MILAOne thing I could say about the rich: they knew how to throw a party. If this was a typical night, I might have been content sipping champagne, nibbling on canapes, and pretending not to eavesdrop on the secretive whispers of the elites.But tonight wasn’t about enjoying myself. At least not in the normal way. I had too much to do and people to fuck with. The moment I saw Arianna and her entourage, I pushed the button in my purse and just waited.And waited.I started to excuse myself, but Tyler had other plans. He practically dragged me around the party introducing me to people in the industry, his charm on full display. Every conversation turned into some wild story about him that, without fail, ended with him in his boxers–or less.“I can’t help that fact that I have a natural affinity for being naked,” he laughed, drawing a few chuckles from the crowd. Then he leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Want me to prove it?”I narrowed my eyes at him, fighting the smil
MILA“Alpha Tyler! I’ve been trying to get your attention all night.” Mirabella practically squeezed between us, making a point to size me up, which I didn’t mind. I had to keep Tyler at a distance for Rayne’s horny sake.“As you can see, I’m a bit preoccupied,” Tyler began. “So…”“Yeah, I can tell,” Mirabella interrupted, her voice carrying the kind of sweetness that could make my teeth ache. “Someone’s been monopolizing all your time.”She shot a glance in my direction.“It’s not monopolizing when they’re here willingly,” I said, matching her fake sweetness. “But I can understand why that concept might be… unfamiliar to you.”Mirabella faked a laugh before grabbing onto Tyler’s arm. “Ty, would you give me a moment please? Girl talk and all. Maybe a few drinks?”Tyler looked at me as if he wanted confirmation. I didn’t want to waste my time with her but whatever. She was on my shit list anyway. I gave him a subtle nod and we both watched him disappear into the crowd before Mirabella
MILAJulia watched me with a confident look on her face, but I could smell the fear coming off her skin. She tried to laugh it off. “What is this? Some kind of fantasy of yours? A little girl on girl action?” I moved to block the door when I saw her eyeing it. “Not quite,” I smiled. “But it will be.”Before Julia could say another word, I lunged for her, grabbing her head and bringing it down into my knee. She stumbled back, holding her nose and looking at me with a shocked expression.“What the fuck!”“That’s for Jenna.”Julia distanced herself from me as I slowly approached. Surprisingly, she stood her ground when she noticed I wasn’t going to let her escape.Good girl. Julia grabbed her broken nose, and popped it back in place, her hand trembling as she wiped the blood from her lip.“Jenna? How is little ol’ Jenna doing?” she asked with a bloody grin. “Heard she lost a piece of herself. Maybe I should send her a ‘Get Well’ card.”I stalked forward, the edge of my vision blurring
GABEI stepped away from the window in my old office after watching the flashing lights of the van taking Leo away. “Guess the party’s over.”I closed my laptop, taking a look at the redesign I did for Mila’s office. I tried to make it as personable as I could. Granted she had changed much, so hopefully I remembered enough to get her going.“We should tell her who she is to us,” Spencer urged.He’s been bugging me to tell ever since he found out. Wolves were so one-track minded. Let’s not worry about the fact that we were still mated to Arianna, right? None of this made sense.“Do you remember what she said to us the first time we saw her?” I reminded him. “I broke her heart, Spencer. I can’t just expect her to forgive us because there’s a possibility she’s our mate.”Even saying it sounded strange. I continued to decorate the room, carefully placing pictures of her older designs and textiles on the wall. Suddenly the door opened and Tyler rushed in like he was running from someone.
