Chapter 202
Enima’s POV
I limped through my empty penthouse for one final review, wincing with each step. My damn shoulder throbbed mercilessly under the bandages, a constant reminder of Aria’s attack. That deformed wolf–thing she’d become had nearly ripped my arm clean off. Even with the slapdash repair job from that horny veterinarian who’d been all too happy to help me, I knew I’d never regain full mobility. Some things even werewolf healing couldn’t fix completely.
“Good riddance,” I muttered, kicking at an empty picture frame on the floor. The sound echoed through the barren space that had once showcased my impeccable taste. Now everything of value was either packed, sold, or parned. The money wouldn’t last long, but it would buy me enough distance from Ethan and his lapdogs until I could find safety beyond his territory,
1 gritted my teeth as I dragged the last box toward the door, sweat bending on my forehead from the effort. My pathetic new life, condensed into.cardboard containers. Six designer handbags, my jewelry collection, and barely enough clothes to fill a decent closet. It was humiliating, but temporary. I can identify some Alphas in southern territories whose packs could use someone with my… talents.
The thought of starting over made my stomach clench. I’d been so close to becoming Luna of Shadow Fang, one of the most powerful positions in werewolf society. Now I’d settle for bring the pampered mate of some second–rate Alpha,
Better than being dead, though. If Ethan caught me after what happened with Aria… I shuddered. There would be no mercy, no quick death. The hair on my neck suddenly stood on end. Wolf instinct. Someone was here.
“My, my… quite the efficient exit strategy you’ve put together.”
The unfamiliar male voice sliced through the silence like a blade, freezing my blood mid–pump. I whirled around, my injured arm screaming in protest as I Instinctively shifted into a defensive stance.
At the entrance to my living room stood a silver–haired man in an expensive suit that couldn’t quite disguise his predatory nature, smiling at me like I was a particularly juicy rabbit.
My pulse hammered in my throat. “Who the hell are you and how did you get in here?”
The man chuckled, a sound that managed to be both charming and deeply unsettling. “Locks are such trivial things, don’t you think? Particularly for someone with my… interests.”
I kept my distance, circling slightly to keep the kitchen island between us. My mind raced through possibilities–another of Ethan’s hunters? No, I didn’t recognize him from Shadow Fang.
“State your business or get out,” I snapped, forming confidence into my voice even as my good hand inched toward the knife block on the counter.
“So hostile,” the man tutted, his eyes tracking my movement with lazy amusement “And here I came offering salvation. The one thing you need most desperately after attempting to murder a pregnant Luna and her unborn pops.”
My hand froze halfway to the knives. “What did you just say?”
His smile widened, revealing teeth too white, too sharp. “Oh? Did you not know? Your little poisoning scheme targeted not just Aria, but Ethan’s twin heirs growing inside her.
My stomach lurched violently. Twins? The implications crashed through me like a wrecking ball. No wonder Ethan was hunting me so relentlessly. Attempting to kill an Alpha’s mate was bad enough–their unborn children made it unforgivable.
“I didn’t- I started, but my denial withered under his knowing gaze,
“Please,” he waved dismissively, “save the innocent act for someone who might believe it. I prefer your authentic self–calculating, ambitious, deliciously |_ ruthless.”
He took a step closer, moving with the fluid grace of someone accustomed to being the most dangerous creature in any room. I’ve been watching you, Emma. Your tactics, your resilience, your willingness to do whatever necessary to achieve your goals. Admirable qualities, if somewhat lacking in strategic foresight.
