Chapter 9
Ana
The darkness has been my closest companion for the past few days, and I have not left my bedroom or even gotten out of bed. I feel like Alex ripped my heart from my chest, a reminder of our relationship. That meant so much to me and so little to him. There is no will inside me to breathe. The silence in the room speaks volumes, as if Star is grieving with me. The blinds remain closed over the windows, while trays full of food sit untouched on my nightstand.I hear a faint knock at the door before it opens slowly, revealing Courtney. Dad hasn't come back into my room since he found out about something related to Mr. Sullivan–something about him being 'no human'. What did he mean? The latest gossip is that Shauna and Alex are expecting a baby, meaning that he had been cheating on me all these months. How could he fool me so easily and deceive me so cruelly?
Tears streamed down my face nonstop. I felt like I was going insane; I hadn’t showered in days and would only leave my bed for occasional restroom breaks. Court comforted me by lying next to me, holding my hand and whispering: “I thought it was all a misunderstanding that could be easily fixed, but now I can see the shock your body is in, and I am certain Alex is your mate too. I had my doubts before, but everything makes sense now. Ana, please just hear me out before you say no.”
“Courtney, what are you talking about?”
“I had my doubts about Alex from the start. I swear his aura was foggy or something.” Courtney and her energy talk - why if she wasn't a shifter, I'm sure she'd be some kind of healer or tarot reader, spouting off about people's auras and how their actions reflect something bigger.
“So, I did some digging around on Alex and his family, and did you know they're originally from Montana? The mountains, to be exact.”
“Okay… so?” I had lost interest in the discussion and was too tired to care.
“That's why I suggested Montana for our pack training trip. There is something strange going on here; the way Alex looks at you with pure adoration and love - that's not something you can fake. I'm telling you; it's got to be that tramp Shauna's doing.”
“It doesn't matter now, does it? They're engaged, and they're getting married. Plus, there's a baby on the way. There's no room for us anymore. Even if I would forgive him for cheating, he clearly has no warm feelings towards me—he even left me without telling me.”
“Have you blocked his number?”
“Of course, I have, Court! I'm never going to talk to him again. I know the rules; as Alpha, my emotions are so much more intense that I need to find someone before they crush me with heartbreak. I have little time—so why would I spend it in his home region instead of looking for a new mate? It makes no sense.”
She chuckles and snuggles up behind me. “Ana, we both know you won't have to look far if you want another mate. Max has been sleeping outside your room just to be close to you; he'd probably take Alex's place in an instant if you asked him. The guy is clearly still in love with you!”
She laughs softly and starts stroking my hair tenderly. After avoiding any sort of contact recently, it feels nice to be touched this way.
“Ana, I know something you don't know, and I need you to pay attention—Shauna is definitely not pregnant.” I roll my eyes in disbelief.
“How on earth would you know something like that? Did you call her up and ask her?”
“Let me explain,” she says.
“We werewolves have a stronger sense of smell than humans, so we can pick up distinct scents—like the difference between someone who is pregnant or not. So, I went back to school just to sniff her out.”
I nearly fall off the bed.
“You did what?!” My heart is pounding like I just ran a marathon. She explains further.
“Yeah, I knew you wouldn't believe me, so I brought Dylan along with me and we both agreed that her scent was still the same. A werewolf can pick up a pregnancy as early as within two days of conception, and Dylan could confirm it. We've been trying to reach you for days, but we needed to do something, so we went to check out Mr. Sullivan's house — it's surrounded in silver, which could be intentional because he knows about us. That's why we need to get the training there.”
I exhale heavily. Nothing seems to make any sense. "Just ask my dad; he should be able to explain it to you. He had mentioned that Mr. Sullivan is not a human—maybe he's a warlock, or something else. It doesn't really matter either way."
"No, Ana," Court interrupts me. "Mr. Sullivan is a werewolf, just like us."
I take a few moments to process her words. If Mr. Sullivan is a wolf, then what about Alex?
