Three years later, a skinny woman tottered on the street with a ragged plastic bag in her hand. She kept a few dollars and her identification card in that bag.
She was pale and bruised. She also has a three-centimeter scar on her face. Three years, and everything had changed. Gloria's lips curled slightly. Yeah, after three years, things changed. It was not just about the world outside the werewolf prison. She had changed too. Where could she go? She didn't belong to any pack and lost her identity in human society. As a rogue, she was too weak to survive among other rogues. Then, a job advertisement from a shop nearby caught her eye. She stood before the job advertisement. She looked at it for a while, and her eyes finally fixed on the words "Cleaners wanted" and "Accommodation and lunch provided". Gloria gritted her teeth and walked into the club named Fittro. As soon as she entered, she shivered. The cold air from the central air conditioner made her tremble. "Name," The woman behind the counter spoke impatiently. "Gloria," she answered with a hoarse and unpleasant voice. Her voice scared the gorgeous woman, holding a pen in her hand. The woman almost dropped the pen. She asked Gloria in an unpleasant tone, "What's wrong with your voice?" After three years of terrible prison life, Gloria learned to be obedient. Though the woman asked so bluntly, she still managed to answer in a calm tone, "It was caused by smoke." The gorgeous woman was a little surprised, and her probing eyes fell on Gloria's face. "You mean, a fire?" "Yes, a fire." After saying that, Gloria lowered her eyes. Someone had set the fire deliberately. Seeing that Gloria would say no more, the pretty woman ceased to care. Her brows furrowed. "That's not good. Fittro is no ordinary club. Our guests are VIPs." She glanced up and down at Gloria again, displeased. She despised Gloria since her dress looked like a sack on her. Fittro Club was not a place for the common man. Even the waitresses here were hot, good-looking young women. How could someone like Gloria think of applying for a job there? The gorgeous woman stood up and waved her hand at Gloria. "You can't work here. You're not even qualified as a waitress." Then, she turned around and was about to leave. "I only want to be a cleaner." Gloria's muffled voice, echoing through the office, stopped the woman. The woman paused, turned around, and raised her eyebrows. She looked at Gloria from head to toe. "I've never seen a girl in her twenties willing to work as a cleaner." However, Gloria said calmly, "I would love to be a call girl if I'm qualified. But I know how I look. At least, I can still do some cleaning work." She thought, 'I was sent to prison as a murderer. I'm released now, and dignity means nothing to me anymore.' Gloria laughed at herself inwardly. The gorgeous woman was surprised and looked up and down at Gloria again. She returned to her desk, picked up the pen, and filled the form. "You're hired." She paused for a while. Then, she looked up and warned Gloria, "Do you know why I made an exception and hired you?" The woman didn't expect a response from Gloria, and she continued, "Gloria, I agree with you. Accept your fate and do what you are capable of. Many people are twice your age, yet they still don't get it. You choose to face reality and see what you can do. I'm sure you also know what you can't do." Gloria did not answer and just looked at the woman quietly. The beautiful woman looked at Gloria and sighed, "You can call me Christine from now on. Gloria, I have to tell you, Fittro Club is not an ordinary club." Gloria could sense that Christine was a werewolf through the smell, so she understood what Christine meant. Apparently, Christine thought she was a human. Anyway, Gloria had a job now. She was no longer Alpha's daughter of the Silver Spring Pack. Instead, Gloria was a cleaner who had just been released from prison. *** Gradually, Gloria adjusted herself to her new life. Over the past few months at the Fittro Club, she has often been bullied by other employees. Those imprisoned werewolves told her that everything she had suffered was ordered by Alpha Patrick. Gloria gave up fighting back because she was no longer the daughter of the Alpha of the Silver Spring Pack. She was nothing but a rogue and no one cared about her. Then, day after day, the terrible beatings, tortures, and insults tamed her. Gloria's wolf became weaker, and the connection between them was getting weaker too. One day, Gloria noticed that she was unable to summon her wolf. Her wolf seemed to have left. Those imprisoned werewolves began to laugh at Gloria