Chapter 4

~Jasmine~ Quickly, I threw off the luxurious bed cover and began dressing up. As I glanced around, I noticed the opulent high chandeliers and exquisite artwork adorning the walls. It didn't take a genius to deduce that I was in a presidential suite. I read the inscriptions on the unique pieces of furniture closely. This was not just a suite in a random hotel but one in the exclusive Crimson Blood hotel. Oh gosh! I held my throbbing head as I realized that my fated mate might be a man of immense wealth because not just anyone could afford such a suite. It was only patronized by the elite. I shrugged off the thought of his status; it should be the least of my problems. I shouldn't be bothered about a mate who obviously ran off the first night with no explanations. Besides, I still had to finalize my divorce with Logan, and being seen here was risky enough and could be used against me. I had to keep it low. Hurriedly, I grabbed my belongings, and soon, I was out of the hotel. I flagged down a cab and slid into the back seat. “Where to, ma’am?” the driver asked. For a moment, I froze. Home? That place no longer felt like home. Swallowing back my emotions, I gave him Rose’s address instead. “No. 7 Royal Blue, West Side,” I murmured. As the cab pulled away, I unlocked my phone, only to be bombarded by a flood of missed calls and messages from Rose. My stomach churned as I read through her frantic texts, sent since last night: “Where are you? Are you okay? I’m calling the cops!” Last night’s events replayed in pieces as I tried to fix the puzzle. My pulse quickened when I remembered Samantha’s smirk from across the barroom. Could she have had something to do with this? Ping! A new email notification snapped me out of my thoughts. It was from the pack registry notifying me that my divorce with Logan will be finalized by 10:00 a.m. prompt at the werewolf hall. The registry couldn’t contact me without someone starting the process. The werewolf city hall? My stomach knotted. Did this mean the new Alpha had returned? Did Logan contact him? What was Logan up to? After three years, Logan ’s uncle, Alpha Maverick , might have finally returned to reclaim the Gold Pack. He had left it under the watch of Beta Kazeem while he pursued his business. I pinched the bridge of my nose, knowing I would likely be back to square zero if he took sides with his blood. A divorced, former housewife, expelled with nothing from her previous pack? I didn’t know how I’d survive, but I was certain I would. Giving up was not one of my attributes. “We’re here, ma’am,” the driver announced, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. I handed him cash, muttered a quick thank you, and rushed inside Rose’s house. She was wiping down her coffee table when I entered. “What the hell, Jasmine? You had me worried sick! Where did you disappear to?” Sophie’s voice rose as she followed me into the kitchen. “Are you even listening to me? The waiter said you left with a man.” Ignoring her barrage of questions, I chugged down a glass of water. “I think Samantha set me up, but I will explain everything later, okay?” “How? That bastard,” she yelled. “Right now, I need to get dressed. It seems my request for divorce was approved. Not sure, sort of. But I have to be at the head registry before 10:00 a.m.” Her eyes darted to the clock. “It’s already 9:07! I’m driving you.” “Thank you,” I muttered. All I wanted now was to freshen up and get the divorce over with. Rummaging through Sophie’s wardrobe—since I hadn’t retrieved my things from Logan s house—I searched for something appropriate to wear. After some digging, I settled on a formal gown that would suffice for the occasion. A concerned Rose insisted on accompanying me to the ‘Werewolf City Hall’ to ensure the process went smoothly. When we arrived at the registry, Logan and Samantha were already waiting for me, with smug expressions plastered across their faces. Logan’s eyes raked over my body, lingering on my curves. His jaw tightened before he quickly looked away. I recognized that look all too well—jealousy. Samantha, on the other hand, wore her usual smug expression. And something in her eyes told me she had a hand in whatever happened last night. After all, she has proven to be a foe, not a friend, and spiking my drink was not far from what she could do. “Oh, see who finally graced us with her filthy presence,” Samantha sneered, her lips curling with malicious hatred. “The shameless whore, pointing her fingers at others when hers aren’t clean either. You're here.” Ignoring her like she was nothing—because, frankly, her words no longer affected me—I turned my gaze back to Logan. “Shall we?” But it was as if my silence drove her over the edge, and I was hell-bent on not giving her the attention she craved. Stomping her feet like a child, she moved inches closer to me and continued, “How did you spend your night with your lover? It’s going around town that you were whoring around. You’ll never win against us, so cut this act and drop the case.” Rose and I shared a knowing look. Her words confirmed what I’d suspected. Samantha had spiked my drink last night. Fury flooded through me, but I couldn’t retaliate without solid proof. Logan scoffed, his anger barely contained. I knew it wasn’t just about the divorce but also his bruised ego. “I demand 100% of marital assets and ninety percent of your financial shares in the bank. Not only have you invaded my privacy and defamed my character, but you’ve also caused me emotional trauma by disregarding our mate bond. I curse the day we bound our souls under the holy watch of the moon goddess.” I almost laughed out loud. The audacity of this man! Trying to encroach on my meager shares? How could he twist the truth when his infidelity was the real issue? But then again, I shouldn’t be surprised by his greed. After all, one woman had never been enough for him. I didn’t care anymore. Let him have everything if it meant I could finally sever ties with the Gold Pack without facing a humiliating expulsion. I agreed to leave the pack with nothing of his, signing away my rights. Logan couldn’t hide his surprise. I knew he hadn’t expected me to concede without a fight. But I was done. As I reached for the papers, about to sign them, a familiar scent stopped me dead in my tracks. “Logan,” a sultry voice cut through the tension, “My pack, my rules. You cannot commit such atrocities under my reign and expect to go scot-free. It is you who will be leaving the pack instead.” The room fell silent as a tall figure strode in, his royal blue suit fitting perfectly over his broad shoulders. My eyes slowly traveled up, meeting his face. His ocean-blue eyes locked onto mine, freezing my world. No. This can’t be! I thought he fled without a word. What was he doing at the registry? With a presence commanding attention, like he ruled here. My senses heightened at the scent of his power mixed with the richness of leather, sending a shiver down my spine. My wolf, calm until now, began pacing and howling wildly, willing to lay her life in submission to the man before me. It confirmed what I already knew—he was mine! “What?” Logan stammered, his once confident composure crumbling with each passing moment. My breath hitched as I stared at my fated mate, awestruck by the confidence and authority that he exuded. His pack? It only meant one thing—he was the Alpha of the Gold Crescent Pack. It couldn’t be. Was the moon goddess playing a game of twisted fate on me?