I barely managed to keep Astra under control.
“He’s a beast,” she snarled in my head, her voice was fast and quick.
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“What is wrong?” I asked her quietly, my brows pulling together. I could feel my own confusion mixing with hers.
“I don’t want you close to that Alpha.” A sudden stab of pain from her shot through me, before she pulled it back.
“I admit,” I whispered in my mind. “I don’t like him either. He’s rude, and he’s not someone I want to be close to. The only reason I’m talking to him is because of Dad’s partnership. So relax, you don’t have anything to worry about.”
“He’s dangerous and not someone you should ever trust,” she warned, her voice lower now.
“You sound like you know him or his wolf,” I said, confused. “Just like me, you just met him today for the first time. Don’t you think you’re judging him too fast?”
I didn’t like him, he was overbearing but I didn’t hate him either. He hadn’t done anything to me. I lifted one shoulder in a small shrug.
“Besides, he can’t harm me.”
I wasn’t just a doctor with an extraordinary gift. I was a trained fighter. I learned during medical school, and I even joined our pack army for a while. I wasn’t helpless.
“You’re just too stubborn,” Astra muttered before going quiet, but the irritation in her voice lingered.
My talk with Astra lasted only a few seconds. I finally took Ace’s hand.
His green orbs darkened the instant our skin touched. He stared at my face like he was searching for something he couldn’t find. Then he asked.
“Are you pretending you don’t know me?”
His jaw twitched, not with pride but with confusion. The man beside him, judging from the way he stood, had to be his beta, he had the exact same puzzled look. They seemed to be around the same age.
“We’re meeting for the first time. How else am I supposed to know you?” I snapped, the irritation slipping out before I could stop it.
He sucked in a sharp breath. I pulled my hand out of his grip.
“You really don’t know me.” It wasn’t even a question.
Astra was right. I could feel it now. If Dad wasn’t so invested in this business deal, I wouldn’t even bother standing in front of this man.
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I pushed a smile to my face anyway. “I have a lot of guests to greet. I’m sure we can make time for business later this week.”
I didn’t wait for whatever he planned to say. I simply turned away.
The moment Ethan placed his hand on the small of my back, a loud, sharp growl tore out of Ace’s chest. It shook the room. The music cut off instantly, every head turning toward him with fear written all over their faces. A few seconds passed before people slowly pretended everything was normal again.
Who does he think he is?
We got home at midnight and I let Astra out. She bolted into the night, running for miles without stopping, burning off every bit of anger she carried.
When I shifted back and returned to the mansion, I took a cold shower, letting the water calm my nerves.
I went to Liam’s room first. He was fast asleep, curled up with his blanket. I kissed his forehead gently before heading to my room. Tomorrow would be busy, and I needed whatever sleep I could get.
In the morning, I was already dressed for work and sitting at the dining table with Leslie, waiting for
breakfast. Ethan came down the stairs holding Liam’s hand, both of them chatting like they hadn’t stayed up half the night.
I had decided today would be Liam’s first day of school. We’d been here for almost a week, and he needed to be around kids his age again.
“Good morning, Mummy,” he said, leaning in to kiss my cheek. His smile stretched from ear to ear.
“Ready for your new school?” I asked, watching his eyes light up.
“Yes, Mummy. I can’t wait to make new friends and tell you all about them.” Ethan pulled out a chair and lifted him up so he could sit comfortably.
After breakfast, Ethan insisted on dropping us off himself. Liam practically bounced out of the car when we got to his school. He introduced himself to the class with a huge grin, waving at everyone like he’d known them forever. He was such a happy boy.
I glanced at Ethan, who had been quiet and frowning since morning. “Why are you so grumpy?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Leslie followed my gaze and shrugged. “I think it’s the Alpha who got to him,” she murmured, her tone half teasing, half worried.
“I’ve been trying to see if I can get in touch with other CEOs in the automobile business. I don’t like that asshole,” Ethan muttered, frowning as he drove.
“The feeling is mutual. I don’t like him either,” I said, shrugging. “But his reputation is strong. Dad’s businesses are doing so well, and he’s put a lot into these cars and truck deals. He thinks Ace is the best option.”
It was true, I’d never bothered to look Ace Virel up, but everyone seemed to tremble at his name. He was
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Chapter 6
dominating the business world and had several businesses scattered everywhere.
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Ethan didn’t say another word. He knew Dad was right. “I don’t have to deal with him for long. I just need to get him to sign the partnership contract, and then someone else can handle the rest.”
“Oh, you’re going to deal with him more than you think,” Leslic called from the back seat. “I saw his name on the patient list last night. His case looks serious. I even checked the hospital records in London, he’s been there fourteen times in the past two years, and every single time, he never managed to see you.”
