Chapter 3
Reina had been injured in a hunting accident.
Samuel dragged me to the healer’s den, his grip tight and unrelenting. Before we entered the room, he turned to me, his Alpha tone sharp and commanding. “Elodie, you need to apologize to Reina.”
I frowned, my wolf stirring uneasily in the back of my mind. “I haven’t done anything wrong. Why should I apologize?”
Samuel sighed, his broad shoulders slumping as he ran a hand through his dark hair. “If you hadn’t upset her, would she have been so reckless? She could have been killed.”
I let out a bitter laugh, my chest tightening with disbelief.
Inside the room, Reina lay on the healer’s cot, her golden hair fanned out around her like a halo. She moaned softly, her voice weak but deliberate as she called out to us. “Alpha Samuel, Elodie, please don’t fight because of me. I’ll be fine, as long as it doesn’t ruin your mate bond.”
Samuel tugged me forward, his grip firm. “Apologize to her, Elodie.”
My arm ached where he held me, and I yanked myself free. “This is between you and her. Why should I apologize? What did I do wrong?”
Reina’s face paled, and her lower lip trembled as tears began to stream down her cheeks. “My reputation is ruined… My parents will disown me, and no one will want me as their mate.”
Samuel shot me a sharp glare, his Alpha aura pressing down on me. “Elodie!”
“I’d rather die than live with this shame,” Reina whispered, her voice breaking.
Her eyes glazed over as if she wanted to get up, but Samuel quickly moved to her side, holding her in place. “Don’t do anything rash,” he murmured, his voice soft but firm.
Reina clung to him, her small frame shaking with sobs. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll manage on my own. Just let me go—what’s the point of living like this?”
Samuel stroked her hair gently, his expression pained but resolved. “I’ll take responsibility for this, Reina. Trust me.”
The words hit me like a blow to the chest, the mate bond twisting painfully within me. “Samuel!” I choked out, my voice trembling.
He didn’t turn to face me, his back rigid as he reached up to remove his hearing aid. Reina buried her face in his chest, her sobs echoing in the small room.
I couldn’t bear to stay. My chest ached as I turned and fled the healer’s den, my steps heavy and unsteady.
By the time I reached our home, the moon hung high in the sky. I collapsed onto the couch, my head pounding and my throat raw. My tears had dried, leaving me hollow and numb.
Samuel called. When I answered, there was silence on the other end.
After a long pause, his voice came through, rough and weary. “I’m sorry, Elodie. I was impulsive earlier. I’m on my way home. I got you a gift—we’ll talk properly later.”
I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening around the phone. “Do you remember what today is?”
Silence again.
“We’ll talk when I get home,” he said finally, his tone clipped.
The line went dead.
I slid off the couch and onto the floor, my legs too weak to hold me up.
My eyes caught on something under the sofa, and I reached out to pull it free. It was a folder stamped with the emblem of the Titan Kelly Pack, a rising star among the werewolf packs in the city. Rumors swirled about their Alpha, Mr. Kelly, who, like Samuel, was hearing impaired.
Flipping the folder open, I saw Samuel’s name scrawled on the inside cover.
My hands trembled as I leafed through the documents, my heart sinking with each page. Bidding contracts, financial records—things I had no idea Samuel was involved in.
I grabbed my phone, searching for information on Mr. Kelly. The results were sparse, almost deliberately scrubbed clean.
Then it hit me. I opened Reina’s social media feed, my fingers shaking as I scrolled.
[November 25]
[This bag makes everything better, thanks to an anonymous good friend.]
The photo showed her holding the latest designer handbag, her smile dazzling.
I zoomed in, my breath catching as I spotted a familiar hand in the corner of the frame. A hand that wasn’t wearing a mate mark.
My stomach churned as I scrolled further.
[November 1]
[This necklace is the perfect match for my outfit, thanks to Mr. Kelly for looking out for his little assistant.]
The photo showed Reina in an elegant dress, a pink diamond necklace glittering at her throat.
Mr. Kelly. Little assistant.
The necklace—I’d mentioned it to Samuel once. I adored the design, but at $520,000, it was far beyond our means. Samuel had joked about buying it for me someday when he became Alpha.
Yet there it was, gleaming around Reina’s neck.
My wolf whined softly in my mind, a low, mournful sound that mirrored the ache in my chest. I clutched the folder to my chest, my mind racing.
What else had he been hiding from me?