Chapter 8

• NOAH'S POV ~
• Ugh, the nerve of Isabella! Here I am, the greatest man she'll ever know, and she has the audacity to leave me? Just because I hurt her, betrayed her, and cheated on her? Please. She was beneath me from the start. I was like a sun to her existence, and she was a pathetic shadow. A faded echo of a woman I thought I could mold into perfection. And now she thinks she can just walk away?
• I mean, let's be real here. Cindy and the other girls were just for fun. They were nothing compared to Isabella.
• But Isabella is acting like I committed some kind of cardinal sin by having a little fun on the side. What about my feelings? She's the one who betrayed me by not being the perfect little submissive puppet I wanted her to be. If she had just fallen in line and ignored my flirtations with other women, we wouldn't be in this mess! But no, she had to go and get all high and mighty, thinking she was good enough to leave me. Ha! As if. She'll never find anyone as good as me. She'll regret this, mark my words.
• I can't believe the effort I put in to win Isabella back, only to be slapped in the face with the most infuriating revelation of my life! There, on her neck, was the mark of another man. How dare she betray me like this? How dare she allow herself to be claimed by someone else? She was mine, only mine!
• The sight of that mark filled me with a rage unlike anything I'd ever felt before. I was about to demand answers when I felt a powerful shove, knocking me to the ground.
• Before I could even comprehend what was happening, I felt a heavy weight fall on top of me. I struggled to catch my breath, my mind racing with curses for the person who had dared to lay a hand on me. But before I could utter a word, I was met with a flurry of hard, blinding blows to my face. My jaw, my lips, my nose - they were all assaulted with brute force, and I saw stars as I reeled from the pain.
• The punches were relentless, each one more brutal than the last. I may have been an Alpha myself, but I was no match for this stranger's strength. I struggled and groaned, trying desperately to pull free, until finally I managed to kick my attacker's leg and roll away from him.
• "Fuck you!" I spat, my mouth filling with blood.
• By this time, the other party guests had begun to pour out of the house, their curious eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before them. My cheeks burned with a mixture of anger and embarrassment.
• I glared up at the asshole who had thrown me to the ground. His clothes were simple and cheap, a stark contrast to my own designer wear. He was nothing but a commoner, beneath me in every way.
• My eyes flashed with the color of my wolf, and I bared my fangs, ready to tear this rat to shreds. But the audacity of this imbecile to keep glaring at me with such murderous intent! It was as if he thought he could actually win against me.
• I was going to teach this lowlife a lesson he would never forget.
• I let out a ferocious growl, falling to all fours as my wolf took over. Isabella cowered in fear, but the stranger didn't flinch. With a furious snarl, I lunged at him, fully expecting to tear him apart.
• But the shock that coursed through my body as his fist connected with my jaw was like nothing I had ever experienced. I flew backwards, landing with a thud, my body writhing in pain.
• The agony was unlike anything I had ever felt before.
• My human form returned in an instant, and I howled in pain as the darkness threatened to consume me. I could barely make out the murmurs of the crowd as the world around me faded into a blur of agony.
• I writhed on the ground, my body overwhelmed by the searing pain that had engulfed me. Isabella's shocked face was the last thing I saw before I palmed my face, shielding my pained expression from everyone who had gathered to watch.
• Much to my relief, the crowd remained oblivious to my humiliation, unaware of the stealthy attack that had brought me to my knees. I was amazed at the stranger's skill, but it only fueled my rage. There was no way I was going to let this slide. My pride demanded retribution, my ego couldn't take the hit.
• I clenched my teeth, refusing to let my pain show as I slowly rose to my feet.
• "GUARDS!"
• The banquet hall doors flew open as my loyal bodyguards poured out, weapons at the ready.
• "Arrest that asshole!" I snarled, pointing a trembling finger at the stranger who still dared to stand before me, fists clenched and eyes blazing with defiance. I couldn't stand the sight of him so I took a few steps back, distancing myself from the insolent fool.
• LEO'S POV~
• I made my way towards the banquet hall, curious as to why there was such a lack of festivity and life. The quiet was eerie, and as I got closer, I could hear the sounds of hushed murmurs and the shuffling of feet. It was almost as if everyone was afraid, or hiding something. I furrowed my brows in confusion, wondering what could be going on. When I finally entered the hall, I was met with a sea of guests, all rushing towards the exit while pointing and whispering in hushed tones.
