Too Late, Alpha. She's Already Someone Else's

Chapter 7

The moment the window lowered, the presence of a high-ranking Alpha washed over me and every instinct went taut. It felt nothing like Jude's controlling dominance. There was no possessiveness in it, only the unmistakable difference in rank and power between us.

My muscles locked on instinct, yet I could still tell there was no malice in his scent.

Kael only watched me. He didn't speak or move closer. A few seconds later, the window rose and the Maybach pulled away. Only then did my body begin to relax.

'You don't need to be afraid,' I told myself. 'He doesn't mean you any harm.'

I looked away and prepared to drive home, though my thoughts remained unsettled. Kael kept appearing at exactly the right moment, almost as if he had been waiting for me, and every appearance disrupted the careful plans I had made for myself.

I sat in the parking lot until I could no longer sense him. Only then did it occur to me that this was already the second time he had appeared without warning.

On Saturday evening, Jude brought me to a private dinner attended by Black Pine Pack's elders and senior business executives. It was one of the most exclusive internal gatherings the pack held.

Several younger Alphas who were friendly with Jude were also there. During casual conversation, they kept probing for information about my progress with the hotels. Their amused tone made it clear they were waiting to watch me fail. I answered each question with a pleasant smile and gave away nothing.

Later in the evening, with the elders seated all around us, Jude suddenly reached behind my neck and closed his hand over my old mate mark. His fingers rested precisely against it, firm enough to make his meaning obvious without actually hurting me.

"At the next Full Moon Rite," he said, bending close. His voice was low, but everyone nearby could hear him. "I'm going to renew your mate mark."

Murmurs of approval circled the table. People praised him for being attentive and devoted.

They all accepted the performance at face value. I was the only one who understood what it really meant. The unlimited card he had given me wasn't generosity. It was leverage, another attempt to bind me to the marriage with money.

Public displays like this were common in Black Pine Pack society. The older generation believed that if a man made a grand enough show of devotion, the relationship itself must be solid. I had once believed the same thing.

Several senior elders exchanged meaningful glances. Renewing a mate mark was no small gesture. It meant confirming the mate bond again beneath a full moon in front of the entire pack. Jude had rarely even mentioned such ceremonies in previous years, much less announced one publicly.

I let his hand stay on the back of my neck and softened my expression just enough to satisfy the room. Inside, I was calculating.

This wasn't affection. He was reminding everyone, including me, that the mark on my body was still his.

The card itself didn't interest me. What caught my attention was the faint trace of another woman's scent clinging to Jude's cuff. It was so light I might have missed it without a wolf's nose.

During a lull in the conversation, I lifted my glass.

"I ran into Kael at headquarters a few days ago. He's become quite an impressive Alpha. His judgment and ability seem to surpass most pack leaders in the region."

At the sound of Kael's name, Jude went still. His smile vanished, his grip tightened around his glass, and even his breathing grew heavier.

"He's an Alpha from another pack," Jude said. "Keep your distance. There's no need for unnecessary contact."

I hid a smile. That was exactly the reaction I wanted. The more insecure he became, the easier it was to see the obsession beneath his need for control.

He quickly suppressed his coldness and slipped an arm around my shoulders.

"Morwen has always had excellent judgment," he announced to the table. "No one else could stand beside me as my mate. She's the finest Luna Black Pine Pack could ask for."

The words were hollow. He feared Kael, distrusted me, and still needed to claim me in front of everyone so no one would see how rattled he really was.

Before the dinner ended, Jude made another public announcement. The independent account for the hotel project would be placed entirely under my control, and I would no longer need approval for each individual expense.

It was another performance of generosity. He wanted everyone to see him as the husband who would give me anything I asked for.

The only thing he wouldn't give me was the freedom to leave.

By the time dinner ended, the town was bright with late-night lights. I said lightly, "I'm going to stop by headquarters and review the accounts. You can go home first."

Jude didn't question me. He only told me to be careful and drove away.

The moment his car disappeared, I turned in the opposite direction and headed for a private bank. I had no intention of going to headquarters. Instead, I transferred part of the money I could legally access into an account I had opened in secret.

I had sacrificed my passions, my career, and years of my life for this family. This time, I intended to recover everything I was entitled to before I left for good.

I had quietly opened the private account 6 months earlier at a branch in a remote town recommended by Jemma. It wasn't registered under the Hawthorne name. It used my maiden name, Bennett.

The teller was a human employee outside the pack's inner circle. She handled the transaction politely and cautiously without asking unnecessary questions. My hand remained steady when I signed the transfer authorization.

As I left the bank, a slender figure stepped from the shadow beneath a streetlight.

It was Clarice.

She had covered herself in perfume, clearly trying to hide someone else's scent beneath it.

The timid look she usually wore was gone. She walked toward me openly smug, carrying herself like someone who believed the game was already over and she had won.

I remained where I was and met her gaze without retreating.

A nearly inaudible growl stirred in my throat. I disliked having Clarice this close. Even from several yards away, her cloying, carefully controlled scent made my skin crawl.

The streetlight split her face between light and shadow. She clearly hadn't expected me to stand there without fear, guilt, or panic.