The Mark That Wasn’t Mine Chapter 07
Three years later.Â
In first class, I was reviewing the final report on my tablet; the soft lighting illuminated the conciseÂ
summary: Alexander Reed. Pack disbanded.Â
Assets liquidated. Personal bankruptcy filed.Â
The clouds outside the window look like a stormyÂ
sea.Â
Finally, I have taken my revenge.Â
Over the years, I’ve been watching him fromÂ
behind the scenes at a Luxembourg investmentÂ
firm.Â
After the scandal about our broken relationshipÂ
came to light, he was desperate to prove himself. IÂ
prevented clients from investing in his project andÂ
provided intelligence to his rivals.Â
I was prepared when he overinvested in a doomedÂ
real estate development project in downtown.Â
Seattle.Â
In just one week, he lost everything.Â
I took a sip of black coffee.Â
The Wolf Pack Alliance Financial Summit was heldÂ
in the evening.Â
The Rolls–Royce pulled up in front of the hotel. AÂ
bodyguard got out first, opened a large black umbrella, and then offered me his hand.Â
I stepped out, the hem of my skirt brushing the dryÂ
red carpet. Flashbulbs went off one after anotherÂ
as reporters fired questions at this “mysteriousÂ
financier from Europe.”Â
“Miss Walker, I hear you used to be Luna of theÂ
Blackwood Pack, is that ture?”Â
“What is your relationship with Alpha Alex?”Â
Before I could answer, a cry of despair rang out.Â
“Sarah!”Â
On the other side of the velvet rope, Alex rushed over, wearing a wrinkled suit that was soaked through.Â
“Sarah!”Â
He leaped up suddenly and dived under the rope.Â
But the next second, a security guard tackled him.Â
to the ground. He scrambled back to his feetÂ
immediately and crawled through the water on allÂ
fours until he reached my feet. He looked up, andÂ
murky liquid trickled down his cheeks.Â
“Sarah… I’m sorry. Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I’veÂ
been looking for you… for three whole years. I’veÂ
looked everywhere. Please, forgive me. Please,Â
come home.”Â
Seeing that I didn’t respond, he fumbled inside hisÂ
soaked coat and pulled out a damp, foldedÂ
document. He held it out in front of me.Â
“It’s all yours now. The rest of the Wolf Clan’sÂ
assets, the deeds… it’s all yours. Take it. I beg you.Â
Please forgive me.”Â
Oh, Alex,” I chuckled softly.Â
“Sarah… Are you happy now? Have you forgivenÂ
me?” A glimmer of hope flashed in hisÂ
“Of course not,” I said, tilting my head slightly.Â
The Beta standing a step behind me got theÂ
message. He stepped forward and tossed a folderÂ
to Alex.Â
Alex slowly picked up the book and awkwardlyÂ
unfastened the clasp. His damp fingers slipped aÂ
few times, but after several attempts, he finallyÂ
managed to pull out the first page.Â
The moment he made out the words, his hands.Â
began to shake violently: “It was you… you did it…Â
“Who else could it be, Alex?” I said calmly. “Do youÂ
think it was just bad luck? It took me eighteen.Â
months to dismantle your pack’s assets. You’veÂ
got nothing left.”Â
The document slipped from his hand and fell faceÂ
down into a puddle.Â
He knelt there, clutching the bankruptcy notice.Â
tightly in his hands, his body curled up into a ball.Â
That day, he was charged with trespassing and disrupting a private event, and was detained forÂ
fifteen days.Â
A week later, Beta led a lawyer–dressed in a suitÂ
that looked a bit too shiny–into my new office. HeÂ
placed a thin folder on my desk.Â
“Miss Walker, my client, Alexander Reed, hasÂ
instructed me to transfer all of his remainingÂ
personal assets to you. An apartment in BellÂ
Town, a classic car, and a few… mementos. NotÂ
much. He said… he said he owed you this. HeÂ
knows it’s only a drop in the bucket, but he hopes…Â
that perhaps it might help… help…” The lawyer’sÂ
voice trailed off.Â
“I accept,” I said, picking up the pen. “It was mineÂ
to begin with.” I signed my name quickly andÂ
decisively.

