s gone as far as calling the Council against us.” I narrow my eyes. The Council of Wolves is an organization made up of representatives from different packs, meant to judge disputes like this fairly. Supposedly. “If it’s ours, then it’s ours.” I say, carefully avoiding my mate’s name. “He has no right.” “That’s the kind of person he is,” Slade replies darkly. “In the last five years, his pack has grown more vile. Greedy. They take and take, acting like they’re the greatest pack alive. He’s claiming the land originally belonged to his grandmother and that he has documents to prove it.” “Documents?” I repeat. “Yes. And because of this stupid territorial dispute, his wolves think they have the right to harass ours in public. They’ve been confronting them. Tackling them.” My jaw tightens immediately. “So what…what are we supposed to do? Just let that slide? We can’t allow him to bully our pack. If the current documents show the land belongs to us, then it belongs to us.” “I want to handle this without bloodshed but someone like the Black Covenant Alpha doesn’t care who bleeds. That’s why I’ve got a constant headache.” I frown. “Hey. Don’t grow wrinkles now. I’ll take care of it.” Slade says. “I’ve already registered Amira for school. I gave them all her information and they said she can start on Monday. She’ll adjust just fine, I promise. If you don’t believe me, you can go to the parent–teacher meeting, alright?” “Alright.” I try to smile. “I’m going to take a shower. Then we can continue.” He kisses my hand before I leave, and I smile…right up until I step out of his room. The moment the door closes behind me, tears blur my eyes. My chest burns like something is ripping open again. Even my ears feel hot. After all these years, Emris is still the same kind of person. The kind who takes. The kind who breaks. I wish I had rejected him before he ever had the chance to push me away. Maybe then I wouldn’t still feel this connection…this pull that refuses to die no matter how far I run. I swipe at my eyes and keep walking. Because I don’t get to fall apart anymore.
Kapitel 1 Eine völlig neue Welt Bridgets Perspektive „Schhh… meine süßen Lieblinge.“ Meine Mutter murmelt, und selbst in der Dunkelheit kann ich hören, wie fest ihr die Angst in der Kehle sitzt. Der Regen zieht sich wie Fäden durch die Bäume, während wir uns eng aneinanderdrücken. Der Wald riecht frisch gewaschen, nach diesem feuchten, sauberen Duft, den es nur nach einem heftigen Schauer gibt. Die Blätter über uns fangen die Tropfen auf und lassen sie in sanften, gleichmäßigen Klopflauten wieder fallen. Es ist seltsam, woran der Verstand festhält. Ein Vogel, der sich irgendwo weit entfernt bewegt. Ein Kaninchen, das ein paar Meter weiter raschelt. Jedes winzige Geräusch trifft scharf. Obwohl es Nacht ist, kann ich sehen — zu deutlich. Meine Finger vor meinem Gesicht. Die glatte Rinde. Die Schatten zwischen den Stämmen. Dann trifft es mich. Andere Herzschläge. Nicht unsere. Sie kommen näher. Stimmen peitschen durch den Regen, wütend und scharf. „Da drüben!“, ruft ein Mann. „Holt sie — sofort!“ „Lauf.“ Die Stimme meines Vaters ist nicht laut; es ist, als würde sie direkt in meinem Schädel auftauchen. Er hebt mich hoch, seine Arme schließen sich fest um mich, und ich erhasche einen Blick auf meine Momma, die vorauseilt. Wir brechen auf das Flussufer hinaus. Die Männer holen auf. Ihre Schritte und ihr Atem und ihre pulsierende Wut erfüllen die Nacht. Der Himmel reißt weiter auf — noch mehr Regen prasselt herab, als wollte er die Welt ertränken. Wir drängen in den Fluss, während das Wasser höher, kälter, schneller aufwühlt. Mein Vater rutscht für eine Sekunde aus, dann fängt er sich wieder. Meine Mutter nicht. Ihr Fuß gleitet weg. Ihr Körper kippt. Und sie ist verschwunden — von der Strömung mitgerissen. „Momma!“, schreie ich und strecke die Hand aus, als könnte meine Hand sie aus dem dunklen Wasser packen. Mein Dad brüllt ihren Namen und setzt mich auf einen Felsen, schnell und grob, dann wirft er sich ihr hinterher. Ich denke nicht nach. Ich springe. Der Fluss ist Eis. Er reißt mich unter Wasser und zerrt uns flussabwärts, als wären wir nichts. Ich kämpfe um Luft, um Sicht, um irgendetwas. Ich kann sie nicht finden — nur schwarzes Wasser, nur rauschender Lärm. Irgendwo, gedämpft durch die Strömung, höre ich meinen Dad meinen Namen rufen. Und dann schaltet sich alles aus. Das ist der Moment, in dem ich immer aufwache — genau dann, wenn die Dunkelheit gewinnt. Ich schrecke aus dem Schlaf hoch, als der Bus langsamer wird und seufzend in irgendeiner fremden Stadt zum Stehen kommt. Ich war sieben, als ich meine Eltern verlor. Es fühlt sich nie an, als wären zwölf Jahre vergangen; es fühlt sich an wie gestern, nur in einem anderen Mantel. Damals in Thornmere war der Regen mein Lieblingsding gewesen. Nach der Highschool hatte ich dort gelebt, Schichten in einem Diner gearbeitet und versucht, das Leben einfach zu halten. Aber einfach bleibt nie einfach. Noch eine Auseinandersetzung, noch ein Grund zu verschwinden. Ich war nicht der Typ, der damit anfing, aber ich hatte ein Problem damit, aufzuhören, sobald es begonnen hatte. Ein gebrochener Kiefer bei jemand anderem bedeutete, dass ich wegmusste — schnell. Ich mag klein sein, aber ich schlage hart zu. Ich hatte ein bisschen Bargeld gespart. Ich rannte, bis meine Lungen brannten, bis Entfernung sich wie Sicherheit anfühlte. Irgendwie landete ich in einem Bus Richtung Nordkalifornien. „Halt hier für Ravenshollow“, ruft der Fahrer, als die Türen zischend aufgehen. Ich schwinge meinen Rucksack hoch und steige hinunter in Luft, die nach nassem Holz und Essen riecht. Vor mir steht ein aus Baumstämmen gebautes Hotel mit grünem Dach, perfekt wie auf einer Postkarte. Ein Restaurant ist angeschlossen, und der warme, herzhafte Duft lässt meinen Magen sofort antworten. Ich folge einer Familie, die hineingeht. Direkt am Eingang gibt es einen kleinen Geschenkeladen, vollgestellt mit Souvenirs — und ein HILFE GESUCHT-Schild, das genauso gut ein Leuchtfeuer sein könnte. Hinter dem Tresen steht eine ältere Frau. Dunkle Locken nach hinten gebunden, wache Augen. Sie lächelt die Familie an, heißt sie willkommen, und dann landet ihr Blick auf mir, als hätte sie erwartet, dass ich auftauche. Ich tue so, als würde ich stöbern, und verschaffe mir eine Minute. Kleinigkeiten. Postkarten. Dann bleibt meine Aufmerksamkeit an einer kleinen Schneekugel hängen — Wälder und Berge unter Glas versiegelt. Hübsch. Vertraut auf eine Weise, die an einem anderen Traum zieht, den ich manchmal habe. Der ist kein Albtraum. „Kann ich dir helfen, Liebes?“, sagt eine Stimme hinter mir. Ich zucke zusammen, mein Herz macht einen Sprung. Wie war sie so nah gekommen, ohne einen Laut? Normalerweise war ich überwachsam — immer am Lauschen. „Hallo“, sage ich und drehe mich um. „Ich habe das Hilfe-gesucht-Schild gesehen.“ Ich deute zur Tür. Ihre Augen wandern über mich, langsam und abschätzend. Dann — nein, das konnte sie nicht getan haben — hebt sie die Nase, als würde sie meinen Geruch aufnehmen. Hat sie gerade an mir geschnuppert? Verwirrung flackert über ihr Gesicht. Sie deutet zur Kasse, und ihre Hand landet kurz auf meiner Schulter — warmer Druck, dann so schnell wieder weg, dass es sich anfühlt, als hätte ich es mir eingebildet. „Wie alt bist du?“, fragt sie und reibt sich die Hand, mit der sie mich berührt hatte, als würde ihre Haut reagieren. „Einundzwanzig, Ma’am“, antworte ich zu schnell. „Blödsinn.“ Meine Kehle zieht sich zusammen. „…In zwei Jahren“, gebe ich zu. „Ich brauche Arbeit. Ich arbeite hart. Ich werde keine Probleme machen.“ „Wenn du einen Job willst, sagst du die Wahrheit, wenn ich dich etwas frage.“ Ihre Stimme ist fest, von der Sorte, die nicht nachgibt. „Ich bin Miriam. Und du bist?“ „Bridget, Ma’am.“ „Also, Ms. Bridget — nenn mich Ms. Miriam. Das machen alle.“ Sie hebt das Kinn und nimmt den Raum ein, ohne es zu versuchen. „Das hier ist meine Lodge. Ich gebe dir eine Chance und sehe mir an, was du kannst. Kannst du kochen? Zimmer putzen?“ „Ja, Ms. Miriam. Das habe ich den größten Teil meines Lebens gemacht.“ „Hm.“ Sie mustert mich erneut. „Hast du irgendwo einen Platz zum Schlafen?“ „Nein, aber ich kann etwas organisieren.“ Ich halte meine Stimme ruhig. Ich hatte einen Park bemerkt, als wir hereingefahren waren; ich könnte dort verschwinden, still bleiben, unsichtbar bleiben. Ich bezweifelte, dass eine so kleine Stadt viel an Unterkünften zu bieten hatte. „Also, so läuft es bei mir. Die Leute, die Zimmer putzen, behalte ich auf dem Gelände.“ Sie sagt es, als wäre es das Normalste der Welt. „Ich habe Platz. Und dazu gibt es drei Mahlzeiten am Tag im Diner. Was meinst du?“ Für eine Sekunde schmerzt meine Brust, als wüsste mein Körper nicht, wie er so viel Glück halten soll. „Ja, Ma’am — Ms. Miriam“, korrigiere ich mich und schlucke schwer. „Das klingt… unglaublich. Ich werde Sie das nicht bereuen lassen.“ „In Ordnung, Kind.“ Ihr Ton wird nur einen Hauch weicher. „Dann sorgen wir erst dafür, dass du etwas zu essen bekommst, und danach bringen wir dich unter.“ Ich folge ihr, während sich Entschlossenheit in mir festzieht. Ich würde das schaffen. Was auch immer mich hierhergeschleppt hatte, ich würde nicht wieder gehen, es sei denn, ich müsste. Die Leute starren, als wir vorbeigehen. Ich bemerke die Seitenblicke, die neugierigen Pausen, die Art, wie Gespräche zu Flüstern werden und dann wieder weitergehen, sobald ich vorüber bin. Ich war schon früher das neue Mädchen. Zu oft. Es sticht immer noch, aber ich lasse nicht zu, dass es meine Haltung verändert. Ms. Miriam blickt zurück. „Alles in Ordnung, Mädchen?“ „Ja“, sage ich und atme aus. „Nur… ich bin wirklich dankbar, dass Sie mir eine Chance geben.“ „Ich glaube, dir wird diese Stadt gefallen.“ Sie rutscht in eine Nische nahe der Küche und bedeutet mir, mich zu setzen. „Und ich glaube, du könntest hierherpassen.“ Passen. Das Wort landet seltsam. Ich nehme die Speisekarte, die sie mir reicht, und zwinge mich zu einem kleinen Lächeln zurück. Ich suchte nicht nach Wundern. Ich wollte einfach nur den Kopf unten halten, arbeiten, bis ich mir meinen eigenen Platz in der Welt verdient hatte. Aber während ich dort sitze, dem Klappern aus der Küche und dem leisen Summen der Lodge um uns herum lausche, begreife ich zwei Dinge. Ich mag Ms. Miriam schon jetzt. Und vielleicht — nur vielleicht — bin ich endlich an einen Ort getreten, an dem ich bleiben kann. Kapitel 2 Das Blackwood-River-Rudel Teil 1 Alphas Ryders POV „Alpha Ryder, Ihr Vater versucht, Sie zu erreichen. Er muss mit Ihnen sprechen, Sir.“ Einer meiner Krieger holte mich endlich ein. Ich hatte jede Kommunikationsleitung gekappt und war zu einem Lauf davongeschossen. Ich halte meine Männer scharf. Immer. Fährtenübungen, Tarnarbeit, die Art von Tests, die sie ins Schwitzen bringen. An den meisten Tagen finden sie mich überhaupt nicht. In diese Art von Stärke hineingeboren zu werden — der stärkste Alpha, den irgendjemand, der noch lebt, je gesehen hat — wird auf eine Weise alt, die niemand versteht. Kämpfe enden schnell. Gegner zerbrechen. Ich nicht. Rücksichtslos ist das Wort, das sie benutzen. Tötungsmaschine ist das, das sie flüstern. Vielleicht ist das der Grund, warum unser Gebiet voll und geschützt ist — über zweitausend Wölfe unter meinem Namen, und kein einziger Idiot mit einem funktionierenden Gehirn kommt auf die Idee, Ärger zu suchen. Dads Besessenheit ist seit Monaten dieselbe: ein weiterer verdammter Ball. Die nahegelegenen Rudel einladen. Lächeln. Hände schütteln. Das Schicksal endlich meine Gefährtin auf meinen Weg schieben lassen. Ich hatte bereits gesucht. Über Kontinente hinweg und wieder zurück. Immer noch nichts. An diesem Punkt fühlt es sich an, als hätte die Mondgöttin meinen Faden leer gelassen. Vielleicht ist meine Gefährtin tot. Vielleicht hat sie nie existiert. Gefährten der zweiten Chance sind selten genug, um Märchen zu sein. Also nehme ich, was ich will, wann ich es will — jede Wölfin, die mir ins Auge fällt. Es nimmt die Schärfe heraus, hält den Druck davon ab, überzukochen. Oder, genauer gesagt, es hält Talon davon ab, die Welt auseinanderzureißen. Talon ist mein Wolf: riesig, mitternachtsschwarz, mit Augen wie Mondlicht auf Stahl. Und irgendwie schafft er es, ein noch größeres Arschloch zu sein als ich. Sein Ruf ist schlimmer als meiner, was dir alles sagen sollte. „Danke, Mason“, sagte ich und schnitt zwischen den Bäumen hindurch. „Deine Fährtensuche wird besser. Mach weiter Druck. Ich werde jemanden wie dich an der Spitze brauchen.“ „Ja, Alpha!“, antwortete Mason sofort. Er macht noch die Highschool fertig, aber der Junge hat Instinkte. Nicht der brutalste Kämpfer, aber ich kann ihn zu der Art von Fährtenleser formen, die nichts übersieht. Die Tatsache, dass er mich so schnell gefunden hatte, erzählte mir allerdings die wahre Geschichte. Mein Vater hatte den richtigen Boten ausgewählt. Ich rannte wieder mit voller Geschwindigkeit los, und Talon drückte gegen meinen Geist, ungeduldig, schob, als wollte er aus meiner Haut herausbrechen. „Nicht jetzt“, warnte ich ihn. „Vater ruft. Heute Nacht bekommst du deinen Lauf. Einen richtigen.“ ‚Ja. Das sagst du schon seit Tagen, Arschloch‘, fauchte er. „Jemand hat schlechte Laune.“ Ich lachte. Er schnitt mich ab und knallte eine Mauer zwischen uns. Na gut. Der Wald tut, was sonst nichts kann. In dem Moment, in dem sich das Blätterdach schließt, beruhigt sich mein Puls. Hier gehören wir hin — Wölfe, in das Land eingefädelt, als wären wir daraus gemacht. Das Blackwood-River-Rudel liegt in Nordkalifornien, ausgebreitet über das größte Gebiet weit und breit. Unsere Grenzen werden von den besten Kämpfern der Region bewacht, und wir stehen nicht allein. Im Norden, innerhalb unserer Landlinie, hält ein Vampirrudel Gebiet. Im Osten verankert sich eine Hexenkolonie wie Wurzeln im Stein. Menschen begreifen es nicht. Sie denken, die Welt sei das, was sie auf Bildschirmen sehen. Die Wahrheit ist größer. Wir pflegen Bündnisse mit Regeln, die zählen — kein Töten über Speziesgrenzen hinweg. Brich diese Regel, und der königliche Hof schaltet sich ein. Diese Prozesse enden nicht mit Gnade. Sie enden mit Leichen. Im Herzen unseres Landes liegt das Dorf: Cottages für Familien, Gemeinschaftsbereiche und eine Schule, die für unsere Kinder gebaut wurde. Es geht nicht nur um Lesen und Zahlen. Es geht um Geschichte — jede übernatürliche Gruppe, jedes hässliche Kapitel und jede harte Lektion. Respekt passiert nicht zufällig. Man lernt ihn, oder man wiederholt dieselben Kriege. Ein paar Menschen besuchen sie auch. Die meisten von ihnen wissen ganz genau, was wir sind, und sie halten den Mund. Im Gegenzug halten wir ihre Stadt sicher. „Lass mich raten“, sagte Connor, als er neben mir in Schritt fiel, sobald ich ins Rudelhaus ging, „du hast dich wieder versteckt und es ‚Training‘ genannt.“ Connor — mein bester Freund, mein zukünftiger Beta. „Ja“, gab ich zu. „Ich brauchte es. Talon ist angespannt. Diese Veranstaltung rückt näher, und mein Vater hört nicht auf zu drängen. Ich denke, ich fahre vielleicht runter nach Crescent Valley.“ Connors Augen glitten seitwärts, misstrauisch und amüsiert. „Ach, ist das so?“, sagte er. „Oder ist es einfach Aurelia, von der du nicht wegbleiben kannst?