Chapter 305

Chapter 305
Bella

The artificial sweetness in Cindy's voice made my skin crawl as she watched my homemade treats scatter across the soundstage floor.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Bella," she said, pressing her hand to her chest in mock concern.

I kept my expression neutral, though my eyes flashed briefly with golden light. The wolf in me recognized the deliberate challenge.

"No problem at all, Cindy." I forced a polite smile, watching as she ground her heel into one of the carefully prepared treats. "They're just some snacks I made. Nothing that can't be replaced."

Cindy's jealousy was practically radiating off her in waves, and I could sense the bitter resentment in her scent. With a disdainful snort, she turned her head and strode away.

As Cindy left, I caught sight of my assistant, hovering nearby. I made my way over to her, keeping my voice low. "What do you know about Cindy's background? How did she land this role?"

My assistant shifted uncomfortably, her eyes darting toward where Cindy stood preening near the craft services table. "Well," she whispered, "word is she got cozy with one of the Vista Entertainment executives. You know, the old-fashioned way of climbing the ladder."

"You mean she slept her way into this movie?" I kept my voice neutral.

My assistant responded, "That's what everyone's saying. She was a nobody until she started... dating that producer."

A sudden wave of nausea hit me, sharp and unexpected. I pressed my hand to my mouth, fighting back the urge to vomit right there on the soundstage. The combination of Cindy's revolting behavior and the morning sickness that had been plaguing me was too much.

I rushed toward the restroom, barely making it before I was sick. When I emerged a few minutes later, trying to compose myself, Cindy was waiting with a knowing smirk.

"Well, well," she said, her voice dripping with false concern. "Looks like someone's been busy. Should I be expecting an announcement soon? Maybe a certain Alpha's marking is more... productive than we thought?"

I met her gaze steadily, feeling my eyes flicker with gold again. "I had something too greasy for lunch. My stomach doesn't handle rich food well these days."

Before Cindy could respond, one of the Beta male actors, approached with a small bottle in his hand.

"Hey Bella, you okay? I have some scent suppressants if you need them," he offered kindly. "Sometimes the mix of different wolf scents on set can be overwhelming."

"Thank you, but I'm fine," I said with a grateful smile. "It's just a mild sensitivity to certain smells. Nothing I can't handle."

The conversation was interrupted by a commotion near the entrance to the soundstage. I turned to see a familiar figure striding through the chaos of cables and equipment, his presence immediately commanding attention.

Soren.

His Alpha aura was more controlled than usual, just a whisper of power that made the crew members unconsciously step aside.

"Bella," the director, materialized beside Soren with an obsequious smile. "Look who's come to visit our set. Alpha Soren was just telling me how concerned he is about your wellbeing."

"You can rest assured, Alpha Soren," the director continued, "Bella receives the best care possible on my set. We all understand her... special requirements."

I caught the meaningful look he gave Soren, and my jaw tightened.

Around us, crew members were whispering among themselves, their voices carrying just enough for me to catch fragments.

"...Wilson family backing her up..."

"...heard she's got connections to Sterling Group too..."

"...no wonder she gets the lead roles..."

Everything I'd accomplished, every role I'd earned through talent and hard work, was being reduced to which Alphas might be protecting me.

Cindy's face contort with envious rage as she took in Soren's arrival and the deferential treatment he was receiving. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered.

She stormed off toward her dressing room, shoving past a lighting technician without so much as an apology. The poor guy stumbled, nearly dropping his equipment.

Soren had been observing the entire scene with those sharp eyes of his, and now he was making his way toward me with purposeful strides.

"Your presence here is causing problems, Soren," I said quietly when he reached me.

His mouth quirked up in that familiar half-smile that never quite reached his eyes. "Am I? Or are you just uncomfortable with having allies?"

"That's not what this is about, and you know it." I crossed my arms, maintaining distance between us. "Why are you here?"

"Can't an Alpha check on a friend's wellbeing?" He tilted his head, but there was something calculating in his expression. "Liam Wilson seems to have free access to your schedule. Why should I be any different?"

"Because Liam and I have history. Actual feelings between us." I kept my voice level, professional. "You and I are business associates. Nothing more."

"Since you consider me an ally now," Soren said, his voice dropping lower, "does that mean there's potential for... more personal feelings to develop between us?"

The words "business associates" had slipped out as nothing more than polite deflection. Yet, Soren would latch onto it like it meant something real.

If I try to explain that all those things were lies, it's just going to upset Soren. And then, we'd be dealing with an even messier situation.

I was saved from having to answer by the director's booming voice from across the soundstage.

"Bella! We need you for the next scene. The lighting is perfect right now."

Thank god, I thought, grateful for the interruption. "I have to go."

I started to move past Soren, but his hand shot out, wrapping around my wrist with surprising firmness. The contact sent a jolt of awareness through me—not just the physical touch, but the unmistakable pulse of Alpha pheromones that accompanied it.

My eyes snapped to his, and I felt them shift completely to wolf gold as my instincts flared in response to his display of dominance.

"Alpha Soren," I said, my voice carrying a warning edge. "What exactly do you think you're doing?"