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A silver moon wolf princess, born powerless and cast away, returns 20 years later as the legendary Lycan Queen to reclaim her bloodline, avenge her mother, and rewrite the laws of the wolf realm.

Her career skyrocketed after ditching her ex, drawing in a swarm of admirers. Her regretful ex tried everything to win her back, only to watch her wedding of the century with another guy as the beloved of a billionaire. ===== "Stop it, Neil. This isn't fair to Katelyn..." Today was her anniversary with Neil Wheeler, and Katelyn Bailey had already planned the celebration. Katelyn excitedly came to the villa to find Neil, unexpectedly met with the w*man's voice coming from the master bedroom. Hearing that was enough to drain all the color from Katelyn's face, and it definitely didn't help when she recognized the voice. It was Lise Cooper. She was Neil's old flame. Katelyn never expected her to return. Yet there they were, in the master bedroom... "Why is it unfair? Our families joined by marriage for mutual benefits. Katelyn is just my wife in name. I don't care for her at all. I've never touched her since we got married." "I pity her! Three years of marriage, and she hasn't won her husband's heart," Lise commented. Katelyn began to tremble. Those words pierced her heart. Her marriage to Neil had always been one of convenience, and not by love. For the past three years, Katelyn had devoted herself entirely to her family. She did the laundry, cooked meals, and tried her best to be a good housewife. Despite her efforts, Neil had never shared a bed with her. Katelyn had believed she wasn't meeting his expectations and had failed to earn his approval. But now, she realized he had never cared for her. The ongoing sounds from the room made Katelyn's heart ache. "Bang!" All of a sudden, the door flew open. When Neil saw Katelyn, he froze for a moment before his expression turned cold. With disdain, he barked, "Get out!" Even though he had been caught, he still carried himself with an air of arrogance. Katelyn felt a sharp pain in her chest. Staring at her husband, who showed no remorse, she asked in disbelief, "Neil Wheeler, why are you doing this to me?" With a soft sigh, Lise said, "Katelyn, you should understand that Neil doesn't love you, I'm the only one he loves, which is why he can only be intimate with me. I'm sure you can understand our situation, right?" Lise smiled. She had deliberately chosen to s*duce Neil on their anniversary, relishing the thought of Katelyn being overwhelmed. Katelyn clenched her fists tightly and glared at Lise with bloodshot eyes. "You're proud of being a home-wrecking woman, aren't you?" Lise's eyes turned red as she replied, "How could you say that? Would I have broken up with Neil if your parents hadn't threatened my family's safety? Katelyn, forcing love only leads to suffering. And remember, in any relationship, the one who isn't loved is the real outsider." Katelyn stared at her in shock. So this was the story Lise had fed Neil. It was now clear to her how Neil couldn't seem to move on from Lise. The truth was that neither Katelyn nor her family had forced Lise and Neil apart. "That's a lie!" Katelyn wanted to defend herself, but before she could speak, Neil cut her off. "Katelyn, if it weren't for you, Lise wouldn't have suffered so much these past few years. How dare you and your parents treat her that way? I will never forgive the Bailey family." Neil had already stood up and dressed, his gaze toward Katelyn as cold as ice. Katelyn's heart continued to ache. In that moment, she abandoned any attempt to explain and smiled bitterly. She realized how blind she had been to love a man who cheated on her and felt no remorse. A flash of satisfaction crossed Lise's eyes. "Neil, don't be so hard on Katelyn. She overheard us at the door earlier. You haven't sl*pt with her in three years, so it's understandable she's feeling unbalanced." Katelyn trembled with rage. She stormed over to the bed and snapped, "You shameless! How dare you spew such nonsense? Didn't anyone in your family teach you any manners? I'll be happy to give you a lesson then." She quickly raised her hand... "Katelyn!" Neil's eyes narrowed. Without a second thought, he rushed to defend Lise. Caught off guard, Katelyn was struck and staggered back. Anger flared in Neil's eyes as he growled, "Who do you think you are? How dare you hit Lise! Marrying you is my biggest mistake in life." He turned abruptly, yanked open the drawer of the nightstand, and pulled out a divorce agreement. He threw it at Katelyn and shouted, "Sign it. I never want to see your face again!" The divorce agreement had already been prepared and signed by Neil. Katelyn fought back a bitter smile. However, she knew it was time to let go of her marriage. He didn't love her and had even betrayed her. There was nothing left for her to hold on to. Without hesitation, Katelyn picked up the agreement, quickly signed it, and threw it at Neil's face. "Neil Wheeler, I'm done. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." As soon as she spoke, her phone rang. Katelyn froze when she saw the caller ID. Ignoring Neil's reaction, she swiped to answer the call. The voice on the other end sounded urgent. "Iris, when are you coming back to work? The orders at the studio are piling up. Someone has even offered a hundred million dollars for a chance to work with you." Chapter 2 Better Not Play Dirty Tricks "I'm back now. I'll be there in a second." Since Katelyn no longer needed to focus on Neil or play the docile and devoted wife, she was determined to return to her career immediately. She resolved never to fall in love again. Katelyn's expression grew serious. Although her appearance remained unchanged, Neil sensed something different about her. Her gaze and demeanor had shifted. Even the look in her eyes was no longer the same. Neil stared at Katelyn without blinking. For some reason, he felt irritated when she signed the divorce agreement so decisively. From the very beginning, she had loved him with every fiber of her being. He couldn't understand why she signed the divorce agreement so readily. Believing she might be playing games with him, Neil walked closer and sneered, "You'd better not try any dirty tricks, Katelyn." Katelyn ended the call and looked at him directly. "Do you really think you deserve that?" she retorted. Back in the day, she had loved him and cared only about him, which made her willing to endure everything for him. Now that they were done, he meant nothing to her. Without giving the two shameless another glance, Katelyn turned and left the villa. She walked with her head held high, as if nothing in the world could bring her down. Lise noticed Neil's eyes were still on Katelyn and felt a pang of jealousy. Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a message. After reading it, Lise's mood brightened. She exclaimed, "Great news, Neil! Iris has agreed to work with us. Her manager just sent me a message." Neil snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her with surprise. "Are you serious?" Wheeler Group's design department had been facing a major issue with a critical project. Recently, their designer was caught plagiarizing. If they didn't meet the deadline, the company would owe the client several billion dollars in compensation. Only five days remained. The only designer capable of completing such a massive project on such a short notice was Iris, the top designer in the industry. The Wheeler Group had been trying to contact her for weeks but had been repeatedly rejected. Surprisingly, Lise had managed to secure the opportunity. She showed Neil the message and said excitedly, "It's true. You can go to the negotiation tonight. I spent the whole night convincing her manager. My efforts finally paid off." Iris was famous but had a difficult personality. Over the past three years, she hadn't produced any new designs and seemed to have disappeared. For that reason, anyone wanting to work with her had to go through her manager, but her manager was notorious for avoiding people. Neil placed his hand on Lise's and said seriously, "Lise, I've never forgotten how much you've done for me. I will keep my promise to you." She nodded eagerly in response. Suddenly, she frowned and winced in pain. Neil asked with concern, "Is everything alright with you?" Lise forced a smile and replied, "I'm fine." Neil gazed at her intently and stated, "Don't lie." After hesitating for a moment, Lise slowly lifted the hem of her dress to reveal large b*uises on her knees. Neil's expression immediately changed. In that moment, he realized why Iris had agreed to work with them. Lise had to get down on her knees, begging for their cooperation. Feeling deeply moved, Neil looked at her with affection and said, "Thank you for everything you've done for me, Lise." Lise responded shyly, "I'm willing to do anything if it helps you." Meanwhile, Katelyn had just arrived at her design studio. As she looked at the familiar office she had been away from for three years, she felt a pang of regret. She had wasted so much time on a man who wasn't worth it. Aimee Stephens, her manager, spotted her and quickly trotted over. Dressed in a black suit dress, she looked both professional and capable. She gave Katelyn a big hug. "My little Iris! You're finally back! I've missed you so much." A hint of guilt crossed Katelyn's face. "I'm sorry. It was all my fault. Aimee, tell me about this order." Aimee knew the importance of business. She led Katelyn to the sofa, where they both sat down, and said, "The offer was made by Lise Cooper. She did it on behalf of Neil Wheeler. Let me show you the documents." Katelyn was stunned. The next moment, she let out a sudden chuckle. What a small world! He had told her to leave, but now he badly needed her assistance. Chapter 3 Changed Tremendously Aimee looked at Katelyn with surprise and asked, "Isn't Wheeler Group your husband's company? You didn't help him? Why did they reach out to me instead?" Katelyn pressed her lips. She had known about the crisis in the design department and had offered to assist, but Neil had told her to leave and not cause any trouble. With a bitter smile, she responded coldly, "We're divorced, Aimee." Their marriage had lasted only three years, but she had loved him for ten. All that love had been wasted. In the end, she felt she deserved this unfortunate outcome. Aimee's eyes widened as she looked Katelyn up and down. Clicking her tongue, she remarked, "So, the love-struck girl has finally woken up. I warned you not to marry him after finding out he had an ex-girlfriend that he couldn't forget. I tried hard to change your mind, but you were determined. I guess you had to learn it the hard way." Katelyn's expression remained calm, though her once lively eyes seemed dull. Suddenly, she let out a chuckle and said, "You're right. I learnt my lesson the hard way. From now on, Aimee, I'm focusing on my career." "Fantastic! That's what I want to hear. Forget about love! Your career is what matters," Aimee said with enthusiasm. Then, she quickly added, "What's your plan for the collaboration? We can walk away from the 100 million dollars and give those b**tards what they deserve." Katelyn looked at her and asked, "The response you gave them was as vague as always, wasn't it?" Aimee nodded in confirmation. That was how they operated. They would preliminarily accept an offer once everything seemed in order, but the response remained vague. This allowed them time to further investigate the client. If anything suspicious came up, they would end the partnership immediately. Katelyn smiled as she thought it over. She had reviewed the file and knew that if Wheeler Group missed the deadline, they would owe their client several billion dollars. She chuckled and said, "Alright. Let's keep them hanging. Let them know we'll be at Skyline Building tonight." The Skyline Building was a place that catered to solely the upper class. The guests there were not only wealthy but also held significant influence. Lise sat in a private room, with a gentle smile, she said, "Neil, I'm sure you'll close the deal tonight." Neil smiled, "It's all thanks to you, Lise. I'm lucky to have you." Lise blushed, already envisioning her success. If the deal went through, Neil would realize her true worth and see that only she could truly help him. The meeting was scheduled at seven in the evening. The door to their private room was left open, allowing a clear view of the corridor. At the same moment, they both noticed two figures approaching. Lise's smile froze. She stared at one of the figures in shock. She wondered if she was seeing things, but it looked just like Katelyn. Neil also spotted Katelyn, and surprise flickered in his eyes. She wasn't dressed in her usual casual shirt and loose trousers. Instead, she wore a black, form-fitting dress that accentuated her figure. Her long hair was styled in loose curls that cascaded over her shoulders. She looked both alluring and distant. Her neck was graceful, and her waist was slender. To Neil, she resembled a figure from a classic oil painting. He pressed his thin lips together as his eyes traveled over her from head to toe. It had only been a day since they last saw each other, but Katelyn seemed completely transformed. Just yesterday, she was still his dull and mediocre wife. Now, he couldn't help but imagine the attention she would draw from other men when she was in a crowd. It seemed like Katelyn hadn't noticed them, as she walked straight ahead. Then, something unexpected occurred. Chapter 4 You Also Dragged Miss Stephens Into Trouble Katelyn and Aimee were discussing something as they walked. When Katelyn saw the drunk man stumbling toward Aimee, she quickly stepped in front of her to shield her. The drunkard scowled at Katelyn. "Hey, what is the matter with you? How dare you get in my way! Move aside!" In the next moment, he noticed how attractive Katelyn was, and his eyes lit up. "Hey, beautiful, are you alone? How about we hang out together?" He reached out toward her, but before he could touch her, Katelyn shied his hand away. The man's expression darkened. "You should be thankful I'm even interested in you. Don't be stupid!" His loud voice drew the attention of others nearby. Neil's eyes widened in surprise. "Is that Felix Ellis?" Lise was equally shocked. Felix was here? Felix Ellis was a notorious th*g in Chaepstow, known for making his living through loan sharking. He was ruthless and would do anything to get what he wanted. Lise covered her mouth with her hand and exclaimed, "He's dangerous! Katelyn could get hurt. Neil, we should help her." Although Lise pretended to be concerned, there was a gleam of satisfaction in her eyes. She secretly hoped Felix would teach Katelyn a harsh lesson, which would also serve as her revenge. Neil gently patted Lise's hand and replied softly, "Lise, you're too kind-hearted. She brought this on herself. It's not our problem." Despite his words, he couldn't resist glancing toward the door. Katelyn was small and fragile. If Felix were to hit her, she could be seriously injured. With a slight frown, Neil decided to rise from his seat. But before he could act, Felix has been defeated by Katelyn. Neil watched in disbelief. The woman he once knew had transformed. She now radiated confidence and allure. He wondered if Katelyn had been hiding her true self during their marriage. Seething with rage, Felix glared at his henchmen and yelled, "What are you all waiting for? Get her!" The men quickly moved towards Katelyn. In response, Aimee stepped in, "If any of you lay your grubby little hands on my friend, you're all going to regret it. I'll make sure that you'll pay for it with your lives!" Felix's face went pale when he recognized the woman behind Katelyn. It was Aimee! Aimee managed the top designer Iris. Many powerful people avoided crossing her. Felix was suddenly intimidated. He hadn't expected Aimee to support the woman. Immediately, Felix's demeanor changed. He forced a smile and stammered, "Oh, Miss Stephens, is she your friend? I didn't realize. I'm sorry for the trouble." Lise stared at the situation in shock. This was unexpected. Neil also stopped, his brow furrowing in confusion. He never imagined that Katelyn had such a close relationship to Aimee. Only now did Neil realize that he knew absolutely nothing about his ex-wife. Aimee crossed her arms and said impatiently, "Enough! Get out of here! You'll regret it if you try to hurt her again." Felix quickly fell silent and fled the scene. Not long after, the corridor became quiet again. Aimee was about to respond, but Lise rushed over with a concerned expression. "Miss Stephens, are you okay?" Neil followed Lise, he gave Katelyn a cold look before saying hello to Aimee. Aimee ignored them completely. The way Aimee treated Katelyn was markedly different from how she treated them now, making Lise wonder about their connection. After a moment of hesitation, Lise said to Katelyn, "Katelyn, I understand you wanted to protect your friend, but that was too risky. What if you