The Alpha’s Temptation

CHAPTER 2

AMIRA

I blinked in confusion as I found myself back in the familiar surroundings of my room, my graduation photo staring back at me from the bedside drawer. Sitting up slowly, I couldn't help but wonder how I had ended up here. "How did we get here, Amber?" I questioned, expecting a response from my wolf, but was met with eerie silence.

"Amber?" I called out again, a hint of desperation creeping into my voice, but once again, there was no reply. "Are you seriously giving me the silent treatment?" I asked incredulously, feeling a pang of hurt at her lack of response. "I didn't ask for this rejection," I reminded her, but she remained stubbornly silent.

It dawned on me then that perhaps the rejection had affected her more deeply than I had realized. With a heavy sigh, I resigned myself to her silence, knowing that it would take time for both of us to come to terms with what had happened.

Before I could dwell on it any further, the door to my room swung open, and Ciara walked in, a bowl of ice cream in hand. She froze in place, her eyes widening with shock as she took in the sight of me sitting up in bed. "You're awake!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with relief and disbelief.

I attempted to roll my eyes at Ciara's dramatic behavior, but the movement only exacerbated the throbbing headache pulsating through my skull. "Of course you knew I'd come around," I mumbled, my voice strained with discomfort. "You've been through rejection before, so you know the drill."

The bowl of ice cream slipped from Ciara's grip, clattering to the floor as she rushed to my side on the bed. "Phoenix rejected you?" she gasped, her eyes wide with shock and concern.

Her reaction puzzled me, furrowing my brows in confusion. "You didn't know?" I questioned, taken aback by her ignorance. "Then how did you bring me home?" I pressed, curious as to what explanation Phoenix had given her for my unconscious state.

"I didn't bring you home," she confessed, her words tumbling out in a rush. "You sent me a text to come over, which I did. I found you sleeping in your bedroom, but when you didn't wake up for more than twenty-four hours, I knew something was wrong."

It was my turn to be shocked by her words. I sat upright abruptly. “how long was I out for?”

“Three days.” She replied. “You really scared me but then Alpha Jared sent his doctor who checked on you and assured me that you were fine. He said your body was just exhausted and is taking it’s time to come around.” She jerked her head to the other side of the bed. “You have been on IV drip since three days.”

My job! I was suppose to start work tomorrow. Rubbing the heel of my hand in my eyes, I cussed under my breath. “How did Alpha Jared become a part of this?”

"I knew you were supposed to start work yesterday," Ciara explained, her tone oddly casual given the circumstances. "When you didn't come around, I had to call the office and tell them you were seriously ill. Alpha Jared himself called back and said he's sending his doctor." She paused, a hint of confusion clouding her features. "I didn't expect him to care."

I let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, me neither. So... I'm not fired?" I asked, a glimmer of hope surfacing amidst the chaos.

"Nope," Ciara confirmed, popping the 'p' with a playful gesture. Leaning forward, she fixed me with a curious gaze. "But let's focus on the real issue here. What do you mean Phoenix rejected you?"

The memory flooded back, igniting a fresh wave of anger within me. "I caught him in bed with my sister, Mia," I spat out, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. "And when I confronted them, I learned they've been having an affair for two years. He chose to reject me so he could be with her."

Dumbfounded, Ciara blinked at me slowly, her disbelief evident in her expression. "Your sister is having an affair with Phoenix? Your mate? Is she insane?" she exclaimed, her voice filled with incredulity.

"They both are," I muttered bitterly, my frustration boiling over. "And the fact that he didn't even show an ounce of remorse..." I trailed off. Screw this so-called mate bond. I could now fully comprehend why Ciara wished the moon goddess would just take a break.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" Ciara asked, her eyes mirroring the resentment I felt towards those two traitors.

"Nothing," I replied firmly. "I'm just going to focus on my work and moving forward." I turned to Amber, who had remained silent throughout our conversation. "Are you still sulking?" I asked her, but she didn't respond. "My wolf isn't even talking to me anymore," I added with a bitter chuckle.

"She's hurting; she'll come around soon," Ciara reassured me, but her words offered little comfort. Nodding absentmindedly, I lay back down, hoping to shut out the pain for a moment, but Ciara's sudden slap against my arm jolted me back to reality.

