Chapter 7

Zane’s POV

"Drive carefully," Tina said to Tyler as he started the car.

I sighed, glancing at Zane, who was already lost in thought. We could’ve gotten there faster by helicopter or plane, but, of course, we were werewolves, and we liked to feel the earth beneath us. Flying? That’s only for emergencies.

"Don’t take too long," Tina added, her tone sharp, but it wasn’t what she said—it was how she said it. There was more to it.

Tyler hesitated, weighing the situation. I could tell he was mentally going over their schedule. There was nothing urgent. No reason to rush back. A few emails and calls could handle whatever work was pending.

"What’s in three days?" Tyler asked, curious but also a little concerned.

"Isabel’s coming," Tina said, her face twisting in distaste.

I barely held back my laugh. Vivian grimaced beside me.

"Why?" Zane asked, his voice flat, clearly uninterested in the drama that was about to unfold.

Tina narrowed her eyes, clearly displeased. "Ask her, not me. She was supposed to come today, but I told her you'd be gone for a few days on business. Then she suddenly decided she would go to New York for three days and come here afterward. She wants you back before then. I don’t want to entertain girls who think they’re my Luna."

"Got it," Zane muttered, nodding, his expression unreadable. "I’ll keep you posted on the schedule."

Before Tina could say anything else, Zane jumped into the back seat and sent a mental command to Tyler. Drive. Now.

"See you in a few days, Steph!" Tyler shouted out of the window as he gunned the engine.

"Not a few! THREE!" Tina shouted, shaking her head as we sped off. She was probably thinking about how exhausting this was, too.

Inside the Car…

"Man, you really need to clean up your mess," Tyler said, the teasing tone obvious.

I groaned, my frustration bubbling up.

If not for Tyler pushing me into that stupid date, I wouldn't even know who Isabel was.

Isabel... She was one of those damn bride candidates. Three years ago, I met her for the first time. It wasn’t meant to be anything serious. One night. No strings. Simple. But of course, it wasn’t. After that, Isabel—spoiled little Isabel—couldn’t understand why I didn’t want her.

She was the daughter of Alpha Richard, and I had rejected her numerous times. Yet she parades around, still telling people we’re planning her Luna ceremony. The woman is delusional.

After our one-night encounter, she started showing up at the pack, demanding that I marry her because she gave me her first time. I didn’t know it was her first, but it didn't matter. After that night, I made a rule: never again with virgins. They always made things too complicated.

But Isabel, being as stubborn as she is, refused to take no for an answer. She’d show up about once a month, throwing tantrums and creating chaos, demanding her “right” to be my Luna. Honestly, I could probably just make her disappear, but there’s the risk of starting a war with her pack, and Alpha Richard? He has too many connections, especially with the Elders. I’m not about to make that mistake.

To me, Isabel was just a nuisance—a temporary headache. But for Tina, it was much worse. Every time Isabel claimed she was my Luna, it felt like an insult to my late mother, Luna Violet. That position was sacred to Tina. And Isabel? She didn’t even come close.

I exhaled sharply, pushing the thoughts of Isabel out of my head. With any luck, she’d stop showing up, and I wouldn’t have to deal with her ever again.

Women like Isabel made me more convinced that I didn’t need a woman in my life. Too many complications. Managing the pack, handling alliances and enemies, and dealing with those damn Elders already kept me busy. I didn’t need some woman on top of that, demanding more than I was willing to give.

One-night stands were perfect. No expectations. No strings. Just a woman for a night of fun, then back to my duties. Easy. Simple.

But damn, being a high-profile Alpha didn’t make it that easy. Those women who had one-night flings with me started expecting more, and that’s when things got messy. I couldn’t deal with their tantrums, so I bailed out every time.

It was a never-ending cycle, and honestly, I was getting tired of it.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me from my thoughts. I glanced at the screen. "."

Another ex. Another bride candidate, though this one hadn't called me in over a year. I wasn’t sure what she wanted now, but I wasn’t exactly in the mood for another round of drama.

"Yeah?" I answered, keeping my tone neutral.

"Hi, Alpha Zane. Can we talk?"

I grunted, recognizing her straightforward tone. That’s why I liked Willow—no games, no nonsense. Just to the point.

I remembered the night we shared, two years ago. She was in the modeling business and made it clear she wasn’t about to quit her career, but a one-night fling? That she was all in for. And I had no problem with that.

In the morning, there were no promises, no hugs, no lingering emotions. She left just as she had entered—no strings attached.

"Get to the point, Willow," I said, not in the mood for small talk.

"I know you’re still single," Willow began, her voice tinged with urgency. "And the Elders are pushing you harder than ever to get married, right?"

I frowned, sensing where this was going. "What’s your point?"

"I thought we could help each other out," she continued, the words tumbling out quickly. "My father’s breathing down my neck, pressuring me to quit my job and settle down. I don’t want that, so I thought of you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Help each other how?"

"Here’s the plan. I stay with you for a few days. We act like we’re serious. Take some photos, go out in public. You know, make it look convincing. It’ll shut my father up, and the Elders will back off for a while. Then I can go back to my career, and you can do whatever you do. When they start pushing again, we’ll repeat the process."

"Let me get this straight—you want to be my fake girlfriend?" I asked, my tone deadpan.

She chuckled, as if this was all perfectly reasonable. "Fake, real... What’s the difference? We’ve already had our fun, so why not? We both get something out of this. We don’t have to complicate things."

I considered it. "I’ll think about it," I said, before ending the call abruptly.

"Will you really make Willow your fake girlfriend?" Tyler asked, amusement in his voice.

"I hope not," I muttered, my irritation flaring up again. "But she might be onto something."

Tyler didn’t let it go. "Zane, remember, once they’re in, it’s hard to get rid of them. Willow’s crafty, and you know it. She’s not as easy to shake off as you think."

I exhaled sharply, agreeing with him, but not wanting to admit it. Women just brought trouble. Why couldn’t they leave me alone?