“Racheal, we were just joking around while we were resting,” Gold said, her tone casual, as if nothing had happened. “Why make such a big deal out of it?”Racheal’s eyes flashed with anger, and she took a step forward, her voice cold and menacing. “Is this how you entertain yourselves? By bullying someone weaker than you?”The other girls who had been standing nearby looked uncertain, exchanging quick glances. They had never seen Racheal this angry. One of them, a taller girl who had been standing too close to Gold, tugged at her arm, a silent plea to calm down.But Gold wasn’t done. She looked down at Eloise, her eyes narrowed with disdain.“Are you talking about her?” Gold scoffed, her lips curling into a sneer. “She’s just a useless little bitch, isn’t she? She doesn’t even know her place.”Before anyone could react, Racheal moved faster than anyone could have anticipated. She raised her hand, and with one swift motion, slapped Gold hard across the face. The sound of the slap echoe
Eloise clenched her fists, holding back the tears that threatened to spill. She wanted to tell them no, to walk out of the room, but she couldn’t. This was her life. If they asked her to sing, she would. She had no choice.“Her voice is so unpleasant,” the man said, looking skeptical. “Are you sure you want to hear her sing?”Amelia’s smile widened, clearly enjoying the discomfort she was causing Eloise. “That’s exactly why I want her to sing,” she said, her eyes glittering with amusement. “I’m curious how unbearable it’ll be.”The mocking tone in Amelia’s voice cut deep into Eloise’s heart. How had her life come to this? To be a subject of entertainment, something to be laughed at, to be humiliated for the amusement of men like Mr. White.“Mr. White, what do you say?” Amelia asked sweetly, her hand resting on his arm, as if she owned the moment, owned him.The man’s eyes lingered on Amelia for a moment before turning to Eloise. His expression was one of indifference, but there was a
Eloise wasn’t mocking her or trying to start an argument; it was just a fact, stated plainly. Her tone carried no judgment, but it hit Mavis like a sharp slap.Mavis’s face flushed with embarrassment at first, her anger boiling over. "I…" she stammered, trying to gather her thoughts. Then, in an instant, her frustration bubbled over. "I came to Club Scarlet Heart to be a waitress. You know my family's situation. I needed money to pay for my studies and living expenses."She paused for a moment, trying to collect herself. Eloise said nothing, simply watching her. The silence between them felt heavy, thick with unspoken words.Mavis’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Eloise, her voice suddenly cold. "I'm not like you! I won't do anything just for money. Unlike you, I have limits!"The words stung. They were meant to make Eloise feel inferior. To paint her as someone with no dignity, no self-respect. But Eloise just smiled softly. Mavis could say whatever she wanted, but the truth remained
Eloise continued, her voice low and strained, “I was humiliated, made to crawl on the ground and bark like a dog, scorned with every dirty word they could think of. But that’s nothing compared to what happened to me in prison. They stripped me naked and threw me into a cage, hosed me down with high-pressure water. And so what? What does any of it matter now? Racheal, I endured pain that I can’t even begin to explain. And Rain… He died trying to protect me. I owe him everything. Her death, her sacrifice, it haunts me. I owe him that much. That’s why I have to keep going, no matter how much it hurts. I have to live, to fulfill the dream he had for me. It’s the least I can do for him.”Racheal listened quietly, her heart heavy with the weight of Eloise’s words. She had known that Eloise had a tragic past, but hearing it all laid bare like this was something else entirely. Rain. Who was he to Eloise? And what dream had he left behind for her? Racheal didn't have the answers, but she could
Ainsley’s POVThree years. Three long years since I last saw her facial features up close. And now, here she was, lying in front of me in a hospital bed, a mere shadow of the woman I once knew. Eloise… "my mate"The sight of her took me by surprise, knocking the air out of my lungs. Time had worn her down, just as it did everyone. But I wasn’t prepared for this. Her skin, once as soft as moonlight, now had a rough, weathered texture. Her eyes, once sparkling with life, were hollow like someone who had been through hell. And maybe she had, I thought bitterly.I could see the traces of her former beauty, the features everyone in the Golden Moon pack and all over the packs in America worship her beauty, but now they were buried beneath exhaustion and neglect. Her lips were chapped, the corners of her mouth turned down in a way that made my chest tighten with something I didn’t want to name.You should never have let her go. You had rejected her, pushed her away when you should’ve fought
Eric knew instantly that the woman lying on the bed was Eloise. He had recognized her the moment he saw her at the Scarlet Heart Club. But what he didn’t expect was to witness her disbelief as she grappled with what had happened.“Ainsley, you pressured me… you kissed me...” Eloise murmured, still reeling from the experience."Can't you see it?" Eric asked, his voice tinged with frustration.“No way!” Eric grabbed Ainsley as he was about to leave the room. “Ainsley, don’t tell me you have feelings for her?”Ainsley froze, his expression turning dark. Slowly, he turned back to face Eric, his eyes filled with menace. “Her? Who are you talking about?”“Eloise,” Eric responded, his voice sharp.Ainsley’s gaze sent a chill down Eric’s spine as he stepped past him, re-entering the room. He was like ice—cold, distant, indifferent. He looked at Eloise as though she were nothing more than an inconvenience.“I asked Eric to bring you food,” he said, his tone flat. “It’s on the nightstand.”Eloi
