Chapter 2
The insinuations made my stomach twist with anger. I stepped aside, positioning myself beside the towering hotel entrance pillar. Daniel Washington’s black SUV loomed nearer, the Alpha’s commanding presence impossible to ignore even now, when he was no longer the Alpha of the Silver Fang Pack. His aura, though diminished, still carried the weight of his former status, and it grated on my nerves.
"Dr. Reed, diagnosing without an exam? Aren’t you worried I might report you to the pack elders for malpractice?" His voice was laced with that Alpha tone he hadn’t quite shaken, even as an Omega. I shot him an icy look and glanced at my ride-sharing app. Why on earth is there such a delay?
Daniel, unfazed, kept honking insistently. "Addilyn, are you ignoring me? Speak up!" I replied coolly, my eyes still on my screen, "If you want an appointment, book one. The pack clinic slots open online a week in advance, so landing one is your challenge."
His lips pressed into a thin line, and he slammed the car door shut, stalking over to me with the same predatory stride he’d always had. He snatched my phone and threw it to the ground, shattering it instantly. Fighting to keep my simmering fury in check, I calmly retrieved my backup phone from my bag, activated the payment app, and held it out to him.
"The replacement cost me eight hundred dollars. Pay up or else." Daniel’s fists clenched in frustration, his usually handsome face now contorted with irritation. Even in his diminished state, he was still imposing—his broad shoulders and muscular frame a reminder of the Alpha he once was.
"Addilyn, you're still the same. Money is all you care about. Did your family go broke or fall into debt, making you obsessed with cash?" His words felt like daggers, but I held back from responding. After all, wasn’t it his manipulations that led to my parents’ deaths and our family’s ruin?
I held the phone steady, refusing to budge, as the tension between us mounted. Seconds dragged on until Daniel finally backed down, pulled out his phone, and transferred two thousand dollars. "Now that you’ve been paid, will you at least listen to me?"
Just then, his mate, Catalina Parker, appeared, hurriedly joining us. Her scent—rosemary and something sharp—hit me like a wave, a reminder of her status as the lady of the Washington estate. "Daniel, did you come down here just for her, leaving me hanging?" Her disdain for me was evident. She shoved me aside and sidled up to Daniel with practiced intimacy, her hand resting possessively on his arm.
"Daniel, you don’t actually believe your ex-mate’s nonsense, do you? You’re perfectly healthy. Zero sperm vitality, really? That’s absurd." Her fingers playfully adjusted his tie, her tone dripping with false sweetness. "Remember, you always hit the mark flawlessly."
Her words were meant to cut, and they did, but I refused to let it show. I straightened my shoulders, meeting her gaze with the same cold detachment I used in the clinic. "If you’re so confident, then there’s no need for you to worry. But I’d suggest you both focus on your own issues instead of harassing me."
Catalina’s lips curled into a sneer, but before she could retort, Daniel stepped in, his voice sharp. "Enough, Catalina. This doesn’t concern you."
She shot him a venomous look but didn’t argue, her loyalty to her mate—or perhaps her fear of his temper—keeping her in line. I turned away, my heart pounding as I walked toward the arriving car. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of frustration echoing in my mind.
*He’s not worth it,* my wolf whispered, her voice a rare intrusion into my thoughts. *Let him rot in his own misery.*
I didn’t respond, but I agreed. Daniel Washington was a ghost from my past, and I was done letting him haunt me.
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