Nathan:

I didn’t even remember her name.

Mia? Something like that… I think.

She had said it once, I believe. It was to introduce herself.

But she didn’t even matter to me for me to think about remembering who she was.

She knew what it was, a one-night stand, nothing more. I paid her to make sure the lines didn’t blur. Clean exit. No awkward text the next morning. No fake promises. Plus, it would save her the fuss of whatever horrible situation she was living through. I mean, if she believed that the life she was living was considered a life… well, she was wrong.

But this wasn’t personal.

It was a simple release… for the two of us to say the least.

But the faster she realized it, the easier the outcome was going to be. Whether or not she liked it didn’t really concern me at this point. I was just thankful for the way out. And she was satisfied as much as I was. I didn’t choose to satisfy myself alone.

The city was quiet when I pulled into the garage, the hum of the car echoing against the concrete. I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling long and slow. The scent still lingered faintly on my shirt, her. Sweet, smoky… desperate.

Tania was going to smell it. But I couldn’t care less. She never bothered with it anyway. She was used to it by now. At least, that was what I told myself. Plus, it is not like the two of us were anything more than a man and wife on paper. A mutual benefit for the two families, and a mutual alliance… one that she was gaining more from than I was.

I walked into the apartment like nothing happened. Lights dimmed. The sound of heels on hardwood. She was standing at the kitchen island, arms crossed, red wine in hand, waiting.

“Nathan,” she said, clipped. “You are late. One would have, at least, expected a call to tell me that you were safe. You know, it is the subtle thing to do given the fact that I am your Luna. And I am not around the pack to at least entertain myself with the others.”

“You’re still up.” I tossed my keys in the dish and didn’t bother to look at her, ignoring her remark completely. “I expected you to have been asleep. I didn’t think that you would be staying up to wait for me.”

“I am your Luna, Nathan. I would wait for you to come home because it is the right thing to do. It is not some leverage aspect that you think that I can just ignore.” She said, crossing her arms over her chest. “And I was alone, which does not seem to bother you.”

“You could have gone out if you needed entertainment, waiting for me wasn’t a must. And it is not like you didn’t know that I was going to be late.” I said calmly, knowing well that she would be starting an argument.

“I got worried about you.” She said coldly. “I do believe that I have the right to be, and I wasn’t going to go out on my own, in a place that I do not know.”

“You shouldn’t have. It is not the first time that I was late out, nor is it going to be the last.” I said taking a step away from her, wanting to get away from this conversation all together. “And if you are so worried about being alone, by all means, you can always go back to the pack.”

She didn’t move, but the sigh that slipped her mouth and her pinching the bridge of her nose told me that she understood that this conversation wasn’t going anywhere that she liked. “It’s two in the morning. Do you really find it difficult to remember that you have someone waiting for you at home?”

I shrugged out of my coat. “Relax. You need to fuss about something that I am often doing.”

“No,” she muttered, almost under her breath. “You are often coming home smelling like another woman too, aren’t you?”

I stilled.

The silence stretched.

“What?” I said slowly, voice flat.

She turned away, rinsing her glass. “Forget it. You have to go and get some rest, you have work to do in the morning. Weekend or not, you have made it a habit to work, daily, and late into the night too. It is like my presence doesn’t matter. At this point, I am actually wondering why you chose to have me come with you when I could have been at home.”

“You can always leave if you want. No one is stopping you.” I said, making her frown.

“Of course, I can. It is not like you are going to care.” She said, giving me a cold smile.

No. She wanted me to hear it. That’s why she said it.

But I didn’t rise to the bait. I didn’t feel guilty. I didn’t explain. Because whatever Tania thought we had, whatever label she tried to cling to, it was never love.

It was convenience.

She was polished. Presentable. The Luna the pack expected.

And I as an Alpha had my own mental state with her, she knew to keep it without a fuss.

But she wasn’t fire. She wasn’t temptation. She wasn’t the girl from last night who clawed at my shoulders and looked at me like she hated how much she wanted me, who looked at me like I was the one thing that she could have gotten lost into.

She wasn’t my mate.

And that, somehow, pissed me off more than it should have.

“Would you, at least, get something to eat? I had the maids prepare something for you for dinner.” She said, crossing her arms over her chest as she saw that I didn’t bother replying.

“I’m taking a shower, the food can stay in the fridge, there is no need to reheat it.” I said coolly.

“You have to make it a habit to eat.”

“I do.” I said, making her pinch the bridge of her nose. “You can go to sleep. Rest assured, I am not going out until morning.”

No apology.

No lie.

Just truth, the way I always gave it.

She didn’t say a word as I walked down the hall.

And I didn’t look back.

