The grand council chamber lay in ruins before me, shattered glass from the ancient stained windows scattered across the marble floor like fallen stars. My newly amber eyes reflected in the fragments, a stark reminder of everything I'd become. Everything I'd lost."Order!" Elder Morrison's voice boomed through the chamber, but the chaos continued. Werewolves from every faction of the pack crowded the space, their voices a cacophony of accusations and demands. My heightened senses picked up every whispered threat, every muttered curse.I stood perfectly still, channeling every ounce of my corporate training to maintain my composure. Beside me, Callum radiated tension, his massive frame coiled tight like a spring ready to snap. Through our mate bond, I felt his rage simmering just beneath the surface.Amelia Thornton sat at the council table, her platinum blonde hair immaculate despite the morning's violence. Her ice-blue eyes met mine with calculated triumph as she rose, commanding atte
The ancient chandeliers cast long shadows across the London Pack's meeting hall, their iron frames creaking softly in the night air. I stood before the towering windows, watching my reflection ghost against rain-streaked glass. Behind me, Callum's footsteps echoed off marble floors, each step a counterpoint to my racing heart.Thunder rolled across the London sky, and I forced myself to breathe. The waxing moon hung heavy through the clouds, a silent witness to what we were about to do. To what we had to do."There has to be another way." My voice sounded hollow even to my own ears. The mate bond between us hummed with shared desperation, with fears neither of us dared voice.Callum's pacing stopped. In the glass, I watched him run both hands through his dark hair, his broad shoulders tight with tension. When he spoke, his voice was rough. "I could challenge the council's decree."I turned to face him, my throat tight. Even now, the sight of him made my heart skip – all that coiled po
The London skyline blurs through the rain-streaked windows of Callum's study as I stand before them, my reflection a ghost in the darkened glass. The storm brewing outside mirrors the tempest in my chest, where pack bonds pull and twist with each betrayal I commit. Dark circles shadow my eyes – evidence of nights spent wrestling with decisions that tear me apart. "Send the information by midnight, Olivia. Don't disappoint me again." Amelia's text message glows accusingly on my phone screen. My finger hovers over the reply button as memories assault me – Callum teaching me to howl at the moon, his hands gentle on my shoulders, his smile proud as I found my voice. The pack welcoming me, trusting me, making me family. And here I am, preparing to betray them all. The door creaks open behind me. Through our bond, I feel Callum before I see him, his presence both a comfort and a knife to my gut. He wraps his arms around my waist, nuzzling my neck in a gesture that once brought only peace.
In the growing darkness, I make a decision that will change everything. I open a new document and begin typing – not to Amelia, but to Callum. Every secret shared, every manipulation attempted, every moment I realized my love for the pack outweighed my fear of Amelia's threats. My fingers fly across the keyboard, pouring out truths I should have told months ago. When I finish, I hit send. Lightning illuminates the London skyline as I wait for either redemption or final betrayal, the weight of divided loyalties reaching its breaking point. The door opens. Callum stands there, his phone in his hand, my confession fresh on the screen. His face shows no emotion, but our bond thrums with pain, anger, and underneath it all, a desperate need to understand. "Why?" he asks simply. "She threatened the pack," I whisper. "Said she had evidence of illegal operations, enough to destroy everything you've built. I thought... I thought I could protect you all by playing along, feeding her harmless
The London rain lashed against my skin as I stepped out of the car, but nothing could dampen the fire in my veins from the Zurich deal. Little did I know, the storm inside my home would soon rival the one outside. My mind was a whirlwind of numbers and deals, still reeling from the high-stakes negotiations I'd just closed in Zurich. I hurried through the iron gates of my Kensington estate, acutely aware that tonight was a full moon, its silvery light occasionally breaking through the storm clouds. the house was still and quite as expected for this hour. "I pushed the exhaustion aside, still riding the high from closing the zurich deal."I fumbled with my key, the familiar weight suddenly foreign in my hand. The moment I stepped inside, the large entrance hall echoed with a heavy silence that crawled along my skin. A single floorboard creaked from above, followed by what sounded almost like a low growl.James wasn't expecting me back for two more days.My heels sank into the plush car
I turned on my heel and exited the room with whatever dignity as i could muster. But With every step down the stairs, I felt my delicately constructed world crumble around me. My fingers grazed the banister, the weight of my wedding ring now too much to bear.I moved through the darkened rooms of our – my – home, my head replaying every lie, every betrayal. How long had this been going on? How many business trips had been covers for their trysts? How many times had Sarah consoled me about James's distance, all while warming his bed behind my back?My hand reached to the mantel for the wedding photo. The smile in that picture was mockery now. Gently, I laid it down: cold glass against the heat of my anger.I fell onto the plush sofa in the quiet house, my body numb. For the first time in years, I'd allowed myself to feel it-to truly feel it. The loss. The rage. The betrayal. One lonely tear slipped down my cheek, scalding as it fell.I wiped it away, refusing to break any further. This
The night crackled with energy. It was three months since discovering James's betrayal. Wounds still felt raw, bleeding with every breath. I stood at the high-stakes charity gala with a glass of champagne clutched like a shield in my hands. My midnight gown clung to every curve, armor of silk and sequins.You're Olivia fucking Blackwood, I reminded myself. Ice Queen of the London financial district. You don't break.But beneath the façade, my heart churned with acrid bitterness. Every forced smile, every polite laugh-it was all a mask to cover the bleeding scars inside.I scanned the room, cataloging potential investors and rivals. That was when I saw him.Callum Wolfe.His entrance was magnetic, commanding the space around him in a way that was almost predatory. Eyes watched him, but it was me he locked with. His gaze burned, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine. There was something raw in him, something dangerous. He didn't walk-he prowled, his tailored suit little camouflage
I stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of my corner office, watching city lights flicker to life as dusk settled over London. The view had once filled me with pride— Now it just felt hollow.Three months since I'd caught James in bed with my best friend. Three months of rebuilding myself, channeling every ounce of pain and betrayal into clawing my way up the corporate ladder. I was Olivia Blackwood, the Ice Queen of London's financial district. Untouchable. Unbreakable.At least, that was what I kept telling myself.My eyes fell onto the invitation to tonight's charity gala. Another night of phony smiles and networking. But it was necessary. I had a deal to close, one that would seal my position as the youngest partner in the firm's history.My phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number:*Looking forward to seeing you tonight, Ms. Blackwood. We have much to discuss. - C.W.*Callum Wolfe. The enigmatic CEO of Wolfe Industries, a man whose name was whispered in boardrooms with equ