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Chapter 7

The city streets were nearly empty as Bella Moonshadow slipped out of her apartment in the early hours of the morning. The air was cold, carrying a biting chill that crept through her coat. She pulled her hood up, keeping her head low as she walked quickly through the quiet alleys toward the bus stop. It had been three years since her life had fallen apart, but the ghosts of her past still followed her, refusing to let her go.

Once, Bella had been the Luna of the Crescent Moon pack. She had been married to Alpha Xavier, a man she had loved deeply. But love hadn’t been enough to save her from betrayal. Her younger sister, Samantha, had driven a wedge between them. Samantha, always cunning and ambitious, had claimed she was pregnant with Xavier’s child. Bella had confronted her sister in a moment of fury, and the argument had escalated.

That day, Samantha had accused Bella of being barren, of being unfit to stand by Xavier’s side. Bella had lashed out, slapping her sister, but the slap had led to a terrible accident. Samantha had fallen, and the miscarriage that followed had left a stain on Bella’s life she couldn’t erase.

Even worse, Xavier hadn’t believed Bella when she tried to tell him the truth. His mother, Elinor, had sided with Samantha, accusing Bella of being jealous and incapable of bearing children. Elinor’s words had been cruel, cutting her down at every chance. And when Xavier had handed Bella the divorce papers, his expression cold and distant, she had known there was no place for her in the Crescent Moon pack anymore.

Now, three years later, Bella had rebuilt a small, quiet life for herself in South City. She worked as an assistant to Alpha Carl Trevor, the leader of the South City pack. Alpha Carl was nothing like Xavier. He was charming and flirtatious, but his charm often masked his sharp tongue and ruthless nature. Bella had quickly learned to stay out of his way as much as possible.

The morning sun was just beginning to rise when Bella arrived at her workplace, a modest office building that housed the South City pack’s operations. She unlocked the door and stepped inside, relishing the silence before the rest of the staff arrived. The office was her sanctuary, a place where she could focus on her work and forget about the past.

After setting her bag down, Bella made herself a cup of tea and began tidying up the desks. It was a habit she had developed in her first week of working for Alpha Carl. He hated disorder, and she had learned to keep everything in its place to avoid his wrath.

By the time Alpha Carl and his aide, Lucas, arrived, Bella was already at her desk, typing away on her computer. Carl stopped in the doorway, a smirk playing on his lips. "Well, well," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Bella Moonshadow, the early bird. Do you think showing up early will earn you a bonus? Because it won’t."

Bella didn’t look up from her screen. She had grown used to his jabs and learned to let them roll off her back. "Good morning, Alpha Carl," she said simply, keeping her tone neutral.

Carl chuckled and walked past her desk, motioning for Lucas to follow. Lucas, however, lingered for a moment, giving Bella a small, apologetic smile.

Once they were in Carl’s office, Bella let out a quiet sigh of relief. She had managed to avoid another confrontation, at least for now.

Later that morning, as Bella was organizing files, she overheard Lucas trying to change the subject from Carl’s usual complaints. "Alpha Carl," Lucas said casually, "have you heard about Alpha Xavier’s engagement? They’re saying it’s going to be the biggest event of the year. What should we send as a gift?"

Bella froze, her hands tightening around the stack of papers she held. The mention of Xavier’s name sent a jolt through her chest. She hadn’t heard anything about him in years.

Carl leaned back in his chair, raising an eyebrow. "Engagement, huh?" he said with mild interest. "I suppose it was only a matter of time. Xavier always did enjoy keeping up appearances."

Bella’s heart raced as she stood outside the office, her mind spinning. Xavier was engaged? To whom? She tried to push the thought away, but it lingered, clawing at the edges of her mind.

That evening, as Bella made her way home, she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She glanced over her shoulder, but the streets were quiet, with no one in sight. Shaking her head, she dismissed the thought as paranoia.

Unbeknownst to her, a sleek black car was parked in the shadows, its engine idling softly. Inside, Alpha Xavier sat in the driver’s seat, his piercing eyes fixed on her. He hadn’t planned on coming to South City, but when he’d heard Bella was here, he couldn’t resist.

She had changed, he thought as he watched her disappear into her apartment building. Her once-bright eyes were clouded with exhaustion, and there was a heaviness in her step that hadn’t been there before. Yet, despite everything, she still carried herself with quiet strength.

Xavier leaned back in his seat, his jaw tightening. He hadn’t expected to feel anything when he saw her again. He had convinced himself that she was a part of his past, a chapter he had closed long ago. But now, sitting in the darkness, he realized that Bella Moonshadow still had a hold on him.

As he drove away, he made a silent vow. He would find out why she was here, in South City, living a life so far removed from the one she had once known. And this time, he wouldn’t let her slip away so easily.

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