Alexander tilted his head slightly, his voice low and calm, so that only I could hear.


    “Did I make things worse by stepping in?” he asked. “I should’ve asked before speaking up, especially when they were questioning your… innocence.”


    The word lingered between us.


    I looked up at him-at his cool, unreadable face, the sharp lines of his jaw, the quiet strength in his eyes. A man like him didn’t have to apologize. And yet, here he was, worried that he might’ve caused me trouble.


    My heart stuttered for half a beat.


    “No, Alpha Alexander,” I said quietly, steadying my voice. “I should be the one apologizing. I’ve dragged you into something messy.”


    C


    “You didn’t drag me,” he replied, his eyes not leaving mine. “But if it would help, I can make it clearer to them.”


    I hesitated for only a second. He was already standing beside me. Saying no now would make it look like I didn’t trust him. Worse, it would seem ungrateful. And I wasn’t.


    “… Yes,” I said softly. “Thank you.”


    He stepped forward, unfazed by the hundreds of eyes that now stared at him with varying degrees of awe and intimi- dation. Chole’s face was frozen, her lips parted in shock. Even Amelia, for once, had nothing to say.


    Alexander faced the crowd,posed as ever.


    “I was at the Ashmoon Hotelst night,” he said evenly. “Wrapping up a meeting with a client. As I was heading out, I saw this woman-” he nodded at me without hesitation, “-stumbling in the hallway, clearly drugged. A man was dragging her. Something didn’t sit right. I asked the staff to look into it immediately.”


    He paused. No theatrics. Just facts.


    “They intervened in time,” he continued, “and were able to stop what could’ve been a serious assault. She was un- harmed. I only stayed long enough to ensure her safety and got her admitted to a private hospital.”


    Every word from him struck like iron on stone-solid, undeniable.


    I stood beside him, expression calm but heart rattling in my chest. How had he even walked into this mess? What cos- mic joke hadnded him at that hotel, at that moment?


    Was I so pitiful now that even someone like Alexander Green had to step in?


    0.0 %


    13:31


    I nced sideways at him. He didn’t flinch under the weight of the moment. He looked like he belonged there-like he was used to storms and wasn’t afraid to stand in the eye of one.


    The entire ballroom remained still. No one dared question him. Not even the Windsors. Be yanked Chole back when she tried to open her mouth again, whispering something harsh in her ear.


    Heads nodded slowly around us. It didn’t matter what anyone had thought earlier. Even if a video had existed-of something far worse-Alexander’s word would have buried it. And everyone in this room knew that disagreeing with him was choosing a losing war.


    And then Ethan-of all people-decided to move.


    He stepped up behind me and ced his hand on my shoulder like we were some loving couple in this chaos.


    “Thank you, Alpha Alexander,” he said. “For saving my wife.”


    My wife.


    My entire body tensed.


    Before Alexander could respond, I turned toward Ethan.


    And I shoved his hand off.


    Not harshly. Just firmly. Coldly.


    “I don’t need your gratitude,” I said without looking at him.


    He froze, caught off-guard.


    I didn’t stop.


    “You have no right to thank Alexander,” I went on, my voice sharp and unwavering. “And since we’re talking about rights-let me remind you I’m serious about the divorce. You signed the papers.”


    His brows drew together. “What?”


    “You signed them,” I repeated. “The deadline for your decision is tomorrow. Noon. After that, it’s final.”


    Ethan stared at me like I’d stabbed him. As if he genuinely couldn’t believe I would go through with it. Maybe he thought I’d beg to stay. Maybe he thought I still loved him enough to crawl back and pretend none of this happened.


    He didn’t realize something had already died inside me.


    “You… you wouldn’t,” he muttered. “You loved me too much-”


    “I did.” I cut him off. “And you destroyed it. Now don’t worry about our divorce. Worry about yourmistressand your- motherinstead.”


    I turned slightly, catching the wall clock near the ballroom entrance.


    30.8 %


    13:31


    “The police will be here soon.”


    His mouth parted. “Police?”


    “Of course I did,” I said with a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. “And by the way, you’re not off the hook either. Chole saidst night thatyouwere involved in what happened to me.”


    He stumbled back a step. “You think I’d do that to you?”


    I didn’t answer. I just looked at him. Long enough for the silence to say everything.


    “You think I’d ever hurt you?” he asked, voice cracking. “Olivia, I would never-”


    Iughed. Just once. A dry, bitter sound that scraped my throat.


    “Never hurt me?” I repeated. “You cheated on me formonths, Ethan. Do you think I just found out?”


    His lips parted.


    “I knew,” I whispered. “Every date. Every hotel. Every lie you told. I knew all of it. I watched it happen while pre- tending not to care. Do you know what that feels like?”


    He didn’t speak.


    SP


    “It feels like a knife that never stops twisting in your chest. Like you’re dying every day but you don’t get the mercy of actually dying. Just… rotting while the person you love makes a fool of you in silence.”


    His face twisted in pain.


    “What did I do wrong?” I asked softly. “Was it because I was too loyal? Too trusting? Or just… too convenient?”


    He reached out, but I stepped back. Right then, the double doors swung open.


    A team of uniformed werewolf officers walked in.


    They moved quickly, presenting formal warrants, and the room filled with the buzz of shocked whispers again. The officers headed toward Amelia, Chole, and Ethan. Chole tried to hide behind her mother, and Amelia tried to reason with the captain. Ethan barely blinked as cuffs snapped around his wrists.


    The show was over.


    One by one, the guests slipped away, whispering behind their hands. The grand ballroom emptied, leaving behind nothing but dropped napkins, champagne stains, and the echo of shattered reputations.


    I waited. Waited until even Alexander had left-his tall, steady figure fading out the ss doors before I dared to


    move.


    Then, I walked out the back of the hotel and made my way to the small park that wrapped behind the building. The night was still. Trees swayed gently above. I found one and leaned against it, too drained to sit, too stubborn to col-pse.


    59.3 %


    13:31


    I knew the truth: Ethan wasn’t involved in the attack. Not directly. It had been Amelia and Chole who conspired to get my signature.


    But I hadn’t mentioned that to the police.


    He deserved to suffer a little as well.


    For the silence. For the betrayal. For every time I cried in the bathroom with the water running to hide the sound.


    I stared up at the trees, letting the night wind dry the tears.


    That’s when I heard it-footsteps approaching on the grass.


    And a momentter, a scent drifted into the air.


    Warm. Clean. Deep and grounding, like freshly split cedar and smoke kissed by pine. It curled around me gently, calming.