“ Ich stieß langsam den Atem aus. Aurelia sollte selbst eine Alpha werden. Wir hatten uns als Kinder im Alpha-Training kennengelernt, und es hatte schnell zwischen uns gepasst — zuerst Freunde, immer. Der Sex kam später, mal ja, mal nein, ohne daran geknüpfte Versprechen. Wir hofften beide noch auf Gefährten. Wir waren nur stark genug, um ohne sie weiterzuleben. Crescent Valley lag direkt südlich von uns, Strände zogen sich entlang ihres Landes. Talon liebte es immer, nahe am Wasser zu laufen. „Nun“, sagte ich und ließ ein Grinsen an meinem Mund ziehen, „wenn mich die Erinnerung nicht täuscht, schaffst du es, jedes einzelne Mal eine neue Wölfin zu ‚finden‘, wenn wir diese Reise machen.“ Connor grinste. „Ich werde nicht so tun, als hätte ich deine Urlaube nicht genossen.“ Aber irgendetwas an ihm fühlte sich falsch an — zu angespannt hinter den Witzen. „Alles okay?“, fragte ich und blieb im Flur stehen, sodass er sich mir stellen musste. „Du bist in letzter Zeit woanders gewesen. Sprich mit mir.“ Wir waren fast gleich groß. Er hielt meinem Blick stand und nickte dann, als hätte die Frage ins Schwarze getroffen. „Ja“, sagte er und fuhr sich mit einer Hand durchs Haar. „Es ist … mein Wolf. Irgendetwas geht vor sich, und er sagt mir kein verdammtes Wort. Es macht mich wahnsinnig.“ Er sah aus, als könnte er sich die eigenen Haare ausreißen. „Vielleicht lernen unsere Wölfe irgendwann, wie Erwachsene zu kommunizieren“, sagte ich laut genug, damit Talon es hörte. Gleichgültigkeit streifte meinen Geist — Talon, der sich abwandte — dann ging die Mauer wieder hoch. Wir gingen zur Haupttreppe und stiegen in den zweiten Stock hinauf. Das Büro meines Vaters lag am Ende des Flurs. Meins lag gegenüber, mit Blick auf den Garten und das Labyrinth. Der Ball würde stattfinden, ob es mir gefiel oder nicht. Dad hatte vollständige Anwesenheit verlangt, alles nur, weil er wollte, dass ich endlich meine Gefährtin fand. Ich war fünfundzwanzig — jung für einen Mann, aber nicht für einen Alpha. Die meisten übernehmen mit achtzehn. Nach Rudelmaßstäben war ich bereits spät dran. Ich hatte die Alpha-Trainingsschule absolviert. Ich hatte zusätzliche Arbeit mit der königlichen Garde gemacht. Wenn das Schicksal sich weigerte, mir Frieden zu geben, würde ich zumindest meine Hände beschäftigt halten. Training ließ die Wut abfließen. Es hielt Talon unter Kontrolle. Und wenn das nicht genug war, ließ ich den Rest an Frauen aus, die bereit waren, mein Bett zu teilen. Ich hasste mein Leben nicht. Ich hasste nur den hohlen Raum, wo eine Bindung sein sollte. Irgendwo da draußen, betete ich immer weiter, gab es noch eine Gefährtin, die für mich bestimmt war — eine Frau, stark genug, um meinen Wolf zu beruhigen und unser Rudel noch schwerer zerbrechlich zu machen. Falls das überhaupt möglich war. Oben an der Treppe verlinkten die Wachen im Dienst meinen Vater per Gedankenverbindung, dass wir angekommen waren. Bevor wir klopfen konnten, drang seine Stimme durch die Tür. „Herein.“ Wir traten ein. „Sohn. Connor.“ Mein Vater sah von seinem Schreibtisch auf. „Nett von euch, euch endlich zu zeigen. Dein Verschwinden bereitet unseren Fährtenlesern Albträume.“ „Alpha Marcus“, sagte Connor und verbeugte sich respektvoll. Dads Aura traf wie Druck in der Luft — intensiv, befehlend — aber bei mir bewirkte sie nie viel. „Ja, Dad“, sagte ich und ließ Humor meine Gereiztheit maskieren. „Kann sie ja nicht faul werden lassen.“ Mit zwei Meter sechzehn, mit Schultern, die wie eine Wand gebaut sind, bin ich nicht gerade unauffällig. Aber Geruchskontrolle und Bewegung sind Fähigkeiten, und ich habe sie früh gemeistert. Ein Teil des Trainings besteht darin, zu lernen, wie man unsichtbar ist, selbst wenn man es eigentlich nicht sein sollte. Das Blackwood-Training ist aus gutem Grund brutal. Wir halten unsere Zahlen hoch und unsere Verluste niedrig. Es bedeutet etwas, den Namen dieses Rudels zu tragen. Mein Vater schloss die Mappe auf seinem Schreibtisch. „Deine Mutter hat den Ball für nächste Woche angesetzt. Die lokalen Rudel sind bestätigt, und wir haben sogar ein paar, die aus dem Ausland kommen. Es wird groß werden.“ Sein Blick wurde schärfer. „Ich brauche dein Wort, dass du dich benimmst. Du wirst gastfreundlich sein. Und du wirst nicht mit jedem zukünftigen Alpha Streit anfangen, der falsch atmet. Das ist deiner Mutter wichtig — und mir. Je eher du deine Gefährtin findest, desto eher können wir endlich zurücktreten.“ „Dad“, sagte ich vorsichtig, „ich führe das Rudel bereits. Du hast die Arbeit übergeben. Finanzen, Sicherheit, Grenzberichte — alles. Ich habe das stärkste Team, das wir je hatten. Mein Beta ist hier. Mein Gamma und Delta sind an ihrem Platz. Wir sind bereit.“ „Ihr seid nah dran“, sagte er und gab keinen Zentimeter nach. „Aber eine Luna bringt Gleichgewicht. Deine Gefährtin wird das Biest in dir beruhigen und dich auf Arten stärken, die du noch nicht berührt hast. Ich trete nicht zurück, solange du noch ein unberechenbarer Hitzkopf bist.“ Die Luft verließ meine Lungen in einem kontrollierten Ausatmen. Er lag nicht falsch. Ich wusste nur nicht, wie ich mich beweisen sollte, wenn er sich weigerte, loszulassen. „Ich werde mich von meiner besten Seite zeigen“, sagte ich. Er wandte sich Connor zu. „Zukünftiger Beta Connor, ich erwarte, dass du deinen zukünftigen Alpha ruhig hältst. So wie du es immer getan hast.“ Connor senkte erneut den Kopf. „Ja, Alpha Marcus. Betrachten Sie es als erledigt. Sie können auf mich zählen.“ Wir verließen das Büro. Connor ist an meiner Seite, seit wir Welpen waren. Wenn es eine Person gibt, der ich meinen Rücken, meine Kehle und mein Leben anvertraue, dann ist er es. Loyal zum Rudel. Loyal zu mir. Und irgendwie ist er der Einzige, der mich herunterreden kann, wenn Wut mich blind macht. „Wir haben noch Zeit vor dem Mittagessen“, sagte ich, während wir gingen. „Lass uns wechseln und laufen.“ Talon wurde sofort aufmerksam, Aufregung drückte an die Ränder meines Geistes. Connors Grinsen kehrte zurück. „Klingt gut. Drake hat es auch gebraucht.“ Wir gingen hinaus zur Baumgrenze hinter dem Rudelhaus. Unterwegs trafen wir auf Lucas und Pierce — zwei weitere aus unserem Kreis. Wenn ich endlich offiziell die volle Kontrolle übernehme, sind sie diejenigen, die ich als Gamma und Delta an meiner Seite haben will. Lucas hatte seine Gefährtin bereits gefunden, und das sah man. Sie kam aus einem benachbarten Rudel, und sie hatten sich erst vor Kurzem kennengelernt, aber sie klebten aneinander, als hätte die Bindung sie zusammengeschweißt. Ich wollte das. Nicht den Sex. Die Gewissheit. Der Rest von uns — Connor, Pierce und ich — war oft zusammen gereist. Nächte endeten gewöhnlich mit einem warmen Bett und welcher Wölfin auch immer wir wählten. Am Rand des Waldes zogen wir uns schnell aus, darauf bedacht, außer Sicht zu bleiben. Unverpaarte Wölfinnen in unserem Rudel lauern wie Schatten, immer auf der Jagd nach Aufmerksamkeit. Ich vermeide es, wenn ich kann. Ich habe genug Geschichten darüber gehört, was eine Luna innerhalb ihres eigenen Rudels ertragen muss — die Eifersucht, die Intrigen, den ständigen Druck. Wenn meine Gefährtin kommt, will ich, dass sie sich hier sicher fühlt. Als würde dieser Ort ihr gehören. Ja, ich hatte mit ein paar Frauen aus Blackwood geschlafen. Aber in letzter Zeit hatte ich es mir zur Regel gemacht: keine mehr. Nur Außenstehende. Es ist sauberer. Einfacher. Und da Talon sich … anders verhält, fühlt es sich notwendig an. Etwas kommt. Ich kann fühlen, wie es direkt vor meinem Leben sitzt und darauf wartet, hart genug zuzuschlagen, um alles zu verändern. Kapitel 3 Das Blackwood-River-Rudel Teil 2 Alpha Ryders POV Wir zogen uns aus und verstauten unsere Kleidung am Fuß einiger Bäume, während wir unsere Wölfe nach vorn gleiten ließen und ihnen das Steuer überließen. Talon kam als der Größte heraus—keine Frage. Ich war schon in menschlicher Gestalt groß, aber mein Wolf war deutlich über zwei Meter groß, gebaut wie ein Rammbock, mit Schultern, die sich durch alles hindurchwalzen konnten. Drake, der Wolf meines Betas, kam mir in der Größe beinahe gleich. Connors Blutlinie war mir immer alt und mächtig vorgekommen; sein Wolf zeigte es—dunkelbraunes Fell mit sauberen weißen Pfoten. Nero, Lucas’ Wolf, trug ein kräftiges graues Fell, während Pierce’ Wolf, Lance, ebenfalls grau war, mit Weiß um die Augen und quer über die Brust gezeichnet. Schnell. Stark. Gefährlich. Die beste Kombination. Wir schnitten mit voller Geschwindigkeit durch den Wald, die Welt verschwamm zu Stämmen und Wind—bis Talon plötzlich hellwach wurde. Er riss hart herum und schoss in einen Sprint, so abrupt, dass es an meinem Gleichgewicht zerrte. Ich versuchte, ihn zu erreichen, meine Stimme in seinen Geist zu drücken, aber er knallte die Verbindung zu. „Talon—was ist los?“ Ich drängte trotzdem weiter, bekam nichts zurück, während er direkt auf die Klippe zuraste. Er wurde erst langsamer, als er den Rand erreichte, der über der Stadt lag—der Menschenstadt—die sich unten wie ein stilles, gewöhnliches Gemälde ausbreitete. Ich kämpfte um genug Kontrolle, um zu sehen, was ihn gepackt hatte. Die alte Lodge. „Talon“, verlangte ich, „was ist hier los?“ „Ich weiß es nicht…“, antwortete er, und allein das zog mir einen Knoten in die Brust. Talon hatte immer einen Spruch. Immer. Die anderen donnerten schließlich hinter uns herauf. „Alles okay?“, verband sich Drake, der Atem rau vom Lauf. „Mit Talon stimmt etwas nicht“, schickte ich zurück. „Wir gehen rein. Mittagessen.“ Was auch immer ihm unter die Haut gegangen war, ich würde es herausfinden. Zurück im Rudelhaus duschten wir und gingen in den riesigen Speisesaal. Die Küche war hier für alle offen—keine verschlossenen Türen, keine Trennung. Meine Eltern traten gemeinsam ein, die Hand meines Vaters um die meiner Mutter geschlossen, als gehörte sie dorthin. Sie passten zusammen. Sie beruhigte ihn, wenn sein Temperament hochkochte; er gab ihr Halt, wenn die Welt versuchte, sie zu schieben. Das wollte ich eines Tages auch. Hinter ihnen kam der Beta meines Vaters, Warren—Connors Dad. Die Jungs und ich traten danach ein und verbeugten uns vor meinem Alpha und meiner Luna. Dann stieß jemand gegen meine Schulter—ein kleiner, vertrauter Aufprall. „Irgendwann wirst du Pünktlichkeit lernen müssen“, sagte ich, schon amüsiert, als mir ein Grunzen antwortete. Evelyn. Meine Schwester würde bald achtzehn werden, und ich konnte es kaum erwarten, ihren Wolf kennenzulernen. Diese Paarung würde Ärger bedeuten. Evelyn war strahlend und laut und chronisch zu spät. Sie sah aus wie Mom: enge pechschwarze Locken, mandelförmige braune Augen, warme hellbraune Haut. Ich kam mehr nach Dad—haselnussbraune Augen—aber die Locken hatte ich auch geerbt. Ich trug meine ungefähr schulterlang, obwohl sie sich selten benahmen. In einem Kampf verwandelten sie sich in eine wilde Mähne; ich hatte mich nach einer Schlacht gesehen und ausgesehen, als hätte ich versucht, einen Sturm mit dem Kopf zu rammen. „Dieser Tag wird nie kommen“, sagte Evelyn. „Meine Labore gehen vor.“ Genie reichte nicht einmal ansatzweise aus, um sie zu beschreiben. Sie belegte bereits Kurse auf College-Niveau, zielte auf die Wissenschaft ab, und sie arbeitete Seite an Seite mit den Hexen in unserem Rudel, während sie Wissen hin und her austauschten. Sie war umwerfend, und deswegen—weil sie meine und Dads war und wir wussten, was die Welt schönen, brillanten Frauen antat—hatten wir jede Stunde Sicherheit bei ihr. Niemand rührte sie an. Niemand kam ihr zu nahe. Falls doch, hätte ich es mit bloßen Händen geregelt—vorausgesetzt, Dad wäre nicht zuerst dort gewesen. „Hey, Evelyn“, sagte Connor und sah sofort weg. Ich hatte meine Freunde gewarnt: Legt eine Hand an sie, und ich entferne Dinge, an denen sie hingen. „Hi, Connor!“, strahlte Evelyn. „Danke für das Buch. Es war genau das, was ich für meine Forschung gebraucht habe.“ „Was für ein Buch?“ Die Worte kamen schärfer heraus, als ich beabsichtigt hatte, und meine Alpha-Aura begann von mir abzurollen. Connor spürte es und fiel in Unterwerfung, senkte den Kopf und entblößte seinen Hals. Evelyn bewegte sich schnell und stellte sich zwischen uns. „Ryder, hör auf. Es ist für die Schule. Atme.“ Sie sah zu mir auf—flehend, stur, furchtlos. Meine Mutter trat an meine Seite und führte mich zu meinem Stuhl. „Schatz, beruhig dich. Ich habe Connor gebeten, es auf seiner letzten Fahrt mitzunehmen.“ Und einfach so floss die Hitze aus mir heraus. Diese zwei Frauen—meine Mutter und meine Schwester—konnten mich vom Rand zurückziehen wie niemand sonst außer meiner zukünftigen Gefährtin. Dad versuchte, ein Lachen zu verbergen, und scheiterte. Er wusste genau, wie sehr sie mich in der Hand hatten. Ihn ebenfalls. ‚Tut mir leid, Mann‘, verband sich Connor, als wir saßen. ‚Luna Kendra hat mich gebeten, es zu besorgen. Ich wusste nicht, dass es für Evelyn war. Keine Respektlosigkeit.‘ Ich nickte und ließ es gut sein. Evelyn nahm den Platz mir gegenüber ein. Ein paar ihrer Freundinnen winkten, als sie zu ihrem eigenen Tisch gingen, und warfen Connor und mir ein Lächeln zu. Wir beide grinsten schief und sahen weg. Zum einen waren sie gerade erst volljährig. Zum anderen hatten Connor und ich beide nach der Regel gelebt: Leg dich nicht mit den Frauen in deinem eigenen Rudel ein. Ich hielt dieses Versprechen noch immer. Connor… in letzter Zeit fühlte er sich seltsam an. Als hätte sich etwas unter seiner Haut verschoben. Wölfe waren beim Thema Sex nicht schüchtern. Starker Trieb, offene Einstellungen—es war hier kein Tabu. Das änderte sich, wenn es um Familie ging. Und es änderte sich noch mehr, wenn es um eine Gefährtin ging. Der Gedanke, dass jemand anderes sie berührte, drehte mir den Magen um. Jemals. Auf irgendeine Weise. Es war heuchlerisch—wenn man bedachte, mit wie vielen Frauen ich zusammen gewesen war. Ich wusste es. Trotzdem war die Wahrheit hässlich: Ich war ein selbstsüchtiges Arschloch. Das Mittagessen kam für die Hauptfamilienlinie auf den Tisch—Brathähnchen, Kartoffelpüree, grüne Bohnen und ein Salat, der mit Erdbeeren und Blauschimmelkäse aufgepeppt war. Wir betrieben sogar eine Kochschule für Rudelmitglieder. Ja, es war schwer für die Mittagszeit. Aber Training verbrannte Treibstoff schnell, und Wölfe—zusammen mit den anderen Paranormalen auf unserem Land—liefen heiß. Mein Vater legte seine Gabel ab. „Sohn, ich bin gerade auf etwas aufmerksam gemacht worden, um das ich mich nach dem Mittagessen kümmern muss. Ich will dich und deine Männer in meinem Büro, wenn wir fertig sind.“ „Ja, Dad“, sagte ich. „Ist alles in Ordnung?“ „Wir reden unter vier Augen. Es ist nichts, womit wir nicht fertigwerden.“ Sein Blick hielt meinen, dann wechselte er zum Gedankenlink. ‚Wir haben Teams, die die Grenzen überprüfen. Wir glauben, es hat eine Sichtung eines Abtrünnigen gegeben. Sie werden sich in Kürze melden. Iss. Wir müssen Entscheidungen treffen.‘ ‚Ja, Sir‘, schickte ich zurück. Ich aß wie ein verhungerndes Tier. Talon war unruhig, bereit, hinauszurasen und selbst die Grenze zu patrouillieren. Nach dem Mittagessen gingen wir in das Büro meines Vaters—Connor, Lucas, Pierce und ich. Krieger standen an der Rückwand stramm. Ältester Gideon vom Vampirzirkel war dort, und auch Hohepriesterin Winifred vom Hexenzirkel—beide Zirkel lebten auf unserem Land. Dad und Beta Warren kamen herein. Wir nahmen Plätze rund um den langen Eichentisch ein, mein Vater am Kopfende. Er gab unseren besten Fährtenlesern ein Zeichen. „Ein Durchbruch“, berichtete der leitende Fährtenleser und verbeugte sich. „In der Nähe des Flusses. Wir haben aufgeschnappt, was ein Abtrünniger sein könnte… aber etwas fühlte sich anders an. Vielleicht Magie.“ „Bei Wachen an jedem Punkt“, fuhr ich auf und knallte die Handflächen auf den Tisch. Holz knackte unter dem Druck. „Wie ist irgendetwas durchgekommen—und ist es noch auf unserem Grundstück?