Chapter 8

Miranda's POV

Lily’s mocking laugh echoes throughout the large reception area of the building. Her laughs used to cut into me like shards of glass, but now I welcome them. I welcome the challenge she throws my way.

“Are you dreaming? Is your head up in the clouds?” She laughs again, this time turning around in the room to gain any support she could. “Come back down to reality, Miranda, it’s nice down here.”

“I wonder,” I begin, my voice calm and my smile sickeningly sweet. I take a single step forward, closing the gap between us. “Are you still wracking your brain over the formula issue? Hm?” My voice is loud enough for nearby employees to hear.

The room suddenly goes quiet. Numerous sets of eyes land on us, and hushed whispers itch our ears. Lily’s expression darkens.

I smirk. By the way her employees speak in hushed tones and stare with bewildered eyes, I can assume that the formula problem isn’t well known, just as I anticipated.

“Don’t talk nonsense like that! You, of all people, should know better than to make baseless and false accusations like that!” Lily sharply snaps at me. Her fingernails dig into my skin, and I wince. Lily puts a fake smile on her face and drags me toward the elevator.

We take the ride up, standing in a tense silence, and walk down a hall into her office, where she shoves me away from her.

I quickly regain my balance and place my hands behind my back. The smirk remains on my face as Lily closes the space between us. I can feel her breath on my face as she looks down at me.

“Who the fuck do you think you are, huh!?” She spits at me. I raise an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Did you think that you could walk in here and create chaos?!”

I wipe my face where flecks of her spit land, disgusted by them. I shrug in response, refusing to respond to her. She doesn’t deserve what I have to say. Then again, she doesn’t deserve much.

“You have always been such an ungrateful bitch!” Lily yells. She puts space between us and turns away, yelling in frustration. “Is this some kind of revenge plan you have?!”

She swivels back to me, anger written all over her face. “I refuse to let a nobody, half-breed, bitch like you come in the way between me and my success!”

I can’t hold back a chuckle. I cover my mouth and quickly kill my laugh. I tilt my head to look at her and simply ask, “Are you done?”

“Why, you little—” Lily rushes toward me, hand raised in the air. Her hand is about to connect with my face when the door to her office swings open.

Both of us turn our heads to look at the door, curious as to who would enter at a time like this.

“Lily. This is no place for chaos. Control yourself.” The voice is loud and commanding. I can’t help but feel drawn to it. The base of my spine tingles.

My stomach turns on itself when I recognize the person who walks through the door. It’s the man from last night, the one who yelled at me and accused me of being a human trafficker. My jaw drops as he walks in, his gaze like icy daggers poking into my skin.

When his eyes meet mine, his face flashes a look of surprise, but he quickly covers it up as Lily approaches his side. She throws herself onto him, dramatically wrapping her arms around him.

“I don’t understand why Miranda is slandering me and my company! She’s probably here on some extortion scheme!” Her gaze meets mine, and I swear the corner of her lips curl into a smirk before it disappears.

The man’s expression hardens, his eyes never leaving my face. He shrugs Lily off of him and takes a couple of steps towards me. I hold my place and don’t flinch as he nears.

“She’s a liar and a troublemaker. Throw her out immediately,” he calls to nearby staff members. They nod and begin to walk at me, hands outstretched and ready to grab me.

I look between him and Lily. I nod and let out a breathy chuckle. Ah…so he must be Lily’s fiancé…the Alpha King, Sebastian. How fitting.

“Dear Healer M,” I begin. The employees stop in their tracks once I speak. “My pack and I are in desperate need of your help. Our medicine is failing, and we don’t know what to do. We need your talent and skill in medicine to help us. We can offer you a hefty commission. Five million dollars in exchange for your help. Please. We need you!”

“Y-you’re Healer M?” Lily stammers. I feign a hurt expression, placing my hands over my heart.

“I came like you asked, dear sister. I wanted to help…but with an attitude like that, I suppose I’ll leave instead,” I sigh heavily, matching her dramatics. I go to walk past them, but Lily stops me.

Lily turns to Sebastian and puts on a fake smile on her face. She turns back to me, pulling me into a hug. Her fingernails dig into my skin, and I have to push her off of me before she draws blood.

“Miranda! You just have no idea how much I’ve missed you! I’ve been worried sick about you all these years! Seeing you here makes me so happy!” She exclaims.

Her demeanor has completely changed. Instead of looking like she wants to skin me alive, Lily looks like she wants to offer me a feast in honor of my return.

“If I were dead…you’d be even happier than you are now.” I shoot her a scornful look. She flinches, her eyes flickering to Sebastian before they land on me again. I hide a smirk from them. “My price has doubled.”

“You’re robbing me!” Lily shrieks. She turns to Sebastian for help. His eyes have never left me. Curious.

“Fine. Your new price is approved.” Sebastian’s sends chills down my spine. How could he agree so easily? “It seems like you’re nothing more than a greedy opportunist.”

“And you, Alpha King? With Lily, of all people?” I smirk and chuckle, “One would think your judgment is impaired.”

I walk towards the office door. Before I step through, I turn to look at Lily and sarcastically say, “Thank you.”

Sebastian’s angry gaze burns into mine when our eyes meet. I nod my head at him, the smirk remaining on my face, as I can feel the heat from his anger linger on my body.

The air outside the building cools me down, but the weight I feel in my chest remains. I rub at the tension, unable to get it to go away. I sigh as I reach the other side of the road.

My head lifts, and I’m greeted by the sight of my two beautiful children. They smile and run towards me. I kneel, arms wide, and engulf them in my arms, squeezing them.

The tension in my chest disappears as they welcome me, their giggles and smiles taking away all of the angst I feel in my body. I pull away from them ever so slightly and smile, pushing the hair out of their faces.

“How are my babies doing? Did you have fun with Anna?” I ask. They nod in excitement. Their moods are infectious, and I can feel the anger and irritation leave my body.

“Mommy? Can I tell you something?” Noah asks. I turn to him and nod. Ella peels away from me, going back to Anna.

“What is it, my love?” I ask, holding onto him. He looks around and leans in to whisper in my ear.

“Mommy…I think someone’s been watching us.”