Chapter Three

Cora’s POV

     I’m happy that my father cares about me, but honestly, this whole bedrest situation is starting to get unbearably boring. 

     “Just tell me again what happened,” my father urges, setting a bowl of soup down on the bedside table next to me. Chicken soup–my favourite.

     I sigh. “I was attacked by rogues near the Black Moon pack–I don’t know what I was doing out there. I lost my memory–and, apparently, my connection to Pearl. Alexander–the pack’s alpha–rescued me. We mate-bonded. We got married. I loved him, but he–” my voice catches. I take a deep breath. “He didn’t love me at all, so I left. Somehow, in the process of all of that, I got my memories back–started to, at least. And so here I am.”

     My father’s face, usually so kind, is etched with brutal anger instead. “You reached out to me with your mind link when you reconnected with your wolf,” he says slowly. “Do you remember that part?”

     I blink. “No, I–I don’t remember doing that.” 

     “Well, you did.” His hands curl into fists. “I could feel all the heartbreak and anguish you’d experienced over the course of your marriage. All at once. It was devastating. What happened to you was awful, Cora. That pack–” he shakes his head, eyes flashing angrily. I can see the wolf in him getting riled up, hackles raised. “Do you want me to attack them? Should I give the order?”

     I think for a moment. “No.”

     My father scowls and looks away. I can tell he’s disappointed. I suppress a grin. 

     “I’ll lead the attack myself,” I tell him, baring my fangs. 

     “My daughter!” He says with a hearty laugh, clapping me on the shoulder. “Goddess, I missed you. And now that you’re back, we have a lot to talk about, specifically regarding certain… pack matters.”

     I tilt my head. “Such as?”

     “Do you remember our family’s role in this pack?”

     I hesitate. My memories still aren’t fully back yet. There are a few things I know for certain, but… “We’re the Alphas. Our line–it’s the line of the Alpha wolves.”

     “Well, yes, there’s that. But equally importantly–we’re CEOs, too.”

     “CEOs,” I repeat slowly.

     “Well, not all of us. I am, for now. Your uncle would like to be. But I’ve been hoping you could take over my position as Alpha and CEO. You’re stronger than I am, Cora. You always have been. Everyone knows it–and you’ve got an undeniable knack for business. You’re the most well-suited wolf we’ve got to lead us.”

     It takes me a few moments to fully process the information. “I’m a woman. Do you think the pack is ready for…?”

     Now that the wolves are merging into modern human society, they do need an alpha with a more advanced mindset. But I’m not convinced we’re quite there yet. 

     “They’ll have their doubts, I’m sure. Unfortunately. And your uncle and cousin have been vying to replace us for ages.” My father’s expression darkens. “It won’t be an easy climb to power. Even I have been struggling to hold my position–Goddess, your uncle Luke has been driving me crazy these past few years, trying to convince me to give up our company. If you hadn’t returned…” he shakes his head sadly. “Sweetheart, I think we’d have lost the company for good.” 

     The thought fills me with rage. I reach up and grab my father’s hand, holding it tightly. “Father, I’d be honoured to replace you as Alpha of the White Claw pack, as well as CEO of our company. I’ll never give the company up to my uncle. All I want to do now is lead our pack to make us as strong as we can possibly be.” 

     My father looks at me gently, smile lines crinkling. “I’m proud of you, Cora. Once you’re well-rested, I’ll take you to our company’s headquarters so you can meet the board of directors.”

     I beam up at him. “I can’t wait.”

     The next day, I’m lying in bed scrolling through the pages upon pages of company information my father gave me when the door to my room swings open.

     It takes a moment for the memories to fall into place. Wide, baby-blue eyes, perfectly coiffed bleach-blond hair shot through with streaks of pink, and a perfectly styled purple bodycon dress just shining with glitter at eleven in the morning–

     “Cora!” My best friend Anna squeals, rushing towards me and wrapping me up in a huge hug. She smells like overpriced perfume. 

     She pulls back a few inches so she can look at me properly–there are tears streaming down her face, ruining her heavy-handed mascara and shimmery silver eyeshadow. Now that I’m seeing her up close, Anna’s not just familiar from the years we spent as childhood friends. Over the past three years, I’ve heard her music playing on the radio, seen her acting on screen, and read the articles about her in magazines. While I was struggling through an unspeakably awful marriage, Anna was becoming a superstar.

