Chapter 1 Chapter 1

To keep our connection with the human world, the young of our werewolf pack are sent to live in human cities once they turn ten. But we must return to the pack before we turn eighteen. If we don't, our identity as werewolves will be exposed, leading to unnecessary complications. I broke that rule for Nigel. I chose to stay by his side. In order to do that, I injected myself with suppressants to keep my true nature hidden. I accompanied him as he transformed from a penniless illegitimate son into a dominant force in the business world. Not just because I loved him. But because he once saved my life. I never imagined that the man who had risked his life for me would one day betray me. I asked again, "Where were you?" His grip on my hand tightened. "The rain was getting heavier. I went out to check on the situation." We had known each other for over a decade. I could read him with a single glance. He had a habit—whenever he lied, his pinky would bend slightly, moving subconsciously against whatever he was touching. Right now, it was brushing against my wrist in that familiar, telltale motion. His excuse was flimsy at best. I saw through him instantly. If he had only gone to check on the rain, then why was his jacket missing? Why was a button on his shirt gone? And why were there three glaring lipstick marks on his face, mocking me for my foolishness? "Darling, this isn't the time to argue," he said. "The rain is getting heavier. If we don't get down the mountain soon, there might be a landslide." Then he crouched down, motioning for me to climb onto his back. "Your body's weak. I'll carry you." I was a werewolf. My body was strong—stronger than most humans. But I had injected myself with suppressants to remain in the human world. The drug prevented me from shifting under the full moon, but it had side effects. It weakened me, made me sickly. Sometimes, on full moon nights, I bled from every pore. I took a deep breath. As furious as I was at Nigel's deception, I wasn't about to risk my life over it. With him leading the way, we reached safety quickly. The others who had made it down ahead of us let out a collective sigh of relief when they saw us. They rushed forward to check on our condition. And in the middle of the crowd, I spotted that girl who looked eerily like me instantly. She was clutching Nigel's jacket, her face filled with concern as she gazed at Nigel who was still shielding me in his arms. Her name was Cassie—a new intern at our company. Nigel had noticed her because of her resemblance to me. And, finding her competent, he had kept her by his side as his assistant. The rescue team arrived soon after. Nigel ushered me into the front seat of the ambulance. "Elena, you go first. I need to check on the others who were injured. You know I have to. I'm the president of the company." It was a perfect excuse. If I hadn't overheard someone shouting that Cassie had fainted, I might have even praised him. I smiled. "Alright. Go ahead. I wish you the best." I didn't stop him. As soon as he turned away, I pulled out my phone and typed a message to my father: [Dad, I want to go back to the pack. Can you come pick me up?]

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

It was the early hours of the morning on the island where my werewolf pack lived. I hadn't expected my father to reply so quickly. [Elena, I'm glad you've finally decided to come home.] The cold emptiness left by Nigel's betrayal softened slightly at my father's words. Yes. Even without Nigel, I wasn't alone. Just as I was about to respond, the sound of commotion broke through the quiet. Nigel was back. He yanked open the ambulance door, letting the rain spill inside without a second thought. His face was tight with urgency. "Elena, one of the employees fell and is bleeding. Can you get out so we can treat her here?" These employees had been with us from the beginning, standing by our side as we built the company from nothing into the empire it had become. I owed them more than words could express. So without hesitation, I stood up. "Do you really need to ask me something like that? Get her in here already." I stepped out of the car to make way for the doctors. That was when I saw Nigel holding Cassie in his arms, rushing toward the ambulance. Blood covered her. Her face pale with pain, her trembling hands clutching at his shirt—she looked at him the way a drowning person looks at the shore. "Boss, am I going to die?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. Nigel held her hand tightly. "No. You're going to be fine. Trust me." Their intertwined hands, stark against the blood and the rain, cut through me like a blade. I wasn't sure if it was the downpour or my own tears that blurred my vision. But I didn't lash out. I didn't make a scene. I simply turned and got into another car. My phone vibrated. It was another message from my father. [The helicopter will arrive in Antia City tomorrow to pick you up. I'll have a grand feast and the finest rum waiting. Our werewolf pack is ready to welcome its new leader.] I read the message over and over, and the tangled pain in my chest began to ease, little by little. [Dad, I need three more days. There's something I have to take care of first.] Then I sent another message to my doctor friend, Jett. [Prepare a high-grade cleansing serum for me. I'll come find you tomorrow.] The serum would purge the suppressant from my body in three days. The next afternoon, my secretary came to me with news. "Nigel has gone viral online." Someone had uploaded a video of him carrying me down the mountain in the storm. The internet was captivated by the depth of his so-called love. People were calling him the perfect man. Even our wedding from ten years ago resurfaced. Our wedding had been a grand affair on a secluded island, where the path from the docks to the ceremony was lined with roses Nigel had planted himself. The crown on my head