as they discovered that there was no aura of a wolf on Gloria. Without a wolf, she was no longer a werewolf. Their voices were like a spell, and their faces were twisted. No matter how Gloria tried to drive them away, she couldn't get them out of her head. "Gloria, a guest in the VIP room spilled the wine. Go and clean it." A waitress's voice cut Gloria's thoughts. Gloria turned around and looked blank. Seeing that Gloria was in a daze, the waitress complained, "You're loafing on the job again. You'd better watch out, or I'll tell Christine!" Gloria was always quiet and would do whatever she was told to do. She wouldn't talk back even if others bullied her. Every single person in Fittro Club knew about it. If anyone was in a bad mood, they would bully Gloria to vent their anger. So, Gloria nodded without trying to defend herself. Her appearance made the waitress look down on her even more. Gloria lowered her eyes and followed the waitress into the elevator, but she was suddenly pushed out. Gloria was puzzled. The waitress looked at her in disgust and said, "You stink. Can't you smell it? You'll ruin the air in the elevator and the guests may complain about it. Go and take the freight elevator." Although Gloria was dressed shabbily, she washed her clothes often and there was no strange smell from her body. The waitress was only trying to give Gloria a hard time. If it was anyone else, they would get into a fight. But not Gloria. She would endure it in silence. As expected, Gloria left the elevator quietly. When the elevator door was closed, the waitress pursed her lips in disdain. Freight elevators were used to transport supplies. Despite its relative spaciousness, the decor was simple. So, the waitresses would rarely use it. The doors slowly opened. Gloria looked up and saw two people inside. A tall and strong man was hugging a woman with a curvy figure. They hugged each other tightly and were kissing passionately. Gloria was suddenly stunned. It would be awkward if she went in, but it would be strange if she did not. She stood in front of the elevator and did not move. The woman in the man's arms was still gasping slightly. Gloria had worked in Fittro Club for a few months, and she was clear about the meaning of the voice. Gloria could see the back of the woman, as well as the man's profile. Gloria sensed the man's gaze, and her heart was beating wildly. She watched the man carefully. In the not-so-spacious freight elevator, she could tell the man's strong aura as an Alpha.The oppression from the man's Alpha aura was strong, which made Gloria feel a little uneasy. The man noticed Gloria's gaze toward him, and he kissed the woman in his arms even more passionately. His golden eyes seemed brighter than stars, and his playful gaze rested on Gloria. Gloria quickly lowered her head. She stepped forward and turned to leave the elevator. "Stop!" Gloria heard the voice coming from behind. She did not want to cause trouble, especially not to bother the powerful Alpha and his human companion. She couldn't guess what the werewolf was here for. Gloria thought for a second and slightly bowed to the man. She said in a respectful tone, "Please forgive me, sir. I'm just a cleaner here and was on my way to clean the private room. I didn't mean to disturb you, and I hope you will forgive me." Gloria's voice was rough and hoarse, yet the man was not surprised. He looked at Gloria curiously and asked, "A cleaner? So young?" Gloria nodded and did not spe
Gloria arrived in the private room. She felt the air was strange in the room as she entered. In the dim light, a few guests sat on the sofa with several call girls. Only Lillian stood in the middle of the room. When Lillian saw Gloria, she immediately shouted, "Gloria, help me!" The guests sitting on the sofa suddenly focused on Gloria, who became nervous in an instant. Some of the guests were werewolves. Gloria was startled, and her body tensed up for a moment. "I'm here to clean." As she spoke, her unpleasant voice was exposed. With that hoarse voice, the guests lost interest in her and turned back to Lillian. Gloria had been working at Fittro Club for a few months, and she knew how to keep her job. So, she learned not to poke into other people's business. Therefore, she ignored Lillian's pleading look toward her. Gloria was just a cleaner and could barely support herself. How could she help others? Moreover, Lillian was only a human and she had parents to