“ Ältester Gideons Stimme schnitt hinein, ruhig und uralt. „Bei allem Respekt, Alpha Ryder, ich glaube nicht, dass es ein einfacher Abtrünniger ist. Ja, wir haben den Geruch von Wolf aufgefangen. Aber wir haben auch etwas gespürt… darüber hinaus. Jenseitig. Kräfte außerhalb von allem, dem wir in Tausenden von Jahren begegnet sind.“ Mein Vater nickte langsam. „Dann konsultieren wir die Große Versammlung. Wenn sie abnorme Energie gelesen haben, die von hier kommt, könnten andere Spezies sie ebenfalls bemerkt haben.“ „Ich stimme zu“, sagte Gideon. „Etwas bewegt sich seit ungefähr einer Woche in den Schatten. Ich habe starke Schwingungen aus der Stadt gespürt. Die Menschen, mit denen ich spreche, behaupten, nichts habe sich verändert, aber ich werde wieder Vampire hinunterschicken, damit sie nachsehen.“ Andere Rudel fanden es seltsam—Wölfe, die Land mit Hexen und Vampiren teilten. Ich fand es klug. Zahlen hielten einen am Leben. Wir halfen, ihre Bereiche zu verteidigen; sie verstärkten unsere mit Zaubern. Und dennoch war, trotz all dem, unsere Grenze in den letzten Tagen durchbrochen worden. Mein Vater wandte sich wieder mir zu. „Ryder, ich brauche dich und deine besten Fährtenleser an den Grenzen. Crescent Valley berührt fast unsere südwestliche Linie. Ich werde Alpha Zachary kontaktieren und fragen, ob sie irgendetwas gespürt haben. Seine Luna hat Fähigkeiten, die helfen könnten—und ihr Zirkel ist in der Nähe.“ „Es ist nicht weit“, sagte ich. „Ich kann persönlich hingehen, direkt mit ihnen sprechen und am nächsten Tag wieder zurück sein.“ Aus dem Augenwinkel zuckte Connors Mund, als wäre er amüsiert. Talon wurde bei der Idee munter—Ozean. Jede Ausrede, um ins Wasser zu kommen, und er war sofort dabei. Und ich konnte Aurelia besuchen, während ich dort war. Dampf ablassen. Mein Vater lehnte sich zurück, nachdenklich. „Das könnte wertvoll sein. Aber wir rufen zuerst an. Wir tauchen nicht einfach auf.“ Dann sah er zu Connor. „Zukünftiger Beta Connor—das ist eine gute Gelegenheit für dich. Führungstraining. Du wirst erleben, wie es ist, das Rudel in der Abwesenheit deines Alphas zu verwalten. Dein Vater wird dich anleiten. Jeder versteht seine Rolle, um unser Land für alle Spezies hier sicher zu halten?“ Connor nickte. Warren nickte. Der ganze Tisch tat es ihnen gleich. „Ja, Alpha“, antworteten alle zusammen. Wir brachen mit Zielstrebigkeit auf. Als zukünftiger Alpha wollte ich, dass alles, was auf unser Land geschlüpft war, gefunden—und schnell entfernt—wurde. Ich musste einen Anruf tätigen und eine Tasche packen, damit ich aufbrechen und so schnell wie möglich zurückkommen konnte. Etwas kam durch unsere Grenzen. Und was immer es war, es trug eine Macht in sich, die jeden Einzelnen von uns nervös machte. Kapitel 4 Nur Arbeit und kein Vergnügen... Bridgets Sicht Ich war jeden Tag vor Sonnenaufgang aufgewacht, fast aus dem Bett gesprungen, nur um zwischen den Bäumen laufen zu gehen. Die kalte, klare Luft traf auf meine Lungen und ließ mich lebendig fühlen. Hier aus diesem Bus auszusteigen, war die richtige Entscheidung gewesen. Wenn ich nicht arbeitete, war ich meistens bei Ms. Miriam, und sie sagte mir immer wieder—immer und immer wieder—, dass ich Leute in meinem Alter brauchte. Gnadenlos, Ms. Miriam. Und außerdem urkomisch. Ich hatte damit angefangen, Zimmer zu schrubben, aber jetzt half ich endlich im Restaurant aus. Miriam verwöhnte mich praktisch—ein Zimmer vorne in der Lodge, drei Mahlzeiten am Tag, plus ein Gehaltsscheck. Meine Ersparnisse würden im Handumdrehen wieder aufgebaut sein. Mein Zimmer lag nahe am Eingang: ein Bett, ein winziger Wohnbereich, eine Kochnische mit einem kleinen Tisch und mein eigenes Badezimmer. Es war nichts Besonderes, aber es gehörte mir. „Abholen, Tisch vier“, bellte Roland vom Küchenfenster aus und riss mich aus meinen Gedanken. „Bin dran, Roland. Danke“, rief ich zurück. Er schenkte mir ein seltenes Lächeln. Roland war älter und normalerweise sauer wie Essig—nur nicht bei mir. Miriam sagte gern, ich würde ihn beruhigen. Mom hatte früher gesagt, ich könne einen Raum heller machen. Vielleicht hatte sie nicht völlig unrecht gehabt. „Bitte sehr, meine Damen.“ Ich stellte die Teller mit einem geübten Lächeln ab. Drei Mädchen ungefähr in meinem Alter sahen auf. „Danke!“, sagte eine. Ich drehte mich zum nächsten Tisch, um nach Nachfüllungen zu sehen, und stolperte beinahe über meine eigene Konzentration. Zwei Männer saßen dort—lächerlich gut aussehend. Einer war blond und hatte Locken. Der andere war kahl, mit einem kurzen Bart und glatter brauner Haut, die im Feuerschein von den Fenstern unwirklich aussah. Ehrlich gesagt sah jeder Mann, den ich in dieser Stadt gesehen hatte, aus, als wäre er dafür gebaut worden, mit Bären zu ringen: groß, breit, alles Muskeln. Audrey schob ihre Mahlzeiten auf den Tisch—doppeltes Country-Fried-Steak, Kartoffelpüree, grüne Bohnen. Die Teller sahen aus, als gehörten sie in einen Wettkampf. Ich füllte ihre Getränke auf. Einer von ihnen nickte mir kurz zu—ein Danke ohne ein Wort—, und ich ging zurück, um Servietten zu holen. „Bridget!“, rief Miriam. Ich drehte mich um und sah, wie sie mit einem Stapel Kuchenschachteln kämpfte—fünf Stück—, die in ihren Armen gefährlich schwankten. Ich eilte hinüber. „Ich hab Sie, Ms. Miriam—“ „Lass mich.“ Eine tiefe Stimme schnitt dazwischen, und eine große Gestalt trat vor. „Mason, Gott segne dich, Liebes“, sagte Miriam erleichtert. Bevor ich blinzeln konnte, hielt ich zwei Schachteln, und der lockige Blonde—Mason—hatte die anderen drei genommen, als würden sie nichts wiegen. „Bridget, das ist Mason“, sagte Miriam. Mason sah zu mir hinunter und wurde leicht rosa. „Schön, dich kennenzulernen“, sagte ich schnell und zwang meine Aufmerksamkeit zurück auf die Arbeit. „Wohin sollen die, Ms. Miriam?“ „Tisch vier.“ Sie ließ sich neben mich fallen, als wir zurück zu den Mädchen gingen, die ich bedient hatte. „Schätzchen, die sind für deine Mutter. Bitte sag ihr, dass ich an sie denke.“ „Mach ich, Ms. Miriam. Ich bringe sie gleich rüber“, versprach das Mädchen. Miriams Augen funkelten, als sie sich wieder zu mir umdrehte. „Bridget, hast du meine süßen Kinder aus der Stadt schon kennengelernt? Evelyn, Sienna, Archer—“ Ihre Hand glitt in Richtung des Tisches. „Und diese Herren sind Mason und Barrett.“ Sie nickten alle, lächelten, als würden sie mich länger kennen als fünf Sekunden. „Hi“, sagte ich, ein wenig steif. Mason lehnte sich vor. „Wir haben gehört, dass du gerade erst hergezogen bist. Was hat dich nach—“ „Oh mein Gott, Mason“, fiel Evelyn ihm ins Wort und warf ihm einen Blick zu. „Sie ist gerade erst hier. Verhör sie nicht.“ Seine Schultern sanken. „Sorry.“ Siennas Gesicht leuchtete auf, als hätte sie sich an etwas Wichtiges erinnert. „Warte—heute Abend Lagerfeuer. Du kommst mit uns.“ Sie stieß Evelyn mit dem Ellbogen an. „Ja“, sagte Evelyn sofort, die Augen hell. „Mondlicht, Musik, Tanzen. Komm schon. Was sagst du?“ „Ich kann nicht“, sagte ich automatisch. „Ich arbeite heute Abend.“ Von hinter der Theke trug Miriams Stimme durch den Raum. „Nicht mehr! Ich habe dich schon freigestellt. Du gehst aus, junge Dame. Du brauchst Freunde. Ich bestehe darauf!“ Ich atmete hilflos aus. „Ich schätze… ich gehe zu einem Lagerfeuer.“ Ich setzte ein Lächeln auf und versuchte, es glaubwürdig wirken zu lassen. „Perfekt.“ Evelyn hielt ihre Hand hin. „Handy.“ Ich gab es ihr, und sie tippte darauf herum, als würde ihr der Laden gehören. „Neun Uhr. Wir holen dich ab.“ Ein Lachen rutschte mir heraus, weil sie so selbstbewusst vorging. Als sie mir mein Handy zurückgab, sah ich, dass sie sich selbst auch geschrieben hatte—damit sie meine Nummer hatte. Ich hob eine Braue. Sie zwinkerte. Okay. Vielleicht konnte mein erstes Lagerfeuer tatsächlich Spaß machen. Und vielleicht würde es mich dazu zwingen, damit aufzuhören, ein einsamer Geist zu sein. Später gingen wir zusammen hinunter zum See. Die Nacht war dicht und dunkel, aber ich konnte gut genug sehen. Ich hatte meine Locken zu einem unordentlichen Dutt hochgesteckt, Jeans und einen Pullover angezogen—denn wie schick soll man sich bitte für ein Feuer im Wald machen? Mason und Barrett kamen auch mit, und wir quetschten uns alle in denselben pechschwarzen SUV. Als wir näher kamen, tauchte das Lagerfeuer vor uns auf—riesig, lodernd, Funken in den Himmel werfend. Menschen umringten es, Musik wummerte, Körper bewegten sich in lockeren Kreisen. Die Flammen waren so hoch, dass sie aussahen, als wollten sie zu den Sternen hinaufklettern. Auf der anderen Seite der Menge bemerkte ich ein Mädchen mit rotbraunem Haar und sonnengebräunter Haut in einem engen Kleid und Gladiatorensandalen. Irgendetwas an ihr schrie nach Ärger. Ich sah weg, bevor sie mich beim Starren erwischen konnte. „Bier-Runde“, verkündete Sienna und drückte den Mädchen Flaschen in die Hände. Ein Schatten fiel über uns. „Nein.“ Masons Arm kam von hinten, und er hob die Biere weg, als wären wir Mittelschüler. „Ich bin ziemlich sicher, dass keine von euch einundzwanzig ist.“ Evelyn stöhnte. „Danke, Dad. Vergiss nicht, meinen Bruder auf den neuesten Stand zu bringen.“ Sie packte mein Handgelenk und zog mich weg, wobei sie die Jungs absichtlich zurückließ. Während sie nicht hinsahen, zog ich zwei Biere hervor, die ich trotzdem irgendwie ergattert hatte. „Ich wusste, dass ich sie mag“, sagte Archer lachend, während er mich kurz umarmte. Dann driftete ein Geräusch herüber—leise, entfernt. Etwas, das nicht hierhergehörte. Ich suchte die Dunkelheit jenseits des Feuerscheins ab und versuchte herauszufinden, ob es sonst noch jemand gehört hatte. Niemand reagierte. Die Musik war zu laut für sie. Wir gossen die Biere in Plastikbecher und fingen an zu trinken. Der Beat wechselte, und „Need To Know“ von Doja Cat dröhnte aus den Lautsprechern. Die Mädchen und ich begannen zu tanzen, mitzusingen und zu lachen, als wären wir seit Jahren befreundet. Fünf Jungs kamen herübergedriftet, angezogen von der Energie. Und als hätte jemand ihnen ein Zeichen gegeben, tauchten Mason und Archer hinter uns auf. Aus der Nähe war es lächerlich—Mason und Archer sahen aus, als könnten sie jeweils zwei der herankommenden Jungs hochheben und hätten trotzdem noch eine Hand frei. Die fünf wurden langsamer, stellten sich breitbeinig hin, starrten. Weitere Männer traten hinter Mason und Archer. Die Neuankömmlinge rechneten nach und wichen zurück, gingen ohne ein Wort weg. Evelyn verzog das Gesicht, als ein sehr attraktiver Typ ihre Aufmerksamkeit erregte und sie ein paar Schritte zur Seite zog. Er beugte sich vor und sprach knapp und leise. Sie versuchte, dabei weiterzutanzen, aber er spielte nicht mit. Sein Blick huschte an ihr vorbei—direkt zu mir. Ich riss meine Augen weg, bevor sich unsere Blicke treffen konnten. „Keine Sorge“, murmelte Sienna an meinem Ohr. „Das ist Connor. Wir kennen ihn.“ Also gehörte Connor zu ihrem Kreis. Vielleicht hatte Evelyn einen Freund. Oder etwas Kompliziertes. Sie sahen gut zusammen aus—bis ich die Spannung in seiner Haltung sah. Er war wütend, entweder auf sie oder auf die Jungs, die herumgelungert hatten. Wir tranken weiter und bewegten uns. Evelyn kam zurück und schlüpfte wieder in die Gruppe, als wäre nichts passiert. Da schlenderte das nach Ärger aussehende rotbraunhaarige Mädchen mit ihrem kleinen Rudel herüber. „Na, hallo“, sagte sie, die Stimme triefend vor Süße. Ihre Augen glitten zu Evelyn. „Wie geht es denn deinem Bruder?“ „Ihm geht es gut, Whitney“, sagte Evelyn gleichmäßig. „Danke der Nachfrage.“ Whitneys Lächeln wurde schärfer. „Vielleicht rufe ich ihn an und sehe nach, ob er heute Nacht wieder Gesellschaft braucht.“ Sie zwinkerte—dann landete ihre Aufmerksamkeit auf mir. Evelyn trat geschmeidig ein. „Das ist unsere Freundin Bridget.“ „Hi“, sagte ich und hielt es neutral. Whitney musterte mich, als wäre ich ein neuer Artikel in einem Regal. „Hi. Ich bin sicher, wir werden uns sehen.“ Dann drehte sie sich wieder zu den anderen. „Tschüss, Ladys.“ Als sie endlich wegging, lehnte ich mich zu Sienna und flüsterte: „Wer war das?“ Siennas Mund verzog sich. „Ein Mädchen, das von Evelyns Bruder besessen ist und das Wort ‚nein‘ nicht versteht.“ Dann hörte ich es wieder. Ein scharfes Knacken—wie ein Zweig, der unter Gewicht bricht. Mein Kopf fuhr zur Baumgrenze herum. Jenseits der Reichweite des Feuers war der Wald vollkommen schwarz. Ich starrte, bis meine Augen tränten. Und dann sah ich sie. Zwei rote Punkte, fest auf mich gerichtet. Mein Atem stockte. Ich stolperte rückwärts und blieb mit der Ferse fast an dem umgestürzten Baumstamm hängen, auf dem Leute saßen. Evelyn war sofort neben mir, Sorge blitzte über ihr Gesicht. „Was ist los?“ Sie folgte meinem Blick. Ich konnte nicht blinzeln. Es war, als hätte etwas meine Aufmerksamkeit eingehakt und würde sie nicht loslassen. Als ich meine Augen schließlich zwang, sich zu schließen, und sie wieder öffnete, sah die Dunkelheit genauso aus—außer dass meine Haut immer noch kribbelte. „Ich—ich schwöre, ich habe etwas gesehen“, plapperte ich. „Augen. Rote Augen. Ich drehe durch, oder? Es muss das Bier sein.“ „Scheiße“, sagte Connor. Er bewegte sich schnell und trat vor uns. Und ich hätte schwören können, dass ich unter seiner Stimme ein Knurren hörte. Ich schluckte schwer. Ich trinke nie wieder. Alles brach in Chaos aus. Weitere Knurrgeräusche schnitten durch die Nacht. Connors Blick wurde fern, fast glasig, als wäre er irgendwo anders hingeglitten. Mason und Archer verschoben sich ebenfalls vor uns und bildeten eine Mauer. Der Wald raschelte vor schwerer Bewegung. Eine starke Böe riss durch die Lichtung. Die Haare auf meinen Armen stellten sich kerzengerade auf. Dann schrie Connor: „Rogues!“ „Was passiert hier?“, verlangte ich zu wissen, nicht einmal sicher, wen ich fragte. „Was sind Rogues?“ „Wir gehen“, flüsterte Evelyn, und plötzlich wurde ich zum Pfad zurück zur Lodge gezerrt. Ich versuchte, über meine Schulter zu sehen, und eine kalte Linie aus Angst glitt meine Wirbelsäule hinunter. „Beweg dich, Bridget!“, schrie Sienna. Hinter uns wurde Connors Stimme scharf vor Befehl. „Mason, Archer—bleibt mit den anderen zurück. Haltet alle sicher, bis ich zurück bin. Verstärkung kommt. Ich bringe die Mädchen raus.“ Nichts davon ergab Sinn. Ich fühlte mich gleichzeitig verängstigt und schwindelig. Wir rannten den offenen Pfad hinunter, das Geräusch des Knurrens verfolgte uns. Connors Kopf drehte sich immer wieder, suchte jede Seite ab, als erwartete er, dass etwas aus der Dunkelheit sprang. Der SUV kam in Sicht. Türen wurden entriegelt. Leute stiegen ein—alle außer mir. „Bridget, steig ein!“, schrie Sienna. „Ich kann nicht“, sagte ich, der Atem riss. „Ich muss nach Ms. Miriam sehen.“ „Ich habe sie schon angerufen—sie kommt“, schnappte Connor, während er Evelyn hineinschob und zu mir herumfuhr. Er riss die andere Tür auf. „Jetzt.“ „Wie?“, protestierte ich, wie am Boden festgewachsen. „Wann hast du sie angerufen? Während wir gerannt sind? Nichts davon—“ Die Kälte traf wieder, härter, als wäre die Luft zu Eis geworden. Ich sah zurück zum Wald. Etwas bewegte sich in der Dunkelheit. Nicht nur Bewegung—Bewusstsein. Als wüsste es, dass ich hinsah. Als würde die Dunkelheit zurücksehen. Was zur Hölle habe ich getrunken? „Ich bin hier, Kind. Los jetzt.“ Miriams Stimme war plötzlich direkt hinter mir. Ich wirbelte herum. Sie war da—zu nah, zu schnell, als wäre sie aus dem Nichts getreten. „Wie sind Sie so schnell hierhergekommen?“, verlangte ich zu wissen. „Was geht hier vor?