shimmered under the sunlight, encrusted with gems of every color. My wedding dress, one of a kind, became the dream of countless girls. They all wished to meet a man like Nigel. How naive. There was no such thing as a perfect man. Only disguises and deceit, dressed up as love. I set down my phone and waved my secretary away. It was almost time to meet Jett. Jett was a werewolf too, but his passion for medicine kept him in the human world. He was the one who had developed the suppressant. We had always been close. When I first asked him to administer the suppressant, he had tried to dissuade me. "It's not worth it for a man," he had said. But I had been blinded, bewitched, and convinced that staying for Nigel was the right thing to do. In the end, Jett had relented. When he saw me, he pulled me into a warm embrace before pulling back with a smirk. "So, you've finally come to your senses?" I nodded. "I have. No man is worth more than my strength as a werewolf. Ever since I took that suppressant, I haven't even been able to open a bottle cap. Me! A werewolf who could once split boulders with my bare hands. It's humiliating." Jett laughed, amused by my frustration. He walked over to his safe, took out a vial of pale blue liquid, and placed it in front of me. "Elena, are you absolutely sure? The suppressant can only be taken once in a lifetime. Once you remove it, there's no going back. If this is just a rash decision…" He left the sentence unfinished, watching me carefully. "I'm sure," I said. "Do it, Jett." Love had been real once. But so was betrayal. And the man I had loved—body and soul—had already crossed the line. He wasn't worth my devotion anymore. "Alright." Jett injected the serum into my arm. The liquid burned through my veins like ice-cold fire, ripping through my body. I clenched my jaw to stop myself from howling in pain, but Jett, always quick, stuffed a towel into my mouth just in time. If I had known it would hurt this much, I would have had him do it at my place instead. Ten minutes later, I flexed my fingers. Strength was already returning to me. I picked up the glass of water Jett had set aside. With just a bit of pressure, I crushed it into dust. I stared at the shards, satisfied. Jett, on the other hand, sighed at the loss of his glass. I said my goodbyes and left the room. And just as fate would have it, as I walked down the hospital corridor, I ran straight into Nigel and Cassie.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Nigel helped Cassie to a chair nearby and made sure she was seated comfortably before turning toward me with careful eyes. "Elena, why are you at the hospital? Are you sick?" I didn't answer. My gaze slid past him, landing on Cassie. He hurried to explain. "Cassie twisted her ankle while delivering some documents to me, so I brought her here for a checkup. Don't overthink it." I smiled, suppressing the impulse to hurl the cup of water in my hand at his head. "Is that so? What a thoughtful boss you are." I said nothing more and walked away. When I got home, I hadn't expected Nigel to follow soon after. He wrapped his arms around me from behind. "Elena, why did you go to the hospital today? Are you feeling unwell?" I gently pushed him away, pretending not to see the disappointment in his eyes. "It's nothing. Just a routine checkup." I went to the bedroom and lay down, but sleep refused to come. The cleansing serum in my system was gradually neutralizing the lingering effects of my medication, making me more awake by the minute. Nigel entered the room as well. The moment I heard his footsteps, I closed my eyes and feigned sleep. He sighed, took some clothes, and headed into the bathroom. Listening to the sound of running water, I picked up his phone and unlocked it. He had two phones—one for work and one for personal use. I started with the work phone. The password was the date of our wedding. It hadn't changed in all these years. The device was filled with business-related apps, nothing unusual. I opened his messaging app. The conversations were strictly professional. Then, almost unconsciously, I tapped into Cassie's social media posts. [Afternoon tea from my boss. So delicious. I love it!] [On a business trip with my boss today, and he gifted me a necklace. He's so sweet!] [Injured my foot, and my boss personally took me to the hospital. How can a girl not be touched?] Every post was connected to Nigel. Suppressing the nausea rising in my throat, I picked up his personal phone. The password was my birthday. There were fewer apps here, mainly contacts and messages from family and close friends. But Cassie—someone who had no place in this phone—was pinned at the top of his messaging app. The last shred of hope I had shattered in an instant. My hands trembled as I tapped on Cassie's profile. Their messages were numerous, mostly Cassie talking and Nigel giving short responses. But the last exchange was what made my world tilt over. Cassie: [I'm pregnant with your child. When are you going to marry me?] Beneath it was a picture of a hospital's prenatal checkup report. So, they had already been together for a long time. My mind drifted. My chest tightened with a dull, throbbing ache. 