Chapter 144

Ethan returned to his room later that night after saying goodnight to his family. He had planned to take Irene home, but when he noticed she wasn’t there, he felt a pang of disappointment.

He frowned as he looked around his room. It was completely empty. He picked up his phone and checked his messages. He noticed he had a missed text from her.

Irene’s message read: “I went home. Enjoy your time with your family. I’ll see you soon. Love, Irene.”

Ethan sighed and put his phone back into his pocket. He couldn’t even say he was upset; instead, he felt relieved that she had chosen to leave. It meant he didn’t have to pretend to be happy for another moment tonight.

Ethan felt a cold chill run up his spine as he remembered watching Judy walk away with Gavin Landry. He thought back to the moment he stood up for her, how Judy looked at him as if he had done something amazing, like hanging the moon. That memory filled him with anger. It frustrated him more than anything else.

Had he done enough to keep her?

Did she really move on from him? They were meant to be together, after all, and she still had his mark on her neck. How could she not have any feelings for him? He felt a wave of sickness in his stomach.

didn’t want to lose Judy. He only wanted to marry Irene because she was Gavin Landy’s daughter. Gavin could easily make him the new Alpha of the Redmoon pack. But he still wanted to keep Judy close. He felt torn between his desire for power and his feelings for her.

He was furious at the thought of Judy in the arms of another man. Instead of going home, he decided to head to the local pub. He needed a drink to help clear his mind of her and the painful image of her with someone else.

The bar was close to his family’s house, so he decided to walk there. He enjoyed the fresh, cold air and the beauty of the autumn night.

When he arrived at the bar, it wasn’t very busy. There were only a few people hanging around, but it felt cozy.

Ethan walked through the crowd, noticing a few familiar faces from the pack. They smiled and nodded at him as he passed by, and he returned the gesture.

“What can I get for you?” Charlie, the bartender, asked with a friendly smile.

“A whiskey,” Ethan murmured, placing his credit card on the counter. “And keep them coming.”

“Rough night?” Charlie asked as he took the card and opened his tab.

“Something like that,” Ethan replied, feeling the weight of the evening on his shoulders.

Charlie ran his fingers through his hair and chuckled. He picked up his drink and slid it across the counter for Ethan to catch, knowing he would.

Ethan grabbed the drink and downed it in one go, surprising even the bartender. Everyone around watched in disbelief as Ethan finished it so quickly.

Charlie poured Ethan another drink.

Once again, Ethan quickly drank it all until the cup was empty. He slammed the glass on the counter and slid it back to Charlie, silently asking for a refill.

Charlie did what he was told, knowing that refusing would likely lead to his death.

After his sixth drink, Ethan felt dizzy and was seeing stars. He wasn’t sure he could even walk straight if he tried.

Ethan sat at the bar, feeling too far gone to notice much around him. Someone took a seat next to him, but he was too lost in his thoughts to realize it.

“A classic martini,” a soft feminine voice said.

“Sure thing,” Charlie replied, eager to help. He got up to make the woman her drink.

Ethan looked up and was surprised to see a beautiful girl dressed in almost nothing. Her long hair flowed down her back, and when she caught his eye, she gave him a small smile.

What amazed him was how comfortable she seemed in her own skin.

Most surprising was the fact that she looked just like Judy!

“Judy…” he whispered. Her image started to blur as the alcohol swirled around in his head.

She raised an eyebrow at him.

“My name is Hazel,” she said, her tone steady.

He didn’t care what her name was. All that mattered to him was that she looked just like his friend.

“Are you okay?” the woman who resembled Judy asked after a moment of silence. She was now sipping on her drink.

Martini in hand, she watched him carefully. “Hey, wait… I know you. You’re Ethan Cash, right?”

“Yes,” he replied. “Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?”

She laughed and took another sip of her drink.

Sipping her martini, she confessed, “I have one every day.” After a moment of silence, she noticed him staring at her, which made her uneasy. She cleared her throat and said, “Buy me another one of these, and I’ll let you take…”

“Me home,” she teased.

He looked over at the bartender and raised his eyebrows.

“Get the lady another drink,” Ethan said, his words slightly slurred.

Charlie laughed and glanced at Hazel, raising his brows as if to ask for her permission.

She paused for a moment, looking at him, then turned her gaze to the bartender.

“He’s a rich boy, right? Make it two drinks for me, and I want all of them on his tab,” she said confidently.

“Yes, Mam,” Charlie replied.

After a few martinis, Hazel felt a little tipsy and more relaxed. She let Ethan pull her closer, and their lips met in a sudden kiss. He tasted like whisky and sadness, which mixed into a strange but familiar feeling.

She was feeling a mix of emotions, a fire within her that stirred all sorts of feelings. She was aware of how men could be weak, and she knew how to use that to her advantage. She realized she could make quite a bit of money from this situation.

Today’s Bonus Offer was just the opportunity she needed.