Pa!The sound of a loud slap echoed through the quiet hallway, its sharpness breaking the stillness of the night.Eloise stood there, her hand still trembling after delivering the blow. Jack’s face turned to the side from the force of the slap. After a long pause, he slowly raised his hand to touch his cheek, his fingers tracing the spot where the sting still lingered."That was a good slap," Jack remarked, his voice surprisingly calm, though his eyes sparkled with something darker, something that looked like both anger and intrigue. Eloise could feel her own heart racing with a mix of adrenaline and satisfaction. There was a strange, twisted pleasure in delivering the slap, something that made her feel empowered.She stared at him, her eyes burning with a quiet fury. "Alpha. Jack, you so enjoy rubbing salt on other people's wounds. Now you know. It hurts," she said, her voice low and steady.Turning on her heel, she walked away, her back straight and her steps firm, as if nothing had
Jack stood up, turned his head to look at the watchful woman and asked, "Aren't you going to accompany me?""No, Alpha. Jack, close the door when you leave," Eloise said."Isn't it a basic requirement of your job to escort people? Or, Ms. Anthony, do you think I'm no longer a guest to you since you're off duty and in your dorm now? Ms. Anthony, perhaps I should go to Club Scarlet Heart, the place where you work, to see you tomorrow. What do you think?" Jack said casually.Eloise thought. Seriously? Are you threatening me again? How despicable!Eloise gritted her teeth. Every time, Jack always managed to make her gnash her teeth in hatred.She said, "Alpha. Jack, you are right. I should not neglect my guests, just because I am off duty. Alpha. Jack, let me accompany you."As she spoke, she walked forward, looking at the man beside her even more vigilantly.Who knows what's wrong with him? He likes to kiss my wound so much, and he has the nerve to claim that it's healing.Thinking about
Eloise stood frozen, her mind racing as Rachael’s words hit her like a slap in the face. She could feel her pulse throb in her temples, and her stomach churned with confusion. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing."I haven't changed," Eloise muttered, her voice low and tight, though she wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince Rachael, or herself.“Eloise, can’t you see?” Rachael’s voice softened. "Your face used to be so stiff. All I saw in it was emptiness, like it didn’t belong to a living person. But now… now, I see something different. I see a spark." Her words hung heavy in the air. "I think you’re starting to feel again."Eloise opened her mouth, but the words tangled in her throat. She had wanted to protest, to say something that would make Rachael stop looking at her like that. But Rachael wasn’t finished.“Is it Jack, Eloise?” Rachael’s eyes narrowed, her voice suddenly darkening with anger. “Is that who’s making you change? Because if it is… you should know better. He
Eloise felt hopeless as she thought about Ainsley’s visit tomorrow. She had no idea where to get the rest of the money.As Jack left her dorm building, she couldn’t shake the emptiness he left behind. She could feel the weight of her situation crushing her, the uncertainty gnawing at her. I need that money. But where?As Jack drove away, his departure stole away all the hope she'd briefly managed to find. I thought I could change. I thought there was a way out. But now? Now I’m stuck.The next day at Club Scarlet Heart, Eloise entered Rachael’s office, her steps heavy with anxiety."Did you get the money?" Rachael asked, her voice laced with expectation.Eloise shook her head slowly, eyes cast down.Rachael raised an eyebrow. "You didn’t ask Jack?"Eloise stayed silent.Rachael sighed, her tone a mix of frustration and concern. "So, what now?"“I don’t know,” Eloise muttered. “I’m stuck.”“Eloise, you don’t have much time,” Rachael said, her voice suddenly sharper. "Alpha Williams is
Eloise looked at Richard in disbelief, her mind trying to process the words that had just left his lips. The betrayal stung more than she thought it would. For a moment, her eyes fluttered, and she tried to make sense of what was happening. But all she could feel was the numbness creeping in. She forced herself to lower her gaze, her heart heavy and expressionless. "Alpha. Anthony, then I won’t make things difficult for you," she said softly, the words feeling foreign as they left her mouth.Richard’s face twisted with guilt. "Eloise, don’t be like that. I have no choice. Don’t blame me." He reached into his wallet and pulled out a wad of cash, shoving it into her hand. "Take this. Buy food, clothes... just take it. Please."But Eloise didn’t budge. She just stood there, her body stiff, as if she couldn’t bear to touch the money. Her eyes remained unfocused, looking at nothing in particular. I don’t want your pity money, Richard. I don’t need it. Not from you. Not from anyone.Richard
Eloise’s shoulders trembled, her fists clenched tight as Richard’s unexpected appearance sent a wave of shock through her body. The urge to scream, to lash out, clawed at her throat, but she forced it back. The anger boiled inside her, fierce and raw.How dare he? What could he possibly know about her struggles? He was the son of the Alpha of the Golden Moon Pack, born into privilege, surrounded by wealth and the pack’s protection. He had everything he could want.And here she was.Alone.A few crumpled bills in her pocket. The thought of going anywhere but Club Scarlet Heart made her heart sink. The other packs in Metrocity wouldn’t take her in, not after everything. She wasn’t a wolf, not really. She was an ex-convict, a rogue without a pack, without purpose. She didn’t belong anywhere. The Forest of Shadows would chew her up and spit her out before she could even take a step inside.What choice do I have?Her hands trembled as she fumbled for her phone, trying to steady the shaking
