ALPHA'S PRICELESS JEWEL

Leni’s POV

“Am I speaking with Miss Leni Ashbrook?”

The voice on the other end of the line sounded breathless and full of panic. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

I paused, clutching my leather document folder tighter against my chest. “Yes, this is Leni Ashbrook. Who is this?”

“Miss Ashbrook, it’s Adrian. The second in command of the Pack’s warriors.”

Adrian?

The name rang a bell, but I didn’t know him personally.

I nodded even when I knew he couldn’t see me. 

“I’m calling concerning your mate, Beta Wesley.” 

A certain kind of cold enveloped me, not the type that comes from an open window or even an air condition. 

“What’s the matter? What happened to Wesley?” I asked, trying to sound as cool as possible. 

There in the background, I could hear the unmistakable sound of sirens which seemed to increase my fears. 

“Beta Wesley’s car was T-boned right in front of the Pack House gates. He’s in really bad shape.”

“What?” I blurted out, a heavy lump settling in my chest.

“Where is he now?” 

“They’re rushing him to the Rainstone Pack Hospital right now!” 

My heart pounded in my chest. I felt the blood drain from my face, and the hallways I was standing in seemed to spin. 

Wesley.

Before I could process the shock, the heavy doors of the executive boardroom opened. My manager, Marcus, came out into the waiting lounge with a big, triumphant smile.

“Leni! Good news,” Marcus said, clapping his hands. “Everything’s ready. The directors are seated and waiting to hear your business proposal. This is your chance to make your business known.”

I stared at him, my mind racing. I glanced at my phone, the call still going, then back at Marcus. My hands shook. I had spent months working for this pitch, losing sleep and using all my savings. If I left now, I’d lose my chance forever.

Then I thought of Wesley.

My mate. 

My childhood sweetheart.

 The man I had loved for as long as I could remember.

“Leni? What are you waiting for? Let’s go in!” Marcus urged, gesturing toward the board room.

I looked at my phone again. 

“No,” I said, shaking my head as I stepped back. “I’m sorry. I have to go.”

“What? Are you out of your mind? Leni!” Marcus yelled after me, his voice booming down the hallway as I turned and began rushing out.

I didn’t stop. I ran to the elevators, ignoring Marcus’s calls and the confused looks from the receptionists. I knew I was risking my whole career, but none of it mattered. Wesley needed me.

I got into my car, slammed the door, and started the engine. 

The Pack was a three hours drive from here. That’s if there’s little to no traffic. 

I sped out of the garage and onto the highway, driving much faster than I should have.

Please be okay. Please, Goddess, let him be okay, I prayed, gripping the steering wheel so tight.

My mind raced with memories and fear. 

Tomorrow was our anniversary. We had planned a quiet dinner, just the two of us, to renew our promises. He had told me that, no matter what others said about me being wolfless, he would always be there for me.

I can’t lose him for anything in the world.

A heavy delivery truck drove into my lane without warning.

I gasped, turning the wheel violently to the left.

The sound of screeching tires filled my head, accompanied by the sound of my car scraping against the concrete divider in the middle of the highway.

The impact shook me. I pulled the car over to the side of the road as I tried to catch my breath.

I got out to check the damage. The whole passenger side was dented and covered in very big scratches, part of the front had dropped slightly. 

A normal person would have used that as a cue to drive calmly, so as to save what was left of the car, but I didn’t care about the car. I threw myself back into the driver’s seat, shifted into drive, and continued my journey, ignoring the hideous grinding sound echoing from the damaged part of the car.

I was three Packs away from Rainstone Pack when I encountered another traffic, worse than the one I experienced about an hour ago, after denting my car. 

I hit the steering wheel in frustration as tears finally spilled down my face.

I glanced down at the dashboard clock.

09:45 PM.

I had spent over three hours on the road already. 

At 11:02 PM, I finally found myself driving out of the long highway that led to Rainstone Pack. With the traffic behind, I increased my speed as I headed for the border of my pack. 

