The grand hotel sparkled with crystal chandeliers and marble floors. Evelyn—now Elise Blackwood—stepped out of her sleek black limousine, drawing every eye in the lobby. Her red dress hugged her curves, and her dark hair with fiery highlights cascaded down her back. Five years of quiet rage had forged her into living steel.
"Remember the plan," Ronan whispered, offering his arm as they walked into the Inter-Pack Business Summit. "We make connections, we observe, we don't engage directly with Victor or Celeste until the gala tomorrow."
Evelyn nodded, but her heart hammered against her ribs. Somewhere in this building was the man who had once been her everything—the father of her children, the Alpha who had believed the worst of her.
"Ms. Blackwood!" A young werewolf approached with an extended hand. "I'm Talia, the summit coordinator. Your donation to fund the new pack territories conservation project was incredibly generous."
Evelyn smiled with practiced charm. "Call me Elise, please. And it was my pleasure. Conservation has always been close to my heart."
As Talia led them through the crowded reception hall, Evelyn scanned the room. Alphas and their Lunas from twelve different packs mingled, discussing territory boundaries and business opportunities. Then she saw him.
Victor Alden stood tall among the other Alphas, his golden eyes bright against his tanned skin. He looked older, with streaks of silver in his dark hair and new lines around his eyes. But the power radiating from him was unchanged—the commanding presence that had once made her knees weak.
Beside him stood Celeste, her white-blonde hair piled elegantly on her head, her hand protectively cradling the small bump of her pregnancy. She laughed at something another Luna said, but her eyes were cold and watchful.
"The Alpha and Luna of the Moonfire Pack," Talia said, following Evelyn's gaze. "Quite powerful. Though there are rumors..."
"What rumors?" Evelyn asked, perhaps too quickly.
Talia leaned closer. "They say the Alpha has never been the same since his first Luna died. That he sometimes wakes howling for someone who isn't there."
A tiny spark of satisfaction lit in Evelyn's chest.
"Enough gossip," Ronan cut in smoothly. "Elise has many people to meet."
But fate had other plans. As they turned to move toward the bar, Victor looked up—and their eyes met across the room.
The world stopped.
Victor froze mid-sentence, his brow furrowing. He took an unconscious step forward, then another, as if pulled by an invisible thread.
Evelyn couldn't move, couldn't breathe. The phantom bond between them, dormant for years, suddenly flared to life—not enough for him to recognize her, but enough to create a magnetic pull.
"Victor?" Celeste's sharp voice broke the spell. She tugged at his arm, eyes darting suspiciously between her mate and the striking stranger in red.
Victor blinked, shaking his head like a man waking from a dream. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"
But his eyes kept drifting back to Evelyn, confusion and interest battling on his face.
"We need to move," Ronan murmured urgently. "He's sensing something."
Too late. Victor was making his way toward them, Celeste trailing behind with growing alarm on her face.
"Welcome to the summit," Victor said, extending his hand to Ronan, then turning to Evelyn. "I don't believe we've met. Victor Alden, Alpha of the Moonfire Pack."
Evelyn took his hand, bracing for the shock of contact. "Elise Blackwood, CEO of Phoenix Enterprises."
The moment their hands touched, Victor's eyes widened. A jolt of recognition—not of her face, but of something deeper—passed through him. He held her hand a moment too long.
"Have we met before?" he asked, voice dropping to a near whisper.
Behind him, Celeste's face darkened. She pushed forward, placing herself between them. "I'm Celeste Alden, Luna of Moonfire. What brings you to a werewolf summit, Ms. Blackwood? You don't smell like pack."
The challenge was clear. Celeste was marking her territory.
Evelyn smiled, the perfect picture of polite confusion. "My company specializes in land development. Several packs have expressed interest in our eco-friendly building methods."
"Elise is also a major donor to werewolf causes," Ronan added, placing a protective hand on Evelyn's back.
Victor's eyes tracked the movement, a flash of something—jealousy?—crossing his face.
"Fascinating," Celeste said coldly. "And how do you two know each other?"
Before Evelyn could answer, a commotion near the entrance drew everyone's attention. A tall figure with dark hair strode into the room—Alaric Dane, Victor's Beta.