had been hurt? And see? You also dragged Miss Stephens into trouble." Chapter 5 I'm Sorry For Being Late "You've played the role of the delicate and kind-hearted soul for so long that you've started to believe it yourself," Katelyn said, her gaze filled with contempt. She realized Lise had simply been trying to drive a wedge between her and Aimee. Lise's face reddened with anger. Before she could respond, Neil chimed in, "Katelyn, enough!" He had witnessed the entire encounter in the private room. If Aimee hadn't intervened, Felix would have continued his h**assment. Neil was frustrated that Katelyn had shown no appreciation for Lise's concern. Moreover, he was irked that Katelyn had a connection with Aimee that she had kept hidden from him. Neil had been restless and anxious over the past weeks, while Lise had gone to great lengths to please Aimee. Katelyn, on the other hand, had done nothing. Neil's anger flared, and the tension in the air was palpable. Lise subtly tugged at his sleeve. Katelyn was Aimee's friend, and any conflict could negatively affect Aimee's view of them and jeopardize their potential collaboration. With a conciliatory smile, Lise said to Aimee, "Miss Stephens, our private room is just over there. Why don't we sit down and discuss the details of our cooperation?" Aimee glared at them with disdain. "When did I agree to work with you?" Lise and Neil were taken aback by her response. "You're a home-wrecker. Don't kid yourself into thinking Iris will work with someone as morally compromised as you. Stop dreaming!" Aimee growled. Lise stared at her, stunned and unable to hide her shock. She hadn't anticipated Aimee's harsh response. Despite feeling hurt, Lise didn't dare to confront Aimee or retaliate. The atmosphere turned icy in response to Aimee's remarks. Lise felt that Aimee's reluctance to cooperate might be due to Katelyn's influence. She suspected that Katelyn had spoken ill of them to Aimee, causing her to back out of their agreement. Lise suppressed her anger and shouted at Katelyn, "Katelyn, Neil's company is in crisis. Instead of helping, you've only caused more trouble. Stop behaving like a child!" Neil also glared at Katelyn and added, "Katelyn, are you finished causing trouble?" He blamed her for the issues affecting their cooperation, feeling that she had crossed the line. Katelyn's lips curled into a slight smile. Before she could respond, Aimee defended her. "Mr. Wheeler, stop flattering yourself." Neil's face paled slightly. Aimee continued disdainfully, "We've already chosen our partner. It's not you. Unlike you, he's respectable and hasn't been involved in any s**ndals. He adheres strictly to his morals, and he'd never cheat on his wife. Our studio doesn't work with s**mbags like you, Mr. Wheeler." "You! You..." Neil glared with icy anger. Lise quickly intervened, pinching his arm to calm him. Forcing a smile, she said to Aimee, "Miss Stephens, you've misunderstood. Katelyn's portrayal is not accurate. She is..." Clearly irritated, Aimee stated, "Enough of your excuses. I have no interest in your attempts to cover up. If you continue, you'll only diminish my respect for you. Please stop obstructing my path and acting like fools." Neil and Lise were visibly embarrassed and frustrated. Katelyn smiled, appreciating Aimee's sharpness. Just as she was about to speak, she noticed a commotion in the corner. All eyes turned toward them. A line of bodyguards moved with precision. Every single one of them looked intimidating, and they were escorting a noteworthy man. Dressed in a sleek black suit, he exuded an air of sophistication with every step. His face seemed almost divine, with features that looked meticulously crafted by God, himself. His eyes, deep and wintery, could captivate and unsettle anyone who met his gaze. Lise stood in awe, her eyes wide with amazement. She questioned whether she was imagining it when she realized the man was Vincent Adams. He was the president of Adams Group, a colossal business empire. The Adams Group started in real estate and later expanded into industries like medical and IT. Since Vincent took over the company five years ago, it had become one of the fastest growing companies in the world. And now, it was part of the ten biggest companies worldwide. His company played a significant role in the city's economy. Neil's expression tightened, his eyes reflecting his seriousness. Ignoring everyone else, Vincent approached Katelyn. His deep voice was like a cello's melody in the dark. "I'm sorry for being late." Katelyn stared at the man, puzzled about why he was speaking to her. She then glanced at Aimee, worried that her identity had been revealed. After a brief pause, Katelyn replied with a smile, "You're not late at all. Your timing is perfect." Her response seemed to soften Vincent's demeanor. His sternness gave way to a warmer expression. Standing side by side, their attractiveness created a noticeable chemistry. Neil tightened his fists, wondering if Katelyn had moved on with someone new right after their divorce. Filled with envy, Lise begrudgingly observed the situation, resenting that Katelyn had attracted such an influential figure. With a flattering smile, she approached and said, "Nice to see you here, Mr. Adams." Neil masked his feelings and greeted Vincent as well. "Good evening, Mr. Adams. What a surprise to see you here." Vincent acknowledged their greetings with a nod, clearly uninterested in engaging in further conversation. He turned to Katelyn, his eyes softening with warmth as he said, "I apologize for keeping you waiting." Aimee glanced at her watch and smiled, saying, "It's no problem, Mr. Adams. We've just arrived as well. Perfect timing. Shall we head to the room to discuss?" Both Lise's and Neil's expressions changed to shock when they realized that Vincent was the business partner Aimee had mentioned. What left them even more confused was the fact that Katelyn and Aimee walked into a private room together, arm in arm. Given the nature of the meeting, it was unusual for an outsider, even a friend, to be present. Katelyn's presence seemed out of place. Upon seeing Vincent's indifferent nod, Lise's frustration grew. She asked, "Aren't you supposed to be working with Iris? Why is Katelyn joining the negotiation?" Aimee retorted, "Why shouldn't Katelyn be here?" Lise and Vincent exchanged puzzled glances, wondering what she meant. ...... What happens next? Available chapters here are limited, click the button below to install the App and enjoy more exciting chapters (Automatically jump to this novel when you open the app) &12&

On my first day at the new school, the Queen Bee attacked me. She wanted the Alpha and told me to stay away. So, I punched her and broke her nose! The terrifying Alpha caught us and ordered me to his private office for "detention". I thought my life was over. But when he locked the door, he didn't yell. Instead, he smiled, handed me a slice of hot pizza, and growled... ----------------- Book 1 Chapter 1 Katya My fingers drum on my school desk as I watch the seconds tick by on the clock above the chalkboard. All while trying my best to ignore the twat flicking paper balls at my head. Mr. Spencer drones on with his boring lecture, unaware not a single one of his students is actually listening; most are too busy passing notes, whispering amongst themselves, or like Sam, tossing paper balls at me. I press my lips in a line. Same shit, different day. At least the school year is nearly over. Then my holidays will be spent lounging at home while going through college brochures. I just have to keep reminding myself I will be out of here soon. And that a suspension right now will have my mother breathing down my neck or maybe wringing it. I know better than to piss that woman off. She would hand me my ass before I could process her coming for me. She has a reputation, and it isn’t for being a pushover. Plus, I don’t get a free pass just because I am her daughter. I'm in my last year of high school, and I am glad this part of my life is nearly over. Soon I won’t have to endure the constant torment of being the freak of our Pack. Only three more months of school, and I'll be free to choose never to see these assholes again. My father is the Packs Beta, a highly regarded Pack member. I’m sure you can imagine his disappointment when he discovered my secret. I am the freak, the wolf-less girl. Our school is a Pack school with only werewolves, no humans allowed. You can imagine what kind of hell it has been for me. I'm basically human, shamefully so. And they like to remind me of that every day while here. However, my parents are the best. The Pack may shun me, but not once have they ever entertained the idea, always telling me I was a late bloomer and my wolf would come one day. I used to believe that story too, until now. I am nearly eighteen, at the age you find your mate, and still without my wolf. Most get their wolf at thirteen. Not getting your wolf is like not hitting puberty. On the plus side, I can say I did hit that one milestone. It was the rest I damn well skipped over. When the bell rings, I am the first out of my seat, rushing to the cafeteria. I snag a lunch tray and begin making my way to the line and quickly grab some food and move to the back of the room to my designated spot. Aren’t I so lucky? This seat and table were specifically reserved for the freak, some asshole even carved ‘freak’ into the tabletop, just in case I forgot my place within the Pack. How sweet. Conveniently, it is located beside the toilet, which in a way, could be classified as the best seat in the cafeteria. Especially on Thursdays, when they serve something that resembles braised steak and onion, it doesn’t taste anything like it; the meat has been questioned plenty of times. Whispers that the kitchen lady is serving expelled students. Personally, I think it is roadkill or maybe a rodent. Anyway, that lovely Thursday lunch has sent many running for the toilet. Luckily, after the first time I devoured that crap, I make sure to bring a homemade lunch on Thursdays. I have just taken my designated seat to eat lunch, the cafeteria bustling with students, when I hear my name called over the PA system. “Katya Hartley, please report to the front office,” the middle-aged woman who works as the school's secretary announces. The entire cafeteria laughs and boos at me, chucking food at me as I leave. I keep walking, tossing the contents of my tray in the bin and placing my tray next to it. I am more than used to their taunting remarks at this point. For the most part, I try to remain invisible, which is near impossible when you're the Beta's daughter, and your mother is one of the leading Pack warriors. Tossing my bag over my shoulder, I pull a chunk of lettuce from my dark brown hair that was stuck when Thomas threw his burger at my head. Thomas couldn’t catch an IQ to save his life, but he proved his throwing arm is quite good, or maybe I am just an easy target because it splattered all over my head. I swipe at my hair, my fingers grazing over my wet cheek, and I pull my hand back to look at it. Ew, and it has mayo on it. I groan, using the sleeve of my sweater to wipe my hair to remove the white gunk while marching out the cafeteria doors. With quick steps I walk down the corridor and head toward the front office. With my elbow, I shove the door open and race across the quad. The brown door to the office is nearby, my safe place. No one messes with me here. Mrs. Mason is a scary woman. No one dares to cause drama in the front office. As I am nearly halfway across the quad, Tabitha and her goonies step in front of me. I roll my eyes. What does this bitch want now? Tabitha is the Alpha's daughter, and her brother, Darian, is next in line for the Alpha position; both of them are my nemesis. “Hey, freak,” Tabitha sneers, blocking my path. I try to step around her, but she sidesteps directly in front of me. “What do you want, Tabitha?” I ask. We used to be friends, well, until everyone found out I had no wolf, then I became the laughingstock of the school. “Oh, nothing, just came to give you the proper send-off,” she says with a smirk, and my brows furrow as her words replay in my head. “What do you mean?” I shake my head, having no idea what she is talking about. Her blue eyes brighten maliciously, her plump lips pull up into a taunting smile. “You haven’t heard?” she questions in a sing-song tone. Whatever she has to tell me, she is enjoying this. She fans herself with her hand then checks out her manicured nails. It makes no sense to me why she bothers getting them done when they only break off whenever she shifts. “If you have something to say, Tabitha, spit it out. I have to get to the office,” I retort, done playing her stupid games. Meril and Bianca, her goonies, snicker behind her as Tabitha takes a step forward. I give her the once over, my eyes moving over her. Bitch, you don’t want to test me today. I am covered in burger and nasty ass mayo. I'm starving from not being able to eat my crappy lunch, and I'm being called to the office. Nevertheless, I will feed her bony ass to her if she tries anything. I might actually take my mother's advice for once and deliver the beat down Tabitha deserves. Tabitha jabs her finger in my chest, and I slap her hand away as she leans down closer. Her breath smells of mint chewing gum. “My father has banished you. So I thought I would come to see you. Can't miss the chance to say my goodbyes to the unwanted Beta’s daughter,” she says with a giggle while Bianca and Meril laugh at her not-so-funny joke. Geez, those girls are just as stupid as they look. If they weren’t beautiful, I can guarantee no one would put up with their antics. Before I can question her further about her outlandish claims, she takes a step back and something wet and cold runs down my face just as the office door opens. Meril dumps her milkshake over my head, and it seeps into the crocheted sweater my mother made me, drenching me completely. I feel the slivers of thickened milk run between my cleavage and press my lips in a line. Taking a step forward, I clench my fist, wanting nothing more than to break Tabitha’s perfect nose. Only I don’t get a chance when my mother's furious voice echoes around us. Tabitha jumps and I smirk. Now you’ve done it. “Tabitha Elizabeth Blackwell, is there a reason you are tormenting my daughter?” my mother demands. I turn on my heel to find my mother walking toward us. Her dark hair is pulled back in a high ponytail, and she has an expression as if someone has thrown a burger at her head and she is going to yank off their arms and beat them with them. She marches over. She is a strong woman, stern, and she brings fear amongst the she-wolves, including the Luna of the Pack. My mother kicked her ass in training in front of the entire Pack for saying I should have been put down at birth because I was that worthless to the Pack. If she weren’t the only female Pack warrior, my mother definitely would have been punished for embarrassing the Luna like that. Still, everyone knows that Alpha Jackson has always had the hots for my mother. He has since they were kids, and was disappointed when she turned out not to be his mate. Tabitha’s smile falls as she twirls around to face my mother, who is stalking straight towards her. Meril and Bianca take off, afraid to face her wrath. But before Tabitha can do the same, my mother stomps past me. My mother growls so deeply and brutally it makes me flinch. “It was-was an accident,” Tabitha stutters out. To think this pathetic girl is an Alpha female and is scared of my mother. I can’t help the smirk that creeps onto my face. Tabitha’s fear is so pungent, I am shocked she doesn’t soil herself. What I wasn’t expecting is for my mother to raise her hand and slap her. Tabitha squeals loudly, her head whipping to the side and my mother's hand outline imprinting on her face. I cover my mouth with my hands in complete shock at what she did. Tabitha cups her cheek as her eyes water. Her eyes dart around the quad, the rest of her face turns as red as the handprint etched into her skin. Shit, Alpha Jackson is going to kill my mother now; she just struck the Alpha’s daughter. I hear gasps and look around to see a few people have seen what my mother has done, my mother doesn’t seem to care about the audience as she raises her hand again. “Mom!” I shriek, and she looks over at me, spotting a few teachers rushing out. My mother stares them down, daring them to say something. Tabitha tucks tail and runs off, crying. I can just imagine the ridicule she will get tomorrow over it, the she’ll have her dear old daddy has to reinforce his control so that she can take back her Queen Bee status. “I have always wanted to put that mutt in her place,” my mother says as she grips my arms and leans down to look me dead in the face. “Why do you put up with it?” she demands, grabbing my hands and raising them. “You are trained better than any of these little shits here. You may not have a wolf, but that has never stopped you from kicking their asses in training. I trained you. Your father trained you. These