“Hello?”
Her sweet voice came through the line.
Jake stopped drinking, his glass suspended in the air as he looked up at me.
I cleared my throat. “Deanna, uh… Jake’s had a bit too much to drink. Can you come pick him up?”
Silence on the other end.
After a long pause, she finally spoke. “I’m busy. Call his beta, Axel. Or Peggie. I’m sure she’d be thrilled to come.”
Jake’s face darkened instantly.
Awkward, I forced myself to continue. “He drank himself into a headache. He needs you to take him home. You might even be able to ease it with your mind power.”
“Oh, I see how it is. When he’s sick and miserable, he gets thrown at me. When he’s perfectly fine, he’s all Peggie’s. I must be dirt cheap in your eyes,” she said coldly.
“I bet Jake’s right there with you. Tell him this for me: we’re done. Even if he’s dying, I’ll just call 911.”
With that, she hung up without a shred of mercy.
I looked up and cast a sidelong glance at Jake.
His eyes were icy and razor-sharp, like he was barely holding his anger in check.
“D*mn it!” Robert snapped. “Does that Omega even know what she’s saying? Breaking up with Jake? He was already doing her a favor by dating her! Who the hell does she think she is?”
Then he turned to Jake. “Jake, don’t bother with her. If she’s not on her knees begging for forgiveness, just drop her. Let’s see how much she regrets it then!”
“Robert.” Jake’s voice cracked like a whip. “Shut your mouth. No one asked you.”
“Jake, I’m just looking out for you – “
Jake suddenly lurched to his feet, swaying for a heartbeat before steadying himself. “If you want to do me a favor, then shut up.”
I wanted to say something, but the fury radiating off him made me hold my tongue.
Deep down, I had a bad feeling – Deanna’s breakup wasn’t a bluff this time.
In the end, Jake’s own pride had driven her away.
The thought left me staring at him with a flicker of sympathy.
…
Deanna’s POV:
I had a great night’s sleep and woke up feeling refreshed.
I put extra care into my makeup, making sure it was flawless, and slipped into a nude silk blouse paired with a simple gray pencil skirt. Once everything was in place, I headed to work.
After returning to the Mistbane Pack, Grandma insisted I join the family business. She wanted me to rebuild my connection with the pack.
When I first joined the company, I kept my identity a secret. Step by step, I relied solely on my own ability to earn my current position as brand manager.
The moment I arrived at the office, I went straight to my desk. My assistant, Kylie, was waiting outside my door.
“Ms. Wiley, Alpha wants to see you,” she said.
I nodded.
Mistbane Pack specialized in running large shopping complexes. The first seven floors of our headquarters were the mall, while the upper levels housed the offices. The chairman’s office was on the top floor – the 27th.
I made my way to Philip’s office and knocked.
“Come in,” came his deep, commanding voice.
I pushed the door open.
Philip was sitting behind a marble desk in a chair carved with intricate wolf patterns. Sunlight glinted off the Moon Wolf totem hanging on the wall.
He glanced at me and tossed a file onto the desk.
“Mistbane Pack’s Moonline Expansion Project only got two billion approved from the bank,” he said. “We’re still short four billion. Go talk to Jake and see if he can help. Once we break into the new market, we’ll pay the Olsendreich Pack back.”
I picked up the file and skimmed through it.
The Moonline Expansion Project had been Philip’s painstaking effort for the past two years. His vision was to expand Mistbane-branded malls across the globe. He’d even stationed my older brother, Desmond Wiley, in Sudland for a full year to oversee operations there.
I had also done plenty of research myself. All of us had poured our time and energy into this project. Now, the only thing standing in our way was funding.
“Alpha, Jake and I are over,” I said firmly. “I’m not going to ask him for help. Even if I did, this is a massive sum, and he might not agree.”
Philip’s expression darkened as he rose to his feet, his alpha presence pressing down like a storm.
“That’s just your side of the story. The Olsendreich Pack hasn’t made any announcement about breaking off the engagement.
“Deanna, I know you’ve been wronged because of Peggie,” he continued. “But if you can secure this investment from Jake, I’ll give you ten percent of the company shares. Even Desmond only has five percent, and Jillian has none.”
