Chapter 1

Ten years after he rejected me, I ran into Alpha Gregory at Crimson Pack's private party.

He was the high-and-mighty pack leader, picking up the tab for the whole venue just to spoil his mistress on her birthday.

And I was nothing more than a cocktail waitress.

He pretended not to see me the entire night.

Until I swallowed my pride, begging a guest for a little extra tip.

Staring at my gaunt, hollow face, he grabbed my chin, his voice dripping with venom.

"You'd rather demean yourself serving drinks than apologize to me after our rejection?"

"Samantha, have some fucking self-respect!!"

I didn't care. I simply pointed at his glass.

"So... can you spare a tip?"

Ten miserable years had burned away whatever love we once shared.

All I cared about was saving enough money.

To buy my final cycle of wolfsbane antidote.

"Groveling for pennies like a beggar!"

"Samantha, is this how low you’ve sunk?"

Maybe he felt humiliated in front of his crowd.

Alpha Gregory’s face twisted with disgust.

Makes sense. A small tip was pocket change to him.

To me, it was the only way to afford the medicine keeping me alive.

Mina clung to his arm with a sweet giggle, staking her claim.

She wore an off-the-shoulder designer dress, flaunting the dark, fresh hickeys on her neck.

The drunken crowd started cheering.

"Kiss her! Kiss her!!"

Gregory didn't hesitate. He pulled her waist against him and crushed his lips onto hers.

He popped open over a hundred bottles of vintage wine just to make her smile tonight.

While I had to scrape together thousands of tips just to afford a single drop of life.

Mina stepped toward me, a smug smirk dancing on her lips.

"Gregory has been waiting for your apology for a decade. But you'd rather accept the rejection and clear glasses in a filthy club? Don’t you feel ashamed?"

I knew she was trying to trigger me.

Years ago, if any woman provoked me like this, I would have dragged her by the hair and slapped her silly.

Now, I only gave her an empty stare.

"I earn my own living. What's there to be ashamed of?"

Mina’s smile vanished, instantly replaced by malice.

"You want a tip? Then show me how desperate you are."

I was used to her games.

Instead of lashing out, I reached for an empty glass bottle on the table.

Gregory shoved Mina behind him instantly, glaring at me like I was a threat.

*Smash!*

Glass exploded against my own forehead, shattering into pieces. The entire room went dead silent.

"Alpha Gregory, everyone's having a hard time."

"There's no need to torture a poor waitress..."

Mina whimpered softly into Gregory’s chest, and his eyes instantly hardened.

"You trying to stick up for her?"

He cut the pack warrior off, his cold, arrogant tone laced with rage.

"Shut your mouth if you don't want to get exiled from Crimson Pack!"

The warrior recoiled, forced to smile awkwardly.

"Alpha Gregory, I just didn't want a scene hurting our pack's reputation..."

The sudden exertion triggered the wolfsbane venom deep inside my veins.

A sickening wave of agony hit me, forcing me to drop to my knees.

Wiping the warm blood dripping down my temple, I grabbed a second bottle from the counter.

Gregory’s hand clamped around my wrist like a steel vise.

"Samantha, are you fucking suicidal?!"

"Is this enough sincerity for a tip, Alpha Gregory?"

*Slap!*

A brutal blow sent me flying across the floor.

My ears rang violently.

My bare elbows scraped against the jagged glass, blood pooling on the tiles.

Gregory towered over me, his hands shaking with fury.

"Even for money, there's a limit to how cheap you can be!"

"When you finally die, I'll pay for your damn funeral! Until then, don't expect a single cent from me!"

I clutched my bleeding wounds and dragged myself up, shaking uncontrollably.

Cruel and merciless.

That was the Alpha Gregory I remembered.

The buried nightmare from ten years ago came flooding back without warning.

*"You poisoned my drink, you bitch! My parents were attacked and I couldn't even hear their Mind Link!"*

*"You killed them!!"*