Chapter 3

Rae didn't even give them a second look. She hung her soaked coat on the rack.

"The guest rooms are empty. Pick whichever one you want," her voice was dead flat. She walked straight past them toward the stairs.

Colton froze, spoon mid-air. A flash of pain hit his eyes.

He shot up from the couch and rushed up the steps, blocking her path. "Rae, it's pouring outside. Tessa just came to check on my cat here. Do you have to be so cold to me?"

"I'm just helping you host your guest," Rae stepped sideways to dodge his touch. "I'm going to the study to pack some private files. Help yourselves."

Colton glared at her, fists clenched tight. Her calm face felt like a series of invisible slaps, sending him into a panic. But he forced his anger down, turning around to head to the third-floor command center to handle pack business.

Rae entered the study and started gathering audit files and equity documents.

"This room is mine from now on."

Tessa leaned against the doorway, holding her million-dollar Persian cat, Duchess. She walked in on her high heels, her eyes vicious. "Rae, you think holding onto the Luna title means anything? Colton loves me! Your brat is gone, so how are you gonna fight me now?"

Rae didn't even look up, packing documents into a folder. "Are you done? If you are, get out."

Her total disregard set Tessa off. She squeezed the cat tight, making the startled Persian screech!

"Go to hell, you bitch!"

Tessa's eyes flashed with malice. She swatted the cat's rear, launching the claws-out Persian straight at Rae's face!

Rae raised her arm to block it by instinct.

Sharp claws ripped into her wrist, tearing open three bloody gashes. Blood gushed out, staining the files on her desk red.

"Shred her face!" Tessa shrieked like a demon.

Rae fought the agonizing pain, stepping on the leash to kick the cat away. She looked up, her eyes icy cold. "Tessa, 4K HD cameras are installed all over the mansion's common areas. Including you throwing the cat to attack me just now. It's already uploaded to the Council cloud."

Tessa's face turned ghost-white. She took a step back.

"Unless you want the Council to strip your noble status, get out now," Rae held her bleeding wrist, her voice frozen like ice.

Tessa grit her teeth, grabbed her cat, and slammed the door shut as she fled. Rae calmly pulled out a roll of gauze and wrapped her wrist tight.

At two in the morning, the storm outside raged against the mansion.

BOOM!!

A loud explosion shattered the study windows. Thick smoke and roaring flames instantly rushed up from the first floor.

Piercing alarms screamed through the manor, mixed with chaotic shouting.

Rae opened the study door, met by a wave of scalding smoke. Clutching her injury, she tried to head down the emergency exit, only to be slammed to the floor by a panicking maid!

"Ah!"

Her forehead cracked against the steps. The world spun. Her wrist wound tore open again, blood pooling on the floor.

"Rae!!"

Colton's frantic roar cut through the smoke-filled hallway. He charged up the stairs through the haze, sparks burning holes in his clothes. His golden wolf eyes shook violently in the firelight.

Seeing Rae on the floor, sheer terror erupted in his eyes. He sprinted toward her with everything he had:

"Rae! Hold on! I'm saving you!"

In that single moment, seeing him risk his life for her, Rae's dead heart twitched almost imperceptibly.

But just as he reached her—one step away—

"Meow!!"

A faint screech came from the debris nearby.

Colton stopped dead in his tracks. He snapped his head toward the edge of the fire, where Duchess the Persian cat was trapped.

Colton's expression changed instantly. Pure instinct took over as he sprinted into the corner, grabbing the terrified cat and wrapping it tight inside his designer suit jacket.

Holding the cat, he didn't give Rae—bleeding on the floor—a single glance. He turned around and rushed straight down the stairs.

Flames swallowed the stairwell, stretching his retreating back into a cold, decisive shadow.

Rae lay flat on the scorching floor, staring blankly at his back as he left with a cat. Right then, her lips pulled into a bitter, mocking smile.

Turns out, to him, her life as his mate wasn't even worth as much as Tessa's pet.