Piss Off, Alpha! You Chapter 7 House Without A Scent

Chapter 7: Chapter 7 House Without A Scent

DAMIEN’S POV

I sat at the head of the table, flipping through quarterly reports, pretending to focus while my wolf paced under my skin.

Numbers bored him. etings infuriated him. But I forced both of us to sit still.

My phone vibrated once on the table. I ignored it. Then it vibrated again and again. The receptionist would never call

repeatedly unless sothing was wrong.

I lifted the phone, glanced at the screen, and froze.

East Street Preschool calling.

My chest tightened. Ashley.

I answered instantly. "What happened?"

A timid female voice ca through. "Alpha Damien, sir. This is Ms. Mara from the preschool. We... we tried reaching Luna Stone, but—"

"She’s no longer my Luna," I cut in automatically, grumbling, then clenched my jaw. "What’s wrong with my daughter?"

Ms. Mara hesitated, then spoke quickly. "It’s Family Fun Day. Ashley is the only pup whose mother didn’t attend. She’s very upset, sir."

The room around

blurred. A low growl escaped my throat before I caught it. Sophia. She was supposed to handle this. Tiffany couldn’t, fine but Sophia?

I didn’t even excuse myself. Chairs scraped the floor as every board mber jumped to their feet in submission. Their wolves were reacting to mine.

I walked out.

"Cancel everything for the rest of the day," I ordered my assistant without slowing down.

"Yes, Alpha!"

By the ti I reached my car, my pulse was hamring.

My wolf was restless. His ears were pinned back. He was pacing, confused and irritated. Why wasn’t she there? Why didn’t she call?

I pressed a hand to my temple as I drove.

Sophia had been distant for months. I hadn’t heard a thing from her but she always showed up for Ashley. Always.

At the preschool, I found Ashley sitting alone on the swings. Her little shoulders were stiff. Her eyes were red. When she saw , she didn’t run into my arms.

She glared.

"You didn’t co either," she muttered.

My heart squeezed. "I had a eting, baby. But I ca as soon as they called ."

She kicked the dirt. "Where’s mom? Everyone else’s mom ca."

I took in a deep breath. My wolf growled.

The truth was that I had no idea where Sophia was. Not really. I’d been trying to call her since last night. No answer. No texts. Her number felt like a dead line. But I couldn’t tell Ashley that. She already felt abandoned enough.

So I knelt in front of her and brushed her hair behind her ear. "Mom is... at ho preparing a big surprise."

Ashley frowned. "A surprise?"

I forced a smile. "Your grandpa’s birthday dinner is today. She wants it to be perfect."

She stared at

suspiciously. "Then why didn’t she tell ?"

I swallowed the frustration burning in my chest. "She wanted it to be a secret. You know she loves surprising people."

Ashley softened, but only a little bit. "Okay."

I lifted her into my arms, kissed her forehead. My wolf cald, if only a little.

Just then, my phone rang again. This ti, it was my mom.

I exhaled through my nose before answering.

"What."

She clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Is that how you greet your mother? Listen, tomorrow is your father’s birthday. We’re eting at Alena Mall so we can drive together to the estate. Bring Ashley. She needs to look presentable as always."

"I know it’s his birthday," I replied tightly. "I’ll bring her."

"And don’t forget Sophia," she added sharply. "She’d better not embarrass us again."

The muscles in my jaw twitched. "Sophia will be there."

The call ended and I lowered the phone slowly, trying to suppress the irritation I felt.

Sophia was not reachable. And I had no idea why.

Ashley tugged on my sleeve. "Daddy, can we go ho now?"

"Yes, baby. We’ll get ready for tomorrow."

But even as I drove ho with her, my mind wasn’t in the car. It was with Sophia. Her silence. Her absence.

*

By the ti we reached the estate with my mom the next day, a knot had already ford in my stomach.

The villa was dark.

No light ca in from the windows. No scent of cooking filled the air. There were no footsteps, no movent.

My mom stord inside first.

"Sophia!" she shouted. "Sophia, where the hell are you?!"

Silence answered.

I walked through the kitchen. The place looked untouched. The counters were spotless. No pots. No ingredients. No preparations.

My heartbeat slowed. Sophia wasn’t even here. Had she forgotten what today was the sa way she had forgotten to be at Ashley’s school.

My mother pulled out her phone.

"She’ll answer ," she declared, more to herself than to us. "She knows better."

She dialed. The ringtone echoed through the quiet villa.

Sophia didn’t answer. Helen tried again but she got no response.

Then again. Nothing.

Her temper snapped. She scread and threw her phone away. It shattered into pieces on the wall.

"She dares to humiliate us on your father’s birthday?!" she shouted. "That useless BITCH-"

Ashley hid behind my leg. I felt her trembling. My wolf snarled silently, ready to tear into anyone upsetting my daughter.

But on the outside, I remained calm.

Inside, though... sothing cold slid down my spine.

Sophia had never failed. She had never forgotten any event. She would never disobey a direct instruction, especially not on a day like this.

Sothing was wrong.

Ashley’s voice cracked as she looked between us.

"Daddy... why didn’t mom co? She always cooks for Grandpa."

Helen crossed her arms. "Because she’s ungrateful."

Ashley’s little eyes filled with tears, and she whispered, "Tiffany would’ve co. Tiffany always wants to be with . Mom doesn’t even like . She embarrassed

on purpose."

Her words stabbed deeper than they should have.

I crouched down, taking her hands. "Ashley. Look at ."

She sniffed.

"Your mom would never embarrass you," I said firmly. "Never. Sothing must have happened."

But as I said it... doubt crept in.

Because for the first ti in years, Sophia felt completely... gone. She had no presence in the house. No scent in the halls.

My wolf lifted his head and growled inside .

She’s not here. She hasn’t been here for a long ti. She’s slipping away.

And I felt it....too late.