• I felt a sense of unease wash over me, wondering if maybe the venue had been changed and no one had bothered to tell me. I reached for my phone to call the birthday host, Noah, the son of the Alpha of Night Pack, but before I could even get it out of my pocket, I heard the growls. A low, guttural sound that could only come from one thing a werewolf, trying to shift for a fight. My ears twitched as I strained to listen, my wolf's senses trying to make out where the sound was coming from.
• I followed the sound, my feet taking me closer to the commotion. When I finally arrived, I was met with a sight, Noah, was standing in the middle of the room, his veins bulging and his eyes flashing with rage. "The fuck is wrong with you, your stupid asshole!" he shouted, his voice booming through the hall. "Do you know who I am?
• "Do you have any idea that I can make your life so miserable that you would want nothing but death?!" he growled, his claws pointed at a figure. My eyes were drawn to the figure standing opposite him, their stance calm and unyielding despite the fury emanating from Noah. They just stood there, like a predator waiting to strike, silently watching as Noah lost his temper.
• My breath caught in my throat as I realized who the figure was. It was my brother, Ryan, his eyes burning with a fierce determination that I knew all too well. A chill ran down my spine as I remembered the times I had seen him like this before, when he was about to do something irrevocable, something that would end in bloodshed. I knew that look, and I knew that if I didn't act quickly, Noah was about to meet a gruesome end.
• My feet moved on their own, propelling me towards Noah, my mind racing with questions. Why was my brother here?
• Why was he disguised overly as a peasant unlike the businessman disguise he has been putting up? And why was he arguing with someone like Noah, who was so far beneath him? I knew that my brother was on a mission, traveling incognito through the packs, but I couldn't imagine why he would be at a birthday party, let alone picking a fight with the Alpha's son.
• “Lay a hand on a woman again, and I'll tear your limb from limb," Ryan growled, his voice oddly low, the calmness of it only adding to the sense of menace that hung in the air. "I'll make sure that every bone in your body is shattered, every nerve in your body is screaming in agony. And believe me, this isn't a threat. It's a promise."
• "How dare you!" Noah snarled, the anger and humiliation making his voice rise in pitch.
• He took a step forward, as if to attack, but stopped short, his eyes flashing with fear. I couldn't help but raise a brow at the sight of this alpha, this son of an alpha, cowering before my brother. There was something about Ryan that Noah could sense, something that told him that this was not an ordinary man.
• When Ryan didn't respond, I knew I had to act quickly. I hurried forward, trying to diffuse the situation before it turned violent. But Ryan didn't even glance in my direction, his focus locked on Noah.
• "Arrest this asshole, now!" Noah barked, his voice trembling with rage. His bodyguards charged forward, following his orders without question.
• My heart raced as I realized the danger of the situation. If they touched Ryan, if they so much as laid a hand on him, the bloodshed would be unimaginable. I had to do something, I had to stop them before it was too late.
• “Noah," I said, as I stepped in front of the bodyguards, stopping them in their tracks. "Aren't I here?" My frown deepened as I stared him down. "Can't you respect my presence?"
• Noah's eyes widened in surprise as he took in my presence, quickly shifting into a more respectful tone.
• "I-I'm sorry, Leo. I didn't know you'd arrived."
• I shot him a look that said he'd better have a good explanation for what was happening, wondering how he'd react if he knew the truth about Ryan. But that would have to wait.
• Turning my gaze to Ryan, I watched as he slowly turned to face me. His jaw ticked.
• "What's going on?" I asked.
• "That asshole touched my wife! I was just protecting my woman from harm's way. He was harassing her!" Ryan seethed.
• I felt my blood run cold as I absorbed the information. My wife? Ryan had a wife? Ryan who had high standards and had never been in a relationship before? And Noah had touched her?
• Noah's fingers trembled. "S-She's your wife?!" he stammered, his voice barely a whisper.
• I stood frozen, my mind reeling as I tried to process the revelation. Ryan, married? But he just arrived at Night Pack in a few days!
• My gaze flickered to the woman standing behind him, taking in her beauty. She was stunning, her presence radiating a quiet strength that belied her vulnerability. But before I could fully absorb her presence, Ryan's warning growl snapped me back to the present, his eyes flashing with a silent warning to keep my distance.
• Clearing my throat, I turned back to Noah, whose face was still a picture of disbelief. I had to stay calm, to keep my composure. But my mind was racing.
• “Noah, you're at fault here. Why harass his woman?" My frown deepened as I fixed him with a hard stare. "Don't even think about arresting him. You know clearly you started this."
• Noah's face hardened, his jaw clenching as he swallowed his pride. "Very well. I won't arrest the asshole, but he must pay for the damages—”
• I sighed, rubbing my temple. "Don't worry, I'll pay for everything."