CHAPTER 1
Ella's POV
"I don't understand," I said, my voice barely above a whisper as I lay on the examination bed, the cool paper crinkling beneath me. "Mike and I have been trying for three years now."
The doctor sighed softly, her eyes filled with sympathy as she approached the bed. "Ella," she began gently, placing a hand on my arm, "I know this isn't easy to hear, but I need to be honest with you."
I swallowed hard, bracing myself for what was coming next. The room felt colder, the sterile smell of antiseptic suddenly more pungent.
"I'm really sorry, Ella," she continued, her tone compassionate yet firm. "If you don't conceive in the next three days, it's very likely you'll never have children."
Her words echoed in my mind, each one a heavy blow to my already fragile hope. My heart pounded, a lump forming in my throat as the reality of our situation sank in.
"You have two options," the doctor explained, her eyes never leaving mine. "Your ovulation window closes in two days. You can either get a donor and undergo insemination tomorrow, or..." She paused, offering a small, encouraging smile. "You can go home and make crazy love with your fiancé."
The bluntness of her statement made my lips twitch into a sad smile, though the ache in my chest remained. I nodded slowly, Two days. That was all we had left to make this dream a reality.
Dominic's POV
The automatic doors of the small clinic slid open, and I stepped inside, my presence commanding attention without a word. I was used to it, people stopping, staring, whispering. It came with the territory of being Dominic Moon, the most powerful billionaire Alpha in the country.
The sterile white walls of the clinic seemed to pale even further under the intensity of my gaze as I strode through the entrance, my footsteps echoing in the quiet corridor. The scent of antiseptic and faint traces of human illness filled the air, but I barely noticed. My focus was singular, unwavering.
Heads turned as I moved, nurses pausing mid-step, their eyes wide with a mixture of curiosity and disbelief. Murmurs spread like wildfire among them, questioning my presence in a facility so far removed from the grandeur of my usual surroundings.
"What is he doing here? At our facility?" one of them whispered, her voice tinged with awe and confusion.
"I heard he's never stepped foot in a place like this before," another replied, glancing nervously in my direction as I continued down the hall.
I ignored their whispers, my pace steady, purposeful. I had no time for idle gossip or curious stares. My business here was urgent, and nothing would deter me from my goal.
Reaching the door to the doctor's office, I didn't bother knocking. I pushed it open.
Ella POV
I was using one hand to hold my phone against my ear, desperately trying to call Mike. For the fifth time, his phone went straight to voicemail. "Come on, Mike," I muttered under my breath, frustration bubbling inside me. With my other hand, I struggled to pull up my trousers, balancing awkwardly as I tried to multitask.
Suddenly, the door to the examination room swung open, and I froze mid-motion, my phone slipping to the crook of my neck. A man walked in, his presence filling the room with an intense aura. I barely registered his face as embarrassment and irritation flared up inside me.
"What the hell! You can't just walk in like-" Before I could finish my sentence, I lost my balance, stumbling forward as my legs got tangled in my half-worn trousers. Gravity betrayed me, and I felt myself falling.
Before I hit the ground, strong arms wrapped around me, halting my descent. The air whooshed out of my lungs, and for a second, I couldn't think, couldn't breathe. I found myself pressed against a broad, solid chest, the scent of cedar and something earthy invading my senses.
Holy shit... I thought, my heart skipping a beat as I looked up into the sharp, piercing eyes of the man who had caught me. Is that—Dominic Moon?
"Can I let go of you now?" his deep, smooth voice broke through my daze, pulling me back to the present. I was still speechless, my body trembling from the adrenaline and the shock of who was standing before me. I nodded slowly, my voice caught somewhere in my throat.
Dominic steadied me on my feet, his hands lingering for a moment longer than necessary before he stepped back. His eyes narrowed slightly as he observed me. "You're shaking," he noted, his voice laced with a mix of concern and curiosity.
I've always been deathly afraid of werewolves, I reminded myself, the fear evident in the way my body reacted to his proximity. "I'm fine," I managed to reply, forcing a small smile despite the terror in my eyes. "Thank you."
He nodded once, seemingly satisfied with my response, and turned to leave. Relief washed over me as he started toward the door. Thank God, we'll never cross paths again, I thought, watching his retreating figure, my heart pounding in my chest.
Back at home prepared to spend a crazy night with Mike With two glasses of wine in my hands, I made my way toward our bedroom, the soft clink of the glasses accompanying my footsteps. I was dressed in the red dress Mike had always loved, hoping to surprise him and maybe rekindle some of the spark we'd been missing. A small smile played on my lips as I called out his name, anticipation building in my chest. "Mike, I've got something special for us tonight."
I pushed the bedroom door open, expecting to see him lying on the bed, perhaps tired from work but happy to see me. Instead, my world came crashing down.
There, on our bed, was Mike, tangled in a frenzy of sheets and limbs with another woman.
Julie,My best friend. My heart stopped as I took in the scene. Julie was straddling him, her hips moving rhythmically, grinding against him with an obscene intensity. Her moans filled the room, loud and unabashed, mingling with the guttural sounds coming from Mike.
One of the wine glasses slipped from my fingers, shattering on the floor, but the noise barely registered over the pounding in my ears. My breath hitched as I stood frozen in the doorway, my mind struggling to comprehend the betrayal unfolding before my eyes.
“Mike," I choked out, my voice trembling with a mix of rage and disbelief. "What the f**k are you doing? You're sleeping with my best friend?"
At the sound of my voice, Julie scrambled off Mike, quickly wrapping a sheet around herself. Her eyes flashed with panic before morphing into something sharper, more aggressive. She rushed toward me, her face twisted in a sneer. "What the f**k, you crazy b***h?"
Before I could react, she was in front of me, but I didn’t back down. Instead, I grabbed the remaining glass of wine and, without a second thought, poured it over her head. The crimson liquid cascaded down her face and onto the pristine white sheets she clutched.
She gasped, her hand flying up to slap me across the face.