Chapter Five

Author's POV

Eight months had passed.

The night air shimmered with quiet opulence as a line of luxury cars snaked along the entrance of the Golden Claw Pack’s grand hotel. Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II. Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae in shades that gleamed like precious stones under the moonlight. Each vehicle whispered wealth and power, each arrival a silent declaration of status.

Men and women emerged in sleek tuxedos and glittering gowns, their laughter echoing softly as ushers in crisp black suits guided them inside. The Yearly Pack Convergence had begun, and Alphas from every corner of the globe had answered the call.

Far above the glittering crowd, in the penthouse suite where the glass stretched from floor to sky, Rhea Griffith stood in silence.

Her reflection stared back at her from the window, but it wasn’t the same girl the world had cast out. No trace of that broken, hollow-eyed woman remained. In her place stood a woman forged in betrayal and reborn in fire.

The silver gown hugged her figure like melted moonlight, catching every shimmer of light and throwing it back with quiet defiance. Around her neck lay a golden necklace that kissed her collarbones with royal grace. Her hair flowed like night silk over her shoulders.

She was no longer a ghost of the past. She was the storm that had survived.

The door opened behind her. Rhea didn’t turn. She didn’t need to. The familiar warmth of Alpha Xerxes, her brother by blood and fate, wrapped around her like armor.

"How’s my little beauty today?" he asked, pulling her into his arms with reverence. He kissed her forehead, and for a moment, the fire inside her softened.

"I feel good," she murmured, letting herself rest in his hold for just a heartbeat. The kind of hold that never turned its back on her. Not like they did.

"You sure about tonight?" he asked, stepping back, eyes scanning her. "The doctor said......."

"I’m stronger now," Rhea said, cutting gently through his worry. "My wolf is healing. The blood that binds us... it gave me more than strength. It gave me purpose. And I am your sister. Ashwoods do not hide."

Xerxes smiled, but there was weight behind it. "You’ve always been fierce. Even when the world tried to crush you."

And it had.

Eight months ago, they had found her at the edge of death. Bruised. Abandoned. Barely breathing. Her back bore the mark—a golden claw birthmark—the same one they had prayed to find for years. DNA confirmed her. She wasn’t a Griffith. She had never been. She was Rhea Ashwood, sister to the feared, powerful and ruthless Alpha of the Golden Claw.

The truth had been stolen from her at birth. A mistake in the delivery room, or perhaps something more sinister. But it didn’t matter. What mattered was that Natalie’s betrayal had led her to her real family.

Now, the same girl Crescent Fur had condemned as a traitor stood reborn as royalty. A princess with Alpha blood in her veins. Her wolf, once silenced, now roared with a strength that could shatter walls.

"Logan will be here soon," Xerxes said, his jaw clenched. "He doesn’t deserve to see you like this. Not after what he did."

"He should be the one hiding from me," Rhea said, her voice as smooth as ice. "Let him come. Let him watch."

She turned toward the window again, her gaze cast over the horizon. The girl who once swallowed her cries in silence was gone. What remained was a storm cloaked in silk.

"Tonight, they will see me," she whispered.

********

Logan stepped out of the sleek black car and stared up at the towering hotel. It looked more like a fortress carved into the mountain than a building. Everything about the Golden Claw Pack radiated strength. Power. Legacy.

He straightened his suit, inhaled sharply, and squared his shoulders. Tonight, he would meet Alpha Xerxes and make a business agreement with him.

"Logan, wait for me!"

He turned slightly as Natalie rushed up behind him. Her high heels clicked too loudly. Her makeup was too thick. Her smile too desperate.

"This place is gorgeous," she said, eyes wide. "Maybe we could use it for our wedding. It’s perfect, don’t you think?"

Logan didn’t answer nor flinch.

She touched his arm. "So... you’re saying yes?"

His voice dropped, sharp. "I never said that."

Natalie flinched. "Logan, please. Don’t do this now."

"I’m here for business. If you’re going to start with fantasies, stay out of my way."

Her mouth parted, but the words died. She had schemed and clawed her way into the Griffiths’ favor, taken Rhea’s place, her title, even her bed. But no matter how hard she tried, she could never wear the crown Rhea had once carried so effortlessly.

She had thought it would be easy. Drive her out. Step in. Take everything.

But the Luna duties weighed heavier than she imagined. She didn’t know how to lead. She didn’t understand the wolves. And Logan, the man who once looked at her like he cared, now couldn’t even meet her eyes. A bit of regret clawing his mind since he left Rhea.

The whispers never stopped. That she wasn’t Luna material. That she was nothing compared to Rhea. That maybe... Rhea hadn’t been a traitor after all.

Still, she pushed a smile on her face. "I brought a gift. For Alpha Xerxes’s sister. I held she has been found. A bracelet. Elegant. She’ll love it."

"You better hope so," Logan muttered. "Don’t mess this up."

They entered the lobby. The usher bowed slightly.

"Welcome to the Golden Claw Pack. May I see your invitation?"

Logan reached into his jacket, but then he stopped.

A flicker.

A shadow near the staircase.

His heart skipped. The air shifted. Something inside him screamed.

He turned sharply.

And saw her. His heart skipped a beat. His legs shake......

She stood by the grand hallway, her hand on the double doors, her posture quiet but commanding. The gown clung to her like the night sky. Her skin glowed like moonlight over fresh snow. Her presence was no longer familiar. It was overwhelming.

He whispered her name like a confession. "Rhea?......."

She turned.

And Logan’s world stopped moving.

Her eyes met his. Not with warmth. Not even with hate. Just calm. Cold. Final.

"It’s been a while," she said, her voice soft as silk but sharp as a dagger.

Then she smiled.

But it wasn’t the smile he remembered. It wasn’t for him.

It was the smile of a woman who had buried her past.

And didn’t need him in her future. This wasn't just a convergence but the beginning of a reckoning!!!