“ „Steig ein“, sagte sie, fest, aber sanft, und führte mich zum Sitz. „Wir erklären es, wenn wir von diesem Ort weg sind.“ Ich ließ zu, dass sie mich in den SUV schob. Das Fahrzeug schoss sofort nach vorn. Ich drehte mich, um aus dem Rückfenster zu sehen. Auf dem Parkplatz wurden Autos beiseitegeschoben wie Spielzeug. „Was zum Teufel passiert hier?“, schrie ich. Ein scharfer Schmerzstich bohrte sich durch meinen Schädel. Ich schrie auf und klappte zusammen, hielt mir den Kopf, während meine Sicht schwamm. Einer meiner schlimmen Kopfschmerzen hatte sich angekündigt—die Sorte, die immer kam, wenn der Stress zu hoch wurde. „Hey“, sagte Archer, seine Hand rieb gleichmäßige Kreise auf meinem Rücken. „Geht es dir gut?“ Der Schmerz stieg. Dann setzte Regen ein—plötzlich und heftig, ein brüllender Wolkenbruch, der Geräusche verschluckte. „Ich…“ Mein Kopf wurde leicht. Der Regen schien härter niederzuschlagen, füllte meine Ohren, ertränkte alles. Und dann verwandelte sich die Welt in Schwärze. Völlige Schwärze. Kapitel 5 Das Lagerfeuer... Alpha Ryders POV „Alpha Ryder—wirklich, es ist immer eine Freude, wenn du nach Crescent Valley kommst.“ Luna Adrianas Stimme hallt durch die große Halle des Schlosses, in dem Moment, in dem ich eintrete. Ihr Rudel kommt unserem an Stärke und Größe gleich, und wie wir bestehen sie nicht nur aus einer einzigen Art. Wir sind immer die engsten Verbündeten gewesen. Unsere Väter waren schon als Jungen zusammen, haben Seite an Seite trainiert und diese Verbindung nie verblassen lassen. Adriana sieht genauso legendär aus, wie die Leute es flüsternd erzählen. Nahöstliche Gesichtszüge, mitternachtsschwarzes Haar, glatt aus ihrem Gesicht zurückgenommen, ein juwelenbesetztes Diadem, das das Licht zu den Kronleuchtern zurückwirft. Sie ist nicht so gealtert wie normale Menschen—sie könnte immer noch als jemand in ihren Zwanzigern durchgehen. Königliche Ausstrahlung. Scharf. Sicher. Macht sitzt auf ihr wie eine Krone. „Ich weiß es zu schätzen, dass du dir ohne Vorwarnung Zeit für mich nimmst“, sage ich zu ihr und verbeuge mich respektvoll. „Ich weiß, eure Terminpläne sind nicht gerade leicht.“ Wir mögen einander Familie nennen, aber es gibt Grenzen, die man nicht überschreitet. Ich umarme sie nicht; ich lasse meinen Geruch nicht an der Gefährtin eines anderen Alphas haften. So beginnen Kriege. Und bei einer Bindung wie der von Zachary und Adriana wäre ein Krieg keine kleine Sache. Die Leute reden davon, dass Gefährten wie sie Stärke teilen—alte Geschichten behaupten sogar, sie könnten Macht verschmelzen lassen. Seit Jahrhunderten hat niemand etwas dergleichen gesehen. „Sei nicht albern“, sagt sie warm. „Familie ist immer wichtig.“ Die Türen der Empfangshalle öffnen sich hinter ihr. Alpha Zachary schreitet herein, gebaut wie eine Festung, fast so groß und massig wie ich. Tinte bedeckt den größten Teil seiner Haut—Zeichen, Symbole, Trophäen für jeden Kill, den er geholt hat. Ein brutaler Kämpfer. Einer, mit dem ich gern Schläge austausche. Er grinst, und wir umfassen einander an den Unterarmen. Aurelia folgt ihm dicht auf den Fersen—ihre zukünftige Alpha. Schön wie eh und je, die karamellbraunen Augen ihres Vaters in das markante Gesicht ihrer Mutter gesetzt. Als sie meinen Blick auffängt, lächelt sie, als würde sie bereits Ärger planen. „Sieh mal, wer aufgetaucht ist“, sagt sie. „Hast du mich vermisst, Trottel?“ Wir sind eher wie Bruder und Schwester aufgewachsen als irgendetwas anderes, obwohl unsere Eltern alle leise hofften, das Schicksal würde uns miteinander verbinden. Dann wurden wir achtzehn, warteten darauf, dass unsere Wölfe reagierten… und es kam nichts. Kein Ziehen. Kein Funke. Also blieben wir Freunde, trainierten zusammen und verloren nie den Kontakt. „Schwer, das nicht zu tun“, gebe ich zurück. „Hey, Trotteline.“ Sie führen mich in Zacharys Büro, und die drei lassen sich mit der Leichtigkeit von Leuten nieder, die das schon tausendmal getan haben. Aurelia lässt sich auf einen Stuhl fallen und legt den Kopf schief, während sie mich ansieht. „Also quetschen wir noch einen Übungskampf rein, damit ich dich wie üblich schlagen kann?“ Zacharys Lachen grollt. Adrianas Blick schießt zu ihrer Tochter. „Dein Mundwerk, Aurelia. Irgendwo unter all dieser Attitüde bist du immer noch eine Dame. Du stellst meine Geduld täglich auf die Probe.“ Adriana geht zu ihrem Gefährten, und er zieht sie auf seinen Schoß, als wäre es das Natürlichste der Welt. Aurelias Grinsen wird unschuldig. „Tut mir leid, Mom.“ Zacharys Ausdruck wird ernst, als er auf den Bildschirm deutet. „Ich habe Alpha Marcus per Video zugeschaltet.“ „Vater“, sage ich und nehme Platz. Mein Vater nickt knapp. „Alpha Zachary. Luna Adriana. Danke, dass ihr euch mit Ryder trefft.“ „Immer“, antwortet Zachary, seine Stimme fest vor Freundschaft. „Jetzt erzähl uns, was ihr herausgefunden habt.“ Mein Vater atmet ein und spricht dann in dem vorsichtigen Ton, den er benutzt, wenn das Thema gefährlich ist. „Mein Zirkel hat eine alte Warnung weitergegeben. Es soll ein seltenes Wesen geben—männlich oder weiblich—ungefähr im Alter, in dem man zum ersten Mal seinen Wolf erhält. Seine Macht würde alles übersteigen, was wir dokumentiert haben. Die Beschreibung passt zu dem, was einige Texte den Omni-Wolf nennen: einen direkten Nachkommen der Mondgöttin, gesandt, um das Gleichgewicht zu bewahren, wenn die Dunkelheit aufsteigt.“ Er hält inne, die Augen hart. „Das Problem ist, dass man glaubte, die Blutlinie sei ausgelöscht worden. Gejagt, ausgebeutet, ...
Kapitel 1 Eine völlig neue Welt Bridgets Perspektive „Schhh… meine süßen Lieblinge.“ Meine Mutter murmelt, und selbst in der Dunkelheit kann ich hören, wie fest ihr die Angst in der Kehle sitzt. Der Regen zieht sich wie Fäden durch die Bäume, während wir uns eng aneinanderdrücken. Der Wald riecht frisch gewaschen, nach diesem feuchten, sauberen Duft, den es nur nach einem heftigen Schauer gibt. Die Blätter über uns fangen die Tropfen auf und lassen sie in sanften, gleichmäßigen Klopflauten wieder fallen. Es ist seltsam, woran der Verstand festhält. Ein Vogel, der sich irgendwo weit entfernt bewegt. Ein Kaninchen, das ein paar Meter weiter raschelt. Jedes winzige Geräusch trifft scharf. Obwohl es Nacht ist, kann ich sehen — zu deutlich. Meine Finger vor meinem Gesicht. Die glatte Rinde. Die Schatten zwischen den Stämmen. Dann trifft es mich. Andere Herzschläge. Nicht unsere. Sie kommen näher. Stimmen peitschen durch den Regen, wütend und scharf. „Da drüben!“, ruft ein Mann. „Holt sie — sofort!“ „Lauf.“ Die Stimme meines Vaters ist nicht laut; es ist, als würde sie direkt in meinem Schädel auftauchen. Er hebt mich hoch, seine Arme schließen sich fest um mich, und ich erhasche einen Blick auf meine Momma, die vorauseilt. Wir brechen auf das Flussufer hinaus. Die Männer holen auf. Ihre Schritte und ihr Atem und ihre pulsierende Wut erfüllen die Nacht. Der Himmel reißt weiter auf — noch mehr Regen prasselt herab, als wollte er die Welt ertränken. Wir drängen in den Fluss, während das Wasser höher, kälter, schneller aufwühlt. Mein Vater rutscht für eine Sekunde aus, dann fängt er sich wieder. Meine Mutter nicht. Ihr Fuß gleitet weg. Ihr Körper kippt. Und sie ist verschwunden — von der Strömung mitgerissen. „Momma!“, schreie ich und strecke die Hand aus, als könnte meine Hand sie aus dem dunklen Wasser packen. Mein Dad brüllt ihren Namen und setzt mich auf einen Felsen, schnell und grob, dann wirft er sich ihr hinterher. Ich denke nicht nach. Ich springe. Der Fluss ist Eis. Er reißt mich unter Wasser und zerrt uns flussabwärts, als wären wir nichts. Ich kämpfe um Luft, um Sicht, um irgendetwas. Ich kann sie nicht finden — nur schwarzes Wasser, nur rauschender Lärm. Irgendwo, gedämpft durch die Strömung, höre ich meinen Dad meinen Namen rufen. Und dann schaltet sich alles aus. Das ist der Moment, in dem ich immer aufwache — genau dann, wenn die Dunkelheit gewinnt. Ich schrecke aus dem Schlaf hoch, als der Bus langsamer wird und seufzend in irgendeiner fremden Stadt zum Stehen kommt. Ich war sieben, als ich meine Eltern verlor. Es fühlt sich nie an, als wären zwölf Jahre vergangen; es fühlt sich an wie gestern, nur in einem anderen Mantel. Damals in Thornmere war der Regen mein Lieblingsding gewesen. Nach der Highschool hatte ich dort gelebt, Schichten in einem Diner gearbeitet und versucht, das Leben einfach zu halten. Aber einfach bleibt nie einfach. Noch eine Auseinandersetzung, noch ein Grund zu verschwinden. Ich war nicht der Typ, der damit anfing, aber ich hatte ein Problem damit, aufzuhören, sobald es begonnen hatte. Ein gebrochener Kiefer bei jemand anderem bedeutete, dass ich wegmusste — schnell. Ich mag klein sein, aber ich schlage hart zu. Ich hatte ein bisschen Bargeld gespart. Ich rannte, bis meine Lungen brannten, bis Entfernung sich wie Sicherheit anfühlte. Irgendwie landete ich in einem Bus Richtung Nordkalifornien. „Halt hier für Ravenshollow“, ruft der Fahrer, als die Türen zischend aufgehen. Ich schwinge meinen Rucksack hoch und steige hinunter in Luft, die nach nassem Holz und Essen riecht. Vor mir steht ein aus Baumstämmen gebautes Hotel mit grünem Dach, perfekt wie auf einer Postkarte. Ein Restaurant ist angeschlossen, und der warme, herzhafte Duft lässt meinen Magen sofort antworten. Ich folge einer Familie, die hineingeht. Direkt am Eingang gibt es einen kleinen Geschenkeladen, vollgestellt mit Souvenirs — und ein HILFE GESUCHT-Schild, das genauso gut ein Leuchtfeuer sein könnte. Hinter dem Tresen steht eine ältere Frau. Dunkle Locken nach hinten gebunden, wache Augen. Sie lächelt die Familie an, heißt sie willkommen, und dann landet ihr Blick auf mir, als hätte sie erwartet, dass ich auftauche. Ich tue so, als würde ich stöbern, und verschaffe mir eine Minute. Kleinigkeiten. Postkarten. Dann bleibt meine Aufmerksamkeit an einer kleinen Schneekugel hängen — Wälder und Berge unter Glas versiegelt. Hübsch. Vertraut auf eine Weise, die an einem anderen Traum zieht, den ich manchmal habe. Der ist kein Albtraum. „Kann ich dir helfen, Liebes?“, sagt eine Stimme hinter mir. Ich zucke zusammen, mein Herz macht einen Sprung. Wie war sie so nah gekommen, ohne einen Laut? Normalerweise war ich überwachsam — immer am Lauschen. „Hallo“, sage ich und drehe mich um. „Ich habe das Hilfe-gesucht-Schild gesehen.“ Ich deute zur Tür. Ihre Augen wandern über mich, langsam und abschätzend. Dann — nein, das konnte sie nicht getan haben — hebt sie die Nase, als würde sie meinen Geruch aufnehmen. Hat sie gerade an mir geschnuppert? Verwirrung flackert über ihr Gesicht. Sie deutet zur Kasse, und ihre Hand landet kurz auf meiner Schulter — warmer Druck, dann so schnell wieder weg, dass es sich anfühlt, als hätte ich es mir eingebildet. „Wie alt bist du?“, fragt sie und reibt sich die Hand, mit der sie mich berührt hatte, als würde ihre Haut reagieren. „Einundzwanzig, Ma’am“, antworte ich zu schnell. „Blödsinn.“ Meine Kehle zieht sich zusammen. „…In zwei Jahren“, gebe ich zu. „Ich brauche Arbeit. Ich arbeite hart. Ich werde keine Probleme machen.“ „Wenn du einen Job willst, sagst du die Wahrheit, wenn ich dich etwas frage.“ Ihre Stimme ist fest, von der Sorte, die nicht nachgibt. „Ich bin Miriam. Und du bist?“ „Bridget, Ma’am.“ „Also, Ms. Bridget — nenn mich Ms. Miriam. Das machen alle.“ Sie hebt das Kinn und nimmt den Raum ein, ohne es zu versuchen. „Das hier ist meine Lodge. Ich gebe dir eine Chance und sehe mir an, was du kannst. Kannst du kochen? Zimmer putzen?“ „Ja, Ms. Miriam. Das habe ich den größten Teil meines Lebens gemacht.“ „Hm.“ Sie mustert mich erneut. „Hast du irgendwo einen Platz zum Schlafen?“ „Nein, aber ich kann etwas organisieren.“ Ich halte meine Stimme ruhig. Ich hatte einen Park bemerkt, als wir hereingefahren waren; ich könnte dort verschwinden, still bleiben, unsichtbar bleiben. Ich bezweifelte, dass eine so kleine Stadt viel an Unterkünften zu bieten hatte. „Also, so läuft es bei mir. Die Leute, die Zimmer putzen, behalte ich auf dem Gelände.“ Sie sagt es, als wäre es das Normalste der Welt. „Ich habe Platz. Und dazu gibt es drei Mahlzeiten am Tag im Diner. Was meinst du?“ Für eine Sekunde schmerzt meine Brust, als wüsste mein Körper nicht, wie er so viel Glück halten soll. „Ja, Ma’am — Ms. Miriam“, korrigiere ich mich und schlucke schwer. „Das klingt… unglaublich. Ich werde Sie das nicht bereuen lassen.“ „In Ordnung, Kind.“ Ihr Ton wird nur einen Hauch weicher. „Dann sorgen wir erst dafür, dass du etwas zu essen bekommst, und danach bringen wir dich unter.“ Ich folge ihr, während sich Entschlossenheit in mir festzieht. Ich würde das schaffen. Was auch immer mich hierhergeschleppt hatte, ich würde nicht wieder gehen, es sei denn, ich müsste. Die Leute starren, als wir vorbeigehen. Ich bemerke die Seitenblicke, die neugierigen Pausen, die Art, wie Gespräche zu Flüstern werden und dann wieder weitergehen, sobald ich vorüber bin. Ich war schon früher das neue Mädchen. Zu oft. Es sticht immer noch, aber ich lasse nicht zu, dass es meine Haltung verändert. Ms. Miriam blickt zurück. „Alles in Ordnung, Mädchen?“ „Ja“, sage ich und atme aus. „Nur… ich bin wirklich dankbar, dass Sie mir eine Chance geben.“ „Ich glaube, dir wird diese Stadt gefallen.“ Sie rutscht in eine Nische nahe der Küche und bedeutet mir, mich zu setzen. „Und ich glaube, du könntest hierherpassen.“ Passen. Das Wort landet seltsam. Ich nehme die Speisekarte, die sie mir reicht, und zwinge mich zu einem kleinen Lächeln zurück. Ich suchte nicht nach Wundern. Ich wollte einfach nur den Kopf unten halten, arbeiten, bis ich mir meinen eigenen Platz in der Welt verdient hatte. Aber während ich dort sitze, dem Klappern aus der Küche und dem leisen Summen der Lodge um uns herum lausche, begreife ich zwei Dinge. Ich mag Ms. Miriam schon jetzt. Und vielleicht — nur vielleicht — bin ich endlich an einen Ort getreten, an dem ich bleiben kann. Kapitel 2 Das Blackwood-River-Rudel Teil 1 Alphas Ryders POV „Alpha Ryder, Ihr Vater versucht, Sie zu erreichen. Er muss mit Ihnen sprechen, Sir.“ Einer meiner Krieger holte mich endlich ein. Ich hatte jede Kommunikationsleitung gekappt und war zu einem Lauf davongeschossen. Ich halte meine Männer scharf. Immer. Fährtenübungen, Tarnarbeit, die Art von Tests, die sie ins Schwitzen bringen. An den meisten Tagen finden sie mich überhaupt nicht. In diese Art von Stärke hineingeboren zu werden — der stärkste Alpha, den irgendjemand, der noch lebt, je gesehen hat — wird auf eine Weise alt, die niemand versteht. Kämpfe enden schnell. Gegner zerbrechen. Ich nicht. Rücksichtslos ist das Wort, das sie benutzen. Tötungsmaschine ist das, das sie flüstern. Vielleicht ist das der Grund, warum unser Gebiet voll und geschützt ist — über zweitausend Wölfe unter meinem Namen, und kein einziger Idiot mit einem funktionierenden Gehirn kommt auf die Idee, Ärger zu suchen. Dads Besessenheit ist seit Monaten dieselbe: ein weiterer verdammter Ball. Die nahegelegenen Rudel einladen. Lächeln. Hände schütteln. Das Schicksal endlich meine Gefährtin auf meinen Weg schieben lassen. Ich hatte bereits gesucht. Über Kontinente hinweg und wieder zurück. Immer noch nichts. An diesem Punkt fühlt es sich an, als hätte die Mondgöttin meinen Faden leer gelassen. Vielleicht ist meine Gefährtin tot. Vielleicht hat sie nie existiert. Gefährten der zweiten Chance sind selten genug, um Märchen zu sein. Also nehme ich, was ich will, wann ich es will — jede Wölfin, die mir ins Auge fällt. Es nimmt die Schärfe heraus, hält den Druck davon ab, überzukochen. Oder, genauer gesagt, es hält Talon davon ab, die Welt auseinanderzureißen. Talon ist mein Wolf: riesig, mitternachtsschwarz, mit Augen wie Mondlicht auf Stahl. Und irgendwie schafft er es, ein noch größeres Arschloch zu sein als ich. Sein Ruf ist schlimmer als meiner, was dir alles sagen sollte. „Danke, Mason“, sagte ich und schnitt zwischen den Bäumen hindurch. „Deine Fährtensuche wird besser. Mach weiter Druck. Ich werde jemanden wie dich an der Spitze brauchen.