Trista’s POV “What do you mean?” I asked. What rumors? What awful, terrible rumors? “Just stuff,” she shrugged dismissively. “What sort of stuff?” I prodded. “Well, as you know, Lycans are an ancient race. They’ve always been a little…mysterious. You know, they keep to themselves and all that.” “Get to the rumors, Hazel,” I said flatly. “I’ve just heard things. Like – that they’re brutal. Powerful. Merciless. People, werewolves, are afraid of them. Just things like that.” I was silent. Brutal? Merciless? I had a hard time thinking about Johnson in any connection to THOSE words. He was the complete opposite. Kind. Loyal. Generous. Seeing my silence, Hazel continued. “Obviously Johnson’s not like that,” she said. “You told me he takes care of you. And the children. He sounds lovely, he really does.” Her words were coming out rushed. It was making me feel uneasy. “He’s clearly VERY differen

Trista’s POVLiam’s assistant, Jules, was leading me down a long corridor. He was walking really fast and I struggled to keep up. Liam had passed me off to him. “So the launch party is first. Just a small affair. Only about 300 or so guests. Then it’s the photo shoot with Miss Sinclair,” Jules said. He glanced back at me while we walked. “Miss Sinclair is a real doll. You’ll love her. Really. This way.” He veered left into another long corridor. “Now, as I’m sure you know, our company, Dress Right, is the father company to all our other apparel companies. In fact, we’re now the largest group of apparel companies on the East Coast.”“Oh, I actually didn’t know that,” I said.Apparel? I didn’t know Liam had gone into the apparel business.“Yes, yes,” he nodded quickly. “This way.” We turned right this time and were met with yet another long corridor. “We have a wide range of business lines. Everything, really, from casual wear to popular designer brands. We cover luxury goods, too, of

I rubbed my hands on my dress. My palms were sweaty. My heart was beating a mile a minute. We were waiting in a backstage area. But right beyond those doors, a ton of people were waiting in, what Liam was calling, ‘The Launch Room.’The staff eyed Liam and Stevia excitedly. The big boss and the big star! Next to them, I was a nobody. Don’t get me wrong. People were polite enough. It’s just that I didn’t hold the same allure as a CEO and a celebrity.And I knew it.Liam and Stevia giggled like old friends. I held my elbows and giggled too whenever they looked my way. You see, they were acting like I was part of the conversation, but I wasn’t. Not really.Especially since the conversation was about me.Stevia warmed up to me the moment Liam introduced me.“Well I had no idea the designer is your ex-wife!” she’d exclaimed. “Come. Come, Trista. Come sit,” she had said in the dressing room, standing up so I could take her seat. But Liam had said it was time to go to the launch party.What

Trista’s POV Everyone waited with baited breath. A big announcement? What could that be? Liam flashed a smile at me then he addressed the crowd. “You’re all in for a real treat,” he said with a sincere smile. “Trista is an extremely talented jewelry designer, and we couldn’t be more excited to have her on board with HS.” I smiled back at him. Those were kind words. “But I have something very important to share with you all. Trista is my ex-wife.” He paused. The crowd gasped. My mind spun. Why was he telling everyone this? This was SO embarrassing! This was our personal life! How dare he! But before I could finish my thoughts, he continued. “In fact, Trista was my first wife. As such, I am transferring 20% of the shares of HS to her.” Again, he paused. Cameras flashed, blinding me. I felt like everything was moving in slow motion. He looked at me as he said the next part. “I am appointed Trista as the Senior Art Director of HS, eff

I blinked.Remember her?She was the one who took my spot as Luna.He saw my face as we turned out of the city onto a less busy highway road. “Right,” heSaid. “Of course you remember her. Well, anyway, she came to me, when you and I were still together. She said she was homeless and needed protection. The Alpha of the Blue Moon Crescent Pack was abusing her. She’d run away but now he was trying to hunt her down, to kill her. I took pity on her.”I nodded. I knew some of Lucy’s backstory, but not all of it.“I asked Beta Jack to find somewhere for her to live. Then she rang me up and said we had to meet. She had important information, business information, from her old pack. She said it could help me. So…I met up with her. We had a drink and then…well…I don’t remember anything after that.”“You don't remember anything? You mean you don't remember what you and she... did?” I asked, appalled.“I honestly don’t know,” he sighed.I stared at his eyes, not missing a single detail, trying t