Gloria raised her head. She looked at the powerful man sitting on the sofa... What did he just say? He was her mate. Years ago, she didn't accept his rejection. Therefore, she was still his mate. How could he ask her to kiss another man? Gloria stared at Patrick and her eyes were filled with desperation. Patrick enjoyed the look in Gloria's eyes and believed that she would reject his request. Any woman would choose to drink rather than kiss a strange man. "Can you ask me to do something else?" Gloria begged. Patrick sneered, "You don't get to negotiate with me." Gloria crawled on the ground. She reached out her hand to touch the ugly scar on the left side of her waist. That was the only time she shifted at the werewolf prison because she couldn't bear the torment anymore. Then, other werewolves also shifted and bit her on her waist. Later, they treated her wound with wolf poison. After Gloria turned back to her human form, she became very weak and her wounds wouldn
Derrick looked at Patrick. Both of their packs were very powerful in Nevada, and they were both enemies and friends. Derrick glanced at Gloria, who was pulled behind Patrick. To his surprise, Gloria’s ears were red. “Hey, was this your first kiss?”Gloria’s blushed face was the answer. Derrick did not realize that and was in an extremely good mood right now. He looked at Patrick with a faint smile. “What if I take her away by force?” "You idiot! He's coveting our mate! He's provoking us! Tear him apart!" Leo's roar echoed in Patrick's mind. Since Patrick rejected Gloria, his wolf Leo had a strong resentment towards him, but at this moment, his wolf suddenly had a very strong reaction. "Shut up!" Patrick clenched his fist and shouted to Leo in his mind. Dealing with the anger of Leo in his mind had already made Patrick impatient, but he still looked calmly at Derrick. Stewart whistled and said to another man,“Sean, take out your phone and record this scene now! If it
For a moment, Gloria thought she was already dead. Then, she was overwhelmed by pain. She opened her eyes after a few seconds and found herself lying on the lawn. Thank God, though she was wolfless, her wolf instinct still protected her while she was falling. She tried to get up and she felt a huge pain in her ankle. But she had no time to check on it. She knew that the gammas were always around Patrick and would chase after her soon. All she could do now was to run. saw Gloria She ran past two blocks and stopped a taxi. “I want to go to Austin!” Gloria said. “Money!” The driver looked impatient and wouldn’t drive without money paid in advance. Gloria was stunned for a moment and then said, “What?” “Give me the money.” The driver was in a bad mood. So, he was impatient when he saw Gloria, who looked weak and skinny. “Shouldn’t I pay you when we arrive?”Gloria frowned. He said, “Hurry up and give me the money, or I won’t drive!” Gloria panicked. Patrick’s men w
Gloria didn't want to go over, but she dared not to do so. Her feet seemed to have betrayed her as she got out of the car. She walked slowly toward Patrick. Patrick first glanced at Gloria's legs and then at her face. He mocked, "Do you enjoy this? Miss Carter, why are you wasting time?" Gloria's breathing stopped for a moment, and she pinched her thigh. She knew that Patrick was sure she was slow because she was trying to stall deliberately. She hoped that it was really as he said. She was only stalling. But the truth... Gloria gritted her teeth and walked faster. Then, she felt pain and pinched herself harder. Patrick saw her speed up and smiled slightly. He said to himself with satisfaction, 'That's right. A toy should act more like a toy.' Patrick reached out his hand and held the woman in front of him. He exhaled the last puff of smoke and took the cigarette between his fingers. Without looking at it, one of his guys took over the cigarett
"Do you still remember that you are a werewolf? You looked so cowardly when you beg for mercy, which makes me sick," Patrick said coldly. "If the members of the Silver Spring Pack knew that their Alpha's daughter was so weak and incompetent, what would they think?" Gloria's body swayed. She thought that she could accept all of this calmly and would never be sad again. The daughter of the Alpha of the Silver Spring Pack? Gloria smiled bitterly. It was Patrick who had asked Damon to go to the Silver Spring Pack to deliver his statement. Because of that, her father had to expel her from the pack. She was no longer a member of the Silver Spring Pack. Now, she was just a rogue who had once stayed in the werewolf prison for three years and lost everything. Patrick was mad since Gloria didn't defend herself. She still faced down on the ground. "Even if I humiliate her in front of so many people, does she remain indifferent? Is the woman in front of me really Gloria? Di
