Chapter 4

Marcus' POV My feet moved before my brain caught up. Kelsey stood frozen as black-suited figures surrounded her. Since when did a rogue have extraction teams? And why hadn't the Bladeclaw sentries alerted me? Angela sneered, her lips curling. "Kelsey, what a dramatic act. Did you hire these actors from some no-name temp agency? A sparrow remains a sparrow, no matter how hard it flaps its wings. And a helicopter? You've probably never even touched a private jet's stairs!" Her Lycan fangs gleamed. Before Kelsey could retort, a guard swiftly slapped Angela hard, sending her tumbling onto the lawn. Angela seethed, but her wolf… I froze. These guards exuded a powerful werewolf aura—they weren't Alphas, but clearly from a formidable Pack. Yet Angela's Lycan aura... Why wasn't it crushing them? "Kelsey! How dare you?" Angela shrieked from the grass, shoulder fur rippling. "Do you know the status of Lycans among werewolves? My brother will skin your fakes alive! Kelsey didn't flinch. "Well, I'd say my brother is the Lycan King." Her calm reply carried an enigmatic confidence. Then she turned toward the helicopter. I suppressed my anger and called out, "Kelsey, stop!" A hint of urgency crept into my voice. Her shoulders tensed but she kept walking. My legs betrayed me, chasing three steps before Angela clawed my sleeve. "Alpha Marcus! She assaulted me!" But my eyes remained fixed on the departing helicopter. How could she just leave like that? "She must have had a Second Chance planned all along!" Angela ranted, shaking her phone. "I'll expose her on Instagram!" "Shut up!" I snapped, loosening my tie. I'd always thought Kelsey was bluffing. Unable to contain myself, I called one of my Gammas, "Track that helicopter from the villa. Find out where Kelsey's going." "Why care about her after the divorce?" Angela demanded, fists clenched. "I need to explain to my grandmother," I replied coldly. "Her survival is none of my concern." Yet deep down, I knew my wolf's lingering attachment to its mate was the real reason. Angela clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms. My mind flashed to Grandma's unusual fondness for Kelsey. Kelsey's POV The helicopter's blades churned the New York night air as I gazed at the glittering skyline below, finally relaxing my tense shoulders. Thirty minutes later, it landed atop the Waldorf Astoria. Stepping out, I was greeted by guards bowing in unison, "Welcome home." The sight startled me, but the glass doors reflected two figures at the end—Catherine and a stern man in a suit. "Dear!" Catherine rushed to hug me. "That marriage must have been hard. Now you have your brother's protection to start anew." I nodded, turning to the man. His aura mirrored Marcus's intensity, like a Wall Street Journal front-page figure. "Kelsey, I'm your brother Digby," he said. "Is there anything you want right now?" "I want to go back to my old Brooklyn apartment," I replied, staring at my worn canvas shoes. Digby's knuckles whitened, but he softened his tone. "As you wish." Catherine interjected, "Once your brothers from Silicon Valley and Washington arrive, we'll have a family party." She winked at Digby. "Let's get our girl fed first?" "The rooftop restaurant is ready," Digby said. On our way to the elevator, I noticed Digby repeatedly rubbing his chest. When he adjusted his tie for the third time, I asked, "Are you okay?" "The central air conditioning is too harsh," he replied, loosening his Armani collar. "Seriously, won't you consider returning to the Pack?" "There's no corner pizzeria there," I traced the corridor's carvings. "I'm used to falling asleep to subway sounds." Digby fell silent, then pulled out his phone. In the lobby, he glanced at it. "My mate called. You two go ahead." I followed Catherine to the restaurant. She whispered, "Your family's wealthy. You won't have to suffer anymore." "But I don't even know why I was abandoned. Maybe they don't truly want me." "Don't say that." I clutched Catherine's arm. "He sent a helicopter for me. Does that mean he knows about Marcus and me?" "I know you didn't want your marriage public. I didn't tell anyone," Catherine assured me.