'Nigel, when you say you love me, who is it you're thinking of? When you look at me, whose face do you see?' Actually, the signs were always there. He had never come home late before, but ever since Cassie joined the company, his return times had become more erratic. Some nights, he didn't return at all. Even when he was busy, he would always call if he couldn't make it home. But after Cassie joined the company, there were times when he simply disappeared. His phone calls with Cassie had started as work-related questions. Then they became about trivial things. A broken faucet, a burnt-out lightbulb. He dropped contracts and business matters to fix these small inconveniences for her. "She's just a young girl trying to make it on her own," he had said. "It's not easy for her." As if any of the company's thousand employees had it easy. He once told me Cassie reminded him of me from the past. How ironic. Aside from our faces, we had nothing in common. At the very least, I never asked my boss to replace my water heater while I was in the shower. When he emerged from the bathroom, he pulled me into his arms. "Darling, I love you so much." A chill spread through my body as I turned to look into his deeply affectionate eyes. My right hand touched his handsome face, then slid down to the spot over his heart. "Nigel, do you still love me?" He rested his forehead against mine. "I do. I love you more than anyone." I wanted to laugh. "Is that so? Then if the day ever comes when you no longer love me, promise me you'll tell me. I'll let you go so you can find your happiness." A flash of panic crossed his face before he gripped my hand tightly. "You'll never leave me. Never." I had given him a chance to be honest, and he had chosen to lie. I pulled away. "You should head to bed soon. There's a meeting at the company tomorrow morning." He opened his mouth to speak, but just then, his phone rang. He answered, his brows furrowing, before turning to me with an apologetic look. "Darling, there's an urgent matter at work. I need to go handle it. I'm so sorry I can't stay with you." Another lie. As the company's vice president, if there had been an emergency serious enough to require the president himself, I would have known. The caller must have been Cassie. His lies, his devotion to Cassie—all of it had become a blade slicing into me, making my already numb heart ache anew. Ten years of companionship meant nothing against the lure of youth.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Nigel didn't come home that night. The next morning, I went to the office alone. It wasn't until after I had finished leading the morning meeting that he strolled in, leisurely, alongside Cassie. In his hand was a cheap breakfast—something he would never normally eat. The moment the elevator doors slid open, our eyes met. Panic flickered across his face as he walked toward me in a hurry. "Darling, I just went out to grab some breakfast. That's all." I raised an eyebrow, the documents in my hand now crumpled from the force of my grip. "Is that so? Well, good for you." Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked away. My father had sent a message—he was already on his way and would arrive in my city tomorrow. There were still too many things I had yet to take care of, and my time was far too precious to waste on petty arguments like this. That afternoon, I arranged a meeting with Nigel's greatest rival—Oswald. Oswald slid a cup of coffee across the table toward me. "Didn't expect you to reach out to me.""Is it really that surprising?" I asked, handing him the contract I had prepared. "We're both businesspeople. Profit comes first. I trust you, Mr. Oswald, to offer me a fair price." He opened the file and scanned the contents. His expression shifted from curiosity to surprise. "You're selling off all your shares?""As long as the price is fair, why not?" There was no reason to hold onto them anymore. Initially, I hadn't planned on taking this route. If Nigel had simply been honest with me—if he had admitted that he'd fallen for someone else—I would have sold the shares to him at a fraction of their worth. But I had given him countless chances. Instead of coming clean, he chose to weave lie after lie, covering one falsehood with another. A love like that wasn't worth holding onto. A man like that made me sick. So, he had only himself to blame. I was a businesswoman, after all. Oswald had spent his entire life competing against Nigel. Now, I was handing him the perfect opportunity to bring Nigel down. He wasn't going to refuse. And, sure enough, he didn't. "Alright," Oswald said. "I'll buy your shares at market price. And I give you my word—once I take control of the company, the employees won't suffer." Negotiating with smart people was easy. Before I had even finished my coffee, the contract was already signed. When I returned to the office, Cassie was waiting for me. She pulled me aside. "Nigel was with me last night. The whole night." I smiled, unfazed, as if she had been talking about someone else's husband. "And?" She hesitated and suddenly looked uncertain. "Aren't you angry?" I studied her face—so similar to mine. For a fleeting moment, I felt a rare trace of kindness. "Nigel isn't worth your time. You should leave him while you still can. He's not a man worth loving." Even after ten years of fighting beside him, after all the love I had once poured into him, he still discarded me without hesitation. What made her think she would be any different? Not to mention, other than a youthful body, she had nothing else to speak for. But she didn't believe me. "No. Nigel told me I'm the one he loves the most. And I'm pregnant with his child. If you know what's good for you, you should leave him yourself. Don't make things difficult for him." I shook my head. Poor girl. Nigel had once said the same words to me, too. And yet, here we were. I reached into my bag and pulled out the divorce papers I had prepared in advance. "If you can get him to sign this, I promise—I'll be gone in three days." Originally, I had planned to leave without a fuss. But Jett had reminded me of something. Once I returned to the werewolf pack, I would be taking on a leadership role. And as a leader, I couldn't avoid dealing with humans. My human identity had to remain spotless. That was why I had spent the night contacting my lawyer to draft this document. Cassie's eyes widened. "A divorce agreement? You're really willing to leave Nigel?" There was disbelief in her voice, but also a flicker of hope. My smile brightened. "Of course. The question is—are you capable of making it happen?" I had never been one to tolerate betrayal. A marriage wasn't built for three.