MILAThe moment I kicked them out, I took a tour of my new office, feeling a sense of belonging. I won’t lie and say the personal touches were amazing, but the fact that Gabe was the one who did it made everything a bit complicated. What’s so complicated? He’s an asshole just like the rest of them. I thought, staring at the colored pencils on my desk and the treadmill tucked underneath it. Seriously, Camila must’ve had something to do with this. No one and I mean no one knew about the treadmill.I shook my head not wanting to delve into it deeper. I had to stay focused on the plan. The night was still young and there was still some damage I could do. I texted Camila to deliver the little gift I had for Luna Emily and Alpha Troy, while I tried to stir up some drama on the news. I pulled out my phone and called Laura.“Hey, I think it’s time to leak some information?”“Already ahead of you,” Laura answered happily. “Looks like our little hacker already did it. The news should be reporti
ARIThe gala was dead, my parents left with no word, Julia was found beaten in the women’s restroom, and Gabe was still a no-show. I called the packhouse and everyone kept saying he was in the office. So I decided to check myself. When I opened the door to his office, I was surprised to see so much had changed and Mila was standing near the desk. Of course it was her. That huge silhouette was unmistakable in the low light.“Oh,” she said, her lips curving into a smile that made my stomach churn. “Luna Arianna. Fancy seeing you here.”“Really?” I asked coolly, stepping fully into the room. “I would think out of the two of us, I would make more sense. What are you doing here?”She leaned against the desk with her arms crossed. “Not that it’s any of your business, but this is my office now. This is what happens when you’re a success, ya know.”This girl was starting to become a real headache. “You can’t be serious? Gabe wouldn’t just give you his office.”“More like he decorated it himse
GABEThe scent of blood filled my nose as Spencer growled low, his presence pressing against my mind. We moved forward, eyes scanning the women’s torn attire, and the red streaks on the floor. Mila.She’s hurt. The realization hit hard, the pull to her undeniable. She must’ve seen it in my face because she shook her head slowly, her eyes a silent plea. I couldn’t move to her anyway as Arianna practically flung herself into my arms.“That beast attacked me,” she cried, her arms wrapped around my neck, face buried into my chest. Even as she did this, my eyes were on Mila. The need to comfort so strong, I felt myself pulling Arianna’s arms off of me. That didn’t stop her from clinging on as her hands gripped my arm. She continued. “She has to be banned from this pack immediately.”“Banned?” That word felt heavy in my mouth. “Really, Ari?” I looked at Arianna as if she was crazy and she almost took a step back. She recovered and a hateful look spread across her face when she looked at M
MILAWhat the fuck was he doing? And why was I letting him?The moment his tongue touched my skin, I nearly fell to the floor, but his grip kept me planted. I wanted to pull away but it felt… so good. I had half a mind to make another cut.No, focus you fool! I shook my head, deciding on placing my anger someplace else.“Rayne, you could’ve healed us.”Hey, I’m good but I’m not that good,” Rayne protested, her voice low and amusing. “Alpha’s and Luna’s attacks are much more difficult to heal. You know that. Besides, I don’t protest this. Let him lick our wounds.”“You have no control,” I snapped, even as my body betrayed me, leaning into his touch.“Said the woman who decided to get into two fights,” Rayne retorted. “Now this is more my lane.”When he finished, Gabe looked up at me, and my heart raced. There, in his light brown eyes that were flashing gold, was desire–no, an animalistic hunger–and my body responded. My panties could no longer keep the desire from sliding down my leg.
ARIIt didn’t take long for me to lose Gabe at the party. Then I thought, Find Mila and I’ll find Gabe. But she was gone too. The last I saw, she was talking to Amira. So I searched for Amira instead and found her lounging in the VIP section, twirling her drink like she owned the place. I walked over and plopped down on the couch beside her.“So where’s your bestie, traitor?” I asked with a smile.Amira cocked an eyebrow, smirking. “Traitor? Pretty sure you weren’t calling me that when I joined your team. Or have you forgotten?”“Semantics,” I said with a casual wave. “Fashion is a battlefield, and lucky for you, I know how to win. So… what did you two talk about?”“Oh, you know. The usual.” She took a slow sip of her drink. “Fashion. Gossip. And finding a way to outshine you– and get Tyler back on my radar.”A nerve twitched in my temple. “I thought that’s why I invited you both here,” I said, teeth clenched in a tight smile.Amira shrugged and gestured around lazily. “Then where is
TYLERI swirled the drink in my glass, watching the way the ice clinked together before bringing it to my lips. The whiskey burned on the way down, but it didn’t do shit to drown out the irritation gnawing at me.Mila walking in with Gabe. What the hell were they doing together?The moment she’d stepped into the party with him on her tail, I was done. Over it. The night, the drinks, the bullshit conversations—none of it mattered after that. Until now.Now, she was walking toward me with that same unreadable expression, but I wasn’t an idiot. She knew exactly what she was doing. Showing up with Gabe, acting like it was nothing. Like it didn’t mean anything. And looking fucking cute in the flirty red dress that showed off every curve that I wanted to run my tongue over.Fuck! This is why I couldn’t stay mad at her. She made my blood boil, but every time I wanted to hate her, I couldn’t. My body betrayed me, drawn to her despite the anger simmering beneath my skin. She infuriated me, but
MILAFucking fuck! Hot and bothered, and surrounded by people I hate. Just my fucking luck. Of course, Gabe would try to be so bold. Who the fuck tries to seduce someone at their wife’s birthday party. An asshole that’s who. For the first time in my life, I thought Tyler was a better man.I ignored the way my body tingled from his touch as I barreled my way through the party, the clinking of champagne glasses and artificial laughter grating on my nerves. I could feel his eyes on me and I didn’t dare turn around. Distance. I needed distance before I did something incredibly stupid. Rayne was about a ‘touch and lick’ away from jumping his bones in the elevator. Traitor.I inhaled sharply, scanning the crowd until I spotted Amira, lounging in the VIP section, draped in designer fabrics and social climbers. I squared my shoulders, mentally prepping what I would say, ignoring the hushed whispers and side-eyes from the partygoers. The shock was palpable. Arianna and I weren’t exactly subtl
