Chapter 4

After drinking the potion, I drove back to the Ashford pack estate.

My stepmother Vivian was standing in the foyer. The moment she saw me, her expression curdled.

"Out all night. You're exactly like your shameless mother." Her arms were folded, her voice razor-edged.

I set down my luggage, looked her in the face, and slapped her.

The sound rang clean and sharp through the foyer.

Vivian screamed and clutched her cheek, staring at me with a mix of fury and fear.

"A rogue she-wolf who destroyed someone else's mate bond." I said it quietly. "What gives you the right to lecture me about anything?"

Footsteps thundered from upstairs. Marcus came rushing down to steady Vivian. "You come home and start trouble the second you walk in? You've disrupted this whole pack!"

I watched him rush to that woman's side and felt nothing but contempt. "Give me my share of the pack's assets, and I'll leave this territory for good. You'll never see me again."

Marcus's expression immediately shifted to concern. "What are you talking about? This is always going to be your home."

I laughed like I'd heard a joke. "Home? The day my mother died, I stopped having one."

Marcus went rigid.

"Name your price," I said. "I want what's mine."

He was quiet for a long time, then let out a theatrical sigh. "What are you so upset about this time? Fine. We'll give you half a million to clear your head, take a little trip."

"You only became Alpha because my grandfather founded this pack. My mother gave up her right of inheritance to put you on that throne." I smiled without warmth.

Marcus's face changed. He glared at me like I'd touched something forbidden.

"She used her life to bring you home from that border battle and let you keep your Alpha title. And now you're here living off her pack, keeping your mistress and your bastard daughter in her father's estate — and you're going to pay off her daughter with half a million dollars?" I kept going, not giving him the chance to interrupt.

Marcus's face had gone red. "How much do you want?!" he shouted.

I pulled documents from my bag and set them on the coffee table. "One hundred million dollars and half the territorial rights."

Marcus shot to his feet. "You're insane! You'd gut the entire pack! Absolutely not!"

I walked to the window and looked out at the night.

"My mother told me, before she died, that there's a forbidden ward buried beneath this territory." My voice stayed light. "If it's activated, the entire pack is destroyed."

The sharp intake of breath behind me was satisfying.

"She said she set it up to protect against rogue invasions." I turned to look at them. "Funny how it turned out to be useful for something else entirely."

Marcus's fingers began to tremble.

"So. Either you sign." I said it calmly. "Or we all die here tonight."

"You wouldn't dare—" Vivian shrieked.

"I'm leaving this territory anyway. What exactly do I have to lose?"

Marcus stared into my eyes for a long moment, his hands shaking, then picked up the pen and signed.

I lifted the document and checked the signature.

"What a coward." I let the smile show on my face. "My mother's biggest regret in life was probably marrying you."

"You—" Marcus pointed at me, his finger trembling too hard for him to finish the sentence.

I didn't give him the chance. I turned and headed for the stairs.

"Your sister is bringing her Alpha mate home tonight," Marcus said, forcing down his rage. "I've prepared a welcome dinner. That's Kieran Frost — Frost Pack's Alpha. Don't you dare make a scene."

I stopped on the stairs.

My hand tightened on the banister.

That fast. Kieran was coming tonight, and he was coming as Melody's mate.

I was about to move when the front door opened.

Melody walked in on Kieran's arm, all smiles.