'I wonder what it feels like to watch someone ruin themselves with your help,' Those were the exact thoughts running through Selene's mind as she stood outside Adrian Laurent’s office with divorce papers clutched tightly in her hands. The sound of Chloe Hart’s moans reached her long before she touched the door. Her wolf hearing made it impossible not to hear every little thing happening behind those walls. The rustle of clothing. The low groan in Adrian’s throat. The faint creak of his desk. And Chloe’s voice dripping with satisfaction as she whispered in pleasure, “Adrian…oh, Adrian...!” Selene's fingers tightened painfully around the folder. Five years. Five years and this still hurt. She was so pathetic. She should have walked away. Any sane woman would have. But she had loved Adrian long before he ever became her husband. Back when they were still students at college. Back when Chloe hung on his arm like she already owned him. Back when Selene was just the quiet, shy girl who watched him from a distance and foolishly mistook admiration for fate. Then right after graduation, her uncle arranged the marriage, and Adrian never forgave her for it. Even though it had never been her choice either. Another sound came from inside the office. Adrian's low groan of heightened pleasure accompanied by Chloe's cry made Selene's ears crawl. "Fuck, that was amazing," Adrian said in a low, amused voice. "You say that all the time," Chloe chuckled softly. “And yet you never stop.” Selene's stomach twisted violently, and she closed her eyes briefly. Maybe she should just turn around and keep whatever dignity she had left. Then she heard Chloe say softly, “Does your wife know I’m here? She wasn't at her table when I arrived.” “You don't have to worry about that. She stopped asking questions a long time ago,” He replied with a small laugh. "Worried? About that little wolf? Come on!" Something inside Selene went quiet after that. 'Little wolf' had always been their nickname for her whenever she wasn't listening. If only they knew that she was actually a wolf, and not so 'little' anymore. Selene pushed the office door open, and the scent of the room hit her senses with full force. Sex. Perfume. Him. Her. Adrian sat behind his desk with Chloe straddling his lap, her red dress bunched around her thighs while his hand rested possessively against her waist. His tie hung loose around his neck, with her lipstick smeared across his mouth. And neither of them looked even remotely ashamed. Chloe noticed Selene first, and her eyes gleamed with the familiar, mocking interest. “Oh,” she breathed with fake surprise. “Selene.” Adrian barely glanced up. One hand still lazily stroked Chloe’s thigh while the other scrolled through something on his laptop. “What is it?” he asked flatly, like Selene was interrupting a meeting instead of walking in on her husband with another woman. Again. Her wolf snarled violently beneath her skin. Humiliation had slowly become her closest companion whenever she was anywhere close to them, but Selene forced her expression to remain calm. Because reacting only ever made her look crazier to them. And they enjoyed that. Especially Chloe. She suddenly shifted comfortably against Adrian before offering Selene a soft smile. “You should’ve knocked,” She said sweetly as her waist began to grind against him once again. Adrian smirked faintly, his eyes slowly becoming hazy again. “She practically lives in this office anyway.” Another jab. 'Secretary.' That was the title everyone believed Selene held at Laurent Enterprises. Not his wife, and not his partner. And certainly not the silent investor who had unknowingly kept this company alive for years through anonymous Lunaris-backed support. Just Adrian’s painfully devoted secretary. Selene stepped further into the room anyway and said, “I need your signature.” Adrian sighed softly, as if even speaking to her exhausted him. “Now?” Chloe pressed a kiss lazily against his jaw as her movements became a little faster than before. “Maybe she misses you,” she whispered. His fingers paused typing, and his grip on her waist tightened. Selene could hear every sound between them, and she stood there enduring it. He laughed at what Chloe said, then proceeded to kiss her on the lips. Selene knew they were going to start making out any time from now, and she had to do what she came there for before they made her soul shatter any further than it already had. “There’s an important meeting tomorrow,” She said calmly, placing the