worthless bitches are beneath you. You just need to see it.” I shake my head, knowing it would just make my torment worse, and my hands are no good against a shifted wolf. “Come, we are leaving,” she orders, straightening up and turning on her heel walking toward the parking lot. I chase after her, falling in line beside her. “What’s going on?” I ask, worried after what Tabitha said. Getting to the parking lot, I see an orange moving truck parked next to our car, and I stop in my tracks. “Mom, what's going on?” I ask again when my father hops out of the car. My mother also stops and reaches out, gripping my soggy sweater and forcing me to keep walking. “Hey, Pumpkin,” my father greets, walking over and embracing me while my mother quickly gives the thumbs up to the mover waiting for her order. “I knew you liked strawberry milkshakes. I didn’t know you wanted to wear them, though,'' my father teases, drawing my attention back to him. He swipes some off my hair with his hands before gripping it in a ponytail, and wringing out my hair. My mother goes to the trunk, pops it open, and retrieves a water bottle. “Tip your head back,” my mother instructs, and I obey, craning my neck back as far as I can. She uses the water bottle to rinse my hair then tears my sweater up the side and takes it off me. “Mom!” “I will make you another,” she scolds, tossing it in the garbage can along with the now empty water bottle. “So, is someone going to tell me what’s going on?” I ask again. My father glances at my mother then gives me a smile. “You’re moving,” my father announces like it is no big deal. I gape at him. Does he mean house, state, or country? Probably best to leave the country since my mother has just slapped Tabitha. That would be wise. Alpha Jackson isn't known for his willingness to forgive anyone. “Why, is what Tabitha said true? Did they banish me? Are you getting rid of me?” I ask, feeling sick to my stomach. We have never left the Pack, not even on holidays. My parents never take time off. They have never had a chance with their positions in the Pack. I only know of one other family in our Pack whose child didn’t have a wolf, and they threw him away like trash. They literally kicked him out, and it is something I have always been worried about, my parents getting rid of me like I never existed because I brought shame to them. My eyes move to the moving truck and back to my father, but it is my mother who answers my question. “Yes, what Tabitha said is true. Alpha Jackson has asked you to leave. This is a werewolf-only community, and he wants you gone once you hit eighteen,” my mother replies. I have to leave; the Alpha has finally convinced them to get rid of me. My lungs restrict and I feel on the verge of a panic attack. Where will I go? How will I survive? My worst nightmare is coming true. “So this is it? You’re sending me away?” I choke out, tears brimming. They are going to get rid of me, force me to go rogue. “No, of course not. You’re our baby. We knew this was coming, so we made plans. All of us are joining another Pack and coming with you,” my mother tells me with a softer smile than usual. She cups my face in her hands, squishing my lips together. “We would never throw you away. Never, Kat!” she tells me, and I nod my head. Relief releases the tension in my bones as she kisses my forehead. When she lets me go, she turns to look at my father. “By the way, Hun, we should leave,” my mother quips, walking around to the passenger side in a hurry. My father goes to ask why, but she slips in, slamming the door before he can ask her. “She slapped Tabitha,” I whisper to him, and he rocks back on his heels in shock for a second. A silly smile slips onto his face when he leans closer to me. “Did she get her a good one?” my father asks, sending me a conspiratorial wink, and I smile, shaking my head with a soft laugh and hopping into the back seat. My father pulls away, and the truck follows us. “What about you, Dad? Aren't you the Pack Beta?” I ask, worried, knowing he will lose his title over this. “I won't be part of a Pack that shuns my daughter. They want you gone? Then I go, too,” he says, leaving no room for argument. I have the best parents. Relief floods me, even though I feel guilty for ripping them away from everything they have. “Everything will work out, dear. You’ll see,” my mother reassures me, reaching over from the front and gripping my knee. “What Pack would want a wolf-less Pack member?” I ask, more to myself than to them. “You’re not wolf-less, just a late bloomer. Your wolf will come, Kat. You are born from two werewolf parents. Therefore, you are a werewolf,” my mother states, not wanting to see the truth. I am as useless as they say I am. They know it, and I definitely know, yet they still continue to lie to themselves, believing some miracle will happen, and I will finally wake up and tell them my wolf came to me. “We are moving to the Black Creek Pack. Alpha Ezra has kindly offered to take us in,” my father tells me as my mother turns back to face the front. Alpha Ezra? I rack my brain, trying to pull the name from memory, knowing I have heard it before. As I repeat the name, my eyes almost bulge out of my head, and I lean forward in panic. No, anywhere but his Pack. Chapter 2 Fuck, I will take my chances going rogue. “Black Creek Pack? Isn’t that the Pack that just went to war with the Blue Mountain Pack?” I cautiously ask, hoping I'm wrong about who he is. “Yes, Katya. I know you're scared, but the Alpha is truly a nice guy. He was very understanding. Besides, I think he was happy about stripping Jackson of his Beta and only female warrior,” my mother tells me smugly. “Yeah, but he killed their entire Pack, Mom. He is a monster,” I argue. I am more scared of my so-called new Alpha than my current one. Everyone has heard of the notorious Alpha Ezra and the fear he instills in his enemies. I lean back, knowing already that this is a terrible idea. A sinking feeling in my stomach weighs down the gravity of the situation we are in. “I’m sure he had his reasons. Besides, it is not like anyone else was willing to take us in,” my mother scolds. “So, he knows I have no wolf?” I ask, knowing all Packs are small communities solely of our kind. I am a little shocked he even agreed. Who would accept a wolf-less girl? My parents glance at each other and I blink at them, my brain finding actions and words hard to process. "It won’t be an issue as long as you can prove yourself to be helpful around the Pack,” my father replies. Great, he doesn't know, and I will have to act like an omega slave, I think dryly. I fall asleep on the drive, only waking when we stop at a storage shed. The drive took five hours total, and I am exhausted. My back is killing me, and my ass went numb halfway here. The movers load our stuff into the storage shed before a sleek black car pulls up beside ours and two men climb out. I move closer to our car, taking a step back as they approach us. Both look at me, sniffing the air as I watch them. By their scent, I know they are werewolves and high-ranking ones. “Alpha Ezra requests your presence at the Packhouse immediately,” the man with dark hair that is faded on the sides growls. He appears to be in his early twenties, and by the authority oozing off him, I can tell he is the Pack's Beta. His eyes dart to me and he looks me up and down, a strange look on his face. Is he angry, or is it shock? I can’t tell, but whatever it is, he covers it quickly. He presses his lips in a line and swallows, turning his attention back to my father. “This is your daughter?” he scoffs, motioning toward me, not even trying to hide his distaste as he speaks. I guess it is anger. Yep, definitely angry because when his gaze moves back to me, his cold gray-blue eyes glare daggers at me as if he wants to kill me himself. “Yes, this is my daughter, Katya. I am Derrick,” my father introduces himself, holding out his hand. “I didn’t catch your name?” my father says, drawing the man's attention away from me, which has me wanting to run and hide in the car to escape. The man grasps his hand firmly. “Beta Mateo, this is Alex, one of our Gammas,” he introduces the other man. He is around the same age, with blonde hair hanging in his hazel eyes. He looks more bored than anything. Both of them are huge, around the same size as my father. Except, Beta Mateo has more bulk of muscle, is a few inches taller, and is wearing a black shirt and dark blue jeans. “I hear you used to be a Beta at your old Pack?” Mateo questions, and my father nods. “Good, we could use some help training some of our Pack, if you are up for it?” he asks with a smirk. My father nods. “Sounds great,” my father tells him, continuing on to introduce my mother to him. “This is Shirley, my wife and mate.” “Nice to meet you,” my mother tells them, stepping forward and shaking their hands. The Beta’s eyes keep darting back to me, his anger is now gone, but he looks confused. Every time he glances in my direction, he keeps sniffing the air, his lips pursed and as he looks me over once again I notice the points of his canines poke out a little as if he is trying to control his wolf. “If you follow us, we will escort you to the Packhouse. You can be placed with someone until the property is available,'' Mateo explains, turning on his heel and getting in his black BMW. We hop back into our car preceding to follow him through the sleepy town. It is quite a large town and way nicer looking than the one back home. “See how nice they are? This will work out. It has to,” my mother says a little too enthusiastically. We follow their car all the way to the end of town and pull down a road leading into the forest we drive for another ten minutes. We stop on a horseshoe driveway in front of a huge sandstone three-story mansion with bushy green hedges out front. Massive arched windows and vines grow along the stone walls to the roof. I hop out of the car and my shoes crunch on the ground from the tiny pebbles that cover it. I look up at the Packhouse. It is definitely more lavish than the one back home. Beta Mateo leads us to the white door, he opens it and motions for us to enter. Inside it has white marble floors and a hall stand sits along the wall near the entryway with a big, expensive-looking vase. My mother looks around in awe. Two staircases lead to the landing above, overlooking the floor we are on. I stare, amazed, as I take it all in. We walk toward the door between both stairwells. I spy some bench seats next to it, and Mateo knocks on the door, a deep voice tells him to enter. A shiver runs up my spine. He slips through the door, closing it behind him a few moments later he returns, telling my parents to go in and for me to wait until called. I wait for what feels like hours when my mother comes out, and sits next to me. The Packhouse is quiet, no one walks around, and I can’t hear anyone else here. "He is just speaking with your father, then he will want to speak to us individually to make sure our stories are the same," my mother explains to me in a hushed voice. “What story? They banished us because of me," I whisper to her. He will find out and kill us, or worse, make me leave without my parents. My mother nudges me with her arm. "Shh, calm down. Everything is fine. He probably won't ask you much because you're our child," she tries to comfort me, trying to calm me down enough that I don’t get us caught. Tears brim and I quickly wipe them away. If I fuck this up, I will ruin our only chance of remaining together. "What did you tell them?" I ask softly. I have to make sure I get this right. I can’t afford to say the wrong thing. "They were going to banish us. It's not lying; it's the truth. He doesn't need to know the reason why. You have a wolf, Kat. She will come. You'll see," my mother tries to reassure me. "And if she doesn't?" I whisper. "She will," my mother replies, steel in her voice. I hang my head. I will be the biggest disappointment to them, which makes my stomach twist painfully. My father steps out and nods to my mother. She wipes her hands on her jeans then gets up and walks into the office, closing the door. "He will initiate you into the Pack. It isn't so bad. You just need to drink his blood, Kat, and you will feel the Pack link snap in place." Gross, I think to myself. "What about the old Pack?" "It will hurt a little once you pledge, like a migraine. I won't lie to you. It brought me to my knees," he whispers, as I hear my mother cry out. My father jumps to his feet, head snapping toward the door. I hear soft murmurs before the silver door handle jiggles, and opens. My mother stumbles out, clutching her head. My father is at her side, instantly helping her to her seat. Nervousness makes me take a step back, not wanting to endure whatever she just happened to her. "Kat, you need to go in," my mother whispers, pulling herself together, with her fingers gently rubbing her temples. Fear chokes me and I shake my head, too scared to go in. My mother is the strongest woman I know, and if it hurt her that badly, I know it must be painful. My father comes over, grabbing my arms and gives me a gentle shake until I look at him. "Kat, we did all this for you. This is the only choice we have to remain together, so I need you to do this for us," he orders, holding my gaze. I swallow and glance at the door pausing, I nod. "Is everything alright out there?" the Alpha calls out from inside the room. I look to the door in a panic. "Please, Katya, once it's done, it's done, it stops, I promise," my father tries to reassure me, yet my mother still has her head clutched in her hands. I let out a breath. My father steers me toward the door and then nudges me. My hand trembles as I grip the door handle and push the door open. Keeping my head down, I step inside, close it, and look up at the Alpha. He is looking at some documents on his desk. He has dark hair, long on top, faded on the sides. I freeze at the strange look he gives me when he looks up. He sniffs the air slightly, and I wonder if he can sense that I am different. A low, deep growl rumbles from his chest softly as he grips the desk so hard his knuckles turn white. His caramel eyes flicker to the beast residing within him and I have to fight down the urge to run out of the room. Hesitantly, my feet move toward the desk. He is very handsome, with a five o'clock shadow, full lips, and a strong jawline. He smells nice, too, like the forest after it rains. He has a strong woodsy scent. I would guess he is around his mid-twenties. He watches me for a few seconds when I stop, not knowing if I should remain standing or what to do with myself. After a few seconds, his body relaxes slightly, and I notice claw marks on his tabletop from where his fingers were. He beckons me closer, and I force my feet to move. His eyes watch my every move. Shit! Can he smell I have no wolf? The tight set of his jaw clenches and the way he watches me with his flickering eyes makes my blood run cold. He knows, and he is going to kill me. "You can sit," he says, nodding toward the chair beside me. I stare at it like it will come alive and bite my ass. He clears his throat and I scramble to sit on the edge, my leg bouncing as I clasp my hands in my lap, unable to keep still. I glance nervously back toward the door where my parents are waiting before turning my attention away. The room is vast, befitting of an Alpha. Though I am surprised to see bookshelves lining the walls. He has more books than our old Pack library. My fingers itch to grab one and see what kind of person he is through the things he reads. His desk sits in the center and it makes him even more imposing. Turning back to face the Alpha, I find him watching me again. "Your name is Katya?" he asks, pronouncing it correctly. Most people don't the first time, or they just don’t care to. "Yes, Alpha." "You can call me Ezra," he corrects quickly, and I nod. "How old are you?" "Seventeen," I reply, and he nods, looking at some documents, which I notice are my mother's and father's paperwork, along with my birth certificate. He picks it up while studying it. "You turn eighteen soon? You will be able to find your mate. That's exciting," he states, his eyes flicking back to me. I say nothing. No one will want me; I am little more than a defect with heightened senses. "You go to school, I take it?" I nod, chewing on my thumbnail. "Last year?" "Yes, I finish this year, well, I am meant to," I am so not looking forward to going to another school, especially so late in the year. I don’t know what bullies this school will have, but I'll attract them. It is practically a guarantee. "You'll be finishing school," he states, leaving no room for argument. I press my lips together, knowing better than to argue. "You don't like school?" he questions. "Does anyone like school?" I snap back and he smiles. "I liked school. I am surprised you don't, since you are a Beta's daughter," he says. Yeah, school was great until they found out I was a freak. "Your parents have already explained your reason for leaving. You had a run-in with the Alpha's daughter, and your mother hit her?" he