Chapter 3

I was almost certain: Liam was Lykos.

But if that was true, who was he calling "baby"? Did he have another secret lover on the side?

Oh, hell no.

An hour later, a stunning blonde she-wolf walked into Liam’s office.

I pretended to organize files nearby, straining to hear what was going on inside.

"Baby, I missed you," Liam’s voice was tender and sweet again, making my stomach churn.

"You look especially handsome today," the woman's voice cooed.

"I wore a new suit. And the ring you like," Liam said. "I want to make a good impression when I meet your parents tonight."

"Darling, you're already perfect. My father will love you."

Meeting her parents? A new suit? The ring she likes?

So that was the cruel truth.

I was just some side piece who helped a cheater pick out a gift for his real girlfriend. A secret toy he kept in the dark.

And the one he actually loved, the one he was taking home to meet the family, was this blonde woman.

My heart felt like it had been ripped to shreds. A wave of nausea washed over me. Three months of sweet talk, all the words that made me blush and my heart race—they were all lies. I was just his distraction.

My hands trembled as I pulled out my phone and sent one last message to Lykos.

"You're a cheating bastard. We're done."

Then, without a second thought, I blocked and deleted him completely.

After it was done, I leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths, trying to calm the rage and humiliation burning inside me.

A little while later, Liam walked out holding his girlfriend's hand and saw her off. He didn’t look upset at all.

A bitter feeling rose in my throat, but I tried to console myself. At least no one knew about my humiliating little secret.

So much for love. Time to focus on work. I was a practical Beta, and I wasn't about to throw away a high-paying job over some scumbag.

The next day, Liam called me into the conference room to present a business plan to the pack’s supreme leader—Alpha Kaden.

It was my first time seeing the legendary Alpha up close.

Kaden Blackwood sat on the sofa. He wasn't middle-aged like I'd imagined. He was young, with deep-set silver eyes. He wore a black dress shirt that made him look even more dangerous and handsome.

My gaze lingered on him for a moment. I remembered telling Lykos once that I loved seeing a man in a black shirt, that it was incredibly attractive. I guess the Alpha had the same taste.

"Miss Riley, please begin," his voice was deep and magnetic, filled with an undeniable Alpha authority.

I forced myself to focus and started my presentation.

Kaden listened in silence the entire time, occasionally nodding or asking a sharp, insightful question. Liam sat beside him, adding a comment here and there, but mostly he just looked down, distracted. My heart gave a little pang thinking about him and the blonde.

When I finished, I was about to respectfully excuse myself when Kaden suddenly stopped me.

"Riley, wait."

He rose slowly and walked toward me.

My instincts screamed at me to back away, but I forced myself to stay put.

Kaden stopped right in front of me. His silver eyes fell to the crescent moon tattoo on my wrist.

"That tattoo on your wrist… it's unique," Kaden said. His voice held a dangerous, meaningful tone, completely different from the stoic expression he’d worn during my report.

I panicked.

It was my only tattoo. I’d sent a picture of it to Lykos once, and he’d said, I want to trace its shape with my tongue.

I instinctively glanced at Liam, but his face showed nothing but confusion.

"Is… is it?" I said, my voice trembling as I covered my wrist with my other hand. "It's just a normal tattoo."