Camellia's POV
I glanced down at my bare wrist, then looked up and said, "I like it, but it's not practical to wear during experiments."
He was silent for a moment before speaking again. "Cam, I don't mind you working, but experiments are exhausting. Back in college, you were always pulling all-nighters in the lab. I don't want you to overwork yourself. I can have my assistant arrange something else for you, okay?"
I frowned, shooting him a disapproving look. "This is the work I love. No matter how tiring or demanding it is, I'm willing to put in the effort. I hope you can respect my choice."
His grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly. "Alright, it's up to you. If you ever get tired of it, just quit. I can take care of you."
I smiled faintly but didn't respond.
Take care of me? Please. He was already "taking care" of that rogue on the side.
Every penny he spent on her came from our shared assets. I'd make sure to account for ev
Camellia's POVWe chatted for a while longer before hanging up.After putting down my phone, I sighed, feeling a mix of emotions.I glanced at the property deed and bracelet on the table, then casually opened a drawer and tucked them inside before heading to wash up and get some sleep.The Park Avenue apartment was in a prime location, and it didn't take long for a flood of buyers to show interest. Eventually, it sold for $100,000 below market value.Once the legal agreements were signed, the buyer promptly transferred the full amount to me.I kept my promise and paid the real estate agent his commission.He was grinning from ear to ear. "Ms. Sanders, if you ever have friends who want to sell property, remember to call me."Seeing how happy he was, I couldn't help but smile too. "Sure," I replied.When I got home, the first thing I did was take $100,000 and hire a private investigator to tail Hazel.Last time, whe
Third Person's POVClaire's father was a high-ranking executive at one of Pioneer Tech's subsidiary companies. As long as Claire was pleased, getting her father to arrange a job for someone was a piece of cake. This was also why Elvira was willing to be Claire's lackey.The hesitation in Elvira's eyes slowly faded, replaced by determination. She looked at Claire and said, "Alright, I'll do as you say."Claire wasn't surprised in the slightest.She raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Go ahead. Do this well, and I'll have my dad arrange a job for your father tomorrow."After Elvira left, Claire glanced in the direction of the lab, a cold smirk playing on her lips.After grinding the herbal powder, Camellia carefully divided it into beakers, added solvent, and began stirring with a glass rod.She repeated this process five or six times until all the ground powder was dissolved.While waiting for the distillation to complete, Camellia w
Camellia's POV"Mr. Dalton, I can handle this myself…" I lowered my gaze, trying to ignore the strange, complicated emotions that had surged within me moments ago.I thought to myself, "Lionel is Esmond's uncle. He probably helped me just now because of Esmond."After rinsing my hands for a while, the burning sensation finally began to fade. I turned off the faucet and glanced back at the lab. It was a mess—shards of glass and broken equipment scattered everywhere. My heart sank, and I couldn't help but press my lips together."Mr. Dalton, let's step outside," I said softly.As we walked out of the lab, I was about to return the jacket to Lionel when I met his icy, piercing gaze.My grip on the jacket tightened unconsciously. In that moment, I felt the overwhelming pressure of an Alpha's dominance bearing down on me, as if the air around us had frozen solid.He radiated intense anger, like a beast on the verge of erupting.And
Lionel's POVCamellia's eyes caught the light in the hallway, glowing like amber—like a scared little wolf pup's.I swallowed hard, my neck glands throbbing. Leroy, my wolf, was going nuts in the back of my mind, clawing at the walls.He wanted to touch her—our true mate.The smell of disinfectant was everywhere, but her lychee-rose scent cut through it, sharp and sweet. It was almost enough to make me forget the stupid rules keeping us apart."My back," I said, my voice rough."Oh my God," she whispered, her voice shaky, that soft tremble in it that always got to me.When her fingers almost brushed my shirt, I caught her scent in my blood, and every muscle in my body locked up.My fangs dug into my gums, and I tasted blood.I turned away, the burn on my shoulder blade under my black shirt pulsing.Leroy whined, restless. He didn't get why I was pushing her away—why I'd pushed her away that night under the full mo
Esmond's POVI'd already had Jason dig up the details about today's incident on the way to the hospital.The explosion at NovaStar's lab happened while Lionel was on-site.So yeah, he was just giving Camellia a ride.But even knowing that, it still pissed me off.If I'd been there, I would've protected her. Not a single scratch.My wolf grumbled in my head, clearly calling bullshit on that thought."I heard you got hurt. Came to check on you." My eyes landed on her bandaged hand. "What'd the doc say?"Camellia kept her gaze down, voice flat. "It's nothing."I scowled. "They wrapped it up like a mummy. That's not 'nothing.' Our healing should've kicked in by now. Come back to Ironclaw with me. Let the pack doctor check you out."She blinked, then shook her head. "Don't bother. The weakened healing... it's because of the mate bond..."Her voice trailed off. After a beat, she added, "You didn't need to come."
