“You’ll regret this, Celeste!” Olivia hissed.
I straightly looked at her. If only she knew that I already regretted the moment I let my guard down in my previous life, and promised myself that I won’t let anyone fool me in this second life.
I was stupid when I signed the contract with Raphael’s company. I was stupid and foolish then.
Then. Not now.
In fact, that contract was also the reason why Raphael wooed me and made me believe that I was his mate. Idiot I was, I believed him, especially I didn’t have my wolf to warn and contradict the ‘mate thing’ Raphael used to lure me then. I even thought then that I was lucky to find Raphael as my mate before. An Alpha like him as my fated mate was truly a blessing for someone like me.
How naive I was…
“And you can tell your brother, Olivia, that I’m no more interested in his offer. I know what I said could be an insult for someone like him but… it was just that I am not the nitwit one you think of. I know what Raphael wants, my grandfather’s company. He wants to extend his alphadom in our pack, right? Well, sorry to inform him… He will never have what he wants in this lifetime.”
Olivia squinted her eyes but I only smirked at her.
“Ciao, Olivia.”
I sat up next and looked at everyone. “Meeting adjourned.”
The board of directors left and only Natalie left with me in the boardroom. She sighed. Looking at me with disbelief with what I’ve done.
“What was that for?” I asked. “I thought you didn't like Olivia,” I said straightly, for I know that fact because it was her then kept on reminding me that Olivia was just a minion of Tessa to spy on me in my previous life.
Yes, when I was fooled by Raphael’s charm and assigned his sister as an executive assistant of Blackmoon Enterprises detailed in my grandfather’s company, I was nice to her thinking she will soon be my sister-in-law. But little did I know how she discreetly made me wrong in the eyes of people in the company. Causing trouble for me, encouraging people to rally on me and remove me from being the CEO.
“I already told your grandfather that Blackmoon Enterprises is not suitable as a collaborator of Darkfang Industries in the next project…” Natalie expressed her thoughts. “I think you did a good job of not letting the contract with them go through. But… I know you could do it better, Celeste. In a formal way, I mean. Instead of tearing those documents in front of the board of directors and looking like a spoiled brat by your grandfather as they thought of… you should inform me first so the meeting involving Blackmoon could be cancelled before anything else gets shameful for Olivia Voss.”
I chuckled. “But I purposely did it that way. It’s the best way to show how I refused Blackmoon Enterprises, Nat. It’s the best way for them to realize I ain’t an easy target.”
Natalie was amused with the way I nicknamed her more than what I said. It was because at this time, she and I weren’t as close as we were. This moment was just a start for our friendship.
“Anyway, are you serious with what you said about the Phantom, Inc.?” she curiously asked. Her tone was full of concern for me on whatever I was planning.
“Certainly.”
“But they’re—”
“Dangerous?” I finished for her. “Yes, but I know they will be my best ally in case.” In case Tessa continues her schemes towards me, then the Phantom, Inc. will be there for Darkfang Industries.
I won’t let Darkfang go bankrupt. I won’t let myself be the reason for my grandfather’s death and also Natalie. I had no idea then who killed Natalie, but I have an idea now… It’s easy now to connect her death in my previous life to Tessa, Raphael, and Alexander.
“Of course…” Natalie smiled and nodded. “Your future, Celeste, is yours to shape. And with your grandfather’s business acumen, you will surely learn it all as soon as you focus on the company.”
I nodded. My past life’s heartbreak no longer mattered. The weight of my death in my previous life has no longer held me down. Now, I felt a sense of control over my fate.
The day ended fast. I was heading home and walked past the lobby as my mind occupied the tangled web of schemes Raphael, Alexander, and Tessa had spun in my previous life. This time, I wouldn’t fall prey to their deceptions. This time, I would be the one leading the game.
All I needed was to find the one behind the Phantom, Inc. and convince him or her to be a shareholder in Darkfang Industries. With Phantom, Inc. I will secure my grandfather’s company’s future. No bankruptcy this time.
Just as I stepped through the grand revolving doors and into the cool night air, a sudden force hit me—like a bolt of lightning straight to my soul.
My steps halted. My breath caught.
A powerful, intoxicating scent filled my senses, a mix of fresh pine, crisp winter air, and something uniquely alluring. My heart pounded so violently that I could feel its echo in my fingertips. My vision blurred for a moment before sharpening with a startling clarity.
What… What is this?
My body turned on its own accord, searching for the source.
And then—I saw him.
A tall, striking man stood near the sidewalk, his piercing silver gray eyes locked onto mine as if he had been waiting for me all along. His presence was magnetic, overwhelming, as if the world itself had quieted around us. The moment our gazes met, a strange warmth unfurled deep within my chest, spreading like wildfire through my veins.
Mate?
The word slammed into my mind, raw and undeniable.
Is he my—
‘Mate!’
A voice, barely audible but unmistakable, echoed in my head. ‘Celeste... he is ours.’
My eyes widened. ‘Who are you?’ I asked her though I already knew who she was.
‘It’s me! Your wolf!’
My wolf? I have my wolf now?
Oh, Moon Goddess… Thank you!
‘What’s your name?’ I asked.
‘Elara.’
I gulped. My inner wolf's voice was soft yet filled with certainty. She had been silent for so long, but now she stirred, her presence strong and insistent. A shiver ran down my spine as the bond between us reawakened, stronger than ever. And she was here to tell me who’s our mate.
‘You need to make him know you, Celeste!’
I sucked in a sharp breath, my wolf—who had been dormant in my previous life—howling to life in recognition. My heart raced, and an inexplicable pull urged me forward especially as my eyes locked to the man who was approaching me already.
He took a slow step towards me, his expression unreadable but his eyes burning with the same awareness that coursed through my blood.
“You…” I whispered, barely able to find my voice. “You’re my—”
“Mate,” he finished my sentence.
