CHAPTER 1 OUR ENCOUNTERS

CLAIRE

"You already know what to do, so get to it!"

Mr. Domingo barked with no emotion but hate in his tone.

He took care of Alpha Hudson's businesses while he was aware, and I was one of Alpha Hudson's businesses—his contracted wife.

I had occupied this position for about three years, and it was natural to get used to it, but sadly, I didn't. Never would.

I nodded briskly as we arrived at the penthouse where Alpha Hudson chose to stay in one of his hotels. It was the only place I was allowed to meet him—not in his mansion but in a hotel. Just like a whore, my services were needed in the hotel room only in the evenings.

Today was one of those days.

I heaved a sigh as I moved away from Mr. Domingo and entered the bathroom. I stripped and stepped into the shower, washing off every trace of makeup from my skin.

Alpha Hudson was allergic to these products. His wolf was pretty sensitive, and it would be best to meet him every time without any of these products on my skin or hair.

I washed my hair thoroughly and got out of the shower in no time. I found something comfortable in the closet to get into, dried my hair, and stepped out of the closet. It had to be easy.

I peered at the figure by the window. The height and breadth of those shoulders looked awfully familiar, and his height was just as towering as I knew him to be.

I missed him. It had been about four months since our last encounter.

He whirled around just to drill his menacing green eyes into me, holding me captive with his gaze.

His intoxicating Sandalwood wafted up my nose, sending my nerves reeling and leaving me transfixed on the spot.

"I hope you had a safe trip."

I asked as I found my tongue and cleared the emotions clogging my throat.

I met his green eyes and instantly averted my gaze. Three sodding years later, I still had no idea how this man's brain worked. I had yet to learn when to speak to him or when to remain quiet.

He looked at me as though he were dazed by whatever was plaguing him, and then he started towards me with his long strides.

My heart thumped with every step he took toward me, and when she got closer, his gaze narrowed at me as he stood watching me.

The sound of the phone startled me, but I merely moved; my eyes were glued to this mysterious man before me—my husband, whom I barely knew.

"I gave specific instructions; you should never bring your phone." He muttered, and his gaze froze on my face.

I did?

I glanced around at my discarded dress on the footrest and hissed inwardly.

I did.

"I thought I had it on vibration." I heaved a sigh, bolting to the phone.

Delving into the hip pocket, I found the beeping phone and instantly turned it off. It was that easy.

I lifted my dress from the footrest, praying he never mentioned it as I raced towards the closet, but his gruff voice froze me in my tracks.

"Come here!"

I instantly oblige. I do not see the need to argue about putting the phone and my dress away. I knew better than to infuriate this outrageous man.

My shaky frame faltered before him in no time. Unsure of what to expect, I stood halfway to his chest with my wavering gaze, choosing to focus on his dark hair—as dark as the ace of spades.

Then, my eyes bounced off his hair and drifted downward to rest on the ornate carpet as I awaited his command.

"Take off your clothes and get on the bed." He muttered passively as his eyes roamed my body.

It wasn't the first nor the second time I had gotten this command; he was my husband, and I had obligations to meet. Even though it was the only thing we shared, Even though this was a contract marriage,

I nodded and eagerly took off the dress I had found in the closet.

His eyes never left me as I wiggled out of the dress, discarding it on the carpet as I headed to the king-size bed.

But before I could get to the large bed, Alpha Hudson twirled me around to face him, and before I could react, his mouth sank into mine in a frenzied kiss.

He pulled me to his stoic chest, and his loose-fitted blue shirt tangled in my fingers from the quick movement. My hands slowly crept from his shirt, wandering to his silky hair, stroking it delicately before they tugged on them as the kiss deepened.

His large hands tightened around my hips, dredging into my bones. A gasp escaped my lips as his mouth attacked my neck roughly. I was gagging the sensitive skin with his tongue. He nibbled and kissed until he located my tender spot, which was precisely in the crook of my neck.

I moaned softly. Unwillingly.

I wanted to remain strong this time; I wanted him to see that I was now unaffected by his assaults, but I knew how that went. I knew that there was no snowflake's chance in hell that I was ever going to pretend this didn't feel lethal. They took my breath away.