Ha! Philip was really pulling out all the stops.
I had to admit, the offer was tempting. But the thought of humbling myself to Jake again made my stomach turn.
“Alpha, ending an engagement only takes one party’s decision. I don’t need Jake’s approval. I – “
Before I could finish, the office door swung open.
Jillian strode in on stiletto heels and tossed her Hermès bag onto a chair like she owned the place.
“Dad, did I hear that right?” she asked. “Ten percent of the shares? So, whoever secures the funding for Mistbane Pack gets them?”
Jillian’s POV:
“Why didn’t you knock before coming in?” Philip frowned at me.
“Sorry, Dad, I was in a rush. But if Deanna refuses to ask Jake for help, I’ve got another way to get Mistbane Pack that funding.” I squared my shoulders, my voice brimming with pride.
“Don’t mess around! This is about the pack’s future.”
I’m not messing around at all! I retorted inwardly.
Ten percent of the company’s shares – plus the annual dividends – were worth way more than the allowance Kathryn gave me. Even if they kicked me out one day, I’d still have a steady income. A perfect safety net.
Besides, with Deanna busy breaking things off with Jake, it was the perfect chance for me to prove my worth to Mistbane Pack.
I walked over and hooked my arm through Philip’s.
“Dad, I’m about to graduate. Sure, I majored in art, but I’m not going to spend my life painting. I want to join the company and contribute to Mistbane Pack. Landing this investment is me getting a head start. Once I’m in, you could make me a manager or even a director.”
When I chose to study art, I thought I was the sole heiress of Mistbane Pack. I’d never have to worry about my future.
But things were different now. I was just human.
The millions I blew through every month all came from Kathryn’s allowance – and I spent every last cent. If I had to survive off my paintings, I’d starve.
If I wanted a bigger slice of the Mistbane Pack’s wealth, I needed to get my foot in the door at the company.
“You studied art. That doesn’t really qualify you for any of the company’s positions,”
Philip said, shaking his head.
“Dad, I’m smart. And I’m done with art. Look – you’re short on funds, but Deanna’s acting all high and mighty, refusing to ask Jake for help. What’s going to happen to your Moonline Expansion Project?” My voice rose with urgency.
Then, almost tripping over my own words, I blurted, “I know Luis Eaton from Mooncrown Pack. I can help you!”
Both Philip and Deanna stared at me in shock.
“You know Mooncrown Pack’s Alpha, Luis Eaton?”
I had blurted it out just to earn Philip’s trust, but the guilt was starting to get to me.
The truth was, I had only ever seen Luis from a distance at some banquet.
He was surrounded by people, and when I tried to get close, his men blocked me.
But I was friends with Avery Lovell, a beta always at Luis’ side.
Getting Avery to set up a meeting with Luis shouldn’t be hard.
Then, once I got my chance, I’d charm him into backing us for sure.
I forced a confident smile. “Of course. We… even had dinner together.”
Philip’s face lit up. “Jillian, if you really know Luis, why didn’t you tell me sooner? He’s a major figure. You should introduce me.”
I flipped my hair and pretended to be casual. “Dad, who do you think Luis is? He doesn’t just see anyone. His time is precious. Only I would get the honor of dining with him.”
“Alright, if that’s the case,” Philip said. “Deanna, Jillian, whoever lands this investment for the company will get ten percent of the shares.”
At that, I shot Deanna a mocking look.
When we reached the elevator, Deanna finally broke her silence. “You really know Luis?”
I folded my arms and let out a cold snort.
“What, you don’t believe me? So, you can have Jake, but I can’t have Luis?”
Then I leaned in, my voice vicious. “Listen, Deanna. I’m going to be Luis’ mate. Twenty years ago, you lost to me. Twenty years later, you’ll still end up under my heel.”
The memory of last night bubbled up, and a laugh burst out of me.
“Was last night fun? Getting dumped by Jake again? Peggie’s the winner now, and you’re the laughingstock of the whole werewolf tribe all over again. If I were you, I wouldn’t even dare show my face in public.”
…
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