Chapter 5

8:00 PM. The Alpha's Private Club.

The VIP room was dimly lit, thick with the smell of cigars and strong liquor.

The moment I pushed the door open, I saw Daisy sitting in the corner.

She was wearing a low-cut silk camisole that clung tightly to her curves, and with a deliberate little shift of her shoulders, she squeezed her full breasts—laughing coquettishly as she chatted up the wealthy Alpha beside her, every move oozing unapologetic allure.

When she saw Ethan walk in with me, her eyes flashed with resentment for a split second before she switched to her innocent, wide-eyed act.

"Hello, Luna. I'm the Alpha's new assistant. He said he was short-handed, so I came to help pour drinks."

I gave a faint nod and didn't say a word.

For two whole hours, Ethan put on the performance of a lifetime.

He cut my steak for me, blocked shots of strong Tequila on my behalf, and even when someone jokingly asked Daisy to sing, he kept his eyes straight ahead, acting as if he didn't know the female at all.

"Damn, Ethan, that self-control is legendary."

"With a high-blood Luna at home, how could any stray she-wolf catch his eye?"

Ethan soaked up his friends' flattery. He wrapped his arm around my waist, looking at me with deep emotion. "Exactly. In my eyes, no one compares to Ivy."

I felt suffocated. I made an excuse and went to the restroom.

I stood in front of the sink for a long time, splashing cold water on my face, trying to wash away the fake smile I had plastered on.

When I returned to the VIP room, my hand had just touched the doorknob when the raucous laughter inside allowed my heightened hearing to pick up every distinct word.

"Ethan, I couldn't ask while Luna was here, but what's the deal with the Omega assistant?"

"Yeah, the way that little chick looked at you... she wanted to eat you alive."

Ethan's scornful laugh drifted out, heavy with intoxication. "Just for fun. Meat delivered to your door—you'd be an idiot not to eat it."

"Aren't you afraid Luna will find out?"

"Her?" Ethan's tone was dismissive. "She's a blockhead. What does she know? She's like a dead fish in bed, absolutely boring. Nowhere near as wild as Daisy."

Immediately after, Daisy's sickly-sweet voice chimed in. "Ethan, you're so bad! You acted so serious in front of Luna earlier; I almost got jealous."

"Be a good girl. Come here and let me kiss you. Holding back earlier was killing me."

Then came the sound of fabric rustling and heavy, breathless moans.

The room erupted in cheers and catcalls.

"Moon Goddess above, Ethan is a legend! Getting handsy right in front of us?"

"Come on, come on, Truth or Dare! Ethan, tell us: do you prefer the holy goddess at home, or the little wild cat in your arms?"

Ethan's voice was muffled, sounding like his face was buried in the woman's chest. "A goddess is for worshiping on a pedestal. But in bed... I prefer a slut."

Boom.

The explosion of laughter from inside the room felt like a series of slaps across my face.

It turned out that in the eyes of his friends, I was just a "blockhead" used for decoration. A joke kept in the dark.

My hand slowly released the doorknob. I didn't barge in with righteous fury. I didn't shift and roar.

I turned around and walked to the balcony at the end of the corridor.

The biting night wind dried the moisture in the corners of my eyes.

Just then, the phone in my pocket vibrated.

It was an unknown number.

"Hello, is this Ms. Aurora?"

The voice on the other end was formal, male, and rigorously professional.

"Speaking."

"Ms. Aurora, I am the human lawyer handling your disassociation from pack affairs. All the cancellation procedures you entrusted to me have been completed."

"The pack real estate under your name, the luxury cars, and the family trust funds have all been liquidated and transferred to a confidential Swiss Bank account. Your identity information within the Werewolf Registry will be formally deleted in two weeks."

"Additionally, the ticket for the private jet to the Neutral Territories has been issued. The flight is scheduled for the early morning, exactly a week from now."

"Do you need to bring any other identification besides your Rogue passport?"

"No, the passport is enough."

As soon as I hung up, I heard footsteps behind me.

"Ivy, why have you been gone so long? What do you need a passport for?" Ethan walked over, reeking of alcohol, and hugged me from behind.

I calmly put my phone away, suppressing my nausea, and didn't push him away. "Nothing. My friend lost her passport; I was just asking how she could replace it."