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Chapter 1
2 Days Before Christmas Kerris POV
The Stone twin towers sit proudly across the street from my taxi. At half past four, the sunlight is already fading with the winter season. Decorative lights glow along the towers and neighboring buildings, giving the street an enchanting holiday charm.
Let It Snow plays from a speaker outside the coffee shop beside me as I hand the driver my fare.
"Keep the change. Merry Christmas." "Thanks, miss. Enjoy the holiday," he calls back before driving off.
It's Tuesday, and the business district is as crowded as ever. Mostly humans move along the sidewalks carrying shopping bags and gift baskets. I wait at the crossing, staring up at the twin skyscrapers on the other side of the road. More humans work here than members of the sixtyseven packs on the West Coast. To them, the company belongs to a young billionaire who made his fortune through medical technology and renewable energy.
But to us werewolves, that young billionaire is Zach Stone, ruthless Alpha King of the West Coast. The humans are only half right. Fifty percent of his wealth came from reclaiming our lands and mineral deposits from the southern tyrants.
I cross the street and enter the vast lobby of the second tower. It no longer feels as intimidating as it did when I was in high school. My stepsister works here now, and my fiancé, the new Alpha of our pack, is head of Stone Energy, one of the most important divisions of Stone Corporation.
Today is Alpha Tyrel's birthday. I took time off work to prepare everything for his party tonight. The only thing left on my list is to surprise him at work with his favorite fruitcake.
Adora waves when she sees me approach. She's the clerk at reception and a member of the Moon Shadow pack. I'm relieved it's her on duty instead of one of the many humans who work here. Not only are we from the same pack, we went to high school together. Convincing her to let me upstairs unannounced should be easy enough.
Thankfully, the lobby is nearly empty. According to Emily, business officially closed for the holiday today. But werewolves and a few top staff still have to work until Christmas Eve, which is tomorrow.
"You look ready to parrrtay," Adora says with a grin. "I thought the party wasn't until later at the Alpha's house?"
She reaches for the phone to call Tyrel, but I quickly press the end button.
"It is. I need him to be surprised," I plead.
"I just got this job, Kes. Are you trying to get me fired? I can't let you go up there without informing him."
"Yes, you can. He's not going to fire you. Come on."
She shakes her head. "Can't take the risk. Sorry."
"Come on," I beg. "I'll owe you. Hold on... I brought you something."
I reach into the basket, pull out the specially wrapped slice of fruitcake, and hand it to her. I knew she'd be difficult. I came prepared.
She takes it eagerly, but keeps protesting. "It's almost five p.m., for Fate's sake. Why can't you just wait out here and surprise him? Or call your sister? She works in his division."
"Gee. What a brilliant idea. Why didn't I think of that?" I roll my eyes.
She shoots me a glare.
"Sorry," I say quickly. "Look, I talked to Em before coming, okay. She's in a meeting with her bosses. She said it could take all evening."
Adora frowns. "I thought that ended half an hour ago. Guess I'm mistaken."
She peels back the wrapper slightly and stares longingly at the cake. Her expression softens.
"I swear, if I get in trouble for this"
"You won't."
She grabs a pass card and hands it over.
"You're the best."
"I know." I smile and head to security. After flashing the pass, I'm waved through toward the elevators. I can't help smiling as I picture Tyrel's face when he sees me. I imagine him behind his desk, handsome features drawn into a frown, eyes glued to his computer screen. My fingers brush the engagement ring hanging from the chain around my neck.
I wish I could wear it proudly on my finger, but not yet. Not until we announce our engagement to the pack. Tyrel said we'd do it once he became Alpha, so it should be soon. Maybe tonight, at his party.
I think of his promotion and feel a swell of pride that he'll be my mate. Other Alphas competed for the position, but he won it, and not because his uncle owns the place.
I once applied for an internship here after graduation. I didn't get in, despite being the former Beta's daughter and dating Moon Shadow's Alpha heir. They said there were no openings in my field. Applications opened again months later, but by then I was already settled at the pack chemist.
