ELLA.

I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole the moment the door pushed open.

The timing... it couldn’t have been worse.

Heat rushed instantly to my face, embarrassment flooding through me so fast it left me momentarily frozen. I quickly adjusted my pyjamas, my hands moving almost nervously as I tried to compose myself and tried to look like nothing had just happened.

But it was impossible.

My lips still burned.

The lingering sensation from Leonard’s kiss refused to fade, and for a brief, shameful moment, I couldn’t deny the truth...I hadn’t wanted him to stop.

The realization made my chest tighten.

The way he had held me... the way he had kissed me...It was different, I mean so different from anything I had ever experienced before.

And definetely so different from Alex.

Gosh, I can’t believe I’m comparing them right now!

And subconsciously, a quiet thought slipped into my mind before I could stop it.

Did Alex ever truly love me?

The question lingered, heavy and unsettling, stirring something deep within me that I didn’t want to explore, not now, and obviously not here.

But I didn’t get the chance to dwell on it anyways.

"What exactly is going on here?"

The voices came in unison, sharp and demanding.

My head snapped up slightly as I turned toward the door, my breath catching as I saw them.

Lurgard.

Lawrence.

Both standing there, their eyes locked onto the scene they had just walked into. For a brief second, they glanced at each other and then their gazes shifted to me.

And I saw it—Their expressions paled, and it was just for a moment before something darker replaced it. Something heavier, something I couldn’t quite name.

Then they turned to Leonard.

And just like that... whatever they had been about to say seemed to disappear. It was as if they swallowed their words, forcing them down before they could surface.

Without another word, they moved further into the room and took their seats.

Leonard followed.

The sudden shift left me standing there, confused, unsure of what had just happened.

It felt like I had become invisible, like I was no longer part of the room, like whatever this was—it didn’t involve me anymore.

Or at least... that was what I thought.

Taking the opportunity, I slowly turned, hoping to slip away unnoticed. My steps were quiet as I moved toward the door, eager to escape the tension, the embarrassment, everything.

But I didn’t make it far.

"Get back here!"

All three voices echoed at once.

In perfect sync.

I froze instantly.

My heart skipped as I stood there, stunned.

How...?

How did they even do that?

Was it... some kind of connection?

That so-called telepathy?

The thought flickered briefly through my mind, but I didn’t dare dwell on it.

Slowly, I lowered my head, my fingers tightening slightly at my sides as I turned back to face them.

"Look up, Theresa." Lawrence’s voice came instantly, calm but firm, carrying a tone that left no room for hesitation.

I lifted my head almost immediately, doing exactly as I was told. My face still felt warm from everything that had just happened, but I forced myself to compose it—to hide it. Slowly, I tried to plaster a small, polite smile on my lips, even though it felt unnatural.

"Where did you think you were going?" Lurgard asked next.

His gaze was steady, almost piercing, as though he already knew I had been trying to slip away unnoticed.

"I... I..." I stammered, my thoughts scrambling for something, anything at all that would sound reasonable. "I mean, you were about to have a discussion," I finally managed, my voice quieter now. "So I thought it was wise to leave."

"Leave?" Lawrence repeated, one brow lifting slightly.

The way he said it made it sound almost absurd.

"You are no stranger, Theresa," he continued, his tone measured but firm. "Whatever we are about to discuss—whether it’s pack-related matters or company affairs—you have every right to be here."

I blinked, stunned.

For a moment, I didn’t know what to say.

My gaze shifted from one face to another—Lawrence, then Lurgard, then Leonard—as though searching for some sign that this was a misunderstanding.

But there was none, as they all looked serious and certain, like they meant every word.

A strange feeling settled in my chest.

Right?

What right did I have?

Before I could question it further...

"Sit." Leonard’s voice cut through the silence, firm and commanding.

And without thinking, I obeyed.

My legs moved on their own as I stepped forward and took a seat, my back straight, my hands resting lightly on my lap as I tried to remain composed under their combined gaze.

The air in the room felt different now, heavier and focused.

"Your tracking and negotiating skills..." Lawrence spoke again, his voice breaking the silence unexpectedly. "Do you still put them to work?"

I froze.

The question caught me completely off guard.

My brows knitted slightly as confusion flickered across my face.

How did he know?

Or rather...

How did they know?

I hesitated for a brief second before answering.

"Yes," I said slowly, then paused. "But Alex never allowed me to use them."

The words slipped out before I could stop them and just like that, something inside me sank slightly.

A familiar heaviness.

Alex...

He had never really seen that side of me.

To him, I was better suited as a housewife, someone who stayed within boundaries, someone who didn’t step into spaces he believed weren’t mine.

It had taken time... a lot of time... before he finally allowed me to pursue something of my own.

Fashion.

Even then, it wasn’t what I truly wanted.

I worked in a small, upcoming company, doing what I could, learning where I could—but deep down...I had always wanted more.

I had always wanted to work in his company.

To prove myself.

To show him that I was capable of more than what he saw.

But that chance...

Never really came.

And now, sitting here, under the watchful eyes of three men who seemed to know more about me than they should...I couldn’t help but feel... exposed.

"Good!" Lurgard’s voice broke through my thoughts, sharp and decisive, as though he had been waiting for my answer even before I gave it. "So, we were thinking..." he continued, then paused.

The silence stretched for a brief moment, deliberate.

His gaze shifted toward his brothers, as if silently asking for their approval, or perhaps confirming something that had already been agreed upon between them.

Then he looked back at me.

"Would you mind working as our personal assistant at the office?"

The words landed heavily.

I blinked.

Once.

Twice.

For a moment, I was completely dumbfounded.

A personal assistant?

To them?

My mind struggled to process it properly.

Because—truthfully—it wasn’t a bad offer.

In fact, it was more than good.

It was the kind of opportunity I had always wanted.

A chance to finally make use of my skills.

Tracking. Negotiating. Being involved in something meaningful rather than standing on the sidelines.

For a split second, something inside me stirred, something close to excitement but just as quickly...Reality set in.

Working with them meant one thing.

Being around them.

All the time.

Every day.

In the same space.

My fingers tightened slightly on my lap as that thought settled deeper.

I had already made up my mind.

I wasn’t planning to stay here.

Not permanently.

I only needed time—just enough to find an opportunity, a chance to leave quietly without drawing attention to myself.

But this...this offer would tie me to them completely.

For how long?

Days?

Weeks?

Months?

I didn’t even know.

And then...My hand moved instinctively to my stomach, a subtle gesture, almost unconscious.

My pup.

The thought of it made my chest tighten.

It wouldn’t be long before it started to show, before it became impossible to hide and when that happened...everything would change.

I swallowed hard.

I didn’t know how they would react.

Didn’t know if the way they looked at me now—the desire, the intensity in their eyes—would remain the same or disappear completely.

Because the truth was simple...the life growing inside me...didn’t belong to them.

It belonged to Alex.

Someone, from what I have realized they barely tolerated.

And somehow...

That truth felt heavier than anything else in that moment.