Chapter 006: Threat.

Evans' POV

I stand on the balcony, glass of scotch in hand, the pack lights flickering below like a bed of stars. The night air brushes cool against my skin, but it does nothing to settle the heat stirring inside me.

The woman I’ve loved for years, Anastasia, is finally back in my life.

She’s the only one who ever had that kind of hold on me. The only one who mattered. When she disappeared, it felt like the ground gave out beneath my feet. I couldn’t think. The weight of it all nearly drove me to the edge.

I didn’t want to imagine a world without her in it.

But Georgia?

She was never more than a distraction. A bandage for my bleeding soul. I was at my lowest when I found out she was my mate. The council wouldn’t stop pressing for a Luna…pressuring me to settle, to lead with tradition, to present a united front. My mother paraded woman after woman in front of me, all from elite families, all polished and proud. But I knew none of them would be as easy to mold as Georgia.

At one point, I think I even tolerated her. Maybe even cared a little. But when she couldn’t give me a child, I stopped pretending. The mask slipped..and so did my patience.

I was done.

No other woman ever held a candle to Anastasia. And now that she’s back in the city? It’s like everything shifts into focus. My dark world brightens. My path becomes clear.

Divorcing Georgia felt like freedom at first. But now that she’s actually gone, there’s a silence that won’t quit. A small voice whispering that maybe—just maybe—I made a mistake.

I force myself to brush it off. It’s nothing. I have the woman I really want. The one I waited years for. What could possibly go wrong?

The Moon Goddess is offering me a second chance.

And this time, I’m not letting Anastasia go.

“Aren’t you coming to bed with me?” Anastasia’s voice pulls me back. Her arms snake around me from behind, soft and warm. “Now that your problem is out of the picture, we should be celebrating.”

She presses her cheek to my back, her voice like honey..but with a bite. “You’ve been distant for days. Don’t tell me you’re missing that woman. Georgia was nothing but a gold digger and a thief. She doesn’t deserve a second of your thoughts.”

I inhale the soft floral scent of her perfume. It always drives me crazy.

Without answering, I down the rest of my scotch and set the glass aside. Then I turn to face her, locking eyes with those deep brown irises.

She’s beautiful. Everything about her is what I thought I wanted.

I lean in and press a soft kiss to her lips. She smiles as we pull apart, and for a brief second, everything feels perfect.

“Don’t worry,” I say with a quiet chuckle. “I’m not thinking about that woman. Honestly, I can’t believe I wasted two years of my life on her.”

I shake my head, letting out a dry laugh. “But that’s behind us now. I’m done with Georgia. For good. I’m ready to spend forever with you. No one is coming between us ever again.”

That should’ve been the end of it.

But deep down? I think Georgia should be down on her damn knees thanking me for making a nobody like her known. I gave her a title. I gave her a home. I gave her the chance to sit on a throne she didn’t deserve. She got to taste what it meant to be Luna.

And how did she repay me?

Divorce papers. A slap to my pride in front of everyone.

No. That doesn’t slide.

She made me look weak. She humiliated me—Alpha Evans Henshaw. People quiver at the sound of my name, and she thinks she can walk away just like that?

She’s got another thing coming.

“She must have taken something,” Anastasia mutters, arms still wrapped around me, her voice slicing through my thoughts.

I glance at her, brow raised.

“She was in such a rush to leave,” she continues, “and someone like her, as broke as she is… you really think she’d walk away empty-handed?”

I sigh. “Ana, you don’t have to worry about—”

“No, Evans. Think about it,” she cuts in firmly. “She didn’t even ask for alimony. That’s not normal. What woman walks out of a marriage like that without taking something? Unless… unless she already did.”

My jaw tightens, but I stay quiet.

“She probably faked being sick, sent one of those sneaky little maids she was close to…what’s her name again, Ariella? I’m telling you, Evans. Check your room. Your safe. Your documents. Your mother’s jewelry.”

I frown. “Huh? You think she stole from me?”

“I wouldn’t put it past her,” Anastasia says coolly. “She probably wanted to spite you. That’s what poor people do when they think they’re finally bold. And don’t be surprised if she’s already in another man’s bed while holding on to yourmoney.”

She clings to my arm, her breath shaky as she gazes up at me.

“I care about you, Evans. I don’t want anyone hurting you. I know I made a terrible mistake by leaving… but I’ve thought about it every single day since. I regret everything. I’m here now, and I’m here to stay.”

She pauses, then adds with an edge to her tone, “But if we’re going to make this work…if we want a relationship that’s unshakable..we need to remove what’s threatening us.”

“And…What threat is that?”

Her eyes narrow. “Georgia, of course. Don’t fool yourself. She’s planning to come between us. She won’t want to see us happy. I know you won’t let that happen… right?”

I sigh, pulling my arm away gently.

All I wanted tonight was peace. A quiet drink. Maybe even to forget for a second that my life had been chaos ever since Georgia walked out. But Anastasia clearly has something else in mind.

“I’m glad you’re back, Ana,” I mutter, “but there’s one thing that’s been eating at me since you showed up again.”

Her expression falters slightly.

“Why did you leave in the first place?” I ask. “We were in love, planning our future... and then, out of nowhere, you disappeared. No explanation.” My voice hardens at the memory. “I need to know, Ana. I’ve buried it long enough..but it still haunts me. Give me some kind of closure so I can finally let it go.”

She turns, trying to walk away, but I step in and gently grab her arm, stopping her.

“No more running,” I say quietly. “Not this time.”

Her shoulders slump, and for the first time, she looks cornered.

“I was scared, okay?” she snaps, spinning back to face me. “Do you think I wanted to leave you? Do you think I was happy running away?”

She exhales sharply, eyes flickering with something I can’t quite place. “Someone was sending me threats. Every day. I had a stalker. I didn’t feel safe. And now… now that I think back, everything points to Georgia.”

My brows furrow. “Georgia?”

“Yes, Evans!” she cries, grabbing my hands. “It can't be a coincidence I left the pack and she got married to you all of a sudden.”

She goes silent and then stares at me for several seconds.

Then-

“I think we need to get rid of her. For good.” Her voice drops lower, almost a whisper. “Because if we don’t… she’s going to come back stronger, and this time, she’ll be the one tearing everything apart.”