In his hand, Luke held the second official letter he had sent to bring her back to the pack. Unlike the first, this one had been returned unopened. The first, he was certain, she would have read—curiosity would have tempted her, if not the sense of duty ingrained in her to respond to an Alpha’s call.
He knew their parting had been far from amicable, but six long years had passed. It was time for Bella to come home. He hadn’t sought her out deliberately; fate had intervened. One evening, while casually flipping through television channels in the common room, her image had appeared, vivid and commanding. She stood on the courthouse steps, addressing a sea of reporters with poise. She had just secured a win in a high-profile divorce case, her eloquence captivating even through the screen.
Bella.
She looked radiant, exuding strength and confidence that had only blossomed in his absence. The camera adored her, capturing every detail: her sharp, emerald-green eyes brimming with determination, the way her dark blue pencil skirt hugged her figure with precision, and how the soft cream blouse fluttered gently in the breeze. She spoke with measured authority, effortlessly deflecting any invasive questions from the press.
Life beyond the pack clearly agreed with her. Luke’s chest tightened as he watched, a dull ache settling there. She had thrived, become someone extraordinary. But he couldn’t shake the guilt. He knew he was the reason she was out there—away from her family, her roots, her pack.
Beside him, Maddis, his wolf, had been riveted. Their bond allowed Luke to feel every pang of longing and regret Maddis harbored as they watched her together. Bella had always been ambitious, dreaming of becoming a lawyer, serving the pack in its legal affairs. Divorce law wasn’t a prevalent field in wolfen society, but contract law? That had been her passion. If his memory served him right, that was what she had been specializing in during her studies.
Luke hadn’t been alone when she appeared on the screen. His Beta, Benzy, his Gamma, Macky, and his Delta, Lanky, had been with him. They had been lounging, drinks in hand, aimlessly searching for a movie to unwind with after a grueling day. Benzy had been holding the remote when her face materialized on the screen, her name and law firm scrolling beneath her in bold letters during a recap of the day’s human-world news.
None of them had seen her since that fateful day—the day Luke had commanded her to leave. And she had obeyed, disappearing without a trace, just as he had demanded. But now, seeing her again, radiant and accomplished, he felt a deep pang of regret. She had grown into a strikingly beautiful woman, now 26. Listening to her voice, firm yet melodic, memories of their shared past flooded back—growing up together, training side by side, and even sharing a fleeting romance. And now? She was gone.
“Bring her home,” Maddis had growled in his mind that night, his voice raw and unrelenting. For days after, Maddis hadn’t let up, demanding Luke act, insisting they restore what had been lost. Eventually, Luke had relented. His wolf was right. Bella belonged with the pack.
The first letter had been dispatched as soon as Benzy tracked her down. It hadn’t taken long; she wasn’t hiding, only staying away. When no response came, he sent a second, now returned. The rejection stung, but Luke wasn’t ready to give up. Maddis certainly wouldn’t allow it.
It was time to bring Bella home, no matter the cost.
Now, over a month later, Luke sat in his office, his annoyance simmering just below the surface, threatening to boil over into anger. The first letter had gone unanswered—ignored, or so he thought. There was a slim chance she hadn’t received it, but Luke doubted that possibility. Benzy, his Beta, wasn’t one to make mistakes, especially not with someone they had all grown up with. Bella had been just as close to Benzy as she had been to Luke.
In truth, Benzy had been livid when Luke had ordered her sudden departure.
That day was etched into Luke’s memory, a moment of raw fury, a decision made without thought or reason. Both he and Maddis had reacted on instinct, emotions running high. He hadn’t dwelled on the decision much in the years since—until that night he saw her on the television screen.
Mia, on the other hand, had been furious at the time, seething that Bella hadn’t been stripped of her rank and cast out as a rogue by his father, Alpha Tomas. She had demanded swift and merciless punishment for what she perceived as an insult. But his father had refused. “No,” Alpha Tomas had said, his voice firm with finality. “It’s inappropriate under the circumstances.”
Those “circumstances” being that Alpha Tomas had known about Luke and Bella’s relationship. For over a year, the two had been lovers, and Tomas suspected there was more to the story than Mia’s version. He likely saw through Mia’s exaggerated outrage and overreaction.
Now, as Luke turned the returned letter over in his hand, frustration gnawed at him. Bella had moved recently, which meant the letter should have reached her. Still, the fact remained—either she hadn’t received it, or she had and simply chosen to ignore it. The latter possibility unsettled him. Was she deliberately avoiding him?
His fingers tightened around the envelope as he shifted his gaze to Benzy.
“So, this is the game she’s decided to play,” Luke said, his voice low, edged with tension.
Benzy, leaning casually against the wall, shrugged, his expression unreadable. “You did order her to leave and never come back,” he pointed out, his tone laced with dry pragmatism. “If she didn’t get the first letter and returned the other two, maybe she doesn’t even know what they say.”
The Beta’s calm demeanor grated on Luke’s nerves, but he said nothing. Instead, he stared down at the envelope in his hand, his mind turning over the next course of action. Minutes passed in silence, his decision taking shape. Finally, he nodded to himself, the glint of resolve hardening in his eyes.
“Alright,” he said, his voice sharp with authority. “Let’s make it official. Something she can’t just ignore without consequences.” His gaze fixed on Benzy, steel in his expression.
Benzy sighed, the sound heavy with resignation. “You’re sure about this, boss? You really want to go that route?”
“Yes,” Luke replied firmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt. “Send it to her law firm, and make it certified mail. I want a signature to confirm receipt. No more games.”
A faint, smug smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he leaned back in his chair, his eyes gleaming with determination.
Let’s see, you ignore me now, little wolf, he thought, the words sharp and deliberate in his mind. I can play this game just as well as you. Only you can’t win. I’m your Alpha, and you will do as I command.
