Even Alphas Bow to Her Chapter 01
I’d been secretly dating Ethan Hawthorne–an
Alpha–blood–for four years.
The night of Senior Prom, I walked toward him in a white dress. He rejected me in front of everyone and proposed to my sister Lily instead.
His reason? He liked gentle, sweet girls. He’d only
been with me to get close to my sister.
Fine. Some true mate I turned out to be. A complete joke.
I left the Pack with my wolf shattered into pieces.
Moved overseas. Got my MBA. Full scholarship.
Grinded four years to build a company. Year six, I rang
the bell at NYSE.
Then I heard Ethan’s family business was in a cash flow crunch. He’d been begging anyone for funding.
Posted on social media:
“Big meeting with an investor tomorrow. Wish me luck!”
Lily commented underneath: “My Alpha’s the best!
You’ve got this!”
I checked the schedule my assistant Charlotte had sent over.
9:30 AM–meeting with a small–company founder about funding.
The name on the file: Ethan Hawthorne.
My mom Margaret called. “Vivian, your
brother–in–law Ethan’s business is about to collapse.
Make sure you help him out.”
I kept my voice flat. “Help with what?”
“He’s looking for expansion funding everywhere.
You’ve been overseas for years–you must know
people in that space. Put in a good word for him.”
Margaret said it like she was deciding what to cook for dinner.
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Don’t ‘see what you can do.‘ Lily’s worried sick. And you–thirty–something, still not bonded. What’s all
that career success for anyway? Look at your sister.
She married so well. The Hawthorne Clan is a
Prominent Clan in the werewolf world.”
I almost laughed out loud. They knew Lily had stolen
my fated mate, didn’t they?
They knew. They just chose to bless her instead.
Maybe my laugh rubbed her the wrong way. Her voice
went sharp. “You’ve been gone six years. You don’t
even come back for Pack Gatherings. After Lily married Ethan, she’s been here taking care of your dad
and me. What have you ever done?”
“Dad’s surgery that year–I paid the hospital bills.”
“Oh, you transferred some money, so that makes you a
saint? Twenty grand to buy yourself a clear
conscience? Where were you when Lily spent seven days and nights in that hospital room? Overseas,
chasing your precious money!”
I didn’t answer.
“You’ve always been like this. Competitive. Had to
one–up your sister at everything. And what did it get you? She’s bonded into a good family. You?
Thirty–something, alone, not even a mate who cares
about you.”
I glanced at the schedule. Ethan Hawthorne’s name
stared back at me. I scrolled past it with my thumb.
“Mom, it’s almost midnight.”
“Fine. You’re busy. You’re always busy.” Margaret’s voice softened a notch. “Lily wants you to ask around.
Find out who Ethan’s meeting tomorrow. So he can prepare.”
The investor was me.
“Sure. I’ll ask around.”
I hung up. WhatsApp pinged.
A Voice Memo from Lily.
She loved sending Voice Memos. Probably so she could show off that syrupy sweet voice whenever she wanted.
“Hey sis, did Mom tell you? Ethan’s been so stressed
lately. Barely sleeping. You’ve been overseas forever
you must know people in investing, right? Can you put in a word for us?”
A pause.
“Oh, and what do you actually do now? Tech or something? I can never remember, hehe.”
The NYSE Bell Ringing coverage had run my full name -Vivian Sterling. She never bothered to Google it.
The Family Group Chat was blowing up.
Margaret: [Ethan has a big meeting tomorrow. Let’s all
cheer him on–let’s get that funding!]
My dad Robert sent a thumbs–up.
Lily: [My Alpha’s the best! He’s got this! (‘‘)]
I scrolled through twenty–something messages. Not one mentioned me.
Six years.
I’d read every message in that group. Never replied.
I used to try.
The day we closed Series A, I posted: “Signed Series
A.”
No one asked.
Lily replied: [Oh wow, that little project of yours is still
going? Keep it up 1
I stopped posting after that.