Mia:

“Well, good morning.” Brenda said, seeing how I was still fumbling about in the kitchen as I proceeded with doing things that I should have gotten used to doing by now.

“Good morning, Brenda. And if you are here to remind me that I am late, I am already aware.” I muttered.

The morning light filtered through the cracked blinds, catching dust motes in the air as I scrambled to button my blouse with one hand and juggle a half-eaten piece of toast with the other.

Rosalyn was already whining about the juice box I forgot to pack. “Mommy!”

“Just give mommy five more seconds, baby,” I pleaded, spinning around in the cramped apartment as if I could magically make time stretch. I caught my reflection in the hallway mirror, tired eyes, loose ponytail, stress clinging to every line of my face, and grimaced. “I’ll get everything that you need. But mommy needs you to give her a moment.”

So much for “glowing young mother.” I couldn’t even explain a small situation to my child.

“Juice, Mommy! I want juice please!” Rose demanded again, louder this time, tapping her foot like a tiny tyrant in pink overalls. My wolf growled low in my chest, frustrated, not at her, just at everything else that’s been trying to break me.

Brenda leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. She was already dressed for her own shift, but her gaze screamed one thing: judgment.

“I’m just saying,” she began, again, “you could’ve gotten something out of him. It would have helped you out, Mia. You don’t have to handle all of this on your own. And right now, it is very clear that you are not in the best shape to argue, Mia.”

I snapped the lunchbox shut. “We’re not having this conversation again, Brenda. We have been through this a hundred times, and I have no intention in having to deal with it again. And I have no intention in handling another headache this early in the morning. I already have enough on my mind.”

Brenda pushed off the wall, not backing down. “Mia, you’ve been scraping together three jobs, living like a ghost, and for what? Because of some werewolf pride? You let that man walk out on you after paying for…”

“Don’t.” I cut her off, sharply. “This isn’t about pride. This is about survival. He got what he wanted, and he believed that it was going to be a way out. He claimed that he wanted an easy exit.”

“Well, it takes two to create life, and he does not get an easy exit after contributing in making that life.” She said, making me frown.

“I made my choice, Brenda. And I am not going back from it.” I snapped, glaring at her before she could say another word.

“Mia…”

“I told you before…” I said, turning to face her so she could see my anger. “I’m not dragging my daughter into that world. Into his world. He chose his way, and I am not going to push her into a world like that one. She does not deserve that.”

Her jaw clenched, but she backed off, eyeing Rosalyn, who was now twirling with her backpack straps.

“She deserves a mother who can actually look at her without growing frustrated because she forgot the juice box, again.” She said, making me frown. “I know that this is hard for you to accept, but she doesn’t even know who he is,” Brenda said, softer now. “And he doesn’t know she exists. He could actually want to know that he has a daughter. Mind you, it would actually help you.”

“And that’s how it’s going to stay.” I snapped without truly intending to. “He paid to get an easy cut. And you know that he wouldn’t have wanted to hear about anything. He might have even asked for me to get it done with before it even happened. I wasn’t going to allow him to make that decision for me.”

If the Lockwoods ever found out about her... about me... and if he found out about her…

Brenda sighed, walking over to grab Rose’s hand. “I’ll pick her up from daycare today, don’t worry about fussing yourself about leaving early. You’ve got your interview, right?”

“Yeah.” I nodded, snatching my bag and smoothing my top, even though the fabric was already wrinkled. “I need this job. And I am going to get it.”

“You say that about every job.”

“No,” I said, meeting her gaze. “This one’s different. I feel it.”

Brenda gave me a once-over, then her lips curved before her eyes hardened as she looked at Rosalyn. “You’d better, because you’re running on fumes and caffeine. And if this proceeds, you are going to end up losing a lot more than you are going to be able to afford.”

Before I could reply, my phone vibrated with a notification. Another news headline. Another photo of him holding one of his children in his arms, his woman at his side…

Nathan Lockwood and wife spotted at charity gala… and with them attended their little twins… Arina and Jacob, seen for the first time since birth at two years old.

My stomach turned.

There he was. In a tailored suit. Smiling for the cameras like he didn’t have blood on his hands or a past that meant anything. Like I didn’t exist. A mate that he chose to simply ignore and rather than reject, he couldn’t care less.

Like she didn’t exist.

I turned the screen off.

“I’m fine,” I said before Brenda could ask. “I am going to go and get ready…”

Brenda kissed Rosalyn’s forehead, then gave me a look I’d come to know too well. You’re lying, but I won’t push. “Come on, little pup… let’s get you to your daycare before you’re late.”

“Bye, mama!” Rosalyn said excitedly.

“Bye, baby.” I said, smiling at my daughter. “Have a beautiful day, okay? And don’t give your teachers or Auntie Brenda a hard time today.”