GABEJust ignore it. I thought to myself. This doesn’t have to be a thing.Or at least I didn’t want it to be, but the fact that Mila’s scent filled the small space of the elevator was proving it difficult to focus on anything else. Against Spencer’s wishes, I told myself to look straight ahead, to count the glowing floor numbers like they mattered. Lucky for me, the elevator doors weren’t reflective. But still my gaze kept betraying me.She leaned against the railing, arms crossed, gaze flicking to the numbers as we ascended toward the rooftop.“A rooftop party,” she mused, her red-painted lips curling into a smirk. “Nothing screams ‘we have too much money and not enough personality’ like drinking overpriced cocktails thirty stories in the air.”I huffed a short laugh, but my attention wasn’t on her words. It was on her.The soft glow in the elevator made her dark skin look even more radiant, casting warm highlights along the smooth lines of her collarbones. The red dress she wore was
TYLERI wasn’t sure what it was about Mila that got under my skin. She’d been avoiding me like the plague ever since I asked her to be my Luna. Maybe it was her legs, the way they seemed to wrap around me possessively when she had me tied down. Or her lips–the perfect curve when she smirked, watching me obey her every command. Then there were her hands, delicate but dangerous, capable of both seduction and destruction.I exhaled sharply, forcing my thoughts to halt before they drifted too far. This was not the time nor place. I wasn’t sure why I decided to come to this party or why Arianna invited me anyway. It wasn’t like we were on the same team. Maybe she was up to something. I ordered another drink, leaving the crowded space and headed outside to the rooftop. The low hum of conversation outside and the warm breeze did nothing to keep from thinking of Mila.Or at least I thought when I noticed Arianna approaching. Dressed to perfection, her presence commanded attention, though I kn
MILAI stared at the elegant gold printed acrylic invitation with a velvet black pocket adorned with a circular crest and thought how tacky. I walked towards the entrance where VIP guests stopped on the makeshift red carpet, cameras flashing. I bypassed it all, wanting to get this day over with. I had one goal and that was to get Amira back on my team. Deveaux fancied her and he loved her and I used it, I would be one step closer to being better than Arianna.I walked over to the bouncer when I noticed Randall and Leo having a very tense conversation.“Come on, Randall, just this once,” Leo said, gesturing towards the entrance. “I’ve done everything you’ve asked. I deserve to be in there.”Randall scoffed, adjusting the cufflinks of his designer jacket. “Deserve? You don’t get it, do you? That place isn’t for people like you. You don’t walk into a room like that unless you belong there–and you, Leo, don’t.”Leo gritted his teeth. “I’ve worked for this. I’ve done the dirty jobs, handle
GABEEarlier that dayI had finally caught up with Frederick, tracking his movement any time he got close to my pack. I needed to find him for Mila. Figure out why he thought she was dead and why he would run away.Hopefully, I could convince him to come back to the packhouse to clean up. Then I can arrange a meeting with Mila. Honestly, I just wanted to see her again. Anytime I had business at the Aliz building, which wasn’t a lot, I would catch glimpses of her and her scent would torment me. A torment I deserved no doubt. But maybe this could happen.I had just stepped inside a roadside diner not too far from the pack’s borderline, when I spotted them. Frederick was sitting in a booth, talking with my mother. In daylight he looked vastly different. His dark curly hair was littered with streaks of silver, his brown eyes–so much like Mila’s–were dull and distant. My mother stopped talking the moment she saw me and almost shot out of her seat.“Gabriel, what are you–what are you doing
MILAI leaned back in my chair, tapping a pen against my chin as I studied the sketches laid out before me. The designs were flawless, innovative–exactly what will impress Deveaux. Yet, none of it would matter if I didn’t have the right model to bring them to life. Good thing, I had the perfect person.“We have a problem.” Camila rushed into the room, tapping away on her tablet.“You say that like it’s something new.”Camila laid the tablet in front of me. The screen cycled through different news outlets of my past work with many models.“Why are you showing me pictures of my past work?”“Because of this, Amira backed out and now.”Camila tapped the screen and pictures of Amira and Arianna popped up everywhere. She was working with Arianna now.I dropped the pen onto my desk, looking at Camila. “What?”“The contract we sent failed through.” Camil crossed her arms, a mix of frustration and concern in her eyes. “Word got to her that you once chose Zuri over her a few years back. Amira
ARII could see everyone’s eyes on me. Once Tyler left, Emily moved us to the Alpha’s office. Troy sat in the chair with Emily standing behind him. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, her arms crossed tightly across her chest as she looked between us.I sat in one of the chairs as Gabe stood by the door, his jaw set tight, his eyes fixed on some distant point beyond the window. I knew this moment would come, I was hoping for it. Maybe his parents could talk some sense into him.“Gabriel,” Emily finally broke the silence, her voice carefully controlled but trembling at the edges, “surely this is something we can talk through? Divorce is… drastic. Unnecessary.”My heart pounded in my chest. “Yes,” I added quickly, stepping closer to Gabe. One look from him made me stop. “We can fix this. I can fix this. Gabe, please.”His expression was blank. He didn’t flinch or soften. “No, Arianna. This isn’t something to fix. It’s over. My decision is final.”Final.The word echoed in my mind,