Ben Billy, the CEO of Billy & Co. Law Firm, stood poised in front of her desk, tapping a sleek black envelope against his palm. His demeanor was calm, but his eyes betrayed curiosity and a hint of irritation as he waited for her to finish her phone call. Professional as always, he wouldn’t rush her—it was a client, after all.
The moment she hung up, his voice cut through the air with a pointed question.
“How is it you know the Cupper Corporation? And why haven’t you brought them in as a client?”
There was an edge to his tone, mild annoyance laced with curiosity. Clearly, he was perturbed that she hadn’t disclosed her connection to such a prestigious entity.
But Bella barely registered his words. The second he mentioned the Cupper Corporation, her heartbeat thundered in her chest. Her eyes darted to the black envelope in his hand. The white lettering on its surface confirmed her dread.
It couldn’t be.
“No,” Tyler whispered in her mind, echoing Bella’s disbelief.
That kind of envelope was never sent lightly. In the pack, it signified something dire—an official notification of the most serious nature.
Ben had no idea what he was holding. To him, the ornate seal on the back was just a corporate logo, representing a multi-million-dollar enterprise. As far as he was concerned, it was just another company reaching out to one of their lawyers.
“How did you get that?” Bella asked, her voice carefully controlled, masking the rising anxiety in her chest.
“The head of the mailroom had to sign for it,” Ben replied with a shrug. “He flagged it because of the sender. Standard protocol.”
Bella rose to take the envelope, but Ben stepped back, holding it just out of reach. His expression hardened with suspicion.
“Again, how do you know this corporation? Are they trying to headhunt you?” His frown deepened as he studied her.
“No, they’re not,” she replied quickly, shaking her head. “Please, may I have it?”
“Explain yourself first,” Ben demanded, his tone flat, leaving no room for negotiation.
Bella exhaled, frustration simmering beneath her composed exterior. “Fine. I grew up within the Cupper Corporation. My family still works for them. I, however, was… tossed out when I was twenty.” Her voice faltered slightly, and she had to steel herself against the sudden pang of homesickness.
Ben’s sharp grey eyes bore into hers, scrutinizing her as though trying to unearth a hidden truth. The envelope tapped against his palm again as he mulled over her words. Then, without warning, he tore it open.
Bella froze, her breath catching in her throat. She silently prayed to the goddess that the letter wasn’t written in Wolfen. Surely, Luke—the Alpha—would have had the foresight to consider that this might end up in human hands.
But her hope faltered as Ben began to read aloud.
“Bella Freeman,
You have 3 days to respond to this letter.
You will return to Cupper Corporation within 7 days.
Or I will have you brought in.
Luke Cupper, CEO, Cupper Corporation.”
The words hung heavy in the air, each one like a hammer blow.
Bella’s blood ran cold. This wasn’t just a request. It was a command. A threat. And it came directly from Luke himself.
Ben upended the envelope, and a long glass vial with a cork stopper fell into his hand. Inside was a single purple wolfsbane flower, delicate yet menacing. To Ben, it was a puzzle—a peculiar addition that meant nothing to him. He held it up, turning it over in his fingers, his brow furrowed as he tried to decipher its significance.
To Bella, it was a warning, a harbinger of dread.
Her heart sank as the vial glinted under the light. She knew exactly what it meant. This was no mere request; it was a threat. Luke, her former childhood friend, lover, and now the Alpha, had made his intentions clear. He would resort to brute force—by any means necessary—if she refused to comply.
But why? Why now?
The original letter had offered no clarity, no explanation—just a demand to return home. But home was the last place she wanted to go. She had left at his command, banished without a second thought, and she had no intention of crawling back.
Her thoughts turned darker. Luke had likely assumed the mantle of Alpha by now, which meant his Luna, Mia, could finally exact the punishment she had always wanted. Bella could practically see the vindictive gleam in Mia’s eyes. This could very well be about officially turning her rogue, severing her from the pack in the cruelest way possible.
But what if it wasn’t just that? What if Luke intended to carry out the punishment in person? Mia had always harbored a grudge, and Luke would do anything for his Luna. Perhaps they wanted to see her broken, to relish the pain of her severance.
Bella snapped out of her thoughts, snatching the letter and vial from Ben’s hand. Her fingers trembled slightly as she unfolded the letter, her eyes scanning the familiar handwriting.
Tyler whimpered in the back of her mind, her worry mirroring Bella’s own.
What if we can’t take the triplets with us? Tyler fretted. We’ll have to leave them behind. Find someone to care for them. Pray to the goddess that this is just about banishment. And then we can return here, to the life we’ve built.
But Bella’s fears were spiraling out of control. She tried to silence them, but they pressed in, suffocating her.
What if Mia wanted more than humiliation? T*****e? Imprisonment? Death? What if this ended with her children left as orphans, abandoned in a human world they wouldn’t understand? The thought made her chest tighten, panic clawing at her resolve.
No. Stop. She forced herself to focus.
Matt and Nina. They would take the triplets in. They didn’t know anything about the Wolfen world, but they loved her and would protect her children fiercely. Yes, their first shift would terrify everyone involved, but what other choice did she have?
Her parents were out of the question. Mia would find the children and eliminate them without hesitation. Bella shuddered at the thought. The Luna would never tolerate the existence of Luke’s illegitimate offspring—competition for the heir to the pack. And Luke… his wolf would scent his children the moment they set foot on pack territory. Mia would see them as threats, and Bella had no illusions about how far she would go to secure her position.
Ben’s voice pulled her back to the present, his hand tapping her shoulder lightly.
“What is that all about?” he asked, his expression curious yet cautious.
Bella shrugged, forcing a nonchalant demeanor. “I don’t know,” she replied, her tone carefully neutral. “I’ve been gone six years, Ben. You hired me right out of university. Haven’t I been here the whole time?”
