Chapter 2

Zane’s POV

"You really think silence makes you look strong?"

Tyler’s voice grated in my ears as I rubbed my forehead, staring at him from across the desk. His tone carried the same mix of frustration and loyalty I’d grown used to, but tonight, he was pushing harder.

I leaned back in my chair, eyes locked on my Beta. “If I ignore them, I’m reminding them I don’t bow to anyone.”

He shook his head, the corner of his mouth twitching like he was fighting the urge to curse me out. “That’s not what they’re seeing. To the Elders, silence looks like fear. It’s been more than three months since your last so-called bride, Zane. They’re restless. Parker especially. He’s got Lydia lined up for you like she’s some prize mare at an auction. If she ends up Luna, he’ll have enough backing to become head of the Council. Are you really going to let him climb over you?”

His words had weight, but I wasn’t about to show it. I raised a brow, my voice low. “Are you trying to manipulate me?”

Tyler didn’t flinch. “No. I’m reminding you of facts. You handle this girl, you shut them up. Or would you rather gamble with the pack’s safety just to avoid a woman’s bed for one night?”

I exhaled sharply through my nose. “So you’re saying I put that woman in her place?”

“Exactly. It’s what you’ve always done.” He leaned closer, lowering his voice. “This isn’t just any woman, Zane. Did you even look at her file? Tall, blonde, and—” He cupped his palms in front of his chest, grinning like an idiot. “Assets.”

I gave him a flat look. “That’s your pitch?”

Inside, my wolf stirred. ‘She looks like trouble.’

‘If I go, it’s trouble. If I ignore them, it’s trouble. Which do you prefer?’ I asked him silently.

‘You already know the answer. Stop acting like it’s the first time.’

‘You’re supposed to be my voice of reason.’

‘And I am. Trouble is trouble, but the softer road keeps blood off your hands. Go. See her. They won’t dare strike while you’re in their den. And who knows… you might learn something useful.’

Then he slipped away, curling back into the shadows of my mind.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. The damn wolf was right. He usually was.

“You’re forgetting something,” I told Tyler. “It’s not just Parker. If I agree to meet this girl, her father gains ground too. Gregory’s already sniffing around for ways to boost his standing. If I take Lydia, even temporarily, he’ll strut around like he owns half the Council. Parker gets his vote, Gregory gets his leverage, and I get… what? A headache.”

Tyler shrugged, completely unbothered. “Headache or not, it buys us months of peace. You taste the meat, then you spit it out. We’ve done this before. Vivian digs dirt, I handle the logistics, and you walk away unscathed. Elders lose face. We win. Simple.”

I stared at him, fingers drumming against the desk. “She’s untouched.”

His eyes flickered with amusement. “On paper. My sources say otherwise. Either way, what’s the worst that happens? You waste a few days, send her packing, and the Elders scatter like whipped dogs.”

I wanted to laugh, but the sound that came out was closer to a growl. “You think virgins are easy? They cling. They demand flowers, chocolates, sweet words. Waste of my time.”

Tyler smirked. “Then make it quick. You don’t need to keep her. You just need to make a point.”

I swiveled in my chair and glanced at the calendar. Five days. That gave me enough time to prepare—and to remind myself why I hated this game. Every Elder thought they could leash me with a woman. None of them understood that I don’t bend.

“Fine,” I muttered. “We leave in five days.”

Tyler exhaled, relief flashing across his face. “I’ll get everything in order.”

I watched him leave, his steps lighter than when he’d come in. For him, this was another mission—an excuse to play spy with Vivian, another thrill on the road. For me, it was war disguised as courtship.

My eyes lingered on the dark window behind my desk, my reflection staring back at me. The wolf inside me was quiet, but his earlier words echoed in my mind. Trouble is trouble, Zane. Choose the lesser one.

The truth was, there were no lesser troubles anymore. Only the kind that destroyed you slowly, and the kind that tore you apart all at once.

And Lydia… whichever one she was, I’d find out soon enough.

“Don’t celebrate yet, Tyler,” I muttered to the empty room. “This isn’t a game. And she won’t be the first woman I’ve broken.”