Episode4
1176 Words
Elaine's pov
When the discussion turned serious, Damien explained his pack's financial struggles. He needed resources, funding and a way to fix his pack’s crumbling infrastructure.
I tapped my manicured finger against my glass as I pretended to think.
Some summoned me out of my comfort zone into this dunghill he called a packhouse? How infuriating.
I heaved a light sigh. If I wanted to destroy Damien, I might as well begin with putting my hold on him.
With casual precision, I laid out a cost-effective plan on how the situation could be salvaged by the dying pack.
I waited for a reaction until I got one.
Gasps followed by praise and admiration.
“Brilliant.”
“Excellent. This plan might work.”
“Lady Aurora, you are truly remarkable…” A woman said and shot a glare at Loretta who was stewing with rage. “...unlike some people who spent more than contributing.”
I almost burst out laughing at the way Loretta's fingers clenched around her cutlery knife.
At the end of the meeting, she approached me and I thought maybe she had given up faking a smile.
“My lady,” she began, still holding the fake smile. “Thank you for your generosity.”
I smiled back. “Oh, it's no trouble at all. After all, that's what the rich do — help the less fortunate.”
Before Loretta could reply, I turned away and walked away.
The night air was cool as I stepped outside, a smirk curled my lips.
A presence.
I turned to my right, meeting the sharp gaze of a man.
Jake.
Beta Jake.
My heart fluttered when our eyes locked. In my past life, he had been the only one who talked to me like I mattered.
I shoved the butterflies about to riot in my stomach and closed them.
Bastards.
Jake was watching me but not with admiration like the others. Then, as if realizing he had been staring, he took a bow. “My lady.”
I flashed him a smile and I walked past him.
As I strode to the car, I still felt Jake's stare on me.
He was trying to figure out who I was.
And if he did, well, that would be interesting.
****
The night I returned home from the SilverMoon pack, I made a spine-chilling discovery — I had traveled back in time, three years in the past, three years before my death, three years before I would stop existing.
Shit!
I told myself I had to plot my revenge plan and fast.
So I returned to the SilverMoon pack, to oversee the reconstruction of the pack. Apparently, when the pack needed to fund their Treasury and make budgets for repairs, Loretta was busy spending the money on Bottega and Versace branded clothes, making the pack suffer with each shopping.
She was still the same — past and present.
And so I remained in the pack, watching and waiting until someone decided to call me out on my plan.
That was on Monday night.
That night, the scent of damp earth and roses filled the air. I was in the garden, my favourite place in my past life.
I hummed my favourite lullaby as I traced my fingers along the edge of a stone beach in the garden.
Something in the air shifted and I sniffed the air, my wolf on alert.
I wasn't alone.
I'd known for days that someone had been following me, watching my every move. But tonight, I told myself I'd have enough of this game of cat-and-mouse.
“You should be less obvious,” I said when I heard the stranger’s footsteps. “If you're going to stalk me, at least do it properly, Beta Jake.”
A deep chuckle echoed behind me and I whipped around to find him.
Jake.
He looked the same as he did in the past — dark haired, broad-shouldered, with a gaze that could pierce straight through a lie. He was everything his reputation claimed him to be — dangerous, invincible, and almost as sharp as a blade.
And right now, that blade was pointed at me.
“You're full of surprises, Aurora,” Jake said. “I was about to introduce myself, but it seemed you already know who I am.”
Why would I know him? We were - - I wouldn't know what to call us as we were just people who talked to each other but Aurora? Just Aurora? Where was the respect? I was the “daughter” of an oil tycoon.
He chuckled and corrected himself. “Lady Aurora.”
I looked at that smiling face of his and almost signed. He was still trying to figure out who I was.
Jake caught me staring and took a step closer. “I'm not that popular so tell me… how do you know me?”
I gave a careless shrug. “I just do.”
I could tell the answer did not sit well with him. Jake wasn't one that likes unknowns and right now, I was his biggest one.
His voice dropped and he smiled. “You should've gone back to your pack. What are you really doing here?”
I arched my brow. “Well, for your information, I'm staying here to oversee the reconstruction. Any problem? I'm bored.”
“Bored?” Jake let out a dry laugh but there was no amusement in his eyes.
I leaned in slightly and whispered to him. “You should get some sleep, stalker. You need to get enough rest to stalk me again tomorrow.”
Before she could retort, a voice shot out in the night.
“I don't care what it takes! Just make sure no one finds out!”
I stiffened and so did Jake.
We both turned towards Jake.
It was Loretta.
“Come on!” Jake grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the shadows.
The scent of him – something deep and woodsy – wrapped around me and I swallowed hard.
He was close… too close.
I almost protested but he put his fingers over my lips shushing me.
I waited and listened.
From our corner, I pinched my eyelids and found Loretta starting a few feet away, pacing under the soft shade of the tree.
She seemed agitated as she paced restlessly. “You need to cover my tracks! No one can ever know that I killed somebody!”
I felt Jake tense beside me.
“Fix it or you're dead!” Loretta spat into her phone.
The call ended.
Loretta turned on her heels and stormed back into the estate, her heels clicking against the stone path.
Silence stretched between us as we both watched her disappear.
I could feel tension radiate from him as I pulled away.
“Did you hear that?” I whispered.
Jake didn't answer right away but when he did, his voice was dark, edged with something lethal. “The better question is… who the hell did she kill?”
- Writer
