[ADRIAN'S POV]
The Blackwood pack house felt empty when I returned to Boston.
I'd been gone three weeks, and in that time, everything had changed. Or maybe I'd finally started seeing things clearly.
"Welcome back, Alpha." Marcus met me at the door, his expression carefully neutral. "How was London?"
"She's not coming back," I said flatly, heading straight to my office.
He followed. "I could have told you that before you left."
I poured myself a whiskey, even though it was barely noon. "The contract's dissolved. She's legally free of me."
"And how do you feel about that?"
I downed the drink in one gulp. "How do you think I feel? My mate is across an ocean, probably falling for some British lawyer, and it's entirely my own fault."
"At least you're accepting responsibility now." Marcus sat down across from my desk. "That's progress."
"Progress." I laughed bitterly. "Great. I've progressed from completely toxic to merely pathetic."
"Adrian—"
"No, you were right. About all of it." I set down the glass. "I spent five years trying to control her, test her, make her prove her love. And all I did was drive her away."
The floating messages appeared:
[Character growth! Finally!]
[But wait until he finds out about Sophia...]
[The drama is just beginning]
I frowned at that second message. "What about Sophia?"
Marcus's expression darkened. "That's actually why I'm here. We have a problem."
He pulled out his tablet and showed me a series of social media posts. Sophia, wearing designer clothes I'd never seen before, at high-end restaurants, clubs, events. And in every photo, she was wearing the ring I'd stupidly given her.
"She's telling everyone she's your fiancée," Marcus said. "That you chose her over Elena at the wedding. That you're in a relationship."
My wolf snarled. "I haven't spoken to her since that night."
"I know. But she's leveraging the public humiliation into social capital. She's been invited to events, given interviews to pack media, even secured a position at Blackwood Industries."
"What?" I stood up. "Who authorized that?"
"Your father."
Of course. My father, who'd been furious about the broken alliance, would see Sophia as a way to save face. If the Alpha's son had to marry someone, at least she was beautiful and compliant.
"Get her out," I said coldly. "Out of the company, out of pack events, out of my life. And get that ring back."
"Already tried. She claims it was a gift, that you publicly declared your intention to marry her. Legally, she's right—you did give it to her in front of witnesses."
I slammed my hand on the desk, leaving a crack in the wood. "Then I'll buy it back. Name her price."
"It's not about money, Adrian. It's about status. That ring gives her legitimacy she'd never have otherwise." Marcus paused. "And your father is encouraging it. He thinks if you can't have Elena, Sophia is the next best option to maintain pack standing."
The rage building in my chest was volcanic. But underneath it was something else—shame. Because this whole mess was my creation. If I hadn't used Sophia as a pawn in my games with Elena, she wouldn't have ammunition now.
"Set up a meeting with Sophia," I said finally. "I'll handle this myself."
"Are you sure that's wise?"
"Probably not. But I'm done letting other people fight my battles."
After Marcus left, I sat alone in my office, staring at the crack I'd put in my desk. My therapist's words echoed in my mind: Control is just fear wearing a different mask.
I was afraid. Afraid of losing Elena permanently, afraid of facing my own failures, afraid of becoming someone different than the Alpha I'd been raised to be.
But fear wasn't an excuse anymore.
I pulled out my phone and called the one person I'd been avoiding.
"Adrian." My father's voice was cold. "Back from your pathetic chase, I see."
"We need to talk about Sophia Chen."
"What about her? She's a fine match—beautiful, compliant, grateful for the opportunity."
"I'm not marrying her, Father."
"You gave her a ring in front of three hundred witnesses! You humiliated the Sterling family and destroyed a critical alliance. The least you can do is follow through with—"
"No." The word came out with Alpha command, making my father pause. "I made a mistake. I'm not compounding it by marrying someone I don't love."
"Love." He spat the word like a curse. "Love is for weaklings. Alphas marry for power, for alliances, for pack strength."
"Then maybe I don't want to be that kind of Alpha."
