Ethan POV:
Ethan entered the common room, his gaze instantly seeking out Sophia. He watched her, talking and laughing with Lila, her expression soft and warm despite the newness of her surroundings. The pack’s acceptance was crucial to him—he wanted Sophia to feel comfortable here, to see that she belonged as much as any one of them. But as he moved closer, something in the air shifted. A faint ripple of tension prickled his senses, setting him on edge.
Then he saw Adrienne.
She was circling Sophia like a hawk, her voice a venomous whisper as she leaned in closer to his mate. Ethan’s jaw clenched as he watched her, a slow burn of anger rising in his chest. Of all people, Adrienne should know better than to pull something like this in front of the pack—she’d lost any right to challenge him or Sophia long ago. Just seeing her there, trying to assert herself, brought back memories he’d buried, memories of betrayal, of the very foundation of their relationship collapsing the moment he’d learned the truth. Adrienne, the woman he once trusted, had shattered it all when he found out she’d been unfaithful—with a member of his own training squad, no less. She’d shown her true colors, and he’d cast her aside without a second thought.
But seeing her here, mocking Sophia, challenging her place at his side—it was like she thought she still had some kind of claim. As if she hadn’t destroyed any hope of that the day he caught her with someone else. He couldn’t ignore it, not after everything they’d been through, and especially not now, with Sophia looking vulnerable, her eyes narrowed as Adrienne’s words clearly hit too close.
Adrienne’s voice cut through the air, cruel and sharp, “You really think you’re fit for him? A weak human—how quaint. Ethan will come back to me eventually. Only a real werewolf can give him what he deserves. You’re not his Luna, just a placeholder.”
His vision blurred with anger, and a feral growl escaped his throat before he could stop himself. The room went silent. Pack members turned, their eyes wide as he stalked toward Adrienne, his entire being radiating fury. She must have heard him, but she didn’t back down; instead, she stood her ground, lifting her chin, defiant as if she had any right.
“Adrienne.” His voice was low and full of a warning she should have heeded. “You’ll show Sophia the respect she deserves.” Each word was laced with a threat that echoed in the silence, and he stepped forward, making his message unmistakably clear.
She gave a small scoff, rolling her eyes. “Respect?” She sneered, though the defiance in her eyes was weaker now, beginning to fade. “She’s human, Ethan. You can’t possibly believe—”
“Enough!” His voice thundered through the room, silencing her completely. He took another step forward, keeping Sophia safely behind him, every muscle in his body tensed with the barely-contained anger boiling beneath the surface. “You gave up any right to speak to me like this long ago, Adrienne. You betrayed me. You lost your place in my life and in this pack when you chose to destroy what we had.”
He saw the flicker of panic in her eyes, the realization that he wasn’t just speaking to her but to the entire pack, declaring for them to hear that Adrienne’s place was long gone, erased by her own choices. She’d gambled with his trust, and she’d lost, yet here she was, brazenly trying to assert herself as if she’d never broken his heart.
The silence that followed was deafening, thick with the weight of his words. The pack was watching, their expressions a mix of surprise and understanding. Adrienne had pushed her luck, and she was finally beginning to see the depth of her mistake.
Without breaking his fierce glare, Ethan reached back, wrapping an arm protectively around Sophia’s waist. He pulled her close, pressing a reassuring kiss to her temple, making sure everyone saw that it was her—Sophia—who held his heart. Not Adrienne. Not ever again.
“She’s mine,” he murmured, his voice carrying through the room, leaving no room for doubt. “And nothing, and no one, will change that.”
Adrienne’s shoulders sagged, her defiance crumbling as she met his gaze, her pride shattered. She seemed to shrink, her confidence seeping away as she registered that there would be no going back. She had played her last card, and it had failed her miserably.
As she slinked away, Ethan turned his full attention to Sophia, his expression softening as he looked at her. The anger still simmered in him, but he focused on grounding himself in her presence, letting her steady him. In that moment, all he wanted was to take her away, to show her that she was his future, not some ghost from his past.
“Come on,” he murmured, lifting her into his arms, ignoring the whispers and stares of the pack members around them. He could feel the silent approval of his pack behind him; they’d witnessed his declaration, his unwavering commitment to her.
As he carried Sophia back to his room, he felt a renewed sense of purpose, the last remnants of his past fading away, leaving only the promise of their future.