River POV
I stared at my phone for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. No new calls. No new messages. Nothing from Zed.
I sighed and set the phone back on my desk, dragging a hand down my face.
It was stupid, really. Completely, utterly stupid.
But was it crazy that I missed his endless messages? The annoying calls, the flowers that always seemed to arrive at the worst times?
Yes. Yes, it was completely insane.
I shook my head at myself and tried to focus on the paperwork in front of me when I heard a soft knock on the door. Before I could even say "come in," the door cracked open and Hailey poked her head inside.
“Hey girl,” she said with a bright smile, stepping fully into the office.
I couldn’t help but return her smile, though it was a little tired. “Hey… How have you been?”
River POVI stared at my phone for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. No new calls. No new messages. Nothing from Zed.I sighed and set the phone back on my desk, dragging a hand down my face.It was stupid, really. Completely, utterly stupid.But was it crazy that I missed his endless messages? The annoying calls, the flowers that always seemed to arrive at the worst times?Yes. Yes, it was completely insane.I shook my head at myself and tried to focus on the paperwork in front of me when I heard a soft knock on the door. Before I could even say "come in," the door cracked open and Hailey poked her head inside.“Hey girl,” she said with a bright smile, stepping fully into the office.I couldn’t help but return her smile, though it was a little tired. “Hey… How have you been?”
Amber POVI knew deep down he would rather be anywhere but this park right now. Every step he took beside me felt forced, every sigh heavy, like he was dragging invisible chains.But the fact that he agreed to come at all… it gave me hope. Maybe he wasn’t completely gone. Maybe there was still a piece of him I could hold onto.I slipped my hand into his, feeling how cold and stiff it was against mine. My other hand clutched the picnic basket, the straps digging into my palm.We were just about to pick a spot when it hit me.“Shoot, we forgot the mat,” I groaned, stopping in my tracks.He rolled his eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. “I’m definitely not going back to that car unless it’s to drive home.”I forced a little laugh, trying to keep the mood light. “Just hold this,” I said, shoving the basket at him. “And give me the keys.”He dug them out of his pocket slowly, like every movement was a burden, and handed them to me without a word.“I’ll be back in a second,” I said,
Zed POV I stepped into the kitchen and froze.Flour dust hung in the air like a cloud, and Amber was spinning around the counter, humming to herself, hands moving in a frenzy as she mixed something in a big bowl.“What’s going on here?” I asked, my voice flat.She spun around so fast that a puff of flour flew off her apron. “Oh! Baby, you’re back,” she chirped, her eyes lighting up. “I would hug you, but I’m covered in flour.”I didn’t even bother forcing a smile. “What are you doing?” I asked again, slower this time.She sighed, wiping her forehead . “Okay, so I decided that we could go to the park today.”I frowned immediately. “When you say ‘we,’ you mean…?”She dropped the spatula, looking slightly annoyed. “I mean you and I, baby,” she responded, “ Just us. You know, to spend some time together. Like we used to.”My jaw tensed. The last thing I wanted was to go anywhere with her. My mind wasn’t here — hell, my heart hadn’t been here in a long time.“I’m not in the mood, Amber,”
River POVShe lunged forward again, her hand raised. “Talk to your father like that again, and you’ll be holding the other cheek as well,” she seethed. “What has gotten into you, River? Have you lost your mind completely?”I felt my entire body trembling. “You know what? I thought maybe after all these years you’d change. Maybe you’d finally see me for who I really am. But no. You’ll always see me as the problem, the mistake, the worthless daughter who never deserved love.”She snorted. “Finally, you’re saying something true. You never deserved him. You don’t deserve anyone. And now, you think you can fool that new Alpha into loving you? You really are pathetic.”Before I could say another word, another voice sliced through the room, freezing us all in place.“What is hap
River POV I scoffed, an almost humorless laugh escaping my lips. The nerve of this woman.“Did you just say ‘steal’? I’m trying to steal someone who is actually my mate?” I shook my head, disbelief flooding through me. “For the record, I don’t want him. I’m happy with the man I’m with. And I made that very clear to Zed.”I took a shaky breath and added, “If it’s anything, you should be telling Zed to leave me the hell alone.”But instead of listening, she clapped her hands together mockingly. “So you do admit you’ve been seeing your sister’s husband!” she spat, turning to my father. “You see your child? You see the disgrace you call a daughter? Goddess, I can’t believe I gave birth to a whore.”Her words slammed into me like a physical blow. My chest tightened, tears pricked at my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not this time.“I’m not a whore, Mother,” I whispered, my voice barely holding together.She let out a sharp, cruel laugh. “Oh, you are. A whore and a witch. An embarra
River POVI pulled up in front of the house, turning off the engine with a tired sigh. The day had been longer than I expected, and all I wanted was a hot shower and maybe to just crawl into bed.I stepped out of the car, and made my way toward the door. Just as I reached for the handle, the door swung open so fast I almost stumbled backward.“Miss Stellar!” Stella squeaked, clutching her chest dramatically. “You're back!”I laughed, steadying myself. “Goddess, Stella! You scared me half to death,” I said.I smiled. “Is everything okay with you?” “Oh no, no problem at all,” she added quickly.“Okay…” I said slowly, eyeing her curiously. “Are you going somewhere?”“Oh no, I’m not,” she said, shaking her head rapidly. “I saw your car pull up through the kitchen window, so I came out to see you.”Something about her tone made my wolf stir. “Stella, is everything alright?” I pressed again, narrowing my eyes slightly.She nodded, too eagerly. “Yes, yes, Miss Stellar. Everything is good.”