Chapter 1 Chapter 1

"You're fired," he states flatly.

"I beg your pardon?!" My voice rises in disbelief.

Several minutes earlier, I was looking out my car window, I savor the warm summer zephyr caressing my face. A rare purr from my wolf prompts a fleeting smile. These moments of contentment are seldom these days. My smile dissolves into the memory I've been desperately trying to evade - a memory that brings a twinge of pain every time it surfaces. Pushing it back, I park my car roadside and enter the local diner, quickly slipping into the role of a waitress. Then, my boss told me I was fired?

Hello???

"You heard me right," he retorts, his eyes turning steely.

"But why?" I query, still reeling.

"Your punctuality is poor, you're prone to accidents, and you're not fit for the job," he answers matter-of-factly.

"Not fit?! I just serve tables!" I protest.

"Watch your language!" he snaps back.

"Listen here, mister! I don't deserve this!" I retort.

"Irene," he sighs, adopting a softer tone.

"You need to leave," he adds, a note of regret in his voice.

'Something's off,' my wolf eyes him suspiciously.

"Alright!" I grumble, preparing to exit.

"Irene," he calls out as I head for the door.

I pivot, arching an eyebrow in question.

"An hour ago, someone called for you. You can call back if you want, they left this number," he slides a piece of paper toward me, then stands up and strides past me.

With a reluctant step, I approach the table and pick up the slip. Glancing at the number, a stab of heartache seizes me. I've committed this number to memory. It belongs to him...

I stifle a breath and dial the number, bracing myself for the voice on the other end.

"Hello?" The familiar voice echoes from the receiver.

"Hello," I manage to keep my voice steady despite the tremors within.

"Irene?!" His voice betrays surprise.

"What do you want?" I retort, my tone frosty.

"You can't speak to me like that! I'm your Alpha!" He snaps.

"Of course, Alpha. What do you want?" I grind out, barely keeping my temper in check.

"Whether you like it or not, you're still part of my pack and I won't let you leave," he says authoritatively.

"But you already have, haven't you?" I retort, my jaw clenched.

"Return tomorrow, Irene. That's an order," his Alpha command is resolute.

"No," I retort, unyielding.

"You will come back!" he roars.

My wolf instinctively wants to comply, but I wrestle with her control.

"Consider me a rogue. Oh, and I accept your rejection," I declare calmly before hanging up.

I walked out of the office, my apron left behind. Why would I linger when I had to escape before Jimmy, my ex-pack's Alpha, caught up with me?

My hatred for him was simple: he was my mate, he rejected me, yet he still clung to me. He declared I was unfit to be Luna, too weak for his strong pack. Well, he got himself a real witch for a mate, didn't he?

With a roll of my eyes, I entered my beat-up car and drove off. After five hours on the road, I pulled into a city and decided to stop at a diner for a meal.

As I entered the diner, the scent of other wolves hit me. I was on someone else's turf. I decided not to linger.

Before I could make my escape, a deep voice resonated from behind, "Mate."

I slowly pivoted to face the speaker – the most stunning man I'd ever seen. But it was impossible... He was an Alpha.

"Bring her to the mansion," he said impassively, casting me a look then walking out.

"Come on," someone grabbed me from the back and pulled me to a black car. He pushed me inside causing me to hit my head in the process. He smirked through the rearview mirror once he settled into the driver's seat.

"If you're thinking of jumping out of the window, you should know that I turned on child lock," He grinned tauntingly.

I grit my teeth together and look away.

"So, what's your name?" He asks.

I ignore him and continue to look out the window.

"The cold shoulder. I see, but it's not like it matters, you'll be dead in a few hours anyway," He stated dryly.

I gulped but made sure not to let the fear show on my face.

"I'm Kole, by the way," He said after a few minutes of silence.

I just ignored him and fiddled with my hands.