Chapter 2: The Prince Needs An Heir.

SOPHIE's POV.

The first thing I noticed about the Storm residence was the silence.

It wasn't like the uncomfortable kind I'd grown accustomed to in Ethan's chambers where I spent most of my time trying not to be noticed. This place was peaceful, almost intimidatingly so, with polished marble floors, towering windows, and a chandelier that probably cost more than everything I owned combined.

A woman hurried toward me from the hallway.

"You must be Sophie Bennett!"

I nodded, tightening my grip on my handbag.

"I'm Lily." She smiled warmly, taking my coat before I could protest. "It's lovely to finally meet you. And goodness, you're even prettier than I expected."

I blinked.

People didn't usually compliment me. Most looked at me with pity or contempt, as if being wolfless were a contagious disease.

"Thank you," I murmured.

"Come along. Someone is waiting to speak with you." I followed her down the corridor, glancing at the framed photographs lining the walls. Lucian Storm had certainly done well for himself.

Then again, being the Lycan prince of Shadowridge probably came with a few perks. I stopped in front of a portrait hanging above a console table to see him.

Even in a photograph, the man had an unsettling presence.

He had dark hair, sharp features, and eyes that seemed to look straight through whoever stood before him. He was handsome, but not in the polished, pretty-boy way some Alphas were. There was something intimidating about him.

I remembered the first time we'd met.

Ethan had taken me to a formal gathering three years ago. It was one of the few occasions he'd allowed me to accompany him in public, and I'd spent most of the evening standing quietly beside him while he entertained his guests.

But then Lucian had appeared.

Ethan introduced him as his best friend, but Lucian's attention had barely lingered on him. His eyes settled on me instead.

"Sophie Bennett," He'd said, taking my hand.

I remembered the warmth of his lips against my knuckles and the way his gaze held mine a second longer than necessary.

"You know who I am?" I asked.

"Of course."

He'd found me outside later that evening, away from the noise and crowds. I'd assumed he wanted to discuss Ethan, but his opening words had left me speechless.

"I want you to have my child."

I'd actually laughed because I thought he was joking but he wasn't.

"I'll give you anything you want in return," He had said. "Money, a home, protection. Whatever you need."

I remember being offended because he was Ethan's best friend. What kind of man approached another man's wife with such an offer?

Of course, Lucian didn't know we were married.

Nobody did.

I'd refused him and spent the next few weeks trying to forget the encounter.

Until yesterday.

Until Ethan threw me away.

"Miss Bennett?" Lily's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

She led me into a sitting room where a man in a white coat waited beside a table. He introduced himself as one of the physicians here at Shadowridge and he asked me to sit down.

"We'll need a blood sample," He explained. "It's a standard part of the preliminary assessment."

"Assessment for what, exactly?"

"Your suitability for the prince's proposed arrangement."

I held out my arm, though the words made my stomach tighten.

A few minutes later, he disappeared with the sample. When he returned, he carried a folder.

His expression was unreadable until he opened it.

"Everything looks good."

"Good?"

"Your results are consistent with what the prince requires."

"And what does he require?" I stared at him.

"An heir." He said it as casually as if we'd been discussing the weather. The physician placed the folder on the table and opened it to the first page.

"The prince is offering ten million dollars upfront, a residence of your own, and an unlimited black card for personal expenses. The proposed agreement lasts five years."

My mouth fell open.

"Ten million?"

"Yes. However, all financial terms are negotiable."

I looked down at the contract. The numbers were real. So were the clauses detailing my living arrangements, financial independence, and obligations as Lucian's wife.

"Wait. Wife?" I echoed, the word still sounded strange from my lips.

"The Pack's royal traditions require a formal marriage before an heir can be conceived. The marriage will remain confidential, and the agreement provides for its dissolution after five years, should either party wish to end it."

I flipped through the pages, struggling to absorb everything.

"So I'd marry him, have his child, and receive all of this?" I asked. "Essentially, yes." He replied.

