CHAPTER 5

LILLIAN POV

Sharon’s stiletto heels clicked against the marble floor like a countdown as she waltzed forward, her designer dress clinging to every curve. The moment her fingers curled possessively around Drake’s arm, the air turned to ice.

“Well…well,” She purred, her voice dripping poison, her manicured nails digging into his sleeve. “If it isn’t Lily Stewart…..though I hear you go by Doctor Stewart now.” She laughed, the sound like shattering glass. The way she said my name, like it was something filthy, sent a tremor down my spine. “Tell me, did they give you that title out of pity too? Or did you sleep with the entire review board?”

The crowd gasped. My cheeks burned, but I refused to flinch.

Drake’s muscles tensed under her grip. “I told you not to come.”

Sharon’s smile turned razor sharp. Her laugh was all teeth. “And miss this little reunion? Good thing I did. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have caught this low life—” she flicked her gaze over me, “—still trying to climb above her station.”

She stepped closer, her Chanel perfume choking me. “I still have that pathetic letter you wrote, you know. I read it to my girlfriends whenever we need a good laugh. “I hope one day you will notice me too—Christ, you are so shameless!”

The conference hall seemed to shrink. Every eye locked on us, the air thick with bated breath as they all remembered the spectacle from ten years ago.

“Drop it,” Drake growled.

But Sharon continued shrilly, her voice carrying volume, “Oh come on, Alpha. We all remembered this maid spawn….the conniving little—”

Salome cut in sharply, “Sharon, give it a rest. You are embarrassing yourself.”

“Oh please,” Sharon sneered, flipping her long blonde hair. “The only embarrassment here is this charity case thinking she belongs with us.” Her manicured finger jabbed towards me. “Ten years and you are still just a maid’s daughter playing dress up. Those shoes are so last season darling. And you…” she swirled and turned to look at Sharon with disdain, “Stay out of this, you rat.”

“Enough.” Lucas’s voice cracked like a whip, his usual lazy smirk gone. He stepped between Salome and Sharon with a scowl on his face. “Shut your fucking mouth, Sharon. Talk to my mate like that again, and I will forget you are a woman.”

The room went dead silent. Even Drake looked shocked.

Sharon’s eyes narrowed confusedly. “Since when do you defend trash, Lucas?”

“Since she became my mate’s friend,” he growled, moving protectively beside Salome.

I straightened my spine, meeting Sharon’s glare. “I was sixteen. It was ten years ago. I made a mistake. I paid for that mistake. But you?” My voice dropped. “You are still the same vicious bitch you were in high school. At least I grew up. Move. On.”

Sharon’s face twisted. “You ungrateful little—”

Then it hit me.

A scent.

Freshly painted wall. Leather. Home.

Every nerve in my body lit up. Nyla surged forward in my mind, a single word echoing….Mate.

The crowd parted as Andre strode in, his usual playful demeanor gone. His amber eyes locked into mine—and froze.

A low, possessive growl rumbled from his chest.

Nyla howled in response.

Sharon’s smirk vanished. “Oh moon goddess,” she breathed. “You have got to be kidding me.”

Drake’s head snapped towards Andre. “What the hell?”

Andre didn’t blink. He just stood there and stared. “Lillian? Lillian Stewart?” His voice was rough, disbelieving.

My pulse roared in my ears. Because the man who had jeered with the whole school as Drake read my letter, was staring at me like I held the moon in my hands.

And his wolf was calling for mine.

Sharon’s champagne glass shattered on the floor. Startling everyone and removing us from the trance we had all been stuck in. “This is disgusting,” she hissed. “First you chase Drake, now you are after his best friend and Beta? Tell me, Lillian, do you have any self respect?”

“You think a mate bond changed anything? Andre is the Beta. He will never choose you over his Alpha.”

Andre snarled, stepping between us. “One more word, Sharon, and I will forget we are a pack.”

She laughed—a broken, jagged sound. “Oh, this is rich. The Beta defending the girl who—”

l said enough!” Drake’s Alpha command rolled through the hall like thunder, silencing even the reporters. His eyes burned into mine, something unreadable flickering in their depths.

“Lillian leaves. Alone.”

Andre narrowed his eyes. “What?”

“That is an order, Beta.”

The air thick with unspoken words.

Andre’s Jaw clenched, but he stepped away from me. Placing me alone, once again in the circle of judgmental eyes.

Sharon smirked as I stumbled back. “Run along, scholarship girl. Somethings never change.”

Then—

“Actually…” Salome’s voice cut through the tension. She held up her phone, the screen displaying a live news alert—

‘LUXEMBOURG PACK SCANDAL…’THE SECRET LOVE LETTER REVEALED’

Sharon turned pale.

“Funny,” Salome mused, tapping the screen. “Seems someone just anonymously published your old love letter to Drake, Lillian. I bet whoever the person is, he…or she…” She shot a glance at Sharon. “….didn’t expect for it to get published so soon. Who is pathetic now?”

Drake’s head snapped towards sharon and snarled, “You leaked Lillian’s letter?”