Ainsley’s POVThree years. Three long years since I last saw her facial features up close. And now, here she was, lying in front of me in a hospital bed, a mere shadow of the woman I once knew. Eloise… "my mate"The sight of her took me by surprise, knocking the air out of my lungs. Time had worn her down, just as it did everyone. But I wasn’t prepared for this. Her skin, once as soft as moonlight, now had a rough, weathered texture. Her eyes, once sparkling with life, were hollow like someone who had been through hell. And maybe she had, I thought bitterly.I could see the traces of her former beauty, the features everyone in the Golden Moon pack and all over the packs in Metrocity worship her beauty, but now they were buried beneath exhaustion and neglect. Her lips were chapped, the corners of her mouth turned down in a way that made my chest tighten with something I didn’t want to name.You should never have let her go. You had rejected her, pushed her away when you should’ve fought
Eric knew instantly that the woman lying on the bed was Eloise. He had recognized her the moment he saw her at the Scarlet Heart Club. But what he didn’t expect was to witness her disbelief as she grappled with what had happened.“Ainsley, you pressured me… you kissed me...” Eloise murmured, still reeling from the experience."Can't you see it?" Eric asked, his voice tinged with frustration.“No way!” Eric grabbed Ainsley as he was about to leave the room. “Ainsley, don’t tell me you have feelings for her?”Ainsley froze, his expression turning dark. Slowly, he turned back to face Eric, his eyes filled with menace. “Her? Who are you talking about?”“Eloise,” Eric responded, his voice sharp.Ainsley’s gaze sent a chill down Eric’s spine as he stepped past him, re-entering the room. He was like ice-cold, distant, indifferent. He looked at Eloise as though she were nothing more than an inconvenience.“I asked Eric to bring you food,” he said, his tone flat. “It’s on the nightstand.”Elois
“Do you remember what happened in the private room that day?” Rachel’s voice was sharp, laced with anger. “If it weren’t for Eloise sacrificing herself, do you think you’d still be standing here, spouting nonsense and making snide remarks?”Mavis’s face paled, but she quickly hid her unease behind a mask of defiance. She couldn’t bring herself to admit that Eloise had helped her out of sincerity. “Rachel, what you’re saying is true. Eloise did help me,” Mavis began, her tone defensive. “But I didn’t ask her to act like a dog to please customers. She did it for the money, and that has nothing to do with me.”Rachel’s anger flared as she stared at Mavis, but her lips curled into a bitter laugh. It seemed to her that Eloise’s sacrifice had been wasted on Mavis, an ungrateful person who couldn’t see the depth of the gesture. She sighed, shaking her head. “It’s a shame that Eloise paid such a high price to save someone like you, someone who doesn’t even know how to be grateful.”Mavis’s fa
Rachel wasn’t sure about Ainsley’s attitude, so she decided to simply recount the situation calmly. She took a deep breath and began speaking in a clear, steady tone."At first, only Amelia, her client, and Eloise knew what had happened that day." Rachel’s eyes darted over to Eric for a moment, before continuing. "Eloise bore all the pain in silence, unwilling to reveal a thing. In fact, it was Amelia who casually mentioned it as a joke to the others at the Scarlet Heart Club. That’s how I found out."Eric's expression shifted, and his eyes widened in surprise. He leaned forward slightly. "Amelia’s not a werewolf," he said, his voice laced with disbelief. "But she’s more vicious than any beast I’ve ever seen."Ainsley’s face darkened at the mention of Amelia. His lips tightened into a thin line, and his cold gaze sharpened as he looked at Rachel.Without another word, he nodded towards her. "Bring me Amelia. I’ll wait for you in Room 1."With a fluid motion, he turned and walked toward
"Alpha... No. Ainsley Williams, I know you're the Alpha of the Litha Night Walker Pack, but that doesn't mean you can insult me at will," Gold said, her voice sharp with defiance. She stood tall, almost arrogantly, as she addressed him. "You're in the Scarlet Heart Club now. No matter who you are, you must follow the rules here."The room fell silent as her words echoed, the weight of them hanging in the air. Almost everyone in the Scarlet Heart Club knew Ainsley was an influential figure in this small but highly respected establishment, but few knew he was its owner. To most, he was just another mysterious face among the club's powerful members. But Gold’s challenge was reckless, considering Ainsley was known for his volatile temperament and power, especially when it came to matters of disrespect.The Scarlet Heart Club may have appeared to be a humble establishment, but beneath its polished exterior, it was a place of secrets, where power, wealth, and influence mingled behind closed
Mavis felt an unsettling tension in the air as soon as she entered the room, but she couldn’t quite place the cause. She glanced around, trying to understand why it felt so different today. Something wasn’t right. Then, she turned to Vanessa, her friend, and asked quietly, “Vanessa, what happened?”Vanessa hesitated for a moment. She glanced at the others in the room, her gaze dropping as if she were unsure how to speak. Her fingers nervously twisted a napkin in her hands. Mavis was her closest friend, and though she knew she should warn her, something inside her told her it wasn’t the right time. Still, she had to say something.“Mavis, in fact, Amelia...” she started, but before she could finish, she was cut off.“Vanessa. Room 3 needs to be cleaned,” a voice interrupted sharply. The tone was clipped and demanding, and before Mavis could react, everyone in the room stood up, as if on cue. The shift in the room’s atmosphere was sudden, like a veil had been pulled over the scene. The