"And why me?"

The physician paused.

"That is a question you'll have to ask the prince."

"So where is he?" I glanced toward the windows.

"He isn't available at the moment."

Of course he wasn't.

Lucian Storm had summoned me to his home, ordered a medical examination, and presented me with a contract worth millions. Yet he couldn't be bothered to show his face.

"Can I take this with me?"

"Certainly. Take your time reviewing it. Nothing is binding until you've signed." He said.

I slipped the folder into my bag and thanked him before leaving.

As Lily escorted me outside, I glanced up at the enormous windows overlooking the driveway. For a second, I thought I saw a figure standing behind one of them.

Like someone was watching me.

Then the curtains shifted, and the figure disappeared. Goodness, I was probably imagining things now.

My phone buzzed just as I settled into the car.

Ethan West: Vanessa just came to visit. I need you to drive us both to the bank.

I stared at the message.

He had divorced me yesterday because of her and now, he expected me to chauffeur them around.

I should have refused but there was one thing I had forgotten, I was still his personal assistant. Four years ago, Ethan had employed me at his firm when he took me in.

And since then, I had been working under him.

So, I started the engine.

When I arrived at the pack house, Ethan and Vanessa were already waiting.

Vanessa Cole.

I'd known her long before she became the woman Ethan intended to marry. Back in school, she'd been one of the girls who made my life miserable. I could never forget the day she and Chloe cornered me in front of half the student body.

They called me a defective omega and threw hot water over my arms, and laughed while I struggled to escape.

I still had nightmares about it.

Now Vanessa stood beside Ethan in an elegant dress, looking every bit the Luna she was about to become.

She opened the back door and smiled at me.

"Hello, Sophie. It's been a while."

I forced myself to look away as Ethan climbed in beside her, barely acknowledging my presence.

"Let's go. We're running late." He said.

I pulled out of the driveway and everyone was quiet for the first few minutes. I kept my eyes on the road, determined to get them to the bank and return home without making a scene.

Then Ethan checked his watch.

"Could you drive faster?"

"I'm already going as fast as I can."

"We need to get Vanessa's wedding ring before the bank closes." He sighed impatiently.

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel.

A wedding ring.

In four years, Ethan had never bought me one. We'd married in secret, with no ceremony, no celebration, and no promise beyond the paper he'd asked me to sign.

"It's all right, darling. We have time." Vanessa leaned against him, smiling. He turned toward her, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek before kissing her.

I looked away.

My vision blurred with tears, and I blinked furiously, trying to clear it before the road disappeared beneath them.

Then a horn blared and when I looked up, there was a truck swerving into our lane.

Everything happened so fast.

I slammed on the brakes and jerked the steering wheel to avoid it. The car veered off the road and crashed into a concrete barrier. The airbag exploded against my face, and the impact threw me forward.

For several seconds, I couldn't hear anything except a high-pitched ringing. My head throbbed and I felt blood trickle down my temple.

I tried to unfasten my seat belt, but my fingers were numb.

"Ethan..."

The back door flew open.

I watched through blurred vision as he scrambled out and rushed to Vanessa's side first.

"Vanessa! Are you hurt?" He asked.

"Ethan, my arm!"

He pulled her out of the car, cradling her against his chest. She was shaken, but I couldn't see any serious injuries.

I tried to open my mouth.

"Ethan, please..."

But he didn't look at me, not even to check if I was alive.

He flagged down another vehicle and helped Vanessa inside, his attention fixed entirely on her and then they drove away.

I was left slumped behind the steering wheel, blood running down my face, struggling to stay conscious.

A sob escaped me.

Four years of loving him, and this man didn't even care if I dropped dead. My eyelids grew heavy as the echos of sirens drew closer.

I didn't want to die.

My fingers slipped from the steering wheel and as darkness crept into the edges of my vision, one thought remained.

'Lucian Storm, please. I need you.'