Chapter 51

Kingston

The meeting was supposed to be a straightforward update on the goings-on of some werewolf political drama. There wasn’t supposed to be any surprises. Just numbers and plans and the kind of sterile decisions that I’d long ago grown accustomed to.

But of course, that’s not how my life ever seemed to go.

I was sitting in the large conference room with the pack’s executives, a mix of serious faces deep in thought around me, their attention focused on the digital presentation in front of us.

Ethan was beside me, his expression professional, his posture as commanding as always. I tried to ignore the way his closeness made my skin crawl, remembering how Cora had looked at her front door with her tear-stained cheeks and a diamond ring on her finger.

I tried instead to concentrate on the discussion being had. I attempted to be the Alpha King they expected me to be, delegating work and listening intently, but as we went through the details, I couldn’t shake the sense that something was off.

The tension in the room shifted just outside the door to the conference room. My gaze snapped to the entrance as Cora’s name rang out in a loud voice that caught everyone’s attention.

I saw her standing through the doorway of the conference room, her body slightly tensed as a man I didn’t recognize stomped over toward her, teeth bared in a cruel smile like he had just caught his prey.

"You think this ok, Cora?" this stranger demanded, his voice sharp, cutting through the polite murmur of the room.

My heart pounded in my chest, and a spike of possessive anger coursed through me as I watched the scene unfold. This man—he was too close to Cora, leering in a way that made my blood run cold.

His eyes were trained on her, scanning her like she was some kind of prize he needed to win, and it sent a wave of fury surging through my veins.

“You can’t just ghost me like that,” he shouted. “What kind of decent human would do that? I’m a werewolf who gave you a chance! You should be grateful.”

“Jace,” Cora said firmly, trying to act brave. “Our dinner was really nice. But I have a—”

“No, I don’t want to hear your bullshit excuses,” he said, cutting her off.

A growl built, low and deep in my chest.

It wasn’t just the way he looked at her, but the fact that he felt so entitled to her and her attention that set me off. My eyes narrowed as he continued to shout, demanding her time as if she were his property.

Cora, to her credit, was remaining composed. But I could see the discomfort in her posture, the way she shifted, unsure of how to deal with this man who clearly had no boundaries.

It wasn’t just an inconvenient interruption to my meeting; it felt like an invasion of her space.

I didn’t like it—didn’t like him. Not one bit.

“Please,” Cora said. “Just go. I’m not even sure how you found where I work.”

“You think you’re so special that no one can look you up on the internet? Get real, Cora. You’re not that great.”

“So why are you here harassing me?” she had the balls to ask.

I could feel the tension heightening with that last question. I gritted my teeth and pushed back my chair to stand.

Ethan had noticed it too. I saw his jaw tighten, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced with a serious, controlled expression. He stood up, his hand held up as he moved toward the doorway.

"Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave," Ethan said, his voice firm and commanding.

The werewolf—because that’s what he was, based on the coiled tension in his posture—ignored Ethan at first, his focus still entirely on Cora.

He took a step closer, invading her space further, his voice getting louder. "Cora, I’m not leaving until I get some answers."

“Please just leave, Jace. I didn’t think it was that serious.”

My teeth clenched. I was done with this. I stood, my chair scraping against the floor, but Ethan’s voice cut through the air like a sharp blade.

"Enough," he said, his tone final. He stepped between the werewolf and Cora, his presence effectively blocking the man from moving closer to her. The werewolf hesitated for a second, but Ethan’s confidence was hard to ignore.

"Leave. Now," Ethan demanded, his voice colder than I’d ever heard it.

The wolf growled, but something about Ethan’s stance, his size, and the no-nonsense way he spoke made the man reconsider.

Slowly, the intruder backed up, muttering something under his breath before giving one last snarl and storming off down the hall toward the elevators. I could feel my pulse roaring in my ears as I stared at Ethan’s back, watching him keep his position until the werewolf disappeared from view.

Only then did Ethan turn to face Cora, his expression softening slightly. "Are you alright?" he asked, his tone gentler now, concern lacing his words.

Cora looked shaken but was holding herself together. I could see the tremble in her hands as she adjusted her shirt, trying to regain her composure.

"I’m fine," she said, but I could hear the edge in her voice. She was lying, trying to downplay how startling the scene had been.

Ethan gave a quick nod, glancing back at me. His eyes flickered with something unreadable before he turned back to Cora. "I’ll make sure security keeps an eye on things so he doesn’t get back up here again. Don’t worry about him."

Cora nodded, clearly grateful but still unnerved. She forced a tight smile, but there was no mistaking the way her eyes avoided mine. A jolt of cold jealousy cut through me at the sight.

A sinking feeling pulled at my chest.

Maybe… maybe they were really in love.

The way she hadn’t turned to me for support, the way she seemed to have no trust in me to protect her... It was like a slap to my face.

Why hadn’t she come to me? Why hadn’t she reached out when things got out of hand? After everything we’d been through…

It didn’t make sense. Unless, of course, her heart belonged to another.

To Ethan.

"Thank you, Ethan," she said quietly, then turned to me. But her gaze flickered, briefly meeting mine before darting away again.

I wanted to say something, to demand why she hadn’t come to me, but I knew that this wasn’t the time or place.

Instead, I swallowed the frustration that burned in my throat and nodded curtly. "Is everything alright now?" I managed, my voice colder than I intended.

Cora didn’t answer immediately. She seemed lost in her thoughts, and that was all it took to deepen the pit of jealousy gnawing at my insides.

Why wasn’t she coming to me, as she had so many times before?

The rest of the meeting passed in a blur, with my mind repeatedly drifting back to that moment—the yelling intruder, Ethan stepping in between us, and Cora’s refusal to lean on me for help.

I had spent the better part of my life dealing with pack politics and intrigue, but nothing, nothing had ever made me feel so helpless as I did in that moment.

Ethan.

Ethan, who was always there, always stepping in when I couldn’t. He’d been the one to handle the situation, to defuse it. And in the process, I felt like I had lost some of the ground I’d thought I still held with Cora.

But of course Ethan would step up. They were engaged, after all.

But damn it, I was the one who should have been there. I was the one who should have been the shield. I was the one who should have made her feel safe.

As the meeting wrapped up, I stood up abruptly, excusing myself without another word to anyone. I needed to clear my head, to get away from the building before I did something I’d regret. Ethan and Cora were both in the conference room as I left, but all I could think about was the way they’d looked together.

Ethan had shielded her from the wolf. But he’d also shielded her from me. And that... I wasn’t sure how to handle it.

I should have been the one to protect her.

Somehow, I would have to make it all clear.