Emily, on the other hand, had better luck. With her diploma in digital marketing analytics, she landed an internship here. Now she works at the biggest corporation on the West Coast, arguably in the world. I work at our local chemist. Sometimes I envy her. Especially now.
Still, I always remind myself that luck isn't everything. I have the new Alpha's love. Soon, I'll be his Luna. The elevator chimes open. I smooth my dress and check my lipstick in the mirrored wall. I'm about to apply more when a man steps in beside me.
Minutes later, soft holiday blues drift from the corridor speakers as I make my way toward Ty's office. His assistant isn't at her desk. She's human, so she must have already started her holiday leave.
The silence pleases me. More privacy for the surprise.
Tyrel's office door is slightly ajar. I pause, wondering if he's even inside.
I lift my hand to knock.
Then I hear it.
The wet slap of flesh against flesh.
A woman's breathless cry.
"Yes, yes, yesss, Ty...fuck me!"
My hand drops.
No.
My pulse hammers as I push the door wider with trembling fingers, telling myself I'm mistaken. That there must be some explanation.
There is Tyrel. Hard at work.
Not at his desk.
Between another woman's legs.
He hasn't noticed me yet. His face is twisted in raw pleasure, almost unrecognizable, as he drives into her from behind. She faces away from the door, and I strain to see her.
Then she turns her head.
"Em...ily?" I gasp.
Both of them freeze.
"Shit!" Tyrel snaps, glaring at me. "What the fuck, Kes?"
He doesn't pull away from her.
Emily glances at me, rolls her eyes, and still doesn't move.
That image of them together, him gripping her waist, her bent over his desk, will haunt me forever.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Tyrel barks, hands still on my stepsister's body.
I can't speak.
His tone puts me instantly on the defensive, as if I'm the one who has done something wrong.
"I... I wanted to surprise you," I stammer.
"And you thought coming to my workplace uninvited was smart?" he snaps. "Shouldn't you be at the chemist finding a drug for your condition?"
My condition.
My wolf still hasn't emerged.
He has never thrown it in my face before. Never once acted like it bothered him. I only turned twentyone recently. There was still hope. A few more months of hope, at least.
I stand frozen in the doorway, pain and confusion crashing through me.
Isn't he supposed to explain himself?
He's angry that I came here, yet his dick is still inside my stepsister.
My gaze shifts to Emily, and I can't look away. She looks bold. Impatient. As if she can't wait for me to leave so they can continue.
Tyrel finally pulls away and yanks up his pants.
Emily doesn't bother covering herself. She simply stands beside the desk, dress hiked above her naked hips and ass.
"Get out!" Tyrel roars. "We'll talk when I get home."
Chapter 2
Kerris POV
We'll talk when I get home? "Talk about what?" I ask. "The fact that you two are" "Fucking," Emily finishes. "Yup."
Tyrel scowls at her, and she adds, "What? You don't owe her any explanation, Ty. You're Alpha now, and what she just saw is pretty selfexplanatory." I can't believe her attitude. The girl standing before me is nothing like the one I grew up with.
The one I considered not just a sister, but my best friend all through childhood, until this moment.
My knees feel weak with nausea as I stare at her."How could you do this to" "I said leave!" Tyrel barks. "We'll talk after work!" He's still speaking when I turn on shaky legs and walk out. The door slams shut behind me.
Somehow, that sound is more sickening than what I just saw. They'll continue from where they stopped. I'm sure of it. My vision blurs with tears as I rush toward the elevator. The gift basket full of cake is still clutched tightly in my hands.
What am I supposed to do with it now? The elevator is thankfully empty, but only for a moment.
It stops, and a few more people step in.The thought of running into another pack member and having to make small talk makes me want to jump through the glass. When the doors slide open again, I keep my head down, hoping to hide my face.
Hoping to hide the tears slipping down my cheeks. "Kes, wait!" Adora calls sharply when I reach the lobby. "What the hell happened?
