28 Chapter 28

Valerie’s POV 1

I honestly never thought I’d see that bitch Seraphina again. After she slunk away from home five years ago with her tail between her legs,

I assumed she’d crawled into some corner somewhere with her little bastard and disappeared forever. The last thing I expected was to

find her working right beside the most powerful Alpha in the territory, looking like she actually belonged there.

The memory of being thrown out of that restaurant still burned in my chest like acid. The way Damien had looked at me-with such cold

disgust-when he’d ordered security to remove me. The way he’d automatically moved to protect Seraphina, like she was something

precious instead of the worthless omega reject she’d always been.

It made me want to scream.

Sitting in the passenger seat of Gabriel’s beat-up Honda, I stared out at the shabby neighborhood we now called home and felt my rage

building with each passing second. This wasn’t how my life was supposed to turn out. When I’d married Gabriel five years ago,

he’d

promised me everything-wealth, status, a position in the Nightshadow family that would make everyone who’d ever looked down on me

pay.

What a fucking joke.

Gabriel had spun elaborate tales about his importance in the pack, about his close relationship with his powerful Alpha brother, about

the inheritance that was supposedly coming his way. All lies.

The truth was that Damien barely acknowledged Gabriel’s existence. Gabriel was nothing more than their father’s bastard son-a

mistake that the family tolerated but never embraced. No money, no power, no influence. Just a disappointment who spent his days

playing video games and eating junk food while I worked myself to the bone trying to maintain some semblance of the lifestyle I

deserved.

“Valerie, baby, come on,” Gabriel whined from the driver’s seat, his hand creeping across the center console to rest on my thigh. “Don’t

be like this. You know I hate it when you’re mad.”

I slapped his hand away with enough force to make him yelp. “Don’t touch me,” I snarled, my voice dripping with disgust. “And don’t call

me baby. I’m not in the mood for your pathetic attempts at affection.”

Gabriel’s face crumpled like a kicked puppy’s. “But I missed you while you were at that fancy dinner. I was hoping we could… you know…”

He waggled his eyebrows in what he probably thought was a seductive manner.

The thought of letting this useless waste of space put his hands on me made my stomach turn. When had I ever found him attractive? He

burden dragging

when we get home,” I said through gritted teeth, “is clean up

and I don’t want them

face fell. “A cleaning service? Val, we can’t

can afford!” I exploded, my voice echoing in the cramped car.

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my face in public. The least you

the floor. I kicked

Services,” a cheerful voice answered. “How can we help

immediately,” I said, not bothering with pleasantries. “My

send someone

I’ll have someone there as soon as

a grunt, already reaching for

little bit, maybe-”

my hands clenched into fists.

to respond, but the sharp knock on our front door cut him off. I smoothed down

with a bucket of cleaning

staring into a face I hadn’t

“Anna?”

Services polo shirt and carrying a caddy

was pulled back in a practical

said, a slow smile spreading across her face. “Valerie Knight. Or should I say Valerie Nightshadow now? Fancy

you like this.”

her, genuinely excited for the

our disaster of a living room with professional

would set

that moment to look up from his game, his eyes widening as he took in Anna’s appearance. “Who’s

the tone he used when he thought he

quickly, shooting Gabriel a warning look. “An old friend from high school. Anna, this

Gabriel with obvious disdain, taking in his rumpled clothes, his soft physique, and the

surrounded him

dryly, “I can see why you snagged this

with pride. “Yeah, Valerie knows quality

eye and

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sweetly, “why don’t you go get us some coffee? Anna and

dropped onto our couch with a sigh.

Alpha’s brother, for crying out loud. You should be living

to finally have someone who understood

of the family. More like the family disappointment that everyone tries to

“Including his Alpha brother?”

brother.” I couldn’t keep the bitterness out

for a moment, her sharp mind clearly working through the implications. “So you’re

demanding money for Dad’s medical bills, and I’ve maxed out every credit card trying

face in my hands. “God, Anna, I don’t know what I’m going

me. But then that

Anna’s voice sharpened with interest. “Seraphina Knight? Our favorite little omega

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