Five years had hardened him, adding scars and a perpetual frown. His eyes swept the room and landed on their small group. For a heart-stopping moment, Evelyn thought he might recognize her.
But Alaric merely nodded respectfully to Victor before whispering something in his ear. Victor's face grew serious.
"Excuse us," he said to Evelyn and Ronan. "Pack business requires my attention."
As Victor turned away, Celeste lingered, her ice-blue eyes boring into Evelyn. "Enjoy the summit, Ms. Blackwood. But remember—this is werewolf territory. Humans, no matter how wealthy, are just visitors here."
The threat lingered in the air as Celeste walked away.
"That was close," Ronan breathed once they were alone. "Victor clearly felt something. And Celeste—"
"Suspects," Evelyn finished. "But she doesn't know. Not yet."
The rest of the evening passed in a blur of introductions and business talk. Evelyn played her role perfectly—the successful human businesswoman interested in werewolf conservation. But her eyes kept finding Victor across the room, and more than once, she caught him watching her with that same puzzled expression.
Later, in the privacy of her hotel suite, Evelyn kicked off her heels and called home.
"Mommy!" Amara's excited voice filled the line. "Did you see him? Did our daddy know who you were?"
Evelyn's heart squeezed. "Not yet, sweetheart. But I saw him. He's... the same, but different."
"Does he look like me?" Elias asked, his voice more serious than any five-year-old's should be.
"Yes, little wolf. You have his strong jaw. And Amara has his eyes."
After reassuring the twins and saying goodnight, Evelyn stepped onto her balcony, breathing in the cool night air. From here, she could see the mountains where the Moonfire Pack territory began. Her old home.
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Expecting Ronan, she opened it without checking—and found herself face to face with Victor Alden.
"Mr. Alden!" she gasped, instinctively stepping back.
Victor stood in the hallway, looking as surprised by his presence as she was. "Ms. Blackwood. I... apologize for the late hour."
"Is everything all right?" she asked, fighting to keep her voice steady.
He ran a hand through his hair—a familiar gesture that sent pain shooting through her heart. "I'm not entirely sure. I felt... compelled to speak with you. Alone."
Warning bells rang in Evelyn's mind. This wasn't part of the plan. She wasn't ready for a private conversation with Victor—not when the old bond was clearly affecting him.
"Perhaps we could meet tomorrow, during the conference," she suggested carefully.
Victor studied her face, his golden eyes searching for something he couldn't name. "Do I know you from somewhere? There's something about you that's so... familiar."
Evelyn's pulse raced. "I'm sure we've never met before. I would remember meeting the Alpha of the Moonfire Pack."
He took a step closer, and Evelyn could smell his scent—pine and rain and something wild. The scent that still clung to the twins' favorite blankets, no matter how many times she washed them.
"There's something..." Victor murmured, reaching out as if to touch her face, then dropping his hand. "I'm sorry. I'm not usually this... forward. I should go."
But he didn't move. Instead, his eyes dropped to her collarbone, where a small scar—a remnant from their mating ceremony—peeked above her neckline.
Recognition flickered in his eyes.
"Victor!" Celeste's voice cut through the moment like a knife. She stood at the end of the hallway, one hand on her pregnant belly, fury radiating from every line of her body. "What are you doing here?"
Victor stepped back from Evelyn's door, confusion clouding his face. "I... I'm not sure. I was taking a walk and found myself here."
Celeste stormed forward, grabbing his arm. "You're needed back in our suite. Now."
As she dragged Victor away, Celeste glanced back at Evelyn with naked hatred in her eyes. This time, there was something else too—fear.
She knows, Evelyn realized with a chill. Maybe not who I am, but that I'm a threat.
Closing her door, Evelyn leaned against it, heart pounding. The confrontation had come too soon. Victor was already sensing the truth, and Celeste was on high alert.
She needed to be more careful. For the twins' sake, she couldn't reveal herself until the time was right.
What Evelyn didn't see was Victor stopping in the hallway, clutching his chest as a forgotten memory tried to surface. And she didn't hear Celeste's whispered command as she pressed something into his hand:
"Drink this, my love. Your headache will go away... and so will these strange feelings."
As Victor obediently swallowed the purple liquid, his eyes cleared—and the phantom bond that had guided him to Evelyn's door dimmed once more.