Silence on the other end. Then: "You're my son. You'll do what's best for this pack."
"I am your son. But I'm also my own man. And I'm done living by your rules." I took a breath. "Elena walked away from me because I treated her the way you taught me to treat a mate. Like property. Like a chess piece. And I lost the best thing that ever happened to me because of it."
"The Sterling girl was always too independent. Too strong-willed. She would have challenged you at every turn—"
"That's exactly what I needed! Someone strong enough to call me on my bullshit, to make me be better." I stood up, pacing. "I don't know if I can ever get her back. But I'm going to try. And step one is cleaning up the mess I made."
"If you reject Sophia now, you'll look even worse."
"I'll look honest. Like someone who made a terrible mistake and is trying to fix it." I headed for the door. "Fire Sophia from Blackwood Industries. If you won't, I will."
"You can't just—"
I hung up.
The floating messages appeared again:
[Oh snap! He's finally standing up to daddy!]
[Character development unlocked: Backbone]
[But Sophia isn't going to go quietly...]
They were right about that last part. When I arrived at Blackwood Industries an hour later, Sophia was waiting in my office.
"Adrian!" She stood up, all smiles. "I heard you were back. How was London?"
"Cut the act, Sophia. We both know why you're here."
Her smile faltered slightly. "I work here. Your father gave me a position in—"
"A position you're about to lose." I walked past her to my desk. "You need to stop telling people we're engaged."
"But you gave me a ring. In front of everyone."
"As part of a stupid, cruel game that backfired. We are not engaged. We never will be."
She stepped closer, her voice dropping to something sultry. "Are you sure? I could be good for you, Adrian. I wouldn't challenge you like Elena did. I'd support you, follow your lead—"
"That's exactly why it would never work." I looked at her directly. "I don't want someone who'll just follow my lead. I want a partner. An equal. Someone who'll call me out when I'm being an idiot."
"Elena left you," Sophia pointed out, her sweetness curdling into bitterness. "She doesn't want you. But I do. I've always wanted you."
"You want what I represent. The status, the power, the lifestyle." I pulled out a checkbook. "Name your price for the ring. Whatever you want. But this ends today."
Her eyes narrowed. "You think you can just pay me off? After you humiliated me too?"
"I humiliated you?"
"You used me! Dangled me in front of Elena like bait, then tossed me aside when your little plan didn't work." She crossed her arms. "I'm not giving back the ring. And I'm not leaving this company. If you try to force me out, I'll sue for breach of contract and public humiliation."
I'd underestimated her. She wasn't just opportunistic—she was smart enough to have thought this through.
"What do you want?" I asked quietly.
"An official statement that we're in a relationship. Six months of public appearances together. After that, we can have an 'amicable breakup' and I keep the ring." She smiled. "That's fair, don't you think? You get to save face, I get legitimacy, everyone wins."
"Except Elena."
"Elena made her choice. She's in England with her new lawyer boyfriend, probably laughing about how she dodged a bullet." Sophia's voice turned sharp. "You really think she's coming back? That she'll forgive you? She's moved on, Adrian. Maybe you should too."
The words hit harder than they should have. Because I'd felt it—the bond growing fainter as Elena moved further away, emotionally if not physically. My wolf howled in protest, but I knew Sophia might be right.
Maybe Elena was never coming back.
Maybe I needed to accept that and move forward.
But every cell in my body rejected the idea. Elena was my mate. That meant something, even if I'd squandered it.
"No deal," I said finally. "You have until end of business today to clear out your desk. Security will escort you out if necessary. As for the ring—keep it. Consider it payment for the role you played in my stupidity."
"You're making a mistake."
"I've made a lot of those lately. One more won't kill me." I sat down at my desk. "Goodbye, Sophia."
She stared at me for a long moment, then grabbed her purse. "You're going to regret this. Elena isn't coming back, and when you finally accept that, don't come crawling to me."
After she left, I sat in the silence of my office and wondered if she was right.