bChapter /b44

A’s POV

I pped him. Hard.

“No, I don’t deserve it. But you sure as hell don’t either. Because you’re a freaking monster”

The red mark blooming across his cheek bsaid /beverything about how much force lused, I didn’t even realize I had it in me

A wave of angry growls echoed through the room. A few of the guys crouched low, baring their gleaming wolf fangs at me.

“Alpha, she fucking hit you!” one of them growled,

“Unforgivable. Hand her over to us–let us bdeal /bwith her”

“Tear her apart!” some she–wolves shrieked.

One of them lunged for me, trying to drag me off the couch. But Grayson suddenly whirled around and let out a deafening wolf snart.

“BACK OFF”

He braced both arms on either side of me, snarling at the crowd. The room bfell /binto stunned silence, then slowly, cautiously, they all backed

away.

Grayson sat up. He yanked a shirt off the couch and slipped it over his chest full of hickeys. His hair was a mess, which somehow made him look hotter. But you couldn’t imagine someone this beautiful having such a bdark /bsoul.

Then he grabbed the girl in the thong and gave bher /bba /blong, rough kiss. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Let’s go,” he said coldly, ring at the room. “This whole damn thing’s ruined anywayb./bb” /b

I sat on the couch, still catching my breath. Just as he turned to leave with that girl hanging on him, I called out-

“Wait! So…what is thisb?/b”

He turned slowly, his beyes /blike ice. “What are you talking about?”

“What are we now? You clearly enjoy theirpany more. So why the hell do you still need my by your side?”

His jaw clenched. The anger on his face deepened.

“if you want to end the contractb, /bbjust /bsa

say the wordb,/b” I said, my voice shaky.

Deep down, I almost hoped he would. There was something broken inside him–something no one could fix. Maybe ending this was best for

both bof /bus…

“You want me to end it so that you can run off to Zane the second you’re free?” he snapped.

My mouth fell open. I couldn’t believe what was hearing. “You’re crazy.”

“You’re going home now. bNora /bwill sort your work out. But from this moment on, you stay far away from Zane and his goddamn projectb–/bber /bI’ll fucking bury you two both.”

With that, he stormed out with the rest of them, leaving the room empty.

HM, & Aug

Isank into the couch, clutching my head.

Honestly I don’t get it… How did things get this bad?

I copsed onto the couch, holding my head in my hand, I couldn’t believe how things had turned out. When I signed that contract, I thought I was the luckiest woman on earth, I never expected it to be my worst nightmare.

“Miss, Alpha asked us to take you home.” Two bodyguards showed up in the doorway.

I let out a bitterugh. I let out a bitterugh. “What, I’m not even free to move around on my own anymore?”

*Please don’t make this difficult.”

I wiped my tears, bstood /bup, and followed them out. A car was already waiting downstairs.

The door opened up and Nora stepped outside.

“Thanks, boys. I’ll take it from here,” Nora said.

They hesitated. “Alpha told bus /bto take Miss Collins home ourselves.”

“Oh yeah? And who knows Alpha’s orders better, you two or me?”

They exchanged a look, then stepped aside.

“Appreciate it,” she added with a smirk.

She shaved me into the car and mmed the door. Then we took boff/b, tires screeching as she sped out of the lot.

“Thanks foring for me, bNora/b,” I muttered. “But I don’t think he’s changed his mind.”

She nced at me through the rearview mirror. “Maybeb, /bBut isn’t it a little early to give up?”

“bWhat /bdo you mean?”

“Lady Delh is having a huge party, She made a grand announcement that the project with Mr. bElrod /bis now officially theirs. Jace is supposed to give a big speech tonight, and oh–Lady Delh already promoted him to VP.”

What the actual hell?

She seriously thought Apex was her personal yground?

“And Alpha Grayson’s okay with this?” I asked, my voice sharp.

bNora’s /bresponse was careful. “Over the years, Alpha has had… episodes. When he’s bnot /bin the best state, the Old Luna usually takes overpany matters. She’s the one who signed Jace’s promotion papers.”

So it really was like they said. The Harts didn’t care about the project–probably pocket change to them.

at they bcared /babout was crushing people like me.

“Is there anything I can even do now?” I asked nervously.

“Well, what I can do is drop you off at the event. What you do after that is up to you.”

ant to go.” I didn’t even hesitate

“I want

￡16:27 Fri, 8 Aug

She gave me a small encouraging smile in the mirror. “I figured you would. Buckle up.

Thirty minutester, we arrived. The street in front of the hotel was a full on traffic jam, parked with luxury cars. Delh clearly invited ever rich person she knew just to show off her dear husband’s “aplishment.”

Nota dropped me off at the hotel entrance. Tons of guests were already waiting to be let in. I scanned the area and spotted guards and soldiers everywhere, many of them visibly armed,

Did I have a n? No.

But I knew I had to sneak in first. Only then could I have a shot at exposing Jace for the fraud he really was

I waited until the dooman was b

busy checking two guests‘ invitations, then quickly slipped past him with my head down.

“Hey, miss!”

Shit.

I pretended not to hear him and sped up.

“Miss

A hand grabbed my shoulder and spun me around.

“Every guest needs an invitation. Where’s yours?” the guard snapped.

“I’m a hotel staff. Just delivering something.”

“The hell you are!” He yanked off my baseball cap, exposing my face. “Aria Collins. Hab! /bLady Delh warned us you’d showb./b”

“Where is sheb?/b” I snapped.

“She doesn’t have time for trash like you. We are holding you until the event’s over.”

“Trash?!”

“Didn’t you steal Mr. Carter’s project? Try to seduce him and Alpha Grayson? Congrats because you’re famous now. People say they’ve never

seen a more shameless woman.”

Istruggled hard. “Let go! You have no right to detain mel

“Of course we do, you clearly came here to cause trouble. We’re not letting you ruin Lady Delh and Mr. Carter’s big bday/b.”

He reached out to twistm

my arm.

But someone else grabbed his wrist first.

“Who said she’s here to cause trouble?” Azy, velvet smooth voice cut through the noise.

The guard red. “And who the hell are you?

b“/bZane Elrod. Your guest of honor.”

Zane appeared beside me like magic. He draped an arm over my shoulders with a smirk.

“And this beautiful bdy /bhere is my