Chapter 1

Oliver pretended to fall for me.

All the while, he was secretly plotting to destroy the Blackwood Pack.

The Blackwood Pack was attacked, and the pack house was burned to the ground.

They beat my older brother and me until we were crawling like rogues.

Meanwhile, Oliver had his real lover in his arms, watching the whole brutal scene unfold.

In the end, I managed to escape, supporting my weakened brother.

Three years later, I had become so thin I was almost unrecognizable, yet Oliver still recognized me.

His torment of me was hardly worth mentioning.

He grabbed my chin and said, "Sophia, 300 thousand dollars for your kidney."

I nodded numbly and replied, "Alright."

After the kidney transplant surgery was done, I looked up at him and said, "Give me another 300 thousand, and I'll die for you. Is that what you want?"

*****

With a cake in my hands, I stood outside the Morton Pack's hot spring resort, my legs going weak.

As this was Morton Pack's territory, I spun around to leave.

But right then, my phone rang, like a nightmare. "The cake still isn't here? You want your shop to get shut down or what?"

It was Jake Smith, Oliver's Beta and one of his closest friends.

He was also the one who inflicted the worst beating on my older brother back then.

I pressed my lips together, not daring to make a sound.

"Are you fucking deaf? Cat got your tongue? Whatever, the bakery is a dump anyway. Just shut it down," Jake said.

I forced my voice to sound normal and hurried to say, "Sorry, I'm almost there."

It took me forever to get this job at Glen's Bakery. I can't let them suffer because of me.

I walked into the lobby of the Morton Pack's hot spring resort, planning to set the cake down and leave quickly. Then someone upstairs in a white tuxedo barked at me. "Why are you leaving it down there? Bring it up here."

I nodded and tightened my mask over my face.

By the time I got upstairs and reached out to hand him the cake, he had already turned and walked inside.

I peeked inside to find a lavishly decorated long hall with music blaring.

Just one glance, and I spotted a bunch of familiar faces.

My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was about to leap out of my chest.

I braced myself and carried the cake inside, determined to drop it off and make a quick escape.

I carefully weaved around the room's decorations and set the cake down on a low table, which was partially covered with champagne bottles.

I gave a nod and spun around to leave.

"Hey, don't rush off. Take the cake out and slice it up," someone called out behind me.

I froze in place. But I couldn't risk upsetting them. If they weren't happy with the service, Glen's Bakery could be gone by tomorrow.

I had no choice but to turn back and head to the cake.

Luckily, no one was paying me any attention.

I had my mask on, and I let my hair hang loose, covering most of my face.

Besides, I kept my head down.

There were some fancy small plates set out nearby, so I sliced the cake and carefully placed the pieces on them.

Just then, a spotlight suddenly swept over me.

"Why does Emma insist on ordering this cake? Oliver even brought in a world-class pastry chef from overseas to make one. Surely this cake can't be better than that, right?"

"I heard it's some internet-famous cake. Emma wants to see what the hype is about."

At that moment, everyone on the couch jumped to their feet. "Alpha."

The hand I was using to serve the cake shook violently.

Oliver brushed past me, a faint breeze trailing in his wake.

I steadied my hand just in time.

Jake immediately noticed me. "Watch it. If you get any on Oliver, you're dead meat."

I nodded, keeping my head down even lower.

I didn't dare look at Oliver's face. All I could see were his black leather shoes as he settled into a brown leather sofa.

One hand rested on the armrest, his legs crossed, the other hand resting on his lap, a dragon ring glinting on his finger.

"Oliver, where's Emma? The birthday girl's still not here?"

He answered, his voice as deep and magnetic as ever. "She'll be here any minute."