My faltering guards were shredded to naught as he wrapped his tongue against that sweet orgasmic indentation near my striking collarbone, rough enough to pump blood there.

Another moan left my lungs.

I sucked in my breath, feeling heat spread throughout my entire frame, down to my core.

Wetness pooled in my pastel pink lingerie, and I couldn't keep my thighs from clamping together.

"Hudson, I—"

He cut me off with his mouth aggressively, taking mine again in a way that knocked off my senses, erasing the words from my mind.

Hudson had been away on some packing business for four months. I was not going to have it the easy way tonight. He had animalistic lust, which was hard to suppress.

As I had expected, he plunged into me with a deep, hard thrust, rougher than usual.

He continued to thrust until I was extremely injured to take any more, his wolf-like features flashing in his green eyes and his face contorted into a snarl as he rammed into me with such speed.

As the last wave of pleasure ebbed, I lay motionless, too exhausted to want to move. The exertion built A soft pain in my heart, and my eyes flickered shut in an exhausted sleep.

When my eyes fluttered open, it was about six o'clock in the morning, and no surprise, Hudson was gone from my side.

It was how we ended our encounters, and I had to wait until the next one. It was basically the only thing I did in our marriage.

Just then, the bathroom door went open, and he came in, secured in a white bathrobe. His hair was damp, and the masculine smell of his aftershave lingered in my nostrils.

He regarded me on the bed, and I struggled to sit up, holding the duvet to my bare chest. My body was still sore from hours of lovemaking. It was how his insatiable lust left me.

His dark glare settled on me as his brows furrowed my way. He recovered from the spite in his eyes long enough to mutter,

"Your services are no longer needed."

CHAPTER 2 COMPENSATION

CLAIRE

"What services?"

I gaped at Hudson's handsome face as water trickled down his chin from his dampened hair from the shower. I tried to sift out the humor in his words.

But Hudson never had a good joke day, at least not with me.

I stared incredulously at him, waiting for my brain to interpret his words.

But all that was splayed on his handsome face was displeasure. He wanted to be more satisfied with my question and my tone.

I had sounded a little hard, exactly as his words hit me.

"I'll send you the divorce papers alongside the contract termination papers." His passive tone rang heavily in the room.

"You're divorcing me?" I sank my teeth into my tongue, holding myself from adding, 'Why?'

This had been going on for three years, and he was just going to call it quits without warning.

The pain in my heart started building again, and this time, it was from how hard my chest was thumping. My heart was thrashing frantically. I clutched onto it above the duvet on my bare chest.

The doctor had specifically instructed that extreme strain on my heart could kill me before the stipulated three months I had to live.

Yes, I realized I didn't have such a long time to live yesterday. That was how screwed up my world had grown. Now, a divorce?

"We can revisit the terms of the contract, and if I have gone wrong anywhere, I am ready to make amends," my voice pleaded. "Our contract is supposed to last for five years!"

My wolf purred at the indifference in his gaze as though my words were going in one ear and out the other.

"You don't have a choice of when this contract gets called off. You are to obey." He growled.

"Aren't I supposed to get a couple weeks' notice?"

"You have too high an opinion of yourself." His scorn was perceptible in his eyes as he regarded me. "Domingo will bring you the papers."

My eyes were still fixed on him as I tried to understand where and how everything went wrong.

I was not treated with the same warmth he offered to the people around him; I was not even recognized as the Luna of his pack. Then why was it so hard to let go?

"You didn't imagine I'd want you, now did you?" He scoffed at me as though I were some dung in the field.

"No, I didn't; I'm just shocked to think this is ending way earlier than I expected." I blinked repeatedly before adding incredulously, "Cool.".

"Sign those papers and never come here again."

He didn't have to repeat himself so bluntly. There was a triumphant smirk on his face. Since he was the Alpha with much more money than thoughtfulness, he was flattered to see me broken by his abrupt divorce slapped in the face.

"So I can now travel to the West and spend all day in the sun doing nothing but sunbathing and skinny-dipping with an actual lover?"

