Chapter 19

Kyra’s POV I stood in the shadows of the pack’s photo studio, watching Chris and Sophia pose for the ADE Magazine cover shoot. Sophia was practically preening under the lights, but Chris kept glancing my way—his attention so obvious even the human staff would notice soon. ‘That creep’s staring again,’ Sylvia,growled in my mind. “His eyes haven't left you since we walked in.” “Don't say that, Sylvia. He's not that bad”.To escape his predatory stare,I stepped outside for some fresh air. In the bathroom, I touched up my lipstick with fingers. The mirror reflected my green eyes flashing with distress. Recent events have left me completely drained. The moment I finished fixing my makeup, Sophia blocked the doorway, that trademark smirk distorting her perfect face. “Goddess,I really want to punch her in her face”I thought, clenching my fists. My wolf snarled, but I forced calm. “Aww, the mighty Luna looks lonely,” Sophia purred, examining her nails in the mirror. “No Alpha to keep you company?” I met her gaze through the reflection. “No matter how much you scrub, you’ll always be the dirt beneath my boots—a homewrecker who only knows how to sniff after taken mates.Or other way, you’re still a mistress.” Her mocking smile slowly faded as her eyes sharpened because of what I said. “You b—” I smirked. “You look angry, Miss two-faced supermodel.” She gritted her teeth and was about to slap me when I pushed her. Her side bumped into the sink and she groaned in pain. ‘Good,’ Sylvia approved. “Damn you! Nathan is mine to begin with! ” Sophia spat, clutching the counter. “You were just a placeholder! He only married you because I left! Do you think you matter to him? I can even flip all your pictures in his house while he’s watching.” I arched a brow. “Funny. Why don’t you ask him why he’s still keeping our wedding rings? Maybe he’ll tell you ‘honestly’ if I don’t really matter.” Her face flushed crimson. “Because you’re a manipulative slut! Fcking them and then leaving them your personal thing so they’d get crazy over you just like how you left your lipstick to Chris. What? To remind him how your lips sucked his d-ck disgustingly?” My pulse spiked. “What?” “Oh, don’t act innocent!” She laughed, sharp and sarcastic. “Chris has been licking your lipstick like some feral pup with his first bone. Argh! It's disgusting. I feel like vomiting whenever I think about it.” My heart started racing. I couldn’t believe what she said. No! She might just be playing with me. I walked out on her to confront Chris with trembling hands and a racing heart. The parking lot stalker. The drone. Oh Moon Goddess— Then I saw him. My breath hitched when I saw Chris slumped on the lounge chair. He was rolling my lipstick between his fingers with disturbing focus, his usually charming face twisted into something ugly. The way his eyes dilated when he stared at it—too black, too hungry—sent ice down my spine. I clapped a hand over my mouth, but it was too late. His head jerked up, that predator's awareness flashing across his human features.He seemed to feel my presence and he looked my way. When he stood, my pulse roared in my ears as I turned to run out of the house. “Kyra!” Behind me, I heard the leather couch creak as he pushed off— Scenes after scenes from these days flashed before my eyes and I really wanted to scream out aloud. I couldn't believe that the man who had been stalking and spying on me had been right next to me the whole time, and I had foolishly thought of Christ as a good friend. I had to find someplace safe to hide. Some place that they could never find me. "Kyra!" Nathan's voice cut through the noise just as a car horn blared. His hand shot out and grabbed my wrist - that quick, sure grip I'd know anywhere. We went down hard, but he twisted at the last second, taking the brunt of the fall. Even human, he moved like a predator. His arms locked around me before I could hit the pavement. "You hurt?" His voice was rough, chest heaving under my cheek. That wasn't just from the fall - I could feel his pulse racing, too fast for just running. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?” he snarled, scanning me for injuries. That’s when I caught the figure of Chris a street away from us. I panicked again. "I need to leave, Nathan." I trembled even more and my eyes mirrored my fear. “Why are you running? Who are you running from? Did that bastard show up again? Where is he?” I trembled, pointing at Chris across the street. “H-He’s the stalker!” His expression darkened as he clenched his jaws, “So it's really Chris Parker? My instincts were right?” My lips parted as I frowned. “What are you talking about? What instinct?” His jaw clenched. “I’ve had wolves tracking him since he first followed you.” ‘What the hell?’ Sylvia recoiled. ‘He knew?’ “You knew?” My voice cracked. “Then, why did you accept him as our new model?” “Because I saw him following you two months ago.” “Two months ago, you’re not here!” “You think I’ll leave my mate alone without someone looking after her?” My forehead creased. What? “I asked someone to look after you, Kyra. As soon as I received a photo of my mate being followed by some creepy ex-suitor, I finished the business trip earlier.” I stared at him blankly, slowly losing to anger. “Why didn’t you tell me?” “I’m trying to find a way to ruin him completely, Kyra. Even if I put him to jail now, he can get away with it because the faction he's aligned with has both wealth and reputation.” I shook my head as tears pooled in the corner of my eyes. “You knew! You knew all this time but you didn’t do anything!" I couldn't hold my temper anymore, "Did you know how scared I was when he stalked me in the parking lot, huh? Did you know how scared I was when he…used a drone to f-film me? Did you know that I still couldn’t sleep properly at night thinking someone was watching me? Did you know? Of course you don’t because you only think about yourself!” His face paled as he looked at me with a shocked face and his voice soon turned irritated, “H-He filmed…you?”