“Married five years, first child on the way. Her husband finally got promoted after six years in that tiny company.” I smiled faintly, but my tone cut like a blade. “What do you think will happen to them when I end his career tomorrow morning? When your daughter loses the life she’s built because you couldn’t tell me the truth?”
Her lips parted in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief. I straightened slowly, letting the weight of my words crush the air between us.
“Your daughter’s happiness… or your silence.” I let my gaze pierce hers. “Choose.”
A faint whimper escaped her. The room reeked of fear, her fear.
“P-please…” she stammered. “Don’t hurt my daughter. I’ll tell you everything.”
My wolf’s growl softened, a dark satisfaction curling in my chest.
“Where is Evelyn?” I asked, my voice no louder than a whisper. “Did you help her leave?”
Her tears fell freely now. She nodded and gave me details of what happened. Evelyn had come back and taken some of her valuables with her.
When Sandra was done, she collapsed to the floor, her sobs echoing faintly through the hall. I stood there, watching her shake and plead. “I’ve told you everything,” she cried, her voice hoarse. “Please, Alpha-don’t hurt Luna Evelyn. She’s suffered enough already-“
I felt my jaw tighten. Suffered enough?
My lips curved into a cold, humorless sneer. “Being my wife wasn’t enough for her?” I growled, my voice low and dangerous. “She wants to run from me? Fine. Let’s see how far she makes it.”
I turned and left. The security team retreated too.
Moments later, I was in my study. My beta stood by the door, hesitant. I could smell the unease rolling off him.
“Alpha Declan” he began carefully, “should we… bring Luna Evelyn back?”
I turned my gaze on him. My eyes glowing with my wolf’s fury.
“No need, I have had a change of heart” I said, flicking a dismissive hand. “If she wants to run, let her. Freeze her accounts, her cards, every cent she has. I want to see how long she survives without me.”
A sharp crack split the silence, the pen in my hand had snapped clean in two. Ink bled over my fingers like black venom.
“She’ll come crawling back,” I muttered. “Begging.”
Collins hesitated, his voice cautious. “But, sir… Sandra said Luna Evelyn has nothing. If we cut her off completely, how will she manage? Where will she even stay tonight?”
I turned on him sharply, my eyes glowing faintly now. “What, you feel sorry for her?” The snarl slipped out before I could stop it. “No food, no roof, no help-that’s her choice. Since when is pity part of your job, Collins?”
He flinched. “No, sir. I just thought, perhaps-it might be too harsh.”
I laughed-a hollow, brittle sound that even my wolf didn’t recognize. “Harsh?” I stepped closer, the air rippling faintly with my aura.
“When she sold my company’s secrets to the Cowen group, did she think about how that would destroy me? Did she think about the lives depending on my leadership? She made her choices, Collins. Now she’ll live with them.”
Evelyn’s POV
“We’re here at Shevron Estates, ma’am” the Uber driver said, his voice muffled under the low sound of the engine.
The car rolled to a stop before the tall wrought-iron gates of a luxury community. I glanced out the window, my heart pounding.
Little Lana stirred in my arms, letting out a soft whimper. Her tiny body wriggled against me, and I immediately knew something was wrong. One touch confirmed it-her diaper was soaked through.
“Oh, sweetheart…” I whispered, cradling her closer. The night air carried the chill of early frost, and the thought of her catching cold sent dread through me like claws scraping bone. I couldn’t let her fall ill, not after everything we’d survived.
My little one shifted again, pressing her warm cheek against my chest. I brushed her hair back gently, breathing in her faint, milky scent.
We’d barely had anything left when I walked out of that prison. No diapers. Half a can of formula. The guards hadn’t cared. The other inmates had sneered when I begged for supplies.
I swallowed hard at the memory and whispered to my baby, “We’ll be okay, Lana. Mommy’s got you.”
Before heading into the estate, I stopped by the high-end baby boutique near the gate. The lights were still on. As soon as I stepped inside, a clerk hurried forward towards me.
“It’s freezing out, ma’am! Bringing your little one shopping in this weather?” she exclaimed, concern flashing in her eyes. “Come in-tell me what you need, and I’ll have it all packed for you!”
I adjusted Lana in my arms. “Three packs of size 3 diapers,” I said softly. “Two cans each of infant and follow-up formula. And those cotton onesies-one of each design in six to nine months.”
As I spoke, the clerk’s eyes widened. She recognized me, I realized. Earlier that day, she and her coworker had whispered when I walked through these doors, wondering if I was some man’s mistress or a desperate woman chasing acknowledgement for her child.
