Chapter 18

Kingston

It was a perfectly choreographed evening—until Daisy approached me. She was wearing a new pink dress over a tiny string bikini, both of which she had undoubtedly purchased on my card.

“Kingston,” she said, looping her arm around mine like it belonged there, “I just had the most unfortunate incident a second ago.”

I barely glanced at her. She always had a flair for dramatics, and tonight was no exception.

“There was a woman—I just passed by her, and she was so rude. I tried to greet her, but she brushed past me like I wasn’t even there.”

She gave a slow, disapproving shake of her head. “I thought, maybe… she might be one of your friends?”

The way she said it was all sugar, but the edge underneath wasn’t lost on me. My jaw tensed.

Daisy watched my reaction like a hawk. She was fishing for something, and it wasn’t hard to guess what. Before I could respond, though, Ethan stepped in.

“That couldn’t have been Cora,” he said, tone calm but with a trace of steel. “She’s polite and kind. I’ve never heard her say a bad word about anyone… well, except for maybe Amy. She’s not the kind of person to snub someone, even by accident.”

But Daisy wasn’t finished. “Oh, I’m not upset,” she cooed, her gaze sweeping the room before locking back on me. “Whoever this woman was, she was a very striking woman. Tall. Pale skin, long dark hair, deep-set eyes. That bikini she wore earlier—my goodness. Didn’t leave much to the imagination, did it?”

Her lips curled into a smile that barely masked her venom. “I only mention it because it was hard to miss her. She certainly… left an impression.”

Of course she had. My stomach clenched.

She was definitely talking about Cora. The pointed little jabs, the calculated looks… she wasn’t even being subtle about slighting her sister.

“I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised if it was Cora,” she added. “Her son is completely human. Whereas my son, Billy, has some werewolf blood in him, at least. Perhaps even the blood of an Alpha King in the making…”

I didn’t hear a word after that.

My mind had gone blank—except for her.

Cora.

The reminder of her brought up the last time I had seen her. In that little damn bikini. The image burned into my thoughts like a brand. The sun shining off her skin, her hair cascading over one shoulder. That carefree, radiant smile she seemed to have for everyone but me.

It was maddening.

I hadn’t wanted to look—but I had. And I hadn’t been able to stop. I’d told myself I wasn’t affected. That I didn’t care. But my body had betrayed me. The rush of heat, the tightness in my chest. The possessiveness.

It disgusted me.

Cora was a trap. A carefully crafted, perfectly timed trap. She knew what she was doing. She’d paraded around this place like she owned it, smiling up at Ethan and acting like I didn’t exist. She wanted me to look. She wanted this.

And it was working.

I had to shut it down.

Back at the office on Monday, I strode through the hallway with a cold purpose. I spotted her at her desk, head bent slightly as she typed. She looked up when I stopped in front of her.

“Come with me.”

She looked startled only for a moment before she rose and followed without question. That calm exterior only fueled my irritation.

“I’ll be needing my key back.”

Cora blinked. “What? Why?”

“You won’t be needing it again.”

She stared at me, arms folded loosely. “What did I do?”

I met her gaze, letting my tone sharpen. “Don’t get any ideas. I’m not that kind of boss.”

Her brows lifted. “Excuse me?”

“You think I don’t see what you’re doing? Walking around half-naked at my home, playing games with Ethan, pretending like you don’t notice the attention you get.”

I took a step closer, voice low. “It ends now. I won’t be manipulated by someone like you.”

“Like me?” she snapped.

“Yes, like you. A human. Save that for Ethan. I want no part in it.”

Her expression shifted—shocked, then angry. “You’re overreacting. I was Ethan’s date. He invited me. It had nothing to do with you.”

I let out a humorless laugh. “Please. Do you honestly think Ethan is even really interested in being with someone like you?”

Her lips parted slightly, her breath catching.

“You’re not on his level,” I added, each word precise and brutal. “You’re not on mine. Know your place.”

The silence between us thickened.

And for the first time, I saw something flicker in her eyes—hurt, yes, but beneath it, something stronger. Anger.

She didn’t say another word. She turned and left.

That should have been the end of it.

But of course, with Cora, it never was.

Cora

After everything that happened with Kingston, I needed to talk to someone who actually saw me as a person. Not a fuckup or just a lowly human.

Rock was the only person who fit the bill.

I found him by the water cooler, nursing a cup. The moment he looked up and saw my face, the smirk dropped.

“What did he do now?”

I didn’t even try to hold back. “He took back the key. Said I was trying to seduce him. Tried to imply that I was sleeping my way up.”

Rock let out a long, low whistle. “Damn. That guy’s got issues. Specifically with you..”

I gave a bitter laugh. “He told me to know my place. Like I’m some... thing crawling around his perfect werewolf world. Like he and Ethan are leagues above me.”

Rock leaned back and studied me. “You really don’t know, do you?”

“Know what?”

“About Ethan. About Kingston.” He paused. “They’re not just from any werewolf pack. They’re Silverfangs.”

The name sent a chill through me. Even I’d heard of the Silverfang Pack—one of the four major packs, and by far the most powerful. Ruthless. Political. Old money and old blood. They mowed down anyone who stood in their way as easily as breathing.

“Ethan is the backup,” Rock continued. “The pack’s insurance policy. If Kingston fails or something happens to him, Ethan steps in and runs for Alpha King in his place. It’s all arranged to make sure the transition of power is smooth.”

I stared at him, stunned. “So Ethan’s not just his friend.”

“Nope. He’s a contingency plan.”

My thoughts were spinning when Rock added, “Also, completely unrelated, but I found something. It might help with your case.”

That snapped me back to the present. “What?”

“The hard drive you used in the Sales Department. The one you said had the original data from your reports.”

My heart skipped. “You found it?”

“I found out where it is. Amy logged it months ago, right after you got moved to your new position. It’s in Warehouse B1.”

I didn’t waste a second.

The warehouse was dim and dusty and reeking of forgotten files. The heavy door creaked when I opened it, and the faint click echoed around the concrete walls. My phone flashlight barely cut through the shadows as I weaved between towering metal shelves.

I scanned for box numbers, searching for anything marked with my name—or at least my department.

I crouched down and started sifting through the box when I heard it.

A moan.

Not just any moan—Amy’s.

How could I forget the sound of it when I had once heard it entangled with my husband’s? It was high-pitched, breathy, and not alone. A man’s voice answered, low and smug. I froze.

At first, I was too stunned to move. Then panic kicked in. I didn’t want to be here for this. I started to back away quietly, but my elbow bumped into a shelf. The edge scraped loudly against metal.

Everything went silent.

“No one’s supposed to be here right now,” I heard Amy snap.

I tried to move, but it was too late.

The door to the side room burst open, and Amy stormed in, half-dressed and furious. Her eyes locked on mine.

“What the hell are you doing?”

I held up my hands. “I was just looking for—”

“You were spying on me!”

“No, I swear, I just came for my old hard drive—”

She didn’t let me finish. She stormed past me, yanked the warehouse door shut, and locked it with a loud, final click.

“Enjoy your night,” she sneered and walked away, heels clicking on the concrete like gunshots.

I ran to the door, jiggling the handle. Locked tight.

Trapped.

Amy had locked me in. Whatever she was hiding… it was big enough to try to shut me up for good.