folder on the desk. “These documents need approval before then.” That caught his attention briefly, “The Lunaris meeting?” “Yes.” At the mention of Lunaris Biotech, Chloe straightened slightly and glanced over at the folder. Even she knew the name. Everyone did. Lunaris Biotech had exploded into the business world five years ago and had since become almost untouchable. It was known for its mysterious ownership, advanced biotech research, and insane global influence. Every major corporation wanted a partnership with them now. Including Adrian. He leaned back slightly with Chloe still seated on his lap, “If next week goes well, Laurent Enterprises won’t need anybody’s help anymore,” He said smugly. If only he knew. Selene's fingers curled slowly beside her. Chloe smiled proudly at him like he’d already conquered the world, “You’ll secure the partnership. You always get what you want,” She said confidently. Adrian then reached for the documents impatiently and asked, “Where do I sign?” “You should read them first,” Selene said. His eyes flickered toward her lazily, and he frowned, “Why? You already handled it.” Of course she had. Just as she had always handled everything that concerned this company. It would look as if he trusted her that much, but it wasn't real. Adrian trusted Selene with paperwork because he never believed she was capable of anything dangerous. To him, she was harmless and quite predictable. Chloe took the pen from the desk and placed it between Adrian’s fingers playfully, “Sign them so your poor wife can stop glaring at me.” Selene almost glared at her at that moment, but she held back. She just needed to survive this moment. Because it would be the last. Adrian didn’t even look down before signing the final page, and Selene almost burst into tears at that second. One careless signature... and that was all it took to end five years of marriage. They were over. He slid the papers back toward her dismissively before his attention returned immediately to Chloe, and they resumed what they were doing. Like Selene no longer existed. Chloe wrapped her arms around his neck slowly, still grinding against him, probably to show Selene who he actually belonged to. Not that Selene had never known that before. “You know,” Chloe said softly, running her lips along his ear, “I really admire you, Selene.” Selene stayed silent. “I could never love someone who treated me this coldly. You’re stronger than me.” The sweetness in Chloe's voice made her jaw work, and Adrian chuckled under his breath, “She likes playing martyr,” He breathed, then captured Chloe’s lips with his. That one landed deep, because maybe he was right. Maybe Selene had spent five years sacrificing pieces of herself, hoping one day Adrian would finally look at her the way he looked at Chloe. What a stupid thing to want. “You just signed your freedom, Adrian,” She murmured as she picked up the folder and turned around to leave. “Hm?” He barely heard her. Selene didn't answer and headed for the door. They were getting more aggressive with each other now, and Chloe was beginning to moan his name loudly. They didn't give a fuck about her. Never. And Selene had thought ending this would destroy her. Instead, she felt tired. So unbelievably tired. She could smell Chloe's satisfaction in the air, thanks to her wolf. Chloe was happy to know Selene was walking away, happy that she was suffering like this, because she knew very well that Selene loved Adrian with everything she had. But Adrian had never loved her for even a second. Chloe was victorious. It must feel good to never doubt that Adrian would always pick her. And maybe that was the cruellest part. She was right. Behind Selene, Adrian suddenly spoke again, “Oh, Selene?” She paused with her hand turning the doorknob. “Make sure to clear my schedule tomorrow,” he said absentmindedly. “I’ll probably be busy.” Busy with Chloe. Like always. Selene smiled faintly to herself and muttered again, “You already are.” Then she twisted the door open and walked out of the office without looking back. Neither of them stopped her.

