Chapter One: Unravelled

I stumbled out of the hospital, my scrubs clinging to me like a second skin. The neon lights flickered as I clutched my bag, exhaustion weighing me down. All I wanted was to crawl into bed and let the world disappear, but life had other plans.

My phone buzzed just as I was about to get into my car. I fetched it out of my pocket, hoping it was Jason, my expression turning hopeful. But it was a message from an anonymous number. I furrowed my brows, quickly unlocking my phone to see what was so urgent.

"Emma, you deserve the truth. Jason is with another woman right now. I've seen them at The Silver Moon Bar. She's some rich heiress. – A friend."

My heart sank, dread pooling in my stomach. I felt paralysed for a moment, contemplating whether to ignore it or go investigate. As much as I wanted to trust Jason, a gut feeling told me something was off.

Deciding I needed to see it with my own eyes, I drove to The Silver Moon Bar, my heart pounding. When I arrived, the bustling crowd and the dim lights seemed to mock my anxiety. I weaved through the crowd, searching desperately.

And then I saw him.

Jason was, indeed, with another woman. She was laughing, her hand resting possessively on his arm. My chest tightened as I pushed through, my breathing becoming erratic.

"Jason?" My voice wavered, barely a whisper.

He turned, a mixture of surprise and annoyance flickering in his eyes. "Emma, what are you doing here?"

"I... I got a text," I stammered. "What is this?"

The woman beside him snorted. "Who is this, Jason?"

"She's no one," Jason replied, his voice cold and distant. "Emma, you need to understand. We're not mates. You knew that. I'm moving on."

"Moving on?" I echoed, my eyes burning. "Are you serious? You're just going to discard me like that?"

He sighed, exasperated. "Look, Emma. It's for the best. She's wealthy and can offer me what you can't. Just face it; you don’t have a wolf. You were never truly part of my life."

I stared at him in disbelief, my world crumbling around me. Without another word, I turned and fled the bar, tears streaming down my face.

By the time I reached my apartment, anger had replaced my sorrow. I slammed the door shut, sinking to the floor. My heart still ached, raw and exposed, but I needed to pull myself together. Maybe Jason was right; maybe I wasn’t enough. But I was kind, caring, and funny, attributes they never valued.

The quiet stillness of my apartment was deafening. I had always felt detached from my wealthy family's extravagant lifestyle, preferring to live independently. At least my tiny apartment represented my freedom, imperfect as it was.

My phone buzzed again, breaking the silence. Expecting another cruel twist of fate, I hesitated before answering. It was my mother.

"Emma, you need to come home. Now."

"I’m not interested in any family gathering, Mother. You know that."

"Emma, it’s a family obligation. Be here." The line went dead.

With a groan, I got up and splashed cold water on my face. However tempting that might be, I couldn’t ignore my family forever. Inhaling deeply, I grabbed my car keys and headed out.

The drive to my family’s mansion was filled with conflicting emotions. As much as I loved them, especially my sister Lena, their ruthlessness and greed always gnawed at me. My heart ached just thinking about facing them.

Arriving at the mansion, I was greeted by the usual grandeur: tall gates, manicured lawns, and a house too large for any reasonable need. As I walked in, the familiar scent of luxury made me feel more out of place than ever.

“Emma, there you are,” my mother said as I stepped into the main hall. Her eyes swept over me, thinly veiled disapproval evident. “Could you at least try to look presentable?”

“What’s this about, Mother?” I asked, forcing a smile.

“Just a typical family gathering. Lena and Nicholas are here. You should join us,” she said, pushing me toward the dining room.

Stepping in, I saw my sister Lena at the head, with her husband Nicholas beside her.

“Emma, darling,” Lena drawled, her voice dripping with condescension. “So good of you to join us.”

“Lena. Nicholas,” I greeted, keeping my tone neutral. Taking my seat at the table.

My father stood up at the other end of the table, clearing his throat dramatically to catch everyone's attention. His face bore an unsettling mix of excitement and authority.

“Family, it’s been too long since we had a gathering like this,” he began, glancing pointedly at me as if my absence had been the sole reason for the infrequent family meetings. “But that’s not why we’re here tonight. I have incredible news and couldn’t wait to share it with you all.”

I leaned closer to Lena, curiosity gnawing at me. “What’s his big news?” I whispered.

Lena shrugged nonchalantly, a smirk playing on her lips. “Who knows? It's probably another one of his brilliant business ventures.”

My father continued, oblivious to our side conversation. “It’s truly wonderful to have everyone here. I realise we’ve had our differences, but tonight, we’re united.” He paused, his eyes locking onto Nicholas for a moment longer than necessary. “And I couldn’t be prouder.”

I rolled my eyes internally. My father’s ostentatious display felt like another one of his theatrical performances aimed mostly at Nicholas. Everything seemed to be a show when he was around; it was as if our family's very existence revolved around impressing the Alpha.

“Really, Dad?” I thought to myself sarcastically. “Is Nicholas supposed to clap or bow down now?”

Before I could delve deeper into my own thoughts, Nicholas stood up, interrupting my father’s speech. The air grew tense with the silence that followed.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Stevenson, but I have urgent business to attend to,” Nicholas said firmly. He leaned down and planted a brief kiss on Lena’s head. “I’ll be back later, darling.”

Lena’s smile was brittle, her eyes flickering with a hint of annoyance. “Of course, Nicholas. We’ll be waiting.”

Without another word, Nicholas strode out of the room, his presence leaving a palpable void. My father’s face faltered momentarily, but he quickly regained his composure.

“Anyway, where was I?” he said, attempting to recapture the room’s attention. “Ah yes, this is going to change everything for us!”

But I tuned out, my mind drifting away from my father’s grandiose plans. I knew whatever his big news was would just be some sort of scheme that he thought would make him more money but would end up failing, and he would have Nicholas bail him out like always.

“Emma, are you even listening?” My mother’s sharp voice snapped me back to the present.

“Sorry, what?” I replied, blinking away my thoughts.

“I said, isn’t this exciting?” she repeated, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“Absolutely,” I lied, forcing a smile.

As my father finally concluded his speech to polite applause, I managed to slip away to the kitchen, needing a moment to collect my thoughts. Lena followed me, curiosity evident on her face.

“What's really going on, Emma?” she asked, leaning against the countertop.

I shrugged, pretending to busy myself by arranging fruit in a bowl. “What do you mean?”

“You were miles away during Dad's announcement. Something's up.”

I sighed, knowing it was futile to lie to her now. “I found Jason with another woman tonight. He—he's moved on.”

Lena’s eyes softened for the briefest moment before hardening again. “Men can be such pigs.”

I nodded, appreciating her rare moment of empathy. “Yeah, I guess they can.”

“Emma, don’t let him ruin you. You have your own life to live,” she said, her voice surprisingly earnest. It wasn’t often that Lena dropped her guard, but when she did, I almost saw the sister I used to admire before she became like the rest of my family.

“I know. Thanks, Lena.”

She simply nodded, straightening herself. “Well, we should get back before Father sends a search party.”