“ „Ja, Alpha!“, antwortete Mason sofort. Er macht noch die Highschool fertig, aber der Junge hat Instinkte. Nicht der brutalste Kämpfer, aber ich kann ihn zu der Art von Fährtenleser formen, die nichts übersieht. Die Tatsache, dass er mich so schnell gefunden hatte, erzählte mir allerdings die wahre Geschichte. Mein Vater hatte den richtigen Boten ausgewählt. Ich rannte wieder mit voller Geschwindigkeit los, und Talon drückte gegen meinen Geist, ungeduldig, schob, als wollte er aus meiner Haut herausbrechen. „Nicht jetzt“, warnte ich ihn. „Vater ruft. Heute Nacht bekommst du deinen Lauf. Einen richtigen.“ ‚Ja. Das sagst du schon seit Tagen, Arschloch‘, fauchte er. „Jemand hat schlechte Laune.“ Ich lachte. Er schnitt mich ab und knallte eine Mauer zwischen uns. Na gut. Der Wald tut, was sonst nichts kann. In dem Moment, in dem sich das Blätterdach schließt, beruhigt sich mein Puls. Hier gehören wir hin — Wölfe, in das Land eingefädelt, als wären wir daraus gemacht. Das Blackwood-River-Rudel liegt in Nordkalifornien, ausgebreitet über das größte Gebiet weit und breit. Unsere Grenzen werden von den besten Kämpfern der Region bewacht, und wir stehen nicht allein. Im Norden, innerhalb unserer Landlinie, hält ein Vampirrudel Gebiet. Im Osten verankert sich eine Hexenkolonie wie Wurzeln im Stein. Menschen begreifen es nicht. Sie denken, die Welt sei das, was sie auf Bildschirmen sehen. Die Wahrheit ist größer. Wir pflegen Bündnisse mit Regeln, die zählen — kein Töten über Speziesgrenzen hinweg. Brich diese Regel, und der königliche Hof schaltet sich ein. Diese Prozesse enden nicht mit Gnade. Sie enden mit Leichen. Im Herzen unseres Landes liegt das Dorf: Cottages für Familien, Gemeinschaftsbereiche und eine Schule, die für unsere Kinder gebaut wurde. Es geht nicht nur um Lesen und Zahlen. Es geht um Geschichte — jede übernatürliche Gruppe, jedes hässliche Kapitel und jede harte Lektion. Respekt passiert nicht zufällig. Man lernt ihn, oder man wiederholt dieselben Kriege. Ein paar Menschen besuchen sie auch. Die meisten von ihnen wissen ganz genau, was wir sind, und sie halten den Mund. Im Gegenzug halten wir ihre Stadt sicher. „Lass mich raten“, sagte Connor, als er neben mir in Schritt fiel, sobald ich ins Rudelhaus ging, „du hast dich wieder versteckt und es ‚Training‘ genannt.“ Connor — mein bester Freund, mein zukünftiger Beta. „Ja“, gab ich zu. „Ich brauchte es. Talon ist angespannt. Diese Veranstaltung rückt näher, und mein Vater hört nicht auf zu drängen. Ich denke, ich fahre vielleicht runter nach Crescent Valley.“ Connors Augen glitten seitwärts, misstrauisch und amüsiert. „Ach, ist das so?“, sagte er. „Oder ist es einfach Aurelia, von der du nicht wegbleiben kannst?“ Ich stieß langsam den Atem aus. Aurelia sollte selbst eine Alpha werden. Wir hatten uns als Kinder im Alpha-Training kennengelernt, und es hatte schnell zwischen uns gepasst — zuerst Freunde, immer. Der Sex kam später, mal ja, mal nein, ohne daran geknüpfte Versprechen. Wir hofften beide noch auf Gefährten. Wir waren nur stark genug, um ohne sie weiterzuleben. Crescent Valley lag direkt südlich von uns, Strände zogen sich entlang ihres Landes. Talon liebte es immer, nahe am Wasser zu laufen. „Nun“, sagte ich und ließ ein Grinsen an meinem Mund ziehen, „wenn mich die Erinnerung nicht täuscht, schaffst du es, jedes einzelne Mal eine neue Wölfin zu ‚finden‘, wenn wir diese Reise machen.“ Connor grinste. „Ich werde nicht so tun, als hätte ich deine Urlaube nicht genossen.“ Aber irgendetwas an ihm fühlte sich falsch an — zu angespannt hinter den Witzen. „Alles okay?“, fragte ich und blieb im Flur stehen, sodass er sich mir stellen musste. „Du bist in letzter Zeit woanders gewesen. Sprich mit mir.“ Wir waren fast gleich groß. Er hielt meinem Blick stand und nickte dann, als hätte die Frage ins Schwarze getroffen. „Ja“, sagte er und fuhr sich mit einer Hand durchs Haar. „Es ist … mein Wolf. Irgendetwas geht vor sich, und er sagt mir kein verdammtes Wort. Es macht mich wahnsinnig.“ Er sah aus, als könnte er sich die eigenen Haare ausreißen. „Vielleicht lernen unsere Wölfe irgendwann, wie Erwachsene zu kommunizieren“, sagte ich laut genug, damit Talon es hörte. Gleichgültigkeit streifte meinen Geist — Talon, der sich abwandte — dann ging die Mauer wieder hoch. Wir gingen zur Haupttreppe und stiegen in den zweiten Stock hinauf. Das Büro meines Vaters lag am Ende des Flurs. Meins lag gegenüber, mit Blick auf den Garten und das Labyrinth. Der Ball würde stattfinden, ob es mir gefiel oder nicht. Dad hatte vollständige Anwesenheit verlangt, alles nur, weil er wollte, dass ich endlich meine Gefährtin fand. Ich war fünfundzwanzig — jung für einen Mann, aber nicht für einen Alpha. Die meisten übernehmen mit achtzehn. Nach Rudelmaßstäben war ich bereits spät dran. Ich hatte die Alpha-Trainingsschule absolviert. Ich hatte zusätzliche Arbeit mit der königlichen Garde gemacht. Wenn das Schicksal sich weigerte, mir Frieden zu geben, würde ich zumindest meine Hände beschäftigt halten. Training ließ die Wut abfließen. Es hielt Talon unter Kontrolle. Und wenn das nicht genug war, ließ ich den Rest an Frauen aus, die bereit waren, mein Bett zu teilen. Ich hasste mein Leben nicht. Ich hasste nur den hohlen Raum, wo eine Bindung sein sollte. Irgendwo da draußen, betete ich immer weiter, gab es noch eine Gefährtin, die für mich bestimmt war — eine Frau, stark genug, um meinen Wolf zu beruhigen und unser Rudel noch schwerer zerbrechlich zu machen. Falls das überhaupt möglich war. Oben an der Treppe verlinkten die Wachen im Dienst meinen Vater per Gedankenverbindung, dass wir angekommen waren. Bevor wir klopfen konnten, drang seine Stimme durch die Tür. „Herein.“ Wir traten ein. „Sohn. Connor.“ Mein Vater sah von seinem Schreibtisch auf. „Nett von euch, euch endlich zu zeigen. Dein Verschwinden bereitet unseren Fährtenlesern Albträume.“ „Alpha Marcus“, sagte Connor und verbeugte sich respektvoll. Dads Aura traf wie Druck in der Luft — intensiv, befehlend — aber bei mir bewirkte sie nie viel. „Ja, Dad“, sagte ich und ließ Humor meine Gereiztheit maskieren. „Kann sie ja nicht faul werden lassen.“ Mit zwei Meter sechzehn, mit Schultern, die wie eine Wand gebaut sind, bin ich nicht gerade unauffällig. Aber Geruchskontrolle und Bewegung sind Fähigkeiten, und ich habe sie früh gemeistert. Ein Teil des Trainings besteht darin, zu lernen, wie man unsichtbar ist, selbst wenn man es eigentlich nicht sein sollte. Das Blackwood-Training ist aus gutem Grund brutal. Wir halten unsere Zahlen hoch und unsere Verluste niedrig. Es bedeutet etwas, den Namen dieses Rudels zu tragen. Mein Vater schloss die Mappe auf seinem Schreibtisch. „Deine Mutter hat den Ball für nächste Woche angesetzt. Die lokalen Rudel sind bestätigt, und wir haben sogar ein paar, die aus dem Ausland kommen. Es wird groß werden.“ Sein Blick wurde schärfer. „Ich brauche dein Wort, dass du dich benimmst. Du wirst gastfreundlich sein. Und du wirst nicht mit jedem zukünftigen Alpha Streit anfangen, der falsch atmet. Das ist deiner Mutter wichtig — und mir. Je eher du deine Gefährtin findest, desto eher können wir endlich zurücktreten.“ „Dad“, sagte ich vorsichtig, „ich führe das Rudel bereits. Du hast die Arbeit übergeben. Finanzen, Sicherheit, Grenzberichte — alles. Ich habe das stärkste Team, das wir je hatten. Mein Beta ist hier. Mein Gamma und Delta sind an ihrem Platz. Wir sind bereit.“ „Ihr seid nah dran“, sagte er und gab keinen Zentimeter nach. „Aber eine Luna bringt Gleichgewicht. Deine Gefährtin wird das Biest in dir beruhigen und dich auf Arten stärken, die du noch nicht berührt hast. Ich trete nicht zurück, solange du noch ein unberechenbarer Hitzkopf bist.“ Die Luft verließ meine Lungen in einem kontrollierten Ausatmen. Er lag nicht falsch. Ich wusste nur nicht, wie ich mich beweisen sollte, wenn er sich weigerte, loszulassen. „Ich werde mich von meiner besten Seite zeigen“, sagte ich. Er wandte sich Connor zu. „Zukünftiger Beta Connor, ich erwarte, dass du deinen zukünftigen Alpha ruhig hältst. So wie du es immer getan hast.“ Connor senkte erneut den Kopf. „Ja, Alpha Marcus. Betrachten Sie es als erledigt. Sie können auf mich zählen.“ Wir verließen das Büro. Connor ist an meiner Seite, seit wir Welpen waren. Wenn es eine Person gibt, der ich meinen Rücken, meine Kehle und mein Leben anvertraue, dann ist er es. Loyal zum Rudel. Loyal zu mir. Und irgendwie ist er der Einzige, der mich herunterreden kann, wenn Wut mich blind macht. „Wir haben noch Zeit vor dem Mittagessen“, sagte ich, während wir gingen. „Lass uns wechseln und laufen.“ Talon wurde sofort aufmerksam, Aufregung drückte an die Ränder meines Geistes. Connors Grinsen kehrte zurück. „Klingt gut. Drake hat es auch gebraucht.“ Wir gingen hinaus zur Baumgrenze hinter dem Rudelhaus. Unterwegs trafen wir auf Lucas und Pierce — zwei weitere aus unserem Kreis. Wenn ich endlich offiziell die volle Kontrolle übernehme, sind sie diejenigen, die ich als Gamma und Delta an meiner Seite haben will. Lucas hatte seine Gefährtin bereits gefunden, und das sah man. Sie kam aus einem benachbarten Rudel, und sie hatten sich erst vor Kurzem kennengelernt, aber sie klebten aneinander, als hätte die Bindung sie zusammengeschweißt. Ich wollte das. Nicht den Sex. Die Gewissheit. Der Rest von uns — Connor, Pierce und ich — war oft zusammen gereist. Nächte endeten gewöhnlich mit einem warmen Bett und welcher Wölfin auch immer wir wählten. Am Rand des Waldes zogen wir uns schnell aus, darauf bedacht, außer Sicht zu bleiben. Unverpaarte Wölfinnen in unserem Rudel lauern wie Schatten, immer auf der Jagd nach Aufmerksamkeit. Ich vermeide es, wenn ich kann. Ich habe genug Geschichten darüber gehört, was eine Luna innerhalb ihres eigenen Rudels ertragen muss — die Eifersucht, die Intrigen, den ständigen Druck. Wenn meine Gefährtin kommt, will ich, dass sie sich hier sicher fühlt. Als würde dieser Ort ihr gehören. Ja, ich hatte mit ein paar Frauen aus Blackwood geschlafen. Aber in letzter Zeit hatte ich es mir zur Regel gemacht: keine mehr. Nur Außenstehende. Es ist sauberer. Einfacher. Und da Talon sich … anders verhält, fühlt es sich notwendig an. Etwas kommt. Ich kann fühlen, wie es direkt vor meinem Leben sitzt und darauf wartet, hart genug zuzuschlagen, um alles zu verändern. Kapitel 3 Das Blackwood-River-Rudel Teil 2 Alpha Ryders POV Wir zogen uns aus und verstauten unsere Kleidung am Fuß einiger Bäume, während wir unsere Wölfe nach vorn gleiten ließen und ihnen das Steuer überließen. Talon kam als der Größte heraus—keine Frage. Ich war schon in menschlicher Gestalt groß, aber mein Wolf war deutlich über zwei Meter groß, gebaut wie ein Rammbock, mit Schultern, die sich durch alles hindurchwalzen konnten. Drake, der Wolf meines Betas, kam mir in der Größe beinahe gleich. Connors Blutlinie war mir immer alt und mächtig vorgekommen; sein Wolf zeigte es—dunkelbraunes Fell mit sauberen weißen Pfoten. Nero, Lucas’ Wolf, trug ein kräftiges graues Fell, während Pierce’ Wolf, Lance, ebenfalls grau war, mit Weiß um die Augen und quer über die Brust gezeichnet. Schnell. Stark. Gefährlich. Die beste Kombination. Wir schnitten mit voller Geschwindigkeit durch den Wald, die Welt verschwamm zu Stämmen und Wind—bis Talon plötzlich hellwach wurde. Er riss hart herum und schoss in einen Sprint, so abrupt, dass es an meinem Gleichgewicht zerrte. Ich versuchte, ihn zu erreichen, meine Stimme in seinen Geist zu drücken, aber er knallte die Verbindung zu. „Talon—was ist los?“ Ich drängte trotzdem weiter, bekam nichts zurück, während er direkt auf die Klippe zuraste. Er wurde erst langsamer, als er den Rand erreichte, der über der Stadt lag—der Menschenstadt—die sich unten wie ein stilles, gewöhnliches Gemälde ausbreitete. Ich kämpfte um genug Kontrolle, um zu sehen, was ihn gepackt hatte. Die alte Lodge. „Talon“, verlangte ich, „was ist hier los?“ „Ich weiß es nicht…“, antwortete er, und allein das zog mir einen Knoten in die Brust. Talon hatte immer einen Spruch. Immer. Die anderen donnerten schließlich hinter uns herauf. „Alles okay?“, verband sich Drake, der Atem rau vom Lauf. „Mit Talon stimmt etwas nicht“, schickte ich zurück. „Wir gehen rein. Mittagessen.“ Was auch immer ihm unter die Haut gegangen war, ich würde es herausfinden. Zurück im Rudelhaus duschten wir und gingen in den riesigen Speisesaal. Die Küche war hier für alle offen—keine verschlossenen Türen, keine Trennung. Meine Eltern traten gemeinsam ein, die Hand meines Vaters um die meiner Mutter geschlossen, als gehörte sie dorthin. Sie passten zusammen. Sie beruhigte ihn, wenn sein Temperament hochkochte; er gab ihr Halt, wenn die Welt versuchte, sie zu schieben. Das wollte ich eines Tages auch. Hinter ihnen kam der Beta meines Vaters, Warren—Connors Dad. Die Jungs und ich traten danach ein und verbeugten uns vor meinem Alpha und meiner Luna. Dann stieß jemand gegen meine Schulter—ein kleiner, vertrauter Aufprall. „Irgendwann wirst du Pünktlichkeit lernen müssen“, sagte ich, schon amüsiert, als mir ein Grunzen antwortete. Evelyn. Meine Schwester würde bald achtzehn werden, und ich konnte es kaum erwarten, ihren Wolf kennenzulernen. Diese Paarung würde Ärger bedeuten. Evelyn war strahlend und laut und chronisch zu spät. Sie sah aus wie Mom: enge pechschwarze Locken, mandelförmige braune Augen, warme hellbraune Haut. Ich kam mehr nach Dad—haselnussbraune Augen—aber die Locken hatte ich auch geerbt. Ich trug meine ungefähr schulterlang, obwohl sie sich selten benahmen. In einem Kampf verwandelten sie sich in eine wilde Mähne; ich hatte mich nach einer Schlacht gesehen und ausgesehen, als hätte ich versucht, einen Sturm mit dem Kopf zu rammen. „Dieser Tag wird nie kommen“, sagte Evelyn. „Meine Labore gehen vor.“ Genie reichte nicht einmal ansatzweise aus, um sie zu beschreiben. Sie belegte bereits Kurse auf College-Niveau, zielte auf die Wissenschaft ab, und sie arbeitete Seite an Seite mit den Hexen in unserem Rudel, während sie Wissen hin und her austauschten. Sie war umwerfend, und deswegen—weil sie meine und Dads war und wir wussten, was die Welt schönen, brillanten Frauen antat—hatten wir jede Stunde Sicherheit bei ihr. Niemand rührte sie an. Niemand kam ihr zu nahe. Falls doch, hätte ich es mit bloßen Händen geregelt—vorausgesetzt, Dad wäre nicht zuerst dort gewesen. „Hey, Evelyn“, sagte Connor und sah sofort weg. Ich hatte meine Freunde gewarnt: Legt eine Hand an sie, und ich entferne Dinge, an denen sie hingen. „Hi, Connor!“, strahlte Evelyn. „Danke für das Buch. Es war genau das, was ich für meine Forschung gebraucht habe.“ „Was für ein Buch?“ Die Worte kamen schärfer heraus, als ich beabsichtigt hatte, und meine Alpha-Aura begann von mir abzurollen. Connor spürte es und fiel in Unterwerfung, senkte den Kopf und entblößte seinen Hals. Evelyn bewegte sich schnell und stellte sich zwischen uns. „Ryder, hör auf. Es ist für die Schule. Atme.“ Sie sah zu mir auf—flehend, stur, furchtlos. Meine Mutter trat an meine Seite und führte mich zu meinem Stuhl. „Schatz, beruhig dich. Ich habe Connor gebeten, es auf seiner letzten Fahrt mitzunehmen.