“Oh!” I could only manage a small sound. “He should’ve booked an appointment.”
“He’s Ace Virel. He doesn’t book appointments. People book to see him.”
“I don’t care who he is. I don’t see anyone without an appointment. Rules are rules, and he should follow them like everyone else,” I snapped, rolling my eyes.
Ethan chuckled. “Now I get why he was so pissed and acting like a jerk. I hear his wife is the same, barging into parties uninvited. I guess it runs in their blood.”
“He finally did book an appointment back then,” Leslie added. “Turns out he’d only see you in two years.”
Ethan dropped us off at the hospital. Patients filled every corner, and the doctors were already deep into their work.
Within a few minutes, we started the first surgery. The first two were complicated, and by the time I finished, it was already five in the evening. I hadn’t eaten all day, and my stomach growled loudly, demanding some food.
They had to reschedule the remaining three surgeries for another day. I planned to do the last one after I grabbed a late lunch.
I was waiting for Leslie to finish so we could grab a late lunch when my secretary, Genevieve, knocked and stepped in.
“Ma’am, your appointment has been waiting for over two hours. He’s pissed,” she said softly, eyes flicking to the floor.
Genevieve has been my secretary for three years, she was in her mid twenties soft spoken and very efficient with her work.
I raised a brow. “I don’t have any appointments today. Consultations start Thursday.” I had patients in life–or- death situations who needed urgent surgeries, not to mention the rest of the hospital was already in chaos.
Genevieve glanced at her tablet. “According to the report, his case is as urgent as it can get. Your dad begged you to see him today.”
The moment I heard my dad’s name, I knew she was talking about Ace Virel. “Take him to the private consultation suite.”
“Noted, ma’am,” she said, walking away. There goes my lunch.
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Chapter 6
Five minutes later, I opened the door to the consultation suite. The suite was quiet, sleek, and spotless, it looked like an expensive hotel suite and soft lighting.
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And there he was. Ace. Hands tucked into his pockets, white shirt crisp but the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Two buttons were undone, just enough to reveal the hard lines of his chest. His dark hair was perfectly styled back, a few strands falling casually over his forehead. His sharp jaw caught the light, giving him a dangerously handsome look, and his green eyes were intense, almost unreadable. Even though he looked exhausted, he had this impossible, commanding presence, and my eyes drifted to the muscles on his arms.
“Took you long enough.” His lips pressed into a thin line, pissed, like he was holding back everything he really wanted to say. “No one keeps me waiting.”
“Well, Alpha Ace,” I said, dropping my bag on the desk, “if you want to see Doctor Charlotte Graves, you’ll learn to wait your turn.”
“I don’t wait for people,” he shot back. “And I don’t care who you are. I waited over two hours before you finally agreed to see me.”
I chuckled. I was too hungry to get angry at this egocentric Alpha who thought he controlled the world and everyone inside it.
“You should feel lucky I’m seeing you right now,” I told him.
“You can’t be serious,” he said, a mocking curl tugging at his lips. I felt my nose flare instinctively, heat rising in my chest.
“You should be grateful. And if you say one more annoying word, I will walk out of this room and you will never see me again.” It wasn’t a threat. I meant every single word.
His green eyes darkened with anger, so deep it almost looked black. “You can’t do that. You need me for your father’s business.”
I smirked, letting my confidence show. “You’re not as important as you think. I can find another partnership in a snap, but you’ll never find another Doctor Charlotte.”
I rarely bragged about myself or my gift, but this Alpha was pushing every button. He needed to know he wasn’t in control here. I wanted to put him in his place.
That seemed to shut him up. Without a word, he tugged at his shirt roughly, flinging it into a corner, wincing as pain shot across his chest.
I gasped in horror, my hand freezing in midair. The sight in front of me was something I had never seen in my entire life. His entire upper body was covered with long, dark marks, deep and cruel, like someone had used a weapon far worse than wolfsbane.
I stepped closer, my heart hammering in my chest. The only part untouched was his arms, from the elbows down, the rest of him was covered in angry, dark scars that made my stomach twist.
I raised my hand, almost automatically, letting my fingers hover above his stomach. My eyes shut, and what I saw and felt in my mind was beyond explanation, as if every mark told a story of pain and something deeper that I couldn’t figure out.
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Chapter 6
$5 you nar
I felt a tiny bit of his pain and I almost went crazy. How was he handling all that alone and still alive?
“Who cursed you?” I whispered, my voice almost trembling. “And what did you do to deserve this curse?” His eyes widened, sharp green orbs locking onto mine, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of something fragile beneath that Alpha facade.
AD
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