00:14 AM.

Midnight had passed. It was officially our anniversary.

“Happy anniversary, my love,” I whispered into the quiet car, wiping the tears from my cheeks as I finally made it towards the last turn before I would get to the hospital. “Hold on for me. I’m almost there.”

I pulled into the hospital parking lot with a speed that made my tires screech, parked haphazardly, bolting through the sliding hospital doors.

“Wesley!” I gasped.

My heart was pounding so hard in my chest that I thought I would collapse any moment from now. 

“Where is Beta Wesley?” I asked frantically, leaning heavily against the reception desk, out of breath and disheveled.

The nurse looked up, recognizing my distress. “Room 408, fourth floor. Private room.”

I didn’t wait for her to finish. I sprinted for the elevator, my heart hammering against my ribs. My lungs burned, but I didn’t care. I made it to the fourth floor, scrambling down the quiet, sterile hallway until I found the door marked 408.

My fingers shook as I reached for the silver door handle. I braced myself for the worst as I gently opened the door. 

The image in front of me looked nothing like the one I had been carrying in my mind all night long.

My stomach clenched so hard at the sight. 

Wesley was sitting up on the hospital bed, a light bandage wrapped neatly around his forearm and a small scrape on his forehead. He looked completely fine.

And wrapped tightly around his neck were slender, perfectly manicured arms.

Mirabel. 

My sworn nemesis. The woman who had made my life a living hell ever since high school, the granddaughter of a prominent pack elder, Elder Camon.

She was sitting on the edge of his bed, leaning over him, her lips locked onto his in a deep, passionate kiss. And Wesley wasn’t pulling away. His hand was resting gently against the curve of her waist, deepening the kiss.

My shaky legs finally moved as I took one step into the room. 

They pulled apart the moment I stepped in.

Mirabel froze for a moment when she saw me. 

Wesley on the other hand didn’t look panicked or ashamed. He just looked surprised to see me there. 

“What… what is going on here?” My voice was barely a whisper, trembling with a mixture of raw shock and horror.

Mirabel tried to move from Wesley’s lap where she was sitting, but he pulled her back.

“It’s time she knows the truth!” He said, loud enough for me to hear.

With that, Mirabel settled back, a triumphant smirk across her glossy lips as she ran her fingers through Wesley’s dark hair. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this.” She said, her smile widening. 

“Wesley?” I called, my voice barely making it out as I took another step into the room, my vision blurring with fresh tears. 

“I got a call that you were involved in an accident! I ditched the most important meeting of my life! I wrecked my car trying to get to you!”

“And you… you’re sitting here kissing her?”

Wesley sighed and gently moved Mirabel aside as he gently swung his legs over the side of the bed. 

“You shouldn’t have come, Leni,” Wesley said, his voice utterly devoid of warmth. “I didn’t ask you to.”

“I shouldn’t have come?” I echoed, a laugh escaping my throat. 

“I almost killed myself on the highway to get to your bedside, and that’s all you have to say?”

“Don’t you think I deserve a fucking explanation.”

“There’s nothing to explain, Leni,” Mirabel chimed in, tossing her red hair over her shoulder. “Wesley is Beta. A high-ranking officer in Rainstone Pack. He needs a strong wolf by his side to secure his position. Not a pathetic, wolfless charity case like you.”

“Shut up, Mirabel!” I snapped, my fists clenching at my sides as I glared at Wesley. “Tell me she’s lying, Wesley. Tell me this is some kind of sick joke.”

Wesley stared at me with a cold, hard look. There was no sign of the boy who once promised to love me forever. 

“She’s not lying, Leni,” Wesley said plainly, looking down at me with an expression that made my heart shatter into a thousand jagged pieces. “I guess it’s time to do what I should have done years ago.”

My breath hitched in my throat.

“Don’t you dare!” I muttered, shaking my head in terror.