Sorry, Fox. You’re Not My Only Mate.

Chapter 4

Bianca hid behind Felix with a wounded expression.

"Ava, you're being unreasonable. Legally, you bought this place with money from Dad. If he paid for it, then it belongs to the family. I'm family too, so of course I have the right to stay here."

I laughed.

"The deed has one name on it. Mine."

Felix looked annoyed.

"Ava, do you really have to go this far?"

I stared straight at him.

"Yes. And you're leaving too."

"Ava, I'm your beastmate."

"Under the bond laws, the female bondholder has final authority. If I tell you to leave, you leave."

Security arrived and escorted both of them out.

I immediately changed the password.

Then I packed Felix's belongings and put them outside.

Once everything was settled, I opened the hidden camera feed from my office.

I understood long ago that corporate battles could turn ugly, so I had installed the camera without telling anyone.

This time, it became the evidence that saved me.

I opened the recording.

As expected, Bianca was the person who altered the proposal.

I was about to save the clip and send it to Martin Pierce when Gregory appeared on the footage too.

I froze.

I had always believed my father was biased toward my stepmother and Bianca but still fair in business.

I could only laugh bitterly at myself.

If they wanted to join forces and destroy me, I wouldn't give them any chance to recover.

I packaged the evidence and sent it to Martin.

His reply came quickly.

Martin: I understand what happened. This is unacceptable. I'm canceling our cooperation and will inform the rest of the industry.

Ava: Good.

If this was enough to bring down Quinn Group, I would be delighted.

Quinn Group had been built by Gregory, not my mother.

If Quinn Group fell, I would build Ava Group to replace it.

Too many things had happened that day, and my mind was still wide awake at midnight.

I heard soft movement outside my door.

I had just started to get up when a familiar scent reached me.

A cool snake tail slipped through the opening door and wrapped around my waist.

I looked up in delighted surprise at Ethan's strikingly handsome face.

"Ethan, you're back."

He didn't answer.

The intensity of his stare made me unexpectedly nervous.

It reminded me of the first night I ever spent with him.

In the beginning, I tried to be fair and alternate nights between Felix and Ethan.

But the first time Ethan lay beside me, the heat in his eyes made me feel like prey he was struggling not to devour.

I was too nervous to sleep.

Worse, I could still feel that intensity the next morning.

So I gradually began avoiding him, and eventually I stopped paying attention to that look in his eyes.

I noticed it again now.

I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong.

A sharp sting shot through my neck.

Ethan's mouth moved against my neck, his teeth grazing my skin while his snake tail tightened around my waist.

A strange, sweet scent spread through the room.

I pushed at him uncomfortably.

"Ethan, you're in... you're in heat."

He pressed me against the wall, his tail tightening until our bodies were close enough that I could hear his frantic heartbeat.

"Ava, please help me."

Before I could answer, someone pounded urgently on the front door.

"Ava, open the door. Help me."

Another scent seeped in from outside.

The two scents clashed in the air.

And I suddenly understood.

Felix and Ethan had entered their heat cycles on the same day.

While I stood stunned, another sting touched my neck.

I met Ethan's eyes. The green had gone noticeably darker.

The pounding outside grew louder.

"Ava..."