ISABELLA'S POV~My blood turned to fire, coursing through my veins like liquid rage. "Make it stop! MAKE IT FUCKING STOP!!!" I bellowed, my voice raw with emotion, my eyes glued to the sight of my mother, her body writhing in agony. I collapsed to the ground, every muscle in my body straining against Ryan's grasp as he held me back. "Let me go!" I shrieked, thrashing wildly, desperate to reach my mother's side. "Let me fucking go!" Tears streamed down my face, the pain of watching my mother suffer almost too much to bear.Ryan's voice was soft, soothing, but it only served to fuel my fury. "Isabella... Please wait." His hands tightened around me, holding me in place as I kicked and screamed. "Isabella, I know this is hard, but you have to trust Alice. She knows what she's doing." But his words fell on deaf ears."Stop it! Alice, stop it!" I screamed, ignoring Ryan, my body trembling with rage. But Alice just stared at me, her expression blank, her eyes cold and unyielding. She said no
RYAN'S POV~“Isn't she out yet?" I asked my grandmother who was busy with her iPad. She only threw me a fleeting glance before resuming whatever activity she was carrying out on her device. My grandmother's nails clicked against the screen of her iPad in a steady rhythm, a counterpoint to the impatient tapping of my foot on the linoleum floor. My eyes were fixed on the door of the hospital ward, willing it to open, willing Isabella to emerge. But the door remained stubbornly closed, taunting me with its silence."Oh, you poor dear " my grandmother remarked, her tone as dry as the desert sand. “I’m afraid patience isn't a virtue you inherited from the side of my family.”I shot her a withering look immediately but said nothing. I knew better than to engage with her when she was in this mood.Minutes ticked by like hours, each one dragging more slowly than the last. The silence in the hallway was oppressive, broken only by the occasional squeak of a nurse's shoe or the muted beeping of
RYAN'S POV~I flashed her a gentle smile, my gaze never leaving her face. “Of course, sweet girl. You don’t even need to ask.” My voice was soft, but behind the smile, my mind was racing with wild, dirty thoughts. I could see in her eyes the desire that mirrored my own, and I longed to devour her whole, to make her mine. I could feel the growl in my chest, a deep, primal sound that threatened to escape my lips.I turned away, gritting my teeth, barely keeping my hunger at bay. I could feel Braxton within me roaring in my mind, desperate to pounce on my mate. Our mate. “We need her." Braxton told me, but my jaw locked even harder, my veins protruding through my forehead, and I fought to keep an expressionless face despite how much my heart had begun to race. Isabella’s scent drifted to my nostrils and I swallowed hard, trying to keep control. My Adams apple bobbed as I fought the urge to take her then and there. “Fucking stay down, Braxton…” I warned my wolf in my head. I'm not goin
RYAN'S POV~"Fuck!" I gritted my teeth, barely able to stifle a curse as Old Nonna roughly removed the soiled bandage from my wound. Her rough, calloused hands felt like sandpaper against my skin as she yanked the cloth away, ignoring my sharp intake of breath.I stared straight ahead, eyes narrowed, the air practically crackling when I resisted the urge to snap at her. A thin trickle of blood stained my skin, the sting of the fresh air on the wound a welcome relief from the pain.Old Nonna was unfazed, her movements methodical as she worked."There, that's better," she muttered to herself, her voice gruff as she dabbed at the wound with a damp cloth. The faint humming that had once been soothing now felt like nails on a chalkboard.Once she leaned back, her eyes met mine for a brief moment, I couldn't help but let out a long, exasperated sigh. "Good," she said, seeming satisfied with her work. "Your wounds are healing fast. The poison is no longer a threat."I said nothing, my gaze f
ISABELLA'S POV ~The moment I stepped into the room, toweling my damp hair, Ryan turned his attention away from the television and fixed his gaze on me. "You done?" I flashed him a grin, the corners of my lips curling up mischievously. In response, he switched off the TV and swiveled the chair to face me, his eyes never leaving my face."So, you're still here," I remarked, teasing him as I tossed the towel onto the nearby chair. "Guarding me, are you?" Ryan's expression was impassive, but a twinkle of humor danced in his eyes. "Oh, no, not at all," he replied. "It's just that I'm terrified that another man might sneak in through the window and steal you away with your blinding beauty."I couldn't help but laugh, my cheeks burning as I sashayed to the bed, playfully batting my eyelashes at him. Ryan chuckled, a low and throaty sound, as he watched me settle onto the bed. His gaze roamed over my nightwear, a slow smile spreading across his face as he whistled in appreciation."Damn,
ISABELLA'S POV ~"Ryan?!" I shrieked, my voice cracking as I leapt from my chair. My hand flew to my mouth in shock, my eyes wide and glued to the screen before me. "Oh my God, oh my God!" I muttered in disbelief, unable to form a coherent thought.Ryan rushed into the room, a look of concern etched on his face. "What's wrong? What happened?" he asked, his voice edged with panic. He strode over to the laptop, his eyes flitting between the screen and my face, trying to piece together the puzzle of my frantic outburst."Oh my God, Ryan, it's true!" I cried, my hands trembling as I gripped his face. My voice was tinged with disbelief, my eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I got selected, just like that! Just like that, Ryan!" I repeated, my words escalating into a near-yell as I grappled with the sudden, overwhelming reality of my success.Ryan placed his hands on my shoulders, gently but firmly, in an effort to steady me. "Hey, calm down. What's wrong? You're crying.”"I'm just so happ