I tried to sound as sunny as possible, hoping to make it seem like he was doing me a favor by calling this quit.

"Waking up to news like this is just a header; their goddess still has her ears stubbed out in my direction."

I grinned as I managed an overjoyed exterior, while my interior was nothing but splitting aches in my chest and an overwhelming fear. Fear of dying in solitude.

"I can milk out better sex from some actual man," I asked tactfully, hoping to get a reaction from him.

He had specifically stated that my body belonged to just him for the next five years, and two more were left.

But his face remained expressionless, and his eyes maintained their sheer smugness as they walked away from me.

"You can do whatever you want." He deadpanned, moving back to the closet to get dressed.

I thought about getting dressed too and leaving. My gaze darted around the room to my discarded dress on the floor.

Just as I was about to get up and go to my dress, the door opened, and Mr. Domingo, with his inscrutable face and stiff figure, walked into the room.

I made sure the duvet was as secure around me as I could.

Hudson's right-hand man tossed the file before me on the big bed. His actions and treatment toward me were usually condescending. It was nothing new.

"You didn't picture forever with Alpha Hudson, now did you?" He chuckled in gross mockery.

"No, and should you, especially now that he thinks your services are growing rusty and you need to retire?" I lied.

The jeers on the older man's face dropped off like a discarded cloak. Good.

"You goddamn liar!" He sneered, his face flushing with rage.

I found the pen and glanced through the papers, looking for where to sign.

"Nay, uh," he clucked his tongue as he delved into the inner pocket of his tailored suit.

I already knew what he was searching for, and when he brought out the afterpill, he took out one and stretched it to me.

"I know what your kind is capable of."

He was acting so lowly toward me, and I tried not to let it get to me.

Yes, I needed an after-pill; at least for the first time, I felt it was necessary. I didn't want to die with a child growing inside of me.

I took the pill from his hand and stared oddly at it before I shrugged and put it in my mouth. It was more bitter than the rest of the pills I had taken in the past, but I forced it down my throat.

"Now stick to the benefits. Don't try to add child support to the divorce benefits." His mouth twisted slyly.

"I would never do that."

"Yeah, right?" His sarcasm was pretty stinging.

When Mr. Domingo heard Hudson's footsteps approaching the room, he switched from his rude remarks to an official tone.

Ms. Barn, this is Mr. Darkwood's liberal compensation for you. In addition to the real estate investment, Vyne, and cars, nine million dollars. "

My gaze settled on Mr. Domingo's check on the file next to my hand.

But my thoughts were on Vyne; my interest was solely in the wine brand I had been so passionate about. Was he giving that to me?

"Vyne is dead." Mr. Domingo's voice broke into my reverie: "Wrong move to toss this compensation money to Rey to revive it."

Vyne was folding up. Nothing could save it. That was why he was handing it to me: so it could die completely in my hands. But I was going to die first, before the wine brand.

All these compensations made no sense to me, as I was just a few months from dying.

Hudson's handsome face popped back into the room, this time all dressed. I couldn't help but gawk at how handsome he looked.

It was the last time I was ever going to see him. It was the last time we were ever going to share the same air.

I observed Domingo take the file from which I had signed all the sheets and handed it to him. He confirmed my signature and nodded in satisfaction.

My gaze was glued to his as he turned towards the door, and without a last glance, he left the room with Mr. Domingo towing.

To Hudson, I was now like chalk marks on the board.

Just as they left, Kiara, Hudson's assistant, walked in to confirm that I had left without causing trouble, as always.

She stopped abruptly when she noticed I was sobbing. She was the only nice person I had ever met.

“Claire," she began softly as she made her way to me on the big bed, “it's alright." She hushed.

I sniffled and gestured to my dress on the floor. She brought it for me.

I delved into my hip pocket and brought out the last thing in there—my debit card.

I took her hand, dropped the card, and checked in, closing her hands above them.

“All the payments I've ever gotten from Alpha Hudson are there. The pin is the day we got married. Take them all. I don't want them. You can sell the estate if you know where to take the money. I don't want anything out of this insanity.”

