Chapter 4

（Isabella‘s pov）

The sensation of honeybees swarm inside my chest and stomach. Nausea rolls through me in waves…

The man from the hotel the other night is Alpha Santiago, really? I have never thrown myself at a man. It’s so embarrassing.

I try to will the rising heat in my face away, aware that the color has gone from drained when I first saw him exit the gate to the now candy apple red that spans to my ears and neck.

I practically climbed him like a tree, and I still don’t know what exactly was in that drink, but I know I was drugged. Jesse confirmed that.

Of course, Santiago doesn’t believe me about that. He just thinks I’m some sort of slut who throws myself at men in power.

Will he agree to work with me? He has power and influence. I need him. The best I can do is explain the situation and try to persuade him to help me.

I must pull myself together. Keeping my hands from covering my face and willing my body to resist cowering, I take a deep breath. I’m an alpha…his equal.

I look up and straight into Santiago’s icy blue eyes, “I’m here to discuss a deal.”

He looks me over for a heartbeat before nodding, then steps to the side and gestures for me to go through the open gate.

“We can discuss this in my office,” he says.

I follow him into his office, which is the size of a small apartment. He extends his arm with his hand flipped over toward the two chairs across from a large ornate, mahogany executive desk.

My legs feel like lead weights from all the walking I’ve done in the last week. As I lower myself onto the oversized plush leather armchair, my legs, feet, and ass feel immediate relief.

The arms of the chair are rolled and plush with extra padding while the high back is tufted, also with extra padding.

Being barely 5’1’’ and a hundred pounds soaking wet, this chair practically swallows me, it’s divine. I look up at the high vaulted ceiling to a multiple tiered crystal chandelier.

Santiago crosses to his chair at the desk across from me.

Directly behind him is an arched window with a view of a courtyard. Life looks lively through this view.

Autumn is in full swing with shades of red, orange, and yellow leaves. There’s a lake off in the distance. Sunlight refracts on the water, looking like shiny sprinkles of glitter at this distance.

On either side of the window are bookcases. My eyes wander across the expanse as the bookcases line the entirety of the walls, minus the door. Every space available on these shelves in occupied by a book.

Santiago clears his throat, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“I like to document meetings to have a paper trail. Please repeat your name and identity for the record.”

“My name is Isabella Costa. Luna of Crimson Claw. Alpha of Caladrius Moon.”

Santiago took my card out of his pocket that I left with him the other night. He played with it in his hand, sliding the cardstock between his fingers. He’s been carrying it around in his pocket, I’m surprised he didn’t leave it at the hotel or throw it away. Odd.

Suddenly, he looks me deadpan in the eye, “Isabella? What exactly do you want?”

The wings of those honeybees pick up speed inside me. I’m so nervous, I can almost hear the sensation of them buzzing in my ears.

“I would like to apologize again for my behavior the other night. I was drugged and not myself, I’m truly sorry. I am here because I want to work with you.”

“What kind of cooperation do you have in mind?”

“Layla Washington is your ex-wife and fated mate, correct?”

“Not that it is any of your business, but yes. That’s right,” he said coldly.

“Well, she has been cheating on you.”

“I am fucking aware of that, hence the divorce. I’m gonna need you to get to the point.”

“She’s been cheating on you with my fated mate and soon to be officially ex-husband, Jesse Hansen. I think we should work together to make them pay for the betrayals.”

A sly smile emerges on Santiago’s face.

“I see. So, when you barged into my room that night, you were seeking revenge on your betrayers?” he asked.

“You have misunderstood,” I say.

I explain the entire evening as it played out to him in detail.

“I barged into your room trying to evade a personal attack. I didn’t know anyone was in the room. I didn’t know you were at the time either.”

My voice cracks as I speak. Tears build up in my eyes and my hands start shaking at the thought of it all.

I sit with my hands stuffed between my outer thighs and the arms of the chair so he can’t see. Alphas can’t show weakness.

“Whatever was in my drink set me up to be prey so that prick could get pictures to make me look like the cheater!”

“Well, that explains the cameraman I suppose,” he muses.

The inside of my mouth and throat feel as though cotton has been stuffed from my cheeks to down my esophagus. I clear my throat before speaking again.

“Exactly,” I say.

“Jesse has already submitted his photos to the Elder Council as proof that I committed infidelity. It’s all to frame me so he can take ownership of my pack. He wants to force me out and make me leave with nothing.”

“You want to use me to get revenge?”

“Again, I didn’t know who you were, nor did I know that you were in that room when I ran in. I have no intention of using you. Cooperation benefits us both. Don’t you feel betrayed and want them to pay?”

“I’m not interested in revenge, Isabella,” he says. “Nor will I be used as a pawn in your plans to get back at your ex-husband. I’ve heard all I need to hear. Please leave.”

I have to raise my offer. He must help me.

“Would you be interested in an exclusive partnership with a pack?”

“As you have already mentioned, you no longer have a pack to offer. It doesn’t belong to you anymore. For what it’s worth I believe you. If you knew anything about me, you’d know agreeing to such a deal is not something I would ever do.”

He calls for his Beta to escort me out.

I stand straight up. “That won’t be necessary,” I say turning to the Beta who has just rushed in. “I can leave on my own.”

I hold my head up high and walk out of the territory with as much dignity as I possibly can. Well, what little I have left anyway.

Once I’m in the forest and I know I am out of the line of sight I find a towering red pine. I rest my back against the bark and slide down to the dirt, landing in a pile of crunchy fallen leaves.

“You know, Santiago is a really hard man to convince,” I say to my wolf.

“Maybe he was just cold because of that unpleasant night. It wasn’t the best first impression, Bella,” she says back to me.

I roll my eyes, nobody but her calls me that. “Ya know, it wasn’t exactly pleasant for me either.”

“I know. I was there,” she chides. “Aside from being drugged, stalked, and photographed, you must admit…Santiago is very handsome –even more so, than Jesse. Kissing him wasn’t unpleasant.”

I stifle a chuckle and end up snorting. “I’ll give you that. He is attractive. But he’s also cold and heartless. Now, all we have is ourself to expose Jesse as the one who actually cheated.”

After resting for a little while I’m ready to walk home. Upon arrival, I immediately regret coming back.

I enter the pack house only to be greeted with the divorce ruling from the Elder Council.