"Alpha Alva, I’ll save you the trouble," Eloise murmured, the words tasting bitter as they left her lips. She pried his hand from her hair, trying to ignore the way her body trembled as she straightened herself. Slowly, deliberately, she walked into the room, forcing herself to appear strong, even though every step felt like an eternity. Her chest was tight, her throat dry, but she could not show weakness.Rachael, standing behind her, hesitated for a moment, before following Eloise in, her eyes filled with concern. The room felt suffocating, the air thick with tension. Eloise could feel the stares of the surrounding men, their gazes cold and judgmental. It was as if they were sizing her up, determining how far they could push her before she broke.George grinned, his eyes lighting up with malicious pleasure. "Gentlemen, meet Eloise," he said, motioning toward her like a prize. "This is the infamous daughter of the Golden Moon Pack."The words stung like a slap. Infamous. The woman wh
The Riders Pack, to which George belonged, had always shared a close bond with the Golden Moon Pack. Eloise and George were the best of friends. They attended the same werewolf school, and spent long afternoons together. But that was before the world crumbled. Before Aura’s death.Watching George humiliate Rachael, the woman who had been nothing but kind to Eloise suffer at his hands, tore her apart.She didn’t respond when George insulted her. She didn’t even flinch. Her gaze remained locked on him, her voice barely above a whisper as she said, "Don’t hit her.""Do you want me to forgive Rachael?" George’s voice dripped with malice, his grin wide and cruel. Okay, then beg me."Eloise could feel her fists clenching at her sides, but she didn’t say another word. She simply watched, helpless, as George continued his torment of Rachael. There was no point in speaking, no one would listen to her anyway.Rachael, ever the resilient one, tried to put on a brave face. "Don’t worry about me,"
Ainsley returned to work after resting for a few more days. When Jacob called him……………Ainsley didn’t hesitate. He glanced at Ellison, who looked back at him curiously.“You don’t mind, do you?” Ainsley asked, already picking up the phone before Ellison could even respond. But Ainsley knew this call wasn’t from Jacob.His chest tightened. His voice remained calm, but every nerve in his body stood on edge, waiting and wanting.Then……..“Let the Anthony Group go,” her voice came, stiff, emotion coiled tightly beneath the surface.Ainsley leaned back in his chair. His grip on the phone tightened. It was her. That damn voice, he hadn’t heard it in days, and yet the second she spoke, his entire world tilted.He smiled slowly and coldly, and said in a voice that burned with longing masked as mockery, “Are you begging me now, Eloise? Or is that just your way of dressing up pride in pretty words?”Ellison's blood ran cold.Eloise! The name slammed into his chest like a fist. He stared at Ains
The conference room turned thick with tension as people were afraid Ainsley would make a comeback. If so, they would suffer.Ainsley sat still, the usual fire in his gaze dulled. No color touched his cheeks; he looked neither angry nor defeated.“Ainsley,” one of the shareholders snapped, almost too quickly. “It’s done. Step down from your position. You’re no longer CEO of the Williams Group.”Another chimed in, his voice tremulous but thrilled, “Yes. You heard the board, get the hell out of the building.”Chairs scraped, papers rustled. Tension rolled like a wave about to crash.But then, a voice rang out, cutting clean through the noise. It was steady, almost too steady.“Who said the final vote had been cast, or have I suddenly been removed from the shareholders? Because the last time I checked I happened to be one of the shareholders.”The room fell into a shocked hush, people’s heads snapped toward the source. Gasps rippled across the boardroom. Faces turned pale.Ellison’s brows
Eloise’s brow twitched slightly. Her calm gaze faltered for a second.Jacob caught it. That tiny flicker of emotion sent a surge of rage through him. He threw the apple aside.“Aren’t you worried? "Don’t you care what could’ve happened to him?” he snapped, his eyes burning into her face.Eloise turned her head away. “I didn’t ask him to.”Jacob stood. His voice was firm, serious. “No, you didn’t. But maybe you should’ve. You could hate him, you could curse his name. But don’t act like you don’t care. Because when you collapse, your body answers what your mouth refuses to say. The only treatment you responded to was his touch.”She clenched her jaw. “He locked me in that place. I don’t care how long he sat by my bed.”Jacob stared at her. “Then tell him that. Not to me. "You keep telling everyone you don’t care, but your hands were shaking when he touched you.”She didn’t answer.“During the years you were gone, Ainsley searched for you like a possessed man,” he added, his voice sharp
