ChapterOne
Sierra Blake’s POV:
Someone has called me six times in a row, and either they're crazy or they’re my best friend—Reign—but I can't ignore it anymore.
I put my pen down and opened the drawer where I kept the buzzing phone. I pick it up just as the door to my office is pushed open so hard that it slams against the wall loudly.
It's Marlene, my stepsister. She works here, also as a managing director at our father's company, and part time in hell as a senior demon, I'm sure of it.
I don't even look up as I roll my eyes. She does that so much I fill a hole in my wall every eight weeks. It's even scheduled as part of company maintenance.
“Yes? What do you want?”
She stands at the door smirking, looking very pleased with herself. Uh-oh, that means she’s been meddling in my life, up to no good.
Marlene takes her time to get to a chair and sit. “Rude. Well, it is to be expected that that w***e mother of yours never did teach you any f*****g manners."
I bare my teeth in a snarl. "Talk about my mother again, Marlene, and I will deflate that funky-looking boob job with this pen."
She scoffs. "That's no way to speak to the CEO of this company, Sierra. And here I was contemplating keeping you on.”
Is this b***h high? What nonsense is she spewing now? “I'm busy, Marlene, working. Get the f**k out of my office if you don't have anything sensible to say today, not that you ever do.”
She tosses a folder on my desk, that self-satisfied look still firmly on her face. I want to slap her even more than usual, but I just push the file to the side. “Is this all?”
She chuckles, the sound annoying me down to my very soul. “You'll want to open that now.”
The b***h won't leave until I do. I fight down the urge to sigh to give her any indication that she's getting to me and flip the damn thing open. The pages smell like they're fresh out of the printer.
The first thing I see is the large, red stamp on the employee sheet. Who has she fired now? It must be someone I'll disagree with her on for her to personally bring it to me.
Well, if she’s looking for a fight, I'm happy to oblige. I look at the name.
Sierra Blake. Me. I blink. What the f**k is she playing at?
I pick up the stupid file and toss it in her face. “You can't fire me. Get the f**k out of here.”
She waits for the papers everywhere to settle before she speaks. “If you checked, you would see that I can indeed do that. I officially become the sole owner of Silver Ridge in three days. And that's when this becomes effective.”
I look at her, really look at her, with a sneer on my face. It's just been over two months since Dad passed, but I have been notified that I'm a benefactor in the will. The lawyers say it's not ready to be read yet as Dad had many assets, and that type of thing takes a bit of time, so I don't know where she found this pile of bullshit she's shovelling.
“Sierra, this is the last time I'm going to ask you to leave before I'll call security to drag you out of here. Even if the will is ready, you still won't own Silver Ridge.”
"Oh, but it is ready. My close, close, close friend helped me out." She leans forward, hand on my desk, obviously hinting at something. I couldn't care less.
She stands, pushing the chair so it clatters to the ground loudly. "I'm breaking the news to you now because I don't think you'll be able to attend the reading.”
I won't be able to attend. What does that mean?
I stare at her as she walks out of my office, flipping her stupid hair over her shoulders. I want to tangle that hair between my fingers and yank so hard that it'll come off her f*****g scalp.
I stand and search the mess of papers on the floor. And there it is, amongst other things. On the forged document, she does get Silver Ridge, and the only thing I have is a five-bedroom house in downtown that I didn't even know Dad owned.
She could be messing with me. This could be a prank to ruin my day and derail me from work. It has to be.
Mine and Dad's relationship wasn't the best. My mom, Malorie, was a mistress when I was conceived, so I resented him. And likewise, he resented me for killing her during my birth.
But we came to an understanding of sorts a few years ago. He made me his child legally so I would not be his bastard, and he forgave me as much as he could, convinced that some of my mom must live inside me because I look so much like her. I hope that's true.
My phone vibrates again, and I nearly scream. I pick it up, and it is Reign.
“Girl! Check Adrian's page! Then call me back.”
I'm disappointed, but the excitement in her voice calms me down. “Ok.”
I go on Adrian Wolfe's official Alpha page, the one he only uses for important announcements, and sure enough, he posted something about half an hour ago.
“I, Adrian Wolfe, am going to be choosing and crowning my Luna tonight. The festivities will last all day tomorrow.”
Oh Goddess! A wide smile spreads on my face. Adrian is going to propose! Adrian is going to f*****g propose! I can't believe it.
I call Reign back. "Reign!"
“Girl! You've seen it?”
“Yes!”
“I knew it. I knew you didn't know, or you would have told me! You're getting married, girl!”
“Yes!”
“He invited everybody, even the Lycans too.”
Lycans and werewolves have a feud that has been going on for years, probably since before I was born, and we're one wrong move for a war, something that has both sides tense. Because while Lycans are stronger, the population is about twenty-eight werewolves to one Lycan.
"Oh goddess, this is actually happening."
“Yes, girl! I'll meet you at your place."
I quickly scroll through my messages after I get off the call. There’s a text from our family lawyers saying that we're meeting in two days, by four pm. It makes the ball in my stomach drop low. Could Marlene...
No. No, she couldn't.
And besides, after my betrothal ceremony, Adrian will help me get to the bottom of anything the witch attempts.
I pack up my stuff and head down so I can go home and get ready.
There is one thing that keeps niggling at me though. We've been dating for four years now, ever since I was eighteen, and the whole pack knows that we're mates.
So why does he keep saying he's choosing a mate?
Maybe he's being romantic. Saying the Moon Goddess chose me for him, and he is also choosing me for him. It's something my sweetheart would do.
The elevator opens to the lobby, and Adrian is sitting there, on one of the chairs. He wants to surprise me.
I smile as my cheeks redden. Speaking of my angel.
He sees me and stands. I wave to him, grinning from the elevator. "Hi baby."
I walk to him and move to hug him, but he stops me by putting his palm out.
I freeze. What? Did Adrian just gesture for me to stop? For me not to touch him?
I look at him, really look at him. He looks like he always does. Handsome, tall, with short-cropped blond hair.
Except for one thing. I can't seem to find any warmth, any affection, in his blue eyes. None of that love that always makes me feel like the luckiest girl ever.
“I, Alpha Adrian Wolfe, reject you, Sierra Blake, as my mate and Luna.”