Three

Chapter 3

Mirabel’s POV

“Mrs. West…” I began, forcing my voice to sound steady even though everything inside me was falling apart.

“Mirabel.” Her voice sliced through the line, sharp and distant.

My stomach sank instantly.

“James has been chosen by the Turing family,” she said. “Do you know what that means?” She did not wait for my reply. “A werewolf family has agreed to take him under their protection. This is an extraordinary opportunity.”

I leaned heavily against the elevator wall as weakness washed over me.

“That’s… great for him,” I said, though my chest ached like it was being crushed. “I’m happy for James.”

“Are you?” Her tone was edged with judgment. “Because this is what our family has been working toward all along. You surely did not believe someone from the human community, especially from the outer district, would be a suitable match for my son in the long run.”

The elevator doors slid open, but my legs refused to move. A couple waiting to get in shot me an annoyed look as I stumbled into the lobby and ducked behind a large decorative plant.

“Mrs. West, James and I have been together for two years,” I said quietly. “We made plans. We talked about our future.”

She laughed, short and dismissive. “A future? What kind of future could you offer him? Staying stuck in the human division at Mackenzie Group? You know as well as I do that humans never move up in that branch. James deserves more.”

I bit down on my lip until I tasted blood. “I should hear this from James himself.”

“There is more you need to understand,” she continued, ignoring me. “There is a young woman there. Her father holds considerable influence. She has taken an interest in James.”

My fingers curled into a tight fist. “So you are calling to tell me that James is leaving me for someone he just met?”

“I am calling to spare everyone unnecessary discomfort,” she said coolly. “End things yourself. Do not force James to do it. He has always been too kind for his own good.”

My vision blurred as tears spilled over. After all the nights we studied together, the sacrifices, the plans, the promises, it was all being erased because a werewolf family offered him protection.

And after what had happened with Maxwell Mackenzie, what right did I have to feel betrayed? I was ruined now. If anyone in the human community discovered I had been with a werewolf, let alone an Alpha, I would be shunned. No human man would ever look at me the same way.

“I understand,” I whispered. “I will do what you want.”

“Good,” she replied, sounding satisfied. “That is very sensible. James will arrange to collect his belongings. Goodbye, Mirabel.”

The line went dead.

I stood there in the lobby as people passed by laughing and talking, living their lives while mine quietly collapsed. Somehow, I made it back to my apartment, though I barely remembered the journey. The moment I shut the door behind me, my strength vanished and I slid down to the floor.

Two years. Two years of love and hope. Gone in one night.

I stayed there until dawn crept through the thin curtains. Sleep never came. Every time I closed my eyes, James’s face appeared, followed by Maxwell Mackenzie’s glowing amber stare, and then my mother’s disappointment if she ever learned the truth.

When my alarm rang, I nearly called in sick. But I could not afford to. Rent would be mine alone now. I dragged myself into the bathroom and stared at my reflection. My mismatched eyes, one blue and one green, were swollen and red from crying. Dark shadows clung beneath them.

By the time I reached Mackenzie Group, I felt hollow. My department head, a stressed human woman who bent over backward for the werewolf executives, took one look at me and scowled.

“You look awful,” she said, dropping a stack of folders on my desk. “All of this needs to be finished today.”

I nodded without protest. As she walked away, a werewolf manager passed by and sniffed the air.

“Why is the human section always so slow?” he muttered loudly.

My coworkers avoided my eyes, though several quietly added their excess work to my pile. Normally, I would have objected. Today, I said nothing.

By noon, my hands were trembling so badly I could barely use the copier. I pressed the wrong buttons twice, wasting paper, then knocked over a toner cartridge, staining my blouse.

“Nice going, Odd Eyes,” one of my coworkers sneered, using the nickname I hated. My heterochromia had always made me stand out for all the wrong reasons.

In the break room, I jumped at every sound. Every time the door opened, my heart raced, half expecting to see Maxwell Mackenzie standing there.

“You alright?” Lola asked gently. She was one of the few kind people in our department. “You seem really tense.”

“I’m fine,” I lied, spilling coffee all over the reports in my hands. “Damn it.”

I tried to save the papers, but they were ruined.

“He would not come down here anyway,” I whispered to myself. “Someone like him would never step into the human section.”

By evening, I was the last person left. My screen blurred as I stared at unfinished work, exhaustion pressing down on me. When I dropped the same file for the third time, I finally gave up.

I knocked on my supervisor’s open door.

“What is it now?” he asked without looking up.

“I would like to request two days of sick leave,” I said softly.

He glanced at my stained blouse and tear marked face. “You look unprofessional. Remember, you represent Mackenzie Group.” He sighed. “Fine. But this will reflect in your evaluation.”

I murmured an apology and left.

Outside, the city buzzed with life. Werewolves walked confidently, voices loud and unrestrained, while humans kept their heads down. Two worlds sharing the same streets, never truly equal.

I boarded the bus headed toward the outer human district. The ride took nearly an hour, the scenery shifting from sleek towers to aging buildings and cracked sidewalks. With every mile, my chest felt emptier.

All I wanted was to see my mother. She was the only place left where I might feel safe.