Chapter 6

Lucia

Looking at the line Severus had sent, my heart skipped a beat.

"Thank you." I typed those two words and sent them.

Putting down my phone, I took a deep breath and pulled my attention back to the mountain of old archives on my desk.

I had to stay here. I had to establish my footing.

My mother's phone call from this morning still echoed in my mind.

My brother had been caught trespassing in high-ranking wolves' hunting grounds to poach. According to tribal law, he would have his transformation ability stripped and be exiled to the wilderness.

Though I resented how they'd thrown me out years ago, my grandmother was still there.

If I didn't even have a decent job, in this pack where the strong devoured the weak, my grandmother and I could be trampled underfoot at any time.

I couldn't continue like the past five years, clinging to Antony's side like an appendage, spending my days only knowing how to release sweet scents to please him.

I needed to build a career. I needed to have my own confidence.

I opened my computer and logged into the system's database.

I spent the entire afternoon familiarizing myself with the communications office's workflow.

From initial archive organization to external editorial contact channels, then to various news review standards—I carefully read through all the documents.

My previous experience writing columns for the small newspaper helped enormously. These processes weren't unfamiliar to me.

I divided those two hundred-plus pages of messy handwritten archives into three sections: territorial boundary disputes, resource allocation conflicts, and internal pack fights and brawls.

Once I had the categories clear, writing the analysis report would be much faster.

At three PM, the sound of high heels clicking on the floor echoed through the office area.

Elena emerged from the editor-in-chief's office carrying a coffee cup, walking slowly with exaggerated hip movements.

She stopped at my desk, her gaze sweeping over the classification table on my computer screen.

"Making good progress." She chuckled lightly, though her tone carried no hint of praise.

I stopped typing and looked up at her without responding.

Elena threw a thick document folder onto my desk with a dull thud.

"Since you're so efficient, handle these too. This is next month's external editorial plan, plus last week's backlogged news review drafts. I want to see your revision comments before quitting time today."

Looking at that document folder, anger instantly flared inside me.

"Editor-in-Chief Elena, I'm an investigative reporter. News reviews and editorial planning don't seem to be part of my job description. Besides, you assigned me the territorial dispute report this morning, due tomorrow, which I'm currently working on."

I didn't want to be a pushover anyone could squeeze.

Elena raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a smug smile: "Lucia, you might not understand our communications office's rules yet. The department is short-staffed, so everyone cross-trains. What, as a newcomer, you want to pick and choose your work?"

She deliberately raised her voice, causing several nearby colleagues to stop what they were doing and steal glances our way.

"If you feel you can't handle it, you can go directly to the chief editor and tell him you're incompetent, let him fire you."

Elena leaned against the edge of my desk, lowering her voice to a volume only we could hear: "Don't think having Severus backing you means you can coast here. I'm the one in charge."

I clenched my fists, nails digging deep into my palms.

I wanted to throw the document folder back in her face, but I restrained myself.

If I argued with her now, I'd be playing right into her hands.

She wanted to see me lose control, wanted to prove to everyone that I was either a useless person abusing my connections, or an ex-girlfriend driven crazy by jealousy.

I couldn't let her succeed.

"Fine." I unclenched my fists and pulled the document folder toward me. "I'll have it to you before quitting time."

Elena seemed surprised that I'd agreed so readily. She paused, then sneered: "Better not let me find any errors or omissions."

With that, she turned and walked away on her high heels.

Sophie rolled her office chair over and whispered: "That's way too much. This is clearly three people's worth of work. You'll definitely have to work until midnight tonight."

"It's fine, I can handle it." I smiled at her and turned my attention back to the computer screen.

Resentment and anger wouldn't solve any problems.

Only by completing the tasks she assigned perfectly could I slap her in the face.

Over the next few days, I threw almost all my time into work.

I sorted out those complex territorial disputes and wrote a logically tight analysis report.

I reorganized the editorial plan, eliminating several obviously unreasonable schedules.

I even finished reviewing all those backlogged news drafts and attached detailed revision suggestions.

When I placed these items, sorted by category, on Elena's desk, the expression on her face was quite spectacular.

But the trouble didn't stop there.

Antony began appearing at the communications office frequently.

He'd rarely come to places like this before.

As the pack's future Alpha, he had many meetings and training sessions to attend daily, but recently, he'd been coming almost every afternoon.

Nominally, he was there to see Elena.

But he never went directly to the editor-in-chief's office.

He would stand in the open office area's walkway, holding a coffee cup, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally drifting toward me.

"Look, he's here again." Sophie nudged me with her elbow, lowering her voice: "I bet he's definitely watching you."

I put on noise-canceling headphones and kept my eyes on the news article on screen: "Who he's watching has nothing to do with me."

"But everyone's talking about it." Sophie sighed. "Yesterday I heard people from the next team saying in the break room that you deliberately came to work under his fiancée to try to win Antony back, playing the long game."

My fingers typing on the keyboard paused.

Rumors always spread faster than truth.

They didn't know Severus had arranged for me to come here, nor that the soul bond between Antony and me had been completely severed.

In their eyes, I was just a tragic figure clinging desperately to the past.

I didn't try to explain.

Because I knew that in this pack, the weak's explanations were always pale and powerless.

All I could do was focus on my actual work.

As long as Antony didn't actively provoke me, I'd treat him as invisible.

Friday afternoon, near quitting time.

I was organizing an investigation outline about pollution in the western mining district—a topic I'd proactively proposed to the chief editor.

The chief editor was very optimistic about this direction and wanted me to produce a preliminary plan quickly.

I was typing when a shadow suddenly fell across my desk.

Thinking it was Elena coming to cause trouble again, I didn't look up: "If it's new review drafts, please put them on the left side. I'll look at them tomorrow morning."

"You've been working pretty hard these past few days."

A deep male voice sounded above my head.

I jerked my head up.

It was Antony.

He wore a well-tailored black suit, hands in his pockets, looking down at me.

The office area, which had been filled with scattered conversations, instantly fell silent.

I removed my headphones and looked at him calmly: "Is there something you need, Master Antony?"

I deliberately used the formal address to create distance between us.

Antony's brow furrowed, clearly displeased with the title.

"Do you have to use that tone with me? Come out with me for a moment. I need to ask you something."

"It's work hours now." I pointed at the computer screen. "And I have an outline to finish. I'm busy."

"Lucia!" His voice carried a hint of his usual controlling tone.

Before, whenever he called my name in that tone, I would immediately drop everything to accommodate him.

But not anymore.

"If you're here for Elena, her office is up ahead and to the left. If you're here on an inspection, please find the chief editor. I'm just an ordinary investigative reporter with no obligation to chat with you during work hours."

Gasps could be heard from around us.

No one dared speak to the future Alpha like that.