Outside Work Hours

Kaelen's POV:

I stood in the grand ballroom, my jaw set tight as I watched her slip through the heavy doors. The extravagant gifts piled high by the Obsidian Pack meant nothing to me. Werewolf society thrived on strict, unyielding hierarchies, and Silas had made his disdain obvious. He painted this Omega from Winteredge as a nobody within his pack.

Yet, the image of Valerie sitting at that grand piano refused to fade from my mind.

Her elegance flowed naturally, an innate grace far removed from the frozen, unforgiving wasteland she called home. I expected a rugged, unrefined Omega. Instead, she had commanded the entire room without breaking a sweat.

At first, a spark of pride hit me. This celebration belonged to the Zenith Pack, and my supposed fiancée had easily outshone Chloe in front of the region's elite. But that brief satisfaction quickly soured into intense, gnawing irritation. After delivering a flawless performance, she stepped down and walked right past me. Her eyes stared straight ahead. She treated me like empty air for the rest of the evening.

As the heir and future Alpha, her blatant indifference baffled me. What gave her the right to dismiss me?

When I caught sight of her slipping toward the exit, my feet moved on their own. I needed answers. I followed her into the cool night air, catching up just as she reached for the handle. I refused to let her walk away without an explanation. The demand tore from my throat before I could temper it.

Valerie's POV:

I turn around, glaring at the man standing a few feet away. His commanding tone grates on my nerves.

"You are being ridiculous," I snap, crossing my arms over my chest. "Who said I have to report to you before leaving? Kaelen, it is after hours. We are not at the office. What I do in my private time is my own business, not yours."

Before he can fire back another arrogant demand, tires crunch against the driveway gravel. A sleek, black luxury sedan pulls up right in front of the curb. The driver steps out and opens the rear door.

I recognize the Zenith Pack crest on the polished bumper. It is Kaelen's car. I pause on the pavement, debating whether to ignore him and hail a cab anyway.

His expression hardens. "We are going back together," he states, his voice dropping into a cold, authoritative register. "It is too late for you to wander around alone. If something happens to you out here, the Zenith Pack will be held responsible."

I frown, a scoff escaping my lips. "If you are worried about me suing your family for a payout, save your breath. Your money means nothing to me."

I pivot on my heels, intending to walk right past his waiting vehicle.

A heavy hand clamps around my wrist. Kaelen steps into my personal space, his grip firm and unyielding. The sudden physical contact sends a jolt of heat across my skin, trapping me in place.

"Get in the car," he commands, his jaw tight.

I glare at his fingers wrapped around my arm. "Let go of me."

He ignores my rising temper. His eyes lock onto mine, dark and serious. "I gave Alpha Alaric my word. I promised to ensure your safety for these three months. I am responsible for you, and I do not break my promises."

He does not care about me. He just cares about avoiding blame. Frustrated by his blunt, tactless logic, I yank my arm out of his grasp. I brush past his broad chest and climb into the passenger seat, slamming the door shut behind me.

Settling into the leather seat, I stare straight out the windshield. Silence fills the cramped space. I bite the inside of my cheek, unable to fathom how my grandfather—a notoriously sharp and calculating werewolf—could be so clueless. He threw me into this suffocating arrangement with a man who possesses zero emotional intelligence.

Chloe's POV:

I stand half-hidden behind a marble pillar near the hotel entrance. Jealousy burns a bitter, consuming hole right through my chest. My fingernails dig into the palms of my hands as I watch Kaelen grab Valerie's wrist. A moment later, they both get into his sleek sedan.

That shameless woman!

It should be me sitting in that passenger seat. I am the one meant to ride home with the future Alpha of the Zenith Pack, not some wasteland Omega.

Tonight, she managed to humiliate me with that stupid piano trick. But we are on Zenith territory now. This is my world, not Winteredge. She cannot just waltz in and do whatever she pleases.

A dark plan takes root in my mind. I pull my phone from my clutch and scroll through my contacts, quickly finding Fiona Banes. She is the head of the Zenith Group's secretariat. More importantly, she is a lower-tier wolf desperate to claw her way into my elite social circle. I have ignored her pathetic attempts to network with me for months. Now, she is exactly what I need.

I hit dial. She answers on the second ring.

"Ms. Mercer!" Fiona's voice drips with eager sweetness. "What a pleasant surprise. How can I help you?"

I trace the edge of the marble pillar, keeping my tone smooth and casual. "Fiona. I remember you mentioning you wanted to be friends. Well, if we are going to be real friends, you need to show your sincerity. Consider it a proper gift to me."

"O-of course," she stammers, the hesitation thick in her throat before greed takes over. "Whatever you need."

"Valerie works under your department now, doesn't she?" I smile into the darkness. "I suggest you make her suffer a bit. Make her days miserable. If you do a good job, I will personally take you shopping. Any new designer bag you want, it is yours."

Her brief hesitation vanishes into thin air. "As expected of the generous Ms. Mercer! Do not worry, I will handle it."

I let out a soft scoff. Low-tier wolves are so predictable. A leather purse is all it takes to buy their loyalty. "You are sure you can handle it without causing a mess?"

Fiona laughs, a cruel, scraping sound. "Valerie is just a lowly secretary. Mr. Vance does not even look her way at the office. No one cares about her. Breaking her spirit will be a breeze."

Hearing that Kaelen ignores her at work sends a wave of pure relief crashing over me. The tension in my shoulders melts away.

"Good," I smirk, stepping out of the shadows as Kaelen's taillights disappear down the driveway. "Do this right, Fiona, and I will make sure you are rewarded handsomely."