"I can't.” Kiara released the card like a hot coal. "I can't accept this.”

"Keep it, just in case you change your mind.”

I got up to get dressed. The pain was heavier now, but I managed to make it work.

I gave the room one final glance. It was an atlas.

CHAPTER 3 RESTLESSNESS

HUDSON

I was more than relieved to be rid of the girl. It hadn't been an easy one coming, but look where I was now.

Freedom.

I walked from the elevator straight to the front office and right into the waiting Rover. Mr. Domingo bustled into the front seat as the chauffeur revved the engine.

My gaze was fixated on the work I had on my phone screen. I hoped work would help me rest my mind and calm my stirred-up wolf. But it didn't.

Something didn't feel right. There was a mistake somewhere.

"Domingo," I called out, and my tone was harder than I intended.

He popped his head back and ate in the backseat with his attentive gaze on my face.

"Let me have the papers," I demanded.

I needed to go through them again. Claire could start trouble by filing a lawsuit demanding more money.

I knew she was kind.

Domingo handed the file to me, and I went through each box she had her signature on. Nothing was amiss.

Then why else was I feeling so restless?

"Did you make certain she took the pill?"

A paternity lawsuit was something I could never wiggle from, and I couldn't bear to have a child with anyone as low as Claire.

Domingo nodded certainly.

It was his obligation every morning after meeting with the brunette.

She had looked paler than I knew her to be. She had lost a couple of pounds, and her eyes had lost all their color. Something was wrong with her.

But it was the least of my worries. She had been a good lay while she lasted; now it was time to answer the call of my destiny.

In no time, the car sped to a halt outside my office. I got out and headed straight ahead to the elevator and straight to my office.

I missed my office since I have been away for some months now. My staff equally looked pleased to see me, or so I thought.

My coffee was waiting by my desk, and it was enough to get my day started. After a rough night of sex, the black and strong coffee was all I needed to keep my mind active.

I skimmed through the work on my desk, which begged for my attention. I drew out an easy breath and settled into my desk.

I took the first sip of my coffee as Domingo walked in with the file, dropping it silently on my desk.

It was my cue now.

I took the file and retrieved the papers, and without delay, I signed on the parts that required my signatures. It felt absolutely good to be doing this at last.

"Did you offer her all her benefits as I instructed?" I asked just to be certain.

I knew Domingo had. He had worked for me for about ten years now since I was eighteen and overweight with the Hidden Horn Pack responsibilities. He used to work for my father. It was natural to employ him.

"Do you think she will make trouble?"

"She looked more than content with your benefits. I think she's more pleased to have them."

I nodded.

"Whenever Kiara is here, I need her in my office." Domingo nodded, and with that, he dismissed the office.

I worked on a few blueprints on my desk, and in no time, Kiara, my executive assistant, walked in quietly.

She looked just the way I knew her to. Her striped suit and sable blonde hair were pulled back and knotted securely into a bun—the look she rocked daily.

"I hope she has exited the penthouse without any trouble."

"I'm afraid not, my Alpha," she refuted.

With her head bowed solemnly and her hands steady, she dropped a debit card and the check on my desk.

"What's this?" I asked before my brain could process things the second my indifferent gaze regarded each of the contents of my desk.

"Claire rejects it all. She would rather I have them." Kiara announced.

It was then that I could recognize the debit card. I had funded the account as compensation for our first night together.

My inscrutable gaze remained fixated on the debit card. "Have you confirmed the bank statement?"

"Yes, Alpha."

“Exactly what did you pay in?”

“No, Alpha. There's additional." She glanced my way.

The amount had been heavy. I had paid her heavily as compensation for her virginity.

My forehead creased up as my wolf grumbled in displeasure. Claire did not want it.

I sat pensively for a moment, my gaze narrowing at the card, and checked.

"Where is she?"

"She left; she didn't say where, but I guess the apartment." Kiara doubled over her words; my mood wasn't so sunny now.

"I doubt she will return to the accommodation I provided," I said, absently calculating my next move.