asks. My mother is taking the blame. I keep my mouth shut to stop the risk of being caught in a lie, although technically, it is true, just not the reason we left. I nod. “Good enough for me; I can't stand Alpha Jackson. The prick should be put down," Alpha Ezra scoffs, not even trying to hide his dislike for my old Alpha. "Come here," he orders, standing up and moving around to the front of his desk, where he stops beside me. I jump out of my seat and take a step back, nearly stumbling over my own feet. His eyes snap to mine at my abrupt movement. He holds his hand out to me, and I look at it, feeling a little wary of the intimidating man, wondering how he has the reputation he has because he doesn’t seem as bad as the rumors I have heard. "I won't hurt you; I will never hurt you." I hesitate a moment, placing mine in his. Tingles spread across my palm, and I jerk my hand back, staring at it. "Sorry, must be static," he apologizes, and his eyes flicker black. He grabs my hand again with a smile playing on his lips, his thumb tracing circles over the back of my hand, making me look at him. The Alpha’s lips tug in the corners as he urges me closer. When I don’t immediately move, he pulls me toward him. His hand is warm, yet the strange tingling sensation doesn’t stop. I look up at him thinking it is odd, only to find he is watching me again. He is tall, I only come up to the center of his chest, and he is wide, too, all hard muscle as he towers over me. He bites his wrist, offering it to me, and I stare. My eyes dart back to his desk and I see two glasses stained with his blood sitting on the edge. So why is he offering me his wrist? Surely, he doesn’t want me to drink his blood from him like some vampire, does he? "Times ticking, little one, hurry up," he orders, pulling me closer and wrapping his arm around my waist before bringing his wrist to my lips. I grab his wrist and I can taste his lingering saliva there. His blood, surprisingly, doesn't taste bad as it floods into my mouth. Not something I would go out looking to drink. I would suck it if I were a vampire, but not really my thing. It is sweet tasting though, or maybe that is the taste of his skin. I’m not sure. He pulls his wrist away, but doesn't let go, holding me close to him. His arm tightens around my waist when he dips his head just enough so his face is next to mine, his lips grazing my ear as he speaks. Chapter 3 "Pledge to me," he whispers, and I nod. The heat from his hard chest is pressing against my back, his warmth seeping into me and I suck in a nervous breath. "I, Katya Hartley, pledge my loyalty and my life to Alpha Ezra," I stop, not knowing his last name. I glance over my shoulder at him. And for a few seconds, I am stunned by the combined strong aroma wafting from him. Sandalwood is one of the fragrances as for the other, the spicy scent of cinnamon is unmistakable. It is an intoxicating blend and I inhale deeply. My eyes flutter shut lost in the moment. "Pierce," he whispers, his lips almost brushing mine, and my eyes fly open as I wonder what came over me. He is so close and my face heats at what I did, he pulls back and I think I saw the ghost of a smile dancing on his lips. I quickly turn my face away, my weird reaction to him shocking me. "Alpha Ezra Pierce of Black Creek Pack." As the last word leaves my lips, a searing pain explodes in my head, making me drop as I clutch it. His grip tightens around me and is the only thing stopping me from hitting the floor in a heap. The chattering of my old Pack, every word I ever heard flits through my head loudly, making my ears ring, and a scream leaves my lips. The pressure of the Pack link breaking as the new one forges makes my head feel like someone is crushing it in their grip and that any moment now it will explode all over the carpet. Just as suddenly as it comes, it stops like the snap of a rubber band, only for a dull ache to take its place. "You're okay. It's over now," Alpha Ezra's voice filters through my head, making me look up at him. He smiles at me as I blink back the tears that had sprung to my eyes. "Are you good for me to let you go?" He asks. I look down to see his arms wrapped around me, just under my breasts. My face heats with embarrassment as I realize he is the only reason I am upright, quickly becoming aware of his hands on my body. Great, I am crushing on my Alpha. I step away, and he lets go. His eyes glaze over, and seconds later, my parents rush into the room, he must have been talking to them through the Pack link. "See, you’re fine. I told you it wouldn't be so bad," my father says, fussing over me. I slap their hands away. I’m not a baby. Sometimes they can be a little embarrassing. "Tonight you stay in the Packhouse. Tomorrow I will show you to your new home. May I ask why you requested one so far from everyone?" he asks curiously, looking at my father. "Kat doesn't get along well with others. She prefers being by herself," my mother answers. The Alpha seems shocked for a second, his head tilting to the side as he looks at me. "And why is that?" he questions, staring down at me. I nervously look at my parents before returning the Alpha’s gaze. "I just like being alone," I shrug, which is true, I'm not a social butterfly that is for sure. He presses his lips in a line looking back at my parents. "I have already enrolled Katya in school. She can start on Monday. You can skip the Pack run on Friday and meet me here Monday morning for your work details." "Pack run?" I ask, and my mother nudges me with her elbow to be quiet, which doesn't go unnoticed by the Alpha. "Pack runs are compulsory. Why? Is that a problem?" he asks, and I duck my head down, looking at my shoes. "No problem at all," my father replies, throwing one arm over my shoulder and holding out his other hand to the Alpha. "How are you with training teenage students?" the Alpha suddenly asks my mother. "I trained my daughter mostly and older she-wolves, but I can give it a go," she answers. "Interesting. We do need an extra hand at the high school, and you can keep an eye on Katya as well," he decides. My mother seems excited about the idea. "That would be lovely, thank you, Alpha." He nods, staring at me again before looking at my father. "My Beta will show you where you are staying for the night," he says, walking around to sit back at his desk. *** The next day we are woken early by Beta Mateo. Hopping in our car, we follow him as he drives to the outskirts of the small town. The house is more of a cottage with a large veranda out front and a gravel driveway; it is cozy, nestled amongst the trees. Hopping out of the car, I make my way inside, along with my father. Beta Mateo unlocks the green wooden door before handing the keys to my father. “Are you sure you want to live all the way out here? There are plenty of empty places in town that may better suit your needs.” “No, this is perfect. Thank you, Beta,” my father replies. “We are of the same rank, and honestly, you have been doing this a lot longer than I have. You could probably show me a thing or two. Just call me Mateo, and welcome to the Pack,” Beta Mateo tells my father before patting him on the shoulder. He walks down the steps to the lawn before he stops beside me and sniffs the air. “You smell different from most wolves,” he observes, studying me and I stiffen. “What do you mean?” I am proud of myself for sounding normal, though inside my stomach is tied in knots. What if he can smell the difference on me just like his Alpha can? “I don’t know, just different. I can smell you're a wolf, but your scent isn’t strong. Also, something else, your scent reminds me of someone,” he says, his eyebrows furrowing as if he is trying to figure out who. “Anyway, I will let you get settled in. Don’t forget, Pack runs are mandatory and on Friday evenings at 6 pm sharp. I know you have been excused this week, but it would be good to introduce yourselves to fellow Pack members. We are a tight-knit community, and the rest of the Pack will feel more at ease with newcomers that attend. Something to think about,” Mateo tells my father, who nods. I hurry up the steps with a box from the truck in my hands. “We will try our best to be there on Friday,” my mother reassures, staring me down as she walks up the porch steps toward me. I nod before following inside. A giant fireplace takes up most of the room. Its dark black bricks stretch all the way to the ceiling and it spans an entire wall. The flooring is some sort of solid wood. It is stained dark-brown, almost the same color as the bricks. The whole place reeks like it has been locked up a little too long. My mother rushes from curtain to curtain, throwing them open and cracking the windows to let the outside breeze in and the stagnant, smelly air out. I escape the living room and into what looks to be the kitchen. At least it isn't as dated as the rest of the house apparently is. Granite stone countertops, black stainless-steel appliances, and even a small kitchen island bench sat in the center. I am going to like this room. A few of Alpha Ezra’s men help bring in the furniture, and my parents unpack. Carrying a box from the truck to the back end of the house, I find my room, the smallest one right next to the bathroom and the window overlooking the forest surrounding the house. My parents' room is down the hall and has an en suite. Overall, I like it. After we drag everything inside, I go to my room and start putting my bed frame together. One of the Pack members helps bring the rest of my belongings into my bedroom. Placing them along the wall that has the window overlooking the forest. We spend the rest of the day unpacking and cleaning and making the place feel a little more homey. By the time night comes I am exhausted and fall asleep before I even eat dinner, only to wake up in the middle of the night. Going to the kitchen, I flick on the light, grab a glass of water, hop up on a stool, and stare out the kitchen window. This place is quiet, unlike our last place, which was on a busy road. I like the quiet, fewer people to evade and it feels more comfortable without neighbors prying into our lives. Yet, as I rinse my glass, movement outside makes my eyes dart to the forest edge. I blink, wondering if my eyes are playing tricks on me as I lean forward. A huge black wolf stands in the forest staring directly at me. I rub my eyes before pressing closer and peering out. My breath fogs up the window, and only the wolf is now gone. Thinking I must have imagined it or that my mind is playing tricks on me, I shake off the weird experience and leave the kitchen, flicking the lights off. Once back in my room, I climb back into bed. I pull my purple duvet with the generic lavender flowers on it up to my chin and snuggle into the pillow until I find comfort. I try to fall asleep, yet the wolf I saw keeps replaying in my mind. Who is it? We are pretty far out. Maybe it’s the patrols checking the place. Either way, eventually I am dragged back under by sleep. The next few days go by in a blur of getting into a comfortable routine. Monday comes around, and I get dressed in my jeans and blue T-shirt before grabbing my bag and loading my school books into it. My mother and father are meeting up with Alpha Ezra today before being assigned to their new jobs. Pulling up to the front of my new school, dread settles in the pit of my stomach. My mother glances at me in the rearview mirror. “Can I fake sick until next week?” I plead with her and she raises an eyebrow at me. “You will be fine, and by the sound of it, I may be working here. Just keep your head down and behave, Kat,” she cautions me, and I nod. With a heavy sigh, I open the back door and climb out of the car. I stare up at the brick building that is undoubtedly going to be like the last one, a disappointment and place of torment if they find out about me not having a wolf. Thanks to the whole mandatory Pack runs, it won’t be long before that happens, and once again I will be the school’s laughingstock. I head straight to the main office and am greeted by a woman in her mid-thirties with straight, auburn hair that hangs to her shoulders and big round glasses perched on her perfectly straight nose. Her hazel eyes look at me as I enter. A warm smile greets me, and I give a small smile back. “You must be Katya?” “Yes, I am here to pick up my schedule,” I tell her, making my way to the office desk. She looks down at the papers before pulling out a manilla folder and handing it to me. “Your schedule and a map of the school are in there, also a library card and your locker combination,” she explains. I open it, looking down at the schedule. My stomach drops when I realize that they have training every afternoon except for Fridays. I wonder if my mother knows that the students train every day for two hours. Two hours of normal training and an hour of training with our wolves every Tuesday and Wednesday. Great, just great. I won’t even be here a day before everyone finds out, and I am banished. I should be a fortune-teller I knew they would find out faster. I might as well restart packing my damn room. Maybe I can be excused for the first week, I wonder. “Thanks,” I tell her before going to go find my locker. I put the combination in while noticing a few curious stares at the newcomer, but no one is outright mean to me, which is a relief. Putting my stuff in my locker, I grab my books for my first period, English. As I am closing the locker, I jump when I see a girl leaning against the locker beside mine and staring. Her dark hair is cut in a pixie cut, and she has a golden hoop nose ring. Dark eyeshadow with streaks of purple and black completes her ensemble. “Hi, you must be new here, I’m Jasmine,” she introduces herself before plucking my schedule from out of my fingertips. “Ah, Katya,” I tell her, awkwardly, waiting for her to hand it back. “We have most of the same classes. You can follow me if you want, and I will show you around,” she offers, passing me my schedule back. I set it on top of my books. “Thanks, that would be great.” “So you are from Alpha Jackson’s Pack I heard,” she says. I don't reply. Gossip has already started, then again in Pack communities, everybody knows everybody, so that isn’t surprising. “My father is third in command. He heard Alpha Ezra and Beta Mateo talking, so you have Beta genes?” she asks and I nod. Not that they would do any good without a wolf. Chapter 4 “Your mother has quite the reputation, too, the only female warrior in Jackson’s Pack. What was it like living there? Is Alpha Jackson as strict as the rumors say?” “Um, it was okay, just like any other Pack,” I reply with a shrug. “Yeah, well Alpha Ezra hates Alpha Jackson, I was surprised to hear he actually let someone transfer over. Your parents must have pretty good reputations, we haven't had any newcomers in a few years now, the Alpha is very wary of who he lets in. There were even whispers that he was regretting his choice of allowing any new Pack members, so your parents must have impressed him,” she tells me. He didn’t seem wary of us. He wasn’t like anything I expected, honestly. I thought I would be locked in the cells or banished by now, so her words make me a little uncomfortable. Jasmine stops by a green door and motions toward it. “This is our English class, Mr. Tonks is nice but don't be late. He hates tardiness.” I look inside the classroom and unlike the classrooms back in my old Pack, everyone is chatting quietly as they wait for the teacher to arrive. In my old Pack, the students did whatever they liked and were loud and uncontrollable most of the time, so I am a little surprised to see everyone on their best behavior. Jasmine pulls me to an empty desk at the back and I sit beside her. She points out a few different groups of kids chatting. “That group over there are ‘safe’ as I like to call them. They won't cause any trouble,” she cautions, pointing to a bunch of kids talking amongst themselves. They look a little nerdy, not that I care. I am also a bit of a nerd. “Now that group over there, try to avoid them. The blonde girl, her name is Angie and she is a real bitch. Queen Bee of the school as you can probably tell. Just try to coast through the middle like I do and you should be fine,” she says before pointing out a few other smaller groups. A few minutes pass before the teacher comes in, who thankfully doesn't make a fuss about there being a new student, instead he gets straight to work writing on the whiteboard before telling us to copy it. The day passes by in a blur, and for the most part, I did what Jasmine advised, and kept to myself. At lunchtime, I sat out on the oval with her watching as students and teachers set up the training grounds. Nausea fills me knowing I am about to do two hours of training, when suddenly I spot my mother walking out onto the field along with Alpha Ezra. “Does the Alpha help with training?” I ask. “Yeah, he comes every day to help train us. Training is mandatory no matter age or gender,” I watch as Angie, the girl Jasmine told me to avoid, runs across the field towards the Alpha clinging onto him like a leech. “Yeah, Angie