All Patrick did was push Gloria to her limits. He had yet to realize that deep down in his heart, he wanted the arrogant Gloria. In the past, she would say to him, "If Gabrielle becomes your mate, I'll give up on you!" However, now, she was a lowly wretch who only knew how to apologize! Patrick was even less aware that behind all his methods of coercing Gloria was a truth he could not accept. He was the one who changed her! Patrick found a seemingly reasonable excuse for himself. The reason he humiliated Gloria was that she killed Gabrielle. Christine heard Patrick's words clearly this time. He asked her to transfer Gloria to the Public Relations Department. The Public Relations Department of Fittro Club was basically in charge of calling girls. Christine glanced at the pale-faced Gloria and said, "I understand, Mr. Hammond." From her experience, Christine had a hunch that something unusual was going on between Gloria and Patrick. She had never
Luana fought with all her might, her slender hands clawing at Cline's arms.Her nails bit through his skin, drawing blood, yet he held on relentlessly."Cline!" Luana roared in fury, finally dropping her Dorothy act and staring him down as Luana.Hearing his name from her lips, Cline's eyes reddened further. "You finally admit it..."Luana sneered. "So what if I do?"Cline froze, his bloodshot eyes slowly meeting hers.Her face was an icy mask, devoid of emotion, filled only with contempt.This cold Luana left him at a loss.As he opened his mouth to speak, Luana turned her head, her calm eyes reflecting Cline's pale face."Did you really mean it when you said you loved me?""Yes..." Cline's heart leaped at the chance to connect, and he nodded eagerly, about to confess a decade-old truth.But Luana cut him off, her voice ice-cold, "If you loved me, why wouldn't you wait until our contract ended before break
"Does it hurt?" Luana silently asked herself.Once, she had known pain—excruciating, soul-crushing agony that had left her curled on a cold floor, voiceless and desperate.It had been a pain that stripped away all hope in this man before her, eroding her very will to live. It had been so severe that even in her final moments, when she'd longed for a glimpse of him, he'd refused even a phone call.That pain was no mere physical wound. It was a despair that seeped into her very being.It was after enduring such torment that she had finally seen Cline for what he truly was—a man utterly ruthless toward her.Yet now, here he was, holding her and asking if she hurt. The irony was bitter, almost laughable.With a cold, expressionless face, she said, "The five minutes are up. Let me go."But Cline, who had finally held the person he'd obsessed over, had no intention of releasing her so easily.He held her tight and said, "
Cline held tight to her arm, as if he'd never let go unless Luana gave him a chance to speak.Luana, brows furrowed, sighed and relented, "Five minutes, right here."Cline's cold gaze shifted to Dorian, who shot him a glare before turning to Luana."Five minutes, then home," Dorian warned.Luana nodded meekly, "Okay."Only after Dorian strode into the villa did Luana turn to Cline, her voice cool and impatient."Well?"In Dorian's presence, Luana had been the picture of obedience, just as she used to be with him.Now, though, Cline saw a change in her—calm, distant, and edged with impatience.This new version of Luana only deepened the ache in his chest.He longed to reach out, to brush his fingers against her face, but as his hand rose, she flinched violently, stepping back as if struck.Luana stared at Cline's right hand, her pupils suddenly clouded with fear, as if the ghosts of past trauma had res
Luana nodded in agreement and turned toward the stairs.But after just two steps, she froze, her fingers brushing the banister.Slowly, she turned back, her voice hesitant. "Clarissa, I came back as Dorothy... What about Gehrmann?"Clarissa had guessed that Luana had returned as her sister Dorothy the moment she heard Dorian call her by that name.Clarissa's smile was warm, reassuring. "I won't say a word to him or Cline. Your secret's safe."Relief flickered in Luana's eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, the word soft as a feather.As Luana walked away, Clarissa watched her retreating figure, worry knotting her brow."Is this luck or a curse?" she thought, "Leaving Cline only to be trapped by Dorian."At the car, Luana opened the passenger door and slid in."Home at ten seems early," she ventured, her tone tentative.Dorian glanced over, his indifference palpable. "Make it eight, then."Luana's lips twitched