I heaved a sigh, pulled out of the haze before me, and stretched out to pick up the card. After careful study, I crumpled the plastic card and tossed it in the trash basket with great precision.

I held my anger in as I fought with myself not to let out the wild inside of me, begging to be freed.

Claire's attitude stung. Way more than I feared to admit. I wasn't the one shedding her off; she was shedding me off. I was of no importance to her.

She talked about going to the West; I thought it was a pathetic joke for a girl as secure as she is.

But now it was clear: she had shredded me off to have a better life. Had she not already said it?

She rejected it all. I had thought of them as a great way to ease my mind, but she just waved them off. Did she have to be that foolish all the time?

Now, I tried not to let her rejection sting so badly.

My gaze fell back on Kiara.

"I want you to put me through border security. I need to make sure Claire stays on this pack. She has acted too boldly."

Kiara nodded but remained planted in the spot, waiting for more commands.

"You're dismissed," I said absently.

She didn't linger and headed out of the office with the door closed behind her.

I took the check, crumpled it, and tossed it into the wastebasket. How could she reject such life-transforming money?

How could she ever not want the money?

There was a lot more money in there that could have made her never be in any financial debt for as long as she lived.

But she chose to be foolish.

The phone on the desk rang, and immediately I answered.

It was the border commandant.

"Hi, Alpha!" He said it was a matter of pleasantries.

"Sir Barnard," my tone was as passive as possible. I need you to seal the borders. No one comes in or leaves the pack."

"Is there a particular person or persons to watch out for?" Sir Bernard asked.

"You do as I say," I muttered with grave deliberation. " I will communicate any other details to you if need be. For now, I need you to shut down the entire pack."

With that, I replaced the receiver.

I relaxed in my executive chair as my brain got to work, thinking of the perfect punishment to serve Claire for this firsthand insult to me.

CHAPTER 4 BEST DECISION

CLAIRE

Willow Zach stood with her mouth slightly sagging as her big brown eyes took me in on her porch.

She blinked repeatedly to make sure I was real, standing on her porch in only my dress.

I could not risk returning to the opulent apartment Hudson had offered me to stay in for the past three years we had been married. I could not afford to get reminded of him in the worst way ever.

"Claire?"

Willow whispered under her breath when she seemed to recover a bit from the shock.

"Hi." I forced a smile, looking away from her to my feet. I was unsure of what to say.

I was grateful to have been able to make it out of Hudson's territory. I had made a smart move to leave, and after about thirteen hours, I was here now, gazing at my best friend.

Willow and I grew up in the facility that provided for lone pups and stranded tween wolves until they were able to thrive alone.

We had grown together, hoping to find love someday. Maybe there was a family that would love us, but that never happened. I had lived there in the facility until Alpha Hudson's eyes wandered my way when he visited the facility.

I had grown up. I was now assisting with the younger ones until the goddess pulled a fast one on me.

Willow had left, too. But she never failed to send me her new address, just in case a day like this was ever going to come, and here we were.

"Come on in,"

She stepped away from the door, leading me into the nicely tended home.

I glanced around the entire living room, and it was nothing but love, exactly what my heart had always craved.

I had no idea what had happened in Willow's life for the three years we had been separated. I had no idea if she had met her mate. She looked happy and content in this entirely new pack.

"Get comfy; I'll make us some tea." She offered.

I settled my frail figure onto the sofa and remained that way until Willow returned a few minutes later with two cups of cinnamon tea.

The lines creasing her forehead returned as she considered my pale figure on the sofa. She bit back her tongue as she handed the tea to me.

"Thanks," I mumbled.

I took the first sip, and it was the first thing I had since morning. I chose not to mention it to her.

"What happened?" She considered me with a glint of concern twinkling at the edges of her eyes.

"I called it quits." I tried to shrug negligibly, feeling the prick in my conscience for lying.

"Oh yeah?" She snorted, not seeming to buy the lie.

She was aware of just how flattered I was to have Alpha Hudson stare in my direction. Of all the girls in the facility, he had chosen to single me out for him. I was flattered until I got to a point of no return.

I had reached the point where I had no choice but to sign the papers agreeing to the contract.

