Chapter 2

Alex pushed back from his desk so fast the chair scraped hard against the floor, his control slipping just enough to show through.

“What the fuck do you mean by that?”

Anabella didn’t turn immediately, and when she did, it was slow, almost lazy, like he wasn’t worth the speed. Her gaze ran over him once, calm and unimpressed.

“It means I’m done entertaining a deal that already expired,” she said. “You just haven’t caught up yet.”

His jaw tightened. “Watch how you talk to me.”

She scoffed softly, the sound low and dismissive, then turned away like the conversation had already ended and started walking toward the door.

“Anabella.”

His voice dropped,

“Stop.”

The Alpha command rolled out with it, sharp and controlled, meant to pin her in place and make her bend.

She stopped not because of him but because she chose to.

Alex exhaled, thinking he still had control. “Come back here. Now.”

Anabella chuckled under her breath, then she turned her head just enough for him to see the edge of her smile.

And then she let it slip.

Just a little.

Her wolf surged forward.

Silver magia pressed into the air, thin at first, then sharp, the pressure folding in on itself as her aura leaked out without restraint. It wasn’t loud or dramatic, but it was heavy in a way that made the room feel smaller.

Alex’s wolf dominance reacted instantly and it dropped in face of absolute power,

The instinct hit him before he could stop it, his body stiffening, breath catching as something cold crawled down his spine.

He stumbled back half a step, eyes widening before he forced control back over his expression.

An Alpha and still...

“How…?” he muttered under his breath.

Anabella watched him for a second, then the pressure disappeared just as easily as it came and it had never been there.

Anabella gave a short chuckle. “Next time you throw that useless aura at me, I won’t be polite.” She flashed a deadly grin, then walked out.

Her wolf, Nyx, cackled inside her head, voice sharp and mocking.

"Pathetic little Alpha pretending to be king. He couldn’t even hold his own scent against a real Alpha. Standards really have dropped."

Anabella felt a quiet satisfaction settle in her chest. She was done. She had fulfilled every promise she made, dragged their empire back from the edge, and they still treated her like spare parts.

Family like hers was trash and she wasn’t interested anymore.

Eyes followed her through the halls. Whispers rose behind her. She had grown used to it.

To them she was the ruthless wild girl who stole her sister’s man, used her real heiress status to tear two lovers apart. Vivienne was the fragile victim and Anabella was the villain.

Her family only saw what she could deliver. Her ex-fiancé had only seen her as a convenient bridge, useful for business, easy to control, someone who would quietly step aside when something softer came along and the pack saw her as the outsider who never quite belonged, the returned stray who disrupted their perfect story.

She was fucking done with all of it.

"Finally," "Nyx replied. "I was getting bored watching you play nice."

Anabella reached her car.

Almost.

“Bella!”

She stopped, eyes closing briefly and a quiet exhale left her.

“Of course,” she murmured.

She turned.

Vivienne was already moving toward her, fast, soft smile in place, arms opening before Anabella even fully faced her.

That fake bitch. Bad luck, running into her now.

She rushed forward and threw her arms around her in a tight hug.

“I missed you so much,” she said, voice sweet and trembling just right for anyone watching.

Anabella stood still.

Ever since Vivienne came back, the family and Alex had swarmed the Omega, dumping workload on Anabella, even pulling her into Alex’s company because he couldn’t focus on anything but the delicate one.

Vivienne’s arms tightened. Her long claws dug into Anabella’s back, hidden from view.

“Feels bad, doesn’t it?” she whispered to her, “Leaving for years and still coming back to claim what's not even mine.”

Anabella’s gaze stayed calm.

“I barely had to try,” Vivienne continued, her claws tightening slightly against her back. “Everything just… falls back into place. The family. The company. Him.”

A soft laugh followed.

“You work so hard,” she murmured. “And I just walk in and take it.”

Her claws pressed harder.

“Keep doing it, though. I like watching you build things for me.”

Nyx snorted in her head.

"Oh, I like this one. Can I break her? Just a little?"

Anabella ignored her and Vivienne leaned in slightly more.

“How does my scent feel on him?” she whispered. “Strong enough for you to notice?”

The grip tightened again, sharper this time, meant to hurt but Anabella still didn’t flinch.

She just stood there, quiet and still, like she wasn’t feeling any of it.

Her gaze shifted slightly, taking in the growing crowd watching and waiting and recording

Vivienne never did anything without an audience.

Anabella let out a soft breath.

“Tiring,” she said under it.

Vivienne pulled back slightly, blinking. “What?”

Anabella finally looked at her up close.

“Don’t you ever get exhausted running the same tired script?”

She glanced around. More crowd had already gathered, phones out, exactly what Vivienne wanted. The pack loved painting her as the big bad wild Alpha who bullied the frail, sweet Omega.

She used to ignore it, and avoid the drama but not anymore.

Nyx wanted to put her in check but not yet,

Anabella wrapped one arm around Vivienne like she was returning the hug, but her grip turned iron.

“You want a show?” she murmured against Vivienne’s ear, voice low and calm. “Fine. Let’s give them one they won’t forget.”

Vivienne’s smile faltered for half a second. Anabella smiled back coldly, while the crowd watched and whispered.

She was really done playing nice.