has a thing for the Alpha. Seems to think he will choose her as his mate,” Jasmine says and I nod. For some reason, seeing her cling onto him annoys me a little, but I shove it aside, turning my attention back to my lunch. I don’t want any trouble with her, especially if she is as bad as Jasmine says she is. “How old is the Alpha?” I ask. He looks pretty young compared to my last Alpha, who is in his fifties. “Twenty-five. He is a good Alpha, strict but fair. A lot better than his father, who was a complete asshole and more of a dictator.” I bite into my sandwich, watching as the equipment is being set up. “So he took over the Pack when his father stepped down?” I ask. Jasmine shakes her head. “No, Alpha Ezra killed him and took over when he was seventeen.” I think about her words for a minute. To think that the Alpha could take down his father like that at only seventeen. What had been going through his mind? “Geez, a lot wouldn’t have liked answering to a seventeen-year-old,” I quip, but she shakes her head. “No, everyone was glad to see Alpha Dean get taken down. He was cruel. Women weren’t even allowed to train back then, he treated them like animals and he used to kill anyone that stepped out of line, he even killed his own mate, and his chosen one,” she says, making me feel sick at her words. Killing your mate can send your wolf crazed. It was almost impossible to do, though I have heard stories of some being rejected and taking chosen mates, however, it was the first time I had heard of someone killing their mate. “That’s terrible,” I tell her and she nods, popping a grape into her mouth. “Yeah, everyone hated him. Things changed after the Alpha took over. He made sure women could train to better protect themselves. Maybe that's why he was so quick to have your family join our Pack. Your mother will be an advantage to have, and your father - given that he has Beta genes,” I nod my head believing she is right, if he hates Jackson's Pack as much as she claims he does. “Maybe,” I tell her just as Alpha Ezra looks in our direction. I drop my head and am thankful when the school bells ring, signaling the end of lunch. Jasmine and I make our way back to our lockers and grab our gym clothes. Going to the bathroom, we quickly get changed into the red polo shirts and black shorts before heading down to the oval where they were setting up earlier. Alpha Ezra and my mother are talking among a few of the teachers before silence falls over everyone and people walk off to their designated groups. I follow Jasmine over to our age group and am a little shocked to see Alpha Ezra come over to us. Jasmine smiles at him when he approaches. “Hey, Alpha,” she says, giving him a brief wave as she stretches. “Hi Jasmine, you can sit out for today, Kat. That way you can see how things are run if you like,” he says, and I nod, grateful I don’t have to train straight away. “No, she can train like the rest of them,” my mother corrects, coming up behind him. So much for sitting out. Is she trying to get us caught? “She doesn’t have to, Shirley. I can excuse her,” Alpha Ezra says and I give my mother a pleading look. My mother presses her lips in a line but says nothing. “Come sit on the bleachers and watch,” Alpha Ezra tells me, and I follow him over and sit down beside him. I watch everyone train. Alpha Ezra gets up a few times to help some teachers and to correct some students, then he comes back over. He looks down at me. “How are you liking school so far?” “It's fine,” I answer, not really comfortable around him. I see my mother keeps looking over at me nervously, which in turn makes me more nervous about his presence. “Do you train a lot with your mother?” I nod. Training isn’t only compulsory at school in our household, it is almost a damn religion. However, with how much training they have at this school, I hope she will let me off at home. Back at our old Pack, training was only twice a week, here it is daily, except weekends, so maybe she won’t be so strict on that front. “Yes. Mom doesn’t like me missing training as you can see,” I tell him, and he nods. “Good, well you can have today and tomorrow off, but on Wednesday you start training with everyone else,” he orders and I nod. Angie slinks over, stopping in front of us, and I notice the glare she gives me. “You should be training, Angie. Get back on the field,” Ezra demands. “I was just seeing if you can come to help me, Ezra,” she purrs. It’s obvious the crush she has on him and she isn’t even trying to hide it. “That’s Alpha to you! Now get back on the field, Angela,” he tells her, pointing back the way she came. She looks down at me, her eyes narrowing before she saunters off. I know she is going to make my life hell and I haven't even spoken to her yet. “Well, I better get back out there, Kat. I will see you around,” he says, walking off toward my mother, who is now scolding Angie for walking off the field. When training finishes, my mother calls me over. The polite but simmering glare on her face tells me she is upset about something, and trying not to let anyone else know. When I reach her, she grabs my arm, pulling me aside and away from prying ears. “For someone who is meant to be lying low, you seem to be grabbing the Alpha’s attention. Kat, we talked about this. You need to stay away from him and his Beta. We can’t afford for people to know just yet,” she scolds. “Well, maybe if you told them I wouldn’t have to hide,” I snap back. “It isn’t like I sought him out. He approached me.” “Attitude, young lady. I won't handle disrespect,” she growls, and I roll my eyes, regretting it instantly. “Katya, you may be my daughter, but that doesn’t mean you will get away with slacking off, now ten laps of the oval,” she orders. “What? Come on, Mom, you can’t be serious,” I argue back when his sandalwood scent hits me. Alpha Ezra walks up behind me and stops beside me. He obviously saw our dispute, which just makes this entire scenario even more embarrassing. “Everything okay?” he asks my mother. She bows her head in respect before glaring at me. “Yes, Alpha, it will be. Now go, Katya,” she says, pointing to the edge of the field. I take my sweatshirt off before tossing it at her. She can’t be fucking serious. Why was she being like this? My mother growls, catching my sweatshirt and pointing to the edge of the field. “This is bullshit,” I hiss, stomping off. “Make that twenty,” she calls out. I groan, but go to the edge of the field, cursing her name to the moon goddess. “Keep going, Kat, and it will be thirty. Now start running!” I roll my eyes and start doing laps as she shrieks, blowing her damn whistle. Jasmine does a couple with me before getting tired and sitting down. My legs burn by the time I’ve done fifteen, and my lungs feel like they are about to explode. Stopping, I brace my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. My mother blows her whistle, grabbing my attention and I look over at her, sweat drenching me and even my shirt is sticking to me. “Five more, Kat.” “Five more, Kat,” I mimic under my breath while glaring daggers at my mother. I peel my saturated shirt off, tossing it on the grass and leaving me in only my black sports bra. “You want me to add more?” my mother calls out. I shake my head and continue running around the oval. As I run past the bleachers, I notice Alpha Ezra is still here and watching me. Unease prickles up and down my spine. Something has pissed him off, and I bet I know what the answer was. What always seemed to be the answer in my world. Me. I wondered if he figured out I have no wolf and am useless to the Pack.

Ten years later, I ran into Alpha Liam of my old Pack again at a Pack reunion. All our old Packmates, successful now, had Mated, borne pups,their own bonds settled and secure. Only Liam, the Alpha of StoneRidge Pack, was still single. Unmated. "Sophia, Alpha Liam's waiting for you. He hasn't dated or completed a bond in years." They'd barely finished speaking when Liam walked in. He walked in, sharp in a suit, and everyone gasped. Ten years later, Liam was still drop—dead gorgeous. The youthful arrogance of a Alpha was gone, though. A calm maturity now settled in his brow. Knowing our history—the Pack's designated future Alpha and Beta pair, the foundation of our generation—they made sure Liam and I sat together. He kept sneaking glances at me, like he had a million things to say. But all he managed was a soft,"Rena, long time no see." "Yeah, it's been a long time." I responded blandly, my face completely devoid of any emotion about our long—awaited reunion. Childhood sweethearts, totally inseparable, destined to Claim and Accept at eighteen. But we ended up like strangers. I remembered the party after high school graduation, when he cut a slice of watermelon for the new transfer student. This time, I didn't cry. I just quietly ended things. "All because of a piece of watermelon? As my future Beta, destined to stand by my side, can't you be a little more generous?" "Yeah. And no." He scoffed."Fine. Just try to stick with it for more than a couple days this time. Give me some peace." I didn't say anything. I just grabbed my bag and left the private room. This time, he didn't immediately follow me out like he always did. He figured I was just throwing another tantrum, that in a few days, once I cooled down, I'd naturally come crawling back to him, just like before. StoneRidge Pack's future Alpha and Beta, Mates destined since childhood—how could we truly sever our bond over a little tantrum? It was just an empty threat. After all, that's how all ninety—nine previous breakups went. But what he didn't know was that it was the straw that broke the camel's back. What he, in his Alpha arrogance, couldn't understand was that each of those ninety—nine times had caused a physical tear in our Companion Bond. He must have felt the pain—that deep, physiological ache of a bond fracturing, a warning from his very instincts. But he'd dismissed it as weakness, as inertia, not love. But as the bond was torn and superficially mended, again and again, it grew weaker, like a piece of paper crumpled ninety—nine times, impossible to smooth. Each new fracture of the Companion Bond hurt him less than the last. As his physical pain diminished, his apologies grew lazier. My heart, repeatedly stung and already riddled with holes, had finally run out of its last shred of warmth and hope. With that ninety—ninth breakup, I was truly done with him. Liam and I had always been known throughout the school as a match made in heaven. The future Alpha and his Beta Mate, the foundation of StoneRidge Pack's next generation. He was the school's golden boy Alpha, tall with long legs, a face so chiseled it was almost intimidating. He always rocked a cool, black windbreaker, all swagger and charm, drawing girls in like crazy. But his eyes? They were always, only, on me. We were childhood sweethearts, practically glued at the hip growing up. At our baby party when we were just one, it was like we picked each other, destined from the start. By seven, our parents had already joked about our future Mating ceremony. At fourteen, we were passing love notes. Sixteen, he officially asked me out. Seventeen, we promised each other to get into the Northern Academy... Everything was perfect until our last year in high school. That's when Chloe Hayes, a new transfer student, showed up in our class. When the homeroom teacher set up the "buddy system" for new students, she specifically paired Chloe with Liam. She made it crystal clear:"If you don't take this on, you can forget about dating Sophia Reed anywhere on campus. Even a future Alpha can't escape this responsibility." Liam, whose Alpha aloofness was legendary, had no choice but to take on the assignment. At first, it was just regular tutoring sessions and showing her around campus. But little by little, things started to feel really off. More and more, Chloe started appearing on our dates. And then, it was just them, without me. When Chloe mentioned she craved a cake from that trendy bakery in Soho everyone queues for, he ditched football training to get it for her. When Chloe posted on Instagram that she was feeling down, he stayed on the phone with her all night. And get this: one time, when she had period cramps, he borrowed money from me—his destined Mate—to buy her hot cocoa.... I was furious. We fought. And that's when I started breaking up with him, over and over again. The first time I dumped him, it was on the phone. There was this long silence on his end, then I heard his breathing, ragged and fast. It was a total downpour that night. He showed up at my place, soaked to the bone, and stood outside all night. He must have been reeling from the initial, searing pain of the Companion Bond tearing. His voice hoarse, he kept calling my name, begging me to forgive him. The second time I ended things, he skipped a whole day of classes, posted up outside my classroom door, his eyes bloodshot. He shoved a thick, messily written but totally heartfelt love letter into my hands, begging me to get back together, all humble and desperate. But as it happened more and more often, he finally seemed to figure out my bottom line... that I couldn't actually leave him! The pain numbed, his Alpha pride took over, and his apologies started getting lazier and lazier. What used to be an instant makeup turned into a day later, then three days, then a week... Until after 99 times. All that pent—up disappointment and heartache, simmering for way too long, just burst. I finally decided to leave him for good. The first thing I did when I got home, I fired up my laptop and, without a second thought, changed my top choice on the application. It was supposed to be Northern Academy, our Pack's future, our dream school, but I switched it to Southern Academy, thousands of miles away,far from our Pack's territory. Next, I started clearing out everything that reminded me of him. Limited edition plushies he'd given me, matching couple bracelets, little notes filled with sweet nothings, a thick stack of photos... I shoved it all into one massive cardboard box. The next day, I hauled that heavy box over to his place. His butler, who knew me well, showed me straight into the living room. The scent of Chloe was overwhelming, coating everything. In the past, I would have snarled, started a fight to defend my territory. But this time, it was as if my senses were broken. I focused only on what I had to do. In the spacious living room, a large, steel—grey wolf and a smaller, silver—grey wolf were playfully wrestling on the plush carpet. They were nipping and tumbling, the silver—grey one letting out excited yips and sweet, flirty growls. Chloe must've felt my stare, because she shifted back, turning around. She saw me standing there with the box, and a sweet, innocent smile bloomed on her face as she grabbed an oversized black T—shirt from the sofa to pull on. My eyes instantly fixed on the oversized black T—shirt Chloe was wearing. It was the limited edition one I'd hunted down for his birthday last year, hitting up multiple malls just to find it. It was a blatant scent—marking, a claim. When he got it, he was so surprised he picked me up and spun me around a few times, then whispered in my ear, his breath hot against my skin, "Phia gave this to me. I'm gonna wear it every single day." Turns out, his "wear it every single day" promise actually meant he could just casually lend it to another girl like this. Chloe must've felt my stare, because she turned around. Saw me standing there with the box, and a sweet, innocent smile bloomed on her face. "Oh, hey Sophia! You're here? Liam was just helping me with my shifting. I'm still not very good at it. I hope you don't mind? Please don't fight with him over this. We're just friends. I would never try to get in between you two." Liam didn't even flinch. He just lazily lifted his eyes, giving me a quick glance. His thumbs were just scrolling through videos on his phone. His voice was totally casual. "What do you want? Didn't we break up?" Watching him act like he didn't care at all, a wave of bitter self—mockery washed over me. I remembered the first time I'd brought up breaking up, how he'd been a mess in the pouring rain, practically begging me. Then I remembered how it took him longer and longer to win me back after our fights. And the last time, he'd just sent a WhatsApp message: "Stop being dramatic. I'll take you for BBQ tonight." He kept pushing my boundaries, and because I kept caving and forgiving him, he just got bolder and bolder. But he had no idea that even a camel eventually gets broken by the last straw. This time, the ninety—ninth breakup, I was genuinely done with him. There would not be a one—hundredth. "Exactly because we broke up, I wanted to return some of your stuff." "If you're just gonna be dramatic, you can just toss it. No need to bring it all the way over." "Okay." I nodded, no hesitation. Carrying the cardboard box, crammed with memories, I walked over to the giant dumpster nearby. Without a second thought, I just pitched the whole thing in. The box hit the empty bin with a dull thud.

