Chapter 1

When Caesar came back, I was sitting on the couch, counting the money his Uncle Miron had been paying me all these years.

My wolf stirred inside me, warning, 'He's already upstairs.'

Panic hit. I barely had time to grab a thick blanket and throw it over the piles of cash before the door swung open.

Caesar stepped in.

I wiped the smile off my face in an instant, letting my eyes redden just enough. "You're finally back," I said softly.

His expression was dark, his voice colder. "Rena, Celine slipped and got hurt after standing in the rain. I told you, Celine is my friend. You have no right to bar her from entering the villa!"

I stared at him, then let out a bitter laugh. "Since when do I have that kind of power? I just asked her not to parade herself in front of me."

"Besides," I added, "hasn't she always come and gone as she pleased? The bedroom, the study—even the conference room you won't let me into. Has she missed a single one?"

Caesar's brow tightened. "Rena, are you being jealous? Celine came representing the Silver Gleam Pack. She deserves your respect!"

That's when I realized—he hadn't come to hear me out. He was here to pick a fight.

I smiled faintly. "Then why not give her my Luna title while you're at it?"

He tugged at his collar, clearly irritated, and started to sit down. "Rena, stop being unreasonable—"

Shit! The money was under there.

I lunged forward, grabbing his arm and yanking him back before he could sit. His weight hovered dangerously close to the cushion full of cash.

When I looked up, his eyes were colder than ever.

And right then, the door opened again. One of his subordinates stood there. "Alpha, Miss Celine says she's in a lot of pain…"

The actress in me came alive. My eyes filled instantly, tears spilling down my cheeks.

"Can't you stay until tomorrow?" I pleaded. "Ever since Celine showed up, you haven't spent a single night with me. The werewolves in our pack are laughing at me…"

Caesar glanced at his subordinate, his jaw set tight. When he looked back at me, his eyes were unreadable. "Until Celine recovers, I won't be coming back."

"Do you still love me?" I shouted, losing control.

His only reply was the sound of the door slamming shut.

"Caesar! Come back!" I called after him, my voice cracking.

Silence.

Then I sighed. "Finally, he's gone."

Wiping away my fake tears, I lifted the blanket and exhaled in relief. "Money's better anyway. No legs. Doesn't run off."

My wolf groaned inside me. 'Rena, do you really not love Caesar anymore?'

I hugged the bundles of cash to my chest. "His heart's been running after Celine for a long time. What good is something that's already gone?"

"Still…" I stood slowly, hesitation creeping in. "Something tells me things are about to get bad. Celine didn't come here for nothing. My Luna position's in danger."

My wolf tensed. 'What are you going to do?'

"Run," I said, staring down at the pile of money. "Three years. I've saved enough. Time to find somewhere new."