“ Und einfach so floss die Hitze aus mir heraus. Diese zwei Frauen—meine Mutter und meine Schwester—konnten mich vom Rand zurückziehen wie niemand sonst außer meiner zukünftigen Gefährtin. Dad versuchte, ein Lachen zu verbergen, und scheiterte. Er wusste genau, wie sehr sie mich in der Hand hatten. Ihn ebenfalls. ‚Tut mir leid, Mann‘, verband sich Connor, als wir saßen. ‚Luna Kendra hat mich gebeten, es zu besorgen. Ich wusste nicht, dass es für Evelyn war. Keine Respektlosigkeit.‘ Ich nickte und ließ es gut sein. Evelyn nahm den Platz mir gegenüber ein. Ein paar ihrer Freundinnen winkten, als sie zu ihrem eigenen Tisch gingen, und warfen Connor und mir ein Lächeln zu. Wir beide grinsten schief und sahen weg. Zum einen waren sie gerade erst volljährig. Zum anderen hatten Connor und ich beide nach der Regel gelebt: Leg dich nicht mit den Frauen in deinem eigenen Rudel ein. Ich hielt dieses Versprechen noch immer. Connor… in letzter Zeit fühlte er sich seltsam an. Als hätte sich etwas unter seiner Haut verschoben. Wölfe waren beim Thema Sex nicht schüchtern. Starker Trieb, offene Einstellungen—es war hier kein Tabu. Das änderte sich, wenn es um Familie ging. Und es änderte sich noch mehr, wenn es um eine Gefährtin ging. Der Gedanke, dass jemand anderes sie berührte, drehte mir den Magen um. Jemals. Auf irgendeine Weise. Es war heuchlerisch—wenn man bedachte, mit wie vielen Frauen ich zusammen gewesen war. Ich wusste es. Trotzdem war die Wahrheit hässlich: Ich war ein selbstsüchtiges Arschloch. Das Mittagessen kam für die Hauptfamilienlinie auf den Tisch—Brathähnchen, Kartoffelpüree, grüne Bohnen und ein Salat, der mit Erdbeeren und Blauschimmelkäse aufgepeppt war. Wir betrieben sogar eine Kochschule für Rudelmitglieder. Ja, es war schwer für die Mittagszeit. Aber Training verbrannte Treibstoff schnell, und Wölfe—zusammen mit den anderen Paranormalen auf unserem Land—liefen heiß. Mein Vater legte seine Gabel ab. „Sohn, ich bin gerade auf etwas aufmerksam gemacht worden, um das ich mich nach dem Mittagessen kümmern muss. Ich will dich und deine Männer in meinem Büro, wenn wir fertig sind.“ „Ja, Dad“, sagte ich. „Ist alles in Ordnung?“ „Wir reden unter vier Augen. Es ist nichts, womit wir nicht fertigwerden.“ Sein Blick hielt meinen, dann wechselte er zum Gedankenlink. ‚Wir haben Teams, die die Grenzen überprüfen. Wir glauben, es hat eine Sichtung eines Abtrünnigen gegeben. Sie werden sich in Kürze melden. Iss. Wir müssen Entscheidungen treffen.‘ ‚Ja, Sir‘, schickte ich zurück. Ich aß wie ein verhungerndes Tier. Talon war unruhig, bereit, hinauszurasen und selbst die Grenze zu patrouillieren. Nach dem Mittagessen gingen wir in das Büro meines Vaters—Connor, Lucas, Pierce und ich. Krieger standen an der Rückwand stramm. Ältester Gideon vom Vampirzirkel war dort, und auch Hohepriesterin Winifred vom Hexenzirkel—beide Zirkel lebten auf unserem Land. Dad und Beta Warren kamen herein. Wir nahmen Plätze rund um den langen Eichentisch ein, mein Vater am Kopfende. Er gab unseren besten Fährtenlesern ein Zeichen. „Ein Durchbruch“, berichtete der leitende Fährtenleser und verbeugte sich. „In der Nähe des Flusses. Wir haben aufgeschnappt, was ein Abtrünniger sein könnte… aber etwas fühlte sich anders an. Vielleicht Magie.“ „Bei Wachen an jedem Punkt“, fuhr ich auf und knallte die Handflächen auf den Tisch. Holz knackte unter dem Druck. „Wie ist irgendetwas durchgekommen—und ist es noch auf unserem Grundstück?“ Ältester Gideons Stimme schnitt hinein, ruhig und uralt. „Bei allem Respekt, Alpha Ryder, ich glaube nicht, dass es ein einfacher Abtrünniger ist. Ja, wir haben den Geruch von Wolf aufgefangen. Aber wir haben auch etwas gespürt… darüber hinaus. Jenseitig. Kräfte außerhalb von allem, dem wir in Tausenden von Jahren begegnet sind.“ Mein Vater nickte langsam. „Dann konsultieren wir die Große Versammlung. Wenn sie abnorme Energie gelesen haben, die von hier kommt, könnten andere Spezies sie ebenfalls bemerkt haben.“ „Ich stimme zu“, sagte Gideon. „Etwas bewegt sich seit ungefähr einer Woche in den Schatten. Ich habe starke Schwingungen aus der Stadt gespürt. Die Menschen, mit denen ich spreche, behaupten, nichts habe sich verändert, aber ich werde wieder Vampire hinunterschicken, damit sie nachsehen.“ Andere Rudel fanden es seltsam—Wölfe, die Land mit Hexen und Vampiren teilten. Ich fand es klug. Zahlen hielten einen am Leben. Wir halfen, ihre Bereiche zu verteidigen; sie verstärkten unsere mit Zaubern. Und dennoch war, trotz all dem, unsere Grenze in den letzten Tagen durchbrochen worden. Mein Vater wandte sich wieder mir zu. „Ryder, ich brauche dich und deine besten Fährtenleser an den Grenzen. Crescent Valley berührt fast unsere südwestliche Linie. Ich werde Alpha Zachary kontaktieren und fragen, ob sie irgendetwas gespürt haben. Seine Luna hat Fähigkeiten, die helfen könnten—und ihr Zirkel ist in der Nähe.“ „Es ist nicht weit“, sagte ich. „Ich kann persönlich hingehen, direkt mit ihnen sprechen und am nächsten Tag wieder zurück sein.“ Aus dem Augenwinkel zuckte Connors Mund, als wäre er amüsiert. Talon wurde bei der Idee munter—Ozean. Jede Ausrede, um ins Wasser zu kommen, und er war sofort dabei. Und ich konnte Aurelia besuchen, während ich dort war. Dampf ablassen. Mein Vater lehnte sich zurück, nachdenklich. „Das könnte wertvoll sein. Aber wir rufen zuerst an. Wir tauchen nicht einfach auf.“ Dann sah er zu Connor. „Zukünftiger Beta Connor—das ist eine gute Gelegenheit für dich. Führungstraining. Du wirst erleben, wie es ist, das Rudel in der Abwesenheit deines Alphas zu verwalten. Dein Vater wird dich anleiten. Jeder versteht seine Rolle, um unser Land für alle Spezies hier sicher zu halten?“ Connor nickte. Warren nickte. Der ganze Tisch tat es ihnen gleich. „Ja, Alpha“, antworteten alle zusammen. Wir brachen mit Zielstrebigkeit auf. Als zukünftiger Alpha wollte ich, dass alles, was auf unser Land geschlüpft war, gefunden—und schnell entfernt—wurde. Ich musste einen Anruf tätigen und eine Tasche packen, damit ich aufbrechen und so schnell wie möglich zurückkommen konnte. Etwas kam durch unsere Grenzen. Und was immer es war, es trug eine Macht in sich, die jeden Einzelnen von uns nervös machte. Kapitel 4 Nur Arbeit und kein Vergnügen... Bridgets Sicht Ich war jeden Tag vor Sonnenaufgang aufgewacht, fast aus dem Bett gesprungen, nur um zwischen den Bäumen laufen zu gehen. Die kalte, klare Luft traf auf meine Lungen und ließ mich lebendig fühlen. Hier aus diesem Bus auszusteigen, war die richtige Entscheidung gewesen. Wenn ich nicht arbeitete, war ich meistens bei Ms. Miriam, und sie sagte mir immer wieder—immer und immer wieder—, dass ich Leute in meinem Alter brauchte. Gnadenlos, Ms. Miriam. Und außerdem urkomisch. Ich hatte damit angefangen, Zimmer zu schrubben, aber jetzt half ich endlich im Restaurant aus. Miriam verwöhnte mich praktisch—ein Zimmer vorne in der Lodge, drei Mahlzeiten am Tag, plus ein Gehaltsscheck. Meine Ersparnisse würden im Handumdrehen wieder aufgebaut sein. Mein Zimmer lag nahe am Eingang: ein Bett, ein winziger Wohnbereich, eine Kochnische mit einem kleinen Tisch und mein eigenes Badezimmer. Es war nichts Besonderes, aber es gehörte mir. „Abholen, Tisch vier“, bellte Roland vom Küchenfenster aus und riss mich aus meinen Gedanken. „Bin dran, Roland. Danke“, rief ich zurück. Er schenkte mir ein seltenes Lächeln. Roland war älter und normalerweise sauer wie Essig—nur nicht bei mir. Miriam sagte gern, ich würde ihn beruhigen. Mom hatte früher gesagt, ich könne einen Raum heller machen. Vielleicht hatte sie nicht völlig unrecht gehabt. „Bitte sehr, meine Damen.“ Ich stellte die Teller mit einem geübten Lächeln ab. Drei Mädchen ungefähr in meinem Alter sahen auf. „Danke!“, sagte eine. Ich drehte mich zum nächsten Tisch, um nach Nachfüllungen zu sehen, und stolperte beinahe über meine eigene Konzentration. Zwei Männer saßen dort—lächerlich gut aussehend. Einer war blond und hatte Locken. Der andere war kahl, mit einem kurzen Bart und glatter brauner Haut, die im Feuerschein von den Fenstern unwirklich aussah. Ehrlich gesagt sah jeder Mann, den ich in dieser Stadt gesehen hatte, aus, als wäre er dafür gebaut worden, mit Bären zu ringen: groß, breit, alles Muskeln. Audrey schob ihre Mahlzeiten auf den Tisch—doppeltes Country-Fried-Steak, Kartoffelpüree, grüne Bohnen. Die Teller sahen aus, als gehörten sie in einen Wettkampf. Ich füllte ihre Getränke auf. Einer von ihnen nickte mir kurz zu—ein Danke ohne ein Wort—, und ich ging zurück, um Servietten zu holen. „Bridget!“, rief Miriam. Ich drehte mich um und sah, wie sie mit einem Stapel Kuchenschachteln kämpfte—fünf Stück—, die in ihren Armen gefährlich schwankten. Ich eilte hinüber. „Ich hab Sie, Ms. Miriam—“ „Lass mich.“ Eine tiefe Stimme schnitt dazwischen, und eine große Gestalt trat vor. „Mason, Gott segne dich, Liebes“, sagte Miriam erleichtert. Bevor ich blinzeln konnte, hielt ich zwei Schachteln, und der lockige Blonde—Mason—hatte die anderen drei genommen, als würden sie nichts wiegen. „Bridget, das ist Mason“, sagte Miriam. Mason sah zu mir hinunter und wurde leicht rosa. „Schön, dich kennenzulernen“, sagte ich schnell und zwang meine Aufmerksamkeit zurück auf die Arbeit. „Wohin sollen die, Ms. Miriam?“ „Tisch vier.“ Sie ließ sich neben mich fallen, als wir zurück zu den Mädchen gingen, die ich bedient hatte. „Schätzchen, die sind für deine Mutter. Bitte sag ihr, dass ich an sie denke.“ „Mach ich, Ms. Miriam. Ich bringe sie gleich rüber“, versprach das Mädchen. Miriams Augen funkelten, als sie sich wieder zu mir umdrehte. „Bridget, hast du meine süßen Kinder aus der Stadt schon kennengelernt? Evelyn, Sienna, Archer—“ Ihre Hand glitt in Richtung des Tisches. „Und diese Herren sind Mason und Barrett.“ Sie nickten alle, lächelten, als würden sie mich länger kennen als fünf Sekunden. „Hi“, sagte ich, ein wenig steif. Mason lehnte sich vor. „Wir haben gehört, dass du gerade erst hergezogen bist. Was hat dich nach—“ „Oh mein Gott, Mason“, fiel Evelyn ihm ins Wort und warf ihm einen Blick zu. „Sie ist gerade erst hier. Verhör sie nicht.“ Seine Schultern sanken. „Sorry.“ Siennas Gesicht leuchtete auf, als hätte sie sich an etwas Wichtiges erinnert. „Warte—heute Abend Lagerfeuer. Du kommst mit uns.“ Sie stieß Evelyn mit dem Ellbogen an. „Ja“, sagte Evelyn sofort, die Augen hell. „Mondlicht, Musik, Tanzen. Komm schon. Was sagst du?“ „Ich kann nicht“, sagte ich automatisch. „Ich arbeite heute Abend.“ Von hinter der Theke trug Miriams Stimme durch den Raum. „Nicht mehr! Ich habe dich schon freigestellt. Du gehst aus, junge Dame. Du brauchst Freunde. Ich bestehe darauf!“ Ich atmete hilflos aus. „Ich schätze… ich gehe zu einem Lagerfeuer.“ Ich setzte ein Lächeln auf und versuchte, es glaubwürdig wirken zu lassen. „Perfekt.“ Evelyn hielt ihre Hand hin. „Handy.“ Ich gab es ihr, und sie tippte darauf herum, als würde ihr der Laden gehören. „Neun Uhr. Wir holen dich ab.“ Ein Lachen rutschte mir heraus, weil sie so selbstbewusst vorging. Als sie mir mein Handy zurückgab, sah ich, dass sie sich selbst auch geschrieben hatte—damit sie meine Nummer hatte. Ich hob eine Braue. Sie zwinkerte. Okay. Vielleicht konnte mein erstes Lagerfeuer tatsächlich Spaß machen. Und vielleicht würde es mich dazu zwingen, damit aufzuhören, ein einsamer Geist zu sein. Später gingen wir zusammen hinunter zum See. Die Nacht war dicht und dunkel, aber ich konnte gut genug sehen. Ich hatte meine Locken zu einem unordentlichen Dutt hochgesteckt, Jeans und einen Pullover angezogen—denn wie schick soll man sich bitte für ein Feuer im Wald machen? Mason und Barrett kamen auch mit, und wir quetschten uns alle in denselben pechschwarzen SUV. Als wir näher kamen, tauchte das Lagerfeuer vor uns auf—riesig, lodernd, Funken in den Himmel werfend. Menschen umringten es, Musik wummerte, Körper bewegten sich in lockeren Kreisen. Die Flammen waren so hoch, dass sie aussahen, als wollten sie zu den Sternen hinaufklettern. Auf der anderen Seite der Menge bemerkte ich ein Mädchen mit rotbraunem Haar und sonnengebräunter Haut in einem engen Kleid und Gladiatorensandalen. Irgendetwas an ihr schrie nach Ärger. Ich sah weg, bevor sie mich beim Starren erwischen konnte. „Bier-Runde“, verkündete Sienna und drückte den Mädchen Flaschen in die Hände. Ein Schatten fiel über uns. „Nein.“ Masons Arm kam von hinten, und er hob die Biere weg, als wären wir Mittelschüler. „Ich bin ziemlich sicher, dass keine von euch einundzwanzig ist.“ Evelyn stöhnte. „Danke, Dad. Vergiss nicht, meinen Bruder auf den neuesten Stand zu bringen.“ Sie packte mein Handgelenk und zog mich weg, wobei sie die Jungs absichtlich zurückließ. Während sie nicht hinsahen, zog ich zwei Biere hervor, die ich trotzdem irgendwie ergattert hatte. „Ich wusste, dass ich sie mag“, sagte Archer lachend, während er mich kurz umarmte. Dann driftete ein Geräusch herüber—leise, entfernt. Etwas, das nicht hierhergehörte. Ich suchte die Dunkelheit jenseits des Feuerscheins ab und versuchte herauszufinden, ob es sonst noch jemand gehört hatte. Niemand reagierte. Die Musik war zu laut für sie. Wir gossen die Biere in Plastikbecher und fingen an zu trinken. Der Beat wechselte, und „Need To Know“ von Doja Cat dröhnte aus den Lautsprechern. Die Mädchen und ich begannen zu tanzen, mitzusingen und zu lachen, als wären wir seit Jahren befreundet. Fünf Jungs kamen herübergedriftet, angezogen von der Energie. Und als hätte jemand ihnen ein Zeichen gegeben, tauchten Mason und Archer hinter uns auf. Aus der Nähe war es lächerlich—Mason und Archer sahen aus, als könnten sie jeweils zwei der herankommenden Jungs hochheben und hätten trotzdem noch eine Hand frei. Die fünf wurden langsamer, stellten sich breitbeinig hin, starrten. Weitere Männer traten hinter Mason und Archer. Die Neuankömmlinge rechneten nach und wichen zurück, gingen ohne ein Wort weg. Evelyn verzog das Gesicht, als ein sehr attraktiver Typ ihre Aufmerksamkeit erregte und sie ein paar Schritte zur Seite zog. Er beugte sich vor und sprach knapp und leise. Sie versuchte, dabei weiterzutanzen, aber er spielte nicht mit. Sein Blick huschte an ihr vorbei—direkt zu mir. Ich riss meine Augen weg, bevor sich unsere Blicke treffen konnten. „Keine Sorge“, murmelte Sienna an meinem Ohr. „Das ist Connor. Wir kennen ihn.“ Also gehörte Connor zu ihrem Kreis. Vielleicht hatte Evelyn einen Freund. Oder etwas Kompliziertes. Sie sahen gut zusammen aus—bis ich die Spannung in seiner Haltung sah. Er war wütend, entweder auf sie oder auf die Jungs, die herumgelungert hatten. Wir tranken weiter und bewegten uns. Evelyn kam zurück und schlüpfte wieder in die Gruppe, als wäre nichts passiert. Da schlenderte das nach Ärger aussehende rotbraunhaarige Mädchen mit ihrem kleinen Rudel herüber. „Na, hallo“, sagte sie, die Stimme triefend vor Süße. Ihre Augen glitten zu Evelyn. „Wie geht es denn deinem Bruder?“ „Ihm geht es gut, Whitney“, sagte Evelyn gleichmäßig. „Danke der Nachfrage.“ Whitneys Lächeln wurde schärfer. „Vielleicht rufe ich ihn an und sehe nach, ob er heute Nacht wieder Gesellschaft braucht.“ Sie zwinkerte—dann landete ihre Aufmerksamkeit auf mir. Evelyn trat geschmeidig ein. „Das ist unsere Freundin Bridget.“ „Hi“, sagte ich und hielt es neutral. Whitney musterte mich, als wäre ich ein neuer Artikel in einem Regal. „Hi. Ich bin sicher, wir werden uns sehen.“ Dann drehte sie sich wieder zu den anderen. „Tschüss, Ladys.“ Als sie endlich wegging, lehnte ich mich zu Sienna und flüsterte: „Wer war das?“ Siennas Mund verzog sich. „Ein Mädchen, das von Evelyns Bruder besessen ist und das Wort ‚nein‘ nicht versteht.