LOGINANASTASIA'S POV I sighed the moment I realised there was no escaping this.Grey and the Alpha King were standing directly in my path, their bodies angled just enough to block any graceful retreat. The looks on their faces told me everything I needed to know, they INTENDED to speak to me, whether I wanted to or not.My shoulders tensed as I stopped in front of them, dread pooling heavy in my stomach.“I’ve been looking for you,” Grey said.I almost recoiled.He stared at me with that sickly, sentimental expression I knew too well, the one he wore whenever he wanted to rewrite history. As if he hadn’t manhandled me in public earlier that day. As if he hadn’t tried to trap me in the mall. As if he hadn’t bought that atrocious dress out of pure spite to humiliate me.The audacity of it made bile rise in my throat.I said nothing.I just ignored him. “Good, you’re here, girl,” the Alpha King said instead, his deep voice cutting through the tension. He gestured with his hand, beckoning me
ANASTASIA’S POVEarlier in the day, a maid had informed Nicholas and me that Amelia’s LITTLE party would be held in Bloodhound’s mega greenhouse, the one that had been converted into an event venue. It sat a fair distance from the main mansion, and because the pack lands were ridiculously huge, walking there in the heavy lavender dress I was wearing would’ve been impossible.So Nicholas had called for a car.He helped me into the backseat carefully, lifting and tucking the long, heavy tail of my dress with deliberate care, as if it were something precious instead of layers of fabric. Only when he was satisfied did he close my door and move around the car to join me inside.The ride itself was short. Too short for my nerves to settle.The first thing that struck me when we arrived was the sheer number of cars parked around the venue. Sleek black sedans, luxury vehicles, guards posted discreetly at corners. Soft classical music floated out from the greenhouse, carried faintly on the ai
ANASTASIA'S POV I sighed the moment I realised there was no escaping this.Grey and the Alpha King were standing directly in my path, their bodies angled just enough to block any graceful retreat. The looks on their faces told me everything I needed to know, they INTENDED to speak to me, whether I wanted to or not.My shoulders tensed as I stopped in front of them, dread pooling heavy in my stomach.“I’ve been looking for you,” Grey said.I almost recoiled.He stared at me with that sickly, sentimental expression I knew too well, the one he wore whenever he wanted to rewrite history. As if he hadn’t manhandled me in public earlier that day. As if he hadn’t tried to trap me in the mall. As if he hadn’t bought that atrocious dress out of pure spite to humiliate me.The audacity of it made bile rise in my throat.I said nothing.I just ignored him. “Good, you’re here, girl,” the Alpha King said instead, his deep voice cutting through the tension. He gestured with his hand, beckoning me
NATHANIELThe parking lot smelled like oil, warm asphalt, and impatience.I felt it the moment I stepped outside—the shift in the air, the way my wolf bristled before my mind fully caught up. My shoulders tightened instinctively, my gaze lifting without conscious thought.Braxton.Of course it was him.He stood leaned against his car like he owned the entire damn lot. One foot propped against the bumper, arms crossed, jacket open, posture relaxed in a way that made something ugly coil in my gut. His car was parked right next to mine. Close enough that there was no avoiding him. Close enough that I’d have to walk past him whether I wanted to or not.I stopped for half a second.Then I exhaled.Just keep walking, I thought to myself.I adjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder and headed toward my car, eyes forward, pace steady. I wasn’t in the mood. Not for posturing. Not for threats. Not for whatever little victory lap he thought he’d earned.I was done.“Damn,” Braxton drawled, pus
NICHOLAS' POV “So what do you have for me?” I asked Lucas once we were certain we were alone in the living area. Even then, he lowered his voice. “A mail was delivered this morning,” he said, leaning closer. “Something from Julian.”That alone made my pulse jump.Julian. My old friend and the best private investigator I knew of. If there was a single thread to be pulled, Julian would find it. His wide range of network and intel made him the best tracker in both the Northern and Southern territories combined. If there was anyone who could track down this Ryan dude, it was him. I contacted him a week ago and had gotten him involved in my search for the traitor, since we were finding it difficult to get a lead on the bastard. But now—“There’s a lead on the traitor.” Lucas dropped. I kept my expression neutral, schooled into calm after years of leadership, but inside, something sharp and electric snapped to life. FINALLY.The word echoed in my head, loud and impatient. I’d been wait
ANASTASIA'S POV “Tighter.”My voice cracked like a whip through the walk-in closet, slicing the air as sharply as the boning of my corset. The maid behind me froze for a fraction of a second, the kind of pause that always irritated me, before fumbling with the straps. I watched her in the full-length mirror, her nervous hands pulling but still not enough. Not nearly enough.I narrowed my eyes. “Did you hear what I said?” I hissed. “Tighter.”The maid’s voice wavered. “But, my lady… it cannot go any tighter or there’d be a mishap.”I spun on her so quickly she stumbled back. “Are you calling me fat?”Her eyes went wide with panic. “No, my lady! That’s not what I—”“Then do as I asked,” I snapped, cutting across her stupid babbling, “and stop getting on my nerves. I didn’t ask for your worthless opinion.”She nodded frantically, swallowing back a pathetic sob, and resumed pulling at the strings. Harder this time. Much harder. Her hands shook, but I didn’t care. I only cared that she d







