The rain had stopped by the time I drove off the property. In my rearview mirror, the gates of the Ironwood Pack shrank and then disappeared from view. For the first time in eight years, I felt a wave of genuine relief wash over me. Pulling out my phone, I typed a message to Helen. "Dear Helen, I assume you’ve received my little surprise. Remember our agreement—the five million must be in my account by noon tomorrow. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind letting everyone know how the Prima of the Ironwood Pack plays dirty with her human daughter-in-law." The phone vibrated almost instantly. Helen’s reply was surprisingly fast. "You bitch!" I laughed softly and sent another message. "Is the tea hot enough for you? If it needs more heat, I can always come back and add some fuel to the fire." Switching off my phone, I took a deep, cleansing breath. I might have been the human in a game of wolves, destined to be the underdog, but I would never make it easy for them. Ethan had betrayed me, and Helen had humiliated me. In return, I would make them pay what they owed. The money? It was pocket change to them. But it was worth every penny to make that arrogant Prima suffer and to show the man who broke my heart what his mother was truly like. "Goodbye, Ironwood Pack," I murmured, pressing down on the accelerator. ... The road stretched out before me, the rain now returning with a vengeance. My thoughts scattered like the droplets hammering against the windshield, memories of the last eight years flashing through my mind—eight years of being treated like refuse, eight years of hoping for a mating ceremony that would never come. Suddenly, a flash of yellow cut across my vision—a motorcycle, swerving dangerously in front of my car. My heart leaped into my throat as I slammed on the brakes. BANG— The impact came from behind, jolting me forward. My forehead cracked against the steering wheel. A sharp pain radiated from my temple, and when I looked up, my vision was a blur of red. I grabbed a tissue and frantically wiped the blood from my eyes. The yellow motorcycle was long gone, having vanished into the downpour like a phantom. "Tap, tap—" Someone was at my window. I lowered it, and raindrops immediately splashed onto my lap. Outside stood a well-dressed man in his early fifties, wearing glasses and holding a sleek black umbrella. His expression was one of genuine regret—a look I hadn't seen on a wolf’s face in years. "Miss, I’m terribly sorry. We are entirely at fault for rear-ending you," he said with an unexpected politeness. "My employer is in a rush. Would you consider exchanging contact information? You can send us a list of the damages, and I assure you, we will take care of everything." "I'd prefer to call the police," I replied, my voice strained. The day’s events had pushed me past my breaking point—the confrontation with Ethan, the discovery of his betrayal, and now this. I was done playing nice. I didn't have the energy to accommodate anyone. I stepped out into the rain, wincing as the cold droplets hit the open wound on my head. The back of my car was a mangled mess, a huge dent where a Bentley had smashed into it. Annoyed, I took photos for evidence and then dialed the police. The man accepted my decision without argument, simply returning to the Bentley to report to whoever waited inside. The rain intensified, pounding against the asphalt. My white blouse clung to my skin as I stood exposed to the elements, one hand pressed to my bleeding temple while I spoke with the 911 operator. I retreated to my car to escape the downpour, but my clothes were already soaked through. Within minutes, police sirens wailed in the distance. An officer arrived at the same time as a silver Maybach, which pulled up silently behind the Bentley. Stepping back out into the deluge, I saw another person exit the Bentley. He was a tall, lean man with a silhouette that could have been carved from marble, like a Greek god. His sharp, deep-set eyes held a cool, aristocratic indifference, but I could sense something wild simmering just beneath the surface. He caught me staring, and his eyes met mine. The intensity of his gaze sent a shiver through me, awakening something primal and long-dormant. A strange sense of déjà vu washed over me... "Give it to her," his deep voice commanded. He shrugged the suit jacket from his arm and handed it to the older man. Without another glance in my direction, he strode to the Maybach and disappeared inside. The older gentleman hurried over, holding out the jacket. "Miss, you're drenched. Please, take this." Looking down, I realized with a flush of horror that my wet blouse had become completely transparent. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I gratefully accepted the jacket and slipped it on. "Thank you." While the older man spoke quietly with the police officer, the Maybach drove off, cutting through the curtain of rain. I caught only a fleeting glimpse of the stranger's refined profile, but the image lingered in my mind. The jacket still held his body heat and carried a distinct scent—sandalwood, mingled with something wild and untamed that instantly calmed my frayed nerves. After the police finished their report and we had exchanged information, the older gentleman offered to take me to the hospital for my head wound. I declined politely, my initial anger having subsided. "I apologize for being so difficult earlier. I’ve had the worst day imaginable, and I took it out on you. It wasn't even your fault." I gestured to the jacket. "I’ll have this cleaned and returned to you." The older gentleman simply nodded, his expression gracious. ... As I drove myself to the hospital, my phone began to buzz incessantly. Ethan. I let out a cold laugh. That was him all over—vanishing when I needed him, only to reappear when I wanted nothing to do with him. He knew how much I despised his white-knight routine, yet he insisted on playing the hero at the worst possible moments. In eight years, he had never learned to understand me. Or rather, he had never bothered to understand the feelings of a mere human. When he should have been by my side, he chose another. Now that I had finally decided to let go, he was acting like he cared. What a clueless idiot.

Chapter 5: Never an Easy Prey