“ Dann hörte ich es wieder. Ein scharfes Knacken—wie ein Zweig, der unter Gewicht bricht. Mein Kopf fuhr zur Baumgrenze herum. Jenseits der Reichweite des Feuers war der Wald vollkommen schwarz. Ich starrte, bis meine Augen tränten. Und dann sah ich sie. Zwei rote Punkte, fest auf mich gerichtet. Mein Atem stockte. Ich stolperte rückwärts und blieb mit der Ferse fast an dem umgestürzten Baumstamm hängen, auf dem Leute saßen. Evelyn war sofort neben mir, Sorge blitzte über ihr Gesicht. „Was ist los?“ Sie folgte meinem Blick. Ich konnte nicht blinzeln. Es war, als hätte etwas meine Aufmerksamkeit eingehakt und würde sie nicht loslassen. Als ich meine Augen schließlich zwang, sich zu schließen, und sie wieder öffnete, sah die Dunkelheit genauso aus—außer dass meine Haut immer noch kribbelte. „Ich—ich schwöre, ich habe etwas gesehen“, plapperte ich. „Augen. Rote Augen. Ich drehe durch, oder? Es muss das Bier sein.“ „Scheiße“, sagte Connor. Er bewegte sich schnell und trat vor uns. Und ich hätte schwören können, dass ich unter seiner Stimme ein Knurren hörte. Ich schluckte schwer. Ich trinke nie wieder. Alles brach in Chaos aus. Weitere Knurrgeräusche schnitten durch die Nacht. Connors Blick wurde fern, fast glasig, als wäre er irgendwo anders hingeglitten. Mason und Archer verschoben sich ebenfalls vor uns und bildeten eine Mauer. Der Wald raschelte vor schwerer Bewegung. Eine starke Böe riss durch die Lichtung. Die Haare auf meinen Armen stellten sich kerzengerade auf. Dann schrie Connor: „Rogues!“ „Was passiert hier?“, verlangte ich zu wissen, nicht einmal sicher, wen ich fragte. „Was sind Rogues?“ „Wir gehen“, flüsterte Evelyn, und plötzlich wurde ich zum Pfad zurück zur Lodge gezerrt. Ich versuchte, über meine Schulter zu sehen, und eine kalte Linie aus Angst glitt meine Wirbelsäule hinunter. „Beweg dich, Bridget!“, schrie Sienna. Hinter uns wurde Connors Stimme scharf vor Befehl. „Mason, Archer—bleibt mit den anderen zurück. Haltet alle sicher, bis ich zurück bin. Verstärkung kommt. Ich bringe die Mädchen raus.“ Nichts davon ergab Sinn. Ich fühlte mich gleichzeitig verängstigt und schwindelig. Wir rannten den offenen Pfad hinunter, das Geräusch des Knurrens verfolgte uns. Connors Kopf drehte sich immer wieder, suchte jede Seite ab, als erwartete er, dass etwas aus der Dunkelheit sprang. Der SUV kam in Sicht. Türen wurden entriegelt. Leute stiegen ein—alle außer mir. „Bridget, steig ein!“, schrie Sienna. „Ich kann nicht“, sagte ich, der Atem riss. „Ich muss nach Ms. Miriam sehen.“ „Ich habe sie schon angerufen—sie kommt“, schnappte Connor, während er Evelyn hineinschob und zu mir herumfuhr. Er riss die andere Tür auf. „Jetzt.“ „Wie?“, protestierte ich, wie am Boden festgewachsen. „Wann hast du sie angerufen? Während wir gerannt sind? Nichts davon—“ Die Kälte traf wieder, härter, als wäre die Luft zu Eis geworden. Ich sah zurück zum Wald. Etwas bewegte sich in der Dunkelheit. Nicht nur Bewegung—Bewusstsein. Als wüsste es, dass ich hinsah. Als würde die Dunkelheit zurücksehen. Was zur Hölle habe ich getrunken? „Ich bin hier, Kind. Los jetzt.“ Miriams Stimme war plötzlich direkt hinter mir. Ich wirbelte herum. Sie war da—zu nah, zu schnell, als wäre sie aus dem Nichts getreten. „Wie sind Sie so schnell hierhergekommen?“, verlangte ich zu wissen. „Was geht hier vor?“ „Steig ein“, sagte sie, fest, aber sanft, und führte mich zum Sitz. „Wir erklären es, wenn wir von diesem Ort weg sind.“ Ich ließ zu, dass sie mich in den SUV schob. Das Fahrzeug schoss sofort nach vorn. Ich drehte mich, um aus dem Rückfenster zu sehen. Auf dem Parkplatz wurden Autos beiseitegeschoben wie Spielzeug. „Was zum Teufel passiert hier?“, schrie ich. Ein scharfer Schmerzstich bohrte sich durch meinen Schädel. Ich schrie auf und klappte zusammen, hielt mir den Kopf, während meine Sicht schwamm. Einer meiner schlimmen Kopfschmerzen hatte sich angekündigt—die Sorte, die immer kam, wenn der Stress zu hoch wurde. „Hey“, sagte Archer, seine Hand rieb gleichmäßige Kreise auf meinem Rücken. „Geht es dir gut?“ Der Schmerz stieg. Dann setzte Regen ein—plötzlich und heftig, ein brüllender Wolkenbruch, der Geräusche verschluckte. „Ich…“ Mein Kopf wurde leicht. Der Regen schien härter niederzuschlagen, füllte meine Ohren, ertränkte alles. Und dann verwandelte sich die Welt in Schwärze. Völlige Schwärze. Kapitel 5 Das Lagerfeuer... Alpha Ryders POV „Alpha Ryder—wirklich, es ist immer eine Freude, wenn du nach Crescent Valley kommst.“ Luna Adrianas Stimme hallt durch die große Halle des Schlosses, in dem Moment, in dem ich eintrete. Ihr Rudel kommt unserem an Stärke und Größe gleich, und wie wir bestehen sie nicht nur aus einer einzigen Art. Wir sind immer die engsten Verbündeten gewesen. Unsere Väter waren schon als Jungen zusammen, haben Seite an Seite trainiert und diese Verbindung nie verblassen lassen. Adriana sieht genauso legendär aus, wie die Leute es flüsternd erzählen. Nahöstliche Gesichtszüge, mitternachtsschwarzes Haar, glatt aus ihrem Gesicht zurückgenommen, ein juwelenbesetztes Diadem, das das Licht zu den Kronleuchtern zurückwirft. Sie ist nicht so gealtert wie normale Menschen—sie könnte immer noch als jemand in ihren Zwanzigern durchgehen. Königliche Ausstrahlung. Scharf. Sicher. Macht sitzt auf ihr wie eine Krone. „Ich weiß es zu schätzen, dass du dir ohne Vorwarnung Zeit für mich nimmst“, sage ich zu ihr und verbeuge mich respektvoll. „Ich weiß, eure Terminpläne sind nicht gerade leicht.“ Wir mögen einander Familie nennen, aber es gibt Grenzen, die man nicht überschreitet. Ich umarme sie nicht; ich lasse meinen Geruch nicht an der Gefährtin eines anderen Alphas haften. So beginnen Kriege. Und bei einer Bindung wie der von Zachary und Adriana wäre ein Krieg keine kleine Sache. Die Leute reden davon, dass Gefährten wie sie Stärke teilen—alte Geschichten behaupten sogar, sie könnten Macht verschmelzen lassen. Seit Jahrhunderten hat niemand etwas dergleichen gesehen. „Sei nicht albern“, sagt sie warm. „Familie ist immer wichtig.“ Die Türen der Empfangshalle öffnen sich hinter ihr. Alpha Zachary schreitet herein, gebaut wie eine Festung, fast so groß und massig wie ich. Tinte bedeckt den größten Teil seiner Haut—Zeichen, Symbole, Trophäen für jeden Kill, den er geholt hat. Ein brutaler Kämpfer. Einer, mit dem ich gern Schläge austausche. Er grinst, und wir umfassen einander an den Unterarmen. Aurelia folgt ihm dicht auf den Fersen—ihre zukünftige Alpha. Schön wie eh und je, die karamellbraunen Augen ihres Vaters in das markante Gesicht ihrer Mutter gesetzt. Als sie meinen Blick auffängt, lächelt sie, als würde sie bereits Ärger planen. „Sieh mal, wer aufgetaucht ist“, sagt sie. „Hast du mich vermisst, Trottel?“ Wir sind eher wie Bruder und Schwester aufgewachsen als irgendetwas anderes, obwohl unsere Eltern alle leise hofften, das Schicksal würde uns miteinander verbinden. Dann wurden wir achtzehn, warteten darauf, dass unsere Wölfe reagierten… und es kam nichts. Kein Ziehen. Kein Funke. Also blieben wir Freunde, trainierten zusammen und verloren nie den Kontakt. „Schwer, das nicht zu tun“, gebe ich zurück. „Hey, Trotteline.“ Sie führen mich in Zacharys Büro, und die drei lassen sich mit der Leichtigkeit von Leuten nieder, die das schon tausendmal getan haben. Aurelia lässt sich auf einen Stuhl fallen und legt den Kopf schief, während sie mich ansieht. „Also quetschen wir noch einen Übungskampf rein, damit ich dich wie üblich schlagen kann?“ Zacharys Lachen grollt. Adrianas Blick schießt zu ihrer Tochter. „Dein Mundwerk, Aurelia. Irgendwo unter all dieser Attitüde bist du immer noch eine Dame. Du stellst meine Geduld täglich auf die Probe.“ Adriana geht zu ihrem Gefährten, und er zieht sie auf seinen Schoß, als wäre es das Natürlichste der Welt. Aurelias Grinsen wird unschuldig. „Tut mir leid, Mom.“ Zacharys Ausdruck wird ernst, als er auf den Bildschirm deutet. „Ich habe Alpha Marcus per Video zugeschaltet.“ „Vater“, sage ich und nehme Platz. Mein Vater nickt knapp. „Alpha Zachary. Luna Adriana. Danke, dass ihr euch mit Ryder trefft.“ „Immer“, antwortet Zachary, seine Stimme fest vor Freundschaft. „Jetzt erzähl uns, was ihr herausgefunden habt.“ Mein Vater atmet ein und spricht dann in dem vorsichtigen Ton, den er benutzt, wenn das Thema gefährlich ist. „Mein Zirkel hat eine alte Warnung weitergegeben. Es soll ein seltenes Wesen geben—männlich oder weiblich—ungefähr im Alter, in dem man zum ersten Mal seinen Wolf erhält. Seine Macht würde alles übersteigen, was wir dokumentiert haben. Die Beschreibung passt zu dem, was einige Texte den Omni-Wolf nennen: einen direkten Nachkommen der Mondgöttin, gesandt, um das Gleichgewicht zu bewahren, wenn die Dunkelheit aufsteigt.“ Er hält inne, die Augen hart. „Das Problem ist, dass man glaubte, die Blutlinie sei ausgelöscht worden. Gejagt, ausgebeutet, ...
Chapter 1 Sexless Marriage The day Amelia Harlow returned to Eldoria, she was in a car accident. It wasn't serious. Nothing to panic about. But the paperwork was endless, and by the time it was all done, she was drained. She limped out of the hospital and called Ethan Rowe. No answer. She tried again. Still nothing. On the fourth call, someone finally picked up. "Ethan's celebrating my birthday," a little girl said brightly. "He bought lots of pretty presents for me and Mommy. He's too busy to talk to you." The voice sounded four or five at most, sweet and unguarded. Amelia froze. It wasn't until a man's voice came on the line that she snapped back to herself. "Mrs. Rowe," Kevin Cain said carefully, "Mr. Rowe is at Reverie Heights, celebrating Ms. Boyd's birthday. Would you like to come over?" There was a pause in his tone, like he was holding something back. It took Amelia a moment to connect the dots. The "Ms. Boyd" Kevin mentioned was Isla Boyd, Hannah Gray's daughter. Hannah was the widow of Ethan's best friend. After her husband died, she had returned to Eldoria with her daughter. Amelia's heart sank. She caught sight of herself in the car mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked pale and worn. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Where are they?" She hung up and took a cab alone to the outskirts of the city. Reverie Heights sat halfway up a hillside. Her leg had been injured in the accident, and every step sent pain shooting through her body. Still, she forced herself up the slope. Snow had come early that October. When Amelia stepped into the restaurant, Isla had just finished blowing out the candles. "I wish Mommy and Ethan and I could be together forever!" the girl said happily. "I hope Mommy can marry Ethan!" Her voice was innocent. Almost unbearably so. Amelia stopped where she stood. Ethan and Hannah sat on either side of Isla, close enough to brush shoulders. The candlelight softened Ethan's usually cold, distant expression. At a glance, they looked like a family. Warm. Complete. The Grays and the Rowes had known each other for generations. Hannah and Ethan had grown up together. In high school, they'd been the golden couple everyone admired. People used to say it was a shame the Gray family had fallen on hard times. That was why Hannah married Ethan's best friend, Jack Boyd, and left Eldoria with him for Harborville. And Amelia? She had simply been the one who slipped into Ethan's life afterward. Hannah and Ethan had always been the perfect match. That was what everyone believed. Hannah glanced at Ethan and smiled at her daughter. "Don't say things like that. Ethan has a wife." "But Ethan doesn't like his wife," Isla said matter-of-factly, her lips puckered. "That woman's just a mean witch. She's the one who stole Ethan away." "Hush, Isla," Hannah said quickly. "That's rude." Someone nearby laughed. "Isla's not wrong," a woman said lightly. "Let's be honest, Hannah. This all started with Amelia. If she hadn't played the whole 'debt of gratitude' card, Fiona Rowe wouldn't have been able to force Ethan into marriage in the first place." She went on without restraint. "All these years, Ethan stayed faithful to you. He never even touched Amelia. He convinced her he believed in a platonic marriage, and she actually bought it. How does someone like her even get to call herself Ethan's wife? Right, Ethan?" Laughter rippled through the room. Each word landed like a slap. Amelia stood frozen, the pain in her leg completely forgotten. All those years… Ethan had never touched her. After they married, he said he wanted a platonic marriage. She believed him. In truth, he had simply been faithful to Hannah. Everyone knew. Everyone. Except her. Being Ethan's wife had been a joke from the very beginning. Ethan lifted his head, about to respond. Then his gaze landed on Amelia in the doorway. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Only then did the others notice her. She looked awful. Her clothes were stained, her hair tangled, the aftermath of the accident written all over her. Pathetic. The room went quiet, broken by a few uneasy sighs. "Seriously?" someone muttered. "Why did she have to show up?" Amelia felt a sharp ache in her chest. Ethan had booked the entire place. Everyone here was his friend. Every single look directed at her held nothing but disdain. And yet, she was still his legal wife. In the end, Hannah stepped in, smiling gently. "Ms. Harlow, today is Isla's birthday. Come on, sit down and celebrate with us. Isla, cut a slice of cake for Ms. Harlow." Whatever our issues are, the little girl shouldn't be dragged into us. She thought. So no matter how miserable she felt, Amelia still said quietly, "Happy birthday." Isla hesitated, then did as her mother said and picked up a slice of cake, walking over to Amelia. Just as Amelia reached for it, Isla suddenly pulled out a small cross necklace. "Ms. Harlow," Isla said sweetly, "Ethan got matching cross necklaces for me and Mommy at the chapel today. They'll keep us safe and blessed. I'll trade my necklace to you if you give Ethan back to my mommy, okay? He doesn't like you anyway." Amelia's eyes dropped to the necklace. It was delicate and finely made. Anyone could tell it came from Lumina Chapel. To receive a blessing there, one had to climb over a thousand stone steps up the mountain trail. Ethan's leg had been injured before. He wasn't supposed to do strenuous activity. A climb like that could damage his meniscus, maybe even leave him permanently injured. But for Hannah, he had gone. Afterward, his injury flared up badly. Amelia had stayed by his side for a full week. No sleep. Daily massages. Herbal baths. Only then had his leg slowly improved. And now? What had any of it meant? Was it all a joke? Amelia swallowed, forcing the bitterness down. She didn't take the necklace. She only said softly, "Fine. I'll give him back to you." The room froze. Ethan frowned. "What are you talking about?" Amelia met his eyes, calm and steady. "Ethan, I want a divorce." "Divorce?" His expression darkened. "Because I celebrated Isla's birthday?" It wasn't just that. The unanswered calls. The lonely marriage. A husband who stayed faithful to someone else. The whole thing was absurd. "I don't need a ridiculous man like you. No sex for six years? Seriously? That's hilarious. Or is it just that you can't get it up?" Amelia said coldly. "And I don't need a husband who's playing family with another woman and her kid. My lawyer will send you the papers." She turned and walked away. The bluntness of her words left the room stunned. Hannah forced a bitter smile. "This is all my fault. I didn't expect Ms. Harlow to take it so hard. Ethan, she is your wife. You should go after her." "No need," Ethan said indifferently. "She's been Mrs. Rowe for years. Without me, how would she survive?" Six years of a sexless marriage. She'd endured it all. There was no way she would actually leave now. She was just throwing a tantrum. Hannah hesitated, biting her lip. "But what about the Everetts? That won't be easy to explain. Amelia lived with them for three years. If Mason finds out…" Amelia had been adopted by the Harlows. When their lost daughter Beatrice Harlow returned, Amelia was cast aside and later taken in by the Everetts. People said the Everetts had treated her like a treasure. Back then, Amelia loved art. To win a painting she wanted, the Everett family's second son Mason once spent millions at auction, just to make her smile. If she hadn't insisted on returning to the Harlows… She would still be living comfortably with the Everetts today. Chapter 2 Four in the Same House? The history between the Everetts and Amelia was something outsiders knew nothing about. But Ethan knew very well that over the past six years, Mason Everett had been overseas and had never once reached out to Amelia. "The Everetts won't interfere anymore," he answered. Thinking about Amelia's retreating figure earlier, Ethan suppressed the irritation rising in his chest and said coolly, "Forget her. Today's about Isla." As for divorce, with Hannah already at the center of so much gossip, divorcing now would only fuel the rumors and completely destroy her reputation. There was no way he could agree to a divorce at such a critical moment. Besides, he understood Amelia. She loved him deeply. She wouldn't let go so easily. "Exactly. She only lived with the Everetts for three years. Would Mason really cherish her like some priceless treasure?" "Without the Everetts backing her, if Amelia actually divorced, she'd be the one who suffered." … Amelia took a cab back to the villa. The day had drained her completely, but even so, she still forced herself to call her best friend, Lily Rayne. "Lily, help me prepare the divorce papers." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Lily sounded genuinely shocked. "You want to divorce Ethan? Why? He may be cold, but he treats you fairly well. And with the Rowes protecting you, the Harlows can't really touch you. You've liked him for so many years too. After everything you've been through…" "It's not worth it," Amelia said quietly. "When I married him, it was mostly because he saved my life." And because he looked a little like her secret crush. Her feelings for Ethan had always been complicated. Over the years, maybe it had been emotional projection. Maybe just gratitude. That was why she had obediently played the role of Ethan's wife for six long years. The first time she met him, she hadn't felt anything special. Just a vague sense of familiarity. Later, when he pulled her out of that fire, her feelings slowly became blurred and uncertain. But by then, she had already returned to the Harlows. She was no longer the Everetts' cherished daughter. So she buried that crush deep inside and kept it there for a long time. Then Fiona suggested that Ethan marry her. Once those vague feelings faded, and for a variety of reasons, she had played along with the arrangement for years. It wasn't that she loved him so deeply it shattered her heart. More than anything, she hated being played. Seeing how resolute Amelia sounded, Lily pressed further. "Then why divorce all of a sudden?" She knew Amelia well. She seemed gentle, but underneath, she was resilient and unyielding. Six years had passed. Why now? Amelia's voice was calm. "He and I hadn't had sex in six years." Lily froze. "He can't… get it up?" Amelia didn't explain. She just smiled. "Maybe. I strongly suspect that's the case." "Divorce him. You absolutely have to divorce him," Lily said firmly. "I'll bring the papers over tomorrow." She frowned. "He's fine in the looks department… broken downstairs. I can't believe you held out this long." Exactly. Who would've thought she'd willingly wasted six years like this? With all that time, she might as well have devoted herself to charity. Before hanging up, Lily hesitated. "Amelia… divorcing him won't be easy. Do the Everetts know? Should you talk to Mason…" Hannah's return to Eldoria had already caused a storm of rumors. A divorce now would slap the Rowes in the face and confirm everything people were saying. Ethan would never agree. "I left the Everetts a long time ago," Amelia said softly. Mason had his own life. She had to deal with her own problems. She thought she had lost the right to trouble him long ago. Amelia ended the call in silence. She was exhausted. After washing up, she went straight to bed. Maybe because she'd brought up someone from her past, she slept poorly that night. The next morning, when she went downstairs, she was planning to head to the hospital. Instead, she found two uninvited guests in the villa. Seeing her, Ethan softened his tone for once. "Isla's a little shy around strangers. She'll stay here for a couple of days. You don't mind, right?" Shy around strangers. Amelia almost laughed. Jack's body wasn't even cold yet, and Hannah was already eager to find her daughter a new father? "Whatever," Amelia said calmly. She was planning to move out anyway. She changed into a dark sweater dress. With her eyes lowered, she looked relaxed and effortless. Beautiful in a way that was different from before. Ethan froze for a second, his lips pressing together. "Don't worry. They won't disturb you." Amelia didn't bother responding and turned to leave. But Isla had already chosen her room. Her eyes wandered around before landing squarely on Amelia's bedroom. "Ethan, I want this room." Her gaze fell on the teddy bear on Amelia's bed, and her eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly. "I love this teddy bear! I want this too!" Amelia saw the bear in her hands, frowned, and her voice turned cold. "Put my things down." That teddy bear had been left to her by Nora Everett. Isla, spoiled as she was, had no intention of listening. She grabbed the bear by the ears and tugged on it, then pulled on Ethan's hand and taunted Amelia. "Ethan, I like this teddy bear and this room. Can you make the bad woman move out?" "Isla!" Hannah scolded her first, then looked at Amelia uneasily. "Ms. Harlow, we're guests here. Thank you for letting us stay. She shouldn't have been so rude." After that, she hesitated. "Would it be possible for me to buy the teddy bear from you?" "No." Amelia took the bear back from Isla's hands, refusing flatly. Seeing Isla's lips tremble as tears threatened to spill, Ethan frowned. "It's just a teddy bear. Why are you arguing with a kid?" Amelia found it almost laughable. Yeah, he didn't care about her, but he should've at least known she slept with that teddy bear every single night. Six years together. Had he ever really seen her at all? "Until the divorce papers are signed, I'm still Mrs. Rowe," Amelia said coolly. "Half of this house belongs to me. As long as I don't allow it, your sweetheart and your little princess can be kicked out at any time." Isla stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. Furious, she shouted, "Ethan said he's going to be family with me and Mommy from now on! In this house, you're the extra one—" "Isla!" Before she could finish, Hannah quickly cut her off and said humbly, "Ms. Harlow, Isla and I won't disturb you." Her submissive attitude softened Ethan's expression, and he let Hannah take Isla away. Amelia didn't want to waste time going back and forth with them. She cut straight to the chase. "Since you brought them back, give me Emberfall Villa. I'll move there in a few days. I'm sure you don't want us living under the same roof either." Chapter 3 Running Into Them at Rowe Group Amelia's blunt demand for the villa made Ethan chuckle under his breath. Instead of being annoyed, he felt oddly relieved. In the end, she still needed him. As for the divorce talk, she would cool off in a few days. She always did. "Fine," he said lightly. "I'll have Kevin prepare the transfer papers and put the villa under your name. Once Hannah and Isla move out for a bit, you can come back whenever you want." Amelia only smiled. She wasn't coming back. She wanted Emberfall Villa because it had originally been a gift from the Everetts. Back then, during the Rowe family's internal power struggles, she had mortgaged it for Ethan's sake. Eventually, it ended up under his name. Her chest tightened. For him, she had been willing to give up even the things the Everetts had left her. And in the end, she lost the bet. Her expression grew distant, almost fragile, yet somehow even more striking. Something stirred in Ethan's chest. Amelia had always been obedient, compliant. Yesterday's talk of divorce was probably just spite. After all, for Hannah's sake, he had left her alone in a cold bed for six years straight. He reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, feeling an unexpected flicker of reluctance. Truth be told, whatever he had with Hannah belonged to the past. Now she was just a pitiful widow, raising Jack's orphaned child. His voice softened. "Amelia, as long as you behave yourself, you'll always be Mrs. Rowe." Amelia's stomach turned. Disgust washed over her. What did he think she was? A backup plan? He had stayed faithful to Hannah for six years, brought his beloved back into the house, let another woman step right into her space, and still had the nerve to offer her an empty title. She leaned away, wanting to avoid his touch. Just then, Hannah's voice drifted in from outside the door. "Ethan, where did you put Isla's dress?" Ethan pulled his hand back instantly. Amelia froze for a second, then almost laughed. He was afraid Hannah might misunderstand. Hannah pushed the door open. Seeing how close they were standing, she smiled and walked over, looping her arm through Ethan's. "Isla can't find her dress and she's throwing a fit. You should go check on her." "I'll take a look," Ethan said, already turning away. Amelia nodded. She watched coldly as he followed Hannah to comfort the child, her heart utterly unmoved. A family of three. Her marriage had been overcrowded for a long time. There had never been space for her. … Not long after Hannah moved in with Isla, the news reached Lily as well. This time, Lily didn't just bring the divorce papers and a mouthful of curses for Ethan. She also brought a piece of explosive news. "Amelia," Lily said carefully, watching her face, "I heard Mason's coming back soon." Amelia's heart skipped. Hearing that name, a pang of sorrow hit her. To the Everetts now, she was nothing more than a stranger. Her smile turned bitter. "Lily, the Everetts were good to me." Back then, because of her, there had been tension between Mason and Nora. The Everett family was complicated. Her existence would only burden him. Besides, the person Mason truly held in his heart had never been her. Keeping her distance was the best choice. Lily felt a sting of sadness. Outsiders had no idea what had really happened between Amelia and the Everetts. Three years of genuine affection. All the Everett brothers had treated Amelia like their own little sister. Until Amelia stubbornly returned to the Harlows, and the Everett second son went abroad. If Amelia still had the Everetts backing her, how would the Rowes dare treat her like this? "I'm just giving you a heads-up," Lily said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is getting that divorce." Amelia took the divorce papers Lily handed over, along with the property transfer agreement she had prepared, and headed to Rowe Group. She had always held a nominal position there and had even worked her way up from the ground level. During Rowe Group's internal conflicts, she had put in real effort to support Ethan. Behind the scenes, she had helped secure several major projects for the company. Back then, she hadn't known he was carrying Hannah in his heart the whole time. Though the employees didn't know about their secret marriage, they generally thought well of her. As soon as Amelia entered the lobby, a little girl's bright laughter echoed through the space. Not far away, Isla sat in a corner like a tiny princess surrounded by attendants. She blew bubbles while snacks and toys were piled around her. Nearby, employees whispered among themselves. "That little girl Mr. Rowe brought today must be his daughter, right? He spoils her rotten. He even had a kids' area set up in the office and played blocks with her himself. For one meeting, he had someone prepare snacks just for her." "I heard she's Mr. Rowe's child with his childhood sweetheart, Ms. Gray, who just got back today. They do look well-matched. But if that's the case, Mrs. Rowe is kind of pitiful. He even has an illegitimate daughter." "When a man stops loving you, that's just how it goes. Mr. Rowe was forced into marrying Mrs. Rowe back then anyway. Now the real one's back, with a child no less. Who do you think he'll choose?" The gossip flew freely, laced with sympathy for the legal wife. This kind of thing wasn't rare among the elite, but flaunting it so openly, without a shred of concern for the wife's dignity, was unusual. Each word felt like claws raking across Amelia's heart. She remembered Ethan telling her after they married that he didn't like children. That they'd never have kids. So it wasn't that he didn't like children. He just didn't want children with her. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Isla approaching until the girl stood right in front of her. "Bad woman," Isla sneered. "What are you doing here? Ethan doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still chasing him?" Amelia hadn't planned on arguing with a five-year-old. She turned to leave with the divorce papers, but Isla blocked her path, smug and triumphant. "I'm warning you. Stop pestering Ethan. He belongs to me and Mommy. An old hag like you? Ethan doesn't like you at all. He bought Mommy and me tons of sparkly stuff. And he bought Mommy a heart-shaped necklace. All diamonds." A heart-shaped necklace. Wasn't that the one she'd mentioned liking not long ago? So this was where it ended up. Isla lifted her chin higher. "So? Do you get it now, old witch? You don't matter anymore, you ugly hag." Amelia spoke suddenly, calmly. "You've got something green stuck in your teeth." Isla's eyes widened. Amelia bent down slightly and added, very deliberately, "And you know what old witches are best at? Turning annoying little kids like you into mutes in the middle of the night." Isla clapped her hands over her mouth, staring at Amelia in shock and terror. A second later, she burst into tears. The noise quickly drew attention. Amelia didn't look back. She straightened up and walked toward the CEO's office. She waited until Ethan's meeting ended. The moment he saw her, his expression darkened. "Why did you yell at Isla? She's just a child. She's timid. You scared her so badly it took Hannah forever to calm her down." "She's a child," Amelia replied coolly, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "which is exactly why she needs harsher lessons from an old witch like me." She lifted her gaze. "If you want to know what really happened, check the security footage." The space here is limited for chapters. For more exciting content, please download the "JoyRead" app to continue reading.