Chapter 7

Adelina POV

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Jase's roar vibrated through the massive crystal chandeliers, carrying the terrifying, metallic scent of his enraged Inner Wolf. He closed the distance between us in a heartbeat, his fingers digging brutally into my uninjured arm. He yanked me away from the center of the spill, dragging me out of the immediate spotlight but keeping me firmly under the scrutinizing gaze of the Pack elite.

"She hurt me on purpose, Jase," I choked out, my voice trembling as I cradled my throbbing hand.

But his expression remained a mask of icy disgust. He didn't care about my pain. He only cared about the spectacle I had caused. His eyes glowed with the golden dominance of his wolf, fully aligning with Kira.

"Apologize to your Luna," he snarled.

It wasn't a request. It was an *Alpha's Command*.

The invisible, crushing weight of his authority slammed into me. It was a primal compulsion designed to force any lesser wolf to their knees, stripping away free will. My bones ached under the immense pressure, my mind screaming at me to bow, to submit, to beg for forgiveness.

But as I looked at Kira's triumphant smirk and Jase's absolute betrayal, the last thread of my devotion snapped. The agony in my soul eclipsed the physical compulsion. I drew a ragged breath, planting my sensible flats firmly on the floor.

"No."

The word was quiet, but it rippled through the dead silent room. Jase's eyes widened in sheer shock. A wolfless Omega had just defied an Alpha's Command.

"I submitted my resignation letter this morning, Jase," I announced, my voice steadying with every word. "As of today, I am no longer your assistant, and I am no longer a member of your Pack."

A collective gasp echoed from the surrounding Alphas. Jase froze, the public defiance dealing a devastating blow to his pride. Then, a cruel, mocking laugh tore from his throat. He turned to the watching crowd, waving a dismissive hand. "A disgruntled employee throwing a tantrum."

He leaned in close, his voice dropping to a lethal, carrying pitch. "Who do you think you are, Adelina? You are just an assistant. A convenient Omega to warm my bed. Know your place." He sneered, his eyes devoid of any warmth we once shared. "And a mediocre assistant at that."

Beside him, Kira let out a soft, delighted giggle, her Inner Wolf practically purring at my public destruction.

But instead of breaking, a strange, icy calm washed over me. The man standing before me wasn't the savior I had loved; he was a monster I had fabricated in my own desperate mind. The illusion shattered, leaving behind a fierce, undeniable clarity.

I looked at him and offered a small, genuine smile. "Thank you, Jase. Thank you for clearing that up."

I lifted the heavy Henderson Pack Alliance file-the symbol of my relentless, unappreciated labor-and let it drop. It hit the marble floor with a heavy thud, landing directly on the toes of his expensive, custom-made Italian leather shoes.

"That belongs to you, Alpha," I said softly. "Pick it up yourself."

The silence in the ballroom turned suffocating. It was the equivalent of a physical slap to an Alpha's face. Jase's jaw clenched so hard I thought his teeth would shatter, a low, feral growl vibrating in his chest as his face twisted in unadulterated rage.

I didn't wait for him to snap. I turned my back on him, on Kira, on the entire Davenport Pack. I kept my chin high, my heels crunching over the shattered crystal of the champagne flutes as I walked out of the grand doors.

The moment I pushed through the hotel's revolving doors, the freezing New York rain hit me. The adrenaline instantly evaporated, leaving me hollow, shivering, and entirely alone on the wet pavement. The neon lights bled into the puddles, the scent of exhaust and wet concrete overwhelming my senses. The crushing weight of what I had just done finally settled over me.

Then, a vehicle glided through the downpour, pulling up to the curb with a silent, predatory grace. It was a flawless, vintage platinum-gold Aston Martin DB5-a car that radiated an ancient, intimidating power completely at odds with the chaotic street.

The tinted rear window slowly rolled down.