Third Person's POVInside the office of the NovaStar R&D department manager, Blanche sat behind her desk, reviewing the surveillance footage from the lab that morning.Since there were no cameras inside the lab or the reagent storage room, she could only check the footage from the hallway corners.Blanche replayed the clips several times, her gaze eventually settling on Elvira.In just over an hour, Elvira had appeared in the footage multiple times.On her third appearance, she looked visibly nervous.If the labels on the sulfuric acid bottles had indeed been swapped, Elvira was the prime suspect.Blanche closed the footage and had her assistant summon Elvira to her office.When Elvira heard Blanche wanted to see her, panic set in. Her eyes darted toward Claire, who sat diagonally across from her.But Claire didn't even glance her way, her expression calm and unbothered.With no other choice, Elvira stood and
Third Person's POVBlanche was on the phone with Konstantin.After listening to Blanche, Konstantin chuckled. "Manager Green, I'll need to consult Mr. Dalton on this matter."After hanging up, Konstantin knocked and entered Lionel's office."Mr. Dalton, Manager Green from NovaStar has requested our assistance. She wants us to collect fingerprints from everyone in their R&D department."Lionel frowned, looking up. "Reason?""She believes it will help determine if someone tampered with the reagent labels during Ms. Sanders' experiment.""Understood. Handle it."After Konstantin left, Lionel tried to refocus on the documents in front of him, but his mind kept wandering.Earlier, when Camellia was getting her wounds treated, he'd caught a glimpse of her hands—seven or eight burns, some large, some small. She hadn't made a sound during the entire process.Why did he even care if she was in pain? She wasn't his mate
Esmond's POV"It was my fault for cheating. How long are you going to punish me?"Moonlight moss clung to the windowsill of this human apartment, barely surviving. As I stepped across the cheap synthetic carpet, the scent of pine needles leaked from me uncontrollably.The temporary mark on Camellia's neck was fading, but her lychee-rose scent still made my wolf restless, its claws scraping along my spine.She shifted slightly, curled up on the secondhand couch.My wolf caught the faint smell of blood seeping through the cracks in our bond. My nails dug into my palms, a mix of violent possessiveness and regret burning in my chest—this body, which once shared warmth with me, was now being influenced by another Alpha's scent.Camellia's hand tightened at her side. "I told you, I don't know. Maybe when I stop loving you..."Her words were cut off by my wolf's howl. The scent of pine needles swept through the small living room like a storm
Lionel's POVI was reviewing lab surveillance footage when my suit pocket vibrated with an incoming satellite call.I answered, and Konstantin's urgent breathing filled my ear. "Alpha Lionel, Miss Sanders has gone missing!"My knuckles crushed a pen, splintering wood into sharp shards. "What's the situation?"Leroy whined anxiously in my mind."Her place is a mess. Her phone's on the sofa, but she's gone."Fabric rustled as Konstantin investigated. "There are drag marks on the hallway carpet, and in the kitchen...""Check it out." Cedar scent froze on my tongue as I loosened my tie and headed to the garage.A sudden pain seared my neck—my true mate was in danger.Unfortunately, without her marked, I couldn't pinpoint her location.Leroy's claws scraped my nerves."Let me take over," it growled."Shut up. Not the time to shift," I snapped back.Oddly, a flicker of anxiety stirred within m
Camellia's POVFrom Connor's conversation with that man, I figured out he kidnapped me for money.In a flash, everything became clear.Claire wanted me dead but didn't want to get involved, so she arranged for Connor to kidnap me. If I died, Connor would take the blame.She might even plan to kill him too. After all, dead men tell no tales.Seeing I didn't respond, Claire sneered, "If you don't call, you'll die right now."I knew calling Esmond was my only chance to survive.If I could hold on until he came, I might live."Alright, I'll call.""You give the number, I'll dial. But think carefully about what you say."She put Esmond's call on speakerphone.But it wasn't Esmond who answered. It was Hazel."Who's this?"Recognizing Hazel's voice, my heart sank."It's Camellia. I need to speak to Esmond."Hazel giggled. "Esmond's taking a shower. You can tell me what you want, and I'l
Third Person's POVAt the Pioneer Tech Group's CEO office, Konstantin rushed in with a document."Alpha Lionel, our cooperator returned this file, claiming issues with the experimental data. I can't pinpoint the exact problems."Lionel scanned the document and said, "Call Camellia."Konstantin nodded and dialed Camellia's number."Buzz, buzz, buzz..."The phone vibrated in the dark living room, eventually stopping.After several failed attempts, Konstantin suggested, "Shall I bring the document to Miss Sanders?""Okay."Camellia's POVI woke to the suffocating darkness of what felt like a trunk, my pulse roaring in my ears. Panic and fear gripped me.Kidnapping was unheard of in my world.They might kill me at any time.I forced steady breaths despite the panic, registering the vehicle's movement.Where are they taking me?I dwelled on the possibilities. I lived in an old residen
