He Was Mine, Until the Hotel Night

The Werewolf Social Club was unusually quiet when I arrived thirty minutes early. I'd chosen my timing deliberately—early enough to position myself where I needed to be, but not so early as to raise suspicions. The staff nodded respectfully as I passed, their eyes lowering slightly in deference to the future Luna of Silvermoon Pack.

"Good evening, Miss Irene," the bartender greeted me, his voice carefully neutral. "What can I get for you?"

"Just water for now, thank you," I replied with a smile that felt like a mask on my face. "I'm waiting for Lucas."

I took a seat in the far corner booth, my back to the wall, with a clear view of the service entrance. The position was perfect—close enough to hear conversations in the adjoining VIP section, but shadowed enough that I wouldn't immediately be noticed.

I pulled out my phone, opening the recording app and setting it to activate when voices reached a certain volume. Then I waited.

They arrived right on schedule.

"—need to be more careful," Lucas was saying as they slipped through the service door, his voice low but clear in the quiet club. "She's been asking questions."

Tina laughed, that same sharp, cruel sound I remembered from my previous life. "Questions? About what? You're being paranoid. Little Miss Perfect is too busy planning her princess wedding to notice anything."

"Still," Lucas insisted, settling into the booth directly across from mine, though the partition concealed me from view. "We need to handle the Irene problem before the engagement party. If she starts digging..."

"Then we'll handle it," Tina said dismissively. "She's not exactly the suspicious type, is she? Trust me, she'll never see it coming."

I felt my blood run cold as I heard Lucas chuckle in agreement. My fingers trembled slightly as I adjusted the phone's position, ensuring it captured every word.

"The question is," Tina continued, her voice dropping to a seductive purr, "after we handle her, what's next for us?"

I didn't stay to hear his answer. I had what I needed.

* * *

"Try this one," Lucas suggested, holding up a platinum bracelet studded with diamonds. "It matches your eyes."

We were in the most exclusive jewelry store in the city, surrounded by glittering displays and attentive staff who hovered nearby, eager to assist the future Alpha pair.

"It's beautiful," I said, allowing him to fasten it around my wrist. The weight of it felt like a shackle. "Though perhaps a bit ostentatious for everyday wear."

Lucas nodded absently, his attention already drifting to his phone as it buzzed in his pocket. I watched his expression change subtly as he glanced at the screen—a tightening around the eyes, a slight straightening of his posture.

"Work?" I asked innocently.

"Hmm? Oh, yes," he replied, slipping the phone back into his pocket. "Nothing important."

But I'd caught the glimpse of Tina's name on the screen before he'd turned away.

"Let's look at rings," he suggested, guiding me toward another display case. "The engagement party is only days away."

As we examined the rings, I noticed how his attention kept drifting back to his pocket where his phone rested. Each time it buzzed, his shoulders tensed almost imperceptibly.

"Is everything alright?" I asked, watching his reactions carefully.

"Fine," he said curtly. Then, catching himself, he softened his tone. "Just some pack business I need to handle before the ceremony."

I nodded sympathetically, letting him think I believed him. "You work too hard," I said, reaching for his hand. "Even with our engagement party so close."

He pulled his hand away to check his phone again, and I saw Tina's name flash across the screen once more.

* * *

The gym's locker room was steamy from the showers, the air heavy with the scent of soap and sweat. I was changing into my workout clothes when Tina sauntered in, her eyes narrowing as she spotted me.

"Well, look who's finally decided to join the real world," she said, gesturing at my workout attire. "Though I doubt those little weights will do much for that soft body of yours."

I finished tying my hair back, regarding her calmly. "Actually, I've been thinking about trying something new today."

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting this reaction. In my previous life, I would have simply ignored her or offered a polite smile.

"Sparring," I said simply. "I hear you're quite good at it."

The shock on her face was almost worth the trouble I'd gone to. "Sparring? With me?"

"Why not?" I shrugged, as if challenging her to a physical confrontation was the most natural thing in the world. "Unless you're afraid?"

"Afraid?" She laughed, but there was an edge to it now—uncertainty. "You're joking, right?"

"Am I?" I stepped closer, my voice dropping to a whisper. "Or maybe I just want to see if you're as tough as you think you are."

* * *

The sparring circle had drawn quite a crowd by the time we stepped into it. Word had spread quickly through the gym—the future Luna challenging her rival to a fight.

Tina circled me warily, her confidence visibly shaken by my unexpected skills. I moved with a grace and precision that clearly surprised her, blocking her first few attacks with ease.

"Where did you learn to fight like this?" she demanded, her breathing already labored.

I smiled, not answering as I sidestepped another lunge. In truth, these skills were from my previous life—months of training after my death, preparing for this moment.

Frustrated by her inability to land a hit, Tina's technique began to falter. Her attacks became wilder, less controlled, as rage replaced strategy.

"Is this all you've got?" I taunted softly, ducking under her swing and landing a precise blow to her ribs.

She gasped in pain and fury, charging at me with reckless abandon. I met her charge with calm precision, using her momentum against her and sweeping her legs from under her. She hit the mat hard, the air rushing from her lungs.

Before she could recover, I was on her, pinning her to the ground with my forearm across her throat.

"Yield," I said quietly.

The crowd had grown silent, watching in stunned disbelief as the soft-spoken future Luna systematically dismantled her opponent.

* * *

"What the hell is going on here?"

Lucas's voice cut through the silence as he pushed his way through the crowd. His eyes darted between Tina, still on the ground, and me, standing calmly beside her.

"Your fiancée just kicked my ass," Tina spat, finally finding her voice as she struggled to her feet.

Lucas's expression darkened as he looked at me, confusion and suspicion warring in his eyes. "Irene? Since when can you fight like that?"

I met his gaze with perfect innocence. "Since I decided to prepare for my role as Luna," I said sweetly. "After all, an Alpha's mate should be able to handle herself, don't you think?"

"That's not—" He stopped, clearly struggling to process what he'd just witnessed. "That's not the Irene I know."

"No," I agreed, stepping closer to him. "Perhaps you never really knew me at all."

His eyes widened slightly at the subtle threat beneath my words.

"Or perhaps," I continued, my voice dropping to a whisper only he could hear, "you should be asking yourself why I'm not the same person anymore."

The uncertainty in his eyes told me he was beginning to doubt his own perceptions—exactly as I'd intended.