Chapter 2

At this moment, my mom let out a long sigh. "Amber, you're a bit too controlling. Sometimes, even I get scared of you."

I glanced at my dad, hoping that as the head of the family, he'd recognize everything I've done for this home.

But I couldn't believe my ears when I heard his words.

My dad said, "Amber, it's time for you to take a break. Quite a few pack members have been complaining to me that you're too bossy."

That was when it hit me why Olivia was so popular with everyone.

After all, nobody liked being bossed around.

Ethan didn't like it, Mom didn't like it, Dad didn't like it, and the pack members didn't like it. Even Adam chose Olivia. No one cared about how I felt.

Maybe it was for the best. I was tired after all these years.

I forced back my tears and said firmly, "Dad, you're right. I should take a break. I'm stepping down as Alpha of the Gonzalez Pack. The official seal and my resignation letter will be sent to the Elder Council tomorrow. And as for this home—"

No, this place wasn't my home anymore.

I headed to my room and began packing my stuff.

Only Mary Miller, our housekeeper, came to persuade me to stay. "Miss Gonzalez, if you leave, I won't be able to handle this house on my own. Please don't go. Help me out."

Even Mary knew how much I meant to this family. But my own family didn't care about me at all.

After saying goodbye to Mary, I opened the front door. My family was all smiles, chatting about when Olivia should mate with Adam.

Nobody cared that this time I was leaving and wouldn't be coming back.

As I closed the door behind me, I could still hear Ethan mutter, "Amber should've moved out a long time ago."

*****

My resignation was approved in no time.

My dad personally signed off on it.

When I saw the word "Approved" on the document, my heart hardened more.

Back when my own packmates were all against me, I still managed to bring the Gonzalez Pack to the top.

Now that I got away from my family's constant nagging, I would only get to success faster and more smoothly.

I wasted no time handling all the paperwork and officially started my journey to build my own pack.

Meanwhile, the venture department of the Gonzalez Pack kept blowing up my phone, wanting my take on their projects.

Every time, I ignored them and stayed silent.

After enough calls, it finally hit them that I was gone for good. That was when they started pushing the Elder Council to pick a new Alpha.

The Alpha position in the Gonzalez Pack was no joke. It held the reins to all the key resources in every department.

The Elder Council wasn't about to let just anyone sit in that spot.

It wasn't surprising that Adam, my dad's trusted soon-to-be son-in-law, took over as the new Alpha of the Gonzalez Pack.

Once Adam took over, the venture department, HR, and finance department of the Gonzalez Pack all cut me off.

Some packmates even went so far as to delete my number and block me, all because Adam pressured them to.

But only three months later, those packmates who'd blocked and deleted me started sneaking me back into their contacts. They even told me about all the drama going down inside the Gonzalez Pack.

"Amber, this new guy Adam is such a moron. He actually invests in projects that are obviously doomed to fail."

"Oh my god, three projects in a row have tanked in three months. How is he still the Alpha?"

"He's losing his temper at the pack house every single day, calling us idiots, saying we're totally useless and can't come up with one decent idea. He's even threatening to kick us out."

"Honestly, I'm about to bail on the Gonzalez Pack. Amber, can you take me in?"

I saw this coming.

The Alpha had to understand people, have a sharp sense for the market, and be able to coordinate betas in every hall.

Adam was an engineer by training. Like Ethan, he was way more suited for a technical role than a leader.

It was clear that Adam couldn't be an Alpha.

But Olivia was with him. Who knew what kind of tricks she would pull with our parents to get Adam more chances?

When Adam and Olivia found me, I was working on a plan in a drafty old factory.

They looked around, and I could see the pity in their eyes.

"Amber, is this the place you're renting? It's pretty shabby," Olivia said.

This was my place, not rented, but bought outright. I owned all 32,000 square feet, and I was planning to develop it into my own building.

In three months, Adam managed to sink three projects for the Gonzalez Pack. Meanwhile, I used my old connections and the projects I'd originally lined up for the Gonzalez Pack to pull in 10 million dollars.