"I asked you a question, Amira," she insisted, her eyes boring into mine with intensity. "What are you going to do? You can't let them treat you like this and still expect a happily ever after."

I wanted nothing more than to make Phoenix and my sister pay for their betrayal, but I couldn't fathom what action to take. "What do you expect me to do, Ciara? Phoenix is the Alpha's son, which means I have to tread carefully to avoid incurring the Alpha's wrath," I explained, feeling trapped by the constraints of our pack hierarchy.

Ciara's expression remained unconvinced as she tapped her feet lightly on the floor, lost in thought. "We're going to hit them where it hurts the most," she declared. "We're going after what Phoenix values most,"

A few days ago, I would have confidently declared that I was the most precious thing to Phoenix. But now, with the truth laid bare, it was clear that his love for money surpassed any affection he might have felt for me. "His money?" I echoed, feeling a bitter taste in my mouth at the realization. "That's the only thing he truly cares about right now. But how do we even go after his money?"

"By finding its source," Ciara replied matter-of-factly. "You and I both know that Phoenix doesn't earn his money through hard work. He just squanders what he gets from the Alpha."

As her words sank in, my mind began to connect the dots. "Wait... are you saying that the Alpha is the source of Phoenix's wealth?" I asked incredulously, my eyes widening in shock.

Ciara nodded solemnly. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Have you lost your mind?" I blurted out, panic rising within me. "Do you realize what you're suggesting? You're telling me to go after the Alpha?" I exclaimed, my voice filled with disbelief. "Suggesting that I hurt the Alpha just to get back at Phoenix is not only absurd, it's downright insane." The mere thought of harming the Alpha, the leader of our pack, filled me with dread and fear.

Ciara let out a scoff, shaking her head at my misunderstanding. "Who said anything about hurting the Alpha? Like you'd even stand a chance," she retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Relief flooded through me, realizing I had misinterpreted her earlier suggestion. "You had me worried there for a moment," I admitted, exhaling a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

"Can you please clarify what you meant by that?" I asked, still trying to wrap my head around her cryptic statement.

Ciara sprang up from the bed and hurried to the door, making sure it was securely closed before returning to join me. I watched her behalf like a deranged human.

"What better way to get back at a cheating ex than by dating his father and having him call you mom?" she declared.

My mind struggled to process her suggestion. Staring at her in disbelief, I waited for her to burst into laughter, but her expression remained serious. "Wait, did you just suggest that I should date Alpha Jared?" I asked incredulously, unable to comprehend the absurdity of her proposal.

Ciara dared to nod defiantly. "Yes, I did," she affirmed, undeterred by my incredulous stare.

My jaw dropped in disbelief. "What's wrong with you? Are you out of your mind?!" I snapped, my frustration boiling over at her audacious suggestion.

She shrugged indifferently in response. "What's the big deal? Last time I checked, the Alpha is very much single," she pointed out matter-of-factly.

I shook my head in disbelief. "He's not just my Alpha, Ciara, he's also my boss," I reminded her.

"So?" she replied nonchalantly, her tone irritatingly flat. "I'm not telling you to steal from him or anything."

"You're telling me to mess with him!" I retorted, my voice trembling with frustration. "You're telling me to toy with the Alpha's heart!"

Ciara blinked at me slowly before bursting into laughter, her amusement echoing through the room. "Look, I know you're cute and all, but do you honestly think you're capable of breaking his heart?" she teased, her laughter ringing in my ears.

I didn't take Ciara's words as an insult because I knew she meant well, even if her suggestion seemed outrageous.

"Look, that man isn't looking for love," she continued, her tone earnest. "You both are probably going to mess with each other anyway. All I'm saying is, while you're at it, use that opportunity to get back at Nix for what he did to you."

I furrowed my brow, still unsure about the feasibility of her plan. "And you think dating his father is going to change anything?" I pressed, my skepticism evident in my voice.

Ciara's smile widened, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "If there's one thing men can't handle, it's having their ego bruised," she explained, her words carrying a note of confidence. "Date his father, and Nix is going to beg you to come back. And if you're lucky enough to have the Alpha's heart or affection, then you can manipulate Nix's finances."