Claimed By My Cheating Mate’s Rival Alpha Chapter 08

Claimed By My Cheating Mate’s Rival Alpha Chapter 08

SCARLETT

I woke up to seven missed calls from Mason.

The texts got more desperate as the day went on.

I know you’re upset. Let’s talk about this.

Scarlett, answer me.

Are you at Maggie’s? I’m coming to get you.

That last one made me sit straight up. Margot had already left for work, and her place was quiet and peaceful. I couldn’t stay here. If Mason showed up at her door making a scene, Maggie would be the one dealing with the fallout because he’d keep coming here to find me.

She’d already done more for me than I had to ask. And I was also trying to avoid her commiting murder.

I packed my bag and slipped out into the cold morning. The air around Margot’s neighborhood was thick with fogg and the path to the main road was damp from last5:23

night’s rain. I got in my car and drove with no real destination.

I could feel the gears in my mind working as I drove down the road. I needed money to survive if I was going to leave the Crowford pack. But where could I get the money from when I’d given all my family’s assets to a pack that didn’t deserve it?

Like a light bulb switched on in my head, a name dropped.

The Mansion on Birch Lane. The one Mason gave me as a mating gift. The building was the one thing I had in my

name.

I’d spent two months making it mine. I chose the wood for the floors, picked out every piece of furniture, planted wildflowers in the garden out back.

It was supposed to be our place, separate from the Crowford mansiom. Somewhere that belonged to just us.

Until Mason brought Celeste into it, into our bed, and

ruined everything.

My grip tightened on the steering wheel, as anger surged through me. I knew what to do now.

I drove to Harlan’s office on the edge of the market district. He was part of the pack’s administrators. His office was a duplex, with a wooden sign out front that / read PACK PROPERTY & TERRITORY BROKERAGE.

I took a deep breath and booked an appointment with his secretary. Since I was the Luna, I was told to go see him immediately.

“Mrs. Crowford,” he said when I walked in. “What can I

do-”

“Blackwood.” I sat down across from his desk without him permitting me to. “It’s Scarlett Blackwood. I came

here for business.”

His brows furrowed. I could tell he was curious to know why I didn’t claim Mason’s name anymore, but he didn’t ask. It wasn’t in his place to.

“Go on,” he said.

Jant to list my mansion on Birch Lane for sale. Half

the market value.”

Harlan’s eyes widened. “Half? That property is worth a billion dollars.”

“I know what it’s worth. List it at half. I want it sold by/

the end of the week.”

He looked at me for a long moment, then nodded and started the paperwork. He knew better than to push or try to reason with me.

When he was done and the listing had been successful, I stepped out and got back into my car. My phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number, but I picked up the phone call. Maybe it was a client who’d seen the listing.

“I heard you’re selling your mansion. I want to buy it.” I recognized the voice immediately. Celeste.

I tried to keep my anger level.

“Yes, but to serious clients,” I replied curtly.

“I’m serious. I’m sure I’ll take good care of it. I’ve stayed there a lot of nights. It’s a lovely little place. Are you really

letting it go for half price?” I could hear the devious smile on her face, but I tried to ignore the twisting in my

stomach.

“For normal people, half price is more than fair,” I said. “But you’re not really a person. You’re a germ, ready to / contaminate. So I’ll be selling it to you for two billion dollars.”

She audibly gasped, and it was my time to smile.

“You thief! How dare you —

I hung up before she could get another word out.

An hour later, Gerald, Mason’s father, called.

“Scarlett, dear. I think it would be good if you came by tonight. There are some things we should discuss as a family. I heard you’re listing The Birch Lane mansion for sale.”

I heard Mason’s voice in the background, and I rolled my eyes at how pathetic he was.

He was using Gerald to lure me in.

I almost said no. Every part of me wanted to hang up and keep driving. But then I remembered I had some heirlooms of my father and my brothers left in the room I’d stayed when The Crowford took me in.

Those were the only pieces of my family I had left. I had to get them back.

“I’ll come,” I said. “But I won’t be staying for long because there’s not much to discuss.”

Immediately I arrived at the Crowford mansion, Mason met me outside.

“Scarlett.”

His jaw tight, his eyes red-rimmed. I was about to walk past him and into the house, but he grabbed my wrist.

“Why are you selling the mansion? It was our home.” His voice was low, strained. “We can talk things out.”

I looked down at his fingers wrapped around my skin. Once, his touch meant safety. Now, I was deeply repulsed

by it.

“Let go of me,” I bit out, looking him dead in the eyes. “If it was our home, why did you bring Celeste into my bed? Why did you sleep with her, and even got her pregnant?”

His face went white. His grip loosened and his lips parted, but nothing came out for a long second.

“You know about that?”

I pulled my wrist free and walked past him with my family’s things pressed tight to my chest. I tried to walk away because I had nothing left to say to this man.

Mason blocked her path, scrambling to explain.

“That night was an accident. I had too much to drink at a business dinner, and Celeste couldn’t drive. We were near the villa, so she just gave me a ride home.”

“And then what? You two spent the whole night tangled up in our bed?” I bit out. “Save that excuse for someone who’ll actually buy the mansion.”

“You’ve got to believe me. Nothing happened between

us!”

“You’re telling me nothing happened at all?” The fact that he was lying to my face pissed me off more than what he did.

He went quiet. He couldn’t answer my question. Because deep down, he felt guilty as hell. I could see it written all over his face.

“You really make me sick right now, Mason.”

His footsteps followed me down the hall. “Scarlett, wait. Let me explain. It wasn’t what you think-”

I kept walking and didn’t turn around.