Ben nodded slowly, his gaze assessing her. “Hmm. I don’t want to lose you, Bella. Why don’t you call the number on the letter? It’s right there at the bottom. Maybe you can try to turn this into an opportunity—bring them in as a client.”
Bella nearly laughed, but it came out as a bitter smirk. Ha. That is never going to happen.
“You, my dear Ben, have no idea who Luke Cupper really is, or what he’s capable of,” she thought silently. And trust me, you don’t want to know.
Out loud, she said, “I doubt I’d be able to. To be completely honest with you, the man hates me.”
Ben raised an eyebrow, intrigued, but Bella offered no further explanation. She couldn’t.
The glass vial felt heavy in her hand, a grim reminder that her past had finally come for her.
“So why the demand for you to return?” Ben pressed, his curiosity piqued.
Bella hesitated, considering the possibilities. Other than punishment for Mia, the Luna, there was one other plausible explanation. “Perhaps…” she began slowly, choosing her words carefully. “The pack paid for my law degree. I was supposed to return and work in their legal department, contribute to their society as a productive member. But I never did. Not by my choice, though. I was ordered to leave before I even had the chance.”
She paused, the bitterness creeping into her voice. “I guess they want their money back. The Cupper Corporation covered my tuition, and I was supposed to work for them straight out of university. But seeing as I was tossed out two years into my degree and told never to return… well, I didn’t exactly have the opportunity.”
Ben frowned, clearly puzzled. “And they still paid your tuition?”
“Yes,” Bella replied, her voice quieter now. “The CEO at the time was Tomas Cupper. I assume he approved it. His son, Luke—who’s now the CEO—was the one who threw me out. Maybe Tomas thought I’d return one day, or hoped things would change.”
Ben nodded thoughtfully. “Do you have the money to pay it back?”
Bella exhaled deeply, running the numbers in her head. “Not all of it, but I could cover about half. If that’s all they want, I can pay a chunk upfront and arrange a payment plan for the rest.” Her mind began to churn with possibilities. If it was purely a financial matter, she could draft an ironclad contract herself. One that ensured Luke left her alone once the debt was cleared. She’d even add a clause promising to find another pack to join as soon as it was settled, eliminating any future ties to Cupper altogether.
But the bigger question loomed: could she handle all of this without Luke discovering her children? He wouldn’t suspect they were his—or at least she hoped not. Not unless he saw them in person. But even then, if the resemblance sparked any suspicions, would she be able to protect them? And if another pack took them in, would they exploit the children’s parentage for leverage? There were far too many uncertainties, too many risks.
“I could write you a contract,” Ben offered, breaking her train of thought. “I’ll cover the remaining amount, and you can pay me back in installments. Would that work for you?”
Bella smiled faintly, appreciating the gesture but understanding the motive behind it. Her last case had brought in a staggering $5 million for the firm. The client had been so impressed with her work that he had even referred his sister for a prenuptial agreement, another lucrative deal slated for the following year. Bella was a golden asset to the firm. Methodical, relentless, and meticulous, she always read the fine print and never left anything to chance. Her reputation for playing hardball and crafting airtight legal arguments was unmatched.
“No, it’s fine, Ben,” she replied. “Once the settlement from my last case comes through and you issue my payment, I’ll have the rest of it.”
Ben nodded, seemingly satisfied. “I’ll expedite that for you. A.S.A.P.”
“Thank you,” Bella said, grateful for his professionalism, even if his offer had been self-serving.
As Ben left her office, she turned back to the vial and letter on her desk. The weight of the situation pressed down on her again. If only money were the only thing Luke wanted, this would be simple. But deep down, she knew it wasn’t.
“I’d appreciate that,” Bella said sincerely, watching as Ben finally left her office.
The door clicked shut behind him, and she sagged into her leather chair, her body sinking into the plush cushions. For a moment, she was grateful she’d splurged on it—$2,500 well spent. She leaned forward, resting her head on the cool surface of her desk, and muttered to herself, “Three days.”
Three days. Enough time to disappear, sever her connection to the pack, and vanish into the human world. It wasn’t impossible.
“The minute we do, he’ll know we’re running,” Tyler warned, her voice laced with unease. “It’ll only make him angrier.”
“I know, Tyler,” Bella thought back. “But maybe—just maybe—he won’t care. Maybe it won’t matter to him.”
Tyler huffed, dissatisfied. She was silent for a moment, as if deep in thought. Bella knew her wolf was wrestling with the same question she was. What else could they do? Surely, between the two of them, they could come up with a plan.
Or, Bella thought grimly, they had three days to muster the courage to make a phone call she never wanted to make. To hear his voice again—sharp, cold, and brimming with anger.
It wouldn’t be the voice she once knew. The soft, teasing tones he’d used to seduce her, to whisper promises in the dark as they tangled in sheets of passion. Those nights were a lifetime ago, but they were still etched into her soul. No matter how hard she tried to forget, they haunted her, surfacing in dreams under the full moon.
There would be no tenderness this time. No playful banter. No seductive undertones. Only anger, hatred—fueled by her past actions, by the harm she had caused his Mate and now Luna.
Her chest tightened. She had let go of Luke long ago. She and Tyler had learned to survive without him. But no matter how far they ran or how much time passed, they were bound to him forever by the children they shared.
Pups he knew nothing about.
Her children were her anchor, her purpose, the only remnants of her old life that she had fought to protect. And she would keep them hidden. Luke could never know.
Bella exhaled slowly, her thoughts drifting to Tim. He wasn’t perfect, but he was safe. Comfortable. But when it came to passion? To the fire that Luke had ignited in her, leaving her scorched to the core? Tim couldn’t compare. How could he? He was human.
Her head thudded softly against the desk as she closed her eyes.
Three days.
Time was slipping away, and so were her options.