Even as the elevator doors closed in front of her, the silence she needed didn't come. Her advanced hearing wouldn't let her rest - that's the gift of being an Alpha's daughter.  But right now it felt like a stupid curse since Chloe's moans wouldn't stop echoing against the elevator even as it descended.  She tried her best to shut it out, hoping that would ease the pain that kept constricting her heart. Selene started at the elevator mirror instead.  Dark hair tied up in a messy bun, tired eyes, straight posture, and trembling lips.  This was not the Selene she knew from college.  She was utterly, and completely broken, to the core.  She held the divorce folder loosely with one hand, wondering if these five years ever meant a single thing to Adrian.  She already knew the answer.  This marriage had been his biggest regret. Laurent Enterprise had needed the support desperately years ago when the company was about to go bankrupt, so her uncle had stepped in to supposedly save the day by supporting Laurent with Sterling Cooperation.  How should Adrian pay him back? By marrying his niece, who is absolutely in love with him! It sounded like a dream come true then, for both sides. Till Selene realised that it was actually the worst nightmare.  Since her Father died while she was still quite young, Kingsley Sterling, her uncle, was crowned the acting Alpha of the Silvercrest Pack till she came of age. But her marriage to a human had hindered that now completely.  Back then, she was too naive and stupidly in love to realise the trap her uncle had set up for her.  The elevator dinged softly once it reached the underground parking lot, and Selene stepped out slowly. The cold evening air hit her skin immediately, carrying the faint scent of rain. Her driver was already waiting beside the black car. Benjamin Tucker looked up the second he saw her approaching, and immediately frowned. Not because she looked disheveled. Selene Laurent never looked disheveled. But because after years of driving her around, Benjamin had learned how to recognize the difference between quiet... and shattered. He quickly opened the back door for her, "Good evening, ma'am." Selene nodded faintly before slipping into the car, but the second the door shut behind her, she broke down. The tears suddenly spilled down her cheeks faster than she could stop them, and a deeper pain crashed into her heart as she tossed the folder to the other side of the car.  Her wolf hated crying. It hated weakness. But five years of pretending she was alright finally collapsed all at once inside the privacy of that car. Benjamin looked away instantly, giving her dignity instead of pity. Another reason she trusted him. "I'm sorry," She whispered hoarsely while wiping angrily at her face. "You never have to apologize for being hurt, ma'am," Benjamin replied gently. That almost made her cry harder. Selene leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes. The smell of Chloe's perfume still clung to her senses, and her enhanced hearing still remembered every sound from that office. Every laugh. Every touch. Every moan. Every humiliating little whisper. Sometimes she wished she could pull out her wolf and toss her far, far away. Her wolf growled softly beneath her skin, but didn't say anything.  Benjamin started the engine quietly, "Should I drive you home?" Home. It was laughable. Adrian's mansion had never truly been home. But still, she had things there. Her clothes, and documents. "Take me to the house first," She murmured tiredly. "I need to pack the rest of my things." "Yes, ma'am." Benjamin nodded once. The car pulled away from Laurent Enterprise while Selene stared blankly outside while city lights blurred past. Five years down the drain with a heartless family... but thankfully, it wasn't all for nothing.  Her phone suddenly buzzed beside her, and the screen lit up instantly.  ELARA. Selene felt a tiny breath of life come back to her lungs, and her lips stretched into a small smile. She was probably the only person in the world who could still make her feel remotely human after a day like this. Selene answered immediately. "You sound terrible," Elara said before Selene could even speak. "Hello to you too." Selene replied, letting out a weak laugh. "I'm serious. What happened?" Elara paused briefly, "Wait. Did that bastard do something again?" Selene looked out the drizzle-covered window quietly, "When doesn't he?" There was immediate silence on the other end, and Selene could smell the danger through the phone.  Elara Channing had many talents, and patience wasn't one of them. "I can be there in twenty minutes," Elara said coldly, "Actually no, ten. I'll kill him myself." "You'd go to prison." Selene smiled again.  "For you? Happily." That finally pulled a real laugh from Selene's chest, though it cracked painfully halfway through. Elara immediately softened, "Oh my dear," She murmured, "I really should come over," Selene pressed trembling fingers against her eyes, "No, don't...I...I.. gave him the papers," Silence followed, then Elara exclaimed, "...What?" "The divorce papers," Selene whispered. "He signed them." The car went completely quiet, and even Benjamin glanced briefly at the rearview mirror before quickly looking away again. "Wait. Adrian Laurent signed divorce papers willingly?" Elara asked carefully.  "He didn't even read them." Selene laughed bitterly. "Oh." That single word carried so much fury inside it. Selene leaned her head back against the seat, "He was with Chloe," Another silence, then Elara cursed viciously. "I'm going to set his building on fire. I need to set his building on fire, and as for that bitch...I'll first tear off that tongue of hers, then I'll..." "Please don't." "No, actually, I think this situation calls for arson, and a crazy amount of blood-spillage," Selene laughed softly again despite herself. That was Elara. Sharp-tongued, Fiercely loyal, and one of the very few people who knew Selene beyond the carefully controlled masks. "So," Elara said after a moment, her voice gentler now, "How do you feel?" Selene opened her mouth, then closed closed it again. How did she feel? She felt humiliated. Relieved. Heartbroken. Numb. Name it.  "Tired," She admitted finally. "Good." Elara said.  "...Good?"  "Yes," Elara replied firmly, "Because maybe being tired is what finally saved you from wasting another five years on him. I mean, he took everything you've done for him for fuckin granted. You were the absolute best wife in the world, and he just happened to be the biggest fool in the world," The absolute best wife... but it wasn't enough to win his heart.  Before Selene could respond again, Elara suddenly sucked in a sharp breath, "Oh...i almost forgot!!!" The sudden squeal from Elara had Selene adjusting in her seat, "What?" "You're not going to believe who contacted us thirty minutes ago." Something about Elara's tone immediately sharpened Selene's attention, "Who?" "The Blackwell brothers." Selene's entire body went still, and even her wolf stirred uneasily beneath her skin. Outside, thunder rumbled faintly across the city. "They sent an official partnership request," Elara continued excitedly, "An actual request, Selene. After ignoring Lunaris for months!" Selene's heartbeat slowed dangerously. The Blackwell brothers. Ajax, Jayden and Elliot. Three names that tasted like poison in her mouth. "What exactly do they want?" She asked quietly. "A private meeting tomorrow morning." Selene stared out the window silently while the drizzle of rainwater slid slowly down the glass. So it finally begins. "Should I be worried about how quiet you just became?" Elara asked curiously. "No." That was a lie. Elara sighed dramatically, "Well, whether you like it or not, this is huge. If Blackwell Industries partners with Lunaris, every other corporation in the country will practically start worshipping us." "They already do." "True," Elara admitted proudly. A small smile touched Selene's lips briefly before fading again.  "Hey," Elara whispered, "You're really okay?" Selene looked down at the folder resting beside her. The divorce papers were still there. Still signed. Still real. For some reason, that reality still felt strange to herz and a bitter smile touched her lips, "I think..." She said slowly, "there's only so many times someone can break before they eventually stop feeling it." Elara immediately clicked her tongue in disapproval, "Don't say things like that." "It's true." "No," Elara replied firmly, "what's true is that Adrian Laurent never deserved you, and Kingsley is a freaking snake!" Her uncle was going to get what was coming to him... eventually.  Elara sighed dramatically again, clearly trying to lighten the mood, "Well," She declared, "now that you're finally free, I fully support your villain era." "My what?" "Your villain era," Elara repeated confidently, "Dark dresses. Colder stares. Emotional damage. Financial domination. Maybe arson." Selene laughed softly again, and Benjamin smiled faintly to himself from the front seat. "You're insane." "And yet you adore me." That part was unfortunately true. Elara suddenly gasped loudly, and Selene almost thought it was another nightmarish, but good news, "Oh my God." "What now?" "You know what this means?" "I'm scared to ask." "You're technically one of the most eligible women in the country now." Selene stared blankly ahead, almost shaking her head in dismay, "Elara." She sighed.  "No, seriously! Billionaires, politicians, heirs-" "Elara." "The Blackwell brothers are literally meeting you tomorrow while you're freshly divorced. This is cinema." Selene nearly choked, "Please never say that again." Elara cackled loudly through the phone, and the sound eased something heavy inside Selene's chest. Just a little. Then Elara's tone softened one final time, "Go home and rest tonight, okay?" Home. That word again. "...I still have to go back to Adrian's house first." "To pack?" Elara asked carefully. "Yes." "Do you want me there?" The offer wrapped around Selene warmer than she expected, but she shook her head even though Elara couldn't see it, "No. I can handle it." "You shouldn't have to." Elara said softly. Maybe not. But she always had. "I'll call you later," She murmured softly. "You better," Elara warned immediately. "And Selene?" "Yes?" "If Adrian cries after realizing he signed those papers..." A small smirk touched Selene's lips, "...?" "I want pictures." Selene laughed quietly again, then she remembered something, "Elara?" "Yup?" "I need a dress for tomorrow...," Selene said, "Something that screams... Untouchable!" She felt Elara smirk on the other side, "You got it, bestie!" The call ended, and silence filled the car once more. Only this time, it didn't feel quite as suffocating. Outside, the drizzle continued falling gently against the windows while the city lights flickered endlessly beyond the glass. Selene leaned her head back against the seat and stared ahead quietly. Tomorrow, she would face the Blackwell brothers. Tomorrow, Adrian would still think she belonged to him. Tomorrow, everything would begin changing. And none of them were near-ready for what was coming.

The room reeked of sex, sweat, and dominance. Red lights covered the room, spilling against the silk black sheets of the bed that were all tangled up now, and three men lounged like Kings in the aftermath of it. The Blackwell Triplets. Ajax, the eldest leaned against his wall, his pants barely hanging to his waist. He was powerfully muscular, and tattoos curled up his arms and neck like smoke. His hair was a tousled mess, and his molten silver gaze was like steel. Jayden, the middle one, wiped blood from his lip with the back of his hand and smirked, already lighting a cigarette. And Elliot, the youngest of the triplets was sprawled lazily on the couch with his shirt hanging open, his wolfish grin daring anyone to speak first. On the bed, the woman they'd just finished with was still sprawled naked on the bed. She was a high-ranking wolf from the WinterMoon Pack and was still gasping from exhaustion and awe minutes after they were done. Her body twitched every now and then, and she could barely get on her feet. "Get up," Ajax finally said, his voice almost as powerful as his build, with a side dish of lethality, "You've had your fun," The woman blinked, still dazed, "I... Alpha Ajax, I thought-" "You thought wrong," Jayden's tone cut through her sharply. He didn't even spare her a glance and continued, "You were never here for that. You were a distraction. You came to experience what other women have been gossiping about, and you got exactly that. Nothing more," Elliot gave her a lazy smile, dark amusement in his voice like he enjoyed watching she-wolves break at their mercy, "Don't look so heartbroken, sweetheart. You'll still walk straight, eventually." She managed to stand up, picked her clothes from the floor and fled the room in silence and shame. For a long moment, only the faint sizzle of Jayden's cigarette filled the space, and of course, their brooding dominance and the tension it came with. Then the door opened again and this time, their Beta, Carter walked in He bowed in submission the moment he softly closed the door behind him. "That's all the women for today, Alphas," He stated. "You may leave," Elliott dismissed. "But there's news," He said. "What news?" Jayden half-growled. "They've agreed," He announced, "The CEO of Lunaris Biotech is coming. Tomorrow morning," Three sets of silver eyes lifted in unison. Ajax's jaw flexed, and he pushed off the wall, "The Elusive CEO...," Jayden puffed out some smoke and leaned back in his chair, "The human genius with a secret identity and a company that came out of nowhere five years ago, and has been roaring with success ever since," His tone turned sardonic, "Tell me that doesn't smell suspicious," "It doesn't matter what it smells like," Elliot said, "What matters is what they have," Carter nodded once, "Lunaris