You said..." I wouldn't have turned back as she trails off, but her voice sounds like she's right behind me instead of at her desk.I spin around and walk straight into something hard and solid.
Before I can move, my face presses against crisp white tailored cotton. Time stops. I jerk back. The basket slips from my hands. I look up to see the mess I've made.
The man wearing the shirt is a werewolf with unfairly long lashes, hair as black as night, and a jaw sharp enough to cut glass. His face is the kind you only see on TVs and billboards. "Your Majesty," Adora greets nervously.
I want to apologize, but the words die when eyes as gray as a storm move from the bright red lipstick stain on his shirt to my face. I've only been in this male's presence twice, thanks to his nephew.
The words he said the first day echo in my head now. You two ever heard of a bedroom door that locks? A lady would insist on using one. The second time was at his coronation. What is the owner of this place doing here at this time of year?
Shouldn't he already be on holiday? I can feel his cold irritation even though his face remains expressionless. His eyes stay on the stained shirt as I force myself to compose. Stepping back, I curtsy, "Your Majesty, I... I'm so sorry.
I didn't see you." "Clearly," he replies. "Do you always walk around painting men, or is this just for the holiday season?" My annoyance stirs, mixing with deep embarrassment. I still can't lift my face because of my tearstreaked cheeks.
Wiping them now would feel even more humiliating. "It was an accident. That's why I said I'm sorry." "You're sorry, and my shirt is still ruined. This is Kiton." "I don't know what that means, but I can get it drycleaned." "Oh, you can?
You think a twentydollar cleaner will get this off?" Twenty what? Who the hell pays that much for drycleaning one shirt? King or not, he's getting on my last nerve.
I have a broken heart to deal with and do not need this right now. "Then thirty dollars?" I try to keep the sharpness out of my voice. "I'm sure I'll find a cleaner that specializes in kingly shirts if I look hard enough." I glance up just in time to see something flash in his eyes.
Surprise, maybe. The first sign of emotion that proves he's flesh and blood after all. It vanishes instantly. Adora stands there awkwardly. I can feel her staring at me.
The king exhales and brushes past me. "Next time, watch where you're going, Miss Hart." His shoulder clips mine hard enough to make me stumble sideways. The male has never liked me.
His first impression of me was bad, and I've never had the chance to fix it. As I stare at his back, I remember the first time we met. I was a college freshman, and Tyrel and I had just started dating.
He'd walked in on us kissing on the Alpha's living room couch. No one was supposed to be home.
Tyrel had just undone my second button and was kissing down my throat when he entered with steps as silent as a wild cat.Before then, I'd heard so much about him and seen photos.
I still remember the look he gave me as he scolded Tyrel for behaving dishonorably and declared that a lady should insist on a bedroom door that locks. Tyrel introduced us afterward.
When I held out my hand for a handshake, he simply walked away.That encounter is probably why he still makes me nervous and shy. Though not today.
My heart is breaking, and I have no patience for anyone's attitude, not even the Alpha King's. "Aren't you going to pick that up? We don't litter here." He calls out without turning back. "Oh. Yeah. I... will." I blink too hard.
More tears spill down my cheeks. I wish he would just disappear into his elevator already. Shame burns through me as I gather the basket and rearrange the pastries inside.
The fruitcake is smashed and scattered, some of it on the floor. "Kes, that's the king. You know that, right? I'm glad it's you and me in trouble now, not just me. You said Alpha Ty would be fine with your surprise." Adora looks furious. "Guess what?
You were wrong. He's pissed, and I'm in deep shit. What am I going to do?" My only response is to hold out the basket to her. Her face softens when she finally notices my tears. She takes it gently without another word. I all but run out of the lobby.
I need to get as far away from everyone as possible. Tyrel's party will be waiting for him when he gets home. His college friends and pack members will all be there to wish him happy birthday. I won't be there. He said we'd talk later.
