Theo's POV
The moment I learned about the rumors circulating through the office, my blood ran cold. I had seen the shift in Claire's demeanor that morning—the way she held herself differently, the careful distance she maintained from everyone, including me. But it wasn't until Finn, my security chief, brought me the leaked photograph and the accompanying whispers that I understood the full scope of what she was enduring.
My jaw clenched as I read the vicious speculation spreading through office chat groups and anonymous blogs. They called her a "black widow," a "corporate climber," words that reduced her brilliant mind and dedicated work ethic to nothing more than sexual strategy. The very thought of anyone viewing Claire through such a lens made my wolf snarl with protective fury.
Within hours, I had mobilized my legal team and IT department. Every instance of the photograph was tracked down and removed through cease-and-desist orders. The anonymous blog
I lay sprawled across Egyptian cotton sheets, staring at the vaulted ceiling where shadows danced in patterns that reminded me of her hair spread across these very pillows.The bed was too big, too empty. Every breath I took carried the ghost of her scent—lavender and something uniquely Claire that had once permeated these sheets but was now fading like morning mist, disappearing a little more with each passing night until soon there would be nothing left but the sterile perfection of expensive fabric and my own growing desperation.My wolf prowled restlessly through the cage of my mind, a constant low whine of distress that made concentration impossible during the day and sleep elusive during the endless nights.I pressed my face into the pillow where she'd slept, inhaling deeply in search of any remaining trace of her presence. The faintest suggestion of her shampoo still clung to the fabric, but it was overlaid now with my own scent and the antiseptic s
Theo's POVThe VM Group auditorium had never felt more cavernous than it did that afternoon, its tiered seating filled with nearly four hundred employees who had gathered to hear about our victory over Alpha Lucian. The weight of their collective attention pressed down on me as I stood behind the polished podium that had witnessed countless corporate announcements over the years.But none of those previous moments had carried the personal stakes of what I was about to say.Charlie stood near the side entrance, his posture alert as he monitored the room for any signs of disruption. The security measures were probably unnecessary—corporate victory announcements rarely attracted protesters—but recent events had taught us both to expect the unexpected. The legal department had positioned themselves in the front row, their satisfied expressions reflecting the contracts and settlements that had secured our position in the marketplace.Dr. Patricia s
Theo's POVThe boardroom erupted in restrained celebration as I concluded the presentation that would reshape VM Group's position in the pharmaceutical industry. Charts and graphs displayed across the smart screens told the story in stark numerical terms—Alpha Lucian's aggressive takeover attempt had not only failed but had backfired so spectacularly that Pills Pharmaceuticals now faced potential bankruptcy. Our strategic partnership with Daisy's pack had provided exactly the leverage we'd needed, cutting off Lucian's supply chains and isolating him from key distribution networks throughout the werewolf community."The acquisition offers have been withdrawn," Charlie announced to the assembled board members, his voice carrying satisfaction that I should have shared but somehow couldn't summon. "Lucian's investors are pulling out faster than rats abandoning a sinking ship. Our stock price has increased by thirty-seven percent since the partnership announcement."
Nicole's POVThe words echoed in my mind like a death knell, reverberating through every carefully constructed plan I'd built for our future together. "It's over, Nicole. We're done." Adrian's voice had been so cold, so final, as if everything we'd shared meant nothing more than a passing inconvenience he was ready to discard.I stood frozen in our bedroom doorway, watching him gather his belongings with mechanical precision. Each item he placed in his suitcase felt like another nail in the coffin of everything I'd worked for, everything I'd sacrificed to secure my position in his world."You can't be serious," I said, my voice barely above a whisper as the reality of what was happening crashed over me like ice water. "Adrian, we're engaged. We're supposed to be planning our mating ceremony."He didn't even look up from folding his shirts, his movements deliberate and efficient as if he'd been planning this moment for weeks. "The engagement is off, Nicole
Claire's POVThe roses arrived three days after I'd stopped answering Theo's calls, their crimson petals a mockery of beauty in the sterile perfection of my hiding place. Twenty-four long-stemmed flowers arranged with professional precision, their fragrance filling the apartment's entryway with a cloying sweetness that made my stomach turn. For a moment, my heart leaped with desperate hope—perhaps Theo had found a way to reach me despite the media circus, perhaps this was his attempt to bridge the chasm that had opened between us.But the small white card tucked between the blooms bore a different name entirely.*I was wrong. Forgive me. - Adrian*I stared at the elegant script, my hands trembling as the implications crashed over me like ice water. Adrian. After months of silence, after choosing Nicole over me, after the humiliation and heartbreak he'd put me through, he was reaching out now—when I was at my lowest, most vulnerable point. The
Adrian's POVThe apartment Nicole and I shared had become a war zone, filled with the toxic energy of her obsession and my growing disgust. What had once been a place where we'd planned our future together now felt like a battlefield where every conversation devolved into her venomous fixation on Claire.I stood in the doorway of our bedroom, watching Nicole pace back and forth like a caged predator, her perfectly manicured hands gesticulating wildly as she spewed another torrent of hatred toward the woman who had become the center of her universe in the most twisted way possible."Did you see the news today?" she shrieked, her voice pitched to a frequency that made my teeth ache. "She's hiding now, the pathetic little omega. Running away like the coward she is after her perfect little world came crashing down."Her eyes gleamed with a manic satisfaction that made my stomach turn. This wasn't the woman I'd fallen in love with, the poised socialite who had