Kathie POV
I saw the signs—how he defended her against the pack’s ridicule and took her under his wing. The once cold Alpha became gentle and patient when she was around.
The breaking point came when I overheard Emma thanking Jason late one night.
“You’ve given me so much,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “I’d be lost without you.”
Jason’s response was quiet, but his tone was intimate in a way it never was with me. “You deserve everything, Emma. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
I knew then that I had lost him.
As the moonlight filtered through the treetops that night, I vowed not to let Jason or Emma define my story.
Standing alone in the clearing, I stared at the moon, its light casting a silver glow over my skin.
As Jason's words hung in the air, I felt as though the floor beneath me had crumbled away. My heart screamed in protest, but I couldn’t find the strength to argue anymore. He had made up his mind, and my feelings no longer seemed to matter.
"Fine," I whispered hoarsely, barely able to hold back my tears. "Do whatever you want, Jason."
He looked at me, surprised by my lack of resistance. Perhaps he thought I’d fight harder for him, but why should I? His actions had already spoken.
That night, I locked myself in the bedroom, pacing the small space as memories of Jason and me flooded my mind. I wanted to hate him, but my heart stubbornly clung to the love we once shared. My phone buzzed on the nightstand, jolting me from my thoughts.
The screen lit up with a text from my mother:
"Kathie, come home. I have something important to tell you."
I stared at the message, my gut tightening. My mother rarely reached out unless it was urgent. Despite everything going on, her words felt like a thread pulling me toward something more solid than the chaos around me.
The next morning, I woke up to the sound of voices outside the door. Jason and Emma were talking in hushed tones, but I could hear every word.
"You think she’ll leave quietly?" Emma’s voice was soft, but there was a sharp edge to it that I hadn’t noticed before.
"She has to," Jason replied, sounding uneasy. "I’ve done everything I can to make this easier for her."
Easier? The sheer audacity of his words made me clench my fists.
"And if she doesn’t?" Emma’s tone turned icy.
"Then I’ll make her leave," Jason said firmly.
Something inside me snapped.
I swung open the door, startling them both. Their guilty expressions only fueled the fire burning within me.
"Don’t bother," I said coldly, my voice steadier than I expected. "I’ll leave."
Jason’s eyes widened, and for a brief moment, I saw a flicker of regret. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared.
"Kathie, I—"
"Save it," I cut him off, my gaze darting between him and Emma. "I hope you two enjoy your happily ever after."
Without another word, I turned and walked out of the house.
I didn’t stop walking until I reached a quiet café down the street. I needed a moment to collect myself before heading to my mother’s place. But as I sat there, nursing a cup of coffee, a man approached my table.
"Kathie Green?" he asked, his voice deep and calm.
I frowned, confused. "Yes, that’s me."
He slid a large envelope onto the table. "This is for you."
Before I could ask any questions, he walked away, disappearing into the bustling street.
With trembling hands, I opened the envelope. Inside were several documents and a handwritten note:
"Kathie,
I’ve been watching from the shadows, waiting for the right moment. You deserve to know the truth about Jason Taylor and Emma Gray. Meet me tonight at the Old Town Pier. You’ll finally understand everything.
—A Friend"
My breath hitched as I flipped through the documents. They contained financial records, photographs, and correspondence—all pointing to a twisted scheme involving Jason and Emma.
I didn’t know who this “friend” was or why they were helping me, but one thing was certain: the truth was far more sinister than I had imagined.
That evening, I stood at the edge of the pier, the cool breeze biting at my skin. A shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, their face obscured by the hood of their coat.
"You came," the stranger said, their voice familiar yet unplaceable.
"Who are you?" I demanded, clutching the envelope tightly.
They pulled back their hood, revealing a face I never expected to see.
"Hello, Kathie," they said with a wry smile. "It’s been a long time."
My jaw dropped. It was Raymond Stone , Jason’s former beta—the one who had mysteriously vanished after their falling out two years ago.
"Gabriel?" I whispered, shock rendering me speechless.
He stepped closer, his expression grim. "You have no idea what you’ve gotten caught up in."
Before I could respond, a loud splash echoed through the night. We both turned toward the sound, but the water was eerily still.
"Someone’s watching us," Gabriel muttered, his eyes scanning the shadows.
And then, in the dim light of the pier, I saw a figure lurking at the edge of the darkness.
The twist tightened like a noose around my chest. Who was it? And how much danger was I really in?
The answers would have to wait. Because at that moment, the shadowy figure lunged toward us, and everything went black.