     “Anna!” I exclaim with a smile. “Goddess, how have you been? What have you been up to? Tell me about your projects! Tell me everything!” 

     Anna narrows her eyes at me. Her accent is ever so slightly British, now. “We are not talking about me right now. You’re the one who’s been missing for three years. Are you okay? What happened to you? How did you come back?”

     I laugh a little under her onslaught of questions. “Oh, that’s a hell of a story.”

     I tell her what happened to me mostly the same way as how I told my father, but I tell her a bit more about the marriage–the specifics. The brutal details. Her face falls as I continue to speak. When I’m finished, she’s seething, wicked white fangs flashing. 

     “That absolute son of a bitch!” Anna spits.

     Part of me wants to defend him. Claim he wasn’t all bad. I really did love him, after all. But then again…

     “Yeah,” I agree with a sad smile. “He really is.”

     “I guess that explains the headlines this morning.” Anna reaches into her designer handbag and pulls out a stack of gossip columns. “But who’s Erin?”

     “Erin–” just the mention of her name fills me with anger. “Give me one of those,” I say, gesturing to the stack of magazines. 

     Wordlessly, Anna passes me the first one–a glossy tabloid with a blurry picture of me and the prostitute through the window on the front, as well as a grainy shot of a hotel room.

     I don’t know what the hotel picture is about, but I’m disappointed in the quality of the photo of me. Honestly, I gave them every opportunity to capture me clearly. Sheer lack of talent on their part. 

     “‘Less than twenty-four hours after the Black Moon pack’s Luna was caught cheating and left, Alpha Alexander Brutus Black Moon of the Black Moon pack was seen entering a hotel with Erin French, the daughter of the pack’s Beta–as well as Alexander’s childhood sweetheart. The pair was reportedly out all night.’” I drop the magazine onto the bed in disgust. “I knew that little Beta bitch always wanted to fuck him. She really didn’t waste any time, though. It’s almost impressive.”

     “So she and Alexander used to date?” Anna asks.

     “According to her, they never stopped,” I scowl. “I tried to be nice to her, at first, but Erin’s hated me since she realized me and Alexander were mated. She’s been in love with him the whole time.”

     “That sounds awful.” Anna shakes her head. “How did you stay with him for three whole years?”

     I hesitate for a moment. “I mean–I did love him, really. I did. I thought we could make it work, but he didn’t care enough to try, I guess. And now of course–” my lip curls with disgust as I skim through the article. “The entire world hates me. Bitch. Slut. Whore. Gold digger. Of course they’re all on Erin’s side. I really screwed myself over, didn’t I.” 

     “No. You didn’t. You did what you needed to do to get yourself out of a bad situation. These articles–look at them!” Anna gestures to a picture on the page showing a closeup of Alexander gazing at Erin. There’s a tenderness to his gaze in the photograph, a longing he’s never directed my way. My heart twinges. “Alexander is a hypocrite, Cora. He’s going to act like he’s just the victim here, like you’re the villain in the story, but it’s obvious that he got what he wanted.”

     I steel myself and force myself to look away from the photograph. He’s a weakness I can’t afford to take with me. 

     “You’re right,” I say, bolstering my voice with fake confidence until I can muster up the real thing. “You’re right. I’m glad I embarrassed him. He got what he deserved.”

     “That’s the spirit!” Anna cheers, dyed pink hair bouncing enthusiastically. “You know what? We should celebrate your divorce. You haven’t been to The Witching Hour, have you? It’s only just opened. Hottest club in the pack. We should go! Tonight.”

     “Are you sure that’s the best idea?” I ask carefully. 

     “Absolutely. You need to show Alexander that you can still have a good life without him. And you deserve to have some real fun after what you’ve been through.”

     I start to grin. “Yeah, that’s true. I haven’t partied in ages.”

     “Amazing!” Anna reaches forward and squeezes my hand. “Tonight for sure, then. Oh, we’re gonna have a black.”

     “Oh, for sure,” I agree with a chuckle. 

     A good life. It’s far from over for me–in fact, I’m just getting started. I can still have a good life without Alexander.

     Hell, I can have an even better life without him.