Chapter 7 Standing My Ground

Elara The next day, I returned to Blackwood Enterprises headquarters to handle my final work transition. As Zack's personal assistant, I immediately sensed the shift in the company atmosphere. The office gossip mill was in full swing. Those colleagues who had once kissed up to me now looked at me completely differently. There was contempt, mockery, pity, and even nasty satisfaction in their stares. Those looks felt like needles stabbing my skin. I could hear the office chatter. Some deliberately whispered about Selina, saying how purebred she-wolves were the perfect match for an Alpha. Others used me as a warning story, suggesting that hybrids like me were only good enough to be an Alpha's side piece. In the werewolf corporate world, putting someone down never requires swearing. I heard everything. Then I stopped walking and turned to face those gossiping women. "Ladies," my voice carried clearly through the entire office area, "were you just talking about me?" Their faces instantly turned red as they stuttered denials. "No need to be shy," I said with a cold smile. "If you have the guts to gossip, you should have the courage for a direct conversation. You were just saying something about hybrids and mixed blood, weren't you?" "We... we didn't..." "Cut the crap," I interrupted them. "Your voices carry pretty far. The whole office can hear you. Since you love discussing my personal life so much, why not speak a little louder?" I looked around the office area, making sure everyone was listening. "You know what? Your chatter sounds like a bunch of hens clucking in a chicken coop, annoying as hell. And what you're discussing is as pathetic as reality TV drama." "Elara, you can't talk to us like that," one of the women tried to fight back. "Can't I?" I raised an eyebrow. "Why not? You can gossip about me behind my back like cowards, but I can't tell you to your face how disgusting that behavior is?" "And since you're all so interested in my love life, let me give you an update. I'm married now. To a real gentleman, unlike some people who only dare to take cheap shots from behind." The entire office went dead silent. A few minutes later, I was in the break room with a cup of hot coffee, getting ready to go back to my desk and pack my stuff, when Kate White showed up. She was the leader of Zack's fan girls and the biggest mean girl in the office. She had wanted me gone from day one, but since everyone thought I was under Zack's protection, she could only play dirty tricks in secret. Making nasty comments about my "background," making sure I wasn't invited to important meetings. All those typical mean girl tactics. Kate deliberately bumped into me, dropping a stirring spoon into my hot coffee. The scalding liquid splashed onto the back of my hand. Sharp burning pain hit me immediately. As a hybrid wolf, my pain sensitivity was higher than both pureblooded werewolves and humans. "Oops, sorry Elara," Kate covered her mouth in fake surprise, her eyes full of nastiness. "I didn't see you there. But thinking about it, someone with your... special condition should be more careful, shouldn't they?" I looked at my red, blistering hand, then at the steaming cup of coffee in Kate's hand. "You know what, Kate? You're right. I should be more careful." The next second, I grabbed her coffee cup and threw its contents all over her without hesitation. "What the hell," Kate screamed as her expensive white silk blouse got soaked with coffee. "Oops," I copied her tone, acting innocent. "Sorry, I couldn't control my strength. But thinking about it, someone with your... special condition should duck faster, shouldn't they?" Her friends were shocked. One tried to defend Kate. "How dare you do that to Kate! She only accidentally..." "Accidentally?" I laughed coldly. "Well, I was only being accidental too. Fair is fair, right?" Kate tried to attack me in anger, but I stepped back, my voice turning ice cold. "Kate, I suggest you think carefully. What you just did was assault. Intentionally hurting a hybrid. That's a hate crime that could get you arrested." "What I just did was spill some coffee. Legally speaking, who's in bigger trouble here?" Kate's face started to go pale. "Are you... threatening me?" "Threatening? No, I'm just stating facts." My smile became more dangerous. "This is reality, Kate. There are people you can mess with, and people you can't. Unfortunately, you picked the wrong target." I looked around at everyone else in the break room. "This lesson applies to everyone here. Next time you want to play petty games, do your research first." "Oh, and Kate, you might want to change your clothes. That stain looks... embarrassing." The entire break room went silent, with only Kate's angry breathing audible. I walked out and went straight to HR to turn in my resignation letter. The whole office was secretly watching me. Some with new respect in their eyes, others with fear. They probably hadn't expected me to leave so decisively. After all, in their minds, a hybrid like me who had barely kept her job thanks to Zack shouldn't have had the confidence to walk away. But what they didn't know was... I was no longer the person who would wait around for an Alpha to notice me. After finishing my resignation paperwork, I had just walked out of the Blackwood Enterprises tower when my phone rang. The display read: Husband. "Hello?" I answered, still getting used to the weird new title. "Elara, it's me." Damian 's voice sounded somewhat tired. "I know the timing might not be great, but my family wants to meet you. If you're free, could we have lunch together?"