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DAPHNE

September 12,present

“Your Honor, my clients would like to postpone this dissolution.”

“I’m so surprised,” I mutter, swiping the sweat beading along my brow. Anxiety and an early fall heatwave turns my scratchy blouse into an oven.

The ten months since I filed the paperwork to officially leave Pack Parker have been complete chaos. They’ve dragged proceedings out twice trying to convince the judge I’m having a psychotic break, and my friends forced me to leave.

Your Honor, all we want is our omega back. She’s the love of our life.

What a crock of shit.

Pack Parker looks the same as always—trim, poised and ready to take on the world—but there’s something off about them now. This feral energy that feels dangerous. The slightly unkempt stubble on Corey’s jaw and the way Lance’s hair is too long. Jacob’s cruel eyes burning my skin as he looks me over. These aren’t the alphas I was with; they’re something worse and their desire for me feels like a dangerous obsession I can’t seem to escape.

I thought this would be open and shut. Daphne was abused; Daphne gets her dissolution.

That’s not what happened at all.

The judge waved away my unbonded status after my exes brought texts withmereiteratingtheirtalking points.Alphas can’t be faulted if their omegas choose to forgo the bite, so they threw out thebiggestindicator of neglect because of a trauma response I learned from my neglectful exes. Well, that and my parents’ bullshit.

And that contract we signed the day we packed up? Gone and Taylorson with it. I thought he refused to answer my calls and emails because of my pack, but it turns out, he vanished off the face of the earth after a very loud meeting with my father years ago. Extended vacation, his secretary said.

Yet somehow, the bridewealth contract still exists. Apparently, the merger was a separate document. Who knew?

This whole dissolution has been a brutal game of chess I’m underqualified to play in this hotbox of a courtroom. Thankfully, my lawyer has no such problem.

Sasha Knight is gorgeous and whip smart. An alpha herself, I’ve seen her make grown men cry with her resting bitch alone. She sat on the other side of my former pack and fought like hell to get me on a payment plan for the bridewealth that won’t leave me destitute. She’s kind and supportive and, despite it being a little inappropriate, has made subtle hints that she and her pack are interested in courting me when this is over. They’re beautiful, kind, and smell fine, but I’m not ready to date again.

Or maybe I’m just scared. My friends certainly think so, since I’ve avoided alphas after leaving mine. I’ve also started disappearing when I get overwhelmed. Not running per se but taking long drives that last all day without my phone or heading out of town for the weekend with no warning. Whatever it takes to breathe without this crushing stress stealing my energy.Because the men across the aisle want me back and want to make me pay in equal measure.

Judge Harris sighs, already looking at Sasha. “Go ahead, Counselor.”

“Thank you, Your Honor. As you know, my client has been waiting for this dissolution to go through for nearly a year. Daphne’s ready to start her new life.” Sasha’s hand drops gently onto my shoulder, squeezing in reminder.Sit up tall. Show no fear.“When leaving, she took no money that wasn’t hers by right and no shared property. There’s nothing tying her to Pack Parker anymore beyond the bride payment and you’ve already signed a payment plan into the records. They have no reason to continue dragging us down here, except to make Daphne struggle financially. For people who say they have her best interest at heart, it’s appalling.”

“Ms. Knight is correct. Mrs. Parker left with nothing she and her pack share.” Brian Kefling, the pack’s lawyer and former frat brother, looks my way and winks. Dread sinks claws into me as he utters the words I never thought I’d hear. “Except her business.”

No.

Bile stings my throat, and a wave of heat threatens to send me toppling. I’m going to pass out.

Sasha scoffs. “Your Honor, be serious. My client built her company from the ground up with no financial, physical or emotional help from her former pack. They weren’t even bonded!”

Kefling pretends to pick lint off his tie smugly. “That doesn’t matter. Mrs. Parker?—”

“Her name is DaphneBarnes,” Sasha snaps. “If you’re going to do this, use the name she prefers.”

Jacob growls, but Kefling doesn’t acknowledge him. “The dissolution is ongoing, so she’s still Pack Parker’s omega.”

“Your Honor, my client is actively trying to distance herself from her former alphas. It’s distressing to continue using her pack name when she’s asked to revert to her maiden one.”

“Your Honor?—”

“I agree with Ms. Knight, Counselor. You will use her client’s maiden name from here on out.”

Kefling looks pissed but bows his head anyway. “Yes, Your Honor. As I was saying,Miss Barneswas the Parkers’ omega when she created the business in question. Even without a bite, pack law entitles them to part of the profits and/or ownership. Since there are three alphas and one omega, we believe it’s fair to give them seventy-five percent of both.”

They’re seriously trying to take Nymph.“You can’t do this!”