Camellia's POVAs I sneered, a burning pain surged in the back of my neck.Lyra growled threateningly in the depths of my consciousness, her fangs scraping against my spine.Each word I uttered carried the low - frequency tremor characteristic of werewolves, "If you dare go to my dad again, I'll expose your infidelity."The broken mate bond exploded in my chest like thorny bushes. The remnants of verbena's cloying sweetness in Esmond's cuffs stung my olfactory nerves."Are you not afraid of worsening his condition?" he said with a shrug, fueling my anger as my fists clenched."How could you become so shameless?" I exclaimed."Shameless?"Esmond's pupils swirled with the Ironclaw Pack's bloody totem. The fingertips gripping my jaw exuded a murky blend of pine and verbena."Cam, I merely wanted you back and to keep your distance from Lionel. You're the one provoking me," he said.I stumbled backward against the wall
Camellia's POVAt noon, I headed to the cafeteria and was stunned by its luxury.The food at each window looked exquisitely prepared, making my mouth water.I queued at a Thai food stall, ordered pineapple fried rice and tom yum soup, and sat in a corner.The first spoonful of soup tasted as good as what I'd had at a five-star restaurant before.I'd once thought it was an exaggeration that Pioneer Tech's cafeteria rivaled five-star venues, but now I saw it was true.Back in the lab, I started the afternoon's experiment.As the reaction began, I sat nearby, timing and recording.Suddenly, a message from Esmond came in."I'm downstairs at Pioneer Tech. Come down now, or I'll come up myself."I frowned, surprised he'd found out I was here so quickly.I called him.After two rings, he answered but stayed silent."I'm here on company business. You coming here won't change anything.""You cou
Camellia's POVI was about to continue my experiment in the lab when I received a message from Blanche, asking me to go to her office.I entered the office. Blanche smiled as she asked me to sit down."Camellia, how was your business trip to New York with Mr. Dalton?"I pursed my lips and replied, "It was okay. What do you need me for, Blanche?""Here's the thing. Headquarters highly values the project you're developing, and since it's funded by Pioneer Tech, they want to send you to work at their company for a while. This way, Mr. Dalton won't have to keep running back and forth to follow up on the experiment's progress."I was surprised and my eyebrows furrowed."How long will I be there? And does Pioneer Tech have a lab?"Blanche smiled and said, "I'm not exactly sure how long you'll be there. Probably until the project has made some progress. As for the lab, don't worry. Pioneer Tech bought a building next to their group he
Camellia's POVI finished breakfast, put on my shoes, and was about to leave for work.As I turned the lock, the smell of rotten pine and verbena remnants flooded my nostrils.Lyra bristled at the base of my spine. My pheromones crystallized from shock.Esmond's pupils flickered with the Ironclaw Pack's signature amber slits, signaling impending loss of control.I frowned and asked, "What do you want..."My words died in my throat as his palm erupted with pine needle pheromones, piercing my skin like rotten thorns.Lyra arched her back, emitting a silent howl only I could hear—the broken mate bond was retaliating through the contact point, searing the contract scar on my tailbone.Esmond grabbed my hand, yanked me against the wall, and pinned me there."I told you to stay away from Lionel. You seem to have ignored me completely."One hand held me down while the other slowly moved down my face, his eyes glint
Camellia's POV"Thank goodness you're up. That photo was taken by a well-known photographer. He casually posted it on his personal Instagram after coming back, and unexpectedly, it went viral. People are praising you and Lionel as a good-looking pair, a perfect match," Eugenia said.I was left speechless.Even though the photo only captured our profiles, anyone who knew us could easily recognize us. No wonder Esmond was so angry earlier."It's just a matter of shooting angle. I'll contact Lionel. Talk to you later."If this incident gets blown out of proportion, it won't benefit me in any way.After hanging up, I thought for a moment and contacted Konstantin instead of Lionel directly.Upon learning that I was inquiring about the photo, Konstantin hurriedly said, "Miss Sanders, our team is already in contact with the photographer to resolve this. Please don't worry.""Alright, please let me know once it's settled," I replied.
Camellia's POVAfter Eugenia left, I was about to get my car when I heard someone calling me from behind.I turned around and saw Konstantin and Lionel walking toward me.Lionel seemed to have had some alcohol, his face a bit flushed. The top two buttons of his white shirt were undone, revealing his well-defined collarbone, and his suit jacket was casually draped over his arm. His inborn aristocratic aura made people involuntarily focus on him.The back of my neck suddenly felt scorching hot, and Lyra was restlessly arching in my ribs. The cedar cold scent had already pierced through the neon lights before the sound wave reached me.At the sight of him, I was reminded of the odd words Esmond said to me the other day.'Does Lionel have some ulterior motive toward me?''Since Esmond and I haven't rejected each other yet, he shouldn't be able to tell that I'm his true mate.''Anyway, he has never shown any signs of it.''Ev