"Alpha Michael, I didn’t think you would fall for a woman in the club. I always thought you didn’t like women." Michael’s friend’s voice broke the silence, his words accompanied by laughter from the others.The room filled with amusement, ignoring the presence of the human waitresses in the corner. Many of the customers at Club Scarlet Heart were wolves, and although not all the employees knew about the supernatural, most had grown used to the oddities over time. The club, close to the forest, offered the perfect cover for werewolves to hide in plain sight, blending seamlessly into human society. The wolves in Metrocity were safe. Their identities were legal, protected by laws that made them nearly untouchable, even by hunters.But Michael didn’t care about the taunts. He was used to them. His mind was elsewhere, focused on the woman beside him. Eloise. He barely registered his friend's words as he led her away from the noisy group, his hand on her back guiding her toward a quieter pl
Eloise unconsciously reached out and pulled Michael into a tight hug, the same way her brother had done when she was young. It was an instinctive gesture, one born of a time when life had been simpler, before the weight of fear and pain had tainted her existence.Michael froze in her arms. His heart thudded in his chest, and for a fleeting moment, he forgot where he was. He heard Eloise’s voice, soft and fragile, whispering words that seemed to cut through the air with a strange familiarity.“She would be happy if she knew you loved her,” Eloise murmured.The words felt like a whisper from the past, from someone long gone. Michael’s breath hitched as the name slipped from his lips, almost without his consent. “I’m sorry, Melissa. I love you, Melissa.” The words felt hollow, but at the same time, they echoed with a pain he hadn’t fully acknowledged until now.Eloise’s chest tightened. She had heard those words before, in another context. She realized then that both she and the woman Mi
Eloise collapsed to the ground, her heart racing. Ainsley knelt beside her, panting.“You’re such a bad girl,” he groaned with a crooked grin.She blinked, then laughed. The sound surprised even her.They leaned on each other as they walked home. Eloise winced with every step.Inside, she locked the door behind them and turned to Ainsley. “Why were you there?” She asked with a frown.He looked sheepish. “From the balcony… I watched you leave for work. And I wait for your return. I always have.”Eloise froze. That… she hadn’t expected.“I’m not stalking you,” he added quickly. “I just… feel safer knowing you made it home.”Her throat closed. She didn’t speak.Later that evening, after cleaning Ainsley’s wounds, Eloise sat in her office, the silence pressing on her.Jacob had just finished a quick check-in. Mandy arrived, knocking gently.“Find the leak yet?” Eloise asked.Mandy sighed. “No. It’s like they vanished.”“Stop the investigation.”Mandy blinked rapidly. “What, why? Shouldn’t
When she arrived at the Anthony Group, Mandy’s jaw dropped and her eyes were wide open.“Miss Anthony? You’re here early.”“Give me the proposal for the Jack Ray partnership. "I need to reconsider several details to make it profitable,” Eloise said.“But… are you sure you want to review that again?” Mandy asked hesitantly."I think they'll be delighted to see a revised proposal, especially one that could bring more profit for both sides. Mandy, in this world, no one walks away from money."Mandy blinked. That wasn’t the Eloise she knew.“O-okay,” she stammered, retreating. She wanted to pull Eloise out of her emotional spiral, but hearing her talk business with such coldness was unnerving.In the office, Eloise sat across from Jack Ray.“I’ve outlined the additional terms for the partnership. These revisions will double our projected profits. Mr. Jack, you should reconsider before dismissing the offer,” she said.Jack frowned, visibly disappointed. Can’t we just talk like two people,
The bedroom door creaked open. Eloise looked up from her book, startled. Ainsley stood there, his face unreadable, a folded blanket in his arms. Without a word, he stepped in, laid the blanket on the floor beside the bed, and began unrolling it with deliberate care.“What are you doing?” Eloise asked, her brow furrowing.Ainsley lay down on the makeshift bed, turning his back to her.“You're not allowed to sleep here,” she said in a cold and dispassionate voice. “Ainsley, go away!” she shouted, frustration bubbling over.However, Ainsley sat up abruptly, glaring at her. “Just send me away tomorrow! I don’t care! But don’t think you can kick me out tonight!”Eloise was taken aback. It was the first time eight-year-old Ainsley had raised his voice at her.“You want to kick me out. You're sick, and no one will take care of you. You're unreasonable!” he shouted again.She stared at him, speechless. The room fell into a tense silence, the only light coming from a dim night lamp.Suddenly,