I don't see what there is to discuss. Emily's manner, her words, that confidence; it proves they've been cheating on me for a while now. Different memories replay in my mind. Moments when I should have suspected something.
Twice in the last two months, I came home to the sounds of sex from her bedroom. I would sit in the living room, waiting to see who my sister had finally chosen to let claim her.
The male always left through the window.When I asked why, she said they weren't ready to go public yet, but I shouldn't worry because he was someone I knew.She's been sleeping with my fiancé. The mystery man was Tyrel.
There's no way I'm going back to Moon Shadow right now. I need time away from the pack. Maybe for the rest of the night. Tonight won't just be the new Alpha's birthday, it will be celebration after celebration.
I can't deal with festive laughter and music while Tyrel Stone is the male everyone is honoring. Maybe he'll announce that he's engaged to Emily instead of me. The thought fills me with such a strong urge to disappear altogether.
But my dad is still here. Not to mention my whole life. My phone starts ringing. I almost ignore it, assuming it's Alpha Ty. Who else would be calling? Then I glance at the screen. Dad.
Maybe he's been to the chemist or the Alpha's house and wants to know where I am. I clear my throat and take a deep breath so he won't hear anything wrong when I answer.
But when I slide the button, it isn't his voice that speaks. "Am I speaking to Kerris Hart?" "Yes." Fear instantly replaces heartbreak. "They found your father unconscious in front of your house. He was brought in by the medic.
You need to come to the hospital immediately."
Chapter 3
Kerris POV
My steps falter the moment I enter the pack hospital.
I'm the daughter of the former Beta. Highborn by any werewolf standard. The nurses here will expect me to lift my chin, breathe deep, and trace my father's scent straight to whatever room he's in.But I can't.
Not from the entrance. Not at all.
My senses still haven't developed that far because my wolf has never shown herself. In moments like this, I feel the weight of my condition more than ever. I'm no better than a human.
"Miss Hart," someone calls from the front desk.
"Yes." I hurry toward her. She's the nurse who attended to Dad the last time he was admitted. "How's my father?"
"Come with me. He's in the ER. They're stabilizing him now."
Moments later, she leads me to a bench outside the emergency room.
"You'll have to wait here. The doctor will speak with you once they're done."
Then she leaves me alone.
I look around the familiar hallway. This wing is reserved for highborn wolves and respected members of the pack. You can tell from the polished floors, private rooms, expensive equipment, and the silence that money buys. Dad belongs here.
Joseph Hart isn't respected only because he was Beta. He's respected because he nearly died helping build this pack into what it is today. Because he saved Alpha Gareth from a brutal death during the war. Because he bled for Moon Shadow.
The Hart name carries weight wherever it's spoken. Though lately, I'm beginning to fear it won't for much longer.
Dad's visits to the ER have become more frequent. He burned through all his savings on treatment months ago and had to borrow money to pay the hospital the last time he was here.
My legs weaken, and I sink onto the bench, burying my face in both hands.
I think of calling Emily. After all, Joseph Hart is her father too. Blood never mattered to him. There were times he treated her even better than me.
My hand reaches for my phone, but I can't make myself dial.Maybe the hospital called her first. Maybe she didn't answer because my fiancé was buried inside her.The image hits like poison.
Why is the Goddess punishing me? First my sister and best friend betrays me with my fiancé. Then Dad collapses.
Loneliness settles heavily on my chest as I stare at Emily's number.
There was a time we would sit here together during Dad's hospital visits, worrying together, hoping together.Those days are over.
The ER door opens, cutting through my thoughts.
I quickly slide my phone back into my purse as Doctor Miles steps out. Whatever he's about to say, I assume I've heard it before. Dad probably overworked himself. Maybe forgot his medication. Maybe they need to adjust treatment again. Maybe his veins are acting up.Something like that.
"Miss Hart."
"Yes, Doctor." I rise quickly. "How is he?"
"He's stable for now."
Relief starts to rise in me.
Then he continues.
