Chapter 9 I’m Done With You

Angel’s POV

I had personally brewed a restorative herbal soup for Dana. She needed strength. She always insisted she was fine, but I could see the remnants of silver poisoning occasionally manifesting whenever she strained.

I carried the thermos to her home myself.

“Dana, I brought you some medicine” I said

“ Oh Angel… you didn’t have to,” Dana murmured as I placed the steaming bowl in front of her.

“It will improve your immune system,” I said. 

She ate quietly while I cleaned the house, helped her to bed, and stayed by her side through the night. Only when her breathing became slow, signifying the herbal soup was taking effect, did I finally sit down. 

By late afternoon the next day, Dana emerged from her room holding her phone, eyes lit up.

“Angel,” she said through clenched teeth, “You will not believe what Bastien did yesterday.”

I didn’t look up from folding laundry. “What did he do?”

“He spent five million dollars at the werewolf auction,” she barked. “Five million, on a necklace. Because Lilian stared at it for two seconds!”

I shook my head as I lightly laughed at the irony of it.

Dana wasn’t done. “And when the media interviewed him today, they asked him about the rumors with Lilian. He didn’t deny anything.”

“Not even surprised,” I sighed 

“Oh, that’s not all.” Dana said. “ Do you remember your pregnancy photos, the ones that were ‘accidentally’ leaked to the media? The reporters were mocking them, and Damien did not defend you. Not one word, Angel.”

A quiet drifted through the room.

I lifted my head slowly. For a long moment, neither of us spoke. 

“The guts this man has.” Dana fumed “ To even think you bore him Finn and stuck to his side during his worst moments.”

Dana was so mad, I wondered what she would say if she learnt that I saw Lilian and Bastien kiss, and that they both left me injured by the mountain for a whole night, and my dog helped me.

But I had already understood that with Bastien, you could not have any high expectations.

Dana blinked angered. “Angel, this man is the worst.”

I let out a hollow laugh. “I’ve already lost hope in him, Dana. Completely.”

The silence after that was heavy as she sat beside me, her hand brushing mine.

“You don’t deserve this,” she whispered.

“No,” I agreed softly. “I don’t.”

Dana exhaled “You did right by divorcing him. That was your best decision ever.”

She paused then continued, “ But what are you going to do about Lilian? With all the things she has put you through, put us through…and she still continues with her antics.”

“I’m not going to tolerate her bullying.” I said sternly “ one way or the other she will learn that.”

“What plan do you have in mind?” she asked

I leaned in and whispered my plan into her ear.

Her reaction was immediate, a deep sigh, followed by a disbelieving stare.

“That,” she said slowly, “is the Angel I remember.”

I gave a small, resolute smile. “This matter, I will resolve it my own way. But for now, I need to finalize my resignation,” I said as I picked up my bag and left.

When I arrived at the halls of the corporation, I was met with insistent stares. Gossip traveled faster than wildfire in a werewolf pack, and I knew what they whispered. I ignored them and went straight to the elevator.

When the elevator opened, Bastien was standing inside looking every inch the Alpha. Indifferent, shoulders broad with an unreadable expression.

I hadn’t seen him in a long while, but he didn’t even look surprised to see me.

“Alpha.” I acknowledged.

The man stepped aside without a word, letting me pass. Just like that.

Even indifference takes effort, but his came so naturally as if caring for me had never been an option.

As I got into the elevator, put aside the intrusive thoughts and set my mind on what brought me there. At precisely six o’clock, I had already finished printing my resignation documents.

I had almost reached the exit when my phone rang.

Gamma.

I reluctantly answered. “Yes?”

“Go to the marketplace and buy the list of ingredients I sent you,” he ordered briskly. “Alpha Bastien needs a restorative meal tonight.”

I stopped walking. A cold anger, years in the making, rose from the deepest part of me. His blatant disrespect of me and Bastien’s indifference and lack of courtesy made me fume.

“No,” I said quietly.

“Excuse me?” Gamma scoffed. “Angel, this is the Alpha’s meal. Don’t waste my time…”

“I said no.”

There was stunned silence on the other end.

I lifted my chin. “Gamma… you are the servant. I am the Luna. You should address me properly.”

“Luna?”

“And most importantly,” I added tightly, “I don’t serve Bastien anymore.”

I hung up.

Bastien’s POV

Gamma stood in my office, practically vibrating with frustration. I had never seen him this angry before.

“Alpha Bastien,” he complained loudly, “Angel is completely ignoring the maintenance schedule. She’s refusing to cooperate with her duties.”

I didn’t bother looking up from the paperwork.

“Handle it yourself.”

“But Alpha—”

“I said just handle it,” I repeated.

Gamma stiffened, swallowed, and left with a stiff bow.

My head throbbed.

Another manager stormed in minutes later holding a stack of documents. “Alpha, the monthly report has multiple errors. And Angel hasn’t shown up to work in days. It’s becoming impossible for the team to…”

My Beta entered my office the next second.

The manager continued “She has made the work effectiveness fall because of her frequent absence from…” 

“Fire her,” I snapped.

The manager blinked.

I turned to my beta and repeated “ Fire Angel,”

“Alpha,” Beta said carefully, “didn’t you know that Angel…”

I raised my hand, cutting him off. “Not now.”

Before he could speak further, the conference call chimed to life. I gestured for everyone to leave.

Beta hesitated, his mouth opening as if to reveal something but the call connected, and I waved him away impatiently.

He swallowed his words and left.

That evening, Finn called and asked if we could have dinner. I agreed. Spending time with him steadied me.

But when I arrived at the restaurant, I found Lilian sitting next to him.

I frowned slightly. “Lilian.”

She smiled shyly. “Finn invited me.”

Throughout the meal, things seemed normal until Finn suddenly blurted:

“Lilian, are you… a bitch?”

The table fell deadly silent.

Even the waiter froze mid-step.

My gaze snapped to my son. “Finn. Who told you that word?”

His cheeks turned red. “I…I heard someone say it.”

“Who?” I pressed.

“Mom didn’t teach me!” Finn said quickly. “Dad, she didn’t…”

Lilian gently placed a hand on his arm. “Finn, it’s okay. I know you didn’t mean it.”

She turned to me, “ Blame the internet, it is corrupting kids nowadays.”

“Yes, someone said it on the phone.” Finn said

“But if he heard it from somewhere else, lets say home, I don’t blame him. I know Angel must feel… resentful towards me. After all, the last time she came to the Packhouse, I had to punish Dana. It ended badly. Dana was injured. Angel must hate me.”

Lilian shook her head with gentleness. “But I only have six months left to live. I don’t want to leave bad memories behind. So please… don’t feel bad. Just learn from this.”

“No… Aunt Lilian, I didn’t mean—”  Finn whispered, apologetic . “Aunt Lilian, I’m sorry.”

“It's okay, let's just enjoy dinner. You are not responsible for hearing bad words said by another person.” Lilian smiled.

Angel must have called Lilian a bitch behind her back and Finn heard it. Considering Lilian’s situation, that was a very rude thing to say about someone. And to use our son, Finn, to say her remarks was even much worse.

When I returned home that night, the house was silent. I passed by the bedroom, flipping the switch. The room was as empty as yesterday.

Angel still hadn’t come home.

I stood in the doorway for a long time, staring at the hollow space where her presence used to linger.  She was probably putting on a show of running away, a dramatic antic that she was using to get attention. That was a very petty thing to do.

I ignored the thoughts and went straight to bed.