Time passed slowly.Eloise glanced at her wristwatch again, her brows knitting in frustration. The ticking felt like it echoed louder in the room than it had any right to, like each second was dragging its feet, deliberately mocking her patience. She shifted slightly in her seat, the silence becoming more stifling by the minute. Ainsley sat across from her, completely still, his small eyes trained on her face with an eerie calmness.The shrill ring of her phone startled her.Her body tensed instinctively. She snatched the phone from the table, her thumb sliding across the screen to answer.“Are you here yet?” she asked sharply.From the other end, Eric’s voice came hurried, uneven, and heavy with movement. He was clearly in motion. “I can’t come,” he said, no greeting, just urgency. “I’ll leave Ainsley with you for now.”Eloise shot upright. “Wait a minute,” she snapped. “Leave him with me for now? Isn’t Hank there?”She heard the sigh in Eric’s throat before he spoke. “Hank isn’t fre
Stepping aside, Eloise said in a formal tone, “Let me introduce you. This is Jack Ray, the representative of our partner.”Mandy, blinking in confusion, stepped forward and extended her hand politely. "Hello….."“Mandy, I’ll follow the project this time,” Eloise cut in swiftly, not allowing her to finish.Mandy froze, utterly bewildered.Eloise leaned close and whispered in her ear, “I’ll explain after we get back.”Jack personally walked them all the way to the car, his gaze never leaving Eloise until she disappeared from his sight.Inside the car, Eloise slumped back against the seat.“Have you met Jack before?” Mandy asked curiously as they neared the Moonlight Garden. “I thought I was going to be in charge of the project?”Eloise forced a smile. “Don't misunderstand. There are certain things about this project I need to handle personally. You've been working so hard, Mandy. You deserve a break.”Mandy still looked unsure. “Okay… but rest well after this problem is solved, okay?”A
The secretary suddenly stood up, her voice hurried and apologetic. “I’m sorry, Mandy." Our president said he wanted to meet with Ms. Anthony alone to seek cooperation this time.”Eloise, Mandy, and the other Anthony Group representatives exchanged confused glances, uncertainty flickering between them. What a strange request! Suspicion brewed silently in the air.Mandy parted her lips to protest, but Eloise reached out, stopping her with a firm hand. “Take the others out of the conference room,” she instructed quietly, her voice calm but commanding.“But…” Mandy’s brows furrowed in deep worry. She didn’t want to leave Eloise alone.Eloise looked at her steadily, her gaze unwavering, burning with determination. “Mandy, you know how important this cooperation is to me.”It wasn’t just important to her; it was crucial to the future of the Anthony Group. It was everything.Mandy hesitated a moment longer, then finally nodded. “Let’s go,” she said, her voice reluctant. She signaled the othe
Ainsley was in a pitiful state; his clothes soaked through, his shoes worn out beyond recognition. He must have been searching for her for a long, long time, wandering alone through the rain.“Get in the car,” Eloise said urgently, her voice cracking as she took his trembling hand.Leading him carefully, she guided him back to the car, shielding him as best she could from the relentless rain.She pulled open the back seat door and gestured for him to climb in. But Ainsley stubbornly shook his head, water flying from his wet hair.“No,” he said firmly.“Why?” Eloise asked, frowning deeply, confused by his sudden refusal.“I don’t want to sit in the back seat, I want to sit there.” He pointed insistently at the passenger seat beside her.Eloise blinked, momentarily stunned. She didn’t quite understand what difference it made, but for Ainsley, it clearly meant everything.“I want to sit next to you,” he said seriously, his eyes locked onto hers, filled with an intensity that surprised h
“No reward?” Ainsley’s mouth trembled, and he looked like he might burst into tears at any second.Eloise bit her lip hard. “Of course, you get a reward. Like I said, you did great.” She reached out and ruffled his hair. The next moment, she froze as Ainsley, clearly overjoyed, rested his head contentedly on her shoulder.Just then, Eric came up behind them, his voice low. “Everything’s ready, we can send it now.”No one spoke. The tension in the air was almost unbearable as they quietly got into the car. As the vehicle rolled down the dark road, Eloise stole a glance at Ainsley, who had already fallen asleep beside her.He used to occupy most of her life — in every memory, every thought. Now, the air inside the car felt stifling. Eloise turned her head sharply to the window, blinking hard. He couldn’t remember anything.All the entanglements they once shared ; love, hate and pain, now belonged to her alone.The car headed farther into the remote outskirts, taking a dark road lined wi
Eric hesitated, concern flickering across his face, but finally he nodded and stepped out, shutting the door behind him with a soft thud. Silence swallowed the room. Eloise stood motionless for a long, long time. The steady beeping of machines was the only sound, each one a harsh reminder of how fragile life was.Finally, she moved. Slow, heavy steps carried her to Ainsley’s bedside. She reached out with a trembling hand but stopped an inch from touching him.Instead, she sank into the chair beside him, folding her hands tightly in her lap to hide how badly they shook. She didn’t cry. She didn’t scream. She just sat there, hour after hour, her eyes never leaving his broken body.Five days and nights blurred into each other.Every time Eric or Jacob tried to pull her away, she stayed rooted there.“Won’t it hurt her if she doesn’t cry?” Eric asked once, whispering in a low voice, watching her through the window.“I’ve been through worse,” Eloise heard it she croaked, her voice raw and