"But I'm afraid those veins can no longer function. He needs surgery."My relief pauses. This isn't new. Last time they replaced damaged veins using healthy ones from another part of his body. It was expensive, yes, but manageable.
"I guess you'll do what you did last time?" I ask.
"That's the problem." His voice softens. "He has no healthy veins left for us to harvest. We'll need a donor."
"Okay. Test me."
"The surgery will be far more extensive than before. The medication afterward as well."
Then he names the price.
My heart drops straight to the floor.
The hallway tilts around me.
Where are we supposed to get that kind of money?
I try to hide my reaction, maintaining a straight face while he keeps speaking.
"For now, machines are helping circulate fluids through his body. But that's temporary. If we take him off support, he dies, Miss Hart. We need to proceed as soon as possible."
His words strike one after another.
"Nurse Nura will bring the forms and explain the payment plan. I strongly advise making the first deposit immediately."
"I understand."
I'm not sure how my voice works with my heart sinking this fast.
"You can see him now. He asked for both you and your sister. I assume she's still at work?"
"Yeah..." Working the male I thought was my fiancé.
The doctor pats my shoulder and walks away.
When I enter the room, Dad lies in bed looking smaller than I've ever seen him. Tubes run into his arms. Machines beep beside him.
This morning, he was still Ol' Beta Joe. Loud, strong, impossible to slow down. Now he looks breakable.
"Where's your sister?" he asks.
"She's working." I take his hand. "But I'm here. What happened?"
"Same shit." He grimaces.
His frustration mirrors mine. Especially after hearing the cost of fixing it this time.
"It's going to be okay, Dad."
I squeeze his hand, mostly to comfort myself.
"No, it won't." He grits his teeth. "I told Miles not to hook me to these damn machines. I hate being a burden on you girls. You both have your whole lives ahead of you."
"Dad"
"You should be focused on building a life with Tyrel now that he's Alpha. Instead, you're stuck worrying about me. I bet the bills are worse than last time."
"Please stop." My throat tightens. "Don't say things like that. How can you tell them not to save you? What about me? You think I can live happily if you just... die?" I bite back tears.
Now is not the time to tell him Tyrel is gone too.
Dad lowers his eyes, ashamed.
We sit in silence while time drags forward.
My mind races for solutions and finds none.
Later, when I step back into the hallway, Nurse Nura has the payment forms ready. All I need to do is sign.I'm only an apprentice at the pack chemist. I don't even have my license yet. I survive on a stipend. Emily is an intern too. She earns more at Stone Corporation, but not enough for this. Not even close.
I should swallow my pride and call her. If she knew about Dad, she'd come.Wouldn't she?
I think back to Dad's last hospital stay. Tyrel wasn't Alpha yet. He was still my fiancé, and he stood beside me through every long night.
My thumb hovers over his number.
Then I lock the screen and put the phone away. Only now do I realize I have no close friends except the two people who betrayed me today.
Night has fallen. The Pack Loan House will be closed by now. Even if it weren't, Dad still owes them money. I doubt they'd lend me more.
I open WolveNet and type: local money lender for emergency cash.
Dozens of results appear. The reviews are terrifying. Threats. Broken kneecaps. Debt traps. Missing wolves.I'm about to give up when I stumble onto a peculiar forum. One name keeps appearing. The Flower Den. I've heard of it. A private brothel for wealthy Alphas and elite wolves. Exclusive. Selective. Discreet. They have a thorough screening process for every girl and boy they allow inside because of the powerful clientele.
My thumb stills over the screen.
Wait.
Why am I still on their homepage?
I hit back immediately, turn off my data, and shove my phone away.
I'm a virgin by choice. My claiming and first bite are meant for my chosen mate... or my fated one. The fact that Tyrel is no longer that wolf doesn't mean I'll sell something as sacred as my first night to a stranger.
I made a promise to myself years ago. I'm not about to break it because of hardship.
And even if I did... would I earn enough in time to save Dad? Probably not.
I force the thought out of my head and rise from the bench. I need air.
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