Biotech's R&D division filed a confidential patent three weeks ago. A serum coded as AX-23. Initial reports suggest it could counteract the poison you were dosed with," The room turned still, and the tension grew. Jayden stubbed out his cigarette, something dangerous flashing in his eyes, "How accurate are we talking?" "Eighty percent, maybe more. But it's experimental. And I've learnt that the CEO is not selling. At least, not publicly," Ajax's eyes darkened too, "Then we'll give this CEO a reason to," The silence stretched before Elliot chuckled like he was unbothered, "So that's why we're playing the partnership card. You think we can somehow...charm it out of them," "Charm, manipulate, dominate," Jayden's grin returned, "We'll use everything till one works," "There's something...else," Carter added hesitantly. Damian's gaze snapped at him, "Speak." "The doctor ran another analysis. The poison's evolving faster than predicted. You've got twelve days left, at most," Jayden's smirk faltered and Elliot straightened on the couch, the first flicker of tension breaking through his unbothered facade. "Unless-" Carter continued. "Unless we find our mate," Elliott finished for him, "Yeah, we know. Then it resets to thirty," He scoffed, "Great. Buy one, get fifteen days free," "We've fucked our way through half the city, and none of them even twitched the bond," Jayden said with a frown. The shift in the aura of the room was immediately and suffocating as Ajax began walking, hands buried inside his pockets, "It doesn't matter. We'll keep moving till we find her," "Assuming we live long enough to," Jayden muttered under his breath. Elliot snorted, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, "Oh, don't get soft on me now, brother. We've been through worse," "Not like this," Jayden shot back. "Not from inside our veins," Ajax stopped pacing and turned toward them, his eyes like glaciers, "We all know how it started." Carter looked uneasy, glancing between them, "The feast," he said quietly. Jayden gave a harsh humorless laugh, "Yeah. The goddamn celebration feast for our victory over the Ironclaw border dispute. A night meant to honor us," He ran a hand through his hair, "Now I can't even smell roasted venison without thinking of blood," "It wasn't the food," Elliot said, "It was the wine. The imported crimson batch from the eastern vineyards. Same one gifted to every guest," Ajax's jaw tightened with anger, "Except only ours was poisoned." The silence that followed was like the calm before a storm. Ajax leaned back against the edge of a table, voice still controlled but vibrating with threat now, "The toxin wasn't immediate. It was designed to slowly dismantling our wolf DNA while keeping us functional. To everyone else, we looked fine. Strong. Untouchable. But inside..." He gestured vaguely toward his chest, "We are Rotting," Carter shifted, then added uneasily, "The labs also confirmed the molecular base matches a venom strain that isn't related to any existing Pack. He suggested it might have hailed from..." The three brothers exchanged a look, and Jayden's eyes narrowed. "From where?" "We don't know yet," Carter admitted. "We've been tracing the source, but whoever created it covered their tracks well." "So we don't know who did it." Ajax's eyes were almost black. "Not yet." "And we don't know why." Elliot leaned back, his earlier amusement completely gone. "Then we find out." He said. Jayden nodded slowly, his fingers tightening around the cigarette between them, "Whoever made this knew exactly what they were doing." "The doctor said the poison is rapidly adapting to your immune system," Carter continued. "That kind of biochemical manipulation isn't something feral wolves do. Someone's funding this. Someone smart." "An underground genius who knows exactly how to kill Alphas. Sounds like a bedtime story," Jayden snorted. "No," Elliot said with a humourless grin, "It sounds like someone who's been studying us," "Then we study them back. We find their chemist, their labs, their allies. We burn it all down," Ajax turned toward the city lights spilling in through the tall windows, his reflection like a dark shadow against the golden lights outside. He was a bit calmer now, "But for now, we have to get that antidote from Lunaris Biotech. It won't be easy taking down an unknown enemy when we are weak," "First the cure..., then the problem," Elliott said. "And we are getting that cure...," Ajax's eyes turned crimson for a moment, "No matter what it takes,"