Chapter 1 - Fired & Furious

Samantha's Pov

“You’re fired, Samantha.” Jaden says with a smug grin, tossing the termination letter at my feet.

I tilt my head slightly, barely acknowledging his words or the letter. I’d been expecting this ever since I stopped tolerating his harassment. So, I’m not surprised. Honestly, I’m more surprised I lasted this long at the hospital.

“Fine by me,” I reply, my voice calm, almost indifferent.

I flex my hand, wincing at the lingering sting from the punch I threw earlier. I watch Jaden wince, his right hand cradling his jaw. He’s clearly struggling to keep that smug expression, but it’s impossible to hide the pain. His jaw is swelling, the skin around it already turning an angry shade of purple, undoubtedly from the punch I landed straight to his chin when he groped me earlier this morning.

“Even if you didn't have me fired, I was planning on quitting anyway,” I add, watching his lips twitch in frustration. His eyes narrow, but I don’t care. I’ve been exhausted from the moment I walked in here every day, forced to grin and bear it, pretending not to notice the way he and the other doctors talk down to me or refer to me as a whore all because I'm the only female doctor at the clinic.

“You'll be back here begging. You won't find a job in this city anymore, I'll make sure of it,” he snarls, standing up, face red from unrestrained rage. Then, he takes a calm breath. “You’ll come crawling back, Samantha.” His lips curl into a smirk. “And when you do, I’ll have you on your knees.”

I give him an exaggerated smile and pick up my letter of termination. “Now that I don't work under you anymore, I don't need to respect you, Jaden.”

With a swift turn, I drove my fist into his jaw again, sending him crashing to the floor.

'That was a great one, Sammie,' my wolf, Tania, says, her tone practically vibrating with excitement.

I smirk victoriously. 'We both know he had it coming,' I reply through our mind link.

“I'm definitely going to report you to the police for assault,” Jaden says from where he lies on the floor. He’s bleeding from the nose, and I can't help but feel satisfied with my handiwork. 

I close the gap between us and step on his hand, using the heel of my shoe to pin him down as I give him a glare and spit on his ugly face. His screams fill the room, but I ignore it. “Oh, go run with your tail between your legs and tell the police, what are they going to do? Give me a fine?” I ask with a sneer. “I hope you live the rest of your life in misery, you dumb fuck.” 

With a final glance, I turn on my heel, unbothered, and leave.

I make a beeline for my office and gather my things. I don’t have much, so it all fits in just one box. I don’t waste any more time in the office since I don't have any sentimental attachment to it. I leave, ignoring the heated glares of my disgusting coworkers, well ex-coworkers now, and head to the garage, tossing my things into my car before settling into the driver's seat.

I take a deep breath, resting my head on the steering wheel. Three years. I can’t believe I’ve spent three years working with those disgusting excuses for humans who call themselves doctors.

‘What do you plan on doing now, Sammie?’ Tania asks me.

I shrug. ‘I don’t know,’ I reply, because it’s the truth. I'd have decided to go meet Kayla, my best friend, but she is out of town for a family wedding. ‘Go meet Xander at his bar and drink to my heart’s content?’

Tania says nothing to that as she reclines to the back of my mind. I know very well that she has a lot to say, considering she doesn't like Xander, my first boyfriend of five years now. He's human and also a doctor at a prestigious hospital owned by his family. 

I lift my head and start the car, driving out of the clinic into the beautiful city of Hunter Bridge. The view, especially at night, is the prettiest. I can hardly believe it's been twenty years since I've had this view. Twenty years since my parents and I were exiled. Twenty years since I've had to fit in with the humans and hide my werewolf side. 

All my life, I barely fit in through middle school and highschool, but university was bearable for me after meeting Kayla. She's human just like the rest and doesn't even know I'm a werewolf. Neither does my boyfriend who I met at med school.

I text Xander as I pull into the garage, but I get no response back which is unusual. Xander always replies to my texts seconds after I send them, but I don't let it bother me too much since I know I'll see him soon. 

I look at my face through the camera of my phone. Thankfully I don't look like someone that just had a shitty day. I take out the band holding my ponytail and let my black hair fall to my shoulder before reapplying my red lipstick. When I'm satisfied with how I look, I step out of the car.

The bar isn’t crowded as I enter. 

“Sammie?” It's Luca, the manager in charge of Xander’s bar. He has a look of surprise on his face as he stares at me. “What are you doing here? Xander said you had a nightshift.”

“I had. Not anymore since I quit or should I say got fired? Doesn't matter. Is Xander here?” I ask as I look around, but I don't see him anywhere.

“Uh-no. He's not,” Luca replies, although I can't help but notice the uneasiness in his voice. He's lying. “Didn't you message him? He has a shift at the hospital.”

“It's a Friday night. Xander always cancels every appointment, even impromptus, just to spend the night at his bar,” I say calmly, raising a brow at his suspicious behaviour. I take a step closer to him. “What are you trying to hide, Luca?”

He chuckles nervously as sweat trickles down his forehead. “Nothing. I swear it, Sammie. But Xander isn't here.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” he affirms.

This time I chuckle as I take a step back and scan the bar, eyes zeroing on the door to Xander's office. I awaken my werewolf senses and try to take a sniff of Xander's scent, and the scent of petrichor hits me immediately. One mixed with the scent of leather and… sex? Xander is in his office and he isn't alone. The realization nearly sends me over the edge.

Without waiting, I push past Luca and rush towards Xander's office.

“Stop, Sammie. I already told you Xander isn't in his office,” Luca says as he tries holding me back. 

A glare stops Luca in his tracks. “If you ever want to become a father in the future, you'd better move out of my way while I'm still being nice.” I threatened him.

Luca gulps and moves away. 

I continue toward Xander's office. The scent grew stronger as I reached the door. I put my hands on the knob, hoping I’d find Xander with a business acquaintance and that the scent of sex was nothing but my imagination.

With a deep breath, I open the door and I'm met with a shock.

“Xander?” My voice comes out in a whisper as I take in what's in front of me. 

My boyfriend is spread naked across his desk, moaning beneath another man.