ISABELLA'S POV ~Cindy's grin sent a shiver down my spine as she twirled a lock of hair around her finger. Her lips curled into a serpentine smile, revealing a hint of malice. My stomach knotted as I caught sight of Noah's expressionless face, his icy gaze fixed on me as if he could see right through me."Hello there," she purred, her long painted fingernails waggling in a mocking wave. With a flick of her fingers, she motioned for me to step back. "Take two steps backwards for us, would you?"The room seemed to shrink around me as all eyes turned in my direction. My cheeks flushed hot with humiliation as I realized that my enemies had the upper hand. Oh goodness!I could feel Cindy's eyes burning into me like a predator stalking its prey. Every muscle in my body tensed as I fought to keep my fear in check, afraid that any sign of weakness would only fuel her amusement."Good," she purred, her fingers dropping to her side as she shot me a condescending sneer. I felt my jaw clench as s
NOAH'S POV ~"What?!" I snapped, my voice ringing out like a gunshot in the silent room. I whirled around to face my assistant, who stood petrified beside me, her face a mask of fear as she cowered in my presence. I slammed my tumbler onto the desk, causing her to jump back a step."I'm... I'm so sorry, Alpha." She stammered, her eyes cast down to the ground, too scared to meet my furious gaze. "Miss Isabella has arrived."My fingers dug into the tumbler, the knuckles turning white with rage as I glared at my assistant, my eyes burning with a murderous rage. She could sense the storm brewing within me, but I didn't care. I was about to lose control, and it was all Isabella's fault.For fuck's sake! I knew she was here, I had heard her giggle, and my ears had instantly picked her voice out of the thousands of people milling around the building. Fuck! I should have called her, tried to start a conversation, but that asshole, her husband, had stopped me.That fucking husband of hers, who
ISABELLA'S POV~I stormed out of Noah's office, slamming the door behind me with a loud crash. I didn't care about the noise; Noah could go to hell for all I cared. "Asshole!" I seethed under my breath, fuming as I marched down the hall, my fists clenching and unclenching with rage. "Just a shameless asshole!"Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me. "Excuse me! Excuse me!! Coming through!"I jumped to the side and saw Susan, one of my colleagues, dashing past with a stack of files teetering in her arms."Susan!" I called out. "Why are you running like that?" My eyes widened at the precarious pile of files she was carrying."Hurry up!" she shouted back, panic evident in her voice. "The team is restructuring! You need to hurry too!"I froze in shock as she disappeared around the corner. When did this happen?My heart thundered in my chest as I followed Susan to Cindy's office, my feet feeling like lead. The moment I reached the door, I saw several colleagues already inside, Cindy yelling a
CINDY'S POV~Rage coursed through me like a raging inferno, my veins pulsing with fury. With a guttural cry, I flung the file on my desk across the room, my hand slamming down hard on the desk, sending papers and pens flying in a whirlwind of chaos."How could he?!" I seethed, my eyes wild as I paced back and forth like a caged animal. "How could Noah humiliate me like that? In front of that little omega? That insignificant nothing!" I spat, rage clouding my vision as I vented my spleen."I loved him! I stooped low enough to steal him from Isabella because I loved him!" I screamed, flinging my arms wide as my anger grew. "And this is the thanks I get?! This is how he repays me?!" I bellowed, my voice echoing off the walls as I stalked around the room, my eyes flashing with murderous intent.My blood boiled as I remembered Isabella’s smug face and her stupid, undeserved sense of superiority. As if she was anywhere near my level.As a Beta in the Night pack, I was one of the most powerf
ISABELLA'S POV ~My jaw tightened; my face carefully blank while Cindy continued to make a scene. Through the transparent door to the office, I could see other employees walking by, throwing curious glances in my direction.The urge to defend myself rose within me and I parted my lips to speak, but Cindy cut me off with a raised hand, her eyes flashing with fury. "Don't even go there," she hissed, silencing my attempt."There's no need to explain your tardiness to me, I already know!" she yelled, her voice echoing down the hall.My cheeks burned with anger, my hands clenching and unclenching. I knew this was not just about my tardiness, this was about our shared past. This was Cindy's opportunity to settle some old score, some ancient grudge. I felt my chest tighten, my fists itching to lash out at her."Your incompetence is not just a stain on your own character, but on the very fabric of this organization," Cindy spat, her eyes burning with rage. "You have proven yourself to be an u
