I stared at the door long after Aurielle had walked out.Her perfume scent still lingered faintly in the air—honeysuckle and rain, laced with a sharp edge of lavender. Something about it made my chest tighten. It was ridiculous, really. The room was silent now, but her presence still clung to the walls like a ghost that refused to be exorcised.She had walked in like a storm, leveled every expectation I had, and walked out just as calmly. Unapologetic. Unmoved.That was new for me. Aurielle really has changed. The girl i knew for three years has faded away.Behind me, I heard the unmistakable sound of Nerissa’s heel tapping impatiently against the floor. Then, her voice pierced through the fog of my thoughts.“Matthias, how could you let her walk out like that?” she snapped, her tone shrill. “You run this pack! You’re the Alpha.”I blinked slowly, pulling myself back to the present.Nerissa wasn’t finished. Of course not.“She walked in here and disrespected us—you and me. She insulte
Staying up all night turned out to be a blessing in its own strange, cruel way.By morning, I was too numb to feel much of anything. No rage, no anxiety, not even the tightly coiled dread of seeing Matthias again. Just an all-consuming weariness that dulled everything. I went down to the hotel cafeteria, grabbed a bitter cup of black coffee, and forced down a piece of dry toast I could barely taste. My stomach turned at the thought of anything heavier.I didn’t drive. I walked. My hotel this time was closer to Matthias’s main pack building—only about a 45-minute walk. Which, under normal circumstances, might’ve been annoying. Today? It was perfect. The goal wasn’t efficiency. It was to burn through every ounce of energy I had so that by the time I was face to face with Matthias, I wouldn’t have the strength left to care.When I reached the building, I still felt nothing. My body was dragging, legs heavy like they belonged to someone else. The receptionist blinked when she saw me—clear
I couldn’t sleep.Not even a little.The walls of the hotel room felt too close, the sheets too crisp, the air too dry. I’d been lying awake for hours, watching the minutes tick by on the glowing red digits of the bedside clock. My thoughts wouldn’t quiet down. They just kept circling, over and over again, back to one thing: my mother’s call.Why now? Why tonight? Why, after all this time of silence, shame, and everything else we pretended didn’t happen?At 2:06 AM, I sat up, chest tight with frustration. I hated this feeling—this sick, gnawing restlessness that made my skin feel too tight for my body. Before I could second-guess myself, I snatched up my phone from the nightstand and scrolled to the number. It was still there in my recent call log, unmarked. Just a string of digits I didn’t recognize, but somehow, I knew it was her.I hit “call.”The line rang twice before she answered.“Hello?” Her voice was breathy, soft. Hopeful.I hesitated for a beat, then cleared my throat. “Mrs
The week passed faster than I’d expected—an endless blur of meetings, phone calls, and the constant hum of work in Cassiel’s pack. Every day, I found myself juggling the weight of rebuilding old foundations, mending damaged programs, and slowly regaining a sense of purpose that had been so brutally shattered before. I was always wishing there was more time here, more moments to breathe the quiet determination of this place. But just like that, Friday evening arrived—a sharp, undeniable reminder that time never waits for anyone.Reluctantly, I began to pack once again, folding up my belongings with meticulous care. Each item I placed into my bag felt like a piece of the past I was trying to leave behind, though I couldn’t quite part with all of it. Cassiel has been a rock throughout all of this. We’ve been spending every night together. Either on the phone or in person. It was a small thing, but I loved each conversation.I sighed.I had secured a room in a hotel within the Moonveil pa
I stared at my phone long after the call had ended, the glowing screen searing itself into my vision like a curse. The line had gone dead less than two minutes ago, but I hadn’t moved an inch. I couldn’t. My hand was still clenched around the phone. My other hand was balled into a fist against the mahogany desk in my office.I couldn’t look away.I couldn’t stop replaying it—his voice.Cassiel Aldric.The ever-so-noble, polished, untouchable Alpha. So calm. So confident. Speaking to me like I was some misbehaving child tugging at his beta’s shirt.I could still hear the exact words.“Aurielle is not your personal maid.”“Try me, Crowe. Shut down those nonprofits and see how fast I blacklist your pack.”He threatened me. On my own call. Over my ex-wife.And Aurielle had given him the phone. Willingly. Easily.Why the fuck was he even there?It’s past working hours. What business does he have in her home at this hour?I stood abruptly, the chair behind me scraping loudly across the floo
The sharp, sudden ringing of my phone shattered the easiness that had finally settled over the room. I blinked, barely processing the sound as I reached for it. My food was forgotten, my heart was suddenly tight. The number on the screen was unfamiliar, but my pulse quickened anyway.Unknown number.That could only mean one thing.I answered without thinking, breath caught in my throat.“Aurielle, don’t hang up.”His voice. Matthias.My stomach twisted. My fingers gripped the phone harder. Didn’t I block him? What was he doing with another number?My jaw clenched as heat bubbled in my chest, rising like steam from a kettle. Fury. Exhaustion. Disgust. It was always him, finding new ways to barge into my life, clawing past every boundary I tried to set.I glanced at Cassiel across the table. His hand froze halfway to his drink. Something flickered in his eyes—sharp and alert—as he watched me carefully. He didn’t ask who it was. I was sure he already knew.I took a breath, steadied my vo