"He dumped you, right?" Willow said as quietly as she could, and there was not a ton of judgment in her tone.

The tears I had been fighting for hours now trickled freely down my face as I sobbed uncontrollably.

"It's alright." She came closer to me, wrapping her arms around me.

"No, it's not alright. He doesn't want me anymore." I sobbed more into the crook of her neck.

It wasn't just Hudson walking out on me; it was his timing. It just wasn't right.

I was dying, and the least I had expected was to wallow through this all-encompassing hurt.

"What happened?" Willow asked me when she released me from her embrace.

I shook my head, unsure if I was ready to delve into it. Just as hard as the news of his divorce hit me, thinking about it now was going to hit me just as hard, and I could not bear to get through it —not now.

"Can I stay here until I figure it out?"

I asked instead of choosing to rock the hard edge.

I watched her eyes as she nodded with a smile that didn't meet her eyes. The concern in her brown eyes couldn't let her pretend to be happy for me. She wasn't, and I didn't expect her to.

"Sure, this is your home. You're welcome here, anytime." She took the first sip of her tea, relished it, and smiled my way. "Other than my daughter, there's no one around here."

"Daughter?" I raised a blank brow at her.

"Irene. It's not official yet. I plan on adopting her. She's a sweet girl." A smile curled on her lips.

I nodded and remained silent. My mind was on how I was going to tell her I was dying in three months. I had no idea what to say.

She had been the only reason why I had rejected all of Hudson's benefits. I knew I could come here and be at peace. Sticking to Hudson's wealth was never going to get me the peace I needed before I breathed my last.

It was how the goddess rolled out the dice and how my rate played the game. It was a messed-up life. I was leading a messed-up life. It would take more than a miracle to save me from this life.

"That's enough," Willow said, getting to her feet. I'll show you the room you'll be staying in and fix you something to eat right after."

I nodded as I followed her quietly up the stairs, and we walked quietly through the hallway.

"This is Irene's room," she hushed. "She's asleep, but you'll get to meet her in the morning. She's really sweet."

I nodded, and then we stopped by the door, and she let me in. I stepped aside as I got in. Willow turned on the lights, and I took her into the small room. She was relieved to finally have a place to stay.

It was not as fancy as the room I stayed in for the last three years, but this was more than the standard I grew up in. This was exactly the kind of home I wanted to live in.

"I'll bring a few clothes and sheets. Settle in, and please don't try to think about it all." She cooed, turning back out of the room.

I settled into the bed, my gaze trained on my fingers. I chose not to dwell on my thoughts, which were gloomy and not worth dwelling on.

In no time, Willow returned with the bedsheets and handed me the clothes. I nodded and headed to get some warm shower spray on my spine.

It was how my life was going to be in a pack far away from Hudson. Coming here was the best decision I could ever make. I knew it. I felt it.

CHAPTER 5 MIRAGE

CLAIRE

The next day was surprisingly sunny. Not just the morning sun but my mood.

I felt better now that I had a long and relaxing sleep. Now that I felt like I belonged somewhere,

I stripped of the comfy crew-neck shirt and shorts and entered the bathroom.

The water was healing. I got out in no time, dried my hair, and chose an outfit for the day.

Willow had brought me a few clothes, and I was shocked that she still knew my size. Although they were not perfect sizes anymore because of how much weight I had shed these few days,

I gave myself one last glance in the mirror. Not that bad.

I descended the stairs and headed straight to the living room, my eyes surveying the unfamiliar room. Now, the vibrant colors had added a magical glow to everything.

"Good morning!"

When I got into the kitchen, Willow beamed at me over the pan as she drizzled some oil on it.

"Hi," She had a soft and shy voice.

At the breakfast bar was a blond little girl with two pigtails and a broad smile. She was bearing her teeth to expose a missing front tooth.

"Irene, that's Claire, Aunt Claire. She will be staying with us now." Willow said this as an introduction.

"Really? That's so cool." The little girl's smiles were tugged into her eyes. "We can do some gardening together and bake some rolls together."

"You're so adorable." I walked over to pinch the bridge of her nose.

