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Three months after the Luna Ceremony at Marcus Frost's estate, Elena stood in the gleaming lobby of her newest venture, Sterling Medical Innovations, a state-of-the-art research facility designed to revolutionize healthcare delivery across pack territories. The building was a marvel of modern architecture, all glass and steel and sustainable design, situated on the outskirts of Auckland's business district.She'd been relentless. So relentless that some days she barely had time to sleep.After her grandmother Victoria Sterling's death two years ago, Elena had inherited not just money, but an empire. The Moonstone Clan fortune, accumulated over generations of Alpha leadership, had given her the resources to do what she'd always dreamed of, build something transformative. Something that would help her pack, her people, and communities beyond.She'd launched three companies in the past eighteen months. A telemedicine platform that connected specialists to remote pack territories. A pharm
Gabriel watched Elena with the children for another moment, trying to process what he was seeing. A woman. Three children. His Elena, looking happier and more radiant than he'd ever seen her.The three kids were beautiful, two boys and a girl, all with dark hair, laughing as Elena tickled one of the boys. They couldn't have been more than five or six years old. Young enough that they'd been born after Elena left. Young enough that they'd never known Gabriel existed.His chest tightened as he realized the implication.She'd met someone. Built a new life with someone. Gabriel's hands clenched into fists as he watched the oldest boy wrap his arms around Elena's neck, kissing her cheek. The easy affection, the comfort between them, this wasn't a new relationship. This was someone who'd been in her life for years. Someone who'd given her what Gabriel never could.Three children.Gabriel waited until Elena excused herself from the children, watching as she moved toward the refreshment ta
Across town, Gabriel sits in his office, staring at his phone.Elena blocked him. Actually, blocked him.He can't text her. Can't call her. Can't explain that last night was a setup.Derek walks in without knocking. "Any luck reaching her?""She blocked my number. I'm persona non grata.""I texted her. Told her what I saw. Maybe she'll listen to me.""Or maybe she'll think you're just covering for me." Gabriel tosses his phone onto his desk. "I've lost her, Derek. Completely. Whatever small chance I had of rebuilding trust just got obliterated by Vanessa's latest manipulation."So fight back. Publicly. Make a statement on PackConnect explaining what really happened."And look desperate? Defensive? Like I'm trying to cover up a relationship?" Gabriel shakes his head. "That'll just make things worse."Then what's your plan?"I don't have one." Gabriel stands, moving to the window. She's blocked all communication with me. She believes I'm with Vanessa despite my repeated denials. What pla
Gabriel arrived exactly at eight, his arms full of files and his laptop bag slung over his shoulder. Elena met him in the study, Nathaniel hovering nearby like a protective sentinel."You look better," Gabriel said, though his eyes betrayed his concern. She still looked pale, fragile. But at least she was upright and dressed."I feel better," Elena lied smoothly. "Let's get started. We don't have much time."For the next ten hours, they worked side by side, reviewing every document, every allegation, building a defense strategy that would dismantle Vanessa's lies piece by piece.Gabriel was brilliant, Elena had to admit. Methodical and strategic, finding holes in the fabricated evidence that she'd missed in her exhaustion. He treated her as an equal partner, asking for her input, respecting her decisions about how to present her case.It was almost like the early days of their relationship, when they'd worked together on hospital fundraisers and charity events. When Gabriel had valued
Elena woke at 3 AM, her body finally granting her a few hours of merciful reprieve from the nausea. She lay in the darkness, one hand on her still-flat stomach, her mind racing with a clarity that had eluded her for days.Gabriel suspected. She'd seen it in his eyes tonight, in the way he'd looked at her, studied her symptoms, connected pieces she'd tried so hard to keep scattered.And if he suspected now, when she was barely eight weeks along, what would happen in another month? Two months? When her body started changing in ways she couldn't hide, no matter how careful she was?He would know. And once he knew, everything she feared would come to pass.Gabriel would take control. He would insist on doctors, specialists, restrictions. He would hover and manage and decide what was best for her and the babies without ever truly asking what she wanted. He would fight for custody before the children were even born, use his wealth and power to build a case that she was unfit, unstable, inca
Gabriel was halfway to the Sterling estate when his phone rang. The hospital board chairman."Mr. Thorne, I'm calling as a courtesy given your... history with Dr. Sterling."Gabriel's grip tightened on the steering wheel. "What's happened?""The board has given Dr. Sterling forty-eight hours to appear before us and address the allegations against her. If she fails to appear or cannot provide satisfactory explanations for the documented violations, we'll have no choice but to accept the evidence as presented and move forward with permanent termination of her position and a formal complaint to the medical licensing board.""Forty-eight hours? That's barely enough time...""It's more than generous considering the severity of the allegations, Mr. Thorne. Patient safety is our paramount concern. If Dr. Sterling is innocent, she'll want to clear her name immediately. Her continued absence only reinforces our concerns about her professional judgment.""She's away on urgent business. Personal







