Chapter 7
Just as I was about to pull up Nan’s contact, a message appeared.
I frowned when I saw Ethan’s name flash across the screen. With a sigh, I read the words he sent.
Ethan: How dare you leave with another man! You truly are a slut!!
My stomach twisted as I opened the message.
Ethan: You’ll spread your legs for anyone for money. Have you always been this shameless?
Ethan: Maybe if I had given you money, you would’ve spread your legs for me in the two years I wasted on you.
I flinched. Two years he’s wasted on me?
My wolf whimpered at his cruelty. Tears welled in my eyes as I sank onto my bed.
Then, another message popped up.
Ethan: He’s never going to care for you like I do. He hasn’t had a serious relationship in twenty years. You could never be anything to him besides a desperate slut. When you come to your senses, I’ll be here, waiting. Your father could be out of jail tomorrow if you take me up on my offer.
I pressed my lips together as silent tears slipped down my cheeks. I was seconds away from throwing my phone when a new message appeared—this one not from Ethan.
Nan: Are you okay? You left so suddenly.
Me: Sorry, I don’t think I can do this job anymore. It’s too much, and I feel gross. I hope you aren’t mad.
Nan: I’m not mad. I figured you wouldn’t want to keep working here after tonight. You’re better than this place. Did you leave with Ethan?
Me: No. I got a ride with someone else.
I hesitated. Should I tell her that Gavin was the one who dropped me off?
Nan: Who?
I started typing, not wanting to lie to her, but before I could answer, another message came through.
Nan: Tell me later, we just got a huge rush of people.
I sighed and typed a quick response.
Me: Okay, talk soon.
Tossing my phone to the foot of my bed, I rested my head on my pillow. I already knew—it was going to be another restless night.
Third-Person POV
Ethan stood frozen, watching as the car disappeared down the road.
Gavin Landry.
Irene’s father. The man Ethan desperately wanted to impress. And yet, Judy—his mate—had just gotten into Gavin’s car and driven off with him.
“Did that just happen?” one of Ethan’s friends asked, just as stunned. None of them had believed Judy’s claims about being involved with Ethan’s future father-in-law, but her casual departure with him was undeniable proof.
This wasn’t supposed to happen.
Judy was supposed to take Ethan up on his offer. That was the entire point of his plan.
He knew that once he married Irene, he would lose Judy forever. The only way to keep her close was to blackmail her—with the one thing she cared about most. Her family.
Bankrupting her father’s company had been easy with his connections. The Redmoon pack was well-known, and now that Ethan was poised to become its next Alpha, his influence was even stronger.
He had expected Judy to jump at the chance to save her family. But she was stubborn.
Finding out she worked at that restaurant had given him the perfect opportunity to break her. He had even brought his friends along to intimidate her. Yet, none of it had gone according to plan.
Jaw clenched, Ethan pulled out his phone.
“Cut off all of Judy Montague’s job opportunities. I don’t want her working anywhere around here,” he ordered.
The man on the other end hesitated. “Are you sure? Miss Montague has several applications in town. They’re good positions—her applications are flawless.”
“Get rid of them all,” Ethan snapped. “She isn’t to be hired. Understood?”
“But—”
“I’ll pull my family’s sponsorship from your business and ruin you if you don’t do as I say.”
Silence. Then, finally, a reluctant, “Yes, sir.”
The call ended, and a slow smile crept onto Ethan’s lips.
It wouldn’t be long now.
Soon, Judy would be desperate enough to crawl into his bed, begging to be his mistress.
Meanwhile, as Beta Taylor drove away from Judy’s house, he glanced at Gavin through the rearview mirror. His Alpha was staring out the window, his expression unreadable but tense.
He had been silent since dropping Judy off.
Taylor hadn’t missed Gavin’s reaction earlier. The moment they had seen Judy arguing with Ethan outside the restaurant, Gavin had immediately ordered him to stop the car.
A strange reaction for someone who claimed not to care about the girl.
Taylor smirked. “Why don’t you pursue her?”
Gavin turned, brows furrowed. “What?”
“I see the way you look at her, Alpha,” Taylor said, his tone amused. “You’re clearly more interested in her than you’ve been with anyone else.”
His smirk widened.
“So why not go after her?”
