Eva.

Alex didn’t return to the room that night.

At first, I told myself it wasn’t a big deal. He was Alpha, he had responsibilities, duties, matters that demanded his attention at odd hours. It wasn’t unusual for him to be busy.

But still...something about it felt off.

I had gone looking for him, expecting to find him in his study like always, buried in work or pacing around while giving orders. Instead, I was met by his Beta.

Philip.

"He’s busy," he had said, his tone polite but firm.

Busy. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

That was all.

I had tried to push past him, a small smile on my lips as I suggested I could keep Alex company, like I always did. But Philip had stepped in my way, blocking the entrance.

That was when it became strange and suspicious because Alex had never said no to me before.

The thought lingered, unsettling, but I forced myself to ignore it.

But now...It had been hours and he still hadn’t come to see me. Worse...He wasn’t even in the pack anymore.

That realization unsettled me more than I cared to admit. I had grown used to knowing his movements, his whereabouts, his schedule.

He always told me.

Always.

So why not this time?

I pushed the unease aside and made my way into his study again, hoping—just hoping—that he would return soon.

The study was exactly how he always left it, clean, organized and untouched.

I walked in slowly and sat down, letting my eyes wander aimlessly across the space and then...they landed on it.

Her.

Ella’s picture.

Still hanging there, still in the same place.

My jaw tightened instantly, irritation rising without warning.

"Guards!" I called out sharply.

The door opened almost immediately, and an omega rushed in, bowing his head slightly.

"Yes, Luna," he responded.

"Take that picture down," I ordered, my voice raised, my patience completely gone. I didn’t even bother to look at it again.

I didn’t need to.

Because even without looking...her face flashed in my mind—that fragile expression, those teary eyes, the exact look she had when I called her wolfless.

I clenched my fists slightly.

Deep down, I knew the truth...Ella wasn’t entirely wolfless but what was the difference?

A wolf without an ability...was just as useless.

My thoughts shifted suddenly, and I remembered it.

The envelope.

The one that had slipped from her hands that day...the day she walked in on us. I had picked it up without thinking but I never got the chance to read it. The mating ceremony preparations had taken all my attention.

And now...Alex wasn’t here.

Which made this the perfect opportunity.

I stood up abruptly and left the study, not even bothering to dismiss the omega still standing there.

My steps quickened as I made my way to my wardrobe.

I began searching through my clothes, pushing aside fabrics, moving hangers, my hands slightly impatient until...

There it was.

I froze for a second before reaching for it. My fingers tightened slightly around it as I opened it slowly, almost cautiously.

And then...I read.

My eyes scanned the contents once, twice and then...my breath caught as my mouth fell open in shock as the words fully sank in.

She was pregnant.

"No way..." I whispered under my breath.

It didn’t make sense, because it wasn’t possible.

For five whole years...I had been giving her those pills, secretly and consistently.

As instructed by Thomas.

They were meant to prevent this exact thing and more than that, they were supposed to damage her womb over time.

That had been the plan, that had been the outcome.

So how...How did this happen?

The word slipped from my lips before I could stop it, sharp and venomous, echoing against the walls of the room like a curse I couldn’t take back.

"You bitch!"

My voice trembled with rage as my foot struck the ground, the impact sending a dull vibration up my leg. The paper in my hand crumpled under the force of my grip, the edges digging into my skin as though I wanted to tear it apart...tear her apart...through it.

"Even in your absence..." I continued, my breathing uneven, chest rising and falling as anger coiled tighter within me, "...you still want to cause chaos."

The room felt suffocating, like the walls were closing in on me, feeding off the storm raging inside my chest. I forced myself to inhale deeply, once... twice... trying to steady the violent rhythm of my heart. Losing control now would only ruin everything.

And I couldn’t afford that.

Not when I had come this far.

Thankfully, luck had been on my side, for once. I had been the one to find the letter. If Alex had seen it first... I shut my eyes briefly, the thought alone enough to send a chill down my spine.

Everything would have collapsed.

Mine and Thomas’ carefully constructed plan... years of patience, manipulation, sacrifice...it would have all gone to waste in a single moment of carelessness.

No.

I refused to let that happen.

My fingers slowly loosened around the paper, though the creases remained, just like the tension etched into my thoughts. I let out another breath, this one steadier, colder.

"I will handle this myself," I muttered under my breath, the words deliberate, each syllable laced with quiet determination.

A dark smile tugged at the corner of my lips, slow and dangerous.

There was no need to inform Thomas. Not yet. This... this was something I could take care of on my own. In fact, it was better that way. The fewer people involved, the cleaner the outcome.

And I needed this to be clean.

"No one..." I added softly, almost like a vow, "...is allowed to steal from my unborn child."

My hand instinctively drifted toward my abdomen, resting there for a brief moment. A possessive glint flickered in my eyes.

Everything I was doing... every step, every lie, every scheme...it was all for this.

For my future.

For what rightfully belonged to me.

I slipped my hand into my pocket and pulled out my phone, the cold surface grounding me as my thoughts sharpened into a single, clear objective.

Find Ella.

Before anyone else does.

My fingers moved quickly across the screen, dialing a number I knew by heart. The line connected almost immediately, the faint click followed by a voice that dripped with familiarity...and just enough madness to make most people uneasy.

"Eva baby, it’s been ages since I heard from you."

I didn’t respond to the teasing tone. My expression remained unreadable, the earlier anger now buried beneath a layer of chilling calm.

"What do you want me to do this time?" he added, amusement evident in his voice.

A small smile curved my lips, though there was no warmth in it.

"Do everything possible to track down Ella Morrison," I said, my voice steady, controlled.

There was a brief pause on the other end, but I didn’t give him time to question me.

"After that..." I continued, my gaze hardening as I stared ahead, as though I could already see how this would unfold, "...I have a job for you."

A soft chuckle echoed through the phone, low and unsettling.

"Oops, Eva... isn’t that your best friend?" he asked, mock surprise lacing his words. "And why do I feel like this job is going to be terrifying?"

His laughter followed, sharp and unhinged.

I didn’t flinch.

"Just do as you are told," I replied firmly, cutting through his amusement like a blade.

Before he could say anything else, I ended the call.

The silence that followed was heavy, but it didn’t bother me.

If anything, it steadied me further. I tightened my grip around the phone, my eyes narrowing slightly as my resolve hardened.

I needed to find Ella, because this time... there would be no mistakes.

Nothing...absolutely nothing...was going to stand in my way of claiming the pack... and the company...

For my child.