Elle
The holographic image of Alpha Beck Rune lingered in the air for several long seconds after he spoke, his amber eyes locked on mine with an intensity that made the air feel thinner. "Interesting… I want to meet this wolfless Luna personally."
Then the projection flickered and vanished, leaving only the faint scent of ozone and the heavy silence of Lena's apartment.
I sat frozen on the couch, my heart hammering against my bruised ribs. The pain in my hip flared with every shallow breath, a hot, grinding ache that reminded me exactly how fragile my body had become.
Luna Decay was not gentle. It gnawed at me from the inside, turning every movement into a reminder that time was running out. But the real pain right now was sharper and more confusing. Beck Rune — the Alpha who could crush careers with a single word, had just looked at me like I was something worth his full attention.
Lena stood in the kitchen doorway, arms crossed tight over her chest. Her face was pale. "Elle, you cannot go. Beck Rune is dangerous. Charming on the surface, but he plays games no one else understands. He built Rune Dynamics from the ashes of his father's murder. He doesn't offer protection for free. There's always a price."
I rubbed my temples, trying to ease the dull headache that had settled behind my eyes. "He said he wants a conversation. That's all."
Lena laughed, but there was no humor in it. "With Beck, a conversation is never just a conversation. He sees patterns others miss. If he's interested in you, it's because he thinks you can be useful. Or because you intrigue him. Either way, it's risky."
I knew she was right. But the Council's threat still burned in my mind. The way they had spoken about taking Kai away. The way Glen had stormed out after refusing to sign the papers. I was running out of safe choices.
"I have to go," I said quietly. "If there's even a small chance he can help me reach the Lower City, I need to hear it."
Lena watched me for a long moment, then sighed. "Then I'm coming with you. At least to the lobby. And if anything feels wrong, we leave. Promise me."
"I promise."
The next afternoon, a sleek black car with tinted windows arrived outside Lena's building. No driver stepped out. The door simply opened on its own, inviting me inside. Lena rode with me in silence, her hand gripping mine tightly the entire way to Rune Tower.
The tower itself rose like a blade of glass and steel, cutting into the Upper City sky. Security was invisible but absolute. We were scanned at the entrance and escorted to a private elevator that rose smoothly to the top floors without stopping. When the doors opened, we stepped into a spacious reception area with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the entire city.
A tall, elegant assistant greeted us with a polite smile. "Alpha Rune is expecting you, Miss Bellarie. Your friend may wait here."
Lena squeezed my hand one last time. "Be careful."
I followed the assistant down a wide corridor lined with holographic displays showing real-time defense contracts and neural network schematics. My hip ached with every step, a constant, grinding reminder of how weak my body had grown. Each breath pulled at the deep tear in my chest where Luna Decay continued its slow work. I felt exhausted, raw, and painfully aware of how small I must look in this world of power and wealth.
The assistant opened a set of double doors. "Alpha Rune will see you now."
The office was vast, minimalist, and commanding. Beck Rune stood near the windows, hands in his pockets, looking out at the city he helped control. He turned as I entered, and the full force of his presence hit me.
He was strikingly handsome in a way that felt almost unfair. Tall and broad-shouldered, with sharp, defined features that spoke of both strength and intellect. Dark hair swept back with effortless style, a few strands falling across his forehead. His amber eyes were bright and piercing, carrying the kind of intensity that made you feel seen in a way most people never managed. A faint scar ran along his left jawline, adding a rugged edge to his polished appearance. His voice, when he spoke, was smooth and rich, carrying natural authority wrapped in quiet amusement.
"Michelle Bellarie," he said, stepping forward. "Or do you prefer Elle? Thank you for coming."
He gestured to a comfortable seating area near the windows. I sat carefully, trying not to wince as pain shot through my hip. Beck noticed anyway. His gaze flicked down for half a second before returning to my face.
"You're in pain," he observed, not as a question. "Luna Decay. Advanced stage. And yet you stood up to the Council representatives yesterday and exposed their corruption with nothing but your mind. Impressive."
I swallowed hard. The casual way he mentioned my illness made my stomach twist. "How do you know about that?"
Beck smiled, a small, roguish curve of his lips. "I make it my business to know things. Especially when a wolfless human suddenly starts hacking Council tablets and broadcasting private mindlinks in public. You've caused quite the stir."
He leaned back in his chair, studying me openly. "I've always found your hidden intelligence intriguing, Elle. Most people see a quiet housewife. I saw someone who earned a full scholarship in the Lower City before Glen pulled you into this world. Someone who buried her own brilliance to keep a secret marriage alive. That kind of strength is rare."
The words should have felt flattering. Instead, they made the ache in my chest sharper. He saw what I had sacrificed. He saw it clearly. And it hurt to have someone acknowledge it so easily when Glen never had.