“Do you remember what happened in the private room that day?” Rachel’s voice was sharp, laced with anger. “If it weren’t for Eloise sacrificing herself, do you think you’d still be standing here, spouting nonsense and making snide remarks?”Mavis’s face paled, but she quickly hid her unease behind a mask of defiance. She couldn’t bring herself to admit that Eloise had helped her out of sincerity. “Rachel, what you’re saying is true. Eloise did help me,” Mavis began, her tone defensive. “But I didn’t ask her to act like a dog to please customers. She did it for the money, and that has nothing to do with me.”Rachel’s anger flared as she stared at Mavis, but her lips curled into a bitter laugh. It seemed to her that Eloise’s sacrifice had been wasted on Mavis, an ungrateful person who couldn’t see the depth of the gesture. She sighed, shaking her head. “It’s a shame that Eloise paid such a high price to save someone like you, someone who doesn’t even know how to be grateful.”Mavis’s fa
Rachel wasn’t sure about Ainsley’s attitude, so she decided to simply recount the situation calmly. She took a deep breath and began speaking in a clear, steady tone."At first, only Amelia, her client, and Gloria knew what had happened that day." Rachel’s eyes darted over to Eric for a moment, before continuing. "Gloria bore all the pain in silence, unwilling to reveal a thing. In fact, it was Amelia who casually mentioned it as a joke to the others at the Scarlet Heart Club. That’s how I found out."Eric's expression shifted, and his eyes widened in surprise. He leaned forward slightly. "Amelia’s not a werewolf," he said, his voice laced with disbelief. "But she’s more vicious than any beast I’ve ever seen."Ainsley’s face darkened at the mention of Amelia. His lips tightened into a thin line, and his cold gaze sharpened as he looked at Rachel.Without another word, he nodded towards her. "Bring me Amelia. I’ll wait for you in Room 1."With a fluid motion, he turned and walked towar
Mavis felt Ainsley’s disdain like a cold blade slicing through her heart. His voice, dripping with venom towards Lucian, made her stomach churn. Every insult, every cruel word about the man she loved, felt like a personal wound. But she couldn’t speak, couldn’t defend him. Fear held her tongue in place.How dare he say that about Lucian? Her mind screamed, but the words couldn’t escape her lips. Her gaze flitted between Ainsley’s cold face and the floor beneath her, desperate for the strength to speak, to challenge him, but the courage failed to materialize. She knew the danger of antagonizing him, the fear of what he could do. He wasn’t just any man; Ainsley was the Alpha of the Litha Night Walker Pack, ruthless, calculating, and untouchable.Her heart ached for Lucian, the man she admired with every fiber of her being. Lucian deserves more than this. He deserves respect, she thought bitterly. But there was nothing she could do at that moment. Her hands, clenched into fists by her si
After the cloth was removed, Mavis immediately relaxed. She had been gagged for so long that she couldn't help but cough, her face turning red from the strain. Her vision blurred for a moment, but when it cleared, Ainsley's feet appeared in her line of sight. For a brief second, Mavis paused, the overwhelming emotions of fear and frustration almost drowning her. Suddenly, she felt a harsh grip on her chin, pulling her head up sharply. The force was enough to make her eyes widen in shock. She saw Ainsley's eyes dangerous and full of malice."I'm in a bad mood right now. I don't have much patience. You better answer whatever I ask you..." His voice was cold, each word dripping with icy authority.Mavis's heart skipped a beat, and a chill ran down her spine. Ainsley's grip tightened, and she felt the pressure digging into her jaw. It hurt, and tears welled up in her eyes, but she dared not show weakness. The pain was overwhelming, but she fought to stay composed. Ainsley's hand, gloved i
When Eric heard Ainsley's words, he was filled with a mix of frustration and disbelief. Typically, tasks like this were left to the pack’s doctors, but now he found himself being summoned to take on a job that seemed beneath him. He couldn’t help but feel resentful as he moved forward, preparing the IV.“Eric, wait a second, do you know how to do this?” Ainsley’s voice cut through the air, dripping with doubt.Eric’s hand trembled as he tried to find the right vein, but in his haste, he struck the wrong one. Ainsley’s expression soured immediately, his gaze growing colder with each failed attempt. “If you can’t, I’ll get someone else to do the job. Don’t force yourself.”Eric, who had always prided himself on his skills, clenched his jaw. His face tightened in determination. “Keep still,” he snapped. “If I don’t get her on a drip, I’ll write you a letter of resignation tomorrow and go home to help my father gather herbs.”Ainsley’s jaw tightened. He didn’t have time for games, but Eri
