Chapter 5
568words
Jacob's voice was ice-cold, as if he wanted nothing more than to drag me back and force me to kneel before Olivia.
I felt a strange sense of detachment.
He used to defend me just as fiercely.
Back when our fated bond was new and his pack refused to accept me, I had worked my way into a senior position at the pack's company on my own merit. But that didn't stop the whispers that I had slept my way to the top.
When he heard those rumors, he found the ones who started them, beat them half to death, and exiled them.
He did it because they had damaged my honor.
He said my honor was as important as the pack's, and he wouldn't allow anyone to slander his future Luna.
But now, he was protecting someone else. Not me.
"You already rejected Emily! Why are you still hounding her? Don't contact us again. The New Moon Pack has nothing to do with you Blackwoods!" my mother roared into the communicator, her neck flushed with rage.
She cut the connection before Jacob could say another word.
When she turned, she saw me standing in the living room.
She opened her mouth, then closed it, forcing a weak smile.
"You heard all that?"
I just shrugged, feeling nothing.
"Mom, didn't you say you have a meeting with the Alpha of the Silver Creek Pack today? Don't waste your energy being angry so early in the morning. He's not worth it."
She looked relieved. "I'm so glad you feel that way."
"Now that you're ready to leave the past behind, you can focus on your own life. Don't think about anything else."
I had expected Jacob to contact my mom.
With Olivia's "unstable wolf" and my disappearance, of course he would blame me for everything.
"I have to go out today, but you're not getting off that easy," my mom said, suddenly pressing a small piece of paper into my hand. "Get dressed and go to this address. I've arranged for you to meet an excellent Alpha."
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Mom, I just got rejected. You're already sending me to meet another Alpha?"
My mother puffed out her chest, looking completely unapologetic.
"That bastard doesn't want you, but plenty of other excellent Alphas do. Trust your mother's judgment!"
In the end, I gave in to her good intentions and went to the address on the note.
As soon as I walked into the restaurant, someone called my name.
It was a male wolf, around my age, who looked vaguely familiar.
"Emily Vance?! What are you doing here?"
His surprised voice snapped me back to reality.
I recognized him then.
It was Michael Carter, the heir to the Silver Creek Pack.
I had met him once at a young leaders' conference.
"I thought you were planning to stay with the Blackwood Pack for good."
Before the conference ended, Michael had approached me to ask about my future plans.
At the time, my relationship with Jacob was still strong, so I had told him without hesitation that I would always stay with the Blackwood Pack.
We hadn't spoken since.