ISABELLA'S POV ~I swallowed uncomfortably, my neck craning to see Ryan's expression. But all I could see was his steely glare. His jaw was clenched tightly, as if he were trying to keep his rage contained. I quickly averted my gaze, struggling to remain calm as Cindy's words continued to sting."I heard you," I said sharply, cutting Cindy off in the middle of her rant. Cindy growled in response, but I refused to engage in a battle of words.My heart pounded in my chest as I hung up the phone, ending the call with a frustrated sigh. I rubbed my temple, leaning back against the headboard and trying to calm my racing thoughts.Turning to Ryan, I saw him stand. His expression was still cold, his movements calculated as he cleared the plates and then stretched my limbs. He pretended not to care about the outcome of the call, or perhaps he didn't want to hear my decision. Ryan always read me like an open book, and I knew he knew what I was going to say."Ryan?" I called out, my voice barel
ISABELLA'S POV ~“Yes, I’m on it,” I ground out between clenched teeth. “I’ll send it right away.”Cindy let out a grunt that could have passed for a laugh, if laughter weren’t the furthest thing from her mind. “Better for you,” she said, and the line went abruptly dead.With a sigh, I turned back to the living room, my heart sinking as I saw that Ryan was nowhere to be found. But I wasn’t ready to give up just yet.Sliding onto the plush carpet, I dragged my laptop bag closer, my hands shaking with urgency as I booted the device. The screen flickered to life, but before I could even type in my password, a hand slammed the laptop shut, the sudden motion jolting me out of my skin.I gasped, turning to see Ryan looming over me, his face a mask of frustration and fury. “You’re working?” he demanded. “In that state?”“I have to,” I insisted, gesturing to my still-soaked clothes. “Cindy needs this by tonight.”His hands clenched, and I could see the muscles in his jaw tighten. “She’s not t
ISABELLA'S POV ~Hell seemed like a preferable alternative to this. Even the Devil might have shown some mercy, but here, I was trapped in my own personal version of hell—and there was no escape in sight. The meeting had been a disaster, and Cindy’s jealousy and animosity towards me had only intensified. And to add insult to injury, there was Noah, continually popping up like a bad penny, adding fuel to Cindy’s already burning rage.I glanced at my watch, my stomach rumbling with hunger. Breakfast had long since become a distant memory, and lunch seemed like a pipe dream at this point. Instead, I found myself sweating in a dusty storage room, shifting piles of useless files. As I wiped the sweat from my forehead, I couldn’t help but seethe at the unfairness of it all.With the last file finally in place, I wiped my hands and stormed back to Cindy’s office. I knocked sharply on her door, but it was already ajar. Inside, Cindy sat at her desk, typing away on her laptop.She didn’t even
ISABELLA'S POV ~“Excuse me, you worthless bitch!" Ryan spat out, his voice dripping with venom as he turned to face Cindy, who had been walking away. I could feel my heart pounding as I watched the scene unfold before me. Cindy froze in her tracks, her entire body tensing up. She whipped around to face Ryan, her hands bawled into tight fists and her eyes flashing with rage."Did you just call me a worthless bitch?" she seethed, taking a step towards him. Ryan met her gaze with a cold, hard stare.“What? Are you deaf now? You can't hear me? Or is that just your fragile ego trying to protect you from the truth? I'll speak slowly then, just for you: You. Are. Nothing." He clicked his tongue like he was bored to death, just merely by speaking to her. I clamped a hand over my mouth, utterly stunned. I had only ever seen him be ruthless once before, when he had beaten up Noah, but I had never thought him capable of such icy coldness. Watching Cindy tremble with anger, I couldn't help but
NOAH'S POV ~"What?!" I snapped, my voice ringing out like a gunshot in the silent room. I whirled around to face my assistant, who stood petrified beside me, her face a mask of fear as she cowered in my presence. I slammed my tumbler onto the desk, causing her to jump back a step."I'm... I'm so sorry, Alpha." She stammered, her eyes cast down to the ground, too scared to meet my furious gaze. "Miss Isabella has arrived."My fingers dug into the tumbler, the knuckles turning white with rage as I glared at my assistant, my eyes burning with a murderous rage. She could sense the storm brewing within me, but I didn't care. I was about to lose control, and it was all Isabella's fault.For fuck's sake! I knew she was here, I had heard her giggle, and my ears had instantly picked her voice out of the thousands of people milling around the building. Fuck! I should have called her, tried to start a conversation, but that asshole, her husband, had stopped me.That fucking husband of hers, who
ISABELLA'S POV ~Cindy's grin sent a shiver down my spine as she twirled a lock of hair around her finger. Her lips curled into a serpentine smile, revealing a hint of malice. My stomach knotted as I caught sight of Noah's expressionless face, his icy gaze fixed on me as if he could see right through me."Hello there," she purred, her long painted fingernails waggling in a mocking wave. With a flick of her fingers, she motioned for me to step back. "Take two steps backwards for us, would you?"The room seemed to shrink around me as all eyes turned in my direction. My cheeks flushed hot with humiliation as I realized that my enemies had the upper hand. Oh goodness!I could feel Cindy's eyes burning into me like a predator stalking its prey. Every muscle in my body tensed as I fought to keep my fear in check, afraid that any sign of weakness would only fuel her amusement."Good," she purred, her fingers dropping to her side as she shot me a condescending sneer. I felt my jaw clench as s