"Why am I here?" I asked, my voice quieter than I wanted.
Beck leaned forward, elbows on his knees. His amber eyes held mine without flinching. "Because I can offer you something Glen never will. Protection. A public position in my pack. A real place where your intelligence and your… unique abilities would be valued instead of hidden. Leave him. Come work with me. I can make sure the Council cannot touch you or your son. I can get you access to the best hybrid treatments in the Lower City without the usual barriers."
The offer hung between us, tempting and dangerous. Protection. Safety. A chance to survive. For a moment, the pain in my body eased just a fraction as hope flickered. But it was quickly drowned by a wave of conflicting emotions. Part of me still ached for Glen. The man I had loved so completely. The father of my child. The one whose touch used to make me feel safe. Yet another part of me, the part that had been slowly waking up, knew I could never go back to being second choice.
Before I could answer, the doors to the office burst open.
Glen stormed in, fury etched across every line of his face. His tactical shirt was rumpled, his eyes blazing. Two security personnel tried to follow him, but Beck raised a hand and they stopped at the threshold.
"Rune," Glen growled, voice thick with rage. "What the hell do you think you're doing? She is my mate."
Beck rose slowly, his expression calm but his posture radiating power. The contrast between the two men was striking. Glen was all raw strength and battle scars. Beck was calculated charm and dangerous intellect.
"Delta White," Beck said smoothly, his rich voice carrying a hint of amusement. "I invited Elle for a conversation. Last I checked, she is still a free person. Or has the Council decided to strip humans of even that basic right?"
Glen's hands clenched into fists. "Stay out of my marriage. This is none of your concern."
"It became my concern when she publicly exposed corruption and awakened something the old texts only whispered about," Beck replied. His amber eyes flicked to me for a moment, intense and curious. "She's more than you ever gave her credit for, Glen. And she deserves better than being hidden away like a shameful secret."
The words landed hard. I felt them deep in my chest, a fresh tear in the already wounded place where my love for Glen still lingered. I still felt something for him. The memory of his rare gentle touches, the way he used to pull me close after long days. But I was no longer willing to be his second choice. His secret. His convenience.
Glen turned to me, his voice rough with frustration and something that almost sounded like pain. "Elle, come home. We can fix this. Kai needs you. I… we can work through it."
I looked at him, really looked. The man I had loved was standing there, asking me to return to the same cage. The pain was visceral, a deep, ripping sensation that made my breath hitch. Tears stung my eyes, but I held them back.
"I'm not coming back," I said softly. "Not like this. Not as your secret. Not as someone you can replace when it's convenient."
Glen's face twisted. Anger. Confusion. A flash of something that might have been regret. He opened his mouth to argue, but Beck spoke first.
"She has made her choice clear, Delta. Perhaps it's time you respected it."
The two powerful men stared at each other across the room. Glen, the battle-hardened warrior. Beck, the strategic Alpha who had rebuilt an empire from blood and innovation. The air crackled with tension. This was the first direct clash between them, and it was over me.
Glen took a step toward me, but stopped when I shook my head. The pain in my chest was almost unbearable now, a raw, tearing ache that made it hard to breathe. I still loved parts of him. The protector who had once saved me in the slums. The father of my son. But I could not keep sacrificing myself for someone who had never truly chosen me in public.
"I need time," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Please, Glen. Just… give me time."
He looked at me for a long moment, jaw tight, eyes conflicted. Then he turned and left without another word, the door closing behind him with a heavy thud.
Beck watched him go, then turned back to me. His expression had softened slightly. "You handled that with more grace than most would. If you ever need protection or a real conversation, my door is open. No strings attached today. But the offer stands."
I nodded, too exhausted and overwhelmed to say more. My emotions were chaotic, swirling between lingering love for Glen, gratitude for Beck's unexpected respect, and the deep, bone-weary pain of everything I had lost.
I left Beck's tower on unsteady legs, Lena waiting for me in the lobby. The pain in my hip flared with every step. My chest felt like it had been hollowed out and filled with broken glass. I was still processing the clash between the two men, the way Beck had looked at me with genuine interest, and the way Glen had walked away again.
As we crossed the gleaming lobby, a man stepped out from behind a marble pillar. He was tall and lean, with calm, intelligent eyes and dark hair that fell slightly over his forehead. He moved with quiet confidence, dressed in a simple but expensive suit.
He leaned in close as he passed me, his voice low and urgent.
"Your System signature is unlike anything I've ever seen. We need to talk."
"And…who are you now?" I asked confused.
He smile and gave me an handshake. "Peter Page. The mysterious tech executive."
My heart stuttered. The pain in my chest mixed with a new wave of wary tension as his words sank in. Another powerful man had noticed me. Another offer. Another complication.
I had no idea if I was strong enough to navigate any of it.