The Awesome Me

Valerie's POV:

Stepping out of the car, I trailed a few paces behind Kaelen as we entered the towering glass structure of the Zenith Group headquarters. The moment the polished lobby doors slid open, a wave of hushed voices hit my ears. My enhanced Alpha hearing easily sifted through the ambient noise of clicking heels, humming air conditioners, and ringing phones, picking up the frantic whispers of the employees stationed at their desks.

I knew the rumors had been flying. I knew they expected a naive, clumsy country girl from the distant Winteredge pack. They thought Kaelen was dragging in some uneducated mess. But their current whispers painted a very different picture.

"Look at the woman behind Mr. Vance. Who is she? Her aura is insane."

"Are you kidding me? Look at her legs. She belongs on a runway, not in an office."

"Wait, is that supposed to be the fiancée? The one everyone was talking trash about?"

"There is no way. She is gorgeous."

I kept my expression neutral, ignoring the stares as I walked past them. I split off from Kaelen to head straight to the Human Resources department, quickly filling out the necessary onboarding paperwork. It was a tedious process, but I handled it with practiced efficiency. However, the moment I finished and approached the secretariat department, the real, venomous gossip began.

"She might be stunning, sure, even prettier than Chloe," a sharp, disdainful voice cut through the air. "But do not let that fool you. Beauty only goes so far. At the end of the day, she is just some lowly Omega from the countryside. She is unworthy of a man like Mr. Vance."

I recognized the sour, acrid scent of jealousy instantly. Without missing a beat, I pushed the heavy glass door open, letting it swing wide. The loud clack of my heels against the polished hardwood floor silenced the room. I walked straight up to the woman who had spoken, my posture tall and imposing. I glanced down at the silver name tag pinned to her designer blouse.

Fiona Banes. Head of Secretariat.

I stopped mere inches from her, forcing her to tilt her head back just to look me in the eye. A cold, cutting smile stretched across my lips.

"I might not be worthy of him," I said, my voice smooth but carrying a dangerous edge. "But tell me, Fiona... are you?"

Her face stiffened, all the color draining from her cheeks. The malicious words she had been spewing moments prior died in her throat. She swallowed hard, her eyes darting away from my intense gaze. The other girls in the room, who had been eagerly fueling the gossip, quickly scattered to their desks, suddenly terrified of making eye contact with me.

They only held their tongues because of my official engagement to Kaelen, but I could smell the lingering resentment in the air. Fiona recovered her composure just enough to snatch a thick, heavy folder from her desk. She shoved it aggressively into my hands.

"Since Mr. Vance assigned you to the secretariat, you need to pull your weight starting immediately," Fiona said, her voice tight. "Zenith Group is hosting a high-stakes advertisement shoot today. You are in charge of coordinating it. Do not mess it up."

I took the file without a word and turned my back on her. As I walked away, my hearing picked up the frantic, malicious snickering of the girls behind me.

"Did Fiona just give her the Jace Gallagher shoot?" one whispered eagerly.

"Yes. Jace is a nightmare. He is young, his temper is famously terrible, and he complains about everything. It will be hilarious watching her fail on her first day."

"Plus, Jace's older brother is Mr. Vance's childhood friend. If she pisses Jace off, she is done for."

They were banking heavily on this star to ruin me. I flipped open the file as I walked to the elevator. Jace Gallagher. The name sparked a very specific memory in my mind, bringing a genuine, amused smirk to my face.

An hour later, I stood in the sweltering heat of the front parking lot with a few of my new colleagues, waiting to greet our VIP talent. A sleek, black Bentley finally pulled up to the curb, the engine purring smoothly before cutting off.

The back door swung open, and nineteen-year-old Jace Gallagher stepped out. He wore oversized designer sunglasses and an expression of absolute indulgence. He moved with the bratty rebellion of a young celebrity who knew he had millions of adoring fans hanging onto his every word.

My coworkers subtly nudged me forward, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. I took a calm step toward him.

"Hello, Mr. Gallagher. I am Valerie, the coordinator for this—"

He did not even bother to look in my direction. "God, it is boiling out here," Jace complained loudly, cutting me off mid-sentence. He waved his hand dismissively at the production staff hovering nearby. "Did none of you think to bring an umbrella? My skin is burning under this sun. And you," he pointed blindly in my direction, "go fetch me a coffee. I want the specific roast from that café in the city center. Go now."

He turned his head, finally glancing at the person he was ordering around. Mid-sentence, his entire body froze.

Jace ripped his designer sunglasses off his face, his jaw practically hitting the pavement. The cocky, tyrannical expression melted away, replaced by sheer, unadulterated disbelief.

"Val?" he shouted, his voice cracking slightly. "Holy shit, Val! Am I dreaming?"

Before I could even brace myself, Jace lunged forward and threw his arms around my shoulders, pulling me into a desperate, tight hug.

"What are you doing working here?" he questioned frantically, pulling back just enough to inspect my face. "This makes no sense! You should be out traveling the world right now, or lounging in some massive fifteen-foot bed! Why are you in a corporate suit?"

I chuckled at his dramatic reaction, reaching up to calmly pat him on the top of his head. "It has been a while, Jace. By the way, what was that specific coffee you wanted me to go fetch you?"

Jace's eyes went wide. Panic flooded his features as he waved his hands defensively, scrambling to retract his previous demands. "No! No, I did not mean you! I would never make you fetch anything! What do you want to drink? Tell me right now, I will go buy it for you myself!"

Silence fell over the parking lot. I glanced over my shoulder to see my coworkers standing paralyzed in shock. Their mouths hung open, their eyes darting between me and the supposedly tyrannical star.

To them, this made no sense. The bratty diva who made grown men cry on set was suddenly behaving like a submissive, eager-to-please fanboy in front of the new girl. They probably assumed his sudden shift in attitude had something to do with my ties to Kaelen, but they were unaware of our deep, hidden history.

Five years ago, Jace was filming a movie near the distant borders of Winteredge. He had foolishly wandered off set and ran straight into a vicious, wild Rogue wolf. I was just sixteen at the time. I stepped in and saved his life, beating the massive, shifting beast into submission with my bare hands. Afterward, I dragged a trembling Jace back to the towering, palace-like Obsidian Pack Manor to recover.

From that day forward, I had permanently cemented myself in his young eyes. To Jace Gallagher, I was not Kaelen Vance's unwanted fiancée. I was the most impressive Alpha on the entire Werewolf Continent.