00
I waved Ella off, signaling she could leave, but she lingered, her expression twisting in hesitation. Her hesitation unnerved me more than I cared to admit, and I raised my head from the files I was planning to bury myself in, trying
to appear composed.
“What is it?” I asked, my tone sharper than intended, though my wolf stirred inside me, sensing something amiss.
Ella opened and closed her mouth like she was caught in a trap, her hands fidgeting. “Spit it out,” I urged, my heart beating faster with every second she hesitated
“I went to Davron Bar yesterday, and…” She paused, as if she were searching for the right words to soften the
blow
“Go on,” I said, my voice steadier than the storm brewing inside me. My wolf’s ears perked up, listening intently, a low growl rumbling at the back of my mind.
Ella locked her gaze with mine, summoning what little courage she had. “Well, I saw Alpha Darius,” she began, her words slow and deliberate. “He was with a group of friends and his beta.”
A sharp pang shot through me, but I remained still. My nails, sharper now than ever thanks to my wolf, bit into the
desk as I waited for her to continue
“He said,” she faltered, glancing at my hands, which had partially shifted in response to my emotions. “He said he didn’t want Selene to suffer the pain of giving birth, so…” she hesitated again.
“So?” I prompted, my voice like ice
“So you would do that,” she finished hurriedly, her words tumbling out now. “And Selene would train the child. He said he didn’t want the child to be trained by a ‘man hunter” like you”
Her words sliced through me, and I felt my wolf rise, claws itching to lash out at something–anything.
My breathing quickened, and I clenched my fists, trying to rein myself in. The betrayal burned, not just from Darius’s words, but from the ease with which he’d thrown me away, as if I were nothing.
12:47 PM & c
Dalla 3 mulus, une cose mili mi ne me away, da ji i wcie nuumy.
“Did he say anything else?” I forced myself to ask, though my voice was tight, my lips trembling as I fought to keep my emotions in check.
Ella swallowed, her reluctance evident. She could see my wolf in my eyes now, gleaming with a feral intensity
that matched the storm within me.
“He said you wouldn’t make a good wife,” she whispered, barely audible. “And that he wished he had accepted Selene’s love earlier. His friends laughed, saying he had her love now, anyway”
The words echoed in my mind, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe.
My wolf growled, a guttural sound that reverberated through my chest. The desk creaked under the force of my grip, and I released it abruptly, rising to my feet.
My claws had partially shifted, and I willed them to retract, though the effort felt monumental
“Leave,” I said, my voice low and dangerous.
Ella hesitated, concern flickering across her face, but I couldn’t bear her presence any longer. “Now!” I snapped,
and she scurried out, closing the door behind her
The moment I was alone, the floodgates opened. I sank back into my chair, my hands trembling as I pressed them to my face. My wolf whined softly, sharing my pain.
He had reduced me to this–a convenient pawn in his perfect little life with Selene.
The anger came next, roaring through me like wildfire. How dare he? How dare he strip me of my dignity, belittle me to his friends, and dismiss me as though I were nothing more than a tool? My wolf snarled in agreement,
demanding action, vengeance, anything to make the pain stop.
I stood abruptly, pacing the room as memories of Darius flooded back. His promises, his words of love, all of it felt like a cruel joke now. My wolf’s heightened senses picked up every sound, every scent in the room, as if preparing for battle. I could hear the hum of the building–the distant murmurs of gossiping employees, the rhythmic thud of my own heartbeat.
I paused by the window, staring out at the city skyline. The world seemed so vast, yet I felt impossibly small.
But my wolf’s presence reminded me of one thing: I was not weak. I was not fragile. I was a Blackthorn, and Blackthorns didn’t crumble.
A soft knock at the door startled me, and I whipped around, my wolf’s instincts on high alert. “What?” I barked, my
voice harsher than intended.
“It’s me,” Ella said timidly from the other side.
I took a deep breath, forcing my wolf to retreat before opening the door. She stood there, clutching a folder, her eyes wide with apprehension.
*I… I wanted to make sure you were okay,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
I softened, just a fraction. Ella didn’t deserve my wrath. “I’m fine,” I lied, taking the folder from her. “Thank you.”
She hesitated again, but I gave her a pointed look, and she nodded, retreating down the hall. Closing the door, I leaned against it, clutching the folder like a lifeline. My wolf stirred again, this time with a quiet resolve.
Darius thought he could break me. He thought he could dictate my worth, my future. But he was wrong. I wasn’t just a woman scorned. I was a warrior, and warriors didn’t surrender.
Returning to my desk, I picked up the phone and dialed.
“Ella,” I said when she answered, my voice steady now. “Prepare a meeting with the legal department. I want every contract with the Nightfangs reviewed and restructured. If they push back, we push harder. Understood?”
“Yes, ma’am,” she replied, her tone resolute.
As I hung up, my wolf growled softly in approval. This wasn’t over–not by a long shot.
I stared at the pile of files on my desk, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on me.
semall victors a
AFTER RIJECTION THE OMEGA RISES
I DIDICU aut pas VI BILO UN Iiiy ucon, Icem
But I didn’t stop. One by one, I tackled the projects in front of me. Each file I completed felt like a small victory, a step toward regaining control over my life.
By the time the sky outside had turned dark, the stack of papers had dwindled to nothing. I leaned back in my chair, exhaustion pulling at me, but there was a flicker of satisfaction too.
No matter how much pain I carried, no matter how much others whispered behind my back, I wasn’t going to let them see me fall. My mom had built this company from nothing, and I wasn’t about to let anyone take it away from me. Not Darius. Not his family. Not anyone
- 100.
For the first time that day, I allowed myself a small, tired smile. I’d survived worse before. And I would survive this