Chapter 10 Ana I could not locate my father. It appeared he was avoiding me, like he held important answers that I desired yet refused to give up. After Courtney's disclosure, I knew I had to take matters into my own hands to gain closure. Did Alex need to be informed of Shauna's alleged deception? Was it possible for a werewolf to sense something like this without being told? These unresolved questions needed attention. I turned on my phone, which had been deactivated for the past week, and discovered many missed calls and voicemails from Alex, Gills, Brad, and even some other acquaintances. Though I felt betrayed, I went through all of them before deleting everyone and blocking their numbers. I would get a new phone shortly and then alter my number again. Before I could do that, however, there was an urgent call that I needed to make.I tapped Gill's contact information and dialed her number. She answered almost immediately. “Ana! Is that you?” she asked, sounding worried. I sudde
Chapter 11 Alex “Wait, Ana called you?” I can't believe what I'm hearing. Of all the people she could have called, she chose Gills instead of me. Instinctively, I should be relieved that she's okay and still alive, but all I feel is resentment. “What did she say? Is she all right? Is she coming back?” My mind is spinning with questions, and I am getting impatient. Gills looks troubled, almost regretful. “Listen, Alex. I spoke to her, but it wasn't for very long. She clarified she has no intention of forgiving either of us.” With those words, my last bit of hope vanishes, and I have to sit down. Gills stands before me, wearing a face filled with pity and worry. It seems like there's something else on her mind—something more than she's letting on. Taking a deep breath, I signal to her I'm ready to listen. I know Gills for a long time. She is my cousin Brad’s girlfriend, but we have been friends for at least 10 years, and she has a good heart. Whatever she is telling me is not good
Chapter 12 Ana “You want to go to Montana for Alpha training?” my father questioned me with surprise. “Why not pick a place closer to us?” he continued, asking. I felt guilty for not telling him the truth, but I promised Courtney I'd keep the secret for a little while longer to learn more about Alex and his family. I gulped nervously as my dad kept staring me down. “Is there something you're not telling me?” I almost choked on my words. Lies were never my strong suit, and I did not know how to respond. Thankfully, Courtney entered the room at that moment. “She needs a challenge, Alpha. Montana has the toughest training camp out there - college life has made us all too lazy!” she laughed, and somehow my dad bought it. “So, when are you leaving? You'll be home for a few weeks, right, Ana? I miss you when you're away,” he mumbled. His words tugged at my heartstrings knowing that he was the only family I have left, but I knew I deserved some closure and hopefully that would lead to
Chapter 13 Alex “Calm down, Gills. What’s wrong?” She was too distraught to make much sense, so I hung up and hopped in my car. My dad has a big estate with a silver fence around it, so I have to call the security team to open if I need to leave. I recklessly drive to Gill’s small apartment in the nicer part of town, calling Brad on my way, but he doesn't answer. When I finally get there, it looks like something is off. There were several police officers milling around her building; did they know I was coming? Dread settles in my stomach as I realize that whatever had upset Gills must be bad. What could have happen? I raced towards the entrance of the apartment complex and as I approached, Gills came running out to me. She was crying and trembling in my arms. Her red hair was a mess, and she wore clothes that were loose-fitting, like she had just come from working out. I tried to console her by rubbing her back, but it didn't seem to help. An officer stepped forward. He was tall
Chapter 14 Ana The time for my revenge has come at last. It should bring me some sense of satisfaction, but it's not enough to restore my broken heart. I'm parked in a nearby lot and watching the scene unfolding in front of me. I know about Gill's internship at Mills Corporation, the largest accounting company in Georgia. They were offering her a job after completing two years of interning with them. That will never happen like she planned. I smirk to myself; they're under my control and I determine who they hire. An evil laugh escapes my lips as I think of Gill needing to look elsewhere for an employer. I sought help from Max before I began my mission, and here he is today, masquerading as a police officer alongside fellow pack member. His acting skills are commendable. Alex's presence robbed me of breath when he arrived on the scene; it still hurts seeing him hug Gill tenderly. She's just as much a traitor as him. Unbeknownst to them, I had snuck into her apartment earlier to wrea
Chapter 15 Ana "Oh, Ana, is that you?" Her voice drips with false sweetness. "I thought you'd be long gone by now. Didn't you leave?" I grit my teeth, knowing what she's really saying: she wants me out of the picture. But I'm not leaving just yet - I have unfinished business with all of them. Brad and Gills are already taken care of; it won't be long before I come for the rest of the main characters too. As Alex stands there silently, letting her mock me, I turn to face her. She looks fake as ever, with her obviously salon-made tan and too-light blonde hair. And once again, I can tell she's not pregnant - even though I haven't had my first shift yet, being a werewolf means I have an exceptional sense of smell.Max is there too, smirking evilly and sniffing the air like he knows something I don't. It's frustrating that we can't mind the link until after our first shift - but my connection to Max feels strong. Maybe Star has something to do with it."Shauna," I say, mocking her in re
Chapter 16 I felt muscular arms gripping me. I was screaming at the top of my lungs, but I couldn't muster up the energy to break free. Something was wrong; it could be felt in every molecule of my body. Pain and sorrow ran through me as I struggled to focus. I could smell all the fragrances in the air and hear a Northern mockingbird mimicking a sound. It took me a moment to realize what it was—the call of a blue jay. A warning that something else was coming closer. “Come on, Ana! Settle down: it's just me—Max. This isn’t the time or place to fight some rogue shifter. You’re losing control and I need to get you somewhere safe. Remember, we can't shift around humans.” Humans? Alex had been right all along. If I were present, could I tell if he was a werewolf or knew about them? After the touch, I felt our bond strengthening, but I wasn't sure if he felt the same intensity as me. What would he think of me defying his father like that? Even though I don't want to care what he thinks, I
Chapter 17 Ana Max took me to a secluded spot so that I could complete my first shift. Even though the pain was extreme, Max guided me through it and made me feel safe while I embraced my new body. Once I became a massive black wolf, Stars voice emerged completely as well. After the transformation, we went back to Miami, intending to tell my father about the marvelous event. Although I felt content, cherished by Max, I couldn't help but feel like something or someone was missing. For now, I will have to trust in this connection and give it time until we can build our own memories together and the ones with Alex fade away. My dad was ecstatic when he found out the news. His dream had come true - we were finally together. We held a grand celebration at my dad's mansion, and I couldn't be more content. But beneath my joy was a nagging feeling that refused to go away. To help me move on, I blocked Alex, Gill, Brad, and Shauna on all social media platforms, even deleting those accounts