"Yes, hunny," Willow said, flipping the eggs in the pan.

Willow waited until the yellow school bus picked Irene up before she chose to focus on me.

"Why isn't it official yet?" I asked for the hot chocolate she set out for me on the island.

"Her mother is still alive." She broke off and met my puzzled gaze and added tactfully, "Lady stage of cancer. She doesn't want Irene to see her without her hair or just because she is sick. It's already hard on the little girl."

"How old is she?" I asked, feeling sorry for the girl.

"Six, seven in two months."

"She's so young."

"I know. She was to be placed at the facility. If there's anyone who knows how that goes, it's me. I had to intervene. She has been here for just four months and is a good kid."

"You're not hard to be good too." I chuckled dryly.

But Willow seemed to be seeing through me. She seemed to read the sadness rimming my eyes and just how pale my face was growing.

I had this splitting headache that I was unsure how to handle; my stomach was building up, and I suspected I was going to have a fever. I needed to see a doctor soon.

But doctors were filled with bad news. They were nothing but bad news, so I chose not to. I was dying anyway.

"I don't think this is about that asshole anymore, is this? You look sick."

Of course, I was sick. I wasn't ready to reflect on it just yet. Reflecting on it meant building anxiety and fear. It was the absolute state of mind I chose not to be in.

Instead, I steered the conversation to another angle.

"How's the flower shop?"

Willow mentioned starting a flower shop, and I was genuinely interested in how it went. It had been one of her lifelong dreams growing up.

"How about you tell me when you see it?" She winked as she loaded the dishwasher.

A few minutes later, I sat in the front seat of her car as we drove through the city.

My mind and gaze were outside the window. If things were different,

If it had just been the divorce from Hudson, I may have handled it just fine.

My mood was sullen, and I had no intentions of hiding it. I had no idea how to hide this sadness in me.

I was both relieved and guilty when Willow never mentioned it all the time she drove until we parked outside her shop.

"This is amazing!" I gasped at how beautiful the exterior was.

"It cost me a little hard work." She cocked a brow, leading me towards the glass door.

She had two staff, Maeve and Beatrice. They were all nice people and seemed good at their work because the flowers were beautifully organized.

Willow had been able to make something out of her life these past three years. She had a home and a daughter, although the adoption process wasn't completed yet, and she had the business of her dreams.

I had tossed three years of my life to the wind. I had hoped to thaw Alpha Hudson's cold and numbed heart before the end of our marriage, but that didn't seem to happen.

"Congratulations!" I exclaimed when I got to her office. "You made your dreams come true." I heaved a sigh. "I just wasted mine. I gave up on mine."

"Don't say a thing like that. I won't even blame you or lecture you on how you should've listened to me. I can't do that to you."

I nodded and moved to sit and accept the coffee Maeve offered.

"It's all in the past now." I shrugged.

"And all you're going to do now is let the past be right where it belongs." She shrugged off her jacket and settled at her desk.

Her words rang through my head all day as I let them calm me. The past deserved to remain exactly in the past.

There was no future.

I heaved a sigh.

I was dying, and there was no future to hold onto. My past was pretty bitter, and these few days I had to live, I was sure to make it as memorable as possible.

I was going to figure out a way to tell Willow about my health, and I was going to be completely honest with her.

It was the least I could do to repay her kindness. She had warned me about jumping into the contractor with Alpha Hudson, but all I wanted was a better life. I went into the fast lane and crashed.

Mirage.

It was all a mirage. And now, look where it had me.

For some reason, I felt connected to this new pack. If not for anything, it was where Willow and I had been traced to. Our origin was here, somewhere in this pack.

But it was of no use to me. I was never going to find my family. My life was almost over, and I hadn't found the answers to my lifelong questions.

"We have been booked for eight hours for a wedding. Roses, red roses." Maeve announced this as they switched over to business.

I decided to go for a walk. I needed a distraction from my thoughts. I needed to feel the wind on my face, and above all, I needed to feel alive.

I offered Willow a soft smile as I slipped from her office. It was a pretty sunny day, and I was going to do anything to match the blazing sun's mood.