Her career skyrocketed after ditching her ex, drawing in a swarm of admirers. Her regretful ex tried everything to win her back, only to watch her wedding of the century with another guy as the beloved of a billionaire. ===== "Stop it, Neil. This isn't fair to Katelyn..." Today was her anniversary with Neil Wheeler, and Katelyn Bailey had already planned the celebration. Katelyn excitedly came to the villa to find Neil, unexpectedly met with the w*man's voice coming from the master bedroom. Hearing that was enough to drain all the color from Katelyn's face, and it definitely didn't help when she recognized the voice. It was Lise Cooper. She was Neil's old flame. Katelyn never expected her to return. Yet there they were, in the master bedroom... "Why is it unfair? Our families joined by marriage for mutual benefits. Katelyn is just my wife in name. I don't care for her at all. I've never touched her since we got married." "I pity her! Three years of marriage, and she hasn't won her husband's heart," Lise commented. Katelyn began to tremble. Those words pierced her heart. Her marriage to Neil had always been one of convenience, and not by love. For the past three years, Katelyn had devoted herself entirely to her family. She did the laundry, cooked meals, and tried her best to be a good housewife. Despite her efforts, Neil had never shared a bed with her. Katelyn had believed she wasn't meeting his expectations and had failed to earn his approval. But now, she realized he had never cared for her. The ongoing sounds from the room made Katelyn's heart ache. "Bang!" All of a sudden, the door flew open. When Neil saw Katelyn, he froze for a moment before his expression turned cold. With disdain, he barked, "Get out!" Even though he had been caught, he still carried himself with an air of arrogance. Katelyn felt a sharp pain in her chest. Staring at her husband, who showed no remorse, she asked in disbelief, "Neil Wheeler, why are you doing this to me?" With a soft sigh, Lise said, "Katelyn, you should understand that Neil doesn't love you, I'm the only one he loves, which is why he can only be intimate with me. I'm sure you can understand our situation, right?" Lise smiled. She had deliberately chosen to s*duce Neil on their anniversary, relishing the thought of Katelyn being overwhelmed. Katelyn clenched her fists tightly and glared at Lise with bloodshot eyes. "You're proud of being a home-wrecking woman, aren't you?" Lise's eyes turned red as she replied, "How could you say that? Would I have broken up with Neil if your parents hadn't threatened my family's safety? Katelyn, forcing love only leads to suffering. And remember, in any relationship, the one who isn't loved is the real outsider." Katelyn stared at her in shock. So this was the story Lise had fed Neil. It was now clear to her how Neil couldn't seem to move on from Lise. The truth was that neither Katelyn nor her family had forced Lise and Neil apart. "That's a lie!" Katelyn wanted to defend herself, but before she could speak, Neil cut her off. "Katelyn, if it weren't for you, Lise wouldn't have suffered so much these past few years. How dare you and your parents treat her that way? I will never forgive the Bailey family." Neil had already stood up and dressed, his gaze toward Katelyn as cold as ice. Katelyn's heart continued to ache. In that moment, she abandoned any attempt to explain and smiled bitterly. She realized how blind she had been to love a man who cheated on her and felt no remorse. A flash of satisfaction crossed Lise's eyes. "Neil, don't be so hard on Katelyn. She overheard us at the door earlier. You haven't sl*pt with her in three years, so it's understandable she's feeling unbalanced." Katelyn trembled with rage. She stormed over to the bed and snapped, "You shameless! How dare you spew such nonsense? Didn't anyone in your family teach you any manners? I'll be happy to give you a lesson then." She quickly raised her hand... "Katelyn!" Neil's eyes narrowed. Without a second thought, he rushed to defend Lise. Caught off guard, Katelyn was struck and staggered back. Anger flared in Neil's eyes as he growled, "Who do you think you are? How dare you hit Lise! Marrying you is my biggest mistake in life." He turned abruptly, yanked open the drawer of the nightstand, and pulled out a divorce agreement. He threw it at Katelyn and shouted, "Sign it. I never want to see your face again!" The divorce agreement had already been prepared and signed by Neil. Katelyn fought back a bitter smile. However, she knew it was time to let go of her marriage. He didn't love her and had even betrayed her. There was nothing left for her to hold on to. Without hesitation, Katelyn picked up the agreement, quickly signed it, and threw it at Neil's face. "Neil Wheeler, I'm done. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." As soon as she spoke, her phone rang. Katelyn froze when she saw the caller ID. Ignoring Neil's reaction, she swiped to answer the call. The voice on the other end sounded urgent. "Iris, when are you coming back to work? The orders at the studio are piling up. Someone has even offered a hundred million dollars for a chance to work with you." Chapter 2 Better Not Play Dirty Tricks "I'm back now. I'll be there in a second." Since Katelyn no longer needed to focus on Neil or play the docile and devoted wife, she was determined to return to her career immediately. She resolved never to fall in love again. Katelyn's expression grew serious. Although her appearance remained unchanged, Neil sensed something different about her. Her gaze and demeanor had shifted. Even the look in her eyes was no longer the same. Neil stared at Katelyn without blinking. For some reason, he felt irritated when she signed the divorce agreement so decisively. From the very beginning, she had loved him with every fiber of her being. He couldn't understand why she signed the divorce agreement so readily. Believing she might be playing games with him, Neil walked closer and sneered, "You'd better not try any dirty tricks, Katelyn." Katelyn ended the call and looked at him directly. "Do you really think you deserve that?" she retorted. Back in the day, she had loved him and cared only about him, which made her willing to endure everything for him. Now that they were done, he meant nothing to her. Without giving the two shameless another glance, Katelyn turned and left the villa. She walked with her head held high, as if nothing in the world could bring her down. Lise noticed Neil's eyes were still on Katelyn and felt a pang of jealousy. Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a message. After reading it, Lise's mood brightened. She exclaimed, "Great news, Neil! Iris has agreed to work with us. Her manager just sent me a message." Neil snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her with surprise. "Are you serious?" Wheeler Group's design department had been facing a major issue with a critical project. Recently, their designer was caught plagiarizing. If they didn't meet the deadline, the company would owe the client several billion dollars in compensation. Only five days remained. The only designer capable of completing such a massive project on such a short notice was Iris, the top designer in the industry. The Wheeler Group had been trying to contact her for weeks but had been repeatedly rejected. Surprisingly, Lise had managed to secure the opportunity. She showed Neil the message and said excitedly, "It's true. You can go to the negotiation tonight. I spent the whole night convincing her manager. My efforts finally paid off." Iris was famous but had a difficult personality. Over the past three years, she hadn't produced any new designs and seemed to have disappeared. For that reason, anyone wanting to work with her had to go through her manager, but her manager was notorious for avoiding people. Neil placed his hand on Lise's and said seriously, "Lise, I've never forgotten how much you've done for me. I will keep my promise to you." She nodded eagerly in response. Suddenly, she frowned and winced in pain. Neil asked with concern, "Is everything alright with you?" Lise forced a smile and replied, "I'm fine." Neil gazed at her intently and stated, "Don't lie." After hesitating for a moment, Lise slowly lifted the hem of her dress to reveal large b*uises on her knees. Neil's expression immediately changed. In that moment, he realized why Iris had agreed to work with them. Lise had to get down on her knees, begging for their cooperation. Feeling deeply moved, Neil looked at her with affection and said, "Thank you for everything you've done for me, Lise." Lise responded shyly, "I'm willing to do anything if it helps you." Meanwhile, Katelyn had just arrived at her design studio. As she looked at the familiar office she had been away from for three years, she felt a pang of regret. She had wasted so much time on a man who wasn't worth it. Aimee Stephens, her manager, spotted her and quickly trotted over. Dressed in a black suit dress, she looked both professional and capable. She gave Katelyn a big hug. "My little Iris! You're finally back! I've missed you so much." A hint of guilt crossed Katelyn's face. "I'm sorry. It was all my fault. Aimee, tell me about this order." Aimee knew the importance of business. She led Katelyn to the sofa, where they both sat down, and said, "The offer was made by Lise Cooper. She did it on behalf of Neil Wheeler. Let me show you the documents." Katelyn was stunned. The next moment, she let out a sudden chuckle. What a small world! He had told her to leave, but now he badly needed her assistance. Chapter 3 Changed Tremendously Aimee looked at Katelyn with surprise and asked, "Isn't Wheeler Group your husband's company? You didn't help him? Why did they reach out to me instead?" Katelyn pressed her lips. She had known about the crisis in the design department and had offered to assist, but Neil had told her to leave and not cause any trouble. With a bitter smile, she responded coldly, "We're divorced, Aimee." Their marriage had lasted only three years, but she had loved him for ten. All that love had been wasted. In the end, she felt she deserved this unfortunate outcome. Aimee's eyes widened as she looked Katelyn up and down. Clicking her tongue, she remarked, "So, the love-struck girl has finally woken up. I warned you not to marry him after finding out he had an ex-girlfriend that he couldn't forget. I tried hard to change your mind, but you were determined. I guess you had to learn it the hard way." Katelyn's expression remained calm, though her once lively eyes seemed dull. Suddenly, she let out a chuckle and said, "You're right. I learnt my lesson the hard way. From now on, Aimee, I'm focusing on my career." "Fantastic! That's what I want to hear. Forget about love! Your career is what matters," Aimee said with enthusiasm. Then, she quickly added, "What's your plan for the collaboration? We can walk away from the 100 million dollars and give those b**tards what they deserve." Katelyn looked at her and asked, "The response you gave them was as vague as always, wasn't it?" Aimee nodded in confirmation. That was how they operated. They would preliminarily accept an offer once everything seemed in order, but the response remained vague. This allowed them time to further investigate the client. If anything suspicious came up, they would end the partnership immediately. Katelyn smiled as she thought it over. She had reviewed the file and knew that if Wheeler Group missed the deadline, they would owe their client several billion dollars. She chuckled and said, "Alright. Let's keep them hanging. Let them know we'll be at Skyline Building tonight." The Skyline Building was a place that catered to solely the upper class. The guests there were not only wealthy but also held significant influence. Lise sat in a private room, with a gentle smile, she said, "Neil, I'm sure you'll close the deal tonight." Neil smiled, "It's all thanks to you, Lise. I'm lucky to have you." Lise blushed, already envisioning her success. If the deal went through, Neil would realize her true worth and see that only she could truly help him. The meeting was scheduled at seven in the evening. The door to their private room was left open, allowing a clear view of the corridor. At the same moment, they both noticed two figures approaching. Lise's smile froze. She stared at one of the figures in shock. She wondered if she was seeing things, but it looked just like Katelyn. Neil also spotted Katelyn, and surprise flickered in his eyes. She wasn't dressed in her usual casual shirt and loose trousers. Instead, she wore a black, form-fitting dress that accentuated her figure. Her long hair was styled in loose curls that cascaded over her shoulders. She looked both alluring and distant. Her neck was graceful, and her waist was slender. To Neil, she resembled a figure from a classic oil painting. He pressed his thin lips together as his eyes traveled over her from head to toe. It had only been a day since they last saw each other, but Katelyn seemed completely transformed. Just yesterday, she was still his dull and mediocre wife. Now, he couldn't help but imagine the attention she would draw from other men when she was in a crowd. It seemed like Katelyn hadn't noticed them, as she walked straight ahead. Then, something unexpected occurred. Chapter 4 You Also Dragged Miss Stephens Into Trouble Katelyn and Aimee were discussing something as they walked. When Katelyn saw the drunk man stumbling toward Aimee, she quickly stepped in front of her to shield her. The drunkard scowled at Katelyn. "Hey, what is the matter with you? How dare you get in my way! Move aside!" In the next moment, he noticed how attractive Katelyn was, and his eyes lit up. "Hey, beautiful, are you alone? How about we hang out together?" He reached out toward her, but before he could touch her, Katelyn shied his hand away. The man's expression darkened. "You should be thankful I'm even interested in you. Don't be stupid!" His loud voice drew the attention of others nearby. Neil's eyes widened in surprise. "Is that Felix Ellis?" Lise was equally shocked. Felix was here? Felix Ellis was a notorious th*g in Chaepstow, known for making his living through loan sharking. He was ruthless and would do anything to get what he wanted. Lise covered her mouth with her hand and exclaimed, "He's dangerous! Katelyn could get hurt. Neil, we should help her." Although Lise pretended to be concerned, there was a gleam of satisfaction in her eyes. She secretly hoped Felix would teach Katelyn a harsh lesson, which would also serve as her revenge. Neil gently patted Lise's hand and replied softly, "Lise, you're too kind-hearted. She brought this on herself. It's not our problem." Despite his words, he couldn't resist glancing toward the door. Katelyn was small and fragile. If Felix were to hit her, she could be seriously injured. With a slight frown, Neil decided to rise from his seat. But before he could act, Felix has been defeated by Katelyn. Neil watched in disbelief. The woman he once knew had transformed. She now radiated confidence and allure. He wondered if Katelyn had been hiding her true self during their marriage. Seething with rage, Felix glared at his henchmen and yelled, "What are you all waiting for? Get her!" The men quickly moved towards Katelyn. In response, Aimee stepped in, "If any of you lay your grubby little hands on my friend, you're all going to regret it. I'll make sure that you'll pay for it with your lives!" Felix's face went pale when he recognized the woman behind Katelyn. It was Aimee! Aimee managed the top designer Iris. Many powerful people avoided crossing her. Felix was suddenly intimidated. He hadn't expected Aimee to support the woman. Immediately, Felix's demeanor changed. He forced a smile and stammered, "Oh, Miss Stephens, is she your friend? I didn't realize. I'm sorry for the trouble." Lise stared at the situation in shock. This was unexpected. Neil also stopped, his brow furrowing in confusion. He never imagined that Katelyn had such a close relationship to Aimee. Only now did Neil realize that he knew absolutely nothing about his ex-wife. Aimee crossed her arms and said impatiently, "Enough! Get out of here! You'll regret it if you try to hurt her again." Felix quickly fell silent and fled the scene. Not long after, the corridor became quiet again. Aimee was about to respond, but Lise rushed over with a concerned expression. "Miss Stephens, are you okay?" Neil followed Lise, he gave Katelyn a cold look before saying hello to Aimee. Aimee ignored them completely. The way Aimee treated Katelyn was markedly different from how she treated them now, making Lise wonder about their connection. After a moment of hesitation, Lise said to Katelyn, "Katelyn, I understand you wanted to protect your friend, but that was too risky. What if you had been hurt? And see? You also dragged Miss Stephens into trouble." Chapter 5 I'm Sorry For Being Late "You've played the role of the delicate and kind-hearted soul for so long that you've started to believe it yourself," Katelyn said, her gaze filled with contempt. She realized Lise had simply been trying to drive a wedge between her and Aimee. Lise's face reddened with anger. Before she could respond, Neil chimed in, "Katelyn, enough!" He had witnessed the entire encounter in the private room. If Aimee hadn't intervened, Felix would have continued his h**assment. Neil was frustrated that Katelyn had shown no appreciation for Lise's concern. Moreover, he was irked that Katelyn had a connection with Aimee that she had kept hidden from him. Neil had been restless and anxious over the past weeks, while Lise had gone to great lengths to please Aimee. Katelyn, on the other hand, had done nothing. Neil's anger flared, and the tension in the air was palpable. Lise subtly tugged at his sleeve. Katelyn was Aimee's friend, and any conflict could negatively affect Aimee's view of them and jeopardize their potential collaboration. With a conciliatory smile, Lise said to Aimee, "Miss Stephens, our private room is just over there. Why don't we sit down and discuss the details of our cooperation?" Aimee glared at