Sophia's POV

I stepped out of Xavier's office, inhaling deeply as I struggled to steady the storm brewing inside me.

Lila sat behind the reception desk, her eyes narrowing with unmistakable disdain the moment she caught sight of me.

She rose smoothly, approaching with a calculated chill in her voice.

"Congratulations, Sophia. Alpha Xavier has decided to hire you."

I nodded, forcing a calm, confident mask over my raw nerves.

"Thank you."

Her laugh was sharp, bitter—like a blade slipping through silence.

"Don't thank me just yet. This isn't some charity. You've got one month on probation. If you can't close a single sale by then, you're out."

I knew exactly what she was thinking—what she'd seen in that office.

Her contempt was justified; I was no stranger to it.

Once, I despised women who clawed their way up on their bodies alone.

Now, here I was—becoming one of them.

The paperwork finished, Lila slid a folder across the desk.

"This is your contract. Read it carefully. If there's anything you want to dispute, speak now."

I skimmed the pages swiftly. The terms were harsh—relentless. But I had no time for protest.

I signed and handed it back without hesitation.

"No issues."

Outside the gates of the Silver Moon Pack, I pulled out my phone and sent a message to Ava.

I got the job.

My eyes stung, heavy with unshed tears, but I swallowed them down.

Since the moment I vowed revenge, crying was a luxury I had forfeited.

Ava was still working, so I stopped by a florist and bought a bouquet before calling a cab to the cemetery.

As the taxi wound through the streets, I scrolled through the news, desperate to distract myself from the tempest within.

But the headlines only plunged me deeper into rage and sorrow.

There they were: Lucas Moore and Isabella Moore.

Their faces beamed proudly in front of the Black Rose Pack's landmark hall, brimming with youthful arrogance and power.

They had changed their surname—Wilson to Moore—signaling the complete erasure of my father's legacy.

They were the new rulers of Black Rose.

Lucas had ascended to Alpha and held the CEO title at Starlight Real Estate Group.

Isabella, radiant with smug triumph, stood firmly at his side.

I gripped my phone so tightly my nails threatened to gouge the screen.

They lived in glory, basking in success as though they'd forgotten the cruelty they inflicted on me and my mother.

They occupied the pinnacle of power, while I crawled through ashes and humiliation.

My heart burned with hatred—raw, searing hatred.

Hatred for the life they stole, for the mother they tore from me, for the six dark years I rotted behind bars.

A clenched spasm twisted my stomach—anger, hunger, or both—I couldn't tell.

I bit my lip hard enough to taste iron.

Then, a bitter laugh slipped out, loud and jagged in the quiet taxi.

Perfect. Fucking perfect.

Lucas. Isabella.

You think you can claim everything without paying the price?

Suddenly, another headline caught my eye—this time about Xavier.

There he was, impeccably dressed, standing before the sprawling Knight family estate.

His gaze was sharp, cold, unyielding.

The article named him heir to the Knight family—a powerhouse within the werewolf federation, wielding wealth and influence few could rival.

I stared at his photo, stunned by the magnitude of his legacy.

So he wasn't just Silver Moon's Alpha.

He was Xavier Knight.

And I... was nothing but a marked ex-con, freshly released and already tangled with a man of his stature.

A shiver ran down my spine.

Maybe he was just another playboy, the kind to forget and move on.

Men like him always did.

Lost in these thoughts, the taxi arrived at the cemetery.

I searched the rows of stones until I found her—my mother's grave.

The plot lay deserted, unmarked by flowers or visitors—untouched for six long years.

Tears welled fiercely but refused to fall.

My throat tightened, breath catching.

"Mom... you were so foolish."

My voice was barely audible, each word scraped raw from my soul.

"You were the daughter of a proud Alpha. You gave up everything to marry Dad. You lifted him to Alpha. And what did he do? He betrayed you. Betrayed us."

My fingers traced the cold stone as if reaching for her warmth.

I dropped to my knees, trembling, utterly drained.

"I hate them, Mom."

My voice cracked with grief.

"I hate them for destroying our home. I hate them for all the suffering you endured. I hate them for taking you away from me."

I drew a deep, steadying breath.

There was no time for despair—not now.

"I promise you, I will take back everything that belongs to us."

My voice hardened, resolute and fierce.

"I will make them pay—ten times over—for every tear, every scar, every loss."

"Mom, I swear... I will make them suffer."