Chapter 36

Cora

The hum of the plane was strangely soothing. I stared out the small oval window, watching clouds drift beneath us like ghosts.

I’d told Rock I just needed a break. He was the only one I’d told because I knew he was the only person who wasn’t attached to my recent drama who would be willing and eager to look after my son.

What I hadn’t said to Rock was that I needed to breathe without the weight of suspicion crushing me. Again. First the poison, then the photo scandal, and now the leaked files I supposedly accessed. No matter what I did, someone found a way to paint me as the villain.

And then there were Daisy and Billy.

Maybe leaving wasn’t just a vacation. Maybe it was an escape.

I turned from the window, only to blink in surprise at the familiar man taking the seat beside me.

“Ethan?” I asked.

He gave me a crooked grin. “Well, this is unexpected.”

He tucked his briefcase into the footwell and relaxed in his seat. “Didn’t expect to see you on this flight. I thought you were glued to Kingston’s side these days.”

I forced a weak laugh. “Not anymore.”

His brow lifted. “That sounds... final.”

I didn’t answer.

Ethan didn’t push. He never did.

“I’m heading to the beach for a little bit,” he said casually. “Finally taking those days off Kingston has been pushing on me.”

He cleared his throat, looking suddenly awkward. “I was going to call you next week.”

I looked up. “Why?”

“Because I’m thinking about leaving Silverfang and the company. And if I do, I want you on my team.”

I blinked. “You’re serious?”

He smiled. “Of course. I need someone with your backbone. You’ve proven—publicly, I might add—that you can survive the wolves, both literal and political. I can’t think of anyone better suited to accompany me in this next chapter.”

I stared at him, stunned.

No hidden claws. No schemes. Just an offer. An escape route that didn’t come soaked in scandal.

“I’ll think about it,” I said softly.

“Please do,” Ethan said with a bright grin. “It won’t feel right to work somewhere where you aren’t.”

He laid a hand over mine, his palm warm against my skin. Though we had once entertained something romantic at Kingston’s pool party, I felt no spark at his touch.

“I will,” I promised him, “And I’ll get back to you soon.”

I couldn’t put my finger on why these mere words felt like a catastrophic betrayal.

My hotel room smelled like salt and clean sheets, but the peace it promised was short-lived.

I had just kicked off my shoes when my phone started buzzing like a hornet. Dozens of notifications lit up the screen.

News alerts. Private messages. Rock’s name was among them, followed by three missed calls and a single text from Kingston.

Not only had everyone discovered my impromptu vacation, but it seemed like something had happened.

I opened the first article, and my stomach dropped.

"Werewolf-Toxic Ingredients Found by Human Company in Supplements—Linked to Silverfang Subsidiary."

Silverfang.

“Oh my God,” I whispered.

I sat down hard on the edge of the bed, reading faster, my breath coming short.

The human company that had won the project bid—the one I’d been accused of leaking documents to—and had leaked this supposed story.

My heart stuttered. It had to have been the work of Brad. Kingston’s political rival. The very same man who had nearly unseated him in the Alpha elections.

The article claimed Silverfang had laced their product line with toxic compounds harmful to werewolves. Substances that could cause seizures, organ failure, or even death.

I had assumed it was bad, but I couldn’t have imagined it was like this. I had left Kingston there to deal with it himself.

And the worst part?

Silverfang’s distribution wing had unknowingly helped circulate those supplements across several regions. Kingston had trusted the supplier’s clean record. Now, the public saw it as his failure. And his enemies were feasting.

A breaking live alert popped up on my phone: "Silverfang Plummets—Alpha King to Hold Emergency Press Conference."

My heart clenched.

He must be reeling. Angry. Betrayed. This wasn’t just a corporate scandal—it was a crisis. A threat to his entire legacy.

And I wasn’t there.

I should’ve been.

I sat by the window for hours that night, laptop glowing dimly on the small desk. I kept reading updates on how the stock market had punished Silverfang mercilessly, how employees were fleeing the company like rats from a sinking ship. Operations had ground to a halt in two major regions. Investors were pulling out.

People wanted heads on spikes.

And Kingston was standing directly in the storm’s path.

A video clip surfaced—unofficial footage of him leaving the building late at night, jaw clenched, coat fluttering behind him. The press was screaming questions he didn’t answer.

He looked exhausted. Cornered.

Still, his back was straight. Always the wolf. Always the Alpha King.

I pressed a hand to my lips, trying to breathe through the ache in my chest.

I remembered the sound of his voice when he promised, soft and shaken, that I wasn’t alone.

And now, he was.

Because I’d run.

I told myself I needed clarity, peace, and space. But maybe I just didn’t want to get hurt again. Maybe I thought leaving before he could push me away was the safer choice.

But watching the headlines, I realized something that made my throat tighten.

I didn’t want to be safe. I wanted to be by his side.

I didn’t sleep.

Instead, I pulled up Ethan’s offer again. His email was now in my inbox, official and polished. It was everything I’d once dreamed of. Prestige. A fresh start. No politics. No alphas. Just work that I was good at.

But now?

It felt... empty.

Because, for all its security, it wasn’t Kingston.

My phone buzzed again. This time, a private video feed link from Rock.

I hesitated. Then tapped.

It was the press conference. Live.

Kingston stood behind the podium in a dark suit, sleeves rolled to his elbows. Tired. Worn. But still magnetic. Reporters shouted, cameras flashed.

And then he spoke.

“I won’t waste your time pretending we’re not in crisis,” he began. “What happened was a betrayal by those who claimed to serve both human and werewolf communities. I take responsibility for my company’s failure to detect it sooner.”

His face became deadly serious. “But I promise you this: we will rebuild. We will rise again. Not for profit but for the trust that was broken.

“There will be a rally tomorrow that I encourage those with questions to attend. Thank you.”

My heart thudded painfully as I watched him.

This wasn’t just a leader issuing damage control.

This was a man carrying the weight of every choice on his shoulders.

And I had left him there.

I rose from my chair, grabbed my suitcase, and packed.