I was unlocking my car when my gaze drifted across the lot. A sleek black SUV was already idling, and through the tinted window, I could see Ethan in the back seat. Pressed close against him was a girl with short hair and a round, cherubic face, her features aglow with the kind of boundless, youthful energy my Apex mate apparently found irresistible. "Apex Ethan!" Deputy James’s panicked voice cut through the air, followed by the shriek of tires. He slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. Through the thick pane of glass, his eyes met mine. Fury flared in his gaze, turning his eyes black. Mine were empty. Dead. Hollow. Across the charged silence, the girl noticed me. Instead of pulling away, she smirked, looping her arms around his neck and brushing her lips against his ear to whisper something. A white-hot pain seared behind my eyes. Even this fractured mate bond made his betrayal a physical agony. I knew what this was: a public challenge to my position as Prima. I tore my gaze away, slipped into the driver’s seat, and pulled out of the garage without a second glance. Every instinct screamed at me to march over there, to confront them, to challenge her—but I wasn’t a wolf. I was just a human, and I had been a fool to believe an Apex could promise forever. When I got home to our spacious apartment, I had barely dropped my bag before headlights swept across the living room wall. Ethan’s car was pulling into the garage below. The sight of it sent a familiar dread coiling in my gut, laced with a slow-burning anger. I was in our walk-in closet, removing the diamond necklace he’d given me last month—another guilt offering, I realized now—when a wall of muscle pressed against my back. His scent, cold cedar and winter air, enveloped me. It once brought me comfort; now it made my skin crawl. Ethan braced his hands on the glass cabinet on either side of my head, leaning in to see my reflection. "Are you angry?" His voice was a low rumble, laced with the Apex command that used to make my knees weak. Without looking at him, I carefully placed the necklace back in its velvet box. My movements were slow, deliberate. "Angry enough to commit murder," I said, my voice like ice. "You should watch your back." Ethan was silent for a long moment, his wolf no doubt assessing the genuine threat in my tone. "The Wallace family is interested in a collaboration on the Nova Star project," he said finally, his tone measured. "I've been in talks with David, their eldest son. The girl you saw is his sister." "And getting cozy with the sister is part of the negotiation?" I spun to face him, my gaze piercing. "Is that how the Ironwood Pack does business now?" "Hannah, I’m trying to explain. Drop the attitude," he snapped, his Apex authority cracking through his composure. "There's nothing to explain," I said, my eyes clear and cold as I looked straight through him. "Ethan, if you're tired of me, if you want her to be this pack's Prima, then I'm willing to step aside." His face darkened instantly. "What did you just say?" The gold of his wolf flared in his eyes. I let out a slow breath. "I said, we can get a divorce." I tried to walk past him, but his hand shot out, grabbing my arm and yanking me back. He gripped my chin, his fingers digging into my skin as he growled, "Don't you even think about it." I said nothing. He was wrong. I hadn't just thought about it. The wheels were already in motion. I was done with him. Ethan stayed late that night, but a phone call eventually summoned him away. I heard it clearly from the other room—a soft, feminine whimper on the other end of the line. The next morning, my lawyer and best friend, Chloe, sent me a screenshot. It was his little girlfriend’s latest social media post: a picture of the sunrise from a mountaintop, two hands forming a heart around the glowing orb. One hand was large and masculine, the other small and delicate. The caption read: "Hopewell hearts with my soulmate. ❤️" I recognized Ethan’s hand instantly. The mate bond between us might be incomplete, but I knew every inch of him—every scar, every callus. I sat there, staring at the screen, my water glass growing warm in my hand. For the next several days, Ethan didn't come home. The only times I saw him were in company meetings. He sat at the head of the table, the Apex in his element, while I took my place among the other executives. Our eyes never met. I never went to his office. I filled my time by looking for a new apartment. I viewed properties, and I began the methodical process of erasing him from my life. Every gift he’d ever given me—anniversary presents, birthday tokens, Valentine’s Day gestures, even our wedding gifts—was sold. I sold my wedding ring last. If you no longer want the man, what use is the wreckage of a life you built together? … That evening, Anna, the owner of the Onyx Club, invited me out for a drink. It was nearly eleven, and I was tempted to refuse. But after the divorce, after leaving the Ironwood Pack's corporate umbrella, I would need to build my own network to start a business. I accepted. As soon as I walked through the club’s entrance, I saw Anna waiting for me. "Anna, you didn't have to come down. I could have found my way," I said, managing a smile that felt brittle on my face. She linked her arm through mine, her warmth a stark contrast to my inner chill. "I was worried you’d get lost, honey. First time here, isn't it?" She was right. It was my first time. We took the elevator upstairs to a large private room, bisected by an ornate, carved screen. Several people were already gathered on the far side, their laughter echoing through the space, but Anna didn’t lead me to them. She guided me to a smaller, more intimate seating area where only one person sat. I vaguely recognized her as the girlfriend of one of Ethan’s friends. She recognized me, too. An awkward tension filled her expression, but she offered a hesitant smile. Anna seated me, ensured I had a drink, and then excused herself. I took a sip of my cocktail as the boisterous conversation from the other side of the screen drifted over. After a few minutes, their topic of discussion turned to me. "Speaking of which," a man said with a dismissive drawl, "Ethan hasn't been dragging that human to parties lately." "Of course not," another voice chimed in. "He has Cindy now. Purebred Apex blood, young, gorgeous—the real deal. He shows her off like a prize. No need to hide his human wife in the shadows anymore." "Took him long enough. Eight years for him to finally remember how important a proper bloodline is." "A human is just a toy, no matter how pretty. Eight years is a long time to play with one thing, I'll give him that. What good are they, really? Can't even take a mark." "She’s stupid, too. Kept in the dark all this time, thinking she could actually be Prima. Useless for eight years, nothing to offer but a pretty face and a nice body." A coarse laugh. "I’ll say this, when Ethan finally gets tired of her for good, I wouldn't mind taking over. I've had my eye on that slim waist for a long time." "Careful," another man jeered. "A human body can't handle a werewolf's power." I stood just around the corner, my blood turning to ice. The voices were sickeningly familiar. These were Ethan's friends. They called me Prima to my face, all polite deference and charming smiles. But here, in the dark, I was just a joke. The woman sitting near me looked mortified, unable to meet my gaze. When she saw me stand, she probably thought I was about to flee in humiliation. Instead, I cleared my throat, picked up my drink, and walked toward the screen. I leaned against the carved wood, a casual posture that belied the fury coursing through me, and joined their conversation. "Gentlemen," I said, my voice light and relaxed. "I couldn't help but overhear. I think you might have the story a little backward." Their laughter died in their throats. "When Ethan and I first got together," I continued, tilting my head with a saccharine smile, "he was… average. All fumbling hands and breathless promises. But we all know it's the woman who truly knows a man's measure, isn't that right?" Absolute, stunned silence. Every man on the other side of that screen stared at me, their faces a mask of horror. And then, two tall shadows fell over the entrance behind me. The sudden, collective intake of breath was satisfaction enough. I didn't need to turn around to know who had arrived.

Chapter 2: You Made Your Choice