STACY. The moment Linda leaves, the apartment feels too quiet, like the silence itself is pressing in on me. I glance around, trying to shake off the unease, and start unpacking my bags, but every minute that ticks by only makes the loneliness more suffocating. I’m in enemy territory, and the reminder gnaws at me. Just as I’m pulling a few things out of my suitcase, a knock on the door startles me. I hesitate, wondering who it could be. I wasn’t expecting anyone. Slowly, I walk over and open the door. Two young omega ladies stand there with their postures timid, but their gazes steady. “Luna Stacy!” one of them asks softly, her voice tentative. I flinch at the title. “It’s just Stacy,” I correct her. She nods, but her expression doesn’t change. “We’ve been sent to clean your apartment.” I blink, taken aback. “What? That’s not necessary, I can handle it myself.” The second omega, who looks no older than nineteen, fidgets nervously with the hem of her apron. “We’re under orders
NICOLE. I sit on the edge of the bed, staring at myself in the mirror in front of me. My heart is heavy after Jason's outburst about what I did last night… But what did he expect when he barely looks my way. Besides, why isn't Jason trying to work things out like he had said? ‘If you ever try something like that ever again, you will regret it…’ His words ring hollow in my mind, each promise slipping through my fingers like sand. He’s colder every day, pulling further away, and no matter how hard I cling, I can’t stop it. Why aren't I enough for him? I feel tears sting my eyes again, but I quickly swipe them away because I'm tired of crying. Suddenly my phone buzzes loudly beside me. It's an unknown number and I almost ignore it, too drained to deal with some random caller, but my fingers move on their own, and I answer. “Hello?” My voice is still shaky, betraying my earlier tears. There’s a brief pause, then a woman’s voice, calm and unsettlingly answers. “Luna Nicole? Call me
STACY. The moment Nicole disappears from view, the silence between us is suffocating. I can still feel the weight of her hatred, and her eyes burning into my back as if she’s still standing there, watching us. I knew meeting her again was going to be dramatic. Thank goodness there was no crowd in sight to witness all that. Jason shifts uncomfortably beside me, glancing at me as if waiting for something—an explosion, maybe. But I'm way past that. Nicole is Jason's problem and not mine. “Stacy,” Jason starts, his voice low and apologetic, “I’m sorry about Nicole. I didn’t think—” “Don’t,” I cut him off sharply. I don’t want to hear it. Not from him. The last thing I need is another one of Jason’s apologies that won’t change anything. “Alpha Barron, thanks for the supplies, Hannah, let’s just go.” He flinches at the edge in my voice but doesn’t argue. Instead, he gestures to Avery, who’s been awkwardly hovering near the store entrance, probably wishing she’d been anywhere but here
JASON “What is wrong with that woman,” I mutter angrily under my breath referring to Nicole after pulling that stupid stunt in public without care of my status. “Enough is enough! I need to put her in her place once and for all!” I grip the steering wheel so tight my knuckles turn white. The tension in my chest burns, pulsing through every nerve as I drive back home. Nicole’s face flashes in my mind—her screams, accusations and drama towards Stacy… For her, it was always necessary to cause a scene even if you can just talk it out calmly like adults. But today… Today was the last straw. The car rolls to a stop outside the house. For a moment, I just sit there, heart pounding harder than it should. I know what I have to do. There’s no avoiding it now. I step out and head inside, the door creaking open as I walk into the cold, quiet house despite the sun warming the sky. The place feels like ice. I immediately catch a glimpse of Nicole sitting on the edge of the couch in the livin
STACY. “Such a lying bastard!” I murmur while I glance at the crumpled note Jason passed under the door on the floor where I tossed it, mocking me with its presence. I refuse to read it again. I’ve already given Jason too much of my time, thoughts, and life by coming back to his damn pack to plan his father's birthday. A note isn’t going to fix years of heartache he has caused me. Not this time. Just as the knot in my stomach tightens, my phone vibrates on the coffee table I placed it earlier, dragging me out of my thoughts. I glance at the screen and see Mom flashing across it. A sigh escapes me, and I swipe to answer. “Hey, Mom. Miss me already?” “Every single minute I miss you sweetheart,” she says, her voice soft and worried, “how are you holding up?” I close my eyes, pressing my fingertips to my forehead. How do I even begin to answer that? “I’m managing,” I reply, though my tone betrays me. “Stacy…” Her voice is gentle, and probing. She knows me too well. “You don’t soun
STACY. An hour after the threat call… My finger hovers over the call button for what feels like forever, but the digits on the screen aren’t unfamiliar. Even though I haven’t dialed Jason’s number in years, it’s still ingrained in my memory, like a scar that refuses to fade. ‘Just do it for crying out loud Stacy,’ Piper chimes in impatiently via mind link. Finally, I press it after so much contemplation, my breath shallow as I bring the phone to my ear. It rings once. Twice. “Stacy?” Jason’s voice comes through the line almost immediately with a steady but hint of surprise. How did he know it was me calling? I swallow the lump forming in my throat. “Alpha Barron, we need to talk face to face and it’s important.” I demand sternly. “Okay…” Jason’s voice shifts, becoming more alert. “I’ll come to your apartment in a few minutes.” “No,” I interrupt, my tone sharper than I intended. I don’t want him in my space again, not after he tried to seduce me. “I want to keep this formal. I
JASON. “Stacy!” My voice rips through the air, louder than I’ve ever shouted before... I’d followed her just to insist on driving her after our ‘meeting’ just to say ‘thank you’ for allowing me back into Liam's life. Honestly I was happy that we were making progress even though Stacy was still closed up… But now, none of that matters. The world around me narrows to just her. She’s standing there, frozen in the middle of the road, eyes wide with fear, her body locked as if she’s stuck in a nightmare she can’t escape from. Time slows. My pulse quickens, pounding in my ears as I take in the scene—a van, hurtling toward her, metal and momentum, closing the gap in seconds that feels like hours. “Stacy, move out of the way!” The panic claws at my throat as I scream her name again. My chest is tightening with fear, while my legs are already moving before I can think. My heart slams against my ribs, adrenaline flooding every muscle, but she doesn’t move. Why isn’t she moving? The van’
NICOLE. “What's taking them so long?” I pace back and forth in my room while fidgeting with my hands. Suddenly, my phone buzzes on my nightstand, dragging me out of my anxious thoughts. I swifty reach for it, my heartbeat quickening when I see the name on the screen: It’s one of my rogue bodyguards my father insisted should always “watch over” me within the pack. I had decided to put him to good use rather than him watching me in the shadows like I'm some kind of damsel... I gave him strict instructions to watch Stacy like a hawk just after Jason mentioned that he would divorce me soon. I snatch the phone, already anticipating good news. “Tell me it’s done,” I snap, barely greeting him. My voice is cold, and my patience thin. But there is a long pause on his end. I immediately sense it's bad news. “There’s a problem ma'am,” he finally says. My pulse spikes. "What kind of problem?" I ask, already pacing the length of my room once again, the anticipation twisting like a