them with disdain. "When did I agree to work with you?" Lise and Neil were taken aback by her response. "You're a home-wrecker. Don't kid yourself into thinking Iris will work with someone as morally compromised as you. Stop dreaming!" Aimee growled. Lise stared at her, stunned and unable to hide her shock. She hadn't anticipated Aimee's harsh response. Despite feeling hurt, Lise didn't dare to confront Aimee or retaliate. The atmosphere turned icy in response to Aimee's remarks. Lise felt that Aimee's reluctance to cooperate might be due to Katelyn's influence. She suspected that Katelyn had spoken ill of them to Aimee, causing her to back out of their agreement. Lise suppressed her anger and shouted at Katelyn, "Katelyn, Neil's company is in crisis. Instead of helping, you've only caused more trouble. Stop behaving like a child!" Neil also glared at Katelyn and added, "Katelyn, are you finished causing trouble?" He blamed her for the issues affecting their cooperation, feeling that she had crossed the line. Katelyn's lips curled into a slight smile. Before she could respond, Aimee defended her. "Mr. Wheeler, stop flattering yourself." Neil's face paled slightly. Aimee continued disdainfully, "We've already chosen our partner. It's not you. Unlike you, he's respectable and hasn't been involved in any s**ndals. He adheres strictly to his morals, and he'd never cheat on his wife. Our studio doesn't work with s**mbags like you, Mr. Wheeler." "You! You..." Neil glared with icy anger. Lise quickly intervened, pinching his arm to calm him. Forcing a smile, she said to Aimee, "Miss Stephens, you've misunderstood. Katelyn's portrayal is not accurate. She is..." Clearly irritated, Aimee stated, "Enough of your excuses. I have no interest in your attempts to cover up. If you continue, you'll only diminish my respect for you. Please stop obstructing my path and acting like fools." Neil and Lise were visibly embarrassed and frustrated. Katelyn smiled, appreciating Aimee's sharpness. Just as she was about to speak, she noticed a commotion in the corner. All eyes turned toward them. A line of bodyguards moved with precision. Every single one of them looked intimidating, and they were escorting a noteworthy man. Dressed in a sleek black suit, he exuded an air of sophistication with every step. His face seemed almost divine, with features that looked meticulously crafted by God, himself. His eyes, deep and wintery, could captivate and unsettle anyone who met his gaze. Lise stood in awe, her eyes wide with amazement. She questioned whether she was imagining it when she realized the man was Vincent Adams. He was the president of Adams Group, a colossal business empire. The Adams Group started in real estate and later expanded into industries like medical and IT. Since Vincent took over the company five years ago, it had become one of the fastest growing companies in the world. And now, it was part of the ten biggest companies worldwide. His company played a significant role in the city's economy. Neil's expression tightened, his eyes reflecting his seriousness. Ignoring everyone else, Vincent approached Katelyn. His deep voice was like a cello's melody in the dark. "I'm sorry for being late." Katelyn stared at the man, puzzled about why he was speaking to her. She then glanced at Aimee, worried that her identity had been revealed. After a brief pause, Katelyn replied with a smile, "You're not late at all. Your timing is perfect." Her response seemed to soften Vincent's demeanor. His sternness gave way to a warmer expression. Standing side by side, their attractiveness created a noticeable chemistry. Neil tightened his fists, wondering if Katelyn had moved on with someone new right after their divorce. Filled with envy, Lise begrudgingly observed the situation, resenting that Katelyn had attracted such an influential figure. With a flattering smile, she approached and said, "Nice to see you here, Mr. Adams." Neil masked his feelings and greeted Vincent as well. "Good evening, Mr. Adams. What a surprise to see you here." Vincent acknowledged their greetings with a nod, clearly uninterested in engaging in further conversation. He turned to Katelyn, his eyes softening with warmth as he said, "I apologize for keeping you waiting." Aimee glanced at her watch and smiled, saying, "It's no problem, Mr. Adams. We've just arrived as well. Perfect timing. Shall we head to the room to discuss?" Both Lise's and Neil's expressions changed to shock when they realized that Vincent was the business partner Aimee had mentioned. What left them even more confused was the fact that Katelyn and Aimee walked into a private room together, arm in arm. Given the nature of the meeting, it was unusual for an outsider, even a friend, to be present. Katelyn's presence seemed out of place. Upon seeing Vincent's indifferent nod, Lise's frustration grew. She asked, "Aren't you supposed to be working with Iris? Why is Katelyn joining the negotiation?" Aimee retorted, "Why shouldn't Katelyn be here?" Lise and Vincent exchanged puzzled glances, wondering what she meant. ...... What happens next? Available chapters here are limited, click the button below to install the App and enjoy more exciting chapters (Automatically jump to this novel when you open the app) &12&

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Feeling betrayed by his impulsive marriage, he wanted a divorce from his wife, unaware that she was the very same talented new employee he admired! ============ ========== Chapter 1 Unknown Husband At Seamarsh Airport, Stella Anderson stood restlessly at the waiting area with a large suitcase at her feet. She glanced at her watch again. It had been thirty minutes since she got off the plane. And yet, her husband whom she had gotten married to a year ago was nowhere in sight. Furrowing her brow, she fanned herself with her fingers and already had a bad impression of someone she had never met. This was supposed to be their first meeting. How could he be so late? As she watched people come and go, she couldn't help but recall her hasty marriage. It had happened a year ago after her grandfather came down with a serious illness. Stella, who was abroad at the time, rushed home to see him. It was then he made it known that he hoped to see her get married soon. She wanted to say no. But when she remembered how her grandfather adopted her from an orphanage and raised her into the adult she had become, she didn't have the heart to disappoint him. And so, she got married to the man her grandfather picked for her; a man she had never met. The groom wasn't present on their wedding day. Someone else stepped in to handle the registration of the marriage. She didn't know her husband at all. All she knew was his name and that he was a businessman. To this day, Stella wasn't sure if her compromise was the right choice. Her so-called husband wasn't particularly giving her something to like about him. She glanced at her watch for like the hundredth time. An additional ten minutes had passed. She sighed exasperatedly. Just as she took out her phone to call her grandfather, a screeching sound pierced the air and almost burst her eardrums. A silver Aston Martin came to a screeching halt in front of her. The driver's seat window rolled down. Stella took a step back. Once she saw a familiar face, she blurted out, "Why are you here?" Behind the wheel was the last person she expected to see now—her cousin, Oliver Palmer. "Ouch! You really hurt me!" Oliver clutched his chest as though he was really hurt. After getting out of the car, he pouted. "Your return is so important. We haven't seen each other for a long time. As your cousin, I couldn't resist the urge to come pick you up. But you are so mean to me. It's not fair!" Stella wasn't surprised or deceived by his poor acting. She rolled her eyes, refusing to speak. "Hop in, Stella. You must be tired and hungry. I'll treat you to lunch." After grabbing her suitcase with one hand, Oliver placed his other hand on her shoulder and shoved her to the car. "Wait! I can't go with you." Stella stopped him. "Why?" Oliver stopped. He scoffed when something occurred to him a moment later. "Is it because of your husband? You still want to wait for him?" Stella didn't utter a word, but her look said it all. Oliver snorted. "Don't wait for him anymore. Need I remind you that he has never contacted you since you guys got married? Doesn't that tell you enough?" Stella was lost for words. "If he wanted to come pick you up, he would have shown up before I did. How can you trust a man that has ignored your existence for one year?" Oliver added in a more sarcastic tone. After it sank in, Stella retorted defensively, "But Grandpa said Maverick will come to pick me up." She thought her husband would keep his word since he promised her grandfather. Oliver held the bridge of his nose and sighed helplessly. "Even if you still want to wait for him, you don't have to stand in the sun. Get into the car. It's hot outside." While the two of them were arguing, a tall figure appeared in the crowd and was heading for them. Matthew Clark was talking on the phone. "I'm already at the airport. Take your medicine now." A soft female voice came from the other end of the line. "Remember, Ella is wearing a red dress today. She has long curly hair. Also, her suitcase is black..." "I have already seen her, Grandma. Now, can you stop worrying?" Matthew's eyes were fixed on the duo meters away. He frowned. There was a woman who fitted the description his grandmother gave, down to the color of her suitcase. But she just got into a man's car while he held the door for her. Matthew's tone suddenly turned cold. "Got to go, Grandma. I'll talk to you later." His face darkened. At the same time, an icy glint leaped into his deep-set eyes. He put away his phone, turned around, and left. Back in his car, Matthew's grip on the steering wheel grew tighter as he watched the two people in the sports car. The man handed the woman a bottle of water. As she drank from it, he smoothened her hair dotingly. Although Matthew couldn't see her face, that didn't matter to him anymore. He was boiling on the inside. Suddenly, he laughed at himself. Why did he even find this surprising? He should have known this a long time ago. His so-called wife had been away from the city for a whole year after their marriage. They had never met or gotten to know each other over the phone. It was understandable for her to get herself a boyfriend. Matthew set his lips into a grim line. He took out his phone and typed a message. As soon as he hit send, he started his car and zoomed off at a high speed. ———— Later that afternoon, Stella got dressed in a simple and elegant light-colored business suit and went to Prosperity Group. It was one of the leading companies in Seamarsh City. The employees were, in one way or the other, elites in the city. Stella walked into the magnificent building that housed the headquarters of the group. With her excellent resume, she had gotten a job as the senior private PR professional to the CEO, Matthew. The director of the public relations department, Luna James, led Stella to meet Matthew. Unbeknown to Stella, the man she was going to be working for was actually her husband, Maverick. Matthew had zero trust in people. He used his real name when his marriage was being signed. Only those closest to him knew his real name—Maverick Clark. Chapter 2 Her New Job Stella and Luna took the elevator to the top floor. On the way, Luna was very enthusiastic. She kept telling Stella about the company. "The CEO's office takes up the entire top floor. It's out of bounds for most of the employees. Only those who report directly to him or have something extremely important can go there." Stella listened quietly. She wanted to learn all she could about her new boss, so she appreciated this new lecture. Luna suddenly paused. Then, she turned to Stella and asked casually, "I heard you previously worked in one of the group's branches overseas. Why did you suddenly get transferred to the headquarters? Did you know Mr. Clark before?" Curiosity shone in Luna's eyes. It was crystal clear she wanted to find this out for gossip's sake. Never in the history of Prosperity Group had anyone been employed or transferred without undergoing any interview. In fact, the process of becoming an employee here was longer than most. Stella broke that record. There had been speculations among the other employees that Stella wasn't an ordinary person. As a result, Luna wanted to know why the CEO himself got Stella transferred. It was no news that most of those who tried to gain this job failed at the resume submission stage. This was because Matthew had strict requirements. At this moment, Luna's prying question drew a frown from Stella. She disliked anyone who tried to stick their nose into other people's business. She glanced at Luna's work ID and said coldly, "Last I checked, PR professionals are supposed to have a high EQ. They usually have their head in the game at work." She just said that Luna was stepping out of line. As soon as Stella finished speaking, the elevator came to a halt on the top floor. Stella walked out without looking at her companion. Luna's face darkened at this. Gritting her teeth, she glared at Stella's back as she walked out of the elevator. Who did this newcomer think she was? How dare she use such a tone when talking to her? The two of them waited outside the office. Luna took a look at her watch and went to a corner to make a phone call. When she returned, she told Stella, "Mr. Clark is still on the way. We need to wait a little longer." Stella nodded in understanding. No one said a word for a few seconds. Suddenly, Luna piped up in a casual tone, "Wanna know why Mr. Clark is running late?" Still mad at Stella for shutting her up, Luna wanted to set the records straight. She intended to make Stella get down from her high horse. Stella didn't give a hoot about what her boss did outside of the office. As a result, she responded with only silence. Refusing to take the hint, Luna said in an annoying voice, "You see, his wife just got back today. He put aside all his work for today just so he could go pick her up at the airport. He's such a sweet husband!" With dreamy eyes, Luna crossed her arms and added with regret and admiration, "It's such a pity that he got married so early. His wife is one lucky lady. I really wonder what she's like." These words suddenly reminded Stella of what happened to her earlier today. It appeared that some women were lucky to have good husbands. Her boss, Mathew, seemed better than Maverick. After she waited at the airport for almost an hour, Maverick sent her a short message saying that he couldn't make it because he was busy. What a ridiculous excuse! Could he be busier than the CEO of Prosperity Group? Suddenly, the elevator tinkled. Luna quickly smoothened her clothes and ran her fingers through her hair. After putting on a smile, she pulled Stella. The elevator doors opened slowly. A man who was clad in a bespoke suit walked to them with one hand in his pocket. He had long legs which made him take giant strides. His shoulders were broad, but his waist was slightly narrow. His angular features were like those of a muscular model. Stella estimated that he was more than six inches tall. The noble aura that he exuded was very strong. Stella was unable to take her eyes off him. "Good day, Mr. Clark." Luna's voice interrupted Stella's observation. With a little bow, Stella introduced herself. "Hello, Mr. Clark. I'm the PR professional transferred from the overseas branch company. My name is Stella Anderson." At that name, Matthew raised his eyebrows in surprise. The name rang a bell. However, he couldn't tell where he had heard it from. His eyebrows furrowed with subtle confusion. The next second, he gestured to a door. "Let's talk in my office." With that, he walked into the office. Stella followed him in without hesitation. —— Sitting at his desk, Matthew scanned through the file in his hand. He had specifically chosen Stella to be his personal PR officer because she had achieved great feats in the branch company last year. Her records showed that she helped the company get out of several situations that could have harmed its reputation. More importantly... Matthew turned to the last page of her resume and narrowed his eyes. "You can design?" His deep voice broke the weighty silence in the office. This was the last thing Stella thought he would ask her. After getting over the surprise, she nodded. "A little." Matthew raised his eyes, glanced at her calm face, and continued to inquire, "You are a PR professional. What has design got to do with your work? Why did you feel the need to put design drafts in your resume?" Stella came well-prepared for this question. She sat up straight and replied confidently, "Prosperity Group is trying to occupy the clothing industry. As a PR professional, my job includes marketing the brand image. That's why I made a few design drafts that could be put to good use." Matthew nodded thoughtfully. He closed the file and dumped it in a corner of his desk. Afterward, he turned to Luna and ordered, "Get her settled in. Then assign a task to her." Luna was surprised. Was that all Matthew had to say? Although Luna wasn't pleased at all, she replied politely, "Yes, Mr. Clark." Stella heaved a sigh of relief as she walked out of the office. She loosened her clenched fists, and her palms were already sweating. At the thought of the CEO's cold and stern face, Stella grew nervous again. She had a gut feeling that working under him would be harder than she thought. Chapter 3 A Difficult Client Luna led Stella to the public relations department. She then introduced her to the other employees. "Listen up, guys! This is Stella Anderson, your new colleague." With a polite smile, Stella said, "Nice to meet you all. It's an honor to be part of this department. I hope we can get along well." The others were shocked by Stella's rapid onboarding. They whispered to each other. "Is she the PR officer who was transferred here to work for Mr. Clark personally? She looks pretty. I wonder if she's a beauty with brains or