The car reeked of blood. It was the only smell Ainsley could register; thick, metallic, and heavy in his nose and mouth. He stirred with a low groan, his body aching as if it had been crushed from the inside out. Pain throbbed behind his bandaged head, spreading like wildfire through his skull and down his spine.He tried to move.“Don’t move,” Jacob snapped from the front seat, spinning around. His voice cut through the air like a blade. “You scared the hell out of me, Ainsley. What the fuck were you thinking?”Ainsley winced. His hand reached for the door handle, but it slipped off weakly. His head dropped back, the world spinning.“I passed out again, didn’t I?” he muttered.Jacob’s hands clenched the steering wheel, so tightly his knuckles turned white. “You did more than that. You nearly fucking died. You collapsed in front of a hundred people like your damn soul left your body.”He turned fully to face him, his eyes blazing like fire. “Do you understand what that looked like? Yo
Suddenly, Ellison stood up and pushed Ainsley hard. He said, “Let her go. You’re so selfish! Didn’t you hear her? Eloise has no intention of going with you!”Ainsley, caught off guard, stumbled backward. His usually fierce and commanding presence, like a true Alpha, was broken at an unexpected moment. He collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.Gasps echoed through the crowd, the people’s eyes widened in shock. Even the air seemed to stand still.Jacob’s face darkened. Without hesitation, he rushed forward and knelt beside Ainsley. “Ainsley, are you okay?” His voice cracked with concern as he reached to cradle his head. But his palm came out wet. Jacob looked down and froze. His fingers were stained red.“What is this?” he whispered, stunned.Blood!A sharp silence followed. Ellison, noticing the shift, stepped forward instinctively, but Hank had already rushed past him, panic flashing in his eyes. “Alpha Ainsley?”Eloise’s eyes widened. Her body stiffened, and for a moment, she see
Ellison stood frozen on the stairs, halfway down, his hands clenched tightly on the railing. He’d come down to stop Ainsley, to intervene, but when he saw the fire in Eloise’s eyes, the way she held herself back from launching another object, he couldn't move. Not yet.Ainsley’s cold voice echoed through the tension-filled room. “What else do you want to throw at me? I’ll get it for you.”Ellison stepped forward, breaking the thick silence. “No need to bother you, Ainsley. I’m free right now, and I’ll help her.”Hank took a step, ready to intervene, but Kelly subtly blocked him with a glance.As Ellison reached the floor, he picked up a broom lying nearby. The scrape of the handle against the tiled floor felt too loud in the quiet. He offered it to her with a calm face, but sarcasm glinted in his eyes.“Ma’am, here you go.”Eloise looked at the broom, then at him, her brows furrowed in confusion. “A broom?”He nodded once, the corner of his lips lifting in a crooked smile.“Ma'am, flu
Lucian, unfazed, threw his jacket to the ground in front of Ainsley. “Fine. Let’s see what happens,” he said before he turned and left.Ainsley stayed where he was, watching Lucian’s departure with steely eyes. The tension still hung in the air, thick and unresolved.“We’re going to Waikiki Beach this afternoon,” Ainsley said after a long pause. “I’m sure she’s there. I need to find her.”Meanwhile, on the other side of the island, Eloise paced restlessly in her room, her nerves fraying with each passing moment. Her thoughts spiraled. She had been hiding, but it was all falling apart now. Ainsley was coming for her.No, she told herself. I can’t let him find me. Not again.Then, just as the wind picked up, a familiar warmth brushed against her.Her body stiffened, her breath caught in her throat. She didn’t have to turn to know he was there. The scent of him, so unmistakable, overwhelmed her senses.Ainsley stood behind her, his presence enveloping her. His arms wrapped around her alm
In the car, Ainsley gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white as he sped toward the airport. His mind was spinning. Without thinking, he reached out to Jacob through their mind link. His voice was sharp, his words clipped with urgency.“Do you know Remmy?” Ainsley asked, his tone barely contained as anxiety surged through him.Jacob’s voice crackled through the link, his confusion evident. “Why are you looking for her?” He didn’t fully understand the gravity of the situation.Ainsley’s voice hardened, desperation creeping into his words. “She knows where Eloise is.”Jacob didn’t hesitate. “Understood,” he said, his voice steady despite the tense situation. “I’ll handle it. Do you need me to book you a flight?”“No need,” Ainsley replied immediately, his tone resolute. “I’m heading to the airport now.”As Ainsley disconnected the link, he pushed the accelerator harder, the engine roaring as he raced back home to grab his ID. Every second felt like an eternity, the pressure mountin
“Ellison! "I don’t want to bet anymore!” Eloise shouted at the stage, her voice rough and hoarse, like a desperate cry.“It’s too late,” Ellison’s lips moved, his words like ice. He’d made a decision. Instead of leaving, he wanted to win the bet. More than that, he wanted her.Memories flooded Eloise’s mind, sharp and vivid. In her eyes, Ellison at that moment seemed just like her in the past, lost, defiant, and broken.But Ellison didn’t deserve it! Not after everything.She walked toward the center of the stage, her steps deliberate, her heart pounding with emotion. She bent down and picked up the white shirt from the floor. Her fingers brushed against the fabric, and then she reached for Ellison’s hand, which rested on the zipper of his suit pants. Her voice was low but commanding, “Come with me.”Ellison stood frozen, stunned by the sudden seriousness of her expression. His heart skipped a beat.The audience below the stage began to murmur, their annoyance growing louder. “Who are