But when I’d given my name-Evelyn Grayson, owner of Unit 3B, Shevron Estates, their faces had gone pale with disbelief.
I shifted my mask slightly, hiding more of my face. The air from the vent brushed the side of my cheek, making the scar beneath my mask burn.
For a moment, I remembered the old me-the proud attorney and Luna to one of the most powerful Alpha’s in our country.
“Sorry,” I murmured, noticing the growing pile of items on the counter. “Is this too much?”
The question slipped out before I could stop it. Prison had taught me humility, how to read the exhaustion in others’ faces, how to shrink myself to survive.
Once, I would’ve handed over a platinum card without a thought. Now, I hesitated, afraid of being a burden.
The clerk blinked, then smiled brightly, “Not at all, ma’am! It’s perfect. Anything else you need? I’ll pack everything up for you right away.”
“That’s all for now, thank you,” I said softly, adjusting Lana in my arms. She let out a tiny sigh, her warm breath brushing against my collarbone.
“How would you like to pay?” the clerk asked politely.
“Card, please.”
I pulled out my gold-trimmed bank card. As long as I had this, my daughter wouldn’t go without. My thumb brushed along the embossed letters of my name. It used to symbolize power, success, security… all the things I’d once built with my own two hands. I handed it over to the clerk.
“That’ll be 9,645 dollars, ma’am. One moment, please.”
The clerk swiped the card. A sharp beep echoed through the quiet store. Declined.
I frowned, my wolf stirring uneasily beneath my skin.
She tried again, and again and again. Each failed attempt sounded like a hammer blow against my chest.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but this card is being declined. Do you perhaps have another one?”
Cold dread seeped into my veins, heavier than the winter air outside. I dug into my bag with trembling fingers, pulling out more cards. “Try these, please,” I said quickly.
Each card bore the memory of a victory, bonuses from high-profile cases, rewards for sleepless nights and endless trials. Every stripe swiped was another memory shredded to pieces.
One by one, the machine beeped. Denied. Denied. Denied.
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” the clerk said again, her tone faltering. “None of these are going through.”
I felt my wolf bristle, rage pulsing through me. He did this. Declan. He’d cut me off completely. The bastard hadn’t just taken my freedom, he’d stripped away my means to survive.
The clerk hesitated, pity flickering in her eyes. “Do you have another card, ma’am?”
I shook my head, my throat closing. “No… these are all I have.”
“And these items…” she began gently.
“I can’t take them,” I said, forcing a weak smile that felt more like a grimace. “Thank you.”
The weight of humiliation pressed down as I turned away.
All my accounts… frozen? The thought clawed at me. That money was mine. Mine. I’d earned it through my blood and intellect. And yet, one man had the power to take it all away with a single order.
“Wait, ma’am!”
I stopped, clutching Lana closer.
“Your baby’s crying,” the clerk said gently. “She might be hungry or need a change. We have some sample packs-why don’t you take them for now?”
I glanced down. Lana’s tiny face scrunched, her whimpers soft. The sound tore through me worse than any silver blade ever could. I kissed her forehead. “It’s okay, my little star,” I whispered.
A few minutes later, I stepped out of the store’s baby care room. Lana was quiet again, swaddled and fed.
“Here,” the clerk said, handing me a bag. “Some sample packs of diapers, a few cans of formula-leftovers from promotions. Take them for your little one.”
I hesitated. My pride howled in protest. My wolf hated the idea of charity, hated appearing weak. But the mother in me silenced her. I could go hungry. I could freeze. But Lana couldn’t.
“Thank you,” I managed, voice trembling. My eyes stung. Declan had dragged me to this, reduced me to someone begging for scraps. Yet a stranger had shown me more kindness than my supposed mate.
“No need to thank me,” the clerk smiled. “I don’t have kids yet, but… I can tell you love her. It’s freezing-get home soon. Whatever you’re going through, stay strong for your daughter.”
Her words echoed long after I stepped back into the night. The wind bit at my cheeks, my wolf stirring beneath my skin to shield us from the cold.
I pulled Lana closer, my arms tightening protectively around her tiny form. “I’ll keep you safe,” I whispered into her soft hair. “No matter what.”
But as I looked up at the looming towers of Shevron Estates, despair gnawed at me. With no money, no resources, and nowhere to turn, even my wolf couldn’t quiet the question echoing in my mind,
How are we supposed to survive now?
Evelyn’s POV
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