“Break a leg, Mia.” Brenda said, nodding at me, her eyes meeting mine as she studied my expression, knowing well that I was trying to hide my pain. “And be sure to give me an update when you’re done.”

“Thanks.” I whispered, watching as they walked out.

I watched from the window as she walked Rosalyn out to the car, Rose bouncing along beside her with all the joy and trust of a child who didn’t know the world had already tried to break her mother.

And I wasn’t going to let it win.

Not now. Not after everything…

Mia:

“And you are?” The security asked by the door as he noticed me walking in.

“I have an appointment, a job interview.” I said, showing him the email that confirmed my date. He looked down at me for a second, like I was some sort of outsider, before taking a step back, allowing me to walk past him.

“Third elevator, nineteenth floor.” He said, and I nodded, following his direction.

But the moment I stepped into the building, something felt… off.

I couldn’t explain it, but I could tell that my instincts were telling me to run.

My wolf stirred uneasily beneath my skin, pacing, restless, like it sensed something before I did, and I frowned in confusion as I tightened my grip on my bag and forced myself to keep walking.

“You’re overthinking,” I muttered under my breath. “It’s just an interview. You are going to get through it just like the others. Whatever the results are, you are going to be able to get through it.”

I walked deeper into the building, feeling smaller than I had as I looked around the room where I knew that I was being watched.

“But it is a very important interview.” I muttered to myself as I forced myself to keep my eyes down, avoiding everyone’s eyes as I knew that they were looking at me. “It is going to change your world, and you are going to be able to give Rosalyn the life that she deserves.”

The lobby was polished, pristine, glass, marble, and power. The kind of place where people like me didn’t belong. But I walked anyway. Head high. Shoulders back. I wasn’t going to backout.

“Hi,” I said, looking at the receptionist who raised an eyebrow when she saw mw approaching. “I have a job interview with Mr. Mathew.”

“Your name?” The receptionist asked, eyeing me up and down as if I was some kind of pest.

“Mia… Mia Romanov.” I said, looking down at my feet for a second before I met her gaze. “This is the email to confirm.”

“Take a seat. I will give you a call when it is your turn.” She said, and I nodded before walking to sit in the waiting area.

I folded my arms over my lap as I waited, my heart racing with each passing moment as it went.

Five minutes passed.

Then ten.

The unease didn’t go away. If anything, it got worse, and for a moment, I truly debated on whether or not I should be leaving.

“Maybe this was a bad idea anyway…” I said, wanting to get up before the receptionist approached me.

“I apologize, Ms. Romanov, there has been a problem with your schedule. We are going to need to reschedule.” She said, looking me in the eye as she stood in front of me. “Something has come up,”

“Reschedule?” I repeated, forcing a calm I didn’t feel. And though I wanted to debate leaving, the fact that it was turning into something that I didn’t expect didn’t fail to break my moral. “I confirmed this yesterday. And I was told that my interview was going to be set today. I don’t understand? Did something happen? Or did someone else get the job?”

“I cannot disclose such details,” she said, not sounding like she did at all. “But something urgent came up. I truly do apologize. But we are going to call you to reschedule your interview in the next available slot.”

I nodded stiffly, swallowing the frustration clawing its way up my throat. “Very well.”

I turned before she could see how much that answer crushed me. Another job. Another chance slipping through my fingers.

“Different this time,” I had said. “You are going to be able to manage it this time. Things are going to be easier for you this time.”

Well, all that was bullshit…

I pushed through the glass doors, already reaching for my phone to call Brenda, to tell her I’d be home earlier than expected and then I stopped.

Because I walked straight into him.

The impact was solid, firm. My breath caught as I stumbled back a step, my hand instinctively shooting out to steady myself, only to meet something warm. Strong.

Familiar.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean…” I started automatically.

Then I looked up.

And the world… stopped.

Nathan Lockwood.

It has been four years, but I would know him anywhere.

The same sharp jaw. The same cold, calculating eyes. The same presence that swallowed the space around him like he owned it, like he owned everything.

Like he owned me.

My heart slammed against my ribs so hard it hurt.

His eyes met mine.

And for a second, just one, there was nothing there. No recognition. No memory. Just a stranger looking at another stranger.

Relief hit me first. And I took a deep breath as I allowed myself to ease my way and mind in a world that I didn’t like. A world that I knew that I shouldn’t be in.

He let me leave, taking a step back. “I am sorry…” I said, more firmly this time, forcing my composure.

He didn’t remember.

Then again, why would he? It was just another night to him… one that he paid for.

I walked past him, forcing myself not to look back at the man who was frowning as if he was trying to remember who I was before he said the one word that I didn’t want to hear coming from his lips…

My name…

“Mia.”