Clarissa watched Luana's fingers tighten around the phone until her knuckles whitened. "When I first saw those messages flooding in, I tried luring him out myself—posed as you, planned to bring the cops. But instead of catching a creep, I got..."She trailed off, the memory of the man in the café still prickling her nerves.A man as cold and heartless as Cline—why would he cling to memories of Luana like this?"Anyway," she shrugged, "he never showed. Guess some ghosts stay buried."Luana's voice was a whisper. "These things... they should've been my fight. Not yours."Clarissa cut her off, "If it were me in this mess, you'd do the same. So quit with the thanks already."Luana nodded meekly, her lashes drooping as she glanced back at the phone screen.The mystery gnawed at her—Mr. Night's messages reeked of obsession, yet he hid in plain sight. Why?She couldn't fathom it, and frankly, didn't care
"I had no choice but to pull a dumb move—I seduced Gehrmann and took Naomi's spot as his bedwarmer," Clarissa said flatly, her voice echoing off the brick walls."I thought I could use him to get back at Cline. Turns out I was dumber than a bag of hammers—Gehrmann wouldn't lift a finger against Cline for any woman." She kicked at a pebble, watching it skitter into the shadows. "By the time I figured that out, he wouldn't let me walk away."Clarissa shifted her weight, catching Luana's profile in the dim light."But don't you worry, Luana. I ain't falling for Gehrmann's charm. This world's got exactly one good man left—Albion. And he's six feet under."So, I won't be that girl anymore—the one who pours her heart out for every little kindness, even when it's not worth it."Mentioning Albion again made Luana's eyes dim as if the light behind them had been switched off.She lowered her lashes, hiding the sorrow pooling th
Third Person's POVLuana tightly embraced Clarissa, hoping to alleviate her pain.Clarissa, however, patted her back with a smile and said, "It's alright. After finding out the truth, I was devastated for a while, but then I pulled myself together. I installed surveillance cameras and recorded every moment of their infidelity, which I sent to my lawyer."I won the lawsuit, but I couldn't get the house back. I could only recover the mortgage payments, the money I spent on him, and compensation for emotional distress..."However, what I didn't expect was that someone would expose Albert's bigamy online, ruining his reputation. His company fired him, and no other major firms would hire him. As far as I know, his current salary isn't even enough to cover the mortgage. Plus, his mother has cancer, which is why he keeps begging at my door."Clarissa's voice turned cold as she continued, "He thinks I'm still the naive woman I once was, that if he kneels a
Clarissa took a deep breath, opened the bedside table, and took out a marriage certificate, handing it to Luana."You two weren't entirely meant to miss each other. At least he kept his promise from when you were young and married you."Seeing the marriage certificate, Luana's eyes welled up.She reached out and slowly unfolded it...Name: LuanaName: AlbionBeside them was a composite photo of the two, dressed in white shirts, with a red background, their faces beaming with happiness.When Luana was eighteen, she had asked Albion, "When are you going to marry me?"Albion, engrossed in a book at the time, looked up and playfully tapped her nose with his pen, saying, "When I'm capable of giving you happiness."Luana pouted, dissatisfied, "But when will that be?"Albion held up his book and replied, "After I've mastered all this knowledge and become someone worthy, then I'll marry you."Luana rested her chin
Last time, it was her negligence that failed to keep Albion by her side. This time, she was determined to do everything in her power to protect Luana.Clarissa raised her hand and gently patted Luana's shoulder, hoping to offer some warmth.Time ticked by, and they remained in the same position until a man in a gray suit approached.Clarissa looked up at him, noticing his gaze fixed on Luana, and her tension grew.Before she could inquire about his identity, the man stepped forward and gently pushed Luana's head with his slender fingers."It's ten o'clock. It's time to go home..."Luana, recognizing Dorian's voice, didn't lift her head, her lifeless eyes fixed on the floor.Dorian frowned at her silence, then bent down slightly and spoke patiently, "Dorothy, come home with me."Luana raised her weary head and said, "I don't want to go home today..."She wanted to stay and support Clarissa, to quietly live for herself for