5

Flora's POV

Panicking, I turned toward the door, ready to leave. I put my hand on the knob, and heard voices outside the door.

“Oh my God, is the alpha’s daughter really in a room with another man?”

“How shameful!”

The voices grew closer as they spoke. Reporters? Or a crowd hungry for gossip? Either way, they were gathering right outside the door.

I froze as rage bubbled inside me with the realization that this had been Alora’s doing. She had sent me to this stranger’s room, knowing exactly what would happen. She probably tipped off the people outside, too; how else would they know I was there?

My mind raced, trying to come up with a way out of this situation. Before I came up with any good ideas, the man said, “Interesting,” in a curious fashion.

I turned to find him donning a mask that concealed the top half of his face. Then he approached me, and before I think to could react, grabbed my hand. The contact sent a shiver down my spine. I had never felt anything like it.

“Come with me,” he said, his tone calm but commanding. Before I could question him, he pulled me toward another door in the room.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked, my voice trembling. What was he going to do? Hide me in the bathroom? Or maybe something worse.

But the door he opened didn’t lead to a bathroom, but connected to another VIP room. Before I could process what was happening, he crossed the room swiftly, opening the main door of the new VIP suite. By the time he led me back to the hallway, we were a distance away, and no one noticed us. They were too busy focused on Room 409 and, to my horror, they had the key card to open the door.

Alora. It had to be her.

If this man hadn’t found another way out, they would have caught me for sure.

But then a man in the crowd glanced toward us, and suspicion flickered across his face.

Panic surged in my chest. “Oh no,” I whispered, instinctively stepping back.

“What are you looking at, woman?” the man beside me snapped, his tone sharp. He grabbed my hand again and, without waiting for my response, ran, pulling me with him. He didn’t release me until we stepped outside the club.

I took a moment to inhale deeply, trying to calm my racing heart. When I turned to thank him, I saw him walking away, his broad shoulders and powerful stride impossible to miss. One hand in his pocket, he disappeared into the night.

#

When I returned home, I found my father, Zack, and Alora all sitting stiffly in the living room. The moment my eyes landed on Zack, anger surged through me.

Pointing a finger at him, I shouted, “How could you show up here after cheating on me?”

Zack’s expression hardened. Instead of apologizing, he glared at me with disdain. “I cheated? You’re the one who cheated!” His voice was sharp, dripping with rage.

My jaw dropped. “What are you talking about? I didn’t cheat on you! How could you even say that?”

Was he seriously trying to shift the blame onto me?

At that moment, my father spoke, his face dark with anger. “The club security cameras caught you leaving a room with a man.”

I froze, the weight of his words sinking in.

I turned to Zack, who was glaring at me like I was the one who had betrayed him.

Beside him, Alora placed a hand on his shoulder, her expression soft and concerned. “Flora must not have intended to do it,” she said, her voice sweet and innocent. “Please don’t be angry with her.”

Her duplicity enraged me further. “It’s because of you!” I said, pointing at her. “You tricked me into going to that room!”

Alora gasped, feigning shock. “Flora! I don’t know why, but you’re always so hostile toward me.”

Hostile? When had I ever treated her badly? I had gone out of my way to make her feel welcome. I hadn’t even pressured her to help with the ball preparations.

I clenched my fists, turning to Zack. “Say something. Do you trust me or her?”

Zack sneered. “How do you expect me to trust you, especially after tonight. No, Flora, I don’t trust you—and we’re through.”

His words shattered me. I stared at him in disbelief, tears welling in my eyes. How could he trust a woman he barely knew over me? And how was it that he cheated, and I came out looking like the villain? This was all so wrong.

Desperate, I turned to my father—the last person I could count on. “Dad, don’t let him do this to me. You don’t know. He’s the one who’s been cheating—”

“Don’t!” my father said, holding his hand up to silence me. “The news is already on TV, Flora. ‘Alpha’s daughter caught leaving hotel room with mysterious man.’” He shook his head. “You’ve disappointed me.”

His words crushed me. My own father believed the lies without hesitation. It also seemed clear that that Zack, his Beta and the pack’s best warrior, was far more important to him than I ever would be. He turned his back on me, betraying me just as Zack had. I felt like I was suffocating.

My gaze shifted to Alora, who stood quietly beside Zack, her innocent mask still in place. But I caught the faintest smirk tugging at the corner of her lips, and I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.