just an empty skull." "Come on. You should know that Mr. Clark has an eye for the best talents. I bet she's good at what she does." "I'm so jealous of her. She gets to work closely with Mr. Clark. What a lucky girl!" Stella heard it all. However, her smile remained the same and she didn't say anything. On the other hand, Luna's face became a shade redder. She frowned at Stella. These comments fanned the flames of her dissatisfaction. It was widely known that Matthew put potential employees through a vigorous interview process. But earlier, she had witnessed how lenient he was with Stella. Luna eyed Stella from head to toe. She was certain that this newcomer was just a numbskull. Out of spite, she vowed to make Stella suffer. Luna's conniving mind got to work immediately. She decided to give Stella the most difficult task on ground. "Here you go. This is your first task as ordered by Mr. Clark. Currently, everyone is on the verge of completing the projects they have been working on. The only task left is concerning the choice of background music for the company's upcoming anniversary party." As Luna held the necessary document, her tone was natural. "Your job is to communicate with the other party and make sure the background music is confirmed ASAP." Stella frowned and asked, "Is there anything else I must know?" The choice of background music was one of the simplest aspects that went into a banquet preparation. As such, it was odd that it was still not done. Luna was determined to make Stella suffer, so she didn't bother explaining. She just threw the document to Stella and said, "The client involved will come later. You'll know all about it when you guys meet." With that, she went straight to her desk. Stella shrugged instead of asking any more questions. For some peace and quiet, she went into the meeting room while flipping through the document. The second the door was shut, a discussion broke out in the office again. "This newcomer is doomed. Henry is not an easy person to work with. Not only is he picky, he's got wandering hands. I shudder at the thought of what he would do to her." "You are not alone. Anyway, I wish her good luck." —— In the meeting room, Stella studied all there was to know about the task and the client she would be meeting. The client was a pianist named Henry Scott. The company's management was interested in using his piano piece at the 30th anniversary party which was just around the corner. For some unknown reason, they were yet to reach an agreement. She had just finished the last page of the document when the door of the meeting room was pushed open. A man wearing a pair of jeans and a casual shirt with rolled-up sleeves came in. Stella stood up immediately and smiled. "Hello, Mr. Scott. Thanks for coming. I'm Stella Anderson and I will be responsible for discussing the cooperation concerning the use of your piece for the upcoming anniversary banquet. Please, have a seat." "Okay," Henry replied and pulled out the chair beside Stella. With his arms folded, he reclined in the chair and stared at her. Stella avoided his gaze. As she sat down, she moved the chair away a little bit. Then, she began in a professional tone. "You are yet to reach an agreement with us for the use of your piano piece. Is there a reason for that? If you have any reservations about it, do tell. I assure you that we will satisfy you as long as it's within our power." Henry remained mute as he eyed her up and down. An icy warning trickled up Stella's spine. She felt uncomfortable under his stare, but she still smiled. "I'm aware that you are currently preparing to go on a nationwide tour soon. I promise that this won't affect your preparations. On the contrary, we will spare some time to publicize your tour at the banquet as a token of our appreciation. What do you think?" Henry rubbed his chin for a while before saying, "I have to say that you make quite an attractive offer." He gave her a side look and then smiled. Stella held out the prepared contract. "Please read through the contract. If you have a problem with any of the clauses, I can have it modified immediately." Without taking the document, Henry leaned back and put his hands at the back of his head. "Reading is so much work. Worse yet, the contract looks so bulky. I don't want to go through it." Hearing this, Stella was in a dilemma. "How about you move closer and read it to me?" Henry's eyes glistened with interest as he looked at her. Stella pursed her lips and took a deep breath. Having worked in the PR industry for many years, she had come across all kinds of clients who requested strange things. Reading a contract aloud didn't seem that much of a big deal. With that in mind, Stella moved a little closer while still making sure she was a safe distance from him. She then cleared her throat and began reading. Her eyes were on the document, but she could feel his stare fixed on her. It gave her the heebie-jeebies. Nonetheless, Stella straightened up and tried to concentrate on what she was reading. Suddenly, Henry leaned over sharply. Stella ducked out of instinct. Smiling smugly, he leaned even closer. "What a beautiful necklace you have got there. It goes well with your radiant skin." As he spoke, he reached out with the intention of touching her neck. It took Stella great restraint not to slap his hand away. Instead, she leaned back further and glared at him as her disgust grew stronger. "If you like this necklace, I will help you order one and send it to your company after the meeting. Can we get back to the agenda now?" Henry's hand froze in the air and he sneered, "I thought Prosperity Group wanted to work with me. But it turns out I was wrong. I'm a very busy man, so I shouldn't be wasting my precious time talking with insincere people." He raised his eyebrows and looked at her with a hint of threat. All of a sudden, the door was pushed open. "The cooperation is canceled!" With an expressionless face, Matthew walked in. He stood in front of Stella and faced Henry. Chapter 4 Blatant PDA Henry's face darkened. "What did you just say?" "You heard me right!" Matthew said indifferently. "You are disrespectful to the female employees in this company. And we will no longer cooperate with you. There are thousands of piano pieces in the world. It should be easy to get another pianist." As Stella stared at Matthew's broad back, her eyes sparkled with gratitude. He was such a gentleman. His wife was a lucky woman. Henry's mouth dropped open and he looked utterly embarrassed. The next second, he lost his cool. He sprang to his feet, stormed out, and slammed the door behind him. The other employees left their desks and craned their necks to look at the door of the meeting room. The moment Matthew walked out, he gave Luna an earful in front of the others. "Didn't you know you were supposed to do a background check on Henry Scott before offering to work with him? As a PR professional, you should know that every wrong move can lead to a disaster and it can backfire on this company." Lowering her head, Luna apologized repeatedly. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Clark. I promise that this will never repeat itself. Next time, I'll make sure to carry out a thorough investigation." The last thing Luna expected was her nasty little trick to backfire. She was on the brink of tears as she wondered how Stella was able to wriggle out of this. After glaring at her for a long time, Matthew scanned all the faces in the office and said, "Let this serve as a warning to all of you. Your job is to better the brand image and solve crises, not cause a mess. If you can't do your job well, tender your resignation and go to the financial department for your severance pay!" His voice wasn't loud, but it was firm and intimidating. It made everyone shudder. No one dared to look up or speak. Luna couldn't help feeling that Matthew's warning was directed at her. She clenched her fists and murdered Stella with her eyes. Matthew had never scolded her before, let alone in public. Things only changed after Stella resumed work here. Luna believed Stella must have badmouthed her in the meeting room. At the thought of this, Luna's hatred for Stella quadrupled and her anger surged through her veins. Matthew left after giving them a piece of his mind. In his wake, a heavy silence fell in the office. All the employees were shaken up and went about their day on pins and needles. Hours later, it was a few minutes to closing hour. Stella took out her phone and clicked on the chat box between her and Maverick. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she pondered. Finally, she decided to invite him to dinner. Although their marriage wasn't that of love and she hadn't wanted to marry him, she figured that she might as well get to know him since there was no turning back. She was just about to hit send when her phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Oliver. Stella answered it. As soon as she pressed the phone to her ear, Oliver rambled about his plans. "Ella, I have booked us a table at Joyful Restaurant. See you at half past seven tonight." "But I already—" Oliver interrupted her, "No buts, Stella. You have been away for a long time. We have to celebrate your return. Lest I forget, Juliette will be there too. Don't stand us up. If you refuse, I'll drive down to your company and drag you there myself!" Oliver wasn't one to bluff. His tone indicated that he was going to make good his threat. Stella agreed. "Okay, I'll bring Maverick along." Oliver didn't like Stella's husband, and he never hid it. "Soothe yourself." After getting off the phone, Stella cleared the typed text and made a new one. She read the message a couple of times. After making sure she made no errors in the location and time, she hit the send icon. A reply came moments later. "Okay, see you there." Stella checked the time after she received that message. It was time to get off work. She headed straight to the restaurant. —— In Joyful Restaurant, Stella saw someone waving at her as soon as she walked in. It was Oliver. He was seated with his girlfriend, Juliette Davis, at a large table. Oliver was leaning in so close to Juliette and staring at her lovingly. Stella wasn't even surprised by that. As she got seated opposite them, she placed her bag on the table and joked, "Can you two stop making everyone else jealous with your intense PDA?" Juliette shyly fiddled with her long curls which were similar to Stella's. She raised her eyebrows and teased, "Two can play the game, so do this with your husband." After saying that, she looked behind Stella and asked, "Weren't you supposed to come along with your hubby? Where is he? Is he shy because he will be meeting us for the first time?" Stella picked up the menu and said, "He's on his way." "He'd better be!" Oliver snorted. "He seems to have a thing for standing people up." His dissatisfaction with Maverick was obvious and undisguised. Stella gave him a murderous glare and placed her index finger over her lips. "Shush!" She set down the menu and gave him a harder look. "You'd better be on your best behavior when he gets here. Don't start a fight, okay?" Oliver pursed his lips and said nothing. —— It was already half past seven when Matthew arrived at Joyful Restaurant. Earlier, his wife had texted him saying that they needed to talk face-to-face. Thinking of how she was with another man at the airport, he typed a big no. But he cleared it up after thinking that it was best to hear an explanation from her first. Matthew walked into the restaurant with mixed feelings. He located the table his wife had mentioned in her text to him. To his greatest surprise, he saw the same man he had seen at the airport this morning. The man was kissing a woman. The woman's face wasn't visible from where Matthew stood because of her long curly hair. Color crept to his face and the veins on his forehead throbbed. Did his wife plan this? She wanted to show off her lover to enrage him, didn't she? Heat surged through Matthew's veins as he balled his hands into fists, and almost crushed his phone. Just as he was about to confront those two lovebirds, he heard the voice of his newest employee from behind. "What a coincidence, Mr. Clark! What are you doing here?" Chapter 5 Grandma's Advice Stella returned from the bathroom to find that her husband, Maverick, still hadn't arrived. She was on her way back to the table when she spotted her boss. She greeted him, only to find that he had a long face. Matthew replied simply, "I'm here to meet a business partner." "Oh, okay." Sensing that he wasn't in the mood to talk, Stella didn't bother to say anything else. Matthew turned around and left without looking back. Stella returned to the table and looked at her watch. It was already seven forty. Maverick was thirty minutes late already. Frowning, she took her phone and read the message she had sent him earlier. There was no error in the address and time. Why wasn't he here yet after agreeing to come? Was he standing her up yet again? What was his deal? Didn't he want to meet the woman he was married to? Did he already hate her even before they met? As her mind was filled with several questions, Stella felt a little depressed. The steak she was eating tasted bland in her mouth. After swallowing a mouthful forcefully, she set down her knife and fork, and then texted Maverick again. "Hey, why aren't you here yet? What's keeping you? If tonight isn't convenient for you, let's agree on another day and time." Oliver's heart ached a little when he saw Stella's mood dampen. It made him hate Maverick even more. Slamming his glass on the table, he cursed angrily, "How dare he stand you up twice on the same day? You deserve so much better, Stella. I say that you divorce him!" "Shhh! Stop adding fuel to the fire!" Juliette hushed him with a glare. Oliver shook his head with disappointment and zipped up his lips even though he wanted to continue chewing that man out so badly. Juliette turned to Stella and comforted her in a soft voice, "Don't look so sad, Stella. Maybe something is keeping him." Since she and Oliver had fallen in love at first sight, she believed that true love could happen to Stella and her husband. But she also acknowledged that it wouldn't be easy at first. Stella nodded without saying anything. She looked at her phone again. Maverick still hadn't replied her last message. Was it that he hadn't seen it or that he was ignoring her now? —— Matthew's intention to confront his wife and her boyfriend had been halted by Stella's sudden appearance. It appeared she was also there for dinner. For some reason, he didn't want Stella to know that he had marriage problems. Matthew marched to the parking lot, looking like he would explode at any moment. He had just gotten into his car when the phone in his pocket buzzed. He whipped it out and saw that his wife just texted him. His eyebrows furrowed as soon as he read the message. Was she out of her mind? He had just seen her kissing another man in public, but she still dared to text him as if she couldn't wait to see him. What a pretentious woman! Matthew had lived long enough to encounter all kinds of women. A lot had done outrageous things, but none of them came close to what his wife just did. She had gotten him real good to the extent that he almost lost his cool in public. He was so irritated. He threw his phone aside, started the ignition, and zoomed off. Seething with rage, Matthew went on a long drive around the city. It was already very late when he arrived home. The first person he saw when he walked into his mansion was his grandmother, Lucia Clark. She was sitting on the sofa with a deep frown. "Where have you been? Look at the time! Why did you stay out so late?" With his suit jacket slung over his shoulder, Matthew glanced at the clock his grandmother pointed to and then sighed. "Grandma, why are you here? Isn't it time for you to retire for the night?" "You dare ask me such questions?" Lucia slapped the armrest of the leather sofa and shot him a searing glare. "Stella's grandfather told me that you didn't pick her up from the airport. Where the hell have you been? And why did you lie to me? You are a married man now. How can you be so irresponsible?' A touch of helplessness flashed through Matthew's eyes. "Grandma." Matthew casually put his coat on the sofa and sat next to her. After a mild hesitation, he told her everything he saw at the airport today. At last, he sighed and added in a sincere tone. "Grandma, my father had many mistresses when he was alive. His philandering led to my birth. Even if everyone sees me as the heir of the family, I'm still an illegitimate son." "Matthew..." Lucia called out in a soft tone, feeling regretful. She knew what he had been through. As always, she felt pity for him. Matthew squeezed his knees as he continued, "That's why I have vowed to be nothing like my father. I intend to stay faithful to my wife, and I expect her to do the same. I can't take it if we are not on the same page." There was a moment of silence after he finished speaking. After thinking for a while, Lucia said, "You know me. I don't do things without properly investigating. I did that before I got you to marry Stella. If anything, she's prim and proper. There must be some kind of misunderstanding." Matthew pursed his lips and said nothing. "Please don't give up just yet. You both need to talk things out face to face," Lucia suggested. "Since you two never dated, you should spend more time trying to create a bond first. Take things slow, okay?" Matthew didn't know what to say to that, so he changed the topic. "It's getting pretty late. I'll ask the driver to take you home. You don't have to worry about me." Lucia wanted to apply pressure, but when she saw his sunken eyes and tired lines on his forehead, she swallowed her words. After sending his grandmother home, Matthew lay on his king-sized bed. He closed his eyes. But the image of the loving couple at the restaurant kept popping into his mind. He couldn't shake it off no matter how he tried. At this moment, he felt empty and numb. This marriage didn't seem like it was going to work out. Maybe it was time to get divorced. &4&