Oliver’s POV

​"Stay here, Genevieve," I said, my voice dropping the warmth I’d been faking. I stood up, adjusting my jacket. "I need to ensure my assistant hasn’t fainted from the... ’stress’ of the meeting."

​Genevieve just smirked, waving a hand dismissively.

​I walked toward the back of the restaurant, my footsteps silent on the plush carpet. My wolf was scratching at the surface, wanting to shift, wanting to claim, wanting to growl at the scent of her distress. I found her in the hallway leading to the restrooms. She was leaning against the wall, her eyes closed, breathing as if she’d just run a marathon.

​"The restroom is that way, Aurora," I said, my voice echoing in the small space.

​She jumped, her eyes snapping open. The heartbreak was still there, raw and bleeding, but it was being rapidly replaced by a defiant spark. "I’m going back to the office, Alpha. I’ve lost my appetite."

​"I didn’t give you permission to leave." I stepped into her space, looming over her until she was pressed firmly against the wallpaper. I placed a hand on the wall beside her head. "Is the company not to your liking? Genevieve is a fun to be with."

​"She’s a shark in a designer dress," Aurora spat, her chest heaving. "But if that’s what you want for a Luna, then fine. It seems you replaced me so quickly."

​I leaned down, my lips inches from her ear. I could smell the salt of her tears and the heat of her skin. "Replace you? Is that what you think this is?"

​I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I had a scheduled text set to go out as Raymond at exactly 1:45 PM.

​Buzz.

​In her hand, her own phone vibrated. She flinched, her eyes darting down to her bag. I watched the color drain from her face as she realized she was trapped between the Alpha who was suffocating her, and the masked Dom, who was currently demanding her attention via text.

​"Who’s texting you, Aurora?" I asked, my voice authoritative.

​"It’s nobody," she whispered, trying to push past me.

​I grabbed her waist, pulling her flush against me. The contact was electric. I could feel the soreness I’d caused her earlier, the way she winced slightly when our hips met. My wolf purred in triumph.

​"You’re a terrible liar," I hissed.

​"Oliver, please," she choked out, her hand resting on my chest, right over my thudding heart.

​I stared at her for a long beat; the urge to kiss her was overwhelming. But I forced myself to let her go, stepping back.

​"Fix your face, Aurora," I said, my voice turning back to ice. "We have a merger to discuss. And I expect you to be ’professional’ for the rest of the afternoon."

​I turned and walked away, my heart sinking deeper.

​I sat back down next to Genevieve, the ghost of Aurora’s touch still burning through my shirt. My wolf was pacing, agitated by the scent of her tears and the coldness I was forced to maintain.

​"Did our plan work?" Genevieve asked quietly, leaning in as if to share an intimate secret.

​"Yes," I replied, my voice tight. "She’s jealous. Beyond measure."

​Genevieve raised a perfectly groomed brow, studying me with a piercing gaze. "You must really like her, Alpha Oliver. I’ve never seen you go to such lengths just to get a reaction out of someone."

​"I do," I admitted, the truth heavy in my chest. "More than I should."

​"Then why are you doing this? Why don’t you just talk things out with her?"

​"You wouldn’t understand, Gen. It’s... complicated. There are things in motion that require her to be pushed to the edge."

​Genevieve nodded slowly, her eyes drifting toward the hallway where Aurora had disappeared. "She’s a human, isn’t she? I can’t feel her wolf at all."

​"She is not," I corrected her firmly, a protective growl almost escaping my throat. "Her wolf is just subdued. It’s buried deep, but she’s one of us."

​Before I could explain further, I saw Aurora approaching. I immediately shifted my posture, draping an arm casually over the back of Genevieve’s chair. Aurora sat down, her face pale. We continued the meeting, though the air was so thick with tension I could barely focus on the numbers.

​My phone rang—an actual business call this time. I excused myself and stepped away to the foyer to answer. When I returned a few minutes later, the atmosphere had shifted. The silence at the table wasn’t just cold; it was suffocating. Aurora was staring at her lap, her knuckles tight as she gripped her napkin.

​I slid into the booth and caught Genevieve’s eye. What happened? I snapped through the mind link.

​Genevieve took a slow sip of her wine, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Well, I just added my spices to the act.

​I frowned, my blood beginning to boil. You shouldn’t have. What did you tell her?

​I told her that you already asked my father for my hand in marriage, Genevieve replied nonchalantly.

​I felt a surge of pure rage. That wasn’t part of the plan. I looked at Aurora, seeing the way her shoulders were trembling, and I realized Genevieve had gone too far.

​I kept my cool, my expression unreadable as I closed the folder on the table. "The meeting is over," I said, forcing myself to remain calm.

​I stood up and leaned down, giving Genevieve a lingering kiss on the cheek—a final, cruel blow to maintain the facade. "I’ll call you tonight, Gen."

​"I’ll be waiting, darling," she purred.

​I turned and walked out, Aurora following silently behind me like a ghost. We got into the SUV, and the silence was suffocating. I gripped the steering wheel, waiting for her to explode, waiting for her to scream at me.

​We were halfway back to the packhouse when she finally spoke, her voice small, cracked, and utterly defeated.

​"Is it true?" she whispered, staring out the side window at the passing trees. "Are you really going to marry her just to get rid of the memory of me?"

I faked a scoff.