Chapter Five: Five years Later

Ayla's pov

Five years since I walked out of Silver fang Pack with nothing but a shredded heart and a broken name.

And somehow…

somehow, I built a life anyway.

“Miss Voss, files came in from elite fashion hub" my secretary said curtly.

"Leave them on my desk"

Seattle was a city to die for.

I flickered the ash from the bottom of the cigarette, my Red bottom heels , tapping on the silver marble floor as I watched from my exclusive twentieth floor view of the world at night.

This was Luxurious Lara, the boutique and jewelry firm I built from nothing but forged transcripts and forged names. It was now the most exclusive clothing and jewel company.

My office had floor to ceiling panels reflecting the soft golden lights of the mini chandelier.

There were sample fabrics on the silver glass table and sketches pinned across a giant wall grid.

My work was featured in magazines

My designs worn by influencers

My name is respected.

I was now Elara Voss. No longer the girl who fled barefoot across a moonlit border, no longer Ayla Rowan.

My life was perfect.

Nyx, my midnight wolf was caged behind wolfsbane laced perfume.

People didn’t know I was a wolf. No one could, not even my best friend Clara.

They didn't know about Silver fang or Blood moon or the girl who cried herself to sleep in the woods.

With the help of the wolfsbane and a spell a travelling witch had given me long ago, a charm wrapped in silver thread around my wrist.

It dulled the glow in my eyes and buried the scent of my wolf.

Nyx

It allowed me to live…. Normal.

Disrupting my thoughts was a soft knock on the door, I caught his scent and a smile curved around my lips, tossing the cigarette away I said as I adjusted a stack of portfolios.

“Come in"

The door opened and Aiden stepped inside, wearing that gentle half smile that still made something warm unfurl in my chest.

His dark hair was tousled from the wind, his suit jacket slung casually over one shoulder as he held together a bouquet of white roses.

“Hey beautiful,” he said, leaning in to kiss my temple “long day?"

I leaned into him, letting the warmth sink in “just the usual boardroom sharks" I mummered

Aiden

Was kind, a civil right lawyer with laugh lines and had zero idea that the woman he fell in love with could tear him apart with her teeth.

“I'm proud of you," he buried his nose into my hair and inhaled, he brushed some strands behind my ear. “You work too hard"

I shrugged " hardwork is how I got here”

I felt his arms wrapped around my waist as he pressed me against him. “And here is exactly where you deserve to be"

I wasn't sure if he was talking about my billion dollar office or in his arms, but I loved both.

Aiden wasn't a wolf, he wasn't a mate, he wasn't destiny but he was a choice.

A choice of safety, a steady heartbeat when mine used to tremble.

We had been together for a year, he talked about marriage sometimes. Softly, always letting me pull back if it was too much.

Aiden knew I had scars even if he didn't know how deep they truly ran but he loved me regardless.

“Dinner tonight?" He pulled away, as he readjusted his watch “I made reservations "

I smiled while looking up to him “I'll meet you there," I said “I need to finish something first" taking a glance at the elite fashion hub field laying on my desk.

He nodded, kissed the top of my head and left.

As soon as the door closed, I exhaled slowly.

“Why are you so restless today" I let out “we even took a cigarette"

'Something is coming.'

I rolled my eyes. " You mean the big fashion week? Yes I'm very much anticipating that”

I slumped to my chair and glanced through the files. It had been since yesterday that I noticed how the wolfsbane had little or no effect on me.

I had triggers, claws, furs while I had my cold showers and yesterday where my iris reflected golden for the whole day and I had to lie that they were contact lenses.

Before I could say anything again to my wolf, my phone vibrated.

I reached for it lazily. Until the name on the message froze the air in my lungs.

From: unknown

Message: we need to meet. It's about the Silver fang pack. Come alone, If you don't… I'll expose who you really are.

And for the first time in a long time, my stomach twisted.

A cold spark ignited and ran down my spine. No one here knew my real identity.

No one knew I was a wolf…

I tried to rise up but my grip slipped and I fell back to the chair.

My hand trembled as another message appeared

‘Address attached, decide within twenty four hours.’

'They found us.'

Nyx growled inside my chest as I swallowed, I suddenly felt dizzy.

“Why.."

Someone knew about the life I buried so deeply, it almost felt like it belonged to another girl.

Thought did. It belonged to Ayla Rowan.

Because secrets don't stay buried.

I managed to get up, I grabbed my coat and locked the office. My heels made silent tapping sounds as I stepped into the hallways, my heart pounded as my emotions swirled in a dozen directions.

I tried not to look like I had seen a ghost even though the one thing I feared the most was happening.

As I pushed through the glass doors and into the night breeze.

I thought of Aiden as I climbed into my black SUV.

Who from Silver fang had found me? It wasn't as though I couldn't handle them, I was different now, I was stronger and my wolf was five times larger than any normal wolf.

Sucking in air through my teeth.

“Where will I go now?” I said to myself as my grip tightened around the steering wheel.

'Back to the life we escaped?'