“Well, since you love your job so much, work hard for it.” Ainsley’s voice was cold, his eyes hard as stone. “In one month, transfer a million dollars to my card, and I’ll let you go. Otherwise, it won’t matter where you run. You’ll never be free.”Eloise felt the blood drain from her face, but she didn’t flinch. She couldn’t. She had no choice but to accept it. A million dollars in a month? Her mind raced, trying to find a way out, but she knew there was none. Not now.“Alpha Williams, you’re right,” she said, her voice steady, though her heart was a chaotic mess inside her. “I still owe you a million dollars. You ordered me to pay it back within a month.”She didn’t fight him. She couldn’t afford to. She had nothing left. Eloise had long ago learned to swallow her pride and accept whatever came her way. She had no other option. Her debts, emotional and financial, were far too great.“Very well,” she continued, taking a slow, controlled breath. “I’ll be going to work now.”Ainsley’s
“What’s wrong?” Ainsley asked, setting aside the document he had been studying. His gaze shifted to Eloise, a subtle arch in his brow that spoke volumes of his curiosity.Eloise hesitated before asking, her voice laced with a quiet concern, “Is Mavis okay?”At the sound of her question, a sharp edge darkened Ainsley’s mood. The gentleness that had once lingered around him evaporated in an instant.Eloise, how dare you ask about her? Ainsley thought bitterly. How can you even pretend to care about someone else, when you’re drowning in your own mess?Eloise’s lips tightened, but she didn’t falter. She pressed on, her tone unwavering. “Alpha Williams, you were wrong to do what you did to her. I want to beg you to spare her life. As for the rest, you can do whatever you want…”Ainsley scoffed, his face twisting in disbelief. “I didn’t know you were such a hypocrite,” he sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. “You can be friends with people who’ve hurt you so deeply?”Eloise, despite th
Ainsley watched Eloise with a strange, almost obsessive gaze. His thoughts, tangled in a web of confusion, betrayed the feelings he couldn’t quite understand. How had it come to this? She was just a woman, an important one, yes, but nothing out of the ordinary. Yet, the more time passed, the deeper the pull grew, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that something in him had awakened.What the hell is going on? Ainsley demanded, his voice sharp and uncertain, spoken not aloud but in the privacy of his mind.His wolf, Adrian, answered instantly, his tone firm and unyielding. She’s our mate.Ainsley’s heart thundered in his chest as the word echoed in his thoughts. Mate. The concept had always been something distant for him, something he hadn’t truly believed in. But Adrian was insistent. We werewolves need to be with our mates. That bond... it’s what keeps us whole. It’s what keeps us happy.Ainsley said nothing in response. The silence between them hung heavy, thick with confusion. He tr
Suddenly, Eric recalled what he had said to Eloise earlier. He had told her she had disappointed him, blamed her for changing. Now, as he thought about it, he was filled with regret. It wasn’t him who had been suffering all these years.Eric continued, “When I checked on her earlier, she wasn’t in a serious condition. I don’t know why she fainted again, but I suggest you take her to the hospital now. She’s been through a lot, drowning, running a fever, and fainting. Even healthy werewolves couldn’t handle that, let alone her. Werewolf herbs might alleviate the symptoms, but it’s our strong resistance that helps us recover. Eloise doesn’t have her wolf anymore. She may be more vulnerable than humans.”“Okay. I’ll take her to the hospital now,” Ainsley responded.“Okay. See you there,” Eric replied before hanging up.Ainsley stood by the bed, looking down at Eloise. Eric’s words echoed in his mind: “Don’t you know that your attitude towards Eloise and the disposition you show have deter
Ainsley stood over Eloise’s unconscious form, his eyes scanning her prone body. His mind was in turmoil, but his focus was sharp. He didn’t break the mental link. His gaze was locked on Eloise as she lay motionless on the bed.He moved closer, his hands trembling with a mixture of frustration and confusion. He pushed her aside gently and, with a steady breath, lifted her shirt.As her shirt slowly moved upward, his eyes fell on her waist.What he saw stopped him cold.A gruesome, jagged scar marred the skin on her left side. Ainsley’s pupils constricted, his heart thundering painfully in his chest. The breath caught in his throat.Our mate... Adrian’s voice was pained, distant. I can’t feel her... not properly. The words cut through Ainsley’s mind like ice. There was only the faintest breath, the shallow pulse beneath her skin, and that was all that marked her as his mate.“Who did this?” Ainsley’s voice was icy, his tone as cold as a blizzard, his words sharp with the promise of wrat
Eloise’s thoughts were heavy, weighing down her every step. I know what it is to owe someone your life, and it’s a debt I can never repay. No matter how hard I work, no matter how many hours I toil away, Rain will never see my efforts. She paused for a moment, letting the sting of truth settle in. But I don’t care about Mavis. She felt an odd indifference towards the woman. It’s not that I hate her, nor that I like her. She’s selfish, and often insolent, crossing boundaries without a second thought. But I don’t care enough to involve myself in her matters. I didn’t come here to beg for her.Her breath caught as the weight of her decision sank deeper. I just... I just don’t want to owe anyone anything. Not a single person. Whether they’re kind or cruel, whether they matter to me or not, it’s the principle. I don’t want to owe anyone, not again. She exhaled sharply. That's why I came here, despite every ounce of resistance in my body. I can’t stand this feeling of indebtedness.Ainsley